Book Review: Sleep Deprived by Therese Heckenkamp

Title: Sleep Deprived
Author: Therese Heckenkamp
Publisher: Ivory Tower Press
Release Date: January 25, 2022
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

An odd encounter in a cemetery.  A baby in need.  
Every mom's worst nightmare.

When sleep deprivation skews her judgment, grieving young mother Mae risks everything to save a baby—only to wind up accused of a crime.


Now her freedom, her marriage, and her life are at stake.

She fights to clear her name, but can’t do it alone. Her husband is the only one she can turn to. But with their relationship crumbling, even he may not be on her side.

Will their struggles rekindle their love, or kill it?

If they don’t work together to overcome past wounds and current danger, Mae might finally end up resting in peace. Permanently.

Riveting read-all-night romantic suspense by an award-winning author.  

Sleep Deprived previously appeared in the limited-time novella collection Dangerous Pursuits: 15 Stories From Today's Most Popular Mystery and Suspense Authors.

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JustListen Blog Blitz: Laurel's Dream by Pepper Basham

Laurel's Dream JustListen Blog Blitz 

Welcome to the audiobook Blog Blitz for Laurel's Dream by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Laurel's Dream 
Series: My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge #1 
Author: Pepper Basham 
Narrator: Catherine Gaffney 
Publisher: Woven Words 
Release Date: January 13, 2022 
Genre: Christian, Historical Romance 

Dreams are precious commodities in the Blue Ridge Mountains of 1918, and Laurel McAdams is attempting to make hers come true. But sometimes, life in the mountains has a way of squandering dreams. As she attempts to avoid matrimony, she is secretly saving for her future with the sole purpose of becoming a teacher and bringing consistent education back to her people. 

Having failed his British father again by being unable to fight in the Great War, Jonathan Taylor joins his uncle's missionary endeavors as a teacher in a two-room schoolhouse in Appalachia, but nothing prepares him for the rugged wilderness, narrow-minded natives, and...Laurel McAdams. Her joy and friendship prove a guiding light in the middle of his new responsibilities and tempt his timid heart toward a future he never expected. 

But when Jonathan's teaching methods lead to dangerous outcomes and Laurel's dream is threatened by an unexpected choice, will these two learn how to find hope and maybe even love beyond the heartache? Can Jonathan and Laurel create a new dream from the shattered pieces of the old ones or will bitterness and brokenness keep them apart? 

Laurel's Dream was originally published by Barbour Publishing as My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge: Laurel's Dream in January 2019
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Book Review: The Ruse by Judy Corry

Series: Eden Falls Academy #3
Publisher: Cherry Blossom Romance
Release Date: March 17, 2022
Genre: Contemporary Teen & YA Romance

What's the first rule of getting the lead in the school musical? Don't fall for your bad-boy co-star.

When Elyse Cohen gets the lead in her private school’s winter musical, she thinks it’s a dream come true. That is, until she finds out she’s playing opposite Asher Park—the bad boy rumored to have been involved in the mysterious disappearance of his ex last spring. Soon, what seemed like a dream role has her worried she’ll be the next girl to get close to her enigmatic co-star and go missing.

After getting run out of the only home he had left, the last thing Asher wants is to return to Eden Falls Academy. But since a theater scholarship is his only hope for getting into a good college, he returns halfway through the school year to face the rumors swirling around him. As long as he keeps his head down and continues the ruse he started the year before, he might make it to graduation without too many scars.

He never anticipated Elyse in any of his plans.

But as the pair play love interests on stage and sparks ignite, the less Elyse wants to believe the rumors about Asher. And even though Asher knows letting people close leaves him vulnerable to being burned, he finds himself wanting to tell Elyse all his secrets.

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Blog Tour: Excerpt & Review: The Tsarina's Daughter by Ellen Alpsten

ADULT CONTENT WARNING!!
This book does contain adult themes which some readers might find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised.
Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Tsarina's Daughter by Ellen Alpsten hosted by St. Martin's Press!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title:
The Tsarina's Daughter
Author: Ellen Alpsten
Release Date: March 15, 2022
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Ellen Alpsten's stunning new novel, The Tsarina's Daughter, is the dramatic story of Elizabeth, daughter of Catherine I and Peter the Great, who ruled Russia during an extraordinary life marked by love, danger, passion and scandal.

Born into the House of Romanov to the all-powerful Peter the Great and his wife, Catherine, a former serf, beautiful Tsarevna Elizabeth is the envy of the Russian empire. She is insulated by luxury and spoiled by her father, who dreams for her to marry King Louis XV of France and rule in Versailles. But when a woodland creature gives her a Delphic prophecy, her life is turned upside down. Her volatile father suddenly dies, her only brother has been executed and her mother takes the throne of Russia.

