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Saturday, June 22, 2013

New Giveaway! Now I'm giving away Take a Chance on Me by Susan May Warren (with bonus review)


About the book:

Darek Christiansen is almost a dream bachelor—oldest son in the large Christiansen clan, heir to their historic Evergreen Lake Resort, and doting father. But he’s also wounded and angry since the tragic death of his wife, Felicity. No woman in Deep Haven dares come near. 

New assistant county attorney Ivy Madison simply doesn’t know any better when she bids on Darek at the charity auction. Nor does she know that when she crafted a plea bargain three years ago to keep Jensen Atwood out of jail and in Deep Haven fulfilling community service, she was releasing the man responsible for Felicity’s death. All Ivy knows is that the Christiansens feel like the family she’s always longed for. And once she gets past Darek’s tough exterior, she finds a man she could spend the rest of her life with. Which scares her almost as much as Darek learning of her involvement in his wife’s case. 

Caught between new love and old grudges, Darek must decide if he can set aside the past for a future with Ivy—a future more and more at risk as an approaching wildfire threatens to wipe out the Christiansen resort and Deep Haven itself.

My review:

I am not a huge fan of contemporary fiction, but this story touched my heart. I live in an area surrounded by forests and mountains so the part where the fire raged out of control reminded me a lot of the fires in my community several years ago. Anyway, there were two parallel love stories going in this book. I enjoyed both of them equally. Yes, there were the usual secrets, but they were believable ones. We often make assumptions in life that aren't true. We often judge without all of the facts. We can get angry over a situation and hold it in until it consumes our peace. There is a bit of each of these characters in every one of us.

The story started out a bit slow, but I was pulled in once I got to know Ivy more. Her story as a foster child got me choked up a few times, and when she visited Tiger's grandmother...my goodness, the tightness in the throat and gentle sting of tears. Anyway, this story went deeper in that it also address the need for love and belonging. The fact that Ivy struggled with getting close to people made a lot of sense. So did her need for justice. I loved her character. That scene with Darek's mother... oh my, the waterworks got started there as well. There were a lot of things to ponder that go beyond mere entertainment.

The spiritual thread was present and well done. There was nothing sappy about the application. I loved how the author does that so seamlessly. The scene regarding forgiveness and the support in the courtroom, oh boy did that make a lump form in my throat. I found my lashes beating rapidly, too. This was a very touching story with depth and insight into things the that matter in all of our lives. Again, not a huge fan of contemporary fiction, but these characters won over my heart. 

Now for the question...

I appreciate a story that makes my eyes sting with tears at least once. What kind of stories make you cry?

A winner will be chosen next Sunday using "the hat" randomizer program.



12 comments:

artst4christ said...

Oh to quote Graham (Jude Law) from The Holiday *insert accent* "I'm a major weeper", separations, reunions, deaths, engagements....if it's in a book, song, or movie and is led up to in a way to try to make someone cry...I am that someone. I cry every time I watch Rose and the Doctor separated by a wall forever (any Whovians out there?). I can't think of any books off the top of my head but there have been plenty of them, I cry when a song reminds me of a sad part of a movie, I cried when Frodo said goodbye to Sam at the end of Return of the King. I cry at Hallmark commercials. If the right guy ever finds (and marries) me I can't imagine what I'll be like when I'm pregnant! Examples of love I guess is the easiest way to describe it, whether between friends or a couple, whether someone is lost and being missed or true love is finally discovered...I'm a sucker for the romantic side of life.

Abbi Hart said...

I'm not a big crier but books sometimes bring the waterworks out. It's pretty exclusively deaths that make me cry especially the ones where the person who dies has a large emotional connection to the hero or heroine.
Thank you so much for this giveaway! I'm dying to read this book!

Merry said...

I have a tender heart and if something touches a cord with me, I will get tears in my eyes or cry. My family teases me about my need for tissues when I read or watch a movie. I can sit down while my girls are watching a movie and be crying in a moment if it is one of those scenes that moves me! :)
Worthy2bpraised at gmail dot com

Emma said...

What kind of stories make you cry? All kinds of stories .Thank you so much for this giveaway!

Andrea said...

A lot of times these contemporary Christian novels will make me try. This author in particular is one of my favorites and can make me feel part of the story. I'm always up for a good cry.

Unknown said...

All kinds of stories make me cry. It depends on the scene. Sometimes a certain scene will make me cry. I cried for Titanic, Ghost, Beauty and the Beast. Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me. Tore923@aol.com

Sheri said...

The types of stories that make me cry are the ones that have heartache in them. The heartache can either be caused by loveloss, sickness, death, etc. It is so easy to feel like you are part of a good story and then you feel what the characters are experiencing. . .

Sheri
hspruitt[at]frontiernet{dot}net

karenk said...

lots of stories pull on my heartstrings...thanks for the chance to read this one :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

Well I really don't do sappy books, I hate to cry! But I must say Nicholas sparks is my contender, his books are so emotional. A love story, with imperfect people and yet he makes us want to be with the hero and be the heroine. The guys are always alpha romantic without the sappy awkwardness.

Anne Payne said...

I usually cry over death scenes. One in particular had me weeping while reading a book by Ronie Kendig. Or I'll cry over a favorite character being written out of a series. Sometimes a super romantic gesture can make me cry. I'm the person who cries when the Hallmark commercials play, or the Folgers coffee commercial from years ago when the son came home from the service and surprised his mom with a cup of coffee...yep. I cry a lot.

I would LOVE to read this book. Been salivating over it since it came out but the library hasn't bought it and I can't possibly buy every book I want to read :)

Have a great 4th of July celebration!

homesteading[at]charter[dot]net

Nancee said...

This book sounds great! I get teary eyed when the characters are in pain due to life circumstances, some more than others. Thanks for a wonderful review and offering a giveaway!
Nancee
quiltcat26[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

Julie Lessman said...

Great review, Michelle -- you sold me on this one. Of course, I love Susie May's books anyway, so not a hard sell for sure.

I LOVE books that wreak havoc with my emotions, especially in the romance genre, so this one sounds right up my alley.

I find I cry the most when spiritual truths are revealed in a novel because nothing pierces my heart more than the awareness of God's love and truth in a character's life or my own.

Hugs,
Julie

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