Book Spotlight: Forever Free by Hope Toler Dougherty

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Forever Free by Hope Toler Dougherty, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Forever Free
Series: Forever #4
Author: Hope Toler Dougherty
Publisher: Scrivenings Press
Release Date: January 29, 2024
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Phoebe Sinclair combines her love of flowers and teaching to nurture a cut flower business on her grandfather’s land. She’s got her hands full growing the farm, growing her customer base, and dealing with her growing attraction to the aloof man who’s volunteered to help make her farming dream come true. 

Can she focus on her main job, or will a pair of yearning eyes and a hurting heart divert her worthy goals? 

Heath Daniels has resigned himself to a life of singleness as he watches his siblings couple up and set wedding dates. Tracking their happiness, however, is more difficult than he expected. A real struggle, in fact. 

Feeling the old troubles creep back to tempt him—troubles from the bad time when he dropped out of college to explore less-than-noble pursuits—propels him to volunteer for manual labor that leaves him exhausted at the end of every day and out of trouble. 

His additional hours of agri-business, however, lead to more struggles with an intriguing farmer. Does he have the strength to resist old temptations as well as a beautiful new one, too?  

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

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More Books In This Series

   

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Excerpt

So, she knew it all. He’d never been this honest with anyone outside his family or therapy. Tremors quaked his body.

Phoebe tightened her grip on his hand. “Thank you for telling me, Heath. I don’t take this lightly, and I’ll keep it confidential.”

Nodding, he let out a pointed breath. His story was out, but safe. Gratefulness released his shoulders, eased his lungs.

“Dayna must have been a cool person for you to be interested in her.”

He stiffened. No more talk about her. He removed his hand from her touch. “Thanks for listening. Let’s get back.” He counted to ten before she released the break and turned the golf cart around. As it coasted to a stop at the shelter, his boot touched the ground for a quick getaway, but she grabbed his arm.

“Don’t you think she’d be upset knowing you feel this guilt about her? Don’t you think she’d wish you a happy life, free of panic attacks?”

Hot and cold pin pricks played havoc through his body. Fisting his hands, he flattened his mouth and spoke quietly, careful to mask the anger screaming for freedom. “Don’t think by knowing my story you have the right to share your thoughts. Or give advice.”

He pushed away from the cart, searching for something, anything to help him release the roiling emotions and the longing for a different way to assuage them.

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About the Author

Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her early novels are Irish Encounter, Mars…With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts. Her Forever series includes her latest, Forever Free, Forever Music, Forever Home, and the novella, "A Hatteras Surprise."

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

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win print copies of all 4 books in the Forever series, a $25 Amazon card, and a bookmark!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 4, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 11, 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!

Author Interview: Forever Home by Hope Toler Dougherty

About the Book

Book: Forever Home

Author: Hope Toler Dougherty

Genre: Sweet Romance/Christian Fiction

Release Date: August 16, 2022

With a fulfilling job and a home of her own, former foster child, Merritt Hastings, relishes her stable, respectable life. Dreaming for more is a sure way for heartache. When a contested will turns her world upside down, she must reevaluate what’s important to her, what’s worth fighting for, and what’s worth sacrificing.

Patience has never been Sam Daniels’ strong suit with his history of acting quickly and asking questions later, and he’s ready for changes in his life…now. Too bad the plans for acquiring a radio station didn’t include a contract. Now he’s out of a job, out of a radio station, and out of prospects.

While his life is in flux, at least he can help Merritt steady hers, or will he rush in and overstep …again?

Will the sparks flying between these two opposites lead to a happily-ever-after or heartbreak for both?

Click here to get your copy!

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About the Author

Hope Toler Dougherty holds a master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her novels include Irish Encounter, Mars…With Venus Rising, Rescued Hearts, Forever Music, and Forever Home. Her recent novella, “A Hatteras Surprise,” appears in Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams and is also available as a standalone novel. She and her husband delight in visits with their two daughters and twin sons.

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Interview with Hope

Q: What surprised you while researching and writing this novel?

Hope: When I interviewed radio people for this novel, I was surprised to learn that overnight radio programs are usually recorded and played later. Using these programs is cheaper than paying employees to work the nighttime shift. I had to rewrite two scenes when I discovered this sad fact.


Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this novel?

Hope: Here are two lines I enjoy in the novel: In response to an offer of club soda, Sam says, “I’m not a fan of bubbly water.” Merritt says, “But it’s like a party in a glass.”

When Merritt tells Sam her teenage male student needs to see a regular man, not someone on TV enjoying the piano, Sam says, “Just so you know, I’m no regular man.” Sam is one of my favorite characters, and I love when he shows up in a scene.


Q: In what setting do you enjoy writing the most?

Hope: The best place for me to write is at my house. I can throw in a load of laundry if I need to and not have to pack up laptop when I need to visit the ladies’ room. I love watching people, but I’m too nosy to write at coffee shops or other public places. I need quiet so that I can hear my characters!

Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers wouldn’t know?

Hope: When I was single, I took flying lessons. I never earned my pilot’s license, but I soloed a Cessna 150 several times. I lived to tell about it and didn’t wreck the plane either! People may also be surprised to know that I’m an introvert who enjoys public speaking.


Q: What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

Hope: I like to laugh out loud, listen to live music, cook, read, travel, play euchre and board games with my family, play the piano, and crochet…not all at the same time, but I have been known to crochet at high school ball games and town hall meetings. I like to multitask when I can.

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More from Hope

When I introduced the Daniels family in Forever Music, the first story in the Forever Series, I wrote about Josie, the little sister. I wanted to write about her brother Sam next, but after about eight chapters, the words stopped flowing and then the pandemic struck. Instead of writing during lockdown, I cleaned out closets, crocheted mask bands, and perfected a killer sourdough loaf.

I wanted to write. I tried to write. I loved Sam and wanted to discover his story, but…nothing.

When my publisher offered a slot in a novella collection, I pushed Sam to the back of my mind and wrote about his older brother, Ben. Ben’s story is set on the beautiful Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Check out his romance in A Hatteras Surprise.

Sharing Ben’s courtship with Ginny Stowe freed me to get back to Sam and Merritt in Forever Home. Their story highlights foster care, music, friendship, and radio stations.

Impatient Sam usually acts first and thinks second. His happy-go-lucky personality chafes Merritt’s stick-with-a-plan attitude. Too bad she needs his help with her livelihood.  They don’t hit it off at first, but both are definitely intrigued with each other.

Readers can find subtle Italian references throughout the story. Here’s a favorite recipe friends might find in Merritt’s kitchen. I hope you like it and the story, too!

Orange Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients:
2 C plain flour                         1 egg white
1 t baking powder                   2 T orange zest
¼ t salt                                    ½-1 C chopped pistachios
1 C sugar                                 1/2 C candied orange bits
2 eggs                                      orange juice, if needed

Directions:
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a mixing bowl. In another bowl, beat eggs and egg white together, then add to flour mixture. Stir in orange zest, nuts, and orange bits. Mix until dough is smooth. If the dough is too dry, add orange juice a tablespoon at a time.

Flour hands and scoop half the dough onto one side of the cookie sheet prepared with cooking spray. Shape the dough into a 15×3-inch log. Repeat with remaining dough. The logs should be several inches apart.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Tops of the logs should be firm.

Remove to wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Cut logs on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick slices. Place the slices, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 15 minutes.

Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. They will harden as they cool. Yields about 48 cookies depending on size

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Blog Stops

Pause for Tales, December 14

For Him and My Family, December 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 15

Inklings and notions, December 16

Texas Book-aholic, December 17

Cover Lover Book Review, December 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 19

Beauty in the Binding, December 20 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, December 20

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 21

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 23

For the Love of Literature, December 24 (Author Interview)

Susan K. Beatty, Author, December 25 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, December 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 27

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Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Hope is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card, one signed copy of Forever Home, and book swag!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/23236/forever-home-celebration-tour-giveaway