Saturday, March 24, 2018

Storms in Serenity by Fay Lamb

Serenity is the name of the town but there is nothing peaceful in this town.

Storms are brewing in this community.  Secrets are about to explode.  Brother vs. Brother.  Marital problems and breakups.

Very intense story that has me turning one page after another.  I was surprised by the outcomes.  Angry about the deceptions.

What does it take to really forgive?  Every character in this book had to come to terms with their past.  They had to evaluate their actions - past and current.

When you really listen, GOD is with you guiding the way.  I

I received this free to review.

Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Fay is giving away a grand prize of an Echo Spot!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca75

About the Author

FLamb 16Fay Lamb writes emotionally charged stories with a Romans 8:28 attitude, reminding readers that God is always in the details. Fay donates 100% of her royalties to Christian charities.
Storms in Serenity is the first book in Fay’s Serenity Key series. Fay’s other series include, Amazing Grace and her novels, Stalking Willow, Better than RevengeEverybody’s Brokenand Frozen Notes. The Ties that Bind Series includes Charisse, Libby, andHope. Delilah, is coming soon.

Guest Post from Fay Lamb

ONCE UPON A STORM
I’m one of those people who love storms. I revel in the lightning that streaks across the sky, the rumble of thunder as it rolls over the air, and I dance to the eerie sound of the wind coming through a crack in the window. Storms don’t frighten me. I’m an East Coast Floridian. I’ve lived through many a tempest.
However, so that you won’t think me completely insane, I have also fled a few hurricanes. In our house, a Cat III storm is something to debate as we watch to see how low the millibars fall at the storm’s center. A Cat IV means gather the important documents, place them into plastic bags and tuck them into plastic tubs, batten down the hatches, and depending upon its projected proximity, hunker down or flee. A Cat V is a no-brainer. Run!
If only the storms in our lives had categories so that we know when to stand and face the winds of life or to debate the direction, or to decide when to flee. Sometimes, the storms of life come at us without warning, with no stirring up of the waters by our own hands. Other times, the storms can be abated by the stance we take, the decisions we make, and by failing to move out of harm’s way, perhaps in an opposite direction.
That’s what my first novel in The Serenity Key series is about: one man stirred up a storm many years prior. The destructive force of that storm amassed because he didn’t take a stand, he failed to make crucial decisions, and he choose to run from a situation that God would not allow him to outrun. Storms in Serenity is a modern-day retelling of the Biblical truths of the aftermath of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the destruction the storms of life that blew apart not only David’s family but also those he called friends.
Mostly, though, Storms in Serenity, is a novel that proves that when it comes to sin, truly, no man is an island.

Sunday, March 18, 2018

SOUL'S PRISONER BY CARA LUECHT

This is the story of Rachel and how she became a prisoner of the insane hospital that she was working for.  Rachel moved to Chicago with high hopes of being with the one she loved.  It didn't go as planned.  She was alone and feeling lost.

How could things get worse?  Rachel discovered a newborn baby out in the cold.  She knew she had to do something.  Her decision cost her her freedom.  She became a prisoner....a soul's prisoner.

Fortunately, Rachel had her brother looking for her.   

At times, this book was difficult to read.   I'm glad that I read this all the way through.  The past treatment of mental illness is disturbing.  Even today, mental illness and the treatment of it is a hot topic of conversation.

I received this free to review.

Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Cara is giving away a grand prize of a signed copy of Soul’s Prisoner and sketching art supplies!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/cb74


About the Author

140223_132100ph(2)Award winning author, Cara Luecht, lives in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin with her husband, David, and their children. Cara graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Currently, Cara is studying for a Masters of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Guest Post from Cara Luecht

