Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Catch Yourself a Snowmance



About the Book:

Getting stuck in an old cabin is not my idea of a great winter vacation.

Getting stuck with Carson makes me wonder what I did do end up on Santa’s naughty list.

My friend Noelle talked me into going on a group vacation with our friends. Then she sprung the news that her boyfriend is joinig us ... with his friends.

I’ve met these guys. You know that ape man on the insurance commercials? Gage, Mitch and Carson make that missing link look sophisticated.

I’ll be fine. I brought my Kindle, and we’ll be hitting the slopes. I’ll barely notice Carson and his abs--wait, he has abs?

Carson’s definitely a “man’s man”--all grunts and banging the chest while watching sports games with his bros. He’s not my type. Not at all.

When Carson and I are assigned to run into town to get supplies together, I experience a whole other side of him.

And now I’m completely questioning my first impression.

My Review:

A getaway weekend with a bridal party in the Smokies sounds like so much fun! Alyssa and Carson are a part of the weekend, each not looking for a relationship but are there to support the bride and groom. But, Alyssa and Carson find themselves being able to relax with no work obligations and drawn to each other.

Things to love: dual POV Dorito dust wildlife karaoke snowboarding s-more preferences Wolfgang Puck and Julia Childs humor friends’ relationship advice A Favorite Quote: “No regrets. We all choose our paths, and we can’t choose them all. So embrace the ones you choose and make them ones you’ll never regret because you made the most of them.” I loved this clean romance, kisses only story. I felt a part of the snowy weekend and was sorry to see it draw to a close. I was happy that we got to see a bit into the future with Carson and Alyssa. The Valentine’s Day date was perfect! I was given a complimentary copy with no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.

Monday, November 25, 2024

A Calculated Betrothal

 

About the Book

Book: A Calculated Betrothal

Author: Denise Weimer

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: November 12, 2024

A Patriot scout, a Loyalist widow, and a desperate fight to save what matters most.

The death of her titled husband means that not only is Tabitha Gage no longer a lady—but she’s also abandoned on an isolated Southern Georgia plantation on the eve of revolution. With the fine house and fields sold to a neighbor, she’s left with a log cabin on unsettled timber land. Rather than marry the neighbor’s son, Tabitha determines to make her own way—and never again be shackled to a man she doesn’t love.

Sergeant Edmond Lassiter is one assignment away from promotion when he comes to the aid of a red-haired beauty fending off cattle rustlers. Thrown together during an attack at a nearby fort, the Patriot scout and Loyalist widow are surprised by the values they share—including honesty, loyalty, and equality. When Edmond learns the same man who ruined his family is after what little Tabitha has left, he convinces her they should work together to make her land profitable—all while fighting off the British from East Florida and her greedy neighbor, who sabotages their every effort to succeed. Their work together will be a business arrangement…nothing more. But as a British invasion threatens, the truth soon becomes clear—continuing the connection between them will risk far more than their hearts.

My Review: 

Tabitha Gage is a woman who is ahead of her time. She is strong willed, a free thinker, and carves independence. However, she lives in a time where men make all of the decisions and women’s opinions are generally not regarded not wanted. When Tabitha’s domineering, unloving husband dies she has the chance to explore avenues that were never open to her before. But, unforeseen circumstances threaten to put her into a worse situation than she was in before. I loved her grit and determination as she looks for ways to keep her land and defy some very greedy and unscrupulous men. 

Edmund Lassiter was a true hero. Not only did he help with defending the fort, but he also came to Tabitha’s aid. He fought off their common enemy and helped her to make business deals for timber and another venture. He helped Tabitha see she was intelligent, lovely, and a child of God. 


I enjoyed this story of the Revolutionary War and learned quite a bit about the role Georgia and Florida played in it through this story. I would recommend this story for mature readers as it does have a sexual assault scene, although not graphic. I enjoyed the faith thread that was present throughout the story and Edmund realizing that he needed to forgive his enemy. 


*suicide, premarital relations


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

North Georgia native Denise Weimer has authored around twenty traditionally published novels and novellas–historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and time slip. As a freelance editor and Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books, she’s helped other authors reach their publishing dreams. The mother of two wonderful young adult daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

 

 

 More from Denise

There were only going to be four books in my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier Series. But have you ever had a character take over a story? That’s what happened for books four and five.

Temperance Scott, the shy but principled heroine of A Conflicted Betrothal who started her own Daughter of Liberty group during Savannah’s 1765 Stamp Act Protests, had a feisty twin sister named Tabitha. Tabitha kept marching all over the page in her bright silk gowns, making Temperance feel pale by comparison, jockeying to maintain her position as Daddy’s favorite, and plotting to steal Temperance’s beau. When that failed, she stole the end of the novel instead, saving her sister from authorities tracking down the spy who wrote the Townsman Letters that accused prominent Loyalists of supporting the Stamp Act. Then she wed her father’s choice for her, the much older Henry Gage, Lord Riley, and sailed away on his sloop to avoid punishment. As the book closed, Temperance got to marry her Royal Ranger-turned-Patriot, Ansel Adams, while Tabitha was left to an unknown fate in swampy South Georgia. I kept wondering whatever became of the Savannah belle down there with the snakes and gators.

