Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: one man's journey to faith

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity by Nabeel Qureshi is his journey from devout Muslim to full heartedly falling in love with Christ. Nabeel grew up in a loving and devout Muslim family, he shares how he developed a passion for Islam and its teachings. It was through friendships and friendly debates and questions, Nabeel investigates to prove Islam and disprove Christianity. As he investigates, it becomes undeniable that everything he knew and felt about Islam was false. When he is unable to deny the evidence for Christ and not wanting to disappoint his family, Nabeel’s inner turmoil will challenge many Christians and Muslims. He tells a powerful story as one man faces the clash between Islam and Christianity and has to make a very difficult choice. 

I was first introduced to Nabeel Qureshi in the documentary American Gospel (2018). Last year, I read his book, No God but One: Allah or Jesus? (2016) as he answered in detail the questions he faced during his investigation. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus is his in depth and brutally honest memoir of his journey. It is an amazing journey and another great example of the transformative power of the Gospel. I enjoyed that he refers to No God but One if readers wanted more details to the questions he was facing and trying to answer. I also liked that even though he was being drawn to Christ, he is very respectful and does not demean Muslims or their beliefs. His purpose is to detail his own journey. I highly recommend Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus as well as No God But One. 

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity

is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Groom: a second chance romance

The Groom is the first book in the A Keeper Heart series by Melissa McClone. Falling in love on national television was awkward but having your heart broken in front of viewers was devastating. Millie Kincaid signed up for the popular dating show, The Groom. She never expected to be picked, let alone make it to the finale. When Jace Westfall doesn’t pick her in the season finale, she is hurt and humiliated that she wants to escape from the spotlight and return to her quiet life as a school teacher. Until a new reality TV show provides her a shot at money that her school desperately needs. When Jace made his choice, he didn’t expect to fall from fan favorite to villain overnight. His choice cost him everything: his reputation, his endorsements and even his heart. Now on the verge of financial ruin, he is forced to do another reality tv show. Millie and Jace never expected to see each other again, let alone be teamed up. As they race from country to country, competing in challenge after challenge, they have a real shot at the prize money and a second chance at love. Their only obstacle: each other. 

The Groom is a light heartened, fun romance. I am not a fan of reality shows and do not watch many of them. However, reading Jace and Millie’s adventure on the reality show, Cash Around The Globe, was much more entertaining and enjoyable than watching the real thing. I cheered them both on as they fought being teammates, found their rhythm together and fell in love. Millie had been boxed into the image that she was mousy and no man would find her attractive. She struggles with the fact that that image is wrong. Jace thinks with his head for practical purposes but fails to consider his heart. Every decision he makes is to better his family’s livelihood even at the expense of his own happiness. These two are perfect for each other, they just need to open their eyes and hearts to see it. A romance story with a happily ever after was just what I needed after reading a much heavier and darker book. Overall, I enjoyed The Groom and look forward to reading the rest of the A Keeper Heart series. If you enjoy light hearted romance with a happily ever after, I highly recommend The Groom. 

The Groom is available in paperback and eBook

The End of Temperance Dare: a haunting gothic mystery

The End of Temperance Dare by Wendy Webb is a haunting story of intrigue, secrets and revenge. After suddenly losing her job at a local newspaper, Eleanor Harper decides to apply for the director position at Cliffside Manor, a renowned artist retreat, as Penelope Dare decides to step down and retire. She knows nothing of the manor’s past as a tuberculosis sanatorium. After years as a crime reporter, she hopes that the artist retreat atmosphere will bring the peace she needs. She is quite surprised when she is selected for the position but ready for the challenge. When she arrives on a fog-filled morning, Eleanor can’t shake a sense of impending doom and as the artists arrive, she begins to suspect that her predecessor chose this group of individuals with a certain purpose in mind. As strange and chilling events begin to unfold, the sins of the pasts are revealed, Eleanor must fight to save the artists and herself from evil forces. Will they make it out alive? 

The End of Temperance Dare is a gothic novel with many twists and turns. As I read, I was reminded of Henry James’ 1898 novella, The Turning of the Screw and Nicole Kidman’s 2001 movie The Others with a sprinkle of Supernatural (2005-2020) vibes. When events are unfolding and strange occurrences catch the residents unaware, I kept asking myself who or what is behind it all? Was it one of the caretakers on the grounds? I had my suspicions about a few. Or was there an evil spirit with a deadly game to play? The beginning was a bit slow for me but the gothic vibe was evident from the very beginning but a few chapters in and the story burst open and kept me glued to the page. I usually don’t read gothic novels but this story was intriguing and gripping. Ms. Webb developed mood, atmosphere and mystery brilliantly. I am intrigued to read Ms. Webb’s other works. I highly, highly recommend The End of Temperance Dare. 

The End of Temperance Dare is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Brighter the Light: family secrets and discovery of inner strength

The Brighter the Light by Mary Ellen Taylor is a dual-timeline story of one woman’s journey to discover the stories hidden in her family’s past. Legends say when a shipwreck surfaces, old secrets are discovered. It seems to be true in Ivy Neale’s hometown of Nags Head, North Carolina. When she inherits her family’s beachfront cottage after her grandmother Ruth’s death, she’s prepared to face Dani, her best friend, and Matthew, her boyfriend, that she left behind twelve years ago. As Ivy begins to shift through her grandmother’s belongings, a winter gale uncovers the shipwreck of the Liberty T. Mitchell. A strange series of events as Ivy finds clues to the family secrets so long held in silence. One particular secret brings forth the fateful events of the summer of 1950 as twelve year old Ruth experiences a summer that will change her life forever. Will the truth finally be revealed? Will Ivy discover a strength she didn’t know she had to make her home by the sea? 

