Saturday, April 24, 2021

About the Book

Book: The Secret of the 14th Room

Author: Rebecca Hemlock

Publisher: Bluecap Publishing

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: March 16th

Memories can be a killer.

When Levi Corbin returns to Granton, Tennessee after the death of his beloved grandmother, it sets off a chain of events he’d rather have avoided. Claiming his inheritance should have been a piece of cake, but a cousin appears, threatening to steal it all.

Even worse (and better, too), he’s falling for the girl he just met and now must team up with her to try to stop his cousin. Their quest for his inheritance uncovers secrets frozen in time—and one might just be the answer to save his grandmother’s home.

Things go from worse to completely out of hand when a freak fire threatens it all. Add to that a nosy old woman and a battered runaway, and Levi can’t help but wonder what is going on!

As circumstances rekindle his faith and new love spurs him onward, Levi races against time and odds to save Grandma’s house from certain destruction, but the result might just mean saving himself as well.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Rebecca lives in Eastern Kentucky with her husband and children. She absolutely loves mysteries. Rebecca has been writing stories for many years and enjoys reading, painting and spending time with her family. Her favorite times to write are early in the morning when the sun is coming up and at sunset. She has worked as a freelance journalist for 4 years and is a member of Sisters in Crime and American Christian Fiction Writers. Rebecca has earned a degree in English and an Appalachian Studies certificate in Creative Writing.

More from Rebecca

Looking for new ideas is my favorite part of writing because it comes with talking to interesting people and exploring antique shops all over the country.

This book not only captures my love for American history and riveting romantic suspense, but it also captures how old wounds of the heart can be healed.

Levi Corbin in The Secret of the 14th Room learns this the hard way after carrying his broken heart for most of his adult life. He has to discover the real meaning of family and family pride. Levi must face the past so that he can move on to a brighter future.

Granton, Tennessee, is a town I hope you fall in love with, just as I did when I created it. There are so many delightful characters, some with a dark secret or two. This story has been brewing for a while, and I am glad that I finally have the opportunity to share it with you.

MY REVIEW

I am pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this story. It is quite intriguing and kept me on my toes. I really liked Levi and how much he loved his grandmother. Coming back to town for her funeral was hard for him but I think seeing his cousin Silas was even harder. The author lets us see how different these two men are as they pick different paths in their lives.

Oh it was easy to dislike Silas instantly. He was only there to see what he had been left in the will. Their poor grandmother had hoped the two cousins would make amends but she didn’t get to see if it would happen. I thought it was very clever how the will was written that forced Levi and Silas to find a way to work together in order to inherit her house and possessions.

Although that was interesting I really liked the history behind the house. To be related to such an historical figure was very prestigious. The books that were discovered filled the pages with Civil War, and relatives that could be traced back many years. The author cleverly puts in a mysterious room that holds the key to a secret. This secret will cause one cousin to commit arson, almost kill someone and continue his hate for his cousin. Greed dies that to a person and Silas was all about gaining what he could at all cost.

To me the best part of the story is Silas. He is everything you would consider a sinner. He has hate, jealousy and pride all mixed in together that makes it hard to reach him. He thinks God doesn’t care and has given up on himself. The turning point for him is an unlikely person who wants to help. In that moment we witness the true meaning of helping someone that others have turned their back on. It is a journey that Silas will witness forgiveness, unconditional love , hope and the importance of family.

Now you may be wondering about the secret room. I couldn’t wait to find out where it was and what was waiting for someone to find. I almost felt like Pandora’s box was being opened. Oh that’s all I’m saying because this secret is worth reading. The author has left a cliffhanger which I wasn’t expecting. Now I anxiously wait to get my hands on the next book in the series to find out why a certain person is involved.

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 21

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 22

Genesis 5020, April 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 23

A Novel Pursuit, April 23

Texas Book-aholic, April 24

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 24 (Author Interview)

Inklings and notions, April 25

Blogging With Carol, April 25

Betti Mace, April 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 26

For Him and My Family, April 27

Godly Book Reviews, April 27

deb’s Book Review, April 28

CarpeDiem, April 28

Older & Smarter?, April 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 29

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, April 30

Simple Harvest Reads, April 30 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 1

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 1

KarenSueHadley, May 2

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 3

Mary Hake, May 3

Through the Fire Blogs, May 4

Adventures Of A Travelers Wife, May 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rebecca 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/10b6a/the-secret-of-the-14th-room-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, April 23, 2021

German Girl

About the Book

Book: The Good German Girl

Author: Erica Marie Hogan

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: April 15, 2021

RGB300TheGoodGermanGirl Omaha Beach
June 6, 1944

When battle-hardened Private Bernie Russell witnesses a fellow soldier shoot a young German boy with his hands up, he’s shaken to his very core. Then, as that same boy is dying, he presses a packet of photographs and letters into Bernie’s hand and utters three words in English.

