Thursday, August 31, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Death in High Places by Sara L. Jameson

About the Book

Book: Death in High Places

Author: Sara L. Jameson

Genre: Mystery /Suspense/Romance

Release Date: February 28, 2023

An Interpol agent with a deadline he can’t miss.

Urgent intel warns of terrorist cells planning coordinated attacks throughout Europe. Special Agent Jacob Coulter of Brussels Interpol is assigned to find the terrorist financiers supporting these groups and shut down their funding operations.

An opera singer’s life and career hang in the balance.

The Queen of the Night’s vocal pyrotechnics have launched many a soprano’s international career. But Riley Williams, Jacob’s fiancée, is terrified of heights, and her Antwerp Opera debut as the evil queen requires her to sing from a hydraulic lift forty feet above the orchestra pit. When newspapers cite Riley’s recent unmasking of an international terrorist plot and the lift malfunctions, Jacob suspects terrorist sabotage.

He encourages Riley to accept her BFF’s invitation to stay the Savoy Hotel in London where she’ll be out of danger. Or so he thinks …

A series of murders connected to a notorious terrorist financier known as the Priest leads Jacob across Europe. When the victims’ deaths point to London, his Interpol partner convinces him London is a haven for terrorist financiers.

But the clock is ticking, and what Jacob uncovers is more devastating than anything he could have imagined.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Engaged couple Jacob Coulter and Riley Williams have a lot on their plates. Jacob is an Interpol special agent and Riley is an upcoming soprano singer, who wants to make it big in Europe. However, a stage mishap that nearly costs Riley's life may just be connected to terrorists that Jacob is hunting down.

Trying to find quality time to spend with one another, Riley and Jacob seem to only either be apart or are together when Riley needs protection or when she has just survived a near death experience. Jacob is bound and determined to keep his boss happy and to see that Riley will remain safe. He can't imagine life without her.

Riley is dealing with her fear of heights and her worries that Jacob may prove to be too much like her father. However, their adventures keep them on their toes more than is comfortable, and they really need to discuss their future, as Jacob is ready to marry, Riley not as much.

This was the first I had been introduced to this couple. I did not read the first book, but their adventure was intense and made for an enjoyable read. I look forward to more of their adventures and I am rooting for them to get married soon.

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

About the Author

Sara L. Jameson won Scrivenings Press’s grand prize publishing contract in 2020. They released her debut romantic suspense novel, Cruise to Death, in June 2021. Death in High Places, (Book 2 in the Troubled Waters series), releases February 28, 2023, to be followed by Vengeance in Vienna, December 17, 2023.

Sara is the pseudonym of a multi-published former university professor who writes non-fiction under her real name. She also writes WWII historical novels. When not writing, she enjoys reading, swimming, cooking, and dog-sitting.

More from Sara

God never wastes our life experiences. I never suspected my love of travel and years as a professional classical singer in Europe would lead to a romantic-suspense series. Schlepping a suitcase of opera and art-song scores on cross-country trains kept me trimmer than a gym. A few encounters with they-shall-remain-unnamed international security agencies created fodder for the Troubled Waters series. And a lead character who’s far gutsier than I.

My personal experiences often generate story events. Sigh. Even some of the embarrassing moments soprano Riley Williams endures in Cruise to Death and Death in High Places. Sadly, the blue-eyed hunk, Special Agent Jacob Coulter of Brussels Interpol, is pure fiction. Whenever possible, I visit or have lived in my novels’ locales.

Cruise to Death launches Riley’s attempts as a musical theater singer, a romance she never saw coming, and tracking terrorists. In 2019, I revisited each stop of the riverboat cruise that inspired the book.

Trips to London and stays with a friend in Sussex inspired the unsettling events in Death in High

Places, which released February 28, 2023. I’m indebted to my friend for help verifying details in key scenes. When I travel, I don’t necessarily expect a day sightseeing to morph into a life-and-death moment in a book someday. Well, not until now. Naturally, Antwerp and Burie’s Chocolatier, my favorite Belgian chocolate shop, had to feature in this story too.

I’m excited to announce Vengeance in Vienna releases December 19, 2023. The book draws on my years in Austria and a disturbing criminal element now active there, which I was made aware of in 2019.

