The Spark of Love by Amanda Cabot

MY REVIEW:

I enjoy historical fiction, especially when the book contains a bit of mystery and/or suspense as well as a believable romance. I particularly like those with a western setting, possibly because I can live my adventures through those of the characters. As a senior citizen, I’m afraid my adventure days are best spent in the pages of a book.

A Spark of Love has all those essential components and more. Alexandra Tarkington is a young woman who has fled New York to get away from a threatening suitor. Her arrival in Mesquite Springs to spend time with her father does not go as well as expected but she has met an interesting young man on the stage during her journey and he seems quite willing to be her friend. What Alexandra does not know is that Gabe is an investigator hired to prove that her father has cheated a number of people through dubious investment schemes.

 Two other men have arrived in Mesquite Springs shortly after Alexandra and Gabe. Both exhibit more than passing interest in Alexandra although one remains in the shadows. A series of apparent accidents seem to follow Alexandra although she and Gabe have few clues about who could wish to harm her.

With its steady plot and abundance of mysteries, A Spark of Love kept me engrossed and turning pages into the night. The author had me guessing until the very end. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one in the series.                                     

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:

She’s determined to start a new life in the West . . . if only the old one would leave her alone

When a spurned suitor threatens her, heiress Alexandra Tarkington flees New York for Mesquite Springs in the Texas Hill Country, where her father is building a hotel. But the happy reunion she envisions is not to be, as her father insists she return to New York. Instead, Alexandra carves out a niche for herself in town, teaching schoolchildren to paint and enjoying the company of Gabe Seymour, a delightful man she met on the stagecoach.

But all is not as it seems. Two men, each with his own agenda, have followed her to Mesquite Springs. And Gabe, an investigator, is searching for proof that her father is a swindler.

With so much to lose–and hide from one another–Alexandra and Gabe will have to come together if they are ever to discover whether the sparks they’ve felt from the beginning can kindle the fire of true love.

Read an excerpt here.

Purchase a copy here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of Out of the Embers and Dreams Rekindled, as well as the Cimarron Creek Trilogy and the Texas Crossroads, Texas Dreams, and Westward Winds series. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’ Best. She lives in Wyoming. Learn more at www.amandacabot.com.

The Lady of Galway by Jennifer Deibel

MY REVIEW:

The Lady of Galway Manor is a joy to read for so many reasons. First there is the lush descriptions of Ireland and its people and customs. Then there are the characters who seem to want to pop right off the page. The plot is steady with interwoven elements that grabbed my attention. Then of course a seemingly unsuitable romance rife with misunderstandings and a strong thread of faith and forgiveness rounds out the story.

The hero and heroine of this tale are perfection. Lady Annabeth defies the expectations of her heritage by apprenticing at a jewelry shop where she meets the aloof Stephen and his father Seamus. Stephen and Annabeth do not get off to a good start and it takes awhile for Stephen to believe that this daughter of the English Lord of Galway Parish is as genuine as she appears to be. Her giving nature and willingness to sacrifice for the good of others goes a long way to endearing her to everyone she meets, even those suspicious of her motives.

No good book should be without a conflict or two and The Lady of Galway Manor has its share of action and danger as well as a few surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed another visit to Ireland with the author and eagerly look forward to her next novel.                                              

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:

In 1920, Annabeth De Lacy’s father is appointed landlord of Galway Parish in Ireland. Bored without the trappings and finery of the British Court, Annabeth convinces her father to arrange an apprenticeship for her with the Jennings family–descendants of the creator of the famed Claddagh ring.

Stephen Jennings longs to do anything other than make a career in his family’s jewelry shop. The past has taught him to no longer believe in love and the “lies” the Claddagh ring supposedly promises. How can he peddle what he now finds offensive?

The war for Irish independence gains strength, and the De Lacy family is caught in the crossfire. As events take a life-threatening turn, Annabeth and Stephen will discover that the bonds of friendship, love, and loyalty can only be made stronger when put through the refiner’s fire.

Read an excerpt here.

Puchase a copy here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Deibel is the author of A Dance in Donegal. Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and in other publications. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children. You can find her online at www.jenniferdeibel.com.

Every Star in the Sky by Sara Davison

MY REVIEW:

I have read several novels that included human trafficking during the past year or so. Most of them were quite good but Every Star in the Sky may be the best one yet. The author does a marvelous job of communicating to her readers the torment experienced by the victims while keeping the narrative clean and without graphic details.

