Thursday, November 16, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Settlers and Toffs by Caryl McAdoo

About the Book

Book: Settlers & Toffs

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: August 23, 2023

New and old collide in SETTLERS & TOFFS as Ambrose Lee and Blaire build a hotel and a new life together with a remnant from the wagon train he captained in ’49. Settling in Auburn, California, they deal with the gold rush boom town’s growing pangs while the next Earl of Farnsworth, William Cromwell, voyages home to England with his intended Clara and her family. Though separated by a country and an ocean, troubles and trials plague them all. Revisit old friends from Book One WAGONS WEST and meet new ones in this second novel of the New Beginnings Family Saga! This story has been previously published on Kindle Vella with the same title as episodes for Season Two. Season Three, ANSWERING THE CALL episodes are now available at Kindle Vella now.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This is book two in a series following a wagon train and its occupants as they reach their destination in California. This book focuses on the ones that stayed in California and built up a hotel and other businesses. It also focuses on part of the family that leaves by ship to go to England with a future earl and to begin a new life there. We get to catch up with familiar characters and we meet new ones as well.

This is ultimately a story of family. Of the ups and downs, good decisions and bad ones. There is a lot of characters involved. There is a glossary in the back of the book to help keep everyone straight. I have read the first book a while ago so looking over the glossary helped when I couldn't remember a character or how they were related. The author also gives brief descriptions of them as well.

This story is rather fast paced as we frequently switch from California to the travelers to England, even to Chicago as another wagon train starts up. The only thing connecting some of the family is the letters that they write to one another. All of their lives are full of adventure. Danger comes in many ways to them, physical and of the heart. This one ends on a cliffhanger, so I am looking forward to the future installments.

I was provided an eBook 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

Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory, and her best-selling tales—coming up on seventy titles now published—delight readers all around the world. The prolific writer also enjoys singing the new songs the Lord gives her; you may listen to those at her YouTube channel.

She loves working in the yard at The Peaceable, her home tucked away on twenty acres, mowing and planting flowers. She lives there with Ron, her high school sweetheart and husband of fifty-five years, five dogs, two dairy goats she milks daily, a flock of chickens, and a plethora of barn cats.

The couple shares four children and twenty-seven grandsugars, six are greats. Caryl and Ron love their quiet, country life in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas and wait expectantly for God to open the next door so they may do His will.

More from Caryl

I started writing “episodes” for Kindle Vella the first month they opened the new format with WAGONS WEST, season one in the New Beginnings Family Saga Season One. For those who don’t read at Kindle Vella, after the ”season” has been up thirty days, the author can create a book!

The episodes become chapters and WAGONS WEST debuted last November 2022! The SETTLERS & TOFFS story is “Season Two” and I’m tickled pink with it! Book One in the series was an epic wagon train story that ended when they got to the gold fields around Auburn California.

In Book Two, the characters spread out across the globe, and we follow them all. Some of those who arrived in covered wagons began to build the pioneer town of Auburn, making a new home for themselves. Some panning for gold and others building hotels and businesses the miners need.

Some travel to merry old England where one of the wagon train sojourners has been called home after his older brother’s death to be the future Earl of Farnsworth. Having fallen in love, he couldn’t bear to leave Clara behind, so arranges for her family to accompany him. So many of the main characters sail away cross the seas.

The third storyline in SETTLERS & TOFFS becomes another wagon train when the scout in book one decides with his wife to go and bring another group of settlers to the new land—a very lucrative business venture for the captains who knew the way.

There are plenty of characters who come in and out as the story progresses. I’ve come to love the primary ones. There are struggles at every turn. Trials and tribulations fill many of their days, but there are those joyous ones as well!

Through it all, the Lord—still on the throne and in control in 1850—helps His children overcome and blesses them beyond measure . . . just as He does today. He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek him and obey His commandments—then and now.

My author’s motto is “Praying my story gives God glory!” I also pray that its readers will be drawn into a closer walk with the Almighty as they walk alongside these awesome, stalwart folks who settled the West! They had it rough, but God . . . PRAISE HIM!

They sure do! And so do I!

BLESSINGS!

