Monday, May 22, 2017

A Ruby Glows by Kari Trumbo




About the Author



Kari Trumbo is an inspirational romance author, blogger and proud home schooling mother to four great kids. She interacts often on reader groups on Facebook and volunteers at the local library when needed. When she isn’t writing, she is obsessively reading and expanding her skills as a wordsmith. Kari lives in her great-grandfather’s remodeled 1890-built home in central Minnesota with her husband, children, cats, and one hungry wood stove.



About the Book



Book: A Ruby Glows  
Author: Kari Trumbo  
Genre: Historical Christian Romance
Release Date: Jan 3, 2017  

Ruby’s heart froze as she threw her dead husband over the cliff.When Beau walks into her life, one glance has her running from her past. He couldn’t want someone like her. It should be easy to avoid his quiet charm.If he can convince her she’s a prize, not prey, he might have a chance. Beau’s captivated when Ruby scrambles from him whenever he gets too close. Her sweetness is
an allure he can’t fight. Can Beau convince Ruby she is beloved?

  Click here to purchase your copy.

  

My Review

Oh sweet Ruby- how my heart felt for you. Your abusive past that you're running from and scarred by. Your fear of ever giving yourself a chance to thrive or others to come close. To me, Ruby was alive and breathing- I understood her pain though I have never experienced anything like it. I felt her moments of happiness, fear, grief, and so on. What a sweet, charming read! The development of the relationship between Ruby and Beau gives us a picture of patient and true, persevering love. I loved the ashes to beauty picture painted in this book. The depth of emotions I felt were special as well. I really felt to be part of the story and truly understood the characters and why they did what they did. A truly redemptive, charming read!

I received this book for free. No compensation was received and all opinions are my own. 

 

 Guest post from Kari Trumbo

Greetings! I hope this isn’t your first introduction to Cutter’s Creek, but if it is, let me explain a bit about it. Cutter’s Creek is a series written by myself and three other Christian authors. Though there are numbers on each book, you don’t have to read them in order to get into the series, in fact, since each author writes in their own time period it might be somewhat confusing. Especially if you like a consecutive story. However, they are all stand-alone books and can be read in any order. If you like to read them in date order, you’ll want to read Kit Morgan’s books first, then Vivi Holt, Annie Boone, and finally mine, that will put them roughly in time order.

The Cutter’s Creek series has been a huge blessing to me. I’ve gotten to write with some wonderful authors and learned so much about writing a series together. So, out of my Cutter’s Creek books, why did I choose Ruby over Lily, Ivy, or Carol…well, I hate to play favorites, but Ruby is my favorite. She’s quiet, and her strength is surprising. She has a big trial, and some hurt to work through, but when you find the right person to help you through it, that’s a gift more precious than anything.

 I hope you love Ruby as much as I do. Blessings, Kari

Blog Stops
May 26: A Greater Yes
May 27: Carpe Diem
May 29: Bigreadersite
May 31: Mary Hake

Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Kari is giving away signed print copies of A Lily Blooms, A Penny Shines, and A Ruby Glows!! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/b3de
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Monday, May 15, 2017

Alice's Notions by Tamera Lynn Kraft




 

                                            Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Book



 Book: Alice’s Notions
Author: Tamera Lynn Kraft  
Genre: Christian historical romanc
 Release Date: April 1, 2017

  In this quaint mountain town, things aren’t always what they seem.World War 2 widow Alice Brighton returns to the safety of her home town to open a fabric shop. She decides to start a barn quilt tour to bring business to the shop and the town, but what she doesn’t know is sinister forces are using the tour for their own nefarious reasons. Between her mysterious landlord, her German immigrant employee, her neighbors who are acting strange, and a dreamboat security expert who is trying to romance her, Alice doesn’t know who she can trust.


My Review



Wow was I surprised when I first started getting into Alice's Notions. My expectations were far exceeded with a tale of mystery and heart pounding moments mingled within a story of blossoming love. Alice is trying to start over after becoming a war widow. Going back to her roots, she sets up shop only to meet Rick. Who is this sarcastic man and why does he seem so mysterious? The characters were well developed and the time period was presented so well from the vernacular and accents portrayed through the book. The plot was charming and yet heart-pounding at points making you guess what situation would greet you on the next page. Each character was well thought and described so well I could easily picture them in my mind. My inner history buff was enlightened as well with good research that was obvious in the book. I loved the references to classic movie stars. I am a huge Judy Garland, Grace Kelly, Jimmy Stewart, you name it fan! This was a new author to me and I was delighted with hopes for the opportunity to read more in the future. Alice's Notions will keep you turning the page to experience mystery, drama, and a sweet redemptive love story!


