Tag Archives: faith

Grand Finale Blitz: NO CHANCE MEETING by Jaye Elliot

Posted in book blast, BookWorld by

On Tour with Prism Book Tours
We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops
you’ll find snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:
Launch – Author Interview

What do you hope readers take with them after they’ve read it?

The core of the story is never to give up because God is always working behind the scenes and can bring people into our lives or change our circumstances right when we most need it. Another big aspect of the book is that things and circumstances don’t define us. Our faith and how we live do.

Rockin’ Book Reviews – Review & Guest Post

“An exceptional story of life and love. I love the way the author shows us parts of life of a hero of the military. The things they go through and the pain and suffering it brings to family and friends. . . . I highly recommend this story to everyone who like to read and receive a lift as an extra reward.”

My Publishing Journey

I’ve been writing for a long time. Ever since I was eight, to be exact. I still have the ugly, beat up, green notebook that I wrote my very first little stories in. I had no idea then that I would be a published author. It wasn’t even something I aspired to. I just loved to tell stories, something I inherited from my mom. I might not have even started writing if I hadn’t seen her doing it first. . .

She waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. Instead, he switched the topic back to her. “What about your parents? What do they do?”

“Well, my dad’s a farmer and my mom was always a stay-at-home mom.” Simple and straightforward. They loved their lives, and she had loved growing up in it. However, her dreams had always been a bit beyond that. Maybe she’d been foolish.

“A country girl, then.”

Unbidden, a tiny laugh escaped Alex. “Yes, pretty much. A country girl with big dreams.”

“What an outstanding and feel-good-in-the-end book! Two characters, both living a life other than what they had planned, both struggling emotionally. . . . I adored their love story and how they were able to help each other and the faith that finds it’s way back into their hearts. . . . I highly recommend this book to all lovers of Christian Contemporary Romance lovers!”

Hallie Reads – Guest Post


No Chance Meeting Character Casting

It’s always great for an author when they can have someone “cast” as their character. It really helps bring the character to life in our minds. Here are a few of my celebrity casting choices for the characters in No Chance Meeting. . .

Had Alex received the text two weeks ago, she would have ignored it for a few days, hoping Mindy just thought she was busy and forgot to call. She tapped on Mindy’s name to bring up her contact information and stared at the call button. She would have to be honest about how she had been lately. Mindy would know just by her voice if she tried to conceal her struggles. Did she really want to delve into it? However, today had become about making things right. She hit call. The phone rang twice before Mindy’s voice filled her ear.

“Alex! I’m so glad you called!”

“Hey, Mindy,” she said through a smile.

“It’s so good to hear your voice.”

“Yours too.” Really, her friend’s bubbly enthusiasm was like a balm. She should never have avoided calling.

The Power of Words – Review

“No Chance Meeting by Jaye Elliot is a character-driven romance with realistically flawed characters and strong spiritual themes. I’m a firm believer in the way God is always working behind the scenes, leaving nothing to chance, so the title is especially meaningful. It’s refreshing to see a Christian fiction book where God is actually the main character.”

Christy’s Cozy Corners – Guest Post


How I am Like/Not Like My Character

Writers always leave pieces of themselves within a story. This can be especially true in regards to their main character. Here are 5 ways my main female character, Alex, and I are alike and then 5 ways we are not alike. . .

Splashes of Joy – Excerpt


“Alex,” she said cheerfully when she looked up. Her gaze drifted to Riley and then back to Alex, sparkling with curiosity.

Alex paused with Riley at her side. “This is Riley Conrad. We work together and . . . he’s my boyfriend. He’s taking me out to dinner tonight.” She shared a quick smile with Riley.

Dia looked positively delighted. This would certainly dominate tonight’s conversation with her friends.

janicesbookreviews – Review

“I loved Alex’s and Riley’s story. . . . This is a new author for me. I enjoyed her writing. I loved how Alex and Riley were so supportive of each other. I plan on reading more by the author.”

