The Heart Between Us

When you think about it medical technology has come a long way in the way of being able to offer patients the ability to have a heart transplant. The one thing sustaining life within all of us can at any time and without any reason, suddenly stop working. There isn't a reset button or the ability to power cycle a human being like we can with technology but to take a once beating heart from one person and transplant it in someone else is truly a miracle in of itself.

Megan Jacobs is just such a person. Struggling with growing up her entire life watching the life she wished she could have be lived out in her twin Crystal. She had to be the one carefully watched by not only her friends but her family who understood the implications of living with a weak heart. Who could fault any of them for wanting to make sure she didn't overexert herself trying to play sports, the one who spent most of her time in hospital beds than her own. Who could even blame Megan for wanting everything she felt denied to her all because of something she was born with and couldn't change.

This would be a pattern that would set itself up for both girls during their adult life as well. Megan would remain the secluded single girl taking the only job that offered no health risks, a librarian while her sister gets the perfect life of following her dreams and starting her own family. Yet when she is given the opportunity of a life time to receive a donor heart from a young girl named Amanda, she wants to make a connection to know who the girl was that lost her life so she could have a chance at another one for herself. Amanda's parents gift her with a journal in which Amanda wrote a Bucket List of all the things she wished she could have done but unfortunately never had the time to do. Megan finds that she can gift them both by following her dream to travel and visit the places Amanda always wished she could go. But will she be able to convince her parents to let up on the tight reins that have kept over her life to allow her to live the new one God had blessed her with?

I received The Heart Between Us by Lindsay Harrel compliments of TLC Book Tours and Thomas Nelson Publishers. I absolutely LOVE this novel because it conveys so many of the emotions one can feel being on both sides of the fence. To love a daughter enough you'd do anything to keep her safe, and for the one who wants to experience all life has to offer even if it only lasts just one more day. Will Amanda's heart heal more than just one person in the process at giving Megan a new start at a life she could only dream about before? Pick this one up to find out. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars in this reader's opinion.

For more information about The Heart Between Us, Lindsay Harrel or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Heart Between Us by Lindsay Harrel

You can find Lindsay Harrel on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

To read more reviews on The Heart Between Us, please visit TLC's Book Tour page. 

The Man He Never Was

There is only one novel of James L. Rubart's I haven't read and I will correct that very soon. However to understand his style of writing, it is not going to be something you can easily figure out like most novels. Most of his take the reader on a journey that may have not been expecting and with that I believe comes a greater understanding that we share similar qualities with the characters he pens to life in his novels.

The Man He Never Was is exactly like that. You have the main character Toren Daniels who mysteriously wakes up in a hotel room with no recollection of why he is there. He believed he went bed beside his wife in his own home, but that is not what has happened, nor will he like what he is about to discover. Eight months of his life have completely vanished without a trace. He has no memory other than the rage he used to have to contend with is no longer present in his life, leaving his with a calming peace in places where only there used to be burning rage and anger. His only clue is a mysterious package that arrives, telling him that the anger that has robbed him not only of his chance with the NFL but also with his family.

He vaguely remembers that anger as it seems that he is looking outside of the former person he was and all he knows from those he talks with is he apparently wrote a suicide note, and vanished into thin air, leaving people to believe he followed through on his threat. Even his wife and children have moved on and his wife is now in love with someone else. Through vague recollections and pieces of what might have occurred he struggles to get back what he has lost, without losing himself to the former man he was. Using the examples of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, along with the Hulk, Toren believes he may have been experimented on, giving some kind of mind altering drink but as he feels that peace and contentment slipping away, he knows he is running out of time and the dark beast within is threatening to become unleashed again.

I received The Man He Never Was by James L. Rubart compliments of TLC Book Tours and Thomas Nelson Publishers. There are so many spins in this novel that unless you are familiar with James' work you might just get lost before you settle in and wait for the outcome. Most often than we'd like to admit, there is a bit of darkness in all of us. Some can make peace with it while keeping it under control and there are others that allow it to dominate the person they become and in the process are lost like children who can't find their way home. "Henry Jekyll says that he and every other man and woman is not truly one, but truly two, and he sees the human soul as the ultimate battleground of our lives - one part of us an angel and the other a demon, both struggling for mastery and destruction of the other." You'll have to see what you get from this when you finish, but for me, another well done masterpiece. There is even a reader's discussion guide included which would make this a great novel for book clubs. For me, another well deserved 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Man He Never Was, James L. Rubart or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Man He Never Was by James L. Rubart

You can find James L. Rubart on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Man He Never Was, please visit TLC Book Tour page. 

The View From Rainshadow Bay

Just read the first two pages.

If you can manage to put the novel down after that and decide you have other things to do instead, I would have to check to see if you are still breathing. Of course, for me, I didn't realize I was holding my breath as I read those first two pages. What begins as a full adrenaline rush with the prologue beginning of The View From Rainshadow Bay, the latest novel from Colleen Coble in her Lavender Tides Series. She is truly one talented author in her ability to jump seamlessly from one genre to another without breaking a sweat.

In what marks the beginning of a new trilogy, suspense and murder mystery fans will want to jump on this series. The books opens quickly with a murder that will connect itself into the storyline that begins with what has happened a year later. We need that to help connect the dots to what happened earlier and why that would be so relevant to the characters we meet in the novel. Shauna McDade finds herself working through the recent loss of her husband Jack in a climbing incident, and one for which she holds Zach Bannister responsible as his best friend. Now she is forced to make her way as a single parent to her five year old son, as a helicopter charter pilot, using the skills she learned in the Navy. The last thing she needs is another loss on her plate and she will do whatever she can to make ends meet financially.

But like all great novels, things are about to get messy and complicated, when her business partner is murdered and leaving behind a message that Shauna and her son are in danger as well. Of course, now is when you have to learn to release your breath again, because things have just increased to put Shauna and her son at risk while they try to uncover what it is that is causing them to both be the focal point of a murder threat. She will have to learn to trust Zach again if she hopes to keep her son alive, despite all the threats that are now beginning to appear.

I received The View From Rainshadow Bay by Colleen Coble compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and TLC Book Tours. I guess you could say I am hooked and I love both a complex mystery to engage my brain, because I try to piece together my own clues to figure it out before the ending of the book. The intensity between Shauna and Zach is crazy because you have Zach trying so hard to make amends for the guilt he feels for Jack's death, and he also has to win over Shauna's trust to allow him to help her, even when she is fighting against her own personal feelings towards him. Let's just say I know you will LOVE how this one all plays out in the end. Well worth all 5 out of 5 stars in this reader's opinion.

For more information about The View From Rainshadow Bay, Colleen Coble or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The View From Rainshadow Bay by Colleen Coble

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

To read more reviews on The View From Rainshadow Bay, please visit TLC Book Tour's page. 

