Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Sword and Secrets

About the Book

Book: The Sword and the Secrets

Author: Jan Davis Warren

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 20, 2021

TheSwordandtheSecrets When Julianna’s final mission proves more deadly than she imagined, help comes from the most unlikely of places.

Raised in a castle on the remote border of England and Scotland, Lord John Stanton is the last male heir of his royal lineage. He has the responsibility to marry and carry on the family name, but a secret vow to God, after a near-fatal battle wound, could change his future from royal heir to humble servant of the church. His journey to the monastery to become a monk is interrupted when he meets a dangerous, but beautiful, woman who has plans and secrets of her own.

Abandoned by her father and raised in an institution as property of the Crown, Julianna Westerfield longs to be free to pursue love and have a family of her own. Trained to be a spy and assassin, she has a chance to earn her freedom by completing this last and most dangerous assignment. Her mission to uncover a murderous plot and the identities of the Black Guard has already cost several agents their lives, and now the assassins are after her. To survive she must depend on a handsome monk and his cantankerous donkey.

Was it divine intervention that caused John and Julianna’s paths to cross? Can they put aside their differences and join forces to deliver stolen papers containing vital information to the king in time to save countless lives?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Jan Davis Warren photo Jan Davis Warren is a mother, grandmother, and a young-at-heart great-grandmother. Her wonderful husband passed away the same year she won the ACFW Genesis Award for Romantic Suspense. That win and many others are encouraging reminders that God wants her to continue writing even in the tough times. Learn more at www.janwarrenbooks.com.

More from Jan

The Sword and the Secrets is a Historical Romantic Suspense. It is written as a Medieval Christian fiction story set in England around 1209. I chose to keep the historical details to a minimum because of the inconsistency I found in researching this particular time and place. I humbly apologize to you lovers of more in-depth historical facts. I would’ve loved to have traveled to England for more hands-on research but the pandemic made that impossible.

I live in a once-rural area in Oklahoma. Urban development is fast encroaching transforming peaceful pastures into busy neighborhoods. I know it’s called “progress”, but I miss knowing all of my neighbors by name. In the good-old-days, my husband and I loved raising our children here on the farm. As a family, we had all kinds of poultry and livestock, so I can’t resist including a variety of animals in my stories from time to time.

Rosita and her daughter, Daisy, were two of our favorite donkeys on the farm. I’ll never forget when Daisy was born. I think her ears were almost long as her legs. Speaking of donkeys, did you ever hear the story about how the donkey got its cross? I included it in the book.

Precious is the name of the donkey in The Sword and the Secrets. Her mother was killed when she was but a few days old, and she was raised by an old woman who took her into her home and treated with the care and affection of the child she never had. Needless to say, Precious is smart and creative when it comes to getting her way. When her elderly master is about to die, the woman is directed by God to entrust Precious into Lord John Stanton’s care.

For the war-weary hero of this story, Lord John Stanton’s secret battlefield vow to serve God and the Church became more complicated when he was charged with the responsibility of caring for the contrary donkey. His intent to walk to London to join a monastery was supposed to be peaceful and most of all, solitary. It wasn’t until after John accepted the animal that he found out that the donkey’s elderly master had taught Precious not to budge unless first called by name. It was to keep her from being stolen, which served her well. But the name sticks in the hero’s throat every time he must submit to calling her Precious to make her move.

John’s plans also never included protecting a beautiful spy with secrets of her own.

The heroine, Julianna Westerfield was a fun surprise to me. As the story took shape in my mind, I thought the hero would meet the heroine by coming to her aid against brigands. Perhaps she was a princess fleeing her wicked guardian, etc. That however was not the way the story unfolded. As I came to Julianna’s part, I realized she had a colorful past of her own.

I love it when the story develops into something I never expected. 

The beautiful heroine of The Sword and the Secrets, Julianna Westerfield is not the princess I first envisioned but an indentured servant. She was abandoned as a child at the Grandfork Institute for Higher Learning. It is an institution run jointly by the Crown and the Church for the sole purpose of training spies and assassins to do their bidding.

I hope you’ll join John and Julianna (and Precious) on their quests and perchance uncover their deepest secrets.

May God bless and keep you and draw you ever closer to Him.

Blessings!

Jan Davis Warren

MY REVIEW

It is a wonderful adventure that finds two unlikely people joining together. I loved how John and Julianna became dependent on each other as they didn’t trust anyone else. The mission is mysterious and dangerous as they travel to their destination. I have to mention Precious who is a donkey. Now this donkey is very important to the story as John has been assigned to watch over it.

His promise to God is not well known but for John it means everything. I loved the faith element in the story that weaved in and out of a high octane action packed mystery. I’m not sure how I feel about Theroux and was pretty sure he should not be trusted. Julianne being a spy was quite entertaining as she consistently finds herself in situations that could give her identity away. The exciting part for was me was when they were in the secret tunnels. I would be shaking in my shoes about this time. Can you imagine what lives there among the dark, cold environment? Arriving at the castle proved to be dangerous as they try to identify the Black Guard. Oh my was this an emotional journey as John finds himself questioning if he is doing the right thing.

If you like adventure, swords, castles, heroes and a faith themed story, then grab a copy of this book. The author gives readers much to enjoy in this story that captures faith, trust and honor.

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

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 20

Connect in Fiction, April 20

Texas Book-aholic, April 21

Inklings and notions, April 22

For Him and My Family, April 23

deb’s Book Review, April 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 26

Connie’s History Classroom, April 27

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 28

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 30

Romances of the Cross, April 30

CarpeDiem, May 1

Adventures Of A Travelers Wife, May 2

Mary Hake, May 2

Blogging With Carol, May 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jan 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/10ad1/the-sword-and-the-secrets-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Deepest Roots of the Heart

Author: Chautona Havig

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Romance

Release date: January 20, 2015

The Carrillos have a history in the valley that stretches as deep as grapevine roots in the soil.

During WWII, Avelino Carrillo spent four harrowing years in the South Pacific with one thought driving his survival: to return to his beloved home in Napa Valley.

For a century, they worked the vineyard at their family home, la Casa de los Sueños, until they lost the property to a wealthy land baron. Now, Avelino is determined to reclaim the land and home he loves so much.

When he meets Amelia, a young woman who lives at the vineyard with her grandfather, he finds that regaining his birthright isn’t his only struggle—he battles the longing of his heart as well.

Follow Avelino in this split-time novel as he struggles to overcome local bigotry and personal demons to create the life he desires.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Author of the bestselling Aggie and Past Forward series, Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

More from Chautona

I Fell in Love with California & History in the Same Year

When the second pastor of small churches with private Christian schools was hauled off to jail, the pastor of our little school closed the doors—just in case. Several of us went underground as homeschoolers in a time when homeschooling was something people did when they were missionaries or lived in… Alaska or something.

There I sat at our kitchen table in Ventura, doing my schoolwork at our little kitchen table. On Wednesday and Sunday nights, I’d take tests in the school office, get my new PACEs (“Packet of Accelerated Christian Education”) and go home to work again. Sometimes, I’d sit up in my room to read the bigger chunks of information—like from my California State History PACEs.

Look, I don’t know if all states have such great history, but California’s fascinated me. I remember coloring the state map, the missions, and the flag—despite it not being required. I looked for more books about it, and in the process, I fell in love with history.

A couple of years later, my aunt brought heaping bags of books for us to read when we lived out in the middle of nowhere with no electricity or running water. We were bored. But she brought books. In those sacks? A tiny little paperback. The Legend of Susan Dane.

Although that book had its utterly ridiculous moments, it also sparked something in me. Between eyerolls of disgust at everyone fawning over Susan Dane’s reputed beauty and over a strapless dress in the last quarter of the 19thcentury, it showed a beautiful picture of the lives of the Californios.

That book fanned the flames of my love of history until I burned with curiosity over what was reasonable. What wasn’t. And how to find out what really happened.

Fast forward a couple of decades, and a character emerged—a Californio who refused to learn ingles for the sake of the immigrants to his country. Don Ruiz Carrillo said, “If I go to their country, I learn their language, but if they come to my country, they should learn mine.” In short, I took the words I’d heard my own father say all my life and turned it on its head. I put an American in California before statehood and without means to learn the language.

When señor Carrillo meets the young Americano with red hair and freckles, she tells a heartbreaking story that she manages to convey through pantomime and her attempts to imitate his language. Here, I deviated from my father. While Dad would be kind and helpful in teaching someone his language in his country, señor Carrillo decides that this young woman is more important than his preferences.

That story is still being written—Crushed Dreams. However, when I realized how I wanted to end the story, I knew I had a problem. The final book in this series will have a bittersweet ending—one with hope and promise, but not technically “happy.” So, I decided to write a prequel/sequel to the series—a split-time novel where the reader lives the past with the characters of the present. This way, going into the entire series, you know there’s a happy ending, so you can appreciate the heartache and sacrifice that will come in that last book.

Crushed Dreams is slated to release soon, so I’m eager to share the prequel to the Legacy of the Vines series with you.

MY REVIEW

The author has surprised me once again with her ability to write in different genres. Not just write in different ones, but write well in each one. I would say she has a gift for taking readers into the story and make them feel as though they are part of it. I love dual time stories and this one held my interest most of the time.

One of the best lines in the story is, “When you have lost almost everything Amelia, sometimes pride is all you have left.” Amelia’s response is, “And it’s all you’ll ever have if you don’t learn to get over it.” Oh yes our hero Avelino definitely had a pride issue. He didn’t want anyone to help him and was stubborn to the point that he may loose the love of his life. I liked how the author explored racism and examined how it becomes a problem for Avelino. He seems to have faced this issue when he served in the war and it has carried into his civilian life. It is important to know that not everyone in the town feels this way though. There are a few that outright beat him, say horrible things to him all because of the color of his skin.

What I liked about Avelino is his loyalty to family. He keeps his word and family is everything to him. Trying to repay a debt due to a family member finds Avelino working long hours and dreaming of getting the vineyard back. Oh how I loved reading about vineyards and how they operate. During this time period there wasn’t fancy machinery to help, only hard labor from workers who worked til they couldn’t go on. In the story readers will find out that not everyone is truthful and try to take advantage of Avelino.

Amelia and her granddad are a delight and both bring a breath of fresh air to the story. They are intrigued by Avelino’s family history and the author does a great job of tying the two time periods together in a sweeping story that spans years where war ravaged and work was hard to come by. When we travel to the past in the story, I was excited to read how the vineyard came to be in Avelino’s family. Amelia is a very strong willed woman and is determined to wait forever if she has to in order to marry Avelino. I do want to warn readers that there is the subject of PTSD in the story. It may trigger some, so be cautious as you read those parts.

Overall I liked the story, but at times Avelino is a little too prideful and I wanted him to get over himself. He was not very fair to Amelia at times and I thought perhaps he didn’t understand how devoted she was to him. When we travel to the past I treasured the moments we spent there. There is faith in the story but it is light. I did like the story and I’m hoping the author writes more historical fiction.

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

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, April 13

A Novel Pursuit, April 13

She Lives To Read, April 14

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 15

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 16

Artistic Nobody, April 16 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Rebecca Tews, April 17

Connie’s History Classroom, April 18

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 19

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, April 19

Texas Book-aholic, April 20

Inklings and notions, April 21

For Him and My Family, April 22

Mary Hake, April 22

deb’s Book Review, April 23

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 25

CarpeDiem, April 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift card & paperback!!

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/10a52/deepest-roots-of-the-heart-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, April 16, 2021

About the Book

Book: Who Put the Vinegar in the Salt

Author: Linda Wood Rondeau

Genre: Nonfiction/Christian living/Bible study

Release date: December 31, 2020

The world offers much beneficial self-help advice. Shouldn’t the Christian seek to be the best possible version of themselves? Aren’t we supposed to be good people?

Why not look to the world to solve life’s problems?

Because God has called us to be salt.

While there is much good to be found, like vinegar, the world’s best advice falls short of God’s recipe to live a victorious Christian life.

In a down-home, friendly manner, the author provides analogies, inspirational stories, anecdotes, a wealth of Scripture, and optional study guides for both individuals and groups, inviting the believer to discover God’s desires for his salt.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

By the author of I Prayed for Patience, God Gave Me Children.

A veteran social worker, Linda Wood Rondeau’s varied church experience and professional career affords a unique perspective into the Christian life. When not writing or speaking, she enjoys the occasional round of golf, visiting museums, and taking walks with her best friend in life, her husband of over forty years. The couple resides in Hagerstown, Maryland where both are active in their local church. Readers may learn more about the author, read her blog, or sign up for her newsletter by visiting www.lindarondeau.com.

More from Linda

Empty Nets

Part of my job as a point-of-sales associate at a Jacksonville department store was to solicit store credit. Right or wrong, my employee evaluation was based upon how well I convinced customers that a credit account is just what they needed. Every store had its quota, and management kept close tabs on credit totals. Most days, I met my expectations and maintained a top-ten score.

But not that day.

Due to special sales promotions, the store was hopping with customers. Associates were sounding their successes all around me. Congratulations went over the com system to everyone, it seemed, but me. I felt worthless. I’d done all I knew how to do and my nets were empty. To make matters worse, a supervisor came to my register. “Let me show you how to get credit.”

I wanted to quit … to close out my drawer and go home.

Then a little girl came by the register. She looked at me and smiled. The joy I felt through interacting with her reminded me of the many blessings my job offered … a chance to minister, to lighten a load with a smile, and a promise to pray. God reminded me that my worth in his eyes had nothing to do with quantity, but rather availability. My spirits soared with the thought. Had I not been down, I would not have known the joy of being lifted up.

God reminded me about the apostle Peter’s bad fishing day. I imagine Peter was a fisherman among fishermen … noted for his big hauls. Not this day. In Luke’s account of Peter’s call, Jesus saw the two boats. Perhaps other fishermen made fun of Peter’s empty nets.

Then Jesus came and a large crowd followed him. He asked the fishermen to put the boats out a little from shore where He preached to the throng. Then he asked them to go to deeper waters and cast their nets. I suppose Peter thought the request was absurd. “We’ve been fishing all day and have caught nothing.”

But, because it was Jesus who asked, Peter reluctantly set a course as directed. Imagine his surprise when he caught so many, the boat nearly sunk from the weight of his haul. Then Jesus said something even more amazing. “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Peter realized his worth to God did not equal the number of fish in his net. God had a more important role for Peter. And he dropped his nets and followed Jesus.

The thought occurred to me, that if it had not been for empty nets, Peter would not have known how wonderfully God can fill them.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).

MY REVIEW

I found the book to be quite interesting and gave me much to think about. I never really thought about being salt until I read this book. The author clearly defines what it means. I loved her illustration when the salt and vinegar mixed together. Now it was contaminated and the only way we can be free from sin is to be restored. This is where we ask Jesus into our heart if we have not done it before. To be restored we need to ask Him to forgive us. God “sees only the perfection he intends for us.”

As I was reading this book I thought how cool it would be to illustrate salt mixing with vinegar to show in a Sunday school class. Kids are visual these days and to see what happens when vinegar mixes with salt would be a perfect example of how sin tries to mix with our pure hearts. Oh my what a sermon this could be for everyone. We have allowed bitterness, jealousy, gossip, and so many other things to taint us, that we are not the salt of the earth as God wanted. So how do we fix this problem?

The book is filled with scriptures and illustrations from the Bible that direct us to turn away from our wicked ways and follow Jesus. I love how the author has provided questions, and scriptures at the end of chapters to further dig into the topic you just read. It definitely could be used as a Bible Study and would interesting to discuss with others. I really liked the chapter about spiritual hunger. We sometimes let pride get in the way of admitting our sins and slowly slip into our old ways. Vinegar starts mixing in and before we know it, we have stepped away from our faith. God wants us to pursue Him. The scripture found in Psalm 42:1 says, “As the deer pant for water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.” What a beautiful way to express how much we want to be in His presence and hunger for His Word.

I really enjoyed this book and it gave me more hunger for His Word. The book is easy to understand and guides readers to a relationship with God. It is time for us to be His hands and feet and go out and be disciples. Show love to all and continue to grow in His Word.

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 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 16

Texas Book-aholic, April 17

Inklings and notions, April 18

For Him and My Family, April 19

deb’s Book Review, April 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 21

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, April 22

Simple Harvest Reads, April 23(Spotlight)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 23

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 24

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 26

Godly Book Reviews, April 27

Artistic Nobody, April 28 (Spotlight)

Mary Hake, April 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize of a $25 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/10ace/who-put-the-vinegar-in-the-salt-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, April 15, 2021

About the Book

Book: Texas Trails

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: March 6, 2021

The steps of a righteous man are guided by the Lord.

Rife with adventure, this rights-of-passage story comes to life as Enoch Lowell and his best friend Gus strike out to Kansas with their herd of beeves, hoping to earn a profit and cut the apron strings. What they find on the prairie changes their lives forever. Promises made, promises kept, but nowhere is it written there can’t be a happy ending for all. A true Texas trail tale to warm your heart!

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory, and her best-selling stories—over fifty-five published—delight Christian readers around the world. The prolific writer also enjoys singing the new songs the Lord gives her; you may listen at YouTube. Sharing four children and nineteen grandsugars (three greats), Caryl and Ron (her high-school-sweetheart-husband of over fifty years) live in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas. The McAdoos wait expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl

Get along little doggie!

TEXAS TRAILS is the sixth novel in the Cross Timbers Family Saga series. I’d never written much about being on a cattle drive and thought it would be great fun. Back in the Texas Romance Family Saga series, Charley Nightingale made several trips to Kansas with a herd and took his son Nathaniel, but I skipped over the actual drive part.

Readers first met co-hero Enoch Lowell in QUINCY & PRISCILLA then got to know him better in DUPLICITY At The Lowell House when his best friend Gus Hale (TEXAS TRAIL’s other co-hero) is introduced. Both those stories are set in 1866. For TEXAS TRAILS, it’s three years later, and Enoch is ready to declare himself a man and start earning his own way. Driving a bunch of cows up to Kansas sounds like the ticket to cut his mother’s apron strings and earn some dollars in the process.

The son of Morgan and Charity O’Neal Lowell (LEAVING TEXAS, book four) and grandson of Liberty O’Neal Harrell (GONE TO TEXAS, book one) talks Gus into going with him, and as partners, they start building a herd. All the while, Charity is pitching a fit as her plan for her firstborn includes Harvard University.

One thing I loved about this story is that Morgan sets it up—behind the scenes of course—for trusted men to take in his son and Gus on their trail drive. Enters the infamous Texas Ranger Levi Baylor (Texas Romance Family Saga book two HEARTS STOLEN) and the boy he reared as his own (grown now), Charley Nightingale!

I already love those two men from my earlier Texas Romance Family Saga series—just as my readers do—and totally relished their appearance in this story! Revisiting old beloved friends brings great joy to this author, in real life and my fictitious world!! I adore crossing these characters over the two series!

So many things are apt to happen out on the prairie that cowboys never expect. There are rivers to cross and the natives to deal with, some who pose real danger to life and limbs! Cows birth calves, storms descend, and herds stampede, but that’s not all that can make a cowboy’s days rough. Enoch’s and Gus’s lives are definitely changed forever on the out there on the trail.

I’m thinking if I were a younger woman, I would totally enjoy going along on their cattle drive! How about you?

MY REVIEW

It is always a blessing to read one of the author’s books. This one is especially good and I adored the main characters. I was transported back to the late 1860s were we meet Enoch and Gus. After a little maneuvering they find themselves on a cattle drive. It was fun to ride along with them as they traveled across the country to sell and trade cattle and horses. They proved themselves as capable and trustworthy men on the trails.

God always has a plan for our lives and in this story we see how two young men face their future. Out on the trails they discover two young women and a child. Their story is heartbreaking and I loved how the men took them in. What a wonderful journey they had as they got to know Calli, Vi and sweet little Bella. The author weaves faith throughout the story as she shares how one of the young women was angry with God. I know I have asked God why someone had to die and felt angry that He allowed it. As we find out in the story there is always a reason why something happens. We don’t understand it at the time because we are hurt, but God is right there to comfort us.

I loved the sweet romance in the story and how it was Godly. Enoch and Gus are honorable and treat the women with respect. I especially liked the part when a mother is struggling with accepting her son growing up and wanting to be on his own. I remember when my oldest son got married, I was a little upset. I felt like I was being left behind and our relationship wouldn’t be important to him anymore. What I learned was that I needed to trust God, let my son go and allow him to find happiness.

The story allowed me to go on a trail ride spend time with loving families p, experience their ups and downs and as always grow closer to God . I love reading books that fill me with hope while showing me how to forgive and love unconditionally.

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