The Sugar Baron's Ring

A ring is her only tie to a distant homeland, until a marooned Englishman anchors her heart.

Hannah Rose Barrington is the island misfit. Orphaned at a young age, Hannah struggles to provide for her future, while her guardian, a weak-hearted island drunk, bleeds Hannah of her father’s inheritance. Caught between the classes of elite planters and white beggars, Hannah yearns to find a place to belong.

University life has never been Bradlee Granville’s forte. His only hope to graduate is to impress his professors by documenting his travels. After claiming unforeseeable circumstances, he delays his final exams and sets out early on his Grand Tour. However, when his ship wrecks off the coast of the Leeward Islands, Bradlee is left without means to return to England, a mounting deadline, and ruined journals.

When Hannah rescues passengers from a ship breaking apart in the bay, she’s unexpectedly drawn to the witty charm of one of the men. Helping him settle into island life will be a pleasure. However, as creditors, like sharks, begin to circle and her guardian’s desperation becomes life threatening, Hannah finds herself in need of rescue. Will Bradlee look past her pitiful situation to see who she truly is—the sugar baron’s daughter?

My thoughts: I enjoyed this historical read that reminded me a bit of A Little Princess. Away from her homeland and caught in a difficult situation, Hannah is making the best of the life that she has been given. She is a sweet character who strives to grow where she is planted and see what work she can do for her Lord. I like that this book brings up some interesting history. While it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. Some of the other characters are mentioned, but you don't have to read the previous books to enjoy this one.

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

Purchase a copy  here! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.

 

 

 

 

 

More from Lorri

The Sugar Baron’s Ring is the third book in the Leeward Island series. My heroine is caught between social classes as the daughter of a sugar baron and an impoverished white beggar since her guardian sold her inheritance to pay his debts. To generate the feeling of being a misfit, I delved back to those awkward years of middle and high school, where we often struggle to discover where we belong. Before my senior year, my family and I moved to New England for a job change. I’d had a great group of friends at my old school, but at my new school, I was a stranger—an outsider—trying to find acceptance, much like Hannah.

Bradlee, the hero, on the other hand, was fashioned in a completely different manner. At my house, the slang terms “bruh” and “noob” are tossed around by my three boys, along with constant fraternal teasing. A lot of their sarcastic wit and camaraderie are portrayed through Bradlee and his grand tour companion, Colin. Their light-hearted banter depicts the tight bonds of a deep relationship where faults may be mocked, but offenses are overlooked, and if ever in trouble, they have each other’s backs. Hannah is drawn to Bradlee, craving a similar connection but loses her heart to him in the process.

The first opening scene came about because my family loves Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. After binge-watching practically every episode, I knew my hero and heroine would meet under the duress of a shiny, steel-gray fin plowing through the water. (Queue the Jaws theme song.) However, our resourceful heroine contains the strength to rescue the hero as opposed to the other way around.

All these things, being a misfit, teasing, and shark attacks, playout in a grander scheme to show how God never leaves us nor forsakes us. He’s laying out the pieces of our happily-ever-after while developing our character and purpose. The Sugar Baron’s Ring demonstrates how God’s light shines bright even in the darkness.

To learn more, check out my website at lorridudley.com or click here to watch The Sugar Baron’s Ring book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWRQr3drZY8&feature=youtu.be

Blog Stops

Through the Fire Blogs, June 23

A Baker’s Perspective, June 23

For Him and My Family, June 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 24

Texas Book-aholic, June 25

Genesis 5020, June 25

Daysong Reflections, June 25

Inklings and notions, June 26

Rebecca Tews, June 26

Betti Mace, June 27

Remembrancy, June 27

Reflections From My Bookshelves, June 28

deb’s Book Review, June 28

For the Love of Literature, June 29

Britt Reads Fiction, June 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 29

Kat’s Corner Books, June 30

She Lives To Read, June 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 1

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, July 1

Reading Is My SuperPower, July 2

Emily Yager, July 2

Pause for Tales, July 2

KarenSueHadley, July 3

Books, Life, and Christ, July 3

Blossoms and Blessings, July 4

Read Review Rejoice, July 4

Artistic Nobody, July 5 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Batya’s Bits, July 5

