Tuesday, August 8, 2023

About the Book

Book: Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: August 15, 2023

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, loyalty…and a hidden fortune.

Jericho Coulter, the eldest of six fiercely devoted brothers, is entrusted with safeguarding his family and the secret that binds them together: the Sapphire mine. To keep tragedy from striking again, he allows no outsiders on their land. When two women stumble upon their ranch, claiming Jericho himself sent for one of them as a mail-order bride, he aims to send them straight back where they came from.

Dinah Wyatt, a talented and determined doctor, wasn’t about to let her twin sister travel to Montana alone and marry a stranger. Dinah’s skills are immediately put to the test when one of the younger Coulter brothers is gravely injured, forcing the family to trust his life to her.As Dinah and her sister become entwined in the Coulter family’s life, sparks fly between the enigmatic Jericho and the captivating doctor. In a world where trust is hard to come by and secrets hold the power to change lives, Jericho and Dinah must learn that sometimes, the most precious secrets are those buried within our own hearts.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain family saga filled with a mail-order bride, hidden treasure, and love that heals wounded hearts.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

Sapphires in Montana? Are you sure?

When I was brainstorming ideas for my new series, I knew I wanted the stories to be set on a ranch amidst the breathtaking beauty of the Montana mountains. But I wanted something a little more unusual than that. I know, what could be more special than a ranch in the Rockies?

So I brought the conundrum to some writer friends and asked for help brainstorming. There’s nothing quite so fascinating as a group of writers in full brainstorming mode. Since the series is set during the mining boom in Montana, we discussed the idea of some kind of mine on the ranch, but not gold or silver. Or even copper. The remarkable Sarah Erredge (who writes as S.E. Warren) suggested Sapphires.

That thought immediately grabbed hold of me (especially since the Sapphire is the birthstone for my month of September). But I’d never heard of Sapphires being discovered in Montana. That seemed impossible… Right?

Until some quick research showed there are three well-known pockets of Sapphires in the state! Rock Creek is one of those locations, and is positioned perfectly for where I wanted to set my story—west of Helena and about a half day’s ride from the Mullan Road.

The timing of Sapphire discoveries in the state is perfect for my series as well. Early prospectors searching for gold in the gravel of the Missouri River repeatedly discarded the annoying blue pebbles that continually clogged their sluices without much thought to what they may be. It wasn’t discovered that these “pebbles” were Sapphires until 1895 when a man named Ed Coulter forwarded samples of these stones to Tiffany & Co. When Tiffany purchased the lot for $3,750 (approximately $110,300 as of 2018) and declared that the stones were “sapphires of unusual quality,” a small-scale sapphire rush began.

This rush is exactly what the Coulter brothers in the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series are trying to avoid. That’s why they keep the Sapphire mine on their property secret during this first book in the series, Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart.

I pray you love book 1 in this new series and fall as deeply in love with this ranch in the Rockies as I have, especially with the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch. 

Blessings!

Misty

MY REVIEW

One of the best qualities I love about this author is how she describes the scenery so perfectly in her stories. I opened this book and immediately was transported back to 1868 in Montana. It was easy to visualize the vivid blue sky as the sun gave hints of warmth. I was ready to hop aboard with the characters and experience their journey.

Dinah and Naomi are traveling to meet the man who has sent for Naomi. Being a mail order bride was well known during this time period. Naomi has made traveling difficult for her and Dinah as they are far away from home. Naomi is six months pregnant and the journey is taking a toll on her body. They better hurry and find the ranch quickly before Naomi develops complications from her pregnancy. I can’t imagine traveling by horse for days on the dusty trail. The horse is not very comfortable and you can tell Naomi is feeling the effects of the journey. Good thing Dinah decided to take the trip with her.

Jericho is a presence to be reckoned with. He has his hands full running the ranch, looking out for his niece and nephew and many brothers. His mission is to guard his family and allow no strangers on his ranch. He is shocked to learn that Naomi was here to marry him. Well that is a funny story but readers will have to discover that for themselves. When one of the brothers is severally injured Dinah takes over his care. I think Jericho was surprised to learn that Dinah is a doctor. He has allowed the women to stay at the ranch for a bit but I don’t think they should get very comfortable .

One of the most impactful and emotional scene for me was when Dinah and Jericho went to the Native American campsite to help with the outbreak of smallpox. A disease that we are blessed not to worry about today was deadly for some in the earlier years. I loved how the author described what Dinah was able to do to protect those who had not gotten yet. Medicine in those days were just beginning to see promise and Dinah was well versed in the disease. As she is trying to help a small child she tells Jericho, “A mother is the heart of a family. If she loses hope, so does everyone else.”

As the days pass the women become more like family and you can see a change in Jericho. I loved how the family prayed for his healing when he became ill with smallpox. Dinah stays near him to make sure he recovers. There begins to be a spark of chemistry between the two. There is a part in the story between Dinah and Jericho that was a little bit uncomfortable for me. I will say the author didn’t take it too far but you can sense the underlying attraction growing deeper between them.

The story does have many wonderful moments where forgiveness become important in the story. I was quite curious what was so secretive about the strawberries the brothers tended to. It is very intriguing and gives the characters a lesson in trust. Jericho is faced with a difficult situation that only God can help him with. Will he allow God into his live and fully trust Him?

I loved how the author gives us a look at how important a doctor was in those days. Dinah knows God has called her to help others, but her heart is torn. What will she decide? Does Naomi deliver a healthy baby? Do Jericho and Dinah declare their love for each other or do they part ways? All these answers are waiting for readers to discover. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

“The Lord always takes care of His children, though it doesn’t always happen the way we expect it to. God knows what we need. He’s never late.”

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

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, August 8

Alena Mentink, August 8

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 9

Texas Book-aholic, August 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 10

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 10

Lighthouse Academy Blog, August 11 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 12

The Book Club Network, August 13

Blossoms and Blessings, August 13

Betti Mace, August 14

Connie’s History Classroom, August 15

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 16

Holly’s Book Corner, August 17

Jeanette’s Thoughts, August 17

Splashes of Joy, August 18

Mary Hake, August 18

annette_reads_daily, August 19

Cover Lover Book Review, August 19

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 20 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 21

Pause for Tales, August 21

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty 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/272f6/healing-the-mountain-man-s-heart-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, August 7, 2023

About the Book

Book: Beside Still Waters

Author: Lynnette Bonner

Genre:Historical Christian Western Romance

Release Date: August 15, 2023

Zoe Kastain wants to be happy, but just the sight of Washington Nolan standing beside Kin at his wedding has her choking the life from her gloves. The man who once dazzled her with promises of love and commitment now will hardly look at her. Even through the haze of red clouding her vision, she realizes it is probably better this way. Because after he’d returned, injured, she’d gone and laid her heart at his feet. He’d slammed his door in her face, and she never wanted to feel that incomprehensible rejection again. But as Kin and Cora exchange rings and kisses, Zoe realizes her best efforts to quash her love for Wash Nolan have been hopeless. Not only that but what if his rejection was a test to see if she would stand by him?! And she walked away! She needed to fix this! Make him realize she still loved him. But how? Her gaze settles on Kin and Cora leaving the church to the cheers of their guests. What was the biggest gesture of love, but marriage? No! She couldn’t, could she? It was preposterous madness!

Wash stumbles out of the church, chastising himself for letting Kin talk him into being here today. He ought to have known that seeing Zoe again would bring nothing but heartache. They could have built a life together if not for his injury that rendered him unable to provide for a family. Despite all that, it felt good to have escaped the cabin. He needed to make an effort to get out more. He’d been pretty detached from, well, everything since his return. He just needed to make his escapes to places where Zoe Kastain would not be, because seeing her was temptation itself. The soft light of invitation in her eyes could downright make a man forget his limitations. And this was not the time for that, especially not with all the strange things happening at the farm.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Lynnette Bonnerwas born in Malawi, Africa, and spent the first years of her life reveling in warm equatorial sunshine and the late evening duets of cicadas and hyenas. The year she turned eight she was off to Rift Valley Academy, a boarding school in Kenya where she spent many joy-filled years and graduated in 1990.

That fall, she traded to a new duet–one of traffic and rain–when she moved to Kirkland, Washington to attend Northwest University. It was there that she met her husband and a few years later they moved to the small town of Pierce, Idaho.

During the time they lived in Idaho while studying the history of their little town, Lynnette was inspired to begin the Shepherd’s Heart Series with Rocky Mountain Oasis.

Marty and Lynnette have four children and currently live in Washington where Marty pastors a church.

More from Lynette

Dear Readers,

History is one of my favorite things. I love opening a book and getting immersed in the sights, sounds, smells, and culture of by-gone eras. Because I love to read these stories, these are also the kinds of stories I write. And here we are at the fourteenth and final historical foray in the Wyldhaven series! This one is the wrap-up, the happy sigh at the end of an intricate set of adventures. If you haven’t yet jumped into the Wyldhaven series, I invite you to start with book one, because while each book can stand alone, you’ll enjoy the characters so much more if you’ve followed them from the beginning. Book one is Not a Sparrow Falls.

However, on tour here today is book fourteen, Beside Still Waters. Two of my favorite characters from the series are about to face their biggest set of challenges yet, and along the way they just might learn a little about leaning on God’s truth, even when bad things happen, and of course find that loving one another makes those bad things so much easier to bear.

I hope you’ll enjoy this story and that it will in some way draw you closer to the One who leads us beside still waters.

Injured by friendly fire. Trapped in the torrent of his own fears.

Washington Nolan wanted to join the cavalry from the time he was a boy. He planned to enlist for a few years, and then return home to marry Zoe Kastain, the girl he’s been sweet on from almost his earliest memory. What he didn’t plan on was a friendly fire incident that would cost him the use of his leg. Now he’s home. But without the means to provide for a family, he can’t in all good conscience marry Zoe. Even harder than losing his leg is letting her go.

Rejected by the man she loves. She’ll brave the deepest waters to convince him that God will see them through.

Zoe Kastain can’t believe that Wash has broken things off. She’s just mad enough to walk away, but then she realizes that Wash needs her love now more than ever. She can’t simply abandon him! But he’s not going to like it when she brings the parson—and her valise—to his porch. She’s prepared for his resistance. But what she’s not prepared for is his acquiescence—nor the storm she’s about to walk through because of it.

Together they must learn to trust the One who leads beside still waters.

MY REVIEW

I was very impressed with Zoe and her determination to marry Wash. She pushes aside the fact that when he came back from the was injured, he called off the wedding. He has secluded himself in his little cabin and wants nothing to do with anyone including Zoe. When you want something bad enough, sometimes you do go a little overboard but Zoe is so sure they are to be together.

I was excited to follow their journey and see if happiness would prevail. The emotions are very well written and I understood Wash’s hesitation at Zoe’s idea. Get ready for a few surprises in the story and also a little danger. I loved the other story line about a certain someone who wants to force someone off their land. The underhanded things done to achieve this will go against the law. Will someone end up injured or dead from this?

The author keeps us entertained with historical facts that splash across the pages. The meals were simple but filling as everyone pitched in to help provide for their families. Can you imagine having to boil water just to take a bath? I would not do well without a bathroom and an air conditioner. It goes without saying that we have it much easier than people living during the days where you lived off the land.

Get ready for an adventure filled with deceitful people, trust, forgiveness and second chances.

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

Blog Stops

Alena Mentink, August 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 5

Connie’s History Classroom, August 6

Texas Book-aholic, August 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 9

For Him and My Family, August 10

The Book Club Network, August 11

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 12 (Author Interview)

Karen Baney Reviews, August 12

Holly’s Book Corner, August 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 14

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 15

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, August 16 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 16

Lily’s Book Reviews, August 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lynette is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!

One first place winner will receive a paperback copy of the book!

Five winners will receive an eBook 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/272f5/beside-still-waters-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, August 6, 2023

About the Book

Book: Anne

Author: Rena Groot

Genre: Historical Romantic Fiction

Release Date: 2023

It is 1881. Anne is 19, a widow travelling on the Oregon Trail. She has no option, but to travel with her husband’s murderer. As she struggles to survive on the unforgiving trail, Anne must confront her own doubts and fears. Will she succumb to the darkness in her heart and seek vengeance at any cost? Or will she find the strength to forgive, and discover a path to redemption and healing? With each step she takes, Anne must face the harsh realities of life on the frontier and the deep mysteries of faith, trust, and grace. She dreams of revenge…but God has other plans.

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW

With the opening pages readers can get a feel of how hard it was during the late 1880s. There was the threat of the Jesses James group who robbed and killed innocent people that many feared. The weather was not always favorable and trying to survive on the Oregon Trail was very hard.

I like Anne and her fierce, determined and strong character. Being a mail order bride was something she thought would give her happiness. She was quite young and faced so many tragedies. The death of her husband shatters her hopes and dreams. Now she must face having to be around the man who killed her husband. I think it would be very difficult to be near the man who murdered someone I loved.

Logan is very humble and strong in his faith. He decides to help Anne and has her join him on his journey. He wants to protect her and knows she is angry with him. Faced with tough questions he tells her the true facts about her husband that she never knew about. I thought about how people can deceive others when they are not face to face getting to know each other. It is a shock to face the harsh reality that the the man she married was violent and ruthless. Logan continues to show grace to Anne and realizes that he is starting to have feelings for her.

I enjoyed the story and how the author describes the many obstacles our two main characters faced. A simple task we do every day like brushing our teeth was hard for our main characters to accomplish. The thought of brushing my teeth with mint leaves, and twigs does not sound appealing. When the author mentioned how many people lost teeth due to not brushing I thanked God for the simple things we take for granted.

I learned many things about this time period which showed me how we need to trust God and know that he will supply our needs. Forgiveness is a big lesson for Anne and I loved how she relied on her faith to help her. It had to be hard to forgive someone who caused you pain, but Anne knew she had to overcome what was holding her back from happiness. This is a great story where adventure, danger, forgiveness and faith work together and show how faith can move mountains.

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

About the Author

I am an artist, writer, online course creator (Broken to Beautiful…rena-groot.mykajabi.com), B & B host, have a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Religious Education, have been a teacher in Canada and China, a tour manager from the Rockies to the Pacific, and God has given me the honor of being an ambassador with “The Department of Eternal Affairs” to so many cool places—He must have laughed knowing His plans for me…that one day I would be praying with a voodoo queen in Haiti, another day leading a dying woman to Jesus in a hut in Belize, another day sharing the love of Jesus as an earthquake shook the Earth under my feet. God is beyond amazing. I started a blog to bless, encourage, and sometimes challenge people. Here’s the link. renagroot.com.

Blog Stops

By The Book, August 1 (Author Interview)

Madi’s Musings, August 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 2

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 3 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 4

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 5 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 5

Texas Book-aholic, August 6

Sylvan Musings, August 7 (Author Interview)

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 8

The Book Club Network, August 9

Connie’s History Classroom, August 10

Bliss, Books & Jewels, August 11 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 13

Lily’s Book Reviews, August 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rena is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed 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/26f4b/anne-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, August 3, 2023

About the Book

Book: Freedom in Friday Harbor

Author: Annee Jones

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release Date: January 25, 2023

Will the 4th of July fireworks light the way to freedom from the past and perhaps the blossoming of new love for Summer and Ace in Friday Harbor?

Seattle marketing specialist Summer Connelly welcomes the assignment to supervise the construction of a company float for the annual 4th of July parade in Friday Harbor, WA. Not only will it be a chance to prove her leadership skills to her boss, but an opportunity for a much-needed escape, especially since she hasn’t taken any time off since her divorce was finalized over a year ago.

Ace Lockhart works himself to the bone at his Portland contracting company, but something in his life feels off. When doctors tell him his elderly father has taken a turn for the worse, he heads to Friday Harbor to be with the old man, simply because no one else in the family will even speak to him.

As fate would have it, Summer’s plans for the parade look like they could go up in smoke before any fireworks are even set off. Can Ace be the ticket to light at the end of the tunnel? Will their days together lead to fireworks in more ways than one?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Annee Jones is an international bestselling author of romance, fantasy, and mystery. She is passionate about writing stories where dreams come true and love wins!

Professionally, Annee works as a disability counselor where she is honored to help her clients navigate through complex medical and legal systems while rediscovering their wholeness in Spirit.

Subscribe to Annee’s newsletter to stay up to date on new releases, sneak peeks, author parties, and exclusive giveaways: https://www.anneejones.com/newsletter

More from Annee

Friday Harbor is a real place located on San Juan Island off the coast of the Pacific Northwest: https://www.visitsanjuans.com/friday-harbor

I visited Friday Harbor several years ago and loved its quaint charm & the people I met who live there year-round. My visit was the inspiration for this book.

MY REVIEW

I love that the story is set in a place that we have the opportunity to visit. The author describes it so well, that I may have to take a trip there. It sounds like a nice, easy going area where you can relax and enjoy the view.

The two main characters are at Friday Harbor for different reasons but they seem to connect very easily. Summer is there to work but things aren’t going as well as she had hoped. Her workers are not very respectful to her which doesn’t help her mood. Ace is there to visit his ailing dad and runs into Summer. Right away I could feel the chemistry and how easy it was for them to talk to each other.

They both are struggling with their faith and as they start to open up to each other it helps them see where they need to work on themselves. I loved when Ace said , “ I wonder if we tend to put the responsibility for our own happiness on other people too much.” We need to realize that whatever decisions we make are on us. If we are unhappy we need to change and ask God to help us become content and joyful in the season we are in.

The author touches on some subjects like divorce, panic attacks, domestic abuse and Alzheimer that may be triggers for some. It is handled in a graceful way that directs readers to healing and trusting God. Ace has become a valuable friend to Summer when he steps in to help before her project is ruined. He has such a kind demeanor and is always near by to keep an eye on Summer.

What a beautiful story that brings two people together and help each other during their time of need. The ending is bittersweet but I’m sure readers will find peace as the story leads to reconciliation and a new beginning.

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