Sunday, June 30, 2019

Lulu's Cafe Review and Giveaway!


When a damaged young woman is given a chance to reclaim her life in a small South Carolina town, she must reckon with the dark secrets she left behind in order to accept the love she deserves.
On the run from a violent past, Leah Allen arrived in tiny Rivertown, South Carolina, battered and broken, but ready to reinvent herself. By a stroke of fate, Leah is drawn to the Southern hospitality of a small café, looking for a warm meal but finding so much more. Lulu, the owner, offers her a job, a place to stay and a new lease on life. Through Lulu’s tenacious warmth and generosity, Leah quickly finds herself embraced by the quaint community as she tries to put herself back together. Given she’s accustomed to cruelty, the kindness is overwhelming.
Soon Leah meets Crowley Mason, the most eligible bachelor in town. A lawyer and friend of Lulu’s, Crowley is wary of Leah’s sudden, mysterious arrival. Despite his reserve, something sparks between them that can’t be denied. But after all she’s been through, can Leah allow herself to truly love and be loved, especially when her first urge is to run?
Exploring the resiliency of both the heart and the spirit, Lulu’s Café gorgeously illustrates how old scars can finally heal no matter how deep they seem.

My thoughts: This book surprised me in a lot of ways! I will warn off the bat that it deals with some difficult subjects, like abuse and the loss of a baby, since I know that those can be triggers. The first part of the book is pretty intense for those reasons. While it was a difficult story to read, at times, it was worth sticking with, since I loved the message of hope that Leah finds when she stumbles into Lulu's Café. I wish that we had a place like this in my small town! I enjoyed the characters and the message of hope that Leah finds. This is a well written story, though not one for everyone due to the topics mentioned
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author
T. I. Lowe is a native of coastal South Carolina. She attended Coastal Carolina University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she majored in psychology but excelled in creative writing. Go figure. Writing was always a dream, and she finally took a leap of faith in 2014 and independently published her first novel, Lulu’s Café, which quickly became a bestseller. Now the author of ten published novels with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, she knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. A wife and mother who’s active in her church community, she resides near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with her family.

Read an excerpt of LuLu’s Cafe
The building was a two-story redbrick structure with expansive windows along the first floor’s front and sides. Each set of massive windows was shaded with sprawling royal-blue awnings, which were decorated with vibrantly painted sunflowers and whimsical white letters spelling out Lulu’s Café across the remaining space. It looked inviting from the outside. Peering into the window, Leah could see that the café was bustling with customers. Outside the café, the sidewalk was lined with wrought-iron tables and chairs. Every table was occupied with customers chatting as they sipped steaming mugs of coffee.
The sign for the store hours indicated that, Monday through Saturday, the café opened at six each morning and closed at two each afternoon, and it was closed on Sundays. Leah found the hours a bit odd. Most restaurants served dinner and were open on Sundays too, or so she thought. She reminded herself that she was in a new environment and that the customs from the West Coast probably wouldn’t apply here.
The café had its fall decorations on display as well. Large planter boxes overflowed with giant yellow and orange mums. One had a wooden sign sticking out from the middle declaring, Happy Fall, Y’all.
Leah was beginning to think the place was too happy and, more importantly, too busy for her liking, when she spotted a vacant four-person table right inside the door. She made her way in and slipped into the chair closest to the window. She deliberately faced away from the entrance, hoping not to draw much attention. Once she was situated, she noticed that the back of the café was made up of a large butcher-block counter that housed a bakery case full of treats on the right. The remainder of the counter was lined with half a dozen stools, with customers perched on each one. Leah noted approvingly that the tables and chairs were a variety of mismatched shapes and sizes stained in the same mahogany tint. She liked the relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere.
Leah watched a petite lady behind the counter serving up coffee and laughs. Her stomach began to rumble at the fragrant smells whirling around her, so she turned her attention to the menu resting on the table. Turkey sausage, turkey bacon, egg-white omelets, whole grain breads and cereal, fresh fruit . . .
Leah blinked at the odd menu. She gazed around at the customers enjoying their healthy meals. Her heart had been set on a stack of pancakes and greasy bacon. She studied the bakery case but found no donuts hiding.
“Humph.” She went back to studying the menu.
“I didn’t keep you waiting too long, did I?” A Southern drawl interrupted Leah’s thoughts.
Leah looked up to find the petite lady with a perfectly coiffed silver bob smiling at her. She was so short that she was nearly eye level with a seated Leah. Her clear gray eyes seemed to bubble with hospitality. Leah instantly liked the woman and gave her a slight smile, being careful not to stretch her bottom lip.
“Well, you gonna keep giving me that sweet smile or are you gonna order something?” the lady asked in a teasing voice.
Leah pointed at the bright-orange cursive L embroidered thickly on one of the lady’s apron pockets. “Please tell me you’re Lulu.”
“Of course I’m Lulu. Why do you ask?” Lulu smoothed her ruffled apron, which swam in a variety of rich blue swirls.
“You match the happiness of the place perfectly,” Leah said.
“Well, that’s the nicest thing someone has said to me today. What can I get you?”
“Coffee and whatever you recommend.”
Lulu gave her a wink and strolled back to the kitchen.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here.

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, T.I. Lowe is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of LuLu’s Cafe!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter!

Andrew Review and Giveaway!


Andrew, Abraham, and Austin Petersheim’s family business has earned them the nickname The Peanut Butter Brothers. But if their matchmaking younger siblings have their way, all three may soon bear another title: husband . . .
Handsome, hardworking, and godly, Andrew Petersheim has always been sure of his place in his Wisconsin Amish community. He’ll be a welcome catch for the local girl who finally captures his heart. Mary Coblenz certainly isn’t that girl. Two years after “jumping the fence” for the Englischer world, she’s returned, unmarried and pregnant. Yet instead of hiding in shame as others in the community expect, she’s working at the Honeybee Farm, ignoring the gossips—and winning over Andrew’s eight-year-old twin brothers . . .
For all Andrew’s certainty about right and wrong, it seems he has a lot to learn from Mary’s courage, grace, and resilience. She’s changing his notions about forgiveness and love, but will she in turn accept the challenge of starting over and choose to stay—with him?

My thoughts: Andrew is an enjoyable start to this new series by Jennifer Beckstrand! Those who have read her previous series will enjoy the return of some of the characters from it, particularly Bitsy, who is such a fun character who is also unconventional. I love how this story challenges the reader on the topic of unwed mothers, since Mary returns to the community pregnant. I thought that Jennifer did an excellent job of showing the struggles that both Mary and Andrew go through as they get to know each other, and as Mary's condition challenges their community.
This is an enjoyable book that will keep the reader in stitches, but is also a great reminder of grace and the power of forgiveness.
I receive this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author
Jennifer Beckstrand is the two-time RITA-nominated, #1 Amazon bestselling Amish romance author of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hillseries, The Honeybee Sistersseries, and The Petersheim Brothersseries for Kensington Books. Huckleberry Summer and Home on Huckleberry Hill were both nominated for the coveted RITA® Award from Romance Writers of America. Jennifer has written twenty-one Amish romances, a historical Western, Jessie and James, and the nonfiction book, Big Ideas. She and her husband have been married for thirty-four years, and she has six children and seven adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten.

More from Jennifer
If you enjoyed The Honeybee Sisters, you’re going to love The Petersheim Brothers, or the Peanut Butter Brothers as they’re known in their small Amish community of Bienenstock, Wisconsin. The Petersheim brothers work their small farm and make peanut butter. The idea for The Petersheim Brothers series came when two of my friends and I were creating The Honeybee Sisters Cookbook. My friend Alicia suggested I write a book about Peanut Butter Brothers, and the idea stuck.
One of my favorite characters in my Amish romances is Aunt Bitsy, the irrepressible, unconventional woman who raised the Honeybee Sisters, tried to chase off all their suitors, and then lit fireworks at their triple wedding. In Andrew, the first book in the Petersheim Brothers series, Aunt Bitsy takes in a girl who has jumped the fence and wants to come back to the Amish community to have her baby. Aunt Bitsy is still protecting her dandelions and her bees, still dyeing her hair all sorts of bright colors, and still praying to Gotte right out loud.
Andrew is about forgiveness, second chances, and learning to love. It will have you laughing and crying, and you might just fall in love with two of the most mischievous little boys in Wisconsin. Enjoy.
In honor of the Peanut Butter Brothers, I want to share one of our favorite family recipes. These bars are perfect for picnics, parties, and potlucks. They’re easy and delicious!

