Book Review: First Kiss at Christmas by Lee Tobin McClain

Title: First Kiss at Christmas

Series: The Off Season #5

Author: Lee Tobin McClain

Publisher: HQN

Release Date: October 26, 2021

Genre: Clean Contemporary Romance

At 25 years old, preschool teacher Kayla Harris is embarrassed to admit she's never been kissed.

When Tony DiNunzio and his grieving nephew show up in her classroom, she can't help being drawn to both of them. If only her insecurities-and his guilt over his sister's death-would stop standing in their way. 

As Christmas approaches, can these three come together to form a family... not just for the holidays, but forever? 

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Book Review: Love, Lies and Lemon Pie by D.E. Malone

Series: Blueberry Point Romance: Book 4

Release Date: September 28, 2021

Genre: Clean Contemporary Romance

When Love Gives You Lemons, Make Lemon Pie!

Ambitious pastry chef Mila Warner dreams of winning the Taste of the North Shore Festival bake-off, hoping it will catapult her onto the regional food scene once and for all. Maybe claiming the top prize will be her ticket to earning a livable income without holding down three jobs, including the pleasant but stagnant job of overseeing the kitchen staff at Blueberry Point Lodge. Her only problem is paying that hefty entry fee.

As interim editor of the Lakeshore Weekly, Cam Beckett is sticking around long enough for his publisher to find someone else to fill the role. He has four weeks to plan a special supplement for the local food festival. His first task—interviewing Mila Warner who has charmed the local food scene—and him—with her custom picnics and sought-after pastries.

When a mysterious benefactor steps forward to sponsor Mila, her dream is within reach. But the gift comes with a condition, one Mila isn’t sure she’s willing to meet, especially if the strings are attached to someone’s heart.

Love, Lies and Lemon Pie is a sweet, small-town romance with endearing characters and an oh-so-satisfying happily ever after. You’ll love this addition to the Blueberry Point series. Start reading today!

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Book Review: Amish Christmas Escape by Dana R. Lynn

Title: Amish Christmas Escape

Series: Amish Country Justice #12

Author: Dana R. Lynn

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense

Release Date: November 23, 2021

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Hiding in Amish country may not be enough to save her…

In a killer’s sights after she witnesses her sister’s murder, Christy O’Malley’s only option is to flee to Amish country—and the estranged husband she left behind. But there’s something Sam Burkholder doesn’t know—they have a daughter. With enemies closing in, Sam will do anything to protect Christy and their little girl…but can he forgive the past for a chance to be a family for Christmas? 

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Book Review: Surviving Home by Katerina Canyon

Title: Surviving Home

Author: Katerina Canyon

Publisher: Kelsay Books

Release Date: October 28, 2021

Genre: Poetry

Poetry that speaks of home...

Concisely arresting and challenging the beliefs of family and the fantasies of tradition, the poems in Surviving Home show that home is a place that you endure rather than a place where you are nurtured. With unyielding cadence and unparalleled sadness and warmth, Katerina Canyon contemplates the prejudice and limitations buried in a person’s African American heritage: parents that seem to care for you with one hand and slap you with the other, the secret desires to be released from the daily burdens of life, as well as the surprising ways a child chooses to amuse herself. Finding resilience in the unexpected, this collection tears down the delicate facades of family.

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Hope Amid the Pain by Leslie L. McKee

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Hope Amid the Pain by Leslie L. McKee, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Hope Amid the Pain 

Author: Leslie L. McKee 

Publisher: Ambassador International 

Release Date: October 26, 2021 

Genre: Devotional / Christian / Chronic Illness 

Why me? Is God punishing me? Is my faith not strong enough for God to heal me? How can I achieve my dreams? What’s my purpose? 

If you’re someone living with a chronic illness or chronic pain, these are just a few of the questions you’ve likely asked on more than one occasion. You may feel overlooked or even resentful. You try to stay positive, but some days it’s hard. It’s natural to feel this way and grieve, but it’s still possible to have a hope-filled life. God has a purpose for the pain. 

