"I Know the Plans" by Melissa Wardwell -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: I Know the Plans

Author: Melissa Wardwell   

Genre: Romance

Release Date: October, 2018

All the plans Tiffany and Brad made for their lives as individuals were thrown to the wind the moment they met. Now, after almost a decade of marriage, they spend more time apart than together. Though plans remain unfulfilled, their hearts seek to remain steadfast and connected.

After Brad returns from his latest tour in Afghanistan, it is evident that the man Tiffany married is no longer the same. As Brad struggles with reacquainting himself with his life, Tiffany questions how it could be part of God’s plan. Have the sins of their past finally come back to haunt them? No matter how much support they have in their family and friends, the choice is still theirs. Will they continue to trust God with their lives or will they choose their own course?

My Thoughts

This is the third book in the "Promises From Above" series. I think you would get a fuller experience if you read the other two books first. You get quite a bit of overlap with the characters from the first books and it would be best to "meet" them in their own story. I found the story to flow well and it had a nice faith element that wound through it. I liked Brad and Tiffany and cheered with them in the highs and cried with them in the lows. I look forward to reading more books from Melissa Wardwell.

About the Author  

Melissa Wardwell resides in the quant town of Owosso, Michigan with her husband and their three teen aged children. She began her writing journey in August of 2014 with her debut novel “What God Brings Together”. She decided to give writing a try after she shared a story that nagged at her with a friend. Unsure in her own abilities to craft a story she plunged ahead anyway. After reading the first draft of that first book, she then understood that God had a much bigger plan. “God does not give his children a desire just so that it can go to waste.” Since then, she has added three more novels and taken part in two anthologies. Melissa also has a review blog and is a contributing blogger for Heart”wings” Blog.

Being a mother and wife herself, Melissa understands the importance of taking care of yourself from time to time. So, all her stories revolve around women who are mothers: single mothers, widowed mothers, young mothers, married mothers, and even women who have a mother’s heart but no children of their own.

To see the full list of her work, visit www.melissawardwell.com

Guest Post from Melissa

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

This verse has been my “Go To” verse since the day I married. It is a constant reminder that no matter what struggles I endure, God has a plan. I may not be able to see through the fog, I may not like or understand the journey, but it is all part of a plan. All I can do is trust God’s design for my life and be willing to move when He tells me to.

God used the writing process of “I Know the Plans” to remind me that He has a plan for me and book and I need to just trust the process. This book has taken me over a year to complete. If it wasn’t one thing to keep me from committing to it, then it was another. I don’t begrudge the events that kept me away, but as soon as I would begin to grumble to God about not having the energy or the brain power to write, I would get this preverbal reminder that I was not the one in control. If I am going to write faith lessons in fiction, I need to trust the Master Author.

In “I Know the Plans”, Sergeant Bradley Jones and his wife, Tiffany, are hit with one whopper of a plot twist that leaves them wondering if they can get through some major medical issues, PTSD, and infertility in one piece. Their family and friends do their best to support the couple but sometimes, trusting God’s plan is all they can do. Something we all try to learn to do in our own lives.

Due to the military thread in this book, I asked my veteran friends what charity they hold in high esteem. Almost every single one of them suggested “Wounded Warrior Project” and offered rave reviews of their humanitarian efforts in the military community. So, a portion of my royalties from this book will be going to “Wounded Warrior Project” in honor of their service and the service of thousands of others.

https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org

There is another group of people I wanted to honor. Those who fight with infertility. I know many who have fought the battle to have children of their own. Some eventually find success, while other have not. Some have even taken the route of adoption and have saved the lives of young ones who needed all the love in the world. Then there are some that just choose to embrace the fact that children of their own was not going to happen and have given all their love to others. All of these groups of people fight a battle that is riddled with pain, confusion, endless medical procedures, and thousands of dollars. There isn’t one group or anther that could support these people as much as our love, prayers, and thoughtful kindness can. So, I encourage you to embrace those around you and shower them with love. Sometimes what they need is just a friend that will listen and not try to mix the problem. Just as you have received the Father’s love, now you can give it away.

Finally, I want to thank the CelebrateLit blog team for signing up for this tour. I am honored that they choose to read this story and offer their honest opinions on this book. As always, I pray it ministers to the readers as much as it ministered to the author. “You all are amazing!”

