Tag Archives: Tricia Goyer

Book Review: Where Treetops Glisten

15 Nov

426483The crunch of newly fallen snow, the weight of wartime.

Siblings forging new paths and finding love in three stories, filled with the wonder of Christmas.

Turn back the clock to a different time, listen to Bing Crosby sing of sleigh bells in the snow, as the realities of America’s involvement in the Second World War change the lives of the Turner family in Lafayette, Indiana.

In Cara Putman’s White Christmas, Abigail Turner is holding down the Home Front as a college student and a part-time employee at a one-of-a-kind candy shop. Loss of a beau to the war has Abigail skittish about romantic entanglements—until a hard-working young man with a serious problem needs her help.

Abigail’s brother Pete is a fighter pilot hero returned from the European Theater in Sarah Sundin’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas, trying to recapture the hope and peace his time at war has eroded. But when he encounters a precocious little girl in need of Pete’s friendship, can he convince her widowed mother that he’s no longer the bully she once knew?

In Tricia Goyer’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Meredith Turner, “Merry” to those who know her best, is using her skills as a combat nurse on the frontline in the Netherlands. Halfway around the world from home, Merry never expects to face her deepest betrayal head on, but that’s precisely what God has in mind to redeem her broken heart.

The Turner family believes in God’s providence during such a tumultuous time. Can they absorb the miracle of Christ’s birth and His plan for a future?

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Tricia Goyer is the bestselling author of more than 45 books, including fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. A popular blogger, Goyer contributes to a number of homeschooling and Christian parenting sites. She and her husband, John, live in Little Rock, AR, and are the parents of six.

Cara Putman, the award-winning author of 19 books, including Shadowed by Grace, graduated high school at 16, graduated college at 20 and completed her law degree at 27. She is a lecturer on business and employment law to graduate students at Purdue University and also practices law. Putman is currently pursuing her Master’s in Business Administration at Krannert. She lives with her husband and four children in Indiana.

Sarah Sundin is the author of six historical novels, including In Perfect Time (Revell, August 2014). Her novel On Distant Shores was a double finalist for the 2014 Golden Scroll Awards. Sarah lives in northern California with her husband and three children, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist.

 

My Impressions:

Three authors, three Christmases, three heartwarming and nostalgic stories to add warmth to your holiday reading — that’s what you get in Where Treetops Glisten by Tricia Goyer, Cara Putman and Sarah Sundin. Various members of the Turner family of Lafayette, Indiana face the uncertainty of life in the face of war, both on the homefront and overseas. Through the voices of the three authors, a unique and cohesive story is created. Perfect reading for the cold nights leading up to Christmas.

The Turners of Lafayette, Indiana are a typical wartime family. The three adult children are making their way in life and trying to find the best way to serve their country. Fear, grief and broken hearts are tempered by faith, love and a hope for a future. Each novella in the collection is set during the Christmas season of the war years. The reader gets a glimpse of what it must have been like to live through rationing, Gold Star families and family members far away. All three novellas are good, but I especially connected with the characters in I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Sarah Sundin.

Faith in God to make things new, to overcome our fears with love, to restore and redeem are significant themes in Where Treetops Glisten. The faith message flows naturally in the narratives, but is never preachy. Characters are easy to love and connect with. And the authors did a great job in making the war years and the Greatest Generation come to life. I recommend Where Treetops Glisten — sweet, warm and cozy with spiritual truth, it is a book you’ll savor. Added bonus: the cookie recipes at the back!

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to LitFuse and Waterbrook for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To purchase this book, click on the image below.

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Book Review: Mom’s Night Out

16 Jun

684821Moms’ Night Out is a novelization of the hilarious family comedy that celebrates real family life—where everything can go wrong and still turn out all right.

All Allyson and her friends want is a peaceful, grown-up evening of dinner and conversation . . . a long-needed moms’ night out. But in order to enjoy high heels, adult conversation and food not served in a bag, they need their husbands to watch the kids for a few hours—what could go wrong?