Peanut Butter Bars
Cream together:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
Blend In:
2 unbeaten eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup peanut butter
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Stir In:
2 cups flour
2 cups quick oats

Spread mixture in greased jelly-roll pan or large cookie sheet.
Bake: 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove from oven.

Sprinkle on:
1 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Let stand five minutes.

For peanut butter mixture on top, combine:
½ cup sifted powdered sugar
¼ cup peanut butter
2 to 4 Tbs. evaporated milk
Mix well.

The chocolate chips will melt on the bars. Spread melted chocolate evenly. Drizzle peanut butter mixture on top. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here.

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away a grand prize of a $20 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Risking Love Review and Giveaway!


Nikki Gordon lives with a perfect trifecta of noes. No guys. No dates. No way.
The past holds her bound with ropes made of fear-infused steel, and she’s determined that no one will ever cut through them. If only her heart would cooperate whenever Shorty comes around. Things go from complicated to confusing when he appears at The Maple Pit in the company of another woman—a drop-dead gorgeous one at that.
With everything to lose and to gain, Nikki steps out in faith and prays for the courage to let him in… before it’s too late.
Gregory “Shorty” Smalls finally has the chance to take his burgeoning business to the next level. Then maybe, Nikki will quit seeing him as a goof-off and give him a real chance.
Finding out he isn’t the problem? The best and worst news possible.
Just how much healing has to take place before he has a chance to move from friend zone to love of her life?
And does he even have a chance?

My thoughts: This book was an enjoyable return to the town of Maple Run! While you can read this book as a stand alone, I think that it is best to read through the whole series, so you get the full affect of the secondary characters in this story. Not to mention, they are all delightful! I enjoyed getting to read Nikki's story, and how God uses her personal tragedy to create beauty. I really appreciated the kindness that Shorty exhibited as well. Tori writes and excellent story where the characters are relatable and there is a depth to them that can be missing in fiction. I enjoyed this conclusion to the series!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author
Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace thanks to the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior. She writes to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.
She spends her days hanging out with her husband and their two boys in northern Virginia. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Virginia Chapter. You can find more information at http://tonishiloh.com.


More from Toni
Risking Love has been a long time in coming. You see when I wrote Buying Love, book one in the Maple Run series, I had only intended for it to be a standalone. But soon the other characters clamored for attention and you, the readers, sent me messages asking for Shorty and Nikki’s story.
Like any good writer, I sat in front of my laptop prepared to whip out their story in the speed in which I wrote Buying Love. Yeah, it did NOT go as I anticipated. You see, Shorty and Nikki refused to talk to me. They wouldn’t answer my questions about their past, about how it affected them. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
So I wrote book two, Finding Love, featuring Luke and Delaney. They were more than willing to share their heart. I fully intended to then make Shorty and Nikki’s story book three. I figured they’d had enough appearances through book two that they were fully ready to reveal all to me and let me write their story.
Wrong.
As you know, if you’ve been reading chronologically through the series, book three is about Belle and Micah. They spoke with me freely. I just couldn’t understand why Shorty and Nikki wouldn’t be so candid. Fortunately, while writing Belle and Micah’s story, Nikki began to speak. Then Shorty spoke, and I knew I’d finally be able to write their story.
Y’all, writing Risking Love was tough! They fought me at every turn. I can’t recall how many times I complained about them. Thank goodness my critique partners had patience with me as I fought for every word in this story. And now that their story is out in the world, I’m wrecked with nerves. Will they live up to your anticipation? Will the story truly show how tenuous the relationship between these two are?
As you began to read Risking Love, I pray it blesses you. Whether you’re reading strictly for entertainment or seeking God’s greater truth, I pray you experience those things. And more than that, I thank you for picking up their book and joining me once more in Maple Run. It’s been a blessing as I return to tell the stories in this fictional Virginia town.
Blessings,
Toni Shiloh

For a complete list of blog stops, go here.

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Toni is giving a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a finished copy of Risking Love!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Saturday, June 29, 2019

The Second Yes Review and Giveaway!


The Second Yes: Five of today’s Best-selling Christian Authors weave six brand-new, unique, interconnected stories of what happens after the bride says yes to him and yes to the dress.
Something Borrowed, Someone Blue: A borrowed dress, half-completed marriage counseling, and a last-minute theft.
Let’s face it. Weddings equal stress for the families involved. Preachers, however, have it easy. Or so they say.
Ty Jamison’s first parishioner is getting married. Though he’s performed many services at the little chapel in New Cheltenham–grand affairs, all designed to give the illusion of simplicity–all of them were strangers to him.
So when Lara Priest asks him to perform the ceremony at her wedding, and to use the chapel, of course, Ty is thrilled. That joy fades as one by one, things go wrong. From a groom who refuses to attend pre-marital counseling to Lara discovering that her dream wedding dress is a no-can-do, what can go wrong seems to.
And like so many weddings that movies are made of, things go from bad to worse to “worser.”
All the while, Ty tries to remind himself that he only has to provide a little premarital counseling, show up, perform the service, and find a way to hide his broken heart through the whole ordeal.
All in a life’s work.

My thoughts: This is the first Crossroads set of stories that I have read, and I enjoyed it tremendously! The stories are loosely woven together with the common theme of a bridal shop, ending with a story about the wedding dress designer, which ties things up nicely. I enjoyed each of the stories and the different styles they are written in! The characters are so unique. I enjoyed Chautona's story the best, since it was filled with unexpected twists and turns. I highly recommend the whole collection though! This is a delightful set of books that can be read separately, or enjoyed together (though, I recommend reading the whole thing!) .
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author
Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her on the web and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

More from Chautona
The tiny bridal shop held dozens of dresses. Frothy princess dresses, twenties dropped-waist dresses, straight, short, silky, shiny satin, lace, beaded appliques… I looked at them all and found an ivory jacquard, tea length, dress by Jessica McClintock. It was a hundred dollars. To a girl making $4.25 an hour and too broke to buy food, it might as well have been a thousand. Still, it was also cheaper than any other dress in the store and just my style.
I pulled out the twenty-dollars I’d saved by doing extra work around my apartment for the landlord and said I’d put it on layaway.
My maid of honor protested.
The dress wasn’t fancy enough. It didn’t reach the floor. It wasn’t white. I didn’t look good in ivory (she was right on that one, anyway), and the veil I’d fallen in love with—you know the $120 veil I could never afford—wouldn’t look good with it.
Duh.
Look, I was eighteen (barely), and had parents who would have paid me to elope in Las Vegas in lieu of the wedding. Two months later, we did go… And we still had the wedding, but that’s a story for another day.
I left the store with my choice on layaway. Went home and later told my fiancé about the thing. He said to get the one I wanted. And I had. Still, I got the impression that he thought I actually wanted the other one… and maybe he meant that I should get that one.
That left a conundrum. Did he like the sound of the other one more? Was that why? The traditional white and floor-length thing? I went back to the shop the next day to look again. Seriously, if we’d had cellphones back then, I would have taken a picture and asked him.
That’s when I found out the white one was now on layaway—not the ivory I’d chosen. The decision had been made for me.
And so went the rest of my wedding planning.
I made one decision. It was countermanded as not grand enough, not traditional enough, too cheap, not enough… One decision, I’d made involved flowers. I called to ask about something after I’d ordered them and found they’d been changed to something else. I lost it—informed the florist that if any changes were not made in person with my driver’s license as proof of me making them, then when the wedding day came, if the flowers were wrong, I’d do without flowers. We wouldn’t have any. And I wouldn’t pay for them.
I wish I’d have had the backbone to do more of that.
But come on, I was eighteen. My mother didn’t have anything to do with wedding planning. They’d agreed to show up in whatever clothes we told them to, and that was it.
Back to the dress. I think it’s important to note that I did love that white, floor-length dress. It was beautiful, it looked good on me, and it would make for lovely pictures. It would.
It just wasn’t what I’d chosen.
You see, I’d said “yes” to a dress—just not the one that I had agreed to pay for. Instead, it was the one that was almost four times the cost of the one I already couldn’t afford.
I’d always planned to tell the story—fictionalized, of course—but I figured it would be about Rockland’s wedding planning company, “The Agency.” So, when it came time to do my book for the next Crossroads collection, The Second Yes, I was surprised to discover that elements of my own wedding kept cropping up in different ways.
The motivation is different in Something Borrowed, Someone Blue, but the result is the same—a girl who, no matter what happens, can’t seem to have the wedding she envisions.
The question is… is that a good thing?

For a complete list of blog stops, go here.

