Book Review: Once Upon a Farmhouse by Angie Dicken

NEW RELEASE!!

I am so excited to be sharing my review for the latest release from Angie Dicken, Once Upon a Farmhouse, part of the Harlequin-Love Inspired series!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Once Upon a Farmhouse

Author: Angie Dicken

Publisher: Harlequin-Love Inspired

Release Date: August 23, 2022

Genre: Clean Contemporary Romance

The prodigal granddaughter has returned

And the love from her past is waiting

Helping her grandmother sell the farm and escaping back to Chicago are all Molly Jansen wants out of this trip—not to reunite with her ex. Single father Jack Behrens will always be the man who broke her heart even if he is the current tenant farmer. But turning Jack and his son out—and not catching feelings for them—might prove more difficult than she realized…

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope. 

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Blog Tour + Excerpt: Forgotten Memories by Penny Zeller

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Forgotten Memories by Penny Zeller, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Forgotten Memories 

Series: Wyoming Sunrise #1 

Author: Penny Zeller 

Publisher: Maplebrook Publishing 

Release Date: August 30, 2022 

Genre: Christian Historical Romance 

Some memories are best forgotten… 

The Wyoming Territory is rife with lawlessness and disorder, something Annie Ledbetter and her parents discover when their wagon train is robbed. Seven years later, Annie settles into her lifelong dream as a teacher in the small town of Willow Falls. When she meets handsome rancher Caleb Eliason through a humorous misunderstanding, she is quickly drawn to his kind heart and charming smile. 

Former outlaw Caleb Eliason embraces his chance at a fresh start. Gone are the days of robbing stagecoaches and wagon trains. When he falls in love with the new Willow Falls teacher, he doesn’t realize they’ve met before—under much different circumstances. When his past comes to light, will it put the growing love between them at risk? 

Can forgiveness and redemption heal two broken hearts or will the past keep them from sharing a future?

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Book Review: A Book Called You by Matthew Stephen Brown

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Book Called You

Author: Matthew Stephen Brown

Publisher: Orchard View Publishing

Release Date: October 5, 2021

Genre: Christian Nonfiction

Consider the possibility Enneagram types of well-known figures in the Bible to discover more about yourself and gain specific wisdom about how and why you are uniquely made.

Who am I? Everyone asks that question, no matter their age or status in life. If we’re truly supposed to be real with others, shouldn’t that start by learning how to be real with ourselves?

The Enneagram describes nine basic personality styles which can help us better understand who we are and what drives us.  When God designed you, He did not create you as a number but as a uniquely created individual. Your Enneagram type can give you great insight into the complexities of yourself and others. A Book Called YOU will show you how a biblical view of self-discovery can improve every part of your life, and includes:

• The potential Enneagram type of well-known biblical figures like Peter, David, Abraham, King Saul, and more 
• The character, core motivation, and core weaknesses of each Enneagram type
• Advice on how to best love each personality type 
• How to pray specifically for each Enneagram type

Based on his widely successful teaching series "A Series Called You," pastor Matt Brown offers a groundbreaking, entertaining, and heartfelt guide that highlights biblical truths alongside the Enneagram to help us fully embrace who we are and help us love and relate to the people around us. 

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Book Review: Choosing His Family by Jill Lynn

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Choosing His Family

Series: Colorado Grooms #6

Author: Jill Lynn

Publisher: Love Inspired-Harlequin

Release Date: February 1, 2021

Genre: Clean Contemporary Romance

Three reasons to ask her to stay...

Will offering a helping hand open the door to forever?

Rescuing a single mom and her triplets during a snowstorm lands rancher Finn Brightwood with temporary tenants in his vacation rental. But because of his past, Finn’s reluctant to get too involved in Ivy Darling’s chaotic life. When he starts falling for the three rambunctious little girls—and Ivy—he can’t help but wish this family would stick around for good.

From Harlequin Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness, and hope. 

