Recipe for Love by Brandy Bruce

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

BRANDY BRUCE

and the book:

RECIPE FOR LOVE

Love Inspired Heartsong Presents (November 1, 2014)

***Special thanks to Brandy Bruce of for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brandy Bruce holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Liberty University. She's worked as a book editor for ten eight years. Brandy makes her home in Colorado with her husband and two children. When she's not editing manuscripts or writing, she's usually reading--anything from books about vampires to quiet Amish life. She also loves watching movies, talking on the phone with her sisters, blogging, or baking any kind of cheesecake.

Visit the author's website

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Is Jeremy Mitchell Cooking Up Romance? 
Overworked chef Jeremy has ordered up the perfect vacation: a fly-fishing getaway and some much-needed alone time. But when he arrives in the Colorado mountain town, he's immediately captivated by the lovely proprietor of the bed-and-breakfast, not to mention her young son.

Alison Taylor still mourns her first husband even as she fights to keep their shared dream of a B and B alive. But there's no denying that she and her big-city guest have all the right ingredients for something special. Will this star-crossed pair realize that second chances can happen…if only they'll let them?

Product Details:

List Price: $4.99

Publisher: Love Inspired (November 4, 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0373487355

ISBN-13: 978-0373487356

MY THOUGHTS: 
This is such a sweet story! Brandy Bruce writes her stories with a lot of heart and soul. I particularly connected with Alison in this story due to similar circumstances. I think Brandy did an excellent job of portraying the gravity and seriousness of Alison's situation, and Jeremy's sensitivity to it. Nic adds a lightness to the story, so it's not bogged down in sadness and seriousness. Overall, I truly enjoyed this amazing story about love, life, and God's grace. The Lord truly is "my strength and my song."

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER: 

Chapter One


Jeremy Mitchell gritted his teeth as his cell phone lost service again, along with his GPS navigator. He slowed his pace to see the name of the next road.
It would have been nice to know that there isn’t reliable cell service this far up into the mountains.
The road narrowed, and despite his frustration that his GPS wasn’t working, Jeremy drank in the scenery. He’d left Denver hours ago for Estes Park, Colorado, for this very reason—beauty and peace. He wanted to experience the sunshine of the days and sharp chill of the nights as the mountains transitioned into autumn. The aspen trees, many of which had already changed to yellow hues, the magnificent colors of the flowers, the clear mountain air, the cold rushing water of the rivers and waterfalls—he wanted all of it. With it being late September, quality fishing opportunities would be winding down before winter.
Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the turn for Rockridge Lane. After driving about a mile down the gravel road, he saw a large, worn sign that read Mountain View Bed & Breakfast. Jeremy pulled into the circle drive and came to a stop, taking a moment to look over the two-story house in front of him. It needed a fresh coat of paint; that was for sure. But the B&B sat right by a river, and for Jeremy, that was all he needed. Well, that and a fly fishing rod. He hopped out of his truck and grabbed his luggage and gear and headed up the front porch steps.
He knocked three times and waited. The door opened and a boy who could be no older than seven or eight years old stood in front of him. They just stared at each other.
“Is your mom home?” Jeremy asked.
“Nicholas!” A slim, blond-haired woman came rushing up behind the boy. “You know you’re not supposed to open the door without me! Oh! Hi there. I’m Alison Taylor. You must be Jeremy Mitchell. Please come in. This is my son, Nicholas.”
Nicholas held out his hand. “I just turned eight.”
Jeremy bit back a chuckle and gave the boy’s hand a good shake. “Nice to meet you, Nicholas.”
He stepped inside the foyer and took a look around. The B&B had a similar look to most B&Bs Jeremy had stayed at in the past—a little quaint, a little rustic and old-fashioned, but neat, clean, and welcoming. He set down his bags and pulled out the online registration form he’d printed off. Alison took it from him.
“Thanks so much. Well, let me show you to your room.”
Nicholas reached for one of the smaller bags. “I’ll help you, Mister.”
“Thanks. You can call me Jeremy, if that’s okay with your mom.”
“It’s fine,” Alison said amiably. She headed up the staircase, and Jeremy and Nicholas followed her. “You’re our only guest this week, Jeremy, so please make yourself at home. Breakfast is at 8:00, unless you’d prefer to have it earlier. I know you mentioned in your email that you plan on doing a lot of fishing. I can work with your schedule.” Alison took a right at the top of the stairs and stopped.
“There are three rooms up here—the Dove, the Ark, and the Haven. I prepared the Dove for you because it has the best view, but the Ark is bigger and you can certainly have that room if you’d like the extra space. The Haven is the smallest room of the three. All three rooms have telephones that ring downstairs to our living quarters, so you can call anytime you need to. And each bedroom has its own private bath.”
“The Dove sounds fine, Mrs. Taylor. Thank you,” Jeremy said. She nodded and opened the door to her right. Nicholas walked in first and set down the bag he was carrying.
“Please call me Alison. And,” Alison hesitated for a moment, her eyes on Nicholas. “You might as well know that I’m a widow.”
Jeremy’s mouth went dry. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you.” She held out a single key. “Here’s a key to the front door. I keep the door locked most of the time, so please keep the key on you at all times. There are snacks on the kitchen counter that you are welcome to. Please feel free to make yourself at home. Our primary living space is in the basement, so the first floor living room and dining areas are available for your use. The river is very close; you can see it from our breakfast area. You can go right out the back door, off the deck, and make your way to the water. I assume you have a fishing license?”
“Of course,” Jeremy responded as he set his rod in the corner of the room. Nicholas stood next to his mother and she ruffled his hair affectionately.
“All right then, Jeremy. Welcome to the Mountain View B&B,” Alison said with a smile.
“We hope your stay is a nice one,” Nicholas chimed in. Alison beamed at him, and then the two of them descended the stairs, leaving Jeremy to get settled.

