Tag Archives: Romance

#BookReview: Christmas on Candy Cane Lane by Sheila Roberts

23 Nov

 

Christmas on Candy Cane Lane Tour Banner

 

Christmas on Candy Cane Lane

Christmas on Candy Cane Lane
Author: Sheila Roberts
Publisher: Mira (Harlequin)
Pages: 400
Genre: Women’s Fiction / Romance

Everyone’s getting ready for Christmas in Icicle Falls, especially on Candy Cane Lane, where holiday decorating is taken very seriously. Tilda Morrison, town cop, is looking forward to celebrating Christmas in her first house…until she discovers that she’s expected to “keep up” with the neighbors, including Maddy Donaldson, the inspiration behind the whole extravaganza. But this year, someone’s destroying Maddie’s precious candy canes! Thank goodness for the cop in their neighborhood.

Tilda already has her hands full trying to sort out her love life and fix up her fixer-upper. Oh, and won’t it be fun to have the family over for Christmas dinner? Not really… Then there’s her neighbor, Ivy Bohn. As a newly single mom, Ivy can sum up the holiday in two words: Bah, humbug. But she’s determined to give her kids a perfect Christmas.

Despite family disasters, irritating ex-husbands and kitchen catastrophes, these three women are going to find out that Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year!

For More Information
• Christmas on Candy Cane Lane is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

 

My thoughts:

“Funny how even the most imperfect Christmas can turn out perfectly.”  

Sheila Roberts welcomes readers back to Icicle Falls in this entertaining Christmas tale. Fans of the series are sure to enjoy Tilda’s story and the holiday happenings in her new neighborhood. However, if you have not read prior books in the Life in Icicle Falls series, Christmas on Candy Cane Lane easily stands on its own.

I love Christmas stories and this one was a fun read! Although holiday decorations abound on Candy Cane Lane, not all is happy and bright for Tilda Morrison, Maddy Donaldson, and Ivy Bohn. When these three women endure various calamities, they discover there is more to Christmas than keeping up with the neighbors. Sheila Roberts writes with humor and heart, and I enjoyed spending time in the charming community of Icicle Falls!

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

 

Sheila Roberts

Sheila Roberts lives on a lake in the Pacific Northwest. She’s happily married and has three children. She’s been writing since 1989, but she did lots of things before settling in to her writing career, including owning a singing telegram company and playing in a band. Her band days are over, but she still enjoys writing songs. Sheila’s books are best sellers and often appear as Reader’s Digest Condensed Books. Her novel “Angel Lane” was named one of Amazon’s top ten romances in 2009. Her novel “On Strike for Christmas” was a Lifetime Network movie and her novel “The Nine Lives of Christmas” is now a Hallmark movie, scheduled to air November 8th.

When she’s not speaking to women’s groups or at conferences or hanging out with her girlfriends she can

For More Information
• Visit Sheila Roberts’ website.
• Connect with Sheila on Facebook and Twitter.
• Visit Sheila’s blog.

 

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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!

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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

 

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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.

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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!!

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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?

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$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.

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Review: Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor

23 Jul

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor- Buzzing About Books

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor by Melanie Dobson

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

When Heather Toulson returns to her parents’ cottage in the English countryside, she uncovers long-hidden secrets about her family history and stumbles onto the truth about a sixty-year-old murder.

Libby, a free spirit who can’t be tamed by her parents, finds solace with her neighbor Oliver, the son of Lord Croft of Ladenbrooke Manor. Libby finds herself pregnant and alone when her father kicks her out and Oliver mysteriously drowns in a nearby river. Though theories spread across the English countryside, no one is ever held responsible for Oliver’s death.

Sixty years later, Heather Toulson, returning to her family’s cottage in the shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, is filled with mixed emotions. She’s mourning her father’s passing but can’t let go of the anger and resentment over their strained relationship. Adding to her confusion, Heather has an uneasy reunion with her first love, all while sorting through her family’s belongings left behind in the cottage. What she uncovers will change everything she thought she knew about her family’s history.

 

My thoughts:

“Set in a charming world of thatched cottages, lush gardens, and lovely summer evenings, this romantic and historical mystery brings to light the secrets and heartaches that have divided a family for generations.”

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor is an atmospheric tale that sweeps the reader away to another time and place!  I was immediately captivated by the beauty of the setting and enchanted by the manor, cottage, and gardens. This multi-generational narrative boasts elements of drama, suspense, and romance and a compelling story line that kept me turning the pages. While I found the multiple points of view to be a bit cumbersome at times, I enjoyed the characters and their journeys.  Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor is a unique story that won’t soon be forgotten!

I received a complimentary copy of Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an unbiased review. I appreciate the opportunity to read this story and share my thoughts.

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

 

Melanie Dobson

Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of thirteen historical romance, suspense, and contemporary novels. Two of her novels won Carol Awards in 2011, and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana won Best Novel of Indiana in 2010. Melanie lives with her husband Jon and two daughters near Portland, Oregon.

Find Melanie online: website, Twitter, Facebook

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2 Book GIVEAWAY | River of Danger + Color of Danger

4 Jun

River of Danger

River of Danger by Alexa Verde

Purchase a copy: Amazon

Dallas reporter River Montenegro returns to her hometown, Rios Azules, in south Texas to aid her father, a constantly recovering alcoholic. After the notorious Smiling Killer strikes close to her home — and her own neck, River grudgingly accepts help from her childhood friend and first love, who unknowingly crushed her heart.

When his formerly awkward school buddy is being stalked and attacked, local newspaper editor and town favorite Jacob Forrester decides to protect River. Falling for River, who blossomed into a confident, beautiful woman, Jacob is also eager to take their friendship to a different level. But River always made it clear she wouldn’t stick around.

Scarred and scared, River has fled to the big city lights once. But she’s stronger now. The homegrown killer better be prepared because not all Rivers run…

Novella River of Danger is a prequel to the Secrets of Rios Azules Series, followed by Book 1, Color of Danger. The series is set in Rios Azules, a small Texas town where rivers and emotions run deep, and the richest family in town has a fine taste for food, jewelry, and murder.  Each book is a complete inspirational romantic suspense and can be read as a stand-alone. Each book in the series features one of five childhood friends – a group once nicknamed Danger Girls – finding love amid danger to her life, her heart, and her faith.

 

My thoughts:

Last year, I had the privilege of reading and reviewing Alexa Verde’s debut novel, Color of Danger.  This inspirational romantic suspense kept me guessing until the very end!  It also left me eager for more, so I was excited to learn that Alexa was releasing a prequel novella.

River of Danger is an exciting story and a wonderful introduction to the Secrets of Rios Azules Series!  Whether you’ve already enjoyed the first book, as I have, or have not yet had the pleasure of visiting Rios Azules, this novella is a recommended read.

I enjoyed getting to know River Montenegro and her childhood friends, the Danger Girls, and look forward to reading each of their stories in future books.  Alexa Verde skillfully weaves elements of drama, intrigue, and romance with an inspirational thread.  I really enjoyed River of Danger and can’t wait for more stories in this exciting series! 

My thanks to the author for the complimentary copy of River of Danger.  I appreciate the opportunity to read this novella and share my honest opinion.  

Giveaway- Alexa Verde

Alexa has graciously offered to give away an e-copy of River of Danger and an e-copy of Color of Danger to one lucky winner!  To enter, please leave a comment, along with your email address. 

This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 10 at 11:59 p.m. CDT.
The winner will be drawn and announced on Thursday, June 11.

To earn additional entries, you may do the following:

◦Follow my blog, Buzzing About Books
◦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.


 About the Author:

Alexa Verde fell in love with writing at age eight when she penned her first poem. After publishing 200 short stories, poems, and articles in the five languages she speaks, Alexa has turned her creative passion to writing novels. Her May 2014 debut inspirational romantic suspense, COLOR OF DANGER, is the first in her Secrets of Rios Azules series—set in a fictional small Texas town where rivers and emotions run deep and the richest family in town has a fine taste for food, jewelry, and murder.