Steal Away Home

I've been in love with Billy Coffey's ability to weave a story so well, that you are instantly transported from wherever you are to wherever he decides to take you. He has a way with words that goes beyond what one can describe except to say that it is a true gift to spin such a story, it make you wonder if there isn't a nugget of truth in there somewhere and he is taking you back to one of his memories so you can see it like he did. I've had the delight to read each and every single novel he has written and they all come with a uniqueness that you are picking up something sacred. I've been reading his short stories through his blog for years and was thrilled when he began to write novels.

You can sense that good ol' boy charm gleaned from the words that spill forth from the pages of his latest, Steal Away Home. I knew at some point in time we would see a story about Billy's love of baseball and feel this one is definitely a home run. One needs to understand something when you read one of his novels. They are all different in a sense that he is taking readers to often times, unexplored places within the character's mind to see things the way they did. In this novel it is through the eyes of Owen Cross, who like most young boys dreamed that one day he might make it to the big league spending childhood summers playing ball in sandlots with his friends. His natural ability is captivated upon by his father who watched his own dreams of making it into major league baseball slip away with a shoulder injury and now pushes Owen to the big dreams.

The one thing competing with Owen is a young girl who has captured his heart much like baseball did. He hopes that when it makes it big, he will be able to pull Micky along with him and rescue her from the life of being a less-than living among the small community of Mattingly, mostly being what the upper classes would consider plain white trash. But Owen sees the same thing in her that his dad sees in him, the opportunity for so much more than they could even dream. The novel toggles back and forth from Owen's childhood and his time with Micky, to the current day where he is making a debut of sorts in the big league, filling in if needed. The story is magical in the sense that you feel like you're Owen, the struggles he faces when people try and keep him and Micky apart, the differences in their upbringing and the outcome of the future for them both.

I received Steal Away Home by Billy Coffey compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and TLC Book Tours. This is such a beautiful story and I wasn't sure how receptive I would be of one involving a baseball player, but then movies like A League of Their Own and For the Love of the Game. It reminds you that times were simple in those days. Baseball was the epitome of technology and it is what drew people together for a common cause, to root for their team. I love the way Billy crafted this story in taking me back to those days of his childhood and how the decisions he made affect his future in ways no one could predict. Once again this one will sit like a priceless treasure in my own personal library and I can say it is getting full. Well down for hitting a grand slam in this novel and deserving of all 5 out of 5 stars in this reader's opinion.

For more information about Steal Away Home, Billy Coffey or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Steal Away Home by Billy Coffey

You can find Billy Coffey on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on Steal Away Home, please visit TLC Book Tour page. 

To Wager Her Heart

Sylas Ruthledge has more than just a bit of a dilemma to face. Coming from a start up railroad company in Colorado to the Belle Meade Plantation of Tennessee, he finds himself out of his element. His is missing out on all the Southern genteel ways that might cause him to lose out on his bid to expand his railroad territory all on account of not being like all the other wealthy bidders. To call him an outcast is mild in comparison to some. The other thing that keeps him from being looked upon favorably is that his father was responsible for the death of more than a hundred souls when two railroad engines collided at Dutchman's Curve. He knows his father couldn't have been responsible because he knows what an experienced engineer he was. Now while in Tennessee he hopes he can find a way to clear his father's name.

His only help might just come from his most least likely of places. When Alexandra Jamison is forced by her wealthy socialite family to marry a man she clearly could never love, she is given an ultimatum by her father. If she refuses to marry a man as old as her father, she can find someplace else to live and with that it means she leaves everything behind including all her personal belongings. She will walk out the door with only the clothes on her back. The good thing is that she has managed to secure a job as a teacher for Fisk University, which teaches the Freedmen and women how to read and write among other things, but the pay isn't that good to allow her to purchase some things she will need along with at least more clothes.

So Sylas and Alexandra make a partnership that will benefit them both. She agrees to help teach Sylas the ins and outs of good business dealings as long as he isn't underhanded in his approach. She also agrees that once he obtains new information into the cause of the train accident, he will share what he learns with her. She lost her financè in that crash, while she managed to survive. Even though it goes against what she wants, she knows that without any money, or help, she might be forced to return home and beg for her families help. So she will assist him only until she can get back on her feet and get paid.

I received To Wager Her Heart by Tamera Alexander compliments of Zondervan Publishers and TLC Book Tours. This is the third novel in the Belle Meade Plantation series and if you love anything from that sweet Southern history with a refreshing romance mixed in, you will definitely want to pick up this novel. Alexandra's character is a spitfire, like a bit of Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With The Wind. She isn't about to forced to do anything that isn't what is in her heart even if it flies in the face of Southern society. I love her strong determination to keep Sylas at bay, even though she finds herself drawn to man who will do anything to win her heart in the most genteel and southernly ways! Definitely a 5 out of 5 stars in this readers opinion.

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

To Wager Her Heart 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 Wager Her Heart, please visit TLC's Book Tour Page. 

Bounty Hunter

One of my favorite jobs in the police force has to be the K-9 unit. As an animal lover I would love a job working with a dog and being in sync with them they are part of who you are. Then again, I would hate to think of sending a dog into a situation where they might not make it out alive, thus saving yours. I don't think I could do it. However if you pick up the series of books through the Love Inspired Suspense division from Harlequin, you might just want to pick up Bounty Hunter by Lynette Eason, book 4 of the Classified K-9 Unit.

In each book, they go deeper into the lives of the team of classified K-9 handlers working together as a team to locate one of their own, Jake Morrow, whom they believe may have been kidnapped by a local crime syndicate or acting as a double agent. They have had no luck with following up the tips they have been receiving lately until a random call from a bounty hunter, Riley Martelli who has been shot at by the man they've been trying to find.

When the K-9 unit arrives, FBI Special Agent Harper Prentiss and her dog Star are the first to talk with Riley. At first the team is unsure of his motives, especially when he seems eager to collect the $100,000 reward money leading the capture of Jake Morrow. So Harper follows him and learns that Riley needs the money to pay for his nephew's medical bills after being shot by his father Van Blackwell, who murder Riley's sister and left Asher, his nephew in his custody and now care. He has a bullet wedged along his spine and until he has surgery, he can't walk. So between helping the FBI catch Jake, he is also following his own pursuit to find and bring Van Blackwell to justice, if he doesn't kill Riley first.

I received Bounty Hunter by Lynette Eason compliments of Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense and TLC Book Tours. This is a pocket paperback which means you can take this book anywhere to catch up on this suspense adventure and trust me, there is NEVER a dull moment. I can't wait to read the entire series and readers even get a chance to get a sneak peek at Book 5, Body Guard at the conclusion of this one. I really love the tight knit family of FBI K-9 handlers because they work so well together and even manage to aid Riley in his own endeavors when one of their own is threatened. I love how it all wraps up in the end on one hand but gets you ready for the next adventure on the other. Trust me, murder mystery lovers and animal lovers will want to pick this one up. I give this a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Bounty Hunter, Lynette Eason or where you can pick up a copy of Bounty Hunter today, please click on the links below:

Bounty Hunter by Lynette Eason

You can find Lynette Eason on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Bounty Hunter, please visit TLC's Book Tour page. 

