I was Blind (Dating), But Now I See by Stephanie Rische

So I just finished reading   "I was blind (dating) But now I see" by Stephanie Rische. It is the story of the author's misadventures in dating, waiting and finally stumbling into love.  At the beginning of the story, Stephanie is in her early twenties and is watching everyone around her  date, get married and have a family. Even her  younger sibling! She was starting to feel invisible.  She was tired of being alone and wanted someone to be by her side every moment for the rest of her life. So she prayed for God to send the right man along and she made a checklist for the perfect husband. So when a friend of her family called and said that she had found "the perfect guy" and had set up a blind date ( or a blond date according to her younger friend Nhu)for Stephanie. Stephanie was both excited and nervous because she had never been on a blind date before and she did not know what to expect. Finally her date showed up, ( he was late) and they spent a very awkward hour together. They both found out that they were not right for each other.  Stephanie goes on to tell about seven other blind dates, like the "Limo Dude", "The Linebacker" and "Mr. Paper Perfect". All of which had their good qualities but unfortunately none of them were  right for her.  Throughout the book Stephanie learns about hope, love, prayer and God's grace and how all she needed to do to see them... was open her eyes.

What did I think of the book?
I have to say that when I received this book I was honestly worried about reading it. First. It was a non-fiction book and all the books that I ever read are fiction. Two. I am not really into romance novels or talking about dating, so I was worried that I really would have a hard time reading it. But I have to say that I really enjoyed the book. Her story was so well written that you felt the sadness that she felt every time she felt alone, When all of her friends were getting married and she was their bridesmaid ( 3 weddings in 1 summer, Really?!! ) and When her roommate got married and moved out or her younger sister got engaged.  I liked how she described all of the blind dates in such detail that you actually feel like you were watching it like a movie. But I especially liked the humor that Mrs. Stephanie put in her story.  Overall I would rate the book 4 out of 5 stars. ****


If you would like to check out Mrs Stephanie's other writings, you can find them on her website,
just click the link below!
http://www.stephanierische.com/home/

Happy Reading :)

 I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one.

Undaunted Hope by Jody Hedlund

Hey, I just finished reading the newest book by Jody Hedlund called Undaunted Hope. It is the story of Tessa Taylor who just got a teaching job in a small mining town in Michigan.Unfortunately she discovers that they were expecting a male teacher because they never had, nor wanted a female teacher.  Percival Updegraff ( Superintendent and Chief mine clerk, AKA the boss of everyone  in town) decides to give her a chance because it is too late to look for a replacement. While Tessa was getting her bags off the steamer, She is attacked (sort of) by one of the sailors but is saved by the charming and handsome Alex Bjorklund who is the assistant Lighthouse keeper. For Alex it is love at first sight and he takes no time in letting Tessa know how he feels. The only problem... His brother Michael has also fallen in love with Tessa. Alex and Michael begin to fight for Tessa's attention. Tessa is shocked by the Bjorklund brothers. She has never had two men fight over her before.  Tessa soon has other things to worry about though because she found out that someone is tracking her every move. Tessa does not want to do anything that would ruin her new reputation here, especially since she did something foolish back home and completely ruined her reputation, but when someone starts threatening her and those she loves, she is given a choice, Attempt to save those she loves by trusting God or by taking matters into her own hands and giving in to the requests of the person threatening her. Will Tessa be able to save those she loves or will the darkness that is upon the town dim her light as well?


I thought that the book was well written and the plot was interesting , but the story seemed to drag towards the end, It is book 3 of the Beacons of Hope series but I read it as a stand alone and I was able to follow all of the characters without being confused .  The characters are well thought out and I enjoyed the banter between Tessa and Alex. Overall the book was good, with lots of romance, humor and little bit of danger , I would recommend the book to someone who likes a dramatic romance story.  I rate the book 3 out of 5 Stars ***


You can check out some of Mrs Hedlunds other books, ( I have read several and have thoroughly enjoyed them!) by clicking on the link below
http://jodyhedlund.com/historical-romance/



Happy Reading :)



I would like to thank Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one.  

Thin Ice by Irene Hannon

Happy New Year!!! I know... I am fourteen days late to wish it to you but since this is my first post of 2016 I thought that it was OK. So I just read another awesome book called Thin Ice by Irene Hannon. It is the story of Christy Reed, A retired Olympic ice skater whose sister, Ginny died in a house fire two months prior to the story. Christy contacts the FBI after she receives a letter in the mail that was addressed in Ginny's handwriting. Lance McGregor, A former Delta Force operator is assigned the case and is puzzled by the whole situation. If Ginny is still alive, who is the person buried in her grave? After doing a DNA test, they find that the person that was assumed to be Ginny was indeed someone else, the question is who?
When Lance finds evidence that the kidnapper is watching Christy's every move he realizes that the target was not Ginny as he originally thought but Christy . As Lance and Christy search for evidence, They find themselves growing  closer to each other. Lance knows that he must keep the relationship between them professional but he is hoping that they can get together after they solve this case,
Unfortunately every clue they uncover only leads to more questions.

