Monday, October 2, 2023

Book Tour and Giveaway: Self Publish a Book in 10 Steps and Market It! by Hank Quense

 



Join Us for This Tour from Sep 25 to Oct 12!

Book Details:

Book Title:  Creating Stories by Hank Quense
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction, 106 pages
GenreSelf Help, ​
Publisher:  Strange Worlds Publishing
Release date:  April 1, 2017
Content Rating:  G 
Book Description:

Do you have a story in you?

Do you know how to write it or how to tell it? Creating Stories has the answers. Hank Quense, the author of more than twenty books, tells you how to do it. He believes that stories come from the melding of three elements: getting ideas, story design and story-telling. Ideas have to come from the author. Creating Stories covers the last two. The book concentrates on developing characters including such rarely discussed requirements such as a dominant reader emotion and the character's biography. Plots are also covered in depth and a number of graphics are included to illustrate complex points. Another topic discusses subplots and how to utilize them and how to nest them within the main plot. A separate chapter discusses the relationship between the plot and the emotional arcs. Other topics covered are: character arcs, scene design, point-of-view, writing voice.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads

After Creating Your Story:


Book Details:

Book Title:  Self-Publish a Book in 10 Steps: And Market It by Hank Quense
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction, 88 pages
GenreSelf Help ​
Publisher:  Strange Worlds Publishing
Release date:  Dec 1, 2021
Content Rating:  G 



Book Description:

Self-publishing a book is difficult.

This book simplifies it by breaking down a self-publishing and marketing project into 10 steps. This step-by-step process will get your book published and initiate the pre-launch marketing.

Hank Quense has written and self-published over twenty books, both fiction and non-fiction. He is the author of the Author Blueprint Series of books. The Series concentrates on providing valuable guidance on fiction writing, self-publishing and book marketing. Self-publish a Book in 10 Steps is Book 6 in the series.

The book details such vital tasks as developing a compelling book description, building an author platform and getting book reviews to list a few.

Learn the ten-step process that will self-publish and market your book!

Buy the Book:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Hank Quense has self-published his books for over 12 years. His non-fiction books cover fiction writing (Creating Stories), self-publishing (How to Self-publish and Market a Book, Self-publish a Book in 10 Steps), marketing (Book Marketing Fundamentals) and author business (Business Basics for Authors).

He also lectures on these subjects in schools, libraries and on webinars.

Hank recently started https://hankquense.podia.com/ The site provides solutions to pain points (problems) for fiction writers, self-publishing authors and authors who are trying to market their books.


Connect with the Author: Website X ~ Facebook Pinterest YouTube ~ BookBub ~ Goodreads


Enter the Giveaway:

CREATING STORIES Book Tour Giveaway


My Review: 

I have previous read Creating Stories by Hank Quense and was excited to read another one of his books, Self Publish a Book in 10 Steps: And Market It. I believe that Mr Quense does a great job to break it down on how to self publish a book. For me, I found it was easy to read and I was able to understand his tips on how to begin. Throughout the book, readers will find out the following:
The importance of manuscripts, beta readers, and budgeting
Getting help from professionals
How to use the best keywords, writing book blurbs and book descriptions
ISBNs
Marketing
Social media and website presence
Uploading files
Reaching out to reviewers
Having contacts
Being constantly be present to continue marketing
I like how each of the chapters and steps are clearly explained. I once again feel inspired to get started on my own writing journey. 

I will be giving Self Publish a Book in 10 Steps: And Market It a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for aspiring writers who are looking for advice from an experienced author on how to begin their own journey. I would love to read more book writing advice from the talented Hank Quense.

I received a digital copy of Hank Quense’s Self Publish a Book in 10 Steps: And Market It from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Review and Giveaway: Old Testament Handbook


Immerse yourself in the Old Testament Handbook, an elegant, full-color
Bible handbook that includes robust summary content, charts, maps,
word studies, illustrations, and more for every Old Testament book of the
Bible. Constructed with high quality cloth cover materials and a sewn binding,

the Old Testament Handbook is designed to last a lifetime as a valuable
companion resource for Bible study, teaching, and ongoing discipleship. 


