Bethany House Book Review: 'Amy Inspired' by Bethany Pierce

Publisher's Book Description:
Amy Gallagher, aspiring writer, has an unabashed obsession with words. She gave up a steady, albeit unexciting, job to pursue a life of writing. However, two years and one master's degree later, she finds herself almost exactly right back where she started. Discouraged by the growing pile of rejections from publishers and afraid that she has settled, Amy knows something has to change.

Then she meets the mysterious, attractive, and unavailable Eli. Amy finds herself struggling to walk the fine line between friendship and something more with Eli, even as she tries to cope with the feeling that her friends and family are moving on without her. When the unexpected begins pouring in, Amy doubts the love and fulfillment she seeks will ever come her way. Forced to take a close look at who she has become, the state of her faith, and her aspirations for her life, she must make a choice: play it safe yet again or finally find the courage to follow her dreams.

Amy Gallagher is a young English professor on the cusp of turning 30. She's wanted to be an author since childhood, and she did everything 'right'. She has a Master's degree, writes regularly, faithfully submits her manuscripts to both publishing houses and magazines alike - and yet the rejections keep coming. To make it all the more frustrating, her zany roommate Zoe seems to be able to get magazine articles published with hardly any effort. As if all of this isn't enough for Amy, her roommate brings home an old friend to 'temporarily' stay with them. Eli is, on the surface, your typical starving artist; but the more she get to know Eli, the more she sees the deep, caring person with the painful past. The longer he stays, the harder it gets to convince herself that she doesn't have feelings for him. Suddenly, her whole life feels out of control and she starts to wonder if she's been her own worst enemy all along.

All around her, tragedy is striking, jealousy is rearing it's ugly head, old wounds are being reopened, self-esteem is being shattered, and feelings are getting harder to stifle. Can she keep it together and, more importantly, can she finally find peace and happiness?

I really enjoyed this book. Amy's character - and all of the others, really - were just so beautifully written. She was very flawed and real. I particularly enjoyed her dry, sarcastic sense of humor. It was very balanced - never falling too far into being negative or crass. I think that the author did a great job of portraying Amy's internal battle with herself. All of the characters were equally as intriguing, flawed, and unique.

I felt that the story line was very unique. This isn't your typical conversion story or story of the believer that questions their faith. It's simply a story about a girl who's faith is a part of her life, and she's trying to find her place in the world. I appreciated this. I think that a lot of Christian Fiction books are too 'in your face', and this tends to make them less believable. The way this was written was much more 'real life' to me. I alos enjoyed the sub-plots - all were very well developed and the author did a superb job of 'wrapping everything up' in a believable, and satisfying, way.

To sum it all up, I enjoyed the book. It's just as much a love story as it is a book of self-reflection and self-discovery. 'Amy Inspired' was well written, well developed, unique and thoughtful. I highly recommend it, and I will definitely be reading more from author Bethany Pierce.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany House Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Next Book Review: 'Amy Inspired' by Bethany Pierce

Publisher's Book Description:
Amy Gallagher, aspiring writer, has an unabashed obsession with words. She gave up a steady, albeit unexciting, job to pursue a life of writing. However, two years and one master's degree later, she finds herself almost exactly right back where she started. Discouraged by the growing pile of rejections from publishers and afraid that she has settled, Amy knows something has to change.

Then she meets the mysterious, attractive, and unavailable Eli. Amy finds herself struggling to walk the fine line between friendship and something more with Eli, even as she tries to cope with the feeling that her friends and family are moving on without her. When the unexpected begins pouring in, Amy doubts the love and fulfillment she seeks will ever come her way. Forced to take a close look at who she has become, the state of her faith, and her aspirations for her life, she must make a choice: play it safe yet again or finally find the courage to follow her dreams.


I just started reading this book on Tuesday. I'm hoping to be able to post a review sometime next week.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany House Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Bethany House Book Review: 'Hatteras Girl' by Alice J. Wisler

Publisher's Book Description:
Jackie Donovan prays for two things: an honest, wonderful man to marry and to own a bed-and-breakfast on the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina. In the meantime, she works for Lighthouse Views, writing articles about local business owners, and intrepidly goes on the blind dates set up by her well-meaning but oh-so-clueless relatives.

There's one specific property Jackie dreams of purchasing: The Bailey House, a fabulous old home located right next to the ocean, a place where Jackie spent many happy childhood afternoons. But the Bailey House has strange stories and secrets surrounding it—not to mention its outrageous price tag.

When Jackie meets handsome Davis Erickson, who holds the key to the Bailey property, she believes God has answered both her prayers. But as Jackie learns some disturbing details about Davis's past, she begins to wonder if her heart has lead her astray. Will she risk her long-held dreams to find out the truth?

This book is set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Jackie Donovan has dreamed of owning the Bailey House Bed and Breakfast since she was a child and now, through a series of events, it looks as if her dream may finally come true. But, as Jackie learns, sometimes things aren't always what they seem.


This review is actually a little hard for me because there were a lot of things that I actually did like about the book. The problem is that what I didn't like was really distracting and frustrating for me. I thought this book was just okay. I didn't hate it, but I didn't really like it, either. Confusing? Let me explain.

I'll start with the things I did like. I like the charm and ease of the South that was very evident and very well written throughout the book. I liked the characters. They all had very unique personalities and you really felt like they cared about each other. They really were very well written. They also all have some quite unique names, although I found them to be a little distracting sometimes. I liked the message and the storyline of the book. To me, it was evident that the plot and the characters were really well thought out and that the author took great care in making them come to life in her book.I also think that Ms. Wisler did a good job at portraying emotion - particularly worry and confusion. I think that those are really hard sometimes to make your reader feel, so I appreciate when an author has the ability to do that.

