I appreciate Elizabeth George’s books do very much. This one is no different. There is such a beautiful balance of Scripture with practical advice.
In this book, she covers so many areas that apply to any woman: spiritual growth, friendships, words, time management, and so much more. It was applicable to me as a single girl and it would be equally as applicable to a married woman. I highly recommend this!
I loved returning to Canyon Mines with more genealogy mysteries puzzled over by Jillian. This one was fun to solve alongside her. There were some expected and some unexpected twists, which I enjoyed.
While this could have very easily turned into a dark and questionable mystery, it didn’t. Overall, it was a light read with no unpleasant surprises.
I especially enjoyed Nolan and Jillian’s father/daughter relationship.
The spiritual content was basically only in the historical setting, not in the modern one. I found in her last book that the spiritual thread was one of the weak points. I will say, though, that what was in the historical plot was fairly consistent and threaded through the story with references to the Psalms for comfort and prayers to God for safety.
There was some romance. It was the sweet and just-starting romance type. I don’t recall anything that made me cringe or would keep me from handing this to a teen reader.
I find Olivia Newport’s strength to be in creating gripping scenarios. And the Parisis! Oh my! Because the maffia?! All I’ll say.
*I received this book from the publisher and happily provided my honest review*
About the Book
Book: When I Meet You
Author: Olivia Newport
Genre: Christian fiction
Release Date: May, 2020
Book 3 in the Tree of Life Series: A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Faith Journeys on Family Trees
A trunk abandoned at Denver’s Union Station more than a century ago leads Jillian and Nolan to untangle the mystery of its contents—including correspondence with the head of Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency Denver office. While Nolan digs into the legalities of the findings, Jillian searches for the descendants of a stolen identity who might not be who they think they are on Colorado ranch land. When Drew seems anxious to hear what Jillian has to say but his Great Aunt Min slams the subject closed—twice—Jillian is all the more determined to find out what happened to the woman who never claimed her luggage, why Min doesn’t want to talk about it, and what will happen for Drew if he gets the answers he seeks.
When I Meet You is the third book in the Tree of Life series by Olivia Newport. You’ll want to return to the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that will inspire you to connect with your own family histories and unique faith journeys.
Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. Her husband and twentysomething children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of Pikes Peak.
More from Olivia
Stolen Identity or Stolen Secrets?
Years ago I made a business trip to a country in Asia. Somehow I managed to pack for two weeks in carry-on luggage. This was before everyone started carrying electronic devices that required a bag of their own, and the impoverished area I visited had only intermittent electricity anyway.
When it was time to come home, my luggage met the requirements to keep it with me as I traveled halfway around the world through several airports. But at the boarding gate, a woman pushed a cart stacked with six oversized and overstuffed suitcases, insisting she had to take all of them on the plane. Her argument was that she couldn’t risk losing her personal belongings. She was moving back to the States, this was everything she owned, and she just wasn’t having this nonsense about abiding by the same limitations as the other 300 people in line or that none of those bags would fit in an overhead compartment anyway. The airline staff began waving people around her to get the large aircraft boarded on time for an international flight. She was one of the last people to take her seat—without her bags.
I admit I prefer keeping my bags with me and getting in and out of airports quickly. And once my bags didn’t come off the same plane I did, and it took a few hours for them to be delivered to me.
But what happens to truly unclaimed baggage? One-half to one percent of baggage that goes through American airports is never claimed. Airlines will try for ninety days to find the owners. If they can’t, they have to do something with it. Generally it’s sold, sight unseen, to the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Alabama. There it is opened and sorted into what can be cleaned and sold in their store, what might be donated, and what has no value and is disposed of as trash. They find some pretty interesting things!
But my brain goes back to the curious question of why the baggage is unclaimed in the first place.
It’s not just because the airline lost it. We’ve all seen the lines of suitcases that baggage handlers remove from the circling conveyer belt because they’ve been around enough times that it’s obvious no one is there to pick them up after the flight. People got off the plane and left the airport without their bags. Why?
