My Thoughts on Cold Vengeance by Nancy Mehl

 

About:

When a renowned crime podcaster vanishes without a trace, former FBI behavioral analysts turned private investigators River Ryland and Tony St. Clair are called upon to track her down. As they wade through the evidence she left behind, they unearth a startling connection--she may have discovered the existence of an unknown killer, and he will stop at nothing to carry out a deadly plan.

As the pair delves deeper, they soon find themselves the targets of a relentless enemy determined to silence them. With their lives--and hearts--on the line, can they confront the evil that threatens them before it consumes them both?

My Thoughts:

This was an interesting read of both faith and suspense. There were definitely some darker, creepy vibes going on, especially in the stalker/killer's mind. However, the author does balance that out with the characters faith, which they are not shy about sharing.

Full disclosure, this is the third book in the series, and I have not read the first two. I wish I did, just to get the whole beautiful picture of the team Rylan and St. Clair. That is definitely something I will be rectifying soon.

River Ryland and Tony St. Clair are former FBI agents turned PI's who take on a case of a missing woman, who was looking into cold cases herself. Not only that but River has got a killer after her that gave me the shivers when we got inside his head. He was that creepy. River and Tony also have family and family issues that goes along with life that plays into their character development. And the will they or won't they admit their feelings for one another helped to balance this story on a lighter side. I did find the elements of how they proceeded to investigate the case quite interesting. 

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

About the Author:

Nancy Mehl is the author of more than fifty books, a Parable and ECPA bestseller, and the winner of an ACFW Book of the Year Award, a Carol Award, and the Daphne du Maurier Award. She has also been a finalist for the Christy Award. Nancy writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson. To learn more, visit NancyMehl.com.

My Thoughts on Meeting Her Match by Jen Turano

 

About:

Miss Camilla Pierpont, a renowned matchmaker and influential member of the New York Four Hundred, has vowed never to marry after suffering a devastating heartbreak during her debut years ago. However, when she is nearly abducted along the Hudson River, she finds herself rescued by an annoyingly outspoken, albeit fascinating, gentleman who challenges her in a manner she wasn't expecting.

After learning that Camilla Pierpont has enjoyed success with taking wayward young ladies in hand, Mr. Owen Chesterfield travels to the Hudson River Valley determined to convince Camilla to sponsor his sister, who is in desperate need of social rehabilitation.

Knowing her life is in danger, Camilla agrees to Owen's proposition and travels with him to West Virginia, finding herself charmed by the less-than-formal attitude of his small hometown, as well as by Owen himself. But danger waits in the shadows, disrupting what she knows would be the most spectacular match she's ever made--her own.

My Thoughts:

Oh my, the wit and banter that Camilla and Owen had with one another and unleashed in their conversation was gold. This is the story where Camilla, the matchmaker meets her match, much to her chagrin and our amusement.

The beginning of this book, how the characters meet, may possibly be called a meet cute. But in its wildness, it certainly sets the stage for rest of the book. There were many laugh-out loud moments along the way with a very real threat of danger that stalked these characters. 

I liked Owen. I cannot really explain what drew me to him. He was funny, without trying to be. He sincerely did not understand why some of his comments were so off putting to women, that is until Camilla explained some things to him. Their interactions were my favorite parts of the book, and they are quite a memorable couple.

There are other somewhat outlandish characters. Especially since Camilla goes with Owen to West Virginia to help his sister become more of a refined woman. This was an amusing read that I really needed.

I was provided a copy of this novel from Bethany House Publishers through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publishers Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from RT Book Reviews, and praise from Library Journal. She's been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers' Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. She and her family live outside of Denver, Colorado. Readers can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and at JenTurano.com.

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

 

About the Book

Book: Love’s True Home

Author: Lori DeJong

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: June 25, 2024

She craves roots. He seeks adventure. Will finding one mean leaving the other behind?

Allyson Kincaid needs roots. After being born and raised on the foreign mission field, all she wants is home and hearth on American soil. Finally past the break-up with the man she’d thought was the love of her life, she’s ready to put herself back out there. Too bad the first guy who’s made her pulse skip in nearly two years dreams of a life spent in foreign missions. She respects and supports his calling but knows it’s not one she shares.

When self-described vagabond Zane Carpenter relocates to Arlington, Texas, his only thought is to meet his obligation with Becker Ministries then move on to a foreign mission assignment, his dream and goal for the past several years. But working so closely with Ally in student ministry has his heart feeling things he’s never experienced. He’s ready for a future with her, until she makes it clear she doesn’t share his calling to the mission field.

