Tuesday, January 21, 2020

"Their Wander Canyon Wish" by Allie Pleiter -- Book Review

About the Book

Can two little girls find their mom a match?

Their mother needs a fresh start…Could he be what they’ve been waiting for?

Back in her hometown with her twin daughters, widow Marilyn Sofitel is set on never falling in love again. She’s sure her heart is safe spending time with Wyatt Walker as he works to fix the carousel her girls love. Everyone knows he’s handsome, charming…and trouble. But as they grow closer, might their unlikely friendship to develop into something deeper?

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading "Their Wander Canyon Wish". I felt that it was well written and that it had a nice flow (There were a few instances where Maddie was called Maggie, but that wasn't too big of a deal). I found the characters to be realistic and I connected with them even though I wasn't like either one of them personally. Maddie and Margie were adorable additions to the story and I loved their interactions with Wyatt. I found the story thread dealing with dyslexia to be interesting and well done. There is also a faith thread woven through the story. I liked how the characters grew throughout the story. This is the first book I've read by Allie Pleiter and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

About the Author

An avid knitter, coffee junkie, and devoted chocoholic, Allie Pleiter spends her days writing books and finding new ways to avoid housework. She grew up in Connecticut, holds a BS in Speech from Northwestern University, and speaks nationally on writing, faith, and creative productivity. Allie currently lives in suburban Chicago, Illinois. Sign up for her newsletter at http://alliepleiter.com/contact.html

"Their Wander Canyon Wish" is available in paperback:

Series: Wander Canyon
Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired; Original edition (January 21, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1335487964
ISBN-13: 978-1335487964
Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 0.6 x 6.6 inches

and in Kindle edition:

File Size: 1499 KB
Print Length: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired; Original edition (February 1, 2020)
Publication Date: February 1, 2020
Sold by: Harlequin Digital Sales Corp.
Language: English
ASIN: B07VZY5TLD

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

"Freedom in the Mountain Wind" by Misty M. Beller -- Book Review, Blog Tour, & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Freedom in the Mountain Wind

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: January 14, 2020

The last epic journey before her life changes forever.

Susanna Wilkins will do anything to make her father’s final dream come true, including trek along the path Lewis and Clark explored into the untamed wilds of the Rocky Mountains. Every mile is more crucial now that lung cancer is stealing Pa’s last days faster than she can come to terms with losing him. The journey becomes harder than she ever expected, but paddling upriver through fierce rapids and fighting hungry grizzlies isn’t what terrifies her the most.

Beaver Tail endured more than he can stand from the women in his Blackfoot camp, but the last disaster gave him the final shove he needed to join this band of brothers searching for one of their group who’s gone missing. The last thing he expected was to find a white woman and her sick father stranded at the base of massive waterfall. His plan is to help them carry their oversize canoe and supplies, then leave them to their strange mission. Yet, the more he learns about the pair, the more he realizes his life is about to be derailed—again.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a fun change of pace from a woman needing to get through the mountains for some reason and her falling in love with the man who helps her. There was adventure and peril. I liked Beaver Tail and his protectiveness and his gentle ways. I like Susanna as well and ached with her over her losses. There was a nice biblical spiritual thread woven through the book and I appreciated the fact that they mentioned the fact that a believer couldn't marry a non-believer. I think I had an ARC, so it was probably fixed, but the horses kept changing from being geldings to mares and sometimes both at the same time (The gelding raised her head.) which made it a little odd. I look forward to reading more in this series.

About the Author

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and children now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

More from Misty

When God Directs a Google Search…

I’m a history lover, but you may have guessed that since I write historical romance stories. 😊 Most of my books are set in the Rocky Mountains during the mid-1800s, but as I began brainstorming ideas for this new series, my heart became drawn earlier to the earlier part of the century—a time period with which I wasn’t quite as familiar with the history.

I love when God orchestrates even the most mundane part of our lives, including Google searches! During one particular search (I can’t even remember what I was originally looking for), I stumbled across part of a journal entry from the Lewis and Clark expedition, which trekked across Montana during the time period I was looking into. I’d forgotten that expedition had even entered the territory that would later become Montana, but now I was fascinated.

After finding an audiobook of the abridged journals of Lewis and Clark, I happily listened to almost 19 hours of fascinating stories from the Corp of Exploration’s journey up the Missouri River and across the mountains to the Pacific Ocean, then back mostly the over the same path they’d come. The stories the men told were so amazing, and the detail of their trials so absorbing, I’ve actually re-listened to the audiobook twice! Many of the true tales wouldn’t be believable in fiction, but as I listened, my mind formed the premise for Freedom in the Mountain Wind: a father/daughter duo who sets out almost two decades after Lewis and Clark’s journey, determined to retrace the steps of that famous expedition.

I hope you enjoy this story as much as I loved writing it! And whether you’re a history lover or not, I pray that you too will be touched by this “epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.”

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, January 15 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Daysong Reflections, January 15

My Devotional Thoughts, January 15

Genesis 5020, January 16

Blossoms and Blessings, January 16

Connect in Fiction, January 17

SPLASHES of Joy, January 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 17

Emily Yager, January 18

Deanne’s Book Thoughts, January 18

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, January 18

A Baker’s Perspective, January 19

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, January 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 20

Jeanette’s Thoughts, January 20

Mary Hake, January 20

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 21

Wishful Endings, January 21

All-of-a-kind Mom, January 21

Pause for Tales, January 22

Bigreadersite, January 22

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, January 22

Through the Fire Blogs, January 23

Betti Mace, January 23

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 23

Older & Smarter?, January 24

For the Love of Literature, January 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 25

Rebecca Tews, January 25

For Him and My Family, January 25

She Lives to Read, January 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 26

Inklings and notions, January 26

Blessed & Bookish, January 27

janicesbookreviews, January 27

deb’s Book Review, January 27

Texas Book-aholic, January 28

Hook Me In A Book, January 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f49e/freedom-in-the-mountain-wind-celebration-tour-giveaway

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

"The Amish Marriage Bargain" by Marie E. Bast -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Amish Marriage Bargain

Author: Marie E. Bast

Genre: Amish

Release Date: December 17, 2019

Will a baby girl bring them together at last?

She’ll do anything for her niece…Even marry the man who broke her heart.

Nothing can keep May Bender in her Amish hometown—except caring for her baby niece. But the bishop insists that May also marry her widowed brother-in-law, Thad Hochstedler—the beau who jilted her to wed her sister. Can May risk her heart long enough to learn the real reason for Thad’s first marriage…and possibly rediscover their love?

My Thoughts

"The Amish Marriage Bargain" is not listed as being part of a series, but it is definitely the second book in the unnamed series. There were several times that I was very confused about what was going on. Did May move in with Thad and Leah after April died or did she always live there even when Thad and April were married since her father had told her she could live there until she got married? Sarah and Caleb were mentioned and how a pregnant Sarah wanted to take care of Leah since it was her first baby and she wanted to see how it would run in her household, but then it mentions two children and said they were Caleb and Sarah's. That was when I decided to look and sure enough, there was a story about Caleb and Sarah and the two kids were Caleb's from his first marriage. Later on, it mentioned that the pregnancy was the first child of the two of them together. I think it would have made more sense to have that mentioned at the beginning of them coming onto the scene. I liked Thad's care for May and wanting what is best for her, but he didn't fight very hard for her when she came to him after she found out the reason for his first marriage (which I had figured out almost at the beginning). I got a little frustrated with them both not wanting to let the other one know that they loved them. There was a nice spiritual faith thread in the story. This was a nice story, but I think it would have been better had I read the other book first. I would be interested in reading more books by Marie E. Bast.

About the Author

Marie Striped Sweater Enhanced12015 Pic2

Marie E. Bast is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author. Her stories whisper words of hope and healing through complex characters and twisting plots. She enjoys writing Amish, contemporary and historical stories. Married for twenty-eight years, Marie and her husband have two grown sons and one daughter. When she’s not writing, she’s walking, golfing, gardening or spending time with her family. Visit her website at MarieBastAuthor.com or follower her on social media.

More from Marie

Did you know that until as late as the twentieth century, marriage was never based on love?

In fact, the institution of marriage predates recorded history. But in ancient biblical times, the reasons for marriage are numerous. The kings, nobility, wealthy, and aristocratic families used arranged marriages to ensure loyalty between kingdoms, which forced a united bound and ensured the integrity of their inheritance and the family wealth.

Arranged marriages, marriages of convenience, and marriage bargains were practical to keep property and kingdoms intact and in the family line. But these marriage contracts also spilled over into the commoners’ lives. In times of poverty, a daughter was only another mouth to feed and therefore a burden on the family. That fueled the arranged marriages where the groom gave the family money, animals, or some other commodity in exchange for the marriage.

Also, arranged marriages were instrumental for women over the age of 30 who were unwed. Even in the nineteenth century, many women would find that a marriage of convenience was the way to go. Often, a widower needed a mother and housekeeper for his family, and sometimes a woman without means to support herself would readily accept a marriage of convenience. Even today, some cultures still use arranged marriages.

But one of the most unique marriage of convenience is the marriage bargain, and that is the central theme to my newest book, The Amish Marriage Bargain, which releases in book form December 17, 2019, and eBook January 1, 2020. The marriage bargain is the specific negotiation of the terms of the agreement regarding a particular situation and often included land.

After her sister dies, May Bender will do anything for her niece…Even marry the man who broke her heart. But like the days of old, the bargain goes deeper than that.

