Review: Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

Baby, It's Cold Outside
By: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Summerside Press
ISBN: 978-1-60936-215-7

About the book:

Five strangers with broken hearts. One raging blizzard. Baby, it's cold outside!

Dottie Morgan has no desire to share her home -- or her heart -- this Christmas. After all, her holiday spirit froze over when she lost her son in World War II. But when the blizzard of the decade descends on Frost, Minnesota, trapping Dottie in her home with four near strangers, she discovers that opening her door might also open her heart to a miracle...and a new reason to celebrate Christmas.

Review:

When war claimed her only son Nelson, Dottie Morgan grew cold and brittle, the physical embodiment of the name of her hometown of Frost, Minnesota. Nelson had been her salvation, a sign of redemption and forgiveness for the youthful folly that caused her to spurn her childhood sweetheart Gordy's declarations of love for adventure with a ne'er do well thug. With crushed dreams and a hopeless outlook, Dottie resigns herself to another isolated Christmas and a lonely future, sure that God and mankind has forgotten her -- but more than that, positive that she doesn't deserve to be found. But when a fast-moving snowstorm brings four lonely souls to her door for shelter, Dottie discovers that not only she stands in desperate need of a new beginning. Gordy hopes for one last chance to rekindle his romance with Dottie. Violet, a tomboy who understands cars better than men, served in the WAACs and now struggles to adjust to civilian life and her family's expectations. Jake, a handsome stranger newly-arrived in town, hopes for redemption and carries with him news that could destroy Violet's dreams. And Arnie, a lost and lonely boy, longs to be a hero for his single mother, their family bereft by his father's wartime death. Isolated in Dottie's Storm House, these five bruised and wounded near-strangers are forced to confront their deepest fears for a chance to grasp hold of the promise delivered to the world anew each Christmas -- hope birthed in a world craving a second chance at redemption.

Oh how I adored this book. Baby, It's Cold Outside is the perfect Christmas read, brimming with the warmth and nostalgia of the late 1940s, made all the richer by Warren's trademark and skillful handling of emotional issues that cut to the core of what it means to be a believer in a fallen world. This novel is saturated with hope and spiritual truths, capable of thawing the most jaded of hearts if you'll but crack open the door, much like Dottie does, and listen to the whispered promise that no matter where you're at, no matter the pain,
God has not forsaken you. With Dottie as the centerpoint, Warren speaks strongly to the idea of what makes a family -- not just those one is related to by blood, but family forged by the fires of shared experiences and faith. It's a powerful reminder to not overlook or forsake those who are different or whom tragedy has set apart from the "norm." The flirtatious song from which the novel takes its title dually speaks to the sweet, heart-stopping romances that Warren spins on the page, and on a deeper level as an invitation to take shelter in God's never-failing promises of redemption and second chances.

I am admittedly biased towards novels centered around World War II and its aftermath -- the 1940s is a decade rich with history and change, heartbreak and hope. Warren is adept at bringing this generation to life, with characters that feel wholly authentic to the time period, but vibrant and relatable thanks to their struggles with hopes and heartaches that are timeless and define what it means to be human. It seems that the 1940s is where Warren really shines when writing historicals. She has a gift for sprinkling her narrative with little details that bring the time period to life, from descriptions of clothing and food to the music and expressions that bring the characters and the time period to sparkling life on the page. And setting the story during the 1949 holidays is a well-played stroke of genius -- enough time has passed for the reality of the war's aftermath to settle into the characters' lives, and on the cusp of a new decade's worth of promise, Warren posits a question for the principle players, and by extension the reader: will the tragedy and heartbreak of the past define one's future, or will one allow God to bring beauty and hope forth from the ash heaps of shattered dreams?

I have to briefly speak to Violet and Jake's blossoming romance, as since it begins with letters it is one of my favorite storylines in the novel. With echoes of You've Got Mail (perhaps a more apt comparison would be In the Good Old Summertime, the musical remake of The Shop Around the Corner that released in 1949), Violet and Jake fell in love through letters, where the worst hurts of their wartime experiences were laid bare (only Warren adds the delicious twist of "stolen" identities). In the Storm House, they're faced with the choice -- is the hope of love worth the risk of possible rejection? The risk of being truly known? Warren writes some of the best, most sizzling romances in the business. The tension between Jake and Violet sends sparks off the page, and Jake's quiet heroism and vulnerability will melt your heart -- Warren's outdone herself with this hero. :)

More than a passing seasonal treat, Baby, It's Cold Outside is a novel saturated with rich spiritual truths and overflowing with the beauty of grace. Warren's novels never seem to fail to meet me where I'm at and encourage me when I need it most. The characters within this novel's pages are so heart-breakingly authentic, so fully-realized on the page they'll become your friends, and if you're like me you'll be loathe to finish the book's final pages. Warren's story will weave its way into your heart, leaving you warm with its gorgeously rendered illustration of the meaning of Christmas -- redemption for a fallen world, hope to broken souls. Like so many of Warren's books, this one is a gift to treasure.

Baby, It's Cold Outside Contest!

