Tuesday, January 31, 2023

"Yesterday's Tides" by Roseanna M. White

About the Book

In two world wars, intelligence and counterintelligence, prejudice, and self-sacrifice collide across two generations

In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same--until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie's inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling's injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS officer he's tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.

Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, never expecting to fall in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper's daughter. But when war breaks out in Europe, their relationship is put in jeopardy and may not survive what lies ahead for them.

As the ripples from the Great War rock Evie and Sterling's lives in World War II, it seems yesterday's tides may sweep them all into danger again today

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be well written and easy to read. I didn't want to put it down and wished I could ignore everything else to read. At points, I wished I could read faster so I would know how the two timelines interconnected. I liked how the clues were laid out so you learned a little bit more every section. I loved the cameos from characters in Roseanna M. White's other books. And then finding out some of the characters from this book were in previous books, I had to go back and find them. The characters were realistic and fleshed out. I look forward to reading more books by Roseanna M. White.

About the Author

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

"Yesterday's Tides" is available in paperback:

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bethany House Publishers (January 24, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0764240013
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0764240010
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.8 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.04 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B6Q3MJ9Y
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bethany House Publishers (January 24, 2023)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 24, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 8875 KB

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.

"Expired Return" by Lisa Phillips

Expired Return JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Expired Return by Lisa Phillips, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Expired Return

Series: Last Chance Fire and Rescue #1

Author: Lisa Phillips

Publisher: Sunrise Publishing

Release Date: January 31, 2023

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

She'll give everything to protect her family.

He always knew she was the one.

Veterinary tech Pepper Miller lives a quiet life in Last Chance County. She's watching her niece until her sister shows up…if she ever does. When Victory's father demands he take over her care, Pepper knows something has gone wrong. With a new drug in town, and her sister embroiled in a dangerous bargain, it's up to Pepper to protect the people she loves.

Even if it costs every secret she's ever kept.

Fire Department liaison Allen Frees lives with the injuries he sustained as a police officer in a raid gone wrong. He's put his life back together but getting the truck crew and engine squad to succeed might be his toughest assignment yet. When Victory is nearly kidnapped at a community event, Allen steps in to help Pepper keep her niece safe. The one thing he couldn't fix was the love he lost, but he isn't going to let Pepper walk away this time.

No matter what walls he has to break down.

Last Chance County returns in this blazing new series from Sunrise Publishing.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

More Books in this Series

Expired Hope

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book. Several characters from the Last Chance County series show up, but you don't have to have read that series to understand what is happening in this book. I felt the book was well written with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. I did figure out the secret about Allen's dad, but that wasn't a detraction of my enjoyment of the book. I did feel like Victory seemed more like a six year old than an eight year old (especially given she was in 1st grade) There was a biblical faith thread and the characters grew through the book. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.

About the Author

Lisa Phillips

Lisa Phillips is a USA Today and top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over 50 books that span Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line, independently published series romantic suspense, and thriller novels. She’s discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after.

Lisa is a British ex-pat who grew up an hour outside of London and attended Calvary Chapel Bible College, where she met her husband. He’s from California, but nobody’s perfect. It wasn’t until her Bible College graduation that she figured out she was a writer (someone told her). As a worship leader for Calvary Chapel churches in her local area, Lisa has discovered a love for mentoring new ministry members and youth worship musicians.

Discover the world of Last Chance Fire and Rescue at https://lastchancecounty.com/lc-fire

Connect with Lisa by visiting www.authorlisaphillips.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Expired Return, a $10 Amazon gift card, and sticker swag from Last Chance County!

Expired Return JustRead Giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 31, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 7, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

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.

Friday, January 20, 2023

"The Rose and the Thistle" by Laura Frantz

About the Book

In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with the clothes on her back and her mistress in tow. He has his own problems--a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction in the wake of losing his father. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

Drawn into a whirlwind of intrigue, shifting alliances, and ambitions, Lady Blythe must be careful whom she trusts. Her fortune, her future, and her very life are at stake. Those who appear to be adversaries may turn out to be allies--and those who pretend friendship may be enemies.

My Thoughts

It took a little bit to get into the rhythm and flow of the language of the book, but I was entranced by the setting. This time period fascinates me and I kept stopping to look up things online for more information about the time period and the kings and etc. I liked Blythe and Everard and wondered if they actually would fall in love as they were so at odds at first. I found the book to be well written and interesting. I look forward to reading more books by Laura Frantz.

About the Author

Christy Award-winning author, Laura Frantz, is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. When not at home in Kentucky, she and her husband live in Washington State.

According to Publishers Weekly, "Frantz has done her historical homework." With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California. Foreign language editions include French, Dutch, Spanish, Slovakian, German & Polish.

Readers can find Laura Frantz at www.laurafrantz.net

"The Rose and the Thistle" is available in paperback:

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (January 3, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 080074067X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0800740672
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.81 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.04 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B6PXDPWM
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (January 3, 2023)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 3, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 11658 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Ena

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.

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

"Every Flower of the Field" by Sara Davison

About the Book

Book: Every Flower of the Field

Author: Sara Davison

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: February 15, 2023

Safe is the most dangerous feeling of all.