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, July 6

Hallie Reads, July 6

Life of Literature, July 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lorri 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/fcd4/the-sugar-baron-s-ring-celebration-tour-giveaway

Dead Silence

Political games can be deadly…

Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who reads lips all the time. As a widow with a young son who is deaf, lip reading is simply second nature, until the day she reads the lips of someone on the phone discussing an attempt to be made on a senator’s life—a senator who just happens to be her mother-in-law. Before she can decide what she needs to do, she receives the information that her son is rushed to the ER and she must leave. Then she later sees the news report that her mother-in-law has been shot and killed. But when she comes forward, her life, as well as her son’s life, may now be in the crosshairs of the assassin.

My thoughts: Another great mystery by Robin Caroll! I have enjoyed all of the stories that I have read by her, but this one might be my favorite. I thought that the story was creative and it kept me guessing. The story is a fast paced one that is easy to relate to, as a mother, since I could so relate to Elise and the lengths she goes to in protecting her son.

This is well written, suspenseful read that I enjoyed immensely!

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

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

“I love boxing. I love Hallmark movies. I love fishing. I love scrapbooking. Nope, I’ve never fit into the boxes people have wanted to put me in.” Robin Caroll is definitely a contradiction, but one that beckons you to get to know her better. Robin’s passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others and come alongside them on their faith journey—aspects Robin weaves into each of her twenty-five-plus published novels. When she isn’t writing, Robin spends quality time with her husband of nearly three decades, her three beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home. Robin gives back to the writing community by serving as executive director/conference director for ACFW. Her books have been recognized in such contests as the Carol Award, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, Bookseller’s Best, and Book of the Year. You can find out more about Robin by visiting www.robincaroll.com.

 

 

More from Robin

Hi, there. . .Robin here. I’m getting so excited for the release of my thirty-fourth novel, DEAD SILENCE. I have to say, I love this book. The heroine is strong, yet flawed. Her love for her son—willing to do anything to protect him is a mother’s instinct I relate to so well, having three daughters and two grandsons. The love of a mother for her child is so ingrained in me that I wanted to share that in a story.

 

I’ve been asked why I opted for a heroine who is an ASL translator and who has a deaf son. Many years ago, I became friends with someone who is deaf. She shared with me some of her frustrations, but also how her way of life is in comparison to mine. It got me to thinking that being deaf could be thought of as a disability but could also be used as an advantage…it was all in how you looked at it. My friend shared many stories of how she “eavesdropped” by reading lips and learned much about people and how they reacted to issues, enough that it led her into her career field today—a counselor, specializing in providing therapy for the hearing impaired as they live in a hearing world. I hope that I portrayed my characters in this positive light.

 

While I’m a Louisiana girl at heart, I reside in Little Rock, the capitol city for Arkansas. Since Bill and Hilary Clinton lived here and claimed it home before Bill was President, we have many political plans and posturing here. I saw it as a perfect backdrop for this particular story with the political undercurrents running rampant throughout the story.

 

I hope that you enjoy reading DEAD SILENCE as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 19

deb’s Book Review, June 19

Texas Book-aholic, June 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 20

Emily Yager, June 20

For the Love of Literature, June 21

Rebecca Tews, June 21

By The Book, June 22

Spoken from the Heart, June 22

Genesis 5020, June 22

KarenSueHadley, June 23

Hebrews 12 Endurance, June 23

Betti Mace, June 24

Remembrancy, June 24

Older & Smarter?, June 24

Inklings and notions, June 25

Read Review Rejoice, June 25

Through the Fire Blogs, June 26

Splashes of Joy, June 26

HookMeInABook, June 26

For Him and My Family, June 27

Mary Hake, June 27

Simple Harvest Reads, June 28 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 28

amandainpa, June 28

Worthy2Read, June 29

Pause for Tales, June 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 30

Hallie Reads, June 30

Daysong Reflections, July 1

Lights in a Dark World, July 1

Quiet Quilter, July 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 2

Maureen’s Musings, July 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away the grand prize of a $25 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/fcd1/dead-silence-celebration-tour-giveaway

Texas Twin Abduction

This twin’s past is a blank…

And she might not have a future.

