Thursday, December 31, 2020

Outstanding Reads in 2020

Top 2020 Reads:

Happy New Year's Eve! At the end of every year, I like to look back at my Goodreads list of "read" books and pick out the ones that impressed me the most. Without further ado, here they are in no particular order.


Booked
by Karen Swallow Prior
- Read my review.

Emberhawk by Jamie Foley - Read my review.
A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy - Read my review.




The Socialite
by J'nell Ciesielski
- Read my review.

Awaking Wonder by Sally Clarkson - Read my review.

Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar - Read my review.




The Right Kind of Fool by Sarah Loudin Thomas - Read my review.

Great Poems compiled by Kate Miles

Love and a Little White Lie by Tammy L. Gray - Read my review.




With This Pledge
 by Tamera Alexander
 - Read my review.

On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White - Read my review.

Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green - Read my review.




Saturday, December 26, 2020

Book Review: 52 Weeks of Gratitude from Ink & Willow

About the  Book:

Infuse spirituality and thankfulness into your daily life with this beautiful journal that offers a simple way to lower stress and improve happiness.

Scripture says, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” But we could all use a little help actually making room for gratitude among our everyday busyness and concerns. 52 Weeks of Gratitude offers you a space to record and reflect on your blessings each week as you focus through the year on four major themes: Home, Community, Faith, and Beauty.

With its lovely full-color photographs and illustrations, this textured hardcover book is a perfect keepsake. The weekly format offers just the right amount of encouragement to inspire, motivate, and create a grateful heart in all who write in its pages.

Where to Buy: Amazon | BN.com | Books A Million | Christianbooks.com | Target | Walmart


My Thoughts:

The 52 Weeks of Gratitude: A One-Year Journal to Reflect, Pray, and Record Thankfulness from Ink & Willow addresses many topics within four main categories: home, community, faith, and beauty. The journal is not seasonal based and can be started at any time of the year. Personally, I liked doing one entry every 2-3 days instead of one per week.

Each journal prompt in 52 Weeks of Gratitude covers a two-page spread. The topic is highlighted at the top and followed by a Scripture. A few sentences about the topic come next and a related reflection question offers the prompt to respond to. While many of the questions could be answered in 3-5 quick sentences, there was so much space to write that it felt like an invitation to dig deeper beyond the first answer – to question the why, to think of memories, or to compose a prayer of thanksgiving. At the bottom of the second page, there is a brief call-to-action.

I have enjoyed using the 52 Weeks of Gratitude journal and will continue to do so. It is a nice way to take a few minutes to reflect and be mindful. Thankfulness has a way of turning my mind to a more positive state and reminding me of my blessings.

I recommend 52 Weeks of Gratitude from Ink & Willow to anyone looking for an inspirational journal that mixes Scripture, faith, and thankfulness. The journal itself is beautiful, sturdy, and has the look/feel of a premium product. It lacks a built-in bookmark, but would still make a lovely gift for anyone who enjoys journaling.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Book Spotlight: Always Kiss at Christmas by Regina Scott

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Always Kiss at Christmas
(Fortune Brides #7)
By Regina Scott
Regency Romance
Paperback & ebook
December 3, 2020

Mary Rose has one goal for her mother’s annual Christmas Eve party: convince her childhood friend Julian Mayes to marry her. She has always admired Julian. Surely one moment under the kissing bough will convince him they were meant to be together. Newly hired by a prestigious London law firm, Julian is ready to shake the dust of the countryside off his polished boots. But he’s always had a soft spot for Mary. As the danger to her future becomes clear, will one kiss be enough to prove to him how far he will go to protect her?

(Affiliate link included.)


Excerpt

The snow had stopped falling, she saw as she ventured outside. Like muslin, white sheets draped tree and field. Their gardener had swept the snow off the pond, and the ice glittered darkly under the heavy sky. She pointed one group toward the sleigh that stood waiting, the horses’ breath fogging the air, and another group toward the lawn, where two industrious youths were already fashioning snowballs. Though he remained at her side, Julian kept glancing toward the pond. Skating, then. Gliding along, arm in arm, their steps matching as they used to do when they were younger. How romantic. Another shiver went through her.

“Cold?” Julian asked, taking a step closer.

Not with him so near. Those eyes were all encouragement, his mouth turned up and head cocked as if he were ready to listen to anything she cared to impart. He was going to be an excellent solicitor. Already she wanted to confess her hopes.

“It will pass,” Mary assured him. “Would you care to skate?”

“Delighted.” He offered her his arm again, and they walked over to the wrought-iron bench overlooking the pond. Already another couple swept past on the ice. Grooms stood by to strap the steel blades onto footwear. In moments, Mary was out on the glassy surface with Julian at her side. The cool air nipped her cheeks as they set off.

Oh, to always feel this free. It took the merest pressure to sail along. The evergreens alongside the pond flashed by, dusky against the silver of the pond and sky. Julian matched her stride, though he kept his hands behind his back, as if for balance.

“Was it last year you raced me to the end of the pond?” he asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

“And won,” Mary reminded him.

“You’ve changed since then,” he said.

Perhaps not as much as she’d thought, for the urge was impossible to resist. “I could still beat you.”

“You’re on.”

Excerpted from Always Kiss at Christmas by Regina Scott. Copyright © Regina Scott.

Other Books in the Series

(Linked to an Amazon affiliate link.)


About the Author


Regina Scott started writing novels in the third grade. Thankfully for literature as we know it, she didn’t actually sell her first novel until she had learned a bit more about writing. Since her first novel was published, her stories have traveled the globe, with translations in many languages including Dutch, German, Italian, and Portuguese. She now has now published more than 50 works of warm, witty romance. She and her husband of 30 years reside in Washington State on the way to Mt. Rainier. Regina Scott has learned to fence, dressed as a Regency dandy, driven four in hand, and sailed on a tall ship, all in the name of research, of course.



Tour Schedule
(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 8th: Launch
December 9th: Krystal M. Anderson - Love's Sweet Return
December 10th: Julie Coulter Bellon - The Marquess Meets His Match
December 11th: Delaney Cameron - Because You Loved Me
December 12th: Rachelle Paige Campbell - Love Overboard
December 13th: Raneé S. Clark - Finding Taylor
December 14th: Chrissy Elliot - Finding Home on Winslow Island 
December 15th: Aspen Hadley - Suits and Spark Plugs
December 16th: Shanna Hatfield - The Christmas Bargain
December 17th: D. E. Malone - Love, Lies and Mistletoe
December 18th: Melissa McClone - Sweet Yuletide
December 19th: Sarah L. McConkie - The Promise of Miss Spencer
December 20th: Kimberley Montpetit - Mostly Dangerous
December 21st: Kate O'Keeffe - Dating Mr. Darcy
December 22nd: Regina Scott - Always Kiss at Christmas 
December 23rd: Grand Finale


Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a $70 (USD) Amazon eGift Card

Open to US and internationally to those who can receive the gift card through one of Amazon's branches
Ends December 27, 2020



Grab Our Button!

Monday, December 21, 2020

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Dating Mr. Darcy by Kate O'Keeffe

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Dating Mr. Darcy
(Love Manor #1)
By Kate O'Keeffe
Chick-Lit, RomCom
Paperback & ebook, 307 Pages
August 25, 2020 Wild Lime Books

Is it a truth universally acknowledged, that a girl must compete on reality TV to win a modern-day Mr. Darcy's heart?

Emma Brady is having doubts about how far she'll go to promote her new activewear line. Sure, being on a reality show could be the big break her business so desperately needs, but is putting up with a Mr. Darcy wannabe worth it?

Sebastian Huntington-Ross is straight out of an Austen novel. But it's hard to focus on his chiseled jaw, broad shoulders, and wickedly sexy accent when all Emma can see is his pride, arrogance, and smug demeanor.

Sparks fly when Emma realizes Sebastian has his own agenda for being on the show. Will Emma hold fast and keep the aristocratic Sebastian at arm's length? Or will she put her reservations aside when the lines between reality and "reality show" start to blur?

(Affiliate links included.)


Excerpt

How on this sweet Earth did I get myself into this position?

I’m not talking metaphorically or spiritually or anything like that here, you understand.

Oh, no. I’m being much more literal.

Right now, I’m all alone in the back of the limo, whizzing through the outskirts of Houston on my way to some ranch out in banjo territory. I’ve managed to remove my mic, which was a feat all its own, and now I’m wrangling with my Timothy leggings. With an almighty effort, I pull them up to my thighs, my dress bunched up under my chin. Ever bunched up a sequin dress under your chin? Not comfortable.

As the car turns corners, my task becomes increasingly complex. Just when I scoop my butt up off the seat to pull the leggings up, the car turns, and I go crashing into the door. Luckily it’s firmly shut or I’d be splattered across the road somewhere.

By the time I’m halfway done, I’m hot and sweaty and panting like I’ve gone three rounds in the ring with Muhammad Ali. Or some other boxer from this century. (Fighting’s so not my thing).

My leggings finally in place, I heave a sigh of relief. Time for my Timothy top. I pull my sequined dress over my head, only for it to get snagged on my hair.

I tug at the dress. It pulls at my hair but it holds tight. I tug again. This thing is not budging.

The car begins to slow. I peer out the smoky glass window and see a large house at the end of the long drive. It looks like a ranch in the middle of nowhere.

Uh-oh.

Panic begins to set in. I need to get this darn dress off and pull on my T-shirt over my strapless bra, and I need to do it now.

As the car slows to a stop, I yank on the dress, hard, only to cry out in pain as my hair refuses to untangle itself from the many sequins.

I hear a car door thud closed and know the driver is about to walk around to open my door.

No! We can’t be here already!

Think, Emma, think!

In just my leggings and strapless bra, my dress acting as some sort of weird hair extension, I’m not only going to be the laughing stock of the nation, but I’m sure the Mr. Darcy wannabe will send me home before he can say “that one was totally cray cray.” Penny’s and my dream will amount to nothing.

With probably less than about three seconds to go before the driver reaches my door, I ditch the near-impossible hair issue and focus on getting my top on. I grab it out of my clutch and loop one leg through, then the next. With a strength that would impress Wonder Woman herself, I yank the top up over my thighs, and begin to loop an arm through one side. So far, so good. All I’ve got to do now is loop the other arm through and ...

The next thing I know, the wall I’m leaning up against gives way and I fall backwards out of the privacy of the limo and land with a thud on my butt.

Ooof.

As my butt meets the hard, unforgiving ground, the wind is instantly sucked out of me and the pain sears. Trying to regain my balance, my legs flail in the air like I’m some kind of insect that can’t get itself back up. At least twelve different cuss words erupt from my mouth. Cuss words my mother would blush to hear me say.

Everything goes quiet around me.

Smooth, Emma. Real smooth.

“Well, that was quite an entrance,” a voice says.

Excerpted from Dating Mr. Darcy by Kate O'Keeffe. Copyright © Kate O'Keeffe. Published by Wild Lime Books.

Other Books in the Series

(Linked to an Amazon affiliate link.)


About the Author


Kate O'Keeffe is a bestselling author of fun, feel-good chick lit and romantic comedies. She lives and loves in beautiful Hawke's Bay, New Zealand with her family, two scruffy dogs, and a cat who thinks he's a scruffy dog too. He's not: he's a cat.

When she's not penning her latest story, Kate can be found hiking up hills (slowly), traveling to different countries around the globe, and eating chocolate. A lot of it.



Tour Schedule
(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 8th: Launch
December 9th: Krystal M. Anderson - Love's Sweet Return
December 10th: Julie Coulter Bellon - The Marquess Meets His Match
December 11th: Delaney Cameron - Because You Loved Me
December 12th: Rachelle Paige Campbell - Love Overboard
December 13th: Raneé S. Clark - Finding Taylor
December 14th: Chrissy Elliot - Finding Home on Winslow Island 
December 15th: Aspen Hadley - Suits and Spark Plugs
December 16th: Shanna Hatfield - The Christmas Bargain
December 17th: D. E. Malone - Love, Lies and Mistletoe
December 18th: Melissa McClone - Sweet Yuletide
December 19th: Sarah L. McConkie - The Promise of Miss Spencer
December 20th: Kimberley Montpetit - Mostly Dangerous
December 21st: Kate O'Keeffe - Dating Mr. Darcy
December 22nd: Regina Scott - Always Kiss at Christmas 
December 23rd: Grand Finale


Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a $70 (USD) Amazon eGift Card

Open to US and internationally to those who can receive the gift card through one of Amazon's branches
Ends December 27, 2020



Grab Our Button!

Friday, December 18, 2020

Book Review: The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson

About the Book:

All Emma Daley wants this holiday season is a white Christmas. 

But the young teacher and struggling musician sure can't find that in sunny Arizona. Luckily, there's someone living in a perfect mountain home in the Colorado Rockies looking to make a vacation trade.

West Prescott is an in-demand songwriter and talented musician who put his own singing career on hold to write songs for celebrity acts to perform. When his mother convinces him to do a vacation trade for Christmas, he never imagined one of the houseguests would be so sweet--or so strikingly pretty. Naturally, he decides to stick around, and to get better acquainted, he poses as the caretaker of his own house. But when Emma's friend Gillian discovers his true identity and sets her sights on him, things get . . . messy.


My Thoughts:

The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson offers readers a fun Christmas novella with a Hallmark movie feel. While the characters tended to be pretty static, the events of the novel and the romantic potential for West and Emma kept me interested. The novella was a nice light read that marries well with Christmastime. I recommend The Christmas Swap to readers who enjoy clean romance.




Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

First Line Fridays: The Right Kind of Fool by Sarah Loudin Thomas

Happy Friday! 

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from The Right Kind of Fool by Sarah Loudin Thomas.

"As the sun climbed above the horizon, strokes of lavender, orange, and pink painted the awakening sky."

Have you read The Right Kind of Fool? If not, check out the book blurb below and read my review. I found this book fascinating and gave it five stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!



About the Book:

Thirteen-year-old Loyal Raines is supposed to stay close to home on a hot summer day in 1934. When he slips away for a quick swim in the river and finds a dead body, he wishes he'd obeyed his mother. Desperate for help, he runs to the mountain cabin of his mostly absentee father, frantically trying to communicate the news with his hands.


Driven away by fear and guilt over his son's deafness, Creed has played a distant part in Loyal's life and language. But when he's pulled into the murder investigation, he discovers that what sets his son apart isn't his inability to hear but rather his courage. As the impact of the murder ripples through their West Virginia town, both will learn what it took to kill a man and what it takes to become one.


First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Love, Lies, and Mistletoe by D. E. Malone

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Love, Lies and Mistletoe
(Blueberry Point Romance #2)
By D. E. Malone
Sweet Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 202 Pages
October 30, 2020

One stolen kiss. A little Christmas magic. And the snowy inn where love stands a chance.

Interior designer Layla Dean can’t believe her good fortune at snagging the holiday decorating gig at Blueberry Point Lodge. And even though her fledgling business has a growing list of happy clients, her personal life isn’t filled with the same Christmas magic. She needs a man in her life like she does coal in her stocking. But tell that to Brant Johnsson.

Brant is known as the Twin Cities’ Master of Lights and Luminaria for good reason. His company oversees most of the downtown’s outdoor displays every season. But when a professional snag sends him reeling, he’s ready to quit the business. Until he runs into Layla again. Forgetting their awkward mistletoe kiss last year just isn’t possible, but she doesn’t share the pleasant memory. Now that they’re decking the halls together for the newly opened inn’s first Christmas, Brant hopes for a replay of their first encounter. And something more.

When a misdirected text message pairs them together for a fundraising event, Brant and Layla find they have more in common than just a flare for holiday decorating and one mistaken kiss. If Layla can overcome her sour first impression, Brant might get his very merry second chance.

(Affiliate links included.)


Excerpt

Frustrated, Layla unpacked while the sour details of their first meeting stirred.

It had been at a fundraiser for Friendship House, a social service organization in the Twin Cities, and had attracted the heads of companies and old-money philanthropists. The ballroom of the historic Rennselaer Hotel had been transformed to showcase Brant Johnsson’s famed lights displays. Its ballroom was all plaster moldings, ceiling frescos, and soaring balconies on four sides with polished pillars of red oak standing like silent sentinels overhead. Someone mentioned Brant had used more than 25,000 lights on the balconies alone.

The only reason Layla got an invite from Friendship House was because she helped decorate the hotel lobby for the event. She’d been excited to go—it was a networker’s dream. But once the day arrived, Layla dreaded the night ahead. Socializing didn’t come naturally. The beaded sheath she wore didn’t ease her discomfort either. She’d bought it online, and while it was stunning, she couldn’t forget that it cost more than her food bill for three months.

She’d found a semi-quiet corner so she could people-watch. Her gaze fell on Brant more than a few times that night, the first time being when he’d walked through the room’s double doors like he expected a standing ovation. He was nothing short of dashing.

Later the night, Layla had been deep in conversation with Chuck Hennessy, president of a regional bank, talking about decorating the bank’s five branches when she felt a hand on her upper arm. Layla spun around. Before she could register a single, coherent thought, a pair of lips met hers. Layla couldn’t find her voice; the shock stole her breath like a vacuum.

Her hand pressed against a large, muscular chest, and for one swoony moment, she went all lightheaded and weak-kneed and hated herself for it. Then the person pulled away and she really hated herself.

Brant Johnsson.

Egotistical, ridiculously handsome Brant Johnsson.

His eyes widened when he looked at her, his mouth gaping open like a beached fish. It would have been almost comical if the whole embarrassing incident hadn’t happened right in front of Chuck.

Brant mumbled something, including a hurried “sorry,” before his girlfriend showed up. Layla burned with humiliation, while Brant made a joke about it to the woman.

Excerpted from Love, Lies and Mistletoe by D. E. Malone. Copyright © D. E. Malone.


Other Books in the Series

(Linked to an Amazon affiliate link.)


About the Author



D.E. Malone writes sweet contemporary romance and is the author of the Hearts in Hendricks and Blueberry Point Romance series. She also writes for middle-grade audiences as Dawn Malone. Her work has appeared in Highlights for Children, Pockets, and the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. She loves traveling to places off the beaten path which inspire the small-town settings in her stories. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, hiking, and continuing her quest for the holy grail of bakeries.



Tour Schedule
(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 8th: Launch
December 9th: Krystal M. Anderson - Love's Sweet Return
December 10th: Julie Coulter Bellon - The Marquess Meets His Match
December 11th: Delaney Cameron - Because You Loved Me
December 12th: Rachelle Paige Campbell - Love Overboard
December 13th: Raneé S. Clark - Finding Taylor
December 14th: Chrissy Elliot - Finding Home on Winslow Island 
December 15th: Aspen Hadley - Suits and Spark Plugs
December 16th: Shanna Hatfield - The Christmas Bargain
December 17th: D. E. Malone - Love, Lies and Mistletoe
December 18th: Melissa McClone - Sweet Yuletide
December 19th: Sarah L. McConkie - The Promise of Miss Spencer
December 20th: Kimberley Montpetit - Mostly Dangerous
December 21st: Kate O'Keeffe - Dating Mr. Darcy
December 22nd: Regina Scott - Always Kiss at Christmas 
December 23rd: Grand Finale


Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a $70 (USD) Amazon eGift Card

Open to US and internationally to those who can receive the gift card through one of Amazon's branches
Ends December 27, 2020


Grab Our Button!

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Suits and Spark Plugs by Aspen Hadley


On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Suits and Spark Plugs
By Aspen Hadley
Contemporary Romance, RomCom
Paperback & ebook, 257 Pages
October 13, 2020

Liv Phelps is a woman on a mission: Get a degree, stay independent, and start a new life away from her small hometown. Love is nowhere on that list.

However, when dashing Blaine Harris enters the diner where Liv works, she’s flattered enough to give him a chance. Different from anyone she's ever known, he introduces her the world she's long dreamed about. Things are going surprisingly well, until he pushes her to get her beat-down car seen by the local mechanic.

Connor Hunt has been at the very top of Liv's 'do not disturb' list ever since she had a front row seat to watching him create his terrible reputation. A magician with cars, he can’t stand to see a machine suffer. So, he comes up with a plan to fix Liv's in spite of her inability to pay.

But will his solution cost more than she’s prepared to give?

(Affiliate link included.)


Excerpt

The sound of the door opening from the mechanic shop interrupted me and I glanced up to see Connor Hunt coming into the lobby.

He nodded at the phone in my hand. “Looking at anything good?”

“A physiology text book.”

“Sure. Good choice for some light reading on a snowy weekend afternoon.”

“I’m learning ways to cause the most pain with the least damage,” I replied in a sugary sweet voice.

He nodded slowly as though I’d just told him I was knitting a doily. “Ah. That would probably come in handy sometimes.”

“Indeed.” I put my phone back in my bag and zipped it closed. “Is my car ready?”

“Yep. Everything went well. Total is the nine hundred I quoted you.”

“Okay. What are your thoughts on payment seeing as you know I’m broke?”

“I have an idea if you’re open to discussing other options for payment.”

My gut clenched and my face warmed. Here we go. He’d pulled the wool over other people’s eyes, but things were about to get real. “Depends on what ‘other options for payment’ you might have in mind.”

His brows lowered. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m not going to pay off my debts by, like, kissing you and stuff.” My face burned, but I kept eye contact with him, knowing it was important to not back down.

“Liv Phelps, does your mother know what kind of thoughts go through that head of yours?” he asked with wide eyes that seemed oddly surprised for someone who’d I’d long suspected of having underhanded dealings.

The only sound in the lobby was that of my pounding heartbeats. I wasn’t sure what had just happened. I took a deep breath, playing the conversation back in my mind as I watched his expression turn stony. Oh. Maybe I’d jumped the gun here.

“So,” I cleared my throat and swallowed. “I may have jumped to conclusions.”

“Yep.”

I scrunched up my nose and fidgeted a bit. “Okay. I’m ready to talk about payment options.”

“I’m rethinking what I was going to offer,” he replied.

Excerpted from Suits and Spark Plugs by Aspen Hadley. Copyright © Aspen Hadley.


About the Author


Aspen Hadley loves nothing more than a great story. She writes what she wants to read: clean, sassy, romantic comedy novels that give you a break from real life and leave you feeling happy.

Outside of writing, Aspen's number one hobby is reading. Number two is sneaking chocolate into and out of her private stash without being caught. Other favorites include: playing the piano, traveling, a good case of the giggles, and riding on ATVs over the mountains and deserts of Utah.

Aspen shares her life with a patient husband, 4 hilarious children, and 1 grumpy dog in a quiet suburb in the foothills of her beloved mountains.

Suits and Spark Plugs is her third published novel, and she hopes there will be many more to come.



Tour Schedule
(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 8th: Launch
December 9th: Krystal M. Anderson - Love's Sweet Return
December 10th: Julie Coulter Bellon - The Marquess Meets His Match
December 11th: Delaney Cameron - Because You Loved Me
December 12th: Rachelle Paige Campbell - Love Overboard
December 13th: Raneé S. Clark - Finding Taylor
December 14th: Chrissy Elliot - Finding Home on Winslow Island 
December 15th: Aspen Hadley - Suits and Spark Plugs
December 16th: Shanna Hatfield - The Christmas Bargain
December 17th: D. E. Malone - Love, Lies and Mistletoe
December 18th: Melissa McClone - Sweet Yuletide
December 19th: Sarah L. McConkie - The Promise of Miss Spencer
December 20th: Kimberley Montpetit - Mostly Dangerous
December 21st: Kate O'Keeffe - Dating Mr. Darcy
December 22nd: Regina Scott - Always Kiss at Christmas 
December 23rd: Grand Finale


Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a $70 (USD) Amazon eGift Card

Open to US and internationally to those who can receive the gift card through one of Amazon's branches
Ends December 27, 2020



Grab Our Button!

Monday, December 14, 2020

Book Review: To Dwell Among Cedars by Connilyn Cossette

 About the Book:

As they fight for the soul of Israel, will they find healing for their own?

Eight years ago, after the Philistines surrendered the stolen Ark of the Covenant back to the Israelites, Eliora and her brother left their Philistine homeland to follow it to the community of Kiryat-Yearim. Though they both were lovingly enfolded into a Levite family that guards the Ark, Eliora can't stop feeling like she doesn't belong.

Meanwhile, a faction of discontent Hebrews finds Kiryat-Yearim to be an unfit resting place and believes that the sacred vessel should be in the hands of the priests who mean to restore the Holy of Holies in a new location. Under the guise of gathering Hebrews to worship together for the festivals, Levite musician Ronen has been sent by his uncle to find where the Ark has been hidden and steal it back. But Ronen never expected that the Philistine girl he rescued years ago would now be part of the very family he's tasked to deceive.

Ronen's attempts to charm Eliora into revealing the location of the Ark lead them in unexpected directions, as they must battle betrayal and fear to help establish Israel's leadership for a better future.


My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed Connilyn Cossette’s newest novel, To Dwell Among Cedars. Arisa/Eliora captured my imagination at the beginning and I quickly became invested in her story.  Eliora’s devotion to Yahweh and the Ark of the Covenant undergirds all that she does. Such dedication set an encouraging example to those around her and for the reader. I loved journeying with her as she learned her true value and I rooted for her as arose in boldness when necessary.

While Eliora shines in To Dwell Among Cedars, the story has a substantial romance thread between her and Ronen. Ronen’s quest to move the Ark of the Covenant to a different location besets their blossoming love. This difficulty added a layer of tension to their unexpected and beautiful love story.

To Dwell Among Cedars is the first installment in The Covenant House series by Connilyn Cossette. I am eager for book two. Five stars!



Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.


Friday, December 11, 2020

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Because You Loved Me by Delaney Cameron

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Because You Loved Me
(The Billionaires of Sawgrass #1)
By Delaney Cameron
Contemporary Romance
Audiobook & ebook, 182 Pages
April 5, 2019 by Wisteria Press

He’s in love with the boss’s daughter. She’s secretly engaged to someone else.

Graham fell for Bridget the moment he laid eyes on her. He was fully aware that he’d unwittingly done what his best friend and mentor wanted all along. Unfortunately, it takes two people to make a relationship, and the female part of this equation isn’t interested. Being something of a realist, Graham accepted the inevitable. It wasn’t so with Bridget’s father. He continued to play matchmaker, stubbornly refusing to admit that his interference only made the situation worse. Graham’s only comfort is the fact that none of Bridget’s relationships have as yet become permanent. But even that false hope is ripped away when she drops her bombshell.

Bridget can’t deny she’s led a somewhat charmed life. As the eldest daughter of a successful businessman, she’s never wanted for anything. After graduating from a prestigious college in New York, she didn’t have to draft résumés or suffer through stressful job interviews. Instead she went to work for her father creating updated interiors for his hotel flipping company. The only gray cloud in her personal sky is her father’s ridiculous idea that his ex-Navy pilot protégé and his daughter constitute a match made in heaven. His embarrassing attempts to force her and Graham together have made it necessary to keep her engagement to the man she does love a secret. But it’s only a temporary thing. She has no doubt about her ability to bring her father around to her way of thinking.

The best laid plans, right? When destiny shuffles the cards and deals out a new hand, unrequited love and an unsuitable fiancé could turn out to be the least of Graham and Bridget’s problems.

(Affiliate link included.)


Excerpt

Bridget smiled a little as she led the way to the stairs. “I guess that means my brother and sister are behaving. I hope you realize it won’t always be like that.”

“I’d be disappointed if it was. It’s natural for kids to test their limits.”

“Is that what you did?”

She heard him chuckle.

“I still do it.”

She glanced over her shoulder and met his amused glance. “I’m not surprised.”

“You looked and sounded very smug when you said that. Didn’t you ever color outside the lines?”

By this time, they’d reached the wide landing on the second floor. Bridget did a quick mental debate and turned to the right. “I never wanted to.”

He came up beside her, looming over everything. “Maybe you didn’t have enough incentive.”

There weren’t many people who could make Bridget unaware of her most noticeable physical characteristic. She was taller than most of the people she ran across on a daily basis, including Roman. That wasn’t the case with Graham. Not even the high heels she wore in the office made any difference. In the tennis shoes she was wearing at the moment, his height advantage was apparent.

“Could be,” she said. “It’s not something I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about.”

“That’s too bad.”

Bridget rolled her eyes as they entered Caden’s room. “Why?”

He sat the containers on the bed, a half-amused, half-serious look on his face. “You miss out on a lot of things when you play it safe.”

“Oh, really? Can I assume you limit the use of this…strategy to your personal life?”

His eyes started to twinkle, something she’d seen happen when he was speaking to someone else. It was quite a different experience to find it directed at her.

“Of course. I always play by the rules in business.”

She wasn’t sure if that was a subtle jab at Roman or not. “That’s what I thought.” She pointed to the set of folding doors covered with Ironman and Hulk posters. “You can start on the closet. I’ll work on the chest of drawers.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He pulled a plastic tote from the top of the pile and maneuvered past her. Bridget smiled to herself as she waited for him to open the closet doors. There was a few seconds of what could only be stunned silence, and then, “Shazam!”

She laughed so hard she had to sit down on the bed.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, his obvious confusion setting her off again.

Bridget pointed at him while she tried to catch her breath. “You! I didn’t expect to hear that from a battle-hardened ex-Navy pilot.”

“I adjusted my response to my audience.”

“How considerate of you! Are you ever caught off-guard?”

“A lot more than you think.” He waved a hand at the disaster behind him. “Any suggestions?”

“Start at the top and work your way down.” Bridget grabbed a box, walked over to the dresser, and opened the top drawer. It wasn’t in much better condition than the closet. Caden hadn’t inherited their father’s talent for organization. “Liesl’s room will be less chaotic. She’s not nearly as messy, plus she’s more into clothes and jewelry than Legos, video games, and action figures.”

“I noticed she likes to read. Other than her bedroom, my library is her favorite room in the house.”

When Bridget looked in his direction, the words forming on her lips dried up. Graham was reaching over his head for something on the top shelf. Her eyes locked on the ripple of muscles moving down his arms and across his back with the accuracy of a heat-seeking missile. Something stirred in the region of her belly. This was followed by a wave of warmth that defied the coolness of the room. Alarmed and embarrassed, she turned away, relieved he hadn’t witnessed her strange and completely unwanted reaction.

* * * * * 

Graham usually preferred silence when he was working, but at the moment, he could have used some noise (no matter what form it was in) to take his mind off the woman standing a few yards away. He’d thought their brief, casual encounters at work were unnerving. Being alone with Bridget here was an entirely different level of disturbing. His highly-tuned senses sizzled with awareness, registering every breath, movement, and flip of her ponytail.

Dealing with these unsettling reactions didn’t keep him from knowing how difficult this was for her. When she let him in the house, he’d seen the trace of tears on her cheeks and heard the tremor in her voice. It had taken every ounce of self-control he had not to drop the boxes on the floor and take her into his arms, an action that would have embarrassed both of them.

If only he could think of something to say, but the light banter he employed with moderate success everywhere else seemed to have deserted him at the door of Caden’s room. All his addled brain could come up with as a conversation starter was ‘You smell really nice.’ Even as a compliment, it lacked imagination.

Behind him, he heard a drawer close. It was the perfect excuse to glance over his shoulder. Bridget looked up and met his eyes. Then she smiled. Graham’s heart did an award-worthy nose dive into his shoes.

“I was thinking of coming back with you today to spend some time with Liesl and Caden. Is that okay?”

Okay? It was the best news he’d had all week. “Of course. You’re welcome anytime. Liesl and Caden will love it. They miss you.”

“I miss them, too. It’s sad that it takes something tragic to make you aware of things like that.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. All of us are guilty of having tunnel vision. The pace of life is faster than ever. It’s challenging to fit in everything.”

“It comes down to priorities. We make time for what we believe to be most important, all the while thinking that there’ll be plenty of time to get to those other things.”

“Sometimes we do get to them. It’s only after a window of opportunity closes that you realize how precarious life really is. There are no guarantees. There’s no insurance policy to protect you from the unknown.”

“Having served in the military means you know that more than anyone.”

He nodded. “It gave me a better appreciation of life as well as the freedoms we so often take for granted. This is off the subject, but I’m planning to take the kids to an air show. Caden mentioned wanting you to come, too.”

“An air show?” she asked, grinning. “That sounds right up your alley. When is it?”

“Two weeks from today.”

“I should be able to make it.”

He forced himself to say the rest. “Caden thought you might like to invite Roman, too. That reminds me of something I should have mentioned before. You’re welcome to bring Roman to the house when you come.”

He didn’t imagine the blush that entered her cheeks. Was it because she was still embarrassed about asking Graham for the money? Or was she remembering the remarks he made about Roman facing the consequences of his actions?

“That’s very nice of you. He hasn’t had many opportunities to get to know Liesl and Caden. That’s something I’m hoping to change.”

Graham was torn between wishing Roman would refuse and wanting the chance to size up the other man in person. Neither of those sentiments could be voiced aloud. “You’ll get to meet my mother today. She’s in town for the weekend.”

“What does she think about you being a guardian?”

“Nothing much surprises my mother. She has a unique talent for disregarding whatever doesn’t directly pertain to her.”

“That’s an interesting answer.”

“It’ll make perfect sense once you meet her.”

“Hmm. You’ve definitely excited my curiosity.”

That was something at least.

You’ll have me interfering in your life for at least ten more years.”

There was nothing he’d like more. He snapped the lid on the box. “A fate worse than death.”

“I bet you didn’t take that into consideration when you agreed to be a guardian.”

“A very premature action on my part.”

She grinned in acknowledgement, but he could tell she’d already moved on to something else.

“That’s probably what he had in mind all along.”

“Who?”

“Dad, of course. Don’t tell me you didn’t know he wanted you and me to…” she stopped suddenly, looking very much like her younger sister.

He knew what she meant, but couldn’t resist teasing her. “He wanted you and me to what?”

She sent him an exasperated glance that still managed to quicken his pulse. “Don’t act so innocent, Graham. You know what I’m trying to say.”

He laughed, thinking how pretty she was when she blushed and wishing he could kiss every inch of her pink cheeks. “I do know. What I can’t figure out is why you’re having so much trouble saying it. There’s no one here but us.”

He was given an excellent view of her profile, which was no less adorable than the rest of her.

“It’s embarrassing. I wish I hadn’t brought it up.”

“Why? It’s always better to get something out in the open rather than ignore it. Yes, it was uncomfortable, but in reality, it was harmless. We both know your father meant well. I took it as a compliment that he thought me good enough for you.”

Her head turned just enough to allow their eyes to meet. “There were few people Dad really liked and even fewer that he trusted. The fact that you were in both those groups says a lot. But what Dad didn’t want to accept is that love can’t be forced. It can’t be manipulated by throwing two people together. If it’s meant to happen, it will. If it’s not, then all the planning and scheming in the world won’t make any difference.”

Graham could testify to that. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. As awkward as this conversation has been, we probably should have had it sooner.”

“I think you’re right. It wouldn’t have made all Dad’s machinations any less annoying, but at least we wouldn’t have been worried about what the other person was thinking.”

“I thought we handled ourselves very professionally.”

“Me, too, but there were times when I wanted to sink right into the floor.”

“Would one of those times be when Daniel arranged a business lunch, and you and I were the only ones who showed up at the restaurant?”

“Yes. I don’t think I said fifty words throughout the entire meal.”

“It was probably less than thirty, but who’s counting?”

“That’s what happens when I get really angry and really embarrassed at the same time. My brain goes on strike. Anyway, that’s all in the past. Who knows? Maybe one day we’ll be able to laugh about it.”

“Anything’s possible,” he said, reaching for another plastic container.

The sultry notes of “Havana” by Camila Cabello filled the room. Bridget reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out her phone. Graham could tell who was on the other end by the look on her face. He’d give anything to have her look that way for him.

“Excuse me for a minute,” she said, walking toward the door.

“No problem.”

A ragged sigh escaped him as he turned back to the closet. Everything Bridget said about love was true. It can’t be forced or manipulated. Love happens on its own terms, and once it takes hold, it stubbornly resists every effort by its unsuspecting host to withdraw. Having become one of those helpless victims, he thought it very unlikely that he’d ever be able to ‘laugh’ about it.

Excerpted from Because You Loved Me by Delaney Cameron. Copyright © Delaney Cameron. Published by Wisteria Press.


Other Books in the Series

(Linked to an Amazon affiliate links.)


About the Author


I'm a Georgia girl at heart if not by birth. I love to read, watch college football, and spend time with my husband. I'm a hopeless romantic so there will always be a happily ever after in my stories. I also like to write about second chances because love doesn't always work out the first time.

I write sweet romances set in both contemporary and regency settings. My stories are about the journey to love, from that first meeting to the point where two people know their hearts are no longer their own. My characters aren't perfect. They make mistakes and have faults like the rest of us. They learn the sometimes painful truth that the path to love isn't always smooth, but it's a road worth traveling.



Tour Schedule
(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 8th: Launch
December 9th: Krystal M. Anderson - Love's Sweet Return
December 10th: Julie Coulter Bellon - The Marquess Meets His Match
December 11th: Delaney Cameron - Because You Loved Me
December 12th: Rachelle Paige Campbell - Love Overboard
December 13th: Raneé S. Clark - Finding Taylor
December 14th: Chrissy Elliot - Finding Home on Winslow Island 
December 15th: Aspen Hadley - Suits and Spark Plugs
December 16th: Shanna Hatfield - The Christmas Bargain
December 17th: D. E. Malone - Love, Lies and Mistletoe
December 18th: Melissa McClone - Sweet Yuletide
December 19th: Sarah L. McConkie - The Promise of Miss Spencer
December 20th: Kimberley Montpetit - Mostly Dangerous
December 21st: Kate O'Keeffe - Dating Mr. Darcy
December 22nd: Regina Scott - Always Kiss at Christmas 
December 23rd: Grand Finale


Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a $70 (USD) Amazon eGift Card

Open to US and internationally to those who can receive the gift card through one of Amazon's branches
Ends December 27, 2020


Grab Our Button!