Come As You Are - Choose Real

This book is a journey. It is not a quick read but rather a discovery of choosing to be real in a messy world as you follow Bekah Jane Pogue in Choosing Real. Society tells us women we need to have a “House Beautiful,” be super skinny, and be the perfect mom and coworker.  But God wants us right where we are, the real us, in an authentic relationship. Pogue writes, "Truth brings freedom and cements my identity. And truth can come only from the Creator (p.114).”  The book covers topics like communication, pain, loneliness and unworthiness using many personal stories from the author’s own life. It took a while for me to get use to the author’s writing style but then I was reeled into the story. The journey to discovery of the real you and your relationship with God will take time so plan on rereading this book many times to gather all the nuggets of truth and wisdom it offers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Christmas Angel

 A delightful book, The Angel of Forest Hill, is based on an young, Amish girl sent as a mother's helper to a West Virginia community of Old Order Amish and an unknown family. Upon her arrival, Rose Kurtz realizes all is not what she expected. Instead, the mother has passed leaving behind a newborn, two young sons, and a mourning husband, Joel. To stay as a mother's helper and being single is not appropriate so Joel's father convinces him to marry Rose. And so begins a very nontraditional, Amish marriage. Can Rose over come her shyness and let Joel know how she feels? But then she finds out the Bishop is asking for an annulment since four years have passed. Will a trip home help Rose figure out what she is to do? A beautiful, Christmas love story!
Cindy Woodsmall delivers another wonderful story.
I received this book free to review for Blogging for Books (WaterBrook).

Icy Hot

  Nancy Mehl presents a new series, Defenders of Justice, with her first book introducing the reader to U.S. Marshal Mercy Brennan. In Fatal Frost, Mercy is recuperating from being shot while on duty. She carries a lot of baggage from her past but one bright spot is that her childhood friend  remains her best friend and a cop. Her boss finds out about a plot involving one of St. Louis's powerful gangs and a powerful drug cartel who have targeted Mercy after killing her father. Not knowing who to trust, Mercy's boss sends her old partner, Mark St. Laurent, and her friend, Tally, on a mission to take Mercy out of town and hide-out to protect her. In a life and death mission, the three struggle to survive when they realize the drug cartel is on to them. This is a fast paced read that will keep the reader on the edge till the last page! The story may take place during a snow storm, but it packs some heat as Mercy realizes the role God is playing in their lives! Fans of Nancy Mehl will not be let down with her latest novel.

I received this complimentary book from Bethany House to review and give my honest opinion.