My new book, When I Meet You, raises the same question about travel in the railroad era. A trunk abandoned at Denver’s Union Station more than a century ago surfaces, leading genealogist Jillian and her lawyer father, Nolan, to untangle the mystery of its contents—including correspondence with the head of Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency Denver office. While Nolan digs into the legalities of the findings, Jillian searches for the descendants of a stolen identity who might not be who they think they are on Colorado ranch land. When Drew seems anxious to hear what Jillian has to say but his Great Aunt Min slams the subject closed—twice—Jillian is all the more determined to find out what happened to the woman who never claimed her luggage, why Min doesn’t want to talk about it, and what will happen for Drew if he gets the answers he seeks.
When I Meet You is the third book in the Tree of Life series. Return to the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that will inspire you to connect with your own family histories and unique faith journeys.
This is my first “Be” book to read and wow. I’m not sure where to start. It is so practical and so biblical, so refreshing and so encouraging, so needful in the reminders.
I appreciated Warren Wiersbe’s approach. Using solid, Biblical examples for ministry. Digging into the lives of Paul, Timothy, and other New Testament believers. Drawing parallels between these people of history and today. So many statements were directly back by Scripture.
There were so many subjects covered, rooted in the verses of Philippians: Ministry. Submission. Service. Sacrifice. Joy. Peace. Salvation. Evangelism.
I highlighted dozens of quotes. This will definitely not be my last of the “Be” series to read!
“It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.” Luke 1:3-4
Luke could have said, “Well, someone else did something similar, I don’t have to do it too.” Instead, he followed what I firmly believe was God’s prompting to pen this letter… and we are still blessed by it over 2,000 years later.
This reminds me to never underestimate my obedience to God. It doesn’t matter if someone else already did something similar or if someone else could maybe do a better job. If God has led me in this way, I should follow.
The first time I read Jen Turano, I loved her humor and hilarious situations. It’s been several years, so I thought I would try again.
I found the era and setting intriguing and enjoyed when she described the store and how the women employees were so quickly dismissed or demoted. It gave an interesting perspective on the era, considering that Beatrix was rich as she took the position of a working woman.
The romance was existent, but was not done in a way that made me as a reader uncomfortable. There were a few kisses (which were humorous) and blushes about those kisses or mentions of the “special other person,” but nothing that would prevent me handing it to a YA reader.
The spiritual message wasn’t very strong. It was more inserted in three areas than woven through the entire story, and even then, felt more forced than actually fitting in with the story.
I found the guys to be portrayed as stupid and I didn’t appreciate that. I understand that there are some people out there who are so brilliant in the scientific world that they are clueless when it comes to common, everyday matters. And I feel that was probably Turano’s goal, but instead, it came across as women being smart and men stupid and clueless (which, if this wasn’t a book about the feminist movement, I might not have been as sensitive on the matter).
*I received this book from Celebrate Lit and happily provided my honest review*
About the Book
Book: Storing Up Trouble Author: Jen Turano Genre: Christian Historical Romance Release Date: May 6, 2020
When Beatrix Waterbury’s train is disrupted by a heist, scientist Norman Nesbit comes to her aid. After another encounter, he is swept up in the havoc she always seems to attract—including the attention of the men trying to steal his research—and they’ll soon discover the curious way feelings can grow between two very different people in the midst of chaos.
Jen Turano, (www.jenturano.com) a USA Today bestselling author, has written four historical romance series. She is a member of ACFW and RWA and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. Visit her website at www.jenturano.com.
More from Jen
Thank you so much for visiting me on my Celebrate Lit tour as we celebrate the release of my latest novel, “Storing Up Trouble.” I’m delighted to be here, and I reached out to my street team to help me with the questions you’ll find below. I’m hoping the answers to those questions will allow you to learn just a bit about my new book, as well as allow you to get to know me better. With that said, here we go!
Can you tell us a little about “Storing Up Trouble?”
