Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: A Tale of Two Hearts by Michelle Griep

About the Book

Book Title: A Tale of Two Hearts

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: September 1, 2018

Innkeeper’s daughter Mina Scott will do anything to escape the drudgery of her life. She saves every penny to attend a finishing school, dreaming of the day she’ll become a real lady—and catch the eye of William Barlow, a frequent guest at the inn.

William is a gentleman’s son, a charming rogue but penniless. However, his bachelor uncle will soon name an heir—either him or his puritanical cousin. In an effort to secure the inheritance, William gives his uncle the impression he’s married, which works until he’s invited to bring his wife for a visit.

William asks Mina to be his pretend bride, only until his uncle names an heir on Christmas Day. Mina is flattered and frustrated by the offer, for she wants a true relationship with William. Yet, she agrees. . .then wishes she hadn’t as she comes to love the old man. And when the truth is finally discovered, more than just money is lost.

Can two hearts survive such a deception?

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Thoughts:

A Tale of Two Hearts is a delightful holiday story about second chances and the power deceit and truth can have in people’s lives. Author Griep is one of my favorite authors and I really enjoyed going to Victorian England in a bit of a Dickens way and watching two hearts fall in love during this holiday season.

The love story was a gentle one, and Mina was already half in love with William before he got her involved in his crazy scheme. I liked that each had very important lessons to learn. William that the truth is always best and Mina a much needed lesson on contentment: very apropos for the Christmas season.

I enjoyed the lines from Dicken’s books at the start of each chapter but my favorite part is the cover. This book is so lovely in its presentation and what I think of in regards to the Christmas season since I was a little girl. Love the Victorian couple on the front.

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

About the Author

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the author of historical romances: The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan.

Guest Post from Michelle

Victorian Christmas Foods

So, it’s September, and you know what that means? It’s back to school. Pumpkin spiced everything is just around the corner. And it’s nearly time for cardigans and colored leaves. But besides all these autumn staples, it’s also time to start thinking about Christmas, because it will be here before you know it. How about this year you plan ahead to serve some traditional Victorian food?

In my newest release, A Tale of Two Hearts, the heroine’s father is known for his annual oyster stew that he serves on Christmas Eve. Here’s a bit of the background on that tasty soup.

Victorian Oyster Stew

Oysters have been savored in Britain since the days of the Romans. By Victorian times, industrialization cheapened oysters to the point of them becoming a staple of the poor man’s diet and were a frequent fare served in public houses. This, however, depleted their abundance, and by the mid 1800’s, the natural oyster beds became exhausted, making it harder to find good oysters. While other foods were served as well on Christmas Eve, oyster stew was as common as goose or turkey.

Another Victorian favorite that goes great on a crisp evening is good ol’ hot chocolate, though in Dickens’ England, it would’ve been called something else.

Drinking Chocolate

What we now call cocoa or hot chocolate was called drinking chocolate in the mid 1800s. This beverage was a favorite among Victorian ladies. You can find recipes for it even from the Regency era (early 1800s) and here is one for you to make at home.

And last, but not least, who hasn’t heard of Christmas pudding? To our American ears, that sounds like a tasty dish that you’d eat with a spoon and slap a little whipped cream on top. Actually, it’s more like a fruit cake.

Christmas Pudding

Christmas pudding is quite a production, one that begins well before Christmas Day. In fact, it begins on Stir-Up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent (which is five weeks before Christmas). This is why when Mina, the heroine in A Tale of Two Hearts, returns home from dinner at Uncle Barlow’s, and though it’s not yet Christmas, she sees the pudding moulds on the kitchen table.

If these tastes and the accompanying smells still aren’t quite enough to get you in the Christmas spirit, then snatch yourself up a copy of the second book in the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series. A Tale of Two Hearts is sure to get you in the mood.

