Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Book Review

Let’s Go To Prince Edward Island With Liz Johnson’s On Love’s Gentle Shore

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Let's Go To Prince Edward Island With Liz Johnson's On Love's Gentle Shore

Let’s Go To Prince Edward Island With Liz Johnson’s On Love’s Gentle Shore

I was provided a free copy of this book for review! There are affiliate links in this post. 

I love to read. I don’t have a particular favorite genre. Just depends on my mood and what books I am into at the moment. There is, however, something about a love story that gets me. Whether it is a historical fiction about a lost love or a modern story about childhood friends who find each other again.

I wanted to tell you about a recent book release that I think you will enjoy. On Love’s Gentle Shore is the third book in Liz Johnson’s Prince Edward Island Dreams series. You can also read about The Red Door Inn and Where Two Hearts Meet.

These sweet books take us to Prince Edward Island in Canada while we walk alongside the main character as she tries to understand and figure out a current problem she is dealing with. I have never been to Prince Edward Island, but that place is definitely on my travel bucket list.

On Love’s Gentle Shore is about a woman named Natalie who has moved away from the island to start a new life in Nashville. She is now back on the island to marry her fiancé Russell, but everything is a lot more complicated now that she is back. For one thing, she sees her childhood best friend Justin after all this time and can’t seem to make sense of her feelings about him.

What I loved about this book is that Natalie isn’t perfect. She struggles with her past and even her future. She is trying to figure everything out. I also love that the main characters from the previous books are also interacting with Natalie. We get to see what they have been up to and since we already know their backstory, these secondary characters are a little more real to us than they would be otherwise.

Having read all three of these books, I think this one is my favorite.

Liz Johnson writes about love and such and is a New York Times bestselling author of Inspirational Romantic Suspense and Contemporary Romance. To learn more, visit her website. You can also read the other books I have reviewed of hers in the past.

You can purchase the On Love’s Gentle Shore on Amazon 🙂

Where Two Hearts Meet by Liz Johnson

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  • I was provided a free book for review and this post does contain affiliate links! 

Where Two Hearts Meet by Liz Johnson

I love reviewing Liz Johnson’s books. Her latest, Where Two Hearts Meet, came out in October of this year. This book is the 2nd book in her Prince Edward Island Dreams series and such a great read!

From Amazon:

In her kitchen at the Red Door Inn, executive chef Caden Holt is calm, collected, and competent. But when her boss asks her to show off their beautiful island to impress a visiting travel writer and save the inn, Caden is forced to face a world much bigger than her kitchen–and a man who makes her wish she was beautiful.

Journalist Adam Jacobs is on a forced sabbatical on Prince Edward Island. He’s also on assignment to uncover a story. Instead he’s falling in love with the island’s red shores and Caden’s sweets.

When Caden discovers Adam isn’t who she thought he was, she realizes that the article he’s writing could do more than ruin the inn’s chances for survival–it might also break her heart.

Readers will discover hope for the hurting, joy for the broken, and romance for the lonely at the enchanting Red Door Inn.

I loved Caden’s story! She is cute and you can watch as she and Adam fall for one another. Adam is a writer and was in Afghanistan. Caden is a baker and everything she makes sounds so yummy.

The book takes place back at Prince Edward Island with the Red Door Inn. You will recognize some of the characters from the first book in the series and it is great to hear what is going on with them since the last book.

I liked how Caden has to work through her insecurities that a lot of us might be able to relate to. Adam has some issues he is dealing with too. I am looking forward to more books in this series with the famous island as the backdrop.

Liz Johnson is the author of seven novels, a New York Times bestselling novella, and a handful of short stories. She has lived in Nashville and now calls Arizona home. To learn more, visit her website. You can also read the other books I have reviewed of hers in the past.

You can purchase Where Two Hearts Meet on Amazon!

What have you been reading this week???

Changed Forever: Eliza’s Story Hercules Series Book 1 by Kelly-Beth Cagnon

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changed forever

Changed Forever: Eliza’s Story (Hercules Series Book 1)

I really enjoy fiction books about military life, especially when they are written by someone with first-hand experience. What better way to explain how military life really is than a story. I just finished reading the brand new book Changed Forever: Eliza’s Story (Hercules Series Book 1) by new author, Kelly-Beth Cagnon.

Eliza is a bored stay-at-home mom. She desperately wishes for some excitement in her everyday humdrum life. She is living vicariously through her dreams as a Queen in Ancient Egypt. Some nights, the dreams are so vivid, so life like, she wakes up overcome with emotions. Other nights, she wakes up pleasantly surprised by the action in her dreams.

Eliza’s husband, SSG Scott Jackson has just been assigned to a brand new unit at Fort Polk, Louisiana. After months of settling in, Eliza begins to suspect infidelity and confronts her husband. The answer she receives is more than she can bear.

Little does Eliza know, Karma has heard her requests for some excitement and she is about to be sucker punched and have her life flipped upside down.

