Welcome to Friday Reads!
Stop by to learn about the book, read an excerpt and my review, and enter to win one of three e-books (three separate winners)! Click here.
Showing posts with label #fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #fiction. Show all posts
Friday, November 6, 2020
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
"If I Were You" by Lynn Austin ... and a GIVEAWAY!
Stop by my blog to learn about this new release, read an excerpt, Q&A, and review. You can enter to win a print copy of this book (US ONLY).
Click here.
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
“THE BEST WE’VE BEEN” BY BETH K. VOGT … AND A GIVEAWAY!
Beth's publisher has agreed to give away a print copy of The Best We've Been. (US ONLY) You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of my blog post. (Giveaway ends June 30, 2020.)
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
"Lizzie's Heart" by Susan Lantz Simpson ... and a GIVEAWAY!
Stop by to learn about the latest release from Susan Lantz Simpson, Lizzie's Heart. Read my review, and enter to win a print copy of the book. (US ONLY)
Sunday, June 7, 2020
"The Stranger in the Lake" by Kimberly Belle
I'm participating in the blog tour for Stranger in the Lake by Kimberly Belle. Stopping by to learn about the book and read an excerpt.
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
"The Farm Stand" by Amy Clipston ... and a GIVEAWAY!
Stop by to learn about this new release and enter to win one (1) of three (3) print copies (US ONLY). Click here.
Friday, May 8, 2020
Stop by my blog to learn about Kimberly Duffy's debut, read an excerpt, and enter to win a print copy of the book (US ONLY).
Click here.
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
"Taming Julia" by Jodie Wolfe ... and a GIVEAWAY!
Stop by my blog to learn about Taming Julia by Jodie Wolfe. You can learn the story behind the story, read an excerpt, and enter to win an electronic copy of the book.
Click here.
Friday, March 27, 2020
"Once Upon an Irish Summer" by Wendy Wilson Spooner ... and a GIVEAWAY!
Wendy has offered to give away an electronic copy of the book. You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends April 3, 2020. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.
You can read my review, as well as enter the giveaway here.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
"Heavenly Lights: Noah's Journey" by Barbara M. Britton ... and a GIVEAWAY!
Barbara is sharing a bit about her latest release, Heavenly Lights: Noah's Journey. She has offered to give away a print copy (US ONLY) or an electronic copy of the book. You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends March 24, 2020 If you are the randomly chosen winner, I’ll contact you.)
Friday, March 13, 2020
"The Blizzard Bride" by Susanne Dietze ... and a GIVEAWAY!
Welcome to Friday Reads!
Susanne's publisher has agreed to give away three (3) print copies of The Blizzard Bride. (US ONLY) You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends March 20, 2020. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.)
You can read a Q&A with Susanne and my review, as well as enter the giveaway here.
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Takeover Tuesday with Carla Laureano
You can learn the about Carla Laureano's latest release, The Solid Grounds Coffee Company, and enter to win a print copy of the book (US ONLY) on my new website/blog. Giveaway ends February 25, 2020.
https://wp.me/pbwWRr-6L
Friday, January 17, 2020
"A Long Time Comin'" by Robin W. Pearson ... and a GIVEAWAY!
Robin's publisher has agreed to give away a print copy of this book. (US ONLY) You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends January 24, 2020. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.)
Author Q&A...
Q: What compelled you to write this book?
A: While it's a fictional work, A Long Time Comin' began with an "SOS"--my need to Save Our Stories. I wanted to preserve my cultural and regional heritage so it wouldn't end up in a mental junkyard, where memories get compressed and broken down until they eventually disintegrate. As I wrote them down, however, this SOS transformed into Share Our Stories. I felt called not only to preserve my family's traditions but to pass on the faith that inspired them, to give them life and breath in my fiction, for I consider writing my opportunity to minister to and build community with others.
Q: What role does faith play in this story?
A: Faith is the main character, playing an even bigger role than my Southern heritage. Beatrice Agnew's limited understanding of real faith depleted her life of joy; her determination to pass it on affected her relationship with her children and granddaughter Evelyn; and my characters' choice to cling to it in the face of hardship directed the story's outcome and its message of hope. My novel shows readers that living by faith doesn't mean we'll avoid pain. It illustrates how we address it.
