Tuesday, May 31, 2022

New Wine Transportation Company

Can a holy mission change Springville for the better?

Springville Community Christian Church is nestled in the foothills of North Carolina in a quiet, Mayberry-esque community. But when a ruthless businessman from out of town sets his sights on quaint downtown Springville as the perfect location to open a bar, the town's calm is disturbed and the church's pastor is pulled into the chaos.
Pastor Daniel Whitefield seeks only to do the will of God. Nothing more, nothing less. When he’s pressured to join the Springville League of Churches—a coalition in protest of the bar—he resists, causing tension with friends and congregants. Daniel further risks his credibility by organizing a taxi service for the bar’s customers, as a way to witness of God's love to them.

The seven members of New Wine Transportation Company are excited to minister in their community, despite the naysayers, but as damaging rumors about the pastor and his wife spread, Daniel begins to question the project. Is it worth the risks involved? And can they really make a difference by giving folks a ride home after a night out drinking? Maybe there's more at stake than they know.

My thoughts: I loved this very real look at small town life through the lives of the different characters in this story. When a bar opens in their town, some of the citizens think it means the end of their town as they know it. I like that Daniel offers a safe alternative by organizing the taxi service to help keep the patrons safe. This is a wonderful story about being the hands and feet of Jesus!

I received this book from Just Read. This is my honest review.

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affilaite links.

Souls Astray

Adele Collier has sought a carefree lifestyle ever since her tragic childhood. Determined to never allow anyone or anything to control her life or emotions again, she consistently seeks distraction in gaiety. But shaking her ghosts isn’t as easy as she’d like.

Troy Kee has been alone in the world since the Great War took his parents and left him in charge of his younger sister. When she marries, he’s left to seek after his goal of a healthy, complete family. But how can he focus on his dream when trouble plagues his family vineyard?

When Adele and Troy meet, a whirlwind romance begins—but can two lost souls have a healthy relationship?

My thoughts: I enjoy books set during WWI, since I feel like there aren't as many stories about the Great War, since (at least IMO) it seems to be overshadowed by the second World War. So, I enjoyed picking this book up and getting to know the characters. I appreciated the place that Adele comes from with her story and how she and Troy try to figure out how to make a relationship work amidst the mess and uncertainty of the times. This is a wonderful story to pick up! I look forward to reading more of the books in the series and by this author.

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

Kellyn Roth is a historical romance & women’s fiction author who writes about the empty places where hope has the most room to grow. Her novels include the inspirational Victorian family saga, The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy, and the Kees & Colliers series, which follows a broken family in the tumultuous years of the first half of the 20th century.

Kellyn is a student of the Author Conservatory and a writing coach. When not building her author career, she is likely getting lost somewhere in the Pacific Northwest with her friends, watching period dramas and facetious comedies, or spending time with her husband.

More from Kellyn

Hello everyone!

First, I wanted to thank you all for checking out this blog tour! In this fast-paced world, the fact that you took a moment out of your day to read this is actually a pretty big honor. I appreciate you checking out my little book and taking the time to read my introduction.

Souls Astray was the book I wrote when my granddad died. We were very close, and at the time he died, I was a lonely teenager, recently graduated from high school and unsure of my next step. I was heartbroken by his death – it felt like the nail in the coffin of my family, and it felt a little like he was the last person who believed in me.

This wasn’t true, but my, did it feel my dramatic self with lots of thoughts! I poured those into the book, writing it all in about three weeks, and then I spent the next few years revising it.

This book (and the other novels in its series) are of a different tone than my usual books. Even though I delve into difficult topics in all my stories – such as grief and loss, miscarriage, assault, serious mental health issues – this story somehow ended up with a tone I don’t think I could replicate if I tried.

This was the story I wrote out of my own grief and desperation, my own feeling that my world was falling apart. It’s like sharing a piece of my own heart to share it. Though Adele and Troy had very different journeys than mine, which is pretty peachy compared to their lives, I still relate to them.