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away a grand prize that includes a Spa Basket designed to soothe any bride’s nerves (or to make any reader feel as though she is part of the bridal party and getting pampered before the big day) and also includes a $25 gift certificate to Amazon (Image not reflective of actual contents)!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Friday, June 28, 2019

This Healing Journey


She’s never left her home in the mountain wilderness of the Canadian Rockies—until now. Little did she realize this journey would change her life in every way.
The mountain wilderness of her family’s home in the Canadian Rockies is all Hannah Grant has ever known. Now at the age of twenty-four, she’s on a journey to help her father to find the son he gave up for adoption three decades before. This is Hannah’s chance to discover the life she’s missed out on so far—and hopefully find a husband along the way. But she certainly doesn’t plan to fall for the first man she meets.

Years in the cavalry provided Nathaniel Peak with more than his share of violence and adventure. That life behind him, he wants nothing more than to settle down in the beautiful Montana mountains and raise his own stock—in peace. The last thing he expects is the savagely wounded child who shows up in his barn. Nor the woman he comes to rely on for the girl’s care.

Hannah can’t help but fall in love with the brave Indian child who so desperately needs her, but no matter what, she can’t let herself fall for the man whose past choices go against everything she believes in. As the situation grows worse, Hannah and Nathaniel are forced to make a heart-rending decision to save the girl’s life. Little do they imagine, the choice they make could spell disaster for them all.

My thoughts: I have enjoyed the books I have read by Misty, since she does a fabulous job of bringing history to life, with all it's ups and downs! I enjoyed reading Hannah's story, how she grows into her own through the trip and the trials that happen along the way. The series is well written and has really made me realize just how tough it would of been to live in the "wilderness" back in the day (some fictional books seem to romanticize, so I appreciate that the series has so much historical basis). This is an excellent series to pick up!
I received this book through Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author:
Misty M. Beller writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.
She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and children now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

More from Misty
Occasionally I hear readers debate about whether they prefer to read a series of books from an author, or only standalone novels. Personally, I love series—both reading and writing them. There’s something about seeing characters I know and love from past books that makes me warm and happy inside. Can you relate?
One of the first series I wrote, the Mountain Dreams Series, included five books that told the stories of several families intertwined through marriage and God’s connections. Those characters are still so dear to my heart! When book 5 ended, I had so many readers ask for more in the series, I began dreaming of a spin-off series with a very special connection to the hero in book 5. Enter: the Heart of the Mountains Series.
I’ve LOVED every story in this 7-book collection, taking each journey with the characters as I laughed and cried and uncovered their secrets. For the final 7th book, I’m thrilled to announce that I’m reuniting many of the characters from BOTH series! Simeon Grant (from Heart of the Mountains, book 1) goes on a journey to find the son he gave up for adoption as an infant (the hero in Mountain Dreams, book 5).
This Healing Journey has its own leading lady, Hannah Grant (the baby born at the end of This Treacherous Journey, all grown up and as tough as any lady raised in the Canadian mountain wilderness). And a new character, Nathaniel Peak, who stars as the hero (and who I fell in love with IMMEDIATELY!).
Even if you’ve never read any of my stories, I think you’ll enjoy this one. Especially if you love adventurous mountain stories as much as I do!

For a complete list of the blog stop, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Thursday, June 27, 2019

The Pink Bonnet Review and Giveaway!


A Desperate Mother Searches for Her Child
Step into True Colors—a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime
Widowed in Memphis during 1932, Cecile Dowd is struggling to provide for her three-year-old daughter. Unwittingly trusting a neighbor puts little Millie Mae into the clutches of Georgia Tann, corrupt Memphis Tennessee Children’s Home Society director suspected of the disappearance of hundreds of children. With the help of a sympathetic lawyer, the search for Millie uncovers a deep level of corruption that threatens their very lives.
How far will a mother go to find out what happened to her child?

My thoughts: I am enjoying this series and how it is bringing some interesting events in American history to light! With The Pink Bonnet, readers are invited to go back to the days of the Depression, when jobs were scarce and security was hard to come by. Widowed Cecile is forced to trust the wrong person with her child while trying to put food on the table, and then has to deal with the terror of having her daughter taken by the infamous Georgia Tann. As a mother, I can not imagine what it would of been like to go through a situation like the one in this story! Liz does an excellent job of bringing to life the terror and determination of the story. This is an excellent, suspenseful story to pick up!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author
Liz Tolsma is a popular speaker and an editor and the owner of the Write Direction Editing. An almost-native Wisconsinite, she resides in a quiet corner of the state with her husband and is the mother of three. Her son proudly serves as a U.S. Marine. They adopted all of their children internationally, and one has special needs. When she gets a few spare minutes, she enjoys reading, relaxing on the front porch, walking, working in her large perennial garden, and camping with her family.

More from Liz
A Desperate Mother Searches for Her Child
True, riveting stories of American criminal activity are explored through 6 unique stories of historical romantic suspense in the exciting new True Colors series.
In book two, The Pink Bonnet, Widowed in Memphis during 1932, Cecile Dowd is struggling to provide for her three-year-old daughter. Unwittingly trusting a neighbor puts little Millie Mae into the clutches of Georgia Tann, corrupt Memphis Tennessee Children’s Home Society director suspected of the disappearance of hundreds of children. With the help of a sympathetic lawyer, the search for Millie uncovers a deep level of corruption that threatens their very lives.
How far will a mother go to find out what happened to her child? Find out in The Pink Bonnet by Liz Tolsma.
The True Crime Behind the Story
Georgia Tann was a woman who ran an adoption agency in Memphis, Tennessee, from 1924 until 1950. It is estimated that, in that time, she kidnapped over five thousand children and sold them to the highest bidder. She even advertised the children in the newspaper, especially around the holidays. Some of the nation’s biggest celebrities adopted through Miss Tann, including Joan Crawford, Dick Powell, and June Allyson. Learn more about Georgia Tann HERE and visit www.TrueColorsCrime.com for more exclusive content.

For a complete list of the blog stops, go here.

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away a grand prize that includes a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Pink Bonnet!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

More Than Words Can Say Review and Giveaway!


After fulfilling a pledge to a dying friend, Zacharias Hamilton is finally free to live life on his own terms. No opportunities to disappoint those he cares about, just the quiet bachelor existence he’s always craved. Until fate snatches his freedom away once again when the baker of his favorite breakfast treat is railroaded by the city council. As hard as he tries to avoid getting involved, he can’t turn a blind eye to her predicament . . . or her adorable dimples. Abigail Kemp needs a man’s name on her bakery’s deed. A marriage of convenience seems the best solution . . . if it involves a man she can control. Not the stoic lumberman who oozes confidence without saying a word whenever he enters her shop. Control Zacharias Hamilton? She can’t even control her pulse when she’s around him. Once vows are spoken, Abigail’s troubles should be over. Yet threats to the bakery worsen, and darker dangers hound her sister. As trust grows between Zach and Abby, she finds she wants more than his rescue. She wants his heart.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this historical tale set in a bakery! Karen brings up some interesting questions with Abigail being a professional baker and wanting to continue to do so, going against the norm for that time period (1896). I enjoyed exploring her story, with it's obstacles, as life takes a very different turn for her than she could ever imagine. It was so relatable for things not to go as she had originally planned, and yet for her to discover that God's plan is always better for us than what we could of imagined, since He knows the whole picture. I also loved the side story, I enjoy a novel that has more going on to it than just the main story, and this one has that!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author:
Winner of the HOLT Medallion and the Carol Award and a finalist for the RITA and Christy Award, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance to give the world more happily-ever-afters. Karen makes her home in Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com.

