BookLoverAmanda

Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar   4.5 Stars (Rounding Up to 5 on Goodreads ) What a powerful biblical retelling of the story of Rahab. Tessa reimagines the life of the woman whose faith and courage changed history. In typical Tessa Afshar fashion, we see great storytelling and emotional depth. She breaths life into this ancient story. I always love Tessa's stories and this was a 5 star favorite for me. We start the book with Rahab as a young girl, thrown into the harsh realties of life when she is forced into prostitution to support her family. Tessa does not shy away from the pain and shame of Rahab's circumstances but it is written with such compassion. She truly writes a Rahab as a strong and resilient woman. Such a story of brokenness to one of faith. We see the a moving portrait of God's transformative power!  When Rahab meets Salmone, a leader among the Israelites, their relationship becomes the emotional heart of the story. He struggles to leave Rahab's past be...

 Stay with Me by Carolyn Astfalk 4.5 Stars  (4 Stars on Goodreads) This was a pleasant surprise read for me! Recommended by my friend, Tammy, I am so glad to have read this one. This is a Catholic Fiction Contemporary Romance story, and while I am not Catholic, my friend is, and I really enjoyed learning more about Catholicism, their traditions and faith. This couple was a very raw and real one to read about in their relationship and I really enjoyed the writing style too! We start with Rebecca, who has a "meet cute" with the guy working at the grocery store - Chris. Chris is Catholic and Rebecca is Protestant (Non-Denominational) in their faith. They both get to know one another and their affection for one another grows into a beautiful relationship. Rebecca has had a hard life with her father though, who is very overbearing and domineering. He doesn't want Rebecca to date Chris because he is catholic, yet her sister Abby's encouragement allows Rebecca to move on wit...