A trip to her father’s Guatemalan mission changes everything when one stays and one leaves. Can she make a place on foreign soil, or will he find a home in Texas he didn’t even know he was looking for?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Love's True Home is a story all about finding your true home, where you belong, and with the people who will be your true home. Ally and Zane both have quite painful pasts, loss of immediate family when they were so young. As they get to know one another, they both open up about their young lives.

Ally really touched me and all that she was going through. Her ex-boyfriend, the one she thought was hers has just married a dear friend of hers. She sees that they are right for one another, but it is letting go of the dream that really makes her cry. I like how she is trying to put her life into perspective and is letting go of all her dreams and trying to be careful to hear the true calling on her life. Not any easy thing to do and a decision she must make every day.

In walks Zane, a swoony, funny, and caring guy who would like to get to know Ally more. As he does, and likes what he sees, he'd like to sweep her off her feet. However, they have some major roadblocks that need to be addressed.

There are family issues that need to be worked through, and also where each see their vision for the ministry. That last one is the big one and one that both are having trouble with. You see, Zane's ultimate dream of foreign mission work is the one thing Ally won't do, due to her history. With all that going on, they must decide if their relationship is worth fighting for at all.

This was an uplifting read that brought all the emotional feels of one moving on from heartbreak and moving on to an unknown future.

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

Lori DeJong is a contemporary Christian romance author who enjoys penning stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love that inspire others to hope regardless of circumstance, find joy in the moment, and grow in their faith. She resides in Georgetown, Texas, with her husband and two fur-babies and is the mother of one grown daughter. Lori’s debut novel, “Love’s True Calling”, is the 2022 winner of the ACFW Genesis Award for Romance, a double finalist in the 2024 Selah Awards, and was released in June 2023. “Love’s True Home” is the second book in the True Calling Series and releases on June 25, 2024.

 

 

More from Lori

Do you ever wish you had a second chance to make a first impression? I know I have.

And I can’t help but think that Allyson Kincaid, the female protagonist in my upcoming novel, Love’s True Home, would desire the same thing. Her first appearance in Love’s True Calling, Book One of the True Calling Series released last year, may not have painted her in the best light. But who could blame her for acting from a broken heart, trying to win back the man she thought was the love of her life? I knew from the moment she stepped off the page in chapter thirty-one she needed her own story. Her own true love. Her own path to finding her true calling. And I hope readers will give her that second chance to win their hearts.

As I set out to get to know her better, I found she had a lot to tell me. Much of her history was spent growing up on foreign mission fields across Central America, leaving her feeling rootless and without a place to call home. Until she came to Arlington ten years ago and found exactly what her heart longed for. Now her dream is to settle right there in Arlington, get a house someday—and a dog, of course—and grow her roots in rich, Texas soil.

Over a brainstorming session with a close writer friend, I mapped out an entire story concept for Ally, with a handsome missionary love interest. Then Zane Carpenter popped up in the last few chapters of Love’s True Calling and I knew he was the guy for Ally. Out with the old story and in with the new.

Getting to know Zane was a kick, even if he has enough of his own heartbreak in his history. His sense of humor, extrovert adventurer personality, and deep love for the Lord had me hooked from the beginning. Except for the myriad friends he’s made in the half-dozen places he’s lived over the past thirteen years, Zane’s alone in the world. And until meeting Ally, he was okay with that. Traveling here and there for new opportunities, new adventures, meeting new people. With a foreign mission assignment being his ultimate dream.

But what happens when the girl who’s been-there-done-that as a missionary kid and has no intention of leaving Texas meets a guy who sweeps her off her feet, only to find out his goal is to work in foreign missions?

