Thursday, November 10, 2022

My Thoughts and More on The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber A. Logan

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber A. Logan
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 336 pages
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Publisher:  CamCat Books
Release date: Nov 15, 2022
Content Rating: PG. The book is clean, without excessive swearing, no sexual content or graphic violent scenes, etc.

Book Description:

Cracked doesn’t always mean broken.

Grieving her mother’s death, Mari Lennox travels to Kyoto, Japan to take photographs of Yanagi Inn for a client. As she explores the inn and its grounds, her camera captures striking images, uncovering layers of mystery shrouding the old resort—including an overgrown, secret garden on a forbidden island. But then eerie weeping no one else in the inn seems to hear starts keeping her awake at night.

Despite the warnings of the staff, Mari searches the deep recesses of the old building to discover the source of the ghostly sound, only to realize that her own family’s history is tied to the inn, its mysterious, forlorn garden . . . and the secrets it holds.

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My Thoughts:

I was curious about this story, and the homage it pays to The Secret Garden. It is a retelling of sorts, but it is also a story all its own. I have wondered how to write this review, as I don't want to give anything away. It is mysterious and a little creepy, and we the reader are right there with Mari Lennox as she navigates her life after her mother's death and also as she unravels the mystery of this secret garden.

Mari has gone to Japan on a grant to photograph the Yanagi Inn, which once upon a time was a beautiful, bustling, serene inn. When Mari arrives, she is shocked at the disrepair and overgrowth the garden is now, and wonders what exactly she should take pictures of.

Along her journey she meets those that live near and work at the inn. Her relationship with them is therapeutic for her, especially after losing her mother. However, when nighttime comes, she hears a strange crying. At first, she wonders if it is the crying of the crane that lives near the inn and Mari sets out, though reluctantly, to find out.

This story dealt a lot with grief and how it affects people. It also deals with suppressing our emotions, our wants, and our needs. Mari thought at times she was going crazy when she would see something or dream a dream that seemed so real, more like a memory. Then there were her actual memories.

This was not my usual read. It was an interesting story, and I was genuinely curious at Mari's plight. I wanted to see her find some peace in her life. There is some bad language in the story sprinkled throughout, though not overly abused. This story also delves into not only the beautiful Japanese landscape, but also their culture and some of their beliefs.

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.

Meet the Author:

Amber A. Logan is a university instructor, freelance editor, and author of speculative fiction living in Kansas with her husband and two children—Fox and Willow. In addition to her degrees in Psychology, Liberal Arts, and International Relations, Amber holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

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Tuesday, November 8, 2022

My Thoughts and More on The Bookshop of Secrets by Mollie Rushmeyer

About the Book

Book: The Bookshop of Secrets

Author: Mollie Rushmeyer

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction (Christian)

Release date: October 25, 2022

A collection of lost books holds the clues to her family’s legacy…and her future.

Hope Sparrow has mastered the art of outrunning her tragic past, learning never to stay anywhere too long and never to allow anyone control over her life again. Coming to Wanishin Falls in search of her family’s history already feels too risky. But somewhere in the towering stacks of this dusty old bookshop are the books that hold Hope’s last ties to her late mother—and to a rumored family treasure that could help her start over.

Only, the bookshop is in shambles, and the elderly owner is in the beginning stages of dementia and can’t remember where the books lie. To find the last links to the loved ones she’s lost, Hope must stay and accept help from the townsfolk to locate the treasured volumes. Each secret she uncovers brings her closer to understanding where she came from. But the longer she stays in the quaint town, the more people find their way into the cracks in her heart. And letting them in may be the greatest risk of all…

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

There is more than just a bookshop of secrets in this novel that pulls the reader into this small town and its history. The characters also have plenty of their own secrets they are keeping as well.

Hope Sparrow has been through plenty of trauma in her life and she just wants to start over with her dream and then just stick to herself. First, though she must get some valuable books her late mother left for her through a friend. Unfortunately, that friend has now passed away as well, sending Hope on a treasure hunt in her family's hometown. What she discovers is more than just the treasure and books she came for, but a rich family legacy, friendship, love of a good man, faith, and hope.

