Tag Archives: Historical romance

Review: Love’s Rescue

25 Jun

Love's Rescue

Love’s Rescue by Christine Johnson

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

When her mother dies, Elizabeth Benjamin heads home to Key West, determined to transform herself into the perfect Southern belle her parents always wished her to be. But nothing goes according to plan. Her crippled brother resents her, the servants do not obey her, and Rourke O’Malley, the dashing man she vowed to forget, refuses to relinquish his hold on her heart. Worst of all, it becomes painfully obvious that her father is not the upright man he appears to be.

As family secrets come to light, Elizabeth is faced with a difficult choice: to do her duty and abandon her dreams, or to leave her life of privilege behind to chase the man her father sees as little better than a pirate.

From the first emotional page, author Christine Johnson throws readers into a world of impossible choices, hidden desires, and heart-melting romance in the steamy south. Readers will cheer for Elizabeth and Rourke as they battle the odds and the elements to secure their future.

My thoughts:

Love’s Rescue is a captivating story of adventure and romance! Christine Johnson’s writing is beautiful and she deftly swept me away to historical Key West. The island setting comes to life on the pages, as do the characters and their story.

Elizabeth Benjamin and Rourke O’Malley are wonderful characters and their dramatic story beguiled me with its intrigue, emotion, and romance. I loved Love’s Rescue and look forward to continuing this compelling series!

I received a complimentary copy of Love’s Rescue from the author. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and share my honest opinion.

 

Christine Johnson

A small-town Michigan girl, Christine Johnson has lived in every corner of the state’s Lower Peninsula. After trying her hand at music and art, she returned to her first love–story. She holds degrees in English and library studies and works part-time as a librarian. She feels blessed to write for Love Inspired and doubly blessed that two of her manuscripts were finalists for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® award.

When not at the computer keyboard, she loves to hike, kayak, and explore God’s majestic creation. She and her husband split their time between northern Michigan and the Florida Keys.

Christine enjoys hearing from readers through her web site at http://www.christineelizabethjohnson.com.

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Review: A Heart’s Betrayal | Melt Into Summer Giveaway

24 Jun

A Heart's Betrayal

A Heart’s Betrayal by Colleen Coble

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1B65ZsM

Emmie finds shelter in the arms of a soldier, but her secret could drive them apart.

When Emmie Croftner answered the door to her late husband’s home, she discovered an awful truth: her deceased husband was a bigamist. And what’s more, the home she thought she inherited never belonged to her at all.

Suddenly displaced, powerless, and ashamed, Emmie can’t stay in Wabash, Indiana. She makes a hopeful start for Fort Laramie, Wyoming, to find her friend Sarah Montgomery and a new beginning. But when she arrives, she discovers she’s pregnant—and without a husband. The new start she’d hoped for slips from her fingers.

But then she meets Isaac Liddle, a handsome soldier with a kind heart. When he begins to court her, Emmie wonders whether she could ever really be his—and whether she dares to tell him she is carrying another man’s baby.

My thoughts:

A Heart’s Betrayal is another great story in the Journey of the Heart serialization!  As the end of this journey draws closer and closer, the more anxious I become to find out what will happen next.  Each short story has left me eager for the next, and A Heart’s Betrayal is no exception. 

In this fourth installment of the serialization, readers are introduced to Emmie Croftner, Ben Croftner’s sister.   When Emmie’s world is turned upside down, she seeks a fresh start in Wyoming with childhood friend Sarah Montgomery.  While this story is not as action-packed as those that have preceded it, I thought the slower pace was well-suited to the dramatic story line.  I enjoyed meeting Emmie, as well as catching up with Rand and Sarah and Jacob and Amelia, and I can’t wait to continue their stories.   

The Journey of the Heart serialization begins with A Heart’s Disguise and includes six installments that will release monthly from March through August. These stories were originally published in two books, Where Leads the Heart and Plains of Promise.

A complimentary copy of A Heart’s Betrayal was provided to me through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and offer my honest opinion.

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

 

Melt into summer with a new giveaway from Colleen: four books (books one–four in Colleen’s A Journey of the Heart series) and a box of chocolates to pair with your new books!

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One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A copy of A Heart’s Betrayal
  • A box of Colleen’s favorite chocolate truffles from DeBrand Fine Chocolates
  • A copy of A Heart’s Disguise
  • A copy of A Heart’s Obsession
  • A copy of A Heart’s Danger

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 30th. Winner will be announced July 1st on Colleen’s website.

heartsbetrayal-enterbanner

 

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble has sold over 2 million novels worldwide. Seagrass Pier, the third installment in her acclaimed Hope Beach series, marks a new highpoint for emotion and complexity in Coble’s addictive brand of romantic suspense.