And ideas are already flowing for book 4!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 22

Book Looks by Lisa, August 22

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 23 (Author Interview)

Melissa’s Bookshelf, August 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 24

Holly’s Book Corner, August 24

Betti Mace, August 25

Texas Book-aholic, August 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 27

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

Exploring the Written Word, August 28

Cover Lover Book Review, August 29

The Book Club Network, August 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 31

Pause for Tales, August 31

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 2

Blogging With Carol, September 3

Lights in a Dark World, September 3

For Him and My Family, September 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sara is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon Gift card and a copy of Death in High Places in paperback!!

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/27734/death-in-high-places-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Bold and Brave by K.A. Cummins

About the Book

Book: Bold and Brave

Author: K.A. Cummins

Genre: Picture Book

Release Date: August 31, 2023

Sometimes courage is loud like an elephant, and sometimes it’s quiet like a llama.

Lily, a young autistic girl with a vivid imagination, wants to sing the solo in the school’s choir show. However, the thought of standing at center stage turns her heart a gloomy grey. School is overwhelming enough when no one is watching. Now all eyes will be on her. Will she overcome her fear and be bold and brave?

Bold and Brave is a whimsical picture book showcasing the heartwarming bond of family while visually drawing readers into Lily’s experience and inspiring them to be bold and brave. It’s aimed at readers aged 3 to 8.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This is a story of a little girl named Lily who is going to be singing a solo in her school's choir. She is very scared. She is also autistic and seems to relate her feelings in colors. Her sadness makes her heart grey, but red, especially red polka dots make her very brave. I liked that in just a few words and pictures the author portrays what it is like in Lily's head as she hears the everyday noises of life.

She really would like to wear her special shirt, but her parents remind her she needs to wear the appropriate costume. When it comes time to sing, she is not sure she is up to it until she sees her very supportive parents wearing the special red polka dot socks on their hands to encourage her. Sometimes, like Lily, we forget that we have those who support and love us very much, all the time. Even in less than circumstances.

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

About the Author

K.A. Cummins is an author and an artist. She explores storytelling in a variety of mediums, blending the wonders of science with the possibilities of what if. When not crafting stories, Cummins loves spending time with her family, collecting fun socks, and venturing outside her comfort zone to try new things—at least once!

Connect with her through her website at https://authorkacummins.com, where you can sign up for emails about upcoming releases.

More from K.A. Cummins

“Bold and Brave” is about a young autistic girl who wants to sing a solo in the school’s choir show. While a colorful pair of socks initially inspired the fiction story, it was my personal experiences as a woman and as a mother that most influenced it.

Stories often use words to draw readers into what a character experiences, but I wanted to do something different for this story. I wanted the illustrations to show readers the parts of the young girl’s experience that are often harder to explain.

For some, the smallest actions can take effort and courage, and their boldness and bravery doesn’t always show on the outside.

I hope “Bold and Brave” inspires readers, and provides an accessible insight into one autistic experience.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 19

Texas Book-aholic, August 20

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 22

The Book Club Network, August 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 24

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 25

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 26

A Reader’s Brain, August 27 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 27

For Him and My Family, August 28

Vicky Sluiter, August 29 (Author Interview)

Raining Butterfly Kisses, August 29

Pause for Tales, August 30

JESUS in the EVERYDAY, August 31

Cover Lover Book Review, September 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, K.A. is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a 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/2716e/bold-and-brave-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, August 28, 2023

Cover Reveal: Riddle of Hearts by Rosie Grymm

And finally, it is here, the last cover reveal for The Classic Retold series based on Alice in Wonderland. The title is Riddle of Hearts, and it has a very moody atmosphere going on. I am so looking forward to every single one of these stories!

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Coming November 10th

About:

Bad bargains have bad consequences.

As royal scribe for the Queen of Hearts, Alice Bishop has two duties: record the proceedings of the court and don’t ask questions. But if chronic tardiness and a constantly wandering mind didn’t make things hard enough, now a Madness has seized the court, turning normal gatherings into heated debates and gossip into whispered threats. Unsettling dreams plague Alice’s sleep and follow her into the waking world; white roses and a familiar clearing she’s sure she’s never seen before.

Finding answers becomes a matter of life and death after Alice uncovers the Queen’s terrible secret. Along with a mysterious and strangely familiar man, a heartless little boy, and her own relentless curiosity, Alice embarks on a quest through the Madness corrupted forests in search of the truth. But as each step reveals more of her hidden past, her search for answers becomes the discovery of a long forgotten question. One only she can answer…or Wonderland will be lost forever.