For as long as she can remember, Rose Galway has been a captive, controlled by one man or another. To her, though, God is the one holding the keys, refusing to set her free despite the desperate pleas she has sent heavenward.

Detective Laken Jones has known hardship too, including the daily trauma of racism. Still, nothing he has gone through compares to what Rose has endured.

He wants nothing more than for her to experience hope and healing and maybe even happiness in her life.

But first he has to find her.

Laken is willing to risk everything to set Rose free. And to help her find her way to God. Even if that means letting go of her—and the future he envisions for the two of them—forever.

BOOK EXCERPT

Excerpt 3

The neighbor, a man in his fifties or sixties who looked like he normally wore a suit and tie to work but tonight wore a red T-shirt and gray track pants, stopped a couple of feet from the gates. After he’d scanned Laken’s identification, his shoulders relaxed slightly. Good. Apparently, race wasn’t going to be an issue. Laken slid the badge into his inside pocket. “Are you the one who called in the report of banging?”
The neighbor nodded. “Yes. It’s been going on for close to an hour now. I wasn’t sure whether to bother you over a noise, but when it went on for that long I started to wonder if someone might be in trouble.”
“I’m glad you called. I’d like to get onto the property so I can check the place out, but the gate is locked. Do you by any chance have a ladder I could borrow?”
He pursed his lips and studied Laken a moment before nodding. Then he strode to a panel on one of the columns next to the gate, lifted the cover, and typed in a code. Laken stepped back as the gates slid slowly open. “I have a ladder in the garage.”

MISSED ANY EXCERPTS, GO HERE:

Excerpt One: https://travelerswife4life.com/every-flower-of-the-field/

Excerpt Two: https://janemouttet.wordpress.com/2023/01/26/epic-book-launch-every-flower-of-the-field-excerpt/

Excerpt Three: https://blossomsandblessings.blogspot.com/2023/01/every-flower-of-field-by-sara-davison.html

Excerpt Four: https://moments-of-beauty.blogspot.com/2023/01/epic-book-launch-every-flower-of-field.html

Excerpt Five: https://carolkeen.blogspot.com/2023/01/every-flower-of-field-by-sara-davison.html

Excerpt Six: https://www.amoderndayfairytale.net/2023/01/every-flower-of-field-epic-book-launch.html

Excerpt Seven: https://storiesbygina.wordpress.com/2023/01/27/every-flower-of-the-field-book-launch-with-celebrate-lit/

About the Author

Sara Davison is the author of four romantic suspense series—The Seven Trilogy, The

Night Guardians, The Rose Tattoo Trilogy, and two sparrows for a penny, as well as

the standalone, The Watcher. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards,

she is a Word, Cascade, and two-time Carol Award winner. She currently resides in

Ontario with her husband, Michael, and their three mostly grown kids. Like every

good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular

reason. Get to know Sara better at www.saradavison.org and @sarajdavison.

Monday, January 16, 2023

"On My Honor" by Patty Smith Hall

About the Book

Book: On My Honor

Author: Patty Smith Hall

Genre: Christian / Historical Fiction / Romance / Intrigue

Release date: January, 2023

Ginny Mathis was finished with nursing school and had no intention of staying rooted in the Outer Banks—then war broke out. With her father away, she feels duty-bound to stay and help her mother and younger sister. While working as a clerk for the Oregon Inlet ferry, naval officers ask Ginny and others to be watchful for German U-boats reportedly spotted in the area. So to help occupy her teenage sister, Ginny enlists the Girl Scout troop she leads to help watch for suspicious activity along the coast.

Timothy Elliott is no stranger to death. As a British reporter working with the M-6, he’s numb to the losses of war after two years of fighting the Germans. Maybe that’s why he volunteered for this mission—to connect with an ex-German naval officer who stole the Furor’s battle plan for the Atlantic war. When the boat giving him passage to New York is bombed near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Tim is thrown from the boat and wakes up in the care of a group of young girls.

Ginny follows her sneaky sister on a clandestine mission and discovers the shipwreck victim. Ginny knows she must take charge, but is this man the enemy, or does he hold secrets that could turn the tide of the Battle of the Atlantic in the allies’ favor?

My Thoughts

I have been reading all the books in the Heroines of WWII series and that has introduced me to some new to me authors. Patty Smith Hall is one of those new to me authors. I enjoyed reading the book overall but there were a few things that just didn't make sense to me. When Tim first meets the Girl Scouts who rescue him, he tells them he is looking for a "friend" that he was traveling with, but then is surprised that they know about him. Also, Ginny is given a picture of Tim and Rolf by the Coast Guard, but then the leader of the Coast Guard is surprised she knows what Rolf looks like. Also, there was a big thing made about Tim's British accent, but Ginny and Belle's mom was from Britain and she would have had an accent, too, so it would have been normal, not unusual. I wasn't aware of the German attacks so close to the US shore so it was interesting reading about this part of history. I really liked the biblical faith element and the characters praying and wanting to do the right thing. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Multi-published author Patty Smith Hall lives near the North Georgia Mountains with her husband, Danny. When she’s not writing on her back porch, she’s spending time with her family or working in her vegetable garden.

