This Time for Keeps – K Dawn Byrd

From the Back Cover:

India McGuire’s peaceful life is shattered when on the night of her engagement to David Richards, she comes face to face with Chase Porter, a long lost love. India must come to terms with her overpowering feelings for Chase and choose between David, the neighbor who says he loves her, and Chase, the man who broke her heart.

Chase’s plans of leaving quietly turn to disaster when he finds that it’s impossible to disappear without seeing India one last time. Feelings begin to surface that he believed buried forever and he finds himself fighting to win her back even as David struggles to hold onto her.

India longs to follow her heart, but she’s been hurt too deeply. Who will she choose? The neighbor who can provide stability or the man she vowed to love forever who may once again heed to the call of the open road?

 

Amanda’s Review:

This Time for Keeps kept me guessing for much of the book. Just as India McGuire has an engagement ring slipped onto her finger, there is a knock at the door. The man she had loved so long ago, whom she had never gotten over, stood before her. 

As India’s thoughts vacillated between the two men, I was never quite sure who she would choose – not for a long time, anyway. That doubt kept me turning the pages along with the questions over her fiance’s character – was he really the honourable man he made himself out to be?

All in all, a great read. I recommend this book to those who love a good romance and appreciate the opportunity for second chances.

 

About the Author:

K. Dawn Byrd is an author of inspirational romance and romantic suspense with four books published through Desert Breeze Publishing so far. Recently, she tried her hand at young adult fiction and found that she really enjoyed writing it. Four new young adult releases are scheduled for 2012. Three books are part of a new college-age mystery/romance series, scheduled to release January, June, and December. The fourth is Shattered Identity, the sequel to Mistaken Identity, and will release in April.

K. Dawn Byrd is an avid blogger and gives away several books per week on her blog at www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com, most of which are signed by the authors. She’s also the moderator of the popular Facebook Christian Fiction Gathering group at http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=128209963444.

When not reading or writing, K. Dawn Byrd enjoys spending time with her husband of 15 years while walking their dogs beside a gorgeous lake near her home and plotting the next story waiting to be told.

Published in: on 22nd October, 2011 at 10:21 am  Comments (2)  
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Bottlenecked Blessings

It is better to give than receive.

We’ve all heard this quote from Acts 20:35 hundreds of times. It’s true. It always feels good to give and bless someone. It feels great, actually. But, when it comes to receiving, for some reason we feel ebarrassed–like we don’t deserve to be blessed. We say things like “you didn’t have to”, or “I can’t accept that.” And sometimes we really do refuse to receive a blessing or gift from someone.

But do we ever stop to consider that in refusing a gift, we are actually stopping that person from being blessed. We’re not just stopping them from that nice feeling of having given either. We’re holding up a blessing for them in return for their giving. It is one of the ‘supernatural laws’ that God put into place in the Universe. If you give, you will receive. So, when we say no to a blessing, we are effectively stopping up the natural flow of blessing that should come. Like a cork in a bottle.

So, next time someone offers you a gift, or to bless you in some way, try swallowing that impulse to refuse and just say thankyou. Then go and bless someone else in turn. Let’s unstop the bottle and let the blessings flow!

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. [Luke 6:38 NIV]

Published in: on 2nd August, 2010 at 8:37 am  Comments (4)  
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Reck Not!

I have just finished reading this great book by Georgette Heyer called Beavallet. It contains swashbuckling adventure, bold escapes and, of course, the daring romance at the centre of it all. Exactly my cup of tea! (I really should stop using that metaphor though, since I do not like tea at all.)

The leading man, affectionately known as Mad Nick, will stop at nothing to rescue his lady, even braving the possibility of the Spanish Inquisition. His motto in the face of all is “reck not.” He cannot be dissuaded from his purpose by any reasoning or life-threatening peril. He simply laughs and says “We reck not!”

Of course, you will have to read it for yourself to find out what misadventures he gets himself into…and out of again. But I was struck by those two words: reck not. They remind me of little Simba in The Lion King, when he says “Danger? I walk on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger!”

 I am also reminded of Caleb, who was bold enough to take on the sons of Anak. I happen to be reading The Warrior by Francine Rivers (a story about Caleb’s life), as well as working through Numbers in my Bible. So, this story really comes to life for me. I can imagine Caleb looking at those mountains and the giants and saying “reck not!” He could not afford to think about the possibilities of defeat. He placed his faith in God and had a ‘bring it on’ attitude, even at the age of eighty-five. And there are more examples:

Esther, when planning to go before the king. “If I perish, I perish.” Reck not! [Esther 4:16]

David, when facing Goliath. “The battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” Reck not! [1 Sam 17:47 NIV]

The three mighty men, who broke through enemy lines just to get their king a drink of water. Reck not! [2 Sam 23:13-17 NIV]

Sometimes it is healthy to take a risk, to be audaciously bold. If we stay in our comfort zones, we never know the adventure, the possibilities for greatness or the thrill of succeeding where we never dreamed we could. And so I say: reck not!

(Reck definition: care, worry)

Published in: on 8th April, 2010 at 2:36 pm  Comments (2)  
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Our Defender

“Mummy is a bit funny-looking isn’t she?” My hubby teasingly asks our children.

“No! She’s beautiful,” they cry in unison.

“But she’s a bit weird, don’t you think?” He grins mischievously.

“No!”

I just sit there and shake with silent laughter. It is a wonderful feeling to have people who stick up for you, even if it is all in fun!

I was reading Numbers 12 this morning and was amazed at how God did the same for Moses. So, here’s the story…in my words, of course.

Aaron and Miriam are having a whinge about Moses. “How come he gets to be the one in charge? I mean his wife is a Cushite and everything! Doesn’t God speak through us as well?”

Now, God overhears their complaining–you know He’s always there in the pillar of cloud. So He says “Right! You three! Into the tent! Now!”

Moses, Aaron and Miriam do as they’re told and go to the tabernacle, where God separates Moses’ brother and sister from him and stands before them in that awesome cloud. He says, “Usually when there is a prophet, I speak through visions and dreams. But Moses, he is faithful in all my house, and with him I speak face to face. No riddles. No interpretation needed. He sees me. And knowing this, what I would like to know is, how you would dare speak against him?”

He is so angry, that when the cloud moves away, Miriam is covered with leprosy. She is healed of course, when Moses, in his humility, pleads with God on her behalf. And yet, she still has to remain outside the camp for a week.

What an experience that must have been. To have the  God of the universe stick up for you like that. It is mind blowing. And yet, that is what God does for each of us. His love for us is so great that He sent His Son to die for our sins.

That being the case, doesn’t it make you pity anyone who would dare speak against you?

Published in: on 16th March, 2010 at 11:53 pm  Comments (6)  
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The Hope of a Legacy

Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The more I think about it, the more I realise that this life is not about what we achieve at all, but about how we impact others and how we grow in God.

For example, I had a novel published. “Wow, Amanda! That’s fantastic! We’re so proud of you!” And yes, it is a good feeling. But, it is what God is doing in me through this journey of writing and publishing which is more important. I can’t take my book to Heaven with me, but I can take the lessons I have learned in the process.

And hopefully, prayerfully…I will be able to stand before my Father and hear Him tell me that my book brought others to Him. That is even more important than my own journey. When my life is over, will I be known for writing entertaining novels, or for impacting lives? The latter I hope—and that is what I live for!

How about you?

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.   1 Corinthians 10:31(NIV)  

Published in: on 2nd March, 2010 at 2:05 am  Comments (5)  
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