"To Have and to Hold"

Book Description from the publisher:

They’ve helped orchestrate the perfect day for countless couples. Now twelve new couples will find themselves in the wedding spotlight in the second Year of Weddings novella collection.
Love Takes the Cake: A September Wedding Story by Betsy St. Amant
Charlotte Cantrell is always the baker; never the bride. When Will, a regular at Charlotte’s bakery, catches her attention, she can only hope that he is the reliable man this single mother has always hoped to find. The problem is that he’s regularly stopping in to buy cookies for another girl. But when Charlotte is hired to bake a host of wedding goodies for a difficult bride and finds out Will is the best man, she has the perfect opportunity to get to know him better—and find out how serious Will is about this other girl in his life.
The Perfect Arrangement: An October Wedding Story by Katie Ganshert
Amelia Woods is a small-town wallflower and the proud owner of Forget-Me-Nots, a quaint flower shop. Her love life has always been a bit lackluster—until she ends up in an embarrassing fender-bender with handsome Nate Gallagher. Meanwhile, Amelia’s younger brother, William, has proposed to his girlfriend. Amelia would be excited except she has evidence that the fiancée is not who she says she is. It seems Nate is the only one available for any advice-giving, and he’s good at it—and pretty fun to talk to too. As Amelia works to craft the perfect flower arrangements for other people, she begins to wonder if real love is better than the dream. And if it is, will Nate still be interested when he learns who she is?
Love in the Details: A November Wedding Story by Becky Wade
When Josh returns to his hometown of Martinsburg, Texas, to help his best friend get married, he didn’t intend to run into church wedding coordinator—and ex-girlfriend—Holly. He can’t help but pine after the girl he never got over. Holly broke up with Josh years ago in an attempt to ensure his future success. But she loved him then and still loves him now. As she helps him plan his best friend’s wedding, she longs to be with Josh but doesn’t feel worthy of his big-time lifestyle when she is more comfortable in her smalltown world. Will Josh and Holly be able to keep things as they are when their true feelings threaten to surface at every turn?


My Review:
"To Have and to Hold" is such a sweet collection of novellas!  I loved all 3 of them and was left wanting to read more!  This novella collection contains the stories that were released last September, October and November.  In the first story, Charlotte is falling for Will whom comes into her bakery (The Dough Knot, how cute is that?!), but it turns out he is buying sweets for another girl, of course, but Charlotte is given the chance to spend more time with Will and for him to spend more time with Charlotte as well and perhaps see her as more than just a baker.  Amelia owns a flower shop, Forget Me-Nots (another adorable shop!) and has never had much of a love life.  Life becomes a little more interesting following a small accident involving Nate, whom Amelia finds she is attracted to and likes to talk to.  Becky Wade's novella is the last novella in this collection and is such a sweet story of Holly, who finds herself as the church wedding coordinator in close contact with her ex-boyfriend whom has returned to town for his best friend's wedding.  I highly recommend this book, such a great collection of sweet love stories that will cause you to drift away to sweet romance and gorgeous fall weddings. 


*Thanks to the BookLook Bloggers Program for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*

Secrets that will either restore their shattered relationships or separate the family forever.

Book info

About the book: The Things We Knew (Thomas Nelson, July 2016) A tragedy from the past resurfaces in this tale of family secrets and reignited love. After her mother's death twelve years ago, Lynette Carlisle watched her close-knit family unravel. One by one, her four older siblings left their Nantucket home and never returned. All seem to harbor animosity toward their father, silently blaming him for their mother's death. Nobody will talk about that dreadful day, and Lynette can't remember a bit of it. But when next-door neighbor Nicholas Cooper returns to Nantucket, he brings the past with him. Once her brother's best friend and Lynette's first crush, Nick seems to hiding things from her. Lynette wonders what he knows about the day her mother died and hopes he might help her remember the things she can't. But Nick has no intention of telling Lynette the truth. Besides the damage it might cause his own family, he doesn't want to risk harming the fragile friendship between him and the woman he once thought of as a kid sister. As their father's failing health and financial concerns bring the Carlisle siblings home, secrets begin to surface---secrets that will either restore their shattered relationships or separate the siblings forever. But pulling up anchor on the past propels them into the perfect storm, powerful enough to make them question all they ever believed in. Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/29vkFGh   About the author: Catherine West writes stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. When she's not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border collie for long walks on the beach or tending to her roses and orchids. She and her husband have two grown children. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram My Review: Wow, "The Things We Knew" is an intense read from the start to the end filled with characters whom become so real and become wedged into your heart and life.  Catherine West does an incredible job with creating two families filled with members whom lives become intertwined once again after so many years and could be the last time or the beginning of a reconnection.  Lynette is the youngest of the five Carlisle siblings and her memories are spotty, but bits and pieces are returning with the return of Nicholas Cooper and then Lynette's siblings as well.  As secrets, mystery, the past are all coming together along with the present and they are forced to decide if they can forgive and how strong their faith actually is.  There are some different issues discussed and faced by the characters giving so much depth to the characters and the ability to relate to the story.  To read other reviews included on this blog tour, go here! *Thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for the complimentary copy of this book and for including me on the blog tour.*