In this imaginative retelling of Alice in Wonderland, Rosie Grymm tackles denial, regret, and responsibility with a (big) helping of classic Wonderland madness.

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/168290630-riddle-of-hearts

AUTHOR WEBSITE: https://www.aclassicretold.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGM64HL4?tag=namespacebran320-20&asc_campaign=548f2dfe78f33417f96c0b1c8b824017&asc_source=01GRXJEDJ827CJHX3R3R7DB4DN&linkCode=ogi

AUTHOR BIO: Rosie Grymm is a young Christian writer who grew up traveling the world as a military kid. She developed her love of fairytales and mythology while taking family field trips to German castles and exploring Korean folk villages. Storytelling has always been prominent of her life. And when not writing she can be found reading her ever-growing pile of books or planning her next travel adventure. She currently lives in northern Illinois with her family and dog Cinder(ella).

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

My Thoughts and More on A Promise of Home by Kathryn Spurgeon

About the Book

Book: A Promise of Home: A WW2 Family Saga

Author: Kathryn Spurgeon

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: November 21, 2022

What did WW11 look like for those who remained in the U.S? As the war heats up, hundreds of young men from Fremont’s hometown of Shawnee, Oklahoma, enlist, or get drafted. Word filters in about the wounded, the missing in action, and those who have died overseas.

Fremont Pope has not been drafted, but to do his part, he finds a job at an ammunition plant in Colorado Springs. His wife, Sibyl, hopes to teach women at a new church. They’re glad to get away from their cantankerous family, and then their family follows them to Colorado!

When the plant begins to close down, Fremont’s boss offers an amazing promotion back east. Their other choice is to move to New Mexico for mission work. Which will it be? Plunge ahead to a lucrative corporate job or help a small new church grow?

Ultimately, they yearn to go home, but where is home? Are they willing to give up their dreams and begin again?

As the couple stays in touch with people in their hometown, they learn of numerous war-time tragedies. Their return to Shawnee coincides with soldiers returning home. Based on a true story, footnotes and author’s notes are included.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This novel continues the family saga of Fremont and Sybil Pope. This especially follows Sybil and her doubts and her feelings of uselessness as her world and the world at large is at war with itself.

Very pregnant Sybil, Fremont, and their three children have packed up and moved from their hometown in Oklahoma to a new place in the state of Colorado. Sybil is feeling the stress and at times the depression that would come along with that scenario. Not to mention the fact of the loss of a baby and their house and everything they owned in Oklahoma burned to the ground. Sybil looks forward to the new start, yet she can't help missing family, even if that family can sometimes be more trouble for her.

Sybil has trouble acclimating to her new home and church. Wanting to be useful in ministry, the church they attend has no place for her. Not only that but Fremont is working, at times, crazy hours. This story also takes place during WW2 and the very real threat of Fremont getting drafted is a fear that lays on her heart continuously. Not to mention all the fear for their family and friends who are already affected by the war.

This is Sybil's story, her trials at home, with family, and the concerns of finances, and war. A story that shows the same concerns we have today. There is a great deal of history packed in and it is based on a true story.

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

About the Author

Kathryn Spurgeon, an inspirational biographical writer. She’s won many awards including an Illumination Book Award. Publishing over a hundred stories, articles, and poems, she’s also published four novels. She grew up on an Oklahoma farm before moving to South Korea, where she adopted two children. She and her husband, Bill, now live in Oklahoma and have six children and fourteen beautiful grandchildren.

More from Kathryn

Researching the 1930s and 40s was almost more fun than writing the book!

Some reviewers’ remarks about this series:

“I could have learned a lot more in history class if we would have had stories like these.”

“Wow, reading this was like being there as it was happening. Cannot wait for more books by Ms. Spurgeon.”

Blog Stops

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 11 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 11

Texas Book-aholic, August 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 13

She Lives to Read, August 14

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 14

Cover Lover Book Review, August 15

lakesidelivingsite, August 16

Connie’s History Classroom, August 17

Betti Mace, August 18

The Book Club Network, August 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 21

For Him and my Family, August 22

Pause for Tales, August 23

Lights in a Dark World, August 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathryn is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-gift card and a 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/27166/a-promise-of-home-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

My Thoughts on Letters from my Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse

About:

Two sisters. One mystery. A family changed forever.

