Thursday, October 17, 2024

Blog Tour and Giveaway: An Arrangement with the Heiress by Lisa M Prysock


About the Book


Book:
An Arrangement with the Heiress

Author: Lisa M. Prysock

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: September 24, 2024

She’s a wealthy debutante with the finest ancestry in Kentucky horseracing circles…

He’s a member of New York’s Gilded Age elite, yet on the brink of financial ruin…

Neither of them want an arranged marriage…or do they?

Veronica Lyndon has a plan for her life, and it doesn’t include being married off to a perfect stranger. After all, she is descended from generations of Kentucky horseracing royalty. She has no need for a marriage arranged solely to secure her place among the elite of Manhattan’s Gilded Age society. But that’s exactly what her parents expect of her. Determined to defy the arrangement, Veronica formulates a plan to drive her intended away. But when Edward arrives in anticipation of the match, she doesn’t expect to find him so attractive, nor can she deny the feelings he stirs in her heart, complicating her plans. Has true love galloped into her life by conventional means, or are her estimations mistaken?

Edward Beckett realizes the futility of avoiding the arranged marriage to Miss Lyndon. His family is already on the brink of financial ruin and Veronica’s dowry may be their best opportunity to recover. But he didn’t expect to fall for the Kentucky debutante so easily. He finds himself attracted to her natural beauty and vivacious spirit, free from the conventions of other ladies in his customary circles. In fact, he’s downright smitten after meeting Veronica. Unfortunately, Edward’s sisters don’t feel the same, and if their attempts to sabotage the relationship are successful, his whirlwind courtship to Veronica may be over before it’s really begun.

Saddle up for a clean romp filled with sweet romance, inspiration, and plenty of adventure along this course of obstacles and a glide through the splendor and opulence of the Gilded Age.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Lisa M. Prysock is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes both Christian Historical Romance and Contemporary Christian Romance books—”Romance with a Dash of Food, Fashion, Faith, & Fun.” She writes both traditionally and indie published novels. Kentucky inspires her writing and is home. Happily married to her husband of more than 24 years, she homeschooled two of their five children, now grown. When she isn’t writing, she likes to cross stitch, crochet, sew, scrapbook, read, swim, dance, take walks, travel, explore historical homes, garden, cook for her family, learn to play the piano and violin, and read great books.

 


More from Lisa

Q & A with Lisa M. Prysock…Writing Gilded Age Kentucky Romance!

  1. What inspired you to write An Arrangement with the Heiress?
  2. Residing here in beautiful Kentucky near many of the world’s finest horse farms, rolling hills, and rich culture, for years, I have longed to grasp hold of the inspiration around me to pen a historical story that had been mulling around in my mind.

Hence, I reached out to a dear author friend, Chautona Havig, to brainstorm and build upon what was in my head and heart thus far. She ran a hypothetical scenario by me with some conflict arising because of hypocrisy about the horseracing world…something that could stem from some possible characters. This fit perfectly with some of my research about the Gilded Age era in the horseracing world. My immediate reaction: Ooo, yes girl, yes! Imagine squealing and much chatter at this point. We writers can get a bit on the gabby side if left to ourselves. And because, well, my hero had two sisters; ideal candidates to become antagonists. Chautona and I were chuckling and laughing…and I was off and running like a horse out of the gate.

  1. Were there any challenges you faced about including some history from horseracing in your writing process?
  2. Yes! For starters, how to do it all justice? How to get the feel of it onto paper without writing it wrong? There was so much that had been written about the Kentucky Derby, Keeneland, and horseracing history in general. My deep dive into the Kentucky Derby alone could have held me captive for many months in research.

Knee deep in taking notes, I landed on a thesis paper from the 1940s that was steeped with everything that had put the Kentucky Derby and horseracing in Kentucky on the map. By the time I finished wading through the thesis and all of my other research, I had gobs of notes and a goldmine of historical tidbits to bring my story to life with some degree of accuracy. My story also takes readers to Manhattan and South Carolina. Imagine me turning my laptop sideways to study ancient theater seating charts (okay, well maybe not ancient, but some theaters from the 1900s no longer exist…) and maps for street names from Gilded Age Lexington and Manhattan, and beaches on the Carolinian coastline. All my story needed now was my imagination and a tour of a local horse farm.

 

  1. Tell us about your tour of a local horse farm.
  2. Feeling a little shaky about my knowledge of horses, on an ultra-super-hot day in July of 2023, my husband—who behaved like a trooper in agreeing to escort me toward the end of getting my horse facts straight—and I, set out to drive to Lexington from our rural suburban home on the edge of Louisville.

