Saturday, May 8, 2021

 

Avoiding Marriage

About the Book

Book:  Avoiding Marriage

Author: Karin Beery

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Release date: April 13, 2021

Jess_final coverTwo years ago, Jessica Miller made a mess of her already confusing life. Now, she’s back in Boyne Heights, and she’s determined to fix her reputation. She can’t seem to avoid the past that haunts her, but that’s the joy of small-town life—word spreads and people remember. Intent on her mission, however, she faces her past head-on, taking a job with her ex-boyfriend while avoiding her grandmother’s attempts to find her a new one.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Beery, Karin_417x625Karin Beery grew up in a rural Michigan town, where she wrote her first novel in high school. Today, she writes contemporary stories with a healthy dose of romance. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s reading, editing, or teaching it. In her free time, she enjoys watching University of Michigan football and action-adventure movies with her husband and fur babies.

 

More from Karin

I am so excited to go back to Boyne Heights!

 

**SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t read Practically Married, skip the following paragraph and go to the next!

 

When we Boyne Heights, Russ was in a hospital bed after a car accident with Ashley by his side, and they’d agreed to get really married, not just practically married. That was around Thanksgiving. Now it’s spring time. Russ and Ashley are enjoying the newly wed life, but they need help. Enter Jessica Miller.

 

**(START HERE)

Jess is exactly what Russ and Ashely need at the Russell farm, but nothing is ever as easy as it sounds. I mean, Jess thought she was going to marry Russ—now she’s working for him and his new wife? As if that’s not enough, Gran’s adjusting a little too well to life in the care home, meeting every single guy there to introduce to her favorite granddaughter, but Jess doesn’t have time. On top of the new job, it looks like her brother might be relapsing, and her wayward mother’s name keeps popping up in conversations.

 

I hadn’t planned on writing Jess’s story, I kept asking myself: what kind of woman did Russ date before he met Ashley? I knew the ex-girlfriend had to be smart, kind, motivated, yet hurting. It was so much fun to explore her story!

 

I hadn’t planned to go back to Boyne Heights, but I definitely enjoyed the trip. I hope you will too!

MY REVIEW 

This book is a quick read but it sure has some wonderful lessons in it. I loved getting to know Ashley and Russ better. They really are a great couple and I could feel their zest for life. I did chuckle when Ashley realizes she couldn’t run the office that is the focal point for the farm. Her plan to hire Jess is almost comical if it wasn’t such a great idea. I’m not sure I could work with my husband’s ex but Ashley has this big heart and welcomed Jess back with sincerity.  

Jess has a few little problems she is facing. She is now working at her ex’s place, her mom has taken off, her brother is a recovering addict and someone wants to play matchmaker for her. I really liked Jess and could understand her insecurities. With her mother walking out on the  family during a crisis it does tend to make you a little angry and feel abandoned. Getting to see how Jess finds confidence again is a fun journey. 

The story is fun, unexpected and filled with warm friendships and a little romance. I got a big kick out of Gran. She sure is determined to find Jess a man and isn’t hiding  that fact at all. I can just see Jess rolling her eyes as her Gran introduces her to the man she has chosen to date her granddaughter. I have to mention the relationship between Jess and her mother. It is strained and will take lots of prayer and forgiveness to bring  them  back together. If you are looking for a light hearted romance this book is perfect. 

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


Blog Stops

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 8

Texas Book-aholic, May 9

Remembrancy, May 9

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, May 10

deb’s Book Review, May 11

Inklings and notions, May 12

For Him and My Family, May 13

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 14

Kayem Reads, May 14

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 15

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 16

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 18

Simple Harvest Reads, May 19 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Vicky Sluiter, May 20

The Sacred Line, May 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karin 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/10bae/avoiding-marriage-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

About the Book

Book:  A Second Chance for Grace

Author: Karen Malley

Genre: Christian Women’s Romantic Fiction

Release date: April 23, 2021

A new life coming into the world disrupts Susan’s quiet life.

Susan Montgomery is used to a quiet, peaceful life managing her apartment building, where the hardest problem is her grouchy neighbor’s leaky faucet. She soon finds herself dealing with a pregnant teenage niece, a mysterious briefcase left behind by a tenant, and two very different men vying for her heart.

A near-death experience gives Mac a new outlook on life.

Christopher “Mac” MacAllister is trying to figure out how to “do the Christian thing.” As a new convert, he’s drawn to Susan’s love for life and for God. She’s nothing like the women he used to date; but can Mac compete with the guy who’s come out of nowhere and knows all the right things to say?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Karen is an author of Christian fiction. She lives in Southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. She works full time as a scientist, but enjoys writing in her spare time. When not writing (with her left hand), she enjoys camping, hiking, playing board games, and especially reading! She loves reading faith-based stories, because we can all use a happy ending.

 

More from Karen

Follow your heart or your head?

In my early days in college, I dated a young man who wasn’t a Christian, but that didn’t stop my attraction to him. My heart wanted to be with him, but my head knew better. Later, another young man entered my life who was perfect for me on paper. He was kind, intelligent, taught Sunday school… We went out one time, but there wasn’t a spark. I decided I had to find the guy who captured both my heart and my head.

Fast forward to the summer before my junior year, and a third young man entered the picture. He was fun to be around, made me laugh, and believed in Jesus. We became friends and spent a lot of together before I finally admitted my attraction to him. Having been hurt before, I vowed not to get involved unless God was in it. I prayed about it, felt God’s blessing, and we’ve now been married over 20 years.

In A Second Chance for Grace, Susan finds herself in a similar situation. Mac instantly captures her heart, but circumstances cause her to doubt whether he’s the right man for her. When she meets Sam, she finds he checks all the boxes on paper, but she can’t seem to convince her heart he’s right for her. Having been in the same situation, it was easy for me to write about Susan’s dilemma.

Susan navigates many twists and turns throughout the book, from her pregnant niece moving into her apartment, to dealing with a mysterious briefcase left behind by a tenant, to trying to solve the dilemma of which man to choose. Through it all, she tries to follow God’s will for her life.

A Second Chance for Grace is the second book in the Pine Springs series. Mac and Susan meet in the first book, Following the Sparrows. To learn more about them (and their good friends), you’ll want to read Following the Sparrows first, but it isn’t necessary, as A Second Chance for Grace is a standalone novel.

Just like in real life, the characters in the novel have difficult decisions to make. Sometimes they make the right ones, sometimes they do not. Through it all, God proves He is the God of second chances!

MY REVIEW 

I love when a book comes along and hits all the points of a well written Christian fiction story. The characters are flawed yet willing to change. They each have their own burden to deal with but I loved how the author brought this group of people together to lift each other up. Susan is a good character but  I thought at times she was way to untrusting. It kinda causes her to judge someone unfairly. She does have a strong faith that at times makes her rethink decisions and relationships. She is a good person, yet she pushes away one person but let’s  another into her life without any doubts. I found that a bit odd and couldn’t wait to see how this little love triangle would play out.

I liked Claire and thought she was very responsible as she goes through an unexpected event in her life. Her aunt Susan really steps up to help her and we see how Susan’s example of a Christian makes a difference in Claire’s life. Claire has a big decision to make and I liked how the author handled the subject of teen pregnancy. It was so nice to see the changes in Claire as she slowly developed a relationship with God. 

Mac for me was my favorite character. Oh he did have a not  so good past, but he has turned his life around. As a new Christian I loved his hunger to know more about God as he slowly changed inside. The relationship he has with his son has grown stronger and is a great example to his son. The best part for me was the part in the story where Mac decides he needs to go in person to tell someone  he forgives them. It is not easy to look someone in the eye who has caused you hurt but oh the feeling of peace is worth it. No matter what we have done, God is there with open arms to welcome us to Him.  

The story is a great example of second chances. Isn’t it nice to know that God gives us second chances when we mess up. We need to leave the past behind, forgive those who have hurt us and find peace as we move forward . Our past doesn’t define us because we can change who we use to be and in this story there are several characters that illustrate it. The ending made me cry and I thought how precious it was to witness one more second chance. 

“It doesn’t matter what you did before you became a Christian. What matters is what you do afterwards.” 

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

Blog Stops

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, May 6

For Him and My Family, May 7

Kayem Reads, May 7

Texas Book-aholic, May 8

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 9

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 12

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 13

Batya’s Bits, May 13

Cultivating Us, May 14

deb’s Book Review, May 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 17

Inklings and notions, May 18

Vicky Sluiter, May 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize package of an eBook copy of the first book in the series, Following the Sparrows, along with a journal and necklace that go with the theme 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/10bab/a-second-chance-for-grace-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, May 6, 2021

 

providence

About the Book

Book:  Providence

Author: Jennifer Sienes

Genre: Christian Women’s Fiction

Release date: April 13, 2021

ProvidenceHow can she forgive a man she isn’t sure she ever knew?

Melissa Bainbridge doesn’t have time to grieve. She has three kids to feed, bills stacked high enough to crush her, and guilt–oh so much guilt.

When her husband’s death is  ruled a suicide, her financial stability and identity die with the man she now wonders if she ever knew.  How could he choose to leave them like this?  How could she have lived with him for 15 years and not known of his fragile mental health?

A journey of discovery reveals more questions than answers until Melissa finally faces her fears and tries to understand the mind of the man she thought she knew and never did.

The journey from despair to hope leads Melissa beyond grief and into the light of forgiveness in Providence.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

JenniferJennifer Sienes holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education, but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing–and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies–two in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.

 

More from Jennifer

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a novelist. In my naïve mind, it was a romantic endeavor that would take little effort on my part. Growing up, I wrote stories my sisters raved over, and later, stories my kids raved over. I don’t have to tell you, they were an easy audience to please. Still, life happened somewhere in the midst of it all, and I gave up that childish endeavor and became a teacher instead. It might not have been my absolute dream job, but it was second-best, and I figured the pay would be much better.

 

It wasn’t until years later, when my husband encouraged me to step away from teaching for a year to try my hand at writing. I was thrilled. A whole year to explore my potential as a novelist. The only problem was, I didn’t know what to write about. Over the next several months, I spent more time working in the yard and repainting the interior of the house then I did at my computer. That blank screen was just too daunting.

 

Then I lost my childhood hero and best friend to suicide. Michael was my Almost-Irish-Twin. I say almost, because I was born three weeks too late to make it official. He and I spent most of our childhood attached at the hip. I don’t know if I hung out with Mike because I was a tomboy, or if I was a tomboy because I hung out with Mike. I taught him the alphabet and how to tie his shoes (it’s true—most girls do advance faster than boys) and he taught me how to catch frogs and fish.

 

We got into all kinds of escapades together, which I’m sure caused Mom more than a few gray hairs. Mike was a prankster. He had the idea we should pepper his bedroom carpet so Mom would sneeze every time she vacuumed. Our house backed up to a cattle ranch, and he found a bucket and stool and talked me into milking the cows with him. The only problem was, they were steer. He even shared the box of chocolate Ex-Lax with me that he found in our parents’ medicine cabinet. Fortunately for me, his idea of sharing was, “One for you; two for me.” Mom couldn’t get us to the hospital fast enough to have our stomachs pumped.

 

I was asked by my sister-in-law to speak at Mike’s funeral. I looked out into a church filled with his family and friends. He was a member of Biker’s for Christ, and there were more than a few members dressed in leather. He’d been on a mission trip to Thailand only a couple years before, and he taught others how to evangelize. It was our childhood antics I shared with the attendees, because I wanted them to know the hilarious, loving, prankster that Mike was before his mind had been taken over with bipolar disorder. And when I stepped away from the podium, I clearly heard the Lord whisper to my heart, “This is your story.”

 

To this day, I still have the Bible he gave me—the first one I ever owned—with an inscription in it to encourage me to not give up during my own season of heartache. He was there through my daughter’s near-fatal accident and resultant coma and traumatic brain injury. He was there when my first husband of almost 23 years walked out for reasons that made no sense. He was there to remind me that God loved me, even when it felt like my life was falling apart—especially when it felt like it was falling apart.

