Things Left Unsaid by Courtney Walsh Release Day Feature!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Things Left Unsaid

Author: Courtney Walsh

Publisher: Waterfall Press

Release Date: October 30, 2018 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Links*: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | BAM! | Christian Book | Barnes & Noble

An emotional novel of family, friendship and forgiveness from Courtney Walsh, the New York Times bestselling author of Hometown Girl.

Lyndie St. James is thrilled that her best friend, Elle, is getting married but unprepared for the emotional storm of the wedding week and returning to her childhood summer home of Sweethaven. The idyllic cottage community harbors some of her best—and worst—memories. It’s not only the tragic death of her childhood friend Cassie that has haunted her for ten years, it’s the other secrets she’s buried that have kept her from moving on.

But Lyndie isn’t the only one with secrets.

Cassie’s mother, father and brother, still struggling with the loss, have been drifting further and further apart. And Elle herself, the last to see Cassie alive, carries an impossible burden of guilt. Now reunited, each of them has a choice: to reveal the truths of that night or continue to live in its shadow. That means embarking on a personal journey of the heart—to escape the darkness and all its regrets and to finally come to terms with the past and, especially, with each other.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Courtney Walsh is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist as well as an artist, theater director and playwright. She is the author of the Sweethaven series—including A Sweethaven Summer, which was a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category—as well as the small-town romances Paper Hearts, Change of Heart, Just Look Up and the forthcoming Just Let Go. Things Left Unsaid is her ninth novel. She lives in Illinois, where she and her husband own a performing-arts studio and youth theater. They have three children.

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR:

  Website | Facebook | Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Goodreads

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Review of A Secret to Die For by Lisa Harris

About the Book ~

Psychologist Grace Callahan has no idea that she has a secret - and a target on her back.

When one of her clients is murdered, Grace quickly realizes that computer security specialist Stephen Shaw wasn't suffering from paranoia. What she doesn't know is that someone believes Shaw gave her a vital piece of information before he died - and they are ready to silence her at any cost. Her only hope may be an old friend, Detective Nate Quinn, who has just been cleared for active duty after a bombing killed his partner and left him dealing with PTSD.

With her signature pulse-pounding suspense, bestselling author Lisa Harris takes you deep into the heart of fear in this race against the clock.

For more information about Lisa Harris and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

Question: Do you know what I can always count on with a Lisa Harris novel?

Answer: A thrilling story that flies!

Seriously, I read A Secret to Die For in less than twelve hours, and when you've got a toddler, that's a miraculous feat! Lisa Harris has this ability to weave a thrilling, suspenseful story that always results in me frantically turning the pages to figure out the whodunit! And the who always surprises me!

Don't worry - this is a spoiler free zone! ;-)

The true, not-so-secret gem of this story is the spiritual journey that the characters take. This spiritual plot will strengthen many who are downtrodden and heartbroken. Grace and Nate have tragic pasts that will make you want to weep. (Don't judge me...) While the questions of grief surround them, their journey is filled with hope! They ask the same questions that we ask about death, disaster, sickness, grief, and living with God's joy despite those traumas. And I loved how Grace was actually the guiding light for Nate, drawing him back to God's loving embrace! Their sweet romance felt natural, realistically building over the duration of the story.

Three Stars ~ A Secret to Die For is a thrilling tale that will keep you guessing while strengthening your spirit! As far as I know, this is a standalone novel, but Lisa Harris' next chilling novel, releases Autumn 2019!

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!
 

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

 

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Review of The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham

About the Book ~

Alone in a strange town, can she find healing for her new home . . . and herself?

Seven years ago, orphaned and alone, Em finally arrived at a new home in Iowa after riding the orphan train. But secrets from her past haunt her, and her new life in the Western wilderness is a rough one. When her guardian is shot and killed, Em, now nineteen, finally has the chance to search for her long-lost sister, but she won't be able to do it alone.

