Vivian Sinclair is joining her married sisters in Colorado and she isn’t sure she will fit. She wants to make her own way as a fashion designer, but there is a problem. She can’t find a job in the mining community. Being a telephone operator only lasted a day or so, the local stores didn’t need women clerks and the clothing stores had no extra money to hire a new employee. When offered a job as a hostess in a sporting house, Vivian felt that a past mistake sort of gave her leave to work in such an establishment. However, her streak of independence is about to land her in trouble. When Miss Pearl, the owner, ends up dead Vivian becomes a suspect. The outlaw boyfriend of Miss Pearl is convinced she killed Miss Pearl and he is out for revenge. The sheriff and her sisters also want to know what has happened. How can she ever explain why she even considered working for Miss Pearl? Will her sisters reject her when they find out about what happened before she left Portland? Is she worthy of the love of the sheriff's love now?

The third book in the Sinclair Series of Cripple Creek series, The Bride Wore Blue still is a good stand alone book. Once I began, it quickly became a book that competed with my need for sleep.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for review.

DYI DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES

DYI DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES:

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My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Her heart said yes, but God was saying no. He said God hadn’t answered his prayers and had abandoned him. So begins the story of the stubborn hearts of Kate and Matt. Kate has returned to her ancestral home, called Chapel Bluff, with her grandmother to fix up the old house and bring it back to life. Unsuccessful in relationships, Kate hasn’t found the man God had for her future husband. Discouragement has set in. Matt had been hired to do the work at Chapel Hill. Preferring to work alone and actually to be left alone, he doesn’t appreciate Kate’s wanting to help, wanting to talk, wanting to be his friend. When his wife died, he had withdrawn into himself and given up his career, but he didn’t count on the persistence of one young woman who saw the hurt in his eyes and wanted to help.

As Kate spends time with Matt, she sees his heart and believes that God sent her to help him find purpose in his life again. Finally, her heart says yes and God says yes.

The reader hurts with the main characters, laughs with the antics of the “older” generation, and cheers for Matt and Kate when the final chapter is read. I don’t want to give away what happens to both Kate and Matt as they work on finding out that God does care about them and does answer prayers in His time.

I received this book to review for free from Bethany House.

 Beloved Enemy 

Al Lacy

What do you do when the love for family comes in conflict your feelings for a man you love? Such is the dilemma faced by Jenny Jordan. Her father, maintains his Southern sympathies and agrees to work as a spy for the south. A member of President Lincoln’s Senate Military Committee, he is part of the group planning the Northern offensive and defensive. As the north continues to lose battles, it becomes apparent that there is a spy in their midst. As this is going on, Jenny has met and fallen in love with a Union office names Buck. Being discouraged by her father for forming an attachment with Buck, Jenny can’t help herself and fears what will happen when Buck learns her father is a spy.

As part of a network of young ladies recruited to carry the battle information south, the day comes when Jenny is asked to carry her first message to the Confederate troops. Caught at a Union road block, she is now under arrest and subject to being put before a firing squad. Buck, as commanding officer, now seeks to intercede with the president on her behalf. Because she was instrumental in saving the life of Tad Lincoln, the president commutes her execution.

A behind the scenes look at the Civil War, I enjoyed this book and recommend it as a book worth reading. The male Confederate spies were caught and executed.  Because of an aversion to shooting the female spies, the woman responsible for recruiting the young girls with information for the Confederates was imprisoned for a while and then sent back south. She never arrived, having drowned in a boating accident on the trip.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

The Messenger by Siri Mitchell

Siri Mitchell has written a Revolutionary War story that probably mirrors the lives of many of the colonists during this time of history. I enjoyed reading about Hannah Sunderland and Jeremiah Jones. Hanna, a Quaker, finds her faith at odds with what is happening in Philadelphia under British occupation. The Quaker stance of non-violence and non-involvement in the war begins to take second place to helping her imprisoned twin brother. Captured by the British after he joined the Colonial forces, Robert lies sick inside the compound. How can she offer comfort to him and still adhere to the non-involvement her religion requires? How long can she keep the news about Robert from her family and would they help if they knew of his imprisonment? Enter Jeremiah Jones, an ex-British soldier. Jeremiah gives the impression that he is on the side of the British. Unknown to all, he is a spy for the colonists. Wounded while a British soldier and left with a handicap, Jeremiah is bitter for the way the army treated him.

Seeing Hannah sneaking around the prison trying to make contact with her brother, Jeremiah begins to wonder if she will work with him and pass information from the colonial army to the prisoners. Plans are in the works for the prisoners to dig a tunnel and escape. These plans call for coordination between General Washington’s army, the prisoners and a celebration planned by the British officers. The prisoners will escape the night of the celebration and the colonial army will be near to take care of them. While the escape goes well, things are not so good for Hannah and Jeremiah. They end up in prison, abandoned by the British when all the prisoners are moved to prison ships.

I received this book to review for free from Bethany House.

Do This & Live Healthy by Don Verhulst, MD

Do This and Live Healthy by Don Verhulst, M.D.

Dr Verhulst has subtitled this book: 10 Simple Keys That Cure. And ten keys based on scripture and healthy living he does give. Key 1 is learn to relax like the Lord. Key 2 lets us know we need to get to bed on time. Key 3 is about the benefits of exercise and so the list goes on. Using scripture along with personal family experiences, Dr. Verhulst gives the reader a plan that is easy to follow.

I learned so much reading this book and feel I have finally found a practical help that does not require expensive supplements or grocery items that the average American will never use again. The ten keys are found in the first part of the book. The second section deals with common health issues and how to deal with them. Allergies, Alzheimers, asthma, bladder infections and cancer are just a few of the health problems that are explored. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a positive, simple plan for life.

I received this book for free from Charisma House for this review. The opinions expressed are solely mine.

God Gave Us the World – Lisa Tawn Bergren

God Gave Us This World by Lisa Tawn Bergren


A delightful young children’s book for ages 3-8, this story is about a young polar bear, named Young Cub, who learns there are different bears in other parts of the world. He wonders why. Mother bear begins the explanation by pointing out the differences in the snow that is falling. From there Little Cub learns that God is creative. Different bears look different, live in different parts of the world and eat all different foods than he does. As he learns about the world and the differences found there, Little Cub also comes to see that we must take care of this world we live in. Best of all he has a special place in this world.

An easy to follow story with beautiful artwork, I believe this book will hold the attention of any child who reads it or has it read to them.  

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.