Q: Healing the past is deeply personal and often difficult. Why did you want to want into these waters?
A: People say what's done is done, but the past tense only applies to verbs. We all tote around our history, either as a memory of healing and forgiveness or as an open wound that continually causes us and others pain. Granny B shows that healing the past may take you to unknown depths, but bitterness drowns you.
Q: What was special about crafting a relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter?
A: The two mirrored each other, down to their shared name. Granny B saw the impact of her past choices borne out in her granddaughter's life; Evelyn got a clear vision of how her own decisions could impact her down the road. Their common background and similar personalities often made words unnecessary between this grandmother and granddaughter, yet their reticence spelled poor communication with the family members "outside their bubble." I crafted their unique chemistry--not unique in that it was unattainable or unrealistic--to show readers what truths our own family dynamics can reveal and to motivate them to seek out deeper, loving relationships within their families and across generations.
Q: Many readers are looking for diversity in their reading selections. Can you give us insight into the perspective you brought to this novel?
A: Diversity comes in so many forms--our ideas, family size, and education, as well as our shoe size, favorite ice cream flavors, and of course, our cultural background and race. I wanted to write a novel that shows how, despite our differences, we share the same need for acceptance, love, and nourishment; we seek success in our personal and professional relationships; we laugh, cry, argue, and dance over many of the same jokes, setbacks, peculiarities, and triumphs. What draws us together and what diversifies us isn't solely the color of our characters or even the writer or the reader but our faith--What do we believe? Who do we trust to meet our needs? How do we uniquely address our common problems?--and how we work out this faith day by day.
Q: What do you hope the daughters,mothers, and grandmothers who read this book will walk away with?
A: Often we see our family in terms of who there are to us--as our mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, aunt, etc.--but we need to see them as people with their own dreams, regrets, faults, and needs. In order for Evelyn to strengthen her relationship with her Granny B, she had to respect her grandmother as Beatrice Agnew, a person who existed before, after, and apart from her children and grandchildren. To improve our own family dynamics, we also need to accept each other as imperfect people who love imperfectly, yet who have the capacity to love deeply.
Q: What is one thing you learned about yourself writing this book?
A: Faith should bring joy. It's not a survival tool I should use to push through; I shouldn't wield it like a weapon to ship others into shape. My faith should help me shrink the size of my own mistakes and others' shortcomings and help me accept and extend the gift of grace.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Robin. I'm sure my readers will enjoy getting to know more about you and your book.
My review...
It’s hard to believe that this is Pearson’s debut novel! The
author crafted a family story that quickly pulls the reader in. Faith, hope,
love, self-discovery, and family drama are key themes.
Beatrice Agnew, “Granny B,” is a complex character … and she’s
someone we need more of in the world! Her relationship with Evelyn is one that
will resonate with many readers. Both characters demonstrate what can happen when
secrets are kept, since they are always revealed at some point in time.
Difficult topics are handled in a tactful manner, and they
may cause the reader to look at things in a different way, wondering what they’d
do if they were in the characters’ shoes. Characters are well-developed, and
scenes are descriptive and easy to visualize. Granny B and Evelyn are easy to connect
with and root for. Characters are flawed and may remind the reader of someone they
know personally, which engages the reader even more.
Scripture and Southern flavor make this a book that will
likely stick with the reader. It’s a strong start for Pearson, and I look forward
to reading her upcoming books.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from the
publisher, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
Robin W. Pearson's writing sprouts from her Southern roots and her love of her husband and seven children. Both lend authenticity to her debut novel, A Long Time Comin'. After graduating from Wake Forest University, she has corrected grammar up and down the East Coast in her career as an editor and writer that started with Houghton Mifflin Company twenty-five years ago. Since then she has freelanced with magazines, parenting journals, textbooks, and homeschooling resources. Follow her on her blog, Mommy, Concentrated, where she shares her adventures in faith, family, and freelancing.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Takeover Tuesday with Camille Eide
Camille has agreed to give away an electronic copy of this book to one lucky blog reader. You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends January 14, 2020. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.)
