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Abbie tends the wounded stranger in her home only to realize he assumes they’re married. Although she knows she needs to correct Nathaniel’s mistake, his presence calms Gramps and provides a way to prevent eviction from the lighthouse. The longer the charade continues, the harder it gets for Abbie to tell Nathaniel the truth, more so as she begins to fall in love. Everyone she’s ever loved has abandoned her. Will Nathaniel leave her too, once he discovers he’s not really her husband? My ReviewMistaken identity and amnesia stories can be tough to read, though I do enjoy them. It is imperative that the reveal of the true identity is handled correctly and that the character who recovers from the amnesia receives time to process it. For me, how it is handled can break my enjoyment of a book. And Jody Hedlund handles it wonderfully in Never Forget. I won’t spoil when or where it happens, but both the hero and heroine are given appropriate reactions and time to come to terms with it. Never Forget is the story of Abbie and Nathaniel, both wounded souls, though in two very different ways. Abbie is struggling to keep her home on the island as lighthouse keeper as she worries what will happen to her Grandfather, who has a form of dementia, if they are forced to leave. She has a husband who’s gone missing and is trying to run the lighthouse herself. She is also working through feelings of abandonment over her mother and husband, and wondering why people she loves won’t stay for her. Abbie is a great character. She is busy and so her time with God and her faith have become almost an afterthought in her daily routine. She also feels guilty she’s lying to Nathaniel about the fact they aren’t husband and wife. Abbie’s growth from beginning to end is a logical progression of the events in the story. Nathaniel is a wealthy young man who drinks and sleeps with women. It doesn’t actually happen in the book (it is only mentioned) but if you don’t like that in your heroes you may not like this part of Nathaniel’s character. He is in a yacht accident and loses his memory, and through a series of circumstances thinks he is Abbie’s husband Nate. It’s obvious once he becomes “Nate” that he actually is a good person, as he helps Abbie and her grandfather around the island and with the lighthouse, but he knows he wasn’t a good person before his accident. It’s absolutely wonderful how Nathaniel grows in this story into the person he’s supposed to be instead of burying grief and anger through his prior actions. The setting is fantastic. It is so well drawn that the bay where the lighthouse stands almost becomes its own character. Abbie’s love for the lighthouse, the area, and the water shines through so clearly. The secondary characters, including Abbie’s sister and brother-in-law and Nathaniel’s mother and brother, do not appear much in the story but create impact through their own actions. I’ve never read any books my Ms. Hedlund, but I will be buying her other books. I truly enjoyed this one and it will be going on my keeper shelf. I give this book 5/5 stars and recommend it to people who like Christian Historical Romance, lighthouses, water, and stories of redemption over guilt and grief. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Guest Post From Jody HedlundWhich Do You Prefer: Series or Standalones? By Jody Hedlund Readers usually have strong opinions about whether they like series or standalones. Some readers refuse to read books that are inter-related. Others can’t get enough books about their favorite characters. I see the pros and cons of both. For series, I don’t like feeling lost as I try to wade through previous characters along with their backstory. I recently started a series by a well-known author and was disappointed to realize the first book was connected to a previous series she’d already published. From the get-go, I felt left out as though I didn’t quite know who all the characters were or their significance. On the other hand, for standalones, I sometimes feel as though I would like the story to continue. I’ve invested in the setting and characters and so enjoy when I can return to that place and continue to glimpse the characters I’ve fallen in love with—even if from a distance. My favorites are books that fall in the middle between standalone and series. I like to think of them as standalones within a series. Becky Wade’s Porter brother series is like that. Each of the books centers around one of the brothers (and a tomboy sister). While characters from other books make an appearance in the stories, each plot is separate and complete without any reliance upon another book. My Beacons of Hope lighthouse series falls in the middle too. The books are related in that they all take place at lighthouses and share a symbolic “cross of hope” that is passed on from one book to the next. A minor character in a previous book becomes the hero or heroine in the next book. But each book can be read by itself without having read any of the others. In other words, readers can pick up my newest release, Never Forget, which is the fifth and final book in the series, and they wouldn’t be confused about who the characters are or what their history is. The plot starts with a bang and ends with a satisfying sigh. It is complete story unto itself. And yet, for those who’ve read other books in the series, they’ll get to see the happily-ever-after of a character from a previous book. And they’ll