The excellent plot moves along at a steady pace with several twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. I didn’t want to put this book down. Action and suspense, faith and hope, love and forgiveness are key elements of the story.

Starr was a wonderful character whose faith sustained her over the years of bondage. Instead of bowing to despair, she always attempted to help and encourage the other girls enslaved by the trafficking ring. Cole was the perfect hero, protective and patient with Starr. She learned quickly that he could be trusted.

Every Star in the Sky should be a must read for most readers. It is an honest portrayal of victims of human trafficking yet offers hope to those bound by it. God is always with his children despite their circumstances even when we feel abandoned and without hope.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by The Novel Way Blog Tours with the Mosaic Collection. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Every Star in the Sky

Author: Sara Davison

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: March 2, 2022

She is willing to testify against her trafficker. If she can stay alive that long.

“You’re safe here, Starr.”

How many times has Detective Cole Blacksky said that to her since helping her escape the life she’d been forced into eight years earlier?

Starr desperately wants to believe him, but she knows Brady Erickson, her former captor, too well. Although Cole has promised her protective custody on his family’s remote ranch, no place on earth is safe enough. Brady will stop at nothing to permanently silence her before she ever reaches the witness stand.

And he is powerful enough to do it.

Purchase Every Star in the Sky:

https://www.amazon.com/Every-Mosaic-Collection-sparrows-penny-ebook/dp/B09HSVSC5H (US)

https://www.amazon.ca/Every-Mosaic-Collection-sparrows-penny-ebook/dp/B09HSVSC5H (Canada)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sara Davison is the author of four romantic suspense series—The Seven Trilogy, The Night Guardians, The Rose Tattoo Trilogy, and Two Sparrows for a Penny, as well as the standalone, The Watcher. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, she is a Word, Cascade, and Carol Award winner. She currently resides in Ontario with her husband Michael and their three mostly grown kids. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason. Get to know Sara better at www.saradavison.org and @sarajdavison.

Sara, tell us more!

A lot of Christian authors have recently released books on the theme of human trafficking. While it feels like a trend, I think it is a great deal more than that. I truly believe that El Roi, the God who sees, is revealing His heart for these precious women (and some boys and men).

When the idea for Every Star in the Sky came to me, I was in the middle of writing another book. I tried to shelve the new idea to work on when I finished my current project, but it refused to wait its turn. I had to set what I was working on aside and write Starr’s story out in its entirety before I was able to return to the original project.

This was a powerful lesson to me that it is God who is laying these stories on authors’ hearts, asking them to put names and faces—even fictional ones—to these beautiful, hurting, traumatized souls in order to bring them to the forefront of readers’ attention.

These stories are not only for entertainment. They are a call to action. After reading them and thereby gaining a deeper understanding of this heinous practice that exists and is prevalent in every corner of the world, including North America, readers may then feel compelled to do more. Our primary responsibility as believers is to pray. Pray that these modern-day slaves will be freed. That they will find healing in Jesus Christ and hope for their future. And that all those perpetuating this evil will be brought to justice.

While continuing to pray, some may also want to look into organizations that help those caught up in the sex trade to escape and begin a new life. I mention a couple of these organizations in my letter to readers at the end of Every Star in the Sky, but there are many others that are working—often at risk to staff or volunteers—to free involuntary sex workers and to support them in their journey of healing. Donating money or becoming involved in these organizations in other ways is a powerful response to God’s call to remember and to fight for these women and men that He loves.

My hope and prayer for this book and all others written on this topic is that God will use them as He sees fit to help accomplish these objectives. And that readers will not only be drawn to pray for the victims of trafficking but will also be reminded that the God who placed every star in the sky and knows each of them by name knows their names too.

The theme of the two sparrows for a penny series is the same as it is for all my books—that we are never alone. God has promised that He will not leave us or forsake us, whatever we are going through. May you be reminded and deeply impacted by that as you read Every Star in the Sky and as you pray for all victims of human trafficking, that they will experience the truth of that promise for themselves.

Connect with Sara:

Website: On the Edge Suspense – On the Edge Suspense (saradavison.org)

Facebook – Author Sara Davison

Twitter – Sara Davison (@sarajdavison)

Instagram – Sara Davison (@davisonsara)

BookBub – @saradavison1

Newsletter Subscription: On the Edge Suspense – On the Edge Suspense https://saradavison.org/connect/

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