Sunday, July 3, 2022

'Hair Calamities and Hot Cash" by Gail Pallotta Book Tour and GiveAway

About the Book

Book: Hair Calamities and Hot Cash

Author: Gail Pallotta

Genre: Christian Fiction

Release date:2018

What happens when a New York stockbroker crashes his car into Eve Castleberry’s North Carolina beauty shop … on the same day the young widow’s defective hair products are causing wild hairdos? Soon, Eve finds herself helping the handsome stranger hunt the thieves who stole his clients cash…and hot on the trail of two of the FBI’s most-wanted criminals!

Romance blossoms amid danger, suspense and Eve’s hair-brained plan to get back the money.

Click here to get your copy!

"Hair Calamities and Hot Cash" by Gail Pallotta is a fun escape from reality, but at first I wasn't so sure because of the car crash at the beginning of the story. But it was just the beginning of things going wrong. This book is listed as Christian Fiction but to me it was just a clean read! Yes, there is a preacher as one of the characters but that is all I remember as being Christian. If you like clean, fun and a little mystery,( well in this book , three) to be solved then this might be the perfect past time read for you!

I received a complementary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, Mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A 2013 Grace Awards finalist, she’s a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner and a TopShelf 2020 Book Awards Finalist. She’s published six books, poems, short stories and several hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums.

More from Gail

Even mysterious events and robbery can’t stop the fun, laughs and romance that follow after New York stock broker Philip Wells crashes his car into Eve Castleberry’s beauty shop.

Hair Calamities and Hot Cashis a contemporary romance with mystery and comical scenes about a New Yorker and a lonely, young widow in the North Carolina Mountains who fall for each other amid a crisis, danger and suspense.

The story behind Hair Calamities and Hot Cashbegan many years ago in a small town at the foothills of the North Carolina Mountains, where my mother ran a beauty shop.

Her salon doubled as a meeting place where customers who knew each other discussed how to make the latest recipe, what to do about world affairs and everything in between, including family relations, births, deaths and weddings. Clients planned showers, graduation parties and get-togethers for new neighbors while hair flew.

Mostly townspeople showed up, and the spirit of the community overflowed. The residents had disagreements, but they didn’t abhor those who thought differently from them. They had close friends, acquaintances, people they tolerated and those they kept at a distance. As in most small environments, they gossiped and could be nosey. However, when someone grieved for a loved one, suffered from an illness or any other crisis, prayers went up and casseroles went out no matter whether the person was a best friend or someone held at a distance. They all were God’s children.

The walls of Mother’s beauty shop echoed the spirit of the community, and I wanted to bring it back. I set the mystery, romance and shenanigans in the Western North Carolina Mountains. Many years ago, a friend my father knew in college came to visit us, and we drove him to the mountains. He said, “I’ve traveled the world over, and I’ve never seen a place any prettier than these hills.” I wanted to share the awe-inspiring scenery. I believe we need those peaceful surroundings and the sense of community now more than when I wrote the book.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 22

Book Looks by Lisa, June 22

For Him and My Family, June 23

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 24

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 25

Texas Book-aholic, June 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 27

Inklings and notions, June 28

deb’s Book Review, June 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 30

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, July 1 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, July 1 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Guild Master, July 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 3

A Baker’s Perspective, July 4 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 5

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/1f459/hair-calamities-and-hot-cash-celebration-tour-giveaway

Saturday, July 2, 2022

"The Fragrance of Violets" by Susan K. Beatty Book Tour and GiveAway

Fragrance of Violets

About the Book

Book: The Fragrance of Violets

Author: Susan K. Beatty

Genre: Christian Women’s Fiction

Release date: May 17, 2022

The-Fragrance-of-Violets1-660x1024 Life crushes us with its weight sometimes.

Fiona’s father abandoned her when she was twelve. So when she learns that he’s the groom’s father in the wedding she’s been assigned to manage, all the old hurts resurface. Maybe if he’d just explain himself and ask forgiveness, she’d get over the pain he left her with—pain she obviously hadn’t left behind after all.

