Inspirational/Christian Fiction

Bacher, Jean Masters. Love is a Gentle Stranger. Harvest House Publishers, 1983.
This is the title of the first book in this series of the same name. There are six books in all. The story begins with Chris Beth who is engaged to Jonathan Blake. Guests had been invited to the wedding, gifts were arriving and he did not show up for the wedding. Chris Beth's mother was more concerned over the public humiliation than her daughter's wounded feelings. When Chris Beth learned the possibility of travel to Oregon, she decided to go West and start a new life. Though nothing had prepared her for the new life ahead, she met the challenge with courage, prayer and hope. The love which she found in Oregon she passed on to her "children" and the community around her. Through -out these six books the main characters carry on fortified by the love of each other and God. They keep their eyes on hopes and dreams shared by Chris Beth, her sister Vangie and their husbands Joe and Wilson.

Glover, Ruth. A Place Called Bliss (#1 in the Saskatchewan Saga). Fleming H. Revell, 2001.
In Scotland, 1878, pregnant Sophia Galloway and her husband Hugh prepared to travel across the sea to a new life in Canada. On the same ship would be pregnant Mary Morrison and her husband, Angus, the overseer of the Galloway estate. Hugh and Angus were both excited about the promise of freedom and a new start in the young country. The voyage took longer than expected and both women went into labor. The doctor on board was little help and Hezzie, Hugh's servant, was the midwife for Mary and Sophia. What Hezzie did at the time of delivery and following made a big difference in the next twenty years. I enjoyed the story, never sure what to expect next. Up until the last page I did not really know how the story would be resolved. The ending was good and left me wanting another book to continue the story.

Green, Betsy Brannon. Hearts in Hiding. Covenant Communications, 2001.
This debut novel by Betsy Brannon Green is an excellent read. It is a mystery set in a small Southern town. The main character is Kate, a young Morman bride, who’s husband Tony is an FBI undercover agent. Tony is killed in the line of duty and Kate’s life is threatened when Tony’s cover is blown. The FBI gives her a new identity life and another undercover agent to pose as her husband (Mark Iverson). As each assumes a new identity in a new town much like "Mayberry", life unfolds with quirky homespun characters as friends and neighbors. A growing attraction develops as they keep each other alive and begin to solve the mystery of Tony’s murder. This book is so entertaining: a good mystery and a great love story to boot. The Morman faith is discussed, but only in a matter of fact way as the main characters clear up some of the misconceptions of their neighbors about their faith. This adds to the interest level in the novel. If you like this book Above Suspicion, is a sequel. Kate & Mark Iverson along with the ladies from Haggerty make an appearance in sequels here, too. They are also in Until Proven Guilty, but not as much...

Hamilton, Jane. The Guardian. T. Nelson Publishing, 1994.
This is the story of a guardian angel who is on trial in Heaven for the murder of a young boy, his human charge. As the story unfolds, we are introduced to human characters and each of their guardian angels. The intricate relationships between the angels, the human beings they protect and guide, and the angels themselves makes for a fascinating read. This book transcends its genre to touch something deeply human in all of us. It is an uplifting story of how God's love and mercy helps one angel to move through tragedy to life. I recommend it to readers of any faith. Jane's angels are witty, fun, and wonderful and her dialog and characterization are lively and thoroughly believable. Jane is a master of creating believable, enjoyable characters and bringing them to life.

Karon, Jan. At Home in Mitford. (The Mitford Years.) Viking, 1996.
The first book in a heartwarming series about a minister who starts out all alone and before long ends up with a wife a small mischievous son and a very large dog. You will laugh, cry and likely even praise God as you read these books. Once you start on one of these books you can’t wait for the next one in the series. It was very sad to close the last book and leave this precious Mitford village and the people who live there. I recommend these books to everybody.

Miller, Calvin. Snow. Bethany house Publishers, 1998.
Winter in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, 1929. Times are hard for many. Mary and Alexis Withers have each other but little else. The asthma attacks that seem to take over the little body of Alexis cause Mary much worry as does being able to buy enough coal to warm them each week. Hans Mueller is having back trouble so his son, Erik, delivers coal to their customers. Erik's mother, Ingrid, is preparing food for their Christmas meal . The Mueller home has a sadness over the loss of Otto, Erik's brother. Is he alive or dead? If he is alive, where is he? Of course, all these concerns and activities are monitored by Janet and Mabel listening in on the party lines of the telephone. The way these families, these friends share the spirit of the holidays is heart warming. Calvin Miller has written a story about love, forgiveness and commitment in this little book.

Stokes, Penelope. Blue Bottle Club. Word Publishing, 1999.
On the eve of the Depression, four adolescent girls confide their dreams on paper and commit them to posterity by storing them in a blue bottle in an attic. Sixty-five years later, a jaded female television reporter finds their girlhood wishes and deter-mines to track the women down. While the plot may sound predictable, the protagonists are not; Stokes offers some of the strongest, most appealing women characters ever to appear in evangelical fiction (which is not a genre famous for its three-dimensional females). The novel has a happy ending, but not in the traditional sense of many evangelical novels written for a female audience: no godly heroes come riding in on white horses to rescue these women from poverty, abandonment and despair. Their stories involve broken dreams and betrayed hearts, but speak to an ultimate victory that is centered in God's unconditional love and their lifelong friendships with other women.

Turner, Charles. Sometimes It Causes Me to Tremble. Lion Publishing, 1998.
I dare you to predict what happens in this story. George McKenna is a Presbyterian minister in Memphis, Tennessee. One Sunday he decides to preach a sermon on the Good Samaritan. Rose Templeton, a widow and one of his parishioners, takes his message to heart and decides to practice her religion fully. She takes in a homeless man that she has passed by and ignored earlier and decides to make amends for her previous selfishness. What happens next changes George’s life and world in ways he had never dreamed. What would you do if needed to prove God’s word by your actions. This book will make you think and think again. Meet the characters and face the situations that confront George and see if you question where you stand and who you are. Then see if you find the answer. I recommend this very moving and thought provoking story.

August 11, 2004