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Excited about Reading…Under the Mistletoe

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

Wrap your heart around a cozy little romance that starts with a red wool scarf, an angel or two, and ends with Ben Logan and Lucy Fielding under the mistletoe. An uplifting tale of romance and faith for the holidays.

Sharing my thoughts…

Oh my goodness, y’all, I have to tell you about this cute little novella! My favorite holiday read this season! It’s a shortie–89 pages, which includes a preview for The Rosetti Curse–but don’t let that stop you from scooping it up. It’s a great read to curl up with during the holiday season, with several laugh out loud moments, nothing heavy or weighty, and a sigh-worthy ending. Humorous, sometimes sarcastic, totally realistic, flirty and fun dialog kept the story moving at a fast clip.

“It is possible that I may have overdone it.”

“You think?”

Ben glared at her.

“How far did you traverse, oh skilled athlete?”

“Twenty miles.”

Lucy gasped. “Twenty miles?”

Ben nodded, which set her off again.

“This from a guy who thinks the walk from the parking lot to the elevator is strenuous exercise?” She clutched the files to her chest and began to laugh.

“It’s not that funny.”

“Sure it is.”

“Good to know I can count on you for support.”

“I have ibuprofen. Is that support enough for you?”

See what I mean? 🙂

Lucy’s a planner, an antique prowler, and an avid Yankees fan. Ben has known her practically his entire life.

Don’t you just adore friends-to-lovers stories?? :insert dreamy sigh:

Of course Ben’s reluctant to reveal his feelings to Lucy. Doing so would ruin their bestie status, but also because she’s engaged. Not that Ben really expects her to go through with the wedding. And especially not after a deceased….well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out who, makes some surprise visits, encouraging Ben to make a move…

A sweet hero who proves his faithfulness and love, a heroine who finally realizes the treasure right in front of her all along, and a friendship that expands into something much deeper. Like I said, tough to put down. Plan to read it all in one sitting. You can thank me later. I’m off in search of more Tina Radcliffe books…

What’s your favorite holiday read so far this season?

Disclaimer: I purchased Under the Mistletoe while it was free on Amazon. This review is my fair and unbiased opinion, and I was in no way compensated.

 

Excited about Reading: Love’s Unfading Light

/ Dora Hiers / 4 Comments

Do you ever get in reading slumps? It seems I’ve been in and out of one for a couple of years now. But, as a writer, I’m finding it increasingly challenging to dive into reading a book and getting involved with characters when I’m so invested in my own characters and their story. So, I tend to read less while I’m working on a book. And, HELLO, when am I not writing?? Can any of my writer friends relate?

But I just finished Love’s Unfading Light by Naomi Rawlings and knew I needed to tell you all about it. I snatched it up when it was free on Amazon and finally opened it, but it didn’t take long for the main and secondary characters to draw me into their circle and for me to feel as if I stood on the shore of Lake Superior under the lighthouse in Eagle Harbor, Michigan, in 1880.

Excited about Reading Love's Unfading Light Fiction Faith & Foodies book review Dora Hiers

The author did a great job of bringing the setting to life during the early stages of the US Lifesaving Service.

“The wind whipping across the lake, the waves froth-tipped and vicious, and the North Star caught in the uncontrollable swells.”

Can’t you just picture a boat being tossed about without any hope of rescue?

Tressa, a widow from a loveless marriage, left with a son, a bakery and a tremendous amount of debt. After her husband’s death, she seemed to do a decent job supporting her and her son, until a robbery unleashes all her dead husband’s creditors to conspire against her. Poor woman lost ground fast. Just thinking about her circumstances makes me so grateful that I wasn’t born in that time period. And Mac, an assistant lightkeeper, willingly sacrificed everything for her without expecting anything in return. Without coming across as preachy, Mac modeled Christ’s love for us.

Although subtle, Love’s Unfading Light packs a powerful message tucked inside those pages. Like how we judge others based on their associations. How sometimes we’re certain we’re following God’s path for our lives, but then He turns us around and points us in a different direction. How God has the power to transform an impossible situation into a blessing. I can’t wait to dig into Love’s Every Whisper, Elijah and Victoria’s story!

To Ponder: Sometimes we can’t see the bigger picture, the whole truth regarding our circumstances, but God knows. Do we accept the current situation as truth and allow the bleakness to overwhelm us or do we look past the circumstances to trust the God who loves us with a limitless love?

At the time of this posting, Love’s Unfading Light was still free on Amazon. Purchase here.

Disclaimer: I purchased my own copy of Love’s Unfading Light when it was free on Amazon. This review is my fair and unbiased opinion, and I was in no way compensated.