Book Review of 'The Best Intentions' by Sarah M. Eden

Hello Bookworms!

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Ours was very laid back, just a nice quiet turkey dinner at home with my husband and my boys, and I loved every moment.

I have to say, I am so excited about the novel that I am reviewing today!  I have been a huge fan of Sarah M. Eden for years, and love that I got the opportunity to read the first book from her newest series.

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Best Intentions by Sarah M. Eden, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Best Intentions 

Series: The Huntresses #1 

Author: Sarah M. Eden 

Publisher: Covenant Communications 

Release Date: November 21, 2022 

Genre: Clean & Wholesome Romance/Historical/Regency

In the eyes of London Society, Gillian Phelps is suitable enough. Though the ton whispers about her change of residence, any speculation remains just that: ballroom gossip. No one—not even the other Huntresses, the group of ladies she calls her dearest friends—knows that she is harboring a devastating family secret. Gillian has become adept at hiding the reality of her circumstances, but the close quarters of a house party will test her ability to conceal the crushing truth. And with so many people to deceive, the late arrival of another guest is a most unwelcome surprise.

Despite his standing as a gentleman of the ton, in truth, Scott Sarvol possesses little more than two debt-riddled estates. When an opportunity arises to survey one of his properties, he travels north, only to find himself an unwitting guest at Artemis Jonquil’s house party. He is warmly welcomed by all—except the aloof Miss Gillian Phelps. But when Scott proves himself unexpectedly helpful in a crisis, his acquaintance with Gillian shifts from wariness to something warmer. As both her charade and her feelings for Scott deepen, Gillian realizes that the truth could spell not only a devastating fall from Society but also a shattered heart.

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Book Review of 'Silence Says the Most' by Kathleen Bailey

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Silence Says the Most

Series: Olivia Penn Mystery #2

Author: Kathleen Bailey

Publisher: Rhino Publishing, Inc.

Release Date: October 25, 2022

Genre: Cozy Mystery

A heartwarming cozy mystery that celebrates the connections of friends and family with a Gilmore Girls vibe.

Five days before Halloween, fall turns frightful in Apple Station when a child’s drawing entangles Olivia in a murder at a park lake.

Olivia’s hometown is gearing up for its annual Halloween festival, and pumpkins, corn mazes, and autumn vibes are everywhere. All is cozy in the crisp fall air as excitement builds for the costume parade on Friday. A casual Monday lakeside picnic lunch with her forever friend, though, sets off a chain of events that catches Olivia in the wrong place at the wrong time.

When a body is discovered amid an algae bloom under mysterious circumstances, everyone points fingers, but one among them is not telling the truth. The only apparent witness to the crime is a child who doesn’t speak. Motives abound, suspects are plenty, and it’s up to Olivia to discover why the child has implicated her as the key to solving the murder.

Can Olivia unmask the killer before the endangered evidence vanishes, and she becomes the next victim?

If you like small town, cozy mysteries with heart and humor, a charming cast of characters, and a twisty plot that celebrates the connections of friends and family, you’ll love Silence Says the Most, the second book in The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. 

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Book Review of 'Matters of the Heart' by Heidi Gray McGill

HAPPY FRIDAY BOOKWORMS!

Can anyone else believe Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK??  How can time possibly be going this fast!!  Do you have any plans?  Our family has had some major changes these past few years, so we don't do anything special on Thanksgiving except eat pumpkin pie and watch football, but I still love it, and I am so thankful for my life, and all the blessings God has bestowed upon me, which includes reading the novel I am featuring today.

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Blitz for Matters of the Heart by Heidi Gray McGill, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Matters of the Heart 

Series: Discerning God's Best #3 

Author: Heidi Gray McGill 

Publisher: Heidi Gray McGill Books LLC 

Release Date: July 26, 2022 

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Christian Historical Romance

 

She determines to champion the needs of others, no matter the fallout.

He’s determined to be his own man and make his own way. 

Will stubbornness keep them from discovering God’s best? 

Unconventional Katie empathizes with the widows and orphans of the Civil War who are searching for a place to call home in Shumard Oak Bend. But with no one to help her, she’ll need to do it secretly, a challenge she readily accepts. Katie’s taken charge before, and she’ll do it again, no matter whom she has to outwit to get the job done. 

Hans vows to stop doing everyone else’s bidding. But he follows orders when a pair of emerald green eyes, blazing red hair, and freckles that dance on the bridge of a pert nose conscript him to duty. Be his own man. Who is he kidding? Skunks don’t change their stripes. They leave disasters in their wake wherever they go, just like him. 

Overcoming personal obstacles and finding your true self doesn’t mean going it alone. Yet the answer isn’t always in the one you seek. 

True Christian Fiction. Relatable Characters. Life-changing stories.

