by admin | Aug 31, 2019 | Books, Edwardian, England, Gothic Romance, Mystery
MY REVIEW:
Finding Lady Enderly has all the essential elements required for the perfect gothic novel. Its naive heroine finds herself recipient of everything she ever dreamed only to realize she is caught up in a plot she doesn’t understand that has turned her dream into a nightmare. At least one truly diabolical character threatens both Raina and the man she loves if she refuses to cooperate with his scheme. Various twists and turns take the reader on a breath holding trip into the mysterious Rothburne Abbey which holds its share of secrets.
I can now understand why other readers have raved about this book. Its dark and brooding atmosphere is the perfect backdrop for the story that shines a revealing light on what makes us who we are. Scattered throughout the story are numerous quotations that build layer upon layer an emphasis on the difference between outward appearance and inner strength. Chapter headings are thoughts from the heroine’s journal. I also loved how Raina and Sully communicated secretly with passages from favorite books.
Beautifully written, Finding Lady Enderly is filled with surprises around every corner and a deep spiritual message that each of us can take to heart. I highly recommend this book.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author through Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Raina’s dreams are all about to come true.
But some dreams turn out to be nightmares.
Raina Bretton is a rag woman in London’s East End when a handsome stranger appears in a dank alley, offering her a glittering smile and a chance for adventure. Rothburne Abbey has a unique position for her, one that will take her away from her hardscrabble life and give her a chance to be a lady.
Though Raina has traded squalor for silk and satin, something about the abbey is deeply unsettling. As she wrestles with her true identity, the ruin, decay, and secrets she finds at the heart of the old mansion tear at her confidence and threaten to reveal her for who she really is. Only one man stands between her and the danger that lurks within–and only if he decides to keep her biggest secret hidden.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Joanna Davidson Politano is the award-winning author of Lady Jayne Disappears and A Rumored Fortune. She freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. 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.
by admin | Aug 30, 2019 | Books, Gilded Age, Historical, Humor, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I was ready for a light-hearted book when I opened Diamond in the Rough and its opening line let me know quickly that I had the right book. I can always count on any book by Jen Turano to provide me with plenty of giggles and maybe even a restrained belly laugh or two and this book was no exception. As usual, this book takes place mostly among the high society of that era.
With a leading lady who cares little for the demands of high society and who seems to be followed by trouble with a capital T, and a starched, impeccable, and proper English hero, readers can be assured that Diamond in the Rough is a recipe for disaster blended with lots of fun. I loved Poppy whose good intentions sometimes tripped her up but her good humor kept her likeable. It was such fun watching Reginald fall under Poppy’s spell and lose some of his starchiness. I also loved some of the secondary characters, especially wimpy Murray whose entire persona changed due to his association with Poppy and Reginald.
Loved, loved, loved this book! As long as the author will keep writing them, I will most assuredly keep reading them!
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author through Bethany House Publishers. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When Miss Poppy Garrison accepts her grandmother’s offer of financial help for her family in exchange for Poppy joining the New York social Season, she quickly realizes she is far less equipped to mingle with the New York Four Hundred than even she knew. As she becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, becoming the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs her to be looks more impossible by the day.
Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, is in New York to help his cousin find an American heiress who can help save his family’s estate. But when his very proper British manners lead Poppy’s grandmother to request he teach etiquette to Poppy, he quickly finds himself in for much more than he bargained for.
And while they couldn’t be more opposite, Reginald and Poppy just might find they have more to teach each other than they ever could have expected.
Read an excerpt HERE.
Purchase a copy HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jen Turano, the USA Today bestselling author of eleven books and two novellas, is a graduate of the University of Akron with a degree in clothing and textiles. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. Visit her website at www.jenturano.com.
by admin | Aug 24, 2019 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Military, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
The author, Ronie Kendig, has taken a Biblical reference in the book of Numbers to an obscure and presumably lost Book of Wars and built a fantastic yet mostly believable tale. It is one of those books that can quickly grab the reader, pull her in, and not let her surface for air until the very end. This is not a book you want to begin at bedtime because you most assuredly will not get any sleep if you do.
Action-packed from page one, the narrative takes Leif and Iskra on a dangerous journey through strange and violent weather events and against a host of enemies determined to gain control of the lost book. Vivid descriptions help the reader experience everything as though there. Unexpected twists and revealed secrets added to the experience and kept me wanting to know more.
Storm Rising may just be the best book I’ve read from this author to date and I have enjoyed quite a few of her novels. If you love a book with a dynamic hero and plenty of action, danger, and suspense, then Storm Rising should be the next book on your TBR list. Do yourself a favor and do not miss this one!
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:
Does an Ancient Book of Prophecy Hold the Answers to Saving the World . . . Or Predict Its Destruction?
Mentioned in the pages of the Old Testament but lost to history, the Book of the Wars has resurfaced, and its pages hold secrets–and dangers–never before seen on earth.
Tasked with capturing the ancient text, former Navy SEAL Leif Metcalfe is once more given command of his own team. But their best efforts are ruined when a notorious Bulgarian operative known as Viorica snatches the volume right out from under them.
