“I trusted you.” She climbed the steps and slipped inside the door without making a sound. How could she have been so foolish? Lonnie Sawyer, Be Still My Soul
From the Back Cover:
Pretty Lonnie Sawyer is shy and innocent, used to fading into the background within her family, and among the creeks and hollows of the Appalachian hills. Though her family is poor and her father abusive, she clings to a quiet faith. But when handsome ladies’ man and bluegrass musician Gideon O’Riley steals a kiss, that one action seals her fate.
Her father forces her into a hasty marriage with Gideon—a man she barely knows and does not love. Equally frustrated and confused by his new responsibilities, Gideon yearns for a fresh start, forcing Lonnie on an arduous journey away from her home in Rocky Knob.
Her distant groom can’t seem to surrender his rage at the injustice of the forced matrimony or give Lonnie any claim in his life. What will it take for Gideon to give up his past, embrace Lonnie’s God, and discover a hope that can heal their two fractured hearts?
About the Author: 
Married to her first sweetheart, Joanne Bischof lives in the mountains of Southern California where she keeps busy making messes with their home-schooled children. When she’s not weaving Appalachian romance, she’s blogging about faith, writing, and the adventures of country living that bring her stories to life. Be Still My Soul is her first novel.
From Me:
Another book with a “Married Love” theme – yes! Be Still My Soul is the story of a girl and a boy and a shotgun wedding…and the ensuing aftermath of two strangers reluctantly joining forces to face the unknown future into which they’ve been thrust.
Gideon O’Riley is a player – both of the mandolin, and of female hearts. When he crosses a line with the naïve and innocent Lonnie Sawyer, he’s called to make an accounting by her father, and the resistant, angry groom becomes a resistant, angry husband. Lonnie, trusting, ever hopeful, prays these words often, “Let it be so, Lord.” She knows in her heart that only Christ can salvage the mess that she and Gideon have made, but her new husband wants none of it. Through harrowing experiences that bring out the very worst…and eventually, the very best…in each of them, Gideon and Lonnie learn that there is only victory in stillness, in surrender.
Joanne spins a terrible, beautiful tale of redemption in this Appalachian love story about a woman who longs to be loved, and a man who doesn’t know what it means to be a man, (Click to Tweet) and the people who come in and out of their lives, for better or worse. It’s a love story that clings to you like a sweet fragrance, long after you close the last page of the book.
I highly recommend this book to my readers – you’ll be swept away. But keep the tissues handy….
On Friday, February 22, Joanne will be visiting with us and sharing with us about her the second book in her Cadence of Grace Series, Though My Heart is Torn. I hope you’ll join us – I’ll be announcing the winner of today’s drawing for Be Still My Soul, too!
Readers, enter your name in a drawing for YOUR CHOICE of one of Joanne’s books, either Be Still My Soul NOW, or Though My Heart is Torn when it is released on April 2nd, 2013!
Please leave a comment below with:
- Your name
- Your email address in non-spam format. If I draw your name and there is no email, you will not win. Example: becky (at) beckydoughty (dot) com
- My word for 2013 is STILL, and this book really spoke to me about what it means to be STILL in so many ways: STILL faithful, STILL waiting, STILL obeying, being STILL. Do you have a special word in your life? P.S. – Please indicate which book you want if your name is drawn!
For an extra entry:
Be a follower – I would love to visit with you!
Contest ends on February 21st at midnight (PST). Winner will be notified by email (ONLY if you include your email in your comment) and announced in Friday’s (February 22) post.
- To comply with new regulations introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, this is to inform you that all views shared on this blog are strictly my own. Books I review are either provided for me by the author or the publisher in exchange for an honest review, OR they are books I’ve purchased and choose to review. I receive no monetary compensation for anything written on this blog. This has been my honest review.
- A random winner is draw when a book is given away. Chances of winning are based on the number of entries and winner is drawn from a non-biased third party at Random.org.
- Contest only open in the U.S. and void where prohibited. I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items for said prize.
I’m always up for a contest!
My word for 2013 is “ganbatte”; Japanese for, roughly, “please continue to keep doing your best”.
This year is looking like – literally – the fight of my life, and while winning is optional, doing my best is not.
Do I get an extra entry if I’m already a follower? (wheedle wheedle whine beg)
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
tempusfugit02 (at) gmail (dot) com
Yes! You do get an extra entry if you’re a follower! I need to add that in to my above list, don’t I?
