Wednesday, January 21, 2015

"A Brush With Love" by Rachel Hauck



{Congratulations to Linda W. M. for winning our giveaway! We sent you an e-mail!
We have more giveaways coming up, so don’t worry if you didn’t win!}

About this book:

  “Ginger Winters is a gifted hairstylist with scars no one can see. The last thing she expects from the New Year is a new chance at love.
  Overcoming a childhood tragedy, Ginger emerges from the pain and trauma with a gift for bringing out the beauty in others. From the top big city salons to traveling the world as personal stylist to a country music sensation, success was almost enough to make Ginger forget she would never be one of the beautiful people. That girl, forever on the outside looking in. But she needs her confidence this weekend. She’s the acclaimed “beauty-maker” for the Alabama society wedding of the decade.
  When high-school crush Tom Wells Jr. also returns to town and shows up at her shop looking for a haircut, Ginger’s thinly veiled insecurities threaten to keep her locked away from love, Despite Tom’s best efforts, Ginger can’t forget how he disappeared on her twelve years ago and broke her heart. Can she ever trust him again?
  When Tom challenges her to see her own beauty, Ginger must decide if she will remained chained to the past or move freely into a new, exciting future.”


Series: Book #2 in the “A Year of Weddings 2” series. {This is part of the second series, hence the 2 at the end. This was my first book I’ve read in either series.}


Spiritual Content- Prayers; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of Scriptures & Scriptures are quoted; Mentions of people in the Bible; A lot of talks, mentions of sermons & church going and great witnessing; Tom came back to Rosebud to start a Church (He felt God’s call); Tom has a very strong Faith; R.J. says that she might “have to recommit myself to Jesus and go to Tom’s church” (because he’s cute); Ginger felt betrayed by God when she was in the fire, so she’s since stepped away from God; Christian artists and music is mentioned & sung.
*Note: a mention of Mother Nature; “Ginger shuddered. Having experienced fire, she had a deathly fear of h*ll. And of the God, if He existed, who claimed He could send her there. Real or imagined, she tried to avoid ticking God off at all coats.”.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘darn’, a ‘drat’, a ‘please shut up’, a ‘oh my gosh’ and a ‘oh my word’, a ‘stupid’, a ‘wimp’, two ‘dang’s, three ‘shoot’s; “Kiss-my-grits” is said & repeated; Sarcasm; Mentions of drinking; Ginger’s heard people talking about her which has lowered her self-esteem dramatically (“Freak. Ugly. She gives me the creeps.”).  
*Note: A mention of Michael Buble, Beyonce & the movie, “The Proposal” (which is not a teen friendly movie).


Sexual Content- a ‘baby’, two ‘babe’s, two ‘sexy’s; A semi-detailed kiss; a Mention of an almost High-School kiss; Noticing another couple kissing; Touches (which are sadly, pretty detailed, mainly because Ginger has never been touched by a man before (her father left)); Noticing & Smelling; Eric studies his new wife with such adoration; *Spoiler* Ginger’s mother was rumored to have hooked-up with Tom’s father, the pastor but they never had an affair (but she admits to falling in love with the married pastor); In the Epilogue, Ginger says about how she & Tom will become one on their wedding night. *End of Spoiler*; Tom tells Ginger that her scars may have kept her from her mom’s lustful boyfriends; Love, falling in love, & the emotions. 
*Note: Tom says he needs a wife “To kick Tom’s butt when he needed it.”

-Ginger Winters
-Tom Wells, Jr.
                                         P.O.V. switches between them.
                                                        150 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens- 
(and a half)

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

{Add a half star for OHST who don’t think they’re beautiful due to outward appearance}
Brave. That’s my word for 2015. “You Make Me Brave” by Bethel House Music is my anthem, so to speak, for this year. Where am I going with this? In “A Brush With Love”, being brave and overcoming what others think of you is a major point. Even awesomer (it’s a word) is that my anthem is sung in this novella. I wish I could have given it a higher rating but I couldn’t do to the Sexual content.



See y’all Friday with a new review!


