Monday, August 2, 2021

About the Book

Book: Rocky Mountain Restoration

Author: Lisa J. Flickinger

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: June 29, 2021

Josephine Thorebourne doesn’t deserve happiness. Not after the mess she’s made.

Mid-voyage, on the steamship Jameson, she learns of the tragic loss of her family’s money. Money she stole with the hopes of turning a profit. What should be a delightful voyage up the Canadian coast turns into a journey of regret. Josephine seeks the solace of the man she loves, only to find out he’s an imposter. Left with no other choice, she must return to her home town of Stony Creek and face the anger of those she’s betrayed.

Owen Kelly was given the opportunity of a lifetime to steward on the SS Jameson. The work meant he could escape his difficult upbringing along the wharves of Chicago. When his heart falls for the woman in cabin eight, Owen must decide if he will continue his work on the ship or follow the love of his life to her Rocky Mountain home.

As Josephine faces the repercussions of her decisions, the future becomes uncertain. Owen is the one person who knows everything and yet still sees the good in her. Will their love survive the challenges the Rocky Mountain town throws in their path?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lisa J. Flickinger lives and writes from the cliff of a river along the majestic Rocky Mountains. When not writing or reading, you will find her scouring antique shops or sipping a maple latte with friends and family. To learn more about her other books, visit www.lisajflickinger.com.

More from Lisa

Have you ever smelled a whale’s breath? I have. The experience sparked the idea of taking the characters in Rocky Mountain Restoration on a pleasure cruise up the Canadian coast.

My husband and I vacationed in Ucluelet one summer, a quaint fishing village on the west coast of Vancouver Island. While there, we boarded a cabin cruiser with other adventure seekers to go whale watching.

Not long after leaving the rocky shore, our experienced captain spotted the flick of a tale in the rolling waves, and guided the boat to a position hundreds of yards away. Within moments, to our delight and awe, a massive humpback breached mere feet from the boat. Its knobbed head rose before us, mouth wide open, hundreds of baleen plates dripping a murky red. The smell was one of the worst in my memory, a vulgar mixture of rotten fish, old road kill, and something indescribable. But what a privilege to encounter one of God’s magnificent creatures up close!

A logging camp, high in the Rockies, is a long way from the pacific coast. That’s the very reason our nefarious antagonists from book one of the Rocky Mountain Revival Series, Josephine and Snoop, have chosen to board the SS Jameson under assumed names.

While I can’t promise you whale’s breath in the novel, I can promise you gorgeous scenery and other wildlife encounters as a backdrop for betrayal, thievery, and—of course—romance. Hop aboard!

MY REVIEW

This book has been a delightful journey as one woman finds out about deceit, hardship and forgiveness. I adored Josephine and understood how easy it was for her to be smitten with a man who promised her a lavish life. I loved the time spent on the ship and how the author gave us a glimpse of what it would be like as a passenger. It didn’t sound all good as uninvited animals scurried about. I would not be able to sleep knowing they were probably watching me.

The author slowly reveals the trouble Josephine has gotten herself into when she discovers she has trusted the wrong person with her family’s money. The adventure in the ship was full of surprises and a character that I think was easy to dislike but oh my how I liked her. Yes I loved Maggie even though she sure was a sneaky, jealous person. She is one of those that is described in the Bible, “as the lost sheep.” She does everything against God, yet He still loves her and puts people in her path to help her. At the end of the book you will find a lesson on redemption that is beautifully written.

Now what can I say about Owen? Well of course he is a God fearing man who is attracted to Josephine. They get to know each other on the ship and form a friendship. When Josephine’s secret is revealed, not everyone is willing to forgive her. Owen shows her how much she is loved and how God forgives each of us. The author illustrates how Josephine turns to God and is determined to make things right with her parents. Now here is where I really liked the story because it shows that not everyone was willing to forgive . She didn’t expect open arms to be waiting for her, but she hoped that her parents would show her grace. The importance of this part of the story is not everyone will forgive, but we must make sure that their rejection doesn’t allow us to turn bitter.

“If life was about what we deserve, we would all be in trouble. God knows what you’ve done. He’s promised to take it to the end of the earth.”

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

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, July 20

Artistic Nobody, July 21 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 21

For Him and My Family, July 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 23

By The Book, July 24 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 24

deb’s Book Review, July 25

Connie’s History Classroom, July 26

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 27

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 30 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, July 31

Life of Literature, August 1

Texas Book-aholic, August 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lisa 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/10fab/rocky-mountain-restoration-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, August 1, 2021

About the Book

Book: A More Christlike Word

Author: Bradley Jersak

Genre: Biblical Studies

Release date: June 29, 2021

The Scriptures are an essential aspect of the Christian faith. But we have often equated them with the living Word Himself, even elevating them above the One to whom they point. In doing so, we have distorted their central message—and our view of God. Tragically, this has caused multitudes of people unnecessary doubt, confusion, and pain in their encounters with the Scriptures. Author and theologian Bradley Jersak has wrestled deeply with such passages over many years. He has experienced the same questions, doubt, and pain. In A More Christlike Word, he offers a clarifying and freeing path forward, whether you consider yourself a believer, a doubter, or a skeptic, inviting you to a better and more ancient way to read the Scriptures. He calls this path the “Emmaus Way” because it focuses on Jesus Christ as the final Word on God. It demonstrates how all Scripture, by design, points to Jesus, revealing the true nature of the Father. Your journey on the Emmaus Way will open up to you the fullness of the Scriptures, and, most important, lead you to the God who deeply loves and welcomes you.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Bradley Jersak is the Dean of Theology & Culture, a modular graduate studies program at St. Stephen’s University in New Brunswick, Canada. He is also the editor-in-chief of Clarion-Journal.com. Bradley and his wife, Eden, have lived in the Abbotsford area of British Columbia since 1988, where they served as pastors and church planters for twenty years. Bradley is the author of a number of nonfiction and fiction books, including A More Christlike God, A More Christlike Way, Her Gates Will Never Be Shut, Can You Hear Me?: Tuning in to the God Who Speaks, and The Pastor: A Crisis. He has an M.A. in biblical studies from Briercrest Bible College and Seminary, an M.Div. in biblical studies from Trinity Western University/ACTS Seminary, and a Ph.D. in theology from Bangor University, Wales. He was also a Visiting Scholar at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, for post-doctoral research in patristic christology.

More from Bradley

The book acknowledges and addresses people’s real struggle to harmonize hard passages of Scripture with their view of a loving God.

Have you ever felt that seemingly “toxic” texts in the Bible suffocate rather than strengthen faith? If so, then this book will help you find a way to hear the life-giving Word speaking through Scripture—even the tough parts. Bradley Jersak faces difficult passages head-on with honest, provocative, wise, and stimulating insights. Here is an accessible and informed guide to Christ-centered biblical interpretation.
—Rev. Dr. Robin Parry
Author, The Evangelical Universalist and The Biblical Cosmos

If you find the Bible heavy lifting rather than finding yourself carried by Jesus, the incarnate Word himself, and his indescribably good gospel of love, A More Christlike Word is for you. It will invite you to move from simply reading verses through an unexamined lens to always listening for the revelation of Christ, byChrist, who reveals what is true concerning the relentless, renewing love of God our Father, and, thus, what is true about us as his beloved ones.
—Dr. Cherith Nordling
Sessional Lecturer, Regent College, Vancouver
Author, Knowing God by Nam

MY REVIEW

I have found as a reviewer that there are many different views on subjects which I may not always agree on. When doing a review I am honest and find something good about each book. This book was a challenge for me because it was very wordy, has some opinions I don’t agree with and it was quite confusing at times. When I read this statement from the book, “ We Baptists claim to have a “high view” of Scripture. I still do.” I became uncomfortable. That is a very bold statement to make and I was a bit offended by it. Is it possible for one belief to understand scripture better than someone else?

One thing that really stuck out to me was how the author was using scriptures and interpreting them into his own belief. I am one of those people that don’t like the Bible misquoted. In this world we have people who teach the Bible straightforward. There are also those that twist the Word ever so slightly that some may not notice it. Does Jesus correct the Bible in scripture? According to the author He does. My I am so confused the more I read this book. I appreciate that the author is adamant in his study even though I don’t agree with him.

I don’t want to go through each point where I disagree with the author. The best thing I can do as a reviewer is give you my opinion and let you decide for yourselves. Just like there are many interpretations of the Bible, there are many people who see scriptures differently. I can not recommend this book but I can suggest that if you read it, do it with eyes open and heart ready to discern what God says in His Word.

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 31

Mary Hake, July 31

Texas Book-aholic, August 1

Inklings and notions, August 2

For Him and My Family, August 3

deb’s Book Review, August 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 5

Artistic Nobody, August 6 (Spotlight)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 6

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 7

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 8

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 10

Cats in the Cradle Blog, August 11

Writing from the Heart Land, August 12

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Bradley is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks 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/110e2/a-more-christlike-word-celebration-tour-giveaway

Saturday, July 31, 2021

About the Book

Book: Over Her Head: In the Shadow

Author: JL Crosswhite

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release date: June 21, 2021

She’s working on a new start…

…He’s trying a new work venture.

