The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck

Rachel Hauck

ISBN: 9780310341529

Publisher's Synopsis:

For sixty years, the wedding chapel has stood silent and empty. Retired football hall-of-famer Jimmy “Coach” Westbrook built the chapel by hand, stone by stone, for his beautiful and beloved Collette Greer, whom he lost so many years ago. The chapel is a sanctuary for his memories, a monument to true love, and a testament to his survival of the deepest pain and loss.

Photographer Taylor Branson left her hometown of Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, to make a new life for herself in New York. She had lots to run away from, not least of all a family history of broken promises and broken dreams. Love catches Taylor off guard when she falls for Jack Forester, a successful advertising executive, and their whirlwind romance leads to an elopement—then to second guesses. Jack, in spite of his very real love for Taylor, is battling his own demons and struggles to show her his true self and the depths of his love for her.

Taking a photography assignment in Heart’s Bend, Taylor is thrown back into a past of family secrets buried deep beneath the sands of time. When Taylor and Coach’s journeys collide, they each rediscover the heartbeat of their own dreams as they learn that the love they long to hold is well worth the wait.

MrsK's Review:

"Gonna take a sentimental journey...

to renew old memories."

It all began in 1948, when Jimmy's best friend showed him a photo of the cousins that were coming to live in Heart's Bend, Tennessee. While Clem thinks these girls would make his life miserable, Jimmy felt like the girl in the shade of a stone chapel was someone he couldn't wait to meet. At 83, Jimmy has decided that it's time to sell the property where his wedding chapel has been waiting...

"... to give the old chapel the life it never had.

It was too late for his heart but not for the chapel's."

In 2015, Taylor finds life as a newlywed a bit like "uncharted" ground. Her marriage to Jack was quick and not at all expected. Although Taylor might be the best photographer for any red carpet event, she is committed to a photo spread with the longest running soap opera's cast. A cast which includes her granny's sister, Colette Greer. When Jack announces that he has a photo shoot for her, Taylor is delighted, who wouldn't be excited about doing a shoot for Architecture Quarterly.

Colette Greer the leading lady from Always Tomorrow. Although it has been sixty-two years since she began her career on the soap opera, she still radiates a commanding presence. Contacted by her publicist, she has agreed to be the subject of a memoir. As the "curtain" closes on one era, another opens. Colette begins a journey back to her beginnings in Heart's Bend. As with any memory, life has a way of reminding us about unfinished paths. With determination and courage, Colette must return to the chapel, even if it means seeing Jimmy.

Quietly woven into the fabric of this story, is the complexity of each character's chosen path. Choices in which the heart will require mending, faith, trust, and love,
MrsK 

"Majestic with her stone walls and weather-worn beam trim,

the chapel drank in the sunlight through the cupola,

then reflected it back out through the windows.

The canopying beech and cottonwood trees stretched leafy branches over the slanted slate roof,

creating a thicket of serenity."

 

An enjoyable journey...

An opportunity for hearts to mend and dreams to find new life.

Meet the Author:

 
Everything is… story.
Yet, what really moves my heart is the pure power of story itself. One reader wrote to me and said, “I work at a bridal boutique and after reading The Wedding Dress, I’m going to changed the way I’m going to do my job. I’m going to see each bride as beautiful and unique.”
David wrote in Psalm 45, “My tongue is the pen of a ready writer!” He was a psalmist, I’m a novelist. My prayer is, “My heart, O Lord, is the pen of a ready writer.”
Since I started writing full time in ’04, I’ve discovered dreams are best realized when running in partnership with a living God. And I’ve never looked back.
So what’s your dream? Whatever it is, partner with the living Lord

My first novel was published in 2004, and since then my books have won awards, written bestsellers and I believe have given readers the chance to escape into worlds where they can breathe in the fragrance of Jesus’s love. My hope is my novels take what is true in heaven and make it real on earth in our every day lives.
My prayer is that you will know true JOY and the pleasure of your dreams coming to life! And if my stories can ease your heart for just a moment from what ever load life is laying on you, then I am honored and blessed.

