Thursday, August 31, 2023

The Starlet Spy by Rachel Scott McDaniel

About the Book

Book: The Starlet Spy

Authors: Rachel Scott McDaniel

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Release Date: August, 2023

Hollywood Star Turns Spy

In 1943, movie producer Henrik Zoltan approaches Amelie Blake under the guise of offering the Hollywood star a leading part in his upcoming film, but he has a more meaningful role in mind. Amelie’s homeland of Sweden declared neutrality in the war, but Stockholm has become the “Casablanca of the North.” When top-secret atomic research goes missing in Sweden, the Allied forces scramble to recover the files before they fall into Nazi hands.

The United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS) needs someone who’s subtle enough to spy on the Swedish elite without triggering suspicion. Who better than the “all beauty, no brains” Scandinavian starlet? Fluent in three languages and possessing a brilliant memory, Amelie loathes being labeled witless but uses the misconception as her disguise. She’s tasked with searching for the crucial files, but Fynn Ristaffason keeps getting in her way. Is the charming shipping magnate after the missing research? Or does he have other reasons for showing up at her every turn?

With the Gestapo on her heels, Amelie must rely on her smarts in addition to her acting skills to survive a world of deadly spies and counterspies.

Click here to get your copy!

My review

This book has surprises and twists that this reader didn’t see coming. I recommend this book to readers who like fiction and history in the same story. This is a tale that proves opposites do attract.I recommend that you read the author’s note at the end of the book to know what really is true in the tale. This book deals with spies and etc and has a scene with a woman being shot with a gun but the book isn’t what I would call graphic at all.

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

About the Author

Rachel Scott McDaniel is an award-winning author of historical romance. Winner of the ACFW Genesis Award and the RWA Touched By Love award, Rachel infuses faith and heart into each story. Rachel can be found online at www.RachelScottMcDaniel.com and on all social media platforms. Her work is represented by Julie Gwinn of the Seymour Agency. Rachel resides in Ohio with her husband and two children.

More from Rachel

Setting The Starlet Spy in Sweden

Hej! If you’ve ever been to Ikea, then you know that’s the Swedish greeting for Hello! Prior to writing The Starlet Spy, my knowledge of the Swedish culture was limited. It seemed I wasn’t alone. Early last year, I held a poll on my social media asking if anyone had ever read a book set in Sweden. A sweeping majority said no.

Since all of my previous books are set in the United States, this is my first novel with an international setting. So I immersed myself into research. I read books about the country, watched videos, followed Swedish Instagrammers to learn more about the language. And let me tell you, I totally fell in love with this Scandinavian world. It is now on my bucket list to visit because it’s just that gorgeous. I wrote The Starlet Spy with a romantic adventure vibe. I wanted to take the reader on a tour of this amazing country, from the classically beautiful Stockholm, to the quaint fishermen city of Malmo, to the ancient streets of Sigtuna—one of Sweden’s oldest villages—to the brilliant Northern Lights in the Lapland region.

Not only did I want to paint the scene of these various places, but I also wanted to introduce the Swedish culture. Tucked within the pages of The Starlet Spy, the reader will find traces of Scandinavian folklore and legends, which was super fun to explore. But to be honest, my favorite inclusion of Swedish culture was incorporating a traditional dance—the Hambo! It’s such an interesting and unique dance, and I may have been trying to coax my husband into trying it with me for an Instagram Reel, but so far, no such luck! Though I have no problem getting him to enjoy Fika with me. Fika, my friends, is a coffee break, or simply coffee. Just as the British favor their tea, the Swedes are adamant about their fika. So I can most definitely relate.

If all this intrigues you, I welcome you to read The Starlet Spy. It’s set in 1943, which was a pivotal time for Sweden during World War II. If you’ve read my previous stories, you know how much I love to weave as much true history into the chapters. This book has by far the most!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 29

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 29

lakesidelivingsite, August 29

Lily’s Book Reviews, August 30

Where Faith and Books Meet, August 30

Melissa’s Bookshelf, August 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 31

Back Porch Reads, September 1

annette_reads_daily, September 1

Texas Book-aholic, September 2

Cathe Swanson, September 2

Book Looks by Lisa, September 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 3