Jorie Loves A Story – Interview

Chance meetings, meet-cutes and serendipitous encounters are some of my favourites within Romance & Sweet Romance – how did you want readers to react to the one you’ve given Riley & Alex? What did you love about setting the scene itself and giving a first look at how your life’s trajectory can alter itself in one singular moment?

Elliot responds: The first meeting between Alex and Riley isn’t the cute, swoon-worthy or funny meeting that a lot of romance novels have. Alex is at the lowest point in her life. It’s absurd to her that she, a girl who’s never been on a date in all her near-thirty years, would meet someone right then. But I love it because it shows that God is working even when we think our lives have hit a dead end. He can bring people and things into our lives right when we need them most, even if, in our human minds, the timing seems ridiculous. The whole theme of the book is that things don’t happen by chance. They are part of God’s plan.

JeanBookNerd – Guest Post

TEN RANDOM THINGS ABOUT NO CHANCE MEETING

1. I wrote No Chance Meeting for NaNoWriMo 2016. It was the first time I ever participated in NaNoWriMo. I wasn’t sure I ever would and really didn’t think I’d actually make it to 50,000 words. I ended up completing the month with over 60,000. . .

She moved toward the kitchen counter. “Do you want coffee?”

“Always.” With a cheeky grin, Mindy slid onto one of the barstools on the opposite side of the counter.

Alex filled the coffeemaker with the coffee Riley had brought her after his appointment. While waiting for it to brew, she peeked over at Mindy, who was checking her phone.

“He kissed me the other night.”

Mindy’s eyes shot up, and her phone rattled on the counter. Her mouth fell open with a squeal. It was a good thing Alex had given her the news now instead of after handing over the coffee or her friend might have choked in her giddiness.

Heidi Reads… – Spotlight
Tell Tale Book Reviews – Guest Post

​
Top 10 Romantic Pairings

​I’m a hopeless romantic, so I tend to do a lot of shipping fictional characters. Here is a look at my top 10 in no particular order. Only one pairing is actually from a book. I’m a very visual person, so I tend to do more shipping of characters from movies and TV than I do for books. I’m sure I’m forgetting some, but these are the ones that jumped to mind immediately. . .

Hearts & Scribbles – Excerpt

Riley turned to Alex with a smile and held out his arm, drawing her closer. “Granddad, this is my girlfriend, Alex Jennings. Alex, my grandfather, Joseph Preston.”

His smile grew even brighter, if that was possible, and he held out his hand for Alex to shake. Though his skin was wrinkled, his grip was strong.

“I’m very pleased to meet you, Alex. It’s about time Riley found himself a good woman.”

It was impossible not to grin at his enthusiasm. “I’m very pleased to meet you as well, Mr. Preston.”

Remembrancy – Review

“Elliott tackles the difficult topic of depression with grace and gentleness, never glossing over the internal battle that Alex wages on her emotions. The faith element of the book is also authentic to the story. I’ll be watching for more from this author.”

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post…

No Chance Meeting
(No Chance Love #1)
By Jaye Elliot
Christian Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 393 Pages
February 11th 2020 by Living Sword Publishing

Alex Jennings is done with life. After losing her brother in Afghanistan, everything has collapsed around her. Getting laid off from her day job and failing in her art career, she has nowhere left to turn. She once had faith to believe that all things would work together for good, but that faith died with her brother. Now she just wants the pain to end.

Riley Conrad served thirteen years in the military until three bullets sent him home. After a year and a half of physical therapy and scraping together a living, all he wants is to live a simple life and perhaps even open the coffee shop he dreams about. However, the weight of failing his parents’ expectations doesn’t make it easy, and working as a bartender isn’t getting him anywhere fast.

Could a “chance” meeting between Alex and Riley set them both on the path God always intended?

(Affiliate link included.)

