Perfectly Wedded

About the Book:

Who gets married out of convenience? Apparently, I do. My best friend was only supposed to be my fake date to a high-stakes Vegas event. But when my ex showed up with another woman on his arm, my friend suggested the ultimate pretending we were engaged.

When I accidentally mention my medical insurance issues due to a car accident, he proposes taking our charade to the next level—a temporary marriage until I'm better.

I nearly spit out my drink.

Yeah, right. Like that won't completely ruin our friendship.

But we can’t go back now. Our charade worked so well that everyone bought it—even my ex who leaked our Vegas wedding all over the internet.

Now we have to go through with this farce…at least until I'm better and the media storm dies down for my hockey star husband.

If that wasn't complicated enough, my sister is married to his brother, which means this fake marriage just took things from ‘mildly complicated’ to ‘full-blown family soap opera.’

We'll have to sell this to our friends and family by fake kissing and sharing a bedroom, all while sticking to our friend zone rules behind closed doors.

But there’s just one tiny secret he doesn’t

I’ve been in love with my best friend since I met him.

When he pulls me close and says, “my wife,” I know I won’t ever forget that.

My Review:

Do you like hockey romances? How about a marriage of convenience story? You’ll want to read this book. Sloan and Vale have been friends for quite some time and have been through thick and thin together. But, how far will their friendship take them when Sloane needs medicine she cannot afford? I loved the friends to more story with well meaning family and friends to help Sloan and Vale navigate their relationship.

Things to love:

dual POV

amnesia incidents

childhood crush

Las Vegas

Carolina Crushers

cereal pet names

one bed

clean romance

This is the first book in the Perfect Crush Hockey Romance series, but it does have characters from the Love on Thin Ice series that are in the story. I enjoyed seeing them again. 

I was given a complimentary copy of the book. A positive review was not required, and all opinions are my own.

The Queen's Cook

 

About the Book: 

In the heart of ancient Persia, the empire's Jewish citizens face an ominous edict that threatens their very existence. Roxannah, the daughter of a once-privileged but now impoverished Persian lord, is devastated by the news. Her father sees this edict as a stroke of good fortune, an opportunity to settle his mounting debts by killing the Jewish physician, Adin, and seizing his belongings, but instead he meets his own untimely end, leaving Roxannah destitute and adrift. Desperate and determined to support her mother while settling the debt, Roxannah approaches Adin--the man whose kind eyes still haunt her--to help her find employment in Queen Esther's kitchens.

In the opulent palace of Susa, Roxannah strives to overcome prejudice and adversity as she ascends through the ranks in the royal kitchen. Her culinary talent earns her the trust and mentorship of Queen Esther herself, a woman of grace and wisdom, who is navigating treacherous palace politics and whispers of her inability to produce an heir after six years of marriage. Amid this unfolding connection, Roxannah and Adin uncover a sinister plot against Amestris, the king's most powerful wife and Esther's archenemy. As secrets unravel and alliances are tested, the fate of Amestris and Esther's reign hang in the balance.

My Review: 

I never really thought about what happened to Esther after reading her story in the Bible. But, author Tessa Afshar creates an intriguing story and charged atmosphere of the complexities of royal court life. I loved the story of Roxannah as she discovers she is precious to God. Adin, and to many others, including royalty!

Read for:
cooking
mystery
fact woven into the story
monarch rivalry
political intrigue
murder
romance
forgiveness
faith of characters

I highly recommend this book to readers of Biblical fiction that has a wonderful male main character. This is the first book in the Queen Esther’s Court series. I am looking forward to reading the other books too!

I was given a complimentary copy of the book. A positive review was not required, and all opinions are my own.