More from Karen
Settings – Real or Imagined?
One of the key decisions an author has to make before she begins to write is selecting the setting for her story. And the first choice she faces is the question of whether to use a real or imagined location. Roughly half the stories I have written are set in fictional towns. The use of a fictional setting allows an author greater freedom to manipulate the environment of her characters to fit her plot. This provides a great deal of flexibility. However, there is something special about setting a story in a real place. First, readers who are familiar with that place never fail to get excited about seeing a town they recognize in print. Second, if an author can find historical photos and documents, she can add a wonderful layer of authenticity to her setting that might otherwise be missing. Third, an author may turn up fascinating tidbits when studying the history of her setting that find their way into the story and bring a flavor the author never could have supplied on her own. This was the case as I wrote More Than Words Can Say. All of the stories in my Patchwork Family series have been set in real places. Pecan Gap, Texas for More Than Meets the Eye, Honey Grove, Texas for More Than Words Can Say, and coming this fall we’ll travel to Gainesville, Texas for the concluding novella, More Than a Pretty Face. Researching each location brought its own unique discoveries, but I have to admit that researching the small town of Honey Grove brought this history-loving girl a special level of joy. For example, there is a legend about how the town got its name that I knew needed to be incorporated into my story. Legend has it that when Davy Crockett was on his way to join the fight at the Alamo, he stopped in a grove of trees and set up camp. There were so many bees in that in letters to family and friends, he called the place a “Honey Grove.” He carved his initials into one of the trees and intended to return and settle there after the war. Unfortunately, as we know, Crockett did not survive the Alamo and therefore did not return. One of his friends, Samuel A. Erwin, later found the grove and became the first settler in 1839. Many people recall seeing the initials carved into Crockett’s bee tree even into the early 1900s, which led me to believe that this legend was based in truth. It doesn’t play a pivotal role in my story, but if you watch for it, you’ll find it mentioned. Discovering the Honey Grove Preservation League’s website proved a tremendous boon. Their online historical resources are some of the best I have ever come across. Historical photos, newspaper articles, government records—it was like stepping through a time portal every time I visited. And I visited often. Thanks to the Preservation League, I was able to mention real people and places in my novel. Places like the Commercial Hotel, the home of James Gilmer that was built during my time period, Wilkins, Wood & Patteson Dry Goods, and Dora Galbraith Patteson’s millinery shop on the east side of the town square. While Zacharias Hamilton and Reuben Sinclair are completely fictitious characters, there really was a lumberyard located on the corner of Sixth Street and Rail Road. As fiction authors are wont to do, I did take a few liberties with Honey Grove’s history. To my knowledge, there was never any city ordinance banning women from owning businesses in town, which was a key plot point in More Than Words Can Say. In addition, Mayor Chester Longfellow was a complete invention of my imagination. The true mayor of Honey Grove during this time period was J.H. Smith, a man who served in that capacity from 1888-1897. He must have been a well-loved city official to hold office for nearly a decade. I paid brief homage to him by having him step back into office when my fictitious mayor resigned. I hope you enjoy stepping back in time with me into historic Honey Grove, Texas. Zach and Abigail might not have lived there in truth, but I like to believe their tale is a representation of the many amazing love stories have taken place in that sweet little town through the years.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away a grand prize that includes More Than Words Can Say, More Than Meets the Eye, and a $20 Panera Bread gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

The Medallion Review and Giveaway!


For fans of bestselling World War II fiction like Sarah’s Key and The Nightingale comes an illuminating tale of courage, sacrifice, and survival, about two couples whose lives are ravaged by Hitler’s mad war yet eventually redeemed through the fate of one little girl.
Seemingly overnight, the German blitzkrieg of Warsaw in 1939 turns its streets to a war zone and shatters the life of each citizen—Polish, Jewish, or otherwise. Sophie Kumiega, a British bride working in the city’s library, awaits news of her husband, Janek, recently deployed with the Polish Air Force. Though Sophie is determined that she and the baby in her womb will stay safe, the days ahead will draw her into the plight of those around her, compelling her to help, whatever the danger.
Rosa and Itzhak Dunovich never imagined they would welcome their longed-for first child in the Jewish ghetto, or that they would let anything tear their family apart. But as daily atrocities intensify, Rosa soon faces a terrifying reality: to save their daughter’s life, she must send her into hiding. Her only hope of finding her after the war—if any of them survive—is a medallion she cuts in half and places around her neck.
Inspired by true events of Poland’s darkest days and brightest heroes, The Medallion paints a stunning portrait of war and its aftermath, daring us to believe that when all seems lost, God can make a way forward.

My thoughts: The Medallion brings to life what it might of been like to live in Poland during WWII. While some of the world was still in denial that a war was on the horizon, the Polish people suffered a great deal, which is something that this book showcases. I thought that Cathy did a wonderful job showing a variety with the characters and the experiences they go through. A lot of hard choices are made, making this a beautiful story of love, loss, and sacrifice. If you enjoy WWII fiction, I highly recommend picking this book up!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author
Three-time Christy and two-time Carol and INSPY Award–winning and bestselling author Cathy Gohlke writes novels steeped with inspirational lessons, speaking of world and life events through the lens of history. She champions the battle against oppression, celebrating the freedom found only in Christ. Cathy has worked as a school librarian, drama director, and director of children’s and education ministries. When not traveling to historic sites for research, she, her husband, and their dog, Reilly, divide their time between northern Virginia and the Jersey Shore, enjoying time with their grown children and grandchildren. Visit her website at www.cathygohlke.com and find her on Facebook at CathyGohlkeBooks.

More from Cathy
Every story begins with a journey. Sharing that journey is twice the joy.
The Medallion was inspired by two true stories—the first was the WWII account of Itzhak Dugin and his Jewish family, persecuted in Lithuania. Their heart-wrenching story made world news when the tunnel from which Itzhak escaped the Nazis was discovered using modern technology.
The second was the story of Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic social worker within Żegota (an underground Polish Council to Aid Jews), who developed a network to rescue children. Despite terrible risks, they smuggled 2500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto and certain death at the hands of the Nazis, then hid them in Polish homes, convents, churches and hospitals until the end of the war. Approximately 2,000 of those children were found after the war. Theories abound regarding the whereabouts of those missing. I couldn’t help but wonder, and imagine: What became of those 400 to 500 missing children? What became of one?
Set in WWII Poland and post-war England, The Medallion is a story of courage, sacrifice, love, forgiveness and redemption.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Cathy is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Sunday, June 23, 2019

The Number of Love review and giveaway!


The Toughest Puzzle She’ll Have to Solve
Might be the Wishes of Her Own Heart
Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network—field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, she discovers for the first time in her life that numbers aren’t enough.
Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy who just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the intelligent Margot, but soon the dangers of the war draw ever closer. Margot and Drake will have to work together to save themselves from the very secrets that brought them together.

My thoughts: This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2019, so I was thrilled to receive my copy of The Number of Love! Those who have read Roseanna's previous series, Shadows over England will especially appreciate this book, since it stars Lukas De Wilde's (A Song Unheard) sister, who has used her unique intelligence to work as a codebreaker for England. (by the way, I highly recommend all of Roseanna's other books, but your don't have to read her other series to enjoy the characters in this one!)
I loved getting to know Margot as the heroine, and thought that Roseanna did a phenomenal job of bringing this young genius and her top secret work to life. A young woman who has lost a lot during the pre-war and war days, she also has a way of processing that is entirely her own, making it hard for new people to get close to her. I love the variety that Drake and his sister add to Margot's life! This is a story worth picking up, since the characters are well written and the history is fascinating. This book has all the elements I enjoy: history, a lovely romance, and thought provoking questions, along with a suspenseful plot. This book needs to go on your summer reading list!
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.



More from Roseanna
When I told my best friend and critique partner what book I was pitching next to my publisher, her response was something along the lines of, “That sounds awesome. Also, you’re crazy, and I do not envy you writing that one.”
I laughed…and knew exactly what she meant. Because I was setting out to write a heroine who was a mathematician—which I am definitely not. A heroine who was utterly indifferent to love and marriage—which makes for a difficult story when one writes romance. A character who had an unshakeable faith—which has to be shaken at least a bit in order to make for growth throughout the story. And more, a character who has “issues,” let’s call it, that those familiar with such things will recognize…and which those who aren’t will probably think are quirks.
I was setting out to write a story that would be challenging for me, every step of the way. And the result is a book I’m incredibly in love with and so happy to share with the world.
The Number of Love is all about Margot, who thinks and even prays in numbers. Born and raised in Belgium, she and her family fled to England in 1914 when the Germans invaded her homeland. Thanks to her remarkable abilities with numbers and patterns, she’s now employed at Room 40, the Admiralty’s secret codebreaking branch. But as I was contemplating what sort of man could ever win Margot’s heart, I knew he had to be very different… someone active where she’s still. Someone outgoing where she turns inward. Someone who sees in her what she never can, and who believes she can grasp the dreams that society tells her are unbefitting a woman. This is how Drake was born—a field agent employed by Room 40.
I can honestly say this is the only book I’ve ever written that required me to borrow my daughter’s algebra book while I was writing it, LOL. And though every single scene was a challenge, it was one I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope you’ll join me on the journey that Margot and Drake are on, which answer the question my husband cheekily asked more than once as I was writing it: what is the number of love?

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Roseanna is giving away a grand prize of winner’s choice of TWO signed books, Fruit and Floral Flavors Sugar Shapes, and some Roseanna M. White swag!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Murder in the City of Liberty review and giveaway!