At the turn of the twentieth century, sisters Emmy and Callie Bullock are living a privileged life when their well-ordered Alabama household gets turned upside down by the arrival of Lily McGee. Arrestingly beautiful, Lily quickly--and innocently--draws the wrong kind of attention.

After Lily has a baby, Callie witnesses something she was never meant to see--or did she? Her memory is a haze, just an image in her mind of Emmy standing on a darkened riverbank and cradling Lily's baby girl. Only when the sisters are separated does the truth slowly come to light--including a revelation that will shape the rest of Callie's life.

My Thoughts:

For some reason, when I first started reading this book, I thought it was going to be more about the letters. It was not. It was about two sisters, Emmy and Callie, their family, and the family that served them for years. Taking place in Alabama in the early 1900s, we see how fiercely protective these two families are of one another.

Callie is a young woman who is adventurous and doesn't let the rigid rules set by her mother slow her down. This story is told through Callie's eyes, but the rest of the characters are well-fleshed out, and we get to know them too. This story pulled me into this tightly-knit group of people just farming and living life, falling in love, and dreaming of a better future for all.

Then, all of a sudden, something happens. And the story changes into a mystery that seems to alter everything. However, after I closed the last page, I began to think that what happened in the first chapter was what really changed everything for this family.

This story pulled me into its atmosphere of love, mystery, and a little bit of the spiritual and wouldn't let me go. I have been pondering it since. It is bittersweet as it deals with tragedies I was not expecting. In fact, I feel I was just as shocked and grieved as the characters when certain things happened. Author Luesse really knows how to pull the reader into her stories, and she does well in getting us to know all her characters.

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

About the Author:

Valerie Fraser Luesse is the bestselling author of Missing Isaac, Almost Home, The Key to Everything, and Under the Bayou Moon. She is an award-winning magazine writer best known for her feature stories and essays in Southern Living, where she recently retired as senior travel editor. Specializing in stories about unique pockets of Southern culture, Luesse received the 2009 Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society for her editorial section on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana. A graduate of Auburn University and Baylor University, she lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband, Dave.

Monday, August 21, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Healing the Mountain Man's Heart by Misty M. Beller

About the Book

Book: Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: August 15, 2023

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, loyalty…and a hidden fortune.

Jericho Coulter, the eldest of six fiercely devoted brothers, is entrusted with safeguarding his family and the secret that binds them together: the Sapphire mine. To keep tragedy from striking again, he allows no outsiders on their land. When two women stumble upon their ranch, claiming Jericho himself sent for one of them as a mail-order bride, he aims to send them straight back where they came from.

Dinah Wyatt, a talented and determined doctor, wasn’t about to let her twin sister travel to Montana alone and marry a stranger. Dinah’s skills are immediately put to the test when one of the younger Coulter brothers is gravely injured, forcing the family to trust his life to her.As Dinah and her sister become entwined in the Coulter family’s life, sparks fly between the enigmatic Jericho and the captivating doctor. In a world where trust is hard to come by and secrets hold the power to change lives, Jericho and Dinah must learn that sometimes, the most precious secrets are those buried within our own hearts.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain family saga filled with a mail-order bride, hidden treasure, and love that heals wounded hearts.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Jericho Coulter is the oldest brother and caretaker and protector of his family and ranch. After the death of his parents and sister, he is bound and determined to keep his family safe and their livelihood a secret from all outsiders. He was doing what he thought a good job of it too, until one day twin sisters show up looking for him to marry one of them.

Dinah and Naomi Wyatt have traveled far from Virginia to start a new life after Naomi decided to become a mail order bride to one Jericho Coulter. Dinah is a doctor, and she was not about to let her pregnant sister travel a treacherous way without her and marry a stranger. But when they get to the end of their travels, they find out Jericho never placed that add. Reluctantly and due to his brother's injury, he lets the ladies stay with them.

Jericho and Dinah begin to get to know each other, Jericho the protector and Dinah the healer, and feelings develop. They face many trials together and their love for one another grows stronger. However, Jericho is set in his ways about protecting the family and ranch even against some of his brothers' suggestions and their wishes. Dinah will not give up her profession as a doctor no matter what the cost. Can these two realize how much they need one another and can be stronger together?

