Tag Archives: Inspirational fiction

Join Catherine West TONIGHT for a FB LIVE Party!

22 May

Join Catherine West TONIGHT for a FB LIVE party to celebrate the release of WHERE HOPE BEGINS!
https://www.facebook.com/CatherineJWest/

 

Sometimes we’re allowed to glimpse the beauty within the brokenness…

Savannah Barrington has always found solace at her parents’ lake house in the Berkshires, and it’s the place that she runs to when her husband of over twenty years leaves her. Though her world is shaken, and the future uncertain, she finds hope through an old woman’s wisdom, a little girl’s laughter, and a man who’s willing to risk his own heart to prove to Savannah that she is worthy of love.

But soon Savannah is given a challenge she can’t run away from: Forgiving the unforgivable. Amidst the ancient gardens and musty bookstores of the small town she’s sought refuge in, she must reconcile with the grief that haunts her, the God pursuing her, and the wounds of the past that might be healed after all.

Where Hope Begins is the story of grace in the midst of brokenness, pointing us to the miracles that await when we look beyond our own expectations.

Learn more about Where Hope Begins.  

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#BookReview: Together Forever by Jody Hedlund

16 May

I adore historical fiction, and Jody Hedlund’s orphan train series is one of my favorites! The details and descriptions are vivid and bring to life a compelling tale. Marianne Neumann, her fellow Children’s Aid Society agent Andrew Brady, and their young charges are well-crafted and endearing characters, and I loved experiencing their emotional journey. Together Forever is a beautiful blend of history and romance, and I can’t wait to continue this wonderful series!

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

 

About the  book:

Marianne Neumann became a placing agent with the Children’s Aid Society with one goal: to find her lost sister. Her fellow agent, Andrew Brady, is a former schoolteacher with a way with children and a hidden past. As they team up placing orphans in homes in Illinois, they grow ever closer . . . until a shocking tragedy changes one of their lives forever.

Learn more about Together Forever.

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#BookReview: Pelican Point by Irene Hannon

30 Apr

Pelican Point is a heartwarming tale! I enjoyed Marci’s and Ben’s story and the hope and healing that resonate through their journey. Irene Hannon brings to life an idyllic seaside setting and an endearing cast of characters. It is always a pleasure to visit Hope Harbor and its residents, and I especially delight in Charley. The wisdom he dishes up with his tacos adds to the charm of each Hope Harbor story. Pelican Point left me smiling and looking forward to my next visit to this special coastal community!

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

 

About the book:

A crumbling lighthouse is not part of the inheritance Army doctor Ben Garrison expects to claim when he journeys to Hope Harbor. Fresh out of the service, he wants only to unload the tower of bricks, decompress from years of treating battlefield trauma, and prepare to launch his civilian career.

Hope Harbor Herald editor Marci Weber has other ideas. She may not be a Hope Harbor native, but the small Oregon seaside town has become home–and she’s determined to save the Pelican Point landmark.

Sparks fly as the two go head to head over the fate of the lighthouse. But when they start to cooperate, a different kind of fire ignites. And as they work together, might Hope Harbor heal the hearts of these two romance-wary souls?

Learn more about the book and the author. 

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#BookReview: A Chance at Forever by Melissa Jagears

28 Mar

A Chance at Forever is a beautiful and meaningful story! Mercy McClain is a unique heroine made vulnerable by her physicality as well as her past experiences. Aaron Firebrook is an admirable hero determined to right the wrongs of his past. From the reformation of Mercy and Aaron’s relationship to the children and work of the orphanage, I delighted in this tender tale of faith and forgiveness! While A Chance at Forever is the third book in the Teaville Moral Society series, it can easily be enjoyed independently of its predecessors.

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

 

About the book:

In early 1900s Kansas, Mercy McClain, determined to protect Teaville’s children from the bullying she experienced as a child, finds fulfillment working at the local orphanage and serving on the school board. When Aaron Firebrook, the classmate who bothered her more than any other, petitions the board for a teaching position, she’s dead set against him getting the job.

Aaron knows he deserves every bit of Mercy’s mistrust, but he’s returned to his hometown a changed man and is seeking to earn forgiveness of those he wronged. He doesn’t expect Mercy to like him, but surely he can prove he now has the best interests of the children at heart.

Will resentment and old wounds hold them back, or can Mercy and Aaron put the past behind them in time to face the unexpected threats to everything they’re working for?

Learn more about the book and the author.

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#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.

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#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.

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#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.  

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#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. 

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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?

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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?

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