"Just Let Go"

I absolutely LOVED Courtney Walsh's novel "Just Look Up" and I was so excited when I found out that there was another novel set in Harbor Pointe!  "Just Let Go" is book #2 in this series by Courtney and it is just as good as the first!  Quinn Collins has been waiting years to own the flower shop that her mother owned when Quinn was young and now that time has come.  However, more importantly to Quinn this is the chance she has been waiting for to get her mother's attention.  Her mother who left town and never came back when Quinn and her sister were young.  Grady is at a low in his career and really to be honest, his life in general.  He may not make the Olympic team for skiing, even though he used to be at the top, but his latest runs have him highlighted all over social media and not in a good way.  Grady finds himself stopping into the diner in Harbor Pointe and that was a big mistake as he finds himself in jail overnight and then having to stay in town to fulfill community service hours.  Quinn is trying to prove herself to her mother, and Grady is trying to prove himself to his family, to make up for an accident in the past, by winning the gold.

This is such an amazing story!  Courtney does an incredible job with creating the characters, they are all so real as well as the setting.  I wanted to be inside the book, at Hazel's Kitchen drinking coffee with the girls or joining in on supper with Quinn, Judge, and the gang, and visiting the cottages that Lane and Ryan have worked on fixing up.  I loved all the familiar places in town from "Just Look Up" and also getting to know more about some of the characters.  I am really hoping for book #3 for another chance to spend time in Harbor Pointe and all the townspeople, maybe hearing Betsy's story, or a happy ending for Carly and of course seeing how things go for Jaden.  This is such a sweet story of hurt, loss, the importance of family and community and relying on strength from God and seeking His help and guidance.  I highly recommend the Harbor Pointe books!

Click here to read an excerpt: To read the first chapter!

*Thanks to the Tyndale Blog Network for the complimentary copy of this book.*

Devotions with trivia added in!

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This is such a great devotion book!  "365 Trivia Twist Devotions" is a book that can be used year after year with kids of a large age span.  Each day of the year has it's own page in this book; therefore the reading is short and to the point - excellent for kids!  However, it also has a few facts about the day.  For example, February 12th is Abraham Lincoln's birthday.  The reading for this day discusses what people think of when they hear his name, most commonly people associate honesty with him.   This then leads to one's reputation and the verse that is chosen for this day is Proverbs 22:1 which ties in with this.  The reading ends with questions to ask and discuss in regards to what one thinks their reputation is, how would one's character be described and how one can build a Christ-like reputation.  There are illustrations that are on each page as well.  Visually this is a great book for kids, there is enough there to hold their interest, but not too much that it is overwhelming.  The variety of the readings and topics is great as well!  I highly recommend this book as it will be fun and great to prompt discussions with your children!

*Thanks to the B&H Bloggers/Lifeway team for the complimentary copy of this book.*

"Buried Secrets" and Giveaway!

"Buried Secrets" is the 2nd book in Barbara Cameron's Harvest of Hope series and it is a great addition, and I am already looking forward to the next book!
"Buried Secrets" tells Rose's story.  Rose who has suffered so much in life; however she is not giving up in life as she has her son to think of.  Deciding to move back to run her family farm seems to be what is best, or at least she is hoping, as it is another change in the long list of changes for her and her son.  Luke has fallen in love with this Amish community and is hoping to stay and have his own farm and while this is not happening right now for him, he jumps at the change to help Rose with her farm.  This opportunity seems to be an answer for everyone involved. 
What I really enjoy about Barbara's writing is that she creates characters whom are easy to love and easy to relate to as she does not write stories that are smooth going for the characters, they face challenges that have to be met and decide how to conquer them.  Rose is faced with tough decisions and as a mother I question my decisions wondering if it is best for my children or if I should have done something differently, so she is a relatable character.  Also, it is a sweet story of loss, love and it is inspiring of being able to move on and live life after dealing with tragedy.  Secrets are woven into the storyline as well, as the title alludes to; I find the Amish culture fascinating as far as the rules and the customs.  I highly recommend this book; another great read from Barbara Cameron.


