Archive | July, 2013

Smitten

31 Jul

Smitten

Smitten

Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit “the most romantic town on the eastern seaboard”!  You can find the ebook, Smitten, on sale right now at Amazon for only $2.51. 

Welcome to Smitten, Vermont.

With the help of four friends, it’s about to become the most romantic town in America.

The proposed closing of the lumber mill comes as unwelcome news for the citizens of Smitten. How will the town survive without its main employer? A close-knit group of women think they’ve got just the plan to save Smitten. They’ll capitalize on its name and turn it into a tourist destination for lovers—complete with sweet shops, a high-end spa, romantic music on the square, and cabins outfitted with fireplaces and hot tubs.

But is this manly town ready for an influx of romantically-minded guests?

Country music sensation Sawyer Smitten, the town’s hometown hero, wants to help by holding his own wedding there on Valentine’s Day. And little Mia’s lavender wreaths hang all over town as a reminder that faith can work miracles. Along the way, four women spearheading the town’s transformation—energetic Natalie, sophisticated Julia, graceful Shelby, and athletic Reese—get in the spirit by reviving their own love lives.

Join best-selling inspirational romance authors (and real-life BFFs) Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter for an inspiring stay at the (soon-to-be) most romantic town on the eastern seaboard.

One visit . . . and you’ll be smitten too!

See it for yourself!    http://www.smittenvermont.com

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The Queen’s Vow

29 Jul

The Queen's Vow

The Queen’s Vow by C.W. Gortner

Synopsis:

No one believed I was destined for greatness.

So begins Isabella’s story, in this evocative, vividly imagined novel about one of history’s most famous and controversial queens—the warrior who united a fractured country, the champion of the faith whose reign gave rise to the Inquisition, and the visionary who sent Columbus to discover a New World.  Acclaimed author C. W. Gortner envisages the turbulent early years of a woman whose mythic rise to power would go on to transform a monarchy, a nation, and the world.

Young Isabella is barely a teenager when she and her brother are taken from their mother’s home to live under the watchful eye of their half-brother, King Enrique, and his sultry, conniving queen.  There, Isabella is thrust into danger when she becomes an unwitting pawn in a plot to dethrone Enrique.  Suspected of treason and held captive, she treads a perilous path, torn between loyalties, until at age seventeen she suddenly finds herself heiress of Castile, the largest kingdom in Spain.  Plunged into a deadly conflict to secure her crown, she is determined to wed the one man she loves yet who is forbidden to her—Fernando, prince of Aragon.

As they unite their two realms under “one crown, one country, one faith,” Isabella and Fernando face an impoverished
Spain beset by enemies.  With the future of her throne at stake, Isabella resists the zealous demands of the inquisitor Torquemada even as she is seduced by the dreams of an enigmatic navigator named Columbus.  But when the Moors of the southern domain of Granada declare war, a violent, treacherous battle against an ancient adversary erupts, one that will test all of Isabella’s resolve, her courage, and her tenacious belief in her destiny.

From the glorious palaces of Segovia to the battlefields of Granada and the intrigue-laden gardens of Seville, The Queen’s Vow sweeps us into the tumultuous forging of a nation and the complex, fascinating heart of the woman who overcame all odds to become Isabella of Castile.

Thoughts:

Let me begin by saying that I do not normally read historical fiction.  However, I received The Queen’s Vow through a Random House giveaway and was eager to give it a try. 

I found The Queen’s Vow to be a beautifully written and compelling story, full of vivid descriptions and intriguing circumstances.  Isabella was a strong, fascinating woman who spent her life fighting for what she believed to be right.  She defied all circumstances and married the man she desired and united her kingdom.  Even if you are not a fan of historical fiction, I think you will find this to be a fascinating novel.  I certainly did! 

 

* I received this book through a giveaway from Random House.  All thoughts expressed are mine. 

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Friday Find

26 Jul

Sweet Caroline

Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck

Today you can find the ebook, Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck, on Amazon for only $1.99. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to travel to the Lowcountry of South Carolina and fall in love with Sweet Caroline and its author, Rachel Hauck.  I certainly did and I think you will too! 

Order your copy of Sweet Caroline today!

Life hasn’t always been so sweet for Caroline Sweeny.  She’s sacrificed her desires for others – unlike her mother who abandoned their family years ago. But when a friend challenges her to accept an exciting job adventure in Spain, Caroline says “yes” to a new destiny.  But before she can pack her bags, Caroline suddenly finds herself the new owner of the run-down Frogmore Café – and forced to choose between her friends and her future.  Then her first love, Mitch O’Neal, returns home and encourages her to seek God’s desires for her future. With his help, she may just discover the true sweet life.

The order for the series, A Lowcountry Romance, is as follows:

  • Book 1: Sweet Caroline
  • Book 2: Love Starts with Elle
  • Book 3: Dining with Joy

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The Blessings Jar

24 Jul

The Blessings Jar

The Blessings Jar by Colleen Coble

Synopsis:

Punky Grace is having a really grumpy morning, but Grammy has the perfect cure.  That cure is a glass jar that she calls a Blessings Jar.  Grammy suggests they have an adventure and fill her Blessings Jar to the top.  Punky soon discovers that God’s blessings are enough to outweigh any bad day.  

Thoughts:

This is a beautiful, endearing story that teaches young children to recognize even the smallest of God’s blessings that surround us.  Both young and old will delight in the story itself, as well as the illustrations.  The Blessings Jar is a wonderful board book that you will enjoy sharing with your children or grandchildren time and time again. 

I highly recommend The Blessings Jar and encourage you to buy it for the children in your life!

 

This is Colleen Coble’s first children’s book and she based the character of Punky Grace on her granddaughter, Alexa, who also loves adventures.  Colleen is a best-selling author and has just released her second book in The Hope Beach Series, Rosemary Cottage. 

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Daily Deal

22 Jul

The Walk

The Walk by Richard Paul Evans

For today only, Amazon has selected The Walk as their Kindle Daily Deal.  A life-changing journey, both physical and spiritual, The Walk is the first of an unforgettable bestselling series of books about one man’s search for hope.

What would you do if you lost everything—your job, your home, and the love of your life—all at the same time? When it happens to Seattle ad executive Alan Christoffersen, he’s tempted by his darkest thoughts. Instead, he decides to take a walk. But not any ordinary walk. Taking with him only the barest of essentials, Alan leaves behind all that he’s known and heads for the farthest point on his map: Key West, Florida. The people he encounters along the way, and the lessons they share with him, will save his life—and inspire yours.

Don’t miss this amazing deal!  Today only, purchase your copy of The Walk ebook for Kindle for just $1.99. 

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Into The Free

19 Jul

Into The Free

Into The Free by Julie Cantrell

I highly recommend this book and encourage you to read it, if you haven’t already done so. 

Synopsis:

Just a girl. The only one strong enough to break the cycle.

In Depression-era Mississippi, Millie Reynolds longs to escape the madness that marks her world. With an abusive father and a “nothing mama,” she struggles to find a place where she really belongs.

For answers, Millie turns to the Gypsies who caravan through town each spring. The travelers lead Millie to a key that unlocks generations of shocking family secrets. When tragedy strikes, the mysterious contents of the box give Millie the tools she needs to break her family’s longstanding cycle of madness and abuse.

Through it all, Millie experiences the thrill of first love while fighting to trust the God she believes has abandoned her. With the power of forgiveness, can Millie finally make her way into the free?

Thoughts:

I can’t recall ever being so thoroughly enthralled by a book or books as I was with Millie’s story.  Julie Cantrell’s lyrical writing stirs and evokes emotion with every turn of the page.  Your heart will ache for Millie through the suffering she endures; you will rejoice as she finds laughter and love.  Thoughts of Millie Reynolds and the path she has chosen will linger in your mind even after you have closed the book. 

Thankfully, Millie’s journey doesn’t end here.  The sequel, When Mountains Move, will be released September 1.  I have had the privilege of reading an advanced copy of the novel and can’t wait to share my thoughts with you in the coming days.  I will go ahead and tell you this….

Pre-order your copy of When Mountains Move today!

 

* Into the Free received the Christy Award in the First Novel category and also received the Christy Award for BOOK OF THE YEAR.  The Christy Awards honor and promote excellence in Christian fiction. 

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Web Wednesday

17 Jul

Today’s buzz is about a website I recently discovered.

www.authorgraph.com

This innovative website allows authors and readers to interact through digital books.  Authors add their books to the site and are then able to send Authorgraphs directly to their readers.  As a reader, you can request an author’s digital signature.  The website currently boasts over 7,000 authors who are participating.

Sign up is simple and it’s free!  I recently requested and received the digital signature of one of my favorites, Rachel Hauck, author of The Wedding Dress, and many other fantastic novels.  How fun is that!

Browse the site today and see if your favorite authors participate!

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The Sea Glass Sisters

15 Jul

The Sea Glass Sisters

The Sea Glass Sisters by Lisa Wingate is a beautiful novella that precedes her novel, The Prayer Box, releasing in September.

You will immediately be drawn into the story as you read of Elizabeth Gallagher and the traumatic event that has occurred over which she feels much guilt.  When the opportunity arises for Elizabeth to step away from her life for a few days and journey with her mother, Sharon, to the Outer Banks, she simply goes along for the ride.  Little does she know that this journey is just what she and her mother need most.

Once Elizabeth and Sharon reach the Banks, they set out to find what they’ve come for or rather who they’ve come for.  However, Aunt Sandy has other plans and isn’t going anywhere.  Instead, she and the other residents of Fairhope prepare their shops and homes for the approaching hurricane.  As the waters begin to recede, Elizabeth, Sharon, and Sandy must weather an even greater storm together.  This one hitting a little closer to home.

This is a wonderfully written story of the ties that bind us to our family, friends, and our community.  Like pieces of sea glass, we are often tossed in the tumult of life’s ocean.  Our edges may become smooth and our view a bit frosted, but we are still unique and beautiful and face an ocean of possibilities!

Order your copy today and enjoy this touching and memorable journey!

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Let’s begin…

15 Jul

I can’t begin to talk about books without first telling you about some of my very favorite gals.  They are the ones I visit with each morning, soaking up their wit and wisdom.  I love the chatter that goes along with each day’s topic and I enjoy sharing a few thoughts of my own!  We gather on the porch each weekday and I invite you to join us. 

Let me go ahead and introduce you to these lovely ladies.  They are Lisa Wingate, Beth Webb Hart, Julie Cantrell, Rachel Hauck, and Shellie Rushing Tomlinson.  All of the belles are AMAZINGLY talented and I look forward to sharing their books and other endeavors with you. 

You can stop by for your own little visit at:

http://www.southernbelleviewdaily.com 

I hope to see you there!

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