by admin | Oct 30, 2017 | Books, Christmas, Civil War, Historical, Nashville, Romance, Tennessee
MY REVIEW:
I have been reading Tamera Alexander’s books since her very first one and have enjoyed them so much that she is one of the authors I must read. As a Tennessean I have so much appreciated her novels set in the Nashville and Franklin area which are just a three to four hour drive from my home. It is so interesting to learn more about my state’s history in the form of a well-researched novel that makes the people come to life for readers.
“Christmas at Carnton” is the perfect Christmas book for history lovers, especially those who find the Civil War of interest. Not only does it contain a heart-warming romance but it includes a detailed look at life in middle Tennessee during that era from the luxuries on the plantation to the deprivations of widows and children. It was fun to visit Carnton through the eyes of Aletta and Jake as they received such a warm and caring welcome from Colonel John McGavock‘s family.
A fine story filled with hope and faith, “Christmas at Carnton” should be an excellent gift for someone you know or even for yourself.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Litfuse Publicity. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Amid war and the fading dream of the Confederacy, a wounded soldier and a destitute widow discover the true meaning of Christmas—and sacrificial love.
Recently widowed, Aletta Prescott struggles to hold life together for herself and her six-year-old son. With the bank threatening to evict them, she discovers an advertisement for the Women’s Relief Society auction and applies for a position—only to discover it’s been filled. Then a chance meeting with a wounded soldier offers another opportunity—and friendship. But can Aletta trust this man?
Captain Jake Winston, a revered Confederate sharpshooter, suffered a head wound at the Battle of Chickamauga. When doctors deliver their diagnosis, Jake fears losing not only his greatest skill but his very identity. As he heals, Jake is ordered to assist with a local Women’s Relief Society auction. He respectfully objects. Kowtowing to a bunch of “crinolines” isn’t his idea of soldiering. But orders are orders, and he soon discovers this group of ladies—one, in particular—is far more than he bargained for.
Set against the backdrop and history of the Carnton Plantation in Franklin, Tennessee, Christmas at Carnton is a story of hope renewed and faith restored at Christmas.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mandy Whitley Photography)
Tamera Alexander is a USA Today bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers in the historical fiction genre. She and her husband live in Nashville, Tennessee, not far from the Southern mansions that serve as the backdrop for six of her award-winning novels. For more about Tamera’s books, visit www.TameraAlexander.com
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by admin | Oct 30, 2017 | Books, England, Historical, Regency, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Although Clara DeLancey was portrayed as the woman who tried to break up a marriage in the previous novel of the series, I always thought that she was not as brazen as she seemed. Her mother had a major role in that debacle and her scheming led to Clara’s disgrace. I was delighted to find Clara the actual heroine of this installment and loved getting to know the real person hiding inside.
Another book perfect for those who love Regency romance, “The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey” may have been even better than the prior two books in this series. Perhaps the scandal surrounding her made the story more interesting as she had much more to overcome or other factors such as the perfect hero could have played into it. No matter the reason, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and could not have wished for more.
A bit of action and even some danger plus a romance rife with misunderstandings kept the story interesting. With realistic characters who are everything but perfect, the narrative highlights their personal growth in maturity and faith. I liked the way the story illustrates the power of forgiveness to change lives.
I am quite happy that I have had the opportunity to read all the books in this series and I look forward to the author’s next novel.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Kregel Publications. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Will a damaged reputation and desire for society’s approval thwart the legacy of grace?
Tainted by scandal and forced to leave London for the quieter Brighton countryside, the Honorable Miss Clara DeLancey is a shadow of her former society self. She’s lost the man she loved to another and, in a culture that has no patience for self-pity, is struggling with depression. A chance encounter brings her a healing friendship with the sisters of an injured naval captain. But Clara’s society mama is appalled at the new company she’s keeping.
Captain Benjamin Kemsley is not looking for a wife. But his gallant spirit won’t let him ignore the penniless viscount’s daughter–not when she so obviously needs assistance to keep moving forward from day to day. Can he protect his heart and still keep her safe?
When they’re pushed into the highest echelons of society at the Prince Regent’s Brighton Pavilion, this mismatched couple must decide if family honor is more important than their hopes. Can they right the wrongs of the past and find future happiness together–without finances, family support, or royal favor?
The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey is full of the captivating, flawed characters, fascinating historical details, and masterful writing that Carolyn Miller’s fans have come to know in The Elusive Miss Ellison and The Captivating Lady Charlotte. If you love Lori Wick, Georgette Heyer, and other clean, wholesome Regency romance, you’ll love this third book in the Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace series.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn’s novels have won a number of RWA and ACFW contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers.Find out more about Carolyn at https://www.carolynmiller.org.
by admin | Oct 30, 2017 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Romantic Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Who would have imagined that trying to rescue a lost kitten could get a girl into so much trouble? Mary Wade Kimball sure found out the hard way! A storm would quickly overtake her life and it wasn’t from the threatening wind and clouds that preceded an approaching hurricane.
“Rescued Hearts” quickly moved into an action and suspense filled tale with plenty of danger and romance to keep most readers turning those pages. Characters were well developed and I enjoyed getting to know Mary Wade and Brett during their adventure. Each of them learned valuable lessons along the way as they worked hard to avoid the men after them, including a dependence on their faith to get them through.
