My Review of Five Days in Skye

Here's a description of the book from David C Cook:

"Hospitality consultant Andrea Sullivan has one last chance to snag a high-profile client or she'll have to kiss her dreams of promotion good-bye. When she's sent to meet Scottish celebrity chef James MacDonald on the Isle of Skye, she just wants to finish her work as efficiently as possible. Yet her client is not the opportunistic womanizer he portrays himself to be, and her attraction to him soon dredges up memories she'd rather leave buried. For James, renovating the family hotel is a fulfillment of his late father's dreams. When his hired consultant turns out to be beautiful, intelligent, and completely unimpressed by his public persona, he makes it his mission to win her over. He just never expects to fall under her spell.

Soon, both Andrea and James must face the reality that God may have a far different purpose for their lives—and that five days in Skye will forever change their outlook on life and love."

My Rating

Spring

My Review

This story about a vacation that never happened that led to the vacation Andrea never wanted is a wonderful vacation read! *wink* Andrea Sullivan's hopes of taking a trip to Tahiti vanish in the mist when a client pushes her too far and causes her to push (or punch) him right back. So she's stuck trying to win over a new client on a trip to Skye. Trouble is, both the client (James MacDonald) and Skye are not what she expects them to be.

I really enjoyed experiencing five days in Skye with Andrea and James. The descriptions of the island - from the landscape to the architecture of the buildings to the weather - all make for a delightful escape read. The plot is unhurried, meandering along jogging trails and through old ruins and along the notes of classical piano music. But there is enough drama in the emerging back stories and interpersonal tensions to keep the story slightly suspenseful and engaging.

James' understanding and the romance that blossoms between him and Andrea are very sweet. The ending felt a little rushed and a little too neat in some ways compared to the rest of the story, but this book is overall a lovely, satisfying read just right for the summer months. Love that a short trip can sometimes help you find long-term perspective!

*With thanks to David C Cook and NetGalley for providing me with a temporary e-ARC of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Now available on Amazon.com!

Another Waterfall...

I couldn't resist sharing some more pictures to go along with the lovely waterfall on the cover of Five Days in Skye. My mom and I went to see Multnomah Falls in Oregon last week, and while the traffic getting there was horrendous (Portland, *sigh*), the site itself was lovely.  Want to see?

Hope you all are having a beautiful start to the new month!
Happy July!

Be Utterly Amazed

My calendar's picture for August is a close-up of a blue dragonfly - a gorgeous shot of the colors of nature and the intricacies and details of God's creation. The picture includes a verse that reads:

"Look... and be utterly amazed." (Habakkuk 1:5)

What God does is amazing. His peace, His provision, His power - I am indeed utterly amazed.

Today I start classes as a senior in college. Just yesterday morning I was scared and nervous (and I'm not even a freshman!) of all that I had to get done and sad for the wonderful summer I was leaving behind. But as I write this, I feel so much better. Seeing some of my caring teachers again; realizing that I had plenty of time to buy textbooks, check-in and what-not; meeting up with old friends and meeting new ones - what was I worried about?

I know the days ahead won't always be easy. But I am so blessed, most of all in the knowing that God never leaves me and watches over my "going out" and my "coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore" (Psalm 121:8).

When my mom was here in Oregon with me for a couple of days before saying "good-bye," we went to Silver Falls State Park. If this place sounds familiar to you, it might be because I posted about it for a "Sunday by the Sea" post last year! In that post I talked about perspectives.

Perspective is so important, and something I still have so much to learn about. But looking back on some of the pictures I took of the falls this time, I am reminded again of how beautiful perspective can be:

To look ahead to the hope we have...

To look into the blessings we have been given...

To look above to the sovereignty of God...

To look back on the grace and love shown to us.

We are so blessed, are we not? So feel free to "look... and be utterly amazed."

(Want some help looking ahead to the hope we have? MaryLu Tyndall posted about hope this past Monday HERE!)

Sunday by a Waterfall

This past weekend with my parents was wonderful! We actually didn't end up going to the E.Z. Orchards HarvestFest because it was rather rainy here in Salem. However, we did go to Silver Falls State Park, which was beautiful, even in the rain!

While we were there, we spent most of our time at the South Falls, which had trails all around it. We could go on a trail behind it, above it, and around below it. And while I was there I was blessed by a look at perspectives.

As humans we are like a little droplet or stream of water that makes one small part of a big waterfall. Before we reach the big drop-off, we slowly meander along, unaware of what lies ahead. And then when we reach the edge, we see a free-fall that scares us and seems completely wrong. We can't see the big picture from our place within the waterfall.

But God sees it all--and far more than we can imagine. God sees the whole, beautiful waterfall. He can see where we are, the fear we have of the unknown that lies before us and the falls we have to go through. But He also sees how each little droplet comes together to form something both spectacular and awe-inspiring when seen in its entirety.

He sees the slow motion free-fall, and He sees the grandeur from a distance. And we can trust in His all-encompassing perspective that is so far beyond our own.

The falls we endure can be painful and difficult. But know that the entire waterfall God sees is stunning. He has a purpose for all of us, and the droplets of our lives come together in ways we can't even comprehend to form a living, powerful praise to God and His design.

This is just one small analogy, and it can't even come close to fully demonstrating the greatness of God's plan for our lives. But I just wanted to share with you the encouragement I received from witnessing one lovely and amazing part of God's creation.

"Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it."
~Ecclesiastes 8:17

(The picture above is of the South Falls and is from Salemoregon.com.)