"I received this book for free from the Fiction Guild for this review."

Whispers in the Reading Room by Shelley Gray

Shelley Gray

ISBN: 9780310338499

Publisher's Synopsis:

Lydia’s job at the library is her world—until a mysterious patron catches her eye . . . and perhaps her heart.

Just months after the closure of the Chicago World’s Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron. He has never given her his name; he actually never speaks to a single person. All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does.

Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks. She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him.

Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship, but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn’t merely a very wealthy gentleman, but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked.

Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night and suddenly is a suspect to a murder. She must determine who she can trust, who is innocent, and if Sebastian Marks—the man so many people fear—is actually everything her heart believes him to be.

MrsK's Review:
Have you ever read a book that is so uniquely special you are hesitant to share it? A book that was endearing and yet so "alive" that you want to savor it before others tell you what they thought of it? Forgive me readers, but this was one of those reads. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted time alone with it before opening it up for your discovery.

In October 1893, The Chicago Times-Courier reported that even though the city was enjoying the success of the Columbian Exposition, there were "dark events taking place in the city's underbelly." By January, Lydia Bancroft was focused on cataloging the newest books and preparing for her favorite patrons visit to the library's reading room. She had noticed that last week when he had finished his last book that he looked "pleased and just a bit melancholy" (Oh, how I could relate to this reader's experience). Although Lydia's day begins no differently than any other day, it will prove to be a turning point in every aspect of her life. For today will be the moment in which her favorite patron will catch her off guard with the quietest gesture:

"When she instinctively looked his way, he was gazing at her directly... she gave in to temptation

and allowed herself to meet his gaze. But when one of his eyebrows rose with a look of amusement,

her embarrassment worsened."

With a sense of dread Lydia attends another ball as a way of squelching her mother's fears. For some "unknown" reason she catches the eye of Mr. Avondale. With the delight her mother pushes Lydia into accepting Mr. Avondale's proposal and now her mother assumes that their future will be secure. Yet, Lydia is very concerned about Mr. Avondale's response to their lack of wealth. Surely he will be understanding, after all he "seemed fond enough of her."

On the day that Mr. Avondale takes Lydia to tea at the Hartman Hotel, she notices her patron standing nonchalantly against the wall. Flustered beyond belief, Lydia becomes distracted to the point that a surprised confrontation will change everything about Lydia's future:

"Easy now... Everything is all right now, Lydia.

Nothing was all right. Her patron was holding her too close, too secure...

Her circumstances had certainly not just gotten better."

 Lydia will not be "unguarded" as she walks through her circumstances. Her mysterious patron, Mr. Marks, will become a gentle and resourceful guardian. Given special orders from Mr. Marks, Vincent and Bridget will not only watch over Lydia they will ensure her safety.

What started in the whisper room, continues beyond the Hartman Hotel through the Camp Creek Alley and pass the doors of the Silver Grotto. With poise and determination, Lydia will endure as any true Librarian should... dignified and mostly unruffled. Until the evening of the murder!

Every character is delightfully crafted. The historical settings and fashionable attires adds perfection to "setting the scene!" Conversations are quick witted, often snippy and snobbish. Yet, there are many moments in which the characters will add their uniquely "seasoned" quips to satisfy any tense moment.

Take a journey back to 1894 with a Librarian that will offer you the right story for your leisurely reading,
MrsK 

"Tell me, Miss Bancroft, do your books whisper warnings about befriending men like me?"

Sebastian Marks

Quite irresistible!

 Chicago World's Fair Mystery's

 

Meet the Author:
   I love to write books, but I’ve certainly read far better authors.
Maybe you are a little bit like me. I’ve been married for almost twenty years and have raised two kids. I try to exercise but really should put on my tennis shoes a whole lot more. I’m not a great housekeeper, I hate to drive in the snow, and I don’t think I’ve ever won a Monopoly game. However, I am the best wife and mother I know how to be.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that in God’s eyes that is okay? That from His point of view, we are all exceptional? I treasure that knowledge and am always so thankful for my faith. His faith in me makes me stand a little straighter, smile a little bit more, and be so very grateful for every gift He’s given me.
I started writing about the Amish because their way of life appealed to me. I wanted to write stories about regular. likeable people in extraordinary situations-and who just happened to be Amish.
Getting the opportunity to write Inspirational novels is truly gratifying. With every book, I feel my faith grows stronger. And that makes me feel very special indeed.

