Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Fraser by Susan May Warren, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

MY REVIEW:

Susan May Warren fans will be excited to see a new series featuring more of the intrepid Marshall family, this time the Minnesota branch. Those familiar with the previous series know to what lengths a Marshall will go to protect and rescue one of their own, whether it be family or friend, or even a stranger in need.

Everything one might expect from a Warren book is present in spades in Fraser, her latest. More action and adventure and romance than you can shake a stick at plus a surprise or two. It is such fun to see how characters from previous series manage to find their way into yet another book and this time readers will find some crossover from a series by Rachel Hauck. What fun!

I loved meeting new characters in Fraser as well as touching base with old favorites. I honestly don’t know how the author keeps up with them all because sometimes I have trouble sorting them all out. Needless to say, if you are already a fan of Susan May Warren books, grab a copy quick. If you aren’t already a fan, why not? You need this book!  

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by JustReads Publicity. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Fraser Series: The Minnesota Marshalls #1 Author: Susan May Warren Publisher: SDG Publishing Release Date: February 14, 2023 Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Fraser Marshall is pretty sure his career as a Spec Ops fighter is over. Yes, he’s gone into private security, working for Jones, Inc, but his last gig ended with him wounded and taken captive. And those wounds just won’t heal. The last thing he wants to do is stick around his family’s winery pressing grapes. But what choices does he have?

The answer comes via a panicked phone call from his kid brother, Creed.

Help, Fraser. I’m in over my head…

Yeah he is, because he’s run away with a princess, with her bodyguard hot on the trail. And said bodyguard, Pippa Butler is going to hunt them down, no matter the cost.

Even if she has to join forces with a bossy, arrogant former American SEAL. But Pippa has her own set of lethal skills, and if Fraser gets in the way, she’ll leave him on the side of the road. Still, maybe he’s not a terrible side-kick. He is handsome, and he makes her laugh…

No, no, bad Pippa! She has no room for a man—an American—in her life. And Fraser hasn’t ever considered slowing down. Even if Pippa has him wondering if there is a different future ahead.

But there’s more to the story than a Romeo-and-Juliet runaway romance. Princess Imani has seen a murder, and the perpetrator isn’t going to let her get away. Will Fraser and Pippa find the couple first?

And if they do, can they work together to keep them safe?

It’ll be tough if their hearts get in the way…

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook | IndieBound  | BookBub

ALSO AVAILABLE:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

With nearly 2 million books sold, critically acclaimed novelist Susan May Warren is the Christy, RITA, and Carol award-winning author of over ninety novels with Tyndale, Barbour, Steeple Hill, and Summerside Press. Known for her compelling plots and unforgettable characters, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic-suspense, thrillers, rom-com, and Christmas novellas. With books translated into eight languages, many of her novels have been ECPA and CBA bestsellers, were chosen as Top Picks by Romantic Times, and have won the RWA’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice contest and the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award. She’s a three-time RITA finalist and an eight-time Christy finalist.

Connect with Susan by visiting susanmaywarren.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

GIVEAWAY:

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Fraser and a $10 Susan May Warren Store gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 21, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 28, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

ABOUT THE CONFESSION:

“The Confession Musical” is based on the New York Times best-selling book series “The Heritage of Lancaster County,” written by Beverly Lewis and written for the stage by Emmy-Nominated screenwriter Martha Bolton. Katie Lapp, a young  Amish girl, discovers her parents have been keeping a secret from her… she is adopted. Katie decides to seek her birth mother, defying the rules of her Amish village and risking a shunning. Meanwhile, her wealthy birth mother, Laura Mayfield, battling an illness that might take her life, begins searching for her long-lost daughter to bequeath her inheritance before it is too late. Secretly plotting against her is the gold-digging husband Dylan (played by John Schneider), who is scheming to make sure he inherits her fortune. With the help and prayers of her Christian maid/servant (played by Chonda Pierce), they try to foil Dylan’s plan and reunite Katie and Laura.

Buy Tickets LinK:  https://www.fathomevents.com/events/The-Confession-Musical

MOVIE WEBSITE:  https://confessionmusicalmovie.com/

#TheConfessionMIN

#ConfessionMusicalMovie

BLOG BY BEVERLY LEWIS
New York Times bestseller author of Amish fiction

Shipshewana, Indiana, we soon discovered not only a delightful musical play but also the miracle of a musical.

I was nine-years-old when I wrote my first stories, around the time I learned of my maternal grandmother Ada’s excruciating shunning. Being ousted from her Plain church community and the only people she’d ever known was heartbreaking. Her father warned if she was to remove her prayer covering, and wear a forbidden, gold wedding band, she was never to darken the door of their home again.

