The Saturday Six

One.

A few days ago, the Annesley Forum published one of my articles. I always like to share them here with you, so here's the one for January!

Two.

Being the lover of story that I am, and also being in a place of hard chapters right now, I really appreciated this post from (in)courage this week. There is real importance to embracing ALL of your story and not ignoring or suffocating the hard parts!!

Three.

I don't know if you're the parent of a teen, or if you know the parent of a teen, or if you have access to working with teens, but if you fit into any of those scenarios, this article by Jen Wilkin is (in my opinion) a great resource. It teaches parents how to guide their teens into studying the Bible, not by studying any particular book, but by studying THE BIBLE. Anything I've ever read by or about Jen Wilkin leads me to believe she is solid and reputable, and I thought this guide was helpful and manageable. I learned my Bible study methods in my teens (and further deepened those skills in college) so I know how wildly important it is to make sure budding adults are equipped to understand the Word!

Four.

We don't have Netflix, but I've been hearing all about the Marie Kondo show airing on there, and I've also heard if ever there was a time to hit the thrift store, it's now. Marie's inspiring everyone to clean out, so now you can benefit from their castoffs! If you happen upon a surplus of picture frames (which is pretty easy to do at a thrift store) here are some ideas of what you can do with your spoils to give them an upgraded life!

Five.

There are some great lessons on perspective in this post by KariAnne. I think they apply beyond decorating, too, and could be true of any area of life!

Six.

A couple of years, ago, while reviewing books for Revell, I learned of a new author named Liz Johnson. Her first book, The Red Door Inn was about a bed and breakfast on Prince Edward Island, so I probably don't need to explain to you how and why I fell completely in love with book one in this new series. (My review of that book is at the end of this post.) Later that year, the second book in the Prince Edward Island Dreams series, Where Two Hearts Meet, released, and I was so excited to read it for review, too! (That review is here.) Then I had the chance to interview Liz on The Conversation Café, and she was utterly delightful. She was also, at that time, releasing the third book in the series, and I was supposed to received a copy of it, but there were some mix-ups at the publisher and it never arrived.

SADNESS!

But my mom was so kind and fulfilled that item from my wish list for Christmas this year, so I hunkered down this last week to read On Love's Gentle Shore. Sigh. Of. Happiness.

Because it had been a little while since I visited the good island and all its fictional inhabitants, it took me a couple of chapters to remember everyone's names, relationships, and occupations, but in no time at all, I was back on board, loving every corner of the island and the stories of the people who filled the little town.

In this book, Natalie O'Ryan returns to Prince Edward Island, only because her big Nashville music producing fiancé thinks it would make the perfect location for their wedding. He knows she's from there and has heard how beautiful it is...but he doesn't know it's only beautiful to everyone on earth except Natalie O'Ryan. For her, it's the place her childhood fell apart and the place she never wanted to see again. It is also full of the people she never wants to see again. She's sure some are still spreading rumors about her, some utterly failed her, and one in particular broke her heart.

Or maybe she broke his. It kind of depends on which of them you ask. She hopes to get through her six week visit without running into her childhood best friend, Justin Kane, but the island just isn't that big. And when her wedding planner thinks his old dairy barn would make the perfect reception location, Natalie's life gets a little more complicated.

All the warm fuzzies of a perfect romance movie spill out on the pages of this book, and I, for one, loved it. (I would have loved it no matter what, but going through the season we're in right now makes a quick virtual vacation in the pages of a book even more inviting.)

I also happen to love Liz's writing style. Some of her sentences made complete word paintings for me, so rich and full. Take a look:

"The flush-cheeked child inside her tugged on her arm, begging her to pull a 180 and disappear like she'd done all those years ago." (p. 8)

"Her eyebrows danced twice." (p. 29)

"She had at least a few other verbal grenades to lob in his direction...She was just peeking into that sack of ammunition to give them another good shine when Mama Kane whipped up." (p. 74)

"A sudden crack of thunder seemed to signify the collision of their memories..." (p. 159)

And that's just a hint of the beautiful description throughout the book!

Who should read this book? Anyone who loves a good, lighthearted romance. Yes, there are parts that are a little predictable, and I actually enjoy that in a romance novel. It's why I like Hallmark movies so much. Having said that, the book isn't CRAZY predictable. There are a few little twists in it, but the general storyline is pleasing in a way that doesn't tax you while you read. And if you love Prince Edward Island (or the dream of it) like I do, you're likely to enjoy this book - and the entire series, for that matter. Anyone who needs an escape would be a great fit for this book, too. If you're weary of winter and being home, you can take a virtual vacation in the pages of the story.

Great job, Liz, on this book! I'm so glad I finally got to read it! Thanks, Mom, for gifting it to me for Christmas, so I could catch up and escape for a bit!