The Setting for Soul’s Prisoner: Dunning Asylum for the Insane
Dunning Asylum for the Insane was built in the 1850s and housed psychiatric patients until the early 1900s. It has since been demolished, and a small park currently stands as the only remaining testament to the people who lived and died on the grounds.
The original plot of land also included a poor farm and a cemetery. A railroad used to connect the grounds to Minneapolis, Chicago, and Milwaukee. It was nicknamed the “Crazy Train”—a phrase that still survives in our language today. Those buried in the cemetery include Civil War Veterans, victims of the Chicago fire of 1871, orphans, paupers, and the residents of the asylum for the insane. Most estimates agree that nearly forty thousand people were buried on the grounds.
There is no doubt that mental illness is hard on families, but in the 1800s, having a family member who struggled with mental illness was an embarrassment. With little understanding of mental health in general, and even less compassion for those who suffered, examples of this tragic response to the threat of mental illness can be seen in the numerous inmates who were there simply due to addiction or depression. There are even cases where women were committed because their families were humiliated by their giving birth outside the bonds of marriage. Often times, challenges with mental health were synonymous with the notion of moral failure or vice. Because of this, even many charities looked the other way when corruption or abuse was exposed. Reporters sometimes wrote about the horrors of the institutions, but once the sensational story was out, and the initial outrage worn away, few worried about the people who suffered on a daily basis. And because of the moral implication of mental illness, families commonly turned over their suffering members to the county, and later simply explained to friends that the person had died.
And that is exactly what the mentally ill would do in the institution. Live there until they died, forgotten.
And that’s how the story played out at Dunning, until late in the 1900s when developers began to dig the roads and foundations for a new neighborhood on the grounds of what was once the Asylum. At that time, Dunning, and the people who had resided there, were still within living memory, so when bones were unearthed, it was no mystery how they ended up on that patch of land. What had slipped from memory was the magnitude of the collective stories of suffering and hardship.
For this novel, the people and events are fictitious. However, when examining old news stories from an institution known for corruption, it is not hard to imagine situations like the ones in the novel. The details that are true are the nearly one thousand inmates, no hot water, little to no heat in the winter, bad food, and the general feeling of living ghosts, intentionally forgotten, and doomed to never leave the grounds.

Monday, March 12, 2018

Meddlin' Madeline- Fine Print by Chautona Havig

I am really looking forward to receiving this book in the near future!!!!  I read a previous book with Madeline as the main character.  She sure got herself into some interesting situations.


As soon as I can I will review this book by Ms. Havig!!!


About the Book

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Book Title: Meddlin’ Madeline Fine Print
Author: Chautona Havig
Genre: Historical, Mystery
Release Date: February 20, 2018
Budding detective, Miss Madeline Brown, has gained quite the reputation for “meddling” in the circa 1900 city of Rockland. With two successful “cases” under her belt, it was only a matter of time before she found something new to interest her insatiable curiosity.
This time, however, the “curiosity” found her.
Challenged by Edward Gastrel, to prove her deductive prowess, Madeline embarks on riddling out the puzzle of a journal left to him by his grandfather. If she can decode the contents, the local gentleman may find himself in the possession of something quite valuable.
As usual, however, things aren’t as they seem, and Madeline finds herself in a race against more than time and ambiguity.

Click here to purchase your copy!

Please stop by the Meddlin’ Madeline: Fine Print Celebration Tour featuring Chautona Havig!

Learn about Chautona’s Denny’s experience and how it helps and hinders her writing!

Don’t forget to enter the themed giveaway worth $50!

Click link below to follow:
http://s.ripl.com/30z5so

About the Author

ChautonaChautona Havig lives and writes in California’s Mojave Desert where she uses story to point readers to the Master Storyteller.

Guest Post from Chautona

Denny’s. “America’s Diner.” It’s also my “office away from my office away from home.” Most nights I write at our local prayer house. But on Wednesday nights for a few hours, and then all night on Saturday, I sit in booth 14 and write.
It was a cold, frosty Wednesday night. With thoughts from Bible Study still swirling in my mind and heart, I ordered my loaded baked potato soup and began brainstorming with my writing and podcasting buddy, April.
She left around midnightish—as usual. And another evening regular began chatting.
Look. I like this guy. He’s a fascinating conversationalist. We have a lot of fun talking books, movies, politics, history, computers… He’s even given me a great idea for a book (without meaning to, but still).
But… that night, I needed to get a bunch done on Madeline and didn’t have time for chatting. So, when he started talking about his evening, I wanted to bang my head on the table. I kept repeating, “People are more important. People are more important. People are more important,” over and over in my head.
I can’t tell you how often this has happened at Denny’s. Employees stop to chat. Regular diners stop to chat. This guy starts a long conversation and always on nights I can’t afford to spend… chatting!
But everything shifted in an instant.
The man said something—what, I can’t remember—and my brain started churning.
I asked a question.
He answered.
The next thing I knew, he’d moved into my booth and began firing questions at me. Suggestions. Most of what he suggested wouldn’t work with the story, but he had no way of knowing that. Still, every time he did I got a new idea. And I’d ask a question. He’d answer, suggest. I’d counter—ask or answer. Ideas blossomed and exploded into seeds of even more ideas.
And right there, at two o’clock in the morning, with Angela the wonder server keeping me in fresh glasses of Coke, Fine Print went from not only my favorite of the Madelines (thus far) but also became much more exciting.
The whole thing taught me a couple of lessons. First, I always say that people are more important than the “stuff” I do. Sometimes, that’s not so easy to live. But the Lord is always faithful, like He did that night, to remind me that it sometimes helpsme, too.
Second, sometimes a mid-book brainstorming session is just what I need to keep my excitement high. And, if that means a “wasted” Wednesday night in booth 14, then I’d say it’s worth it.

Someplace Familiar by Teresa Tysinger

Laurel Cove, North Carolina is the place you want to go to.  It's a small community with good neighbors and people who care.  Livy has fond memories of spending time there with her grandmother.  She is trying to forget the abusive relationship she just escaped from.  Her grandmother's old home is up for sale.  Maybe this was God's plan for her.

Jack never left Laurel Cove.  He grew up there and continued running the family hardware store.  He married and was ready to have a happy life.  A year ago he divorced after his wife was caught cheating.  He couldn't forgive her.

What does it take for Livy and Jack to forgive their past?  How can they move forward and break free from the hurt, the negative comments, the abusing behaviors?

Forgiveness is the key to healing.  Letting go of your anger and fears through forgiveness gives you peace.  The other party doesn't control you.  They have no power.

Livy and Jack learn that with forgiveness it gives them a fresh start....a new beginning to really experience God's love.

I found it appropriate that Livy was an artist.
Every time she starts a new painting, she begins with a new blank canvas.  This clean canvas is what Livy needs to start her new life in Laurel Cove.

I loved the ending.  I won't say much but Livy shows much compassion and forgiveness that you might be shocked.

I received this free to review.

Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Teresa is giving away a grand prize of a gift basket that includes a signed copy of the book, an Original Painting by Author’s Sister (artist Cyndi Browning), and a $10 Amazon Gift Card!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca5b




About the Author

TeresaTysingerTeresa Tysinger is a wife and mother transplanted from North Carolina to North Texas. When not working as the Director of Communications for a large downtown church, she writes charming southern romances inspired by grace. Her debut novel, Someplace Familiar, released this summer. She also is a contributing writer for the Fort Worth Moms Blog (part of the national City Moms Blog Network). A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Religious Communicators’ Council, and the Association for Women in Communications, Teresa has spent over a decade committed to telling stories of faith through written word. She loves coffee, caramel, and stories with happy endings.


Sunday, March 11, 2018

The Essence of Joy


GOD gave us 5 senses to enjoy what life has to offer.  This book explores the aromas of Jesus nativity.  Each chapter is based on one scent of Christmas.  Lynn Watson used Bible passages, short stories and interesting facts to describe each scent.

I learned something about Peppermint.  I wasn't aware the red on Peppermint represents the blood of Christ.  It was an interesting tidbit of information.

I enjoyed each chapter and the way she presented it with suggestions to use the scents at home.  

I received this free to review.


Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Lynn is giving away a grand prize of a “Choose Joy” hand made necklace, a “Cups of Joy” (adult coloring book) + set of 24 prismacolor colored pencils, a “Choose Joy Today” stamped silver-plated teaspoon,
flower Seeds, raspberry tea (it’s in the Cinnamah-Brosia story in the “Mint/Giving” section), a “Choose Joy” tote bag, and a signed copy of “The Essence of Joy”!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca47


About the Author

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Lynn Watson combines many years’ experience in women’s ministry, love of essential oils, and her passion for God’s word to bring her readers freshly inspired encouragement for their walk with Jesus. Her devotional, The Essence of Courage, was recognized as a ‘must read’ by regional publishing industry leaders. Married since 1973, Lynn and Steve have filled their Bartlett, Tennessee home with handmade treasures and lots of love for family, especially their five beautiful (of course) grandchildren. Aromas of freshly baked bread often fill Lynn’s kitchen. Jasmine, her tuxedo kitty, enjoys sleeping in Lynn’s lap while she writes.



Thursday, March 8, 2018

Breaking Toxic Soul Ties by Tom Brown

Soul Ties are the relationships we have with people in our lives.  Soul Ties can be good or bad.  It is important to distinguish between the two.  With this knowledge, we can grow and break free from the "toxic brokeness" that can develop.


Tom Brown describes in the book the differences in good and bad soul ties.  He explains how we can heal and be the person God intends for us to be.  

I loved how Mr. Brown included Bible passages throughout the chapters.  These clarify and strengthen the points he is trying to make.

He adds that everyone at times feels rejection.  He shared his particular moments of rejection and how he got through this difficult period of time.

As I read this book, I could look back and recognize the bad soul ties I had in my life.  Fortunately, I did break free.  

I received this free to review.


Giveaway

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In honor of the tour, Whitaker House is giving away
Grand Prize Package: Breaking Toxic Soul Ties by Tom Brown, KJVER Study Bible, and “A Friend Loves at All Times” scented candle from Abba Jerusalem
1st Place: Breaking Toxic Soul Ties by Tom Brown, God That Saves worship music CD from IronBellMusic.com, and Whitaker House/Anchor Coloring Book and Colored Pencils
2nd Place: Breaking Toxic Soul Ties by Tom Brown, and Whitaker House/Anchor Coloring Book and Colored Pencils!!!
Click the link to enter! https://promosimple.com/ps/c6cd


About the Author

Tom Brown is best known for his deliverance ministry. Millions have seen him on ABC’s 20/20, as well as on MSNBC and the History Channel. He is a noted conference speaker, prolific author, and committed pastor. His award-winning Internet site, www.tbm.org, reaches more than a million people a year. His books published by Whitaker House are Devil, Demons, and Spiritual WarfareBreaking Curses, Experiencing HealingPrayers That Get Results; and Spiritual Gifts for Spiritual Warfare. Tom is the founder and pastor of Word of Life Church in El Paso, Texas.

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Across the Blue by Carrie Turansky




Isabella had a dream.  She wanted to write for her father's newspaper.  But in order to do this, she had to deny who she was and write under a pseudonym.  Society dictated that she was to concentrate on finding a husband and put these dreams to the wayside.

James Drake didn't know his true identity.  His mother died under mysterious circumstances.  Why didn't his father and/or grandfather claim him?  \

He dreamed of flying and winning the Grand Prize that the newspaper offered for the first to fly across the English Channel. His worth was based on whether or not his flying machine was successful.

Isabella's father bought the fancy estate with the previous families' heirlooms in it.  His motivation was to impress and to "bridge the gap between old money and new, and close the distance between himself and those who inherited rank, titles, and respected family names."

 Isabella and James both dreamed for things that were almost inaccessible to them because of their gender or class.

How can they bridge the gap and find their happiness?

Great read.  I loved it.

I received this free to review.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away a grand prize of an autographed copy of Shine Like the Dawn and $30 gift card to Christianbooks.com!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c987

About the Author

CarrieCarrie Turansky has loved reading since she first visited the library as a young child and checked out a tall stack of picture books. Her love for writing began when she penned her first novel at age twelve. She is now the award-winning author of nineteen inspirational romance novels and novellas. Carrie and her husband, Scott, who is a pastor, author, and speaker, have been married for more than thirty years and make their home in New Jersey. They often travel together on ministry trips and to visit their five adult children and five grandchildren. Carrie leads women’s ministry at her church, and when she is not writing she enjoys spending time working in her flower gardens and cooking healthy meals for friends and family. She loves to connect with reading friends through her website, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Love By The Numbers



Caleb couldn't get Lydia out of his mind after seeing her at a wedding.  She stood out-she glittered.  He had to forget about her.  She was dangerous.

He agreed to do the bookkeeping for a friend's shop.  He never expected to see Lydia there.  Lydia agreed to help her friend in Jamesport, Missouri.  This was the perfect opportunity to escape the falsehoods said about her in her hometown.  But even going to Jamesport doesn't save her from the embarrassent and doubt she feels.

This story is about how Caleb and Lydia learn how to conquer their fears and trust that the Lord is right there with them.

I was surprised how Caleb and Lydia kept putting themselves at risk sexually when they were so physically attracted to each other.   They knew that it would only lead to trouble and heartbreak.  They both experienced poor choices in the past and had to live with the consequences.

I enjoyed the book and was happy with the ending.

I received this free to review.

Giveaway

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In honor of the tour, Whitaker House is giving away
Grand Prize Package: Love By the Numbers, Healing Love (Amish of Webster County #1), and The Snow Globe (The Amish of Jamesport #1) by Laura Hilton; “The Angels Cry Holy” scented candle in tin with lid from Abba Jerusalem
1st Place Package: Love By the Numbers, The Snow Globe (The Amish of Jamesport #1) by Laura Hilton, and Whitaker House/Anchor Coloring Book with Colored Pencils
2nd Place Package: Love By the Number by Laura Hilton and Whitaker House/Anchor Coloring Book with Colored Pencils!!!


Click the link to enter! https://promosimple.com/ps/c6ca



About the Author

Laura picture (1)Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning, sought-after author with almost twenty Amish, contemporary, and historical romances. When she’s not writing, she reviews books for her blogs, and writes devotionals for blog posts for Seriously Write and Putting on the New.
Laura and her pastor-husband have five children and a hyper dog named Skye. They currently live in Arkansas. One son is in the U.S. Coast Guard. She is a pastor’s wife, and homeschools her two youngest children.
When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys reading, and visiting lighthouses and waterfalls. Her favorite season is winter, her favorite holiday is Christmas.