Discover your companion for deeper study and display. With a handbook rich
in both study and physical materials, navigate the mysteries of Old Testament
narratives as you ask questions and grow in your knowledge of God’s faithfulness.   


The Old Testament Handbook features the highly readable, highly
reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible. The CSB captures the
Bible’s original meaning without  sacrificing clarity, making it easier to
engage with Scripture’s life-transforming message and to share it with others. 


Features: 


High-quality, foil-stamped cloth cover materials and Smyth-sewn binding meant to last a lifetime.


Elegant full-color interior design, including maps, charts, illustrations, and other visual helps for every book of the Old Testament.


More than 75 in-depth word studies of key words found in each Old Testament book.

Ribbon marker for easy referencing between pages during study, teaching, or sharing.


Order your copy of the Old Testament Handbook today! 


Website



My Review:

I was impressed with the Old Testament Handbook. It has quite a bit of resources that I found interesting. Each book from the Biblical Old Testament includes:
Introduction with who authored the book, background information, message, summary and structure
Outline
Word Study
Timeline
Charts, Graphs, Illustrations, and Maps
Comparisons
Seeing Jesus
Lives of those features in each book
And so much more.
This handbook will be one that I will be keeping it on my nightstand so I can go back to it again and again. 

I am giving Old Testament Handbook five plus stars. I highly recommend it for those who want to dive into the Old Testament of the Bible more in depth. It would make a perfect gift. 

I received a hard cover copy of Old Testament Handbook from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.


Disclosure:

Many thanks to Lifeway Christian Resources for providing a sample of the product for  this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. 

Giveaway: 

$10 Amazon Gift Card

Leave a more than two word completed sentence telling me what features listed of the Old Testament Handbook you are looking forward to. Don’t forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Please review the Giveaway Rules below.

Winner’s name will be drawn on October 12, 2023.


Giveaway Rules:   


Giveaway is limited to US winners only.        

Two word comments will be deleted and will not be entered into the giveaway.

Chosen winner/s will be contacted by email to verify information needed to give to the appropriate channels to get the prize to you. 

Winner/s MUST reply to this email within 24 hours

If no response, a new winner’s name will be drawn and you forfeit the prize.

Locks, Hooks and Books is NOT responsible for lack of response from the chosen winner. 

Winners from previous Momentum campaigns within 90 days will be disqualified. 

Please note: Locks, Hooks and Books is NOT responsible in sending the prize. 

Sunday, October 1, 2023

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Resourceful Stockman by Karen Baney

About the Book

Book: The Resourceful Stockman

Author: Karen Baney

Genre: Christian Historical Romance, Christian Western

Release Date: January 24, 2023

Gripping western romance and murder mystery set in Prescott, Arizona Territory in 1893.

Deacon Colter was happy in his job as the stockyard vet. But when his best friend asks him to work as a livestock inspector, he must confront his own obsessive-compulsive nature to support his friend. Even though he hopes for a family of his own one day, he believes that no woman will see past his quirks. Will he find a woman who can overlook his behavior to see his true heart?

Grady Thatcher waited six long years for justice for his parents’ murder. When a strange twist of fate puts him in a position to find the killers, he must decide if he will sacrifice his budding romance with one of the Harper sisters to pursue justice. Will he choose love over justice?

Lilian and Justine Harper were two sisters who moved to Prescott to escape the abusive men their father tried to pair them with. When Lilian meets Deacon Colter, she wonders if he could ever love someone with her past. Justine falls hard for Grady Thatcher. Yet she doubts if he truly loves her or if he befriended her only to get information about the men who killed his parents. Will Lilian and Justine find true happiness with the men they love?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Karen Baney is passionate about writing stories full of flawed characters. She enjoys weaving together stories of second chances, redemption, and overcoming personal trials. As a transplant to Arizona in the late 1990s, she loves researching the state’s history and finding ways to seamlessly incorporate real history and real settings into her novels. In addition to writing and speaking, Karen works as a Software Development Manager for a Christian ministry.

Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. Karen and her husband, Jim, make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs, Bella and Daisy. Both Jim and Karen are active at Rock Point Church in Queen Creek, Arizona.

Visit Karen on the web at: www.karenbaney.com

 

More from Karen

What was the inspiration behind the Colter Sons Series?