What a great start to a new series. I am looking forward to seeing all of the brothers meet their matches, and that is quite possible when the truth comes out about who sent in the advertisement for a mail order bride for older brother Jericho.

This was a beautiful romantic adventure story of two people falling in love against their own wishes. 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

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

Sapphires in Montana? Are you sure?

When I was brainstorming ideas for my new series, I knew I wanted the stories to be set on a ranch amidst the breathtaking beauty of the Montana mountains. But I wanted something a little more unusual than that. I know, what could be more special than a ranch in the Rockies?

So I brought the conundrum to some writer friends and asked for help brainstorming. There’s nothing quite so fascinating as a group of writers in full brainstorming mode. Since the series is set during the mining boom in Montana, we discussed the idea of some kind of mine on the ranch, but not gold or silver. Or even copper. The remarkable Sarah Erredge (who writes as S.E. Warren) suggested Sapphires.

That thought immediately grabbed hold of me (especially since the Sapphire is the birthstone for my month of September). But I’d never heard of Sapphires being discovered in Montana. That seemed impossible… Right?

Until some quick research showed there are three well-known pockets of Sapphires in the state! Rock Creek is one of those locations, and is positioned perfectly for where I wanted to set my story—west of Helena and about a half day’s ride from the Mullan Road.

The timing of Sapphire discoveries in the state is perfect for my series as well. Early prospectors searching for gold in the gravel of the Missouri River repeatedly discarded the annoying blue pebbles that continually clogged their sluices without much thought to what they may be. It wasn’t discovered that these “pebbles” were Sapphires until 1895 when a man named Ed Coulter forwarded samples of these stones to Tiffany & Co. When Tiffany purchased the lot for $3,750 (approximately $110,300 as of 2018) and declared that the stones were “sapphires of unusual quality,” a small-scale sapphire rush began.

This rush is exactly what the Coulter brothers in the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series are trying to avoid. That’s why they keep the Sapphire mine on their property secret during this first book in the series, Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart.

I pray you love book 1 in this new series and fall as deeply in love with this ranch in the Rockies as I have, especially with the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch. 

Blessings!

Misty

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, August 8

Alena Mentink, August 8

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 9

Texas Book-aholic, August 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 10

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 10

Lighthouse Academy Blog, August 11 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 12

The Book Club Network, August 13

Blossoms and Blessings, August 13

Betti Mace, August 14

Connie’s History Classroom, August 15

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 16

Holly’s Book Corner, August 17

Jeanette’s Thoughts, August 17

Splashes of Joy, August 18

Mary Hake, August 18

annette_reads_daily, August 19

Cover Lover Book Review, August 19

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 20 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 21

Pause for Tales, August 21

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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/272f6/healing-the-mountain-man-s-heart-celebration-tour-giveaway

Saturday, August 19, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Love's True Calling by Lori DeJong

About the Book

Book: Love’s True Calling

Author: Lori DeJong

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release Date: June 27, 2023

After years of jumping through other people’s hoops to be all they thought she should be, and enduring a tragedy no mother should, self-described “newbie” Christian, Harper Townsend, has finally found her true calling … and her true love. Until it appears that to follow one may mean leaving the other behind.

Adolescent Psychologist, Wyatt McCowan, is beyond delighted to have the-girl-that-got-away back in his life, and his heart. But even as they fall more in love, he realizes that being obedient to God’s calling on each of their lives may pull them apart. She rejected him once in favor of another, which left him hurt and angry. But this time, he can’t fault her for following hard after the God she loves with all her heart, even if it means leaving him once again.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Love. What is love really and what can it look like? Well, this is a story of second chances for the main couple and for the kids in their ministry that they are trying to help. It is also of a story of looking past the cover, so to speak, to go skin deep into the life of someone who is hurting. Not to judge a person by their haves or haves not.

Wyatt and Harper had been the best of friends. Then during their teenage years, Wyatt was considered nerdy and picked on, while Harper grew into a beauty. Their friendship broke down after Wyatt confessed his feelings to her and life got out of control. Wyatt left with a bruised, broken heart and a new purpose for life. Harper did what everybody told her to do.

