My Thoughts and More on Every Dog Has His Day by Janice Thompson

 

About the Book

Book: Every Dog Has His Day

Author: Janice Thompson

Genre: Christian Fiction / Cozy Mystery

Release Date: July, 2023

A Large Reward Is Offered for a Missing Dog

Kick back with your faithful companion and relax with a small-town mystery in book 5 of the Gone to the Dogs series.

Lone Star groomer, Isabel Fuentes, adopts a feisty rescued dachshund, and the two are inseparable. . .until Texans quarterback, Corey Wallis, announces a large reward for his missing female dachshund. Suddenly all of Houston are on the lookout for the MIA pooch that bares a strong resemblance to Isabel’s new pup. Isabel contacts Corey, but soon Ginger goes missing and Isabel is convinced Corey and his agent took her for a publicity stunt. Then there is a reporter who could be trying to manufacture a great story or a cameraman seeking the big reward. Can there be a happy ending for Ginger?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This was another cute edition in the Gone to the Dogs Mysteries, focusing on Isabel the groomer of our favorite vet clinic. This story centers around a cute little dachshund who may or may not belong to a devastatingly handsome pro-football quarterback by the name of Corey Wallis. He's new to the team and Isabel is a big football fan anyway. However, when it comes to dogs, she is a fierce protector and for some reason this little one doesn't want to even let Corey hold her.

Well as you can imagine this is a big story that is entangling the clinic in a possible lawsuit and the paparazzi are swarming. Then the unthinkable happens again, and Ginger is nowhere to be found. Will Corey and Isabel team up together to find out what is exactly happening? And maybe in that teaming up another clinic worker will have their happily ever after. This was a fun and upbeat mystery, and I am glad Isabel got her story after the havoc created by her last boyfriend.

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

Janice Thompson, who lives in the Houston area, writes romantic comedies, cozy mysteries, nonfiction devotionals, and musical comedies for the stage. She is the mother of four daughters and nine feisty grandchildren. When she’s not writing books or taking care of foster dogs you’ll find her in the kitchen, baking up specialty cakes and cookies.

 

More from Janice

The Story Behind the Story

For years now, I’ve been in the dog rescue business. I’ve fostered close to 50 dogs—some from the local shelter, some from an amazing dog rescue organization called My Chi and Me, and some directly from the streets of Houston.

 About a year ago, (around the same time I set out to write Every Dog Has His Day) I was given a tiny red dachshund to foster. If you know anything about me at all, you know that I’m head-over-heels in love with dachshunds, especially red ones. I had a female red dachshund named Sasha who lived with me for 15 years. She passed away in 2017, just after my mom died.

 When this tiny red doxie came to stay at my house last year, I was tempted to keep her. But I’ve already got three dogs of my own. So, she went to my grandchildren, who live about 30 minutes away.

 Here’s the fun part: I got to name her. I gave her the name Ginger because of her color. (Interesting irony: I’m allergic to ginger. Can’t touch the stuff!)

Now that she’s been in the family a year or so, she’s become my favorite grand-dog. Ginger stays with me a lot—when the family is vacationing, when she needs to socialize with my dogs, and when I’m lonely for her.

 I love this little girl. She’s an absolute doll. Okay, she’s naughty as can be, but she’s a doll.

 So, when I got ready to write Every Dog Has His Day, I decided to include Ginger as part of the story. Trust me when I say the real Ginger is a runner, just like the fictionalized one! If I opened the front door, she would run right out. And, just like the dog in the book, she probably wouldn’t come back.

 Our Ginger doesn’t have a white patch on her paw. (Most doxies, other than dapples, are solid color.) But I needed to give my fictional Ginger a distinguishing mark so that the two characters (her rescuer and her owner) could end up squabbling over her.

 As is the case in most of my stories, my characters end up romantically involved. Hey, dogs aren’t just great companions; they’re wonderful matchmakers, too! As of yet, the real Ginger hasn’t brought a love interest into my life. (Here’s hoping!)