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Spotlight on 'Reclaiming Hope in Wishing Bridge' by Ruth Logan Herne

HELLO BOOKWORMS!

I am so excited to be sharing an excerpt from the newest release from Ruth Logan Herne, Reclaiming Hope in Wishing Bridge.

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Reclaiming Hope in Wishing Bridge by Ruth Logan Herne, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Reclaiming Hope in Wishing Bridge 

Series: Wishing Bridge #5 

Author: Ruth Logan Herne 

Publisher: Independently Published 

Release Date: October 22, 2022 

Genre: Women's Fiction with (clean) romantic elements 

She swore she'd never come back to Wishing Bridge. 

She needed nothing. No family. No links to a past that broke her heart. Heather Johnstone was successful in her own right, by her own actions. She'd built a pristine life and gave no one the right or opportunity to disrupt it, but then her father called... the one person who'd loved her. Who'd cared. 

And there was no other choice, it seemed. 

She'd go back and face a past that was now tragically changed and fairly unimportant, but that's the thing about growing up. You don't always know what's important until it's too late. 

Hank Reynolds had spent over a decade trying to inspire change. Change in a shrinking town adjacent to Wishing Bridge, and a school district that serviced several towns. Hank took his teaching and coaching seriously. Seriously enough to help no small number of kids find their way to success, but when a tragic flood takes a major toll on the little town of Hopewell, the aftermath stuns the surrounding communities with the loss of life and livelihood. Who can help? Who can help them re-establish the good old days in a place that had lost their grip on good a long time ago? 

Hank knows what the school needs the minute he sees Heather. Northeast Wyoming Central needs an administrator that puts kids first, all the time. Not just when it looks good for a photo op. And when his phone calls bring back more of their high school football teammates, Hank knows something else is happening... Coming back to Wishing Bridge isn't just good for the town and the schools... It's good for the prodigals. 

Because whoever said you can't go home again was wrong and Hank Reynolds intends to prove it, but when Heather's life takes a sudden turn, he realizes something else: sacrificial love means putting others first. Even if it's the person you love more than anyone else on the planet. 

Grab a cup of coffee, a Coke or a spot of tea and join the folks of Wishing Bridge, NY as they gather folks in to help, to love, to fix, to nurture... Welcome back to Wishing Bridge... where prayers and wishes mingle to make dreams come true.

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Review of 'Where is God in This?' by Landra Young Hughes

HELLO BOOKWORMS!

It's been awhile since I've read a Christian Nonfiction that made me stop and really think about where God fits into my current issues.  I've struggled with a chronic illness my entire life and lately things have been worse than they have ever been.  It's so easy to feel like I am going at this all alone and, though I know this is a lie, I also wonder where God is when I am in such severe pain.  Read on to read my full review of Where is God in This? by Landra Young Hughes to see how this resource touched my spirit.

 

Welcome to the Reviewer Tour for Where is God in This? by Landra Young Hughes, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Where is God in This? 

Author: Landra Young Hughes    

Publisher: Baker Books 

Release Date: October 18, 2022 

Genre: Christian Living

Life is unfair. Bad things happen to good people. Not all dreams come true. We lose people. We fail people. And when we encounter the inevitable struggles of life, we may be tempted to ask God Why me? as we try to reconcile our pain with God’s promises. But a far more helpful and life-enriching question for us to ask God is What are you trying to teach me in this?

Tackling ten common struggles, such as isolation, fear, rejection, failure, insecurity, temptation, and more, Landra Young Hughes shows you how to have peace even when life doesn’t make sense. Speaking with great empathy born from her own losses and years in ministry, Hughes doesn’t suggest you “get over” your hard times. Instead, she helps you recognize that, while you will always live in a broken world this side of heaven, your pain has much to teach you about God and yourself. With her empathetic help, you’ll discover how to grow through grief and thrive despite adversity.

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Book Review for 'A Nanny for the Rancher's Twins' by Heidi Main

HAPPY VETERANS DAY!

I first want to thank all the men and women who have served in our armed forces.  We are all blessed beyond words for your service and I hope that each of you are honored on this Veteran's day.

I hope you enjoy my spotlight and review of this sweet read, another volume from the endearing Love Inspired series.

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Blitz for A Nanny for the Rancher's Twins by Heidi Main, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Nanny for the Rancher's Twins 

Author: Heidi Main 

Publisher: Love Inspired 

Release Date: October 25, 2022 

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Returning to small-town Texas was her fresh start.

She never expected a ready-made family. 

