For those of you that follow my blog often, you'll know that I love books that have a purpose and a meaning behind them. Much the same, I greatly appreciate when authors and writers use their talents to further a deeper purpose or cause, which is why Secrets, by Tim Mettey, speaks to me. Tales of drama, redemption, heroism and the natural strength within us all, this is a must-read series that truly serves a greater cause. 

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Tim Mettey serves as CEO and Disaster Relief Coordinator at Matthew 25: Ministries, an international humanitarian and disaster relief organization. Tim uses his many experiences and expertise in responding to disasters around the world to set the background for his The Hero Chronicle series. Tim struggles with and has overcome his learning disabilities with reading and writing to create this series, and hopes his journey can be an inspiration to others. He says, “Our disabilities do not define who we are, they make us stronger.”

Two books are currently available in The Hero Chronicles series, Secrets and Trust. Visit Amazon to download the books today!

The series starts out with Secrets in which the Midwest lies in complete ruins after a catastrophic disaster kills tens of thousands and leaves hundreds of thousands injured. Nicholas Keller emerges out of the devastation as a shining light of hope for all. But his newfound fame comes with a price that his aunt will not let him pay. They flee into the shadows in order to protect his secret. As Nicholas begins his sophomore year at his fifth school in five years, strange and unexpected things begin to happen. He soon tumbles into a web of doomed love, extraordinary talents and a secret past, which threatens the lives of everyone he cares about. It's up to Nicholas to confront the truth, even if it means his own death.

Continue the story of Nicholas Keller in Trust as he comes to terms with his Thusian heritage and has finally achieved some normalcy in his life. But when new neighbors move in next door at the beginning of his junior year, everything changes. He is launched into an impossible search, uncertain of who to trust, and this time it’s not just his own life that hangs in the balance—it’s the lives of countless others and everyone he loves.

Stay tuned for the release of book 3 in The Hero Chronicles on October 10, 2014!

All proceeds from the sale of The Hero Chronicles will go towards the ongoing work and programs of Matthew 25: Ministries, serving the poorest of the poor throughout the world. Please visit www.m25m.org for more information on Matthew 25: Ministries' humanitarian aid and disaster relief work.

Melissa asked me to talk a little bit about a favorite romantic relationship I’d read lately because, well, she knows me and understands my love of all things romance. Her suggestion got me thinking though, and instead of talking about a specific romantic couple, I thought I’d talk about a particular type of romantic character. I am always in favor of a bad boy. Who isn’t? But bad boys, while often beautifully complex and unique in their own ways, are a dime a dozen in young adult, new adult, and urban fantasy/romance. The men I want to talk about today are far more elusive; rare personalities who openly defy label and convention and then take their rebellion one step further by laughing in the face of any who dare try to pigeonhole them. For the purpose of this post, I’m going to refer to them as Romantic Outliers (though they would threaten bodily harm for calling them such).

Upon first glance, one might mistakenly try to assign the Bad Boy label to a Romantic Outlier. It’s a common error as they are both often dark and brooding characters; their thoughts and motivations kept close to their chests as the air of power emanating from them ensures they cut an easy swath through those clamoring to be around them. There are several important key differences that mark a man as a Romantic Outlier rather than just a Bad Boy, however. Where Bad Boys are dangerous, Romantic Outliers are downright lethal. Where Bad Boys aim to wound emotionally or physically, Romantic Outliers aim to scar permanently, and whether that scar is left on someone close to them or the enemy is entirely irrelevant. Bad Boys are memorable, but Romantic Outliers erase the memory of every other person who came before them so they alone exist, unable to accept anything less than the totality of being the one and only.

Bad Boys often push our capacity for forgiveness to its very limit, using cruel words to keep those who would accept the risk of an emotional beating by trying to navigate their rocky shores away, but deep in the heart of their blackness lies vulnerability and a willingness (however small) to stray from the path they’re on if given a good enough reason. Over the course of a Bad Boy’s story, we often see them change; our innate desire to be the one person who knocks a Bad Boy off his axis and acts as a balm to soothe his damaged soul fully realized, if vicariously, through the character who steals his heart.