Then one fateful day they meet again, he a professor and she a student. What happens is a whirlwind of getting to know each other again, Harper becoming involved in Wyatt's ministry, and the help they are giving to kids who don't quite fit in. Until Harper, who has learned a thing or two about herself after a terrible heartbreak, sees another need. One Wyatt does not. Are they to be forever apart due to class status?

This was a very uplifting read of growing past life's hurdle, tragedies, and mistakes and pursuing a present and future that is joyous and a help for others. This story does deal with some hard topics such as bullying, suicide, a child's death, and divorce. In the end, will Wyatt and Harper realize that their best work is together? Second chances for everyone.

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

Lori enjoys writing stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love that inspire hope, joy, laughter, and perhaps even touch a soul or two to get to know Him better. She resides in Georgetown, Texas, with her husband and two fur-babies and is the mother of one grown daughter. Love’s True Calling is the 2022 winner of the ACFW Genesis Award for Romance.

More from Lori

I’ve had a dream for a very long time. In fact, I had this dream long before I was even doing anything to achieve it! Turns out I’ve wanted to be a published author since the 1990’s. And I didn’t even start writing, join writers’ groups, or attend conferences to learn the craft until 2002. Something inside me apparently knew more than I did when I put on my 1996 long-term goals list: To be a published author.

Fast forward to 2023 and my debut novel is being published. I’m not great at math, but even I know that’s A LOT of years that have gone by since I first identified that long-term goal. So the take-away from that should be, if you set a goal, no matter what it is, make a plan. Immediately. Not years later. Seriously. Don’t be me.

So, I chugged away at this writing goal for a few years, until my husband was laid off when the economy tanked in 2009 and our lives turned upside down. I didn’t write again until 2020, when we found ourselves empty-nesters and I started listening once again to those voices in my head begging me to write their stories.

Which brings me to how my first published novel was born. Would you believe it was homework? True story! When I came back to writing in 2020, I needed to re-hone my skills. So I took an online class that required us to plot an entire manuscript based on our characters’ motivations. What do they want out of life and why do they want it?

That’s how I came up with Wyatt, the high school geek now an accomplished and handsome college professor and adolescent psychologist, and Harper, the high school Miss Everything who’d weathered plenty of storms in her life before going back to school a decade after graduation to finally get her degree. What happens when Wyatt sees the girl who broke his teenage heart sitting in his class?

I plotted out this story as homework, never intending to write it. But I fell in love with these two and they were clamoring for me to tell their story. Two years later, that story won the ACFW Genesis award and is now being published by Scrivenings Press. Best takeaway from that? Never. Ever. Give. Up.

Who knew that a class assignment could bring about the realization of a twenty-some-odd-year-old goal? Make a dream come true? God did. And I’m so glad I listened to Him as I put this story to paper.

I hope you’ll read and enjoy Love’s True Calling, a story of love rediscovered, the joy of finding purpose, and the blessing of obedience.

Blog Stops

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 9 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 10

Texas Book-aholic, August 11

Artistic Nobody, August 12 (Author Interview)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 13

Guild Master, August 14 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 15

A Reader’s Brain, August 16 (Author Interview)

The Book Club Network, August 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 18

Back Porch Reads, August 19 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, August 19

For the Love of Literature, August 20 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, August 21

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 22 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lori is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and 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/272f8/love-s-true-calling-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, August 17, 2023

My Thoughts on Countdown by Lynette Eason

About:

A stalker out to finish what he started. A US Marshal who's vowed to protect.

And one woman determined to put the past in the past.

Flight paramedic Raina Price has been running so long it's hard to stop. To escape a dangerous stalker, she changed her name and disappeared, building a new life with the help of a friend from her time in juvie. It feels good to put her energies into saving people's lives, but because her stalker was never found, she's never stopped looking over her shoulder. And one can only run so far before the past finally catches up.

US Marshal Vincent Covelli's job is to hunt down fugitives and protect those who are assigned to him. When Raina is almost killed right in front of him, he vows to protect her at all costs--whether it's his job or not. Together they work to solve the mystery of Raina's past. But someone is out to make sure Raina doesn't live long enough to succeed.

My Thoughts:

If you are looking for a rather intense storyline with danger all around, then I suggest this book. The danger was acute and pretty much nonstop for these characters. In fact, Raina Price has been running from her stalker for fourteen years, who once upon a time left her for dead. Being young and rebellious got her into a situation with a man whom she never really even knew. And when she finds out how sick he really is, well, that explains why everyone she knew was threatened by him.

