Surprised by Love (The Heart of San Francisco, #3) by Julie Lessman

I have been a big fan of Julie Lessman, ever since she first released her debut novel. She always leaves me eagerly awaiting her next release, and she never disappoints! Case in point with this novel! Absolutely captivating characters, real and wonderful dialogue, romance, spice, and the angst that keeps you reading till the very last page! But even more than all of that, are the faith sub-themes running through... Fear, pride, truth setting you free, trust, prayer, true love and above all it is about the ONE true love and clinging to Him! She very nicely and in a non-pushy way, wove all this in. One reoccurring theme being that of being like (OT) Abraham and truly trusting God and putting Him first, surrendering those we love on earth to Him, and trusting Him to bring about what is good. 

This novel was completely delightful! I was surprised, in a very good way towards the end. A wonderful and engaging wrap up to this series! Not to say that there are not characters in this series she couldn't continue to write about - there are! Either way, excited to see what she has in store for us next! Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!

Wishing on Willows: A Novel by Katie Ganshert

Book Discription:
Does a second chance at life and love always involve surrender?
 
A three-year old son, a struggling café, and fading memories are all Robin Price has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Café in small town Peaks, Iowa,  she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work provides.
                                      
So when developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her café and a vital town ministry are located, she isn’t about to let go without a fight.
 
As stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won’t give up easily. His family’s business depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders if he has met his match. Robin’s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve, especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates with his own.
 
With polarized opinions forming all over town, business becomes unavoidably personal and Robin and Ian must decide whether to cling to the familiar or surrender their plans to the God of Second Chances.

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Wishing on Willows is the follow-up novel to Ganshert's debut novel, Wildflowers from Winter. I absolutely adored this book! The characters are so life like and likable, the circumstances real and engaging, and the flow of the novel is set at such a nice cadence. Truly, you do not want this novel to end. I wouldn't have minded a few more chapters, but then I don't know if you are ever truly ready to say farewell to some characters/stories.

I like that Ganshert writes compelling and true to life stories, they are not only fresh and heart touching but there is a deeper truth being woven throughout. She is not pushy in the way the seeds of faith are woven in, she is in fact completely honest and real... Walking us through the struggles and the victories.

I have to say, well done! I eagerly await Ganshert's next novel and hope you will give this one a try!

Wildflowers from Winter: A Novel by Katie Ganshert

Book Description:
Like the winter, grief has a season. Life returns with the spring.
 
A young architect at a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built the life she dreamed of during her teen years in a trailer park.  An unexpected interruption from her estranged mother reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is called back to rural Iowa. 
 
Determined to pay her respects to her past while avoiding any emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected inheritance of five hundred acres of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces Bethany to come up with a new plan.
 
Handsome farmhand Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years.  When Bethany is left the land, Evan must fight her decisions to realize his dreams. But even as he disagrees with Bethany’s vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps so carefully locked away.
 
For Bethany, making peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn’t seem like the path to freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love and a peace that she’s not even sure exists?

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I have to say this novel grabbed my attention and held it throughout. In fact, I probably would have rated it higher, except through the first half of the novel I really didn't care for our heroine. Although, this adds to the story and the character buildup, as well as relations, it just bugged me.

However, let that not deter you from reading this novel! It is well worth the read. I found myself still thinking about it later that night and this morning. And I am so excited that this novel isn't the end, and cannot wait to begin Ganshert's next novel and pick up with these characters again! This is a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author. Her characters are well developed, and the story is about so much more that just romance, there is a greater story at work. One where the Truth is woven in and done so in a way that just flows.

Okay, I honestly can't think to write anymore right now because I am so hyped up to start the followup novel!  That in itself should tell you enough!


PS. I read Ganshert's novella - An October Bride and it was wonderful!!!

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!

Raptor 6 (The Quiet Professionals, Book 1) by Ronie Kendig

Book Description:
Captain Dean Watters keeps his mission and his team in the forefront of his laser-like focus. So when these two things are threatened by hackers, Dean’s Special Forces training kicks into high gear. Failing to stop the hackers from stealing national security secrets from the military’s secure computers and networks isn’t an option. Zahrah Zarrick is a missionary teacher to Afghan children in Mazar-e Sharif. And a target. When Zahrah is captured because of her expertise in quantum cryptology, endangering the US national security, Dean is forced to crack the lockbox around his heart—a move that might come at the highest cost.

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I really enjoyed this novel! I have yet to read a novel by Kendig that I haven't enjoyed. I wish I could have breezed through this one uninterrupted but life has gotten very busy for me lately and sadly I had to read it in snatches. Still I had no trouble getting back into the story. I do remember however, that the first few chapters just felt like you were thrown into the middle of something with not enough information. But after that the flow and cohesion were good.

This story had well written, strong lead characters. That I really hope we will see more of their story played out in the course of the next book or the series. Otherwise, I think I will be a little disappointed. Still overall, well done, engrossing read. Kendig handled tough situations well, giving enough information but not too much when needed. I look forward to book 2 in this series!

Operation Zulu Redemption (5-part Serial Novel) by Ronie Kendig

Description:

The Explosive Brand-new 5-part Serial Novel!  

They never should’ve existed.  Now they don’t.  In the aftermath of their first highly successful op, the first all-female special ops team, known as Zulu, discovered that innocent civilians—women and children—died at their hands. Zulu was set up to take the devastating fall.  Fearing for their lives, the Zulu team vanished. With new identities and spread across the globe, they live in relative but isolated peace—yet still haunted by the past. Terrified of being discovered.   Five years after that horrific night, they’ve begun to hope they might be safe and the tragedy forgotten.  Until two of them are murdered.

Start the mission with Operation Zulu Redemption: Overkill--The Beginning.  This FREE episode drops you into the rapid-fire action where the women of Zulu are trying to figure out who is targeting them.   Who really set Zulu up to take the fall years ago?  Are they one and the same? Now the remaining members of Zulu have no choice but to regroup and stop their enemy--before it's too late. And Overkill is just the beginning...   

Start the mission with Operation Zulu Redemption: The Beginning and don't miss any of these extended 200 page episodes....
Available Now -- Operation Zulu Redemption: Collateral Damage -- Part 1
Available Now -- Operation Zulu Redemption: Out of Nowhere -- Part 2
Available Now -- Operation Zulu Redemption: Hazardous Duty -- Part 3
August 8 -- Operation Zulu Redemption: Act of Treason -- Part 4

Ronie Kendig will leave you needing the next!

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Instead of doing a post on each individual serial novel, I am doing one on the whole series. While I do not want to give anything away, I do want to add my two bits. First of all, I thoroughly enjoyed this series! However, if you are a fast reader, and go through books quickly you may want to read these back to back, like one very large novel. Which fortunately for you, you can now do as they are all available! For me having to wait a week for each one to come out, while reading other books in between made it hard to keep the story fresh in my mind. I found I got more out of the ones I waited to read with another immediately following it. 

If you are a Kendig fan, you will find her trademark writing throughout. Well written characters, suspense, action, mystery and a dash of romance and faith round out her novels well. I have to admit that she kept me in particular suspense in regard to how a couple of the love interest stories would work out. Now for me, things didn't exactly end the way I wanted with one of them. But hey, that may just be me, and it didn't take away from the story. Also, for me the ending while very good, was a little too rushed. I felt there were a few loose ends I would have liked to see wrapped up and wished the story would have had a few more chapters doing this. 

All in all, I found this to be a very entertaining read!