Category:

Book Review - Swept Away by Mary Conneally

4/29/2013

Genre:
Historical/Western

Swept Away
Trouble In Texas book 1
Mary Connealy

-From the back cover-

When a cowboy focused on revenge
encounters a woman determined to distract him,
there's going to be trouble in Texas!

Swept away when her wagon train attempts a difficult river crossing, Ruth MacNeil isn't terribly upset at being separated from that family who raised her. All they've ever done is work her to the bone. Alive but disoriented, she is rescued by Luke Stone...so unfortunately, there are more chances to die in the immediate future.

Luke is on a mission to reclaim the ranch stolen from his family. But the men currently on the property won't let it go without a fight. Luke plans to meat up with friends who will help him take back the land, and since he can't just leave Ruthy in the middle of nowhere, she's going to have to go with him.

But the more time Luke spends around the hardworking young woman, the more he finds himself thinking of things besides revenge. Will Ruthy convince him to give up his destructive path and be swept away by love?

OK, so I wasn't sure I was going to like this book at first, I mean it looked and sounded like a light historical book without much substance. Well, I was definitely WRONG about that!
What I thought I was getting: Fluffy historical romance.
What I actually got: A wonderful western!

This Book earned a 4.5 Bark rating.

Mary Connealy

Author's Website

I will step on some toes and irritate a few people here, but I feel that generally speaking women can't write westerns very well. And so often Christian authors miss the boat, eerrr wagon, on writing good western stories, tending to tame down the bad guys and leave out the shoot-outs. OK, OK, maybe I have watched too many John Wayne movies, but.... Mary Connealy was right on the money with Swept Away! This book had all the grit and tumbleweeds of a good western without the lack of morals.

The main characters were Christians but didn't shy away from defending others with various means of force. Yes, they tried to do everything within the bounds of the law but they also did what it took to get the job done.

So, we have good characters but what else? In my opinion, excellent descriptions of the scenery, but not overdone. The action sequences were fast paced and well placed, kept me turning the next page. I felt the story was believable, emotions, actions, plot, all good. There are some difficult issues in this story, specifically physical and verbal abuse, I felt the author handled this very well, contrasting the harshness of it with the gentle love of a mother for her children and the kindness of strangers.

This book most definitely has the 4-E's. Engaging, Engrossing, Entertaining, Enjoyable.

This is the first Mary Connealy book I have read but it will not be my last and I am anxiously awaiting the release of the 2nd book in this series.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Swept Away by Mary Connealy a 4.5 Bark rating.

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (March 1, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0764209140
ISBN-13: 978-0764209147

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Monday Movie - Flame Over India

4/29/2013

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I didn't really watch much for movies this last week so I am going to do a movie that I watched a few weeks back.

Flame Over India
(North West Frontier)
Starring
Kenneth More • Lauren Bacall

(1959)

Two people trapped by fate.In a country with no destiny.

It is the North West Frontier of India at the turn of the century. Captain Scott (Kenneth More) is sent by the British Governor to rescue a five-year-old Hindu Prince and his American Governess, Catherine Wyatt (Lauren Bacall), when a rebellion breaks out amongst the Muslim tribesmen. Scott is instructed to take the child to safety in Kalapur, which is 300 miles away, on the pretext that while he is alive, no rebellion can succeed. They are forced to travel on an old and fragile train, but it soon becomes clear that the danger from the train is the least of their worries. Someone on the train is trying to kill the Prince.

The best way to describe this movie is, a western with turbans instead of stetsons.
I watched this movie the first time partly because it was from 1959 but mostly because it had Lauren Bacall, later I watched it again with the rest of my family.
This was one of those rare movies that, as the end credits rolled, I told myself "I really liked this movie!"
It really had everything it takes to make a good movie, the acting, dialogue, and filming were all good.

Flame Over India, is, in many ways a study in human character and actions. As they travel 300 miles to safety we see the best and worst of each person on that train. The veneer is stripped away and the true character of each person is made clear.
Don't think this movie is dry and boring, because it most definitely is not. There are plenty exciting, suspense filled, moments and scenes. Seriously, what can be more exciting than a rickety train carrying desperate people being chased by bunch of gun-wielding Muslims on horseback?

There is some violence in this film, so it probably isn't the best for little kids, but it isn't gratuitous. Really, your middle and older kids probably see more violent videos on the news and in their classes at school.

So, get some popcorn and settle in to watch an exciting and entertaining movie from the Golden Age.

129 Minutes

Principal Cast

Kenneth More ... Captain Scott
Lauren Bacall ... Catherine Wyatt
Herbert Lom ... Van Leyden
Wilfrid Hyde-White ... Bridie (as Wilfrid Hyde White) I.S. Johar ... Gupta
Ursula Jeans ... Lady Windham
Eugene Deckers ... Peters
Ian Hunter ... Sir John Windham
Jack Gwillim ... Brigadier Ames
Govind Raja Ross ... Prince Kishan

Filming Location(s)

Amber Fort, Amber, Rajasthan, India
Guadix, Granada, Andalucía, Spain
Hacho Bridge, Andalucia, Spain
Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Quote(s)

Captain Scott: "Be thankful you're living and trust your luck, march to your front like a soldier."
Catherine Wyatt: Who said that?
Captain Scott: Man called Kipling. Another tea-drinker.

Captain Scott: You're the first American woman I've met. Are they all like you?
Catherine Wyatt: Why? How do I seem?
Captain Scott: Well, shall we say a little bit more independent than most?
Catherine Wyatt: Is that the tactful English way of saying you think I'm pig-headed?

DVD

Blue-ray

Thanks to IMDB.com for most of the info for this movie.

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Winner!

4/29/2013

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And the winner of Beaded Bookmark by Jasmine is...

Diana Montgomery
Entry #34

Congratulations Diana! Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog!

Please send your mailing address to me at telltalebookreviews(at)gmail(dot)com, just replace the (at) with an @ and the (dot) with a . and I will get your bookmark to you.

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Book Review & More - Take A Chance On Me by Susan May Warren

4/28/2013

2 Comments

Genre:
Contemporary/Romance

Take A Chance On Me
by
Susan May Warren

Darek Christiansen is almost a dream bachelor—oldest son in the large Christiansen clan, heir to their historic Evergreen Lake Resort, and doting father. But he’s also wounded and angry since the tragic death of his wife, Felicity. No woman in Deep Haven dares come near.

New assistant county attorney Ivy Madison simply doesn’t know any better when she bids on Darek at the charity auction. Nor does she know that when she crafted a plea bargain three years ago to keep Jensen Atwood out of jail and in Deep Haven fulfilling community service, she was releasing the man responsible for Felicity’s death. All Ivy knows is that the Christiansens feel like the family she’s always longed for. And once she gets past Darek’s tough exterior, she finds a man she could spend the rest of her life with. Which scares her almost as much as Darek learning of her involvement in his wife’s case.

Caught between new love and old grudges, Darek must decide if he can set aside the past for a future with Ivy—a future more and more at risk as an approaching wildfire threatens to wipe out the Christiansen resort and Deep Haven itself.

Not the usual genre I read but I am glad I stepped out of my norm and tried it. Take A Chance On Me is the first book in the Christiansen Family Series and if this book is anything like the rest will be, then it will be worth the time spent reading each as they come out.

The story talks a lot about forgiveness, and while that is very important I actually found myself caught up in a secondary character's (Claire) issues with finding her place and feeling not only inadequate but also feeling pushed into something/somewhere she didn't want to go, not to mention the fact she didn't like things changing. The really odd thing is that Claire is 25 in the story which happens to be my own age now, her struggles in some ways mirror a few of mine. Claire finds her way in this book which gives me hope for the same in my own, real, life.