As friends turn to foes in the dangerous atmosphere of the Court, the princess must fear for her freedom and her life. Fate deals her blow after blow, and even loving her becomes a crime that warrants cruel torture and capital punishment: Elizabeth matures from suffering victim to strong and savvy survivor. But only her true love and their burning passion finally help her become who she is. When the Imperial Crown is left to an infant Tsarevich, Elizabeth finds herself in mortal danger and must confront a terrible dilemma--seize the reins of power and harm an innocent child, or find herself following in the footsteps of her murdered brother.

Hidden behind a gorgeous, wildly decadent façade, the Russian Imperial Court is a viper’s den of intrigue and ambition. Only a woman possessed of boundless courage and cunning can prove herself worthy to sit on the throne of Peter the Great.

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Blog Blitz: Battle Prayers by Michael Klassen and Thomas Freiling

Battle Prayers JustRead Blog Blitz 

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Battle Prayers by Michael Klassen and Thomas Freiling, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Battle Prayers Title: Battle Prayers 
Author: Michael Klassen and Thomas Freiling 
PublisherThomas Nelson 
Release Date: Feb 15, 2022 
Genre: Christian, Spiritual Growth, Prayer 

Do the unending obstacles you face make you feel like you’re in a constant spiritual battle? Arm yourself with 100 prayers that will uplift and encourage you during the difficult moments of life. 

It can be difficult to find the right words when you’re praying through hard times. In Battle Prayers, find a classic model to lift your prayers to God, not only for yourself, but others. 

Each prayer is woven together with Scripture, reminding you that the answers to your struggles can be found in God’s Word and by listening to Him. Battle Prayers: 

1. Shows how the power of prayer can lead you to find lasting encouragement 

2. Provides inspiration and theological accuracy 

3. Offers prayers ideal for helping move the mountains that can sometimes stand in between us and God 

Whether a gift or for yourself, this volume of 100 prayers features: 

1. Specific Scriptures and cross-references to other prayers in the book for additional encouragement 

2. First-person prayers addressed directly to God, ideal for reading aloud during morning, evening, or devotional prayer time 

3. A helpful and encouraging Appendix: "The 10 Essential Qualities of an Effective Battle Prayer" 

Prayer doesn’t stop with the “Amen,” and is merely the beginning of deeper, daily, more meaningful communication with our Creator. Find peace in stress, healing for broken relationships, and protection for your loved ones in this essential volume of prayers.
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Blog Blitz: Whatever Happens Next by Jaycee Weaver

Whatever Happens Next JustRead Blog Blitz 

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Whatever Happens Next by Jaycee Weaver, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Whatever Happens Next Title: Whatever Happens Next 
Series: Everyday Love #4 
Author: Jaycee Weaver 
PublisherSandia Sky Press 
Release Date: May 12, 2020 
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance 

Growing up in nowhere Oklahoma gave US Air Force vehicle maintainer TSgt Dyson what his momma calls itchy feet. His wanderlust has kept him from romantic entanglements for years, until the day an over-dramatic, strawberry-scented chatterbox slams into him and turns his world upside down. 

Jenna Davis was a quintessential good girl, deeply rooted in her family and faith until one mistake three years ago changed everything. Unable to admit her failure, she goes through the motions watching everyone else live their dreams. But it’s hard to find her purpose when opening up to anyone—even God—feels impossible. Then she meets Dyson, who personifies the strong, silent type. 

Dyson gets her to open up and begin dreaming again, rebuilding the trust she’s lost in men and especially in herself. But Dyson has something important to tell Jenna, and he knows it’ll be the end of everything they’ve built. After all, how can he ask her to leave everything and everyone behind when he can never stay? 

The Everyday Love Series is a contemporary romance series set in Albuquerque, featuring ordinary people in lifelike stories that inspire, uplift, and share hope. Stories in which a very real God shows Himself in everyday ways to carry His people through any circumstance.
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Book Review: The Courage for Love by Leah Busboom

Series: Potters House Books (Three) #3
Publisher: LBRB Consulting, LLC
Release Date: March 8, 2022
Genre: Second Chance Romance

A devastating medical diagnosis ripped them apart. Can courage and love bring them back together?


Ellie knows heartbreak. Self-inflicted heartbreak. After she received a devastating medical diagnosis, she broke up with the love of her life, packed everything up, and moved to Paradise Springs. She told herself the move was because her brother needed help with his young daughter. But wasn’t she really running away?