Hope has been through a lot, and I could understand why she decided to do life alone. She was orphaned at a young age, passed around in foster homes, and trusted a very evil man who did more than lie and steal from her, he imprisoned her. This story does deal with human trafficking and PTSD that certainly could come from that. The author tells a beautiful tale of how love of family and the love of God can pull someone out of the darkest places others have placed them in. There is so much in this story for a literary fan to adore.

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

Mollie writes contemporary fiction with a heart for history. What does this mean exactly? She loves to write inspirational fiction in contemporary settings with fascinating historical elements, people, objects, and stories woven throughout.

A modern girl herself– She wouldn’t want to go a day without modern plumbing and central air! But she’s always felt a special connection to the past. The legacies and lives left behind are like gifts waiting to be unwrapped, and she’s excited to share this blend of history and contemporary living with readers.

A born and bred Midwestern gal, Mollie Rushmeyer, makes her home in central Minnesota with her husband and two spunky, beautiful daughters. She is not only a bibliophile (the dustier the better, in her opinion), she’s a true anglophile at heart. Tea and coffee fuel her travels, by Google maps at least, and her passion for the written word.

More from Mollie

Since childhood, opening up a book unlocked a whole new world for me. Of possibilities and adventure, and made me care for people and places that didn’t exist. Like stepping through the wardrobe into Narnia, books transported me. It was like magic.

As I began dreaming up The Bookshop of Secrets in its early stages, I knew I wanted to create a character who loved books and was in awe of their transformative and transportive power as much as I am. Thus, Hope Sparrow, a human trafficking survivor and ultimate book lover, was born. I also wanted to honor my grandpa, who planted the seed—love of the written word—in my heart from the time I was very young. And so, Ulysses, the owner of Dusty Jackets Bookshop in the story, is based on my sweet grandpa who has since passed away. But I know he’d love this homage to all things literary.

Afterward, I didn’t know if I’d ever write again and I was more terrified of that than not gaining back the full strength of my left arm.

In the middle of writing this book, in 2018, I had a stroke. As with most medical emergencies, it was quite unexpected. I had a hole in my heart (that has been repaired, thankfully). Afterward, I didn’t know if I’d ever write again and I was more terrified of that than not being able to fully move my left arm again. My brain had to make new connections and it was so difficult, still is some days, to be creative. To find the right words.

But God. In the way that only He can, He brought this forgotten story, this project’s finish line that seemed to be at the summit of an insurmountable mountain within reach. I thought I had something to prove to myself. I begged God not to forget my dream to write. Like He could. But in the end, I just had to trust like my character Hope. Trust that He is good even when life hurts and is uncertain.

“Do you know what the opposite of fear is?”

“Bravery? Peace?” Dare she say her namesake, hope?

“The true counterpart of fear is faith. It takes faith to walk into the future, the unknown, with confidence. Secure in the love of the One who created you and those around you outweighs any hardship, real or imagined, that lies on the path ahead.”

I hope following Hope’s journey of healing and love in The Bookshop of Secrets truly blesses you.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 27

lakesidelivingsite, October 27

Inklings and notions, October 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 28

Simple Harvest Reads, October 28 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

An Author’s Take, October 29

The Write Escape, October 29

deb’s Book Review, October 29

Texas Book-aholic, October 30

Rebecca Tews, October 30

Blogging With Carol, October 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 31

Inspired by fiction, October 31

Life of Literature, October 31

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

Cover Lover Book Review, November 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 2