This Book earned a 4 Bark Rating

List Price: 13.99

ISBN: 978-1-4143-7841-1

Trim Size: 5 1/2 x 8 1/4

Binding: Softcover

Release: April 2013

Susan May Warren

Susan May Warren is the bestselling, RITA Award–winning author of more than forty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. She served with her husband and four children as a missionary in Russia for eight years before she and her family returned home to the States. She now writes full-time as her husband runs a lodge on Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, where many of her books are set. She and her family enjoy hiking, canoeing, and being involved in their local church.
Susan holds a BA in mass communications from the University of Minnesota. Several of her critically acclaimed novels have been ECPA and CBA bestsellers, were chosen as Top Picks by Romantic Times, and have won the RWA's Inspirational Reader's Choice contest and the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award. Five of her books have been Christy Award finalists. In addition to her writing, Susan loves to teach and speak at women's events about God's amazing grace in our lives.

For exciting updates on her new releases, previous books, and more, visit her website at www.susanmaywarren.com.

This book was provided by Tyndale House Publishers for the purpose of this review. I received no financial compensation for this review.

As I said, this book deals a lot with forgiveness which seems to be a somewhat common theme in the Christian Fiction market these days, but where Take A Chance On Me differs is that it not only talks about forgiving others for past mistakes, and for current mistakes but also forgiving ones self. Each of us has failed majorly, not just the “All have sinned” mistakes, but failed our families and friends and even ourselves. Take A Chance On Me reminds us that with forgiveness we can go beyond those failings and that each of us, no matter what we have done or think we have done, deserves forgiveness and for us to give and receive 'taking a chance' on us.

Before I finish this review I want to add that Susan May Warren has done an excellent job on creating her characters, making them believable, and also on her descriptions. I could feel the heat of summer, taste the cold ice cream, and smell the wildfire smoke. Near the end of the book the community of Deep Haven, surrounding area, and the Christiansen family's business Evergreen Resort and Cabins is threatened by an out-of-control forest fire. I couldn't put the book down during that period, just kept turning the next page to find out if 'we' were going to make it out OK. I know, I know, I got a little wrapped up in the story but that is a good thing. The sign of a good author, right?

Soooo, if you like a well written love story that will make you think than Take A Chance On Me just might be a good choice for you.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Take A Chance On Me a 4 Bark Rating.

Author Q & A
Susan May Warren & Take a Chance on Me

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.

