GIVEAWAY - Purex Insider Review: Dial Sugar Cane Husk Scrub Hand Soap

Through Purex Insider I received a new soap by Dial that promises to be deep cleansing, but moisturizing at the same time. Dial Sugar Cane Husk Scrub Hand Soap does feel gritty when you try it at first, so I had visions of my skin suffering for the sake of being clean. I tried it out within a couple of days arriving in my house. I have a good size vegetable and flower garden. So living in North Carolina, now is the time you prep the garden for the spring planting season. Yes, in my house there is a planting season. So this means digging a lot of holes and planting vegetables, cutting down shrubs and already harvesting herbs. But also making sure that I invest in some more perennials and so digging some more holes in the ground for planting flower bulbs and making sure that I split older plants and replant them with plenty of space for growth in the coming years. Needless to say my hands were incredibly dirty after working the garden, so now was the time to test Dial Sugar Cane Husk Scrub Hand Soap. I was surprised how well the soap worked. It did feel gritty and that helped to get rid of the major dirt on my hands and under my nails. While I did use two rounds of rinsing my hands, the first round got rid of the major surface dirt and the second round helped clean under the nails and get my hands nice and clean.
I did not suffer any skin irritation, my skin was not red and felt nice and smooth after I was done. I am very impressed with how well this soap works and I do believe that it is moisturizing.
Dial has come out with additional scents for the deep cleansing line of hand soaps. The scents available are:

• Water Blossoms
• Yellow Raspberry and Black Sugar
• Coconut Lime Verbena
  
  Yellow Raspberry & Black Sugar

copyright Durhamonthecheap - Husk Scrub - let's see how well this works. It does sound promising.

copyright Durhamonthecheap my little package from Purex, love the sample and the free product coupons

copyright Durhamonthecheap - the soap is truly deep cleansing and moisturizing at the same time!

 Giveaway: I have a giveaway for one free product coupon - one lucky ready will be able to try the new Dial Deep Cleansing soap for free!
All you have to do is follow instructions on the Rafflecopter giveaway. The giveaway is open until 4-12-15.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Disclaimer: I received a free product and free product coupons from Purex in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own and have not been influenced by any third party.

Product Review through Purex Insider: Purex Crystals now in liquid form!

Through the Purex Insider program I received a free sample of Purex Crystals Scentsplash in Fresh Spring Waters. I must say, I love Purex Crystals because they leave the clothes smelling fresh for days after having completed the laundry and so I was happy to get to sample and review the new form of Purex Crystals. The bottle of Purex Crystals Scentsplash in Fresh Spring Waters did not stay long unopened, within a couple of days I was doing laundry since I could not wait to try out the product. I am very impressed, not only that I was able to finish laundry on a weekday and not my usual weekend laundry, but also with how well the Scentsplash works. The motto is again, add as little or as much as you want and so I used a conservative amount that I felt equaled what I use in crystal form. The clothes came out smelling fresh and now two days later, still have a wonderful fresh scent on them. I prefer the liquid form; maybe it is because I am so used to using liquid detergent. The crystals and liquid form seem to work equally well and I could not tell a difference. But I am definitely more comfortable adding liquid to the laundry.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - the nice package I got from Purex Insider for the liquid version of Purex "crystals"

copyright Durhamonthecheap - I got the scent " fresh spring water" which I have not tried before

copyright Durhamonthecheap - Purex Scent Splash comes in the same scents as the original crystals!

Disclaimer: I received a free product and free product coupons from Purex in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own and have not been influenced by any third party.

Book Review: A Heart's Obsession by Colleen Coble

This is the second book of a series by Colleen Coble about the life of a young woman in 19th century America. Sarah Montgomery lives in the Midwest, Wabash Indiana to be precise and like a truly modern woman, Sarah sometimes has to decide between her heart and family expectations.

 

 

 

With her friend Rand Campbell off to war and held captive in Andersonville Prison, her brother expects Sarah to become engaged to Ben Croftner. Is Ben the love of her life? No, definitely not the love that Sarah hoped for, but her family expected her to be engaged and when Rand finally returns from the war, Sarah is engaged, which leads the disappointed Rand to board a train west. Sarah knows that Ben is not a good man, but now with Rand gone and her brother expecting Sarah to go through with the marriage to Ben despite his obvious character flaws, Sarah is at a crossroads. 

