Sunday, June 2, 2019

A New Writing Direction -- On A Summer Tide



About the Book:

Book: On a Summer Tide
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Genre: Christian Fiction Romance
Release Date: April 30, 2019

Sometimes love hurts—and sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way.

Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. “Moving on” is Cam’s mantra. But there’s a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on . . . and one who keeps moving.

Cam’s full-throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine. Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the island—a dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters. Certain Dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island. To Cam’s surprise, the slow pace of island life appeals to her, along with the locals—and one in particular. Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher harbors more than a few surprises.

With On a Summer Tide, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher begins a brand-new contemporary romance series that is sure to delight her fans and draw new ones.

Click here to purchase your copy.


My Review:

 When one of my favorite authors decides to make a considerable shift in genre or style of writing, I always feel just a tiny bit of uncertainty. I have enjoyed every Amish book that Suzanne Woods Fisher has written but wondered what was coming in her first venture into contemporary women's fiction. Well, I think her swap of horses in midstream went very well. (You'll need to check out a recent blog post by Suzanne to fully understand that statement.) On a Summer Tide is a fantastic start to her Three Sisters Island series, set on a small island just off the coast of Maine.

 As you would expect from Suzanne Woods Fisher, her characters draw you into their lives from page one. You learn a lot about the Grayson family dynamics and potential difficulties from the very beginning, and the characters continue to develop all throughout the story. The setting on Three Sisters Island is presented in such detail that it is easy to believe your are visiting the area in person. The major elements of this story are resolved by the end by the book, but there are plenty of paths that can lead seamlessly into the next installments for the series.

 I highly recommend On a Summer Tide to anyone who is already a fan of Suzanne Woods Fisher's Amish stories or anyone who enjoys great contemporary inspirational stories. 

 Thanks to Celebrate Lit for providing me with a copy of this book. I am happy to share my own thoughts in this review.


About the Author:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including Mending Fences, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop’s Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, among other novels. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher.


More from Suzanne:

Oh-So-Maine Blueberry Buckle

Summer in Maine means plump, tart blueberries are everywhere. Here’s a family recipe that is nearly fool-proof….and so delicious! Especially with a scoop or two with vanilla ice cream.

Ever wonder how it got the name Blueberry Buckle? While the batter rises as it bakes, but the blueberries and crumb topping weigh it down. This causes the surface of the cake to buckle…hence the name.


Batter:
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup soft butter
1 egg
½ cup milk
2 cups sifted flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups drained blueberries

Crumb Topping:
½ cup sugar
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup softened butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix sugar and butter with egg. Stir in milk. Sift together and stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Carefully blend in blueberries. Put on topping before baking. Pour in a greased and floured 9” square pan.

Bake 45-50 minutes.











Blog Stops

Carpe Diem, May 24
Mary Hake, May 25
C Jane Read, May 26
Empower Moms, May 27
Remembrancy, May 27
Hallie Reads, May 29
Quiet Quilter, June 3
By The Book, June 3


Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. 


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Saturday, May 25, 2019

Great Collection of Stories -- An Amish Homecoming


An Amish Homecoming is another great collection of Amish stories by some of the best authors. Each story stands on its own, but they all share the theme of someone having suffered some sort of difficulty and finding themselves needing to go back home for comfort, strength, and/or a fresh start.

This set of novellas, like so many others, gives several benefits to readers. For some, it is a chance to try out a new author before deciding to invest in full-length novels. For established fans of Amish fiction, some of the stories provide a chance to revisit characters from other series by the authors. And for any reader, the shorter length provides a bite-sized reading opportunity, each of which can often be finished in one sitting.

I highly recommend An Amish Homecoming to fans of good Amish fiction.

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers for providing a copy of the book. I am happy to provide my own thoughts in this review.

About the Book:

Four brand new Amish stories of coming home.

No Place Like Home by Amy Clipston
Estranged daughter Eva Dienner has been staying with her in-laws, the Riehls, since her husband was killed in a fire, but now she wants her son to meet his maternal grandparents. Upon her return, Eva finds that the man her parents always intended for her is living in their daadihaus and running the dairy farm for them for free, despite her suspicions of him taking advantage of her family. Eva knows she should put the past behind her, but is she ready to move into the future?

When Love Returns by Beth Wiseman
Hurricane Harvey forces Sarah Zook to return to the home she fled six years ago when she couldn’t face her stern parents’ reaction to her unplanned pregnancy. Upon her return, Abram King can think of nothing but the pain she caused him—until he meets Sarah’s daughter and realizes that he never really stopped loving Sarah. Sarah and Abram must find a way to face the truth of their past so they can rekindle their first love.

The Courage to Love by Shelley Shepard Gray
After the death of her Englisch husband, Irene Keim seeks a fresh start by staying with her new friends Mary Ruth and Henry Wengerd in exchange for helping them around the house. But when Mary Ruth and Henry’s son Marcus comes around, he isn’t pleased with the woman they’ve taken in and is determined to push her out. Misunderstandings abound, but both Irene and Marcus learn that people aren’t always what they seem.

What Love Built by Kathleen Fuller
Independent and headstrong, Carolyn is determined to forge ahead with the opening of her bakery, a lifelong dream, in the Birch Creek home she left ten years ago. But she’s in over her head and needs help with the cleaning, shopping, and deliveries. Carpenter Atlee Shetler is visiting Birch Creek to escape the memories of his late wife. He takes a job renovating the new bakery and finds the project—and its owner—to be much more than he bargained for. Both Carolyn and Atlee must face pains of the past if they want to have the bright future God has planned for them.



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Enjoyable Conclusion -- A Faithful Gathering

Leslie Gould finishes her Sisters of Lancaster County series with another enjoyable story in A Faithful Gathering. 

As in the previous books, the story highlights one of the Bachmann sisters but also involves details of other family members. The present-day decisions that must be made are impacted by the ongoing story of Bachmann relatives from generations past. The lives of characters from both time periods provide an engaging story filled with complex details.

I highly recommend this book, as well as the entire series, to fans of great Amish fiction. The story could work as a stand alone but is more enjoyably read as a series conclusion

Thanks to the author and her publisher for providing a copy of A Faithful Gathering. I am happy to share my own thoughts in this review.

About the Book:

When Each Tomorrow Brings Unexpected Challenges,
Can She Keep Hoping for the Future She Envisions?  

 Leisel Bachmann left her Amish roots and beloved sisters to pursue a career in nursing without a second thought. She and her English boyfriend, Nick Jordan, have big dreams for their future, but those dreams come crashing down when her sister Marie is diagnosed with cancer.

Soon nothing is going as she planned--not her state boards, not her first nursing job, and certainly not her relationship with Nick. As she becomes increasingly discouraged, her aunt shares the story of Leisel's grandfather during World War II and the struggle he faced between returning to Lancaster or being with the woman he loved.

Peace and direction for the future are difficult to find, and when Nick leaves Pennsylvania to pursue an unexpected career path without talking it through with Leisel, she is faced with impossible choices. Will she stay in Lancaster, close to her family and the traditions of her past? Or will her grandfather's story encourage her to embrace a life of love and service in an uncertain future?

About the Author:

 Leslie Gould is the coauthor, with Mindy Starns Clark, of the #1 bestselling The Amish Midwife and The Amish Nanny. She is also the author of numerous novels including two Lancaster Amish series. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Portland State University and has taught fiction writing at Multnomah University as an adjunct professor. She resides with her husband and four children in Oregon. Learn more at www.lesliegould.com.
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