#BookReview: A Loyal Heart by Jody Hedlund

12 Mar

Adventure and romance collide in this enchanting story! Sir Aldric is a knight and a man of honor and valor. Lady Olivia is a woman of wealth who embodies courage and conviction. Their pairing is an unlikely one, and the emotional journey they embark on is teeming with drama and danger. A Loyal Heart is a most captivating tale and one that leaves me begging for more!

The fourth book in the An Uncertain Choice series, A Loyal Heart can be enjoyed independently of its predecessors. However, I have read and loved each of the books in this series and highly recommend them to fans of medieval romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

When Lady Olivia’s castle is besieged, she and her sister are taken captive and held for ransom by her father’s enemy, Lord Pitt. Loyalty to family means everything to Olivia. She’ll save her sister at any cost and do whatever her father asks—even if that means obeying his order to steal a sacred relic from her captor.

As Lord Pitt’s commander, Sir Aldric is in charge of the beautiful but feisty new prisoner. He has his hands full attempting to keep Lady Olivia out of trouble. When Lord Pitt throws her in the dungeon and threatens to hang her for stealing, Aldric conceives a plot to save Olivia’s life—betrothal to him.

Can Olivia give up the prestigious match her father has arranged with a wealthy marquess in order to marry a lowly knight like Aldric? And can Aldric move beyond his past mistakes to embrace love again? When loyalties are tested, they’re thrust into danger that could cost them their love and their lives.

Learn more about the book and the author.

#BookReview: A Song Unheard by Roseanna M. White

11 Mar

What a captivating tale! From the wonderful characterization to the cleverly crafted plot, A Song Unheard strikes a perfect chord. I loved the suspense and romance of Willa’s and Lukas’ story and the beautiful harmony they created. Roseanna M. White has once again penned an engaging and entertaining story that delighted me from beginning to end.  I can’t wait to continue the Shadows Over England series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which make her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I—to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales.

Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he’s won—until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father’s work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is in meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe.

But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn’t—that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.

Learn more about the book and the author.

#BookReview: Love’s Bright Tomorrow by Naomi Rawlings

6 Mar

Naomi Rawlings paints vivid pictures with her words and transports readers to the rugged coast of Lake Superior. I love visiting Eagle Harbor and the extraordinary people who live there! Isaac Cummings and Aileen Brogan are each haunted by their pasts and struggle to overcome their sorrow and doubt. Inspiration weaves its way through their journey, and my heart was stirred for each of these compelling characters. Love’s Bright Tomorrow is a wonderful tale of mystery and romance and one I highly recommend!

Love’s Bright Tomorrow is Book 6 of the Eagle Harbor series and can be read independently of its predecessors. However, reading the series in order has allowed me to come to know and love this historical Michigan town and its residents, and I have delighted in the opportunity to return with each release.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

Aileen Brogan wants a place to call home. After leaving Ireland for America and losing her father and brother within a year of each other, she feels lost and alone. No matter how hard she tries, she just doesn’t seem to belong in the quaint town of Eagle Harbor. However, Sheriff Isaac Cummings is determined to help her fit in—into town and into his arms—if only she’ll say yes to his courtship. But if he knew her secrets, he’d surely rescind his offer.

Isaac is determined to serve the people of Eagle Harbor in a way that will do his family proud, but he’s haunted by past mistakes. When a band of criminals threatens his beloved town’s safety, he doesn’t want to fail the people he loves like he did four years earlier. But if he doesn’t turn out to be the hero the town needs, what chance does he have of winning Aileen’s resistant heart?

When old wounds reopen, can Isaac and Aileen figure out how to move past their brokenness and find the promise of a bright tomorrow?

Learn more about the book and the author.

#BookReview: The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin

5 Mar

I love Sundin’s stories, and The Sea Before Us is a wonderful addition to her repertoire! An intriguing and romantic tale, this story sweeps readers away to the months leading up to D-Day. From the military reconnaissance to the family drama, I relished the twists and turns of Dorothy’s and Wyatt’s emotional journeys. The Sea Before Us beautifully blends fact and fiction and leaves me eager to continue the Sunrise at Normandy series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a “Wren” in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. Dorothy pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France–including those of her own family’s summer home–in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt will turn into naval bombardment plans.

As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn to love. Dorothy must resist its pull. Her bereaved father depends on her, and her heart already belongs to another man. Wyatt too has much to lose. The closer he gets to Dorothy, the more he fears his efforts to win the war will destroy everything she has ever loved.