Waking up in a bullet-ridden car with a bag of cash and a deputy insisting she’s his ex-fiancée, Ashlee Taylor has no memory of what happened—or of Lawson Avery. But with her twin missing and someone hunting her down, she must trust him with her life. Can Lawson save her and her sister—even as Ashlee’s forgotten secrets become an inescapable trap?

 My thoughts: I know that I have mentioned it before, but I love a good mystery where the character has amnesia, since it is so fascinating to think about how frustrating that would be! I enjoyed getting to know the characters as they race to figure out what is going on with the twins. I thought that the romance was an interesting spin as well. This is a delightful mystery to pick up!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Virginia Vaughan is a multi-published author of inspirational romantic suspense. Blessed to come from a large, southern family, her fondest memories include listening to stories recounted by family and friends around the large dinner table. She was a lover of books even from a young age, devouring gothic romance novels and stories of romance, danger, and love. She soon started writing them herself. A former investigator for the State of Mississippi, Virginia utilizes her criminal justice background with her love of writing to transform words into powerful stories of romance and danger.

 

 

 

More from Virginia

Thanks for joining me for a brand new adventure. TEXAS TWIN ABDUCTION is the first book in my new Cowboy Lawmen series and it’s a departure from what I normally write. I love writing about cops and serial killers so when my editor first suggested the cowboy/western theme, I was hesitant. I’m a city girl at heart so this was so far out of my comfort zone! But I couldn’t resist for long. After all, who doesn’t love a cowboy? Thankfully, I found a way to merge what I loved—law enforcement, FBI, US Marshals—with the cowboy/family themed books my editor wanted to see by making my group of hero brothers a family of law enforcement types with ties to the family ranch. The best of both words. Score!

Book one in this new series, TEXAS TWIN ABDUCTION, begins with my hero, little brother Lawson Avery, in a quandary. All he ever wanted out of life was to run his family’s Texas ranch, but his ex-fiancée Ashlee’s final words to him as she skipped out on their wedding was that his desire for the simple life made him unambitious and unworthy of her love. Her words broke him, sending him searching for something more meaningful to do with his life, eventually winding up as a deputy in the sheriff’s office. But, despite law enforcement being in his blood, Lawson finally realized that life wasn’t for him and made plans to return to the ranch. However, his plans are sidetracked when he finds Ashlee unconscious on the side of the road in a bullet-ridden car with no memory of him or their past together. When it becomes clear that someone wants her dead, Lawson steps in to act as her protector. But will digging into the mysteries of her past cost him the future he still longs to have with her?

I hope you enjoy this book and this brand new series! Look for the next book—older brother US Marshal Miles Avery’s story—coming in TEXAS HOLIDAY HIDEOUT this October.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 24

The Avid Reader, June 24

Bigreadersite, June 24

Inklings and notions, June 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 25

Older & Smarter?, June 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 26

For the Love of Literature, June 27

Reading Is My SuperPower, June 27

Texas Book-aholic, June 28

Simple Harvest Reads, June 28 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Betti Mace, June 29

Genesis 5020, June 29

For Him and My Family, June 30

Hebrews 12 Endurance, June 30

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, June 30

KarenSueHadley, July 1

reviewingbooksplusmore, July 1

Blossoms and Blessings, July 2

deb’s Book Review, July 2

Through the Fire Blogs, July 3

Emily Yager, July 3

Pause for Tales, July 4

Hookmeinabook, July 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 5

EmpowerMoms, July 5

Mary Hake, July 5

Hallie Reads, July 6

Godly Book Reivews, July 6

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 7

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, July 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Virginia is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card and a copy of Texas Twin Abduction!!

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/fcd5/texas-twin-abduction-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blood Sisters

Libby Meeker is seeing things.
The young Salt Lake City architect is experiencing visions of her twin sister, despite the fact that Melissa died mysteriously almost one year ago.