Guest Post from Laura V. Hilton

Story Behind the Story – Love by the Numbers

Caleb was a minor character in couple of my Amish books – I think he first made a by name appearance in Amish Wanderer and Christmas Admirer. A minor character. Lydia was a very minor one-time appearance in those stories, too, a girl who happened to be in the room with Bethany and Susanna at a wedding. (This story is stand alone!) But I knew when Caleb first saw Lydia that they would end up together by the way he reacted to her presence. I wondered what their story was.
Powerful Tornado - destroying property with lightning in the background
March and April is tornado season in Arkansas (and in many other states) and in 2011 we had a bad one. I was out and about that day, driving to the county seat with my five children, and there was something in the air. It was heavy, hard to breathe, and the sky was black off to the west. I’m sure I broke speed limits racing to Melbourne, and then home again so we wouldn’t be out in the storm.
Later that afternoon, tornado sirens went off. One went over our house – even from the basement we could hear the sound of a train roaring overhead. Scary. And still thanking God it didn’t touch down. Highland, Ash Flat, and Evening Shade, Arkansas were hit hard. Buildings completely gone. When we drove out that way later in the week there were pickup trucks in the tops of trees. Other things in odd and unusual places. I always wondered how they got the treetop pickups down. I would’ve stopped to watch if I’d been out there when it was done. I did hear that some of those trucks weren’t damaged at all. Unreal. My two sons and my husband both helped with clean up and my oldest son went with a crew to Joplin, Missouri, to help with clean up there.
There has been other occasions I’ve been out in tornados. Once I was in the Walmart parking lot when a tornado went through a town west of it. We could see the funnel touching down from where we stood. It did hail when we were on our way home, praying our house was still standing. It was.
Head shot of a blue eyed Siamese cat on a green background
On a different note, in 2016 my oldest son came home with a kitten. She was the sweetest thing ever, and he named her Rosie. Sadly, I was highly allergic to her. I couldn’t even be around the children after they played with her. They’d have to go change clothes and wash their hands, otherwise I couldn’t breathe. Rosie was full Siamese, blue eyes and all, and she was so adorable. I allowed my son to keep her in the shed. I was about four chapters into the story when Rosie found some poison (I think, not sure) and died. We all cried.
Also about the time I was writing this, a very dear friend of a lot of writers died. I told my street team I was going to name a character after her, and was told a lot of writers would be. I agreed. And a lot of their books were released already. But Aenti Judith in this story is named after Judy Burgi. I still miss her and pray for her family.
One of the verses my daughter had to memorize in Sunday School was 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. ‘We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.’ Perfect for the faith message in Love by the Numbers! I love how God always provides the perfect verse for my characters’ faith messages. I’m pretty sure this verse is one I never memorized, and I never would of thought of it on my own, but God put it in my daughter’s lessons for Sunday School, so she had to memorize it – and thus I did too since I help my daughters learn their verses every week.
I hope you’ll enjoy the story!

Because of Him,
Laura V. Hilton

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Mayflower Bride - Kimberly Woodhouse

I was instantly intrigued when I saw this book and the books that are to follow in this new series.  I love historical fiction and this book was everything I hoped for.

It is amazing what these people risked to come to the New Land.  They struggled and suffered but they had dreams.

Mary Elizabeth was quite content to stay home. She had no desire to leave.  Her journey and the obstacles she had to overcome - changed her.  She became stronger.  She was more confident.

William felt that he needed to leave his home.  He had a past he was fleeing from.  What he didn't know was that God had a plan for him.

Their faith in God was necessary for survival.  I can't even imagine going across the ocean on the Mayflower.  Cramped quarters, seasickness, etc.s

God gave them strength.  God gave them courage.  God gave them comfort.

Wonderful book.  I am ready for the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.


More to come in the Daughters of the Mayflower series:
The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1620 Atlantic Ocean (February 2018)
The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1725 New Orleans (April 2018)
The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep – set 1760 during the French and Indian War (June 2018)
The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1774 Philadelphia (August 2018)?
The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear – set 1794 on the Wilderness Road (October 2018)
The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall – set 1814 Baltimore (December 2018)



The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano



Title sounds inviting.  The cover looks delicious.  New author.  I'm in.  The book is a journey into the world of cooking and running a fine restaurant.  I never realized the sacrifices that are made by the chef and staff.  This is a perfect position that Rachel Bishop can hide in.  Until Alex Kanin wrote an article that ruined her career.  He never thought that something he wrote would cause so much damage.

Alex was determined to help Rachel reach her dreams.  But Rachel starts to question what she really wants.  Is it her own restaurant?  Meeting Alex has confused her  thinking.......

This also is a story of letting go of your past.  Both Rachel and Alex needed to do this before they can move forward.

This was a delightful story.  Alex and Rachel deserved happiness.  Will they find it together?

I received this for free to review.


About the Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Carla is giving away a grand prize of a $200 Visa Card for the winner and a friend to attend a cooking class!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c9b4

About the Author

pic_LGb_Laureano_CarlaCarla Laureano is the RITA® Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C.E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons, where she writes during the day and cooks things at night.

Guest Post From Carla Laureano

I’ve got a confession to make: I have a cooking problem.
It started early and innocently enough, flipping through my mom’s cookbooks and marking things I wanted to try. Making cakes and muffins from a mix. Flipping frozen steak patties. Doctoring canned spaghetti sauce.
It wasn’t long before I got into the hard stuff: muffins from scratch, slow-cooked marinara, cast-iron seared and oven-finished rib eyes. Over the years, I tried to kick the habit numerous times, but every time things got tough, I found myself falling off the wagon and heading back into the kitchen. Even hosting dinner parties. Yes, dear reader, I pulled my hapless friends into my madness. To my shame, I even got some of them hooked with their own addiction.
Before I knew it, my obsessions started creeping into my day job. No longer was it enough to write contemporary romance about normal people who order take-out. No, I had to write chefs and passionate home cooks and describe the food in the books just as lovingly as I did a first kiss. And then the final straw—a book series centered entirely on food and the culinary profession, beginning with The Saturday Night Supper Club.
All joking aside, cooking really is an addiction that I haven’t been able to kick. As a writer, I spend hours locked in my own imagination, creating things out of words and ideas. And while it’s immensely fulfilling, it’s a long, painstaking process that takes months, even years, before I can release the final product into the world. While there’s a large amount of planning and analysis involved in creating a book, the work is still mostly in my head.
Which is why I find cooking to be such a relaxing creative pursuit. Dicing a pile of vegetables into perfectly uniform cubes may take the same concentration and precision, but it’s concrete and measurable. It becomes a personal challenge to do something better than last time, improving by tiny, nearly imperceptible increments. It’s the closest to meditation that my always-on brain ever experiences, clear of all thought except for my activity at the present moment.
And yet, simultaneously, food is ephemeral. Mistakes last only as long as it takes to eat them or toss them directly into the trash can, depending on the nature of the mistake. If a sauce breaks, I toss it and start over. If I burn something, I either cut off the burned part or I order takeout and try again the next day. There’s an element of experimentation and instinct and whimsy that isn’t hampered by the pursuit of perfection. Let’s face it, a mediocre chocolate chip cookie beats a perfect celery stick any day of the week.
It was natural, then, to write a chef heroine who had dedicated her entire life to the pursuit of culinary perfection and explore all the ways that food makes our lives and relationships richer. How it anchors our memories. How we nurture others by feeding them. How a simple meal becomes meaningful not because of the food, but because of the connections we form with others over the dinner table.
In the end, I guess my cooking problem isn’t that much of a problem after all. If you need me, I’ll be in the kitchen.




Thursday, February 22, 2018

Misty Beller - A Sweetwater River Romance

Torie and Opal were fleeing from evil.  They didn't know that they were running towards a new life:  a life filled with GOD's love and protection. Torie never met a man like Ezra.  Could she trust him?  Could she open her heart?

Ezra didn't expect Torie and Opal to show up at his front door.  He especially didn't expect to fall in love.

I loved this book.  It had all the elements that I love: the location, the time period, mystery, romance, danger and the promise of GOD'S neverending care and love.


I received this free to review.




Misty Beller:
I love books. I always have, and my love affair only grows stronger.

There's something about immersing myself in a story - becoming an intimate part of new lives, feeling their struggles. The desperation, the elation, the emotions, the love.

I don't know about you, but my life can get crazy...busy...chaotic. Historical fiction gives me a haven, allowing me to immerse in a simpler time and place. And add in remote mountain settings - log cabins and horses and snow...what could be better?

As a Godly woman, Christian romantic fiction is even more of a draw because it provides a place where I don’t always have to be concerned about inappropriate language or too-graphic love scenes.  It’s a “safe zone” where my imagination and emotions can run wild and free, living out exciting times and experiencing God-orchestrated happily-ever-afters – without having to clean-up at the end of the day.  

I hope you'll spend some time with me, releasing yourself into the abandon of a great book.



Samantha Price- SECRET

Trust finds herself once again risking everything. One false step she'll be in jail again. This book was more exciting to me than the ot...