It must end.

After having the letters translated, he discovers they were written by the soldier’s twin sister and the photographs within the packet reveal evidence of Hitler’s plan to wipe out the Jews.

Berlin, Germany

Margot Raskopf is a young art teacher, forced to conform to the education Hitler has designed. Then, when one of her sources with the underground resistance receives a letter for her from an American soldier, she’s shocked and filled with renewed hope. But Margot has been harboring a secret. In her house she hides a young Jewish woman she’s known since childhood, risking being discovered by the gestapo with each passing day.

As they begin a dangerous correspondence, both Margot and Bernie embark on treacherous journeys. One taking Bernie across Europe and right into Germany. Another taking Margot through the gates of Auschwitz … and under the scrutiny of Josef Mengele.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Author Photo From as far back as she can remember, Erica Marie Hogan loved to write. When she was a little girl she adored make believe, but gradually her imagination became too big to restrict it to playtime and so, she wrote.
Erica was born and raised for nine years on Orient Point, Long Island, New York. After that she moved with her family to Virginia and, finally, to Texas where she now lives. She was homeschooled, is an avid reader, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives to plot new stories, enjoys a good tear-jerker, and chocolate is her cure for any ailment.
Erica’s wish is to continue to write stories that not only drop her readers into the middle of historical time periods, but also to show the ability to rise up out of adversity and tragedy in hope, faith, love, and strength. When it comes to genre, she has no limits.

Along with The Winter Queen Series Erica’s World War I standalone novel, The Lost Generation, is also available now from Elk Lake Publishing, Inc.

More from Erica

There are two things I love in a good story. History and Romance. And when the two come together? Well, I’m sold.

Hi, I’m Erica Marie Hogan, the author of The Good German Girl, book one in a Historical Fiction series called A League of Extraordinary Women. When I set out to write a novel based during World War II, I never imagined The Good German Girl would be the end result. I started with an idea about a young German woman living in Berlin who wants to fight back against Hitler’s rule. This mustard seed of an idea took me on a journey through the battles at Omaha Beach, Aachen, Germany & the Battle of the Bulge. It took me through the gates of Auschwitz and right into Josef Mengele’s lab.

This little idea took me on a quest for love in the most horrible of circumstances. Where war and death divided two people who should be enemies but, through a miraculous correspondence, found each other and knew in their hearts they were meant to save each other. The Good German Girlis a Historical Fiction novel about the tragedy of World War II with the gentle beginnings of an epic love woven through the pages. I hope you enjoy the story of Margot Raskopf and Bernie Russell as much as I enjoyed writing about them!

MY REVIEW

The opening page of this book describes in detail the horrors of war. Although hard to read, it is a realistic look at what men and women faced during this time period. I appreciate an author who doesn’t sugar coat the war, but portrays it as a tragic time that no one will ever forget. I knew I needed to prepare myself for an emotional journey that will forever have a profound impact on my life.

The story is deep rooted in the war that found the Jewish community in harms way. It is so hard for me to understand how one man could have such hatred for others that destroyed the lives of innocent men, women and children. The ones who survived were left with emotional scars so deep that they had nightmares at times.

As we travel to the camp where prisoners are we are faced with stench, rats, sickly people and hopelessness. Margot must fight everyday to stay alive. It was emotional to read how Margot and Bernie began to write to each other. An American soldier and a German woman who should be enemies found comfort in each other’s words. I wanted to scream as the scenes came up on the battlefield. All around was death as Bernie fought to stay alive. The author writes with vividness in a way that I felt as if I was planted on the battle field.

The story was so intense at times I wasn’t sure if I could finish it. Yet I had to know if Margot survived. Did she and Bernie finally meet? The details of the war, camp and despair was heartbreaking. I have fallen in love with this author’s words and look forward to more from her. Throughout the story we see hope, forgiveness , survival, trust and God’s protection. This is one story that stirs within you the strong desire to live and make a difference. Margot never gave up even when she stared death in the eyes.

