Friday, January 26, 2024

About the Book

Book: A Summer on Bellevue Avenue

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian historical romance

Release Date: January 9, 2024

In the world of the elite, reputation is everything…

Wealthy heiress Amanda Mae Klein is set to marry the man she loves, Wesley Jansen—the only person she trusts to help ease her anxiety among the social climbers of high society. Until the daughter of a union boss falls down a flight of stairs at Wesley’s office in the middle of the night…and the woman claims Wesley pushed her.

Seeking solace from the growing scandal, Amanda flees to the mansion-dotted seaside of Newport. Wesley follows to disprove the rumors and win back the trust of Amelia and her father. But soon, Amanda finds not only her social status but her life at risk. As dire events pit the two against each other, will their love find a way to survive?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household.

More from Lorri

Moguls, Millionaires, and Midas

Imagine parties where the dining guests could dig through a sand centerpiece for rubies, diamonds, sapphires, and other precious stones to take home as party favors. Or celebrating elaborate pet birthdays, where dogs are seated around a formal dining table and served liver, rice, and cake. Fancy dining on horseback as guests eat while riding. At the mention of the Gilded Age in Newport, Rhode Island, Robin Leach’s voice naturally pipes in my head, “These are the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”

Imposing wrought iron gates, expansive manicured lawns and gardens, and opulent French chateaus or Italian palazzos—the summer “cottages” of Newport’s famous self-made moguls of America’s Gilded Age stir the imagination and leave us wondering if we glimpsed a bit of what heaven may look like. What was accomplished, built, and achieved still impresses, and I had oodles of fun researching the era and its eccentric society walkers.

More from Lorri

Moguls, Millionaires, and Midas

One of my favorite stories regarding the elites was the rivalry between “old money” Caroline Astor and “new money” Alva Vanderbilt. Legend has it that Caroline Astor frowned upon the Vanderbilts and did much to prohibit the new money Vanderbilts from having true social standing. Alva Vanderbilt concocted a plan to pry her way into old-money elitism by planning a fabulous costume party with all the who’s who of New York’s knickerbockers. Alva personally delivered Mrs. Astor’s invitation, and when Mrs. Astor refused to receive her, Alva Vanderbilt rescinded Caroline Astor’s daughter, Carrie’s, invitation. Hearing she was uninvited to the event, Carrie bent her mother’s ear and got her to acquiesce. Caroline Astor formally visited Alva Vanderbilt and attended the costume party, solidifying the Vanderbilt’s arrival into high society.

Living a little over an hour from Newport, I’ve toured many of the mansions and hiked the cliff walk along the luxurious shoreline. It was during one of these tours that the plot idea struck for Summer on Bellevue Avenue and the romance between two Gilded sweethearts torn apart by scandal was born.

MY REVIEW

What an exciting story this was with intrigue, greed and misunderstandings. I liked how Wesley never gave up on proving his innocence and trying to win the love of his life back. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Wesley is working hard at night getting his paperwork completed in order to propose marriage. He is overcome with stress and fatigue and falls asleep at his desk. A shrill scream awakens him as he finds an unconscious woman at the bottom of the stairs to his office. I appreciate his integrity to try to help the woman yet it caused him to bring doubt on his honor. Who is this woman and why was she at his office late at night?

Amanda is excited knowing that soon Wesley will ask for her hand in marriage. She adores him and can’t wait to start their lives together. She comes from a wealthy family but she never uses her wealth to gain acceptance. In fact she doesn’t really like the limelight especially after the scandal about her mother. When Amanda is suddenly whisked away by family in the early morning hours, she has no time to really digest what is happening. She is finally told of what transpired between Wesley and the unknown woman. I loved how she knew in her heart that Wesley would never betray her.

The story does take on a mystery when Amanda and Wesley’s lives are in danger. Someone doesn’t want them to get married. What would this person gain if the marriage did not take place ? The author does a good job of leaving little hints throughout the story of who was behind everything yet I was still surprised by who it turned out to be. I loved the time period and how two people showed great resilience in the face of adversity. Rumors and more rumors tried to ruin reputations as greed starts to take over someone’s thinking. The story is a nice illustration of trust and standing up for others. In the end, truth always prevails.

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

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 26

Devoted To Hope, January 26

Texas Book-aholic, January 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 28

Sylvan Reads, January 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 30

Betti Mace, January 31

Alena Mentink, January 31

For Him and My Family, February 1

Simple Harvest Reads, February 2 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

An Author’s Take, February 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 3

Cover Lover Book Review, February 4

Blossoms and Blessings, February 5

Holly’s Book Corner, February 5

Life on Chickadee Lane, February 6

Pause for Tales, February 6

Connie’s History Classroom, February 7

Book Looks by Lisa, February 7

Lily’s Corner, February 8

She Lives To Read, February 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lorri 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/299bf/a-summer-on-bellevue-avenue-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, January 25, 2024

About the Book

Book: The Orphan Carpenter: Orphaned at birth. Adopted by God. A tale of hope and a future.