“I don’t want to have to tell you again, Nic. You have to wait for me before you open the front door to strangers. Got it?” Alison stood at the bottom of the stairs with her hands on her hips. Her son hung his head and looked appropriately reprimanded.
“Sorry, Mom. I’ve got it.”
Alison leaned down so that the two of them were eye level. “It’s my job to protect you. It’s just you and me here, and I need you to listen to me. The people who stay with us are our guests, but we don’t really know them. We need to be cautious. That means you follow the rules I set.”
“Okay. Jeremy seems nice though, doesn’t he?”
Alison straightened and gave her son a smile. “Sure he does. I hope he has a good time here.” At the sound of a car turning into the driveway, Alison peered through the front window. “Grandpa’s here. Go grab your hoodie. Remember, he’s taking you to Griffin’s birthday party and then bringing you home. I’d like you to be home in time for dinner.”
Nicholas was already running toward the basement stairs to grab his hoodie. Alison opened the front door and stood on the porch while her dad jumped out of his Yukon.
“Hi, Dad,” she called out, preparing herself for the questions that he would undoubtedly ask about the truck parked in front of the house.
“Do you have a guest?” he asked. She glued a smile to her face.
“We sure do. Isn’t that great?”
He frowned. “Did a couple come up to the mountains for the weekend or was it a family with kids?”
She shook her head. “No, actually, it’s just a fisherman. He’ll be staying with us for the week.”
Her dad’s frown deepened. She didn’t blame him really. In all honesty, having a stranger stay with her and Nicholas for the week wasn’t the ideal choice and she knew it. But with their current financial state, Alison couldn’t be choosy about guests. She kept the door to the basement locked, Connor’s old handgun in her closet, and she tried to vet her guests as much as possible before agreeing to have them stay. She never allowed Nicholas to be alone with the guests, unless they were children his age or younger.
She ran a B&B, after all. She had to entertain guests or she might as well close up and sell now. Her parents had recommended she do just that after Connor died, but Alison hadn’t been able to bring herself to sell the business that she and Connor had started together.
She’d lost Connor, her best friend and the love of her life. She couldn’t bear to lose the dream they’d shared of owning their own business. Not to mention the fact that they’d invested every penny they owned in the Mountain View B&B. Alison avoided eye contact with her dad, hoping to steer clear of any disapproval he might show for her decisions.
“Thanks for taking Nicholas to the birthday party, Dad. I appreciate it. Here are the directions to get to Griffin’s house.” She walked down the porch steps and handed him a printed off map.
“I don’t mind at all,” her father said and Alison believed him. Her parents lived in a small house right outside of town and they spent as much time with Nicholas as possible. Alison’s dad especially tried to make time for him since Connor had passed away, and that meant the world to Alison.
Nicholas came running out the door and down the steps. “Hi, Grandpa!”
Her father’s eyes lit up. “Hey, champ!”
“Did you get the gift for Griffin?” Alison asked, and Nicholas held up the gift bag carrying the baseball cap Nicholas had chosen.
“All right then. Have fun! I’ll see you at dinnertime.”
Alison waved from the porch and then just stood for a moment, enjoying the sound of the wind whistling through the trees. The door behind her opened and she jumped.
“Did I scare you?” Jeremy asked. Alison tried to catch her breath.
“No. Well, maybe a little. I’m not that used to having people around.” Alison wanted to bite her tongue after saying that.
I run a bed and breakfast for crying out loud! She scolded herself.
Jeremy’s face didn’t show any emotion. “Things have been slow?” he asked.
You could say that, Alison thought dryly. You’re my first guest in more than a month.
“Yes, but I’m hoping things will pick up. A lot of people like to visit the mountains when the colors change.”
He nodded. “I had hoped you could give me a few recommendations for restaurants in the area.”
They stood rather awkwardly on the porch with Jeremy framed in the doorway and Alison right by the steps. She didn’t like it.
“Absolutely, if you want to go back inside, I have some Estes Park brochures that list out restaurants, local attractions—basically anything and everything about the surrounding area.”
Jeremy stepped aside, letting her go through the front door first. Alison tried to ignore the unease she felt. It had been a long time since she’d been alone with a man, other than her dad, of course.
“Here they are,” she said once they reached the kitchen. She showed him the basket where she kept brochures for the guests.
“And what do you recommend?” Jeremy asked pointedly. Alison thought for a moment. She and Nicholas rarely went out to eat. But she’d lived in Estes Park since high school, so she knew the area well.
“For such a small town, there are lots of restaurants for tourists to choose from. Do you like Italian food?”
Alison caught the amused look on Jeremy’s face when she said that, but he didn’t elaborate so she didn’t ask.
“I do,” he answered.
“Mama Rose’s is good. Dave’s BBQ is another local favorite.”
“Is it okay for me to use the kitchen on evenings I’m here?” Jeremy asked.