Beneath Copper Falls

Have you ever stayed up so late at night to finish a book? Perhaps even trying everything to keep your eye open including holding them open? Well that was my summary of how I spent last night as I began Beneath Copper Falls by Colleen Coble. Just the first three pages had my interest and I knew I was in for an adrenaline rush before my night was over. And yes, even as midnight approached I knew I had to finish this one. I had to know what was going to happen, I mean who can nod off to sleep while your characters fate hung in the balance, not knowing if they were going to live or die?

Yup.

Me again.

Dana Newell was married after thinking she had found the perfect guy. But as we all know, there is no such things as the perfect guy. When all the warning sounds are going off around you, but you still believe you were meant to be. I mean she meet Garret through her brother Chris, when attending one of his military parties. They were good friends. She loved how focused on her he was never looking away and making her feel like she was the only one in the room for him. After countless threats, beatings and fearing for her life, she knew she had to escape. So she waited for her shift as a 911 operator to end, and she made her way back home to Washington, where her brother Chris was waiting for her. She knew he wouldn't let anything happen to her.

She even managed to score another job working as a 911 dispatcher and soon life would be perfect. She knew that Garret would know she went back to her hometown, but Dana felt that with so many people she knew looking out for her that she would be safe. At least until she began to see signs that Garret was back and he was going to make sure Dana would come home with him, even if it meant taking out those who stood in his way, one by one. She finds solace and comfort in Boone Carter, a former smoke jumper who was badly burned and found that true love doesn't exist. At least when his fianceè left him when she saw his face. Now he knows that no one can love him for who he really is, when all they can see is his scars. But even though Dana may not have visible scars, she still has them and soon her and Boone work together to ensure that Dana can defend herself if Garret gets too close. But will Boone become Garret's next target instead?

I received Beneath Copper Falls by Colleen Coble compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and TLC Book Tours. This was one of the best murder mysteries I have read because one I was engaged I never wanted to turn my back on the action jumping off of the pages. It was heart-stopping, page turning, and trying to convince my eyes to read faster so I could know how it turns out. I love the interactions between Dana and Boone and love their friendship! That so many of us focus on what we see in people without getting to truly know them, but its on the inside the counts so much more. As the years go by and we age, we better hope that what we loved about someone is more than just skin deep! I wanted so much more and now will take a trip to my local library or book store to get all the Rock Harbor series novels. This is book 6 in the series! Who knew I could love a genre as much as I did this one! 5 out of 5 stars for keeping me wide awake til I finished and wanting more!!! A Discussion Guide is included for book clubs at the conclusion of this novel.

For more information about Beneath Copper Falls, Colleen Coble or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Beneath Copper Falls by Colleen Coble

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

To read more reviews on Beneath Copper Falls, please visit TLC's Book Tour page.

Their Pretend Amish Courtship

Fanny Erb wasn't looking for a husband. She was pretty set on what her future looked like and as long as it let her continue to work with horses, she was fine staying single. But as any Amish woman knows, marriage is something to all women should look forward to as well as beginning a family. But Fanny is different from all the other Amish women. Without a potential husband in the near future, her Mamm believes she could go to Florida to help out her ailing grandparents. Without any ties to her community aside from working with the English woman and her horses, Fanny has no excuse.

Noah Bowman dreams that one day his passion for baseball will be his future. Unfortunately as the last single men living in his parents home, they have made small concessions since he hasn't joined the church to allow him to participate in the local communities games as a pitcher. He believes his God-given talent shouldn't be wasted especially if he is offered a position on a professional team. When Fanny shows up at his door with a crazy proposal to pretend to court her, he refuses immediately. He knows it is dishonest and despite how well they both have things in common, he views Fanny as more of a friend than ever entertaining the notion she would one day be his wife.

When Noah learns that his mother and sisters have begun making plans for him to attend singings and picnics to meet new Amish girls, he wonders how far-fetched Fanny's plan really is. Yet when his mother demands he give up his baseball games, he knows he will do whatever it takes to continue in his passion of playing baseball. Who knows this way perhaps Fanny gets to stay home from Florida and continue working with the horses and he can continue to play baseball. Sounds like a perfect plan and they believe they have everything figured out, or have they?

I received Their Pretend Amish Courtship by Patricia Davids compliments of Harlequin Love Inspired and TLC Book Tours. From the beginning you could see where this would go, but the humor that accompanies trying to live out a life that begins as pretends soon forces them to see the things that they believe separate them are the very things that weave them together. It is entertaining from the reader's perspective to see just how this year will go and what kind of hoops these two will have to jump through. Will they keep their passions or will they be forced to give up the Amish lifestyle they have been raised with? You'll just have to read this one to find out. I'd give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and is a quick read at 220 pages. This is the fourth book in the Amish Bachelor's series.

For more information about Their Pretend Amish Courtship, Patricia Davids or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

Their Pretend Amish Courtship by Patricia Davids

You can find Patricia Davids on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Their Pretend Amish Courtship, please visit TLC Book Tour's page. 

Ascension of Larks

I can't imagine living a life loving someone who loves you back but whom you can never truly be with. That is the life of Maggie Henry who spent her college years with her best friend Lena and Marco Firelli. A truer friendship none could find anywhere. Maggie was a talented photographer who has been gifted with the opportunity to travel all over the world showing the world what life looked like someplace else. Marco was so much like Maggie, craving the lime light of success as a budding architect who dreamed one day to have it all, a successful self made business and a wife and family. Maggie and Marco were so alike that is seemed natural that they would be a power couple, but soon it dawned on Maggie that Marco wasn't willing to settle for someone so much like himself that they would burn one another out. So he married Lena and broke Maggie's heart.

While he built a family and a business, Maggie stayed gone for as long as it would take for her heart to mend. Unfortunately it never would and soon, she found herself spending more time alone and leaving her truest friends behind. Just as she was about to finish up a photo shoot abroad, Lena calls her to tell her Marco is dead. A tragic accident that has left Lena and her three children all alone. Of course, Maggie heads back to San Juan Island to figure out just what happened and to help manage things for Lena while she struggles with her own grief. Unwilling to admit and acknowledge the death of her husband, Lena spends all her time, baking, canning and creating to keep the present day from dawning on her doorstep. Maggie knew that people needed their own way to grieve and when Lena woke up one morning, said goodbye and walked out the door, Maggie just assumed she was running errands. She never expected for Lena to attempt to take her own life driving her car into a wall hoping to put an end to the pain. Now locked away from her pain in a coma, Maggie works with Ellen, Lena's aunt to help the children deal with their grief not knowing in their mom will come back to them.

