Thursday, June 30, 2022

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: In Honor's Defense by Karen Witemeyer

About the Book

Book: In Honor’s Defense

Author: Karen Witemeyer

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: June 7, 2022

Luke Davenport has been fighting all his life–for respect, for country, and for those unable to fight for themselves. But now that his Horsemen brothers are domesticated, he’s left alone to battle the wildness within. When an opportunity arises to take a job on his own, tracking down a group of rustlers, he jumps at the chance.

Damaris Baxter has mastered the art of invisibility. Plain and quiet, she hides in books and needlework, content to be overlooked. Until her brother dies suddenly, leaving her custody of her nephew. She moves to Texas to care for Nathaniel, determined to create the family for herself that she never thought she’d have and to give him the family he desperately needs.

When Nate finds himself knee-deep in trouble, Luke’s attempt to protect him leaves Damaris feeling indebted to the Horseman. But suspicions grow regarding the mysterious death of Damaris’s brother. And the more questions they ask, the more danger appears, threatening the family Luke may be unable to live without.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Damaris Baxter, the youngest of a large family, has a chance to have a family of her own when her late brother names her his son's guardian. Feeling restless and much to young to be put on the shelf, she jumps at the chance to care for her nephew Nate.

Well, Nate is fourteen years old and devastated by his father's death, which he believes was murder, and he already considers himself a man. Nate does not make things easy for his aunt at all. I didn't really care for his character, even though I know he was hurting. The disrespect and downright meanness he shows to his aunt brings her face to face with one of the Hanger's Horsemen. He instantly becomes her knight in shining armor.

Luke Davenport, or Preach, has been hired to find out who is rustling rancher Grimes cattle. Little does he know that there is a much deeper evil going on than just cow rustlers. Even if they did almost kill him.

Through a series of life and death situations, Luke, Damaris, and Nate, band together to get to the bottom of the suspicious death of Nate's father. They learn that they need each more than they ever thought in this gripping old west story of bravery, forgiveness, and a love worth fighting and staying around for.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Voted #1 Readers’ Favorite Christian Romance Author in 2019 by Family Fiction Magazine, Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and gospel hymn singer who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she’s on deadline.

More from Karen

Meet Luke and Damaris

As the Hanger’s Horsemen series comes to a close, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Luke Davenport and Damaris Baxter. If you haven’t read the other books in this series, don’t worry. This one stands on its own just fine.

Luke

Luke Davenport is a former cavalry officer who is part of an elite squad of men known as Hanger’s Horsemen. Haunted by the horrors of war, this group of Texas legends has spent the last few years fighting for justice on behalf of those who cannot fight for themselves. Luke is Matthew Hanger’s right-hand man, but when Matt retires the Horsemen in favor of a more settled life with his new wife, Luke is left feeling adrift. So when a solo job comes his way to track down rustled cattle, he jumps at the opportunity.

Known for his strength, his size, and his skill with his fists, I modeled Luke after a pair of football players, Howie Long and JJ Watt. He’s a man of action with a bit of wildness inside, yet his ability to memorize Scripture earned him the nickname Preach. He’s a godly man with scars, seeking to find his place as his Horsemen brothers move on to new phases of life.

Damaris

Damaris Baxter has been invisible her entire life. Plain of face and quiet of manner, she it’s the epitome of unremarkable. While she dares heroic feats and grand adventures between the covers of her favorite books, life outside the pages consists of little more than needlework and dull conversation with her great aunt. Until her brother dies under suspicious circumstances and she travels to Texas to care for her nephew. Determined that the “Texas Damaris” will be bolder and braver than her former self, she sets out to win the heart of a grieving boy and ends up mixed up in a dangerous murder plot with a handsome cowboy who actually sees her.

When creating Damaris’s character, I gave her two of my favorite hobbies—reading and cross-stitching. She shares other similarities with me as well. She’s a quiet person who dislikes making waves, but when family needs her, there’s nothing she won’t do to help. Her questionable baking skills might also have found some inspiration in my personal experience. Just ask my husband about my famous transparent chocolate chip cookies.

Opposites Attract?

