by admin | Sep 29, 2020 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Heart Restoration was one of those books I didn’t want to put down once I began reading it. As a fan of Fixer Upper type TV programming, I loved this story about a young woman in charge of renovating an historic old home after her brother broke his leg.
Unlike a usual renovation, Lisa and Nick, the homeowner, were challenged with secret tunnels, a dead body or two, an old family mystery, and a bit of danger and plenty of suspense.
The well developed plot moved along at a brisk pace with enough action, dialogue, and a developing romance to hold my interest. I loved how skillfully a message of faith was woven naturally into the story as well as the way Nick and Lisa found peace and healing for the grief and loss in their lives.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by Just Read Publicity. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
For interior designer Lisa Reno things go from bad to worse when her contractor-brother falls off a ladder and breaks his leg. Now she has to deal with the past coming back to haunt her, an old house with a corpse in the creepy cellar, and her best friend trying her best to fix her up with any man that moves.
Nick Woodward is willing to do his old college roommate a favor – especially since it involves renovating his own inheritance. The last thing he wants is to get involved with anyone. When he lost his wife and unborn child so suddenly, he had made the decision to keep God and everyone else at arm’s length.
So far, so good.
Ah, the difference a trip to a dingy basement makes.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Regina Merrick is a church musician, wife, mother, former librarian, and grateful follower of Jesus Christ. Having lived most of her life in Western Kentucky, she dreams of the sound of crashing waves and sandy beaches. Married to her husband of 30-plus years, she is the mother of two grown daughters, and the keeper of a 100-year-old house where she lives in the small town of Marion, Kentucky.
by admin | Sep 29, 2020 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for His Love Revealed by Cynthia Herron, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
MY REVIEW:
Overall His Love Revealed had a strong plot with relatable characters. Featuring Ida Mae and Chuck who have been close friends since childhood, their happy-ever-after has not turned out exactly the way Ida Mae had hoped. Family history and its painful memories has made Chuck reluctant to marry, afraid he might follow in his father’s footsteps. Ida Mae carries a huge secret that she believes deserves the punishment of living alone the rest of her life.
Ruby, Missouri is one of those towns the reader may well wish truly existed. The Come and Get It Diner alone was enough for me with its mouth watering food and friendly ambience. There are enough food descriptions in this book to make one hungry the entire time she is reading it.
While both characters struggle with their past, it was heart warming to witness the Holy Spirit at work in their lives and the healing that took place. A bit less introspection and more interaction between characters would have been more to my personal preference but its strong message of forgiveness, including forgiving oneself, this book should be well loved by many.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by Just Read Publicity. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: His Love Revealed
Series: Welcome to Ruby #2
Author: Cynthia Herron
Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink
Release Date: October 1, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance
Will revelations of the past hijack their future?
Since childhood, Ida Mae Hoscutt, the beloved proprietress of the Come and Get It Diner, has loved Charles “Chuck” Farrow from afar. Now on the eve of her thirty-ninth birthday with no marriage proposal in sight, Ida Mae mourns past mistakes and contemplates a makeover. When a radio commercial wrenches Ida Mae’s heart, will a sudden turn of events sabotage her chance for happiness or will a long-held secret be the answer to love ever-after?
As Ida Mae’s right-hand man at the Come and Get It, Chuck yearns to shift gears and start over. He’s ready to shelve bachelorhood and blunders in favor of possibilities and new beginnings. When he prepares to move forward, two things challenge his objective. One is the father who walked away and never looked back. The other? A decades-old question that only Ida Mae can answer.
And Ida Mae isn’t talking.
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cynthia Herron writes Heartfelt, Homespun Fiction from the beautiful Ozark Mountains. A hopeless romantic at heart, she enjoys penning stories about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Her Hope Discovered, her début novel and the first in a three-book series, released December 2018 with Mountain Brook Ink.
“Cindy” has a degree in psychology and a background in social work. She is a member of ACFW, ACFW MozArks, and RWA.
She is a 2020 Selah Award (Double) Finalist, a 2017 ACFW Genesis Finalist, a 2016 ACFW Genesis (Double) Finalist, and a 2015 ACFW First Impressions Winner. Her work is represented by Sarah Freese at WordServe Literary.
