Take A Chance On Me - Susan May Warren

4/5

Take A Chance On Me by Susan May Warren takes us on another journey to Deep Haven, MN and it might just be my favorite one yet.  Revolving around the Christiansen family of Evergreen Lake resort,  this piece of romantic fiction is exquisitely woven together to tell a story of forgiveness and redemption.

Darek Christiansen is learning to accept his new role as father and resort manager after the death of his wife, Felicity.  Ivy Madison is looking for a place to call home after surviving the foster care system and growing up alone.  Jensen is struggling to earn forgiveness for a mistake that haunts him, and Claire is looking for her purpose after losing faith in God's kindness.  The author writes this story from the perspective of four different characters, each struggling with anger and un-forgiveness related to the same tragic accident that killed a loved one.  As each person grapples with decisions that will change the course of their lives, they come to find peace and joy in the reality of God's love.

I enjoyed Take A Chance on Me so much that I finished it in two sittings- that's quite remarkable for someone juggling two kids and sleepless nights!  Revisiting Deep Haven was a treat, and I am so excited that this is just the first in a series of six new books, as I will get to read many more beautiful stories about the Christiansen family.  I feel privileged to share with you an interview with the author, Susan May Warren, and an excerpt from Chapter 1 of this novel.  I also encourage you to spend a rainy afternoon getting acquainted with the idyllic town of Deep Haven, you won't be disappointed.

Author Q & A with Susan May Warren 
1. This is the first installment in a brand new six-book series. Can you give us a bit of background on this series?
I love stories about families – watching the members interact and grow together through challenges and victories – and I conceived this series as I watched my own children begin to grow up and deal with romance and career and futures. I love Deep Haven, and it’s the perfect setting for a resort, so I crafted a family, much like the families I know, who run a resort. They want to pass on their legacy to their children...but their children don’t know if they want it. It’s sort of a parallel theme to the legacy of faith we instill in our children. As they grow older, they need to decide whether it is their faith too. It’s a saga about family and faith and what happens when those collide with real life.

2. This Christiansen Family series is set in Deep Haven, Minnesota. Tell us about this setting.
Deep Haven, Minnesota is based in a small vacation town in northern Minnesota where I spent my childhood. It’s located on Lake Superior, surrounded by pine and birch and the sense of small town and home. Populated by everyone from artists to lumberjacks, it’s Mitford, or perhaps Northern Exposure gone Minnesotan. Quaint, quirky and beautiful, it’s the perfect place to escape for a vacation.

3. What was your inspiration for this particular book and the main character Darek Christiansen?
As I started to put together this series, I began to think about our culture and our children today. I started to take a look at the big questions we are faced with as parents – and as young people; the issues that affect us as a culture, as well as personally. I wanted these books to go beyond family drama, beyond a great romance to raise bigger questions and stir truths that we might pass along to others. This story is about our propensity in our culture to blame others for what goes wrong in our lives – and how this alienates us from each other, and ultimately, God. Darek is the oldest brother in the family; the leader and a real hero. He’s a wildland firefighter and a widower who’s had to give up his job to come home and run the resort and care for his young son. Darek doesn’t realize he has a problem – he lives with anger on his shoulder, hating the man who killed his wife (his best friend). His real problem is that he can’t forgive himself. In this first story, readers meet the family, hang out at the resort and discover that God can redeem even a heart of stone, if we take a chance on Him.

4. What lessons or truths will your readers find in the pages of this novel?
This book is for the person who feels they just can’t get past the anger they have for someone else to live in joy again. It’s for parents who see their children making bad choices and don’t know where to turn. It’s for people who believe that no one will ever really love them because of who they are, or the things they’ve done. It’s for people who need the courage to take a second chance on love and faith and family. I’m hoping readers walk away with a sense of how much God loves them, and that yes, He can heal the angry and broken-hearted.

