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Tuesday, August 8, 2017


WAIT FOR ME by JO HUDDLESTON

Here is another beautifully written book by one of my favorite authors. I loved Julie so much. She is a young woman who is ready to go to college. She has had a very comfortable  life. She is an only child and her family is quite wealthy.  Julie doesn't show off her wealth, and enjoys hanging with friends. It's funny that her mother thought she should not associate with children of coal miners. Her mother was a bit snotty . I think in the time period this was written, the wealthy thought it was beneath them to socialize with people who were not shall we say well off. I very much enjoyed reading about the coal mines. The workers risked their life everyday and many became sick later in life .

Julie's boyfriend is such a nice young man. He wants to make something of himself. I loved how much he respected Julie and believed they should not do anything until they are married. It was so refreshing to read how these two wonderful characters loved God and wouldn't allow temptation to deter them from their beliefs. One character really stood out to me. Her mother was at times judgmental and seemed to be very hard on Julie. I know her mom wanted the best for her daughter, but her bitterness was getting the best of her. There is something in the story that made me cry. I won't give it away but I will say that the author handled the subject with such grace and compassion. I can't forget go mention Julie's dad. Oh my goodness he was what I wished I had as a dad. He loved his wife and daughter unconditionally. He worked hard and treated his workers well. He did such wonderful and selfless things for others.

The story follows Julie and Robby as they tackle trying to be a couple , going to college and facing tragedy and hardships. Once again the author has written a story that penetrates the soul and leaves you with a sense of family , love and acceptance.

I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network and the author. The review is my own opinion.

TEXAS BOOK-AHOLIC Blog services

Hi everyone . This is Deana from Texas Book-aholic. Authors are you looking for a blog to promote your books? Are you looking for a reviewer to help readers know your books better? Look no further. Texas Book-aholic is the place to be. I would love to feature authors on my blog, offer them reviews, interviews or any other suggestions you have. I read and review books to bless authors for their hard work, and to let readers know about great books. Come be a guest on my blog. Help me reach 500 followers. Stop by my blog, like and follow. Leave a comment with your email to tell me what you did. On Saturday morning I will give a $20 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky person. Authirs feel free to message me and let me help you set up a guest post , review your book or whatever your need may be. This is a free service to authors.you can find an example of my reviews at http://deana0326.blogspot.com

Monday, August 7, 2017


DAN MCCALL's BRIDE by BARBARA GOSS

I remember when I was younger , my dad would sit in front of the tv on Saturdays and watch western movies all day. It would really irritate me until I I started to watch them myself and fell in love with them. The author has taken me back  to that time with this wonderful story. I loved Leila as soon as she was introduced. She had a hard life as an orphan and wanted a family so much. Her decision to become a mail-order  bride gives her hope of belonging somewhere and finding happiness. It must have been a bit scary to travel to a strange town to marry someone you don't know. 

Lelia has high hopes of becoming a bride until a band of robbers leave her hurt on the side of the road. When Dan finds her, he takes her back to town. I loved how Leila instantly had this infatuation with Dan. Well how could she help herself? He did save her life. Now if only she can remember who is she and why she traveled to the town. The author paints a vivid picture of the Wild West and gives readers an unforgettable story. I loved how she brought faith and God into the story. I thought Dan was a wonderful character and found it funny that he kept saying," he is not the marrying kind." Oh me thinks thy do protest to much Mr. Dan McCall. 

I loved the town, the cattle rustling going on and especially a little love triangle brewing all to make for a very exciting book. I will now have to purchase every book the author has written so I can read about an era that fascinates me. I have fallen in love with this author's writing and look forward to read all her books. 

I received a copy of the book from the author. The review is my own opinion.

CHANGE IS COMING

It is time for a change. I want to grow my blog so I can reach more readers. There are so many great authors that I do reviews for. I don't have the exposure that other blogs do. So it's time for Texas Book-aholic to kick up their boots and do some work. Authors if you would like to be featured on my blog, send me a message. I would like to showcase authors and do giveaways. I'm willing to do giveaways myself. My blog is to bless authors for their hard work and to let readers know about great books. I'm willing to take suggestions , feature books, do reviews and offer giveaways. Let's start this off with a 20.00 Gift Card . How do you win? It's easy. Go to my blog, leave a comment and your email address. Please follow and like my page. Don't forget to like both Texas Book-aholic and my blog. If you already like both just tell me that in the comments. On Friday I will choose a winner . Authors I look forward to hearing from you. Let me promote your books, do a review for you and help with a giveaway.
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Sunday, August 6, 2017


A GROOM FOR CHRISTMAS by ANNE GREEN

I am a huge fan of this author. I love her writing style that is funny, full of adventure and always grounded on faith.  This story really took me back to a time when my granddad would talk about his adventures as a young married man. He and his wife traveled by covered -wagon to Oklahoma to homestead their land. As I read this story I was taken back to a time where people sought after their dreams and overcame many obstacles.

Felicity is a real looker but her sign advertising for a husband sure drew stares from the townspeople. She just has to find a husband and fast. She promised her daddy she would marry and homestead 640 acres . What would you do if you needed to find a husband fast? Well of course you put up a big sign in the store and wait for men to apply. Felicity sure had her hands full with all the men showing up to apply. I loved how her friend Jed took his promise to her dad seriously. There was no way she was going to travel without him. I loved how the author showed how dedicated Jed was to watch out for Felicity.

With her selection made the wagon-trains are ready to head out. Has she chosen the right husband? Ben has his own agenda. He wants to go to California to the gold rush.  Can he be trusted? I loved how the couple grew closer as they traveled the cold  trails and looked to each other for guidance and security. The story is one I really liked because I love stories about wagon -trails, and the difficult terrain they travel for a better life. I loved that the main characters had a direction that God gave them and watched as they relied on Him to show them where their life together would be. It's a great story filled with adventure, compromise and unconditional love.

I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network. The review is my own opinion.

THE CHRISTMAS ADMIRER by LAURA V HILTON

This is a quick read but full of such wonderful characters and beautiful scriptures. I loved how much faith Susanna had , even though at times she may have wavered a bit. It is hard when things seem to crumble around you, to trust God. Susanna is charming, loves her dad and has dreams of marrying Benaiah. But that all falls apart when Benaiah calls off the wedding. I can't imagine how hard it would be to see the man you love everyday knowing that he broke your heart.

Benaiah loves Susanna but can't put such a burden on her by helping raise his siblings and taking care of his grandmother and dad. I found it interesting that Benaiah didn't seem to have enough faith in Susanna to allow her to show him that she was willing to take on the role of wife and caretaker for his family. I sensed a bit of pride in Benaiah by thinking he had to do it all himself.

I was very disappointed in Susanna's dad. I found him to be selfish. When he tells his daughter that his soon to be bride is coming for a visit , Susanna was beside herself. Not only is she shocked to learn that her dad is remarrying but she has quite a few kids. Irene reminded me of a wicked stepmother who treated Susanna like a servant. The story does bring some sadness and a feeling of abandonment to Susanna. Will she do as her dad asks and follow him to Iowa to be with his new wife and kids? Can Benaiah trust God to supply his needs?  I loved the Mary and Martha comparison with Susanna. It really made me think about how concerned she was with taking care of everyone, but not taking time to listen to God. This is a great book about family, faith and learning to trust God.

I received a copy of this book from the author. The review is my own opinion.

"Love gives the other person a choice."

Vangie Vale and the Murdered Macaron
by R. L. Syme

A new to me author and a book that will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can to see what happens.
~Babs Book Bistro
What I wouldn’t give to be in this story. It was fun, imaginative and full of yummy treats.
~Bibliophile Reviews
I liked the neighbourhood friendship all the characters have, they agree and of course disagree, and let me say I can’t wait to discover more characters and more delicacies from Vangie!
~Varietats
It might have been the book cover that drew me in.
But it was the story and plot that kept me and lured me all the way to the end.
~My Reading Journeys
Vangie Vale and the Murdered Macaron (The Matchbaker Mysteries Book 1)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Montana
Hummingbird Books (July 21, 2017)
Paperback: 362 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1548024437
E-Book ASIN: B073ZLKBZT
Small towns and gossip go together like flaky crust and sweet pastry cream. Between the police scanners, social media, and the senior center, it’s like a zombie apocalypse where the undead consume people’s secrets instead of living flesh.
But Vangie Vale wants nothing more than to stay under the radar…especially the police radar.
So when her new bakery becomes linked to a murder investigation, nothing will stop the gossip mill from connecting her to the dead body. Can’t have that.
Forced into the role of investigator, this new-in-town bakery owner has to become the very thing she hates–a nosy, small-town gossip–in order to clear her good name, and keep her face off the front page. But when a dating debacle brings her face-to-face with the Sheriff, Vangie can’t ignore the fact that one of her macarons was involved in a murder. She has to find the who-dun-it.
Book One in a cozy culinary mystery series from USA Today Bestselling Author, R.L. Syme.

About The Author
Rebecca Syme writes small town romance as Becca Boyd and cozy mystery as R.L. Syme. She is a long-time foodie and loves fancy cheese. Becca calls the mountains of Montana her home and draws inspiration from the beautiful vistas and heartwarming people. She is the USA Today bestselling author of the Line of Fire series of sweet romances and part of the Chick Tales series set in Somewhere, TX. You can find her on Twitter talking #fancycheese or #Chopped, and on Facebook with her fans in Becca Nation.


Review.jpg

I am so glad I got the chance to read this book. It is a refreshing book with wonderful characters that make the story so good. Vangie Vale is not your typical character in a cozy book.  She is one complex woman in a small town in the beautiful setting of Montana. I have been to Montana before and it is easy to fall in love with the state. The landscape alone takes your breath away. The people are friendly and always helpful. It's the perfect place for Vangie to start over. She owns a bakery that has a quirky gimmick. I did have to laugh at how clever it was . Tourists couldn't resist stopping in at the bakery for  fresh baked goods matched up especially for them. What I really liked about Angie was her other job as pastor of the small town. As you get further into the story, you will discover some background on her that will explain why she landed in Saint Agnes, Montana.

Vangie  has several goals in mind. She wants to help people and stay out of the limelight. Oh if only that could happen her life would be carefree. But it is not to be when a famous actor shows up in her bakery. I liked how Vangie  wasn't that impressed about who he was which I'm sure must have hurt his ego. The mystery is subtle, and leaves behind secrets, blackmail and bodies. The best part of the entire book is that I couldn't figure out who the killer was. I had in my head who I thought it was, but with the twists the author delivers I quickly went to another suspect. The book is well written and I liked how the author touched on religion in a way that was not preachy. Along the way I found myself so engrossed in the book I forgot about everything going on around me.

I loved the ending and how the author left us with questions as to where Vangie finds herself next. This is sure to be a series to follow and don't forgot to try the recipe at the end of the book. Thank you for a clean mystery that deals with forgiveness, redemption and family.


I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. The review is my own opinion.






Tour Participants
August 1 – Blogger Nicole Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 1 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
August 2 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW
August 2 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
August 3 – Bibliophile Reviews –  REVIEW, GUEST POST
August 3 – Varietats2010 – REVIEW
August 4 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
August 5 – Bookworm Cafe – REVIEW  
August 5 – My Funny View of Life – REVIEW
August 6 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
August 6 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
August 7 – Sleuth Cafe – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
August 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 8 – Teresa Trent Author Site – INTERVIEW
August 8 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
August 9 – The Power of Words – SPOTLIGHT
August 9 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
August 10 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 11 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
August 11 – Book Babble – REVIEW
August 12 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
August 12 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
August 13 – Girl with Book Lungs – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 14 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
August 14 – Jane Reads – REVIEW, GUEST POST
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