Book Review: The Caregiver by Shelley Shepard Gray - 4 Stars

**Quick update before diving in to this review ---

Do y'all have any idea how much I've missed this?!?!  I haven't really written down my thoughts about any books in oh...  A WHOLE YEAR!!!  I'd just about given up that I'd ever have the time to do it again!  While I don't anticipate having nearly the time to devote to it as I used to, I plan to be here a little more frequently than I used to be.  :)  I hope y'all will forgive my plodding along as I get back in the swing of things.

I have stacks and stacks of books that I'd committed to reviewing, so I don't plan to accept any additional books for... maybe ever.  :)  I just have too much other stuff on my plate to heap more on top of it.  So, some of what I'll be posting will be books that were released a couple of years ago, and probably little to none that are brand new releases.  I'm ok with that if you are.  *wink*

***

About the book:

Two lives converge one stormy night on a train headed to Cleveland.

Lucy is traveling by herself via train to Jacob's Crossing to help care for her cousin Mattie, recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Trying to overcome the sudden death of her husband, she's glad to get away and focus on someone else for a while.

The only other Amish people on the train are Calvin Weaver and his little sister, Katie. When their train breaks down outside of Cleveland, Calvin and Lucy band together to face the outside world. But Calvin also carries the weight of past hurts. When an altercation brings both their wounds to light, they question whether they can trust each other.

Once in Jacob's Crossing, Lucy is occupied with caring for Mattie, while Calvin does his best to run his family's farm. But they can't stop thinking about those special hours spent together. Will the bond they formed last? And will Lucy and Calvin be able to put away the pain in their pasts to recognize the happiness that is suddenly in their grasp?

My review:

I had prepared myself early on to just read this one and be done with it.  I've been of the opinion that Shelley's books are good, but sometimes too rushed and lacking in substance and so I've struggled to really enjoy them.  After reading The Caregiver, my faith in her writing has been restored!

The Caregiver was such a touching novel, but also a difficult one to read because the author dealt with the very sensitive subject of physical abuse between a husband and a wife. It felt like my heart was literally aching when I read some of the scenes with Lucy and her husband. That was my first indication that this was going to be a fulfilling read...not because I take pleasure in reading about such a topic, but rather knowing that I wasn't going to be reading another book filled with warm fuzzies.

As the story progressed, I met Calvin, who was really the perfect person for Lucy after the death of her husband. (Don't worry...that last tidbit happens very early in the story, so I'm not spoiling anything for you. *wink*) Calvin had such a tender heart and concern toward Lucy that was like a balm to her soul.

As if there weren't enough emotions churning within me, there was also the addition of Lucy's cousin, Maddie, who was struggling from one day to the next with a cancer diagnosis. Since I just recently read a novel with cancer as the focus, I had a better idea of how excruciating this disease really is, and how the things that you think are the day-to-day norm suddenly become some of the hardest things to do.

There were enough secondary plots in The Caregiver to entice me to read the rest of this series, and I'm so happy that I didn't give up on Shelley's books!

4 Stars

**Many thanks to Avon Inspire for providing a copy for review.

Southern?  No
Sassy?  No

 Be sure to grab a copy of this book while it's 64% off the original cover price!!

 

CFBA Blog Tour: Daybreak by Shelley Shepard Gray

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Daybreak Avon Inspire; Original edition (February 12, 2013) by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold over thirty novels to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Harlequin, Abingdon Press, and Avon Inspire. She has been interviewed by NPR, and her books have been highlighted in numerous publications, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for HarperCollins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. Her recent novel, The Protector, the final book in her “Families of Honor” series, hit the New York Times List, and her previous novel in the same series, The Survivor, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. Shelley has won the prestigious Holt Medallion for her books, Forgiven and Grace, and her novels have been chosen as Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club. Her first novel with Avon Inspire, Hidden, was an Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two children in college, and is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and currently leads a Bible study group, and she looks forward to the opportunity to continue to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.

When she’s not writing, Shelley often attends conferences and reader retreats in order to give workshops and publicize her work. She’s attended RWA’s national conference six times, the ACFW conference and Romantic Times Magazine’s annual conference as well as traveled to New Jersey, Birmingham, and Tennessee to attend local conferences.

Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When Viola Keim starts working at a nearby Mennonite retirement home, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with resident Atle, whose only living relative, son Edward, is living as a missionary in Nicaragua. Viola understands the importance of mission work, but she can’t imagine leaving her father in the hands of strangers. Even though her family is New Order Amish, it’s not the Amish way, and though she doesn’t know Ed, she judges him for abandoning his father.

But when Ed surprises his father with a visit, Viola and Ed both discover an attraction they never expected. Despite her feelings, choosing Ed would mean moving to a far-off country and leaving her family behind. She can’t do that. Her twin sister, Elsie, is going blind and will need someone to care for her all her life. Her family is reeling with the recent discovery that her grandmother hid her past as an Englischer. Her father seems forgetful and distracted—and to be harboring some secrets of his own. Does Viola dare leave them all behind and forge her own life? Or will family ties mean her one chance at love slips away?