For Azure Springs Sheriff Caleb Reynolds, securing justice for the waifish and injured Em is just part of his job. He's determined to solve every case put before him in order to impress his parents and make a name for himself. Caleb expects to succeed. What he doesn't expect is the hold this strange young woman will have on his heart.

Welcome to the charming town of Azure Springs, Iowa, where people care deeply for one another and, sometimes, even fall in love.

For more information about Rachel Fordham and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

Sweet and quaint equals The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham!

The Hope of Azure Springs gave me some serious Anne of Green Gables vibes, but this endearing tale was completely it's own story, filled with heart-wrenching twists and true love. When you pick up this charming story, be prepared for chuckles, happy sighs, and some tears.

Em 'twas sweet and kind, fragile yet courageous. Her story was truly tragic, but I felt like I could still identify with Em. Who hasn't struggled with their looks or been touched by grief? So much of Em's story revolved around that grief that tore me to pieces, but I cherished the message that we should find the joy in remembering loved ones who have passed. Also, I loved her passion for storytelling because it further showed the significance stories play in our lives - and in the character's lives. ;-)

Caleb 'twas the classic cowboy princely hero that we love to swoon over, but he had a lot to learn about love! Thankfully, he comes to understand the importance of kindness over vain beauty, realizing that when you love someone, then they become the most beautiful to you in all ways. Em and Caleb's love had a nice, organic progression that will leave a happy grin on your face.

The light spiritual thread makes this story appealing to a broader range of people, but Godly truths are clear and present throughout the entire story. And that ending! Oh, how beautiful and romantic and full circle!

Three Stars ~ The Hope of Azure Springs is filled with all kinds of heart! If you love sweet historical romances or Anne of Green Gables, then I think you'd really enjoy this endearing tale.

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

 

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
 

Review of Things I Never Told You by Beth K. Vogt

About the Book ~

It’s been ten years since Payton Thatcher’s twin sister died in an accident, leaving the entire family to cope in whatever ways they could. No longer half of a pair, Payton reinvents herself as a partner in a successful party-planning business and is doing just fine―as long as she manages to hold her memories and her family at arm’s length.

But with her middle sister Jillian’s engagement, Payton’s party-planning skills are called into action. Which means working alongside her opinionated oldest sister, Johanna, who always seems ready for a fight. They can only hope that a wedding might be just the occasion to heal the resentment and jealousy that divides them . . . until a frightening diagnosis threatens Jillian’s plans and her future. As old wounds are reopened and the family faces the possibility of another tragedy, the Thatchers must decide if they will pull together or be driven further apart.

For more information about Beth K. Vogt and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

Do you have tissues?

Well, you're going to need them...

Things I Never Told You is an intense read in women's fiction with some serious Little Women vibes - only everything goes horribly, horribly wrong... And I'm not exaggerating.

Have. Tissues.

Things I Never Told You is very well written and will be a powerful book for many, many people; however, since the grief and breast cancer storylines may hit too close to home, prepare yourself for the upheaval of emotions this novel will unleash within you.

The grief storyline is told mostly through Payton's first-person point of view as she finally starts to deal with the grief she's never acknowledged over the death of her twin sister. With a little help from an unconventional friendship with Zach Gains - another wonderful perspective - and the God she doesn't realize has been there all along, Payton finally starts to live her life again. The breast cancer storyline is told through Jillian's perspective, and while tactfully written, readers will ache with her on this journey.

A tale of estranged sisters who are desperately trying to find their way back to each other as they navigate decades of grief, fear, and secrets, this story really touches on what it means to be a family. Since the living Thatchers are not Christians, the spiritual angle is light, but I enjoyed how organic all the God moments and subtle nudges felt. Living in God's freedom regardless of present circumstances or mistakes from the past reverberates within these pages with a beautiful clarity.

Three Stars ~ Things I Never Told You is a heartachingly, intense, beautiful tale that will speak to the hearts of many readers. Things I Never Told You is the first book in Beth K. Vogt's new Thatcher Sister Series.

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

 

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!