Joanna Davidson Politano’s second novel A Rumored Fortune is a wonderfully Gothic tale filled with all the requisite components such as a huge, isolated castle with dark and mysterious rooms and a presumed death with no body to show. Against this perfect backdrop the lone heiress is forced to deal with her mother and her late father’s creditors as well as all the people who show up eager to find his famous treasure. Then there is the perplexing man hired by Tressa’s father to take care of his beloved vineyard. Somehow in the midst of all the turmoil and even threats, Tressa is able to maintain her dignity and somehow show compassion on those who would take advantage of her.
I devoured this wonderful book with strong characterizations and vivid imagery. Even somewhat insignificant characters served a purpose as true human motives were revealed. Donegan was a perfect hero with secrets of his own and internal conflict as he struggled with his own motives. Unexpected plot twists held my attention and kept me wondering how everything would transpire by the final page.
This author has earned a permanent position on my keeper shelf with her first two novels. I eagerly anticipate her next book.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Welcome to Trevelyan Castle, home of the poorest heiress in Victorian England
Tressa Harlowe’s father kept his vast fortune hidden somewhere on his estate in the south of England and died suddenly, without telling anyone where he had concealed it. Now Tressa and her ailing mother are left with a mansion and an immense vineyard and no money to run it.
It doesn’t take long for a bevy of opportunists to flock to the estate under the guise of offering condolences. Tressa knows what they’re really up to. She’ll have to work with the rough and rusticated vineyard manager to keep the laborers content without pay and discover the key to finding her father’s fortune–before someone else finds it first.
Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her manuscript for Lady Jayne Disappears was a finalist for several contests, including the 2016 Genesis Award from ACFW, and won the OCW Cascade Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is always on the hunt for random acts of kindness, people willing to share their deepest secrets with a stranger, and hidden stashes of sweets. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.
Welcome to the official COVER REVEAL blitz for When You Look at Me by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! When You Look At Me is the 2nd book in the Pleasant Gap Romance series and releases in October 2018.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
An unexpected mother-to-be
A romance-leery composer
And a forgotten melody from the past that holds the keys to their futures.
When Julia Jenkins’ great aunt dies and leaves her a Victorian mansion with decades of secrets, Julia never expects to unearth a World War 2 espionage mystery. Struggling with her own past since an assault left her pregnant, her future as a solo parent leaves her dreams uncertain. The inheritance from her great aunt gives Julia the ability to take a step back into her future, but also sends her into the discovery of a love story she ?d never anticipated. Following her aunt’s cryptic journal, Julia uncovers some oddly written piano music with a musical code she can ?t decipher on her own. Not to worry, introverted Englishman and composer, Henry Wright, is thrust on the scene by a pair of homespun matchmakers who know the right man for Julia?s wounded heart.
Henry arrives in Pleasant Gap with the task of composing the soundtrack for his best mate’s newest film. The Jenkin’s family?s southern welcome and gregarious personalities set his reticent nature on edge, but he?s inexplicably drawn to his gentle and music-loving hostess, Julia. Uncertain how to build a friendship with the wounded woman, and rather hopeless in communicating well through words, the bond of music becomes a bridge between her uncertainty and his awkwardness. But her broken past and his families? expectations build a wall much greater than the cultures that separate them. As they work together to solve a musical mystery from the grave, will an unlikely romance from the past inspire their hearts to trust in a God who?s written the perfect melody for their lives?
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. Pepper is also a mom of five, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of Jesus and chocolate. She resides in Asheville, North Carolina with her family.
print copy of Just the Way You Are (book #1 in the series)
a cute ‘Britallachian’ mug – “We go together like tea and biscuits”
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight August 15, 2018 and last through 11:59pm August 22, 2018. US only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
With a husband who loves baseball, I am exposed to sometimes several games a day during the summer months, even when his beloved Cardinals aren’t playing. If I’m not busy with something else, I am usually in the same room reading so I do find my attention drawn to the screen frequently. Besides, my sisters and I played a lot of games in our front yard with friends and neighbors. I still don’t know how we managed not to break a window or three. For years my poor parents had to put up with a permanent diamond worn into their grass. For these reasons, I very much enjoyed A Promise Forged, Cara Putman’s novel about the All-American Girls Professional Softball League.
