THE DAUGHTERS OF JIM FARRELL by SYLVIA BAMBOLA

THE DAUGHTERS OF JIM FARRELL by SYLVIA BAMBOLA is an exciting read with a strong Christian message of practising forgiveness rather than wanting revenge.
Kate Farrell, in particular, struggles with this, and stirs up trouble for those she loves in her single minded desire to clear her father's name. Will she learn to forgive or will she continue to live a life filled with bitterness and anger?
It is interesting to see how each of the Farrell girls deal with the circumstances in which they find themselves, and with the men they have come to love.
The author paints a vivid picture of life in the coal and anthracite mining area of Pennsylvania in the late 1800's. The story is laced with fact which makes it very credible.
We see the destruction brought about by men's greed, as opposed to the gentle goodness of the girl's mother, with her deeds of Christian love and charity, and the biblical standards she instills into her daughters.
We see the abject poverty of the miners which stirs the hearts of the Farrell women and makes them grateful for what they have. Even though they no longer have much standing in the community they still have each other and a decent lifestyle.
As is so often the case, it is when disaster strikes that the different characters show what they are made of, either turning to the Lord and to one another for help, or falling further into a life of deception.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and can highly recommend it.



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FLEE THE NIGHT by SUSAN MAY WARREN

FLEE THE NIGHT by SUSAN MAY WARREN has it all - from international espionage to a love story that will bring tears to your eyes as it mirrors God's incredible love for His children.
Jim Micah is God's man. The scripture verse he is hoping to live by is found in the book of Micah, chapter six verse eight, and his faith is important to him. When the girl he has loved since high school marries his best friend, and then is accused of his murder, he is determined to bring her to justice.
Lacey has always loved Micah, but she chose a life of adventure and espionage with John Galloway, who swept her away from Micah as well as from the God she used to serve.
We see the difference between someone like John who wanted to change the world, living dangerously and selfishly, and Jim Micah who has a heart of compassion for those who are lost, physically as well as spiritually, and who has a relationship with Jesus Christ. Micah knows God's grace and mercy, and knows he is forgiven. Lacey feels that God cannot possibly love her or forgive her because she has made so many wrong choices. She is angry with Micah for not declaring his love to her when they were young. She keeps escaping from him because she doesn't want any harm to come to him, and he goes from not trusting her to being ashamed of himself for doubting her.
It is a story about coming home, both to the place where one belongs and to the person to whom one belongs, but more importantly, it is about coming home to the Lord.
It is a story about trust, unconditional love, reconciliation, truth and lies, the importance of forgiveness, and searching for those who are lost in darkness.
The plot makes for exciting reading and is full of biblical truth. The characters are very real and their struggles are well portrayed throughout the book. I can highly recommend this novel. Although it is not necessary to,do,so, I read the prequel, WAITING FOR DAWN, which gives some background to the story. In fact, I have read many novels by this author and have not been disappointed in any of them. I particularly enjoy the depth of scriptural truth that runs through her books.





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BATTERED JUSTICE by LINDA WHITE

In BATTERED JUSTICE by LINDA WHITE we find Jake Tucker and Cassidy McKenna working together once more as F. B. I. agents. They have quite a history, and although they seemed at one time to be heading into a romantic involvement, they have settled into being very good friends. Although I strongly advise reading BLOODY POINT first, BATTERED JUSTICE can be read as a stand alone novel.
The story deals with drug trafficking, gambling, domestic violence and corruption and is fast paced and exciting. There is also a strong Christian message running throughout and I like the way we see Jake and Cass grow in their walk with the Lord.
We see how a man who is falsely accused chooses to trust his God, even when things look hopeless in the natural. How he chooses to humble himself before the Lord, fighting against the anger that threatens to overtake him at the injustice he is facing.
We see love overcoming fear and the importance of trusting the Lord even when things are going horribly wrong. We get a real feeling of the sovereignty of God in this legal drama.
I have been looking forward to this sequel to BLOODY POINT, as I have read and enjoyed all Linda's novels, and am definitely not disappointed! I highly recommend this book as a really good read.



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PACIFIC HOPE by BETTE NORDBERG

I can't believe I have had this amazing book on my shelf for ages and have only just read it now! I really enjoyed PACIFIC HOPE by BETTE NORDBERG and can highly recommend it. It is an exciting read with a strong Christian message. I am looking forward to reading more novels by this author.
The characters are very real and the way they deal with their difficult circumstances is well portrayed. I love the way that the Lord speaks to Mike and Kate as they cry out to Him! We get the feeling of His closeness to His children in even the worst situations.
The importance of repentance, forgiveness and unconditional love is brought out in this story, and also the importance of marriage. We see how, even though the people closest to us sometimes betray our trust, we can always trust the Lord.
Mike has problems on all sides - from the imminent break up of his marriage, which is his fault, to problems in his business, which he cannot understand. Has he become the victim of someone in the company's sinister plans?
Kate's father's heart attack adds to her problems, but is she using this as an excuse to keep away from Mike? What will it take for her to forgive him? Does she really want to?
Will their trip on the yacht "Second Chance" restore their marriage, or is it wishful thinking on Mike's part?



