Book Review

About the Book:

Book: Tennessee Wildcat: On the Trail of Laura Ingalls Wilders’ Mr. Edwards

Authors: Robynne Elizabeth Miller and J.D. Rushmore

Genre: Nonfiction/Historical Biography/Literary History

Release date: August 24, 2023

Mr. Edwards … that colorful Tennessee Wildcat Laura Ingalls Wilder so deeply loved. He helped Pa build the family’s cabin, saved Christmas by carrying presents across a raging creek, and spit further than Laura thought possible. Though he was a little rough around the edges, Laura simply adored Mr. Edwards. Through her vivid, heartwarming stories, we came to love him, too.

But who was he? Virtually all Laura’s Little House characters were real people … even those whose names were changed to protect their reputations.

Mr. Edwards, however, wasn’t so easy to track down. In fact, he’s the sole Little House enigma … the only mentioned character that hasn’t clearly surfaced via historical records.

Was he fiction, for the sake of illustrating pioneer stereotypes? Was he a composite character, built from several men Laura knew during their time in Kansas? Was he a loose collection of memories and family lore, cobbled together for the sake of the narrative? Or was he a real man, whose full identity had previously evaded discovery?

We wanted to know the answer …

So, we dusted off our boots and headed out … hot on the trail of the wildcat from Tennessee!

My Thoughts:

Like many other people, I have loved Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books ever since I can remember. In fact, I remember when I was six or seven I was very pleased with myself when I read through an entire book from that series in one day (yes, I was an early, rather precocious reader). I can’t tell you how often I’ve read the entire series, either silently or aloud, but there have been several times. So, when I saw Tennessee Wildcat and read that it was an investigation into a character from Little House on the Prairie, I knew I wanted to read it.

A few years ago, I read The Three Faces of Nellie, which is a similar investigation. While I found Tennessee Wildcat interesting, I think Nellie was more so. A lot of this book felt repetitive. However, there were some absolutely fascinating stories about the early settlers in Montgomery County, Kansas. I really enjoyed reading about them. I also found the description of the way land was surveyed, divided, and described very interesting. I am fairly familiar with a lot of the concepts, because the area of Michigan in which I grew up had been mapped out that way—but to read about it brought everything together. 

If you are a fellow lover of the Little House books, you will want to read this book and learn what life was really like on the frontier where Laura spent two years of her life as a very young child. Warning: It was quite different than she described in her book!

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Authors:

Robynne Elizabeth Miller holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction and a B.A. in English Literature. She’s the author of ten books and countless articles, including Tennessee Wildcat, From the Mouth of Ma, and The Three Faces of Nellie.

Along with speaking nationally, Robynne is a writing and publishing coach and mentor, a writing teacher at writers conferences, workshops, and retreats, the Writing Track developer and director for Unbound, and the director of the Vision Christian Writers Conference at Mount Hermon.

She’s passionate about helping writers bring their stories and messages into the world and delving into the real people and places which populated the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

J.D. Rushmore is a history and genealogy buff, with a particular interest in American history before 1900. He’s enamored with the opening of the west, pioneers, the gold rush, the Oregon trail, etc. He’s particularly passionate about researching historical mysteries, especially when they relate to the Little House series of books.

He is a musician in his spare time, as well as an “at everything” father, husband, and friend. He prefers the smell of historic archives to fresh air (unless it involves poking around a remote historic cemetery!) and has a knack for reading handwriting on historical documents that is illegible to others. Nothing thrills him more than finding the one tiny detail that, after being overlooked for decades, or even centuries, changes EVERYTHING.

More from Robynne:

If you’re a Little House fan like us, you know how risky it was to delve into Mr. Edwards. Rumors have flown for decades as to his real identity, and some folks have double-downed on who they believe he was … declaring a particular name with certainty.

But it just didn’t add up. Through all our team’s collective Little House research and general love of 1800’s history, the name that had been put forward just didn’t make sense.