Blog Stops

Kat’s Corner Books, October 2

Creating Romance, October 2

Just the Write Escape, October 2

The Avid Reader, October 2

Genesis 5020, October 3

The Power of Words, October 3

Just Commonly, October 3

Baker Kella, October 3

Among the Reads, October 4

Fiction Aficionado, October 4

Godly Book Reviews, October 4

Inklings and Notions , October 4

Captive Dreams Window, October 5

Christian Author, J.E. Grace, October 5

Proud to Be an Autism Mom, October 5

Multifarious, October 6

Reading Is My SuperPower, October 6

The Christian Fiction Girl, October 6

Texas Book-aholic, October 6

Remembrancy, October 7

Splashes of Joy , October 7

Blossoms and Blessings, October 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 7

Back Porch Reads, October 8

A Reader’s Brain, October 8

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, October 8

Janice’s Book Reviews, October 8

Simple Harvest Reads, October 9 (Guest Post from Mindy Houng)

Mary Hake, October 9

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, October 9

Carpe Diem, October 9

Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, October 10

Britt Reads Fiction, October 10

Luv’N Lambert Life, October 10

A Baker’s Perspective, October 10

By The Book, October 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 11

Book by Book, October 11

Bigreadersite, October 11

More Of Him, October 12

Pause for Tales, October 12

With a Joyful Noise, October 12

Have A Wonderful Day , October 12

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 13

Bibliophile Reviews, October 13

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 13

Vicky Sluiter, October 14

Daysong Reflections , October 14

To Everything A Season, October 14

Henry Happens, October 15

All-of-a-kind Mom, October 15

Reader’s Cozy Corner, October 15

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, October 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Barnes & Noble 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/d4ef/a-tale-of-two-hearts-celebration-tour-giveaway

Review: The Sound of Distant Thunder by Jan Drexler

To Purchase

About:

When a young Amish man from Weaver's Creek takes his brother's place in the Civil war draft of 1862, the sacrifice may take everything he holds dear—including his sweetheart's love.

My Thoughts:

This was a unique Amish story for me, as it dealt with a young couple, their families, their community, and their state as the Civil War grows ever closer to intruding upon their lives. Both Katie and Jonas are the youngest in their families and both have family issues in which their parents feel that they are just too young to make big decisions- like getting married. Jonas is almost 21 and Katie is 17, but both are mature for their age and I did feel bad for them at the way their parents and older siblings have seemed to forgotten that they are no longer babies.

It was curious to see how the Amish dealt with the Civil War, that their religion forbade them from fighting in war, however the American government needed men. The draft was happening and there would be repercussions if those rules were not followed. How long do you sit back and do nothing before you decide you need to step up and become involved was a major theme of this story.

The title fit so well as the war was so close to them and was going to affect them no matter what, like distant thunder. It is far off yet but the storm is approaching. This was a good beginning to another Amish family saga.

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

Review: Shelter of the Most High by Connilyn Cossette

To Purchase

About:

The daughter of a pagan high priest, Sofea finds solace from her troubles in the freedom of the ocean. But when marauders attack her village on the island of Sicily, she and her cousin are taken across the sea to the shores of Canaan.

Eitan has lived in Kedesh, a City of Refuge, for the last eleven years, haunted by a tragedy in his childhood and chafing at the boundaries placed on him. He is immediately captivated by Sofea, but revealing his most guarded secret could mean drawing her into the danger of his past.

As threats from outside the walls loom and traitors are uncovered within, Sofea and Eitan are plunged into the midst of a murder plot. Will they break free from the shackles of the past in time to uncover the betrayal and save their lives and the lives of those they love?

My Thoughts:

Author Cossette has done it again; she has blown me away with her meticulous research and dramatic storytelling. If you are looking for Biblical fiction that will take you to the time of the Israelites as they begin to settle down and take over the land God has given them, look no further than this series, Cities of Refuge.

Shelter of the Most High is the second in this series and continues the story of Moriyah and Darek’s family. Eleven years have passed and they have made their home and family in the refuge city of Kadesh. Eitan has grown up and is a gifted blacksmith making weapons for the Israelites to use. We also get to meet the children of the growing family of Moriyah and Darek. As in the first book, this book deals with the protection that a manslayer may have within the city walls of the refuge cities that have been set aside for just that purpose. Not only do we dive deeper into that topic, but we also get to learn a little bit more about the Nazarites, what made them such and the purpose of their vows.

An aspect that I really like about this series is that is does not focus so much on true historical figures but on fictional ones and what it might be like to live under the Law of God in the land of Israel. In this story we actually get to meet a foreigner, two actually who have taken refuge in this city with God’s people. Sofea and her cousin were taken violently from their home on the island of Sicily and eventually found their way to Moriyah’s family. I really liked the light that that family showed to these two young girls in their fear, grief, and that spoke through even the language barriers they had. I think author Cossette did a really great job of showing the very different cultures, religious customs, and even violent home life these girls once lived with and the comparisons with a home full of love and who worshiped the one true God.

