The Prophetess by Jill Eileen Smith is the newest in her Daughters of the Promised Land series.

The story of Deborah, the only female prophet of the Old Testament, has intrigued me since my mother first told me the biblical story many years ago. I've studied the prophetess in detail, so I was eager to read this account of the biblical narrative and ancient history told with this author's tremendous storytelling ability.

The result is spectacular. Deborah's story is bigger than blockbuster cinema and Jill Eileen Smith brings it to life in the reader's imagination, perhaps better than CGI could. You will come away from this book in awe of the Hand of God, just as Deborah would want it.

Admittedly, I have a real soft-spot for Appalachia and the Blue Ridge. When an author captures the culture, she has my attention. A Twist of Faith by Pepper Basham had me so drawn in that my family almost didn't get fed. Don't judge. There just wasn't a good place to stop ... until the end.

This is my favorite contemporary romance of 2016, thus far. I can pretty much guarantee it will stay at the top of that list. Things I love include the setting and culture. There's romance ... really sweet, toe-tingling romance. But the real shining star of this book is the actual twist of faith.
The redemption story on these pages is inspiring, hopeful and real.

If your heart is longing for the Blue Ridge, A Twist of Faith is the next best thing to an actual visit.