ABOUT THE AUTHOR: A word from our Author: I started writing short stories—pretty bad ones. And I started taking creative writing courses to round out my degree. So I was in classes full of people just like me—lousy writers. But we were learning!
Then the Lord led me to a local writers’ group, Capital Christian Writers, and the contacts and friends I made through CCW enriched my personal life and my writing life more than I can measure. Through CCW and through reading just about every book and magazine ever published by Writer’s Digest, I started catching on. Now I’m writing full time and man oh man do I love it.Before the writing began, I worked for attorneys in Washington, D. C. I worked for the Securities and Exchange Commission. And I was a stockbroker. A horrible stockbroker. How do people do that? Take responsibility for other people’s financial futures? Yikes. I’m perfectly happy to take responsibility for the amount of time any one person wants to spend reading my books. If you enjoy the experience, then know that we both enjoyed it together. I love that about books.
In the midst of all that fretting over other people’s money and writing about other people’s lives, I racked up a few personal experiences myself. Some good, some bad, but all part of God’s plan. Now I’m an empty nester living in Northern Virginia. My brilliantly funny son is in college. I have a savvy, gorgeous grown daughter, a charming son-in-law, and an amazing grandson.
ABOUT THE BOOK: Zack Cooper tries his best to raise his children, but he’s losing his grip on them in their teen years. They’ve both had scrapes with the local law.
Tea Shop owner Milly Jewel has the perfect woman in mind to help Zack. Counselor Tina Milano meets weekly at the tea shop with her women’s group. Milly encourages Zack and Tina to work together to draw the teens back before they get in even hotter water. Milly never thought things might heat up between Zack and Tina. Or did she?
Tina’s connections with the Middleburg police department prove a mixed blessing for Zack and his kids. Both her best friend and old boyfriend are officers on the force.
And when Tina’s women’s group gets wind of her personal pursuits and clashes, they want to help. The group’s meetings at the tea shop take on a slightly different flavor. Tina wonders who, exactly, is counseling whom.
Although heroine Tina Milano and her women’s group are mentioned in The Perfect Blend (the first book in this series), Tea for Two is where we meet her and hero Zack Cooper. I knew I would write this book while I wrote the first, so it was fun to plant a passing mention of Zack and Tina while I wrote Steph’s story in The Perfect Blend. By the time I was able to write Tina and Zack’s story, I was eager to unfold their lives, conflicts, and love. I hope readers will be eager to experience what happens to them!
If you would like to read the first chapter of Tea For Two, go HERE.
Learn more about Trish and her books on her Website.
Watch the Book Video:
MY REVIEW:
After readingTea For Two, I might be tempted to check out the new tearoom in our area except that I’m afraid it wouldn’t live up to my expectations and my diet doesn’t need to be exposed to the potential goodies. Yes, that’s just how enticing Millicent’s Tea Shop is portrayed in both books of this series. Then to find actual recipes at the end for some of the dishes described was a real bonus. Just wish I dared to bake them. Again – not on my current diet regimen.
One thing I’ve learned from both Tea For Two and The Perfect Blend is that Millie is an expert matchmaker. Not only does she have a knack for knowing who would make a perfect couple but she manages to steer them in the right direction without them having the first clue what she’s up to.
Tea For Two has a delightfully twisted plot that eventually ends up at the right place. A mostly lighthearted tale complete with the perfect blend of drama, humor, and romance, Tea For Two is just the thing for a lazy afternoon break.
Don Hoesel is a Web site designer for a Medicare carrier in Nashville, TN. He has a BA in Mass Communication from Taylor University and has published short fiction in Relief Journal. He was born and raised in Buffalo, NY but calls Spring Hill, Tennessee, with his wife and two children. The Alarmists is his third novel.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The 2012 phenomenon that’s going viral around the globe has led sociology professor Jameson Richards to study the impact on society when, like the Y2K scare, 12/21/12 comes and goes with hardly a wrinkle.