This was also the first book I didn’t dedicate to a real person – the dedication ended up being inspired by a song, actually, which was comforting to me during this time: God Only Knows by For King & Country. “For the lonely, for the ashamed, the misunderstood, and the ones to blame. What if we could start over?”

Thank you again for your time!

Kellyn Roth

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, June 1

Miriam Jacob, June 1

lakesidelivingsite, June 2

Texas Book-aholic, June 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 4

Rebecca Tews, June 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 5

For Him and My Family, June 6

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 8

deb’s Book Review, June 9

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 10

To Everything There Is A Season, June 10

Connie’s History Classroom, June 11

Splashes of Joy, June 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 13

Pause for Tales, June 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kellyn is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a paperback 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/1e7d7/souls-astray-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, May 30, 2022

A Promise Engraved

Can Promises Made in Times of Struggle Endure 200 Years?

Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance.

Young, spirited Josie Wilkins life is about to take a turn when faced with political turmoil and forbidden love in San Antonio of 1836. John Gilbert has won her heart, despite being a Protestant preacher who is forbidden to practice his faith in Texas. Will either of them survive an epic battle for liberty to create a legacy of love?

Nearly 200 years later, Kayleigh Hernandez takes breaks from her demanding job as a refugee coordinator working with Mexican migrants to attend flea markets where she has found a uniquely engraved ring. Enlisting the help of appraiser Brandon Shuman, they piece together a love story long forgotten. But will dangers linked to Kayleigh’s work end her own hopes for leaving a legacy built on hope, faith, and love?

My thoughts: I think that this one might be my favorite yet out the series, since I really enjoyed the historical part of the story, as it has been a long time since I last read much about the Alamo. Josie is as interesting character, who has survived the traumatic experience of being a prisoner of the enemy. I will add a warning that there is a trigger there, but the author handles it without being too graphic. Now, Josie just longs for a normal life, hopefully one that includes a chance at love.
The modern story is centered around a bit of a mystery with the engraved ring. It was interesting how the stories tied together!
This is a wonderful, interesting historical read to pick up and enjoy.

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

LizTolsma Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

More from Liz

The Story of Susannah Dickinson, Alamo Survivor

When asked how many died at the Alamo, many would answer that everyone did. While it’s true that all fighting on the side of Texas independence perished, there were survivors, all women and children and one slave. The only white woman (the rest were of Mexican descent) was Susannah Dickinson, along with her daughter Angelina. Susannah had followed her husband, Almaron, to Mexican Texas in 1831. They had married two years before when Susannah was just fifteen. She never learned to read or write.

She and the other women hid in the sacristy of the church, one of the surviving buildings in the mission and what we now think of as the Alamo. Her husband died, but Mexican General Santa Anna found them and spared their lives, sending them to Sam Houston with $2 each and a blanket.

She married again the following year but divorced him almost immediately on the grounds of cruelty. She married a third time the following year and was married for five years until her husband died of alcoholism. A fourth marriage occurred in 1847, but she divorced again in 1857, this time allegedly because she was having an affair. That same year, she married for a fifth time. This marriage lasted until her death in 1883.

The ring in A Promise Engraved is based on a cat’s eye ring supposedly given to Angelina by William Travis before the battle. Angelina was Susannah’s only child. She married and had three children, but that marriage ended in divorce. She gave the ring to a man she’d become involved with in New Orleans. She married again and had one more child but died in 1869 from a uterine hemorrhage.

Today there are many descendants of Susannah Dickinson. If you visit the Susannah Dickinson house in Austin, you’ll see a quilt that is signed by many of her living descendants.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 28

Bigreadersite, May 28

The Write Escape, May 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 29

Christina’s Corner, May 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 29

lakesidelivingsite, May 30

Texas Book-aholic, May 30

Rebecca Tews, May 30

Inklings and notions, May 31

Blogging With Carol, May 31

Splashes of Joy, May 31

Betti Mace, June 1

Southern Gal Loves to Read, June 1

Genesis 5020, June 2

Daysong Reflections, June 2

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 2

Remembrancy, June 3

Books, Books, and More Books, June 3

For Him and My Family, June 3

Older & Smarter?, June 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 5

deb’s Book Review, June 5

Mary Hake, June 5

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 6

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 6

Blossoms and Blessings, June 6

Connie’s History Classroom, June 7

Life of Literature, June 7

Back Porch Reads , June 7

Bizwings Blog, June 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 8

For the Love of Literature, June 8

Through the Fire blogs, June 9

Pause for Tales, June 9

Labor Not in Vain, June 9

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, June 10

Melissa’s Bookshelf, June 10

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, June 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 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/1e37a/a-promise-engraved-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, May 29, 2022

