The Survivor

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Survivor Avon Inspire; Original edition (August 30, 2011)

by Shelley Shepard Gray



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.



Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page







ABOUT THE BOOK

One of today’s most beloved authors of inspirational Christian fiction, Shelley Shepard Gray completes her acclaimed Families of Honor series with The Survivor—a poignant and beautiful story of love and faith in a small Amish community. Delving once more into the lives of these devout and fascinating folk, as she did in her popular Sisters of the Heart and Seasons of Sugarcreek novels, Gray tells the story of a young Amish woman who has survived the ravages of cancer, but now longs for the love of the one man who can heal her lonely heart. Like Beverly Lewis, Wanda Brunstetter, and Cindy Woodsmall, Shelley Shepard Gray introduces readers to characters they will never forget as she masterfully depicts a world of simple living, abiding faith, and honest emotions.



If you would like to read the first chapter excerpt of The Survivor, go HERE.

The Survivor by Shelley Shepard Gray is the third book in the Families of Honor series. Mattie Lapp has finally beat the breast cancer that stopped her life in its tracks. She asks best friend Graham Weaver to help her find a husband so she can start living again. Graham is hurt by her request as he's been waiting for years for Mattie to recognize how much he loves her. His life is quickly turned upside down when Jenna, a girl he dated a few times, names him as the father of her unborn child and the entire community looks at him with scorn. Gray also continues the stories of Lucy and Calvin's new marriage and Ella and Loyal's growing romance, as well as John's decision to return to the faith he left so long ago. Gray does a fantastic job of writing bonnet lit, creating a canvas of characters who light up the page. Have you ever read a book that pulled you in so deeply that you lose reality for a moment? After finishing this book, I had to stop myself from looking outside to check the damage from the tornado. That's compelling writing! Gray is one of the best in the business, and I can't wait to read what she writes next.

The Protector

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Protector Avon Inspire; Original edition (June 28, 2011) by Shelley Shepard Gray



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.



Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page



ABOUT THE BOOK

Everyone needs a safe place to call home



When her mother passes away, Ella's forced to auction off her family's farm. Her father died years ago, and she could never manage the fifty acres on her own. But after she moves to town, she can't deny the pain she feels watching the new owner, Loyal Weaver, repairing her family's old farmhouse—everything Ella had once dreamed of doing.



What Ella doesn't know is that Loyal secretly hopes she will occupy this house again...as his wife. He begins inviting her over, to ask her opinion on changes he wants to make. As their friendship blooms, Ella starts to wonder about Loyal's intentions, especially when her best friend, Dorothy, hints that Loyal is not who he seems. There's no way the golden boy of their close-knit Amish community could be interested in Ella, long the wallflower, hidden away caring for her ailing parents.



Should she trust the man she's always yearned for, or the friend who's always been by her side? When one of them threatens to disrupt the independence she's finally achieved, Ella is faced with a choice. She can protect her heart and keep things the way they've always been. Or she can come out of her shell, risk everything for the love she's always wanted, and finally have a place to call home.



If you would like to read an excerpt from The Protector, go HERE.

The Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray is the second book in the Families of Honor series. Ella earned the nickname of "Plain Ella" in school. She was known for being so quiet as to be almost forgotten, as opposed to popular Loyal Weaver who was friends with everyone and the object of girls' interest for his smile and shiny blond hair. Now life seems to be passing Ella by; she has spent the last several years caring for her ill mother after the death of her father, and now the family farm is being sold at auction: to Loyal! Ella is determined to make the best of this tragic situation, taking her dream job at the library and living in Dorothy Zook's, a single older woman, duplex. Loyal has wanted to get out from elder brother Calvin's shadow for years, and Ella's farm has given him the perfect opportunity to do so, despite Calvin's doubts. Loyal's guilt over buying Ella's home encourages him to seek her out and ask her opinion on his updates to the place, but he soon finds himself drawn to Ella's gentle, loving nature and radiant smile that transforms her from plain into the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. Meanwhile, Mattie is still struggling with breast cancer and all that it has robbed her of: courting, dreams of a family, a normal life; and her best friend Graham is now dating a new girl that has Mattie re-evaluating her feelings for him. There are a plethora of Amish series on the market today, but Gray is one of the few authors I follow. Her characters are always very real and the stories compelling. The Fatal Attraction twist in this one was a bit over the top, but Gray carries it well. I enjoy the interplay between the many subplots in this series, and I look forward to the resolution of Mattie's story in the next book. Gray is one of the best writers doing bonnet fiction today.

The Caregiver

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Caregiver Avon Inspire; Original edition (March 8, 2011) by Shelley Shepard Gray



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.

















ABOUT THE BOOK

Two lives converge one stormy night on a train headed to cleveland

Lucy is traveling by herself via train to Jacob's Crossing to help care for her cousin Mattie, recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Trying to overcome the sudden death of her husband, she's glad to get away and focus on someone else for a while.

The only other Amish people on the train are Calvin Weaver and his little sister, Katie. When their train breaks down outside of Cleveland, Calvin and Lucy band together to face the outside world. But Calvin also carries the weight of past hurts. When an altercation brings both their wounds to light, they question whether they can trust each other.

Once in Jacob's Crossing, Lucy is occupied with caring for Mattie, while Calvin does his best to run his family's farm. But they can't stop thinking about those special hours spent together. Will the bond they formed last? And will Lucy and Calvin be able to put away the pain in their pasts to recognize the happiness that is suddenly in their grasp?



If you would like to read the first chapter of The Caregiver, go HERE.

The Caregiver by Shelley Shepard Gray is the first book in the Families of Honor series. Lucy Troyer is traveling alone on a train to Jacob's Crossing to help care for her cousin Mattie who is battling cancer. Lucy's still trying to get her life back after the death of her husband, Paul, a year ago. Although they were only married for two years, Lucy was permanently changed by his constant and brutal physical and verbal abuse. She's no longer the independent, strong and happy woman she once was. She meets Calvin Weaver and his little sister, Katie, on the train, and the trio lean on each other when the train has technical problems, creating a bond in the midst of adversity. Calvin and Katie just happen to be from Jacob's Crossing, which Lucy sees as a sign of God's hand. Calvin is still smarting from the betrayal of his best friend and girlfriend who fell in love with each other, leaving him humiliated in front of the community. Calvin and Lucy both tentatively connect through their enforced time together, but misunderstandings leave them both disturbed by the other's behavior. Still, neither can deny the connection between them, and their hesitant and sweet romance is the strength of the book. Mattie's battle with cancer and the ensuing depression and distance from the Lord adds depth and complexity to the plot. Without her, the story would seem almost too sweet, but Mattie makes Lucy speak her mind and face the truth, even when it's uncomfortable. The two young women come to see that they have much in common: both were placed in terrible situations where they questioned God's will and their lives were irrevocably changed by it. Gray has filled Jacob's Crossing with a variety of interesting characters who will surely make the series an enjoyable read. While Lucy and Calvin's romance is delicate and sweet, Mattie's anger is very real and gritty, and her relationship with Graham is an enigma. Plus John, Calvin's uncle who left the faith twenty years ago, has returned and is torn between an Englischer woman and an Amish widow with a son. There's a lot to love about this series. Gray is one of my favorite writers of bonnet fiction; she really makes the characters come to life.