A Simply Enchanted Life

Aloha Rose by Lisa Cox Carter

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I was so interested in this book.

I’m a sucker for a good story about adoption or children.

To be honest—I’m a sap and I enjoy pretty much anything that tugs at the heart strings.

I really looked forward to and wanted to enjoy this story. It seemed to have everything I was looking for in a great story.

However, I am going to admit that I couldn’t bring myself to finish this book. The description sounds fantastic and I've loved every other book that I've read in the Quilts of Love series. This one just wasn't a hit for me.

I don’t always read Christian literature but when I do, I expect a higher standard. I was rather surprised to see the acronym “snafu” and the term “flipping” and “bimbo” used in the Christian genre. I was a big turn off to me to the point that I had to walk away from even finishing. Had this not been a Christian book I would have been able to overlook but I feel that it was highly inappropriate for the genre.
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When Laney Carrigan's adoptive parents encourage her as an adult to seek out her birth family, her only clue is the Lokelani quilt in which she was found wrapped as an infant. Centering her search on the Big Island, she battles fears of rejection from a family that abandoned her once before while her faith struggles to embrace God's love.
Along the path to her true heritage, she meets Hawaiian cowboy/helicopter pilot, Kai Barnes. Kai is determined to protect the people he's come to regard as family against a woman he suspects of being nothing more than a gold-digger, but he finds himself drawn to Laney in spite of his reservations. He's spent his entire life seeking forgiveness from past mistakes and longs for a second chance at happiness.

Laney's painstaking journey to find restoration and a place to belong among the breathtaking allure of the Big Island will lead her closer to her past and maybe even something more.


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Lisa Carter has been published in MomSense and Christian Parenting Today. Lisa is currently teaching music at a preschool and enjoying the enthusiasm and joy for life for which preschoolers are famous. She and David have two beautiful daughters.

Find out more at: http://www.quiltsoflovebooks.com

I received this book free from the publisher through a fantastic program called Litfuse Publicity. I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts and opinions I have expressed are my own. To view other reviews and learn more about this tour please visit the Litfuse group by clicking here

Katie's Forever Promise by Jerry S. Eicher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jerry Eicher has quickly made his way to my favorite authors list this year.

I was so excited to read this series but also a little sad to say goodbye to these characters.

I often have trouble relating to or enjoying books written by male authors as I feel they do not usually adequately appeal to my emotions but I feel that Eicher captures each character and breathes life into them on the pages.

I can’t wait to read more by this author. I will be picking up past and future titles!

Katie is trying to move on with her life following the news of Ben’s arrest. Part of trying to move on is venturing back out into the dating world—much to the disdain of her sister who has a crush on the same boy that has asked Katie out.

From the get go I was a bit concerned about Katie’s relationship with Norman. I was worried about Katie still having feelings for Ben and also about Norman’s controlling ways. I suppose I can say that I’m not a bit surprised how that situation ended but I still felt badly for how it ended.

I don’t want to ruin too much of the storyline for those of you that haven’t yet read the book but I appreciated that characters in this book had some serious flaws. So many authors try to make everyone peachy keen and perfect and it can become hard to relate. These characters were real. They had faults and problems just like everyone does and only through the guidance from the Lord were they able to overcome them.

I feel like this particular author provides a lot of insight, motivation and inspiration for a person to continue growing their relationship with the Lord. Katie and her family all offer sweet assurances about the importance of a relationship with Christ and places importance on His will above all others.

If you’re looking for a new Amish series to read and you’ve not yet read them. I would strongly suggest this series. It’s a delightful read that will make you keep reading until you’ve finished all three books.
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Jerry Eicher’s bestselling Amish fiction (more than 210,000 in combined sales) includes The Adams County Trilogy, the Hannah’s Heart books, and the Little Valley Series. After a traditional Amish childhood, Jerry taught for two terms in Amish and Mennonite schools in Ohio and Illinois. Since then he’s been involved in church renewal, preaching, and teaching Bible studies. Jerry lives with his wife, Tina Eicher, and their four children in Virginia.
I received this book free from the Author and Harvest House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own

The Christmas Quilt by Vannetta Chapman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I wanted to read this book, largely because my mom is a quilter and I thought it would be a neat story for us to share.

The stories and tradition that surround quilting is quickly becoming a lost art with so many people not learning to sew or rely on quilting machines to do the work for them.

I enjoyed this story and will pass this along to my mom to read now that I’ve finished.

Now, one thing I will say about this book is that I became a little confused about the family dynamics. I believe that I must have missed a previous story involving these characters. I eventually worked things out but I will admit that I was a tiny bit confused.

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Leah is pregnant with twins and her sister in law is watching out for her. Annie had been a nurse but returned to the Amish faith when she fell in love with her husband, Samuel.

Leah is at odds with Adam for reasons that I never truly added up to me but I know that many times pregnancy is a difficult time for couples so I overlooked this but I really would have liked just a little more character building. Perhaps this is lack of refining is due to the fact that it seems this is an extension of an existing story and therefore I wasn’t already connected to the characters.

When Leah ends up in preterm labor with her twins she finds herself settling in for a long hospital stay. Annie stays by her side and the two of them begin to work on a quilt for the twins.

It is during her hospital stay that Leah has a change of heart about her attitude towards her husband and she begins to draw closer to the Lord as she and Annie quilt each square to represent the fruits of the spirit.

I thought the book was good. I was able to read it at a fast and steady pace because I was interested in how things would wrap up and I was really hoping for a feel good happy ending. I chose to give this book a solid 4 star rating simply because I felt that it lacked a bit of character depth. Otherwise, I really enjoyed!
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Vannetta Chapman has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving over two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather's birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Chapman lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.

Find out more at: http://www.quiltsoflovebooks.com

I received this book free from the publisher through a fantastic program called Litfuse Publicity. I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts and opinions I have expressed are my own. To view other reviews and learn more about this tour please visit the Litfuse group by clicking here

Bible and Prayers for Teddy and Me by Christina Goodings

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is one of the cutest little Bible storybooks that I've seen in a long time.

The padded hardcover just feels perfect for a bedtime story book.

The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and there were many stories to choose from both the Old and New Testament.

My toddler is enjoying this book. It is on that note that I have to go back to bragging on the illustrations because they're just so stunning that they keep my little one engaged in the story. I would definitely recommend this for Christian parents to read to their toddler and preschoolers.

You can get this little book in pink or blue for a little girl or for a little boy.

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I received this book free from Kregel Publications in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.