Christians aren’t immune from pain and illness, but we don’t have to go through it alone. Jesus promised that He would “never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV). 

Millions of women suffering from chronic pain and illness want the reassurance they’re not alone. The devotions in HOPE Amid the Pain are written by a chronic pain warrior with over twenty-five years’ experience and will point the reader to hope and encouragement. It’s possible to Hang On to Positive Expectations (HOPE) even amid the pain.

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Reviewer Tour: A Pictures of Christmas by Bell Renshaw

Welcome to the Reviewer Tour for A Pictures of Christmas by Bell Renshaw, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Picture of Christmas

Author: Bell Renshaw
Release Date: November 2, 2021

Publisher: Pine Mountain Publishing

Genre: Clean Romantic Suspense

Rhett Bradley’s home for the holidays, but it’s not by choice. Faced with a potential backward step at his company in Seattle, he’s forced to take time off, but somehow being back in Winter, Montana isn’t the dead end he was expecting.

Olive Fitzsimons has a secret email friend who’s made her new job at the mayor’s office bearable. Still, putting her true passions aside for the political hubbub in Winter hasn’t been a step in the right direction for her. Sure, she can make her rent payments, but is she happy?

As Rhett and Olive continue to run into each other in the small town amid holiday festivals and sparkling Christmas lights, their once fiery opposition starts to settle into something more. But Olive’s interest in her email friend has grown into a crush and Rhett will be leaving Winter in in the New Year, won’t he?

Join the familiar cast of characters in Winter, Montana as the community joins together in the spirit of Christmas where hearts soften and a kiss between opposites is the perfect holiday miracle.

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Blog Tour: A Promise of Forgiveness by Jo Ann Brown

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Promise of Forgiveness by Jo Ann Brown, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Promise of Forgiveness 

Series: Secrets of Bliss Valley #2 

Author: Jo Ann Brown 

Publisher: Love Inspired 

Release Date: November 30, 2021 

Genre: Christian, Amish, Contemporary Romance 

“Jo Ann Brown’s writing is both powerful and charming. She provides a respite from the cares of the day and gives the invitation to join her for a journey of peace that lingers in the heart.” —Kelly Long, national bestselling author 

Every little secret is a chain to the past… 

For Amish widow Naomi Ropp, moving back to her parents’ Bliss Valley home—with her boisterous twin toddler boys—is a chance to start over and bury the painful secrets of her marriage forever. But her life is turned upside down once again when she learns she’s not the only one hiding things. The parents she believed were always open and honest have been keeping a secret her whole life. And now her only confidant is her father’s new employee—a handsome Amish man who was once her childhood tormentor. 

Samuel King knows more than anyone should about mistakes—and the way he treated Naomi is at the top of his list. But the shock of seeing her pretty face again is quickly overshadowed when they find a slumbering boppli abandoned on his porch. Caring for the sweet newborn together is finally bringing some peace to their troubled pasts. But when a spark leads to growing feelings as they start to look toward the future, Samuel must find a way to convince Naomi to trust the man he's become…and the promise of new love. 

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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Blog & Review Tour + Excerpt: The Cowboy's Amish Haven by Pamela Desmond Wright

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Cowboy's Amish Haven by Pamela Desmond Wright, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Cowboy's Amish Haven
Author: Pamela Desmond Wright
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: August 24, 2021
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance 

Her home and her heart are on the line… 

On the same day Gail Schroder’s faced with losing her Amish family ranch, her old crush Levi Wyse shows up on her doorstep. He doesn’t know that when he left ten years ago he'd taken Gail’s heart with him. Now Levi’s her only hope of keeping a roof over her head. But can this cowboy teach Gail the ropes in time to save her home? 

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Blog Blitz: Their Yuletide Healing by Mindy Obenhaus

 

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Their Yuletide Healing by Mindy Obenhaus, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Their Yuletide Healing 

Series: Bliss, Texas 

Author: Mindy Obenhaus 

Publisher: Love Inspired 

Release Date: November 30, 2021 

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance 

As her plans unravel, can she give her children what they truly need? 

