Blog Tour Review: A Timeless Romance Anthology: Annette Lyon Collection by Annette Lyon

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Jul 312015
 

Annette Lyon Collection25729345 Product Description
 Title:A Timeless Romance Anthology: Annette   Lyon Collection
 Author: Annette Lyon
Published: July 3, 2015, by Mirror Press 350p, 
Genre:Clean Romance
FTC, FYI: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by Sheila

Book Description:
The ANNETTE LYON COLLECTION contains brand new contemporary romance novella OUR SONG, as well as five hand-picked readers’ and reviewers’ favorites of Annette’s popular Timeless Romance Anthology novellas. Readers will love this selection of three contemporary and three historical romance novellas.

In OUR SONG, a charming romance novella, Cassie and Matt have been dating in the Yellowstone area for two years, and things are, well, average. When Cassie meets up with two college friends who are visiting, their love lives like sound like fairy tales: rose petals, chocolates, candles on the beach… Cassie goes home feeling like she’s missing out. After all, repeatedly watching Old Faithful erupt and walking through sulfur-smelling gases at Fountain Paint Pot don’t exactly say “romance.” Maybe things with Matt aren’t going anywhere, and it’s time to move on. Then she discovers that perception and reality are completely different things. Now she can only hope it isn’t too late to show Matt how much she really cares.

In the sweet novella GOLDEN SUNRISE, Natalie takes time out of her crazy schedule to fly to Vegas for her best friend’s wedding. Sierra and Jason, high-school sweethearts, are finally getting married. Fortunately for Natalie, her old high-school flame, Adam, has a work commitment and can’t be there as best man. But when she arrives at the wedding rehearsal—late and ragged—Adam is there. When Adam makes a wild suggestion, Natalie just may take him up on it, even though she knows he’s moved on. A single choice may mean Natalie is taking a shot at reclaiming the past—or that she’s putting her heart in harm’s way a second time.

FIRSTS AND LASTS, an enchanting novella, begins with Dani’s last week in New York. She’s failed in her dreams to catch a break as an actress and is now ready to return home and dust herself off. As she visits the places on her final to-see list, she meets Mark, another New York City transplant with big dreams. Except Mark hasn’t given up on his. As they spend the day together, Dani realizes that even though she hasn’t hit the “big time” she might be living her dream after all. Only problem: she has a one-way ticket back home.

In the compelling novella WAR OF HEARTS, Anna, a journalist, is desperate to escape the magazine where Pete, her now-former boyfriend, also works. Heartbroken and still in love with him, Anna snags an assignment to cover the Winter War in Finland. She arrives at a snowy Finnish battlefront only to discover that Pete is already there—as her photographer. She’s determined to be professional about the situation until a battle breaks out in camp, putting her and Pete in harm’s way and putting their love to the test.

The captivating novella BETWEEN THE LINES follows Jane Martin, who is intelligent but extremely shy, especially around men. When the Aid and Cultural Society proposes a letter-writing program, Jane signs up, hoping she can find true friendship. The program doesn’t run as smoothly as expected, and unknown to Jane, one of the men in her city becomes her writing friend. Thomas Allred has always known shy and quiet Jane, but reading her letters written to his secret persona, opens his eyes to what an amazing woman she is. The only trouble is, Jane doesn’t know that the man who she is falling in love with through letters is also Thomas, the man who is falling in love with her in person.

In the charming novella A TASTE OF HOME, we meet Claire Jennings, who’s on her way to spend Christmas with her family. As she rides the train with William Rhodes, who grew up across the street, memories of Christmases past flood her mind. He may be twenty-one now, but she can’t forget his torturous teasing from their school years. At the rail station, Claire discovers that her home is under quarantine because her little brother has measles. She’s stuck in town, away from her family, on her favorite holiday. William stays behind with her, and as Christmas Day approaches and her homesickness deepens, she discovers that perhaps he has changed in more ways than one.

My Review:
I love the Timeless Romance Anthologies. The novellas have grown on me, and I look forward to having short stories to read when I don’t have a lot of time.