Warm up to Christmas early this year with Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside! To celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press, she and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting an early Christmas Party on Facebook!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.



One festive winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire
• Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/26!

But, wait there’s more! Join Susan May Warren on 10/27 for merriment and a few early Christmas presents at her Baby, It's Cold Outside Christmas party! Grab your Christmas sweaters, socks and pj’s and join Susan and a few friends for a fireside chat about her recent books (Heiress & Baby, It’s Cold Outside), holiday traditions, favorite Christmas recipes, a trivia contest and more! Invite your friends and don’t miss the fun!

RSVP here and we'll see you on October 27th at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST!

Remember, you must enter by clicking one of the above icons. Comments on this post DO NOT count as entries. Thanks and good luck!

Review: My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren

My Foolish Heart (A Deep Haven Novel)

By: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Tyndale
ISBN: 978-1-4143-3482-0

About the book:

When it comes to love, sometimes you have to be a little foolish.

Unknown to her quaint town of Deep Haven, Isadora Presley is the star host of My Foolish Heart, a popular syndicated talk radio show. From her home studio, she gives listeners advice on romance...even though she's never had a date.

It's not that she doesn't want to, but since a tragic accident took her mother's life, pank attacks have trapped her inside her small neighborhood. And though she always reminds listeners that their perfect love could be right next door, it can't possibly be true for her. Especially when a new neighbor moves in. Sure, he's handsome, but with his unruly dog and Neanderthal manners, Caleb Knight is the last man she'd ever fall for.

To Issy, love isn't worth the risk. Until she starts to have feelings for a caller - a man she's never even met but finds honest, charming, and sensitive.

A man she doesn't realize lives right next door.

Review:

Following the horrific accident that stole her mother’s life and her father’s mobility, Isadora Presley has remained veritably sequestered in her home, a captive to the crippling fears and panic attacks that have defined her life since that fateful night. Her closest friend, Lucy, serves as her lifeline to the outside world and the keeper of her biggest secret – she’s the hostess of the syndicated talk radio show My Foolish Heart, where she doles out advice to the lovelorn, despite the fact that she’s never had a date. Issy’s “perfect 10” date requirements were designed to shield her heart after witnessing Lucy’s high school heartbreak over Seb, the all-star quarterback, and now the list keeps her safe in her home, sure no one is worth the risk of making herself emotionally vulnerable. As Miss Foolish Heart, Issy may remind her listeners that their perfect love could be “right next door,” but deep in her heart she’s convinced no man would want to deal with her emotional baggage – least of all new neighbor whose arresting blue eyes intrigue her in spite of the fact that he could clearly never meet her list’s requirements.

Caleb Knight came to Deep Haven hoping for a fresh start as the new high school football coach. After losing a leg in Iraq, he only wants the chance that he can make a difference and prove God didn’t save his life in vain. Rebuilding the football team – shattered after Coach Presley’s accident – might be the perfect chance, if he can hide his disability until he can prove equal to the job on merit alone. The more he learns about the reclusive Isadora, the more he’d like to know her better – and on a whim he calls My Foolish Heart for advice. Miss Foolish Heart and BoyNextDoor instantly connect, and through their anonymous rapport Caleb and Issy find the courage to risk their hearts. But when the truth is revealed, Caleb and Issy must find the courage to embrace the love of a Father whose overwhelming gift of love and grace is the only thing that can set them free to embrace a future together beyond their wildest dreams.

Susan May Warren consistently pens some of the best, steal-your-breath-they’re-so fabulous romances in the business. I loved the novelty of a talk radio show as the impetus to bring Caleb and Isadora out of their self-set limitations, similar to the role e-mail played in the film You’ve Got Mail. The power of a sympathetic voice, and the freedom to be found in open, honest conversation unencumbered by face-to-face pressure was the perfect vehicle to connect two broken souls weighed down by physical and spiritual scars. And, in a classic romance fangirl moment, I was thrilled to see the inclusion of Jane Eyre references to each of the romances in the novel. Much like Rochester and Jane, Issy and Caleb and Lucy and Seb each long to fully known and loved – but in order for that to happen, each individual must come to the realization that whomever the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36) – and a regret, a mistake, a scar, doesn’t by definition rob you of your future unless you allow it to do so. Warren excels at redemption stories, and the journeys in My Foolish Heart are perhaps her most powerful illustrations of God’s grace to date, reminding readers that it’s how we respond to the blows that knock the wind from our sails that matters, and whether or not we choose to let God redeem those wounds that would strip us of hope if we let them.

