Update

Published on by RobbyeFayeLeave a comment

First, I’d like to thank everyone for the prayers for Robbie.

Robbie has been in a local hospital for nearly two weeks. She will be transferred to a larger hospital where she will undergo major surgery. Her recovery period will be several weeks. Consequently, she will be unable to read, write or post book reviews or other content until she recovers. Please pray for Robbie and her surgical team. Thank you so much for your continuing prayers.

I am sorry I am unable to respond to your messages. However, I know Robbie greatly appreciates them all.

Published on by RobbyeFayeLeave a comment

This is Bill, Robbie’s husband. Robbie went to the ER three days ago with symptoms that could have indicated another stroke. She was admitted for observation and further testing and remains in inpatient care. She hopes to continue posting content after she is discharged. Please pray for Robbie.

Oatis and Muriel: A Grocery Story by Daphne Herlihy

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About the Book

Title: Oatis and Muriel: A Grocery Story

Author: Daphne Herlihy

Publisher:  Oats in Coats Publication

Pub date: October 9, 2023

Genre: JUVENILE NONFICTION / Health & Daily Living / Diet & Nutrition

Publisher’s Summary

What happens at night in the grocery store when the lights are out and the customers have gone home?” Join the whimsical world where food transforms into lively characters engaging in a playful symphony of fun. Picture oats donning dapper coats, fruits adorned in elegant suits, and the string cheese quartet serenading the night with melodic tunes. Young readers will discover the enchanting secrets of the grocery store after hours in Oatis and Muriel.

But when a mishap befalls Oatis, it falls upon the shoulders of mopey Muriel to summon her courage and ingenuity. Together, they embark on an unexpected adventure where friendship and bravery intertwine. Through twists and turns, they discover that lending a helping hand to a friend in need is the right thing to do and feels great. Dive into this heartwarming journey where the magic of friendship shines brightest in the darkest hours.

When you were a kid, did you ever have dreams of your toys coming to life while you were sleeping? Oatis and Muriel turn those imaginings upside down and take them one step further by bringing groceries to life.

It’s not your typical night at the store as Oatis tries to cheer up his depressed friend Muriel, who is feeling down in the dumps and having a rough time. This is where the story really takes off, as he decides to perform a show for her.

Every page features an array of different grocery items and highlights the narrative by using rhyme to emphasize the story. The vivid hues effectively depict the goods and produce within the story.

A mishap occurs as Muriel is finally beginning to loosen up. When she and all of their pals pitch in to save the day, they demonstrate their bravery, concern and kindness, which are wonderful attributes for children to learn about and possess.

Oatis and Muriel: A Grocery Story by Daphne Herlihy is a great book, targeted at children ages three to eight. However, I feel older children will appreciate and delight in its whimsy and charm as well.

I received a free copy of this book from Stress Free Marketing. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Author BIO:

When trying to get her kids to eat healthy food, first-time author Daphne realized that her arguments about nutrition weren’t making sense to her young children. So she decided to meet them on their level, and make it fun. She asked her kids to imagine, “what happens in the grocery store when the lights are out and the customers have all gone home?” They imagined oats wearing coats, fruits donning formal suits and veggies struggling with wedgies. As a whimsical world unfolded, Daphne realized that storytelling has been the missing piece in the process of getting kids to enjoy healthy eating.

Seashells in My Pocket (Unsung Stories of World War 2 Book 1) by Terri Wangard

Published on by RobbyeFaye6 Comments

Publisher’s Summary

German-Brazilian Isabel Neumann delights in creating seashell art, but it’s her mathematical ability that lands her a job at the American air base in Natal, northern Brazil during World War II. She doesn’t need a calculator to determine the correct weights and balances for the Air Transport Command’s cargo planes.

Daniel Lambert, an American transport pilot based at Natal, endures the taunts of combat pilots that he is “allergic to combat.” His flying skills win him respect, however, and his friendship with Isabel deepens, even as a new source of trouble looms.

