Monday, January 25, 2016

Just Kin (Book 6 of Texas Romance Series) Book Tour and Giveaway

Just Kin
Author: Caryl McAdoo
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Book Information:
Love covers a multitude of sin.

A stolen kiss ignites a fire that burns all the way from Texas to New York City. Torn apart by war, rejection, and a letter with news she never wanted, Lacey Rose takes her shredded heart and runs. Charley figures out something isn’t right, but is duty-bound to the Confederacy until a deathbed order sets in motion a series of events that tests his love, honor, and commitment to the breaking point.
Can the two lifelong friends see past the pain to finally realize God’s plan for them to be more than just kin?
Author Info: 

Caryl, praying her story gives God glory, loves writing for Christian genres–historical and contemporary romance, Biblical fiction, and mid-grade especially. In 2014, Simon and Schuster debuted VOW UNBROKEN, a historical Christian romance set in 1832 Texas, and Caryl followed with three additional novels. In April, LADY LUCK’S A LOSER (contemporary, mature, inspirational romance); September’s debut, HEARTS STOLEN (set in 1839-1844), book two of her historical Christian Texas Romances–a #1 Amazon Best-seller; and in November, A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, volume one of her new Biblical fiction series, The Generations–also an Amazon #1 Best-seller.
In 2008, her high school sweetheart-husband Ron moved her to the woods of Red River County. Caryl counts four children and sixteen grandsugars life’s biggest blessings believing all good things come from God. Praying her story gives God glory, she hopes each one ministers His love, mercy, and grace to its readers. She and Ron live in Clarksville, Texas with two grandsons, Christian and Benjamen.
My Review: "Just kin" by  Caryl McAdoo is Book 6 of the ( Texas Romance Series) and just as good as the other five. These books can be a stand alone but they do mention events that are in the other books so I recommend that you read all of them. Even though the books mention events they are not a complete rewrite of the previous books nor do they make you want to stop reading the series like some series do if there are a lot of books. Each book is a complete enjoyment to read.
Warning : "Just Kin" does have premarital sex (no details are given, takes place off screen), drinking, gambling and prostitution.  Again, there is no sex in the book. Also, all these sins are shown in a negative light. I added the warning for those of you that does not want to be surprised about these issues in your reading! I was shocked when I came across a word that was used more than once, ( it was not the F word or God's name in vain ) but a shock nevertheless. 
Since I added a warning to my review, I do want to say the book shows that God is ready to forgive any sin if we let Him. I was disappointed in the storyline at first and was thinking wow, I never expected this from this author but as I read further I realized it was a way to show readers that we cannot sin more than God loves us.
I really did like the story "Just Kin". This story is about first (honest and true love). It is also about forgiveness.
Lacey Rose feels ashamed because of her heritage and being rejected by Charley who writes we are "Just Kin" runs away and keeps running away till she cannot run from God anymore. Charley after being released for only a temporarily time from the civil war to bring Lacey home learns that Gods can forgive him also. 
I really liked the ending and so looking forward to reading the next book in this series!
I am giving "Just Kin" five stars.

I was given a copy by the publisher and Celebrate Lit for a honest review. The opinions expressed are mine own. 

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Wednesday, January 20, 2016

"After the Rain" by Rita Gerlach Blog Tour and Giveaway

Book After the Rain    Author: Rita GerlachGenre: Christian Historical Fiction

Book Info: 
He becomes the love of her life. She becomes his biggest challenge.
It’s 1908, a year in the Edwardian Age, the year J.M. Barrie’s play What Every Woman Knows, premiered in Atlantic City and the first Model T rolled off the assembly line in Detroit. It is a year when the world faced one of its worst disasters in history, when the New Year would heal the wounds of loss. Louisa Borden lives a privileged life in Chevy Chase, Maryland, a new and thriving community on the outskirts of Washington, DC for the well-to-do. Against the wishes of her domineering grandmother, she retreats from the prospects of a loveless marriage and instead searches for what she hopes is her calling in life.
When her horse is spooked along Rock Creek, she is thrown from the saddle—an embarrassing situation for any affluent young lady. Soaking wet, bruised and humiliated, she is carried up the muddy bank to safety by Jackson O’Neil, a stranger to the city, who changes the course of everything, including the lives of all those around her.
Author Info: 


Rita Gerlach is a best-selling author of inspirational fiction with a romantic bent, including The Rebel’s Pledge, Thorns in Eden and The Everlasting Mountains, Surrender the Wind, and The Daughters of the Potomac Series. She lives in Maryland near the Catoctin Mountains with her husband Paul.


