Tuesday, April 26, 2022

"Flower of the Rockies" by Angela Breidenbach -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Flower of the Rockies

Author: Angela Breidenbach

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: December 1, 2021

Helena MT, 1892-95 ~ Can you leave your past behind?
Flower of the Rockies, the 4th book in the Queen of the Rockies series set in picturesque Helena MT at the end of the Gilded Age. No one knows the real Emmalee Warren, or the sacrifices she’s made for love. An infamous soiled dove of no consequence turned miner’s widow. Men are coming out of the woodwork to stake their claim on her and the mine she inherited. They wanted her body before. Now they want her money, and they’ll do anything to take it. But love and acceptance seem out of the question for Emmalee.

Society wants nothing to do with her regardless of her changed ways. Who can she turn to when her inheritance and chance at a future is at risk? Will she be forced back into the brothel to survive? Hiring a lawyer, Richard Lewis, to save her from financial ruin might let her start over somewhere else — if he can save a little of her finances from her husband’s partner. She’ll go anyplace else where no one knows Miss Ellie’s name. Anywhere to leave the scorn behind. Becoming an unknown is the only way to freedom…or is it? Can she leave her past and build a new future?

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book. It is a quick read but the romance didn't really feel too rushed. You still get to see it progress. I liked the redemption theme and how God is all about second chances. You see the characters from the first books in the series, but it is possible to read this book without having read the other books in the series. I always recommend reading series in order, though, to get the full picture. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

BreidenbachAngela-Headshot Angela Breidenbach is a professional genealogist, media personality, conference speaker, bestselling author of eighteen books, and screenwriter. Angela lives in Montana with her hubby and Muse, a trained fe-lion, who shakes hands, rolls over, and jumps through a hoop. Surprisingly, Angela can also. Catch her show and podcast, Genealogy Publishing Coach!

More from Angela

Flower of the Rockies is one of my favorite stories. I didn’t realize when I started writing about the Montana state flower that I’d be digging into a deeper part of myself. A part I didn’t want to remember.

Stumbling on the women’s club that worked so hard to create symbolism for the state of Montana sparked a story idea. Then that idea needed a character help me tell the story. Then she told me she didn’t know how to read. Okay, I can run with that… But I’m a really good reader. So how do I connect to this widow who needs to learn to read to stop her husband’s partner from cooking her books and stealing everything she has left?

It hit me. She and I had a lot in common. As a kid, I was awkward. I didn’t connect well because I couldn’t read people. Ironically, I read books to learn about people. But it took getting out and being with people to begin really connecting and communicating.

Emmalee doesn’t want to be around people because she’s been rejected for her past and ridiculed publicly. Who wants to be friends with a soiled dove? But, she’s lonely. I suddenly connected on an even deeper level with her. I understood her need for love and acceptance. Her desire to become someone respectable.

On a bigger scale, that’s what the women of Montana were trying to prove, too. That their state fit in with the other states, had something special, something symbolic that showed she was accepted and respected. She had a flag, a state flower, and people who mattered.

Come join me in the Flower of the Rockies. I think you’ll like Emmalee and her journey toward acceptance. There are a lot of layers to the story’s symbolism. I wrote it and have been amazed at how God keeps revealing those layers to me in one short book. Let me know what is revealed to you.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, April 18

Inklings and notions, April 19

Spoken from the Heart, April 19

Betti Mace, April 20

Slyvan Musings, April 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 21

deb’s Book Review, April 22

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 23

Pause for Tales, April 23

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 24

Simple Harvest Reads, April 25

For Him and My Family, April 26

Blossoms and Blessings, April 26

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 27

Connie’s History Classroom, April 28

Mary Hake, April 28

Blogging With Carol, April 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Angela is giving away the grand prize of a pair of iolite and sterling silver earrings!!

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/1cc83/flower-of-the-rockies-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.

Saturday, April 23, 2022

"The Marquis's Pursuit" by Lorri Dudley -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Marquis’s Pursuit

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 12, 2022

She’s desperate to keep her secret hidden, but he’s a determined Marquis.

As the son of a duke, Maxwell Oliver Weld, Marquis of Daventry, is allowed entry into the finest of London’s ballrooms, access to political figures, and advice from the best physicians. Yet, his wealth and contacts won’t heal his friend, Charlie, who’s dying from consumption. Hopeful for a miracle, Max persuades Charlie to sail across the Atlantic to stay in the Artesian Hotel on the island of Nevis and bathe in its famous healing springs. Max’s optimism is washed in doubt as the truth unravels about the hotel, its hot springs, and the beautiful caretaker.