I love to explore what brings people together, and while it’s a common idea that opposites attract, I’ve always believed that there must be some core commonalities beneath the differences to bind a couple together for a lifetime. So, while Luke and Damaris seem to be stark opposites—he an adventure-seeking soldier used to solving problems with guns and fists; she a quiet, proper lady used to escaping problems with books and needlework—they actually have several core commonalities. They both crave belonging and family, they both value God’s Word, and they both have a strong, protective instinct toward those they care about. This core common ground is what serves as the foundation for their relationship.

Now that you’ve been introduced to Luke and Damaris, I hope you’ll join them on the adventure that leads them to love.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 25

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 27

Book Looks by Lisa, June 27

Where Faith and Books Meet, June 27

Bliss, Books & Jewels, June 28

Daysong Reflections, June 28

For Him and My Family, June 29

Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 29

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 30

Pause for Tales, June 30

lakesidelivingsite, June 30

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, July 1

Sylvan Musings, July 1

deb’s Book Review, July 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 2

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, July 2

Babbling BeckyL’s Book Impressions, July 3

Bizwings Blog, July 3

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 4 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, July 4

Inklings and notions, July 5

Simple Harvest Reads, July 5 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Connie’s History Classroom, July 6

SodbusterLiving, July 6

Texas Book-aholic, July 7

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, July 7

Through the Fire Blogs, July 7

Splashes of Joy, July 8

Melissa’s Bookshelf, July 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away a Hanger’s Horsemen prize bundle consisting of autographed copies of all three books in the series, a custom mug, and Horsemen swag!! (U.S. Only)

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1f45c/in-honor-s-defense-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Undercover Assignment by Dana Mentink

About the Book

Book: Undercover Assignment

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Suspense

Release date: June 28, 2022

This K-9 will stop at nothing to keep a child safe.

When a little boy is threatened, Officer Daniella Vargas and K-9 partner, Zara, are assigned to pose as his nanny to uncover the culprit’s identity. Suspecting one of the guests in his inn, widower Sam Kavanaugh’s only option is to begrudgingly trust Daniella and Zara to help. But can they solve the case and its mysterious connection to Sam’s late wife before it’s too late?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

I always enjoy an author Mentink book and this one was a little bit different. Yes, there was the usual suspense and the danger, but this one had a bit more of a mystery, with the who done it detective vibe running through it.

Sam is a widower not only raising his little boy alone after his late wife died of cancer, but also running their dream inn. But someone is scaring and putting his little boy, Oliver, in danger and he needs help to find out who.

Officer Daniella and her dog Zara are assigned to the case. This is not the case Daniella wants, she is posing as a nanny, and she doesn't really want a babysitting job. Due to her past, she believes she is not cut out to be with kids and she wonders if a lot of what is happening to Oliver is his imagination. However, Sam is scared for his son, and he needs for his business to pick up and he does not want his guests terrorized either.

And he has a wide range of guests, interesting ones, and anyone of them could be the culprit. Daniella is determined to get this case solved so she can move on, but when the attacks turn more dangerous, she understands there is something really sinister going on. I enjoyed this who done it suspense and growing love story between two people who were least expecting it. Especially considering they did not seem to get along too well at first.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a USA TODAY and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author. She’s written more than forty mystery and suspense novels for Love Inspired Suspense, Harvest House, and Poisoned Pen Press. She is honored to have received two ACFW Carol Awards, a Holt Medallion Award, and a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. Please visit her on the web at www.danamentink.com to sign up for her newsletter, or find her on Twitter, Facebook and Bookbub.

More from Dana

What a joy to participate in a series with seven other talented authors! A continuity series is a set of books, each written by a different author, and each with its own suspense plot along with an overarching series plot and characters. It’s a very complicated project to complete, but the fantastic part is chatting, collaborating, and sometimes commiserating with other writers. What a rare treat, since most of our work is done alone in dark rooms with computer screens and bottomless cups of coffee! This series was especially fun to write because of the whole wilderness lodge setting which is my favorite type of story. Picture it! Ancient cliff dwellings, a freak electrical storm, twenty-four hours with no power and a killer on the loose! That’s my kind of suspense novel. I hope you will enjoy this multi author series as much as we enjoyed creating it!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 15

Inklings and notions, June 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 16

EmpowerMoms, June 16

Vicky Sluiter, June 17

For Him and My Family, June 17

An Author’s Take, June 18

Blogging With Carol, June 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 19

Betti Mace, June 20

Texas Book-aholic, June 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 21

Blossoms and Blessings, June 21

She Lives To Read, June 22

Through the Fire Blogs, June 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 23

Labor Not in Vain, June 24

deb’s Book Review, June 25

Pause for Tales, June 25

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 26

For the Love of Literature, June 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 27

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, June 27

Genesis 5020, June 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize package of a $75 Amazon gift card and a signed book!!