also get to find out where the cross of hope finally ends. If you’re not a fan of series, I encourage you to give the Beacons of Hope series a try. It might satisfy the need for standalones and series all in one neat little package. To that end, I’m giving away all FIVE books in the series as part of the Celebrate Lit blog tour to one lucky winner! Tell us: What is your preference: Standalones, Series, or Standalones within a Series? Blog StopsJanuary 10: Reading Is My SuperPower January 10: Karen Sue Hadley January 10: Bookworm Mama January 11: Faithfully Bookish January 11: Inklings and Notions January 11: Blossoms and Blessings January 12: Smiling Book Reviews January 12: Genesis 5020 January 12: Christian Chick’s Thoughts January 13: God’s Little Bookworm January 13: The Scribbler January 13: Bibliophile Reviews January 14: Daysong Reflections January 14: Blogging With Carol January 14: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner January 15: Moments Dipped in Ink January 15: Books. Books. And More Books. January 16: A Greater Yes January 16: Bigreadersite January 17: Connie’s History Classroom January 17: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS January 18: Book by Book January 18: Jeanette’s Thoughts January 19: Carpe Diem January 19: A Bakers Perspective January 19: Splashes of Joy January 20: Christian Bookaholic January 20: Stuff and Nonsense January 20: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations January 21: Radiant Light January 21: cherylbbookblog January 21: His Grace is Sufficient January 22: Neverending Stories January 22: A Path of Joy January 23: History, Hope, Laughter & Happily-ever-after January 23: Henry Happens January 23: Onceuponatime GiveawayTo celebrate her tour, Jody is giving away the entire Beacons of Hope series. Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ad6d
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I have read a lot of “craft of writing” books over the last fifteen years, which is how long I’ve been working toward a full-time writing career. The most recent one I’ve completed, James Scott Bell’s The Mental Game of Writing: How to Overcome Obstacles, Stay Creative and Productive, and Free Your Mind for Success is one of my favorites.
It’s not technically a “how to structure a sentence” craft book. What is actually does is provide simple, easy to follow tips to become a productive writer. As someone who struggles with time management and consistently sitting to write, this book is full of tips, encouragement, and a number of exercises which I cannot wait to test out. Mr. Bell’s style in this book is conversational. I feel as if I am in a room with him and he is telling me these tips personally. The tips, while easy to follow, are meant to send the writer soul-searching. I have so many tabs in the book it looks like I’m going to start quoting the book straight through for an essay! I will include one of my favorite quotes from the book, though: “You are a writer when you decide to be a writer.” This quote is fairly early into the book but stuck with me because I have trouble telling people that I am now working as a writer. It’s scary and uncertain but I know it’s what I am meant to do, and so I am trying to take this quote to heart. It’s now taped to my computer as a reminder that I am a writer and I can do this. There are many times in the book where I highlighted phrases I liked or activities I want to try to improve my craft. I give this book 5/5 stars and recommend this book to anyone who struggles with time management or writing consistently, doubts about your chosen career as a writer, or doubts about your ability as a writer. So, basically everyone who is a writer. Click here to purchase your copy! About the Book
When Colin finds himself at the center of a centuries-old Brighton tradition, he must decide whether to follow the path laid out before him or follow his heart to the only woman for whom he would ring the Pembroke Chapel Bell. Can Colin convince Avery to meet him at the chapel on Christmas morning—as tradition dictates—or will Avery run back to her St. Simons home and pursue a coaching career as planned? In the fourth installment of the Royal Wedding Series, New York Times bestselling novelist, Rachel Hauck, weaves a charming story of holiday romance as two broken hearts seek the love they once knew. My ReviewI have several books on my bookshelf by Rachel Hauck, including Princess Ever After, one of the books in the Royal Wedding series. After reading A Royal Christmas Wedding, they have been moved to the top of my TBR pile. A Royal Christmas Wedding is a wonderful book. In fact, it’s one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year. The characters, setting, story, and the Christmas magic mixes together to form a practically perfect book that is heartwarming and romantic. Avery Truitt and Prince Colin were in a secret relationship four years ago, which ended poorly. In the present, both Avery and Colin admit to themselves the feelings are still there, though they deny it to practically everyone else—including each other. We find out over the course of the book that their family members were not as ignorant of the relationship and their feelings, which brings both Avery and Colin into important realizations about their current relationship. Avery is a great heroine and is probably one of my favorite heroines from books I’ve read this year. I appreciate heroines with their lives in flux because for a long time I