 

It was exceedingly difficult to lose my big brother, but it was made even more difficult when a woman in my Bible study told me he was going to hell. “Suicide is the unforgivable sin, you know,” she said as I sat with nine other ladies around a friend’s kitchen table. She was misinformed. The only unforgivable sin is the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31). But I wondered how many other people were misinformed, as well.

 

Although Providence is Book 3 in my Apple Hill series, I actually wrote it first. The first draft was dark and gloomy, because that’s how I was feeling while grieving the loss of Mike. But as my faith has grown, so has the hope I have in Jesus Christ. I know that God doesn’t waste even one of our tears. When we suffer a loss, it’s His plan and purpose to use it for our good and His glory. I rewrote the novel twice before it spoke that truth loud and clear.

 

Providence is a story inspired by my brother’s death. And although it is not about Mike, I instilled the character of Trevor with woodworking talent, just like Mike had. The children are not my niece and nephews, but their descriptions and ages, at the time of Mike’s death, were inspired by them. My prayer is that everyone who reads this book will feel the hope and joy we have in our Lord, even when our circumstances tell us different.

MY REVIEW 

I will start my review off with a warning. This book contains suicide and mental health issues and other subjects that  may trigger some. I believe this author has written a story that is at the  essence of what many deal with or will deal with. It is never easy to lose someone so unexpectedly. Finding out  that the person took their own life spirals a family into such deep emotions and blame that I wanted to be there with them. It will be a hard road to forgiveness but in the end it will draw them closer to God. 

Melissa is devastated when her husband dies  but it is only the beginning of secrets that she will uncover. How do you explain to your three children that their dad took his own life? Her burden is heavy  as she tries to juggle unpaid bills, children  who are acting out at home and school and her  own guilt ? The author delves deep into the subject of suicide in a way that helps readers understand why someone would think this is the only answer to their pain.

 I appreciate the author talking about mental illness because the world has put a stigma on the subject that makes people ashamed to get help or tell anyone they are suffering. Melissa starts to understand that her husband was sick and needed help. But why did he not follow through with doctor appointments or medication? This is where the author delivers a powerful story that stirs within me. I was sad when the children were bullied at school and the words said to them were hard to read. For many the thought of suicide is hard to understand. Within the pages of this story the author demonstrates the controversy of suicide and Heaven. I thought she wrote about this with wisdom and references from the Bible. 

I loved how the author reminds us that sin is sin. There is no such thing as one sin being worse than the other. The moments when Melissa and her daughter talk about suicide and heaven are very realistic. The message is good when Melissa explains how God forgives  us. That is something she had been dealing with about her husband. It was hard for her to get past her anger to allow God to heal her heart. The story is filled with life lessons that we all need to be reminded of. I loved the ending and how God took a family through grief and showed them unconditional love. 

 “God doesn’t let go of His children.”

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

Blog Stops

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 3

lakesidelivingsite, May 3

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 4

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 6

Reviewingbooksplusmore, May 6

Texas Book-aholic, May 7

Inklings and notions, May 8

For Him and My Family, May 9

Mary Hake, May 9

deb’s Book Review, May 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 11

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, May 12

Rebecca Tews, May 13

Genesis 5020, May 13

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 14

Sodbuster Living, May 15

Reflections From My Bookshelves, May 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card & 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/10b62/providence-celebration-tour-giveaway


Wednesday, May 5, 2021

 

Lassoed by the Lawman

About the Book

Book:  Lassoed by the Lawman

Author: Renae Brumbaugh Green

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: May 4, 2021

Lassoed by the Lawman (1)Juliana Duke has always dreamed of owning a dress shop. 

But as the only child of Oscar and Maria Duke and heiress of the vast Duke Ranch, her job is to marry a rancher and produce a male heir. When Lt. Cody Steves rides onto the scene, her resolve to place duty over daydreams is shaken. Now that her heart’s been lassoed by the handsome lawman, will she be able to love another?

Cody Steves wants marriage and family, but he loves being a Texas Ranger. At any time, he could ride into a job and not come out alive. How could any decent man marry, knowing he could leave a widow and orphans behind? But the beautiful Juliana Duke captures him in a way no other has. When this job is over, can he ride away with his heart intact?

