Maybelle in Stitches

We all know about women being employed at factories during World War II as an effort to help do whatever they could to enable their men to come home from the war as soon as possible. For Maybelle Kazinski, she is doing her part as a welder in Sun Shipyard, getting ships ready to aid in the war effort. She had only been married for a couple of days to Holden before he was called to report for duty, but it was worth it to know that he would have her waiting for him when he returned, if he returned at all. It seems like the waiting was truly the hardest part and even though working for six days helped to pass the time, she would cringe whenever the doorbell rang expecting the worst.

She just wasn't prepared for that dreaded feeling in the pit of her stomach to take the life of her mother, Francine and leave her alone. She had lost her father earlier and besides Roger, one of her mother's boarders who also worked at Sun Shipyard who she had come to see as a brother of sort, she had no more family left. Her only consolation was her best friend Doris who also had a husband serving overseas. Between the two of them, they did what they could to encourage each other that the war would be over soon and their men would come home.

But life isn't always sunshine and roses! Fate intervenes when we least expect it and for Maybelle it would be when the doorbell rings and a yellow telegram is delivered. The only good thing about the news it contained was that Holden wasn't killed but simply missing in action. But for Maybelle it seemed to be her undoing. On the heels of her mother's death and Holden's MIA telegram she had to find something to keep time from crawling along. When she discovers a crazy quilt of scraps her mother was making as a surprise for her and Holden for Christmas, Doris decides to convince Maybelle that they should finish it. But Maybelle isn't exactly what you would called skilled at sewing or cooking for that matter. Her high school sewing project involved her sewing the zipper of her dress into the neck area instead. Something that is still laughed about between her and Doris. But at least it will help to pass the time between working and sewing.

I received Maybelle in Stitches by Joyce Magnin compliments of Abingdon Press 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. This is the 16th novel in the Quilts of Love Series and one that can be read as a stand alone as each talented author takes their turn at telling a story with the quilt at the centerpiece. Joyce appealed to not only the romance lover in my heart but to WWII lover as well. I loved the background story she researched about women working in the shipyards as welders for Sun Shipyard which she includes at the conclusion of this novel. It makes it so rich to read how difficult it was waiting for men to come home from the war not knowing if they would ever see them again. Hands down this one rates a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Maybelle in Stitches, Joyce Magnin or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Maybelle in Stitches by Joyce Magnin

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

To read more reviews on Maybelle in Stitches, please visit Litfuse Publicity Book Tour Page.

Don’t miss the newest Quilts of Love book, Maybelle in Stitches, by Joyce Magnin. Maybelle can’t sew. But when she finds an unfinished quilt in the attic of her mother’s house, she gets the crazy idea to complete it.

Joyce is celebrating the release with a $200 Modcloth giveaway. Enter today for a chance to spruce up your spring wardrobe!

  One winner will receive:

• A $200 ModCloth.com gift card
• Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron
• A Sky Without Stars by Linda S. Clare
• Maybelle in Stitches by Joyce Magnin

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 19th. Winner will be announced on April 21st on the Quilts of Love blog!

Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER.

Maybelle in Stitches

We all know about women being employed at factories during World War II as an effort to help do whatever they could to enable their men to come home from the war as soon as possible. For Maybelle Kazinski, she is doing her part as a welder in Sun Shipyard, getting ships ready to aid in the war effort. She had only been married for a couple of days to Holden before he was called to report for duty, but it was worth it to know that he would have her waiting for him when he returned, if he returned at all. It seems like the waiting was truly the hardest part and even though working for six days helped to pass the time, she would cringe whenever the doorbell rang expecting the worst.

She just wasn't prepared for that dreaded feeling in the pit of her stomach to take the life of her mother, Francine and leave her alone. She had lost her father earlier and besides Roger, one of her mother's boarders who also worked at Sun Shipyard who she had come to see as a brother of sort, she had no more family left. Her only consolation was her best friend Doris who also had a husband serving overseas. Between the two of them, they did what they could to encourage each other that the war would be over soon and their men would come home.

But life isn't always sunshine and roses! Fate intervenes when we least expect it and for Maybelle it would be when the doorbell rings and a yellow telegram is delivered. The only good thing about the news it contained was that Holden wasn't killed but simply missing in action. But for Maybelle it seemed to be her undoing. On the heels of her mother's death and Holden's MIA telegram she had to find something to keep time from crawling along. When she discovers a crazy quilt of scraps her mother was making as a surprise for her and Holden for Christmas, Doris decides to convince Maybelle that they should finish it. But Maybelle isn't exactly what you would called skilled at sewing or cooking for that matter. Her high school sewing project involved her sewing the zipper of her dress into the neck area instead. Something that is still laughed about between her and Doris. But at least it will help to pass the time between working and sewing.

I received Maybelle in Stitches by Joyce Magnin compliments of Abingdon Press 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. This is the 16th novel in the Quilts of Love Series and one that can be read as a stand alone as each talented author takes their turn at telling a story with the quilt at the centerpiece. Joyce appealed to not only the romance lover in my heart but to WWII lover as well. I loved the background story she researched about women working in the shipyards as welders for Sun Shipyard which she includes at the conclusion of this novel. It makes it so rich to read how difficult it was waiting for men to come home from the war not knowing if they would ever see them again. Hands down this one rates a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Maybelle in Stitches, Joyce Magnin or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Maybelle in Stitches by Joyce Magnin

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

To read more reviews on Maybelle in Stitches, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance's book tour page.

