Beyond the Silence

2016 is starting off on a great note with some incredible novels and Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse is no exception. Being a huge fan of western romances since I was a young teen, I've loved every single novel of Tracie Peterson's I can get my hands on, because she takes me back to another time period to lose myself in a virtual world of a great western romance with a strong and determined female character like Lillian Porter. Growing up in a life of well means has offered her luxuries she may have taken for granted, but still deep inside her heart a desire to follow along the same path of her mother has caught fire. Being the last family member under her grandfather's roof, he has lost all sense of purpose and has become a bitter old man instead after losing his wife and watching his daughter follow the path Lillian wants to follow.

To call to adventure out west is more than Lillian can bear along with her grandfather's temperament, so knowing that to walk away will mean she will have to find her own financial means she takes the position as a nanny in Angel's Camp, California far from the only home she has ever known. She just hopes that time will heal the wounds her grandfather has in his heart and she vows to do whatever she can to make it on her own. She just isn't prepared for the less than warm welcome she receives after stepping off the train in Angel's Camp and learning that the man, Woodward Colton, who has employed her has been accused of murdering his own wife. Yet not everyone believes the rumors circulating and since Woody hasn't been jailed for the crime, Lillian is willing to form her own opinion. The only catch is 7-year-old Jimmy hasn't spoken one word since his mother's murder. Perhaps if she can find a way to reach him, the truth may set them all free.

I received Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my own personal and honest evaluation. I love this premise because as we know there are always two sides to every story and quite often people are willing to believe what they want instead of listening to the truth. My favorite is always Tracie and Kimberley's strong willed and determined female characters who have a whole lot of gumption to dig in and not let others run rough shod over them but still keeps them feminine charm and beauty. This is what draws me to these novels is the adventure you find yourself on that moves the story forward and never becomes stagnant or even predictable even though you know in the end, romance will ensue, it doesn't come easily. This is why I love Tracie Peterson's novels and this one just finds its home next to my growing collection in my own personal library. This one gains a perfect 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Beyond the Silence, Tracie Peterson, Kimberley Woodhouse or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

You can find Tracie Peterson on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

You can find Kimberley Woodhouse on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Beyond the Silence, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour page. 

Lillian Porter takes a chance on a new job and a new future . . . but rumors surrounding her job make Lillian begin to wonder if she made the right choice in Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse's Beyond the Silence. There are rumors in town that her new employer, Woodward Colton, caused the death of his wife. This accusation doesn't match the man Lillian comes to know . . . but soon the Colton olive farm is no longer a safe place. Lillian encounters suspicious characters on their land and mysterious damage done to the farm. Will Mrs. Goodman and Jimmy be able to speak what they know in time to save Lillian from tragedy?

Tracie and Kimberley are celebrating the launch of Beyond the Silence with a Loaded Fire Prize Pack giveaway (details below) and an author chat party on February 11!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• One copy of Beyond the Silence
• A Kindle Fire 7
• A $50 Amazon gift card to load your Fire with books

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 2/11. The winner will be announced at the Beyond the Silence Facebook party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Tracie, Kimberley, and other readers, as well as for a chance to win other prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 11th!

At Love's Bidding

I love when amazing authors can find something different to write about when choosing a historical romance, and Regina Jennings does just that. Being a huge fan of antiques, I love that she chose to use that as the occupation of her character Miranda Wimplegate, whose family is in the antique auction business. She is tasked with the job of creating a catalog of the items that go up for bidding so buyers have a background on just what they are potentially buying. But when a portraits winds up on the auction block that shouldn't have been sold, the entire family could face ruin and a potential lawsuit and more if they can't track down the person who bid on the item. The only problem is that the buyer paid in case and left no address or name behind. The only clue Regina has is a brief description of the man and carriage that arrived that night.

Knowing she must do whatever she can to help, she offers to accompany her grandfather to Pine Gap to locate the destination of where the portrait is rumored to have been shipped to. The family agrees to buy the auction house that is slated to sell the portrait in hopes of preventing them from selling any items on the way to the location, and thus finding a way to return the portrait to the rightful owner again. What neither of them understand is that instead of purchasing an auction house, they have purchased a cattle auction and they will be stretched to figure out just what to do with it since neither of them have any idea on how to run it or deal with the many animals that they have in their inventory.

The only man who seems like he can help is the one that Miranda wants nothing to do with after seeing him in action when she and her grandfather arrived in town. But without Wyatt Ballentine's help they won't be able to face returning home or deciding how they will get out of the cattle auction they have bought. It will take trust on both sides since Wyatt had hoped that all his years of working for the former owner might have offered him first dibs on purchasing the cattle auction, but it sold out from underneath him leaving him suspicious as to the reason for the quick sell. Will love be something that will enter both of their hearts as they spend more time together or is Wyatt's only goal to do whatever he can to help the Wimplegates leave Pine Gap as soon as reasonably possible?

I received At Love's Bidding by Regina Jennings compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside for a free copy of this novel, in exchange for my honest review. I loved this novel because it gave me something I hadn't read before in any of the historical novels, a story line involving a strong willed woman who works for an antique auction house who's only familiar with high priced items like jewelry, antiques and paintings so to see her having to deal with the livestock instead makes for a comical romance you will just love. Even though I haven't read the first book in the Ozark Mountain Romance Series, I look forward to going back and reading the previous one A Most Inconvenient Marriage! For this one, hands down wins a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about At Love's Bidding, Regina Jennings, or where you can pick a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

At Love's Bidding by Regina Jennings

You can find Regina Jennings on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on At Love's Bidding, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.
 
After a cross-country trip to track down a sold painting that could ruin her family's business forever, Miranda Wimplegate forms an unlikely but charged partnership with livestock auctioneer Wyatt Ballentine in Regina Jennings' At Love's Bidding. Miranda and her grandfather discover their new auction house doesn’t deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its frustratingly handsome manager, Wyatt, is annoyed to discover his fussy new bosses don’t know a thing about the business he’s single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more heads of cattle than they can count–but no mysterious painting–Miranda and Wyatt must try and prevent a bad situation from getting worse.

Join Regina in celebrating the release of At Love's Bidding by entering to win her Cozy Winter Night giveaway and RSVPing to her January 5th author chat party!