While I cannot fathom the specific pain of Issy’s circumstances, in many ways she is my emotional twin. If I were to name the biggest thing I battle, the one thing that will try to take me out over and over, that would be fear. It doesn’t have to be rational, it doesn’t have to make sense, but in the middle of the fight, it’s real – through Issy’s character Warren reveals an authentic, soul-deep understanding of the stranglehold fears can take on the lives of believers. Issy’s reactions and thought processes are spot-on, and I applaud Warren for handling such a sensitive, emotionally loaded subject with grace and understanding. I also loved her bravery in addressing the cost of premarital sex through Lucy and Seb’s story. While actions have consequences, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of letting a mistake or regret define one’s life, and through their story Warren provides a gorgeous example of God’s redemptive power and the beauty of second chances. From cover to cover, My Foolish Heart is replete with Warren’s trademarks of relatable, achingly real characters, swoon-worthy heroes, and authentic, rubber-meets-the-road faith. It’s a prime example of why I love Warren’s books so much. Just when I think she can’t possibly get any better, and just when I least expect it, she delivers another heart-stopping romance, laced with the life-changing power of God’s grace – My Foolish Heart may just be my favorite Warren novel yet.

***
Thanks to Litfuse for the review opportunity.

My Foolish Heart Contest!

Susan May Warren is thrilled to announce the release of her latest Deep Haven book, My Foolish Heart!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

To celebrate this charming novel about a dating expert who's never had a date, Susan has put together a romantic night on the town for one lucky couple. One grand prize winner will receive a Miss Foolish Heart prize package worth over $200!

The winner of the Romantic Night on the Town Prize Pack will receive:

* A $100 Visa Gift Card (For Dinner)

* A $100 Gift Certificate to a Hyatt/Marriott Hotel

* The entire Deep Haven series

To enter just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on June 16th. The winner will be announced that evening during Susan’s Miss Foolish Heart Party on Facebook! Susan will be chatting with guests, hosting a book club chat about My Foolish Heart, testing your Deep Haven trivia skills, and giving away tons of great stuff! (Gift certificates, books, donuts, and more!) Don't miss the fun and BRING YOUR FRIENDS! 

***

My review of My Foolish Heart is coming soon, hopefully (fingers crossed) tomorrow! Still playing catch up this week, I'm afraid - my apologies to Litfuse and the author for my lateness, but my review is coming SOON. :)

Review: In Sheep's Clothing by Susan May Warren

Since I'm still dealing with back issues, I thought I'd pull a review or two from the archives. I originally reviewed In Sheep's Clothing in 2008 and it remains one of my favorite Susan May Warren novels.

In Sheep's Clothing (Mission: Russia #1)
By: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Steeple Hill
ISBN: 978-0373785445

About the book:

On the run from the murderer of her best friends, missionary Gracie Benson is all alone in Siberia. What she doesn’t know is that she has in her possession a medical secret that will save millions of lives – or cost hers. Trying to keep her alive is an FSB agent, a man pursued by his own demons, including a killer who destroyed his father’s life. He and Gracie find themselves in a decades-old mystery of betrayal and Cold War Secrets. Only with the help of their friends – a group of Americans and Russians committed to freedom – can they outwit the old guard…and save Gracie’s secret, as well as her life.

Review:

Missionary Gracie Benson went to Russia seeking redemption, only to find her hopes disappointed. On the eve of her departure, she discovers the brutally murdered bodies of her colleagues. Suddenly thrust into an unfurling web of deception and lies, Gracie finds herself in a fight for her life, with precious few people to trust. Enigmatic FSB agent Viktor Shubnikov emerges as her unlikely ally - but can Gracie look past his FSB background and her own deep-rooted fears and entrust her life to a most unlikely protector? Viktor finds himself instantly attracted to Gracie's fighting spirit and vows to protect her from the killer who shattered his family years before. However, one thing stands in the way of getting as close to Gracie as he'd like - her tenacious faith. He's seen - and done - too much to deserve grace and forgiveness. When events spiral out of his control, Viktor is forced to relinquish control and entrust his future, and Gracie's, to an invisible God's guiding hand.

In Sheep's Clothing is one of my all-time favorite novels, and as such it's long overdue for an "official" review. Gracie and Viktor are classic Warren creations - they leap living and breathing from the page, fully rounded characters brimming with pain, hope, and potential. The inspiration for their story came from events surrounding a KGB plant in the church discovered during Warren's time as a missionary there. The basic issue of trust in a supposedly good God - how He could allow bad things to happen to essentially good people - is at the crux of Viktor and Gracie's respective faith journeys. Despite their divergent backgrounds, Viktor and Gracie both learn that God's forgiveness isn't something that can be earned - it's a gift, freely given. And only when that gift is received, and control is relinquished, can they rest in the knowledge that in time of need, God - Jehovah Jireh - will provide. In Sheep's Clothing delivers non-stop action and riveting romance, along with life-changing, compelling spiritual truths. Warren never "preaches" and never fails to engage the reader on a thrilling, absorbing journey. I highly recommend this book as a starting point if you've never read one of Warren's books before - you couldn't ask for a better introduction.

Nightingale Contest and Book Review Preview!

 

The second novel in author Susan May Warren's Brothers in Arms collection has just released, and to celebrate Susan is holding a fabulous contest!

Nightingale from Susan May Warren is available now! To celebrate Susan's giving away a FLIP HD Camcorder in her Letters from Home Giveaway! Follow this link for all the details about the book and the contest! http://www.litfusegroup.com/Blog-Tours/nightingale-by-susan-may-warren.html

About Nightingale: Esther Lange doesn’t love her fiancé—she’s trapped in an engagement after a mistaken night of passion.