The blaze of Evelyn Mairi Sheraton’s fiery side has long since been snuffed out. Hunted by a vengeful man from her past, only fortitude and the island’s sanctuary have kept Evelyn alive. She will do whatever it takes to keep her precious secret safe, even work for the demeaning Artesian Hotel owner, Edward Rousseau. However, when a jaunty marquis and his ailing friend arrive, sparks ignite, but Evelyn fears the revealing of her secrets will burn her to ash.

The elusive Evelyn may tend to Charlie’s well-being, but she stirs Max’s protective nature. He’d like nothing more than to remove her from the wretched employment of Edward Rousseau, yet that might endanger Charlie’s health even more. Refusing to give up on a miracle, Max waters her guarded heart, certain beauty will rise out of ashes. But when her secrets come to life, will love be worth the price?

My Thoughts

I enjoyed my time back on the Leland Islands and could almost feel the island breeze and smell the salty air. I found the book to be well written and flowed well. I didn't want to put it down. There was a nice biblical faith thread woven through the story. I liked Max and Evelyn and rooted for them to find their happily ever after.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.

More from Lorri

Some characters whisper to an author from the recesses of their imagination. For me, Maxell Weld, the Marquis of Daventry, commanded to have his story told. Max appears in my first book, The Duke’s Refuge, as a sure-of-himself, fixated-on-fishing, eight-year-old son of the island schoolmaster who happened to be a Duke in hiding. Now Max is grown, and although he still holds the same quirky characteristics of his youth, he bears the weight of being a marquis and the responsibility of adulthood.

The duty to care for and protect those he loves prompts Max to return to the Leeward Islands to save his closest mate, Charlie. He’s confident that God, with a bit of help from the famous healing springs in Nevis, will save Max’s life. However, Charlie has his own plans to unite the caring but secretive hotel caretaker, Evelyn Sheraton, with his buddy Max.

In the middle of writing, The Marquis’s Pursuit, my cousin passed away suddenly. He was newly married, in his early thirties, and in the process of renovating a house when he became sick. He started losing weight, and before doctors could figure out what was wrong, he went into organ failure and died. My heart still aches for those he left behind, especially his wife and my aunt and uncle.

As I wrote, the lines between fiction and reality blurred, and it’s hard to believe my tears didn’t fry out my laptop as I typed. But I’m grateful for how God used Max’s journey to help me to process why bad things happen, and how ultimately, God has a bigger plan that, at times, we can’t see or fathom.

God doesn’t always work in straight lines. Sometimes we must battle problems and issues to touch as many people as possible on our journey toward heaven. Stories, especially romances in my opinion, broaden our understanding of how those we love comfort and carry us through illness, pain, and sorrow. Max and Evelyn reminded me to stay anchored to those we love, lean on each other’s faith, and most importantly, that love conquers all.

To learn more, check out my website at lorridudley.com, or watch The Marquis’s Pursuit book trailer by clicking here: The Marquis’s Pursuit Trailer.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 13

Remembrancy, April 14

She Lives To Read, April 14

For Him and My Family, April 15

Texas Book-aholic, April 16

Miriam Jacob, April 16

Inklings and notions, April 17

Betti Mace, April 18

Genesis 5020, April 19

Life of Literature, April 20

deb’s Book Review, April 20

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 21

Connie’s History Classroom, April 22

Blossoms and Blessings, April 23

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 23

Simple Harvest Reads, April 24 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lorri 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/1cc7d/the-marquis-s-pursuit-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.

"Sweet Rivals" by Kari Trumbo -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Sweet Rivals

Author: Kari Trumbo

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: March 29, 2022

Fay is about to lose her business…

…to the only guy she’s ever thought might be good for her.

Fay Ravven has spent years building a floral business on Mimosa Island. Too bad a chain florist has moved in right down the street. As her business wanes, she realizes her rival is none other than Corbin Lowel, the very man who swept her heart away at her friend’s wedding.

Corbin knows he’s not good enough for Fay. His friends remind him all the time that, as a florist, he’s not really man enough for anyone. That doesn’t stop him from stepping out of his comfort zone and going to Fay’s store to see if she remembers him. That’s when he discovers that his business is killing hers.

What are rivals to do when they can’t stop thinking about each other? Plan the flowers for someone else’s wedding, of course.

When Corbin and Fay must see each other and work together, will they dive through their pain and reach for the stars? Or will the roses be too prickly for two hurt hearts?