In this anthology, author Annette Lyon has written all six of the novellas. The first one is brand new and the other five novellas are some of her best from other anthologies. The first three novellas are contemporary and the last three are historical fiction. It’s really hard to pick just one that stood out for me, because there was something to like about each novella.

Annette always writes great characters, and I especially loved Claire and William from the novella, A Taste of Home and Anna and Pete from the novella, War of Hearts. Their stories made me wish to read more about them and what happened later. One common thing you’ll find in all of Annette’s stories, is that your heart will be touched by what you read. You are pulled in quickly and care about the happiness of the couple and how they will eventually get together. You can also be assured of a nice, clean romance, that is still filled with kisses that will make you melt. The overall message from these stories is to open your eyes and embrace love when its there right in front of you.

This book is one more I recommend you put on your summer romance reading list.

Amazon * Barnes and Noble

If you want to read about other Timeless Romance Anthologies go to this site
Timeless Romance Anthologies

 

Meet Author: Annette Lyon
Annette Lyon is a Whitney Award winner, the recipient of Utah’s Best in State medal for fiction and the author of ten novels, a cookbook, and a grammar guide as well as over a hundred magazine articles. She’s part of the Timeless Romance Anthologies line of sweet romance stories, a senior editor at Precision Editing Group, and a cum laude graduate from BYU with a degree in English. When she’s not writing, editing, knitting, or eating chocolate, she can be found mothering and avoiding the spots on the kitchen floor.
Website * Facebook * Twitter
Tour Schedule:
July 27th
Katie’s Clean Book Collection http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/
Bookworm Lisa http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/
I Love to Read and Review Books http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/

July 28th
Lindzee Armstrong http://www.

The Kiss That Launched 1000 GIFS by Sheralyn Pratt-Blog Tour Review

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Jul 212015
 
The kiss25763490Product Description
Title: The Kiss That Launched a 1000 GIFS
Author:Sheralyn Pratt
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Wicked Sassy
Published: July 6, 2015
ASIN: B00ZONLBVK
FTC, FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by: Sheila

 
Book Description 
Each weekday from 2:00-4:00 p.m., Grace and Ashton cohost Battle of the Sexes, a radio program arguing the he-said/she-said issues of the day. Their fiery debates often have listeners wondering if there’s more to their relationship than just talk, even though Grace has been dating Phillip, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Perfect, since long before she ever met Ashton Miller. Yet when news comes that Battle of the Sexes is on the bubble for cancellation, Grace and Ashton need to step up their efforts to engage their audience to keep the show alive. When a charity organization approaches them and proposes that the two of them kiss for a fund raiser, Grace and Ash agree to kiss for a good cause. A kiss is just a kiss, right? 

My Review:
This romance has strong characters that is the key to pulling you into this story. From the very first chapter you are hooked and wanting more of the banter that is between Grace and Ashton, co-hosts of a talk radio show called, Battle of the Sexes.

The thing I love even more in this book is Ashton’s relationship with his 15 year old niece, Megan. He has helped raise her and is a true parent figure in her life. her mom, Ashton’s sister hasn’t always been there for Megan. This truly showed what a great guy Ashton is. He even made her put an app on her phone that will track her whereabouts so if she needs him to come help her, he’ll be there. There are so many reasons to love the man Ashton is in this story.

Getting back to the romance…it takes a lot of tension and fiery interaction between Grace and Ashton before they give in to the attraction that has always been there between them. Oh, there is a certain kiss in the middle of the novel that is…Wow!

I read this book in just a few hours because I could not put it down. I loved the ending and the epilogue was sigh worthy. If you are wanting to read a cute romance, with humor, and also playing out the ups and downs of a relationship, The Kiss That Launched a 1000 GIFS is the one for you. I would recommend this book for anyone 18 and older because of some subject matter that is discussed on their talk show. This book gets 5 stars***** from me! This modern day romance needs to be on your Summer reading list and moved to the very top.