1st Chapter

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

Chapter 1
Ivy Madison would do just about anything to stay in the secluded, beautiful, innocent town of Deep Haven.
Even if she had to buy a man.
A bachelor, to be exact, although maybe not the one currently standing on the stage of the Deep Haven Emergency Services annual charity auction. He looked like a redneck from the woolly woods of northern Minnesota, with curly dark-blond hair, a skim of whiskers on his face, and a black T-shirt that read, Hug a logger—you’ll never go back to trees. Sure, he filled out his shirt and looked the part in a pair of ripped jeans and boots, but he wore just a little too much “Come and get me, girls,” in his smile.
The auctioneer on stage knew how to work his audience. He regularly called out names from the crowd to entice them to bid. And apparently the town of Deep Haven loved their firefighters, EMTs, and cops because the tiny VFW was packed, the waitresses running out orders of bacon cheeseburgers and hot wings to the bidding crowd.
After the show was over, a local band would take the stage. The auction was part of the summer solstice festival—the first of many summer celebrations Deep Haven hosted. Frankly it felt like the village dreamed up events to lure tourists, but Ivy counted it as her welcoming party.
Oh, how she loved this town. And she’d only lived here for roughly a day. Imagine how she’d love it by the end of the summer, after she’d spent three months learning the names of locals, investing herself into this lakeside hamlet.
Her days of hitching her measly worldly possessions—four hand-me-down suitcases; a loose cardboard box of pictures; a garbage bag containing The Elements of Legal Style, How to Argue and Win Every Time, and To Kill a Mockingbird; and most of all, her green vintage beach bike—onto the back of her red Nissan Pathfinder were over.
Time to put down roots. Make friends.
Okay, buying a friend didn’t exactly qualify, but the fact that her money would go to help the local emergency services seemed like a good cause. And if Ivy had learned anything growing up in foster care, it was that a person had to work the system to get what she wanted.
She should be unpacking; she started work in the morning. But how long would it take, really, to settle into the tiny, furnished efficiency apartment over the garage behind the Footstep of Heaven Bookstore? And with her new job as assistant county attorney, she expected to have plenty of free time. So when the twilight hues of evening had lured her into the romance of a walk along the shoreline of the Deep Haven harbor, she couldn’t stop herself.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken a lazy walk, stopping at storefronts, reading the real estate ads pasted to the window of a local office.
Cute, two-bedroom log cabin on Poplar Lake. She could imagine the evergreen smell nudging her awake every morning, the twitter of cardinals and sparrows as she took her cup of coffee on the front porch.
Except she loved the bustle of the Deep Haven hamlet. Nestled on the north shore of Minnesota, two hours from the nearest hint of civilization, the fishing village–turned–tourist hideaway had enough charm to sweet-talk Ivy out of her Minneapolis duplex and make her dream big.
Dream of home, really. A place. Friends. Maybe even a dog. And here, in a town where everyone belonged, she would too.
She had wandered past the fudge and gift shop, past the walk-up window of World’s Best
Donuts, where the smell of cake donuts nearly made her follow her sweet tooth inside. At the corner, the music drew her near to the VFW. Ford F-150s, Jeeps, and a handful of SUVs jammed the postage-size dirt parking lot.
She’d stopped at the entrance, reading the poster for today’s activities, then peered in through the windows. Beyond a wood-paneled bar and a host of long rectangular tables, a man stood on the stage, holding up a fishing pole.
And that’s when Deep Haven reached out and hooked her.
“Are you going in?”
She’d turned toward the voice and seen a tall, solidly built middle-aged man with dark hair, wearing a jean jacket. A blonde woman knit her hand into his.
“I . . .”
“C’mon in,” the woman said. “We promise not to bite. Well, except for Eli here. I make no promises with him.” She had smiled, winked, and Ivy could feel her heart gulp it whole. Oh, why had she never learned to tamp down her expectations? Life had taught her better.
Eli shook his head, gave the woman a fake growl. Turned to Ivy. “Listen, it’s for a good cause. Our fire department could use a new engine, and the EMS squad needs more training for their staff, what few there are. You don’t have to buy anything, but you might help drive up the bids.” He winked. “Don’t tell anyone I told you that, though.”
She laughed. “I’m Ivy Madison,” she said, too much enthusiasm in her voice. “Assistant county attorney.”
“Of course you are. I should have guessed. Eli and Noelle Hueston.” Noelle stuck out her hand. “Eli’s the former sheriff. Hence the fact that we’ve come with our checkbook. C’mon, I’ll tell you who to bid on.”
Who to bid on?
Ivy had followed them inside, taking a look around the crowded room. Pictures of soldiers hung in metal frames, along with listings of member names illuminated by neon bar signs. The smells of deep-fried buffalo wings, beer, and war camaraderie were embedded in the dark-paneled walls.
A line formed around the pool table near the back of the room—what looked like former glory-day athletes lined up with their beers or colas parked on the round tables. Two men threw darts into an electronic board.
Then her gaze hiccuped on a man sitting alone near the jukebox, sending a jolt of familiarity through her.
Jensen Atwood.
For a moment, she considered talking to him—not that he’d know her, but maybe she’d introduce herself, tell him, I’m the one who put together your amazing plea agreement. Yes, that had been a hot little bit of legalese. The kind that had eventually landed her right here, in her dream job, dream town.
But Noelle glanced back and nodded for Ivy to follow, so she trailed behind them to an open table.
“Every year, on the last night of the solstice festival, we have a charity auction. It’s gotten to be quite an event,” Noelle said, gesturing to a waitress. She came over and Eli ordered a basket of wings, a couple chocolate malts. Ivy asked for a Coke.
“What do they auction?”
“Oh, fishing gear. Boats. Snowblowers. Sometimes vacation time-shares in Cancún. Whatever people want to put up for charity. But this year, they have something special on the
agenda.” Noelle leaned close, her eyes twinkling. Ivy already liked her. And the way Eli had her hand wrapped in his. What might it be like to be in love like that? That kind of love . . . well, Ivy had only so many wishes, and she’d flung them all at living here, in Deep Haven.
“What?” Ivy asked.
“They’re auctioning off the local bachelors.”
And as if on cue, that’s when the lumberjack bachelor had taken the stage.
Ivy sipped her Coke, watching the frenzy.
“So are you going to bid?” Noelle asked.
Ivy raised a shoulder.
The lumberjack went for two hundred dollars, too rich for Ivy’s blood, to a woman wearing a moose antler headband. He flexed for her as he walked off stage, and the crowd erupted.
A clean-cut, handsome young man took the stage next, to the whoops of the younger crowd down front. “That’s my son,” Noelle said, clearly enjoying the spectacle. He seemed about nineteen or twenty, tall and wearing a University of Minnesota, Duluth, T-shirt. He was built like an athlete and had a swagger to match.
“He plays basketball for the UMD Bulldogs,” Noelle said. She placed the first bid and got a glare from the young man on stage.
A war started between factions in the front row. “Should I bid?” Ivy asked. Not that she would know what to do with a bachelor ten years younger than her. Maybe she could get him to mow her lawn.
“No. Save your money for Owen Christiansen.”
Probably another lumberjack from the woods, with a flannel shirt and the manners of a grizzly. Ivy affected a sort of smile.
“Maybe you’ve heard of him? He plays hockey for the Minnesota Wild.”
“No, sorry.”
“He’s something of a local celebrity. Played for our hometown team and then got picked up by the Wild right after high school.”
“I’m not much of a hockey fan.”
“Honey, you can’t live in Deep Haven and not be a hockey fan.” Noelle grinned, turning away as the wings arrived.
Ivy ignored the way the words found tender space and stabbed her in the chest. But see, she wanted to live in Deep Haven . . .
Noelle offered her a wing, but Ivy turned it down. “Owen’s parents, John and Ingrid Christiansen, run a resort about five miles out of town. It’s one of the legacy resorts—his great-grandfather settled here in the early nineteen hundreds and set up a logging camp. It eventually turned into one of the hot recreation spots on the north shore, although in today’s economy, they’re probably struggling along with the rest of the Deep Haven resorts. I’m sure Owen’s appearance on the program is a bid for some free publicity. Owen is the youngest son of the clan, one of six children. I’m sure you’ll meet them—all but two still live in Deep Haven.”
A redhead won the bachelor on stage and ran up to claim her purchase. Ivy escaped to the ladies’ room.
What if she did bid on Owen? Truly, the last thing she needed in her life was a real bachelor. Someone she might fall for, someone who could so easily break her heart.
Maybe she could ask said bachelor to show her around Deep Haven. Teach her about hockey. Certainly it might give her a little social clout to be seen with the town celebrity.
She could faintly hear the announcer stirring up the fervor for the next contestant, then a
trickle of applause for the main attraction as he took the stage. She walked out, standing by the bar to survey this hometown hero.
They grew them big up here in the north woods. Indeed, he looked like a hockey champion, with those wide shoulders, muscular arms stretching the sleeves of his deep-green shirt that read Evergreen Resort—memories that live forever. He stood at ease like one might do in the military, wearing jeans that hugged his legs all the way down to the work boots on his feet. The man looked like an impenetrable fortress, not a hint of marketing in his face. So much for winning the audience.
In fact, to use the only hockey term she knew, he looked like he’d just been checked hard into the boards and come up with some sort of permanent scowl, none too happy to be standing in the middle of the stage of the local VFW as the main attraction.
“C’mon, everyone, who will start the bidding for our Deep Haven bachelor tonight?”
Ivy looked around the room. It had hushed to a pin-drop silence, something not quite right simmering in the air. She glanced over to where Jensen Atwood had been sitting and found his seat vacant.
On stage, the man swallowed. Shifted. Pursed his lips. Oh, poor Owen. Her heart knocked her hard in the chest. She knew exactly what it felt like not to be wanted.
“One hundred dollars? Who has it tonight for our local hero?”
She scanned the room, saw patrons looking away as if embarrassed. Even Eli and Noelle had taken a sudden interest in their dinner.
Owen sighed and shook his head.
And right then, the pain of the moment squeezed the words from Ivy’s chest. “Five hundred dollars!”
Every eye turned toward her, and for a moment, she had the crazy but horribly predictable urge to flee. But the words were out, so she took a step forward, toward the stage. “I bid five hundred dollars,” she said again, fighting the wobble in her voice.
Ivy shot a look at Noelle, expecting approval. But Noelle wore an expression of what she could only pinpoint as panic. Wasn’t she the one who’d suggested Ivy buy the man?
And then from the stage, she heard, “Well, that’s good enough for me! Sold, to the pretty lady in the white jacket. Miss, come up to the stage and claim your prize.”
Still, no one said a word—not a cheer, not a gasp, nothing. Ivy swallowed and met the eyes of the man on stage. “I’ll meet him by the bar,” she said, her voice small.
Owen looked as relieved as she was that they didn’t have to create some public spectacle. He moved off the stage and the auctioneer mercifully introduced the band. The men in back resumed their pool playing.
Ivy couldn’t help it. She edged over to Noelle. “What’s the matter? I know he looks a little rough around the edges, but—”
“That’s not Owen,” Noelle said, wiping her fingers with a napkin. She shot a glance past Ivy, possibly at the stranger she’d just purchased.
“What?”
“Owen couldn’t make it. That’s Darek Christiansen. His big brother.”
Ivy turned now, found her man weaving his way through the crowd. He didn’t stop to glad-hand anyone or even slap friends on the back.
In fact, it seemed she’d purchased the pariah of Deep Haven.
Noelle confirmed it. “Brace yourself, honey. You’ve just purchased the most ineligible eligible bachelor in town.”

