Friday, May 31, 2019

On A Summer Tide by Suzanne Woods Fisher


About the Book



Book: On a Summer Tide

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
   
Genre: Christian Fiction Romance  

Release Date: April 30, 2019


Sometimes love hurts—and sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way. Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. “Moving on” is Cam’s mantra. But there’s a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on . . . and one who keeps moving. Cam’s full-throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine. Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the island—a dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters. Certain Dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island. To Cam’s surprise, the slow pace of island life appeals to her, along with the locals—and one in particular. Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher harbors more than a few surprises. With On a Summer Tide, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher begins a brand-new contemporary romance series that is sure to delight her fans and draw new ones.



Click HERE to purchase your copy.  



My Review

UPDATE!!! If you prefer to watch a book review rather than read one, check out my new youtube channel and subscribe if you like what you see :)







I need to preface this review with the fact that if you have not tried Suzanne Woods Fisher before, you have to pick up this book. Suzanne is a best-selling author for good reason, but if Amish or Historical fiction isn't your thing, and you have always associated Suzanne with that, this contemporary fiction will blow you away! The backdrop of Maine makes this Southern girl wish she could go there now, and the local characters make the place so charming and life-like. The strong heroines we find within have truly contemporary challenges, and I found myself glued to the page until I reached the end. The sister relationships we see in the book are really relatable, and I found them to be very emotional and real. The twists and turns of the plot really prove once again the master storyteller Suzanne is! If you have loved Suzanne before, you will love this one, and if you haven't tried her before, this is the one that will get you hooked!

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own. 



About the Author



Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including Mending Fences, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop’s Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, among other novels. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher. 

More from Suzanne



Oh-So-Maine Blueberry Buckle    

Summer in Maine means plump, tart blueberries are everywhere. Here’s a family recipe that is nearly fool-proof….and so delicious! Especially with a scoop or two with vanilla ice cream.   Ever wonder how it got the name Blueberry Buckle?

While the batter rises as it bakes, but the blueberries and crumb topping weigh it down. This causes the surface of the cake to buckle…hence the name.  

Batter:
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup soft butter
1 egg
½ cup milk
2 cups sifted flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups drained blueberries

Crumb Topping:
½ cup sugar
½ cup flour

½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup softened butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   Mix sugar and butter with egg. Stir in milk Sift together and stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Carefully blend in blueberries. Put on topping before baking. Pour in a greased and floured 9” square pan.   Bake 45-50 minutes.      

Blog Stops

Carpe Diem, May 24
Mary Hake, May 25
C Jane Read, May 26
Empower Moms, May 27
Remembrancy, May 27
Hallie Reads, May 29
Quiet Quilter, June 3
By The Book, June 3


Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away a 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/e540/on-a-summer-tide-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

The Inn at Hidden Run by Olivia Newport


About the Book



A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Present to Past on Family Tree
 
Meri flunks out of medical school—and runs from her parents. Genealogist Jillian Parisi-Duffy’s digging traces the family long tradition of doctors to an ancestor saved during a yellow fever outbreak in Memphis in 1878. As Meri’s family closes in, Jillian gets the final puzzle pieces in place just in time for them all to learn the truth. The Inn at Hidden Run is the first book in the Tree of Life series. Readers will come back to backdrop of a lovely mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that inspire them to connect with their own family histories and unique faith journeys.


Click HERE to purchase your copy!









My Review

UPDATE!!! If you would rather watch book reviews on youtube, watch my review of this book on my new channel! Make sure to subscribe if you like what you see! 




So what I loved most about The Inn at Hidden Run is that it didn't fit into a genre box. It had history, intrigue, and was very contemporary all at the same time. The backdrop of genealogy was so intriguing as I had never read a book centered around this before. The heroines we find are truly formidable yet relatable, and we also find some fun, quirky characters within. I loved how the past led to decisions for the future and a thread was so seamlessly woven throughout. The plot was steady paced and I certainly wanted to keep reading til I finished. I think any age reader and any fiction reader will find enjoyment in this book, and the 3 future installments set to come out this year and next year. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own. 



About the Author



Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. Her husband and twentysomething children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is.

More from Olivia

Of Family Lines and Family Lore I suppose it all started in a cemetery. Once, while a group of relatives were visiting a cemetery, one of my cousins and I wandered off and looked at all sorts of graves, speculating about the names we read and the lives they represented. We were duly scolded both for separating from our families, which caused some consternation, and for being disrespectful—though I think the second accusation was a false one! Just because we were young children didn’t mean we were disrespecting the dead. Quite the opposite. We were respecting lives long forgotten with our curiosity about who they were and what legacies they left. These days a lot of people are interested in genealogy. Entire TV series spin around the theme, and DNA kits show up in Christmas stockings. Lost branches of family trees find the main trunk—sometimes with big surprises. My new Tree of Life series is set in the backdrop of a lovely Colorado mountain town I hope you’ll want to visit often, where a father-daughter genealogy team link present to past on family trees and characters learn about who they are, where they come from, and their unique faith journeys as they discover their own Tree of Life. It all starts with The Inn at Hidden Run. When Meri arrives in Canyon Mines because she wants to run away from her family, true answers come from understanding the past that generations have forgotten—the accounts from another time and place no longer handed down but that still form the backbone of the family’s story. What’s the backbone of your family’s history? How is it shaping your own future?