The story behind the story...
The idea for Anna’s story came on the heels of my previous novel, The
Memoir of Johnny Devine. I wanted to try my hand again at setting a story during
an era with a prominent social issue that could trickle down into the individual
lives of the characters. Wings Like a Dove was birthed by a much
different process than my other novels. The idea for Johnny Devine came from a
dream—one simple, heart-wrenching scene—and an entire novel sprang from that. Wings
came from a “What If” brainstorm. What if an unmarried immigrant found herself
pregnant, in a time in America that would make her predicament more of a
challenge?
After the central story took shape, the characters took on lives
and stories of their own, as often happens in fiction writing. Most of the supporting
characters inherited traits from real life, personal experience, and from
people I’ve known. Thomas speaks reverently of the man who raised him. This
man, Gabriel Johansen, is fashioned after my late father in law. And in small
part, so were most of the orphan boys, who are the same age my father in law
would have been in 1933. Some of details in this story come from stories of his
boyhood.
I didn’t intend for the story to be a difficult read; I wanted to
tell a heart-warming story of redemption. And I hope I have. But as I researched the era, the discovery of
the Women’s Ku Klux Klan and their agenda to “cleanse” their communities of
certain people, including Jews, meant that I had no choice but to include it. The
presence of the Klan in middle America fit all too well with the string of challenges
that Anna would face in 1933. And as a side note, when I was plotting this
story several years ago, before delays kept interfering with its completion, I
had no idea what the future held, what conversations about immigration, racism,
and unity would be taking place now, as the story is released. I can only
wonder if God had a plan for this story, for such a time as this.
Excerpt...
Anna
studied him, the sincerity of his expression, the patient way he waited, the
strong, pleasing angles of his face. “How?”
“You
can help me work on being more connected, and…I can help you search for what
you’ve lost.” He was no longer jovial, but suddenly very attentive, the hope in
his eyes entreating, tender. Tempting. It was not difficult to see herself
spending time with Thomas. It was quite easy. So easy, in fact, that she
suddenly saw the two of them, in her mind’s eye, making a home, working
together and sharing a life, loving these boys, loving…
A
small gasp escaped her.
“Anna?”
His voice was breathless with wonder. He dipped his head closer and peered into
her eyes, studying her carefully.
As
clearly as if in a waking dream, she saw herself married to Thomas, saw herself
loving him with all of her heart and soul. Which, of course, was impossible.
Painfully so.
Quickly,
she dropped her gaze, blocking his scrutiny. Surely her eyes would give away
both her foolish feelings and her dirtiness.
He
reached up with his fingertips and gently tilted her chin upward, forcing her
to look him in the eye. “Forgive me, but … I need to see if that was just my
imagination.”
She
swallowed hard. Look away, Anna ...
My review...
Eide’s latest rivets the reader and has a little bit of
something for just about everyone: romance, history (Great Depression), and
real-world challenges (such as discrimination). (Sadly, some issues addressed
in this book are still alive in today’s society, as well.) It’s a beautifully
written powerful tale that will likely stick with the reader long after the
final page. Grace, love, healing, and forgiveness are key takeaways. It was one
of my favorite books from 2019. Wings Like A Dove is historical fiction
at its finest.
Anna finds herself on her own and pregnant in a world that is intolerant of Jews. Yet through it all, she is courageous and perseveres,
overcoming obstacles no one should have to face. Along the way, she encounters
a group of orphans, and together they’ll each learn from each other things they’d
never considered before. They will all discover that God is always in control.
Aside from Anna, Thomas and Samuel steal the show … and the
readers’ hearts. This is the first book I’ve read by Eide, but it won’t be my
last!
Some of my favorite quotes:
“What if we choose instead to be blind to people’s flaws and
shortcomings and the differences we do not understand?”
“Will we not all need mercy at some time in our lives? Mercy
we do not deserve? It is a precious gift, and yet it is free. Everyone has the
power to give it.”
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t
required to leave a positive review.
Purchase link
About Camille...