5. How do you expect this new series to resonate with your audience? How do you want your books to make them feel?
Great question! I love a story that brings me on an emotional journey from anger to laughter to hope. But most of all, I want readers to be wrapped up in joy, that feeling we get when watch our football team win, or when we’re hands up in a convertible on a hot summer day, or digging our feet into a sandy beach, or hugging our loved one when they return home. Ah. The sense that, just for a moment, all is right in the world and everything tastes and feels delicious. I write romances, and in the end it’s worth the journey to the happily ever after.

6. As a writer, what did you particularly enjoy about crafting this story?
I loved Darek’s transformation. His relationship with his son is so precious, but when he truly lets go of his anger, he becomes the hero I always knew he could be. I love writing about broken heroes who find healing.

7. What advice do you have for budding novelists?
Read! Then write the book you’d like to read.  But, along the way, learn the craft. In fact, a good writer never stops learning.

8. What is the best advice or encouragement that you have received?
Just keep writing. If you want to be a career novelist, you just have to keep writing.

9. In your writing career, what are you most proud of?
After over forty novels, I’m always striving to keep the stories fresh and unique; so I guess I’m proud that every book is bathed in prayer, has a message singular to that story, and has unique characters and journeys. Every story is a new adventure for me, and the reader. 

Continue Reading if you would like a preview of Take A Chance on Me by Susan May Warren

(Prologue Excerpt):

My dearest Darek,
Even as I write this letter, I know I’ll tuck it away; the words on it are more of a prayer, meant for the Lord more than you. Or maybe, in the scribbling upon this journal page, the words might somehow find your heart, a cry that extends across the bond of mother and child.
The firstborn child is always the one who solves the mystery of parenthood. Before I had you, I watched other mothers and wondered at the bond between a child and a parent, the strength of it, the power to mold a woman, making her put all hopes and wishes into this tiny bundle of life that she had the responsibility to raise.
It’s an awe-filled, wonderful, terrifying act to have a child, for you suddenly wear your heart on the outside of your body. You risk a little more each day as he wanders from your arms into the world. You, Darek, were no protector of my heart. You were born with a willfulness, a courage, and a bent toward adventure that would bring me to the edge of my faith and keep me on my knees. The day I first saw you swinging from that too-enticing oak tree into the lake should have told me that I would be tested.
Your brothers shortened your name to Dare, and you took it to heart. I was never so terrified as the day you came home from Montana, fresh from your first year as a hotshot, feeling your own strength. I knew your future would take you far from Evergreen Lake. I feared it would take you far, also, from your legacy of faith.
Watching your son leave your arms has no comparison to watching him leave God’s. You never seemed to question the beliefs your father and I taught you. Perhaps that is what unsettled me the most, because without questioning, I wondered how there could be true understanding. I held my breath against the day when it would happen—life would shatter you and leave your faith bereft.
And then it did.
It brought you home, in presence if not soul. If it hadn’t been for your son, I might have done the unthinkable—stand in our gravel driveway and bar you from returning, from hiding.
Because, my courageous, bold oldest son, that is what you are doing. Hiding. Bitter and dark, you have let guilt and regret destroy your foundation, imprison you, and steal your joy. You may believe you are building a future for your son, but without faith, you have nothing to build it on. Evergreen Resort is not just a place. It’s a legacy. A foundation. A belief.
It’s the best of what I have to give you. That, and my unending prayers that somehow God will destroy those walls you’ve constructed around your heart.
Darek, you have become a mystery to me again. I don’t know how to help free you. Or to restore all you’ve lost. But I believe that if you give God a chance, He will heal your heart. He will give you a future. He will truly lead you home.
Lovingly, Your mother

(Author, Susan May Warren)

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy from Tyndale Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Forsaking All Others - Allison Pittman

2.5/5

I really did not want to give Forsaking All Others by Allison Pittman such a low rating.  In all honestly, I love this author and I do not want to discourage anyone for reading her wonderful novels.  I just did not enjoy this book.  I'm not even sure if I can put a finger on the reason why, because it was very well written.  In fact, everything I've read by Allison Pittman is superbly done, specifically Stealing Home and The Bridegrooms - both excellent!  It is obvious that the topic was well researched, the time period came to life, and Pittman's writing style is both eloquent and descriptive, drawing you into her characters lives almost without effort.  But everything about this novel left me a little flat, in fact I was often tempted to skim pages, look for any interesting dialogue and blatantly wished that I could just skip to the end.

