Saturday, December 16, 2017

About the Book

Title: The Hope of Christmas

Author: Jodie Wolfe, Terri Wangard, Linda Shenton Matchett

Genre: Historical Christmas

Release Date: November 24, 2017

Picking a Bride for Paul

When Teddy Love’s neighbor and best friend breaks his leg, she pitches in to do whatever she can to help him on his farm. But when he enlists her aid in finding a wife, she comes to realize she has feelings for him.

Paul Baker follows his heart mother’s wishes by looking for a bride from the East who is refined and gentile, two qualities Teddy isn’t. When his potential bride arrives, he finds himself comparing her to Teddy. How can he go back and change things before he makes the biggest mistake of his life?

Typhoon Prompting

A destroyer escort is among the smallest of warships, but the USS Tabberer has the heart of a giant. A typhoon threatens the US Fleet in the Pacific during World War II, days before Christmas. The men of the Tabberer stand tall as they rush to the aid of their fellow sailors. For Seaman Jerry Collier, the typhoon prompts a greater awareness of what he wants in life. First, though, they have to survive.

A Dr. in the House
Emma O’Sullivan is one of the first female doctors to enlist after President Franklin Roosevelt signs the order allowing women in the Army and Navy medical corps. Within weeks, Emma is assigned to England to set up a convalescent hospital, and she leaves behind everything that is familiar. When the handsome widower of the requisitioned property claims she’s incompetent and tries to get her transferred, she must prove to her superiors she’s more than capable. But she’s soon drawn to the good-looking, grieving owner. Will she have to choose between her job and her heart?

Archibald “Archie” Heron is the last survivor of the Heron dynasty, his two older brothers having been lost at Dunkirk and Trondheim and his parents in the Blitz. After his wife is killed in a bombing raid while visiting Brighton, he begins to feel like a modern-day Job. To add insult to injury, the British government requisitions his country estate, Heron Hall, for the U.S. Army to use as a hospital. The last straw is when the hospital administrator turns out to be a fiery, ginger-haired American woman. She’s got to go. Or does she?

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Authors

Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She’s been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests and is a member of ACFW. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie. Learn more at www.jodiewolfe.com.

Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she lives in Wisconsin. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor.

Linda Shenton Matchett is a journalist, blogger, author, and history geek. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry, Linda has lived in historical places most of her life-from Edison, New Jersey (named for the famed inventor of the light bulb) and Washington, DC to Wolfeboro, New Hampshire (reputed to be the oldest summer resort in America). She volunteers at the Wright Museum of WWII and as a trustee for her local public library.

This collection of novellas are sweet, easy and clean stories. The authors give readers stories that make the characters come alive and along the way we laugh, cry and travel back in time. Each story is a different theme, but they all blend together with a natural flow.

Picking a Bride for Paul by Jodie Wolfe

The story was funny at times because of the wonderful character of Teddy. She was full of life and some may call her a tomboy. I loved her spunk and found her to be a great addition to the story. Growing up with her best friend Paul has made her very comfortable around him. It was funny how Teddy reacted when Paul told her he was sending for a mail order bride. I think the best scene was them sitting at the table reading letters from prospective brides. Will Paul find his bride? Can Teddy finally admit her feelings before it is to late? Good story with a nice but perhaps predictable ending. I still loved it because the characters were so fun to know.

Typhoon Prompting by Terri Wangard

I really loved this story. It is set around the time of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The details are so beautiful, I could feel the ship moving in the water. I don’t think it would be fun at all to be trapped on a ship as the sea is hammering you with waves that tip the ship sideways. I was intrigued by the duties the men had and found that they were brave and honorable. The author does an amazing job of allowing readers to experience bombs going off and the danger the men faced with her gifted words .

Jerry was a great character and I loved reading the letters written between him and his girlfriend. It was nice to hear news from home and I know the letters cheered him up. I was glad to read about the women who were not afraid to get their hands dirty. It must have been a bit intimidating being one of a few women who worked on submarines. Through the letters, you could tell how proud Jerry was of his girlfriend. The story is a nice reminder of war and how it affects families. Will Jerry make it home safely?

A Doctor In The House by Linda Shenton Matchett

What a wonderful story of how many people served during the war and the obstacles they had to overcome. Emma was a delight to read about. It was unheard of to have a woman doctor during this time period . When she has an encounter with Archie an Englishman, you could sense the uneasiness felt between them. Archie is not happy that his beautiful mansion has been turned into a hospital for wounded soldiers. His dislike for Emma is evident as he thinks she is not qualified as a doctor.

