The Gift of Christmas Past by Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall

After nearly a decade of being apart, tragedy brings together Hadley and Monroe. Take a break from the holiday busyness and settle in for a story of young love lost and second chances in Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall’s The Gift of Christmas Past. Years of secrets and anger beg to be set free as Hadley and Monroe try to push aside past hurts and find common ground in order to help the traumatized child and her family. Can the love of Christmas past drift into the present, bringing healing and hope for all?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the LitFuse Publications book blogger campaign. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

ABOUT THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS PAST

The Gift of Christmas Past(Woodsmall Press, October 2017)

Arson wasn’t the only fire that ignited between them.

Promises shattered.

Lies spoken.

She was arrested.

He returned to the safety of his wealthy parents.

Almost ten years later, Hadley and Monroe are both specialists in the field of speech therapy. They meet again . . . thrown together to help a four-year-old-girl rendered mute after being rescued from a fire.

Years of secrets and anger beg to be set free as Hadley and Monroe try to push aside past hurts and find common ground in order to help the traumatized child and her family.

Can the love of Christmas past drift into the present, bringing healing and hope for all?

Learn more, read an excerpt, and purchase a copy.

ABOUT CINDY AND ERIN WOODSMALL

Cindy Woodsmall is the “New York Times” and CBA best-selling author of eighteen works of fiction. She’s been featured in national media outlets such as ABC’s “Nightline” and the “Wall Street Journal.” Cindy has won numerous awards and has been finalist for the prestigious Christy, Rita, and Carol Awards. Cindy and her husband reside near the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains in Flowery Branch, GA. ||**|| Erin Woodsmall is a writer, musician, wife, and mom of three. She has edited, brainstormed, and researched books with Cindy for almost a decade. She is very excited about their first coauthored book.

Find out more about Cindy and Erin at http://www.cindywoodsmall.com.

Dynamic Uno here:   Wow!  Talk about a book that grabs you by the throat and sucks you into the story... Hadley's life as a teenager had me in tears.  To live such a crazy life as a foster-kid, never knowing if you were going to be allowed to stay in your home or be forced into another place must have been horrible.  Then, to compare your life with that of your boyfriend who grew up with a silver spoon...I can only imagine the sense of unworthiness and frustration she felt.

Learning about the foster care system and how rough it can be was eye-opening.I have always assumed that once your kids were taken away, that you didn't get the chance to have them again.  Reading about Hadley's experience in the system was heart-breaking because it seemed like she never had a fighting chance.

Meeting Hadley and Monroe as adults, I was interested in learning more about their work with children who have speech and language problems.  As a former teacher, it has always fascinated me how crazy our bodies really can be when it comes to trauma and other added stressors.  I could see on a daily basis the issues these could cause my students--and to think that Hadley lived through many of them.  Yikes!

The unique relationships between the characters and the amazing backdrop of Asheville, North Carolina, make for a wonderful tale of perseverance and forgiveness.

Let me know what you think about the book in the comments section and Happy Reading!

A Small Book About a Big Problem by Edward T. Welch

What happens when our daily irritations and frustrations rise again and again? Start your journey to find peace and a plan to change with Edward T. Welch’s new book, A Small Book about a Big Problem.Ed, a Biblical counselor and psychologist, invites readers to take a fifty-day journey that unpacks anger while encouraging and teaching readers to respond with patience to life’s difficulties. Readers will also be introduced to Jesus, the key to any plan for change. Known as the Prince of Peace, he is the only one who can empower his people to grow in patience, peace, and wholeness.

How many times today have you been irritated? Frustrated?

While you might not think about it often, if you look closely at any day most everyone can find anger in their actions and attitudes. Something spills or goes missing, we get stuck in traffic or someone cuts us off on the road, or we feel like the people we live and work with are only making our lives more difficult. And while no one wants to get angry, what happens when our irritations and frustrations rise yet again?