After her father died, Sarah sees no reason to remain in Indiana and boards to a train to follow Rand to Fort Laramie, but when she arrives Rand has already found someone else. Rand is engaged to the eager daughter of the fort commander. Will Sarah be able to prove to Rand that she is his true love and be able to make Rand break off the engagement to Jessie DuBois? Well, Sarah better hurry and watch out, because Ben is also on his way to Fort Laramie since he is now working as an Indian trader and is still pursuing Sarah despite the broken off engagement.

 

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this book is solely my own and has not been influenced by a third party. 

 

Book Review: The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do by Jeff Goins

I have been a fan of Seth Godin for many years now and so when I encountered an author that
Seth Godin was a fan of, I decided that I had to give this new author a try. That is how I came to read a book by Jeff Goins, who does not Seth Godin among his fans.

At first I was concerned that anyone could match the style and energy that Serth Godin brings to his books, but Jeff Goins is an equally talented storyteller that makes a book of about life-lessons and work fun and entertaining. You get advice about life and you feel like reading a thrilling story.

 I have switched jobs in my life and so far I was fortunate to always find a job that I liked. I think this is because I always picked jobs that had a meaning to me, whether it was a research scientist working on lung diseases and finding genetic causes for some lung diseases or now as a consultant advising companies how to secure their network so that personal information of clients is save. No job I have ever had was just a job, it was always something I enjoyed doing and also meant something to me in terms of giving back to me. I always try to teach on the side and usually keep my little business going as well, so there is never a dull moment. Still, I was curious what Jeff had to tell me about work.

This book is definitely for people that miss the point in their work, that drag themselves to the office every day wondering why they are putting in 8 hours in a job that does not mean anything to them or that feel that everything about their work has just become a stale routine. 

This book does not tell you, switch jobs and you will be happy. Instead, this book will teach you how to find fulfillment in the job you have right now by taking a different approach to work. Is this job really boring or are you just overlooking the challenges that you have already encountered and succeeded at? Maybe the episodes that were not boring were perceived by you as stress rather than the challenge you seek when the job seems too routine. Trying a different approach and realizing that challenge will require more input and seem like stress can be eyeopening to the reader.
Also what may seem like routine, can also indicate that you have accomplished mastery in certain areas and is actually something to be proud of and not to detest this feeling.



In addition, some aspects of the job that you perceive a difficult and that feel ill-prepared for can actually be opportunities to learn, expand your horizon and should be welcomed rather than dreaded.

This book rather than sound like a class about how to be happy in life may actually result in you enjoying your present job because you look at it different. Jeff's style is easy to read, entertaining and at times even funny. I encourage the reader to really read this book and not just gloss over it. It is time well spent.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Pinch Me samples - March 2015

Pinchme.com is one of these sites that you either love or you hate. Some people complain about never getting any good samples, but I love the site. It is one of these sites where once a month you can sign up for samples. The samples cost absolutely nothing and they arrive in your mail, nicely packaged in a box and in return, all you have to do is complete a brief review of each product. The review is very brief and usually takes less than 5 minutes.

So what kind of samples do you get? I have gotten pens, pencils, nailpolish, candy and this month I received a sample of Gevalia coffe and a new bodywash by Nivea. I love Gevalia coffee and so I am very happy with getting a free sample because this coffee in the European tradition can be quite pricey at stores. The Nivea bodywash I have not tried yet, but I love Nicea creme and literally grew up with that product. Anything that needed a soothing creme meant that the blue metal tin of Nivea came out and was liberally applied to the skin. So the bodywash I something I am eager to sample and review.

There is also a discount code for wine included which I may use. I am not opposed to ordering wine online, but $100 off probably requires purchase of $200, which is a lot of wine and probably more than I will order in one sitting. So I may not use the code.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - this month the sample box included three different items!

Crowdtap sampling: Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport Suncreen Spray with SPF70!

