Category: Litfuse blog tour

The Wedding Chapel

Litfuse Book Tour

For sixty years, the wedding chapel sat silent, waiting for love. But times have changed and the hour has come when it just might be too late.

The Wedding Chapel Book Review

About The Wedding Chapel

Retired hall-of-fame football coach Jimmy “Coach” Westbrook never imagined anything would come of his labor of love–the wedding chapel he built for Collette Greer, the woman he fell for back in ’49. But now an offer has come to turn the chapel into what it was meant to be–a place for love–and Jimmy sees no reason to hang onto his dream any longer.

Photographer Taylor Branson is trying to make a life for herself in New York. Leaving her hometown of Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, she put a lot of things behind her, including her family’s abysmal marriage rate. But love surprises her when she falls head-over-heels for Jack Forester, a top ad man. Their whirlwind romance results in an elopement, and a mountain of doubt. Jack, while genuine in his love for Taylor, can never seem to overcome his own demons to find the words of his heart.

When Taylor takes an assignment in Heart’s Bend, the job does more than send her back to her hometown, but into a world of family secrets buried beneath the sands of time.

When Taylor’s journey intersects with Coach’s, they rediscover the heartbeat of their dreams and that the love they long to hold is right in front of them. And worth every waiting moment.

My Thoughts

A powerful story of love, betrayal and forgiveness. Two sisters who are tied together by World War II and the death of their parents, seek a new life in America. It is there that they find they have fallen in love with the same man. Instead of allowing fate to choose who he should love, it is one-act of cruelty that leads to years of unhappiness and loneliness.

The book is written both in the present and past tense, which gives us an interesting picture into the main characters lives. Each character is given a chance to tell their part of the story and we don’t truly appreciate the depth of the secrets that were held on to until closer to the end of the novel. These even caught me off guard! The end was sweet and left me in tears hoping for a better tomorrow for all of the characters in the novel.

The Wedding Chapel is a well written and unique story that you will not want to put down! You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page or you can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Rachel Hauck is an award-winning, best-selling author of critically acclaimed novels such as The Wedding Dress, Love Starts with Elle, and Once Upon A Prince. She also penned the Songbird Novels with multi-platinum recording artist, Sara Evans. Booklist named their novel, Softly and Tenderly, one of 2011 Top Ten Inspirationals. She serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers and is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, and conference speaker. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pets.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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The Golden Braid By Melanie Dickerson

Litfuse Book Tour

In the Golden Braid, the one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower.

The Golden Braid Book Review

About The Golden Braid

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.

Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again–this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.

The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight–Sir Gerek–Rapunzel, in turn, rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to him than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?

As Rapunzel acclimates to life in a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery are about to be revealed after seventeen years. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?

My Thoughts

A modern, mature twist on a childhood fairy tale that both young adults and adults alike will enjoy.

The beginning of the novel was slower but as we get about a third of the way through the novel, I could not put the book down! It was such an interesting perspective of the Rapunzel fairy tale. We have this strong, fierce young lady who can paint, sing and throw a knife as well as any other boy in her village. But she also defers to her mother’s demands and restrictions, which include never showing her hair (which we find out the reasoning behind this near the end of the story) and to never trust a man.

It was beautiful to watch Rapunzel’s story unfold in such a unique manner and to watch her grow into an independent young lady who embraces the unknown. Thrown in the romance with a knight who tries so hard to deny his feelings and you have a story you will not want to put down! I definitely know I couldn’t.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse Blog Tour page. You can purchase a copy here.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Melanie Dickerson is the author of The Healer’s Apprentice, a Christy Award finalist and winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award for Best First Book. Melanie earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Alabama and has been a teacher and a missionary. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Huntsville, Alabama.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Another Way Home by Deborah Raney

Litfuse Book Tour

Sometimes God’s ways are not at all what we expect and exactly what we need.

Another Way Home by Deborah Raney

About Another Way Home

Grant and Audrey are adding grandchildren to their family left and right, but middle daughter, Danae, and her husband, Dallas Brooks, have been trying for years with no baby in sight.

Though Danae is ready to consider adoption, Dallas will not even discuss it. Despairing of ever having a family of her own, Danae decides to pour her passion and energies into volunteer work with a newly opened women’s shelter in town. Looking for a good cause to fill her lonely days, she never expects to give her heart to the hurting women she meets there. She’s finally learning to live her life with gratitude, but then heart-wrenching events on Thanksgiving weekend threaten to pull the entire Whitman clan into turmoil-and leave them all forever changed.

My Thoughts

Another Way Home is a touching, heart warming story that so many women can relate to. It touches on pregnancy, infertility and the pain that comes with this. I am one of those women. I struggled with miscarriages and infertility and it is painful, especially when you see others pregnant. You want to be happy but it is hard not to feel selfish. Deborah does a fantastic job of addressing these emotions on both sides, the side of the person dealing with infertility and the pregnant couple. She did a wonderful job showing both sides and how these emotions can affect families.