Now for what I didn't like.This book was really anti-climatic for me. I kept finding myself 'waiting for the good part'. There was a constant sense that the plot was building, and it would either be a great confrontational scene or a really great I'm-in-love moment. It did neither until the last few pages of the book. So I had 300 or so pages of anticipation - and letdown - and a couple of pages at the very end that gave me a bit of satisfaction. I found that really frustrating. I kind of felt like I kept getting strung along by a proverbial carrot on a string. Sometimes in books - mostly suspense and mystery types - this is actually a very exciting plot strategy, but it just didn't work for me here.

I've read the reviews for the book on Amazon, and honestly, I'm in the minority when it comes to my opinion on this book. I have heard good things about Wisler's other books however, so I may give them a try in the future.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany House Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Next Book Review: 'Hatteras Girl' by Alice J. Wisler

Publishers' Book Description:
Jackie Donovan prays for two things: an honest, wonderful man to marry and to own a bed-and-breakfast on the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina. In the meantime, she works for Lighthouse Views, writing articles about local business owners, and intrepidly goes on the blind dates set up by her well-meaning but oh-so-clueless relatives.

There's one specific property Jackie dreams of purchasing: The Bailey House, a fabulous old home located right next to the ocean, a place where Jackie spent many happy childhood afternoons. But the Bailey House has strange stories and secrets surrounding it—not to mention its outrageous price tag.

When Jackie meets handsome Davis Erickson, who holds the key to the Bailey property, she believes God has answered both her prayers. But as Jackie learns some disturbing details about Davis's past, she begins to wonder if her heart has lead her astray. Will she risk her long-held dreams to find out the truth?

I'll be posting this review tomorrow. I've finished reading it, but need a little bit of time to decide what I think about it. This may turn out to be my first 'lukewarm' review.

Look for my review of 'Hatteras Girl' by Alice J. Wisler tomorrow!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany House Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Bethany House Book Review: 'A Rush of Wings' by Kristen Heitzman

Publishers' Book Description:
Though her panic is real, Noelle St. Claire is uncertain what danger she is fleeing. Fragmented images and slivers of memory have driven her to abandon her wealthy, sheltered life in New York for the hope of a haven—remote and safe.

Noelle's arrival at the Rocky Mountain horse ranch owned by Rick Spencer and his brother Morgan causes more than a little stir. Beautiful, vulnerable, yet strangely secretive, Noelle is an enigma the two contrasting brothers seek to unlock. But as their attentions breach the wall she hides behind, the past becomes a menacing threat from which Noelle can no longer hide. 

If you would like to read an excerpt, you can do so here.

I finished this book WAY ahead of schedule - having two sick kids that just want to dog-pile on you all day will do that. If I can't move, I may as well read, right?

Terror. That's what Noelle St Claire is experiencing. Primal terror. Her flight instinct is maxed out and she's not trying to fight with it. The problem? She's not quite sure what she's so afraid of and why she's running. She eventually comes to a small town in the Colorado Rockies and, after inquiring about housing, is directed to a ranch owned by Rick Spencer. He's quiet, serious, and God-fearing. His brother, Morgan, however is the exact opposite. He's a successful, womanizing, corporate guy who works hard and plays harder. When both take a serious interest in the secretive Noelle, things get interesting.

William St Claire is a high powered New York defense attorney with connections and money. His protege, Michael Fallon, is Noelle's fiance. William has been much the overprotective parent for most of Noelle's life; picking her friends, teachers, activities... and partners. He admires and respects Michael, but he is unaware of the unstable, violent person he really is. Michael has learned that money means control and he takes advantage of it so often that it's become second nature. If someone dares to defy him, his temper is dangerous. The story that unfolds from the entanglement of these characters is dramatic, twisting and suspenseful.

And I'll leave you with that - because I don't like plot spoilers.

So, the verdict? I liked it. I didn't love it, but I liked it. The beginning was a little boring and sometimes the plot tended to drag a bit. There were a few plot development and character development issues, but they were very minor and I don't feel that they detracted from the story at all. I will say this: Kristen Heitzmann NAILS human emotions - turmoil, panic, hopelessness, confusion... and love. All of it. That talent is why I enjoyed the book so much. She made it real. I can honestly say she's one of the best at portraying emotion in writing that I've ever read. For that, I'm completely won over and I will definitely read more of what she has out.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany House Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Next Book Review: 'A Rush of Wings' by Kristen Heitzman

Publishers' Book Description:
Though her panic is real, Noelle St. Claire is uncertain what danger she is fleeing. Fragmented images and slivers of memory have driven her to abandon her wealthy, sheltered life in New York for the hope of a haven—remote and safe.

Noelle's arrival at the Rocky Mountain horse ranch owned by Rick Spencer and his brother Morgan causes more than a little stir. Beautiful, vulnerable, yet strangely secretive, Noelle is an enigma the two contrasting brothers seek to unlock. But as their attentions breach the wall she hides behind, the past becomes a menacing threat from which Noelle can no longer hide. 

I am hoping to have this review up by next week. This may be a bit optimistic as the book is 382 pages and I'm only about 40 pages in so far. I'll do my best! If you would like to read an excerpt, you can do so here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany House Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”