Besides writing, Cindy enjoys spending time with family and friends. She has a fondness for gingerbread men, miniature teapots, and all things apple. She also adores a great cup of coffee and she never met a sticky note she didn’t like.
CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight September 29, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on October 6, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
by admin | Sep 28, 2020 | Books, Chick Lit, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Molly grabbed my attention in the very first chapter when she lost her job because she was too honest. How can a person be too honest? Isn’t that supposed to be a trait we all strive toward? As I walked beside her through the pages of this totally fun and fantastic tale it quickly became evident that Molly’s problem was not exactly honesty but the wisdom in knowing how much to say and when to say it.
Honestly though, I thoroughly enjoyed all of Molly’s exploits as she went from a job as a preschool teacher to one as a nanny to one child of a widower who was also working through his hospital residency. Molly and Ben’s story was sweet, funny, and romantic. It was delightful witnessing the growth of their relationship with all its ups and downs. Both characters were easy to love, especially Molly with her tender heart and Ben as a father determined to take care of his little girl no matter what it took.
Molly was a welcome ray of sunshine during this season of uncertainty in our world. I hope others will find it as much of an escape as I did.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by Just Read Publicity. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I absolutely refuse to tell a lie no matter the consequences. So don’t ask me a direct question unless you’re prepared for a direct answer—that’s something my SoCal sewing girlfriends have learned the hard way.But who would have thought my honesty policy would get me fired from my job at the preschool? Or that a desperate—and not to mention devastatingly handsome—single father of one of my (now-former) students would hire me that same day as a nanny for his daughter?I’m an education professional. How hard can taking care of a four-year-old and her over-stressed, over-worked father be?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A Carol award finalist and Selah award winner, Sarah Monzon is a stay-at-home mom who makes up imaginary friends to have adult conversations with (otherwise known as writing novels). As a navy chaplain’s wife, she resides wherever the military happens to station her family and enjoys exploring the beauty of the world around her.
by admin | Sep 24, 2020 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I happen to love series featuring small town life so the Restoring Heritage series by Tari Faris has been a welcome addition to my library. Until I Met You is the second full-length novel in the series and continues the narrative about the small town of Heritage and the multiple restoration projects that hope to bring new life to the area.
Librarian Libby Kingsley and landscaper Austin Williams are both newcomers to Heritage and their first encounter does not endear them to each other. Austin just wants to finish the landscaping for the new town square that could help rescue the failing family business. No matter how good his intentions might be, his brother Nate always seems to fall short and Austin has had enough. Coming from a large, well-equipped city library, Libby is disappointed to find and out-dated, dusty basement library is her new place of employment. She quickly comes up with a brilliant plan for a new library and Austin is reluctantly pulled into the project.
With its well-developed plot and delightful characters, Until I Met You moves along at a steady pace and includes a strong theme of forgiveness, grace, and mercy. There is a hint of more than one romance and of course the mysterious hippo is up to his old tricks. Familiar characters from the previous books are a welcome addition.
I enjoyed Until I Met You and hope other readers will take a chance on it.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital 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:
Welcome back to Heritage, Michigan–the small town with a big heart
When she hears that the town of Heritage is looking for a new librarian, Libby Kingsley jumps at the opportunity. Little did she know the library is barely more than a basement room stuffed with dusty, outdated books. What the community really needs is a new building. But the only funds available are those being channeled into the new town square, and the landscape architect in charge of the project wants nothing to do with her plans.
All Austin Williams wants to do is get the town square project finished, and he hopes it is enough to save the family business. Then he can extricate himself from the town that reveres the brother who cost him so much. But the local media and the town’s new librarian seem to be conspiring against him at every turn. Will the determined bookworm find her way into his blueprints–and possibly even his heart?
Read an excerpt HERE.
Purchase a copy HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tari Faris is the author of You Belong with Me. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers and My Book Therapy, she is the projects manager for My Book Therapy, writes for learnhowtowriteanovel.com, and is a 2017 Genesis Award winner. She has an MDiv from Asbury Theological Seminary and lives in the Phoenix, Arizona, area with her husband and their three children. Although she lives in the Southwest now, she lived in a small town in Michigan for 25 years.
by admin | Sep 22, 2020 | Books, Fantasy, Romance, Royal Romance
MY REVIEW:
To Love a Prince is for all those grown up little girls who ever dreamed of being a princess. It is a tale of one such little girl who actually spent her childhood with the princes of the kingdom as playmates until suddenly she found herself banished from the castle and therefore from their lives. As an adult she encounters Prince Gus unexpectedly and finds to her surprise that her dreams are still alive but just as hopeless as ever. Or are they?