(If the winner is outside the U.S., then he or she will receive an eBook.)

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1eff2/undercover-assignment-celebration-tour-giveaway

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Flame of the Rockies by Angela Breidenbach

About the Book

Book: Flame of the Rockies

Author: Angela Breidenbach

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release date: February 1, 2022

The fiery pain at her new husband’s murder might equal the disaster blazing across the Pacific Northwest. Stranded in the treacherous railroad camp, baking bread for survival to avoid the life of a bordello canary, Juliana Hayes has no desire to marry a railroad ruffian like Lukas Filips, or anyone else. Her scrimping and saving will pay off soon. She’ll be free of the camps, the rails, and the men who destroyed her life. But she can’t earn her living constantly besieged by desperate bachelors where few women cause chaos in the male ranks.

Juliana reluctantly accepts his protection, but when Lukas reveals the secret of his Montenegrin nobility, the old fears flare as hot as the fire storm eating up the forest at their heels. Can she release her prejudice to love again? Or will either one of them survive The Big Blowup to find out?

Flame of the Rockies, Book 6 in the Queen of the Rockies series, is based on true history when three million acres burned out of control on the border of Montana and Idaho darkening the skies all the way to the East Coast during August of 1910. It’s a wonder anyone survived! Read this heart-pounding romance full of adventure, honoring true history and the heroes that made it. Be sure to follow this 6-book historical romance adventure series, Queen of the Rockies, set in the Gilded Age through the turn-of-the-century. Written by bestselling author and professional genealogist, Angela Breidenbach.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Juliana Hayes has been left on her own in an Idaho mining town after the murder of her husband. She is desperate in so many ways to get out of that town and start anew and fresh somewhere else. So she bakes the bread for the miners and firemen and saves every penny she can to get to her freedom. While doing so she must constantly fight off the miners who are so desperate for women. I was quite shocked at how much she had to fight just to keep her singlehood so none of them would just grab her and run off.

In the course of riding the train with her deliveries, she meets foreman Lukas Filips who is a true hero and family man. He takes it upon himself to protect her from the other men and in doing so falls in love with her. But can he change Juliana's mind so that she will see him as husband material? She is quite jaded and not only that but his heritage might just make her run farther away.

I enjoyed this story of a woman desperate to make a better life for herself. Of a man brave enough to sacrifice all for her and then the fiery trial that they would face together that most would not survive. This series of 1900's Montana has been an enlightening and entertaining read.

I received a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Angela Breidenbach is a professional genealogist, the director and president of The National Institute for Genealogical Studies (GenealogicalStudies.com), conference speaker, bestselling author of eighteen books. Angela lives in Montana with her hubby and Muse, a trained fe-lion, who shakes hands, rolls over, and jumps through a hoop. Surprisingly, Angela can also. Catch her show and podcast, Genealogy Publishing Coach!

https://AngelaBreidenbach.com

More from Angela

Research is both a joy and a nemesis for an author and/or genealogist. We’re easily distracted with one more fascinating discovery! The entire series, Queen of the Rockies, came from research rabbit trails when I thought there’d be one book. Now there are six ending with Flame of the Rockies!

Flame of the Rockies happens on the factual Trail of the Hiawatha. At first, this trail was a mining area deep in the mountains on the Idaho-Montana border. So deep that fourteen feet of snow blocking the railroad was common during the winter. Quite the contrast to the hot, dry summers with countless lightning strikes and regular forest fires.

After the Big BlowUp that occurred in August of 1910 burning over 3,000,000 acres, the area gradually became a gorgeous upscale train ride through the mountains. People rode the Hiawatha for leisure, upscale dining, and tourism. Then rails died out. The Trail of the Hiawatha rose from the ashes of forgotten history to become the incredible 16.5 mile bike path it is today. The trail winds down the valley from on top of the Continental Divide with incredible views for miles as you ride and experience the awe of God’s creative grandeur.