Isabel is caught in the crosshairs of a German saboteur who is obsessed with her. He insists that she belongs with him, and demands that she help him sabotage the Allied base. Her growing relationship with Daniel angers the Nazi, who will do anything to get rid of him. What will happen to Isabel if the madman captures her?

Terri Wangard’s most recent novel, Seashells in My Pocket, really piqued my curiosity and let my imagination run wild. Finding out that our military had bases in Brazil during World War II set me on a path of discovery.

The narrative reaches its pinnacle as the superb pacing transports you from one vignette to the next.

Getting to know Isabel Neumann and Daniel Lambert, the primary characters, and their friends was touching. I had a great time seeing their romance develop and grow, and I was appalled that the same malevolent, wicked forces pitted against our armed services were also undermining their love.

Isabel is a delightful character. She had the amazing ability to turn seashells she found into stunning artwork. Not being an American, she was often perplexed and bewildered by certain American dialects or idioms. The language perplexities and her valiant efforts to comprehend and understand were endearing and entertaining.


The story is one of resilience, steadfastness and heroism. Wangard includes a faith element that slowly evolves as the characters face increasingly difficult and treacherous circumstances. I always appreciate an author’s including faith in their story when it is seamlessly and naturally interwoven.

For a history buff who favors history with an element of romance and intrigue, Seashells in My Pocket is the perfect novel.

I received an advanced review copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

The Persistent Road by Tim Bishop

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Publisher’s Summary

There’s always an escape. Sometimes you need to search long and hard for the right one.

After losing all he once cherished, Doug Zimmer follows his wife’s parting bread crumbs and rides up the Pacific coast—on a bicycle. Armed with a revolver and only a vague plan to get through the months ahead, he aims to end his depression one way or the other.

As spiritual forces wrangle for his soul, he pedals eastward across America. He meets Lauren Baumgartner—a younger adventurer with a vibrant spirit—and a band of zealots who confront his aversion to religion. Accompanying Doug are not only sunny days and the beauty of nature but also the perils of the road, fellow travelers with their own stories, and the hollow silence of solitary campsites playing host to unseen creatures of the night.

A jarring episode on a climb through a treacherous pass brings Doug face-to-face with life and death. Will Doug’s adventure deliver him from loneliness and lament . . . or hurtle him to an abrupt end?

Tim Bishop’s debut novel, The Persistent Road, highlights the persistence of God’s love for us. We are privileged to have a front row seat to his peregrination.

The oft-heard saying, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” commonly attributed to Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, aptly illustrates Douglas “Doug” Zimmer’s adventure of two thousand miles of bicycling.

Bishop sets up the story with anger and frustration followed by heartbreak, depression and hopelessness in such a way that the reader is drawn into the narrative and is unwilling to abandon it.

The vividly written portraiture pulls us in and completely engrosses us in the story. You will use every scintilla of conceivable sensory stimulation available to follow Doug’s journey—the weather, the smells, the physical burn. . . Due to the incredibly vivid rendering it appears as though you are right there beside him as he pedals his way through breathtaking scenery, around heart-stopping, adrenaline-pumping twists and turns, across stunning, breathtaking landscape and up and down challenging mountains.

Doug’s journey is one of heartbreaking realization and dilatory self reflection, which culminates in the freedom of forgiveness and redemption.

The Persistent Road is a story so rich in detail and so hope fulfilled that you don’t want to miss it.

***************DISCLAIMER*******************

Though not explicit or graphic, there are a few allusions to adult material that might not be suitable for readers under the age of 18.

I received a review copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Their Inseparable Bond by Jill Weatherholt

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About the Book

Their Inseparable Bond

Title: Their Inseparable Bond
Series: K-9 Companions
Author: Jill Weatherholt
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: January 23, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

They’re a mismatched family…

But their hearts line up just right

Training service dogs is single dad Jake Beckett’s calling. He’s determined to train rambunctious puppy Callie to help his ailing friend Myrna live independently with her growing blindness. Myrna’s granddaughter, Olivia Hart, isn’t easily convinced, but Jake, his twins and Callie are an incredibly persuasive team. If Olivia agrees to give Callie a chance, will working with Jake risk her lifelong dreams?