Come along for the ride as Zane and Ally discover more about themselves, each other, the Lord they both wholeheartedly long to serve …

And the true meaning of home.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, July 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 11

lakesidelivingsite, July 12

Back Porch Reads, July 13 (Author Interview)

Devoted To Hope, July 13

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 14

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 15 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, July 16

Simple Harvest Reads, July 17 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, July 18 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, July 18

Cover Lover Book Review, July 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 20

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 21 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, July 22

Stories By Gina, July 23 (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/2ca40/love-s-true-home-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on Trail of Promises by Susan F. Craft

 

 

About the Book

Book: Trail of Promises

Author: Susan F. Craft

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: June 25, 2024

A marriage of convenience will protect her reputation on the long trail ahead, but he’s barely more than a stranger…

Tessa Harris is a woman without options. When she’s stranded nearly two hundred miles from her destination, her only companions are a former British Cavalry officer and his two young brothers. Society dictates they cannot travel without a chaperone, but can she trust this handsome stranger to protect her if they choose to marry? And if so, should she show her feelings or guard her heart? She’s learned the hard way how painful it is to love a man who doesn’t reciprocate.

Stephen Griffith has enough responsibility caring for his young brothers, and now he shoulders the massive responsibility of keeping his new wife safe as they cross the wilderness toward a new life. And though he tries to keep her at arm’s length, reminding himself their marriage may only be a temporary arrangement, he cannot seem to shake the feelings growing for her.

When they fall into the hands of outlaws, Tessa and Stephen must overcome their hardest obstacle yet. Only God can bring them safely to the end of the trail where enduring love awaits.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

I whole heartedly enjoy marriage of convenience stories, and this one really puts our couple through some harrowing times. Tessa and Stephen are thrown together after danger comes to their wagon train. Stephen and his young brothers will not leave Tessa alone in this world, so they decide to become a family, if only temporary and continue on to their destination in South Carolina.

Danger awaits them in many forms and begins to shape them into a family that will stand together no matter what. Can Tessa and Stephen have a real marriage, one of love and not just duty? Their romance was a shining point throughout the story especially as they leaned on one another to see them through another day and adventure. It was a bittersweet ending.

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

Susan F. Craft retired after a 45-year career in writing, editing, and communicating in business settings.

She authored the historical romantic suspense trilogy Women of the American Revolution—The Chamomile, Laurel, and Cassia. The Chamomile and Cassia received national Illumination Silver Awards. The Chamomile was named by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance as an Okra Pick and was nominated for a Christy Award.

She collaborated with the International Long Riders’ Guild Academic Foundation to compile An Equestrian Writer’s Guide (www.lrgaf.org), including almost everything you’d ever want to know about horses.

An admitted history nerd, she enjoys painting, singing, listening to music, and sitting on her porch watching geese eat her daylilies. She most recently took up the ukulele.

More from Susan

Tessa Harris and her father, Thomas, are portrait artists, limners, who travel from town to town seeking commissions.

Limners were among the first to record glimpses of life in colonial America. By the early 1700s, wealthy colonists hired limners to paint portraits of their families. These limners, mostly self-taught, generally unknown by name, turned out naive portraits in the Elizabethan style, the Dutch baroque style, or the English baroque court style, depending upon the European background of both artist and patron.

Rather than a true portrait, the paintings were most often idealistic and did not give a true representation of the personality of the sitter and were often two dimensional. Artists focused on the material wealth of the subject, giving much attention to their clothing and accessories. Some artists painted only the faces of their subjects, explaining that they need not bother with tedious sittings and that they would paint the bodies and clothing later. They would show their subjects English and French prints from which to choose whatever costumes and backgrounds they preferred.

Like most artisans of their time who found it difficult to support themselves with paintings only, limners also worked in pewter, silver, glass, or textiles or took jobs doing ornamental paintings of clocks, furniture, signs, and carriages. Many painted miniatures—tiny watercolor portraits—on pieces of ivory, often oval-shaped and commonly worn as jewelry. Limners also painted on paper and canvas and earned, on average, $15 per portrait.

Limners Samuel McIntire and Duncan Phyfe became celebrated painters of furniture. Famous colonial portrait artists included Joseph Blackburn, Peter Pelham, John Smibert, John Singleton Copley, John Trumbull and Charles Wilson Peale. An American artist, Benjamin West, became painter to the king and president of the Royal Academy in London. American artists flocked to his studio to learn under his tutelage, including Gilbert Stuart, who painted a famous portrait of George Washington.

In 1754 in British colonial New York, an artist took out the following ad in the Gazette and the Weekly Post: Lawrence Kilburn, Limner, just arrived from London with Capt. Miller, hereby acquaints all Gentlemen and Ladies inclined to favour him in having their pictures drawn, that he don’t doubt of pleasing them in taking a true Likeness, and finishing the Drapery in a proper Manner, as also in the Choice of Attitudes, suitable to each Person’s Age and Sex, and giving agreeable Satisfaction, as he has heretofore done to Gentlemen and Ladies in London. He may at present be apply’d to at his Lodgings, at Mr. Bogart’s near the New Printing-Office in Beaver-Street.

