by admin | Jan 23, 2013 | Books, Regency, Romance, Suspense
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Mystery of the HeartRealms (January 8, 2013)
by
Jillian KentABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jillian Kent is a busy writer and the alter ego of Jill Nutter, a full-time counselor.
Jill spent the first semester of her senior year of college at Oxford studying British Literature, where she fell in love with England. During this season, she came to appreciate the written word, the rich imagery of romantic poetry like The Highwayman, and historical novels of many types, including Jane Austen and all things Regency.
Jill received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Bethany College in West Virginia, and her Masters Degree in Social Work from WVU, and she brings her fascination with different cultures and societies into her writing.
Jill has always been a romantic at heart, so readers will find a good dose of romance woven through each of her novels. Jill, her husband Randy, and children Katie and Meghan are animal lovers. They currently own two dogs, Boo-Boo and Bandit and a menagerie of cats, Lucky, Yuma, Snow, and Holden. Critters of all assortments make their appearance in her stories.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lord Eden is intrigued when he discovers Lady Mercy Grayson’s secret, but how can he hope to gain her heart when he is forced to betray her?
Lady Mercy Grayson longs be a physician like her big brother, Devlin, Lord Ravensmoore. However, society would never tolerate a female physician, let alone one who is a noblewoman. So Mercy takes matters into her own hands, disguising herself as a man to get through medical school. But then a male colleague discovers her secret, which is only the beginning of Mercy’s problems that could destroy her dreams forever.
The Prince Regent is awaiting the return of Vincent St. Lyons, Lord Eden, whom he sent on a secret voyage to locate and bring back a relic that some believe possesses the power to heal. St. Lyons discovers Mercy washed up on England’s shore upon his return and agrees to give her safe passage to London aboard a ship of men practicing African Vodun. Both must face treacherous circumstances, difficult decisions, and a growing attraction to one another that could forever change the course of their lives.
As the final installment in the series, the theme of this book is God’s plans for our lives. “Whatever the hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might” (Eccles. 9:10).
If you would like to read the first chapter of Mystery of the Heart, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Mystery of the Heart is a romantic mystery/suspense with a setting in Regency era England. In some ways it reminded me of the gothic romance novels I used to read in my younger days when good clean fiction was a bit easier to find outside the Christian genre. Although there was no brooding hero, or someone locked in the attic, or a dark and scary mansion, there was still an element of the dark mystery that made those old novels so intriguing.
Many elements worked together to make this novel a page-turner for me. With an ancient relic that changed hands several times under violent circumstances before it finally found its way into the king’s hands, a group of African Vodun (voodoo) practitioners who were an additional threat, and Mercy’s mysterious stalker, the stage was set for plenty of suspense. Then there was the handsome Lord Eden who rescued her from certain death at the beginning of the story and remained a part of her life due to other circumstances. The attraction between them was obvious but each of them had other plans for their lives that did not involve romance or marriage.
Mystery of the Heart was a great book with a captivating plot and wonderful characters. It was fun to touch base again with characters from the first two novels of The Ravensmoore Chronicles. I enjoyed the entire series so much that I hate to see it end.
by admin | Jan 21, 2013 | Anthology, Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
What is the next best thing to a new novel by one of your favorite authors? How about a collaboration between four of them? Yes, four of my favorite authors have once again joined forces to take their readers back to the picturesque and romantic Vermont town of Smitten. Even its name breathes romance doesn’t it? Each author has contributed a separate novella featuring one of the three Thomas sisters and their mother Anna. Although individual stories could stand alone, each one flows into the other seamlessly to provide a bigger overall picture of life in the Thomas family and Smitten. Once again I was majorly impressed at how well these authors worked together to provide such a flawless combined story.
