Sunday, June 30, 2019

The Art of Rivers by Janet W. Ferguson (RELEASE DAY!!)

About the Book-RELEASE DAY!!

Rivers Sullivan bears both visible and invisible scars—those on her shoulder from a bullet wound and those on her heart from the loss of her fiancé during the same brutal attack. Not even her background as an art therapist can help her regain her faith in humanity. Still, she scrapes together the courage to travel to St. Simons Island to see the beach cottage and art gallery she’s inherited from her fiancé. When she stumbles upon recovering addicts running her gallery, she’s forced to reckon with her own healing.

After the tragic drowning of his cousin, James Cooper Knight spends his days trying to make up for his past mistakes. He not only dedicates his life to addiction counseling, but guilt drives him to the water, searching for others who’ve been caught unaware of the quickly rising tides of St. Simons. When he rescues a peculiar blond woman and her sketch pad from a sandbar, then delivers this same woman to his deceased grandmother’s properties, he knows things are about to get even more complicated.

Tragic circumstances draw Cooper and Rivers closer, but they fight their growing feelings. Though Cooper’s been sober for years, Rivers can’t imagine trusting her heart to someone in recovery, and he knows a relationship with her will only rip his family further apart. Distrust and guilt are only the first roadblocks they must overcome if they take a chance on love.


Buy your copy HERE





My Review

If you would rather watch my review, check out my new YouTube channel! New videos every week! Make sure to subscribe if you like what you see!





Janet Ferguson never fails to amaze in each of her books. The Art of Rivers is poignant, full of truth about Christ, and gives us a look at substance abuse/addiction in a realistic light. To be honest, substance abuse whether alcohol or drugs has overtaken our world regardless of age groups, part of the world, etc. It has devastated so many lives and families so this book is so apropos for the contemporary world. The beach backdrop is so well done and stunning (one of Janet's many strengths in all her books), and the characters are all so well developed and so down to earth. The challenges they face and the emotion attached comes through clearly. The romance that blossoms is sweet, honest, and worthwhile to watch unfold. The pace is steady and I promise you, you won't be able to put it down. I recommend this one for the romance fiction reader, but also for any Christian fiction reader that enjoys a well-rounded quality book that centers around real issues for today. 


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



About the Author


Janet W. Ferguson grew up in Mississippi and received a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Mississippi. She has served as a children's minister and a youth volunteer. An avid reader, she worked as a librarian at a large public high school. Janet and her husband have two grown children, one really smart dog, and a cat that allows them to share the space.

Saturday, June 29, 2019

The Second Yes by Terry, Verde, Bridgeman, Havig, & Tru


About the Book



Book: The Second Yes  
Author: Chautona Havig  
Genre: Fiction / Christian / Romance  
Release date: May 15, 2019

The Second Yes: Five of today’s Best-selling Christian Authors weave six brand-new, unique, interconnected stories of what happens after the bride says yes to him and yes to the dress.
Let’s face it. Weddings equal stress for the families involved. Preachers, however, have it easy. Or so they say.

Ty Jamison’s first parishioner is getting married. Though he’s performed many services at the little chapel in New Cheltenham–grand affairs, all designed to give the illusion of simplicity–all of them were strangers to him.

So when Lara Priest asks him to perform the ceremony at her wedding, and to use the chapel, of course, Ty is thrilled. That joy fades as one by one, things go wrong. From a groom who refuses to attend pre-marital counseling to Lara discovering that her dream wedding dress is a no-can-do, what can go wrong seems to. And like so many weddings that movies are made of, things go from bad to worse to “worser.” All the while, Ty tries to remind himself that he only has to provide a little premarital counseling, show up, perform the service, and find a way to hide his broken heart through the whole ordeal. All in a life’s work.



  Click HERE to purchase your copy.  