 I hope you enjoy Every Dog Has His Day. As you read about that tiny mischievous doxie, just know that she’s a very real little dog—one who climbed up on my kitchen island just yesterday and got into some carefully-wrapped treats I’d made for the grandkids.

 Sometimes life really is stranger than fiction!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 25

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 25

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 26

Bigreadersite, July 26

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 28

Texas Book-aholic, July 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 30

Blogging With Carol, July 30

Cover Lover Book Review, July 31

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 2

Mary Hake, August 2

She Lives To Read, August 3

Lily’s Book Reviews, August 4

The Book Nook, August 4

For Him and My Family, August 5

Holly’s Book Corner, August 5

Splashes of Joy, August 6

Pause for Tales, August 7

Labor Not in Vain, August 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Janice is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 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/26d51/every-dog-has-his-day-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on Rebecca by Shannon McNear

 

About the Book

Book: Rebecca

Author: Shannon McNear

Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical Romance

Release Date: July, 2023

A Native Princess Follows Her Heart

Immerse yourself in the “what if” questions related to the Lost Colony of Roanoke when a native princess meets an English widower.

Born the daughter of a Powhatan chieftain and a woman of unknown origins, Matoaka enjoys a carefree life. When strange men from across the eastern waters appear near her home, she regards them at first as a mere curiosity. Soon, though, she finds herself torn between friendship with one of their leaders and the opinions and politics of her elders. Drawn to a young Englishman, John Rolfe, who has lost a wife and baby daughter, she shares his griefs. . .and perhaps something more. Could she have a future among the English of Jamestown, accepting their ways and even changing her name? Could her fate be a part of the lasting legacy of the Lost Colony of Roanoke?

Author Shannon McNear portrays history with vivid authenticity.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This third story in the Daughters of the Lost Colony continues the What if? possibility and connects the story of Roanoke with the story of Jamestown. Particularly the historical figure of Pocahontas.

I will admit this story was difficult to read as the Native names were hard to pronounce and remember. And they had different names for the same person as well, sometimes bestowing a new one on someone. However, the author notes on this story are quite helpful and do help with the understanding of this unique culture.

One thing I will note as I was reading was all the historical detail that was described. From the Native America camps to the Jamestown settlement. The people and the trouble were both rounded out. So, while at times this was a more difficult read with the names and customs, it was interesting and gave me more to think on about this lost colony of Roanoke. I would like to visit both Roanoke and Jamestown sometime for my own walk through. What if? My thanks to the author for her imaginative story.

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

Transplanted to North Dakota after more than two decades in Charleston, South Carolina, Shannon McNear loves losing herself in local history. She’s a military wife, mom of eight, mother-in-law of three, grammie of two, and a member of ACFW and RWA. Her first novella, Defending Truth in A Pioneer Christmas Collection, was a 2014 RITA® finalist. When she’s not sewing, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies. Connect with her at www.shannonmcnear.com, or on Facebook and Goodreads.

 

More from Shannon

Daughters of the Lost Colony—how are we at book 3 already? I’m both excited and nervous about this one, which features Pocahontas and the original Jamestown. Why did I choose her, and this place, when the overall series is about the Lost Colony?

Among their various other aims, the Jamestown colonists were charged with finding the Roanoke Colony. John Smith’s own reports reference this, and one can sense his discouragement and frustration over their inability to find answers on the fate of those who came to the New World before them. William Strachey, early secretary to the colony, stated that Powhatan (that is, the paramount chieftain often called by the same name as his people group) had slain the last known survivors of the Roanoke Colony. But nowhere is that claim substantiated. 

There were no solid historical connections between the Lost Colony and Pocahontas—so I created a plausible fictional one in the form of Emme Merrimoth, a historically documented member of the Roanoke Colony who in book 1, Elinor, experienced the fictional adventure of being carried captive to the Powhatan nation. Where Strachey lists the names of the paramount chieftain’s favored wives, I put Emme in the place of the real-life Winganuske.