Learn more about the book and the author.  

#BookReview: Phoebe’s Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher

5 Mar

Phoebe’s Light is an intriguing tale! Suzanne Woods Fisher shares a rich and vivid story as she regales readers with the history of Nantucket, whaling, and the Quaker faith. Phoebe Starbuck is an engaging heroine, and I enjoyed the intertwining of her story with that of her great-grandmother Mary Coffin. Mary Coffin Starbuck was an admirable historical figure, and I delighted in the imagined journal entries and personality Fisher created to bring her character to life. I enjoyed Phoebe’s Light and look forward to discovering more about Great Mary and her heritage as the Nantucket Legacy series continues.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

Phoebe Starbuck has always adjusted her sails and rudder to the whims of her father. Now, for the first time, she’s doing what she wants to do: marrying Captain Phineas Foulger and sailing far away from Nantucket. As she leaves on her grand adventure, her father gives her two gifts, both of which Phoebe sees little need for. The first is an old sheepskin journal from Great Mary, her highly revered great-grandmother. The other is a “minder” on the whaling ship in the form of cooper Matthew Mitchell, a man whom she loathes.

Soon Phoebe discovers that life at sea is no easier than life on land. Lonely, seasick, and disillusioned, she turns the pages of Great Mary’s journal and finds herself drawn into the life of this noble woman. To Phoebe’s shock, her great-grandmother has left a secret behind that carries repercussions for everyone aboard the ship, especially her husband the captain and her shadow the cooper. This story within a story catapults Phoebe into seeing her life in an entirely new way–just in time.

Learn more about the book and the author

#BookReview: Keturah by Lisa T. Bergren + 5 Book #Giveaway

1 Mar

I enjoyed the uniqueness of this story and its setting, as well as the historical tidbits I gleaned as I read. Keturah and her sisters are compelling characters who set sail from England to take control of their late father’s sugar plantation. Upon arriving on the island of Nevis, the harsh realities of life assault them, and there is much to learn and overcome. I admired the dogged determination Keturah and her sisters showed in their endeavors and look forward to continuing the journeys of The Sugar Baron’s Daughters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

Click the image below to enter to win a copy of Keturah. Five winners will be chosen and announced March 13 on the Litfuse blog!


About the book:

Although it flies against all the conventions, they’re determined to make their own way in the world. But once they arrive in the Caribbean, conventions are the least of their concerns. On the infamous island of Nevis, the sisters discover the legacy of the legendary sugar barons has vastly declined-and that’s just the start of what their eyes are opened to in this harsh and unfamiliar world.

Keturah never intends to put herself at the mercy of a man again, but every man on the island seems to be trying to win her hand and, with it, the ownership of her plantation. She could desperately use an ally, but even an unexpected reunion with a childhood friend leaves her questioning his motives.

To keep her family together and save the plantation that is her last chance at providing for them, can Keturah ever surrender her stubbornness and guarded heart to God and find the healing and love awaiting her?

Learn more and purchase a copy.

Read what other bloggers are saying about Keturah.

Cover Reveal + #Giveaway: An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White

14 Feb

I’m excited to reveal the lovely cover of Book 3 in Roseanna M. White’s Shadows Over England series, An Hour Unspent, and share a giveaway to celebrate!  I love this series and am eager to read Evelina’s story!

 

Enter the giveaway via Rafflecopter HERE.  

 

The Grand Reveal…

About the book:

Once London’s top thief, Barclay Pearce has turned his back on his life of crime and now uses his skills for a nation at war. But not until he rescues a clockmaker’s daughter from a mugging does he begin to wonder what his future might hold.

Evelina Manning has constantly fought for independence but she certainly never meant for it to inspire her fiancé to end the engagement and enlist in the army. When the intriguing man who saved her returns to the Manning residence to study clockwork repair with her father, she can’t help being interested. But she soon learns that nothing with Barclay Pearce is as simple as it seems.

As 1915 England plunges ever deeper into war, the work of an ingenious clockmaker may give England an unbeatable military edge—and Germany realizes it as well. Evelina’s father soon finds his whole family in danger—and it may just take a reformed thief to steal the time they need to escape it.

Pre-order links:
Amazon | Christianbook

 

Do you judge a book by its cover?
What do you think about the cover of An Hour Unspent?