About the Author

Jaye Elliot is an award-winning author, country girl, and hopeless romantic at heart. She loves a good hero and will always sigh happily during the lights scene in Tangled. She writes from her home in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, which she shares with three cats she considers her kids. When not writing romance novels, she pens fantasy and adventure stories as Jaye L. Knight.
Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive a signed copy of No Chance Meeting, a coffee mug, a bag of chocolates, and a hand painted watercolor bookmark (US only)
Ends March 4, 2020

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Book Review: Blood Song (Raven’s Shadow #1) by Anthony Ryan

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About the Book:

Blood Song (Raven's Shadow, #1)

“The Sixth Order wields the sword of justice and smites the enemies of the Faith and the Realm.”

Vaelin Al Sorna was only a child of ten when his father left him at the iron gate of the Sixth Order. The Brothers of the Sixth Order are devoted to battle, and Vaelin will be trained and hardened to the austere, celibate, and dangerous life of a Warrior of the Faith. He has no family now save the Order.

Vaelin’s father was Battle Lord to King Janus, ruler of the unified realm. Vaelin’s rage at being deprived of his birthright and dropped at the doorstep of the Sixth Order like a foundling knows no bounds. He cherishes the memory of his mother, and what he will come to learn of her at the Order will confound him. His father, too, has motives that Vaelin will come to understand. But one truth overpowers all the rest: Vaelin Al Sorna is destined for a future he has yet to comprehend. A future that will alter not only the realm, but the world.

My Thoughts:

I picked up this book based on a recommendation from a friend. I must admit that I was completely blown away.

The story is spell-binding and very well-written, a tale like no other. It begins with a present day account of the goings-on. We are introduced to the main protagonist, Vaelin Al Sorna, who is being taken to the Meldenean Islands as a prisoner. After this account, we are given a glimpse into his childhood and how he came to be a brother of the Sixth Order. This is followed by the story divided into parts, with each part telling the tale of a specific plot line. The reader is introduced to a myriad of characters, a Realm known to follow the Faith and those who do not and the King of the Realm. The characters are interesting, very well crafted and play vital roles in this story.

At the beginning, the story was a little confusing and difficult to follow, but on continuing on, the plot slowly became clearer and clearer. The author tells us tales of war, of power and of plans that seem to be so intricately woven, that noone can understand them. Something is at play in the shadows and not even the reader is privy to what it is. The author handles this intricate plot very well, revealing just enough information to ensure that the book is a page turner until the end. Be prepared to deal with the gore of the battles as they are brutal and the author does a lot of justice with his descriptions.

This is just the first book in the series following Vaelin as he plows through the Tests of the Order, a place that trains and brings up assassins, deals with the battles, all the while trying to understand what his true purpose is. Some of it is indeed revealed in this book, but only enough to ensure that the reader is left hungry for more. With such a strong plot line, I cannot wait to see where the story goes in the next books!

This is definitely a must-read for fans of fantasy fiction!

Book Review: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

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About the Book:

A Curse So Dark and Lonely

 New York Times bestseller!

“Has everything you’d want in a retelling of a classic fairy tale.” – Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of A Spark of Light and Small Great Things

“Absolutely spellbinding.” – Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval and Legendary

In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

My thoughts:

It is very easy to tell someone that the only way to break a curse is to fall in love. However, what people do not tell and this is the main catch, is that it is not so easy to fall in love.

This is the problem that Prince Rhen of Emberfall is facing. Having made one mistake in his youth, he is cursed to relive the eighteenth year of his life again and again and again. What was his mistake you may wonder? He courted an enchantress and cast her away. Spurned due to this and seeking revenge, she curses him. The curse can only be lifted when he finds true love.

Doesn’t this sound like a typical fairy tale but with the roles reversed? The prince has to find his princess. However, nothing is as easy as this explanation and this is not just any fairytale. In this new age re-telling of the Beauty and the Beast, the author brings to us a new age spin on things. Once the curse begins, the prince has the duration of the autumn season to find his true love. If that doesn’t happen, he turns into a monster and becomes quite dangerous.