Understanding the history and evolution of this special trail isn’t hard. So much work in historical preservation has been done, and continues to be done, for those who come. Be sure to read the travel article in the back of this book so you can be one of those holding your breath as mountain after mountain after mountain roll outward from the trestles. You’ll see mountain tops go on for miles and miles. Those vistas truly feel as if you’re standing on the clouds with the Heavenly Hosts. Then you’ll understand why Montana is called the Big Sky Country!

I hope you enjoy Flame of the Rockies and meeting many of the real people who lived and worked in those extreme conditions. Yes, a few of the characters are fictitious. But remember you’re also going to meet a true hero whose heroism and name still rings through the Hiawatha and the world today!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 18

Texas Book-aholic, June 19

Rebecca Tews, June 19

Inklings and notions, June 20

For Him and My Family, June 21

Blogging With Carol, June 21

deb’s Book Review, June 22

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 23

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 23

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 24

Bizwings Blog, June 25

Sylvan Musings, June 25

Pause for Tales, June 26

Betti Mace, June 27

Connie’s History Classroom, June 27

Mary Hake, June 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 29

Blossoms and Blessings, June 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 30

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 1

Spoken from the Heart, July 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Angela is giving away the prize a free genealogy course to three winners!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1eff7/flame-of-the-rockies-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Review: When the Meadow Blooms by Ann H. Gabhart

About:

Hope blooms at Meadowland

If any place on God's earth was designed to help one heal, it is Meadowland. Surely here, at her brother-in-law's Kentucky farm, Rose and her daughters can recover from the events of the recent past--the loss of her husband during the 1918 influenza epidemic, her struggle with tuberculosis that required a stay at a sanatorium, and her girls' experience in an orphanage during her illness. At Meadowland, past troubles become rich soil in which faith can grow.

Dirk Meadows may have opened his home to his late brother's widow and her girls, but he keeps his heart tightly closed. The roots of his pain run deep, and the evidence of it is written across his face. Badly scarred by a fire and abandoned by the woman he loved, Dirk fiercely guards his heart from being hurt again.

But it may be that his visitors will bring light back into his world and unlock the secret to true healing.

My Thoughts:

This is a story that takes place during 1925 but is a little bit different than other stories I have read in that time. Instead of focusing on flappers and other familiar events of the roaring twenties, we instead go out to the country. And that is where a makeshift family will need to heal and become a true family.

Rose has lost her husband to the influenza of 1918 and now she is dealing with tuberculosis. She has been living at a sanitorium for two years while her daughters, Calla and Sienna, have had to live at an orphanage home. All three are prisoners of sorts unable to break free until they contact Dirk Meadows, Rose's brother-in-law to help them.

Dirk is a scarred closed up man who has been longing for his lost love. He decided that he would live a secluded life until his late brother's family reach out to him for help. Now he has a choice. Will he let the past go and embrace the future, or will he let the past continue to haunt him?

I liked the growth of this family. None of them had it easy. Rose's health was fragile, and Dirk's heart was broken. There were some secrets that needed to be revealed before any could move on and these revelations gave them all pause to consider the future.

This was a sweet story of overcoming and embracing what you have that is right before you. I liked reading a different side of the 1920's, a little bit more romance would have made this an even better read.

I received a copy of this novel from Revell Publishing through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of Along a Storied Trail, An Appalachian Summer, River to Redemption, These Healing Hills, and Angel Sister, along with several Shaker novels--The Refuge, The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker, The Blessed, and The Gifted. She and her husband live on a farm a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Ann enjoys discovering the everyday wonders of nature while hiking in her farm's fields and woods with her grandchildren and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. Learn more at www.annhgabhart.com.

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Jo by Caryl McAdoo

About the Book

Book: Jo

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Historical Christian Romance

Release date: May 3, 2022

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your path!

