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Hunter Lewis is intrigued by the new woman staying at his friend’s Amish inn. Annie appears to be what she claims, but she’s secretive and won’t open up. He’s been burned by a woman before and can’t tolerate deception. But his interest in Annie is growing, and the attraction seems to be mutual—until something happens that makes Hunter question everything he’d thought was real. Dare he risk his heart, when he’s certain Annie is keeping secrets? Can their new romance withstand the pressure, or will Ann choose to run again? My ReviewRunaway Romance is a contemporary romance by Miralee Ferrell set in an inn near a small Amish town and is the first of a series. This is not the first book I’ve read by Ms. Ferrell and I was pleased to get a chance to read another one. However, I am not sure I will read the next book in this series. Ann “Annie” Stanway is the main character. At the beginning of the book, she is the girlfriend of a reality show star and appears on the show as well. She’s likable and is blindsided when she discovers her relationship will be ending to improve the show’s ratings. Annie is kind and as a celebrity, is worried about other people finding out where she’s from, so she doesn’t share details about herself when she breaks down near an Amish inn after running away from Los Angeles. Hunter Lewis is the other main character, and he’s nice. He’s nice to Annie, to Sarah the innkeeper, to Carla the homeless woman, to everyone. And he hates liars as he’s been in relationships before with women who lie and manipulate. His personality is basically reduced to these two characteristics. And once Hunter stated he could stand liars, I knew exactly what the “misunderstanding” that would hamper Hunter and Annie’s fledgling relationship was going to be. Hunter finds out about Annie’s real identity and doesn’t let her explain why she felt the need to keep it secret. There’s even the “you’re just like all the other liars” argument before he leaves. This book is predictable in other ways, as well. I knew who was going to reveal Annie’s identity fairly early in the book, and the setup for the next book in the series was painfully obvious. The writing style itself is fine, though the dialogue is stilted. It makes sense for our Amish characters but awkward for the worldly main characters. I was never able to completely immerse myself in the story and would have appreciated more descriptions of the settings. The book’s message of learning to trust God in our lives is an important one and is handled well. The characters make frequent references to their beliefs and all struggle to live their faith when their own desires clash with what they feel called to do. The story involving Carla, the homeless woman, is very touching and I’m glad it was included. However, I felt more emotion when her plot was resolved than I did with the main characters throughout the entire book, which I’m sure was not the intent of the author. I’ve enjoyed previous books by Ms. Ferrell. However, I am disappointed to say that I cannot recommend Runaway Romance due to the lack of emotional connection I felt with the main characters and the predictability of the plot. I want to be surprised, and nothing about this book surprised me. I give Runaway Romance 2/5 stars. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
I started writing shortly after I turned 50, and discovered I loved it so much I don’t want to stop. I have 15 novels out & a five book set of horse novels for middle-grade girls. I write both women’s contemporary fiction, historical & contemporary romance, and horse/mystery novels for girls. One of my Western romances, Love Finds You in Sundance, WY, was awarded the Will Rogers Medallion for Western Fiction, three books have been optioned as movies, and several books have been on the ECPA best seller list. You can find out more about me and my books at www.miraleeferrell.com. Guest Post from Miralee FerrellIn the spring of 2015, I received an email from a Hollywood producer, followed by a phone call. Imagine my surprise when she asked if I’d be willing to write a book for them. They were no longer producing the Love Finds You books into movies and were working on a different project for UP TV, a possible three-movie series, and she hoped I might be able to work with them. She explained that she’d optioned Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming, two or three years earlier, and loved it. Of the thirty-five or so titles she’d read of the line, that was her favorite. However, UP TV didn’t want to make historical or old west movies, so she’d shelved it for now. During that time period, I’d gotten my rights returned to all of my LFY books and had retitled them Finding Love in Last Chance, California, Finding Love in Tombstone, Arizona, and Finding Love in Bridal Veil, Oregon. Sundance became Outlaw Angel, and all four are still in print. Here’s the amazing part. I came very, very close to turning down that contract offer with Summerside for Sundance. I was disappointed in the advance and royalty rate, and shortly after they released it, they sold the line to Guideposts, and that company didn’t continue the line much longer. Understandably, sales waned on their final releases, and I was disappointed with my sales from that final book as my others had done quite well. For a long time, I wished I hadn’t taken that contract and instead held out for one with another company for a three-book series. However, had I done that, I doubt Runaway Romance would ever have been written. It was Sundance that grabbed Chevonne’s attention and caused her to contact me. And the rest, as they say, is history. Blog StopsBlogging With Carol, November 28 Reflections from my bookshelves, November 28 Janices book review, November 29 Books, Books, and More Books., November 29 Books n baubles, November 30 Blossoms and Blessings, November 30 Have A Wonderful Day, December 1 Inklings and notions, December 1 Christian Chick’s Thoughts, December 2 Texas Book-aholic, December 2 History, Mystery & Faith, December 3 Bigreadersite, December 4 The Power of Words, December 4 Kat’s Corner Books, December 5 Reading Is My SuperPower, December 5 (Interview) Baker Kella, December 6 Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 6 Splashes of Joy, December 7 Karen Sue Hadley, December 7 Quiet Quilter, December 8 Red Headed Book Lady, December 9 Just the Write Escape, December 9 Cafinated Reads, December 10 Remembrancy, December 11 Carpe Diem, December 11 GiveawayIn honor of her tour, Miralee is giving away a grand prize of a Kindle Fire! Click the link below to enter! Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c31a
