Welcome to my point of view for Where I Was Planted by Heather Norman Smith, and eneter below to win your own paperback copy!!

In the spring of 1961, ten-year-old Nate “Weenie” Dooley has a revelation-his father is not a good one.

Inspired by National Geographic, his favorite thing next to the Bible storybook his mother gave him before she died, Nate plans to leave his father and their home in the Smokies to set out on adventure.

When he discovers that his father has left him first, it will take the help of a stray dog, some kind neighbors, a one-man-band, letters from a long-lost-aunt, and a new understanding of God to figure out he isn’t really alone.

Will he find that Copper Creek is where he’s always belonged? Or will his wanderlust keep him from ever coming back?

my point of view:

I am so grateful that I was able to read this amazing story! This story is told from a beautiful perspective of a ten year old boy and his journey through some very difficult times. To be perfectly honest with you, I was quite surprised at just how much I enjoyed the entire novel, and felt so refreshed at being on the adventure with Nate! While I do enjoy many types of Christian Fiction, i wasn’t so sure I would be able to ‘get into’ a story such as this….boy, was I wrong!

I cannot imagine what it must have been like to face adult situations as a ten year old, but Ms. Smith has a very unique way of giving the characters depth and perspective in a way that felt very natural. From the very beginning the story makes you think about God and His faithfulness, and how we can see things differently in our own lives if we only take the time. Personally, I have always been fascinated with how a ‘weed’ can grow between the concrete and flourish…but I never related that to myself as a person, and with God’s love, how we too can grow and flourish out of the most impenetrable circumstances! The full cast of characters in this novel bring a different outlook to the same situations in a whole new light. It is such a beautiful story to see how people can all come together to try and help one child, and then end up gaining so much more. I loved seeing how god can work on children – and adults – for the good of everyone involved.

About Heather Norman Smith    

I hope you enjoy my point of view for this brand new release – PLUS you can win your own ebook version! See below to enter!

Responsibility—that one word sums up Wade Spencer’s existence since his father’s death. Thrust into the role of head of the family, he’s keeping the farm running and his younger siblings in line. When a life-threatening illness attacks his momma, he readily steps in to support her. Sure would be nice to have someone by his side to help carry the load, but all that responsibility hasn’t left much time for dating. Or maybe it’s just his reserved nature holding him back.

Dani Connor had gotten everything she ever dreamed of as a child. Married her high school sweetheart, had a sweet little girl she could shower with all the love she’d been denied by her own parents, and built a life far away from the farm. When those dreams come crashing down, she realizes that back at home on the farm is where she should have stayed.

It doesn’t take long after Dani’s return to Shiloh for Wade to realize she’s the one God has in mind, but Dani will have to get over past hurts and take another chance if she wants Wade to be part of her new dreams.

my point of view:

I want you all to know up front, that when I hear Andrea Boyd has new book coming out, my simple response is “yes, please”  lol! I love her writing style, she always makes me smile, even while tackling some hard hitting issues, just as she has done here with Waiting For You. Dani and Wade are two amazing characters that I feel like I would totally be friends with. Their family members are like icing on the cake for me! I love series like this, and am looking forward to more of the Spencer family down the road….ah, but let’s get back to Dani and Wade, shall we?

I’ll start with Dani…wow, could I relate with her! As a teenager she thought she knew exactly what she wanted and how to accomplish those goals. I completely understood her take at that age, thought I knew it all too, hahaha. We all make mistakes, all we can do is move forward and turn them into good, for God always has His reasons. I, too, was a single parent, raising my son on my own from the time he was just a year old, so definite connection in that respect. My ex also was not in the picture, at all, so I completely understood how Dani felt, trying to be everything for your child, and walking that tightrope of not putting the father down in front of them. There comes a point where you start to lose sight of who you are as person, almost fading away into being nothing more than your child’s mother. Suddenly finding herself attracted to Wade leads Dani on a new path.

Wade stole my heart, he is a wonderful character who loves his family and is always there for everyone who needs him. I adore the way he tries to help even when it is not asked for. He is the anchor for his family since their father passed, and the one they all look up to…but who can Wade turn to when he needs someone? Wade’s momma is one of the strongest women I have seen in Christian fiction, with a love for God and her family, and never losing faith even in the worst of times. 