When Christy receives another letter that states she will see her sister soon, She is freaked out!  She knows that God is in control and will never let her go through more then she can handle but after losing her family and this ordeal about her sister, she is having a very hard time figuring out why He would allow her to go through this. As Lance digs deeper into Christy's case, he grows more certain that someone, hiding in the shadows has a hidden dangerous agenda for Christy. Will Lance be able to locate the kidnapper before it is too late or will the kidnapper's flawless plans leave no clues for the FBI to find.
I definitely suggest reading the book to find out!

I thought that the book was excellent. It is the second in the "Men of Valor" series but I read the book as a stand alone and enjoyed it very much. I think that the relationship between Lance and Christy was sweet and I liked that there was not much romance in the story ( It had a little bit, not much though).  The story was well written and the plot was also very engaging. I was hooked from the very first page and did not want to put the book down! Can't wait for the next book in the series to come out!
Overall I rate the book five stars *****


Don't forget to check out  other books by Irene Hannon , Just click on the link below for more information ( I saw some that sound really good, I may just have to check out some more of her books ).
http://www.irenehannon.com/books.html


Happy Reading :)

 I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.

Luther and Katharina by Jody Hedlund

So I just read a really good book that I have been wanting to check out,  It is the newest book by Jody Hedlund called Luther and Katharina. As the title suggest, it is the story of Martin Luther and Katharina Von Bora. When Katharina was young her father put her in a convent. She grew up there with no hopes of ever leaving to marry and have a family. She was to forever be part of the  bride of Christ. But she and her sisters ( the other nuns) found literature by Dr. Luther that explained that God made us to love and be married.  So she and the other sisters risked their lives to escape the convent. During their escape they were met with dangerous men and the threat of being discovered because they were still on Abbot Baltazar's land ( the one that ran the convent). They were only able to escape by hiding in empty barrels and smuggled to the Black Cloister, The Monastery where Dr.Luther lived. Dr Luther was surprised to see the nine runaway nuns who were smuggled to his home by one of his friends. He immediately noticed the petite nun with the blue eyes that boldly stared back at him. As the nuns started finding homes, Katharina discovered that life outside the convent might  not be exactly what she thought it was going to be. She thought she would immediately find a wealthy, titled husband, marry and have a family. But she did not count that while she is waiting for her husband to be, She has to work as a servant so that she can earn her room and board with the family that has so graciously took her in. Katharina and Dr Luther keep bumping into each other and every time they are in the same room they are bickering. Dr Luther calls Katharina, "a hissing cat" and is always trying to bait her because she gets defensive so quick and Katharina is always saying something or doing something that gets Dr. Luther furious.  Katharina finds someone who proposes love to her and promises marriage just as soon as he comes back from his trip out of town. Katharina believes that she has finally found the man God wants her to be with because he is titled and wealthy. But she wonders why Dr. Luther gets so mad every time she says her intended's name?

 Dr.Luther knows the man that Katharina likes is a horrible snake of a man and is never going to marry her. But he wonders why she is so blind that she does not see it and he also is wondering why it makes him so mad that someone out there likes Katharina. It is not like he likes her... Right? Because he could never fall in love with anyone, he is not that type of person. What happens next is too much for me to even put in my review. But there are moments of danger, a kidnapping, Illness and betrayal that occur several times in this story.  
Will Katharina be able to find someone to love her or will pride and her title keep her from ever marrying anyone because they are below her standards? Will Dr. Luther ever be able to admit that even he is not above getting married and will he find the one that is to be the wife God wants for him?
Guess you will have to read it to find out.

I thought that the book was very well written. It almost feels like you are there sitting in the same room, listening to Dr. Luther and Katharina fight with each other. The relationship between the two is very interesting because it is very up and down. With them in love one moment and about to kill each other the next.  The story is full of action and a little bit of theology for the guys and a little bit ( or a lot towards the end ) of romance in the story for the girls. There are some moments that are a bit graphic when she describes some of the violent acts  that the peasants did to get the attention of the princes. but there is nothing in too much detail. Just enough for you to see the horror of the event(s). Overall, I enjoyed the story. It had a little too much romance for my taste but it was still a good book.
I rate it 4 out of 5 stars ****



If you would like to check this book out, or some of her other awesome books, just click on the link below:
http://jodyhedlund.com/book-list/

I would like to thank Blogging for Books for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one.



Happy Reading :)

