Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Juliet Code by Pepper Basham

About the Book

 

Book: The Juliet Code

Author: Pepper Basham

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction

Release Date: December, 2023

Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley Finally Reach Their Honeymoon Destination Only to Encounter a New Mystery in Need of Solving

Frederick and Grace Percy finally make it to Italy to enjoy a delayed honeymoon and explore the beauties of the historic city of Venice. To their surprise, their friend, Detective Jack Miracle, is also in the city, investigating a series of art heists starting at the house of eccentric millionaire, Laraby Covington. Drawn into a world of boat races, mysterious houses, and parties of the rich and unusual in Venice, Frederick and Grace learn of the existence of the Juliet paintings, (Renaissance paintings feature Shakespeare’s tragic heroine) rumored to hold a secret code to an underground vault of similarly treasured artwork assumed lost over the centuries. As Freddie and Grace are pulled deeper into the mystery and their beloved Detective Jack disappears, can they use their wits and work as a team to find the thieves and Jack before it’s too late.

The Juliet Code is a Freddie and Grace Mystery, sequel to The Mistletoe Countess and The Cairo Curse.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

 

More from Pepper

The Ever After

I’ve always loved fairytales.

Especially the romanticized version (#romancewriter).

The wonderful sense of a two people meeting, overcoming obstacles to be together, and then the happily-ever-after?

Well, those are some of my favorite reasons to read and write fiction. However, I didn’t realize the challenge I took on when I agreed to write a second and third book with the main characters staying the same!

You know what I mean?

In most series, the main characters from book one become secondary characters in the consecutive books so that the secondary characters in book one can become the main characters in book 2 (everybody still following along? 🙂)

One of my favorite book series that do this so well is the Amelia Peabody series. I fell in LOVE with Amelia and Emerson in book one, but just loved watching their continued dynamic as a couple grow with each new book. I felt as if I got to know them so much better in their “ever after” while they engaged in all sorts of adventures together.

So…that’s what I hoped to accomplish with Freddie and Grace.

Where The Mistletoe Countess ends with a happily-ever-after, The Cairo Curse and The Juliet Code take over to show us more of the…ever after – my attempt at showing how two main characters continue to grow beyond the end of book one.

I didn’t realize what a daunting feat it would be. Watching two characters meet, fall in love, and show some growth in book 1 was what I was used to doing. But how was I supposed to continue that character growth in consecutive books?

Well, I had to grow myself as a writer to understand how small changes can make lasting differences especially when writing about a beloved couple.

I think The Juliet Code shows a little of that growth – of our Freddie and Grace have not only matured spiritually and, in Grace’s case, experientially, but also as a couple.

Do you have a series that you love where the main characters stay the same?

Blog Stops

The Sacred Line, December 28

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 28

Bigreadersite, December 28

Texas Book-aholic, December 29

Devoted To Hope, December 29

Mary Hake, December 29

She Lives To Read, December 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 30

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, December 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 31

Blogging with Carol, December 31

For Him and My Family, December 31

Where Faith and Books Meet, January 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 1

Back Porch Reads, January 1

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 2

Life on Chickadee Lane, January 2

Connie’s History Classroom, January 2

Book Looks by Lisa, January 3

Aryn the Libraryan, January 3

Girls in White Dresses, January 3

Daysong Reflections, January 4

Holly’s Book Corner, January 4

Splashes of Joy, January 4

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, January 5 (Author Interview)

Wishful Endings, January 5

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, January 5

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, January 6

Blossoms and Blessings, January 6

Pause for Tales, January 6

Tell Tale Book reviews, January 7

Cover Lover Book Review, January 7

Live. Love. Read., January 7

Labor Not in Vain, January 8

Mornings at Character Cafe, January 8

Worthy2Read, January 8

All-of-a-kind Mom, January 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 9

The Lit Lady, January 9

Lily’s Corner, January 10

By The Book, January 10

To Everything There Is A Season, January 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon eGift card and a print copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/293d6/the-juliet-code-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

After the previous books from the Freddie and Grace Mysteries, The Mistletoe Countess and The Cairo Curse, I wondered how Pepper Basham would be able to top those two. The third installment, The Juliet Code does not disappoint. It is by far my favorite of the series. It was great catching up with Frederick and Grace Percy in Italy. Once again there is a mystery to be solved and had to find out how it would end. What a fabulous read. 