An evil tragedy upends Jo’s young life. Sickness propels the young lady and her grandfather from the thick, moisture-laden air of the Mississippi to drier desert land at the end of the Santa Fe Trail. Her life-long beau professes his love from the banks of the muddy river, but Papa is her whole life, and she’s determined to keep him alive. Along the way, suitors and adventures are aplenty. How is a stubborn girl who always knows what’s best supposed to choose when the one she likes best is constantly rubbing her the wrong way? Could things be any more difficult? Has she made a huge mistake?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Jolene, or Jo for short, is a young woman who has already been through much tragedy in her life. From the very first pages her young life is altered so much, that when her grandfather starts having a hard time breathing, she is desperate to save him and keep him with her longer. The only way according to the doctor, is to move from Memphis to the desert in Santa Fe. If that is the only way, that is what they will do. However, it does take some convincing and before you know it, she has new family that is coming along with her grandfather, uncle, and herself.

Their trek will not be easy. The wagon trains never were. Jo will grow up during those months loving and mourning too often. Much too often that she loses herself at times. Will she let the past and present sadness stop her from her future happiness? Or will she love the one she was meant to be with no matter how much time they have?

I enjoyed watching Jo, a little spitfire, navigate her life between beaus and her family. She grew much in a short time, and I was most desperate to see her get her happily ever after, especially after all she had experienced. This was a good story about trusting in the Lord in all circumstances, especially believing in His goodness.

I received a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory, and her best-selling novels—over fifty published—delight Christian readers around the world. The prolific writer also enjoys singing the new songs the Lord gives her—listen to a few at YouTube. Sharing four children and eighteen grandsugars with Ron, her high-school-sweetheart-husband of over fifty years, she lives in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas. The McAdoos wait expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl

Writing Jo had a special meaning to me as Ron and I reared four of our grandsons. Right off the bat in Chapter One of JO, tragedy befalls her family when she was only six years old. The incident results in her being raised by her grandfather, and she adores him!

So many grandparents today are called on to rear their grandsugars—and even great-grandsugars—that I believed if would afford the opportunity for a really great and different story. Though it didn’t happen nearly as often back then, it did happen. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 1 Timothy 5:8

Several years ago, a poll was taken in one of the groups I belong to. It asked readers what kind of western historical romance they wanted to read about, and covered wagon stories won the day, so I organized the multi-author project and called it the Prairie Roses Collection.

That was back in 2018—and that inaugural collection launched in early May of 2019 in time for Mothers’ Day! Each year we have new authors—and some returning ones—and new standalone stories with the covered wagon conmnection. We have a Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PrairieRosesCollection

This year, the Fourth Annual Prairie Roses Collection, we have twelve authors offering a wagon train story of a strong and brave ‘prairie rose’ making an arduous journey in a covered wagon. I’m so excited to have so many great authors writing a wagon train story for 2022!

Back in the day, Ron and I drove the Oregon/California Trail for some awesome research. All my other roses took that route, but this year, we traveled the Santa Fe Trail! It was great fin seeing the new landscape and going to the hot dry air of New Mexico’s desert.

Jo convinced her grandfather to go for his health’s sake, not realizing how hard it would be on him to start over. She keeps goats and is a calligrapher of some renown, creating beautiful legal documents on parchment made from the goat skins. I once had a herd of 80 dwarf Nigerian goats, so knew all about the critters!

I love the era for novels and how once written, a historical never goes out-of-date! Contemporary romance will be outdated almost as soon as it’s written these days due to all the amazing technology. I love the time when people knew their neighbors, life was slower, families ate together at the table, and women were modest and considered treasures.

I don’t know if any generation has seen such advances as my own. My parents watched the first televisions, but that can’t begin to compare with computers in every home. I believe we truly are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation—a peculiar people who will show forth the praises of Him Who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light!

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord with me and be blessed!

This Texas author hopes readers will love Lilah as I always am, “Praying my story gives God glory!”

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 11

Texas Book-aholic, June 12

lakesidelivingsite, June 13

Inklings and notions, June 14

For Him and My Family, June 15

deb’s Book Review, June 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 17

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 18

Connie’s History Classroom, June 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 21

Guild Master, June 22 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, June 23

A Reader’s Brain, June 24 (Author Interview)

Miriam Jacob, June 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away the prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of Remi!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1eb79/jo-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Review: All That Fills Us by Autumn Lytle

About:

The journey toward healing starts with a single brave step--but it is never walked alone

Mel Ellis knows that her eating disorder is ruining her life. Everyone tells her rehab is her best option, but she can't bring herself to go. Broke, broken, and empty in more ways than one, Mel launches one last-ditch effort to make hers a story worth telling. She will walk her own road to recovery along the lesser-known trails of the North American wilderness.