My Review

I found The Second Yes collection to be really beautiful, realistic, and a refreshing change from Christian romance I have come to expect. With that said, each book had just the right element of comfort we find in being able to expect just a little predictability in a good romance book. What I really appreciated is that none of the books were sensual. They were sweet and emotional, but not sensual (thank you so much from this reader :) They also dealt with real struggles presented by down to earth characters. I am not the biggest romance fiction fan, but this collection of books was impossible not to like. Season of Surprises made me happy with themes of redemption, and boy did I connect with the heroine's struggles to be the helper. Something Borrowed, Someone Blue brought us that quirkiness and mystery Ms. Havig always brings that results in a well written story. Black Belt, White Dress was very emotional and heartfelt, and I totally connected with the heroine because I am myself a 1st degree black belt in Taekwondo! Sewn Together brought a lot of tears, and I loved the different aspect we get from the little girl's writings about the situation. Finally, The Second Yes brought a satisfying conclusion and really concluded all we had learned about God together in a beautiful way! I would recommend this series (and all the other Crossroads collections these authors have done) for clean romance fiction readers, or just those who enjoy well written Christian fiction. 



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


About the Author



 
Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her on the web and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.
 

More from Chautona

The tiny bridal shop held dozens of dresses. Frothy princess dresses, twenties dropped-waist dresses, straight, short, silky, shiny satin, lace, beaded appliques… I looked at them all and found an ivory jacquard, tea length, dress by Jessica McClintock. It was a hundred dollars. To a girl making $4.25 an hour and too broke to buy food, it might as well have been a thousand. Still, it was also cheaper than any other dress in the store and just my style. I pulled out the twenty-dollars I’d saved by doing extra work around my apartment for the landlord and said I’d put it on layaway. My maid of honor protested. The dress wasn’t fancy enough. It didn’t reach the floor. It wasn’t white. I didn’t look good in ivory (she was right on that one, anyway), and the veil I’d fallen in love with—you know the $120 veil I could never afford—wouldn’t look good with it. Duh. Look, I was eighteen (barely), and had parents who would have paid me to elope in Las Vegas in lieu of the wedding. Two months later, we did go… And we still had the wedding, but that’s a story for another day. I left the store with my choice on layaway. Went home and later told my fiancé about the thing. He said to get the one I wanted. And I had. Still, I got the impression that he thought I actually wanted the other one… and maybe he meant that I should get that one. That left a conundrum. Did he like the sound of the other one more? Was that why? The traditional white and floor-length thing? I went back to the shop the next day to look again. Seriously, if we’d had cellphones back then, I would have taken a picture and asked him. That’s when I found out the white one was now on layaway—not the ivory I’d chosen. The decision had been made for me.

And so went the rest of my wedding planning.

I made one decision. It was countermanded as not grand enough, not traditional enough, too cheap, not enough… One decision, I’d made involved flowers. I called to ask about something after I’d ordered them and found they’d been changed to something else. I lost it—informed the florist that if any changes were not made in person with my driver’s license as proof of me making them, then when the wedding day came, if the flowers were wrong, I’d do without flowers. We wouldn’t have any. And I wouldn’t pay for them. I wish I’d have had the backbone to do more of that. But come on, I was eighteen. My mother didn’t have anything to do with wedding planning. They’d agreed to show up in whatever clothes we told them to, and that was it. Back to the dress. I think it’s important to note that I did love that white, floor-length dress. It was beautiful, it looked good on me, and it would make for lovely pictures. It would.

It just wasn’t what I’d chosen.

You see, I’d said “yes” to a dress—just not the one that I had agreed to pay for. Instead, it was the one that was almost four times the cost of the one I already couldn’t afford. I’d always planned to tell the story—fictionalized, of course—but I figured it would be about Rockland’s wedding planning company, “The Agency.” So, when it came time to do my book for the next Crossroads collection, The Second Yes, I was surprised to discover that elements of my own wedding kept cropping up in different ways. The motivation is different in Something Borrowed, Someone Blue, but the result is the same—a girl who, no matter what happens, can’t seem to have the wedding she envisions. The question is… is that a good thing?  



Blog Stops



Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away a grand prize that includes a Spa Basket designed to soothe any bride’s nerves (or to make any reader feel as though she is part of the bridal party and getting pampered before the big day) and also includes a $25 gift certificate to Amazon (Image not reflective of actual contents)!!