The author brings to us a tale of sorrow and grief that is hidden behind the walls of the castle and unknown to the people of the kingdom. The only story that the people know is that their king seems to have abandoned them. The Prince’s guard is the only other person around and the only one granted with the ability to move from this time/place to the present day Earth and bring back girls for the Prince to court.

During one such situation, we are introduced to Harper. Harper witnesses a kind of kidnapping and tried to stop it. It is in this situation that she is brought back to Rhen’s world. The author then brings to us a wonderful tale of friendship, loyalty and eventually love. The characters are well developed and you cannot help but fall in love with them and their story. If I continue to write more, I will only gush about the story and reveal all the plot twists. To avoid that I will stop here and conclude.

A very well thought out book, this is a must read for all! I cannot wait for Book 2 and I am sure most of you will feel the same.

Book Review: Mom’s of the Missing by Steffen Hou

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I was provided with an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review. I normally do not read a lot of non-fiction, but I am truly glad to have read Mom’s of the Missing.

I would like to express my gratitude to Steffen Hou for reaching out to me.

 

About the Book:

 

Release Date: 10-15-2019

Paperback: 262 pages

Genre: True Crime

ISBN: 978-1-54397-972-5 (print)

ISBN: 978-1-54397-973-2 (ebook)

Publisher: BookBaby

 

 

“Oh my God, we found a dead body.” The man’s voice, calling from a mountain trail in Cleveland National Forest, was frantic. “Please hurry. I’m so scared. It’s a little kid.” When police arrived, they were met by a horrific sight. The girl was naked and had been positioned in such a way that detectives believed the murderer had seen his kill as some kind of a trophy. As if he were showing off his “work”. The little kid was Samantha Runnion, a five-year-old girl who had been abducted while playing in her parents’ garden the day before.

Samantha is just one of too many American kids who disappear. Almost half a million children are reported missing every year. And all across America parents are searching for their missing children or—if the worst case scenario has come to pass—the person who killed them.

Moms of the Missing investigates ten abduction cases. Through personal and heartbreaking interviews with the victims, it describes how parents maintain their hopes of one day finding their children—some of whom were taken by a stranger, a family member, or human traffickers. And two survivors tell what it is like to be held captive.

Moms of the Missing explores the principal types of abductions, and—not of least importance—who’s most likely to become a victim of the epidemic of missing children.

About the Author:

Steffen Hou (born 1975) is a Danish author and filmmaker. As a true crime author he
has written about topics such as innocent Americans on death row, human trafficking,
and the white supremacy movement. Moms of the Missing: Living the Nightmare is his
third book.

Contact the author: steffen.hou@houmedia.dk

Website: steffenhou.com

Facebook: facebook.com/steffen.hou

Twitter: @steffenhou

My Thoughts:

As clearly stated in the synopsis, this book deals with facts and investigates ten abduction cases. Through each case we are introduced to the kinds of abductions that exist and how they can happen. This is presented to us through interviews with family members who have had to deal with the loss of a child.

Each experience shared is harrowing and scary, difficult for most of to understand, but necessary for us to be aware of. It is sometimes difficult to digest the kinds of cruelty out there in the world, but through this book, Steffen Hou and the affected people would like to bring about an awareness. Awareness is a must to be able to take preventive actions.

The book is very well structure as explained by the author in the prologue. The reader is introduced to the type of abduction, followed by a description and the authorities or body(ies) to be alerted. This is then followed by a detailed account of an experience. What happened on the day of the abduction? The nature of the child in general and their relationship with their family. The heartbreak and trauma the family faces when the child is missing. The support or non-support of the authorities. A step forward and a few backwards everyday towards trying to find an answer. And then a conclusion, good or bad, but with a strong message.

I would like to share that I respect those who have come forward to support this book and share their stories. It is definitely not easy to have your life taken apart and then to talk about it. The main message of the book is to keep up Hope and to contact the right people if a crime has already been committed and a child is missing. It is also about the prevention of such crimes and the steps we can take to educate ourselves, our peers and our children.