Chronicling one night out gone awry, three harried moms, their husbands, a sister-in-law with a misplaced baby, a tattoo parlor owner, a motorcycle gang, and a bewildered cabbie all learn to embrace the beautiful mess called parenting. This book spotlights the unfulfilled expectations and serial self-doubts many moms feel . . . then reassures us that the key is raising kids in a loving home. Mom’s Night Out is an endearing, true-to-life comedy.

 

tricia-looks-up-2-2209Tricia Goyer has written more than thirty-five books, including both novels that delight and entertain readers and non- fiction titles that offer encouragement and hope. She has also published more than 500 articles in national publications such as Guideposts, Thriving Family, Proverbs 31, and HomeLife Magazine.

Goyer’s fiction and non-fiction books have won awards from the American Christian Fiction Writers and Mt. Hermon Writers’ Conference. She is also a two-time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee.
Tricia has authored several books on family and parenting, as well as co-written with Max Lucado and Robin Jones Gunn. She collaborated with Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges for Lead Your Family Like Jesus, published by Focus on the Family/Tyndale.

Tricia’s contemporary and historical novels feature strong women overcoming great challenges. She recreates historic wartime eras with precise detail through perseverant and comprehensive research. Tricia speaks to groups interested in these eras, with the intention of preserving and honoring the memory of the men and women who served.

She is a beloved author of Amish fiction, as well, writing the Big Sky and Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors Series. Tricia is currently working on The One Year Book of Amish Peace: Hearing God’s Voice in the Simple Things and a true Amish story co-written with Ora Jay and Irene Eash (contracted to release in 2013 and 2014 respectively).

Tricia is also the visionary force behind the new website, Not Quite Amish. Inspired by the writing process of her Amish releases, she wanted to create a community where Amish and simple living experts can become contributors. Launched in the fall of 2012, the Not Quite Amish lifestyle blog features daily posts about recipes, repurposing, simple style, beautifying your home, sewing Amish proverbs, and more. In addition to having more than fifteen regular contributors, readers are also encouraged to submit ideas, questions, and posts for topics they’d like to see written about.

In addition to Not Quite Amish, Tricia also posts regularly at her personal blog and is a contributor to other family and homeschooling blogs, such as The Home Educating Family, The Better Mom, Allume and MomLife Today. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms to Follow on Twitter by SheKnows.com.

My Impressions:

I think it must be really hard to write a novelization of a movie. After all, film is all visual, giving the viewer what you want him to see. Books allow the reader to add his/her own imagination to the story. I have not seen Mom’s Night Out, the movie, but I did read Tricia Goyer’s novelization by the same name, and I think she did a great job with it. Filled with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and some great aha moments, the story follows 3 friends and mothers looking to unplug from their busy lives. What ensues is definitely not what they expected, but perhaps it was what they needed.

Allyson is a mommy-blogger wannabe who feels the need to fix everything around her. Phobic about messes she is surrounded by them. Sondra is a pastor’s wife who feels the need to be perfect even if it means shutting down who she really is. Izzy is a mom dealing with a husband who doesn’t have a clue what to do with his twin children. All need a quiet night out to connect and relax. What they get is a missing child, a snooty restaurant hostess, and a biker/tattoo artist, among other things. There is non-stop action, plenty of noise and revelations of who they just might be in Christ.

I liked Mom’s Night Out. While my kids are past the baby and teenage stages, I could really relate to the women who are all things to all people, except themselves. For all the busyness, craziness and mayhem that accompanies life, the message that God has it all in His very capable and loving hands is clearly articulated. I recommend this book to all who have or haven’t seen the movie. (I did find the abundance of grammatical errors to be a bit of a distraction, but the book overall outweighs that.)

Recommended.

(Thanks to B&H for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To purchase this book, click on the image below.

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12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour with Colleen Coble, Beth Wiseman and Tricia Goyer

1 Nov

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour featuring Colleen Coble, Beth Wiseman and Tricia Goyer. Four great books to enjoy during the holidays.

17628643HOLY NIGHT BY COLLEEN COBLE

One sinister phone call has derailed their wedding. Will they let it tear them apart forever?

A Christmas wedding on the beach—what could be more perfect? Poinsettias and fragrant pikake blossoms, soft sand and mistletoe, the gentle sound of the surf and the wedding march played on a ukulele. This wedding has been a long time coming, with Bane’s trust issues and Leia’s worries about her childlike sister, Eva.