I received this book for free and all opinions given are my own.

About the Author




Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures. She loves to write historical fiction set in the United States because there are so many stories in American history. There are strong elements of faith, romance, suspense and adventure in her stories. She has received 2nd place in the NOCW contest, 3rd place TARA writer’s contest, and is a finalist in the Frasier Writing Contest and has other novellas in print. She’s been married for 38 years to the love of her life, Rick, and has two married adult children and two grandchildren. Tamera has two novellas in print: A Christmas Promise and Resurrection of Hope. Her first full length novel, Alice’s Notions released in April through Desert Breeze.

You can contact Tamera on her website at http://tameralynnkraft.net
 

Guest Post from Tamera Lynn Kraft

How Classic Movies from the 1940s Made Their Way in My Latest Novel

By Tamera Lynn Kraft

One thing I loved about writing my post World War Two novel was my main character’s passion for movies. Alice Brighton and her late husband loved to go to movies on Friday nights. Now, even after the war made her a widow, Alice still loves movies and compares everyone she meets to a movie character.

Of course for Alice, all these wonderful classic movies and movie stars and a part of her culture, but for me, it was so much fun because I love classic movies. In the novel, Alice compares her landlord to Cary Grant. Cary Grant is one of my favorites. After starring in movies like Suspision, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Notorious, Grant was one of the biggest stars around in 1946 when Alice’s Notions takes place. My favorite Cary Grant movie wouldn’t be made until a few years later. An Affair to Remember, released 1957, with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr is one of my all-time favorites.

At one point in the novel, Alice thinks back to when her late husband always said she reminded him of Judy Garland. Garland would have been twenty-four at the time, just a bit younger than Alice, but she became a big star in her teens. She began acting at two years old when she debuted as Baby Francis and sang Jingle Bells. After playing in various roles including a few movies with Mickey Rooney, Garland had her big break in The Wizard of Oz. She went on to star in a ton of movies and had a thriving singing career until she committed suicide in the 1960s. One of my favorite Judy Garland movies released in 1945 during the war was The Clock. The Clock was about a woman who met and fell in love with a GI on leave. Their romance was intensified because they only had the weekend before he was shipped out again for the remainder of the war. This movie must have been in Alice’s mind since she had lost her husband shortly after the movie came out.

During Alice’s Notions, Alice goes on a date to see the movie, The Postman Always Rings Twice, starring Lana Turner and John Garfield. It was released in 1946 and was considered scandalous at the time because the two main characters have an affair and murder her husband. The main theme of the movie is you can’t get away with your sin. The truth will be revealed. In Alice’s Notions, the truth being revealed is also a main theme.

So you may be wondering what classic movie Alice’s Notions reminds me of. Charade with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn was released in 1963. In that movie, Hepburn is being pursued and doesn’t know who she can trust. The movie has light hearted intrigue, suspense, and romance just like Alice’s Notions. Alice, also, doesn’t know who she can trust.

Blog Stops


Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Tamera is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! 
https://promosimple.com/ps/b723
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Tuesday, May 9, 2017

The Beloved Hope Chest by Amy Clipston


 
                                                 Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Book



Book: The Beloved Hope Chest  
Author: Amy Clipston  
Genre: Amish  
Release Date: May 9, 2017  

In the final installment of the Amish Heirloom series, the Fisher sisters learn the mystery behind their parents’ marriage—and about the sibling who has never been spoken of.

Mattie Fisher’s three daughters know that she’s been keeping a secret from them. With each item pulled from the beloved family hope chest, they’ve discovered a new clue about their mother’s past.

But there’s a reason Mattie has been keeping her history hidden, and she’s not sure she’s ready to reopen old wounds. Will dredging up the past change the way her children view her? Or her marriage to their father? And can she handle the pain of revisiting the memories that preceded the last few happy decades?

Mattie’s story is one of grief and learning to love again. But like the best things preserved in a hope chest, it’s a story of love and redemption born out of heartache—and it’s past time to share it.

My Review

A past of hope among the ashes long buried . . . The Beloved Hope Chest did not contain what I expected by reading the title. While I love Amish fiction, this book exceeded expectations by presenting poor Mattie- who feels defined by grief and doesn't see the hope in the midst of it. In walks Leroy, a patient, understanding man who loves Mattie enough to let her heart heal. Mattie and Leroy are charming, beautiful, complex characters whose interaction is so clear in the mind. The emotions experienced while enjoying the plot of this book were very real- crying and smiling at different points. I loved the beautiful Amish culture backdrop filled with the quaint Amish vernacular. You could tell Ms Clipston really did her research on Amish life. I felt pain, hope, joy, and triumph while experiencing this beautiful story. This book reminded me of the faithfulness of the Lord, and the perfection of His plan for our lives. My heart was refreshed and warmed to the core. Any fiction readers will find this book to be a heartwarming and refreshing read!