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 5

Texas Book-aholic, November 6

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 7

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, November 8 (Author Interview)

Books You Can Feel Good About, November 9

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 10

Beauty in the Binding, November 11 (Author Interview)

The Lit Lady, November 11

For Him and My Family, November 12

For the Love of Literature, November 13 (Author Inteview)

Exploring the Written Word, November 13

Holly’s Book Corner, November 14

Cover Lover Book Review, November 15

Pause for Tales, November 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away the prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and signed 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/28b2c/settlers-toffs-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, November 13, 2023

My Thoughts on Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard

About:

A missing person. A murder victim. And two hurting people seeking justice, connected in ways they could never imagine.

Montana Detective Trevor West is desperate to learn what happened to his sister, who went missing in Alaska over a year ago, leaving nothing but a few photographs as clues to her whereabouts. At the advice of Police Chief Autumn Long, Trevor enlists the help of an experienced bush pilot. If Carrie James can't help him find the places in the photographs, no one can.

But Carrie has her own agenda. Grieving the death of her closest friend and the only person she could trust, Carrie will help Trevor find his sister on one condition--that he help her track down her friend's killer.

My Thoughts:

This story is a wow. It starts out with a push, that has our heroine, Carrie running for her life and starting over in Alaska. There she finds herself as a bush pilot living a relative peaceful life with her neighbors. Until one day, Trevor West, a Montana detective shows up asking for her help in locating his sister who has been missing for over a year. Carrie is reluctant to get involved but does so planning to do so only temporarily.

Well, things are not going well for these two and things go from bad to worse real quick. Carrie finds herself in way too many dangerous situations. Is it because of her past, or the questions she and Trevor are asking about his sister? Neither of them knows and when death comes to someone Carrie loves, well Carrie is convinced it is murder. So, she makes a deal with Trevor.

This was a fast-paced thriller that took place in the Alaskan skies and on Alaska land. Both situations have become very personal and dire for Carrie and Trevor. Will they find the answers they both seek? Is Trevor's sister still alive like he hopes? And what about these budding romantic feelings?

All in all, I really enjoyed this adventure, so grab something warm to drink and a blanket to wrap up in as this story gets a little dicey and chilly.

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

About the Author:

Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 60 novels, including Cold Light of Day and Shadows at Dusk, as well as the Rocky Mountain Courage and Uncommon Justice series. Her books have sold nearly 1.5 million copies. She is a Carol Award and Reader's Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. Learn more at ElizabethGoddard.com.

My Thoughts on The Warmth of Snow by Heidi Eljarbo

About:

There must be a way to thaw a heart long frozen. Can she help him, or does he have other plans?

Sweden 1810.

August Brandell, the count of Linborg, has returned home after four years of war against the French Empire under the direction of Napoléon Bonaparte. Wounded and downtrodden, he is a meager shadow of the man he used to be.

One day, a lovely young woman comes calling. She’s strong and bright and, unlike the rest, seems unaffected by his wealth and unfortunate disability. He soon discovers he wants more than a sweet friendship, but a life of caring for him would not be fair to such a beautiful soul. Oh, how dearly, deeply he loves her and secretly wants her to stay, but he cannot and will not ask such a sacrifice from her…especially not when it’s out of pity for him.

Erica Gustava Ebbesdotter has primarily been left to herself since she was orphaned at an early age. Although grateful to her aunt and uncle for taking her in, they pay her no attention and even keep her in the dark about her parents.

Hearing about Count Brandell’s unfortunate fate on the battlefield, she knocks on the door at Castle Linborg to leave him a card of encouragement.

Meeting Count Brandell changes Erica’s entire world. Falling for him is utterly unexpected. Soon, he fills her heart, but he is far above her station. How can a man like him see beyond her less refined clothes and past? Worst of all, he is already betrothed.

This is a sweet and wholesome historical romance—a hauntingly beautiful tale of two hearts meant to be together.

Perfect for fans of Regency romances from Julianne Donaldson, Sarah M. Eden, Jennie Goutet, Laura Beers, and Sally Britton.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3QwOQ6j

Release Date: October 24, 2023

Genre: Clean Historical Romance, Sweet Historical Christmas Romance

My Thoughts:

This story reminded me a little bit of the fairy tale Cinderella. We have a young woman whose parents died when she was young, and she was taken in by her aunt and uncle. Though neither they nor her cousins treated her well at the manor, for one thing she was banished to the attic room. She was belittled and never looked upon kindly or really even loved by them. There is some mystery about her birth and who her parents really were and indeed, who she really is.