 

One grand prize winner will receive everything you need for a cozy winter night:

• One copy of At Love's Bidding
• A coloring book for adults
• A pie dish
• Gourmet hot chocolate
• A fuzzy throw blanket
• Warm slippers
• Wintery coasters

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 1/5. The winner will be announced at the At Love's Bidding Facebook party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Regina and other readers, as well as for a chance to win some great prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 5th!

The Respectable Actress

I believe I have read all of Dorothy Love's novel with the exception of one and I hope to rectify that after reading her latest The Respectable Actress, I feel in love with the background character of Celia MacKay, a woman who comes to the aid of India Hartley who has been accused of murdering her fellow actor in a play at Savannah's Southern Palace. With a last minute change to the script, due to trying to impress a critic, India has been asked to shoot notable thespian Arthur Sterling instead of throwing a vase at his head. The only problem is that the prop gun has been replaced in the moment by India's own hand gun which she didn't realize until it went off, and now has been arrested at the prime suspect. It doesn't help that her earlier comments to make it look good to the audience by Sterling was met with a willingness that if only it wasn't just acting in front of witnesses.

Now that the trial has been set, and of course publicity and rumors are running rampant in Savannah, India's attorney, Philip Sinclair believes that in order to accurately get to the bottom of the case with his client, she should be released into his custody on the island of Indigo Point. The judge agrees and provides them both with time to put their case together. If Philip can win this case, it will help his law career immensely but when mounting evidence that begins to pile up against India, he wonders if he has bitten off more than he can chew. India is met with more hostility as the women who live in Indigo Point don't exactly respect her position as an actress and feel the position is one of a lesser class woman.

She tries as hard as possible to find any friends on the island, and befriends Philip's sister Amelia who is attempting to try and find a way to restore their families land holdings since the war decimated most of what they had once had. She also longs for the opportunity to find true love with the limited supply of eligible bachelors on the island. The one mystery on the island is the locked room in the home that seems to be a bit of a shrine to a woman that no one will discuss as if they expect her to return at any moment. Are there secrets that Philip is hiding as well? Sometimes one's past can truly come back to haunt them after all.

I received The Respectable Actress by Dorothy Love compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest and personal review. This is the sequel to Dorothy Love's The Bracelet in which the character of Celia MacKay is highlighted and one I fully intend to read. Historical novels like this one take the reader back to a time when society automatically made assumptions based on the classes of people and actors/actresses fell into line almost with prostitutes which I found more than interesting, how many judged India before any of them had read the truth and also how newspapers were more interested in selling papers over getting to the facts of the case before it went to print. A well written novel and one I found myself a silent character in which made it all the more delightful to spend time with Philip and India on the island. I can't wait for more. This one rated a 4.5 out of 5 stars and includes a reader's discussion guide that is great for book clubs.

For more information about The Respectable Actress, Dorothy Love or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Respectable Actress by Dorothy Love

You can find Dorothy Love on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Respectable Actress, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page. 

Valley of Decision

The most hardest part of getting involved in any series, is that one day is has to come to an end. Sometimes you want to refrain from picking up the final book because if you have truly come to love the characters, you know this is the conclusion to their story. They're not just characters in a book to you. You've come to know them, to care about them and to know what motivates them and those are the earmarks of a fine novel and an exceptional writer. If you're looking for such a series, I would encourage you to pick up the Carthage Chronicles from Lynne Gentry. It's both a bit of science fiction, involving time travel and historical romance, as the characters are traveling back to ancient Carthage and find themselves so involved in that culture, they don't wish to return.

In the conclusion to this series, Valley of Decision is that place where all of our beloved characters have once again been transported back to Carthage and must make some defining life choices, to stay where their hearts call them or to head back to the present day and hope they can convince those that they care about to join them, but to do that, would forever change history. Is the risk worth it in the end? This is not a series you can pick up any of the novels and jump right in, hoping there is enough of a back story to help move you forward in the novels. You must begin with the first one as any great adventure would suggest. But trust me when I share with you, it will be so worth the time to do so. For those of us, that have been reading them as they are published, the wait has been long in between, but with each novel, it simply gets better and better.

In Valley of Decision, Magdalena has been arrested for the death of the proconsul Aspasius, whom she tried to save by amputating his leg, but when he succumbs to complications due to the time frame they are living in and lack of surgical sterileness. Now she must try and find a way to save her life if she is continue her fight to save the city of Carthage from the disease of typhoid and measles that threatens to destroy the city. Her granddaughter Maggie, now 18, has run away back to Carthage in hopes of not only saving Magdalena but also her father Cyprian whom she just met when accompanying her mother Lisbeth Hastings more than a decade ago. She knows her mother would never approve but she must do what she can to help in any way possible, with the time she has left if the history books are correct and her father has less than a month before he is condemned to death.

I received Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation outside of a free copy of this book for my review and the opinions expressed here are my own honest and personal ones. I won't give away the ending but it is so worth reading this entire series. I am sad that the journey is over, but it was well worth the wait between all the novels to experience what is might have been like living in the third-century with the tremendous amount of research that Lynne did to enable this novel and her characters to become simply more than words on a page. In my opinion, this one easily earns all 5 out of 5 stars. There is a Reader's Discussion Guide at the conclusion as well as some great questions that Lynne Gentry takes the time to answer about this amazing series.

For more information about Valley of Decision, Lynne Gentry or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry 

You can find Lynne Gentry on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Valley of Decision, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page

The Carthage Chronicles Series:
1. Healer of Carthage
2. Return to Exile
3. Valley of Decision

Promise to Keep

The most difficult thing when writing a great series, is to bring that series to a conclusion and that is just what Elizabeth Byler Younts does in the third and final novel, Promise to Keep, in her Promise of Sunrise Series. Where do I begin in my review of this novel? First of all I would have to say that it does include quite a few different genres, from Historical, Romance, Amish, World War II, and all of them being Christian based without a lot of the heavy religious overtones coming across. It's a simple story of being lost and the redemption that comes from being found.

As the reader embarks on the journey, there are two very different stories that come to an intersection at the first 100 pages and the first being of Esther Detweiler, who has had a challenge most of us would find hard to endure. Not only with the recent death of her mother, she is left all alone to deal with raising Daisy, a young girl who was abandoned, first by the death of her mother, Irene, Esther's cousin, and then when Daisy's father, Joe Garrison leaves her behind to enter World War II. Not because he had to, but because he couldn't handle caring for Daisy who he didn't understand was simply deaf, but others thought belonged in a mental institution. Esther soon learns that her father whom she believed died, is now coming back home and wishes to restore all the time he has lost with Esther. He believes it is something he can just pick right back up again. But Esther isn't so willing.

