About the Book

Book: Queen of the Rockies

Author: Angela Breidenbach

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: September 1, 2021

What will her courage cost?
1889 (Helena, MT): As the gold rush era ends in the most elegant and modern city in the world and Montana emerges as a state, one woman must decide if social pressure will prevail over her own beliefs. Calista Blythe enters the first Miss Snowflake Pageant celebrating Montana at Christmastime to expose the plight of street urchins. But hiding an orphan could unravel Calista’s reputation, and her budding romance with pageant organizer, Albert Shanahan, if her secret is revealed. Will love or social pressure prevail? Courage is choosing to do the right thing regardless of the cost… Romantic, comedic adventure set in picturesque Helena, Montana written by a bestselling author who is also a professional genealogist.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Angela Breidenbach is a professional genealogist, media personality, bestselling author, and screenwriter. She’s also the Christian Authors Network president. Angie lives in Montana with her hubby and Muse, a trained fe-lion, who shakes hands, rolls over, and jumps through a hoop. Surprisingly, Angie can also. Don’t miss her show and podcast, Genealogy Publishing Coach! Find her on social media: @AngBreidenbach

 

More from Angela

Queen of the Rockies captured my imagination and my interest in the originality of Montana’s entrance into the United States of America. The people of Montana are quite varied, a true but much unknown fact. People here come from around the world, completely different genealogical origins as well as backgrounds. The influence of gold mining, transportation, and entrepreneurship as well as the exploration of the wild and beautiful lands inspired amazing creativity for both survival and communities.

 

From completely uncivilized mining camps to stunning old world know-how of the native peoples to about 100 different immigrant nations brought Montana to statehood. Today, many of those descendants still are here farming, mining, doing business. Many of those languages are still spoken. We have immigrant populations that have continued to come. So though Montana is thought to be nearly all white Americans, that’s not anywhere close to the real Montana. Don’t believe everything you see on TV 😉 Come see for yourself.

 

Vibrant wildlife, dangers of the wilderness and weather, and the opportunity partnered with intensely hard-working conditions created more millionaires in one place than had ever been before. But that didn’t mean everyone knew how to handle that new wealth. Vigilantes, including a sheriff who robbed those he was supposed to protect, ran the ranges for years. The women who brought civilization tamed the men who couldn’t quite keep themselves under control. It’s these incredible women who braved the elements and the hardships that are the stars in my books. Come and meet them. They continue to inspire me today!

 

Touring and researching through Montana and especially the three original capitals (finally ending up with Helena) fascinated me. There’s so much to do year-round here. I enjoyed it so much that I wrote short travel articles at the back of each book for my readers. I really hope those articles will intrigue people to come and visit the ghost towns, living history towns, hot springs, mountains, and small cities. Each book in this 6-book series will share something special that may not be well-known but will be unforgettable for you as a tourist.

I hope the stories are fun, full of historic entertainment and romance, but also that you’ll have a fresh view of Montana that fires you up to come and visit our beautiful state.

 

Please remember to pop over to my website and send me a note through the contact page if you’d like an autographed bookplate for all of your copies of the Queen of the Rockies series. If you’re an eBook fan, I’ve heard of the brilliant idea to keep an album of your favorite authors bookplates. I’d be happy to send you those for an album as well.

 

Best wishes,

Angela Breidenbach

MY REVIEW 

What a beautiful story that highlights the orphans that were left  to fend for themselves during a time period that saw many changes coming to states. I absolutely loved Calista and her love for  children that needed homes. Her quiet nature is especially enchanting as she opens her heart to those in need. I think her desire to help those that are homeless is selfless. Hiding a child that has tugged on her heartstrings is beginning to become hard as the poor child just won’t stay hidden. The little girl’s shenanigan’s brings laughter to lighten up the seriousness of her being an orphan. It is hard to believe there were so many children left alone to fend for themselves.  

Albert is a commanding character with big ideas to make Helena, Montana famous. His idea of a pageant to crown a queen that will represent the town is genius. Now he has to convince a certain young woman to enter to entice others to participate. He has taken on a big task and I was anxious to see if he could pull it off. Of course it was obvious he had feeling for Calista and the man had a hard time hiding it. 

The story is much more than a pageant and this is where the author shines as a creative writer. She takes a subject that deals with orphans and shows that when we reach out to those in need, joy is spread. Calista’s determination to find a home for  the little girl she has been  hiding to keep her safe,  brings the town together. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all joined together to help others in need? 

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

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, January 17

Austen’s Angle: Jane Austen’s Influence in Modern America, January 17

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 18

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 19

Joanna Bair Author, January 19

Texas Book-aholic, January 20

Betti Mace, January 20

Inklings and notions, January 21

Connect in Fiction, January 21

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 22

For Him and My Family, January 22

deb’s Book Review, January 23

Blossoms and Blessings, January 23

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 24

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 25

Pause for Tales, January 25

Connie’s History Classroom, January 26

Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 27

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, January 27 (Spotlight)

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, January 28

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, January 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 30

Mary Hake, January 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Angela is giving away the grand prize 20-minute genealogy consultation to a winner via Zoom!!

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/17c5b/queen-of-the-rockies-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: Live the Impossible

Author: Jenny Smith

Genre: Memoir

Release date: July, 2021

Jenny Smith was a typical teenager—a gymnast and athlete who loved hair and makeup, played in a band, and was active in her church youth group.

Then one bright summer morning, a spinal cord injury left her paralyzed from the chest down and dependent on others for her most basic needs. Privacy and independence seemed like things of the past.

But Jenny refused to give up or give in to her disability, and over time she discovered that a wheelchair could take her places she’d never dared to imagine. She’s traveled multiple times to Afghanistan and Mexico for wheelchair distributions and sports camps, and even rolled the New York City runway as a model during Fashion Week.

Today, Jenny Smith is a spokesperson for independent and vibrant living with a disability. Her speeches, articles, and social media presence have touched thousands of lives.

In Live the Impossible, Smith shares what it looks like to live with paralysis, from the everyday details most people never think about, to the countless people who have impacted her life along the way. With honesty and humor, faith and fortitude, Jenny shows us how we can all live the impossible, even when life doesn’t go as planned.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Jenny Smith is an advocate, peer mentor, and encourager for those living with spinal cord injuries, and anyone who has faced unexpected or seemingly impossible challenges. Her popular blog and YouTube channel, Jenny Smith Rolls On, explore the practical aspects of life as a quadriplegic. She also speaks to associations and businesses, schools and universities, and faith-based groups. Jenny works full-time supporting and encouraging cross-cultural workers. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where she rows on the Ohio River with the Louisville Adaptive Rowing program.

You can find out more at www.jennysmithrollson.com.

 

More from Jenny

“I will never write a book.”

I can’t tell you how many times I said those words. How and why did I publish a book after saying I will never so many times?

For several years, I was writing as a side job for a medical supply company. To learn more about the craft of writing, I signed up for an online class. The instructor invited me to take her next class on writing your life story.

That’s when it happened. I felt a little tap on my shoulder and heard—or felt—the words, “It’s time.”

I groaned.

Since my spinal cord injury at the age of 16, I said never and that’s impossible innumerable times. I had said the words before traveling to Mexico and Afghanistan. As I dreamed of living independently as a quadriplegic. I’d said never to playing wheelchair tennis, rugby, and para-rowing. My words that’s impossible and never were proved wrong time and again.

So I started writing.

It turns out I’ve lived what I believed was impossible.

In July 2021, on the 32nd anniversary of my spinal cord injury, my family, friends, and community celebrated with me at the launch party for my memoir Live the Impossible.

Although the book centers on my story of becoming a quadriplegic at 16 and the trials and adventures that followed, the lessons I learned in the years to come are universal:

• How I found my identity
• The importance of taking a risk
• How I became comfortable in my own body
• Acknowledging I have little to offer and yet seeing God do things I could never imagine

We all have unexpected circumstances in life. But I believe we can all live the impossible, even when life doesn’t go as planned.

MY REVIEW 

If you are looking for a book to encourage you this is a must read. The author shares with us intimate details of her spinal cord injury. I can’t imagine having this happen when you are a teenager. Jenny shares how after the first moments of her injury she didn’t know what to expect. Of course the question we would all ask is “why me? Now Jenny faced a life that she never thought she would have to go through. She had many surgeries and some things embarrassing moments that made her grown stronger and more determined.

I appreciate the author  sharing her journey and triumphs. It was nice that she  had family to support her and caring doctors that never gave up on her. The book shows us how important it is to trust God and know that  he has a plan for each of us. There were moments I did cry as I read the book . It wasn’t because I felt sorry for her, but because she showed me that even when things look impossible, never give up. 

There is a lot  to learn from this book about paralysis and how we can all do something to help those who have no one to support them. I was amazed how the author traveled overseas to help people get wheelchairs, speak to them with compassion and never once complain about her own situation. In those moments she knew where God was calling her. Jenny shows us how perseverance will achieve dreams and live with confidence as you reach goals others thought were impossible. 

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 18

Texas Book-aholic, January 19

An Author’s Take, January 20

Inklings and notions, January 21

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, January 21

deb’s Book Review, January 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 23

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 24

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, January 25 (Spotlight)

For Him and My Family, January 26

Lots of Helpers, January 27

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 27

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 28

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, January 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 30

Spoken from the Heart, January 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 31

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jenny is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed 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/17c5c/live-the-impossible-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: Broken Together

Authors: Brenda S. Anderson & Sarah S Anderson

Genre: Christian Women’s Fiction

Release date: December 1, 2021

How do you persevere when you have no more will to fight?

Jennifer and Chad Taylor had dreamed of opening a coffee and cocoa shop since before they said, “I do.” When Chad is sent to prison for murder despite claiming innocence, that dream—along with their family—is shattered.

After years of fighting for Chad’s release, Jennifer finally breaks free from her shame, anger, and hopelessness, and forges ahead with the dream the two of them once shared. With the help of their college-aged twins, she begins to move forward.

Without Chad.

When their lawyer arrives with news of evidence that may prove Chad’s innocence, a strange mixture of emotions overtakes her. Does she want Chad to return home? He isn’t the same man he once was, and she certainly isn’t the same woman. She’s worked hard to piece the remnants of their family back together, and his coming home could fracture the family once again.

It all comes down to one question. She loves her husband enough to fight for his release from prison, but does she love him enough to fight for their marriage?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Authors

Brenda S. Anderson writes authentic, gritty, life-affirming fiction that shows God at work in people’s messy lives. She enjoys live music and theater, walking the shores of Lake Superior, and sharing hot cocoa with friends and family. She lives near Minneapolis with her newly retired husband. Together, they plan to travel across the United States, checking items off their bucket list, beginning with a bus trip to Niagara Falls.

Readers can learn more about Brenda S. Anderson at www.brendaandersonbooks.com

A former barista, Sarah S. Anderson loves all things coffee, so when her mother asked her to help with a book set in a coffee shop, the answer was an enthusiastic “Yes!” When not creating imaginary coffee shops, Sarah spends much of her time at the theater, either on stage acting, singing, and dancing, or offstage as musical director. She lives near the heart of Minneapolis with her two cuddly kitties.

 

More from Brenda

Why I Wrote Broken Together

Years ago, I watched a late-night interview with a woman who’d fought to free her husband from prison, and she finally won that fight. Near the end of the show, when the interviewer asked how she and her husband were doing now, she replied that they were divorced. It shocked me that she’d fought so hard for him, but then couldn’t hold their marriage together. I knew then that I needed to explore, through fiction, how that could happen.

I’d put off the idea for years, fearing the topic was larger than I could handle, but the story kept pushing its way through.

My daughter, Sarah, and I had often talked about writing a story together, one that would be set in a coffee and cocoa shop, and Broken Together seemed to be the perfect match. As a former barista, Sarah brought the coffee expertise to the story. As a non-coffee drinker, I insisted equal billing for non-coffee beverages.

Then the legal director for the Great Northern Innocence Project graciously offered to walk me through the many the legal hoops someone has to go through to be released once evidence is found.

With her help, I could no longer avoid writing Jenn and Chad’s story. It was a difficult one to write, but it’s also a story filled with hope.

 

Chad’s Choco-Latte Recipe

Ingredients 

2 shots of espresso

3/4 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons of milk chocolate (chips or sauce)

2 tablespoons English toffee sauce (Chad’s secret recipe)

Whipped cream

 

Instructions:

1. Steam milk with chocolate chips or sauce to 150°F
2. Pull 2 espresso shots (Make sure your shots don’t sit longer than 20 seconds or they will expire!)
3. Add English toffee sauce to the bottom of your cup or mug
4. Add espresso shots to your toffee sauce
5. Pour steamed milk into your cup or mug, making sure the milk hits the far side of your mug to help incorporate the ingredients
6. Stir if needed
7. Top with whipped cream and extra English toffee sauce if desired

MY REVIEW 

This is one of those stories that for me will have a lasting imprint on my life. I enjoyed the journey of Jenn and Chad as they struggled through a very difficult period in their marriage. The story explores pain, loneliness, anger and fractured lives when one is sent to prison. One of the hardest truths they faced was knowing that Chad was innocent. It made me think of all the men and women who are behind  bars  right now who are innocent. 

I really was touched by Chad’s story and what he faced being in prison. It was hard to know that while his life was put on hold, his wife and children had to keep going. There were times he was angry that God wouldn’t answer his prayers. Oh he knew the Bible and what it said about forgiveness, but right now he was too angry to show grace to anyone. There is hope for him as someone is working on getting him released. Will he be able to hold on and trust God?

Jenn is having a hard time adjusting to being a single mom. Her husband is in prison for something  he didn’t do. She has lots of emotions going on, but one thing she knew for certain was she loved her husband. Jenn never once doubted his innocence and worked closely with someone to help free him. The relationship between her children and her are strained most days. I liked how the author illustrated how the entire family was struggling with their new lives. 

The beautiful story shows how one misstep can cause many people to suffer. I never thought what it might be like when someone is released from prison.  They have to start over, reacquaint themselves with not only their family but the world. The part about the coffee  shop was very inspiring and to me honored Chad and brought his dream to reality. The faith element is strong and weaves through each situation. The story taught me to not judge, learn to forgive  and never give up hope. This story  is the first on my list for best  book for 2022. 

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

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Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 5

An Author’s Take, January 5

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, January 6

By the Book, January 7

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, January 8 (Spotlight)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 8

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 9

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 10

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 11

lakesidelivingsite, January 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 12

Pause for Tales, January 13

The Sacred Line, January 13

deb’s Book Review, January 14

For Him and My Family, January 15

Spoken from the Heart, January 16

Inklings and notions, January 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 17

Texas Book-aholic, January 18

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, Brenda and Sarah are giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a paperback 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/1718c/broken-together-celebration-tour-giveaway