The Sweet Life

Jilted by her fiancé, Dawn Dixon escapes to beautiful Cape Cod on a groomless honeymoon–with her mother. But she didn’t expect her mom to risk everything, on a whim, to move there permanently or buy a rundown ice cream shop in need of repair. In order to make their new life work, they’ll also need her ex’s help.

My thoughts: I enjoy books about renovating old homes or trying to make a small business succeed, since I can relate to both story ideas. So, I loved getting to know Dawn and her mom as they went to Cape Cod for what Dawn thought would be a short trip, but wound up being a second chance at happiness. This is a fun story to pick up and enjoy, especially as summer comes!

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

With over 1.5 million copies sold, Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of over 30 books, ranging from novels to children’s books to non-fiction. She is a Christy Award finalist, a winner of Carol and Selah awards, and a two-time finalist for ECPA Book of the Year. She writes stories that take you to places you’ve never visited—one with characters that seem like old friends. But most of all, her books give you something to think about long after you’ve finished reading it. Suzanne lives with her very big family in northern California.

More from Suzanne

The Sweet Life is a story about a mom and a daughter who, both in need of a little respite from life’s bumps and bruises, start an ice cream shop on Cape Cod…thinking it will be easy. After all, who doesn’t love ice cream?

Well, sure. That’s true. Everybody loves ice cream. But ice cream can be tricky. This I can say with authority. My husband is a serious hobby ice cream maker. He even attended Penn State’s Ice Cream School. While Steve was working on his vanilla recipe, he experimented fifty-nine times before he was finally satisfied. 59 times! Other flavors, like chocolate, can mask mistakes. Not vanilla. Too pure.

Here’s a few other things you probably didn’t know about ice cream:

The very first mention of a frozen dessert dates back to Persia in 550 BC, though it might have been sorbet-like. It’s said that Emperor Nero had ice brought down from the Apennine Mountains to produce a sorbet of honey and wine. And then there are those who insist that ice cream came out of China, and were introduced to Italy with the help of Marco Polo. Regardless of its origins, a love of ice cream has been around for a very, very long time.

Quaker colonists introduced ice cream to early America, having brought their recipes with them from England. Some argue that the French brought ice cream to America. Regardless, during the colonial era, ice cream was sold in shops in New York.

George Washington loved ice cream. So much so that he even brought ice cream making equipment to Mount Vernon! There are many accounts of “ice creem” (as it was then called) served during his administration.

First Lady Dolley Madison, wife of U.S. President James Madison, served ice cream at her husband’s Inaugural Ball in 1813. Common colonial flavors were soft fruits, like peaches or strawberries, added to a vanilla custard. Dolley had a curious favorite flavor: oyster. (Ugh.)

In September of 1846, a Philadelphia house wife named Nancy Johnson filed patent #3254 for a simple hand cranked ice cream churn. Prior to this point, ice cream belonged to the wealthy. Her hand cranked ice cream churn made it affordable for everyone. Nancy Johnson’s design is still used today.

During the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, an ice cream vendor ran out of cardboard dishes. The vendor next door offered to make cones by rolling up his waffles. Voila! The birth of the ice cream cone.

The majority of American ice cream companies have been in business for more than 50 years. Many of them are still owned by single families.

For the last 128 years, Penn State University has held Ice Cream School for professionals and serious hobbyists during January (for obvious reasons). All the greats have attended: Baskin & Robbins, Ben & Jerry, Dreyer’s, Nestle’s, Blue Bell Creamery, Dairy Queen, and…my husband.

The most popular flavor in the world? Vanilla. Of course.