Celebrate the release of To Win Her Favor with a Kindle Fire and book giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire HD 6
- A copy of To Win Her Favor
{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Tamera Alexander’s To Win Her Favor Blog Tour and Kindle Giveaway
Can Maggie prove that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the inaugural Peyton Stakes, the richest race ever run in America? Find out in Tamera Alexander's To Win Her Favor. To give her that chance—and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder—Maggie must marry a man she's never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.
Celebrate the release of To Win Her Favor with a Kindle Fire and book giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
Celebrate the release of To Win Her Favor with a Kindle Fire and book giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
To Win Her Favor by Tamera Alexander (Review + Blog Tour)
by Tamera Alexander
Belle Meade Plantation series, Book 2
Christian Fiction / Historical / Romance
Available May 2015
Zondervan
384 pages
About the Book
A gifted rider in a world where ladies never race, Maggie
Linden is determined that her horse will become a champion. But the one
man who could help her has vowed to stay away from thoroughbred racing
forever.
An Irishman far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life
in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him.
He’s come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and begin
farming, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred
racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he’d wagered,
especially when Maggie Linden’s father makes him an offer he shouldn’t
accept yet cannot possibly refuse.
Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top
purse in the inaugural Peyton Stakes, the richest race ever run in
America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that
chance—and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest
bidder—Maggie’s father, aging, yet wily as ever, makes a barter. His
agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail—Maggie must marry a man
she’s never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.
My Thoughts
If there's one name in Southern fiction that you need to know, it's Tamera Alexander. And I can say with certainty that she has wowed this reader again with her latest, To Win Her Favor.
In To Win Her Favor, Tamera brings to life a beautiful story filled with hope and redemption amidst some of the darkest times in the South—those hard years of rebuilding and reconciling a new way of life following the Civil War. She's certainly not afraid to tackle a tough subject and brings the injustice of racism and discrimination to the forefront in this novel. And all the emotions! It's certainly painful to read at times, but it's definitely worth it in the end!
I love that this book features a marriage of convenience—one of my favorite type of relationship, probably because it's so different than what typically occurs today. Cullen is such a wonderful character, and the way he constantly placed Maggie's well-being ahead of his own preferences and desires was a wonderful example of sacrificial love.
I will mention that this book is a bit more "romantic" than some others from this author. I felt that it was handled in a very tasteful way that shows the beauty of a blossoming romance between a married couple (in an arranged marriage). Personally, I didn't think there was too much detail, but I wanted to mention it so you would be aware.
To Win Her Favor was a beautiful story, and one I'm happy to recommend. [4.5 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my fair and honest review.
About the Author
Tamera Alexander is a best-selling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Nashville Tennessee, along with their two adult children who live near by. And don’t forget Jack, their precious–and precocious–silky terrier.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Let's Talk About How It Takes A Village
It takes a village.
Typically people are talking about raising children when they say this. But isn't it true that most things in life "take a village"?
I'm just coming out of an incredibly busy season at work. Our annual conference event was a couple of weeks ago. The weeks prior are typically . . . well . . . crazy. There's just no other way to put it. I end up working early, working late, not sleeping well, dreaming crazy dreams, grabbing a few minutes to see Hubs whenever I can—even if it's just 30 minutes for dinner at Chick-Fil-A. No matter how much try to plan ahead and anticipate what those weeks will bring, there are always random things that crop up. It just can't be helped. It's life!
Then there's the fact that Hubs is also in an incredibly busy season at work (and has been since the fall!), a couple of intense family situations, some major challenges surrounding said big work event, and there are some pretty significant changes coming for me at my work. What is normally a "busy" time has been a bit overwhelming.
I wrote in an email last week: "At times over the past several weeks, it's felt a bit like we were barely hanging on with some big things popping up in the middle of the general busyness of work. We are SO thankful for family and good friends who encourage us and help us out when we need it."
And it hit me as I typed that . . . and over and over again in the days since . . . that it really does take a village—and much grace from the Lord—to help us through difficult times.
It takes . . .
A small group who prays for you and texts you to let you know. A mom who sends encouraging emails. A husband who helps you clean the house at midnight because it's driving you crazy. An aunt, in from out-of-town, who understands that you only have a few hours to hang out. A cousin who texts you to ask how things are going. A best friend with a new baby who grants understanding and forgiveness for not coming by to meet the new baby yet. A friend who brings your favorite drink by when you're not going to leave work for 15 more hours. Another friend who bakes cupcakes for your whole office as a celebratory treat. A mom who drops a week's worth of lunches by the office and dinner (with vegetables) so you don't have to think about it. A husband who doesn't mind eating out one more time because you didn't make it home in time to get dinner on at a decent time. Family members who volunteer to help with a work project on a Friday night. Friends and family who respond "praying" to an "urgent, please pray" text message.
And all of this in just the last two weeks.
We are not a people meant for a solitary journey. We were made for community. And thankfully, the Lord has blessed us abundantly with a community of people who surround us all the time . . . even those times when it takes a village.
So . . . who's in your village?
And more importantly, whose village are you in?
Grand Finale | Katia's Promise by Catherine Lanigan (Blog Tour + Giveaway)
We're blitzing the GRAND FINALE for:
Katia's Promise
By Catherine Lanigan
Did you miss any of the tour? There's still time to go back and check out each stop...
Launch - More About the Book and the Author
Launch - More About the Book and the Author
1. What is your motivation behind this book? Why did you want to write it?
Katia’s story goes all the way back to the night that I woke up at three in the morning with my dream still in my head about this auburn haired, beautiful woman standing under a street lamp, around midnight, looking up at a single burning bedroom lamp in the mansion across the street. In my “vision” the woman turned to me and stared. She told me that I was to write her story.
Katia’s story goes all the way back to the night that I woke up at three in the morning with my dream still in my head about this auburn haired, beautiful woman standing under a street lamp, around midnight, looking up at a single burning bedroom lamp in the mansion across the street. In my “vision” the woman turned to me and stared. She told me that I was to write her story.
Bookworm Lisa - Excerpt
She thought her heart would hammer a hole right through her chest, but she didn’t dare let him know how much he affected her. She couldn’t decide whether to smile at him, rush to him and hold his hand or ask his forgiveness on the spot. She felt as if she’d turned to stone. She couldn’t think or move.
Deal Sharing Aunt - Setting of the Book
The area is surrounded by farm land, a few vineyards, blueberry farms, apple orchards, Amish farmland and yet is only an hour away from Chicago. Beach weddings are highly popular.
The Written Adventure - Excerpt
He would never forget standing at LaGuardia, waiting excitedly with a bouquet of flowers. But Katia hadn’t walked off the plane. He’d waited for over half an hour. He’d gone to the ticket counter and asked if they were sure all the passengers had disembarked. The woman had assured him that the plane was not only cleared and cleaned, but ready for a new boarding.
Austin’s character is actually taken from a real-life person I knew who has passed away. This man was my English teacher in high school and he encouraged me a great deal. He was a bachelor and once told our class that he’d been in love once and was literally left standing on the altar, alone—the bride abandoned him. He never got over her.
Zerina Blossom's Books - Excerpt
Was he remembering that fateful day when she had left him standing at LaGuardia? She knew he’d waited for her there, but she hadn’t been on the plane. Now she was here, literally on his doorstep, trying to apologize. Her heart was still in her throat, and she found she was just as speechless as he was.
LeahSay's Views - Leading Lady Katia Stanislaus
Once I “saw” Katria in my dream or alpha state muddle, I realized she looked a Lot like Stana Katic, who plays Kate Beckett on “Castle” television show. I know, my character’s name looks like Stana’s name. However, I have always loved the name Katia, and over the years, friends have dubbed me, Katia-along with every other ethnic derivative of Catherine. It’s been five years or more since that dream and Katia’s story is just coming out now.
The Opinionated Woman's Musings - Review
"[T]here were enough twists in the story to make it interesting. . . . The pace was well written and there was enough external conflict that helped the plot develop. I think that “heartwarming” is another way of saying that this was a clean romance."
Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima - Antique Cars
I have always been fascinated with old cars and old coaches when I read about them in books. In Indian Lake (as well as my hometown) is an antique car museum. I wanted my hero, Austin McCreary, to have a long family history with cars. I devised a backstory of Austin’s great grandfather who was a pioneer in the auto industry around WWI.
Christy's Cozy Corners - Review
"I adored this book! It is just so cute and so sweet! I love love love the Harlequin Heartwarming books! . . . This book is definitely one for you clean, sweet romance readers to add to your TBR piles! I know I’ll be adding the others in the series to mine! 5 Stars!"
Getting Your Read On - Review
"This is a clean romance with no content to disclose. (yay!!) I will be keeping this author and the rest of the books in this series in my sights for future reading!"
Wishful Endings - Excerpt
Austin’s lips were soft when they first met hers. His hands cupped her face and slowly his fingers moved up to her temples, then into her mounds of auburn hair. Her arms were around his neck in a split second, and everything she’d felt for him as at sixteen came whirling back to her with as much force as a tornado.Getting Your Read On - Review
Mel's Shelves - Review
"I was in the mood for this kind of book. I love second chances and this one didn't disappoint! Once I picked this up, I just couldn't put it down. This is the fourth book in the Shores of Indian Lake series, and I haven't read the first three. While I'm sure I would have enjoyed reading about some of the couples from the previous books, I didn't feel like I was missing anything so this is great as a stand alone read. After having read it, though, I want to go back and read the other books in this series!"
i blog 4 books - Spotlight/Partial Review
"[T]he beginning is definitely intriguing. I typically enjoy stories where the characters reunite after some time apart, which is the case for the main characters."Katie's Clean Book Collection - Review
"When a startling discover about the past is made, Austin has a hard time dealing with it, but Katia wants to be there for him...if he'll let her. This is an emotionally tender story with powerful characters in an interesting setting and it stands alone, even though it is the fourth book in the series."
Lisa's Research & Reviews - Spotlight
Katia's Promise
(Shores of Indian Lake #4)
by Catherine Lanigan
by Catherine Lanigan
Adult Contemporary Romance
May 1st 2015 by Harlequin Heartwarming
Katia Stanislaus is a top insurance agent in Chicago, but her company is about to fold if she can't pull off a miracle. She convinces her boss to relocate to Indian Lake where she lived as a child and broke the heart of the one man whose account would be enough to save her job and her company. The only problem is that Austin McCreary has been a near recluse since the day Katia left him. Austin won't take her calls and appears set on revenge for the pain Katia has caused him. Just seeing Austin, catapaults Katia back to the time when she was 16 and so very much in love. But it was just a teenage crush, wasn't it?
Other Books in the Series
Links for Love Shadows
(Shores of Indian Lake #1)
Links for Heart's Desire
(Shores of Indian Lake #2)
(Shores of Indian Lake #3)
Catherine Lanigan is the bestselling author of over thirty published titles in both fiction and non-fiction, including the novelizations of Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile, as well as over half a dozen anthologies, including “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living your Dream”, “Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul”, “Chocolate for a Woman’s Heart”, Chocolate for a Woman’s Spirit”. Ms. Lanigan’s novels have been translated into over a dozen languages including German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Chinese, and Japanese. Ms. Lanigan’s novels are also available on audio-cassette, CD and on electronic format. A prolific writer, she is always writing wonderful stories. She has several titles only available in ebook format on Amazon.com Several of her titles have been chosen for The Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Clubs. Her novel, The Christmas Star, won the Gold Medal Award Top Pick from Romantic Times Magazine for December, 2002, and has also won Book of the Year Romance Gold Award from ForeWord Magazine as well as Book of the Year Romance from Reader’s Preference. In March, 2006 Divine Nudges: Tales of Angelic Intervention and the second in Lanigan’s Angel Watch series of books, was published by HCI, the Chicken Soup for the Soul publisher.
Cover Reveal & Tour Giveaway
$100 Amazon Gift Card
3 ebooks of Katia's Promise by Catherine Lanigan
3 ebooks of Katia's Promise by Catherine Lanigan
Monday, May 4, 2015
The Truth About Hope by Kate James (Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway)
On Tour with Prism Book Tours.
The Truth About Hope
by Kate James
Adult Contemporary Romance
May 1st 2015 by Harlequin Heartwarming
Is she the girl her former hometown thinks she is? Or the girl Luke Carter once loved—and maybe still does?
When Hope returns to Canyon Creek, Texas, to honor her
father's last wishes, there's only one person on her mind: her high school sweetheart, Luke. The boy she lied to when she had to leave Canyon Creek as a teen, finding it easier to hide what she really felt than deal with the grief of loss. Her father's fortune could make a big difference to Canyon Creek—but Hope finds that the townspeople have a long memory about his misdeeds. With a plan to make amends on his behalf, Hope learns the truth about herself. And the truth about love.
Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Harlequin - Kobo
Kate married her husband, Ken, in an elegant, ocean-front wedding on a tropical island. When they are not traveling, they split their time between their properties in southern and central Ontario in Canada, with their beloved black Labs, Harley and Logan.
Kate's next novel is the first book in her K-9 Squad Trilogy, and is scheduled for release on October 1, 2015.
My Thoughts
The Truth About Hope is a bit different from many of the other books I've read in the Harlequin Heartwarming series. The focus is less on romance than I expected. However, I still thought the story was good. The story primarily focuses on Hope and her attempts to repair her father's (and her own) reputation in Canyon Creek. I think my favorite element of the book was the fact that the back story was given such a prominent portion of the book (nearly one-third). Often, there really isn't time to properly divulge all of the details that lead up to the present day, so I appreciated that the author was intentional about including all of that.
I will say that I was disappointed that the romance wasn't portrayed more fully. The rest of the story was good, but the relationship between Luke and Hope was sort of put on the back burner. There were times that I thought the relationship was about to move forward, but then Luke (primarily) would react in a way that I just didn't understand. The end felt rushed and a bit forced. Perhaps this aspect of the story could have been either more thoroughly explored or downplayed further.
Overall, this was a pleasant read. Animal lovers, in particular, will enjoy reading about Hope and Noah's efforts to rescue animals. [3 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from the author through Prism Book Tours in exchange for my fair and honest review.
The Truth About Hope is a bit different from many of the other books I've read in the Harlequin Heartwarming series. The focus is less on romance than I expected. However, I still thought the story was good. The story primarily focuses on Hope and her attempts to repair her father's (and her own) reputation in Canyon Creek. I think my favorite element of the book was the fact that the back story was given such a prominent portion of the book (nearly one-third). Often, there really isn't time to properly divulge all of the details that lead up to the present day, so I appreciated that the author was intentional about including all of that.
I will say that I was disappointed that the romance wasn't portrayed more fully. The rest of the story was good, but the relationship between Luke and Hope was sort of put on the back burner. There were times that I thought the relationship was about to move forward, but then Luke (primarily) would react in a way that I just didn't understand. The end felt rushed and a bit forced. Perhaps this aspect of the story could have been either more thoroughly explored or downplayed further.
Overall, this was a pleasant read. Animal lovers, in particular, will enjoy reading about Hope and Noah's efforts to rescue animals. [3 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from the author through Prism Book Tours in exchange for my fair and honest review.
Follow the Tour:
April 24th - Launch
April 26th - Word Wranglers & Write & Rewrite
April 27th - Underneath the Covers
April 28th - Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima
April 29th - Zerina Blossom's Books
April 30th - I Am A Reader
May 1st - Katie's Clean Book Collection & Copyright1985
May 3rd - My Love for Reading Keeps Growing
May 4th - i blog 4 books & Rockin' Book Reviews
May 5th - The Written Adventure & Write from the Heart
May 6th - Deal Sharing Aunt & Bookworm Lisa
May 7th - Getting Your Read On
May 8th - Grand Finale
Tour Giveaway
$30 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
5 Print Copies of The Truth About Hope (US/CAN Only)
1 ebook of The Truth About Hope (INT)
5 Print Copies of The Truth About Hope (US/CAN Only)
1 ebook of The Truth About Hope (INT)
Sunday, May 3, 2015
May Read-A-Thons
It's been ages since I participated in a read-a-thon. I saw posts over the weekend about two that I've done in the past, and since things have calmed down a bit, I thought it might be a good time to jump in. And hopefully catch up on some of the reading that has been set aside over the past month or so. :)
Bout of Books Read-A-Thon 13.0
May 11-17, 2015
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 11th and runs through Sunday, May 17th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 13 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team
My Goals
To read 5 books. This may be a bit over-zealous, but I think it's doable.
My Updates
I'll update my progress on a post (yet to be posted). You can also follow my progress on Goodreads.
My Updates
I'll update my progress on a post (yet to be posted). You can also follow my progress on Goodreads.
Clean Sweet ARC Challenge
May 1-31, 2015
You can read all the details here, but the general idea is to read books that you've received from an author or publisher for this challenge. And I've got plenty of those!
My Goals
I don't even know how to set a goal for this one, so I'm going to just toss out a number and hope it will stick. :) So . . . I'm going to attempt 10 ARCs for this month. (By the way, I initially typed 100 on accident. Definitely won't be reading 100!)
Saturday, May 2, 2015
The Story Behind the Story | Double Cross by DiAnn Mills
I love getting the scoop on what inspired a story. Whether the setting, characters, main story line, a random tidbit buried in the middle. Getting inside the author's mind is fascinating and often gives me a greater appreciation for the story itself—and always for the author's process!
Take a look at the video below to get a glimpse at the "story behind the story" of DiAnn Mills' newest book, Double Cross, which is available now from Tyndale House Publishers.
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