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Jealous of her quiet success as she learns the dye business, he’s especially befuddled by what he considers to be Lydia’s obsession with the Jewish religion. When their father dies, Cassius inherits the family’s home; Lydia inherits the business, and unbeknownst to her brother, a small villa in the city of Philippi. Lydia flees with her mother and daughter to Philippi where she sets up shop. At the mercy of a patriarchal society, Lydia needs a man to serve as the public face for her business. She discovers the right person in the handsome face of Greek man she’d hired — an employee with whom she develops a close friendship. The plot thickens as Lydia meets a strange man named Paul the apostle who is stirring up crowds in town. When Lydia’s brother shows up in Philippi, determined to force her to sell the business, he discovers plenty of fuel to accomplish his goals. My ReviewLydia, Woman of Philippi, is the first book I’ve read by Diana Wallis Taylor. I'm happy I got a chance to read it, as Ms. Wallis Taylor has written an excellent book. In fact, I hardly stopped to take notes for this review because I was so engrossed in the story! The book is well-written and the description of the environment enables the reader to completely immerse themselves. It is not overwhelming and the descriptions never become boring. On a side note, as a historian I appreciated that the characters had difficulty getting information to and from people in other cities. This is accurate to the time but rarely mentioned in fiction! Lydia is calm but not a doormat, though she is a more submissive at the beginning of the book. She becomes stronger as the story unfolds and watching her journey as she becomes the woman God meant her to be is one of the best parts of this book. Nikolas is more mysterious and less developed as the story is told from Lydia’s point of view, but he is a kind, dependable, and emotionally strong man. For me, it is easy to see how Lydia could fall for him and how he could fall for her in return. With one point of view it is often difficult to make the secondary characters seem like real people. Yet I understood their emotions, feelings, and thoughts through the writing. A single point of view can also make romances unbelievable but Ms. Wallis Taylor does an excellent job here with Lydia and Nikolas. The story itself moves slowly, though there are a few time jumps. The story begins with Lydia as a fourteen-year-old and ends when she’s in her thirties. The transition between younger Lydia and twenty-four-year-old Lydia as the second act of the story begins felt rushed. I wanted more information about those ten years and was disappointed the story skipped over them. The Christian messages, especially about learning to trust in God no matter the circumstance, appears on almost every page. This makes sense as Lydia is a woman who was an early convert to Christianity. If you like your Christian messages and themes a little less prominent, this book may not be your style. Lydia is a calm book in which events happen and the characters remain serene and poised, though there are a few moments where the tension ramps up. At a couple of points in the story I wanted more emotion from the characters, and the lack of it did hamper my enjoyment of this book. I recommend Lydia, Woman of Philippi, to readers who enjoy well-written and well-researched Biblical Fiction with a compelling main character and a sweet romance and give it 4/5 stars. I took away one star for quibbles involving the lack of tension and wanting more emotions from the characters at certain points. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Blog StopsA Bakers Perspective, October 3 Carpe Diem, October 3 Moments Dipped in Ink, October 4 Books, Books, and More Books., October 4 By The Book, October 5 A Simply Enchanted Life, October 5 Red Headed Book Lady, October 6 Blogging With Carol, October 6 A Reader’s Brain, October 7 A Greater Yes, October 7 Just the Write Escape, October 8 His Grace is Sufficient, October 8 Aryn the Libraryan, October 9 Cordially Barbara, October 9 Pursuing Stacie, October 9 The Fizzy Pop Collection, October 10 Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 10 Zerina Blossom’s Books, October 11 Mary Hake, October 11 Radiant Light, October 12 Singing Librarian Books, October 12 Lights in a Dark World, October 12 margaretkazmierczak, October 13 Pause for Tales, October 13 Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 14 Cafinated Reads, October 14 To Everything A Season, October 14 Bigreadersite, October 15 Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 15 Henry Happens, October 16 For The Love of Books, October 16 Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, October 16 GiveawayIn honor of her tour, Diana is giving away
Grand Prize Package: Lydia, Woman of Philippi, “Give Thanks” painting on plate by Donna White for The Hearthside Collection, Inc., commemorative Whitaker House/Anchor Distributors coloring book (not in photo). 1st Place Package: Lydia, Woman of Philippi, abba Jerusalem pillar candle, cassia scented, commemorative Whitaker House/Anchor Distributors coloring book (not in photo). 2nd Place Package: Lydia, Woman of Philippi, abba Jerusalem Spikenard candle tin with lid! Click the link to enter! https://promosimple.com/ps/c173 Click here to purchase your copy. About the Book