If that’s not bad enough, a serial killer surfaces in northern Utah, and a series of bizarre clues lead Detective Troy Hunter to Libby…and unspeakable possibilities that begin to shatter her fragile world.

 My thoughts: Oh my, this story is a hard one to put down! I love that it has some surprising twists to the story, ones that will keep you on edge. I usually see the mystery behind suspense stories like this, but this one was delightfully surprising and chilling. I recommend picking this story up if you like a suspenseful read that is hard to put down!

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

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links. 

About the Author

Author of two highly-rated thrillers (The Linen God and The Reluctant Disciple), Jim O’Shea spends his time crafting novels of suspense that frequently tackle the dynamic between faith and science. Jim believes God continues to reveal his creation masterpiece through scientific discovery, and that Christian fiction is a great tool to expose those emerging truths.

His third novel, “Blood Sisters”, takes a more traditional approach to mystery thrillers with a mind-bending whodunit in the tradition of Agatha Christie, Harlan Coben, and Michael Connelly. His fourth novel, “I, Witness”, will return to his faith/science roots and feature a compelling blend of espionage, leading-edge science, and salvation.

 

 

More from Jim

I had a dream years ago about identical twin brothers horsing around on a bridge over a rushing river. One tragically fell in and his body was never recovered, but years later the surviving twin began seeing his late brother outside his bedroom window, in the shadows of the church next to his home, and in passing cars and busses.

That dream eventually became the basis for my latest Christian mystery/thriller. In “Blood Sisters”, Libby Mitchell is not only seeing her deceased twin sister all around her small Utah town, but also dealing with the frightening reality of a serial killer targeting young women with red hair. When a series of bizarre clues point Homicide Detective Lee Hunter to thirty year old, red-haired Libby Mitchell, the mystery takes more than a few unexpected turns, providing a thrill ride the reader won’t soon forget.

 

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 18

Rebecca Tews, June 19

Wishful Endings, June 20 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 21

Texas Book-aholic, June 22

For the Love of Literature, June 23

Inklings and notions, June 24

For Him and My Family, June 25

Betti Mace, June 26

A Baker’s Perspective, June 27 (Author Interview)

April Hayman, Author, June 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 28

deb’s Book Review, June 29

Artistic Nobody, June 30 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, June 30

Blogging With Carol, July 1

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Jim is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card and a copy of each of Jim’s three books!!

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/fccf/blood-sisters-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Lady and the Mountain Man

New cover, same great story! 

Leah Townsend, a recently orphaned heiress, flees Richmond after discovering her fiancé’s plot to kill her after their wedding. She needs a safe place to hide, and finds herself accepting a newspaper marriage proposal from a God-fearing young rancher in the Montana Territory. But when Leah arrives at the mountain ranch, she learns her intended husband was killed by a grizzly, leaving behind a bitter older brother and a spunky younger sister.

When Gideon Bryant finds an eastern lady standing in his log cabin, his first thought is to send her back where she came from. He’s lost too many people to the wild elements of these mountains––his parents, his wife, and now his brother. His love for this untamed land lives on, but he’s determined not to open his heart to another person.

But when an accident forces Leah to stay at the ranch for seven more months, can Gideon protect his heart from a love he doesn’t want? Has Leah really escaped the men who seek her life?

Get this inspiring Christian historical romance novel from a USA Today bestselling author. 

My thoughts: On the outside, it appears that Leah Townsend has it all. A wealthy young heiress, she is set to inherit her money shortly after marrying the man her father picked for her. Except, then she learns that he is planning of '"dispensing" of her when she comes into the money, which sends her off on an adventure where nothing goes as planned. When she finally makes it to the ranch of the man who's ad she has answered, she finds that he was killed, leaving her unsure where to go from there.

I enjoyed this story, though it is one that I felt bad for the heroine! She faces a lot of trials and roadblocks, but is able to find a place for herself. I enjoyed the characters and the rich historical detail. I look forward to reading the other books in this series!

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

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links.