I don’t want to give away the journey, it’s one you all need to read for yourselves, but I promise you, you will come away from reading this book with a true sense of peace!

About Andrea Boyd  

Andrea Boyd has offered one free ebook version to one of our amazing readers! Please comment below and tell us where your dream place to live would be to enter. Contest will run for one week from this published post and winner will be notified via email!

When I Come Home Again by Jennifer Rodewald

Enter below to win a free ebook of Ordinary Snowflakes, the first time we meet Craig!

When a family crisis calls him back to Big Prairie, will Craig Erikson be able to work through past mistakes and a tragedy that had sent him searching for a new place to call home?

Brenna Blaum had been sure of three things in her life—her brother, her running, and her dad’s star receiver. But in a matter of a year’s time, everything she’d counted on fell apart, leaving her devastated. Seven years later, she’s stable again. She has a supportive boyfriend, fulfilling career, and close friends. She keeps her past heartache where it belongs—in her rearview mirror. Until the man who broke her heart finds his way back to Big Prairie.

Craig Erikson had it all—popularity, success, and the love of his high school coach’s daughter. But after a year of mistakes that ended in a tragic accident, he’d left Big Prairie—the place he’d thought to always call home—hoping that without his antagonizing presence, Brenna would be able to heal. Now his mother desperately needs him, as do two young boys in her care. Craig has little choice but to return for good.

Unsure that she can forgive him, Brenna does her best to avoid him. Irritated that she ignores him as if they’d never meant anything to each other, Craig becomes determined not to allow it.

Life in a small town forces their interaction, making them confront their unresolved issues and igniting emotions that have smoldered for seven years. As Craig and Brenna are pushed together, can they endure the hard places still littering their lives? If so, is it possible to find their way back to love and home again?

my point of view:

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this story! First let me say Brenna is one stubborn character, she is so strong willed and so sure of what is “right” and “wrong” that she is blinded to her own true feelings. Ah, I hate to admit it, but she reminds me whole lot of myself in my, er, younger days, lol! I loved her to pieces, all while wanting to smack her upside the head, hahaha! But, hey, we all want to read the journey, right? What fun is there in perfect people? Honestly, though, Brenna is a wonderful person, while she is so giving and caring about everyone she meets, it is herself she has a hard time forgiving.

Now, Craig, wow, he is so wrapped up in guilt that he too has been dealing with his own demons. While Brenna chose to stand firm at home, Craig on the other hand has been wandering around looking for a new place to plant his roots. Of course, that is not in God’s plan, so through heartache and illness He has forced Craig to return home and face his past – and his future.

Riding along on this path to redemption was truly a blessing for me, and it made me face some of my own past hurts that I had still been holding on too, like a shield of armor, sometimes we need to lay that down to face a brighter future. I hope you all go get your copy of this new release as soon as possible and take this journey with Brenna and Craig and see where it might lead you to as well!

About Jennifer Rodewald                

Jennifer is generously offering a free ebook of Ordinary Snowflakes to one of readers! Comment below and tell us what your favorite subject in high school was! Contest will run for one week and winner will be notified via email!

I hope you enjoy my point of view of Star Rising…and enter below to win your own ebook copy!

Star Youngblood has always been a fighter–a necessity after her mother married a monster of a man. Now, she’s finally on the path to the stable life she’s always wanted. Her employer, Priscilla Kelly, is a sweet woman ravaged by rheumatoid arthritis, and Star will do anything to help her. Even if that means going toe to toe with Mrs. Kelly’s neglectful son.

After being betrayed on the mission field and devastated by the tragic death of his father, Paul Kelly gave up on God. He lives life on his own terms, biding his time as a corporate pilot until he can save enough money to begin his own flight school closer to home. His mother is all he has left, and he wants to be near her. He just didn’t expect her health to decline so quickly. When he discovers his mother has taken in a stray—a woman he’s not at all sure can be trusted—his protective instincts kick into high gear. Paul’s handled a lot of turbulence, but he’s never gone up against a force like Star.