I have always loved books by Rachel Hauck with the supernatural, romance, and spiritual truth blended with the perfect balance of wonder, whimsy, and humor. To Love a Prince did not disappoint. A story filled with family secrets, renewed friendship, mishaps, and a royally inappropriate romance, every page was a new discovery. I loved the unusual characters of Adelaide and Emmanuel and how the lives of Gus and Daffodil were touched by them, especially how Gus was guided back to his faith by the influence of Emmanuel.
This is a wonderful story of love and forgiveness and learning not only the importance of truth but the discovery of exactly who we are in Christ. As always I recommend this book as well as any other by this author.
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:
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Book: To Love a Prince
Author: Rachel Hauck
Genre: Royal Romance
Release Date: August 11, 2020
Click here to get your copy!
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An enchanting new royal romance from NYT bestselling author Rachel Hauck
Daffodil Caron is not a princess, even though she once dreamed of being one. After all, she grew up as a playmate to royal princes, running through the halls of Perrigwynn Palace and dining with the queen. But the day she stumbled upon a royal secret, everything changed.
Flash forward eighteen years, and Daffy’s living a sweet, non-royal life. A skilled art curator for the Royal Trust, she has friends, a flat in the heart of the city, and a handsome, successful fiancée. The last person on her mind is Gus, a prince she once called her best mate.
HRH Prince Augustus is no longer “Prince Pudgy,” as caricaturized by the press, he’s charming and gorgeous, possessing a world-famous smile. But when he’s jilted at the altar by an American heiress as millions of people around the world watched, the spare heir to Lauchtenland’s ancient House of Blue escapes, finding solace on a Florida beach.
A year as a regular bloke allows him to rethink his purpose. He’s half decided his calling is to pour pints at a tiki bar, rather than serving his country and the Family.
Until an accident on the beach with a Frisbee changes his course.
Despite his long hair and beard, Daffy recognizes her prince, and their childhood friendship is renewed. She assures Gus Lauchtenland needs him, giving him the courage to return home.
When Daffy and Gus find themselves on assignment to Hadsby Castle in preparation for his brother’s wedding, their friendship blooms into affection.
But Gus cannot, will not, trust his heart again. Daffy’s engaged. And she also remains a royal family outcast because she knows the Queen’s secret.
When affection grows into love and secrets are exposed, trust is destroyed. Gus must choose which is stronger: the lies of his past or the hope of his future. And Daffy must face every fear to prove she will forever love a prince.
“Another compelling royal story by the master of princely tales!” Susan May Warren, USA Today bestselling, RITA award-winning novelist
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.
Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Reviews. She is a double RITA finalist, and a Christy and Carol Award Winner.
Her book, Once Upon A Prince, first in the Royal Wedding Series, was filmed for an Original Hallmark movie.
Rachel has been awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for her body of original work by Romantic Times Book Reviews.
A member of the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, she teaches workshops and leads worship at the annual conference. She is a past Mentor of The Year.
At home, she’s a wife, writer, worship leader and works out at the gym semi-enthusiastically.
A graduate of Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) with a degree in Journalism, she’s a former sorority girl and a devoted Ohio State football fan. Her bucket list is to stand on the sidelines with Ryan Day.
She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.
MORE FROM RACHEL:
Hello Royal Rockstar Readers!
I’m thrilled to share To Love A Prince with you. So many of you who loved the Royal Wedding Series have asked for more royals so as I noodled over new story ideas, my thoughts drifted toward princes and princesses. What’s more romantic than a royal wedding?
This royal story, the first book in a new series, True Blue Royal, is set in a new fictional country, Lauchtenland, in the North Sea. I’m really squeezing all those oil wells currently occupying that body of water.
The beauty of royal stories is they remind us of who we really are: princes and princesses. There is always a point in the story where the royal character, as well as the commoner, must come to grips with his and her true identity! Who God says we are!