Though she is physically and mentally unprepared to face the difficulties that lay ahead, she sets off on foot from Michigan. Her goal? Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State. During the long journey, she meets strangers with their own stories, as well as ghosts from her past who can no longer be ignored. But though the land she travels threatens her success at every turn, it's her own dark thoughts she'll have to overcome in order to find peace in the life and the body she has been given.

My Thoughts:

All That Fill Us is a compelling, emotional story of a young woman who has lost her way by losing herself in all that she perceives as failures. In doing this, her problems now are manifesting themselves in an eating disorder that is slowly killing her.

Mel is a bright and often witty character that most could relate too. She knows what she is doing is unhealthy and she knows she is hurting herself and those she loves as well. However, the mind is a powerful thing and so are the voices that come and tell us that we are worthless or not enough, or that we are failures. And they are especially loud when circumstances in our life derail us from the life we thought we could achieve. When careers don't pan out, or sickness comes, or especially when you lose the love of your life, these circumstances can make us feel even more worthless and if left unchecked, can push us to believing the lies about ourselves.

This is Mel's journey as she starts out from her home to journey across the country to Mt. Ranier in an effort to have a pilgrimage of sorts. What she discovers on the way is that she is so much more than just a number from the scale that she is valuable and loved. Even loved and cared for from complete strangers. To survive life, Mel must learn the lessons along this journey, face an uncertain future, and put into a better perspective her past, her family and the love of her life, Alex. But ultimately, she needs to find her worth and value in the One who finds her more valuable and precious than she ever thought.

This is a deep and heartfelt story of a woman, who could be any of us with any sort of problems, and her journey to beginning to get well and truly learn to be content in all circumstances.

I was provided a copy of this novel through the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Autumn Lytle identifies with a strange group of humans who enjoy running long distances and writing even longer books. Along with being a forever-recovering anorexic and exercise addict, she is a weirdly good checkers player and finder of four-leaf clovers. She spends her days thinking up stories and trying to figure out this whole parenting thing with her son. She can often be found out exploring her hometown of Seattle, Washington, with her family in tow. Learn more at www.autumnlytle.com.

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Review: Fatal Code by Natalie Walters

About:

In 1964, a group of scientists called the Los Alamos Five came close to finishing a nuclear energy project for the United States government when they were abruptly disbanded. Now the granddaughter of one of those scientists, aerospace engineer Elinor Mitchell, discovers that she has highly sensitive information on the project in her possession--and a target on her back.

SNAP agent and former Navy cryptologist Kekoa Young is tasked with monitoring Elinor. This is both convenient since she's his neighbor in Washington, DC, and decidedly inconvenient because . . . well, he kind of likes her.

As Elinor follows the clues her grandfather left behind to a top-secret nuclear project, Kekoa has no choice but to step in. And with danger closing in on all sides, Elinor will have to trust the man who has been spying on her to ensure her discoveries stay out of enemy hands--and she stays alive.

My Thoughts:

Elinor's work in science is pretty much all that is to her life right now. She has just suffered the death of her grandfather, whom she loved very much, and knows that only work will help keep her mind occupied. However, there are some who have much more notorious plans for Elinor, and she has no clue what is in store for her.

Kekoa Young is Elinor's neighbor and works for the SNAP Agency as a cryptographer. He is a pretty smart Hawaiian and the author's description was really giving off some major actor Mamoa vibes. Anyway, he has been tasked with keeping an eye on Elinor as she is the prime suspect in an international theft of business property secrets. But Kekoa doesn't think she is guilty though all the signs point to her. Kekoa may have his heart on the line as well, but he is determined to prove that she is innocent.