I’d be delighted to tell you about my latest book. “Storing Up Trouble” is the third book in the “American Heiress” series, but you don’t need to read the first two books in that series (“Flights of Fancy” and “Diamond in the Rough”) to understand what’s going on. I’ve been writing my books more as stand alone stories, and “Storing Up Trouble” is no exception to that. With that said, this book centers around Miss Beatrix Waterbury and Mr. Norman Nesbit. Beatrix, unfortunately, has annoyed her mother to such an extent that she finds herself banished from New York and on her way to Chicago to spend time with her aunt, a lady Beatrix remembers as being a querulous sort. She, being Beatrix, a lady who lands herself in trouble at the most unexpected of times, soon finds herself a victim of a train heist. An unlikely hero in the form of Mr. Norman Nesbit, a gentleman with a brilliant mind but relatively few social graces, comes to her rescue, and from the moment they disembark from the train, they find themselves thrust into one escapade after another.
In “Storing Up Trouble,” is there a character you’d like to be friends with in real life, or better yet, a character you’d avoid at all costs?
I actually have an answer to both parts of that question. Miss Theodosia Robinson is a lady I would love to count as a friend because she’s loyal to a fault, and is a friend who’ll be there for you, no matter if you want to delve into an unusual scientific experiment, or take a jaunt to your local department store to do a bit of shopping. As for who I’d avoid at all cost – Mrs. George Blossom, who has a very small part in the story, but she’s a customer at Marshal Fields & Company who embraces an air of superiority over the sales girls, and I’ve never been one to enjoy people like that. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?
That’s easy. Being Dominic’s mom. He was definitely a handful when he was little, which is why he’s an only child, but it’s been incredibly rewarding to watch him grow over the years. He recently graduated from college with a degree in engineering, and seeing him land a grown up job and begin to embrace the whole adulting thing makes me prouder than any book I’ve written or other job I’ve held.
What was the inspiration behind “Storing Up Trouble?”
There were quite a few things that inspired me to write this book. I’d set another one of my books, “Caught by Surprise” in Chicago, and because of the research I did for that book, research I wasn’t able to fit into that story, I knew I wanted to revisit that city at some point. Beatrix Waterbury gave me the perfect excuse to travel back there. I wanted to take her out of her usual setting of NYC, so off she went to Chicago, on a train ride that definitely turned concerning. I had also picked up a few research books about Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison and I’ve been itching to create a character after those brilliant gentlemen. Norman Nesbit turned into that gentleman, although I have to admit that some of the science Nikola and Thomas used was way over my head. My son, the engineer, tried to explain it to me, but I believe at one point I might have been drooling, and not in the good way, but the bored way. That’s when Norman really began to develop because I thought it would be amusing to have a character who was passionate about his field of study, but most of the people he tried to share that passion with had no idea what he was talking about and always got a bit of a dazed expression in their eyes as he waxed on and on about double-electrical currents.
What fun facts did you uncover while doing research for “Storing Up Trouble” but weren’t able to fit into the story?
There was so much fodder for additional storylines just with the research I did on Marshal Field and his department store. Did you know that the main store in Chicago burned down doing the Great Fire of 1871 and…it burned down several times after that? Who knew? There was also a lot of drama surrounding Marshal and his partner for years, Mr. Levi Zeigler Leiter. They had different ideas about how the store should evolve, which resulted in Marshal forcing Levi to sell his shares of the company to him, at which point the store turned from Field, Leiter, & Company to Marshal Fields Company. It was also interesting to learn that Mr. Fields was notorious for paying his workers low wages, but those workers accepted those wages because of the prestige that came with working at his store. If you worked at any other store, you were considered common, but to work at Marshal Fields was a feather in your cap, even if you weren’t earning as much as you could have earned at another store. What are quirky little things you keep on your desk?
At the moment, I have one little pig with googly eyes, one cow with googly eyes, and then another small pig that a reader sent me because she really liked Matilda in “A Match of Wits” and thought this little pig she found at a store was exactly what Matilda would look like.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Oddly enough, no, it never crossed my mind until Dominic was in third grade and we decided to write a book together after finishing this horrible series about this bird. That book was never meant for publication, but it did have me remembering that I had, at one point in time before I became a stay-at-home-mom, enjoyed using my brain. I started experimenting with different genres and learned everything I could about the publishing industry. It took me five years to find an agent, and then she sold “A Change of Fortune” to Bethany House, and I’ve been writing for them ever since.
