My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Withering under a load of burn out, Kate Donovan agrees to accompany her grandmother to Pennsylvania and spend a few months restoring the old house that her grandmother grew up in. Matt Jarreau, the handsome man her grandmother hired to renovate the house, is a loner. When Kate's innocent attempts at friendship with him are rebuffed, her stubborn heart refuses to let her stop reaching out. As tension grows between Kate and Matt, so does something else. A love that leads them to a greater revelation of God's love for them. As they both face career decisions and the pain of Matt's past, only a love stronger than themselves will be able to hold them together. Can they accept God's will? Or must they sacrifice their hope and love?

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade far exceeded my expectations. From the explanatory, yet intriguing prologue, I was hooked on the story line. I would love to see this book made into a movie. To me, it has has all the great elements: authentic characters complete with flaws and pain, a strong mysterious male, romantic tension between the two main characters, personal tension internal to each character, and redemptive love. Kate essentially sums up the theme of the book during a conversation with Matt: “He [God] never promised us that we wouldn't suffer. But He's too good just not to redeem it. And He does promise us that He won't leave us. That He'll be with us through the worst. That He loves us.” (Page 180) This theme, woven into both the plot and characters, is strong enough to touch the reader's heart. My Stubborn Heart is one of the best books I've read this year and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys romantic fiction. I'll definitely be looking forward to more books by Becky Wade!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

To Love and Cherish by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller

Melinda Colson and Evan Tarlow are in love. And have been for some time without progressing towards Melinda's desirable goal of marriage. Melinda is sure that they are ready to wed while Evan is convinced that he must be able to financially support a family before he can propose. Thus, a stalemate ensues and Melinda, a lady's maid by occupation, once again leaves Bridal Veil Island to serve her mistress and anxiously await the next visit to the island. When Melinda hears that a hurricane has damaged Bridal Veil Island, she casts caution aside and leaves her position to find Evan. Evan is safe, but he once again stifles Melinda's efforts to push him toward marriage. As Melinda and Evan's relationship struggles, danger lurks nearby in rumors of a presidential assassination plot. Will Melinda and Evan's love survive?

To Love and Cherish by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller is a sweet love story, but I recommend renting it from the library before purchasing. Personally, I found it difficult to connect with the two main characters, Evan and Melinda, as they did not seem realistic to me and I never came to like either one. I actually liked the supporting characters better than the main ones. I also felt like the plot moved a little slow and even though it picked up in the end, I was never riveted to it. That being said, I did like the somewhat unique plot of a love relationship that was already established and needed to be maintained while waiting to move to the next level.

Click here to visit the publisher's website and read an excerpt from To Love and Cherish by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A Perfect Pet for Peyton

For twins Peyton and Penny, this will be a birthday to remember. Joined by three of their friends, Peyton and Penny's adventure through Mr. Chapman's Perfect Pet Pal Emporium includes surprising animal encounters, eating Mythical Monster Sundaes, opening gifts, and finding their own perfect pet pals based on their personal love languages.

A Perfect Pet for Peyton by Gary Chapman and Rick Osborne, and illustrated by Wilson Williams, Jr. is based on Chapman's book, The Five Love Languages. As Peyton, Penny and their friends celebrate at Mr. Chapman's Perfect Pet Pal Emporium, they learn what the five love languages are and the characteristics of each love language. Though the concepts are explained in simple terms, children ages five to ten are probably target age group for this book. Still, the illustrations are beautiful and my five month old enjoyed looking at them. I thought it was neat how there were hidden insects on some of the pages. This adds a nice element that can allow for further child-parent or sibling interaction.

I absolutely would recommend A Perfect Pet for Peyton to parents. It teaches the principles of the five love languages and contains underlying messages about animal kindness, friendship, and love.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher as part of their blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

My First Handy Bible

My First Handy Bible: Timeless Bible Stories for Toddlers, written by Cecilie Olesen and illustrated by Gustavo Mazali, provides an overview of the Bible's most popular stories from Genesis to Revelation. Each story is summarized in a few sentences. Just enough of the story is introduced that younger readers can easily understand without being confused by details. The Biblical reference for each story is given on the page so that older children and their parents can explore the story more deeply if they desire to do so. Bright, sharp colors effectively catch the attention of children and solid-board style construction provides durability needed by toddlers.

I enjoyed reading My First Handy Bible: Timeless Bible Stories for Toddlers to my five month old. The book is rated for ages one to three and my child didn't have the ability to comprehend the stories, but the illustrations did catch her attention. I liked how the Bible reference for each story is included on the same page as this could facilitate further discussion, especially with an older toddler. I was pleasantly surprised that so many stories were included. The latch that holds the book shut and the handle for carrying it are great. Even at this age, my daughter was able to grasp and touch different parts of the book. Also, the sturdiness of this book is great for a child that doesn't yet understand that pages are made to stay in a book. :)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Scandinavia Publishing via the B & B Media Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."