Now they can hardly wait for the day to arrive. Thrilled to be a bridesmaid, Eva keeps trying on her ruffled dress. The tent is reserved, the caterers paid. Everything is going as planned—until Leia’s phone rings and her world skids out of control. A muffled voice informs Leia that Eva’s been kidnapped and will be killed unless Leia calls off the wedding without explanation—and no police! If she disobeys instructions and tells Bane, she’ll risk her beloved sister’s life. But how can she ever handle this without his help? And how can he ever trust her if she lies to him now?

16161655SILENT NIGHT BY COLLEEN COBLE

As Christmas day nears, Bree and her faithful search-and-rescue dog Samson follow the trail of a troubling mystery into the snowy forests of Rock Harbor.

Bree Matthews is preparing for Christmas guests, but her heart is reeling from the recent and tender loss of her unborn child. Her sister-in-law, Lauri, suddenly turns up on the doorstep of the lighthouse home Bree shares with her husband, Kade, in Rock Harbor. Secretive and withdrawn, Lauri seems curiously intent on discovering what happened to a parachuter who disappeared in the North Woods along Lake Superior’s icy shore.

As Bree and Samson, her search-and-rescue dog, plunge into the search, Bree wonders if Lauri may know more than she’s admitted about the parachuter. And then the clues lead them to the trail of a young woman whose family fears the worst about her disappearance.

Will the search on this snowy, silent night lead Bree and Samson to more than clues about the missing girl? And will Bree’s prayer for a baby ever be answered?

17679334A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR ROSE BY TRICIA GOYER

Born in the midst of the hardships of The Great Depression, Rose grew up in Berlin, Ohio, in the arms of a loving Amish family. But she is overwhelmed by self-doubt when she learns the truth of her birth. She was born Englisch and abandoned when her family moved West in search of work. Was she meant to be Amish or would she have been better off growing up with her own kind—Englischers? And was her intended’s gift of discovering her birth family given out of love or fear?

17628631PLAIN PEACE BY BETH WISEMAN

Anna’s grandfather seems determined to ruin her Rumspringa . . . and any hopes she has of finding a husband.

Anna Byler should be enjoying her Rumspringa as allowed by her faith. But because of the strict rules enforced by her grandfather—the bishop—the available suitors in town are afraid to court her. Even Anna’s grandmother is keeping a big secret from Anna’s grandfather in an effort to keep the peace. Under her grandfather’s oppressive watch, Anna begins to feel her faith slipping and wonders if God has forsaken her.

Jacob Hostetler and his family have relocated to Lancaster County following a family tragedy in Ohio. As his family struggles to rebuild their lives, Jacob is forced to act as head of the household when his father is unable to cope with recent events. It’s been a long time since Jacob has felt any joy. Until he meets Anna Byler. But will Anna’s grandfather succeed at keeping them apart? And can Jacob put the past behind him and open his heart?

MEET THE AUTHORS

CCoble-110Best-selling author Colleen Coble‘s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, ACFW Book of the Year, RWA’s RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.
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USA Today best-selling author Tricia Goyer is the author of over 35 books, including the three-book Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and “Lead Your Family Like Jesus,” (co-written with Ken Blanchard). She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com and MomLifeToday.com. She is the host of Living Inspired, a weekly radio show. Tricia and family live in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have six children.

BWiseman-138Beth Wiseman is a Carol Award Winner, Inspirational Readers Choice Winner, INSPY Winner, and the best-selling author of the Daughters of the Promise series and the Land of Canaan series. All of her books have held spots on the ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) bestseller list and the CBA (Christian Book Association) bestseller list. She grew up in Houston, Texas and now resides in a small town west of Houston with a population of around 300. She lives with her husband, two dogs, two cats, two pot bellied pigs, two chickens and a pygmy goat. Her two grown sons also live in Texas. Beth has been writing in some capacity for most of her life. She’s a former award-winning journalist with eleven honors, including ‘First Place News Writing’ for The Texas Press Association. However, writing love stories with a spiritual message is where her heart is. When Beth isn’t writing (which is seldom these days) she enjoys traveling, cooking, fishing, reading, or just settling in for a good movie. Her best times are spent with family and friends!