Excerpt

“Good afternoon, and welcome to the newest edition of Battle of the Sexes,” Grace said, starting off the show. “With me today is the man who has just proven that the Instagram app is truly foolproof—my no-longer-technically challenged cohost, Ashton Miller.”
Ash leaned forward into the mic. “And with me is the woman I’ve recently learned feels compelled to alert the world via photograph every time she finds a pair of shoes she likes—the woman who takes the ‘anonymous’ out of Shopaholics Anonymous—my lovely cohost, Grace Vasquez.”
Grace was unapologetic. “A good pair of shoes is worth sharing.”
“Oh? Does that mean I should post pictures of my shoes?” Ash asked, picking up his phone and pressing the camera icon.
“You’re wearing hiking boots.”
“That’s right,” Ash said, putting his shoes up on the table and snapping a picture. “These are Salomon Quest 4D GTXes. I wear them any time I go on a shoot that requires some hiking. They’re light, durable, and provide great stability. Is that the sort of thing you share on Instagram?”
“Not really,” Grace said. “But I’m sure Salomon doesn’t mind the free advertising you just handed them.”
“Well, I’m totally posting a picture,” Ash said, in his best valley girl tone. “It’s not every day a man finds comfort, function, and fashion all in one shoe.”
“Indeed,” Grace replied. “I’m still waiting for that day to happen for you.”
Ash smiled against his will and set his phone to the side. He’d post the photo later. Grace was clearly in a mood that required his full attention. “So what are we talking about today? And, please, don’t let it be shoes!”
Grace glanced at her computer screen, giving Ash a view of her stunning profile. Seriously, how was her skin so smooth?
“Today the most up-voted topic is…” She blinked, looking confused. “Huh.”
“Huh?” Ash echoed, intrigued by the look of confusion on Grace’s face.
“Cupcakes,” she said.
“Cupcakes?”
Grace nodded and frowned at her monitor. “Why do men hate cupcakes? is the trending topic at the moment.” Grace looked Ash’s way, visibly confused. “Do men hate cupcakes?”

Purchase your copy

Meet Author Sheralyn Pratt

Sheralyn’s first job was as a karate instructor, which taught her that practice does not make perfect; practice makes habit–good or bad. Martial arts also taught Sheralyn that a master is simply a person who can effortlessly do all the actions a beginner finds difficult or maybe even impossible. Sheralyn has worked in many fields throughout her life, but her 12 years as a karate instructor have shaped how she does everything, including writing and mentoring. She likes to keep things light and fun, but she’s also aware that life is journey and that if you’re going to buy a book, your life should better for it. So, fiction or nonfiction, know that each of Sheralyn’s books are designed to take you to a new place. Maybe that book is designed to help you escape for a few hours, or maybe it’s a book designed to teach you a new skill. Either way, Sheralyn hopes it’s unforgettable…in a good way. ;)

Blog Tour Review of: 3,000 Miles to Eternity A True Internet Love Story by Duane & Selena Pannell

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Jul 172015
 

 

Tour Schedule

 

 
3000-Miles-to-Eternity_9781462116317 Product Description:
Title:3,000  Miles to Eternity: A True Internet Love Story
Authors:Duane & Selena Pannell
Published: by CFI(Imprint of Cedar Fort) July 14th 2015,
Pages:272p,
Genre: LDS Non-Fiction/romance
FTC, FYI: I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

 

 

Book Description:
But What if?

What if two people who were meant to be together for eternity had to live their earthly lives separate for many years? And what if when they did finally meet, they were a little broken and the miles apart helped them ease into their destiny together?

Years before online dating became a respectable option, two broken and imperfect souls digitally crossed paths as they tried to find their way back to God. This fascinating true story, told through journals and emails, will have you smiling from start to finish and shedding a few tears along the way. Engaging and entertaining, it’s the perfect reminder of the power of love, redemption, and hope.

Excerpt:

Duane’s Journal
October 25, 2000
I had breakfast this morning with one of the guys from the bottling plant. We see each other a couple of times a day for a few minutes as I make my way back and forth to my warehouse and we have become friends. Mark is a big man and really opinionated. He probably knows a lot about some things, but I don’t think I’m going to take relationship advice from him.
I told him that I had been on the Internet for the past few months looking for a potential wife. He thought that was outrageous. “You know women lie. You’re liable to end up with some crazy chick that’ll strangle you in your sleep, or . . . or worse, take all your money and leave you with a bunch of kids that don’t even belong to you.”
I asked, “Well, Mark, how do you suggest I meet a good woman?”
“I met all three of my ex-wives in a bar,” he said, “That’s the best place to look for a woman ‘cause when they have a few drinks, they can’t keep a secret—they got anything bad, it’s comin’ out!”
I think I’m just going to stick with my current plan.                                                         
Selena’s Journal
October 16, 2000
Having a weekend away has been a needed break for me. Kristine, another of Paige’s friends, came over and all our talking and laughing took a decidedly unexpected turn. Paige was telling her about Donna’s news and apparently during the phone call between them, she had also told Paige about being on a single’s website. She said she saw Paige’s sister Jacqueline on the same site. Paige, with her little “tee hees,” thought it would be great fun to sneak into single’s world and have a look at her sister’s profile. We tried to do that, but the way the site is set up didn’t allow random people to just come on in and gawk. Someone had to sign up.
Well, guess who got this dubious honor? My dear friend Paige said, “Selena, you’re almost divorced. You do it.” Almost divorced? Are you kidding me? I only filed two days ago! But I was a good sport (sort of) and did  the deed. While those two giggled among themselves, I zipped through the “sign up free for seven days” registration. I couldn’t help but mutter under my breath at how ridiculous this whole thing was, all these silly people shopping for love. It seemed kind of pathetic and made me want to gag. As I was grumbling, Paige and Kristine were having great laughs at my expense and my obvious discomfort with the whole crazy idea.
And so we entered the forbidden zone, wandering around singles’ world and peeking here and there. Satisfied that we’d stealthily invaded Jacquie’s privacy and seen all there was to see, we signed off. This little adventure, however, has not changed my mind.
I’ve decided I will never marry again, ever, under any circumstances.

My Review:
As a divorced woman I’ve contemplated jumping into the Internet dating scene, but I’ve not done it yet. After reading this book, maybe, just maybe, I’ll give it a shot. It truly speaks to the hopes and fears of single/divorced people that are looking for love, but may be hesitant because of not wanting to get hurt again.

 I do want to say, this is not a dating “How-To” book at all. This book is a look at two people who go through so much soul searching as they befriend each other almost 3,000 miles apart. They have both been through their own kind of hell and are tired of it all. They are single parents trying to do their best. I enjoyed reading about their friendship that did eventually end up in love, but it took some time. There was a lot of purging of the souls, and taking some good hard look at themselves and how they view life.

This book made me think long and hard about my own life. I think it will make other readers do the same, whether divorced or if you’ve been married for 30 years. This book will show lessons of having faith and hope in your life, as well as forgiving others and yourself. It’s entertaining and reads like a novel with the journal excerpts and emails. It’s based on the life of LDS people, but I think anyone of any faith will enjoy reading this.


Meet Authors:
Duane & Selena Pannell 

DUANE AND SELENA PANNELL ‘met’ online while living in Virginia, USA and Alberta, Canada respectively. After a complicated long-distance relationship spanning four years, they married and have a son together. Their first book is borne of yet another separation in their lives when Selena was in Alberta for several months in 2013 with her dying father.

Duane was going through their old correspondence because he is a “mushy man” and thought this was a story worth telling. After some coaxing, he convinced Selena and with a little help from googledocs they began their collaboration on 3,000 Miles To Eternity.

They have just completed a three year mission in the LDS Addiction Recovery Program, where they served as group leaders and led two 12 Step meetings a week in Vernal, Utah. Duane is putting the final touches on a manuscript addressing addiction recovery while Selena homeschools their son and teaches archery in her spare time.

Book Website  3000milestoeternity.com

Author Website & Blog   pannellbytes.com
Facebook Book Page  3000MilesToEternity
Twitter  pannellbytes
Amazon Buy the Book
******A Note From the Authors******
“Reading it will be like peeking over the shoulders of two individuals who have, through an unusual twist , stumbled across each other on a single’s dating website. One is sincerely seeking a mate, the other determined never to marry again. Both have an agenda and because neither expects in a million years to meet the other, they feel free to be uncommonly candid. This snapshot of an unlikely online relationship combines honesty and humor as themes of divorce, addiction, pornography, depression and matters of spiritual import are explored. While some themes are heavy, they are handled sensitively and should not be offensive to any reader. We tried to keep this in mind as we considered young adult relatives or friends who will be reading 3,000 Miles…”