Foster mom Rae Girard’s determined to make her children’s first Christmas with her the best they’ve ever had—and she’s shocked when the town scrooge, attorney Cole Heinsohn, offers to pitch in. Rae’s young charges have melted Cole’s heart, and he wants them to experience the special day he never had. But when disaster strikes, an imperfect holiday might bring them something better: a family…

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Reviewer Tour: The Glass Cottage by Alyssa Schwarz

Welcome to the Reviewer Tour for The Glass Cottage by Alyssa Schwarz, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Glass Cottage

Author: Alyssa Schwarz
Release Date: October 5, 2021

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Could a nineteenth-century diary be the answer to Abigail's prayers?

Iris wanted nothing more than to live her own adventure, just like in her books. On the tails of the Colorado gold rush, certain discovery could upend her world before it's even begun.

Over a hundred years later, Abigail Prescott is brought back to the sleepy mountain town she once called home to help her great Aunt Josie restore the old antiques shop, The Glass Cottage. Looking for peace and God's new direction for her life, the last thing she expected to encounter was a ghost from her past. The boy who got away, her childhood best friend, Benjamin Green.Could this be a chance coincidence, or something greater?

Together, they work to fix up Aunt Josie's shop and inadvertently stumble upon an old and tattered journal. With more questions than answers, Abigail embarks on a journey of self-discovery to trace down the mysterious Iris, but the truth is not always what it seems.

In this tale of friendship, of love lost, and love found, Abigail must decide for herself: Is every story worth saving, and if so, at what cost?

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Blog Tour: Amish Christmas Escape by Dana R. Lynn

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Amish Christmas Escape by Dana R. Lynn, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Amish Christmas Escape
Series: Amish Country Justice #12
Author: Dana R. Lynn
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Release Date: November 23, 2021
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense 

Hiding in Amish country may not be enough to save her… 

In a killer’s sights after she witnesses her sister’s murder, Christy O’Malley’s only option is to flee to Amish country—and the estranged husband she left behind. But there’s something Sam Burkholder doesn’t know—they have a daughter. With enemies closing in, Sam will do anything to protect Christy and their little girl…but can he forgive the past for a chance to be a family for Christmas? 

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.  

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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Book Review: A Reason for Hope by Leah Busboom

Series: Potters House Books (Three) #13

Publisher: LBRB Consulting, LLC

Release Date: November 30, 2021

Genre: Second Chance Romance

Will a vehicle breakdown and a hunky mechanic, plus some inept matchmaking, overcome all the hurdles to a happy ending?

Riley fled to Paradise Springs with her baby daughter for a fresh start, but she’s still skittish and afraid. Of her ex-husband. Of men in general. She’s trying to build a new life, but her old one still haunts her.

Logan owns the local auto body and repair shop. He’s been burned by a woman before, so he’s not anxious to open his heart to another one. But when he rescues the single mom and her sweet baby, his heart senses God has something more in store for him and the little family. The beautiful woman is like a prickly pear, but Logan feels inspired to see beyond her thorny exterior and get to know the real Riley.

When Riley’s past catches up with her, will she flee, or will she remain in Paradise Springs to fight for her relationship with Logan?

A Reason for Hope is a blend of humor, romance, faith, and life’s second chances. This heart-warming, clean, second-chance Christian romance is Book 13 in The Potter’s House Books Series Three. Stories of hope, redemption, and second chances. Read all The Potter’s House Books and be blessed.

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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Reviewer Tour: The Way We Are by Tanya Eavenson

Welcome to the Reviewer Tour for The Way We Are by Tanya Eavenson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Way We Are

Author: Tanya Eavenson
Release Date: October 5, 2021

Publisher: All Roads Publishing

Genre: Clean Romantic Suspense

Undercover ICE agent Madi Reynolds has spent years infiltrating a human-trafficking ring, but when her life is threatened, she is forced to walk away and advised to leave the country. Undeterred, she continues her plan to attend her brother’s Christmas wedding, with her partner assigned as her bodyguard. But after seeing Brice care for her niece, she finds it's more than her life that needs protecting. Is there really any defense for the heart?

War Veteran and ICE agent Brice Johnson has been defending his country and American lives for as long as he can remember. Now, he faces the biggest assignment of his life--protect the woman he loves. He's never been one to run from a fight, but when an old flame butts in expecting a second chance with Madi, and crippling visions of war call out to him, he begins to wonder if surrender is an option after all.

To Gain a Bodyguard - Book Two

Undercover ICE agent, Brice Johnson, fell in love with his partner, but the fight to control his PTSD drove him to leave her and his assignment.

Deep undercover, ICE agent Madi Reynolds’ identity is blown, and she is involved in a hit-and-run meant to kill. Lucky to be alive after her vehicle was forced off the mountain, she finds herself in a wheelchair and facing an unknown future.

Even though the men responsible were tracked down and brought to justice, Brice’s gut tells him Madi is still not safe. Details of the investigation aren’t adding up. In secret, Brice moves to Helen, Georgia, across the street from Madi. But how long can he stay in the shadows when seeing her struggle day in and day out bombards him with memories of their happier days.

Unable to forgive himself for Madi’s accident, Brice vows to protect her, but is it enough? Is he enough?

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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Book Review: A Forever Kiss in Silver Leaf Falls by D.E. Malone

Series: Silver Leaf Falls #5

Publisher: Dawn Malone

Release Date: November 19, 2021

Genre: Clean Romance

He can’t wait to leave. She’s searching for a way to stay.
Neither of them is looking for love.

Down-on-her-luck artist Andi Vandermeer leaves New York City and heads to Silver Leaf Falls. With her young son in tow and a nest egg all but depleted, Andi’s only good fortune so far is the job cleaning the Starlight Motel in exchange for a rent-free room. When the local college downsizes the arts program and her hope of teaching ceramics disappears, catching a break seems as likely as her new boss letting her keep her room.

Reese Evers comes home to oversee his parents’ iconic motel during his father’s health crisis. His plan to stay just long enough to get his dad back on his feet is stymied by the long list of repairs needed to the hotel. He doesn’t count on the charming but mysterious Andi living in Room 7.

A surprise offer across the country might be the break Andi’s looking for, and Reese is counting down the days until he can leave Silver Leaf Falls behind. Can they both discover they are right where they belong?

Return to Silver Leaf Falls, Vermont and enjoy the friendships, love, and happily-ever-afters in this sweet, small town romance.

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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Book Review: Celtic Wanderings by Cindy Thomson

Publisher: Emerald Path Press

Release Date: June 29, 2021

Genre: Christian Devotionals

Inspired by stories of ancient Celtic saints, this devotional will guide you and inspire you along the often winding path of life. Structured to be flexible to fit the natural flow of your day or evening, offering both challenge and wisdom, this devotional makes a great gift for others and for yourself.

Be guided by St. Patrick, St. Brigid, St. Columcille, St. Brendan and more ancient Irish saints and stories. 

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Reviewer Tour: To Stand in the Breach by Danielle Grandinetti

Welcome to the Reviewer Tour for To Stand in the Breach by Danielle Grandinetti, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: To Stand in the Breach

Author: Danielle Grandinetti
Release Date: October 12, 2021

Publisher: Hearth Spot Press

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

She came to America to escape a workhouse prison, but will the cost of freedom be too high a price to pay?

1933, Wisconsin -- Large animal veterinarian Katy Wells takes her patients' welfare personally, so it's no surprise when she stands up to angry farmers planning a milk strike or takes in an injured draft horse to save its life.

But after a visitor from the past discovers her location and reveals a threat, she must choose between her work and her freedom, and whether to trust a man to keep her safe.

Prequel novella to A Strike to the Heart, releasing April 2022 from Heritage Beacon Press/Iron Stream Media

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Book Review: The Librarian of Boone's Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Publisher: WaterBrook & Multnomah

Release Date: September 15, 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction

A traveling librarian ventures into the mining towns of Kentucky on horseback—and learns to trust the One who truly pens her story—in this powerful novel from the best-selling author of A Silken Thread.