I am giving The Juliet Code a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read books that are clean historical mysteries. As always, I will be looking for more from Pepper Basham. 

I received a paperback copy of Pepper Basham’s The Juliet Code 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: Long Live Love: Walking Out Freedom From Painful Generational Patterns by Rena Roberts

About the Book

Book: Long Live Love: Walking Out Freedom From Painful Generational Patterns

Author: Rena Roberts

Genre: Spiritual Memoir

Release Date: May 6, 2023

While utterly broken and at the end of herself, Rena Roberts broke free from spiritual bondage…and you can too.

In real life, victory over destructive generational patterns is rare. Psychologists have studied pathological family patterns for decades, trying to discover why they persist but to no avail. Part memoir, part psychological education and application, and part Christian living, Long Live Love is an invitation and opportunity for self-reflection and healing from family-of-origin issues.

Rena Roberts grew up in a profoundly dysfunctional home and set out to create a healthy, loving Christian family of her own. But when her daughter began to rebel in her late teens, Rena found herself stripped of her faith and everything she counted on from God. It was then that He began to radically transform her as she surrendered to His will and word, no matter what.

Rena’s approach to overcoming deep bondage and spiritual darkness will embolden others to go after freedom recklessly and bring the power of God’s supernatural love to their family line. This journey of freedom from generational jail is told in three sections: Longing, Living, and Loving. Each chapter ends with spiritual growth and reflection questions to examine the longings we have throughout our lives, how we try to live differently from our family of origin, and how we can truly love those we never thought we could.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Rena Roberts grew up in poverty amongst a profoundly dysfunctional family. She muscled her way through college and a graduate degree in Psychology/Counseling. Rena became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in 1998. She specialized in the treatment of eating disorders for twenty-five years. She has worked as a primary therapist at a residential treatment center, a clinical director of a day treatment center and in private practice over the course of her career. After homeschooling her three children and holding leadership positions in her local church, she underwent a spiritual crisis that ultimately led to the authorship of her first book, Long Live Love: Walking Out Freedom From Painful Generational Patterns. She now speaks by invitation to various women’s and youth groups sharing her life’s work and God’s work in her so far.

 

More from Rena

I wouldn’t say there’s anything fun about my book. It’s intense and raw and very real. It has been super fun to receive feedback from readers! They love it. They are inspired by it. They all thank me for writing such a vulnerable book. They love the reflections questions..I think my chapters on forgiveness are most inspiring to my readers and
some have applied the practices I encourage and report to me that it has been life changing, saved their marriages, etc. That’s super fun!

I also realized that I love to write and that I am a writer. I did not know that prior to this project. I hope you enjoy it. I look forward to your thoughts.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 15

Batya’s Bits , December 16

Artistic Nobody, December 17 (Author Interview)

Chronicles of Courage, December 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 18

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 19

Guild Master, December 20 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, December 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 22

Fiction Book Lover, December 23 (Author Interview)

Splashes of Joy, December 23

The Lit Lady, December 24

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 25 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 26

JESUS in the EVERYDAY, December 27

Life on Chickadee Lane, December 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rena is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 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/29586/long-live-love-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

Long Live Love: Walking Out Freedom from Painful Generational Patterns is a wonderful book to read from Rena Roberts. I admire her bravery in telling her story. I related to it so much and am grateful to seeing her how she was able to overcome her past. I was inspired and it is a beautiful reminder why I should embrace the faith during difficult times.

Long Live Love: Walking Out Freedom from Painful Generational Patterns will be getting five plus stars from me. Readers who need inspiration on finding a way to escape toxicity and dysfunction in their lives and seeking more of a relationship with God. 