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/e514/the-second-yes-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, June 28, 2019

Benaiah Mighty Man of God by P.H. Thompson

About the Book


What happens when the king's most obedient soldier is issued a wicked command?

Benaiah is valiant against men and beasts. He is known for three heroic deeds that lead to his appointment in the elite force of David's Mighty Men: aggressively going down into a pit on a snowy day to kill a lion; fighting two Moabite ariels; and challenging a giant Egyptian, armed with only a staff, and killing him with the man's own spear. When David is crowned king, Benaiah is made his chief bodyguard and eventually head of the whole army of Israel under King Solomon.

Reeling from the tragic cost of disobedience when he was young, Benaiah directs his life toward one chief aim: to be found a faithful, loyal, valiant and obedient soldier, servant of the King and follower of Yahweh.


But when "just following orders" leads to his part in adultery, murder and death, he questions his life's direction. If both obedience and disobedience cause death, how can he ever find redemption?


Buy your copy HERE





My Review

If you prefer to watch reviews, check out my new YouTube channel! Bringing you new videos every week! Be sure to subscribe if you like what you see!





I was excited to read this debut book from a new to me author! Our author takes a sub-character from the story of Israel's greatest kings, David in particular, and gives us a story of his life filled with the Biblical account of his life along with some artistic license to fill in what we don't know. Inside we find a lot of Biblical truth, adventure, and emotion. I found it nice that the author gave us what exactly we did and didn't know about this warrior at the end of the book. Also, our author was able to convey the culture and customs of the time in a very educative way, and there was so much Biblical wisdom uncovered through Biblical accounts we know but from a different standpoint than we had ever considered. The author also includes a study guide to help us apply truths for the contemporary reader. I feel like any Christian fiction reader or even your non-fiction reader will enjoy this book filled with true Biblical accounts and artfully done plots to fill in the unknowns. I look forward to more from this author!

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






About the Author



P. H. Thompson is a former oncology nurse, turned writer. When not writing, she leads women's Bible studies, speaks at women's conferences, spoils her active grandchildren and takes long naps to recover. She and her husband live near Toronto and have two adult daughters. She is a member of The Word Guild, Canada, ACFW, the American Christian Fiction Writers and ALLi, the Alliance of Independent Authors. You can find out about upcoming projects at her website, phthompson.com, her Facebook page, P.H. Thompson, Author, or her blog, the-scarlet-thread.com. 
Benaiah: Mighty Man of God is her first novel.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer


About the Book



Book: More Than Words Can Say  
Author: Karen Witemeyer  
Genre: Historical Romance  
Release Date: May 7, 2019

After fulfilling a pledge to a dying friend, Zacharias Hamilton is finally free to live life on his own terms. No opportunities to disappoint those he cares about, just the quiet bachelor existence he’s always craved. Until fate snatches his freedom away once again when the baker of his favorite breakfast treat is railroaded by the city council. As hard as he tries to avoid getting involved, he can’t turn a blind eye to her predicament . . . or her adorable dimples. Abigail Kemp needs a man’s name on her bakery’s deed. A marriage of convenience seems the best solution . . . if it involves a man she can control. Not the stoic lumberman who oozes confidence without saying a word whenever he enters her shop. Control Zacharias Hamilton? She can’t even control her pulse when she’s around him. Once vows are spoken, Abigail’s troubles should be over. Yet threats to the bakery worsen, and darker dangers hound her sister. As trust grows between Zach and Abby, she finds she wants more than his rescue. She wants his heart.


Click HERE to purchase your copy.




My Review

More Than Words Can Say has a lot of hope, redemption, history, and of course romance. It was a fun, comfortable book. There were challenges that each character faced with gave us good development. The romance was sweet and revolved around finding hope and faith in Christ, but some of the description was too sensual for me (I'm not the biggest romance fan). I felt that the basis for the book was just a little too out there for me, but it provided a base for a sweet story. I feel like the book would be enjoyed by your Hallmark Channel fans that like the same type vibe in their books. I felt the plot presented plenty of struggles and moved at a steady pace. I liked how the author reminded us of our individual importance to God and others even if we don't feel important. Overall, I think your romance reader will really enjoy this one.

