"True to You" by Becky Wade

"True to You"

A Bradford Sisters Romance

by Becky Wade

I just finished this story, just this minute (OK, a couple of minutes ago) and I have that feeling, that mixed up feeling - I loved this book, what a great book, and then the realization that it's over, you've finished, done.

I loved this book that much, I tried to go slowly and relish in the words, the descriptions, the feelings, but I was compelled to keep reading, maybe even when I was supposed to be making dinner! It was that good, that satisfying, to me.

I received a complimentary copy of "True to You" by Becky Wade from Bethany House/Baker Publishing as part of their blogger program.  The review and post are completely honest, and my own opinion.

Here I sit, on my porch, reading this delightful story!

Nora Bradford-librarian, historian, and genealogist, and owner of the historical village.

One broken engagement and she has decided to accept her single-hood and devotes her time to her work, her village, books, and a fascination for her favorite TV show and character.

John Lawson-owner of Lawson Training Inc., former Navy SEAL, adopted.

Runs a security training company, has a girlfriend, strong, chiseled, has received a medical diagnosis.

Nora and her sister, Brit are volunteering to be hostages at a training exercise at Lawson Training, Nora's inability to recover once the exercise is over leads to the chance meeting of Nora and John!

John needs to locate his birth parents, Nora is a genealogist - this is how the story begins.

Take this fun, heartwarming, heart-wrenching, funny, silly, delightful ride with them!

I honestly just loved this book, the characters were so well written you knew they really existed, somewhere.  The same goes for the secondary characters-sisters Willow and Brit, grandmother, housekeeper Valentina, co-workers, and library regulars.  

The scenes are written the same way, detailed and picturesque.  

The story wraps itself around you, and demands you keep reading!

All this fun and I haven't even mentioned the lessons in the book, the underlying Christian theme.  They come as part of the story, they are not forced or obvious!  More amazing writing by this author!

The ending theme to me was - Trust Him.  Trust God, he's got this!

The quote above was at the end of the book - it really spoke to me!

Here is my review as posted on Amazon.com, ChristianBook.com, and Barnes and Noble

I have also left it on Goodreads.com

True to You

by Becky Wade

What an amazing ride!  This story was delightful, charming, heartwarming and heartbreaking, and even funny!  So much depth in this story!  I can't wait to read about the other Bradford sisters!  The writing is unbelievable in this book, it moves you, makes you cry, makes you giggle.  The lessons are there and woven into the story so well, and the ending theme that God has got this!  You just need to trust him.

The two main characters were amazing.  Nora and John.  The book was told from both perspectives.  I loved reading Nora's take, and then hearing John's thoughts.  It made the story so incredible.  You are vested in both characters and understand them so well.  The storytelling is so easy to read yet so much detail, you can visualize the characters and all the settings.  

Nora is a librarian, genealogist, and historian.  John Lawson is an ex-Navy SEAL, was adopted, and has a need to seek out his birth parents.  A chance meeting, Nora offers her services, and the story begins.  As the secondary characters were introduced - sisters, Willow and Brit, her grandmother, co-workers, to name a few, you really got to know them all too!  The conversations, events, and moments of dialogue were so well-written, what a joy.  What's next for Nora and John,  will they find his birth parents, are they just business associates, what about his girlfriend, and Nora’s obsession with books and her favorite TV show!  

At the end of each chapter the author inserted little messages from one character to another and these were total fun.  Facebook messages, texts, notes back and forth, which were satisfying and shed more light, or were just funny.  

I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this book for all the reasons mentioned, it's just a great story, and writing is so compelling I just couldn't put it down!  

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House/Baker Publishing to read and review.  The review is honest and completely my own.

Happy Reading!!

"Weaver's Needle" by Robin Caroll

Weaver's Needle

by Robin Carroll

Meet the main characters.

Nikolai - ex-cop, now a recovery specialist, tough, rugged, handsome.  Heart of gold and a million dollar smile.

Landry - ex Military Police (MP), now a recovery specialist, wholesome, unassuming, christian girl next door.  Beautiful and tough.

A murder, a mystery, a romance, historical fiction, all wrapped together in one book!

Mr. Winslet was murdered on his way inside the bank with the ancient map he has just

purchased.  The man is dead, the map is missing.  Now his widow wants it back.

Nikolai and Landry both answer the ad.  Working separately, against each other, as both are in need of the impressive payday they will earn when they recover the map.

Rivals working the same case.  The story takes you from New Orleans to Arizona.  To the Superstition Mountains.  Where an ancient Native American treasure lies, as depicted in the map.  The map the old Dutchman made before he died, to the gold he took from them, hidden in plain sight.

It seems the map is desired by more than Mr. Winslet's widow.  As the trail to find it leads Nikolai and Landry to Arizona, location of Weaver's Needle, where the ancient treasure is supposed to be hidden, it also leads them to danger.  

Can they find the map before the killer does?  Can they recover the ancient map and elude harm?

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

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Here is my review, as posted on Goodreads.com and Amazon.com

Weaver's Needle

by Robin Caroll

Wow, I just finished this book and what a good one!  I loved the mix of contemporary fiction, historical fiction, christian fiction all wrapped in with a little romance, suspense, a murder, and a mystery.   Really a fun read, I didn't want to let it down and when I did it kept calling me back - wonder what is going to happen next.  I enjoyed the main characters and really liked them both, watching their relationship change throughout the book.