So, we had a choice.

We could avert our eyes, go about our other writing projects, and leave this mystery untouched. Or, we could, with as much neutrality and meticulous research as possible, see if Mr. Edwards’ true identity could be established.

We risked two things: upsetting some people if our findings didn’t support their theories, and crushing our own hearts if Mr. Edwards turned out to be the one character who Laura Ingalls Wilder constructed purely from her imagination.

We hope our respect for previous researchers, and the strength of our newly discovered information, helped avoid the first worry. And, the second? We were thrilled to discover Mr. Edwards almost certainly wasn’t a work of fiction!

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin

Author: Dennis Conrad

Genre: Christian Children’s Picture Book

Release date: October 30, 2023

Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin is an exciting adventure in the Ancient Roman Empire at the time of Christ. Eight-year-old Marcus and his father are on a mission for the Emperor and visit a mine and a mint where coins are made. Marcus himself makes a denarius, a coin with the emperor’s image.

Marcus goes to Jerusalem where he sees Jesus hold a denarius saying, “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” What will seeing Jesus mean for Marcus, and will he ever be the same again?

My Thoughts:

Last year, I read The Two-Cent Piece, a picture book about the two-cent coins that were used in the United States about the time of the Civil War. There was an aspect of that book that I did not appreciate, but I liked the pictures and the idea of the book so well that when Dennis Conrad offered his next book, Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin, I wanted a copy of it, as well.

I like Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin. It’s a beautifully illustrated story with a clumsy boy who is afraid he will mess things up for his father. He learns along the way how silver is mined and coins are minted. The comical pictures go well with the story. I’m looking forward to having the print copy on our shelf when it arrives here! I know my younger children will enjoy it.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

A former coin collector for over fifty years, Dennis combines his love for the Bible, children’s literature, and sharing stories about the history behind coins.

Dennis retired as a professor of speech communications from Barstow Community College. He and his wife served as English and public speaking teachers ten summers overseas.

Dennis became a sustaining member of the Numismatic Association of Southern California in 1979. He is also a life member of the American Numismatic Association.

Dennis is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and a Fellow of the National Writing Project.

More from Dennis:

How to Turn a Penny into a Teachable Moment

Dennis Conrad

Connect with your child or grandchild by starting a coin collection.

Start with the penny, also known as the Lincoln Head Cent. The coins were first minted in 1909 because it was the 100^th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth.

Use the coin to help your child make the connections with who Lincoln was, what he did, and when he lived. Reasons why Abraham Lincoln is featured on a coin include the following:

1. Lincoln is often at the top of the list of America’s greatest presidents.
2. He helped to preserve the Union during the American Civil War.
3. His Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves.
4. The Gettysburg Address ranks as one of the best speeches of all time.

Now, Look On the Back (the Reverse)

Go through change to find the different images on the backs of pennies.

There are wheat ears (1909-1958) and the Lincoln Memorial (1959-2008).

To celebrate the 200^th anniversary of his birth, the U.S. Mint issued coins with four different images on the back. The Lincoln Bicentennial (2009) coins include a log cabin, Lincoln sitting on a log, Lincoln standing in front of the state capitol of Illinois, and an unfinished U.S. Capitol Building (the way it was when he was president.) For the past several years, there has been a shield on the back representing the preserved union (2010-Present).

Add one of each reverse to the child’s collection.

Don’t forget to mention the words, the date, and the mintmark.

The words include “One Cent,” “In God We Trust,” “Liberty,” “The United States of America,” and “E Pluribus Unum” which means “Out of many, one.”

Also, look for and find the year minted and the mintmark.

Find and add a coin from the child’s birth year to the child’s collection.

Look at the mintmark. It is a letter on the front of the coin under the date. The “D” is for Denver, the “S” for San Francisco, and the absence of a mintmark means the coin was minted in Philadelphia.

Add coins with the different mintmarks to the child’s collection.

