Tag Archives: Christian fiction

Review: Gabriel’s Atonement

24 Feb

Gabriel's Atonement

Gabriel’s Atonement by Vickie McDonough

All Gabe Coulter ever wanted was to live a comfortable life as a successful gambler, but a confrontation with a disgruntled cowboy who’d just lost to Gabe leads to a family man dying in his arms. Even though it was self-defense, the only way Gabe knows to get rid of his guilt is to return the money he won to the man’s wife. Lara Talbot sees Gabe as a derelict like her husband and wants nothing to do with him. But as she struggles to provide for her family and makes plans to claim property in the upcoming Oklahoma land rush, she wonders if God might have sent the meddling gambler to help.

Thoughts:

What a wonderful story! With excellent characterization and a compelling plot, Vickie McDonough brings this captivating story to life! I love reading historical fiction and found the details of the Oklahoma land rush especially interesting. Full of action, adventure, and romance, this book is a must read! I loved Gabriel’s Atonement and can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Joline’s Redemption!

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | DeeperShopping

 

Vickie McDonoughBest-selling author Vickie McDonough grew up wanting to marry a rancher but instead, she married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She lives out her childhood dream by penning romances set in the Old West. Vickie is an award-winning author of more than 30 books and novellas. Her books have won the Booksellers Best Award, OWFI Best Fiction Book Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest, Texas Gold, and the ACFW Noble Theme contest, and she has been a finalist in ACFW’s BOTY/Carol Awards contest eight times and also the Holt Medallion Contest.

Vickie and her husband live in Oklahoma. They have been married thirty-nine years and have four grown sons and a feisty eight-year-old granddaughter. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, gardening, watching movies, traveling, and collecting antiques and doing stained glass projects. To learn more about Vickie’s books, visit her website: http://www.vickiemcdonough.com.

 

My thanks to the author and publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own and no monetary compensation was received.

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Friday Freebies

20 Feb

A Hopeful Heart

A Hopeful Heart by Amy Clipston

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

In A Hopeful Heart, the first novel of the new Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series from best-selling author Amy Clipston, Hannah finds herself at a crossroads in her life. Her community offers her love and support after the untimely death of her husband, but an Englisher offers her the chance of a new life after her unexpected tragedy.

Wealthy businessman Trey Peterson is surprised by his attraction to the gentle Amish woman who works as a housekeeper in the Lancaster Grand Hotel. They share a common bond of loss and are able to offer each other comfort and support as they journey through their grief.

Joshua Glick wants nothing more than to offer his friendship and love to Hannah and her family. Not only is he her late husband’s brother and business partner, he has always been in love with Hannah.

A Hopeful Heart is filled with surprising twists as Hannah tries to balance her life in the Amish community and her growing love for an outsider.

 

All Right Here

All Right Here by Carre Armstrong Gardner

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Ivy Darling can’t have children of her own, and her husband Nick’s resentment is forcing them apart. And while Ivy has the support and love of her large, close-knit family, Nick’s family has never welcomed her into the fold.

When the three children next door are abandoned by their mother, Ivy and Nick take them in for the night. One night becomes several, and suddenly Ivy and Nick find themselves foster parents to the only African-American kids in the town of Copper Cove, Maine. As Ivy grows more attached to the children, Nick refuses to accept their eclectic household as a permanent family. Just as Ivy begins to question whether or not she wants to save her emotionally barren marriage, Nick begins to discover how much Ivy and the children mean to him. But is his change of heart too little, too late?

 

Veil of Fire

Veil of Fire by Marlo Schalesky

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

In 1894, the worst firestorm in Minnesota history descended on the town of Hinckley, consuming 400 square miles and killing 418 people in just four hours.

Heat, flame, and darkness swept through the town, devouring lives, and consuming all hope. In the aftermath of the fire, the town of Hinckley rises from the ashes, its people determined to rebuild their lives.

But in the shadows, someone is watching, someone is waiting, someone who knows the secrets the fire lay bare. A rumor spreads of a mysterious figure that haunts the hills; monster, a ghost, or a memory?

 

Bandit Bride

Bandit Bride by Helen Gray

Amazon

She’s Robin Hood of the Prairie. He’s a Texas Ranger. Is this duo too much for Dodge City?