Author: Kenneth Ian McQuarrie

Genre: Spiritual Growth/Memoir

Release Date: November 22, 2022

“Ok Lord, I sure hope you have this under control, because from where I sit things aren’t looking so good.”

When I came into this world, there were no baby showers, no celebrations, no father handing out big cigars, or first photo being passed around the office. Grandma, grandpa, aunts, and uncles would not be visiting, pinching my chubby cheeks and saying how cute I was. You see, I was an orphan. Unwanted, cold, hungry, and alone … or was I?

Have you ever wondered where God is? How can this be happening? What did I do to deserve this? Have your circumstances led you to question your faith? Does God care? Does he even exist?

My core beliefs had been shaken. To make sense of what just happened, I went back and examined my own life. So many times, the odds were heavily stacked against me, life and death situations. Yet, somehow, someway, God always showed up.

From orphan to carpenter and beyond, the pages of this book are my life stories. But the book is not about me or my story. It’s about God.

As you read these true stories of my life like parables, may they be a testament that God loves you and has a plan to give you hope and a future.

Click here to get your paperback copy!

Click here to get your eBook copy!

About the Author

An orphan from birth with serious medical complications, Kenneth went into foster care at three months old. Eventually adopted by his foster family, he grew up in a small northern Canadian city. Being raised by loving Christian parents and mentored by his carpenter grandfather, he dreamed of becoming a carpenter himself one day. The Lord had different plans for young Kenneth. Plans that would take him on an incredible life journey to the pinnacle of the North American construction industry.

Kenneth has always held firmly to his faith throughout the journey, trials, and tribulations. He’s served in church administration and hosted and led Bible studies throughout his adult life. He lives in Orange County, California, with his wife, Celine.

More from Kenneth

Back in early 2018, following a very harrowing experience, I found my marriage starting to crumble. My wife Celine and I were processing things very differently. I’m a builder, a fixer, and I couldn’t fix it. Jeepers, I didn’t even know what it was.

Suddenly, this random thought flooded into my brain, and I blurted out, “Would you be willing for us to go see a counselor to help us process all this?”

Did I just say that? I thought as Celine said, “OK, yes, let’s do that.”

At one of our counseling sessions, the counselor said, “Your lives together began when you started dating. But, before that, both of you had lived separate lives for many years. So, for this week’s homework assignment, I want you to write each other a story from your life. The life you had before you met. Your memories from when you were growing up.”

“Me, write a story? I barely passed English class in school. I’m no writer,” I responded.

The counselor smiled. “I’m not saying write a novel. It’s more like a letter, just write down some memories of your life you can share. Just like our session today, this will help you to understand each other better.”

“OK, I’ll give it a try,” I said.

That night, Celine fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, exhausted from the emotional roller coaster a few hours before. So, I pulled out a journal and pen and began to write. I scribbled notes down for about an hour then fell asleep.

In the morning, I handed Celine my journal. As she began to read, her brow wrinkled, followed by her face contorting as if in pain. Finally, after a couple of long minutes, she looked up.

“Is it that bad?” I asked.

“No, it’s not that it’s bad. It’s … you should write this.”

“I just did.”

“No, I mean you should write your story, your whole story.”

“You mean like a book? I can’t write a book. I barely passed English class.

“No, you can’t spell, and yes, your grammar is terrible, but you tell stories all the time, and people like your stories. People remember your stories.”

Celine was right about one thing, the fact that I tell a lot of stories. When I was young, Mom would tell me stories repeatedly of how I came to be a McQuarrie. I loved Bible stories about Moses, Joseph, and King David as a little guy. I guess not being good at English, I often used stories of my life to explain myself or try to relate to others.

“Stories are one thing, but to write a book, you have to have a point or a purpose, not just a bunch of stories,” I said to Celine.

“Well, you should pray about it,” Celine responded.

After almost a year of praying about it and three years of writing, in November 2022, The Orphan Carpenter was published. I know the Lord had his hand in writing this book because there is no way I could have pulled this off on my own.

I pray the Lord takes these stories to those they were meant to encourage.

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24

MY REVIEW

What an inspirational book I had the honor of reading. A baby born that was left in an orphanage is heartbreaking. As I began the journey with the author, I saw God in every situation. The author may have been rejected at first, but God provided a family that wanted him. They loved him so much that they adopted him. He now had a mother, father and older sister. He was overjoyed that he was wanted.

I enjoyed following the author as he grew up and how he used Biblical characters to show how Jesus was there for many. Moses was put in a basket at three months old just like the author had been. Isn’t God awesome? He is always close by. Kenneth had made deep bonds with his family, and he had an especially close bond with someone who would show him carpentry work. It was fun to watch their bond grow and how Kenneth learned responsibility.

The book is definitely an encouraging story that shows how God has a plan for each of our lives. We may go through trials but in those moments we become stronger and closer to God. The main point I got from the story was that God has a purpose for each of us. As we become obedient, God shows us the direction to take.

I enjoyed the story but at times I did feel like parts of the story lingered more than necessary and wanted the author to nit give so much unneeded detail. I did like how scriptures were used and thought overall a nice read. I did want to mention the family that adopted him. Their hearts had been broken by a great loss, yet they were obedient to God’s calling. They opened their home as foster parents. Many children went through their home and found love and acceptance. I applaud them for their sacrifice and know that they changed many young lives.

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

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 18

Artistic Nobody, January 19 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 19

Lighthouse Academy Blog, January 20 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Fiction Book Lover, January 21 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 22

Guild Master, January 23 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, January 23

Girls in White Dresses, January 24

Blossoms and Blessings, January 25 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, January 26

Splashes of Joy, January 27 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, January 28

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, January 29 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 30

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 31 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kenneth is giving away the grand prize package of a $150 Amazon gift card and a paperback and an eBook 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/297c9/the-orphan-carpenter-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

About the Book

Book: Muldoon’s Minnesota Darling, a Novella

Author: E.V. Sparrow

Genre: Historical fiction

Release Date: May 10, 2023

A heartsore widower with hidden fears and little faith…
The naïve daughter of a farmer guarding a repulsive secret…
A township unaware of the hidden menace amongst them…

Heartbroken from losing his family and his farm, Mick Muldoon is hopeful as he emigrates to America with his siblings. All he finds is despair and no work. Were America’s rumored promises of plenty all lies? Would God ever hear and answer his prayers?

Seventeen-year-old Shauna McGann is determined to marry Mick Muldoon despite her mother’s objections. His past and his limp might repulse others, but not her. What burdens Shauna is her terrible secret – a secret she promised her friends she would keep. Now Shauna needs help and protection. Could she trust Mick, or will she lose everything by telling him?

Will Mick finally be free of loss and find success in America? Will Shauna overcome her fears and finally feel safe?

In this Muldoon’s Misfortunes prelude novella, author E.V. Sparrow creates a provoking tale of flickering faith and enduring hope through an emigrant’s efforts to adapt, and a young woman’s unprejudiced love.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

E.V. Sparrow is a short story writ

er turned novelist. Her readers encounter God’s unexpected presence through her character’s escapades. Her own adventures she wrote about involved traveling in over twenty countries. Sparrow lived on an Israeli kibbutz, worked for the U.S.

Army in Bavaria, and hopped a freight train for a weekend.

A highlight for Sparrow is when Guideposts and Bethany House Publishers accepted four of her anthologized stories before she signed a 3-book historical fiction series contract with Celebrate Lit Publishing.

Her father’s family’s immigration from Ireland, their letters and documents, and some family stories inspired her current historical fiction novels.

In E.V.’s personal and church life, she ministered through prayer, worship, mission teams, and in Divorce Care and Singles. California native relocated to North Carolina, E.V. Sparrow and her husband enjoy family time with their grandchildren and exploring their new state.

More from E.V.

I’m writing books inspired by my father’s family because they believed in God but wrestled with their faith. Faith doesn’t come easy for every believer. We grapple with intimacy with God, but does God battle with us?

My oldest brother shared some stories of our great-grandfather, who emigrated here after losing his wives and children in Ireland. Yes, at least two families. I wondered, how could a suffering heart and soul survive those losses? Our great-grandfather’s inner turmoil didn’t change once he resettled in America. I read letters he wrote to his son—our grandfather and sifted through family photos. Certain aspects from the timeline of great-grandfather’s life fashioned my main character, Mick Muldoon. Mick encountered God’s unexpected presence several times without recognizing it.

Thinking through a Scripture verse, 1 Corinthians 13:13, (NIV) “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love,” reveals what remains when all else we are accustomed to is gone. I assume hope is as powerful as faith and love. It’s a triangle of strength for us until it goes wobbly. What happens when one or two of the three stabilizers are weaker than the others? Wounded, confused, and resilient characters named Mick, Orla, and Liam Muldoon.

MY REVIEW

Mick has suffered several losses and travels to America to start over. Being from Ireland he will face challenges but I admired his determination. He has a limp that at times causes other to think he is not capable of working. How easy it is for people to judge him when they don’t take the time to get to know someone. It was sad that Mick had lost two wives and several children at such a young age. Mick is struggling with finding work and has attracted the attention of what I would call a bully. This man is someone to be careful around as rumors about him are not good.