I pray that my Great Wagon Road series honors the Lord and the gifts He has given me and that you will love my characters as much as I do. Soli Deo Gloria.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, July 9 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Pens Pages & Pulses, July 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 10

Texas Book-aholic, July 11

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 12

For Him and My Family, July 12

Lighthouse Academy Blog, July 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Karen Baney Reviews, July 13

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, July 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 15

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 16

Holly’s Book Corner, July 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 17

lakesidelivingsite, July 18

Cover Lover Book Review, July 19

Blossoms and Blessings, July 20

Pause for Tales, July 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 21

Books You Can Feel Good About, July 22

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Susan 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/2ca3e/trail-of-promises-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts on Until Our Time Comes by Nicole M. Miller

 

About:

When her hopes are shattered by war, one woman will risk everything to save those she loves

American horse trainer Adia Kensington is living her dream of working at the famous Janów Podlaski stables in Poland, where the best Arabian horses in the world are bred. But her plans to bring a priceless stallion to the US are derailed when the German army storms into her adopted country in 1939. Little does she know this is just the beginning of six long years of occupation that will threaten her beloved horses at every turn.

 

Bret Conway is at Janów Podlaski under the guise of a news reporter, but his true mission is intelligence gathering for the British. That and keeping Adia safe, which is harder and harder to do as she insists they must evacuate two hundred and fifty horses to save them from being stolen, sold, or eaten by the invading forces. What follows will test Bret's and Adia's physical, mental, and emotional strength, as well as their faith in God, humankind, and each other.

 

This epic story of escape, capture, resistance, and love is based on true events of the uncommon heroes in World War II Poland.

My Thoughts:

Going into this story I certainly did not know what to expect. I just knew that this was a different WWII story than I have read previously. I have read a lot too, stories that take place all over, but this one focuses itself on Poland and the saving of its stallions for generations to come.

Adia is intent on saving the Janow Podlaski horses. She loves these animals and that love oozes off the page. She also loves her co-workers. She makes the best decisions she can at the time, and when war comes and overturns their peaceful life, well Adia is left wondering and doubting her decisions. I really related with her on that. Often, I am so careful to make a decision, and then sometimes it doesn't work out the way I intended. Of course, I am not in the middle of a country being invaded, but her perceived feelings of failure resonated with me.

Bret Conway is somewhat of a British spy. He is masquerading as a reporter and goes through a good dose of self-doubt and self-blame himself. He has also been given the task of keeping Adia safe, and if he can, get her out of Poland. Little did he know that extended to everyone and everything she loved.

For a WWII story, this is a unique one and gives the readers a different place and objective. The danger is palpable, and it is not only the Germans that are creating havoc, but the Russians as well. This was an epic story by a new to me author and taught me a little bit about a history I didn't know before. I look forward to more of her stories.

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:

Nicole M. Miller lives in Washington State with her husband and two sons, along with her Arabian horses, chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, and guinea pigs. As a longtime horse owner, she's been involved in many horse organizations, including serving on the Clark County Fair Court and as Miss Teen Rodeo Washington. She's received national and regional awards for her nonfiction from American Horse Publications and the Society of Professional Journalists. See her stories in The Horse of My Heart, The Horse of My Dreams, The Dog Who Came to Christmas, and Second-Chance Horses. Learn more at NicoleMillerWriter.com.

My Thoughts on A Small Town Fourth of July by Janice Carter

 

About:

His return sets off fireworks…

But will it blow up her dreams?

When Theo Danby returns to Maple Glen to sell his inherited land, Maura Stuart panics. Selling the land could endanger Maura’s beloved donkey therapy business…and expose her secrets. Her only hope is to rope Theo into helping with the Fourth of July festival and make Theo fall in love with their small town. But if she trusts him with the truth, will he stay…or will she lose everything?

From Harlequin Heartwarming: Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.

Home to Maple Glen

My Thoughts:

It never ceases to amaze me all the different ways people make their living. In this particular story, twin sisters, but not identical, have taken up their late father's business, donkey business. Actually, it is a donkey therapy business, which the author addresses in the book, which I found really interesting.

