Finding the Road Home by Tina Radcliffe

ABOUT THE BOOK

Some paths need courage to follow…

Can they find their fresh startwith roadblocks around every corner?

To care for her orphaned nieces and nephews, Daisy Anderson moved to a small town for a new deputy position—but now her job could be eliminated. With potential budget cuts looming, her only hope is to work with police chief Mitch Rainbolt to save their department’s funds. But can their fight for her job lead to something neither dared wish for: a future together?

MY THOUGHTS..... 

Finding the Road Home is the first book of a new series by Tina Radcliffe and it introduces readers to Mitchell Rainbolt, one of four siblings who live in Rebel, Oklahoma. Mitch is the police chief and an all-around good guy but he is carrying a load of guilt that he just can't let go. A new gal in town, Daisy Anderson, is also carrying a load---she is now the guardian of her five nieces and nephews and she's hoping that she and her own grandmother can make a home for these children who've recently been orphaned by the deaths of their parents.

The characters in this story are amazing. Daisy is determined, positive (most of the time), and a real go-getter! Mitch proves to be the a man that small children can love and look up to and he has known the challenge of providing a stable environment for his younger siblings. There are also great secondary characters that I hope to see in future books. Deputy Roscoe can't help but offer advice and Grandma Alice is both practical and encouraging!! She also has great vision because she recognizes the spark and connection between Mitch and Daisy long before they do.

Finding the Road Home has moments of laughter but it also touched my heart. As Daisy relishes her life in small-town Rebel and gets to know Chief Mitch, she realizes that 'Every day her life became more and more tangled in his, and she wasn't sure it was a good thing to put all of her trust in this one man.' (p. 161) Then, in a moment of clarity, Daisy knows that she must walk away because 'She was a mother of five, in love with a man who didn't have room in his heart for her or her family.' Is it possible for Mitch to let go of his past and somehow convince Daisy that they might have a future?

If you enjoy lovable children, wise grandmothers, steadfast friends, and two people who seem to be perfect for each other, you will enjoy Finding the Road Home. Tina Radcliffe has once again given readers great Christian contemporary romance and I can't wait to meet another Rainbolt sibling in the next book of the Hearts of Oklahoma series.

I received a copy of this book from the author. A positive review wasn't requied and I was not compensated in any way. These are my own opinions.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Originally from Western, N.Y., author Tina Radcliffe left home for a tour of duty with the Army Security Agency stationed in Augsburg, Germany and ended up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While living in Tulsa she spent ten years as a Certified Oncology R.N. A freelance writer for over twenty years, Tina was a founding member and the manager of Seekerville, a 13 author blog, from 2008-2017. Seekerville has been a Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers award winner 2013-2017.

An RWA and ACFW Honor Roll member, Tina is also a two-time RWA Golden Heart finalist. She is a four-time ACFW Carol Award finalist and a three-time ACFW Mentor of the year finalist.
In 2014 she won the ACFW Carol Award and in 2018 she won the ACFW Mentor of the Year Award. In 2019 she is a Holt Winner and an ACFW Carol Award finalist and an ACFW Mentor of the Year finalist.

She has finaled/or won over thirty RWA chapter affiliated contests in her career. As a short story writer, she has sold over three dozen short stories to Woman’s World Magazine.

Tina is a member of Romance Writers of America, including the Kiss of Death Chapter, Faith, Hope & Love Chapter, Desert Rose Romance Writers,  Valley of the Sun Romance Writers, Contemporary Romance Writers and Greater Seattle RWA. She is also a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, their local affiliate, Christian Writers of the West. A popular workshop speaker, she currently resides in Arizona where she writes fun, heartwarming romance.

To learn more, visit Tina's : Website    Facebook     Twitter     Pinterest 

Tina also has a blog and she has shared two recipes from Daisy's Pies and Baked Goods.  The Peach Cake.is below and  if you would like the recipe for Aunt Jay's Fresh Peach Pie, you can find it on this blog post.

Peach Cake

2 eggs

3/4 c. oil

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c sugar

1 1/2 c Ballard Farm peaches mashed

1/2 tsp salt

2 c flour

Mix and bake in a 9 x 13-inch cake pan at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Frosting

1 stick butter

2 Tbsp flour

3/4 c evaporated canned milk

1 egg yolk

1 c sugar

Boil until thick, stirring constantly. Cool 2-3 minutes and mix. May add 1/2 cup nuts. Pour over cake. 

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Hands of Grace (Potter's House Books) by Brenda S. Anderson

ABOUT THE BOOK

She's always looked for love in the wrong places.
He wants nothing to do with love.

Rita Dunlap has a history of looking for love in the wrong places, but this time, she's got it right. Her heart surgeon boyfriend has hinted at proposing, along with letting her sickly mother live with them once they're married.

But then she learns her boyfriend isn't a doctor at all, but a drug trafficker who's involved her in his scheme. Not only did she get love wrong, but she's unwittingly placed both her and her mother's lives in danger.

Love is the last thing on Officer Daniel Winter's mind. Twice-burned, he's locked up his heart for good. But when he goes undercover as a handyman to protect the cute and quirky Rita Dunlap, he discovers he's not only guarding her and her mother, but his heart as well.

Rita wants to trust Daniel, wants to believe his work around her house doesn't come with a price, but she'll need to let go of her past mistakes to open her heart to the future.

MY THOUGHTS.....

The author of Hands of Grace states in both her dedication and her reader's note that she wanted to honor caregivers who sacrifice so much so that they can care for their loved ones with hands of grace. In this story, she showcases the care that Rita Dunlop gives her mother Gladys but she also reminds us how hands of grace can belong to people of all ages, occupations, and gender. In this story they belong to a loving daughter, a man who uses his hands to repair a home, and  policemen who  use their hands to protect the public.

Author Brenda S. Anderson focuses this story on a daughter who is the sole caregiver of her mother. Gladys is in an advanced stage of dementia and very demanding and unappreciative most of the time. My heart was torn as I read Rita's feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, but Anderson also shares moments of humor and laughter and a few times when Gladys actually remembers just who Rita is. These moments are very rare and Rita's dilemna will touch your heart and make you sad but most importantly, it will make you thankful!

I think that it is Rita's loss of hope and her bad romantic choices of the past that cause her to be so susceptible to the attention shown to her by "Dr. Robert". Rita believes that she has found the perfect man and she even believes that a marriage proposal is forthcoming. Instead, she becomes an innocent victim caught up in a drug-trafficing ring and facing extreme danger. Enter a handyman who is also a cop and his construction business offers him the perfect cover for watching over Rita and her mom. Can Daniel keep Rita and her mother safe until the criminals are caught ? Will Rita learn to trust again when she discovers Daniel's true identity? Is there any hope for a relationship when they both have suffered so many past hurts and once again, Rita is being deceived?

Anderson has written a beautiful story of hurt, betrayal, fear, and anxiety, but she also shows forgiveness, redemption, and the comfort that we can have in knowing that God is always with us. It is His hands that have offered us the ultimate grace!

If you enjoy contemporary Christian fiction and romantic suspense, you will certainly enjoy Hands of Grace.

I received a complimentary e-book from the author but there was no obligation to write a favorable review. These are my own thoughts.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brenda S. Anderson writes gritty and authentic, life-affirming fiction. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and is Past-President of the ACFW Minnesota chapter, MN-NICE, the 2016 Chapter of the Year. When not reading or writing, she enjoys music, theater, roller coasters, and baseball, and she loves watching movies with her family. She lives in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area with her husband of 30-plus years and one sassy cat.

Readers can learn more about Brenda at http://brendaandersonbooks.com/  Facebook    Twitter    Instagram


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