Stories are a powerful reflection of life and it’s fun to insert ourselves into the tale. While fiction employs a lot of hyperbole we can find ourselves on the page somewhere, somehow.
Thanks for going on this little tour with me and To Love A Prince. You are so vital to my story as an author. Thank you!
Yours,
Rachel
BLOG STOPS:
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Worthy2Read, September 10
Captive Dreams Windows, September 10
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 10
Genesis 5020, September 10
Novels Corner, September 10
Connect in Fiction, September 11
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 11
deb’s Book Review, September 11
Locks, Hooks and Books, September 11
Remembrancy, September 12
Breny and books, September 12
Texas Book-aholic, September 12
Inklings and notions, September 12
For Him and My Family, September 13
Artistic Nobody, September 13 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 13
The Book Chic Blog, September 13
Among the Reads, September 14
Soulfully Romantic, September 14
Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 14
Sara Jane Jacobs, September 14
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 15
lakesidelivingsite, September 15
All-of-a-kind Mom, September 15
Reflections From My Bookshelves, September 15
Betti Mace, September 16
Where Faith and Books Meet, September 16
Mypreciousbitsandmusings, September 16
Blossoms and Blesssings, September 16
She Lives To Read, September 17
Wishful Endings, September 17
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Christian Chick’s Thoughts, September 17
Life of Literature, September 17
Life, Love, Writing, September 17
Book Love, September 18 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Maureen Timerman, September 18
Batya’s Bits, September 18
Labor Not in Vain, September 18
Bigreadersite, September 19
Hallie Reads, September 19
Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 19
Splashes of Joy, September 19
Christian Bookaholic, September 20
Musings of A Sassy Bookish Mama, September 20
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, September 20
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 20
Inside the Wong Mind, September 21
By The Book, September 21
Mary Hake, September 21
Godly Book Reviews, September 21
Hebrews 12 Endurance, September 22
Melissa Wardwell’s Back Porch Reads, September 22
Livin’ Lit, September 22
Writing from the Heart Land, September 22
Simple Harvest Reads, September 23 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Mamma Loves Books, September 23
Daysong Reflections, September 23
Black ‘n’ Gold Girl’s Book Spot, September 23
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GIVEAWAY:
To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a royal gift box of Pampering Princess items that includes bath balms, tea, tiara and other surprises!!
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/10098/to-love-a-prince-celebration-tour-giveaway
by admin | Sep 22, 2020 | Books, Christmas, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Once again I have to say, “it just wouldn’t be Christmas without the latest Novella by Melody Carlson”. I have been reading them for ten years or more and always look forward to them. The Christmas Swap is her offering for the year 2020. Thankfully, the actual events of this year did not show up in the book!
I thoroughly enjoyed this light-hearted romance featuring a Christmas house-swapping. Unfortunately it was a done deal when songwriter West Prescott learned that his step-father had swapped his house for the holidays. When circumstances arise that force West to return to his home, he decides to sleep in his studio until the guests leave. Of course one of the guests attracts his attention but one complication after another makes things difficult for West to connect with what could be the woman of his dreams.
The Christmas Swap moves along at a steady pace and can easily be read in one sitting for a reader like me. Characterization is well developed and I found it easy to relate to them all, especially Emma and West. One character in particular caused some problems but even she was not deliberately divisive or mean. Overall this book is a feel-good story that is perfect for a relaxing evening as the holidays approach.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital 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:
All Emma Daley wants this holiday season is a white Christmas. But the young teacher and struggling musician sure can’t find that in sunny Arizona. Luckily, there’s someone living in a perfect mountain home in the Colorado Rockies looking to make a vacation trade.
West Prescott is an in-demand songwriter and talented musician who put his own singing career on hold to write songs for celebrity acts to perform. When his mother convinces him to do a vacation trade for Christmas, he never imagined one of the houseguests would be so sweet–or so strikingly pretty. Naturally, he decides to stick around, and to get better acquainted, he poses as the caretaker of his own house. But when Emma’s friend Gillian discovers his true identity and sets her sights on him, things get . . . messy.
Read an excerpt HERE.
Purchase a copy HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over 200 books with sales of more than 7 million, including many bestselling Christmas novellas, young adult titles, and contemporary romances. She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including Finding Alice. She and her husband live in central Oregon. Learn more at www.melodycarlson.com.
