by admin | Sep 18, 2014 | Books, Historical, Romance, Western
MY REVIEW:
I have always enjoyed Mary Connealy’s unique combination of western history, humor, and romance that is often peppered with some action and suspense as well. “Tried and True” lived up to my expectations and more. Mary’s books usually feature strong, independent women and many times, the heroes may be in a position to need their aid. In “Tried and True”, Kylie Wilde is a young woman forced by her family to pose as a man to homestead property against her wishes. Her sisters are more skilled in “manly” skills but all Kylie desires is to live close to civilization where she can shop and attend afternoon teas. Land agent Aaron Masterson seems to come to Kylie’s rescue at every turn. When her homestead is threatened, he finds himself more interested in protecting Kylie than in tending to his work. A strong hero figure who is always ready to rescue Kylie, he also helps her to realize that she is stronger and more capable than she thinks.
Although the owner of a large ranch is determined to take back the homesteads from land he considers part of his ranch, the expected range war is not in this story. In fact, Coulter seems to be an honest and decent, if determined man. Other integral characters other than Kylie’s family include Matt Tucker and Sunrise, a Shoshone woman. “Tried and True” has plenty of action, loads of humorous situations, and a spicy romance. It is a fine example of family loyalty that in turn questions just how far that loyalty should extend. Also a theme of the need to forgive, the story includes a strong example of the disastrous effect unforgiveness, hate, and bitterness can cause the person who refuses to turn it all over to the Lord.
I look forward to the future installments of this series. I’ll admit that I peeked at the preview for “Now and Forever” and can’t wait to read Tucker and Shannon’s tale. I am in hopes that Coulter will be featured in an upcoming installment also. 
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Tried and True, Book One in the Wilde at Heart series.
Saddle up for a wildly fun ride with the Wilde sisters!
Kylie Wilde is the youngest sister–and the most civilized. Her older sisters might be happy dressing in trousers and posing as men, but Kylie has grown her hair long and wears skirts every chance she gets. It’s a risk–they are homesteading using the special exemptions they earned serving in the Civil War as “boys”–but Kylie plans to make the most of the years before she can sell her property and return to the luxuries of life back East.
Local land agent Aaron Masterson is fascinated with Kylie from the moment her long hair falls from her cap. But now that he knows her secret, can he in good conscience defraud the U.S. government? And when someone tries to force Kylie off her land, does he have any hope of convincing her that marrying him and settling on the frontier is the better option for her future?
Learn more and purchase a copy at Mary’s website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mary Connealy writes fun and lively “romantic comedy with cowboys” for the inspirational market. She is the author of the successful Kincaid Brides, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie’s Daughters series, and she has been a finalist for a Rita and Christy Award and a two time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters.
Find out more about Mary at http://maryconnealy.com/.
Kindle HDX Giveaway and Live Webcast Event with @MaryConnealy!
Don’t miss the first book in Mary Connealy‘s Wild at Heart series. In Tried & True, Mary is back with her signature humor and heartfelt story-telling.
Mary’s celebrating by connecting with readers during a live webcast event and giving away a Kindle HDX.
One winner will receive:
- A Kindle HDX
- Tried & True by Mary Connealy
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 23rd. Winner will be announced at the Tried & True LIVE webcast event on September 23rd. Connect with Mary for an evening of swoon-worthy book chat, fun trivia, laughter, a sneak peek at the next book in the Wild at Heart series, and more! Mary will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books, fun prizes, and gift certificates throughout the evening.
So grab your copy of Tried & True and join Mary and friends on the evening of September 23rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)
Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!
by admin | Sep 16, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Romance
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingThe Curious Case of the Missing FigureheadDavid C. Cook (September 1, 2014)byDiane Noble
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Award-winning novelist Diane Noble writes stories that tap into the secrets of the heart.
With more than a quarter million books in print, Diane feels incredibly blessed to be doing what she loves best—writing the stories of her heart.
For the last three years Diane has been honored to be lead author for the popular Guideposts series, Mystery and the Minister’s Wife (Through the Fire, Angels Undercover), and has recently returned to writing historical fiction. She recently finished writing book two of her new historical series, The Brides of Gabriel. Book one, The Sister Wife, and book 2, The Betrayal, which are published by Harper Collins/Avon Inspire, are now in bookstores.
Now empty nesters, Diane and her husband live in the Southern California low desert, near a place known for the lush and beautiful gated communities of the rich and famous.
Learn more about Diane and her books on her Website .
ABOUT THE BOOK:
She’s Passionate about Solving the Case … with the Town’s Life-Long Bachelor
El Littllefield runs The Butler Did It catering. It’s the perfect cover for her to solve “who-done-its” (nothing too dangerous, please!) in this small university town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. While catering her most important event yet—a fancy retirement dinner for Dr. Max Haverhill, life-long bachelor and history dean—countless guests fall ill, a 200 year-old relic is stolen, and her best friend vanishes. All in the first hour.
As El and Max race to solve the mystery, they discover there’s more to their relationship than simply solving the case. Welcome to Eden’s Bridge—the perfect small town setting for big intrigue, romance, and humor.