Through Crowdtap.com I received a free bottle of Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport Suncreen Spray with SPF70. Spring is already here and the sun is now shining regularly and quite strong. We had a couple of 70F+ days already and so many people forget that despite the early season, sunshine is no less intense now than it will be in the summer. You can always take care of your skin. I was happy to get this new product by Neutrogena to try out. It is a sunscreen spray with a very high SPF and not only stays on your skin, but also is resistant to water and sweat. That is right! You can wear this spray while working out in the sun, such as jogging or walking or biking and still be protected because the suncreen stays on your skin and does not come off.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - I love the Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport Sunscreen spray,easy to apply and works!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport Sunscreen spray, love the SPF70!

Not only does the spray stay on your skin, it also makes your skin feel cool and dry at the same time, making a stay in the sun more comfortable than with traditional screen protection. I was working outside in the garden, removing the last few branches from when we had the bad snowstorm and sawing branches is hard work, especially with a manual saw. I applied the spray to my arms and after working outside for about an hour, sweating despite only wearing a short sleeve shirt, my arms were still protected by the sunscreen and may skin felt comfortable the whole time. I cannot wait to use this spray in the hot summer months when we go to the pool and I know that my kids will be protected despite being in and out of the water numerous times throughout the day.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport Sunscreen easy on and lasts a long time

Update:  I have been using cNeutrogena Cool Dry Sport Sunscreen for a couple of weeks now and I am incredibly happy with the product. I apply the spray about 15 minutes before I go outside, a cool mist goes on to my skin and stay on for hours, even when working in the garden, which happens a lot this time of year in our house. I cannot wait until it is really hot outside and I use the spray at the neighborhood pool, knowing that I am protected despite being in and out of the water.

Disclaimer: I received a free product and free product coupons from Crowdtap in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own and have not been influenced by any third party.

Book Review: The Island of Doves by Kelly McNees

This book deals with the dark subject of domestic violence, but since the storyline is transported back into the 1800’s, the book was an easier read for me, despite the horrific subject matter. Maybe the fact that the victim Susannah, is getting help escaping her abuser made is easier to read, but I also believe that the style of the author contributed to my ability to read this book dealing with domestic abuse and not be sickened early on to the point of having to put the book down. 

Susannah is married to Edward, who controls her life and becomes abusive for no reason, often putting her life at risk with the degree of abuse he exerts upon her. Catholic nuns realize the severity of Susannah’s situation and help her escape from her prison. She finds shelter with Magdalie, a trapper who lives on Mackinac Island with her son and the memory of her sister, who was a also a victim of domestic abuse, but could not be saved. 

The book explores the relationship between the two women, who come from very different backgrounds, but whose lives are connected through the impact of domestic abuse. This is a nicely written book that elegantly deals with a dark subject. Maybe the book is too sanitized for this topic because it almost reads like a vacation read or something to read on a rainy weekend with a nice cup of tea by the side.

Book Review: Here and Again by Nicole Dickson

Even though this story plays in modern times, for the most part, the story itself has been repeated over generations in rural America. In this book, Ginger Martin lost her husband in the Iraq War and now lives with her three kids on the farms that her husband’s family owns and has owned for generations. Like many women before her, Ginger finds herself struggling to maintain the farm properly, lacking the strength of male workers to maintain the "homestead" so often described in Wild West novels. Similarly to those movies or stories, a savior appears for Ginger as well, but not in the form of a cowboy, but of Samuel. 

available at Amazon

Samuel is dressed in a Civil War uniform and it turns out is a person that cannot progress into the afterlife, but keeps wandering the earth, seemingly to seek people like Ginger, where he can help out. We never quite find out why Ginger and her family can interact with Samuel, but after a while this really does not matter. What matters is the help and support that Samuel provides to Ginger and her family. He helps not just in maintaining the farm, but also in Ginger finding closure with her husband’s death and the family finding together in their farm as the true home. 

This book is unique in the story it tells; it mixes traditional stories of women struggling to maintain the farm and finding help from strangers wandering through with elements of a modern ghost story in the form of Samuel. I liked this book because it was easily mixing the traditional story telling aspects with some quite radical ideas and still evolved into a very traditional story.