When he learns of a secret plot to take over the Duke Ranch, Cody must risk everything to save Juliana. Little does he know, the outcome will be nothing like he’s planned or imagined.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

renae humor headshotRenae Brumbaugh Green is an ECPA Bestselling Author, award-winning humor columnist, and wannabe superhero. She lives in Texas with her handsome, country-boy husband, four nearly-perfect children and one nearly-perfect son-in-law, and far too many animals. When she’s not writing, Renae teaches online classes and tries to be rugged without chipping her nail polish.

 

More from Renae

Lassoed by the Lawman is the third and final book in the Texas Rangers Series, and I honestly think it’s my favorite book of the series. The main characters, Juliana and Cody, are loosely based on me and my husband, Rick. We’re both creatives, we both love music, and we both try to balance our love for creativity with our need to actually make a living! Our shared love of music initially drew us to each other.

Like Cody, Rick is rugged and masculine, and he melted my heart the first time I heard him sing. As a matter of fact, during our courtship, we often wrote songs together. One of the songs Cody sings to Juliana in the book is actually a song Rick wrote for me. (Sigh.)

The attraction Cody and Juliana feel for each other is both white-hot and pure… the kind of passion God wants husbands and wives to experience. It’s the kind of passion Christ has for us, his bride. As I worked on these pages, I giggled at times, blushed at times, and grinned with mischief always.

Through hardship and heartache, Juliana and Cody find joy. And through hardship and heartache, God wants us to find joy, too…the joy of an abundant life in Christ. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. As a bonus, here’s a link to a song Rick and I wrote and recorded for each other. It’s not the song from the book, but it’s pretty special to us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDjVxp2m5

God bless, and happy reading!

—Renae Brumbaugh Green

MY REVIEW 

This story sweeps across the western sky of Texas where cattle roam the land. I absolutely love this book so much that I must demand that it be made into a movie. I have picked out the actors already and know it would be a hit. Oh the author has definitely done her finest work in this book. It is my favorite of hers and I am in awe of her talent.  She is able to take readers in the world of ranching where you feel as if you are there helping along with the ranch hands. 

Juliana is a great character with a big heart. I loved how she embraced living on a ranch and helped whenever she could. She definitely has spunk and zest for life. She has a big dream but she also wants to please her papa and mama. It is evident to me that Juliana isn’t in love but she felt it was her duty to marry this person . She has much to think about when the ranger shows up at the ranch. 

Cody is everything you would hope for in a hero. Being a Texas ranger can be dangerous but his faith guides him as he takes on a job that sets the stage for an adventure into lies, cattle rustling and danger. I love that the story is set in my state and the author does a good job of representing it in a realistic way. 

There is wonderful scriptures in the story as well as faith that weaves throughout the pages. I couldn’t wait to find our who was behind the mysterious disappearance of cattle. The fight is on as  Cody finds himself on the wrong side of a fist. Again I find myself being  reminded of the scripture, “the love of money is the root of all evil.” Men become angry  when they feel their pride has been stomped on and set out to destroy a family. Cody has his hands full trying to do his job. 

As much as I liked the adventure in the story I was really drawn to the romance as well. It is sweet, innocent and oh so swoon worthy to read. Two people who had no intention of falling in love find themselves trying to fight their feelings. In the story I loved the example of “laying down your life for a friend.”  It is a great illustration  of unconditional love. 

The ending of the book is action packed and surprising at times. I didn’t suspect who was behind the crimes being committed and it saddened me when it was revealed. The enemy is always lurking around looking to find someone who can be deceived and used for evil. It is a great story that features characters who must overcome danger, lies and greed. I’m sad to say goodbye to this series but will be awaiting the author’s next book with great anticipation. 

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

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 4

lakesidelivingsite, May 5

Just Writing, May 5

Texas Book-aholic, May 6

Inklings and notions, May 7

Simple Harvest Reads, May 7 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, May 8

deb’s Book Review, May 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 10

Kayem Reads, May 10

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 11

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 12

Connie’s History Classroom, May 13

Vicky Sluiter, May 13

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 16

Daysong Reflections, May 17

Genesis 5020, May 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Renae is giving away the grand prize of a $50 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/10b63/lassoed-by-the-lawman-celebration-tour-giveaway