What could be better than running a rustic wedding venue? Event planner Laney Taylor has it all laid out…except for the serious renovations her inherited property needs. Rancher Ethan McCaw will help—but only if she’ll nanny his toddler twins. Laney’s all about planning weddings for others and shielding her own heart, but Ethan, Zoe and Tori might be just the ones to change her mind…

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Book Review of "Between Two Kingdoms" by Suleika Jaouad

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Between Two Kingdoms

Author: Suleika Jaouad

Publisher: Random House Publishing

Release Date: February 9, 2021

Genre: Sociology of Death

A searing, deeply moving memoir of illness and recovery that traces one young woman's journey from diagnosis to remission and, ultimately, a road trip of healing and self-discovery.

In the summer after graduating from college, Suleika Jaouad was preparing, as they say in commencement speeches, to enter “the real world”. She had fallen in love and moved to Paris to pursue her dream of becoming a war correspondent. The real world she found, however, would take her into a very different kind of conflict zone.

It started with an itch—first on her feet, then up her legs, like a thousand invisible mosquito bites. Next came the exhaustion, and the six-hour naps that only deepened her fatigue. Then a trip to the doctor and, a few weeks shy of her twenty-third birthday, a diagnosis: leukemia, with a 35 percent chance of survival. Just like that, the life she had imagined for herself had gone up in flames. By the time Jaouad flew home to New York, she had lost her job, her apartment, and her independence. She would spend much of the next four years in a hospital bed, fighting for her life and chronicling the saga in a column for The New York Times.

When Jaouad finally walked out of the cancer ward—after three and a half years of chemo, a clinical trial, and a bone marrow transplant—she was, according to the doctors, cured. But as she would soon learn, a cure is not where the work of healing ends; it’s where it begins. She had spent the past 1,500 days in desperate pursuit of one goal—to survive. And now that she’d done so, she realized that she had no idea how to live.

How would she reenter the world and live again? How could she reclaim what had been lost? Jaouad embarked—with her new best friend, Oscar, a scruffy terrier mutt—on a 100-day, 15,000-mile road trip across the country. She set out to meet some of the strangers who had written to her during her years in the hospital: a teenage girl in Florida also recovering from cancer; a teacher in California grieving the death of her son; a death-row inmate in Texas who’d spent his own years confined to a room. What she learned on this trip is that the divide between sick and well is porous, that the vast majority of us will travel back and forth between these realms throughout our lives. Between Two Kingdoms is a profound chronicle of survivorship and a fierce, tender, and inspiring exploration of what it means to begin again.

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Book Review of 'Such a Mind as This' by Richard L. Smith

HAPPY SATURDAY!

I hope that everyone is having a wonderfully blessed weekend!  My son is marching in his first Veteran's Day parade today, and thank goodness the weather is gorgeous!!  My prayers are for those affected by the north Texas tornados that occurred last night.  The devastation is utterly heartbreaking.

Today I am featuring the book, as well as my review, of Such a Mind as This by Richard L. Smith, an immersive deep dive into the Old Testament.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Such a Mind as This

Author: Richard L. Smith

Publisher: Wipf & Stock

Release Date: January 6, 2022

Genre: Religion & Spirituality

Our intellectual context is very complicated.  There are competing pedagogues, divergent epistemological agendas, and flawed participants.  The mind is a war zone.

The Old Testament depicts a battlefield between the sinful mind and God’s revelation.

Today, many Christians minimize the intellect and do not recognize how sin impacts thinking. Many do not know how to love God with the mind. Many suffer from anti-intellectual inertia. They think like consumers shopping for knowledge, learning formats, and instructors that conform to their buying preferences. They prefer junk food for their minds. They often fulfill the role assigned to them by the world—intellectual simplicity, private religiosity, and subjective spirituality.

By comprehensively examining Old Testament teaching concerning the mind, this book promotes a spirituality that puts thinking in its proper place. It explains what God requires intellectually of his vice-regents. It shows that our world is a labyrinth, but that God’s revelation is our reliable guide. This book motivates readers to strive for mental piety, wisdom, and intellectual development, for the glory of God and the fulfillment of our mandate on earth. Readers will learn from their ancient brethren how to better steward their minds.

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Book Review of 'Authentically, Izzy' by Pepper Basham

HAPPY FRIDAY!

It's a scary stormy day today here in North Texas, so if you're in the line of severe storms in the south-central part of the US today please stay safe!

Today I am featuring, and reviewing, the upcoming release by Pepper Basham: Authentically, Izzy.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Authentically, Izzy

Author: Pepper Basham

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: November 15, 2022

Genre: Clean Contemporary Romance

"Dear Izzy-I feel certain there's a book-loving man living relatively nearby waiting to speak bookish to you 'till death do you part.  You just haven't met yet." 

Izzy Edgewood is a wannabe bookstore owner, quote queen, and Lord of the Rings nerd who has been waiting for Prince Charming to sweep her off her sneakered feet. But it’s hard to meet people when you spend more time with fictional humans than real ones. Which is why her pragmatist cousin Josephine decides to take Izzy’s future into her own meddling hands and create an online dating profile for the hopeful romantic.

