Love On The Line by Deeanne Gist - Book Review

It's battle of wills...and love is on the line! Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world...which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.

Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes that more than his job is on the line. (Taken from back cover.)

My review: I love the fiction of Deeanne Gist. She knows how to tell a great story, with well-rounded charactization and attention to detail. In Love on the Line, Deeanne brings to life Brenham, Texas in the early 1900's.

It is obvious that Deeanne has done her research, from train robberies, to telephone operators to birds. I particularly enjoyed all the birding references, and how Deeanne wove this element carefully into her story. She also injects a healthy dose of humor into her story.

I usually wouldn't choose a book with a western theme, but thought I would give it a try. I was pleasantly suprised. I highly recommend this book.

Deeanne Gist has rocketed up the bestseller lists and garnered rave reviews with her very fun, original historical and contemporary romances, including Maid to Match and Bride in the Bargain. Dee has earned three RITA nominations, won two Christy Awards, and loves interacting with fans through Facebook and Dee's Circle of Friends online. Find out more about Dee at http://www.iwantherbook.com/

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I received a copy of the book for review purposes from http://www.litfuse.com/

Book is available through http://www.amazon.com/

THE HEIRESS by Susan May Warren - Book Review

Introducing Heiress – book 1 in the Daughters of Fortune series! Enter to win an opulent Gilded Age prize pack fit for an heiress in Susan May Warren’s fun giveaway ($100 to ModCloth.com, iPod Shuffle, Pearls, Titanic, Music & More!)!  All the details here: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13429072 “With unexpected twists and masterful storytelling, Warren has penned one of her best novels to date.” Pick up a copy today!

About the book: Heiress

They can buy anything they want—fame, power, beauty, even loyalty.
But they can’t buy love.

The beautiful and wealthy heiress daughters of August Price can buy everything their hearts desire. But what if their desire is to be loved, without an enormous price tag attached? When one sister betrays another for the sake of love, will she find happiness? And what happens when the other sets out across the still untamed frontier to find it—will she discover she’s left it behind in the glamorous world of the New York gilded society? What price will each woman pay for being an heiress?

Set in the opulent world of the Gilded Age, two women discover that being an heiress just might cost them everything they love.


My review: The Heiress is the first book I've read by Susan May Warren. I LOVED it! Susan is a gifted wordsmith. The writing is so descriptive, I felt transported to New York City in the Gilded Age. I could feel the richness of the fabric, smell and taste the food, and see everything through the eyes of the sisters and the men in their lives. Susan also brought the struggles of the lower classes to light, showing the hardships of the times for those who weren't part of the opulent society. Susan skilfully weaves historical details throughout. I felt the dilemmas of the characters as they made some poor choices with long-reaching consequences.
The Heiress causes the reader ro ponder a number of deep issues."What is true love?'' "What does it mean to be rich?" What is a blessing?" "Can we expect God to bless us in spite of the wrong choices?" I love how Susan speaks to these issues without being 'preachy'.

The book has discussion questions, making it suitable for a book club. The author's notes at the end explain many details which help place this story in its historical context.

This is the first in a new series, Daughters of Fortune. The next installment is Baroness. I, for one, cannot wait!

About Susan:
 Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.


Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder ofwww.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

More information at http://www.susanmaywarren.com/
Follow Susan on facebook

Published by Summerside Press, http://www.summersidepress.com/.

Available through http://www.amazon.com/

I wish to thank http://www.litfusegroup/ for providing a copy of this book as part of their bloggers' review program.

THE PUMPKIN PATCH PARABLE by Liz Curtis Higgs

It's that time again! Autumn beauty is all around us, and there is that refreshing crispness in the air. It is time to once again bring out The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs. This delightful book has become an enduring classic, and continues to delight children (written especially for the 3-7 year old), as well as parents and grandparents, teachers, day care providers, and Sunday School teachers.

In a society which places a huge emphasis on Hallowe'en, this story is a real tre at. Liz has redeemed a well known symbol and used it to illustrate biblical concepts. It is easy to understand, superbly written, and beautifully illustrated by Nancy Munger.

The Pumpkin Patch Parable is the story of a Farmer who chooses a pumpkin from the patch, washes it, then cuts off the top, removing the yucky, stringy part, making it clean inside. He then carves a smiling face in the pumpkin, and places a lit candle inside. When the pumpkin is ready, the Farmer places the glowing pumpkin outside to shine its light in the darkness.

The book has Bible verses at the bottom of some of the pages, which early readers will be able to read for themselves. This book is a great discussion starter. Highly recommended!

The Pumpkin Patch Parable is an enduring story, ready to be introduced to a new generation.

Available through http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.christianbookdistributiors.com/  and wherever fine books are sold.

Available in hardcover, as well as in the newer, larger board book format.