Maggie meets Daniel and man that seems intent on keeping watch over the house and family but staying far away. She learns that he is serving out a self penance of sorts as he is the man responsible for Marco's death. He believes he is doomed to spend his life trying to write all the wrongs in his own life and it will take an experience like no other for all of them to find a way back to life and for healing to finally begin. But with so many unanswered questions Maggie isn't sure what is next in her life. She imagined Marco would always be there and now she spends her own solitude dealing with the feelings she had for him and how to resolve it now possibly having to raise three children all on her own. But soon she will learn that there are more secrets to Marco's life than she ever imagined and now she will have to deal with the possibility she could have had the life she might have always dreamed of before it was snuffed out much too soon.

I received The Ascension of Larks by Rachel Linden compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and TLC Book Tours. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. This is such an exceptional novel once you get past the slow beginning. Trust me, hang in there it is so worth it when the novel picks up speed and gains momentum. I love the legend of the island that helps the family come to terms with their loss. "They were waiting for a sign, you see. They needed to know the soul had come back home and could now rest peacefully. The sign could be anything - a strange bird flying by the window, a whistle of wind that sounded like the deceased persons' voice. They just had to believe it was the sign they had been waiting for. Then they could go on about their lives, assured that their loved one was safely on his or her way to heaven. The sign will always come, you see, the island is full of surprises. Strange and wonderful things can happen here, things you can't explain, things that don't happen anywhere else."

This is so poignant because it deals with so many of those "what if" moments people have when they are suddenly faced with loss, even death. All those things unspoken, undone, and now they live with the regrets of a life of maybe's instead of simply moving on and accepting what is now. A skylark and their call was a song for travelers and weary pilgrims, for those who had lost their way and were longing for a place to rest. This sums up and the characters in this novel for they each needed to find their own way home and find a place to finally rest. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. Such a beautiful and truly heartwarming story of love, loss, regret and healing.

For more information about Ascension of Larks, Rachel Linden or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Ascension of Larks by Rachel Linden 

You can find Rachel Linden on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews of Ascension of Larks, please visit TLC Book Tour's page.

A Beautiful Poison Giveaway!

Sometimes it is hard to believe that you could learn something out of a novel that you might have missed in your high school science class. But if you're a fan of murder mysteries and the Gilded Age, then you will LOVE Lydia Kang's newest novel, A Beautiful Poison. Based in 1918, three childhood friends, Allene, Birdie and Jasper used to spend their days at Allene's estate playing and getting into all kinds of childhood trouble. But as we all know, over time, we grow and change but the affections of these trio's remains strong. Allene is all set to marry Andrew, a match most suitable among her parents and on the eve of their engagement party, a young woman appears to have fallen down the stairs and broken her neck. But was it an accident?

Allene has always been found of chemicals and their molecular bounds but for a young socialite, her father has forbidden her to encourage her natural love of chemistry. So she sneaks books out of her father's library to read at night. This is when she notices a piece of paper that falls from it with only two words written in elegant penmanship, "You're Welcome." It is Jasper to happens upon the one clue that no one catches and that is the strange burnt almond smell of the broken glass in the young woman's hand. But how will he be able to convince anyone that it appears that foul play may have been involved and if so, who is the murder?

Birdie, Allene and Jasper make a pact to begin to solve the murder on their own with what clues they can gather. Allene's father has paid off the police to ensure that this accident is not investigated any further than the accident it seems to be. Jasper's job as the janitor at the medical building soon lands him a promotion to working for the medical examiner, but even they refuse to autopsy the body to look for confirmation of a poisoning. Without any permission, this will wrap up the case but Jasper soon sneaks into the lab at night to conduct his own tests just before the body is slated for removal for the burial. It confirms without a doubt that Florence, the young woman at the party has been murdered. But what is the motive? Soon the body counts continue to rise around the trio and more letters appear with each death.

I received A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang compliments of Lake Union Publishing and TLC Book Tours. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise.  The best part about murder mysteries for me, is trying to figure out who did it before the book reveals it. I got it wrong twice and was shocked by not only who was responsible but the very clues that went missing each time until the very end of the novel. The motive was there all along, and the Author's note at the conclusion was wonderful to highlight the medical procedures that went into the creating this unique novel. This book does contain some sexual content which in my opinion,  could have been written differently to imply what happened instead, which may offend some readers. I really LOVED the overall aspect of this novel and give it a 4 out of 5 stars. It is not like anything I have read before.

For more information about A Beautiful Poison, Lydia Kang or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang

You can find Lydia Kang on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Beautiful Poison, please visit TLC Book Tour's page. 

Now for the best part, thanks to the generosity of Lake Union Publishing and TLC Book Tours, a giveaway copy is available to win. Here are your guidelines to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog Reviews From The Heart. 

2. Be a resident of the US or Canada or have a US/Canadian mailing address. No P.O. Boxes please.

3. Leave me a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of A Beautiful Poison, along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

The giveaway will end on August 8th, so please be sure to include your email address, as that is how I will be notifying the winner of this giveaway.

A Name Unknown Review and Giveaway

"Rosemary Gresham may have been a thief, but she was a thief who preferred to work in broad daylight."

I love reading the first sentence in any novel. Most of the time it gives the reader some insight into how this novel will evolve and A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White is no exception. This is the first novel in the Shadows Over England series and one that I am sure most Edwardian Romance fans will absolutely LOVE! Rosemary Gresham is definitely a professional in her trade, that being one of many thieves that prey upon those in the upper class, in order to not only make a living, but so they can put food on the table of a group of similar young thieves that work London's streets. Most of the time, they are hired out by those looking to gain some advantage or to resolve some slight that they feel needs to be recompensed and her group of wayward thieves is more than happy to assist.

Her latest assignment is to prove Peter Holstein is not what he appears as he has the King's ear and many believe his ties with German began when his mother married his father and secured a place and a notoriety among the upper class in London. Now with the threat of war on the horizon with Germany playing a pivotal role, there are some that want to prove Peter's alliances, however innocent, do not lie with London. So Rosemary has been tasked to uncover proof that Peter is loyal to Germany and the price to be paid is so great, she would be a complete fool to pass it up.

She blends into Peter's household under the guise of being a librarian hired out by one of Peter's contacts to help restore his former library to its glory again. As of yet, it simply remains a hoarder's paradise with more books on the floor and every available space than is on the overly full shelves. Peter needs her assistance to locate documentation about his family, but doesn't share the real reason why he needs that documentation. Is Peter truly a German spy living in the midst of London or is he simply an innocent man looking to prove his loyalty to London before war sets in?