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

The Painter's Daughter by Julie Klassen

I cannot believe that it has almost been a month since I have reviewed a book for you!
Oh, well the Christmas season seems to be busy time for everyone. But in case you have a moment to spare and can sit and enjoy a new book, I just finished reading The Painter's Daughter by Julie Klassen.  It is the story of Captain Stephen Overtree who went to Lynmouth to find his irresponsible older brother Wesley. Instead of finding Wesley, he finds Sophie Dupont, who had fallen in love with Wesley and was now with child. But when Stephen finds out that Wesley left to go to Italy to find his "Mona Lisa" and left Sophie behind,  Stephen immediately feels protective of Sophie although he is not sure why except that he feels he needs to fix the mistake his brother made. So Stephen offers Sophie marriage in name only, so in the event that he is killed in battle, she will be a respected widow and not shunned from society due to having a child without a husband.  Sophie agrees and they get married, and move into his family home at Overtree Hall in England. Sophie and Stephen start growing closer together and find themselves falling in love with each other and shortly after they arrived at Overtree Hall Stephen has to go back to war. A few days after Stephen left, Wesley returns home and is surprised to see Sophie there. He thought that she had come to find him, but when he finds out that she married his brother, He is furious!  He tries to figure out why Sophie married his brother and is upset that she did not wait for him. When Stephen is reported Missing in Action  and  Presumed dead, The whole family is upset but Wesley sees his chance to convince Sophie to marry him. Sophie is outraged that Wesley would be so uncaring and heartless, and she prays fervently for Stephen's safe return. Will Wesley finally realize that Sophie is no longer in love with him but her heart now belongs to his brother, Stephen?  Will Stephen be found safe and be able to come home to his wife and child?





I thought that the book was good, Very well written with believable and likable characters. There was nothing graphic or inappropriate mentioned but it had little bit too much romance for my liking but I understand why it was in the story.  I love the faith that Stephan shows throughout the story and how you can see Sophie grow in her faith towards the end of the book.
 I did not care for Mrs.Klassen's previous book Lady Maybe but was thrilled that she went with her old style of writing on this book!  I hope that she continues writing books like this one.
Overall, I rate it 4 out of 5 stars ****


If you want to check out all of Mrs.Klassens's books check out the link below>
I recommend all of them :)
http://www.julieklassen.com/books.html

 Happy Reading!  :)




 I would like to thank Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one. 

Rising Darkness by Nancy Mehl

So, I needed a good book and picked up Rising Darkness by Nancy Mehl. It has a intriquing looking cover and the plot sounded good but when I read the book, It was even better then I thought!

It is the story of Sophie Wittenbauer who had grown up in a Mennonite town but did not have the best childhood. Her parents did not think that school was important, she had to do chores from sun up to sun down and sometimes her father hit her. So to rebel against her parents she hung around with the wrong crowd as a teenager and did a very bad thing.  Trying to forget her past, she ran away and went to college and got a job at a newspaper writing obituaries and restaurant reviews. but she wanted to become more and she finally saw her chance. A man she once knew was in prison and had a tip that the main suspect from a decades old crime that was never solved was hiding out in a small town not far from where she lived. So she decides that if she can solve this case and write the story first she would get promoted. So she decides to pretend to be the granddaughter of the sister of a town member that died years ago so that she can investigate the case without anyone suspecting.  Sophie travels to Sanctuary, Missouri which is a small partially Mennonite town and starts her masquerade. Her investigation was going well until she runs into Jonathon, a old childhood friend and he threatens to blow her cover. Suddenly everything seems to fall apart . She starts receiving threatening notes, was attacked at the Church and two more people discover who she is and why she is really there. 
As she gets closer to solving the crime, the danger seems to be getting closer to her. Can she solve the case before she or someone she loves gets hurt? Or will she be in such a hurry to get the story that she puts herself or a innocent bystander in danger?

I LOVED this book, It was a little hard to get into it at the beginning but after that it hooks you and you just can't seem to put the book down.  I love the characters, especially Sophie, Esther and Jonathan.  The best part (of course ) was the end, which I surprisingly was not expecting but overall the story and the plot were excellent. This is the 3rd book in the Finding Sanctuary series, but I read the book as a stand alone and was perfectly fine with it. I had no trouble following the story or the characters.
Overall I give it 5 stars *****

Hey! Don't forget to check out her other books, She has alot of them! Her link is below:
http://nancymehl.com/books/

Happy Reading!   :)

I would like to thank Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one. 

Every Girl Gets Confused by Janice Thompson

So I just finished reading  Every Girl Gets Confused by Janice Thompson.
It is the story of Katie Fisher who has the most perfect boyfriend named Brady James . He's sweet , kind and absolutely adorable, so it looks like this small town girl is about to get her "happily ever after "  right?   Maybe , because she finds herself being pulled in several different directions, She has to coordinate a special event at her job , help a bride find the perfect wedding dress, work out some bad publicity from a nasty customer, Support her boyfriend because he is having surgery that could end his basketball career  AND if that was not enough, Her ex-boyfriend/almost fiance' is back in town and wants to get back together.  Katie is not sure that she can handle everything that is going on right now but she knows that God is in control and that this is just a season and things will slow down and get back to normal . But with Casey coming back and seeming as sweet as ever, Will she leave Brady just when he needs her the most or will she finally get her "happy ever after"? 


So I read the book as a stand alone having not read the first book in the series, Every Bride needs a Groom. It was OK, Well written with an easy to follow story line but it was too much of a romance novel for me. It seemed like all of the characters had some sort of "lovelife" moment and there was alot of PDA (Public Displays of Affection) .  It was a good story if  you like contemporary romance  and it had a good message but it just was not my cup of tea.
 Overall I give it 3 stars ***

You can check out her other books by clicking the link below!
http://janiceathompson.com/blog/books

Happy Reading!  :)


 I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.