 About the book: A Lone Star Brides book.
Marty Dandridge Olson is ready to leave behind the pain of the past.
Answering an advertisement for a "Lone Star bride," she leaves her Texas ranch and heads to Denver to marry a man she doesn't know.
Jake Wythe is the man waiting for her.
Burned by love, he marries now simply to satisfy the board of Morgan Bank, which believes a man of his standing in society should be wed. Together Jake and Marty agree they are done with romance and love and will make this nothing more than a marriage of convenience.
When missing money and a collapsing economy threaten his job, Jake's yearning to return to ranching grows ever stronger, much to Marty's dismay. But a fondness has grown between them, as well, further complicating matters.
What will happen when their relationship shifts in unexpected ways . . . and dreams and secrets collide?
Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/vlp1S
 About the Author: Tracie Peterson is the award-winning author of over eighty novels, both historical and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her stories, as seen in her bestselling Heirs of Montana, and Alaskan Quest series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana.
Learn more about Tracie at: www.traciepeterson.com
My Review:
"A Sensible Arrangement" is the perfect title for Tracie Peterson's latest (and her 100th!) novel, as that is something that both Jake and Marty are seeking. Marty is seeking to move on with her life and not live with the memories that she has been for the past few years since her husband passed away. Jake is expected to be married and have a perfect wife on his arm at social events. Marty responds to Jake's advertisement and this marriage seems to be the answer for both of them. However, of course things do not go according to plan and the relationship changes in ways neither expected.
This is a great story and I am looking forward to the second one in the series! The setting is well-described so that I felt as if I was truly a part of a story. The historical details add so much to the story as well and I love books that bring history alive. The main characters are flawed as each of us are and I felt that it made it easier to connect with them and really empathize with them throughout the story. While I really liked both Jake and Marty, I also enjoyed the minor characters in the story as well, especially Alice and the role that she plays in Marty's life. I recommend this book to historical fiction fans and am looking forward to reading the rest of this series!
To read other reviews included on this book blog tour, go here!
*Thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*
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Book Info
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 About the book: After her father's death, Mariah Malone sends a letter that will forever alter the lives of her family. When Slade Donovan, strong willed and eager for vengeance, shows up on her front porch, Mariah is not ready to hear his truths: her father's farm, the only home she's ever known, was bought with stolen gold. With Slade ready to collect his father's rightful claim and force Mariah and her family out on the streets, Mariah must turn to God for guidance. Though Mr. Frederick Cooper, a local landowner, promises to answer her financial woes if she agrees to be his bride, Mariah finds herself drawn instead to the angry young man demanding her home.With the ranch now under Slade's careful eye, he unearths more than he ever imagined as a devious plot of thievery, betrayal, and murder threatens the well-being of the ranch, endangering those who hold it dear. As the days dwindle until the rest of the Donovan clan arrives at the Lazy M ranch, Mariah and Slade must rise above the resentment of their fathers and see their true feelings before greed changes their futures forever.
Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/uPDB6
 About the Author: Pam Hillman was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mississippi and spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn't afford two cab tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove the Allis Chalmers 110. Even when her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale hay, she told him she didn't mind raking. Raking hay doesn't take much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up stories in her head. Now, that's the kind of life every girl should dream of!
Learn more about Pam at: http://www.pamhillman.com
My Review:
"Claiming Mariah" is a sweet romance by Pam Hillman which is filled with secrets, suspense and love. Pam dives right into the story and action on the very first page with the two Donovan brothers showing up at Mariah's home to claim the ranch as theirs due to the past between their fathers. Mariah has been living on her family's ranch with her grandmother and she cannot believe the truth; however Mariah is concerned of her father's reputation and carrying for her grandmother and sister. As Slade Donovan comes involved in Mariah's life and in the ranch, secrets are uncovered and things may not be as these two individuals have perceived them to be. As Mariah seeks God's guidance she can feel His leading, but she is not prepared for what all is to come.
This is such a sweet story and one that is filled with action and loveable characters that I was immediately engrossed in and did not want to stop reading! There are things that are uncovered and past issues that need to be dealt with and so much growth and changes for these two main characters that you cannot help but become completely involved in their lives. I highly recommend this historical romance set on a ranch as it will draw you into the story and on a journey with these characters.
To read other reviews included on this blog tour, go here!
*Thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*
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Book Info
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 About the book: From the servant halls of Cleopatra's Egyptian palace to the courts of Herod the Great, Lydia will serve two queens to see prophecy fulfilled.
Alexandria, Egypt 39 BC
Orphaned at birth, Lydia was raised as a servant in Cleopatra's palace, working hard to please while keeping everyone at arm's length. She's been rejected and left with a broken heart too many times in her short life.
But then her dying mentor entrusts her with secret writings of the prophet Daniel and charges her to deliver this vital information to those watching for the promised King of Israel. Lydia must leave the nearest thing she's had to a family and flee to Jerusalem. Once in the Holy City, she attaches herself to the newly appointed king, Herod the Great, as handmaid to Queen Mariamme.
Trapped among the scheming women of Herod's political family---his sister, his wife, and their mothers---and forced to serve in the palace to protect her treasure, Lydia must deliver the scrolls before dark forces warring against the truth destroy all hope of the coming Messiah.
Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/uKKQP
 About the Author: Tracy L. Higley started her first novel at age eight and has been hooked on writing ever since. She has authored many novels, including Garden of Madness and So Shines the Night. Tracy is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Ancient History and has traveled through Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Italy, researching her novels and falling into adventures.
See Tracy's travel journals and more at: tracyhigley.com
My Review:
Wow Tracy L. Higley has done it again - "The Queen's Handmaid" is historical fiction at it's best! Transported back in time to the year of 39 BC in Egypt, we meet Lydia, an orphan whom is uprooted from the only home she has known and become intertwined in Herod's household, a mission and danger. This book is packed full of historical details and vivid images making the setting and the characters come alive in the pages. Tracy has a way with bringing history to life and helping her readers to feel as if they are a part of the characters' lives and experiences. This is an exciting novel that is filled with secrecy and twists and turns, along with complicated relationships as Lydia is trying to fulfill her mission. Once you begin reading, you are not going to want to stop! I love that Tracy has included family trees at the beginning of the novel as this helped me keep the characters straight as to their connections and relationships throughout the story. I highly recommend this book to those whom enjoy historical fiction set in Biblical times!
To read other reviews included on this book blog tour go here!
*Thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*
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 About the book: The first months and years of motherhood can be the most challenging and disorienting of your life---and faith. When you're surrounded by the happy chaos of children, how do you spend quiet time with God if the only quiet time you get is while you sleep? How can you demonstrate a solid spiritual life to your children if you don't have time to pursue one yourself?
When Julia Roller discovered that her spiritual growth had been stunted by the busyness of life with her toddler, she embarked on a yearlong journey through ten spiritual disciplines: prayer, fellowship, submission, study, simplicity, silence, worship, fasting, service, and celebration. As she focused on each discipline, she discovered practical ways to observe them---even in the chaos of her every day.
Purchase a copy and find out more about Julia at: http://www.juliaroller.com
 About the Author: Julia Roller is an author and editor. Her books include Mom Seeks God (Abingdon Press), A Year with God (with Richard J. Foster), A Year with Aslan, and 25 Books Every Christian Should Read. Working with Renovaré, she has also co-authored four spiritual formation guides. She has written study guides for authors such as Desmond Tutu, Richard J. Foster, Henri Nouwen, Jenna Bush, and Rob Bell. Her articles have appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle, Street Spirit, Group, Rev.!, and Children's Ministry. She and her family live in San Diego, California.
My Review:
Being a mom is so rewarding, but it is also nonstop and can be extremely stressful and tiring leaving no energy for anything else including prayer and taking care of one's spiritual well-being. Julia's book "Mom Seeks God: practicing grace in the chaos" is breath of fresh air and encouragement for each and every mom. Julia is straightforward and yet has a sweet conversational tone that immediately draws the reader into the book. This is a book that is filled with ideas and encouragement for dealing with the chaos with God's help and keeping Him a part of one's daily life. What I love about this book is that it is practical and encouraging; meaning that I don't feel as if it would be a losing battle to make changes in my life. I love the tips included at the end of the chapters and look forward to implementing them.
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Book Info
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About Quilts of Love: Quilts tell stories of love and loss, hope and faith, tradition and new beginnings. The Quilts of Love series focuses on the women who quilted all of these things into their family histories. A new book releases each month and features contemporary and historical romances as well as women's fiction and the occasional light mystery. You will be drawn into the endearing characters of this series and be touched by their stories.
 About the book: Maybelle Kazinzki can't sew. She was after all, the only girl in the seventh grade Home Economics class to sew the zipper in the neck hole of the A-Line dress they were supposed to make. But when she finds an unfinished quilt in the attic of her mother's house she gets the crazy idea to finish it---somehow, come heck or high water. She thinks it will help fill the lonely nights while her husband, Holden, is serving overseas during World War II.Her recently departed mother's quilt is made from scraps of material Maybelle traces back to her mother's childhood, her grandmother's childhood and her own childhood. She tries to add one of Holden's stripes to it but the sewing is not going well and neither is her life. After receiving some harsh news, Maybelle's faith falters and she puts the quilt away and stops trusting God. But God is faithful---no matter what. And it'll take a group of neighborhood women armed with quilting needles to help Maybelle believe that. Learn more about this book and the series at the Quilts of Love website.  About the Author: Joyce Magnin is the author of the Bright's Pond novels, including the award-winning The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow. A member of the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Fellowship, Joyce is a frequent workshop leader and the organizer of the StoryCrafters fiction group. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Learn more about Joyce at: http://joycemagnin.blogspot.com
My Review:
I have absolutely been loving the books in the Quilts of Love series that I have read and love this latest addition to the series! "Maybelle in Stitches" is a story that had me laughing, anxious and totally immersed in the story and in Maybelle's life. Set during World War II, I was transported back to this time and how life was for women at home waiting for their loved ones to return to them and dreading receiving bad news. Joyce does an excellent job with recreating this time period in the book and bringing history alive. Maybelle is a loveable main character and one I enjoyed spending time with. Maybelle is not a sewer or quilter and yet attempts to complete the quilt that she finds; I love the meaning behind the quilt, the pieces that make up the quilt and how quilting helps Maybelle through this trying time. I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and I would encourage you to read this book even if you are not familiar with this series as this is a stand-alone novel as well.
To read other reviews included on this blog tour, go here!
*Thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this book blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*
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