“Of course. Nicholas and I usually have our meals downstairs when guests are here. I have a kitchenette in the basement. But even if I do cook upstairs, Nic and I will eat downstairs. For the most part, the kitchen is available to you. I’m afraid none of the local places deliver way out here. We’re just a little far for that.”
“No problem.”
They stood in silence for a moment, then Jeremy pulled out one of the bar stools and sat down at the peninsula counter, flipping through the pamphlets.
“I was about to make some coffee. Would you like some?” Alison offered. He looked up.
“That sounds great. I was thinking I’d take a walk down to the river in a bit. Sort of scout out my trail for tomorrow.”
Good coffee was the one treat Alison often splurged on. The B&B had had a few busy weeks mid-summer, but spring had been too slow. Too many weeks without any income. Connor’s death had left her a small amount of life insurance money, which had kept her afloat so far, but she’d set aside an amount for Nicholas’s college fund and refused to touch that money. The money she had reserved to supplement her income was dwindling quickly. There just wasn’t money for extras.
But on the bad days, on the days when she missed Connor the most, a good cup of coffee comforted her.
Within minutes, the smell of fresh coffee brewing filled the kitchen. The breakfast area and the connecting living room were surrounded by large windows. The windows were just one of the reasons Alison and Connor had fallen in love with the B&B the first time they’d walked through it. The windows let in the life of the mountains. Through the trees, one could see the river rushing. Deer and even elk would often meander within arm’s length of the house.
“Good coffee,” Jeremy murmured once Alison had poured him a mug. He breathed in the scent approvingly. “You have a lovely home,” he said as he walked with his cup of coffee over by the windows and looked out.
“Thank you. I have ideas for improvements . . . but well, like I mentioned before, things have been slow.” Alison knew the house badly needed to be repainted. And some of the interior was dated and needed redecorating. But she was too strapped financially to spend much money on the house.
“Everything looks nice. And the location is really the best feature. I’d love to buy a place like this someday—tucked away in the mountains, next to a river,” Jeremy stated.
“I love it here,” Alison said. “My family moved to Estes Park from Denver when I was sixteen. I thought I’d hate it, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I fell in love with the area. I can’t imagine ever leaving.” Alison wanted to clamp her mouth shut.
Why do you keep rambling? Are you so desperate for conversation? Why not just wear a sign that reads, “I’m lonely!” Stop telling him such personal things.
But Jeremy didn’t seem annoyed. “I moved to Denver from Santa Fe to go to college, and I ended up staying,” he told her. “I enjoy the city, but I come up to the mountains whenever I can. It’s peaceful. There’s something about being on the river that makes me feel closer to God.”
Alison understood the feeling. “I found my soul when my family settled here. I’d go hiking with my dad and come across a waterfall or a river flowing, and it’s like I could feel God speaking peace over me. I’d never felt so close to God before. Am I right in assuming you’re a believer, too, then?” Alison wondered, hoping she wasn’t overstepping by asking.
“Yes. I’ve been a believer since grade school. But life can get so hectic—sometimes I have to take myself out of my schedule in order to reconnect with God.”
“So . . . your soul was thirsting for a river?” she said knowingly, and Jeremy smiled.
“I couldn’t have said it more perfectly.”
Jeremy looked back toward the view, and Alison took that moment to really look over Jeremy Mitchell. He couldn’t have been much older than she—he looked to be in his early to mid thirties. His light blond hair was cropped short and his hazel eyes were friendly, though a little serious. He stood with perfect posture; Alison wondered if he came from a military household. He was dressed for the mountains with brown boots, a red flannel shirt, and dark jeans.
He seemed to be about Connor’s height and build, maybe 6’ or 6’1” and fit. He looked like someone who lifted weights on a regular basis. But that’s where the similarities with Connor ended. Connor’s Hispanic heritage had resulted in olive skin, dark hair, and even darker eyes. And Connor’s eyes were almost always playful. He was a jokester, rarely serious.
But in that moment, watching Jeremy Mitchell, Alison didn’t mind the seriousness that seemed to accompany him. He was handsome in an earthy way that Alison liked. He turned back toward her.
“Thank you for the coffee, Alison.”
She froze at the sound of her name on his lips.
Oh dear.
Jeremy left the mug in the sink and then took off out the back door to explore. Alison stood unmoving in the kitchen, rationalizing away her attraction to this hazel-eyed stranger.
It’s been two years since Connor died—obviously I’m lonely. I’ve been so preoccupied with taking care of Nicholas and running the business that I haven’t had much of a social life. I’m stressed about money and I miss the life I had with Connor. So, I’m reacting to even the smallest attention from an attractive man. It’s nothing.
From where she stood, she could see Jeremy navigate the rocky riverbank as he followed the river west.
Oh Lord, help me to get a grip.