When Nason discovered he wasn’t Fiona’s biological father, and when her mother tried to sabotage his marriage, he felt like he had no other option but to leave and never look back. Running into her again—awkward to say the least. And he can’t understand why she feels betrayed—why she expects him to seek forgiveness.

As if life weren’t complicated enough, Fiona meets Trevor, which sparks a possible romance. New faith, an overdose, and revelations combine with Trevor’s discipleship and shows her how forgiveness really works.

What will it take for Nason to swallow his pride and see how his actions hurt an innocent child?

The Fragrance of Violets—as Mark Twain once said, “Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.”

1https://www.amazon.com/Fragrance-Violets-Faces-Courage/dp/1951839595/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1652303928&sr=8-1

"The Fragrance of Violets" by Susan K. Beatty is a story about forgiveness. I really liked the faith elements in this story. I really recommend this book.

There were a couple of quote that I have highlighted in my kindle copy. The first quote is this

2nd quote

I think just reading these quotes are worth reading and should makes readers want to know why they are part of this awesome book. Yes, they are others, but I know you don't really want me to tell you them because you want to read this book for yourself, don't you? There are lots of stories within this novel and I hope we discover more healing in the next book.

I received a contemporary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

Susan-K-Beatty-600x600 Who says you can’t begin a new career after middle age? Certainly not Susan K. Beatty. She is passionate about writing about finding courage through faith and grit, particularly through the trials of breast cancer and other life trials. Her daughter is a metastatic breast cancer “thriver” and has been an inspiration for her writing. Susan’s first novel, Faces of Courage, debuted May 2021, as part of the Faces of Courage series, including several novelettes. She is also the author of An Introduction to Home Education (AKA California Homeschool Manual). Susan is a professional writer/journalist and is active in the writer community. She is proof you can begin a fiction writing career at any age.

More from Susan

The Fragrance of Violets’ story has yearned to be told for many years now—before I created my tagline, Courage: The Intersection of faith and grit. But it fits perfectly. A similar situation existed a long time ago in the life of an acquaintance. I thought all parties handled it badly, and I longed to make it right. Of course, being an outsider, the only way I could make it right was by creating a novel.

Fiona and Nason, the main characters, are total figments of my imagination, and the details of the story are substantially different. But the core, abandonment, the need to ask for and grant forgiveness, and the courage to meet them, is real and universal.

I desired to show that even when we think we’ve done nothing wrong, we need to seek the Lord and ask Him to reveal where we need to own up to our mistakes and seek forgiveness. Also, I wanted to show that although it is difficult to forgive when we’ve been horribly wronged (and how horrible to have the person you thought of as your father abandon you and with no apparent explanation or remorse), it’s possible with courage. The courage that comes from faith and action.

My prayer is that Fiona and Nason (despite his past) will inspire readers to find their own courage through whatever situations in which they find themselves.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 21

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, June 22 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, June 23

Inklings and notions, June 24

A Baker’s Perspective, June 25 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, June 25

deb’s Book Review, June 26

Spoken from the Heart, June 27 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 30

Through the Fire Blogs, July 1 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 3

Splashes of Joy, July 4 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 4

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/1eff9/the-fragrance-of-violets-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, July 1, 2022

"Shadow of Honor" by Ronie Kendig Book Tour and Give Away

About the Book

Book: Shadow of Honor

Author: Ronie Kendig

Genre: Science Fiction

Release date: June 14, 2022

The war he fears may be the very one he’s been called to start.

Held captive, tortured by monsters of a nightmarish alien race, Marco Dusan clings to a final goal: keep these beasts from the Quadrants, even if it means orchestrating his own death. But his dreams betray that singular design. In them his bonded calls to him across lightyears. Does he leave her to fight Symmachia alone, or risk bringing an unwinnable war to every planet in the Quadrants?

On board the alien dreadnought, Eija Zacdari flounders, torn amidst military machinations, prophecies, and an inexplicable bond with one of the fearsome creatures who have imprisoned her friends. Only by uncovering the truth about an ancient conflict now shrouded in deception will she find her place.

Faced with her true identity, Eija sees her purpose snap into focus, and she realizes the war Marco fears may be the very one he has been called to start.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Ronie Kendig is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty books. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband have returned to their beloved Texas after a ten-year stint in the Northeast. They survive on Sonic & Starbucks runs, barbecue, and peach cobbler that they share–sometimes–with Benning the Stealth Golden. Ronie’s degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.

Excerpt from Shadow of Honor

Shaken, Eija touched her temple, head still pounding from the oxygen deprivation she’d suffered beneath the beast’s attempt to crush the life from her—that and the minutes stuck in an oxygen-deprived pod. Until she figured out what had prompted the creature to release her and crouch before her, she didn’t dare move.

Insane! The docuvids of the Lavabeasts had not exaggerated. These monsters were fast, lethal, vicious. Yet . . . twice she’d been in its grip, and it’d held back from actually turning her into a dusty pile. Why?

Yeah, maybe don’t ask. Just . . .

What? What could she do against beasts that reduced people to ash with their arms?

Keening filled the ship. With bewildering speed, the other three Draegis bolted out of the bay, their thudding steps fading down the passage as they headed to the aft port, where their ship clung to the Prevenire like a remora on a shark.

Nerves thrumming, Eija glanced at Marco, whose chin was tucked to his chest again. Unconscious? Twitches of his head and hands alleviated that fear. Probably super focused on piloting the ship to the Sentinel.

So we can all die.

Right. So much for the relief she’d felt. Her gaze slid down to the immobilized Lavabeast at her feet. What was wrong with it—him? Was he more AI than biological? Had he powered down or something? Fried his neural net? What was she supposed to do?

She discarded each question as it arose. Assessed her precarious situation. The crackling and swelling of his strange skin said he was still breathing. So alive, not dead.

I can help with that.

He was also awake—glowing eye slits proved that.

Reef shifted on the deck where he’d landed after being tossed by one of the monsters, his arm hanging at an odd angle. Gray eyes came to hers, asking what neither of them could actually voice—What just happened? Why had the other Lavabeasts fled? Why had this one not killed her or left?

“Why isn’t it moving?” Reef hissed as he slowly climbed to his feet.
She shook her head, still terrified of arousing the beast’s anger.
Locked on the Draegis, Reef inched closer and angled toward her.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Again, she again checked on Marco, who still had his head down. Maybe the other Draegis had done something to him. “Marco?” she called quietly at the same time she heard Reef suck in a breath.

In front of her, the mountain of lava erupted with a piercing howl, terrorizing her as it lunged. Like a lightning strike—a very large, fat, black bolt—it shot forward.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, June 30

Beauty in the Binding, July 1 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 1

Inklings and notions, July 2

deb’s Book Review, July 3

Worthy2Read, July 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 5

For Him and My Family, July 6

Wishful Endings, July 7

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 9

Blogging With Carol, July 10

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 11

The Book Club Network, July 11

Christina’s Corner, July 12

Through the Fire blogs, July 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Ronie is giving away the grand prize package of an Exclusive Signed, Sprayed-edge Edition of SHADOW OF HONOR, a candle with a custom fragrance connected to Shadow of Honor, a gaming mat with a custom Laura Hollingsworth Illustration of Kardia, and a three-pack character card set for SHADOW OF HONOR!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/1f7f0/shadow-of-honor-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, June 30, 2022

"Season of My Enemy" by Naomi Musch Book Tour and GiveAway

About the Book

Book: Season of My Enemy

Author: Naomi Musch

Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical Fiction / Romance

Release date: June 1, 2022

“Get Your Farm in the Fight” – The Realities of WWII Come to a Wisconsin Farm

Only last year, Fannie O’Brien was considered a beauty with a brain, and her future shone bright, despite the war pounding Europe. With her father’s sudden death and her brothers overseas, Fannie must now do the work of three men on their 200-acre farm—until eight German prisoners arrive and, just as Fannie feared, trouble comes too. Someone seems intent on causing “accidents,” and Fannie is certain the culprit is one of the two handsome older Germans—or possibly both. Can she manage the farm, keep the prisoners in line, and hold her family together through these turbulent times?