Blame It On Mistletoe

The elderly residents of Greenbrier's Nursing Home are simply up to no good! No good in the eyes of the residents of Bright Pond that is. Now that Hattie Grace who is almost ninety years old is now riding a tricyle like a three year old, and another couple is kissing like teenagers under the newly built gazebo on the property. Just what is really going on?

As Police Chief Mildred Blessing attempts to investigate all the angles on this strange dilemma, along with the nursing home doctor, they believe that someone is putting something in the food or water that the nursing home residents are drinking. Ever since Leon Fontaine has come to town and begin building things around Bright Pond, the residents here, are now acting a whole lot stranger than normal.

In the novel, Blame It On Mistletoe by Joyce Magnin, the reader is introduced to some of the quirky residents living in Bright Pond. From a beloved woman named Ruth who is prepared to out do all the previous Thanksgiving festivities that have been hosted at others homes, by offering a Thanksgiving Tropical Luau and making it definitely one that will be talked about for years to come.

Griselda is at her wit's end trying to decide if she is in love with Zeb, the diner's chief cook extraordinaire or her new aviation teacher, Cliff. Now if only she could discover what love really means while both are doing their very best to try and impress her.

I received Blame It On Mistletoe by Joyce Magnin compliments Abingdon Press for my honest review and did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.  This novel  is just perfect for not just Christmas but anytime. You can't help but fall in love with the amusing characters of Joyce Magnin's Bright Pond series, and this one is no exception! I rate this one a classical 5 out of 5 Christmas stars! This is the 4th book in the Bright Pond Series!For more information on this book, the author, a first chapter sneak peek and where to purchase a copy of this book, click on the link below:

Blame It On Mistletoe by Joyce Magnin

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

To read more reviews on Blame It On Mistletoe, please visit Abingdon Press' website. 

Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus

What do you do when you look back at the last 72 years of your life and realize you're not getting any younger? The only time you've ever gone anywhere was to the Jersey shore on vacation. Now that she has lost a bet with her son Henry and his wife Prudence over an accident at Christmas, Harriet is forced to sell her home and move in with them. After all, it's apparent to them, you can't be left to care for yourself all alone. Yet rather than jump aboard a plane and head for Grass Valley, CA on their terms, you do what Harriet Beamer does.

You plan a road trip.

From Pennsylvania to California.

Seeing whatever it is you've wanted to see before you die taking whatever means necessary except for a plane if she can help it. Once she has secured her faithful companion, Humphrey, her Basset Hound on board a plane headed to California, she is ready to begin. And with Harriet, that begins with a bus. Not a Greyhound bus mind you but a local public bus and see how far it will take her. Unfortunately for her, it only goes as far as the University, but since she's never seen that, she takes a walk around the campus before heading off on another bus.

Harriet's goal is not only in seeing the sights she feels she has missed in her 72 years of living, but also to prove to herself and her family that she isn't as incapable in caring for herself as they think she is. The journey that the reader is invited along with Harriet is memorable, fun and often times sobering as she meets with people from all walks of life. She finds herself offering invaluable wisdom to the people she engages with, names her GPS application within her Droid phone, Amelia, and continues collecting her salt and pepper shakers as she journeys to California, one bus, one train, one memorable journey at a time.



I received Harriet Beamer Takes The Bus by Joyce Magnin compliments of Shelton Interactive and Zondervan Publishers for my honest review. I LOVED this adorable story because it relates to a situation close to my own heart where an elderly woman living alone was asked to sell her own home because they felt she couldn't care for herself and live with them. I would have loved to see her have as much gumption as Harriet Beamer did and take life by the reins and ride it for the best time of her life. I rate this novel a 5 out of 5 stars and it truly shows in the character of Harriet Beamer that age is just a number, and life is truly worth living to the final moment! Oh and Harriet, if you need a place to stay while your traveling on through, give me a call, I'd love to have you stop on by!

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

Harriet Beamer Takes The Bus by Joyce Magnin

Blame It On Mistletoe

The elderly residents of Greenbrier's Nursing Home are simply up to no good! No good in the eyes of the residents of Bright Pond that is. Now that Hattie Grace who is almost ninety years old is now riding a tricyle like a three year old, and another couple is kissing like teenagers under the newly built gazebo on the property. Just what is really going on?

As Police Chief Mildred Blessing attempts to investigate all the angles on this strange dilemma, along with the nursing home doctor, they believe that someone is putting something in the food or water that the nursing home residents are drinking. Ever since Leon Fontaine has come to town and begin building things around Bright Pond, the residents here, are now acting a whole lot stranger than normal.

In the novel, Blame It On Mistletoe by Joyce Magnin, the reader is introduced to some of the quirky residents living in Bright Pond. From a beloved woman named Ruth who is prepared to out do all the previous Thanksgiving festivities that have been hosted at others homes, by offering a Thanksgiving Tropical Luau and making it definitely one that will be talked about for years to come.

Griselda is at her wit's end trying to decide if she is in love with Zeb, the diner's chief cook extraordinaire or her new aviation teacher, Cliff. Now if only she could discover what love really means while both are doing their very best to try and impress her.

I received this book on my Kindle compliments of Net Galley and Abingdon Press for my honest review and this one is just perfect for not just Christmas but anytime. You can't help but fall in love with the amusing characters of Joyce Magnin's Bright Pond series, and this one is no exception! I rate this one a classical 5 out of 5 Christmas stars! For more information on this book, the author, a first chapter sneak peek and where to purchase a copy of this book, click on the link below:

Blame It On Mistletoe by Joyce Magnin