Find Colleen online: website, Facebook, Twitter

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Review: Hearts Made Whole | Prize Pack Giveaway and Facebook Party

13 Jun

Hearts Made Whole

Hearts Made Whole by Jody Hedlund

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1eN4pC8

Hearts Made Whole is a captivating story!  The superb imagery and characterization pulled me into the pages and swept me away to 1865 Michigan.  I felt such compassion for the characters in this story!  Ryan Chambers, who we met in Book 1, Love Unexpected, is a haunted hero.  This war veteran has come to the Windmill Point Lighthouse to hide from his past and, instead, finds himself and his future.  Caroline Taylor, the heroine, assumes the care of her family and the lighthouse after her father’s death and does so with strength and tenacity.  In addition to the main characters, there are also several secondary characters who evoked strong emotions as I read.    

I loved the historical details, spiritual themes, gripping suspense, and tender romance found in Hearts Made Whole.  Jody Hedlund masterfully weaves these threads together, creating a most compelling story!    I highly recommend Hearts Made Whole, as well as the other stories in the Beacons of Hope series.  While each story stands alone, there is a special thread that runs through the series and is such a beautiful part of each story.  As thoughts of this story linger, I anxiously await the release of Book 3, Undaunted Hope.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me through Litfuse Publicity.  I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and share my honest opinion.

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

 

Celebrate the release of Hearts Made Whole by entering to win an Afternoon at the Beach prize pack and RSVPing to Jody’s June 23rd author chat party!

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One grand prize winner will receive:

One second-place winner will receive:

One third-place winner will receive:

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Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 23rd.Winner will be announced June 23rd at Jody’s Facebook party. RSVP here!
hearts made whole - enter banner

 

About the book:

Can she forgive the hurting man who costs her the role she loves?

After her father’s death, Caroline Taylor has grown confident running the Windmill Point Lighthouse. But in 1865 Michigan, women aren’t supposed to have such roles, so it’s only a matter of time before the lighthouse inspector appoints a new keeper—even though Caroline has nowhere else to go and no other job available to her.

Ryan Chambers is a Civil War veteran still haunted by the horrors of battle. He’s secured the position of lighthouse keeper mostly for the isolation—the chance to hide from his past is appealing. He’s not expecting the current keeper to be a feisty and beautiful woman who’s angry with him for taking her job and for his inability to properly run the light. When his failings endanger others, he and Caroline realize he’s in no shape to run the lighthouse, but he’s unwilling to let anyone close enough to help. Caroline feels drawn to this wounded soul, but with both of them relying on that single position, can they look past their loss to a future filled with hope…and possibly love?

 

Jody Hedlund picJody Hedlund is an award-winning and bestselling historical fiction author. She won the 2011 Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, the 2011 Award of Excellence from the Colorado Romance Writers and was a finalist for Best Debut Novel in the 2011 ACFW Carol Awards. Currently she makes her home in central Michigan, with her husband and five busy children. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog.

Find Jody online: website, Twitter, Facebook

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Review: Now and Forever

8 Jun

Now and Forever

Now and Forever by Mary Connealy

Purchase links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

A grizzly bear, sheep, and wolves!  Oh my!  I can always count on Mary Connealy to humor me with her stories, and she certainly delivered the laughs in Now and Forever.  She also delivered drama, danger, and intrigue in this Wilde adventure. 

I loved Shannon Wilde and Matt Tucker!  Shannon is an independent woman who is determined to maintain her homestead and tend her sheep.  Matt is a mountain man content to hunt and trap and live off the land.  These two are entertaining characters and the fireworks between them are fun to behold!   

Now and Forever is another delightful story in the Wild at Heart series.  I love these feisty sisters and can’t wait to read Book 3, Fire and Ice! 

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

 

About the book:

Saddle up for romance and adventure with the Wilde sisters!

Shannon Wilde is the middle sister–and the one who loves animals. She’s established her own homestead and is raising sheep for their wool. Things are going fine…until Shannon gets swept over a cliff by Matthew Tucker!

Tucker seizes every opportunity to get away from civilization, but one particular walk in the woods ends with him sprinting away from an angry grizzly and plunging into a raging river, accidentally taking Shannon Wilde with him. Their adventure in the wilderness results in the solitary mountain man finding himself hitched to a young woman with a passel of relatives, a homestead, and a flock of sheep to care for.

As Tucker and Shannon learn to live with each other, strange things begin to happen on Shannon’s land. Someone clearly wants to drive her off, but whoever it is apparently didn’t count on Tucker. Trying to scare Matthew Tucker just makes him mad–and trying to hurt the woman he’s falling in love with sets off something even he never expected.

 

Mary Conneally

 

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy…with cowboys.
http://www.maryconnealy.com
She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

 

 

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Review: A Heart’s Danger | Perfect Pairing Giveaway

21 May

A Heart's Danger

A Heart’s Danger by Colleen Coble

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1G01e4s

On the brink of war with the Sioux, Sarah risks everything to expose the betrayal threatening the man she loves.

Christmas is coming, and the air at Fort Laramie has turned cold . . . but relations with the Sioux have turned colder. As tensions between soldiers and natives approach a tipping point, a trap has been set for Rand Campbell.  Rand’s new fiancée wants to keep him from returning to Sarah Montgomery . . . for whom his heart clearly still yearns.

Sarah just wants to move on with her life at Fort Laramie, but doing so under the watchful eyes of both Campbell—the man whose love she craves—and Croftner—the man whose lies have cost her everything.

Will Rand fall victim to the conspiracy and go through with his wedding? Or will he declare his love for Sarah and make good on the promises that brought her into the rugged western territories?

My thoughts:

A Heart’s Danger is a gripping story!  This third installment of the Journey of the Heart serialization is brimming with drama, intrigue, and danger, as tensions mount and conspiracies abound.  I am really enjoying this serialization and can’t wait to find out what will happen next.  Once again, Colleen Coble has enthralled me and left me anxiously awaiting next month’s release!   

The Journey of the Heart serialization begins with A Heart’s Disguise and includes six installments that will release monthly from March through August. These stories were originally published in two books, Where Leads the Heart and Plains of Promise.

A complimentary copy of A Heart’s Danger was provided to me through Litfuse Publicity. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and offer my honest opinion.

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

 

Enter to win the perfect pairing giveaway: three books (books one–three in Colleen’s A Journey of the Heart series) and coffee to pair with your new book!

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One grand prize winner will receive:

  • A copy of A Heart’s Danger
  • A pound of Colleen’s favorite coffee, Captain Davy’s Coffee Roaster Costa Rican
  • A copy of A Heart’s Disguise
  • A copy of A Heart’s Obsession

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 31st. Winner will be announced June 1st on Colleen’s website.

heartsdanger-enterbanner

 

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble has sold over 2 million novels worldwide. Seagrass Pier, the third installment in her acclaimed Hope Beach series, marks a new highpoint for emotion and complexity in Coble’s addictive brand of romantic suspense.

Find Colleen online: website, Facebook, Twitter

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Review: To Win Her Favor | Kindle Fire Giveaway

2 May

To Win Her Favor

To Win Her Favor by Tamera Alexander

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1OYbn27

A gifted rider in a world where ladies never race, Maggie Linden is determined that her horse will become a champion. But the one man who could help her has vowed to stay away from thoroughbred racing forever.

An Irishman far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him. He’s come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and begin farming, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he’d wagered, especially when Maggie Linden’s father makes him an offer he shouldn’t accept yet cannot possibly refuse.

Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the inaugural Peyton Stakes, the richest race ever run in America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that chance—and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder—Maggie’s father, aging, yet wily as ever, makes a barter. His agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail—Maggie must marry a man she’s never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.

 

My thoughts:

To Win Her Favor is a captivating love story!

Book Two in the Belle Meade Plantation series, To Win Her Favor reads as a stand-alone novel.  However, Book One, To Whisper Her Name, is another wonderful story and one I highly recommend.

Tamera Alexander’s writing is beautiful and vividly portrays the post-Civil War era.  Historical details and well-crafted characters also add richness and depth to this story.  As Maggie Linden and Cullen McGrath enter into a marriage of convenience, they must learn to rely on each other as they endure hurts and heartaches and cling to hopes and dreams.

Maggie and Cullen are such complex characters, and I really enjoyed their strength and determination, as well as their captivating love story.  I also enjoyed the racing aspects of the story and cheered for Bourbon Belle and her spirited rider.  Tamera Alexander once again brings Nashville and Belle Meade Plantation history to life and leaves me eager for the next book in this compelling series!

Please note:  This book contains topics of racial prejudices and injustices and marital intimacies.  For this reason, I do not recommend this book for younger readers or those who may be uncomfortable with these subjects.

I received a complimentary copy of To Win Her Favor through Litfuse Publicity.  I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and share my honest opinion.

 

Landing Page:
http://litfusegroup.com/author/talexander

Celebrate the release of To Win Her Favor with a Kindle Fire and book giveaway!

to win her favor - 400

One grand prize winner will receive:

  • A Kindle Fire HD 6
  • A copy of To Win Her Favor

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 10th. Winner will be announced May 11th on Tamera’s blog. Plus stay tuned for more opportunities to win after May 11 with a special Pinterest contest—more details coming soon!

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{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

 

 

Tamera AlexanderTamera Alexander is a best-selling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Nashville, Tennessee, along with their two adult children who live near by. And don’t forget Jack, their precious—and precocious—silky terrier.

Find Tamera online: website, Facebook, Twitter

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Review: After a Fashion

20 Apr

After a Fashion

After a Fashion by Jen Turano

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

Miss Harriet Peabody dreams of the day she can open up a shop selling refashioned gowns to independent working women like herself. Unfortunately, when an errand for her millinery shop job goes sadly awry due to a difficult customer, she finds herself out of an income.

Mr. Oliver Addleshaw is on the verge of his biggest business deal yet when he learns his potential partner prefers to deal with men who are settled down and wed. When Oliver witnesses his ex not-quite-fiance cause the hapless Harriet to lose her job, he tries to make it up to her by enlisting her help in making a good impression on his business partner.

Harriet quickly finds her love of fashion can’t make her fashionable. She’ll never truly fit into Oliver’s world, but just as she’s ready to call off the fake relationship, fancy dinners, and elegant balls, a threat from her past forces both Oliver and Harriet to discover that love can come in the most surprising packages.

 

My thoughts:

Hilarity ensues in this latest release from Jen Turano!  After a Fashion boasts a vivid setting, excellent characterization, and an engaging storyline.  I loved the host of quirky characters and their witty dialogue and often outrageous antics.  Miss Harriet Peabody’s adventures were such fun and her relationship with Mr. Oliver Addleshaw was quite entertaining.  Their story is delightful, as is the unexpected twist at the end.  I enjoyed After a Fashion and look forward to the next release in this new series!  

I received a complimentary copy of After a Fashion.  I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and offer my honest opinion. 

 

Jen TuranoJen Turano is the acclaimed author of The Ladies of Distinction Series, published through Bethany House publishers. Her second novel, A Most Peculiar Circumstance was chosen by Booklist as a Top Ten Romance for 2013. Her fourth book, A Match of Wits, released in July, 2014, while a new series, A Class of Their Own, will begin hitting the shelves in early 2015. She is a member of ACFW and makes her home outside of Denver, Colorado with her husband and teenage son.

Author Links:
Website | Facebook

  

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Review: A Heart’s Obsession | Kindle Fire Giveaway

18 Apr

A Heart's Obsession

A Heart’s Obsession by Colleen Coble

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

When Sarah Montgomery’s father succumbs to his long illness, Sarah is faced with a life-altering choice: submit to her brother’s will and marry the deceptive Ben Croftner . . . or escape through the dangerous American West to reclaim the heart of her beloved Rand Campbell at Fort Laramie, Wyoming.

My thoughts:

The journey continues in this second installment of Colleen Coble’s novel serialization.  As Rand Campbell leaves for his post in Fort Laramie, Wyoming, more drama ensues.  Family circumstances change for Sarah Montgomery and her younger brother Joel, and they decided to pursue a life out west.  After a difficult trip to the fort with their friends, their arrival does not garner the welcome they hoped for.   “Will Sarah’s journey west lead her back into the arms of the one man she can trust?”

Colleen Coble’s writing is descriptive and emotion-filled!  In A Heart’s Obsession, tension continues to mount, unexpected events occur, and the conclusion of the story leaves characters in jeopardy and readers desperate for more.  I enjoyed this short story and am eager to continue the journey in next month’s release, A Heart’s Danger. 

The Journey of the Heart serialization begins with A Heart’s Disguise and includes six installments that will release monthly from March through August.  These stories were originally published in two books, Where Leads the Heart and Plains of Promise.  

A complimentary copy of A Heart’s Obsession was provided to me through Litfuse Publicity. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and offer my honest opinion.

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

 
Can a woman held captive by her family make it back to the one man she knows she can trust? Find out in book two, A Heart’s Obsession, of Colleen Coble’s Journey of the Heart series.  Celebrate book two in Colleen’s A Journey of the Heart series by entering to win a Kindle Fire and RSVPing to her May 5th author chat party!

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One grand prize winner will receive:

  • A Kindle Fire
  • A copy of A Heart’s Disguise
  • A copy of A Heart’s Obsession
  • A copy of The Inn at Ocean’s Edge (blog tour coming in mid-April)

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 7th. Winner will be announced May 8th on Colleen’s website. Plus be sure to clear your calendar on the evening of May 5th because Colleen is hosting an author chat party on Facebook to celebrate her A Journey of the Heart series and the release of The Inn at Ocean’s Edge! RSVP here!

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RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on May 5th!

 

Colleen Coble Colleen Coble has sold over 2 million novels worldwide. Seagrass Pier, the third installment in her acclaimed Hope Beach series, marks a new highpoint for emotion and complexity in Coble’s addictive brand of romantic suspense.

Find Colleen online: website, Facebook, Twitter

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Review: Tried and True

8 Apr

Tried & True

Tried & True by Mary Connealy

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Saddle up for a wildly fun ride with the Wilde sisters!

Kylie Wilde is the youngest sister–and the most civilized. Her older sisters might be happy dressing in trousers and posing as men, but Kylie has grown her hair long and wears skirts every chance she gets. It’s a risk–they are homesteading using the special exemptions they earned serving in the Civil War as “boys”–but Kylie plans to make the most of the years before she can sell her property and return to the luxuries of life back East.

Local land agent Aaron Masterson is fascinated with Kylie from the moment her long hair falls from her cap. But now that he knows her secret, can he in good conscience defraud the U.S. government? And when someone tries to force Kylie off her land, does he have any hope of convincing her that marrying him and settling on the frontier is the better option for her future?

Thoughts:

I loved this fun story!  Mary Connealy is a master of humor and western romance!  From the spunky characters to the drama, danger, and romance, Tried & True is pure delight.  I devoured this book and am eager to get my hands on the next one! 

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

Mary Conneally

 

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy…with cowboys.
http://www.maryconnealy.com
She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.
    

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Review + Sale: Love’s Unfading Light

26 Mar

Love's Unfading Light

Love’s Unfading Light by Naomi Rawlings

Purchase a copy: http://amzn.to/1HB8vJa

Lake Superior, 1880
Tressa Danell is finished with men—from the wastrel who left her a widow, to the smelly trapper who keeps proposing, to the banker who wants to repossess her bakery. Every hour is spent working to pay off her late husband’s debt and keep a roof over her son’s head, though it’s doubtful she can do both for very long. But one thing’s certain—she’ll never be beholden to a man again.

Tired of living in a small town that blames him for actions his father committed ten years ago, Mac Oakton is scheduled to leave Eagle Harbor. So why does the pretty widow at the bakery keep tugging at his heart? He can’t get involved in her predicament when he’ll only be around for two more weeks.

But when Tressa’s burdens overwhelm her, they both face a decision. Can Mac set his own plans aside to help? And can Tressa accept his support if that means giving up her independence … and being obligated to a man again?

My thoughts:

Love’s Unfading Light is a captivating tale of history and romance! Naomi Rawlings paints a vivid picture of life in Eagle Harbor, Michigan, bringing the story and its characters to life. My heart ached for Tressa Danell and her struggles, as it did for Mac Oakton and the scrutiny he faced. I loved these special characters and their emotional and spiritual journeys!

Love’s Unfading Light is a compelling story and a highly recommended read for fans of historical romance. I can’t wait for the next book in the Eagle Harbor series!

A complimentary copy of Love’s Unfading Light was provided to me by the author. I appreciate the opportunity to read this story and offer my honest opinion.

 

Now through Saturday, the e-book is on sale for $1.99!

Love's Unfading Light sale

 

Naomi RawlingsA mother of two young boys, Naomi Rawlings spends her days picking up, cleaning, playing and, of course, writing. Her husband pastors a small church in Michigan’s rugged Upper Peninsula, where her family shares its ten wooded acres with black bears, wolves, coyotes, deer and bald eagles. Naomi and her family live only three miles from Lake Superior, where the scenery is beautiful and they average 200 inches of snow per winter. Naomi writes bold, dramatic stories containing passionate words and powerful journeys.

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

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