Across the Ages

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Caroline holds a deep secret. Living in 1727 and 1927 simultaneously, each night she goes to sleep in one life and wakes up in the other. In search of answers to her unique existence, Caroline stumbles upon a letter from her mother hinting at her own experiences as a time-crosser, sending Caroline on a daring quest to uncover the truth. In 1727, Caroline disguises herself as a cabin boy and joins a ship sailing for the Bahamas, her mother's last known location, where she crosses paths with a ruthless but handsome pirate and is caught in a web of secrets, deception, and unexpected alliances.

In 1927 St. Paul, Minnesota, Caroline grapples with her other life as the daughter of a renowned preacher. Her two older brothers have fallen prey to the corruption rampant during Prohibition, and Caroline struggles to keep their involvement hidden to save her father's career. As her search for answers about her time-crossing leads her to the dangerous yet exciting world of speakeasies, Caroline enlists the help of a childhood friend who is now a police officer. But with her family's future at risk and their loyalties tested, Caroline faces a life-altering decision that could reshape her destiny.

My Review:

Have you tried a time-crossing book before? If not, you should read this book, and for that matter, the whole series! Author Gabrielle Meyer has an amazing ability to create such believable stories that when I read these stories I think this actually happens. The way she weaves historical facts in with fiction is remarkable. 

Caroline lives two very different lives, one in 1727 and one in 1027. I loved that they couldn’t be more opposite from each other, but at the same time had similarities. Seeking to find answers to why she experiences a different life every other day causes her to do things that are contrary to what she would choose. Caroline’s love, selflessness,  and compassion for those in need made her such a sweet and endearing character. I loved that she chose to see the good in others, forgive, and help when she could. I found it extremely interesting what Caroline’s mother chose to do with her time-crossing ability. 

I highly recommend this book and the others in the Timeless series. Each book is well written and engaging. This is the fourth book, and while it can be read as a standalone, there are characters from past stories that are mentioned or Caroline meets. 

* adultery, miscarriage on page

I was given a complimentary copy of the book. A positive review was not required, and all opinions are my own.

AUTHOR BIO

Gabrielle Meyer (GabrielleMeyer.com) is an ECPA bestselling author. She has worked for state and local historical societies and loves writing fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. She currently resides along the banks of the Mississippi River in central Minnesota with her husband and four children. By day, she's a busy homeschool mom, and by night she pens fiction and nonfiction filled with hope.

Into the Sunset

 

About the Book

Book: Into the Sunset (A Western Light Book Three)

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: October 15, 2024

Will the sun set on their chance at happiness before they can seize it?

To finally escape the clutches of her controlling husband and the threat of being recommitted to an asylum, Ginny Rutledge enlists the help of her friends, Maeve O’Toole and Dakota Harlan. Fleeing their own tumultuous pasts, the group embarks on a journey to prove Ginny’s sanity. However, as they confront the shadows they wish they could forget, danger looms from unexpected places.

Maeve grapples with her mother’s impending remarriage and seizes a rare chance to escape her homestead–but that means reuniting with Dakota, the man she holds responsible for her father’s death, who is caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful family. As the two of them navigate their shared history and a dangerous mission, Dakota is forced to confront his deepest fears and fight for the woman who has unwittingly captured his heart.

 My Review: 

Ginny Rutledge has been living in fear of her husband and what he will do to her should he find her, but she decides to face her fears and have legal proceedings so he no longer has authority over her. I loved her strong character and the courage she had to stand up to her husband. Her empathy towards other women who were institutionalized was what really drew me to her. What she did to help them was a great solution and one that I applaud Ginny for doing to improve their lives.

I would like to have seen the love story of Maeve and Dakota developed more. At one point they are very much at odds with Maeve wanting nothing to do with him. I was surprised that they quickly moved into a courtship after that. However, I always like to see a HEA and the ending was well done.

This is the last book in the series and it should be read in the order in which they were published. There is a back story for all of these characters that enhance this story. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to readers of historical Christian fiction with a western setting.

I was given a complimentary copy of the book. A positive review was not required, and all opinions are my own.