Still, she grieves him when he’s lost in battle, the letters sent to her by the medic at his side giving her a strange comfort, so much that she strikes up a correspondence with Peter Hess, an Iowa farmboy. Or is he? Peter Hess is not who he seems. Indeed, he’s hiding a secret, something that could cost them both their lives, especially when the past comes back to life. A bittersweet love song of the home front war between duty and the heart...a battle where only one will survive.

Don’t miss book 1 in this stand-alone collection, Sons of Thunder.

About Susan May Warren: Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of twenty-four novels with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year.
Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!) A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/.

Contest info: The Letters From Home Giveaway!

Enter the Contest: Nightingale is about letters, the power of written correspondence to convey thoughts and emotions to those far away. And sometimes near. Letters are forever, they are something we savor and pull out to read again and again. They are often cherished and kept in a special place.

To celebrate the release of Nightingale, Susan would like you to write a letter. One grand prize winner will receive a Flip HD Camcorder. 5 runner's up winners will win a signed copy of Nightingale. There are two ways to enter the contest by writing letters.

1. Write a letter to a soldier. At the end of the contest we’ll print out and mail your letter for you.

2. Write a letter to a friend, loved one, family member, enemy. Tell them something you wished you’d told them before. Tell them you love them, or maybe how they touched your life. Perhaps an apology is in order or a thank you. Or perhaps you'd like to relate a funny tale or just share life. Whatever it is, submit it here along with your email address and we’ll send it for you.
 

Earlier this year, I had the distinct privilege of reading the first novel in Susan May Warren's Brothers in Arms collection, Sons of Thunder. You can read my review here - it's easily one of my favorite reads of the year.
 
Unfortunately, due to a little thing called "the holidays" I haven't been able to finish Nightingale yet - but I will say this, Sons of Thunder has some competition. *wink* Warren can write in pretty much any genre and the resulting story prove to be a winner in my opinion - but there's something about the romance, bravery, and uncertainty of the World War II time period married to Warren's trademark heart-tugging plots and sizzling romances is a PERFECT combination. And in the case of Nightingale, is there anything more romantic than a a romance that develops through letters? excuse me while I swoon. *grin*
 
I'll be posting a full review just as soon as I can. In the meantime, be sure to enter Susan's contest by clicking on the contest button at the top of this post or to the right in the sidebar. Remember, comments on this post do not count as contest entries. Good luck!

Review: Licensed for Trouble by Susan May Warren

Licensed for Trouble (PJ Sugar #3)

By: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Tyndale
ISBN: 978-1-4143-1314-6

About the book:

“You, PJ Sugar, have inherited the Kellogg family fortune.”

PJ Sugar has no idea why she is the sole beneficiary of the town’s wealthiest widow, a woman she barely even knew. But the timing couldn’t be more perfect – PJ has clearly worn out her welcome at her sister Connie’s house. Even if there’s barely enough in the inheritance to pay the real estate taxes on the Kellogg estate, at least it will be a roof over PJ’s head.

Unfortunately, the place has seen better days, and PJ is short on cash to make the necessary repairs. Rescue comes in the form of Max Smith, a mysterious handyman who is willing to trade his skills for PJ’s help in investigating his past.

But between trying to catch a bail jumper, working toward her PI license, and nurturing a budding romance with her boss, Jeremy Kane, PJ’s caseload is full. If she’s not careful, she’ll inherit more trouble than she knows what to do with.

Review:

Having faced down the demons from her past that kept her running from her hometown of Kellogg for ten years, PJ Sugar is ready to embrace her new life as a private investigator-in-training. However, the final step – believing in and accepting herself – may be the hardest task she’s attempted yet. PJ longs to explore the chance of a future with her enigmatic boss, Jeremy Kane, but she has a more difficult time than she expected closing the door on her feelings for her old flame, Boone, and the memories of their legendary exploits that resulted in branding her with the moniker “nothing but trouble.” When PJ finds herself the beneficiary of the town’s wealthiest widow – a woman she barely knew – the unexpected legacy forces PJ to make a choice. In order to live the life she wants, she must quit running from her past and accept the divine grace that can turn her mistakes and shame into a redeemed treasure, a springboard for a future better than she ever imagined. Couple that with an unexpected mystery surrounding an amnesiac handyman, and PJ’s sleuthing and survival skills will be put to the ultimate test. If PJ can come to terms with her past, she might just have a shot at a dream-come-true future – but only if she survives the trouble her latest investigations throw her way…

Susan May Warren’s PJ Sugar series just gets better with each successive installment. PJ’s laugh-out-loud exploits remain as funny and fresh as ever, and the mysteries she stumbles into and solves with her unparalleled sleuthing instincts have gotten better and more suspenseful with each volume. And the romance – wowzers. For my money Warren pens some of the most swoon-worthy romances in the business, and Jeremy’s character is no exception. She excels at writing the male point-of-view, and I absolutely loved how she develops Jeremy and PJ’s relationship – they are a beautiful illustration of the “face of God’s grace” to each other, and I loved each twist and turn in their budding romance (even if PJ’s nose for trouble was apt to give me whiplash). Each character in this novel is incredibly well-drawn and so realistic it hurts – but that’s just one of the many things I love about Warren’s novels. The worlds she builds and the characters she creates never fail to leave an impact because like PJ, Warren’s writing is real, and her heart for authentic stories of redemption and grace drip from every page of her books.