On top of that she discovers from Joe's sister, Angelica, that he is returning home from the war and is planning on taking back the daughter he had abandoned. It's not an easy thing for Esther to deal with all at once. Daisy barely remembers the man who left her so long ago, and right now, Esther is the only family she has ever known. Her own Aunt Angelica was offered the care of Daisy, but she felt that Daisy was too much to deal with and relented her care to Esther. But as Joe returns home he too has his own share of issues, dealing with the shell shock he has from the war, along with the alcohol that seems to keep it under control are the least of his worries, when he realizes that Daisy doesn't want anything to do with him and wants to stay with Esther over living with her own father. It will take a miracle to restore the lives of those characters we see spilled out in the covers of Promise to Keep!

I received Promise to Keep from Elizabeth Byler Younts compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of this book, and the opinions expressed here are my own personal honest ones. Being a huge lover of WWII fiction, I absolutely loved the idea of a English soldier returning home from the war to deal with his feelings for a young Amish woman. It's truly the best of two ideal genre's in my mind. The impacts of what is now known as PTSD, wasn't something that many knew how to deal with and you can imagine how that might be played out among the non violent Amish. Not only that, the impacts of dealing with a deaf child and learning how to communicate, was something that would have been considered out of the ordinary since most of the education in dealing with how to communicate with them would have been fairly new as well. You could see where others would automatically assume they might be mentally challenged instead of something more simple. This one really worked well and thus the reason for the 4 out of 5 star rating in my opinion. It's truly a story of restoration on many different fronts.

For more information about Promise to Keep, Elizabeth Byler Younts or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Promise to Keep from Elizabeth Byler Younts

You can find Elizabeth Byler Younts on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Promise to Keep, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance's Book Tour page. 

Promise to Keep

The most difficult thing when writing a great series, is to bring that series to a conclusion and that is just what Elizabeth Byler Younts does in the third and final novel, Promise to Keep, in her Promise of Sunrise Series. Where do I begin in my review of this novel? First of all I would have to say that it does include quite a few different genres, from Historical, Romance, Amish, World War II, and all of them being Christian based without a lot of the heavy religious overtones coming across. It's a simple story of being lost and the redemption that comes from being found.

As the reader embarks on the journey, there are two very different stories that come to an intersection at the first 100 pages and the first being of Esther Detweiler, who has had a challenge most of us would find hard to endure. Not only with the recent death of her mother, she is left all alone to deal with raising Daisy, a young girl who was abandoned, first by the death of her mother, Irene, Esther's cousin, and then when Daisy's father, Joe Garrison leaves her behind to enter World War II. Not because he had to, but because he couldn't handle caring for Daisy who he didn't understand was simply deaf, but others thought belonged in a mental institution. Esther soon learns that her father whom she believed died, is now coming back home and wishes to restore all the time he has lost with Esther. He believes it is something he can just pick right back up again. But Esther isn't so willing.

On top of that she discovers from Joe's sister, Angelica, that he is returning home from the war and is planning on taking back the daughter he had abandoned. It's not an easy thing for Esther to deal with all at once. Daisy barely remembers the man who left her so long ago, and right now, Esther is the only family she has ever known. Her own Aunt Angelica was offered the care of Daisy, but she felt that Daisy was too much to deal with and relented her care to Esther. But as Joe returns home he too has his own share of issues, dealing with the shell shock he has from the war, along with the alcohol that seems to keep it under control are the least of his worries, when he realizes that Daisy doesn't want anything to do with him and wants to stay with Esther over living with her own father. It will take a miracle to restore the lives of those characters we see spilled out in the covers of Promise to Keep!

I received Promise to Keep from Elizabeth Byler Younts compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of this book, and the opinions expressed here are my own personal honest ones. Being a huge lover of WWII fiction, I absolutely loved the idea of a English soldier returning home from the war to deal with his feelings for a young Amish woman. It's truly the best of two ideal genre's in my mind. The impacts of what is now known as PTSD, wasn't something that many knew how to deal with and you can imagine how that might be played out among the non violent Amish. Not only that, the impacts of dealing with a deaf child and learning how to communicate, was something that would have been considered out of the ordinary since most of the education in dealing with how to communicate with them would have been fairly new as well. You could see where others would automatically assume they might be mentally challenged instead of something more simple. This one really worked well and thus the reason for the 4 out of 5 star rating in my opinion. It's truly a story of restoration on many different fronts.

For more information about Promise to Keep, Elizabeth Byler Younts or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Promise to Keep from Elizabeth Byler Younts

You can find Elizabeth Byler Younts on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Promise to Keep, please visit Howard Book's website. 

Valley of Decision

The most hardest part of getting involved in any series, is that one day is has to come to an end. Sometimes you want to refrain from picking up the final book because if you have truly come to love the characters, you know this is the conclusion to their story. They're not just characters in a book to you. You've come to know them, to care about them and to know what motivates them and those are the earmarks of a fine novel and an exceptional writer. If you're looking for such a series, I would encourage you to pick up the Carthage Chronicles from Lynne Gentry. It's both a bit of science fiction, involving time travel and historical romance, as the characters are traveling back to ancient Carthage and find themselves so involved in that culture, they don't wish to return.

In the conclusion to this series, Valley of Decision is that place where all of our beloved characters have once again been transported back to Carthage and must make some defining life choices, to stay where their hearts call them or to head back to the present day and hope they can convince those that they care about to join them, but to do that, would forever change history. Is the risk worth it in the end? This is not a series you can pick up any of the novels and jump right in, hoping there is enough of a back story to help move you forward in the novels. You must begin with the first one as any great adventure would suggest. But trust me when I share with you, it will be so worth the time to do so. For those of us, that have been reading them as they are published, the wait has been long in between, but with each novel, it simply gets better and better.

In Valley of Decision, Magdalena has been arrested for the death of the proconsul Aspasius, whom she tried to save by amputating his leg, but when he succumbs to complications due to the time frame they are living in and lack of surgical sterileness. Now she must try and find a way to save her life if she is continue her fight to save the city of Carthage from the disease of typhoid and measles that threatens to destroy the city. Her granddaughter Maggie, now 18, has run away back to Carthage in hopes of not only saving Magdalena but also her father Cyprian whom she just met when accompanying her mother Lisbeth Hastings more than a decade ago. She knows her mother would never approve but she must do what she can to help in any way possible, with the time she has left if the history books are correct and her father has less than a month before he is condemned to death.