In the meantime, Elinor is just grateful her hunky neighbor is always around when she needs him the most. And especially when certain secrets come to life. This was a very good romantic suspense with just enough action to keep me turning the pages long into the night. With every page the tension mounted, along with the strong romantic heroic vibes that Kekoa, unintentionally, kept shooting out to Elinor. They had quite a ride and journey to travel and I enjoyed reading every minute of it.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Natalie Walters is the author of Lights Out and Fatal Code, as well as the Harbored Secrets series. A military wife, she currently resides in Texas with her soldier husband and is the proud mom of three. She loves traveling, spending time with her family, and connecting with readers on Instagram and Facebook. Learn more at www.nataliewalterswriter.com.

Monday, June 20, 2022

Review: Edward and Amelia by Karen Thornell

About:

The last thing Amelia Kennington wants is to participate in the London Season. But the daughter of a duke is not afforded such opinions. She must put forth a subdued facade, but beneath it is a well-hidden fire that surfaces only when provoked―such as when an overly familiar gentleman startles her and she falls into the Serpentine.

Edward Drayton, the Earl of Norwich, has gained a reputation as Society’s most decorated rake. And while there are benefits to such a reputation, it no longer gives him the satisfaction it once did. This Season, he plans to find a wife―except she seems to find him instead. And she is nothing like he expected.

Scandal is inevitable following Edward and Amelia’s ill-conceived meeting, forcing them to marry. Amelia’s disdain for this man she hardly knows is more than clear, and Edward’s pride is wounded before their marriage has even truly begun. Yet, against all odds, the two slowly let their guard down, discovering the truth of who they married. But when Society gossip, a sister’s jealousy, and long-held secrets threaten their budding relationship, the unlikely couple must determine if their unconventional love is strong enough to withstand the opposition they face.

My Thoughts:

I adored this story. In fact, I think it is my favorite, at least in Regency this year. The characters jumped off the page and this became a story that I very much wanted to see a certain outcome. Especially since all my expectations were high on this couple having a successful marriage.

Due to unforeseen circumstances and unbelievable gossip, Edward, a known rake, and Amelia, a duke's daughter, become husband and wife. Much to Amelia's dismay and Edward's surprise.

Amelia tells herself she will just continue to protect herself like she has done with her family, now with Edward too. Unfortunately Edward has other plans for their marriage. Now that he has a wife, he is determined that she will love him. So Edward begins, if a bit in a bumbling way, to woo his wife.

Nothing goes according to any of their plans. Especially when both of their hearts want something more. Edward's wit and humor stole the show for me, it was so genuine, and his matter-of-fact statements not only had Amelia smiling, but me as well. These were a couple of characters that I will remember for a long time and this is definitely a reread for me.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

Friday, June 17, 2022

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Love in Disguise by Penny Zeller

About the Book

Book: Love in Disguise

Author: Penny Zeller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: February 22, 2022

Who knew concealing one’s true identity could be so disastrous?

Who knew asserting one’s independence would cause such embarrassment? If only Almira “Emilie” Crawford Wheeler hadn’t insisted upon carrying her own stack of parcels, she wouldn’t have landed in an unladylike heap on the boardwalk. And what about the half-truth she told the handsome stranger who came to her aid? The stranger she never expected to see again?

Thad Alexander Evanson should have been paying closer attention to the boardwalk, rather than the newfangled automobile motoring down the street. Had he been more astute, a collision with the beautiful parcel-laden stranger might never have happened. And if it never had happened, he wouldn’t have told a partial-truth he figured wouldn’t matter.

Before long, Emilie and Thad are arranging to meet for a noonday meal each weekend in Missoula under the guise of different names. But what happens when their true identities are revealed? When half-truths are exposed? Could God have a plan even in the midst of a tangled web of lies?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Love in Disguise was a cute, oftentimes humorous, sometimes serious read of two neighbors who have yet to meet but certainly have an animosity towards one another. Emilie Crawford, lately widowed, loves her gardens and her flowers but the pesky neighbor, Mr. Evanson will not keep his cattle in his own field and those said cattle are determined to destroy her property.

Thad Evanson doesn't like his neighbor too much either since the accusations her late husband made against him previously. Those accusations were of a serious nature that could have seen him in dire straits.

However, through a series of comical errors, Thad and Emilie do meet. They just don't know who they are really meeting. And as time goes by their stories become deeper and more entangled and a little bit harder to straighten out. Especially now that these two unfriendly neighbors have their hearts on the line. Neither of them really lied about anything, as you will see, but nonetheless their courtship becomes a comedy of errors due to misconceptions, some of them quite ridiculous.