If you would like to read the first chapter of The Curious Case of the Missing Figurehead, go HERE
MY REVIEW:
While I enjoy all sorts of books with youngish characters, it is fun once in awhile to read a novel with the primary characters closer to my own age, especially when they are as vibrant as those featured in The Curious Case of the Missing Figurehead. I only wish I was as half as active and fearless as El and Hyacinth seem to be. The inclusion of a sweet romance gives me hope that I’m not so over-the-hill as I sometimes fear.
The Curious Case of the Missing Figurehead is so much fun to read with its fast-paced plot, witty dialogue, and spontaneous characters, especially the part-time sleuth El. I loved how their faith was such a natural yet integral part of the daily lives and conversations of El, Hyacinth, and Max and the way they depended on God and acknowledged His role in their protection and resolution of the case.
I thoroughly enjoyed every page of The Curious Case of the Missing Figurehead and highly recommend it. I can’t wait to see what El, Max, and Hyacinth are up to next time.
by admin | Sep 12, 2014 | Books, Cookbook
ABOUT THE COOKBOOK:
Perhaps best known as the James Beard Award-winning chef behind some of New Orleans’s most beloved restaurants, including Cochon and Herbsaint, Donald Link also has a knack for sniffing out a backyard barbecue wherever he travels and scoring an invitation to sample some of the best food around. In Down South he combines his talents to unearth true down home Southern cooking so everyone can pull up a seat at the table and sample some of the region’s finest flavors.
Link rejoices in the slow-cooked pork barbecue of Memphis, fresh seafood all along the Gulf coast, peas and shell beans from the farmlands in Mississippi and Alabama, Kentucky single barrel bourbon, and other regional standouts in 110 recipes and 100 color photographs. Along the way, he introduces all sorts of characters and places, including pitmaster Nick Pihakis of Jim ‘N Nick’s BBQ, Louisiana goat farmer Bill Ryal, beloved Southern writer Julia Reed, a true Tupelo honey apiary in Florida, and a Texas lamb ranch with a llama named Fritz.
Join Link Down South, where tall tales are told, drinks are slung back, great food is made to be shared, and too many desserts, it turns out, is just the right amount.
MY REVIEW:
As a native Southerner, I thought this cookbook would be a worthy addition to my library. Not only does it have a beautiful cover, but it is filled with gorgeous photos, some of which are actually of the food. More than a cookbook, “Down South – Bourbon, Pork, Gulf Shrimp & Second Helpings of Everything” is a story of the food of the South. Its rich descriptions and details are to be savored, much like the recipes it contains.
Now, I will say that some of those recipes are not quite what I expected. There are a few unusual ones – at least to my own plebeian tastes. Many of the recipes are dishes I have yet to experience. Guess I will just have to try some of them but some of them I will probably skip.
“Down South – Bourbon, Pork, Gulf Shrimp & Second Helpings of Everything” is a lovely book that would be quite at home on the coffee (or cocktail) table and is one that will make good reading for an evening at home.
This book was provided for review by Blogging For Books.
by admin | Sep 12, 2014 | Books, Historical, Romance, Western
MY REVIEW:
I almost always enjoy a good mail order bride story and “A Bride in Store” was no exception. Because of the subject, the reader can expect some similarities to other stories but I have found that most have fairly unique plots. While some aspects of “A Bride in Store” may have been vaguely familiar, there were several distinctive situations and characters that I have not run across in my years of reading more books than most people even think about. I really don’t think I’ve read about a bearded lady before!
The plot of “A Bride in Store” was very well paced and both Eliza and William were well-rounded characters who grew spiritually and in maturity as the story progressed. Eliza was very focused on success at the beginning but she was also compassionate and unjudgemental toward others. William was accused of a lack of ambition but his care and sacrifice for others was actually what kept him from achieving his dreams – and loyalty to a friend was the very thing that kept him from acting on his attraction to Eliza. Several unexpected twists and surprises began early in the story and kept things interesting. A bit of action and danger, a touch of humor, and a sweet romance rounded things out to make reading “A Bride in Store” a satisfying experience.
This book was provided for review by
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Impatient to meet her intended groom and help him grow his general store, mail-order bride Eliza Cantrell sets out on her travels a week early. But her plan goes sadly awry when her train is held up by robbers who steal her dowry and Axel, her groom-to-be, isn’t even in town when she finally arrives.
Axel’s business partner, William Stanton, has no head for business and would much rather be a doctor. When his friend’s mail-order bride arrives in town with no money and no groom in sight, he feels responsible and lets her help around the store–where she quickly proves she’s much more adept at business than he ever will be.
The sparks that fly between Will and Eliza as they work together in close quarters are hard to ignore, but Eliza is meant for Axel and a future with the store, while Will is biding his time until he can afford medical school. However, their troubles are far from over when Axel finally returns, and soon both Will and Eliza must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice to chase their dreams–or if God has a new dream in store for them both.
Read an excerpt from “A Bride in Store” HERE.
Purchase a copy of “A Bride in Store”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melissa Jagears, an ESL teacher by trade, is a stay-at-home mother on a tiny Kansas farm with a fixer-upper house. She’s a member of ACFW and CROWN fiction marketing, and her passion is to help Christian believers mature in their faith and judge rightly. A Bride for Keeps is her first novel. Find her online at www.melissajagears.com.
