Regina Tittel

Cat Sylvan gets invited to be a bridesmaid at her friends wedding. It’s being held at Randolph Chateau, a beautiful mansion; the kind of place Cat could only dream about. She’s looking forward to the experience but a negative incident at the airport seemed to set the tone for her entire weekend. The other Bridesmaids look down on her and belittle her in front of the others. Cat is trying to overlook their attitudes and show some Christian love but it’s getting old. The owner of the estate catches Cats attention. He’s young, handsome and really nice. Garrick Randolph is the heir to the family fortune and the chateau. He’s cautious when it comes to women but Cat seems to have captured his attention and his heart. She’s different from anyone he’s ever met. Although Cat is drawn to Garrick, she knows he’s way out of her league but somehow her heart holds a little bit of hope, after all he does give her his attention. That hope is quickly shattered when she discovers someone is stealing the valuable paintings from the chateau. And to make matters worse all the clues point to her.

What a lively and enchanting tale. One that will grab you from the beginning and sweep you away to the very end. I absolutely loved every minute of the adventure at the Randolph Chateau. All the characters were full of life and well fleshed out. There was lots of snappy dialog which I thoroughly enjoyed. The mystery and intrigue was fun and you get the feeling that you are wandering around the halls of the mansion along with the guests. I enjoyed the interaction between Garrick and Cat. I loved Cat’s personality. She’s bubbly and fun yet so complex. Garrick was a nice guy who was wise and wanted to handle things correctly. There was also some great wisdom woven into the story as well. This author is a favorite of mine and this story is one of the reasons why. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great story. I actually think it would make a great Hallmark movie!

*This complimentary copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review…but I also purchased a personal copy as well*

Some favorite quotes:

“Every adversity takes a little climbing to overcome.”

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.” … How could she argue with God? His word was truth.

“Love is like cooking: It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”

I encourage you to not only check out this book but other books by this author as well.… (mehr)

This story had my interest in the first scene of the book, at the airport. I enjoyed the character Cat so much. She endured some very difficult moments, by very cruel and conceited people, but she was able to "take it to the Lord in prayer" and did a good job of adorning her Lord. I loved how she was constantly talking to the Lord and asking His help. She was somebody easy to like.

I also liked Garrick. He and Cat were great together and I hated to see the story come to an end. But loved the ending!!

Cat arrives at a chateau where her good friend is getting married, to be a part of the wedding. She knows right off that most of those in the wedding party are stuck up and want nothing to do with this small town girl. Garrick owns this estate where the wedding is taking place and isn't real thrilled with all the people in his home. He has a little bit of a fear of things being stolen. Little does he know that Cat comes from a family where her Dad is/was an art thief. Things will get complicated when Cat notices that some of Garrick's art work is fake, especially when he finds out about her family. But Cat has won Garrick's heart and in the end he will see that his feelings for this very special woman weren't misplaced. How he acts upon that was worth waiting for.

Looking forward to more books in this series. I have never been disappointed by any of this author's books and so appreciate her giving me this story and the opportunity to read it and give my honest review.… (mehr)

Tara Holden's life is not how she envisioned it to be. Although she loves being a beautician, she struggles with a husband whose gone a lot and the fact she's not been able to get pregnant. Her life feels empty and her attitude reflects her dissatisfaction. Her husband just doesn't seem to care. But one man seems to be around just when she needs someone and especially when Justin is out of town. Justin Holden hates being away from home and his wife but his boss has him working way too much. He knows Tara isn't happy but he's working hard to save money so he can quit. Creating beautiful furniture to sell is what he'd like to do which would allow him to stay home and still provide income. He loves Tara but doesn't know how to express what's in his heart. They just can't seem to talk anymore without fighting.

This story was so good and so inspirational and definitely encouraging! I have a real heart for hurting marriages so this was a must read for me and I loved it from beginning to end. I think the author did a wonderful job of showing 'real' people with 'real' struggles. You could understand and sympathize with both Tara and Justin. I particularly liked Tara's father and how he used his garden to explain a principle to Justin. I also appreciated that though Tara and Justin had faith, they still had struggles. After all, we all have things we deal with. What really stood out to me was the importance of communication and what can happen when you don't communicate. It's also really important to do what the Lord wants you to do regardless of what the world is telling you. Awakened Love is a story I would highly recommend. It will encourage and inspire you whether you're in a troubled marriage, healthy marriage or even thinking about getting married.

*This complimentary copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

Some of my favorite quotes:

"Tara, don't let Satan win. You're in the midst of a battle, and what you decide to do from here will affect you for the rest of your life."

"Tara, I know your pain is very real..." Tara blinked to cool her eyes. "And so does God. But you need to understand that trials are given to us for growth and the more we fight against them, the longer it takes to move on."

"Christ's sacrificial death on the cross was a gift to us. Your forgiveness to others is a gift to them. And like Christ's gift, it's even greater if the one who's done wrong hasn't asked for it."… (mehr)

This book is heartbreaking at times but ends happily.

We are introduced to Justin and Tara who have been married for 14 years but are having problems with their marriage. They aren't communicating with each other so they aren't sharing their thoughts on their infertility or any other issues. Instead they each come up with reasons the other is behaving the way they are. Like many couples when they don't communicate, they are drawn further apart.

I liked that this story was closer to real life than a typical romance is. It showed how hard marriage is and that isn't a bed of roses. Couples do get angry and often lose their trust. There were times I wanted to shake these two and tell them to just talk to each other.

This Christian romance is different from anything I have read before and I'm glad I got a copy from Regina Tittel. Please note that I am reviewing it on my own as I do with everything I read. Not because I was asked to.

If you or someone you know is having trouble in their marriage or with infertility, this would be a good book to read.… (mehr)