This book is a follow up to Short Straw Bride and looks at Crockett a few years after Travis and Meridith tie the knot. Crockett Archer is now a preacher looking for a church and headed to candidate for one. He is kidnapped from his train to fulfill a birthday wish for an ex-outlaw’s daughter.

Joanna Robbins loves God and has not only mourned the passing of her godly mother, but the departure of the pastor who once shepherded their small flock.  She has taken on the burden of seeing her father come to know the Lord. Can she possibly convince Crockett that his kidnapping was within God’s perfect plan and that the church he is to pastor is right across the field and not in a city further away?

Crockett is a great example of modesty, passion and purity as he takes on the various challenges laid before him and makes a great hero. Joanna is his biggest cheerleader but fearful that no one would love someone like her but falls in love with her father’s new ranch hand who also stirs her heart on Sunday mornings with his powerful preaching. Will  the two finally be able to come together as one with Joanna’s father so opposed to the man and another woman bend on having him for herself?

This book was a great read. If you like lighthearted western romances then this tale of Piney Cove, Texas will be a fun adventure for you. I enjoyed every moment. Thank you again, Karen!  Enjoy this cute trailer: Stealing the Preacher Book Trailer

I was visiting with a 20-year-old young woman and she said something profound. “My problem is I need to see myself the way God does.”

I told her I struggle with that too. My problem is I keep losing my glasses! Or the lenses get smudged or they break. It’s hard to look clearly at yourself when your looking glass is warped or the wrong prescription.

Can anyone relate? I mean, I would love to have  rose colored glasses personally and see myself as wonderful and perfect and adorable.

Unfortunately the lens that so often is before me is the one that significant others in my life had filled with messages like “You’re fat,” or, “You’re lazy,” or “Can’t you do anything right?”

Now why would I hang on to those glasses? Because they are practically riveted to my skull and difficult to remove.

I need to work harder at seeing not only God correctly, but myself, through His eyes. After all, Scripture says he delights in me. Sometimes that feels like a fictional sentiment. But it’s not. It’s real (Zephaniah 3:17).

How about you? Having any vision problems lately? I wonder how many of our problems would melt away (like butter in a hot frying pan) if we could only see ourselves like God does. After all, His opinion matters far more than that of those around us who cannot love us nearly as well as our Creator does.

I picked up a copy of Candace Calvert’s book, Trauma Plan the other day and was happily drawn into a lovely romance.

Chaplain Riley Hale has tried to rebel against her wealthy and overprotective parents, by becoming an ER nurse. She loved her job but her career was sidelined after a brutal physical assualt left her with serious and permanent deficits in her physical ability to do the job. As she tries to recover she works in the ER as a Chaplain.

Life drastically changes the day she meets the ER Doc who some referred to as “Rambo.” Dr. Jack Travis has served his country, and devotes the majority of his time to helping the indigent people who lack medical care, by operating a free medical clinic.

The two meet but initially clash. Jack realizes he could use Riley’s name to help get positive support for his clinic, which is under attack by the local community. Riley realizes that Jacks offer for her to volunteer at the clinic would be a way for her to practice her skills and possibly et back into full time nursing as she desires.

What neither of them expect is that they would fall in love. As events unfold around them, they learn what is more important than their own selfish desires and that God uses everything as part of His perfect plan.

I really enjoyed this book. Candace is a former ER nurse herself and is able to give credibility to the life of those people who struggle to help those in their most desperate hours. She weaves lovely details into the story and a few surprises. Most of all she treats the issue of physical and emotional pain and the way that can interfere or draw us closer to God, in a realistic way without being preachy. I loved this novel and look forward to reading more of her work.

            This was the second flat tire in two weeks on my new Saturn. Ugh! At least it was a nice fall day, not raining, or winter with it being 30 below.  It didn’t help that today I had chosen to wear a long narrow skirt. That made it doubly difficult trying to get down to the ground and get that jack in “oh, so right” position so as not to pop the tin can metal on the rest of the car.  At least the flat was on the passenger side, away from the traffic whizzing by on the highway.

            I tried one more time and couldn’t seem to find that spot for the jack. I finally threw it down in frustration and pushed myself up off my knees to a standing position. My cream colored skirt now had nice brown circles on it where my knees had been pressing the material into the dirt. I brushed at it with my hands only to find that somehow they had black grease on them. The whole mess smeared across the fabric. Lovely. The skirt was new too. There was no way that was going to come clean.