Any words of advice for aspiring writers?
I get this question a lot, and I always answer by saying “Have an honest talk with yourself about what you really want to achieve with your writing.” It’s perfectly fine to want to write because you’re interested in turning it into a career. However, with that said, a writer needs to understand that writing and publishing are two different creatures. Publishing is a daunting business, and it’ll take a lot of perseverance to find success with it. With that said, if you have raw talent and are a story teller at heart, you should write all the time and do whatever you can to learn how to improve your craft.
What are you working on next?
I’m working on a new series right now – “The Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency.” The first book, “To Steal a Heart” releases in November, 2020. It’s about Miss Gabriella Goodhue, who spent her childhood living on the mean streets in Five Points. She’s currently living in a boarding house on Bleeker Street in New York City, and when a fellow resident gets unjustly accused of theft, Gabriella, along with the other ladies living in the boarding house, take it upon themselves to try and clear her name. That’s the beginning of the Bleeker Street Agency, and hopefully the ladies will enjoy much success as the series continues.
Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope all of you get an opportunity to read “Storing Up Trouble!”
To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away the the grand prize package of all three books in the American Heiresses series and a $25 Barnes & Noble eGift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
My Review Reading a story about Australian pioneering was fascinating to this American girl. I enjoyed the rich Irish-Australian heritage pictured in these pages.
The Christian element is strong and woven steadily throughout the pages. Jayne and her sisters rely heavily on God for direction and guidance. I was a little sad that most of the adults in Jayne’s life were busybodies and gossips and discouraging rather than encouraging. Toward the end, she did seem to have more solid people to turn to.
This book has no romance in it, which I’ll admit, was refreshing after I’ve read a few books with “too-much-for-me” romance.
There is a swirl of mystery and thorough imagery of the difficulty of Australian pioneering in this story. I think it is suitable for any teen. There is a bit about dying plus a little mention of injury and blood toward the end that some sensitive readers may want to be aware of.
*I received this book from the author and happily provided my honest review*
Genre: Historical Christian Fiction Page Count: 276 Age Range: 12-18 Series: Book 1 of The JOY Series
Mysterious strangers, a Scripture verse, and a threat.
“Reids never give up.” The words once held so much truth. But at eighteen, Jayne Reid is beginning to wonder if she can live up to that standard.
When puzzling strangers appear and odd things start to happen, Jayne and her two younger sisters must find a solution—or lose everything.
What mystery lurks in the shadows of the Australian bush? Who is the man in town who thinks he can buy and bully anyone he wishes? And is it all somehow connected to their new farmhand?
Journey with Jayne as she struggles to change fear into boldness and boldness into a trusting relationship with her Heavenly Father. What adventure lies ahead?
The JOY Series
The JOY Series follows three sisters on a quest to keep their parents’ legacy and dreams alive. Loaded with 19th century Australian adventure, it’s a series full of intrigue, adventure, and faith for ages 12 and up!
Behind the Scenes–Characters and Places!
I thought I’d take the opportunity to share some fun things relating to the writing of Jayne’s Endeavour! So here goes!
I named one of the characters after my mum (Mrs Catherine Eddington). Catherine is Mum’s middle name. I actually haven’t mentioned that to her yet as it was a more recent decision!
One of the main-ish characters in the book, I referred to using quotation marks while I was originally writing (as in “” looked over at Jayne and grinned.) I just couldn’t settle on a name that suited him! 😉 For those of you who have already read JE, it was Aiden!
Growing up, I never even liked the town of Buninyong (which was not too far from where I used to live!). And now, I’ve gone and set my book in that exact location! 😀 Just goes to show how things change! It’s certainly a town rich in history.
The day was nearly over, but her work was not. Jayne dragged her feet as she walked over to the water buckets, thinking about Jed and Cass. By now both men were probably getting ready to ride to a meeting in Buninyong. She could picture them splashing water on their faces and hair despite the cold, as Daddy had when he went to town.
–Chapter 5, Jayne’s Endeavour
I tried really hard not to make Jayne like myself, but my mum told me that I didn’t entirely succeed! So little parts of her are little parts of me! I’ll leave you wondering which things though . . . 😉
Buninyong comes from an Aboriginal word “Buninyouang, “which is said to mean “man lying on his back with his knees raised.” The town takes its name from the nearby Mt Buninyong.
