Sunday, June 30, 2024

"Rocky Mountain Journey (Sisters of the Rockies: Book 3)" by Misty M. Beller

About the Book

Book: Rocky Mountain Journey (Sisters of the Rockies: Book 3)

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: June 18, 2024

Masquerading as a man, Faith Collins embarks on a perilous journey through the untamed wilderness of the Rocky Mountains in search of the Peigan Blackfoot woman who once saved her father’s life. She joins a group of trappers who may be able to lead her to the place the woman is hiding, but keeping Faith’s identity a secret proves more difficult than she imagined.

Grant Allen is searching for his younger brother, who was separated from him when their parents died many years ago. After receiving word that his brother went west to the Rockies, he unites with a group of trappers, hoping they can lead him to his brother’s location. Soon Grant realizes there’s a woman hiding among the men, and he’s determined to find out who she is, what she’s hiding, and how he can keep her safe in this country of wild animals and even wilder men.

In this rousing conclusion to her Sisters of the Rockies series, Misty M. Beller embarks on an adventurous journey where loyalty, love, and sacrifice intertwine amid the unforgiving frontier.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this story. It was fun to get to see all the sisters again and the men that they love. I like Faith and her determination and Grant and his protectiveness. There is a good biblical faith thread and the gospel message is clearly given. The characters grew and changed. I look forward to reading Rosie's story and other books by Misty M. Beller.

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

A HEROINE DISGUISED AS A MAN

I love a heroine in disguise! It’s one of my favorite tropes, but I don’t often get to write stories with that plot. It adds so many fun and funny moments to the storyline. J

In Rocky Mountain Journey our heroine goes undercover as a “man” to travel with a group of trappers so she can reach her destination safely. Numbers meant a better chance of survival back in those days. I love that Grant, our hero, was the only man in the trapper group who looked close enough at the young “man” riding with them to realize things weren’t what they seemed at first glance.

One challenge that definitely arises in a story where the heroine is pretending to be a man is the development of the romance between her and the hero. In this case, Faith was pretending to be her (fictitious) brother Frank. Grant had met Faith in an earlier chapter before she took on the disguise, and he immediately noticed the resemblance between “Frank” and the woman whose memory still lingered with him, even days later. Every time he looks at “Frank” while they’re traveling with the trappers, he recalls the memory of Faith by the waterfall…and the attraction to that woman grows a little more every time. What a shocking surprise when he discovered she’s riding just ahead of him on the trail the entire time!

I pray you love Faith’s stint “in disguise” in Rocky Mountain Journey! J

Blessings!

Misty

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 18

Life, Love, Writing, June 19

Book Looks by Lisa, June 19

Wishful Endings, June 20

Lighthouse Academy Blog, June 20 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Texas Book-aholic, June 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 22

Devoted To Hope, June 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 23

Happily Managing a Houeshold of Boys, June 23

Betti Mace, June 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 24

lakesidelivingsite, June 25

Books You Can Feel Good About, June 26

Mornings at Character Cafe, June 26

Life on Chickadee Lane, June 27

Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 27

Cover Lover Book Review, June 28

For Him and My Family, June 29

Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 29

Holly’s Book Corner, June 30

Blossoms and Blessings, June 30

Lily’s Corner, July 1

Pause for Tales, July 1

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/2c068/rocky-mountain-journey-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, June 29, 2024

"Mackinac Island Beacon" by Carrie Fancett Pagels

About the Book

Plans hatched in 1897 bring friends and family from far distances toward Mackinac Island’s new twin beacons—the Round Island Lighthouse and the Social Affirmation Society’s training/retreat center. A missing daughter, a missing godchild—two young women’s lives have intertwined in ways they could never have known. The solution to both of their mysteries is revealed when all hope has been lost by those seeking them.

Is romance out of the question for Val and Susan, when their hearts begin to heal? Will Paul and Lawrence, friends from their childhoods, brought to the island for work, be their beacons of hope? Can God bring all their paths together or will too many obstacles stand in their way?

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a lot of fun to see characters I've met in previous books. I love when books are set in my home state of Michigan and Mackinac Island is a special part of our state. It is fun to imagine being there. I did get a bit confused with the various storylines as there were so many people to keep track of. Part of the story was published as part of a novella collection, but it was expanded and fleshed out giving it a more rounded story. I look forward to reading more books by Carrie Fancett Pagels.

