Recently I read The Dance. I have to admit before I knew what it was about I HAD to read it because Gary Smalley is one of the authors. Our premarital counseling included some videos and books by Gary Smalley and they were GOOD. And... The Dance didn't disappoint!
The Dance is about a couple who has allowed their marriage to become stagnant. The husband, Jim, is clueless and his wife Marilyn is miserable. For Jim EVERYTHING is about show. He picks what church he goes to, his role in the church, his car, home, and friends according to how it will benefit him and make him look. Marilyn just wants to connect with her husband.
So as not to spoil the book I'll just say I was challenged in my marriage. We got to know each other and fell in love while traveling around the US having amazing adventures. And now? Not so much. What's our thing? Should we take a dance class? Would we enjoy it if we could do it? I know our adventures doesn't have to include dancing, but it does need to be something we can experience together.
I loved the book and I'm happy to know it's book one of three.
This book was reviewed thanks to NetGalley.
Showing posts with label Baker Publishing Group. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baker Publishing Group. Show all posts
Monday, May 27, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013
Unbreakable (Road to Kingdom series book 2)
Recently I read Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl.
Unbreakable is a wonderful book of mystery, danger, and romance. When the book begins we learn some people have been targeting churches and anyone who appears to be affiliated with a church. Almost immediately Hope's life is threatened when a truck runs her buggy off the road then turns around to run her over. If it wasn't for Jonathon, a Mennonite man in love with her, running the man in the truck off, Hope may have been killed or seriously injured. Hope barely misses tragedy when another man from her village dies after a showdown with the same truck. Through many twists and turns Hope's engagement ends, her church is burned down, shots are fired, a house is partially burned, someone is almost beat to death, and after many confusing emotions over two men, Hope chooses the man she will spend the rest of her life with.
I really enjoyed Unbreakable. It kept me guessing and at times holding my breath. I'm excited to read book 3 of the Road to Kingdom Series.
This book was given to me for review by NetGalley.
Unbreakable is a wonderful book of mystery, danger, and romance. When the book begins we learn some people have been targeting churches and anyone who appears to be affiliated with a church. Almost immediately Hope's life is threatened when a truck runs her buggy off the road then turns around to run her over. If it wasn't for Jonathon, a Mennonite man in love with her, running the man in the truck off, Hope may have been killed or seriously injured. Hope barely misses tragedy when another man from her village dies after a showdown with the same truck. Through many twists and turns Hope's engagement ends, her church is burned down, shots are fired, a house is partially burned, someone is almost beat to death, and after many confusing emotions over two men, Hope chooses the man she will spend the rest of her life with.
I really enjoyed Unbreakable. It kept me guessing and at times holding my breath. I'm excited to read book 3 of the Road to Kingdom Series.
This book was given to me for review by NetGalley.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
The Lesson: A Stoney Ridge Seasons Novel
I just finished reading the Stoney Ridge Seasons novels. I'm reviewing The Lesson by Suzanne Woods Fisher for NetGalley, but hadn't read The Keeper and The Haven so over the last week and a half I read them.
With all three books I quickly found myself caught up in the stories. Suzanne does a great job of weaving people's lives together, throwing in some conflict and a little bit of romance. You don't get a wedding story in any of the books; I was slightly surprised and disappointed by this. I always want to know if they had kids, how many and so forth. I spend a lot of time getting to know the characters and cheering them on so I like to be rewarded with a "happily ever after". In The Haven we learn Julia and Rome got married and moved to Ohio, but nothing else is mentioned about them. Did they have kids? In The Lesson we learn during the seven year span between The Haven and The Lesson Amos and Fern got married as well as Sadie and Gid. Sadie and Gid live local and have redheaded twins; a boy and a girl. I felt more informed about Sadie then I did Julia, but we eventually learn that Julia has four boys. We didn't hear anything about Joe-Jo until the end of the book. =( I was really hoping to hear he lived close to Amos and Fern or at least know how he's doing.
