by admin | Nov 6, 2019 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Revell, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Deadly Deceit is a skillfully executed suspense novel that could easily keep most readers on the edge of their seat until the very end. The second volume in Walters’ Harbored Secrets series, this book could easily stand on its own merits but what is the fun in that? With familiar characters and the setting of Walton, Georgia from the first installment, Living Lies, readers will find this suspense filled tale even more enjoyable if they have read the first.
The narrative begins with the death of a person close to Vivian Demarco, a dedicated journalist. Determined to use her unique skills to discover the truth behind the mysterious message on her friend’s dying lips, Vivian quickly runs up against Deputy Ryan Frost who discourages her from becoming involved. Naturally Vivian stubbornly refuses and as all good readers can quickly guess, the two are soon working together to solve a case that grows beyond their original suspicions.
Multiple suspects as well as victims keeps the pair and the entire police force on their toes as they work frantically to prevent more victims and to stay alive themselves. A touch of faith and a theme of forgiveness is woven throughout the story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend to all lovers of contemporary suspense.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author and 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 Walton, Georgia, where everyone knows your name–but no one knows your secret.
Independent and tenacious journalist Vivian DeMarco is back in Walton, Georgia, for one reason–to do her job and get out. When her boss suddenly dies under suspicious circumstances, Vivian’s only hope for finding the truth–and the next big story–is small-town law enforcement’s lanky poster boy, Deputy Ryan Frost. But the deeper they dig, the more twisted the truth becomes. False leads, incriminating emails, and someone called the Watcher force Vivian to fight for answers–and her life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Natalie Walters is the author of Living Lies and Deadly Deceit. A military wife of 22 years, she currently resides in Hawaii with her soldier husband and their three kids. She writes full-time and has been published in Proverbs 31 magazine and has blogged for Guideposts online. In addition to balancing life as a military spouse, mom, and writer, she loves connecting on social media, sharing her love of books, cooking, and traveling. Natalie comes from a long line of military and law enforcement veterans and is passionate about supporting them through volunteer work, races, and writing stories that affirm no one is defined by their past. Learn more at www.nataliewalterswriter.com.
by admin | Nov 6, 2019 | Books, Christmas, England, Historical, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Christmas at Whitefriars is a delightful historical novella that is perfect for a Christmas reading spree. Although its length is short, the pages a packed with interesting and sometimes quirky characters, vivid descriptions of Whitefriars and its grounds, and a sweet romance that overcomes fear and social anxiety.
I loved both Mary and Everett and the manner that they encouraged and helped each other deal with their personal inadequacies. Despite its age and deterioration, Whitefriars had a wonderful history that deserved retelling and remembrance. I felt like I was also getting the grand tour of it as Mary showed Everett around and explained its history that she loved so much.
Christmas at Whitefriars is just the book companion for a cozy winter evening by the fire. Please don’t miss it!
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Mary Beckwith lives in a magnificent English castle during the twilight years of the gilded age. With the help of an American millionaire, she has succeeded in renovating her beloved Whitefriars castle into a splendid estate just in time for Christmas. From across the ocean, millionaire Everett Wooten has spent a fortune propping up Whitefriars to add modern conveniences and rebuild crumbling old walls. Even though he’s never met Mary, they have enjoyed a lively business correspondence over the nine years they have been working toward a renovation. Now he has finally come to see Mary and the castle in person, but nothing is as he was led to believe. Mary and Everett try to find a way forward, but red-blooded American entrepreneurship doesn’t always mingle with blue-blooded English tradition. Can a Manhattan business tycoon and an English lady come to an accord, or will their joint venture in Whitefriars result in heartbreak for them both?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in gilded age America featuring clever heroines and richly layered storylines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won the RITA and Christy Award, and she lives in Florida with her husband who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books.
by admin | Oct 31, 2019 | Books, Colorado, Historical, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I have read quite a few of Mary Connealy’s books over the past several years and always enjoy them. I know I can usually depend on her giving me a few hours reading pleasure with her western historical romances laced with her wonderful sense of humor. Her books may not be deep or particularly thought provoking all the time but that’s not what I’m looking for when I pick up one of her books. Connealy is one of my go-to’s when I am in the mood for pure entertainment and a cowboy or two in the mix is welcomed.
Aiming For Love is the author’s latest offering and the first book in Brides of Hope Mountain series. The series features the three Nordegren sisters who have lived alone atop a Colorado mountain since the deaths of their parents and grandparents. Each young woman is skilled in taking care of themselves in the wilderness and have been taught to avoid the outside world. Everything changes for them the day the Warden family shows up on their mountain and find themselves in need of shelter and medical help. From that point the story gets more and more interesting as the wild sisters are forced to interact with the strangers from the valley below.
Vivid descriptions of Colorado scenery and appealing characters combine with a plot that moves right along at a good pace to offer a tale that should satisfy many readers, especially if they are prepared to wait to learn more about how things will develop for certain characters. It is obvious that both other sisters, Ilsa and Ursula will be featured in their own books now that Josephine and David’s story has been told, but there are at least two men I hope to learn more about in the other books of this series – particularly Mitch and the mysterious hired gun. Great start to what promises to be a good series!
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: Aiming for Love
Author: Mary Connealy
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: October 2, 2019
Click here to get your copy! |
 |
Josephine Nordegren is one of three sisters who grew up nearly wild in southwestern Colorado. She has the archery skills of Robin Hood and the curiosity of the Little Mermaid, fascinated by but locked away from the forbidden outside world–a world she’s been raised to believe killed her parents. When David Warden, a rancher, brings in a herd much too close to the girls’ secret home, her older sister is especially frightened, but Jo is too interested to stay away.
David’s parents follow soon on his heels, escaping bandits at their ranch. But his father is wounded and needs shelter. Josephine and her sisters have the only cabin on the mountain. Do they risk stepping into the world to help those in need? Or do they remain separated but safe in the peaks of Hope Mountain?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has more than half a million books in print. She is the author of the popular series Wild at Heart, Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Lassoed in Texas, Sophie’s Daughters, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Learn more at www.maryconnealy.com.
MORE FROM MARY:
What it would do to someone to run wild from nearly their earliest memory?
What if three young girls had the basic skills to survive a rugged life but no adults to guide them?
Would they grow up to be a completely odd and untamed version of themselves, or the truest, in some ways most honest version?
I wanted to explore that idea: wild children, tough young women, afraid of the invading world, but lonely, too. So I created the plot for my Brides of Hope Mountain series by mixing the three little girls who’d grown up wild on the top of a mountain with some fairy tale ideas.
Book one, Aiming for Love, is Josephine Nordegren’s story. I had this vision of Ariel the mermaid seeing a man for the first time when strangers invade the high valley she lives in with only her two sisters. Curiosity is her besetting sin, or so she’s always been told. She has wilderness skills, mainly in the form of owning a bow and arrow and understanding wild animals, but for the first time, she is drawn to a man.
Jo needs to be tamed, or Dave, the man she can’t stop watching from in the woods, needs to learn the ways of the wild, because they’re out of place in each other’s worlds.
BLOG STOPS:
| Among the Reads, October 25
Moments With Mercy, October 25
Bigreadersite , October 25
Emily Yager, October 25
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 26
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 26
Books, Life, and Christ, October 26
Quiet Workings, October 26
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, October 27
For Him and My Family, October 27
Stories By Gina, October 27
Jeanette’s Thoughts, October 27
Older & Smarter?, October 28
Betti Mace, October 28
Wishful Endings, October 28
The Becca Files, October 29
Adventures of a Travelers Wife, October 29
Mary Hake, October 29
Mamma Loves Books, October 29
A Baker’s Perspective, October 30
Stephanie’s Life of Determination, October 30
Britt Reads Fiction, October 30
For The Love of Books, October 30
Hallie Reads, October 31
Connect in Fiction, October 31
Christian Bookshelf Reviews, October 31 |
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess , November 1
To Everything There Is A Season, November 1
Daysong Reflections, November 1
Splashes of Joy, November 1
Moments, November 2
Simple Harvest Reads, November 2
Batya’s Bits, November 2
She Lives To Read, November 2
EmpowerMoms, November 3
Seasons of Opportunities, November 3
Remembrancy, November 3
Blessed & Bookish, November 4
For the Love of Literature, November 4
Through the Fire Blogs, November 4
Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 4
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 5
Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, November 5
Locks, Hooks and Books, November 5
Pause for Tales , November 5
Texas Book-aholic, November 6
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 6
janicesbookreviews, November 6
A Reader’s Brain, November 7
Inklings and notions , November 7
Leona J. Atkinson, November 7
Lukewarm Tea, November 7 |
GIVEAWAY:
To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away a grand prize package of a $20 Amazon gift card, a copy of Aiming for Love, and a copy of Fairy Tales from Around the World!!