***

Everything inside Darek told him to keep going, right on out of the VFW until he hit his Jeep, and then punch the gas toward the hills.
And hide.
He would murder Owen next time he saw him, which wouldn’t be anytime soon, given the kid’s celebrity demands. Sorry, Bro. I can’t make it up today—I have a photo shoot. Owen couldn’t have thought ahead to that, maybe rearranged his oh-so-packed schedule? But Owen didn’t think beyond practice, improving his shot, and updating his Facebook status. Last time Darek checked, his twenty-year-old kid brother had 32,876 fans.
Darek had maybe thirty-eight friends on his own page. Not that he was counting, but it seemed like some sort of commentary on his life.
The minute Darek had hung up with Owen, he should have made himself scarce—loaded Tiger into the Jeep, attached the boat, and headed for some pristine lake. Except losing his head and forgetting his responsibilities was how he got here in the first place.
Instead he’d experienced a streak of clearly misplaced hope that the stigma, the gossip, might have finally died and he might once again be an eligible bachelor. Someone who just wanted to start over, for himself and his son.
The near silence in the room when they’d called his name, when he’d stepped up to take Owen’s place, confirmed that no, nothing had been forgotten.
Darek stalked past the bar, where, of course, his high school buddies gave him tight smiles.
He hadn’t seen any of the former Deep Haven Huskies getting up to sell their . . . well, it wasn’t exactly his body, and she certainly didn’t expect a real date, right? So he wasn’t sure what he was selling up there.
Darek glanced at his father, John, sitting at the end, nursing a Sprite. A linebacker-size man—bigger than any of his boys; he’d played fullback for the Minnesota Gophers back in the day. That he’d ended up with hockey players could only be blamed on the skating rink he’d cleared on the lake every January.
“Great job, Son,” his father said, catching his arm.
“This was a bad idea,” Darek groused, slowing his exit.
“Five hundred dollars doesn’t sound like such a bad idea. You were the most expensive bachelor here. That will make the news.”
“Yippee,” Darek said. But his father was right—he’d created a bit of buzz, and hopefully it would someday turn into goodwill for their lakeside vacation spot, Evergreen Lodge Outfitter and Cabin Rentals, which most people shortened to Evergreen Resort.
“Do you know the woman who bid on you?”
Darek scanned the room to locate her. He couldn’t see her well from the stage with the lights in his face, but he thought he’d glimpsed a redhead wearing a white jean jacket, her hair in a messy ponytail. She wasn’t tall, maybe five foot four, and a little on the curvy side.
Now he found her, sitting next to Noelle Hueston and staring at him like she’d purchased . . . well, the devil.
Darek turned away, his lips a grim line. “No, I don’t know her.”
His father wisely said nothing, took a sip of his Sprite. Then, “She looks pretty.”
“Next time you want to sell your flesh and blood, pick a different son.”
He caught his father’s smirk as he turned to leave, and it only darkened his mood.
No one from Deep Haven, not a soul, had bid on him. What was so different about him from, say, the two previous bachelors?
Okay, maybe that wasn’t a fair question. Neither of them walked around with the stigma of being the youngest widower in town, pity and probably the tsk of tongues following in their wake.
He glanced over to the chair where Jensen Atwood had sat, smug, rich, wearing a fancy leather jacket, his hair cut short and slicked back, contempt in his eyes. Yes, he’d seen the man sitting near the back, next to the jukebox, like no one would notice. He had a lot of nerve showing up here, and Darek had just about launched off the stage toward him. That might be a show the locals would bid on—a go-round between Jensen and Darek. Finally.
Instead he’d dark-eyed the guy into fleeing. It fed the heat inside him, gave Darek the strength to stand there like an idiot while the town shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
Until, of course, Moneybags piped up.
Five hundred dollars.
Wow, did she waste her money on him.
And what kind of woman paid five hundred dollars for a man she didn’t know? Hopefully she didn’t want a real date. He wasn’t a real-date kind of guy.
In fact, he was a never-date kind of guy.
Darek shook his head and headed out the door.
He paused on the sidewalk for a moment, drawing in the clean air, shaking off the reek of old cigarettes, whiskey, and town gossip that coated him like grime. The moon had risen, hovering above the town, milky light washing over the trading post, the Blue Moose Café, pooling in the harbor, icing the waves of the lake.
He could feel his heartbeat thundering in his chest and hated how easily his guilt took hold of him, turned him surly. At the least, he should swallow his pride—what was left of it—and meet the woman who had forked out good money for him. For charity.
Instead he moved away from the door and dug out his cell phone, about to call home.
“Hey, where are you going?”
He turned, pressing End. His “owner” had followed him out of the VFW. A fireball with green eyes and freckles, wearing the jean jacket he remembered over a T-shirt and a green scarf. She stood about to his shoulder but had no problem slamming her hands to her hips and toeing up to him.
“I thought we had a date.”
“Is that what you want? A date?” He didn’t mean for it to emerge so sharp, even angry, and didn’t blame her for the way she opened her mouth as if she’d been slapped.
“No, I, uh—”
“Then why did you buy me? And why on earth would you pay five hundred dollars? Sheesh, lady, you must be desperate or something.”
Wow. He must have lost control of everything decent inside him. But he didn’t like the feeling of being humiliated.
Or owned.
In fact, the entire thing made him feel trapped and small, and he’d had enough of that, thank you.
Her mouth closed. Pinched. “I’m not desperate. If you want to know the truth, I felt sorry for you.”
He probably deserved that, despite the way it sideswiped him. He didn’t let on, however, preferring to stare at her, something icy he’d learned from his years on the rink. “Okay, then, let’s just get this over with. What do you want?”
“I—”
“You should know that I’m not like the other guys in there. If you’re looking for some kind of fling, I’m not your man. I can probably hook you up with one of my buddies—”
“Wow. Stay away from me.” She whirled around, heading down the sidewalk, and he knew he was a first-class jerk.
“Wait!”
She held up a hand. “Forget it! You’re right; this was a bad idea.”
He ran after her—boy, she had a fast walk for such a short woman. “Listen, I’m sorry. Really. It’s just that you don’t want a date with me. If you ask, I’ll bet you can get your money back.”
“I don’t want it back.”
She didn’t stop and he was walking fast to keep up.
“Then what do you want? Why did you buy me?”
She stopped, breathing hard. Pressed her fingers to her eyes. Oh no, she wasn’t crying, was she?
He swallowed, his throat on fire, hearing his words and wishing he wasn’t the kind of guy who ran full speed into hurting others.
You are so selfish. Felicity, in his head. Always in his head.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly, shoving his hands into his pockets. The wind took his words, flung them toward the lake. “It’s just that I’m the last person you want to be seen in town with.”
She sighed, turning her face away from him. “Well, I don’t have anyone else.” Her voice emerged small and wheedled in past the anger, the annoyance.
It settled inside, in a place he reserved for Tiger, and he tempered his tone. “Are you here for the weekend?
“No. I live here.” She said it with a layer of determination, as if convincing herself.
Really? “I know nearly everyone in this town—”
“I moved here yesterday. I’m the new assistant county attorney.”
Uh-oh. He’d heard that the current assistant CA had resigned to stay home with her newborn child. He’d miss the way she tolerated his monthly phone calls. But someone had to keep tabs on Jensen, right? He looked at this angry sprite and grimaced, imagining her reaction next time Jensen threatened a restraining order.
Darek might be the one doing years of community service.
“Sorry,” he said again.
Her shoulder jerked in a halfhearted shrug.
“Maybe . . . maybe I could help you carry furniture or chop wood or mow your grass or something.”
She had folded her hands across her chest. “Wow, I must be a real catch for you to offer to mow my lawn instead of being seen in public with me.”
“No, I—”
“Like I said, you’re off the hook.”
“I don’t want to be off the hook. You bought me fair and square.”
She pursed her lips.
“I have an idea. C’mon.”
She frowned at him, and frankly he was done begging, not sure how he’d gotten to this point in the first place. So he turned and headed for the Jeep, parked just down the street.
He didn’t look behind him but heard her steps. When he reached the car, he held her door open like a gentleman, although he knew he might be a little late to resurrect any sort of real
gallantry.
She looked up at him before getting in, her eyes big and shiny in the moonlight. They caught his and for the first time, he noticed how pretty they were, with golden flecks at the edges.
“I’m safe, even if I’m a jerk.”
“I have friends who will hunt you down and kill you if I go missing.”
“I have no doubt.” He took a long breath and stuck out his hand. “Darek Christiansen, Deep Haven tour guide, at your service, milady.”
She regarded his hand for a moment, and he sensed something shifting inside her. “Ivy Madison.” Then she slid one of her petite hands into his and smiled.
The full force of it reached out and poured into him, hot and bold and shaking him through. He dropped her grip, swallowed. Stepped back.
She climbed into the Jeep and reached for the seat belt, her eyes on his as he closed the door.
Oh, boy.
Maybe he should have run when he had the chance.

