Lilacs for Juliana | Blog Hop + Kindle Fire Giveaway

24 Sep

Lilacs for Juliana

Lilacs for Juliana by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Purchase a copy: http://amzn.to/1Nmpfad

Petite Juliana Beauchamps possesses a vivid imagination, which comes in handy as a librarian. When a handsome giant of a lumberjack comes to town and rescues her from possible tragedy, she’s shaken by the event. A dashing beer baron, from Milwaukee, also pursues Juliana’s attention. Meanwhile, a library trustee determines to push out the female librarians.

Set in 1891, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Book Three in The Christy Lumber Camp Series focuses on Richard “Moose” Christy, the youngest of the sons, as he prepares to manage his first lumber camp. When Yost hires Juliana to organize his personal library, and her letters from Wisconsin suggest foul play, will Richard need to save her once again? And will his secret need to be revealed to win her heart?

 

My thoughts:

Once again, Carrie Fancett Pagels brings Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to life in this delightful continuation of the Christy Lumber Camp Series!

I loved revisiting beloved members of the Christy family and enjoyed reading Richard “Moose” Christy’s story. When this giant lumberjack visits the St. Ignace library and meets librarian Juliana Beauchamps, a wonderful story is set in motion. Full of heart, Lilacs for Juliana charmed me and its romantic ending left me with a sigh and a smile!

Lilacs for Juliana is the third book in the Christy Lumber Camp Series, following The Fruitcake Challenge and The Lumberjacks’ Ball. While these stories can stand alone, I believe they are better enjoyed as a series read in order. I love these historical narratives and look forward to reading more from this talented author!

I received a complimentary copy of Lilacs for Juliana from the author in exchange for an unbiased review. I appreciate the opportunity to read this story and share my thoughts.

 

Blog Hop  & Kindle Fire GIVEAWAY!

Carrie is graciously giving away a paperback copy of Lilacs for Juliana at each blog stop, AND those who visit and comment on at least seven of the participating blogs will be entered to win a KINDLE FIRE!  Comment to win!!

Blog Hop- Lilacs for Juliana

Paperback copies available to US residents only. International winners will receive an e-book (if available). One Buzzing About Books winner will be chosen at random one week from today’s posting.  The grand prize winner will be chosen at random on October 28. 

Blog Hop Stops:

Stop #1 – Heroes, Heroines, and History
Stop #2- Overcoming with God
Stop #3- Book Babble
Stop #4- Cheryl B Book Blog
Stop #5- D’s Quilts and Books
Stop #6- Sunnie Reviews
Stop #7- Buzzing About Books
Stop #8- Captive Dreams Window
Stop #9- Singing Librarian Books
Stop #10- Perspectives by Nancee
Stop #11- Stuff and Nonsense
Stop #12- Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
Stop #13- Lane Hill House

 

Carrie F Pagels

Carrie Fancett Pagels Ph.D. is an award-winning, best-selling, and multi-published Christian historical romance author. Carrie was a psychologist for twenty-five years. Married for twenty-seven years with two children. Carrie resides in Virginia’s Historic Triangle and enjoys reading, traveling and researching. She’s a finalist for the 2014 Maggie Awards for Excellence.

Website | Blog- Overcoming with God | Blog- Colonial Quills| Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | LinkedIn

 

The Christy Lumber Camp Series (2)

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Review: Gather Around The Amish Table | Amish Baking Basket Giveaway

23 Sep

Gather Around the Amish Table

Gather Around The Amish Table by Lucy Leid

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1NfOVUi

Blog tour landing page:
http://litfusegroup.com/author/lleid

Straight from Amish kitchens to yours, this cookbook offers favorite family recipes and charming stories from Amish and Mennonite cooks.

Bake the pecan rolls that taste best after an ice-skating party, or try the hoagies that a community sold to help an Amish family with hospital bills. Discover the cocoa cupcakes with instructions to “stir by hand” that one young cook took literally, or whip up the whoopie pies that one Amish woman took to market in her horse and buggy.

These cherished recipes speak of comforting traditions, lively communities, and strong Christian faith. Gather your family around the table to sample the nourishing fare and trademark charm of the plain people. In the words of one cookbook contributor: “Bake someone happy!”

My thoughts:

Gather Around The Amish Table is a lovely cookbook and a wonderful sampling of the food and fare shared in plain communities.  Brimming with recipes and stories from Amish and Mennonite families, this treasury of favorites is a great addition to any kitchen.  I really enjoy the easy-to-make recipes and the beautiful photographs that include food and glimpses of Amish life.  The stories shared by the various contributors are a pleasure to read and really make this cookbook special.  My family and I have enjoyed the recipes we’ve tried and look forward to enjoying many more! 