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Blog + Review Tour: Finding Her Voice by Donna Gartshore

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Finding Her Voice by Donna Gartshore, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Finding Her Voice 

Author: Donna Gartshore 

Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired 

Release Date: August 23, 2022 

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christian

 

Overcoming their differences  

Could be the answer to all their problems 

Bridget Connelly dreams of buying her boss’s veterinary clinic and starting her own business—but so does auditor Sawyer Blume. Despite her trust issues toward men, it’s hard to stay rivals when Sawyer’s traumatized daughter bonds with Bridget’s adorable pup. And when another buyer tries to outbid them both, working together might give them everything they want…including each other. 

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Takeover Tour: Laura's Shadow by Allison Pittman

Welcome to the Takeover Tour for Laura's Shadow by Allison Pittman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Laura's Shadow 

Series: Doors to the Past 

Author: Allison Pittman 

Publisher: Barbour Fiction 

Release Date: August 1, 2022 

Genre: Christian, Dual Timeline Fiction, Romance 

Can Promises Made in Times of Struggle Endure 200 Years?

De Smet, South Dakota—1890

Young women growing up in De Smet live by two rules: don’t go out in a snowstorm and don’t give your heart to Cap Garland. Young Mariah Patterson only managed to obey one. Orphaned and having devoted her youth to scrapping out a life with her brother Charles, Mariah finds herself with no option but to marry the devoted—but dull—Merrill Gowan. Throwing caution to the wind, she seizes an opportunity to lay her feelings at Cap’s feet, even though she knows Cap sees the world through the torch he carries for Laura Ingalls. Mariah is certain her love for Cap will be strong enough to break both bonds, and she’s willing to risk everything to prove it. 

De Smet, South Dakota—1974 

Trixie Gowan is the fourth generation of living Gowan women residing in the sprawling farmhouse on the outskirts of De Smet. Well, former resident. She’s recently acquired her own bachelor girl apartment in Minneapolis, where she works writing ads for a neighborhood paper. She might live and work in the city, but her co-workers still call her Prairie Girl. Thus the inspiration for her comic strip—"Lost Laura"—in which a bespectacled girl in a calico dress tries to make her way in the city. The name is a quiet rebellion having grown up in a household where she’d been forbidden to mention the name, Laura. But when her great-grandmother Mariah’s declining health brings Trixie home for a visit, two things might just keep her there: the bedside manner of Dr. Campbell Carter and the family secret that seems to be spilling from GG’s lips one conversation at a time. 

Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance. 

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Book Review: The Villains Who Snapped My Spine by A.H. Nazzareno

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Villains Who Snapped My Spine

Author: A.H. Nazzareno

Release Date: July 1, 2022

Genre: Memoirs

"Filled with determination, an honest sense of mortality and enviable vitality, A.H. Nazarene and his memoir The Villains Who Snapped My Spine set the benchmark for how to cope with a life-changing diagnosis." - Indies Today

In June 2021, a typical 30-year-old self-proclaimed car and coffee enthusiast's life was suddenly derailed.

The humor-laced and nostalgia-infused debut memoir follows A. H. Nazzareno in his attempt to make sense of a rare diagnosis. Written in a hospital bed and in the immediate weeks following major surgery, courtesy of Dr. Summeroff, an uncertain yet hopeful future emerges from a villain-riddled past.* 

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Reviewer Tour: You Are the Reason by Mary A. Felkins

Welcome to the Reviewer Tour for You Are the Reason by Mary A. Felkins, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: You are the Reason

Series: Heart of Moreland Manor #1

Author: Mary A. Felkins

Release Date: June 24, 2022

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

A reluctant heiress.

A driven contractor.

An abandoned house in want of a family.

CPA Everley Scott knows exactly what she wants. Status quo. But when her inheritance of Moreland, an 1846 manor house, is at risk of being razed, she agrees to fulfill her mother’s final wishes to restore the house to its former glory and hire her contractor of choice.

Historic restoration specialist, Gabe Bellevue, is in need of a big contract to buoy his reputation as New Orleans’ go-to guy. Stunned at his hefty price, Everley is cornered into involving a high-profile production company that offers funding in return for rights to film the project.

