Thursday, February 23, 2023

Review: Daughter of Eden: Eve's Story by Jill Eileen Smith


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Blurb: 

The first time she opens her eyes, Eve gazes on One whose beauty nearly blinds her, whose breath is in her lungs. Her Creator takes her hand and gives her to one like her and yet different. Together, she and Adam experience pure joy as they explore Eden. But her favorite moments are when the Creator comes to walk with them, day after day.

Until everything changes. With one act of disobedience, Eve finds that her world is no longer a friendly place. With remorse in her heart, she must face the unknown future--the births, the deaths, the sacrifices, the loss of the one home she has ever known. Perhaps worst of all is the loss of trust, not only with her Creator but with the man who shares her life. How will they ever survive out of Eden?

Bestselling biblical fiction author Jill Eileen Smith imagines the life of the first woman to ever live, unspooling a story of love, loss, and the promise of redemption.



My Review:

I have loved Jill Eileen Smith’s books that bring admirable women from the Bible to life. I was excited to have the opportunity to read her newest release, Daughter of Eden: Eve's Story. I now have a new favorite book I have read of hers. I was instantly interested in seeing her vision of what Eve was like in those times. I loved the vivid details that made me feel as though I was part of Eve’s story. I thought it was great!

I am giving Daughter of Eden: Eve's Story a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers and fans of Biblical Fiction. I am looking forward to see who else Jill Eileen Smith will publish a book on from the Bible.

I received a paperback copy of Daughter of Eden: Eve's Story from the author, but was not required to write a review nor a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.


View all my reviews

New Series and Giveaway: Karen Kingsbury’s A Thousand Tomorrows


Karen Kingsbury’s A Thousand Tomorrows” is a love story for the ages and
shows real sacrifice and loyalty in the face of in surmountable odds.

Watch this new AFFIRM Originals show from author Karen Kingsbury,
with new episodes releasing every Friday!

The series “Karen Kingsbury’s A Thousand Tomorrows” is
a show about redemption, forgiveness, devotion and
transformation. Cody and Ali find a love so rare and so powerful
and they make the most of everyday they have with each other.

The latest AFFIRM Originals show, “Karen Kingsbury’s A Thousand Tomorrows,”
is a testament to love, devotion and making the most of every day.

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Karen Kingsbury, only God
knows how many tomorrows we have left. In the dangerous and competitive
rodeo world, how will Cody and Ali make the most of their time together?

Watch Karen Kingsbury’s A Thousand Tomorrows on Pure Flix starting February 24th!


Trailer:

 


My Review:

I enjoyed watching the third episode of Karen Kingsbury’s A Thousand Tomorrows. I loved the theme of friendship, love, hope, taking chances, faith and redemption. I enjoyed getting to know Ali and Cody and seeing their friendship blossom. I admired Ali’s determination and courage to continue to live her life despite of her illness. She definitely wants to live her life to the fullest. I have to watch the next episode to see what happens between the two friends. I am an instant fan of this series.

I am giving Karen Kingsbury’s A Thousand Tomorrows a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for those who enjoy watching a good clean drama. 

I received an early screen link of Karen Kingsbury’s A Thousand Tomorrows from Pure Flix, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.



Disclosure:

Many thanks to Pure Flix for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.


Giveaway:

One 3-month Pure Flix subscription

Leave a more than two word completed sentence telling me who will be watching Karen Kingsbury’s A Thousand Tomorrows with. Don’t forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Winner’s name will be drawn on March 3, 2023.


Giveaway Rules:

Giveaway is limited to US winners only.

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

Winners will have to reply to email that is sent to you to let you have won within 24 hours.
If no response, a new winner’s name will be drawn and you forfeit the prize.

Winners from previous Momentum campaigns within 90 days and those who have won a PureFlix subscription in the last 6 months, will be disqualified.

Review: The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel

 




Blurb: 

Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room.

When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything.