England, 1944 With the world at war yet again, Alice Galloway rejects her father’s traditional expectations and offers her piloting expertise to the Air Transport Auxiliary. She may be a woman in a man’s world, but when she overhears key intelligence, she must find the strength to transcend boundaries and her own fears. Or countless people may die. Sometimes the past reaches forward to bring hope to the future. My ReviewAll of You is the first book I’ve read by Sarah Monzon, and I’m happy to say it won’t be my last. Ms. Monzon has written a good, solid book that I enjoyed, though I did have a few minor quibbles that hampered my reading experience. Jack Rogers, the heroine, is great. She’s relatable, dependable, and intelligent. She also restores vintage planes, which is a profession I know nothing about! I want Jack to be my friend. She’s struggling with her self-worth and trusting her judgement after an abusive relationship and doesn’t believe she’s capable of being loved or loving someone. Watching her find out otherwise is enormously satisfying and Ms. Monzon pulls it off wonderfully. As a Veteran, I enjoy stories that are focused on military or prior military characters, as the hero, Michael, is. He’s an amputee, and the emotions and thoughts he has during the book as he struggles to find a new path in life rings true. You can tell that Ms. Monzon has carefully researched this, but never in a way that feels boring or as if it’s an info dump of exposition. This is a dual-timeline story, so there is a story that happens simultaneously in 1944 during World War II. Alice is a member of the Air Transport Auxiliary against her father’s wishes, who goes to England and becomes involved in ferrying planes to and from the various places in the European theater of operations. The way her storyline intertwines with that of Jack and Michael is satisfying. Ms. Monzon writes beautifully and the story flows smoothly, though the ending feels abrupt. The detail and scenery descriptions draw you in, and I love the relationships that both Jack and Michael have with their siblings. The siblings all feel like real people and I love that! I’ve had similar interactions with my own siblings. The writing is the best part of the story for me. Both characters are believers and though Michael struggles more with his faith due to the amputation, the religious aspect of this book feels natural and not shoehorned in. I appreciated the themes of learning to trust God again after tragedy and how we can rely on Him to set us on the right path—even if it’s not the one we expected to be on! I have a few minor quibbles. These are personal pet peeves that hampered my enjoyment of this particular book, but not enough that I won’t try anything else by this author! The first is that both Michael and Jack’s brothers fall into the “overprotectiveness described as caring” trap regarding Jack’s ex-boyfriend. It’s not caring, it’s treating an adult like they don’t know how to handle their own lives, and I dislike it in every story I’ve read. And it doesn’t belong in a contemporary romance! The second is that Michael mentions the “bro-code” about not dating a friend’s sister while wrestling with his feelings for Jack. This is a concept that needs to die as it, again, treats an adult like they don’t know how to handle their own life. If you are good enough to be the brother’s friend, why can’t you date his sister? That reasoning makes no sense. The third is minor and thankfully, Michael doesn’t hang onto it long. He bemoans that Jack deserves better than him and resolves to get over his developing feelings. Again, this is Michael trying to decide for Jack, who is perfectly capable. Let her make her own decisions! I give this book 4/5 stars for the excellent main characters, writing style, and the relationship between the siblings. I had to take one away for the minor quibbles mentioned above. I recommend this book to people who love excellently researched, well-written, and clean contemporary romance. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Guest Post from Sarah MonzonI’m so excited to be here today and getting this opportunity to hang out with y’all in this virtual world. If you are anything like me, you devour books faster than my son drinks orange juice (and he really loves orange juice!). Because of that, it is sometimes hard to come across a book with a unique premise or a message that you haven’t seen incorporated a thousand times before. As a writer, I always try to bring something fresh to the table. In the first book of the Carrington Family Series, Finders Keepers, neither of my characters were Christians. What? No Christians in a Christian fiction novel? Most Christian fiction books usually have at least one or both main characters a Christians. Don’t worry, they both found their way to Jesus. With All of You, however, I wanted to take yet an even different approach. I’ve ready lots of books where the main character is angry or upset with God for such-and-such thing that happened in his/her life (I’ve even written a character like that), but I hadn’t really read a story about a character that, no matter what life threw at him/her, he/she was going to trust in God no matter what. As a life-long Christian, this is a message I can identify with. The “If not, He is still good” resonation that is sometimes harder to hold on to in the midst of pain and struggles. So, as with all my books, I hope the freshness of the story and the realness of my characters will inspire and uplift you as you travel along with them on their journey. God Bless. Blog StopsSeptember 12: A Baker’s Perspective September 12: Quiet Quilter September 13: Books, Books, and More Books September 13: Jeanette’s Thoughts September 14: Cordially Barbara September 14: Smiling Book Reviews September 15: Avid Reader Book Reviews September 15: Carpe Diem September 16: Inklings and notions September 16: Christian Bookaholic September 17: Christian Chick’s Thoughts September 17: Artistic Nobody September 18: Bookworm Mama September 18: Remembrancy September 19: Back Porch Reads September 19: Kat’s Corner Books September 20: Just Jo’Anne September 20: Margaret Kazmierczak September 21: The Power of Words September 21: Mary Hake September 22: 100 Pages per Hour September 22: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations September 23: Zerina Blossom’s Books September 23: Simple Harvest Reads (spotlight) September 24: Blossoms and Blessings September 24: Moments Dipped in Ink September 25: Kathleen Denly September 25: His Grace is Sufficient GiveawayTo celebrate her tour, Sarah 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!