My Review:
I am going to start this review with saying I have mixed feelings about this book. I have found that people have either loved this book or just plain didn't like it but I am in the middle. I neither loved nor hated it. 

 I loved the story line and the plot. I think the story line was fantastic. The characters were really developed and likable and I thought they were true to life. Some of the characters, like Blossom in particular, made me want to jump in the pages and hug her and then "Gamma" I wanted to take her cane and hit her with it. 

 I kept hoping that Louisa and Jackson would have a happy ever after, at times it seemed they would and then it seemed they wouldn't and then it seemed like they would. I wouldn't say anymore on that subject and let you read to find out how it all worked out or if it didn't.

 "After The Rain" by Rita Gerlach is full of twists that made this book a really enjoyable read. There are parts that made me cry along with Louisa and Amy. There was also parts that made me laugh aloud. I think it would have been great fun to see a mule pulling a car because the owner didn't want to buy gas for it.

 This novel was a lengthy 570 pages. I have already stated that I liked the storyline and plot but it had a lot of slow parts and mistakes. The mistakes are missing words and double words in sentences and a couple of times the wrong last names is used when the characters are responding to other characters. In some of the conversations between the characters it was hard to tell who was saying what in the conversations. 

 I am giving the book 4 stars

I would love to read more about these characters. I have put Rita Gerlach's other books on my To Be Read list.

 I was given a copy by the publisher and Celebrate Lit for a honest review. The opinions expressed are mine own. 

 I was informed that the mistakes were corrected Jan 28, 2016.
Link to purchase book:  http://amzn.com/1517606888

Enter below for your chance to win an autographed paperback copy of After the Rain and the audio books of The Daughters of the Potomac series.        
Link to giveaway:  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDBhZGNmNTQzZGFkMzUwNzcyZmIzY2U1NDc5MjA0OjEy/?


Tour Dates: 
Jan 13: Bukwurmzzzz
Jan 13: Artistic Nobody
Jan 19: Splashes of Joy
Jan 24: A Greater Yes
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Thursday, January 14, 2016

"Rising Darkness" by Nancy Mehl

Book Info: 
Sophie Wittenbauer left her strict Mennonite hometown under a cloud of shame and regret. Certain she's left her past far behind her, she's now focused on her job at a newspaper and is shocked when she stumbles upon the name of someone she knew in her old life. But when she learns the man--a prisoner--claims a suspect from a decades-old unsolved crime is hiding out in the small town of Sanctuary, Missouri, she can't resist following the lead in hopes of furthering her career. 

Almost immediately upon her arrival, Sophie's confronted with a face from her past and fears her intention of using a false identity to investigate is doomed. But with the help of Sanctuary's charismatic young pastor, Sophie knows she's getting close. Will she be able to conceal the truth of her own past long enough to find the suspect before someone puts a stop--fatal or otherwise--to her investigation?

Author Info:                                                         Nancy Mehl lives in Festus, Missouri, with her husband Norman, and her very active puggle, Watson. She's authored fifteen books and is currently at work on a new romantic suspense series for Bethany House Publishing. 

All of Nancy's novels have an added touch - something for your spirit as well as your soul. "I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing," Nancy says. "It's a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn't be writing at all if I didn't believe that this is what He's called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can't overcome with His help." 

You can find out more about Nancy by visiting her Web site at: www.nancymehl.com or find her newsletter at: www.nancymehl.blogspot.com. She also is active on the Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com and on FaceBook!

My Review: 
"Rising Darkness" by Nancy Mehl is a mystery and fiction but it has a spiritual lesson about how God leads us and how holding onto the past only hinders us from moving forward. I have all three books in the (Finding Sanctuary series) and this book is my favorite of the six ( yes I read the three books in the Road to Kingdom) that I have read!

This book has lots of twists this reader did not see coming! This book moved right along with no slow parts, like some books have to just fill up the pages to make it a longer book.

 This book is about murder and a robbery, but this book is still a great book and yes it is a Christian book. 

 This books shows that our past doesn't always hinder our future if you only let forgiveness take place.
I recommend this book to all readers of the mystery, romance and Mennonite genres.