Having lost her parents, and in danger of losing her ranch to an unscrupulous opportunist, Jackie (Jacinda) Laughton is surviving in Dodge City’s heyday, but not without a load of guilt and estrangement from God and the church. In desperation she and her best friend have resorted to banditry. Donning disguises, they are the popular “Whip and Blade” who hold up the lender’s stagecoach runs, keeping the money they need and distributing the rest to more of the man’s victims. No one suspects they are young women.

When Hoyt Travers, a Texas Ranger, arrives in Dodge and shows an interest in her, Jackie finds herself drawn to him, but wary of the danger he represents. He learns the truth and offers to marry her to protect her, but can she accept such a sacrifice and hide her love that might never be returned? She must learn to accept God’s forgiveness and trust God for her needs.

 

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Review: Deadly Echoes

19 Feb

Deadly Echoes

Deadly Echoes by Nancy Mehl

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook | DeeperShopping

After a youth filled with tragedy and upheaval, Sarah Miller’s life is finally settled with all echoes of the past silent at last. She happily calls Sanctuary her home and spends her days teaching at the local school.

Sarah’s joy at her recent reunion with her sister, Hannah, and meeting the niece she didn’t know she had is too soon interrupted when Deputy Sheriff Paul Gleason informs Sarah her sister has been killed.

As she learns more about Hannah’s death, the circumstances are eerily similar to their parents’ murder. Sarah enlists Paul’s help in digging deeper into the murders the police are dismissing as burglaries gone wrong. Paul’s concern encourages Sarah’s growing feelings for him, but as their investigation peels back the layers of lies almost twenty years old, they get close to uncovering the truth one person will do anything to hide–even if that means coming after the last remaining members of the Miller family.

Thoughts:

Deadly Echoes is the second book in Nancy Mehl’s Finding Sanctuary series. I believe this story easily stands on its own, as I have not read the first book, Gathering Shadows, and had no problems following the storyline.

Deadly Echoes takes place in the small town of Sanctuary, Missouri. Sarah Miller is enjoying her simple life as a teacher when echoes of the past come back to haunt her and change her life forever.

I really enjoy a good suspense and this one certainly kept me guessing and trying to put the pieces of the past together to discover the culprit. While I would have liked a little more depth to the story and a bit more romance, I did enjoy the characterization and suspenseful storyline and am left wondering what will happen next in this small town.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Bethany House Blogger Reviewer program. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own and no monetary compensation was received.

 

Nancy Mehl

Nancy Mehl lives in Festus, Missouri, with her husband Norman, and her very active puggle, Watson. She’s authored fifteen books and is currently at work on a new romantic suspense series for Bethany House Publishing.

All of Nancy’s novels have an added touch – something for your spirit as well as your soul. “I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing,” Nancy says. “It’s a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn’t be writing at all if I didn’t believe that this is what He’s called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can’t overcome with His help.”

You can find out more about Nancy by visiting her website.

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Review: To Save Her Child

18 Feb

To Save Her Child

To Save Her Child by Margaret Daley

When a young boy goes missing from wilderness day camp, Alaskan search and rescue worker Josiah Witherspoon is on the case. The brooding ex-marine promises to find the child and return him to his worried mother. But he doesn’t know that Ella Jackson has a secret past. One that could put them all in danger. When tensions mount, Ella needs to tell Josiah the truth—but she can’t set aside her fears enough to trust him. Ella and Josiah are ready to risk their lives to save her son, but will they risk their hearts, as well?

Alaskan Search and Rescue: Risking their lives to save the day

Thoughts:

To Save Her Child is another exciting suspense from Margaret Daley! Although it is the second book in the Alaskan Search and Rescue series, this story stands on its own.

As Ella Jackson’s worst fears come true, she must learn to trust and accept help from those around her. Josiah Witherspoon risks his life as a search and rescue volunteer, but hesitates to risk his heart. These two must risk it all to save Ella’s young son.

I love reading about the special people who risk their lives to save others! Ella and Josiah are endearing characters and I really enjoyed the development of their relationship. The emotions are palpable in this fast-paced story of danger and suspense. I enjoyed To Save Her Child and recommend it to fans of romantic suspense!