Book Review: Forever Bridge by T. Greenwood

Using the backdrop of Hurricane Irene, T. Greenwood paints a story of a woman, Sylvie, who has suffered tremendous hardship, but finds in the end back to a quiet life and happiness. In one tragic, horrific night, Sylvie got into an accident with the family car. This accident resulted in the paralysis of her husband and the death of her son. Sylvie blames herself for the accident, feeling guilty about the injury to her husband and causing the death of her child. She is never quite the same afterwards. Ruby, her daughter, suffers from a mother that is distant and broken. She is now obsessed with bridges, seeing their strength and elegance in the artful arrangement of beams. 

One day, a young woman named Nessa, enters the lives of Ruby and Sylvie and helping Nessa heal, Ruby and Sylvie heal their divide and find together as a family. Nessa harbors a dark secret that is related to her pregnancy, but Nessa seems unwilling or unable to speak. So no one really knows what her story is and why hse is finding herself in the small Vermont village that is now home to Sylvie and Ruby. Slowly, Nessa’s secret comes out and in helping Nessa, Sylvie can find a way out of her grief and guilt. 

T. Greenwood manages to cover some very dark and depressing events and subjects with a quiet calm that draws the reader to the storyline, even if it touches on subjects one would rather push away. This book shows that some conflicts and feelings need time to bubble to the surface, but if they do, the healing can truly begin.

Product Review: Purex Insider - Dial Miracle Oil Body Wash

Through Purex Insider, I received a nice box with a new Dial Body Wash inside. This product is called Dial Miracle Oil and is infused withMarula Oil to ensure that your skin is perfectly moisturized even in the dead of winter, when I know my skin is usually really dry.

Dial has provided my graciously with a free sample of this new product and after using it for a couple of weeks, my family is certainly a fan of this product.

Not only is the body wash keeping the skin moisturized, but with Marula Oil is also generates a deep lather that cleans the skin even in those quick showers on a cold morning. Dial has really stepped up its game. This is not just the body wash that leaves you clean. This Miracle Oil body wash leaves your skin clean, healthy and glowing. And did I mention the nice, subtle scent that Dial Miracle Oil has? It is not overpowering or strong, just a nice subtle scent that stays with you for hours and you can still apply perfume, if you feel like it, without fearing that your body wash will clash with the fragrance. I have applied perfume a couple of time and never noticed that the body wash clashes with the fragrance. But on most days, I simply shower and then apply a body moisturizer to my arms and a face moisturizer to make sure that I have my SPF protection.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - this is a new product by Dial - infused with Marula oil!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - love the scent and what it does to my skin - so soft and healthy looking

So check out the new Dial Body Wash with Miracle Oil, the Marula Oil, to see for yourself how the new Dial Soap Micro Oil Technology can keep your skin healthy and moisturized throughout the day!

Disclaimer: I received a free product as well as additional free product coupons in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this post has not been influenced by any third parties and is solely my own.

smiley360.com Mineral Fusion products - SPF15 Brightening Moisturizer

Through smiley360.com I received a coupon for a makeup and skincare line available at Target. I have a Target store close by and so I was happy to try out what is for more me a fairly pricey skincare product. But was it ever worthwhile.

The product line is called Mineral Fusion and one of the trademarks of its line is the inclusion of Vitamin C to naturally brighten and restore youthfulness of your skin. I opted therefore to select a skincare product rather than a makeup item because I wanted to try the effect of vitamin C. One of the products that immediately caught my attention was the SPF15 Brightening Moisturizer.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - the moisturizer comes in a nice blue/brown packaging

copyright Durhamonthecheap - this is a good size tube of moisturizer

copyright Durhamonthecheap -I noticed right away that it says protection - and it does!

So I bought with my coupon a $25 product for FREE - how great is that? I have been dutifully applying it every day for two weeks now and I am really happy with its effects. My skin feels more healthy and has a nice glow to it that I usually only see in the spring and summer, when I have been regularly outside. But we still had winter up until last week and so for my skin to have this kind of healthy color is really unusual - but I am very happy about it!
The product is hypo-allergenic, which is important for someone like me with really sensitive skin and also vegan. I use it sparingly, meaning just a little bit on the tip of my finger gores a long way and a good thing it is because I usually do not splurge like that on skincare. But this sample was really great and I dread the day that it is used up. I may have to convince myself that it is worth it after all and consider it my monthly splurge form now on. I really like it that much!


