Search This Blog

Saturday, October 24, 2020

 

refrain within-banner

About the Book

Book: The Refrain Within

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: WWII Fiction

Release Date: September 29, 2020

the refrain within coverTo save a life, would you betray everyone you love?

Hungary in 1944 is a dark place. The Nazis have invaded and turned the country upside down, their evil making its way into every life.

Clarinetist Eva Bognar is engaged to conductor and composer Patrik Kedves, happily planning her wedding. At first she doesn’t think the war will affect her directly; everyone around her can be trusted to do the right thing. Then her Jewish best friend and sister-in-law Zofia goes missing–and instead of the Gestapo being to blame, a friend says it was Patrik who led Zofia away. Has he betrayed Eva and everything the family stands for?

When the rest of the family’s lives are directly threatened, Patrik’s secrets must come to light. The Bognars flee for the border in hopes of getting out of the country to the safety of Palestine. Eva must put her life and the lives of everyone she loves in the hands of the very man who betrayed her–and they may not all make it out of the war alive . . .

 

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW 

I have read several books about World War II but this story digs deeper into the emotional toil it takes on families. The book captured my heart from the beginning. The author features several characters that tug on your heartstrings. The story is emotional and non stop action as freedom is the goal.  I had to really search deep to see what I would do if lying to save someone I loved was okay to do. In this story one character faces the ultimate test of faith as his secret may cost him dearly. 

In this review I want to express how much the story touched me and helped me understand what people go through when they are singled out because of ignorance . Being in power was all the Germans wanted. They didn’t care how they achieved it or how much pain others felt. It is hard to understand the hatred that a group of people can have for others. The torture is hard to read and I cried as the author took us inside camps. 

I enjoyed getting to know the four main characters and how they leaned on each other during times of danger. The author shares a story that touched on music and how calming it can be. The sound of an instrument can soothe the soul while whispering melodies of peace. I played a clarinet in junior high and loved how the music would bring me comfort. 

There were times I wasn’t sure if the characters would get to safety. We witness how faith plays a big part in the story. I loved how it was incorporated within the characters. In their darkest moments  and there are several, they face the ultimate test of trusting God. Secrets abound in the book and I wondered how they would affect the outcome of the story. We may have the best intentions when we keep a secret, but in the end secrets can hurt others and cause division. 

The story delivers a powerful look at World War II where spies, deceit, danger and the unknown run rampant. I couldn’t put the book down because I had to know what would happen to the characters I became invested in. I will warn you that the ending is not without a bit of sadness. I end my review with this, “Would you stand up for what was right, even if it cost you your life?”

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

About the Author

Liz TolsmaPassionate might best describe Liz Tolsma. She loves writing, research, and editing. Her passion shone through in her first novel which was a double award finalist. On any given day, you might find her pulling weeds in her perennial garden, walking her hyperactive dog, or curled up with a good book. Nothing means more to her than her family. She’s married her high-school sweetheart twenty-eight years ago. Get her talking about international adoption, and you might never get her to stop. She and her husband adopted three children, including a son who is a U.S. Marine, and two daughters.

 

More from Liz

This is the third book in a series all set around music. The first heroine, Anna in The Melody of the Soul, was a violinist. The second heroine, Natia in When the Heart Sings, sang beautifully. So what did I choose for this heroine?

When I was in fifth grade, the band teacher from the middle school came to our class and encouraged us to join. She brought instruments with her for us to try. I really wanted to play the flute. I thought it was very feminine. But all the girls wanted to play that, and I would have to be really good to get a good chair. So I decided on the clarinet. I played all through middle school and high school, making first chair a couple of times. I participated in marching band and in solo and ensemble contests, earning a couple of first places in state competitions. Even after my “career” ended, I continued to play from time to time. I still play in church. I love the rich, full sound of the instrument. When played well, the clarinet is beautiful. It can be playful and happy or dark and sad. It can skip and it can cry. I’m very glad now that I chose the clarinet instead of the flute.

That’s why the heroine of The Refrain Within plays the clarinet. In fact, she comes from a family of clarinet makers, and her family stamp on the barrel of a clarinet means a great deal to her. As God would have it, my editor, Janyre Tromp, is also a clarinet player. Between the two of us, we worked hard bring out the unique aspects of playing clarinet, like the callous that forms on the inside of your bottom lip.

Eva is a special character to me because we share this passion for the clarinet. There have been many times throughout my life that my clarinet has skipped with me and plenty of times when it has cried with me. Music is God’s beautiful gift to us, and I thank Him for the opportunity to share some of that with you in The Refrain Within.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 23

Among the Reads, October 23

Maureen’s Musings, October 23

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 24

Texas Book-aholic, October 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 25

deb’s Book Review, October 25

21st Century Keeper at Home, October 25

By The Book, October 26

lakesidelivingsite, October 26

A Baker’s Perspective, October 26

Inklings and notions, October 27

CarpeDiem, October 27

Mary Hake, October 27

For Him and My Family, October 28

Reflections From My Bookshelves, October 28

Emily Yager, October 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 29

Older & Smarter?, October 29

Genesis 5020, October 29

Betti Mace, October 30

Christian Bookaholic, October 30

Sara Jane Jacobs, October 30

Artistic Nobody, October 31 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Simple Harvest Reads, October 31 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Rebecca Tews, November 1

Ashley’s Bookshelf, November 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 1

Connie’s History Classroom, November 2

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, November 2

Splashes of Joy, November 2

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, November 3

As He Leads is Joy, November 3

Bigreadersite, November 3

Pause for Tales, November 4

Hallie Reads, November 4

Southern Gal Loves to Read, November 4

Amanda Tero, author, November 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 5

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, November 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize of 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/102a9/the-refrain-within-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, October 23, 2020

 

secret beach boyfriend-trumbo

About the Book

Book: Secret Beach Boyfriend

Author: Kari Trumbo

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 29 , 2020

TRUMBO-Secret Beach Boyfriend-smShe met Rafe on the beach when she was just five and it seemed like fate tied them together. When a chance encounter returns him to the islands twenty years later, Annie finds her beach friend has grown up and now needs her help.

Damaged and scarred from a past that still hasn’t healed, Annie needs help of her own. True to character, Rafe comes up with a perfect solution, but a temporary island romance does not fit into his agenda at all.

Will an offer to be her secret boyfriend give her heart a second chance? How can it turn into something more and prove there’s power in prayer and that love can triumph over a painful past?

He was Annie’s hero long ago, but can the man he has become save her now?

Secret Beach Boyfriend is the third “Merriweather book” in a new series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

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

 

Click here to get your copy!

 MY REVIEW 

Annie grabbed my heart right away. She has believed since she was five years old that she was a mistake. Love never existed for her and she doesn’t believe in love at all. The hardest part for her is to accept the fact that God loves her. This story is a tender one with real life issues that the author uses to show readers how important family is. I could easily feel Annie’s pain as I grew up in a home where there was no love at all. 

Rafe has come to help his parents mend their marriage. He has a big hurdle ahead of him. His mom has OCD and it has reached a point where she doesn’t leave the house, pushes her husband away and doesn’t do well with change.  I don’t think Rafe knew how bad his mother had gotten but being  around her now breaks his heart. I really liked how much he loves his parents and is willing to do anything to help them. 

Rafe comes  up  with a plan to help save his parents marriage and gets Annie to help him. No I won’t give anything away, but I will say this is an emotional journey for several characters. Can Annie deal with her past and find love? Will Rafe’s mother get help and find her way back to happiness? The author does a great job of sharing God’s love in the story. Annie is searching for answers to the question, “Is love real?” Rafe asked Annie to keep a secret, but will that secret hurt others? Come join the author on a journey to healing reconciliation, secrets and God’s unconditional love. 

“God’s only as distant as you make Him.”

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


About the Author

Kari TrumboKari Trumbo is a bestselling author of Christian historical and contemporary romance novels. Her books are known for characters who feel real, settings you could move to, and faith woven between the pages. She makes her home in central Minnesota with her husband of over twenty years, two daughters, two sons, and never enough time.

 

More from Kari

Have you ever hunted for seashells on the beach?

This sweet story actually starts twenty years before the moment you open the front cover. Years before, on a solitary beach, a little boy comforts a girl he finds crying by offering to help her find seashells. He doesn’t know why she’s crying, just that he can help. Even though he knows his mother will be angry with him.

You see, Rafe (that’s the little boy) has a mother who has minor OCD and doesn’t let him go on the beach. But when Annie (that’s the little girl) is obviously heartbroken, he can’t leave her sitting there and not do anything. At that moment, a hero is born.

It’s the little things that make a hero. That moment in time when he made a choice to put Annie above his own discomfort created a past for them both, an anchor they could both look back on. It was pivotal enough for them both that they remembered it years later. Rafe, because he hid the shells and cherished the one time he got to collect them. Annie, because she was going through something no child of five should have to. His kindness was a glimmer of hope.

Fast forward twenty years and these two meet again, but don’t realize right away they are the people they’ve been thinking about on-and-off for most of their lives. Interestingly enough, that part of my story is true. I had a friend I met at a local beach when I was too young to recall names or anything else of great significance other than the feeling that it was the best day ever. She made me her best buddy for the day, and that stuck with me.

When I think of this story beyond the printed page, where Annie and Rafe live on in my mind, I have to wonder if shells will continue to be a theme in their lives.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 22

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, October 22

Texas Book-aholic, October 23

Stories By Gina, October 23

Captive Dreams Window, October 23

Inklings and notions, October 24

CarpeDiem, October 24

For Him and My Family, October 25

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, October 25

Older & Smarter?, October 26

21st Century Keeper at Home, October 26

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 27

deb’s Book Review, October 27

Connect in Fiction, October 28

lakesidelivingsite, October 28

Artistic Nobody, October 29 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Godly Book Reviews, October 29

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 30

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, October 30

Livin’ Lit, October 30

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 31

Life, love, writing, October 31

Sara Jane Jacobs, November 1

Batya’s Bits, November 1

Daysong Reflections, November 2

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 2

Blossoms and Blessings, November 3

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, November 3

Simple Harvest Reads, November 4 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Splashes of Joy, November 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kari is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a 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/102a8/secret-beach-boyfriend-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

 

Certain Threat Banner (1)

About the Book

Book: Certain Threat

Author: Kimberly Rose Johnson

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: October 6, 2020

certain threatKatrina White’s garage explodes and she fears someone is out to get her.

Not long after Katrina overhears two people talking about robbing the bank where she works, her attached garage explodes. With the help of her neighbor, Frank Davis, she escapes the burning home after a storage shelf falls over, trapping her beneath it.

The co-owner of Protection Inc. has one thing on his mind for the week of Christmas—rest and relaxation, but when his favorite neighbor needs his help he calls in his team. Unable to turn their backs on someone Frank clearly has feelings for, the co-owners agree to help out Katrina.

When things escalate, Frank is certain of two things—he cares a lot for Katrina and he can’t let anything happen to her.

Join the team of Protection Inc. this Christmas where love is in the air even in the midst of danger.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 MY REVIEW 

This has been such an exciting book to read. The action starts right away with a bang. I’m going to miss Protection Inc. The big focus of this story is Frank and his neighbor Katrina. What  would you do if you heard an explosion in your neighborhood? If you are Frank, you rush outside right into danger.

 The author gives readers an adrenaline rush as the investigation starts with the explosion at Katrina’s house. Katrina overheard something at the bank she works at that puts her in danger. Trying to keep her safe becomes a cat and mouse game as Frank and his team try to stay ahead of danger. I loved how the author brings in two other characters that are pivotal to the story. Carissa and Marc have their own little adventure going that is starting to interfere with their jobs.  

I liked how Frank talked about having a relationship with God to Katrina. It was nice without being preachy. It certainly had Katrina thinking she wanted to know more about God. The author did a great job of showing how easy it is to witness to someone without pressuring them. For me it was one of the highlights of the story. 

The ending was very well done and showed how revenge can turn someone into doing evil. I kept trying to figure out who was behind everything but I was shocked at who the guilty person was. Actually I was sad to learn who it was because this person has now ruined their life over something they had caused to begin with. Isn’t  it funny when someone does something wrong they don’t want to admit they are at fault? 

Another great series has come to an end and I will miss reading about them. Frank and his team have been great company as I followed their journey. The author does an exceptional job of tying up loose ends while giving readers a happy ending. 

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

About the Author

publicity photo blue cropped 2018Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance that warms the heart and feeds the soul.

Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

 

More from Kimberly

Certain Threat was one of my favorite books to write. There are three point of view characters. Two have been in the series from book one and the third is a new addition in this book.

I adore Frank, the hero of this book. The man is tough, honest, and always does his best to do the right thing. He’s a good example for his younger business partners who like to do things their own way, especially Carissa.

For me the most fun part about writing this book was getting inside Frank’s head. He comes across as tough and sometime gruff, but he is a marshmallow on the inside when it comes to Katrina, his neighbor. Katrina brings out a side in Frank we haven’t yet witnessed and it was a blast to write—no pun intended. LOL you’ll understand when you read the book.

I look forward to writing future books in this series and going deeper with the rest of the Protection Inc. team and their friends.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 19

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 19

Worthy2Read, October 20

21st Century Keeper at Home, October 20

Texas Book-aholic, October 21

Inklings and notions, October 22

deb’s Book Review, October 22

Betti Mace, October 23

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, October 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 24

Mary Hake, October 24

Sara Jane Jacobs, October 25

April Hayman, Author, October 25

Splashes of Joy, October 26

Artistic Nobody, October 26 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 27

mypreciousbitsandmusings, October 27

Aryn the Libraryan, October 28

CarpeDiem, October 28

For Him and My Family, October 29

Daysong Reflections, October 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 30

Bigreadersite, October 30

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 31

Blossoms and Blessings, October 31

Simple Harvest Reads, November 1 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Bizwings Blog, November 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kimberly is giving away the grand prize of 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/10266/certain-threat-celebration-tour-giveaway