Month: May 2013

Have you lost your HAPPY?

/ Dora Hiers
Wedding Day
Everybody’s happy, right?

“Why should they stay together if they’re not happy?”

This, from my twenty-three year old college graduate after a rash of friends announced that their parents were divorcing after twenty plus years of marriage.

“Happy…” I repeated, letting the word penetrate. 

As if a divorce would bring the “happy” 
back into their lives. 

I shuddered, remembering the trauma and devastation left behind from my divorce. Almost three decades later, the emotional scars still linger.

Obviously, we don’t always have a choice when it comes to divorce. The other person may choose it for us. Just like we don’t have a choice when cancer strikes or when we lose a loved one to suicide. 


But do we have a choice when it comes to being happy?

What do you think? Next week we’ll continue this discussion along with ways to get your HAPPY back.

…weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. 
Psalm 30:5b NIV


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The Outlaw’s Redemption by Renee Ryan ~ My Review

/ Dora Hiers

About the book~
Who would guess the most formidable adversary former gunslinger Hunter Mitchell ever faced would be a fiery, violet-eyed female? Now that he’s served his time, Hunter intends to claim the daughter he’s only just discovered. While the law is on his side this time, his daughter’s devoted aunt certainly isn’t. 

Annabeth Silks can’t bear to let a onetime outlaw take little Sarah. As the daughter of an infamous madam, she knows the hardship of an unstable home. But every glimpse of Hunter’s reformed character dares Annabeth to look beyond his past…to the family and future she never thought to find.


My Thoughts~
Hunter Mitchell, a former gunslinger fresh out of a two year prison stint, returns to the brothel where he killed a man, intent on retrieving his daughter from Mattie Silks, the brothel’s owner. Reformed and longing for a chance to start fresh, he won’t allow Annabeth Silks to keep him from the sweet nine-year-old girl he just discovered was his. Annabeth can’t bear the thought of losing her niece, but even tougher for her to imagine, is leaving Charity House to live with Hunter as Sarah’s nanny, especially when her heart longs for more.

Initially, I passed on this book, non-committal about a reformed outlaw for a hero, but I’ve read other books by Renee Ryan and liked them, so I scooped it up. I’m glad I did.

What I liked…


I really appreciated the way Hunter treated Mattie, the brothel owner. By treating Mattie with respect and dignity, Hunter sealed the deal with Annabeth’s heart.

Relationships are complicated. I liked that the author didn’t sugarcoat Annabeth’s relationship with her mother. Ryan portrayed their unusual bond realistically, showing the embarrassment, the shame, the stigma. Annabeth loves her mother, but doesn’t appreciate being labeled a madam’s daughter or the risk of losing her reputation and home. Mattie also loves her daughter but isn’t willing to give up the finer things in life for her daughter’s sake.

I also admired how the author handled Hunter’s past. When he arrives on scene, he’s already reformed. Ryan shows us Hunter’s commitment to being a better man without being preachy.

What I didn’t like so much…

Hunter had actually been married twice, which I found a bit confusing in the beginning and unnecessary.

Overall…

I really enjoyed this story and getting to know Hunter, Annabeth, and Mattie, all strong characters. Great job, Ms. Ryan!

The Outlaw’s Redemption releases on 7/1/13 with Harlequin Love Inspired Historical, but you can preorder it here~ Preorder Link

Disclaimer: Sending a huge thanks to Harlequin Love Inspired Historical and NetGalley for providing me with an advance review e-copy. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I received no monetary compensation.

Have you read The Outlaw’s Redemption? 

Do you agree with my review? What were your thoughts?

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Where Did the Years Go?

/ Dora Hiers
Celebrating my mom’s birthday on a cruise

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.
Maybe one of these years, you’ll be close by and we can celebrate together. 
Wish you were here, so I could give you a hug.

This Mother’s Day, today, our son graduates from UNC. 
Yay, Scott!!

Our son in Barcelona, his back-packing through Europe trip

College graduation is bittersweet, isn’t it? 
As a parent, you dream about your child going off to college for four years.
That day comes, and you shed a few tears as you unload their belongings into 
a living space the size of a large walk-in closet.
You cheer for their football and basketball teams, you slave and save to pay for tuition, 
you endure their infrequent trips home without grumbling. 
You listen to them groan about how many papers come due at the same time and wince when they pull an all-nighter.

Because you know…deep in your heart, you know…
that graduation day will roll around.
That day when your child steps on to the stage, and their life really begins.
They stand proud and tall, ready and willing to make a difference in the world, 
ready to forge their own path, 
to build a life with a family of their own.

The day when you realize they’re not a child anymore.

Where did the years go?


Happy Mother’s Day

to all moms and to all those who fill the role of mother. 
May your special day be filled with love and laughter.

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