Thursday, January 27, 2011

LitFuse Publicity Blog Tour: The Search

Here's a description of the book:

"Fifteen years ago, Lainey O'Toole made a split-second decision. She couldn't have known that her choice would impact so many.

Now in her mid-twenties, she is poised to go to culinary school when her car breaks down in Stoney Ridge, the very Amish town in which her long-reaching decision was made, forcing her to face the shadowed past.

Bess Reihl is less than thrilled to be spending the summer at Rose Hill Farm with her large and intimidating grandmother, Bertha. It quickly becomes clear that she is there to work the farm--and work hard. The labor is made slightly more tolerable by the time it affords Bess to spend with the handsome hired hand, Billy Lapp. But he only has eyes for a flirty and curvaceous older girl.

Lainey's and Bess's worlds are about to collide and the secrets that come to light will shock them both.

Beautifully written, The Search is a skillfully woven story that takes readers through unexpected twists and turns on the long country road toward truth. Fans both old and new will find themselves immersed in this heartwarming--and surprising--tale of young love, forgiveness, and coming to grips with the past."

My Rating: Summer

My Review:

What a beautiful, colorful book! From the descriptions of the rainbow of roses and pastries, to the descriptions of the rainbow of emotions found in the human spectrum, this book enchanted me and moved me.

What a vast assortment of characters! And I loved them all so much! Fifteen-year-old Bess and her grandmother made me laugh out loud on several occasions, and the first half of the book was full of funny moments among sweet settings. The story flowed effortlessly into more serious tones in the second half of the book, and I was deeply touched by the honesty with which Fisher wrote. The characters struggled. They grappled with difficult truths and decisions. And the ending left me with a bittersweet happiness.

The second book in the "Lancaster Country Secrets" series, The Waiting, was good and intriguing, but this third book, The Search, satisfied me so much more. A thoroughly enjoyable read with an openness that is both tender and heart-rending, I highly recommend The Search!

*With thanks to the publisher for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion, to be shared during the LitFuse Publicity Blogging tour.*

About the Author:

In no particular order, Suzanne Woods Fisher is a wife, mother, writer, lifelong student of the Bible, raiser of puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, a gardener and a cook...the latter two with sporadic results.

Suzanne has loved to write since she was a young teen. After college, she started to write for magazines and became a contributing editor for Christian Parenting Today magazine. Her family moved to Hong Kong for four years, just as the internet was developing, and she continued to write articles in a 44-story high-rise apartment, sending manuscripts 7,000 miles away with a click of a key.

After returning from Hong Kong, Suzanne decided to give her first novel a try. For four and a half months, she worked on an antediluvian computer in a cramped laundry room. She didn't even tell her husband what she was up to. When the novel was completed, she told her family at dinner one night that she had written a book. "That's why there's no food in this house!" said her slightly insensitive sons.

Undaunted...Suzanne found a small royalty publisher for that book and wrote three more (all earned multiple awards). With help from an agent, she now has numerous books under contract with Revell. Also look for Suzanne's Amish non-fiction, Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World, a non-fiction book of stories and examples about the Old Order Amish, as well as Amish Proverbs, and coming in Spring of 2011, look for Amish Values for Your Family. The Choice and The Waiting are the previous books in the Lancaster County Secrets Collection.

Writing, for Suzanne, is a way to express a love of God and His word. With every book or article, she hopes readers get a sense of what faith really looks like in the daily grind. She hopes they realize that life can be hard, but God is good, and never to confuse the two.

Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

To Buy the Book: click HERE

Blog Tour Schedule: Check out all of the other reviews scheduled by clicking HERE.

Contest Information:

Suzanne Woods Fisher's latest installment of the Lancaster County Secrets, The Search, is just out and to celebrate Suzanne is hosting The Search iPad Giveaway!

One Grand Prize winner will receive an iPad Prize Package worth over $500 and includes:
To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form/s, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest. Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on February 3rd at Suzanne's Everything is Coming Up Roses Facebook Party. (Did you know The Search takes place on a rose farm?)


Enter via E-mail Enter via Facebook Enter via Twitter


Facebook Party:

Join Suzanne for the Everything is Coming Up Roses Facebook Party on February 3rd! She’ll be announcing the winner of the The Search iPad Giveaway, hosting a book club discussion of The Search, giving away copies of all three books and HEAPS of other readerly prizes! Including roses delivered to your door for three months for you AND a friend! Be sure to join us on Thursday, February 3rd at 5:00 PM PST (6:00 MST, 7:00 CST & 8 EST) at Suzanne’s Author Page.

8 comments:

Amanda Stanley said...

What a beautiful review, my friend!! Your descriptions were most intriguing! As you might know I have The Waiting waiting for me in my TBR ;) I just started Doctor in Petticoats but as soon as I'm done I'm going straight to that one :) Suzanne sounds like a fabulous author and I'm excited to experience her work! I've seen this one the past 4 times I went to Walmart and I think next time its coming home with me ;) I'm definitely adding this one to my "to-read" list and I have you to thank for that :D

Have a beautiful day, dear Amber, and thank you for introducing me to so many great books!

Blessings,
Amanda

Renee said...

I just reviewed this book, too, and forgot that I saw you on the blog list. Great review! Wasn't it fun to be swept away to Amish country for a few hours?

Bluerose said...

I really liked this one, too!

Amber Holcomb said...

Amanda,

Thank you! I really, really enjoyed this book, actually quite a bit more than The Waiting, so I highly recommend it! I hope you enjoy The Waiting, as well, though! ;)

I haven't read Doctor in Petticoats, although I read the second two in the series. I'll look forward to your review! :) Mary Connealy writes such fun stories with lots of romance and humor.

If you do get to read The Search, I hope you like it as much as I did! I'm honored that my review would help you want to purchase the book. :D

Hope your day is beautiful, as well!

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Renee Ann,

Thanks! It's funny, so far I think I've always been scheduled towards the end of the tour, the day after Bluerose posts her review. I saw your name on their, too! :)

This book was so good, and it was definitely fun to be transported to Amish country, and the rose farm!

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Bluerose,

I saw on your review that you liked this one 10x better than The Waiting, and I'm inclined to agree! :) It was very good!

~Amber

Suzanne said...

Hi Amber! Thanks so much for your lovely review of "The Search!" I really liked how you analyzed it...as the story progressed and you saw more of the characters' interior lives. And how they struggled! Glad you enjoyed it! More stories in Stoney Ridge are coming...
Warmly, Suzanne

Amber Holcomb said...

Suzanne,

You're welcome! It was a privilege to read The Search--I loved it! :) I'm glad you like the review, and I'm happy to recommend the book to others.

And so happy to hear that there are more Stoney Ridge stories to come! :D Yay!

~Amber