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BLOODY POINT by LINDA WHITE

BLOODY POINT by LINDA WHITE  is an exciting thriller which you won't be able to put down! We are kept guessing right to the end!
Cassie McKenna and Jake Tucker have been partners in the F. B. I., but Cassie hands in her badge and gun, wanting to have nothing to do with her old life because she can't get over the loss of her husband Mike, also an F. B. I. agent and Jake's best friend. It is when Jake is attacked that Cassie wishes she hadn't resigned from her job. She seems to have lost everything - her husband, her partner, her job and her faith in God. She calls in a favour with an old friend of her father's and gets a job as a reporter for the local newspaper in order to be able to use her press pass to ask questions and try and solve the fires at the marina, the murdered boat owner and Jake's attack.
We see this sense of loss too in Jake's life - his wife has divorced him, he misses his children terribly, he's lost his best friend and he is suffering the aftermath of a brutal attack. He comes very close to giving up.
I like the way the author describes the struggles the characters go through when they are trying to make sense of life and are asking the question so many of us ask, namely, "why do bad things often happen to people who are serving God?" The message of restoration runs through the story and also of the importance of trusting God no matter what happens.
The weather and the sea play an important role and form the background to the story - the descriptions of the storms underline the danger that is threatening to destroy Jake and Cassie, and anyone else who gets in the way of the mysterious killer.
I really enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to the sequel, "Battered Justice" which is coming out in June.







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THE PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER by MESU ANDREWS

THE PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER by MESU ANDREWS is the beautifully written story of the Egyptian princess who adopted Moses, told against the backdrop of life on the banks of the Nile in ancient Egypt. Although it is a work of fiction, there is no loss of biblical truth and the historical facts of the Bible account are the backbone of the novel.
The author has obviously done a great deal of research into life in Egypt at that time, both the life of the royal court and that of the Hebrew slaves. Whilst the slaves were in bondage to their cruel Egyptian task masters, those of them who served the Hebrew God had a freedom that the Egyptians didn't have, the latter being in bondage to sorcery, the wicked priests and the cruel and ineffective gods they served. The Egyptian religion was one of fear, death and destruction coupled with the futility of trying to please their gods.
Mery, who later became Anippe and then, on her marriage to Sebak, Amira of Avaris, was terrified of childbirth. She was forced to watch her mother give birth when both her mother and baby brother died, which terrified her and led to her deception in pretending that Moses was her child, thus providing her husband with an heir without the risk of dying like her mother did.
It is a story of slavery and freedom, love and hate, opulence and abject poverty, fear and trust, truth and deception, rejection and acceptance and of course the importance of repentance and forgiveness. We also see the importance of facing one's fears.
There are the warring Ramessids of the Delta as opposed to the slaves who try to keep out of trouble. We see the unusual friendship between the mighty Sebak and Mered, the humble linen maker, and Mered's friendship with Amira, who was horrified at the treatment that was meted out to the Hebrew slaves, especially when the order was given to kill the Hebrew baby boys. Mered has faith in El-Shaddai's promises and speaks of this faith to Sebak and Amira, praying for them as well as for his own family and the Hebrew people.
We see Amira's mother's heart in her love for Moses, who she named Mehy, and Miriam, and later on for the Hebrew children she took care of, and for her rebellious sister for whom she felt responsible, although Mered pointed out to her that it wasn't her fault that Ankhe had always been jealous of her. We see how important it is for a person to be loved and how rejection can lead to rebellious behaviour.
The characters are sensitively portrayed and we can relate to their struggles. This novel has a wealth of scriptural truth woven throughout which makes it a very worth while read. I cannot recommend it highly enough.



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DOUBLE CROSS by DIANN MILLS

DOUBLE CROSS by DIANN MILLS is a thrilling detective novel with a strong Christian message. Against a background of fraud against elderly Alzheimer's patients, murder and intrigue, we see how officer Daniel Hilton and F.B.I. Agent Laurel Evertson deal with issues of fear, doubt and forgiveness in their own lives, whilst doing all they can to find out who is behind the life insurance scam which has affected Daniel's grandparents and others at the Silver Hospitality seniors' home.
To do this they have to team up with Morton Wilmington, a convicted criminal who Laurel put into prison by living with him under cover as his fiancée, who has been paroled due to his supposed conversion to Christianity. They don't trust him, but they are forced to work closely with him in order to get in with his former partner in crime to find out who is behind this nation wide attack on the elderly.
Daniel is a believer who has been impacted by his godly grandparents, Earl and Abby Hilton, who took him in when his mother abandoned him and his father died. He has to deal with unforgiveness towards his mother.
Laurel's life fell apart when her parents died. She is angry with God for allowing it to happen and also for allowing her partner, Jesse, to be shot when Morton was arrested.
Was Morton's conversion real? Can he be trusted, or is he working against them?
Not only is the novel packed with suspense but it is a really good character study. I love the description of the loving relationship between Daniel's elderly grandparents and Daniel's love and respect for them. I also like the way Laurel treats the elderly with understanding and compassion. It is interesting to see how Morton tries to relate to people in the outside world after spending so long in jail.
Who is behind the scam? Is the double crosser himself being double crossed?
I can highly recommend this novel.


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