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




About the Author



Winner of the HOLT Medallion and the Carol Award and a finalist for the RITA and Christy Award, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance to give the world more happily-ever-afters. Karen makes her home in Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com.

More from Karen

Settings – Real or Imagined?

One of the key decisions an author has to make before she begins to write is selecting the setting for her story. And the first choice she faces is the question of whether to use a real or imagined location. Roughly half the stories I have written are set in fictional towns. The use of a fictional setting allows an author greater freedom to manipulate the environment of her characters to fit her plot. This provides a great deal of flexibility. However, there is something special about setting a story in a real place. First, readers who are familiar with that place never fail to get excited about seeing a town they recognize in print. Second, if an author can find historical photos and documents, she can add a wonderful layer of authenticity to her setting that might otherwise be missing. Third, an author may turn up fascinating tidbits when studying the history of her setting that find their way into the story and bring a flavor the author never could have supplied on her own. This was the case as I wrote More Than Words Can Say. All of the stories in my Patchwork Family series have been set in real places. Pecan Gap, Texas for More Than Meets the Eye, Honey Grove, Texas for More Than Words Can Say, and coming this fall we’ll travel to Gainesville, Texas for the concluding novella, More Than a Pretty Face. Researching each location brought its own unique discoveries, but I have to admit that researching the small town of Honey Grove brought this history-loving girl a special level of joy. For example, there is a legend about how the town got its name that I knew needed to be incorporated into my story. Legend has it that when Davy Crockett was on his way to join the fight at the Alamo, he stopped in a grove of trees and set up camp. There were so many bees in that in letters to family and friends, he called the place a “Honey Grove.” He carved his initials into one of the trees and intended to return and settle there after the war. Unfortunately, as we know, Crockett did not survive the Alamo and therefore did not return. One of his friends, Samuel A. Erwin, later found the grove and became the first settler in 1839. Many people recall seeing the initials carved into Crockett’s bee tree even into the early 1900s, which led me to believe that this legend was based in truth. It doesn’t play a pivotal role in my story, but if you watch for it, you’ll find it mentioned. Discovering the Honey Grove Preservation League’s website proved a tremendous boon. Their online historical resources are some of the best I have ever come across. Historical photos, newspaper articles, government records—it was like stepping through a time portal every time I visited. And I visited often. Thanks to the Preservation League, I was able to mention real people and places in my novel. Places like the Commercial Hotel, the home of James Gilmer that was built during my time period, Wilkins, Wood & Patteson Dry Goods, and Dora Galbraith Patteson’s millinery shop on the east side of the town square. While Zacharias Hamilton and Reuben Sinclair are completely fictitious characters, there really was a lumberyard located on the corner of Sixth Street and Rail Road. As fiction authors are wont to do, I did take a few liberties with Honey Grove’s history. To my knowledge, there was never any city ordinance banning women from owning businesses in town, which was a key plot point in More Than Words Can Say. In addition, Mayor Chester Longfellow was a complete invention of my imagination. The true mayor of Honey Grove during this time period was J.H. Smith, a man who served in that capacity from 1888-1897. He must have been a well-loved city official to hold office for nearly a decade. I paid brief homage to him by having him step back into office when my fictitious mayor resigned. I hope you enjoy stepping back in time with me into historic Honey Grove, Texas. Zach and Abigail might not have lived there in truth, but I like to believe their tale is a representation of the many amazing love stories have taken place in that sweet little town through the years.



