Saturday, July 31, 2021

Project Scrooge

Can Scrooge find love from a friendship gone cold?

Sanford Stone cut ties with his best friend, Natalie, in favor of the love of his life … a woman who ended up walking out on him just before Christmas. Six years later, Sanford can’t bring himself to celebrate Christ’s birth with any joy. Little does he know, his grandmother and her companions have dubbed him the Scrooge and intend to help him overcome his bitterness and find happiness again.

The only thing that has hurt Natalie Dunivan more than Sanford cutting her out of his life has been watching his long-held grudges slowly destroy the man she has always loved. Together with Ms. Carol, Natalie devises a plan to reach out to Sanford.

Sanford accepts his grandmother’s challenge to celebrate Christmas for 31 straight days, but he didn’t count on her plan involving Natalie. Can his family and friends help their Scrooge see the error of his ways, or will Natalie’s presence only make things worse?

My thoughts: This is such a delightful, modern day spin on The Christmas Carol that was a lot of fun to read through! I enjoyed Ms. Carol, as she and her friends present tasks for Sanford to do. I loved the message of the story, it's one that I have been thinking on for a while, to not hold on to grudges.

This is such a fun retelling of a classic story. I enjoyed the characters and the plot whole heartedly!

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

AMHeath Besides being an Indie Author, I’m a wife, mother of four, ladies’ Sunday School teacher, sweet tea drinker, history fanatic, romantic, bubbly, lover of broccoli, and a retired cake decorator who has a soft spot for Christmas trees, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What I’m not is a laundress (or at least not one who keeps up very well), a duster, tall, or patient in a doctor’s office.

More from A.M. Heath

Frozen Hot Chocolate Recipes

It’s plenty hot outside but it’s just the right temperature for a tall glass of frozen hot chocolate!

Throughout Project Scrooge, Ms. Carol serves up a new cocoa recipe every day in December. So there was no better way introduce you to the cozy world of Garland, Tennessee and Ms. Carol’s cheery kitchen than by offering you two frozen hot chocolate variations. These are so easy and you likely have the ingredients already in your home.

Frozen Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

¾ cup of milk

3 Tb sugar

2 ½ Tb unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tb creamy peanut butter

2 cups of ice

Frozen Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

¾ cup of milk

2 Tb sugar

2 ½ Tb unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tb caramel sauce

pinch of salt

2 cups of ice

No matter which recipe you use, the directions are the same.

Directions:

Blend until ice is broken down. Enjoy! Sharing is optional. 😉

Which flavor will you try first?

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, July 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 23

Simply Susan, July 23

For Him and My Family, July 24

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 25

Jeanette’s Thoughts, July 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 26

deb’s Book Review, July 27

Kayem Reads, July 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 29

Mary Hake, July 29

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 30

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 31

Vicky Sluiter, July 31

Blossoms and Blessings, August 1

Inklings and notions, August 1

She Lives To Read, August 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 3

Cats in the Cradle Blog, August 3

Labor Not in Vain, August 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, A.M. is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback copy of Project Scrooge, 1 mug, 3 family sized bags of hot chocolate: Peppermint, Real Deal, and Strawberry!!

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/1102e/project-scrooge-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, July 30, 2021

The Scarlet Pen

Engaged to a Monster

Book 12 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History

Enjoy a tale of true but forgotten history of a 19th century serial killer whose silver-tongued ways almost trap a young woman into a nightmarish marriage.

In 1876, Emma Draycott is charmed into a quick engagement with childhood friend Stephen Dee Richards after reconnecting with him at a church event in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. But within the week, Stephen leaves to “make his fame and fortune.” The heartbroken Emma gives him a special pen to write to her, and he does with tales of grand adventures. Secret Service agent Clay Timmons arrives in Mount Pleasant to track purchases made with fake currency. Every trail leads back to Stephen—and therefore, Emma. Can he convince the naive woman she is engaged to a charlatan who is being linked a string of deaths in Nebraska?