Click here to get your copy!

"Season of My Enemy" by Naomi Musch was my least favorite of this series. It just didn't ring true for me, I know it is fiction. But during the war , how did this family always have plenty of food and the romance between Fannie and Wolf just seemed too rapid. It seemed liked there wasn't even any real conflict to overcome. Yes, I know that different nationalities can and do fall in love but there has to be some conflict at first right? I did like reading about how America handled Prisoners of war and that they were allowed to work on farms.

I also had a hard time getting into the story. I didn't connect with the characters the way I really like to when reading until almost the end of the story.

If you have read the other books in the series, this novel is a nice addition to the series. If you haven't read the others, this would also be a good standalone read.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

Naomi Musch is an award-winning author who writes from a deer farm in the pristine north woods of Wisconsin, where she and husband Jeff live as epically as God allows near the families of their five adult children. When not in the physical act of writing or spending time loving on her passel of grandchildren, she can be found plotting stories as she roams around the farm, snacks out of the garden, and relaxes in her vintage camper. Naomi is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Wisconsin Writers’ Association, and the Lake Superior Writers. She loves engaging with others and can be found all around social media or at her site naomimusch.com

More from Naomi

Welcome to my wilderness – that’s what it says when you pop onto my website, because so many of my books take place in rural and wilderness settings. That’s where my heart lives too. Therefore, when I decided to write a World War II story, I gravitated to the home front, to rural America, where living out the war years meant a different kind of survival.

Before this story idea came to me, I knew that prisoners of war had been held in America during part of the war years. There are a number of other wonderful WWII novels out there set in North America involving POWs, and I adore the 2005 movie Sweet Land. Yet, until looking further, I hadn’t realized that so many German soldiers were held right here in my home state of Wisconsin! In fact, thousands of prisoners were sent to work in our country’s canning factories and on our farms. How could I have grown up and never been told that there had once been a POW camp right in my home town?

In fact, there were 38 such “branch camps” just in Wisconsin alone—camps that housed workers specifically for contracting work on farms and in canneries. Workers were contracted by farmers with the army and sent to labor in the cranberry bogs, cherry orchards, apple orchards; to farms picking beans, peas, corn, and to tend the other crops. By international treaty, prisoners had to be paid for their work, so they were allowed to earn scrip in the equivalent of 80 cents per day which they could spend in camp canteens on personal items.

Bingo! There was the seed that burst through the soil of my imagination for my novel Season of My Enemy.

My heroine Fanny O’Brien is a Wisconsin farm girl who left state teacher’s college to manage her family’s farm during the war. She never imagined herself coordinating the work of eight German prisoners in the process—or what the outcome of that task would be.

I believe a great story has to reveal strong yet subtle themes in order for the characters and their plight to feel real. In Season of My Enemy, Fannie uncovers a lot of prejudice both in her own heart and as her eyes are opened to the broader sphere around her. There are all kinds of prejudice in the world, and some of it revealed in this story may surprise you. In fact, my editor and several other authors of WWII fiction who read the book all said, “I didn’t know that!” (I won’t tell you what they were referring to, because you know…spoilers.)

Season of My Enemy isn’t all about history of course. It’s a heartfelt story of a man and woman who slowly yield their hearts to love amidst unpredictable times and unusual circumstances. They begin as enemies who finally look beyond their prejudices to find they have more in common than they first thought. To overcome terrific odds, they must depend upon their faith and rest in a powerful hope that touches their own lives as well as the lives of others surrounding them.

I hope you’ll read Season of My Enemy, and be sure and pop me a note to tell me what you think!