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

(NOT AN AFFLIATE LINK FOR ME)

dog graduation

Jill Weatherholt’s “Love Inspired” book, Their Inseparable Bond, begins with a heartbreaking premise.

Jake, along with his twins, Kayla and Kyle, have lost their love, Jake’s wife and the twin’s mother. Fortunately, Myrna, their neighbor, is there to help and support them as they deal with their grief and navigate their day-to-day lives. That is, until her granddaughter, Olivia, arrives, eager and prepared to relocate Myrna to Florida.

All of the main characters have been through some sort of loss, and they have to traverse a difficult path to the other side, which isn’t easy. My heart went out to Kayla the most as she was the target of regular bullying at school from a very mean-spirited girl who tormented her for not having a mother.

I can promise you that the story is not depressing, despite what you might imagine.

The antics of Callie, the dog Jake was training to be Myrna’s service dog, particularly delighted me. One of my kids is a canine behavior modification specialist who trains police, search and rescue, and service dogs. Many of Callie’s shenanigans as a puppy struck a chord with me since they reminded me of my child sharing  some of the same experiences.

The story resonates with family, love and faith, three important aspects of life. You will be captivated and enchanted with the town and the locals’ dedication to each other and the community. You will also be delighted by the twins and Callie, while the heartwarming, inspiring romance will win you over.

I received a review copy of this book from the author.  However, my review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

Excerpts

Excerpt 1

“So, you’re training Callie to be Gammy’s eyes?”

Jake nodded. “Myrna could live independently for years to come.” Maintaining Myrna’s
independence was Jake’s goal.

“What if I take over as Callie’s Puppy Raiser? Then she could get used to living with Gammy.”
Jake hadn’t expected this. “Do you like dogs? I don’t require my foster parents to have
experience training, but they must have a love for dogs.”

“Who doesn’t love puppies?” Olivia smiled. “I’ve taken a sabbatical from my job with no set
return date, so I can stay as long as it takes to get Callie trained. By then, I’ll be able to better
assess whether it’s in my grandmother’s best interest to stay in Bluebell or move to Miami and live with me.”

Didn’t Myrna get a say in the matter? Of course, that was between Olivia and her grandmother.

“Okay then.” He extended his hand. “It’s a deal. We’ll work together to get Callie trained if you agree to hold off on any decision about moving Myrna.”

Excerpt 2

Daddy!” Kyle raced through the kitchen door.

“What is it? Is Kayla hurt?” Jake’s pulse quickened.

Kyle blinked rapidly. “No! It’s Callie. Dr. Olivia accidentally put her outside the fence without
her leash. Callie took off like a rocket ship.”

“Oh, dear.” Myrna placed her hand against the side of her face.

“Hurry, Daddy!” Kyle cried out.

“You and your sister stay here and feed Tank. I’ll go after Callie. Don’t worry. I’ll find her.”
Jake sprinted out the door and right past Olivia.

“Jake, I’m sorry!” Olivia yelled. “Let me help!”

Jake ignored the apology and her offer to help. He had to find Callie. He increased his pace as he neared the steep hill. On the other side were deep woods, and with the cloud cover that had moved in, it would be dark soon. Jake pumped his arms as he neared the top of the hill. If Callie continued into the wooded area, finding her would be impossible.

About the Author

Jill Weatherholt

Jill Weatherholt is an author of sweet, emotional, small-town romance novels that guarantee a happy ending.

She’s sold over half a dozen sweet romance short stories to Woman’s World Magazine.

Raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., she now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, but her heart belongs to Virginia. She holds a degree in Psychology from George Mason University and Paralegal Studies Certification from Duke University.

She shares her life with her real-life hero and number one supporter. Their relationship grew on the golf course, and now they have one in their backyard.

Jill believes in enjoying every moment of this journey because God has everything under control.

Connect with Jill by visiting  jillweatherholt.com  to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.