Inspirational

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.

SHORT-STRAW BRIDE by Karen Witemeyer ~ Sharing My Review

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

About the book~

Four brothers. Four straws. One bride.

No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a long-standing debt compels her to take the risk.

Years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer comes across a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can’t bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt prompt him to attempt to rescue her once again.

Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she vows to stand by his side. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her as merely a short-straw bride?

Sharing My Humble Opinion~

A young Meredith (Meri) Hayes trespasses on the infamous Archer land to retrieve her lunch box after a bully tosses it over the fence. Travis Archer promised his dying father that he’d protect his three brothers and the land they’d grown up on. After all, it was his fault that his father died. When he rescues Meri, he breaks that promise to take her home, but that’s the only time he ever left the Archer land. Travis’s kind, compassionate spirit sparks dreams in tiny Meri’s heart and she never forgets him, even when another man proposes. When Meri overhears a plot to possibly harm the Archers, she risks trespassing again to warn Travis and his brothers.

Although I felt the prologue made for a slow beginning, I’m so glad I didn’t put Short-Straw Bride aside. It was so worth it! 

I love how the author wove subtle themes into this book, like how Meri rushed headlong into difficult situations, without thinking or praying. How many times do I plow ahead, only praying for guidance after I’m in the midst of the situation? And Meri helped Travis realize that he had been depending on himself to protect his family, rather than trusting God. How many times have I done the same thing? 

I loved Short-Straw Bride! I read it through in two sittings, barely allowing myself to be distracted except to sleep. It had the perfect blend of romance laced with passion, humor and suspense to keep me turning pages long past my bedtime. Can’t wait to get my hands on another Witemeyer book!

Purchase Link

How often do we proceed with our own plans and only then ask for God’s blessings rather than seeking His will first? 


Disclaimer: I snagged this book when it was offered free on Amazon. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I received no monetary compensation.

SANCTUARY by Tanya Hanson ~ Sharing My Review

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

About the Book~

A beautiful plus-one at a wedding, a hunky cowboy..autumn leaves and rugged horse trails. The perfect setting to unite two healing souls… 
Ranch foreman and single dad Hooper Martin is ready to put his health and life back on track after battling cancer…including re-entering the dating scene. His little girl sure could use a mother. Falling hard for wedding guest Malia Cameron makes perfect sense to him: she’s a survivor, too. 
Mallie has put her heart on hold, knowing she will never recover from her struggle with a brain tumor. She can’t promise a future to anybody and vows never to fall in love. Letting Hooper Martin into her life would be a big mistake. But his good looks take her breath away, and his living faith starts to gentle her confusion about Who’s really in charge.
Sharing My Humble Opinion~
Mallie Cameron arrives at Hearts Crossing Ranch as her brother’s plus-one for a wedding, aiming for a weekend flirtation with a cute cowboy. That’s all she will allow herself since she has GBM, Glioblastoma Multiform. Even if the dreaded disease is in remission, without a cure, she won’t risk falling in love when she faces a death sentence.
Although Hooper (Hoop) Martin beat testicular cancer, he still worries about his daughter, Ella. Since his wife deserted them shortly after Ella’s birth, what would happen to Ella if the cancer decided to return with a vengeance? When Mallie shows up at Hearts Crossing, he falls hard for the city slicker in pink-toed boots, but while Hoop leans on his faith, Mallie finds it “hard to accept a God who allowed perfectly decent, innocent people” to suffer. 
I felt that the author tackled a tough topic with sensitivity, and characterized Mallie and Hoop with realistic emotions and reactions. They must work through plenty of separate issues, including their faith, to find their happily-ever-after. 
With Hanson’s vivid descriptions, prepare to be transported to a remote ranch set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. At 155 pages, Sanctuary is the perfect size to read in a few hours. You’ll be simultaneously entertained and encouraged, and alternate between laughing and tugging at the tissues. My only wish is that Sanctuary packed a few more pages, so I could savor the romance longer! But I’d pick it up and read it again, sure as shootin’!
Disclaimer: I won this book at the Petticoat and Pistols blog, as a free gift from the author for a comment left on the blog. I received no monetary compensation for this review, and the opinions expressed are mine.