Inspirational Archives

The Memory of You by Catherine West

April 5, 2017 by bubblebathbooks 2 Comments

The Memory of You by Catherine West: Thirteen years ago, Natalie lost a part of herself when her twin sister died. Will traveling back to the family winery finally put the memory to rest, or will it completely destroy her? When Natalie Mitchell learns her beloved grandfather had a heart attack, she’s forced to return to their family-owned winery in Sonoma, something she never intended to do. She’s avoided her grandparents’ sprawling home and all its memories since the summer her sister died—the awful summer Natalie’s nightmares began. But the winery is failing, and Natalie’s father wants her to shut it down. As the majority shareholder, she has the power to do so. And Natalie never says no to her father.

Tanner Collins, the vintner on Maoilios, is trying to salvage a bad season and put the Mitchell family’s winery back in business. When Natalie Mitchell shows up, Tanner sees his future about to be crushed. Natalie intends to close the gates, unless he can convince her otherwise. But the Natalie he remembers from childhood is long gone, and he’s not so sure he likes the woman she’s become. Still, the haunted look she wears hints at secrets he wants to unearth. He soon discovers that on the night her sister died, the real Natalie died too. And Tanner must do whatever it takes to resurrect her. But finding freedom from the past means facing it.

Sissy:

Author Catherine West does not tackle shallow topics. We discovered this when we read and reviewed her book The Things We Knew back in 2016. The Memory of You is no different. I usually don’t subject myself to that much intensity in my choice of reading material or entertainment but West’s beautiful writing and use of subtle, hopeful Christian themes completely engage me. And the anticipation of finding out how things will resolve happily in the end keeps me going.

Bubby:

Yes, Catherine West always delivers on our required happy ending. I honestly didn’t think that she would be able to make all her characters behave in The Memory of You, but it does all work out beautifully, including some delightful romances, one of which I saw coming and one that pleasantly surprised me.

Sissy:

There is family drama out the wazoo, unredeemable characters redeemed and trouble and conflict galore. But West weaves each thread of the story into a complete and satisfying whole. Natalie, our main character, goes through so much pain from her sister’s death and parents’ subsequent behavior that by the end of the tale I was cheering for her happiness. Tanner, his mother, and his sister’s family each have complex issues to face. Natalie even has a long lost family member who appears and throws a new wrench into the already full stew of plots. Compellingly written, emotionally consuming, and tenderly resolved, The Memory of You is Catherine West at her finest. I wholeheartedly recommend this truly satisfying read.

Bubby:

The setting of The Memory of You is California’s wine country of Sonoma. Sissy and I have been there, and know that it is truly spectacular country. Catherine West brings it to life with her vivid descriptions. I could almost see, smell, and touch the lovely Maoilios winery, and I felt a longing to revisit that part of the country. Put it on our list, Sissy! (She’s in charge of lists and Coke). I loved how Tanner at first sees Natalie as the bane of his existance, then eventually realizes he can’t live without her. Readers, you will love that transformation! And Tanner’s niece and nephew are absolutely adorable. What more can I say? Catherine West has written another truly splendid family saga. May she write many, many more!

Click HERE to buy The Memory of You by Catherine West

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A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck

December 1, 2016 by bubblebathbooks Leave a Comment

It’s been five years since Avery Truitt and Prince Colin of Brighton Kingdom fell in love. But he broke her heart with no explanation. Fast forward to present day, and Colin is Brighton’s most eligible bachelor now that cousin Stephen has married. When Avery’s father dies of a heart attack, she puts her life on hold and returns home to St. Simons Island, Georgia, to help Mama with the family restaurant. But Mama misses Avery’s sister Susanna, who lives four thousand miles away in Brighton Kingdom—and is expecting her first child. So Mama insists she and Avery spend the Christmas season in Brighton. Colin and Avery are going to see each other a lot while she’s visiting. But she can’t forget the way he hurt her, and he didn’t expect his feelings to still be so strong. Avery is torn between considering a future in Brighton and taking a coaching job in Georgia, and Colin is finally pushed to pursue what he really wants. Is it too late to convince Avery that she is his true love? And even if he does, will she make it to the chapel on Christmas Day to give him her heart?