I received Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation outside of a free copy of this book for my review and the opinions expressed here are my own honest and personal ones. I won't give away the ending but it is so worth reading this entire series. I am sad that the journey is over, but it was well worth the wait between all the novels to experience what is might have been like living in the third-century with the tremendous amount of research that Lynne did to enable this novel and her characters to become simply more than words on a page. In my opinion, this one easily earns all 5 out of 5 stars. There is a Reader's Discussion Guide at the conclusion as well as some great questions that Lynne Gentry takes the time to answer about this amazing series.

For more information about Valley of Decision, Lynne Gentry or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry 

You can find Lynne Gentry on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Valley of Decision, please visit Howard Book's website.

The Carthage Chronicles Series:
1. Healer of Carthage
2. Return to Exile
3. Valley of Decision

A Heart's Home

The sad part is here, and that is the Journey of the Heart series by Colleen Coble is unfortunately here. In the final novel in the series, A Heart's Home is the sixth book in this wonderful historical western series that is stationed at Fort Phil Kearny in Wyoming in 1866. Readers have gotten bite size chunks of this heartwarming series in each subsequent book that has lead us to the final part, and that is dealing with Emmie who has finally decided that she will put aside her past, and move forward in a future with Isaac Liddle. The women have formed a united front in this series with each taking a lead role at some point in their own book, and with the conclusion it's going to be one that you don't want to miss.

As we left Emmie in the last book, she was facing a future with a child she had with a man she believed was her husband. When she learned he never conveyed the truth that he was already married, Emmie realized that all she was counting on to help her move forward in the loss wasn't rightfully hers so she headed west to stay with her good friends in Wyoming. Only it seems that no matter where she goes, the truth of her situation follows her and threatens her potential marriage to Isaac if the truth gets out. If only Emmie can find a way to tell Isaac herself before someone else does, she might stand a chance. But when tragedy strikes the heart of the fort, Emmie's only chance at happiness slips away like the sand in an hourglass and there isn't anything she can do about it if she believes she is a good Christian woman!

I received A Heart's Home by Colleen Coble compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation outside of a free copy of the book for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is such a poignant way to end the series, and find myself now wanting to go back and read them all in one sitting. Each of these books feels like a full length novel and the women I've gotten to know through each of these books feels like friends and not just characters in the story. They all have their own challenges living at the Fort and must band together to help each other out in the face of rising hostilities among the Sioux Indians! I'd give this one a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion and hope Colleen Coble decides to write more western romances in the very near future.

For more information about A Heart's Home, Colleen Coble or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

A Heart's Home by Colleen Coble 

You can find Colleen Coble on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on A Heart's Home, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.


A hidden pregnancy, a promise sure to break hearts, and a tragic loss at Fort Phil Kearny: Don't miss the gripping conclusion in book six, A Heart's Home, of Colleen Coble's A Journey of the Heart series. With the Sioux Wars threatening outside the fort, Emmie’s solemn vow threatens her happiness from within. Will she honor a promise sure to break her heart—and Isaac’s? Or is there another way to find a home for her heart?

Colleen is celebrating the final book release of her A Journey of the Heart series by giving away the entire series and the chance to host Colleen virtually at your book club, local library, or women's group to talk about the series.

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• Books 1–6 of A Journey of the Heart series
• A chat with Colleen via Skype or Google Hangout
• A custom book-club kit PDF, featuring Colleen's favorite recipes and group discussion questions

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 31st. Winner will be announced September 1st on Colleen's website.

The Curiosity Keeper

What inspired me to really want to read this one, was two fold. First, just the title drew me in, and second was the idea of a great historical romance taking place between the employee of a curiosity shop and an apothecary. Just right there was enough intrigue to make me want to pick this one to review. Not to mention, there hasn't been one book written by Sarah E. Ladd that I didn't LOVE!

Imagine the darkened streets of London, in some of the poorest places. Not one you would want to venture out alone as the lamp lighters begin their tarry of lighting the streets. A worn down curiosity shop sits at the end of the street lit only by candle within as Camille Iverness is finishing up the books for her father. She hopes that one day, she might leave this dreaded part of town and instead head to the countryside for a fresh start at a new life. Once again her father is pushing the finances of what they take in by bringing back paintings which rarely ever sell, but she knows far better than to question how he runs this shop. Ever since her mother left them both, it seems as if her father is lost and feels perhaps that Camille might be the one to blame. Nevertheless, she hopes for a better life one day.

When she hears what appears to be her father at the front door, she attempts to open the door for him, and instead, finds a man who forces his way inside. Asking her where her father is, Camille attempts to convince him, that she doesn't know where he is. The man thinks she is trying to hide his whereabouts and draws a knife on her. Her life is only spared when Jonathan Gilchrist arrives to thwart his attempt. The only drawback is Camille is injured and the reason for Jonathan being there is now invalid. He was hoping to find the man who had stolen a rare ruby known as the Bevoy from his father's home. Legend has it that whomever possesses it is either blessed with curses or blessings. Without it, his father and sister will lose their estate and force them all out on the street. For now, his only concern is for Camille and thankfully, as an apothecary, he can help!

I received The Curiosity Keeper by Sarah E. Ladd compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review outside of a free copy of the novel and the opinions contained are my own. This is such a great novel, because the way it is written, really transports the reader to London, England in 1812. You can feel the sense of the town so accurately described, you aren't just reading this, you are actually there. I love that both of these characters have a past that keeps them from doing what they truly want in life, something I think reader will be able to relate to. Lovers of romance will find this one completely dreamy and you might just need a box of tissues as well, but I will leave it at that. This is the first novel in the Treasures of Surrey series and I can't wait for the next one. There is also discussion guide questions included at the conclusion at this one, just perfect for book clubs. For me, a wonderful 5 out of 5 stars and was something to take my mind off of dealing with a long hospital stay for my daughter.

For more information about The Curiosity Keeper, Sarah E. Ladd or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Curiosity Keeper by Sarah E. Ladd

You can find Sarah E. Ladd on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Curiosity Keeper, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.