Keep It Real and Grab a Plunger: 25 Tips for Surviving Parenthood by Julie K. Nelson-Blog Tour Review

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
May 082015
 

KeepitrealProduct Description:
Title: Keep it Real and Grab a Plunger:
25 Tips for Surviving Parenthood
Author:Julie K. Nelson
Genre:Nonfiction, Parenting
Paperback, 176 Pages
March 10th 2015 by Cedar Fort, Inc.
FTC, FYI: Received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review by: Sheila
Book Description:
As a popular blogger, a college professor, and a frequent parenting guest expert on TV, you might suspect Julie K. Nelson is immune to the realities of actual parenting. But in fact, she’s been there—through all the late nights, huge messes, and tough moments.
Now she combines her expertise with her experience as a mom of five in this entertaining and pragmatic book. Learn how to overcome your natural manipulative, authoritarian tendencies and foster your child’s self-discipline, respect, and emotional maturity.
Humorous, insightful, and authentic, this book will get you through the sticky stuff with grace so you can enjoy those parenting moments that make it all worth it.
 
Book Trailer
My Review:
This parenting book covered each stage of parenting, from infants and toddlers to elementary age and teens. Regardless of which stage you may be in right now, you will find something useful to you as a parent. There are chapters for new parents about establishing good bedtime routines and also a chapter about potty training. As I’ve been parenting for going on 17 years now, these chapters are no longer useful for me. (Thank goodness!)
 Julie also uses a lot of humor in her writing which made this book an enjoyable read. For example, at the beginning of one of her chapters this is what she says, “What should be one of our main parenting goals? Survival? Yes, and that’s enough some days.” I couldn’t agree more!
 
As always when I review a non-fiction book with tips of any kind, it is too hard to list everything that I liked and learned. So here are some things I really enjoyed reading in this book.
–Eight Values That Are Common to Strong Families: Some of those values included: Choices and consequences,Hard work is good for you, Integrity, Serving Others and Love.
–Lifting Children Who make Mistakes:“How we react to mistakes directly correlates with the degree a person feels
self-worth and confidence to rise above those mistakes.”
 
–How to Stop Yelling at Your Kids: Some of the ideas were to take a break, go for a walk or write down your thoughts. Whatever it would take to calm down and not yell at your children. This is a skill that all parents can work on.
 
–Strategies for Keeping Siblings Close: I liked the ideas of how you need to teach your kids to support each other, give them opportunities to do things together (whether they want to or not), and learn to make happy memories from doing things with each other.
 
–Co-Parenting After Divorce: I have to say that I was VERY happy to find a chapter about this in a parenting book. So many times the past six years I’ve felt like I was all on my own, and wandering through the dark trying to parent as a single mom while still parenting with my ex-husband. Gatekeeping was discussed where one parent or the other tries to keep the children from the other parent whether physically or emotionally, or finding ways to have the other parent look bad in the children’s eyes. The tips to avoid this were to 1-Share information between parents so both parents stay actively involved, 2-Discuss the noncustodial parent with the child:It is helpful to remember that although the other parent may not be physically present, he or she is still ever-present in your child’s heart and mind, 3-Share custodial responsibilities:(I LOVED this next part) “Remember that you divorced your spouse; your children did not divorce their parent. Research studies report that if both parents live nearby, it maximizes children’s post divorce adjustment. Welcome the time your children spends with your ex, unless you need to address safety issues. Avoid showing hostility at exchanges. Be flexible when schedules have to be adjusted from time to time. Shared parenting gives you an emotional and physical renewal while the children spend time with another person who loves them like you do.”
–Using Technology Wisely: (With two teens in the house this was very relevant too!) 1. Time-out from technology,
2. Avoid anonymity and intolerance,and 3. Check, pry, and supervise. I feel every parent with tweens and teens needs to read this chapter.
In the end I feel like this is a good parenting book that would benefit new and experienced parents. Even if you pick out a few things to try and use with your family, I feel you will see some good changes. This book can be read at several different sittings or when you specifically need information about a certain topic. This book would be a great Mother’s Day present or a gift given to new parents at a baby shower.
 