Hamish DeLuca and Regina “Reggie” Van Buren have a new case—and this one brings the war in Europe dangerously close to home.
Determined to make a life for herself, Regina “Reggie” Van Buren bid goodbye to fine china and the man her parents expected her to marry and escaped to Boston. What she never expected to discover was that an unknown talent for sleuthing would develop into a business partnership with the handsome, yet shy, Hamish DeLuca.
Their latest case arrives when Errol Parker, the leading base stealer in the Boston farm leagues, hires Hamish and Reggie to investigate what the Boston police shove off as a series of harmless pranks. Errol believes these are hate crimes linked to the outbreak of war in Europe, and he’s afraid for his life. Hamish and Reggie quickly find themselves in the midst of an escalating series of crimes that seem to link Boston to Hamish’s hometown of Toronto.
When an act of violence hits too close to home, Hamish is driven to a decision that may sever him from Reggie forever . . . even more than her engagement to wealthy architect Vaughan Vanderlaan.

My thoughts: I enjoyed the return of Hamish and Reggie in this second mystery! They are a fun, quirky pair set during the Depression. I enjoy the depth to their characters, as well as their diverse backgrounds. This mystery deals with some issues that wound up being a bit overshadowed by the II World War, with dealing with hate crimes in the period before war broke out. This is an excellent mystery that is well written and will keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning! I highly recommend it.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author:
Rachel McMillan is a keen history enthusiast and a lifelong bibliophile. When not writing or reading, she can most often be found drinking tea and watching British miniseries. Rachel lives in bustling Toronto, where she works in educational publishing and pursues her passion for art, literature, music, and theater.

Read the excerpt
Boston
April 19 40
There really never was a good time to drown. But this particular April had been unseasonably cold and promised spring long in coming. The slosh of the Charles River warmed by ribbons of June sun would have been preferable to the crusted sludge of leftover ice rimming the harbor, or so thought Reggie Van Buren as she bobbed up and down like a buoy.
A New Haven Van Buren ought to have perished an old, wealthy woman, tendrils of snow-white
hair falling around a satin pillow, comforted in the knowledge that she would be interred in
the family plot, her soul destined for paradise—not with water up to her nose, choking as it lapped in and out like a tide over her chattering teeth. But a New Haven Van Buren also might have had the propriety to insist upon the use of her given name and not the “Reggie” she so preferred. The Reggie she was just hearing now in a rather frantic yet familiar voice.
“Reggie!” Hamish DeLuca’s panicked voice reached into the hollow dome of her cement cave. “Reggie!”
“I was st-stupid. I s-slipped.”
She treaded poorly, her arms feeling like gelatin, her form rather lacking the swimming skills
she had learned informally alongside her family’s schooner on Regatta Day. Reggie strained to rise above the lapping water. She took turns treading and raising herself as high up on her toes as she could. Rotating and wondering why she failed to complete the ballet classes her parents enrolled her in as a child. Standing on tiptoe might have added inches to her height and allowed her to clear her mouth of the water. As it was, her calf muscles strained. She said something that came out in a series of bubbles before glugging, rising upward, and noticing for the first time how the fog from her icy breath rippled over the water. If she couldn’t understand herself,
how would he?
“S-slipped,” she said again, trying to make him out in shadow. “H-Hamish.” She tried again. Funny, usually he was the one with the stutter. Hamish DeLuca with the stutter and the bit of a handshake and that one pesky dimple and those big blue eyes. Her own eyes fluttered. Maybe she would never see him again. She would just slip under the water and rest her heavy eyelids. She blinked until a stream of torchlight buttered the dark walls, crystallizing the percolating water drips around her, and then the figure of her rescuer, whose blue eyes looked even more brilliant than usual in the eerie glow of the flashlight.
Hamish dropped to his knees. “Take my hand.”
“This didn’t turn out as I expected,” she chattered.
“Reggie, we don’t have much time.” His voice rippled as he looked frantically at her and then over to the grille she had stared at since she got into the mess, watching the water level rise and fall and rise and fall until it made her dizzy. She clung to his hand a moment.
“We should have gone with plan B.”
Hamish growled. “We didn’t even have a plan A.”
“You’re my hero, Hamish.” She patted his hand with her icy one. “It was so nice of you to come.”
“Reggie, just take my hand.”
“I’m stuck!”
“What?”
“M-my shoe.”
Hamish said something she was altogether certain she had imagined in her half-frozen and very soggy state. And then, of course, he recklessly jumped in to get her.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a grand prize of both book in the series!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Love's Truest Hope Review and Giveaway!


Mission of Love blurb
A nontraditional Amish man called to minister to the inner-city youth. An overwhelmed Amish woman terrified of the idea. When lies and manipulators threaten to destroy her life, she’s forced outside her comfort zone. Will she learn that God’s love spreads to more than just her people?
Plain Redemption
Spring is a long way in coming to the Big Sky country of Montana, and Lyddie Hershberger is still living in the winter of her life. First her husband died a little more than a year earlier, then Lyddie lost their unborn child. Now, an accident sends her father-in-law to the hospital clinging to his life. Will the gloom of winter ever leave their West Kootenai community?
When word of his daed’s accident reaches Thomas Hershberger in Colorado, he rushes home to find all his old sins waiting for him there, along with the woman who destroyed his heart. His brother’s widow, Lyddie Hershberger.
After someone breaks into the family home while Thomas and Lyddie are at the hospital, it soon becomes apparent that his father’s accident is anything but.
As Lyddie and Thomas struggle to understand why someone wishes their family harm, old feelings of love resurface. Is it possible for Thomas to overcome the guilt he feels for his part in his brother’s death and convince Lyddie that their love can melt any heartache standing in their way?
Bid for Love
The top bidder in the Amish silent auction wins a day of yardwork from Marty and two of his friends. But why did this wealthy Englischer pay so much money when she has a professional lawn service? Marty is shocked to when she offers him money to turn her granddaughter Amish. He refuses, but when Olivia and her grandmother both end up missing, Marty is fingered for the crime. How can he ever prove his innocence when all the clues the police find point to his guilt?

My thoughts: This is such a fun collection of novella's! I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters from the different stories, with their unique stories and personalities.
I enjoyed Lucinda in Mission of Love, a responsible young woman who's sweet personality is noticed by caring Jason. The unexpected twists to the story will keep you reading!
Plain Redemption hits the ground running, with starting at Lyddie's father's-in-law accident and going through the suspense of her being stalked, vandalism, and other episodes that point to the accident being anything but. When you throw her brother-in-law into the mix, the man who's heart she broke, it's the perfect recipe for an excellent story!
Bid for Love was an unexpected mystery about a young man forced in the position to be thought guilty of a crime he didn't commit. I enjoyed the suspense and surprises in this one!
Each of these stories is delightful and hard to put down. I enjoyed each of them tremendously!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Authors
Laura V. Hilton’s Bio
Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning, sought-after author with thirty Amish, contemporary, and historical romances. When she’s not writing, she reviews books for her blogs. Her most recent series is set in Mackinac County, Michigan, and includes Firestorm, The Amish Candymaker, and Married to a Stranger (July 2019).
Laura and her pastor-husband have five children and a hyper dog named Skye. They currently live in Arkansas. One son is in the U.S. Coast Guard. She is a pastor’s wife, and homeschools her two youngest children.
When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys reading, and visiting lighthouses and waterfalls. Her favorite season is winter, her favorite holiday is Christmas.
Rachel J. Good
Inspirational author Rachel J. Good writes life-changing, heart-tugging novels of faith, hope, and forgiveness. The bestselling author of several Amish romance series, she grew up near Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the setting for many of her stories. Striving to be as authentic as possible, she spends time with her Amish friends, doing chores on their farms and attending family events. Rachel has more than 40 books in print or forthcoming for both children and adults under several pen names.
Mary Alford’s Bio
Mary Alford is a bestselling author of over fifteen novels who loves giving her readers the unexpected. Combining unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots that test their faith and result in novels the reader doesn’t want to put down.

Blog stops
Go here for a complete list!

To celebrate the tour, Celebrate Lit is giving away a grand prize of an eBook copy of Love’s Truest Hope and a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Between Us Guys

New book provides fathers with tools to have gospel-centered conversations with their sons about every aspect of life.
This easy-to-use, life-changing book for fathers and sons gives readers the tools to have important conversations with boys about life, faith, and being a man. With a conversational and captivating tone, fathers and other caregivers are guided into having gospel-focused conversations with boys about a wide range of topics from social justice and friendships to money, anger, and more.
Dads are given an incredible opportunity to be one of the primary influences in their children’s lives for the gospel. By inviting conversations in every arena of life, fathers pass down the message of Christ to the next generation. As a youth and family pastor and father to a young boy who’s entered into many of these conversations, Joel Fitzpatrick knows it’s important not to shy away from difficult subjects.
But he also knows dads and other caregivers need help in how to have intentional conversations with boys about God, themselves, and what difference knowing the gospel makes to their everyday life. Fitzpatrick invites fathers to share with their sons how the gospel shapes all aspects of life, including how they treat women, people from other ethnic groups, and much more. Specific, practical help is given to dads through suggested activities, God’s Word, and insightful questions.
In a world where television, the internet, social media, and gaming culture have taken away from quality time spent between fathers and sons, Between Us Guys urges readers to lean in to important conversations with the grace and knowledge of Christ.

