by admin | Jun 24, 2019 | Books, Historical, Post Civil War, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Beth White has become another author on my “Must Read” list. I particularly enjoy her skill at merging history with a darn good story. It also helps that her books have a Southern setting.
In the second book of White’s Daughtry House series, sister Joelle Daughtry is the featured heroine. When she’s not helping her sisters convert their family plantation home into a resort hotel, Joelle spends her time teaching former slaves and writing articles for the local newspaper, hoping to gain support for a school for former slaves. Although no one knows Joelle is writing the articles because they are written under an assumed male name, the articles stir up those in the community whose sympathies lie with the KKK. Caught in a weak moment, Joelle agrees to marry the local pastor who has been courting her although her heart is not in it, probably because she feels drawn to her childhood antagonist Schuyler Beaumont.
A Reluctant Belle is a true page-turner with its love triangle, an assassination, unexpected revelations, and plenty of action and danger. Joelle and Schuyler were almost bigger than life and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop through its ups and downs. The story was a revealing look at the turbulent history of Mississippi during the years following the Civil War. As a born and raised Southerner, I am proud of my home but regret the ugly history from its past.
I highly recommend A Reluctant Belle as well as all other books by this author to readers who enjoy Historical fiction, especially that with a Southern setting.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Joelle Daughtry has a secret.
By day, the impoverished Southern belle has been helping her sisters in their quest to turn the run-down family plantation into a resort hotel after the close of the Civil War. But by night and under a male pseudonym, she has been penning articles for the local paper in support of constructing a school for former slaves. With the Mississippi arm of the Ku Klux Klan gaining power and prestige, Joelle knows she is playing a dangerous game.
Loyalties shift when Schuyler Beaumont, childhood enemy and current investor in the Daughtry House renovation, takes over his assassinated father’s candidacy for state office. Joelle finds that in order to protect her family and her home, she and Schuyler will have to put aside their longstanding personal conflict and develop a united public front. The trouble is, what do you do when animosity becomes respect–and even love–if you’re already engaged to someone else?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Beth White‘s day job is teaching music at an inner-city high school in historic Mobile, Alabama. A native Mississippian, she writes historical romance with a Southern drawl and is the author of The Pelican Bride, The Creole Princess, The Magnolia Duchess, and A Rebel Heart. Her novels have won the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award, the RT Book Club Reviewers’ Choice Award, and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award. Learn more at www.bethwhite.net.
by admin | Jun 22, 2019 | Books, Historical
MY REVIEW:
As one who came to age during the turbulent late 60s, I found it easy to relate to the Jacobson family in All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner. I was one of three daughters so we did not have to experience having a brother drafted to Vietnam but I did receive letters from a friend who served in Laos. Some of his stories were heart-breaking.
Often poignant, this book centers around Annie Jacobson and her experiences during that time. With a father who had abandoned the family when he returned from the Korean War and couldn’t cope with his experiences and a brother who had enlisted in 1967, Annie struggled with her own emotions.
I particularly loved Annie’s brother Mike and how his letters to Annie and her family managed to lift their spirits and encourage them through such a difficult time. His wisdom was rare for a man so young and I ached with his family at the loss I was sure they would experience.
At times, All Manner of Things was difficult to read but it contained a strong message of hope in the midst of tragedy and was a wonderful story of forgiveness, reconciliation, and dependence on the Lord.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
“Some books are meant to be read. All Manner of Things is meant to be lived in.”—Jocelyn Green, Christy Award-winning author of Between Two Shores
After Annie Jacobson’s brother Mike enlists as a medic in the Army in 1967, he mails her the address of their long-estranged father. If anything should happen to him in Vietnam, Mike says, Annie must let their father know.
In Mike’s absence, their father returns to face tragedy at home, adding an extra measure of complication to an already tense time. Letter by letter, the Jacobsons must find a way to pull together as a family, regardless of past hurts. In the tumult of this time, Annie and her family will grapple with the tension of holding both hope and grief in the same hand, even as they learn to turn to the One who binds the wounds of the brokenhearted.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Susie Finkbeiner is the CBA bestselling author of A Cup of Dust, A Trail of Crumbs, and A Song of Home. She serves on the Breathe Christian Writers Conference planning committee, volunteers her time at Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and speaks at retreats and women’s events across the state. Susie and her husband have three children and live in West Michigan.
by admin | Jun 15, 2019 | Books, Historical, Humor, Romance, Western
MY REVIEW:
I am always ready to read any book by Karen Witemeyer because I find them to be the perfect blend of historical romance, humor, and faith, not necessarily in that order. After reading More Than Meets the Eye, it was a must to read Zach’s story to find out how his life turned out. More Than Words Can Say definitely lived up to its promise.