Will the secret that Robert has kept ruin his chance at love?

Book info

About the book: The Loyal Heart (Zondervan, July 2016) Robert came to Galveston to fulfill his promise to a dying man and look after his widow. He didn't expect to find love in the unlikeliest of places. Robert Truax, former Second Lieutenant and Confederate officer in the Civil War, made a promise to his comrade Phillip Markham. If anything happened to Phillip, Robert would look after his beloved wife, Miranda. She was his life, his world, his everything. After the war, Robert is left to pick up the pieces and fulfill his pact. When he arrives at Miranda's home in Galveston, Texas, things are worse than he imagined. Phillip's name has been dragged through the mud, everyone in town believes him to be a traitor, and his widow is treated as an outcast. Even more disturbing is her emotional well-being. Miranda seems hopeless, lost, and so very alone. Robert had thought his duty would be simple. He would help Miranda as quickly as possible in order to honor a promise. But the moment Robert laid eyes on her, his plans changed. He's mesmerized by her beauty and yearns to help her in any way he can. He makes it his duty to protect Miranda, turn her reputation around, and to find some way to help her smile again. But it doesn't prove to be an easy task---Robert knows something about Phillip that could shake Miranda to the core and alter her view of the man she thought she knew so well. Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/2ae3eOX   About the author: Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

My Review:
"The Loyal Heart" is a book rich with historical detail and sweet romance.  Shelley created characters whom are strong, compassionate, loyal and ones whom readers cannot help but root for and empathize with.  Robert made a promise and is determined to fulfill the promise, but he finds his heart more involved than he thought possible as he finds he wants to help and protect Miranda as much as he can.  Miranda has suffered a loss and is lost and unable to move on, her hurt is overwhelming and she is suffering even more as her reputation and name has been destroyed.  I loved reading books set during the Civil War and this focuses on life right after this and trying to piece back together life and move on.  I liked how Shelley tied in the flashbacks, thus giving a deeper understanding of the war experiences and how they influenced the characters to whom they were after.  I highly recommend this book for historical fiction fans and am looking forward to Shelley's next Lone Star Hero's Love Story to be released next year!


To read other reviews included on this blog tour go here!


*Thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review and for including me on this blog tour.

"Without Warning"

"Without Warning" is the second book in Lynette Eason's Elite Guardians series and it is fast-paced and one that will keep you turning the pages all the way to the end and leave you wanting more!  Daniel has no idea why he is being targeted but he is apparently a target when he finds a former employee hanging in the basement of his restaurant and then soon after another one of his restaurants is going up in flames as a result of arson.  Daniel's niece seeks out the help from her self-defense instructor and friend Katie whom is part of the Elite Guardians group as Daniel is the only family she has left and her guardian.  As Katie and the rest of her team become involved in the case they find themselves scrambling to uncover whom is targeting Daniel and why as they and others become in the line of fire as well.  

I am a huge fan of Lynette's books and this was another winner from her!  I always find myself staying up way to late reading as it is impossible to stop in the midst of the action and chaos without knowing that the characters are fine and who is behind the incidents.  I was thrilled that this one came out so soon after book #1 and now I am anxiously awaiting book #3!