I received this book for free and all opinions given are my own. 


About the Author



AMY CLIPSTON is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Kauffman Amish Bakery series. She has sold more than 1 million books, and her novels have hit multiple bestseller lists including CBD, CBA, and ECPA. Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan College and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and three spoiled rotten cats. Visit her online at amyclipston.comFacebook: AmyClipstonBooks and Twitter: @AmyClipston

Guest post from Amy Clipston

I am thrilled to share the The Beloved Hope Chest, which is the final installment of my Amish Home series.

In The Beloved Hope Chest, the Fisher sisters learn the mystery behind their parents’ marriage—and about the sibling who has never been spoken of. Mattie Fisher’s three daughters know that she’s been keeping a secret from them. With each item pulled from the beloved family hope chest, they’ve discovered a new clue about their mother’s past. But there’s a reason Mattie has been keeping her history hidden, and she’s not sure she’s ready to reopen old wounds. Will dredging up the past change the way her children view her? Or her marriage to their father? And can she handle the pain of revisiting the memories that preceded the last few happy decades? Mattie’s story is one of grief and learning to love again. But like the best things preserved in a hope chest, it’s a story of love and redemption born out of heartache—and it’s past time to share it.

This book is very close to my heart since it is the last in my Amish Heirloom series. I’ve grown to love the Fisher family, and writing Mattie and Leroy’s story was bittersweet. This is a very emotional story, and I poured my heart and soul into it. I hope you enjoy this book since it reveals all of the mysteries that have been placed throughout the series.

Blog Stops

May 13: Just Commonly
May 16: A Greater Yes
May 17: Quiet Quilter
May 18: Splashes of Joy
May 19: Pause for Tales
May 19: Book by Book
May 21: Bigreadersite

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Amy is giving away a copy of An Amish Home and an handpicked Amish goodie chosen by Amy to two winners! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/b3b3
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Friday, May 5, 2017

Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano


 
                                                   To order your copy, click here.

About the Book



Book: Behind the Scenes  

Author: Jen Turano  

Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance  

Release Date: April, 2017

Miss Permilia Griswold may have been given the opportunity of a debut into New York high society, but no one warned her she wasn’t guaranteed to “take.” After spending the last six years banished to the wallflower section of the ballroom, she’s finally putting her status on the fringes of society to good use by penning anonymous society gossip columns under the pseudonym “Miss Quill.”

Mr. Asher Rutherford has managed to maintain his status as a reputable gentleman of society despite opening his own department store. While pretending it’s simply a lark to fill his time, he has quite legitimate reasons for needing to make his store the most successful in the country. When Permilia overhears a threat against the estimable Mr. Rutherford, she’s determined to find and warn the man. Disgruntled at a first meeting that goes quite poorly and results in Asher not believing her, she decides to take matters into her own hands, never realizing she’ll end up at risk as well.

As Asher and Permilia are forced to work together and spend time away from the spotlight of society, perhaps there’s more going on behind the scenes than they ever could have anticipated. . . .

My Review

Another triumph by Jen Turano, no doubt! First of all, what terrific character names! Permilia and Asher just struck a cord with me as just being the most intriguing names- Permilia especially as I have read historicals and never come across it. The characters in this book are so well thought out and so easily visualized in my mind with their descriptions. I have to say I resonated with Permilia on many levels since I too tend to be a wallflower, but have a lot of fight and uniqueness about me. One of my absolute dislikes is people treating others in different social classes as less of a person or even less able to achieve success. Permilia defied the etiquette of social standing in a time much more difficult than I however. I have to say that Permilia's attitude in spite of her step-family made me laugh out loud several times. Especially her disdain for worrying about marrying at the earliest opportunity, and taking upon herself the possibility of being industrious. I have always respected a self made man as well so Asher's character fit the bill as a very interesting one. I loved how our protagonists were thrown together in what seemed somewhat of a mess, but ended up being the key to the future for both of them. I loved the portrayal of the time period as well, and the description of the clothing worn as I absolutely love the gowns of that time period. The plot will keep you laughing, wondering, and smiling. A sweet romance, quirky fun, and excellent quality plot will have you singing praises for Jen Turano too! 

I received this book for free, and all opinions given are my own. 


About the Author



Jen Turano, author of nine books and two novellas, is a graduate of the University of Akron with a degree in clothing and textiles. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. Visit her website at www.jenturano.com.

