Rachel Hauck The Fifth Avenue Story Society

By Kelly Bridgewater

An invitation to join The Fifth Avenue Story Society gives five New York strangers a chance to rewrite their own stories.

Executive assistant Lexa is eager for a much-deserved promotion, but her boss is determined to keep her underemployed.

Literature professor Jett is dealing with a broken heart, as well as a nagging suspicion his literary idol, Gordon Phipps Roth, might be a fraud.

Uber driver Chuck just wants a second chance with his kids.

Aging widower Ed is eager to write the true story of his incredible marriage.

Coral, queen of the cosmetics industry, has broken her engagement and is on the verge of losing her great grandmother’s multimillion-dollar empire.

When all five New Yorkers receive an anonymous, mysterious invitation to the Fifth Avenue Story Society, they suspect they’re victims of a practical joke. No one knows who sent the invitations or why. No one has heard of the literary society. And no one is prepared to bear their deepest secrets to a roomful of strangers.

Yet curiosity and loneliness bring them back week after week to the old library. And it’s there they discover the stories of their hearts, and the kind of friendship and love that heals their souls.

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Rachel Hauck is a wonderful writer who really dives into the emotionl realm of her characters, who in turn cause a reaction in her readers. I loved her story The Writing Desk, so I couldn't wait to read The Fifth Avenue Story Society. What starts out as a story with five complete strangers morphs into something pretty amazing by the end of the story. I really liked how Hauck reminds the reader that our story isn't complete. We may be in the middle of the biggest disaster in our lives, but the story can change. Include God and the story will be even better. I liked seeing these five people come to know each other better and even start using the skills of the other players to help them come out of their depression. This was a wonderful story, and I can't wait to purchase it and place it with my other Keeper Hauck novels. I think fans of Hauck's other novels and James Rubart novels might enjoy this novel. I really am looking forward to what God leads Hauck to create next.

I recieved a complimentary copy of The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Sarah Sundin:The Land Beneath Us

By Kelly Bridgewater

In 1943, Private Clay Paxton trains hard with the U.S. Army Rangers at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, determined to do his best in the upcoming Allied invasion of France. With his future stolen by his brothers' betrayal, Clay has only one thing to live for—fulfilling the recurring dream of his death.

Leah Jones works as a librarian at Camp Forrest, longing to rise above her orphanage upbringing and belong to the community, even as she uses her spare time to search for her real family—the baby sisters she was separated from so long ago.

After Clay saves Leah's life from a brutal attack, he saves her virtue with a marriage of convenience. When he ships out to train in England for D-Day, their letters bind them together over the distance. But can a love strong enough to overcome death grow between them before Clay's recurring dream comes true?

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

World War II fiction is one of my two favorite genres, and Sarah Sundin is one of my favorite writers. So I figure I can't loose with any of her books. Again, I was proven correct. If readers had read the first two books in the Sunrise at Normandy series, The Sea Before Us and The Sky Above Us, then they have already met two of the Paxton brothers. In those books, readers are introduced to Clay Paxton, our hero in The Land Beneath Us, but readers finally see his love story. The path of forgiveness for Clay and all three boys is finally laid out in the final story. I really liked it. Sundin handled it really well. The story does have a lot of romance and the buidling of Leah and Clay's relationship as the story progresses. In With Every Letter, another Sundin novel, she uses letters as a way of a couple to fall in love. I adore this element. Not many people write letters anymore. It is such a wonderful element of historical importance. Clay Paxton is a Ranger at Normandy, so I love how Sundin shows the training leading up to the final battle. Lots of research and it shows.  I truly enjoyed this novel, and it will be going on my forever shelf with the rest of her novels. I'm curious to see what Sundin crafts next.

I received a complimentary copy of The Land Beneath Us by Sarah Sundin from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase: The Land Beneath Us

Reading Goals

By Kelly Bridgewater

Because I do some much reading for reviews, sometimes it seems like that is all I read, I wanted to include some books into my reading that isn't governed by reviews that have to be turned in.

I would like to read some of my C. S. Lewis books. I have a whole shelf devoted to his work or accomplished authors who have analyzed his novels, and I haven't gotten around to reading them.

I would like to read some of my J.R.R. Tolkien novels. I have purchased some. My Daddy had purchased some, but I haven't found time to read them yet.

I would love to go back and re-read some favorites.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Anne of Green Gables series

Christensen family by Susan May Warren (For research for a series I am thinking of writing. 

Hopefully, there will be details soon.)

Books I owned that I haven't found time to read yet. (That could take a while.)

How about you? How do you decide what to read? I know we all have only so much time to devote to reading in between our life.

Roseana M. White: On Wings of Devotion

By Kelly Bridgewater

All of England thinks Phillip Camden a monster--a man who deliberately caused the deaths of his squadron. But as nurse Arabelle Denler watches the so-dubbed "Black Heart" every day, she sees something far different: a hurting man desperate for mercy. And when their paths twist together and he declares himself her new protector, she realizes she has her own role to play in his healing.