If you would like to read a first Chapter excerpt from Daybreak,go HERE.

CFBA Blog Tour: The Caregiver by Shelley Shepard Gray

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Caregiver Avon Inspire; Original edition (March 8, 2011) by Shelley Shepard Gray



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.






ABOUT THE BOOK:

Two lives converge one stormy night on a train headed to Cleveland

Lucy is traveling by herself via train to Jacob's Crossing to help care for her cousin Mattie, recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Trying to overcome the sudden death of her husband, she's glad to get away and focus on someone else for a while.

The only other Amish people on the train are Calvin Weaver and his little sister, Katie. When their train breaks down outside of Cleveland, Calvin and Lucy band together to face the outside world. But Calvin also carries the weight of past hurts. When an altercation brings both their wounds to light, they question whether they can trust each other.

Once in Jacob's Crossing, Lucy is occupied with caring for Mattie, while Calvin does his best to run his family's farm. But they can't stop thinking about those special hours spent together. Will the bond they formed last? And will Lucy and Calvin be able to put away the pain in their pasts to recognize the happiness that is suddenly in their grasp?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Caregiver, go HERE.

CFBA Tour and Book Review: Grace by Shelley Shepard Gray

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Grace Avon Inspire; Original edition (October 26, 2010) by Shelley Shepard Gray 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.

ABOUT THE BOOK:


It's Christmastime at the Brenneman Bed & Breakfast, and everyone is excited about closing down for the holiday.

Anna and Henry will be celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple, and for Katie and Jonathan Lundy, it's their first Christmas with baby Stefan. Winnie and Samuel Miller plan to stop by as well for a wonderful two weeks of family and rest.

But when two unexpected visitors show up, hoping to stay for Christmas, the family must test their commitment to hospitality. Levi is a widower who lost his wife four years ago and can't bear the thought of another Christmas alone. And Melody is a young pregnant woman who won't open up about how she ended up on her own at Christmas at almost nine months pregnant.

Anna, who knows a thing or two about keeping secrets, doesn't trust her, and strives to find out the truth about these two strangers who have disrupted their holiday. But as the Christmas spirit descends on them all, as well as snow that traps them in the inn, a healing and hopefulness takes over, allowing new relationships to be built, and the boundaries of family to be extended.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Grace, go HERE.

My thoughts:

This book has already gotten a few 5-star reviews, and I feel really bad that I can only give it 2 out of 5 stars.  It just fell far below my expectations for Amish fiction.  I have read almost every book written by Shelley Shepard Gray, and while I feel that she can think up a great story, the delivery always seems to fall flat.  Her style of writing reminds me so much of Janette Oke--a simplistic story, maybe a problem or two along the way, but usually a very tidy ending.  It's okay to like that sort of thing--hey, Janette Oke was one of the first Christian fiction authors I ever read--but there are so many more books available now that I've found that can better grab my attention. 

The book had three different story lines, and normally, that doesn't bother me.  In this book, though, there seemed to be a lot of busyness and retelling of the same scenes over and over again.  Maybe that can be attributed to the fact that the story covers a span of 12 days.  One thing I have to mention--the portions of the story featuring Leah and Zack were just a little too weird and almost creepy to me...sharing any more than that would be a spoiler. 

A lot of Amish fans may really enjoy this book, along with the previous three books in the Sisters of the Heart series, but it just didn't do it for me.  I like a story--not just an Amish one--to have depth, and that was missing in Grace.  I think if Ms. Gray focused on making her characters more realistic and with a little more emotion, her stories would greatly improve.  Instead, I think someone at her publishing company may be too concerned with how quickly they can churn out her books....7 books in 2-1/2 years time says it all, in my opinion.

2 Stars

**Many thanks to Avon Inspire through CFBA for providing a copy for review.

CFBA Tour and Book Review: The Sister Wife by Diane Noble

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing



The Sister Wife



Avon Inspire (June 22, 2010)



by



Diane Noble
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Diane Noble is a former double finalist for the prestigious RITA Award for Best Inspirational Fiction, a finalist for the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and the Reviewers' Choice Award, and a three-time recipient of the Silver Angel Award for Media Excellence.

With more than a quarter million books in print, Diane feels incredibly blessed to be doing what she loves best—writing the stories of her heart.

For the last three years Diane has been honored to be lead author for the popular Guideposts series, Mystery and the Minister’s Wife (Through the Fire, Angels Undercover), and has recently returned to writing historical fiction. She is currently writing book two of her new historical series, The Brides of Gabriel. Book one is The Sister Wife.

Diane’s hometown is Big Creek, California, a tiny village nestled in the rugged Sierra Nevada back country. As a child, Diane’s older brother Dennis fueled her creative streak by entertaining her with his own gift of storytelling. Growing up without TV and iffy radio reception, Diane became an avid reader, inhaling more than one hundred novels—both YA and adult—in a single
year by the time she reached seventh grade. Her passion for reading continues to this day.

Now empty nesters, Diane and her husband live in the Southern California low desert, near a place known for the lush and beautiful gated communities of the rich and famous.