 

The Colters (Will and Hannah) are the central characters from my first series, the Prescott Pioneers. For years, I have wanted to write stories about their children. I love the idea of writing many series about several generations of the same family.

 

Nothing came of the idea until I brought back a character, Joshua, from the Prescott Pioneers who fancied Hannah before she married Will. Joshua’s unrequited love led me to write a scene where he meets Hannah and Will again after eight years. To hit home the point that Hannah had everything he always wanted, I spontaneously wrote that she had five sons. Only a few sentences sparked the idea for the entire Colter Sons Series. (Joshua’s story is in Joy for Mourning, Book 2 in the Desert Manna Series).

 

Before I mapped out a series outline or developed the characters, I wrote the introductory chapters in the first person from each of the son’s point of view. Their personalities came to life, and I eventually fine-tuned that writing exercise in Chapter 1 for each of the books in the series.

 

Where does Deacon Colter fit into the series?

 

Deacon Colter is the fourth Colter Son, and his book is the fourth in the series. Since he was a very minor character earlier in the series, I refined some of his character traits. (Don’t worry, I write each book in a series to stand on its own, so you won’t miss anything.)

 

Out of all the Colter Sons, Deacon is the most socially awkward. What made Deacon special for me was that behind his looming, large exterior lies a soft heart and fierce loyalty for those who he cares about. When under stress, his obsessive-compulsive tendencies become harder to control.

 

Do you normally write a story with over two points of view? Why write the four points of view in The Resourceful Stockman?

 

Other than my very first series, The Prescott Pioneers, I usually stick with two points of view in my novels: the hero and the heroine.

 

However, earlier in the Colter Sons Series, I wrote that Deacon Colter became fast friends with Grady Thatcher, the younger brother of the woman who married Deacon’s older brother Sam (The Reluctant Cattleman, Book 1). When it came time to outline the story, I knew Grady’s story had to be told along with Deacon’s. Doing anything else would disappoint fans and leave the story feeling incomplete.

 

Grady’s quest to solve his parents’ murder provided the perfect catalyst to force the routine-loving, obsessive-compulsive Deacon outside of his comfort zone. Because he is fiercely loyalty, he risked much to help his friend.

 

Where did the idea for livestock agents come from?

 

I initially wanted to make Deacon and Grady Arizona Rangers. However, during my research, the timing and even some duties didn’t fit either of these men. I like to stay true to history. Rarely do I take creative liberty because I want readers to learn about Arizona history. Deacon and Grady’s ages put them about a decade before the Arizona Rangers formed.

 

So, I continued with my research about brand-burning and rustling. When I stumbled on an Arizona Territorial statute to create a Livestock Commission, complete with details on what the duties entailed, I had my answer. The timing and duties fit. Many livestock agents started as veterinarians or ranchers. They had the authority to hunt down the rustlers and deal with disease outbreaks. All this fit with my characters.

 

And, yes, everything in the novel about their jobs and the livestock commission’s start is true to history, except for the names of real people.

Blog Stops

Alena Mentink, September 28

Lakesidelivingsite, September 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 29

Texas Book-aholic, September 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 1

The Lit Lady, October 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 2

The Book Club Network, October 3

Connie’s History Classroom, October 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 5

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 6

Bizwings Book Blog, October 7

Cover Lover Book Review, October 8

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 9

Pause for Tales, October 9

For Him and My Family, October 10

Lily’s Book Reviews, October 11

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize package a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Resourceful Stockman!!

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/282a5/the-resourceful-stockman-celebration-tour-giveaway


My Review

The Resourceful Stockman is the fourth installment from Karen Baney’s Colter Sons series. Since this is a series, it would probably be best to read the books in order. However, I was able to gather enough information to be able to read it as a stand alone. I enjoyed this story with all the characters involved. It took a little bit for me to figure out who is who, but once I caught on, I could not put it down. A good and entertaining book to read. 

The Resourceful Stockman will be getting four and a half stars. I am looking forward to see what happens next from the Colter Sons series, The Restless Wrangler. 

I received a paperback copy of Karen Baney’s The Resourceful Stockman from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Blog Tour and Giveaway: She'erah's Legacy by Naomi Craig

About the Book

Book: She’erah’s Legacy

Author: Naomi Craig

Genre: Historical fiction, Biblical fiction

Release Date: August 15, 2023

As tragedy ravages the camp, can She’erah step up and complete the outpost?