Blessings,

Melissa Wardwell

Blog Stops

Christian Author, J.E.Grace, December 13

Real World Bible Study, December 13

Connect in Fiction, December 14

Inklings and notions, December 14

Godly Book Reviews, December 15

Blogging With Carol, December 15

Blossoms and Blessings, December 16

Mary Hake, December 16

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 17

Carpe Diem, December 17

Maureen’s Musings, December 18

All-of-a-kind Mom, December 18

Texas Book-aholic, December 19

Christian Bookaholic, December 20

cultivating us, December 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 21

Bibliophile Reviews, December 22

A Baker’s Perspective, December 23

Simple Harvest Reads, December 24 (Guest Post from Mindy Houng)

Janices book reviews, December 25

The Becca Files, December 26

Bigreadersite, December 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Melissa is giving away a grand prize that includes an “I know the plans” coffee mug and print copies of books 1, 2, & 3 from the Promises From Above Series!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d76f/i-know-the-plans-celebration-tour-giveaway

"I Know the Plans" is available in paperback:

• Series: Promises from Above (Book 3)
• Paperback: 335 pages
• Publisher: Independently published (October 25, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1729181090
• ISBN-13: 978-1729181096
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.8 x 8 inches

and in Kindle edition:

• File Size: 1560 KB
• Print Length: 337 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1729181090
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publication Date: October 30, 2018
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
• Language: English
• ASIN: B07HWKZ4VZ

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review. 

"Dead Sea Rising" by Jerry B. Jenkins -- Book Review

About the Book  


FROM #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR JERRY B. JENKINS COMES A HEART-STOPPING ADVENTURE OF HISTORICAL PROPORTIONS

Nicole Berman is an archaeologist on the brink of a world-changing discovery. During her first dig in Jordan, she believes she has found concrete evidence of a biblical patriarch that could change history books forever. But someone doesn't want the truth revealed. While urgently trying to connect pieces of an ancient puzzle, a dangerous enemy is out to stop her. 

From a criminal investigation in Manhattan to the birth of Abram in ancient Ur, Jerry Jenkins weaves together a tale of drama and suspense that will draw you into the lives of two families separated by 4,000 years of history yet sharing remarkably similar struggles of faith. Dead Sea Rising combines the thrill of a whodunit with the moral and political intrigue of the ancient, and modern, Middle East. But be prepared. Once you begin, you won't be able to stop until you reach the final page!

-- DR. CHARLIE DYER, PROFESSOR-AT-LARGE OF BIBLE, AND HOST OF THE LAND AND THE BOOK RADIO PROGRAM

My Thoughts

I had never read a book by Jerry B. Jenkins before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I do not know if "Dead Sea Rising" is written in his normal manner, but it flips back and forth between modern day Manhattan and Biblical Ur where we follow Terah (Abram's father). The longest chapter was 8 pages. The majority of the chapters were 3 pages or less, including one that was only about 1/4 of a page long. I found it distracting to flip back and forth so much. I thought it would be better to have larger chunks in each setting at least. There didn't seem to be any sort of tie in with the two timelines, either, other than I'm assuming she is wanting to find something to do with Abraham in the archaeological dig in Saudi Arabia. I'm assuming that the tie in becomes more apparent in future books. I did find the book to be well written even though I didn't appreciate the style with which it was written. I found the mystery surrounding Ginny Berman's injuries to be interesting. I was disappointed that we didn't get a complete wrap up of the story and have to wait for the next book to continue the mystery. I didn't very much like Terah and his personality. I also thought that it strayed from what we do know of him. The Bible says "Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran." In the book, he takes it to mean that Terah was 70 when he had his firstborn--Abram. I do not believe that Terah was 70 when he had his first child, nor is it evident that Abram was his firstborn. The Bible frequently lists the person most important to the Jews first (Shem, Ham, and Japeth, for example) and therefore listing them out of age order. The book also makes it that Terah has one wife. He obviously had at least 2 wives/concubines as Abram's wife Sarai was also his half sister, the daughter of his father but not of his mother. I am interested in finding out how Jerry B. Jenkins resolves the issues of Terah's other children in subsequent books.

About the Author  

Author of more than 195 books with sales of over 70 million copies, including the best-selling Left Behind series, Jerry B. Jenkins is former vice president for publishing and former chairman of the board of trustees for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. 