Life seems to have been a little bit stagnant for these characters, their life choices not working out, broken hearts, stuck in the same old same old, etc. Till one fateful day when a long-ago summer friend arrives back in town to take care of his inheritance. Then it seems that his decisions not only affect him and his son, but those of his neighbors, past friends, even the whole town.

I found this story to be not only just a romantic one between the two leads, but also the sisters' relationship with one another, father and son healing, and second chances to achieve your dreams. This was a sweet little story to read for the Fourth of July.

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.

My Thoughts and More on Her Part to Play by Jenny Erlingsson

 

About the Book

 

Book: Her Part to Play

Author: Jenny Erlingsson

Genre:Contemporary Romance

Release date: June 18, 2024

Desperate for extra income after her mother’s passing, Adanne accepts a last-minute job as a makeup artist for a movie filming in her small Alabama hometown. She’s working to save her parents’ legacy and help her brother, but the money hardly seems worth having to face the actor who got her fired from her last job in Hollywood.

John Pope has made his share of mistakes over the years. But after turning his life over to God and enduring a messy breakup, he’s ready to start rebuilding his career. Imagine his surprise when the woman called in to cover for his usual makeup artist is a quiet but feisty newcomer on the set–and definitely not a fan.

Sparks of tension–and could that be attraction?–fly between them, but Adanne hates the spotlight, and John’s scheming manager has bigger plans for him than to end up with the humble makeup girl from the small-town South. Can these star-crossed lovers find their way to happiness? Or will the bright lights of Hollywood blind their eyes to what’s right in front of them?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

What a sweet, romantic read from a new to me author. I enjoyed the characters and their growth throughout, and that ending, sigh worthy.

Here we have a story of fame versus small town, genuine love versus the copycat wannabe, and of two lives changed for the better after their less than perfect circumstances and past loss. 

Adanne, a makeup artist, has needed some extra income as she tries to keep her beloved late parents dream alive. She is trying to achieve all of this on her own, as her brother and his little family are in the middle of long battle for their little boy. And for whatever reason, Adanne thinks she needs to do this all on her own without family or even community help. She gets this job that due to circumstances, push her more and more into one of the actor's way. Specifically, one she would rather not have to deal with. Especially since he was a pain to deal with three years ago.

John Pope doesn't recognize her or remember any of the past they share. He was very self-centered before his horrible breakup with his ex-girlfriend, but he has turned over a new leaf now. He has had some eye-opening moments and has been working hard to not just live for himself. During the filming of his newest movie in a small-town in Alabama, he finally finds his heart. He just has to convince her.

This was such a fun story, especially since there is a movie being filmed in my small town. Talk about real life coincidence. I look forward to more of this author's wonderful stories in the future.

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

Jenny Erlingsson is an author and speaker of Nigerian descent. After 12 years working in junior high and women’s ministry, she moved with her family from Alabama to Iceland. When she’s not running after her four kids or ministering alongside her husband, she can be found writing romantic fiction and creative nonfiction to inspire deep faith in diverse settings, as well as encouraging other writers. Her other writings have been featured on (in)courage, Live Original, Velvet Ashes, and more. And in the margins, you might find her reading five books at a time with a side of Icelandic chocolate.

 

More from Jenny

Sometimes it can be easy to underestimate the significance of our part to play in God’s story, especially when it’s something behind-the-scenes. I wanted to portray that in the story that unfolds between my characters Adanne and John. In Her Part to Play, readers are introduced to a make-up artist who had dreams of becoming successful in her career, but she sacrificed that to take care of her dying mother and ended up getting fired in the process.

This idea actually developed while I watched behind the scenes footage of The Chosen. Like any industry, profession or product, what we see is only a small part of the process. There are details that we don’t consider when we are being swept away in a story.

On the surface, working with the actor who got her fired was not the way Adanne wanted to earn much needed income. But there’s so much beautiful redemption that can be found in hidden places and that’s what John finds as well. Every day that Adanne works on his face to get him ready for his scenes, God starts working on both of their hearts. A beautiful transformation is carried out through someone who may not have seemed valuable in the grand scheme of things, but who was a very important part of the process.

Her Part to Play gives a glimpse of that through a charming romance between two people with different roles and from different cultures, but they both have a core need to be known and loved for not just what they do, but for who they are.

