The Runaway Bride (The Bride Ships #2) by Jody Hedlund

 

The Runaway Bride by Jody Hedlund
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in a series but they do not necessarily need to be read in order.
Arabella is running away from a horrible situation and finds herself on a bride ship in British Columbia. She has no intention of becoming a bride...life has taught her that this probably isn't in the cards for her. Enter the baker, Peter, alongside Lt. Richard Drummond. They both begin to vie for her affection. Arabella befriends a young lady who has been left by her tribe to fend for herself. She seeks advice from others and chooses a course of action that can change all their lives.

This was an enjoyable read. The narrator had a pleasant voice and was easy to follow along with. I look forward to more books in this series.

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A Reluctant Bride (The Bride Ships Series #1) by Jody Hedlund

 

A Reluctant Bride by Jody Hedlund
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a truly enjoyable book to listen to! The narrator was very easy to hear and follow along with on this story of Mercy and Joseph. I probably shouldn't have listened to it while driving though because there was a spot or two were it started raining on an otherwise very sunny day! This book tugged at my heartstrings a bit. I could identify with Mercy's struggles as a nurse and the situation with Sara really got to me. I wanted to smack Joseph for not being more aggressive, but I also highly respected him for his actions as well.

Overall, very enjoyable and I look forward to reading other titles in this series!

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An Awakened Heart by Jody Hedlund

 

An Awakened Heart by Jody Hedlund
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Christine is a well-to-do woman who feels empty. She is looking for a way to make a difference in the world and is becoming discouraged by the message she keeps hearing on Sunday mornings. So many women in attendance are looking for ways to better their lives but they find it hard to do when resources are so few. They want meaningful jobs with decent pay but also need childcare, food, and clothing. Christine approaches to local minister who responds that when they women show more faith, they will come into better things. Christine disagrees and sets out to find a better solution.

Along the way, Christine finds herself falling in love with this preacher that she was so disconcerted about initially. He's finding himself falling in love with her too. They are, afterall, working pretty closely together on a daily basis so it only makes sense.

There is a bit of a dual storyline going on here as the story also features Elise and her family, along with their struggles. Everyone will all come together in the end though!

I look forward to reading more stories in this series! While this book is a little older, I'm just now finding it!

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Christian Fiction Book Club Presents The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund

The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund

My rating: 5 of 5 stars





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*WARNING* This discussion may contain spoilers that someone who has not read this book yet may not want to have spoiled for them! 


Today, Lydia over at The Overweight Bookshelf is hosting the Christian Fiction Book Club featuring Jody Hedlund's The Preacher's Bride. I'm not an overly huge fan of "bonnet" books but this one really grabbed me from chapter 1. I did not know until the very end of this book that it was written on the life of John Bunyon.

This book is full of tragedy, love (sometimes pretty sensuous!), and determination! I was amazed at John's inability to accept Elizabeth's help after the passing of his wife. How did he think that his children would receive the care they needed from their elder sibling, Mary, who is at the tender age of 8 and blind? I'm not saying she couldn't have done it but it would have been nearly impossible for her to care for the newborn in need of milk. Elizabeth steps in and finds the baby a wet nurse against Mrs. Grew's desires and wishes. For me, Mrs. Grew represented the old aunt (played by Angela Lansbury) in Nanny McPhee! I really admired Elizabeth for standing up to Mrs. Grew and for keeping her faith throughout the story.

I was disturbed by the lack of caring John gave to his children, especially his newborn child. While I can see where his heart was (and that is not a crime!) I felt that he was being somewhat hypocritical by caring so little for his family.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for lots of suspense, determination, and love!

Discussion Question: 

When Elizabeth lost her baby, she felt abandoned by God and by John. Have you ever felt abandoned by God or someone you love? How did you recover? What do you think of Sister Norton's statement "Hardships are the Lord's greatest blessings to a believer. Without them we would love the Lord only for what He does for us. Our troubles teach us to love Him for who He is"?

This scene in the book was incredibly difficult for me to read. I have lost a baby and I have gone through the emotions that Elizabeth expressed. I was so angry at God for a very long time. I was also angry at myself for "allowing it to happen." I have now grown to realize that this wasn't my fault and that God needed my baby more than I did. It took many months for me to overcome my hurt, grief, anger, and feelings of guilt. I was even more angry when I became extremely ill after the miscarriage and had to endure painful medical tests for many months following. I kept asking God why He was continuing to punish me. Hadn't I given Him enough? Today, I do not feel that God punished me or my husband and the entire situation has brought me closer to God. After all, He gave His ONLY Son...why should I complain? I had two healthy children already. 
I don't know that anyone ever "recovers" from a loss, you learn to live and function while that hole in your heart is always there. Going through all of this has made me a stronger person. I have a greater appreciation for my Lord and everything He endured. I appreciate my family and friends more. While the hole is still there in my heart, I know I'll meet my baby in the most glorious place ever created...HEAVEN! God has taken much better care of that baby then I ever could and for that, I simply cannot complain. 

CFBA: The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund

This week, the  Christian Fiction Blog Alliance  is introducing  The Doctor's Lady  Bethany House (September 1, 2011)  by  Jody Hedlund  


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jody has written novels for the last 18 years (with a hiatus when her children were young). After many years of writing and honing her skills, she finally garnered national attention with her double final in the Genesis Contest, a fiction-writing contest for unpublished writers through ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).


Her first published book, The Preacher’s Bride (2010 Bethany House Publishers), hit the CBA Best Seller list on two different occasions and has won multiple awards.

Her second book, The Doctor’s Lady, released this September. She has completed a third book which will be released in 2012. She’s currently busy researching and writing another book!  

ABOUT THE BOOK

Priscilla White knows she'll never be a wife or mother and feels God's call to the mission field in India. Dr. Eli Ernest is back from Oregon Country only long enough to raise awareness of missions to the natives before heading out West once more. But then Priscilla and Eli both receive news from the mission board: No longer will they send unmarried men and women into the field.


Left scrambling for options, the two realize the other might be the answer to their needs. Priscilla and Eli agree to a partnership, a marriage in name only that will allow them to follow God's leading into the mission field. But as they journey west, this decision will be tested by the hardships of the trip and by the unexpected turnings of their hearts.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Doctor's Lady, go HERE.

Watch the book trailer:



I just finished reading The Preacher's Bride a couple of days ago and will start this one soon. If The Doctor's Lady is anything like The Preacher's Bride, I'll definitely enjoy it! Join me on Sept. 24 for the Christian Fiction Book Club tour of The Preacher's Bride! 

Next Christian Fiction Book Club!!!

I had such a great time hosting the Christian Fiction Book Club this past weekend. We featured Ronie Kendig's Digitalis and had a blast! You can still participate in the event if you'd like. We'd love to hear your feedback!

Coming up next, Lydia will be hosting The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund on September 24. Check out the official announcement on Joy's blog!

I look forward to seeing you join the next book club. I have just ordered The Preacher's Bride and will dive into it as soon as I receive it!

Would you like to host a book club of the month event? Let Joy know when you check out her blog!