With a Romantic Outlier, it’s we who do the changing. They remain immovable, completely unapologetic and absolutely uncaring what we think of them because it frankly makes no difference in the grand scheme of their lives. They force us to alter our perception of them–to dig deeper and see what’s there, not simply what we want or hope to see in them–rather than rising to meet our lofty expectations, and we can practically feel their smugness as we struggle with the challenge. We read their stories with a magnifying glass attached to our faces, looking closely for even the barest of hint that they are the men we so desperately want them to be, and when they prove to us again and again that our romantic ideals have no business trying to adhere themselves to their person, we can’t help but find ourselves equal parts dismayed and perversely pleased that they’ve burst our bubble once more.

The Romantic Outlier might not sound romantic in the least for some; after all, who wants to love someone who for the most part couldn’t care less whether or not they have our love? But therein lies the attraction. We all want what we can’t have. Hope is a force to be reckoned with and can be a cruel mistress, keeping us flipping pages out of the sheer desire to prove that these men are more than what we’ve uncovered so far; that if we just keep digging we’ll find the evidence that our hope has not been grossly misplaced. It’s part of the fun. There’s an undoubtedly dark appeal in wondering if it’s the next chapter that will see them do the irredeemable; to cross a line that can’t be uncrossed. Or can it? Our ability to rationalize their actions–to excuse what they say or do in a way we might never have before them–can be startling yet oh-so fascinating, a testament to how much they’ve changed us, and just maybe, how much we craved change and simply needed a Romantic Outlier to show us the way.

If you’re curious about the Romantic Outlier, check out the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning and The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. Barrons, Ryodan (Fever series) and Warden (The Bone Season) are all such stunning emotional and romantic challenges, and I can guarantee that love them or hate them, you will remember them forever.

Today, I'm so happy to welcome the lovely Alexa from Alexa Loves Books to my little blog. Alexa graciously offered up her reviewing time and prowess to provide some insight into one of her favourite love stories of all time, The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks. Please welcome her to the blog, and then be sure to drop by her blog later. It's one of my all-time favourites. Thank you, Alexa!

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Even though it’s been quite a while since the last time I read it, The Wedding is one of my favorites among all the Nicholas Sparks novels. The reason it has earned top marks with me is fairly simple: when it comes right down to it, this novel is a story about love. I’m not just talking about the glow of first love, or the heated passion of the early days, though these are ever present. I’m talking about the true, real, forever kind of love – the kind that everyone hopes to have on their wedding day.

The kind of love that Wilson and Jane have is the kind that I believe I have with my husband, and what I’m believing in for Melissa and her new husband, Ryan. It’s not perfect in the way that movie romances tend to be, with the right line at the right time with the swoon-worthy grand gesture. No, it’s flawed and riddled with imperfection; Wilson and Jane face a few conflicts and things that make them question their relationship.

But their love is real.

It is also true, as readers will discover when they keep on reading. We learn more about these two, how they fell in love and what their life is currently like. We meet their children, their parents and some of their friends. And with every chapter, we see their emotions when it comes to one another – the passion, the respect, the trust, the love and the loyalty – and it’s wonderful.

For that’s what true love is really like. It teeters between the good times and the bad ones, the moments of complete solidarity and the moments on opposing sides. And when it comes right down to it, loving someone becomes your choice. You choose to love someone. You choose that person, in spite of their flaws. You choose that person, because of the good things they bring to your life. You choose that person – and if they choose you, well, then you’re blessed indeed.

Does The Wedding have a happy conclusion? You’ll just have to read it and see for yourself. It’s definitely the kind of love story I’d treasure and read all over again, and I think you should too.

But in the meantime, join me in wishing Melissa and Ryan a hearty congratulations on their wedding, which is a celebration of true love in real life! May their love be like Wilson and Jane’s – not perfect, but real and true and strong.