This is the date that, according to the Mayan calendar, the doomsayers predict the world will end. Richards teams up with General Michaels, a scientist stationed at the Pentagon whose job it is to monitor the world’s fanatics, keeping an eye out for potential terrorists. Together they uncover something sinister going on beneath the surface, linked to billionaire and media mogul Jeremy Maxwell, who also happens to be a huge manufacturer of weapons systems.
The 2012 date has captured Maxwell’s attention too, and he’s looking to cash in on the public’s fear and paranoia. And what he instigates–along with his corrupt partners–nearly starts another war in the Middle East, while also bringing the world to its knees economically. It’s up to the professor/general team to blow the whistle on Maxwell, hopefully in time to avert a major catastrophe.
When Jade describes her life as feeling like she stepped into a soap opera, she is not far off the track. Finding herself bombarded with crises at every juncture, all she wants to do is run away. At times she even does so mentally. Already dealing with a dying mother, her own infertility, a husband addicted to pain killers, plus a load of guilt from her past, Jade learns firsthand about her father-in-law’s unfaithfulness and is blindsided by the fact that her own husband has hidden an illegitimate son from her for nineteen months.
In Softly and Tenderly Jade, Max, June, Rebel, and Beryl each are forced to come to grips with their own problems and to find a way to correct them. As they turn to God and admit the truth about themselves, restoration begins. Characters are realistically portrayed and deal with true life situations. A spiritual theme is woven naturally through the story without becoming preachy. Softly and Tenderly kept me engaged throughout the book. Be advised that one scene near the end requires a box of tissues. I did feel that the book ended rather abruptly but anticipate that it will be concluded in the upcoming sequel.
This book was provided for review by the Amazon Vine™ Program.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Maybe in the wide-open country she can learn to breathe again.
Happily married and owner of two successful boutiques, Jade longs to begin a family with her husband, Max. But when she discovers that Max has an illegitimate son – who he wants her to help raise – Jade’s life is turned upside down.
She flees to her childhood home, a rambling Iowa farmhouse, with enough room to breathe. There – while her mother’s health grows fragile, and the tug of her first love grows stronger – Jade begins to question everything she thought she knew about family, love, and motherhood. In the wide-open landscape, Jade begins to see a future that doesn’t rest on the power of her past, but in the goodness of God’s tender mercies.
“Exquisitely written, an achingly beautiful story about lost and found relationships that made me ponder my own. This story is not to be missed.”–Susan May Warren, RITA award-winning, best-selling author of Nightingale
“Hang on for an emotional ride as a woman who ‘married into a Southern soap opera’ learns to forgive and trust again.”–Booklist
ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Sara Evans
Multi-platinum recording artist Sara Evans has been honored with numerous accolades, among them the 2006 Academy of Country Music’s Female Vocalist of the Year and the Country Music Association’s Video of the Year for “Born to Fly.” Evans has been named one of People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” and won the hearts of television viewer’s as the first-ever country star to compete in ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Sara is a Cabinet Member of The American Red Cross.
Twitter @saraevans music, facebook.com/home.php#!/saraevans Rachel Hauck
RITA-finalist Rachel Hauck lives in Florida with her husband, Tony. She is the author of Dining with Joy; Sweet Caroline; Love Starts with Elle; and The Sweet By and By, co-authored with Sara Evans. Visit RachelHauck.com and SouthernBelleView.com.
Suspense novelist Kathy Herman is very much at home in the Christian book industry, having worked five years on staff at the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and eleven years at Better Books Christian Center in Tyler, Texas, as product buyer/manager for the children’s department, and eventually as director of human resources.
She has conducted numerous educational seminars on children’s books at CBA Conventions in the U.S. and Canada, served a preliminary judge for the Gold Medallion Book Awards of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association , and worked as an independent product/marketing consultant to the CBA market.
Since her first novel, Tested by Fire, debuted in 2001 as a CBA national bestseller, she’s added sixteen more titles to her credit, including four bestsellers: All Things Hidden, The Real Enemy, The Last Word, and The Right Call.