The crowning jewel of this series is PJ, and the character growth she experiences in her quest to find redemption and that elusive “fresh start” for which her heart longs. I think any believer, if we’re being honest with ourselves, will not be able to help but relate to PJ’s penchant for living loud and messy and seemingly unable to escape the mistakes and scars our pasts have tattooed into the very fabric of our beings. Like PJ, we can spend so much time trying to remake ourselves and prove to others that we’ve changed that we forget one very important truth – namely, that God can redeem the messiest past, and use that mess as a springboard into a future more glorious than we could ever imagine. But we have to allow Him and then accept that grace – and it’s characters like the lovable, endearing PJ that bring that truth to vibrant life. PJ’s latest case leads her on a page-turning adventure to seek the truth that grace can truly redeem the past, and that one’s past, when washed with the sweet rain of God’s grace leads to a life worth savoring.

Celebrating PJ Sugar!

A couple of months ago, I reviewed the first two books in Susan May Warren's fabulous PJ Sugar series. You can check out my reviews here: #1 Nothing But Trouble and #2 Double Trouble. I'm participating in the blog tour celebrating the recent release of the third PJ novel, Licensed for Trouble, and should have a review posted sometime tomorrow. However, I wanted to go ahead and tell you abou the amazing contest SMW is running to celebrate this release! Here's all the info and links you'll need to enter:

Enter PJ Sugar's "Sweet" Giveaway

Licensed for Trouble, Susan's brand new PJ Sugar novel, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, we’re giving away a Kindle!! You can enter using Twitter, Facebook, or e-mail using the icons below.

One Grand Prize winner will receive a A SWEET Kindle prize package that includes:

• A brand new Kindle (Free 3G, 6”, Latest Generation)
• The entire PJ Sugar series by Susan May Warren

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest.

Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on September 2nd.

Be sure to check out the blog tour here or purchase a copy of Licensed for Trouble here!

*Remember, any comments you leave on this post will not count as contest entries! Please click the links above to enter!*

Review: Sons of Thunder by Susan May Warren

Sons of Thunder (Brothers in Arms #1)
By: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Summerside Press
ISBN: 978-1-935416-67-8

About the book:

Two brothers love her – but only one can have her heart.

Sofia Frangos is torn between the love of hot-headed, passionate Markos and his younger brother, quiet, intelligent Dino. Markos longs to honor his family, Dino wants to forget the tragedy that drove them from their Greek home to the shores of America. One brother offers the past she loves…the other, a future. Which “Son of Thunder” will she choose? From Chicago’s sultry jazz-era clubs…to Europe’s World War II battlefields…to a final showdown on a Greek island, the Sons of Thunder discover betrayal, sacrifice – and finally…redemption.

Review:

Brothers Markos and Dino Stavros lived relatively idyllic lives as fishermen on the Greek island of Zante in the 1920s. Markos, the older of the two, quietly loved the beautiful Sofia Frangos, who worked in his family’s taverna, and dreamed of a future with her. Those hopes were destroyed on the fateful night the Stavros patriarch and oldest son were murdered, and Markos himself was involved in the bloodshed when he killed one of their attackers. Trying to escape the past, Markos, Dino, and Sofia flee to America to start their lives anew, but instead of the sanctuary they’d hoped for, their “fresh start” turns into a crucible that will test their character and threaten to destroy the promises binding them together. Epic in every sense of the word, Sons of Thunder follows Markos, Dino, and Sofia from the gang-ridden streets of 1920s Chicago to the war-torn battlefields of Europe. Gritty and heart-rending, these three passionate individuals are broken and battered by the turbulence of the times they live in, only to discover the sweet promise of deliverance and redemption found in surrender.

I absolutely love it when I read a book and the journey within those pages meet me right where I’m at in my faith walk. Markos, Dino, and Sophia are three very different personalities, bound together by mutually shared tragedy and hardship. Despite the wildly varied paths their lives take, each one of them needs to learn what deliverance looks like in their lives – not something that can be forced or earned or saves them from trouble, but a precious gift that teaches them the true source of strength and deliverance is found in reliance on a never-changing God and His promises. This is probably Warren’s grittiest, emotionally raw, real offering to date. The pain these characters endure and their joy at discovering hope and redemption brought me to tears on more than one occasion. Just when I think it’s not possible for a favorite author to get any better, Warren surpasses herself with Sons of Thunder. This isn’t a preachy novel at all – this is faith and hope finding individuals in their darkest hour, changing their lives forever. It’s one of the best examples of seeing faith lived out in the pages of a novel that I’ve ever come across – spiritual truths are wrapped in compelling, unforgettable storytelling.