Forsaking All Others is the conclusion of the two-part Sister Wives series and focuses on the life of Camilla Fox, recently estranged from both her husband and the Mormon Church.  Camilla is found wandering in a snow storm after running away from her family, leaving behind two daughters and a husband in an attempt to flee from a faith she can no longer claim.  After being rescued by a handsome Army Captain, Camilla eventually finds the strength to cut ties with the Mormon community and start her life over as a follower of Jesus Christ.  Forsaking All Others focuses on this journey of healing, both physical and spiritual, and the path Camilla takes to gain custody of her daughters and introduce them to the true Christian faith.

I have to admit that I did not read the first book in this series, so that put me at a handicap for enjoying this novel.  I missed out on a lot of the chemistry that Pittman built between Camilla and her husband Nathan in the first novel.  I did not feel any sort of ties to him as a character and could not understand the draw and power he held over the Camilla.  Even more baffling was his willingness to let go of his children and give them up to his estranged wife.  Pittman spent much of the novel showing how faithful Nathan was to Brigham Young and the Mormons, it was the wedge that drove so deep between him and his wife that she chose to run away.  Nathan was willing to die for his Mormon faith and Camilla for her Christian faith, there was no way to reconcile those differences.  So in the end, I just did not believe that he would let his daughters go so easily, knowing that their Mother intended to raise them to oppose the Mormon faith.  Again, this is probably because I did not read the first novel and missed out on a lot of character development.  I had to trust that Nathan really did love Camilla and was willing to let her "win" because of this.

Ultimately, I just couldn't fall into the story as I hoped I would.  Pittman writes Camilla's character very well, doing a beautiful job of capturing the Mormon culture, historic locations, and many nuances of that time.  I enjoyed the first half of the book much more than the last, feeling that the final 100 pages or so were filler until the moment she is finally reunited with her children.  Although I did not fall in love with this novel, I do enjoy Allison Pittman and hope to read more from her in the future!

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Treasuring Emma - Kathleen Fuller

4/5

As I have mentioned in previous reviews, I am quite familiar with the Amish fiction genre, but I have never had the privilege of reading a novel by Kathleen Fuller. I have been missing out, as I thoroughly enjoyed Kathleen's unique take on the Amish community in Treasuring Emma.  Unlike offerings from Beverly Lewis (who I do love to read for different reasons), Kathleen's novel was not bogged down by constant descriptions of Amish jargon and lifestyle. In fact, at times I forgot I was reading a story about an Amish woman as I was drawn into the actual plot instead of being force-fed Pennsylvania-Dutch vocabulary.

Treasuring Emma by Kathleen Fuller is book #1 in the Middlefield Family Series. It revolves around the lives of the King family, specifically Emma and her sister Clara.  Emma is an unmarried Amish woman, still heartbroken over her childhood love who left their community for the English world.  Clara, is married and disillusioned with her loving but unemployed husband, stewing in the bitterness of depending on their community for money.  Both sisters have to face what it means to depend on God and to trust in his provision as they deal with the death of their parents, the return of old flames, and past family tensions.  When an evil relative brings trouble to the community, Emma and Clara realize that God is truly the only one who can bring them happiness and hold their world together.

It is clear that Kathleen Fuller writes about a less conservative Amish community in this novel.  In response, the novel has a more "real world" feel to it.  The story touches on jealousy, greed, sex, lust, anger, evil, depression, financial worries and more.  The characters struggle with emotions and feelings that are typical of all humans, and I appreciate that the author does not gloss over these difficulties with pat answers and platitudes.  Even more encouraging was the fact that Emma is overweight and not particularly beautiful. It is very rare to see this description for a main character of a novel, and I commend the author for writing Emma with honesty and spiritual beauty, allowing her to find happiness in the end.