During the Great Depression, city-dweller Addie Cowherd dreams of becoming a novelist and offering readers the escape that books had given her during her tragic childhood. When her father loses his job, she is forced to take the only employment she can find—delivering books on horseback to poor coal-mining families in the hills of Kentucky.

But turning a new page will be nearly impossible in Boone's Hollow, where residents are steeped in superstitions and deeply suspicious of outsiders. Even local Emmett Tharp feels the sting of rejection after returning to the tiny mountain hamlet as the first in his family to graduate college. And as the crippled economy leaves many men jobless, he fears his degree won’t be worth much in a place where most men either work the coal mine or run moonshine.

As Addie also struggles to find her place, she’ll unearth the truth about a decades-old rivalry. But when someone sets out to sabotage the town’s library program, will the culprit chase Addie away or straight into the arms of the only person who can help her put a broken community back together? 

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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Blog + Review Tour: Hidden Danger by Jerusha Agen

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Hidden Danger by Jerusha Agen, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Hidden Danger 

Series: Guardians Unleashed #1 

Author: Jerusha Agen 

Publisher: SDG Words 

Release Date: November 8, 2021 

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense 

The greatest threat to this K-9 team is the one they don't see coming. 

Cora Isaksson’s guilt has shadowed her life ever since drugs ensnared her brother and he disappeared. When Bradley suddenly returns, Cora and her narcotics detection K-9 are thrust into a battle against the drug cartel that wants him back. 

DEA Special Agent Kent Thomson has his own personal reasons for bringing justice to the cartel. Cora and her drug-sniffing K-9 will only get in his way. Or are they assets that will enable him to right the wrongs of the past? 

When the cartel targets Cora, she and Kent join forces with her teammates at the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency to end the cartel before it ends her. They’re prepared for danger, but when more lives than their own hang in the balance, can they trust God for the rescue that’s out of their reach? 

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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Book Review: Paris Never Leaves You by Ellen Feldman

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Release Date: June 2, 2020

Genre: Historical WWII Fiction

Living through World War II working in a Paris bookstore with her young daughter, Vivi, and fighting for her life, Charlotte is no victim, she is a survivor. But can she survive the next chapter of her life?

Alternating between wartime Paris and 1950s New York publishing, Ellen Feldman's Paris Never Leaves You is an extraordinary story of resilience, love, and impossible choices, exploring how survival never comes without a cost.

The war is over, but the past is never past. 

❥ Heat Level: Moderate; *Content Warning

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Reviewer Tour: Texas Christmas Revenge by Connie Queen

Welcome to the Reviewer Tour for Texas Christmas Revenge by Connie Queen, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Texas Christmas Revenge

Series: Love Inspired Suspense

Author: Connie Queen
Release Date: October 26, 2021

Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense

An abandoned little boy is the only clue
to a killer's dangerous holiday plot…

Certain a desperate 911 caller is her presumed-dead sister, emergency dispatcher Brandi Callahan follows the cryptic message to a terrified toddler…and an armed assailant. Now Brandi will do anything to protect the boy—even if it means asking her ex-fiancé, Texas Ranger Rhett Kincaid, for help. But can Brandi and Rhett stop this killer before he exacts his terrible Christmas vengeance?

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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Blog + Review Tour: Never Too Late by Susan L. Tuttle

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Never Too Late by Susan L. Tuttle, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Never Too Late
Series: Along Came Love #3
Author: Susan L. Tuttle
Publisher: Iron Stream Media
Release Date: November 2, 2021
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance 

Once, her art brought her fame. This time will it bring her love? 

Widowed homemaker Rachael Stark isn’t quite sure what comes after her only child leaves for college. To fill her suddenly quiet hours and scrawny bank account, she needs a job. But painful memories prevent her from resurrecting her former art career, and motherhood isn't much of a résumé. When her best friend needs help recovering from a gunshot wound that occurred in the line of duty, she is there. Finally, someone to take care of. 