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Cassandra Wayte could not be a more unsuitable match. She isn’t received by polite society, and her notorious dealings with London’s underclass is the talk of nobility from White’s patrons to the most fashionable hostesses. It’s even whispered she murdered her elderly husband. But Edward sees a different side of the tragic lady, and he determines to discover the secrets tormenting her. As he peels away the layers of her resistance, he discovers a malevolent adversary stalking Lady Wayte and exposes a level of depravity that shocks even his war-hardened sensibilities. Can he win her trust and her heart? And at what cost to the dukedom? As Cassandra’s relentless search for her husband’s murderer exposes both her and Edward to unseen dangers, all they can rely on is their love for each other and their faith in God. My ReviewI have not read any of Elaine Manders’ books before The Duke’s Dilemma, and after reading this one, I am willing to try another. The Duke’s Dilemma is a good book. It’s written well, the suspense and mystery is well done, and the romance between Cassandra and Edward is believable, sweet, and realistic. Cassandra is our heroine, and she’s a good one. She’s dedicated to a cause of rescuing women from brothels, and is smart, funny, and likable, but never annoyingly so. Cassandra is also on the edges of high society. Her husband was much older and he died under suspicious circumstances, which Cassandra was blamed for. Cassandra also has a hard time forgiving herself for what happened in her past, and though she comes close she never wallows in it. Edward is the Duke in the title, and he’s a good character, as well, though his character isn’t as developed as Cassandra’s. He cares deeply for his sister, which is how he is first meets Cassandra, who is his neighbor. He’s kind, intelligent, and very protective of Cassandra once he begins falling for her. However, there is one thing that bothered me about this relationship: it takes quite a while into the book before Cassandra or Edward trust each other with secrets that have big impacts, and it didn’t fit well with the closeness Ms. Manders had developed between them. It’s a minor quibble, however, and doesn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book. The setting, Regency England, is excellently detailed and comes alive on the page. The mystery of who killed Cassandra’s husband never felt dragged out, and there was a twist at the end that genuinely surprised me! For someone who reads as much as I do, I am always pleased when that happens! Both characters begin the book as Christians, though they struggle with their faith because of what happened to them in the past. I think it’s an accurate portrayal of people who have been deeply wounded and are hesitant to trust in God. I appreciated this aspect of the book. I give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to those who enjoy Regency romances, Christian romances, and light suspense. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Guest Post from Elaine MandersHistorical romance became my favorite genre back in the seventies and eighties, and one of my favorite settings was Regency England. A Regency can be a romance in the Jane Austin mode or historical romance set during the Regency period. There is a difference, and The Duke’s Dilemma falls into this latter category. Yes, there is some of usual drawing room intrigue in an Austen novel, but The Duke’s Dilemma contains a serious spiritual theme. The plot fitted perfectly into my new series, The Wolf Deceivers. I wrote the original manuscript nearly twenty years ago as a light, secular romance, but when I revised it to Christian romance, I was delighted to find the inspirational thread deepened the characters. Instead of merely fighting for her reputation while trying to wrest the duke from another woman, Cassandra, the heroine, must fight for her survival. Instead of being another handsome, sardonic nobleman, Edward, the hero, uses his intelligence and grace to protect Cassandra and win her love. Even the secondary characters captivated me. Little Sarah’s match-making antics suited the Regency theme and provided some levity during the darker moments of the plot. Lady Ashford, Cassandra’s foil, developed a tenacity I had to admire in spite of all her shortcomings. And Sir Harcrumb became a villain I loved to hate. Though the characters changed a great deal in the retelling, the plot remained basically the same. The only thing I added was a surprise twist at the end—something that has inadvertently become a part of my brand. Every story is a learning experience for me, and I’m always grateful for how much I learn from my research and from the Holy Spirit. I’ve become more aware of those who deceive, and how vulnerable people, especially young people, are to Satan’s tactics. Also, I’ve unexpectedly come away with a better understanding of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Although this is a new label, we all know it has affected people throughout history. Yes, The Duke’s Dilemma has taught me much, and I hated to say good-bye to these characters. I love stories that move me during the writing and only ask two things of my books. That they bring enjoyment to my readers and glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus. I hope this one does both. Blog StopsAugust 22: A Baker’s Perspective August 22: Books, Books, and More Books August 23: Blogging With Carol August 24: Genesis 5020 August 25: Avid Reader Book Reviews August 25: Have A Wonderful Day August 26: Jami’s Words August 26: Faery Tales Are Real August 27: Karen Sue Hadley August 27: Ashley’s Bookshelf August 28: Remembrancy August 29: The Fizzy Pop Collection August 29: For the Love of Books August 30: Locks, Hooks and Books August 30: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations August 31: Blossoms and Blessings September 1: Pause for Tales September 1: Caffeinated Reads September 2: Live. Love. Read. September 3: Just the Write Escape September 4: Henry Happens September 4: History, Mystery & Faith GiveawayTo celebrate her tour, Elaine is giving away:
Grand prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card 1st place: paperback copies of Books 1 and 2 of the Wolf Deceivers series, The Chieftain’s Choice and The Duke’s Dilemma!! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/bbab About the Book
My ReviewTracie Peterson was one of the first Christian Fiction authors I ever read, and I have enjoyed reading most of her books since. And I must say that with Beloved Hope, the second in her “Heart of the Frontier” series, Ms. Peterson has written another great book. It centers on Hope, a survivor of the Whitman Massacre, who is struggling to overcome what happened to her there when she’s asked to testify against her Indian attackers at their trial. She harbors anger and a desire for revenge toward them for what they did to her and the others. Hope is a great character. She’s determined to put it all behind her but she can’t, not even once the trial is completed. Hope struggles with leaning on God in the wake of this traumatic event and it is something that I deeply empathize with. I also appreciated that none of the secondary characters, especially Hope’s two sisters, felt her feelings were necessarily wrong in and of themselves. They worried about the damage to Hope herself with her inability to move on from the tragedy by keeping a hold on those feelings. Lance is the other main character, and he’s also a good character, though his development isn’t quite as noticeable as Hope’s is. He’s a soldier at the beginning of the book, tasked with making sure the Indians on trial for the massacre are kept safe during it. He and Hope develop a friendship that eventually blossoms into love. Lance’s main struggle is trying to forgive the man who engaged in a duel with his brother, and to learn to lean on God. The journeys that Hope and Lance take throughout the book are thought provoking and believable. The secondary characters, especially Hope’s sisters, Mercy and Grace, are excellently drawn. None of them feels as if they are a mere plot point. Grace is the heroine of the first book, and Mercy the heroine of the next one. I am definitely picking up both stories. Though they are a series, each book works perfectly well as a standalone. Ms. Peterson always does an excellent job of setting the scene, and this one is no exception. You can definitely see Oregon City through the eyes of the characters. I give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to lovers of Christian Historical Romance who appreciate tough topics being handled deftly. There is one part of Lance’s forgiveness story that feels contrived, but it doesn’t distract from the overall themes and didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Bethany House. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
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Tristan was Fern’s childhood imaginary hero, saving her from monsters under her bed and outside her walls. As she grew up and his secret world continued to bleed into hers, however, it only caused catastrophe. But, when the city is rocked by the unexplainable, Fern is forced to consider the possibility that this young man is not a hallucination after all—and that the creature who decimated his world may be coming for hers. My ReviewThe Girl Who Could See by Kara Swanson is a fast-paced Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy novella that is a quick read. It will mostly likely satisfy readers who enjoy this genre and want the ending neatly tied together. For me, however, this is an “almost” book. It is “almost” in the fact that I liked it, but not well enough to try anything else by this author. It almost hit emotional notes in me and it almost worked as a complete story. But a few niggling thoughts dampened my engagement in this book. The main character, Fern, has almost a complete turnaround on her “imaginary” friend in a scene that is about four sentences long. As a novella, I expected the accelerated pacing, but after ten years of ignoring him and trying to convince herself Tristan wasn’t real, her sudden belief in him and what he was saying about the world destroying danger did not feel earned. The book is told entirely in first person, a staple of the Young Adult genre and one that generally turns me off from reading in this particular genre. Ms. Swanson handles the first person POV well, but I wanted more insight into both main characters, especially Tristan. His world sounded fascinating and we don’t learn much about it. For a book that deals with heavy subjects, including kidnapping and experiments on children, it lacks depth. The characters, premise, and setting are all very thin and I did not feel as if the characters were real people. Present tense is hard to pull off, and Ms. Swanson doesn’t quite manage it here. There are tense changes that interrupt the flow of the book and jumping back and forth in between the past and present times also interrupted the pace of the story. I can see the foundation for a good book here, and it almost gets there. Unfortunately it doesn’t quite gel into a complete story. I am giving this book 3/5 stars. I can recommend it to fans of the YA genre who like quick, light reads but for readers who are looking for a story with in-depth character moments and an engaging setting, I would skip this one. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Guest Post from Kara SwansonDid you have an imaginary friend growing up? I did. And I think most of us probably understood what it was like to use our childhood imaginations to create friends and take us places. The Girl Who Could See follows Fern Johnson, a young woman who’s imaginary friend, Tristan, first appeared in her life when she was eight years old—and has never left. Now nineteen, Fern still sees Tristan, only he is no longer her friend. Now he is her curse. The source of her insanity. The reason Fern cannot keep a job and has been passed from one psychologist to another. The reason she is one step away from a psych ward. However, Tristan disagrees. He says that he’s not a figment of Fern’s imagination and is determined to prove it. But, if his existence is real, it has dangerous implications not only for Fern, but for her world. Because the creature that decimated Tristan’s planet is coming