The Pastor’s Wife
February 19, 2010
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Pastor’s Wife Abingdon Press (February 2010)by
Jennifer AlLee
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jennifer AlLee was born in Hollywood, California and for the first 10 years of her life lived over a mortuary one block from Hollywood and Vine. An avid reader and writer, she completed her first novel in high school. That manuscript is now safely tucked away, never again to see the light of day. Her first inspirational romance, The Love of His Brother, was released in November 2007 by Five Star Publisher.
Besides being a writer, she is a wife and mom. Living in Las Vegas, Nevada, her husband and teenage son have learned how to enjoy the fabulous buffets there without severely impacting their waistlines. God is good!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Maura Sullivan never intended to set foot in Granger, Ohio, again. But when circumstances force her to return, she must face all the disappointments she tried so hard to leave behind: a husband who ignored her, a congregation she couldn’t please, and a God who took away everything she ever loved.
Nick Shepherd thought he had put the past behind him, until the day his estranged wife walked back into town. Intending only to help Maura through her crisis of faith, Nick finds his feelings for her never died. Now, he must admit the mistakes he made, how he hurt his wife, and find a way to give and receive forgiveness.
As God works in both of their lives, Nick and Maura start to believe they can repair their broken relationship and reunite as man and wife. But Maura has one more secret to tell Nick before they can move forward. It’s what ultimately drove her to leave him three years earlier, and the one thing that can destroy the fragile trust they’ve built.
If you would like to read the first Chapter of The Pastor’s Wife , go HERE
Sally Says: When I saw the story blurb for The Pastor’s Wife, I was intrigued, being a pastor’s wife myself. I think being a pastor is like being a writer — or many other jobs, for that matter. There’s no nine-to-five, no time card to punch in and out, and there’s always more you could be doing. If you’re not careful, it can eclipse everything else in your life.
For some reason, I expected a women’s fiction story. I mean, a wife doesn’t leave her husband, much less a man who’s a pastor, without there being all kinds of drama, all kinds of issues and things that will take a long time to work out and overcome. And so on that level, I was disappointed.
The Pastor’s Wife is really a genre romance novel — which is fine. I’m not much of a genre romance reader; I’m more into the angst of women’s fiction, for some reason. 
But I think anyone who enjoys genre romance will find The Pastor’s Wife to be a fun, quick read. And I think the storyline of a pastor and his wife reconciling isn’t one you come across often.
I will say that, as a pastor’s wife, I was very thankful that wasn’t our church! There were many church-related things that aggravated me throughout the story, and I know a lot of that would go back to the difference between my denomination and some specific Biblical views and the author’s denomination and views. But I did finish reading the book thankful for my own husband and the people in our church. And that’s a good thing.
Hunter’s Moon
February 10, 2010
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Hunter’s Moon
Bethany House (February 1, 2010)
by
Don Hoesel
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Don Hoesel was born and raised in Buffalo, NY but calls Spring Hill, TN home. He works as a Communications Department supervisor for a Medicare carrier in Nashville, TN. He has a BA in Mass Communication from Taylor University and has published short fiction in Relief Journal.
Don hopes to one day sell enough books to just say that he’s a writer. You can help with that by buying whatever his newest novel happens to be.
He lives in Spring Hill with his wife and two children.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Every family has secrets. Few will go as far as the Baxters to keep them. Bestselling novelist CJ Baxter has made a career out of writing hard-hitting stories ripped from his own life. Still there’s one story from his past he’s never told. One secret that’s remained buried for decades. Now, seventeen years after swearing he’d never return, CJ is headed back to Adelia, NY. His life in Tennessee has fallen to pieces, his grandfather is dying, and CJ can no longer run from the past. With Graham Baxter, CJ’s brother, running for Senate, a black sheep digging up old family secrets is the last thing the family and campaign can afford. CJ soon discovers that blood may be thicker than water, but it’s no match for power and money. There are wounds even time cannot heal.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Hunter’s Moon, go HERE
Sally Says: Hunter’s Moon is a deceptively slow, relaxing story that takes you inside a lesser version of the Kennedys. The Baxters, a Catholic family from upstate New York, have had political dreams for about as long as America has been around, and as the story opens, they have their best shot at political success in CJ’s older brother.
But of course this political family has its black sheep and secrets, and CJ, the successful novelist who’s used much of his past in his bestelling books, returns after his personal life falls apart — only to find he can no longer ignore horrible childhood events. And as the story unfolds, we see those events have not forgotten him, either. As CJ takes his time ruminating on his past and his dysfunctional family, danger builds until secrets collide and threaten everything CJ has learned to hold dear.
While the first few chapters felt a bit slow, the characters were so well drawn that it was easy to keep reading until CJ’s childhood secret was revealed. And from there the story built and built until it reached a highly suspenseful, dramatic conclusion. Almost all of the characters were male, and that also gave the book a different feel from what I typically read, but I enjoyed the characters, their quirks, and CJ’s struggles to do right when doing wrong would have been so much easier. I enjoyed Hunter’s Moon and plan to read more from Don Hoesel, especially if he returns to CJ and the quaint town of Adelia, New York.
February 2, 2010
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Beguiled
(Bethany House March 1, 2007)
by
Deeanne Gist
andJ. Mark Bertrand
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Deeanne Gist, the bestselling author of A Bride Most Begrudging and The Measure of a Lady, has a background in education and journalism. Her credits include People magazine, Parents, and Parenting. With a line of parenting products called “I Did It!® Productions” and a degree from Texas A&M, she continues her writing and speaking. She and her family live in Houston, Texas.ABOUT THE BOOK
In the shadows of Charleston, someone is watching her… Rylee Monroe, a dogwalker in Charleston’s wealthiest neighborhood, never feared the streets at night. But now a thief is terrorizing the area and worse, someone seems to be targeting her.
Reporter Logan Woods is covering the break-ins with the hope of publishing them as a true-crime book. The more he digs, the more he realizes this beguiling dogwalker seems to be at the center of everything. As danger draws ever closer, Logan must choose: Chase the girl, the story, or plunge into the shadows after the villain who threatens everything?
If you’d like to read the first chapter of Beguiled, go HERE
Sally Says: When I saw that Deeanne Gist had written a contemporary romantic suspense, I knew I wanted to read it. Gist is wonderful in historical romance, and Beguiled, written with J. Mark Bertrand, did not disappoint.
The book is fast-paced with the action beginning on the very first page when Rylee Monroe enters a client’s home after walking their dog and knows something is wrong. The main characters are appealing, and the plot is entertaining. The one downside for me was that I figured out quickly who the “bad guy” was, but I didn’t know their motivation. So I had to read on to find out.
The setting is also one of my favorites. I’ve never been to historical Charleston, but it’s a place I’d love to visit some day. So any time I can get my hands on a well-written story in this locale, I’m there.
I don’t know if these two authors will team up again, but if they do, I know I’ll be reading the book as quickly as I can. For all of you who love suspense mixed with romance, buy Beguiled. I think you’ll find it as much fun as I did.