MARCH NEWSLETTER-a Texas romance book review and green teatime treats

May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

~~Psalm 19:14 (KJV)

This month, we drove across the state of Texas, from the western desert plains, with bright yellow poppies along the roadsides, to the beautiful treed areas of the eastern part of the state, where I especially enjoyed red bud trees we saw blooming along the highways toward the end of our drive.

MY REVIEW OF THE PASTOR’S EASTER PRAYER

The Pastor’s Easter Prayer, by Tina Radcliffe, is set in the fictional town of Tumbleweed, Texas, the setting of a new Harlequin Love Inspired series.

A delightful story filled with small town charm! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Pastor’s Easter Prayer brings uplifting enjoyment to the reader. Pastor Rob Sterling falls in love with single mother Hannah Bryant in the close knit community of Tumbleweed, Texas. 

As Pastor “Clark Kent” reawakens to his faith, he begins to move forward with the help and encouragement of dedicated church secretary, Hannah Bryant. God placed the idea of establishing a food pantry on his heart, and the two work together to make this dream come true. Hannah’s two young sons are also involved, with wonderful lessons of compassion, understanding, and accepting responsibility. I loved reading how the community came together to work toward financing and opening this food pantry.

The attraction between Pastor Rob and Hannah progresses sweetly, while they confront a few bumps along the way. Their faith gives them the strength to endure some emotional challenges. I liked all the characters and cheered for the couple to recognize the Lord’s plan for them.

The theme of forgiveness is one of my favorites in books. Add in second chances for happiness and the story is elevated even more. We know tragedy can leave one lost,  perhaps faced with feelings of guilt, not knowing how to break out of grief. This book provides an example of finding hope in forgiveness, even when forgiveness of oneself is necessary.

Tumbleweed, Texas is the kind of town we’d all like to live in….friends helping each other, community involvement, and delightful shops. (I’d love to stop at Sweet Dreams Bakery on Cupcake Wednesday for one…or more…of Luna Perez’s chocolate cupcakes!) If you like romances with heartfelt characters and the encouragement of small town communities, I highly recommend The Pastor’s Easter Prayer by talented author Tina Radcliffe!

Favorite quotes:

“I know it can be hard to understand that God’s timing isn’t our timing and the answer to prayer comes in different ways.”

“Life isn’t neat with a bow tied on top. We don’t always get our questions answered, and sometimes nothing makes sense. Sometimes, you just gotta go with your gut. Like I said in the pantry yesterday. Let go and trust the Lord.

*I received an ARC of this book with no requirement to write a positive review. I’m posting my honest opinion.

If you’ve read my blog for awhile, you know Tina Radcliffe is one of my favorite authors. Her stories are always engaging and uplifting. I hope you will enjoy her contribution to the Tumbleweed, Texas series. To find out more about the author, please visit her website: https://www.tinaradcliffe.com

TEATIME TREATS

Today I’m serving mini-cupcakes decorated for St. Patricks’s Day. Please help yourself to a couple….. or three!

Instead of tea, today I’m serving a refreshing iced green latte (with delicious sweet cream foam) from Spencer’s Place. From their website: “Spencer’s Place provides adults with disabilities job training and direct skill development to earn a paycheck, build relationships, gain a sense of purpose, and show the community the beauty of diversity and inclusion.”

Thank you for joining me today for a book review and teatime treats. I’ll leave you with a modified version of a traditional Irish blessing:

THE BACKPACKER’S BLESSING

May the trail be gentle before you.

May the wind be soft upon your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your hat;

and the rain pause ’til your tent is up.

Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

With prayers and blessings, Sherida