A Bride at Last

Even though Kate Dawson, knew this day was coming, it still caught her by surprise. She had known Lucinda Riverton has been sick for quite some time and it was only a matter of time before she succumbed to her illness, and she made arrangements to have Kate take on raising her only son Anthony when that time came. She even wrote to the boy's father advising him of the circumstance, but Kate believed that to be a man named Richard, who she had helped Lucina and Anthony escape from his violent ways. Now it turns out that Lucinda has been married to a man named Silas Jonesey who has arrived to hope to make amends with Lucinda and restore their relationship. But when he gets there, Lucinda has died and she failed to tell him that he has a son. To make matters worse, Richard arrives in time to attempt to collect Anthony who he had used in the past as a pick pocket to make a little money on the side. Yet no one is considering what Anthony wants in this matter, and with Kate being unwed, it is unlikely a judge will rule in her favor to keep Anthony.

Anthony solves the issue when he runs away without anyone's knowledge and now it is a race against time to see who can find the boy first. In order to sway the odds a bit in his favor, Richard goes to see the judge just prior to the ruling on Anthony's fate, and since he is the only one there, the judge rules in his favor. Seems he might have not been as forthcoming to convincing the judge to postpone the trial while they attempt to locate Anthony. Even while Kate struggles to find him, she finds herself at the hands of the school board when they believe she is acting in a way contrary to what the town would like to have in a school teacher. Being seen arriving late to school and other questionable conduct, she is put on notice to straighten up otherwise they will be forced to find another teacher and she will lose her job. But what is more important finding Anthony or keeping her job?

I received A Bride at Last by Melissa Jagears compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review aside from a free copy of this novel and the opinions contained in this review are strictly my own. Christian Western Romances have long been my favorite genre and it's been quite some time to have such a treat as this one. It showcases once again the struggle women had when faced with certain circumstances and keeping up ones reputation and propriety even though Kate isn't doing anything wrong. It is that perception that women had to struggle against during the late 1800's as some were willing to answer ads as a mail order bride and found themselves with men who were less than respectable. I never realized the outcome of the children who were forced to grow up as orphans, most being given away to those who might be able to raise them or placed in orphanages. The only other option was living on the streets. This is another great look our the historical past and how some had to make a go of things when the odds were stacked against them. I'd rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars. This is the 3rd book in the Unexpected Bride Series!

For more information about A Bride At Last, Melissa Jagears, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Bride At Last by Melissa Jagears 

You can find Melissa Jagears on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Bride At Last, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.


Can Silas and Kate overcome their rocky start and experience healing—and possibly love? Discover the answer in Melissa Jagears' new book, A Bride at Last. Neither Kate nor Silas is prepared for the secrets and past hurts that have yet to come to light as they attempt to prove nine-year-old Anthony's paternity to the court. Can their wounded souls bind them together or will all that stands between them leave them lonely forever?

Celebrate the release of A Bride at Last by entering to win a $100 Memory-Making giveaway and RSVPing to Melissa's August 4th author chat party!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A $100 gift card to Netflix (for a family movie night), Shutterfly (to create a family memory book), or TablePlayGames (for a family game night)
• One copy of A Bride at Last

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 8/4. The winner will be announced at Melissa's 8/4 A Bride at Last Facebook author chat party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Melissa and fiction fans, as well as for a chance to win some great prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 4th!

Beyond The Ashes

In evolution of the medical field has always fascinated me and I love how we can see just how far we have come from such times as the early 1900s when a cure for cancer was still being sought after in a variety of ways. In the Golden Gate Chronicles by Karen Barnett, Beyond the Ashes is the second novel to debut in this series.

Dr. Gerald Larkspur is working diligently with Robert King to find a way to save those who are succumbing to the effects of cancer. Trying their hand at the merits of radiation, they have had some success are the prolonging of their patients lives, but unfortunately not saving them without the barbaric practice of limb and organ removal in an attempt to save them. Now they face the challenge of either proving their successes or risk losing the funding the hospital board has been providing.

Robert is engaged to Abby, Gerald's cousin and while preparing for their upcoming wedding, he has invited his sister Ruby Marshall to come stay with them. While still undergoing to rebuilding efforts since the 1906 earthquake, San Francisco has many places they can use Ruby's nursing skills including working at the hospital with them. She is still recovering for the loss of her husband who faced an accident with a horse and automobile that took his life before they could start a family of their own. Now looking for a potential fresh start, she is hoping a change of location might do her so good as well as reuniting with her brother in San Francisco. She is not looking to lose her heart again.

I received Beyond the Ashes by Karen Barnett compliments of Abingdon Press and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review outside of a free copy of the novel and the opinions contained here are my strictly my own personal opinions. I absolutely loved being back in San Francisco during the rebuilding of the city's massive earthquake. The sense of realism you gain from Karen's research is amazing, from the unsanitary conditions from the evacuation camps that are prevalent within the city, to the rarely understood effects of using X-rays to combat cancer treatments. For me, this took me back to the BBC series, London Hospital, where you can see the early stages of medical treatments, as the impact of those experimenting with radiation and perfecting X-Ray usage. I absolutely love when a novel can take you back in time, and not only enjoy an amazing story but learn a bit about history at the same time and thus the reason for my 5 out of 5 stars. I can't wait for the sequel, Through The Shadows which readers get a sneak peek at in this novel as well as Discussion Guide questions, perfect for book clubs!

For more information about Beyond the Ashes, Karen Barnett or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Beyond the Ashes by Karen Barnett

You can find Karen Barnett on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Beyond the Ashes, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page. 

A Heart's Betrayal

Life has finally settled on the frontier for our favorite characters Sarah and Rand. They are now anticipating their first child amid the rising conflicts with the Indians outside of Fort Laramie. Emmie Croftner has just discovered that the man she is recently grieving as her husband was not the man she thought. She discovers in days after his funeral that he was married to another woman and had a child. Since their marriage wouldn't be viewed as valid, the holdings she assumed would be hers are now being handed to his first wife and child.

With just 30 days left, she hopes she can locate her brothers Ben and Labe but isn't quite sure where they might be. She knows that Ben has always been a bit of a schemer and has tried in vain to marry Sarah. With nothing to her name, the only person she can think to stay with might be Sarah if she will look past her as being Ben's sister. Sarah is Emmie's only hope. Without her, she doesn't know what she will do if the town learns of her soiled reputation of not being legally married to the man who was going to be her future.