I knew the research would be challenging on this one. What I didn’t expect was to find Emme’s aspect of this story so compelling—or to fall in love with Wahunsenecawh, the great Powhatan himself. The name alone is intimidating, but you can find sound clips of how to pronounce it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q_10PYf_0U and here: https://www.nameslook.com/wahunsenacawh/ (ignore the weird stuff and click on the little red arrows for different voices). There are at least five or six documented ways to spell it, and the one I picked is probably the most obscure. I had a year to get used to saying it, but repeat after me, slowly:  wah-HUN-senacoh. Or wah-HOON-senacah, depending upon which rule you use for the U in Algonquian pronunciation, and how you interpret that “wh” at the end. 

Names overall were an issue with this story. A few reviewers have already mentioned this difficulty. The thing is, in Native culture, especially what we know of the Eastern Algonquian-speaking peoples, a name wasn’t simply a casual identifier—it defined a person’s entire identity. We don’t know what most of the names recorded from that time meant, but we can be sure they weren’t chosen lightly, and they were valued by those who held them. Indeed, a change of name often accompanied a change of purpose. It has even been suggested that if the English had been paying attention, they’d have realized when Opechancanough changed his name shortly before the great attack of 1622, it signaled a critical shift in his attitude toward them.

So when you read this story, you may find it helpful to keep a finger in the cast list—or to place a bookmark on that page if you’re reading the Kindle version. Thank you so much, again, for taking this journey with me!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 27

Texas Book-aholic, July 28

Cover Lover Book Review, July 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 31

Alena Mentink, July 31

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 1

Connie’s History Classroom , August 2

For Him and My Family, August 3

Mary Hake, August 3

Holly’s Book Corner, August 4

Sylvan Musings, August 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 5

Pause for Tales, August 6

Betti Mace, August 7

Books Less Travelled, August 7

To Everything There Is A Season, August 8

Lights in a Dark World, August 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Shannon 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/26d59/rebecca-celebration-tour-giveaway

Cover Reveal: Chase the Legend by Hannah Kaye

Happy Wednesday everyone. Today is cover reveal day for book 7, Chase the Legend a Moby Dick retelling in the upcoming Classic Retold series. Here it is:

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About:

The End of the Map lies far behind you now. Here there be dragons.

The nation of Outer Melvia runs on the power of dragon oil, but only the Hunters of Map’s End are fearless–or foolish–enough to pursue the great beasts of the deep.

In the wake of a broken engagement, Ilsa Starling boards the Hunting vessel Relentless in search of the solace the sea promises her.

But dragons are not the only threats that lurk in these uncharted waters. As first mate aboard Relentless, Ilsa becomes a key player in the impossible quest determined by her captain, Adam Chase. Once Map’s End’s rising star, Chase lost everything to an ill-fated encounter with a legendary white dragon that haunts the seas at the very edge of the world. Now the captain swears to avenge himself on the beast and restore all that was stolen from him, no matter what–or who–he may lose along the way.

In this gaslamp fantasy reimagining of Moby Dick, Hannah Kaye spins a tale of hurt and healing, breathing hope into Herman Melville’s timeless tragedy.

Coming October 27th

Amazon: https://a.co/d/8zjUlAb

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/167236872-chase-the-legend 

AUTHOR WEBSITE: www.hannahkaye.blog 

AUTHOR BIO: Hannah Kaye is a professional daydreamer, homeschool mama, drama teacher, and lover of stories in all forms. She is the author of The Sadie and Clyde Adventures, a series of humorous and heartfelt Westerns for middle grade readers. Her stories are largely inspired by her sisters, her Christian faith, and her passion for weaving Truth into fiction. When not spinning tales, Hannah enjoys being outside, especially near water, where she’s dabbled in kayaking, sailing, and SCUBA diving. She lives in northeast Oklahoma with her nerdy husband, two young hobbits, a long-legged dog, and several aquariums of tropical fish. She can often be found lurking near a coffee pot, baking elaborate desserts, or playing jigs on the Irish tinwhistle in improbable locations. You can connect with Hannah online at www.hannahkaye.blog or follow her on Instagram @hkayewrites.

