Book Spotlight: Her Temporary Cowboy by Tanya Agler

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Her Temporary Cowboy by Tanya Agler, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Her Temporary Cowboy
Series: Rodeo Stars of Violet Ridge #3
Author: Tanya Agler
Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming
Release Date: March 26, 2024
Genre: Clean Romance

He’s never known love… 

Until a chance encounter 

Rodeo cowboy Lucky Harper is only making a short stop in idyllic Violet Ridge. So how did he go from being an outsider to pretty rancher Elizabeth Irwin’s wedding date—and her fake fiancé—in one night? For the first time, this lone cowboy is suddenly part of a real family. But even he’s not lucky enough to find family and love by accident…or is he?  

From Harlequin Heartwarming: Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

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More Books in This Series

 

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About the Author

If he were fortunate enough to be part of her family, one that incorporated its staff into its ranks, he’d lap up every minute with them rather than spending it in the stable. “Aren’t you happy about the wedding?”

Elizabeth had already started toward the horses. She stopped and turned toward him, a scowl on her very attractive face. “Of course I am. Evie makes Dad happy. It’s just that I’m more comfortable wearing these clothes.” She plucked at her jeans and plaid shirt layered over a tank top. “And I’d rather not twist my ankle in the strappy high heels I have to wear in the meadow. I’ve been told to leave my favorite red cowboy hat in the tack room, too.”

She tipped her red hat over her long auburn hair, which was tied back in a ponytail. The dark red highlights were more like the sky at sunrise than the deep orange and pink hues of the setting sun off in the distance. Her fresh heart-shaped face, with its wide apple cheeks and green eyes, had a timeless appeal.

So she was pretty. She was also practically in charge of this ranch and way out of his league.

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About the Author

Tanya Agler fell in love with romance novels when her grandmother brought one home from work. After years of reading happily ever afters, she decided to write a sweet contemporary romance with the support of her wonderful husband, four children, and her lovable dogs (Linus the Beagle and Corky the Yorkie). A graduate of the University of Georgia, she loves Cary Grant movies, walking, reading, and all things chocolate.

Connect with Tanya by visiting tanyaagler.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a $20 Amazon gift card and a signed, print copy of Caught by the Cowgirl!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 25, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 1, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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Book Spotlight: The Rancher's Secret Crush by Cari Lynn Webb

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Rancher's Secret Crush by Cari Lynn Webb, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Rancher's Secret Crush
Series: Three Springs Texas #6
Author: Cari Lynn Webb
Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming
Release Date: March 26, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Clean)

Everything good…  

Starts with unexpected kindness 

When city girl Elsie Parks comes to Three Springs to care for her nieces while her brother recuperates, she’s in for a surprise—he expects her to run the ranch! Thankfully, Ryan Sloan—the rugged cowboy next door—is happy to help. As they get into a groove working the farm together, their attraction grows like Texas wildflowers. But can this temporary detour become something more? 

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR  

From Harlequin Heartwarming: Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

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More Books in This Series

   

   

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Excerpt

“Is that really what you want?” What if I wanted it to be me? Elsie searched his face.

His chin dipped, quick and certain. Then he released the counter and eased around her without making the slightest contact.

She could’ve reached for him. Stopped him. To what end? To ask him to dance with her only to realize she wanted another and another. But she had her own life—and career—to build in New York.

The one she’d diligently researched and mapped out. The one that would prove she could live outside the pages of her books. Outside her comfort zone. You’re too content watching life being lived around you, Elsie. But I’m ready to go live it. Without her, it turned out. Her ex-husband had never asked Elsie to join him. Never asked what she’d been ready for.

But Elsie was ready now. To create her own success in a big city where she could thrive. Yet a cowboy like Ryan wasn’t meant for city life. He was meant for everything she couldn’t offer. Like open country roads, long sunrise horseback rides and her trust.

Her trust that what she felt between them was something more than a flicker. Something worth risking her heart for. Because she was done handing over her heart only to have it returned broken. Something about her cowboy warned her that he could steal her heart and break it before she even knew it.

Elsie kept her arms at her sides. Then twisted and watched him leave. Best get used to it. After all, she would do her own leaving one day soon enough.

At the back door, he turned around and watched her for a beat. Then one more. Finally, he said, “What I really want is to kiss you, Elsie Marie. But sometimes we just don’t get what we want.”