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/ed95/aiming-for-love-celebration-tour-giveaway
by admin | Oct 31, 2019 | Appalachia, Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
A Match For Emma is probably the sweetest love story featuring lifetime best friends who discover they are the perfect match. I loved how comfortable Jon and Emma were with each other and how natural it was for them to hold hands, touch, and even an innocent snuggle or two while watching movies on TV. So how could they be so blind to the truth about their relationship? I also liked the degree of honesty the pair shared with each other – how they each pointed out areas the other needed to improve.
The author not only has an incredible talent with words but she managed to see deep with the soul of each character and bring them to life. Both Jon and Emma were so real. Emma especially wanted the best for all those she cared for but she also had her blind spots that sometimes made her judge others more harshly than they deserved. Yet after thinking and praying about it when brought to her attention, she usually recognized the truth and acted on it.
I enjoyed everything about this sweet love story including its Appalachian setting, brilliant hints of humor, realistic characters, and a strong emphasis on faith and truth. If you have not read a book by Pepper Basham, don’t wait another minute. Pick up a copy of A Match For Emma or one of the other books in her Mitchell’s Crossroads series.
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:
Emma Mitchell may enjoy sprinkling romance into the lives of others, but her own plans involve a single first-class ticket to culinary school in Europe.
When her best friend, Jon Noble, suddenly moves back to Ransom, Emma’s fairly certain her life can’t get any better…until her matchmaking schemes nosedive, her culinary future falls flat, and a life-long friendship begins to teeter on the brink of something unexpected.
With a little inspiration from Jane Austen’s classic and a touch of Blue Ridge charm, will Jon and Emma discover that what they need the most may be the last thing they’re trying to find?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes historical and contemporary romance novels with grace, humor, and culture clashes. She’s a Blue Ridge Mountain native and an anglophile who enjoys combining her two loves to create memorable stories of hope. You can connect with Pepper over at her group blog, The Writer’s Alley, her website, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter.
by admin | Oct 27, 2019 | Anthology, Books, Romance, Second Chance Romance
MY REVIEW:
I received a copy of the First Love Forever Romance Collection from one of the authors, Carrie Fancett Pagels courtesy of Just Read Tours Blind Read tour. It was requested that I read and review her novella, His Anchor in particular as well as any or all of the other titles. Each of the novellas feature a couple who were in love at one time (or at least one of them was) and have received a second chance at renewing that love. Due to a family health crisis, time restraints have prevented me from reading all the included stories other than His Anchor at this time. I hope to find more time later to read the others.
His Anchor is set in the late 1800s on Mackinac Island in Michigan. Sadie has always loved Robert Swaine, the young uncle of one of her best friends. When he returns to Mackinac Island, Robert learns of the dire circumstances Sadie and her sisters have found themselves in after the death of their mother and the disappearance of their father. Always a caring and generous man, Robert endeavors to do everything he can to make life easier for Sadie and her family. Of course in a story of this type readers know to expect a sweet romance to develop.
Both Sadie and Robert were strong and likeable characters who deserved a chance at happiness. The setting was vividly described and the plot contained just enough action to keep things interesting. My only complaint would be that the short length necessary for a novella left me wanting to know more about the characters than time allowed. I hope that reading the companion novel will satisfy that desire. If the other novellas included in this collection as as good, it will definitely be a satisfying read.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Just Read Tours. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A first love is never easily forgotten…
and coming face to face with that person again can be awkward when the heartstrings are still holding on to the “what ifs.”
In settings from 1865 to 1910, nine couples are thrown back on the same path by life’s changes and challenges. A neighbor returns from law school. An heiress seeks a quick marriage. A soldier’s homecoming is painful. A family needs help. A prodigal son returns. A rogue aeronaut drops from the sky. A runaway bridegroom comes home. A letter for aid is sent. A doctor needs a nurse. Can love rekindle despite the separation of time and space?
First Things First by Susanne Dietze
1877 – South Texas: Texas rancher’s daughter Georgie Bridge mourned when her first love, Ward Harper, left town to study the law, but now he’s back—as opposing counsel in a case against her father.
A Most Reluctant Bride by Cynthia Hickey
1880 – Ozark foothill ranch: Maggie Spoonmore marries her father’s former foreman, Zach Colton in order to salvage her reputation, yet struggles to believe he married her for love and not her inheritance.
Weeping Willow by Marcia Gruver
May of 1861 – Port Royal, Virginia: In Civil War Virginia, tables are turned for Willow Bates when Julian Finney, her childhood crush and steadfast defender, returns from the war a broken man in need of rescue.
His Anchor by Carrie Fancett Pagels
1894 – Mackinac Island, Michigan: Robert Swaine, a ship captain, returns to Mackinac Island where his first love, Sadie Duvall struggles to support her siblings. Will she anchor him to the island he has vowed to leave behind?
After the Ball by Martha Rogers
1910 – Dallas, Texas: Chase Thornton, a wealthy oil man yearns for the life of a cowboy and his first love, Susannah King, but can she trust him to keep his word to leave the city and stay on the ranch?
Lighter Than Air by Lorna Seilstad
1900 – St. Louis, Missouri: After Titus Knott crashes his hot air balloon behind Ella Mason’s boarding school, he must convince his former sweetheart that his words are true and not full of hot air.
In Due Season by Connie Stevens
1901 – Whitley, Kansas: Leah Brown accepts her role of town spinster until Gareth Shepherd unexpectedly steps back into her life. Now she’s faced with a choice. Can she forgive the man who jilted her?
Heartfelt Echoes by Jennifer Uhlarik
1875—Virginia City, Nevada: A short, urgent letter mentioning his childhood love, Millie Gordon, forces deaf Travis McCaffrey to turn to his estranged birth father for help rescuing the woman he can’t forget.
Prescription for Love by Erica Vestch
1905 – New Orleans: Erstwhile fiancée Natalie Morrison is the last person Dr. Mackenzie wants as his new nurse, but when an epidemic hits, Phin finds she’s come back into his life at the perfect time.
by admin | Oct 23, 2019 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, England, Historical, Ireland, Romance, Split Time, WWII
MY REVIEW:
The final book in Kristy Cambron’s Lost Castle series, The Painted Castle features Kiera, another member of the Foley family who seems destined to have castles in their lives. As an art expert, Kiera is asked to evaluate a mysterious painting found in an old English manor. Parallel stories that also feature the same manor take place in the Victorian era and during World War 2.
Each story could have easily been developed into a full novel of its own but worked splendidly together to flesh out the history of the people who had once lived in the manor as well as the mystery behind the portrait found there. Not only was each story a romance but each also contained unique elements that kept me wanting to know more. Victorian era Keaton and Elizabeth’s story held a murder mystery that spanned a decade. Amelia and Wyatt experienced the horrors of World War 2 bombings. Emory and Kiera worked together to discover the secrets of the manor and the unknown painting that had been hidden for so many years. These wonderful characters revealed a solid strength as they battled difficult circumstances in their lives.
I thoroughly enjoyed this journey through the years and Cambron’s unique way of revealing the manor’s secrets bit by bit. I hated to reach the end and could easily have read more about each time frame of the story.
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: The Painted Castle
Author: Kristy Cambron
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: October 15, 2019
Click here to grab your copy. |
 |
Bestselling author Kristy Cambron concludes the Lost Castle novels with this sweeping tale of art and secrets long buried in England.
It was supposed to be a one-week job: survey an art find, collect a hefty fee, and use that to settle historian Kiera Foley’s life back into balance. But from the moment she sets foot in the East Suffolk countryside, the mysteries surrounding the old English manor and the enigmatic art thief who’s employed her stir more questions than answers. Then, Kiera finds the existence of a portrait captivating enough to upend all of her expectations. This one could be a twin-a painting so close in composition to a known masterpiece, it may be rendered priceless if it truly captured the likeness of a young Queen named Victoria.
Set in three time periods-the rapid change of Victorian England, the tumultuous skies over England’s eastern shores in WWII, and modern day-The Painted Castle unfolds a legacy of faith, family, and stories that are generations in the making.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
KRISTY CAMBRON is an award-winning author of historical fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of Bible studies, including the Verse Mapping series. She’s a Women’s Ministry Leader at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY, and a passionate storyteller who travels to speak at events across the country, encouraging women to experience a deeper life in the Word through verse mapping. Her work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations. Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and has 15 years of experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation, working with such companies as the Disney Institute, IBM/Kenexa, and Gallup. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, and can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.
MORE FROM KRISTY:
About The Painted Castle
A war-torn estate holding its secrets close. A lost library bricked off from the world. And a portrait-maker’s unknown masterpiece of a Queen named Victoria… What stories do they long to tell?
It was supposed to be a one-week snatch-and-grab: survey an art find, collect a hefty fee, and use that to settle historian Kiera Foley’s life back into balance. But from the moment she sets foot in the East Suffolk countryside, the mystery of an old English manor, a crumbling beekeeper’s cottage, and a library that had long ago been sealed off brick by brick, all stir more questions than answers. What begins as a novice assignment instead peels back layers, lulling Keira into the depths of the estate’s long-forgotten history.
Despite questions swirling around the enigmatic, rumored art thief who’s employed her, Keira finds the existence of a portrait captivating enough to upend all of her expectations. This one could be a twin—a painting so close in composition to a known masterpiece, it may be rendered priceless if it truly captured the likeness of a young Queen named Victoria…
1842— In order to salvage what’s left of her family’s shaky circumstances, artist Elizabeth Meade knows her duty must be to marry well. But she hopes looks can be deceiving enough to hide her true motives behind a congenial smile and gain entry into the ballrooms of England’s noble elite. Instead of husband-hunting, Elizabeth searches for the one thing that’s seared to her memory—the eyes of her father’s killer, whom she unwittingly sketched one snowy night in Piccadilly ten years before. She never expects to find answers tucked away in the countryside at Parham Hill, in the form of a portrait-maker who could help her artist dreams come true, if only she could forget the highwayman she’s hunted for the last decade—the estate-owner who unwittingly selects her as his betrothed…
1942—When the 390th Bomb Group arrives at Amelia Woods’ Parham Hill Estate, the American flyboys bring playing cards, B-17 “flying fortresses”, and enough bravado to believe they can triumph over Hitler just by staring him down. Amelia isn’t certain, and she’s unwilling to compromise the safety and security in a carefully-crafted world she’s built for the dozens of London-evacuated children left in her charge. But with Anderson shelters buried in the gardens and an Allied airfield a stone’s throw away, Amelia may have no choice but to wait out the war under blackouts and bombs, and accept help from the captain who offers it—even if it means risking all she has left of her late husband’s memory…
From the streets of Piccadilly and the lavish halls of Buckingham Palace to the countryside surrounding Framlingham Castle, a warn-torn estate, a hidden library, and the lost portrait of a queen come together to write the final chapter in the Lost Castle series. Set in three time periods—the rapid change of Victorian England, the tumultuous skies over England’s eastern shores in WWII, and modern day—The Painted Castle unfolds a legacy of faith and the family we fight for, of risk and reward, and the artful crafting of a story that can be generations in the making… yet still change everything about a single life.
BLOG STOPS:
| All-of-a-kind Mom, October 15
The Power of Words, October 15
A Baker’s Perspective, October 15
The Avid Reader, October 16
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 16
Betti Mace, October 16
Reflections From My Bookshelves, October 17
Fiction Aficionado, October 17
Through the Fire Blogs, October 17
Inklings and notions , October 18
AndreaChristenson, October 18
She Lives to Read, October 18
Bloging With Carol, October 18
The Christian Fiction Girl, October 19
Back Porch Reads , October 19
Christian Bookaholic , October 19
KarenSueHadley, October 20
Livin’ Lit, October 20
A Reader’s Brain, October 20
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 20
Genesis 5020, October 21
Worthy2Read, October 21
Life of Literature, October 21
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 22 |
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, October 22
janicesbookreviews, October 22
For Him and My Family, October 22
Older & Smarter?, October 23
Mia Reads Blog, October 23
The Becca Files, October 23
Daysong Reflections, October 24
Connect in Fiction, October 24
Texas Book-aholic, October 24
Just the Write Escape, October 24
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 25
Moments, October 25
Simple Harvest Reads, October 25
Pause for Tales, October 26
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 26
Lis Loves Reading, October 26
Hallie Reads, October 26
Living Life Free In Christ, October 27
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, October 27
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, October 27
Soutgern Gal Loves to Read, October 28
Remembrancy, October 28
Batya’s Bits, October 28
Leona J. Atkinson, October 28 |