MY IMPRESSIONS:

Three authors, four books and a whole lot of reading pleasure! Here’s my take on these talented authors’ books:

Holy Night — Colleen Coble revisits her Aloha Reef series in this Christmas themed novella featuring Leia and Bane. This novella may be short in length, but long on suspense, romance and that Hawaiian feel that fans of this series love. Perfect reading on a cold December evening when you are longing for warm breezes and a little romance.

Silent Night — The characters in Colleen’s popular Rock Harbor series are reunited for a Christmas season to remember. But first some search and rescue suspense is in order. There’s warm family times to balance the frigid air surrounding the action in this novella length book. Another good choice for fireside reading during the holidays.

A Christmas Gift for Rose — A Christmas Gift for Rose combines the best of Tricia Goyer’s writing genres, Amish and historical, with the Christmas spirit to create a lovely holiday gift for her readers. The setting is Ohio Amish country just following WWII. America is just learning about the cost of sacrifice for the young men who served overseas. A beautiful portrayal of God’s desire for His people to belong not only to Him but to each other.

Plain Peace — The final chapter in Beth Wiseman’s Daughters of The Promise series, Plain Peace can easily be read as a standalone. Love vs. legalism and compassion vs. judgment are the themes of this touching contemporary novel. And while the Amish seek to live a simple life, it is clear that trouble and trials are universal. God’s grace, love and mercy shine from the pages of this book.

Recommended.

(Thanks so much to LitFuse and the publishers for review copies of these books. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To purchase copies of these books, click on the images below.

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Book Review: A Christmas Gift for Rose

3 Oct

336785_w185Rose turned her back on the man she loves after he assisted the Englisch during World War II—only to discover she’s an Englischer herself. Born in the midst of the hardships of The Great Depression, Rose grew up in Berlin, Ohio, in the arms of a loving Amish family. But she is overwhelmed by self-doubt when she learns that she was born Englisch and abandoned when her family moved West in search of work. Was she meant to be Amish or would she have been better off growing up with her own kind—Englischers? When the man she loves leaves her behind, Rose is certain he left for good. Yet Rose discovers sometimes our greatest gifts are the ones we fear.

TGoyer-119USA Today best-selling author Tricia Goyer is the author of over 35 books, including the three-book Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and Lead Your Family Like Jesus, (co-written with Ken Blanchard). She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com and MomLifeToday.com. She is the host of Living Inspired, a weekly radio show. Tricia and family live in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have six children. You can find out more about Tricia at http://www.TriciaGoyer.com.

My Impressions:

A Christmas Gift for Rose combines the best of Tricia Goyer’s writing genres, Amish and historical, with the Christmas sprit to create a lovely holiday gift for her readers. The setting is Ohio Amish country just following WWII. America is just learning about the cost of sacrifice for the young men who served overseas. And while most wish for a return to normality, the road is hard for those who saw so much in Europe and the Pacific.

Rose  broke off her relationship with Jonathan when he decided to break with the Amish pacifist stance and serve in the Army as a medic. Her community has made its disapproval of Jonathan well-known, and Rose fears that continuing her relationship with him will alienate her from the family in which she has found safety. For all her life, Rose has sought to belong, fighting feelings of loss and abandonment. Finally, the truth of her adoption into her Amish family brings to light the nightmares and feelings that have plagued her. Her sense of self and belonging are shattered, and she fears that she will never fit any where again.

The desire to fit in is a strong one, sometimes overriding logic and good sense. How often do we, as Christians, undermine the security of another by our cliquishness or rules? A Christmas Gift for Rose is a beautiful portrayal of God’s desire for His people to belong not only to Him but to each other. The characters are genuine — their emotions real and believable. I loved Mam and Dat, the Amish couple struggling in their marriage, who found new life and love after taking Rose into their family. A heart-warming book – definitely put this one on your list of Christmas-time reading.

Recommended.

(Thanks to LitFuse and Zondervan for my review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To read more reviews, click HERE.

To purchase a copy of this book, click on the image below.