It was fun reading about Kat Miller and her experiences trying out for and playing in the league. Her interactions with her teammates, both positive and negative, made the story come alive. The grueling work and the expectations the girls had to follow were far more difficult than most readers might imagine. The author gave a realistic view of life behind the scenes that showed that professional ball is not all fun and games and glamour as one might expect.
Of course there has to be a bit of romance involved and the one that developed between Kat and Jack Raymond was definitely not the usual one, particularly due to their age difference. Nevertheless, despite the fact that neither of them wanted to be attracted to the other, the sparks were definitely there. I was impressed by the way the author handled the situation and kept it innocent as a young girl such as Kat deserved.
A Promise Forged is a quick and enjoyable read, perfect for a summer evening. As a fan of Putman’s legall suspense novels, I found it fun to read one of her earlier works.
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 Title: A Promise Forged
Author: Cara Putman
Genre: World War 2 Romance
Release date: Originally released in 2010, Re-released in 2017
Kat transformed in front of him. Her chin came up, her fingers stopped twitching with the fabric of her gown, and a real sparkle bubbled in her eyes. It was like watching Snow White come to life when the prince kissed her.
A heartwarming WWII historical from award-winning author Cara Putman:
Kat Miller has dreamed of playing baseball her entire life. When she earns a spot on a team in the All-American Girls Professional Softball League, she finds that things aren’t as glamorous as she imagined. She struggles with long road trips, grueling practices, and older teammates who are jealous of her success. And to top it all off, an irritating reporter is constantly getting under Kat’s skin.
Events in Jack Raymond’s career have left him cynical and distanced from God. He never wanted to write at a small paper, and he certainly didn’t want to be assigned to something as inconsequential as a women’s softball team. Then Kat walks into his life. The fiery, young softball player somehow climbs the walls around his heart and makes him want to hope again.
When lies fly and the league appears to fail, will Kat and Jack’s new love survive?
Since the time she could read Nancy Drew, Cara has wanted to write mysteries. In 2005 she attended a book signing at her local Christian bookstore. The rest, as they say, was history. There she met a fellow Indiana writer Colleen Coble. With prompting from her husband, Cara shared her dream with Colleen. Since those infamous words, Cara’s been writing award-winning books. She is currently working on book 30 and 31.
Cara Putman is an active member of ACFW, and currently serves on its Executive Board. She has also been the Indiana ACFW chapter president and served as the Area Coordinator for Indiana.
Cara is also an attorney, lecturer at a Big Ten university, active in women’s ministry, and all around crazy woman. Crazy about God, her husband and her kids that is. She graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Huskers!) and George Mason Law School, and Krannert School of Management. You can learn more about Cara at www.caraputman.com .
GUEST POST FROM CARA:
Each of my books starts with a hook that engages my interest, and then as I play with it, I think it will engage readers. A Promise Forged was no different. For this book I was writing a series of three World War II novels for Barbour. I already had two historical hooks that fascinated me: children evacuated from London to Ohio, a top secret project to break Engima in Dayton, but I needed one more. I knew the lead characters were going to be siblings, but I wasn’t sure what to do with the kid sister. Then I remembered the All-American Girls Professional Softball/Baseball League.
And I started thinking.
What would it have been like to desperately want a chance to play a sport you loved professionally?
And to be part of the nascent league when no one was sure whether it was a good or bad idea?
I decided that was the perfect place for Kat. She was the kid sister with fire and passion. She wanted a chance to prove herself, and this would be the perfect place. Then she needed a hero worthy of her. One who could go toe-to-toe with her and still see who she could be.