I received A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White compliments of Bethany House Publishers and TLC Book Tours.In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. I absolutely love Rosemary's character because she can justify her shady dealings to help the local street urchins who are orphans and in need of help. She can read people perfectly and knows more about them than they initially share with her. She finds herself at odds the more she grows to know Peter and understands why his stuttering makes him a bit of a recluse in his small town. It gives way to suspicions by the local townspeople that Peter is truly hiding something and thus the need to prove where his loyalties stand in the face of a war on the horizon. I easily give this a 4 out of 5 stars and shows that sometimes our name is not all what people might be willing to believe.

For more information about A Name Unknown, Roseanna M. White or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White

You can find Roseanna M. White on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Name Unknown, please visit TLC Book Tour's page.

Now for the best part, the giveaway. Thanks to the generosity of Bethany House Publishers and TLC Book Tours, they are offering a giveaway copy to one lucky winner. Here are the guidelines to enter:

1. Be a resident of the US or Canada, or have a US or Canada mailing address. No P.O. Boxes please.

2. Share this giveaway on any social media outlet of your choice, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, you name it. In fact the more you share, the more chances you have to win!

3. Leave me a comment below with a link to your social media share along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols. I need to have a way to contact you if you're the lucky winner. No email address, I have no way to reach you.

That's all there is to enter. Enter as many times as you want. Remember each social media contact link generates an entry. The giveaway ends on July 31, 2017 and I will be emailing the winner at that time. If you have any questions, please email me at Stevenkat27@gmail.com.





 

Sweetbriar Cottage

Noah Mitchell thought his life was on track until he received a notice from the IRS claiming that his tax return contained an error notifying him that he was still married. Believing that to simply be a mistake on the part of the IRS because he remember signing all the required paperwork when he and Josephine got divorced. Now if he could only find his set of documents it would all be cleared up. However when his attorney checks on the status of the divorce, even they don't have the final paperwork with the judges signature on it. He immediately confronts his ex wife, Josephine and when she checks her paperwork, they both are shocked to learn she never submitted the paperwork to the court and for the last year and a half, they are both technically still married.

Noah is furious and rightfully so, even though Josephine promises she will take care of it this time, he doesn't trust she will follow through with her promises, and decides to take matters into his own hands. Yet with running a busy ranch tucked away in the mountains, Noah can't make it back to town to have Josephine sign the paperwork and get it submitted to the courts until Saturday. Josephine feels she owes this much to Noah and decides that she will take the paperwork to Noah so it is one last errand he has to handle and since she ruined things the first time, she feels she need to make amends. However the last thing she expects when she shows up to his ranch is for her car to not start and for an unexpected ice storm to strand her at Noah's home with no where else to go, but to wait it out. Things are about to get a bit too cozy when despite all the weather predictions, they will be forced to wait things out until the storm front passes through the area.

This time alone will provide just the needed time for both of them to come to terms with their pasts and finally get things out in the open. And just when you think things couldn't get any worse, they lose all power at the ranch, no phones, no computer, no electricity and no heat. With their limited supplies and temperatures dropping, will Noah and Josephine be able to pick up the pieces of their shattered pasts and find hope for a possible new future they missed the first time around? Or will this just solidify the facts that they should have never gotten married in the first place? Only time will tell!

I received Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and TLC Book Tours. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. This is a stand alone novel for Denise Hunter and the title seems a bit off for the content of the novel. It doesn't take anything away from the story and I love the way this all played out for Noah and Josephine whose own pasts are revealed as the novel toggles between present day and each of their past history so the reader is brought to the present day and understands how the two even got together in the first place. Like fire and oil, these two both have to defy the odds that the world has placed in front of them if they're to survive the storm. Yet sometimes it is the storms of life that bring us closer together and define our faith to provide a second chance at happiness and love. I give this one a 5 out of 5 stars and it even included Discussion Questions at the conclusion of the novel that makes this a perfect book club novel.

For more information about Sweetbriar Cottage, Denise Hunter or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter

You can find Denise Hunter on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Sweetbriar Cottage, please visit TLC Book Tour Page.

The One That Got Away

I don't think there isn't a person who hasn't seen movies like Family Man with Nicholas Cage or It's A Wonderful Life. In both of them is the opportunity for the main characters to get a sense of a different life for them. For Abbey Lahey, her moment comes when she is asked to take back an over-priced purse she bought on a whim to make herself feel better at Nordstroms. It is simply a purchase she can't afford since her family has been struggling to make ends meet since her husband's landscaping business is slowly drying up thanks to the recession hitting the economy. Just for once she wished she didn't have this life of wondering where the money would come from, how to manage to pay the overdue bills when there isn't anything to pay them with and how can she motivate her husband to provide for their family if he isn't inspired to look for another job even if it means working for someone else for now.

As she is taking the escalator to return the purse, she takes a spill and lands on the piano bench and marble slab below. When she awakes she sees a very attractive man and clearly not in the county hospital where she should be. The man is very concerned about her well being and when she asks who she is, the man is puzzled because as his wife, she should know who she is. She learns she is married to Alex Van Holt, a childhood crush she had many years ago, but never took him up when he asked her out on a date. Now she realizes she is married to him and she is Abbey Van Holt. She still has the same two kids, thankfully but now her life is carefree and money is something she clearly has a lot of. Now she is thrust in the midst of helping her husband Alex make his run for Congress and she has to do what she can to keep everyone from realizing she has no clue who she is and what she has done in the past. If she admits it, Alex has concerns she might be better of being institutionalized in order to help her figure out what is happening.

I received The One That Got Away by Leigh Himes compliments of Hachette Book Groups and TLC Book Tours. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. This is book does contain some sexual content and profanity which may offend some readers but the overall story line is amazing. I found myself relating to Abbey's character because I had the opportunity to live the life of a Van Holt, but found myself falling for a humble and honest love over the one with financial success. It takes Abbey a bit to realize that money can't buy everything and even though she might have it all, she doesn't have the love that she found in her heart when she married the love of her life and now has to figure out how to get back to her former life. I give this novel at 4 out of 5, just based on my own personal reviewing criteria, but it really has a wonderful story of what love truly is and the humor side of things that comes across when Abbey is trying to fit in to this wealthy lifestyle is unforgettable.

For more information about The One That Got Away, Leigh Himes or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The One That Got Away by Leigh Himes 

You can find Leigh Himes on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The One That Got Away, please visit TLC Book Tour's page.

Dark Deception Review and Giveaway

Looking for a great murder mystery, suspense thriller? Then look no further than Nancy Mehl's latest novel, Dark Deception, which is the second novel in the Defenders of Justice Series. It must be read in order because the case begins in the first novel Fatal Frost. As readers take a look at the ongoing serial killer case known as the Blue Eyed Killer or B.E.K. for short, the case is just beginning for Kate O'Brien who survived the attack that should have claimed her life. She is the only witness who can identify the serial killer and now it is her turn to be a witness in putting the man behind bars.