My thoughts: I enjoyed the book Between Us Girls for mothers or mentors to read through with their daughters, so I was thrilled when this one came out! It can be hard to have insightful conversations or to know where to begin with talking about important things with the children and teens in our lives, but this book helps to take some of the guess work out of fitting those in. I love how it is set up, with different topics and conversations to have together. I highly recommend picking this book up!
I received this book from New Growth Press. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Devotions from the Beach

Life is better at the beach—but you already knew that. Dig your feet in the sand, and let the water cool your toes as you escape in the beauty of God's seaside wonders. The gorgeous photography and 100 devotions in Devotions from the Beach will take you right to the water's edge, where God's voice is often clearer than ever.
Sand on warm skin, salty breeze in your hair, the crashing of waves in the distance, saltwater taffy, and a pace that takes its time . . . There's nothing quite like the warmth and relaxation of the beach, away from the stresses of everyday life. Devotions from the Beach is the winding road that takes you to a front-row seat to God's majestic creation. Breathe deeply and open your heart and soul to the One who shaped it all.
Devotions from the Beach includes beautiful four-color photography on every spread and 100 devotions that explore life's parallels with the elements of the shore—to help you see God, find hope, draw strength, and rest in the comfort of His arms throughout your day.
Bring the best parts of beach life to each day with Devotions from the Beach. It's the perfect gift for every beach lover or a lovely way to keep a little sand between your toes every day of the year.
Every woman will want a copy of this book as a gentle reminder of days at the beach and the call of God's love.

My thoughts: This book is such a gorgeous devotional to pick up this summer! I love the beach theme of the pictures and the reminders of God's love and majesty through His wonderful creations surrounding the beach. This is a beautiful devotional that is perfect for summer vacation!
I received this book from Thomas Nelson. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Exhale by Amy Carroll and Cheri Gregory

Move from running-on-empty to spent-and-content.

Exhale is for the woman who is suffocating under the pressures of being all things to all people. The pressure of filling every unfilled spot at church, home, and work. The pressure of trying to do it all right, make decisions that benefit everyone else, and keep everyone happy.

Rather than adding more to your to-do list, in this book Amy Carroll and Cheri Gregory show you how to

· lose who you're not
· love who you are
· live your one life well

This isn't a time management book filled with how-to lists and calendar tools. Rather, it walks you through a process that releases you from the things that have created unbearable pressure. Then you'll be free to start investing your life in ways that fulfill the desires of your heart, benefit your people, and bring glory to God.

Includes Now Breathe activities that correspond to each chapter's content and interactive assessments to help you move toward gentle change.

My thoughts: As a busy mom of two young children, I needed this book! I loved the encouraging message of it, some of my favorite chapters were about drawing healthy lines/boarders and loving your unique personality. Filled with sound wisdom and advise, this is a wonderful book to pick up!
I received this book from Bethany House. This is my honest review and is in in way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Called to Forgive

While the murder of his wife devastated Anthony Thompson, he and three other relatives of victims chose to privately and publicly forgive the shooter. Years later, the church and community still struggle to understand the family members' deliberate choice to forgive the racist murderer. But as Charlestonians have witnessed these incredible acts of forgiveness, something significant has happened to the community--black and white leaders and residents have united, coming together peaceably and even showing acts of selfless love.

This book is the account of Anthony's wife's murder, the grief he experienced, and how and why he made the radical choice to forgive the killer. But beyond that, Anthony goes on to teach what forgiveness can and should look like in each of our lives--both personally, in our communities, and even in our nation. After much pain, reflection, and study, Thompson shares how true biblical love and mercy differ from the way these ideas are reflected in our culture.

Be inspired by this remarkable story and discover how the difficult decision to forgive can become the key to radical change.

My thoughts: This book is both heartbreaking, due to the reason behind it being written, and inspiring, due to the response to that tragedy. My heart broke as I read through the author's memories of that day, when he said goodbye to his wife, Myra, for the last time. I appreciated how Anthony draws inspiration from other people who have gone through unbelievable hardships and still embrace the message of forgiveness. This is wonderful book, filled with hope.
I received this book from Bethany House. All thoughts are my own.

Monday, June 17, 2019

Restored Review and Giveaway!


Sometimes love arrives when you least expect it.
Dr. Steven Moore is known nationally for saving lives. If only he could save his own. Unable to deal with his prognosis, he retreats to a happier time in his past—to the woman who once stole his heart.
Four years after the death of her beloved husband, bookstore owner Elizabeth Roberts still struggles to sustain her faith and joy in the Lord as she raises her two sons. She strives to find a way through her family’s grief, never suspecting a man from her past might offer hope for her future.
But how can there be a future when he’s only come to kiss her and say good-bye?

My thoughts: This is such a beautiful story of love, loss, and learning to move forward. I enjoyed getting to know Elizabeth and her son, as they are still recovering from the loss of her husband. And Steven, the doctor who proposed to Elizabeth in college, who never quite got over her and is now reeling from the news that he has stage 4 cancer and feels like there isn't a reason to live. This is an excellent work of fiction that pulls at the heart strings and sucks readers in from the get go! A delightful summer read to pick up.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author
Tanya Eavenson is an international bestselling and award-winning inspirational romance author. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. You can find her at her website http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/ on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google, or on Amazon.

More from Tanya
RESTORED is the second book in the Unending Love series. It’s a story I wanted to write, one I knew I could write, but still, it took six years to write. Not that it was difficult, but something was missing.
A friend and I attended the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, and during the conference, we discussed RESTORED. We came up with different plots, but nothing felt right.
I decided then to take a hiatus from contemporary romance and to begin writing another genre I’ve always loved, historical romance. While doing research and working on my historical romance novel, doctors discovered I had cancer.
There are many times in a person’s life where he or she may reach an obstacle. It may be an illness, an accident, a difficult decision that must be made, or any number of other things. I’d reached that point in my life. It was a defining moment, not only dealing with my cancer prognosis, but asking the Lord if He truly called me to write as I thought, or was I mistaken. I stuffed my historical romance novel away and almost gave up on God’s call to write.
But through the fears and searching for God’s direction, I learned He did indeed place this desire to write on my heart and no matter what I was facing in my life, it didn’t diminish His call. I’m inspired by the Lord to write inspirational Christian fiction so people may know the love of Christ. To know the depth He will go to have a relationship with us. And though we struggle, He uses us—ordinary people like me—to do out of the ordinary things. Unexpected things—like writing. This propelled me to write RESTORED.
I began pouring into RESTORED the knowledge I’d gained through my own experiences and that of my stepfather and father-in-law, who were both diagnosed with melanoma. I know now that if I had written this story any earlier in my career, I wouldn’t be on such a personal level with my characters nor could I have written it from the heart.
I love this story. I love my characters, Steven and Elizabeth. RESTORED is about lost love being given a second chance when you least expect it. A story of how nothing is impossible with God.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Tanya is giving away a grand prize of a $5 Amazon gift card and a pillow cover from RedBubble!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Overcoming Fear by Dawna De Silva

Fear, anxiety, and stress motivate us more than we realize. Our need to control situations can leave us feeling overwhelmed. But God has given us a biblical strategy to battle anxiety, stress, and panic. With practical and activating steps, Dawna De Silva, founder and coleader of the International Bethel Sozo Ministry, shows you how to

· identify the fears, patterns, and lies that harm your connection with God
· resist fear by taking ownership over its influence
· find healing and liberation through the Word and the Spirit

When you master power, love, and self-discipline, you will elevate yourself above the enemy's attacks and be released from fear into abundant, healthy living. You will experience the true healing that can come only from God.

My thoughts: This book gave me a lot of food for thought, since I have struggled with fear and really appreciated a lot of the insight that Dawna shares. While I don't agree with the book 100%, I still found a lot of good information in it to help me. I really appreciated the true stories she shares throughout the books, along with some of her own struggles. This is an excellent book to pick up!
I received this book from Chosen. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

The Famine of the Human Dream review and giveaway!


