Contemporary Romance Review: What Matters Most by Courtney Walsh

Book Description:
Emma Woodson is hoping the cobblestone streets of Nantucket and the charm of her late husband’s family cottage will be the fresh start she and her young son, CJ, need. Securing a dream job at an art gallery is one more step along the path to a new life . . . and away from a piece of her history she hopes will never be revealed. Falling in love with the kind and handsome guy she hires to clean out the rental apartment above the garage wasn’t part of the plan.

Jameson Shaw came to Nantucket for one reason: deliver his letter to Emma and never return. But when he sees an opportunity to help her, he takes a chance, desperate to atone for his past. He never planned to keep his connection to her husband a secret or to fall in love with her. After all, he knows that their new relationship might not survive the discovery of who he really is.

My Thoughts:
This is an amazing story of redemption, grace, and love. Emma and her son need a fresh start as she grieves. Jameson wants to reconcile for something in his past. When the two meet, sparks ignite. Behind every good story lies tension, and Walsh draws that into this beautiful story of forgiveness. I've read several of Courtney Walsh's books, and this is one of her best. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Emma grow as a person and take back some of her tenacity as she landed a job she longed for. Jameson is swoon worthy in his kind caring way. And CJ is a sweetheart. If you enjoy heartrending stories and romance, you'll want to read What Matters Most. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

His Strength Sustains Me

Psalm 144:1-2

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress,
    my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples under me.

In sorrow, grief, battles in life—God offers hope.

As I write this, I'm thinking about the people of the Ukraine who are truly in battle for their country, their homes, and their lives. Their horrific situation weighs on me. I have friends with family serving as missionaries there, and we pray for them and seek God's protection on their behalf.

Life for the last few years has been more than difficult, we've found our world turned upside down. My family has lost three loved ones in three months. With sorrow in our hearts, we mourn. Yet while we mourn, we know God has his hands wrapped around our hearts with His comfort and peace.

This week as I drove to my sister's home a song came on the radio. This is How I Fight my Battles by Chris Tomlin took me to a place I needed. The words reminded me that I'm surrounded by the God who loves me more than I understand. At that moment God's hope filled me, and his strength sustained me.

Romans 8:28 reminds me of the hope I have as a believer in Jesus. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." No matter what happens, God's love stays the same. He knows the outcome and sees what's next. Faith in God sees me through the heartache and brings me hope.

Pray with me for the people of the Ukraine and the folks who are hurting.

Cozy Mystery Review: The Unwelcome Wagon (Book & Mug Mysteries 1) by Michelle L. Levigne

Book Description:
Saundra Bailey has a rough few first days after moving to Camden Township to be the new children's librarian. First a strange man who smells of cheap cigars tries to get into her apartment, then she’s caught between two Welcome Wagon teams, which results in her feeling rather unwelcome. When Cigar Man later tries to steal her purse, she meets Kai, owner of Book & Mug, a coffee shop and bookstore. Cigar Man tried to break into the building Kai owns with his cousins, Eden and Troy, after trying to hire Eden, an investigator, to find lost family documents.

As Saundra settles into her new job and home, she learns about the political and social feuds and alliances in town. Then Cigar Man breaks into the Book & Mug building in the middle of the night, falls from a fire escape, and dies. The hunt is on to figure out what he was looking for, who was the other man with him when he fell, and whose side the mysterious accomplice is on.

Head Trustee Roger Camden, descendant of a founding father, has a growing list of grudges against the cousins and gets in the way of their investigation. Their building used to belong to his family. He accuses them of being in league with Cigar Man, who apparently was seeking Camden family documents. The foursome scramble to put together clues and identify Cigar Man’s accomplice before he hurts more people and makes more evidence and clues vanish.