Jerry's writing has appeared in Time, Reader's Digest, Parade, Guideposts, and dozens of Christian periodicals. Twenty-one of his books have reached The New York Times best-seller list (seven debuting number one). 

Jerry owns the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, through which he trains writers online

"Dead Sea Rising" is available in hardcover:

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Worthy Publishing (November 13, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1617950092
• ISBN-13: 978-1617950094
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1 x 9.1 inches

and in Kindle edition:

• File Size: 3528 KB
• Print Length: 320 pages
• Publisher: Worthy Publishing (November 13, 2018)
• Publication Date: November 13, 2018
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
• Language: English
• ASIN: B07CH84GHP

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

"Bodyguard for Christmas" by Carol J. Post -- Book Review

About the Book

Someone’s after his little boy. 

She has one chance to save them both.
When his young son is nearly kidnapped, assistant district attorney Colton Gale needs a Christmas refuge—and a live-in bodyguard. Though former military police officer Jasmine McNeal fights to shield them 24/7, she refuses to get attached. But growing close to the little boy and his father might be her only shot at keeping them alive—and becoming a family beyond the holidays. 

My Thoughts

I thought it was an interesting premise having the bodyguard be the heroine instead of the hero. The characters were realistic and engaging. I enjoyed having characters from the previous books make appearances. It isn't entirely necessary to read the other books first, but I would (as usual) recommend reading them in order, just so you get the fullest picture of what is going on. Several twists and turns kept me guessing as to what was going on and I never knew for sure what was going to happen. There was a nice amount of a faith element and the characters experienced life changing growth in their lives. I found the book to be well written and flowed well. I look forward to reading more books by Carol J. Post.

About the Author 

From medical secretary to court reporter to property manager to owner of a special events decorating company, Carol's resume reads like someone who doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up. But her one constant has always been her love for writing. She lives in Central Florida with her husband and enjoys sailing, hiking and camping. Her daughters and grandson live too far away for her liking, so she pours all that nurturing into caring for three fat cats and one spoiled dog

"Bodyguard for Christmas" is available in mass market paperback:

• Series: Love Inspired Suspense
• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense; Original edition (December 4, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1335490795
• ISBN-13: 978-1335490797
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.6 x 6.6 inches

and in Kindle edition:

• File Size: 1097 KB
• Print Length: 224 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense; Original edition (December 1, 2018)
• Publication Date: December 1, 2018
• Sold by: Harlequin Digital Sales Corp.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B07CC3Z73T

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

"The Amish Midwife's Secret" by Rachel J. Good -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Amish Midwife’s Secret

Author: Rachel J. Good

Genre: Inspirational Amish Romance

Release Date: November 27, 2018

“A beautiful story of forgiveness and second chances.” -Shelley Shepard Gray, New York Times bestselling author

They won’t see eye-to-eye until they meet heart-to-heart…

Kyle Miller never planned on becoming a country doctor. But when he’s offered a medical practice in his sleepy hometown, Kyle knows he must return… and face the painful past he left behind. Except the Amish community isn’t quite ready for Kyle. Especially the pretty midwife who refuses to compromise her herbal cures and Amish traditions with his modern medicine…

The more Leah Stoltzfus works with the handsome Englisch doctor, the more she finds herself caught between the expectations of her family and her own hopes for the future. It will take one surprising revelation and one helpless baby in need of love to show Leah and Kyle that their bond may be greater than their differences… if Leah can find the courage to follow her heart

My Thoughts

"The Amish Midwife's Secret" is the second book in the "A Love & Promises" series and there is some carryover from the first book, but I think it would be best to read the books from the "Sisters and Friends" series in order first before reading this book as the events of those books culminate in this book. I was happy to get to read Kyle's story. I liked the interactions between Leah and Kyle and their passions for their professions. Several twists surprised me during the book. There was a nice spiritual thread and the characters exhibit growth throughout the book. I found the book to be well written and I look forward to reading more books by Rachel J. Good.

About the Author

Inspirational author Rachel J. Good writes life-changing, heart-tugging novels of faith, hope, and forgiveness. The author of several Amish romance series, she grew up near Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the setting for many of her stories. Striving to be as authentic as possible, she spends time with her Amish friends, doing chores on their farm and attending family events.

