"Project Scrooge" by A.M. Heath -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

I previously reviewed this book. I am reposting my review as part of the blog tour.

About the Book

Can Scrooge find love from a friendship gone cold?

Sanford Stone cut ties with his best friend, Natalie, in favor of the love of his life … a woman who ended up walking out on him just before Christmas. Six years later, Sanford can’t bring himself to celebrate Christ’s birth with any joy. Little does he know, his grandmother and her companions have dubbed him the Scrooge and intend to help him overcome his bitterness and find happiness again.

The only thing that has hurt Natalie Dunivan more than Sanford cutting her out of his life has been watching his long-held grudges slowly destroy the man she has always loved. Together with Ms. Carol, Natalie devises a plan to reach out to Sanford.

Sanford accepts his grandmother’s challenge to celebrate Christmas for 31 straight days, but he didn’t count on her plan involving Natalie. Can his family and friends help their Scrooge see the error of his ways, or will Natalie’s presence only make things worse?

My Thoughts

I liked the idea of a modern day Scrooge story without the ghosts. The cover of "Project Scrooge" really drew me in. I love the look on Sanford's face and how it fits the book really well. The book was well written and had a nice flow to it. I especially liked Natalie and her sacrificial love for Sanford and her desire for him to find joy again. The different tasks that Ms. Carol comes up with for Sanford to celebrate Christmas were fun. I felt like I was participating with them. I enjoyed how A.M. Heath worked in the "ghosts" of Christmas past, present, and future without actual ghosts. The quotes from A Christmas Carol and the use of staves like it used added a nice tie in with the original Charles Dickens tale. I look forward to reading more books by A.M. Heath.

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Besides being an Indie Author, I’m a wife, mother of four, ladies’ Sunday School teacher, sweet tea drinker, history fanatic, romantic, bubbly, lover of broccoli, and a retired cake decorator who has a soft spot for Christmas trees, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What I’m not is a laundress (or at least not one who keeps up very well), a duster, tall, or patient in a doctor’s office.

 

More from A.M. Heath

Frozen Hot Chocolate Recipes

It’s plenty hot outside but it’s just the right temperature for a tall glass of frozen hot chocolate!

Throughout Project Scrooge, Ms. Carol serves up a new cocoa recipe every day in December. So there was no better way introduce you to the cozy world of Garland, Tennessee and Ms. Carol’s cheery kitchen than by offering you two frozen hot chocolate variations. These are so easy and you likely have the ingredients already in your home.

 

Frozen Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

¾ cup of milk

3 Tb sugar

2 ½ Tb unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tb creamy peanut butter

2 cups of ice

 

Frozen Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

¾ cup of milk

2 Tb sugar

2 ½ Tb unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tb caramel sauce

pinch of salt

2 cups of ice

 

No matter which recipe you use, the directions are the same.

Directions:

Blend until ice is broken down. Enjoy! Sharing is optional. 😉

 

Which flavor will you try first?

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, July 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 23

Simply Susan, July 23

For Him and My Family, July 24

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 25

Jeanette’s Thoughts, July 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 26

deb’s Book Review, July 27

Kayem Reads, July 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 29

Mary Hake, July 29

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 30

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 31

Vicky Sluiter, July 31

Blossoms and Blessings, August 1

Inklings and notions, August 1

She Lives To Read, August 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 3

Cats in the Cradle Blog, August 3

Labor Not in Vain, August 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, A.M. is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback copy of Project Scrooge, 1 mug, 3 family sized bags of hot chocolate: Peppermint, Real Deal, and Strawberry!!

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/1102e/project-scrooge-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.

"Rocky Mountain Restoration" by Lisa J. Flickinger -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book:  Rocky Mountain Restoration

Author: Lisa J. Flickinger

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: June 29, 2021

Josephine Thorebourne doesn’t deserve happiness. Not after the mess she’s made.

Mid-voyage, on the steamship Jameson, she learns of the tragic loss of her family’s money. Money she stole with the hopes of turning a profit. What should be a delightful voyage up the Canadian coast turns into a journey of regret. Josephine seeks the solace of the man she loves, only to find out he’s an imposter. Left with no other choice, she must return to her home town of Stony Creek and face the anger of those she’s betrayed.