My thoughts: I hadn't read anything about the story of Stephen Richards before reading this book, which made me want to take a peek at the history behind the story before I was too far into the book! I thought that the author did a wonderful job of handling the story of a serial killer in the 1800's. Some of the crimes he committed were truly horrendous, so I appreciated how she handles the depravity of a serial killer. This is an interesting series to pick up and learn more about the bizarre crimes in American history.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a preteen, when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a BA in writing, she has won five writing competitions and was a finalist in two others. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite—a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and is a lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenage son, and four fur children.

More from Jennifer

Hello, Readers! For all who might never have read one of my stories or come across me, it’s great to meet you! I’m a wife, a mom, a (young!) grandma, and an author—among many other things. My author tagline is “Where Grit Meets Grace.” If you’re familiar with my writing at all, you’ll know that most of my stories at least touch on a bit of the difficult side of life. Death, abandonment, war, addiction, or who knows what else you might find. The Scarlet Pen is no different.

Given that this novel is the final installment in Barbour’s True Colors series, the story revolves around a true crime from history—in this case, the murders of serial killer Stephen Dee Richards—AKA the Nebraska Fiend. Anytime you’re dealing with someone so depraved as he, you’ll find plenty of “grit” to write about. But that’s only half of my tagline. Remember, it’s “Where Grit Meets Grace.”

While I love a story that delves into difficult topics and, in some cases, pushes the characters right to the edge of what they can handle, I also love a truly redemptive story. When I was asked to write for this series, the ideas that drew me the most were the ones that had something redeeming in the actual history. There were plenty of interesting historical killers I could’ve chosen where I could have manufactured a positive, even happy ending through the fictional characters in the book. In the case of Stephen Dee Richards, there was no manufacturing needed. The “grace” part was already written. The end of Stephen’s story is precisely why I chose to write about him. I hope you’ll find it as though-provoking and compelling as I did. Happy reading!

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, July 29

Genesis 5020, July 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 29

For Him and My Family, July 30

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 30 (Author Interview)

Christian Bookaholic, July 30

Southern Gal Loves to Read, July 31

Inklings and notions, July 31

Britt Reads Fiction, July 31

Remembrancy, August 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 1

Betti Mace, August 2

Rebecca Tews, August 2

deb’s Book Review, August 2

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 3

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 3

Blogging With Carol , August 3

Older & Smarter?, August 4

Connie’s History Classroom, August 4

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, August 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 5

Bigreadersite, August 5

Godly Book Reviews, August 6

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 6

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 6

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 7

Back Porch Reads, August 7

Mary Hake, August 7

Through the fire blogs, August 8

sodbuster living, August 8

Connect in Fiction, August 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 9

Texas Book-aholic, August 9

KarenSueHadley, August 9

Pause for Tales, August 10

For the Love of Literature, August 10

Blossoms and Blessings, August 10

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, August 11

Spoken from the Heart, August 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Scarlet Pen!!

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/110e0/the-scarlet-pen-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, July 29, 2021

A Dream of Family

To give a little girl a home…

she must take a chance on forgiveness.

From the minute Molly Morgan saw sad-eyed little Grace, she longed to give her a happy home. But Molly’s struggling bookstore is endangering her adoption chances. Outgoing entrepreneur Derek McKinney has a puppy Grace adores—and a plan to save Molly’s business. But can he and Molly put their troubled past behind them in time to make a family for a lifetime?

My thoughts: This was such a sweet story of a young woman struggling to get her business in a stable place so she can adopt little Grace and offer her a home. When Derek comes back into her life, Molly must learn to trust the man who had a part in causing her fiancé to leave her at the altar. Both characters have their own secrets and trust issues to work through as they struggle to help Grace out.
I enjoyed this story and the message of faith that is woven into it!

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

HQ Headshot By day, Jill Weatherholt works for the City of Charlotte. At night, and on the weekend, she writes contemporary stories about love, faith and forgiveness for Harlequin Love Inspired.

Raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., she now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, but her heart belongs to Virginia.

She holds a degree in Psychology from George Mason University and Paralegal Studies Certification from Duke University.

