Amanda Stephan

Becky Callis is a lonely widow with two kids that she's been raising on her own. The kids know their mom is lonely and try to match her up with some worthy candidates. After moving to a new town she first meets Scott Boone whose easy-going manner and handsome looks make him easy to like. Then when Becky and the kids visit a new church in town they find out Jack is the pastor. Becky has known Jack all her life and they have an easy rapport together. Then there's Pearce Morgan. The handsome, show more stand-offish rancher who is raising a daughter on his own after his wife divorced him. His shy daughter, Emily, seems to have taken to Becky and her kids. Only one will win her heart but which one will it be?

I LOVED this story. From beginning to end it kept me totally enthralled and wondering how it would all work out. Loaded with zippy dialog and great characters made for a fun and very satisfying tale. I really enjoyed Becky. She was a very relateable character. I liked the way she handled the situations that arose and found myself thinking I wish I was more like her in some ways. You will enjoy getting to know all the bachelors as you wonder, like her kids, who is the best fit for their mom. The kids will win your heart as they do their best to see their mom is happy. I must say I loved Curly. He's a wise old ranch hand you'll get to know as well. This story took me through a gamut of emotions. I felt happy, sad, excited, angry, and frustrated. You know a story is good when it has that effect. The theme running though our story is 'things may not always be as they appear'. It's a great reminder that man looks on the outside but God looks on the heart. If you enjoy an easy-to-read, fun and entertaining story with a great message I highly recommend Lonely Hearts. It really would make a great Hallmark movie. Looking forward to more by Amanda Stephan. A thank you goes to the author for providing this complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. show less

Amanda Stephan has managed to take equal parts faith, intrigue, humor, and love and turn them into a delicious recipe called "The Price of Trust". This enchanting story of a frightened and lonely young woman fleeing an abusive ex fiancee kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The journey the main character Carly undertakes with the Lord turns her from a terrified victim into a confident, stand-your-ground, loved, and cherished woman. If you are looking for a christian romance show more with lots of spice and zest thrown in for good measure, then look no further than this book. show less

"One lonely mother. Two matchmaking kids. Three eligible bachelors. What could possibly go wrong? ~*~
This is one of the descriptions given to this book and it is so "right on"!

This story was a delight to read and one I had a hard time putting down until I finished it. This is the second book by Amanda Stephan that I have read and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

Becky Callis is a widow who has just arrived in town with her 2 children and are seeking to make a home for show more themselves in this small town. She finds new friends and old friends and eventually finds herself taking on a housekeeping/nanny type position at Pierce Morgan’s ranch. You can feel the attraction they both have for each other, but neither one comes out and really tells the other how they feel. There was a point in this story when I wanted to pull my hair out waiting for Pierce to “get his act together” when it comes to the decisions he was making.

I loved the way these two main characters “danced around” each other and couldn’t read fast enough to see how the author was going to finally bring them together. I also enjoyed the sensitivity of her two children and the wise old ranch hand, Curly. This was a quick read, filled with enjoyable characters. A fast moving story filled with romance and I had a really good time reading it. I want to thank the author, Amanda Stephan for sending me this story to review. It was a pleasure to read!

This book is not due out until October 2011. show less

I have a bad feeling when I get a book that is a debut novel. With all the reviews I write up it is kind of a feeling that the debut novel is not going to be as good or the writing will stink. Yes I know, kind of prejudiced but you know how it goes if you review books as well. Anyways, I was so surprised with this novel!! I loved it from the beginning. Amanda writes like a pro and I would never have known this was her debut novel. The thing I most enjoyed was the dialogue between Carly and show more Joe. They are so humorous and I found myself laughing more than once. I absolutely loved the whole book!! Joe is a sweet guy and Carly is very independent but at the same time learns to rely on someone other than herself and that not all guys are out to hurt her. Way to go Amanda!! I will definitely be on the lookout for your next book!! show less