Sissy: Look at the cover. That dress is so fabulous. It needs to be on “Say Yes to the Dress” instead of those dresses that all look the same on the show. If I had been able to choose my own wedding dress instead of being given my cousin’s free cast-off, I would have chosen something with a similar bodice and waistline.

Bubby: Oh, but you looked so pretty in your super high necked empire-waisted confection! I mean, when it was possible to actually SEE you behind all the ruffles and lace…

Sissy: Gag me with a veil.

Bubby: The veil was lovely. Remember? I used it too. It was just the dress that needed to die.

Sissy: Well, we were nothing if not frugal. But Avery, on the other hand, will get to have her dream designer dress if she and Colin finally get their act together. They sure do make it difficult on themselves, though.

Bubby: I can see why. Colin practically disappeared from Avery’s life and is expected to end up with Lady Haughty McMeanie or whatever her name is and Avery is trying to put herself back together and find a career after the death of her father. I’m not usually an advocate of getting drunk, but in this case, it’s a good thing that Colin and his friend get intoxicated enough to climb up the old bell tower. There’s this really cool legend in Brighton Kingdom that goes along with this part of the story. The legend states that if a man rings the bell in the tower to announce his love for a particular woman, then that woman has the option to meet him at Pembroke Chapel on Christmas Day to accept his love and be married right there on the spot. Who knows if Colin would ever have had the guts to ring the bell himself, but luckily, divine providence steps in and rings it for him. And then mayhem and drama ensue…

Sissy: A Royal Christmas Wedding is a very worthy fourth (and final) installment of the Royal Wedding Series. The characters are well conceived, even the ones I love to hate like Colin’s super-annoying drinking buddy, whom I wanted to kick in the hind end. Lady Nasty HighFalutin’ also deserved a swift introduction to my boot. Two of my favorite characters were Madeline and Hyacinth, from the Madeline and Hyacinth Live! show. They hilariously portray what it’s really like to be a royal in the media spotlight. There is drama and tension aplenty and of course, a happy ending, which I love and require.

Bubby: I’m sad to see the series come to an end, but I’m sure that Rachel Hauck will soon deliver another delightful and delicious romance for me to savor. In the meantime, I’m going to satisfy myself with BBC mini-series’ and a re-reading of the entire Royal Wedding Series.

Sissy: Or we could start our own series, “Bubby and Sissy Live!” in which two aging debutantes talk about real life in the Rocky Mountains…

Bubby: Apart from the “aging” bit, I’m in!

Click HERE to buy A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck

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The Silver Suitcase by Terrie Todd

February 1, 2016 by bubblebathbooks Leave a Comment

It’s 1939, and Canada is on the cusp of entering World War II. Seventeen-year-old farm girl Cornelia is heartbroken when she learns that her beloved soldier, Henry, has been killed in a train wreck. Alone and carrying a heavy secret, she makes the desperate choice that will haunt her for years to come. Never telling a soul, Cornelia pours out the painful events of the war in her diary. Many decades later, Cornelia’s granddaughter, Benita, is in the midst of her own crisis, experiencing several losses in the same week, including her job and the grandmother she adored. The resulting emotional and financial stress takes its toll on her and her husband, Ken, who is also unemployed. On the brink of divorce, she discovers Cornelia’s diary. Now the secrets of her grandmother’s past will lead Benita on an unexpected journey of healing, reunion, and renewed faith.

Bubby: I love these stories that go back and forth from one time period to another, in this case World War II to the present day. I love the usage of Cornelia’s diaries to tell her back story. I was thinking it would be nice to read my grandmother’s diaries, but I’m not so sure now. Who knows what secret, hidden skeletons are lurking in the past!

Sissy: Are you talking about Grandma J or Grandma T? Because I would seriously love to know the thoughts and feelings and stories of them both, but in particular Grandma T who we didn’t get to know. I can’t imagine any gritty stories or stunning revelations coming out of rural Idaho in the 1920s, but you never can tell. I know that Grandma J’s sisters did some pretty wild and unorthodox stuff, or so the legend goes, so it would be quite the interesting read. Passion in the potato cellar….