She shares her life with her real-life hero and number one supporter. Their relationship grew on the golf course, and now they have one in their backyard.

Jill believes in enjoying every moment of this journey because God has everything under control.

More from Jill

Working in a library or a bookstore has always been a dream job of mine. As book bloggers and readers, you may have had that same dream.

Sadly, I’ve never made that dream come true. So instead, I created a fictitious character, Molly Morgan. In A Dream of Family, Molly Morgan owns and operates a bookstore, so by writing her story, I was able to somewhat fulfill my dream of working in a job where I’m surrounded by books all day.

As a child growing up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., I loved the bookmobile. Twice a month a small library on wheels rolled into the neighborhood and parked in front of our house. There was nothing better than to feel the wallop of arctic air the moment I climbed aboard. It was the perfect escape from the hot and sticky summer months. Like a time machine, the endless rows of books transported me to distant places. It was there I was introduced to The Box Car Children and Nancy Drew Mysteries. One stamp of black ink,and it was mine to devour for two weeks.

I haven’t seen a bookmobile since my childhood, but they still exist today. Thankfully, libraries and bookstores are still in our communities, offering wonderful programs to inspire young readers. But as I watch public libraries reduce their hours and bookstores close their doors, I’m grateful to have grown up in a time where bookmobiles traveled the streets of my neighborhood. Those days, my biggest decision during summer vacation was what book to take to the pool.

Blessings,

Jill Weatherholt

Blog Stops

Pause for Tales, July 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 27

Texas Book-aholic, July 28

She Lives To Read, July 29

Lighthouse Academy Blog, July 29 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Inklings and notions, July 30

Mary Hake, July 30

For Him and My Family, July 31

My Reading Journeys, July 31

deb’s Book Review, August 1

Britt Reads Fiction, August 1

Older & Smarter?, August 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 3

Writing from the Heart Land, August 3

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 4

Batya’s Bits, August 4

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

Remembrancy, August 5

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 6

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 7

Labor Not in Vain, August 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 8

Kayem Reads, August 8

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 9

Vicky Sluiter, August 9

Giveaway

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

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/11034/a-dream-of-family-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Missing in the Desert

Five years ago, her sister disappeared…
Now someone is coming for her.

Who would believe that Mara Castillo’s sister—missing and presumed dead—suddenly sent a one-word text? Now Mara wants answers, even if it means stepping into a killer’s sights with her brother’s best friend, rancher Levi Duke, as her only protection. But with someone who has everything to lose after her, uncovering a long-buried secret could save her life…or claim it.

My thoughts: I have enjoyed many of Dana Mentink's stories, since her characters are well written and I can anticipate a suspenseful read (I've only read her mysteries!;)). This book did not disappoint. I felt so bad for Mara, whose brother is in a coma and now she is receiving a text from her sister who has been missing for several years. On top of that, Mara is in danger and she has to race to unravel the mysteries around her.

This is an excellent, faith filled story that I enjoyed reading! I highly recommend picking up a copy of this story.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a two time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and a Holt Medallion winner. She is a nationa and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of over forty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harlequin Heartwarming and Poisoned Pen Press. You can connect with Dana via her website at danamentink.com, on Facebook, YouTube (Author Dana Mentink) and Instagram (dana_mentink.)

More from Dana

Hello, readers! Boy am I excited! Since the virus-that-not-shall-be-named is being brought under control, I am cautiously venturing out again and our first vacation spot will be a return to Death Valley. Papa Bear and I love the amazing diversity of Death Valley, from the salt flats, to the sand dunes, mountains, and everything in between. Writing this book allowed me to relive the incredible topography, as well as let my mind run loose imagining a cold case that warms up to fiery levels in this ferocious climate. Part of this story revolves around “Camp Town Days” which was inspired by the Encampment Days, an event held in November by a volunteer group called the Death Valley 49ers that aims to capture the pioneer spirit with their wagon rides, parade, poetry readings, a vendor show, and historical talks. I hope you can feel the desert wind in your face and hear the distant howl of the coyote as you dive into the second book in the Death Valley Justice series.