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About the Author

Cari Lynn Webb lives in South Carolina with her husband, daughters and assorted four-legged family members. She's been blessed to see the power of true love in her grandparent's 70 year marriage and her parent's marriage of over 50 years. She knows love isn't always sweet and perfect, it can be challenging, complicated and risky. But she believes happily-ever-afters are worth fighting for. She loves to connect with readers.

Connect with Cari by visiting carilynnwebb.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will win a $25 Amazon gift card and signed copies of 2 backlist books by Cari Lynn Webb!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 26, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 2, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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Book Spotlight: A Storm of Doubts by JPC Allen

About the Book:

Her dad said nothing could hurt their relationship. But what if he isn’t her dad?

Summer gets off to a rocky start for twenty-year-old Rae Riley when the ex-wife of family friend Jason Carlisle claims their youngest child isn’t his and Rae’s con man uncle Troy returns to Marlin County, Ohio. Rae is already at odds with her father, Sheriff Walter “Mal” Malinowski, over her desire to help people in trouble. When she extends that help to Uncle Troy and Jason’s ex-wife, Ashley, she and Mal clash even more.

Then Ashley disappears, and Jason and his brother Rick are the main suspects. As Rae and her aunt Carrie, a private investigator hired to protect Jason’s kids, work to discover what really happened to Ashley, Rae wrestles with Troy’s insinuations that she may be calling the wrong Malinowski “Dad.”

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Excerpt

"Just stop it!"

The shout made me jerk and get poked by a dead branch of a honeysuckle bush.

Wasn't that a woman's voice? Not a girl's, not my cousin Coral's.

Swiveling on my hips, I sat higher and caught strands of my dark gold hair on the bush. The fox cubs or kits or whatevers I'd been photographing leaped and rolled over each other between muted beams of sunlight, undisturbed.

Two voices, one higher, one lower, slipped through the budding understory shrubs and bushes .

Who would be out in the woods on the morning of Memorial Day between my cousin's farm and my dad's? If we were still on family land. Coral knew exactly where we were, which was why I'd asked her to guide me after she told me about the fox babies. But Coral didn't care much for civilization and nothing at all for ridiculous things like property boundaries.

"Coral?" I called, long, white honeysuckle blossoms brushing my cheeks, their thick Easter-y scent clogging my nose.

When had she left me? I couldn't have been photographing foxes that long. Although she was the guide, she was only twelve, and I was just a day short of twenty. So it was my responsibility to return Coral home in pristine condition.

The voices continued, but too quiet for me to catch any words, their murmur blending with the faint rustle of leaves in the morning breeze.

So Coral might have met someone. But she knew not to talk to strangers.

I collected my camera and the small tripod it sat on and eased myself backward through the thicket.

Did not talking to strangers still apply if you met one in the middle of nowhere in the middle of a county as rural as Marlin County, Ohio?

"Coral?" I ticked up the volume.

"Leave me alone!" The woman's voice again. She sounded desperate, not angry.

"Did you call me, Rae?" Coral seemed to pop out of the morning air. She could move like a ghost in the woods.

"I wondered where you were." I closed my tripod. "Did you hear that yell? It sounds like somebody's in trouble."

Removing her baseball hat with a galloping horse on the front, she wiped copper bangs from her sweaty forehead. "Naw. Just some rich chick and her boyfriend."

My cousin Amber had mentioned that high school kids used an abandoned bridge as a party site.

"Did you talk to them?" I placed the camera inside my padded backpack.

"Nope. I just heard voices and followed them to see what was going on."

The distant hum of conversation continued to glide through the cool morning air.

"You stay here." I tucked the tripod into a pouch on the outside of the backpack. "I'll go see if the girl or the woman needs help."

"She looked more like a woman. But I said she wasn't in trouble."

"I know, but ... well, I'd like to see for myself. I mean, if I were in a lonely spot in the woods with someone upsetting me, I'd want help. Can you lead me to them?"

Coral squinted at me like I was a new species she'd stumbled across. Then she shrugged and headed for a short slope overgrown with young trees and dense stands of pawpaws.

An engine roared to life. As it pulled away, another one turned over.

"Hold on, Coral." I unzipped a pocket of my cargo pants. "It sounds like they—” Looking at the time on my phone, I gasped.

"Coral, can we get back to your farm in twenty minutes?"