Christina’s Corner, September 3

Connie’s History Classroom, September 4

Kristina Hall, September 4

The Book Club Network, September 5

Pause for Tales, September 5

Happily Managing A Household of Boys, September 5

Cover Lover Book Review, September 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 6

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, September 7 (Author Interview)

The Book Nook, September 7

Betti Mace, September 8

Labor Not in Vain, September 8

Just Your Average reviews, September 8

Simple Harvest Reads, September 9 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, September 9

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, September 9

Blogging With Carol, September 10

For Him and My Family, September 10

Holly’s Book Corner, September 11

Lights in a Dark World, September 11

Books I’ve Read, September 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon eGift card and a print 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/278bf/the-starlet-spy-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Small Town Danger by various authors

About the Book

Book:Small Town Danger

Authors: Mary Alford, Liz Bradford, June Foster, Therese Heckenkamp, Cynthia Hickey, Gina Holder, Edie James, Ann Malley, J. Carol Nemeth, and Colleen Snyder

Genre: Christian/Clean Romantic Mystery and Suspense

Release Date: April 25, 2023

More than lives are in danger when small town tranquility meets heart pounding suspense in this collection of ten brand-new novels from some of the genre’s most explosive romantic suspense authors!

Join Mary Alford, Liz Bradford, June Foster, Therese Heckenkamp, Cynthia Hickey, Gina Holder, Edie James, Ann Malley, Carol Nemeth and Colleen Snyder as mystery, suspense, and faith combine to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Sins of the Past – A Hope Island Securities Book by Mary Alford

Ten years earlier, Janine put him away for murder. Now Bennett’s back in her life with a challenge—help me find the real killer.

Swept Away – Tracking Danger Book Two – A Search and Rescue Novel by Liz Bradford

When a SAR mission ends with a murder, Josh and Chloe must fight rising tensions before they get swept away.

Danger in Cranberry Cove by June Foster

When Julie Wilder joins local lawyer Lucas Ethridge in uncovering clues of who murdered their high school friend on the beach fifteen years before, phone calls from their deceased classmate are unnerving. After incriminating evidence turns up, can Lucas and Julie discover the killer’s identity or will they suffer the same fate as their friend?

Escaping Illusions – A Frozen Footprints Book by Therese Heckenkamp

All she wants is a new beginning, but a man famous for deception is the last person she should trust.

A Place to Hide by Cynthia Hickey

Is there nowhere to hide? Will Marley and Dirk escape a fan who always seems to be one step ahead of them?

Handmade Mayhem – Addie Masters Mysteries Book 1 by Gina Holder

“Who Knew DIY Could Be So Deadly.”

Hidden Sins – A Redemption Creek Romantic Suspense by Edie James

Redemption Creek, where sometimes justice needs a helping hand.

Debt of Honor by Ann Malley

Where’s the honor in loving your best friend’s wife? Or keeping the secrets that may get her and her baby killed?

Death Goes to School by J. Carol Nemeth

The rewarding profession of teaching: it could get you killed.

Twisted by Colleen Snyder

She’s eighteen. A visitor to a tornado-stricken town in need of help. Half of the residents think she’s a saint. While the other wants her dead.

Click here to get your copy!

My review:

I haven’t read all ten stories yet. But I am telling you the stories that I have read really keeps the reader on the seat of their chair. These stories have plenty of suspense and keep you turning the pages. I think it would be best not to try reading all at one time especially if you are going through the grieving process as I am. If a reader wants to read books by new authors then sets with 10 different authors is a great way to be introduced to some of the great authors. The stories that I have this far in this collection is all clean reads and have faith as part of the tales. I do plan on reading the other stories in this collection.

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

About the Authors

Liz Bradford didn’t always know she was a writer, but story ideas have always been a part of her life. When she finally took an idea seriously, she started writing and hasn’t been able to stop. She is a member of ACFW and ACFW-Louisville Chapter. Even though Liz’s heart yearns to live in the mountains of North Carolina, she and her husband live in southern Indiana where she homeschools their three daughters.

An award-winning author, June Foster is a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. June began writing Christian romance in 2010 as she and her husband traveled the US in their RV. Her adventures provide a rich source of information for her novels. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next book.

To date, June has written over thirty contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who encounter real-life difficulties yet live victorious lives. She’s published with Winged Publications. Visit June at www.junefoster.com to see a complete list of her books.

Her novel, The Inn at Cranberry Cove, won the 2021 Selah award for Romantic Suspense. It is available on Amazon in paperback, hardback, and eBook format.

Born in Australia but raised in the US as a homeschooled student, Therese Heckenkamp has been writing stories since before she could spell. She lives in Wisconsin and is an award-winning author of five Christian romance and suspense novels as well as a non-award-winning mother of five energetic kids. As a busy stay-at-home mom, Therese writes whenever she can manage (and sometimes when she can’t). She dreams up new stories mostly at night when the house is—if she’s lucky—finally quiet. It’s no coincidence one of her novels is called Sleep Deprived.

Cynthia Hickey is a multi-published and best-selling author of cozy mysteries and romantic suspense. She has taught writing at many conferences and small writing retreats. She and her husband run the publishing press, Winged Publications, which includes some of the CBA’s best well-known authors. They live in Arizona and Arkansas, becoming snowbirds with two dogs and one cat. They have ten grandchildren who keep them busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer.”

Gina Holder is an indie author and stay-at-home mom. She’s had an infatuation with books for as long as she can remember. She loves sharing uplifting messages from God’s Word and introducing readers to new and new-to-them authors on her blog at http://storiesbygina.wordpress.com. When she’s not writing, Gina enjoys playing the piano, cooking, reading, watching Hallmark mysteries, and solving “escape room” puzzles. She’s been a member of ACFW for several years, and loves growing in her craft as an author. She published her debut novel in 2017. Gina lives in Colorado with her husband and daughter.

Edie writes faith-filled romantic suspense featuring adventurous women, and the heroic men who love them.

Don’t let the smile fool you. Edie spends far too much of her time considering murder, mayhem, and former Navy SEALS with private jets and high tech toys.

She lives within sight of the real-life town that inspired the Hope Landing series with her firefighter husband, one creaky senior border collie and three mischievous cats.

Ann Malley is an empty-nesting, homeschool mom looking for fun. Don’t let the Snap Chat filters fool you. She writes clean romantic suspense when not dabbling in short, sassy romantic comedies.

A native North Carolinian, J. Carol Nemethalways loved reading and making up stories since childhood, and began writing in junior high school. As a young adult, she worked in the National Park Service and served in the US Army where she was stationed in Pisa, Italy. While there she met the love of her live, Mark Nemeth, also an Army veteran. They’ve lived in various locations including North Yorkshire, England. Now living in West Virginia, they enjoy RVing and traveling to research for Carol’s books. They have two grown children, a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, three amazing grandchildren, and a lab fur baby named Holly. Carol is a member of ACFW and an Amazon Bestselling author. She writes Christian historical and contemporary romantic suspense and has published twelve novellas and full-length novels.

Colleen K. Snyder has always had a passion for writing. She authored two previously published books: Journey to Amanah: The Beginning (1991) and Return to Tebel-Ayr: The Journey Continues (1993) (B&H Publishing). She is the author of the “Collin Walker Series” of books. She lives on a “ranchette” in California and is the (very) junior ranch hand. She serves on her church prayer team and exercises a ministry of encouragement. Colleen has worked as a factory line worker, pharmacy technician, USAF missile systems analyst, nanny, teacher and whatever else the Lord required. Her story is for His glory, always.

Mary Alford is a USA Today bestselling author who loves giving her readers the unexpected, combining unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots that result in stories the reader can’t put down. Her titles have been finalists for several awards, including the Daphne Du Maurier, the Beverly, the Maggie, and the Selah. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two cats and one dog.

More from Mary

If you’re like me, when you picture a small town, you think about a place where you feel welcomed and where the world becomes a little bit smaller and friendlier. Small towns are a safe place where everyone knows everyone, and big-city crime seems so far away.

Imagines of county fairs and picnics in the park come to mind. Fireworks on the fourth of July, and a small-town church where the town gathers to worship on Sunday.

That image is a peaceful one. But do you ever think about the secrets that might lay hidden behind those cheerful small-town curtains?

That was one of the things that attracted me, Mary Alford, to creating the Small Town Danger collection along with Liz Bradford, June Foster, Therese Heckenkamp, Cynthia Hickey, Gina Holder, Edie James, Ann Malley, Carol Nemeth and Colleen Snyder.

