Tuesday, November 29, 2016

"Healing Of The Heart" by Loree Lough Book Tour and GiveAway


 
                                              Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Book

When Ruby McCoy and her mother arrive in Fairplay and promptly move into the biggest mansion around, they are the talk of the town. But while Mrs. McCoy worries about ribbons, trunks, and wallpaper, Ruby rolls up her sleeves. Since the hanging of her notorious gangster father five years ago, Ruby, hiding under an assumed name, is on a mission to right her father’s wrongs. She is determined to spend every penny of her inherited “blood money” helping those who paid the price for her father’s crimes. But she didn’t plan on falling in love.

Sheriff Rex Truett doesn’t trust Ruby and doesn’t care who knows it. The keeper of Fairplay’s law and order makes it his business to find out why a stranger—especially a beautiful, rich, female stranger—would set up businesses, donate to schools, hire workmen to rebuild houses, and provide access to the best medical care. But when a cholera epidemic sweeps through the city, he is forced to reconsider.

Will Ruby have the courage to tell Rex her family secret? And will love or justice win in Rex’s heart?


My Review
"Healing Of The Heart " is another wow book. It is the third in the "The Secrets of Sterling Street "series. I think it is the best one of the three. The other two are good but "Healing Of The Heart" leaves me wanting to read more about these characters.

This book can be read as a standalone and if you don't read the other two you don't miss any of the story.  The stories are all separate but there are a few characters that are in all three books but again I say they are all separate stories.

"Healing Of The Heart" is a book that pulled at my heartstrings. This story is a tale about how a person's actions affect more than the person doing the actions.  This novel is a perfect example of how secrets can really damage a person and how they eventually come to the Light.

"Healing Of The Heart" isn't a feel good book at the start, the reader is swept into Rudy's fear of people finding out who her father was, a murderer and a thief, and why she was doing all the good deeds.

Rudy finds out her family isn't the only one with secrets.

Can love survive all the secrets.  And what is going on with the traveling actors, are they really who they say and why is the whole town in danger?

"Healing Of The Heart" is a story of love and forgiveness and learning that a person isn't responsible for other's actions.

All three of these books are lessons in what love is and what it does!

I have given "Healing Of The Heart" by Loree Lough as well as the other two books "Currency of the Heart" and "Guardians of the Heart" five stars.

I was given a complementary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit.  These opinions are my own.


 
About the Author

A prolific writer, Loree Lough has 108 books, 68 short stories, and more than 2,500 articles in print. Her novels have earned dozens of industry and Reader’s Choice awards. A frequent guest speaker for writers’ organizations, book clubs, private and government institutions, corporations, and college and high school writing programs, Loree and her husband, Larry, divide their time between a home in the Baltimore suburbs and a cabin in the Allegheny Mountains.                                                            

 Her books have over 3700 ratings on Goodreads with the first two books in The Secrets of Sterling Street series, Currency of the Heartand Guardians of the Heart receiving multiple four and five star reviews on book review and retail sites.



Blog Stops

November 22: Bibliophile Reviews 
November 22: Jeanette’s Thoughts
November 23: Neverending Stories
November 23: Lane Hill House
November 24: Christian Bookaholic
November 25: Redeemed Hope Dweller
November 26: Moments Dipped in Ink
November 27: inklings and notions
November 27: Splashes of Joy
November 28: Ashley’s Bookshelf
November 28: Daysong Reflections
November 30: Bigreadersite
December 1: Pause for Tales
December 1: Smiling Book Reviews
December 2: A Greater Yes
December 2: Genesis 5020
December 4: Karen Sue Hadley
December 5: Rhonda’s Doings

Giveaway





In honor of her tour, Loree is giving away her books: Secrets on Sterling Street series, Prevailing Love (3 in 1), Pricilla Hires a Husband, Lone Wolf, and Emma’s Orphans, a KJVER Study Bible, and an Abba pillar candle in a wicker basket! Click the link below to enter; be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine bonus entries for this giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/a81c
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Sunday, November 27, 2016

"Christmas Lights" Book Tour and GiveAway



To purchase your copy, click here.

About the Book



Four novellas in a variety of genres—that’s all they are. Just four stories to quiet your heart and soul as you embrace the beauty of the Christmas season. Inside, you’ll find Vikki Kestell’s historical romance and a reminder that the Lord’s plans are always just what we need. You’ll be introduced to Cathe Swanson’s unlikely romance about a woman who sets out to do one good deed and is drawn into the lives of a cast of eccentric elderly people. You’ll meet April Hayman and her southern madcap mystery featuring an FBI agent, a con artist or two, and a few eccentric elderly people of her own.
And you’ll find  Chautona Havig’s Christian fiction novella that blends comedy, suspense, with a garnish of romance.

In the hope that through these Christmas stories your heart will be lightened and brightened, we offer you this collection. Merry Christmas! And a happy, light read!


My Review:

“Christmas Lights” is four novellas about Christmas by four different authors. 

These four stories made this reader experience sadness and joy and laughter and a little bit of pity for some of the characters in these stories.

These stories have romance and Christmas as the common theme. But the stories are each different.  Each story is also about a character missing someone that they have lost. 

I think the titles all described the stories pretty accurately. 

I enjoyed each of these four novellas but my favorite is a tie between “Snow Angels”and “The Heart Of Joy”  

“Snow Angels” is a story about how first impressions are often wrong!  

I hadn’t read anything by Vikki Kestell and Cathe Swanson’s and April Hayman before reading this collection but after reading these stories I will be reading more by these authors. 

I had read books by Chautona Havig and enjoyed them and “Christmas Stalkings” was just as enjoyable.  I loved her Christmas trees for each of her cats, Yes, “Christmas Stalkings” is for readers that likes mysteries and cats. 

“Trip the Light Fantastic” was a fun read for me, not that the story was funny, but that “Trip” reminded me of me as he was accident prone. 

“The Heart Of Joy” is a spin off story from Vikki Kestell’s Prairie Heritage series and features one of her most beloved characters, Joy Thoresen, from book three, Joy on This Mountain. After three years of widowhood, Joy mourns not only the loss of her husband but the child someone has kidnapped as well. Only her faith sustains her through difficult days. (The above is from Guest Post from the Author but I wanted to include it so that anyone not reading this review from my blog will know that is from a series ). This story is about how the morning turn sorrow into joy ( yes a play on words from a song I did that intentionally.) 

I have given “Christmas Lights” five stars.

I was given a complimentary copy by the authors and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.






About the Authors



Vikki Kestell is the author of the acclaimed inspirational series, A Prairie Heritage—a compelling saga of family, faith, and great courage. Vikki’s contribution to this collection, The Heart of Joy, asks, “Can true, enduring love happen twice in a lifetime?”

   

Cathe Swanson: Author of contemporary mystery and romantic suspense, Cathe brings us Snow Angels – an entertaining companion novella and introduction to her upcoming Great Lakes series.  






April Hayman: Author of Heirlooms of Deception series, debuts with a novella featuring mystery, humor, and “divine intervention.”









Chautona Havig: Author of the Amazon bestselling Aggie’s Inheritance, Past Forward, and HearthLand series, Chautona brings humor, stalkings, and stockings to this collection.




Guest Post from the Authors

The Christmas Lights Collection formed in the spring of 2016 with the idea of bringing four novellas together with one unifying theme: light. After all, each author in this collection has one primary focus in life: Jesus. And in the book of John, He is called the “Light of Men.”

We thought we’d share what inspired our novellas and pray that these books are a delight and encouragement to all.  

The Heart of Joy: This novella is a spin-off story from Vikki Kestell’s Prairie Heritage series and features one of her most beloved characters, Joy Thoresen, from book three, Joy on This Mountain. After three years of widowhood, Joy mourns not only the loss of her husband but the child someone has kidnapped as well. Only her faith sustains her through difficult days.