***

Jensen sat outside the VFW in the Pine Acres work truck—the one he took to town when he wanted to hide—and watched Darek get the girl. Again.
And why not? Darek Christiansen always won.
Tonight, he’d stared Jensen down until he’d had no choice but to slink out. The last thing Jensen wanted was a fight. Especially with only six weeks left on his sentence. He didn’t need a judge deciding he wasn’t repentant enough and upgrading his community service to a stint behind bars.
Jensen should simply concede that Darek would always win. His streak began in fourth grade, when they’d both started playing hockey, and continued long after Jensen moved away, returning every summer as they vied for Felicity’s attention.
Sure, Jensen had a few glimmering moments. Like the summer Darek escaped to Montana to fight the fire in Glacier National Park with the Jude County Hotshots, after Jensen had given up his own firefighting dreams. Jensen and Felicity had nearly become something that stuck then—probably would have if Darek hadn’t returned home tan and triumphant.
And of course, there was the simple fact that in the end Darek had married Felicity. Jensen hadn’t quite seen that one coming. But then again, he doubted Darek had either.
He watched as Darek and the redhead headed out of town in his Jeep Wrangler. For a moment, he debated going back inside to listen to the Blue Monkeys. After all, that’s why he’d braved the auction—Jensen normally slunk in late for the band’s events, sitting in the shadows so no one saw him. But today he’d misjudged the time, the auction ran over, and well, creeping back in now felt too much like tucking his tail between his legs.
He had at least a smidgen of pride left.
Jensen put the truck into gear and pulled out.
One hundred hours and he’d be free; he could leave Deep Haven and never look back. Maybe keep driving all the way to California or Mexico, where he could change his name and leave his past in the dust.
On top of the hill over the town, Jensen resisted the urge to glance out the passenger window at the scattering of lights that made up Deep Haven. Eyes, watching him, blinking, accusing.
He kept his gaze on the road, slowing as he took the truck around a curve carved through the granite, where the shoulder disappeared. His hands slickened and he caught himself holding his
breath.
He couldn’t wait to leave. But to do that, he’d have to find a few more places where he could go, hat in hand, begging for hours. Deep Haven seemed determined to keep him from fulfilling his community service, especially lately. Volunteer jobs had fizzled to ten hours a week and some places, like the after-school tutoring program, had turned him away.
Apparently the fact that he had graduated from college and managed two years of law school didn’t matter to the English teachers struggling to teach their sixth graders to read.
No, if the citizens of Deep Haven had their way, he would have been their first public stoning.
He turned south where the road split around Evergreen Lake and took the paved road to the end, pulling in to the gated community of Pine Acres. The electronic gate and pass card could probably be considered overkill, but his father had promoted safety for the vacation homes when he jumped into the world of property development and created the luxury vacation community, and he kept his word. At least to the residents of the community.
As Jensen drove through the gates, he noticed that deer had snacked on the currant bushes by the entrance. He’d have to reshape them, maybe spray. A bulb was out on the automatic entry lights, and he spotted a tree down along one of the wooded drives. He’d come by tomorrow on the four-wheeler and clean it up.
He had to mow, anyway, and finish painting the Millers’ garage—a project his father thought might fill time and create some goodwill. After all, the Millers were one of his father’s largest clients in the Cities with their string of cinemas.
Jensen crawled into the driveway of his father’s massive vacation home and parked the truck outside. As he got out, the stars created a canopy of brilliance, innocent and bright. They felt so close he wanted to reach up and touch one. The wind hushed in the white pine and birch, the poplar and willow that surrounded the property.
Motion sensor lights flickered on as Jensen moved toward the service door, blinding him for a moment. Then he let himself into the darkness of the garage and didn’t bother to turn on the lights, toeing off his shoes and moving from memory up the stairs to the great room. At the top, moonlight streamed through the grand windows that overlooked the lake, waxing the wood floor with light. The ceiling rose two stories, trapping the silences of the grand house, and the place smelled of the walleye he’d cooked for lunch in butter and dill. He dropped his keys onto the granite countertop and opened the double-door stainless fridge, peering inside for something. Anything.
Grabbing a root beer in a tall bottle, he twisted off the cap and padded out to the deck.
The lake rippled in the darkness, fingers of light feathering over the surface. He could barely make out Gibs’s light next door, trickling through the woods and across the sandy beach. He should check on the old man. A canoe lay moored on the sand, evidence of a recent visit by his granddaughter, Claire. How she loved to canoe the length of the lake.
Jensen didn’t mean to stalk, but he loved watching her. And what else did he have to do, really?
Across the lake, almost directly from Pine Acres, the lights of the Evergreen Resort main lodge blazed.
Once upon a time, he and Darek had been the kings of Evergreen Lake.
He set his root beer on the railing and dug out his harmonica.
The sound echoed across the lake, long and twangy, Johnny Cash’s “Cry! Cry! Cry!” Maybe it was a little indulgent, but tonight, he couldn’t help it. “You’ll call for me but I’m gonna tell you, bye, bye, bye . . .”
He listened to the last of the sound lingering as he finished. It was so easy, sometimes, to just close his eyes, lose himself in memories. The heat of the sun on his skin, the taste of trouble in his laughter. Standing on the bow of the canoe, his feet balanced on the edges. Claire and Felicity on the seat in the middle, and at the stern, facing him, similarly balanced, stood Darek.
Jensen had seen that sparking of challenge in Darek’s eyes as he said, “You can’t knock me off.”
“Watch me.” Jensen gave the canoe a playful jerk.
Felicity squealed. The summer had turned her hair a rich, luscious blonde, and with her skimpy bikini, he could barely keep his eyes in his head. She faced him, grinning, and he wondered if she could hear his heart pounding in his chest.
Claire grabbed for her side of the seat, and he caught her gaze on him. She always made him feel a little naughty, even when he wasn’t thinking anything he shouldn’t. Then again, he supposed that’s what a missionary kid was supposed to do. Make you behave.
But on days like this, with the sun streaming down his back and both girls smiling up at him, he didn’t care about behaving.
Just winning.
Jensen jerked the canoe hard, and Darek’s arms windmilled. He nearly went over but found his balance and stamped his foot, making the canoe lurch the other direction.
Jensen caught himself and jerked it back, this time fast, hard and--
Darek leaned into it, and suddenly Jensen found himself in the air. The chill of lake water swept away his breath, and he kicked hard to right himself.
He found Darek’s hand reaching for him when he came up. Jensen took it. And yanked.
Darek flipped over his head and into the lake. Darek came up sputtering, then launched himself at Jensen. They wrestled until they both hung on the side of the canoe, breathing hard.
“Let’s take your dad’s boat out, get some dinner down at the Landing,” Felicity said as Darek reached for her. She swatted him. Glanced at Jensen. “Please?”
“Sure.”
Claire reached out and helped Jensen into the canoe. Darek climbed in after him and they paddled back to shore.
Thankfully, his father wouldn’t be back until the weekend to grouse about the boat. Claire and Felicity met him in sundresses and they picked up Darek across the lake, then motored down to the outside grill and restaurant, Jensen’s knee propped on the diver’s chair as he guided the boat.
“Faster, Jens!” Felicity said, so he pushed up the throttle. Darek frowned, his eyes darkening, but Felicity was laughing and Jensen could feel it in his chest.
Her laughter always felt sweetly dangerous, like if he hung on too long, it might burn him. He could still hear her sometimes, in the darkness across the lake. Taste the memory of that curious summer when he had her all to himself, feel the texture of her kisses. What a fool he’d been, gobbling up the idea that if he did it right, she might belong to him. Believing that he even really wanted that.
Because she’d never belonged to him. Not then, not later.
He opened his eyes, staring into the night, at the lights across the lake, pressing into the darkness.
He should have remembered that Darek Christiansen always won.

Endorsements

RITA Award–winning and best-selling inspirational author Warren takes readers on a journey back to Deep Haven, Minnesota, as in The Shadow of Your Smile (2012). Ivy Madison believes moving to the idyllic town will be her opportunity to start fresh, but she soon learns life in a small world is tricky. Meeting Darek Christiansen complicates her life even further, because her work is intertwined with his past in a way she fears will lead him to reject her. Claire Gibson and Jensen Atwood both love Deep Haven but feel trapped by their pasts. Unable to let go of their pain, they both remain stubbornly convinced that God has turned against them. As Ivy starts to transform Darek’s ways, Claire and Jensen must also learn to change. When disaster threatens the home they all love, they quickly learn what has been truly important all along. Warren once again creates a compelling community full of vivid individuals whose anguish and dreams are so real and relatable, readers will long for every character to attain the freedom their hearts desire.
Booklist

