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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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Episode 48: A Chat with T.E. Price
by Chautona Havig

What happens when you combine domestic violence with suspense?  A hair-raising ride you won’t want to miss.

On March 2, T.E. Price ‘s book, Take Flight, releases on eBook, and boy is this one excellent story.  Join me as I talk with Tiffany about her book, the inspiration, and all the excellence you’ll find within the can’t-put-it-down pages.

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

The 3 Best Things about This Domestic Abuse Suspense Novel

A new author to me, T.E. Price knocked her suspense (and almost thriller) out of the park with three excellent elements to the book.  

Aside from wonderful and realistic characterization and edge-of-your-seat storytelling, T.E. Price also digs deep into a subject Christians sometimes like to pretend isn’t a thing.  And boy does she do it well. 

So if a great story that grips you and won’t let you go isn’t the best thing, what is?  Well… I’ve got three.

First, the writing is stellar.

Let’s face it, domestic abuse victims have cyclical thought patterns and actions that can feel redundant and become boring when you see it on the page, but Tiffany managed to avoid that while still showing how real and confusing it can be both for the person going through it and for those watching from the outside.

Second, her laser focus on her subject.

Domestic abuse is a multi-layered and faceted subject that spans so many different aspects of life. It would be easy and natural, even, to try to show it all with the one person who experienced it all, but T.E. Price keeps her focus on one woman’s escape from that life and how it affects her relationship with the Lord and others. That’s it.  

Third, T.E. Price shows her heart for the Lord and His people in every word on the page.

While not preachy at all, and while often just the undercurrent of the story, there is no doubt in the reader’s mind that Price wants the reader to learn both how to overcome as the victim of domestic violence and how to aid others in the church going through it.  Additionally, that steady reminder of Who the only true support we truly have touches every aspect of Hallie McClain’s life.

There are so many other excellent elements to Take Flight, but I’d be chatting all day with Tiffany (and nearly did!) if I kept going.

Don’t forget!

T.E. Price’s book releases March 2, 2021 and on March 5, 2021  from 7-8 pm (EST) she is having a Facebook launch party with prizes and lots of information about it.  HERE is a link to that party and I hope to be there to celebrate with her!  Please join her and maybe you’ll win an eBook copy of Take Flight!

You can find more about T.E. Price (Tiffany) at her WEBSITE where you can also find her other novel, Love’s True Colors.

Title:  Take Flight Author: T.E. Price Synopsis:  

Within Take Flight, readers follow Hallie McClain as she is faced with numerous fight-or-flight decisions in her attempt to escape her abusive husband, Jonathan McClain.

Hallie has made the decision to leave him for good, but Jonathan has no intentions of complying. During their separation, Hallie grapples with trusting those closest to her, the gossip-mill of her small town, and her wavering trust in God. Living alone in a secret, secluded cabin in the woods, she is thrust into multiple circumstances where she has to balance her safety with the reality of inescapable encounters with her soon-to-be ex-husband. Jonathan soon discovers Hallie’s whereabouts, forcing her to escape to the city while awaiting the divorce, but her move isn’t the solution as her safety is still compromised.

Hallie has to learn to trust God with her safety while leaning on the church body for support. The tantalizing storyline of Take Flight weaves through one “fight-or-flight” scenario after the next, filling Hallie with angst regarding her constant need for escape. Take Flight addresses the ugliness of domestic abuse and the need for support from the church community. Furthermore, it affirms God’s trustworthiness in the midst of difficult, sometimes even life-threatening, situations.

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You can find the Blog post HERE.

Episode 48: A Chat with T.E. Price
Episode 48: A Chat with T.E. Price
February 23, 2021
Chautona Havig
Episode 47: The Drew Farthering Mysteries
February 16, 2021
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Episode 46: What Romances Do I Think Are Perfect for Valentine's Day?
February 9, 2021
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Episode 45: A Gush about Things We Didn't Say
February 2, 2021
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Episode 44: A Chat with Carolyn Miller
January 26, 2021
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Episode 43: A Chat with Allison Pearl
January 19, 2021
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Episode 42: A Chat with J'nell Ciesielski
January 13, 2021
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Episode 41: A Chat with Jennifer Pierce
January 5, 2021
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Episode 40: My Favorite Book of 2020
December 8, 2020
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Episode 39: A Chat with L.K. Simonds
December 1, 2020
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