Phillip Camden would have preferred to die that day with his squadron rather than be recruited to the Admiralty's codebreaking division. The threats he receives daily are no great surprise and, in his opinion, well deserved. What comes as a shock is the reborn desire to truly live that Arabelle inspires in him.

But when an old acquaintance shows up and seems set on using him in a plot that has the codebreakers of Room 40 in a frenzy, new affections are put to the test.

From Goodreads

 My Thoughts:

I adore the cover for Roseanna M. White's newest novel, On Wings of Devotion. The character appears to be glancing toward something, which makes me, as the reader, wonder what it is. I enjoy the idea of the codebreakers during World War I. White does known how to craft a novel and does a wonderful job at bringing World War I world to life with her settings and characters. The problem I had was the plot. For most of the novel, nothing really happened. It was boring, and I kept wondering when the action was going to occur. I didn't really see the connection to the Codebreakers until about 2/3 of the way through the novel, then it felt like White hurried up and dropped it in. I didn't more action to make this a realistic Codebreakers novel. Overall, I have enjoyed a number of White's novels, but for some reason, the Codebreakers aren't honestly capturing my attention. If you enjoyed the first book, then you might totally disagree with me and that's okay. I pray you enjoy this novel too.

I received a complimentary copy of On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own. 

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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Verses of the Year

By Kelly Bridgewater

Colossians 3:15 - "Let the peace of God rule in your heart."

John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you. My Peace I give to you."

Since I'm doing the word peace for 2020, I found two verses to help guide my word for the year.

I need the peace of God to rule my decisions. I need peace with all the decisions I have chosen. Like leaving the USPS when the money was okay. But all the downside of the job drove me to quit.

Lord,

I really need the peace from you to calm my mind from thinking bad depressing thoughts. Bring peace to my mind with all the depressing thoughts. I need to think positive thoughts about where my life is going.

I have so much to be thankful. My loving, supportive husband, my three well-behaved boys (for the most part), my dogs, and my house that we are paying off.

Help me to have a better outlook on life. Help me to keep peace and work hard on my dreams.

Amen.

Lynette Eason: Collateral Damage

By Kelly Bridgewater

Honorably discharged from the Army after an explosion nearly killed her, former military psychiatrist Brooke Adams has set up shop to help others--but her days of helping military personnel are over. She's got her own battles to fight from her time overseas, and she's not equipped to take on more. Former Army Special Ops Sergeant First Class Asher James could handle anything that war sent his way--terrorists, bombs, bullets. The only thing that scares him now is sleep. As the shadows close in, the nightmares begin.

Finally convinced that he needs help, Asher makes an appointment with a counselor, and Brooke is pressed by her boss to take him on. When he arrives at her office she isn't there--but a dead body is. Brooke is devastated when she walks in, and Asher is a conveniently strong shoulder to cry on. But she can't take him on as a client after sharing such an intimate and unprofessional moment, can she? And he's not sure he can handle sharing his deepest fears with such a beautiful woman.

When it becomes clear that Brooke was the real target of the attack--and that her secrets go even deeper than his own--Asher vows to protect her no matter what.

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason is the first book in her new series. The plot line reminds me a lot of a Ronie Kendig novel with all the military members and procedures but still carries the dramatic flair Eason is known for. The suspense keeps the readers guessing to the end. At first, I was a little confused with the subplot because it really had nothing to do with the current action, but keep with it. As the story progresses, Eason does a wonderful job at tying the two stories together. The characters of Asher and Brooke are a wonderful introduction to the beginning of a unique cast of characters. I really enjoyed how Brooke has been done before, but I really liked how Eason made her an ex-soldier herself so she could empathize with the soldiers as she tried to help them with their PSTD. Of course, Eason includes a romantic thread between the characters. It wasn't too overbearing, but there were moments where the romance peak its head. Overall, Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason was a thrilling glance into the world of soldiers with plenty of suspenseful moments and a hint of romance. I really can't wait to read her next book in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Collateral Damage

Word of the Year: Peace

By Kelly Bridgewater

2019 has been hectic.

I worked for the United States Post Office, but right after Christmas, I quit. The money was nice, but the downside to the job was a lot worst.

I hated working evaluated routes where if I didn't finish the route that I didn't know well by the evaluated time, then they stopped paying me. Some days I would work for four hours with no pay. It was annoying. During Christmas, it was hard to deliver packages in the dark on routes I have never done. Food breaks and restroom breaks were not allowed during my 10+ hour shift. Monday through Friday I was on call. Couldn't plan anything because they might call me into work. I had to work every Saturday and Sunday. Didn't get to spend time with my family.

Anyways, I will keep praying and hope there is another job that pays well enough for our family to keep us away from living paycheck to paycheck.

So as 2019 came to a close, I always pray for a word for the year. This year, I felt lead toward

PEACE.

 I need peace with where I am at in my life.

I need peace to be happy with what I do have.

I need peace in my mind.

I need peace from God.

So this year, I am hoping to discover the peace to make my life better.

What about you? What is your word for 2020?