by admin | Apr 20, 2016 | Books, England, Historical, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
“The Reluctant Duchess” is often a study of contrasts. Heroine Lady Rowena Kinnaird is both fragile and courageous with a backbone as strong as the Scottish coast where she was raised. And what a contrast her new life as the Duchess of Nottingham is to the rugged Highlands she knows and loves! How different can her new husband Brice Myerston be to that cruel man he saved her from with a hasty marriage? Rowena finds herself removed from one dangerous situation only to discover that she is right in the middle of another one!
What can I say about “The Reluctant Duchess” that would not be needless repetition of other glowing reviews? I was captured on page one and held prisoner until the dramatic and satisfying end. I loved the primary characters Rowena and Brice and also enjoyed catching up with Brook and Justin from the first book of the Ladies of the Manor series, “The Lost Heiress”. Filled with historical facts, danger, suspense, mystery, and romance, the plot began at a steady pace but gathered momentum as the story progressed.
I liked the portrayal of both Brice and Rowena as unique individuals with both strong and weak attributes. I also appreciated the fact that their relationship progressed slowly and was not a love-at-first-sight romance. Their personal and spiritual growth were strong points in the narrative that did not compromise its emphasis on Christian faith.
So, this is another glowing review of “The Reluctant Duchess”. I loved it and cannot wait for the next installment of this series. If you enjoy historical romantic suspense set in Great Britain, you should love the book and the rest of the series.
A copy of this book was provided for review by Celebrate Lit.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Will Fleeing the Scottish Highlands Only Leave Her in More Danger?
Lady Rowena Kinnaird may be the heiress to a Highland earldom, but she’s never felt good enough–not for her father, not for the man she thought she’d marry, not for God. But after a shocking attack, she’s willing to be forever an outcast if it means escaping those threatening her life.
Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has never been one to shy away from manor-born ladies, yet the last thing he needs is the distraction of the newly introduced Lady Rowena. He has enough on his plate having recently come into possession of a rare treasure for which many would kill, yet those around him seem intent on pairing him with this desperate but beguiling girl.
Rowena is reluctant to marry this notorious flirt. And when she learns that Brice is mixed up in some kind of questionable business with a stolen treasure, she fears she’ll end up in more danger than she fled.
Purchase your copy here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Roseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. The Reluctant Duchess is Roseanna’s eleventh published book. Her novels range from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. She lives with her family in West Virginia. Learn more at www.RoseannaMWhite.com
GUEST POST FROM ROSEANNA WHITE:
Though I’ve written nearly thirty books, thirteen of which will be out by the end of 2016, there’s something very special about the Ladies of the Manor Series. The first book, The Lost Heiress, is a rewrite of the first novel I ever wrote—at the age of 12-13. Once I finished that first novel, I made it my goal to keep adding more manuscripts to my “finished” file. I started in immediately on the sequel . . . and soon ran into a problem. You see, I knew who I wanted these characters to be. Brice Myerston, a duke, whom readers would have met in the first book. And a young lady from Scotland who had suffered abuse.
That’s it. That’s all I knew. And it stymied 13-year-old me, who hadn’t a clue what it felt like to suffer such things, and whose imagination, while rich, just lacked a certain basis in the realities of human nature. Probably a good thing that I gave up on the story back then, and didn’t dust it off again until my mid-20s, when I was reworking the series. And better still that Rowena had many more drafts to go through before she finally took to the printed page in The Reluctant Duchess.
I narrowed my setting down, during those years, to the Highlands, and I chose Loch Morar because of how perfectly the region of Lochaber suited the story I wanted to tell. Isolated. Stark. Rugged. Beautiful. Sometimes cruel. This was a land utterly perfect for my heroine’s family, for her back story. Then came the challenge of picking a clan for her to belong to—because lemme just tell you, one could quite easily offend with such choices, if not portrayed properly, LOL. And because I wanted her father to be chief of her clan, I ran the risk of people mistaking him for the actual chief, if I chose an actual clan.
A writing friend came to rescue and offered her last name for my heroine: Kinnaird (pronounced “kin-AIRD”), which is a sept (branch) of another clan in reality, so had no chief of its own, but was still a well-established Scottish name. Perfect!