Blog Stops

Back Porch Reads, June 25 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 26

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, June 27 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 27

Inspired by Fiction, June 28

Blossoms and Blessings, June 29 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 1

Vicky Sluiter, July 2 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 3

By The Book, July 4 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, July 5

Blogging With Carol, July 6

For the Love of Literature, July 7 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, July 7

Pause for Tales, July 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jenny is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card, a custom journal 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/2c55e/her-part-to-play-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on A Conflicted Betrothal by Denise Weimer

 

About the Book

Book: A Conflicted Betrothal

Author: Denise Weimer

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: June 11, 2024

A King’s Ranger, a secret patriot, and a love that calls everything into question.

As a King’s Ranger on Georgia’s frontier, Ansel Anderson loves his independent life. But he’s also a second son, which means he’ll need the favor of someone influential to secure a land grant to settle his future. What better way to win support than by marrying the daughter of a member of the Governor’s Council? Yet Ansel’s straightforward plan is complicated by Miss Scott’s aloofness and his own growing sympathy for the passionate cause of the Liberty Boys.

As drawn to the enigmatic Ansel Anderson as Temperance Scott might be, he’d be more of a match for her feisty twin sister—who is all too happy to oblige. Not only would timid, nearsighted Temperance make a poor wife for a man trained for life on the frontier, but anyone she allows close to her must share her secret patriot ideals.

When Savannah erupts into riots and intrigue following the passage of the Stamp Act, Ansel is tasked with identifying a spy passing sensitive information to the Liberty Boys and the author of anonymous letters threatening those loyal to the governor. And as suspicions focus on the Scott family, which is he prepared to sacrifice—love or loyalty?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

How fortuitous for me that I have read not one, but two books this week that pertain to the July 4th birthday of our nation. The other one dealt with the end of the war, and this one deals with the early rumblings that gain ground in 1765 by the unfair taxes the king imposed on the American colonies. We get to see the secret meetings of the Sons of Liberty, the Liberty Boys, and even a chapter starting up with the Daughters of Liberty in Savannah, Georgia.

Temperance Scott is a young woman who feels the taxes are unfair. Does not like how the king is pushing his weight around. She stands with liberty and all it entails. Unfortunately, not all in her family see things the way she does. She also has a twin sister who can stir up trouble a time or two. Not only that but she finds herself attracted to Ansel Anderson, a King's Ranger, sent to root out the spy or spies who is giving pertinent information to the rebellion.

The author brought to life the lives of the colonists and the stirrings of rebellion ten plus years before it was too late to turn back.  She showed how lives and loyalties were divided in families, friendships, and how in the world could a rebellious colonist fall for a king's man? Great historical read of the beginnings of our liberty.

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

North Georgia native Denise Weimer has authored over a dozen traditionally published novels and a number of novellas—historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and time slip. As a freelance editor and Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books, she’s helped other authors reach their publishing dreams. A mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

 

 

 

More from Denise

The American Revolution That Almost Happened a Decade Earlier:

The Setting for A Conflicted Betrothal

Savannah, Georgia, 1765. Sedition, secret letters, spies, and Sons of Liberty. An absolutely irresistible combination for an author of historical romance! All this intrigue centered around the passage and implementation of the Stamp Act.

The crowning grievance after a series of increasingly repressive acts levying taxes for Britain, the act required an imprint on official papers or a small blue paper affixed with tin foil to a document, including bills, calendars, warrants, deeds, court documents, commercial papers, degrees, newspapers, pamphlets, ads, almanacs, indentures, appointments, and even cards and dice. Anyone breaking the Stamp Act would be tried in admiralty court in Novia Scotia. Colonists objected to not having a local trial by their peers and because English parliament, not the local upper and lower colonial houses, set the tax.

Savannah seethed with discontent while awaiting the appointment of a stamp master and the arrival of the stamps.

Then a sensational article in the Georgia Gazette revealed that four local citizens had received letters signed by “the Townsman” accusing them of being the stamp master or having stamped papers in their possession. The men were instructed to publicly advertise their innocence or risk grievous results.

When protest and riots speared by the fledgling Liberty Boys repeatedly erupted, the governor called out his Royal Rangers to quell the potential rebellion. But the rangers and the militia were riddled with secret patriots, many of whom were the sons of prominent loyalists. Imagine being in the position where you are sworn to serve and protect—only, you suspect you may be on the wrong side.