He took the life of her twin sister Kelly, which is one of the reasons why he has been caught. Before this mistake, all the cases were cold because B.E.K. left no traces of evidence behind. It has baffled the efforts of not only the FBI but also the local police as well. She is relying on the strength from the officer responsible for ensure she remains alive and protected but will help her endure her testimony while facing the man who killed her sister and tried to kill her, U.S. Marshall, Tony DeLuca. Just as the trial is about to get underway with her testimony the courtroom erupts in gunfire as the prosecutor is murdered right before her eyes and just as he is about to kill her, Tony is able to stop the man.

As evidence begins to mount against the man convicted of being the B.E.K., Kate takes the offer to join the witness protection program and for the last four years things have been relatively calm. She has started a new life and a new name for herself. But Tony is asked to bring Kate back in, as a witness as the man convicted of multiple murders is seemingly let go for evidence that has now been tampered with rendering the conviction and arrest out of their hands. Now the killer has been released and Tony needs to find her and bring her in before the killer can locate her. It will truly be a race against time as the killer draws closer to her and the body counts begin to rise. But have they caught the right man?

I received Dark Deception by Nancy Mehl compliments of Bethany House Publishers and TLC Book Tours. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. This is such a great series and I only wish I had read the first novel before jumping into this one to understand not only the killer's motives, but also the efforts of the police to arrest the man they believed to be B.E.K. Rest assured, this one has another sequel at least before they catch the elusive killer and in the meantime, the body counts will continue to rise and a twisted reason for the killer to keep Kate close will be revealed. I can't wait for the third novel in this series. It had me hooked at the very beginning and couldn't put it down til I figured out what was going to happen. Such a great story line and by far one of the best murder mysteries I have read in a long time. For me, this one rates a 5 out of 5 stars.

Now for the best part, thanks to the generosity of TLC Book Tours and Bethany House Publishers, they are giving a copy of this novel away. Here is all you need to do to enter:

1. "Like" Nancy Mehl's Facebook page. 

2. Be a resident of the US or Canada. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of Dark Deception. Don't forget to include your email address so I can notify you if you are the lucky winner of this giveaway. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols if you wish.

I will notify the winner of this giveaway by June 30th by email so don't forget to include it.

For more information about Dark Deception, Nancy Mehl or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Dark Deception by Nancy Mehl

You can find Nancy Mehl on Facebook to stay on top of her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Dark Deception, please visit TLC Book Tour's page. 

Ink Inspirations Fruit of the Spirit - Review and Giveaway

Who would have ever thoughts that coloring books would be making a come back in a big way, and not just for kids, but for adults? I love coloring and doodling and as a corporate trainer for over 10 years, I understand the amount of learning that still happens when the mind is engaged in this type of activity, despite how it looks. It is also soothing and relaxing at the same time, while creating a creative outlook for those who choose to pick up their media of choice, whether crayons, coloring pencils, water colors, paint or markers, the results are amazing.

I am so please to introduce you to Ink Inspirations Fruit of the Spirit, Coloring Book by Health Communications Inc and Lorrie Bennett who designed the artwork you will find tucked inside. Beautiful illustrations accompany so of the best Scriptures from the Bible and I have added my own flair and creativity in Isaiah 43:2 "When you go through deep waters I will be with you." Such a powerful truth we can apply to whatever situation we find ourselves facing, knowing the God is always our present resource we can depend on.

The coloring book also shares some great features like coloring tips and tools, and knowing which ones to use and where, to how to decide what colors to use, from primary colors, secondary colors and tertiary color choices. My favorite was the Harmony How-To's which show you how certain colors within a color pallet can play off of each other picking shades either lighter or darker and use them together to create a blended effect. The coloring books also shares some of the same pages colored by a variety of talented artists so you can see how the pages might look before you begin for some creative ideas.

There are 32 full color pages, with another 32 more with some designs on the adjoining pages to give you a smaller pattern to complete. Illustrator Lorrie Bennett thoughtfully pairs stunning original art with powerful scriptures that eloquently embody the fruit of the Spirit, inviting you to immerse yourself in the meaning of the messages and cultivate them in everyday life. With perforated pages for framing or sharing, this is the perfect way to relax and unwind as you create beautiful works of art while rejoicing in the blessings of the Holy Spirit.

I received Ink Inspirations Fruit of the Spirit by Lorrie Bennett compliments of Health Communications Inc and TLC Book Tours for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from complimentary copy of the coloring book in exchange for my unbiased and personal opinion of the product. What I love is that depending on your color medium, (mine were gel pen based) I didn't experience any bleed through on the subsequent pages. I would have like to have seen blank pages on the backs so if there were bleed through issues depending on the type of medium you employ, you wouldn't ruin the other designs. That being said, I would rate this coloring book a 4 out of 5 stars and think the design choices compliment the scriptures perfectly.

Now for the very best part! Thanks to Health Communications Inc and TLC Book Tours, they are offering a giveaway copy of Ink Inspirations Fruit of the Spirit Coloring Book to one lucky follower based on the guidelines below:

1. You must be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. 

2. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart. 

3. Must be a resident of the US or Canada or have a US or Canada mailing address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave me a comment telling me why you'd love to win a copy of Ink Inspirations Fruit of the Spirit Coloring Book along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols. Without an email address, I have no way to contact you if you are the lucky winner. Winner will be announced by email on August 24th.

If you would like to know more information about Ink Inspirations Fruit of the Spirit Coloring Book. Lorrie Bennett or where to pick up a copy of this coloring book today, please click on the links below:

Ink Inspirations Fruit of the Spirit Coloring Book by Lorrie Bennett

To read more reviews on Ink Inspirations Fruit of the Spirit Coloring Book, please visit TLC Book Tours page. 

You can purchase a copy of Ink Inspirations Fruit of the Spirit Coloring Book from Amazon or your favorite book or online retailer. 

 

 

Her One and Only

Can you imagine a young, beautiful woman serving as a body guard to a NFL wide receiver? Doesn't this sound like some kind of prank football players might play on one another? Yet this is exactly the premise behind Becky Wade's latest novel, Her One and Only. Gray Fowler is that wide receiver for the Mustangs, and while he has been used to dealing with obsessive fans before, his team manager is taking it a bit more seriously. The threats seem to be getting more bold and while they remain short and simple the point is clear. Someone wants to see Gray Fowler dead.

That is where Dru Porter comes into play. While she might not seem much of a threat when you look at her, she has served in the Marines, is a national expert sharpshooter champion and is a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, besides being raised among three older brothers. She make not look like much, but looks can be intimidating and they may in fact work on her behalf. When Gray suggests she pose as his girlfriend instead of a mere secretary or personal assistant for him, Dru is less than pleased by the idea. However it may just work out in the end. It allows her to stay close to him during her hours of protection and their cover story of her working as a preschool teacher during the day, sounds perfect. The only thing she hates it the idea that she might fall for this guy no matter how hard she tries not to and how insistent her brothers are that she keeps her mind on work and nothing else.