Interview With Jen Turano

  1. What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you personally?

Amusing things happen to me all the time, but I think my favorite was back in college when I was a lifeguard. You see, there’s a lifeguard code – You will be cool at all times, especially when you’re sitting in a lifeguard chair, twirling your whistle exactly so, and, you know…looking cool. So, there I was, in my black lifeguard bathing suit – swinging my whistle. It was an unusually hot day, so I’d angled my umbrella exactly right as I watched the diving-board section. Now, I know this might come as a surprise, but being a lifeguard at the neighborhood pool isn’t exactly thrilling. It’s rare that anything exciting happens, and that particular day was no exception…until a large gust of wind came out of nowhere and the umbrella took it upon itself to close – right over me. And because it was now really gusty, the umbrella then lifted up, taking me with it right off the chair and into the depths of the deep end of the pool. From all accounts, it was quite the sight. First, there I was, swinging my whistle and looking groovy. Then all you could see were my legs flailing about as the umbrella covered the rest of me, and then…I was plummeting toward the pool, hit the water with the umbrella over me, and promptly sank. Obviously I managed to get out of the umbrella, but in the process, part of my bathing suit came off, and…well, that’s a story for another day.

  1. What is your favorite book from your childhood?

“Andrew Henry’s Meadow.” It was actually my little brother’s book, gotten from one of those book of the month clubs, but I loved it. I recently found a copy on an e-site and ordered it, and it’s just as delightful today as it was back in my childhood.

  1. Who does the cooking and cleaning in your house when you are on a deadline?

I don’t actually cook much even when I’m not on deadline, so that’s not really an issue. Al and I do a lot of salads or throw some chicken on the grill. We also have a lot of grocery stores that have wonderful deli and gourmet foods, so we get a lot of things there. As for cleaning, I’m one of those neurotic people who can’t work without everything being in place, so I do a lot of tidying up before I go to bed. And, because I do some of my best thinking when I clean, I’ve been known to abandon my writing when I get stuck and pick up a mop or cleaning rag, which means my house is rarely a disaster since I need to get unstuck a lot.

  1. Where is your favorite place to write?

I do the majority of my writing in my office, although I will occasionally take a pad of paper and a pen outside to handwrite when I get bored of my office or it’s a really nice day and I don’t feel like being trapped inside. It’s not that my office is my favorite place to write, it’s more that my writing is my job and I’m more focused on that writing when I approach it as such.

  1. What is your favorite part of the writing process?

I really like when characters and new story ideas begin to fester. That normally happens when I’m in the midst of another series. By the time I’m done with whatever series I’m working on, the next series is pretty firmly set in my mind, which means I can jump right in as I wait for edits on recently completed work. My absolute favorite part of writing, though, is when I turn in the very final edit on a book and don’t see it again until it comes out in print. Although, I must admit, I’ve never, not once, read one of my books after it has gone to print. Seems rather pointless since I do always know how the book is going to end.

  1. Why did you choose the timeframe or setting this book is written in?

I’ve been wanting to set a book during Alva Vanderbilt’s famous costume ball of March, 1883, for years. Since I decided to slowly travel through the Gilded Age, I just reached 1883 on my plot timeline, so knew I was finally going to get to throw some characters into the very midst of Alva’s ball. It was a blast to write, loved going back to all my books on this particular ball and seeing the pictures, and only wish the Vanderbilt house at 660 Fifth Avenue was still standing so I could visit it in person to visualize the splendors located inside a little more clearly.

  1. What inspires you?

I think like most writers, I simply get inspired by the world around me. I love to people watch, and I love to imagine all sorts of outlandish scenarios as I do that watching. I also get inspired by reading the headlines of the daily papers, and by the research books I read. I also love to look through old photographs of the Gilded Age, and became intrigued with Alva Vanderbilt’s ball when I saw a picture of a young lady, Miss Kate Strong, with a stuffed cat on her head and wearing a choker necklace with the name Puss engraved on it. That was all it took for me to investigate the Vanderbilt ball further, delighted to discover it truly was a ball that only comes along every blue moon.

Blog Stops

April 27: The Scribbler
April 27: Genesis 5020
April 28: Back Porch Reads
April 29: Bookworm Mama
April 29: Karen Sue Hadley
April 30: Lighthouse Academy
April 30: Radiant Light
April 30: Bigreadersite
April 30: Lane Hill House
May 3: Book by Book
May 5: Baker Kella
May 6: A Greater Yes
May 6: Just Commonly
May 8: Giveaway Lady

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away a $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card and the four books: After a Fashion, In Good Company, Playing the Part, Behind the Scenes!! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4664b04910/
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