Though this was a difficult book to read, my heart goes out to all the victims and their families. I strongly recommend this book to everyone as it brings about an awareness on a very important topic that could help any one of us in the world today.

We are all in this together and we should learn to support one another. Also, please be aware and sensitive towards other people!

Thank you Steffen for bringing your book to my notice!

Book Review: Before I Let You Go by Kelly Rimmer

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About the Book:

Before I Let You Go

Your sister needs you. But her child needs you more…

As children, Lexie and Annie were incredibly close. Bonded by the death of their beloved father and their mother’s swift remarriage, they weathered the storms of life together. When Lexie leaves home to follow her dream, Annie is forced to turn to her leather-bound journal as the only place she can confide her deepest secrets and fears…

As adults, sisters Lexie and Annie could not be more different. Lexie is a doctor, successful in her practice and happily engaged. Annie is addicted to heroin – a thief, a liar, and unable to remain clean despite the fact that she is pregnant. When Annie’s newborn baby is in danger of being placed in foster care, Annie picks up the phone to beg her sister for help. Will Lexie agree to help and take in her young niece? And how will Annie survive, losing the only thing in her life worth living for?

My Thoughts:

 Before I Let You Go is a story that brings out the bond between family and sisters. There is a strong message of togetherness and trust, the effects of secrets and the power of love. The story mainly follows Lexie and Annie, giving us a glimpse into each of their minds and lives, sisters, who are so different in adulthood and who have drifted apart. Brought together by the death of their father, the girls forge a stronger bond with each other, but as time passes, they drift apart. The author weaves a strong plot of lies, secrets and things left untold which form the basis of the sisters’ relationship.

The story is well-written except for a few times when some points are repeated, driving in the difference in life styles of the sisters. When Annie seeks Lexie out for help and support, she is pregnant and still unable to avoid her drug addiction. Lexie has never been understand how or why her sister changed and when the addiction took over. In spite of this, she rushes to help her sister and agrees to take care of the baby in the time that it takes for her sister to attend rehab again. What follows is a confusing journey filled with strong emotions of anger, love, and togetherness.

As the story unfolds, the reader, along with Lexie, starts to learn a lot about the girls’ past, some of which Lexie had blocked out of her mind and some of it being the truth about her sister’s life that she never knew of. A lot of things bring people closer, but sharing secrets that were buried deep inside and telling the truth to someone you love, helps both of you to grow. That is exactly what happens with Lexie and Annie, during the process of the court-ordered rehab. It is also wonderful to read about Lexie’s fiance who as a supporting character adds more value to this story. However, the build up to the end leads to some unexpected twists that will both surprise and shock the reader, while also being realistic enough that they can understand the situations.

Overall an emotional page-turner, I particularly enjoyed how the author carried forward the plot and the depth of the characters and their emotions. The story may or may not end the way the reader may expect, but there is a lot to take away from this book which makes it worth the read!

Book Review: The Way We Were by Sinéad Moriarty

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I was approved a copy of the book via NetGalley. Read on to know what I thought of it.

About the Book:

The Way We Were

Being a good mother is doing the right thing. But sometimes the right thing is not so clear.

When Alice’s husband Ben dies suddenly, her world falls apart. They shared twenty years and two daughters and life without him is unimaginable.

Having lost her parents while young, Alice understands her girls’ pain. At fifteen, Jools is at that awkward age and only Ben could get through to her. And eleven-year-old Holly looks for the answer to everything in books but this time she’s drawing a blank. Alice realizes that for their sakes she must summon up superhuman reserves of strength.

Somehow all three of them come through the dark days. In time, it’s even possible for Alice to consider marrying again, with the girls’ blessing. So when Ben turns up after three years, her world is again turned upside-down. The girls assume that their family can go back to the way they were. Alice is not so sure.