He came in the form of Jack, a cynical reporter who is disappointed to be assigned to cover girls’ baseball. But then he gets to know Kat and some of the others. And he sees something in her that she doesn’t see in herself. It’s the beginning of fireworks that he doesn’t think can go anywhere because she has to go home to her senior year of high school.
As I began researching the history of the league, I learned that the AAGPS/BL archives were kept at a small museum in South Bend, a couple hours from where I live. I spent a day there talking with the curator and exploring all the records. Because the league wasn’t expected to last there weren’t many records from the first year. That meant I had to guess about some things like schedules based on what happened in the years after.
A Promise Forged became a book I loved writing. Kat was feisty, Jack was cynical, and baseball provided a great setting. I can’t believe this football loving woman can admit that!
To celebrate her tour, Cara is giving away a grand prize that includes the movie League of Their Own, a box of cracker jacks, M&Ms and a $20 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click below to enter.
I have had the pleasure of reviewing several of Rachel Dylan’s novels and enjoyed each of them. I love the fact that she brings her experience as a lawyer into play in her riveting legal suspense novels which adds an extra layer of realism to them. In my opinion, each of her novels improves on the last one and Lone Witness serves to prove it.
When Sophie Dawson is the only witness to a double murder, she is determined to continue working on an important case but it soon becomes apparent that someone wants her dead. This action-filled, suspenseful tale takes her and Cooper Knight, the security guard hired by Sophie’s father, down a dangerously twisting path filled with surprises and multiple attempts on their lives. More than once, I was certain that I knew the answers only to be proved wrong once again. Strong yet normal characters are portrayed in a way that made me want to get to know them. I love how the author deftly weaves a strong yet unobtrusive message of faith into her narrative.
Definitely a page-turner, Lone Witness held me in its grip until its very last page but I hated to reach the end. I eagerly anticipate the next book in this great 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:
She’s the Only Witness to a Brutal Crime. Now She Can’t Outrun the Target on Her Back.
Prosecutor Sophie Dawson has taken a new role at the Fulton County DA’s office, and her first case involves a local bank employee who may be cheating customers. She’s determined to bring justice to those who’ve lost their savings . . . but her life is turned upside down when she becomes the only witness to a double homicide involving a vengeful gang.
With her life at risk, friends and family convince her that she needs protection, and private security guard Cooper Knight is hired as a bodyguard. But as threats escalate, neither Cooper nor Sophie knows whom they can trust.
Unwilling to back down on either case, Sophie pursues the truth at any cost. But her bank litigation gets more complicated by the day, and the gang will stop at nothing to keep her from taking the stand. With all sides closing in, steadfast Cooper is the only man she can lean on. But drawing close may be the distraction that costs both of their lives.
Rachel Dylan was a litigator in one of the nation’s most elite law firms for over eight years and now works as an attorney at one of the Big Three automobile manufacturers. She is the author of four Love Inspired Suspense novels and lives in Michigan with her husband. She is active on social media, and you can visit her website at www.racheldylan.com.
As the Tide Comes In is a heartrending yet beautiful novel that allows the reader to walk with Tara Abbott through unspeakable tragedy and loss and the dark, lost days after until that spark of light breaks through. Although the tale is not always sad, many readers will probably want to keep a box of tissues close at hand.
I have long been a fan of Cindy Woodsmall’s books and love the fact that she is now collaborating with her daughter on some. As the Tide Comes In may be one of the most touching stories I have read and it is one that will linger with me for awhile. I adored the Glynn Girls and how they ministered to Tara, always knowing instinctively when to hover and when to step back. It was inspiring to see how the Lord was always with Tara, through good times and bad, and leading her to the place to find answers to all her questions.
I really loved this book and hope to see more like it in the future. I can’t wait!
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:
From splintered roots, she built an unexpected life. Will an unshakable nightmare steal it all away?
A New York Times best-selling author releases her first southern novel, a Steel Magnolias-meets-Sweet Home Alabama story set on St. Simons Island.
