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Saturday, November 28, 2020

 

About the Book

Book: Train to Laramie

Author: Andrew Roth

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: August 30

Runaway! Tess flees her lecherous stepfather but takes the wrong train, arriving in Laramie. This end of tracks town bursts with workers building the Transcontinental Railroad, striving to lay the rails that will connect a nation. Threatened by outlaws, Tess is helped by Brett Calloway, a tie cutter for the Union Pacific. But when her stepfather locates her and joins the outlaws terrorizing the region, will her newfound faith in Christ be enough to guide Tess through the danger?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Author of Wildfire For Rose, Andrew Roth joined the U.S. Army before attending California State University, Bakersfield. He taught American History for twenty-two years at the middle school level before beginning his literary career. Married for over thirty years to his wife, Laurie, Andrew has two married adult children and is a proud grandfather. A native of Kansas, Andrew was raised with a deep love and appreciation for history, particularly the Old West. Andrew’s hope is to glorify God and encourage readers through his writing.

 

More from Andrew

The American West has always fascinated me with ruggedly beautiful landscapes and the indomitable spirit of the pioneers.  When building the Transcontinental Railroad, nothing could stop the people from their goal. This innovation and tenacity has shaped our soul, our character as a nation. This deep sense of perseverance encourages me through the tough times we face today.

Dedication

To our God and Creator, able to transform lives and redirect paths. Thank you, Savior.

“. . . And I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt.” –Jeremiah 31:4

MY REVIEW 

Wow. This book has been a real adventure into the Old West. I don’t think I have read a book quite so realistic as this one that depicts the time period so precisely. I completely  submerged myself in this story and felt like I was given a front row seat to a Western movie. Times were hard in those  days and everyone worked tirelessly to gain a little bit of land for themselves. 

The beginning of the book was heartbreaking as we witness the ruthless treatment that Tess endured at the hands of her step-father. He was such a mean spirited person that just reading his name made my skin crawl. It was no accident that Tess found herself in a train going to Laramie. She thinks that she has landed in the wrong town, but God had a plan for her. I admired her determination and deep faith. Being a young lady, she definitely had more courage than most her age. I cheered when she was finally away from the man who caused her pain everyday. 

The town was quite a sight to see through the eyes of Tess. It looks like a booming town, but just under the layer of dirt lay an evil presence. Men were desperate to steal, kill and destroy for their gain.   Brett was a breath of fresh air as he took Tess under his  wings. I loved how Brett became a protector for Tess and would do anything to make her happy. He is like a silent presence that stands guard over those he loves.

There is much going on in the town as killings start happening by a group of greedy men. I knew trouble was brewing and the author doesn’t disappoint with his vivid description of a town in turmoil. I can’t imagine living in a time when there was danger at every turn. The story is a wonderful example of trusting God and finding peace in His presence. I’m sad to see the story end as I wanted  to continue my journey with Brett and Tess. 

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

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, November 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 29

Inklings and notions, November 30

For Him and My Family, December 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 2

Sara Jane Jacobs, December 3

Connie’s History Classroom, December 4

Ashley’s Bookshelf, December 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 6

deb’s Book Review, December 6

Artistic Nobody, December 7 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Daysong Reflections, December 8

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, December 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 10

Bizwings Blog, December 10

Betti Mace, December 11

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Andrew is giving away the grand prize of a $40 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/103f3/train-to-laramie-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, November 27, 2020

 

About the Book

Book: What You Said to Me

Author: Olivia Newport

Genre: Christian Fiction

Release Date: November 2020

Book 4 in the Tree of Life Series: A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Faith Journeys on Family Trees

When 15-year-old Tisha Crowder gets caught shoplifting, attorney Nolan Duffy tries to protect her from consequences that could rattle her already troubled life. His daughter, Jillian, feels like she’s the one being punished instead—by having Tisha assigned to work with her on a backlog of genealogy files. Tisha doesn’t seem interested in taking the job seriously, and Jillian’s patience wears thin. Besides, everyone in Canyon Mines knows the Crowder family has experienced generations of brokenness. Then a sliver of hope turns up in long-ago words in plain sight, challenging shrouded assumptions about Tisha’s family. Now Jillian is the one who can walk with Tisha back to 1893 and uncover where everything went wrong in the first place—and save her from the past.

What You Said to Me is the fourth book in the Tree of Life series by Olivia Newport. You’ll want to return to the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that will inspire you to connect with your own family histories and unique faith journeys.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. Her husband and twentysomething children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of Pikes Peak.

 

More from Olivia

Careful Words

 

“You didn’t just say that.” Or, “I can’t believe you said that.”

 

Have you ever said that in retort to someone whose comment offended or wounded? I know I have. But what cuts me even more deeply is when I say to myself, “I can’t believe I just said that.”

 

The words of a parent at wit’s end, a spouse harboring hurt, a friend saddened by misunderstanding, an employee feeling undercut—they have all been my words. And they came out too fast to swallow back before they did their damage.

 

I hope I have also had the words of a parent who set aside busyness to listen, a spouse offering loving encouragement, a friend checking in with someone going through a tough patch, a coworker curious to see how I could help rather than compete. Those are the kinds of words I’ve never regretted, never had to repent of, never had to do rebuild from.

 

I certainly didn’t write What You Said to Me because I think I get it right all the time or even most of the time. Far from it! In our culture of rushing and achieving and—let’s face it, sometimes just getting through the demands of the day—sometimes our words are the last thing we are careful with. Yet they have the longest lasting consequence in our relationships and families—sometimes for generations. The dual-timeline story traces how words that injure became a pattern in one family line until one girl finally fought back to find healing for her future.

 

My challenge for myself, and all who read What You Said to Me, is to be the person who speaks healing words of hope so that “I can’t believe you said that” becomes “Thank you for saying that.”

 

If you have a particularly poignant experience of how another’s words impacted you, I’d love to hear from you.

 

Olivia Newport

MY REVIEW 

This has been a very good series and I am very sad to see it end. I have enjoyed following the daughter and dad team as they shuffle back and forth in time. It has been intriguing to learn about genealogy and the secrets that are uncovered. Nolan and Jillian are a great duo and their desire to help others is contagious. 

I didn’t know what to expect when Tisha comes on the scene. With a chip on her shoulders this fifteen year old will be hard to reach. The intensity of this story is how past generations do influence the future if the generational curse is not broken. Oh how I felt for Tisha when her mom called her stupid. There was never a day growing up that I didn’t hear how stupid I was and that I would never amount to anything. Like Tisha I figured why bother when everyone expected to see you fail. When I read, “ We all have reasons for the ways we express how we feel, even if we don’t understand them,” I understood that Tisha was acting out because she was hurt. Her desire to be accepted and loved is evident throughout the story.  Words do sting and it is hard for that pain to go away. Can Nolan and Jillian make a difference in Tisha’s life?

When we travel back in time to 1893 we meet a family on the brink of financial disaster. Mining in the town has taken a hit and caused stores to go out of business, banks to close, people losing their jobs and hopelessness covering the entire towns people. I witnessed the collapse of a town and the despair the people felt as the author described with great detail what it may have been like during this time period. Desperate men trying to survive and a family seeing their future turn bleak makes this story so hard to stop reading. 

I knew there was going to be twists but some took me by surprise. Every action had a reaction and this story is full of bad decisions, desperate decisions and decisions that tear families apart. There are parts in the story where I became angry because men were being blamed for unforeseen demise in economy. That hatred seemed to continue in the family for generations and cause the women to dislike or mistrust men. As you read the story you will see where one woman is so disgusted with her husband’s decisions that she basically turns her back on him. How sad that she became  bitter and couldn’t see that her husband was trying  to make a bad situation better? 

The ending is bitter sweet and as I finished the last page, tears fell down my cheeks. It is a beautiful story of overcoming obstacles in your life and finding courage to accept what cannot be changed. Tisha is a strong young woman and even though her life has been filled with words that hurt and made her feel unwanted, she now can be proud of who she has become .  We don’t get to choose our family, but we do choose whether to forgive or let the past ruin our future.

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

Blog Stops

Through the Fire Blogs, November 21

deb’s Book Review, November 21

Remembrancy, November 22

Connect in Fiction, November 22

lakesidelivingsite, November 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 23

Splashes of Joy, November 24

Robin’s Nest, November 24

Sara Jane Jacobs, November 24

Ashley’s Bookshelf, November 25

Mamma Loves Books, November 25

Pause for Tales, November 25

Godly Book Reviews, November 26

Lis Loves Reading, November 26

Hallie Reads, November 26

Older & Smarter?, November 27

Texas Book-aholic, November 27

Inklings and notions, November 28

21st Century Keeper at Home, November 28

The Write Escape, November 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 29

Blogging With Carol, November 29

Mary Hake, November 29

For Him and My Family, November 30

Artistic Nobody, November 30 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Betti Mace, December 1

Worthy2Read, December 1

All-of-a-kind Mom, December 1

Lots of Helpers, December 2

Bigreadersite, December 2

Tell Tale Book Reviews, December 2

Amanda Tero, blog, December 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 3

For the Love of Literature, December 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Olivia is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon Gift 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/103f1/what-you-said-to-me-celebration-tour-giveaway


Wednesday, November 25, 2020


 THE ESCAPE by LISA HARRIS

This book explodes with intrigue and adventure which made this reader very content. You may think it is the typical person on the loose, chase scenes , detours and romance. Oh you would be correct except it’s not your typical easy to catch person on the run. The author gives a real story behind why this person is so desperate to stay hidden. I like that we get a look into the fugitive’s back story and his need to never be seen again. 

The story is riveting as a plane  crashes with fugitives, pilots and two U. S. Marshall’s on board. Madison and Jonas have a cat and mouse game ahead of them when one fugitive survives the crash. 

My adrenaline was pumping throughout the story with close calls, danger and near death attacks. Madison is very well equipped for the job and I thought her teaming up with Jonas was a perfect match. I’m glad the focus was more on the escape and not so much on trying to develop a romance between the two. Maybe the author does have more in store for these two in another story but we will have to wait and see. As readers we already know that they get their man, but the brilliance of the story is how hard they have to work to achieve this. The fugitive is smart, cunning and always a step ahead. Get ready for a fast pace read as you are witness to a chase through a forest where hiding places abound. 

I received a copy of this book from Revell Reads. The review is my own opinion.


Tuesday, November 24, 2020

 

to steal a heart banner (1)

About the Book

Book: To Steal A Heart

Author: Jen Turano

Genre: Comedic Historical Romance

Release Date: November, 2020

To Steal a HeartAfter spending her childhood as a street thief, Gabriella Goodhue thought she’d put her past behind her until a fellow resident at her boardinghouse is unjustly accused of theft. Using her old skills to prove her friend’s innocence, Gabriella unexpectedly encounters Nicholas Quinn, the man she once considered her best friend–until he abandoned her.

After being taken under the wing of a professor who introduced him into society and named him as heir, Nicholas is living far removed from his childhood life of crime. As a favor to a friend, Nicholas agrees to help clear the name of an innocent woman, never imagining he’d be reunited with the girl he thought lost to him forever.

As Gabriella and Nicholas are thrown together into one intrigue after another, their childhood affection grows into more, but their newfound feelings are tested when truths about their past are revealed and danger follows their every step.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

JenNamed one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by BooklistJen Turano is a USA Todaybestselling author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publishers Weekly and Bookliststarred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. She and her family live outside of Denver, Colorado.

More from Jen

“To Steal a Heart” is the first book in a new series. How did you come up with the idea for this series?

Oddly enough, this series was inspired by a lot of different things. I keep this idea box, and whenever I stumble on something interesting, I throw the idea into the box. When I was getting ready to assemble a proposal for a new series, I took out the box and began rifling through it. Unfortunately, nothing struck my fancy. What did strike my fancy though, was the movie “My Fair Lady.” I’d recently watched it for the millionth time, and I thought…hmmm…what could I do with that? Well, I didn’t want to do a recreation of “My Fair Lady” and that’s when it hit me – what if I used a gentleman instead of a lady and improved his circumstances in life with the help of a professor? That wasn’t really enough, though, for me to formulate an entire series, but then I went to New York City for a research trip. While there, I roamed around Bleecker Street for hours. It was the perfect place to set a series, and then I saw this older building that my tour guide thought might have once been a boardinghouse. That was what really started me thinking, and before I knew it, I’d created an inquiry agency run by women that came about when a resident of a boardinghouse was unjustly accused of theft. When the police would not investigate further, believing they had the true culprit behind bars, the ladies who lived in the boardinghouse felt compelled to step up and clear their fellow boardinghouse resident of the charges brought against her. The series took off from there, the first book centering around one of the lady inquiry agents, Miss Gabriella Goodhue, who used to live on the mean streets of the Lower East Side and, at one point in her life, was best friends with Nicholas Quinn, the man who has now found his circumstances vastly improved from the time he knew Gabriella. Throwing the two of them back together made for an interesting storyline, especially since Gabriella believes Nicholas abandoned her all those years ago, which makes it next to impossible for her to trust him.

 

Are there other interesting characters in this series?

 

Of course. All of the lady inquiry agents come with their own secrets. Miss Daphne Beekman is a reclusive author who lives in the attic of the boardinghouse. She has the propensity to faint at the drop of a hat, which makes for a few amusing scenes in the first book. She’ll get her own story in “To Write a Wrong,” coming out later in 2021. Then there’s Eunice Holbrooke. She’s the owner of the boardinghouse, and she only wears full mourning garb, covering her face with numerous veils and refusing to speak to anyone about her past. Clearly, there’s a mystery just waiting to be solved there, one that will be solved in book three, which I’m just now beginning to work on. The other residents of the boardinghouse provide a lot of color to the story, from the two sisters who work as paid companions by day to gossip collectors and carriage drivers by night, to the resident artist, Miss Judith, who has recently decided to dip her toe into the portrait market even though she’s really not proficient with painting people. There’s also a one-eyed, patch-wearing dog by the name of Winston, a parrot that likes to nick sparkly items named Pretty Girl, and a neurotic poodle that falls for Winston that goes by the name of Precious.

 

Did the pandemic affect the writing process at all for “To Steal a Heart?”

 

Luckily, I had already turned in the book before the pandemic hit. With that said, though, I then had to do some of the edits during the first few months of the pandemic. That was interesting. I have very specific conditions I need in order to write and edit and having Al (the husband person) working from home isn’t one of those conditions. It took me far longer than it normally does to complete the editing process, which threw off my schedule for the next book in the series, “To Write a Wrong.” Drastic measures were needed. That’s why I’m now the proud owner of a she-shed. Al thought I was joking when I first broached the subject of a she-shed, but after I had my millionth meltdown, he decided that might be a really good idea. Turns out sheds are in high demand at the moment, so getting a shed in a timely fashion wasn’t possible. It took 6 weeks for us to get a shed delivered and then we had to frame the inside and put up a ceiling and walls. I was not actually very involved with that process because I’m a danger to everyone surrounding me when nail guns are being used. 🙂 I did paint the outside of the shed, then painted the inside. Of course the air conditioning unit I had to order was delayed, so I painted in 100 degree heat. Lost about five pounds doing that, so…unexpected bonus there. I just recently finished decorating the inside, and I’m typing this interview from my new space. I’m thinking I’m going to call it “Jen’s Novel Nook” but that might change, so don’t quote me on that.

 

Anything else you’d like to add?

 

Just that I hope everyone is surviving these crazy days. I know there are many people out there who are suffering from many different problems this pandemic has caused. Know that you’re not alone, and that brighter days will show up again. Until that time, try to remember to smile and, perhaps, read a few books.

 

Wishing all of you the very best!

 

Jen

MY REVIEW 

Oh how I lingered in the first  chapter knowing this was going to be another classic Jen Turano laugh til it hurts story. The banter between Gabriella and Nicholas is pure entertainment. Could two people dislike each other more? Or do they secretly still have feelings for each other and don’t want to admit it? I knew this chapter defined the story and I was ready to catch a ride to an adventure that I will not forget. Having a lookout that faints hardly helps Gabriella in her mission. Nicholas arguing that whatever plan Gabriella schemes up is destined to fail , heightens the intensity of these two characters. So let’s see where we go on this trip. 

I loved the fainting couch and laughed out loud as it seems to be “the thing” to have for women in distress. Of course there is also “vapors” that need to be on hand at all times. My oh my these ladies in the story are so over the top emotional that I couldn’t help snickering as the author uses her dynamic writing skills . I shuddered when one character said, “You’re almost twenty,  Maryanne, and at such an advanced age, you need to marry this Season.” The talk around town is a big event coming up and every unattached female is vying for the attention of a certain man. 

Now I must stop here to talk about my two favorite characters. They are none other than the witty and mischievous  Gabriella and the dashing Nicholas. They once knew each other but something happened for Gabriella to  well how should I put this? Oh yes she doesn’t want to ever see him again or does  she? I loved the idea of them working together and discovering what they really mean to each other. We get a peek at their past and I liked how the author showed us pieces of what it was like as one lived on the streets while the other was taken in  and well cared for. Does Gabriella hold any jealousy toward Nicholas because his life seemed to turn out better than hers?  

The story is filled with excitement as Gabriella finds herself using her “street smarts” to help solve a mystery. I loved the idea of a lady inquiry agency and how so many women were in need of the service. There are a few minor characters in the story that almost steal the show. Their questionable traits are fun to witness as one faints at the drop of a hat, and others who don’t seem to be able to drive a carriage without causing chaos. There is much to endure in this story and I can’t overlook the moments when Nicholas and Gabriella let down their guard and draw close to one anther. 

I can’t wait to see where the author takes us in the next installment of this series. Be sure you notice a certain dog and parrot in the story. They bring more comic moments to add to a story that shines with friendship, faith, intrigue and rekindling relationships. 

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 17

Soulfully Romantic, November 17

Hebrews 12 Endurance, November 17

Blessed & Bookish, November 17

Robin’s Nest, November 17

Through the Fire Blogs, November 18

The Avid Reader, November 18

Losing the Busyness, November 18

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 18

She Lives To Read, November 19

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 19

Wishful Endings, November 19

Sara Jane Jacobs, November 19

Artistic Nobody, November 20 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

lakesidelivingsite, November 20

21st Century Keeper at Home, November 20

Reviewingbooksplusmore, November 20

The Write Escape, November 20

Older & Smarter?, November 21

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 21

Christian Bookaholic, November 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 21

The Christian Fiction Girl, November 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 22

Mia Reads, November 22

Writing from the Heart Land, November 22

Betti Mace, November 23

Inklings and notions, November 23

Blogging With Carol, November 23

Life of Literature, November 23

Texas Book-aholic, November 24

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, November 24

Southern Gal Loves to Read, November 24

Batya’s Bits, November 24

Joanne Markey’s blog, November 24

For Him and My Family, November 25

Inside the Wong Mind, November 25

Mary Hake, November 25

Godly Book Reviews, November 25

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, November 26

EmpowerMoms, November 26

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 26

Novels Corner, November 26

Ashley’s Bookshelf, November 27

Connie’s History Classroom, November 27

Captive Dreams Window, November 27

Book of Ruth Ann, November 27

deb’s Book Review, November 28

Blossoms and Blessings, November 28

Daysong Reflections, November 28

Bigreadersite, November 28

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, November 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 29

Splashes of Joy, November 29

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, November 29

Simple Harvest Reads, November 29 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Vicky Sluiter, November 30

Pause for Tales, November 30

Spoken from the Heart, November 30

Hallie Reads, November 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away the grand prize package of copy of To Steal a Heart, plus all three books in the American Heiresses series and a 30 second mystery kit (Link: https://amzn.to/3nqrIpC)!!

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/103a4/to-steal-a-heart-celebration-tour-giveaway