Losing the Busyness, November 2

For Him and My Family, November 2

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 3

Holly’s Book Corner, November 3

Mary Hake, November 3

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

Paula’s Pad of Suspense and Detection, November 4

Blossoms and Blessings, November 4

Sylvan Musings, November 5

Lily’s Book Reviews, November 5

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 5

A Reader’s Brain, November 6

Book Looks by Lisa, November 6

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 7

Truth and Grace Homeachool Academy, November 7

Story Craft, November 7

Through the fire blogs, November 8

Pause for Tales, November 8

Labor Not in Vain, November 8

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 9

To Everything There Is A Season, November 9

Lights in a Dark World, November 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mollie is giving away the grand prize package of a eBook or signed paperback copy (paperback U.S. Only) of The Bookshop of Secrets and 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/226c7/the-bookshop-of-secrets-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, November 7, 2022

My Thoughts and More on Mary by Shannon McNear

About the Book

Book: Mary

Author: Shannon McNear

Genre: Historical/Christian/Romance Fiction

Release date: October, 2022

Worlds Collide Along the Shores of the Outer Banks

Immerse yourself in the “what if” questions related to the Lost Colony of Roanoke. What if an English boy and a native girl met in the wilderness? The push-and-pull between two very different worlds begins as one seeks simple friendship and the other struggles to trust. And can it—dare they—allow it to be more?

Sparks fly between Mushaniq, free-spirited daughter of Manteo, and Georgie Howe, whose father was brutally murdered by undiscovered native warriors before they’d been on Roanoac Island a full week. As Georgie struggles to make sense of his life and to accept that not all they call “savage” are guilty of his father’s death, Mushaniq grapples with her own questions about who Manteo has become. As tentative friendship becomes more, forged in the fire of calamity and attack upon their community, both must decide whether the One True God is indeed who He claims to be and whether He is worthy of their trust.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Mary is an interesting book for many reasons. One is that it is not only a sequel, but also a parallel book to the first, Elinor, in the Daughter of the Lost Colony series. It also is a fictional account of what may have happened to the lost colony of Roanoke and asks the question what if.

This story is mainly about Mushaniq, a young native girl, and Georgie Howe, a young boy from England who has lost his father in the new world. It is the story of how their very different cultures collide in a land that is destined to become a great nation through the providence of God. This story is told in different viewpoints, most notably Georgie, Mushaniq, and her father Manteo who was a native who went to live in London for a while. Manteo brings back knowledge from his experiences, a faith in God, and an understanding with the English.

This at times can be a hard book to read. The author did not shy away from difficult subjects, especially on how the different cultures lived, showing both good points and bad from each one. The struggles were more than just the outward appearance. It also showed that the spiritual struggles of men and women are not limited to just a culture or a time, but they are universal. King Solomon said that there is nothing new under the sun.

There is also the battle between the peoples, the killing and the kidnapping that was happening. As this one particular tribe tried to live with the English and as their lives were intermingling, some saw that there was a war that had deeper spiritual meaning. That they were actually fighting the little gods of this land as the truth of the One true Creator was sweeping across and breaking down barriers and people were turning to him. This story gave a lot of food for thought that I will be thinking on for a while.

There are plenty of notes to help with some of the unfamiliar phrases and such. I also appreciated the incredible research the author went through. I learned some things I did not know. I look forward to the next in the series, it sounds like another harrowing one.

I was provided with 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

Why did I write Mary? The series started as an idea suggested by my editor and soon became something of an obsession. This installment was inspired partly by the Legend of the Coharie, a fragment of the very murky history surrounding the Roanoke Colony and the Lumbee people of North Carolina. According to this legend, George Howe, the son of the colonist by same name who was brutally murdered a few days after their landing on Roanoke Island, married a daughter of Manteo, the Native man who traveled twice to England, later led a group of the colonists inland for refuge and eventually became an ancestor of the Lumbees. Then, as my Lost Colony research expanded, my interest in the nuances of two cultures meeting and blending grew into a desire to pay tribute to what might have been the first (and possibly only) example of European and Native peoples living together in peace. Imagine if this had been the defining moment of our country’s founding?