Warren (The Shadow of Your Smile) returns to the rugged landscape of Deep Haven, Minn., with a spin-off series featuring the Christiansen family. Widower Darek Christiansen is mortified at having to fill in for his hockey-star brother at a charity bachelor auction. Ivy Madison, the new assistant county attorney, moved to Deep Haven in search of the stability that seemed to elude her. She impulsively places the winning bid, unaware of Darek’s past. Darek is equally oblivious to Ivy’s association with Jensen Atwood, a man linked to the death of Darek’s wife. The sons of two well-respected Deep Haven families, Darek and Jensen barely tolerate one another, though once they were best friends. As a romance blossoms between Darek and Ivy, she soon realizes that her connection to Jensen could be the undoing of any future for her budding relationship. Warren lays bare her characters’ human frailties, including fear, grief, and resentment, as openly as she details their virtues of love, devotion, and resiliency. She has crafted an engaging tale of romance, rivalry, and the power of forgiveness.
Publishers Weekly

Widower Darek Christiansen is not pleased when he has to fill in for his brother at a bachelor auction. But love blooms after Ivy Madison, the new assistant county attorney, places the winning bid. Unfortunately, their relationship is threatened by Ivy having arranged a plea bargain three years ago for Jenson Atwood, the man considered responsible for the death of Darek’s wife. VERDICT: Warren’s (“Deep Haven” series) new series launch has it all: romance, suspense, and intrigue. It is sure to please her many fans and win her new readers, especially those who enjoy Terri Blackstock.
Library Journal

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Free Friday - Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer

4/26/2013

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Paradise Valley
The Daughters Of Caleb Bender book 1
by
Dale Cramer

“I would do a great many things for you.”

Even at sixteen, Jake’s handsome features hold the calm certainty and patient confidence of a man, and Rachel Bender knows—Jake Weaver is the one.

Rachel will grow into a strong young woman with powerful gifts—but in a faraway country, without her Jake. In 1921, Ohio’s new law forces Caleb Bender’s family to seek sanctuary in the wilds of Mexico where the government will not interfere with their Amish way of life, or take their children from them. Nor will it protect them from the bandits terrorizing the countryside.

In an unfamiliar land where no one speaks their language or knows their ways, the Benders establish a homestead in exile. Sisters Emma, Rachel, and Miriam find strengths unimagined, gifts unexpected, and yearning beyond their deepest dreams. Even steadfast Caleb is compelled to wrestle with the demands of faith, only to discover that love has its own demands.

File Size: 507 KB
Print Length: 370 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0764208381
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (January 1, 2011)
ASIN: B004EPYYDQ

Dale Cramer

Click HERE for the book.
ALWAYS check the price before clicking to make sure it is still Free ($0.00)
Sale ends April 30th

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Book Trailer Teaser - A Wedding For Julia by Vannetta Chapman

4/23/2013

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Liked A Promise For Miriam? Loved A Home For Lydia? Check out the book trailer for the next book in The Pebble Creek Amish series, A Wedding For Julia! This book will be available July 1st, so enjoy the teaser and pre-order your copy now.

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (July 1, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0736946160
ISBN-13: 978-0736946162

About the Author

Vannetta Chapman has published more than 100 articles in Christian family magazines. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Vannetta is a multi-award-winning member of Romance Writers of America. She was a teacher for 15 years and currently resides in the Texas Hill country. Her first two inspirational novels—A Simple Amish Christmas and Falling to Pieces—were Christian Book Distributors bestsellers.

Connect with Vannetta
Facebook - HERE
Twitter - HERE
Pinterest - HERE

Vannetta Chapman

Visit Vannetta's website HERE, while there you can sign up for her newsletter and purchase Signed copies of her books.

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Monday Movie - Mrs. Pollifax - Spy

4/23/2013

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This post was supposed to be done on Monday but I was away from the internet all day so Monday movie will be Tuesday Treat for this time.

Mrs. Pollifax - Spy
Starring
Rosalind Russell • Darren McGavin

(1971)

Mrs. Polifax, The Spy Who Came Out Of The Kitchen.

Mrs. Emily Pollifax of New Jersey goes to the CIA to volunteer for spy duty, being in her own opinion, expendable now that the children are grown and she's widowed. And being just what the department needed (someone who looks and acts completely unlike a spy), she's assigned to simple courier duty to pick up a book in Mexico City. But when the pickup doesn't go as plan, Mrs. Pollifax finds herself handcuffed to a handsome stranger on a plane bound for an Albania prison. And it's up to her to get them out.

A fun spy-spoof!
This movie is a fun and funny spy story with enough grit to keep the story moving.
I haven't read the book that the movie was based on so I can't really compare them or the actor's portrayals of the characters. What I can say is that in this, Rosalind Russell's final movie, she did an excellent job! She is practical but optimistic, and this widow must save the day!
Darren McGavin provides the other half of this crazy duo. He does a great job in this roll as the pessimistic and very real spy.

So, grab some popcorn and head out on a fun and danger-filled adventure in Mexico City and Albania!

110 Minutes

Principal Cast

Rosalind Russell ... Mrs. Pollifax
Darren McGavin ... Farrell
Nehemiah Persoff ... Berisha
Harold Gould ... Nexdhet
Albert Paulsen ... Perdido
John Beck ... Lulash
Dana Elcar ... Carstairs
James Wellman ... Mason
Dennis Cross ... Bishop

Filming Locations

Grand Teton National Park, Moose, Wyoming, USA
Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Mrs. Pollifax - Spy isn't currently available on on DVD. I watched this movie via Netflix. Click the button below to go to the Netflix homepage.

Note: You must have a Netflix account to use the link.

UPDATE: This title is currently unavailable on Netflix.

Thanks to IMDB.com for most of the info for this movie.

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Book Review - Forsaken Dreams by MaryLu Tyndall

4/20/2013

9 Comments

Genre:
Historical

The Winner of the Bead Bookmark by Jasmine is...
Diana Montgomery
Entry #34

-From the back cover-

THEY LEFT EVERYTHING
BEHIND TO BUILD A NEW
SOUTHERN UTOPIA...

• • •

Colonel Blake Wallace has seen enough death to last a lifetime. Weary and disillusioned, he slumps beneath the weight of defeat and loss. With his entire family murdered by the North and his name appearing on a list of officers wanted for war crimes, Blake organizes a shipload of southerners, who, like him, long to escape the horrors of war and start a new life in a verdant land called Brazil.

Eliza Crawford can barely remember the days of her youth spend in the opulence and comfort at her Georgian home. She can't help but wonder how different her life would be had she not met her late husband, Stanton Watts, a general in the Northern army. Now a war window, Eliza is rejected by both North and South, Desperate to keep her marriage a secret and escape her past and pain, she hopes to start over again in Brazil.

But once the voyage begins, troubles abound. Dangers at sea and enemies from within threaten to keep Blake and Eliza from the life - and love - they long for.

My first word for this review is “WOW!” I had already read some of MaryLu Tyndall's pirate stories and enjoyed them but this book was different. Not just a different time period and location but a different flavor to the story itself, one I really liked.

Forsaken Dreams isn't the usual historical novel, no, this one has a little suspense, and a definite supernatural element. Before you start thinking that it is some weird paranormal story in hoopskirts, I will tell you it isn't. MaryLu Tyndall tells the truth, there really were and still are situations where very strange and inexplicable things happen that can only be stopped by fasting and prayer.

OK, so I have mentioned the supernatural element BUT this book really IS a historical novel. The story takes place not long after the Civil War is over, hatred and fear is still running high on both sides. The story is from the viewpoint of the Southerners that had just lost literally everything. No, slavery is not condoned but it is spoken of as a past and then current fact. There were Southerners on both sides of the slavery issue and that is clearly shown in this book. That brings up one thing I sincerely loved about this book, MaryLu did not try to insert modern ideas into her historical character's heads. This book is full of historical detail, not drowning in it, but the right balance for a reader to enjoy.

Also available for

Kindle
HERE

Nook
HERE

This E-book earned a 4.5 Bark Rating

Print Length: 322 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books (March 1, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1616265965
ISBN-13: 978-1616265960

MaryLu Tyndall

Connect with MaryLu online.