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books and is the author of the popular series Wyoming Sunrise and The Lumber Baron’s Daughters and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

 

 

More from Mary

Into the Sunset is the third book in A Western Light series, and I always love the wrap up of a series. In this book I’ve got a deliciously evil villain, and I’ve worked that villain in and out of the characters lives at the end of each of the first two books, but he keeps coming back. This time, he really gets what’s coming to him. Anyway, it’s not a shocking thing to say: the bad guy loses. I’ll bet most readers of my work knew that was coming. It’s the HOW that makes it fun.

My heroine is one I really enjoyed: Maeve O’Toole—a red-headed, sassy Irish lass with a mild brogue. And my hero, Dakota Harlan, has interested her from the first moment she laid eyes on him. Except that moment was several years ago, and she blamed him for her father’s death on the wagon train Dakota was leading. Then life separated them as he went on to Oregon and her family turned aside to homestead in Idaho. Now Dakota is back in Maeve’s life again. She’s had a chance to see that her anger with Dakota was unfair and has discovered that Dakota has always admired her. He’d probably scoop her up and marry her, if it wasn’t for the men trying to kill him. He doesn’t have much room for a wife in the life he’s living now.

In this story, I bring back all the characters from the earlier two books. The villain who’s been harassing them all along reappears, and the men hunting Dakota show up, too. Ginny must go to court to break the hold her evil husband has over her, declaring her insane and locking her away. She’s been hiding ever since. But now she’s ready to face him in court, but a conniving, wealthy man like her husband never plays fair.

Into the Sunset is packed with love and action, adventure and danger. All play out against the hectic railroad town of Cheyenne, Wyoming a few years after Wyoming becomes the first state to give women the right to vote. And there are some tough, smart women ready to stand between Ginny and a cruel husband. And plenty of tough smart cowboys, too. I hope you love this story!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 9

Book Looks by Lisa, November 10

Devoted To Hope, November 10

lakesidelivingsite, November 11

Texas Book-aholic, November 12

For Him and My Family, November 12

Lighthouse Academy Blog, November 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 14

Jeanette’s Thought , November 14

Betti Mace, November 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 16

Holly’s Book Corner, November 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 17

Stories By Gina, November 18 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, November 18

She Lives To Read, November 19

Cover Lover Book Review, November 20

Labor Not in Vain, November 20

Books You Can Feel Good About, November 21

Connie’s History Classroom, November 22

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, November 22

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize of a $20 Amazon gift card and a full paperback set of the A Western Light series by Mary Connealy: Chasing the Horizon, Toward the Dawn, and Into the Sunset!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5491

A Truth Revealed

About the Book:

Laura Evans, a spirited young woman with a deep-rooted faith in God, returns home from boarding school to her father--unaware of his dark secrets. Determined to live by her faith while respecting her father's contrasting views, Laura's world shifts when she crosses paths with a devoted preacher. 

Wilson Porter is driven by a calling to work with the Shoshone people but faces constant delays from government officials. Then tragedy strikes, shaking his faith and causing him to question everything he once believed. As Will and Laura's tentative friendship grows into something more, it becomes ensnared in a web of dark secrets and injustices. Together, they're confronted with a daunting Can love withstand the trials of deception and tragedy--or will their shattered lives leave them with an uncertain path forward?

My Review:

Laura Evans has been away from her father for many years, and when she returns home he is a different man that what she remembered. Driven by personal gain and bitterness, Granite Evans crosses the line legally and morally in order to achieve his goals. I was extremely happy that Laura found Godly friends who gave her wisdom and support when she needed it most when realizing her impressions of her father were not entirely accurate.

Discovering her father was someone who would stop at nothing to become governor was dangerous for Laura and led her to a crossroads of decisions. I am glad she was able to confide in Wilson and trust him to help. They were very good for each other as Laura was able to be there for Wilson when he had a crisis of faith. I loved the plot twist that caught me off guard.