To summarize, each of the Thomas sisters and their mother had pretty much given up on love for themselves and in some cases were afraid to take a chance on it. As is the usual case in an unashamedly romantic book such as “Secretly Smitten”, the reader can expect the perfect man to show up for each of them at just the right time. That’s a no-brainer but it doesn’t detract at all from the enjoyment provided. It also doesn’t hurt that there is a bit of mystery woven through the stories that involves a long believed dead fiance of Grandmother Rose.
Plenty of humor, action, drama, mystery, and of course romance, blend perfectly together to make “Secretly Smitten” the ideal getaway for these cold winter months. It would also make a good beach read. I am sure many readers will be wishing that Smitten, Vermont was not just an imaginary town. I for one would love to visit and/or live in such a remarkable place.
Be sure to grab a copy of “Secretly Smitten” and while you’re at it, pick up a copy of the first installment “Smitten” too if you haven’t already read it.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Summer, fall, winter, spring-Smitten, Vermont, is the place for love . . . and mystery!
There’s a secret in Grandma Rose’s attic-a forgotten set of dog tags belonging to her first love. But David Hutchins was killed in action and never returned to Smitten. How did the dog tags end up in the attic?
The mystery intrigues Rose’s three granddaughters-Tess, Clare, and Zoe-and they decide to investigate, though their mother, Anna, warns against meddling. But as the seasons turn and the mystery unravels, the three young women and their mother encounter some intriguing mystery men of their own. Has a sixty-year-old puzzle sparked something new for this close-knit family of women?
Join popular romance novelists-and real-life BFFs-Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter for four delightful intertwined tales of mystery and sweet intrigue.
Purchase a copy of “Secretly Smitten HERE.
MEET “THE GALS”:
RITA-finalist Colleen Coble is the author of several best-selling romantic suspense novels, including “Tidewater Inn”, and the Mercy Falls, Lonestar, and Rock Harbor series. * Christy Award finalist and two-time winner of the ACFW Book of the Year award, Kristin Billerbeck has appeared on The Today Show and has been featured in the New York Times. Her books include “A Billion Reasons Why” and “What a Girl Wants.” * Denise Hunter is the award-winning and best-selling author of several novels, including “A Cowboy’s Touch” and “Sweetwater Gap.” She and her husband are raising three boys in Indiana. * Diann Hunt has lived in Indiana forever, been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, her dog, and, well, chocolate.
Find out more about Coble, Billerbeck, Hunter, Hunt HERE.
Secretly Smitten | An Evening of Giggle, Gab & Prizes
The “gals” are celebrating with a fun Live Webcast on February 5th. They’ll be debuting the *NEW* animated Smitten trailer, giving away tons of prizes, dishing on the book and their friendship. They’ll also be wrapping up the Secretly Smitten blog tour, answering audience questions and testing your trivia skills. Don’t miss the fun and bring your friends. Click here to RSVP and set up a reminder.
by admin | Jan 19, 2013 | Books, Historical, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Third book in The Midwives series, “Choices of the Heart” features Esther Cherrett, a young midwife trained by her mother. Caught in the middle of scandal and blaming herself, Esther accepts a position as teacher in the Appalachian mountains in order to escape the controversy. Upon her arrival Esther finds herself in the middle of a family feud and the love interest of two cousins. She also learns that she hasn’t run away far enough because someone knows her history and wants to frighten her away. In addition she finds that she can’t turn her back on her medical training that is needed so desperately among the mountain people who surround her.
The primary characters are true-to-life with strengths and flaws. Although a minister’s daughter, Esther struggles with her faith due to her circumstances. Caught in their family conflicts, both Griff and Zach are determined to put an end to the feud but seem helpless against the grudges held by other members of their families.Tensions escalate as more threatening incidents occur and the true reasons behind the violence are both surprising and regrettable.
Peppered with humor, faith, drama, action, romance, and suspense, “Choices of the Heart” is both entertaining and informational. I especially found it interesting to learn that although depended upon by their communities, most midwives were often avoided because they knew too much about their patients and families.
I enjoyed “Choices of the Heart” and would recommend it to lovers of historical fiction.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Laurie Alice Eakes brings to life a gripping story of trust, deception and bittersweet loss, as a young woman learns the true meaning of choices of the heart. In the third book of The Midwives series, you will be transported back to 1840’s Appalachia with a tender romance that includes closely guarded secrets and a bitter feud.
Esther Cherrett comes from a proud line of midwives and was trained by her mother to take over the family calling. But when a scandal threatens all she holds dear, Esther takes a position as a teacher in the western mountains of Virginia instead. There she finds herself in the midst of a deadly family feud and courted by two men on opposite sides of the conflict. When it seems as though her past has followed her all the way into the mountains, all she wants is to run away again.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Laurie Alice Eakes is the author of Lady in the Mist, Heart’s Safe Passage, A Necessary Deception, A Flight of Fancy, and several other novels. She won a National Readers Choice Award for Best Regency in 2007 for Family Guardian. Laurie Alice writes full-time from her home in Texas, where she lives with her husband and sundry dogs and cats.
Praise for Laurie Alice Eakes and Choices of the Heart:
“The gifted Laurie Alice Eakes has done it again with a page-turner romance straight out of the Hatfield and McCoy feud. The wonderful period detail sucked me into 1840s Appalachia, while the realistic characters and tender romance kept me reading late into the night.”–Linda Goodnight, Carol and Rita Award-winning author
Reviews for Lady in the Mist, #1 in The Daughters of Bainbridge House series:
4 Stars = Compelling, page turner
The first book in Eakes’ new Midwives series is filled with secrets, a budding romance and mystery with characters who have their doubts about themselves and those around them. Readers will not be able to put this gem of a novel down. – RT Patsy Glans
It’s always wonderful when you start reading a novel with the hope of being entertained and distracted from your busy life, only to be blown away by the discovery of a new favorite author. Laurie Alice Eakes’s novel had that exact affect on me, and I can’t verbalize how pleasing it is to uncover a gem of a story like this one. – The Christian Manifesto Rachel Ropper
by admin | Jan 19, 2013 | Books, Historical, Romance, Western
MY REVIEW:
As the second installment of Amanda Cabot’s Westward Winds trilogy, “Waiting For Spring” lived up to my expectations. Thus far I have read all of Cabot’s novels and with each one my determination not to miss out on anything she writes just increases. Even though “Waiting for Spring” is the second of a trilogy, it can be enjoyed without having read “Summer of Promise”; however, I would recommend reading them both.
Although not quite as action-packed as “Summer of Promise”, “Waiting for Spring” had its own subtle suspense that grew as the story progressed and was finally resolved during a threatening incident near the end. I enjoyed the way the author manipulated the development of two separate romances and kept the two female characters (especially Charlotte) confused about how things would turn out.
“Waiting for Spring” is a story about trying to meet other people’s expectations rather than being true to yourself and the plans God has for you. It is also about making the best of difficult circumstances by caring for others despite your own lack. I particularly liked Barret’s integrity and compassionate nature, Charlotte’s willingness to sacrifice for her child and her friends, and Miriam’s determination to grab true love rather than a marriage for appearance’s sake.
As you can probably discern, I loved “Waiting for Spring” and I cannot wait for the final book in the Westward Winds trilogy. Anyone who enjoys historical western romance should find this and all of Amanda Cabot’s books to be keepers.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Amanda Cabot explores themes of love, courage and sacrifice in the second book of the Westward Winds series. With an authentic backdrop of 1880s Wyoming, Cabot creates characters whose struggle to forge a life in the old West ultimatelywin your heart.
After the loss of her husband and the birth of her baby, Charlotte has had a long, hard year. But when a notorious robber believes she knows the location of a long-lost treasure, she flees to Cheyenne and opens a dressmaker’s shop to lie low and make a living. When wealthy cattle baron and political hopeful Barrett Landry enters the shop to visit her best customer Miriam, Charlotte feels drawn to him.