 

Brides of Pinecraft

"I received this book for free from the Fiction Guild for this review."

The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay

Katherine Reay

ISBN: 9781401689759

Publisher's Synopsis:

When Lucy’s secret is unearthed, her world begins to crumble. 

But it may be the best thing that has ever happened to her.

Lucy Alling makes a living selling rare books, often taking suspicious liberties to reach her goals. When her unorthodox methods are discovered, Lucy’s secret ruins her relationship with her boss and her boyfriend, James—leaving Lucy in a heap of hurt and trouble.Something has to change; she has to change.

In a sudden turn of events, James’s wealthy grandmother, Helen, hires Lucy as a consultant for a London literary and antiques excursion. Lucy reluctantly agrees and soon discovers Helen holds secrets of her own. In fact, Helen understands Lucy’s predicament better than anyone else.

As the two travel across England, Lucy benefits from Helen’s wisdom as Helen confronts ghosts from her own past. Everything comes to a head at Haworth, home of the Brontë sisters, where Lucy is reminded of the sisters’ beloved heroines who, with tenacity and resolution, endured—even in the midst of impossible circumstances.

Now Lucy must face her past in order to move forward. And while it may hold mistakes and regrets, she will prevail—if only she can step into the life that’s been waiting for her all along.


MrsK's Review:
You know when you open a box of chocolates, how that anticipation of your first choice leads to apprehension as you take that first bite. The overwhelming goodness of that first bite always leads to the next and then the next. This book is like a box of chocolates in that every chapter provides literary delights.

Wednesday is Book Day at Sid McKenna Antiques and Design. For Lucy, this was the day that she savored. Lucy delighted in checking her favored online book sellers. It was her day to monitor auctions for her clientele's requests. It was a day spent revisiting the treasured titles in the locked cabinet, while providing special "TLC" by dusting gilded pages and oiling leather covers.

On the day that James enters her "antiqued" world, Lucy is swept away like any grand romance novel. Their witty bantering over literary lines is just as endearing as any Austen novel. For Lucy, James is the beginning of a hope-filled future. For James, he has fallen for his "book-girl." Even his grandmother, Helen, is delighted with Lucy. So what could possibly go wrong?

Lucy has a secret that a lawyer should not discover. Lucy has a past that was passed down through generations of con-men. Eventually James will need to make a choice about Lucy. Does everyone deserve a second chance? Is it true that "you must go back in order to go forward?"

Grandmother Helen believes in second chances and in making things right. In life or in literature, there is a cross roads, "a time when you don't know where you'll be, but you can't stay as you are."  So when she insists on hiring Lucy as a companion for a literary excursion in Europe, everyone is against the travel plans. Yet, Helen must make things right and now is the time. As soon as Lucy is "enticed" into the travel plans, she begins organizing destinations by their shared literary favorites. In London's Trafalgar Square there are many reasons to sit and ponder the literary greats, especially if one is sitting with Mr. Wilde. At Tavistock House a Dicken's tidbit is awaiting, "...Dickens loved people best. He always gave the little man a way out." In Westminster Abbey, there are so many literary morsels engaging you with anticipation-expectation or pure delight as you experience with Lucy the Poet's Corner (gosh, what would I be feeling...). Not only is there a great adventurous spirit within Lucy, she is as any first time traveler. In awe of the sights she has only read about. Filled with dear character voices she walks through museums, manor homes, towns, up cobblestone paths, across the moors, and into future free from shackled secrets. 