Leaving Walsh, Indiana behind, she isn't quite prepared for what she finds out west at Fort Laramie. This is her first encounter with Indians and with eligible young soldiers who are looking for someone to marry. But Emmie isn't looking for love any more. She is fortunate when Sarah is excited to see her and loves the idea of her staying with them to help her with preparations for the upcoming birth of their child. But little does Emmie know she is carrying a far worse secret than anyone could ever imagine.

I received A Heart's Betrayal by Colleen Coble compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is the 4th book in the Journey of the Heart Series, written by Colleen Coble during the time she spent grieving the death of her own brother and is one of the first series she ever wrote. It has been simply wonderful reviewing these as they are being released in small bite size pieces a month at time again. I absolutely love Emmie's story of hope and looking for a way to begin again. However that isn't going to be easy once readers discover Emmie's secret. That is just like life in reality, it doesn't come wrapped up in a pretty little package! For me, this one is my favorite so far and well deserved of 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about A Heart's Betrayal, Colleen Coble, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

A Heart's Betrayal by Colleen Coble

You can find Colleen Coble on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on A Heart's Betrayal, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.


Emmie finds shelter in the arms of a soldier in Fort Laramie, Wyoming, but will her big secret drive them apart? Find out in book four, A Heart's Betrayal, of Colleen Coble's A Journey of the Heart series. Suddenly displaced, powerless, and ashamed, Emmie can’t stay in Wabash, Indiana. She makes a hopeful start for Fort Laramie to find her friend Sarah Montgomery and a new beginning. But when she arrives, she discovers she’s pregnant—and without a husband. The new start she’d hoped for slips from her fingers.

Melt into summer with a new giveaway from Colleen: four books (books one–four in Colleen's A Journey of the Heart series) and a box of chocolates to pair with your new books!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Heart's Betrayal
• A box of Colleen's favorite chocolate truffles from DeBrand Fine Chocolates
• A copy of A Heart's Disguise
• A copy of A Heart's Obsession
• A copy of A Heart's Danger

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 30th. Winner will be announced July 1st on Colleen's website.

To Win Her Favor

Take the love of horses and combine it with the love of history in America and you have the new Belle Meade Plantation series from Tamera Alexander. In the second novel to debut in this series, To Win Her Favor, the reader is transported to Tennessee in 1869. We find the discrimination of the Irish is just as predominant as it is for black slaves. With signs up all around town, the fresh start that Cullen McGrath was looking for in buying some land to begin a new life in America seems to be against him. It doesn't matter that he has plenty of money, no one will do business with him. Armed with the auction listings for farms, he sets out with hope he might be able to convince the owner to sell the property to him before an auction begins and thus secure a home for himself.

For Maggie Linden and her father Gilbert, they need to find a way to pay off the debt on their property or face watching it being auctioned off in the next two weeks. Since the end of the war, families like hers that have owned their land for generations are now watching northerners move in and buy up all the farms leaving them without a way to make a living. Maggie knows if she can convince her father to give her one more shot at racing Bourbon Belle, her thoroughbred mare, she might just win enough to save their property. But with his health failing, Maggie doesn't believe she'll have the time left to do it before the auction or before her father passes on.

When Cullen McGrath appears, her father believes that he is the answer to his prayer. Knowing a good man when he sees him, Cullen offers to pay off the debt on the property and allow Maggie and Gilbert to remain for all long as they have need. But Gilbert knows that once he passes away, Maggie's reputation as a single woman living with a single man would be called into question. The only solution is to have Cullen marry Maggie and offer him a huge reduction in what he was planning on selling the land for. Perhaps they both might benefit if they can only find a way to convince Maggie that their plan is what is best for her. But life isn't that easy!

I received To Win Her Favor by Tamera Alexander compliments of Zondervan Publishing and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of the book for my honest review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is such a beautiful novel because of all the elements that come together to show how much animosity was still prevalent into the nineteenth century and provide historical insight on prejudice. It shows how prejudice will affect not only our lives but our choices  and we see from the characters in this novel how each of them deals with them differently. Well written from a historical perspective I can't wait to see how Tamera will continue this theme in her future novels in the Belle Meade Plantation series to come. Well worth each of the 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about To Win Her Favor, Tamera Alexander, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

To Win Her Favor by Tamera Alexander

You can find Tamera Alexander on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on To Win Her Favor, please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page. 

Can Maggie prove that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the inaugural Peyton Stakes, the richest race ever run in America? Find out in Tamera Alexander's To Win Her Favor. To give her that chance—and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder—Maggie must marry a man she's never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.

Celebrate the release of To Win Her Favor with a Kindle Fire and book giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HD 6
• A copy of To Win Her Favor

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 10th. Winner will be announced May 11th on Tamera's blog. Plus stay tuned for more opportunities to win after May 11 with a special Pinterest contest—more details coming soon!

{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

A Lady at Willowgrove Hall

Ah sometimes the best places to visit are the ones best-selling authors take us to in their novels. For fans of Jane Austen or Downton Abbey, you will absolutely LOVE the Whispers on the Moors series from Sarah E. Ladd. I've been honored to be whisked away as an unseen voyeur watching the lives of the women who encounter life at Willowgrove Hall and the secrets that remain hidden beneath the stone walls there.

A Lady at Willowgrove Hall is the third and hopefully not final novel in the series and it takes us back to Willowgrove Hall once more into the lives of the Trent family who now reside there. Mrs. Trent has fallen ill and now that her lady's companion has gotten married she has requested a suitable replacement. Her letter finds her way to the Rosemere School for Young Ladies in Darbury, England. After spending five years there, Cecily Faire has been asked by the Mrs. Sterling to fulfill the role of the companion for Mrs. Trent. Cecily has been living at Rosemere since her father abandoned her there after learning of her plans to runaway with a man she had fallen in love with at sixteen. She was more than ready to begin a new life, but wondered if she might be able to find the family that had been stolen from her five years ago. Had her father forgiven her after all these years? Perhaps the answers lie within the walls of Willowgrove Hall.

Nathaniel Stanton, the steward of Willowgrove Hall has his own secrets that have been revealed to him by his mother. He has learned that the man he believed was his father wasn't and instead his father had been Mr. Trent who had long passed away. Since Mrs. Trent learned of her husband's indiscretions in their marriage, she had punished Mr. Stanton instead of her husband. That is why they have such a conflicting working relationship and why she condones having him working the estate she is living in. She knows Nathaniel should be the rightful heir, but it is something she had to keep hidden and allow the estate to pass to her nephew instead when she dies. Knowing she doesn't have much time left Mrs. Trent looks forward to spending time with someone instead of living the remainder of her years alone. Her nephew, while still part of the family, is planning his own wedding and is looking forward to the day when he will become the rightful heir to Willowgrove Hall.