            I took out my cell phone to call the office to canceled my next appointment. If I could get this flat changed quickly enough, maybe I would have time to run home and change my clothes. I shook my head. Only thing clean right now was my favorite pair of jeans. Thankfully, I had no more important meetings for the rest of the day so that would have to do. Catherine answered when I called.

            “Where are you? Anne is hopping mad that you are not here right now. She wanted to go over your report before the meeting.”

            “I got a flat and I’m stuck on the highway. I need to cancel. Can you call Mr. Ramsey for me to reschedule?”

            “And what am I to tell Anne?”

            “Tell her the truth. I’m stranded with a flat tire.”

            “Do you think she’s going to buy that line? Didn’t you just have one two weeks ago?”

            I raise my eyes to the sky to watch the clouds slowly travel overhead as I bite my lip to keep from crying in frustration. “Yes. This did happen two weeks ago and it cost me $78 for a new tire to replace the one that shredded on me.”

            “I thought this was a new car.”

            “It is.”

            “I’ll let Anne know but I can bet she’s not going to be happy about this.”

            “Thanks, Catherine. Believe me, I would rather be in the office then sitting here on the side of the road stranded.”

            “What? Can’t change your own tire?” Catherine’s voice mocked me.

            I sighed. “I am doing my best. Later.”  I clicked end on the cell phone and leaned my rear against the side of the car and close my eyes. Really Lord, why do these things keep happening to me? I need this job. I had heard the unspoken threat that had been in the secretary’s voice. My job was in jeopardy.

            I took a deep breath and knowing my skirt was destined for the dumpster, I knelt back down and brought myself to lay by the flat tire to look under the car for that exact sweet spot for my jack. I got it positioned when I saw boots approaching. Cowboy boots and dress pants? I tried to rise but smacked my head on the bottom of the car.

            “Ouch. That had to hurt.” A familiar male voice spoke.

            I lifted my head out and put my hand to my forehead and glance up to see the man now scooting down to my level, knees bent and balancing on his toes. My eyes looked up to see his face. It was Mr. Ramsey, my two o’clock appointment.

            “Yeah.” I answered. “This hasn’t been my day.”

            “So I understand. I just got a call from your office saying we needed to reschedule.”

            “Sorry about that.” I struggle to at least get to my knees. Hard to do gracefully in a long narrow skirt. I’m going back to slacks from now on.  My hair had to be a mess from laying in the dirt.

            “Would you like some help?” He reached out to touch my hair and I heard some stones drop out.

            “Yeah. That would be nice, Mr. Ramsey.”

            “Call me Jon.”

            “Jon. Thank you.”

“Miss Brown, I don’t believe I have ever heard your first name.” He offered me a hand. Strong and sure he helped me to my feet. I felt heat travel up my arms from his touch. Oh, my.

I blushed. “Sapphire. I know. It’s strange but my parents were a bit unconventional.”

His eyebrows went up. “It describes your eyes perfectly, though.” He smiled, took off his suit coat, handed it to me and rolled up his sleeves. I couldn’t help but notice the cords of muscle in his arms. I shook my head. Maybe the sun was getting to me. I had no right to think of a client in that way. He knelt down by my car and in no time had the wheel off and the spare on. Now his dress pants looked about as clean as my skirt. His blonde hair was disheveled. He looked so much more approachable all rumpled from helping me. My heart skipped a beat.

“Thank you.” I said as I packed the jack away in its compartment and he tossed my pathetic looking tire in the trunk.

            “I’m glad I could help. There’s a Starbucks up at the next exit. Can I treat you to something to drink? I think we both deserve it. After that I can follow you then to the dealer to make sure you get there safely.”

            It’s a work day, but I’m already in trouble and since I make my money on commission. . .  “Sure. That sounds great.”

            We headed to the restaurant. I found the restroom and tried to at least get the grease off my hands. My dark hair is a mess so I braided it back loosely so it was off my face. My cheeks were pink. Maybe I did get too much sun. I scrubbed at the grease marks that somehow made their way there and put on lipstick. Why? I don’t know. I have an attractive business man buying me a drink at a coffee shop when I look like this? And lipstick was going to help? I shrugged and left to meet him.

            I accepted my ice cold Via from him. Cool lime. I definitely needed something to cool me off. I glance over at Mr. Ramsey. Jon. He’s an attractive man. I’ve always admired him when we have met before. It is awkward now. Is this business or pleasure? I wished for the latter.