The count is not a mean or too grumpy of a man. He has seen the horrors of war and has lost the use of his legs due to a war wound. He is not sure how to deal with his nightmares and he wonders if he really ever will be whole again.

I liked the setting of this story. It takes place in Sweden in 1810 and touches on the history of the Napoleonic wars and how it affected Sweden. I have not read a lot of stories in this setting so this one was refreshing. I also liked the title as it gives the whole story a regal, holiday, and mysterious vibe.

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.

Friday, November 10, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Garden of the Midnights by Hannah Linder

About the Book

Book: Garden of the Midnights

Author: Hannah Linder

Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical / Romance

Release Date: October, 2023

Danger Lurks at Rosenleigh Manor

Enjoy another Gothic Style Regency from Hannah Linder.

The accidents are not a matter of chance. They are deliberate. As English gentleman William Kensley becomes aware of the danger at Rosenleigh, he pleads for truth from the only man he can trust—until that man is murdered.

As the secrets unfold into scandal, William’s world is tipped into destitution—leaving him penniless and alone. His only comfort is in the constant love of Isabella Gresham, but even that has been threatened. When a hidden foe arises from their acquaintances and imperils Isabella’s life, will William be the only one willing to rescue her? And even if he saves Isabella from her captors, will he still have to forsake her heart?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

As with all author Linder books, when I step into her worlds, I never know quite where the journey will be taking me. This one, my favorite yet, is what I would call an epic romance. One I found myself engulfed in, and like the characters looking over my shoulder a few times to make sure I was not being watched. This is an atmospheric read full of mystery and secrets, unfathomable love all with a gothic flavor.

The prologue starts off years before with a foreboding that will affect our beloved characters for years to come. Englishman William Kensley has really never been loved or wanted. Having been told of his mother's passing during his birth and that his father died after, he was raised by an aunt who cared nothing for him. Not only that, but there are glimpses of her and his cousin's cruelty towards him growing up. However, he is now the heir of Rosenleigh Manor, but that has not stopped the vicious attacks nor the accidents that surround him. Dangerous accidents that could have killed him. He believes someone is attempting to kill him until one fateful night he is sure of it. He leaves his beloved home, not from cowardice but for answers. Especially answers where his father is concerned.

Isabella Gresham is enduring her London season believing that there is no such thing as true love. She will marry for compatibility when she finds it. There is a man, a mysterious and handsome man who has intrigued her. But he makes her feel a bit off as well. She has certainly attracted his attention, and he is not one to let her go. Not only that but she befriends the most affable and genuine William. He is hiding something from her, and he has intrigued her curiosity.

This story was hard to put down as all the lies eventually unravel and the truth breaks through.

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

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels. She is a double 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award finalist, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Hannah is a Graphic Design Associates Degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and International bestsellers. She is also a local photographer and a self-portrait photographer. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments—piano, guitar, and ukulele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse. To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.

More from Hannah

Sometimes, the things we say we’ll never do are exactly the things we find ourselves doing.

Back when I was still wearing two braids and walking around barefoot everywhere, I told myself I would never make a speech. Never. But by the time high school graduation came along, despite a thousand firm declarations that I wouldn’t, my mother shook her head. “I think you should do it,” she said—and because mothers are usually right, I did.

Granted, I read the speech off a folded sheet of copy paper because I was too nervous to face the crowd. And my knees were jelly. And I stood off-centered on the stage instead of behind the pulpit like anyone else.

But I did it.

For the rest of my life, I’ll look back and remember what it felt like. Standing on the stage, reading my heart, hearing the sniffles and glancing up to see tears glistening in the eyes of endless people I love.

That was special. Mother was right.

Want to know another thing I said I would never do? Re-write a novel. I’ve heard the stories all my life. The author second guesses their own ability and burns their manuscript. Then, years later, they rewrite the story that echoes through the ages as a classic. Or the novelist loses their entire document to a computer crash, so with a blank page and a blinking cursor, they start anew.

I never thought that was something I could do.

I never wanted to.