Yoders' Eight-Minute Cheesecake - Gather Around The Amish Table

Of the recipes I’ve prepared so far from Gather Around The Amish Table, the overwhelming favorite has been Yoders’ Eight-Minute Cheesecake.  This easy, no-bake cheesecake is delicious!!    

Visit the Litfuse blog for the Yoders’ Eight-Minute Cheesecake recipe.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an unbiased review.  All thoughts expressed are my own.

 

Get your fall baking underway with an Amish Baking Basket Giveaway from Lucy and MennoMedia!

gather-400

One grand prize winner will receive:

gather-lasagna-recipe

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 29th. The winner will be announced September 30th on the Litfuse blog.

gather-enterbanner

 

About the author:

Lucy Leid is an Old Order Mennonite wife, mother, and cook in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Review: A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn + 5 Book Giveaway

21 Sep

A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn

A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn by Shelley Shepard Gray

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1USUEQM

A wedding brings together two young widowed parents . . . and gives them a second chance at love.

Emma Keim was heartbroken when her husband, Sanford, passed away, leaving her to raise three young daughters alone. Though several years have passed, her relatives have made it no secret that they expect Emma to remain a widow, mourning Sanford indefinitely. But when she meets Jay Hilty—a handsome widower with three young sons of his own—Emma is delighted to have a new friend who understands her struggles. Still, she is dismayed that her family is so opposed to their friendship—and the idea of it ever becoming anything more. She honors her husband’s memory every day, but is she destined to be alone forever?

Emma’s gentleness with Jay’s boys stirs something in his heart that’s been quiet for far too long. But when his oldest son becomes engaged to a local woman, suddenly Jay, Emma, and their children are swept up in wedding preparations. Witnessing his son’s joy, Jay wonders if it’s time for him to move forward, too, and find happiness again.

Once again, love has come to Pinecraft. But can these two parties of four become a happy, healthy family of eight?

 

My thoughts:

In the third book in the Amish Brides of Pinecraft series, Shelley Shepard Gray invites readers back to the small Amish community of Pinecraft, Florida. As with each of the stories in this series, new primary characters are introduced, and familiar favorites are enjoyed in the secondary story line.

A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn is a delightful story brimming with endearing characters, including Frankie, a pesky beagle with a penchant for pizza. While Frankie was busy thieving food, he also managed to steal my heart, as did the rest of the cast of characters. In this ode to The Brady Bunch, Shelley Shepard Gray delivers a heartfelt story that completely charmed me. I love the Amish Brides of Pinecraft series, and this latest addition is my favorite so far. I can’t wait to revisit Pinecraft in the pages of the final book, A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft.

P.S. Even after the story ends, the fun continues! In addition to an author’s note and discussion guide, readers can enjoy a Cranberry Orange Bread recipe, Shelley’s top five must-see spots in Pinecraft, scenes from Pinecraft, and a sneak peek of the final book in the series. I loved the bonus material!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an unbiased review.  All thoughts expressed are my own.

Landing page:
http://litfusegroup.com/author/sgray

 

Click the image below to enter to win a copy of A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn—five winners will be chosen! The winners will be announced October 1 on Shelley’s blog!

orangeblossom-400

 

Shelley S Gray

Shelley Shepard Gray is a two-time New York Times bestseller, a two-time USA Today bestseller, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time Holt Medallion winner. She lives in Southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

Find Shelley online: website, Facebook, Twitter

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Review: Ties That Bind

19 Sep

Ties That Bind

Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall

Click here to purchase a copy or learn more about Ties That Bind.

Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach.

Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish.

Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.

 

My thoughts:

“We are free to choose, but we are not free from the consequences of our choices.”

Ties That Bind is a unique story with a compelling plot, unlike any other I’ve read in Amish fiction. Cindy Woodsmall intertwines the Old Order Amish world with the Englisch, as secrets are unearthed and faith is tested.  “Ariana’s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cord of family keep them together or simply tear them apart?”

Ties That Bind tugged at my heartstrings, and its cliff-hanger conclusion left me anxious for more. I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in The Amish of Summer Grove series and highly recommend it to fans of Amish fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Blogging for Books in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts expressed are my own.

