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Author: CAstfalk

Carolyn Astfalk is a wife, mother, and author of contemporary Catholic romances, including her latest, All in Good Time. She formerly worked as a communications director and now works just to keep her head above water. Find her books on Amazon and her other words scattered around the blogosphere and social media.

Anyone But Him Blog Tour

Published by CAstfalk on 04/09/2018

Anyone But Him Blog Tour

About the Book:

A New Adult Mystery Romance

Caitlyn Summer had always followed the straight and narrow path. Her perfect husband would love Jesus more than her and love her because of her love for Jesus. He would be faithful and gentle and have a heart for others. So how did she end up marrying the bad boy who got her high school best friend pregnant then pressured her to abort?

​Unable to remember the past three years or understand why she would’ve moved so far from home, Caitlyn can’t believe she willingly married such an overprotective, bossy, and jealous man. In this emotionally-charged, new adult mystery romance, Anyone But Him, Caitlyn struggles to solve the mysteries of her amnesia and her marriage. Suspicious circumstances surrounding her husband tempt her to leave and start life over, but they also challenge her Christian faith and convictions.  ​

The arrival of her first love, her husband’s younger brother, intent on helping her regain her memory, offers a glimmer of hope. Together they uncover secrets involving her coworkers and the local abortion clinic, but nothing to explain why she married this man. Who changed – him or her?

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Bonnets, Baskets, & Bunnies: An Easter 2018 Link-Up

Published by CAstfalk on 04/01/2018

Bonnets, Baskets & Bunnies

If you’re expecting a charming and witty run-down of Easter festivities, you many want to keep moving. If, on the other hand, you have about two minutes to glimpse a REAL Easter, scroll on.

Holy Week started with one sick kid at home and my slicing open my pinky on a tin can, so let’s just set the bar accordingly, shall we? LOW.

As I adapted to life with a pinky splint and multiple sick kids, a silver lining did emerge. I could not manage washing dishes with said splint and therefore am enjoying a week-long dishwashing reprieve.

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The Lent You Want and the Lent You Need

Published by CAstfalk on 03/29/2018
Christ on the Cross by Leon Bonnat (image in the public domain)

In my experience, God cares little for the Lent you want as evidenced by delivering the Lent you need. I’d intended to write a little more about that, including how little I’d “done” this Lent in the way of the three hallmarks of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. And then a little about the sick kids piling up in my living room this week and the cut on my pinky that sent me to the urgent care center.

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Relevant Fiction Reviews: The End of Life

Published by CAstfalk on 03/19/2018

Relevant Fiction Reviews

Because fiction excels at creating empathy, books that involve deeply personal, emotionally-intense issues help readers consider situations in a whole new light. Over the years, I’ve read many books that touch on life issues – both at its beginning and end. These books are ones that touch on end-of-life issues.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a review for Waking Rose, which I loved when I read it many years ago. (There was actually a time when I didn’t review almost everything I read!)

And finally, there are four dystopian series listed. I hope you’ll click through and read more about these exceptional books!

Next Relevant Fiction Reviews (May 2018): novels that deal with the beginning of life.

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Seven Quick Takes

Published by CAstfalk on 03/16/2018

 

7 Quick Takes

Fostering Friendship Edition

–1–

For the last several years, I’ve become acutely aware of the dearth of friendships in my life. For that reason, when I caught wind of The Friendship Project: The Catholic Woman’s Guide to Making and Keeping Fabulous, Faith-Filled Friends by Michele Faehnle and Emily Jaminet last year, I was eager to read it.

If you haven’t gotten a copy, I recommend it (and you can read my review here). There’s plenty of practical suggestions, but to be honest, I need to go back and make a list of baby steps to get started.

The Friendship Project was a catalyst for thinking more about friendships and how they arise and where they are missing in my family’s lives. This post is less about my friendships, but about helping my children foster friendships.

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