Passing through Perfect by Bette Lee Crosby

It’s 1946. The war is over. Millions of American soldiers are coming home and Benjamin Church is one of them. After four years of being away he thought things in Alabama would have changed, but they haven’t. Grinder’s Corner is as it’s always been—a hardscrabble burp in the road. It’s not much, but it’s home.

When Benjamin attends a harvest festival in Twin Pines, he catches sight of Delia. Before their first dance ends, he knows for certain she’s the one. They fall madly in love; happily, impatiently, imprudently, in love. It doesn’t matter that her daddy is staunchly opposed to the thought of his daughter marrying a cotton farmer, never mind a poor one.

It’s true Benjamin has little to offer; he’s a sharecropper who will spend his whole life sweating and slaving to do little more than put food on the table. But that’s how things are in Alabama. Benjamin is better off than most; he has a wife, a boy he adores, and a house that doesn’t leak rain. Yes, Benjamin considers himself a lucky man until the fateful night that changes everything.

Reviewer Praise

“Passing Through Perfect is not the kind of novel that excels in pat answers, simple characters, and calm progressive events – and this is evident from the first paragraph, which opens with a punch and keeps on emotionally slugging… Southern fiction writing at its best: spiritually infused, warm, and family-oriented…” Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan’s Shelf

“A heartwarming tale that shows both the good and bad found in mankind… Highly Recommended to those who enjoy historical fiction.” Inspired Kathy, I am a Reader

“Author Bette Lee Crosby’s characters take on heartbreak and oppression with dignity, courage, and a shaken but strong faith in a better tomorrow” Indie Reader

An uplifting story of family, love, kindness and hope, despite some people’s less than commendable behavior and attitudes.” Between the Lines

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * iTunes

Excerpt

“When the heart of a man gets pulled loose he starts dying. I started dying a year ago, and I’m still working on it. I ain’t going all at once; I’m going piece by piece.”

“The sheriff recognized Benjamin. He’d done work for Missus Haledon, and he’d done a good job. He painted their back fence and repaired a broken window in the storage shed. He was blacker than most but known for being polite, unlike the smart-mouthed coloreds who lived on the far side of Bakerstown.”

“As he sat at the kitchen table and drank a glass of sweet tea with his daddy, her ghost slid in alongside of them. It was a sadness neither of them wanted to speak of.”

Author Bette Lee Crosby

Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby shares the storytelling charm of her Southern Mama in tales that are both heartrending and heartwarming. She is best known for her creation of characters that readers find unforgettable.

Passing through Perfect is Crosby’s tenth novel and the third book in the Wyattsville Series that began with the USA Today Bestseller Spare Change. Her work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. Since then, she has gone on to win another twenty literary awards, including the Royal Palm Literary Award, the Reviewer’s Choice Award, the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal and the 2014 Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/6/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A two-book series by the bestselling author of Almost and Unmaking Hunter Kennedy.

How I Fall by Anne Eliot

*WHAT IF YOU HAD AN IMPOSSIBLE CRUSH?*
Impossible because she’s Ellen Foster. The beautiful, smart, and possibly fragile photography-girl. You’re Cam Campbell. The guy who plays football 24/7 with no life. But what if during junior year, you decide to finally try for her phone number—until this glitter-crazed new girl ruins your plan. Worse, the girl is Irish, awkward, and insists you and Ellen should become best friends—with her! Only, you don’t want to be friends with a human tornado, and you think Ellen might need to stay a crush. This is because after one interaction you’ve discovered Ellen Foster really is fragile. Your problems and secrets are too big for anyone to understand.

*WHAT IF YOU COULDN’T RESIST?*
But what if the three of you wind up assigned to a group photography project, where rumors are already circling about the new girl being ridiculous? You know she’s nice but very alone, so you convince your crush to help protect the new girl. Suddenly, working on the project makes hanging out, texting, talking—and even high school—seem fun and completely normal when it’s anything but normal.

*WHAT IF YOU KISS?*
What if you kiss Ellen Foster and it’s perfect enough to make you believe in things you shouldn’t. You tell her secrets and share your dreams. You make the kinds of promises and create plans to be together that might be impossible to keep when you’re only sixteen and your parents control your entire future, but… WHAT IF YOU HURT HER?

Amazon

Praise for How I Fall

“How I Fall captures exactly how a high school crush feels. You can have endless long days—days that feel exactly the same—and then in one moment a little thing changes, a conversation finally happens, and suddenly there’s a new friend group formed where relationships are suddenly ‘on’! I loved this book (How I Fall) and I’ve already read the sequel, How I Fly as ARC. You will laugh, you will cry and you will fall so in love with Ellen and Cam’s story.” ~Becca H. Teen book blogger.

“Anne Eliot writes the sweetest first kisses. She also does those book boyfriends you can’t get out of your head. Cam Campbell in How I Fall doesn’t disappoint, nor does the awesome first kiss.” ~Judith, I Love YA Fiction, Blog

How I Fly by Anne Eliot

*WHAT IF IT’S TIME TO MOVE ON…?*
Over six months after an accident that broke her legs as well as removed her boyfriend from her life—because Cam Campbell left town and dumped her—high school senior, Ellen Foster, wants to move past her broken heart. She’s off to attend a summer photography workshop at a real university along with her best friends. Ellen’s determined to find a new love—or at least a summer boyfriend. In the dorm, she meets Harrison Shaw. He’s a handsome photography student, a charmer who likes her, and a perfect way to forget her past.

*WHAT IF IT ALL GOES PERFECTLY…?*
Ellen thinks she has everything she wants. Her summer program couldn’t be better. She’s half in love with Harrison Shaw, and she’s going after her next scholarship. But when she kisses Harrison, she can only remember how Cam Campbell used kiss her better, sweeter, and how he used to make her feel like she could fly…

*WHAT IF SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT…?*
When Cam shows up at the university it’s a shock, especially to Ellen’s new boyfriend. Cam’s distant, different and very afraid to hurt Ellen again. He asks Ellen if they could be friends despite the past and how they’ve both changed and Ellen agrees. But after all they’ve been through, can Cam and Ellen ever be just friends?

*WHAT IF…?*

Amazon

Author Anne Eliot

Anne Eliot is the author of the, How I Fall/How I Fly two book series, and bestselling, young adult teen issue romances, Almost and Unmaking Hunter Kennedy. She loves writing about teens who live outside the ordinary and she’s devoted to stories about teens who live outside the ordinary but who also get to find sweet first kisses and first loves.

Anne resides in Colorado with a very patient husband, two teens of her own whom she adores (an some teens near and far thanks to hosting many exchange students) who are all growing up too fast.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Tumblr

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/6/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I don’t usually read mystery, but I got this book for $1.00 at my church bookstore. It’s written by Mindy Starns Clark and is part of a series, although I didn’t realize that until I finished reading it.

I’ll start with the pros: The mystery is solid and believable. The romance is clean and sweet. Both of the main characters are Christians, and it reminds me of when I was involved with a singles’ group in church. There’s really no Christian message coming from the author, as it’s more of a way of life for some of the characters. They go to church, a singles’ group, and their faith makes them who they are and plays a part in their choices. If you are a Christian, you’ll relate to them. If you aren’t a Christian, I think you’ll still enjoy the story, as it doesn’t preach at you.

Now for the cons: I really didn’t relate with the main female character for two reasons. The first being that Tulip makes her living by running a blog about household hints and tips. She’s highly organized, and I’m the complete opposite personality wise. The second reason I didn’t relate is that the story is told from four different people’s point of view, which was great for getting me to anticipate things before they happened but didn’t help to get me too involved with one person.

Overall, I thought it was a good read and gave it three stars. I think I would have given it four if it hadn’t been for the very last page. Apparently, this is the second book in a series. I just didn’t know that by looking at the cover. It does say, “author of The Trouble with Tulip” in small letters at the bottom. However, it doesn’t say book two or series really anywhere on the cover. The great mystery part of this book stands alone, but the romance is where you’ll want to read the entire series. I was at the very end of the book thinking I had a complete story, and then BAM!!! The last page throws in a punch that had me going, “What?” That’s when I looked a little deeper and realized I’d have to read the first and second book if I want to find out what happens with her personal life. I have no problem with reading a series, as that is what I write and usually read. However, I just wish I knew what I was getting into when I started the book. I wish the cover had given me more warning. Looking at the book on Amazon, it’s easy to see that the book is the second in a series–just not so if buying from a bookstore.

If you like cozy mysteries, you might enjoy this one. Just be sure to start with The Trouble with Tulip before reading this one.

Sharon Skretting, a fellow Clean Indie Reads author, shared a link with me, and I must admit that what she and the other authors are doing is quite impressive. They have grouped together as authors of young adult and middle grade books and have started something called The Ultimate Reading Quest. The website is very easy to maneuver to find exactly what you’re looking for, and this group of authors are about writing creative and adventurous stories for teens and tweens without profanity or sexual content. As a parent, you don’t have to worry about the content coming from this group of authors.

They’re also giving away a $25 Amazon gift card as part of the promotion. If you have young readers or read young adult for yourself, I highly recommend you check out this Ultimate Reading Quest. I think you’ll truly love it, and that’s why I’m sharing it on my site. I’m impressed!

Wow! The month of December was a crazy one. Luckily, I finished the first draft of Unexpected Peril before my guests arrived for Thanksgiving. I then began editing it once everyone left but soon had to put it aside for Christmas shopping, parties, the children being home from school, and a lot of travel. My children went back to school today, and although I just returned from a relaxing island vacation with my husband, I already feel burned out from putting away Christmas decorations, unpacking, and doing a crazy amount of laundry. I still haven’t had a chance to stock up on groceries and am feeling quite overwhelmed.

As for my getaway with my husband, we went to St. Lucia, and the wifi was very spotty where we were staying. Although I took my laptop thinking I would get some work done, I was forced to step away from the Internet, and I highly recommend others doing that on occasion.

We live in a society of laptops, smart phones, and tablets, and we’re always plugged in and connected. With no wifi, I was forced to put all of my electronics aside (except for my Kindle). After a while, I noticed my meals were much more relaxing–without the feeling of needing to check my email or other social media. I gave my husband one hundred percent of my attention, and I savored my chamomile tea each evening after dinner. It reminded me of life before the Internet, and it was amazingly wonderful.

Then I came home to a pile of mail and emails that need my attention. I even had trouble sleeping the other night because I had not had a chance to get to my emails, and many of them were important. Sure enough, I awoke to a few emails stating they had not heard from me, and it was imperative that I answer them as soon as possible. I’ve spent my entire morning answering emails and still need to get everything added to my calendar. Once again, I am chained to the Internet.

I did get some reading in while on vacation and will soon be adding more reviews. I made the mistake of not downloading many books onto my Kindle Paperwhite before I left, and I can honestly say that iPads are horrible for trying to read poolside. Luckily, I got a decent wifi connection one afternoon, and I quickly downloaded more books onto my Paperwhite before the connection went out again. The Kindle Paperwhite is the best for reading while in the sun.

I’m a bit frustrated that I had to start four books before finding a decent one to read and will soon be venting my thoughts on another post. I just don’t quite understand how young adult books can be filled with severe language (I’m talking the worst words on the list) and some rated R sexual situations–yet the authors consider them clean enough for a teen rating.

This is a big thing for me since I’m surrounded by erotica in the romance industry, and I have higher standards for young adult books. My daughters–and even I–should not have to read explicit things when that is not what we’re looking for. I’m beginning to think books should have a rating on them, because teen reads no longer means a PG-13 rating. My daughters’ Kindles are filled with young adult books, and I’m highly bothered that when I went to read some of them, I found they are not appropriate reads–not even for me. Although I don’t like giving low ratings to authors, I am a bit outraged that these authors labeled their books as young adult, and it’s a bit hard for me to hold my tongue on this issue.

Anyways, I’ll leave you with a few pictures of the beautiful island of St. Lucia. Enjoy!

We rode all over the island in the back of a safari jeep, and the driver stopped at this house for us to try the local fruit. The farmer that lived there had a small table at the side of his house and was cutting a variety of fresh fruit for us try. One of them was delicious, and I hope to find it in the U.S. somewhere. I forgot the name of it but remember what it looks like.

St. Lucia is known for exporting bananas and is filled with banana fields. The blue bags are to protect the bananas from certain pests.

We stopped at a sulfur spring for a mud bath. Because I’m allergic to sulfa, we didn’t know if I could enter the bath. Once I got home, I Googled it and realized it would have been safe. However, I’m not all that sure I missed much. It stunk a little and was dirty! This picture shows my belief of “Strive to be different!” just a bit 🙂

This is where they get the fresh mud for the bath.

The water was SO cold. I didn’t get too wet.