ABOUT THE BOOK

What if the man you loved told you God wanted him to take another wife? What if that woman was your best friend?

Set in the heart of the earliest days of a new nineteenth-century sect known as the Saints, The Sister Wife is a riveting account of two women forced into a practice they don't understand, bound by their devotion to Prophet Joseph Smith.

When Mary Rose marries Gabriel, neither of them could foresee how quickly the community would turn to the practice of plural marriage. Devastated when Gabe is faced with an order from the Prophet to marry her best friend, Bronwyn, Mary Rose tries to have the faith to carry through with the marriage.

But can she really be married to the same man as her very best friend? Can Mary Rose and Bronwyn face betraying both their husband and their God to do what they feel is right?

If you would like to read the Prologue and first chapter of The Sister Wife, go HERE.

Watch the book video!




My thoughts:

This was one of those books that left me speechless when I turned the last page. Last year when I read Diane's other "Mormon" book, The Veil, about the Mountain Meadows massacre, I was equally left with a speechless, almost shocked feeling about the early Mormon religion and its foundations in history. I couldn't help but feel sorry for these people who, somewhat blindly, followed this new faith and its initial teachings regarding plural wives.
Diane did an incredible job portraying the emotions in this book between Mary Rose and Bronwyn. Mary Rose loved Gabe almost from the moment she saw him, and the thought of possibly having to share him with another wife makes her blood boil. Bronwyn feels the same way regarding her marriage with Griff. So, the more people talk in their little community about the leaders taking plural wives, the more Mary Rose and Bronwyn oppose it directly to their husbands. Before the book's end, everyone has to make a choice, and the results were, at times, heartbreaking.
Without a doubt, reading this book made me more thankful that I was not born or immersed in this culture when I was growing up. There's a reason why these women feel jealousy and, at times, bitterness toward their sister-wives when their all trying to capture the attention of the same husband. I thank God that He designed the covenant of marriage for one man and one woman, not more than one woman.
If you've never read a book that dealt with this particular culture, I encourage you to do so, even if it's just to broaden your own horizons. This book, or even the other Mormon book written by Diane, gives a good taste of what goes on outside our own little worlds. It's even sadder when you stop to think that polygamy is still being practiced today, and the those involved in it have to hide from everyone else so they're not caught. That's all I need to hear to know that these people are still, sadly, following a practice that they think was designed by God.
Aside from my personal opinions of polygamy, this is definitely a 5 star read and one of the best books that Diane has ever written. I hope the wait is not too long for the next book in the Brides of Gabriel series!

Book Review: The Trophy Wives Club by Kristin Billerbeck/3 Stars

About the book:

Haley Cutler is the consummate trophy wife. Perhaps was is the more accurate term. Haley married Prince Charming when she was only twenty—back in the day when highlights came from an afternoon at the beach, not three hours in the salon.

Unfortunately, after seven years as Jay Cutler's wife, a role that provided significance and what she thought was love, Jay walks out, and Haley finds herself with few life skills that translate to the real world, not to mention a sense of amnesia about who she used to be. But before Haley can find her way, she must meet with Jay's lawyer, the strikingly handsome Hamilton Lowe. Although she can't stand his self-righteous contempt for her divorce, she takes his suggestion to attend a group at his church called "The Trophy Wives Club," a Bible study composed of women who have been dealt a raw deal. Haley's never been into the whole Jesus thing but could really use some friends to walk her through this phase (how do you apply for a credit card anyway?).

As Haley begins to realize that she really can stand on her own two feet, she also learns that sometimes in losing we find the real reward . . .

My thoughts:

This is my third experience reading Kristin Billerbeck's books, and I can always count on her books to give me a good laugh. And while there's a good dose of humor in this book, The Trophy Wives Club deals with a very difficult topic: divorce. I cannot imagine being blindsided with a divorce after being married to a man I thought loved me, but apparently, never did. This is exactly what Haley Cutler experiences, and this book follows her journey of self-discovery.

Personally, I know I would've immediately reached for the tub of chocolate frosting as well as had a TV marathon with Maury and Judge Judy just like Haley did. But I also know that after a few days of doing that, I would realize that it's time to try to turn my life around. The good news for Haley is that she has a wonderful new group of friends from a local church--The Trophy Wives Club--who have experienced everything that she is just now getting a taste of. Through these great friends, Haley turns her life around dramatically, and has a few things handed to her that I thought weren't very realistic. Honestly, how many people do you know that have million-dollar condos that they don't live in, and will let you live there rent free? Not to mention, friends that have connections in the film industry, and just happen to have a job waiting for you?

Overall, I liked the premise of the story, and I definitely had a good laugh (blondes walking into walls is a hilarious mental image). But as I kept reading, this book slowly kept going downhill. In addition to the things I just mentioned, I have to admit that the ending ruined the book for me. I already knew how it would end, but I was so hoping for something different from everything else out there.

The Trophy Wives Club by Kristin Billerbeck was published by Avon Inspire and was released in 2007.

3 Stars

Southern?  No
Sass?  A little