Beth Vogt is in the House! (And a Book Giveaway)

I’m so excited to host Beth Vogt on the blog today!

Beth is one of the sweetest, most tender-hearted, Christ-centered gals you’d ever want to meet. Her compassion for others resonates immediately. She’s also the kind of person who isn’t afraid to share her heart and admit shortcomings.

I’ll post my review of Somebody Like You below, but first, I asked Beth to talk a moment about a subject near and dear to my heart—faith. Specifically, what keeps Beth grounded in life.

Take it away, Beth!

I have several ‘anchor verses’ — Bible passages that keep me grounded to the truth. One of my favorite passages is Romans 5:1-5 (The Message version). I especially love the promise in verse two, where after being told that we have a relationship with God through faith, it says ‘We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.’

 I love the visual of  ‘the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory.’ For too long I sought the narrowness of Law — just tell me what to do, God, and I’ll do it. But now I’m embracing grace. It’s big. Wide. And at times it’s scary — but it’s where I want to be because God is all about grace.

 

Ahhh. I love it!  A delightful breath of fresh air! (She also does red well. Check out Beth’s boots below—need I remind you that red is my favorite color?)

For months, I looked forward to reading Somebody Like You.

The hook intrigued me:

Can a young widow find love again with her husband’s reflection?

And this…

…A young widow’s world is shattered when she meets her late husband’s identical twin—and finds herself caught between honoring her husband’s memory and falling in love with his reflection. (See more here.)

Of course, with a premise like that, this was a story I knew I would devour.

MY REVIEW

Here’s some background info:

Haley’s three-year marriage to Sam (an army medic) ends tragically when he’s killed in Afghanistan.

Pregnant, alone, and dogged by nightmares of Sam’s death, Haley begins to make a new life for herself in the home she’d hoped to share with the husband who never came back.

She’s emotionally wounded, not eating right, and is troubled by what the future holds. Still, she goes through the motions—after all, she has her baby to consider.

Our story opens with Haley coming home from work one night.

Her mind’s on other things:

How much longer will she continue to work at the firing range in her condition?

The house is in need of some repairs. How will she ever get it all done before the baby arrives?

Why had she never been enough for Sam? Why had the army always come first?

What isn’t on Haley’s mind is the one who’s waiting for her on her front porch—because her husband’s dead…

But is he? Did the military make some awful mistake when they told her Sam was killed?

Stephen is bereft over the death of his twin brother. And the estrangement between them before that should never have happened.

Determined to make sense of it all, Stephen only wants to talk with Haley. The only problem is… Haley never knew Sam had a brother. An identical twin, no less!

Stephen realizes his presence is a shock, but he prepares to face the fallout.

First strangers, then as friends, Haley and Stephen navigate new territory. What begins as a fragile first meeting transcends to a future of possibilities.

As a reader, I was drawn to both characters’ vulnerabilities and the what if questions. Because of their mutual love for Sam, I could understand Haley and Stephen’s need to connect-the-dots and make sense of the past.

As their feelings toward one another blossomed, it was clear they’d have to face taboo territory.

Falling in love with her dead husband’s twin brother? And it being accepted by family and friends?

How would Beth pull that off?

I admit—that’s what made me keep reading!

From beginning to end, Somebody Like You captured my attention. It was a poignant story of  loss and discovery and one that covered it all: raw pain, heartache, healing, grace, hope. Love. (Grab the tissues, pour a cup of tea, and curl up in a quiet spot for some alone time when you come to Chapter Thirty-Six. Beautifully done.)

SLY is a deep read.

It’s a story you’ll want to take time with, absorb, and mull over. When you finish, you’ll contemplate life’s U-turns and the beauty of second chances. The ones that come from a loving Heavenly Father.

MY RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars!

Congratulations, Beth… You made me cry—in a good way. A very good way.

***

Note: I received no monetary payment for my honest review. The book was provided via the publisher.

And let me just say… Although Beth is a friend, I’m tougher on my friends when I do book reviews. As I read, I will not read other reviews during that time so my opinion will remain unbiased. I also take notes and jot out things to myself I want to remember or I list specifics I want to point out to the reader. Sometimes, I’ll not chat much during that time with my friend so my opinion can remain unclouded.

***

Have you ever experienced something traumatic that challenged your perspective?

What has God taught you in your relationships?

 

Leave a comment on today’s post for a chance to win! (If your comment doesn’t post right away—no worries! I’ll check back often and update as necessary.)

RULES for Book Drawing

*You may leave a comment from now through Sunday, 05/18/14, for a chance to win.

*One winner will be drawn at random and the winner will be announced in Monday’s blog post.

*Must be at least 21 or older to enter drawing.

*Contest is void where prohibited.

*Due to mailing restrictions, only U.S. entries will be eligible for a chance to win. (Sorry!)

Thank you so much for stopping by!

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Can a young widow find love again with her husband’s reflection?

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Please stop by for a chance to win Beth Vogt’s Somebody Like You.

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In other news of interest…

My story Words from the Heart made it to the second round of judging in Family Fiction’s short story contest. (Happy Dance!)

If you like my story, I’d appreciate your vote of support for Reader’s Choice. Here’s the link. Thank you ever so much!

Happy Weekend and Blessings Always,