I love how the two stories come together and both of them kept me wanting to know more. I am so glad this is going to be a series because I can’t wait to read what happens to Eliza and what happens in her dream life in Egypt.

As a military spouse, I felt that the modern parts of the story were so real. As you know, military life is hard and can be messy sometimes. Us spouses have to deal with so many different things from solo parenting to keeping up with the house to supporting our spouse even when it is hard to do so. The author does a good job of bringing all of that into the book.

I was able to interview Kelly-Beth Cagnon and learn a little bit more about her writing and her plans for the future. Kelly is a military spouse of 12 years with two elementary aged children.

I asked Kelly why she wanted to write Changed Forever. She told me that she wanted to write about the military but was also inspired after visiting a museum on Egyptian history. She was fascinated by what she saw and then created her story.

I asked her why she liked writing and she told me that the story came to her and she had to write it. She just hit the ground running and found the writing to be a great stress reliever as well as a creative outlet.

I then asked Kelly if she had any advice for anyone who wanted to write a book and she said to write what’s in your heart, to be true to yourself and to just start writing.

So what’s next for Kelly? She is currently halfway through writing her 2nd book which will show us what is going to happen next with the characters from Changed Forever.

You can find Changed Forever: Eliza’s Story (Hercules Series Book 1) on Amazon!

The Red Door Inn Book Review

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The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

The Red Door Inn Book Review

Have you heard of Liz Johnson? She is an author that writes inspirational romance and I have been able to review a few of her books in the past. A Promise to Protect and Vanishing Act. This past week she just came out with her latest book, The Red Door Inn.

From Amazon…

Marie Carrington is broke, desperate, and hoping to find sanctuary on Prince Edward Island while decorating a renovated bed-and-breakfast. Seth Sloane moved three thousand miles to help restore his uncle’s Victorian B and B–and to forget about the fiancée who broke his heart. He wasn’t expecting to have to babysit a woman with a taste for expensive antiques and a bewildering habit of jumping every time he brushes past her.

The only thing Marie and Seth agree on is that getting the Red Door Inn ready to open in just two months will take everything they’ve got–and they have to find a way to work together. In the process, they may find something infinitely sweeter than they ever imagined on this island of dreams.

I have always had a thing for Prince Edward Island. I loved the show Road to Avonlea and decided I needed to go there someday. So when I heard that Liz Johnson’s newest book was going to take place there, I knew I had to read it.

The book was a great story with a great setting. I could picture myself there on the island. Standing in front of the Red Door Inn. I enjoyed reading about Marie, Seth and Jack. They were each different and dealing with their own struggles.

The book was more than just a love story but a story about trusting others and finding hope after something bad has happened to you. If you are a fan of inspirational fiction or just love a good story, you will enjoy this book.

You can purchase the Red Door Inn on Amazon and enter to win a copy on Goodreads 🙂

  • I was provided a free book for review and this post does contain affiliate links! 

The Art of Work by Jeff Goins Book Review

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The Art of work

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. affiliate links were also used. 

The Art of Work A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do by Jeff Goins

I had the opportunity to review the book Art of Work by Jeff Goins. In his book, Jeff Goins explains how to abandon the status quo and live a life that matters with true passion and purpose. Through personal experience, a lot of different stories from people in different parts of the world and research done on the mysteries of motivation and talent, the author shows readers how to find their vocation and what to expect along the way.

I really enjoyed this book because I am not quite sure yet what my calling might be. This book helped me think about figuring it out in a different way. I took a lot of notes when reading this book and I don’t always feel like I need to do that with a non-fiction book. One of messages I got that really stuck with me was that having a calling doesn’t mean that it would be easy to follow it. Sometimes I think that if something is meant to work out it will be easy to get there but that isn’t always the case. I loved the personal examples he gave to back that up.

Another great truth I read about in the book was that every calling is marked by a season of insignificance. A period of time when nothing make sense. How many times have I felt like this?

I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a little help of help figuring out what they want to do in their life and needs to read about other people who have figured out what their life purpose was going to be.

Have you read the Art of Work yet???

 

 

The Girls from Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe

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The Girls from Corona del Mar

 

~The Book~

I first heard about the book the Girls from Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe on a podcast. It caught my attention because Corona del Mar is pretty close to where I grew up in Southern California and I have been there many times. Then my best friend read it and said it was amazing and she couldn’t put it down. I put it on my library list right away and then had to wait about a week or two to get it and start reading it. I finished it in three days, staying up way past my bedtime for two nights in a row. That is a sign of a good book even though I find myself a little tired in the morning.

~The Story~

The story is about two friends Mia and Lorrie Ann. It starts when they are in high school and goes through many years of friendship together. Mia is the more rough, hard-hearted one and Lorrie Ann is the kind one. Mia struggles with her mom, getting pregnant and dealing with her choices. Lorrie Ann has a close-knit family and seems to be living a pretty good life. Then, tragedy struck and everything seems to fall apart for Lorrie Ann. The rest of the book is about how Mia views what is going on with her friend, how she relates to her and what is really going on with the two girls who are now in their late 20s.