As usually happens, fictional characters (even those based on historical figures) sooner or later run away with the story—and that’s the part I find most exciting! I hope you, the readers, also enjoy this tale of Mushaniq (squirrel in Carolina Algonquian) and Georgie, which serves as both a parallel story and sequel to Elinor.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 26

Remembrancy, October 27

Inkwell Inspirations, October 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 28

Texas Book-aholic, October 29

Hallie Reads, October 29

Inklings and notions, October 30

For Him and My Family, October 30

deb’s Book Review, October 31

To Everything There Is A Season, October 31

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 1

Holly’s Book Corner, November 1

Betti Mace, November 2

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 2

Connie’s History Classroom, November 3

Mary Hake, November 3

Bizwings Blog, November 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 5

A Reader’s Brain, November 6

Sylvan Musings, November 6

Through the Fire Blogs, November 7

Pause for Tales, November 8

Spoken from the Heart, November 8

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/22447/mary-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on Dog Days of Summer by Kathleen Y'Barbo

About the Book

Book: Dog Days of Summer

Author: Kathleen Y’Barbo

Genre: Christian/Mystery/Romance Fiction

Release date: October, 2022

Trina Potter, Nashville country music star, buys a ranch near her hometown in Brenham, Texas, to help her niece open a rescue facility for dogs. Her presence in town stirs up some old high school rivalries—and romance. Finding property to buy is a challenge, convincing her mother to move there with her is daunting, and navigating a string of strange accidents is perplexing. Sometimes Trina feels like she’s purchased her own three ring circus instead of a beautiful piece of land. But her first priority will be figuring out who wants Second Chance Ranch shut down before they even have the grand opening.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

What a nice trip back to Brenham, Texas this second in the series proved to be. Getting to know Mari in the first book, this time we get to know her Aunt Trina better. Trina Potter is a country music star living far away in Nashville. However, after a visit home she is really wanting to stay in her hometown for good. Can she do that with her contracts? Well, she is going to certainly find out. There is a lot she has been missing out on.

Trina wants to live privately in her hometown, nothing fancy, moving her mom in with her all the while helping Mari set up her animal rescue facility. But there are some ominous things surrounding Mari and her team when they go out at night for a rescue. Can the police get to the bottom of some of the troubling ones? And her Mama needs to be independent, but still have tabs kept on her. Especially after an accident that brings Trina home once again. Then there is Wyatt, her once upon a time prom date. He is not so nerdy anymore and he seems to keep showing up when she needs him.

I really liked the camaraderie all of these characters have with one another. The family dynamics were heartwarming, and I am glad these three women have one another to lean and depend on. As for the romance or more, I was pleasantly surprised.

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

About the Author

Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee and bestselling author of more than one hundred books with over two million copies of her books in print in the US and abroad. A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she is a member of the Texas Bar Association Paralegal Division, Texas A&M Association of Former Students and the Texas A&M Women Former Students (Aggie Women), Texas Historical Society, Novelists Inc., and American Christian Fiction Writers. She would also be a member of the Daughters of the American Republic, Daughters of the Republic of Texas and a few others if she would just remember to fill out the paperwork that Great Aunt Mary Beth has sent her more than once.

When she’s not spinning modern day tales about her wacky Southern relatives, Kathleen inserts an ancestor or two into her historical and mystery novels as well. Recent book releases include bestselling The Pirate Bride set in 1700s New Orleans and Galveston, its sequel The Alamo Bride set in 1836 Texas, which feature a few well-placed folks from history and a family tale of adventure on the high seas and on the coast of Texas. She also writes (mostly) relative-free cozy mystery novels for Guideposts Books.

Kathleen and her hero in combat boots husband have their own surprise love story that unfolded on social media a few years back. They make their home just north of Houston, Texas and are the parents and in-laws of a blended family of Texans, Okies, and one very adorable Londoner.

More from Kathleen

Do you love dogs…or cats…or both…? I’m firmly in the “both” category. Since childhood I’ve always lived in homes that had at least one or the other, usually several of each. With every dog or cat comes at least one good story. One of my favorites is the tale of Bandit, the inspiration for the cover of my cozy mystery DOG DAYS OF SUMMER.