I received a paperback copy of Rena Roberts’ Long Live Love: Walking Out Freedom from Painful Generational Patterns 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: Sweet Rivalry by Terri Gillespie

About the Book

Book: Sweet Rivalry

Author: Terri Gillespie

Genre: Women’s Contemporary/ Christian Romance/Family Life Fiction

Release date: October 27, 2021

Just an ordinary morning for Sarah Sweeting—watching her favorite baking show, Cupcake Rivalry, getting ready for work at her Granny’s small-town bakery. All that changes when Sarah spots a contestant who looks like her, sounds like her, moves like her.

Was this her twin sister? The twin her mother ran away with twenty years ago? Were hers and Granny’s prayers finally being answered?

When Granny confirms Sarah’s shocking discovery, Granny suffers a heart attack.

Raven Souwer’s morning began at a frenzied pace—incessantly ringing phones and a Beverly Hills’ bakery full of customers. All because everyone wants to catch a glimpse of the Cupcake Rivalry contestants—Raven and her best friend, Will Durning.

But a phone call from an excited woman who claims to be Raven’s long-lost sister—a sister Raven has no memory of—informs Raven that a grandmother she never knew was in the hospital.

The call changes the course of Raven’s life and brings up the pain she thought she’d overcome.

Will Sarah and Raven finally be united, or will other rivalries separate them again?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Award-winning author, YouTube personality, and speaker, Terri Gillespie writes stories of faith and redemption. She has won best contemporary with the Lyra Awards, Rattler Contest, Golden Scroll, and placed in the Angel Book Awards.

Life is a journey. Terri lived in fear most of her life. Stories helped her see life through the lens of adventure and God’s abiding love. Those stories changed her life. They empowered her to be brave. She hopes hers will do the same for you.

She is the author of critically-acclaimed Making Eye Contact with God (now in its 15th year), She Does Good Hair, CUT IT OUT!, Really Bad Hair Day, and Sweet Rivalry. 

More from Terri

Where do stories come from? Oh, so many places. Sweet Rivalry began over ten years ago with an idea called the “cupcake sisters.” Two sisters who worked in a small hometown bakery trying to be true to family recipes and not get overrun by the food chains. Not much more than that. Boring, right?

The other day, I ran across my notes written years ago with other ideas for the sisters. No plots could carry an interesting enough story to get the creative juices going.

A dear friend—and amazing author—gave me a life-sized cupcake candle. The vibrant colors and glittery icing were meant to inspire me to develop the idea and write the book. It sat on my inspiration shelf for years. At first every time I looked at it, I would smile.

But, as the years went by the sun faded the candle, as did my hope of finding the right story for the cupcake sisters.

Then, during COVID I got hooked on those reality shows about long-lost families being reunited after decades of separation. Some of the families had no idea the other family member existed.

Each episode meant a fist of soppy tissues. Yet, even with the dramatic music, professional editing, and big build-up, some families’ smiles didn’t quite reach their eyes.

I wondered, what happens to these people after the camera crews leave? After the emotional reunions, the excitement subsides and reality settles into their respective homes? How do these people from very different histories become a family? Do they even try? Do they want to face the secrets that separated them?

Some of the “long-lost” family members were children from affairs. Most were children given up through adoption. Others abandoned. One man found his birth mother, only to learn he was the result of a rape. How do they navigate the choppy and complex psychological waters?

These interesting stories became delicious ingredients for the Sweet Rivalry novel. Twin sisters separated as toddlers by a troubled mother. One sister, Sarah was raised by her loving, Christian grandmother who owned the local Sweet’s Bakery.

The other sister, Raven was raised by her addicted mother, in crack houses. Still, Raven manages to become a celebrated pastry chef.

How do twins with completely different childhoods become a family? How does the sister raised in a loving, stable, Christian environment form a relationship with the sister who has seen the worst of society and had to pull herself from a terrible background all on her own? Who now blames God for the horrific things that happened to her?

And a grandmother that hides a terrible secret?