There is a GIVEWAY associated with this new release as well!


Giveway! Enter Here!

"The Theory of Happily Ever After"

 

I have enjoyed every book that I have read by Kristin Billerbeck, but her latest, "The Theory of Happily Ever After," just may be my favorite!
Maggie has a PhD and is a best-selling author of a book on the science of happiness and presents as having her life all together and living this happy joyful life.  Wrong!  Maggie is miserable after her fiancee dumped her for another woman and she finds herself eating ice cream and watching Hallmark movies.  While there is nothing wrong with this, the downward spiral of this becoming her life, her only enjoyment is what leads her friends to sign her up as the keynote speaker on a cruise.
Kristin has such a talent for creating characters who are so real, that they could be people we interact with every day and frankly people we wish we could interact with every day!  The characters interact so naturally with each other with humor and mishaps mixed in that really do make them even more real and believable that it is so easy to become wrapped up in their lives and in the storyline.
Believe me this is a story that you do not want to miss out on if you are a fan of watching chick flicks and reading contemporary fiction books!  I am hoping for future books about the other characters in this book as well as I loved them all and the book ended way to soon and there are characters whom need their own stories told! 

*Thanks to the Revell Reads Blogger Review Program for the complimentary copy of this book.*

"Blind Betrayal"

"Blind Betrayal" is book #3 in Nancy Mehl's Defenders of Justice series and this is a great addition to the series, I have thoroughly enjoyed all 3 books!
Nancy dives right into the action with the very first chapter in the book as a character  knows he is about to be murdered and in his last moments he thinks about who he has to protect.  Then the reader is introduced to a high-profile witness whom has been in a safe house and who the Marshals are preparing to transport; however a situation comes up as a threat as come in.  Right away the Marshals office knows that something is wrong and there is seemingly more going on and higher stakes than they thought.  Connections with ISIS, environmentalists fighting for their beliefs and threats and bombs going off are all things that are things that are real in today's world and this makes the story and characters so real and believable. 
This is fast-paced read and one that keeps the reader hooked as the suspense keeps the reader guessing and there is romance sprinkled in as well that adds warmth to the story.  Nancy Mehl has become one of my favorite romantic suspense authors and I am eager to read what she writes next!

*Thanks to the Bethany House Blogger Review Program for the complimentary copy of this book.*

Tug Wyler series!

There are 3 new books out in the Tug Wyler series by Andy Siegel!

 

Andy Siegel is a personal injury and medical malpractice attorney in New York City. A graduate of Tulane University and Brooklyn Law, he grew up on Long Island and now lives in Westchester County. In 2008, he was elected to the board of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. The first book in the Tug Wyler series, Suzy's Case, was selected as a Poisoned Pen Bookstore Best Debut Novel, a Suspense Magazine Best Book, and was named one of People.com's Best Beach Reads.

 

Head on over to Andy's website!: https://andysiegel.com/

Drawing on inspiration from his work as a personal injury and malpractice attorney, Tug is the street smart lawyer you want on your side when the worst happens.

The first book in the series, Suzy’s Case, was named a People.com Best Beach Read.

 

 

In Elton’s Case, wheelchair-bound Elton Cribbs is wrongfully locked up for a crime he didn’t commit. But his situation quickly goes from bad to worse. Is it possible that while in custody he suffered the injuries which left him a paraplegic? Retained to litigate Elton’s case, Tug finds himself caught in the unlikeliest of conflicts. After all, what’s he supposed to think when the defendant, the City of New York, begins offering him millions to settle while at the same time maintaining its allegation that Elton’s case is a phony one?