When I learned that Fort Barrington on the Altamaha River changed hands several times during the American Revolution, becoming Fort Howe while under Patriot control, I had to write book five, A Calculated Betrothal. Fast forward ten years, and Tabitha is newly a widow. The intervening years have not been kind, as her husband marginalized her when it became clear she would not provide him with the heir he desired. Their finances have dwindled as he continually sent money to his wastrel brother-in-law in England. Upon his death, she discovers the fine rice plantation has been sold to their greedy neighbors, Loyalist father and son Hugh and Julian Jackson. Julian has an alternate plan in mind, but Tabitha has no intention of yoking herself to another man she doesn’t love—particularly a cruel slave owner and womanizer. She takes her maid-slash-best-friend Dulcie and flees to the cabin Dulcie’s husband occupies on the south side of the river. This land, at least, is still hers…even though it offers only undeveloped timberland and swampland, free range for the Spanish cattle Dulcie’s husband herds.

But there’s an enemy more dangerous than the snakes and gators, and maybe even than the Jacksons…the British-allied East Florida Rangers that raid into South Georgia—burning, stealing, and rustling cattle. A confrontation with their vengeful colonel puts Tabitha at the top of their list. With enemies all around, how will Tabitha establish her independence? Enter Fort Howe’s Sergeant Edmond Lassiter, a man determined to settle his own score with the Jacksons. He offers the help Tabitha needs, but with their hidden wounds and differing backgrounds, can they learn to trust each other enough to defeat their common enemies?

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 16

Pause for Tales, November 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 17

lakesidelivingsite, November 18

Allyson Jamison, November 18

Books You Can Feel Good About, November 19

Texas Book-aholic, November 20

Connie’s History Classroom, November 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 22

Simple Harvest Reads, November 23 (Guest Review from Donna)

Cover Lover Book Review, November 24

Book Looks by Lisa, November 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 26

For Him and My Family, November 27

Holly’s Book Corner, November 28

Blossoms and Blessings, November 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Denise is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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/00adcf5498

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Lethal Kings

 

About the Book

Book: Lethal Kings (The Fae Dynasty Book Two)

Author: Victoria McCombs

Genre: YA Fae Fantasy

Release date: November 12, 2024

You’ve been warned many times, you cannot trust the kings . . . The old queen is dead, a new queen is in play, and the realm has descended into darkness. For the first time in history, a queen has rejected the game. Eliza will start her reign with no alliances while Althea must fight to save her tenuous bond with the king who cannot love. Her relationship threatens to break, but Althea’s attention becomes divided after receiving a few harrowing clues connecting her past and the game at hand.

Before she can find answers, a mysterious fae appears promising the power of the seventh king to whoever can solve a series of riddles, leaving the fae realm in shambles as they race to come out on top. Althea has one year left. New alliances are forged. Old stories come to life. She must make her move, or the fate of the queens will consume her.

 My Review: 

Lethal Kings, book two in The Fae Dynasty series is one you will definitely want to read if you like fantasy books. It draws you in with the addition of Eliza, the new mortal queen, who just so happens to be in love with Thea’s brother. There is an undercurrent of mistrust and secrets that you’re never quite sure who Thea should trust. 

This story kept me engrossed from page one to the final sentence. I was surprised by the resolution, but it was perfect! I highly recommend reading, even if you do not typically read fantasy. The complex plot, flawed characters, and twists and turns make this an excellent book.  You will want to read Mortal Queens first in order to understand this story.

Things to love:

amazing world building

the game

love stories

treacherous villain

Thea’s family

redemption


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

Victoria McCombs is the author of The Storyteller Series, The Royal Rose Chronicles, and The Fae Dynasty duology, with hopefully many more to come. She survives on hazelnut coffee, 20-minute naps, and a healthy fear of her deadlines, all while raising four wildlings with her husband in Omaha, Nebraska.

 

 

 

 

 More from Victoria

This book came differently to me than my other ones.

It was less plot and structure, and more—what kind of book do I want to write?

I wanted riddles for them to solve, which created the Gamemaster character. I wanted a healthy family aspect, which began the process of repairing the relationships I’d burned in book one. And I wanted a character who knew exactly what she wanted and never waivered from that. Other scenes came from these wishes, like the chess game where the players are the chess pieces, and the War of Hearts played in the labyrinth.

Together, I think it blended nicely, and I can’t wait for readers to get ahold of it!

Blog Stops

Inspired by Fiction, November 16

The Lofty Pages, November 16

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 17

Texas Book-aholic, November 18

Inklingsandnotions , November 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 20

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 21

Book Looks by Lisa, November 21

Wishful Endings, November 22

Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 23

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, November 24

Blogging With Carol, November 25

Simple Harvest Reads, November 26 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, November 27

Fiction Book Lover, November 28 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, November 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Victoria is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a hardback copy of the book!!

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/00adcf5499

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

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.

Monday, November 18, 2024

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.

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

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.

Sunday, November 10, 2024

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

Never Forgotten

  About the Book Book:  Never Forgotten Author:  Hannah Linder Genre:  Christian Fiction / Historical / Regency Romance Release date:  Novem...