What ever you decide about Lucy, James, and Helen... I know that I will never forget the grand adventure I had touring literary sights and savoring the delectable literary quotes. This novel is crafted for every reader who has stepped into a book and found friends, love, enemies, and family,

So, venture into Lucy's journey, "Come Further up, Come further in."
MrsK

“I mean that reading forms your opinions, your worldview, especially childhood reading, and anything that does that has an impact. So call them friends, call some stories enemies if you want, but don’t deny their influence.”

“I mean that reading forms your opinions, 

your worldview, 

especially childhood reading, 

and anything that does that has an impact.

So call them friends, call some stories enemies if you want, but don’t deny their influence.”

“I mean that reading forms your opinions, your worldview, especially childhood reading, and anything that does that has an impact. So call them friends, call some stories enemies if you want, but don’t deny their influence.”

“I mean that reading forms your opinions, your worldview, especially childhood reading, and anything that does that has an impact. So call them friends, call some stories enemies if you want, but don’t deny their influence.”

“I mean that reading forms your opinions, your worldview, especially childhood reading, and anything that does that has an impact. So call them friends, call some stories enemies if you want, but don’t deny their influence.”

 

Uniquely Delightful!

A literary smorgasbord filled with delicious tidbits. 

 Meet the Author:
  Katherine Reay: I started my professional career in marketing and I’ve morphed into a novelist. I like this much better. Fiction is powerful stuff, I think. It allows us to convey truth in meaningful and palatable ways — one reading of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and you’ve got the whole gospel Narnia-style without ever leaving an amazing adventure.

But to have a really good story — you have to engage a complex and authentic character. If I can relate to/empathize with/care about a character, then her journey becomes mine and I learn about myself and the world around me — perhaps in ways I never imagined. And that’s provocative…

Read an Excerpt

"Katherine Reay is a remarkable author who has created her own sub-genre, wrapping classic fiction around contemporary stories.

  Her writing is flawless and smooth, her storytelling meaningful and poignant. 

You’re going to love The Bronte Plot."

  Debbie Macomber #1 NYT author

"I received this book for free from the Fiction Guild for this review."

Doodletopia Cartoons by Christopher Hart

Christopher Hart

ISBN: 9781607746911

Publisher's Synopsis:

Welcome to Doodletopia! Your first stop in this paradise of creativity? The world of cartoons. Your tour guide Christopher Hart is ready to introduce you to the interactive, artistic possibilities of creating your own exciting, hilarious, off-the-wall cartoon characters, gags, and more.

Unlike other doodle books that leave you stranded, with no help at all, Doodletopia: Cartoons pairs fun doodle-based activities with the sort of insightful (and laugh-out-loud funny) advice and tips that countless readers have come to expect from cartooning master Christopher Hart. For the first time ever, you can pick up your pencils, pens, markers, or crayons, and draw, doodle, or color right on the same page as the author.
From finishing cartoon faces to selecting costumes to completing wacky cartoon scenes,
the opportunities for creative expression are endless. So what are you waiting for? Open up and start doodling!

MrsK's Review:
Just in time for some fun reading and doodling. I always doodle, especially when I'm learning something new. Like so many of my students, doodling and drawing is a fun place to be. Doodling causes your mind to focus, especially if you are a visual learner and instructors are talking to you! If you draw to create or pass time... this book is for you.

"Doodles are fun to draw.

They get your creative juices flowing."

Are you ready to begin? Do you know how to use the center line or the eye line guidelines? What about warming up your artistic brain with some step-by-step exercises? With "witted" instructions you will learn and practice the art of doodling cartoons.