 

Cindy Woodsmall

Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times and CBA best-selling author of numerous works of fiction and one of nonfiction. Her connection with the Amish community has been featured widely in national media. She lives in the Foothills of the North Georgia Mountains with her family.

To learn more about Cindy and her books, please visit her website.  

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Friday Freebies

18 Sep

Freebie Graphic- BuzzingAboutBooks.com

 

Katie's Redemption

Katie’s Redemption by Patricia Davids

Kindle

After two years away, Katie Lantz returns to her Amish community nine months pregnant—and unmarried. With nowhere else to turn, she nervously knocks on her family’s door, fearing she’ll be shunned. Yet the handsome stranger who now owns the farm welcomes her in—just in time for Katie to give birth. Carpenter Elam Sutter and his kindly mother care for Katie and her newborn in a loving way she never dreamed was possible. But in the face of a heartwrenching choice, Katie learns just what family, faith and acceptance truly mean.

 

Mismatched in Texas

Mismatched in Texas by Janice Thompson

Kindle 

In the quaint community of Poetry, Texas, Belinda Bauer spies an opportunity. The tiny town is filled with loggers and railroad men in need of wives, so she sets herself up as a marriage broker. At her invitation, potential brides begin to arrive in Poetry. There’s only one problem: Belinda doesn’t have a clue what she’s doing and all the brides marry the wrong men! One client is particularly unhappy. George Kaufman, the local barber, has lost more than one prospective wife to Belinda’s fumbled attempts. For some reason, she just can’t seem to find George’s “perfect match,” though it’s not for lack of trying. Is there a poetic ending in store for George— and for Belinda, herself?

NOTE: This novel previously released as Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas

 

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Review: Girl Meets Change

17 Sep

Girl Meets Change

Girl Meets Change by Kristen Strong

Purchase a copy:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook | DeeperShopping

Whether chosen and celebrated–like going off to college or welcoming your first baby–or unexpected and anxiety-inducing–like losing a job or grappling with a broken trust–all change brings stress. Kristen Strong knows about change–especially the kind you didn’t choose or expect. What she’s fought hard to learn over the years is that change is not something to be feared but something to be received as a blessing from a God who, more often than not, works through change, not in spite of it. Strong has learned to see change not as a grievance but as a grace.

 

My thoughts:

Change is something we all experience. It’s inevitable and often met with resistance, fear, or dread. In this heartfelt book, Kristen Strong shares ways to embrace the changes we experience and realize they are part of God’s purpose for our life. She shares insight, experience, and practical advice for finding peace, purpose, and hope through life’s transitions. I delighted in the wisdom and encouragement offered in these pages and look forward to sharing this book with others. Girl Meets Change is a wonderful book that shares an inspiring message!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.  All thoughts expressed are my own.

 

Change

 

Kristen Strong
Kristen Strong is a popular blogger at Chasing Blue Skies and DaySpring’s (in)courage. Her work has appeared in MOMSense and Family Fun magazines. She and her husband, David, have three children. Together this military family has zigzagged across the country (and one ocean) several times. They currently live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

 

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Review: The Protector’s Mission

15 Sep

The Protector's Mission

The Protector’s Mission by Margaret Daley

Purchase a copy:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook | DeeperShopping

Lydia McKenzie is the only living witness to a serial bomber’s latest threat. Surviving the explosion at the café, Lydia is rescued by police sergeant Jesse Hunt and his K-9 partner, a Rottweiler named Brutus. She’s struggling to remember details of the incident. But one thing she’ll never forget is how she once felt about Jesse—the high school sweetheart she left to marry another. In charge of her protection, the guarded cop believes the bomber’s after her, and he promises to keep her safe. But as more of Lydia’s memories return, the more the vicious killer wants her dead.

My thoughts:

Once again, Margaret Daley has shared a great suspense in The Protector’s Mission! This is the third story in the Alaskan Search and Rescue series, but each of the stories can be enjoyed independently.

When a deadly explosion reunites Lydia McKenzie and Jesse Hunt, Jesse vows to protect his former sweetheart. However, he is also determined to guard his heart. I really enjoyed the characterization in this story and the palpable tension between Lydia and Jesse. These two have a lot to work through and as the drama and danger escalate, so do their emotions.

Intertwining suspense and romance, The Protector’s Mission is a story that will keep you guessing!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts expressed are my own.

