Raw Edges: Quilts of Love Series by Sandra D. Bricker - Review & Giveaway!


4.0 out of 5 stars Quilted Memories!

Description

Grayson McDonough has no use for teal ribbons, 5k runs, or ovarian cancer support groups now that his beautiful wife Jenna is gone. But their nine-year-old daughter Sadie seems to need the connection. When Annabelle Curtis, the beautiful cancer survivor organizing the memory quilt project for the Ovacome support group, begins to bring out the silly and fun side of his precious daughter again, Gray must set aside his own grief to support the healing of Sadie’s young heart. But is there hope for Gray’s heart too along the way?


This book can be purchased at the following locations:
http://www.amazon.com   $11.69
http://www.barnesandnoble.com  $11.98
http://www.christianbook.com  $9.99
http://www.deepershopping.com  $8.44

Biography

"I'm going to be a writer when I grow up!" Sandra D. Bricker declared these words to her father on a Sunday afternoon in Slidell, Louisiana. She was 5 years old, and was referring to being able to string her cursive letters together to write her full name for the first time, but the declaration proved somewhat prophetic. 

By the time she reached high school and her first article was published in The Cincinnati Enquirer, Sandie knew writing was what she wanted to do. For more than a decade, Sandie lived in Los Angeles and, while writing in every spare moment, she studied screenwriting and worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television's hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved cross-country to take on a new role: Caregiver. 

"I guess most people would see my career as a publicist as a sort of dream job. But giving it up turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me!" she declares. "Not only was I given the gift of getting to know my mother as an adult woman before she passed away, but I was also afforded the blessing of being able to re-focus on writing novels in an effort to pursue my dream of a writing career." 

That career weaves a web that draws in every age of reader. Sandie's interest in telling a story knows no boundaries. Three novels for middle readers carved out the beginning of the journey; then Avalon Books followed up with two hardbound romance novels in 2001: unWANTED: Husband (romantic comedy) and Change of Heart (romantic suspense). The response was tremendous, and Sandie was asked to pen a sequel to Change of Heart ... and so Sins of the Past was released in December 2003. Next up was another romantic comedy; Wish I Weren't Here was released in February 2005. 

"I'm a Christian woman, first and foremost," she says. "So the last couple of years has been a bit of a dream-come-true. Summerside Press chose me as one of two authors to launch their new Love Finds You line in October 2008 with Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas, a romantic comedy for the inspirational market. So the best of all worlds, as far as I'm concerned!"

More hilarity continued to follow from this award-winning author. 

Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida (Fall 2009) and Love Finds You in Carmel, California (Fall 2010) for Summerside Press, and The Big 5-OH! (Spring 2010) and Always the Baker, Never the Bride (Fall 2010) for Abingdon Press.

Future books will include sequels, The Big 4-OH! and The Big 3-OH! for Abingdon Press.

After spending nearly 15 years dealing with her celebrity clients' fans, Sandie finds it amusing that she is suddenly the one getting fan mail! "When people were actually buying my books at a recent signing, I found myself wanting to go around and invite them all to dinner or offer to bake them cookies. Hey! In fact ... maybe I'll do that very soon." 

My Review ~

One year has passed since Jenna McDonough lost her battle with ovarian cancer. Grayson McDonough and his daughter, Sadie, have muddled through the year. Nine-year-old Sadie discovers a local support group called Ovacome, which lends support to ovarian cancer survivors and families who have lost loved ones to the disease. Sadie arranges for her father to accompany her to the support group where Annabelle Curtis, a survivor of ovarian cancer, has begun planning a quilt to honor survivors and those who lost their lives to ovarian cancer. Grayson feels like a fish out of water in a room filled with women, but Sadie is committed to becoming involved with the quilt project. Her overwhelming energy and enthusiasm finally break down her father's resolve, and he agrees to allow Sadie to participate in the quilt project. Grayson's enthusiasm is lacking due to his loss and his anger at God, but he also realizes that Sadie needs something to help her move forward. Sadie takes an immediate liking to Annabelle, and Grayson agrees to let them work on the quilt project at their home where Sadie can be supervised.

Raw Edges is an engaging story of overcoming extreme loss and finding healing and renewed faith in God. The issue of ovarian cancer and Ovacome, the ovarian cancer support group play key roles in bringing about awareness of the disease and available support networks. Sandra D. Bricker has presented a cast of realistic and lovable characters in this story. She brings them to life in a perceptive manner with encouraging and humorous situations that are captivating. She intertwines her characters throughout the story and develops a lovable community of people supporting and encouraging of one another. I thoroughly enjoyed this story of hope and love, and renewed faith. 

Disclaimer: I received this book from Wynn-Wynn Media for the express purpose of my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

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