Gray has different ideas, despite his threats. Everyone knows most girls fall for the quarterbacks, and Gray's buddy Colin suggests a bet between the two. While it is easy enough to kiss Dru on their end, they both place a wager that they believe they can get her to kiss them first. For Gray his bet is his Rolex watch which Colin would just love to win, while Colin has placed his big flat screen TV up for grabs for Gray. Just imagine the bragging rights these guys would have over the other in the club locker rooms. Things are about to get interesting between the three of them, especially when Dru is the one stuck in the middle. What will she think when she discovers these guys are only interested in her to win a bet?

I received Her One and Only by Becky Wade compliments of TLC Book Tours and Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my personal and honest opinions. I absolutely love the Becky took the opportunity to share this novel's conclusion in the Porter Family novels with Dru's story. I can't imagine the competition to measure up to three very masculine older brothers who have their own stories we have shared in the previous novels. Now each of them is settled and married beginning families of their own and while they have the best intentions on protecting Dru, she is one determined and strong willed woman with a mind of her own. I love this bit of a role reversal regarding a body guard scenario and love how it plays out throughout the entire novel. All of your favorite Porter brothers are back as this novel unfolds as well as a Reader Guide Discussion Questions at the conclusion that is perfect for book clubs. I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Her One and Only, Becky Wade or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Her One and Only by Becky Wade

You can find Becky Wade on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Her One and Only, please visit TLC Book Tours page.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fading Starlight

Lauren Summer's career is on the pinnacle of success as she awaits to hear what the fashion experts have to say about her first dress making its red carpet appearance. She is the first intern to have her dress on public display and it will be a make it or break it opportunity depending on this one event. When the dress malfunctions and leaves the rising starlet in a less than compromising position, suddenly her entire future vanishes before her very eyes and with it comes a text message from her employer to not bother to show up for work on Monday.

In fact, they have decided to do what they can to black ball Lauren from ever hoping to work in the fashion industry again. Her only hope is to take a low paying job creating costumes for a theater group and she hopes she can remain out of the limelight and paparazzi. The biggest asset comes when the theater group offers her a chance to stay at a home in a secluded community along the coast with the promise she will be available for the contractors who are coming to restore the dilapidated home according to the Home Owner's association.

She has to promise to keep visitors at a minimum and never disturb the residents who are seeking privacy for their own reasons, especially Charlotte Montgomery, an elderly woman who sits in a huge Victorian home as a bit of a recluse. Lauren is given the opportunity to be restored to her former glory by a reporter seeking information about Ms. Montgomery and a murder mystery that has gone unsolved. She promises to investigate Lauren's mishap to see if it was all a publicity stunt. But will Lauren compromise her faith and integrity to get her former future in fashion back? What is Ms. Montgomery hiding and why is she always seen wearing beautiful ball gowns?

I received Fading Starlight by Kathryn Cushman compliments of TLC Book Tours and Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my personal and honest evaluation. I absolutely adored this novel and read it in one sitting. I love the premise behind this one as both renovating old homes and uncovering the mysteriousness about Charlotte Montgomery and her former glory days as a starlet in Hollywood. I've been a huge fan of all the older Hollywood films and believe they hold a sense of awe in the wonderful decades that they came from in regards to fashion and the rumors circulating behind those starlets. In my opinion this one rates a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and has found a permanent home in my personal library.

For more information about Fading Starlight, Kathryn Cushman or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Fading Starlight by Kathryn Cushman

You can find Kathryn Cushman on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Fading Starlight, please visit TLC's Book Tour page. 

Fading Starlight is available in paperback and ebook formats from your favorite retailer. 304 pages ISBN: 9780764212628

The Virtues of Oxygen - Giveaway and Review

When I asked my husband if he knew what an iron lung was, he paused a moment before telling me it was a medieval torture device. I began to wonder just how many people probably had the same thoughts or were completely baffled at just what this was since technology seems much more advanced than it would have back in the early 1900's. The Virtues of Oxygen by Susan Schoenberger was based on such a true story of Martha Mason, a young woman who spent the majority of her life confined within an iron lung that would breathe for her when polio robbed her of that ability to do so for herself.


It was that idea that inspired Susan to use that as the basis for her contemporary fiction involving Vivian Markham, a sixty three year old woman who has spent her entire life since the age of six living in an iron lung. She contracted polio at the age of six and subsequently loses her older sister the day before, leaving her alone and unable to leave the device or she would die. Even though advancements were made in the medical field, for Vivian, those advancements would pass her by, because after so many years of being dependent on the iron lung, her body had atrophied so much that she would not be able to breathe on her own. Her life looking at the world horizontally is the inspiration behind the main character in this novel who is cared for by her aging mother and a staff of rotating volunteers that live in town, that have vowed to help Vivian live in the best way she can.

One of her volunteers, Holly is a widow caring for two growing boys while struggling to keep the house she shared with her husband. Now with bills piling up higher than she can hope to pay them, she takes a job working part time as someone who will oversee Vivian's investment in a Cash For Gold business she is setting up in town. With the economy taking a turn for the worse, Holly fears it will only be a matter of time, before their small town newspaper office will go belly up with less ads being sold by the businesses in town. If that happens, despite what she hopes about holding on to her home, she will have to let the bank foreclose on the home. But for now, Holly's mother has been helping her with the mortgage payments. When the unforeseeable happens and Holly's mother has a stroke, suddenly she will be forced to make some hard decisions to avoid living on the streets with her boys. She wants to know that her life here has meant something much like Vivian does. They want to make a difference in the lives of those around them and not merely be a burden instead.

I received The Virtues of Oxygen by Susan Schoenberger compliments of Lake Union Publishing and TLC Book Tours 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 such a poignant story of two very different women that are united by their ability to survive despite the challenges odds against them. For Vivian it was physically and for Holly, financially. Yet despite the odds, they persevere in ways they never dreamed possible and it will be the one thing that will hold them together just when things begin to grow dark in their lives. They will come to understand that they see the real person they are on the inside despite what they look like on the outside. In the end those hollow places in their soul will feel less hollow because they had been useful to a remarkable spirit whose every breath as forced as it was, mattered. I absolutely LOVED this novel and can't wait to share it with you. It's heart felt, well written with every ounce of human passion that the writer could pour into this story and trust me in the end, it will leave you changed for the better and in these tough times we all find ourselves living in, there is truly something for us all in this novel. I easily rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Now for the best part, thanks to the generous folks at Lake Union Publishing and TLC Book Tours, they are offering a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of my blog Reviews From The Heart. Here are your details to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. 

2. "Like" Susan Schoenberger's Facebook page. While you're there, let her know you stopped by!