Zander never understood the breakup with the love of his life. One day they were on the path to getting engaged, and the next day she was breaking up with him. What caused this abrupt change of heart?


When Zander moves to Paradise Springs, Ellie is finally forced to face her fears. Will they be able to pick back up where they left off, or will the challenges imposed by her medical condition be too much to overcome?


Fans of Christian romance will enjoy this powerful faith-based story about how courage and love can overcome even life’s most challenging obstacles.


The Courage for Love is a blend of humor, romance, faith, and life’s second chances. This heart-warming, clean, second-chance Christian romance is Book 20 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.

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Blog + Review Tour: Where Wild Roses Bloom by Angela K. Couch

Where Wild Roses Bloom JustRead Blog+ Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Where Wild Roses Bloom by Angela K. Couch, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Where Wild Roses Bloom
Title: Where Wild Roses Bloom  
Series: Heart of a Mountie #1  
Author: Angela K. Couch  
Publisher: Smitten Historical Romance  
Release Date: March 15, 2022  
Genre: Historical Romance, Christian  

When Lenora Perry’s dream of becoming an acclaimed singer dies a painful death, she attempts to escape her mistakes by fleeing north—directly into the path of an all-too-dashing Mountie. Though the man in scarlet appears eager to be rid of her, his home provides security, and his sister offers friendship—two things Lenora is desperate for after discovering her pregnancy. With the past dogging her footsteps and her future uncertain, dare she consider new dreams? 

Upholding the law makes up the fabric of Constable Edmond Bryce’s existence. As his five years of service draw to an end, he must decide whether or not to continue in his father’s footsteps—an increasingly difficult decision now that Miss Perry has infiltrated his life. Though she’s the daughter of a parson and a close friend to his sister, Edmond can’t push aside the feeling that Lenora hides more than she tells. But duty calls, leaving little time for matters of the heart. 
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Blog Tour: With Every Step by Natasha D. Frazier

With Every Step JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for With Every Step by Natasha D. Frazier, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

With Every Step
Title: With Every Step 
Series: McCall Family series #2 
Author: Natasha D. Frazier 
Publisher: Encouraging Works 
Release Date: December 20, 2021 
Genre: Christian fiction, contemporary romance 

Born and groomed to be CEO, Darius is ready to run the family business, except Jeffrey McCall has reserved that position for the oldest son. 

Darius McCall’s CEO ambitions have driven his choices since junior high school. He’s worked alongside his father, preparing for the position most of his life. 

When Jeffrey McCall names Andrew, Darius’ older brother, as McCall Resorts’ new CEO instead of him, Darius becomes furious. He’s determined to prove that CEO is his rightful place - and spearheading the construction of their new Houston resort is just the way to do that - except Kennedy Slaughter may be a bigger distraction than he expected. 

Kennedy Slaughter becomes Slaughter Construction Inc.’s President after the sudden death of her twin brother. She now bears the weight of the company’s success on her shoulders. When McCall Resorts hires her company to build their Houston facility, she works to make her brother proud and fights against anything that will hinder the project’s success - including the undeniable attraction between her and Darius McCall. 

What will it take for Darius and Kennedy to secure the success they desire and balance the growing emotional bond between them? 
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Blog Blitz: What Happened at the Cross by Billy Graham

What Happened at the Cross JustRead Blog Blitz 

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for What Happened at the Cross by Billy Graham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

What Happened at the Cross Title: What Happened at the Cross 
Author: Billy Graham 
Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
Release Date: November 23, 2021 
Genre: Christian, Spiritual Growth, Easter 

The cross of Christ towers over 2,000 years of history. What happened on that hill called Calvary? In this compilation of his life's work, Billy Graham explains what Jesus accomplished on the day of his death, the meaning of his sacrifice, where he is now, the price of victory, and how to live with hope. 

It’s almost impossible to find one of Billy Graham’s sermons that didn’t focus on the incredible events that happened over 2,000 years ago on Mount Calvary, and that’s because he centered his life and ministry around its message. In this special collection of the beloved evangelist's inspiring messages on the cross, discover simple yet profound truths that will change your life. 