We’d decided to make a day of it. We had a wonderful time and really enjoyed touring Gainsborough Farm. It was sweltering hot, but by the time the tour ended, despite melting from the heat before, during, and after, I felt as though I understood more about horse farming better than before the tour.


I had some knowledge of horses from growing up on a farm in Minnesota where my dad boarded horses for locals from time to time, but that had been a long time ago. I needed to brush up on the facts and try to imagine it as if I were living in the early 1900s. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many time machines around to satisfy my desire for temporary transportation to and from a working horseracing farm in 1908. My research, memories, books I’ve read, movies I’ve watched, and my own imagination would have to fill in the rest. It’s all part of being a fictional historical writer, right?

Hubby and me at Gainsborough Farm in 2023…it was so hot that day. My makeup was melting!

Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 15

Stories By Gina, October 16 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 18

Texas Book-aholic, October 19

Devoted To Hope, October 19

Simple Harvest Reads, October 20 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 21

For Him and My Family, October 22

lakesidelivingsite, October 23

Holly’s Book Corner, October 24

Pause for Tales, October 25

Karen Baney Reviews, October 26

Hannahbandanarama, October 26

Cover Lover Book Review, October 27

Labor Not in Vain, October 28

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, October 28


Giveaway


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

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5468


My Review

An Arrangement with the Heiress is the beginning of Lisa Prysock's Kentucky Debutantes of the Gilded Age series. What a wonderful start it is. I enjoyed getting the two main characters, Edward and Veronica. Their story is full of adventure, love, faith, and drama. It was fun and entertaining to journey back in time and being part of their world. It was captivating from start to finish. 

I am going to give An Arrangement with the Heiress a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers and fans of clean historical fiction. I am eagerly awaiting for the next installment from the Kentucky Debutantes of the Gilded Age series, To Choose the Longshot.

I received a paperback copy of Lisa Prysock's An Arrangement with the Heiress from the publisher but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Blog Tour and Giveaway: A Token of Love by Carrie Turansky



About the Book



Book: A Token of Love

Author: Carrie Turansky

Genre: Fiction, Historical Romance

Release date: September 3, 2024

Separated by centuries, the lives of two women intertwine through their shared pursuit of love, truth, and justice.

In 1885 London, Lillian Freemont embarks on a treacherous journey to reunite with her long-lost niece, Alice, who was abandoned at the Foundling Hospital eight years ago. Fueled by her sister’s plea and armed with the gold token that identifies her niece, Lillian teams up with investigative reporter Matthew McGivern to expose the grim reality of the shadowed streets of London. As Lillian and Matthew unravel the mystery of Alice’s disappearance, their partnership blossoms into one of shared purpose and undeniable attraction.

In present-day London, Janelle Spencer finds herself unexpectedly running the Foundling Museum. When filmmaker Jonas Conrad arrives to document the museum’s history, their collaboration takes a surprising turn as they uncover articles from the past that shed light on a haunting connection to the present. As Janelle becomes caught between exposing the truth and protecting the museum’s reputation, she must decide if she can risk everything for what she believes.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Carrie Turansky is the award-winning author of twenty-one inspirational novels and novellas and a winner of the Carol Award, the International Digital Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She loves traveling to England to research her Edwardian novels, including No Journey Too FarNo Ocean Too WideAcross the Blue, and the Edwardian Brides series. Her novels have been translated into several languages and have received starred reviews from Christianbook.com and Library Journal.

 

 



 

 

More from Carrie

Come with me to London!

My latest novel, A Token of Love, is a dual-time story set in London during the late Victorian Era and present day. That prompted my husband and I to take a trip to London earlier this year. We were especially delighted to visit the Foundling Museum which tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, the first children’s charity home in England. The Foundling Hospital and Foundling Museum tie the historical and contemporary plots together in A Token of Love.

Thousands of children were taken in by the Foundling Hospital when their mothers could no longer care for them. Some of the mothers left small items such as coins, thimbles, and pieces of jewelry with their infants as identifiers in the hope that if their situation changed, they might be able to return and reclaim their child. Those items were called tokens, and we saw several of them on display at the Foundling Museum.


Each token is unique and represents a mother’s love and desire to be reunited with her child. It was very moving to view them on display and think of all the heartache and hope behind each token.