The idea of taking a seemingly tranquil setting such as a small town and then throwing in a dangerous situation that flips everything you think you know about a small town on its ear is the premise behind Small Town Danger—a collection of 10 full-length novels available now on Amazon.

Getting to work with such a talented group of authors was an amazing blessing for me.

So, I hope you enjoy the Small Town Danger collection as much as each of the authors enjoyed creating these tales of intrigue that prove not all small towns are tranquil and not all secrets stay hidden.

Blog Stops

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, August 28 (Author Interview)

Lily’s Book Reviews, August 28

Texas Book-aholic, August 29

For the Love of Literature, August 30 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 30

The Book Club Network, August 31

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 1

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 2

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 4

Blogging With Carol, September 5

Book Looks by Lisa, September 6

Artistic Nobody, September 7 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 8

She Lives to Read, September 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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/27a6d/small-town-danger-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

The Persistent Road by Tim Bishop

About the Book

Book: The Persistent Road

Author: Tim Bishop

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction/outdoor adventure

Release Date: June 20, 2023

After losing all he once cherished, Doug Zimmer follows his wife’s parting bread crumbs and rides up the Pacific coast—on a bicycle. Armed with a revolver and only a vague plan to get through the months ahead, he aims to end his depression one way or the other.

As spiritual forces wrangle for his soul, he pedals eastward across America. He meets Lauren Baumgartner—a younger adventurer with a vibrant spirit—and a band of zealots who confront his aversion to religion. Accompanying Doug are not only sunny days and the beauty of nature but also the perils of the road, fellow travelers with their own stories, and the hollow silence of solitary campsites playing host to unseen creatures of the night.

A jarring episode on a climb through a treacherous pass brings Doug face-to-face with life and death. Will Doug’s adventure deliver him from loneliness and lament . . . or hurtle him to an abrupt end?

Click here to get your copy!

This book is a “wow’ book. I really didn’t want to read it because I know it was going to be a boring book a book about a bicycle trip. But, I am here to tell you how wrong I was. I loved this book. It has tragic and talks about suicidal thoughts which might be a trigger for some. It mentions death and grief. Yes, this book is more than a ride across America on a bicycle. It is real life and deals with forgiveness and has points that helps us deal with questions like “why if God is loving how can bad things happen to good people. Some of the scenes I could see happen in my mind’s eye as I was reading them.if you want to read a book that keeps you turning the pages than I recommend “The Persistent Road” by Tim Bishop.

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

About the Author

After a thirty-year career in business, TIM BISHOPleft his corporate treasurer position, married his dream girl, and embarked with her to parts unknown—on bicycles. Ten thousand miles later, the first-time newlyweds have written four books about their cycling adventures. Their devotional, Wheels of Wisdom, won four first-place book awards. Publishers Weekly dubbed it “a road map for life.”

Tim volunteers as a coach for a ministry that reaches people who are dealing with challenging life issues. He has written numerous articles for various Christian content providers and has been a part of three church plants. These faith experiences have given him an evangelist’s heart to reach people in creative ways.

A graduate of the University of Maine, a CPA, and a three-time Maine chess champion, Tim and his wife, Debbie, live in Middle Tennessee. Connect with him at TimBishopWrites.com or follow @TimBishopWrites on social media.

More from Tim

After three decades chained to a desk in corporate business, I didn’t expect to land here. But now, I’m an author with a debut novel! The road I traveled has been as circuitous as the ones my wife, Debbie, and I bicycled to cross America on our honeymoon. The author part makes sense: I exited corporate life with writing as a primary interest and at least one business book inside me. I also have a passion to share my faith. But a novel? From someone who hadn’t read them since high school?

I’ve since addressed my reading deficiency, but I would like to share with you how The Persistent Road came about.

Shortly after marrying in 2010, I joined Debbie as a hope coach to young people struggling with life. Our third bicycle odyssey, which we embarked on in 2014, was a fundraiser for the organization we volunteered for as coaches. No shortage of financial need there, and few people knew about the hidden gem of a service. Thus, TheHopeLine Tour came to be. We bicycled to our hearts’ content, blogged daily, and pitched our cause.

On day thirteen, things took an intense turn. A man in Richland, Oregon, spilled out his anger upon entering a restaurant. A religious sect at a campground the night before had cornered him with their preaching. We left that restaurant aghast. What had happened in the man’s life to make him so belligerent to matters of faith? The following day, we met him trying to pedal his heavy recumbent bicycle out of – all places – Hells Canyon.

We arrived home two months and three thousand miles later with a bevy of stories brimming with “God moments.” They breathed life into what would become Wheels of Wisdom. Yet that angry man’s screaming echoed in my mind. His unwitting cries for help became lesson 36 in our seeker’s devotional. I called it simply “Hells Canyon.”

My curiosity still wasn’t satisfied. What had happened to make this man react the way he did? And what became of him as he journeyed the perilous roads across America? The Persistent Road answers those questions!

I’ve since landed at another coaching service that welcomes all comers regardless of age. What I’ve learned as a coach and a long-distance traveler by bicycle saturates the pages of my novel. It’s just another example of God’s mysterious ways, of how He uses whatever He pours into us when we ride with Him.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 26

For the Love of Literature, August 27 (Author Interview)

The Book Club Network, August 28

Blossoms and Blessings, August 29 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 29

Texas Book-aholic, August 30

Cover Lover Book Review, August 31

Splashes of Joy, September 1 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 2

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, September 3 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, September 4

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 5

Artistic Nobody, September 6 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, September 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 7

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 8

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Tim is giving away the grand prize package of a $100 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Persistent Road!!

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/27786/the-persistent-road-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, August 27, 2023

“Itty Bitty Faith by Jennifer Seines

About the Book

Book: Itty Bitty Faith

Author: Jennifer Sienes

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction, and Southern Fiction

Release Date: July 18, 2023

Sometimes your past comes back to haunt you…

As a single mama, Alyssa Mitchell learned to depend on no one but herself while raising her boy. She never even gave Jared’s daddy a single thought—well, not often anyway. Why would she when he left her behind to go off and save the world? It didn’t matter one little bit that he was unaware she was pregnant, she felt betrayed just the same. But when she overhears Jared lamenting over not even knowing who his daddy was, she tucks her pride away long enough to track him down.

Brandon Jamison spent years bringing clean water to third-world countries. It was downright confounding why God would see fit to bring him back to the states – with no job or clue what to do next. That is until Alyssa Mitchell shows up and drops a bomb – Brandon has a seventeen year old son. All his past failures and shame came to the surface just like the lemon in Mama’s sweet tea.

It’ll take more than itty-bitty faith to put the past behind them.

Click here to get your copy!

My review: I loved reading this book. It is a tale of a second chance at love. It is a tale of a single mom having faith as small as a mustard. I love that this author also use faith as part of her stories.

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

About the Author

Jennifer Sienesholds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing–and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies–two in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.

More from Jennifer

It’s easier for me to write an entire novel (or novella) then to come up with a title. I wasn’t impressed with Itty Bitty Faith, and hoped my publisher might change it. No such luck. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to fit.

I love that the Bible tells us in Matthew 17:20 “…Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Faith as small as a mustard seed is what I’d call itty bitty faith.

Even though I was raised in the church, I didn’t come to truly know Jesus until everything I held dear was taken away, and I had nowhere to go but my knees. Some of us like to think we’re in control—and I was no exception. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”—Proverbs 16:18. And boy, was I proud. But it didn’t keep my children safe, or my marriage intact, or my mother from dying of cancer. And it wasn’t until I acknowledged the goodness and sovereignty of God (yes, that’s sometimes a hard one to reconcile) that I began to truly grow in my faith.

Alyssa Mitchell struggles with a faith-crisis of her own. A single mother to a teenage boy, living under the same roof as her own mama, she thinks her family is a victim of some cruel curse. The high school boy she loved left her alone and pregnant to serve the Lord. It’s enough to make her suspicious of the so-called righteous, and she’s held onto bitterness longer than a body should. It’s not until she hears her son Jared lament over never knowing who his daddy is that she takes a step of faith (although it’s not what she’d call it) to search out Brandon Jamison.

The key theme in this story is how God works in the background to give us the desires of our hearts long before we even know what they are. Isn’t that incredible? We just need to open our hearts and eyes to see His hand in every detail. Bitterness is poison to the soul, but when we can let go of it and trust in Him, life has a way of working out far better than we can hope or imagine.

I pray you will enjoy this journey alongside Alyssa, Brandon, and Jared. And that even if your faith is still itty bitty, the Lord will grow it to gargantuan proportions.