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this e-book for free from the Publisher (Zondervan Publishers) for this review.

Monday, January 19, 2015

"Love Unexpected" by Jody Hedlund

{Make sure you’ve entered our Giveaway! It ends tonight!}


{To girls who are Under age 14! Do not read this review! It's not a good book! Let's leave it alone!}
About this book:

  “All she's ever wanted was a home. But stranded at Presque Isle port after their steamboat sank, Emma Chambers and her brother, Ryan, couldn't be farther away from security. While Ryan at least can find work, Emma can't even find a place to stay. An unlikely solution arises when the lighthouse keeper, who recently lost his wife and is struggling to raise his young son, arrives in town. A traveling preacher believes they might be the answer to each others' problems, and after a hasty marriage, Emma is headed back to the lighthouse with this handsome but quiet stranger.
  But nothing in her wandering life has prepared her for suddenly being asked to raise a child and keep a house. Struggling at every turn, Emma also suspects Patrick may be keeping something hidden from her. In town she hears whispers about strange circumstances surrounding his previous wife's death, and it seems as though Emma's answered prayer for a home and family may actually be something much more dangerous.”



 Series: Book #1 in the “Beacons of Hope” series. {There’s a Novella which is consider #.5 in the series which you can read our review Here! Book #2 will be coming out in Summer 2015.}


Spiritual Content- Emma hasn’t prayed in a long time & doesn’t think she remembers how to; She has to learn about God being in control and not her; Patrick prays; A few Scriptures are quoted; Talks about God & His plans; ‘H’s are capital; Mentions of church going & devotionals.
*Note: a “pit of h*ll”.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘hush’, an ‘idiot’ and a form of ‘stupid’; Curses are said but not written; Pirate attacks (barely-above-not-detailed); After her Mam died, Emma’s father drank and couldn’t keep a job; Fist Fighting (highest being semi-detailed); Blood (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions & Rememberings of box fighting (semi-detailed); *Spoiler* Patrick’s past included looting, liquor, gambling & see Sexual content Spoiler. *End of Spoiler*; Guns are pointed & shot.


Sexual Content- a ‘hussy’  and a ‘wh*re’; A Detailed Kiss & 2 Semi-Detailed kisses; Wishing & Wanting to Kiss; Talks of Kissing & Kisses; Thinking of kissing & kisses; Longing for more; Embraces (ranging from barely-above-not-detailed all the way to detailed); A Mention of being together & have children; 3 Mentions of wanting to be attractive to your spouse (Which Emma goes to Bertie for advice, very bad idea); 6 Mentions of sharing intimacies; 8 Mentions of expecting something when you’re married; 8 Mentions of laying/sleeping with someone; Rumors go around that Patrick has another women & sees her (*Spoiler* Emma sees him with her, the woman wearing a low cut dress. Turns out she’s a prostitute, his sister and Josiah’s mother. *End of Spoiler*) In Patrick’s past, *Spoiler* when he was drunk, he took advantage of a women and he found he the next morning beaten in his bed (at the end of the novel it’s revealed that his fellow pirate friend used & beaten her)*End of Spoiler*; Carrying to bed; Love, an practical (read: arranged) marriage, falling in love, the emotions & Longing, lots of longing. 

-Emma Chambers
-Patrick Garraty
                                         P.O.V. switches between them.
                                              Set in 1859
                                                        340 pages

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Pre Teens-
New Teens-
Early High School Teens-
Older High School Teens-
My personal Rating-
Whoa! Lots of Sexual Content! {Cue the “Ewww!”s!} This was my first full-length Jody Hedlund book, and sadly, it might just my last. This book reminded me at many times of “Short Straw Bride” by Karen Witemeyer (which I haven’t reviewed on here due to the Sexual Content). This book had an insane about of Sexual hints & mentions. Add Patrick’s past & annoying Bertie the Gossip/Traitor (saw that one coming) and you get a Banned Book.


See y’all on Wednesday with a new review! Make sure you’ve entered our Giveaway! It ends tonight!



