Thursday, March 31, 2022

Counterfeit Love

 


Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves--or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he's been sent to track down?

After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name--and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors' threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn't all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home--and the truth.

After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancée is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career--but that's better than failing her twice in one lifetime.

They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there's no question they're both still keeping secrets--and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.

Combining rich history, danger, suspense, and romance, Crystal Caudill's debut novel launches this new historical series with a bang. Fans of Elizabeth Camden, Michelle Griep, and Joanna Davidson Politano will be thrilled to find another author to follow!

My thoughts: Theresa Plane has suffered loss in her young life, first with the deaths of her parents and then when her fiancé, Broderick, left and failed to give a good reason why. Tired of waiting for him when it feels like he is lost to her has lead her to accept the proposal of a man who promises a steady future. When her grandfather's creditors catch her in their web, she realizes just how far their fortune has fallen. I enjoyed this historical read, though it was a little slow getting started. I feel like it would of been nice to have a prelude of what Theresa and Broderick's courtship was like before it all fell apart, since things were referenced that made it feel like there should of been a previous novella. Overall though, I enjoyed the unique story and the cast of characters. I look forward to reading the next book!

I received this book from the author through I Read with Audra. This is my honest review.

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Death Valley Double Cross

 


A killer seeking revenge

will stop at nothing to get it…

Pilar Jefferson is shocked to learn that her supposedly deceased father is alive and has been in prison—and now his ruthless former partner is after her. Fleeing on her wedding day was the best way to protect her loved ones. But now with her mother held for ransom and her ex-fiancé, Austin Duke, stumbling back into her life, can she keep everyone safe—and escape an assassin?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Desert Justice

Book 1: Framed in Death Valley
Book 2: Missing in the Desert
Book 3: Death Valley Double Cross
Book 4: Death Valley Hideout

 My thoughts: Pilar Jefferson sacrificed her own happiness in the hopes that she can protect those she loves, but all the pain may have been in vain when her father's former partner threatens her and those she loves. Thinking she might be the key to what he thinks is his, she may not be able to protect those she loves. I enjoyed the characters in this story and the obstacles they had to overcome with their heartbreaking past. The story is wonderfully written and hard to put down! While it is part of a series, it can be enjoyed as a stand alone. 

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

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

 

About the Author

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

 

More from Dana

I remember standing on the edge of the lookout and gazing into the wonder that is Artist’s Palette in Death Valley. Artist’s Drive, which takes you to this breathtaking view, rises above Badwater Basin (the lowest spot in North America) and then meanders along twisting canyons and hills until it brings you to this popular tourist stop. The premier view is a place called Artist’s palette. It’s a sprawling pocket of color, hues of rose, ochre, green and gold tucked in the rippling landscape and teased to life by the desert sun. Isn’t that just like God? To lead us to surprises and wonders that await us in a sometimes hostile world? Every day we spent in Death Valley held a surprise, from the rocks that move mysteriously across the sands to the towering twists and turns of 20 Mule Team Canyon. There are only two things to do with a wonderous place like that…enjoy the divine bounty, and write a novel set there so others can come along!

I hope you will enjoy this third installment in the Desert Justice series. The first is Beckett’s story and then we had quiet cowboy Levi’s adventure. Now it’s brash pilot Austin’s turn. Will he get his happy ending after being dumped at the altar and wrecking his shoulder in an accident? Turn those pages and come with me to Death Valley to find out!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 29

Daysong Reflections, March 30

Texas Book-aholic, March 30

Lighthouse academy, March 31

Inklings and notions, March 31

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 1

Betti Mace, April 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 2

Pause for Tales, April 2

For Him and My Family, April 3

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 3 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, April 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 6

Life, Love, Writing, April 6

Bigreadersite, April 7

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

Bizwings Blog, April 8

For the Love of Literature, April 8

Blogging With Carol, April 9

HookMeInABook, April 9

Simple Harvest Reads, April 10 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Paula’s Persuasion, April 10

Blossoms and Blessings, April 11

Sodbuster Living, April 11

Labor Not in Vain, April 12

Through the fire blogs, April 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize package of the first three books in the series (Paperback for U.S. Only) and a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/1c112/death-valley-double-cross-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

The Pilgrim Legacy

 


A story that must not be erased from America’s history or from the public squares of nations worldwide…

“In all the history of the world, as nations have arisen and fallen amid endless war and bloodshed, the founding of America was utterly unique,” writes Derek Prince. “Reaching the shores of an unknown wilderness, a small group of people planted seeds—not of military might, or wealth, or power, but seeds of faith and freedom. And those seeds took hold and grew.”

Such seeds affect the destinies of nations.

A nation participates in shaping its own destiny through the process of sowing and reaping: what nations sow, they will reap. If they seek to align themselves with God’s purposes, they will experience His favor and blessing. But if they seek to align themselves with purposes that are in opposition to God’s, they will not prosper.

Who were the Pilgrims? Why did they come to America? What difference did they make in the history of our country—and what does their legacy tell us about our country’s destiny?

The seeds sown by our Pilgrim ancestors 400 years ago continue to influence our culture and government. The basic principles by which they lived—beliefs in personal liberty, freedom of religion, and living in covenant with others—laid a strong foundation for America’s religious and political freedom. Without question, what the Pilgrims sowed, America has reaped as an abundant harvest.

Yet how long will the blessing of the Pilgrims’ influence continue? The light of this nation is still shining. But something is going wrong. Like a heavy, unanticipated fog, a spiritual darkness is gradually moving in to dim that light.

In The Pilgrim Legacy, internationally recognized Bible teacher and scholar Derek Prince discloses the biblical principles and tools at work in the lives of this small group of Christians who were, in a sense, the spiritual ancestors of the United States. It was these principles that not only helped to establish the nation but enabled America to be a stepping-stone in spreading the light of the gospel of the kingdom around the world.

By discovering and implementing the principles by which the Pilgrims lived, we can continue The Pilgrim Legacy today and preserve the spiritual destiny of our nation.

 My thoughts: My kids and I have been going through some of the early American history in school, so I thought that this book dovetailed nicely! I enjoyed reading more about the Pilgrims and appreciated the reminder to turn back to God and make sure He is the foundation of this nation. This is an excellent little book to pick up and enjoy!

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

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

 

About the Author

DerekPrinceBible scholar and spiritual patriarch Derek Prince (1915–2003) was educated as a scholar of classical languages at Eton College and Cambridge University in England, and later at Hebrew University in Israel. While serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) during World War II, he began to study the Bible as a philosophical work and, as a result, experienced a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Derek Prince taught and ministered on six continents for more than sixty years, imparting God’s revealed truth, praying for the sick, and sharing his prophetic insights. He is the author of more than eighty books, six hundred audio teachings, and one hundred video teachings, many of which have been translated and published in more than one hundred languages. Prince pioneered teaching on such groundbreaking themes as generational curses, the biblical significance of Israel, and demonology. Derek Prince Ministries, with its international headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, carries on the good work that God began in and through him.

 

More from Whitaker House

In The Pilgrim Legacy, internationally recognized Bible teacher and scholar Derek Prince discloses the biblical principles and tools at work in the lives of this small group of Christians who were, in a sense, the spiritual ancestors of the United States. It was these principles that not only helped to establish the nation but enabled America to be a stepping-stone in spreading the light of the gospel of the kingdom around the world. By discovering and implementing the principles by which the Pilgrims lived, we can continue The Pilgrim Legacy today and preserve the spiritual destiny of our nation.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 28

Texas Book-aholic, March 29

Inklings and notions, March 30

For Him and My Family, March 31

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 1

deb’s Book Review, April 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 3

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 4

Artistic Nobody, April 5 (Spotlight)

Connie’s History Classroom, April 6

Cats in the Cradle Blog, April 7

Miriam Jacob, April 8

Vicky Sluiter, April 9

Simple Harvest Reads, April 10 (Spotlight)

Fiction Book Lover, April 11 (Spotlight)

Mary Hake, April 11

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, Whitaker House is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks Gift Card and copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/1c10e/the-pilgrim-legacy-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

Laurel's Dream JustListen Blog Blitz 

Welcome to the audiobook Blog Blitz for Laurel's Dream by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Laurel's Dream 
Series: My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge #1 
Author: Pepper Basham 
Narrator: Catherine Gaffney 
Publisher: Woven Words 
Release Date: January 13, 2022 
Genre: Christian, Historical Romance 

Dreams are precious commodities in the Blue Ridge Mountains of 1918, and Laurel McAdams is attempting to make hers come true. But sometimes, life in the mountains has a way of squandering dreams. As she attempts to avoid matrimony, she is secretly saving for her future with the sole purpose of becoming a teacher and bringing consistent education back to her people. 

Having failed his British father again by being unable to fight in the Great War, Jonathan Taylor joins his uncle's missionary endeavors as a teacher in a two-room schoolhouse in Appalachia, but nothing prepares him for the rugged wilderness, narrow-minded natives, and...Laurel McAdams. Her joy and friendship prove a guiding light in the middle of his new responsibilities and tempt his timid heart toward a future he never expected. 

But when Jonathan's teaching methods lead to dangerous outcomes and Laurel's dream is threatened by an unexpected choice, will these two learn how to find hope and maybe even love beyond the heartache? Can Jonathan and Laurel create a new dream from the shattered pieces of the old ones or will bitterness and brokenness keep them apart? 

Laurel's Dream was originally published by Barbour Publishing as My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge: Laurel's Dream in January 2019

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

COMING SOON


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pepper Basham

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the wife of a fantastic pastor, mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her newest novel is The Mistletoe Countess, a historical romantic romp with a dash of mystery and a bunch of humor too. You can learn more about Pepper and her books on her website at www.pepperdbasham.com.

CONNECT WITH PEPPER: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a Laurel's Dream audiobook download code and print copy plus a Mountain Air candle!