Owen Kelly was given the opportunity of a lifetime to steward on the SS Jameson. The work meant he could escape his difficult upbringing along the wharves of Chicago. When his heart falls for the woman in cabin eight, Owen must decide if he will continue his work on the ship or follow the love of his life to her Rocky Mountain home.

As Josephine faces the repercussions of her decisions, the future becomes uncertain. Owen is the one person who knows everything and yet still sees the good in her. Will their love survive the challenges the Rocky Mountain town throws in their path?

 My Thoughts

This is the third book in the series, but I think you can read them as stand alones (I did not read the first book in the series). I liked Josephine and Owen  it didn't care much for some of the other characters, which I think was intentional. I was drawn in and I wanted to see what was going to happen. I look forward to reading more books by Lisa I. Flickinger

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Lisa J. Flickinger lives and writes from the cliff of a river along the majestic Rocky Mountains. When not writing or reading, you will find her scouring antique shops or sipping a maple latte with friends and family. To learn more about her other books, visit www.lisajflickinger.com.

 

More from Lisa

Have you ever smelled a whale’s breath? I have. The experience sparked the idea of taking the characters in Rocky Mountain Restoration on a pleasure cruise up the Canadian coast.

My husband and I vacationed in Ucluelet one summer, a quaint fishing village on the west coast of Vancouver Island. While there, we boarded a cabin cruiser with other adventure seekers to go whale watching.

Not long after leaving the rocky shore, our experienced captain spotted the flick of a tale in the rolling waves, and guided the boat to a position hundreds of yards away.  Within moments, to our delight and awe, a massive humpback breached mere feet from the boat. Its knobbed head rose before us, mouth wide open, hundreds of baleen plates dripping a murky red. The smell was one of the worst in my memory, a vulgar mixture of rotten fish, old road kill, and something indescribable. But what a privilege to encounter one of God’s magnificent creatures up close!

A logging camp, high in the Rockies, is a long way from the pacific coast. That’s the very reason our nefarious antagonists from book one of the Rocky Mountain Revival Series, Josephine and Snoop, have chosen to board the SS Jameson under assumed names.

While I can’t promise you whale’s breath in the novel, I can promise you gorgeous scenery and other wildlife encounters as a backdrop for betrayal, thievery, and—of course—romance. Hop aboard!

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, July 20

Artistic Nobody, July 21 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 21

For Him and My Family, July 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 23

By The Book, July 24 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 24

deb’s Book Review, July 25

Connie’s History Classroom, July 26

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 27

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 30 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, July 31

Life of Literature, August 1

Texas Book-aholic, August 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lisa 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/10fab/rocky-mountain-restoration-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.

"The Ice Swan" by J'nell Ciesielski -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book:  The Ice Swan

Author: J’Nell Ciesielski

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: July 6, 2021

Amid the violent last days of the glittering Russian court, a Russian princess on the run finds her heart where she least expects it.

1917, Petrograd. Fleeing the murderous flames of the Russian Revolution, princess Svetlana Dalsky hopes to find safety in Paris with her mother and sister. But the city is buckling under the weight of the Great War, and the Bolsheviks will not rest until they have erased every Russian aristocrat from memory.

Born the second son of a duke, the only title Wynn MacCallan cares for is that of surgeon. Putting his talents with a scalpel to good use in the hospitals in Paris, Wynn pushes the boundaries of medical science to give his patients the best care possible. While treating Svetlana for a minor injury, he is pulled into a world of decaying imperial glitter and underground Russian clubs where drink, culture, and questionable dealings collide on bubbles of vodka.

Out of money and options, Svetlana is f oforced into a marriage of convenience with Wynn, who will protect her and pay off her debts. It’s the right thing for a good man to do, but Wynn can’t help hoping the marriage will turn into one of true affection. As the Bolsheviks chase them to different corners of the earth, Wynn and Svetlana begin to see they will never be able to outrun the love they have for one another.