Kathy’s husband Paul is her manager and most ardent supporter, and the former manager of the LifeWay Christian Store in Tyler, Texas. They have three grown children, five almost-perfect grandchildren, a cat named Samantha. They enjoy cruising, deep sea fishing, and birdwatching—sometimes incorporating these hobbies into one big adventure.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Zoe Broussard loves the life she and her husband Pierce have built in her beloved Louisiana hometown. She owns a thriving Cajun eatery in South Louisiana and is married to the love of her life.
But it’s about to become hell. One day, out of the blue, she receives a series of anonymous notes that sends her life into a tail spin. Five simple words, “I know what you did.” Zoe has a secret so terrible it could leave the business in shambles and tear her marriage apart. Unbeknownst to anyone, even Zoe’s husband, Pierce, she has a past—a past she had covered so well she never thought she would have to confront. How could anyone know what she did? Can she find the courage to face her past?
I have enjoyed Kathy Herman’s novels for several years and own a copy of each one of them. I was happy to see her newest, False Pretenses on my March CFBA review calendar. As expected, I found it to be chock full of riveting suspense and spiritual truth.
Featuring Zoe Broussard and her husband Pierce as well as Vanessa and Ethan Langley (from the Sophie Trace Trilogy). Zoe and Pierce own and run Zoe B’s Cajun eatery in Les Barbes, Louisiana and Vanessa and Ethan have recently moved to the area to restore historical family home Langley Manor and immediately encounter a mystery there. When a much loved young man is found murdered, racial tensions in the small town escalate. At the same time, Zoe finds herself confronted with secrets from her past. Forced to deal with her past mistakes, Zoe learns that her careless choices have placed her very life and possibly her marriage in peril. When Ethan and Vanessa learn of her predicament, they immediately get involved.
A rapidly escalating plot with three mysteries to solve, interesting down-home characters and setting, and emotional distress make False Pretenses a page turner. With a bit of history and local color added, the book is irresistible. This one is definitely on my list of recommended books.
When Liz Johnson asked me to participate in the blog tour for her newest novel Code of Justice, I was happy to do so and already had a copy thanks to my subscription to Love Inspired Suspense. She generously sent me an additional autographed copy to give away, so be watching for instructions later in this post.
One thing I like about the Love Inspired Suspense books is that they are easily read in an evening because they get right to the point and have few of the extraneous details that longer novels contain. So what if the hero and heroine’s relationship develops a bit too quickly – there is no time for a slow courtship in one of these shorter length books. In my opinion, it might just take more skill to tell a good story when your number of pages is so limited.
Liz Johnson is an expert at getting her story across within the prescribed parameters. Her characters are realistic and well developed. The plot is well crafted and moves at a steady pace, building the suspense with each page. Unexpected twists and surprises lurk around every corner. A strong message of faith is deftly woven through the story and a helpful spiritual lesson is illustrated through the tribulations of her characters. Code of Justice is a riveting tale with a strong theme of forgiveness and relying on the Lord rather than oneself.
In Code of Justice injured FBI agent Heather Sloan convinces deputy Jeremy Latham to allow her to help him discover the person responsible for her sister’s death. As they move closer to finding the killer, their lives are also threatened. Heather is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice – but is it really justice or revenge? Is she willing to risk everything, even her newly realized love for Jeremy, to see her quest through to the end?
BOOK GIVEAWAY:
As mentioned earlier, I have one autographed copy of Code of Justice to give away to a reader of this blog. Just leave a comment on this post telling me why you would like to read this book. Contest deadline is Friday, April 1. U.S. residents only please.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Her sister’s last words shake FBI agent Heather Sloan to the core. They also convince her that the helicopter crash only Heather survived wasn’t an accident. Sheriff’s deputy Jeremy Latham is assigned the case—he’s the one who can help Heather find the person responsible. Once she convinces him they should work together. As they dig for the truth, they learn to trust and care for each other. Will they lose it all when the killer targets Heather? She’s willing to risk her life to find her sister’s killer—but her code of justice could cost her the chance to win Jeremy’s love.