Website: http://www.marylutyndall.com
Blog: http://crossandcutlass.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MaryLu-Tyndall-Swashbuckling-Romance/175344859169475
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLuTyndall
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/mltyndall/

I am part of the Author's team and this book was provided by the author for the purpose of this review. I received no financial compensation for this review.

To me, a brief summary of this book would be; Forgiveness and Love can mean the world to someone, and to just about all of us, no matter what we have done or endured.

So in the end what you get is a very well written book with the 4-E's. Engaging, Engrossing, Entertaining, Enjoyable. OK, so Eliza was a little TOO good sometimes but that didn't make Forsaken Dreams any less of a wonderful read. Can't wait for the release of the next book in this series, Elusive Hope!

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Forsaken Dreams a 4.5 Bark Rating.

It's Giveaway Time!

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Book Blast - Love The Wounded by Lynn Dove - 4/16/13

4/16/2013

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Title: Love the Wounded By Lynn Dove

About the Book:

Love the Wounded by Lynn Dove is the final and dramatic conclusion to her brilliant Wounded Trilogy series that has followed the lives of teenagers Jake, Leigh, Mike, Dylan and Tim as they come to terms with a series of tragedies and events that have made each of them question why God allows bad things to happen to good people. Leigh does not know who to choose her heart tells her she will always love Jake, but he has changed so much since the death of their friend, Ronnie, and with his mother going through breast cancer, he has totally closed himself off from her emotionally. Now she is dating Dylan and try as she might to accept him for who he is, she can't stop thinking about Jake! Dylan has never gotten over the loss of his father and little sister, killed by a drunk driver when he was just a young boy. After a horrific accident that has put both Tim and his little brother, Evan in the hospital, everyone knows that not only is he being bullied at school; he cuts himself to cope with it all. But meeting Cassidy has given him the courage to stand up to the bullies and at the same time give her what she so desperately needs a life-giving bone marrow transplant. Jake's mother keeps telling him that God works all things out for good but with all the things going on in his life and with his friends, he's just not sure anymore. It is only after Mike is paralyzed in a car accident that Jake was partially responsible for that all the families and friends will be brought back together, not by coincidence, but by God's design and then Jake will finally believe that God truly does Love the Wounded. A life of working with youth has inspired Lynn Dove, a Cochrane mother to turn her experiences into a book trilogy(the Wounded Trilogy) series that parallels the struggles of students(and) covers the angst of some of the real serious issues that teenagers face today, particularly with bullying and gossip. -Rocky View Weekly-

Kindle | Paperback

Lynn Dove

Lynn Dove calls herself a Christ-follower, a wife, a mom, a grandmother, a teacher and a writer (in that order). She is the author of award winning books: The Wounded Trilogy. Her blog, Journey Thoughts won a Canadian Christian Writing Award - 2011. She has also had essays published in "Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith" and "Chicken Soup for the Soul - Parenthood" (March 2013). Readers may connect with Lynn on Facebook, Twitter and on her blogs: Journey Thoughts and Word Salt or on her website: www.shootthewounded.org Follow Lynn Dove Website | Facebook | Twitter

Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Enter below to enter a $50 amazon gift card, sponsored by author Lynn Dove! a Rafflecopter giveaway This book blast is hosted by Crossreads. We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!

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Monday Movie - Adam's Rib

4/15/2013

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Adam's Rib
Starring
Spencer Tracy ■ Katharine Hepburn

(1949)

Funniest Picture in 10 Years!

Husband-and-wife lawyers Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn face the biggest case of their professional lives when they take opposite sides in the trial of a woman accused of trying to shoot her philandering husband. Amanda (Hepburn) uses everything she can to win the case and Adam (Tracy) gets mad about it. As a result, their perfect marriage is disturbed by everyday quarrels... Witty "battle of the sexes" comedy from Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin.

What to do when a husband and wife take different sides... of the courtroom, when both are right and both are wrong? Well? Fight it out like cats and dogs in true Tracy - Hepburn fashion, of course!

Part courtroom drama, part romance, and all comedy, this one one of my favorite
Spencer Tracy/Katharine Hepburn movies!

Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn didn't actually do that many movies together (?) but each one of them is memorable, usually for comedy, but also for that sizzling spark between them and this movie doesn't disappoint in either category.

An excellent choice for a 'quiet' evening at home...

101 Minutes

Principal Cast

Spencer Tracy ... Adam Bonner
Katharine Hepburn ... Amanda Bonner
Judy Holliday ... Doris Attinger
Tom Ewell ... Warren Attinger
David Wayne ... Kip Lurie
Jean Hagen ... Beryl Caighn

Filming Location(s)

Newtown, Connecticut, USA (CBS News)
Manhattan, New York City, New York
Criminal Courts Building - 100 Centre Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California (studio)
New York City, New York (Police Department headquarters)

Awards

Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Screenplay in 1950.

Quotes

Amanda Bonner: What I said was true, there's no difference between the sexes. Men, women, the same.
Adam Bonner: They are?
Amanda Bonner: Well, maybe there is a difference, but it's a little difference.
Adam Bonner: Well, you know as the French say...
Amanda Bonner: What do they say?
Adam Bonner: Vive la difference!
Amanda Bonner: Which means?
Adam Bonner: Which means hurrah for that little difference.

Thanks to IMDB.com for most of the info for this movie.

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Book Review - The Bridge by Lisa Bergren (E-book)

4/12/2013

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Genre:
Contemporary/Romance

The Bridge
by Lisa T. Bergren

Love can build a bridge.

After a tragic accident along the Swan River took the life of his mother, young Jared Conway grew up thinking little of the family he lost. As an adult, he remains without an anchor. With his marriage truly over--despite his attempts at reconciliation with his ex-wife--and his young son far away at boarding school, Jared discovers that his success as a commodities broker has brought him little inner peace.

On impulse he suggests to his son, Nicolaus, that they go to Montana over the boy's summer break. Jared's plan is simple: to spend time with his child and to clean out the cabin he has inherited, in order to make a quick sale in the hot real-estate market.

But when he gets to the river in Montana, Jared encounters three things that will change his life forever: the forces that have been driving him toward empty success, love for a spiritually grounded ceramist named Eden Powell, and the bridge that will finally lead him home.

Wow, I enjoyed this book! Ok, so maybe I am a little biased here, the book's main location is not only in my home state but is about 2 hours from where I live.

Soooo, I am not going to talk about the great scenery descriptions just yet. People first right?
There was much to admire in this book about the love of family.

This E-book earned a 4.5 Bark Rating

Publisher: Bergren Creative Group, Inc.; Second edition (December 22, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
ASIN: B00ASMDHKK

This E-book was provided by the author for the purpose of this review. I received no financial compensation for this review.

In the first pages a mother sacrifices her life for her son. Jared tries to reconcile with his wife, he does want it to to work, it doesn't work but at least he did try one last time. Jared loves his son, more than anything, and willingly spends the summer just the two of them in a little Montana cabin. Eden loves her family as well, she visits her elderly grandmother in the nursing home, not only visits but talks with her and listens to her advice. Eden's brother also makes a protective appearance as do her parents.
In the people vein, this book is very emotional. I felt Eden's desire for peace and not wanting to risk her heart again. I felt Jared's fears around water, his love Nicolaus, and the battle he faced in deciding what do about his love for Eden. The author did an excellent job getting into her character's heads and hearts.

The 'religious' factor was most definitely present but didn't detract from the story. There is a fine balance of how much to put in a story and how much is too much, and I felt that Lisa, for the most part, didn't go too far either way.

OK, NOW I am going to talk about the scenery. Thought I might miss it didn't you? Nope! Since I have been to most of the locations mentioned in the story, gotta look around downtown Bigfork a little more, I can say that the author did a GREAT job. Not only did my little internal movie have plenty to work with you could also tell that the author really had been there, not only been there but loved it. It isn't often you can see an author's love of the place they are writing about but you sure could in The Bridge.