I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through AustenProse tours. A positive review was not required, and all opinions are my own.

The Trail to the Lonely Tree

 

About the Book: 

Trail to the Lonely Tree (Book 1 of the Jaguar Oracle Series) 

Author: Kurt Frederick Mahler

Genre: Christian Magical Realism Fantasy

Publication Date: November 25, 2024

A richly poetic tale of friendship, courage, and destiny that will awaken the imagination of children and adults alike. 

When Oracle, a jaguar from the Yucatan, learns of the dying words of the last jaguar in the Rio Grande Valley, he finds himself on a perilous journey to see a prophecy fulfilled. To do so he must travel1,400 miles to Texas and find the Lonely Tree, where his kin spoke an enigma to the heavens as hunters took him down. But the Lonely Tree is a dangerous realm of Man -- and Oracle will need more than his own wisdom and strength to fulfill the task. Oracle remembers Eden and the naming of the animals; what Adam spoke to the first of each kind. He discovers that the animals in the Valley have forgotten their names -- as has Man himself. Can he not only fulfill the prophecy, but help the animals reclaim ancient truths before they are lost forever?

This hope-filled tale explains the quest for courage in a fallen world and how to make the faith journey-- and its sacrifices-- worthwhile.

About the Author:

 Kurt Frederick Mahler writes in the prophetic and poetic tradition, inspired by the wonder of creation and cultures of the world. He and his wife have served to forty nations as encouragers in the Christian faith, where Kurt discovered the beauty and wisdom of storytelling. His roots include the Gulf Coast, Rio Grande Valley, and Heart of Texas.

An Ode to Poison

Welcome to the Blog Tour for An Ode to Poison by Lisa E. Betz, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: An Ode to Poison
Series: Livia Aemilia Mysteries #3
Author: Lisa E. Betz
Publisher: Breakthrough Christian Publishing
Release Date: October 21, 2024
Genre: Historical Mystery

What do death by poison, a ruthless senator, and a poetry party have in common? 

They combine to draw Livia Aemilia into her most dangerous investigation yet. She must risk setting foot in the house of her worst enemy, Senator Tiberius Gracchus, to investigate the death of his wife. (Don’t worry, she has a plan.) 

The victim’s sister is convinced Gracchus is the killer. If so, proving his guilt in Rome’s law courts could put a stop to his nefarious threats forever. 

Livia is sure this investigation is God’s plan to protect her family from their malicious enemy. And maybe it will finally convince her husband Avitus that God is real. 

The more Livia and Avitus dig, the more it looks like they will finally bring Gracchus to justice. Until another victim is poisoned, and everything they think they know is turned upside down. 

My Review:

Livia Aemilia is a lady who is before her time. She is bold, inquisitive, and perfect for sleuthing, something that women were not allowed to do in ancient Rome. I enjoyed the turns the plot took as suspects are eliminated from the killer list. Livia has to be careful in her investigations which gives the story another air of mystery to it. I did find the story to be a bit slow in the middle, but the conclusion was exciting when the murderer was captured and motives were exposed. 

Fans of historical fiction that has a strong faith element will enjoy this story. You will see Livia walk out her faith and other characters be drawn to God through her actions. This is the third book in the series but can be read as a standalone.

I was given a complimentary copy of the book. A positive review was not required, and all opinions are my own.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

More Books in This Series

 

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About the Author

Lisa E. Betz is an engineer-turned-mystery-writer, entertaining speaker, and speaking coach. She inspires others to become their best selves, living with authenticity, and purpose, and she infuses her novels with quirky characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her Livia Aemilia Mysteries, set in first-century Rome, have won several awards, including the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021). She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in her novels. Lisa directs church dramas, hikes the beautiful Pennsylvania woods, eats too much chocolate, and spoils her grandsons.

Connect with Lisa by visiting lisaebetz.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed set of all 3 Livia Aemilia Mysteries in paperback!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 4, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 11, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!