 My Thoughts

This time period of history is very intriguing to me, so I was excited to read this book. I found it to be well written. I liked Wynn and Svetlana and their interactions. I look forward to reading more books by J'nell Ciesielski.

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

 With a passion for heart-stopping adventure and sweeping love stories, J’nell Ciesielski weaves fresh takes into romances of times gone by. When not creating dashing heroes and daring heroines, she can be found dreaming of Scotland, indulging in chocolate of any kind, or watching old black and white movies. Winner of the Romance Through the Ages Award and the Maggie Award, she is a Florida native who now lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and lazy beagle. Learn more at www.jnellciesielski.com.

 

More from J’nell

When we think of the Great War we often only think about events happening right on the battlefield of France, Belgium, and Germany. It was a time of great upheaval for so many people and countries, none more so than Russia. It was during the Great War that the Bolsheviks rose up against the monarchy, assassinated the tsar and his family, and plunged Russia into civil war. The country was in such chaos that they pulled out of the war to deal with their own revolution. The Russian Revolution was the result of centuries of oppression and imperialism that finally boiled over. As the Bolsheviks seized power, nobles and anyone associated or favorable to the monarchy were stripped of their privileges and homes, many killed, and still thousands of others fled in fear of their lives where they became the great wave of White emigres.

The stories of the ill-fated Anastasia and the evil Rasputin are legendary, but it wasn’t until recently when I watched a Russian miniseries called Road to Calvary that I became fascinated with the nobles and their struggle and from all that an idea sparked that would become my upcoming release, The Ice Swan. It’s about a Russian princess fleeing the Revolution to Paris in 1917 where she meets a handsome surgeon who is breaking new grounds in cardiology. We see the plight of the White emigres who have taken refuge in Paris and founded their own little Russia in the heart of the city, the exhausted City of Light after four years of war, the overflowing hospitals, and highly controversial advancements in surgery. Plus, a romance to prove that true love can overcome any difference and who doesn’t need a little more love these days?

Blog Stops

Rebecca Tews, July 19

Where Faith and Books Meet, July 19

Books and Everyday Life, July 19

Texas Book-aholic, July 19

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 20

Reflections From My Bookshelves, July 20

All-of-a-kind Mom, July 20

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 21

She Lives To Read, July 21

The Write Escape, July 21

Lakesdielivingsite, July 22

Remembrancy, July 22

Inklings and notions, July 22

For Him and My Family, July 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 23

The Christian Fiction Girl, July 23

deb’s Book Review, July 24

Rachael’s Inkwell, July 24

To Everything There Is A Season, July 24

Life, love, writing, July 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 25

Life of Literature, July 25

Inside the Wong Mind, July 25

Betti Mace, July 26

Bliss, Books & Jewels, July 26

Older & Smarter?, July 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 27

Connect in Fiction, July 27

Mary Hake, July 27

Connie’s History Classroom, July 28

Back porch reads, July 28

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, July 28

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 29

Blossoms and Blessings, July 29

Genesis 5020, July 29

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 30

Splashes of Joy, July 30

Simple Harvest Reads, July 30 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Through the fire blogs, July 31

Just Your Average reviews, July 31

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 1

Labor Not in Vain, August 1

The Adventures of a Travelers Wife, August 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, J’nell is giving away the grand prize of a paperback 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/10fa9/the-ice-swan-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.

"Betrayal of Genius" by Robin Patchen -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book:  Betrayal of Genius

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: July 13, 2021

From a USA Today bestselling author comes book three in the addictive Coventry Saga.

Her invention could save thousands of lives…if she can survive to long enough to share it.

Jacqui’s research could lead to a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and she’s determined to ensure the technology goes to the company with the best shot at creating life-saving products, not just the highest bidder. When her lab is broken into, she realizes her partner is desperate to get his hands on her research and the money it’ll bring. Jacqui goes into hiding, planning to lie low until she can find a buyer who lives up to her expectations.

