Book Giveaway: My 3 Favorite Reads so Far This Year

A lot of new books come out every year, and my to-be-read pile grows consistently. Books by certain authors always go to the top of the stack, and two of the three fall into that category. A new-to-me author makes up the third top read so far this year.

Read on, and make a comment. That will enter you to win one of these read once like new books.

Facing the Dawn by Cynthia Ruchti

Cynthia Ruchti seems to read my heart, soul and circumstances and her books always fit some situation or circumstance from my life. Facing the Dawn was, as author Debbie Macomber is quoted, “An emotional roller coaster of loss, faith, hope, and redemption.”

Synopsis: While her humanitarian husband Liam has been digging wells in Africa, Mara Jacobs has been struggling. She knows she’s supposed to feel a warm glow that her husband is eight time zones away, caring for widows and orphans. But she is exhausted, working a demanding yet unrewarding job, trying to manage their three detention-prone and needy kids, failing at her repair list, and fading like a garment left too long in the sun.

Then Liam’s three-year absence turns into something more, changing everything and plunging her into a sunless grief. As Mara struggles to find her footing she discovers that even when hope is tenuous, faith is fragile, and the future is unknown, we can be sure we are not forgotten… or unloved.

It was no coincidence to me that this story arrived near Easter – the holiest of Christian holidays and a reminder of redemption and restoration as is Facing the Dawn. This story is a carrier of hope that deeply touched my spirit.

Finding Wings by Deborah Raney

Warmth, wonder, memorable characters and stories that brighten my outlook and influence my behavior are frequently from Deb Raney. Finding Wings is a hug from above wrapped in a sparkling romance.

Synopsis: Being the youngest of three sisters isn’t always easy for Britt Chandler, especially when her older sisters have successful lives and hers is still on hold. She put everything aside to care for their dying mother, but now their mother is gone. Just as Britt’s life finally has a chance to blossom, her sister is ordered on bed rest during a difficult pregnancy and it looks like God is again calling Britt to be a family caregiver —and nothing more.

Rafe Stuart is unable to forgive himself for a childhood mistake with grave repercussions. No matter how many lives he saves as a first responder, he can’t ever seem to do enough penance to free his soul from that decades-old tragedy. There definitely isn’t room in his wounded heart for love; it’s much too dangerous.

When these two struggling souls encounter each other, sparks fly. But they’re both scared the fire that might result could destroy them—and those around them. How can they begin to trust that God has the best for them and real purpose for their lives beyond what they’ve dreamed . . .or feared?

Author Elizabeth Musser says “It’s a captivating romance that also explores the themes of sisterly love and what it means to sacrifice for family. This book sparkles with faith, hope, and love.”

Captivating characters and a surprise little mystery woven inside kept me turning the pages all hours of the night.

The Way it Should Be by Christina Suzann Nelson

Christina Nelson is a new-to-me author with a stellar reputation. Her Amazon Author page says she “writes stories featuring women who survive circumstances to live lives closer to God’s calling. She focuses on changing legacies from dysfunction to hope.”

I was attracted to her book by praises from other stellar authors such as Lisa Wingate (#1 New York Times bestselling author) and Lauren Denton (USA today bestselling author) who says: “In the Way It Should Be, Christina Suzann Nelson doesn’t shy away from the horrors of addiction nor the heartache of the foster system and family brokenness. But in the midst of the hurt, Nelson offers pictures of grace, glimpses of beauty, and the hope of redemption.”

Synopsis: After years of estrangement, the lives of Zara Mahoney and her twin sister, Eve, are suddenly intertwined again. When Eve”s troubled lifestyle causes the state to contact Zara about taking custody of Eve’s two children, Zara feels wholly unprepared. Besides never knowing she was an aunt, her new house, new husband, and plans for the future were meant to give her a fresh start.

Meanwhile, Eve may have a real chance at a new beginning with the help of Tiff Bradley, who, after facing a heartbreaking tragedy in her own family, is dedicated to helping women everyone else has given up on.

Over the course of one summer, all three women’s hearts and lives hang in the balance as Eve desperately works toward a new life. Can they redefine their expectations of how life should be to find the hope they—and those they love—so desperately need?

I found ideas for God’s love in action, hope for a very needy foster system, and compelling characters who kept me awake (and lure me to read the other books in the series) 🙂

Leave your comment and your email so I can contact the three winners (one for each book) where it should be mailed. ———- When approving comments, I’ll edit out your email if you wish.

Happy reading! – I will select the winners on April 22.

Delores