~My Thoughts~

I liked this book for a few different reasons. Of course I liked that it started near where I am from, a lot of the book didn’t center around there. It wasn’t a book about Southern California like I thought it would be but that was okay. I liked that the characters were complex and not so black and white. I also enjoyed reading about their relationship and how it changed over the years. That felt very real to me because I have experienced something similar with certain people who I used to be really close to.

This book was dark in a lot of ways and not a light read. But the way the author put the words together draws you in so you really start to care about what is going to happen to the characters. There were a few side storylines I got a little bored with but nothing too distracting where it ruined the book.

I think it would be interesting to read a sequel but where we get to hear this story from Lorrie Ann’s point of view. I think that would be very interesting and give us a lot more insight into who the characters really are.

You can purchase the book on Amazon 🙂

* This post contains affiliate links! 

 

John Shaw’s Guide to Digital Nature Photography Book Review

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digital photography book

*I received a free copy of this book in hope of a review on my blog! This post includes affiliate links!

 

I was given the chance to review, John Shaw’s Guide to Digital Nature Photography. It is such a pretty book all about one of my favorite topics, taking pictures.

From Amazon… “Photography legend John Shaw returns with his much-anticipated guide to digital nature photography, complete with more than 250 extraordinarily beautiful photographs.

For over four decades, John Shaw’s authentic voice and trusted advice has helped photographers achieve impressive shots in the great outdoors. In his first-ever book on digital photography, Shaw provides in-depth advice on everything from equipment and lenses to thorough coverage of digital topics including how to use the histogram. In addition, he offers inspirational and frank insight that goes far beyond the nuts and bolts of photography, explaining that successful photos come from having a vision, practicing, and then acquiring the equipment needed to accomplish the intention. Easily digestible and useful for every type of photographer, and complete with more than 250 jaw-dropping images, John Shaw’s Guide to Digital Nature Photography is the one book you’ll need to beautifully capture the world around you.”

What I really liked about this photography book was all the photos that were included and all the good information he had. I have found that when you are explaining photography you must have a photo to show the reader what you are talking about. It makes it a lot easier to understand. You can also learn a lot about photography based on reading the information about the phone, which he has included.

I am also so glad he included Chapter Six: The Photographer at Work because it shows the reader what he personally uses and what life is really like working in the field. The other chapters are 1) Gear 2) Getting Started 3) Lenses 4) Composition 5) Close-Ups.

Whether you just bought your very first DSLR or you have had one for a while, you can get a lot out of this book. So check it out, it should help you along your photography journey.

 

 

Searching For Sunday By Rachel Held Evans Book Review

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Rachel held evans

I am a big fan of Rachel Held Evans. I read her first book Evolving in Monkeytown and then I was a part of the launch team for her second book, A Year of Biblical Womanhood. When I saw an opportunity to be on her team for her third book, Searching for Sunday, I was excited to sign up!

When it comes to faith and religion, to what I believe and what I understand, I enjoy reading about how other people come to their own faith. I especially find this helpful when someone was raised similar to me. Rachel Held Evans is one of these people. She was raised in an Evangelical home and attended Evangelical churches. I did too. A lot of her church past is very similar to mine.

searching for sunday

 

As I try to figure out what parts of my faith are important, how to live out my faith and what I need to let go of, I look to people who have been there and have been through it.

Searching for Sunday is a book about church. She centers it around seven sacraments. Baptism, Confession, Holy Orders, Communion, Confirmation, Anointing of the sick and Marriage. The book takes you through all of them with stories about each topic. Some are personal, some are more general. A lot of the chapters will cause you to step back and think a bit about what you have experienced in your own church life.

searching for sunday

 

The point of the book is to find hope. To get back to believing in church if you don’t anymore. To see that your faith walk is a journey and you will have ups as well as downs.

This book reminded me of the things I have always loved about the church and allowed me to get excited about it again. It let me mourn and deal with some of the icky parts I have experienced. It was just a good way to connect with another Christian and take part in her journey.

It’s about how God’s Grace is always enough, about an unraveling faith and finding your way back again, about how you don’t have to choose between your Christian faith and science or between doctrine and compassion. That doubting is okay and searching for answers is a part of the journey.

Beyond that, it was just nice to read more about Rachel’s story. About leaving her church, trying to start a new one and where she ended up. About what she went through, what she learned and where she is now. It was a great breakdown of what her church experiences have been like the last few years.

The book is out TODAY! You can buy it at your favorite online bookstore or, enter to WIN a copy for yourself here.

The giveaway will run until next Monday! Enter the Rafflecopter below…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget to visit the Searching for Sunday website too. If you submit a proof of purchase by April 18th, you can also receive a free musical album which goes along with the book.

 

* This post contains affiliate links!

* I was given a copy of the book for review!