Saturday, July 27, 2019

Review + GIVEAWAY: Cross My Heart by Robin Lee Hatcher



About the Book

Book: Cross My Heart
Author: Robin Lee Hatcher
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release date: June 25, 2019

Can two broken paths lead toward God’s redemption?

When Ashley Showalter and Ben Henning meet on Ashley’s horse rescue farm, they quickly discover how much they have in common. Both were raised by single moms. Both want to help where they see a need. And both work with horses in the Boise valley. Ben needs Ashley’s help and expertise after starting an equine therapy barn on his great-great-grandfather’s farm—and the more time they spend together, both Ashley and Ben have the feeling that there could be something more between them.

They also carry the burden of past experiences that may drive them apart if the truth is ever revealed. Ben is a recovering alcoholic with five years of sobriety behind him, while Ashley’s brother is an opioid addict residing in court-ordered rehab. Holding fast to the belief that addicts can never be cured, Ashley has promised herself she will never walk knowingly into the chaos created by addiction. Ben knows that with God, all things are possible—but will Ashley find it within herself to give love a chance? Or will her brother’s mistakes and the pain of her past jeopardize her future with Ben?

Cross My Heart threads together a contemporary love story with the heartwarming tale of Ben’s great-great-grandfather, Andrew Henning—reminding us that God’s Word is timeless and that His promises are new every morning.

Click here to grab your copy.


My Thoughts


There’s just something special about the writing of Robin Lee Hatcher, and Cross My Heart continues the trend of spiritually uplifting stories with rich, complex characterization and emotional depth. This story of addiction, grace and redemption moves at a steady pace that allowed me to be enveloped in the rural Idaho setting and life of Ben and Ashley, as well as Andrew and Helen of generations past. Although number 2 in the series, this story easily stands alone.

Hatcher excels at crafting stories that entertain while conveying a relevancy through situations and struggles that connects with all readers in some way. Ben is a recovering alcoholic who knows the grace of God firsthand, resulting in a peace, steadiness, and certainty of purpose. Ashley has been touched by addiction through her brother and is understandably guarded, trying to “fix” or control everything in her life by herself. The physical, emotional and spiritual connection between these two propels the storyline in a most satisfying way.

Horses make great heroes and the field of equine therapy – broken horses helping broken people – is fascinating. Ben’s response to Ashley’s question as to why he wanted to open an equine therapy barn simply conveys it all … “The short answer to your question is God told me that’s what I’m supposed to do with the farm. Make it a place where spirits get healed and hope gets restored through the use of horses.”

Faith themes are a natural part of the story, just as they should be. The “Legacy of Faith” series title is reflective of the overarching theme of a legacy of faith, exemplified in Andrew Henning’s Bible. The story of Andrew and Helen Henning in the 1940s during World War II is continued as two sons enter into the fighting, and his sustaining faith is shared when the current possessor of his heirloom Bible feels spiritually led to pass it on to another family member.

Whether it be with animals or humans, rescue, healing, recovery, and the gaining/giving of trust is a slow process, and I appreciated how the reality of this process is conveyed. Cross My Heart is a wonderfully engaging story of forgiveness, healing, second chances, letting go of and not being defined by our past. I really can’t say enough good things about this story.

Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.


   

About the Author



      Robin Lee Hatcher is the author of over 75 novels and novellas with over five million copies of her books in print. She is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. 
      Robin is an ACFW Carol Award winner and an eight-time finalist and has won two RITA Awards and been a finalist eleven times. Her numerous other awards include the Christy Award, the HOLT Medallion, the National Reader’s Choice Award, and the Faith, Hope & Love Reader’s Choice Award. She is also the recipient of prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards from both American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. 
      When not writing, she enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, Bible art journaling, reading books that make her cry, watching romantic movies, and decorative planning. A mother and grandmother, Robin and her husband make their home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with a demanding Papillon dog and a persnickety tuxedo cat. 
      For more information, visit robinleehatcher.com; Facebook: robinleehatcher; or Twitter: @robinleehatcher. 


More from Robin

MY WRITING DESK 
ROBIN LEE HATCHER


I have a wonderful home office with a large screen iMac and the perfect place to keep important papers and reminders right in front of me for easy access. There is also a bed for my dog, Boo, because no office is complete without a bed to welcome the dog. Right? 

I also do a lot of writing while seated in a big easy chair in the living room. It all depends upon my mood and how many reference books I might need at the time. 

My office usually looks neat when I begin a book. By the time I’m writing the end, the room has become a disaster—stacks of papers demanding my attention and a layer of dust are the most obvious issues.

My office also serves as my art studio (where I do decorative planning and Bible art journaling), so every inch that isn’t taken up by writing related items is filled with art related ones—paints, washi tape, stickers, pens galore, etc. 

An early riser naturally, I consider sleeping in to be anything after 6 AM. On a normal writing day, I try to get in half an hour on the treadmill first thing in the morning (and often return to it for ten minutes segments a couple other times during the day). Then I sit at my desk or in my easy chair to do my Bible study. And finally I begin writing. 

I can usually create new words for about four hours or so a day. The rest of the work day is filled with editing, revising, research, and correspondence with publisher, agent, readers, and other writers. I have an active online presence which needs attention daily, as well.

I am also a late-in-life part time college student, taking my classes online, so at least a couple of days a week, you’ll find me doing assignments and taking quizzes. For some reason, I rarely use my office for that. The kitchen table seems to suit me better. Probably because it is a large table and I can really spread out. 

I feel very blessed to be able to work at home. I had a full time job when I wrote my first book. In fact, I wrote nine novels over the course of nine years while still working full time. The month my ninth book released, I quit my job in order to write full time. Seventy books and almost 28 years later, I’m still at it. As I said, I am blessed.



Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away a grand prize of a copy of her book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the image above or the link below to enter.



Blog Stops

Cultivating Us, July 30
EmpowerMoms, August 2
Moments, August 3
Remembrancy, August 4
Hallie Reads, August 6
Wishful Endings, August 8

5 comments:

  1. Hi, Carole. I haven't read Robin in a long time; this review makes me want to get back into her stories.

    Just a side note. I tried going "here" but got an error 404.

    Thanks for doing these reviews, they are helpful and a blessing.
    Kim

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    1. Kim, sometimes links don't work when copying & pasting text, but I think it connects with Amazon now. Thanks for letting me know; I should have checked when posting.

      I haven't read all of Hatcher's earlier books, but the last few series have been really good. I love that she doesn't shy away from spiritual content and makes it relevant to every reader.

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  2. I've read some of Robin Lee Hatcher's books and loved them. I look forward to reading this one!

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    1. All that I've read so far have really been good, Susie. I love the way she weaves a relevant spiritual message with a moving story.

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  3. Carole, thank you for the wonderful review! I've not yet had the pleasure of reading Robin Lee Hatcher's books.

    ReplyDelete