Anger is so common—yet it also hurts. It not only leaves a mark on us, but it also leaves a marks on others. The wounds we inflict on ourselves and others because of anger—loss of intimacy, trust, security, and enjoyment in our closest relationships—give us compelling reasons to look closely at our anger and think carefully about how to grow in peace and patience.

But if you, like many others, have just gotten irritated for the umpteenth time today, you might wonder if change is possible. Can anyone truly find peace? The answer is yes, but you will need a plan. Biblical counselor and psychologist Ed Welch invites readers to take a fifty-day journey that unpacks anger while encouraging and teaching readers to respond with patience to life’s difficulties. Readers will also be introduced to Jesus, the key to any plan for change. Known as the Prince of Peace, he is the only one who can empower his people to grow in patience, peace, and wholeness.

Learn more, read a sample, and purchase a copy here.

Edward T. Welch, M.Div., Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). He earned a Ph.D. in counseling (neuropsychology) from the University of Utah and has a Master of Divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary. Ed has been counseling for over thirty years and has written extensively on the topics of depression, fear, and addictions.

Find out more about Edward at http://stores.newgrowthpress.com.

Facebook     Twitter    Instagram

Dynamic Uno here:  I did not sign up to review this book, although after reading about it, I probably should .  If you're interested in learning what others think, check out further reviews here.

The Gift by Shelley Shepard Gray

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the LitFuse Publications book blogger campaign. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 



About the book:

The Gift: The Amish of Hart County(Avon Inspire, November 2017)

A special Christmas story about love and blessings in the next book in the Amish of Hart County series

The Schwartz family is happy to be spending Christmas on their new farm in Hart County. But when Susanna Schwartz hears gunshots that causes her buggy to overturn, and then her little sister falls through a wooden bridge into the icy creek, it becomes clear from these dangerous "accidents" that someone wants them gone.

Neil Vance has been heartbroken ever since his parents lost their family farm. He knows it's not the Schwartz family's fault, but he can't help but be resentful. Until he meets Susanna. She is kind-hearted and bold, and Neil can't stop thinking about her pretty green eyes.

Neil thinks the accidents are just that, but Susanna's father is convinced the Vance family is responsible. Susanna refuses to believe Neil would do anything to harm her. She's fallen in love with him and knows he is a good man. But her family is ready to pack up and move, and time is running out to uncover the truth before someone gets hurt . . . or worse.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

About the author:

Shelley Shepard Gray is a "New York Times" and "USA Today" bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

Find out more about Shelley at http://www.shelleyshepardgray.com.

Dynamic Uno here: The more I get to know the characters in Hart County, the more I want to get to know them.  The Gift is book three in the series of The Amish of Hart County and the suspense of who was causing the accidents is what grabbed me from the start.  After all, in a "sleepy little Amish town" everyone knows everyone else.  Why would someone try to deliberately hurt their neighbors?  

As I continued to read and get wrapped up in the plot, I enjoyed getting to know the characters even more.  It seemed like Amanda had never met a stranger (much like my sister) and Suzanne was a bit more reserved and quiet (like I am).  Reading about their family dynamics and seeing how close-knit their relationships were, made me long for the same with my own relationships.

The themes of forgiveness and trust are prevalent throughout the novel.  Once forgiveness had been granted, it paved the way for Suzanne to trust Neil more resulting in a beautiful friendship between the two characters.  And really, isn't it that way in life?  God forgave us (for our sins) and as long as we trust Him, we have a beautiful relationship too?

I enjoyed reading The Gift.  Between the "who done it" suspense and the relationships of the characters, I had to keep reading to find out what happened next!

Even if you're not a fan of Amish fiction, but enjoy a mystery with a touch of romance, you'll enjoy this book.  It is book #3 in a series, but can stand alone if you haven't read Her Secret or His Guilt.  Give it a try today--you'll love it!

Let me know what you think and Happy Reading!