Robin Caroll does a great job of introducing the characters, setting the stage, unraveling the clues and filling in the background information.  I found it interesting to learn about the ancient Native American culture, the Southwestern scenery, and the tale of the lost gold.  The christian background and the ancient indian beliefs both filled the pages and worked together in the story in such a compelling way!  

Landry and Nikolai are both recovery specialists.  Both need this job's impressive payday, is it worth the danger?  Their lives?  They start off as rivals working the same case--to find the missing map.  Someone was murdered for this map and his widow wants it back.  They both leave New Orleans and head to the Superstition Mountains to find the map.  Lots of mystery surrounds the tale of the map and the lost mine.  Intrigue as you learn about Native American culture that protects this mine.  Who wants the map?  Who would kill for it?  Is there really a lost mine filled with gold?  Will Nikolai and Landry solve the mystery and find the map?  An exciting and fun story!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

I rated 5-star as I thoroughly enjoyed the story, it was exciting, it was romance, mystery, and some historical fiction.  What a fun combination! 

Summer is for reading!! 

Evian Facial Spray

Evian Facial Spray

Have you ever come across a product that you didn't know you needed, until you tried it!  Wow, Evian Facial Spray is the perfect summer companion.  I have been spritzing my face with this awesome stuff since I received it free from BrandBacker and Evian, to use and share my opinion.

Evian Facial Spray is, of course, Evian Natural Mineral Water, from the French Alps!  Pure water from deep in the earth, under layers of glacial rock and sand depositing minerals.  This water is free from any chemical treatment!

Check them out here:  http://www.instagram.com/evianspray/

So my first reason to use is to cool - a few sprays of the fine mist directly to face or neck instantly cools.  This is why it's perfect for summer.  I've enjoyed this during and after taking walks, working in the garden, at the pool, and just out and about.  The bottle is lightweight, leakproof, and easy to carry with you.
I have a 5 oz bottle.

Beside the obvious cool down spritz, Evian Facial Spray can also be used to lock in Evian's minerals giving you a mineral hydration.  I have been using this in the morning and night after cleansing, before applying my moisturizer.  Really refreshes and feels good, love knowing I'm adding special minerals too!

You can use to naturally hydrate skin all day, it will "hydrate, tone, and refresh your skin."  

Evian Facial Spray can also be used to "enhance your make-up", hold can about a foot away, spray face for a couple of seconds.  The "mist will help blend and smooth makeup."  I do this after walking the dog, to extend my makeup and cool off.

If you have a baby, keep one in the stroller and you can clean and freshen them.  "Gentle, pure, natural water cleansing."

You can also "spray over cosmetics after work to revive your look", or spritz your hair for a quick repair.

They have proven results from regular use, dermatologically tested, hypo-allergenic, neutral 7.2 pH, and a unique blend of minerals.

Grab a bottle or two, put one in your purse, car, and take one with you to the beach or pool!  

"Evian Facial Spray is propelled by pure safe nitrogen" into a fine mist, "with a million micro-droplets to penetrate and hydrate skin!"

Your product comes with a little pamphlet that indicates all these uses!

I've been carrying mine with me since my first use - such great timing as we have been hitting the hot temps here and next week we are expecting a full week of temperatures in the 90's!

I received a complimentary product to use and share my opinion.

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"The Ebb Tide" by Beverly Lewis

The Ebb Tide

by Beverly Lewis

Well, as with all of Beverly Lewis' books - I read them way too fast and then I'm sad when I am finished!

The Ebb Tide was a great book, Beverly Lewis has a writing style that gives you great things to ponder but is so simple and pleasant to read.  And I appreciate the woven in godly messages and lessons.  Reading about the Amish, their lifestyle, their religion, and family life is also very fascinating.  If you have never read Beverly Lewis you are missing out on some great reads.  

A quote before you begin reading, for some reason this just stuck with me!

Never Give Up!  

I was delighted to receive a free copy of this book to read and provide a review through the Baker Publishing/Bethany House Blogger Program.  My review is my own.

Lookie Here - I couldn't put it down!!

My review as written, and submitted on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com

I am a huge Beverly Lewis fan and I think I've read most, if not all of her books!  Her writing style is so comfortable and the books read themselves!  I think I read this in a couple sittings!  She is the best at writing about the Amish and including all the godly lessons and examples, and gives us much to consider even after the book is finished!  The Ebb Tide was a bit different as it took us out of Amish country for much of the story!  I enjoy reading about the relationships and expectations within an Amish family.  When the book opens you learn about Sallie Riehl, she is embarking on a trip of a lifetime before she gets baptized and is required to settle down.  You see pretty quickly she is struggling with her inner self that longs to see the world and what she knows is expected and maybe even right, that she join the church.  The book takes us with her, as she travels to be a nanny for the summer, she thinks this trip will allow her to get the traveling bug out of her and be content with life back home.  I enjoyed Sallie's relationships with the family that takes her to Cape May, the daughter she is in charge of, the boy back home, and the Mennonite young man she meets!  She has   She has to decide her own future.  God's ways are not always our ways, he knows more than we do!  

I was given a free copy to read and review from Baker Publishing/Bethany House Blogger Program, this review is my own!