My Thoughts:
The Unwelcome Wagon is filled with quirky characters, including new to Camden Township, Saundra. She moved to town as the children's librarian and ends up in the middle of a mystery. I liked the cousins, Kai, Eden, and Troy and hope to learn more of their story throughout the series. The township is laced with turmoil when a man breaking into places dies. Saundra, with the help of her new friends, and an old friend, sleuth about town until they find the truth. I enjoyed Michele Levigne's storytelling as she wove together clues, red herrings, and humor. If you're a cozy mystery reader, you'll want to check out this new series. I'm looking forward to the next one. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Available April 1, 2022, and now up for preorder from major book sellers.

Three Things That Help Me Through Life

Three things I cling to in times of trouble—joy, patience, and faithfulness.

Without joy—life is bleak.
With joy—I have hope.

Without patience—life can drive me crazy.
With patience—affliction is tolerable.

Without faithfulness—I fall apart.
With faithfulness—I can go to God in prayer.

 Romans 12:12

Plant Roots in His Truth

 Jeremiah 17:7-8

"But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

"Jesus found the muddiest parts of my heart and planted flowers." -the soul doctor

Crocus, daffodil, hyacinth and tulip leaves have pushed through the soil in my tiny garden. A few of the daffodils are already showing their pretty yellow heads and the crocus are waving goodbye to winter. When I planted the bulbs for each flower, I made sure the root of the bulb turned toward the earth. The roots needed to be where they could shoot down into the soil and draw up nourishment for the leaves and blossoms. If I had turned them the wrong way, the bulb would eventually rot.

A few years ago, I had a bush removed from the flower garden, most of the roots came out, but occasionally a little sprout from the bush pushes through the soil. Even though the plant went through trauma, the deep roots survived and still produce foliage.

Plants depend on their roots to provide what they need. With my feet planted in Jesus' mercy and grace, I continue to grow in Him. When I bloom, it doesn't matter what I look like on the outside, my roots in Jesus give me strength inside. No matter what I have gone through, I know Jesus is with me because I've planted my feet in His Word. Even when I've been cut down, my roots in Jesus give me strength. I often pray that my children and grandchildren have their roots firmly planted in Jesus. I pray that for my readers, too.

Each year my flowers fade as winter comes to visit, but the roots continue to grow and gather. By spring they're ready to sprout their green leaves and bloom with joy, like believers who love Jesus.

Plant roots in the truth of Jesus. Soak in His love and strength.

Praise Him With Every Breath

The tulip leaves are pushing their way through the dirt 

and preparing to burst into bloom.

After a difficult winter, I'm ready for vibrant blooms to adorn the earth. 

One of the things my mom and I talked about was gardening.

I have wonderful memories of her tending the flowers 

she grew behind our home.

I know I can honor her now by continuing to grow flowers 

and praise God while I work.

 

Fiction Suspense Review: Malicious Intent by Lynn H. Blackburn (Defend and Protect Book 2)

Description:
Dr. Ivy Collins, founder and CEO of Hedera, Inc., is ready to begin clinical trials of her company's cutting-edge prosthetic. Her work has been heralded by government, medical, and advocacy groups and everyone hopes the device will be a success. Well, almost everyone. Someone is trying to sabotage Hedera and the launch, but to what purpose--and how far will they go to get what they want? 

Meanwhile, U.S. Secret Service Agent Gil Dixon can't believe he's finally been reunited with Ivy, his childhood best friend. Now that he's found her again, Gil intends to spend the rest of his life with her. But it will take all his skill to uncover the truth in time to save Ivy's life's work, her own life, and the innocent lives caught in the crossfire.

Perfectly balancing chilling suspense and uplifting romance, award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn delivers a story of revenge, greed, and overcoming that you won't want to put down no matter how late it gets.

My Thoughts:
Blackburn always brings the action and intensity. Gil and Ivy knew each other as children and vowed to never part, but circumstances tore them away from each other. Now they meet again under extenuating circumstances. The threats toward Ivy force Gil to protect her, whether she wants him to or not. I love that the story brings out how greed and revenge can destroy a person's heart and how good wins over evil. Gil and Ivy's story is sweet and intense and the friendship of all the agents is uplifting and encouraging. If you enjoy suspense, Blackburn is for you. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.