She’erahs is a woman trying to leave her mark in a man’s world. Her vision and ability surpasses her father’s, yet she remains second-in-command as they are tasked to build Pharaoh’s outposts in Canaan. She knows she is worthy of the task, but her clan is skeptical

The last place She’erah expects support is from her charioteer, but Lateef is the lone voice of encouragement. His integrity and steadfastness is a plumb-line in She’erah’s life and she can no longer deny her growing feelings for him.

Acts of sabotage threaten the construction and the shaky foundation of She’erah’s pride. It’s up to She’erah to break generations of rivalry, distrust, and jealousy—if she can learn to rely on the strengths and abilities of those around her to help.

Will she learn to trust God and others before her life’s legacy comes crumbling down around her?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Author of Biblical fiction, avid reader, pastor’s wife, Naomi loves reading the Bible and imagining how things were at the time. When she’s not serving in various areas at church,  trying to stay on top of mountains of dishes or convincing her rescue dog, Freeway, to be cute on command for Instagram reels, you’ll most likely find her enjoying a good book and a cup of coffee. Naomi co-hosts #BehindTheStory with Naomi and Lisa, an author interview show on YouTube and your podcast platform of choice.

 

More from Naomi

A woman architect in ancient times?
 
She’erah’s family is mentioned in five verses in 1 Chronicles 7:20- 24. In this brief detour from the list of genealogy, we learn some interesting facts.
She’erah is the granddaughter of Joseph (yes that Joseph with the coat of many colors, vizier to Pharaoh)
Two of her brothers get themselves killed for cattle rustling.
Her father, Ephraim, goes into deep mourning  for his sons.
There is a late-in-life baby (as a result of dad’s mourning)
and She’erah built Lower and Upper Beth Horon and Uzzen She’erah.
Then we are right back to the begats.
 
Wait, hold on. That’s all we get? What is the story behind her building these towns (two of which are still standing today)? What was the reaction of those around her?
 
Something I find helpful to remember is that when you know about someone’s family, you in a way know the person. With her grandfather being Joseph, suddenly we have opened a whole new world of what we know. She’erah and the clan would have had access to all of Egypt’s knowledge and resources. Where she still might have gotten backlash from her more Hebrew clan, Egyptian women had more independence, managing their husband’s estates, or even their own.
 
We also know the generational legacy that was passed down of the younger sibling being favored above the older. Ephraim over Manasseh, Joseph over his ten elder brothers, Jacob over Esau, Rachel over Leah, Isaac over Ishmael. I’m sure sibling rivalry could have been present.
 
So now we can see She’erah’s picture a little more clearly. A brilliantly minded woman determined to prove herself and her abilities. Raised in Egyptian courts, yet also Hebrew. A strange mix of cultures and dynamics that shape She’erah and nurture her gifts.
 
She’erah’s legacy is not only the towns she builds for  generations to come, but also how she starts the work of unearthing the deep-seated rivalry that is entrenched in her family.
 
I pray you’ll enjoy She’erah’s adventures, as she learns to trust the Lord and those around her.
 
Best Regards
Naomi

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 28

Texas Book-aholic, September 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 30

The Book Club Network, October 1

Connie’s History Classroom, October 2

Artistic Nobody, October 3 (Author Interview)

The Book Nook, October 3

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 5

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 6 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, October 7

Simple Harvest Reads, October 8 (Author Interview)

Christina’s Corner, October 8

By The Book, October 9 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, October 10

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Naomi is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a 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/282a4/she-erah-s-legacy-celebration-tour-giveaway


My Review

She'erah's Legacy is the third installment from Naomi Craig’s Yahweh’s Legacy series. Even though it is part of a series, each book can easily be read as a stand alone. I thought this was a great read. I admired She’erah’s courage, determination, and bravery. The author’s details made me feel as though I was right there with the characters and being part of the story. I found it to be inspiring. I loved reading every single page and did not want to put it down.

I am giving She'erah's Legacy a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers and fans of clean religious fiction. I would love to read more like this from Naomi Craig in the future. 

