Wednesday, March 6, 2024

About the Book

Book: Protecting the Mountain Man’s Treasure

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 6, 2024

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, loyalty…and a hidden fortune.

Jude Coulter is far more comfortable in his family’s sapphire mine tucked in the Montana mountains than the bustling streets of New York City where he’s been sent to deliver a shipment of gems. His relief at boarding the train for the first leg of his journey home is short-lived when an accident renders him unconscious.

Angela Larkin worked hard to earn this assignment for the Treasury—an undercover mission to determine the source of the sapphires brought each year for auction in the city. When an accident causes her target to lose his recent memory, Angela jumps at the opportunity to create the ideal ruse. Jude seems surprised to learn the two of them had married and were returning from a glorious wedding trip, but he doesn’t question too strongly.

Yet when an unexpected threat arises, they find themselves dependent on the other to navigate the treacherous journey home. As the danger mounts, so too does an attraction neither of them anticipated. But can this love withstand the revelation of their tangled beginnings?

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain family saga filled with a pretend marriage, amnesia, undercover agents, and a love worth treasuring far more than riches.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

In my latest release, the hero and heroine travel up the Missouri River in a steamboat, and I loved the research for that portion of the story!

Traveling on a steamboat in 1869 was an experience like no other, and took about two months to travel from St. Louis, Missouri to Fort Benton in the Montana Territory. Passengers would step aboard these floating palaces to find ornate decorations, plush accommodations, and the promise of new scenery at every bend in the river. Despite the occasional discomforts of travel—such as noisy engines and the ever-present risk of boiler explosions—passengers reveled in the novelty and the relative speed of steamboat travel.

The Missouri was notorious for its shifting channels, snags, and sandbars, which could easily ensnare even the most experienced pilot’s vessel. Navigating this river required an intimate knowledge of its capricious nature, and the river pilots were worth their weight in gold.

River towns along the Missouri thrived thanks to the steamboats. These towns became hotbeds of economic activity, where goods were loaded and unloaded, and stories from faraway places were exchanged. The arrival of a steamboat was an event, often met with fanfare and excitement by the local populace.

I pray you love the peek at steamboat life in Protecting the Mountain Man’s Treasure! J

Blessings!

Misty

MY REVIEW

This is a great addition to a wonderful series by this talented author. I love reading about the travels during this time period where trains were used to go to different places. I couldn’t imagine being on a dusty train for days with no privacy. The way the author brings Angela and Jude together is quite ingenious. Poor Jude doesn’t remember anything when an accident aboard the train takes his memory. It’s the perfect opportunity for Angela to step in and put her plan into action.

Their journey takes them deep into danger while secrets keep Jude in the dark. Angela has this need to prove herself because she has been treated unfairly throughout her life because of her heritage. I liked how Jude never wavered from his faith and wondered why he would marry Angela who didn’t believe in God.

As Jude starts to get his memory back, he suspects that Angela was not who she said she was. Why was she so determined to keep secrets from him? Watching her try to decide what to do, she begins to think about God. She can’t believe that God would want someone like her who is deceitful. As her story unfolds sympathy rises in Jude. This woman has been through a hard life losing her brother and trying to find a better life for herself. Working with the Treasury Office she had hoped to prove herself worthy. Now all her lies have been exposed. Can Jude forgive her?

The story picks up speed as danger gets too close to Angela . Angela is in over her head and Jude must step in to save her but will she finally tell him the truth? As they travel through the mountains Jude has time to explain about God more to Angela. We see a side of Angela that has been lingering just at the surface. She has never felt she was good enough. I love how the author illustrates redemption and forgiveness in this story. Angela has been lost for so long, but now she wants to know God. As they travel through the mountains her heart begins to soften.

The journey to reach home is long and filled with bumps in the road but Jude finally sees his family. He has much to share with them but most importantly he has brought Angela with him. Their story is emotional and one that shared how forgiveness can bring freedom to someone who once thought they were not worthy.

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

Blog Stops

Alena Mentink, March 1

Wishful Endings, March 1

Lighthouse Academy Blog, March 2 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 3

Splashes of Joy, March 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 4

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, March 4

Madi’s Musings, March 5

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 5

Texas Book-aholic, March 6

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 6

Betti Mace, March 7

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 7

Devoted To Hope, March 8

For Him and My Family, March 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , March 9

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 9

Cover Lover Book Review, March 10

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 10

Blossoms and Blessings, March 11

Mary Hake, March 11

lakesidelivingsite, March 12

Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 12

Holly’s Book Corner, March 13

The Lofty Pages, March 13

Lily’s Corner, March 14

Pause for Tales, March 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty 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/2a3d3/protecting-the-mountain-man-s-treasure-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

About the Book

Book: The Last Disciple: Exile in Ephesus

Author: Kurt Brouwer

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release Date: March 15, 2024

He awoke jailed in squalor…

Would he complete his final mission?

Or would he fail to record the story only he could tell?

The epic saga of the Last Disciple continues in this captivating Christian historical novel from Kurt Brouwer.

After surviving imprisonment, John faces his greatest challenge–exile in the distant city of Ephesus. Struggling with grief and despair over the destruction of Jerusalem, John doubts his ability to complete the mission entrusted to him by Mary—to write the true gospel account of Christ’s life.

But in Ephesus, John finds unexpected allies—Timothy, Priscilla, and Tychicus, who share his passion for spreading the message of God’s love.

As John shares the good news of Jesus, he makes dangerous enemies, including the influential high priest, Alexander Cosmo, who will stop at nothing to suppress the growing Christian faith.

Amid opposition from without and internal divisions from within the early church, John must contend with those pressuring believers to adopt Jewish law and compromise the radical teachings of Christ.

When tragedy strikes those close to him, can John’s fragile hope be rekindled? Will he finally show the world all the signs, miracles, and events he witnessed on his journey with Jesus?

Don’t miss this page-turning story of faith, courage, and love.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kurt is a Christian and a member of a vibrant Christian church on the Big Island of Hawaii. He also loves to write. In addition to all the usual temptations writers face, Kurt has to fight off the lure of beautiful beaches, pounding surf, great weather, and lush golf courses. Can you imagine?

Despite those temptations, he writes The Last Disciple series of Christian historical novels and he regularly writes blog posts.

A few years ago Kurt did a study for his church on the Apostle John. That little project got him hooked on the man who started out life as a fisherman and then became the last disciple of Christ. The more Kurt learned about John, the more he wanted to know.

If you’ve ever been obsessed by anything, you’ll understand that he couldn’t stop researching the life of John and all those around him. And the result of all that research is:

The Last Disciple Series

The Last Disciple is a series of Christian novels based on the Bible and Christian history. The first in the series: The Last Disciple: Crisis in Jerusalem, begins in the year 62 AD. In it, you walk with John through the streets of Jerusalem. See how he faces multiple crises and comes to understand what it is to stand alone and lean only on the Lord.

This book, The Last Disciple: Exile in Ephesus is the third in the series, with two more books planned. Kurt is now writing the fourth book, The Last Disciple: Gospel of John.

More from Kurt

It all started one day when I learned that the Gospel of John was published fifty years after Jesus died. Fifty years! What did John do all that time? Where did he live? Why did he wait?

But wait, there’s more. On the Cross, Jesus placed his own mother under John’s protection. How long did John take care of her? Where did they live?

I think you can tell I got a little obsessive about this man, who outlived all the others to become the last disciple.

In fact, that very phrase, the last disciple, came to me early one morning when I was reading about John and Peter going to Samaria in Acts 8. John lived so long that he outlived all the others and became the last disciple.

The Youngest Disciple

What do we know about John? He walked with Jesus when he was very young, probably a teenager or very early 20s. He and Andrew were the first disciples of Christ. Before that, they both followed John the Baptist.

Anyone who reads the New Testament would know John as:

The son of Zebedee, his father, and Salome, his mother
Brother to the disciple James
A fisherman on the Sea of Galilee
He and his brother James were friends and even fishing buddies with Peter and his brother Andrew
Youngest of the 12 disciples.
Author of five books of the Bible:
- The Gospel of John 80-90 AD
- The Letters or Epistles of John 90-95 AD
- The Book of Revelation 95-98 AD

But after the mention in Acts 8, that’s it for John. Radio silence for nearly 50 years. Why did it take him so long to write the Gospel of John? And that is the very question I seek to answer in The Last Disciple Series.

The Last Disciple Series

This book, The Last Disciple: Exile in Ephesus is the third in the series, following The Last Disciple: Escape to Antioch and The Last Disciple: Crisis in Jerusalem.

I’m now writing the fourth book, The Last Disciple: Gospel of John.

MY REVIEW

The opening pages were pretty unsettling to me but the author follows closely to the Bible of the retelling of John. His captivity in prison was horrific as you can smell the foul odor of death. He lays there in his cell wondering what is going on. Above him in another part of the place he is being held are his friends asking for his release. No one really seems to want to go investigate but soon action is taken to set John free. Was it a mistake that he was locked away and treated so poorly?

I enjoyed following along as the author mixes Biblical facts with a bit of fiction. I don’t think anything was taken away from this account and added a little more intrigue to the story. The story takes us along as John shares about Jesus and the many trials he faced. The adventure is pretty accurate with a few liberties taken but overall very well written account of what happened to John. It was interesting to see parts of the Bible come to life and I felt like I was walking beside John. The author does a good job and created a book that I found to understand the life of John better.

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

Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 2

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, March 3 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 4

Texas Book-aholic, March 5

Beauty in the Binding, March 6 (Author Interview)

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 7

She Lives To Read, March 8

For the Love of Literature, March 9 (Author Interview)

Exploring the written word, March 9

Blogging With Carol, March 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 11

By The Book, March 12 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, March 13

Lights in a Dark World, March 14

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 15 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 15

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Kurt is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a 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/2a3f6/the-last-disciple-exile-in-ephesus-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, March 3, 2024

About the Book

Book: The Quilt Room Secret

Author: Lisa Jones Baker

Genre: Amish/Christian Fiction

Release Date: February, 2024

Trini Holds Secret Dreams for Her Future

Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.

As they took turns pushing each other on the swing that hung from a large tree, the mature—for a five-year-old—Jacob Lantz asked Trini Sutter to marry him. The nine-year-old thoughtfully responded that she’d consider his proposal when they were older.

Nearly two decades later, the Amish farmer returns to the beautiful countryside of Arthur, Illinois, to take the independent owner of The Quilt Room up on her promise. Quiet, handsome Jacob is truly in love with the spirited list maker, and Trini finds herself falling in love with Jacob, but the youngest of eleven has big plans of her own.

Jacob’s long-held aspirations are put to the test when he learns that Trini has been holding a secret. He prays for a turnaround of events; however, when Trini moves away from her tight-knit community, he begins to realize that his dream of them being Mr. and Mrs. most likely won’t happen.

Will Trini forfeit her own well-laid plan for the man of her dreams?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lisa Jones Baker writes Amish Inspirational fiction. She grew up near Arthur, Illinois, and became acquainted with the Plain Faith at an early age when they custom-made and installed her family’s kitchen cabinets. On weekends, she and her parents frequented the quaint Amish town, often the setting of her stories, where they purchased meat, cheese, and home-made baking spices. Now, decades later, she still loves visiting; the town and the people yet intrigue her, and she so appreciate the talent of quilt-making almost as much as she loves horse and buggy rides. But there is much more to this perplexing group than meets the eye; they are extremely disciplined, hard-working, and honest…and they don’t all think alike. For these reasons, writing about them is her passion.

Lisa was fortunate to have been raised in a loving, Christian home by two wonderful parents: a reading specialist mother who plays the piano, and a retired Junior High Principal father who’s also an avid fox hunter. She has a B.A. in French Education and is a former school teacher who loves gardening, cooking, reading, positive thinkers, and every dog she meets. Although a homebody, travel has played a large part of her life. Over three decades of working with the airline industry has landed her on five out of seven continents.

More from Lisa

Secrets fascinate me. They always have. From experience, I know that they’re difficult to keep confidential. And when the wrong person gets hold of what you don’t want out. . .There’s no telling what will happen!

List maker Trini Sutter has decided her future, even though what’s ahead comes with great risk. The owner of The Quilt Room in Arthur, Illinois, relishes being in control of her life. But what she doesn’t expect is for someone to get wind of her deep, dark secret and to leak it to her tight-knit Amish community! Now that the quilter’s confidential plan has become public, will she be able to pull it off? Or will Gott override her “list” with the destiny He has planned for her? Find out in The Quilt Room Secret.

Enjoy this short excerpt:

“Trini, look at me.”

She hesitated. Did she dare? She didn’t know what it was about Jacob that stole her voice. Her breath. Her entire being.

With one gentle motion, he placed his finger underneath her chin. He was so close, the light cinnamon on his breath lingered in the small distance between them. His clothes smelled like outdoors. She could see tiny lines around his eyes. They made him take on an even more manly appearance. His voice was barely more than a whisper. “You feel it too, don’t you?”

The last thing she wanted was any romantic complications that would interfere with her plans to leave. I must not lead Jacob on. I must not lead myself on. What I’m feeling…it’s wrong.

MY REVIEW

I loved Trini as soon as she was introduced in the story. She is very independent and always has lists everywhere around her. Trini seems to have everything she wants. She has a beautiful home and her own quilt shop. For some reason she has been planning on leaving the Amish world she has known all her life to live English. Her secret is hard to keep as she starts to have feelings for Jacob.

Jacob and his brothers move next door to Trini and old feelings surface for him. He has been in love with Trini since they were little kids. I loved how gentle and compassionate Jacob is. When Trini gets hurt in an unexpected fall, Jacob is there to help her. I really felt bad for Jacob because he wears his heart on his sleeves. Everyone knows how he feels about Trini, but how does she feel?

Keeping secrets always have a way of being revealed. Trini confides in her two best friends that she is leaving the Amish world. They are sad but I liked how they supported their friends’ decision. When Jacob finds out her secret he is shattered. He has to let her go so she can find out if her decision is right for her.

I loved how the author gives depth to the characters and shares their strong faith. I was hoping that Trini would realize her place is right where she is. Will she leave her family and Jacob? Is she doing this to prove she can take care of herself? Be sure and grab a copy of this book to find out what Trini decides.

“What separates the weak from the strong is the determination to keep trying.”

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

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, February 29

Vicky Sluiter, March 1

Holly’s Book Corner, March 2

Devoted To Hope, March 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 3

Texas Book-aholic, March 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 5

lakesidelivingsite, March 6

Lighthouse Academy Blog, March 6 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 7

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 7

Cover Lover Book Review, March 8

She Lives To Read, March 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 10

Splashes of Joy, March 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 11

For Him and My Family, March 12

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 13 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lisa is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card & print 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/2a3cf/the-quilt-room-secret-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: What I Promise You

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release Date: February 1, 2024

A Family’s History Is Lost to the Ravages of WWII in Southwest France

1942

Noémie Treves, a young, pregnant Jewish woman, had her entire world shattered when she is arrested and taken to the Camp de Rivesaltes transit camp in Southwest France. No sooner does she arrive, though, than she assists in helping two young girls scheduled for transport escape to a nearby maternity hospital. The matron there befriends her and changes her name to help hide her. But nothing goes according to plan, and Hannah finds herself doing the unimaginable to save one precious life.

2022
Caitlyn Laurant is haunted by recent events in her life and hopes becoming a nurse on the mission field will help her forget. While in training, she and her friends travel to France where her grandfather was born. What should have been an easy search for his birthplace turns into anything but and reveals secrets that no one alive has ever heard.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.

More from Liz

The Story behind the Cover of What I Promise You

In the late summer, I got the preliminary cover for What I Promise You. While Barbour Publishing always does a great job with their covers, and the one they sent was very nice, I wasn’t crazy about it because it didn’t tell the story at all. The mansion that plays such a big part in the novel was nowhere to be seen. Barbour is fantastic when it comes to working with me to get great covers, so I asked if we could include the real mansion that the story is based on. Turns out that they were having trouble getting copyright permission to use any image they could find of the maternity home.

That was disappointing. But I got brave and let them know that I took a picture of it when I was in France last year, and they could use it, but I’m not a very good photographer and I only used my iPhone. I attached the photo to the email and didn’t hear anything for a while.

Then in October, I wanted to include a preorder link to the book on social media or something and went to Amazon to grab it. And there was the cover. I went back and forth between the cover and my picture, and sure enough, it was the picture of the maternity home I had sent them! So I not only wrote What I Promise You, but some of my photography is on the front. I never thought that would happen. Am I in the wrong profession?? Just kidding!

MY REVIEW

Dual time periods always intrigue me and this one has a bonus. It includes three time periods which adds to the excitement. We travel to a time in history where war was everywhere. People who were Jewish were taken to camps where families were split apart. Every time I read about this period in time I get emotional. How can someone have such hatred for others?

I was a bit confused about who was narrating the story set in 1955 and hoped it would be revealed sometime in the book. I kept thinking that whoever it was was going to be vital to the entire story as we get glimpses of someone wandering around an abandoned building. The author does a good job of keeping readers glued to the story as she brings the time periods together in an unforgettable story of family, faith and healing.

Caitlyn was the one who most captured my attention. Going away to become a missionary is admirable and at times you can sense her insecurity. Caitlyn has another agenda as she flies across the country. She promised her grandfather that she would visit the place he said he was born at. As her adventures begins to seek the truth, the author crafts a way to combine our three time periods together.

There is much grief suffered from a time when camps where there to keep people that had been judged unfairly because of their heritage. The story shows how a few people stepped up to save innocent children and women while placing their own freedom in jeopardy. Caitlyn comes to realize that she hadn’t really grieved the loss of her friend. She has been living her friend’s dream instead of her own.

The ending is so emotional I cried. A simple promise made to a friend finds Caitlyn on a journey to discover God’s purpose for her life. Her spiritual growth throughout the story is shown by her hunger to connect the past to the present. The author provides a realistic look at a time when families were torn apart and hope was all they had to cling to. I loved the story and how the author gave us a look at what sacrifice looks like by people who are willing to protect others.

“Sometimes what He has planned for us is radically different than what we have in mind for our own lives.”

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