I received A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. Traditional regency romance fans will be thrilled at the poetic writing style that Sarah utilizes to take readers back to the early 1800's when romance was still something desired and dreamed about. I absolutely love that she utilizes flaws in Cecily and Nathaniel to make them more believable to readers. You find yourself rallying for both of them in spite of the odds against them. In the darkest places sometimes is where we find the light of hope again. I can only hope that Sarah will continue with the characters her readers have become fans of and this will not be the last novel in the Whispers of the Moors series. Truly worth 5 out of 5 royal stars in this readers heart!

For more information about A Lady at Willowgrove Hall, Sarah E. Ladd or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

You can find Sarah E. Ladd on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Lady at Willowgrove Hall, please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page.

Award-winning author Sarah E. Ladd examines how to escape the clutches of a tainted past in the final installment of her Whispers on the Moor series. A Regency-era novel, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall cleverly shows that even though our pasts may be shameful or painful, God can take the darkest personal histories and turn them into the brightest futures.

Celebrate with Sarah by entering her Kindle HDX giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 2nd. Winner will be announced November 3rd here.

Finding Mercy

Mercy is still trying to figure out just who she is. After finding herself injured and suffering from amnesia, she learns from Captain Elijah Hale, that she served in the Civil War as a Confederate sharpshooter for the South. Knowing nothing more than what Captain Hale conveys to her, she struggles with coming to terms in finding out who she is. She clings to a mercy medallion she was wearing when she woke up, and now goes by the name Mercy. Captain Hale is aware of who Mercy was during the war, because the medallion she was wearing used to belong to him. As Mercy stood trial for the attempted murder of the congressman she was engaged to. After Captain Hale managed to convince the courts that Mercy was innocent of the charges, there were still those that believed she should have hanged.

Now why she pieces together clues from her past on where she might have been raised, she attempts to elude a group of bounty hunters who will stop at nothing to ensure they are paid to bring her back and see her hanged even though she is considered an innocent woman now. Traveling with Captain Hale and Issac, a young slave for a time, she manages to lose them in an effort so find her memories without involving the two people who mean the world to her. However, Mercy's troubles are far from over when she realizes that no one person is an island, and everyone needs help from those you can trust. Out of food and exhausted, Mercy stumbles into a slave camp and begs for something to eat. Since they are just as poor as she is, she consumes the leftover fish a boat tosses nearby. But that soon turns to food poisoning and the only help she can find is Fort Danielson, who is supposed to be manned by the Confederate army, but she is more than surprised to find the Union soldiers have now taken over the fort and its been quite a while since any of them have seen a woman, especially one in the condition she is in.

I received Finding Mercy by Michael Landon Jr and Cindy Kelley compliments of David C. Cook Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This is the sequel to Traces of Mercy and picks up precisely where the first novel left off. Fans of the American Civil War will appreciate the details in this historical novel from the hatred of the Civil War supporters, to the issue dealing with plantation slaves and their respective owners just trying to recover from the war, even though Abraham Lincoln had declared them emancipated and now free. Recovery was difficult for them all and soon Mercy discovers her long lost past isn't what she remembers at all. Will the picture of one man provide the clues she has been searching for or will it merely be another dead end? You'll have to read this one to find out. I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars and is the second novel in the Mercy Medallion Series. There is a great discussion guide for book groups at the end as well as an author note details the role women played in the Civil War.

For more information about Finding Mercy, Michael Landon Jr., Cindy Kelley or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Finding Mercy by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley

You can find Michael Landon Jr. on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels and projects.

You can find Cindy Kelley on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Finding Mercy, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliances book tour page.

The Daughter of Highland Hall

For fans of Downton Abbey and Jane Austen, you might just want to pick up the latest novel to debut in the Edwardian Brides Series from Carrie Turansky, The Daughter of Highland Hall. I've been in love with the characters from this series since picking up the first novel, The Governess of Highland Hall, and had to patiently wait for this one to be published. I was not disappointed. In fact, I took my time with this one knowing the third novel might not be out until fall of 2015, so I had to make it last. Oh, I was in love again with the characters of Kate Ramsey, the cousin of William Ramsey who is the heir to Highland Hall. Readers of the first novel first met Kate as she struggled to rebel against Julia Foster who at the time was her governess. Now she is engaged to be married to William and for Kate, she has come to understand that despite all the appearances of wealth and notoriety, sometimes love is worth more than a title or an inheritance.

Now that Kate is finally ready for her presentation into society, her sponsor Louisa is doing all she can to ensure that Kate finds a suitable husband that will allow her a much sought after marriage to the right man. But as hard as Kate tries to appease what others think is the best for her, she can't help but to be drawn to Jon Foster, Julia's brother who is working on becoming a doctor in London's East End. Here life is the far extreme from anything Kate has seen, where the poor out populate the rich, and where orphans and widows struggle to find enough to eat and place to sleep at night. Kate struggles to understand the conflict within her heart as she watches those of elite spend lavishly on banquets and parties while those just blocks from them don't have enough to seek proper health care. Jon works with the local doctor to offer a light in this dark places at Daystar clinic, a place where you simply have to pay what you can afford to get seen by a doctor. In the time, that Kate volunteers there with Jon, she finds something that warms more than her heart. A calling on her life and one that goes in complete conflict with what her Aunt Louisa would desire for her.

When the family name is suddenly cast in an unfavorable light due to the actions of William's brother, David, soon Kate realizes how society views those who are related to the news. Even though Kate isn't the one involved, it is merely being judged as guilty by association and all of Kate's social invitations grow cold in the wake of the investigation. Will God reveal Himself to Kate in the presence of things that are transpiring in her life to put a call on her heart that is more than what she could dream for herself and her future? Only time will tell and the results just might surprise you in the end.