Nelly’s Case tells the story of Nelly Rivera, a once active and ambitious young women who now lies helpless in a hospital bed after undergoing anesthesia in a dental office. Discovering exactly what happened to her (and who is responsible) is just one of Tug’s goals, for he soon learns Nelly has recently inherited a hefty sum from her late father’s life insurance. The closer Tug gets to the truth, the more elusive it becomes.

In Jenna’s Case, Tug takes on the case of teenaged Jenna Radcliff, a victim of a Brooklyn doctor willing to put greed above his oath to “Do No Harm”. Once a bright, outgoing girl, Jenna is now a nearly mute shadow of her former self. As he proceeds to amass evidence against the conscienceless and defiant surgeon who’d willfully mutilated Jenna, Tug discovers that the forces against him are not only more numerous than he’d imagined, but also more deadly.

 

 My Review:

First of all, Andy is a talented writer as he has created characters and stories that are believable, entertaining and will keep you turning the pages as you cannot read fast enough to see what is going to happen next!  Tug is a lawyer I would want in my corner for anything, I would not want to be on the opposite side as him as he is sharp, full of surprises and unconventional, and he gets the job done.  Each of this books begins with a seemingly simple case, but we all know that nothing is as easy as it looks and of course there are many layers to people and stories to be unraveled and Tug is the perfect person for the job.  Each of these cases that Tug finds himself on are different and therefore each book is new and entertaining that the reader definitely does not become bored with reading the cases.  I love the courtroom drama and the suspense and just the whole process that Tug goes through to solve these cases and help his clients.  I highly recommend this series; they do not need to be read in order, however I recommend them all as each case is fresh and exciting!

 

*Thanks to the FSB Associates for the complimentary copies of the books.*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Tour: The Waldensian Series"

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Light Out of Darkness

(The Waldensian Series #1)
By Donna Wichelman
Romantic Suspense

Paperback & ebook, 320 pages
April 2nd 2018 by Soujourner's Press

A prestigious art exhibition turns into a horrific spectacle when a murder sends an art curator and a professor on a hunt for a highly coveted stolen painting.

Escaping a painful past in Cleveland, Ohio, Jamie Holbrooke flees to Milan, Italy as an art curator. But her past follows her during an evening stroll along Varenna’s shoreline walk when an assailant, who looks like her dead brother, presses a mysterious riddle into her hand. Still reeling from shock the next day, she discovers her long-time paragon, Dr. Alessandro Marianni, may have a link to the enigmatic riddle. Before she can discover the answers, their colleague falls prey to an assassin’s bullet. Convinced the riddle and murder are connected, Jamie and Alessandro risk their lives to uncover why an obscure painting has caught the attention of art critics and criminals alike. At stake is a two-thousand–year-old drama, unfolding in the contemporary world of the Northern Italian Alps.

Will Jamie and Alessandro stop powerful organized crime figures before the painting is lost forever and with it a secret more valuable than the prized artwork? Will Jamie find the answers to help her reclaim her life again? She will need the courage to face her fears and the persevering faith of Dr. Alessandro Marianni to heal her wounded heart.

Goodreads│Amazon

Undaunted Valor

(The Waldensian Series #2)
By Donna Wichelman
Romantic Suspense

Paperback & ebook, 281 pages
April 4th 2018 by Sojourner's Press

For nature lovers, ski aficionados, travel enthusiasts and history scholars, the French Alps offer some of the most spectacular scenery and outdoor recreation in all Europe with its majestic mountain peaks, cascading waterfalls, unspoiled forests and quaint mountain villages. People come to get away from the daily grind and rejuvenate their spirits.

But when Alessandro Marianni’s grandmother Luciana is kidnapped during a church conference in Chamonix, the same landscape becomes an ominous height to scale, and Jamie Holbrooke and her fiancé Alessandro have difficulty distinguishing between friend and foe on the race to find her. They will have to weather a rainstorm on a mountain trail, negotiate a dangerous waterfall, outmaneuver a car chase, and defy an assassin’s gun in their search.