The love story was a nice slow one and a major theme throughout the book was self-sacrifice for family and those we love. I cannot say enough about these stories as all of them have stuck with me and have found their way to my keeper/favorite shelf. This was another unique Biblical fiction story that showed what being a light in a world can do for those seeking refuge and finding it in the Most High.

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

Review: A Secret to Die For by Lisa Harris

To Purchase

About:

After her patient is murdered, psychologist Grace Calloway has no idea she’s got a secret worth killing for. It's up to Detective Nate Quinn to figure out what it is.

My Thoughts:

This thriller starts the chills from the very first page with two crimes that leaves Grace, a counselor who has had her own share of grief and sorrow, very confused as to why she is being targeted. Enter Detective Nate Quinn, an old friend from college and on his first day back after taking some time off from a horrific crime he experienced himself, and you have two friends fighting to stay alive.

This was a story that could literally be pulled from today’s headlines and with a potential crime that could have some very serious ramifications and consequences for the whole country if not the world. Very scary stuff was addressed in this book and I really wanted to bad guys caught.

I liked how author Harris inserted the gospel in her story.  Difficult questions were being asked and faith filled answers were being delivered. This was an emotional journey as well for the main characters as not only were they fighting for their lives, but both were going or had gone through the different stages of grief and guilt. This story shows how grief always changes a person; either that person can choose to change for the better or for the worse.

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

Weekend Briefing

Welcome back, agents! There's some action going on this week! First off, Mind of Darkness is now completely up on Wattpad!

Mind of Darkness

Emily Rogers is ready for a summer that doesn't involve being cast away on islands ore being chased around the globe. So when she's invited to an elite pre-college class along with her boyfriend, she jumps at the chance. But things are not all they seem at the Yin Program. Students are disappearing, and someone seems to be toying with their minds...

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Charisa O'Dell is anticipating a summer of romance and adventure with her crime-fighting partner. But she never expects that they'll be kidnapped and taken to an underground bunker to be guinea pigs to a mad scientist named Jin Yin. Most shocking of all, she learns that they are not the only super humans in the world...

Somehow, Emily and Charisa have to break out of the prisons imposed upon them to decipher the conspiracy before their minds are enslaved by the darkness within...

Coming to print January 1, 2019!

Read now!





Fists of Injustice:

Charisa O'Dell is on the run with her boyfriend, Kyle Rivers, and Tim, their fellow superhuman. She will stop at nothing to bring to justice the scientist responsible for kidnapping them, and to avenge the broken girl they had to leave behind. But to do so, they must travel across the world to gather evidence against the perpetrators behind the inhumane crimes done to them... and expose a conspiracy bigger than they could have imagined.

Meanwhile, Emily Rogers is doing her part as the mole in the Yin Program, leading her own investigation into this strange plot while making sure that she rises higher and higher in the ranks of the program that is more than a pre-college study. She'll do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of what they've done to her boyfriend, Christopher Williams. Christopher, who is himself, but not himself- who she can't even trust anymore. Who is getting more and more webbed up in this strange scheme with each passing second...

Together, Charisa and Emily have to rise above the inhumanities inflicted upon them to bring to justice the monsters who have imprisoned those they love. Or be consumed by the thirst for vengeance that could destroy them all. 

Coming to Wattpad October 13!


Also, it's finally here- Kristian Clark and the Agency Trap, Book 2.5!





Ruptured Reality

I'd tell you I love you... But then you'd make me change the baby's diaper.

Kristian Clark can go undercover for months on end, combat multiple enemies at once, and even teleport through dimensions. He should be ready for everything. But having a newborn child... is a little outside his skill set.

And the universe isn't ready for little Shannon either. The tentative layers of the universe begins to peel apart and his adopted son gets pulled through a portal in the hospital.

Along with an angry wife and a reunited best friend, Kristian travels the dimensions to find his son and somehow find a way to save reality without giving up his little girl.

Also includes seven other stories.

All profit goes to charity

Now Available!

Buy in Black and White now!