I received a digital copy of Naomi Craig’s She'erah's Legacy from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Friday, September 29, 2023

Review and Giveaway: Bride by Beguilement (Moonlight and Magnolia Series) by Debbie Lynne Costello



Bride by Beguilement
(Moonlight and Magnolia Series)
Debbie Lynne Costello


Blurb:

Kirsten Macleod is in a bind. Her father’s last will and testament stipulates that she must either marry, lead the plantation into a first year profit, or forfeit it to her uncle. But marriage is proving no easy option. Every suitor seems more enamored with the land than with her. Until her handsome neighbor sweeps into her stable to the rescue… of her beloved horse.

Silas Westbrook’s last year at veterinary school ends abruptly when he is called home to care for his young orphaned sisters. Troubles compound when he finds an insurmountable lien on the only home they’ve ever known, and the unscrupulous banker is calling in the loan. The neighbor’s kind-hearted and beautiful stable girl, Krissy, provides the feminine influence the girls desperately need. If only he had a future to offer her. But to save his sisters from poverty, he should set his sights on Krissy’s wealthy relative Kirsten Macleod, the elusive new heiress. Surely this hard-working and unassuming young lady and the landowner could not be one and the same?


My Review:


After reading Debbie Lynne Costello’s first book from her Moonlight and Magnolia series, Bride by Blackmail, I have been eagerly awaiting the second installment. Bride by Beguilement does not disappoint. I adored the main characters, Kirsten/ Krissy and Silas. I could understand her guarded demeanor. I could see myself in her. I love that she was able to be herself with Silas. I had to keep reading to find out how Silas would react once he finds out her secret. I loved the whole book.


Bride by Beguilement will be getting a very well deserved five plus stars from me. I would give it one hundred stars if I could. I highly recommend it for fans and lovers of clean and sweet romance. I am hoping Debbie Lynne Costello will be releasing a third addition to her Moonlight and Magnolia series.


I received a digital copy of Debbie Lynne Costello’s Bride by Beguilement from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.



Giveaway:
 
$200 in giveaways!







a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour and Giveaway: An Unexpected Gift by Melissa Wardwell

About the Book

Book: An Unexpected Gift

Author: Melissa Wardwell

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 29, 2023

Something’s up in Suamalie, and it’s looking like love!

When Kiana, Lulu, and Meilani decide it’s time for the islands to have affordable wedding options, Something Suamalie becomes the marriage of skills, friendship, and wedding splendor on the islands.

Cruising around the island on a Moped in a business suit may seem incongruous, but Kiana knows how to blend practicality and professionalism, a strong work ethic and relaxation. With no time for mistakes or changes in plans, she’s also decided to forgo romance (for herself). There just isn’t enough time in the day. That is until the early arrival of one of the groomsmen of Something Suamalie’s first booking throws everything off balance, including her thoughts on long distance dating.

Beau was perfectly content with his job and the growing attraction to a girl back home; however, he hadn’t figured in the sassy and sometimes unprofessional wedding planner. Seeing her world begin to unravel while she and her partners fumble with their first weddings tugs at his heart strings and leaves him second guessing his choices in the romance department.

She’s a study in opposites. He’s attracted. So now what do they do?

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Melissa Wardwell resides in Owosso, Michigan with her husband and three teen-aged children.

She doesn’t mind alternating between the world of writing and the reality of being a mother, but she would rather sit with a good book or a good friend and a cup of coffee.

When she isn’t penning works of fiction, she is busy reviewing books for her blog, Back Porch Reads.

 

More from Melissa

Weddings—some love them, some hate them, some love them but try to avoid them. Whatever the reasoning, we all have a strong feeling toward this life passage that so many have taken part in. We have our favorite moments, and we have our pet peeves, and like the snow flack that falls in the winter, none of them are ever the same. There might be similarities, but they are still not the same.

 

As for me, I LOVE WEDDINGS. They have been part of my life in a way that some find exciting, which they can be, but not from this angle. My mom was a consultant and seamstress in the bridal industry for most of my childhood until shortly before I graduated high school. In fact, that is how I also met my husband because his mother was a bridal seamstress alongside my mother. Not long after my wedding, I naturally obtained a job at a local bridal salon and worked there for almost ten years.