Camille Eide is the award-winning author of inspirational romantic fiction including The Memoir of Johnny Devine. Camille lives near the Oregon Cascades with her husband and is Mom to three, Grammy to five, and enjoys the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. She also loves the liberating truth and wisdom of God’s word, and hopes that her stories will stir your heart, strengthen your faith, and encourage you on your journey.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About Camille...
Camille Eide is the award-winning author of inspirational romantic fiction including The Memoir of Johnny Devine. Camille lives near the Oregon Cascades with her husband and is Mom to three, Grammy to five, and enjoys the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. She also loves the liberating truth and wisdom of God’s word, and hopes that her stories will stir your heart, strengthen your faith, and encourage you on your journey.
Other titles include: Savanna’s Gift (Christmas), Like
There’s No Tomorrow, Like a Love Song, The Memoir of Johnny
Devine, and The Healer (exclusive to newsletter subscribers).
Where you can find her online...
Website: www.camilleeide.com
FB Author page https://www.facebook.com/CamilleEide.Author/
Twitter https://twitter.com/CamilleEide
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/camille.eide/
Friday, December 6, 2019
"Misleading Miss Verity" by Carolyn Miller ... and a GIVEAWAY!
Carolyn's publicist has agreed to give away a complete set of the "Daughters of Aynsley" trilogy (all three books!) to one lucky blog reader (US ONLY). You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends December 13, 2019. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.)
My review...
This is the final installment in the “Daughters of Aynsley”
series, but it could be read as a standalone (which is what I did).
The cover catches the reader’s eye, and the characters
quickly pull them in to this charming tale. It’s the first book I’ve read my Miller,
and I found it to be engaging and filled with vibrant descriptions. The book
has a little bit of something for just about everyone, including castles, horse
races, pirates, and foreign settings. Verity’s vulnerability made her easy to relate
to adore. In general, characters (including the secondary ones) and scenes were
well-developed, and things moved along at a realistic pace. There is a
spiritual element woven throughout the story, so it’s not overwhelming. Faith,
hope, and love are key themes. Fans of Regency novels (and those wanting to
check out the genre) should pick this one up!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t
required to leave a positive review.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Excerpt...
Chapter One
Bath, Somerset
January 1820
It was the sobbing that decided her.
The Honorable Verity Hatherleigh eased from her bed and stole
across the room to the disconsolate girl whose snuffling and muffled
weeping made sleep impossible. She touched her roommate on the
arm. “Lucy, dear. What is wrong?”
The shrouded figure shifted, lowering the heavy blankets whose
inability to stifle the sounds of sadness had perturbed Verity’s slumber. Clouded moonlight streamed pale from the window, framing a
plain, round face made less lovely by red eyes and blotched cheeks.
“It’s Papa. He . . . he’s—” Lady Lucinda Wainbridge gulped, her chin
quivering, a sure sign more waterworks were in the offing.
“Now, Lucy, stop, take a deep breath”—Verity waited as the older
girl complied—“and tell me what has happened.”
After another shaky breath, Lucinda exhaled noisily, then blew
her nose with a honk reminiscent of a startled goose.
“If you don’t want Miss Pelling to check in here, you might want
to do that more quietly.”
Lucy’s eyes flashed accusingly. “You weren’t here when I was telling the others.”
“No, because I was in Helena’s room, helping her with her French
for tomorrow’s examination, as you well know.” Verity dashed back
10
Misleading Miss Verity
to her bed and pulled on her padded dressing gown. These rooms, for
all the exorbitant fees paid, were never heated properly. She returned,
wrapping a woolen blanket around her shoulders. “Now, what happened to your father?” Had the Earl of Retford sickened? Her heart
quickened. Had he died? Poor Lucinda . . .
Lucinda shook her head. “Nothing has happened to Papa. It’s
what he will do.”
“Which is?”
“Remove me from Haverstock’s!”
This was a bad thing? “Why are you so certain he will?”
Lucinda wiped her eyes. “He’s bound to as soon as Haverstock
sends him the letter she found from William.”
“She found it? I thought you had it well secured. Didn’t you place
it under the floorboard as I suggested?”
“I was going to . . .”
