Books like Uninterrupted Joy — picked by fans

Ordinarily, a werewolf novel with a strong emphasis on the romance angle wouldn’t rate so highly with me, but Kelley Armstrong’s book was the right one at the right time. Elana, our heroine, is the world’s only female werewolf; her job has been killing rogue shapeshifters. She gets tired of that and tries to retire and live as a normal human, but that doesn’t work out.

What I liked about this was that it was my first exposure to a werewolf novel that really dealt with the political and social dynamics of a worldwide werewolf pack. Fortunately, Armstrong is a great storyteller, so there is more here than politics or romance. Her worldbuilding is fantastic, as evidenced by the fact this became the first in a long series of Otherworld novels.

If you like small town settings with big old houses and hints of a ghost, intrigue, and simmering romance, you’ll love Storms of the Heart.

The story’s female main character, Emerson Lane, finds herself right in the middle of a raging thunderstorm at night on her way to her Uncle Wayne’s house in Twin Creeks, where she lived when her parents died in a car crash. She’s on a mission to reconnect with her uncle after leaving abruptly years ago to live in New York City. Trouble is waiting for her in the name of Sheriff Max Lomax, who she left behind.

Max has his own problems, but he is secretly but begrudgingly thrilled to see her, but questions whether this time she’ll stay. I liked the interesting characters in this story and the pleasant descriptions of Emerson’s hometown. The writing was so nice it felt like I could just… show more.

Sophie Bellamy has lived an exciting life as an international lawyer working to protect human rights. But it came at the cost of having little time to be with her children as they grew up.

Her childhood memories of times spent at Willow Lake in Avalon bring her back to the small town where she hopes to make up for the time she spent abroad. Sophie was determined to repair her relationships with her children, but a twist in the story brings a happy surprise when she meets veterinarian Noah Shephard.

Their immediate attraction is at first unwanted, but prompts her life to take another turn. I like to piece together stories so I loved the unexpected twists.

The romance in this is story is lovely, and is mixed with intrigue and hope in the darkest hours. I like stories I can snuggle up with, and this story gave that… show more.

I was sixteen when I first read Jane Eyre, and I was thoroughly unprepared for how it would change the course of my life.

My mother died when I was eleven, so I found a kindred spirit in the orphaned main character Jane. By the time she grew up and became a governess for the brooding Mr. Rochester, I cared deeply about her happiness.

As intense chemistry sparked between Jane and her employer, I realized that my true joy in life would be to write “can’t put it down” love stories like this one.

The author provides “nourishing and easy recipes to improve egg quality.” Overall, the focus is on achieving pregnancy and empowering couples with knowledge and practical approaches to fertility.

Nutrition is placed in high and proper esteem complemented by balanced hormones that enhance maternal wellness. Creating “a good environment” in a woman’s body sets the stage for achieving conception. Basic information regarding the female reproductive tract and associated menstrual cycle is conveyed, and male infertility is addressed.

The vast majority of the book provides recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as snacks, that might benefit individuals struggling with infertility.

I like the illustrations. Though it has a focus on “young couples” with infertility, it deals with fundamental issues such as the role of in-vitro fertilization and its indications, and a number of medical problems, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, are introduced, as well as other medical problems that may adversely affect fertility.

The book considers one’s faith and potential effects on fertility. It also deals with sexuality and its “intricate and rhythmic pattern(s).” A questionnaire is included, making the material engaging for the reader. The book is designed to provide a basic level of information and has a good glossary of terms.

Several women share how they continued trusting Jesus during trials with infertility and pregnancy loss.

This book matches scriptures to their hardships and has questions at the end of each chapter, allowing you to reflect on your own story. Recalling traumatic memories and sharing those thoughts with others can help us heal and process the horror and grief in this world.

While writing my memoir, I noticed these journaling opportunities were useful for many kinds of suffering. It would be a great book for a small group to go through together.

This book provides a personal perspective from a patient who underwent an IVF cycle and struggles with infertility. While the book is quite detailed, it includes a “How to use this book” section. The book begins by conveying basic information about egg quality and its importance. The first section focuses on providing science at a layman's level.

A number of supplemental chapters embellish the information in the body of the book. There is also a large component of supplements that one might consider to attempt to enhance egg quality. Unfortunately, based on science, most of the egg quality is genetic, predetermined for oocytes in the ovaries. Lifestyle, including diet, is addressed as a “troubleshooting” strategy.

The book is over 500 pages long and quite comprehensive. It was written by Toni Weschler, who has a master’s degree in public health and focused on “fertility education” as an undergraduate. It is touted as a “definitive guide to natural birth control, pregnancy achievement, and reproductive health.” 

She shares personal experience, which makes the content relatable. A large component of the book is geared toward understanding the anatomy and physiology of reproduction. Lifestyle and being proactive with regard to one’s health are highlighted and informative. It contains a significant segment focused on birth control. Advice on achieving pregnancy and overall gynecologic health through menopause comprise the last section of the book.

The authors are to be commended in focusing on males and their role with regard to fertility. Preparing for pregnancy, from the male perspective, is revealed in an interesting manner.

The emotional and psychological aspects and experiences that are to be anticipated are readily conveyed. “Staying involved” is as important as providing support for one’s spouse or significant other. Addressing fathers serving as adoptive parents was added with the most recent edition. Decisions that have to be made about the birthing location and what to expect month to month of the pregnancy are addressed. The labor and delivery experience, as well as what if a C-section needs to be performed and the male partner’s role, are the concluding sections of the book. Appendices and resources are readily accessible.