Wednesday, November 13, 2024

About the Book

Book: Suddenly Umemployed – 52 Personal Stories of Hope & Encouragement through Financial Crisis

Author: Rebecca Krusee

Genre: Christian Living – Non-Fiction

Release date: July 12, 2024

Losing your job, home, financial stability, dreams and possibly more can be heartbreaking, lonely and difficult. Immediately, you’re scrambling for answers to questions like “Why me? Where will we live? What’s next?”

Rebecca understands firsthand what it’s like to be stripped of her 15 year management career in Silicon Valley manufacturing when her company outsourced her four departments overseas and, as a result, lost her beloved home among other necessities.

Suddenly Unemployed shares her family of four’s true-to-life personal stories and biblical passages to encourage you through whatever storm you’re facing.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Rebecca Krusee‘s stories appear in Love is a Verb by Gary Chapman, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Guideposts as well as other publishing. Rebecca lives in the majestic Santa Cruz Mountains of California where she enjoys spending quality time with her family, taking a leisurely drive along the Pacific Ocean and exploring her community.

More from Rebecca

I felt lead to write Suddenly Unemployed – 52 Personal Stories of Hope & Encourgagement through Financial Crisis describing our family’s experience with job loss and financial crisis. I know firsthand not having the concentration needed to read a novel while enduring a crisis. My focus was on the basics necessities of shelter, food and clothing. Hence, I wrote fifty two bite size stories that can be read one per week for a year and split the sixteen year jouney into three distinct sections of entering, navigating and exiting the crisis.

Although this time period was painful, my trust and faith in God along with personal character grew. These qualities helped navigate me through further trials such as a COVID world, California wildland fire, loss of parents, empty nest syndrome and more.

Some people hide their struggles from others. I chose to openly share our story with the hope it will encourage the readers as they read about God’s goodness woven throughout our book. Perhaps they will say to themselves, “If God carried the Krusees through the toughest storme of their lives, maybe He will carry me and my family too.”

MY REVIEW

This is a timely book that everyone should read. With rising cost of food, gas and essentials many feel the impact of how to survive. The author shares personal accounts of how her family went through job loss and found hope. God sees the battles we face and is there to help us. I enjoyed the stories and scripture at the end of each chapter.

The book is encouraging and illustrates how we should never give up. I like how the author and her husband were united in their faith and prayed as they faced difficulties. The stories share honest and vulnerable times where the situations seemed hopeless. I found that the book reminded me that we should pray for each other and reach out when we see a need.

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

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, November 7 (Author Interview)

Life on Chickadee Lane, November 8

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

Mary Hake, November 9

An Author’s Take, November 10

Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 11 (Author Interview)

Batya’s Bits, November 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 12

Blossoms and Blessings, November 13 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, November 14

Artistic Nobody, November 15 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 16

Stories By Gina, November 17 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 19

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, November 20 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rebecca is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and the winner’s choice of an eBook or print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5489

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

About the Book

Book: Unfit to Serve

Author: Sandra Bretting

Genre: Inspirational Historical

Release date: August 16, 2024

When the United States military adopts a newfangled test from France called the “intelligence quotient test” during the first world war, no one expects the turmoil that follows. Thousands of immigrants fail it and are forced to return to homelands devastated by war, disease, and famine.

For Josephine Pembrooke, the shy schoolmarm at Camp Travis in Texas, the problem quickly becomes apparent. How can soldiers pass a test they can’t even read? So, Jo labors in secret to create a better test. Knowing all along it can’t save the one soldier she’d hoped to help.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Sandra Bretting is the author of a bestselling cozy mystery series that ran for five years with Kensington Publishing, as well as three standalone mysteries and an inspirational memoir. A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, she began her career writing for the Los Angeles Times, Orange Coast Magazine, and others. From 2006 until 2016, she wrote feature stories for the award-winning business section of the Houston Chronicle.

The second book in her mystery series earned the rank of Amazon Bestseller. Since making the switch to historical fiction, Bretting has garnered accolades for her first title, Unfit to Serve, which released in August 2024. The novel explores how the U.S. military brought the IQ test to America at the start of World War 1.