Lucinda’s shoulders slumped, and she looked so miserable, Verity didn’t have the heart to scold her roommate’s folly. Dear foolish
Lucy, with her silly infatuation for a squire’s son of whom her fastidious parents would never approve. Many had been the confidences
Lucinda had whispered, ever since Verity had been forced to leave the
room she had previously shared with Helena. Many a dull evening
spent listening to Lucy prattle on about William’s inestimable qualities, whilst Verity strained to hear the telltale creaks in the hall that
told of vigilant staff, waiting until the creaks had quite faded away
before stealing across to the room which had fostered a friendship
more dear than that of her family’s.
Helena Chisholm was the most loyal and encouraging person Verity had ever met, filled with a zest for life and mischief that rivaled
Verity’s own. When Miss Haverstock had been informed about one
of Verity’s previous secret visits to the headmistress’s study by the
not-so-honorable Prudence Gaspard, Verity’s separation from Helena had been swift, painful, and irrevocable. Her punishment was to
be bored by Lucinda’s ill-advised romance for the remaining weeks
until their schooling was considered complete.
Not that Verity was against romantic attachments as such; more
Carolyn Miller
11
that with such opposites involved, this particular attachment seemed
a complete and utter waste of emotions, when anyone could see it
was an attachment doomed to futility and failure. Her lips twitched.
Although, judging from Lucinda’s descriptions of her beau, he
seemed as dull as she, so perhaps they were well-matched.
“This is not funny, Verity. What am I going to do? When Papa
sees what we have been writing to one another, he’ll have a fit, and
threaten to marry me off to old Lord Winchester. I’d rather die than
marry him!” Lucinda sniffed, as another tear tracked down her face.
“What did William write that is so concerning?” Normally Lucinda
shared every phrase over and over until Verity could mouth along
too, but lately she had been too busy helping some of the younger
girls prepare for their upcoming examinations. “Surely it cannot be
so bad.”
The moonlight revealed a faint blush on Lucinda’s cheeks. “It was
most poetic. William was describing me, you see. He said I am beautiful.” She smiled a wobbly smile.
“And if he loves you, then I suppose he should.” Verity nodded her
affirmation, while wondering at how men could be so blind. Lucinda,
beautiful? Even at her best she could only be described as somewhat
attractive. Verity knew herself to hold no pretensions to beauty—her
hair was too black, her eyes too pale, her eyebrows too slanted, her
chin too pointed, the whole effect considered to be odd-looking rather
than attractive, or so her mother said. But it had always surprised
her how men could see what they wanted to see, such as the men
who loved her elder sisters and openly admired their golden beauty,
most recently at last month’s Boxing Day Ball during which Cecy’s
betrothal had been announced. In Verity’s mind, Helena was more
attractive, her smile even brighter than the red curls that adorned her
head. “Titian-haired” their drawing master had once remarked.
Lucinda sighed, reclaiming Verity’s attention. “I suppose he did
get a little carried away.” She smiled coyly, clearly inviting Verity to
enquire further.
Verity stifled the yawn. “It’s very late—”
About Carolyn...
Caroloyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Miller has won a number of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers awards. Her debut series, Regency Brides, is now available in German and Dutch translations and on audiobook. She's a memeber of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers. See more at carolynmillerauthor.com.
Where you can find her online...
Saturday, November 23, 2019
"A Match for Emma" by Pepper Basham ... and a GIVEAWAY! (JustRead blog tour)
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for A Match for Emma by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: A Match for EmmaAuthor: Pepper Basham
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 21, 2019
Emma Mitchell may enjoy sprinkling romance into the lives of others, but her own plans involve a single first-class ticket to culinary school in Europe.
When her best friend, Jon Noble, suddenly moves back to Ransom, Emma’s fairly certain her life can’t get any better…until her matchmaking schemes nosedive, her culinary future falls flat, and a life-long friendship begins to teeter on the brink of something unexpected.
With a little inspiration from Jane Austen’s classic and a touch of Blue Ridge charm, will Jon and Emma discover that what they need the most may be the last thing they’re trying to find?
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
EXCERPT
“And I brought along some of Daphne’s apple tarts, Daddy Cam.” Emma placed the bags on the counter and sidled right up to his dad to place a kiss on his cheek. “Fresh from the oven.”
“You know you’re my favorite, don’t you?”
“Yep, I know.” Emma shot Jonathan a self-satisfied smirk then turned back to his dad.
Jonathan closed in, saving the introspection for later. “I see you’ve picked right up where you left off. Wooing Dad and feeding people.”
Her smile beamed up at him, brightening a little more of the stuffy space. “If you have a gift…”
She drew items out of her bags as if he’d made an emergency list for her. “How…how did you know what we needed? Have you been spying already?”
“Spying? Me?” She rolled her eyes and went back to her work unpacking the bags and placing them in strangely perfect places in the kitchen. “I haven’t spied on you since I was—”
“Fourteen? Fifteen?”
Her mouth widened as big as her eyes. “No! Surely not.”
“Emily Johnson.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the counter to watch the familiar expressions move across her face. Well, maybe he had missed in-person exchanges with her. The glimmer in her eyes appeared much more vibrant in real life than over Skype, and the way she pursed her lips to keep from giving away her grin held a much more comical shift.
“Who?” Her much too innocent look didn’t fool him.
“Oh, you remember her. I think she may have been the one to inspire your broken arm?”
Emma rubbed her left arm as if re-experiencing the fall from the great oak at the entry of his driveway. “Really, Jonathan. How could Emily Johnson have had anything to do with my broken arm?” She turned back to the groceries, obviously avoiding eye contact.
“Curiosity? A certain friend eavesdropping on a goodbye kiss?”
She spun around, index finger raised. “But you didn’t kiss her. You didn’t even give her a hug. Ha! You had much better taste than the likes of—”
His raised brows must have given away the clue he’d proven his point, because her bottom lip dropped. With only a slight hesitation, she snapped those lips closed and narrowed her eyes at him. “Nicely done.”
“I’ve missed this sort of entertainment,” Cam picked up an apple Emma had placed on the counter and rubbed it against his thigh before taking a crunching bite. “Doesn’t seem as if three years has passed a ‘tall.”
“I’m glad to provide entertainment to you, Daddy Cam, but I’m not too sure about that son of yours.” Emma slipped past Jonathan to place a dozen eggs in the refrigerator, her chin tipped in defiance.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her most recent historical romance, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge, showcases her Appalachian heritage and family history, as well as her love for humor and family.
She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her upcoming release, A Match for Emma, is the third book in her popular Mitchell’s Crossroads series.
Pepper loves getting to know readers and other authors through social media. You may also learn more about her on her website!
CONNECT WITH PEPPER: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a Paris cube decorative tote, paperback copy of Jane Austen's Emma, paperback copy of A Match for Emma (or another one of the Mitchell's Crossroads books, if preferred), a 'love' ornament, a mug that reads "You're my cup of tea", and Misty Mountain handcrafted soap (made locally) - the scent is Mountain Berries!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 9, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on November 16, 2019. Open internationally except where prohibited by law or logistics. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
Friday, November 22, 2019
"Call to Love" by Mary Felkins ... and a GIVEAWAY!
Mary has agreed to giveaway one copy of the book to one lucky blog reader. (Winner's choice of a print copy - US ONLY - or an electronic copy.) You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends November 29, 2019. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.)
Call to Love – The
Story Behind the Story
Unbeknownst to me, moving to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountain from my hometown, Houston, Texas, in September, 1997, with my husband and our two kids (now, four) stirred a sleeping desire. Enveloped in breathtaking landscape during the radiance of fall color and cooler temperatures, my imagination began to stir. As a child, I’d “written” several little “stories” (most of which I still have) but never dreamed I’d be called to write professionally – as evidenced by the fact that I acquired a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Nutrition. But these characters I now know by name started talking. I saw them interact with each other, listened in on their dialogue. No clue this was the foundation of a book. As scene ideas interrupted conscious thought, refusing to be silenced, the prophetic sentence spilled out…“I’ll write a book.”…on the heels of an unsavory conversation with my husband about our financial situation at the time.
I wanted to create a heroine who, after the shooting death of her law enforcement father two days before the father-daughter dance, had come to believe the lie that love can’t be trusted, that life is a vapor. It made sense to create her profession as a nurse in the emergency department where she often sees evidence of the frailty of life.
I have great respect for the profession of law enforcement, particularly after graduating from our local police department’s Citizen Police Academy, in 2012 for research purposes and was compelled to create the hero as a hyper-vigilant, robust, and brawny cop. Fun to write, enjoyable to read!
I wondered, What would it be if two crisis-driven professions who don’t hesitate to answer emergency calls crossed paths – one hurt by the loss of her law enforcement father’s death and the other abandoned by his ex after years of investment and sacrifice – yet refused to answer God’s call to love again?
Blurb...
What if saying yes to love means trusting the kind of man you said
you’d never marry?
What if pursuing a woman’s heart means restoring a painful past?
Tracy Cassidy, a fiercely independent ED nurse, must choose
between her dream job or staying in her hometown to help support her mother’s
faltering ministry. Even if it means risking her heart in love with the kind of
man she said she’d never marry.
Why sign up to be Laurelton’s next cop widow?
Tom DeLaney, a hyper-vigilant cop and new hire from Texas, is
wearied by years of failed rescue attempts to save his marriage to his ex. A
free man, he moves to the foothills of North Carolina.
Thing is, he hadn’t
expected to fall for Tracy, his supervisor’s sister. But when his adolescent
son is diagnosed with a chronic illness, he faces the risk of loving another
woman with keep-out issues.
Fears related to the death of Tracy’s cop father and Tom’s
inability to forgive the past threaten to sabotage any chance at love.
To trust again means surrender. Will they risk their hearts and
answer the call?
Fun Facts & Scene Inspiration
I chose to assign Tom’s white squad car the number 19 which references Revelation 19:11: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a Rider on a white horse Whose name is Faithful and True.”
I love this verse! Talk about, “Some day my Prince will come!” I included a white horse named Cruiser, in the story, which is the gift Tracy’s father gave to her when she was ten. It symbolizes her father’s squad car and his promise he’d always be there for her. Cruiser, featured on the front cover, represents the white horse of Revelation 19:11.
Co-Zee’s Coffee Shop with The Gathering Room was inspired by a Christian coffee shop that used to be here in my hometown, Hickory, NC. Today, the place is a bar with pool tables in the back room and features live music on weekends. Sigh. I’m thankful to have “spared” the coffee house within the pages of the book.
In the first scene, the reader finds Tom’s 14-year-old rascally son, Stephen, watching a race car cartoon (aka Speed Racer) because he has fond memories of watching it as a kid. This was inspired by my own son, now 21, who loved Speed Racer so much that he rose early to watch it before his siblings joined him on the sofa and dominated TV time. Stephen shares with Tom the deeper reason for why he loves the show, “The better racer (Racer X) sacrifices winning to protect Speed.” His statement carries a deeper spiritual truth, one Tom needs to learn and later recalls during his black moment event.
In the story, Tracy utilizes what she calls The Humility Score (scale of 1 – 10) when the need for humility is in order. On a few occasions, she gives Stephen a score depending on his attitude. The inspiration for the Humility Score came years ago from interaction with one of my own son’s friend when the two played lacrosse together. Whenever the young man tended toward exuberant pride, I’d slap him a low score…to his dismay. He’s in college now and he still enjoys playing along. Y’all feel free to put it to good use in your own circles of influence. J
The scene in the emergency department with a Mrs. Van Deventer was inspired by my own experience with an elderly friend of mine. She’d been hastily whisked from her assisted living facility to the hospital after another fall and lamented that they’d forgotten to bring her teeth along. Thus, the dear woman was toothless. The ER nurse assigned to her reminded me so much of my heroine that a scene was created from the experience. I also used it to show that things aren’t always a matter of life and death in the emergency department.
My review...
This is the first book I’ve read by Felkins. It’s an emotional,
heartwarming tale of love and second chances.