Buy in Color now!


Book Video:

Also, to celebrate, all profit from purchases, print or ebook, of Kristian Clark and the Agency Trap, Book One: The Bachelor Missions or Book Two: In The Rogue starting today and ending November 17 will go to the same charity as Ruptured Reality: Human Coalation (because my original charity has come under their umbrella).

These books would be a great Christmas present for the college or college-age student in your life!





Buy now!



Buy now!

And because it's a howling October...



Wolf Claw:

Jane Delane has always lived an unusual life, having survived a freak wolf accident and then growing up in the woods, completely sequestered from 1920s society. But as her seventeenth birthday draws near, her life becomes even more unusual when her father falls ill and her brother goes missing. When she decides to go searching for her absentee sibling, she joins leagues with a werewolf hunter named Amos Hood. Together they plunge into a world completely new to her- all the while she begins to learn of a darker one that has haunted her since childhood. And as she continues her hunt for her brother, it soon becomes apparent that something is hunting her.

Add To-Read Now

Book Video:

Finally, there is some surprise news! Lorehaven is a free online Christian Speculative magazine. Their fall issue is coming out October 8- with a special review for Castaways included!





Emily Rogers thought nothing could be worse than her family moving across the ocean. When the unthinkable happens and the ship goes down, she learns just how wrong she is. Now she's stranded on a deserted island with her two young cousins and Christopher Williams, the boy who refused to leave until all the women and children were safe.

But the island hides many secrets and holds many dangers. And as they fight to survive and hold onto hope, one unsettling question rises above the others. Is the island really deserted?

Subscribe to Lorehaven now!

Thanks for being so patient through all the news. Join us next time, agents, for more fun and updates! Until then, try not to do anything that might get you brain-wiped. Ciao!

Review: Summer Plans and Other Disasters by Karin Beery

Click here for a sample PDF of this story!

About:

Elementary school music teacher Callie Stevens thinks she’s finally figured out God’s plan for her life—she even made a list to keep her on track.

Moving in with her brother and reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend are at the top of the list. What’s not on the list is running into her childhood crush, Ryan. God wanted her to connect with Kyle, right?

Trying to figure out God’s plan is hard enough. But a dating-averse older brother, the young blonde who adores him, a pregnant best friend, and Callie’s continual mishaps make her wonder whether her best laid plans were truly God-inspired. 

Now available from Elk Lake Publishing!

My Thoughts:

This was a whimsical story of living with past regrets and asking the what if questions. Callie Stevens has taken a good look at her life and realizes she might have let her ex-boyfriend Kyle get away too soon. Afraid of commitment she broke off their relationship till a few years later she begins thinking that maybe it is time to go back to her hometown and make things right.

She plans to move in with her brother Jack (who is a park ranger) and unbeknownst to her, her lifelong crush and best friend to her brother, Kyle, will also be bunking with Jack. As life teaches us all, the plans we make are often thrown out the window and poor Callie is a walking accident on top of everything else. This was a fun summer read as Callie finds out her plans may not be the best laid ones and love is in the air for everybody; a cute rom com about embracing the present gifts with all your heart.

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

About the Author:

Karin wrote her first novel in 2007 to cope with her husband’s cancer diagnosis (no worries – he’s cancer free now!). With the support and encouragement of her family, she submitted that manuscript. That particular manuscript has not been published yet, but Summer Plans and Other Disasters, her first published book, releases in September 2018.

Karin writes contemporary and speculative fiction stories with a healthy dose of romance, but she’s also expanded her repertoire: she writes feature stories for the local paper, copy material for businesses, and blog posts for herself and others. She even edits (offering copy editing, fiction editing, and critiques through Write Now Editing Services) and teaches (she’s the Substantive Fiction Editing instructor for the PEN Institute and can be found around the country teaching writing and editing courses at conferences and at her local college).

When Karin’s not reading, writing, or editing, she enjoys cooking and baking. She plays the piano and sings (the key of E, please). She kayaks with her husband in the summer, watches football in the fall (Go Blue!), and enjoys Christmas lights all winter long. Shy but extroverted, Karin adores her nieces and nephew and loves spending time with her family.  Learn more about Karin at: karinbeery.com.

You can also follow her on:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/authorkarinbeery/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/karinbeery 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/karinbeery/

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