
I am so excited to announce the release of Seize the Love, a collection of Christian stories revolving around the four types of love. My story, A Tender Heart, is featured in this collection. Eventually, I plan to expand upon it and publish it as a novella.
Who was he kidding? He was a soldier, a man scarred by war. He wasn’t some fancy poet or scholar.
A Tender Heart
ABOUT
Honoring the Love of the Savior
Agape. Eros. Philia. Storge
All forms of love… Seize the Love pulls readers into an anthology of stories all showing love. A love that honors God even as the reader flips the pages to find the story of a dying request, a random encounter, finding proof of God’s love, reunited siblings, caring for others, finding hope, love among the hard and easy, and more stories.
No matter the form of love, you’ll find stories sure to warm your heart, bring a smile or a tear, and hopefully remind you of the love of the One who created you.
Matthew 22:37
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Featuring various love stories sure to please the whole family.
Sometimes a man was called to sacrifice something dear to him so another could be blessed.
A Tender Heart
REVIEW
Overall Rating:
5 Stars
This rating is given not because I’m in this anthology, but because there are several other stories worthy of five stars. My thoughts and mini review of each story are below. The individual ratings of each will be posted on my blog come release day.
There are:
(5) 5 stars
(3) 4 stars
(4) 3 stars
***
This Tender Heart by Yours Truly
No rating to be given since I’m the author.
This Tender Heart is a historical romance set at about 1867-8.
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A Baker’s Heart by Andrea Renee Cox
A nice little story about two siblings and adorable sheep. The lambs’ names were adorable and I can just imagine little fluff balls leaping through spring fields. I did find the main female character’s name to be a confusing mouthful, though.
Rating: 3 Stars
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Loving Amelia by Faith D. Cox
This is a sweet short that will make you sniffle. The interaction between Cassidy and Cory was both cute and sad and yes, I ship them.
Rating: 4 Stars
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Small Sacrifices, Great Love by Y.A. Daniels
A story centering on familial love. I liked the faith and the bond between family members. The writing was more telling than showing (I’ll reiterate there’s nothing wrong with a mix of both), so that made it a little slower for me to get into.
Rating: 3 Stars
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Everly in Love by Abigail Harris
This one made me laugh. The interactions between brother and sister, and then brother and uncle, kept me chortling. As the eldest sibling, I can well imagine Everly’s irritating with a certain, semi-well-intentioned snoop. The romance was sweet too.
Rating: 5 Stars
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A Wooden Heart Can Still Bloom by C.K. Heartwing
This one is so good. I absolutely love all of the faith and Heartwing’s stance against evolution and Darwinianism. It also hit a more personal note, because as a fellow writer, I could feel Wilder’s pain at the rejections. Well done, Heartwing.
Rating: 5 Stars
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To Love & To Cherish by H.S. Kylian
A story about a couple, past pain, and a dance. I did find the prose to be choppy and the writing style stiff.
Rating: 3 Stars
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Raindrop World by Katja Labonte
This is another lovely addition to this collection. The theme of how gratitude and slowing down was beautifully woven through the short. And Neriya’s name is beautiful as well. The faith content was superb and I think everyone will relate with Neriya’s feelings of giving their all for someone and then being passed over.
Rating: 5 Stars
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The Understudy by Deigan Marie
A story about siblings and ballet. I liked the relationship between the sisters. Sometimes the writing style threw me off: She lifted her head. Squared her shoulders. And danced., and I’m not fond of oh my gosh, but other than that, I liked the focus on not being bitter when things don’t go the way we want.
Rating: 4 Stars
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Everlasting by M.L. Milligan
Another wonderful story. I adored the sibling bond in this one. Milligan has strong writing that immediately draws you in.
Rating: 5 Stars
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Out of Silence Rising by Kaytlin Phillips
This one made me tear up. Not because of the plot, which was so sweet and gentle and pure, but because of the inclusion of Rise by Danny Gokey, which plays a pivotal role in this story. That song has deep personal meaning to my family after a hard time, and reading that part brought back those memories.
Anyway, these tears are your fault, Kayti. Well done.
Rating: 5 Stars
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Wanted: A Typewriter by Angie Thompson
A story about a typewriter, AI, and an aspiring editor. I’m not a fan of AI.
Rating: 3 Stars
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Proof of His Love by Lilly Wiscarver
I love the pro-life message. Countless kudos to Wiscarver for being so bold in standing for life.
(Content warning: a character is pregnant through pre-marital relations)
Rating: 4 Stars
***
CONCLUSION
Overall, this is a sweet story focusing on all four types of love. If you’re looking for a God-honoring anthology, this is the one for you.
Prescott shoved a hand through his hair. The appendage trembled as memories threatened to revisit. “In the war, I used to wonder where God was. Surely He wasn’t on the battlefields littered with carnage and the lifeless bodies of ally and enemy alike.”
A Tender Heart
Happy Valentine’s Day! Have you read Seize the Love yet? If so, which stories were your favorite? And, since it’s Valentine’s Day, let me know which couple from The Redwyn Chronicles and The Shattered Lands is your favorite! Also, don’t forget that The Redwyn Chronicles, ebook format, are all on sale for $0.99 for Valentine’s Day.