Reid’s life is all about protecting his daughter, but when she leaves for a month to visit her mother, he finds himself at loose ends. The pretty new manager at the ice cream shop seems like a good diversion, but he soon realizes there’s more to Jacqui than doling out scoops of rocky road. When he senses danger, he’s tempted to step away—he won’t allow any threat to come near his daughter—but how can he turn his back on a woman in danger, one he’s coming to care for?

Jacqui’s former partner is closing in and getting more desperate by the day. He’ll stop at nothing to get the payout he feels he deserves.

Join Jacqui and Reid as they navigate this pulse-pounding, faith-filled adventure into the high-stakes world of medical research, innovation, and greed.

 My Thoughts

"Betrayal of Genius" is the 3rd book in the Coventry Saga series and there is some overlap in characters and events, you could read this book as a stand alone. I found the book to be well written with a good biblical faith element. There was plenty of action and I was kept guessing as to what was going to happen. I didn't figure out the "whodoneit" totally, either, which is always nice. I look forward to reading more books by Robin Patchen.

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Nutfield Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. After college, working in marketing and public relations, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while she homeschooled her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit https://robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects.

More from Robin

It’s funny how the themes of my novels often present themselves when I’m in the thick of writing them. I thought Betrayal of Genius was going to be about Luke 12:48 and the old idiom, “To whom much is given, much is required.”

And the novel is about that. To a degree.

But as I wrote the manuscript, another theme worked up to the surface, revealing itself a little at a time. It started with the hero.

Reid is a single parent raising his six-year-old daughter, Ella, who was kidnapped and, thankfully, rescued the previous summer. He was protective before. Now he’s downright obsessive about his child’s safety. Sending her to spend a month in California with her mother seems about as natural as his ex’s hair color.

So the story is a little about Reid’s devotion to his daughter.

Jacqui is always, deep down, trying to earn her father’s approval. Oh, sure, she knows he loves her. But she so rarely gets to see it. As a world-renowned surgeon, he was always off saving the world, far too busy, too important, to shower his daughter with love and tenderness.

So the story is a little about Jacqui’s relationship with her dad.

I write about romantic love all the time, but parental love is just as important and just as beautiful. As a daughter, I was blessed to have two wonderful parents. As a mother, I try to be everything my kids need, and I fail all the time. Is there a right way to parent?

I don’t know. I do know that, though not everybody will be blessed to enjoy romance, all of us have parents. All of us know what it is to love a parent and to experience—or crave—a parent’s love in return.

If you’re a parent—or if you’ve got parents—you know it’s no easy thing to raise kids. As my children grow further into adulthood, I can look back and see everything I did wrong. I did a lot right, but for some reason, the wrong sticks out.

But you know what? I love them. I’ve loved them since the moment they were placed in my arms, maybe since that first flutter of movement in my belly.

Reid is trying to be the perfect father, and he’s always falling short. Jacqui’s dad did his very best, but he wasn’t perfect. But both of those daddies love their little girls. And, like it says in 1 Peter 4:8, “Love covers a multitude of sins.”

Betrayal of Genius is about working hard to accomplish the good works God gave us to do. It’s about doing the very best we can with what we’ve been given. But it’s also about good old human love. Imperfect but pure love, the kind that can wrap itself around a little child and make her feel safe. The kind that can encourage a grown woman to push through the hard times, even when it’s scary and dangerous.

I hope you experience that kind of love. Even if you didn’t receive it from your earthly parents, you have a perfect Father who wants to shower you with it, One whose very nature is Love. May His love wrap around you and carry you forward.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 23

Betti Mace, July 24

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 25 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 25

Blossoms and Blessings, July 26

My Reading Journeys, July 26

Texas Book-aholic, July 27

Inklings and notions, July 28

Spoken from the Heart, July 28

For Him and My Family, July 29

deb’s Book Review, July 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 31

Blogging With Carol, July 31

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 1

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 2

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 3

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away a virtual trip to Boston with a signed paperback copy of Betrayal of Genius and a complete Lobster Dinner for Two, a $120 value. (Winner can choose among many seafood options—or trade it for a good ol’ fashioned 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/11030/betrayal-of-genius-celebration-tour-giveaway

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