for Earth—and only the girl everyone says is crazy can stop it. I wrote the novella as a way to explore the idea of what would happen if someone had an imaginary friend who never left. What would the psychological and daily implications be? And what if that imaginary friend wasn’t imaginary? The story that grew from those sparks of ideas became an adventure that I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I did. Blog StopsJune 27: A Baker’s Perspective June 27: A Simply Enchanted Life June 27: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations June 28: Kristin’s Book Reviews June 28: Christian Chick’s Thoughts June 29: Fiction Aficionado June 29: Genesis 5020 June 30: Smiling Book Reviews June 30: The Fizzy Pop Collection July 1: Blogging With Carol July 1: remembrancy July 2: Inklings and notions July 2: Ashley’s Bookshelf July 3: Zerina Blossom’s Books July 3: Margaret Kazmierczak July 4: Book by Book July 4: Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses July 5: Dragons Read History July 5: Through the Open Window July 6: It’s Storytime with Van Daniker July 6: Baker Kella July 7: Pause for Tales July 7: Edits and Reviews By Leslie July 8: Books, Books, and More Books. July 8: Pursuing Stacie July 8: The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate July 9: Reader’s cozy corner July 9: A path of joy July 10: Neverending Stories July 10: Henry Happens GiveawayTo celebrate her tour, Kara 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!
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My ReviewTrue to You by Becky Wade is the first book I’ve read by this author. And I am absolutely excited to read more of her books. In True to You, Ms. Wade has written an extraordinary story of how we can depend on God even when our lives are thrown into upheaval. I was dropped immediately into the story on the first page. Each scene is detailed and feels distinct from each other. The prose is great, each line serving the story with no unnecessary details. Within the first three pages I felt attached to the main characters. Nora, the heroine, is a great character. Her life was thrown into upheaval unexpectedly and she thinks she’s gotten over it and pieced her life back together. Watching Nora realize that’s not entirely accurate and how she learns to depend on God is a wonderful character arc and I fully believe Nora’s transformation. I related to John Lawson, the hero of the story, even more than Nora. I served in the military and understood him. I won’t spoil the reason he’s searching for his birth parents, but he’s a wounded man with a soft gooey center who often uses humor to escape his emotions before it eventually becomes too much and it all boils over. These are my favorite types of heroes and John is a great example. I rooted for Nora and John the entire time. I fully believe in their romance and that the two of them will be able to overcome any obstacle. I rarely share quotes that I enjoy, but this is one of the best lines I’ve ever read: “’If I was going to make it through, I was going to have to do it on what was left of my true character after all the surface parts of who I thought I was had been stripped away.’” What a great line that really drives home the themes in the book. True to You is the first story in a new series by Ms. Wade and I am eagerly awaiting the next one. I loved this book and give it 5/5 stars. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys sweet contemporary romances with unexpected depth and relatable characters. ** I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House, the publisher. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
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Traci and Marc may be the perfect match, but they don’t know it yet. With God’s guidance and the help of Gina’s matchmaking skills honed by her career as a bestselling romance novelist, there is hope for a happily ever after for these two broken hearts. My ReviewA Second Chance by Alexis Goring, the first work I’ve read by this author, presents an interesting premise and is a quick read. Traci, the main character, is given a letter from her mother detailing the requirements for Traci to get her inheritance from him: she must be married and her mother must approve of Traci’s spouse. I’ve read this “must get married to get inheritance” in historical novels, but never in a contemporary. And though Traci worries about what to do as she is currently drowning in bills from her called off wedding, she seems to accept this condition without any problem. She’s likable. Marc, the other main character, does not trust women because his exes keep lying to him. Marc was likable enough, though he falls into the “overprotective and I will hurt anyone who hurts you because you’re mine” trope when he meets Traci’s ex-fiancé and I HATE that in my romance characters. The big misunderstanding” is based on Marc finding the letter about the inheritance by looking inside an envelope on the table—which Traci left out because she planned to tell him about the conditions to her inheritance—and assuming she’s dating him to get married to gain the money. He’s also mad because she lied to him about it, which is the only part of the conversation that I can stand. Marc never apologizes for the invasion of privacy and Traci acts as if the entire mess of the disintegrating relationship is her fault. I was so livid about the invasion of privacy and the non-apology that I almost put the book down. The characters are also seriously old-fashioned, with Traci’s passiveness and Marc’s overprotective jealousy disguised as caring for her. Traci spends most of the book waiting for Marc to make the first move, even though he takes weeks to contact her after their first meeting and doesn’t contact her quickly after their dates, either. There was also a case of “insta-love” as these characters are convinced they are in love with each other after one date and so are both of their friends. I did appreciate that both Traci and Marc have friends and families outside of the relationship, which does not always happen in romance novels. These characters needed to seriously talk with each other. At one point, they try a long-distance romance and I couldn't believe it. If they couldn’t even make it work in person, how would long-distance work? It’s much harder and requires much more communication, which neither of these characters do well. There is a lot of telling rather than showing, and much of the romance seems to happen off-screen. Part of the quickness of the romance is due to the length of the book, and I was expecting the romance would feel rushed. However, it also feels incomplete. We’re told the characters love each other, but with both stubbornly refusing to discuss problems and not trusting the other, it was hard to see it. I give A Second Chance 2/5 stars. The characters are overdramatic and uncommunicative, the plot feels contrived, and the entire romance feels rushed and incomplete and as a result I cannot recommend this book. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the AuthorGuest Post from Alexis Goring“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) God has good plans for every single person living here on Earth. It’s important to remember to trust Him because no matter how bleak a situation looks, hope is always on the horizon when God’s in the picture…and the good news is that no matter what God is always in the picture. I thought that it would be a good idea to explore the theme of Jeremiah 29:11 through a fictional story about characters who are in need of a second chance in life and love. So I create Traci and Marc and wrote their story, A Second Chance. Traci and Marc are entry-level journalists therefore they struggle with the industry’s tough system of paying your dues and they know the conflicts firsthand about struggling to pay your bills because of that system. But it’s not just the bills that weigh heavily on their hearts. Traci and Marc are facing battles that are unique to their individual life stories but common to people in the real world. When the reader meets Traci, they see that she is bitter and cynical because she was left at the altar. Her fiancé ran off with her Maid of Honor and left Traci with a mile-high stack of bills to pay for their wedding that never happened. So when Traci’s Mom shows up on her doorstep with an inheritance letter that stipulates Traci must be married before receiving her inheritance from her late grandfather, Traci is closer to destroying the letter and being a bachelorette for life than she is about husband hunting. When the reader meets Marc, they see that he is smitten with Traci at first sight. But they soon learn that he has trust issues because of his previous romantic relationships with women who would dump him because he was “too nice.” However, his niceness is of invaluable help to his newly widowed sister Gina who is struggling to raise her children in the wake of her firefighter husband’s death. Naturally, Marc wants to help his sister. So he volunteers to babysit her kids and take them out of the house so that she can meet her book deadlines. Gina is a bestselling romance novelist. All of these main characters go on their own faith journey with God. Some resist His love at first (like Traci), some draw back because of broken trust (like Marc) and some heal slowly from pain (like Gina) but they all realize how much they need God in their life. Faith elements are a woven lightly throughout this story but also go deep as the characters work toward wholeness and restoration. If anything, this is a story about how the Creator of the Universe (God) loves humankind and desires to restore broken hearts, homes and lives. I hope that you will enjoy reading this book! God bless your heart. Sincerely, Alexis A. Goring Author of A Second Chance Blog StopsMay 4: A Baker’s Perspective May 5: Inklings and notions May 6: Blossoms and Blessings May 7: Moments Dipped in Ink May 8: Books. Books. And More Books. May 8: Captive Dreams Window May 8: Daysong Reflections May 9: Christian Bookaholic May 9: A Greater Yes May 10: Quiet Quilter May 11: Remembrancy May 11: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations May 12: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner May 13: Reading Is My SuperPower May 13: Through the Open Window May 14: Carpe Diem May 15: Neverending Stories May 16: my site/autism mom May 17: Avid Reader Book Reviews GiveawayTo celebrate her tour, Alexis is giving away four eBook copies of her book – A Second Chance!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/b54b Click here to purchase your copy! About the Book
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 ReviewI rarely read books set during the Gilded Age, so I was excited to try Behind the Scenes, the new release by Jen Turano. The back cover sounded like something I would enjoy and Ms. Turano is an author I have never read before. And I am disappointed that I did not enjoy this book, though some parts of it worked for me. The romance is very low-key but enjoyable. You can see the characters beginning to respect and like each other and it is believable when they fall in love. I can see this couple making it after the end of the book and I don’t always see the couple that way at the end of a romance! The characters are done well, as both Permilia and Asher are fully realized and have believable positive traits and flaws. Asher is a little more relatable to me because I understand his desire to change after the realization he had become someone he didn’t want to be. Permilia is a little too outlandish for me. Every time she would commit a societal faux pas or insert her way into the action in a way that was often unsafe and over the top, I became embarrassed for her! The back cover makes it seem like the mystery of who is trying to kill Asher is a big part of the book, but it feels as if that plot thread goes away in the later portion of the book until the reveal. The mystery was convoluted though I was genuinely surprised by who was trying to kill Asher. I’m rarely surprised by a book’s outcome so that was nice! The characters’ faith felt like an afterthought and I would’ve appreciated more of it. There are a few scenes where the characters talk about learning God’s plan for their life but I just didn’t feel as if the characters truly lived their faith. The book itself felt light and frothy (even with a murder plot) and I enjoy my stories a little darker and more serious, so I did not enjoy the tone of the book. I’m not sure I would read any of Ms. Turano’s work in the future, simply because of the style. I give this book 2/5 stars. The characters are nice, the setting is unusual and imagined well, but I just can’t recommend it as I do not appreciate this specific type of humor and found Ms. Turano’s writing extremely wordy—the ball where Permilia finds out about the murder plot takes over half the book! People who enjoy light and frothy romances and do not have an issue with over the top humor and extremely talkative characters will enjoy this book more than I did. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Interview with Jen TuranoWhat 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 StopsApril 27: Reading Is My SuperPower April 27: The Scribbler April 27: Genesis 5020 April 27: These Splendid Sentences April 28: Back Porch Reads April 28: Smiling Book Reviews April 28: Fiction, Faith, and Fun April 28: Just the Write Escape April 29: Bookworm Mama April 29: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader April 29: Books. Books. AND More Books. April 29: Karen Sue Hadley April 30: Lighthouse Academy April 30: Radiant Light April 30: Bigreadersite April 30: Lane Hill House May 1: Faithfully Bookish May 1: Counting Pinecones May 1: Blogging With Carol May 1: Moments Dipped in Ink May 2: inklings and notions May 2: Blossoms and Blessings May 2: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses May 2: Neverending Stories May 3: For The Love of Books May 3: Singing Librarian Books May 3: Book by Book May 3: Pause for Tales May 4: A Baker’s Perspective May 4: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner May 4: cherylbbookblog May 4: Rachel Scott McDaniel May 5: With a Joyful Noise May 5: Baker Kella May 5: A Reader’s Brain May 5: Southern Gal Loves to Read May 6: A Greater Yes May 6: Christian Bookaholic May 6: Connie’s History Classroom May 6: Splashes of Joy May 6: Just Commonly May 7: A Simple Life, really?! May 7: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS May 7: Daysong Reflections May 7: The Power of Words May 8: Ashley’s Bookshelf May 8: Eat, Read,Teach, Blog May 8: Giveaway Lady May 8: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations May 9: Bibliophile Reviews May 9: History, Mystery & Faith May 9: I Hope You Dance May 9: Simpleharvestreads May 10: His Grace is Sufficient May 10: History, Hope, Laughter & Happily-ever-after May 10: Raining Butterfly Kisses May 10: Reader’s Cozy Corner GiveawayTo 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/ About the Book
Ryan thinks he may have finally found a solution to his impossible situation, but he needs Jenny's help. While her loyalty to her country compels her to agree, she was too badly hurt to fall for Ryan again despite his determination to win her back. When an unknown threat from Ryan's past puts everything at risk--including his life--can they overcome the seemingly insurmountable odds stacked against them in time? My ReviewI have never read any of Ms. Camden’s previous books. And based on reading To the Farthest Shores, I am not sure I will attempt another one. I wanted to love this book. It’s written well (Ms. Camden has a lovely prose style), full of excellent details and research, and the characters had both attributes and flaws. In the end, though, I just couldn’t relate to the characters or connect with them in any way, and so the book fell flat for me. The setting, just after the Spanish-American War in the early 1900s, is one rarely seen in historical romance, and featured Jenny Bennett, a nurse heroine from a rough upbringing, and Lieutenant Ryan Gallagher, whose service to his country includes dangerous and secret missions. I liked Jenny well enough, though only at some parts in the story. Though she’s “respectable” at the beginning of the story as a hard-working nurse, her backstory as a child growing up in rough conditions made it seem as if the respectableness was a veneer. I didn’t truly believe she changed as much as Jenny thought she did, and she had issues that I did not feel were resolved satisfactorily. Ryan is calm. Seriously, he’s so calm I wanted to shake him to make sure he was still alive. And because he is also fairly unobservant (which I found hard to believe as he’s done undercover work in the past), it makes him appear dumber than he is. He’s a perfectly capable character, especially when he’s talking about oysters, but other than that there wasn’t much emotion from him. I also think it suffered that the majority of the story was told from Jenny’s point of view. Because she was so untrusting I kept wanting to yell at her that she needed to listen to what the other characters were telling her. Ryan was trying to protect her and so he avoided telling her things about his past, which made her lack of trust worse. Lack of communication is a big issue for me in romance and these two hardly talk about anything deep or important. I know at that time in history, promises to be married were rarely broken and considered nearly as sacred as marriage itself, but I did not interpret Ryan being with, marrying Akira, and having a child with her as “infidelity” and each time Jenny referred to it as such I was thrown a little out of the story. It was definitely a part of what they needed to discuss and work through, but I do not believe I would classify it as such because they weren’t married or even together when those events happened. I loved the descriptions of oyster farming and the story itself was excellently researched. Unfortunately, my inability to connect or relate to the characters, along with the lack of communication between them, means this is a story that I cannot recommend for romance fans. Lovers of oysters and pearls will enjoy the details Ms. Camden provides. I give it 2/5 stars for the lovely prose, excellent historical detail, the beautifully detailed setting, and the unusual timeframe. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House, the publisher. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
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