My Thoughts and More on Runaround Sue by Jennifer Lynn Cary

 

About the Book

Book: Runaround Sue

Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary

Genre: Sweet and Wholesome Romance

Release Date: May 30, 2023

She gave away something precious…

…He lost a part of himself.

Can they find a way to help each other heal?

Sue is hiding out until she is sure her former reputation won’t destroy what she’s trying to rebuild. Unfortunately, that means this brilliant wordsmith turned semi-hermit is working beneath her potential and dealing with stress every time her office door opens.

The last thing she needs to do is greet some biker guy who sets her nerves to jumping just by being in the same room.

And if his hairy face isn’t enough to put her off, the mere fact that he’s male is.

So why does she keep ending up in his presence?

Mac is home from Viet Nam and if he never thinks about that place again, it will be too soon. Instead, he’s returned to his music that got him through his teen years, his exotic senior trip overseas (thanks to his Uncle Sam), and the deep wound that he brought home with him. Using his GI bill to further his music understanding has pushed him outside his comfort zone, but the leggy secretary at his professor’s office is tempting him with other ideas he thought he’d shelved for good.

Even if she gets flustered every time he runs into her.

What will it take for her to give him a chance? Or is she more wounded than he is?

Return to 1972 Kokomo, Indiana for the third installment of The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series—Runaround Sue—and what see happens when people discover who God has called them to be.

You will love Runaround Sue, inspired by Dion and the Belmonts’ 1960s hit song, because everyone understands about facing fears with a do-over.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 My Thoughts:

This was a second chance romance for both of these characters who didn't believe they deserved a second chance with God or with anyone else. But love finds away, and it had to work a little harder where these two were concerned.

Sue is the secretary at the church office, even though she has a degree she is not using at all. She has secluded herself away and wears fake glasses to try to hide herself. What she is really hiding is her shame and she needs to let that go and forgive herself of her mistake.

Mac is a veteran of the Vietnam war and has lost his leg. He is doing alright when he doesn't think about it nor when he thinks about his former fiancé who left him at the alter for his cousin. He is certainly not ready to let anyone into his life, certainly not another woman. But there is something about Sue, and when she proves a challenge for him, he begins to rethink his concerns.

Their romance was sweet and organically evolved into a true match with a forever after hope. They just have to deal with a few issues first.

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

Historical Christian Romance author, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawl and The Forgotten Gratitude Journal.

Runaround Sue is the third book of her spin-off series The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue.

More from Jennifer Lynn

One of the best parts of writing this series is that I get to relive lots of fun memories from my childhood. As my bio states, I am a direct descendant of Davy Crockett. This was a big deal to my father, and he made us memorize the generations back.

Well, my first real friend (we met when we were four but didn’t get to play together again until we were in first grade—long, funny story) had a famous last name, famous around Kokomo at least. Haynes. She mentioned she was related to this guy who was a big deal with cars and steel. That was about all my first grade mind could fathom. 

I was able to connect that to a little side trip I took with my dad one day. He pulled up in front of an old white building on Apperson Way in Kokomo and led me to the front door. It was obvious the building was empty and had been for some time. But on the slab porch, in front of the entrance, he pointed out a tiled mosaic of a jack rabbit. Dad explained that this had been the factory where the Apperson brothers produced their car, the Jack Rabbit. They ran their factory for about twenty-five years producing one of the first sports cars ever made.

By fourth grade, where we learned about Indiana history, I also got a bit more information on Elwood Haynes (my friend’s ancestor) and the Apperson brothers. Aside from a converted horse cart, their Pioneer car from 1894 is considered the first automobile made in the USA and is now housed in the Smithsonian. 

I don’t think I fully grasped Elwood Haynes’s contributions to science and industry, however, until I moved away and became an adult. (Getting older and learning how to surf the web helped too). I was able to use what I learned about the man and share it in Runaround Sue.

The auto industry left Kokomo in the dust when it became evident that Detroit was easier and less expensive to deliver raw products to. However, that didn’t stop Mr. Haynes from doing his experiments. One story has it that he invented stainless steel because his wife was tired of polishing the silver. And we can thank him for finding a use for that residue that was left after cleaning the oil captured from the drilling in the Kokomo area—a little thing called gasoline. 

I love that I’m from Kokomo, that I had a wonderful childhood there, and that there are so many cool pieces of information about the place. (BTW, actor Strother Martin and author Norman Bridwell of Clifford the Big Red Dog series are both Kokomo famous sons). 

If you’ve ever been to Kokomo, Indiana, I hope you will respond and let me know. If you haven’t, it’s a nice place to visit. I hope you will check it out.

Blog Stops

By the Book, July 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 22

Texas Book-aholic, July 23

Connie’s History Classroom, July 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 25

Books I’ve Read, July 25

The Book Club Network, July 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 28

Blogging With Carol, July 29

For Him and My Family, July 30

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 31 (Author Interview)

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 31

Pause for Tales, August 1

JESUS in the EVERYDAY, August 2

Cover Lover Book Review, August 3

 

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon card and an eBook 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/26ba3/runaround-sue-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on A Summer at Thousand Island House by Susan G. Mathis

 

About the Book

Book: A Summer at Thousand Island House

Author: Susan G. Mathis

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 25, 2023

She came to work with the children, not fall in love.

Part-nanny, part entertainer, Addison Bell has always had an enduring love for children. So what better way to use her creative energy than to spend the summer nannying at the renowned Thousand Island House on Staple’s Island? As Addi thrives in her work, she attracts the attention of the recreation pavilion’s manager, Liam Donovan, as well as the handsome Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector, hotel patron, and single father of mischievous little Jimmy.

But when Jimmy goes missing, Addi finds both her job and her reputation in danger. How can she calm the churning waters of Liam, Lt. Worthington, and the President, clear her name, and avoid becoming the scorn of the Thousand Islands community?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Working for the summer at the Thousand Island House resort is a dream for Addi, as she knows working with the children will help keep at bay some of her loneliness from losing her father. She also dearly loves working with children and hopes to have some of her own one day. Her arrival, a little later than expected, gives her a few unexpected encounters that don't all necessarily bode well.

Addi steps into her role with gusto, often being reminded of the rules of the resort. There seems to be many. And the gentleman who keeps reminding her is Liam Donavan, her boss. However, he puts her in a conundrum as at times he seems interested in a relationship with her and others she is just another employee, that he talks over. 

Not only is Addi trying to have the children enjoy their summer and keeping them busy and safe, but there are also jealousies afoot and another man whose interests in her are much more than being a nanny. This was a quick and interesting story of a summer spent during the Gilded Age at a resort and what that may have looked like for a young woman looking to make it in the world.

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 G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than twenty-five times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has eleven in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Peyton’s Promise, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment and A Summer at Thousand Island House. Her book awards include three Illumination Book Awards, four American Fiction Awards, two Indie Excellence Book Awards, and four Literary Titan Book Awards. Reagan’s Reward is a Selah Awards finalist. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.

 

More from Susan

Behind the scenes at A Summer at Thousand Island House

I’ve been writing about the Gilded Age for several years now. A Summer at Thousand Island House is my eleventh published story, and I had so much fun creating it. The American Gilded Age was a time of rapid technical advances, industrialization, and thousands of new inventions from about 1870-1910. Mark Twain coined the term in his 1873 novel The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today that satirized the era of social problems that were masked by a layer of thin, gold gilding.

It’s a fascinating time in history, especially in the Thousand Islands. I grew up just twenty minutes from the Thousand Islands in upstate New York. Actually, half of the 1,864 islands are in NY and the other half in Ontario, Canada. All of my books are set during the Thousand Islands Gilded Age, when the wealthy came and scooped up the islands and built lavish summer homes, mansions, and castles.

It was an era of economic growth and wages were higher than Europe, so massive immigration drew about twenty million to the U.S. shores. Unfortunately, it was also a time of unequal distribution of wealth where the rich got richer and the poor working class suffered. 

Many young women worked as servants until they married, and that’s what my stories are about—those nameless, faithful women who cooked and cleaned and served tables for the rich and famous. These “downstairs” women had fascinating stories to tell, and I plan to tell many of them.

All my novels are based on a specific place in the Thousand Islands and are the true stories of the owners of that island. So, my plot is generally true. There really was an entertainment pavilion on Staple’s Island where the patrons of Thousand Island House enjoyed all kinds of amenities, including a daycare. And US Presidents, including President Grant and President Chester Arthur (whom you meet), vacationed at Thousand Island House. 

Then I overlay the storyline of the fictional servants to create the story. This makes my stories a bit more challenging, but I love a good challenge. Addison Bell cares for children. Liam Donovan manages the pavilion and Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector and single father, comes and goes. 

And all of my Thousand Islands’ stories have hope as the central theme. Hope for a better future. Hope for love. Hope for healing. A Summer at Thousand Island House also focuses on healing broken hearts and embracing God’s redemption.

Mathis’s attention to detail and rich history is classic Mathis, and no one does it better.—Margaret Brownley, N.Y. Times bestselling author

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 18

Alena Mentink, July 18

Karen Baney Reviews, July 19

Books You Can Feel Good About, July 19

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 20

She Lives To Read, July 20

Texas Book-aholic, July 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 22

Connie’s History Classroom, July 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 23

Book Looks by Lisa, July 24

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, July 25

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 26 (Author Interview)

Back Porch Reads, July 26

The Book Club Network, July 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 28

Holly’s Book Corner, July 28

Cover Lover Book Review, July 29

Blossoms and Blessings, July 30

Blogging With Carol, July 31

Pause for Tales, July 31

For Him and My Family, August 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Susan is giving away the grand prize package 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/26b9c/a-summer-at-thousand-island-house-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on Managing Millie by Susan Pope Sloan

 

About the Book

Book: Managing Millie

Author: Susan Pope Sloan

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 11, 2023

In a time of war, love has to fight for a happily-ever-after.

Millie Gibson has loved Troy McNeil for years. So when he suddenly confesses his attraction to her, she’s ecstatic, even if their time together is limited as Troy must stay on the move to avoid the Confederate army. When Troy rescues her from an attacker, Millie begs him to replace the awful memory with one of love. But will that love last when he learns their time together produced lasting consequences?

Dodging the Rebel army has kept Troy apart from Millie for months, but he can’t forget their last hours together. The last thing he expects upon his return is to find her surrounded by Union soldiers, and now he’s been apprehended as a possible spy and sent to a Union prison. With his fate in the hands of others, only God can orchestrate hope from the chaos of war.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Millie and Troy are a couple of young people, 16 and 19, living with the backdrop of the Civil War. Growing up together something changed, and they began to fall in love. Unfortunately, with the dangers of the war all around them, and Troy trying not to get caught and enlisted, a couple of fateful things happen. After all is said and done, Troy still needs to run and hide and Millie along with her stepmother must leave with the Union Army. Except that Millie is leaving with a little surprise that will soon become evident to all.