Since Susan May Warren is one of my all-time favorite authors, and World War II is the historic time period I love to study the most, this Brothers in Arms series is a dream come true. Sons of Thunder took a bit longer for me to really get into than other Warren novels, but once I found the rhythm of the story it grabbed my heart and refused to let go until the final pages. The novel is divided into thirds, the first section told from the point of view of Markos, then Dino, and finally Sofia. Since the book is basically three novellas strung together by common experience, the narrative can occasionally feel a bit choppy. That is most likely the reason this novel didn’t “grab” me until towards the end of Markos’s section of the story. There’s so much action and emotional highs and lows packed within the pages of this novel, I would’ve been thrilled to see it as a trilogy. Warren presents a compelling, satisfying, life-changing story that left me wishing it would never end. With superb pacing, characters so real they’ll break your heart, and a healthy dose of suspense set against the backdrop of world war, Sons of Thunder is a story to savor, the pages saturated with hope. I can’t wait to read Warren’s next installment in the series!

***My apologies to the author and Litfuse Publicity for being a week late in posting my review for the Sons of Thunder blog tour - life interfered in a big way last week.***

Sons of Thunder tour & contest!

Currently I'm part of the blog tour celebrating the release of Susan May Warren's latest novel, Sons of Thunder. Unfortunately I'm running late with my review - I hope to have that posted tomorrow. Till then, see below for info about the contest Susan May Warren is running to celebrate this release! Do not leave a comment on this post to enter the contest, please follow the directions below so your entry will be counted.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Sophie Frangos is torn between the love of two men and the promise that binds them all together. Markos Stavros loves Sophie from afar while battling his thirst for vengeance and his hunger for honor. Dino, his quiet and intelligent brother, simply wants to forget the horror that drove them from their Greek island home to start a new life in America. One of these sons of thunder offers a future she longs for, the other the past she lost. From the sultry Chicago jazz clubs of the roaring twenties to the World War II battlefields of Europe to a final showdown in a Greek island village, they'll discover betrayal, sacrifice and finally redemption. Most of all, when Sophie is forced to make her choice, she'll learn that God honors the promises made by the Sons of Thunder. 



Sons of Thunder launches the new Romantic Suspense line for Summerside Press - it will be available to purchase in Wal-mart mid-January. Also - its uniquely written - its an epic suspense story written as three novellas - 3 points of view, 3 settings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Susan May Warren is the award-winning author of seventeen novels and novellas with Tyndale, Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. Her first book, Happily Ever After won the American Fiction Christian Writers Book of the Year in 2003, and was a 2003 Christy Award finalist. In Sheep's Clothing, a thriller set in Russia, was a 2006 Christy Award finalist and won the 2006 Inspirational Reader's Choice award. A former missionary to Russia, Susan May Warren now writes Suspense/Romance and Chick Lit full time from her home in northern Minnesota. Learn more about Susan here: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/

LINKS:

Brothers in Arms website:

http://brothersinarms.susanmaywarren.com/

Visit the rest of the blog tour participants:

http://www.litfusegroup.com/Blog-Tours/sons-of-thunder-by-susan-may-warren.html

CONTEST
!

Be sure to check out Susan's fun contest for the book's release: Each one of us has a wealth of stories from the past – while they might not all be as sweeping and dramatic as that of Sons of Thunder’s Sofia and the Stravos brothers (swoon), your family history is a treasure nonetheless.

Well – let’s hear them! Were your great-grandparents ‘fresh off the boat’? Was your great uncle a war hero? Did your grandmother make unbelievable sacrifices to help or protect the family? Did your father harbor a family secret until his death? Are you related to someone famous? Do you have a family treasure? Whatever it is that is unique in your family history – share your story HERE! (Click on the SHARE button at the right of the screen.) One grand prize winner will receive:

• Memory Prize package containing a gift certificate to create your own hard cover photo book
• 6 month membership to Netflix (to satisfy that flick fix!)
• Signed copy of Sons of Thunder!

5 runners up will also win signed copies of Sons of Thunder!

You can also be entered to win a copy of Sons of Thunder by helping us spread the word during the blog tour!
TWEET THIS: (must use hashtag #SonsofThunder to be entered - no limit on entries! Tweet away!)

Please RT! @susanmaywarren launches new Romantic Suspense #SonsofThunder. Share your story 2 win a fab prize pack! http://ow.ly/1digM

Check back soon for my review of this fantastic book!

Review: Double Trouble by Susan May Warren

Double Trouble (PJ Sugar #2)
By: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Tyndale
ISBN: 978-1-4143-1313-9

About the book:

“I’m on the case, Jeremy. A great PI follows her instincts.”

PJ Sugar has finally found something she’s good at. Now she’s trying not to mess it up. Her first official case as a private investigator – well, technically a PI’s assistant – is house-sitting for a witness in protective custody. No danger involved, assures her boss Jeremy Kane, much to PJ’s disappointment.