More from Sandra

Most people don’t know this, but the IQ test we’ve all heard about came to America during World War 1. French schoolteachers originally created it for their students more than a hundred years ago. Then the U.S. military found out about it, and the top brass thought they could use it to test recruits for their battle-readiness. There was only one problem: thousands of men failed it because they’d immigrated from overseas and couldn’t read the questions. They were loyal to the U.S., smart as whips, and physically capable, but they couldn’t pass a test they couldn’t read. In real life, it took the military a whole year to see the problem and come up with a better version for foreign recruits.

A whole year!

I couldn’t help but wonder what happened to those men who failed it, and how it affected their families. The recruits had come from countries devasted by famine, disease, and war, and they couldn’t go back. From there, the story evolved. I brought in a brave schoolteacher who sees the problem and struggles to fix it. Of course, being the early 1900s, women are supposed to be seen and not heard (like children) so she’s stonewalled at every turn. But she doesn’t stop. Josephine (Jo) knows that God cares about justice too, and she looks to Him for help when everything falls apart.

On a different level, I loved exploring the relationship between Jo and her stiff-lipped husband, Albigence. I purposefully moved this urban couple from a sophisticated university setting to a hot, dusty military base in San Antonio. There, they’re forced to rely on each other for the first time and fight for their marriage. It’s an unconventional love story, but a love story nonetheless.

In all my books, I strive to show how people can change for the better—or worse—depending on the situation, and that the best path forward is to trust God and His timing. He’s always perfect, even when we’re not. Thank goodness we can rely on Him!

MY REVIEW

I was very intrigued by this test that was called “intelligence quotient test.” It was started during World War I and brought to America. I have never heard about this test so I quickly set to read this story.

Josephine is introduced to army life by being at a women’s meeting where some silly presentation about embroidery knots is the agenda . I giggled as I saw her utter confusion of why this is what the women’s group found important. The Red Cross is in need of socks for the men overseas so why aren’t the women doing this project? Already you can see that Josephine is causing a little snafu in their plans. After all shouldn’t the focus be on helping the servicemen? I couldn’t wait to see how Josephine will fit in. Her husband will be in for a surprise when he returns to find his sweet wife has ruffled a few feathers.

Albigence is having his own issues with bullying going on. Even when he was younger he was made fun of. You would think grown men wouldn’t act this way. He takes his responsibility serious and wants to be well informed of the material he needs to know. Being put on the spot the instructor call Albigence to the front as a guinea pig. He must now take the test he will give to the soldiers when he returns to base. Underlining of this test is to weed out those who can’t pass or as some called, use”reverse psychology” on the hopeful soldiers.

The story takes a look at immigrants and how they were treated. Some thought a certain group were lazy while other were thought to be untidy. Josephine explains to her students that just because someone from a different background is different doesn’t mean the whole group is different. I liked how she explained that many came to America from boats where they didn’t have any way to bathe. But not everyone from that culture were dirty. A hard lesson for the children to grasp when their parents have said unkind things about immigrants in front of their own children.

What transpires next is a hope that those who come to America can receive help by giving them lessons on how to speak English. People are set up for failure if they don’t understand what is being said to them. Prejudice is running rampant and the test the men have to take are difficult if they do not understand English. I began to wonder how many men were turned away with nowhere to go. Did they lose hope?

Josephine tries to change how the test is given so immigrants have a fair chance of passing. I loved her heart that wanted everyone to be treated with dignity. She has this strength that could only come from God. As she is fighting for the rights of others her husband is fighting for the men who have fought in the war. Their battle scars can’t be seen yet they are deep. We know this illness as PTSD but during this time period it was called battle fatigue or shell-shock. It was hard to read about the treatments the men were given until Albigence comes to give them hope.

There is so much depth to this story and I could feel emotions spilling across the pages. This story will be something I will never forget. It is a realistic look at what men and women faced everyday as they served our country. I don’t want to ever forget the sacrifice that was made for our freedom.

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

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 11

Stories By Gina, November 12 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, November 12

Texas Book-aholic, November 13

lakesidelivingsite, November 14

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 16

Life on Chickadee Lane, November 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 18

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 19

For Him and My Family, November 20

Betti Mace, November 21

An Author’s Take, November 22

Artistic Nobody, November 23 (Author Interview)

Leslie’s Library Escape, November 23

Guild Master, November 24 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sandra 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 extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5494

Monday, November 11, 2024

About the Book

Book: Into the Sunset (A Western Light Book Three)

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: October 15, 2024

Will the sun set on their chance at happiness before they can seize it?

To finally escape the clutches of her controlling husband and the threat of being recommitted to an asylum, Ginny Rutledge enlists the help of her friends, Maeve O’Toole and Dakota Harlan. Fleeing their own tumultuous pasts, the group embarks on a journey to prove Ginny’s sanity. However, as they confront the shadows they wish they could forget, danger looms from unexpected places.

Maeve grapples with her mother’s impending remarriage and seizes a rare chance to escape her homestead–but that means reuniting with Dakota, the man she holds responsible for her father’s death, who is caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful family. As the two of them navigate their shared history and a dangerous mission, Dakota is forced to confront his deepest fears and fight for the woman who has unwittingly captured his heart.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books and is the author of the popular series Wyoming Sunrise and The Lumber Baron’s Daughters and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

More from Mary

Into the Sunset is the third book in A Western Light series, and I always love the wrap up of a series. In this book I’ve got a deliciously evil villain, and I’ve worked that villain in and out of the characters lives at the end of each of the first two books, but he keeps coming back. This time, he really gets what’s coming to him. Anyway, it’s not a shocking thing to say: the bad guy loses. I’ll bet most readers of my work knew that was coming. It’s the HOW that makes it fun.

My heroine is one I really enjoyed: Maeve O’Toole—a red-headed, sassy Irish lass with a mild brogue. And my hero, Dakota Harlan, has interested her from the first moment she laid eyes on him. Except that moment was several years ago, and she blamed him for her father’s death on the wagon train Dakota was leading. Then life separated them as he went on to Oregon and her family turned aside to homestead in Idaho. Now Dakota is back in Maeve’s life again. She’s had a chance to see that her anger with Dakota was unfair and has discovered that Dakota has always admired her. He’d probably scoop her up and marry her, if it wasn’t for the men trying to kill him. He doesn’t have much room for a wife in the life he’s living now.

In this story, I bring back all the characters from the earlier two books. The villain who’s been harassing them all along reappears, and the men hunting Dakota show up, too. Ginny must go to court to break the hold her evil husband has over her, declaring her insane and locking her away. She’s been hiding ever since. But now she’s ready to face him in court, but a conniving, wealthy man like her husband never plays fair.

Into the Sunset is packed with love and action, adventure and danger. All play out against the hectic railroad town of Cheyenne, Wyoming a few years after Wyoming becomes the first state to give women the right to vote. And there are some tough, smart women ready to stand between Ginny and a cruel husband. And plenty of tough smart cowboys, too. I hope you love this story!

MY REVIEW

This story is gritty, tough and filled with lessons that will change many lives. Right away I knew that the women in this story were going to be strong, fearless and rooted in faith. During this time period changes were starting to happen to give women more rights. I love the historical facts that are spread throughout the story.

Ginny is the one character that stood out for me. Her fight to be free from a man who treated her badly brings danger. I can’t imagine the cruel treatment she experienced being locked away in an asylum. She knew she didn’t belong there and now she has to fight to stay free.

With a cast of stand out characters the author delivers a western story with action, danger along with faith. I enjoyed reading how a relationship slowly develops while others find a new beginning from a life that was filled with pain.

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

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 9

Book Looks by Lisa, November 10

Devoted To Hope, November 10

lakesidelivingsite, November 11

Texas Book-aholic, November 12

For Him and My Family, November 12

Lighthouse Academy Blog, November 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 14

Jeanette’s Thought , November 14

Betti Mace, November 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 16

Holly’s Book Corner, November 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 17

Stories By Gina, November 18 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, November 18

She Lives To Read, November 19

Cover Lover Book Review, November 20

Labor Not in Vain, November 20

Books You Can Feel Good About, November 21

Connie’s History Classroom, November 22

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, November 22

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize of a $20 Amazon gift card and a full paperback set of the A Western Light series by Mary Connealy: Chasing the Horizon, Toward the Dawn, and Into the Sunset!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5491

About the Book

Book: Falling for a Shy Cowboy (Vargas Ranch Book 2)

Author: Karen Baney

Genre: Contemporary Christian Cowboy Romance

Release date: December 19, 2023

She’s a single mom with a disabled son. He’s been in love with her since high school. Will this shy cowboy finally win her heart?

Dylan Vargas is too shy for his own good. While he and his best friend Adan work with the horses on his family’s ranch near Wickenburg, Arizona, Adan signs him up for an online dating service. Dylan begrudgingly looks through the profiles. One face stands out above the others—that of his childhood crush. There’s only one impossible problem—she is Adan’s little sister.

Brisa Franco moves home to Wickenburg after a tragic car accident left her four-year-old son disabled. As she starts a new job in her hometown, she never expects to help her brother’s best friend in his quest to overcome a speech impediment.

Will Dylan steal her heart as she helps him learn how to release his anxiety? Will Brisa learn to trust him and let go of her deeply engrained fears from her past relationship?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Karen Baney is passionate about writing stories full of flawed characters. She enjoys weaving together stories of second chances, redemption, and overcoming personal trials. As a transplant to Arizona, she loves researching the state’s history and finding ways to seamlessly incorporate real history and real settings into her novels. In addition to writing and speaking, Karen works as a Software Development Manager for a Christian ministry.

Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. Karen and her husband, Jim, make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs, Bella and Daisy. Both Jim and Karen are active at Rock Point Church in Queen Creek, Arizona.

More from Karen

You’ve Got Mail?

As an author, sometimes you write something so identifiable to readers that you (the author) completely miss the obvious. Yeah, I did that in Falling for a Shy Cowboy.

Since Dylan Vargas, our hero, deals with a speech impediment, I thought a great way to help him connect with his one true love would be through a dating app—one where he keeps avoiding meeting in person. His best friend, Adan, signed him up for the dating app with a profile picture that obscures part of his face. When Dylan looked through the app, he finds Adan’s sister Brisa on the app. Imagine his excitement that his long-term crush was available!

So, Dylan responds to Brisa’s profile as Wrangler92. He’s much more comfortable pouring out his heart through messages in the dating app than fighting with his speech impediment in person. She’s keeping a few secrets of her own through their interactions on the app, creating tension.

And viola! The You’ve-Got-Mail “trope” successfully applied.

If only I had realized that’s what I’d done. It wasn’t until one reviewer wrote, “Who doesn’t like a little You’ve Got Mail in a cowboy romance?”

This is where I face-palmed, laughed out loud, and finally realized my shy cowboy and his one true love are clearly written like the old Meg Ryan & Tom Hanks movie You’ve Got Mail.

Anyway, I will be forever grateful to Jerah A. for pointing out the obvious connection. I hope you enjoy my take on a shy cowboy who woos a single mom a la You’ve Got Mail style.

MY REVIEW

I liked this story for so many reason. First I loved Dylan and how shy he is. He has tried all his life to overcome stuttering but as he grew up it continues especially when he gets nervous. Being a worker at his family’s ranch, he encounters people who come out for riding lessons. I felt so bad for him when he tried to help a group but gets frustrated when he struggles to talk. Maybe it’s time he gets some help to overcome this problem that affects his speech. Having this fear of being judged all his life has given him a lack of confidence. I laughed when his friend has this great plan to help him overcome his shyness around women.

Brisa is a good character who finds herself working at the ranch that Dylan’s family runs. Thanks to her brother who works there she is offered a job that will give her a fresh start. I couldn’t wait to find out her back story and how her sweet four year old ended up in a wheelchair. There is also history between her and Dylan which will play a big part in this heartwarming story.

The story is emotional at times where we see our two main characters overcoming their past. They are vulnerable yet ready to be set free from things that have held them back. Guilt, insecurity and finding faith again brings this story a much deserved five star rating.

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

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 25

Stories By Gina, October 26 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 26

Devoted To Hope, October 27

For the Love of Literature, October 28 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, October 28

She Lives To Read, October 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 30 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 31

Labor Not in Vain, November 1

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, November 2 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, November 3

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 4 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 5

Artistic Nobody, November 6 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, November 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5477/

Sunday, November 10, 2024

About the Book

Book: Jackson’s Fall (Troubles in the West Book Three)

Author: Carole Brown

Genre: Western Romantic Suspense

Release date: August 20, 2024

He’d never fainted in his life. Hardly ever been sick. Never been afraid to tackle wild animals, untamed horses, or men with guns. But…there was his brother Jeremiah. A person so despicable he’d hope to never see him again. And worse, facing the heartless woman, Penelope, who’d betrayed him in front of the whole town—-standing here now just feet away from him with Jeremiah—well, for the first time in his life, he wanted to run. Fast.

Yet, he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. There was his job that he loved, and the dreams he’d planned. But most of all, there was a new woman in town. A woman who was kind and sweet and beautiful with a heart of gold. They were friends—good friends, and neither of them expected anything else.

But can Jackson Barlowe find peace in the good things of his life? Or would the two people who had destroyed his past, ruin his life forever?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of twenty-some, some of which are best selling, award-winning books, she loves to weave suspense, mystery and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She’s also published one children’s book and is in two anthologies. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. She has found that the traveling and ministering has served her well in writing her novels. Together, they enjoy their grandsons and great granddaughter, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grands?

More from Carole

In Jackson’s Fall, the female protagonist, Gabrielle Autumn, and her Grandparents own a bakery in the small town of Roaring Springs. Although I don’t mention this recipe in the book, it is one that I really believe Grandmama Mayfair would have baked and sold in her shop. And, perhaps, would have taught Gabrielle to make also. It’s totally delicious and diverse in that you can use whatever kind of fruit that you wish.

My mother made it often in our house! A perfect dessert for a historical, western setting…and a modern day family meal. I truly hope you enjoy making and eating it at your supper table.

Mountain Pie

1 cup of self rising flour

¾ cup of sugar

1 stick of butter

¾ cup of milk

Fruit Filling

Melt butter in baking dish

Pour batter over butter

Put fruit or pie filling on top of batter

Bake in moderate oven (around 350 degrees), 15-20 minutes

Serve as is or with ice cream.

MY REVIEW

Another great story from a very creative author. I love her western themed stories and this one is so so good. Let’s start with my favorite character, Jackson. He is humble, strong willed at times but has a heart of gold. The thorn in his side is his brother. He tries to give his brother grace but it’s hard when threats keep coming his way. I liked how he was protective of a certain young woman who we will talk about in a minute. I must say Jackson is someone you want on your side. Being jilted at the altar by Peneople doesn’t set well when he realizes she runs off with his brother. Will he be able to reconcile with his brother?

Gabrielle is a breath of fresh air who comes into Jackson’s life. I liked Gabrielle’s sweet disposition and how she saw Jackson as a man who needed to know he was worthy. I think she is good for him, but she does hold back her feelings for him. A little trust needs to build between these two before any thoughts of a relationship start. I loved how she stood up when threatened by someone and the part about a sweet little puppy made my heart full.

The story illustrates how God never turns his back on us. Jackson has been angry at God but will he be able to turn his heart from bitterness to hope and seek forgiveness? Danger follows our two main characters as revenge is heavy on someone’s mind. Jealousy plays a part as well as a brother with greed who is out to destroy everything his brother loves. The author does a great job of keeping the story going with realistic characters and action that made me gasp at times.

I loved the story and how lessons of forgiveness, trust and hope blend together making this a must read. Be sure to grab a copy for yourself. I would also recommend reading the other books from this author as they each are beautifully written.

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