I love how adoption was tied into this story. It was a good portrayal of adoption and the love that forms from these relationships. The end shocked me in many ways (definitely not what I was expecting but in a good way). I love how Dallas and Danae grow as not only a couple but how as a part of their extended family and the relationships that are strained as they deal with infertility.

This is one of the book in the series but is great as a read alone but even better when you have read the other stories. It gives you an even more intimate view into the feelings and lives of our characters. Another Way Home will be the perfect addition to your home library!

You can find more reviews on Another Way Home on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Deborah Raney’s books have won numerous awards, including the RITA, National Readers Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, and the Carol Award, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. She and her husband, Ken, recently traded small-town life in Kansas-the setting of many of Deborah’s novels—for life in the (relatively) big city of Wichita, where they enjoy gardening, antiquing, movies, and traveling to visit four children and a growing brood of grandchildren who all live much too far away.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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An Endless Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti

Litfuse Book Tour

Too many people, too much snow, and too little room should be a recipe for disaster in An Endless Christmas.

An Endless Christmas Book Review

About An Endless Christmas

Christmas takes a very different turn when the guests of honor break up instead of announcing their engagement. Trapped with his family, they learn that love looks different from either imagined. Both in their eighties, Dodie and Wilson Binder celebrate every Christmas as if it were their last. This year, their grandson Micah is planning to ask his girlfriend, Katie, to marry him so they can celebrate with the whole family. But things go very wrong when she says, “no.” Now they are stuck. Too many people, too much snow, and too little room should be a recipe for disaster. But sometimes too much is just enough. Especially when it’s Christmas.

My Thoughts

Love and romance can become complicated especially when we let our past dictate our future. Sometimes we feel like we aren’t good enough to feel love or have someone appreciate us the way they do. This is Katie. She is scared to let herself feel and receive love freely. She very much loves Micah with all her heart but is scared of how he truly feels or if he will leave her. This is what guides her decision to turn down his proposal.

Instead of angering Micah or encountering a difficult situation, Katie is encompassed by his family as they try to relieve some of the awkwardness of the current situation. She is welcomed by his family as they show her the true meaning of love, family and Christmas.

A very special story, especially so close to Christmas! It was a heart warming story of love and family, trust and faith in each other. The novel was well written, engaging and witty, something you can re-read over and over again.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse Blog Tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Drawing from 33 years of on-air radio ministry, Cynthia Ruchti tells stories of hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her novels and novellas, nonfiction books and devotionals, and speaking for women’s and writers’ events. Her books have been recognized by Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Awards, Selah Awards, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Christian Retailing’s BEST Awards, and Carol Award nominations, among other honors, including a Family Fiction Readers’ Choice Award. She and her plot-tweaking husband live in Pittsville, Wisconsin, not far from their three children and five grandchildren.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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War for the Waking World by Wayne Thomas Batson

Litfuse Book Tour

Would you be willing to fight for your dreams? In War for the Waking World, the Dreamtreaders must do this.

War for the Waking World Review

About War for the Waking World

Fifteen-year-old Archer Keaton has the ability to enter and explore his dreams. He is a Dreamtreader, one of three selected from each generation. Their mission: to protect the waking world from the Nightmare Lord who dwells beyond the Slumber Gate. But as Archer’s dreams become more dangerous and threatening, so too does his waking life.

In this fast-paced conclusion to the exciting fantasy trilogy, the dream world and the waking world bleed into each other when a rift is formed between the two. People in the real world suddenly find their waking lives resemble their wildest dreams. Now it’s up to Archer and his fellow Dreamtreaders to race to reverse the rift before too much damage is done and to battle Archer’s ex-best friend, Kara, who sits on the throne of the Nightmare Lord. Kara is building an army of her own. Will Archer be strong enough to stand against her?

My Thoughts

An extremely interesting and unique read from start to finish. This novel follows the dream and fantasy world and the interesting divide that is between them. In this novel that divide has fallen down and now it is hard to tell reality from fantasy. It is up to the Dreamtreaders to fix the rift if they can before the world collapses into fantasy.

A well written and thought out novel. While it was the conclusion of the trilogy, I did not feel lost or confused without having read the first two novels. The plot was incredible and I love the way it built up quickly and never lost momentum. The Dreamtreaders were amazing individuals who can conquer up objects at their own will (now that would be a skill I would love!). The best part – they were all young children and teens! Talk about making it great for youth to relate to and get lost in while reading. This is a novel that people of all ages will love!

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Wayne Thomas Batson is an American writer. He has been married to his wife, Mary Lu, for seventeen years and has four children. He currently works as a teacher at Folly Quarter Middle School teaching sixth grade English language arts and is the youngest of four children. His most recent series, Dreamtreaders published by Thomas Nelson Inc (2014), is a modern-day paranormal YA adventure dealing with the subject of dreams.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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