Bubby: I’ve been in a potato cellar. I’m not seeing any passion happening there. There was plenty of passion between Cornelia and Henry (no worries, this is an inspirational romance, not a bodice ripper). Their love story really spoke to me. It was just so sweet and tragic all at the same time. I can’t imagine how it feels to lose the man you love, especially before you even have the chance to make a life together.

Sissy: Plus other stuff that happens which cannot be revealed at this time that are completely life changing. The Silver Suitcase is such a beautiful story, with so many interesting secrets and twists that you don’t see coming. It has a lot of Christian content, but it is one of the most enjoyable inspirational stories I have ever read. I actually had an attitude changing moment while reading about Benita’s struggles, so yes–I was truly inspired.

Bubby: I completely agree. Cornelia’s journey of faith and redemption really touched my heart. The ending was so satisfying, because her thoughts and insights really had an effect on many people as well as her own family. I was up late finishing The Silver Suitcase and when the last page was turned, I went to sleep with a smile on my face.

Sissy: The ending was so well done! Cornelia never imagined how her faithful experiences would be shared with and uplift others, and what happens with her diary pages in the end is absolutely lovely. The Silver Suitcase by Terrie Todd is so well worth the read!

Click HERE to buy The Silver Suitcase by Terrie Todd

The Christmas Joy Ride by Melody Carlson

November 23, 2015 by bubblebathbooks Leave a Comment

Miranda did not put adventure on her Christmas list, but thanks to her eighty-five-year-old neighbor Joy, that’s exactly what she’s getting this year. When Joy tells Miranda that she plans to drive an old RV decked out in Christmas decorations from their Chicago neighborhood to her new retirement digs in Phoenix–in the dead of winter, no less–the much younger Miranda insists that Joy cannot make such a trip by herself. Unemployed and facing foreclosure, Miranda feels she has nothing to lose by packing a bag and heading off with Joy toward Route 66. But Joy has a hidden agenda for their Christmas joyride–one that could derail the whole venture.

Sissy: The truth of the matter is that Melody Carlson is known for feel-good stories, mostly romances, so if you’re familiar with her, that’s what you’ll probably expect from The Christmas Joy Ride. But what you get from it is rather more than that. You get a story that takes you on a journey of service and change and romance only figures in at the very end. Bubby just said “I do love that cover” so I’m going to steal that and say that I too love this book cover. That Christmas bedecked RV is something out of my wildest fantasies. I think I might decorate my car this year à la 85-year-old Christmas Joy.

Bubby: Wow. I can just see your husband driving around in a wreath and Santa hat embellished SUV. I want video of that! I knew there would be romance in this story, I just knew it. I kept waiting for it….waiting…waiting and then boom! There it was. Since this is a novella of only 176 pages, said romance moved VERY quickly but I enjoyed it nonetheless. There’s a lot of fantastic themes packed in those 176 pages, like not judging people on their appearance, living life to the fullest no matter your age and that Christmas magic exists if you will let it into your life. You may have realized by now that Sissy and I were raised by a mother who believed that all holidays, but especially Christmas, should be celebrated exuberantly. Lots of decor, lots of food, lots of family, lots of service, lots of love. This is exactly what Joy and Miranda bring to everyone they meet on their Christmas Joy Ride.

Sissy: I thought that I might get some negative feedback from my month early Christmas decor, but quite the opposite has happened. For example, last Sunday I had a group of teenagers over practicing some music (yes, I’m the church choir lady) and they couldn’t stop talking about how much they loved the smell and look of our Christmassy house. So Hah! to all the humbugs. Anyway, I am inspired by our heroine, Christmas Joy. She shows us that personalized and sincere giving that requires a sacrifice of time and resources becomes the most meaningful part of Christmas and even life. Joy embodied that true meaning of Christmas by giving and giving and giving and that’s what brought her true happiness. That was my take away from The Christmas Joy Ride, and I encourage all to partake of this delightful novella.