If I ever lost a novel or was prompted to start over, I would abandon ship and try for a different vessel. Anyway, that’s what I told myself.

Garden of the Midnights was the story I wrote many years ago when I was younger, when I knew less about manors and England and history. I made mistakes. I broke writing rules. I did too little research and too much overwriting…but it had my soul. Somehow, it was alive. The characters breathed. The tears in their pillow, the aches in their throat, became a part of who I was and what I felt.

This was the one. The story I loved most.

But the edits and the mistakes and the problems overwhelmed me. Like the fearful girl in braids who refused to make a speech, I wanted to throw in the towel and say with even more defiance, “I will never re-write a novel. Never.”

But Mother knew what was needed. She knew the story was too much a part of me to tuck away in some drawer, forgotten and dusty, unread by anyone. So she nodded her head and said, “I think you should do it.”

I didn’t want to.

I was afraid because it wasn’t easy.

But because mothers are usually right, I did. Now, Garden of the Midnights is ready. My heart is still tangled in all the words, all the twists, all the secrets—but this time more, because the book has yet another part of me. The part that was fearful. The part that was too close to quitting. The part that finished anyway.

For the rest of my life, I’ll look back and be thankful. When someone writes me a note that they enjoyed the book, or gets a whimsical tone to their voice when they talk about a scene, or looks up from the pages with tears shimmering in their eyes.

That will be special. Mother was right.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 28

Melissa’s Bookshelf, October 28

Texas Book-aholic, October 29

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, October 29

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 30

An Author’s Take, October 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 31

Mary Hake, October 31

Book Looks by Lisa, November 1

Alena Mentink, November 1

Connie’s History Classroom, November 2

Jeanette’s Thoughts, November 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 3

Sylvan Musings, November 3

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

To Everything There Is A Season, November 4

Blogging With Carol, November 5

For Him and My Family, November 5

Betti Mace, November 6

Live.Love.Read., November 6

Wishful Endings, November 7

Cover Lover Book Review, November 7

Where Faith and Books Meet, November 8

Holly’s Book Corner, November 8

Splashes of Joy, November 9

Labor Not in Vain, November 9

Pause for Tales, November 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Hannah 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/28978/garden-of-the-midnights-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

My Thoughts and More on A Christmas at Jekyl Island Club by Blossom Turner

About the Book

Book: A Christmas at Jekyl Island Club

Author: Blossom Turner

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: October 24, 2023

She was born into privilege yet yearns for freedom. Dare she risk it all for love?

Though spunky Savannah Ensworth was born into wealth and privilege, she longs for the freedom allotted to men. Marriage is the very last thing on her to-do list. As the sole heir to her father’s fortune, she’s in no hurry to turn the freedom that comes with wealth over to a husband.

Bored and restless, she arrives for yet another mind-numbing winter season at the Jekyll Island Millionaire’s Club. There is nothing new under the sun…or so she thinks until she meets Joseph Bennett, the visiting reverend.

As sparks fly, a forbidden attraction grows. But will their very different lives snuff out any hope of a future? And is she ready to give up the freedom she’s always desired for a love that could cost her everything?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This series, The Gilded Age Resorts, has been quite fascinating to me and I have enjoyed reading about all these resorts where the uber wealthy would go on holiday. Most I have never heard of before so through the authors pens, they allow me to visit each one during the high times of the resorts.

This story is about heiress Savannah Ensworth, only child of her parents, wealthy, and a bit spoiled. She has come to Jekyll Island for the Christmas holiday with her parents. She is bored out of her mind with the teas, dinners, and socials her mother expects for her to keep up appearances at. Savannah is beautiful and wealthy and that makes her a prime target for men. But she is not interested in making a good connection. I felt for Savannah as she had everything in the world at her disposal, yet she was living an empty existence.

Until one day her best friend gets her to make a dare. There is a new, young, and attractive preacher at the Island. He is beneath Savannah in society, but she does not think twice about her flirtatious ways with him so that she may make him fall in love with her. At first, it is all a game.

Joseph Bennett, the preacher, is tired of what he sees of upper society. He wants so badly for them to see that they could do so much good for others if only they would open their eyes. One Sunday morning as he looks across the congregation, he sees a woman that steals his heart at first glance. When she decides to befriend him, he knows their relationship can go nowhere. As their connection deepens, he must fight his attraction for her and show her the best way to live her life.

