Until I Found You

Until I Found You, by Victoria Bylin

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When Kate Darby swerves off a mountain road to avoid hitting a California condor, she ends up trapped in her car, teetering on the edge of a cliff.  Terrified, she breathes a prayer that changes her life.

It’s Nick Sheridan who comes to Kate’s rescue.  Nick is handsome and confident, and he seems to develop a habit of rescuing her, but Kate is in town only until her grandmother recuperates from a stroke.  She’s not planning to get involved with one of the locals.

Nick is a reformed veteran of life in the fast lane, a new Christian, and a travel writer.  When he sees a car dangling on the edge of a cliff, the daredevil in him jumps into action.  He doesn’t expect to be swept off his feet by the car’s occupant.  He’s made a vow—no dating for a year—but keeping that vow is going to be a lot more difficult now that he’s met Kate Darby…

Review

This was a really lovely novel.  While it may start with the typical “heroic knight swoops in to save the damsel in distress”, the rest of the story felt very fresh and not your average romance novel. 

Nick and Kate are very likeable characters.  Kate is passionate about her job, but is willing to put it on the line for family.  Nick is always ready to lend a hand and help someone in need.  I related to Kate especially as someone who also likes to be in control.  I’m not your “fly by the seat of your pants” type of girl.  Schedules, organization, and plans are my friends.  To me, when you have control, you have predictability, and when you have predictability, you have stability…at least, that’s what I tell myself.   And I do believe there is some truth to that.  However, the other truth is that one cannot have control of absolutely everything, and when something goes awry, for me, it can be very difficult to accept the fact that unexpected events can happen and to be able to deal with it as it throws (or so it seems) everything off-kilter. 

This book was a good reminder to me that God has everything in control – like the childhood song, “He’s got the whole world in His hands”.  When life throws curveballs, the unexpected or unexplained occurs, our Father in heaven is our strong fortress, Who we can run to with all our fears, doubts, and struggles.  No burden is too hard for Him to bear, and no mess is too complicated for Him to untangle.  

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Life Behind the Wall

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This epic tale extends across generations and unfolds against the backdrop of a dangerous Cold War Berlin.  This historically accurate, action-packed, three-books-in-one edition features three generations of resourceful teens living in the shadow of the Berlin Wall.

Candy Bombers:  In spring 1948, teenage cousins Erich and Katarina are simply trying to survive in war-ravaged Berlin when the Soviets blockade the east side of the city, isolating its citizens—and starving them—behind the Iron Curtain.

Beetle Bunker:  In August 1961, Sabine discovers a forgotten underground bunker.  Though she first uses it to escape her crowded home, she soon realizes her hideout could possibly take her family under the wall to West Berlin and freedom!

Smuggler’s Treasure:  In spring 1989, life is good in West Germany, and even the Cold War seems to be thawing in the warmer weather.  But as Liesl works on a class project about the history of the wall, she stumbles onto a startling secret no one will talk about.

Review

Growing up, I read a lot of Robert Elmer’s books for young readers.  The “Young Underground” and “Adventures Down Under” were two of my favourite series.  They were fast-paced and always filled with exciting adventures and mysteries.  The perfect type of novels for a pre-teen with a vivid imagination!

While the “Life Behind the Wall” trilogy was just a smidgen less as thrilling as previous stories of Mr. Elmer’s, it otherwise made for a very good read.  Each story was as unique and fascinating as the characters.  Erich was a bit of a daredevil, Sabine had a lot of spunk, and Liesl’s stubbornness was admirable.  They were each incredibly likeable and I loved getting to know them.

In all, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this series to young readers – and even older ones looking for an easy, entertaining read.  

Thomas Nelson provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for my review which I freely give.

Hope Runs

Hope Runs, by Claire Díaz-Ortiz and Samuel Ikua Gachagua

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She went to Kenya to climb a mountain.

But God had other plans.

When Claire Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya, she decided to climb Mount Kenya and then head back home.  She entered an orphanage, seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek.

By age ten, Sammy Ikua Gachagua had lost his father, his mother, and his home.  He entered an orphanage, seeing it as a miracle with three meals a day, a bed to sleep in, and clothes on his back.

Hope Runs is the emotional story of one American tourist, one Kenyan orphan, and how one day became one year that would change the course of both of their lives forever.  It’s about opening your hear to outrageous possibilities.  It’s about what it means to hope for the things you cannot see.  It’s about how God can change your life in a blink of an eye.

Review

When I finished reading Hope Runs, I felt very inspired.  Inspired to go out and do something for God, to help others, and make a difference in society.  Hope Runs is a picture of how God can work in your life and the lives of others.  We should never pass up opportunity to do something for someone else, whether it be buying them a cup of coffee to let them know you are thinking of them, or sponsoring a child in a third-world country - every single act of kindness goes a long way. 

A moving read, Hope Runs will encourage and inspire, and remind us all of the good we can do if we only say “Yes” to God’s leading.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Meant to Be Mine

Meant to Be Mine, by Becky Wade

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Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park.  All through high school—irresistible.  When their paths cross again after college—still irresistible.  This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia.  Their whirlwind romance deposits them at the street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.

The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality.  Celia’s ready to be Ty’s wife, but Ty’s not ready to be her husband.  He’s a professional bull rider; he lives on the road, and he’s long planned to settle down with the home-town girl he’s known since childhood.

Five and a half years pass.  Celia’s buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter.  Ty’s achieved all of his goals.  Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn’t forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.

How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia’s trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?

Review

Wow.  Talk about rejection of the nth degree.  To think that you’ve finally getting your dream – marrying the man you are desperately in love with, only to be dumped the morning after your wedding…for another girl.  Ouch.

The premise pretty much guarantees a crazy romance story – and it was!  Crazy in a good way.    Meant to Be Mine is a roller-coaster ride that I heartily enjoyed.  With sparking chemistry, heart-tingling romance, and wonderful, down-to-earth characters, Meant to Be Mine is a winner of a romance novel.  I’m so glad that Becky Wade made a series (you can find my review for book #1, "Undeniably Yours" here) around the Porter brothers, and it makes me especially excited for the next installment!  

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.