Once upon a time there was a black and white dog named Bandit. He was an English Springer Spaniel by birth but was completely convinced he was human. Bandit loved his people—three growing boys and a baby girl—even more than he loved popcorn and playing keep away (his version of catch). After many years, Bandit’s people grew up and he grew old. Toward the end of his very long and pampered life, he was plagued by the unwanted and yet much appreciated friendship of an ornery orange striped cat named Baby and a snooty pedigreed feline named Fifi.

Everyone loved Bandit…except the territorial squirrel who lived in a tree in our back yard in Southeast Texas. From the moment Bandit joined the family, the furry fellow was determined to rid himself and his back yard of the trespassing canine. The squirrel’s favorite tactic was to tease Bandit until the dog chased him up a tree. Once treed, the crafty critter would run around the trunk just out of Bandit’s reach. Once the squirrel tired of this, it would retreat to a limb. There, the battle of the backyard beasts would commence again but with the squirrel lobbing pinecones and the dog trying to catch them.

While every good story has a beginning, middle and end, unfortunately at the end of this one there was no winner in the dog vs. squirrel wars. A job transfer led us to Houston where squirrels were in abundance in our new neighborhood but none of them were nearly as much fun as the one Bandit left behind. The last time I spoke with the owners of our old house, they told the funniest story: they loved their new home, but there was this squirrel in the back yard that kept throwing pinecones at everyone.

In DOG DAYS OF SUMMER, I tell the story of another Texas back yard. This one is located in Brenham, Texas, and it is about to become a very special place for some very special dogs named Patsy and Cline. Have I mentioned these dogs belong to a country singer named Trina who has a mother named Mama Peach who happens to own a cat named Hector that dislikes almost everyone and can open doors? Then there’s the problem of the next door neighbor and his penchant to forget to close the lid on his grill when he’s cooking? Did I mention that Patsy and Cline enjoy nothing more than whatever they happen to find on an unguarded grill? While the two furry scoundrels are rounding up trouble next door, there is even more trouble happening at the building site for Second Chance Ranch Dog Rescue on the other side of the property. Apparently not everyone is happy about the new neighbors. The mystery is who that person might be. While you’ve got to read DOG DAYS OF SUMMER to find out, I can give you one hint: it’s not the squirrel!

I’ve told you mine; now tell me your favorite dog or cat story. I can’t wait to read them.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 28

Texas Book-aholic, October 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 29

Blogging With Carol, October 29

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, October 30 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, October 30

Inklings and notions, October 31

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 1

Lily’s Book Reviews, November 1

Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 2

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 3

Remembrancy, November 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 4

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 6

Boondock Ramblings, November 6

Labor Not in Vain, November 7

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, November 7

Pause for Tales, November 8

Mary Hake, November 8

For Him and My Family, November 9

Divine Perspective, November 9

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, November 10

The Book Club Network, November 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathleen is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-gift card and a print 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/2244a/dog-days-of-summer-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts on The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H. McGee

About:

A gifted trainer in a time women are not allowed to race, Nora Fenton prefers horses to men. They're easier to handle, they're more reliable, and they never tell her what to do. After her father's passing, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi and West Alabama Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. But when a stranger arrives and starts asking disconcerting questions, she suspects he may have other motives than unseating her in the training job that is rightfully hers.

Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father's death--even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth the risk of ruining everything for the feisty woman he's come to admire.

My Thoughts:

Nora Fenton is living only a shadow of the life she really wants to live. Living on her father's horse farm and being a horse trainer herself, her life should pretty much be perfect. Except it is not. Her father is sick and dying and hasn't much cared for her for years, and then he tells her a devastating secret. One that Nora does not understand and now lives under the shadow of something nefarious, along with never being able to please her mother, and the farm seems to not be doing well.

Silas Cavallero is on the hunt for answers to his father's murder and the loss of something important to him. His quest for answers leads him to Nora and her horses. He hires on to help with the training and gets much more in the bargain.