Beginning with warm ups (yes, you will be interactively doodling with pages next to the instruction). You get to practice each step as a doodler (date your pages... it is your artistic creation). (pgs. 11-27)

Your next project will be completing the silly silhouettes. How fun is this... you get an outline and "bam... there it is" open space to design whatever your imagination can create. (pgs. 29-41)

Next up will be drawing the other half. Ok, this takes a bit of precision. Mirror imaging takes some practice, oh yeah, that's what this book is all about. I did the best with the panda! (pgs. 43-55)

Cartoon characterization is all about the expressions. Given some examples of expressions and blank silhouettes, you can practice any form of expression that you choose for these faces. (pgs. 57-69)

What about creating two different characters from one shape. Silliness at its best! Turning a happy turtle into a surprised armadillo. Or what about an alligator into a wolf. You decide, don't forget the colored pencils for these projects. (pgs. 71-91)

Outfitting the characters is unbelievably fun. The character and a few backdrops are outlined and all you do is create the outfits and any background details or words bubbles you might want. With a few costuming suggestions you can add all the details and bling you want. Its silly time with new friends. (pgs. 93-113)

Matchmaking characters is not as easy at it looks. First you need to have them looking at each other. Next, well next you need to apply all you have learned in the practice projects. Yikes! This is getting more difficult... fun but really detailed. (pgs. 115-124)

Writing with cartooning flair. I can do this! This is what I do best! Yes, I've got it! (pgs. 125-133)

Crazy and ridiculous inventions is uniquely zany. You are designing an invention for a problem that isn't real. Your clue is to "over design." (pgs. 135-143)

Finishing the cartoon. Consider creating an army of sock finding drones. What about a capsule full of "noisy" little aliens on their way back from camp. Or my favorite, a kingdom of baby dragons coughing chaos. (pgs. 145-160)

What ever you do... date it, color it, share it, and have oodles of doodling fun,
MrsK

"May the funny be with you!"

Enjoyable read full of great drawing fun...

Get creative!

Meet the Cartoonist/Author:
 
Christopher Hart is the world’s best-selling author of How-To-Draw books. Readers have gobbled up over six million copies of his titles. His work has been translated into more than 20 languages. He is published by Random House, Soho Publishing and Walter Foster. Chris has had the rare distinction of having had the top 1, 2 & 3 art books in the country, simultaneously, as reported by Nielsen Bookscan.

Chris has also been featured on the cover of the publishing industry’s premier magazine, Publisher’s Weekly. He hosted How-To-Draw episodes for Comcast’s Activity TV channel, and has been featured on 20 videos for Howcast. His work has been licensed to art kits, board games and sports equipment.

Chris is known for his ability to create cute and dramatic characters, brimming with personality. He focuses on the most contemporary styles, genres, and techniques, in order to give his readers and fans the very latest in art instruction.

Few authors read and respond to every email they receive. But Chris does. Let him share his view on being an author: “It’s a privilege to be published as a cartoonist. I’m grateful to my readers, who make it happen. So if I can give something back, by offering a little encouragement, answering a question, or giving advice, why wouldn’t I? I honestly don’t understand authors who say they’re too busy to respond to their readers. The readers are why they are authors in the first place.”

 

 Click the above image to go to drawing videos!

Tip of the Week

 Book Tutorials

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

 

The Tears of Dark Water by Corban Addison

Corban Addison

ISBN: 9780718042202

Publisher's Synopsis:

Daniel and Vanessa Parker are an American success story. He is a Washington, DC, power broker, and she is a physician with a thriving practice. But behind the gilded façade, their marriage is a shambles, and their teenage son, Quentin, is self-destructing. In desperation, Daniel dusts off a long-delayed dream—a sailing trip around the world. Little does he know, the voyage he hopes will save them may destroy them instead.
Half a world away on the lawless coast of Somalia, Ismail Adan Ibrahim is living a life of crime in violation of everything he was raised to believe—except for the love and loyalty driving him to hijack ships for ransom and plot the rescue of his sister, Yasmin, from the man who murdered their father. There is nothing he will not do to save her, even if it means taking innocent lives.
Paul Derrick is the FBI’s top hostage negotiator. His twin sister, Megan, is a celebrated defense attorney. They have reached the summit of their careers by savvy, grit, and a secret determination to escape the memory of the day their family died. When Paul is dispatched to handle a hostage crisis at sea, he has no idea how far it will take him and Megan into the past—or the chance it will give them to redeem the future.
Across continents and oceans, through storms and civil wars, the paths of these individuals converge in a single, explosive moment. It is a moment that will test them and break them, but it will also leave behind an unexpected glimmer of hope—that out of the ashes of tragedy and misfortune, the seeds of justice and reconciliation can grow.

