As this year begins a season of celebration... a gathering of friends and loved ones... baking, crafting, shopping, planning, and so little time... Break-away moments can provide a sweet retreat... Try a cup of tea and one of these reads:
ISBN: 9780310293248
Publisher's Synopsis:
Amid war and the fading dream of the Confederacy, a wounded soldier and a destitute widow discover the true meaning of Christmas - and of sacrificial love.
Recently widowed, Aletta Prescott struggles to hold life together for herself and her six-year old son.With the bank threatening to evict, she discovers an advertisement for the Women's Relief Society auction and applies for a position - only to discover it's been filled. Then a chance meeting with a wounded soldier offers another opportunity - and friendship. But can Aletta trust this man?
Captain Jake Winston, a revered Confederate sharpshooter, suffered a head wound at the Battle of Chickamauga. When doctors deliver their diagnosis, Jake fears losing not only his greatest skill but his very identity. As he heals, Jake is ordered to assist with a local Women's Relief Society auction. He respectfully objects.Kowtowing to a bunch of "crinolines" isn't his idea of soldiering. But orders are orders, and he soon discovers this group of ladies - one, in particular - is far more than he bargained for.
Tamera Alexander is a USA Today bestselling author and one of today's most popular writers in the inspirational historical fiction genre. She and her husband live in Nashville, Tennessee, not far from the Southern mansions that serve as the backdrop for six of her award-winning novels.
Noah Schlabach isn’t from Birch Creek, or even Ohio. His job as an auctioneer takes him around the country and away from a typical Amish life, but he still remains devoted to his family. So when his aging aunt asks him to help clean out her attic, he agrees. Plus, who knows what curious items he might find up there?
As Noah and Ivy work side by side, they come across a different kind of treasure: a packet of letters written during the Korean War. Soon they are swept up in the story of two young people falling in love—even as they remain determined not to fall in love themselves.
"The Lord'll give you what you need when you need it...
You just need to keep watchin' for it so's you don't miss it."
MrsK's Review:
Mrs. Aletta Prescott lives in Franklin, Tennessee in 1863. It has only been a month since she received the letter from the War Department about her husbands death. Now that she has lost her job with the textile mill, she is determined not to give into the smothering dark places that her mind called her to. Although her son needed her, the baby within her needed her to stay strong in the face of life's burdens. With God's help, maybe she could apply for the cooking position at the Christmas Auction. Beginning a new season in life, a change in location, the hope of using her skills to make life better for others brings Aletta hope. Yet, is she willing to trust in the hope springing up in her heart?
Captain Jake Winston was one of the best sharpshooters for the Confederacy, until the day the Union's sharpshooter took him down. With his shoulder healing, Jake discovers that it will take awhile before he would regain his long-range sight. Now the Colonel is asking him to be his representative at the Women's Relief Society Christmas Auction. Not the best assignment in Jake's opinion. For Jake, a hope of the heart is dangerous.
"When you hear a red bird sing in winter... your sadness will soon be lifted...,"
Take your alone time and renew your strength with characters that know how to choose hope,
MrsK
Captain Jake Winston was one of the best sharpshooters for the Confederacy, until the day the Union's sharpshooter took him down. With his shoulder healing, Jake discovers that it will take awhile before he would regain his long-range sight. Now the Colonel is asking him to be his representative at the Women's Relief Society Christmas Auction. Not the best assignment in Jake's opinion. For Jake, a hope of the heart is dangerous.
"When you hear a red bird sing in winter... your sadness will soon be lifted...,"
Take your alone time and renew your strength with characters that know how to choose hope,
MrsK
"He'd fought on countless battlefields...
He'd seen boys who would never reach manhood...
He'd walked among corpses after battle...
But these women were fighting...
On a battlefield of their own."
A historical weaving of a tale filled with
sorrow, change, and the crossroad
of choosing to open ones heart to hope.
sorrow, change, and the crossroad
of choosing to open ones heart to hope.
Meet the Author:
ISBN: 9780718082567
Publisher's Synopsis:
Ivy Yoder hasn’t heard from John King in over a year. She knows it’s time to let go of the idea that they will one day marry, but she’s humiliated to be one of the oldest single women in her Amish community of Birch Creek. When quirky Cevilla Schlabach asks her to help clean out an attic, Ivy is grateful for the distraction.Noah Schlabach isn’t from Birch Creek, or even Ohio. His job as an auctioneer takes him around the country and away from a typical Amish life, but he still remains devoted to his family. So when his aging aunt asks him to help clean out her attic, he agrees. Plus, who knows what curious items he might find up there?
As Noah and Ivy work side by side, they come across a different kind of treasure: a packet of letters written during the Korean War. Soon they are swept up in the story of two young people falling in love—even as they remain determined not to fall in love themselves.
"You both have an appreciation for things other people
tend to discard."
MrsK's Review:
Ivy Yoder is only four feet eleven, yet she has plenty of spunk and has reached the realization that her hope for marriage is not related to the one man she has been waiting on. With one job ending and the prospects for a part-time job on the horizon, Ivy is willing to help her friend Cevilla clean out her attic, especially since Cevilla's nephew has finally found time in his busy schedule to come home to Birch Creek. Little did she know, that the attic had its own secrets and once discovered Ivy might need to rethink the path she thought God had been leading her towards.