As Paul and Star strive to protect his mother in their own ways, they soon find their own hearts are at the greatest risk.

my point of view:

I must admit that Janet Ferguson ranks up there with my very favorite authors, and I have been blessed to read ALL of her books – yes every single one…and I have never come away thinking anything other than awesome! Jane has a way of getting into the heart and soul of a character, to the point it can make your heart break and bring real tears to your eyes…and shout out loud for joy when things go right!

This story is no exception, in fact, I think it was her most powerful and emotional story yet…and I don’t say that lightly. Star is definitely a complex individual, one i would love to know, and yet she can be a little scary with her protectiveness, lol! Something I feel I can relate to <<grins>> Her story is one of fierce determination to rise above adversity and overcome all odds, all while keeping herself firmly planted in God’s grace. Some people might have expected a character like Star’s to have been broken by all she went through, but God certainly had big plans for her  – as he does for us all – if only we listen!

Paul Kelly on the other hand, well, let’s just say I wasn’t a big fan at the beginning, but of course, i knew he had his own story that needed to be revealed, and Janet did a spectacular job of taking us all on that journey with him. Paul’s past and issues are also ones I can relate to in my own past, and so I was able to connect with his pain and adventure as well. The secondary characters all find a place in your heart, especially Mrs. Kelly! Talk about relating, it has always been a dream of mine to see Italy, but never been able to, and now with my own arthritis, I sure could feel her anxiety over her knees! I have never been to Ireland, but sure felt as though I had an adventure there while reading Janet’s story, I know she visited there herself, so I feel as though i was truly looking at the sites through her eyes.

One of the things I truly appreciated in this story was how Janet did not ‘rush’ the characters into a box or get them to the point of a happily ever after too soon…she truly explores all the ins and outs of living a God First life before making a commitment to others. That is hard to do in the world of Christian Fiction romance where sometimes the focus is getting to the HEA too quickly. I seriously cannot recommend this story highly enough, it will be released on the 4th of January, so you can pre-order it now and start reading it as soon as you start the weekend!

About Janet W. Ferguson   

Janet Ferguson has generously offered a free ebook version of Star Rising to one of our readers! To enter, simply comment below and tell us where you’d like to arm chair travel to! Contest will end one week from publication and winner will be notified via email, good luck!

Famously beautiful model Willow Bradford is taking a temporary break from her hectic schedule to work as the innkeeper at her family’s small-town bed-and-breakfast. She was enjoying the peace of her hometown, Merryweather, Washington, right up until she came face-to-face with Corbin Stewart, the man she loves to hate. A thoughtful rule-follower by nature, Willow threw caution to the wind four years ago when she entrusted her heart to Corbin–and suffered the consequences when it all fell apart.

Former NFL quarterback Corbin is forceful, charming, and accustomed to getting what he wants . . . except where Willow Bradford is concerned. Unable to forget her, he’s never stopped regretting what happened between them. When their paths unexpectedly cross again, he’s determined to make her give him a second chance.

When a decades-old missing persons case finds Corbin and Willow working together, they’re forced to confront their past and who they’ve become–and whether they can risk falling for one another all over again.

my point of view:

I was so excited to have won this book in a giveaway, as I had never read anything by Becky Wade, but see her being talked about all over on Christian Fiction groups! Finally, I get the chance to read one of her books, yay! I was certainly not disappointed! I found her writing to be absolutely wonderful!

This story has a little bit of everything, a second chance at love, after a disastrous past relationship between the two main characters, a suspenseful mystery that had me going to the very end……a couple of side characters that are noteworthy on their own as well. I loved the sense of humor that Corbin has – right up my alley, and Willow is adorable with her kitchen shopping obsession (I would be too, if I had model money, lol)!

I could appreciate Willow’s attempt to completely ignore Corbin even while having agreed to work on a project together for his niece…and Corbin’s persistence that he would win Willow’s heart once again was so touching! Both characters had me near tears – and laughing out loud.

The journey these characters take is well worth the read – once the main characters learn how to rely on God to deal with not only their past hurts and forgiveness, but their future together makes this story extra special for me. I was a little sad to say goodbye to them when the story ended. I hope you all get a chance to read this fabulous Bradford Sisters story for yourself!

About Becky Wade