Meet the Author: 

Julie K. Nelson is a wife and mother of five children, raising them in Illinois and now Utah. She received a bachelor’s degree in education from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree from Utah State University in marriage, family and human development. Her scholarly research and creative writing have been published in journals and anthologies, and she has won numerous state and national awards for her writing. Julie has enjoyed teaching children in public and private schools and currently teaches at Utah Valley University.

I Hope They Call Me On A Mission-Blog tour

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Sheila's Reviews
Mar 212015
 

5

4

Product Description:

Title:I Hope They Call Me on a Mission
Author: Benjamin Hyrum White
Illustrator: Corey Egbert
Published: March 10th, 2015
ISBN#:13: 9781462115518
Hardcover: 38 pages
FTC FYI: I received a PDF from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

Book Description:

It’s never too early to prepare! This charmingly illustrated picture book teaches children what it’s like to be a missionary, from riding a bike to studying the gospel to having a companion, and everything they can do now to be ready so that when the time comes, they’ll be the best missionaries they can be. Colorful and cute, it’s a perfect gift for baptisms and birthdays.

My Review:

This picture book is the perfect thing for LDS kids. It tells them in many ways how to prepare to serve a full time mission. In the story, two children write to their Uncle and they find out how what it’s like to be a missionary and how to prepare to go on a mission. I loved the engaging illustrations in the book because they were colorful and fun! I wish that this book had been around when my now teens were younger. I still shared the book with them because of the wonderful messages.

Some of the things readers will learn are… how you have companions on a mission and it talks about how to get along with others right now as a child. It talks about how some missionaries will go to different countries and will eat strange food and they should learn how to try new foods while they are young. The book covered how missionaries exercise and how kids can exercise right now to get in shape. The author used a great format of telling exactly what a missionary does, and on the same page of how children can prepare for that certain thing. As a teacher of small children, this book is easily understood and will also make for great conversations at the dinner table or at nightly story time.

I highly recommend this book for Primary age kids between the ages of 3-12. I would have loved this book to use in Sharing Time when I was Primary President several years ago. Grandparents need to remember this book to have at their house or to give as a gift. The messages about the spiritual and physical aspects of serving a mission are too good not to share this book far and wide.

PURCHASE HERE…..

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Seagull Book

About the Author:
Benjamin White11

Ben White is the author of 10 Questions to Answer while Preparing for a Mission. He has been a Seminary Teacher from 2003 to the present. He has a M.A. in Religious Education from BYU, B.S. in Marriage, Family, and Human Development from BYU. He is an EFY speaker and has recorded two talks with the Mormon Channel on their “For the Youth” program.

Ben and his wife Keenan reside in Utah Valley with their five children.

Visit him at http://www.benjaminhyrumwhite.com/

 

 

 

 

Meet The Illustrator:

COREY EGBERT has always loved books and art, so when he discovered that he could create both at the same time by being an illustrator, he couldn’t have been happier. His illustrations can be seen in The Niuhi Shark Saga books and the album covers of recording artist Rob Taylor. He lives in Buena Vista, Virginia, with his wife Natalya, son Oliver, and their cat, Rex.

Jeremy’s Promise by A.R. Talley-Blog Tour Review

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Sheila's Reviews
Feb 282015
 
 Jeremy's Promise (1)

 

Jeremy's Promise

Product Details

  • Title: Jeremy’s Promise
  •  Author: A.R. Talley
  • Hardcover: 308 pages
  • Publisher: AuthorHouse (October 28, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1491818123
  • FTC,FYI: Received  a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
  • Book Description: 

“Are you okay?” he asked. Before I could reassure him once more that I was fine, the stewardess started the safety demonstration. I directed my attention to her, happy for the diversion. Jeremy and I had spent most of the day before in small talk and sightseeing, intentionally avoiding the issues we faced. He was so relieved that I was staying with him that he made a Herculean effort not to upset me. And later, I had to admit, that night had been sweet and intimate. But sitting on the plane, I couldn’t forget David’s kiss or his haunting blue eyes. I couldn’t forget the look of devastation on his face when he said goodbye at the elevator. “Go home, Annie,” he had said. And I was. I was going home, hoping that Jeremy and I could rebuild what I had destroyed. I needed to reach out to Jeremy, reassure him. I needed him to know I still loved him and was committed to our marriage. When the stewardess finished talking, I turned to him and gently laid my hand on his cheek. “Thank you,” I said just above a whisper. He looked back in surprise. “Thank you . . . for what?” “For coming to get me.” Instantly his eyes filled with tears.
 
