The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy

Audrey Woods and her husband Pastor Geoff have just been asked to leave their church. They decide to remain in their small town and open a bakery to capitalize on a love of bread baking. As Audrey comes to work early one morning, she collides with a motor scooter in dense fog. Even though it is obvious that the scooter driver has been injured, there is no sign of her. The missing woman’s husband is the town detective and the person that masterminded Audrey and Geoff’s ouster at the church. He is convinced that Audrey has murdered his wife, Julie, and hidden her body. As the police department’s frustration grows at not being able to find Julie, her husband takes matters into his own hands. Audrey must act quickly in order to find Julie and to rescue her husband and son.

This book was a very enjoyable read. The plot moved along and kept me interested. I found the characters to be very real, even though it was obvious that they represented different types of believers in Christ. The author’s message of grace and humility versus legalism and unforgiveness was plain to see. The ending, although it did not completely satisfy my curiosity, left me with hope for the characters. I would highly recommend this book for its writing and the story line. This is my honest opinion and I thank the publisher for this free copy.

Rooms by James Rubart

The main character, Micah Taylor is a very successful software engineer. He has started his own company and lives his life in the fast lane. Completely unexpectedly, his strange Uncle Archie leaves him a mansion overlooking the ocean. This is no ordinary home, however. The rooms of his home reveal what is in his heart. Micah must decide where his true life is—as a software engineer or as a follower of Christ. He is given a rare gift—the ability to see what changes occur as a result of his actions and decisions.

It is an interesting concept that leaves the reader with much to think about. At first the writing style put me off and I was tempted not to finish the book. The author did take quite a bit of time developing the plot, but once I got into the book a bit, I wanted to see how it turned out. The twists in the plot did catch me by surprise and kept me interested. I do wish, however, that the ending had been a little more specific. This book would be a good read for those who like science fiction combined with some romance. The publisher gave me a free copy to read and this is my honest opinion.

Not in the Heart by Chris Fabry

Chris Fabry writes an excellent novel about Truman Wiley and his struggle to be the husband and father his family needs. As a journalist, Truman has traveled extensively and interviewed many news worthy subjects. As a father and husband he has failed his family by gambling away their resources and abandoning them. When he is at his lowest point in his career and his son is dying in the hospital, Tru is offered the opportunity of writing a book about a convicted murderer on death row. This convict, Terrell, has agreed to donate his heart to Tru’s son. As Truman investigates the murder in order to write the book, he begins to uncover evidence which leads him to question Terrell’s conviction. These questions carry him into danger personally and professionally. His decisions may cost either his son’s or Terrell’s life.
I have read a couple of Mr. Fabry’s novels and enjoyed them. This one was no exception. I appreciate his writing style and humor. The characters are well-fleshed out. The plot and Truman’s struggles kept me reading. Even though I was disgusted at Truman’s choices during some of the story, I came to appreciate him for his humanity. I give Mr. Fabry kudos for his treatment of sin and sinners in a way that shows sin for what it is and yet makes readers able to identify with the sinners. I devoured this book in less than three days and highly recommend it. The publisher provided me with this free book and this is my honest review. This book is scheduled for publication in April.