About the Author

Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., writes stories about overcoming with God's help (including a Romantic Times Top Pick inspirational novel). She has 25 published fiction books. Carrie is an ECPA-bestselling award-winning author. She won the Maggie Award for Excellence medallion. Twenty-five years as a psychologist didn't "cure" her overactive imagination. She's the mother of two and married to the love of her life.

"Mackinac Island Beacon" is available in paperbackpaperback:

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hearts Overcoming Press (April 29, 2024)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 262 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 173668759X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1736687598
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.3 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.6 x 8 inches

and in Kindle Kindle edition:

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CXF9L9SJ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hearts Overcoming Press (April 27, 2024)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 27, 2024
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1475 KB

"Willing to Wed the Rancher" by Jody Hedlund

About the Book

In the high country of Colorado, falling in love at first sight is not only possible, it’s likely to happen.

Assistant schoolteacher Clarabelle Oakley has a hard time saying no. When Eric Meyer, widowed father of two of her young students, proposes to her, she botches her effort to tell him no and that she wants to marry for love, not convenience. Only days later, the unthinkable happens, and Clarabelle learns she’s been given charge of Eric’s children and his farm.

Professor Franz Meyer arrives in Summit County, Colorado, to make peace with his estranged brother but discovers Eric is gone, leaving too many unanswered questions. One thing he knows for certain, however, is that he’s fallen in love at first sight with Clarabelle and is determined to win her heart.

As Franz investigates what happened to his brother, danger closes in. He wants to keep Clarabelle and the children safe, but she resists the relationship because her twin sister has staked a claim on Franz. Will Clarabelle choose to say yes to love before Franz is taken from her forever?

Twin sisters
Love triangle
Love at first sight
Mystery
Wealthy foreigner
Fish out of water
Estranged family

*All of the books in the High Country Ranch series are sweet, closed-door romances with plenty of sizzle. The inspirational themes are light, and the romance is the main focus of the books.

My Thoughts

I was glad for the opportunity to read this book. It was nice to see Maverick and Hazel again and even a fun cameo from a character from a previous book. There are mentions of characters having had premarital sex and others of feelings of lust and desire, but within the confine of the book, only kissing takes place. I liked Clarabelle and Franz and watching their interactions with each other and with the children. They learned important lessons and grew as individuals. I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

About the Author

Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle.

"Willing to Wed the Rancher" is available in paperback paperback and

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D2DPMCXH
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Northern Lights Press (June 24, 2024)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 292 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8989627714
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.1 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.73 x 8.5 inches

in Kindle Kindle edition

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CXSC1F68
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Northern Lights Press (June 25, 2024)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 25, 2024
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3594 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.

"Her Part to Play" by Jenny Erlingsson -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Her Part to Play

Author: Jenny Erlingsson

Genre:Contemporary Romance

Release date: June 18, 2024

Desperate for extra income after her mother’s passing, Adanne accepts a last-minute job as a makeup artist for a movie filming in her small Alabama hometown. She’s working to save her parents’ legacy and help her brother, but the money hardly seems worth having to face the actor who got her fired from her last job in Hollywood.

John Pope has made his share of mistakes over the years. But after turning his life over to God and enduring a messy breakup, he’s ready to start rebuilding his career. Imagine his surprise when the woman called in to cover for his usual makeup artist is a quiet but feisty newcomer on the set–and definitely not a fan.

Sparks of tension–and could that be attraction?–fly between them, but Adanne hates the spotlight, and John’s scheming manager has bigger plans for him than to end up with the humble makeup girl from the small-town South. Can these star-crossed lovers find their way to happiness? Or will the bright lights of Hollywood blind their eyes to what’s right in front of them?

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. Do you set a plot or prefer going wherever an idea takes you?
I think I do a little bit of both. I like to create a loose outline that
gives me some direction as I brainstorm. That way, when I get a
margin or sliver of time, I can write words down under those plot
points or themes. I actually wrote most of the first draft of Her
Part to Play in the notes app of my phone. I would sit next to my
daughters as they drifted off to sleep after bedtime stories and
prayers. Those fifteen to twenty minutes allowed me to focus
and write down ideas as they came, which I edited the next day.