Read the next Sparrow Island novel in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book and found it to be well written. It was nice to see characters that I met before from the other books. It was a good reminder to not judge people or actions based on face value because they aren't always correct. You need to truly know what is going onto understand. There was a nice biblical faith thread through the story. I look forward to reading more books in this series

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kari writes swoony heroes and places that become characters with detail and heart.
Her favorite place to write about is the place her heart lives, (even if she doesn’t) South Dakota.

Kari loves reading, listening to contemporary Christian music, singing when no one’s listening, and curling up near the wood stove when winter hits. She makes her home in central Minnesota, land of frigid toes and mosquitoes the size of compact cars, with her husband of over twenty years. They have two daughters, two sons, one cat, and one hungry wood stove.

More from Kari

Nudge from the Almighty or personal desire?

Sometimes what we should do is as clear as mud. When I first felt the call to write, I worried that it was a “me” thing. I worried that the nudge that I felt was for my own glory. It didn’t matter that I felt the desire to write Christian fiction. We can do all the things we think are right and still be in the wrong place according to God’s will.

When I literally felt captive to the idea of writing—like, I couldn’t move forward without doing something about it—then I finally considered that perhaps this was God’s will and not just me wanting something. But it took years of the Holy Spirit prodding me before I ever acted.

Fay is like that. She starts her flower business certain she is doing the will of God and it helps that she really wants it too. But she works so hard, putting in so many hours, that she forgets about why she started it and it becomes all work for her own glory. Her business.

Enter Corbin, a really sweet guy who is in the wrong place at the wrong time and is used by God to nudge Fay away from her idol and into a deeper relationship. He’s a rival flower shop owner, and the only guy she’s ever felt a connection to. Which makes for some pretty interesting dialogue for the two of them.

Fact is, none of us likes to hear that our desire—especially when we think we’re doing the right thing—is wrong. No one ever wants loving correction by a Heavenly Father who cares about us deeply. We’re supposed to get it right.

Fay has to find out if it’s her business that’s getting in the way of her relationship or if it’s really a heart issue. I hope you’ll enjoy finding out along with her.

Kari

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 19

lakesidelivingsite, April 20

Texas Book-aholic, April 20

Inklings and notions, April 21

For Him and My Family, April 22

By the Book, April 22

deb’s Book Review, April 23

Blossoms and Blessings, April 23

The Christian Fiction Girl, April 24

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 25

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 26

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, April 26

She Lives To Read, April 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 27

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 28 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 29

Miriam Jacob, April 29

CarpeDiem, April 30

Connect in Fiction, April 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 1

Simple Harvest Reads, May 2 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Splashes of Joy, May 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kari is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and 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/1cc84/sweet-rivals-celebration-tour-giveaway

I read this book on Kindle Unlimited. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

"Peace in the Mountain Haven" by Misty M. Beller -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Peace in the Mountain Haven

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian historical romance

Release date: March 15, 2022

This epic journey is her best chance to find the family she and her daughter long for.

Watkuese is desperate to return across the Rocky Mountains before winter sets in. Time is running out for her to get her adopted daughter back to the familiar surroundings of the Shoshone village before the grief of her parents’ death causes irreparable damage.

Hugh Charpentier has spent his life watching over his siblings, which meant also ensuring his brother’s widow and babe are settled well into their new life. Now he’s asked to help shepherd a woman and child he barely knows across the mountains. As hard as it is to keep up with a six-year-old in the treacherous Rockies, it’s not nearly as dangerous as risking his heart to a woman and child who may not ever be his.

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 found this book to be well written and that it flowed well. It was nice to see characters I'd gotten to know in past books. I was glad to see new adventures and difficulties from the other books. The characters grew and developed through the book. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

Click here to get your copy!

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.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

What do you love most about this genre?

I tend to be a bit of a sentimentalist, so Historical Romance is perfect for me! My favorite period is between 1800 – 1880, when the west was still an extreme frontier. I love the simpler life, where there’s no rat race. Just hard work, plenty of alone time (can you tell I’m an introvert?), and a strong family unit.

Are readers always promised a “happily ever after” in your novels? Why or why not?

Absolutely! I read as an escape, so that happily ever after is important to me. I know my characters will face challenges after the story ends, but I want to finish the book knowing they’ve grown through the story and will be able to meet future struggles with God’s strength and the support of each other—as well as family and friends!

How can readers connect with you?

I love to connect with readers! One of my favorite ways is through my newsletter, and readers can get a free copy of my book, A Pony Express Romance, when they sign up for the newsletter. Here’s the link for that: https://mistymbeller.com/freebook