Keep the collection safe in a small box or a Ziploc bag. Have fun. Add to the collection as time goes by.

Free Resources

Want to encourage the child in your life to learn more about coins? Sign up at https://dennisconradauthor.com so your child can become a Junior Coin Collector. Receive free, monthly activity sheets like a crossword puzzle. There is a Coin Hunt section where children can search for and find coins in change for their collection, and a Vocabulary Builder section with coin collecting terms.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: What Color is God’s Love?

Author: Xochitl Dixon

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Release date: March 19, 2024

All the colors displayed in this world that God made—
every glorious, fabulous, beautiful shade—
show how good God is and will always be.
But what is the color of love? Come and see!
In What Color is God’s Love?, a little girl and her service dog join their diverse friends through a whirlwind of adventures. As they celebrate the spectacular spectrum of colors God designed,
each color invites readers to explore their God-given emotions and becomes a reminder of God’s unchanging character. While encouraging children to acknowledge God’s constant presence with every turn of the page, What Color is God’s Love? also empowers children, with and without disabilities, to play, work, and serve God together, by simply letting the colors of His love shine through them. With each turn of the page, the focus shifts to a specific color—orange, yellow, blue, green, pink,
black, white, gray, brown, red, purple. Each lyrical rhyme invites readers to engage with God
through empowering and faith-building truth-statements that incite worship and encourage a
lifestyle of loving God and neighbors.

My Thoughts:

I’m a sucker for picture books that are offered for review. Since I still have little girls in my house who love to have stories read to them, I always have an appreciative audience. My four-year-old was delighted a few days ago when I read What Color is God’s Love? to her.

What Color is God’s Love? is a beautiful book. Each page features a different color, names a few things that are this color and talks about how that color makes the narrator feel. For little girls like mine who love dogs, each page is a treat, because there is a dog romping with the children, as well as a number of other animals. Each page also talks about God’s presence and care. This is a delightful book to read at bedtime!

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Xochitl (So-Cheel) Dixon, contributing writer for Our Daily Bread and God Hears Her, is the author of
Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. She loves Jesus and people, as she crosses
cultural, generational, and international lines with encouraging and sound biblical teaching. Celebrating
diversity and inclusion, she advocates for disability awareness with her beautifully diverse family and her
service dog, Callie. Her first children’s picture book, Different Like Me, now available in Spanish, is a
2021 ECPA Christian Book Award Children’s Book Finalist. In March 2024, Xochitl’s second picture book, What Color is God’s Love?, is releasing with WaterBrook.

More from Xochitl:

The Heart Behind My Story

By Xochitl Dixon

Like most of my writing, What Color is God’s Love? began as an overflow of worship while I prayed and praised God. In 2018, my husband and I had followed God from California to Wisconsin. I’m disabled and can’t drive, so his long hours at work left me feeling isolated while I searched for a new church and new doctors. As the weather became more extreme, I grew more discouraged, frustrated, and resentful. I struggled as I wrote my first 31-day devotional for Our Daily Bread, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. I was praying for people, studying and teaching the Bible every day. So, I couldn’t figure out why I felt so out of touch with God.

When my new puppy, Callie, licked my tears away, I looked out the window and noticed the rain had finally stopped. Rays of sunlight pierced through the dark gray clouds, shining on a white heron that had landed in the greed foliage on the creek’s bank next to our front yard. I wept tears of grateful praise. I wrote the first draft of a free verse poem celebrating God’s loving care for the details in Creation and in the lives of His people.

As I prayed, I realized I had been spending time talking to people about God. However, as the physical, emotional, and mental effects of our transition overwhelmed me, I had stopped spending quality time with God. As I watched the white heron take flight, God led me to Psalm 33:6-9, which became the first What Color is God’s Love? Bookend Bible verse.