This was a story that took place in 1905, before the World Wars and before women really had the freedoms we enjoy today. Nora and her plight of just living the life she was gifted to live resonated with me and I was cheering her on every step of the way. She really had an uphill battle, and when it is family that is part of the battle, the stakes are so much higher.

Silas and Nora's relationship goes from distrust to a slow burn romance as they work together on more than just the horses. Horses, mystery, and romance abound along with the horses in this story.

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:

Stephenia H. McGee is the award-winning author of many stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South, including The Secrets of Emberwild. When she's not reading or sipping sweet tea on the front porch, she's a writer, dreamer, husband spoiler, and busy mom of two rambunctious boys. Learn more at www.stepheniamcgee.com.

Sunday, November 6, 2022

My Thoughts and More on Reunion in Saltwater Beach by Julie Carobini

About the Book

Book: Reunion in Saltwater Beach

Author: Julie Carobini

Genre: Christian Romance

Release date: June 22, 2022

From the author of Walking on Sea Glass … He’s a big city lawyer. She’s the small town beach girl who broke his heart. Any hope for a second chance expired twelve years earlier …

Jax Cooper returns to Saltwater Beach but has no plans to stay any longer than necessary. Once his mother’s estate is wrapped up, he’ll be on a plane back to Chicago—and hopefully to a future as the youngest law partner in his firm.

Addi Barrett never left the small beach town of Saltwater. She chose instead to dote on her ailing mother, help her father’s business, and find new friendships in old places. That didn’t mean she never had dreams of her own …

When a Cooper family member goes missing, a foster dog needs some lovin’, and a long-hidden secret bubbles to the surface, Jax and Addi find themselves thrown together over and over again.

Can they find their way to a second chance at love? Or will past hurts rise up to make happily-ever-after impossible?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Death and secrets bring Jax Cooper and Addi Barrett back in the same circles again. Not only their secrets but those of their family as well. Jax has come back home to Saltwater Beach to help bury his mother and tie up her affairs with his siblings. Little did he know that Addi never left their hometown and now she and his sister are best friends. Not only that but she had been working for his mom while he was away building his career as a lawyer. And neither one of them ended up married to their fiancés.

Addi knew Jax was going to affect her something awful. She has loved him for a very long time. Now that his mother has died and his brother Chase is missing, she and Jax are forced once again within each other's presence. Can they let the past stay in the past and move forward to a promising future? Or are some secrets just too painful?

I enjoyed this small-town romance and watching a couple who really should have been together for years get a second chance at true love. Sometimes the life we need and want just needs a bit of forgiveness on our sides to come about. The dogs in this story are just a bonus.

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

JULIE CAROBINI writes inspirational beach romances. She is the author of 22+ books across two names and is known for spunky heroines, charming heroes, quirky friends, and the secrets they keep. Her bestselling titles include Walking on Sea Glass, Runaway Tide, Finding Stardust, The Christmas Thief, and more. Julie has received awards for writing and editing from The National League of American Pen Women and American Christian Fiction Writers and she is a double finalist for the ACFW Carol Award. She lives on the California coast with her husband, Dan and their rescue pup, Dancer—not far from their young adult children. Grab a free short story here: https://BookHip.com/LWQFHGJ

More from Julie

Do you love a good secret? Me too. Some of my favorite books contain secrets just begging to be revealed. Add in a feel-good romance, some family drama, and a heaping dose of faith, and now we’re talking.

In Reunion in Saltwater Beach, Jax Cooper jetted away to college a dozen years earlier and rarely looked back. His best friend, Addi Barrett, stayed in the town of Saltwater, often wondering what might have been between the two of them. She also carried a secret she hoped never to revisit

But that was before Jax returned home for his mother’s memorial. And his sister had a meltdown. And one of his brothers disappeared …

On a personal note, while writing this novel, I was unaware that my precious father would pass away just weeks before it released. Honestly, those months leading up to this story’s debut were … hard. But God!