I chose this book as my Amazon Reads title. I was dazzled by the beautiful cover and intrigued by the story description. The Brighter the Light is an emotional family drama with secrets galore along the North Carolina shore. Ivy is a young woman who desperately wanted to leave Nags Head at 18 and did. She never looked back until her grandmother’s funeral. Now she must deal with Ruth’s packed cottage. What she sees as useless junk appears to have deeper meanings as she finds connections to the summer of 1950. She also discovers aspects about her grandmother that she never knew and a strength she didn’t know she had. I enjoyed The Brighter the Light as I could not put it down. I enjoyed the added mysterious air of the shipwreck appearance. This book is my first by Ms. Taylor and I look forward to reading more of her books. If you enjoy family secrets and discovery of inner strength, I recommend The Brighter the Light. 

The Brighter the Light is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Sweetest September: one mistake can be life changing

The Sweetest September is the first book in the Home in Magnolia Bend series by Liz Talley. One mistake can be life changing. All John Beauchamp wanted was a night to forget. On the anniversary of his wife’s tragic death, he gets terribly drunk and has a one night stand in a bar bathroom. Ashamed and guilt ridden, he returns to the one thing that makes him happy: running his Louisiana sugar cane plantation. Until one day, Shelby Mackey comes to the plantation and announces she’s pregnant. She claims she doesn’t want anything from him. She felt obligated to tell him. She expected to be on her way but John has other ideas. When he’s with Shelby, he feels something he hasn’t felt before. She’s brought laughter back into his life. Shelby is just what he needs to feel alive again and he hopes her stay will become permanent. 

The Sweetest September runs the gambit of emotions! It is a heartfelt look into grief, healing and moving forward when others seem to be content in their grief. My heart broke for John from the very beginning as he was stuck in his grief with a guilt he thinks he deserves. Shelby is a woman who has had relationship betrayal after another, never feeling worthy enough of love. It is only a sense of responsibility that brings her to John’s doorstep, little does she know that it will open her eyes and heart to a love she is worthy of. I loved this story! There were moments of laughter and anger. There were steamy moments of romance and there were beautiful happy tears at the end. I highly recommend The Sweetest September. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. 

The Sweetest September is available in paperback and eBook

Strung Out to Die: who framed Holly?

Strung Out to Die is the first book in the Divorced Divas mystery series by Tonya Kappes. Life for Holly Harper is slowly but surely getting back on track after her divorce. She has her craft story, The Beaded Dragonfly, and pet pig, Willow. She and fellow divorcees call themselves the Divorced Divas and gather together for food, wine and crafts. They also help each other discover new and creative ways to seek revenge against their ex-husbands. It’s no secret that Holly’s ex-husband, Sean Harper, and local wealthy bachelor, Doug Sloan, do not get along. When Doug is discovered dead inside The Beaded Dragonfly, Holly is determined to discover who killed him and is framing her in the process. 

Strung Out to Die is a different mystery story from Tonya Kappes. It’s a more involved and deeper story. True to Tonya Kappes’ style, there are a lot of zany and colorful characters especially Ms. Agnes Pearl, a 80-something wealthy widow who is as eccentric as they come. At the beginning of the story, Holly is still deeply wounded and unsure of herself since her divorce but she is determined to make it on her own. By the end of the book, she is definitely stronger and more self-assured. The killer reveal was a bit of a shocker and one I didn’t see coming. Overall, I enjoyed Strung Out to Die and I’m looking forward to future books in this series. 

Strung Out to Die is available in paperback and eBook

To Love and Be Loved: when the life you wanted isn't the life you get

To Love and Be Loved by Amanda Prowse is one woman’s journey to build a new life after she is left at the altar and becomes the talk of her Cornish fishing village. Merrin Kellow is young and desperately in love. Her new life with her fiancé is about to start when it all comes crashing down. Now desperate to avoid whispers and gossip, she leaves Port Charles, Cornwall. Leaving behind her beloved parents, her sister, Ruby and best friend, Bella. It isn’t easy staying away but she cannot bring herself to face her beloved home for fear of opening up old wounds again. When tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to return. Once back home, Merrin realizes what she has missed: her home, her family and especially the person she used to be. She is forced to make decisions about her future and confront the past she has been trying to hide. Can she learn to forgive and find true happiness? 

Amanda Prowse is known for deeply emotional dramas with a flair of hope for a better future. There are no easy answers or solutions in her books. If I had been left at the altar, I probably would have run too. Although I sympathized with Merrin on this humiliation, it was hard to like her in other areas of the stories. At times, she was very immature and even juvenile in her reactions to devastating news. But when a single moment has defined someone’s image of themselves, isn't it natural to be a bit childish? My favorite character was her older sister Ruby and the tensions between Merrin and Ruby were classic sisterly squabbles and drove into deeply personal hurts and forgiveness that only sisters can give. Overall, I enjoyed To Love and Be Loved. It is a story of when the life you thought you wanted opens to the door to the life you truly needed. I recommend To Love and Be Loved. 

To Love and Be Loved is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook