Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Perfectly Placed Kick-Off Package

About the Book

Book: Perfectly Placed

Author: Liana George

Genre: Contemporary Christian Women’s Fiction

Release date: July 5, 2022

Nicki’s tasked with making New Hope the perfect place for orphaned children.

So why has everything gone wrong?

Six weeks after leaving China, Nicki Mayfield returns to complete two critical tasks: restore order at New Hope Orphanage and re-connect with the little girl who stole her heart. However, between a stubbornly stone walling supervisor, missing documents, and personal tragedy, Nicki faces challenges at every turn. Is she the best person to bring order – and longevity – to the place these children call home? Then, with the help of an unexpected ally, Nicki makes a life-altering decision that upends her well-planned life and the lives of those around her. Will she lose it all, or has she found the way to save what matters most?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Liana George is a sought-after speaker, blogger, and author. Before pursuing a career in writing, she was a professional organizer and is the former owner of By George Organizing Solutions in Houston. Her debut novel, Perfectly Arranged, Book One in The Hopeful Heart Series, was released in October 2021 from Scrivenings Press.

When she’s not putting things in order or scribbling away, you can find her reading, traveling, or watching tennis.

More from Liana

Have you ever eaten at a Chinese restaurant and taken a fortune cookie with you when you left? Yeah, me too. For the longest time, I always associated these Pac-Man shaped treats with Chinese food and by extension, Chinese culture.

I was wrong.

The tsujiura senbei,” or “fortune cracker,” actually originated in Japan and was brought over to the United States sometime between the late 1800s and early 1900s by immigrants. Japanese bakers first began selling and making these crackers in California and Hawaii. With their unique taste and finger-sized slip of paper printed with a pithy fortune or aphorism, they quickly became a hit.

Today, the fascination with these cookies is still at an all-time high, but the ingredients have changed. Originally, they were made with miso and sesame flavoring but now they use butter and vanilla to give it that sweet taste you and I are so familiar with.

So, why am I telling you all this?

Because my novel, Perfectly Placed, book 2 in The Hopeful Heart Series, begins with the main character, Nicki Mayfield, breaking into a fortune cookie and discovering a proverb that will motivate her and move her to action. What was written on that tiny slip of paper? There’s only one way to find out. Grab a copy of Perfectly Placed – and a cookie or two – and start reading!

MY REVIEW

I love being able to travel to other places without leaving my home. The author does a great job of making me feel like I was in China as she described the cuisine and laws that some may find hard to accept. There has been news stories about orphanages in China and the need for funds and workers. I was very captivated by our main character because of her heart for children.

Nicki has a big task ahead of her as she returns to New Hope Orphanage. Waiting for her is a job of organizing papers, offices and trying to find out where the money is disappearing to. She is not well received by the Assistant Director and it was hard to like this character. She was brash, power hungry and disrespectful. I had a feeling that I knew someone was hiding something but the question is why?

Nicki does have some setbacks that cause her to question why she is there. I can’t imagine being arrested in a foreign country and feeling hopeless. Within the pages of the story are several lessons we can all learn from. I was shaking to my core when one character was so crass when mocking Nicki and her beliefs. There was a mention of “just throw up a few prayers,” like it was useless anyway. What struck me about this character was how deceitful she was in order to better her child’s life. She had no regard for the children she was suppose to be watching over. It is the scripture, “the love of money is the root of all evil,” that runs rampant in this persons heart.

With everything that Nicki is facing she ponders “what it would like to simply trust in God’s provision.” We face situations everyday where we wonder how we will pay a bill, or will our loved one be healed. What we forget to do is pray and be faithful to His Word. We don’t know the plans He has for us but as he unveils them to us we need to listen and follow His direction. Will you obey God when He shows you where you are to be “perfectly placed?”

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 28

Texas Book-aholic, June 29

The Sacred Line, June 29

Inklings and notions, June 30

By the Book, July 1

Rebecca Tews, July 2

Splashes of Joy, July 2

For Him and My Family, July 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 4

deb’s Book Review, July 5

Pause for Tales, July 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 7

Spoken from the Heart, July 7

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 8

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 9

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 10 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, July 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liana is giving away the grand prize package of a travel kit which includes a signed copy of Perfectly Placed, a travel cube, a travel/passport wallet, luggage tag, travel journal, packing checklist and tips, and a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1f45d/perfectly-placed-celebration-tour-giveaway

Season of My Enemy Kick-Off Package

About the Book

Book: Season of My Enemy

Author: Naomi Musch

Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical Fiction / Romance

Release date: June 1, 2022

“Get Your Farm in the Fight” – The Realities of WWII Come to a Wisconsin Farm

Only last year, Fannie O’Brien was considered a beauty with a brain, and her future shone bright, despite the war pounding Europe. With her father’s sudden death and her brothers overseas, Fannie must now do the work of three men on their 200-acre farm—until eight German prisoners arrive and, just as Fannie feared, trouble comes too. Someone seems intent on causing “accidents,” and Fannie is certain the culprit is one of the two handsome older Germans—or possibly both. Can she manage the farm, keep the prisoners in line, and hold her family together through these turbulent times?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Naomi Musch is an award-winning author who writes from a deer farm in the pristine north woods of Wisconsin, where she and husband Jeff live as epically as God allows near the families of their five adult children. When not in the physical act of writing or spending time loving on her passel of grandchildren, she can be found plotting stories as she roams around the farm, snacks out of the garden, and relaxes in her vintage camper. Naomi is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Wisconsin Writers’ Association, and the Lake Superior Writers. She loves engaging with others and can be found all around social media or at her site naomimusch.com

More from Naomi

Welcome to my wilderness – that’s what it says when you pop onto my website, because so many of my books take place in rural and wilderness settings. That’s where my heart lives too. Therefore, when I decided to write a World War II story, I gravitated to the home front, to rural America, where living out the war years meant a different kind of survival.

Before this story idea came to me, I knew that prisoners of war had been held in America during part of the war years. There are a number of other wonderful WWII novels out there set in North America involving POWs, and I adore the 2005 movie Sweet Land. Yet, until looking further, I hadn’t realized that so many German soldiers were held right here in my home state of Wisconsin! In fact, thousands of prisoners were sent to work in our country’s canning factories and on our farms. How could I have grown up and never been told that there had once been a POW camp right in my home town?

In fact, there were 38 such “branch camps” just in Wisconsin alone—camps that housed workers specifically for contracting work on farms and in canneries. Workers were contracted by farmers with the army and sent to labor in the cranberry bogs, cherry orchards, apple orchards; to farms picking beans, peas, corn, and to tend the other crops. By international treaty, prisoners had to be paid for their work, so they were allowed to earn scrip in the equivalent of 80 cents per day which they could spend in camp canteens on personal items.

Bingo! There was the seed that burst through the soil of my imagination for my novel Season of My Enemy.

My heroine Fanny O’Brien is a Wisconsin farm girl who left state teacher’s college to manage her family’s farm during the war. She never imagined herself coordinating the work of eight German prisoners in the process—or what the outcome of that task would be.

I believe a great story has to reveal strong yet subtle themes in order for the characters and their plight to feel real. In Season of My Enemy, Fannie uncovers a lot of prejudice both in her own heart and as her eyes are opened to the broader sphere around her. There are all kinds of prejudice in the world, and some of it revealed in this story may surprise you. In fact, my editor and several other authors of WWII fiction who read the book all said, “I didn’t know that!” (I won’t tell you what they were referring to, because you know…spoilers.)

Season of My Enemy isn’t all about history of course. It’s a heartfelt story of a man and woman who slowly yield their hearts to love amidst unpredictable times and unusual circumstances. They begin as enemies who finally look beyond their prejudices to find they have more in common than they first thought. To overcome terrific odds, they must depend upon their faith and rest in a powerful hope that touches their own lives as well as the lives of others surrounding them.

I hope you’ll read Season of My Enemy, and be sure and pop me a note to tell me what you think!

MY REVIEW

If there was ever a book that needed to be made into a movie this is the one. I can’t express all the emotions I went through as the story unfolded before me. There are many historical fiction books out there about WWII but never one that shares both sides so well as this one does. The author held my attention from the beginning page till the very last word that ended the story. I loved how the author captures both sides of the war in a way I’ve never read before.

Fannie was such a strong character with determination to keep her family’s farm running while her two brothers were off at war. I was very surprised about the PW camps that were in Wisconsin where Germans were being held. I love when an author unearths little known historical facts that unveil details many do not know about. I can understand why Fannie was not pleased to learn that German prisoners were coming to the farm to help them harvest their crops. It would be unsettling to have your enemy on your land and feel safe.

While I did like the way her family was willing to have the prisoners work on the farm, I was a bit hesitant for Fannie as I could sense her uneasiness. Reading over the author’s notes at the end opened my eyes to what both sides went through. Fannie can feel some of the prisoners stare at her in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. It was hard to read how a few of the prisoners had unclean thoughts about her and her younger sister. This part of the story bothered me yet I knew that it had most likely happened to women who worked beside the prisoners during the war.

The prejudice is very evident in the story and the author exposes it in a way that everyone can relate to. Fannie finds herself trying not to think of the workers as humans but only the enemy who is there to do hard labor. With Fannie’s brother coming home from the war, it was hard to keep peace between the prisoners and her brother. The hate in his heart for them is very much felt as he sits on the porch with a weapon ready for anything. This is where the author opens the door for readers to examine their hearts as it is apparent that there is danger soon to come.

I don’t want to share anything more that happens in the story so that I don’t ruin the impact it will have on many. There is an emphasis on faith as well as trust in the story that flows with an illustration of what prejudice can do to a person’s heart. The details of how both American and German soldiers were treated in prison camps is hard to read. Yet the truth is needed to forgive our enemies and find that love conquers all. It has been years since this war took place but I can see that even today prejudice still exists. One thing I remember vividly in the story was that some of the men who were fighting in the war didn’t agree with what their side was doing. The horrible treatment in some of the camps were thought to be inhumane. My point is this, when will we forgive our ancestors and learn to live together in harmony like God designed us to do? Why must we continue to treat others with hate for something that happened years ago? Will we ever see the day when we work together without prejudice?

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, June 28

Blossoms and Blessings, June 28

Inklings and notions, June 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 30

For Him and My Family, July 1

Remembrancy, July 2

Pause for Tales, July 2

deb’s Book Review, July 3

Book Looks by Lisa, July 4

Mary Hake, July 4

Betti Mace, July 5

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 6

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 7

Connie’s History Classroom, July 8

Books, Books, and More Books, July 8

Bizwings Blog, July 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 10

Labor Not in Vain, July 10

lakesidelivingsite, July 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Naomi is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1f45e/season-of-my-enemy-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Hair Calamities and Hot Cash Kick-Off Package

About the Book

Book: Hair Calamities and Hot Cash

Author: Gail Pallotta

Genre: Christian Fiction

Release date: 2018

What happens when a New York stockbroker crashes his car into Eve Castleberry’s North Carolina beauty shop … on the same day the young widow’s defective hair products are causing wild hairdos? Soon, Eve finds herself helping the handsome stranger hunt the thieves who stole his clients cash…and hot on the trail of two of the FBI’s most-wanted criminals!

Romance blossoms amid danger, suspense and Eve’s hair-brained plan to get back the money.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, Mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A 2013 Grace Awards finalist, she’s a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner and a TopShelf 2020 Book Awards Finalist. She’s published six books, poems, short stories and several hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums.

More from Gail

Even mysterious events and robbery can’t stop the fun, laughs and romance that follow after New York stock broker Philip Wells crashes his car into Eve Castleberry’s beauty shop.

Hair Calamities and Hot Cash is a contemporary romance with mystery and comical scenes about a New Yorker and a lonely, young widow in the North Carolina Mountains who fall for each other amid a crisis, danger and suspense.

The story behind Hair Calamities and Hot Cash began many years ago in a small town at the foothills of the North Carolina Mountains, where my mother ran a beauty shop.

Her salon doubled as a meeting place where customers who knew each other discussed how to make the latest recipe, what to do about world affairs and everything in between, including family relations, births, deaths and weddings. Clients planned showers, graduation parties and get-togethers for new neighbors while hair flew.

Mostly townspeople showed up, and the spirit of the community overflowed. The residents had disagreements, but they didn’t abhor those who thought differently from them. They had close friends, acquaintances, people they tolerated and those they kept at a distance. As in most small environments, they gossiped and could be nosey. However, when someone grieved for a loved one, suffered from an illness or any other crisis, prayers went up and casseroles went out no matter whether the person was a best friend or someone held at a distance. They all were God’s children.

The walls of Mother’s beauty shop echoed the spirit of the community, and I wanted to bring it back. I set the mystery, romance and shenanigans in the Western North Carolina Mountains. Many years ago, a friend my father knew in college came to visit us, and we drove him to the mountains. He said, “I’ve traveled the world over, and I’ve never seen a place any prettier than these hills.” I wanted to share the awe-inspiring scenery. I believe we need those peaceful surroundings and the sense of community now more than when I wrote the book.

MY REVIEW

This is my first book from this author but I can tell you right now I will be searching for more from her. Her humor is priceless and the characters are a hoot. In a quaint little town is the popular Beauty Salon. It is the place to get your hair fixed and catch up on the town gossip. I loved everything about the shop and decided I wanted to join them on a daily basis.

Eve is the owner of the shop and keeps herself busy with clients all day long. She has experienced heartache in her life that holds her back from wanting to start a new relationship with anyone. I liked how the townspeople looked out for her and cane to her aid when a car crashes into her shop. Oh my what a sight that must have been. Eve is beside herself as she knows that her business will suffer while repairs are done.

Philip didn’t quite plan to make such a big scene when he travels to Triville. Isn’t it funny how your plans can change in an instant? What a mess the shop is in and poor Philip is beside himself knowing the damage he has caused. Of course Philip assures Eve that the damages will be taken care of. He has a big client to see and hopes he hasn’t messed that up due to his accident.

I loved the banter between Eve and Philip and how they seemed to click right away. Well maybe Phillip was a bit more taken with Eve, but if you remember she doesn’t want a relationship. God has other plans and puts these two together in a story filled with laughs galore, mysterious notes showing up at Eve’s shop and weird things going on with her hair products.

Mr. Jacobson is the kindest most humble man you could ever meet . His character is so good and wait til you find out where his money is stored. We aren’t talking thousands of dollars either. I about fell out of my chair when he said how much he wanted to give Philip to invest. All seems well as Philip assures Mr. Jacobsen that his money is safe with him and travels to New York to deposit the money.

The author had me tapping my toes as the excitement builds in the story. Let’s take a brief inventory shall we? Eve’s shop is a disaster with sabotaged products, notes that are mysterious showing up written with threatening words , Philip somehow misplaced Mr. Jacobsen’s money, and now needs a plan to try to keep his job. It sure sounds like a big mess going on in the town and someone is up to no good.

The ending is so good and has plenty of laughs as we find out what happened to the money, who sent the notes and who sabotaged the salon. I loved how the author pretty much had the entire town witness the take down of several criminals and one who everyone clapped for when he was taken away. The town is saved and Eve and Philip are…. Did you really think I would tell you how their story ends? Grab yourself a copy of the book and settle down to a fun cozy mystery with laughs and a touch of faith.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 22

Book Looks by Lisa, June 22

For Him and My Family, June 23

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 24

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 25

Texas Book-aholic, June 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 27

Inklings and notions, June 28

deb’s Book Review, June 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 30

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, July 1 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, July 1 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Guild Master, July 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 3

A Baker’s Perspective, July 4 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Gail is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1f459/hair-calamities-and-hot-cash-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, June 24, 2022

From Shore to Shore

About the Book

Book: From Shore to Shore

Author: Tabitha Bouldin

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: May 31, 2022

Can one captain show her the deep love of the ultimate Captain without falling in love himself?

Bree Jamison comes to Sparrow Island for one reason: to study coral reefs. She’s not interested in happily-ever-after and certainly won’t allow her handsome boat captain to sway her into believing these islands are different from any others. But when she finds an old shipwreck and learns the history of pirates and treasure, Bree finds herself searching for something that always feels just out of reach.

Cooper Carmichael takes the job as boat captain for the enigmatic Bree to further his career. He never expected her to be so driven—or so painfully opposed to God.

All Cooper wants is his happy island life. He wants for nothing. In fact, he’s made it his mission to be content. In every aspect of his life. Bree throws a wrench in his plan as her presence pushes Cooper to want for things he deems unnecessary.

A man striving for contentment. A woman who believes God is picking on her.

It takes one to show the other that no matter which shore you find yourself on, God got there first.

Read the next Sparrow Island novel in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Tabitha Bouldin is a student at Southern New Hampshire University, where she is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Creative Writing. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), she works with critique groups and provides endorsements for other authors. Tabitha’s genre of choice is Contemporary Christian Romance which she describes as: Adventure with heart. Tabitha spent ten years working as a Medical Assistant before God opened the door which allowed her to become a stay-at-home-homeschooling-mom and author.

More from Tabitha

Writing in the Independence Islands series has been a true blessing, and From Shore to Shore is no different, except that these characters brought out feelings that I never expected.

Most of the time, when I go into a story, I know a bit of what’s going to happen. I already understand the characters’ backstory and what has driven them to this point in there life where I’ve picked up their tale and begun to weave it into a book.

Bree decided she wanted to go another route.

Cooper didn’t want to talk to me for half the book.

Christian walked onto the page and tried to take over because he didn’t want to wait for his turn in book five.

These characters, I tell you what, they’re a demanding bunch.

Finally, though, finally they settled in and told me their story.

You might remember Cooper, he’s Mel’s brother and he showed up in book one, Mishaps off the Mainland. Cooper is a delightful yet careful captain who delights in the open ocean and loves the islands.

Bree is a tangled mess of consternation. She scorns love and believes it to be a trap. Even God’s love is suspect in Bree’s eyes.

These two are imperfectly suited for each other, but God has a plan to help them both, and He helped me through every page of From Shore to Shore, a story that shows no matter how far you run, no matter what shore you find yourself on, God got there first.

MY REVIEW

On a hot summer afternoon as I try to stay cool , it is nice to travel back to Sparrow Island. I love the people who live here and the tranquil feeling you get as the waves gently rock you to sleep. I couldn’t wait to see what adventure was in store for me in the latest book from a series that spans emotions, gives you hope and a feeling of making lifelong friends along the way.

Bree is very hard to like and I really had my mind set that she had a chip on her shoulder. She is a let’s just get the job done with little interaction as possible kind of person. Bree has this wall built around her that protects her from having relationships with anyone. The author had me intrigued with where she would take Bree and how that wall hopefully would be torn down.

Cooper seems to be a reliable captain who Bree is counting on to help out as she and her partner dive to uncover secrets hidden beneath the sea. I loved reading about the dolphins swimming nearby and how relaxed Cooper was as he started his job manning the ship. I wonder what it would be like to be out in the water everyday? Cooper thinks he has the best job but I kept wandering how he and Bree would get along.

Bree has traveled around the world discovering coral reefs with her partner Damien. I really liked Damien and how he stood up to Bree. I could understand why he was so upset with Bree. Being partners meant equal in every decision but Bree has this power thing going on. Without a diving partner what is Bree going to do?

The author increases the intensity of the story with characters clashing with each other in ways that only God can fix. Oh yes faith is definitely a part of this story and illustrates how important trust and hope in Him is vital to happiness. The direction is clear as Bree decides to continue with the exploration hoping that she will find a suitable diving partner she can trust.

The story is a great adventure as Bree learns to allow God into her life again. I understood exactly what she was thinking when she questioned why God allows bad things to happen. I have those same thoughts when I am going through trials. What we need to remember is “if we never knew about the bad things, we’d never be able to appreciate the good.” Once we give God control of our life, we can finally understand that no matter what we face God is right there with us. I started to think that Bree was being too hard on herself and felt rejected. Oh but the unconditional love of God is what she needs to experience.

I enjoyed the mystery of the sunken ship and the old captain’s logs which to me really helped Bree start to allow her guard to be let down. You will need to read the book to find out if Bree gives Cooper a chance or moves on after her job is finished. I have read several stories by this author and for me this is one of her best in regards to flawed characters that learn to trust God with their life. The title of the book is perfect when I saw how it was illustrated by this; “God can find you anywhere. From this shore to that shore to the next shore , He’s always there.” With that I end my review feeling a new joy in my heart.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.