The prose is descriptive, which makes the reader feel a part
of the story. The characters are well drawn. While I liked Tracy, I particularly
liked her mother. Tom’s son was a realistic portrayal of a teen, and I enjoyed
getting to know him throughout the story. Tom and Tracy face realistic
struggles, and they demonstrate what all Christians are called to do: look to
God and place your burdens at His feet (a reminder I can always use).
If you’re a fan of sweet romances, you’ll want to add this
book to your TBR pile.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t
required to leave a review.
About Mary...
Mary A. Felkins is an
inspirational romance author, devotional writer, and contributor to an on-line
Bible study magazine. Her debut, inspirational romance novel, Call To Love, (www.pelicanbookgroup) releases November
15th, 2019.
Raised in Houston,
Texas–and forever a Lone Star girl-she and her husband Bruce moved to the
foothills of North Carolina in 1997. They have four adolescent to young adult-ish
children. She can be lured from her writing cave if presented with a large,
unopened bag of Pnut M&Ms or to watch an episode of Fixer Upper. A surprise
appearance by her teen idol, Donny Osmond, would also do the trick, although
she’d likely pass out.
If, upon introduction,
she likes your first or last name, expect to see it show up in one of her
novels.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryAFelkins
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maryafelkins/
Twitter https://twitter.com/MaryAFelkins
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Monday, November 11, 2019
"A Silver Willow by the Shore" by Kelli Stuart (Prism Book Group blog tour)
On Tour with Prism Book Tours
A Silver Willow by the ShoreBy Kelli Stuart
Adult Historical, Contemporary, Time-Slip
Paperback & ebook, 380 Pages
October 15th 2019 by Fine Print Writing Press
How do you face the future if you don’t know your own past?
When an unexpected pregnancy changes her dreams, seventeen-year-old Annie tries to keep it from her mother and her grandmother. But secrets have a way of coming out. In a household of strong women, the arrival of a new life sets off a spiral of truth that reveals a past full of whispers and lies—a past that existed in another world under the heavy hand of Soviet oppression. This history has dictated the circumstances of the present, but hope, redemption, and forgiveness will grow in the rocky places of these generational differences.
A Silver Willow by the Shore is the story of the unshakeable love between mothers and daughters and of the impact that past decisions can have on present day circumstances. This novel weaves together the stories of generations of women, from the gulags of 1930’s Siberia, to the quiet oppression of 1980’s Soviet Moscow, to present day Tennessee. It is an unforgettable narrative of the treachery of secrets, and of the light that unites the heart of a family.
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Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
My review...
My review...
As the year draws to a close, I can honestly say Silver Willow by the Shore is one of my favorite reads from 2019. I’ve read other books by Stuart, and she’s become one of my go-to authors.
This book was quite unique, as it’s an engaging multi-generational tale told via three POVs: Annie, her mother Nina, and her grandmother Elizaveta. They’re equally well-developed, and easy to root for and invest in. Their resiliency is inspiring. Each woman has a distinct voice, story, and secrets that are tearing each of them apart inside, though they are keeping them from each other. “Keep it hidden. Share as little as possible.”
The multiple POVs allow the reader to see all angles of the story. James was a wonderful supporting character. He is the perfect definition of a true friend, and I love how his story line unfolds. And that ending? You’ll have to read it for yourself, but trust me when I say it’s beautiful.
A couple of my favorite quotes include:
“No silence is quite so profound as that of unspoken words.”
“Hard doesn’t mean wrong. In fact, doing the right thing will rarely be easy. It will always be hard.”
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy as part of the Prism Book Group blog tour, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
About the Author
Kelli is a wife, mother, novelist, and the driver of a smoking' hot minivan. When she isn't wrangling her five children, she can be found tapping away at the keyboard. Kelli is the award winning author of Like a River From Its Course, her debut novel which won the ACFW Carol Award for Best Historical and was nominated for two Christy Awards. Kelli is also the co-author of Life Creative: Inspiration for Today's Renaissance Mom with Wendy Speake. You can find more information on her life and writings at www.kellistuart.com.
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Tour Giveaway
One winner will receive a Kindle Fire Tablet with Alexa Hands Free + $50 Amazon Gift Card
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