US Marshal Vince Covelli is in love with Raina. However, he knows she has secrets that she has not even told her closest friends. He also knows she is in some serious trouble, and he has made the decision to stick by her till the end, no matter what comes. And oh boy, does it come. Vince and Raina are both in danger and they are doing their best to protect one another along with their friends. This one was full of heart stopping dangers, huge revelations, and a patient slow burn romance. A great edition to this series.

I was provided 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:

Lynette Eason is the USA Today bestselling author of the Extreme Measures, Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master's degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband. They have two adult children. Learn more at www.LynetteEason.com.

Friday, August 11, 2023

Cover Reveal: Kill the Dawn by Emily Hayse

Hello friends. It is a book cover reveal Friday, instead of Wednesday. This is for the 8th book to be released in the Classic Retold series. Based on Hamlet, Kill the Dawn is a mighty beauty.

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About:

After a devastating wound and the loss of his beloved father, Hakkr is trying to pick up the pieces of his life. But when his father's last conquest, a mysterious thrall, shares a terrible secret, Hakkr's life only further unravels as incident after incident leads him to the chilling realization that his people's enemies are not the only ones who want him dead. Set in a wild northern world of wolf-hunts and Viking warfare, Kill the Dawn is a breathtaking new retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet, full of heart, beauty, and bittersweet sacrifice.

Coming November 3rd

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CF872CMK?tag=namespacebran320-20&linkCode=ogi

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/168128759-kill-the-dawn

AUTHOR WEBSITE: https://emilyhayse.com/

AUTHOR BIO: EMILY HAYSE is the award-winning author of eight books, a lover of log cabins, strong coffee, NASCAR, and the smell of old books. Her writing is fueled by good characters and a lifelong passion for storytelling. When she is not busy turning words into worlds, she can often be found baking, singing, or caring for one of the many dogs and horses in her life. She lives with her family in Michigan.

Thursday, August 10, 2023

My Thoughts on The Love Script by Toni Shiloh

About:

A Hollywood hair stylist.

Nevaeh Richards loves making those in the spotlight shine but prefers the anonymity of staying behind her stylist chair, where no one notices her. But when a photo of Nevaeh and Hollywood A-lister Lamont Booker goes viral for all the wrong reasons, her quiet life becomes the number-one trending topic.

The silver screen's latest heartthrob.

Lamont Booker's bold faith has gained him a platform, and the authenticity of his faith is well known . . . until the tabloids cause the world to question everything he claims to be. With his reputation on the line, he finds himself hearing out his agent's push for a fake relationship--something he never thought he'd consider in a million years.

A love that goes off script.

With their careers at risk, Nevaeh and Lamont have to convince the world that their scripted romance is more than just an act. But when fake seems to turn into something real, can Nevaeh trust her heart in a world where nothing is ever as it seems?

My Thoughts:

This is my favorite book so far by author Shiloh. I was so engrossed in these two characters' lives from the first, and their fake not fake relationship had me turning those pages rather quickly as I needed to see how this made in Hollywood romance would work out.

Nevaeh Richards is a hair stylist in Hollywood trying to make a name for herself and get picked to become a top stylist on a movie set. But right now, she is rather content sharing an apartment with her college roommate and working at a salon and treating her customers special. She has real talent and so Lamont Booker, only the sexiest man alive, has noticed her and would like her to work for his mother who was battling cancer. That was a year ago, and Lamont's mother is much better and loves Nevaeh working on her hair. However, when the paparazzi snap a few pictures and turn the narrative ugly, both Lamont and Nevaeh's reputations are on the line.

I really enjoyed how author Shiloh played their relationship. Neither wanted to lie, but the truth was only going to make things worse. The creative way they thought of going about their fake not fake relationship was borderline white lie, but that is what they went with. Little did either know that their hearts would really be on the line. Can Lamont look past his fame and see a life with Nevaeh and can Nevaeh deal with the spotlight that can be both praising and demeaning?

This was a wonderful look at how fame can affect a relationship, friendship, and family. I so enjoyed 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:

Toni Shiloh (www.tonishiloh.com) is a wife, a mom, and an award-winning Christian contemporary romance author. Her novel In Search of a Prince won the first ever Christy Amplify Award. It has also been praised by Oprah Daily, POPSUGAR, Library Journal, and Booklist, and is a Parable bestseller. Her books have been finalists for the HOLT Medallion and the Selah Award. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Toni loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media.