This is the third story in the Rescued Hearts of the Civil War series, and we have seen some of their story already as they were minor characters in the others. This book is all about them, their struggles to survive and to find one another again. They both have many revelations revealed to them as they go forward from that fateful day. Millie and Troy have quite a story to tell.

I received 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

Born into a family of storytellers, Susan Pope Sloan published her first articles in high school and continued writing sporadically for decades. Retirement provided the time to focus on writing and indulge her avid interest in history. Her Civil War series begins (and ultimately ends) in her home state of Georgia with references to lesser-known events of that period. She and husband Ricky live near Columbus where she participates in Word Weavers, ACFW, and Toastmasters.

 

More from Susan

Millie and Troy captured my heart while writing *Rescuing Rose*, and I knew their story had to be told. It was inspired by people close to me—but generations apart–who had a similar experience. *Managing Millie* is loosely based on those.

The challenging part for me was remembering that these characters are very young (16 and 19) and thus plagued by a wide range of volatile emotions and hormones. The decisions they make seem to defy logic at times. Like many young women, Millie tries to grasp control of her life amid difficult situations. Troy is more easy-going, merely trying to stay one step ahead of the Confederate Army until he ends up in a Union prison. Suddenly forced to face his responsibilities, he learns to “man-up” and take charge. His greatest task, of course, is learning to “manage” Millie without destroying their love for each other.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 17

Texas Book-aholic, July 18

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 19

Lighthouse Academy Blog, July 20 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Connie’s History Classroom, July 21

The Book Club Network, July 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 23

Christina’s Corner, July 23

Blossoms and Blessings, July 24

Cover Lover Book Review, July 25

annette_reads_daily, July 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 27

For Him and My Family, July 28

Holly’s Book Corner, July 29

Splashes of Joy, July 29

Pause for Tales, July 30

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/26b9a/managing-millie-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts on Refuge for the Archaeologist by Danielle Grandinetti

 

About:

Will uncovering the truth set them free or destroy what they hold most dear?

Wisconsin, 1930—With her health in shambles and her archaeological career on the line, Cora Davis retreats to Crow’s Nest and the home of her great aunt to heal. She doesn’t think much of the missing memories from between the earthquake that caused her dizzy spells and her trip home. Until she begins remembering the danger that sent her fleeing her last dig and the person responsible. 

After a decade as a ranch hand, Silas Ward returned to Crow’s Nest to provide for the women in his life. That same protective instinct propels him to Cora’s aid. But when finances dwindle, the lies and greed of others threaten to ruin his family. Unless Silas can walk the thin line of compromise. A choice that might cost him Cora’s affection.

As winter’s chill threatens, will Crow’s Nest prove a refuge, or will both Cora and Silas have no choice but to sacrifice their chance at happiness to save those they love?

Welcome to Crow’s Nest, where danger and romance meet at the water’s edge.

My Thoughts:

This story was very unique in the time and place it took place. Taking place in Wisconsin in the year 1930, we see a small lake side town surviving the economic downturn of the Great Depression. There was trouble, especially job losses and the possibility of losing one's home and business, but this town did their best to stick together. There were certain men of this town who took taking the care of widows very seriously.

And that is how Silas Ward meets Cora Davis in a very interesting way as she is staying at her great-aunt's home to recover her health. Their first meeting doesn't go well but as Silas begins to see Cora as someone special, he can't get her off of his mind. 

Cora is an archeologist, (the timing made me think of The Mummy), which was an unusual job for a woman of that time. Cora is also having terrible dizzy spells that has her sent home on leave until she can recover her health. A feat that Cora is fearful will not happen. I actually got dizzy myself reading about her spells, so they were written well.

There is also a couple of mysteries playing out as well. One concerns Silas's family business and his mother. The other concerns Cora and what she can't remember after her head wound, she received in an earthquake at her latest archeological site. And that one is very dangerous to Cora's life.

If you are looking for a unique read, this one will probably fit the bill. Romance, mystery, danger, all in the year 1930.

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.