Noah Schlabach is an auctioneer who has mastered his cadence, is well liked, is an honest appraiser, and has no intention of following his Aunts lead. Coming back to Birch Creek is only for a short time, his schedule is already set for the new year and it shouldn't take any time to get the attic de-cluttered and "make good on his promise" to his Aunt. His only challenge is the ringing in his ears, the extreme pain that the ringing causes, and his dizziness that comes with out any warning. For now he knows he can get the attic cleaned out, then he will check out what is causing his symptoms.
Cevilla knew that God was directing her decision to have Noah and Ivy be the ones to clear out all of the boxes in the attic. Yet, when her nephew begins shutting out her directives and Ivy accepts a new part-time job, she must seek God's guidance. Could she have misunderstood God's answer?
If it wasn't for the discovery of those letters, Ivy nor Noah would have remained connected. When Noah is asked to be the auctioneer for Birch Creek's first auction and Ivy is asked to help as a teacher, there just doesn't seem to be any hint that friendship could turn into a crossroads dilemma.
Take this seasonal moment of reading as a journey beyond what we "think" God is calling us to do,
MrsK
Noah Schlabach is an auctioneer who has mastered his cadence, is well liked, is an honest appraiser, and has no intention of following his Aunts lead. Coming back to Birch Creek is only for a short time, his schedule is already set for the new year and it shouldn't take any time to get the attic de-cluttered and "make good on his promise" to his Aunt. His only challenge is the ringing in his ears, the extreme pain that the ringing causes, and his dizziness that comes with out any warning. For now he knows he can get the attic cleaned out, then he will check out what is causing his symptoms.
Cevilla knew that God was directing her decision to have Noah and Ivy be the ones to clear out all of the boxes in the attic. Yet, when her nephew begins shutting out her directives and Ivy accepts a new part-time job, she must seek God's guidance. Could she have misunderstood God's answer?
If it wasn't for the discovery of those letters, Ivy nor Noah would have remained connected. When Noah is asked to be the auctioneer for Birch Creek's first auction and Ivy is asked to help as a teacher, there just doesn't seem to be any hint that friendship could turn into a crossroads dilemma.
Take this seasonal moment of reading as a journey beyond what we "think" God is calling us to do,
MrsK
"Pray about it. Pray hard...
Don't make a rash decision."
Life... sometimes where you are going leads you
on a new path!
on a new path!
Meet the Author:
Best-selling author of Amish fiction. Also a wife, mother, crafter, coffee addict, football fan, and chocolate aficionado. http://kathleenfuller.com/wordpress/about-me.
ISBN: 9780718011888
Publisher's Synopsis:
Kate's loyalties bind her to the past. Henry's loyalties compel him to strive for a better future. In a landscape torn between tradition and vision, can two souls find the strength to overcome their preconceptions?Loyalty has been at the heart of the Dearborne family for as long as Kate can remember, but a war is brewing in their small village, one that has the power to rip families asunder --including her own. As misguided actions are brought to light, she learns how deep her father's pride and bitterness run, and she begins to wonder if her loyalty is well-placed.
Henry Stockton, heir to the Stockton fortune, returns home from three years at war seeking refuge from his haunting memories. Determined to bury the past, he embraces his grandfather's goals to modernize his family's wool mill, regardless of the grumblings from the local weavers. When tragedy strikes shortly after his arrival, Henry must sort truth from suspicion if he is to protect his family's livelihood and legacy.
Henry has been warned about the Dearborne family. Kate, too, has been advised to stay far away from the Stocktons, but chance meetings continue to bring her to Henry's side, blurring the jagged lines between loyalty, justice, and truth. Kate ultimately finds herself with the powerful decision that will forever affect her village's future. As unlikely adversaries, Henry and Kate must come together to find a way to create peace for their families, and their village, and their souls - even if it means risking their hearts in the process.
"This was the start of something.
Of what, she did not know..."
MrsK's Review:
Kate has a boldness, a conviction that runs deep. Her family's beliefs have been a powerful compass for her loyalty and commitment to those she loves... those she strives to serve... and those whose future is being threatened. When Henry Stockton returns from the grave, she discovers that "past" assumptions causes actions that leads to a starvation of the soul.
What can hope, grit, and faith produce in the midst of falsehoods, deceit, and assumptions? Is it possible to lead others into an "united" perspective of success? Is life, family, and future worth the changes within your heart? Is it really possible to "see" someone beyond what has always been assumed?
Hope, trust, and faith can lead to a change for tomorrow,
MrsK
"If war had taught him one thing,
it was that the things he thought mattered no longer did so."
Henry has just returned from the war. He was prepared for the initial shock that his living might cause his family, what will create havoc will be the truth behind his family's business. Henry has much to do if he is going to bridge generational choices with new perspectives. With Kate's help... maybe his desire for change might become a path for everyone in the village.What can hope, grit, and faith produce in the midst of falsehoods, deceit, and assumptions? Is it possible to lead others into an "united" perspective of success? Is life, family, and future worth the changes within your heart? Is it really possible to "see" someone beyond what has always been assumed?
Hope, trust, and faith can lead to a change for tomorrow,
MrsK
When generational assumptions become unraveled...
Can honesty usher in life-changing progress?
Resolutions...
Can honesty usher in life-changing progress?
Resolutions...
Meet the Author:
I would love to connect with you on Facebook and talk about all things Regency! Be sure to like my page for updates: http://www.facebook.com/SarahLaddAuthor.
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