Do You See Him?
Inspire…
inspiration
On My Kindle ~ Tried & True by Mary Connealy
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Kylie Wilde is the youngest sister–and the most civilized. Her older sisters might be happy dressing in trousers and posing as men, but Kylie has grown her hair long and wears skirts every chance she gets. It’s a risk–they are homesteading using the special exemptions they earned serving in the Civil War as “boys”–but Kylie plans to make the most of the years before she can sell her property and return to the luxuries of life back East.
Local land agent Aaron Masterson is fascinated with Kylie from the moment her long hair falls from her cap. But now that he knows her secret, can he in good conscience defraud the U.S. government? And when someone tries to force Kylie off her land, does he have any hope of convincing her that marrying him and settling on the frontier is the better option for her future?
Sharing my thoughts~
Civil War veteran Kylie is tired of keeping up the charade of dressing as a man, part of her pa’s crazy scheme to honor her late brother’s memory. The youngest of three sisters, Kylie’s determined to fulfill the three remaining years left to homestead, then she plans to sell her place to her pa and move closer to civilization. But when land agent Aaron Masterson rescues her from a near fatal accident and discovers the woman underneath the britches, he refuses to keep her secret.
Aaron Masterson left for the war thinking his family was safe at home. When he returned and found them all dead and hatred destroying what was left of his neighborhood, he heads west to start a new life in Aspen Ridge, leaving his idyllic childhood home behind, along with a best friend who’d served on the opposite side of the war and who blamed him for his family’s deaths.
Romance between Aaron and Kylie blossoms quickly, and I enjoyed the flirty banter.
“Aaron, we can’t be kissing like that.” Her eyes flickered to his lips.“There are a lot of ways to kiss. If you don’t think we should be kissing like that, we could keep trying until we find a way you like.”
Fast reading suspense is balanced with trademark humorous scenes, and Tried & True also tackles some tough topics like: What lengths will we go to please our parents? Loving and praying for our enemies…
“There might be places in the Bible that men can debate,” Kylie said. “Places hard to understand, and folks differ on the meaning. But not when it comes to hate. It isn’t allowed. ‘Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you.”
Tried & True might be one of my favorite Connealy books! I’m not sure which sister’s story will be next, but I can’t wait to read it!
Disclaimer: Sending a big thank you to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reviewing Tried & True and for the free copy I received in exchange for my fair and unbiased review. This opinion is my own, and I received no compensation.
Declaring His Greatness…
Summertime…it’s always a crazy time around here with two fire conferences, weekend BBQ competitions and several rounds of library visits. As if that wasn’t enough to keep us busy, this year I attended the Romance Writers of America national conference in San Antonio. That meant extra hours hunched over my laptop, pounding out my story so that it would be complete before the conference and preparing for pitches.
Before August is over, we will return to Texas for a combination fire and writing research trip, and will squeeze in a trip to DC to help our son move. You know how sometimes events just keep piling on your calendar until suddenly you’ve lost control? That’s us right now. The whirlwind won’t calm down until November.
God knows that I get discombobulated being outside my routine and normal environment. He carried me during those stressful moments at the conference. “I’ve got you covered. You can do this,” His soft whispers fluttered soul-deep and wrapped me in peace.
Today, I‘m declaring His greatness…
He’s my yesterday, my tomorrow, my today. He’s my redeemer, my hiding place, my refuge.
He’s the grace who covers a multitude of wrongs, the beauty in my ugly, the bridge to forever.
He’s the restorer of my soul, the quiet in my storm, the still water of perfect peace.
He’s my champion, my hero, my rock.
He’s the sweet spot in my day, my reason for being,
my very next breath.
Maybe you’re going through a storm right now. Like a ship without a speck of land in sight, the rogue waves of life curl high and toss you from one swell to the next with no chance to catch your breath. You can trust Him to navigate your ship into a calm harbor, to give you perfect peace in the midst of your storm.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind. ~Ps 107:28-31 NIV
Maybe you’re going through a storm right now. Like a ship without a speck of land in sight, the rogue waves of life curl high and toss you from one swell to the next with no chance to catch your breath. You can trust Him to navigate your ship into a calm harbor, to give you perfect peace in the midst of your storm.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind. ~Ps 107:28-31 NIV
How has God revealed Himself to you lately?
Weaving a Legacy of Grace 