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Book Review: Beyond Hope’s Valley

4 May

After an extended stay in Montana, where Amish traditions are different than in her home state, Marianna Sommer returns to Indiana for two reasons, first to help her brother and his girlfriend prepare for a baby and their wedding. Second, to plan her own wedding to Aaron Zook — a marriage she’s been dreaming about ever since childhood. And yet, although she had missed the idyllic farms and families of her upbringing, Marianna is surprised that Indiana is somehow making her long now for Montana.  As months pass, secrets that were hidden in winter’s frozen grasp thaw and take on a life of their own.

The truths about a child, about a past relationship, and about God’s plans are being revealed. Walking through a valley of questions, Marianna must hold on to hope as she decides where and with whom her heart truly belongs. For more about this story, watch the interview with folks who inspired the Big Sky series.

Tricia Goyer is the award winning author of thirty-four books including Beside Still Waters, Remembering You,and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences and is the host of Living Inspired. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

More info: Living Inspired and www.triciagoyer.com.

My Impressions:

Tricia Goyer has another winner in her final installment of the Big Sky series, Beyond Hope’s Valley.  The story which began in Beside Still Waters and continued in Along Wooded Paths, follows the life of a young Amish woman, Marianna.  Her faith journey is portrayed in a natural and very realistic way.  And her waiting on God is a wonderful lesson.

The story opens with Marianna back in her old community of Amish in Indiana. The English man that she cannot get our of her head or heart, Ben, is back performing at concerts across the country.  The old worlds they both go back to feel alien, even though everyone they care about feels that’s just where they belong.  As they turn to God for guidance, they both receive the same answer — wait.  Beyond Hope’s Valley is a quiet book.  There are no chase scenes or runaway buggies, but just an honest searching for the will and purposes of God.  I liked that about it — normal people struggling with what God wants for them and where He would have them live.  It was also interesting to see a character who has separated herself from the world struggle as much as the character who has put himself right in the middle of the world.  It proves that the only real place to be is right in the middle of God’s plan.

If you haven’t read books 1 and 2 of this series, you are in luck, because now you can read the whole series without any delays.  And if you have been waiting to see what would happen to Marianna and Ben, you will definitely enjoy this last book.

Highly Recommended.

(I received Beyond Hope’s Valley from LitFuse.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To read what other reviewers have to say, click HERE.

To enter my giveaway of Beyond Hope’s Valley (ending May 14), click HERE.

Celebrate with Tricia and enter to win a custom-made Amish Wall hanging in the colors of your choice … and much more! 

One fortunate winner will receive:

  • Custom Amish Wall Hanging {You choose the colors!}
  • An Amish Doll {Sweet.}
  • Amish-made basket {It’s picnic season!}
  • Doilies, potholder and an Amish cookbook {All items form Bird-in-Hand, PA!}
  • Three book Big Sky Amish series {Be swept away by this captivating series.}

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 20th. Winner will be announced at “All Things Amish” Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/21. Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and more!

So grab your copy of Beyond Hope’s Valley and join Tricia on the evening of the May 21st for a fun chat, trivia contest (How much do you know about the Amish?) and lots of giveaways. (If you haven’t read the book – don’t let that stop you from coming!)

Don’t miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 21st!

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Book Review: Along Wooded Paths (And Giveaway!)

16 Mar

Although proud of living apart from the world, Marianna Sommer’s newly relocated Amish family is discovering that life in the remote mountains of Montana requires working together with the Englisch. As Marianna pours her life into helping those around her-and receiving their help-her heart further considers two directions. She’s torn between the Amish man from Indiana whom she has long planned on marrying and the friendly Englischer who models a close walk with God like she’s never seen before.

Who should have young Marianna’s heart? What is God asking of her through ongoing family struggles and this romantic and spiritual tension? The answer is found along the wooded paths.

Tricia Goyer is the author of thirty books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

My Impressions:

Along Wooded Paths is the second book in the Big Sky series.  (Please read Beside Still Waters (book #1) first — these books build on each other and you will lose something of the story if you don’t.)  It presents the continuing story of Marianna Sommer and her spiritual and emotional growth.  Marianna left Indiana for Montana to help with her Amish family.  She left behind a young man and all that made her feel secure.  But the move freed her from a past not her own and the legalism that restricted her worship.  In Montana, she finds an Amish community much more comfortable in relationships with the English.  She also finds a God of relationships she never knew.

