Thursday, April 4, 2019

About the Book

Book: A Very Austen Valentine

Author: Robin Helm

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency), Religious and Inspirational

Release Date: December 29, 2018

Six beloved authors deliver romantic Valentine novellas set in Jane Austen’s Regency world. Robin Helm, Laura Hile, Wendi Sotis, and Barbara Cornthwaite, together with Susan Kaye and Mandy Cook, share variations of Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, and Sense and Sensibility, featuring your favorite characters in sequels, adaptations, and spinoffs of Austen’s adored novels.

Experience uplifting romance, laugh-out-loud humor, and poignant regret as these authors deftly tug on your heartstrings this Valentine’s Day.

I Dream of You by Robin Helm

Newly-married Elizabeth Darcy has a plan: to charm her too-busy husband into desiring her company as much as he did when he was courting her. A series of romantic dreams gives her just the push she needs to put that plan into action.

Sir Walter Takes a Wife by Laura Hile

Faced with a lonely future and finding himself strapped for cash, Persuasion’s Sir Walter Elliot manfully decides to marry again. But his careful plans go sadly awry! A lighthearted Valentine mash-up featuring two of Jane Austen’s worst snobs.

My Forever Valentine by Wendi Sotis

Jane and Charles Bingley have married, even though Miss Elizabeth Bennet remains certain Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy gave his best effort to keep them apart. After Mr. Darcy refused to stand up with Bingley and did not attend the wedding, she despises the gentleman more than ever and finds his company intolerable. How will she endure her visit to Kent if Mr. Darcy turns up everywhere she goes?

Pretence and Prejudice by Barbara Cornthwaite

A chance encounter with a handsome stranger forces Elizabeth to resort to subterfuge in order to discover his true intentions.

My Valentine by Mandy H. Cook

Little Charlotte was always determined and independent, traits which served her well as she battled a serious childhood illness and later as she took on Polite Society. Will those traits now deprive her of true love? Or would her lifelong Valentine win her heart?

The Lovers’ Ruse by Susan Kaye

In this Persuasion alteration, Anne is so altered by Wentworth’s love in the summer of 1806, she refuses to give him up when both her godmother and father try to persuade her. “The Lovers’ Ruse”follows Frederick and Anne through their whirlwind courtship and their secret engagement. When Wentworth returns for his Annie girl, the cat comes out of the bag.

About the Author

Robin Helm’s books reflect her love of music, as well as her fascination with the paranormal and science fiction.

Previously published works include The Guardian Trilogy: Guardian, SoulFire, and Legacy (a guardian angel protects a supernaturally gifted girl), the Yours by Design series: Accidentally Yours, Sincerely Yours, and Forever Yours (Fitzwilliam Darcy switches places in time with his descendant, Will Darcy), and Understanding Elizabeth (Regency sweet romance).

She contributed to A Very Austen Christmas: Austen Anthologies, Book 1, an anthology featuring like-minded authors, in 2017, and A Very Austen Valentine: Austen Anthologies, Book 2 which was released on December 29, 2018.

New releases for 2019 include More to Love, a standalone historical sweet romance dealing with body image; Lawfully Innocent, a historical U.S. Marshal romance book in the Lawkeepers series; Maestro, a historical sweet romance featuring a brilliant musician and his student; and A Very Austen Romance: Austen Anthologies, Book 3.

She lives in sunny South Carolina where she teaches piano and adores her one husband, two married daughters, and three grandchildren.

More from Robin

Do you love Historical romance, but avoid “those” covers like the plague?

Would you enjoy an anthology featuring six Valentine-themed novellas set in the Regency period written by Christian authors?

In A Very Austen Valentine, stories range from a young wife searching for a way to bring her marriage back to the way it was, to a laugh-out-loud courtship between Jane Austen’s worst snobs.

Misunderstandings, concealed identities, and romance abound.

There is even a sequel featuring the children of the Darcys and the Brandons.

Every reader will find something to love in this wonderful collection.

The book is filled with stories of love and romance set in the Jane Austen era. I love the variety of authors and how each story gives readers a taste of amazing writing from six talented authors. I did have a hard time with the book because the stories were not in chronological order and I was quite confused. One of the stories was a bit too long and could have been shortened. For a reader who has read Jane Austen books may find this collection hard to follow.

I Dream of You by Robin Helm

I loved this story because it reminded me of two people courting. Elizabeth wants to make sure her husband always wants to be with her. She dreams of romance and times shared with her husband. Those dreams become a reality in a way when she finds ways to share time with him and keep the romance alive in their marriage. It's a sweet story of love and devotion between two people.

Sir Walter Takes a Wife by Laura Hile

Sir Walter is certainly a person of judgment. He looks down on those that are not up to his standard and I had to laugh as he thought a prominent woman was coming by his table perhaps to chat with him. Maybe he should be a bit more friendly and less stuck up. His desire to have a wife is not exactly romantic, but he thinks he is a catch. Sir Walter has his eyes on Lady Catherine and is so sure she will be smitten with him. Their letters back and forth are funny as each tries to be cordial. I liked the story and was intrigued by who Sir Walter would end up with.

My Forever Valentine by Wendi Sotis

This story was fun to read and I adored Elizabeth. Looks like there is some matchmaking going on and I was interested to find out who would get Eliabeth's attention. I am finding that this book is chocked full of delightful characters and I love the time period. Elizabeth will have her hands full when two scheming people try to play cupid for her.

Pretense and Prejudice by Barbara Cornthwaite

This story had a bit of intrigue in it that I really enjoyed. It's hard to determine just who to believe when Elizabeth and Darcy meet. Why would Darcy present himself as a Reverend? Is he hiding something? There is talk among people that there are French spies among them. Elizabeth is certain that the Reverend she met is a spy and is beside herself. The story was good and I liked the mystery surrounding the characters. I liked the part about the characters talking about lying and how "honesty is is the most important of the virtues."

My Valentine by Mandy Cook

Right away I knew I was going to like Charlotte. She is a bundle of en energy at four years old. I liked how she wanted to have friends and be outside playing. I could feel her longing for a normal childhood. What child at four years old wants to play piano and be stuck inside a lonely house? Her antics were fun to read and I liked how her mother and father adored her. When Charlotte contracts an illness the house is in an uproar. Charlotte has never been sick before and her illness is very concerning. Oh my that child is full of mischief even when sick. I laughed when I read that she wanted to sip drops of water from a thimble. The story moves forward to when Charlotte is a young woman. It is a mystery who has sent her a valentine since she was five. I loved how the author slowly introduces us to a grown up Charlotte who finds her valentine in a most delightful story.

The Lover's Ruse by Susan Kaye

This is a true love story in which everything seems to be against the couple who is in love. Anne's family does not think Frederick is right for her. As they begin to see each other it becomes harder for them to be apart. I loved how deep their love for each other was and how it hurt to be apart. When Frederick gets his orders to ship out it becomes hard for the couple to think about anything else but being together. The ending is wonderful and I loved the spunk Anne showed her family as they continued trying to talk her out of marrying Frederick.

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

Blog Stops

Blossoms and Blessings, March 25

Christian Bookaholic, March 25

Blogging With Carol, March 26

Britt Reads Fiction, March 26

Reflections from My Bookshelves, March 27

For Him and My Family, March 27

Godly Book Reviews, March 28

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 28

Emily Yager, March 29

Connect in Fiction, March 29

The Christian Fiction Girl, March 30

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 30

Moments, March 31

Mary Hake, March 31

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 1

Pause for Tales, April 1

Creating Romance, April 2

Book by Book, April 2

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

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 3

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 4

Texas Book-aholic, April 4

janicesbookreviews, April 5

A Reader’s Brain, April 5

Just the Write Escape, April 6

Inklings and notions, April 7

The Becca Files, April 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away

Grand Prize: a $50 Amazon gift card
1st Place: An autographed paperback of A Very Austen Valentine: Austen Anthologies, Book 1
2nd Place: An autographed paperback of A Very Austen Christmas: Austen Anthologies, Book 2
3rd Place: A set of three ebooks – Reader’s Choice of any three of my books and
4th Place: a $5 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/ddfa/a-very-austen-valentine-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Convergence

Author: Ginny L Yttrup

Genre: Christian thriller/suspense

Release Date: March, 2019

A psychologist paralyzed by fear.

A mother propelled by love.

A stalker bent on destruction.

Psychology professor Dr. Denilyn Rossi contends that the past is either a shadow that haunts us or a force that propels us. The choice is ours, she tells her students. What she doesn’t tell them is that her own past is a shadow she can’t seem to shake. Fear has immobilized her and is taking a costly toll.

Adelia Sanchez, however, has embraced Dr. Rossi’s teaching. She is ready to confront fear and render it powerless—using the trauma of her past to propel her to entrap the man who stalked and brutally attacked her.

As Denilyn’s past and Adelia’s present converge at the Kaweah River, a dangerous man bent on destruction threatens them both. Will he uncover the secret Deni and Adelia have fought so hard to protect?

Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Author

Ginny Yttrup is the award-winning author of Words, Lost and Found, Invisible, and Flames. She writes contemporary women’s fiction and enjoys exploring the issues everyday women face. Publishers Weekly dubbed Ginny’s work “as inspiring as it is entertaining.” When not writing, Ginny coaches writers, critiques manuscripts, and makes vintage-style jewelry for her Esty shop, Storied Jewelry (etsy.com/shop/StoriedJewelry). She loves dining with friends, hanging out with her adult sons, or spending a day in her pajamas reading a great novel. Ginny lives in northern California with Bear, her entitled Pomeranian. To learn more about Ginny and her work, visit ginnyyttrup.com.

More About Convergence

A psychologist paralyzed by fear.

A mother propelled by love.

A stalker bent on destruction.

Dr. Denilyn Rossi’s past is a shadow that haunts her. Adelia Sanchez’s past is a force that propels her. When Denilyn’s past and Adelia’s present converge at the Kaweah River, a dangerous man bent on destruction threatens them both. Will he uncover the secret Deni and Adelia have fought so hard to protect? Find out in Convergence by Ginny L. Yttrup.

Read an Exclusive Excerpt from Convergence:

She straightens, squares her shoulders, and takes a deep breath as she climbs aboard the plane. There are no seats, the other divers are piled close to one another on the floor. Mike points to an open space near him. She lowers herself, sits, pulls her knees to her chest, and then looks out the oval window next to her.

That’s when she sees him.

Her breath catches. She leans in, cups her hands on the glass to cut the glare, and peers out.

It can’t be. . . . Mouth dry, she tries to swallow. She looks away.

Her heart batters her chest and her pulse roars in her ears, nearly drowning out the clamor of the plane’s propeller. It isn’t him. You’re imagining things, she tells herself. She inhales then exhales. She takes another look then stares at the man near the hangar. He pulls something from his shirt pocket, sticks it in his mouth. A cigarette? She watches as he lights it. It isn’t him. He doesn’t smoke. Anyway, it’s impossible. She knows where he is, and it isn’t here.

He’s seen her staring at him through the window of the plane. He takes a drag, flicks ash to the ground, and smiles. But his eyes behind the sunglasses are cold. Hard.

She steadies herself as the plane shoots down the runway then lifts. As memories flash, perspiration trickles down her back. She inhales again, deeper this time. It wasn’t him. Let it go, she admonishes, then shakes her head.

Fear will not win. Not this time. Not ever again.

Within what feels to her like mere moments, the group of professional skydivers have all jumped, and she stands, back pressed against Mike, hooked to his harness. They brace themselves against the pummeling force of wind as they wait near the gaping opening in the side of the plane. She pulls goggles from the top of her head down over her eyes.

There’s no room in her mind now for thoughts of the man on the ground, or of the man who haunts her memories. There’s no room for thoughts of any kind. Terror, as she well knows, is all-consuming. Her breaths are shallow, her pulse races.

“Step to the edge,” Mike yells. When she doesn’t move, he yells again, this time his breath hot against her ear. She hesitates then steps forward, him stepping in sync with her. There’s nothing to see but the vast expanse.

“Go!” Mike shouts.

Heart hammering her rib cage, she leans forward, eyes squeezed shut, and falls more than jumps into nothingness, arms stretched wide. She anticipates the sensation of falling—stomach lifting to throat—but it isn’t evident as she’d expected. Nor is the velocity at which she knows they’re falling. She dares to open her eyes, only aware of the force of air pushing her cheeks back to her ears, which makes her laugh.

The free fall is like nothing she’s experienced. She laughs again, the sound carried heavenward on the drafts, she imagines. Too soon she’s jerked, hard, the harness cutting into her thighs, and pulled upward with what seems like exceeding force. She hadn’t expected the force.

But then they’re floating. Soaring. “Oh,” she whispers. She wants to take it all in, remember every exhilarating moment. These currents she could ride forever. Tension is replaced by peace, pervasive peace.

Quietude. Silence. Wonder.

“That was a hard pull.” Mike’s shouted words behind her threaten to break the spell, but she’s enchanted and pays little attention. She assumes the pull—the parachute opening and catching air—was harder than usual but fine. They’re fine. She doesn’t understand. Doesn’t know what’s to come. How could she?

As they float, her eyes are trained on the ground below. The earth is a patchwork of tones. She sees the river, a thread, stitched across the quilt of colors. She searches for familiar landmarks as her sense of confidence soars. She’s done it. Faced fear, terror even, and—

Suddenly they’re plummeting.

Tumbling.

Head first. Arms and legs akimbo.

Land and sky spin as they interchange. Her lungs deflate. Pressure. The currents, tumultuous, pull her under and then spit her out. She can’t breathe. Why can’t she breathe? She gasps. She’s drowning. Help! Someone, help! But no. . . There’s no water. Instead, she’s above, where there’s nothing. Just. . .

Nothing.

Nothing to reach for. Nothing to grab. Nothing to save her.

A scream sounds in her mind. Rings in her ears. Scathes her throat.

Her scream?

Awareness hits. She’s going to die. It’s her only thought. There are no thoughts of those she loves. Those who love her. Memories don’t flash. No, just the one thought. The only thought she has time for.

She is going to die.

Then. . .

Everything goes black.

This book takes readers on a roller coaster ride with thrills and suspense at every turn. The author delivers a powerful story of survival and overcoming fear. i loved the main character and thought she was brave, intelligent and determined. Denilyn has been through a traumatic event that has caused her to live in fear. She is paralyzed at times to even venture outside for fun. The details of her attack are terrifying and gave me chills. Being stalked would make anyone paranoid and Denilyn will have to face danger after danger as someone closes in on her once again. It begins to take an emotional toil on her and she starts to think she imagining things.

I loved the way the author told the story from present to past. It lets readers see a glimpse of what happened and how Denilyn has tried to overcome her fears. I thought it was fascinating that she wrote a book about bullies. A stalker really is a bully that wants to have power over you. Terror finds Denilyn years later and mysterious things start happening again. The author does a good job of showing how a person deals with danger and the support system that is vital to Denilyn.

The addition of Adelia to the mix was very intriguing. What do these two women have in common? Will Denilyn be able to finally find peace or will her past continue to haunt her? There is much more intricate parts to this story that are revealed slowly. I felt like Denilyn was on the verge of losing control at times and loved how she reached out for help. I thought about the people surrounding Denilyn and wondered if they could all be trusted.

There are times in the book where i felt the author might have dragged the story out a bit too long. I wanted to know more about Willow and she seemed to be an afterthought at the end of the book. To me she was an important part of Denilyn's story and helped put the suspicion on the right person. Overall the book was good and it definitely delivered a chilling account of stalking that had me glued to my seat. It is a hard book to put down and I had to finish the book because I had to know if Denilyn would survive.

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

Blog Stops

By The Book, March 28

Simple Harvest Reads, March 28 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Multifarious, March 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 29

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, March 30

Remembrancy, March 30

Inspired by fiction, March 31

To Everything A Season, March 31

Blogging With Carol, April 1

Ashley’s Bookshelf, April 1

For Him and My Family, April 2

Book by Book, April 2

All-of-a-kind Mom, April 3

janicesbookreviews, April 3

Spoken from the Heart, April 4

Texas Book-aholic, April 4

Seasons of Opportunities, April 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 5

Genesis 5020, April 6

Pause for Tales, April 6

Splashes of Joy, April 7

A Reader’s Brain, April 7

Bigreadersite, April 8

The Lit Addict, April 8

Through the Fire Blogs, April 9

Inklings and notions, April 9

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, April 10

The Becca Files, April 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Ginny is away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of Convergence!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/dd7b/convergence-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, April 1, 2019

About the Book:

Book: An Unpresentable Glory

Author: Eleanor K. Gustafson

Genre: Christian, contemporary, literary fiction

Release Date: July, 2018

“I trusted you, and some day, you may know just how much you hold in your hands.”