Second Chance Cafe by Brandy Bruce

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!




You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Brandy Bruce

and the book:

Second Chance Cafe

Love Inspired (July 1, 2014)

***Special thanks to Brandy Bruce for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brandy Bruce holds a bachelor of arts degree from Liberty University. She's worked as a book editor for ten years. Brandy makes her home in Colorado with her husband and two children. When she's not editing manuscripts or writing, she's usually reading--anything from books about vampires to quiet Amish life. She also loves watching movies, talking on the phone with her sisters, blogging, or baking any kind of cheesecake.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Between her demanding work as a nurse and her father's poor health, Isabella has no time for distractions. So when a handsome firefighter practically falls at her feet, she keeps him at arm's length. But Ethan Carter is determined to win her over. Orphaned at a young age, Ethan longs for a family of his own—and he's sure Isabella is his match. But when he opens a café near his firehouse, Isabella is less than thrilled. She knows firsthand the strain of being a restaurant owner, and she wants no part of that life. Can Ethan convince the busy nurse they can overcome any obstacle and have their happily ever after together?

Series: Heartsong Presents (Book 1104)

Mass Market Paperback: 192 pages

Publisher: Love Inspired (July 1, 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0373487193

ISBN-13: 978-0373487196

My Review: I really, really enjoyed this story. From the first page, I was hooked. Brandy Bruce made the story flow effortlessly and kept me turning pages to reach the end. I really liked that, even though this was a novella, the author didn't have the characters unrealistically falling in love in 2 days. The passage of time was evident and I appreciated that.

The characters were my favorite. I really connected to both Isabella and Ethan. Both characters struggled and grew throughout the story. Their romance was sweet and developed at a natural pace. I loved how Ethan kept pursuing Isabella even when she was pushed him back. It's the kind of romance every girl dreams of!

The opening verse says this, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) That's the message throughout the book. Each character struggles to come to terms with the fact that having an abundant life means having a life that pleases God, even though it won't always be easy. As Isabella's mother reminds us, "An abundant life isn't necessarily an easy life. But it's beautiful."

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet novella.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author as part of the FIRST WildCard Tour, in exchange for my honest review.*

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Chapter One


“Okay, people. We’ve got a firefighter with possible fractures and trauma to the spine. ETA is five minutes.”
Nurse Isabella Romano’s ears perked up and her pulse quickened. The mood in the emergency room shifted to one of controlled urgency. Isabella slipped on gloves and followed the attending physician, Dr. Nichols, to the Denver Health Medical Center’s ER entrance. Sirens rang out in the distance, and within minutes, the familiar sight of flashing lights sped toward them.
The back doors of the ambulance flew open and the paramedics jumped out. “Male, late twenties, fell from second-story landing to first floor and landed on his back. Multiple burns on his arms and a laceration on his right thigh. Hypotensive. Tachycardic. We administered one liter of saline through an 18 gauge IV in his left AC. Patient has maintained a pulse ox of 96 percent on 10L of oxygen via facemask.”
Isabella grabbed the left side of the stretcher, helping push the gurney to trauma room 1. At the sound of a low moan, she looked down at the firefighter strapped to the backboard. A neck collar kept him immobile and an oxygen mask covered his mouth.
“What’s his name?” Isabella called out to the EMT across from her.
“Ethan Carter. Company 51. Those guys will be filling up the waiting room as soon as they clear the scene.”
“Ethan, I’m Isabella. Can you hear me?”
His gaze met hers and Isabella could see his intense pain.
“Ethan, you’re going to be okay. We’re going to take good care of you.”
“Okay, everyone, on three,” Dr. Nichols ordered.
Everyone stopped what they were doing at Dr. Nichols’s instruction and lifted the backboard with Ethan on it, transferring him and the backboard to the hospital bed. He moaned. “We’re going to need 50 mcg of fentanyl,” Dr. Nichols called out. Maggie, one of Isabella’s colleagues, began cutting off Ethan’s burned clothing.
“Let’s get some X-rays, Isa,” Dr. Nichols stated. “I want a CT scan. His thigh obviously needs stitches.”
“I’m on it,” Maggie said as she inspected the burns on Ethan’s arms. Isabella moved to order the X-rays but Ethan reached out for her. She stepped back toward him, preparing to explain to him that she’d be back and he was going to be all right. But the look in his blue eyes stopped her. He tried to reach for his oxygen mask, but Isabella shook her head.
“No, don’t move,” she said; then pulled away his mask for a moment.
“Don’t leave me,” he said, his voice dry and raspy. Isabella was pretty sure that even covered in dust and blood, with a brace around his neck, he was the most attractive man she’d ever seen. Her heart tugged. In that moment, he just seemed so alone.
She replaced his oxygen. “I have to go for a minute, Ethan, but I’ll be coming right back. And we’ll get through this together. I know you’re scared and I know you’re hurting. But it’s going to be okay.”
He just stared at her, his eyes pleading for her to stay. Isabella couldn’t help it; she reached down and brushed his brown hair from his forehead.
“I promise I’ll be back,” she told him.