Production’s strict schedule pressures Gabe to rush the job, but his refusal could cost him the deal of a lifetime … and his last shot at satisfying unrequited love for Everley—his high school crush.

The discovery of an impassioned plea penned in the 1800’s by a former Moreland heiress might be the key to unlock Everley’s heart and enable her to embrace the historic treasure. Especially when it comes with a highly capable—and increasingly irresistible—contractor.

Will Moreland, once again, enjoy the sound of love and laughter within its walls?

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Book Review: The Music of Love by Leah Busboom

Author: Leah Busboom

Series: Paradise Springs #3

Publisher: LBRB Consulting, LLC

Release Date: August 2, 2022

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Shy and awkward meets handsome and out-of-practice.

Marci Haroldson is a brainy engineer, too shy and awkward to thrust herself into the Paradise Springs small-town dating scene. She’s always dreamed of having a family of her own, but there’s no one who she can see herself building a future with. Until Jared.

Jared Davis hasn’t been in a relationship since he was forced into the role of parent for his siblings when their parents were killed in a car accident. He’d love to get his personal life back on track, but he’s terribly rusty and can’t even remember the last time he went on a date.

When Marci and Jared join the church’s new praise choir, Jared slowly peels away Marci’s awkward layers and finds himself falling for her. But does he want to expand the family he’s already got?

When a meddlesome group of friends provides unneeded relationship advice and Mother Nature nearly ruins their first date, the relationship looks like it’s doomed before it even gets started.

Do these two hearts eventually get on the same page and sing the music of love?

The Music of Love is a blend of humor, romance, faith, and life’s second chances. This heart-warming clean Christian romance is Book 3 in the Paradise Springs series. This book can be read as a standalone.

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Blog Tour + Review: Off the Itinerary Series by M. Liz Boyle

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Off the Itinerary series by M. Liz Boyle, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE SERIES

Title: Avalanche 
Series: Off the Itinerary #1 
Author: M. Liz Boyle 
Publisher: Independently Published 
Release Date: September 26, 2019 
Genre: Christian middle-grade/YA, Adventure

“Avalanche surprised me with its depth…a 5-star read…” -For the Love of Literature 

Five friends. One moonlit summit. An unforgettable journey. 

Excitement hangs in the air as Marlee and her sisters join their friends on a daring hike up a Colorado mountain - in the middle of the night. When Sawyer first proposes the idea of a moonlit summit during the two families’ annual backpacking trip, Marlee is terrified but also hooked. Having grown up taking trips to the mountains, they’ve learned a thing or two about hiking, and Sawyer is confident they'll be back by sunrise. But when disaster strikes, their knowledge, faith, and stamina will be put to the test. Digging out of the cemented snow is the first of many challenges in the coming days, and now Marlee has to trust Sawyer, who, by the way, was the brain behind the dilemma. Will their faith and friendship survive, or will they cave under pressure? 

This engaging journey, told by fifteen-year-old Marlee Stanley, captures a timeless sense of adventure. The five young adults strive to exhibit godly character throughout their escapade, but it will take immense strength to hike out of this mess. 

“I know that if their journey inspired me, it will certainly inspire others…Boyle has brought YA fans an uplifting, adventurous novel.” -A Baker’s Perspective 

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound

Title: Chased 
Series: Off the Itinerary #2 
Author: M. Liz Boyle 
Publisher: Independently Published 
Release Date: June 1, 2020 
Genre: Christian middle-grade/YA, Adventure

“Chased would be a great addition to a k-12 Christian school library. Middle schoolers and up will enjoy it.” - Library Lady’s Kid Lit 

It’s been a year since Marlee, her sisters, and the Miles boys survived an avalanche. Sure, it was a little embarrassing for them when all the neighbors saw them on the news, but they love being outdoors, and what are the odds that another tragedy would strike this adventurous group? Has anyone calculated the statistics of being hit with two natural disasters? It has to be low, so of course the two families planned to backpack again this summer. 

When the teens first meet Thad, a dehydrated hiker on the trail, they give him water and food and help him recover. He seems harmless until he tells them to hike a few extra miles at sunset. Then Lydie finds a hand-drawn map that Thad dropped, and they discover why he is so eager to get away from the Stanley girls and Miles boys. So eager that he starts chasing them. 

