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Monday, November 3, 2014

WOW!Women on Writing Book Review & Giveaway: God Doesn’t Love Us All the Same by Nina Guilbeau

Book Review & Giveaway: God Doesn’t Love Us All the Same by Nina Guilbeau, Review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto


Have you ever walked past someone on the street and wondered “what is their story?”? I’m not just talking about homeless people (which is a theme in God Doesn’t Love Us All the Same by Nina Guilbeau, but I’m talking about people in general. I often wonder about people’s stories and their history. What does the man with the tattoos and the tattered bible do for a living? What kind of house does he live in? The woman with the partially shaven head and pink Mohawk, does her mother take issue with her “look”, or does her mother have a green Mohawk? Since I live in Wisconsin where it is cold most of the year, I don’t have an opportunity to see many homeless people. However, when I see pictures of homeless people or have come across them in my travels, I find myself wondering about them as well. My thoughts venture to the extreme fear of COULD THAT BE ME?

My own fears and observations are what drew me to God Doesn’t Love Us All the Same by Nina Guilbeau. Like myself, Janine Harris seldom thought about homeless people. She was busy living her own life until she meets Vera, an old, homeless woman who seems to need her help.

Once Janine notices and befriends Vera, she wants to know how Vera ended up in her homeless situation. Vera shares her story and the two are forever changed by their new found knowledge, understanding and friendship. The lesson in the end is about self-forgiveness, but the path to that lesson is a lesson in itself. Guilbeau’s characters are richly written and God Doesn’t Love Us All the Same is an emotion filled read full of laughter, tears, sorrow, and understanding.

Just as Janine finds herself changed by her friendship, I felt changed as I finished the final chapter. I enjoyed everything about God Doesn’t Love Us All the Same and I am richly blessed to have “met” both Janine and Vera. This is a great read for anyone (regardless of your favorite genre). Thank you Nina Guilbeau for sharing your writing talents and bringing Janine and Vera into the lives and homes of your readers!


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Crystal is a church musician, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, three young children (Carmen 7, Andre 6, Breccan 1), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 200 Holsteins. The Otto family is expecting an addition with Delphine Elizabeth Otto due March 1st 2015!

You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books and all sorts of other stuff at: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/ and keep up with her WOW! tours and blog posts at: http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/



God Doesn’t Love Us All the Same is the touching story about Janine Harris who never really thought about homeless people. She barely even notices them as she passes them by on her way to work in downtown Washington D.C. All Janine can focus on is the shambles of her own young life, afraid that she will never be able to get past the painful mistakes she has made. However, all of that changes on a snowy evening in December when Janine unexpectedly finds herself alone with Vera, an old, homeless woman who seems to need her help. Now Janie wants to know what could have possibly happened to Vera to leave her so broken and alone.

As Vera shares her life story with Janine, the two women form an unusual bond and begin a journey that changes both of their lives forever. Reluctantly, they each confront their own past and, in the process, discover the true meaning of sacrifice, family and love. Although to truly move forward in their lives, they must fast the most difficult challenge of all – forgiving themselves.

Paperback: 254Pages
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Juania Books LLC (May 5, 2014)
ASIN: B00K5IMJOW


Twitter hashtag: #GDLoveGuilbeau

God Doesn’t Love Us All the Same is available as an e-book and paperback at Amazon.


About the Author: Nina Guilbeau is the Siblings Editor for BellaOnline The Voice of Women and writes weekly family articles for online magazines. Her e-book, Birth Order and Parenting, is a popular pick with students studying the Alfred Adler birth order theory.
She is a member of the Florida Writer's Association and the author of women's fiction novels Too Many Sisters and Too Many Secrets. A winner of the Royal Palm Literary Award for her God Doesn't Love Us All the Same manuscript, Nina's work has been published in the short story anthologies From Our Family to Yours and Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Mothers and Daughters. An excerpt from upcoming novel Being Non-Famous was published in the Orlando Sentinel as a Father's Day tribute.
Wyoming and settling in the Sonoran Desert. She lives in Tempe, Arizona with her husband and two children, Abig Twitter: https://twitter.com/NinaGuilbeau

Website: http://ninaguilbeau.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nina-Guilbeau-Author/660196480720272



---------- Remaining Blog Tour Dates


Tuesday, November 4 @ Words, Crazy Words
Join Nina Guilbeau as she speaks to readers of Words, Crazy Words about "Genre Confusion" and offers a copy of God Doesn't Love Us All the Same for one lucky reader to win as part of a giveaway!
http://wordscrazywords.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, November 5 @ Sioux’s Page
Get in on the giveaway for Nina Guilbeau's God Doesn't Love Us All the Same and hear from Nina on the topic of "Character Inspirations" as she visits with Sioux's Page readers!
http://siouxspage.blogspot.com/
Thursday, November 6 @ Writing Truth
Author of God Doesn't Love Us All the Same, Nina Guilbeau makes a stop at Writing Truth as she tells Jorja Davis more about what and who inspired her to become a writer and specifically how God Doesn't Love Us All the Same came to be!

http://jorjadavis.com/



1 comment:

  1. Thank you for hosting me today, Crystal. I am so happy that you enjoyed the book. As a writer, I am touched to know you felt changed by the story. I really appreciate the time time you took to review my book and I am truly grateful for your words.

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