Cogné, François, 1829-1883, State Library of Victoria
Mt. Buninyong, 1899. O.E. Jager, State Library of Victoria
In the picture on the left, Mt Buninyong can be seen in the distance on the left side of the photograph.
Some of the characters in my book, including Dr. Sparling, Mr Hedrick (the storekeeper), William Caffery (the blacksmith), and Rev. Thomas Hastie, really did live in Buninyong during the time period of my novel. So it was fun getting to include them! I wonder what they’d think if they knew they’d made their way into a novel?!
I accidentally named the cow and one of the horses the same name–Betsie! So the cow became “Checkers” and the horse got to keep her name!
Some of the speech patterns of Jed, I patterned after my grandfather (who passed away a few years ago). So I love reading those parts of his dialogue and being reminded of my Pa! 🙂
Jed chuckled. “Let’s get them back to their mother before you lot decide to keep them.” He retrieved his lantern from the table, then turned back to Jayne. “You can stay put if you want.”
–Chapter 9, Jayne’s Endeavour
The storekeeper I originally mentioned as being the owner of the Buninyong general store was dead by 1872 (the year Jayne’s Endeavour takes place). Whoops! 😉 So needless to say, I had to do a bit more research to work out who the storekeeper actually was!
The shops, hotel, Dr Sparling’s house, church, and the police station all really existed. In fact some of them are still there today! So I patterned their descriptions off of real buildings.
I hope you enjoyed discovering some behind-the-scenes facts about Jayne’s Endeavour! Let me know which one you found most interesting in the comments!
About the Author
Lauren Compton lives in Australia on a sheep farm—surrounded by mountains and plenty of Aussie wildlife! From a young age she has loved books and writing-related things (yep, that includes spending ages in the writing supplies department!). Now she has embarked on a mission to write books that both entertain AND encourage. Her desire is to weave stories that point readers to her Heavenly Father while at the same time being a whole lot of fun!
My Review I enjoy Karen Witemeyer for her very flowing writing, wittiness, and sturdy plotlines. For some reason, I found this one to have a very different “feel.” It wasn’t bad. It was just different. I really did like the fight scenes and enjoyed the whole Hanger’s Horsement plot. There were some nice twists that kept me guessing, and I appreciated that. The diversity of characters was great–from the four horsemen to Josephine and her brother. I absolutely loved the Christian elements. The characters were solid believers and didn’t leave me guessing. They turned to Scripture for comfort, help, and assurance. They saw “convenient happenings” as directed by God’s hand. I loved how Matt always asked for Scripture from Preach (Luke). The last few “Christian” books I’ve read were shallow in the spiritual element, so it was refreshing on that end. My one drawback for most of Ms. Witemeyer’s books is the romance-on-the-edge. I’m not a big romantic anyway, but there seemed to be so much touching and so much obsession over what a person looked like or felt. There were a few parts I skimmed because of that. Still, I am looking forward to book two and can’t wait to find out which of the horsemen it follows! *I received this book from Net Galley and happily provided my honest review* About the Book Haunted by the horrors of war, ex-cavalry officer Matthew Hanger leads a band of mercenaries known as Hanger’s Horsemen who have become legends in 1890s Texas. They defend the innocent and obtain justice for the oppressed. But when a rustler’s bullet leaves one of them at death’s door, they’re the ones in need of saving.
Dr. Josephine Burkett is used to men taking one look at her skirts and discounting her medical skills. What she’s not used to is having a man change his mind in a heartbeat and offer to assist her in surgery. Matthew Hanger’s dedication to his friend during recovery earns Josephine’s respect, and when she hears of her brother’s abduction, he becomes her only hope for rescue.
Matt has stared down ruthless outlaws, betrayal, and injury, but when a bossy lady doctor crawls under his skin, his heart is tempted to surrender. And when she is caught in the crossfire, he may have to sacrifice everything–even his team–to save her. Purchase on Amazon
Amanda Tero Books 