So Rowena Kinnaird was born after many years of her character floating in and around my head and computer screen. And I got to pair this backward, sometimes shy, sometimes stubborn Scottish lass with the charming, suave, polished English duke I’d had planned out since I was 13.
I went to great pains in The Lost Heiress to make Brice Myerston a favorite character, so that readers HAD to read his story. Mwa ha ha ha. ? So far, so good on that score! Brice is a hero who has his faults, but he also has character. He has faith. He has a good heart, he’s considerate, he’s understanding. And he’s also so accustomed to charming everything female that he doesn’t quite know what to do when Rowena doesn’t seem inclined to be charmed.
There are clashes. There is tension. There’s much healing on Rowena’s part. Many trials for them both. But I hope that through this story of The Reluctant Duchess readers see what it means to triumph over past hurts. And how brightly God shines against the darkness.
BLOG STOPS:
April 12: Just Commonly
April 12: Book by Book
April 13: Books for Christian Girls
April 13: Cassandra M’s Place
April 13: Melissa Wardwell
April 14: A Holland Reads
April 14: Reading Is My SuperPower
April 15: Splashes of Joy
April 15: Blossoms and Blessings
April 15: Story Matters
April 16: Bookworm Mama
April 16: bigreadersite
April 17: cherylbbookblog
April 17: A Greater Yes
April 18: Singing Librarian Books
April 18: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
April 19: Simple Harvest Reads
April 19: Henry Happens
April 19: Karen Hadley
April 20: Daysong Reflections
April 20: Texas Book-aholic
April 20: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
April 21: Proverbial Reads
April 21: Heidi Reads…
April 22: Seasons of Opportunities
April 22: 100 pages per hour
April 23: Reader’s Cozy Corner
April 23: The Power of Words
April 24: Giveaway Lady
April 24: Under His Wings
April 25: For The Love of Books
April 25: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses
GIVEAWAY:
To celebrate the release of her book, Roseanna is giving away a few of Roseanna’s favorite things.
Click the link to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway
by admin | Apr 15, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
“Sit Stay Love” is the perfect spring or summer read, especially when one is in the mood for something light-hearted and encouraging. With a somewhat grouchy major league baseball pitcher and quirky school teacher who is reduced to dog sitting, and of course, Tippy, the real star of this book, the reader is treated to several laugh-out-loud scenes and some pretty sweet romantic ones as well.
Those who are frequent readers of romance will quickly guess that totally mismatched Cal and Gina will end up together – it’s a given in these novels – but what fun it was to see them overcome the hurdles on their way to romance. As Tippy dug her way into everyone’s hearts, she managed to help heal a few of those same hearts along the way. I loved the redemptive message of this story where even one of the bad guys turns out to just need a bit of Tippy’s touch to turn himself around.
As a dog lover, I thoroughly enjoyed this story that featured Tippy in a major role. Although they took a back seat to her, the other characters were well-rounded and quite likeable. “Sit Stay Love” is a charming and engaging story that should be appropriate for almost any age.
A copy of this book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Take one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog, and you’re ready for a lesson in love . . . Tippy style.
Pro baseball pitcher Cal Crawford is not a dog guy. When he inherits his deceased mother’s elderly dog, Tippy, he’s quick to call on a pet-sitting service.
Gina isn’t thrilled to be a dog sitter when her aspirations lie in the classroom. Furthermore, she can’t abide the unfriendly Cal, a man with all the charm of a wet towel. But with no other prospects and a deep love for all things canine, she takes the job caring for Tippy.
As Gina travels through Cal’s world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame. When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too…
Discover the charming story of Tippy, the dog who brought a family together.
Learn more and purchase a copy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dana Mentink lives in California, where the weather is golden and the cheese is divine. Dana is an American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year finalist for romantic suspense and an award winner in the Pacific Northwest Writers Literary Contest. Her suspense novel, Betrayal in the Badlands, earned a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third and fourth grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with her husband, two daughters, a dog with social anxiety problems, a chubby box turtle, and a feisty parakeet.
Find out more about Dana at http://www.danamentink.com.
What do you get when you add one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog? A lesson in love—Tippy style—in Dana Mentink’s new book, Sit, Stay, Love.
As Gina travels through Cal’s world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame. When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too. . . .
Join Dana in celebrating the release of Sit, Stay, Love with a blog tour and a Travels with Tippy prize pack giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- A copy of Sit, Stay, Love
- A $75 Visa cash card
- A basket filled with Tippy-themed goodies
- Travel-themed decorator box
- Reading dog statue
- Dog journal
- Poems for Dog Lovers
- Snuggle Paws fleece blanket from Animal Rescue Site
- Pawprint scarf
- Doxie desk pen
- Pupmobile auto magnet
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on April 25th. The winner will be announced April 26th on Dana’s blog.
by admin | Apr 12, 2016 | Books, Historical, Montana, Romance, Western
MY REVIEW:
I always enjoy Tracie Peterson’s novels because I know I will be getting a pretty good history lesson within a romantic and often suspenseful story. “A Treasure Concealed” did not disappoint. Once again the author came through with strong primary characters and just the right blend of drama, romance, and humor.
The Carver family had followed Emily’s father from one gold camp to another as he was convinced the big strike that would make them rich was just ahead – except it never happened. Emily’s mother was dying and Emily was responsible for caring for their home, their livestock, and her mother while he father continued his fruitless labor. Emily’s fondest dream is to have a home of her own where she can spend the rest of her life. Caeden Thibault enters the picture when he camps on the Carver property while performing geological surveys for the government. Because of his family background, Caeden has no interest in marriage or settling down. As can be expected, these two totally opposite young people find themselves growing more and more emotionally attached. Will either of them be willing to give up their dreams?
As expected, I thoroughly enjoyed “A Treasure Concealed”. Caeden was the perfect hero who proved himself time and time again. Emily was a strong female protagonist who proved to be feminine despite the way she dressed to hide it. It was easy to picture life and hardships in the gold fields of Montana where even the weather could turn on its inhabitants. I also enjoyed the spirit-led conversations between characters. I look forward to the next book in The Sapphire Brides series.
A copy of this book was provided for review by
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
There is more than gold to be found in these hills.
Emily Carver longs to have a home of her own, but instead she endures a transient existence in the gold mining camps of Montana, where her father’s hopes for riches lie endlessly buried. Promises of wealth from this wild land have brought only hardship and disappointment, causing Emily to wonder if her own modest dreams will ever see the light of day.
Caeden Thibault, a young geologist working for the government, is a man trying to escape the pain of his past, and the idyllic mountains of Montana serve his purposes well. In the course of his work, he has seen more than his share of starry-eyed gold seekers. So when Emily Carver catches his attention, he is intrigued by the fact that she isn’t pinning her hopes on striking it rich.
Will an unexpected discovery come between them or draw them together?
Read an excerpt from A Treasure Concealed HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana. Learn more at www.traciepeterson.com.
by admin | Apr 9, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
If you love Christian romantic fiction, Denise Hunter should be at the top of your go-to list. Her books have the absolute best heroes – you know the kind that all gals wish they could find. The heroines are pretty special too – nice girls who are pretty but not perfect, usually with a problem or two that needs to be overcome.
I have very much enjoyed each and every novel I’ve read by this author but “The Goodbye Bride” might be the best one yet. The premise is great. Young woman wakes up in a diner dressed in her wedding gown but cannot remember how or why she is there. All she can remember is her fiance so she gives him a call. Turns out he hasn’t seen her since she walked out on him seven months ago – seven months she can no longer remember. But like the standup guy he is, Zac cannot help running to Lucy’s rescue even though he is just beginning to recover from her desertion.
Like all good romantic novels, there are several twists and turns to this story as little by little the true backstory is revealed. Lucy can’t remember leaving or the reasons why and Zac still is not certain whether he can even trust what Lucy has to say. Is it all Lucy’s fault or did Zac actually have some responsibility in what happened?
I really loved this story. At times it was a bit frustrating but I think I was picking up on the characters’ frustrations. To me that is an indication of a well-written book. I liked Zac and Lucy a lot plus I enjoyed touching base once again with characters from the first book of this series. Naturally I can’t wait to read the next installment.
A copy of this book was provided for review by The Fiction Guild.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
She only remembers loving him. But he can’t forget the way she left.
Following a concussion, Lucy Lovett can’t remember the last seven months of her life. She doesn’t remember leaving her fiancé Zac Callahan weeks before their wedding or moving to Portland, Maine. And she sure doesn’t remember getting engaged to another man. All she remembers is loving Zac more than life itself.
It’s taken Zac months to move on after Lucy left him with no explanation. He’s thrown himself into his family’s farm and his restaurant business in Summer Harbor. Now Lucy’s back, vulnerable, homeless, and still in love with him. She needs his help putting the pieces together, but letting her back into his life is a risk—and the stakes are high. If he follows his heart he’ll win back the love of his life. But if her memory returns he’ll lose her all over again.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Denise Hunter is the award-winning author of 20 novels, including Dancing with Fireflies and Convenient Groom.
Denise lives in Indiana with her husband Kevin and their three sons. In 1996, Denise began her first book, a Christian romance novel, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she’s been writing ever since. Her books often contain a strong romantic element, and her husband Kevin says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!
by admin | Apr 9, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
“A Season to Wed” is a collection of three romantic novellas with winter settings. Each novella was penned by a different author and the plots are not related. However each book has similarities. In each story, the heroine encounters a man who meant something to her in the past but for one reason or another, their relationship ended. Each of these couples find themselves with a second chance at love. I thoroughly enjoyed each of the three stories. If romance is your genre, you won’t want to miss this collection.
Love at Mistletoe Inn by Cindy Kirk is a special tale of a couple who ran away to get married at the end of high school but changed their minds after the ceremony. After believing she was not married for ten years, Hope learns that her marriage was indeed legal. To her surprise, her husband John Burke chooses that exact day to reappear in her life. Naturally things will work out for the best, but what fun reading about how it happens!
A Brush with Love by Rachel Hauck is another example of why I love all novels by this author. I actually reviewed this novella earlier this year. You can read my entire review here – https://www.daysongreflections.com/?p=18182
Serving Up a Sweetheart by Cheryl Wyatt was another excellent story. Once again, the primary characters have a history but the last thing Meadow wants is to reconnect with Colin. She has little choice when her roof caves in during a snowstorm and there is no other contractor who can repair it in time for her to meet her catering deadlines. As Colin goes out of his way to make things easy for Heather, she realizes that he is not the same person she remembers and her heart begins to soften toward him.
A copy of this book was provided for review by Celebrate Lit.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Click here to purchase your copy.
They’ve helped orchestrate the perfect day for countless couples. Now twelve new couples will find themselves in the wedding spotlight in the second Year of Weddings novella collection.
Love at Mistletoe Inn by Cindy Kirk
Sometimes the road to happiness is paved with youthful mistakes.
Ten years after what she thought was her almost-wedding, Hope Prentiss discovers that the ceremony counted—and, as fate would have it, the jilted John Burke has just ridden back into town. After spending some time with John and helping plan a Christmas wedding for a mystery couple, Hope begins to wonder if she really wants a divorce . . . or a real wedding of her own.
A Brush with Love by Rachel Hauck
Revealing the beauty in other women might be Ginger Winters’s specialty—but it will take an unexpected kind of love to help Ginger see the beauty in herself.
Ginger Winters will be the “beauty-maker” for the Alabama society wedding of the decade. But when high-school crush Tom Wells shows up looking for a haircut, Ginger’s thinly veiled insecurities threaten to keep her from love once again . . . despite Tom’s best efforts.
Serving Up a Sweetheart by Cheryl Wyatt
Meadow knows how to serve delicious food to match any wedding theme. But can she accept love when it’s served up on a silver platter?
Meadow Larson is having the mother of all Mondays when her roof caves in during a blizzard, right before the most important wedding contract of her career. Renovation contractor Colin McGrath offers to fix Meadow’s roof, even though he knows he is the last person she would accept help from.
But the more Meadow gets to know the new Colin, the more she realizes God may have something more permanent in store than a new catering kitchen.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Rachel Hauck Bio:
Rachel Hauck is a USA Today Bestselling author. Her book, The Wedding Dress, was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist. Her book Once Upon A Prince was a Christy Award finalist.
Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and two pets and writes from her ivory tower. Visit her online at rachelhauck.com, Facebook: rachelhauck, and Twitter: @RachelHauck.