This was a fun read with some serious topics and I enjoyed watching these two stumble and bumble out of the mess they both inadvertently caused. Their path towards true love was paved with painful lessons and some outright hilarious situations.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics.

Today Penny is a multi-published author of several inspirational books. She is also a homeschool mom and a fitness instructor.

When Penny is not dreaming up new characters, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, camping, hiking, canoeing, reading, running, cycling, gardening, and playing volleyball.

She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and loves to hear from her readers at her website www.pennyzeller.com and her blog, random thoughts from a day in the life of a wife, mom, and author, at www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com.

More from Penny

In Love in Disguise, the two main characters, Emilie and Thad, are both fond of pie a la mode. It plays a prominent part in the book, especially during Emilie and Thad’s courtship. My inspiration behind the dessert? My aunt’s famous, old-fashioned pie a la mode recipe, which is a family favorite.

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, June 8

Labor Not in Vain, June 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 9

Texas Book-aholic, June 10

Inklings and notions, June 11

Of Blades and Thorns, June 11

For Him and My Family, June 12

deb’s Book Review, June 13

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 14

Mary Hake, June 14

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 15

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 16

Connie’s History Classroom, June 17

Pause for Tales, June 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 18

Bizwings Blog, June 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 20

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, June 20

Splashes of Joy, June 21

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Penny is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1eb77/love-in-disguise-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Hearts Under Fire by Cori Lynn

About the Book

Book: Hearts Under Fire

Author: Cori Lynn

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release date: April 3, 2022

When Laura, a heartbroken antique expert, stumbles across an old steamer trunk, she decides it is the perfect restoration project to distract her from her recent loss. She quickly discovers the trunk has a few mysteries of its own, including a journal dating back to 1941.

Laura finds herself caught up in a heroic love story between Ava and her high school sweetheart Dean. Their story of first love is suddenly interrupted when World War II begins, and Dean is sent to the front lines; leaving Ava to bravely fight her own battles supporting the war effort from home.

Laura soon identifies with Ava’s perseverance and in the process, is challenged to overcome her own hardships. However, the journal unexpectedly ends, leaving Laura with unanswered questions about Ava’s life. Laura is determined to uncover the missing pieces from the journal, but will she find the answers she seeks? And can she find the courage to love again?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

I enjoy it so much when I find myself so lost in the story that I get startled back into real life. And Hearts Under Fire was one of them.

We meet a very heartbroken woman, Laura, who is restoring an old steamer trunk she purchased at an antique store. While restoring the trunk, she happens upon a secret compartment hiding a journal. This journal was given to a young woman by the name of Ava on her birthday right before World War 2 brings the USA into its battles. Laura becomes invested in Ava's story, that and of her love for Dean and for her good friend Grayson who both enlist to fight in that war. Besides war there is other drama that is playing in Ava's heart as well concerning her relationship with the young men and where she fits. Included in the journal is the letters both wrote back to Ava. I along with Laura, was riveted to her story of longing and love and fear as the world was going through some dire times.

Laura is a bit of an introvert and has become somewhat of a hermit as she has faced some very tragic circumstances herself. As Ava's story unfolds, Laura's story does as well, and we learn what has shut her up from life and how might she begin to reemerge and possibly find love again.

This was an enchanting read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Both stories were page turning and I did have a hard time putting the book down to participate in my own life. Thank goodness for long, hot days of summer.

I was provided with a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Cori Lynn is a novelist and screenwriter based in Phoenix, Arizona. In addition to her latest novel, Hearts Under Fire, she has written multiple screenplays including two feature-length films. As her recognition as a screenwriter evolved, she eventually walked away with an “Audience Choice” and “Best Story” award from the Phoenix Film Festival.

Cori graduated with a global business degree from Arizona State University and works full time as a Marketing Director. She spends her free time playing with her puppy, redecorating her home and crafting her next story.

More from Cori

Hearts Under Fire is a historical romance with a contemporary twist. The historical plotline was inspired by the first-hand accounts provided by my grandparents on both sides of the family. Hearts Under Fire differs in that it brings in a contemporary twist and it explores the idea of the parallels between the love story in 1941 and the contemporary love story from present day.