Ethan Carter’s eyes fluttered open and then shut again quickly.
Who in the world turned on that blinding light?
He could hear a voice, someone saying his name. He turned his head to the side.
What happened?
He heard that voice again, saying his name. Then it came back to him, playing through his mind like a movie reel. The house fire. The roaring sound of the blaze. The sensation that he was falling. The impact of the ground floor. The rush into the ER.
“Ethan?”
He opened his eyes and blinked, trying to focus on the woman’s face in front of him.
“Hi there,” she said. “It’s nice to see you again.”
He blinked again. “Nurse . . .”
“Isabella. We met under rather tragic circumstances, I know.”
She was teasing. He could hear it in her voice. Now that he could focus on her clearly, he remembered seeing her in the ER.
“Isabella,” he repeated. Dressed in blue scrubs, she stood next to the bed, her brown hair tied back in a knot. She smiled down at him and Ethan felt better at the sight of her smile. She checked the monitors, her eyes darting toward the door of the hospital room.
“Did they get the family out of the house?” Ethan asked. Isabella nodded.
“Yes. One of the other firefighters—I think his name was Blake—told me to let you know that everyone made it out safely.”
“Except me, I guess,” Ethan said grimly. But Isabella’s smile didn’t fade.
“C’mon, tough guy. You’ve got this.”
Ethan studied her warm smile and playful tone. “You’re right,” he conceded. “God was watching over me in that burning house. He won’t abandon me now.”
She blinked in surprise at his statement. “I suppose He was,” she agreed.
“When can I go home?” Ethan asked.
“I’m not sure,” Isabella answered. “Dr. Nichols will be here any minute to talk to you,” she said.
“Can you stay?” Ethan asked immediately. Her face softened.
“Sure, if you want me to. Is there anyone you want me to call for you? The guys from the firehouse were here all night, off and on, in the waiting room. There are a few guys out there now. They can come in as soon as Dr. Nichols speaks to you.”
Ethan nodded. “Thanks. But there’s no one else for you to call.”
Isabella frowned. “Your family?”
Ethan just shook his head, turning his attention to the gauze covering his forearms. “There’s no one. Just the guys.” He hoped she’d drop the topic. He hated the pitiful looks he got whenever he explained to people that other than a few distant relatives out in California, he had no one. It was part of why he’d joined Company 51. A whole firehouse with the brothers he’d never had. He wondered if the chief was in the waiting room.
The door slid open and a doctor wearing black rimmed glasses and holding a clipboard walked in. He looked to be in his mid-forties.
“Good morning, Ethan. How are we feeling today?”
We? I have a feeling you’re doing a lot better than I am, doc.
“I’m hurting, but I’m guessing that medication is dulling the real pain.”
Dr. Nichols nodded. “You had a bad fall, Ethan. You know that. There were second degree burns on your arms, and a gash on your thigh that took about twenty stitches. You lost some blood, but we’ve given you IV fluids and you’re vitals have stabilized. You’re pretty banged up and bruised all over, but unfortunately, your back took the impact of the fall.”
Ethan’s chest constricted with fear.
“How bad is it?”
Isabella stepped closer to his bedside.
“It could have been worse. You have a lumbar—lower back—spinal fracture. The X-ray showed an L4 compression fracture. The positive aspect of this is that you still have good movement and feeling. Also, there doesn’t seem to be any neurological damage.”
“Do I need surgery?” Ethan asked.
“I don’t think so. The X-rays indicate a clean fracture. I’m going to recommend we move forward with outpatient treatment. But you’ve got a long, arduous healing journey ahead of you.”
“How long until I can be back on active duty?”
Dr. Nichol’s eyebrows furrowed. “The spine is a tricky thing, Ethan. And everyone heals at a different pace. You’re going to need rest, pain medication, lots of therapy, a back brace—”
“How long?” Ethan insisted.
“We’re talking months, Ethan. And that’s assuming that everything heals as it should. While in a few weeks you’ll be able to continue with most day-to-day activities, I don’t see you going back to active duty for probably six months. It could be less; it could be more. Perhaps they can transfer you to a desk job until you’re ready. After a few weeks of therapy we could reevaluate and consider light duty. But as of right now, your life is going to look different. You need to understand and accept that. Your priority needs to be healing properly.”
Months? Desk job? Light duty? Ethan tried to swallow the boulder in his throat.
“But, eventually, I’ll be back to normal. I’ll be able to be on active duty, right?” Ethan pressed. Dr. Nichols folded his arms across his clipboard.
“If all goes as it should, I think you’ll make a full recovery. But as I said, this is going to be a one-day-at-a-time healing process. We’ll start with rest. I want you on complete bed rest for the next few days. No strenuous activity. We’ll fit you for a back brace, which I want you to wear for six to eight weeks. We’ll do an X-ray after six weeks and see if the bone has healed. Then, once the bone has healed, you’ll need to begin physical therapy.”
Ethan took a deep breath. He felt a soft hand squeeze his arm and he looked up at Isabella.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” she said, her voice encouraging. “You’re here, you’re alive, you can walk—those are all good things.” He stared at her, trying to hold on to the sense of calm emanating from her.
She’s right, Father, he prayed. But what am I going to do for months if I’m not fighting fires? And what if ‘the healing process’ doesn’t go as it should and I can’t go back? Company 51 is all I have.
That last thought was too much. Ethan felt tears welling up in his eyes. He blinked fast to keep them at bay, mortified that he might cry in front of this nurse who not only was kind and smart and had a great sense of humor, but also looked stunning in blue scrubs.
I will never leave you.
The words were just a whisper in his heart, but they were enough. He clung to them. It had only been six months since one of his brothers at the firehouse, Caleb, had lead Ethan to Christ. Six months of a changed life. He still struggled to accept that God loved him like a father. That he could turn to God at any time. But it got easier. Accepting Christ as his Savior had filled Ethan with something he’d known was missing since childhood. Now he treasured that faith more than anything else.
Ethan closed his eyes.
I have You, Father. Whatever comes, I have you. Help me through this.