I released Waiting for God in 2019 and my first picture book, Different Like Me, in 2020. But God had me tuck that free verse poem away as He dramatically transformed me and the original manuscript over the next few years. I wanted to give young image-bearers what I never had growing up: a safe place to process emotions . . . in God’s presence. I also wanted God’s beautifully diverse image-bearers, people with and without disabilities, to see each color as a reminder of His unchanging character, unlimited power, and unwavering grace, as they experienced His unconditional love flowing for them, in them, and through them.

After I signed the contract in November 2021, God began leading me to the right Bible verses to build the messages for each color I shared. Over time, I created the Breath Prayer Cards as a free download on my website, the YouVersion reading plan, and the devotional for the rest of the colors not shared in the reading plan.

I wanted each color to be a reminder of God’s unchanging character, unlimited power, and unwavering grace as we experience His unconditional love flowing for, in, and through us. More importantly, I began praying that everyone who read What Color is God’s Love? would be inspired to open their Bibles and spend more time with God, including me.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: A Hope Fulfilled

Author: April W Gardner

Genre: Biblical Fiction (Obadiah)

Release Date: November, 2023

One Hebrew slave’s courage and faith opens the gate on Edom’s demise.

Tikvah, a Hebrew slave in Edom, lives in hope of once again seeing Jerusalem, the Holy City. When a Babylonian general and his dashing Jewish liaison arrive at her master’s house, whispering plans of Edom’s destruction, she senses Yahweh at work. After all, there’s a prophecy foretelling His justice upon the kingdom. Tikvah clings to that promise while obediently following the call of service into the heart of danger. If only there were a promise she would come out the other side alive.

My Thoughts:

I have been seeing books by April Gardner for awhile, and wondering what her books were like, so I decided to read this book when I had the chance to. I found it quite an interesting “what-if” about the fall of Edom to the Assyrians. I had to cringe at the description of how one of the main characters was mutilated, and the slaughter of people by the Assyrians—but that was reality for the people of that time. I loved the strong faith of several of the main characters. What I did not care for was the romance in this book. It just wasn’t my style. I prefer the romance to be low-key, not the main point of the book. So, those who love Biblical romance will like this book; it just didn’t quite work for me.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

April W Gardner is an indie author whose great passion is historical romance with themes of Native American and Southeastern U.S. culture. Copyeditor, mother of two grown children, and non-trad college student, April lives in South Texas with her husband and two German Shepherds. In no particular order, April dreams of owning a horse, learning a third language, and visiting all the national parks.

More from April:

So…Obadiah? Who ever heard of Obadiah as the backdrop for biblical fiction? I hadn’t. But that’s not where A Hope Fulfilled began…

In late December 2021, while deciding on a Bible reading goal for the upcoming year, I pondered which sections of the Bible I knew least. The minor prophets came to mind right off, then camped there as I asked myself what I knew about these little books.

I’d heard a million sermons preached from one or another of them over the years, but could I give even a one-sentence summary on any of the twelve? That question required a moment’s thought, which produced Jonah and the big fish, Hosea and his harlot wife, Joel and the locusts, Amos and… Uh, er, uh…

This was a problem. After burning some brain cells on the matter, I finally hung my head and admitted I was a minor failure. If I’d been tested right then on the minor prophets, I would have received a big red F.

How was this possible? I’m a missionary’s kid who never missed a church service, for goodness’ sake. This was unacceptable. I had an MK reputation to uphold.

Kidding, kidding. But the point remains. After 4.5 decades in church, I should be able to state every book’s title and theme. At a minimum. Anything less is spiritual laziness.

With that challenge in mind, I hitched up my trousers and set to work. My task? One minor prophet a month. I would read each one again and again, really drilling them home, absorbing their messages and banishing my spiritual “shame.”

By April, and my fourth read of Obadiah, I stared at my Bible, the verses swimming before me, and admitted to a second problem—despite my faithful rereading, the first four books were all running together in a mental smear of prophety messages.

Warning, judgment, doom, gloom. There was hope in there, too, of course. Praise God. And a harlot wife. I had that one down. But I was no closer to being able to distinguish them, to really understand the books with any kind of true ownership.