More than two years ago, I saw an image of the tokens on Pinterest. That sparked my curiosity, and I followed the research trail to learn more about them. That led to the Foundling Museum’s website, which offers a treasure trove of information and personal stories about the mothers and children connected by those tokens. What I discovered helped me develop the characters and plot for A Token of Love. The story highlights one mother who gave her daughter into their care, then eight years later tries to reclaim her. But her daughter is missing, and that sets off a series of events that stirs all of London. Family drama, romance, inspiration, and a touch of mystery will make the story meaningful for readers.

If you like stories based on true events in history that will touch your heart and lift your spirit, then I think you will enjoy reading A Token of Love!

If you’d like to see more photos from my research trip to London and the Foundling Museum, I hope you’ll visit my website photo page!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 7

Maureen’s Musings, October 7

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 9

Connie’s History Classroom, October 9

Texas Book-aholic, October 10

Devoted To Hope, October 10

Simple Harvest Reads, October 11 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Live.Love.Read., October 11

Stories By Gina, October 12 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, October 12

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 13

lakesidelivingsite, October 13

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 14

Cover Lover Book Review, October 14

Lighthouse Academy Blog, October 15 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 16

Blossoms and Blessings, October 17

Holly’s Book Corner, October 17

Inspired by Fiction, October 18

Pause for Tales, October 18

Labor Not in Vain, October 19

To Everything There is A Season, October 20

Romances of the Cross, October 20

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away the grand prize of a $15 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of A Token of Love!!

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


 https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5461/


My Review

Carrie Turansky is among one of my favorite historical fiction authors and was excited to get my hands on her newest book, A Token of Love. I was far from being disappointed. It is exactly what I would expect from one of her novels. It was full of action, adventure, faith, history, and love. I enjoy travelling back in time to 1850s London and back again to the present day with Lillian, Matthew, Jonas, and Janelle. I loved reading this fabulous tale. 

A Token of Love will be getting five stars from me. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read clean historical romance, as well as, dual time line novels. As always, I will be eagerly awaiting new releases from Carrie Turansky for years to come.

I received a paperback copy of Carrie Turansky's A Token of Love from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Review: Who Saved Who by Roslyn Cohn

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Join us for this tour from Oct 7 to Oct 25, 2024!

Book Details:

Book Title:  WHO SAVED WHO by Roslyn Cohn
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  151 pages
Genre:  memoir
Publisher:  Amazon
Release date:  November 2023
Format available for review: print-softback (USA only); ebook (GIFTED KINDLE (available only via Amazon.com), EPUB, PDF). 
Tour dates: Oct 7 to Oct 25, 2024
Content RatingPG-13: The author uses the F-Word.

Book Description:

Growing up in beautiful Bohemian 1970s Marin County, the daughter of a funny pawnbroker-jeweler with vision who knew the streets and a warm, independent Mom turned Naturalist-Animal Rights Activist, Roz is an award winning actress who spent 20 years in NYC where she worked on stages from the size of a postage stamp to Broadway. She left NYC and relocated to Los Angeles striving for work in TV and Film and, more importantly, to be closer to her Marin folks. Roz takes us on a quick re-cap of the next 20 years, drawing us into her journey of 2022 full of desperate twists where she didn’t feel there was much purpose left to her life, to the messages from The Other Side and an ultimate life affirming turn that will warm your heart.

Who Saved Who is a book for the dog lover in all of us with the purpose of getting them out of Shelters and into your loving homes. It’s a book you will get a kick out of, possibly recognize parts of your own journey in loving dogs and in finding her own ultimate higher mission. It’s a an utterly enjoyable, captivating, and moving read told through words, pictures and video.
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon 
​add to goodreads


Meet the Author:

Roslyn Cohn is an actress who has worked from stages the size of a postage stamp to Broadway with the likes of Tony Randall, Jack Klugman, Jerry Stiller, Ellen Greene, and Julie Hagerty, as well as appeared in TV, film, and commercials. Roz has won awards in Intimate Theatre (known as 99 Seat) in Los Angeles; awards for her Short “Essential Tremors” about her neurological disorder; and in 2013, with Jake Anthony and Joshua Finkel, co-wrote and stars in the groundbreaking, Broadway World Award-nominated “diffiCult to leave,” about her 23 years in the Cult of Scientology. The entire show lives on her YouTube channel: RoslynCohn. You can visit her at: www.RoslynCohn.com. #WhoSavedWho #ShelterDogsRock #AdoptDontShop


Connect with the author:   website  ~ facebook ~ instagram X ~  goodreads 





My Review:

It is no secret, I am a huge dog lover. When I learned about Roslyn Cohn's Who Saved Who, I wanted to find out what was behind this true story. The author, known as Roz, writes an inspiring tale of love, heartache, overcoming, hope, and healing. I loved how she was able to share life lessons she had learned along the way. Including some good ones that are great reminders too. It was a nice touch seeing the many colorful pictures of various canine friends. The book was one that brought out a variety of emotions out of me. On one page, I could be smiling or giggling, or I could be tearing up and needing a box of tissues, on the next. I thought it was an overall heartwarming story of unconditional love that, also, brought awareness and importance of rescuing our sweet dog companions. They can bring so much joy that can help us through some of the hardest events in our lives. 

I am going to give Who Saved Who a very well deserved five plus stars. I believe readers who are animals lovers will greatly enjoy getting their hands on this memoir. I would love to read more from and about Roslyn Cohn in the near future. This one should not be missed. 

I received a paperback copy of Roslyn Cohn's Who Saved Who from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Book Tour and Giveaway: The Sorta Good Wife: A Devotional of Proverbs 31:10-31 by Kim Hess


 

Book Details:
Book TitleThe Sorta Good Wife: A Devotional of Proverbs 31:10-31 by Kim Hess
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  138 pages
GenreDevotional, Christian Marriage, prayer
Publisher:  Blessings Press LLC
Release date:  July2024
Content Rating:  G: This is a Christian devotional.
Book Description:

With so many distortions of the essence of a woman, today more than ever, women need to ruthlessly examine their perceptions and reality of being a wife, and then align them with Truth so that they may become the best version of themselves as God had intended them to be.

In The “Sorta” Good Wife, Kim Hess explores how A Good Wife, as described in Proverbs 31:10-31, beautifully portrays the dignity of being a spouse as a wife. However, this expectation gets warped by trauma, sin, fears, and lies, and many women do not know how to embrace and enjoy this vocation. A woman must align herself to Truth and rely on His power, not her own. The Lord desires to be a part of every aspect of daily life and every season of her life, so that she may reach her full potential.
Buy the Book:
Amazon
add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Kim Hess is a quirky, inquisitive, and compassionate child of God. She rocks being a homeschool mom and teacher, but freely admits to learning more from her students than teaching them. Kim has raced enduro karts, soared on a flying trapeze, and passed the motorcycle license class, but now prefers to take adrenaline-free walks with her husband. Her favorite pastime is being a prayer minister who relentlessly asks, “Do you want prayer?” Connect with her at KimHessBooks.com

connect with the author:  website facebook instagram ~ goodreads

Enter the Giveaway:
SORTA GOOD WIFE Book Tour Giveaway



My Review: 

The Sorta Good Wife: A Devotional of Proverbs 31:10-31 is a wonderful and inspiring book of faith from new to me author, Kim Hess. I found this devotional style book to be a different one than those I have read in the past. These devotionals goes into depth on each verse for Proverbs 31, which begins on verse ten and ends with verse thirty one. I found it to be easy to read each verse on a daily basis. Each devotional is only four to six pages long and I had no problem adding it to my busy daily schedule. I thought it was a great way to help smooth out a day of chaos. Every day I was introduced to new commentary and many Biblical scriptures. Even though my husband has passed on, I was still inspired as a woman by the words of faith.  
 
I am going to The Sorta Good Wife: A Devotional of Proverbs 31:10-31 a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading or are inspired by devotionals, prayer books and / or searching for a new book on Christian Marriage. I would be interested in reading more like this one from Kim Hess in the future. 

I received a paperback copy of Kim Hess' The Sorta Good Wife: A Devotional of Proverbs 31:10-31 from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Time Keepers by Alyson Richman

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE TIME KEEPERS by Alyson Richman Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: THE TIME KEEPERS

Author: Alyson Richman

Pub. Date: October 15, 2024

Publisher: Union Square Co.

Formats: Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 336

Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/THE-TIME-KEEPERS 

An unforgettable novel that captures the power of longing, loss, and love, The Time Keepers transports us from 1979 suburban New York to war-torn Vietnam, revealing that sometimes the most unexpected friendships can save us.

Two women from different worlds, Grace and Anh, are indelibly changed when a runaway boy is found on a street in their small Long Island town. Brought together by the love of this child displaced by war, the women find friendship and healing from their own painful pasts when their lives intersect with a mysterious wounded Vietnam vet. The vet, Jack, works at the Golden Hours, a watch store that mends timepieces—and might even mend damaged souls. 