In Along Wooded Paths, Marianna has discovered the rich life of prayer and communion with God that the Bishops in her old community never spoke of.  She also uncovers a heart of compassion for people of all faiths and circumstances. But with the assurance that she is finally in the place God wants her, she is unsure where God is leading her heart.  Aaron, her boyfriend from Indiana, arrives unexpectedly and her  budding romance/friendship with an Englishman, Ben, is put in a new perspective.  All in all Marianna is faced with lots of decisions sure to effect her life — decisions about love, marriage, family, and faith.

Goyer’s characters are well-written and believable.  The story flows well, and the reader is left with a sense that the story is only beginning.  Fortunately, I have only a few months to wait before Beyond Hope’s Valley (book #3) arrives!  I am really looking forward to finding out the rest of the story.

Highly Recommended.

(Thanks to Broadman and Holman for the review copy of Along Wooded Paths. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

 

Giveaway!

I am giving away a copy of Along Wooded Paths. To enter just leave a comment including your email address.  I will choose a winner randomly on March 30.  Good Luck!

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Book Review: Chasing Mona Lisa

17 Jan

It is August 1944 and Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country, stealing countless pieces of art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all, the Mona Lisa, as a post-war bargaining chip to get him to South America. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue DaVinci’s masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get readers’ adrenaline pumping as they join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh country chateau, the race is on–and the runners are playing for keeps.

Tricia Goyer is the coauthor of The Swiss Courier as well as the author of many other books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW’s Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Arkansas.  (www.triciagoyer.com)

Mike Yorkey is the author or coauthor of dozens of books, including The Swiss Courier and the bestselling Every Man’s Battle series. Married to a Swiss native, Yorkey lived in Switzerland for 18 months. He and his family currently reside in California.   (www.mikeyorkey.com)

My Impressions:

Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey is a suspense-filled historical jaunt through the waning months of WWII.  Set on the eve of the liberation of Paris, two Swiss OSS agents, Gabi and Eric, are charged with getting supplies to the Paris resistance leaders.  But they find themselves caught in even greater peril than they bargained for.  The Germans are pulling out, but not before one last attempt to wreak havoc on the French.  That includes making off with the most valuable painting in France, perhaps the world — the Mona Lisa. But the political stakes of a new France are high and friends can quickly become foes.

The sequel to The Swiss Courier, Chasing Mona Lisa is easily a stand alone read.  Having not read the first novel, I had no trouble getting into the action of this book.  And the book is non-stop action.  It is also a well-researched historical novel.  I found myself saying I didn’t know that several times.  If you like a book that takes you on a chase through several countries with twists and turns along the way or if you like fiction with a good mix of historic figures and believable fictional characters, Chasing Mona Lisa is for you.  I know I liked it.  Now I just have to go and get book 1!

Recommended.

Want to know what others are saying about Chasing Mona Lisa? Click HERE.

(I received Chasing Mona Lisa from LitFuse in return for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

About the iTouch SPY Prize Pack Giveaway:

Chasing Mona Lisa is the continuing tale of Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler (first introduced in The Swiss Courier). This time the duo are on a relentless quest to save the most famous painting in the world  – the Mona Lisa. You can help Gabi and Eric with your very own spy pack when you enter The Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway!

One passionate protector will receive:

  • iTouch (The must-have device for any spy. Camera, Maps & Music.)
  • Starbucks Gift Card (For all those late nights.)
  • Moleskin Notebook (For those important notes.)
  • Invisible Ink Pen (Don’t want anyone reading those important notes.)
  • Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey (Great handbook and intriguing tale for any spy-in-training!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on January 31st. Winner will be announced at Chasing Mona Lisa Facebook Party on 1/31. Tricia and Mike will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from Tricia’s website) and giving away copies of their books and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Tricia and Mike.)

So grab your copy of Chasing Mona Lisa and join Tricia and Mike on the evening of the 31st for an author chat, spy training (How much do you know about WWII?) and lots of giveaways.

Don’t miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

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