Can they build a relationship that fits their new life?

Fresh out of cosmetology school Jessica and whiz software engineer Austin have been thrown together by mutual friends. They even escaped a wildfire together.

But do they have something more than friendship?

Maybe a singles’ camping trip will make their future clear.

But when they encounter someone who needs their help, the relaxing weekend away becomes anything but. As the danger mounts and the challenges reveal who they truly are, will it pull them together or push them apart… for good?

You will get lost in Over Her Head because the biggest adventure is falling in love.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Jennifer’s favorite thing is discovering how much there is to love about America the Beautiful and the great outdoors. She’s a mom to two navigating the young adult years while battling her daughter’s juvenile arthritis, exploring the delights of her son’s autism, and keeping gluten free. A California native who’s spent significant time in the Midwest, she’s thrilled to be back in the Golden State. Follow her on social media to see all her adventures and how she gets inspired for her books!

More from Jennifer

MacGyver might have come from my family tree. I grew up hearing stories of how my grandpa turned a horse trailer into a travel trailer for camping and how he finagled something out of what he had if he didn’t have the actual thing he needed. I grew up seeing my dad do this. And I’ve been known to do it a time or two myself.

My grandpa grew up during the Great Depression, so I could see how making do with what he had came to him naturally. The rest of us saw the usefulness of it and continued the tradition. Even though there are times I’ve stopped and said, “I should just go by the thing I need instead of trying to make do.” Maybe it would have saved me some time and frustration.

But there is something satisfying about seeing a problem and creating the solution yourself. It’s like solving a puzzle. And for me, writing a book is a lot like that. I start out with various pieces and no idea how they are going to fit together.

When I began Over Her Head, it was the third book of my In the Shadow series. This series explores the idea of what it’s like to grow up in the shadow of a hero. Jessica’s brother, Scott, is a Navy pilot. Their oldest brother died before Jessica was born, so she’s always felt like she’s been in the shadow of her older brothers. How would she become her own person and find the purpose that God has for her?

That was one piece. A big one. But I still needed to find a love interest, a plot, and a supporting cast. I started sorting through what I had, looking for pieces that could fit, could be molded into something new and different. A trip to the hair salon provided a fun conversation with my hair stylist about what a newly graduated cosmetology student might be doing and the politics of working in a salon.

The pieces were coming together. Finally, I decided to set the story around one of my favorite activities: camping. Okay, maybe it’s more like glamping. I like a real bed.  But it is a great way to force a group of people to be close together for a period of time. There’s an element of stress, and even danger, since nature isn’t predictable.

Hopefully the end product looks smoothly finished and not MacGyvered together. But I don’t ever let the rough beginning or different looking pieces discourage me from pressing on with the story. And I think that’s a good lesson for life. What rough spots need a little creativity to bring them to life and smooth them out? Spend some time letting your inner MacGyver play.

MY REVIEW

This has been a wonderful series with each one delivering an edge of your seat adventure. Who knew that going on a camping trip would find our characters in the middle of mud slides, human trafficking and relationships on the cusp of developing. It was easy to get into the book because the author writes stories that come to life. I became very invested in Jessica and wanted to see where her faith would take her. Yes the faith element is good in the story and emphasizes how important it is to follow God’s direction.

Now I could go into detail about the story but for this review I want to focus on two things. The first one is how Jessica seems to have this need to prove herself to others. She isn’t quite confident in herself yet she does something that others would not risk. Jessica has this heart for helping others and when she sees a young girl needing rescuing she doesn’t hesitate to step up and help. I loved how she shared Jesus with Mia and continued to reassure her that she would be safe. She shared how God loved her and no matter what she had done, she was forgiven. Jessica stepped out, trusted God and in doing so helped her to see her calling in life.

The other point I want to cover is Austin. This character is a typical nerd as some would call him. He is very intelligent but shy. He lacks confidence in himself and tries so hard to show others he can be a leader. When he and Jessica start seeing each other, I think this was a great way for them to help each other with their insecurities. The adventure they have while camping really shows how strong these two are. They are grounded in the Word and begin to trust each other. They do have a few stumbling blocks but it shows how depending on God can help you in any situation. There is danger, secrets and a mystery that really heightens the story. I loved the message of trusting God and helping others.