Rachel’s Amish series include Sisters & Friends (Charisma House/Harlequin), Love & Promises (Grand Central), Hearts of Amish Country (Annie’s Book Club), and Surprised by Love as well as several anthologies—Springs of Love, Love’s Thankful Heart, Plain Everyday Heroes—and the Amish Quilts Coloring Books.

Guest Post from Rachel

The Amish and Herbal Remedies

As many of you know, my Amish novels are based on real life. I get ideas from hanging around Amish friends, hearing their stories and observing their lives. I’d never invade their privacy by telling their stories exactly as they happen, but the things I learn trigger plot ideas.

I’ve always been fascinated by the way the Amish approach healing. Once thing I’ve learned is that, although they’re usually willing to visit doctors, they don’t always take the medicines that are prescribed. Instead, they often substitute herbal remedies. That, and several visits to one of my favorite Amish natural products stores, gave me an idea for one of the conflicts in The Amish Midwife’s Secret.

Leah, an Amish midwife, prefers herbal remedies. Of course, that puts her in direct conflict with Kyle, the new Englisch doctor in town, who only believes in science and traditional medicine. Put the two together and lots of sparks fly. Of course, some of those sparks are also of a romantic nature.

Leah is not only a midwife, but her family owns a natural products store. She knows the best herbs for healing. Rather than sending a small boy to the hospital for pneumonia, Leah covers the baby’s chest with a warm mixture of onions and other herbs and spices (some Amish friends prefer raw onion for congestion), and she feds the baby fresh pineapple juice for his cough.

As a doctor, Kyle is horrified. He wants to admit the baby to a hospital at once. And he expects the old country doctor he’s replacing to back him up. Instead, Dr. Hess informs Kyle that many of the Amish go to doctors for a diagnosis, but then rely on herbal treatments rather than prescriptions.

Kyle, who’s been debating about whether to stay in Amish country or move to a big-city hospital, decides to remain in Lancaster and make it his mission to prevent the Amish midwife from harming newborns and their mothers. He certainly doesn’t expect to have his eyes opened to other ways to handle illnesses. But he has to admit, Leah’s methods do seem to work. When a crisis comes, they soon discover that it takes both of them to save a baby.

***

A extra little secret: Those of you who get my newsletter already know this, but Kyle in The Amish Midwife’s Secret appeared in two earlier books. The Midwife story stands alone, but if you want to know more about Kyle and Emma’s past, you can find it in the Sisters & Friends series, Book 1, Change of Heart, and Book 2, Buried Secrets.

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, November 27

Christian Bookaholic, November 27

KarenSueHadley, November 27

The Avid Reader, November 28

A Baker’s Perspective, November 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 28

Genesis 5020, November 29

Reading Is My SuperPower, November 29

cherylbbookblog, November 29

Because I said so- adventures in parenting, November 30

Bigreadersite, November 30

Quiet Quilter, December 1

Blossoms and Blessings, December 1

Bibliophile Reviews, December 2

Britt Reads Fiction, December 2

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 3

Captive Dreams Window, December 3

Cafinated Reads, December 4

Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, December 4

Carpe Diem, December 4

Maureen’s Musings, December 5

Christian Author, J.E. Grace, December 5

Janices book reviews, December 6

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, December 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 7

For the Love of Literature, December 7

Inklings and notions, December 8

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 8

Moments, December 9

Random Thoughts From a Bookworm, December 9

Texas Book-aholic, December 9

Miss Tinas Amish Book Review, December 10

The Becca Files, December 10

Vicky Sluiter, December 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a grand prize package of two faceless Amish dolls and an autographed copy of The Amish Midwife’s Secret and Plain Everyday Heroes!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d66f/the-amish-midwife-s-secret-celebration-tour-giveaway

"The Amish Midwife's Secret" is available in paperback:

• Series: Love and Promises (Book 2)
• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Forever (November 27, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1538711281
• ISBN-13: 978-1538711286
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches

and in Kindle edition: 

• File Size: 714 KB
• Print Length: 385 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1538711281
• Publisher: Forever (November 27, 2018)
• Publication Date: November 27, 2018
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• Language: English
• ASIN: B07B8DHDJK

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Month in Review - November

Wrote 0 words

Sculpted 1 babies

Tatted 2 crosses

Sewed 0 sock monkeys  

Knit 0 hats

Exercised 21 days

Read in the Bible 30 days

Wrote up 0 backlogged book reviews