As a child, I had no way of comprehending what this shunning meant to Grandmother Ada and to our entire family. Years later, as a young woman—and a budding novelist—I conducted extensive research into Lancaster County’s Amish traditions and secret practices. It was at that time my now-famous lead character, Katie Lapp, was birthed in my heart. You see, Grandma Ada’s great sorrow following her shunning planted the seeds for my Amish series, “The Heritage of Lancaster County,” from which came The Shunning, and its sequels, The Confession and The Reckoning, and subsequently, “The Confession Musical.”

Previously, I had written and published nearly 60 books for young readers, including for pre-teen and teen girls, but I questioned whether the story burning within me, The Shunning, would translate to adult fiction.

Write your heart and cling to the Lord. Those words kept coming back to me, encouraging me onward. And, while in deep prayer, I asked God to guide this family story I felt such urgency to write: the story of my precious grandmother who followed her heart right out of her ultra-strict community to marry a ministerial student instead of the farmer her father had picked out for her.

When I think of all she endured, my heart is tender realizing that I am truly a recipient of Grandmother Ada’s brave move to follow the Lord. And I am certain I would not be writing stories set in Amish farmland otherwise. Ada’s dedication to her Savior, Jesus, and to the ministry altered the entire half of our family tree and set me on a path of writing a new sub-genre category: Amish fiction.

To begin writing my first novel for adults, I gathered the pieces of everything I knew about that terrible time for Ada, and included Katie Lapp’s unique circumstances of adoption and the search for her birth mother. (The compelling theme of adoption was heavily influenced by my own children’s adoptions.)

More than a decade later, when producer Dan Posthuma approached me about a possible Amish musical based on my popular Heritage book series, I was admittedly surprised. It was hard to imagine someone compressing the story lines from three novels spanning more than a year’s time, into a single stage production. But my husband and I committed the project to prayer.

On Opening Night at the Blue Gate Theatre in of Martha Bolton’s script-writing skills, embellished by Wally Nason’s beautiful and well-integrated musical score. “The Confession Musical” was a hit! And we traveled to see it numerous times with our extended family and many avid fans in various venues in both Indiana and Pennsylvania. Katie Lapp’s story set to music was truly captivating.

Fast forward to the present….

Blue Gate Musicals recently created “The Confession Musical Movie,” to debut in theatres for one night only, on February 20, 2023—thanks to the top movie theatre distributor Fathom Events. It is exciting to know that thousands more live theatre fans will have the opportunity to see this entertaining musical inspired by the Beverly Lewis Amish novels. And with Chonda Pierce and John Schneider in their starring roles, viewers will be both wowed and inspired by Katie Lapp’s heartwarming love story, rejection (shunning), redemption and celebration during a story journey like no other…which strangely seems so true-to-life.

Chonda Pierce’s spontaneous antics on stage (her facial expressions!) bring the jovial maid, Rosie, to bursting life. What would this musical play be without the comedic humor Chonda delivers so freely? For comedy lovers, Chonda’s stage presence is pure joy.

John Schneider’s strong portrayal of the deceiving and debonair Dylan Bennet’s character is something to behold. Viewers will love to hate. His lines are delivered so effortlessly, you’re convinced he is Dylan Bennet.

The epic story, the flow of dramatic scenes, and the soaring music, will have you clapping right along with the live audience. “My Heart Has Found A Home” will echo in your mind long after the credits, as will the toe-tapping opening and finale “Something ‘Bout A Life that’s Plain.”

I laughed so hard during the song, “What A Mess,” and brushed tears away at the show-stopper, “Where You Are,” an enthralling, if not heartbreaking trio sung by Katie Lapp, her Amish mamma, Rebecca Lapp, and her birth mother, Laura Mayfield.

For sure and for certain, you must see this movie musical to believe it!

~ By Beverly Lewis, author of The Orchard, released September 2022.

MY REVIEW:

I didn’t realize when I agreed to watch and review “The Confession Musical” that my husband and I had recently watched the drama version on TV. Truthfully, I wasn’t so sure how much I would enjoy the musical version but I was committed so we both watched it The basic plot is similar but there are obvious departures from the drama – you know this is a musical. Be prepared for a lengthy film and you might want to have a few tissues handy. Despite the sometimes serious content, this musical has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, mostly due to the antics of Chondra Pierce as Rosie and Colin Alexander as Fulton. I think their scenes were my favorites. John Schneider also played his part well as anyone familiar with his work would guess. Musical interludes varied from seriously lovely to lively, amusing, and entertaining. “The Confessions Musical” is a film you can enjoy with your entire family.