Fan favorite Jennifer Deibel invites you back to the Emerald Isle in the 1930s for this fresh take on the Cinderella story, complete with a tantalizing mystery, a budding romance, and a chance at redemption.



My Review: 

I have loved previous books from Jennifer Deibel and was excited to have the opportunity to read her newest, The Maid of Ballymacool. After reading this one, her writing just keeps getting better and better. I adored meeting Michael and Brianna and going back in time to the beautiful Ireland. Their story was full of delight, mystery, and romance. I thought it was a great retelling to the Cinderella tale. I loved every single page of it.

I am giving The Maid of Ballymacool five stars. I believe fans, readers and lovers of the clean historical fiction genre will definitely want to read this one. I think most will love it as much as I did. I would love to read more upcoming releases from Jennifer Deibel in the future.

The Maid of Ballymacool from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

View all my reviews

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Review: The Last Chance Cowboy by Jody Hedlund

 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Blurb: 

As a midwife, Catherine Remington is successful in bringing new life into the world, but she's failed one too many times in finding true love. When she's accused of a murder she didn't commit, she's forced to flee and decides to run away to Colorado to honor a patient's dying wish to deliver a newborn infant to his father.

The repentant prodigal Dylan McQuaid is finally back in Fairplay. Elected as sheriff, he's doing his best to prove to the town he's a changed man and worthy of their trust. When a woman shows up with an infant son he didn't know he had, Dylan is left with only complicated choices on what to do next.

Having grown attached to Dylan's son, Catherine doesn't want to part ways with the infant, but what she doesn't bargain for is how easily she'll fall for the charming rogue, or how quickly her past will catch up with her and put their love and lives in danger.

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund brings her Colorado Cowboys series to an adventuresome close with this page-turning Western romance.



My Review: 

Colorado Cowboys series has become among my favorite series written by Jody Hedlund. The Last Chance Cowboy is the fifth and final installment from it. I adored this book so much. I loved the chemistry between Catherine and Dylan and it was so heartwarming how much they bonded over precious Austin. I had no problem devouring their whole story in one sitting. Such a beautiful tale of love, hope, faith and forgiveness.

I am giving The Last Chance Cowboy a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean historical fiction. As always, I am looking forward for more by Jody Hedlund in the future. I am so excited for the next series to release later this year.

I received a paperback copy of The Last Chance Cowboy from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.



View all my reviews

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Courage in the Shadows by Robin Patchen


About the Book

Book: Courage in the Shadows

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release date: Febraury 14, 2023

When she crosses paths with a killer from her past, can she survive long enough to step into her future?

Ever since she and thirteen other models were kidnapped years before, Summer Lake has fought to ensure that she can protect herself. But when her job as a bodyguard brings her into contact with a man she believes masterminded her kidnapping, her first urge is to run, terrified of being taken again. Instead, she follows the stranger, determined to bring him to justice.

Bodyguard Grant Wright fell in love with Summer the instant he saw her, a fierce protector standing in front of the other endangered young women he’d come to rescue. Years later, Summer still sees him as barely more than a coworker. Grant bides his time, sticking close in an effort to keep her safe and hoping she’ll eventually open her heart to him. When her life is threatened, he’s not about to allow her to fight her enemies alone. He’ll stay by her side whether she wants him or not.

But Summer and Grant have an enemy whose global smuggling organization is so powerful, so pervasive, that it’ll be a miracle if either of them emerges from this battle alive.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Nutfield Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. After college, working in marketing and public relations, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while she homeschooled her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects.

 

More from Robin

In Lineage of Corruption, the heroine offhandedly refers to her bodyguard as a “Venus statue.” It seemed a fair description of the woman known at the time only as Lake.

But it made me wonder… Why would a nearly six-foot-tall, drop-dead gorgeous blonde become a bodyguard?

We learned a little more about Lake in Wreathed in Disgrace, including the fact that her partner, Jon, was also her cousin—a man who considered her as close as a sister.

We also learned that Lake didn’t have the happiest background.