I mention this because, during those last few weeks, my own brothers and I found ourselves talking on the phone or texting daily. Hourly at times. It was an intense time that brought us closer together as siblings—and showed our differences too.

Now I have an extra special place in my heart for the wild and wacky Cooper siblings. (Is it possible to feel a personal connection to a fictional family? Answer = yes )

Of course, I also found myself both fretting and rooting for Jax and Addi to, somehow, find their way to a second chance at love—despite the past that got in their way. And that’s no secret.

Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate you!

Julie

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 24

Blogging With Carol, October 24

Texas Book-aholic, October 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 27

For Him and My Family, October 27

Inklings and notions, October 28

She Lives to Read, October 29

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 29

Splashes of Joy, October 30

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, October 31

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 1

Holly’s Book Corner, November 1

lakesidelivingsite, November 2

deb’s Book Review, November 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 4

Mary Hake, November 4

Through the Fire Blogs, November 5

Pause for Tales, November 6

Cover Lover Book Review, November 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Julie is giving away the grand prize package of a $75 and a copy of Reunion in Saltwater Beach!!
(eBook will be sent for an international winner)

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/22250/reunion-in-saltwater-beach-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on Rita A Yorktown Christmas Travel Novella by Izzy James

About the Book

Book: Rita: A Yorktown Christmas Time Travel Novella

Author: Izzy James

Genre: Christian Romance

Release date: July 19, 2022

Dr. Rita Woods thought she was going back in time to save the children. She didn’t count on falling in love.

Rita Woods—retired physician, widow, with a granddaughter about to be married—misses her patients. She’s tired of knitting. She wants to do something that makes a difference again. When Max Ballard and his time-traveling conservatory pop in to her life, the voice of Dr. Josiah Jones’ diary calls. The voice who’d inspired her vocation. The last line of the diary haunts her quiet moments:

“…the children succumbed in the night…”

In 1769 Dr. Josiah Jones has a good life. His practice is thriving and, except for the the guilt he carries over the death of his wife, life couldn’t be any better. His biggest worry is the zealous match-making activities of his best friend…that is until a hurricane throws an unexpected guest on his doorstep.

Can Josiah trust a woman from the twenty-first century to save the only grandchildren he’ll ever have?

Is it possible for two people living 250 years apart to have a second chance at love?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Rita has watched her granddaughter fall in love with a time traveler and now wonders if she can go back in time herself and help save a certain Dr. Josiah Jones and his family from a terrible sickness that history says they died from. Being a doctor herself, she hopes the miracle of time travel will also work for her. With hope in her heart and a little bit of faith, Rita travels back in time, not sure how, but there she is. Now will the doctor himself believe her.

As she works to earn Josiah's trust, they become friends and professional partners of a sort. Josiah is very open and trusting of Rita, in fact they are both falling in love with one another. However, while Rita is in the past, she is ever aware that on Christmas she will be going back home to her life and granddaughter. Can she and Josiah accept that, or will one make the ultimate sacrifice? And does Rita going back in time save Josiah's family?

This was a heartfelt Christmas time travel novella that gave Rita, a grandmother and a retired doctor, a new chance at love and an adventure she never dreamed possible. Josiah also never thought he would love again after his wife's death, but then something unbelievable happens. This was a fun novella that suspends belief and inspires.

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

About the Author

Izzy James grew up in the footprints of history in coastal Virginia. She lives there still with her fabulous husband in a house brimming with books.

More from Izzy

After I finished Garrett, who worked really hard to hide his contemporary origins when he slipped back to 1769, I thought it would be fun to have someone actually take some technology back to 1769. I also felt bad for Olivia’s grandmother who makes her first appearance in Max. She is a retired physician knitting away and helping out Olivia and Garrett as she can. I thought it was time she had an adventure of her own. And since I love historic areas, and Yorktown has become one of my favorite places, I knew I had to go back at least one more time.