That’s what happens to my hero in A Conflicted Betrothal. Georgia Royal Ranger Ansel Anderson is summoned from his frontier post to provide intelligence to his father’s friend, a loyalist judge. To obtain the land grant he needs, he’s also to court the man’s daughter, an ardent patriot. Patience Scott has no intention of letting herself fall for a sworn King’s Man…until anonymous letters threatening those loyal to the governor corner her into agreeing to a betrothal. But will their attraction to each other survive their conflicting loyalties?

Blog Stops

Holly’s Book Corner, July 2

Texas Book-aholic, July 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 3

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 4

lakesidelivingsite, July 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 6

Pause for Tales, July 6

Books You Can Feel Good About, July 7

Simple Harvest Reads, July 8 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 9

Inkwell Inspirations, July 10

For Him and My Family, July 11

Jeanette’s Thoughts, July 12

Blossoms and Blessings , July 12

Cover Lover Book Review, July 13

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 14

Connie’s History Classroom, July 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Denise 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/2c80b/a-conflicted-betrothal-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on Treason Trail by Kit Hawthorne

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Treason Trail by Kit Hawthorne, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Treason Trail
Series: Cape Fear Legacy #3
Author: Kit Hawthorne
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: June 18, 2024
Genre: Sweet Historical Romance

A mysterious stranger holds the key to the fate of the nation. 

In the final days of the American Revolutionary War, Nessa Shaw tends to the sick and wounded at the Continental Army camp in Charlestown, South Carolina. When she stumbles upon a man lying unconscious on a forest trail, she quickly realizes he is unlike any patient she has ever encountered. With no memory of his past, his only clues to his identity are his first name—August—and the certainty that he is a Patriot. Against her better judgment, Nessa grows closer to August, trusting him with secrets that could cost her dearly. But when she discovers a deadly plot that could change the course of the war, Nessa must question everything she thought she knew about August and his true allegiances.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

More Books in This Series

 

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About the Author

A lifelong resident of the American South, Kit Hawthorne makes her home on a Texas farm that has been in her husband’s family for seven generations. She spent many years singing, composing, and playing Irish pennywhistle in a Celtic folk band. All those ballads and boat songs awakened in her a love for a Scottish heritage that spans both sides of the Atlantic. She’s an avid reader, especially of history, biography, mystery, theology, and romance, and enjoys logging her reads (and plotting her life) in her Bullet Journal. She also enjoys drawing, sewing, quilting, knitting, and restoring old furniture to beauty and usefulness.

Connect with Kit at kithawthorne.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

My Thoughts and More on When Secrets Come Calling by Felicia Ferguson

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for When Secrets Come Calling by Felicia Ferguson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: When Secrets Come Calling
Author: Felicia Ferguson
Publisher: Salt & Light Publishing
Release Date: July 1, 2024
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Past secrets. A second chance. But can the truth really set them free? 

When former University of Alabama and Titans wide receiver Dax Carpenter learns his father is accused of a forty-year-old robbery and murder, he turns to the only person he trusts to discover the truth: his ex-girlfriend, Caitlin Fitzhugh. 

Caitlin, a cold-case specialist with the Alabama State Division of Investigations, wants nothing to do with the case nor Dax. Not only is the evidence against Dax’s father already condemning, she can’t risk having her heart broken—again. 

Caitlin’s boss, however, ignores her arguments, and she begrudgingly takes the consult, convincing herself she can keep the case and her past with Dax separate. But unlike her, longings and memories don’t follow orders. While she lends her skills to the Gulf Shores Police Department in the search for the truth, Dax fends off a possibly career-ending social media hit—leading him to question everything he knows about his father and himself. 

As the secrets of both their pasts unfold, they discover whether Dax’s father truly robbed and murdered a man forty years ago but also why Caitlin ended their relationship. Secrets that could drive a wedge between them, forever.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

My Thoughts and More on Thanksgiving in Welcombe Bay By Kate Darroch

 

 

About the Book

Book: Thanksgiving in Welcombe Bay

Author: Kate Darroch

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Release date: October 29, 2023

The story of an alcoholic former journalist, Eric, who is trying to straighten out his life and give up drinking, and Lily, a woman haunted by memories of domestic abuse, who meet and miracle in gorgeous Welcombe Bay. Both are coping with serious life problems, and neither is looking for romance. But lasting love is looking for them. Can these broken souls overcome their emotional and financial challenges, and help each other to heal through the transformative power of their love and faith?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Taking a little trip across the pond, we enter the little town of Welcombe Bay in Devon, England. Here we have a story of two hurting souls, healing and picking up the pieces of their broken past. Eric has had a harrowing experience with his alcoholism and through AA he is trying to piece his life back together. Lily, a bakery shop owner, is still dealing with divorce proceedings from her abusive ex-husband who still causes her PTSD.

