Family, love, faith, resilience...
595230
A wonderful descriptive piece of history. The tale of a common day family, the Ownbys, living through the civil war in the late 1800s. Outlining all of the hardships, struggles and bitter sweetness of  human colonized existence, Rita does an excellent job in setting up the story, describing the time and place, and successfully painting a picture and transporting the reader to that era.  I applaud Rita for her dedicated research into her background and history, and it clearly shows in her writing how much she is passionate about civic duty, honoring her roots and community.
4489593
I really enjoyed this book about how love and spirit can redeem the bond of family, and how people can overcome their past and current difficulties. It's more than a love story, but more about families.
1920943
I loved the book, simple lives surrounded by everything one needs to live a harmonious life, with love, family and all things, and everyone working together to make things seem simple, each family member contributing what's needed to show their love for each other, even during loses and hard times, love was their strength.
4154166
The family bond and love for our dear Lord and savior. Their faith saw them through the loss of family members. I shed many tears, reading about the lives, of the Baxter family. Thank you for bringing this story, too remind us to be thankful, and remember the joy heaven will bring.
1333043
Samuel and Mary Ruth and their families face struggles that seem unending. Faith, family, forgiveness and love win over doubt, fast friends, failure, fear and condemnation.
2381788
Nan Rossiter's "Under a Summer Sky" introduces readers to two young adults, Noah and Laney, just as they fall in love.  Then suddenly twenty-odd years later, and couple now has five sons: two on the cusp of manhood, two in the awkward "will it ever end" teen years and one sensitive seven-year old enduring his first experience with bullying.  The book follows the family through one important summer: filled with hidden health crises, young love, new pets joining families, old pets dying, and others entering different phases of their life, the family's preparations for a favorite uncle's wedding, the brothers creating daily chaos as only five brother can do, and their minister father and his wife reflecting the love begun so many years ago now deepened by years of marriage, and all undergirded by a strong yet simple faith in God's concern for his children, and ability to provide guidance, direction, and protection, even when things don't  work out the way one thinks they should. The story line is not tightly wound with constant twists and turns, and though the reader does not ER to examine the deep workings of the character's psychs, these are people Rossiter helps us tI care out and observe their varying levels of commitment to their, faith, to each other, and heir shared value system.  We can learn from this family as they deal with issues from death to social bullying.  Why are they so committed to one another? What traditions became the twine to hold them together? Do they follow in lock-step or do their responses to similar situations differ?  How do they handle crises?  What really makes this multi-generational family tick?  Rossiter creates a thought-provoking family that makes us gently probe our own family connections, values and traditions. I recommend this book to readers looking less for dynamic story lines and wildly vivid characters, and more for "something that makes you go: huh?"
1860820
Hurricane Season by Lauren K. Denton is an amazing story of family relationships.  Betsy and Jenna are sisters who were raised by career focused parents.  Betsy and her husband Ty are the owners of Franklin Dairy Farm in southern Alabama.  The farm has been in Ty's family for years.  When he was just 15 years old his grandfather informed him it would be his one day.  After eight years of marriage, Betsy and Ty have been unable to have children and are working on accepting this.
Jenna is the younger sister who has always been a free spirit.  She is a single mother of two little girls who works at at coffee shop.  Jenna has always loved photography, but has put that aside to make a living for her family.  A friend encourages her to apply to an art retreat and she gets accepted.  With no one else to care for her children, she takes them to Betsy for the two weeks of the retreat.  While at the retreat, she is invited to spend the rest of the summer there.
Betsy and Ty are having many struggles.  Betsy is trying to move past not being a mother. She did not consult Ty before taking Jenna's girls and Ty is upset about this.  When Jenna does not return when she says she will, Betsy and Ty wonder is she will come back for the girls.  It is soon hurricane season and Ty and his crew are busy preparing the farm to possible damage.  Having survived other hurricane's they know what to watch for and how to prepare.
This is a great story that focuses on family and doing what needs to be done for family.  This story is so well written, it is easy to get lost in it.  The story touches on real life issues, such as infertility, single motherhood, and doing what is needed.  The things in the story that stand out to me, are  how Betsy has taken on projects to help the farm.  And, that with going to the retreat, Jenna is able to think of ways she can have a job to support her family as well as find time to pursue her love of photography.  But the thing that stands out the most are the memories the sisters have of their childhood, of having each other for support when the parents were too busy for them.  Especially the memories of Betsy trying to talk her parents into allowing Jenna pursue photography  I really think anyone who enjoys modern day story of family relationships will enjoy this book.  While this book is published by Thomas Nelson, a Christian publishing company, there is minimal Christian references.  The only references are going to church and praying.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, this is my honest review.
4465456
When a family deals with the heartbreak of a child born with adversity, the true strength of faith shines through again and again.  This journey of David and his parents is a lesson in unconditional love, unbridled courage and amazing grace through which they could learn from each other the deep wonderful meanings of life however long we have to enjoy it.  All who knew David were blessed again and again by his faith and trust.  Written in an easy to read style, the book captures real human emotions and insights into how one deals with the rougher times in life to come out a winner.
3361480
Loved this book!  Fun family, with some baggage (like every family), living life together. Walking through the day-to-day with faith and family as priorities.  Enjoyed the story and development, as truth  continued to come out.  Enjoyable read!
3497819
A wonderful read and an amazing story about a family like so many, and yet so extraordinary.  Amazing to me how the author consistently chose to love, through challenge after challenge.  She chose to love, and learn, and live!  So inspiring and hopeful!  Engaging writing style -- didn't want to put it down!
2268602
This was a great read full of family, love, second chances, and forgiveness. I loved the emphasis placed on unconditional love both from family and God. Anytime a book shows a character develping a closer relationship with God I am reminded that is why I love Christian Fiction.

