#5: The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis: Classically trained violinist Amelia Devries has spent most of her career doing what her father thought best for her career. Feeling confined she has begun as second secret career as a fiddler. Taking a wrong turn she finds herself at Amish man Michael Hostetler’s doorstep.
I was excited that Lewis decided to write another series set in the same place as her first series. I felt like I was coming home.
#4: Seattle Cinderella by Gail Sattler: After her father’s death Cindy has taken over control of his auto repair shop, but is still under her step mother’s thumb. Annie has a bad reputation after the way she’s treated her step-sister Cindy, but she has changed, and her mother wants nothing more than for sister Zella to marry, but she unsure if she is ready. Cindy’s 50 year-old godmother Farrah has never married and has no real desire to.
I love the concept the story of Cinderella in a modern setting and looked forward to seeing how each of the four stories unfolded. It made for a delightful and fun book from the “Romancing America” series.
#3: Loving by Karen Kingsbury: When Bailey Flanigan moved to Los Angelos she believed it was God’s plan for her but now she is having doubts. She begins to wonder if God is calling her back home to Indiana.
Kingsbury does a good job of keeping you guessing who Bailey will marry between the two men who love her, until the she gets engaged. From the engagement till the end of the book she makes it clear why she made the right choice.
#2: The 13th Tribe by Robert Lipuralo: When the Israelites rebelled against God at Mt Sinai by worshiping the Golden Calf many of them were punished with death, but 40 received a worse punishment: endless life on earth without a chance of seeing the face of God. They have been trying to enter heaven ever since by killing sinners.
I found the concept absolutely fascinating and know I will never read the story of the Golden Calf the same way again. It is action packed and draws you in from the first chapter, and does not let you go until the very end. There were many twists and turns along the way.
#1: The Baxter Family Coming Home by Karen Kingsbury: The entire Baxter family is excited about celebrating John Baxter’s 70th birthday. On the day of the party tragedy strikes and everyone’s lives are altered forever.
While parts of the story are very sad there is an underlying joy as the Baxters deal with their loss which had an effect on me. While reading this book a very special little girl in my life died unexpectedly. An hour after crying my eyes out I picked up the book to read the next chapter and what I read helped me a great deal.