Bubby: The day I read The Christmas Joy Ride I was grumpy, my husband was grumpy, the children were grumpy, the mailman was grumpy…I kicked everybody out of the main floor of my house, curled up in my fave chair with my blankie, three chocolate cookies and a diet Coke, and read the whole thing in one sitting.

Sissy: You paint quite a pathetic picture, dearie. Do tell what happened next!

Bubby: Let’s just say that by the time I finished the story my heart had grown three sizes! I was able to tolerate my family without resorting to threats of violence. It was like a Christmas miracle!! If you read The Christmas Joy Ride you might experience a change of heart and a small Christmas miracle too.

Click HERE to buy The Christmas Joy Ride by Melody Carlson

My Brother’s Crown by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

October 9, 2015 by bubblebathbooks Leave a Comment

France, 1685. Catherine Gillet knows her brother, Jules, wants to protect her from the sinister threats of the French crown. But Jules is involved in a potentially deadly enterprise, one connected with an encoded document. When his actions put the whole family at risk, will Catherine find a way to save them? Virginia, present day. Renee Talbot, a direct descendant of Catherine’s, is fascinated by the document that’s been part of her family legacy for more than three centuries. Certain its pages hold hidden secrets, she takes a closer look—and makes a shocking discovery. But when memories of a childhood trauma are rekindled, she’s forced to seek answers of a different kind. Inspired by the faith and bravery of Catherine, can Renee find the truth and face her deepest fears at last? From the authors of the Christy Award–winning The Amish Midwife comes an epic story of two women, centuries apart, each discovering her own hidden bravery, standing for what she believes in, and finding love in unexpected places.

Sissy: Recently I have been researching my family’s Juchau line on my mother’s side, which happens to be a French Huguenot name. When I started reading My Brother’s Crown I was thrilled to find myself learning much more than I ever knew about the French Huguenots and that time period in France. I could imagine Bubby corseted and trussed up like a bosom-smooshed turkey hiding in the bottom of a potato cart and fleeing the Catholics! Very scary and exciting, and possibly smelly. Seriously, though, the historical portion of the novel was extremely interesting to me, but the combination of historical and modern day story lines made the book totally engaging.

Bubby: I agree with your last sentence. I have a rather different vision of the past, however. It involves me pushing Sissy into a priest hole (for her own safety, of course) while she is wearing something that looks like it came from under my car hood. Anyway, I always enjoy a story that bridges generations. Wouldn’t it be fun if you could go back and meet your ancestors and hear them tell their stories directly to you? As Renée studies the document from the past, it’s almost as if Catherine and Jules are speaking from the dust. I also enjoyed the secondary story about Renée and her cousins and the grisly murder scene they discovered as children. We are left with quite the cliffhanger regarding that murder. I am not so patiently waiting for book two of the Cousins of the Dove series to be written and published so that I can find out what the heck happened!

Sissy: If we went back and met our Juchau ancestors, they’d probably be more likely to recognize me as family than you, Bubby, since whenever I walk into a gathering of short Juchaus, I clasp my heart and say, “My people!”. I still love you and your stilt legs, though. Speaking of love, I thoroughly enjoyed the sweet love stories in both time periods in My Brother’s Crown, flanked by the wonderful (and not so wonderful) secrets and discoveries. Like Bubby, I am waiting impatiently to read the unraveling of the last secret, and at the same time ramping up my search for lost documents from our own family’s Huguenot pilgrims.

Bubby: I’m sorry that my 6 inches of extra height make you feel like I’m not a real Juchau, Sissy. Funny how you always claim me when you can’t reach stuff. I’m not quite sure where the tall genetics came from but it certainly wasn’t from that line. Maybe someone somewhere had a Viking lover we don’t know about? I want to see where My Brother’s Crown‘s modern day relationships develop as well and I’m curious to see where all the cousins end up. The Cousins of the Dove Series is definitely going in my “to be read as soon as it is published” pile.

Click HERE to buy My Brother’s Crown