 

When I left the industry in 2010, it was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done. I loved helping couples plan their big day. I have several fond memories of various brides whose stories stay with me to this day. And yes, a bridezilla is a thing, but she is not anyone you want to mess with because all the stereotypes are true. Thankfully, they’ve only been a couple that has ever crossed my path.

 

One of my favorite stories is about a bride who is anxious and overwhelmed with everything that needed to be done to plan the wedding. During one of her fittings, I noticed that she had some pretty severe acne breakout. She knew it was there, and it drove her crazy. “Not only am I stressed, I am now ugly,” she said, near tears. Before I let her leave the dressing room, I just talked to her about what she wanted for her wedding day and how it was different from what she was getting. She told me that she and her groom had initially planned to get married at their cabin in northern Michigan by the lake. Just them in a couple of friends. Instead, she was eyebrow deep in a wedding that was not hers. See, the groom was one of several sons with zero sisters. The mother-in-law had insisted on certain things happening that the wedding had taken on a life of its own, based on the mother of the groom’s vision.

 

I’m not one to stick her nose in a stranger’s business, but I did in this situation. My heart ached for this bride; she felt like she had no way out.

 

Looking at her in the mirror as I zipped up her gown, I said, “You know, all you need is a marriage license and a minister or a justice of the peace, and you can have the wedding you want.”

 

She laughed it off, and I laughed with her. I figured that was the end because it seemed to give her something else to think about as we laughed at the idea. Three weeks later, she came in for her final fitting. Remember, final fittings are done on the week of the wedding. The woman strolls in through the door of the bridal salon in marches back to the dressing rooms, where I am waiting with her go. Her smile lit up her face like a Christmas tree, she’d walked in confidently, and her acne had cleared up completely. Show her to the room, and before I close the door to let her slip into the dress before I come in and zip it up, I comment on how beautiful she looked. The bride put her purse down in the corner of the dressing room and turned to me, “we got married,” she said to me. I told her to get in her gown, and she could tell me the story in a minute.

 

Never in 1 million years would I have thought she would take my suggestion seriously. She informed me that the weekend after her last fitting, she and the groom went north to get away and pick up the marriage license from that county clerk’s office. They then decided to invite the local magistrate to their cabin, where he performed the wedding on their dock as the sunset over the lake. When I asked her about witnesses, she said they were good friends with the cabin next door, and those neighbors had just arrived at the same time as the magistrate. They agreed to sign as witnesses and watch the wedding from their dock. The couple had chosen not to tell anyone else what had happened, and I promised her that my lips were sealed as the rest of her bridal party came in to get their final fitting.

 

We sometimes make a big deal of the wedding day without considering what a couple wants. Sure, some things are almost a must if you’re having a large party. But for the most part, a wedding is about the couple and nobody else. If all the couple wants is to be married and spend their lives together, who can tell them what that should look like? I was proud of my bride for doing precisely what she and her groom wanted for their big day—small and simple. But I’m also glad they didn’t cancel everything to honor their friends and loved ones who planned to participate in their big day.

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 29

She Lives To Read, September 30

Karen Baney Reviews, September 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 1

Texas Book-aholic, October 2

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 3

Aryn the Libraryan, October 4

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

The Book Club Network, October 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 7

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 8

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, October 9 (Author Interview)

Sylvan Musings, October 9

Simple Harvest Reads, October 10 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, October 11

Holly’s Book Corner, October 12

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Melissa is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a 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/282a7/an-unexpected-gift-celebration-tour-giveaway


My Review

An Unexpected Gift is the seventh installment from the multi author series, Suamalie Islands, as well as, Melissa Wardwell’s contribution to it. I thought this was a delightful romance to read. Even though Kiana and Beau’s story was slightly predictable, it is definitely still worth reading. I liked getting to know the two and enjoyed their scenes and interactions together. It thought it was an overall fun and entertaining tale to spend a rainy day with. 

An Unexpected Gift will be getting four stars from me. Fans and book lovers of clean romance set on a romantic setting. I will be on the look out for the next addition from the Suamalie Islands series, Jennifer Pierce’s Tropical Target. 

I received a digital copy of Melissa Wardwell’s An Unexpected Gift from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.