"Rising Darkness" by Nancy Mehl is the third book in the (Finding Sanctuary series) and is quite enjoyable without reading the other two in the series, but I recommend reading the other two as well. I only say this because an incident involving Sophie is mentioned in the book as well as other characters from the series. Even if you don't read the other two you can enjoy this book! You won't be wondering or at a loss because you didn't read the first two.

I really like the ending to "Rising Darkness".

I have given "Rising Darkness" five stars.

I received this book for free from The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review. 

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Monday, January 11, 2016

"Friends and Enemies" by Terri Wangard Book Tour and a Giveaway

Book: Friends and Enemies  Book Release Date: 1/5 /2016 Genre:Historical
Widowed Heidi Wetzel finds new meaning in life by caring for evacuated children on a farm in war-torn western Germany. Never a supporter of National Socialism, she takes pleasure in passive resistance, but must exercise caution around neighbors who delight in reporting to the Gestapo. Having lived in the United States, she wonders about her friend Rachel.
Flying cadet Paul Braedel’s wife dies while he trains for the U.S. Army Air Corps. Following bereavement leave, he joins a navigation class. He’s lost his zest for life and heads to England, not caring if he lives or dies.
When he and his crew are shot down over Germany, he evades capture and, for the first time since Rachel’s death, hears the voice of God whisper guidance. “Find Heidi.”
Heidi meets a man she recognizes from her high school days in America. Aiding a downed airman is punishable by execution, but she agrees to help. Then they’re betrayed.
About the Author
Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. These days she is writing historical fiction, and won the 2013 Writers on the Storm contest and 2013 First Impressions, as well as being a 2012 Genesis finalist. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she lives in Wisconsin. Her research included going for a ride in a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor.
Connect with Terri: www.terriwangard.com

My Review : "Wow, this book grabbed this reader's attention from the very beginning and never made me lose interest at all! The book I am taking about is "Friends and Enemies" by Terri Wangard.

This is what I posted on my Facebook wall after just beginning to read it "I'm reading "Friend and Enemies" by Terri Wangard, and I think it is going to be a great novel but a tear jerker as well. Only on chapter 2 and the tears want to fall from my eyes."  I have to tell my blog readers that statement proved to be true!  Yes, the tears were falling, some happy and some sad. 

 The book is about WW11 in Germany. It is a love story as well. Yes, the reader will read about bombs and airplanes being hit and violence but it is not over dramatic.  I enjoyed this novel very much and I dislike anything to do with wars and guns and etc. I recommend this book to all readers who like the genre of Historical Fiction as well as a clean romance.

 This book isn't your regular boy meets girl story. There are struggles along the way! 


 Another Facebook post I posted about the book while reading it "Well, a God may have gotten everything going, but He's not interested in our lives now." ....I still am mad sometimes." ..."But I still choose to believe in Him,because nothing else makes sense. And I have hope.....And something else." ...."Heaven is God's home. If you're not a friend of His, do you think He'll invite you in when you die? " 
This is from a paragraph of"Friends and Enemies" by Terri Wangard. I left the scene description out of my typing but doesn't that last sentence give us something to think about?
The reason for the book being written in the author's own words, Guest post from Terri Wangard
Happy 2016! Seven years have passed since I began writing what would become Friends and Enemies. In between the fall 2008 and 2016, I completely rewrote F&E, wrote its two sequels (No Neutral Ground, releasing in May, and Soar Like Eagles, releasing in September.) That seems like a long time with no guarantee I would succeed. I first wrote a contemporary novel in the early 2000s. A publisher had the manuscript for a year before saying, “No thanks.” In the meantime, I had started another story, but life was busy and I let writing slide. In 2008, I read Debbie Macomber’s Twenty Wishes, about a group of ladies who decided they would fulfill secret wishes, like buying a red convertible or learning to belly dance. That book prompted me to buy a laptop and start writing again. But what to write? Not contemporary this time. I have a batch of letters written in the late 1940s by distant cousins in wartorn Germany to whom my grandparents sent care packages. I got a brief glimpse of what their lives were like after the war, but what about during the war or even before? Did they support Hitler? How did they feel about Jews? Did they have problems with the Gestapo? The letters don’t say. The proverbial light bulb blinked on. I would write their story. They would be a family I could be proud of. Friends and Enemies is the result. I wish I knew how close I came to the truth. Best wishes in the New Year! Terri

I literally couldn't stop reading this book till i have finished it! 