Lily and Eric hit it off almost at once. I liked that Lily was willing to be open to a new romance, realizing not all men were like her abusive ex. Eric inspired me as he struggled with his guilt and shame that finally caught him up in the truths about himself. He did not just bemoan his circumstances and remain bitter and angry, no he picked himself up and took responsibility for his faults and proceeded to find faith and live a better life.

So, this was a sweet romance between Lily and Eric, two people who have lived challenging lives and worked to rise above their circumstances. 

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

Kate Darroch lives on the picturesque Devon coastline, where she combines her passion for cozy sleuths and her experiences of life as it’s lived in many countries to create compelling Travel Cozies.

Màiri Maguire, a Scots Irish teacher from 1970s Glasgow, heroine of debut novel, “Death in Paris”, has earned Kate many international book awards, including Readers Favorite Gold Medal for Humor, consolidating her reputation as a notable author. Kate hopes her readers will enjoy Màiri’s adventures as much as she enjoys Father Brown, Sherlock Holmes, and that old, old movie, the Perils of Pauline.

Next, Kate created Huntingdon Hart, a dry, witty, prescient, multi-millionaire, tongue-in-cheek cross between James Bond and Sherlock Holmes, who’s in love with a much older woman.

Kate’s most recent work is the Christian Second Chance for Lasting Love series, Sweets By the Sea, a saga of Recovery and Redemption; which her readers say is even sweeter than Màiri’s adventures.

More from Kate

If you want incident-crammed stories that seamlessly integrate Christian values, you’re in the right place. Why is that? Because my own Christian faith is a seamless part of my life. How can you separate everyday life and faith? Don’t ask me, because I can’t.

I wrote Màiri Maguire to make people laugh during a dark time; and I wrote Eric and Lily to give hope and understanding to the families of addicts in recovery, to shine a light on thought processes and emotions which are opaque to most of us; and which those of us with a friend or loved one in recovery would like to understand better. Because I’m a storyteller, not a counsellor, I also tried to tell you a story that would make you both laugh and cry, a story worth taking time to enjoy. I hope that you will decide to spend a little time with Eric and Lily, and that you will find the expenditure of your time to be worthwhile.

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, June 22 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 23

Artistic Nobody, June 24 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, June 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 25

Guild Master, June 26 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, June 27

For the Love of Literature, June 28 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 29

By The Book, June 30 (Author Interview)

An Author’s Take, July 1

Blossoms and Blessings, July 2 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 3

A Reader’s Brain, July 4 (Author Interview)

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, July 5 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, July 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kate is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and an eBook copy of the four books in the series: Cookies & Eggnog from Welcombe Bay, Thanksgiving in Welcombe Bay, Christmas in Welcombe Bay and New Beginnings in Welcombe Bay!!

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/2c06e/thanksgiving-in-welcombe-bay-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on Toward the Dawn by Mary Connealy

 

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Toward the Dawn by Mary Connealy hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Toward the Dawn 

Series: A Western Light #2 

Author: Mary Connealy 

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers 

Release Date: June 18, 2024 

Genre: Christian Historical Western Romance

Despite trials that threaten their path forward, hope dawns for a future filled with love.

Kat Wadsworth and Sebastian Jones never imagined their lives would entwine so closely. Forced to flee on a wagon train from a vengeful uncle and an unknown gunman, they live in a hidden canyon with the family that rescued them. But as the days turn into months, they each have separate reasons for wanting to move back to society, and the best way to the independence they desperately crave might be through a marriage of convenience. 

However, settling into their homestead in Cheyenne, Wyoming, reveals a different reality for Kat. Her new husband becomes consumed by his inventions, leaving her feeling lonely and isolated. And just when they think they've left the danger behind, a mysterious attacker lurks in the shadows, threatening the new life they've built. Together, they must confront the perils from their pasts to forge a future with hope and the prospect of love.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop

More Books from this Series

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About the Author

Mary Connealy writes "romantic comedies with cowboys" and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books and is the author of the popular series Wyoming Sunrise and The Lumber Baron's Daughters and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

Connect with Mary by visiting MaryConnealy.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.