*Thanks to the Revell Bloggers Program for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*

Dana Mentink’s ‘Fetching Sweetness’ Prize Pack Giveaway

A recipe for love and loss, merriment and mayhem, fun and faith in the backwoods of the Pacific Northwest can only be found in Fetching Sweetness by Dana Mentink. It should have been so simple for Stephanie Pink: Retrieve a reclusive author's valuable new manuscript and be promoted to a full-fledged literary agent. But when the author's canine companion, Sweetness, makes a break for it and Stephanie has to track Sweetness down, she meets Rhett Hastings. They’re in for a surprising string of adventures and misadventures.

Celebrate the release of Fetching Sweetness with Dana by entering to win the Sweetness Unleashed Prize Pack!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Fetching Sweetness
• A $75 Visa cash card
• A library book necklace
• A dog-inspired insulated shopping tote

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on August 24. The winner will be announced August 25 on Dana's blog.

Book info

About the book: Fetching Sweetness (Harvest House, July 2016) Standing between Stephanie and her dream is one hundred pounds of lovable trouble. It should have been so simple for Stephanie Pink: Meet up with Agnes Wharton in a small town in California, retrieve the reclusive author's valuable new manuscript, and be promoted to a full-fledged literary agent. But Agnes's canine companion, Sweetness, decides to make a break for it before Stephanie can claim her prize. Until Agnes has Sweetness safely back at home in Eagle Cliff, Washington, Stephanie will never set eyes on the manuscript she needs to make her dreams come true. When Stephanie tracks the runaway mutt to a campground, she meets Rhett Hastings---a man also on the run from a different life and a costly mistake. Rhett agrees to help Stephanie search for the missing dog . . . thus launching a surprising string of adventures and misadventures. Once Sweetness gets added to the mix, it's a recipe for love and loss, merriment and mayhem, fun and faith in the backwoods of the Pacific Northwest. Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/2auLee3   About the author: Dana Mentink lives in California, where the weather is golden and the cheese is divine. Dana is an American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year finalist for romantic suspense and an award winner in the Pacific Northwest Writers Literary Contest. Her suspense novel, Betrayal in the Badlands, earned a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third and fourth grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with her husband, two daughters, a dog with social anxiety problems, a chubby box turtle, and a feisty parakeet. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram My Review: "Fetching Sweetness" is such a sweet and fun read, and at the same time full of heart.  Stephanie is on a mission to obtain a manuscript that fans have been waiting for, for over a decade.  However, they are going to be waiting a bit more as well as Stephanie waiting for her promotion as work as the author's dog takes off and she makes a deal with Stephanie, no manuscript until she finds and returns her dog.  When Stephanie stumbles onto a campground and finds herself accepting help from a man she doesn't know, she finds herself at the beginning of an adventure.  Rhett is on a journey to find some healing from his past and helping this woman and a dog was not part of the plan, but he finds himself offering to help and hoping Stephanie will help him with his own journey.  I loved this book and found myself laughing out loud at times and at other times wanting to reach out and hug Stephanie and Rhett as bits and pieces of their pasts are shared.  The characters have enough eccentricities to make them so fascinating, but also "normal" enough that they are easy to empathize with.  I cannot wait to read what Dana writes next! To read other reviews included on this blog tour, go here! *Thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a  honest review.*

NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible

Book Description from the publisher:

Context Changes Everything
You’ve heard many Bible stories hundreds of times, but how many behind-the-scenes details are you missing? Sometimes a little context is all you need to discover the rich meaning behind the stories of Scripture.
That’s what the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible provides. Every page is packed with expert insight into the customs, culture, and literature of Bible times. These fascinating explanations will serve to clarify your study of the Scriptures, reinforcing your confidence and bringing difficult passages of Scripture into sharp focus.
Discover new dimensions of insight to even the most familiar Bible passages as you take a behind-the-scenes tour into the ancient world.
The Bible was originally written to an ancient people removed from us by thousands of years and thousands of miles. The Scriptures include subtle culturally based nuances, undertones, and references to ancient events, literature and customs that were intuitively understood by those who first heard the Scriptures read. For us to hear the Scriptures as they did, we need a window into their world.
The NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, with notes from Dr. John H. Walton (Wheaton College) in the Old Testament and Dr. Craig S. Keener (Asbury Theological Seminary) in the New Testament, brings to life the ancient world of Scripture for modern readers.
Features: • The full text of the NIV • Targeted book introductions explain the context in which each book of the Bible was written • Insightful and informative verse-by-verse study notes reveal new dimensions of insight to even the most familiar passages • Key Old Testament (Hebrew) and New Testament terms are explained and expanded upon in two helpful reference features • Over 300 in-depth articles on key contextual topics • 375 full-color photos, illustrations, and images from around the world • Dozens of charts, maps, and diagrams in vivid color • Words of Jesus in red • Additional study Bible tools: cross references, a concordance, indexes and other helps