Many thanks to Blue Gate Musicals for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

MY REVIEW:

Once again Laura Frantz has penned an exquisite, emotional historical romance that offers her readers an intimate view of a unstable period of British history. The vivid descriptions of the Scottish countryside as well as Wedderburn castle were captivating. Characters were realistic and seemed to practically step off the page.

I personally do not know much about that era and found myself a bit confused at times but eventually the author provided enough details that helped me to understand the dilemma Lady Blythe and Everard faced. The development of their relationship was intriguing, especially as Lady Blythe was an inconvenient guest Everard had to endure. I particularly liked witnessing the personal growth in both Everard and Blythe as their story progressed. They were confronted by difficult choices but those very choices strengthened both their faith and love for each other.

As always I recommend anything written by Laura Frantz. The Rose and the Thistle is a must read for those who enjoy British history, especially with a Scottish setting.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author and  Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley’s father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Blythe quietly awaits the crowning of a new king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with her maid in tow. He has his own problems–a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

In this whirlwind of intrigue, ambitions, and shifting alliances, Blythe yearns for someone she can trust. But the same forces that draw her and Everard together also threaten to tear them apart.

Read an excerpt here.

Purchase a copy here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Frantz is a Christy Award winner and the ECPA bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including The Frontiersman’s Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, The Lacemaker, and A Heart Adrift. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and a career firefighter. A direct descendant of George Hume of Wedderburn Castle, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion, Laura lives with her husband in Washington State. Learn more at www.laurafrantz.net.

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Expired Return by Lisa Phillips, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Expired Return Series: Last Chance Fire and Rescue #1 Author: Lisa Phillips Publisher: Sunrise Publishing Release Date: January 31, 2023 Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

She’ll give everything to protect her family.

He always knew she was the one.

Veterinary tech Pepper Miller lives a quiet life in Last Chance County. She’s watching her niece until her sister shows up…if she ever does. When Victory’s father demands he take over her care, Pepper knows something has gone wrong. With a new drug in town, and her sister embroiled in a dangerous bargain, it’s up to Pepper to protect the people she loves.

Even if it costs every secret she’s ever kept.

Fire Department liaison Allen Frees lives with the injuries he sustained as a police officer in a raid gone wrong. He’s put his life back together but getting the truck crew and engine squad to succeed might be his toughest assignment yet. When Victory is nearly kidnapped at a community event, Allen steps in to help Pepper keep her niece safe. The one thing he couldn’t fix was the love he lost, but he isn’t going to let Pepper walk away this time.

No matter what walls he has to break down.

Last Chance County returns in this blazing new series from Sunrise Publishing.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

More Books in this Series:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Phillips is a USA Today and top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over 50 books that span Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line, independently published series romantic suspense, and thriller novels. She’s discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after.

Lisa is a British ex-pat who grew up an hour outside of London and attended Calvary Chapel Bible College, where she met her husband. He’s from California, but nobody’s perfect. It wasn’t until her Bible College graduation that she figured out she was a writer (someone told her). As a worship leader for Calvary Chapel churches in her local area, Lisa has discovered a love for mentoring new ministry members and youth worship musicians.

Discover the world of Last Chance Fire and Rescue at https://lastchancecounty.com/lc-fire

Connect with Lisa by visiting www.authorlisaphillips.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

EXCERPT:

“Anyway, I might have something for you to look into. So give me a call back.” Allen tapped the dash screen and ended the call to Tate, where he’d left the local private investigator a message. Maybe his friend could help Pepper. It certainly wasn’t in Allen’s purview as the City Hall liaison to the fire department.

He shoved the truck into park and let out a long sigh.

I have to go. And wasn’t that the truth? The woman did nothing but try to get away from him.

Instead of letting that go around and around in his mind, Allen shoved the door open. He moved his seat back and dragged the folded wheelchair across his body. He set it down on the ground beside his vehicle.

In the process, he got the thing mostly unfolded. Enough he could sit in it.

Allen shifted his body to the edge of the seat and clasped the tether that hung from the grab handle. He braced his foot and lowered himself hand over hand using the rope knots, so he didn’t fall too fast.

He’d learned that one the hard way.

He grabbed the last knot and lowered his butt into the chair. Shifted his foot. The other foot. Shut the door. Clicked his keys.

Done.

He thanked God every chance he got that he’d managed to figure this process out—with some modifications to his truck so it was drivable for him. People had tried to tell him the process was too convoluted or that someone with a disability like his couldn’t drive anything but a van—as if—or a tiny car. Barf. Well, they could quite frankly pry this truck from his cold dead hands. Or bury him in it.

GIVEAWAY:

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Expired Return, a $10 Amazon gift card, and sticker swag from Last Chance County!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 31, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 7, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.