2. What, according to you, is the hardest thing about writing?
Good question! For me, currently, I think the hardest thing about
writing is finishing. Brainstorming and dreaming and writing
down ideas is fun, but it is hard to finish! I have notebooks full of
story ideas and snippets that I started but never finished.

3. What would you say is the easiest aspect of writing?
Right now, it feels like the easiest part is the editing. I know that
seems strange, but once the draft is down, it feels easier to
enhance words that have already been written.

4. How long does it usually take you to write a book?
If I can focus and discipline myself to write a little each day, or
even a lot if I’m in the mood, I can write a book in about six
weeks. It doesn’t mean that draft is very good, lol, but it is
written.

5. Anything else you'd like to share?
Thank you so much for taking the time to connect with me and
my debut novel, Her Part to Play! I hope readers are sweetly
entertained and deeply encouraged by this story.

About the Author

Jenny Erlingsson is an author and speaker of Nigerian descent. After 12 years working in junior high and women’s ministry, she moved with her family from Alabama to Iceland. When she’s not running after her four kids or ministering alongside her husband, she can be found writing romantic fiction and creative nonfiction to inspire deep faith in diverse settings, as well as encouraging other writers. Her other writings have been featured on (in)courage, Live Original, Velvet Ashes, and more. And in the margins, you might find her reading five books at a time with a side of Icelandic chocolate.

More from Jenny

Sometimes it can be easy to underestimate the significance of our part to play in God’s story, especially when it’s something behind-the-scenes. I wanted to portray that in the story that unfolds between my characters Adanne and John. In Her Part to Play, readers are introduced to a make-up artist who had dreams of becoming successful in her career, but she sacrificed that to take care of her dying mother and ended up getting fired in the process.

This idea actually developed while I watched behind the scenes footage of The Chosen. Like any industry, profession or product, what we see is only a small part of the process. There are details that we don’t consider when we are being swept away in a story.

On the surface, working with the actor who got her fired was not the way Adanne wanted to earn much needed income. But there’s so much beautiful redemption that can be found in hidden places and that’s what John finds as well. Every day that Adanne works on his face to get him ready for his scenes, God starts working on both of their hearts. A beautiful transformation is carried out through someone who may not have seemed valuable in the grand scheme of things, but who was a very important part of the process.

Her Part to Play gives a glimpse of that through a charming romance between two people with different roles and from different cultures, but they both have a core need to be known and loved for not just what they do, but for who they are.

Blog Stops

Back Porch Reads, June 25 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 26

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, June 27 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 27

Inspired by Fiction, June 28

Blossoms and Blessings, June 29 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 1

Vicky Sluiter, July 2 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 3

By The Book, July 4 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, July 5

Blogging With Carol, July 6

For the Love of Literature, July 7 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, July 7

Pause for Tales, July 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jenny is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card, a custom journal and 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/2c55e/her-part-to-play-celebration-tour-giveaway

Saturday, June 15, 2024

"From Comfort Zone to Trust Zone: How Jesus Urges Us to Take Leaps of Faith for His Kingdom" by Cecil Taylor -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: From Comfort Zone to Trust Zone: How Jesus Urges Us to Take Leaps of Faith for His Kingdom

Author: Cecil Taylor

Genre: Christian Living

Release date: March 6, 2024

The innate human longing for comfort is undeniable. However, Jesus challenges us to step beyond the boundaries of our comfort zones and venture into the profound realm of faith, aptly described as trust zones by Cecil Taylor. These are the spaces where we dare to take risks in service of Christ’s Kingdom. In this enlightening exploration of the Bible, Cecil Taylor delves into 12 narratives of Jesus encouraging individuals to forsake their comfort zones in favor of trust zones. Through insightful interpretation, he unveils the valuable lessons these stories impart for contemporary followers of Jesus.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. Why did you choose to write non-fiction?

Non-fiction fits with the mission of Cecil Taylor Ministries to teach Christians how to live a seven-

day practical faith, putting their faith into practice between Sundays (learn more at

CecilTaylorMinistries.com). The mission emerges from my teaching of adult Sunday School

classes for decades. People would tell me, “I can do this Christian stuff on Sundays, but the rest

of the week is hard.” I work to address that need.