Disclaimer: I received a free product from smiley360.com in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this blog post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third parties.

Product Review: Aldi - Rice Pudding (Senor Rico)

I have found a new favorite dessert - a rice pudding that Aldi occasionally carries. It is a Mexican-inspired rice pudding that is sweetened with condensed milk and has a nice covering of cinnamon and sugar when you pull of the lid.  The texture is nice and creamy, the flavor sweet, but you can still taste the rice. I just the love the balance between the rice texture and the satisfying sweetness of the milk.
The product retails for around 95 cents at my local Aldi store in Durham, NC. If it is available in your local Aldi store, give it a try and let me know whether you agree that this is rice pudding in danger of making you addicted to it.

Book Review: Wrestling for My Life: The Legend, the Reality, and the Faith of a WWE Superstar by Shawn Michaels

I have read a number of biographies or autobiographies by famous athletes in recent years. This is the first time that I am reading a book by a former member of the WWE. It was certainly interesting and definitely what I expected in a book by a former wrestler.
This is not your typical wrestling book. Wrestling is still a major part of the book, but this book is much more personal than the pubic persona of the wrestling superstar that Shawn Michaels once was. In this book, Shawn talks about his personal struggle, family trouble and how religion helped him overcome these dark episodes and find peace in his home again.

available on Amazon

I found myself enjoying this book. At first I figured that this was a book by an ex-athlete who wanted to cash in on his former fame, but I was really surprised to see how honest Michaels deals with his life and family in this book.
If you are not into religion and find that all this talk about religion is just something people say to get sympathy, this book is NOT for you. There is definitely a strong spiritual element to this book and Michaels shows some surprising weaknesses for someone who made a life focused on physical strength. But admitting that he was weak and that he needed guidance from somewhere was exactly how Michaels found a path in life that put him at ease with his career and family. Being a wrestler is not usually the background someone finds in a Christian, but similar to Michaels, I too believe that it takes people of all shapes and sizes to make up a community and so I have not issue with a former wrestler talking about his Christian faith. It is actually somewhat refreshing to read a book about religion from someone who did not grow up in a traditional religious environment.
Not surprisingly, Michaels is still experiencing doubts and still wrestles with his new life, but too me that shows how honest he is approaching his life and he writing of this book. Overall, this is a good book for people also struggling with their faith and doubting themselves.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in the post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third parties.

Book Review: A gift to remember by Melissa Hill

The main character of the book is Darcy Archer, a young woman who works in a NYC bookstore and loves to live her life according to her own rules, which revolve around everything books and reading. So it is surprising when the major life-changing event that this book revolves around does not occur in the bookstore where Darcy works, but on her way to work in she unceremoniously runs over an innocent pedestrian. The victim in question is the handsome, rich and very single Aidan, who was just walking his dog. 

The book then takes off with Darcy grabbing the dog and then later on starting the journey of taking the owner too. Of course nothing is easy and Aidan has also lost his short-term memory. So Darcy initially helps Aidan regain his memory, but in the process learns that she and Aidan have a lot in common – including a love of books. 

So will Mr. Perfect fall for the bookworm Darcy? And will Darcy continue to be impressed by Aidan as a person when she gets to know his family and hangs out with the upper classes that sometimes do not look to kindly on a worker in a bookstore, when most of them are more likely to own the bookstore? This book is written in a very entertaining way, describing tongue in cheek some of the characters that Darcy encounters as she gets to know Aidan and his circle. This book is perfect for a vacation read and will in particular be fun for people that love books and hang out in malls not to shop but to observe the interesting characters that do the shopping there. Darcy for her part is a keen observer of human beings and her observations about others make this book entertaining and a real page turner.

