The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

*Disclosure of material connection- I received the book in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book- 

Single mom Jessica Davis is a data and statistics wizard, but no amount of number crunching can convince her to step back into the dating world. Raised by her grandparents—who now help raise her seven-year-old daughter, Juno—Jess has been left behind too often to feel comfortable letting anyone in. After all, her father was never around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn’t “father material” before Juno was even born. Jess holds her loved ones close, but working constantly to stay afloat is hard...and lonely.

But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that’s predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers: This Jess understands.

At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98 percent compatibility with another subject in the database: one of GeneticAlly’s founders, Dr. River Peña. This is one number she can’t wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Peña. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition: Get to know him and we’ll pay you. Jess—who is barely making ends meet—is in no position to turn it down, despite her skepticism about the project and her dislike for River. As the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the “Diamond Match” that could launch GeneticAlly’s valuation sky-high, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist—and the science behind a soulmate—than she thought.

My thoughts-

One of my favorite current author's is Christina Lauren (who are really a duo of best friends tag teaming their authoring duties, which makes them even more compelling to me). I think I have read pretty much all of Christina Lauren's books at this point and was super excited for The Soulmate Equation! I thought the book started out kind of slow but once it got going I couldn't put it down. I love the concept of the book, DNA telling you who your soulmate is, and I love the dynamic between Jess and River from the very beginning. I also like the strong bonds Jess has with her family and her daughter. This book was equal parts funny and sweet, with a health dose of drama to keep it interesting. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance novels. 

The Promise Box by: Tricia Goyer (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher Zondervan via the Book Sneeze Blogger Program in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book:

Every year, young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive “resident” status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides!
In The Promise Box, the second book of bestselling author Tricia Goyer’s Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series, Lydia Wyse, a book editor from Seattle who grew up Amish, returns to the small community of West Kootenai, Montana to give comfort to her father after her mother's death. She is drawn back to the familiar Amish ways after finding her mother’s most precious possession, a Promise Box of prayers and scripture. What her publisher sees, though, is an opportunity for a sensational “tell-all” book about the Amish.
Lydia soon finds herself falling in love with Amish bachelor Gideon Hooley. She wants nothing more than to forget her past and look forward to a future as an Amish bride. Will the pain of her childhood— and her potential betrayal of her community—keep her from committing her whole heart?

My thoughts: 

I have been waiting for this book to come out since I finished up The Memory Jar, which was the first book in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelor's series. The Memory Jar is one of my favorite Amish fiction novels of all time and I haven't met a Tricia Goyer novel that I haven't liked yet. I was excited to read about how another Amish couple was to come together in The Promise Box. I have to say that I love this book every bit as much as the first. I got pretty wrapped up in Lydia and Gideon's story. Lydia's mother told her at age 16 the tragic event that led to her birth mother putting her up for adoption and it causes Lydia to question where she belongs so she leaves the Amish. She comes back for her mother's funeral and her very first meeting with Gideon is definitely an interesting one! I love learning each of their back stories piece by piece throughout the book. I really feel like I need to point out that I think the most romantic scene I have ever read in an Amish fiction novel occurred in this book, my heart got fluttery for them a couple of different times, that's how strongly Goyer writes these characters, that you feel what they feel. I absolutely love that I can read a love story and feel like one of the scenes is that wonderfully romantic, but that it is completely innocent behavior, these are the kinds of love stories I want my daughter to grow up and read, the sweet ones that sweep you away! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Amish fiction or a really sweet love story. Is it bad I am already ready for book #3 in this series? The Kissing Bridge doesn't come out until April, 11 2014 so I guess I'll have to be patient!! :)

About the author:

Tricia Goyer has written more than thirty-five books, including both novels that delight and entertain readers and non- fiction titles that offer encouragement and hope. She has also published more than 500 articles in national publications such as Guideposts, Thriving Family, Proverbs 31, and HomeLife Magazine.

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The Promise Box is available now on Amazon.com.

Waiting for Dusk by Nancy Pennick Blog Tour and Book Review + Win an E-copy of the Book

*Disclosure- I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

Summary from Goodreads:
 

Read a book.
Fall asleep.
Meet a boy.
Is it real or just a dream?
Katie’s everyday life suddenly turns exciting when she travels back in time and meets the boy of her dreams. Thinking of nothing else, willing to leave the real world behind, she’s determined to find out if it’s all a dream or not. Returning again and again, Katie almost has her answers until one day her precious book goes missing.

My thoughts:

Time travel books are so fascinating to me. I want to be in this one. These characters are easy to relate to and who wouldn't want to travel to another time period? The interactions of several different characters in both time periods is interesting. There are even some characters in the present that are actually from the past! I especially enjoyed the parts in the past when Katie is interacting with her own family members, making good friends and, of course, falling in love. I would have loved to see Katie and Drew interact more in the book because I really enjoyed their relationship and felt like I didn't get enough of it. I would have been happy to have more scenes in the past with any of the characters really. I love how Pennick tied the past to the present through a friend Katie made that she happens to come across in her present day as well. Although I really liked this book, I do have to say that I found the scenes with Ty rather grating. I felt bad for the character because he started out as a nice guy and then the author turned him into a terrible, terrible person and the progression into that didn't make any sense to me other than that the author wanted us to root for Drew. I am pretty sure we would have all been rooting for Katie to be with Drew anyway. I enjoyed this book and love that the whole idea behind it leaves it open for sequels which I certainly hope happen. I was not ready to leave behind these characters and would love to see other characters introduced in subsequent stories as well. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a light-hearted romance or to anyone intersted in time travel or just different time periods in general.

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The Confession- Movie Review

*Disclosure- I received a copy of the movie to view. I was not required to render a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About The Confession:

Raised by an Amish family, Katie Lapp (Katie Leclerc, TV's "Switched at Birth") always felt the call of another life. Now, her quest to find her birth-mother, Laura Mayfield-Bennett (Sherry Stringfield, TV's "ER"), has drawn her into the world of the "Englishers." Along the way, two very different men try to help her overcome a devious scheme to steal her rightful inheritance. Business-minded but kind-hearted Justin Wirth (Michael Rupnow) reaches out to disvoer Katie's hidden secrets, while her childhood sweetheart Daniel Fisher (Cameron Deane Stewart) sacrifices his own happiness for her future. Katie's heart is divided between two worlds as love reveals the trust in the moving saga based on the hit novel from New York Times best-selling author Beverly Lewis.

Michael Landon Jr. Brings to life this second installment in author Beverly Lewis' The Heritage of Lancaster Country trilogy on the big screen. I must confess, upon beginning to movie I didn't realize that this was the second in a series, but this movie (and I am sure the novel as well) is able to stand on it's own quite well. Although I had not read any of the books from this particular series of Ms. Lewis, the movie sounded great so I definitely wanted to watch it. I thought it had a great story line. Katie is on a journey to find her birth mother, who is not Amish, so she is in the world of the "Englishers" trying to figure out how to find her. She finally finds out where she is only to discover once she gets there that someone else is posing as her! She stays anyway, mistaken as a new maid, just to be around her mother and to figure out exactly why there is someone pretending to be her! I loved following along in the movie rooting for Katie in so many different ways. I wanted so badly to see that Katie would be able to reveal herself to her mother or that her mother would somehow figure out who she was. I love some of the little plot twists that revealed themselves in the movie, but I won't ruin that here for those of you who haven't read the books. There are two men that seem to love Katie and want to see her happy and help her along the way. This makes for some fantastic scenes for those of us who enjoy romance! The ending of the movie was great and left me wanting more, so I REALLY hope that they make the third installment of The Heritage of Lancaster Series into a movie as well!

The Confession is a great family movie filled with faith and love. I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a family friendly, heartwarming story. The Confession debuted on The Hallmark Channel on May 11. The DVD will be available on June 11 and can be bought at Walmart stores nationwide. You can also pre-order the movie on Walmart.com right now! 

As for me, after watching The Confession, I realized the first movie in the series is on Netflix...guess what holds the number one spot on my instant queue? I look forward to seeing where the story began and to reading the third book (and hopefully watching the third movie if/when it gets made!) to see what is sure to be a wonderful conclusion to this great series!

How I Came to Sparkle Again by Kaya McLaren Book Review

When Cravebox announced that they would be having a Limited Edition Book Lover's box, I was so excited and really hoping that I would be one of the lucky ones chosen for it. We would not be told what book that would be included, but several people speculated it would be Kaya McLaren's How I Came to Sparkle Again and they were right! I am always up for a book that will make me both laugh and cry and this one did both more times than I can count.

The book is about 3 people trying to cope with different losses they have dealt with and to try and live their lives again. One is a little girl Cassie, who has lost her mom to cancer, another is her father Mike who has lost his wife and the last is a woman named Jill who has had several things happen that have made her leave her home in Austin, Texas to go back to her childhood home of the small ski town of Sparkle, Colorado.

The heaviness of the three trying to cope with their losses is broken up by the comic relief of Jill's best friend Lisa's crazy ski bum neighbors who live in a trailer they dub "The Kennel" and by the profound, although usually confusing thoughts of Jill's uncle Howard.

There is a lot going on in this story, there are many little side stories going on, but not in a way that makes the novel confusing. In fact, one of those little stories- the relationship between Lisa and Kennel member Tom- was probably the most interesting thing to me in the book. I really enjoyed wondering and following along to find out where things would go to with those two.

The only complaint I would have is that there is some really harsh language, so some of my more conservative readers might want to stay away due to that and blunt talk about sexual situations might also keep some from reading. However, I really enjoyed the story and it wasn't so bad most of the time that it would bother me to the point that I needed to stop reading the book.

I would recommend How I Came to Sparkle Again to anyone who enjoys a good romance, likes to laugh a lot and doesn't mind crying a little (or maybe more than a little.)

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*Disclosure- I did not receive any compensation or free products for this review. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Tidewater Inn by Colleen Coble- Book Review/Blog Tour

About the book:

Welcome to Hope Beach. A place of intoxicating beauty...where trouble hits with the force of a hurricane.

Inheriting a beautiful old hotel on the Outer Banks could be a dream come true for Libby. The inn cries out for her restorer's talent and love of history. She's delighted to learn of the family she never knew she had. And the handsome Coast Guard lieutenant she's met there on the island could definitely be the man of her dreams!

But Libby soon realizes that the only way she can afford the upkeep on the inn is to sell it to developers who are stalking the Island. The father who will her the inn has died before she could meet him, and her new found brother and sister are convinced she's there to still their birthright. Worst of all, her best friend and business partner has been kidnapped before her eyes, and Libb's under suspicion for the crime.

Libby's dream come true is becoming a nightmare. Her only option is to find her friend and prove her innocemce, or lose everything on the shore of Hope Island.

About the author:

Best-selling author Colleen Coble's novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, ACFW Book of the Year, RWA's RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Reader's Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.

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My thoughts on Tidewater Inn:

This novel takes to of my favorite themes of a novel- mystery and romance- and puts them together. Tidewater Inn begins with a bang, Libby's business partner Nicole is kidnapped almost immediately, a crime for which Libby is immediately suspected. Not only does she need to find Nicole to clear her name, a father she thought was dead long ago has left her his inn on Hope Island and she has two siblings and an aunt she never knew about to try and get to know. Aunt Pearl is a shoulder for Libby to lean on when her new found brother and sister don't trust Libby's motives for being on the island. They feel their father should have left the inn to them. I really enjoyed seeing how each of these relationships would take off. Libby has also has met a very interesting man in Alec, but is he truly interested in her and helping her find Nicole, or does he think she is responsible for the disappearance?

This is a great novel with many twists and turns, great characters and a wonderful story line, all leading up to a very intense ending.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes suspense!

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Celebrate with Colleen by entering to win a $500 gift certificate to BedandBreakfast.com!

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One grand prize winner will receive:

• A $500 gift certificate to BedandBreakfast.com
• A copy of Tidewater Inn.

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 22nd. Winner will be announced at Colleen's "Tidewater Inn" Author Chat Facebook Party on 8/23. Colleen will be sharing the story behind the book, hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills, and of course, there will be plenty of fun giveaways - books, gift certificates and a Book Club Prize Pack! She’ll also be giving a sneak peak of her next book too!

So grab your copy of Tidewater Inn and join Colleen on the evening of the August 23rd  for a chance to connect with Colleen and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER about Colleen's giveaway and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!


*Disclaimer- I received a complimentary copy of Tidewater Inn. I was not required to write a positive review & all opinions stated are 100% my own.

Back to Resolution by Rose Dee- Book Review

Bay Anders is a wealthy girl who just feels empty inside. After her mother passes away, she leaves the United States to return to Australia, where she is searching for the father she doesn't remember. A local stranger- Flynn McKenna is the only one who can help her find her father, who has gone missing! Bay drives Flynn crazy, but he just can't stop himself from thinking about her. Will they find her father? Will Bay and Flynn find common ground or continue to deny their strong desire for one another?

I really enjoyed Back to Resolution. I love books that have a little bit of mystery and a little bit of romance. What can I say? I can be a girlie girl. I felt sorry for Bay in the beginning of the book because you could tell that even though she could have every material thing, she didn't feel fulfilled and definitely was not feeling loved, especially by her mother. I liked that the story was set in Australia, somewhere I have never been, but always wanted to go. It was kind of fun and different that it was set on island with only a handful of residents. An island which doesn't have any modern amenities, which forces spoiled Bay to learn how to "rough it" a bit. I loved going on this journey with Bay, to discover where she came from, search for her father, find her way to faith and of course, get to hang out with a handsome stranger! I found myself wishing I could go hang out on Resolution Island with them!

I thought this was a great debut novel from Rose Dee and I look forward to returning to Resolution Island soon with Dee's second novel, Beyond Resolution.

Learn more about Rose Dee and her novels at RoseDee.com 

*Disclaimer- I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the Book Crash program. All thoughts are 100% my own.