Now they have to climb up unforgiving ridges, sneak through the night, and - is that thunder and lightning? To make matters worse, Marlee has a nagging worry that her older sister Ellie is preparing to move away from home. 

What is God’s plan? How will they get away from Thad before it’s too late? 

“…realistic, exciting, and suspenseful…Chased is the perfect sequel to Avalanche. It’s gripping, suspenseful, entertaining, and, best of all, Christian.” -David M., Beta Reader

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository

Title: Ablaze 
Series: Off the Itinerary #3 
Author: M. Liz Boyle 
Publisher: Independently Published 
Release Date: June 1, 2020 
Genre: Christian middle-grade/YA, Adventure

"M. Liz Boyle tackles the topic of showering difficult people with grace and forgiveness, making this a must-read for Christian teens. Adventure seekers who loved Avalanche and Chased will fall head-over-heels for the adventure that heats up in Ablaze!" - Author Allyson Kennedy 

This summer the Stanley sisters and the Miles boys are excited to hike together again, and now they have the unique opportunity to help two of their ranger friends with an outdoor program in the beautiful Montana mountains. 

Marlee has always considered herself a willing follower. Give her a direction and she’s happy to help. Her older sister Ellie is a natural leader, and Marlee is content in her role as assistant. 

Marlee and her sisters have been assigned to help with Ranger Rose’s team, and they are savoring the adventure. But in a heartbeat while the group is divided by a few hundred feet, fire breaks out between Ranger Rose and Marlee's group. In this enthralling finale to the Off the Itinerary series, Marlee must face her fears with courage that only God can provide.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Book Review: Dunked in Trouble by Allison Pearl

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Dunked in Trouble

Series: Love and Danger in St. Claire #2

Author: Allison Pearl

Publisher: Anaiah Press

Release Date: October 1, 2019

Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense

Nicole Appleton's life is finally perfect.  With a sweet shop all her own and a handsome fiancé ready to walk her down the aisle, she couldn't be happier.

At least until she discovers that not only was she orphaned by a criminal legend, but the silent mastermind running the vast network has tracked her down. What could he want from her? And one of his associates may be closer than she thinks. Could he even be the man she’s supposed to marry?

Sheriff’s deputy, Josh Bennet, can’t wait to say ‘I do’ but the stranger stalking his bride-to-be has other plans. Josh has always depended on his strength and intelligence, but he’s failed to see the skeletons buried in his hometown or to keep the women he loves from slipping through his fingers. After all, Josh lost his first wife to illness. Will he lose his fiancée to murder now that she’s pushed him away? What will he have to give up to make her believe he’s the good guy? He wants to be writing his vows not planning an escape, but if they can’t find out the truth, it won’t just be their wedding plans getting cut short. It will be their lives.

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Book Review: Why Didn't You Tell Me? by Carmen Rita Wong

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Why Didn't You Tell Me?

Author: Carmen Rita Wong

Publisher: Crown Publishing

Release Date: July 12, 2022

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

An immigrant mother's long-held secrets upend her daughter's understanding of her family, her identity, and her place in the world in this powerful and dramatic memoir.

“Riveting. . . . [Wong] tells her story in vivid conversational prose that will make readers feel they’re listening to a master storyteller on a long car trip. . . . Hers is a hero’s journey.”—The New York Times Book Review

My mother carried a powerful secret. A secret that shaped my life and the lives of everyone around me in ways she could not have imagined.

Carmen Rita Wong has always craved a sense of belonging: First as a toddler in a warm room full of Black and brown Latina women, like her mother, Lupe, cheering her dancing during her childhood in Harlem. And in Chinatown, where her immigrant father, “Papi” Wong, a hustler, would show her and her older brother off in opulent restaurants decorated in red and gold. Then came the almost exclusively white playgrounds of New Hampshire after her mother married her stepfather, Marty, who seemed to be the ideal of the white American dad.