When an unthinkable loss sends Tara Abbott’s life spiraling out of control, she journeys from North Carolina to Georgia’s St. Simons Island. Although confused and scared, she hopes to find answers about her past – her life before the years of foster care and raising her two half-brothers as a young adult. Will she find steady ground on the island, surrounded by an eccentric-but-kindhearted group of older women called the Glynn Girls and a determined firefighter? Or will the truth splinter what’s left of her identity into pieces?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cindy Woodsmall is the “New York Times” and CBA best-selling author of eighteen works of fiction. She’s been featured in national media outlets such as ABC’s “Nightline” and the “Wall Street Journal.” Cindy has won numerous awards and has been finalist for the prestigious Christy, Rita, and Carol Awards. Cindy and her husband reside near the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains in Flowery Branch, GA.
Erin Woodsmall is a writer, musician, wife, and mom of three. She has edited, brainstormed, and researched books with Cindy for almost a decade. She is very excited about their first coauthored book.
Although fashion model Willow Bradford would like to keep the mistakes of her past behind her, it is difficult to ignore former boyfriend Corbin Stewart who she is forced to spend time with in order to help a precocious young Charlotte solve a family mystery. Most romance readers know from the git-go that sparks are sure to fly and the former sweethearts are certain to be reunited by the end of the story. Yes, that’s a given but the fun is in discovering how they get to that point.
Falling for You is the second novel in the Bradford Sisters series and it met all my expectations. It was fun seeing familiar characters show up during the story but most enjoyable was the verbal interplay between Willow and Corbin not to mention the adorable Charlotte. An added layer of interest was added by the family mystery the three of them were attempting to solve.
All-in-all, the story was wonderful with a steady plot, vivid characters, and plenty of romance. The spiritual thread could have been a bit stronger but nevertheless, a strong theme of forgiveness and restoration is woven throughout. I loved Falling for You and I believe most fans of contemporary Christian romance and Becky Wade would agree.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Famously beautiful model Willow Bradford is reveling in the peace and quiet of her hometown right up until the moment she comes face-to-face with her ex-boyfriend, Corbin Stewart.
Former NFL quarterback Corbin is forceful, charming, and accustomed to getting what he wants . . . except where Willow is concerned. He’s never been able to forget her, but Willow makes it crystal clear she’s unwilling to risk her heart again.
When a decades-old mystery in Corbin’s family brings them together, will the heartbreak in their past and the complications in their present keep them from falling for one another all over again?
Becky Wade is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and now lives in Dallas. A favorite among readers of Christian contemporary romance, Becky has won a Christy Award, a Carol Award, an Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, and an INSPY Award. Learn more at www.beckywade.com.
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Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her manuscript for Lady Jayne Disappears was a finalist for several contests, including the 2016 Genesis Award from ACFW, and won the OCW Cascade Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is always on the hunt for random acts of kindness, people willing to share their deepest secrets with a stranger, and hidden stashes of sweets. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.
Yay!! Isn’t it pretty?!? Is It October yet?
TOUR GIVEAWAY:
Since the time she could read Nancy Drew, Cara has wanted to write mysteries. In 2005 she attended a book signing at her local Christian bookstore. The rest, as they say, was history. There she met a fellow Indiana writer Colleen Coble. With prompting from her husband, Cara shared her dream with Colleen. Since those infamous words, Cara’s been writing award-winning books. She is currently working on book 30 and 31. 
Rachel Dylan was a litigator in one of the nation’s most elite law firms for over eight years and now works as an attorney at one of the Big Three automobile manufacturers. She is the author of four Love Inspired Suspense novels and lives in Michigan with her husband. She is active on social media, and you can visit her website at 
Cindy Woodsmall is the “New York Times” and CBA best-selling author of eighteen works of fiction. She’s been featured in national media outlets such as ABC’s “Nightline” and the “Wall Street Journal.” Cindy has won numerous awards and has been finalist for the prestigious Christy, Rita, and Carol Awards. Cindy and her husband reside near the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains in Flowery Branch, GA.