felt the same way, and so it makes it easier for me to relate to them and what the heroines are going through. She is struggling with choices and doesn’t know how to reconcile her feelings for Colin with her ambition to coach a college volleyball team. Her love for her family is evident throughout the entire story and the interactions between Avery and her sister Susanna (Queen of Brighton Kingdom and heroine of a previous book) feel very similar to how I interact with my own siblings. Colin is a great hero as well. He is very upfront with himself about his feelings, and the struggles he has with his father add depth and outer conflict to the romance between Colin and Avery. Colin is self-aware and sure of his feelings for Avery but when it comes to taking action is torn between duty and love. The scenes in which he finally decides which is more important are some of my favorite in the book. The setting of Brighton Kingdom is truly wonderful. The descriptions of the Christmas festivities and the city and country are so vivid I can easily picture it. And I want to live there! The two hosts of the TV show very entertaining and provide some fun commentary as they count down toward Christmas. The secondary characters, especially Avery’s mother and Colin’s father, are also well crafted and have their own motivations and personalities. A Royal Christmas Wedding is the fourth book in a series, yet in my opinion stands alone perfectly fine. If you have read the previous books in the series, you will definitely find much enjoyment in seeing the characters from those stories in this one. If you have never read any of the other books in the series, I don’t believe this will impede your enjoyment of this book. I give this book 5/5 stars and recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary romance with great characters, a gorgeous and clearly rendered setting, and the magic of Christmas filling every page. I cannot wait to read the other books by Ms. Hauck! **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Guest Post from Rachel HauckI don’t think we can ever get enough of royals or Christmas, do you? The two just seem to go together. The Bible tells us eternity is written on our hearts. (Ecc. 3:11) I wonder if it’s also written on our hearts to be princesses in a grand, beautiful, perfect kingdom. That being said, welcome to The Royal Christmas Wedding blog tour. My deepest thanks to all the bloggers, reviewers, and readers for hosting and visiting this tour. I’m excited to share this story with you all. The hero and heroine, Prince Colin and Avery Truitt, first met in Once Upon A Prince at King Nathaniel’s coronation. I hadn’t planned to write a spinoff story with the two of them. In fact, I didn’t even know Prince Colin existed until Avery walked into the abbey for the coronation and glanced across the sanctuary into his eyes. Here’s his introduction: Lean, aristocratic with an outdoorsman ruddiness, he nearly made Susanna swoon when he winked at Avery. I liked Colin immediately. So did Avery. As well as a lot of you. When my publisher asked me to write their story, it would be two years before the book would release. Plenty of time, right? But “time crunch” is the name of the game with most writers. Between life, rewrites, edits, and promotional activity, we often find ourselves hurrying toward a deadline. Well, at least I do. In the fall of 2015 I was writing The Wedding Shop and A Royal Christmas Wedding at the same time. I’d also dealt with a physical issue that left me shaky. Could I write two books in five months? Did I want to even make the attempt? If I said no, publication dates would be pushed out, causing a year delay on A Royal Christmas Wedding. And I knew that was something I did not want to do. Publishing is a long game. Books are contracted and due 12 to 18, even 24 months, before release dates. Time must be carved out for rewrites and editing, marketing and promotion. Review copies go out at least five months in advance. So I agreed to write both books. I told my editor, “Diamonds come from pressure.” Coming up with Avery and Prince Colin’s story wasn’t as easy as I’d planned. Since they met in Once Upon A Prince as teenagers, I struggled with how to advance their age and relationship, and how to present them as the book opened. Where had their relationship gone “between the books?” When I came up with the idea of the Pembroke Chapel bell, the story magic began to happen. One of the things I love in the royal wedding books is the fairytale aspect. Looking for something out of the ordinary. Even though my writing time was tight, writing Avery and Colin’s story was a joy. Once again I wish I could visit Brighton, eat a puff, and royal watch for the Strattons! I hope you found a few sweet spots in the story, all wrapped in Christmas holiday cheer, and enjoyed your time with me in Brighton Kingdom. Merry Christmas! Blog StopsDecember 8: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader December 8: New Horizon Reviews December 8: inklings and notions December 9: Reading Is My SuperPower December 9: Redeemed Hope Dweller December 9: Book by Book December 10: His Grace is Sufficient December 10: Blossoms and Blessings December 10: Pause for Tales December 11: Quiet Quilter December 11: Ashley’s Bookshelf December 11: Reviewing Novels Online December 12: Bibliophile Reviews December 12: Lights in a Dark World December 12: Splashes of Joy December 13: Moments Dipped in Ink December 13: Neverending Stories