Blog Stops

Baker kella, June 16
EmpowerMoms, June 16
Genesis 5020, June 17
Bigreadersite , June 17
Among the Reads, June 18
C Jane Read, June 19
Mary Hake, June 19
Hallie Reads, June 19
Splashes of Joy, June 21
Pause for Tales, June 21
Worthy2Read, June 22
Vicky Sluiter, June 23
Wishful Endings, June 24
Simple Harvest Reads, June 24 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
amandainpa , June 25
Quiet Quilter, June 26
Emily Yager, June 28
Lukewarm Tea, June 28
By The Book, June 28
The Becca Files, June 28



Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away a grand prize that includes More Than Words Can Say, More Than Meets the Eye, and a $20 Panera Bread 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/e4f4/more-than-words-can-say-celebration-tour-giveaway

This Healing Journey by Misty M. Beller


About the Book



Book: This Healing Journey  
Author: Misty M Beller
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release date: July 18, 2019

The mountain wilderness of her family’s home in the Canadian Rockies is all Hannah Grant has ever known. Now at the age of twenty-four, she’s on a journey to help her father to find the son he gave up for adoption three decades before.

This is Hannah’s chance to discover the life she’s missed out on so far—and hopefully find a husband along the way. But she certainly doesn’t plan to fall for the first man she meets.

 Years in the Calvary provided Nathaniel Peak with more than his share of violence and adventure. That life behind him, he wants nothing more than to settle down in the beautiful Montana mountains and raise his own stock—in peace. The last thing he expects is the savagely wounded child who shows up in his barn. Nor the woman he comes to rely on for the girl’s care.

 Hannah can’t help but fall in love with the brave Indian child who so desperately needs her, but no matter what, she can’t let herself fall for the man whose past choices go against everything she believes in. As the situation grows worse, Hannah and Nathaniel are forced to make a heart-rending decision to save the girl’s life. Little do they imagine, the choice they make could spell disaster for them all.




Click HERE to purchase your copy.  




My Review

A lot of adventure, redemption, inspiration, and rugged history come together in this fiction. Being a mother whose family was grown through adoption, I found the themes of adoption and loving children that you may only be with temporarily to be put in a really positive light which is great considering there are so many misconceptions about adoption and foster care (especially transracially). Also, I think it made us see birth parents in the right light, which is (in most cases), someone who sacrifices for the best of their child. While I may be focusing on this a lot, I feel that it is a big part of the book and really effected me personally being part of an adoption story myself. I found the backdrop to be realistic and rugged. I found the characters to be well developed, and the romance to be sweet and innocent. Overall, I found this to be an excellent conclusion to this series of stand alone historical romance fiction and strongly recommend this author for all who enjoy Christian fiction.

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



About the Author



Misty M. Beller writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and children now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.  


More from Misty


Occasionally I hear readers debate about whether they prefer to read a series of books from an author, or only standalone novels. Personally, I love series—both reading and writing them. There’s something about seeing characters I know and love from past books that makes me warm and happy inside. Can you relate? One of the first series I wrote, the Mountain Dreams Series, included five books that told the stories of several families intertwined through marriage and God’s connections. Those characters are still so dear to my heart! When book 5 ended, I had so many readers ask for more in the series, I began dreaming of a spin-off series with a very special connection to the hero in book 5. Enter: the Heart of the Mountains Series. I’ve LOVED every story in this 7-book collection, taking each journey with the characters as I laughed and cried and uncovered their secrets. For the final 7th book, I’m thrilled to announce that I’m reuniting many of the characters from BOTH series! Simeon Grant (from Heart of the Mountains, book 1) goes on a journey to find the son he gave up for adoption as an infant (the hero in Mountain Dreams, book 5). This Healing Journey has its own leading lady, Hannah Grant (the baby born at the end of This Treacherous Journey, all grown up and as tough as any lady raised in the Canadian mountain wilderness). And a new character, Nathaniel Peak, who stars as the hero (and who I fell in love with IMMEDIATELY!). Even if you’ve never read any of my stories, I think you’ll enjoy this one. Especially if you love adventurous mountain stories as much as I do!  




Blog Stops

Among the Reads, June 19
Wishful Endings, June 20
CarpeDiem, June 23
Bigreadersite, June 26
Splashes of Joy, June 27
Mary Hake, June 28
Pause for Tales, June 30




Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away 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/e50e/this-healing-journey-celebration-tour-giveaway