Wonderful Introduction to Karen Witemeyer

Stealing the Preacher
by Karen Witemeyer
Christian Fiction / Historical / Romance
Available June 1, 2013
Bethany House
352 pages

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About the Book
A cowboy who wants to be a preacher. An outlaw’s daughter who wants to change his mind.

On his way to interview for a position at a church in the Piney Woods of Texas, Crockett Archer can’t believe it when he’s forced off the train by an outlaw and presented to the man’s daughter as the preacher she requested for her birthday. He’s determined to escape—which would be much easier if he could stop thinking about Joanna Robbins and her unexpected request.

For months, Joanna had prayed for a minister. A man to breathe life back into the abandoned church at the heart of her community. A man to assist her in fulfilling a promise to her dying mother. But just when it seems her prayers have been answered, it turns out the parson is there against his will and has dreams of his own calling him elsewhere. Is there any way she can convince Crockett he ended up right where he was supposed to be?

With her signature blend of humor, history, and lively western romance, two-time RITA Award finalist and bestselling author Karen Witemeyer delivers a Texas love story sure to steal your heart.

My Thoughts
Somehow, I have missed out on Karen Witemeyer's books ... until now at least! I was excited to read Stealing the Preacher because the plot sounded pretty interesting! I mean a preacher getting kidnapped as a birthday present for an outlaw's daughter?! Definitely intriguing!

Karen Witemeyer is a talented writer. In my opinion, the greatest strength of Stealing the Preacher is the characters. Joanna and Crockett really kept the story going. And it was my desire to know more about them and their story that kept me coming back to the book time and again. Their desire to revitalize the church in order to reach those in the community was a nice addition to the story and struck a chord with me.

Fans of historical fiction are sure to enjoy this wonderful story. I look forward to reading more of Karen Witemeyer's book in the (hopefully near!) future.   [4 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House and LitFuse Publicity in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author
Two-time RITA finalist and winner of the coveted HOLT Medallion and ACFW Carol Award, CBA bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance because she believes that the world needs more happily-ever-afters. She is an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bakes a mean apple cobbler. Karen makes her home in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com.

Karen Witemeyer Online

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5 Stars to Candace Calvert's Latest Medical Drama!

Rescue Team
by Candace Calvert
The Grace Medical series, Book 2
Christian Fiction / Contemporary / Romance
Available May 2013
Tyndale House
384 pages

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About the Book
Tired of running from her past, nurse Kate Callison intends to become Austin Grace Hospital’s permanent ER director and make Texas her home. Despite staff friction, she’s moving ahead. Then unthinkable tragedy wraps the ER in crime tape, bringing swarms of media, legal chaos—and a search-and-rescue hero who seems determined to meddle in her life.

For Wes Tanner, nothing beats finding someone who’s lost; he’s known that helpless terror firsthand. So he’ll expand his team’s lifeline of hope: K9 tracking, swift water rescue, even horse-mounted searches. He’s ready for anything—except Austin Grace’s prickly and dismissive ER director.

As Kate and Wes discover more about each other, new respect becomes something deeper. Kate wonders if her heart might have finally found a home. Then an unsolved missing persons case—and a startling new one—become catalysts that threaten the loss of all she and Wes have found.

My Thoughts
Candace Calvert is one talented lady! I always look forward to reading her latest book, Rescue Team, and somehow they keep getting better and better!

The intensity of working in an emergency room lends itself to a fast-paced book with lots of drama (and trauma!). That in and of itself tends to get me caught up in the story. But with characters like Kate and Wes, I couldn’t help but get hooked early on. Plus, Candace’s experience as a nurse is a huge asset to each of her books. There’s such realism in each encounter with ER patients.

I think the best thing about the characters in this book is that they’re great people … people you want to be friends with. BUT they’ve got plenty of flaws as well. (I hate “perfect” characters!) In this case, Wes and Kate each have issues from their past that are causing them to struggle in their current situations. It makes for a great friendship between them … if not difficult at times. I also loved the family aspect of this book. Wes’s family plays a significant role in his life and it shines throughout the story.

At times reminiscent of a cleaner version of favorite medical dramas like ER and Grey’s Anatomy, Rescue Team is a winner! [5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale House in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author
Candace Calvert is a former ER nurse who believes love, laughter and faith are the best medicines. Her Mercy Hospital and Grace Medical series offer readers a chance to "scrub in" on the exciting world of emergency medicine—along with a soul-soothing prescription for hope. Wife, mother, and very proud grandmother, she makes her home in northern California.

Candace Calvert Online

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Enter to win an Amish Baking Box from Tricia Goyer and RSVP for her 6/12 Facebook Party!

Tricia Goyer is celebrating the release of her lastest novel, The Promise Box (Zondervan), by hosting an Amish Baking Box giveaway and connecting with readers during her June 12th Book Chat Party!

One "promising" winner will receive:

• Apron, hot mitts, and kitchen towels
• Amish baking items (rolling pin, pie plate, etc...)
• Sherry Gore's Simply Delicious Amish Cooking
• The Memory Jar and The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 11th. Winner will be announced at the "The Promise Box" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 12th. Connect with Tricia for an evening of Amish fun - book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Tricia will also share an exclusive look at the next book book in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Promise Box and join Tricia on the evening of June 12th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 12th!

Cover Reveal | Bleeding Heart

I have the privilege today of participating in a cover reveal for Amber Stokes' upcoming release, Bleeding Heart! I've gotten to know Amber through her blog, Seasons of Humility, and am so happy to help her celebrate the next step in her journey to publication!

Lovely cover! Lena Goldfinch did a great job! I'm a sucker for a great dress on the cover and think this is a real winner. The expression on her face is intriguing ... there's definitely more there than meets the eye. The sky is intense and a great blend of colors. And the flowers are the perfect accent. What do you think about the cover?

In conjunction with the cover reveal, Amber’s doing a “blog reveal,” as well! You can find all the latest news about Bleeding Heart, along with book extras, at the Bleeding Heart blog.

About the Book
Five bleeding hearts. One profound journey.

Summer 1886

Sally Clay’s livelihood has been snatched away, but in its place arises an opportunity to escape from her sordid past and an unrelenting, unwanted suitor. Boarding a train with a heartsick rancher and an enigmatic miner, she leaves Virginia City behind and heads to Northern California, waiting for the chance to make right what went wrong three long years before.

But the road to revenge is far from smooth. Sally soon learns that the jagged pieces of a broken heart can far too easily wound the hearts of others – and hers isn’t the only heart that’s broken. Tragedy and fear dog her steps as she flees from the redwood forests to the high desert and back again. Will her bleeding heart ever find a way and a place to heal?

A desperate soiled dove. Three men who come to care for her. One man determined to claim her.

All on a journey that will show them what true love really involves.

Inspirational Historical Romance

About the Author

Amber Stokes has a Bachelor of Science degree in English and a passion for the written word - from blogging to writing poetry, short stories, and novels. After her brief time at college in Oregon, she is now back home among the redwoods of Northern California, living life one day at a time and pursuing her passion via freelance editing and self-publishing her debut novel, Bleeding Heart. You can connect with Amber on her blog, Seasons of Humility.






About the Cover Designer
Lena lives in a scenic small town in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and a very spoiled Black Lab. She writes fiction for young adults, mostly light fantasy with a healthy dose of "sigh-worthy" romance. You can visit her online at her blog.

Amber has also put together a super fun giveaway! 

Be sure to enter through the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

"It's Monday! What Are You Reading?" is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey where we share what we're reading and our goals for the week.

What I Read Last Week ...

Ha! Apparently my thing this week was covers without faces. :) Seriously, though, AWESOME books!!!

What I'm Reading Now ...

What I Hope to Read This Week ...

I'll be finishing up Stealing the Preacher today and then moving on to these three ... a bit of variety!

That's what I'm hoping to read this week. What are you reading?

Thrilling Conclusion to the Deadly Reunions Series

When a Secret Kills
by Lynette Eason
Deadly Reunions series, Book
Christian Fiction / Contemporary / Suspense / Romance
Available May 2013
Revell Books
352 pages

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About the Book
She's come home to put a killer behind bars. But the killer plans to put her six feet under.

Investigative reporter Jillian Carter knows it's time to put the past to rest. She's tired of looking over her shoulder, letting a killer go free. She's no longer the scared kid who changed her name and disappeared. Now, no matter what the cost, Jillian must do what she is trained to do-find the truth and expose it. And the truth is that Senator Frank Hoffman committed murder ten years ago-and Jillian watched it happen.

Didn't she?

Get ready for the spine-tingling, nail-biting conclusion to this explosive series.

My Thoughts
When a Secret Kills is the final book in the Deadly Reunions series ... and what a conclusion it was! As I've come to expect from Lynette Eason, this book was filled with one intense moment after another. I loved how things from the previous two books were brought back into the story so that everything could (finally!) come to a conclusion.

I really felt for Jillian. After reading about her in the previous two books, it was nice to finally get to meet her and learn exactly what transpired ten years prior to cause her to run away. It was a very unique way of telling a story ... through three books ... and I loved it! Plus, the romance was so perfect—resurrecting a ten-year-old relations. I definitely gave a few sighs of contentment as the relationship progressed. :)

This series has turned me into a huge fan of Lynette Eason! Fans of suspense novels are sure to love When A Secret Kills!  [5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Available May 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

About the Author
Lynette Eason is the author of several romantic suspense novels, including Too Close to Home, Don't Look Back, A Killer Among Us, and When the Smoke Clears. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. A homeschooling mother of two, she has a master's degree in education from Converse College. She lives in South Carolina.  

Lynette Eason Online 

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GIVEAWAY From River North to Celebrate Sandie Bricker's New Release!

Whoo hoo! Today is the official release day of If the Shoe Fits by Sandra D. Bricker. The publisher, River North, is graciously giving away a ton of freebies to anyone who purchases a copy of If the Shoe Fits between June 1-8. (See the graphic above for the specifics.)

What exactly will you get? Some GREAT stuff!

- 5 free e-books

- 2 free audio books

- a special epilogue to If the Shoe Fits (which is fantastic!)

That's over $50 of freebies!