I would highly recommend picking up Treasuring Emma for your own library, especially if you appreciate Amish fiction.  I look forward to completing the Middlefield Family Series.

Disclosure of Material: I received this book free from the publisher via Book Sneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

A Place Called Blessing - John Trent with Annette Smith

3/5

A Place Called Blessing, written by Ph.D John Trent, is an attempt to describe the method of "bestowing a blessing onto a relationship" from a fictional point of view.  I have not read The Blessing, the author's previous non-fiction book that delves much deeper into this psychological theory.  Still, it was not difficult to pick up on what "the blessing" is and the ways it was eventually communicated to the protagonist of the novel.

The story chronicles the life of Josh, an emotionally abandoned little boy who loses his mother and father and is separated from two brothers.  He is shuffled through the foster care system, unpacking his scant belongings at many houses, but never staying long due to his deep-seeded fears and issues.  At six years old, when it finally seems as though Josh might be forever reunited with his brothers, an unfortunate accident changes the course of his life.

Through adolescence Josh often acts out in anger and trusts no one, but through the first person narrative the reader gets to see a glimpse of the broken little boy who so desperately wants to be loved.  As Josh turns eighteen he rents a room from a mother and son who turn out to be the family he is so desperately searching for.  The journey they take together is painful and difficult, but Josh eventually finds the peace he seeks.

I very much appreciated the message of this book, especially the inside look at orphaned children and the foster care system.  However, the writing style is not especially proficient, often feeling jerky and simple.  Seeing as how the book is told from Josh's point of view, this at times works to the novel's favor, but often I found that detail and depth were sorely lacking.  Still, I would recommend reading this book as it beautifully portrays how a life can be changed by unconditional love.  I also think it calls attention to the failing foster care system in this country and hope it inspires people to look into how they might love another child and give them the gift of "the blessing" too.

Disclosure of Material: I received this book free from the publisher via Book Sneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers

5/5

This book deserves a 10/5.  It is unbelievably good.  In fact, I think this might be my favorite book...ever.  And I read a lot of books.  Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers is so beautifully written it moved me to tears.  I have never before had the privilege of reading such a well thought out, well executed piece of historical fiction.  That fact that it deals with hard weight issues like prostitution, abuse and forgiveness, make it a most special piece of Christian fiction.

Redeeming Love is the story of Sarah, a little girl with an unfortunate childhood, who at the age of 8 is sold into prostitution.  Michael, a strong Christian who happens to see Angel from the street while selling produce hears God tells him, "she's the one".  From that point on begins a beautiful and emotional journey for Michael and Angel as they learn how to love and be loved unconditionally, despite past hurts, scars and sins.

Francine Rivers has modeled the story after the book of Hosea in the Bible.  The truth of God's unconditional love is beautifully portrayed in the way that Rivers explores the relationship between Angel and Michael.  She touches often on how hard it is to let go of sin, even when Jesus has wiped it away for us and we are loved beyond measure.  It is not until we recognize and accept the gift that we can truly be free from the chains of our past.  Angel's journey to this realization is written with brilliant sensitivity and honesty.

I could not recommend this book more if I had written it myself- and how I wish I had!  It is a nearly perfect read.

Spring for Susannah - Catherine Richmond

4/5 

Spring for Susannah by Catherine Richmond is a thoroughly enjoyable read.  Being the first time I have read this particular author, I wasn't sure what to expect from the characters/storyline, and I was pleasantly surprised.  The author writes her characters with great detail and emotional depth.  I found myself truly looking forward to how the relationships of the characters unfolded, almost wishing that the story could continue when I reached the end.