Iskra “Viorica” Todorova is determined to use the book to secure the thing that matters most–freedom. But a series of strange storms erupts around the globe, and the coming dangers foretold in the text threaten crops, lives, and entire nations. Though both are haunted by secrets of the past and neither trusts the other, Leif and Iskra must form an uneasy alliance to thwart impending disaster. However, the truth hidden in centuries-old words could unleash a storm of their own destruction.
Read an excerpt HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ronie Kendig (www.roniekendig.com) is an award-winning, bestselling author of over twenty novels. She grew up an army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband live a short train ride from New York City with their children and a retired military working dog. Ronie’s degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.
by admin | Aug 24, 2019 | Books
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for the Mended Hearts series by Patricia Lee, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Patricia Lee is a published author, having written since she first learned what words could do at the age of six. She holds a BA in journalism from the University of Oregon. Articles to her credit have appeared in Moody Monthly, Power for Living, Expecting and Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse as well as in two anthologies— Cup of Comfort Bible Promises and In the Company of Angels. She is part of a team of bloggers who submit short devotionals for FaithHappenings.com.
Patricia is a member of the Oregon Christian Writers and of American Christian Fiction Writers. She and her husband have two adult children and live in the Pacific Northwest with two sleepy cats.
CONNECT WITH PATRICIA: Website | Facebook | Twitter
GUEST POST FROM PATRICIA LEE:
What do you hope readers will gain from reading your books?
- I hope my readers will enjoy following the trials and tribulations of my characters. Each story is unique to itself with a different problem threading through the work. Each character has his or her own set of issues, all mixed up in a lovely cup of romance.
- I want my stories to bring hope into a dark world and for readers to see what God can do with a broken life if we let Him.
- I want my characters to live on in people’s memories. One of my reviewers said she was sad to let my characters go—she wished to spend more time with them. That made my heart soar. Readers don’t know how much those kinds of comments can mean to an author who has poured sweat and tears into a story to make it compelling.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: A Kite on the Wind
Series: Mended Hearts #3
Author: Patricia Lee
Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink
Release Date: October 1, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance |
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Is Love Strong Enough to Overcome the Walls They Hide Behind?
Left waiting at the altar, Claire Simpson has buried her past and moved on, carving out a life for herself as a teacher on the Oregon coast. When her former fiancé appears, he threatens to unravel the peaceful independence she has worked so hard to achieve after their relationship failed.
Montgomery Chandler has moved to NOAA headquarters in Newport, Oregon to make new, happier memories for his children after his wife died of a lingering illness. Their home in Seattle held nothing but the whispers of their earlier lives. Starting over will help all of them heal, but Monty is resolved not to risk love again.
When the handsome widower enrolls his hurting children at the school where Claire teaches, her determination to remain uninvolved vanishes at the whim of a snowstorm. This family needs her expertise. Can she help them without losing her heart?
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook
GIVEAWAY:
(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check out each stop on these tours for more chances to win. Full tour schedule on this tour shown below. Giveaway begins at midnight August 19, 2019 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 24, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Due to shipping cost, only US mailing addresses valid. For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.
ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
by admin | Aug 22, 2019 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Law Enforcement, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Deadly Intentions is one of those books that makes me a bit resentful of the demands of real life. Cooking and cleaning just do not stand up very well against finding out what might happen next in this fast-paced, suspense-filled narrative. Several of Caitlyn’s research team have died randomly over the past year and Caitlyn herself has just survived a hit-and-run. She needs to talk with someone but there is no one she can trust, except perhaps her dead friend’s husband Josh Solomon who is also a police detective. As she shares her suspicions with Josh, they agree that the deaths cannot be merely coincidental and find themselves right in the middle of a deadly game.
Lisa Harris is another author who has been added to my ever-growing Must Read list. Her characters are so realistic that I can easily relate to their experiences. Her vivid plots could easily have come from today’s news. I love how she deftly weaves her Christian faith into the story in such a natural way. Lots of action, danger, suspense, and plot twists keep me reading and a bit of romance is the icing on the cake.
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:
There is no such thing as random
Research scientist Caitlyn Lindsey is convinced that someone is taking out her team one by one. First, a friend and research partner was killed in a home invasion. Three months ago, her boss died in a suspicious car accident. Four days ago, another partner supposedly committed suicide. And now Caitlyn herself has miraculously survived a hit-and-run. Afraid for her life with nowhere to turn, she reaches out to one of the victims’ husbands, Detective Josh Solomon.
Though initially skeptical about Caitlyn’s theory, Josh soon realizes the attack that took his wife’s life was anything but random. Now the two of them must discover the truth about who is after Caitlyn’s team–and what their end game is–before it’s too late.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa Harris is a bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel from Romantic Times for her novels Blood Covenant and Vendetta. The author of more than 40 books, including The Nikki Boyd Files and the Southern Crimes series, as well as Vanishing Point, A Secret to Die For, and Deadly Intentions, Harris and her family have spent over 16 years living as missionaries in southern Africa. Learn more at www.lisaharriswrites.com.