An uplifting and thought provoking look at life from a poet’s perspective. The Famine of the Human Dream will challenge you to live with greater passion, to throw off those trifling ambitions that ever grope for our attention, and learn fight for things worth fighting for. The great theologian, CS Lewis, once said:
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
The ultimate goal of life isn’t a search for happiness. The ultimate goal of life is learning how to fight for things worth fighting for. All of life is a battle. But the battle that defines each one of us isn’t primarily between right and wrong, as you would think. Rather, it’s something much more surprising. Find out what in the inspiring pages of The Famine of the Human Dream.

My thoughts: This is a unique shot book of essays and poems that are refreshingly thought provoking. I really enjoyed how Benjamin weaves scripture and thoughts from writers like C.S. Lewis together with his own thoughts. There is a collection of essays in the beginning, followed by the poems. Both are a delight to read! While I don't agree a hundred percent with the author, I still found this book to be worthwhile to read!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.


About the Author
Benjamin Mester is an author and poet, with a passion for seeing people break away from small and shallow living and to step into the full measure of what the Lord has prepared for them. The destiny prepared for each one of us is to live a life of love and deep gladness. Benjamin Mester was born and raised in sunny San Diego, but can often be found wandering the woods of northern Minnesota, pen and paper in hand. His lifetime goal is to one day build a house in the woods, expanding it over time into a retreat center for authors, artists and others bursting with creativity. God is the most creative being in the entire universe, and as children made in His image, Mester hopes to inspire His people to explore the wonderful gift of creativity placed in each one of us.


More from Benjamin
The Famine of the Human dream was written as a response to something…a quote from a great theologian, CS Lewis.

It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

When I read that, my heart began to burn. For though, as a younger man, I had often felt a passionate stirring to live my life to the full, though I didn’t quite know how and always felt myself slipping back into the mundane of mere survival. And so, I voraciously began to explore the many facets of life. I studied art, poetry, philosophy, beauty, and theology, prompted by Solomon’s declaration in the Proverbs, Whatever else you get, get understanding! I desperately wanted understanding of a very particular sort. I wanted to understand how to live my life to the full…this precious, brief slice of life we so often take for granted. I wanted true wisdom.

Contained within the pages of the Famine of the Human Dream are a poet’s reflections on life and the struggle to suck the marrow out of life, as Thoreau put it. This book is also an attempt to give the reader a passion for the study of poetry, which has dwindled much in modern society. The second portion of the book is a collection of my own poetry and poetry from other lovers of life that has touched me deeply. My biggest hope is that the reader will come away from this book with a renewed passion for life and an eager desire to dive deeper into poetry, beauty, and the heart of the Father.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway:
To celebrate his tour, Ben is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

More Than Words Can Say

After fulfilling a pledge to a dying friend, Zacharias Hamilton is finally free. No family entanglements. No disappointing those around him. Just the quiet bachelor existence he's always craved. Until fate snatches his freedom away when the baker of his favorite breakfast bun is railroaded by the city council. Despite not wanting to get involved, he can't turn a blind eye to her predicament . . . or her adorable dimples.

Abigail Kemp needs a man's name on her bakery's deed. A marriage of convenience seems the best solution . . . if it involves a man she can control. That person definitely isn't the stoic lumberman who oozes silent confidence whenever he enters her shop. Control Zacharias Hamilton? She can't even control her pulse when she's around him.
When vows are spoken, Abigail's troubles should be over. Yet threats to the bakery worsen, and darker dangers hound her sister. Can she put ever more trust in Zach without losing her dreams of independence?

My thoughts: I enjoyed this historical tale set in a bakery! Karen brings up some interesting questions with Abigail being a professional baker and wanting to continue to do so, going against the norm for that time period (1896). I enjoyed exploring her story, with it's obstacles, as life takes a very different turn for her than she could ever imagine. I also loved the side story.
I received this book from Bethany House. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Accessing the Riches of Heaven

I just want to be in heaven. When we enter seasons of hardship or shortage, we yearn for the peace, tranquility, and abundance we know we will find in heaven. But did you know that God has given us access to the riches of heaven here on earth? Bestselling author and entrepreneur Patricia King dives into Scripture and answers questions like
· What does accessing the riches of heaven look like?
· What kinds of riches are there?
· How can I receive my spiritual inheritance?
· What impedes me from accessing this heavenly abundance?
· Does God bestow different kinds of riches on different people?

The Father provides for his children and has given you the means to access his riches here and now. Will you accept his invitation?

My thoughts: This book was unique and thought provoking! While I didn't agree with everything written in it, I did think that it was well written and had some good, Biblically sound wisdom in it. I really appreciated the chapter on contending for your realm and how we don't always see answers to prayers or immediate results to our prayers, but are encouraged to keep fighting the good fight of faith. This is a great book to pick up!
I received this book from Chosen. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

A Marvelous Redeemer Review and Giveaway!

She knew the decision would change her life. But she didn’t know she’d have to fight to survive. When Amira put her faith in Christ, she knew life wouldn’t be easy. But hiding her conversion from her Muslim family soon becomes the least of her worries. Forced to leave the only home she’s ever known, she travels to the island of Gabeburough, trying her best to make a fresh start. Two escaped convicts and a treasure map. A leafy paradise that becomes her home. Amira begins to wonder, where is her Redeemer when she needs Him the most? Caleb Haddington is prince of Carpathia. Life should be perfect, but he can’t get a certain dark-haired girl out of his mind. Amira was his best friend when he lived in France, but her letters to him have suddenly stopped. Her last letter is filled with terror that her faith will soon be discovered. Only a single hope keeps him alive; when the time is right, he’s going after her. He’ll bring her back and prove to the kingdom that he’s a man. But the journey proves to be more perilous than he’d ever imagined. Ridicule, comfortless days and the threat of a hurricane are just the start of his problems. Lying becomes easy for Caleb until his own life crumbles before him. Brought to his knees under the pressure of his actions, he comes to realize the sweetness of his Savior. Forgiveness, grace, and mercy are granted fully to those who ask. Caleb and Amira soon discover that they don’t just serve a gracious Savior, but a wonderful, magnificent, marvelous Redeemer.

My thoughts: Aleigha does a wonderful job of drawing the reader in with this story! I thought that the characters were interesting, and I enjoyed their story, with all its twists and turns. Amira is an incredibly brave heroine to give up all she has ever known when she encounters Jesus. Both she and Caleb must go through many trials throughout the course of the story, due to their decisions.
This is an interesting story to pick up!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author
ALEIGHA C. ISRAEL writer of inspirational fiction and poetry is an author of multiple books and enjoys sharing God’s love through the powerful art of storytelling.
Aleigha loves being a Community Assistant at the Young Writers Workshop and teaching writing classes to her talented students.
When she’s not daydreaming about a new story idea or playing with her sidekick “Marley” (a Pomeranian mix) she can usually be seen traveling with her family’s gospel bluegrass band, “Fret Not” or making personalized author swag for her business Literary Treasures.
She doesn’t have to search very hard for inspiration.
Living in the Israel household, it’s guaranteed there’s an adventure waiting around every corner!
More from Aleigha
I’m beyond excited to finally share Caleb’s Song with you all!!
Something I love doing with my stories, is writing songs that become the character’s life songs.
I’ve done it for most of my books.
In A Marvelous Redeemer, Caleb suffers his way through learning several valuable lessons. But His Redeemer never left his side for a single moment.
We don’t have to try and make it through this world alone, because Jesus walks beside us all the way.
Through Jesus, we can find freedom, victory, peace, love and forgiveness. We can find ultimate joy in the sweet presence of our gracious, Marvelous Redeemer.
I hope you enjoy Caleb’s Song!
You can also check out his song on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXykDvOTGVc
And read an exclusive interview with Caleb Haddington and more of the royal family on my blog: https://thepenofthewriter.weebly.com/character-fun.html
(And even have the chance to ask Caleb a few questions of your own!!)
Caleb’s Song:
“A speck on the horizon, nothing big, nothing tall.
Just an ant on this earth,
trying to break down this wall.
A trembling wind, a small ship on the sea,
Understanding this world is not all about me.
Trying to fix all my problems, trying to right all my wrongs.
I just need someone stronger to carry me along.
I can build up walls, and hide within,
but the pain is still there, with no way to win.
I need love,
I need a Savior,
I need the Prince who was born in a manger.
I need strength, in all my weakness.
I need a light to chase all my darkness.
I need Jesus, I need Jesus.
My well is so empty, my spirit is dry.
No relief from this pain, though I try and I try.
I can’t do this anymore, my life is a mess,
I just want to win this battle, nothing more, nothing less.
This world offers answers that only appease for a day.
But I’ve finally found my life source, the only One, the only Way.
My burden’s now been lifted, I’ve found a life boat on the sea.
My walls are broken down, I’ve found victory!
In His love, in my Savior, in my Prince
who was born in a manger.
He is strength, in all my weakness.
He is the light to chase all my darkness.
I’ve found Jesus, I’ve found Jesus.”