Cindy Kirk Bio:
Cindy Kirk sold her first book in 1999 as a result of a contest win which garnered a critique of the entire manuscript. She’s been writing—and selling—ever since. Cindy has been a Booksellers’ Best Award Winner, a finalist for the National Readers’ Choice Awards and a Publishers Weekly best seller. Cindy has served on the Board of Directors of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) since 2007. In November 2014, she began serving as President of the 10,000+ member organization. She’s a frequent speaker at not only the national RWA conferences, but large regional writing conferences. She has also presented at smaller retreats and conferences across the country. She lives on an acreage in Nebraska with her high school sweetheart husband of too-many-years-to-count and their three “boys” (a shih tzu, a blue heeler and a dorkie). Their daughter lives close by with her wonderful husband and their two little girls. Cindy invites you to check out her websitewww.cindykirk.com. Twitter: @CindyKirkAuthor
Cheryl Wyatt Bio:
Cheryl Wyatt writes romance with virtue. She’s a USA Today bestselling author and has earned RT Top Picks, spots #1 and #4 on her debut publisher’s Top 10 Most-Blogged-About-Books list, Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence final, and other awards. Cheryl loves readers! Join her newsletter at www.CherylWyatt.com. Facebook: CherylWyattAuthor Twitter: @cherylwyatt
GIVEAWAY:
To celebrate the A Season To Wed Celebration Tour, Rachel Hauck is giving away a Kindle Fire! Click to enter https://promosimple.com/ps/953c
BLOG STOPS:
April 5: Singing Librarian Books
April 6: Giveaway Lady
April 7: CTF Devourer
April 8: Splashes of Joy
April 8: Southern Chelle
April 9: Tell Tale Book Reviews
April 9: Just Commonly
April 10: Daysong Reflections
April 11: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses
April 12: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
April 12: Seasons of Opportunities
April 13: Bigreadersite
April 13: Simple Harvest Reads
April 14: Texas Book-aholic
April 15: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
April 16: A Greater Yes
April 16: Cassandra M’s Place
April 17: Quiet Quilter
April 17: Bukwurmzzzz
April 18: Reader’s Cozy Corner
by admin | Apr 5, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Law Enforcement, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
I have read all the books in Orchard’s Port Aster Secrets series so I was expecting her new series to be similar. Boy was I wrong! Protagonist Serena Jones could not be any further removed from Kate Adams if she tried. Don’t get me wrong – I thought it was great!
Serena is a smart cookie with a penchant for trouble. She loves art and loves her job with the FBI investigating art thefts. When a friend asks her to investigate some missing paintings from the local museum, Serena jumps right in, hoping to prove her abilities. Little does she expect all the trouble the case will bring nor does she expect the number of suspicious candidates who might be the culprit.
“A Fool and His Monet” is a cozy mystery at its best with multiple suspects, some danger and action, a touch of romance, and a large dose of humor. What could be better? In my opinion, Sandra Orchard made a successful transition from romantic suspense to cozy mysteries. I simply cannot wait to see where Serena might take the readers next.
A copy of this book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Sketchy politics and a palette of lies can’t stop Serena Jones from exposing the mastermind behind the daring theft of a priceless work of art
Serena Jones has a passion for recovering lost and stolen art–one that’s surpassed only by her zeal to uncover the truth about who murdered her grandfather. She’s joined the FBI Art Crime Team with the secret hope that one of her cases will lead to his killer. Now, despite her mother’s pleas to do something safer–like get married–Serena’s determined to catch thieves and black market traders.
When a local museum discovers an irreplaceable Monet missing, Serena leaps into action–and a whole heap of trouble.
Read an excerpt from “A Fool & His Monet” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandra Orchard is the award-winning author of many inspirational romantic suspense and mysteries, including Deadly Devotion, Blind Trust, and Desperate Measures. Her writing has garnered several Canadian Christian Writing Awards, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, a National Readers’ Choice Award, a HOLT Medallion Award of Merit, and a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. In addition to her busy writing schedule, Sandra enjoys speaking at events and teaching writing workshops. She lives in Ontario, Canada. Learn more about Sandra’s books and check out the special bonus features, such as deleted scenes and location pics, at http://sandraorchard.com.
