A Broken Kind of Beautiful: A Novel by Katie Ganshert

Book Description:
Sometimes everything you ever learned about yourself is wrong

Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four year old model Ivy Clark. Ten years in and she’s learned a sacred truth—appearance is everything. Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows—so when it starts to unravel, she’ll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother’s bridal wear line—an irony too rich for words, since Ivy is far from the pure bride in white. 

If only her tenuous future didn’t rest in the hands of Davis Knight, her mysterious new photographer. Not only did he walk away from the kind of success Ivy longs for to work maintenance at a local church, he treats her differently than any man ever has. Somehow, Davis sees through the façade she works so hard to maintain. He, along with a cast of other characters, challenges everything Ivy has come to believe about beauty and worth. Is it possible that God sees her—a woman stained and broken by the world—yet wants her still?

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A compelling tale, with grit, heart and a message for us all. Ganshert's characters are real and honest and broken. And who doesn't love a good story where the broken are lifted up and made new - I know I do!  The romance is sweet but even greater is the BIG LOVE STORY woven throughout! This is the first of Katie Ganshert's novels that I have read, but I look forward to reading more!

Love's Fortune: A Novel (The Ballantyne Legacy, Book 3) by Laura Frantz

    Picking up one of Laura Frantz's novels, is like stepping into another time and place. You become immersed in the beauty of her writing, the depth of her characters and their dialogue and you are completely swept away into the story setting itself. Frantz has yet to write a novel, that I have not thoroughly enjoyed! This, her latest release, is no different. I was completely enraptured with the story and found my heart pulled, my mind captive and myself dreading its' completion. 

Frantz pens characters that hold your heart and breathe as they tread through life and difficult choices. Her characters have depth, passion and ring true. I love seeing the build up of relationships, the complexity, and the tender moments that touch us all. I also love seeing characters evolve and/or hold true to what is unique or good in themselves. In this novel, I was even more blessed, as we had not only two main characters but also two very large secondary characters' stories playing out through the pages. It was exciting all the way until the very end, to say the least. 

I am not one to give spoilers, so I am not quiet sure what else to say... Except, dive into this novel and find yourself captivated and delighted within its' pages! A fantastic read and well worth every moment!