Will they find their beloved Luciana before it’s too late? Who will die on the way to the finish line? Who can they trust? And where will Jamie find the courage to confront her adversaries?

In this sequel to Light Out of Darkness, the answers will lie in unanticipated places and with unexpected allies and require Jamie to discover what it means to trust God with Undaunted Valor.

Goodreads│Amazon

About the Author

Donna Wichelman was a communications professional before writing full-time. She has authored short stories, essays and articles in various inspirational publications and lives her dream writing novels and screenplays. She and her husband work with teens at their local church in Fort Collins, Colorado. They travel, bike and kayak whenever their schedules allows.

Website│Blog│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Pinterest│Amazon│Newsletter

Tour Schedule

May 14th:
Launch
Heidi Reads...
Moments
Stacking My Book Shelves!
May 15th:
Colorimetry
Uplifting Reads
Reading Is My SuperPower
Remembrancy
May 16th:
Paulette's Papers
Hardcover Feedback
It's all About the Romance
Jen Around the World
May 17th:
Mel's Shelves
Rockin' Book Reviews
Hearts & Scribbles
May 18th:
Teatime and Books
Locks, Hooks and Books
underneath the covers
All-of-a-kind Mom
Andi's Book Reviews
May 19th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

1st Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card, Copy of the LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS (signed print copy to US winner, ebook to international winner) + 4 oz. Tea of your choice from the Tea Source or 1 LB of Coffee from DazBog Coffee (will Add $10 to Gift Card for international gift in lieu of tea or coffee)

2nd Prize: $15 Amazon Gift Card + Copy of LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS (signed print copy to US winner, ebook to international winner)

3rd Prize: Copy of LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS (signed print copy to US winner, ebook to international winner)

Ends May 23rd

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love Inspired Blog Tour

Love Inspired Blog Tour Sweepstakes!

by Marta Perry

 

Widowed single mom
Rebecca Mast returns to her Amish community hoping to open a quilt shop. She
accepts carpenter Daniel King's offer of assistance---but she isn't prepared for the bond he forms with her son. Will getting closer expose her secret---or reveal the love she has in her heart for her long-ago friend?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marcus Palermo's simple life gets complicated when he meets the son he never knew he had---and his beautiful guardian. Lissa Hart thought she'd only stick around long enough to aid Marcus in becoming a dad---but could her happily-ever-after lie with the little boy and the rugged rancher?

 

 

 

Framed for the murder of his
ex-girlfriend---and then attacked at the crime scene---fire investigator Mitch Callahan turns to ER nurse Dana Petrie for help. As they fight for their lives, can she be convinced of his innocence---and in his promise of love? 

 

 

When Sgt. Linc Colson is assigned to monitor Zoe Sullivan and determine if she's secretly aiding her fugitive serial killer brother, his instincts tell him she's not in league with the criminal---she's in danger. It's up to him and his K-9 partner, Star, to keep the pretty single mom alive.

 

My Review:

All 4 of these new releases from Love Inspired are so good and enjoyable!  Each story is different, with different characters and storylines; however they all have a common aspect, they are all clean, inspiring reads!  Also the covers are also beautifully designed for each of them as well, that is always something I love about these books! 

To focus on just one of the books, I am choosing "The Rancher's Secret Child."  This book has it all, romance, family ties and a hint of mystery or at least the element of surprise!  Marcus is definitely surprised to learn that he is a father, and it's not to a newborn.  When his son shows up with his guardian, Marcus is shocked and feels his heart getting involved, not only with his son, but with this beautiful woman as well. 

The characters are all so likeable and it was easy to connect with them.  The storyline flowed nicely and I love the lessons and messages throughout....  Good can come from mistakes, there is no mistake too big that cannot be forgiven or moved on from and there is always hope and love. 

I highly recommend all 4 of these books, they are sweet, fast, inspiring reads that will leave you with a smile on your face!