My Review:
This Bible is a wonderful one for further study into the life and times of the Bible, the stories and people whom lived during this time.  This is a nice hardcover edition filled with so many nice extra features.  I love the articles and the maps and charts that are included throughout the Bible as I found they added so much as far as going more in-depth.  I will keep this Bible as one to use and study as home as it is heavy and thick, therefore not fitting too well into my purse. 


*Thanks to the BookLook Bloggers Program for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*

Carrie Stuart Parks’ ‘When Death Draws Near’ Undercover Artist Starter Set

Plunge into forensic artist Gwen Marcey's world, full of cold-case murders, shady politics, and a den of venomous suspects. Add Carrie Stuart Parks' new Gwen Marcey novel, When Death Draws Near, to the top of your must-read list. Gwen accepts temporary work in Pikeville, Kentucky—a small town facing big-city crime. But before she can finish her first drawing of the serial rapist who is on the loose, the latest witness vanishes. Just like all the others. Can Gwen uncover the truth—and convince anyone to believe her—before she becomes a victim herself?

Join Carrie in celebrating the release of When Death Draws Near by entering to win an Undercover Artist Starter Set.

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of When Death Draws Near
• A $30 Michael's or Hobby Lobby gift card (winner's choice)
• Colored pencils
• A sharpener
• A pencil case
• An eraser
• A coloring prayer book
• A coloring notecard set
• A lap desk

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on August 22. The winner will be announced August 23 on the Litfuse blog.

Book info

About the book: When Death Draws Near (Thomas Nelson, August 2016) Death has always been part of Gwen Marcey's job. But when faced with her own mortality, everything takes on a different hue. Forensic artist Gwen Marcey is between jobs and homes when she accepts temporary work in Pikeville, Kentucky. The Eastern Kentucky town, located deep in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, has been plagued by a serial rapist and a series of unexplained deaths. Before Gwen can develop a composite drawing, the latest witness vanishes, just like all the previous victims. Turning her attention to sketching the face of an unidentified body, she discovers a link between his death and a Pentecostal serpent-handling church. Serpent-handling is illegal in Kentucky, and the churches have gone underground to avoid the authorities and continue to worship as they believe. Gwen is offered a handsome reward to infiltrate the renegade members, a reward she desperately needs as it seems her breast cancer has returned. Joined by her digitally-obsessed, Generation Z daughter, Gwen goes undercover to a nineteenth century revival, planning to draw the faces of the snake handlers so they can be identified and arrested. Instead she uncovers a murderous plot and a festering evil. Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/2auSB8Y   About the author: Carrie Stuart Parks is a Christy finalist as well as a Carol award-winning author. She has won numerous awards for her fine art as well. An internationally known forensic artist, she travels with her husband, Rick, across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law enforcement professionals. The author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing and painting, Carrie continues to create dramatic watercolors from her studio in the mountains of Idaho. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest My Review: "When Death Draws Near" is the first of Carrie Stuart Parks' Gwen Marcey's novel that I have read and I am now looking forward to reading the other two books in the series.  Gwen takes on a temporary job as she is in between work at the time.  This small town has a  huge amount of issues going on as their appears to be a serial rapist, deaths and possibly some underground activities and illegal events taking place.  However, Gwen isn't receiving the support she was hoping for and she soon finds herself right smack in the midst of the problems and quite possibly her own life on the line.  This is a fast-moving book filled with twists and turns, drama and suspense.  Gwen is a great main character as she has a fascinating and never boring job, and is facing real life challenges; therefore making her completely relatable and easy to empathize with.  I highly recommend this latest read from Carrie! To read other reviews included on this blog tour go here! *Thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*