Book Spotlight: Pretty Is As Pretty Does by Debby Mayne

Priscilla Slater goes to her 10-year high school reunion as a successful business woman. Even though she got rid of her mousy brown hair, swapped out her discount store wardrobe for designer clothes, and now has perfectly straight teeth, she can’t get past feeling like the ugly duckling. Her parents’ disapproval for her choice of careers—running a chain of hair salons—deepens her self-doubt. She experiences self-discovery and learns that things aren’t always as they seem.

During the reunion, one woman passes out after starving herself for the event. The class beauty queen appears to have more self-confidence than ever until her ex shows up with his new wife. The reunion organizer has taken her responsibilities to a whole new level that makes the Marines look like Boy Scouts, while her husband drinks too much and makes a fool of himself. The man she always dreamed about being with finally gives her some attention, but when she finds out more about him, she realizes he’s not worth her time. These realizations boost her self-confidence, but now she has to deal with her best friend Tim’s new feelings for her.

 Purchase your copy:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | ABINGDON PRESS

Debby Mayne has published more than 30 books and novellas, 400 print short stories and articles, more than 1,000 web articles, and a slew of devotions for women. She has also worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, a creative writing instructor for Long Ridge Writers Group, and a copy editor and proofreader for several book publishers. For the past eight years, she has judged the Writers Digest Annual Competition, Short-Short Contest, and Self-Published Book Competition. Three of Debby’s books have been top ten favorites by the Heartsong Presents book club. Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida received 4-1/2 stars from Romantic Times Magazine, and was named a Top Pick for the month of July 2009.

You can visit Debby Mayne’s website at www.debbymayne.com.

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Book Review: Beside Two Rivers by Rita Gerlach

Darcy Morgan's past and present are destined to collide. With both parents gone, she now lives with her aunt and uncle in a house along the Potomac. As past secrets rise to the surface, Darcy meets Ethan Brennan, an aspiring English horse breeder who is captivated by her independent spirit and marvels at the simplicity of her faith.

When Darcy is beckoned to England by her grandmother, she decides to leave her beloved home and journey with friends of the family across the ocean. Soon all the memories she has of her family begin to unravel, and a long-hidden secret may destroy any happiness she might have with Ethan.

I truly love books that show how much the past and present are connected. That's exactly what I discovered in Beside Two Rivers by Rita Gerlach. While Darcy and Ethan's romance is partially the focus of this moving novel, the story is more about how past secrets can impact future happiness directly or indirectly.

In Darcy, the author has created a sympathetic character with an adventurous spirit. Darcy still remembers the last words her father spoke of her mother Eliza. Soon afterwards, she was abandoned by her father and left to live with her aunt, uncle and cousins. While she loves them all dearly, she can't seem to let go of the mother she lost and the father who abandoned her.

Gerlach did a wonderful job of sculpting a truly fascinating story that kept me turning page after page. Would Darcy and Ethan's love flourish? Would Darcy ever see her father again? How would what Darcy doesn't know about the past impact her life if it was discovered? I absolutely loved how the author developed the tension in this novel. I couldn't put the book down.

While this is the second book in a series, it stands alone perfectly. I never once felt lost. My only disappointment was that the ending seemed rushed. The tension built and built. The puzzle pieces fell into place. For 34 chapters I was totally engrossed. Then came the last chapter and suddenly every loose end had to be tied up. This happened, then this, and then this. Time flew by. I would have preferred either a few unanswered questions or a solid last chapter followed by an epilogue that allowed the reader to see a bit into the future.

I still enjoyed Beside Two Rivers and have requested to review the next book in the series, Beyond the Valley, which will be out in February. If you like a bit of mystery and suspense in your historical fiction, you should give Beside Two Rivers a try.


Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (October 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426714157
ISBN-13: 978-1426714153
SRP: $14.99

I received a free paperback copy of this book from the publisher through Pump Up Your Book. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I was not compensated in any way.

This is the 56th book I've read for the following challenge:

It is the 33rd book I've read for the following challenge:

Book Review: Hurry Less Worry Less for Moms by Judy Christie

If there is one thing I understand, it's being a busy mom. Seems the days fly by with little time for any rest or even a moment to catch a breath.

Filled with practical advice and hope, Hurry Less, Worry Less for Moms by Judy Christie will help. This book will empower you to make the needed changes in your life.

As moms, we have the corner on guilty feelings. I missed a field trip with one of the kids yesterday because I woke with a stomach bug. Yes, I managed to get work done, but my heart was heavy all day because my daughter was so looking forward to me coming on her field trip. I sometimes wonder how much of my hectic schedule is caused by not wanting to disappoint someone else.

Even from the beginning I was inspired by Christie's book. In the first chapter, she shares something very important:  "Get to know yourself and your family better, being aware of what makes you tick, your strengths, and the areas that may need improvement. Consider your relationship with God. Depend on others." I think this wraps it up in a nutshell. Too often I focus on the areas for improvement and none of the strengths. Too often I try to go it alone instead of bringing my worries to God or asking others for help.

Hurry Less Worry Less for Moms encourages you to take it one step at at time, learn to say no, focus on what is right for your life at this time, set priorities, learn how to make wise decisions and be truly blessed by your role as a mom. It helps you find more joy, pursue peace in your daily life, build a hopeful heart, and reminds you to lean on God. Pray for your needs and your family's needs. It also talks about one thing that I feel most moms forget--self-care. We need to take care of ourselves so we can take care of our families.

I loved everything about this book and I would recommend it to any mom I know.