Will Savannah, headstrong and as ambitious as she is, let Joseph go? Or can she let go of all her wealthy trappings? And when family secrets come to light, she will need her new faith to move forward with strength and fortitude. I enjoyed Savannah and Joseph's perfect match and their tug of war against their swoony romance.

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

Blossom Turner Blossom Turner is an award-winning romance author and a hopeless romantic at heart. She believes all story should give the reader significant entertainment value but also relatable life struggles with hope sprinkled throughout. Her desire is to leave the reader with a yearning to live for Christ on a deeper level, or at the very least, create a hunger to seek for more.

She lives in a four-season playground in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, with gardening at the top of her enjoyment list. She has a passion for women’s ministry but having coffee and sharing God’s hope with a hurting soul trump all. She has two grown children and lives with her

husband, David, of forty years and their Shepherd/Bernese cross, Lacey. Blossom loves to hear from her readers. Visit her at https://blossomturner.com (Link to website.)

More from Blossom

An island owned by millionaires…do you want to visit?

From my first glimpse of the Marshes of Glynn to that step out of my car onto soil that used to be trod by the world’s wealthiest, my interest was piqued. A book series blossomed inside my head. The 2,906 mile trek from my home in Kelowna, BC to Jekyll Island, Georgia, was worth every hard-earned penny.

The history of Jekyll Island is fascinating from the indigenous people to the arrival of Spanish explorers in 1510 who named the Island, Isla De Ballenas (Whale Island), onward to the English occupation during the Colonial Era in 1733 (where it was renamed Jekyll Island) through the plantation Era. But it really gets interesting during the Club Era where fifty-three members purchased shares with the goal to market the island as a winter retreat for the extremely wealthy. It was a raging success. The clubhouse was officially opened in January of 1888 and the island became an exclusive club to many of the world’s wealthiest families. One could visit by invitation only. This “Millionaires’ Hideaway” became the place some of the most powerful American financiers could relax in prestigious undisturbed isolation. During its peak, the claim was made that its’ members controlled one-sixth of the world’s wealth.

This story takes place in the midst of the Club Era which lasted from 1888 to 1942 before the island was sold back to the state of Georgia. The island, the Club House, the mansion-like cottages, including the flora and fauna have been meticulously researched to bring authenticity to this story. I hope I have done a good job of setting you in that place and time, so you can visualize, hear, smell, and be touched by the lives of the people that long ago walked upon that soil.

Today, there is a causeway built through the beautiful Marshes of Glynn so visitors can access the Island from the mainland by car. It is a popular tourist destination. I would highly recommend a trip to this Golden Isles barrier island.

The historical district has been painstakingly restored and the Club House stands in all its original glory. From the variety of beaches to a photographer’s heaven on Driftwood beach, to the miles of bike trails, salt marshes and abundant wildlife this island is deemed one of the 50 most beautiful small towns in America. I could see why when I visited.

If you have not yet had the pleasure, I hope you will someday have the opportunity to step upon the soil where millionaires trod and bask in the same sunshine they did. Perhaps have high tea in the Club House or ride a bicycle on the hard packed shores of the very beaches they enjoyed. For we are all God’s beautiful creations. He sees not our money, our status, or our family connections…He sees our heart.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, November 1

Splashes of Joy, November 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 2

lakesidelivingsite, November 3

Exploring the Written Word, November 3

Lighthouse Academy Blog, November 4 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 5

Blossoms and Blessings, November 5

Blogging With Carol, November 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 7

Pause for Tales, November 7

Book Looks by Lisa, November 8

Cover Lover Book Review, November 9

Connie’s History Classroom, November 9

Simple Harvest Reads, November 10 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, November 11

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, November 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 12

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, November 13 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, November 13

She Lives To Read, November 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Blossom 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/28b2a/a-christmas-at-jekyl-island-club-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on Marshaling Her Heart by Mary Connealy

About the Book

Book: Marshaling Her Heart

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: October 17, 2023

Will their lives and romance survive the trouble coming their way?