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

Blog Stops

Rebecca Tews, April 17

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 18

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 19

Genesis 5020, April 19

Connie’s History Classroom, April 20

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 21

Where Faith and Books Meet, April 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 22

Texas Book-aholic, April 23

Christian Bookaholic , April 23

Betti Mace, April 24

For Him and My Family, April 25

Maidens for Modesty, April 25

deb’s Book Review, April 26

Inklings and notions, April 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 28

Mary Hake, April 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 30

Maureen Timerman, April 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Erica is giving away the grand prize package of $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback 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/10ad0/the-good-german-girl-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, April 22, 2021

About the Book

Book: Matchmaker’s Best Friend

Author: Kari Trumbo

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: March 30, 2021

“You’re just like a brother to me. I don’t like you in that way.”

When they dated ten years ago as teens, it almost destroyed their friendship. So Pen Reese did the only logical thing. She lied about how she felt—and still feels—about him.

She’s still paying for that lie.

A brilliant plan to set Mike and a friend up and get over him has one problem.

It’s breaking her heart.

When Pen pushed him away, Mike Gaines assumed she just didn’t understand his faith. People like her persnickety aunt even claim he’s part of a cult—ridiculous, but it’s true. Still, if she wants him to play the part of a big brother, fine. At least he can stay close this way.

At first, Pen’s attempt to set him up with one of her close friends hurts. But what if it’s the perfect opportunity to show her what she’s missing if she sees him with someone else?

In this friends-to-more-meets-second-chance romance, The Matchmaker’s Best Friend continues the Elnora Island romances of the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Where western meets happily ever after.

Kari writes swoony heroes and places that become characters with detail and heart.
Her favorite place to write about is the place her heart lives, (even if she doesn’t) South Dakota.

Kari loves reading, listening to contemporary Christian music, singing when no one’s listening, and curling up near the wood stove when winter hits. She makes her home in central Minnesota, land of frigid toes and mosquitoes the size of compact cars, with her husband of over twenty years. They have two daughters, two sons, one cat, and one hungry wood stove.

More from Kari

Pen is Mightier than the Sword

Especially in sparkly, stacked espadrilles and pink power suit. Don’t let Pen Reese’s pink façade fool you, she’s a businesswoman to the core, with a heart of gold. She has built a party planning business from the ground up, and she’s about to create another.

Pen is one of those characters that I could just see CLEARLY as I was writing. She is about ninety percent Elle Woods from Legally Blonde and ten percent a close personal friend. I heard her voice in my head. I could hear her talking as I wrote the book. Her personality was perfect for the energetic party planner.

I’m sure if I put a character description up without context or clarity many people wouldn’t want to read the book, they would write Pen off as shallow. But she’s not. She’s heartbroken.

Do you still remember your first love? Maybe you still care for them? Pen fell hard for her first love and no matter how professional she is or how many lavish weddings she plans, she can’t forget the one wedding she’ll never get to create. Her own.

Pen things that if Mike falls for someone else, goes off and gets married, she’ll finally be able to move on. So, she sets a plan in motion. That’s when her world completely falls apart and you see the tender parts of Pen that she doesn’t show to just anybody.

She is a very complex character and I hope she touches you like she touched me.

I hope you enjoy Pen’s tale of matchmaking gone wrong.

My REVIEW

This story frustrated me a lot. Oh, the author did a great job of writing but I really wanted to have a talk with Pen. She may be a bubbly outgoing person who knows how to give wonderful parties, but she sure lacks in the relationship department. Pen has known Mike forever and maybe that is where her vision is cloudy. How many of us have ever uttered the words, “Oh we are just good friends.” I did laugh because I have said that many times about my now husband. Well to be fair we didn’t like each other at first.

Mike is a sweet person who adores Pen. He has always been there for her and I think he may be getting discouraged. I really wanted to see Mike find a job that would give him confidence. He seems to have a problem in that area and God is right there to help him. I enjoyed the brief mention of Mike’s faith but wanted the author to explore that more. It is a very important part of his life and I think it needed more information for readers to understand it. Pen doesn’t quite understand it so there was a good opportunity to expand on it.

The idea that Pen had to increase her business was a bit unusual and I’m not sure it was such a great idea. Without saying much more about the story, that great plan that Pen comes up with will cause someone to get hurt. So I wonder if Pen really thought it through? It is obvious that Pen and Mike are in love but something is holding Pen back. Is it lack of trust, faith or perhaps rejection?

The author delivers a story that has flawed characters where they each must learn to deal with the past. There is a lack of self confidence on both Pen and Mike. I was upset that Mike would go along with this scheme of Pen’s to build her business. Where was common sense in this decision? The ending was predictable but I still enjoyed the ride to get there.

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