Spring Cleaning

/ Dora Hiers / 4 Comments

Did a little spring cleaning on my blog this week. It was kinda reminding me of the linen closet upstairs. You know…the one where you open the doors gingerly, afraid towels or spare pillows will come tumbling out. So you open the door, tug out what you need, and slam it shut, hoping all the clutter stays put because it’s too overwhelming, too time-consuming, to think about cleaning.

Not that my blog was messy or cluttered. I just felt the urge to spruce it up a bit, rearrange and redesign, but that takes time. And motivation. 

I confess I wasn’t blessed with an artistic design gene, and truthfully, I’ve been slightly timid and a little fearful about changing my blog too much. What happens if I can’t fix it or worse, if I lose everything?

Well, no more fear and trepidation. I backed up my template and set about finding ways to spruce it up, to give it a new feel. Shabby Blogs, Cutest Blog on the Block and My Favourite Things Blog offer some great tutorials and free stuff like backgrounds, headers and buttons. 

Now that I know there’s help out there should I mess up, I think I’ll change it up a bit more often. Look around. See what you think. Like the new look?

And, no, the linen closet still looks like that. One of these days…


Against All Odds by Irene Hannon ~ Sharing My Review

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

Against All Odds, Book 1, Heroes of Quantico

About the book ~
For FBI Hostage Rescue Team member Evan Cooper and his partner, dignitary protection duty should have been a piece of cake. Unfortunately, Monica Callahan isn’t making it easy. Estranged from her diplomat father, who is involved in a sensitive hostage situation in the Middle East, she refuses to be intimidated by a related terrorist threat back in the States…until a chilling warning convinces her that the danger is very real—and escalating. As Coop and his partner do their best to keep her safe, David Callahan continues his work—triggering an abduction that puts his daughter’s life at risk. And with every second that ticks by, Coop knows that the odds of saving the only woman who has ever managed to breach the walls around his heart are dropping. Because terrorists aren’t known for their patience—or their mercy.

Sharing my humble opinion~
FBI Hostage Rescue Team Member Evan Cooper is content to work hard and party even harder, and with plenty of available, attractive women, he avoids commitments and emotional entanglements…until he’s assigned to protect Monica Callahan. Monica’s gentle prodding breaks down the barriers he’s erected since his mother’s death and father’s subsequent emotional withdrawal.

Estranged from her father after his abandonment to pursue his diplomatic ambitions, Monica overcame hurt and betrayal, earning a PhD in communications and forging a successful career. If she ever commits to a relationship, she intends it to be with a man who communicates well, someone who doesn’t put his career first. Not Coop. But, she finds herself drawn to the quiet, determined-to-protect-her man.

I like how Monica, a believer, struggles with the issue of forgiveness towards her absentee father. Considering forgiveness a tenet for Christianity, Coop doesn’t understand, and calls her on it. She admits that’s her biggest failing, and in doing so, opens the door for several conversations. I found her honesty refreshing and their discussions on faith realistic.

Monica’s father attempts to reconcile his moral principle of not negotiating with terrorists with his desire to save his daughter. He’s never told his daughter he loves her, yet now she hears his unspoken message. I love how this unfolds during the story.

Wow! With a fast paced, action-packed, nail-biting plot, you might be tempted to sail through this book in a few hours. But I’d recommend against that. This book is flavored with spiritual and moral issues, juicy nuggets I preferred to chew on for a few days. Although it lacks the physical intensity (um, more displays of affection) I generally prefer, Against All Odds more than compensates in emotional and spiritual depth as love and forgiveness transform Monica and Coop. Action, suspense, a tender romance~this book has it all! Definitely a keeper!
 

Do you believe it’s possible for a person to communicate love 
without saying the actual words?

Has a family member hurt you with their choice?
Do you wrestle with forgiveness?

Disclaimer: I purchased this book. No monies were received in exchange for my fair and unbiased review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

A HOUSE FULL OF HOPE by Missy Tippens ~ Sharing My Review

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments
A House Full of Hope
by Missy Tippens

About the book~
Before becoming a Christian, Mark Ryker ran with a bad crowd and broke hearts. Including his father’s. Now a successful businessman, Mark has come home to Corinthia, Georgia, to make amends. But no one will forgive him. So when the widowed mother of four renting his dad’s run-down house needs help fixing up the place, Mark gets to work. Pretty Hannah Hughes and her sweet kids have him longing to be part of the clan, but Hannah isn’t ready to let go of the past. Still, they are working together on a house full of hope—and that’s all Mark needs.

Sharing my humble opinion~
Wow! I can see why this book is a RITA finalist! Missy Tippens really knows how to ratchet up the emotional conflict. 

After overcoming a troubled youth and building up a successful business in Seattle, Mark Ryker returns to Georgia to apologize to his father for his past. Saddened by his father’s rejection but knowing he’s right where God wants him to be, Mark determines to stay in town until he can get his father to talk to him. To pass the time while his father works, Mark makes some much needed repairs to the family homestead. 

Widow Hannah Hughes only wants to provide for her four children, and a home of their own is her top priority. Mark’s return upsets her. She can’t possibly afford another house as big as the one they’re renting from Mark’s dad, and what if Mark decides to move back? But there’s another reason she gives Mark grief for coming back. Her family suffered tremendous loss from Mark’s youthful indiscretions. An apology doesn’t erase the past, and forgiveness doesn’t come easy, but her children don’t share that issue. Mark’s easy, gentle way with them wins their love, and that’s a sure way to win a mother’s heart.

This is one of those books where you wonder most of the way through how the hero and heroine can possibly find their happily-ever-after. Several conflicts and obstacles threaten to tear them apart, including vicious town gossips and Hannah’s own mother. At times, I wanted to shake some sense into both Mark and Hannah, but with their past hurts and present emotions, I could understand why they reacted the way they did. Overall, A House Full of Hope won me over. I’ll definitely be reading more books by Missy Tippens.

Purchase Link

In real life, I don’t think most prickly familial discord resolves quite so quickly, but this is a work of fiction with a definite theme of forgiveness.  
Have you experienced family conflict? How do you deal with it?


Disclaimer: I purchased this book. No monies were received in exchange for my fair and unbiased review, and all opinions expressed are my own.