Saturday, September 14, 2019

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: The Rescue by Tanya Eavenson



Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Rescue by Tanya Eavenson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK


Title: The Rescue 
Series: All Roads Lead to Texas #1  
Author: Tanya Eavenson  
Release Date: September 2, 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction

Sometimes the path to freedom is found in an unexpected future.

Upon the death of her mother, Rosalind Standford’s life shatters, the pieces scattering to the wind when she is forced into a betrothal to a cunning banker. But when a telegram arrives announcing the man who captured her heart is on a train to Boston, Rosalind must hide her true feelings before the thin cord of her existence unravels the deadly secrets she keeps.

Cowboy Trent Easton returns to his roots in Boston society to find his childhood friend, the love of his heart. Instead he finds a broken woman engaged to a man close to her father’s age. Though she once rejected him, when Trent learns she’s in danger, he determines to do whatever it takes to keep her safe—even taking her to the altar in the black of night. But will his name and the remote wilds of his Texas ranch be enough to protect her? Or will freedom cost them their lives?

Read my review of The Rescue by Tanya Eavenson.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon 

EXCERPT 


Charlestown, Boston
May 1886

R
osalind Standford’s heart thudded against her ribcage as she lifted her pale green ball gown and stepped into the foyer. Where is he? She stood on tiptoe and scanned the dinner guests, trying to catch a glimpse of Trenton Easton. Disappointment and the worry that had plagued her for the last few days clutched her. Was the gossip true?

Surely Trenton would have told her. Or her own mother, if she knew. Mother was the only person who encouraged Rosalind’s feelings for her childhood best friend, feelings that had recently begun blooming toward something more.

Rosalind’s stomach quivered at the thought. She ran her fingertips along silver threads and embroidered sequins at her waist. She’d picked this satin gown for Trenton, knowing it would accent her gray eyes, a trait he only last week said gave her a dove-like beauty.

Again she swept her gaze over the room, past her mother, her father—her gaze, unfortunately, snagging on that of Mr. Glover Richards, a man almost her father’s age. He walked toward her, the click of his heels on the wooden floor lifting above the hum of scattered conversations and the hammering of her eardrums. She forced a smile and nodded, then turned to step away. His stiff, damp fingers slid around her upper arm, halting her movement.

A chill ran up her spine. “Mr. Richards.” She pulled back.

His dark eyes narrowed, assessing. An amused smile twisted his lips. He bowed. “How are you this evening, Miss Standford?”

She trembled as her name slid past his thin lips with a hissing sound. It was silly, but she couldn’t help herself. The man gave her the cold shivers. She didn’t want to talk to him, let alone suffer his touch, though lately he’d spent so much time with their family he’d become hard to avoid. It was as if he and her father had become dearest friends. Manners demanded she give a polite response, but she couldn’t bring herself to like the man. “Doing well, thank you. And you?”

“I’m grateful for your father’s invitation to Mr. Easton’s home.”

“Being the bank’s vice president has its advantages, does it not?” She folded her gloved hands and squeezed them together, wondering if Mother felt the same unease at Mr. Richards’s constant presence.

“Indeed it does. It’s my hope this new partnership between your father and me will secure more”—the corners of his mouth rose as if he enjoyed a private joke—“pleasant opportunities to come.”

“I see,” she answered, although she didn’t understand his meaning. Father never spoke of business around her or her mother, but whatever the dealings, Mr. Richards seemed happy. “I hope you and my father have a great partnership.”

Trenton descended the stairs, so handsome in his formal wear he took her breath away. He strolled past her, his jaw tense and his blond hair nearly touching his collar. Without looking to the right or left, he headed toward the dining room.

It’s true. Trenton and his family were leaving Boston. The dinner was not a celebration but a final farewell. Tears stung her eyes. How could Trenton have kept this to himself? “If you will excuse me, Mr. Richards.”

“Allow me?” He crooked his arm.

“Thank you, but no. My father is waiting.” She hurried away before Mr. Richards could insist. Another minute with Mr. Richards might cause her to miss speaking to Trenton altogether.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR


 

Tanya Eavenson is an international bestselling and award-winning inspirational romance author. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. You can find her at her website http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/.  

CONNECT WITH TANYA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Book Bub

GIVEAWAY


(1) winner will receive a Woman of Faith bracelet and ebook copy of The Rescue.

The Rescue JustRead giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on these tours for more chances to win. Full tour schedule on this tour shown below. Giveaway begins at midnight September 10, 2019 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 17, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Due to shipping cost, only US mailing addresses valid. 

For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.

 


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

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*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Friday, September 13, 2019

First Line Fridays: The Enlightenment of Bees

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 Enlightenment of Bees by Rachel Linden:

"The day my world crumbles I am dreaming about pie crust."

Have you read this book?

What are you reading this weekend?

Have a great weekend! Happy reading!


About the Book:


Sometimes a shattered dream leads to an amazing journey. 
At twenty-six, apprentice baker Mia West has her entire life planned out: a Craftsman cottage in Seattle, a job baking at The Butter Emporium, and her first love—her boyfriend, Ethan—by her side. But when Ethan declares he “needs some space,” Mia’s carefully planned future crumbles. 
Feeling adrift, Mia joins her vivacious housemate Rosie on a humanitarian trip around the world funded by a reclusive billionaire. Along with a famous grunge rock star, a Rwandan immigrant, and an unsettlingly attractive Hawaiian urban farmer named Kai, Mia and Rosie embark on the adventure of a lifetime.
From the slums of Mumbai to a Hungarian border camp during the refugee crisis, Mia’s heart is challenged and changed in astonishing ways—ways she never could have imagined. As she grapples with how to make a difference in a complicated world, Mia realizes she must choose between the life she thought she wanted and the life unfolding before her.
In a romantic adventure across the globe, The Enlightenment of Bees beautifully explores what it means to find the sweet spot in life where our greatest passions meet the world’s greatest need.

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Book Review: One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn

About the Book:

Revenge has no statute of limitations.

When investigator Gabe Chavez had his cover blown by an aggressive reporter, the silver lining was being able to rejoin the dive team. The downside? Dive team captain Anissa Bell, a woman who both fascinates and frustrates him.


Anissa grew up as a missionary kid on the Micronesian island of Yap and always planned to return after college. But she remained stateside, determined to solve the case that haunts her--the murder of her best friend and the disappearance of a three-year-old child.


When Anissa's fractured past collides with Gabe's investigation into the tragic shooting death of a teenage boy in Lake Porter, they'll have to put aside their complicated history with each other in order to uncover the killer's identity.



My Thoughts:

One Final Breath is the third installment in Lynn H. Blackburn’s Dive Team Investigations series. One Final Breath functions as a stand-alone novel as sufficient backstory is given. However, I think I would have been more connected to Anissa and Gabe if I had read the other books. As it was, neither the mystery nor romance captured my attention until the middle of the story.

One Final Breath’s strength lies in its well-crafted crime/mystery component. The criminal wasn’t easily predictable and I didn’t know the who or why until the story revealed the character and motive. Even once the bad guy was revealed, the suspense built and it was a unique climax. At that point, I was definitely not wanting to put the book down. Getting a peek into the criminal’s mind was a bit creepy.

I recommend One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn to readers of romantic suspense who have followed this series from the beginning and are already interested with these characters.  Three stars.

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

Monday, September 9, 2019

Book Spotlight: The Amish Christmas Matchmaker



Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Amish Christmas Matchmaker by Vannetta Chapman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK


The Amish Christmas Matchmaker by Vannetta Chapman 
Title: The Amish Christmas Matchmaker  
Series: Indiana Amish Brides #4  
Author: Vannetta Chapman  
Publisher: Love Inspired 
Release Date: September 1, 2019  
Genre: Inspirational Amish Fiction

She’ll find him a wife for Christmas…

Which of these Indiana Amish Brides is next?

With her wedding business thriving, Annie Kauffmann could never leave her beloved Amish community.

So when handsome Amish cowboy Levi Lapp tries to convince her father to move the family to Texas, she must put a stop to it.

If Annie finds Levi a wife, he might forget his dream of moving…but can she keep from falling for him herself?



EXCERPT

  
She shook her head so hard that her kapp strings bounced back and forth. She had promised herself she wouldn’t get into an argument with him. That wasn’t her plan.

But she needed for him to see what was at stake.

Suddenly she thought of the brainstorming sessions she’d had with Priscilla, before they’d started Plain & Simple Weddings. Part of their initial challenge had been convincing families that they needed their services, and that in the end, it would be less expensive for them. She was up against the same sort of thing with Levi. He simply didn’t understand that he needed her services, and she wasn’t talking about catering.

Levi Lapp thought he needed a fresh start, but that wasn’t the case at all. When had moving away from your problems ever solved anything?

Levi didn’t need to move; he needed to believe in himself.

He needed to be able to envision his future here—in Goshen, Indiana.

He needed a woman, and she knew several that were available. 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vannetta Chapman  

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She is the author of over twenty novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series, Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series, and Plain and Simple Miracle series. Vannetta is a Carol award winner, a Christy finalist, and she also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She currently writes Christian suspense, Amish romance, and Amish mystery. She was a teacher for 15 years and resides in the Texas hill country.

CONNECT WITH VANNETTA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a copy of The Amish Christmas Matchmaker (print or digital), a quilted Amish mug mat, a woven Amish mug mat, and $10 Amazon gift card!


Be sure to check out each stop on these tours for more chances to win. Full tour schedule on this tour shown below. Giveaway begins at midnight September 9, 2019 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 16, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Due to shipping cost, only US mailing addresses valid. 

For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.

 

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

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*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Book Review: Confident Moms, Confident Daughters by Maria Furlough

About the Book:

What we say to our daughters lasts a moment. What we show our daughters lasts a lifetime.

No matter how much we try to tell our daughters that they are beautiful and lovable as they are, words are not enough. And if we're honest, we don't always set the best example. How can we build up confident girls if we struggle to be confident ourselves?


With deep compassion, Maria Furlough delves into the root causes of our insecurity, offers biblical guidance for seeing ourselves as God sees us, and shows how to model our newfound confidence to our impressionable daughters. Speaking as a daughter, a youth leader, and a mother, Furlough shares her own struggles and triumphs, as well as expert advice from a pediatrician, a nutritionist, a Christian counselor, and more.



My Thoughts:

In Confident Moms, Confident Daughters, author Maria Furlough aims to encourage and equip moms who desire to help their daughters live free from insecurity in an image-obsessed culture.

The author balanced well the ideas of “true beauty” and physical beauty. She emphasized “true beauty” as most important, but validated the feminine desire for physical beauty. She gave practical tips to help a mom feel confident about her physical characteristics. She encourages a woman to focus on what she loves about her body and play to those strengths by purchasing clothes that fit well or trying a new makeup style. In short, use and enjoy what works for you. She is not saying to dress provocatively. Rather, she’s encouraging women to be clothed with “strength and dignity” (a phrase by her daughter on page 138) and that includes dressing in clothes that make one feel strong and confident. Being confident yourself is a crucial step to helping your daughter be confident in her body.

My main takeaways from Confident Moms, Confident Daughters were: 1.) Don’t speak negatively about your body or your daughter’s body. 2.) Don’t vent or dump your issues on your daughter. Talk to the husband, friends, or family, but don’t make your daughter carry your burdens or issues. 3.) Reflective listening. 4.) Honest communication and connection creates an inroad for you to be able to speak truth to your daughter about this crucial issue.

I recommend Confident Moms, Confident Daughters by Maria Furlough to any mom. I will keep this book and reread it in the future. The discussion questions to talk with your daughter about are more appropriate for tween and teen girls. My daughters are much younger and I don’t think they would completely understand or process the questions deeply. Still, the information in the book is valuable as I can start applying the recommended practices when they are young.

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

Friday, September 6, 2019

First Line Fridays: Love and Other Mistakes

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 Love and Other Mistakes by Jessica Kate:

"Natalie Groves eyed the bag of gingerbread M&M's on the other side of the office meeting room and prayed for a divine intervention of Red Sea proportions."

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and you can read my full review here. Have you read this story?

What are you reading this weekend?

Have a great weekend! Happy reading!


About the Book:

Natalie Groves once had big dreams. But soon after her fiancé, Jeremy Walters, inexplicably broke off their engagement and left town, her father was diagnosed with cancer. Now tasked with keeping her family afloat, Natalie’s grand plans have evaporated . . . and God feels very far away.
Fast-forward seven years, and Jeremy is back in Charlottesville with an infant son and years of regrets. When his niece, Lili, lands on his doorstep in need of a place to stay, Jeremy needs help—and fast.
An internship opening finally presents Natalie a chance at her dream job, but she needs a second income to work around it—and the only offer available is Jeremy’s. They could be the solutions to one another’s problems, provided they don’t kill each other in the process. When they join forces, sparks fly. But they both know there’s a thin line between love and hate . . . and that love will turn out to be the best decision—or the biggest mistake—of all. 


First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books