MrsK's Review:

Not the typical read, yet very compelling... intriguing... and intense. Daniel and his son, Quentin, are sailing around the world. This voyage was an attempt at reconciling Daniel's relationship with Quentin... as well as a journey of restoration period for his marriage. Vanessa's "words were like a prophecy playing in an endless loop." A haunting in which Daniel is determined to rectify once they reached their rendezvous in South Africa. Ordinary morning sights of of "winking stars" and sailboats should have kindled adventurous energy, yet a fluttering of memories about Vanessa overshadowed Daniel's vision:

"Vanessa in the old Greek...

means 'butterfly.' 

It's like you're somewhere else --

in the air, dancing with the sun."

Vanessa was a double major in biology and music. Daniel was a law student. On that day when Daniel stood in Carnegie Hall "clutching the handbill," he witnessed the beauty of her violin. As the years passed their marriage began crumbling. All those years ago, Vanessa's words about her music "fading like everything else" brought an agonizing grief to Daniel's heart and spirit. His hope was in the voyage's destination. Would she meet them in South America?

Paul Derrick (a negotiator) and his twin sister Megan are special agents. Both are haunted by the death of their brother. Both chose career paths that would allow them to turn a "crisis" situation for others into a journey with support instead of agonizing suffering. On a holiday in Cape Town, South Africa they will receive a call to duty.

In the Indian Ocean, Ishmail is watching the cargo ship on the western horizon:

"Ismail looked across the tropical sea draped with the shadows of twilight

and clutched his AK-47." 

Trusted for his fearlessness, valued for his command of English, and known as a man of action... Ishmail is readied for this piracy mission. With complete surprise, the mission failed and now Ismail must find a way to get his crew to safety. They needed to take a ship!

"The clouds trundled in, effacing the sun...

The drops were huge...

pelting the sailboat...

like rubber bullets."

The Renaissance was heading southeast with the swells. Daniel has to keep Quentin safe. The GPS shows they are an hour off course. The satellite e-mail bulletin is warning about a pirate attack:

"If you proceed through the High Risk Area, 

please take precautions to avoid attack..."

On November 9, 2011... Vanessa's iPhone vibrated... The sailboat has been hijacked by pirates!  For everyone, the following days will be filled with anxious waiting, unbearable choices, reliance on others, and "uncharted" decisions.

Embedded within the piracy, is the foreshadowing about Somalia's history. The life endured by so many. The atrocities enforced. Although the choices are horrific, the humanistic perspective is illuminated with empathetic facets. Ishmail's faith and character is defined by quotes from the Quran. The bonds of family is portrayed on both sides of the injustice. With in the climatic trial, vindication and redemption is honestly portrayed. This was not a book in which the last page is read and you move on to another journey. While the topics of terrorism, hostage situations, piracy, and justice are plastered all over our social media, one rarely is provided a glimpse into the story behind the horrifying choices. This story needed time for me to comprehend its truth. I did not embrace compassionate ideology. Instead, I found empathy with justice and hope in a quieted forgiveness. Not unlike so many whom have extended forgiveness in every day atrocities...       

Voyaging with this book means that you will be experiencing more than any headlines could offer. 

Be prepared to be "swept" away... tossed about... anguished... and ready to see this journey through to completion!

MrsK 

"My mother always told me that strength is a choice.

Be strong."

 

Amazingly paced... depth defying characters...

all encompassing story line...

decisive conclusion! 

Meet the Author:

  Corban Addison is the author of three international bestselling novels, A Walk Across the Sun, The Garden of Burning Sand, and The Tears of Dark Water, which address some of today’s most pressing human rights issues. An attorney, activist, and world traveler, he is a supporter of numerous humanitarian causes, including the abolition of modern slavery, gender-based violence, and HIV/AIDS. He lives with his wife and children in Virginia.

"I received this book for free from the Fiction Guild for this review."