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, January 2

For Him and My Family, January 2

The Avid Reader, January 3

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, January 3

Texas Book-aholic, January 4

Vicky Sluiter, January 4

Mary Hake, January 4

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, January 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 5

Among the Reads, January 6

Betti Mace, January 6

Older & Smarter?, January 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 7

Batya’s Bits, January 7

janicesbookreviews, January 8

Hallie Reads, January 8

For The Love Of Literature, January 9

Britt Reads Fiction, January 9

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 10

Bigreadersite, January 10

mypreciousbitsandmusings, January 10

She Lives to Read, January 11

Through the Fire Blogs, January 11

Quiet Quilter, January 12

Pause for Tales, January 12

Inklings and notions, January 13

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 13

Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 13

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 14

EmpowerMoms, January 14

Blossoms and Blessings, January 15

Splashes of Joy , January 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Marie is giving away to four winners each a $25 Amazon card will also receive a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f426/the-amish-marriage-bargain-celebration-tour-giveaway

"Amish Marriage Bargain" is available in paperback:

Series: Love Inspired
Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired; Original edition (December 17, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1335487883
ISBN-13: 978-1335487889
Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 0.6 x 6.6 inches

and in Kindle edition:

File Size: 1173 KB
Print Length: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired; Original edition (January 1, 2020)
Publication Date: January 1, 2020
Sold by: Harlequin Digital Sales Corp.
Language: English
ASIN: B07SZ1S7P7

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

"Priceless" by Vickie Burns -- Book Review, Blog Tour

About the Book

Book: Priceless

Author: Vickie Burns

Genre: Devotional/Cookbook

Release Date: November, 2019

Priceless: A Devotional Cookbook Based on Proverbs 31 is a Bible study and cookbook combined. The author, Vickie Burns, takes the reader verse by verse through Proverbs 31, showing them how precious and loved they are. At the end of each day’s study, meal suggestions and recipes are provided to fill their homes with tantalizing aromas and great food. Even young children can help with meal preparation so they learn that dinner doesn’t just magically appear on the table.

For women who’ve read Proverbs 31 and felt inadequate, like they could not possibly live up to God’s description of the perfect woman, Priceless reveals that they have more in common with her than they ever imagined.

“Today’s busy mom rarely finds time to steal a few moments of peace and quiet to spend with the Lord each day,” Vickie says. “On top of that, she most likely does not take the time to flip through endless sections of cookbooks to plan a unique evening meal. Priceless encourages women to view their tasks as God’s call to an abundant life, empowers them by providing a daily word from Proverbs 31, and eases their minds by providing a full menu for the evening meal each day.”

My Thoughts

This book surprised me when I got it as it is a big book at 8 x 11". I liked this book. It has devotionals for women based on Proverbs 31 that were meaningful and helpful. Each devotional had a verse or verses from Proverbs 31 that it went along with, then a reflection and application section for you to answer questions relating to the topic and then a prayer and a page to write out thoughts. What makes this devotional book the most unique is the recipes that follow each devotional. I also like the inspirational quotes scattered throughout the book.

About the Author

Vickie Burns is passionate about showing women how to love and live the abundant life that Jesus Christ offers. Through Bible study, public speaking, and writing inspirational cookbooks, Vickie inspires women to love the Lord with all their hearts, minds, souls, and strength; to see and love themselves as Christ does—PRICELESS; and to love others through genuine hospitality. She lives in Texas with the love of her life, Todd Burns, and they have two daughters.

More from Vickie

This book, Priceless, is not my story but it was birthed from it. I was raised in a single-parent Christian home after my parents divorced. I watched my mom handle everything: cooking, cleaning, bills, homework, a full-time job, etc. I had no idea until I became a wife and mother all that she must have been through while raising three children on her own. I do know that she had a strong relationship with the Lord and that she had friends and family support.

Today, I look back at my childhood with renewed respect for my mom. My husband, Todd and I did our best to raise our two girls to honor the Lord while we went to school for our master’s degrees and tried to keep our household running smoothly. I had the help of a husband and was still overwhelmed while working as a teacher, trainer, coach and administrator in public education. On top of that I was still a wife, mother, friend, sister, chef, chauffer, nurse and more. Over the years, as I have gotten to know other women, I realize that I am not alone. We all long for ways to balance work and family, cooking and cleaning, physical busyness and spiritual warfare.

As my heart broke for the busy women in my life (to whom I totally relate) I longed to try and make life a little easier for all of us. I began to study God’s Word for answers. As I studied, I learned that God created us for relationship with Himself and with others. I learned that sharing our burdens with one another is His design. I found out that love should drive every word and action as we relate to others. I discovered that the crazy life that we are trying to balance is actually our ministry to our families and communities. I also realized that hospitality isn’t just something that was dreamed up by Martha Stewart. God ordained hospitality from the beginning when He created Adam and Eve in His image and placed them in the garden of Eden. God touches the heart of mankind with a piece of His own. There are examples of this throughout scripture. The biggest deposit of God’s heart within us is the gift of His Spirit. This gift is what makes genuine hospitality possible today. When we touch another person’s heart with a piece of our own, we are showing hospitality, sharing the love of Christ, and making connections that impact our world. This revelation was the birth of my ministry. I call it The Heart of Hospitality. Through my writing and speaking engagements, I share with women how to see the tasks and responsibilities of our daily lives as a calling from God. Beyond that, I help women understand that viewing their lives in this way is what Jesus meant when He said He came to give us “abundant life”.

My prayer for you, as you read this book is:

that you will be touched with a piece of God’s heart.
that hospitality will come to mean something new to you.
that each devotion in this book exposes your pricelessness in Christ.
that you will know beyond the shadow of any doubt that you are rare, unique and have significant meaning to your Creator.

May God richly bless you and your household.