            “I’m sorry I had to cancel our meeting today. I do have those reports in my car if you wanted to look at them.”

            He waved me off. “I’m in no hurry, Sapphire. To be honest, I had already made my decision and you have the contract. I’ll send it to your office later. Maybe that will get your boss off your back.”

            “Thank you, Jon. That means a lot.”

            “You are good at what you do. Matter of fact, I was wondering if you would consider a job change.”

            I squint. Partly because the sun is shining in and I’m not sure I heard him correctly. “What kind of job change?”

            “How would you like to work exclusively on my accounts, in house? I can promise to compensate you fairly. Salaried position and full benefits.”

            My eyes grow wide. “Really?”

            He nodded his head. “I also wanted to ask something a bit more personal.”

            “Okay.”

            “Could I take you to lunch after church on Sunday? I noticed we attend the same one and just wondered. . . “

            “Lunch? A date?”

            “The job offer is not dependant on you accepting my offer to connect outside of work.”

            I gulped. Mixing business and pleasure? Dating someone who could be my boss? “I don’t date co-workers or supervisors.” I regretted having to say that. It would be nice to be able to have both the job and the man.

            He bit his lip and nodded his head. “I thought you would say that. Are you turning down the job offer or the date?” His gaze from those dark eyes was intense. 

            “I’m turning down the job, Jon. I’ll accept the date.” I sip my Via and watched him over the lid.

            He smiled and tingles warmed my insides. I landed the account so my boss wouldn’t be mad at me and at the same time snagged the attention of a pretty cute business man when I looked my worst. Thanks to an inconvenient flat tire. All of a sudden today didn’t seem so bad after all.

When I saw that Jody Hedlund had a new book out I checked to see if the library was going to be getting A Noble Groom and was thrilled to put it on hold before it ever came in. This is the second time now that I’ve been able to snag a copy of a newly released novel. Ah, bliss!

Jody is well known for her ability to research an area and topic and create a story that reflects real life events. This is what makes her novels more than just historical romance. They are true historicals but romance is definitely in these pages.

Let me say this, Ms. Hedlund writes well and honestly and she is going to take you emotionally into places you may not want to go before giving you a happy ending. In this novel, taking place in Michigan, highlights the struggles of German immigrants who are struggling to adapt to a life of farming after originally immigrating with the goal to take up their mining labors like they had in Saxony.

Annalisa is an obedient daughter, married to a man of her father’s choosing. Hans isn’t brutal but neglectful and more interested in gambling away the farm than providing for his growing family. Annalisa ends up widowed, pregnant and the mother of a young daughter who is trying to keep the farm and hold off the attacks of a man who wants her property to build a lumber mill.

Annalisa’s father sends a note to his brother in Germany, to see if a relative might be available to come and take over the reigns of Annalisa’s farm, and be her husband.  When a man arrives on their doorstep months later, they assume it is the groom, but it’s not.

Carl Richards is on the run from a death sentence in Germany, but if the people that have taken him in and provided him with food, shelter and hard labor like he has never known, were to discover his true identity, they would kill him first. Carl is in reality the only son of a Baron who oversees the mines where Annalisa’s family used to work, and where her brother died.

A growing attraction develops and Carl is torn between his deception and love for Annalisa who still awaits her groom from the Old Country. When he finally arrives they will have difficult choices to make. A natural, historical tragedy, puts them all at risk. Will everyone survive the test?

I enjoyed this story very much. It highlighted the trials and the marriages of the era, where love was not the point of marriage, but a partnership for survival. Jody highlights the idea that even then, love and kindness can flourish during dark and difficult times, when one is committed to God. A worthy read.

]]> http://susanbaganz.com/2013/05/10/a-noble-groom-book-review/feed/ 1 silygoos Noble Groom Hedlund http://susanbaganz.com/2013/05/06/the-looming-cloud-of-depression/ http://susanbaganz.com/2013/05/06/the-looming-cloud-of-depression/#comments Mon, 06 May 2013 10:00:33 +0000 silygoos http://susanbaganz.com/?p=70 ]]> This was originally published in September of 2010

I’ve struggled with depression most of my life.  With medication I have more ‘good’ days than bad, although circumstances and hormones and my thyroid issues can mess with all of that.  The past few days I’ve been feeling the shadow of that cloud looming and am troubled by it.  I usually try NOT to write publically when I’m like this.  Not sure why. I don’t need any guests to my pity party and I don’t always like to explain the challenging circumstances that I have lived in and continue to experience on a daily basis. It almost makes it worse to talk about it.  It is the way it is. I’ve had to make tough choices and sometimes the consequences are painful.

