Slow Moon Rising by Eva Marie Everson

A Cedar Key Novel

One family, one secret--and one chance to make it right.

The beautiful Claybourne home on Cedar Key has long been a place of rest, healing, and release. Each member of the family has turned there in times of confusion, loss, and hurt, only to feel their spirits renewed and their hearts restored.

But Cedar Key might also be the birthplace of a lie that is poisoning the family from within.

Join the five Claybourne women--Anise, Kimberly, Jayme-Leigh, Heather, and Ami--as they search the past and confront the truth. Their unique paths will lead them through heartbreak, misunderstandings, and pain. But their journeys will also bring reconciliation with each other and the precious renewal of love in their own lives.

In her lyrical, evocative fashion, Eva Marie Everson weaves a tapestry of complicated relationships that, when complete, reveals the most beautiful work of art there is--family.

My Review:
This is without a doubt one of my favorite novels! How I hated to have it end. Complex characters are written so well that their experiences could be true.

The story is told from the first-person viewpoint of five different Claybourne women. Rather than the usual way of repeating the same scene over and over from a different angle, the author advances the timeline down through the years as each person shares. Therefore, it flows along. The novel begins in the year 2000 and concludes with the current day. I loved piecing the story together. I did not want to to put this one down as long-kept family secrets are revealed.

Here is your summer read. Don't miss this compelling Christian novel.

Thank you to Donna Hausler for my copy. Available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Giveaway! Waiting for Sunrise by Eva Marie Everson

Sometimes finding your future means making peace with your past.

Patsy Milstrap wishes she could leave her past behind. Though she tries to put on a brave front for the sake of her family, the wounds still ache, and the scars on her soul are still deeply felt. At her concerned husband's gentle insistence, they take a vacation from South Carolina on Cedar Key, an idyllic island on Florida's Gulf Coast. A week in paradise will do them good, he says.

When a familiar--and most unexpected--face greets her at a seaside restaurant, Patsy knows she can no longer run from the past. But what will opening old wounds mean? And what will the future hold?

With a large helping of Southern charm, Waiting for Sunrise is a touching story of family, young love, and the need for forgiveness. Eva Marie Everson expertly draws out the bittersweet moments of life, weaving them into a tale that will envelop your soul.

My Review:
This is the second book in the Cedar Key series, but it is the first one that I've read. It can be read alone without having read the first.

Characters are well formed with flaws. This makes for an interesting and complex story line. The reader follows Patsy Milstrap from childhood throughout her adult life. She's a person that I would have liked at any age. Life for Patsy is not easy, but she usually muddles through. She keeps her problems to herself until one day she breaks. I cannot tell you more without divulging the plot.

Trust me, this book is worth reading!

Thank you to Donna Hausler for my copy. Available June, 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

To read the Prologue, click here.

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Chasing Sunsets by Eva Marie Everson

A Cedar Key Novel
Sometimes you get a second chance at your first love.

Kimberly Tucker's life hasn't turned out the way she thought it would. A divorced mother of two, Kim resents her ex-husband for moving on with his life and living it up while she struggles to understand what went wrong. When her sons end up spending five weeks of summer vacation with their father, Kim's own father suggests a respite in the family vacation home on tiny Cedar Key Island. As Kim revisits her childhood memories and loves, she soon discovers that treasures in life are often buried, and mistakes--both past and present--become redeemable in God's hand.

Readers will be swept away to an island retreat where they walk alongside Kim as she discovers that God's answers may not come easily, but they do come.


My Review:
Here's your summer read! Although I live in Florida, I've never been to Cedar Key. However, after reading this delightful book, I feel as if I've just spent a pleasurable vacation there.

I truly enjoyed this contemporary novel. The plot is told in pieces using flashbacks. I like putting the pieces together to form a whole. The characters are well-formed, and the reader will not want to put this book down.

Something to watch for, however, immediately following the end of this story, which concludes on page 368 is a brief introduction on pages 369-373 to the author’s next book, titled Seeking Sunrise, which tells Patsy’s story. This caught me by surprise and at first confused me. I mention it so that you won't be confused.

Thank you to Donna Hausler at Baker Publishing Group for my copy.

Available June, 2011, at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

A Taste of Fame by Linda Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson

The women of the Potluck Catering Club have a growing business. They even became the subject of a budding filmmaker's class project. Problem is, they didn't read the fine print when they signed off on his documentary. When he enters the club in the reality show Great Party Showdown, the ladies of Summit View, Colorado, head to the Big Apple for the unexpected adventure of their lives.

Between navigating New York City, dealing with other cutthroat contestants, and trying to maintain their close friendship in the high-stress world of reality TV, the Potluck women must keep their eyes on the prize--a cool million dollars--and work together if they're going to make it back to Colorado in one piece. A Taste of Fame serves up the perfect blend of humor, misadventure, and mouth-watering recipes. Fans new and old will love this exciting trip into the wild world of competitive cooking!

My Review:
I'll admit it: I'm hooked on reality shows; I watch home decorating shows, cooking shows, and even competition reality television programs. This book is about a show that I'd enjoy watching--a cooking competition for groups.

Written in first-person narrative in the voice of each individual character, helps the reader to follow the chaotic adventures of this diverse group of ladies, who by a mishap, involve themselves in a competitive television reality program. (A few guys join the group to help, to flirt, and to join in the fun.) With the prize a million dollars, along with an iron-clad contract that they signed without bothering to read, the ladies are obligated to plug away in spite of romantic entanglements and a bit of a mystery. I guarantee that the reader will try to figure out who IS "B?"

This is a fun book to read. Not only can I envision it on TV, but I'd sure phone in my vote for the Pot Luck Club to take the grand prize. The recipes for all thirty-six of the dishes used in the competition are included along with a metric conversion guide.

The Potluck Club Cookbook by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson

From the popular authors of the Potluck Club books comes a cookbook loyal fans (and anyone who likes to eat) won't want to miss. The potluck meal makes sharing good, home-cooked food with family and friends simple and easy. Start with a few (or a lot of) guests, bring delicious dishes to share, and mix with love. A proven recipe for success. The authors, veterans of countless potluck dinners, have gathered their favorite recipes. From salads to casseroles to slow-cooker delights, there's something for everyone, even those watching their waistlines. Eating in is the new eating out. These great potluck ideas not only save money, but also build memories to last a lifetime.

About the Authors:
Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson are award-winning authors, successful speakers, radio personalities, and avid readers of fiction. They are the popular authors of The Potluck Club, The Potluck Club--Trouble's Brewing, The Potluck Club--Takes the Cake, and The Secret's in the Sauce. They've also led numerous Bible studies and women's retreats and still find time to be wives and mothers. Linda lives in Colorado, and Eva lives in Florida.

My Review:
Having just read my first Potluck Club book, I looked forward to reviewing the accompanying cookbook. It did not disappoint. The recipes are easy to follow using food items found in most kitchens, with encouraging side notes like, "We always made this dish following the holidays. What a great thing to do with your leftover turkey." and "Here's a no-bake, easy-to-make panful of yum." and "This is one of my husband's very favorite cakes!"

It's organized so that any cook can find a new eating adventure to try. At the end, "Meet the Authors" is an interesting question/answer segment that fans will appreciate. It would be fun for a book club to read a Potluck Club book and hold the discussion meeting with members creating recipes found in this cookbook.

Any new cook or young bride would appreciate this as a gift. In addition, we old (ahem!) veteran cooks will rediscover foods we've tasted at potluck dinners.

Available September 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.