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Bethany House) for this review.

Friday, January 16, 2015

"Hearts Stolen" by Caryl McAdoo



About this book:

  “Unbeknownst to loved ones, a headstrong young wife is snatched off the prairie by two Comanche braves, carried north of the Red River, and traded to their war chief for ponies. After five years, a small detail of Texas Rangers rides into camp, and she determines that day will bring freedom or death. She’ll remain captive no more.
  Sassy Nightengale almost gives up hope until a company of Texas Rangers rides into Bold Eagle’s peace camp. She learns they’ve come for the negotiated exchange of stolen white women, except her name isn’t on their list. Purposing in her heart to escape captivity with her blue eyed, four-year-old that day, she does everything she can to be noticed.
  Famed Texas Ranger Levi Baylor spots the red headed beauty and agrees to the war chief’s price adding his personal horse and weapon to the Republic agents’ offerings. The trade propels the couple on a trail of joy and sorrow. Sweet love blossoms but must be denied. His integrity and her faith in God keep them at arm’s length, not allowing even a kiss. Sassy’s still married to her son’s father, and Levi’s honor bound to deliver her home—to her husband.
  Can their forbidden love be made holy? God hates divorce. Is it wrong to hope, expect Nightengale to relinquish his wife and son? Will Sassy and Levi find the redemption they seek for their troubled souls?
”



Series: Book #2 in the “Texas Romance” series. {Book #1 I haven’t read, but the review of Book #3, “Hope Reborn” is Here!}


Spiritual Content- 1 Corinthians 10:13 at the beginning; Many Prayers; Bible reading; Church going & singing; ‘H’s are capital when talking about God; The story of David & Bathsheba is mentioned; The story of Amnon and Tamar; Levi is agnostic but yet says the Bible is true; Wallace asks God to forgive him; Levi knows he’s going to h*ll & talks about it (he eventually asks forgiveness near the end).
*Note: a “waiting at h*ll’s gate”


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, a ‘biddy’, a ‘dumb’, three ‘hush’s, eight ‘stupid’s, nine ‘idiot’s; Fist Fighting (semi-detailed); Indians take Sassy in the First chapter (semi-detailed); Indians talks about killing someone & eating their liver; Sassy was beaten when she was with the Indians; A mention of scalping; Arrows & bullets are shot; Blood (barely-above-not-detailed); Killing & lifelessness (barely-above-not-detailed); Dead animals for food (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of drinking & saloons; Wallace gets a hangover; Wanting to shoot someone; a mention of going to the bathroom.


Sexual Content- a ‘harlot’ and a ‘whore’ when talking about Wallace’s mother; a ‘hussy’; Staring & Noticing; Touches (semi-detailed); a man’s bare chest (barely-above-not-detailed); a mention of a harem; a mention of “Aunt Flo”; a mention of spooning someone; Bold Eagle has many wives, Sassy is one of them (another wife gives a tea the morning after she’s called to his teepee; she never got pregnant from him until the other wife withheld the tea); Sassy has to go to his teepee (not-detailed); a girl had to sell herself for a horse (hinted at but cut-off); Laura gets the idea to go to a man’s bedroom so he’ll marry her (it doesn’t happen); a baby is born (not-detailed); Love, falling in love, trying not to fall in love & the emotions. 

-Rosaleen “Rose/Sassy” Nightengale
-Levi Baylor
                                         P.O.V. switches between them, Charley, Laura, Wallace, Swift Arrow (once) & Bear Fang (once)
                                              Set in 1844 (Chapter 1 set five years prior)
                                                        364 pages

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Pre Teens-
New Teens- 
(and a half)
Early High School Teens- 
Older High School Teens-
My personal Rating- 
I’ve never been one for stories about/with Indians. It’s just too harsh for me. Miss Caryl is so nice & kind, I feel so bad leaving such a low review! Sadly, “Hearts Stolen” wasn’t for me but others (who aren’t so sensitive) may like it.  


See y’all on Monday with a new review! Make sure you’ve entered our Giveaway!


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this review.