Evan Wayne won't let his injury keep him from being a police officer. His dedication to protect the innocent stems from the guilt he carries over having failed his childhood friend. What he needs now is to recover and get back on the streets. Instead, he's handed a myriad of light-duty tasks by his captain―one of which involves heading up the department's entry into the town's annual mural contest. He's not an artist, but he definitely knows one. And he'll take any excuse to spend more time with her. 

When Rachael agrees to paint for Evan, she never expects to also be drawn into finding answers for the mother of a missing child. As the two friends work side by side on the mural and the case, their feelings move beyond friendship. But with Evan unwilling to leave his dangerous job, and Rachael unwilling to risk another loss of a loved one, their fears may paint over the promise of a beautiful future together.

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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Book Review: The Deep Places by Ross Douthat

Publisher: Convergent Books

Release Date: October 26, 2021

Genre: Biographies

In this vulnerable, insightful memoir, the New York Times columnist tells the story of his five-year struggle with a disease that officially doesn't exist, exploring the limits of modern medicine, the stories that we unexpectedly fall into, and the secrets that only suffering reveals.

“A powerful memoir about our fragile hopes in the face of chronic illness.”—Kate Bowler, bestselling author of Everything Happens for a Reason 
  
In the summer of 2015, Ross Douthat was moving his family, with two young daughters and a pregnant wife, from Washington, D.C., to a sprawling farmhouse in a picturesque Connecticut town when he acquired a mysterious and devastating sickness. It left him sleepless, crippled, wracked with pain--a shell of himself. After months of seeing doctors and descending deeper into a physical inferno, he discovered that he had a disease which according to CDC definitions does not actually exist: the chronic form of Lyme disease, a hotly contested condition that devastates the lives of tens of thousands of people but has no official recognition--and no medically approved cure.

From a rural dream house that now felt like a prison, Douthat's search for help takes him off the map of official medicine, into territory where cranks and conspiracies abound and patients are forced to take control of their own treatment and experiment on themselves. Slowly, against his instincts and assumptions, he realizes that many of the cranks and weirdos are right, that many supposed "hypochondriacs" are victims of an indifferent medical establishment, and that all kinds of unexpected experiences and revelations lurk beneath the surface of normal existence, in the places underneath.

The Deep Places is a story about what happens when you are terribly sick and realize that even the doctors who are willing to treat you can only do so much. Along the way, Douthat describes his struggle back toward health with wit and candor, portraying sickness as the most terrible of gifts. It teaches you to appreciate the grace of ordinary life by taking that life away from you. It reveals the deep strangeness of the world, the possibility that the reasonable people might be wrong, and the necessity of figuring out things for yourself. And it proves, day by dreadful day, that you are stronger than you ever imagined, and that even in the depths there is always hope.

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Blog + Review Tour: Right Here Waiting by Michelle Sass Aleckson presented by Susan May Warren

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Right Here Waiting by Michelle Sass Aleckson presented by Susan May Warren, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Right Here Waiting
Series: Deep Haven Collection #6
Author: Michelle Sass Aleckson presented by Susan May Warren
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Release Date: November 9, 2021
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

She doesn’t belong in his world—but she’s determined to try.

Sled dog musher and outdoor adventurer Nick Dahlquist doesn’t mean to be a loner—he just feels at home in the woods, with his dogs, and online in his vlogging world, where he’s amassed nearly a million viewers. But he’s just a simple guy, with simple goals—care for his dogs, teach people how to survive the cold, and run the Iditarod. Unfortunately, life turns cold when his lead dog is injured, and he’s low on funds. Good thing he has LadyJHawk to chat with. She’s become an online friend he can turn to, and he’s starting to need her more than he’d like to admit. But the last thing he wants is for some random woman to show up on his doorstep… 

Chopper pilot and Texas gal Jae Lynn Washington has been following Nick’s DogQuest videos and Get Lost in the Woods vlogs since she inherited her deceased boyfriend’s military working dog. Three years later, his online friendship has made her wonder if he could be more than a friend. What if she moved to Deep Haven? Would that be considered stalking, even if she got a bonafide job on the Crisis Response Team? 

