Falling for the Highlander

Falling for the Highlander

Lynsay Sands

Lady Murine knows that her half brother is seriously in debt and not a good person. But even she is astonished when she overhears him trying to sell her in exchange for some horses. So she plans her escape alone so that none of the servants are punished. But when the Scottish men who were offered her come upon her riding a cow, things began to change for the better. The men vow to protect her at all costs. Dougall, one of the Scottish men, was horrified at a lady being offered for sale. He refuses to do business with the man. But he doesn't plan on finding the lady alone on a country road or plan on falling in love with her.

This plot begin with loads of suspense and drama and it continued through the entire book. The characters were well defined and easy to differentiate, something that is often the case when telling a story with such a large number of characters. The plot was well done and kept me entertained through the entire book. The romance was sweet, but had some definite heated moments. The story was well written and ended with me wanted to read more by this author.

I received a copy of this book from Goodreads. All thoughts expressed are my own.

A Temporary Family

A Temporary Family

Sherri Shackelford

Tilly is taking her three nieces to their new home, while her widowed sister stays to sell the family home and wrap up loose ends. When she is stranded at a stage coach station with Nolan she doesn't expect to be pretend married and worried about her life. Nolan is a loner who has no intention of ever having a relationship. So when he's forced to pretend to be married to Tilly to protect her from outlaws, he shocked to discover he likes the idea.

This was a novel plot idea and I thought it was very fun. The characters were unique and the suspense and drama kept me guessing. The author did a great job of portraying the two main characters and their relationship so it felt authentic and real. They were flawed, but likeable. The secondary characters added depth to the story as well. The scenery came alive with the descriptions and I loved the light elements of faith that were woven into the plot. I've enjoyed this author before and definitely look forward to reading more of her books.

I received a copy of this book. All thoughts expressed are my own.

If You Were Me and Lived In. . .

If You Were Me and Lived In. . .

The Mayan Empire

Carole P. Roman

Children can learn about what it would be like if they were a child living during ancient times of the Mayan Empire. Colorful illustrations and photography show various aspects of life in a Mayan city. The book is told in story form and covers geography, history, food, games, home life, and holidays. All of the unfamiliar words have a pronunciation guide directly after the word as well as included in the glossary at the back of the book. There is also couple of pages listing some of the famous names from the culture and how they were significant.

My children loved the book and it opened up the conversation for more discussion and research about the Mayan culture and what it's like to live there. The author does a great job of getting information across without being too detailed or overwhelming. The book would be a good resource for schools or home school parents to add to the curriculum. 

I received a copy of this book. All thoughts expressed are my own.

No More Headaches

No More Headaches

Enjoying Sex & Intimacy in Marriage

Dr. Juli Slattery

The author is a speaker and psychologist and drew from her experiences to write about how wives can avoid the headaches and frustrations in the area of intimacy. She uses a little bit of scripture, a lot of her education, and resource material to answer the questions that so many woman have asked her. The book is all about how to shed your inhibitions, baggage, stress, etc. to enjoy being intimate with your husband. 

This was an interesting book for me. While I do not have the issues that she addresses, it never hurts to be more informed and to grow your relationship. I've been married for over 20 years and I could see this book being a help to my younger self. But it still have some things that I could take away from it. I read portions to my husband and he said it helped him see things from my perspective. It is definitely written with a Christian perspective so it might not appeal to non-Christians, but I definitely appreciated that aspect. I would recommend this book to anyone who is newly married, engaged, or has problems with intimacy.

I received a copy of this book from Tyndale. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Tranquility

Tranquility

A Prayer and Reflection Coloring Journal

Amie Carlson

This book is part journal, part devotional, part coloring book. Each page is slightly different, but all of them have places to write, reflect, and color. There are very short devotionals accompanied by scripture, places to write with suggestions, and lots of coloring and doodling space. Each devotional and suggestion is based on the topic of calm and tranquility. The book is designed to show God's love through peacefulness and quiet. 

I liked the concept and layout of this book. The book is on the smaller side, so won't allow for extensive journaling, but would work well for a supplemental book. I loved the color pages and the hard cover that made coloring easier. The pages are very thick so there is little or no bleed through when using markers. There is an introduction page for those unfamiliar with this type of book. My only complaint would be that some of the color pages are already colored in. While this adds visual appeal, I would have preferred to do the coloring myself.

I received a copy of this book from Tyndale. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Devotions from the Kitchen Table

Devotions from the Kitchen Table

Stacy Edwards

The simple things in life can often have spiritual meaning. Gather around the kitchen table as the author pulls from the scenes and objects from the kitchen to share simple truths and amazing blessings from God's word.

I really enjoyed this book. The cover is attractive and appealing. The simple, but beautiful photography is spread throughout the book. Each devotion begins with a scripture. Then the author ties it in with some thoughts from around the kitchen table. Topics such as recipes, dishes, and family. Each devotional was personal and fit with the theme. This would be an excellent gift. But I would purchase a copy for yourself. I loved the concept and they were very well written and spoke to me.

I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Parenting with Grace and Truth

Parenting with Grace and Truth

Dan Seaborn

As Christian parents we strive to show Christ to our children. The author has taken scripture, the life of Christ, and his experience to write how parents can raise their children with with the delicate balance of truth and love. Each chapter ends with discussion questions.

I'll admit that based on the cover, I was expecting something dry. But I was pleasantly surprised. The author blended his thoughts with stories and antidotes that helped bring the points home. The message is easy to understand and put into practice. The questions  at the end would make this a great book for group discussion, but would definitely be good for parents to use themselves. 

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing. All thoughts expressed are my own.