Just Commonly welcome authors to drop by and share with us their take on a book that embodies a predetermined Word of the Month! For the full year of 2017, every Monday at 7:00 AM EST, a new post by a new author will be live!
For this second Monday in March, we welcome Janet Ferguson.
"My life has been messy and broken in the past, sometimes due to my own sin and sometimes due to the sins of others. Yet God has rained down grace after grace upon me. What am I left to do but to return that grace to others in the midst of their brokenness?
That’s why I was thrilled when I finished reading Kara Isaac’s romantic comedy Can’t Help Falling. The humor and wit and banter are delightful. Plus the hero, Peter, and heroine, Emelia, are Narnia lovers! There are numerous C.S. Lewis references to adore. Including a character in a wardrobe or two! Emelia has had a terribly messy and destructive life, too, partly due to others’ decisions and partly due to her own. No longer able to live with her guilt, she’s working to make up for her biggest mistake.
I’ve been there—thinking that I could pull myself out of the mire, trying to work my way out of my guilt.
I’m reminded of these verses, though.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
The humor, the messy and broken characters, along with the wardrobes and Narnia references, already had me sold on this novel, but the ending sealed the deal. The way the story came full circle by the last line had me in tears. Emelia discovered God and His grace through the lives and actions of God’s people. Much like we are called to show God’s grace to those in our path.
I hope you get to read Kara Isaac’s Can’t Help Falling, and I desperately hope you’ll know that God is reaching out to you with that same gift of grace…right in the midst of your messy life."
Janet W. Ferguson grew up in Mississippi and received a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Mississippi. She has served her church as a children's minister and a youth volunteer. An avid reader, she worked as a librarian at a large public high school. Janet and her husband have two grown children, one really smart dog, and a few cats that allow them to share the space.
ABOUT CAN'T HELP FALLING by Kara Isaac
A funny, heartfelt romance about how an antique shop, a wardrobe, and a mysterious tea cup bring two C.S. Lewis fans together in a snowy and picturesque Oxford, England.Emelia Mason has spent her career finding the dirt on the rich and famous. But deep down past this fearless tabloid-reporter façade, there’s a nerdy Narnia-obsessed girl who still can’t resist climbing into wardrobes to check for the magical land on the other side. When a story she writes produces tragic results, she flees to Oxford, England—home to C.S. Lewis—to try and make amends for the damage she has caused.
Peter Carlisle was on his way to become one of Great Britain’s best rowers—until he injured his shoulder and lost his chance at glory. He’s determined to fight his way back to the top even if it means risking permanent disability to do so. It’s the only way he can find his way past failing the one person who never stopped believing in his Olympic dream.
When Peter and Emelia cross paths on her first night in Oxford, the attraction is instant and they find common ground in their shared love of Narnia. But can the lessons from a fantasyland be enough to hold them together when secrets of the real world threaten to tear them apart? Cobblestone streets, an aristocratic estate, and an antique shop with a curious wardrobe bring the world of Narnia to life in this inspiring and romantic story about second chances.
Janet writes stories of redemption and grace. This word of the month is perfect for her Southern Hearts series! Don't miss the Writing is a Team Sport giveaway that includes a book of Janet's!
When love storms in…
Wealth manager Sam Conrad is accustomed to his domineering father ordering him around, especially at the bank where they both work. But when his father demands that Sam manage the inheritance of his bossy ex-fiancée, Sam has finally had enough. He leaves in search of a new life, and attorney Big Roy Bosarge from Mobile, Alabama, agrees to mentor Sam on his quest for direction. Sam didn’t expect to be thrown together with Big Roy’s eccentric and opinionated daughter.
Storm damage forces lonely romance writer Elinor Bosarge and her hairless cat, Mr. Darcy, out of her Fort Morgan Beach cottage. She plans to take refuge in the boathouse on her parents’ estate, but finds the place already occupied by one of her father’s “projects.” She’s shocked her father would allow another young man onto the property after his last mentee robbed her family and broke her heart. And from the moment she meets Sam Conrad, they disagree about everything from her cat to how to best renovate a local nursing home.
Between her mother’s health issues and the hurricane brewing in the Gulf, Elinor feels like her life is being ripped apart. It doesn’t help that she’s falling for the man she’s determined not to trust. Sam finds himself drawn to Elinor, wanting to help her and this new family he’s grown to love. But can he overcome the barrier she’s built to keep him out? When the storm rages and the two of them are blown together, can Elinor find the faith to open her heart again?
Wealth manager Sam Conrad is accustomed to his domineering father ordering him around, especially at the bank where they both work. But when his father demands that Sam manage the inheritance of his bossy ex-fiancée, Sam has finally had enough. He leaves in search of a new life, and attorney Big Roy Bosarge from Mobile, Alabama, agrees to mentor Sam on his quest for direction. Sam didn’t expect to be thrown together with Big Roy’s eccentric and opinionated daughter.
Storm damage forces lonely romance writer Elinor Bosarge and her hairless cat, Mr. Darcy, out of her Fort Morgan Beach cottage. She plans to take refuge in the boathouse on her parents’ estate, but finds the place already occupied by one of her father’s “projects.” She’s shocked her father would allow another young man onto the property after his last mentee robbed her family and broke her heart. And from the moment she meets Sam Conrad, they disagree about everything from her cat to how to best renovate a local nursing home.
Between her mother’s health issues and the hurricane brewing in the Gulf, Elinor feels like her life is being ripped apart. It doesn’t help that she’s falling for the man she’s determined not to trust. Sam finds himself drawn to Elinor, wanting to help her and this new family he’s grown to love. But can he overcome the barrier she’s built to keep him out? When the storm rages and the two of them are blown together, can Elinor find the faith to open her heart again?
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Thank you for the invitation to share about God's grace! I know you're readers will love Kara's book, too!
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Janet, thank you for joining in on the fun!! Really appreciate it, and I'm sure Kara does too! =)
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