Shauna has caught Mick’s eye and thinks perhaps he may ask permission to court her. She has kept a dark secret that she shares with Mick as they begin their relationship. Even though Mick promised he would not tell, he knew he had to do something before a tragedy occurred.

I enjoyed reading how Mick and Shauna became closer and began a commitment to each other. Mick is worried when his wife becomes pregnant. Will the same thing happen to this baby as his others? He has this darkness around him that tries to get him to not believe in God. There is much tragedy in the story but the author illustrates how God is always there. As Mick continues to feel like something is bringing death around him, his wife continues to speak to him about God.

I liked the story and how we got a bit of history which I enjoyed. We witness sadness, loss and how a man comes to faith. It is a quick read with characters that are flawed. I was a little sad about the loss that continued for Mick and Shauna. In the end the author brings happiness and renewed faith that shines a light where darkness use to be.

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

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 23

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

Texas Book-aholic, January 25

Bizwings Book Blog, January 26

Sylvan Musings, January 27 (Author Interview)

An Author’s Take, January 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 28

A Reader’s Brain, January 29 (Author Interview)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 30

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, January 31 (Author Interview)

Life on Chickadee Lane, February 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 2

By The Book, February 3 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 3

For Him and My Family, February 4

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 5 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, E.V. is giving away the grand prize package of an eBook copy of Muldoon’s Minnesota Darling and an Amazon $50 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/299bb/muldoon-s-minnesot-darling-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

About the Book

Book: Faces in the Window

Authors: Andrew Busch and Melinda Busch

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release Date: October, 2022

Franz Maedler, an officer in the Wehrmacht, loses a leg in Stalingrad and is evacuated just before it becomes impossible to do so. He returns to a desk job with the Army General Staff in Berlin but is deeply conflicted. His father is committed to the Nazi cause, as seems to be his brother Friedrich. Yet his girlfriend Katrin is a devout Christian, as was his now-deceased mother, and his conscience is haunted by things he was a part of on the Eastern Front. He wants to marry Katrin, but she will not agree until he decides who he is and who he follows. Then, unexpectedly, a moment of crisis forces Franz to choose. Will he side with the cross or with the swastika? And what will it cost him?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Authors

Andrew and Melinda Busch were both born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, and were introduced in 1994 by their junior high school math teacher. They married in 1995 and have three grown children. They now live in Rialto, California.

Andrew teaches American government at Claremont McKenna College in southern California. He has authored or co-authored about two dozen books on American politics, government, and public policy. He received his Ph.D. in Government from the University of Virginia. Melinda is a freelance author who has published numerous short stories and children’s books. She received her Master’s degree in education from Concordia University-Portland. Faces in the Window is their first co-authored book.

More from Andrew and Melinda

We came up with the idea for our book after a trip to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. in 2006, but didn’t start writing it until late 2019. The COVID lock-down gave us a lot of time at home to work on it.

Writing together was fun. Sometimes one of us would draft a section and the other one would revise it and then we would go back and forth until we were satisfied with it. Other times, when there was important dialogue, we would each pick a character, go onto Google Docs, and have the conversation in real time. We had to be sharp, since our characters often found themselves in a tight spot. Though we planned out the story, sometimes the conversations took on a life of their own, and things went in a different direction.

One of us is a poet and an author of children’s books, fantasy stories, and fan fiction, while the other is a professor who has written extensively about American government but has never before dipped his toe into the vasty depths of fiction. Together, we had a great time!

MY REVIEW

This book was an emotional read and one that made me really think about the theme. I have read many books about WWII but each time I seem to learn something new. The authors definitely did their research well as historical facts are defined in the story. It is hard to pinpoint when I became engrossed in the book but from the beginning I knew I had to pay attention to the storyline.

Franz is coming home after serving his country due to an injury. He worries how he will be welcomed by some back home. How sad it was that he was concerned that his father may not be excited to see him. The war was hard for Franz but coming home may be more stressful. He looked in people’s eyes who were sad, desperate or lonely. It is something that will stay with him forever. Those faces if war remain ingrained in his heart forever.

Seeing his sweet Katrin now makes him happy yet does he see a hint of uncertainty in her eyes? Are their plans still moving forward or will she want to postpone their future together? This part of the story was intriguing as I wondered why Katrin would have second thoughts of marrying Franz.

Franz does question when he first returns from the service if he still believes in God. All the suffering Franz has seen makes him question his faith. Have you ever been through something that made you doubt God? I liked how the authors used this to illustrate how people can stray from their faith and then be reconciled when they surrender and trust Him again.

With secrets, hints of disloyalty and questions of faith, this story captures the turmoil one young man has as he struggles to find his purpose . His father is not easy to talk to and takes great honor in letting his son know he does not believe in God. Who will Franz be loyal to? Will he find out who to trust before it is too late?

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