Serena recs 'Prayer Box,' 'Trapped,' 'Raw Edges'
The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate
What it's about (courtesy of Tyndale House):
When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in her rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iola's rambling Victorian house.
Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iola's walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iola's youth to her last days. Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper--the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with journeys of faith, observations on love, and one final lesson that could change everything for Tandi.
Why you should read it: The top three words that come to mind upon finishing this book? Beautiful, beautiful and ... beautiful.
OK, that was one word, but one so true about this story that it deserved to be repeated three times.
With a gift for crafting a story that digs into how a person's past can shape their view of themselves and of hope itself, Lisa Wingate never disappoints to deliver a first-class novel. The Prayer Box is just that sort of book. Through Tandi's eyes, we experience the life of a very real woman, shadowed by her past — a past that was pretty messed up by the adults of her childhood. Having spent most of her adult life moving from wrong man to "wronger" man and bad choice to worse choice, Tandi grasps on to one solitary memory of happiness and peace from her childhood and steals away from Texas — and a controlling, unethical man — to the Outer Banks.
When her elderly landlord dies, Tandi unexpectedly finds employment sorting through the woman's belongings. As Tandi immerses herself in the letters found in Iola Anne's once-palatial home, change begins within her heart; a change that reflects into her life and the lives around her. Iola's letters allow Tandi a glimpse into a world where people give without expecting anything in return, love knowing they are bound to be hurt, and work hard to safeguard the things that are beautiful and true in the world.
Although the story may lean more toward women's fiction than contemporary romance, romance is most definitely present--in both negative and positive forms. As Tandi realizes who she was, is, and can become, she finally begins to recognize the difference between being some hot guy's glorified arm candy and being cherished by an unusual, and unusually wonderful, man.
Expect both smiles and tears as you read this beautiful novel, but do read it. You won't be sorry.
Trapped by Irene Hannon (Private Justice series)
What it's about (courtesy of publisher Revell):
When librarian Laura Griffith's 16-year-old sister disappears on a frigid February day, leaving only a brief note behind, Laura resolves to do whatever it takes to track down the runaway teen. That includes recruiting ATF agent turned PI James "Dev" Devlin to help. But the deeper he digs, the more he begins to suspect that something sinister is at work in the girl's disappearance. And the closer he gets to uncovering the truth, the clearer it becomes that the situation isn't just dangerous--it's deadly.
Chilling and at times terrifying, Trapped is the latest thrilling read from Irene Hannon, the queen of romantic suspense. Hannon outdoes herself with this fast-paced tale of fear, deception, and just the right dose of romance.
Why you should read it: The second installment of Hannon's Private Justice series stands just fine on its own two feet, but once you've read it, don't be surprised if you go back and get the first book, too. From page one, the professional relationship between Dev and Laura is strained by attraction, which makes this romantic suspense truly romantic, even though we never lose sight of the issue at hand: Darcy's disappearance. With frequent glimpses into both Darcy's and her captor's minds, we see the story come together through the creepily effective descriptions of the antagonist's OCD behaviors. The tension ratchets progressively tighter as the story gets deeper into each point of view and the climax will set your heart racing in those last few moments, knowing, "somebody is gonna die … but who?"
You may have a case of white-knuckle-book-fever before the end, but the romance region of your heart won't be able to keep itself from rooting for Dev and Laura to save the day ... and for them to finally be able to land in each other's arms.
Raw Edges by Sandra D. Bricker (Quilts of Love series)
What it's about (courtesy of publisher Abingdon Press):
Grayson McDonough has no use for teal ribbons, 5k runs, or ovarian cancer support groups now that his beautiful wife Jenna is gone. But their nine-year-old daughter Sadie seems to need the connection. When Annabelle Curtis, the beautiful cancer survivor organizing the memory quilt project for the Ovacome support group, begins to bring out the silly and fun side of his precious daughter again, Gray must set aside his own grief to support the healing of Sadie's young heart. But is there hope for Gray's heart too along the way?
Why you should read it: Still in love with his wife, Jenna, who died a year ago, Grayson has a difficult time accepting his growing attraction to Annabelle. But as the quilting project grows "beyond the blanket" and into something that can use Grayson's gifts and connections, so does the romantic pull between Grayson and Annabelle.
Don't let the "downer subject" of ovarian cancer scare you away from reading this sweet novel, or you'll be missing out. Cancer may be the backdrop for the story, but healing and romance are the subjects of the portrait. With the delightful whimsy of a nine-year-old girl's innocent matchmaking and many instances of well-placed humor, Raw Edges is a touching and timely story that pulls the threads of emotion while piecing together a satisfying romance.
A writer, performer and accomplished partaker of dark chocolate, Serena Chase lives in Iowa with her husband and two daughters. The first two books in her debut Eyes of E'veria series, The Ryn and The Remedy, are out now. You can find out more about her at serenachase.com.