In The Lesson we get to know Mary Kate (M.K.). She's 19 and still acts like a kid. She's VERY irresponsible. How many 19 year olds do you know would ride a scooter down a hill with their eyes closed? Well, her immaturity cost her big time when she runs her scooter into the Amish teacher and is forced to grow up and take her place. At first she's lousy at it, but after hearing some of the kids opinions of her she decides she wants to be the best teacher she can. She seeks out Erma Yutzy an almost 100 year old Amish woman who used to be a teacher. Erma is a sweet old lady who surprisingly lives alone and does very well for herself. Once M.K. takes her teaching serious she becomes really good addressing the needs of her students.
Back on the farm Amos needs help doing things that could make him sick like plowing the fields. On the same day he asks for help Chris, a 20 year old raising his kid sister, started looking for work. They just arrived in the town to claim their grandfather's house; it's their inheritance and will officially belong to Chris when he turns 21. For now it's in their drug addict mother's name. She's off at a rehab in Ohio. Chris starts working for Amos and uses all his wages to fix up the house and to take care of his sister. He avoids all personal conversations in fear someone will learn about his mother. His scumbag mother has spent more of her children's lives in either rehab or jail. Chris and Jenny are actually English, but were mostly raised by Old Deborah, an Amish healer, so when the time came Chris was baptized into the church.
Everything seems to be going well. M.K. is becoming a great teacher; her students are actually learning. Chris and Jenny's house is coming along. And then Jenny starts writing her mom who is about to get out of rehab. Somewhere at this point the roller coaster began. Suddenly Jenny is missing, someone is gambling, dreams are crushed, a future business is lost, and the truth of M.K.'s mother's death is revealed.
Although I was left with questions it's still a great book.
With all three books I quickly found myself caught up in the stories. Suzanne does a great job of weaving people's lives together, throwing in some conflict and a little bit of romance. You don't get a wedding story in any of the books; I was slightly surprised and disappointed by this. I always want to know if they had kids, how many and so forth. I spend a lot of time getting to know the characters and cheering them on so I like to be rewarded with a "happily ever after". In The Haven we learn Julia and Rome got married and moved to Ohio, but nothing else is mentioned about them. Did they have kids? In The Lesson we learn during the seven year span between The Haven and The Lesson Amos and Fern got married as well as Sadie and Gid. Sadie and Gid live local and have redheaded twins; a boy and a girl. I felt more informed about Sadie then I did Julia, but we eventually learn that Julia has four boys. We didn't hear anything about Joe-Jo until the end of the book. =( I was really hoping to hear he lived close to Amos and Fern or at least know how he's doing.
In The Lesson we get to know Mary Kate (M.K.). She's 19 and still acts like a kid. She's VERY irresponsible. How many 19 year olds do you know would ride a scooter down a hill with their eyes closed? Well, her immaturity cost her big time when she runs her scooter into the Amish teacher and is forced to grow up and take her place. At first she's lousy at it, but after hearing some of the kids opinions of her she decides she wants to be the best teacher she can. She seeks out Erma Yutzy an almost 100 year old Amish woman who used to be a teacher. Erma is a sweet old lady who surprisingly lives alone and does very well for herself. Once M.K. takes her teaching serious she becomes really good addressing the needs of her students.
Back on the farm Amos needs help doing things that could make him sick like plowing the fields. On the same day he asks for help Chris, a 20 year old raising his kid sister, started looking for work. They just arrived in the town to claim their grandfather's house; it's their inheritance and will officially belong to Chris when he turns 21. For now it's in their drug addict mother's name. She's off at a rehab in Ohio. Chris starts working for Amos and uses all his wages to fix up the house and to take care of his sister. He avoids all personal conversations in fear someone will learn about his mother. His scumbag mother has spent more of her children's lives in either rehab or jail. Chris and Jenny are actually English, but were mostly raised by Old Deborah, an Amish healer, so when the time came Chris was baptized into the church.
Everything seems to be going well. M.K. is becoming a great teacher; her students are actually learning. Chris and Jenny's house is coming along. And then Jenny starts writing her mom who is about to get out of rehab. Somewhere at this point the roller coaster began. Suddenly Jenny is missing, someone is gambling, dreams are crushed, a future business is lost, and the truth of M.K.'s mother's death is revealed.
Although I was left with questions it's still a great book.
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