The winner is…

6 Feb

Thank you, Alexa, for sharing a guest post and giveaway!
Thank you, dear readers, for visiting my blog!

Guest Post + #Giveaway: Alexa Verde

30 Jan

Please welcome Alexa Verde as she shares a guest post and giveaway!  

 

GUEST POST: Alexa Verde

At the end of January, do you still have Christmas in your heart?

I love writing and reading books about Christmas for many reasons. The knowledge about the Savior born, the reminder about grace, the feeling of joy about the good news of the Lord…

I love seeing Christmas lights, exchanging gifts, celebrating with my friends. But in January, the lights are taken down (except when people leave them on for the entire year) and the stores switch decorations to hearts and roses.

Personally, I think it’s never too late or too early to read or write about Christmas! I released Book 2 in Rios Azules Christmas series in March, and Book 3 in August. If you still feel like reading a Christmas book, be it a heartwarming, sweet romance or a fast-paced, action-packed suspense, here are some eBooks I’m offering for the giveaway.

 

 

The Mystery of Christmas 2 is only $0.99 or free on Kindle Unlimited. Seven new Christian mystery/suspense novellas! In every book of the set, mysteries are unveiled, suspense abounds, and danger is around every corner.

 

Season of Joy will be on sale for $0.99 January 29th – February 2nd!

Single dad Dylan McGregor wants to give his two sons the best life possible in the small town where he’d grown up. When his youngest son writes a letter to God asking for a Mom for Christmas, Dylan reluctantly starts dating again. His lifelong friend, Joy Avila, agrees to help him find the right woman. Then Dylan begins to see Joy in a new light and believes she’s the right woman for him and his family.

Overweight and teased in school, Joy never hoped her first crush, Dylan McGregor, would return her feelings. Confident and successful now, she’s found her passion in writing about international travels. The trip of a lifetime awaits her after the holidays. Instead, will she find her dreams right there in Rios Azules?

 

Love’s Christmas Cheer is only $1.99 or free on Kindle Unlimited.  

For feuding chefs at a new restaurant, a ruined wedding reception and a failed business are not on the menu. But love and family just might be…

Chefs Petr Sergeyev and Lacy-Jane Macalister can’t agree on anything except for that they can’t agree on anything.

Lacy-Jane Macalister returns to her hometown, eager to prove she’s not the culinary failure her ex claimed her to be. After a career in the military, Petr Sergeyev settles down in Sweet Grove to help his brother with his nephew and new business. Grandpa Alexey’s is the only place in town that needs chefs.

He’s for hearty meals. She promotes healthy food. He likes order. She prefers creativity. He left his girlfriend. She was betrayed by her fiancé. Their arguments are more heated than the stove in the restaurant’s kitchen. But when Lacy-Jane’s sister and Petr’s brother decide to have their wedding three days after Christmas, Petr and Lacy-Jane put their differences aside to give their siblings a great reception.

Will Petr and Lacy-Jane surrender their wills to God and receive Christmas gifts of love, faith, and hope?

 

GIVEAWAY:

One randomly chosen commenter to this post will receive a Kindle copy of an eBook mentioned in the post (winner’s choice).  To enter the giveaway, leave a comment with your answer to the following question.  The giveaway ends Sunday, February 4 at midnight CST. The winner will be chosen and announced on Monday, February 5.

When do you prefer to read about Christmas?

#BookReview: My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York by Amanda Barratt

23 Jan

I really enjoyed this well-written story! Adele and Drew are endearing characters who bear responsibility for their family’s well-being, causing them to endeavor to seek financial gain. The story that unfolds is an engaging one of history and romance and is filled with surprising events that held my attention. My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York is a charming tale, and I look forward to reading more from Amanda Barratt.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

Outwardly, Adele Linley’s trip to visit her American cousins is nothing more than a summer vacation. In reality, she’s the daughter of an English aristocrat with barely a penny to her name seeking a rich American husband.

Having grown up in an overcrowded orphanage, Drew Dawson is determined to make a name for himself. He’ll take any honest job to provide for his sister—even crossing Niagara Falls by tightrope.

On a sightseeing trip to the Falls, Adele meets several eligible suitors. Incredibly wealthy and pompous, Franklin Conway takes an immediate fancy to her. But Adele would truly like to marry for love. When she encounters the mysterious Drew in the garden, Adele is confused by her feelings for someone who is everything she is NOT looking for. Will they both stay the course they have chosen for themselves?

Learn more about My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York