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook

 

About the Author:

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, please visit her website at: www.margaretdaley.com.

 

My thanks to the author for the complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own and no monetary compensation was received.

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Blog Tour: SABOTAGED Review + GIVEAWAY

16 Feb

Sabotaged

SABOTAGED by Dani Pettrey
(Alaskan Courage Series #5)

 

Growing up, goody-two-shoes Kirra Jacobs and troublemaker Reef McKenna were always at odds. Now paired together on Yancey’s search-and-rescue canine unit, they begin to put aside old arguments as they come to see each other in a different light.

Then a call comes in from the Iditarod that will push them to their limits. Kirra’s uncle, a musher in the race, has disappeared. Kirra and Reef quickly track the man, but what they discover is harrowing. Frank’s daughter has been kidnapped. In order to save her, the man must use his knowledge as a mechanical engineer to do the kidnapper’s bidding or she will die.

Kirra and Reef, along with the entire McKenna family, are thrown into a race to stop a shadowy villain who is not only threatening a girl’s life, but appears willing to unleash one of the largest disasters Alaska has ever seen.

Book Info & Sample Chapter:
http://www.danipettrey.com/books/


Enjoy the SABOTAGED Pinterest Board:

 

Thoughts:

I had such mixed emotions as I began this book!  I was anxious to read Reef’s story, but I was also reluctant to let go of the McKenna family.  I am happy to say that Sabotaged is an exciting conclusion to an exciting series! 

The drama quickly unfolds in the icy tundra of Alaska.  As mushers race to the finish in the Iditarod, Reef McKenna and Kirra Jacobs find themselves in a race against time.  The danger continues to escalate in this page-turning suspense and the twists and turns will leave you breathless.  I loved the uniqueness of this storyline, the spiritual threads that run throughout, and the tender romance that developed.  Sabotaged is a compelling story that kept me guessing and I enjoyed every minute of the adventure!

Sabotaged is the fifth and final book in Dani Pettrey’s acclaimed Alaskan Courage series.  While each book in the series can stand on its own, I encourage you to read them in order to better understand the characters and their stories.  If you are a fan of romantic suspense, this is a series I think you will love!

Saying goodbye to the McKenna family also means saying hello to a whole new cast of characters.  I can’t wait to meet them in Dani’s Chesapeake Valor series, which releases next year!    

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All thoughts expressed in this review are my own and no monetary compensation was received. 

 

GIVEAWAY!

Dani Pettrey and Bethany House Publishers have generously offered a copy of Sabotaged to be given away to one lucky reader!  To enter, please leave a comment, including your email address.

SabotagedThis giveaway is open to US residents only and ends Sunday, February 22 at 11:59 p.m. CST.  The winner will be drawn and announced on Monday, February 23.  Good luck!!

To earn additional entries, you may do the following:

◦Let me know you follow my blog
◦Sign up to follow if you are not a follower
◦Share this giveaway through Facebook, Twitter, your blog, or email

Be sure and leave a comment letting me know what you have done to earn additional entries.

Contest Rules:
◦No purchase is necessary.
◦Odds of winning are based on number of entries.
◦US residents, 18 and older, are eligible to enter.

 

Dani Pettrey
Dani Pettrey is a wife, home-schooling mom, and the acclaimed author of the romantic suspense series Alaskan Courage, which includes her bestselling novels Submerged, Shattered, Stranded, Silenced, and her latest release, Sabotaged. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail biting suspense, the deepening of her characters’ faith, and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland, where they enjoy time with their daughters, son-in-law, and super-adorable grandson.

Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Get your copy of SABOTAGED by Author Dani Pettrey!

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Review: Masterpiece Marriage

11 Feb

Masterpiece Marriage

Masterpiece Marriage by Gina Welborn

After a flood damages the looms at Zenus Dane’s Philadelphia textile mill and the bank demands loan payment, Zenus turns to his aunt for help repurposing his textiles. Trouble is . . . his aunt has already been hired by the lovely yet secretive Englishwoman Mary Varrs. Eager to acquire his aunt’s quilt patterns, Zenus attends the summer Quilting Bee, a social event his aunt has uniquely designed with the secret purpose of finding Zenus a wife. However Zenus only has eyes for Mary, but Mary has no such desire for him. Though his aunt is determined to design a masterpiece marriage, both Zenus and Mary will have to overcome their stubborn ways. Can he realize that love requires stepping out of his routine? And will she recognize that following her heart doesn’t mean sacrificing her ambition?