Since I’m a goal-girl, it made me a little sad to set aside my twelve-prophet year, but there was no getting around it. If this was going to work, I would have to go deeper, get messier, put on my work gloves and knee pads, and start digging.

New goal! Understand Obadiah. I’d worry about the rest once I had this one down. Fifteen months and three written books later, here we are, celebrating the release of my first biblical fiction, A Hope Fulfilled.

So, how did I get from studying a minor prophet to writing biblical fiction? The journey from point A to point B wasn’t very long. The series (A Fire and a Flame) started out as a Bible commentary for women, but when I got to exploring the history around Obadiah, my fiction brain kinda took over. It does that sometimes. Silly brain.

I did finish the commentary, but as soon as I allowed myself to ponder all the what-ifs of the event, the novella practically wrote itself.

Obadiah gives a fiction writer almost no details to build on. So, A Hope Fulfilled is what one might call an artist’s rendition of what might have happened during the fall of Edom. There were probably Hebrew slaves in Edom. One of them probably knew the prophecy of Edom’s doom. And that somebody might have, just might have, longed to help God’s justice play out.

Thus, Tikah and her story, A Hope Fulfilled, were born.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: Call to Embrace

Author: Maryann Landers

Genre: Christian Women’s Fiction

Release Date: November 1, 2023

She’s detached in a stormy marriage because of both of their unfaithfulness. Now she faces the aftermath of her compromise with an unwanted pregnancy. Will fleeing bring her the freedom she yearns for?

Emily Corentin wants to escape the jagged edges of her brokenness. She believes the only option she has is to take her young daughter, leave her husband, and end the unintended pregnancy with an abortion. But her plans take an unexpected turn when the homeless shelter she finds is not the type of help she wanted. She’d buried religion years ago with the death of her Gran. Any God-fearing place will only confirm how much God abandoned her.

An offer from a shelter volunteer may be the lifeline she and her daughter need, but Emily only sees it as a means to an end. The unlikely friendship that follows, draws her closer to the answers she may have carried with her all along. But rash decisions bring new challenges that drag her further into a sea of helplessness.

When all hope is lost in despair will she be washed away by the patterns of her past? Or will she answer the call to embrace the mercy of the cross and in turn bring reconciliation to her marriage?

My Thoughts:

As I often do when considering whether to sign up for a blog tour of a book that has already published, I went to Amazon and read the preview of Call to Embrace. The story sucked me in quickly as I wondered if Emily would survive her flight from a husband who bragged about an affair—while she had just discovered the consequences of her own unfaithfulness! I could tell, though it was not stated explicitly in those chapters, that she planned to get an abortion—would she do it?

Maryann Landers certainly kept my attention throughout Call to Embrace. The story was well-written and kept moving. I enjoyed a clean book without any kisses. At the same time, I was disappointed that the story wrapped up so cleanly and quickly. It didn’t feel quite true-to-life, because it was so rushed. For example, the salvation experiences happened in an instant. Yes, I know that can happen—but it’s not the norm, in my experience. I didn’t see the characters repenting of their sins. One thing I did love was seeing how God can use one person’s mistakes and brokenness to help another who thinks they have done things that are unforgiveable. All in all, my view of this book is that it’s all right, but not great. It’s certainly not bad. I did like the setting—I haven’t read many books set in Alaska!

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Alaskan based author Maryann Landers writes women’s faith filled fiction based on true stories of extraordinary women of her magnificent state. She loves to showcase the unique north and give her readers a little taste of rustic Alaska.

While writing in her log home in the woods she is also looking forward to her next adventure with her Alaskan husband, juggling mom tasks such as crafting homemade meals from moose and caribou meat, building DIY projects from scrap wood piles and guiding her teens in their homeschooling.

Her first novel in the Alaskan Women of Caliber Series; Alaskan Calibration released June 2021.

More from Maryann:

Call to Embrace is inspired by a true story of a young mom that I met over 13 years ago as I walked alongside her during a difficult time of her life. A year and a half ago I stood in the Pacific Ocean dip netting for salmon near the mouth of the Kenai River. As the waters tugged at my waders, I remembered the church set on the hill behind me where a cross is always lit as a beacon and I thought there is a story here. With anticipation, I prayed what God wanted me to share. What unfolded is the plot line of my friendship with that young mom set in the stunning geographical area of South-Central Alaska.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: Who Brought the Dog to Church?

Author: Tracy L. Smoak

Genre: Christian Contemporary Fiction

Release Date: June, 2023

Betty is sure that Ida Lou does not belong in their church when the woman shows up to the Good Friday service with her small dog in tow. But before she knows what’s happening, Betty is pushed into helping the woman as she deals with the sudden hospitalization of her husband. Having lost her own husband just one year ago, Betty is chosen as the perfect person to help walk through this valley with the newcomer—along with the other women of the WUFHs (Women United For Him).

Sarah McAdams knows her husband loves her. He just loses his temper sometimes. It comes with the stress of being a highly recognized police officer. But when Sarah makes the decision that this is not the life she wants for her young son, will she be able to get out alive? Where can she go? And who will help her?

God works in mysterious ways—and through ordinary people. The town of Prosper is about to experience some drama—and it all starts with a dog who comes to church.

My Thoughts:

Some books catch my interest as soon as I start reading them. Who Brought the Dog to Church? was one of those. When I saw the request for reviewers, I looked up the preview on Amazon to decide if I wanted to read the book. I read the three or four chapters that were available there, and was hooked, so I signed up for the review. Then, I had to decide when to read the book. Should I read the ebook that was sent to me, or wait until a friend could bring the physical book in their suitcase from the States? Since the physical book would arrive here in time to read before the review was due, I decided to wait. There is something about holding a print book and reading it that is quite different from reading on my Kindle! It was worth waiting for. 

I spent a week reading Who Brought the Dog to Church? We were away from home on a family vacation, so I didn’t have time to read more than a couple of chapters each evening before bed until one day we were driving a long distance and the road was straight enough to be able to read for awhile and I could find out how the story ended. This was a book that caught my attention and held it, so much so that when I was not reading I often thought about it and wondered what would happen next to Sarah.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book based on domestic violence before. When I started reading this one, I wondered how in the world all these characters were connected. The story shifted from Betty watching Ida Lou and her dog in church, to Letitia mixing up a message on the prayer chain, to Sarah being hurt by her angry husband—where could a story with such a collection of characters be going? After awhile, everything came together, however, and started to make sense. The thoughts and feelings of each person were described so vividly that I found myself wrapped up in this story and emotionally invested in several of them. This debut novel is gripping, and offers many tips for helping to recognize and help victims of domestic violence, as well as those grieving the loss of loved ones.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

A native Floridian, Tracy L. Smoak grew up riding horses and climbing citrus trees. Her passion is to encourage others in their faith journey. Smoak writes for Guideposts. Ambassador International released her debut novel, Who Brought the Dog to Church?. Bold Vision published her Bible study about encouragement titled Refuge of Grace: Finding Your Safe Place.

She loves photography and authored two hardcover devotionals with her original nature art (Living Water to Refresh Your Soul – tranquil lake scenes; and Arranged with Love– floral landscapes).

Smoak holds a master’s in Education and a bachelor’s in Communication. At her church home, she leads small-group Bible studies. She is an active member of Word Weavers International.

More from Tracy:

What secrets are hidden behind your neighbor’s door? What do you try to hide?

The idea for this contemporary fiction began in a small country church during an Easter prayer vigil a decade ago. As I sat in the pew late at night, I heard a strange scratching noise. When I turned to locate the sound’s source, I saw a woman across the aisle with a little Yorkie.

The vigil was silent, so I didn’t approach the lady, but I did wonder why that pooch accompanied her in the sanctuary. That scenario, connected with others in my weekly involvement in several volunteer roles, sparked imagination. We judge appearances and may completely miss needs of the heart. Do we know our neighbors?

Experiences as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence started me wondering how do people get free from damaging situations? What are the obstacles holding them back?

Serving as a Stephens Ministry leader in my home church exposed me to people suffering loss. How are we to stand with those crushed with grief?

Another volunteer role helping immigrants settle in the U.S. reminded me of the difficulties they face. How can one fill out an online job application when a person relocates from a refugee camp with no electricity and never has had a computer?

The story’s heart is learning to really see, and know, our neighbors. Three women and their friendships reveal how doing good unites a community. Through comic misunderstandings and risky undertakings, the characters show us how to be Christ’s hands and feet.

Short videos to introduce the main characters can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kuEoU7pFvU&list=PLf6ZzeQjavMcocMuZDOZUvLxZG48BiWm5&index=1.

Audio book excerpts can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwxqS2mNisI&list=PLf6ZzeQjavMcocMuZDOZUvLxZG48BiWm5&index=9.

Video resources for survivors of domestic violence are at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3Aq2myofjo&list=PLf6ZzeQjavMd0mkdKujmZeq7iKDzi8IoQ&index=2.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: What I Promise You

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release Date: February 1, 2024

A Family’s History Is Lost to the Ravages of WWII in Southwest France

1942
Noémie Treves, a young, pregnant Jewish woman, had her entire world shattered when she is arrested and taken to the Camp de Rivesaltes transit camp in Southwest France. No sooner does she arrive, though, than she assists in helping two young girls scheduled for transport escape to a nearby maternity hospital. The matron there befriends her and changes her name to help hide her. But nothing goes according to plan, and Hannah finds herself doing the unimaginable to save one precious life.

2022
Caitlyn Laurant is haunted by recent events in her life and hopes becoming a nurse on the mission field will help her forget. While in training, she and her friends travel to France where her grandfather was born. What should have been an easy search for his birthplace turns into anything but and reveals secrets that no one alive has ever heard.

My Thoughts:

I discovered Liz Tolsma’s books a few years ago, and for awhile now I have been reading all the books she publishes. She is very skilled at writing split-time fiction that draws me in and keeps me reading. I really enjoyed What I Promise You, and seeing how the two strands came together. I figured out the truth long before the end of the book, but certainly didn’t lose interest in seeing how everything turned out!

When I finished reading What I Promise You and read the author’s notes at the end, I realized that this was the second book I read this year based on the maternity hospital and the woman who founded it, helping expectant mothers and protecting Jewish children. Both books were quite engrossing, but I appreciated the Christian faith that came through in this book. The matron continually pointed Noemie to God, and Caitlyn was also pointed to God and His love, over and over. I loved the way her story turned out and the realizations she came to! If you love split-time fiction, and historical fiction set in World War II, you will enjoy this book. 

WARNING: Chapter 24: A gunshot. Chapter 28: A body is laying on the floor. Chapter 33: All the employees of a factory were shot by the Gestapo.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.

More from Liz:

The Story behind the Cover of What I Promise You

In the late summer, I got the preliminary cover for What I Promise You. While Barbour Publishing always does a great job with their covers, and the one they sent was very nice, I wasn’t crazy about it because it didn’t tell the story at all. The mansion that plays such a big part in the novel was nowhere to be seen. Barbour is fantastic when it comes to working with me to get great covers, so I asked if we could include the real mansion that the story is based on. Turns out that they were having trouble getting copyright permission to use any image they could find of the maternity home.

That was disappointing. But I got brave and let them know that I took a picture of it when I was in France last year, and they could use it, but I’m not a very good photographer and I only used my iPhone. I attached the photo to the email and didn’t hear anything for a while.

Then in October, I wanted to include a preorder link to the book on social media or something and went to Amazon to grab it. And there was the cover. I went back and forth between the cover and my picture, and sure enough, it was the picture of the maternity home I had sent them! So I not only wrote What I Promise You, but some of my photography is on the front. I never thought that would happen. Am I in the wrong profession?? Just kidding!

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: Reckless Yes: Exchanging Worldly Ease for God’s Eternal
Adventure

Author: Johnna Hensley

Genre: Christian memoir

Release Date: June 6, 2023

After a shocking diagnosis in 2007 sent her life in an unexpected direction, Johnna Hensley had a decision to make. Though she had walked with God for nearly two decades, she had to choose whether she would follow His leading on a strenuous journey to find the narrow gate that leads to eternal
life; or would she take the easy, wide path offered by the temporal world? As she chose to say yes to selfless love, through God’s guidance, she discovered this was the first of many forks in life’s road that would ultimately lead her to a life full of adventure, surprises, and sometimes,
even hardships.

Inspiring and encouraging, this true story of one family’s journey is intertwined with relevant teaching of who God is and why we can trust Him in the midst of life’s chaos. Through relatable storytelling, wit, and wisdom, readers will be challenged to shift their perspective toward God’s eternal adventure.

My Thoughts:

Anytime I see a Christian memoir come up for review, I take a closer look. I have often found memoirs to be inspiring and encouraging when they are written well. Reckless Yes sounded, from the description, like it might fall into that category. I was a bit surprised when I started reading it, though, because it was quite different than any other I have ever read. It turned out not to be a memoir at all, but rather the story of how a woman learned to say yes to God, when a “yes” doesn’t seem to make sense. I like the subtitle: Exchanging worldly ease for God’s eternal adventure.

I found myself very inspired and challenged by reading Reckless Yes. Johnna Hensley retells stories from the Bible in which various people were told by God to do things that did not make sense. She draws lessons for us today from the stories. Then, she tells part of the story of her family’s life, showing how a reckless yes to God resulted in great blessing. Their path led through living with chronic disabilities, foster care, adoption, and emotional issues. It is an amazing story of how one woman learned to depend on God. I was challenged to spend more time reading the Bible and learning about God myself.

In closing, here is a paragraph from Chapter 11 that really spoke to me: I started making decisions based on that mindset. Was there a way I could help someone? Would I look more like Jesus by doing it? Could I do anything today that would serve another person? If all of those questions were answered with a yes, I moved forward – even knowing that to the world it would look reckless, and maybe even stupid. What a challenge! This is a book that I think every woman should read. The way God works will be different in everyone’s life, but the principles are the same. 

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Johnna (pronounced John-NUH) is an author, blogger, and all-time coordinator of chaos. Managing her family of eight, built through biology and adoption, means there’s rarely a dull moment in her days. Through herwriting, she boldly shares the eternal hope and restoration heaven offers.
She and Ryan, her husband of eighteen years, reside in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas and are avid supports of foster care, adoption, and disability awareness and advocacy as each has impacted their family. When the chaos subsides, you’ll find Johnna spending time outdoors, enjoying an early morning workout, or on the patio of a Tex-Mex restaurant with friends

More from Johnna:

Reckless Yes is Johnna’s first book, although certainly not her last! This book was years in the making and began through blog posts where she would chronicle the insights she gained from living life caring for her disabled son. It was her insights and experiences during her son’s grand entrance into the world, and many years following, which began to shape and solidify her eternal perspective and the hope of heaven. Reckless Yes is a Christian memoir that reads nearly like a Bible study as Johnna uses a unique strategy of alternating teaching chapters with memoir chapters. Not only will you see her life unfold on the pages, but you’ll see the character of God come to life as well with Johnna’s simplistic, yet interesting, explanation of Scripture. When you’re done with this book, you’ll be asking yourself what YOUR next yes will be! You’ll be equipped and capable, ready to move your life forward into action and be reckless for the Kingdom.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.