Once more Alice has to find the strength to be the mother her daughters need her to be. But this time what that means is far from clear …

My thoughts:

The Way We Were, is the story of a mother, a wife, a woman, as she strives to make everyone around her happy, to do the right thing as she sees it. Alice, our protagonist is juggling life as a General Practitioner and a mother. She has the support of her brother and throughout the book, it is wonderful to see how close the siblings are. Her relationship with Ben is just normal, the way most couples are, until it seems as though Ben is going through a mid-life crisis.

The author starts off by introducing the characters to us, describing their lives from day to day to give us a sense of who they are. Then slowly, the plot thickens with Ben taking an assignment to operate in Africa. He takes this as his opportunity to find meaning in his work and to do something more. Alice, having gone through the trauma of losing her parents, lives in constant fear of losing those close to her. The author manages to bring out the emotions and thoughts of the characters through this period and highlights the decisions they are forced to take. The children, Jools and Holly are polar opposites, and we follow their journey of understanding, acceptance and growth in this book as well.

As the story progresses, Alice receives a call that leaves the whole family in shock and mourning. Ben is dead. It is an unimaginable situation for the characters and the reader can feel their pain and emotions. The shock and horror of the situation and the need for Alice to stay strong for her children are key parts of the plot. The author describes the situations and how the children react. How they slowly come together as a family to support each other. How each one deals with the grief of losing a loved one. As time progresses, they slowly accept and move a little forward with their lives, to the extent that Alice starts seeing someone and the girls really like him.

Now imagine the characters’ shock when on the day of announcing her engagement again, Alice receives a call from Ben, her supposedly dead husband saying that he is alive and coming back, after three whole years. Is it possible to go back to the way things were? Is it possible to accept that things have changed, the people have changed and still live together? So many questions arise and form the crux of the later part of the book. The fact that Alice is willing to try everything to keep her marriage together, mainly for the sake of her children shows a deep sense of character. Though there were many times I wondered why something was happening, it all came together in the end. Ben’s way of wooing his wife and showing her what she was missing felt a little over the top and too easy for me.

The issues brought out are something many people can relate to (with respect to mid-life crisis and teenage years). The love between two people and the effort needed to keep a relationship alive, the sacrifices and compromises are portrayed well. The journey towards acceptance and healing is a long one, but is worth it in the end, if the effort is spent by all.

The story is well written and worth a read.

Review: One Night in Tehran by Luana Ehrlich

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About the Book:

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Read the first novel in a new series of thrillers featuring intelligence officer Titus Ray.

Trained in lies, a covert agent learns the truth

Veteran CIA officer, Titus Ray–on the run from the Iranian secret police–finds shelter with a group of Iranian Christians in Tehran. While urging Titus to become a believer in Jesus Christ, they manage to smuggle him out of Iran to freedom in Turkey.

Will it help him deal with his past?

Returning to the States, he discovers his Iranian mission failed because of political infighting within the Agency. In a hot-tempered outburst, he delivers a scathing indictment against the Deputy Director of Operations, and, as a result, the deputy forces Titus to take a year’s medical leave in Oklahoma.

How will it change his future?

Before leaving Langley, Virginia, Titus learns he’s been targeted by a Hezbollah assassin hired by the Iranians. Now, while trying to figure out what it means to be a follower of Christ, he must decide if the Iranian couple he meets in Norman, Oklahoma has ties to the man who’s trying to kill him, and if Nikki Saxon, a local detective with an intriguing past, can be trusted with his secrets.

My Thoughts:

Wow! I truly enjoyed reading this book to the extent that as soon as it was completed, I got the next book in the series and started reading it.

Titus Ray, a veteran CIA officer, is suddenly made aware of the meaning of religion and faith due to various circumstances. This in some ways slowly brings about changes in him. In parallel, he is forced to deal with the bureaucracy of his higher officials, which may have resulted in the failure of his mission. Titus is forced into taking medical leave due to an outburst, resulting in him moving away and facing his thoughts as well as living in a small town.