“Marry me, PJ.”

At least PJ can take the next ten days to figure out the rest of her life…especially whether or not she should accept Detective Boone Buckam’s marriage proposal. But one break-in by a late-night prowler is enough to put Boone’s request on hold and send PJ’s sleuthing skills into overdrive. Clearly this witness is hiding something…and it may cost PJ her life.

Review:

After returning to her hometown after ten years on the run, and solving a major crime to boot, PJ Sugar is at long last ready to settle down and build a life for herself. She’s working as an assistant to Jeremy Kane, private investigator. It’s a dream job that feeds her soul-deep desire to make a difference in the lives of others, an opportunity to prove that she’s moved beyond her past. Settling into the new job is complicated by her old sweetheart Boone, who’s ready to settle down and pressing for a permanent commitment. PJ’s first solo assignment is house-sitting for the key witness in a major criminal trial. What should be a quiet gig becomes complicated when it becomes clear that their witness in protective custody is being targeted – and with PJ standing in for her, suddenly her life is on the line. Throw into the mix an elderly neighbor in need of help, and PJ’s nose for trouble has once again gotten her in way too deep. PJ must put her overactive imagination and all her sleuthing skills to work to uncover the bad guys – then, if she survives, she can figure out the kind of future she wants, a choice symbolized by the affections of two very different men.

I’m really glad I read the first two PJ Sugar books back-to-back. PJ’s story isn’t limited to standalone adventures – having the momentum that comes from reading her first two adventures back-to-back, it’s easy to see Warren’s superb characterization. In book one, PJ had to face her fear of overcoming her past, of living out a faith that would enable her to overcome the label “nothing but trouble” that earned her such notoriety. Double Trouble takes PJ a step further, diving headfirst into her new life, battling frustration and despair when getting it right seems like an unattainable goal. The idea God can work through our imperfections - in spite of them - and that accepting grace and trusting that His providence is sufficient is powerfully portrayed. The spiritual truths resonate because Warren’s characters are so wonderfully, achingly well-drawn and relatable.

I also loved how Warren explores the idea of choosing between good and better throughout the book. Both of PJ’s romantic choices are classic Warren heroes, each swoon-worthy in his own right. PJ’s romantic dilemma is so hard because both options are genuinely good guys, but in this volume Warren starts to develop critical differences between Boone and Jeremy and the futures they represent. While Boone’s affection for PJ is genuine, he represents PJ’s past, and his view of her is filtered through their shared experiences. Jeremy’s another story – he represents a future uninhibited by memories of PJ’s past exploits. He loves her, trouble-making tendencies and all, but most importantly believes in her now and in her potential. Through PJ’s character, Warren forces readers to confront the issue of trusting God – not settling for the good, but daring to dream and reach for an as-yet unknown future that He’ll walk one through each step of the way, if only we’ll invite Him on the journey. Double Trouble contains all of the elements that made PJ’s first adventure a success – snappy dialogue, well-drawn characters, and a page-turning plot. It ups the ante with more intense action, a better mystery, and a compelling spiritual thread that, if you let it, will encourage and inspire you to embrace God’s grace and provision. I can’t wait for book three!

Click to read my review of Nothing but Trouble.

Click to get info on the Double Trouble contest!

Double Trouble contest info!

To help celebrate the release of the 2nd PJ Sugar novel, Double Trouble, by Susan May Warren, I'm participating in the blog tour for the book and wanted to let you all know about a great contest that's currently running. Here's the info:



About the contest! Be sure to enter the Double Trouble Prize Package Giveaway by clicking on the ‘Double the Sass” button! Susan’s giving away an iPod prize package that is anything but troubling! Check it out!

Prize Details

Double Trouble, the brand new PJ Sugar novel by Susan May Warren, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, we’re running a HUMDINGER of a contest!!

One Grand Prize winner will receive a $150 SUPER SLEUTH prize package that includes:

* A brand new iPod Shuffle (perfect for those all-night stakeouts)
* A $10 iTunes gift card (we recommend the ALIAS soundtrack)
* A $10 Amazon gift card (why yes, they do sell spy pens)
* A $10 Starbucks gift card (for fuel, obviously)
* A pair of designer sunglasses (be stealthy AND super chic)
* A gorgeous scarf from World Market (can also be used as a blindfold, and/or for tying up bad guys)
* AND signed copies of both Nothing But Trouble & Double Trouble. (romance! danger! intrigue! sooo much better than Surveillance for Dummies!)

We’ll announce our super sleuth winner on March 1st.

* * * * * *

My review of Double Trouble is coming - if not tonight, than tomorrow. Till then, you can click here to read my review of PJ Sugar's first adventure, Nothing but Trouble.

Review: Nothing but Trouble by Susan May Warren

Nothing but Trouble (PJ Sugar #1)
By: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Tyndale
ISBN: 978-1-4143-1312-2

About the book:

PJ Sugar knows three things for sure:

* After traveling the country for ten years and hoping to shake free from the trail of disaster that’s become her life, she needs a fresh start.