Now, throw into the mix three handsome men vying for the twins’ affections, then bake with the emotional investments into the lives of these women, and you’ve got quite a recipe for a delectable story.

With humor and passion and delicious recipes, Sweet Rivalry will satisfy the hungry reader looking for a unique story of hope.

You know, Sweet Rivalry’s journey proved to me once again, that creativity can’t be forced, and GOD’s timing is always the best—even if it is a ten-year wait.

 

How about a recipe?

Raven’s Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cupcakes with Fritos Frosting

The Recipe That Almost Won the Cupcake Rivalry competition for Raven and Will.

Raven’s cupcake recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup unsalted butter softened

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar packed

2 eggs room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup Dr Pepper

½ cup buttermilk

Will’s Fritos Cream Cheese Frosting

4 cup powdered sugar

½ cup unsalted butter softened

6 oz cream cheese softened

4 T Dr Pepper to taste

Original, Regular flavor Fritos (up to 1 cup)—Don’t use the scoop type

Instructions:

Raven’s Chocolate Dr Pepper Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350^o F. Prepare 2-12 count muffin tins with cupcake cup liners (22-24 total).
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer and large bowl), add in butter, granulated and brown sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on low until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Keeping mixer speed on low, add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix in the Dr Pepper.
5. Add the other half of the dry ingredients as well as the buttermilk. Mix until just combined—do not overmix. Batter should be thick and fluffy.
6. Pour cupcake batter into prepared muffin tin, filling cups 2/3 full. Tap the tin on the counter a few times to level the batter.
7. Bake cupcakes one batch at a time for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Place muffin tin on a wire cooling rack to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove cupcakes and allow to finish cooling on wire rack.
9. Wait until cupcakes are completely cooled before applying the frosting.

 

Will’s Fritos Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Use a clean stand mixer (or a hand-mixer & large bowl) on high speed beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, roughly 2 minutes.
2. Drop speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. May be clumpy at this stage—don’t worry.
3. Keeping speed on low, slowly beat in softened cream cheese. Will recommends cutting the cream cheese into 4-5 pieces and mixing in one piece at a time.
4. Finally, add in the Dr. Pepper. Now if you want more Dr. Pepper flavor, you can add more, and you can add up to a cup more of powdered sugar, but after that, you lose the great cream cheese flavor.
5. Finely ground ½ cup of Fritos. Almost as fine as coffee grounds. Fold in by hand into frosting.
6. Frost the cupcakes.
7. Remaining Fritos you can either roughly ground and sprinkled on top, or Will likes to leave one Frito curl nestled on top, right before serving.
8. Eat immediately—I mean, who would wait?

 

More recipes can be found at: https://authorterrigillespie.com/terri-gillespie-recipes/

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 16

Artistic Nobody, December 17 (Author Interview)

Books I’ve Read, December 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 18

Texas Book-aholic, December 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 20

Cover Lover Book Review, December 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 23

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, December 24 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, December 25

Beauty in the Binding, December 26 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, December 27

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 28 (Author Interview)

Exploring the Written Word, December 28

Lily’s Corner, December 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terri is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Gift Card, signed copy of Sweet Rivalry, Sweet Rivalry Coffee Mug, Sweet Rivalry bookmark, and a Hand-poured Cupcake Candle!!

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/293d5/sweet-rivalry-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

Sweet Rivalry is the first book I have had the pleasure of reading by Terri Gillespie. She has woven a heart warming tale that so many of us could relate to. I thought it was a great read. I love the lessons of having faith and the power of forgiveness. It is one of those books that made me want to find out what will happen with the characters. I was able to read the whole book in a couple of evenings before bedtime. 

I am going to give Sweet Rivalry a very well deserved five plus stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean fiction. I look forward to reading previous books by Terri Gillespie in the future. 

I received a paperback copy of Sweet Rivalry 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: Living Secrets: A Thriller by S F Baumgartner

About the Book

Book: Living Secrets: A Thriller

Author: S.F. Baumgartner

Genre: Christian Thriller

Release Date: September 29, 2023

Can the secret love child of a U.S. Senator deliver the cure for a bioterror threat before time runs out?