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave me a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of The Virtues of Oxygen along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols. Remember if you don't include it with your comment, I have no way of reaching out to let you know you're the winner.

I will notify the winner by email once the giveaway ends on August 27th.

For more information about The Virtues of Oxygen, Susan Schoenberger, or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Virtues of Oxygen by Susan Schoenberger

You can also find Susan Schoenberger on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Virtues of Oxygen, please visit TLC Book Tour's page.

Forsaking Home - Giveaway and Review

"Food is freedom. Control the food, control the people. While a lot of people don't see it that way, if you think about our current situation, it really applies. How many people do you think have gone to camps because they are hungry? Humans lived for tens of thousands of years before grocery stores, but take them out of the equation and folks panic." (pg 23).

With the collapse of the power grid, communications, and food and water supply for reasons that continue to remain unknown, thousands of people are struggling to survive. It has truly become the survival of the fittest. Morgan Carter has been planning for something like this his whole life. Now that it has happened, Morgan has banded together a handful of his neighbors and close friends and moved to the safety of the woods near his former neighborhood. Not trusting the government to handle anything, Morgan is relying on all his survival skills and the stockpile of supplies he has managed to store and acquire along the way.

In the fourth novel in The Survivalist Series from A. American, Forsaking Home, takes us into the struggles facing Morgan Carter and his family and friends. Morgan continues to try and find more food in the woods surrounding their small encampment but with hunting and supplies running low, they have to venture out further and further away from camp. Now it seems that they have uninvited company staking them in hopes of gaining their supplies of hogs and chickens as well as anything else they can find. They will have to discover who it is before someone goes missing or someone is killed and Morgan will stop at nothing to protect his family.

Meanwhile at government-run refugee camp, Jess has taken matters into her own hands when she learns that this isn't really a refugee camp at all, but a work camp for detainees that the DHS or Department of Homeland Security has been rounding up and placing them in various FEMA camps all over the country. Those in leadership roles have taken it upon themselves to run the camp any way they see fit and that has lead to Jess being raped. Knowing that no one will believe her, she takes it upon herself to murder the man responsible which has now lead to her arrest and isolation along with two other women responsible. What they don't realize is that they won't be getting out of there alive. But Jess' former friends aren't about to let that happen and things begin to take shape to take back our country from those who seek to control it any way they see fit.

I received Forsaking Home from A. American compliments of Penguin Publishers and TLC Book Tours for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. A chilling look into the future of what might happen should America fall victim of an EMP blast or nuclear threat in our own country. Where some will believe the government will help them, and yet others understand that their survival depends on what they can do until things get back to normal. This is the fourth novel in the Survivalist series and it for mature audiences only as is labeled on each of the novels. For this reason, I can give this novel a higher rating. It is one of the few that have warnings placed on the rear cover due to the subject matter contained within, strong language, violence and mature content places this rating at 4 out of 5 stars in my book. Truly a must read for fans of dystopian and apocalyptic fiction and is not a stand alone novel.

For more information about Forsaking Home, A. American or where you can pick up this novel today, please click on the links below:

Forsaking Home by A. American

You can also find A. American on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on Forsaking Home, please visit TLC's Book Tour page. 

Thanks to the generosity of the A. American and TLC Book Tours, they are giving away the entire series to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are your details to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart

2. Be a resident of the US or Canada only. Please No P.O. Boxes!

3. "Like" A. American's Facebook page. 

4. Leave a comment below telling my why you'd LOVE to win this entire SERIES  along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

I will notify the winner of the giveaway once it ends on July 17th via email, so don't forget to include it with your comment.

The Survivalist Series from A. American
# 1 - Going Home
# 2 - Surviving Home
# 3 - Escaping Home
# 4 - Forsaking Home

A Beauty So Rare - Giveaway and Review

Sometimes the best reasons for reading historical fiction is to gain insight on how differently things were many years ago. Take for example, Tamera Alexander's latest novel in the Belmont Mansion series, A Beauty So Rare. We understand that for a woman like Eleanor Braddock, women have their place in the late 1800's. For a woman of her social status and living with her Aunt Adelicia Acklen Cheatham her goal in life should be to find a suitor who will allow her to grow in social circles and the wealth she should be accustom to, if she was accustom to it at all.

Having to leave her ailing father at the Tennessee Asylum for the Insane in hopes that the memories he has been losing might be recovered at some point with treatment and she might be reunited with him once again. But lately some of her father's outbursts have gotten violent and even now she fears there may be nothing more that can be done. Thankfully her Aunt has agreed to keep the matter out of the public eye as her father was a well-known attorney and all Eleanor has now is the good name her father left her with. She just wasn't planning for her father and Aunt to collaborate to find her a suitable match with little hope of finding someone that would be willing to marry Eleanor now that she was nearing thirty.

On the heels of recovering from a Civil War, Eleanor has seen the horrors of what war can bring and take away in both the love and lives of men who left their families behind to serve. Vowing to find the man who claimed a piece of her heart in trying to find 'his Mary' while holding on to her hand in his final moments, Eleanor believes her life is destined for more than being a suitable wife to a man she probably won't love but will provide for her and her father in the future.

She wasn't hoping to fall in love with the under gardener at her Aunt's estate, especially since their personalities click so well at the people they each are underneath all the layers of social propriety. Marcus Gottfried is trying to find something more out of life than merely assuming his throne as Archduke of Austria and will do anything to keep anyone from finding out. He finds peace and solace in learning how to graft plants and flowers to produce something better than what nature intended, something like the rare beauty that he sees in Eleanor that she doesn't see in herself. Is there a way for them both to do something with their lives than what society has destined for their future?

I received A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander compliments of TLC Book Tours and Bethany House Publishers. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained in this review are strictly my own. This is the second book in the Belmont Mansion series, with A Lasting Impression being the first. I intend on picking that one up as well because I love Tamera's writing style. She isn't afraid to take her time in getting to the end of the book without rushing unlike so many other authors do. I love that I didn't feel hurried by the time I got to the end and it maintained that level of content that kept me glued to what would happen between Eleanor and Marcus. In a time where society had certain social standards to uphold, I am glad that Tamera took a different road and showed what could happen if they were to each cast off what the world thought they should do and instead embrace the gifts and talents that God gave them. This one easily hits a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and I can't wait for more!!!

For more information about A Beauty So Rare, Tamera Alexander, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander

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

To read more reviews on A Beauty So Rare, please visit TLC Book Tour page.

Thanks to the generosity of TLC Book Tours and Bethany House Publishers, they are offering a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are your guidelines to enter:

1. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart. If you have already "liked" it, just leave me a comment telling me you're stopping by.

2. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. Leave me a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this novel along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

If I don't have an email address with your comment, I can't notify you if you're the winner of the giveaway. The giveaway will end on May 15th and I will notify the winner at that time by email.