When Jae shows up in Deep Haven—and on Nick’s doorstep—he’s not at all the man she met online. And when Nick is tapped to train the team, he’s pretty sure petite, summer-loving Jae won’t last a moment in the brutal cold—a fear he pours out to LadyJHawk. As their training takes a personal turn, their chilly start begins to thaw. But what will happen if he discovers that Jae and LadyJHawk are one and the same? 

When a blizzard strikes, and the CRT is called out into the storm, more than just their relationship is at risk… 

Cozy up to this delightful twist on You’ve Got Mail set in the snowy escape of Deep Haven. 

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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Blog + Review Tour: Picture Imperfect by Alyssa Roat & Hope Bolinger

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Picture Imperfect by Alyssa Roat & Hope Bolinger, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Picture Imperfect
Series: Roseville Romances #1
Author: Alyssa Roat & Hope Bolinger
Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink
Release Date: November 5, 2021
Genre: Christian, Contemporary Romance 

Can a struggling career woman and a procrastinating artist save a beloved nonprofit? 

Aspiring novelist Caroline Penn expected a promotion, not a picture book assignment. But when her employer, the non-profit Helping Hope, runs into financial trouble, this book might be the solution. With the company struggling to stay afloat, she and the illustrator will need to collaborate on a strict deadline—no problem for a workaholic like Caroline, right? 

Andy Jackson, a “starving” artist, pays the bills by taking on graphic design gigs, but his perfectionism gets in the way. If only he could focus on a project for once, perhaps he could achieve his dream to make art for children for a living. 

When the two are thrust together to create a book, Caroline can’t seem to write for children, and Andy can’t meet a deadline to save his life. As time ticks down to release day, the two must face their pasts and insecurities. If they can avoid strangling one another for long enough, they may just bring to the table what the other is missing. 

 If not, the fate of their careers—and a beloved nonprofit—hangs in the balance. 

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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Blog Tour Spotlight & Excerpt: First Kiss at Christmas by Lee Tobin McClain

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for First Kiss at Christmas by Lee Tobin McClain, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: First Kiss at Christmas 
Series: The Off Season #5
Author: Lee Tobin McClain
Publisher: HQN
Release Date: October 26, 2021
Genre: Clean Contemporary Romance

At 25 years old, preschool teacher Kayla Harris is embarrassed to admit she's never been kissed. When Tony DiNunzio and his grieving nephew show up in her classroom, she can't help being drawn to both of them. If only her insecurities-and his guilt over his sister's death-would stop standing in their way. 

As Christmas approaches, can these three come together to form a family... not just for the holidays, but forever?

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Book Review: Return to Me by Leah Busboom

Series: Connor Brothers #10

Publisher: LBRB Consulting, LLC

Release Date: September 4, 2021

Genre: Second Chance Romance

When two former sweethearts cross paths again, could it be a second chance for love?

Mary Sue wants to bake and make people happy with her sweet treats. She’s tried love and it didn’t end well. Cooper wants a fresh start where he can leave his painful memories behind.

Mary Sue runs the immensely popular bakery in Connor’s Grove. She is content with her life—that is, until she hears that Cooper’s back in town. He’s the one that got away, but she isn’t sure whether she can endure another round of heartbreak if she lets him back into her life. Plus, a teenager in need just dropped into her life. She’ll focus on the teenager and baking for now. Does the unexpected reappearance of her ex-husband throw a wrench in things?

Cooper returns to Connor’s Grove to get away from painful memories. His hometown has always been a safe refuge. As the new fire chief, he plans to concentrate on building his fire crew and reacquainting himself with the small town. Will running into his ex-girlfriend make him reevaluate what he really wants?

Turns out, Mary Sue lives just down the block from Cooper’s rental house, and they slip back into their old friendship as if the years never passed. When Dylan, the teenager without a family, needs a place to live, Cooper opens his home to him. Both Mary Sue and Dylan help save Cooper from his loneliness.

Is Cooper ready to rekindle a romantic relationship with Mary Sue? Or has time taken an irreversible toll on their feelings?

❥ Heat Level: Mild/Sweet

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