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Aleigha is giving away a grand prize package that includes “My Foolish Heart” by Susan May Warren, “The Blessing” by Wanda E. Brunstetter, “Hidden Treasures” by Aleigha C. Israel, Song of the Mountains candle by @BookBurnCandles, a $10 Amazon gift card, and chocolate!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Monday, June 10, 2019

The Noble Guardian Review and Giveaway!

A Cross-Country Trip through Regency England Brings Intrigue, Rogues, and High Adventure
The must-read conclusion to Michelle Griep’s Bow Street Runners Trilogy: Life couldn’t be better for Abigail Gilbert—but it’s been a long time in coming. Having lived with a family who hated her, it’s finally her time for love. Abby sets off on a journey across England to marry one of the most prestigious gentlemen in the land—until highwaymen upset her plans and threaten her life.
Horse patrol captain Samuel Thatcher arrives just in time to save Abby. But she’s simply another victim in a job he’s come to despise. Tired of the dark side of humanity, he intends to buy land and retire.
Abby pleads with him to escort her for the rest of her journey. He refuses—until she offers him something he desperately needs to achieve his goal. . .money. Delivering her safely will give him more than enough to buy property.
So begins an impossible trek for the cynical lawman and the proper lady. Each will be indelibly changed by the time they reach her betrothed, if they don’t kill one another first—or fall in love.

My thoughts: Once again, Michelle has written a wonderful piece of historical fiction that brought the time period to life for me! In some ways, when Abigail leaves home to journey on her own to get married, it feels like the journey takes a long time. But, I can imagine that would be fairly accurate, especially when you through in highwaymen, bad weather, and other surprises! When she is thrown together with Samuel Thatcher, she isn't so sure about his wild, rugged looks. All she knows is that she needs someone to help keep her safe on the long journey. As they go through one difficult situation after another, they learn that God just might have something different in store for them then they could of imaged possible. This is a wonderful story to pick up! While it helps to read the other books in the series, since some of the characters are mentioned, this one can be read alone.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author:
Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

More from Michelle
Highwaymen Aren’t All Glamorous
Highwaymen are often romanticized in historical romances, but the truth is these fella’s were generally not compassionate thieves at all. They were cutthroat robbers who sometimes killed. Here’s a brief history so that you’re in the know.
The term “highwayman” simply means a thief who steals—usually at gunpoint—from travelers on the road. Not all, but some of those attacks turned deadly, the robbers not wishing to leave anyone behind who could identify them. Others wore masks for the same purpose.
Long, deserted stretches of roads that were main thoroughfares were the particular favorite haunts of these men. Criminals would choose remote highways that supplied regular traffic going to and from major destinations, such as Hounslow Heath, about fifteen miles outside of London.
To combat these villains, in 1805 the Bow Street Horse Patrol was created. There were about sixty men hired to protect travelers on the principal roads within sixty miles of London. Most of the men had served previously in a cavalry regiment. Their most successful achievement was to rid Hounslow Heath of highwaymen.
And that’s where I got the idea for my hero, Samuel Thatcher, in The Noble Guardian. He’s a rough and tumble man who’s tired of life and the wickedness of man. Mostly he’s just biding his time until he retires—that is until he rescues Miss Abigail Gilbert from the clutches of one of the worst offenders of all…Shankhart Robbins.
Sound like an adventure? It is. Settle back with your own copy and see what it’s like to ride the rugged heath in a carriage, bounding along—until you hear the crack of a pistol.
Enjoy!

For a complete list of blog stops, go here.

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a grand prize that includes a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Noble Guardian!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Saturday, June 8, 2019

Summer by the Tides


A Summer of Low Tides Could Expose Years of Family Secrets
When her grandmother goes missing from the family beach house, Maddy and her estranged sisters converge in Sea Haven, North Carolina. Being with uptight Nora and free-spirited Emma in the home where their family broke apart is a struggle Maddy is not in the mood to face, especially since she’s recovering from her ex-boyfriend’s betrayal.
As the sisters wait for word of their grandmother, they begin to pack up the family belongings—and unpack memories of the idyllic summers of their childhood. But with those memories come long-buried secrets, and Maddy discovers that all was not as it appeared that last summer in Sea Haven. Meanwhile, Gram’s neighbor, Connor Sullivan, seems overly interested in Gram’s whereabouts. Maddy is drawn in by his quick smile and steady gaze in spite of herself.
Undercurrents of jealousy and resentment threaten to pull the family under again, maybe for good this time. As tensions rise, the sisters must find a way to accept each other for the women they’ve become—and Maddy must decide if falling in love again is worth the potential heartbreak.
“I have never read a romance by Denise Hunter that didn’t sweep me away into a happily ever after. Treat yourself!” —Robin Lee Hatcher, bestselling author of Who I Am With You
“Denise Hunter once again proves she’s the queen of romantic drama. Summer by the Tides is both a perfect beach romance and a dramatic story of second chances as sisters unravel secrets that have torn them apart for years. This novel is Hunter at the top of her game. If you like Robyn Carr, you’ll love Denise Hunter. I couldn’t put it down!” —Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author of the Lavender Tides series

My thoughts: I love stories about families and their dynamics. This book was such a delightful story of three sisters who are forced to come together when their grandma goes missing. They must work through past hurts and secrets to see if their relationship can survive honesty. I enjoyed the characters and how each of the sisters were unique. This is an excellent summer read!

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:
This post contains affiliate links.

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 25 books, including A December Bride and The Convenient Groom, which have been adapted into original Hallmark Channel movies. She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Carol Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are rapidly approaching an empty nest. To learn more about Denise, visit her website DeniseHunterBooks.com; Facebook: AuthorDeniseHunter; Twitter: @DeniseAHunter; Instagram: deniseahunter.

Read an Excerpt from Summer by the Tides
MADDY MONROE WAS COWERING behind a ficus tree near the hostess station when her cell phone rang. Her hands shook as she silenced the phone before it drew the attention of the staff.
She jabbed the elevator button for the third time. “Come on, come on.” A star could be born in interstellar space, a polar valley carved by a glacier in the time it took the elevator to reach this floor. Stairs were not an option, as she was on the twentieth floor of the Waterford building and sporting heels.
She sniffled. Drat. She seemed to be crying. She swiped a hand under her eyes, heedless of her makeup.
She heard voices, Nick’s boisterous laugh. Maddy shrank deeper into the ficus and finally, finally, the elevator dinged its arrival.
“Maddy?” Noelle’s concerned voice tunneled down the hall. “Maddy, wait.”
“Oh, come on,” she muttered, tapping her fingers against her leg until the gold doors crept open. As soon as she could fit, she squeezed inside and punched the ground-floor button.
She didn’t draw a breath until the doors sealed and the elevator began to drop. She placed a palm over a heart that was threatening to beat its way out of her chest. Her white blouse clung to her back, and her skin prickled beneath her arms.
She closed her eyes, the scene that had just transpired playing out in fast-forward in her mind. And then, as if that montage weren’t painful enough, the image of Nick’s face appeared. The look on his face just before he’d kissed her good-bye last night.
Nick. She clamped her teeth together until her jaw ached.
There had been signs. Many of them, really, she was realizing now. They ranged from whisper-subtle to neon-sign obvious. But like so many other walking clichés before her, she was only seeing them in retrospect.
Maddy opened her eyes to the buttery sunlight streaming through her blinds. She scrambled for her iPhone to check the time. But as she did so, the events of yesterday washed over her like a tsunami. She didn’t have to get up at all, because she didn’t have a job anymore.
Her cell buzzed with an incoming call, and she squinted bleary-eyed at the unfamiliar number on the screen before declining it.
She drooped against her pillow, only now aware of how fat and swollen her eyes felt. Of the persistent achy lump pushing at the back of her throat. Her heartbeat made the bed quake. Her eyes burned with tears. Yesterday’s anger had faded, and something worse had filled its spot.
Yesterday she’d come home, changed into yoga pants, and worked in her little garden until she was too exhausted to do anything but flop on the sofa. She hadn’t fallen asleep until after three o’clock in the morning.
She didn’t want to talk to anyone, didn’t want to see anyone. She didn’t even want to be awake today. She pulled the covers over her head and prayed for oblivion.

Required text: Taken from “Summer by the Tides” by Denise Hunter. Copyright © 2019 by Denise Hunter. Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here.

Giveaway! To celebrate her tour, Denise is giving away a finished copy of Summer by the Tides!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.