Book Review: Murder Off the Beaten Path by M. L. Rowland

his is the second book in the Search and Rescue Mystery series starring camp counselor and search and rescue officer Gracie Kinkaid that I am reading. I love the series because it has a nice mix between a cozy atmosphere, this time a summer camp, and the dark side of human nature – murder, fraud, and abuse committed by people that just seem inherently bad. It is no different in this book. Gracie is called to a rescue operation in which a co-worker from camp can only be found dead. This event caps a really bad week because shortly before this rescue mission, Gracie and her squad had to call of a search for a missing teenager.

available on Amazon

Back in camp, Gracie tries to focus on her work with teenagers and building their self-esteem. But the death of the co-worker keeps coming back into her life and one mysterious message on her answering machine kicks Gracie’s detective blood into high gear and she becomes entangled in the web that killed her co-worker. Will Gracie find out why her co-worker died and, more importantly, will Gracie clear up the mysteries around the camp before she herself becomes a victim of the dark forces at work here?

Gracie finds support in some of her old places, with Rob, who lives in LA, but is always a reliable source of compassion and support, and also in new places. Needless to say, the mystery that Gracie deals with is more complex than initially thought and Gracie must use all her talents, physical and mental, to determine what is the source of the evil that has taken hold of the innocent Camp Ponderosa.

This is a mystery, but definitely has action in it and the character, Gracie, is one strong and mentally tough woman. She handles men and murder with the same cool attitude. This is a great weekend and vacation read, but I must warn readers that once started, this book is difficult to put down.

Book Review: "Bella's Gift: How One Little Girl Transformed Our Family and Inspired a Nation" by Rick and Karen Santorum

 Quite a few books deal with the decision to carry a child to term that has a genetic defect, such as trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) or in which parents are told that their child has a genetic disease that will severely impact its ability to live what is considered a "full and productive life." The decision is a deeply personal one and should be made by each parent given the specific circumstances of their situation. So I will not go into what I think should be done or what society may think should be done and where society or individual parents err in their ways.

What sets this book apart for me is the fact that Rick and Karen Santorum carry their little girl to term, only to find out that the newborn suffers from Trisomy 18. Trisomy 18 is much less common than Down Syndrome, but much more severe since most of the affected children die before birth.
Similar to Down Syndrome, Edwards Syndrome is also increased as the mother's age increases and the syndrome causes most of the affected babies to die soon after birth due to wide range of severe associated effects, which include heart abnormalities, kidney malformations, and other internal organ disorders.

While Rick and Karen are not your average parent, even for these parents the news was devastating. They were certainly in a position to provide the best care for their daughter, but the daily life with Bella has many challenges for them as well. A lot of readers may only point to the fact that the Santorums due to their good financial situation are not your average parents and that is certainly the case. But what these readers may forget is that having a child with Trisomy 18 poses many other challenges to parents; there may be some initial guilt, question of why and then how to handle the daily routine that may pay attention to all children.

I found this book to well written and useful as a guide to parents that may face similar situations as the Santorums did. The book does not attempt to sugarcoat what life with Bella is like, but you can tell from the writing that these parent do not regret having Bella as part of their lives.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this blog is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third parties.

Book Review: Remember the lillies by Liz Tolsma

 The two main characters of the this story are Rand Sterling and Irene Reynolds, who both find themselves in a Japanese internment camp on the Philippines during WWII. The two protagonists come from very different backgrounds. Rand ran a successful nightclub in Manila before the war, living a life of wealth and carefree entertainment. Irene, on the other hand, abandoned by a her parents, grew up a missionary with her aunt in the jungle, far away from then big city life and entertainment and culture of Manila. The two could not be any different in their lives prior to the war and now fate has brought them together.

While the eventual romantic development between the two characters is somewhat expected, the story line itself has enough interesting twists to keep the book interesting. Rand suffers a failed escape attempt from the camp, in part due to Irene, and then after being held and tortured by the Japanese, finds himself back in the camp. Irene's aunt is falling ill and sent to the hospital, where Irene, who tends to her aunt, now sees a chance to ask forgiveness from Rand. 

 What develops is a story in which we see how the two characters deal with the ability to forgive (and to some degree forget about the past) and their ability to move forward. There are some interesting twists in the story at this stage and the author uses this part to show how our approach to others can impact our own life and happiness.

Overall, this is a good book about a rather dark period in history. But the author does a good job of keeping the story going and educating the reader about this part of history, while still providing an entertaining book.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this blog is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third parties.