More Thoughts and More on The Laws of Attraction by Mary Connealy

About the Book

Book: The Laws of Attraction

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: June 20, 2023

Can they risk giving in to the attraction between them while their lives are on the line?

If widowed seamstress Nell Armstrong has to make one more pair of boring chaps for the cowboys in her tiny Wyoming town, she might just quit the business altogether! So meeting Brand Nolte, a widower struggling to raise three girls on his own, seems like her dream come true. Brand has no idea how to dress the girls properly, and Nell finally has a chance to create beautiful outfits while also teaching the girls to sew.

But Nell is much more than a seamstress, and the investigative skills and knowledge she picked up alongside her late lawman husband soon become critical when a wounded stagecoach-robbery survivor is brought to town. As danger closes in from all sides, Nell and Brand must discover who has a target trained on them before it’s too late.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Wyoming was a wild place and even though women had much more freedom there, they still had to prove that they were every bit as tough as a man. Nell Armstrong is a widowed seamstress who dreams of sewing more than just chaps. She wants to sew dresses and have a real dress shop and when widower Brand Nolte and his three girls' step in her dress shop, she sees an opportunity for them and her.

Brand is a man with three daughters, who is just trying to do the best he can to survive. After losing the women in his life, his sole focus is making a life in Wyoming with his girls. He just doesn't realize how much they have grown, and his oldest is now a young woman and thinking of her own future. When he agrees to Nell's plan, he didn't know he would be falling in love with her as much as his girls did. Life changes for Brand rather quickly.

There is plenty of danger as there is a ruthless gang on the loose and will hurt anyone. They don't care. And now that Nell has become the judge of their town, an unusual job for a woman even in Wyoming, the gang has set their sights on her. However, she is not the only one. Like I said, plenty of danger and action and love to go around. It was a fun read.

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

About the Author

Mary Connealy (www.maryconnealy.com) writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books. She is the author of the popular series Brothers in Arms, Brides of Hope Mountain, High Sierra Sweethearts, The Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Lassoed in Texas, Sophie’s Daughters, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

More from Mary

The Laws of Attraction, the idea of it, was what kicked off the whole Wyoming Sunrise series.

A woman justice of the peace.

Wyoming, oddly enough, was the first state in the union to give women the right to vote. And it wasn’t just voting, it was suffrage. That meant so much more than just voting. There were property rights involved, the right to serve on juries, and the right to run for office or be appointed to political offices.

Wyoming was the first state to have a woman justice of the peace. I read about Esther Hobart Morris and thought, hey, my heroine could be the second justice of the peace.

My heroine is a seamstress. Of the three heroines in the Wyoming Sunrise series, Nell, the heroine of book #2, is the one who is not in a traditionally masculine role. In book #1 Mariah is a blacksmith. In book #3 Becky is a lady rancher.

Nell just wants to sew pretty dresses and make beautiful bonnets. She likes to tat her own lace. She likes flowery fabric and lots of ruffles.

And then she moved to Wyoming. Nine thousand total residence and five men for every one woman. And the few women who are there all sew their own dresses.

To add to that, Nell, a widow, didn’t have a happy first marriage. She has no interest in marrying again. Staying single in a state like Wyoming isn’t easy, but she’s managed it. Her first husband was a lawman, and when a band of stagecoach robbers are plaguing the area, Nell finds she’s got skills to investigate these crimes that far exceed the local sheriff.

The sheriff is impressed, and when the town’s justice of the peace resigns, the sheriff appoints Nell.

I just had so much fun with this book. Nell is frustrated because she isn’t getting to make dresses. She does discover a talent for working with leather and making chaps. She hates it, but the orders just keep pouring in and she’s making a tidy living. Not having a lot of fun but definitely prospering.

And then a local homesteader with three half-grown daughters, all of whom desperately need a new dress, runs across Nell, and she wheels and deals him into letting her make them in exchange for his daughters working for her, making chaps.

Nell’s talent for investigating crimes soon puts her in danger. And Brandon Nolte, her best customer, finds himself, Nell, and his girls all surrounded by danger.

The Laws of Attraction—fun, fast-paced, and love is the most fundamental law of all.