The trip that was meant to save Annie and Jeremy’s marriage brought it to near ruin. Now Annie has returned home, frightened and confused. Jeremy, too, is frightened—and angry. What will it take to save their marriage? It’s clear. Jeremy needs to forgive—Annie needs to forget. A promise is made. A tragedy occurs. A second honeymoon is disrupted. A chance encounter brings David Andrews back into Annie’s life. Annie is determined to remain faithful. She’s made a promise she intends to keep—Jeremy’s Promise.

EXCERPT from Jeremy’s Promise

EXCERPT #1
“Okay, Jeremy,” Terry said, “Tell her.”

 

    “What?” Jeremy asked, bewildered.

 

     “Tell her how you feel about this other man in her life.”

 

      Jeremy was silent for a long moment. I didn’t know why he hadn’t launched immediately into a tirade about David Andrews. All I did know was I didn’t want to hear it.

 

      “Well,” Jeremy said, more subdued, “I think she knows—that anyway.”

       “No, Jeremy, you have to tell her.”
       

        More silence.

 

        “Annie, look at him,” Terry said. I shook my head. I couldn’t look at him. “Annie,” Terry said with measured patience, “Look at him.”

 

      I wiped the back of my hand across each cheek and slowly raised my head. I looked across at Jeremy. His face was red and silent tears ran down his cheek.

 

    “Tell her,” Terry said, gently prodding.

 

     “I’d rather die than have you be with him,” he said, his voice so strained I had to hold my breath to hear him. “Thinking of you—with him—it’s like having a thousand shards of glass lacerate my heart. It’s bleeding me to death.” His lip quivered. 
My Thoughts:
This was a hard book to read. Annie is struggling with her husband’s death and having to rehash the past as she reads through Jeremy’s journals. I loved the first book in the series, David’s Song. My problem is that I really loved David in the book.
This book will take you on an emotional ride. If you’ve ever had marriage problems or been divorced, you’ll be able to relate to the struggles that Annie and Jeremy went through. I guess you have to wonder is…should Annie have went with her heart or her head? What was the right thing to do in the long run? There is a lot of pain that many of the characters went through and we feel it right along with them.
I was surprised when Annie goes on a cruise and meets up with none other than David again. Their relationship continues, even though David is engaged to be married to someone else. A lot happens on the cruise, but they don’t get back together. The epilogue though has a surprise at the end, which will lead into the third book of the trilogy called Annie’s Choice. I can’t wait to read this third book.
Though this book or the trilogy in general is not like your typical sweet romance, it is full of emotion and angst, but you truly get to know the characters. I liked reading Jeremy’s Promise and I know anyone who likes a good story will love reading this too.

Praise for Jeremy’s Promise

A.R. Talley, gives you a believable look at the struggle of one couple to reconnect and heal their marriage, with dialog which sweeps you into the moment as if you were there with them, experiencing both their pain and recovery. Kudos to the author who has once again produced a book I couldn’t put down, as well as one I felt compelled to read multiple times. ~Donna Dech

Jeremy’s Promise second book in a trilogy by A.R. Talley is an awesome, emotional, romantic, highly recommended, well written story with captivating and engaging characters. ~Debbie Ballard

This is not a book I would have picked by myself! I loved it from start to finish! Eagerly waiting for the third book in the trilogy to come out!! I highly recommend this book! ~Goodreads

add to goodreads

AprilAuthor A.R. Talley A. R. Talley lives in Ohio with her husband Doug and the last of her seven children (the rest have flown the coup.) She loves to cook, read, write, watch movies, play piano, and laugh. Her second favorite vacation involves the British Isles and a small café in Scotland.

 

 Older Entries  Newer Entries