I can truthfully state that Zach certainly met his match in Abigail. She threw his carefully made plans out the door with her sensible proposal to save her bakery. His overactive sense of protection wouldn’t allow him to let her sacrifice herself to another man who might take advantage of the situation.
It was fun catching up with Zach and meeting Abigail for the first time. Friends and family from the previous novel made an appearance or two that added to my enjoyment. Zach and Abigail’s interactions had a bit more sizzle to them than usual yet the story pretty much remained squeaky clean. Hard feelings from a former friend and escalating threats against the bakery brought added drama and danger to the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed More Than Words Can Say and loved how both Zach and Abigail learned to place their trust in God. It was so encouraging to see how the community came together to help those in need and also the powerful effect the act of forgiveness can have on a person’s life.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
| Book: More Than Words Can Say
Author: Karen Witemeyer
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: May 7, 2019 |
 |
After fulfilling a pledge to a dying friend, Zacharias Hamilton is finally free to live life on his own terms. No opportunities to disappoint those he cares about, just the quiet bachelor existence he’s always craved. Until fate snatches his freedom away once again when the baker of his favorite breakfast treat is railroaded by the city council. As hard as he tries to avoid getting involved, he can’t turn a blind eye to her predicament . . . or her adorable dimples. Abigail Kemp needs a man’s name on her bakery’s deed. A marriage of convenience seems the best solution . . . if it involves a man she can control. Not the stoic lumberman who oozes confidence without saying a word whenever he enters her shop. Control Zacharias Hamilton? She can’t even control her pulse when she’s around him. Once vows are spoken, Abigail’s troubles should be over. Yet threats to the bakery worsen, and darker dangers hound her sister. As trust grows between Zach and Abby, she finds she wants more than his rescue. She wants his heart.
Click here to purchase your copy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Winner of the HOLT Medallion and the Carol Award and a finalist for the RITA and Christy Award, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance to give the world more happily-ever-afters. Karen makes her home in Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com.
MORE FROM KAREN:
Settings – Real or Imagined?
One of the key decisions an author has to make before she begins to write is selecting the setting for her story. And the first choice she faces is the question of whether to use a real or imagined location. Roughly half the stories I have written are set in fictional towns. The use of a fictional setting allows an author greater freedom to manipulate the environment of her characters to fit her plot. This provides a great deal of flexibility. However, there is something special about setting a story in a real place. First, readers who are familiar with that place never fail to get excited about seeing a town they recognize in print. Second, if an author can find historical photos and documents, she can add a wonderful layer of authenticity to her setting that might otherwise be missing. Third, an author may turn up fascinating tidbits when studying the history of her setting that find their way into the story and bring a flavor the author never could have supplied on her own. This was the case as I wrote More Than Words Can Say. All of the stories in my Patchwork Family series have been set in real places. Pecan Gap, Texas for More Than Meets the Eye, Honey Grove, Texas for More Than Words Can Say, and coming this fall we’ll travel to Gainesville, Texas for the concluding novella, More Than a Pretty Face. Researching each location brought its own unique discoveries, but I have to admit that researching the small town of Honey Grove brought this history-loving girl a special level of joy. For example, there is a legend about how the town got its name that I knew needed to be incorporated into my story. Legend has it that when Davy Crockett was on his way to join the fight at the Alamo, he stopped in a grove of trees and set up camp. There were so many bees in that in letters to family and friends, he called the place a “Honey Grove.” He carved his initials into one of the trees and intended to return and settle there after the war. Unfortunately, as we know, Crockett did not survive the Alamo and therefore did not return. One of his friends, Samuel A. Erwin, later found the grove and became the first settler in 1839. Many people recall seeing the initials carved into Crockett’s bee tree even into the early 1900s, which led me to believe that this legend was based in truth. It doesn’t play a pivotal role in my story, but if you watch for it, you’ll find it mentioned. Discovering the Honey Grove Preservation League’s website proved a tremendous boon. Their online historical resources are some of the best I have ever come across. Historical photos, newspaper articles, government records—it was like stepping through a time portal every time I visited. And I visited often. Thanks to the Preservation League, I was able to mention real people and places in my novel. Places like the Commercial Hotel, the home of James Gilmer that was built during my time period, Wilkins, Wood & Patteson Dry Goods, and Dora Galbraith Patteson’s millinery shop on the east side of the town square. While Zacharias Hamilton and Reuben Sinclair are completely fictitious characters, there really was a lumberyard located on the corner of Sixth Street and Rail Road. As fiction authors are wont to do, I did take a few liberties with Honey Grove’s history. To my knowledge, there was never any city ordinance banning women from owning businesses in town, which was a key plot point in More Than Words Can Say. In addition, Mayor Chester Longfellow was a complete invention of my imagination. The true mayor of Honey Grove during this time period was J.H. Smith, a man who served in that capacity from 1888-1897. He must have been a well-loved city official to hold office for nearly a decade. I paid brief homage to him by having him step back into office when my fictitious mayor resigned. I hope you enjoy stepping back in time with me into historic Honey Grove, Texas. Zach and Abigail might not have lived there in truth, but I like to believe their tale is a representation of the many amazing love stories have taken place in that sweet little town through the years.