December 13: Through the Open Window December 14: The Power of Words December 14: Counting Pinecones December 14: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS December 15: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses December 15: Genesis 5020 December 15: CTF Devourer December 16: Lighthouse Academy December 16: God’s Little Bookworm December 16: Christian Bookaholic December 17: Smiling Book Reviews December 17: God is Love December 17: A Simple Life, really?! December 18: A Holland Reads December 18: The Scribbler December 18: Faith * Love * Books December 19: By The Book December 19: Karen Sue Hadley December 19: Southern Chelle December 20: Faithfully Bookish December 20: Books. Books. And More Books December 20: A Baker’s Perspective December 21: ASC Book Reviews December 21: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations GiveawayTo celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card plus a copy of A Royal Christmas Wedding and a copy of The Wedding Shop. Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post to earn 9 extra entries in the giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/aaeb
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Sheriff Rex Truett doesn’t trust Ruby and doesn’t care who knows it. The keeper of Fairplay’s law and order makes it his business to find out why a stranger—especially a beautiful, rich, female stranger—would set up businesses, donate to schools, hire workmen to rebuild houses, and provide access to the best medical care. But when a cholera epidemic sweeps through the city, he is forced to reconsider. Will Ruby have the courage to tell Rex her family secret? And will love or justice win in Rex’s heart? My ReviewI first read a Loree Lough book in my late teens or early twenties, when I was subscribed to Barbour’s Heartsong Presents line. I still have one of them, The Wedding Wish, on my shelf, in fact. So I was excited to read Healing of the Heart, one of her more recent releases. And while I enjoyed it, there were a few decisions regarding the resolution of the story and the characters’ actions that made me unable to give this book as a high a grade as I wanted to. I want to be clear that I am recommending Healing of the Heart to those who like Christian historical romance despite a few personal nitpicks! Healing of the Heart is centered on Ruby McCoy, whose father is a bank robber who is hanged early in the book. She spends the next few years spending all the money he left her and her mother in the towns he robbed, in order to assuage her guilt over her father’s actions. She has now come to Fairplay, Colorado, which is to be their last stop before she can move on with her life. The hero is Sherriff Rex Truett, and he is a good hero. He’s smart, and initially has suspicions about Ruby and her mother because of their frequent traveling and ability to pay cash for a huge mansion in Fairplay. But eventually he realizes that behind Ruby’s money is a genuinely good heart and he begins to fall for her. This is one of my problems with the book. Ruby is spending her father’s money to help people and while she thinks it’s to help others who have been hurt by her father, it’s actually because she’s a good person. Ruby, when the entire town and your family is telling you you’re a good person, listen to them! She spends a large majority of the book ignoring that her actions are motivated by her good heart, not guilt. It may have started as guilt, but years later it is because she genuinely enjoys helping people. And her insistence that she’s not good enough for Rex (because of her father’s career and what her father did to his), is one of my biggest pet peeves in fiction. Ruby was a little too self-sacrificing in my opinion. Rex was a little too perfect and I felt he forgave two big secrets more easily than I expected for how he’d been presented as a character in the majority of the book. The romance had plenty of conflict between the hero and heroine so I felt the outer conflict of the cholera epidemic was a little tacked-on to try to make the story more exciting but I do not feel it was necessary. The story was interesting and enjoyable without it. The city of Fairplay feels like a real place, with the setting excellently drawn and doesn’t merely serve as a backdrop for the action. The secondary characters are not simply there to prop up the main characters but all have motivations and desires of their own. I especially love Silas, who is Ruby’s “scout” and has become a part of the family. I give this book 4/5 stars for the excellent writing, the detailed setting, the secondary characters who are not merely caricatures or cardboard, and the message of who is responsible for someone else’s sin. I took away one star for the lateness of the reveal between Ruby and Rex about what her father did to his and for how I disliked a few major aspects of both the hero and heroine. If a quick resolution or the characteristics mentioned above as part of Ruby and Rex do not bother you, you will enjoy the ending of this book more than I did. Healing of the Heart is the third book in a series but they are all standalones. I will most likely try more books in this series and others available by Ms. Lough. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a romance that has a wonderful message about guilt and family, great secondary characters, and an excellent setting. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Blog StopsNovember 22: Bibliophile Reviews November 22: Jeanette’s Thoughts November 23: Neverending Stories November 23: Lane Hill House November 24: Reviewing Novels Online November 24: Christian Bookaholic November 25: Christian Author: A.M. Heath November 25: Redeemed Hope Dweller November 26: A Simple Life, really?! November 26: Moments Dipped in Ink November 27: inklings and notions November 27: Splashes of Joy November 28: Ashley’s Bookshelf November 28: Daysong Reflections November 29: Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot November 29: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations November 30: Bigreadersite November 30: Singing Librarian Books December 1: Pause for Tales December 1: Smiling Book Reviews December 2: A Greater Yes December 2: Genesis 5020 December 3: Reader’s cozy corner December 4: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses December 4: Karen Sue Hadley December 5: A Baker’s Perspective December 5: Rhonda’s Doings GiveawayIn honor of her tour, Loree is giving away her books: Secrets on Sterling Street series, Prevailing Love (3 in 1), Pricilla Hires a Husband, Lone Wolf, and Emma’s Orphans, a KJVER Study Bible, and an Abba pillar candle in a wicker basket! Click the link below to enter; be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine bonus entries for this giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/a81c
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My ReviewRaining Fools is the story of a second chance at love. It is the second book in the Madison Creek Bed & Breakfast series. I haven’t read the first book in the series but this works as a standalone novel, though you may appreciate the moments in this book between Ethan and Haley (the hero and heroine of the first book) if you have read the previous book in the series. Ms. Castle is an author I have never read but I love trying new authors and second chance romances are one of my favorite scenarios (I have a lot of favorite scenarios). Bekka and Stephen, the main characters, had a relationship years ago that ended abruptly—though I won’t spoil the “why” here as it’s revealed early in the story. I relate to Bekka’s struggle with what she wants to do with her life and career. She’s close to my age and I still struggle with the decisions I made for my job and life and if it’s the right one or not. That struggle forms a large part of Bekka’s narrative and it was easy for me to understand Bekka. She is also struggling against her brother Ethan’s desire to control her life, which I’m sure that any one of us that has younger siblings can understand the push and pull of sibling interaction. It took me longer to warm up to Stephen. He is written as someone who nominally believes in God but does not consider himself a Christian. He smokes and drinks during the story. I appreciated his character arc as he begins to turn away from sin and lean on God. Stephen’s interactions with his mother are some of the best in the book and elevate Stephen’s character in ways I hadn’t anticipated. I enjoyed this book while reading it, but the story did not “stick” with me after. It is nicely written and the characters are well-rounded and likable, but there was nothing in it that hit enough emotional notes for me to ruminate on the story and characters once I had finished reading it. I also found the “prologue” with Ethan and Haley quite jarring in tone when compared to Bekka and Stephen’s story. Because I enjoyed the characters and the writing style, I will more than likely try another book by Ms. Castle. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys small-town contemporary Christian fiction with likable characters who struggle with what God wants for them. I give this book 3/5 stars. ** I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Now she lives in her comfortable Texas home where she spins entertaining tales and enjoys relaxing in the evenings with her husband Bob, their children and grandchild. Her favorite pastime, besides reading, is traipsing through her imaginary worlds in search of another story. Find out more about her shenanigans over at Jackie Castle’s Story World: www.jackiecastle.com. There you can also sign up for her monthly newsletter. Guest Post from Jackie CastleI’m best known for my fantasy series, The White Road Chronicles, and I love the make-believe world of Alburnium. But as these stories have traveled towards the ending, I’ve decided to venture into a more modern world. I enjoy a good, clean romance as much as anyone else, and I love writing stories about communities where people band together for the greater good. So, I came up with Madison Creek, a small town on the verge of dying out. But the people there aren’t ready to give up. They decide that if they band together, maybe they can revive their little lakeside town and make it thrive. My husband is from Michigan. I’m from California. We met in the middle: Texas. He’s adapted quite well to the south, loving the hot summers, hot food, and well, he simply likes being warm. Though I miss my moderate California, I’ve also grown to love Texas. Whenever we travel up north to visit his family, we lament over to lack of flavorful food and the ability to stay warm. (Even in the summer we’ve had to wear winter coats!!) We are often teased by his family for how we put two syllables into words such as fire, dead and y’all. (Yes, he’s been in Texas long enough now to have developed a bit of a twang). I don’t know how many times we’ve talked about moving up north to