Isabella watched as Ethan closed his eyes. His lips moved silently, and she knew without a doubt that he was praying. She looked over at Dr. Nichols who stood waiting without a word. Prayers were common things in the hospital. Sometimes people cried out loudly for help. Sometimes it was a desperate whisper. And sometimes, like now, it was a silent request. She’d seen people blame God. She’d seen them beg for His comfort. She’d even seen them try to barter for what they wanted.
Isabella wondered which one Ethan was doing now.
She also considered the fact that without all the dust and blood, Ethan Carter was even more attractive than she’d found him to be in the ER.
He had no family to call. That’s odd. The firefighters have filled up the waiting room, of course. But no one else. No relatives. No girlfriend. No one.
Isabella stared at the handsome firefighter’s brown hair and dark brown eyebrows. His sturdy jaw and those lips. She watched him pray. She wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to think so or not—but the fact that he was praying made him even more attractive.
I was wrong. He’s not completely alone. He has faith.
Ethan drew a breath and opened his eyes. He looked at Isabella before turning his attention to Dr. Nichols.
“Okay, what’s my next step, doc?”

Love Redeemed by Kelly Irvin - Book Review

For an overview of this book, please see my FIRST Wild Card post.

My Review: This is such a tragic story with a great message. Kelly Irvin creates a vivid picture of what it means to be covered by God's grace. The story itself is an excellent mix of sorrow and joy. Sometimes, when covering such a sad topic, stories becoming depressing and you lose hope for the characters. Well, Kelly Irvin's story moves along at a quick enough pace that you can see the light at the end of the tunnel for Phoebe and Michael.

The characters, both main and supporting, are very well developed. Phoebe is a flighty, carefree woman who dreams of being a wife and a mother. Michael is a stoic, careful man. He admires Phoebe and her carefree ways. Both of these characters journeys are well written and very real feeling. I felt like I was moving along in their times of sorrow and trouble with them. I rejoiced with them both in the end. The supporting characters made the story better because they provided more detail into Phoebe and Michael's character, as well as the situation they were going through. You get a real sense of closeness and community from this story.

Overall, the message was my favorite part of the book. God's grace is big enough to cover any sin. A fatal accident plunges Phoebe, Michael, and the whole New Hope community on a journey of discovering God's grace, forgiveness, and family. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by this fantastic author.

• Buy this book at these retailers:
• Barnes and Noble
• Amazon
• Christianbook.com

Love Redeemed by Kelly Irvin - FIRST Wild Card Blog Tour

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!




You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Kelly Irvin

and the book:

Love Redeemed

Harvest House Publishers (March 2014)

***Special thanks to Ginger Chen of Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kelly Irvin is a Kansas native and has been writing professionally for 30 years. She and her husband, Tim, make their home in Texas. They have two children, three cats, and a tankful of fish. A public relations professional, Kelly is also the author of two romantic suspense novels and writes short stories in her spare time.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

In the second book of the New Hope Amish series, one young woman must find a way to move beyond the agony and mistakes of her past and embrace God’s promises for a hopeful future…and a love of her own.