So have you or Barbara read Joanne’s first book? Which would you like if you win?
And I love your word – I’m part Japanese, FYI. I know NO Japanese at all, so what a GREAT first word for me to learn. And now, when I think about ‘ganbatte’, I’ll be reminded to pray for you and your daily battle.
Blessings,
Becky
From your picture, I wondered about the possibility of Asian blood…I’m part Mongolian, myself, and a direct descendant of Ghengis Khan (which my students had NO trouble believing). (In the thumbnail photo, I’m the one on the right.)
Japanese culture is very instructive for a Christian; in some ways the traditions and values which predated the Meiji Restoration have surprising parallels to the early Christian church.
Which book, if we win..? It’s a hard decision! Since your review really touched me, and Barbara is constantly looking for stillness in her soul, we’ll opt for “Be Still My Soul.”
God Bless!
Got it, Andrew. You MUST read the first one first – totally sets you up for the shocking story of the second one……
I LOVED this book!!! I couldn’t put it down.
The story of redemption WITHIN the bounds of marriage is fantastic!! It proves that we do not have to look away from the one to whom we said “I do”, but toward them, for the beauty that is a happy marriage.
Oh, amen and AMEN, Jennifer! It’s a love story of the most beautiful kind, one that starts so hopelessly, goes downhill from there, then ends so sweetly and graciously. Redemption at it’s finest.
I would love to win this. Loved the review on it. I would like Be still. Cause I’m still waiting.
Blessings,
joeym11@frontier.com
Diana Montgomery
Diana – Waiting. Yes, and that’s often where being still is the hardest, isn’t it? Lord, protect Diana’s heart in this time of waiting. Help her to be still so that she can hear Your voice whispering to her. Meet her in this “in-between” season in a way that makes her KNOW that You are God.
Blessings,
Becky
These sound great!
My word for the year is “Live”.
Thanks for a chance to win! I would like “Be Still My Soul” if win.
Thanks!
Jessica,
Please message back with your email – I don’t want you to miss out on an opportunity to win this book!
Live – what a wonderful word! Challenging and hopeful and bold – I love it.
Blessings,
Becky
I loved Be Still My Soul and can NOT wait to read Though My Heart is Torn. So please enter me for Though My Heart Is Torn.
I don’t have a spe word for 2013.
Campbellamyd at Gmail dot com
LOL. That was supposed to say I don’t have a SPECIAL word for 2013.
I’m a follower.
Campbellamyd at gmail dot com
Amy – I knew EXACTLY what you meant.
I’ll throw in a second entry for you as you’re already a follower, too! Yay!
Do come back on Friday – I’ll be reviewing Though My Heart is Torn and talking with Joanne about her heart for Grace!
Blessings,
Becky
I’ve been wanting to read this book for a long time. I guess my word would be hope. There is always something in which to look forward. When we’ve lost hope we’ve lost our will to have life.
I’ll go ahead and post my e-mail here: nina4sm/at/gmail/dot/com
Sylvia – Love, love, love that word: HOPE. You’re entered for Be Still My Soul, okay? Hope you come back on Friday when we talk about Though My Heart is Torn – the second book in the series about Gideon and Lonnie. Don’t worry – no spoilers!
Blessings,
Becky
I’m a follower on your blog and facebook!
Melody – Yay! So glad you’re along for the ride! I entered you for Be Still My Soul, all right?
Blessings,
Becky
My word is JOY! It’s easy to find JOY in the good times but the Lord is constantly reminding me to find it in the bad times also. He’s always there even if we don’t feel that way.
I would love to receive Be Still My Soul!
missionwife@hotmail.com
Melody Durant
You’re in for Be Still My Soul, Melody!
No, I don’t have a word, I’ve never thought about doing that.
I would like Though My Heart is Torn, I already have and have read Be Still My Soul and really did enjoy it. I’m looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
+1 for following by email.
Wendy Newcomb
wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
Wendy – so good to have you come by today! The whole “word” thing is a way to live with a theme, or a focus. I’ve been doing it for years, and it’s been a consistent tool to keep me grounded. But it isn’t for everyone, and it isn’t THE way to do things – just A way.