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 19

For Him and My Family, July 20

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 21 (Author Interview)

The Sacred Line, July 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 22

deb’s Book Review, July 23

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 24

Inklings and notions, July 25

CarpeDiem, July 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 26

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

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 28

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 29

My Journey Back the Journey Back, July 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 30

Texas Book-aholic, July 31

Cats in the Cradle Blog, July 31

Pause for Tales, August 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, J.L. 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/10fa8/over-her-head-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

A Dream of Family

About the Book

Book: A Dream of Family

Author: Jill Weatherholt

Genre: Inspirational Romance

Release date: June 29, 2021

A Dream of Family - cover To give a little girl a home…

she must take a chance on forgiveness.

From the minute Molly Morgan saw sad-eyed little Grace, she longed to give her a happy home. But Molly’s struggling bookstore is endangering her adoption chances. Outgoing entrepreneur Derek McKinney has a puppy Grace adores—and a plan to save Molly’s business. But can he and Molly put their troubled past behind them in time to make a family for a lifetime?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

HQ Headshot By day, Jill Weatherholt works for the City of Charlotte. At night, and on the weekend, she writes contemporary stories about love, faith and forgiveness for Harlequin Love Inspired.

Raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., she now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, but her heart belongs to Virginia.

She holds a degree in Psychology from George Mason University and Paralegal Studies Certification from Duke University.

She shares her life with her real-life hero and number one supporter. Their relationship grew on the golf course, and now they have one in their backyard.

Jill believes in enjoying every moment of this journey because God has everything under control.

More from Jill

Working in a library or a bookstore has always been a dream job of mine. As book bloggers and readers, you may have had that same dream.

Sadly, I’ve never made that dream come true. So instead, I created a fictitious character, Molly Morgan. In A Dream of Family, Molly Morgan owns and operates a bookstore, so by writing her story, I was able to somewhat fulfill my dream of working in a job where I’m surrounded by books all day.

As a child growing up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., I loved the bookmobile. Twice a month a small library on wheels rolled into the neighborhood and parked in front of our house. There was nothing better than to feel the wallop of arctic air the moment I climbed aboard. It was the perfect escape from the hot and sticky summer months. Like a time machine, the endless rows of books transported me to distant places. It was there I was introduced to The Box Car Children and Nancy Drew Mysteries. One stamp of black ink,and it was mine to devour for two weeks.

I haven’t seen a bookmobile since my childhood, but they still exist today. Thankfully, libraries and bookstores are still in our communities, offering wonderful programs to inspire young readers. But as I watch public libraries reduce their hours and bookstores close their doors, I’m grateful to have grown up in a time where bookmobiles traveled the streets of my neighborhood. Those days, my biggest decision during summer vacation was what book to take to the pool.

Blessings,

Jill Weatherholt

MY REVIEW

I can tell you exactly why I love this book so much. The characters are easy to like and their problems are what some of us may have experienced. Trying to run a small business is hard but when a big chain bookstore comes to town, Molly knows she is in trouble. Oh how I wanted to help her and tell her everything would be alright. She struggles with pride and rejection which I think stops her from believing in herself. Her childhood was filled with abuse that left emotional scars. The author does an excellent job of letting us see the financial struggle Molly goes through and her desperation to save her business. Molly expresses how important books have always been to her. As a child it was a way to escape the pain she endured and the characters became friends to her. I can relate to this and probably is the same reason I loved reading as a child myself.

Derek is hands down my favorite character because he is genuine. He and Molly have a past which does cause a little distance between them. What I liked about him was his sincere desire to help Molly. His ideas are wonderful and I did learn a lot about running a bookstore. I loved visualizing the children’s corner with its bright walls and inviting little rocking chairs that are perfect to give the children a more relaxed place to listen to stories. Derek tries so hard to help Molly but I think pride keeps sneaking in and pushing her away. Derek does have something that he needs to deal with from his past that has pushed him to withdraw from his family. Derek will face a hard decision that will be be a turning point in his future. Don’t miss this part of the story when Derek faces his past . Will he be able to forgive and move forward in his new venture?

There is another part of the story that really held my attention. It is no surprise that Molly wants a family of her own. She wants to adopt and give a child a place they can feel accepted and loved at. Grace is a very shy and reserved little girl which makes it difficult for Molly to build a relationship with. Here is where the story gets a little serious and the author tackles some sensitive subjects. She does it in a way that points readers to faith and forgiveness. I know you will love this story if you like realistic characters with flaws who find their way back to God. They learn to trust, forgive and find hope. I believe this is my favorite book that the author has ever written.

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