So, if you like a good love story or if you just want to take a little vacation to the beautiful State of Montana, The Bridge is an excellent choice for either or both reasons.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Bridge by Lisa T. Bergren a 4.5 Bark Rating

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Free Friday - It's a 2-fer today

4/12/2013

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I usually only do one book per post but this time I have two great books by two very wonderful authors, both are only available for a very short time so..... Also I have a nice surprise, book trailers for both books! Enjoy!

A Simple Amish Christmas
by
Vannetta Chapman

Annie Weaver always planned to return home, but the 20-year old RN has lived in Philadelphia for three years now. As her time of rumschpringe is about to come to an abrupt end, bringing for Annie an overwhelming sense of loneliness. She returns home and finds herself face-to-face with a budding romance with an Amish farmer and Annie has several important choices to make.

File Size: 682 KB
Print Length: 290 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1426710666
Publisher: Abingdon Press (March 1, 2010)
Language: English
ASIN: B0043VEGMK

Vannetta Chapman

Click HERE for the book.
ALWAYS check the price before clicking to make sure it is still Free ($0.00)

The Redemption
Legacy Of The Kings Pirates series book 1
by
MaryLu Tyndall

Lady Charlisse Bristol sets off on a voyage in search of a father she never knew, only to find herself shipwrecked on a desert island. Near starvation, she is rescued by a band of pirates and their fiercely handsome leader, Edmund Merrick. Will Clarisse win her struggle against the seductive lure of this pirate captain? While battling his attraction to this winsome lady, Edmund offers to help Charlisse on her quest-until he discovers her father is none other than Edward the Terror, the cruelest pirate on the Caribbean. Can Edmund win this lady's love while shielding her from his lecherous crew and working to bring her father to justice?

File Size: 570 KB
Print Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Mission Books (December 15, 2011)
Language: English
ASIN: B006PKM17Y

MaryLu Tyndall

Click HERE for the book.
ALWAYS check the price before clicking to make sure it is still Free ($0.00)

NOTE: Downloading this book is a little different. Add this book to your cart, you will need to create an account with the website (echristian.com), follow all the required steps (I didn't have to add any payment info since the book is free), choose which format you want to download EPUB or MOBI (I chose MOBI and it opened immediately in the Kindle app on my laptop), enjoy your book.

This book is also available directly for Kindle and Nook for 99¢.

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Monday Movie - The Forger

4/8/2013

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The Forger
Starring
Lauren Bacall ■ Josh Hutcherson ■ Alfred Molina

(2012)

Joshua Mason (Josh Hutcherson) is a troubled 15-year-old who is abandoned by his mother and loves to paint, and is quite good at it. But he mimics other people's paintings. One day an artist finds him painting one of his paintings and chases him. He gets away but now has no money for food. He sneaks into a house and finds a room with paintings and finishes one perfectly. The man who owns the house, Everly, finds him and calls the police but then finds the painting and is amazed and takes Josh under his wing. Josh finds out Everly just copies works. Now he has to make a decision, help him, or hurt him.

OK, so I usually don't watch very many modern movies, especially this new (2012), but my brother said to watch it and when I heard it had Lauren Bacall in it... Well, as you can see I watched it!

This movie is rather dark, but what about lying, stealing, and child abandonment isn't? But don't let that scare you off, while I wouldn't recommend this movie for young kids, it is a great movie.
Lauren Bacall provides a mysterious grandmotherly presence and the veteran actress really does make this movie.
Josh Hutcherson isn't to be dismissed either, he is a young but good actor that will likely go far in the movie world.

Drama, a little danger and mystery, boy that can mimic any painter, a lonely old woman, and the cute girl next door make The Forger a good movie to watch on an evening at home.

94 Minutes

Principal Cast

Lauren Bacall ... Anne-Marie
Josh Hutcherson ... Joshua
Alfred Molina ... Everly Campbell
Billy Boyd ... Bernie
Dina Eastwood ... Vanessa Reese
Adam Godley ... Pinkus
Scott Eastwood ... Ryan Felter
Alexandra Carl ... Rachel
Hayden Panettiere ... Amber Felter

Filming Location(s)

Carmel, California, USA

Quotes

Vanessa: Joshua, are you an only child?
Joshua: What does the file say?
Vanessa: It's incomplete.
Joshua: Yeah, well, that sounds like me.

Everly: The judge asked me to house you in the hope that you might benefit from some tutelage from me. Personally, I think you're a born loser who's gonna squander his talent before he realizes its full potential.
Joshua: Wow. That was some, uh... that was some motivational speech.

Everly: You take a painting by a particular artist, a lesser known work of little value; you strip it and then paint a forgery of a more valuable work over it.
Joshua: Wow, I guess you have this thing down to a science.
Everly: Many paintings hanging in great museums are forgeries.
Joshua: Really? Like, even famous ones?
Everly: You better believe it.

Anne-Marie: When it comes to girls, you make your own invitations.

DVD

Thanks to IMDB.com for most of the info for this movie.

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Book Review - Swept Away by Mary Conneally

Swept Away
Trouble In Texas book 1
Mary Connealy

Monday Movie - Flame Over India

Flame Over India
(North West Frontier)
Starring
Kenneth More • Lauren Bacall

Winner!

Diana Montgomery
Entry #34

Book Review & More - Take A Chance On Me by Susan May Warren

Take A Chance On Me
by
Susan May Warren

Free Friday - Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer

Paradise Valley
The Daughters Of Caleb Bender book 1
by
Dale Cramer

Book Trailer Teaser - A Wedding For Julia by Vannetta Chapman

Monday Movie - Mrs. Pollifax - Spy

Mrs. Pollifax - Spy
Starring
Rosalind Russell • Darren McGavin

Book Review - Forsaken Dreams by MaryLu Tyndall

Connect with MaryLu online.

It's Giveaway Time!

Book Blast - Love The Wounded by Lynn Dove - 4/16/13

About the Book:

Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Monday Movie - Adam's Rib

Adam's Rib
Starring
Spencer Tracy ■ Katharine Hepburn

Book Review - The Bridge by Lisa Bergren (E-book)

The Bridge
by Lisa T. Bergren

Free Friday - It's a 2-fer today

A Simple Amish Christmas
by
Vannetta Chapman

The Redemption
Legacy Of The Kings Pirates series book 1
by
MaryLu Tyndall

Monday Movie - The Forger

The Forger
Starring
Lauren Bacall ■ Josh Hutcherson ■ Alfred Molina

Author

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Swept Away Trouble In Texas book 1 Mary Connealy

Flame Over India (North West Frontier) Starring Kenneth More • Lauren Bacall

Diana MontgomeryEntry #34

Take A Chance On MebySusan May Warren

Paradise ValleyThe Daughters Of Caleb Bender book 1byDale Cramer

Mrs. Pollifax - SpyStarringRosalind Russell • Darren McGavin

Connect with MaryLu online.

It's Giveaway Time!

About the Book:

Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Adam's Rib Starring Spencer Tracy ■ Katharine Hepburn

The Bridge by Lisa T. Bergren

A Simple Amish ChristmasbyVannetta Chapman

The RedemptionLegacy Of The Kings Pirates series book 1byMaryLu Tyndall

The Forger Starring Lauren Bacall ■ Josh Hutcherson ■ Alfred Molina

Author

Follow Us

Get new posts by email:

Archives

Categories

Swept Away
Trouble In Texas book 1
Mary Connealy

Flame Over India
(North West Frontier)
Starring
Kenneth More • Lauren Bacall

Diana Montgomery
Entry #34

Take A Chance On Me
by
Susan May Warren

Paradise Valley
The Daughters Of Caleb Bender book 1
by
Dale Cramer

Mrs. Pollifax - Spy
Starring
Rosalind Russell • Darren McGavin

Adam's Rib
Starring
Spencer Tracy ■ Katharine Hepburn

The Bridge
by Lisa T. Bergren

A Simple Amish Christmas
by
Vannetta Chapman

The Redemption
Legacy Of The Kings Pirates series book 1
by
MaryLu Tyndall

The Forger
Starring
Lauren Bacall ■ Josh Hutcherson ■ Alfred Molina