BLOG STOPS:
| The Power of Words, June 15
She Lives to Read, June 15
Real World Bible Study, June 15
Carla Loves to Read, June 15
Baker kella, June 16
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, June 16
EmpowerMoms, June 16
Daysong Reflections, June 16
Through the Fire Blogs, June 17
Genesis 5020, June 17
Lighthouse Academy, June 17
Bigreadersite , June 17
Among the Reads, June 18
All-of-a-kind Mom, June 18
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 18
For The Love of Books, June 18
C Jane Read, June 19
Inspired By Fiction, June 19
Mary Hake, June 19
Hallie Reads, June 19
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 20
For Him and My Family, June 20
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 20
Living Life Free in Christ, June 20
Connect in Fiction, June 21
Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 21
Splashes of Joy, June 21
Pause for Tales, June 21
Stories By Gina , June 22 |
Worthy2Read, June 22
Blossoms and Blessings, June 22
Southern Gal Loves to Read, June 22
Christian Chick’s Thoughts, June 23
Connie’s History Classroom , June 23
Vicky Sluiter, June 23
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 23
Wishful Endings, June 24
Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, June 24
Simple Harvest Reads, June 24 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
Texas Book-aholic, June 24
A Baker’s Perspective, June 25
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 25
amandainpa , June 25
janicesbookreviews, June 25
Britt Reads Fiction, June 26
Quiet Quilter, June 26
Older & Smarter?, June 26
A Reader’s Brain, June 26
LifeofLiterature, June 27
Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner , June 27
Christian Bookshelf Reviews, June 27
Inklings and notions, June 27
Emily Yager, June 28
Lukewarm Tea, June 28
By The Book, June 28
The Becca Files, June 28 |
GIVEAWAY:
To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away a grand prize that includes More Than Words Can Say, More Than Meets the Eye, and a $20 Panera Bread gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!
Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/e4f4/more-than-words-can-say-celebration-tour-giveaway
by admin | Jun 15, 2019 | Books, Historical, National Parks, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I have enjoyed Karen Barnett’s Vintage National Parks series so much that I hate to see it end. I supposed it could continue for a few installments because there are more National Parks her readers might like to visit but most series have three books. Whatever the case, I have loved all of this author’s previous books so I am confident that her future books will also be to my liking.
Ever Faithful takes place in Yellowstone National Park and features Elsie Brookes, a ranger’s daughter and Nate Webber, a New York native who travels to Yellowstone as a member of the new Civilian Conservation Corps. Elsie loves the park but dreams of attending college and becoming a teacher. She sees Nate as an intelligent man with a bright future but he is hiding a big secret.
Vivid descriptions of the park’s scenery and structures sparked my imagination. It was fun reading about the history of the park and its early days, particularly the humorous names the park staff had for the different employees. Several unique supporting characters added depth and interest to the story. This historical romance was riddled with danger and suspense, especially in the form of more than one suspicious fire that kept me turning the pages quickly. A subtle message of faith was woven through the narrative and I found the ending to be most satisfying.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Vibrant historic Yellowstone National Park comes to life in this romantic mystery about a man hiding the truth, braving the west to become something more–and the woman who must confront his deception.
A man who can’t read will never amount to anything–or so Nate Webber believes. But he takes a chance to help his family by signing up for the new Civilian Conservation Corps, skirting the truth about certain “requirements.” Nate exchanges the harsh Brooklyn streets for the wilds of Yellowstone National Park, curious if the Eden-like wonderland can transform him as well.
Elsie Brookes was proud to grow up as a ranger’s daughter, but she longs for a future of her own. After four years serving as a maid in the park’s hotels, she still hasn’t saved enough money for her college tuition. A second job, teaching a crowd of rowdy men in the CCC camp, might be the answer, but when Elsie discovers Nate’s secret, it puts his job as camp foreman in jeopardy. Tutoring leads to friendship and romance, until a string of suspicious fires casts a dark shadow over their relationship. Can they find answers before all of their dreams go up in smoke?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Karen Barnett is the award-winning author of The Golden Gate Chronicles (Out of the Ruins, Beyond the Ashes, and Through the Shadows) and Mistaken. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two kids, and three mischievous dachshunds. When she’s not writing, Karen enjoys photography, hiking, public speaking, decorating crazy birthday cakes, and dragging her family through dusty history museums. Oregon Christian Writers (OCW) honored her with the Writer of Promise Award in 2013 and a Cascade Award for her debut novel, Mistaken, in 2014. In 2016, she was named Writer of the Year by the prestigious Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Karen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Oregon Christian Writers (OCW) and has been published in Guideposts and other national magazines.