This book tackles the hard subjects of adoption, Foster Care, guardianship, and even a little about gangs. These are tough subjects but they need to be talked about more and this book handled them all very well. I especially found Lauren's memories of Foster Care to be so profound. And even though I haven't experienced it I feel it was portrayed pretty accurately showing the fear those kids live with.

I love books with a lot of romance but I was kind of glad this one focused more on the child and family relationships because it suited the book better.

I would like to see another book so I could get some closure on what happens next for Wyatt. So much of the book was about him and I want to know what is next for him.

I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
2826656
I loved this book!! The persistance of God's love, power, weaving of lives together in the realities of life were the truth!  This family's love, FAITH is a standing power of the works, vastness, greatness of God's existance in our lives, if we let him.  Thank you for writing this book, I am a Military Mom and my son has been over in the Middle East 4 times, he is on his last tour.  God bless you and please write a sequel!! Blessings, Kate Lorish
246169
Love can hold a family together when they think there is no one but each other. Then love comes out of the protector.
1610366
A story of love lost, love found.  Family and friendship.  A true feeling of love, building, re-building and growth.  Amazing!
2749390
This story is about the love of family. The faith that human nature is inherently good, and home really is where the heart is.  It touched my heart, made me laugh, and made me recommend to many friends. Read this story. And B. Thankful Childe will be a life long friend.
2008598
Three sisters face some hard challenges of real life.  Husband infidelity, abuse, being a single mom, aging parents, physical therapy, and guilt.  Family is portrayed with
All the good and bad with sisters helping each other overcome life's challenges.  A great fiction story with only one real life ingredient to getting through hard times missing, the hope and presence of God.  He is there even when family is not.
289397
Kari L. Burke has written a wonderful story about the real world struggles of a large family and the challenges of living their faith when times are at their most difficult.  She has a smooth writing style that allows the story to flow effortlessly and brings you right into the struggles of O'Brien family when faced with having to lead by example and trust in God's plan, even when the obstacles seem insurmountable.

Burke's story celebrates a deep respect for life and the difficulty all people of faith have when trying to act selflessly in a world that rejects such an approach.

Every mother, especially of a large family, will enjoy Burke's insight into the delicate balancing act of being a mother, wife, confidant and friend.  Their family pressures with money and in-laws, work and the unexpected bumps that occur in a marriage is something with which every couple can identify.

It's an enjoyable book that is both touching and inspiring.