After graduating from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a degree in public relations, Liz Johnson set out to work in the Christian publishing industry, which was her lifelong dream. In 2006 she got her wish when she accepted a publicity position at a major trade book publisher. While working as a publicist in the industry, she decided to pursue her other dream-being an author. Along the way to having her novel published, she wrote articles for several magazines and worked as a freelance editorial consultant.
Liz makes her home in Nashville, TN, where she enjoys exploring her new home, theater, and making frequent trips to Arizona to dote on her nephew and three nieces. She loves stories of true love with happy endings.
Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.
Besides entertaining her readers, Terri tackles issues that she hopes will change lives. Her recent book, Predator, was inspired by her experiences on Facebook and Twitter, and her concern that people posted too much personal information about themselves. The book deals with an online predator who uses social networks as his playground. She hopes the book will change readers’ online habits. Her New York Times best-seller, Intervention, was inspired by her own personal struggles with a daughter on drugs. In the book, a mother hires an interventionist for her drug-addicted daughter. But on the way to treatment, the interventionist is murdered, and the daughter disappears. Barbara, the mother, sets out to search for her daughter. Terri modeled Barbara after herself, and poured many of her own emotions and experiences into that character. As a result, many families experiencing drug addiction have written to thank her for telling their story and giving them hope. Vicious Cycle, Book Two of the Intervention Series, releases February 22, 2011. She’s currently working on Book Three.
Other recent books include a stand-alone novel called Double Minds, as well as Last Light, Night Light, True Light and Dawn’s Light (from her acclaimed Restoration Series). She is also known for her popular Newpointe 911 Series and Cape Refuge Series. Terri makes her home in Mississippi, where she and her husband Ken are enjoying their empty nest after raising three children.
Terri has appeared on national television programs such as “The 700 Club” and “Home Life,” and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When fifteen-year-old Lance Covington finds an abandoned baby in the backseat of a car, he knows she’s the newborn daughter of a meth addict he’s been trying to help. But when police arrest him for kidnapping, Lance is thrust into a criminal world of baby trafficking and drug abuse.
His mother, Barbara, looks for help from Kent Harlan—the man whom she secretly, reluctantly loves and who once helped rescue her daughter from a mess of her own. Kent flies to her aid and begins the impossible work of getting Lance out of trouble, protecting a baby who has no home, and finding help for a teenage mother hiding behind her lies.
In this latest novel of suspense and family loyalty, bestselling author Terri Blackstock offers a harrowing look at drug addiction, human trafficking, and the devastating choices that can change lives forever.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Vicious Cycle, go HERE.
Watch the Book Video:
MY REVIEW:
Terri Blackstock has written another top-notch, gripping novel that I found hard to put down. With several returning characters from Intervention, the first book of this series, Vicious Cycle tells yet another tale of the horrors of drug addiction and how it affects everyone from family to friends. Additional themes include the trouble Lance finds himself in from trying to help a school acquaintance in trouble, a continued relationship between his mom Barbara and Kent Harlan that could move to another level in this book, life after rehab for his sister Emily, and details about a human trafficking ring.
With intimate details that only the family of a drug addict could know, Vicious Cycle gives the reader an up close and personal look at the life of a drug addict. While she doesn’t hesitate to reveal the ugly side, Blackstock manages to leave the reader with hope that addiction can be overcome. Vicious Cycle is both action and suspense filled but also has a strong Christian message.
I highly recommend Vicious Cycle as well as any other book by Terri Blackstock.
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A word from our Author: I started writing short stories—pretty bad ones. And I started taking creative writing courses to round out my degree. So I was in classes full of people just like me—lousy writers. But we were learning!
Zack Cooper tries his best to raise his children, but he’s losing his grip on them in their teen years. They’ve both had scrapes with the local law.
