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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Was This Book Really the Best I’ve Read by This Author?

by Chautona Havig · 6 Comments

Won't deny it. To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano is the best book I've read by her. I'm anxiously awaiting the next in the series! via @chautonahavig

“I don’t notice point of view or historical anachronisms. I just like to read a good book.”

It’s not that I don’t envy my mother that.  I do.  It would be nice to just be able to sit down, read a book, and not notice repetitive words, anachronisms, or if the book was written in present tense.  Then again, Mom notices more than she lets on.  Like British spelling.  Drives her CRAZY that those Englishers can’t spell English correctly.  I still snicker at that one.  And in a recent book, she had a few words to say about the convenient landing of a head blown off a body.  Apparently, it ends up on a pillow.  When I asked what kind of metaphor she thought the author was going for, Mom said, “Quit while you’re ahead, I imagine.”

But Mom knows me well.  I do notice those things.  Real or imagined–in other authors’ works or my own, when I catch something off, I can’t ignore it.  But sometimes an author makes me not care.  Like that time I read this new book from this new series…

Was This Book Really the Best I've Read by This Author? steal a heart

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Was This Book Really the Best I’ve Read by This Author?

Yes.  Definitely. To Steal a Heart did something fabulous for me. This book made me a Jen Turano fan.  Look, I’ve enjoyed other books by her, but I’ve never loved a book like this one.  And when you consider a few quibbles that I should have with it, that’s pretty impressive.

Laugh-out-loud funny (no, really. I cracked up all night long while I read it. No joke), the story kicks off as many of Turano’s do… at a party. And what a party it was!

In Turano’s classic style, she’s created some amazing characters.  Gabby–brilliant.  Look, this author took one of my pet peeves and thumbed her nose at it.  I hate it when authors turn all the girls in historical novels into strong, independent women who don’t care about conventions.  But Jen Turano did it again, and again, she made me love what she did with it.  She made the reasons believable even in their wacky improbability.

Did I roll my eyes at a guy from the 1880s telling a young lady to use “pirate speech” with his dog?  Yeah!  It felt insanely modern.  Did I care?  Nope. I was too busy cracking up at the whole scene (and taking a picture of the page and sharing with another author) to bother caring.

And that’s what I’m talking about.

Sometimes, an author is just so good that she can break rules and blow raspberries at all my pet peeves and I don’t even care.  Because see, when you write such a great story with engaging characters and a sweet and subtle message woven in and left unstated in all the subtext, you can get away with that.

When you write a book that readers can’t put down and with characters they can’t wait to see again, you’ve done it. You’ve succeeded at your job. To Steal a Heart is recommended for anyone needing a good laugh, anyone who loves a fun mystery, and everyone who likes their fiction sprinkled with faith that sparks life in their hearts instead of choking the life out of the story.  Not recommended for folks who like to be miserable.  It’s impossible to be miserable while reading To Steal a Heart.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say To Steal a Heart will steal your heart, but come on.  That’s about as cliche as you can get.  (Psst… it will, though!)

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Comments

  1. Faith says

    November 20, 2020 at 12:29 pm

    Okay, can someone explain to me how the Celebrate Lit and the blog stops work. I got lost in what I’m supposed to do etc. the couple of times I tried it, so I just quit trying. Didn’t even go there with this one. HELP! Sounds fun if I could figure it out.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      November 20, 2020 at 3:59 pm

      Each day thre are one-two-three or so posts. You can enter the giveaway on any one of those posts. OR… you can go to each blog each day and comment on each one. Enter the giveaway again and tell them how you commented on the post. That gets you more entries and a better chance of winning. 😀

      Reply
  2. Paula Shreckhise says

    November 20, 2020 at 9:51 am

    Love your post about this funnier than funny book!
    Great responses by Jen, too! She is a favorite.

    Reply
  3. Andrea Stoeckel says

    November 20, 2020 at 9:15 am

    This sounds right up my alley! Yay!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Tour and Giveaway for To Steal A Heart by Jen Turano | splashesofjoy says:
    November 29, 2020 at 6:42 am

    […] The Write Escape, November 20 […]

    Reply
  2. To Steal a Heart Book Review – Michelle De Bruin says:
    November 22, 2020 at 5:46 am

    […] The Write Escape, November 20 […]

    Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
byChautona Havig

I had a chat with actor and author Henry O. Arnold a while back, and boy did we have a lot of fun. His Song of Prophets and Kings series features the advent of Israel’s kings from Samuel’s birth through David hiding from Saul (so far) and onward. Listen in as we chat about his most recent release, The Singer of Israel.

 

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

What Made David Such a Man after God’s Heart?

I think this series will show us. I love that Henry O. Arnold started back at Samuel’s story to prepare us for the story of arguably the most influential king of Israel. Yes, Solomon was the wisest and richest, but David offered something that Solomon didn’t have. He was an average guy—a shepherd, no less—chosen by God to lead his country.

In a sense, it’s kind of the ancient Jewish version of a poor, everyday guy growing up to become President of the United States. If you know what I mean.

This five-book series is available as an eBook, in print, and as an audiobook, too! Henry read a snippet of it to us, and boy you get a feel for his love of Scripture and God’s people as he reads.

And if that wasn’t enough, he even gave us a hint of his upcoming Christian suspense/thriller “series. He says he has two books planned for sure, so… at least a duology, but maybe we can talk him into a trilogy at least? Get those odd numbers and everything?

The Singer of Israel by Henry O. Arnold

A singer’s voice inspires a troubled nation…A shepherd’s courage vanquishes a giant

The last official act of the prophet of Yahweh was to secretly anoint a replacement for the king of Israel who has been brought low by an unbalanced mind. The great prophet of Israel lives in fear of the wrath of the king. Then out of the hills of Bethlehem emerges the last-born son of a family of shepherds to become the unforeseen hero of Israel.

When David sings of the glory of Yahweh, this shepherd wins the hearts of the royal family and restores King Saul’s troubled mind. But when the singer/shepherd defeats the champion of the Philistines in single combat, David becomes forever known as “the giant slayer.” Saul quickly sees that David is now a threat to his kingdom and secretly plots to have him killed.

David may be the champion of the people of Israel, but he must live under the constant threat of Saul’s wrath until he is finally forced to flee for his life.

The Singer of Israel is a tale of triumph and tribulation, deepest love, and burning rivalries; the new epoch is given a voice…and it is The Song of Prophets and Kings.

You can learn more about Henry on this WEBSITE.

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Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
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