Visit Karen’s website HERE.
by admin | Jun 14, 2019 | Books, Historical, Prohibition, Romantic Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Once again Melody Carlson has pulled me into one of her books and held me captive for a few hours that flew by much too quickly. I thoroughly enjoyed Harbor Secrets, a novel set on the Oregon coast during the turbulent era of Prohibition. I particularly enjoyed this story because my daughter now lives on the Oregon coast and it was fun to learn some of its history through the lives of the characters.
Anna McDowell is a strong, single mother who has been estranged from her father for many years. Returning home with her teen daughter after her father suffers a stroke, Anna takes over her father’s newspaper until he can recover. Most residents are not very happy with a woman in charge of the paper and it doesn’t take very long for Anna to realize that something fishy is going on in Sunset Cove. As she investigates, she also finds herself the center of attention of more than one eligible bachelor.
As the title indicates, this suspenseful tale is filled with secrets, some that directly affect Anna’s life. In the midst of all the action, danger, suspense, and romance is a strong story of forgiveness and reconciliation that led to a particularly satisfying ending.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A Peaceful Coastal Town…Threatened by a Storm of Secrets
It’s 1916 when newspaper woman Anna McDowell learns her estranged father has suffered a stroke. Deciding it’s time to repair bridges, Anna packs up her precocious adolescent daughter and heads for her hometown in Sunset Cove, Oregon.
Although much has changed since the turn of the century, some things haven’t. Anna finds the staff of her father’s paper not exactly eager to welcome a woman into the editor-in-chief role, but her father insists he wants her at the helm. Anna is quickly pulled into the charming town and her new position…but just as quickly learns this seaside getaway harbors some dark and dangerous secrets.
With Oregon’s new statewide prohibition in effect, crime has crept along the seacoast and invaded even idyllic Sunset Cove. Anna only meant to get to know her father again over the summer, but instead she finds herself rooting out the biggest story the town has ever seen—and trying to keep her daughter safe from it all.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women, and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, True Colors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including RT’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita, and the Gold medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog.
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by admin | Jun 11, 2019 | Books, Historical, Romance, World War 1
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White with JustRead Publicity Tours! Follow along with the tour for a special inside peek at how The Number of Love is connected to the author’s previous book from another series, A Song Unheard.
MY REVIEW:
Although I somehow missed this author’s first series, I have been a fan throughout the previous two series and fully intend to catch up on the earlier books as well. They are already on my shelf waiting for me to find the time to read them.
The Number of Love is Roseanna M. White’s first novel in her latest series, The Codebreakers which features members of Room 40, a secret and important part of England’s intelligence network during World War 1. Readers met Margo De Wilde in White’s novel, A Song Unheard, the second book in the previous Shadows Over England series. I loved seeing her in this important role as one of the esteemed codebreakers and learning more about her life and a bit of how her mind worked. Her reluctant romantic relationship with Drake Elton was a welcome bonus as he proved himself a very worthy suitor for her.
I am constantly amazed at the talent of Roseanna White and the magical way she brings her characters to life as well as the depth of her research. History comes to life from her gifted imagination and I find myself learning and wanting to know even more about our past. WWI was given so little time in my high school history classes and because WWII was the “big war” for my parents’ generation, it was the one I knew most about. I so appreciate the way White has filled in some of the gaps in my woefully inadequate knowledge about WWI.
As I have found in all White’s books, The Number of Love was easy-to-read with characters I cared about. It captured and held my full attention from the very beginning with its danger, mystery, action, and romance as well as its profound spiritual truths. This book added one more reason why I am such a fan of this author. All her books are on my keeper shelf. If you are a late comer to her novels, don’t wait any longer and give them a try, especially if you are a lover of history. I don’t think you will be disappointed.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Just Read Tours and am also a member of the author’s influencer team. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: The Number of Love
Series: Codebreakers #1
Author: Roseanna M. White
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: June 4, 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue
Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network—field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.
Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy that just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the too-intelligent Margot, but how to convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart?
Amidst biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them, but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save them all from the very secrets that brought them together.
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | ChristianBook
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself.
Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
CONNECT WITH ROSEANNA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
TOUR GIVEAWAY:
Grand Prize: Shadows Over England series, The Number of Love, and the Decrypto board game, plus “Mi Alma” necklace (Necklace is 24″ chain with a 1″ pendant that says “Mi Alma” Spanish for “My Soul”. A term of endearment used throughout the book. Handmade by Bookworm Mama)
(3) additional winners of The Number of Love.
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight June 3, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm June 17, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