"What's the rush?"

I stared at her. "Amber and Dad are marching in the Memorial Day parade. He won't be upset if we miss him, but Amber will be. I promised her I'd take pictures."

Coral rolled her brown eyes. "Oh, yeah, I forgot. But she won't care if I don't come. She can't stand me."

"That's not true." At least, not completely true. The fights Amber and Coral had were more intense than the spats I'd witnessed between my three half-brothers. "Can we get back in time to ride into town with your parents?"

Coral studied a slug on a rotten log, a frown puckering her pretty,freckled face. "I don't think so." Now she looked worried, probably thinking that Uncle Hank and Aunt Jeanine would believe she

deliberately wandered away to miss her older sister's performance with the band.

She raised her head. "We're not far from Walter's place. Do you think he'd drive us?"

My anxiety notched a few degrees higher.

That all depended on what kind of mood we found our great-grandfather in. And Dad and Uncle Hank and Aunt Jeanine would not approve of us going over there without one of them. We never knew

which outlaw relatives might be hanging around Walter's house.

But if there was trouble, Coral and I could escape to the woods. Once Coral was in her natural habitat, chances of anyone keeping up were slim.

"Okay." I hitched the shoulder straps of my backpack higher. "We'll go to Walter's."

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About the Author

JPC Allen started her writing career in second grade with an homage to Scooby Doo and has been tracking down mysteries ever since. Her Christmas mystery “A Rose from the Ashes” was the first Rae Riley mystery and a Selah-finalist at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2020. The first Rae Riley novel, a YA mystery, A Shadow on the Snow, released in 2021. Online, she offers tips and prompts to ignite the creative spark in every kind of writer. She also leads workshops for tweens, teens, and adults, encouraging them to discover the adventure of writing. Coming from a long line of Mountaineers, she's a life-long Buckeye. 

Follow her to her next mystery on her website, newsletter, and at Facebook, Instagram, Bookbub, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Book Spotight: Flicker of Trust by Eleanor Bertin

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Flicker of Trust by Eleanor Bertin, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Flicker of Trust
Series: Burning Bright #2
Author: Eleanor Bertin
Publisher: Leaf & Blade Publishing
Release Date: February 21, 2024
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

When a woman disappears, Ryan’s past is fair game. 

Party animal Ryan Hainstock has made an about-face. He’s now an elder-caring, money-saving, church-going man with bright plans to set himself up farming. Somehow, whether he rates with her or not, those plans always include sweet and smart Lynnie Min and her young daughter. Problem is, Ryan’s past keeps coming back to condemn him. 

Lynnie Min, too young for the title of widow, travels the lonely road of single motherhood in a rural community. Her dreams were crushed by tragedy when terrorists claimed the lives of her husband and one of her daughters. While gratitude should fill her heart for the presence of three-year-old Anya, a longing for something more stirs within her. She can’t help noticing the changes in Ryan, a man she once knew as a high school jock. 

While their affection deepens, greater forces conspire to destroy their growing love. A murder charge, a kidnapping, a child abandoned…Can Ryan and Lynnie overcome danger and distrust to find each other again?  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

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Excerpt

Lynnie Min needed a man to protect her and her little wee girl. Someone clean and with integrity. Ryan desperately wanted to be the one for the job. And yet he knew he couldn’t be. He took a deep breath. Well, if it couldn’t be him, at least he could keep an eye out for her, make sure whoever did approach her was worthy of her. He found a small satisfaction in appointing himself to the role of bodyguard. It meant he could allow himself to still show up where she was, still enjoy her beauty and innocence. But that would be the end of it. He would limit himself to that. He would treat her like she was still a married woman.

As if that ever stopped you before. Have you forgotten Lou?

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About the Author

Inspired by the depths of God’s love and mercy to humanity, Eleanor Bertin writes fiction that ponders the place where life’s perplexities meet faith’s certainties. Before raising and home-educating a family of seven children for thirty years, Eleanor received a college diploma in Communications and worked in agriculture journalism. She is the author of five novels, as well as the memoir, Pall of Silence, about her late son, Paul. She and her husband of 42 years live in central Alberta, Canada and are the grandparents of ten amazing grandchildren.

Connect with Eleanor by visiting eleanorbertinauthor.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 19, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 26, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Epic Book Launch: Secrets of the Wildflowers by Sarah Talbert

About the Book

Book Title: Secrets of the Wildflowers
Author Name: Sarah Talbert
Genre: Christian historical fiction
Release Date: April 30, 2024

In the heart of ancient Ur, where the gods cast shadows and tradition weaves the fabric of life, Secrets of the Wildflowers unfolds the captivating tale of Miu, a spirited young woman determined to bloom amid the constraints of her culture, family, and the ancient deities that hold sway.

When tragedy strikes, and her beloved brother becomes a sacrifice to the gods, Miu embarks on a courageous journey to break free from the shackles of societal expectations and unearth her true purpose. Inspired by the resilient wildflowers that thrive against all odds, Miu is driven to forge her own path and create a name for herself.

As Miu navigates running her own tavern, friendship with an unlikely courier, and supporting an abandoned child, she finds herself crossing paths with Abram, a figure of significance from the Bible. In their encounters, Abram imparts profound wisdom, revealing that, like the wildflowers, Miu is created to be unique. Yet, he guides her to embrace the very boundaries that enable her to flourish.

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Book Excerpt

“Father, it’s time to order more hammers from the blacksmith,” she’d yell. Or, “Father, have we set aside the funds for the new shipment of lapis lazuli?”

And he’d watched her skills closely. She also kept watch over the employees to ensure no one was stealing from Badak, and she knew when to smile at an unhappy customer.

Though most girls Miu’s age were married by now and taking orders from their husbands, Miu lived at home with her father, mother, brother, and sister. She was a master accountant in her father’s jewelry business, a skill her father bragged to all his friends about. And because she didn’t find numbers difficult, it infuriated her that accounting was the reason her stingy father sent her to school in the first place.

Exhaustion and frustration crept in whenever he asked her to do anything. She dreamed of having her own business where she could keep track of the accounting for herself. Could she own a business where the numbers and accounting gave her the control to say who was hired when and what shipments would be sent off where? She had ideas and lots of them.

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All Excerpts

Excerpt One: http://kid-lit.library-lady.blog/epic-book-launch-and-excerpt-secrets-of-the-wildflowers/

Excerpt Two: https://blossomsandblessings.blogspot.com/2024/04/secrets-of-wildflowers-by-sarah-talbert.html

Excerpt Three: https://moments-of-beauty.blogspot.com/2024/03/epic-book-launch-secrets-of-wildflowers.html

Excerpt Four: https://carolkeen.blogspot.com/2024/04/secrets-of-wildflowers-epic-book-launch.html

Excerpt Five: https://storiesbygina.com/2024/04/11/secrets-of-the-wildflowers-epic-book-launch-with-celebrate-lit-publicity/

Excerpt Six: https://www.artistwriterandstudentohmy.com/posts/secrets-of-the-wildflowers-epic-book-launch/

Excerpt Seven: https://coverloverbookreview.blogspot.com/2024/03/secrets-of-wildflowers.html

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About the Author

Sarah Talbert is an enthusiastic storyteller who loves to explore the complexities of faith. She uses her creative writing to inspire others in their own spiritual journey.

Sarah has a deep passion for making God famous. By using her gifts as a Christian Historical Fiction author and blogger, Sarah shares powerful stories that honor the beauty of humanity while pointing readers toward a deeper relationship with Jesus.

Sarah loves fostering community through discipleship, hospitality, and practical evangelism. She also runs her own copywriting business, focusing on giving other businesses opportunities for their voice to be heard.

Book Spotlight: This Ain’t No Promised Land by Tina Shelton

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for This Ain’t No Promised Land by Tina Shelton, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: This Ain’t No Promised Land
Author: Tina Shelton
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: March 19, 2024
Genre: Christian General Fiction

"With stellar storytelling skills, Tina Shelton reminds us that while love isn't always enough to erase the hurts, it's the only way to survive them. A powerful read!" 

--Julie Cantrell, New York Times & USA Today best-selling author of Perennials 

When her husband dies, Charlotte can't face the things she's done that could tear her family apart. So she drops a goodbye letter in the cookie jar and flees south to escape everything--her life, her three daughters, the mistakes she's made, and the secrets eating her alive. 

Now Gracey and her sisters are alone on Chicago's South Side with nothing but their home and belongings. They're doing everything they can to stay together, but young teens aren't meant to parent themselves. Their close-knit Black community gathers around them to keep them fed and clothed with the utilities on, but that's not enough to fix the damage of abandonment. 

Hundreds of miles away, Charlotte is struggling to keep her own head above water. She's made a close friend who talks to her about God in a way Charlotte's never heard before. But when her demons catch up to her, the shaky peace she tried to build shatters. Even if she's able to find the courage to embrace motherhood again, will it be enough to save the family she left behind?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

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Excerpt

Sometimes the way Mom looked at us let us know she loved us, but her real thoughts were trapped inside her body and, in order to know what was really going on, we had to read, pick apart, and divvy up whatever her soul offered. We had to listen to her breathe, like the way she sighed deep at night with a sliver of a high-pitched hum. That let us know she was tired of trying to figure out whatever it was she was forever trying to figure out, but she was gonna stick with it anyway.

We had to watch her eyes, the way they lit up when she saw us walk through the door after school. We had to soak in the way she traced our hairline with her fingers when we were waking out of sleep; the touch of her thumb to our cool cheeks when we were crying. We had to watch which piece of baked chicken she’d give us at dinner and compare the sizes of our cake for dessert. We watched for her reaction to us when we stood next to her on the porch and watched the sun go down. If she smiled, she loved us; if she sighed and looked down the street, we were a nuisance. Having Mom around was like watching the sky in the spring. When she was okay, the sun shined and she made the world a happier place to live in, but when she wasn’t, it was overcast. But even with all that quietness of her soul and our gray days, we knew we were better off with her home than not.

Who knew emptiness could fill every nook in a space with such thick silence?

(pg 10)

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About the Author

Tina Shelton is registrar at Chicago Theological Seminary and a pastor in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church. She is also the mother of two young adults, and loves walking, working out, and traveling with her family. This is her first novel.

Connect with Tina by following her on Instagram @ts_walking

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a signed copy of This Ain't No Promised Land and several book-related goodies, including a friendship bracelet, a mini journal, a pen, and a prayer tin.

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 18, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 25, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Author Interview: Whispers of Wisdom by Marguerite Martin Gray

About the Book

Book: Whispers of Wisdom

Author: Marguerite Martin Gray

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 13, 2024

Nicole wanders the ancient halls of Château Chenonceau, stirring up whispers from the secrets of a queen.

Craving the wisdom of the philosophers of the day, Nicole straddles the line between servant and high society. Will acting as one of higher status bring her closer to her dreams? Perhaps not, but a treasure hunt with the knight in the tower might fulfill her longing for a while.

Pierre would avoid the senseless salons full of manmade wisdom, throwing every pamphlet aside. Yet, he journeys to Chenonceau to glean knowledge from the estate manager. His goal reaches beyond the glittery, false, societal affairs to the fields of wheat, vineyards, and orchards. No fairy tales or treasure hunts for him. Not until his encounters with Nicole invade his practical world.

Whispers and secrets conjure a treasure hunt, involving the heart as well as the mind.

Click here to get your copy!

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About the Author

Marguerite Martin Gray is the author of Hold Me Close, Surround Me, Bring Me Near, Draw Me to Your Side, and Wait for Me– Revolutionary Faith Series Books 1-5, Labor of Love and Promise of Purity, Gardens in Time Series Books 1 and 2, and Room for Love, Suamalie Islands Year One. Besides researching her novels, she enjoys studying history and writing fiction. An avid traveler and reader, she teaches French and Spanish online. She currently lives in North Louisiana with her husband and rescue pets. Her two adult children and two grandsons keep her up to date and young.

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More from Marguerite

My Favorite Place on Earth

Do you have a favorite place other than your home? Ever since I was a preteen of eleven, I have gravitated to my favorite spot. I chose it as the setting for Whispers of Wisdom.

Château de Chenonceau in Chenonceaux, France, sprawls across the River Cher in the Loire Valley.

As a child I faced this elegant petit château with wide eyes and a budding imagination. Iran up the long avenue lined with plane trees toward the columns with huge statues of lions, guarding the courtyard and entrance to the castle.

My sisters and I skipped, jumped, and played in and through the two manicured gardens, catching glimpses of the château mirrored in the river, revealing some of the magical secrets in the water. My young mind conjured up princesses escaping the castle’s confines, wandering the paths among the flowers and shrubs.

The ancient wooden doors opened to a fairy tale world of kings and queens. Tapestries, tiled floors, ornate furniture, flower arrangements, paintings, and stories of past grandeur. My favorite rooms were the kitchens and the gallery over the river with the black and white tiles floors. We skipped and danced from one end to the other. As I left the enchanted château, I promised to return.

Claiming a place as a favorite that is across an ocean, probably was not the best choice, but the château’s imprint remained strong. When I studied in France, I placed Château Chenonceau as a must see. I noticed my imagination and fascination had not dissipated. I’ve returned many times. My adult self enters into the fantasy world with a twirl or two on the checkered floors and a skip and a jump in the gardens.

I hope you catch some of the historical thrill of this little castle in the pages of Whispers of Wisdom.

Happy Reading!

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Author Interview with Marguerite

Q: What was the inspiration behind this novel?

Marguerite: Two words: Château Chenonceau! Ever since I saw this little castle in France when I was eleven years old, I feel in love with the checkerboard ballroom floors and the river and gardens. I ran and played here as a child. As an adult, my imagination keeps the ladies’ chateau alive with characters and historical wonders.


Q: What was the most surprising thing you discovered while researching and writing this novel?

Marguerite: Chateau Chenonceau is also known at the Ladies’ Chateau because 6 dominant, inspirational women owned the castle. Their husbands gave them complete reign over the estate which gave it a beautiful, magical touch through the centuries.


Q: Do any of the novel’s characters hold a special place in your heart?

Marguerite: Nicole, the heroine, is the girl (woman) I would loved to have been in the 1700s. I have been to her cottage several times and wondered at her life. I would have wanted to be near the gardens and had my hands in the dirt. She is a dreamer with a vivid imagination and loves to read and research.


Q: What do you hope readers take away from this novel?

Marguerite: Though man’s wisdom is desirable for a season, it is God’s wisdom that endures.


Q: Where can readers find out more about you and your novel?

Marguerite: Newsletter: https://eepurl.com/gF-3I1
Website/Blog: https://www.margueritemartingray.com
BookBub: https: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marguerite-martin-gray
Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1408197086342364
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14836211.Marguerite_Martin_Gray
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margueritemgray/

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Blog Stops

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 15 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 16

Splashes of Joy, March 17 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, March 17

Texas Book-aholic, March 18

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, March 19 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 20

Beauty in the Binding, March 21 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 22

Blossoms and Blessings, March 23 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, March 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 24

Artistic Nobody, March 25 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, March 26

For the Love of Literature, March 27 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, March 28

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Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Marguerite is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 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.

Link for giveaway: https://promosimple.com/ps/2a7ab/whispers-of-wisdom-celebration-tour-giveaway

Book Review: Mom Enough by Rachel Marie Martin

About the Book:

Author, influencer, and founder of the popular social media community FindingJoy, Rachel Martin offers encouragement for moms by sharing her own personal journey through heartache, self-doubt, and the challenges of motherhood. With over forty letters of encouragement, from one mom to another, she tells mothers they're "mom enough."

Through this gorgeous gift book of heartfelt letters, beautiful photography, and viral quotes, Rachel offers hope and encouragement to moms feeling overwhelmed by life's twists and turns. Her vulnerable and authentic voice will inspire mothers to embrace their imperfections and find joy at each stage of motherhood.

With each letter, Rachel encourages readers to reflect on the things that truly matter, connect with their inner strength and resilience, and believe in their ability to overcome the daily obstacles that mothers face. Rachel's words help moms from all walks of life embrace the beauty and power within and to remind them they are never alone on this journey. She writes vulnerable letters to moms titled:

• Dear mom, you are enough
• Dear mom, who worries if she is a good mom
• Dear mom, who needs to let go of mom guilt
• Dear mom, with littles

Mom Enough is a love letter to every mom that serves as a reminder that being a mother is enough, that their struggles are valid, and their dreams are worth fighting for. So moms, take a deep breath and let Rachel's words be a warm conversation of support from one mother to another.

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My Thoughts:

Mom Enough: Inspiring Letters for the Wonderfully Exhausting but Totally Normal Days of Motherhood by Rachel Marie Martin is the most encouraging book I’ve read on motherhood. Many parenting books have an agenda or parenting style to push, but Mom Enough just offers encouragement to strengthen, affirm, and inspire a mother’s heart without trying to sell a product, religion, or philosophy. I so appreciated this approach and benefited from the welcoming, no-shame invitations.

I wish I had read Mom Enough when both my children and I were younger, but I’m glad I read it now. The book is appropriate for any mom with kids at home, though certain sections are devoted to different stages of mothering. I read them all and found myself nodding at the tween stage, reminiscing through the young child stage, and approaching the teen stage with curiosity. Rachel Marie Martin’s authenticity and experiences are easy to relate to. Mom Enough is a book I could reread each year and benefit from repeatedly. Recommended for moms who love their children. 

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.

Book Spotlight: The Mercy Seat by Henry O. Arnold

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Mercy Seat by Henry O. Arnold, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Mercy Seat
Series: The Urban Chronicles #1
Author: Henry O. Arnold
Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink
Release Date: March 5, 2024
Genre: Christian Contemporary Fiction

Hells Canyon is a neighborhood in Richland, Tennessee where tourists never venture, and locals fear to tread.

Maxwell Crane, former Marine chaplain and pastor of The Mercy Seat church, struggles to provide a beacon of hope. 

But others have their eyes set on Hells Canyon: power elites, robber barons, and street gangs seek their own gain at the cost of the beleaguered urban neighborhood. For the people who live there, it’s been a fight to exist their whole lives, and that fight is getting harder. 

Maxwell doesn’t have to stay in Hells Canyon. He and his family could leave to live a comfortable middle-class existence. Instead, Maxwell chooses to risk his life—and the lives of those around him—to stand against the oppressors. 

But what happens when this pastor crosses a line, taking justice into his own hands? Will his family, his community, and his God ever forgive him? Will he ever forgive himself?  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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Excerpt

“God forgive me. God forgive me. God forgive me.” How many times would he have to say those words before forgiveness would prove itself true? Maxwell paced. He crawled on all fours and then fell prostrate on his face, weeping, pleading for the glimmer of hope he urgently needed to feel. “I know, I know, I know,” he cried, broken, crushed, and desperate. He hoped beyond hope that the Psalmist’s words were true, that God would not despise the contrite heart.

Sometime in the night, while Maxwell lay still on the floor, he sensed a trembling hand on the back of his neck and felt the electric snap of live flesh touching live flesh. Kenda knelt beside him. He took her hand into his own and held it against his face. This was not a vision. After an anguished night of sweat and tears—he felt as though his body had drained a rain forest leaving him with a desert thirst—the kind touch of his wife’s warm hand was a spark of life against total exhaustion and his wilted power began to revive.

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About the Author

Mr. Arnold's career as an actor/author spans over five decades with multiple stage and film credits. His most recent film is The Hiding Place. He has recorded over one hundred audiobooks and is the author of the multi-volume biblical/historical fiction series entitled The Song of Prophets and Kings. When not writing he can be found hiking on a trail somewhere on the planet. He and his lovely wife Kay have two beautiful daughters, married to two handsome men, with three above-average grandchildren.

Connect with Henry by visiting henryoarnold.com to follow him on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a print copy of The Mercy Seat & $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 11, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 18, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Book Review: Up from Dust by Heather Kaufman

 About the Book:

Martha of Bethany is no stranger to adversity. After her mother’s untimely death, Martha shoulders the responsibility of raising her siblings–quiet and studious Lazarus, and wild and rambunctious Mary. She finds solace in friendship and the beginnings of first love, but just as Martha begins to imagine a new future, hardship strikes again and her dreams crumble into dust.

Ten years later, Martha’s friend pleads for the new teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, to come and heal her husband. When Martha discovers that the carpenter-rabbi is connected to her past, she’s not sure she can trust him with her future. But as he continues to perform miracles, the invitation to believe becomes harder to resist, renewing Martha’s hardened heart, even as she faces an unknown future.

Purchase Link: Amazon

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My Thoughts:

In Up from Dust: Martha’s Story, Heather Kaufman brought to life Martha of Bethany. In years past, the Biblical account of Martha tended to be told with a negative slant (“Be more like Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus instead of Martha who served resentfully”). More recently, church culture has backed off giving this woman such a bad rap, but some stigma regarding the well-known scene remains. In this fictionalized account, Kaufman infused the famous moment with such beautiful love and invitation that I wanted to cheer for Martha and for the positive representation.

Written in first person point-of-view, Up from Dust draws the reader straight into Martha’s mind and heart. From childhood through adulthood, the most intimate details and feelings were shared as the narrative dove deep into her traumas, experiences, and hopes. This intense investment made for an emotionally moving story, and I cried a bit for all the hardship Martha faced. Loss, grief, and brokenness permeated much of her life and family, yet Martha found hope in Jesus, the Christ.

Up from Dust: Martha’s Story by Heather Kaufman held a lot of sadness, but beautiful spiritual truths balanced the pain. Smooth writing and a flowing plot strengthened the book while the love triangle made me cringe slightly. This novel commences Kaufman’s Women of the Way series. Four 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.

Book Spotlight: Allie's Amish Family Miracle by Tracy Fredrychowski

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Allie's Amish Family Miracle by Tracy Fredrychowski, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Allie's Amish Family Miracle 
Series: The Amish Women of Lawrence County #5
Author: Tracy Fredrychowski
Publisher: The Tracer Group, LLC
Release Date: March 5, 2024
Genre: Amish Fiction

Two worlds collide when true love enters an Old Order Amish community. Can this young woman go against tradition and find happiness in forbidden love? 

Allie Mast struggles to fit into her new community. Determined to prove her family wrong, she can't help but notice how her Mennonite background and Reuben's Amish roots are causing tension between their two families. Every family has hurts and deep wounds, but the constant conflict pushes her to a place where she will do anything to get what she wants. 

Reuben Raber has no desire to take over Raber Farms & Produce. When his overbearing mother, Saloma, is set to ruin any hopes of him making a life with Allie, his faith is tested beyond measure, and he experiences a crisis of conviction.  

Can this determined couple find the courage to step out in faith and pursue peace and healing even when persecuted for their unconventional union?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

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More Books In This Series

     

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Excerpt

“Allie, have you seen Mrs. Raber’s wallet?”

There it was again; a daunting look in Saloma’s eyes left Allie on edge as she moved toward the counter. As she moved things around and looked around the floor, she replied, “I haven’t seen it. Are you sure you didn’t leave it at the bank?”

Looking at her mockingly, Saloma said. “I’m not senile! I tell you it was in my purse when I arrived.”

With a sudden urge to defend herself, she exclaimed. “Well, I didn’t touch it.”

Her glaring eyes slid and landed on Allie’s bag, pointing with an accusing finger. “There. Check her bag. I bet she put it in there.”

Allie reached for her bag and held it out. “Check it. I have nothing to hide.”

With a look of apology, her uncle took the canvas tote. “This is ridiculous, Saloma. Allie would never…” His words stopped midair as he retrieved the black leather wallet from the top of Allie’s bag.

“See. I told you it was her. You can bet I’ll not let this pass. I’ll be telling all my friends to shop elsewhere. If your employees can’t be trusted, we have no business shopping here.”

His glance grew sharper, and he quickly averted his scornful eyes and pleaded with Mrs. Raber. “Now, don’t do anything hasty. I’ll take care of this problem immediately; you can be sure of that. I’ll not tolerate such behavior from my employees.”

Abruptly, a wave of nausea encased Allie. It was like she was in a dream. Unable to form words, she could only stand by and watch the woman manipulate her uncle into believing the unspeakable. As Mrs. Raber turned to leave, a dangerous smile tipped her face. At that moment, Allie knew there was little hope she would ever have a future in Willow Springs or with Reuben Raber.

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About the Author

Tracy Fredrychowski is a country girl, author, homesteader and everything simple living. She has a passion for writing about the simpler side of life, much like the life she lived growing up in rural Pennsylvania.

Her life has always been intertwined with the Amish, and it’s only fitting that she has a genuine passion for their simplicity, sense of community and God-centered lives. 

Growing up in Northwest Pennsylvania she spent her childhood immersed deep in Amish Country. The clip-clop of horse and buggy woke her each morning as Amish men drove past her childhood home on their way to work. As a young woman, she was traumatized by an Amish murder that involved a family member and changed her life forever. 

Even though she currently lives in South Carolina her travels take her through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Wisconsin’s Amish Country every year. During those stops, she researches the communities she visits and prides herself on writing Amish fiction that truly represents the Amish culture. She considers herself very fortunate to have made friends in those communities and values the information they share and wants nothing more than to represent their lifestyle as accurately as possible. 

Connect with Tracy by visiting tracyfredrychowski.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will win a $25 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 5, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 12, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!