We are introduced to Nikki Saxon, a local detective, who is serious about her job and determined to see her job through. An encounter between Titus and Nikki leads to something more, something that would make Titus re-consider trusting a person. Titus also turns to faith and meets an Iranian couple at his church. A series of events are set off, bringing him and Nikki together and eventually leading to the abrupt end of his medical leave. All it took was one night, one experience, one mistake to change the course of Titus’ life.

A well- written novel, this is truly enjoyable and will take the reader on a wonderful journey. The characters are well developed and the plot is well thought out. This book ends with a strong lead to the next and will ensure that the reader will want to pick up the next and continue the journey.

I strongly recommend this book and the rest in the series. I will be writing a separate review for the next book in the series quite soon! Until then, please like, comment and share your thoughts if any.

A Prayer Series by Samreen Ahsan

Posted in Book Reviews, BookWorld by

About the Books:

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Adam Gibson is a young and powerful Toronto millionaire. Despite his many blessings, he is an atheist, though he has an altruistic soul. He denies there is a God—until he meets a beautiful stranger in a place that does not exist for anyone but him.

Rania Ahmed strongly believes in God, but has lost hope she will ever find her soul mate. Endowed with hypnotic beauty and cursed by a brutal past, Rania has no idea she has cast a spell on Adam, who has never received more from a woman than physical pleasure. As Adam slowly discovers the true meaning of love from Rania, he begins to face his demons and reconsider his beliefs. He learns to love, forgive and repent. But as Adam grows closer to Rania, a series of strange, unexplained events threatens to drive them apart. To keep her from being destroyed by her past, he must persuade her to trust him with her deepest secrets.

In this spiritual romance, an atheist embarks on a path of enlightenment with a tormented soul who may just have the power to change everything he has ever believed to be true.

 

My Thoughts:

This series is a most compelling read. Once started, it is difficult to put down even for a second. A story of love and religion and belief, this series is full of twists. Set against the backdrop of the modern day, the reader is drawn into a story with supernatural  occurrences and strong beliefs. The protagonist, Rania is a strong believer in God and assumes that everything that happens is for a reason. She believes that all you need to do is have faith and pray and that at some point God will answer those prayers. Adam on the other hand is the true definition of an atheist. His experiences since childhood have moulded him that way and rendered him heartless.

Rania brings faith into his life as he learns to love and face his demons. The reader is given insights into the Islamic culture but the overall message is the same, have faith and believe. Rania on the other hand learns to trust Adam and allows him to slowly break through her defenses. Every situation in this story is a result of some circumstance or someone’s reactions. A lot of insight is given into each of the characters in this story and they are built up well.

Rania and Adam develop a relationship and as it progresses, she learns to trust him enough to share her secrets and he learns to be patient. Being a very wealthy man, Adam tries to shower Rania with gifts but all she wants is his heart and soul. This story focuses on how each character is ultimately forced to face their demons and come to terms with their relationships, be it Adam with his mother or Rania with her father. Some amount of supernatural existence is brought into the story with demons and angels and jinn as explained by Rania. The author shows us that there is more to religion than just blind faith. There is a lot of understanding and patience as well as some amount of trust. Everything happens for a reason and that is reinforced in so many ways throughtout the series.

The stories are split into chapters which tell the story from different points of view. It is sometimes from Rania’s and at other times from Adam’s point of view giving us an insight into the thoughts and feelings of each of the principal characters.

The readers are also reminded that relationships built on trust and faith last longer. I would not say that atheists are wrong, it is just how they think, but reading this story will ensure the reader will stop and re-evaluate their ideas and beliefs. All this has been rendered without the author sounding preachy. A wonderfully written series, this is a brilliant set of books to read which will keep the reader hooked till the end. I am afraid that if I continue raving I will end up letting out most of the story. To avoid that I strongly suggest that everyone should grab copies of the books and bury themselves in the story.