Richman interweaves the journeys of these wonderfully diverse characters who will grip, fill, and break your heart—only to bring them together with the care and precision of an expert watchmaker, one piece at a time. Inspired by the true story of a Vietnamese refugee who entrusted the dramatic account of her escape from Vietnam to the author, and also that of a wounded veteran, Richman sheds light on those whose lives were forever impacted by the devastation of that war.

 

Excerpt:

PROLOGUE 

Vietnam, 1978 

They have been waiting all night by the river, the dark  water smooth as glass. They carry nothing but a bundle filled with  food and canteens of fresh water all tied in a square piece of cloth. A  single tin pot. A sack of lemons and a box of sugar. 

The boat is late. The children are hungry. The men and women  who are with them are standing still as trees. 

The moon cuts through the darkness like a scythe. As they wait,  looking for the boat they were promised, the tide inches closer to their  silhouettes. They walk backward, retreating into the marsh, tall spears  of reeds behind them. The cicadas loud in the wet grass. 

It is the youngest boy who first sees the flash of light. A small beacon from a torch pulsating atop the head of the fisherman. They walk into the river. Treading past the water hyacinth, a mass  of green leaves and singular pink flowers. First, ankle-deep. Then,  knee-deep. Finally, waist-deep. The children are afraid. Seaweed wraps  around their legs, pulling them down. Still, they inch toward the boat.  The weight of the river slowing them with each step until there is no  sand or silt beneath their feet. 

They reach their arms up toward the boat. The current flows  against them. In the shadow of the ship’s hull, they see a woman  extending her hand. A rope is thrown out to reach them, curling first  on the surface of the water before sinking down. 

 

PART I 

CHAPTER 1 

Long Island, 1979 

Grace Golden would never know why, on that sunny  afternoon in late May, she had chosen to walk down Gypsum Street  after Mass instead of her usual route to the grocery store. Maple Avenue had always been the fastest way from Saint Bartholomew’s to  Kepler’s Market. 

Her husband, Tom, believed Grace picked Gypsum Street because  the cherry blossoms there were at their peak. That was the thing about  his wife, he explained. She’d always go out of her way to encounter  something beautiful. But neither of them could have anticipated on  that fine spring day, as Grace’s heels rhythmically struck the sidewalk,  her shopping list tucked inside her leather purse, that she would notice  a little boy curled up against the side of a building. Sleeping on the hard  cement, his body was tucked so tightly, he reminded Grace of a small  whelk nestled into its shell. 

She stopped and hovered over him. Then she leaned down to  nudge him. 

“Are you lost, love?” The lilt of her Irish accent, still detectable  after years of living in New York, floated through the air. “Let me help  you up,” she offered her hand. 

But the boy remained fixed in a fetal position, his arms locked even  tighter around himself and his feet inched closer to his bottom. One  of his tennis shoes had a hole in its rubber sole. The other was missing  its laces. 

She still could not see his face, only the tiny edge of his ear and the  shock of straight black hair. 

“Please.” 

His head rose slightly, revealing his dark eyes, heart-shaped lips,  and small nose. 

It was the face of a child, frightened and alone. 

 

About Alyson Richman:

Alyson Richman is the USA Today bestselling and #1 international bestselling author of several historical novels including The Velvet Hours, The Garden of Letters, and The Lost Wife, which is currently in development for a major motion picture.  Alyson graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in art history and Japanese studies.  She herself is an accomplished painter and her novels combine her deep love of art, historical research, and travel.  Alyson's novels have been published in twenty-five languages and have reached the bestseller lists both in the United States and abroad. She lives on Long Island with her husband and two children, where she is currently at work on her next novel. 

Website | Twitter (X) | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 


Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE TIME KEEPERS, US Only.

Ends October 29th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

10/14/2024

TX Girl Reads

Excerpt/IG Post

10/15/2024

Book Review Virginia Lee Blog

Excerpt/IG Post

10/16/2024

Locks, Hooks and Books

Excerpt/IG Post

10/17/2024

Fire and Ice Reads

Excerpt/IG Post

10/18/2024

Wishful Endings

Review/IG Post

Week Two:

10/21/2024

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Review/IG Post

10/22/2024

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

10/23/2024

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

10/24/2024

One More Exclamation

Review/IG Post

10/25/2024

Readingonthebrink

IG Review