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Friday, June 12, 2020

About the Book

Book:  Betwixt Two Hearts
Authors: Amanda Tru, Cathe Swanson, Kari Trumbo, Alana Terry, Carol Moncado, & Chautona Havig
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Release Date: June 9, 2019
Six of today’s Best-selling Christian Authors weave six brand-new, unique, interconnected stories where nothing comes between the love betwixt two hearts.

Betwixt Two Hearts by Amanda Tru
With control of their dating website the prize, Bailey and Camden embark on a matchmaking competition that snags on unexpected results. All is fair in a contest of love. May the best matchmaker win.
The Swedehearts Glory Quilt by Cathe Swanson
Eleanor ran away to find herself. David knew exactly where he wanted to go. Could a matchmaking agency put them on the same map?
Whole Latte Love by Kari Trumbo
Misguided Drew thinks all quiet women hide harmful secrets. While pretty, new best friend Addi’s soft-spoken nature reminds him too much of past hurts to move their relationship forward. Can a matchmaking agency change his heart?
Seoul Refuge by Alana Terry
Caroline is a new believer, excited and passionate about her faith. Calvin is a Boston police detective, an atheist who can hardly believe Christians have brainwashed his wife. Caroline just wants to follow God. Calvin just wants his wife back.
Guardian of Her Heart by Carol Moncado
Signed up for a dating service by friends and brought together by a stowaway cat, Mark and Casey must decide if they want to overcome their apparent incompatibilities or go their separate ways.

Random Acts of Shyness by Chautona Havig
Heath’s sister, Selby, has laid down the law. It’s time to let her take over his love life. After a series of first and only dates, Heath embarks on her new scheme to help him overcome the debilitating nervous habit that has plagued him all his life. However, between dates, each worse than the last, he tries one more time to do things his way… sort of.
Please Note: The Crossroads Collections are sets of stories that are interconnected in some way, but the collections are independent, complete, and can be read in any order.

Click here to get your copy!
 MY REVIEW
I couldn’t wait to start this book. I was intrigue how the stories were going to flow together at the end and make a connection. It is a big job these authors have undertaken. I am ready to begin my journey into a bit of romance, intrigue and God’s plan. 
Betwixt Two Hearts by Amanda Tru
Two strangers agreeing to work together on a making a dating/matching sight for men and women ;  what could possible go wrong? Bailey has her heart set on doing the website one way and Camden has already finished the website the way he wants it. Oh I could feel the tension in the air as these two stubborn people think they know who makes the perfect couple. The game is on to see who can make the best matches and take control of the website. 
Bailey is pretty outspoken and lets Camden get under her skin a bit too much. I loved how they each considered themselves Christians but had different ideas on what a Christian is. The moments in the story where the author gives us details about computer programming was incredible to read. I certainly didn’t see the intrigue coming but it really enhanced the story.  There are so many surprises in the story that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I loved how the author explained how important it was to be saved and to follow God. He should be the one we look to for answers. Bailey has a moment in the story that made me want to hug her. It is a turning point for her and I believe she realized who her mate should be. It is a fun story filled with intrigue, romance and finding God. 
The Swedehearts Glory Quilt by Cathe Swanson
Oh what a wonderful story about dreams, family and God’s plan for your life. Eleanor is a delightful character. She is smart, determined and in need of a date. Her family is so competitive about their professions that I wanted to scream. Eleanor is a teacher but her heart isn’t in it. I loved when she started working for her uncle. You could feel her enthusiasm and how confident she was. If only her family would accept her desire to change professions everything would be easier. There is a lot of pressure on her to bring a date to a very important family gathering. Where will she find someone willing to go to a stuffy party with her? 

David is a very educated man with a great job, but he feels God calling him to ministry. It’s funny how Eleanor and David were both dealing with friends and family over what  they should be doing with their lives. I loved the brief encounter David and Eleanor have in a coffee shop. When they both sign up for Beatrix  matchmaking service I was thrilled to learn they had been matched to each other. I enjoyed the talks they had and how easy they seemed to get along. 

I think my favorite part of the story is when Eleanor spends time with her Aunt Violet. We get to learn about family history and Aunt Violet’s love for God. I loved their deep discussions about being a Christian and it was no accident that Eleanor lived with her aunt for awhile. The woman is full of wisdom and her compassion for Elenor to have a real relationship with God was priceless. 

Eleanor and David start a great relationship but something gets in the way. Perhaps it is pride, or doubt or just not knowing what  she wants  that  will cause Eleanor to have second thoughts. The story is a wonderful look at being happy, finding love and allowing yourself to follow God’s direction. 

Whole Latte Love by Kari Trumbo

Addi won my heart instantly. She is shy, unsure of herself and has a heart of gold. She has always been “the friend” but never “the girlfriend.”  I wanted to tell her how special she was to God and give her a hug. I admired her work ethics and how she is putting herself through college. I can’t say much about her boss at the coffee shop  because I didn’t like her at all. She is shallow, mean and downright hard to be around. Each time she spoke to Addi in a condescending way, I wanted to tell Addi to speak up for herself. 

Drew is a good character but he sure does have a hard time seeing his perfect mate who is right in front of him. Going to the coffee shop everyday, he sees Addi but he is more focused on the owner of the shop. I really liked how the author shows us through Addi that it’s not what’s on the outside that counts. I liked the way the matchmaking company was used in the story. Drew really has a good heart and I liked how his friendship with Addi was important to him. 

Liberty was probably my favorite  character  in the story. Once she arrives to work at the shop, Addi seems to come out of her shell. Liberty is a real friend and tells her in grace the things she needs to work on. She needs to speak up for herself and go after what  she wants. Having Liberty as a real friend has helped Addi find her way back to God. The story is filled with believing in yourself, waiting on God and discovering what real love is. 

Seoul Refuge by Alana Terry 

This story is a little different than the others in this collection. It is a bit more serious but shows the excellent way this author tackles hard subjects. Caroline is a woman on the  verge of giving up on her marriage. Her husband is a non believer which puts a strain on their marriage. In typical marriages it is always easy to find fault with your spouse. That way  you blame your spouse for the marriage falling apart. 

I loved reading about Seoul and Mrs. Cho. Caroline goes there to help at the orphanage but God had a  different plan for her. Mrs. Cho is passionate about marriages and God. I believe Mrs. Cho was the perfect person to speak in love to Caroline. Her faith is shared in a story about her own marriage, and you can feel Caroline’s heart soften. Sometimes God will get our attention in the most unexpected ways.I loved how Caroline and Mrs. Cho pray for the orphanage as well as for their husbands. 

Calvin just seems angry at the world. He hates that his wife is a Christian and pushes her away. I liked how we see Calvin struggle with hearing about God. Calvin is focused on the murder of a young girl and stays up many nights trying to solve it. He ignores the fact that his marriage is falling apart. I thought the way the author incorporated the match making web site was genius. She developed a great mystery while showing two people facing the failure of their marriage. It’s a great lesson in how we need to examine our own hearts and ket God take care of the rest. What looks impossible to some is not impossible to God. He can change the heart of a person even when it looks hopeless. 

Guardian of Her Heart by Carol Moncado 

This is the kind of story girls dream about. Casey is about to find the man of her dreams but is she ready for it? The story is sweet and I loved how a matchmaking app brought these two together. Mark is a knight in shining armor. I can’t believe how much of a gentleman he is. 

Casey finds herself in an unpredictable situation and all she can think to do is call Mark who she just got matched up with. I can tell you there are sone funny moments in the story as Casey seems to get herself into situations that call for rescue. Mark is a wonderful dream of a character. He is very nice and I love how he treats Casey. The man is a saint I say. He will do anything to help Casey out. His life is quite different from hers but he is definitely smitten with her. 

This is a great story of love at first sight. It examines how a relationship should be with no pressure and honor given to each other. Casey will find herself questioning Mark as he is always willing to help her out. The ending is a storybook fairy tale and I loved getting  a glimpse into the world of royalty. 

Random Acts of Shyness by Chautona Havig 

Oh be still my heart. Heath you are one adorable character. Your social awkwardness is endearing. I loved reading about his disaster of a date with Jordan. I laughed so loud while  reading this story my husband asked if I was okay. The author delivers a story that is unique and filled with adoring characters. 

I loved how Heath became a bit more confidant over time and how his sister encouraged him. It’s a great story of never giving up and trusting God. I loved how all the stories tied together in  a nice bow at the end. Each author gives readers questions at the end of their story that helps us dig deeper into the meaning of their story. I loved how each author gave us a unique story that flowed easily to the next. This is a wonderful collection of stories that bring laughter, hope and God’s love to each of us. 

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

About the Authors

Welcome to the Crossroads!
This is a unique collection of stories, with each never before published book by one of today’s favorite best-selling Christian authors fitting together like puzzle pieces. There is nothing else like it on the market!
If you love the premise of this Crossroads Collection and are eager for more, please check out the other Crossroads Collections. In each of them, you will find all new stories tied together once again where the books intersect at a Crossroads.
Out of the Blue Bouquet
Floral folly fables from Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, Carol Moncado, Chautona Havig, & Amanda Tru

Yesterday’s Mail
Misdelivered mail tales from Alana Terry, Cynthia Hickey, Hallee Bridgeman, Chautona Havig, & Amanda Tru

Under the Christmas Star
Ornamental yarns from Lesley Ann McDaniel, April Hayman, Chautona Havig, Alana Terry, & Amanda Tru
Betwixt Two Hearts
Dating site stories from Amanda Tru, Cathe Swanson, Kari Trumbo, Alana Terry, Carol Moncado, & Chautona Havig
The Wedding Dress Yes
Wedding dress dramas from Alexa Verde, Chautona Havig, Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, & Amanda Tru
When Snowflakes Never Cease
Heartwarming wintery accounts from Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, Chautona Havig, Jaycee Weaver, & Amanda Tru
Sign up to receive Amanda Tru’s email newsletter for news of upcoming Crossroads Collections!
www.amandatru.com/newsletter

More from Chautona

“I’ve got a new idea for the next CrossRoads Collection, and I think it might be perfect for your bladder guy.”
Excitement?  Total understatement. Giddy—that’s more like it.  Totally giddy when I “hear” (read) Amanda Tru say, “I’ve got a new idea….”  Without skipping a beat, I typed back, “Let’s hear it.”
As the idea burst into my messenger box, I knew she was right. A matchmaking website?  Perfect for a shy guy with an unfortunate coping mechanism that ensures that he has a string of first and only dates in his back pocket. You can read about that story, here.
I had two months to write it—and had two other books to finish in the meantime.  YIKES!  Still, I had to do it.
I almost made it, too.
For those who don’t know about the CrossRoads Collections, they feature five or six books (of varying length from short novella to full-length novel) and the final (or in the case of Betwixt Two Hearts, the first) book interconnects all the others.  Each collection stands alone, and each story in the collections stand alone, but that one book in each collection ties all the others together in a unique, brilliant way that only the lovely Amanda Tru could manage.
We began with Out of the Blue Bouquet, which tells of five floral fiascos and one florist who causes and redeems them all.
Then came Yesterday’s Mail which features five accounts of lost or misdirected mail and the postal worker tasked with fixing it all.
Of course, when Christmas came around, we needed a good Christmas collection, so our first kicked off with Under the Christmas Star. This collection features five ornaments and the stories connected to each.
Next, we combined forces to do a little matchmaking, and kicked off this collection. Betwixt Two Hearts in a story of a matchmaking website and the people it connected, not to mention the entrepreneurial pair that can’t agree on how to run it!
Of course, weddings are lots of fun, so we came up with The Wedding Dress YesIn it, you’ll meet CrossRoads’ fabulous new bridal designer who thwarts the efforts of a shop owner still stuck in the eighties with dresses that ensure more social distance than most couples care to have on their wedding day.
And most recently, the When Snowflakes Never Cease collection features a snowstorm that sweeps across the nation during Christmas week and tries to prevent two people determined to find someone in the midst of all that frosty carnage.
I’ve loved writing for all of these collections, but my novel, Random Acts of Shyness in the Betwixt Two Hearts is probably my favorite.
All of the CrossRoads Collection books are available on Kindle Unlimited, and several are just .99 to purchase.
The CrossRoads authors invite you to pick up one of the collections today. We recommend starting with Betwixt Two Hearts while it’s still available in one, inexpensive collection.

Blog Stops

Batya’s Bits, June 21
Artistic Nobody, June 25 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, the Betwixt authors are giving away the grand prize of a 6-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.


Click here to get your copy!



About the Authors

Welcome to the Crossroads!
This is a unique collection of stories, with each never before published book by one of today’s favorite best-selling Christian authors fitting together like puzzle pieces. There is nothing else like it on the market!
If you love the premise of this Crossroads Collection and are eager for more, please check out the other Crossroads Collections. In each of them, you will find all new stories tied together once again where the books intersect at a Crossroads.
Out of the Blue Bouquet
Floral folly fables from Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, Carol Moncado, Chautona Havig, & Amanda Tru

Yesterday’s Mail
Misdelivered mail tales from Alana Terry, Cynthia Hickey, Hallee Bridgeman, Chautona Havig, & Amanda Tru

Under the Christmas Star
Ornamental yarns from Lesley Ann McDaniel, April Hayman, Chautona Havig, Alana Terry, & Amanda Tru
Betwixt Two Hearts
Dating site stories from Amanda Tru, Cathe Swanson, Kari Trumbo, Alana Terry, Carol Moncado, & Chautona Havig
The Wedding Dress Yes
Wedding dress dramas from Alexa Verde, Chautona Havig, Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, & Amanda Tru
When Snowflakes Never Cease
Heartwarming wintery accounts from Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, Chautona Havig, Jaycee Weaver, & Amanda Tru
Sign up to receive Amanda Tru’s email newsletter for news of upcoming Crossroads Collections!
www.amandatru.com/newsletter

More from Chautona

“I’ve got a new idea for the next CrossRoads Collection, and I think it might be perfect for your bladder guy.”
Excitement?  Total understatement. Giddy—that’s more like it.  Totally giddy when I “hear” (read) Amanda Tru say, “I’ve got a new idea….”  Without skipping a beat, I typed back, “Let’s hear it.”
As the idea burst into my messenger box, I knew she was right. A matchmaking website?  Perfect for a shy guy with an unfortunate coping mechanism that ensures that he has a string of first and only dates in his back pocket. You can read about that story, here.
I had two months to write it—and had two other books to finish in the meantime.  YIKES!  Still, I had to do it.
I almost made it, too.
For those who don’t know about the CrossRoads Collections, they feature five or six books (of varying length from short novella to full-length novel) and the final (or in the case of Betwixt Two Hearts, the first) book interconnects all the others.  Each collection stands alone, and each story in the collections stand alone, but that one book in each collection ties all the others together in a unique, brilliant way that only the lovely Amanda Tru could manage.
We began with Out of the Blue Bouquet, which tells of five floral fiascos and one florist who causes and redeems them all.
Then came Yesterday’s Mail which features five accounts of lost or misdirected mail and the postal worker tasked with fixing it all.
Of course, when Christmas came around, we needed a good Christmas collection, so our first kicked off with Under the Christmas Star. This collection features five ornaments and the stories connected to each.
Next, we combined forces to do a little matchmaking, and kicked off this collection. Betwixt Two Hearts in a story of a matchmaking website and the people it connected, not to mention the entrepreneurial pair that can’t agree on how to run it!
Of course, weddings are lots of fun, so we came up with The Wedding Dress YesIn it, you’ll meet CrossRoads’ fabulous new bridal designer who thwarts the efforts of a shop owner still stuck in the eighties with dresses that ensure more social distance than most couples care to have on their wedding day.
And most recently, the When Snowflakes Never Cease collection features a snowstorm that sweeps across the nation during Christmas week and tries to prevent two people determined to find someone in the midst of all that frosty carnage.
I’ve loved writing for all of these collections, but my novel, Random Acts of Shyness in the Betwixt Two Hearts is probably my favorite.
All of the CrossRoads Collection books are available on Kindle Unlimited, and several are just .99 to purchase.
The CrossRoads authors invite you to pick up one of the collections today. We recommend starting with Betwixt Two Hearts while it’s still available in one, inexpensive collection.

Blog Stops

Batya’s Bits, June 21
Artistic Nobody, June 25 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, the Betwixt authors are giving away the grand prize of a 6-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

5 comments:

  1. What a great testimonial for each book! I'm glad you enjoyed them. Thank you so much for having us on your blog today!

    ReplyDelete
  2. These look so good!! I saw your post on Facebook today Deanna & knew I had to get in the giveaway! Thank you for your review on this collection and participation in the blog tour.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you so much for reading all of them! That is so kind of you! And I'm so glad you "got" Heath

    ReplyDelete
  4. This sounds really good! Great review btw!

    ReplyDelete