I loved the details of the war and how difficult it was to get supplies. The author has really done her homework on making the story so real with historical facts. I liked that both characters looked to God for answers. I kept being reminded of how sometimes first impressions can be wrong . Is it true that opposites attract? Will Emma and Archie ever become friends? Will Emma go home or stay in England?

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

Blog Stops

Christian Author J.E. Grace, December 10

Blogging With Carol, December 10

Genesis 5020, December 11

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, December 11

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 12

Have A Wonderful Day, December 12

Mommynificent, December 13

Inklings and notions, December 13

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 14

Mary Hake, December 14

The Power of Words, December 15

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 15

A Greater Yes, December 16

Texas Book-aholic, December 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 17

Radiant Light, December 18

Janices book reviews, December 18

Carpe Diem, December 19

A Baker’s Perspective, December 19

Reading Is My SuperPower, December 20

margaret kazmierczak, December 21

Pursuing Stacie, December 21

Maureen’s Musings, December 22

Blossoms and Blessings, December 23

Bigreadersite, December 23

Giveaway

To celebrate the tour, Celebrate Lit Publishing is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c514

Thursday, December 14, 2017

like moonlight at low tide FB cover copy

About the Book

Title: Like Moonlight at Low Tide

Author: Nicole Quigley

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Release Date: 2012

When high school junior Melissa Keiser returns to her hometown of Anna Maria Island, Florida, she has one goal: hide from the bullies who had convinced her she was the ugliest girl in school. But when she is caught sneaking into a neighbor’s pool at night, everything changes. Something is different now that Melissa is sixteen, and the guys and popular girls who once made her life miserable have taken notice. When Melissa gets the chance to escape life in a house ruled by her mom’s latest boyfriend, she must choose where her loyalties lie between a long-time crush, a new friend, and her surfer brother who makes it impossible to forget her roots. Just as Melissa seems to achieve everything she ever wanted, she loses a loved one to suicide. Melissa must not only grieve for her loss, she must find the truth about the three boys who loved her and discover that joy sometimes comes from the most unexpected place of all.

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Nicole Quigley is the author of Like Moonlight at Low Tide, a winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers “Carol Award” and “Genesis Contest” for best young adult fiction. Nicole works in public relations and spent many years in Washington, D.C. She now lives on Florida’s Gulf Coast, where she grew up. Nicole holds a B.S. from Appalachian State University, where she majored in Communications/Public Relations and minored in English. Her favorite place in the world is Western North Carolina, and her favorite place to write is a late night coffee shop, wherever she can find one open.

Guest Post from Nicole Quigley

Three Things I Hear from “Like Moonlight at Low Tide” Readers

When I first wrote “Like Moonlight at Low Tide,” I thought my readers were going to get the same things out of it that I did. The book gets off to a start when Missy Keiser sneaks into her neighbor’s pool to go nightswimming. She thought no one was home until she sees the figure of an unknown guy standing in the dark, at the edge of the pool.

Missy was bullied when she was younger, but this story is about what happens after she is bullied. What happens if you got everything you ever wanted? Would it be enough? I think that when we really look at the reasons behind why we want things and why the things we want can become so big in our lives, especially in high school—we often find that there’s really a bigger question left for all of us.

Who is going to love me?

Since “Like Moonlight at Low Tide” debuted, I’ve been so honored to hear from readers who could relate to Missy’s story. One thing that has surprised are the things I hear about from readers time and again.

First, I always hear about the ending! I definitely wrestled with how to bring the book to a close. I won’t say more about it (no spoilers!), but I have to laugh because most readers tell me I was really close to hearing a lot more from them! Second, I always hear about a certain guy who becomes the male protagonist. Yes, girls, I have to admit that I loved writing him!

Lastly, I often hear the book was written “just for them.” That’s what touches me most of all. I wrote this story from the heart. It means so much to hear that it reached others, and often in ways I never predicted. I love that.

Once a reader picks up my story and brings her own experiences to it, it becomes something new. And it’s really special to connect with a reader on some of these heart questions that we all have in common. One reader who has really made an impact on me sent me a hand-made charm bracelet based on the book. She took Missy’s story, and she turned it into something entirely new. Her creativity is really special, and the bracelet is now one of my most treasured possessions

I love hearing from readers about what they liked (or even didn’t like) in Missy’s story. As it turns out, listening to readers is one of the very best parts of writing for them.