 

Margaret Daley

Margaret Daley is an award-winning, multi-published author in the romance genre. One of her romantic suspense books, Hearts on the Line, won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Contest. She has also won the Golden Quill Contest, FHL’s Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest, Winter Rose Contest, Holt Medallion and the Barclay Gold Contest. Margaret wrote for various secular publishers before the Lord led her to the Christian romance market. She currently writes inspirational romance and romantic suspense books for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired lines, romantic suspense for Abingdon Press and historical romance for Summerside Press.

To learn more about Margaret and her books, please visit her website, http://www.margaretdaley.com.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

FREE e-book: The Gifting

14 Sep

Don’t miss this exciting, edge of your seat story by Katie Ganshert!  The Gifting is FREE for a limited time, so download your copy today!!

TG-Amazon-327x500

The Gifting by K.E. Ganshert
Kindle | Nook

If science is right, then I am crazy.
And crazy is dangerous.

In a world where nothing supernatural exists, Tess Eckhart is positive she’s going crazy. What other explanation is there for the things she sees? After her complete freakout at a high school party, her parents worry she might be right. So much that they pack their bags and move across the country, next to a nationally-renowned facility for the mentally ill.

Despite the whispers and stares, Tess is determined to fit in at her new school. But when it comes to Luka Williams, a reluctantly popular boy in her class, she’s unused to a stare that intense. Then the headaches start, and the seemingly prophetic dreams that haunt her at night. As Tess tries harder to hide them, she becomes increasingly convinced that Luka knows something—that he might somehow be responsible.

But what if she’s wrong? What if Luka Williams is the only thing separating her from a madness too terrifying to fathom?

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Taste of Nobility Giveaway

10 Sep

A Taste of Nobility Giveaway

Bethany House Publishers is proud to present the Taste of Nobility Giveaway!  Enter here!

The Lost Heiress: Breakfast Coffee Prize Package

Roseanna M. White’s The Lost Heiress is full of intrigue, mystery, danger, romance, and, when the servants co-operate, the delicious flavor of Espresso. Enjoy your own moment of luxury with the Delonghi Espresso machine. Enjoy gourmet espresso in your own home using convenient pods or ground coffee. You don’t have to be a duchess to feel like one!

You can also enjoy your breakfast in style as you savor your espresso in this stunning fine bone china coffee mug with a side of shortbread Petticoat Tail Cookies.

Brook Eden, the heroine of The Lost Heiress, prizes her pearls as both beautiful and precious; they are the only thing she has from her mother. Create your own keepsake jewelry with a gift card to The Vintage Pearl (a $50 value).

As winner of the Breakfast Coffee Prize Package, you will receive both books from the Taste of Nobility Giveaway.

A Noble Masquerade: Morning Tea Prize Package

Kristi Ann Hunter’s A Noble Masquerade is the perfect dance of propriety and intrigue. You will enjoy every minute as you enter the glittering world of the English gentility, even as you hold your breath at the danger that lies just below the polished surface. But no matter the danger, it is clear that no mystery can be solved or savored, without a good cup of tea. As the winner of the Morning Tea Prize Package, enjoy a Bonavita electric kettle that makes boiling, brewing, and enjoying a cup of tea as simple as flipping a switch.  Invite your friends for tea with this charming set of Porcelain tea cups in an assortment of beautiful patterns.

Lady Miranda Hawthorne has poured out her heart out in letters she never planned to send. Now, with danger lurking inside the halls of her very home, all of her secrets are at risk. Enjoy the feel of luxury stationery, the sweep of a quill pen as it dances across the page, and the beauty of a custom-engraved wax seal to keep your missives private. Whether pouring out your secrets or writing to a friend, you will feel the whispers of the Regency as you write.

As winner of the Morning Tea Prize Package, you will receive both books from the Taste of Nobility Giveaway!

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

$0.99 Sale- This Quiet Sky

8 Sep

This Quiet Sky- $0.99

Kindle | Nook

This Quiet Sky by Joanne Bischof is only $0.99 for a limited time! Don’t miss this achingly beautiful story of timeless love and finding hope in the midst of sorrow!

 

This Quiet Sky

There is nothing extraordinary about Tucker O’Shay’s dreams. 

Go to college. Become president. Fall in love.
And pretend like he has enough time to get it all done.

Sixteen-year-old Sarah Miller doesn’t expect anything out of the ordinary when she begins her first day at the one-room-school house in her new hometown of Rocky Knob. But when she meets seventeen-year-old Tucker O’Shay—the boy with the fatal illness who volunteers to tutor her in algebra—she finds herself swept up in a friendship that changes the way she sees the world and a love that changes her life.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →