Archive | March 2021

Can’t Buy Me Love by Andrea Christenson

Totally Charming

Can’t Buy Me Love by Andrea Christenson is a charming contemporary Christian novel loosely based on the Cinderella story. It is the second book in the Deep Haven Collection series.

We all have dreams. It is important to pursue our own dreams and not to be pressured into following the dreams of others. Our dreams will drive us forwards with a passion and a focus.

Sometimes we feel we have to work to earn our place within our family. In contrast in God’s family we are loved for who we are. “[God] loves you for yourself, not for what you can do for Him.” We witness characters who only do things for what they can receive in return. In contrast there are those who give out of the love in their hearts.

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Facing The Dawn by Cynthia Ruchti

The Strength-Giver

Facing The Dawn by Cynthia Ruchti is the most beautiful Christian tale about love and loss and hope.

Cynthia Ruchti writes with care and compassion as the reader immerses themselves in her beautiful words. Facing The Dawn is like a hug from Jesus in a book.

The reader will not be able to read this book and remain unchanged. We ‘see’ and ‘feel’ the hope and love of Jesus. A character asks ‘what is the antidote to fear?’ The answer is ‘love’. Jesus is love.

The grief is raw and palpable. “I’m doing all I can to squeeze out ‘Jesus, help!’ from time to time. No offense, but I can’t read your Word right now.” We witness a character drowning in grief. Sometimes all we can do is cling on to Jesus and rest in His presence. He understands our pain. He understands our needs. “You do understand if I don’t have it in me to sit beside people who all want to put their arms around me.” Sometimes we just need to be alone. To deal with others is just too hard. Jesus understands. The reader ‘feels’ the desperate sadness of the character.

Cynthia Ruchti is masterful with her pen as she paints the raw emotions. “Hope… stripped away by the ravenous ravens of grief.” We can empathise with the character.

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The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas

Serenely Beautiful

The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas is the most beautiful contemporary novel about love and loss and life. Fiona Lucas words sunk deep into my heart and soul. I was enchanted by the whole book. It was serenely beautiful.

The book is about loss. “I’m not sure how I go on living and breathing without you.” This loss is painful. It hurts and it keeps on hurting. It is hard to see anything but searing pain ahead.

This tale is also about “wisps of hopes and dreams.” There is hope for the future but we need to start with baby steps.

When loss consumes we need to be able to talk to someone about it. If we bottle it up we merely push the pain down and it will manifest itself in other ways.

Grief takes time. There is no roadmap out of grief. It takes as long as it takes. It meanders where it will. One day the sun will rise again.

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While Paris Slept by Ruth Druart

Great Love

While Paris Slept by Ruth Druart is a powerful historical novel that will break your heart.

The action is mainly set in occupied Paris in 1944 and in Santa Cruz in 1953. The voices alternate within the chapters.

This is a novel about the great love for a child. It is a love that is self-sacrificing as needs are put aside to do whatever is best for the child.

Occupied Paris was a terrible place to be. Suspicion lurked around every corner. Trust was in short supply. Terror reigned. “It’s amazing how quickly people learn when taught with fear.”

There were extraordinary acts of great courage performed by ordinary men and women with everything to lose and nothing to personally gain. They acted because it was the right thing to do. In the face of great evil, personal safety was pushed aside.

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