If ever there was a book that teens should read, this is THE book. I really shouldn’t just say teens though. I recommended that everyone should grab a copy. The emotions in the book are captivated with beautiful writing . The author has written a story that many families have gone through. It is never easy to see one of your children being bullied. I wanted to grab Melissa and hug her and tell her that she was so important to God. I remember in junior high how much bullying I had to endure. I was not attractive at all. I wore long dresses because my dad was a Baptist preacher and I was not allowed to wear anything he felt was improper. Like Melissa, I had to daily hear names kids called me. I can so relate to Melissa when she hid in the bathroom from her tormentors.

Melissa has not had any real parents in her life that cared about her. Her mother was more concerned about herself and less about her kids. The author shows readers what it is like to grow up in a home when a parent ignores the well being of their children. I wanted to go shake the mother and let her know what precious gifts God had given her.

Melissa’s brother seemed to be affected by the absence of parents the most. He was a lost boy looking to be accepted and loved. He did start to withdraw and Melissa sees a change in him. His character was very well written and you could feel he was drifting away from everyone. One of the hardest things a parent will ever endure is the loss of a child. It makes it even harder when that child commits suicide. Sometimes there are no visible signs that someone is depressed and they may even hide their feelings from everyone.

I found the story to be very powerful and written with compassion. Melissa ignores warnings from a friend, and does things in order to be popular. She stills remembers how kids made fun of her when she was younger. Now that she is sixteen and been away for a few years, she hopes that she will be accepted in high school.

I wish I had a friend like Josh when I was in school. He is passionate about God and let’s Melissa know she is important. His faith and example of leading a Christian life really made an impact on Melissa. Will Melissa forgive herself for the tragedy her family went through? Can she see how beautiful she is on the inside? The book has great lessons we can all learn from. Living with regret and guilt brings sadness, but forgiveness can set you free.

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

Blog Stops

Avid Reader Book Reviews, December 9

amandainpa, December 9

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 10

Multifarious, December 10

Rembrancy, December 11

allofakindmom, December 11

SusanLovesBooks, December 12

Reading is my Super Power, December 12

proud to be an autism mom, December 13

A Greater Yes, December 13

Texas Book-aholic, December 14

Power of Words, December 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 15

The Fizzy Pop Collection, December 16

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 16

Janices book reviews, December 17

Blogging With Carol, ecember 17

Carpe Diem, December 18

A Baker’s Perspective, December 19

Pause for Tales, December 20

Red Headed Book Lady, December 21

Bigreadersite, December 21

Pursuing Stacie, December 22

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Nicole is giving away a $50 Amazon Card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c402

About the Book

Name of book: Christmas Embers

Author: Chautona Havig

Genre: Contemporary Christmas

Release Date: November 25, 2016

It’s a truth universally unacknowledged that sin will hunt you down and advertise its presence the moment you try to hide it.

Emily Byrne sits in her daughter’s classroom listening to the deepest wishes of twenty kindergarteners as she sketches them. But when little Joey Cordell breaks down, weeping and insisting the only thing he wants to find is his father, she isn’t sure where her Christmas project will take her.

Davia Cordell came to Rockland for one purpose–find her son’s father before she dies. An ex-prostitute, she’s well aware that the news will cause waves, but what’s a mother to do?

As these women join forces to search for Joey’s father–a Rockland area pastor, no less– Emily learns compassion for a woman who just wants the best for her son and can’t quite imagine that Jesus wants anything to do with her.

Each day, Davia weakens until Emily isn’t confident she’ll find the boy’s father in time–if at all. Doubts form. Should she look? Is it right to risk destroying a family like this–an entire church? The weight of that responsibility crushes her as Davia wastes away before her eyes.

A mother’s love. A boy’s confidence. A family’s faith. A preacher’s failure. Is redemption even possible anymore?

Christmas Embers: a story of love, failure, and redemption.

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Author of the Amazon bestselling Aggie and Past Forward Series, Chautona Havig lives and writes in California’s Mojave Desert. With dozens of books to her name, Chautona spends most of her time writing, but when she takes the rare break, she can be found reading, sewing, paper crafting, or sleeping and dreaming of finishing the dozens of books swirling in her overly-active imagination at any given moment.

Guest Post from Chautona Havig

Infidelity to the Tune of Adeste Fideles

“I think my husband is having an affair.”

An explanation followed. Look, I tend to be one who assumes the best of others—to a fault even. I read the “evidence” and frankly could see it going either way. It’s hard to tell across thousands of miles. While others on the message board saw red flag after red flag—and frankly, I did, too—I also saw perfectly innocent explanations for things. It’s a curse sometimes—that ability to see both sides of an issue. I cautioned against assumptions no one would want other people to make of themselves. And I prayed she was wrong.

She wasn’t.

It wasn’t the first time I’d come face to face with infidelity. As a child, there was an extended family member. As a newlywed, one of my wedding party—then another. Then another. The excuses, the justifications. Friends and I went to confront a sister in Christ on her affair with her husband’s best friend. We foolishly asked “what happened?” regarding her marriage. Her words: “We drifted apart.”

I wanted to scream te words that battered my brain and heart. “Then row back together!”

But over the years, it just grew worse. One by one, wives and husbands tossed aside vows made to a brother or sister in Christ—vows made before the Lord—in favor of what sometimes were serial affairs. Abuse. Horror.

I’ve prayed women I love through court cases, medical visits, and disclosures from children no mother should ever have to hear. I’ve prayed for men I didn’t even like because of the pain their wives inflicted each time she left them alone with the kids. He knew. He always knew.

Adultery is real. It’s ugly. And there’s absolutely a cure for it. Jesus. 100% surrender to Jesus. But as long as we rely on those little loops on the back of our boots instead of the saving, healing, strengthening power of Jesus, we’re just as vulnerable as the next person.

And that’s why I wrote Christmas Embers. I took every heartbreaking story I’d observed over the years and put in each character for a reason. Every scene, every plot point, every twist—I put them exactly how and where they are for a reason.

They’re there as a warning.

This isn’t your lighthearted Christmas novel. Some have suggested I shouldn’t have set it at Christmastime. But you know what? Over half the disclosures I’ve ever heard of happened between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. I couldn’t get the idea of Joey’s story out of my head. And to write his story, it had to be at Christmas.

Let me say it again. While Christmas may not seem like the optimal time for a hard-hitting book like this, I had to do it. Adultery is reaching epidemic proportions in the church. There’s a solution. His name is Jesus.

I feel that I must warn readers, that if you want a feel good Christmas story filled with joy and a picture perfect family, this is not the book for you. However this book is for everyone who has ever thought that temptation would never catch up to them. It lurks in our darkest places, waiting to come out. Adultery is an ugly word and is surrounded by devastation. The author pulls no punches in this book. She is upfront and transparent with her characters. I had a very hard time reading this book without having to wipe tears away. To say this book hit home, is an understatement.

My dad was a baptist preacher and the one thing I always thought was he treated my mom like a queen. Little did I know that secrets were there that would one day destroy everything in my thinking of pastors. A pastor is someone who is held to a higher standard and when that trust is broken, the devastation is painful. I related to this book because of two things. It talked about pastors and their families and adultery that can happen in any home.

Emily was a good character and I loved how she had a passion for children. I liked the work she did with them and the relationship she was able to build with them. Everyone around her thought she had the perfect life. She was married to a wonderful man who was very respected in the church. He counseled couples, mentored people and lead classes in the church. Temptation is a hard thing to resist and even the most goodly person can fall prey to it.

Through a series of events that the author so brilliantly wrote, we find out that Sean had committed adultery early in his marriage. I think he thought that as long as he could hide it from his wife, he could keep his guilt hidden. God always has a way to bring deceit to the surface. Emily is shocked, hurt and angry when the truth is revealed. I know how hard it is to trust someone after they have shattered your hope. I liked how the author took Emily and Sean through the emotions of sin and shared how the most important thing is to forgive. We all have choices and Emily wanted to listen to God, but it became difficult when she became tempted as well.

There were many people who wanted to give their opinion about the situation, but some of it was judgmental and hurtful. A sin is a sin. One sin is no bigger than another. In the story we meet another couple that is dealing with adultery as well. I’m not surprised at the anger the wife had, but I was a bit upset that she kept trying to belittle Sean and convince Emily to divorce him.

This is a very powerful story that details the destruction adultery can bring . The children in the story broke my heart. Joey is someone that I wanted to hug and assure him that nothing was his fault. He is loved and wanted and the author expresses that through characters with grace and beauty. Our actions always have consequences when they disobey God’s Word. Sometimes we forget our families, especially the children suffer along with us. I did mention that this story hit home. My dad, the preacher had a daughter no one knew about . Suddenly she showed up when I was twelve. The pain was overwhelming. It all made sense to me why I was shunned by my parents. The secret they kept caused me to know I wasn’t ever wanted. They made sure everyday I knew. That little hurt girl never forgot the betrayal she felt from her father. I am thankful for an author that writes stories that talk about issues many people face. No one is immune to temptation. The important thing is how we handle the confession of sin.

“Only follow your heart if the lord is guiding it”

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