Slowly, over the course of writing two books, Lake became more than just the pretty bodyguard in the corner. She became real to me.

And her murky background came into view. What would make a beautiful woman, a woman given the whimsical name Summer Lake, a woman who could easily grace magazine covers—and has in the past—decide to lay down her curling iron and pick up a sidearm?

I won’t tell you her secret, but suffice it to say, Summer has good reason to carry a gun. She’s been threatened in the past. And when she was a kid, she didn’t even feel safe in her own home. She’s seen people she loved and cared about harmed, and she loathes nothing more than watching the strong prey on the weak.

She decided a long time ago that she’s never going to be counted among the weak again.

But when Summer follows a man she’s pretty sure was the mastermind behind her own worst nightmare, she inadvertently overhears his nefarious plans. Only she wasn’t as hidden as she thought, and if not for Grant, her new partner—a man who’s doggedly determined to make sure she stays safe—she might have been killed.

With just enough information to know something terrible is going to happen, Summer and Grant embark on a quest to bring down Summer’s old enemy.

But he knows who she is, and he’s not going down without a fight.

This book was a blast to write, and I absolutely can’t wait for you to get your hands on it. It’s got a hunky and protective hero, a strong yet vulnerable heroine, and a villain who’ll keep you awake at night.

I hope you’ll check it out!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 17

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , February 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 18

An Author’s Take, February 19

Texas Book-aholic, February 20

deb’s Book Review, February 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 22

Holly’s Book Corner, February 22

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 23

Betti Mace, February 24

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, February 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 26

Blogging With Carol, February 27

Spoken from the Heart, February 28

Mary Hake, February 28

For Him and My Family, March 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 2

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 gift card and a paperback copy of Wreathed in Disgrace!!

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/24518/courage-in-the-shadows-celebration-tour-giveaway


My Review

Courage in the Shadows is another great addition to Robin Patchen’s Coventry Saga.  I have enjoyed the previous released installments of this saga, but this one is by far my favorite. Even though this is part of a saga, each can be read as a stand alone. I loved getting to know Summer and Grant and seeing them teaming up to solve the mystery of who is responsible. It is definitely a page turner. 

I am giving Courage in the Shadows five stars. I recommend it for readers and fans of clean and action packed romantic suspense. I  am eagerly awaiting the next addition to the Coventry Saga, Vengeance in the Mist, to see what happens next. 

I received a digital copy of Courage in the Shadows 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: Chris Crossed Murder by Lauren Carr


 

Book Details:

Book Title Chris Crossed Murder (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +) 
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   Feb 22, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!

"Carr is a master at creating unique, complex plots and colorful characters, both evident in her latest cold case mystery featuring  Chris Matheson and the geezer squad. The plot is twisted, the mystery unique and the ending a surprise. A must-read!" - Review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery, Book Four) by Marilyn R. Wilson, Author, Speaker, Book Reviewer

"Lauren Carr is among my favorite mystery writers. She knows how to write a fun tale while keeping readers engaged. ...I would give Chris Crossed Murder one hundred stars if I could. I believe readers who enjoy reading well-written and clean cozy mysteries will most definitely want to read it. I have no doubt they will enjoy it as much as I did. The fifth installment from A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery series is on my radar for when it releases." - Review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery, Book Four) by Amy Campbell, Locks Hooks and Books

Book Description:
It proves to be a Christmas to remember when the Matheson family receives the horrendous news that Chris Matheson’s body has been found in the woods near an international airport.

Everyone is stunned—especially Chris Matheson.

The mystery deepens when they discover the victim has Chris’s federal agent badge and appears to have been investigating one of his old cases.

The Geezer Squad’s latest case is not only a whodunit but who-got-dun. Is this a case of mistaken identity? Was Chris the intended victim? If not, then they must identify the murder victim to find his killer.