Linda Jensen leads a relatively quiet life in Westchester County, New York, as the owner of a highly acclaimed garden. Inherited from her parents, the garden is her pride and joy. It is not so joyful finding a strange man sprawled near her delphiniums! The mysterious man is sick, unable to do anything more than drink water—and beg for secrecy. Ignoring all alarm bells, Linda sees to his needs, but her caring act takes on unexpected significance, and unpresentable glory.

Seeds of trust, and perhaps love, are planted in Linda’s garden haven. But as secrets are revealed and scandal hits the headlines, the act of caring for this man threatens to tarnish both of their reputations. Like weeds in Linda’s garden, circumstances threaten to choke out their fledgling relationship, and small moments prove to be the biggest influencers—on a national scale.

Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Author

Ellie grew up in Branchville NJ, in a county with more cows than people. She attended Wheaton College in Illinois as a music major, then married a pastor/college professor/tree farmer/organist and writer. Together, they have three children and eight grandchildren.

Music was Ellie’s first love until she tried on the cloak of writing and found it a comfortable fit. However, early writing attempts saw friends—and even her mother—advising her to stick to music as a career. She pushed manfully along, though, and An Unpresentable Glory is her sixth novel.

“God first touched me through story,” Ellie says, “and made the bigger Story come alive. I love Him passionately!”

More from Ellie

What’s An Unpresentable Glory about? Here’s Linda’s point of view: Linda Jensen, a noted gardener, finds a stranger sprawled near her delphiniums, obviously ill. She gets him into her house and puts him to bed, deciding that water is the only safe thing to give him. Water in, however, must come out. He is helpless; she must serve him; but in doing this unpresentable task, she feels the presence of angels. [See the book Preface for my personal experience with this.]

Jay’s point of view: Jay finds himself ill and helpless on the lawn of a wealthy but caring gardener. He can’t even reveal his real name. When he leaves at week’s end, he sees the relationship as hopeless because of who he is and enormous repercussions if the hidden week comes to light. Tragedy and disaster haunt him, but a dual set of mentors leads him through churning waters. Will he ever get back to the garden?

* * *

Linda’s sun tea was “mostly Darjeeling with lemon and a sprig of mint.” After reading her description, I tried it and found it tasty, indeed!

This story reminds me of a package that you unpack anxiously awaiting the gift that is buried under piles of paper. You have to remove each layer until the gift appears. It is like getting rid of unwanted weeds in a garden so you can see the beauty that God has provided. Each time I think about the book, I realize just how precious the words are that filled my soul with a deep love I have never felt.

Linda is a gifted gardener who takes flowers and makes them works of glory. The gardens provide peace and comfort. When she discovers a man one day in her garden, she didn't know that that one moment would change her life forever. I loved how she took the man in even though he was a stranger. She saw this man as Jesus did. He was in need of kindness and to be shown the love of God. It would be hard to welcome a stranger into my home, but I know I couldn't turn away someone in need. Though their time together was brief, it set the stage for a story that will leave a lasting mark on many.

Lawrie is a senator that has been under tremendous pressure. As he takes time to get his energy back, he senses a kindred spirit with Linda. She is kind, caring and asks nothing from him. Did God bring Lawrie to this woman? Will he find what he has been looking for to heal his broken heart? I loved the time they spent together and how they respected each other without crossing the line. After all Lawrie is a married man and the thought of being unfaithful is not why he was there.

The story does have a political aspect to it and I did enjoy the part about Native Americans. It did show how even today they still have to fight for what was theirs. It really was a great addition to the story and allowed us to see inside the political world. Lawrie is torn when he has to make a big decision about his political career. His life will take a dark turn as rumors mount against him. Can he protect Linda from the medial? What will his wife beleive when she starts to hear the murmurs in Washington about her husband?

There is a lot happening in the story but don't overlook the presence of God in every decision, every word and every unexplained moment that reminds us He will never leave us. Lawrie does seem to go through many hard moments; almost like Job in the Bible. I began to worry that Lawrie would give up and miss out on the most precious gift awaiting him.

The story is also about the love between two people who feel they can't be together but never forget the brief time they spent together. There is some difficult subjects in the book that may be triggers for some such as suicide and depression. The author handles both subjects with grace and compassion. This is not your typical love story but a much deeper story of finding peace, happiness and hope.

I finished the book and sat for a moment soaking in the presence of God. I felt it throughout the book and the message was clear to me. When you need it most, God in his wisdom will send at just the right time, "An Unpresentable Glory.'

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