Archive | November 2015

Poles Apart by Marion Ueckermann

Nov16

Liberation of the Soul

Poles ApartPoles Apart by Marion Ueckermann is a delightful Christmas story that moves from the heat of Africa to the ice and snow of Finland. It is a novel about the true meaning of Christmas – the love and hope that can be found in Jesus.

Sarah gave up on Jesus after being hurt in the past. She believes God is punishing her and wants nothing more to do with Him. Her sister Hannah wisely told her “don’t block God out because of man’s mistakes.” Sarah cannot deal with the expectation and pressure to attend church at Christmas. She escapes for three weeks to Finland, the home of Santa.

Niklas steps into his father’s role as Santa, and meets Sarah. In the hope of beating her writers block, Sarah interviews Santa, not realising that he is the owner of the log cabin where she is staying.

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A Dash of Daring by Elizabeth Maddrey

Nov16

Jesus At The Centre

A Dash Of DaringA Dash Of Daring by Elizabeth Maddrey is book three in the series A Taste Of Romance. It is a contemporary novel and can be read as a stand-alone. I  however loved meeting up with familiar characters. It felt more like catching up with old friends than reading a novel. Elizabeth Maddrey writes about ‘real’ characters doing ‘real’ life with all its ups and downs. The Touch Of Romance series would make a fabulous trio of films.

Amy works in a poor school in downtown Washington. She is passionate about her job and her students. The only thing that worries her is Zach, the Maths teacher at the school. Zach likes Amy, but Zach is white and Amy is mixed race. Amy has seen the problems of marrying outside your culture, but she really likes Zach. Elizabeth Maddrey explores the mixed race theme within the novel. Only Amy seems bothered about it. She confesses to her Mum, who replies “My skin doesn’t determine my worth. Jesus does.” Amy feels she now has permission to be just who Jesus created her to be.

The course of love never runs smoothly. Elizabeth Maddrey shows this within the novel. If something is good, it is worth fighting for. Relationships don’t just happen, they need to be worked at.

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An Endless Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti

Nov13

Outrageous, Extravagant Love

An Endless ChristmasAn Endless Christmas By Cynthia Ruchti is another wonderful novel from an author who never fails to warm me with her writing.

Katie joins Micah for his family Christmas at his grandparents Wilson and Dodie Binder. The whole family is there. The ground is covered with snow. Good food is on the table. Christmas traditions abound. An Endless Christmas is not just a delightful, heart warming novel, it is so much more. It is love in action. Christ’s love as described in 1Corinthians:13 is worked out in the pages of this beautiful novel.

Love is not just a warm fuzzy feeling, it is an action. Cynthia Ruchti shows within the pages of the novel, that for love to last, it must be worked at, preferably in partnership with God. Nothing flourishes without some effort being put in.

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Operation Mistletoe by Elizabeth Maddrey

Nov12

The Real Meaning of Christmas

Operation MistletoeOperation Mistletoe by Elizabeth Maddrey is a wonderful Christmas novella. I always love books by Elizabeth Maddrey, but this one is really special. It is more than just a warm, fuzzy, feel-good story, it is about the real meaning of Christmas.

Twenty eight year old Tori dislikes Christmas after ten disastrous ones, and is horrified when she is told to go and interview Gabe, a company director, about his Christmas lights display to raise money for Operation Mistletoe. Operation Mistletoe is a charity founded by Gabe to help bring Christmas to the forces men and women serving overseas. It is more than just gifts, it is showing them Jesus.

Operation Mistletoe has Jesus at the centre of the novel. It is not a ‘preachy’ read. It shows characters living out their Christian lives, that then attract others to Jesus. It is about walking the walk.

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