Laurel's Dream JustRead Giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 29, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 5, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Sunday, March 27, 2022

Love's Fortress

 


A Love Story from the Past Brings Closure to Dani’s Fractured Family

Walk through Doors to the Past via a series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

When Dani Sango’s art forger father passes away, Dani inherits his home. Among his effects is a book of Native American drawings, which leads her to seek the help of museum curator Brad Osgood to decipher the ledger art. Why would her father have this book? Is it just another forgery?

Brad Osgood’s four-year-old niece, Brynn, needs a safe home, and Brad longs to provide it. The last thing he needs is more drama, especially from a forger’s daughter. But when the two meet “accidentally” at St. Augustine’s 350-year-old Spanish fort, Castillo de San Marcos, he can’t refuse the intriguing woman.

Broken Bow is among seventy-three Plains Indians transported to Florida in 1875 for incarceration at ancient Fort Marion. Sally Jo Harris and Luke Worthing dream of serving God on a foreign mission field, but when the Indians arrive in St. Augustine, God changes their plans. Then when friendship develops between Sally Jo and Broken Bow and false accusations fly, it could cost them their lives.

Can Dani discover how Broken Bow and Sally Jo’s story ends and how it impacted her father’s life?

 My thoughts: I enjoyed learning more about the history of St. Augustine! The author does a wonderful job of weaving together the past and the present in this story. I also appreciated how she handles some tough subjects, like with the treatment of the Native Americans. I thought that the lessons learned in both time periods were valuable and really got me to thinking. This whole series has been wonderful, and I enjoyed this addition tremendously!

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

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

 

About the Author

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

 

More from Jennifer

Florida has been my home since I was ten, and I’ve visited the city of St. Augustine several times in my many years here. There, I stumbled across the fact that the Castillo de San Marcos, the town’s 350-year-old Spanish fort, was home to several groups of Native Americans in the 1800s. Ever since learning this fact, I’ve considered writing a story about the three-year period from 1875-1878 when seventy-three Plains Indians from various tribes called the fort (known then as Fort Marion) their home. However, since I’m mainly a western and western romance author, all of my story settings to date have been west of the Mississippi—not in Florida. So this interesting historical factoid remained dormant in my imagination for years, waiting for the right opportunity.

 

That opportunity came last year when I was asked to submit an idea for Barbour’s dual-timeline Doors to the Past series. These stories must be set in or around a major landmark, the plot must focus on a newsworthy event, and there must be a bit of a mystery that connects the historical timeline to the contemporary plot. Obviously, as the oldest masonry fort in the United States, Castillo de San Marcos is an important and interesting landmark. Originally built by the Spanish, it later became a British possession, reverted again to the Spanish, and eventually became part of the United States’ holdings. With such a long and varied history, I’m sure you can see why this unique structure would make an interesting landmark around which to base a story.

 

The newsworthy event the plot focuses on is the incarceration of those seventy-three Plains Indians, deemed some of the “worst of the worst” offenders in the Indians Wars of the West. Can you imagine the buzz such an event would create? Once the Indians fell into their routine inside the fort, they were given quite a bit of freedom to interact with the locals and tourists. People came from far and wide to see these men and their historic surroundings along the banks of the Matanzas River. With a simple day pass from the fort’s commander, outsiders could enter, walk among and talk with the prisoners, see the historic fort, and even watch cultural events like dances, powwows, mock buffalo hunts, and archery displays. The Native men could also leave the fort and venture into town to shop or sell handmade goods, from bows and arrows to hand-crafted items made from locally-sourced seashells and plants, to their original “ledger art.”

 

It’s the ledger art that comprises the mysterious puzzle piece connecting the historical timeline of Love’s Fortress to the present day. When Dani Sango learns her long-estranged father has died, she inherits his rundown St. Augustine house. Inside, she discovers a book of Native American art depicting events from one Indian’s daily life. But because her father was a convicted art forger, Dani questions why he would have the strange and rudimentary artwork. She suspects it was his latest scam, so she enlists the help of Brad Osgood, curator of a western art museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, to help her discover where the art originated and how her father came to possess it. In the process, the pair digs deep into the history of the St. Augustine fort and its former residents.

 

I found it fascinating to research this brief period in the Castillo’s long history, and I hope you’ll enjoy the story that came from my efforts.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 26

Remembrancy, March 26

The Christian Fiction Girl, March 27

Texas Book-aholic, March 27

Inklings and notions, March 28

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 28

Bigreadersite, March 29

For Him and My Family, March 29

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 30

Betti Mace, March 30

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 31

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 31

deb’s Book Review, April 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 1

Older & Smarter?, April 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 2

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 3

Life of Literature, April 3

Genesis 5020, April 4

For the Love of Literature, April 4

Connie’s History Classroom, April 5

Blossoms and Blessings, April 5

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 6 (Spotlight)

Splashes of Joy, April 6

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 7

Through the Fire Blogs, April 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 8

Pause for Tales, April 9

Labor Not in Vain, April 9

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/1c10d/love-s-fortress-celebration-tour-giveaway