Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Dreaming on Daisies by Miralee Ferrell - REVIEWED

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Dreaming on Daisies
David C. Cook (October 1, 2014)
by
Miralee Ferrell



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Miralee and her husband, Allen, live on 11 acres in Washington State. She loves to minister to women (as a certified Lay Counselor with the AACC) or through her writing, riding her horse, working in her flower beds and playing with her dogs—her 7 lb, long-haired Chihuahua, Lacey, spends a lot of time on her lap while Miralee is writing. Miralee speak at various women’s functions and has taught at writers’ conferences. She’s been writing since 2005, and her first book released in 2007. Since then, she’s had 10 more books release, both in women’s contemporary fiction and historical romance, and she’s had the honor of being a best-selling and award-winning author.



ABOUT THE BOOK

When her father's debts, brought on by heavy drinking, threaten Leah Carlson's family ranch, she fights to save it. When handsome banker Steven Harding must decline her loan request, he determines to do what he can to help. Just as he arrives to serve as a much-needed ranch hand, Leah's family secrets—and the pain of her past—come to a head. They could destroy everything she's fought for. And they could keep her from ever opening her heart again.

This is western historical romance that offers hope and healing to the deepest wounds in a woman's past.



My Thoughts:
And what if I’m part of God’s answer?”  (p. 97)

What a loaded question this turns out to be!!  I think Steven never imagined how many lives would be changed through his relationship with Leah.  Of course he had no idea, at the time he spoke those words, of all the pain the Leah and her family had already walked through.  And Leah had to learn the family behind Steven too. 

I think that is what surprised me about this novel – well, pleasantly surprised me – because all of the family ties that unfold, all of the generational ties, it made the relationship that grew between Leah and Steven so much deeper, so much more poignant!!  Trust was hard for both of them for a lot of reasons.  Relationship in general was difficult for both of them.  But I love the way Miralee Ferrell builds and connects all of the layers of relationship in the story!  It winds up being far more complex than I thought it would be, but that complexity represents a very present reality for a LOT of readers!  On so many levels!

Families aren’t perfect, and though love and loyalty exist, families also suffer addictions, betrayals and hardship along the way.  Ferrell weaves a very believable faith through some of the lives of her characters as she reveals the hard parts of their lives.  She does a beautiful job of showing how God woos them to His heart.


This is a very rich novel in many ways.  I almost turned it away as a review opportunity, because I wasn’t keen on a Western romance.  This is SO MUCH more!! I am happy to recommend this novel!

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Dreaming on Daisies, go HERE.

2 comments:

Steve Finnell said...

CATHOLIC WORSHIP? BY STEVE FINNELL

The Roman Catholic Church teaches the church itself is God's authority here on earth. They believe the Bible is second in authority to the Catholic Church.

Catholics worship the Pope, the Virgin Mary, and other dead saints by offering up prayers to them.

Worship Defined: Reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage.

Do Catholics pray to the Pope? Yes. A Costa Rican woman told how she recovered from a brain aneurysm after praying to the Blessed Pope John Paul II, who died in 2005. The woman stated that the Pope answered her prayer in 2011.( a google search can confirm this) Praying to people, dead or alive is worship.

Acts 10:25-26 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, Stand up; I myself am also a man.(NKJV)

The apostles Peter did not accept worship from men.(Peter was not a Pope. The office of Pope is not mentioned in the Bible)

Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, Away with you, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.'"(NKJV)

The Lord your God does not include the Pope, the Virgin Mary, or any other saints dead or alive. Man cannot answer prayers, only God can answer prayers.

Do you really want to trust the Catholic Church as the authority for your faith and practice.

God wrote the Bible He did not write Catholic Church doctrine.

PRAYING TO GOD IS WORSHIPING GOD!

Praying to men is worshiping men!


YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY BLOG. http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com

Miralee Ferrell said...

Hi Kim, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the well-thought-out review you posted on my book. It's truly the type of review authors love to see. Instead of just retelling the story, you gave your personal thoughts and you dug deep as to what appealed to you as you read. Thank you so much for your time! I hope you'll consider posting this on Amazon and Goodreads, if you haven't already. Blessings!