This one-of-a-kind message includes: 
• An exclusive foreword from Franklin Graham and afterword by Will Graham 
• More than 40 bonus pages of Scripture references pointing readers to what God's Word says about the cross and salvation 
• The Steps of Peace salvation plan from the Billy Graham Evangelical Association 
• Seven chapters of rich content explaining what happened at the cross; the price of victory; the meaning of the cross; the king's eternity, and how to live life with hope 

Perfect for Christians seeking spiritual encouragement and a better understanding of the Gospel's message, What Happened at the Cross will help you better understand the meaning of the cross and equip you to proclaim the gospel in your Church, your community, and beyond.
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Book Review: After the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport

Happy Release Day!!
Title: After the Romanovs
Author: Helen Rappaport
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: March 8, 2022
Genre: Russian History

From Helen Rappaport, the New York Times bestselling author of The Romanov Sisters comes After the Romanovs, the story of the Russian aristocrats, artists, and intellectuals who sought freedom and refuse in the City of Lights.

Paris has always been a city of cultural excellence, fine wine and food, and the latest fashions. But it has also been a place of refuge for those fleeing persecution, never more so than before and after the Russian Revolution and the fall of the Romanov dynasty. For years, Russian aristocrats had enjoyed all that Belle Époque Paris had to offer, spending lavishly when they visited. It was a place of artistic experimentation, such as Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. But the brutality of the Bolshevik takeover forced Russians of all types to flee their homeland, sometimes leaving with only the clothes on their backs.

Arriving in Paris, former princes could be seen driving taxicabs, while their wives who could sew worked for the fashion houses, their unique Russian style serving as inspiration for designers like Coco Chanel. Talented intellectuals, artists, poets, philosophers, and writers struggled in exile, eking out a living at menial jobs. Some, like Bunin, Chagall and Stravinsky, encountered great success in the same Paris that welcomed Americans like Fitzgerald and Hemingway. Political activists sought to overthrow the Bolshevik regime from afar, while double agents from both sides plotted espionage and assassination. Others became trapped in a cycle of poverty and their all-consuming homesickness for Russia, the homeland they had been forced to abandon.  

This is their story.

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Book Review: Dizzy in Love by Brittany Larsen

Title: Brittany Larsen
Series: Creekville Kisses 
Author: Brittany Larsen
Release Date: February 15, 2022
Genre: Clean Romance

Jayden Hold is totally wrong for me.  But then, when have I ever done anything right?

People call me Dizzy Izzy. Between my elopement, divorce, bankruptcy, and arrest, they may not be wrong. (For the record, the misdemeanor wasn’t my fault. I blame my ADD).

Jayden Holt, aka Your Honor, is more buttoned-up than a middle-aged accountant, but he’s the only one who’s ever seen me as more than a screw-up. He just happens to be my first love, my first heartbreak–and the judge at my first courtroom appearance. Imagine my surprise when sparks fly and the possibility of a new relationship has me spinning.

Until some surprising news has me reconsidering my ex-husband and the marriage we once shared.

Giving my ex a second chance may prove that I can finish at least one thing that I've started, but it also means giving up the guy who sees me as more than just dizzy.

Dizzy in Love is a laugh-out-loud, melt-your-knees, second-chance romance. Read this sweet, but sizzling, romantic comedy today! 

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Book Review: Dr. Kellyann's Bone Broth Diet by Dr. Kellyann Petrucci


Title: Dr. Kellyann's Bone Broth Diet
Author: Kellyann Petrucci
Publisher: Rodale Books
Release Date: December 14, 2021
Genre: Detox & Cleansing Diets

As a naturopathic physician and weight-loss specialist, Dr. Kellyann Petrucci has helped thousands of patients achieve spectacular weight loss and more youthful-looking skin through her bone broth diet.

Packed with fat-burning nutrients, skin-tightening collagen components, and gut-healing and anti-inflammatory properties, bone broth is the key to looking and feeling younger than ever before. In just twenty-one days, you, too, can unlock these miraculous results with Dr. Kellyann’s delicious bone broth recipes and groundbreaking mini-fasting plan.
 
In this updated edition, Dr. Kellyann shares new 80/20 recipes for added post-diet flexibility, maintaining the diet template for 80% of your meals while allowing non-diet foods for the other 20%. Along with new research on the benefits of a low-carb diet and fasting, she also shares her best tips for looking beautiful from the inside out and lifestyle advice for staying healthy and vibrant long after you have finished the diet.
 

You’ll learn the science of why bone broth works and how to lose weight safely and easily—cravings and hunger pains not included. The simple and tasty recipes for beef, turkey, chicken, and fish bone broths are loaded with flavor and nutrients. Unlike other diet plans that involve serious preparation and cooking, the bone broth diet allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying your newfound vibrancy. With easy fitness routines and mindful meditation exercises, Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Diet is your key to a healthier, happier, slimmer, and younger life. 

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