Vikki’s goal in writing is to provide FaithFilledFiction to Christians, and this novella is no exception. She worked to show that even amid our sorrow, the Lord brings good, hope-filled gifts to us even when we think we’re not ready for them. She also desired to fill in small, time-veiled gaps in Joy’s story. The Heart of Joy puts the finishing touches on Joy’s story.  

Snow Angels: The idea for Snow Angels came to Cathe in slow increments. The idea of using homeless veterans originally prompted research into homeless shelters and programs, but the scope of those became too much for a novella. Still, those characters had stories Cathe wanted to tell, so she continued her research and became increasingly concerned with the plight of homeless veterans—particularly the women. For some reason, we often forget that women serve, get PTSD, and end up on the streets just like the men.

Cathe wanted to combine those realities with other misconceptions that often blind us to the person behind the façade. She wanted to demonstrate how people in otherwise normal lives also can be thrust into situations that trigger PTSD and how those people work through it. Of course, with such a heavy topic, Cathe chose to write the story with a liberal dusting of humor to lighten the mood as you read.

As her debut novel, Cathe introduces readers to characters we’ll see more of in her Great Lakes series and paves the way for her upcoming novel, Baggage Claim, releasing in early 2017.  

Trip the Light Fantastic: April has been working on a mystery surrounding, of all things, Shakespeare’s inkwell! So, when she was invited to be a part of the Christmas Lights Collection, April decided to do an introductory novel to her Heirlooms of Deception series and Lance “Trip” Devereaux was “born.”

April admits to loving another character, Landry, just a little bit more than the others. Yet, he could never be a main character. He’s too much of a rascal and a mastermind, so he works best from the shadows. While this book wasn’t about him directly, it could be about someone similar—someone who works in the light but has lost his way and needs help from God and some new friends. Trip the Light Fantastic is a sideways introduction into a character that April hopes will entertain readers for more books to come.

April set her series in Mississippi where her grandparents lived, so the books are rich in southern manners, mannerisms, and manors! Well, there’s one plantation belonging to her irascible but charming con-artist. Watch for a book set at the Crawford house in Spilled Ink, releasing in December 2016.  

Christmas Stalkings: A couple of years ago, Chautona was on a Facebook group and a young woman admitted to having seven Christmas trees. Intrigued, she named it the “Seven Tree Obsession” and wondered what kind of character would have seven trees—and why. Well, the more she thought about it, the more interesting it became. After all, what would happen if ornaments got moved around when she wasn’t looking? Who would do that? Why? And what could she add to complicate it?

So, when the opportunity to do the Christmas Lights Collection came, Chautona decided she wanted to do that story. It seemed easy enough to contain into forty-thousand words. HA! But she got in her car, turned on her trusty voice recorder, and in the three-hour trek to her ACFW meeting, she schemed, plotted, and laughed until her sides ached at the ideas she came up with. Half never made it into the book, of course, but that’s okay. Chautona has a prequel/sequel planned for it. Lord willing, New Year’s Revolutions will release on December 31. It’s the “Paul Harvey” version—the “rest of the story.”

While Christmas Stalkings does stand alone, Chautona wanted to explore Neal’s side of things a bit. So she is. It’ll be the fastest “write-to-publication” she’s ever done, but she just had to try. So, for NaNoWriMo, Chautona is off to try to figure out what’s up with Neal and why he’s such a crusty curmudgeon. He’s too young for that! And maybe, just maybe, he’ll embrace a “new life” in the New Year.

Blog Stops

November 15: Bibliophile Reviews 
November 16: blogging it out
November 17: A Reader’s Brain
November 17: Blogging With Carol 
November 19: Daysong Reflections
November 19: Splashes of Joy
November 20: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
November 20: Christian Bookaholic
November 21: Bigreadersite
November 22: A Greater Yes
November 23: Back Porch Reads
November 24: Blossoms and Blessings
November 25: A Path of Joy
November 26: Bukwurmzzz
November 28: Once upon a time
November 28: Carpe Diem



Giveaway



To celebrate their tour, the authors are giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! Click the link below to enter. Be sure to comment on this blog post to claim nine extra entries in the giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/a8ae
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Tuesday, November 22, 2016

"Love Found In Sherwood Forest" by Linda Shenton Matchett Book Tour and GiveAway


                                Click here  to purchase your copy of Love Found In Sherwood Forest.
About the Book

Award-winning Broadway actress Leighanne Webster has it all until an on-stage panic
attack brings her career crashing to the ground. Returning to England to help produce the
annual Robin Hood Festival play could be the diversion Leighanne needs. But with ex-fiancé, Jamison Blake, as the play’s director focusing on her new job won’t be easy. Breaking his engagement with Leighanne so she could pursue her dream of being a Broadway star was the hardest thing Jamison Blake ever did. When she returns to Nottingham, his heart insists he made a mistake. Can he convince her to give their relationships another try, or will he have to let her go again? This time, forever.



My Review" 
"Love Found In Sherwood Forest" by Linda Shenton Matchett is a cute little story about a play of Robin Hood by citizens of England. 

 "Love Found In Sherwood Forest" by Linda Shenton Matchett is a story of giving your fears to God and trusting Him and not trying to figure out everything on your own.

 There is even a little fun mystery mixed in this book, Who is sending Leighanne the big bouquets?  I was sure I knew who was sending them, I thought it was ....to win her heart back, but as it turns out, I was wrong! 

 There is also a little bit of a mystery that isn't so much fun, who broke all the arrows and who wrote the mysterious note about who had to play Maid Marian.

 This story was an easy and short read. 

 This story shows that love truly never dies and does forgive and help others even when the one that is showing love is afraid of what they must do.
I would like to read a little more about these characters. 

The book didn’t end on a cliff hanger and was a perfect ending but I like a longer story so I am giving "Love Found In Sherwood Forest" by Linda Shenton Matchett four stars. ( this is just my opinion). 

I was given a complimentary copy of "Love Found In Sherwood Forest" by Celebrate Lit and The author. These opinions are mine own. 

About the Author 
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry, Linda Shenton Matchett has lived in historical places most of her life-from Edison, New Jersey (named for the famed inventor of the lightbulb) and Washington, DC to Wolfeboro, New Hampshire (reputed to be the oldest summer resort in America). A freelance writer for over ten years, her articles and devotionals have appeared in numerous print and online publications. A varied career has included stints as a crisis counselor, human resources professional, bed and breakfast owner, and youth center director. She is currently the Front of House, Snackbar, and Catering Manager for Brewster Academy, a boarding high school. In her off hours, she can be found volunteering as a docent at the Wright Museum of WWII and as a Trustee for the Wolfeboro Public Library. She is active in her church where she serves as treasurer, usher, choir member, and Bible study leader.

 Guest Post from the Author
Do you ever wonder where an author gets her inspiration? I certainly do. Let me tell you how Love Found in Sherwood Forest came about. I love history, so when the opportunity to write a contemporary story that embedded historical elements, I jumped at the chance. It was the first romance story I wrote, and it was in response to a challenge laid down by my critique group. (All my manuscripts to this point were mysteries.)
One of the major publishers was looking for submissions and provided a list of writing prompts with locations and items to be included in each story. When I saw the prompt that included Nottingham, England I decided a contemporary story wrapped around the Robin Hood legend would be fun to write. I’ve been enamoured with the story ever since I saw the 1938 Errol Flynn movie The Adventures of Robin Hood. 
I love doing research because I unearth so many interesting pieces of information. This research junket was no different. I learned lots of intriguing facts about Robin, Maid Marian, and Robin’s “Merry Men.” I also discovered Major Oak, a tree in Sherwood Forest thought to be nearly 1,000 years old and shelter for Robin and his men. 
Here’s a bit about me in case we’ve never “met.” I’ve been writing since I was young. My folks recognized my imagination and gave me a notepad and package of pens when I was in third grade. I wrote stories through high school, but writing went on the back burner during my college and career years. When we left the Washington, DC area to move to New Hampshire to purchase a B&B, I started journaling the experience. Putting pen to paper reminded me how much I loved to write, and I began to create stories. It’s been a long journey to publication-over ten years-but through all that time I learned so much about writing, but more importantly I learned about myself and my faith in God. I discovered you can’t write Christian fiction without examining your own Christianity. 
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy Love Found in Sherwood Forest.

Blog Stops

November 11: The Power of Words (Spotlight)
November 12: Karen Sue Hadley
November 13: Daysong Reflections
November 14: A Greater Yes
November 14: Mary Hake
November 15: Bibliophile Reviews
November 16: Blossoms and Blessings
November 17: Lighthouse Academy
November 18: inklings and notions
November 19: Sue Stinnett
November 20: Christian Bookaholic
November 21: Carpe Diem

Giveaway


In honor of her tour, Linda is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of each of Linda Matchett’s books! Click the link below to enter; be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine bonus entries for this giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/a862
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Thursday, November 17, 2016

"Finding Margo" by Jen Turano Book Tour and GiveAway



                                              Click here to purchase your copy.
About the Book

Off the charts and on the run.
International pop star Margo Hartman could use a night off. A grueling tour and overbearing entourage have sent her over the edge. It’s time for this diva to disappear. And who would think to look for the superstar in a small town in Ohio?
Sheriff’s deputy Brock Moore is undercover as well. He knows Margo isn’t who she appears to be, but her uncanny resemblance to a local Amish woman is raising all sorts of questions . . . the kinds that make her a target for a killer.
Both are determined to find answers, but their mutual attraction stands in the way of either of them doing it alone. Is finding Margo the solution to Brock’s problems or the just the beginning . . . ?
About the Author
USA Today best-selling author Jen Turano writes contemporary and historical romances with quirky characters and unusual storylines. Just outside Denver, Colorado, Jen and her husband live as empty-nesters, and they do so fabulously. Contact Jen at http://jenturano.com/

My Review:     

Wow, was my first thought as I was closing this book, my second thought was Jen Turano has done it again. “Finding Margo” is the first book in the (Finding Home Series) and I loved reading every bit of it.

Margo is a pop superstar who couldn’t take anymore of her mother’s forcing her to do one more tour.
This book is fiction but the story line is one that could happen, well maybe not all like how Margo meets her friend Gabby, the duck.
This series is about Amish children who are kidnaped twenty some years ago. 
This reader was kept turning the pages because I just had to know how it all turned out. 
“Finding Margo” is a love story and a mystery. 
This isn’t a happily ever after story for some of the characters but it shows that crime really doesn’t pay in the end. It does end happily for some.
I think fans of Jen Turano will love this newest book as much as her other series. The only series I have read so far is (A Class of Their Own) and it was an excellent series but I have to say “Finding Margo” is an even better read for me.
I encourage Jen Turano’s fans and fans of Amish genre to read “Finding Margo”. The Amish genre fans might have a new favorite author to add to their list of favorite authors. This isn’t the Amish story, but I say just read it and see if you agree with my conclusion.
There are plenty of surprises and twists that I didn’t see coming. I can’t wait till the next book in this series comes out.
I have given“Finding Margo” five stars.
I was given a complementary copy of “Finding Margo” by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.

Guest Post from Jen Turano

The Making of “Finding Margo”

By Jen Turano
To say that my entrance into the publishing world was a tad difficult is certainly an understatement. My very first attempt at writing was centered around a middle grade book, specifically written for my son who was in the third grade at the time. After finishing that, and sending it out to all of five companies, none of whom represented middle grade, I then moved on to young adult with a little more interest sent my way, but no success story to report in the end. Not one to embrace the idea of complete and utter failure, I then tried my hand at a contemporary romance, moved on to what I assumed was a delightful regency romance, but one that turned out to be not that delightful, at least according to numerous agents, and finally landed on gilded age stories, filled with quirky heroines. That is when I finally received my very first publishing contract, which then saw me catapulted into the very weird world of publishing. After completing the second gilded age story of my two-book contract, I found myself with some time on my hands as I waited to see if anyone would read my stories, which might then result in an offer of additional book contracts. As I waited, I decided I might as well keep writing, so decided to try another contemporary story, although my agent at that time suggested I try to write an Amish book since she had numerous requests from publishers for those specific books.
Because my writing voice is not what anyone might consider normal, I really didn’t believe I’d be able to do justice to an authentic Amish story. Because of that, I settled on the idea of writing a contemporary romantic suspense, being a huge fan of that genre. I had a vague notion of exploring a theme centered around a dog walker who might stumble on a body while walking her pack of dogs, or perhaps have a storyline that centered around a makeup artist who witnessed a crime while setting out her makeup for a client, but those ideas went straight away when I pulled out the vacuum one fine day.

Vacuuming, as well as staining the deck, cleaning the shower, and power-washing the garage, are my go-to activities when I need to get the muse working right before I start a first draft. On that particular day, as I pushed the vacuum around the house, I suddenly had the most intriguing idea – an idea that started off with two delightful little words…What…and…If.

That was all it took for a premise to begin festering through my mind, a fester that grew into this – What if three Amish children were stolen straight out of their beds, never to be seen or heard from again until… Now here’s where it gets interesting. I decided to have a woman by the name of Margo Hartman, an international superstar no less, stumble into this small Ohio town quite by accident, and…she happens to bear an uncommon resemblance to an Amish woman who lives in this town. To add an addition sense of intrigue, someone immediately begins trying their very best to kill poor Margo.

By the time I was done vacuuming, the storyline for “Finding Margo” was firmly cemented in my mind, which translates into Jen had no choice other than to write the story. However, before my agent at that time found a home for the manuscript, I signed another contract for more gilded age books, which meant I did not have the time to commit to what was certainly going to have to be a three-book series since, well, there were three Amish children who’d gone missing. 
Fast forward around five years and I found myself a little ahead of schedule at exactly the right time. There was a new publishing house in town, my current agent remembered me talking about this quirky book I’d written long ago, and as luck would have it, I found the flash drive that’s been home to “Finding Margo” for all these years.

Since my writing style has certainly changed since I first wrote Margo’s story, I ended up rewriting the entire book, and I must say that I’m still just as intrigued with the storyline as I was when it popped to mind while vacuuming what seems like ages ago. I’m just tickled to death that Margo Hartman has finally found her way out of a flash drive and onto the pages of a book. I’m hoping readers will enjoy her as much as I enjoyed writing her.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit with me today, and for supporting my books over the years. I cannot properly express how important all my readers have become to me, and I’m incredibly thankful for every one of you. You’ve brightened up my life and without you, well, I wouldn’t have anyone to share the stories that always seem to rumble around my mind.

God bless!

~ Jen ~

                                                      Blog Stops
November 17: Book by Book
November 17: cherylbbookblog
November 18: A Reader’s Brain
November 18: I Hope You Dance
November 18: Blogging with Carol
November 19: ASC Book Reviews
November 19: Bibliophile Reviews 
November 20: Lighthouse Academy
November 20: Karen Sue Hadley
November 20: Back Porch Reads
November 21: Genesis 5020
November 21: 100 Pages per Hour
November 22: Pause for Tales
November 22: Quiet Quilter
November 22: Bigreadersite 
November 23: Just Commonly
November 23: A Greater Yes
November 23: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
November 24: Smiling Book Reviews
November 24: Ashley’s Bookshelf
November 25: inklings and notions
November 26: Daysong Reflections
November 26: The Scribbler 
November 26: Blossoms and Blessings
November 28: The Power of Words
November 28: Reader’s Cozy Corner
November 29: Faithfully Bookish
November 29: Christian Bookaholic

                                                               Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card and signed copies of her book! Click the link below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine entries on the giveaway!
https://promosimple.com/ps/a8ad

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