Lily Tso is bored and unfulfilled. Orphaned at birth, the twenty-two-year-old Hotel Guest Service Officer is overwhelmed to discover her parents are alive. But the young woman fears she’s woefully unprepared for a treacherous operation to save America and to meet her parents.

Teaming up with an FBI Special Agent and a young tycoon, Lily sets out on a dangerous mission to prevent a heinous biological attack. But as unknown forces bent on thwarting her attempt, she fears time is running out for both her and the country she calls her new home.

Will Lily be able to survive the attacks and save America from certain doom?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

S.F. Baumgartner is a Christian suspense thriller author and creator of the Mirror Estate series. She graduated from the University of Hawaii and the University of Cincinnati. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her cats, staying active, and binge-watching crime TV shows. She lives in Ohio with her family.

 

 

 

 

More from S.F.

The Journey to “Living Secrets”: A Tale of Hurdles, Hiatus, and Hope

Hello everyone,

I’m incredibly excited to share with you all the backstory of how “Living Secrets,” the first book in the Mirror Estate series, came to be. If you’re a fan of the series (or soon to be), you might know that we’ve got a prequel, “Buried Secrets,” already out in the wild. While it provides some extra flavor and context to the series, “Living Secrets” can totally be enjoyed as a standalone.

The Seeds of a Story

The seedling of the Mirror Estate series started forming in my brain quite some time ago. In fact, I penned an earlier version of the prequel back in 2019, under the title “The Secrets.” No sooner had I hit ‘save’ on that manuscript than I dove head-first into plotting out “Living Secrets.” The story was pulsing through my veins, and I couldn’t wait to get it down on paper.

The 2020 Slump

Then 2020 happened. Ah, yes, the year that shall not be named. Amidst the chaos, my writing spirit decided to take an unscheduled sabbatical. My keyboard gathered dust and the characters in my head seemed to go into hibernation. It was a tough period, creatively speaking, and I know I wasn’t alone in feeling that way.

Rising from the Ashes

Finally, something clicked earlier this year. It was as though my internal storytelling engine roared back to life. I decided it was time to re-enter the world of Mirror Estate. I dusted off the old prequel, gave it a facelift, and republished it as “Buried Secrets,” a more fleshed-out and refined version of the original. But I didn’t stop there; I tackled “Living Secrets” with renewed vigor. After long writing sessions, late-night plot debates with myself, and endless cups of coffee, it’s done. And I couldn’t be prouder to announce that “Living Secrets” is scheduled for release on September 29!

So, whether you’ve been with me since the early days or you’re just discovering the series now, I’m thrilled to have you on this journey. Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions, plot twists, and unforgettable characters.

Thanks for reading, and I can’t wait for you to dive into “Living Secrets” come September 29.

Until next time, happy reading!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 15

Texas Book-aholic, December 16

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, December 17 (Author Interview)

Exploring the Written Word, December 17

Betti Mace, December 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 19

Artistic Nobody, December 20 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 21

Blogging With Carol, December 22

Lily’ Corner, December 23

Guild Master, December 24 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, December 25

Beauty in the Binding, December 26 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, December 26

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 27

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, S.F. is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and an eBook 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/293d4/living-secrets-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

I found S F Baumgartner’s Living Secrets: A Thriller to be a great read.  I enjoyed this start of the Mirror Estate series to be a thrilling roller coaster of a tale. There were so many twists and turns, I never knew what could happen next. It was full of action, mystery, and suspense. I thought it was great.

I am giving Living Secrets: A Thriller five stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean thrillers. I am eagerly awaiting for the next installment from the Mirror Estate series, Forgotten Secret, to see what S F Baumgartner has in store for the characters. This one is worth reading and not to be missed.

I received a copy of S F Baumgartner’s Living Secrets: A Thriller from the publisher, but was not required to rewrite a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.