The novel begins with Susannah Underhill, a mail order bride, preparing to meet the man she is to marry.  She has traveled from Michigan to the great Dakota territory, trying to flee the nightmares of her past (a loveless childhood and a physical attack from a stranger).  She enters the marriage with fear, reservations and the inability to speak for herself- characteristics that her new husband Jesse finds bewildering.  As they begin to earn each others' trust, their marriage is tested by a series of trials characteristic of living out on the great frontier.  When Jesse has to leave his wife and homestead to find work, Susannah discovers the strength and purpose God has for her life.

The Spiritual message rings through loud and clear- we get samples of scripture, hymns and prayers all throughout the narrative.  I also appreciated how this book touches on the intimacy of marriage without shame.  Of course there is nothing graphic, but the loving relationship between a husband and wife is explored in a refreshing and lovely way- especially for Christian fiction.

I truly did enjoy this story and look forward to more by Catherine Richmond.  I did find that the story at times drug on, especially during the period when Susannah and Jesse are apart.  I found myself skimming a few pages to see what was going to happen- the interlude between their reunion did not keep my interest.  However, that section of the book is well compensated for by the beginning and end of the story.  I very much enjoyed the glimpse into prairie life during that time period and the vivid portrayal of the Dakota landscape.

Disclosure of Material: I received this book free from the publisher via Book Sneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Promise of an Angel- Ruth Reid

4/5

I have read many Amish Christian fiction novels, but never one quite like this.  In fact, I have to admit that it was refreshing to find that The Promise of an Angel by Ruth Reid did not rely on the same tried and true formula that other authors of Amish fiction have made famous.  I felt that this novel was contemporary and realistic in the way it treated the Amish culture and the emotions and experience of the characters within the story.

Judith Fischer lives in an Amish community in Michigan, where she is happy to tell stories to children, cook, and ready herself to be married to Levi Plank- the man she has been waiting 2 year to court.  However, after a tragic accident paralyzes her younger brother, strains her relationship with her family and exposes new truths about the man she has been waiting to marry, Judith begins to realize that God ordains the steps of her life. 

I truly enjoyed the spiritual aspect of this book as it touches on a topic that is rarely discussed.  Judith's visits from an angel and the faith she places in the things that are revealed to her leave her at odds with her community.  Her willingness to risk everything she has to stand up for God's promises truly inspired me.  I finished this book with a better understanding of biblical truths and a reminder that God still uses miracles to speak to us today.

Overall, I look forward to reading more books by Ruth Reid and exploring her Heaven on Earth series.  The Promise of an Angel (Book 1 in the series) is a lovely book with refreshing new insight into the Amish faith.  I couldn't put it down and highly recommend it.

Disclosure of Material: I received this book free from the publisher via Book Sneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Judgement - Beverly Lewis

3.5/5

The Judgment is the second novel in the Rose Trilogy from popular Amish fiction author Beverly Lewis.  I have a soft spot for Amish fiction and have enjoyed many novels by Beverly Lewis, including the first in this series (The Thorn).  However, as many 2nd novels of a trilogy tend to do, this one fell a little bit short for me.  I found myself want more answers, more plot development and caught myself skimming pages, which is something I rarely do!

In this second installment, Rose Ann must come face to face with the truth that her betrothed has feelings for a girl from his past.  All the while, Rose Ann is dealing with her own yearnings for Nick, the foster son of their bishop who has run off to the "English" world.  Meanwhile, Rose Ann's sister, Hen, is struggling with an impending divorce from her worldly husband, and the tension threatens to tear apart her family and marriage.

There are not many plot twists and turns in this book, only a straightforward and somewhat predictable path leading to the final novel, in which I believe the story lines will all come together nicely.  The Mercy (#3) is due in stores September, 2011, and I look forward to reading it!

Overall, The Judgment is a solid read and offers all the charm, spiritual heart and honest characters that I have come to expect from a Beverly Lewis novel.  I would recommend this book, if only as a bridge between the first novel (The Thorn) and book number three (The Grace).