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99

Paperback: 304 Pages

Publisher: Harvest House

Language: English

ISBN-13: 978-0-7369-5495-2



AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Phoebe Christner longed for water. Sweet, cool water. The kind that soothed a parched throat. She should be concentrating on living water, but the blazing August heat made it almost impossible. Who had the bright idea of holding baptism classes outside in
hundred-degree weather? Probably her daed. As if the searing heat would make the scholars more likely to choose the church and eternal salvation. She hid a smile behind her damp palm and then swiped at the sweat trickling down her forehead with the back of her sleeve.
The sound of hymns sung by the other members of her community wafted from her family’s barn, a slow, steady hum that threatened to lull her to sleep. She jerked upright on the hard wooden bench. No sleeping in class. The humid air hung heavy on her shoulders, making her dress sodden under her arms. She strained to feel a tiny breeze, a hint of fresh air to dissipate the rank smell of manure and horse that hung over the corral. Her stomach rumbled like a train, threatening to drown out the sound of the blue jays chattering in the oak trees that shaded their small class.
The heat of embarrassment rolled over her, compounding her discomfort. She hazarded a glance at Michael Daugherty. He sat back straight, arms folded over his chest, on the bench across from her, next to his best friend Daniel Knepp. She tried her best not to stare, but Michael’s dark blue eyes, full lips, and the hint of dimples rarely seen but surely there made it hard to look away. His gaze sideswiped hers. The skin of his tanned face grew darker. He ducked his head.
Now she’d embarrassed him too. Her face as warm as the sun that beat on them, Phoebe wiggled in her seat and leaned over to brush away a piece of dry grass from her dusty prayer service shoe. Michael’s cousin Rachel elbowed her and gave her the look. The look that said Stop it now before it’s too late. Molly Troyer, sitting at her right side, coughed into her hand, a soft, warning cough. They’d all been friends since before Phoebe could remember. They knew how easy it was for her to get off track.
Too late.
“Phoebe, are you sitting on a pile of ants, by any chance?” Despite his words, Thomas Brennaman didn’t sound angry. Phoebe so wanted to possess the deacon’s unending well of patience. Instead, she flitted from one thing to the next, like a hummingbird. “Forget those flights of fancy and concentrate. Baptism is one of the most important and sacred acts in your life.”
Mortified, she cast a swift glance in Michael’s direction. A touch of something—sympathy maybe—softened his gaze. He shook his head slightly, as if to ask, What’s going on with you? He had no idea how hard she tried. He so rarely talked to her beyond a few mumbled words of greeting at the singings or a congratulatory whoop when she got a hit at the baseball games they’d played outside the schoolhouse in the old days. In fact, he seemed to go to great lengths to avoid talking to her. To be fair, he wasn’t much of a talker with anyone. If only he could make an exception with her.
“Phoebe, do you have corn cobs in your ears?” Now Thomas did sound aggravated. “Hello?”
Daydreaming again. Her face burned. “I’m sorry. It’s so warm today. And I didn’t have time to eat breakfast this morning.” She flapped both hands in front of her face, trying to create a breeze. “Now it’s hard to concentrate because I’m so hungry. The lesson and three hours of service—well, it’s a long time until we eat.”
“You always have an excuse. We’ve been through a half dozen lessons this summer, and you’re still offering excuses. You’re not a child anymore.” Thomas’s thick eyebrows waggled over a new pair of gold-rimmed spectacles that made him look like her daed when he sat down to read The Budget newspaper in the evening. “After you join the church, you’ll be considered an adult. If you finish these classes. You can’t burn the candle at both ends…”
He let the sentence trail off, but his gaze wandered to the others in this group, all young, all at the tail end of their rumspringas. The older folks turned a blind eye to the shenanigans that went on during this period of running around, but sometimes it was hard to miss. The late hours, the schinckt of cigarette smoke lingering in clothes, a necklace one of them forgot to remove. Phoebe tried never to flaunt her forays into the Englisch world in her parents’ faces, but she knew they cringed at her late hours and unexpected absences. This morning she’d overslept and only arrived downstairs in time to clean the kitchen. She couldn’t expect to eat if she didn’t help prepare the meal.
“I’m sorry. I promise to do better.” Her stomach growled again, like a bear threatening to claw its way out. Embarrassment made the tips of her ears hot. “I’ll study hard.”
“Pray hard. Look into your heart and make sure this is something you want to do. To commit to the church and to follow the Ordnung for the rest of your life.” Thomas’s gaze roved from Phoebe to Molly and Rachel on the girls’ side and then, with slow deliberation, to Michael and Daniel. “If you have any doubt in your mind, wait. There’ll be another opportunity in the spring.”
His gaze came back to rest on Phoebe. She tried to hold it but faltered. He seemed to know of the turmoil in her head. She wanted to be baptized. She wanted to commit to the church for life. She loved her family and her community. But mostly she wanted to marry, live with her husband on their own farm, and have children. Two things had to happen first. She had to be baptized and she had to somehow get Michael’s attention. Hard as the baptism classes were, the first seemed easier than the second. So here she sat outside her family’s home, sweating in hundred-degree Missouri weather, hoping to take a step in the right direction on both counts.
“The second sermon is beginning. We need to go in.” Thomas stretched his long legs out in front of him, his expression somber. “You’ll meet with Silas in two weeks. Be sure you keep working through the Dordrecht Confession of Faith. We’ll review the seventeenth and eighteenth articles next time. The date for baptism will be set for two weeks before the fall grossgemme. Then it will be time for communion, which you will take as members of the church. We should have dates by the next class.”
Baptism and then her first meeting as a member of the church. She would have a vote on changes in the Ordnung. Then her first communion. Phoebe swallowed against the bitter taste in the back of her throat. Her days of rumspringa would be over. Days of slipping out to hear music and watch the big-screen TV over the bar in the little tavern in New Hope would be over. So would riding with her hair down and blowing in the hot wind in their Englisch friend Dylan’s convertible on the back roads that wound their way through fields full of rustling cornstalks. Time to grow up. Time to marry and have children. She hoped.