I’m happy to enter you into the drawing for Though My Heart is Torn! And another entry for following! Excellent – so glad you liked Be Still My Soul. Such a wonderful story.
Blessings,
Becky
danielle_cutty(at)hotmail(dot)com
I would love to read “Be Still My Soul”
Danielle – Happy to enter you for Be Still My Soul! And do come back on Friday – I’ll be talking to Joanne about the next book in the series!
Cindi Altman
cindialtman(at)gmail(dot)com
A word that is special to me is “Believe”
Cindi – Thank you for coming by today. So glad you’re entering for the drawing. I’m entering you for Be Still My Soul; is that correct?
“Believe” – what a wonderful word. I think it must be another word for HOPE, don’t you?
Blessings,
Becky
Becky-
Thank you so much for having me today and I can’t wait to be here on Friday!! It is so wonderful to finally get a moment of sweet quite after this busy day and sit down and read all these beautiful comments. I feel so blessed by everyone AND by your lovely review! “It’s a love story that clings to you like a sweet fragrance, long after you close the last page of the book.” Be still my heart! Hugs!!
Joanne – I’m just glad it worked out for you to be here this month! Your books tie in so well to my current theme of married love! Looking forward to Friday!
Blessings,
Becky
Love tales of Appalachia – haven’t read any of Joanne’s books & would love to win a copy of one of her books & become acquainted with her writing! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
bonnieroof60@yahoo.com
Bonnie – Well, you’re in for a real treat, then. Even if you don’t win a copy here, you MUST go pick up a copy from Amazon or your local bookstore, especially if you like Appalachian tales. These books are written in much the same vein as Christy – do you remember that book and series? Anyway, glad you checked in here and excited about Friday!
Blessings,
Becky
Hello,
I am a follower of your blog and also like you on Facebook. I would love to be entered for Be Still My Soul. I have not read it and would really like to.
My word is mercy. God has shown me such mercy in my life and
is teaching me to show mercy to others as well as mercy for myself. I am a perfectionist and can be really hard on myself. I am learning the long lesson that it isn’t my expectations but what God’s expectations are for me. I know that in my mind and heart..but doing it is a whole different thing.
My e-mail is sunydey26 (at) aol (dot) com
thanks!
Johnette,
Thank you so much for your wonderful words today! So encouraging – mercy is a tough one, because it requires humility, and that’s always hard, at least for me. I’m notorious for racing ahead and doing things my way…only to find out that HIS way was completely different, and completely better. The wonderful thing about God, though, is that because of His MERCY, He can take even my mistakes and use them for His glory. It sounds like He’s working that way in your life, too. I love to hear things like this.
Thank you for sharing!
Becky
Hi Becky,
I am like you. I learned early in life I could count on myself. I love the Lord with all of my heart and must learn to let Him lead and guide me. He is so much more trustworthy than I ever could be. I love that He is constantly molding me into His image..even though at times it really hurts. I know it will be for the good and for His glory. I am just so blessed to know He loves me enough to work on me still. He is just awesome!
Yes. He IS awesome!
I’m a couple days late commenting here, but I LOVED both of Joanne’s books. I think I’m going to designate myself as her biggest fan. I just love her writing, her characters, and the whimsical feel of her storyworld. Love, love, love.
Melissa,
Yes – so lyrical. It’s like the music she writes about. I can almost feel the wooden slats vibrating under my feet.
Thanks for being here today – I loved your review the other day and your reference to Christy. My thoughts EXACTLY!
Hugs,
Becky
[...] ← Book Review & Giveaway: Be Still My Soul February 20, 2013 · 12:47 pm ↓ Jump to Comments [...]
What a nice post and thanks for hosting a giveaway. I loved Be Still My Soul and can’t wait to read the second book. So, if I were to win, I would like book 2. I just became a new follower to your blog as well. I don’t have a word for 2013, although forgiveness has been speaking to me lately.
Jennifer Rumberger jenberger75 at yahoo dot com
Jennifer,
Thanks for being here – sorry I’m so late responding! I’m so glad you like Be Still My Soul! Forgiveness – that’s a tough one to take on. Joanne really addresses forgiveness in this series of books, doesn’t she? I’ll put you down for Book #2!
Blessings,
Becky
[...] why. Having read my review of Be Still My Soul last Monday, you’ll know that I was moved deeply by your characters, Lonnie and Gideon, and [...]