To Izzy’s shock (and suspicion), Josie’s plan works. Soon, she’s dialoguing with a Hobbit-loving man named Brodie who lives in a small town an ocean away from her home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. But is their shared love of books, family, and correspondence enough to overcome Izzy’s fear of flying and the literal distance between them? And is a long-distance relationship even worth considering when a local author has been frequenting the library where she works and is proving to be a perfectly fine gentleman?

In this epistolary novel from award-winning author Pepper Basham, bookish dreams and happily-ever-afters collide to create a beautiful sort of magic that’s even better than fiction. 

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Spotlight on The Christy Award 2022 Finalists

I am so excited to be joining in the excitement and sharing the finalist for the 2022 Christy Award!!  Enjoy the amazing picks this year and be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see how you can register to go yourself.

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for The Christy Award Finalists organized by ECPA and hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! We extend our sincere and enthusiastic congratulations to The Christy Award 2022 Finalists!

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Book Spotlight for "The Call of the Sea" by Sian Ann Bessey

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Call of the Sea by Sian Ann Bessey, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Call of the Sea 

Author: Sian Ann Bessey 

Publisher: Covenant Communications 

Release Date: November 1, 2022 

Genre: Inspirational Historical/Viking Romance

On the eve of her betrothal to a nobleman she’s never met, Rhiannon seeks comfort on the shores of the sea she loves so well. But instead of offering peace to her uneasy heart, the ocean heralds doom with the arrival of dreaded Viking ships. A vicious raid leads to the death of her beloved father and leaves Rhiannon’s life in tatters. Heartbroken, she travels to Ynys Môn, where she takes up residence at the royal court of Owain Gwynedd.

Leif loves voyaging on the open water. As the son of a Viking chief, he’s accustomed to his people’s practice of plundering and looting. But when one of his companions ruthlessly kills an old man in front of the man’s beautiful daughter, Leif is haunted by the memory. Desperate to find forgiveness for the atrocity he allowed to occur, he’s offered a chance at redemption through the kindly teachings of an Irish priest and the unexpected arrival of a royal fugitive. Suddenly thrust into the midst of the Cymry’s political turmoil, Leif is reunited with the dead man’s daughter—Rhiannon. Forced to work side by side to uncover the truth behind the turmoil, they come to discover that love can grow from even the most tragic of beginnings. But with such incompatible backgrounds, surely a future together can never be theirs.

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Book Review of "Her Favorite Wyoming Sheriff" by Cari Lynn Webb

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!!

I hope your November is off to a great start!  Mine has been hectic but isn't that always what happens this time of year?  Well sit back, relax, and enjoy my spotlight, and review, of Her Favorite Wyoming Sheriff, the latest release in the Harlequin Heartwarming series.

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Blitz for Her Favorite Wyoming Sheriff by Cari Lynn Webb, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Her Favorite Wyoming Sheriff 

Series: The Blackwells of Eagle Springs 

Author: Cari Lynn Webb 

Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming 

Release Date: October 25, 2022 

Genre: Sweet Contemporary Romance

She keeps finding trouble… 

He keeps finding her

Adele Blackwell Kane can’t seem to not get arrested. In fact, the pretty widowed mom of twin girls might be Sheriff Grady McMillan’s favorite not-quite-a-criminal. But keeping Adele out of trouble is hard work—especially when Grady wants out of Wyoming for good. When Adele decides to rescue the town from developers, Grady wonders if his quirky felon might be stealing his heart, too… 

USA TODAY Bestselling Author

From Harlequin Heartwarming: Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.

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Book Review of "Deadly Conclusion" by Kathy Harris

HAPPY NOVEMBER BOOKWORMS!

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Deadly Conclusion by Kathy Harris, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Deadly Conclusion 

Series: Deadly Secrets #3 

Author: Kathy Harris 

Publisher: Iron Stream Fiction 

Release Date: November 2, 2022 

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

 

A Fast-Paced Suspense Book You Can’t Put Down

In the thrilling conclusion of the “Deadly Secrets” series, search and rescue dog trainer Keely Lambert breaks in Titan, a new shepherd, during a rescue mission to find little Conner Wells. Aided by childhood friend, Beau Gardner of the TBI, who is also Conner’s uncle, Keely finds the boy deep inside Metropolitan Nashville’s Beaman Park. 

But Conner is not all that Keely finds. On the way back to the welcome center, she notices something sticking out of the dirt—the military dog tags of her father who disappeared more than two decades before. 

The discovery sets Keely on a hunt to unearth her father’s killer, only to be thwarted by multiple setbacks—the murder of Beau’s father, the kidnapping of her mother, and her kennel being set on fire in the middle of the night. After Keely is kidnapped, Beau leads a manhunt to find her before the outcome reaches a "deadly conclusion."

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