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (October 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0687659159
• ISBN-13: 978-0687659159
• SRP: $14.99
• Also available for Kindle and Nook

I received a free paperback of this book from the author through Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tours in exchange for my honest opinion. I received no monetary compensation of any kind for this review. 

This is the twenty-sixth book I've read for the following challenge:

First Chapter Review: From Ashes to Honor by Loree Lough

September 11th remains a difficult date in our history. Like probably many of you, I remember where I was that day; still recall the horrible images on the news, and have struggled to make sense of such a tremendous loss of life.

For these reasons, I've mostly steered clear of books set around September 11th or in which that tragic event plays a part. I felt drawn, however, to this book. As I read last night, it struck me how the author writes with a sense of compassion. I was glad to have picked up this one.

TITLE:  From Ashes to Honor: Book #1 in the First Responders series

AUTHOR: Loree Lough

BLURB:  If he had only answered that last phone call from the World Trade Center . . .

Minutes before two jumbo jets changed U.S. history, New York police officer Austin Finley ignored the call from his brother, who’d been bugging him for days. Trying to live with his one regret causes hatred and bitterness to consume Austin, and when counselor Mercy Samara recommends desk duty, Austin resigns. Haunted by her own memories of 9/11, Mercy takes a job as a school counselor in Baltimore. When Austin, now an EMT, responds to an emergency at Mercy’s school, both are stunned and wary.

Finally their common—and painful—memories turn suspicion into friendship, then romance.

But hard questions linger: Can they truly move beyond their past harsh judgments and harsh words? Will their past finally bring them closer or—as the tenth anniversary of 9/11 draws near—drive them farther apart?

COVER:  Beautiful. The cover is exactly what one would expect for a book in which September 11th plays a big part. The use of the soft blur over the scene of NYC draws out the block letters of the title and displays a sense of calm despite the plot. The American flag reminds the reader how for a few days we weren't African-American or Caucasian, Hispanic or Asian, Catholic or Jew, Democrat or Republican--we were all proudly American.

FIRST CHAPTER:  It is January 2003. We find Austin Finely sitting in the office of Dr. Mercy Samara. A decorated police officer who responded to the call on September 11th, he has been placed on desk duty and ordered to see the doctor after a series of violent altercations with perps. He knows Dr. Samara is the key to him returning to his regular job.

Finely is very angry, but he's not about to tell the doctor about the images he can't erase from his mind or his regret over not answering a phone call from his twin brother from the World Trade Center that morning.

KEEP READING:  A resounding yes! As I mentioned in the beginning, Lough writes with a sense of compassion as she relays Finley's story. You're pulled in, despite how badly he is treating the doctor who is trying to help him. You can understand and sympathize with the pain and suffering he has had to endure for the past sixteen months. He makes it obvious he's not a fan of therapy, and through his internal thoughts we experience his disdain for this Muslim doctor. But you can't seem to dislike him, because of the way Lough has drawn him.

The powerful scene between Finley and Dr. Samara after he accidentally reveals something he wishes would remain hidden, clinched it for me. I want to keep reading. I want to see him open up to her and find a way to heal himself. And in this touching scene, we get a glimpse of the romance that might be.

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (September 2011)
ISBN-10: 142670769X
ISBN-13: 978-1426707698
 
 
I picked up a free Kindle version of this book earlier this month. I received no monetary compensation for my review.

First Chapter Review: One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson

This is the start of my new feature, the First Chapter Review. As I mentioned last week, I will read the first chapter of a book, discuss it a bit, and then let you know whether I would keep reading. I hope you'll enjoy this new feature and will leave me feedback. The format of this might change as we go along, so your feedback will be important.

TITLE:  One Imperfect Christmas

AUTHOR:  Myra Johnson

BLURB: Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened. Worse, she’s allowed the monstrous load of guilt to drive a wedge between her and everyone she loves—most of all her husband Daniel. Her marriage is on the verge of dissolving, her prayer life is suffering, and she’s one Christmas away from hitting rock bottom.

Junior-high basketball coach Daniel Pearce is at his wit’s end. Nothing he’s done has been able to break through the wall Natalie has erected between them. And their daughter Lissa’s adolescent rebellion isn’t helping matters. As Daniel’s hope reaches its lowest ebb, he wonders if this Christmas will spell the end of his marriage and the loss of everything he holds dear.

COVER:  I'm a bit cool on the cover. The cream colored door is rather plain. I like the carrot that adds in the "im" to the title. The broken ornament is a nice touch. I would rather have seen a messy living room with a Christmas tree and some ornaments on the floor. If I were making a purchase based upon cover alone, I might have passed this one by.

FIRST CHAPTER: The story opens three weeks after Christmas. Natalie wishes her husband's schedule didn't take him away so much, and hopes their daughter Lissa's adolescent rebellion can be kept under control. She's also dreading the arrival of her in-laws. Her mother-in-law is a total neat-nick. Natalie didn't inherit the cleaning gene from her mom, who also keeps everything tidy. When her mother calls and asks Natalie to help take down the Christmas decorations, Natalie explains how busy she is. It will be a decision she regrets.

KEEP READING?:  Yes. Though at first, I felt the story started off a bit slow: wife feeling sorry for herself as her husband is rushing off in a different direction, feeling neglected by her daughter, and dreading the impending in-law visit. The pace picked up as I moved through the story, and it ended so strong, that I continued reading all of Chapter 2. I definitely want to see how this turns out!


Paperback: 274 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (September 2009)
ISBN-10: 1426700709
ISBN-13: 978-1426700705
SRP:  $13.99
Also available in a Kindle edition.

I received no monetary compensation for this review.