 

Thoughts:

“Being intentional,” he said, “is a quality more people should possess.”

Gina Welborn has penned a wonderful addition to the Quilts of Love series! Masterpiece Marriage is a beautiful story!

I loved the richness and depth of the historical setting and story details. The tapestry of this story includes so many lovely threads. The characters are complex and charming and the relationship between Englishwoman Mary Varrs and textile mill owner Zenus Dane is delightful. I also enjoyed Zenus’s Aunt Priscilla and her determination to design a masterpiece marriage.

Engaging, humorous, and romantic, Masterpiece Marriage is a pleasure to read! I loved this book and can’t wait to read more from Gina Welborn!

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook

 

Gina Welborn

Gina Welborn wrote public service announcements for a news radio station until she fell in love with writing romances. She’s the author of three Barbour novellas, including the 2014 Selah finalist “Mercy Mild” in ECPA-bestselling Mistletoe Memories, with more novellas to be released over the next two years. 2014 ushers in the release of her novels: The Heiress’s Courtship, The Marshal’s Pursuit, and Masterpiece Marriage. A moderately obsessive fan of Community, Once Upon a Time, and Chopped, Gina lives in Oklahoma with her pastor husband, their five Okie-Hokie children, a box-lab, two rabbits, four guinea pigs, and a fancy Russian dwarf hamster named Tom Bob Deucalion.

To learn more about Gina and her books, please visit http://www.ginawelborn.com/.

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All thoughts expressed are my own and no monetary compensation was received.

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Cover Reveal + GIVEAWAY: Where Trains Collide

8 Feb

I’m so excited to share Amber Stokes’ cover reveal for Where Trains Collide!  Isn’t it fabulous?  I love it!

WhereTrainsColllide

 

New Adult Contemporary Romance Novella
 
Two hearts racing in different directions will meet where trains collide.
 
Burned out and disillusioned with her chosen career path, Trisha Knolane gives in to impulse and hops on a train bound for Oregon, eager to escape the stress of college for a few days. But what begins as a fun little adventure suddenly collapses into a nightmare when she discovers that her ex-boyfriend is also on board.
 
All her hopes and dreams had once centered on Paul Benson. Now, when Trisha doesn’t know where her current track will lead, Paul’s questions only complicate matters and spark a few of her own.
 
Questions that could change the course of her life.

A heartfelt and thought-provoking contemporary romance novella, Where Trains Collide faces the uncertain season of new adulthood head-on and shows that sometimes a path of broken dreams can lead to life’s best destination.

Coming April 2015

Add to Goodreads

WTC Graphic

 

About the Author

Amber Stokes Author PicAmber Stokes works in marketing for a Christian publisher. On the side, she writes inspirational fiction depicting the seasons of life and love. Her passion for books compelled her to earn a bachelor’s degree in English and to run her own freelance editing and publicity business for over a year. The next step in her career has her happily settled in the Pacific Northwest—a part of the world she’s always considered home. Learn more about her indie-author adventure at http://www.seasonsofastory.blogspot.com.

 

About the Cover Designer

Lena Goldfinch Author PicLena Goldfinch writes romance and fantasy for adults and teens. She’s a sucker for a good old-fashioned romance, whether it’s a novel, novella, or short story, young adult or adult, fantasy or realistic, contemporary or historical. Elements of romance, fantasy, and mystery have a way of creeping into her writing, even when she’s writing historicals or something light and contemporary. Lena has been a finalist in several national writing contests, including the RWA Golden Heart and ACFW Genesis contests. She lives in a scenic small town in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and a very spoiled Black Lab. Visit Lena at http://www.LenaGoldfinch.blogspot.com.

 

GIVEAWAY!

Autumn Earrings - Belle on a Budget

Fall in love with gorgeous autumn earrings by Belle on a Budget (perfect to set aside as a gift for yourself or a friend later on!) and treat yourself now to a little something on Amazon.com with a $5 gift card. This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only, and you can enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

Enter the Rafflecopter GIVEAWAY here!