As Carmen entered this new world with her new family—Lupe and Marty quickly had four more children—her relationship with her mother became fraught with tension, suspicion, and conflict, explained only years later by the secrets her mother had kept for so long.

And when those secrets were revealed, bringing clarity to so much of Carmen’s life, it was too late for answers. When her mother passed away, Carmen wanted to shake her  soul by its shoulders and demand: Why didn’t you tell me?

A former national television host, advice columnist, and professor, Carmen searches to understand who she really is as she discovers her mother’s hidden history, facing the revelations that seep out. Why Didn’t You Tell Me? is a riveting and poignant story of Carmen’s experience of race and culture in America and how they shape who we think we are. 

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Blog Tour: A Search for Redemption by Jo Ann Brown

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Search for Redemption by Jo Ann Brown, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Search for Redemption
Series: Secrets of Bliss Valley #3
Author: Jo Ann Brown
Publisher: Love Inspired Trade 
Release Date: August 23, 2022 
Genre: Amish-inspirational romance

Bestselling author Jo Ann Brown returns to the Amish community of Bliss Valley, where finding a new beginning means facing the past…

After losing both her fiancé and the happy life she anticipated, Amish maedel Grace Coffman is still stitching the pieces of her life back together. But between working in a quilting shop with an unscrupulous Englisch boss and caring for her ill parents, her threads keep unraveling. At first, the arrival of a kind, attractive stranger feels like a coincidence. But the more Grace learns about Joel Beachy and his story, the more their meeting seems like providence… 

 Joel's return to Bliss Valley—and the Plain people—is his last chance to redeem a life filled with missteps. Yet in Grace, Joel finds something he never imagined: trust, courage and even the possibility of hope. When Grace suddenly finds herself the guardian of her nephews, Joel sees an opportunity to keep two wayward boys from repeating his mistakes. But Joel's dark past isn't quite finished with him. And now he must pray that his new life is strong enough to withstand the pending storm of trouble…and secrets.

“Brown is a gifted writer who makes unforgettable characters that invite the reader to join them on their journey.” —Publishers Weekly bestselling author Marie E. Bast

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Reviewer Tour: This I Promise You by Mary A. Felkins

Welcome to the Reviewer Tour for This I Promise You by Mary A. Felkins, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: This I Promise You

Series: Prequel to Heart of Moreland Manor

Author: Mary A. Felkins

Release Date: May 4, 2022

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

What if finding your heart’s desire means entrusting it … just once more … to the one who broke it?

It should not have come as a surprise to school Teacher Adelyn Ormond when she was jilted at the altar,

Promises are meant to be broken.

When her supervisor tasks her with galvanizing support for a local food bank, she directs her energy toward the underprivileged in her community—some of whom are her own students. Problem is, the responsibility requires her to involve celebrity chef, Bryan J. Carlyle, her almost-husband whose participation assures great results.

For all his success, Bryan hasn’t come up with a recipe for how to be restored to his family. Doesn’t help that abandoning Adelyn threatens to spoil his reputation and ruin his career. But when he encounters hungry children scrounging for food behind his restaurant, he agrees to get behind Adelyn’s worthy cause. The collaboration with Adelyn might shed light on the incriminating image he’d discovered minutes before the ceremony—her lip-locked with another man after the rehearsal dinner.

Can Adelyn trust Bryan to make good on his promise—without risking her heart? Will the love that led them to the altar be the key ingredient for reconciliation? Maybe. But his absence on the big day to which he’d committed might be beyond forgiveness.

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Reviewer Tour: Embracing His Past by Christina Miller

Welcome to the Reviewer Tour for Embracing His Past by Christina Miller, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Embracing His Past

Series: Natchez #3

Author: Christina Miller

Release Date: July 26, 2022

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

He came to find his son…
but might discover love along the way.

Stunned to learn he has an adult son, widower Harrison Mitchell’s eager to track him down and build a relationship. But when he uproots his life and moves to Natchez, Mississippi, he’s hit with another surprise: his new boss, Anise Armstrong, is his son’s adoptive mother. Now he must win her trust to prove he deserves to be a father and grandfather…and possibly a husband.

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

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