* The last person she wants to see when she heads home for her sister’s wedding is Boone – her former flame and the reason she left town.

* Her best friend’s husband absolutely did not commit the first murder Kellogg, Minnesota, has seen in more than a decade.

What PJ doesn’t know is that when she starts digging for evidence, she’ll uncover much more than she bargained for – a deadly conspiracy, a knack for investigation, and maybe, just maybe, that fresh start she’s been longing for.

Review:

Ten years ago PJ Sugar left her small hometown of Kellogg, Minnesota, in disgrace, and has been running from her past ever since. After an unexpected call from her sister for help, PJ does the one thing she thought was impossible – returns to the scene of her “crimes,” the town she fled after earning the nickname “nothing but trouble” and being accused of setting fire to the country club. From the moment she sets foot in Kellogg for her sister’s wedding, everywhere PJ turns it seems that her failures and shortcomings are dredged up, crushing her hopes for a fresh start. She was always the wild child, frustrating her mother and leaving her best friend to cope with becoming a single parent. But perhaps the most painful – and dangerous – memories are wrapped up in the form of handsome, blue-eyed bad boy-turned-cop Boone, her former flame. Boone’s betrayal is the main reason she kept running, and his magnetic pull even ten years later is the primary test of PJ’s resolve to prove she’s genuinely changed.

PJ Sugar is a great heroine – fun, feisty, and daring, she’s no shy wallflower. A relatively new believer, she’s desperate to prove she’s finally making some good choices and will no longer disappoint people. Her drive to prove her worthiness to others and to God is extremely well-drawn and relatable. The harder she tries to fit in, the more she fails, but when she starts to realize that maybe, just maybe, God can use her redeemed, messy, unorthodox self in spit e of her best efforts does PJ start to loosen her grip on the past and walk into a future full of promise. Warren always does an excellent job incorporating a subtle spiritual thread into her stories, and PJ’s is no exception – it works because Warren doesn’t hammer you over the head with a message, she presents faith as lived out by her very real characters.

Susan May Warren has long been one of my favorite authors, but it’s been a while since I’ve picked up one of her novels (my TBR stack is out of control!). From the first, Nothing but Trouble was a great reminder of why I love Warren’s writing. The dialogue hums with life, and the plot grabs you from the first page and never lets go. The characters, from PJ to her mother to Boone, are multi-faceted and wonderfully real. Warren’s characters aren’t cookie cutter, flat creations – they’re messy and real and fun. Speaking of Boone, Warren excels at writing swoon-worthy heroes, and in this novel she gives us not one, but two charismatic leads to vie for PJ’s affections. I can’t wait to see how that one plays out (I’m pulling for Jeremy, the mysterious private investigator). I loved how Warren gives a nod to her time in Russia as a missionary. The unexpected culture shock PJ encounters with her sister’s in-laws provides fodder for some of the book’s most comical scenes. Part chick lit, part cozy mystery, Nothing but Trouble is an expertly plotted tale of romance, redemption, and grace.

Nothing But Trouble by Susan May Warren

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Nothing But Trouble
Tyndale House Publishers (May 1, 2009)
by
Susan May Warren


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Susan grew up in Wayzata, a suburb of Minneapolis, and became an avid camper from an early age. Her favorite fir-lined spot is the north shore of Minnesota is where she met her husband, honeymooned and dreamed of living.

The north woods easily became the foundation for her first series, The Deep Haven series, based on a little tourist town along the shores of Lake Superior. Her first full-length book, Happily Ever After, became a Christy Award Finalist published in 2004 with Tyndale/Heartquest.

As an award winning author, Susan returned home in 2004, to her native Minnesota after serving for eight years with her husband and four children as missionaries with SEND International in Far East Russia. She now writes full time from Minnesota's north woods and the beautiful town that she always dreamed of living in.

You can sample a chapter of each and every one of Susan's novels, on her website, HERE.



ABOUT THE BOOK

PJ Sugar knows three things for sure:

1) After traveling the country for ten years hoping to shake free from the trail of disaster that's become her life, she needs a fresh start.

2) The last person she wants to see when she heads home for her sister's wedding is Boone-her former flame and the reason she left town.

3) Her best friend's husband absolutely did not commit the first murder Kellogg, Minnesota, has seen in more than a decade.

What PJ doesn't know is that when she starts digging for evidence, she'll uncover much more than she bargained for-a deadly conspiracy, a knack for investigation, and maybe, just maybe, that fresh start she's been longing for.

It's not fair to say that trouble happens every time PJ Sugar is around, but it feels that way when she returns to her home town, looking for a fresh start. Within a week, her former teacher is murdered and her best friend's husband is arrested as the number-one suspect. Although the police detective investigating the murder—who also happens to be PJ's former flame—is convinced it's an open-and-shut case, PJ's not so sure. She begins digging for clues in an effort to clear her friend’s husband and ends up reigniting old passions, uncovering an international conspiracy, and solving a murder along the way. She also discovers that maybe God can use a woman who never seems to get it right

If you would like to read the first chapter of Nothing But Trouble, go HERE