About the book:
An Unlikely Blessing is a heartfelt story about a new pastor and life-long city dweller Alex Armstrong, who reluctantly accepts his first assignment, a two-point parish in the wilds of North Dakota . Hilltop Township , a farming community, blooms from the prairie like a wild pink rose—lovely and prickly all at once, much like the people who live there.
Unlikely
Alex quickly finds that this lovely place is in quiet peril. Farmers are struggling to make ends meet: Jonas Owens, a faithful member of Hilltop parish, is on the brink of losing the farm. Alex believes that part of why God called him to Hilltop was to help turn things around, and steps in with ideas for saving the Owens' land. But can even God's minister help save this rural community?
There are a lot of firsts for the new pastor—the annual Hunter's Breakfast, julebukking (also called Christmas fooling), King Oscar's fish balls, and the melody of the musical saw. And the new, single pastor creates remarkable excitement among the unmarried women in the community. If you could die of hot dish overdose, Alex would be a dead man. Whether performing weddings, counseling his flock, or herding cattle by snowmobile, Alex soon discovers that his new church home has as much to teach him as he will teach them. Day by day, he falls more in love with the people of Hilltop Church . People may leave Hilltop, but Hilltop never leaves them.
My Thoughts:
Reading "An Unlikely Blessing" was an unexpected warm and joyful experience. From the first page the reader will feel like an unseen guest who had been invited to pull up a chair at Reverend Alex's homey and welcoming kitchen table for a cup of coffee and a heaping helping of news about the close-knit, familial community of Hilltop township.
As the daughter-in-law of a country preacher, I was amazed and delighted at the charming description of the pastoral assignment Alex Armstrong had undertaken, and I found myself wishing that my husband's parents had been able to experience the outpouring of love and warmth that Reverend Alex was given by his congregation at Hilltop Community Church. Their life as "trouble-shooting" pastor brought in to sooth troubled congregations was often hard (much like what Alex experienced with the All Saints congregation, his "other" church), and I know they would have adored the jewel-box of a church and the adorable parsonage Alex was so fortunate to have been given charge of.
Judy Baer has created a fascinating community of folks in this gentle novel, and I, for one, can wait to find out how their lives continue in future stories!
My Thoughts:
Reading "An Unlikely Blessing" was an unexpected warm and joyful experience. From the first page the reader will feel like an unseen guest who had been invited to pull up a chair at Reverend Alex's homey and welcoming kitchen table for a cup of coffee and a heaping helping of news about the close-knit, familial community of Hilltop township.
As the daughter-in-law of a country preacher, I was amazed and delighted at the charming description of the pastoral assignment Alex Armstrong had undertaken, and I found myself wishing that my husband's parents had been able to experience the outpouring of love and warmth that Reverend Alex was given by his congregation at Hilltop Community Church. Their life as "trouble-shooting" pastor brought in to sooth troubled congregations was often hard (much like what Alex experienced with the All Saints congregation, his "other" church), and I know they would have adored the jewel-box of a church and the adorable parsonage Alex was so fortunate to have been given charge of.
Judy Baer has created a fascinating community of folks in this gentle novel, and I, for one, can wait to find out how their lives continue in future stories!
Link to Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Blessing-Forever-Hilltop/dp/0824948149/ref=sprightly-20
About The Author:
Judy Baer is the author of over seventy-five books for adults and teens. She has won the Romance Writer of America Bronze Medallion and has been a RITA finalist twice. She lives in Elk River , Minnesota with her husband. Follow the Hilltop characters on Judy’s blog and find out more about Judy and her books at http://www.judykbaer.com/
Judy Baer is the author of over seventy-five books for adults and teens. She has won the Romance Writer of America Bronze Medallion and has been a RITA finalist twice. She lives in Elk River , Minnesota with her husband. Follow the Hilltop characters on Judy’s blog and find out more about Judy and her books at http://www.judykbaer.com/
In celebration of the release of An Unlikely Blessing, Judy is giving away a KINDLE prize package worth over $175.
One lucky winner will receive:
- Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi
- A $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com
For more information please visit the Litfuse website, http://www.litfusegroup.com/
Blog Tour Schedule: http://litfusegroup.com/Blog-Tours/an-unlikely-blessing-by-judy-baer.html )
My Thanks to Amy at Litfuse Publicity Group for including me in this blog tour! I received a complimentary copy of this book for review, and was not compensated for my opinion.