I received The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I absolutely LOVED this novel in part because the characters are so believable. I found myself relating to Kate the most, and wondering how society would react if someone of her social standing suddenly walked away from it all for love. Carrie's writing is superb and gains the respect and favor of traditional regency fans! Now I will simply have to deal with waiting another year for A Refuge at Highland Hall. Not sure what Carrie has planned, but if these two novels are any indicator, it will definitely be a huge success. Hands down another stellar 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. Just what you would expect in any novel dealing with the Edwardian era, romance and high society among the elite.

For more information about The Daughter of Highland Hall, Carrie Turansky, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

You can find Carrie Turansky on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Daughter of Highland Hall, please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page.

Through the Deep Waters Giveaway

I don't know of anyone who doesn't like getting something for free and for me, that is free books!

So when I was approached to offer a giveaway of Kim Vogel Sawyer's book, Through the Deep Waters, I literally jumped at the chance.

For those who truly love historical romances that are Christian based, you will definitely want to take part in this one. I loved this novel and you can read my review about it here

To enter this giveaway is super simple. Just fill out the form by clicking on the link below in this blog post. That's all there is too it. You will be notified by Waterbrook Multnomah direct if you are the lucky winner of this book giveaway.

This giveaway opportunity has begun and it will end on August 20th. The winner will be chosen randomly on August 21st from those who have completed the form. That's all there is to it!

To complete the form and enter this giveaway, please click here.  

For more information about Through The Deep Waters, please visit Waterbrook Multnomah's website.

In The Field of Grace

If you have read some of the stories of the Bible, you get a broad sense of what happened. But like so many times we are missing some of the finer points, the motivations and those are found in the details. My newest favorite genre this year is Biblical Fiction. Taking a story we all know and love straight from the Bible and enhancing the details of 'what could of been!' It is never meant to take the place of those beloved stories but simply a way I believe to draw you deeper. To bring you right in the forefront of the action and make you believe you are there actually witnessing the events.

This is my second novel from author Tessa Afshar, and with it comes the retelling of the story of Ruth. If you are familiar with the story than you know that Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, decides to return to Israel after losing both of her sons. But before deciding to uproot Ruth from her own family roots, she relives her of any burden to stay with her along her to journey back to her home. Ruth vows that no matter what happens in life, she will always stay by Naomi side and so begins their adventure to Naomi's home. We learn that the harvest has been plentiful and even gleaners, are having success with picking up enough left over grain that they will not go hungry. Ruth decides to venture out to take care of their needs and finds her way into the fields of Boaz.

She first has to learn how to glean and being a Moabite woman, she is considered an outcast in town. With no one to help her, she decides to linger behind and take the leftovers if she can find them. But soon she garners the attention of Boaz, the owner of the field, who is smitten with her looks as well as her quiet presence. When he learns she is the daughter of Naomi, his cousin, he realizes he must offer to help but not in the way to embarrass her. He warns his men to offer her protection while working in his fields and to ensure that each day, she takes home more than enough to feed them both.

While they are both learning lessons along the way, dealing with grief, accepting God's will in both of their lives, and slowly falling in love along the way, we can see the same example being laid out before each of us. How God so lovingly romances all of us and shows us in innumerable ways just how much He loves us. I love the part of the novel where Boaz it trying to describe what the world is like to an unborn baby and he gets a lesson from God in the process in dealing with the grief and loss Boaz feels when he loses his wife Judith and their unborn child.

"Then the Lord asked me, 'Do you think he understands? Do you think he knows what your world is like now?'
"No, Lord,' I replied, 'How could he? He only knows his mother's womb. His world is too small. I could use every word the world has to offer and he would still not perceive our world. He has to be in it to understand it.'
"'No more can you understand My kingdom,' He said to me. 'No more can you perceive where your wife and daughter and newborn son reside now. Yet that world is no less real than your own.'" (pg 124).

I received In the Field of Grace by Tessa Afshar compliments of River North Publishing and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own unless otherwise notated. This is such a beautiful love story not only between Ruth and Boaz but also between God and us.. There are just so many wonderful take aways from this novel I simply can't list them all. For those that have experienced loss and are looking for answers, I would encourage you to check out this novel and then follow it up with the story of Ruth from the Bible. It simply is breath-taking and full of life in many ways. I easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to go back and pick up the other novels Tessa has written that I haven't been blessed to enjoy yet.

For more information about In the Field of Grace, Tessa Afshar or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

In the Field of Grace by Tessa Afshar

You can also find Tessa Afshar on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on In Field of Grace, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance's book tour page. 

Beneath a Navajo Moon

For as long as I can remember I love reading about the Native American people, their cultures and their love for the land and for the living things that dwell on the earth. Lisa Carter has taken this aspect, combining both contemporary and historical storylines to produce an amazing murder mystery and a bit of romance in her latest novel Beneath a Navajo Moon.

Cultural anthropologist Erin Dawson has been following the story of Olivia Thornton, from 1906 through her journal that captures a time from her life when she was taken captive by an Navajo Indian known as Silver Eagle. What she discovers is that this started out as a kidnapping but instead love was found. Despite the fact that Olivia's family tried to discourage her from reuniting with Silver Eagle, she made an attempt to find him at all costs when marriages between white women and Indians were frowned upon. Erin knows that there is more to this story that what is in the journal and she is going to do everything she can to unlock the mystery.

What she doesn't plan on is falling for tribal policeman Adam Silverhorn. He is in the process of investigating the murder of the chief of police in Cedar Canyon on the Navajo Reservation. Armed with a handful of clues he's been learning more about an undercover operation that has been threading its way through the police department and even he has his own secrets to hide. The one thing he hadn't planned on is becoming friends with Erin in the process and with them spending more time together, he has to remind himself where the boundaries of their relationship are, despite her uncanny ability to appeal to his appetite for a great meal!

I received Beneath a Navajo Moon by Lisa Carter compliments of Abingdon Press for my honest review and did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable one. The opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is such a great novel because of how Lisa has written this from two perspectives, one from Olivia Thornton's as she comes to terms with being kidnapped by a Navajo Indian who wants to learn more about the God she believes in and from Erin's perspective as she tries to figure out what happened to Olivia when she set forth to find the man she had fallen in love with despite the prejudices from both families based on their cultural differences. It is a great example of the power of love and how nothing can stand in the way. For anyone who loves a bit of mystery steep in Indian heritage, you will definitely love this one. I easily give it a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Beneath a Navajo Moon, Lisa Carter or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Beneath a Navajo Moon by Lisa Carter

You can also find Lisa Carter on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Beneath a Navajo Moon, please visit Abingdon Press' website.