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Friday Freebies

6 Feb

Forsaking All Others

Forsaking All Others by Allison Pittman

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Camilla Fox is alive. The last thing she remembers is being lost in the snow after leaving her home to escape the Mormon faith she no longer calls her own. She’s been taken in by the 5th Infantry Regiment of the US Army and given over to the personal care of Captain Charles Brandon. As she regains her strength, memories of her two children she had to leave behind come flooding back, threatening to break her heart. Camilla is determined to reunite with her daughters. But when news of her father’s grave illness reaches her, she knows she must return to the family farm to reconcile with her father. As spring arrives, Camilla returns to Salt Lake City a changed woman, but nothing could prepare her for the changes to the city, to the Mormon church, and to the family she left behind.

 

Firewall

Firewall by DiAnn Mills

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

After a whirlwind romance, Taryn Young is preparing to board a plane at Houston International Airport, bound for a dream honeymoon, when a bomb decimates the terminal. Injured but still alive, she awakens to discover her husband is missing and they’re both considered prime suspects in the attack. Further, the FBI is convinced her husband isn’t who he appears to be.Agent Grayson Hall’s number-one priority is to catch those responsible for the day’s act of terror. All evidence is pointing to Taryn and her new husband. But his instinct tells him her pleas of innocence are genuine. Is her naivete just for show, or could she truly be another victim of a master scheme, possibly linked to the software she recently developed for her company?With both their lives and reputations on the line, and the media outcry for justice increasing with each passing minute, Taryn and Grayson have no choice but to trust one another . . . and pray they can uncover the truth before they become two more casualties.

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Review: Christmas Underdogs

4 Feb

Christmas Underdogs

Christmas Underdogs by Connie Cameron

Christmas is supposed to be a season of joy and gladness. But sometimes it can be a season of pain and sorrow. For author Connie Cameron, Christmas of 2009 was just that.  However, Connie was reminded that she didn’t have to succumb to the pity party; she had a choice. When she trusted God in the midst of her sadness, He worked behind the scenes in her heart and in the hearts of others.

Thoughts:

Christmas Underdogs is an inspiring book! Connie Cameron shares seasons of joy and seasons of sorrow in this touching, personal story. I enjoyed the wit, wisdom, and candidness with which she recounts her journey helping underdogs, both canine and human. Christmas Underdogs is a heartfelt tale that will bring laughter and tears and encourage you to open your heart to those around you!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through The Book Club Network. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own and no monetary compensation was received.

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Friday Freebie

30 Jan

Forgiveness Collection

A Bridge Unbroken and The Fragrance of Crushed Violets
by Cathy Bryant

FREE January 27-31 at Amazon!

Now bundled in this digital collection, the fifth Miller’s Creek novel A BRIDGE UNBROKEN and its companion Bible study THE FRAGRANCE OF CRUSHED VIOLETS both explore the difficult topic of forgiving the inexcusable.

A BRIDGE UNBROKEN

Not all scars are visible…
Frightened and on the run, Dakota Kelly just wants to erase the painful past. But her plan to start afresh is derailed when she co-inherits her late grandfather’s farm with her high school sweetheart–the one responsible for the scars on her heart. Unfortunately, he’s not the only ghost from the past. Someone else is on her trail and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Will Chance and Dakota lay aside old wounds and a harbored secret to restore the old farmhouse and bridge, or will evil forces sabotage their attempts to forgive?

THE FRAGRANCE OF CRUSHED VIOLETS

A Bible study on forgiveness…
What do we do when someone seems determined to bring us down through an attack that is personal, public, and unfounded? How do we deal with meaningless acts of destruction especially when the offender shows no remorse? In short, how do we move past the emotional pain to a place of forgiveness?

This forgiveness Bible study examines relevant scriptures for the purpose of building a Biblical understanding of:

• what forgiveness is and what it isn’t
• God’s role in the process of forgiveness
• what Jesus accomplished at the cross for each of us
• our mandate to forgive as we’ve been forgiven
• what gets in the way of forgiving others
• and how to truly forgive the unforgivable

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