Visit Alexa online: website, Facebook, Goodreads

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Review: The Proposal at Siesta Key + 5 Book Giveaway

28 May

The Proposal at Siesta Key

The Proposal at Siesta Key by Shelley Shepard Gray
Purchase a copy: http://amzn.to/1AvyvUr

A young Amish woman, yearning for freedom, crosses paths with a handsome Mennonite celebrity in a deeply moving tale of friendship and self-discovery—the second installment in the unforgettable New York Times bestselling author’s new Amish Brides of Pinecraft series.

Penny Troyer rarely disobeys her parents. In the years since her sister’s tragic death, they’ve wanted nothing more than to keep her safe…even if it means never leaving the house.

But tonight, she’s bending the rules because Michael Knoxx, the most famous member of The Knoxx Family Singers, a traveling Mennonite Evangelical family —is scheduled to speak. Penny has heard of Michael—how he lost part of his leg in a terrible accident and uses the experience to inspire others—and knows she must meet him. So, for the first time ever, Penny stands up to her parents and goes out on her own.

Though he speaks about living life to the fullest, Michael knows he needs to take his own advice. Life on the road is grueling and Michael wants to slow down, to rest…to perhaps meet someone who sees him as a man, not just a celebrity. So when a twist of fate allows him the chance to stay a little longer in Pinecraft, Michael knows God is showing him a new path, especially when he discovers how much he and Penny Troyer have in common.

But new friendships can’t stop time. Soon, Michael’s time in Pinecraft will be over and he’ll be back on the road. Her time with Michael has brought her happiness, but will she be able to follow her heart? Or will she be faced with the one thing she’s sure she’ll never have the courage to do?

 

Quote (1)- The Proposal at Siesta Key

My thoughts:

Since reading The Promise of Palm Grove, I have been eager to return to the heart of Sarasota, Florida.  In the second book in the Amish Brides of Pinecraft series, Shelley Shepard Gray invites readers back to the small Amish community of Pinecraft and the quaint Orange Blossom Inn.  New primary characters are introduced, and familiar favorites are enjoyed in the secondary story line.  

The Proposal at Siesta Key charmed me from the first page until the last!  The story boasts vivid imagery, endearing characters, a unique story line, and a tender romance.  I enjoyed The Proposal at Siesta Key and can’t wait to read the next book in this delightful series!

P.S. Don’t miss the great bonus material that is included in the back of the book.  In addition to an author’s note and discussion guide, readers can enjoy a Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe, Shelley’s top five must-see spots in Pinecraft, scenes from Pinecraft, and a sneak peek of the next book, A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn.  

I received a complimentary copy of The Proposal at Siesta Key through Litfuse Publicity.  I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and share my honest opinion. 

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

Don’t miss Shelley Shepard Gray’s newest series, Amish Brides of Pinecraft, and the second book in the series, The Proposal at Siesta Key! “Shelley Shepard Gray brings readers into the Amish world with style and grace,” says Romantic Times Bookclub. Penny’s time with Michael has brought her happiness, but will she be able to follow her heart? Or will she be faced with the one thing she’s sure she’ll never have the courage to do?

Click the image below to enter to win a copy of The Proposal at Siesta Key—five winners will be chosen! The winners will be announced June 15 on Shelley’s blog!

Proposal Siesta Key Shelley Shepard Gray

 

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.

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Friday Freebies

10 Apr

Everything's Coming Up Rosy

Everything’s Coming Up Rosy: A novella
by Anita Higman

Amazon

When Rosy McBride is left at the altar on her wedding day, she’s devastated. She heads back to her hometown of Galveston, thinking she’s going to collapse from sorrow. But her family has another plan: set her up with an old friend, Larson. As he reveals his feelings, Rosy pulls back, but he is determined to help her find her way again—in love, in life, and in all that matters most.

 

Three Little Words

Three Little Words: A novella
by Melissa Tagg

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Ava Kingsley and Seth Walker might be the most unlikely friends ever. The only thing these two polar opposites have in common is a knack for wordsmithing. Back in college, they were known for their written sparring in the campus newspaper’s popular “He Says/She Says” column.

At their ten-year college reunion, they pick up right where they left off. Except this time their squabbling leads to a surprising turn: friendship and a year-long exchange of emails. So when Ava approaches a crossroads in her athletics department career in Minnesota, Seth is quick to offer the open apartment above the restaurant he’s been remodeling in Maple Valley, Iowa.

Ava doesn’t know where her career will lead her next, but she’s starting to suspect she might see Seth as more than a pen pal. Which would be exciting…except for the fact that he only sees her as a friend.

As Maple Valley grows on her, Ava wonders if there might be something here for her even though Seth is unavailable. And maybe, just maybe, after all the words the two of them have exchanged over the years, they’ll finally be able to say the three that matter most.

My thoughts:

Three Little Words is simply delightful and a wonderful introduction to the Walker family! I loved Seth Walker and Ava Kingsley. They are adorable characters and I really enjoyed their great chemistry and witty banter. I was reluctant for this e-only novella to end, and am eager to return to Maple Valley as the Walker Family Series continues!

 

Deadly Neighbors

Deadly Neighbors by Cynthia Hickey

Amazon

When Marsha Calloway’s daughter is accused of a crime she didn’t commit, Marsha is determined to find the real culprit. She enlists the help of her Cadillac driving mama, the man who ditched Marsha at her high-school graduation but kept her heart, and a bumbling police officer. Folks around River Valley are having things disappear while they are sleeping with their eyes open. Seems everyone has a dream and not enough funds. Someone is determined to kill for that dream. Will River Valley’s cast of colorful characters live to see another day? Can Marsha find out who the thief is before she becomes one of the sleep walkers?

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Review: From the Start

9 Apr

From the Start

From the Start by Melissa Tagg

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

 

Kate Walker used to believe in true love and happily ever after. While her own love life may have left her brokenhearted, it hasn’t kept her from churning out made-for-TV romance movie screenplays…until a major career slump and a longing to do something meaningful send her running back to her hometown of Maple Valley.

Permanently sidelined by an injury, former NFL quarterback Colton Greene is temporarily hiding out in a friend’s hometown to avoid the media and the reminders of all he’s lost. Maple Valley seems like the perfect place to learn how to adjust to normal life. The only trouble is he’s never really done normal before.

While Kate plays things safe and Colton is all about big risks and grand gestures, they both get what it’s like to desperately need direction in life. An unexpected project gives them both a chance to jumpstart their new lives, but old wounds and new dreams are hard to ignore. Starting over wasn’t part of the plan, but could it be the best thing that’s ever happened to them?

 

My thoughts:

I adored this book! A few of the things I especially loved were the charming setting of Maple Valley, the endearing characters, the witty dialogue, and the inspirational thread. Melissa Tagg writes with such heart and her stories sparkle with her signature humor and wit! The Walker family is destined to be one of my favorite fictional families, right up there with Susan May Warren’s Christiansen family.

From the Start is a heartfelt romance and the beginning of what is sure to be an award-winning series. It certainly won my heart and left me begging for the next book in the Walker Family series!

A complimentary copy of From the Start was provided to me by the publisher. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and offer my honest opinion.

 

mtagg-pic1Melissa Tagg, author of Made to Last and Here to Stay, is a former reporter and total Iowa girl. In addition to her homeless ministry day job, she’s also the marketing/events coordinator for My Book Therapy, a craft and coaching community for writers. When she’s not writing, she can be found hanging out with the coolest family ever (not that she’s biased), watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next story. She’s passionate about humor, grace, and happy endings.

Melissa blogs regularly and loves connecting with readers at http://www.melissatagg.com.

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