I found it interesting that Heidi finds new uses for a flag as well as propaganda from the Nazis.

Paul's and Heidi's stories are ones that will leave you thankful for the freedoms we can enjoy today!

I have given "Friends and Enemies" by Terri Wangard fives stars. 

I was given a copy by the publisher and Celebrate Lit for a honest review. The opinions expressed are mine own. 
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Tuesday, January 5, 2016

"Christmas Star Sapphire" by Hallee Bridgeman

Book Info: "MADELINE VISCOLLI finds herself on the Gulf shores of Alabama, where she takes part in a graduate program to earn her MBA. On her first day there, she meets JOE WESTCOTT, team leader for a campus ministry. Despite a mutual attraction, Joe's personal rule of no romance with any student keeps any kind of deep relationship from developing. Joe has no desire to have a relationship with anyone, ever, anyway. He left a life of luxury and his family's business behind to live alone on a sailboat and serve in ministry. Then Madeline walks into the auditorium the week school starts and Joe suspects his personal rules might not apply to this graduate student. That is, until he discovers Madeline is one of the Viscollis, and that her destiny lay in running her father's massive corporation. Having rejected wealth and all its trappings since childhood, Joe finds himself falling for the vivacious sapphire-eyed beauty. Madeline knows she loves Joe, but is not willing to throw away her destiny of taking over at the helm of Viscolli Enterprises. A Christmas Eve funeral washes all Joe's plans away. Will their love succomb to the rising tide caused by their differences in lifestyles, or will raging seas calm and allow them to sail off into the sunset?"

 Author Info: 


 Hallee Bridgeman is a best-selling Christian author who writes action-packed romantic suspense focusing on realistic characters who face real world problems. Her work has been described as everything from refreshing to heart-stopping exciting and edgy.

An Army brat turned Floridian, Hallee finally settled in central Kentucky with her family so that she could enjoy the beautiful changing of the seasons. She enjoys the roller-coaster ride thrills that life with a National Guard husband, a teenaged daughter, and two elementary aged sons delivers.

A prolific writer, when she's not penning novels, you will find her in the kitchen, which she considers the 'heart of the home'. Her passion for cooking spurred her to launch a whole food, real food "Parody" cookbook series. In addition to nutritious, Biblically grounded recipes, readers will find that each cookbook also confronts some controversial aspect of secular pop culture.

Hallee is a member of the Published Author Network (PAN) of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) where she serves as a long time board member in the Faith, Hope, & Love chapter. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the American Christian Writers (ACW) as well as being a member of Novelists, Inc. (NINC).

Hallee loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her. She prays her work here on earth is a blessing to you and would love to hear from you. You can reach Hallee at hallee@bridgemanfamily.com
My Review:  "Christmas Star Sapphire" by Hallee Bridgeman is a Novella inspired by the Jewel Series. It can be read as a stand alone because it is well written and a very enjoyed read. I have read the entire Jewel Series and glad that I did but even if I hadn't I would still be giving this novella a five star rating. 

 Maddie is a daughter of weathly parents and is in a graduate program in Alabama and meets Joe on her first day there. Joe is a pastor who gave up wealth to serve God. The attraction is instant on both sides, but Joe wants nothing to do with romance from a student or anything to do with wealth. 

 Maddie points out to Joe that he is living a lie, saying he wants nothing to do with wealth, because his home is worth more than a half million dollars, He lives on a yacht.

After reading the other "Jewel"books in this series I was anxiously waiting to read this one and I wasn't disappointed. 

 This story and the other stories in this series has surprises that I didn't see coming and I like the fact that they point out the fact that the love of money and not money is the root of evil.  We as Christians like to misquote that Biblical fact. 

Just as things look like they may work out for Maddie and Joe a surprise comes in the mail and everything is not ok. A Christmas Eve funeral makes Maddie and Joe look at things from a different point of view! 

 Can they be happy together and does God's plans always work out the way we want or do we need to just follow Him and let His plans be the way we follow!

 I think any reader will be happy the way it all turns out!

 I am giving "Christmas Star Sapphire"by Hallee Bridgeman five stars. 

 This book like all the others in the series has recipes and study questions at the end. 

 I received this book for free from The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review. I also posted this review on Amazon, Goodreads, and on my blog.

 To purchase : http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Star-Sapphire-Inspirational-Romance-ebook/dp/B014PWE2XO/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
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