“But in two weeks we’ll be at Stockton Lake.” Her voice timid, Molly raised her hand as if she were still in school. “All our families will be there.”
The thought of the lake and swimming and fishing and barbecuing hot dogs and marshmallows and making mountain pies and telling stories in the tent after dark made Phoebe want to stand up and shout hallelujah. She caught herself just in time. Michael’s daed had announced his intention to take the whole family as well. She’d have plenty of opportunity to cross paths with Michael morning, noon, and night. To strike up a conversation. Maybe he’d ask her to take a walk in the woods some evening. Maybe. Just maybe.
A nudge from Rachel told her she’d done it again. Quickly, she fixed her gaze on Thomas, who perused the calendar book he always brought with him to the classes.
“You’re right. I’ve lost track of the days.” Frowning, he shoved his hat back on his head. “I’ll talk with Luke and Silas about the dates. You’ll be told with plenty of time for prayerful consideration.” He stood. “Go. I don’t want any of you missing the service.”
No one needed to be told again. Everyone popped up from the benches like wild horses set free from a corral. Rachel and Daniel traipsed ahead of Thomas, pretending they didn’t know each other from Adam when everyone in their tight circle of friends knew the two were leaving the singings together on Sunday nights. Phoebe hung back, wanting to give Michael a chance to say something—anything. Molly gave Phoebe a skeptical glance, sighed, and trudged after the others.
A band tightened around Phoebe’s heart. The man her friend fancied would marry another in November. At least Phoebe still had hope. As far as she knew, Michael hadn’t shone his flashlight in anyone else’s window. “Molly, wait.” She slipped over and gave her friend a quick hug so she could whisper in her ear. “You’ll meet someone soon. Don’t worry.”
“All in God’s time, right?” Molly sniffed and swiped at her nose. “For you too, right?”
“Right.” Phoebe patted her back. “You’re such a good girl. You’ll see. It’ll all work out.”
“It always does. God has a plan.” Molly managed a watery smile. “Anyway, I’d better get in there. My mudder’s waiting. Yours too, I expect.”
“Aren’t you coming to the singing tonight?”
“Nee. I don’t want to see…him.” Molly swiped at her nose again with the back of her sleeve. Her huge brown eyes fringed with dark lashes—her best feature—were bright and wet behind her brown-rimmed glasses. “I never have a handkerchief when I need one. Anyway, behave, friend. They’re watching, you know.”
“I will.”
Molly’s funk melted away and she chuckled, a soft, sweet sound that made Phoebe smile. “No you won’t, but you will try.”
Looking like a chubby pheasant in her dark brown dress, she trudged toward the barn, her head down.
“Cheer up,” Phoebe called. “Everything in its time. Isn’t that what they always say?”
Molly flopped one hand in a wave, but she didn’t look back.
Phoebe turned to find Michael staring at her, an odd expression on his face. She tugged at her apron, certain her kapp needed straightening. “Are you going in?”
What a silly thing to ask. Of course he was. She might as well have commented on the weather. Hot, isn’t it?
Michael stood, his tall, broad frame towering over her. His eyes, the color of the sky on an early spring morning, seemed to pierce her. “Did you understand what Thomas was saying?”
“About gelassenheit?” She struggled to organize her thoughts. She’d heard her daed give dozens of sermons on the topic, but she hadn’t given it much thought. She’d spent her whole life yielding to a higher authority—mostly Daed’s. Still, she’d wanted to talk to Michael. Even if she didn’t get to pick the topic. “I think so. We’re supposed to yield to the will of God and be content about it.”
“I wonder how we’re supposed to know what His will is.” Michael cocked his head, his forehead wrinkled under his Sunday service hat. Tufts of his dark—almost black—hair escaped under the brim. “Do you ever wonder that?”
Phoebe generally left the talk of religion to those who understood these things better. She only knew what she felt. She might be hotheaded and hot-blooded by her folks’ standards, but she loved her Lord God and she loved her community in a speechless bigger-than-her sort of way. She was in a hurry, that was all. Her mudder said she had always been that way for the entire nineteen years of her life. Learning to walk and talk earlier than her bruders and schweschders. Learning to read sooner. Speaking English first. Always running to school instead of walking.
“Nee, not really.” She traced a line in the dirt with the toe of her shoe. “I just do the best I can. I figure He’ll do the rest.”
Michael smiled then, a brief smile so breathtaking Phoebe forgot how to move. She forgot how to breathe. She forgot the two languages she knew how to speak. Her mudder’s voice entreated her to always remember Gott watches. Gott knows.
Before she could say anything or do anything, Michael started toward the barn. Her opportunity slipped through her fingers once again. “Michael, wait.”
His long-legged pace slowed. He glanced back. “We don’t want to miss the sermon.”
“Your family is going to Stockton Lake?”
“Jah.” He halted and turned. “Yours too?”
“Jah.”
The pause lengthened. Say something, say something. She really wanted Michael to say the something that would lead to the next step. Whatever that next step turned out to be. She had no experience with this. Instead, he fixed her with a perplexed look as if he had no idea, either. “Then I guess we’ll see each other there.”
“I guess we will.”
He shifted from one foot to the other. She did the same. “Maybe we—”
“We could—”
“What’s going on here?” Phoebe’s daed strode toward them, his tall, wiry body backlit by the sun. At first she couldn’t see his expression, but she heard the surefire irk in his words. “Phoebe, get yourself into the service. Now.”
“Nothing’s going on—”
“Go.”
“Daed—”
“Phoebe.”
The command in his voice sent her scurrying toward the barn. His gaze icy, he moved aside so she could pass. She’d finally exchanged more than two words with Michael, and her father was about to break the slim thread between them. “Daed, please.” She poured all the entreaty she could muster into the words. “We were just talking.”
“When you should’ve been listening to the sermon.”
She risked one last glance at Michael. He looked the same as always. Untroubled. Shoulders broad enough to bear the weight of the world. “I’m sorry. I had a question about the lesson,” he said. He wrapped his fingers around his suspenders, his expression earnest. “I held up Phoebe, thinking she could help me figure it out.”
Her daed’s glare faded a little. “You should ask those questions of Thomas.” The growl in his voice dissolved. “Or me.”
“I will.”
The two men seemed to size each other up.
Michael didn’t know her daed all that well. If he did, he’d look a whole lot more worried.