More from Patty

Did you know that the Girl Scouts (or Girl Guides) serviced as spies on HIs Majesty’s Secret Service during World War One? I didn’t either until I picked up a book on female spies at my local Barnes and Noble. There were only two paragraphs about how the girls worked with the MI5 for the duration of the war. It was enough to get my heart pumping!

Being a former Girl Scout myself, I was amazed at what these young girls did to help our country during the war. What activities did the Girl Scouts/Girl Guides do in World War II? Anything asked of them. They organized drives for anything from fat (to make bullets) to paper, stepped into positions left vacant by men serving on the front and worked Victory gardens to provide food for their community. They did so many things, I can’t begin to name them all here. By March 1944, the Girl Scouts had provided over 15 million volunteer hours toward the war effort.

Isn’t that amazing? No wonder I had to write a book about them!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 5

The Write Escape, January 5

lakesidelivingsite, January 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 7

Texas Book-aholic, January 8

Christina’s Corner, January 8

Inklings and notions, January 9

Cover Lover Book Review, January 10

Lily’s Book Reviews, January 10

Betti Mace, January 11

Where Faith and Books Meet, January 11

deb’s Book Review, January 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 13

For Him and My Family, January 13

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 14

Mary Hake, January 14

Connie’s History Classroom, January 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 16

Blossoms and Blessings, January 16

Splashes of Joy, January 17

Pause for Tales, January 17

Labor Not in Vain, January 18

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, January 18

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Patty is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-gift card and a print 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/23640/on-my-honor-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, January 14, 2023

"Refining Josie" by Corolyn Miller

About the Book

Book: Refining Josie

Author: Carolyn Miller

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: December 6, 2022

What’ll it take for the prodigal daughter to share her deepest secrets… and her heart?

Josephine Green returns to the islands in an attempt to reconcile with her family, but with a cloud over the family business, and little in the way of gardening skills, Josie’s painful past and flaky ways prove less than endearing for Greener Gardens’ hardworking crew.

Stuck without any other options, Josie is forced to accept her sister’s offer of a job that takes her to Breakers Head where she encounters Aussie teacher, Lachlan Jones.

A long-lost relative might’ve brought Lachie to a tiny music recording studio on the Independence Islands, but it’s also brought questions about how to care for someone he barely knows, especially considering he’s the last family she has. Questions regarding his future soon pale when he encounters the vibrant-haired Josie, whose sass and attitude takes some getting used to.

Neither imagined more until they began to bond over music and environmental causes. Both discover that first impressions need not be lasting ones.

But with the future of Gardens Gardens looking shaky, and Josie’s faith and self-worth just as tenuous, can deepening a friendship into something more ever work? And what happens when Lachlan’s work means he has to return to Australia after Christmas? What’ll it take for two hearts to heal and make a future possible?

This Breakers Head novel is Carolyn Miller’s final book 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

It was nice reading this book and wrapping up the whole series. After meeting Josie in the other books in the series by Caroyln Miller, it was interesting to get to understand Josie better and why she was acting the way she was. There was a nice biblical faith thread. There were a few confusing things that I think were "British-isms" which would have worked if it was from Lachlan's point of view, but from Josie's it didn't fit. The ending felt a little unfinished with Lachlan's gift because it didn't really show what he chose to do. I think it would be nice to go back and read all the books by each author one after the other since they each generally had their own storyline and it was kind of hard to keep them all straight when you had six different overarching storylines.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher. She loves reading, music, films, gardens, art, travel and international food, and really enjoy creating worlds where flawed people can grow in faith, hope and love.
A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives.

Her novels include The Elusive Miss Ellison, The Captivating Lady Charlotte, The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, Winning Miss Winthrop, Miss Serena’s Secret, The Making of Mrs. Hale, A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh, and Underestimating Miss Cecilia, all available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Koorong, etc

More from Carolyn

Wow! Well, here we are celebrating the release of Refining Josie, my final book and THE final book in the Independence Islands series. It’s been a journey, hasn’t it? Six authors, five islands, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

As a long-time lover of gardens, plants, flowers and trees, it’s been so fun showcasing various parts of what life could be like as someone working in the gardening industry on these islands. I’m married to a horticulturalist, who once upon a time worked at Lyme Park, which was showcased in the 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice. He has also worked at Kew Gardens in England, and it was fun to use some of his experience in these books. (You can see some of my pics on Instagram and on my website)

For Refining Josie I was glad to finally round out some of the family challenges Samantha Green and her family’s ‘Greener Gardens’ business have had to deal with along the way, and to give Josie Green her own voice. This is a story about a prodigal daughter, and some of the ‘why’ behind the behavior, factors I think readers will relate and respond to well.

As an Aussie, I was also happy to include an Aussie hero, someone with some challenges of his own, so I hope you enjoy getting a tiny taste of a Hugh Jackman-esque hero.

Come visit the Independence Islands once more, and enjoy Refining Josie, a story of heart, hope, humor and a dash of Christmas romance.

Happy reading!

Carolyn