This exciting, faith-filled tale held my attention captive until the very end. I recommend it to all who enjoy a good suspenseful story without the blood and gore.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Litfuse Publicity. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Children’s clothing designer Mary Wade Kimball’s soft spot for animals leads to a hostage situation when she spots a briar- entangled kitten in front of an abandoned house. Beaten, bound, and gagged by the two thugs inside, Mary Wade loses hope for escape when a third villain returns with supplies.
Discovering the kidnapped woman ratchets the complications for undercover agent Brett Davis. Weighing the difference of ruining his three months’ investigation against the woman’s safety, Brett forsakes his mission and helps her escape, the bent-on-revenge brutes following behind.
When Mary Wade’s safety is threatened once more, Brett rescues her again. This time, her personal safety isn’t the only thing in jeopardy. Her heart is endangered as well.
Learn more and purchase a copy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University as well as York Technical College. A member of ACFW, RWA and SinC, she writes for Almost an Author. Before writing novels, she published non-fiction articles on topics ranging from gardening with children to writing apprehension. She cheers for the Pittsburgh Steelers, ACC basketball, and Army West Point Football. Hope and her husband, Kevin, live in North Carolina and chat with their two daughters and twin sons through ooVoo.
Find out more about Hope Toler at http://hopetolerdougherty.com.
GIVEAWAY:
Her personal safety isn’t the only thing in jeopardy—so is her heart. In Hope Toler Dougherty’s new novel, Rescued Hearts, children’s clothing designer Mary Wade Kimball’s soft spot for animals leads to a hostage situation when she spots a briar-entangled kitten in front of an abandoned house. Discovering the kidnapped woman ratchets the complications for undercover agent Brett Davis. Brett forsakes his three-month mission and helps her escape, the bent-on-revenge brutes following behind . . . and then Mary Wade’s safety is threatened once more.
Cozy up this fall with Hope’s new book and enter to win a Kindle Fire!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- A copy of Rescued Hearts
- A Kindle Fire 7
Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on November 13. The winner will be announced November 14 on the Litfuse blog.
by admin | Oct 26, 2017 | Bibles
ESV ILLUMINATED BIBLE:
The ESV Illuminated Bible places the full ESV text alongside over 500 elegantly hand-lettered gold ink illustrations by renowned artist Dana Tanamachi. Printed on thick cream-colored paper, the Bible’s single-column text setting and wide margins provide generous space for additional notes, prayers, and designs—inviting readers to creatively engage with and reflect on the beauty of God’s Word.
- 9-point, Lexicon
- Black letter text
- 2-color printing
- 64 full-page, custom book opener illustrations
- 50 full-page verse illustrations
- 250+ hand-lettered margin verses
- 100+ other illustrations throughout
- Illustrated by Dana Tanamachi, whose work has been featured by Google, The Wall Street Journal, Random House, USPS, and Target
- Thick, cream-colored paper
- Wide margins
- Single-column, paragraph format
- Smyth-sewn binding
- Packaging: Permanent Slipcase
- Dana Tanamachi is an American lettering artist, graphic designer, and illustrator whose exquisite typographic murals ignited the worldwide chalk-lettering trend. She has been commissioned by clients such as Instagram, Target, Google, Time Magazine, Nike, and West Elm. Learn more at tanamachistudio.com.
SOCIAL CORNER:
Buy Links: https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/060FAE2C-365C-4591-87C0-39ADAC08D5E9
IlluminatedBible.org will be going live soon
MY REVIEW:
From the beautiful and sturdy slipcase to the attractive cloth covered hard cover and the gorgeous illustrations throughout, the Illuminated Bible is a special addition for the art lover’s library. This ESV bible is fairly large and heavy with over 1600 pages. While it might not be best for everyday Bible study, I can see spending quite a bit of time viewing and meditating on the special gilded illustrations scattered throughout its pages. Each book of the Bible has a full page illustration at the beginning and other full page illustrations appear frequently. The outside edge of each page has a wide margin. Some of the margins include illustrations of scripture verses. Other margins are blank for your own notes or illustrations. If you like, you can add a touch of color to any of the included illustrations. The cream colored pages are quality paper that is smooth to the touch.
Everything about this Bible speaks of quality and I will be honored to display it on my coffee table so others may enjoy it also.
I am pleased to offer one copy to one of my readers. Be sure to check out my GIVEAWAY HERE.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this Bible provided by Propeller/FlyBy Promotions. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
by admin | Oct 26, 2017 | Bibles, Giveaways
WE HAVE A WINNER!!
There were 7 entries which I numbered in order of their comment time. I used random.org to select a number between 1 & 7.
#5 was selected which is Julie Armstrong. I will be contacting Julie privately to get her mailing address in order to send her new Bible.
Thanks to everyone who entered. I hope you will continue to follow my blog. You never know when I might have another giveaway.
I have one copy of the Illuminated Bible to give one of my readers.
To enter, please read my review post and leave a comment on this post before
Friday, November 3, 2017.
Tell me your impressions of the Illuminated Bible based on the post
and why you would like to win a copy.
“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