Blog Stops

Hallie Reads, May 22
Bigreadersite, May 23
By The Book, May 23
Mary Hake, May 28
Quiet Quilter, May 29
Remembrancy, May 30
Moments, May 31




Giveaway


 
To celebrate her tour, Olivia is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Inn at Hidden Run!!
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/e1c1/the-inn-at-hidden-run-celebration-tour-giveaway


The Amish Widow's Rescue by Rachel J Good


About the Book



Book: The Amish Widow’s Rescue  
Author: Rachel J Good  
Genre: Amish Romance  
Release Date: May 28, 2019  

The perfect family awaits…if only he’ll risk his heart.

Pregnant and recently widowed, Grace Fisher is determined to provide for her family on her own. Thankfully, her jam business is popular in her Amish community. But it’s difficult keeping up with her work, her farm chores, and her two mischievous children. Especially now that they’ve taken to idolizing their neighbor Elijah.

While the handsome farmer is kind and generous, he seems intent on holding Grace and her little ones at a distance… Elijah Beiler has always admired his neighbor Grace. So standing by while she struggles to support her family isn’t an option. Offering to take over her farm duties, Elijah is determined to help while remaining detached. He knows all too well that love only leads to heartbreak. Yet the more time he spends with Grace and her children, the harder he finds it to leave each day.

But can Elijah overcome past hurts and open his heart to this ready-made family?  


”A beautiful story of forgiveness and second chances.” -Shelley Shepard Gray, New York Timesbestselling author, on The Amish Teacher’s Gift



Click HERE to purchase your copy.



My Review

So I'm not much of a romance reader when that's the main focus of the book, but this book had a lot to offer outside of just romance. We meet Grace, a new widow that runs her own business and has 2 children (and another on the way), all at the same time. Elijah on the other hand, as neighbor decides he must help but has learned to keep everyone at a distance because of his own personal story and hurt that has put him in a state of fear and bitterness. The romance blossoms very slowly, and is more sweet than anything to describe it. I feel like the themes of forgiveness, healing, grieving, moving on, and finding peace are all present in the book. The plot was pretty steady paced. I wouldn't say the story was predictable- it builds suspense wondering about Elijah for sure, but it was somehow just what I expected when I saw what kind of book it was. It didn't exactly glue me to the page. The Amish backdrop didn't feel as described as it could have been. I think that those that like books that center around sweet romance or like Amish fiction will enjoy this one. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own. 



About the Author



Rachel J. Good writes life-changing, heart-tugging novels of faith, hope, and forgiveness. The bestselling author of several Amish romance series, she grew up near Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the setting for many of her stories. Striving to be as authentic as possible, she spends time with her Amish friends, doing chores on their farms and attending family events. Rachel has more than 40 books in print or forthcoming for both children and adults under several pen names. Find out more about Rachel and her books at her website and by signing up for her newsletter. Rachel’s Amish series include Sisters & Friends (Charisma House & Harlequin), Love & Promises (Hachette/Grand Central), Hearts of Amish Country (Annie’s Book Club), and the forthcoming Unexpected Amish Blessings and Surprised by Love series (Kensington). She also has several anthologies in print as well as the Amish Quilts Coloring Book.

More from Rachel

The story idea for The Amish Widow’s Secret came to me after I’d just finished reading stories to my Amish friend’s children to give her a little break. She was expecting a new baby, and while we sat in their kitchen enjoying a snack, her husband came in. The tenderness in his eyes as they talked made my eyes well with tears. It was obvious how much they loved each other, and they both supported each other. A perfect companionship. Not everyone gets to experience that bond, that caring. It made me wonder what she’d do without him, and the seeds of a story was born. I decided to explore how a widow would cope with a pregnancy and two children alone. In the Amish community, of course, no one is ever left on their own. Everyone chips in to help. So, what if the handsome and reclusive bachelor next door felt obligated to help, but wanted to avoid getting involved? Would he eventually soften his heart toward children and love? As I wrote, I wondered if Elijah Beiler could get over a previous heartbreak. He needed to face his past before he moved forward, so I gave him that opportunity. A surprise visit and unwelcome news force Elijah to rethink everything he believes about parenting and love. And about the person who destroyed his world. He also needs to face the bitterness he’s been harboring. Sometimes learning more about the circumstances or reasons of the person who has hurt us causes us to see the whole situation in a new light, making it easier to let go of the hurt. That’s what happens to Elijah. I hope his journey will encourage readers to consider the places in their lives where they’ve been holding onto pain and reevaluate those experiences in the light of God’s forgiveness and love. To write this story, I needed to do that too.



Blog Stops

Quiet Quilter, May 28
Emily Yager, May 31
Bigreadersite, June 1
Vicky Sluiter, June 3
Mary Hake, June 8
EmpowerMoms, June 9
Genesis 5020, June 10




Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a grand prize of autographed copies of The Amish Midwife’s Secret and Big-City Amish, a copy of an Amish cookbook, and an authentic Amish headscarf!!

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/e2ab/the-amish-widow-s-rescue-celebration-tour-giveaway