With Christmas days away, join the Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad as they race to piece together the clues to their most puzzling case yet.
Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
B&N ~ BAM
BookBub
add to goodreads

Monday, February 20, 2023

Blog Tour and Giveaway: A Trail So Lonesome by Lacy Williams

About the Book


Book:
A Trail So Lonesome

Author: Lacy Williams

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: January 12, 2023

Spending five months eating trail dust wasn’t Leo Spencer’s first choice. Or his second. He’s not one to run away, but some situations can’t be fixed and his family—two brothers and a sister—needs to start over. Which is how he finds himself on a westbound wagon train.

Evangeline has a secret, one that has sent her on a journey across the plains on the Oregon Trail. When her father is badly hurt and she needs help, Leo is there. A deal is struck and the two unlikely friends form an alliance… that leads to more.

But Evangeline’s secret looms over her… and Leo’s family troubles are far from over.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Lacy Williams wishes her writing career was more like what you see in Hallmark movies: dreamy brainstorming from a French chateau or a few minutes at the computer in a million-dollar New York City penthouse. In reality, she’s up before the sun, putting words on the page before her kids wake up for the day. Those early-morning and late-night writing sessions add up, and Lacy has published sixty books in a decade, first with a big five publisher and then as an indie author. When she needs to refill the well, you can find Lacy birdwatching, gardening, biking with the kiddos, or walking the dog. Find tons of bonus scenes and reader extras by becoming a VIP reader at www.lacywilliams.net/vip

 

More from Lacy

Leaving Home

Do you remember what it was like when you left home? Was it a specific event that sticks out in your mind? Or was it gradual?

I moved into the dorms at my university when I was eighteen. After that, I felt sort of… in transition. I went home for winter break and during the summer, but I didn’t feel like my parents’ house was home anymore. I married my sweet hubby when we were both twenty and that’s when I felt like I had a true home again. (Even though it was a tiny one-bedroom apartment!)

My new series, Wagon Train Matches, is all about travelers on a journey across the country in their Conestoga wagons. In the 1850s, people would leave home, leave everything and everyone behind and travel across the plains and mountains mostly on foot. It was difficult and dangerous. And when they arrived, they didn’t have houses ready and waiting for them!

It’s been a lot of fun researching for this series. Understanding why people would risk everything for a new start. I think it would be both exciting and terrifying!

In A TRAIL SO LONESOME, heroine Evangeline wants to leave home for a new start. She’s carrying a secret with her (a bigger secret than the library of books she’s packed in the wagon!) and believes that starting over in Oregon will change everything.

Only it doesn’t take long on the trail for someone to discover her secret. Hero Leo has secrets of his own. He can’t afford Evangeline to look too closely at his family. But he also can’t seem to stay away from her.

Eek! I’m really excited to kick off this new series with A TRAIL SO LONESOME. I hope you love these characters as much as I have while writing them.

-Lacy

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 16

Pause for Tales, February 16

Vicky Sluiter, February 17

Texas Book-aholic, February 18

deb’s Book Review, February 19

Labor Not in Vain, February 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 20

Lighthouse Academy, February 21 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 22

Connie’s History Classroom, February 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 24

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, February 24

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 25

Britt Reads Fiction, February 26

Simple Harvest Reads, February 27 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Karen Baney, February 27

Cover Lover Book Review, February 28

For Him and My Family, March 1

Holly’s Book Corner, March 1

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Lacy is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and 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/24517/a-trail-so-lonesome-celebration-tour-giveaway


My Review

A Trail so Lonesome is a fabulous start to Lacy Williams’ newest series, Wagon Train Matches. I adored this story so much and meeting Leo and Evangeline. The characters are ones that could be easily relatable for many readers. I did find myself getting a little emotional at times and needing to grab my tissues. I thought it was a beautifully written book to read. I loved it.   

I am giving A Trail so Lonesome five stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean historical romance. I can not wait to get my hands on the next installment from the Wagon Train Matches series, A Trail of Secrets, to see where else Lacy Williams takes her characters and readers to next. 

I received a copy of A Trail so Lonesome from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.