Becky Pruitt has always prided herself on knowing everything that’s happening on her successful ranch, so an unexpected admission from her foreman, Nate Paxton, comes as quite a surprise. With the notorious Deadeye Gang on the loose, Nate–a former U.S. Marshal–believes Becky’s ranch is the best spot for a group of Marshals to use as a base to hunt them down.

The timing couldn’t be more crucial for the town of Pine Valley, and Becky feels obligated to help. But after escaping the grasp of her harsh father, she’s never liked giving up control, of her life or her ranch. If there’s anyone she can trust with her ranch, and her heart, it might be Nate. But the outlaws won’t go away quietly, and as danger draws ever nearer, Becky and Nate are faced with impossible choices that will test their growing bond.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This is the conclusion of a series that I have very much enjoyed, of three friends, women who all have unusual jobs for their time. This is Becky Pruitt's story, and she is a successful rancher. As soon as she could, she left her tyrant father and used her inheritance from her grandparents to pursue her dream at ranching. And she has been very successful at achieving her dreams.

Nate Paxton is her foreman and they have worked together for a couple of years. In this story she finds out a little more about his past job of U.S. Marshal as his brother and several other Marshals are set on capturing the outlaws in the Deadeye Gang to stop their terror on the good people of Pine Valley and surrounding towns. However, the Marshall's need use of Becky's ranch for their plans to succeed.

Here we have a story of a fiercely independent woman who is bound and determined to do things her own way. But when unwanted feelings awaken between her and Nate, Becky finds that having a certain man in her life may not be so bad after all. Nate proves he is nothing like her cruel father.

Will the Deadeye Gang finally be stopped? This story wraps up the thread that was started in book one, and as Becky finds out some startling secrets, she is unprepared for the reckoning that her father has waiting for her. This story also touches on the suffrage movement, and I was happy to catch up with the two ladies and their leading mem from the other stories.

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

About the Author

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

More from Mary

Becky Pruitt has a problem. Her ranch is being invaded by good guys.

Becky wants the Deadeye Gang caught and thrown in jail as much as anyone, but the lawmen asking her to hire them on at her ranch aim to do their investigating while working undercover as cowhands. She runs a good ranch, however, and doesn’t like the idea of a bunch of low-skilled men making her look like she’s hired them foolishly.

Yet she goes along with it, suspicious and annoyed, because her foreman, Nate Paxton, a man she trusts, convinces her that these men are honorable. Then the three lawmen she hires, all of them U.S. Marshals, urge her to send every single one of her regular cowhands—except Nate, a former Marshal himself—off on a cattle drive.

Now she’s got Marshals cropping up everywhere. Her ranch isn’t being run in a way that suits her. She’s got trouble with her father, and an important speaker is coming to town to talk about women’s suffrage. So much is distracting her when all she really wants to do is make sure her herd is being tended properly.

Before long, Nate starts to question the behavior of the U.S. Marshals Service. They’re secretive to the point that they put him in jeopardy a few times before he decides to quit. Here he’d found a decent job on a top ranch, and he even shared a few special moments with his pretty, feisty boss that gave him ideas of how he’d like to change things around a little just so he could be with her. And then his brother, who’s still a U.S. Marshal, invades the ranch with a few fellow lawmen. Quite a few.

Meanwhile, the Deadeye Gang is more dangerous than ever. The woman coming to Pine Valley to speak is now at risk, which makes Becky frantic to protect her. The cattle aren’t being looked after like they ought to be. And yet Nate finds himself being drawn closer to Becky with each passing day. He’s determined to stand firmly between her and danger, but he’s got to keep up with her to do that. He soon discovers that nothing is easy when it comes to the hard-charging Becky Pruitt.

Wyoming Sunrise is a series I wrote in which I cast women as having nontraditional jobs: Forged in Love has a woman blacksmith, Laws of Attraction a woman justice of the peace, and Marshaling Her Heart a woman rancher. Those are all nontraditional for sure, but not really in my case personally. I must force myself not to make all my heroines feisty lady ranchers. It’s almost a reflex at this point. I fought that reflex as hard as I could, but I decided it would be okay to sneak one lady rancher into this series, and that’s Becky Pruitt. I slipped her into the western vernacular, the tough attitude, the riding skirts and boots and Stetsons—and I loved it.