If Barrett is to be a senator of the soon-to-be state of Wyoming, he must make a sensible match, and Miriam has all the right connections. Yet he can’t shake the feeling that Charlotte holds the key to his heart and his future.
Soon the past comes to call, and Barrett’s plans crumble around him. Will Charlotte and Barrett find the courage to look love in the face? Or will their fears blot out any chance for happiness?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Amanda Cabot is an accomplished author under various pen names and a popular speaker. The author of Paper Roses, Scattered Petals, Tomorrow’s Garden, and Summer of Promise, she is also a charter member of Romance Writers of America, the cofounder of its New Jersey chapter, a member of the ACFW, and an avid traveler. She lives in Wyoming.
Endorsements for Amanda Cabot and Waiting for Spring:
“One thing I know to expect when I open an Amanda Cabot novel is heart. She creates characters that tug at my heartstrings, storylines that make my heart smile, and a spiritual lesson that does my heart good. Her stories are like the first sweet scents of spring—pure pleasure.”—Kim Vogel Sawyer, bestselling author of My Heart Remembers
“From the first page I found myself rooting for the young widow, Charlotte, who’s trying to forge a life for herself in Cheyenne while also caring for a disabled son. My heart beat with worry as trouble from the past found her. And it pattered with hope as sweet Charlotte caught the eye of handsome Barrett. Amanda Cabot offers a delightful read, and as I turned the pages I was swept away with a story of love, courage, and sacrifice. Recommended!”—Tricia Goyer, bestselling author of 32 books, including Beyond Hope’s Valley
by admin | Jan 19, 2013 | Books, Historical, Pre-Civil War, Romance
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Path of FreedomAbingdon Press (January 2013)
by
Jennifer Hudson TaylorABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jennifer Hudson Taylor is an award winning author of historical Christian fiction set in Europe and the Carolinas and a speaker on topics of faith, writing and publishing. Her debut novel, Highland Blessings, won the 2011 Holt Medallion award for Best First Book. Jennifer’s work has appeared in national publications, such as Guideposts, Heritage Quest Magazine, Romantic Times Book Reviews, and The Military Trader. She serves as the in-house Publicist at Hartline Literary Agency and co-owns Upon the Rock Publicist. Jennifer graduated from Elon University with a B.A. in Communications. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with family, long walks, traveling, touring historical sites, hanging out at bookstores with coffee shops, genealogy, and reading.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
2nd in the Quilts of Love series
When Quakers Flora Saferight and Bruce Millikan embark on the Underground Railroad, they agree to put their differences aside to save the lives of a pregnant slave couple. With only her mother’s quilt as a secret guide, the foursome follows the stitches through unknown treachery.
As they embark on their perilous journey, they hope and pray that their path is one of promise where love sustains them, courage builds faith, and forgiveness leads to freedom.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Path of Freedom, go HERE.
Watch the book trailer:
MY REVIEW:
I have to admit that when I first began to read Path of Freedom, the constant use of “thee” and other Quaker speech that was used to authenticate the novel seemed a bit stilted but it didn’t take me very long to get so involved in the story that it began to feel natural and I ceased to really notice it. I enjoyed learning of the Quaker involvement in the Underground Railroad movement as Bruce and Flora’s experiences made its history come to life for me.
Both Bruce and Flora were unique characters with a volatile relationship since childhood. When the pair are sent out on a mission for the Underground Railroad, Flora is uncertain if they can work together successfully. Although Bruce has put his boyhood pranks behind him, Flora still finds it hard to trust him and can’t forget the pain he caused her in the past. It doesn’t help matters when Bruce seems to put his foot in his mouth every time he tries to compliment Flora.
Path of Freedom is well-paced with enough drama, humor, danger, and romance to hold the interest of most readers. I liked how the focus was on serving others for the Lord and the emphasis on forgiveness. I always enjoy seeing history take place through the eyes of someone who could have been there. Taylor did an excellent job of making that happen. I have enjoyed the Quilts of Love series thus far and look forward to future releases.