open a BBQ joint so there’d be somewhere good to eat. Except, we both hate the cold and I’m sure I’d never survive a Michigan winter. I spent two weeks up there once in December, and swore I’d never do that again. I mean, 4 feet of snow in one night? Good Lord have mercy! Basically, that’s how I came up with Haley Madison, the blond Texas gal who inherited her grandpop’s farmland in Madison Creek, Michigan. Her life has been one big mess after another and she’s determined to take this opportunity to set things right. She’s lived on ranches for over half her life and loves to cook a lot of food for folks. (My family was always big on cooking lots of food at holiday gatherings, so it just seems natural.) Haley ends up meeting Ethan Winters, who she calls the handsome Yankee that plays a violin. The first book, Snow Belle is about how they meet. The second book, Raining Fools, continues Ethan and Haley’s story in the background. But in Raining Fools, you’ll meet Ethan’s sister Bekka and his best friend, Stephen Gaines who have a history with each other that neither cares to remember, except those old feelings they had for each other refuse to go away. Bekka, though strong in her faith, is uncertain about what God wants her to do with her life. Stephen, a playboy with a troubled past, appreciates his friend’s strong faith, but believes God doesn’t care about the ‘little people.’ At least, not until a series of mishaps has him taking a second look at the Winters’ beliefs. What I hope people take away from my story beside an entertaining tale, is that God loves them. That they belong to a kingdom that’s bigger than themselves. That we are stronger together than apart. These are themes that readers can find in my stories. I have several more ideas for novels and novellas that will continue Haley and Ethan’s story while we meet various people who visit the B&B when they come to Madison Creek hoping to start a new life. My hope is that readers will come to enjoy visiting this quirky little town as much as I do when I write the stories. Texas might have its spicy food and natural ruggedness, but I do love Michigan’s wild beauty and kindhearted folks. I just love it more in the summertime. Blog StopsNovember 3: Quiet Quilter November 4: Bibliophile Reviews November 5: Daysong Reflections November 6: Proud to be an autism mom November 7: Reviewing Novels Online November 8: Janet Pecorella November 8: The Power of Words (Spotlight) November 9: Moments Dipped in Ink November 10: A Greater Yes November 11: Blogging With Carol November 12: inklings and notions November 13: Carpe Diem November 14: Mom Is Forever November 15: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner November 16: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations GiveawayIn honor of her tour, Jackie is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! Click the link below to enter; be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine bonus entries for this giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/a81d
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My Review Buying Love is a contemporary marriage of convenience Christian Romance. I was excited to see this premise in a contemporary as it is not that common and it is one of my favorite scenarios in historical fiction, where I do most of my reading. Ms. Shiloh is a new author for me, and I must say that I was very pleased with this story. While some parts of the book are serious, there is a lot of humor as well that makes the characters more relatable. The book opens with the meeting between the main characters, and we quickly learn Dwight answered Nina’s advertisement for a husband because she offered money if they married, and his family’s restaurant is failing and is desperately in need of some cash. Nina grew up in orphanages after being abandoned as a baby and is determined to follow her specific and highly organized life plan, which is to have a husband quickly so she can have a child before she’s thirty-five. She is analytical and precise and approaches her personal life using those characteristics. And while I am none of those things, I had no trouble relating to Nina’s desires for a family of her own. I also appreciated her interactions with Kandi, who is an orphaned teenage girl that Nina mentors. Dwight owns a restaurant with his family and I could envision it clearly and wanted to eat there! His family is interesting and each of them feel like real people and have motivations that makes sense for who they are. I want to meet this family! Ms. Shiloh sets the scene wonderfully and each place felt very different from each other with the supporting characters behaving exactly how you’d expect from a rural/city divide. The theme of what constitutes a family is handled delicately and the resolution of that feels very natural for both characters. The Christian message of Buying Love was evident from the beginning of the book, and it is very prevalent. If you like your inspirational romances with a strong and clear message, you will enjoy that aspect of the book. If you prefer a simpler or subtler approach, it may be too much for you. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking a clean Christian romance with relatable characters, an intriguing and uncommon contemporary premise, interesting discussions about family, and a strong message of what exactly God is to us and what he does for us. I give this book 4/5 stars. **I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Guest Post from Toni Shiloh Hi, Reader Friends!! I’m so excited to be here at Celebrate Lit for the kick off of my new release, Buying Love. I wrote this book last year for National November Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). In one month, I managed to write a little over 50,000 words. However, that’s not why this book holds a special place in my heart. No, it’s the message in the story. Nina Warrenton has struggled with being alone in life. Thus, she decides to take matters into her own hand and places an ad for a husband, complete with a monetary offer. What seemed like an intelligent and simplistic way to get a husband, soon proves to have a multitude of complications. Not only that, but Nina has to discover who God is in her life and the body of Christ fits into that. Y’all have you ever felt alone in a room full of people? Or felt isolated? Or maybe you’re an orphan…whatever your background, I hope that this book shows you that God loves you. He loves you so much, He’s adopted you into the body of Christ. So if you’re a believer, we’re family. As a person who always wanted a friend and lots of family, that’s music to my soul. It’s what I wanted Nina to discover and what I hope the readers discover. Ephesians 1:4-6, “According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved” (KJV). Blog Stops October 27: Bibliophile Reviews October 27: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations October 28: Reading Is My SuperPower October 29: Moments Dipped in Ink October 30: Reviewing Novels Online October 30: Artistic Nobody October 31: A Baker’s Perspective November 1: blogging it out November 2: Christian Author: A.M. Heath November 3: autism mom November 3: Simple Harvest Reads (Spotlight) November 4: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner November 5: inklings and notions November 6: just the write escape November 7: Carpe Diem November 8: Quiet Quilter November 9: Bukwurmzzz November 9: The Power of Words Giveaway In honor of her tour, Toni is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card! Click the link below to enter; be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine bonus entries for this giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/a650
This is one of my favorite historical romances ever. I read, on average, 75-100 books a year and I've been reading historical romance for almost twenty years, and this one has remained near the top of my list. It’s the book I give to friends who are interested in reading historical romances.
First off, I adore the hero, Kit. He is my favorite type—a “happy-go-lucky” façade covering deep emotional hurt. Kit is charming, yes, but he is also deeply scarred from his time as a soldier and his guilt over his brother’s death (no spoilers about what happened between them, as it’s an important part of Kit’s story in the books). I spent four years in the US Army and deployed to Iraq. Kit has a quote near the end of the book that perfectly encapsulates my own feelings about what happens after war and it remains one of my favorite pieces of dialogue. I’m not going to quote it below as it’s rather long and I think a bit of a spoiler regarding Kit’s actions for much of the book, but it occurs near the end. It took me a little longer to warm up to Lauren, but once I did, she is perfectly wonderful character as well. She had an embarrassing encounter in the previous book in front of the entire ton (her fiancé’s presumed dead wife shows up on the wedding day) and she is scared that she will never find love. Her composure after these events plays nicely off Kit’s charm and humor. Of course, Lauren’s humor and “fun” side of her personality is exposed as she spends more time with Kit and his family, who are at odds with each other. The premise of the book is that Kit and Lauren agree to pretend to be engaged for the benefit of both of both. Kit’s parents are trying to arrange a marriage for him with Freyja Bedwyn, a next-door neighbor who he previously engaged in a relationship with even though she was promised to his (now dead) brother. Lauren wants to escape society and live a quiet life, and having two failed engagements will make her scandalously unmarriageable and she’ll retire to a country cottage. Watching the relationship turn into friends and then as they fall in love is a delight. They complement each other perfectly and I fully believe the feelings between them. Kit falls for her quickly and it takes Lauren longer but the resolution between them is wonderful. Lauren is also an integral reason why Kit and his family begin to repair what had fractured with his brother’s death and his younger brother’s injuries from war. I would recommend this story to anyone who wants a quiet, character-driven romance with a few surprises as the couple fall in love. The amount of outer conflict is minimal (though there are some attempts by other people to break the engagement) and this is a story that features real internal conflict for both of our main characters. But it never seemed to drag despite all the introspection, and in fact, that is one of the reasons I enjoy this book and this author. Mary Balogh is one of my favorite authors and she is one of the few I automatically buy new releases for. I haven’t liked everything she has written but I believe this is one of her best and give this book 5/5 stars. |
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August 2022
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