Marshaling Her Heart is my first true lady rancher, and so I let loose and had fun with Becky. The foreman Nate recognizes intelligence and competence in his boss, and he’s smart enough to take orders from her because he knows those orders are the right way to run the ranch.

Add in the backdrops of the other books in the series, the vicious, stagecoach-robbing Deadeye Gang, the coming of the lady suffragist speaker to town, and you’ve got a story full of trouble, action, adventure, romance, and fun.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, October 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 28

Bizwings Book Blog, October 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 29

Jeanette’s Thoughts, October 29

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 30

Lighthouse Academy Blog, October 30 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

lakesidelivingsite, October 31

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 1

Book Looks by Lisa, November 1

Connie’s History Classroom, November 2

Mary Hake, November 2

Wishful Endings, November 3

An Author’s Take, November 3

Betti Mace, November 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 4

For Him and My Family, November 5

Holly’s Book Corner, November 5

Splashes of Joy, November 6

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 6

Pause for Tales, November 7

Life on Chickadee Lane, November 7

Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 8

Cover Lover Book Review, November 8

Labor Not in Vain, November 9

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, November 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize of a $15 Amazon Gift Card and a paperback copy of the entire Wyoming Sunrise series!!

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/28976/marshaling-her-heart-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, November 6, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Killer Christmas Evidence by Sami A. Abrams

About the Book

Book: Killer Christmas Evidence

Author: Sami A. Abrams

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: October 24, 2023

The search for a criminal…becomes a fight for survival.

The moment detective Cassidy Bowman links a chain of suspicious deaths to a serial killer, she becomes the deadly assassin’s number one target. But a blow to the head robs her of her memory and she can’t put the pieces of the case back together alone. Can she convince detective Kyle Howard to help her catch the culprit by proving her theory…before the killer succeeds in taking Cassidy’s life?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Wow, if you are looking to add some intensity to your Christmas reading, this book has you covered. Danger, trees, serial killers, carols- you got it.

Cassidy, a detective, has been through a lot in the past year. Losing her partner and best friend, Amber due to terrible crime accident where Cassidy suffered severe burns. She also lost her cousin to a drunk driving accident as well. On top of all that, her cousin's accident looks like murder to Cassidy. And what she has been working on has not only gotten her placed on a forced leave, but also, she has garnered the unwanted attention of a serial killer.

Detective Kyle Howard was Amber's fiancé and a friend of Cassidy. Except now he wishes he never knew Cassidy as he blames her for Amber's death. However, now he has been drawn into Cassidy's case when he saves her life a few times in one night. He can hardly stand to be around her but her evidence that she has collected and the target on her life gives her investigation proof. What can he do but try and forgive her and help her.

This was an interesting story especially as Cassidy and Kyle rekindle their friendship and possibly more. I thought the unfortunate twist on their friendship was hard, but their romance was one that was hard won and meaningful. After all they had been friends in the past and now, they have been surviving a killer's relentless blood thirsty agenda. This was a perfect twisty thriller, holiday romance.

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

Award-winning, bestselling author Sami Abrams grew up hating to read. It wasn’t until her 30’s that she found authors that captured her attention. Now, most evenings, you can find her engrossed in a Romantic Suspense. In her opinion, a crime and a little romance is the recipe for a great story.

She lives in Northern California, but she will always be a Kansas girl at heart. She has a love of sports, family, and travel. However, a cabin at Lake Tahoe writing her next story is definitely at the top of her list.

More from Sami

While coming up with the idea for Kyle and Cassidy’s story, Killer Christmas Evidence, I loved the idea of a serial killer that no one knew about. Someone who killed in different places and in different ways to avoid detection. Kim Rossmo’s theory on Geographic Profiling was intriguing, and I wanted to implement that concept. But, as I started to write, I realized the idea was too big for a Love Inspired Suspense length book, so I had to adjust the story a bit to fit the situation. The basics are there, just not the details I had hoped for.

However, when I sat down to write and I got to know Kyle and Cassidy a little better, I realized the story wasn’t about the stealth serial killer, but about learning to let go of guilt and learning to forgive. How many times in our lives due to being hurt or the pain of loss do we assume we know the truth? Yet, if we listened—really listened—we discover not everything is what is appears to be. And the truth is not painful, but healing.