Today I’d like to introduce
guest blogger, Varina Denman.
Varina writes stories about the unique struggles women face. Her
award-winning Mended Hearts series, which revolves around church hurt, is a
compelling blend of women’s fiction and inspirational romance. A native Texan,
Varina lives near Fort Worth with her husband and five mostly grown
children. Connect with Varina on her website or one of the social media
hangouts.
Welcome,
Varina!
Dawn, thank you for hosting me on your
blog today. It’s summertime, and we’ve all got extra time on our hands. My
holiday break is swiftly getting filled with events, camps, and projects,
but I still have plenty of time by the pool doing what I love best ... reading! I’ve
put together a list of books to recommend to friends,
specifically Christian book series that have been described as
"can't-put-it-down." That's what we all LOVE to read, especially during
the lazy summer months. I hope your blog readers find a new series on the list,
and I hope they pour themselves a tall glass of iced tea, and sit down and
relax. Happy reading, girlfriends! (Don't forget the suntan lotion)
A little about At Home In Mitford: It’s easy to feel at home in
Mitford. In these high, green hills, the air is pure, the village is charming,
and the people are generally lovable.
Yet, Father Tim, the bachelor rector, wants something more. Enter
a dog the size of a sofa who moves in and won’t go away. Add an attractive
neighbor who begins wearing a path through the hedge. Now stir in a lovable but
unloved boy, a mystifying jewel theft, and a secret that’s sixty years old.
Suddenly, Father Tim gets more than he bargained for. And
readers get a rich comedy in which mysteries and miracles abound.
A little about The Hesitant Heiress: After being unjustly expelled
from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Amaryllis Brigham sees her dreams of
founding a music academy in her hometown of Seattle, Washington, disappearing before
her very eyes. Now, the only way to achieve her goal comes with high stakes for
someone set on avoiding men as much as possible: Marry within the year to
inherit the immense fortune of her estranged grandmother. Amaryllis reluctantly
moves in to her aunt's Boston home and rubs shoulders with fashionable society.
Despite her own misgivings, she soon finds herself quickly falling in love with
the most unlikely of men--Nathan Everstone, the envy of every eligible female,
whose father has haunted her dreams for the decade following her mother's
tragic death. However, Nathan turns out to be much more than he seems...and
everything she never knew she wanted. But just as everything Amaryllis has
recently hoped for comes to fruition, it all falls apart when she finds that
the real culprit who has been managing her life isn't who she thought at all.
A little about The Gifting: In a world where nothing
supernatural exists, Tess Eckhart is positive she’s going crazy. What other
explanation is there for the things she sees? After her complete freakout
at a high school party, her parents worry she might be right. So much
that they pack their bags and move across the country, next to a
nationally-renowned facility for the mentally ill.
Despite the whispers and stares, Tess is determined to fit in at
her new school. But when it comes to Luka Williams, a reluctantly popular boy
in her class, she’s unused to a stare that intense. Then the headaches start,
and the seemingly prophetic dreams that haunt her at night. As Tess tries
harder to hide them, she becomes increasingly convinced that Luka knows
something—that he might somehow be responsible.
But what if she’s wrong? What if Luka Williams is the only thing
separating her from a madness too terrifying to fathom?
A little about The Healer’s Apprentice: Two Hearts. One Hope. Rose has
been appointed as a healer’s apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity
for a woodcutter’s daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight
of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean
returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her—a
bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill. When Lord Hamlin, the
future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal
his wound, she begins to understand emotions she’s never felt before and
wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin
is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose’s life spins toward
confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own
destiny.
A little about Jaded: As a child, Ruthie was shunned
by the local congregation. Now, thirteen years later, Ruthie’s heart begins to
stir when an attractive single preacher arrives. But their relationship is
bitterly opposed, and a string of secrets are unearthed that threaten to turn
the church, the town, and her world upside down.
Jaded is the
rare novel that is a love story between both a woman and a man … and God and
His church. Plunging deep into the waters of shame, forgiveness, and
restoration, this book will resonate with every woman who’s experienced a loss
of heart … and a thirst for hope.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And now for a GIVEAWAY!
What
books/series are you planning to read this summer?
Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win an
Advance Reader Copy of my {Dawn here again, in case you missed that!} October release, The Cautious Maiden as well as an Advance Reader Copy of Varina’s newest novel, Jilted and a copy of Melanie Dickerson’s novel, The Fairest Beauty. I’ll choose a winner in about a week. (Open to US residents
only).
Happy Reading!