This week I have a book to read that will scrape wounds raw.  When I don’t have to look at my challenges and can rise above them (or pretend they don’t exist!), I do better.  But I cannot always stay there forever. I’m finding it hard to lean into the pain I know will come, because I can’t leave it there when I set the book down.  However, the issues are bigger than me – they extend to the women (and men) of our church and beyond.  So I need to step up even if it hurts. Sometimes life just hurts when you have to face into things that don’t change even though your heart wishes they would.  I need to grieve my losses again while seeking to live in hope.  I serve a God I can trust with the future.

All of this is before I even crack the book open. However, I had to do something similar two weeks ago and haven’t fully recovered from the emotional wrenching it did inside. So in a way, I’m trying to be realistic.

I wish I could use food to numb or stuff down some of that pain.  But those choices have negative consequences and I’ve made so much progress in that area this year.  Now is not the time to backslide.  Sometimes I just have to feel it.  But I don’t wanna! my heart cries out. Well, I don’t like doing dishes and laundry and still – some things must be done.

I’m reminded that it is times like this when I am able to draw closer to Jesus.  Knowing He treasures the tears that I sometimes am unable to cry. Knowing that my deepest pains – He has experienced.  I’m grateful I have a God who sees, loves and holds me.  King David resonates with me so much. “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” (Psa 43:5 ESV)

How about you? Is there a painful reality that is rearing its ugly head and needs to be dealt with head-on?  How are you coping? How can I be praying for you?   Heed also the wisdom from my eight year old son: storms have a purpose in cleaning the air - purifying it.  I think that applies to the emotional ones too.

I was quickly swept into the story as the heroine of the piece. Ruthy McNeil is a scrappy little thing and far tougher than I would be given the challenges she was dealt. For all that she was a trusting soul as well when rescued, after being swept away in a flood,  by a total stranger in the handsome package of Luke Stone.

Having rescued Ruth, Luke figures the only thing for him to do is take her with him, hoping to find a place for her before he fights for his ranch.  They meet up with a band of friends with deep bonds forged in Anderson prison where they served as “Regulators.” There they had been in the difficult position of keeping order, even amongst their fellow prisoners which some saw as traitorous.

These men have noble character and willingness to risk all for each other. Ruth comes to respect them and buys into their cause, whether they like it or not. Throw in an abused wife and action bursts forth until they are all swept away.

I liked the historical aspect of delving in the bond forged by men in prison during wartime. To deal with death and deprivation as well as the other dangers inherent with desperate men, these men emerged with honor intact and a desire to do what is right above all. The added sub-story of domestic abuse highlights the challenges many women faced in the brutal west. Abuse was not reported and who would interfere with a man’s right to control his wife? These men, however, refused to turn a blind eye and it becomes more important to rescue the victim above claiming the stolen property.

There are traces of humor as well in this story. I love that these simple men can have such cute thoughts and Luke tops them all, especially in regards to his new, and unexpected wife. It’s a sweet thing to watch their relationship.

I look forward to book two in this series which takes up Glynna’s story. Poor Dare. He’s got it bad. It will be fun to see how this pioneer woman who has been through so much will fire up the local doctor. It will also be fun to see the friendship between Glynna and Ruthie develop.

I was reading a manuscript for a book coming out next year and kept seeing the word “submission.” Yup, that dirty “S” word. Did you think this was about something else? I know, Snickers probably crossed your mind – they taste so good but doesn’t help if you want the scale to go down in numbers.

Anyway, back to that “S” word. It is sad that we see it as dirty and uncomfortable. I understand that for many submitting to unjust authorities can be painful and hard. Submitting to that kind of thing rankles us independent free-thinking Americans. Freedom after all means making our own choices, doesn’t it?

Well, you pay taxes (maybe?) and you probably generally follow the speed limit. You try not to steal or murder. Hmm. Are you submitting to the law or to God? Perhaps both because God has given us the law for protection, for our benefit, for our greater happiness.

So too with those He places in authority over us. I have a “boss.” I cannot just go and do my own thing but I have to submit to her ultimate authority over the work I do. It doesn’t bother me at all. I see it as an opportunity to grow as I learn from her leadership and guidance.

In the church, I see the leadership I serve under as a spiritual umbrella that protects me from falling into sin. They are held responsible for my ministry before God as I serve under them. I respect the weight of that and want to honor that responsibility by responding to their authority with gratitude.

Submission does not equal doormat though. It does not equal “victim.” We are not to submit to evil or condone it.

Submission is a joy when we know that the people we submit to have our  best interests at heart and love us. Then it is far easier to submit even when doing so means letting go of some or our own desires.

Submission however is not always easy. Jesus submitted to an unjust trial, false accusations and brutal physical torture as well as the defection of the majority of his followers. For you and for me. To save us. To provide an intimate umbrella of protection from the weight and death that is a result of our sin.

In that way submission is a beautiful thing and not a dirty word.  The best book I’ve ever read on this subject is called Liberated through Submission  by Bunny Wilson. I recommend it for MEN and WOMEN, SINGLE or MARRIED. It’s the kind of book I hope my kid will read in their later teen years to help them be prepared for the reality of submission in this world and the blessings that are a part of it.

How about you? In what ways do you struggle with this issue?

Jack Callahan is not happy to see his former girlfriend, the woman he had wanted most to marry. Sure he had eventually married, but his wife had left and was dead and he had to raise their son. Wounded and broken by life, this cop had abandoned God and would like to keep it that way if his son and now Allie would leave Him out of the equation.

Allie is hurt by Jack’s refusal but understands it, so she steps back and does her job which leads her to taking on abuses at the nursing home she is working for. The woman she found being abused is dying and has no family interested. So Allie pours her time and heart into ministering to this broken woman on the verge of eternity.

Andrea does a beautiful job weaving in the emotional turmoil of the characters in her book. As Jack struggles with his conflicted feelings towards Allie, he’s forced to confront his anger towards God and own up to his past mistakes along the way. How this all blends together is beautiful. Broken people can be used by God and God never gives up on those who have been broken and living apart from Him. He always stands ready and waiting with open arms. He is the master of fixing broken things (aka hearts).

I recently accepted a position as Acquisitions Editor for Prism Book Group. This was not something I had looked for but kind of got dropped in my lap by surprise. I shrugged. Why not? I applied and was honest that I didn’t even think I was qualified. I took a test – passed. I was offered the job. I thought about it, prayed about it and then….

I volunteered as a judge for the Genesis contest for ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). I’m an encourager at heart and tried so hard to be honest but also supportive  to the entries I had. A few made me smile. A few had me wishing I could sign that author up. That’s when it hit me. That’s what I would be doing as an acquisitions editor. I would be scouting manuscripts and seeing which ones I really wanted to read more of.

Some of those didn’t have the highest scores. Hear me. Some of those manuscripts were not going to win the competition. Maybe they were an 80 or 85. They weren’t a 90 or 98.  I had to follow the judge’s scorecard. I was honest. In spite of perhaps a lower score, there were stories that stirred  me. There was something about the writer’s voice that spoke to me. As an editor who would work with a writer, these were stories I would have been willing to invest in, to help get them to sparkle and to see that author’s name on the cover of their own book. To see them reach their publishing dream.

Tingles of excitement sparked in my heart, and I knew. With all the open doors and the unanimous affirmation of those I had talked this over with, I knew that as much as I love writing my own stories and want to see them published, I would love just as much to help other authors reach their dreams too.

I still feel a bit inadequate for the job. It sets me on a path I had not anticipated. Most of the time when I type the word “acquisitions” I spell it wrong! I also spell the wrong quite often too (teh)!

So if you are here and you are interested, check out www.prismbookgroup.com. I love romance: historical (especially Regency), westerns, comedy, romantic suspense, contemporary. If you know authors who are looking, let them know. They can submit to me at sbaganz@prismbookgroup.com.

I will be at the following conferences as well to meet with writers and hope to add more to my schedule soon:

May 11      Lakefly Literary Conference, Oshkosh, WI  .http://www.lakeflylit.org/

May 31-June 2   Wisconsin Romance Writers Conference, Oconomowoc, WI  http://www.wisrwa.org/

June 6-8    Write to Publish, Wheaton, IL http://www.writetopublish.com/

September 27-28     Wisconsin Writers Conference, Wisconsin Rapids, WI  http://www.wiwrite.org/