2. Why did you choose to write about this particular topic?

The concept of risk-taking runs strong through many of my works. After I wrote Live Like You’re

Loved, I kept thinking about a page where I discussed risk-taking for Jesus’s sake. So I

investigated Bible stories in which Jesus invites people out of comfort zones into his trust zones,

where they take risks for his kingdom while deepening their faith. Then I explore what these

comfort and trust zones mean for us today.

I hope to persuade people to listen to the Spirit’s call to get uncomfortable and embrace

uncertainty, so they’ll do more for Christ and increase their faith and impact.

3. What is your writing area like?

I separate my writing area from my office area where I conduct the administrative part of my

ministry; in my writing space I can block out noise and interruptions. I might play music

sometimes, especially “comfort food” music. Believe it or not, my favorites for writing are the

Herb Alpert and Sergio Mendes Pandora channels, music my parents would listen to.

I keep a folder of notes for the book in progress and have several resources nearby such as the

Bible and reference books. On my computer, I maintain a brainstorm document that also

contains the outline for the book.

I find actual writing to be very intense, like extracting something from your soul. I can only go

about three to four hours per day with high intensity, which is usually very productive. Then I set

the writing aside to do other things and come back the next day.

4. How do you balance writing time with other things?

It’s always a challenge. In an ideal day, I would handle administrative, marketing, and free

content duties like blogs in the morning, then pivot to writing in the afternoon. I might sometimes

come back and write in the evenings.

Over the course of an ideal week, I would spend 35% of time on content creation (including

videos; I create video studies to accompany each book), 30% on free content, 25% on

marketing, and 10% on administrative. I track my hours on each task to understand the balance.

In a given day, that time may be skewed in one direction or another, so I have to consider the

balance on a weekly or biweekly basis.

5. Was there anything you found particularly interesting while researching?

I was fascinated by the story of the disciple Thaddeus (who went by other names as well). The

Bible doesn’t tell much about him, but it’s clear he was one of four Zealot disciples who wanted

to overthrow local Roman rule. We only hear his voice once in scripture, asking Jesus at the

Last Supper why he won’t reveal himself as a powerful messiah, hoping Jesus will take

governmental control. Between Jesus’ answer that he’s more interested in winning hearts, and

the proof of the resurrection days later, Thaddeus gave up his Zealot ambitions, helped the

Christian church grow, and eventually was martyred. He was sainted with the name St. Jude, for

which the famous hospital is named. His story reminds us that Jesus’s focus is on his kingdom

and on winning hearts, not on political issues.

About the Author

With more than 30 years’ experience as an adult Sunday School teacher and as many in youth ministry, Cecil Taylor has impacted lives in local churches throughout his adult life. He founded Cecil Taylor Ministries to broaden that impact, teaching Christians to live a 7-day practical faith through books, video studies, and speaking engagements. His ministry is cross-denominational, focused on the common struggle Christians face in putting their faith into practice and applying scripture and faith principles to life situations.

From Comfort Zone to Trust Zone has won the 2024 Living Water Award (nonfiction, third place) from the Blue Lake Christian Writer’s Conference. This is the fourth award that Cecil has been presented across his three books.

More from Cecil

Comfort zones can be positive. Not only do we feel good about ourselves, but we also can be effective and efficient. We can find a groove. We may even be able to mentor others and cause a ripple effect of good.

But comfort zones can fool us. Our comfort zones can become invisible. They can limit us and tell us not to take risks. Comfort zones can keep us from going all-in on what Jesus has to offer us.

As I read the Gospels, I see how Jesus frequently pushed people out of comfort zones and into his trust zones, where they would take leaps of faith for the sake of his kingdom. Similarly, Jesus calls us out of comfort zones today, inviting us to take risks while deepening our faith.

A woman who read From Comfort Zone to Trust Zone said one of the most gripping moments in the book is when I shared my own story of going all-in for Jesus. I had grown up in the church as a preacher’s kid. Throughout decades of my adult life, I was a leader in my church, a highly committed volunteer, someone others might think was all-in for Christ.

But I wasn’t all-in, though I fooled myself into thinking I was. In a time when I asked for more comfort zone, Jesus gave me a trust zone: to forget about volunteering so much and to focus on giving my heart to God. I was busted, as I foolishly thought I had hidden from God that I wasn’t fully yielding control of my life. I didn’t know what Jesus would ask of me, so I held him at arm’s length. My prayers zeroed in on what was comfortable for me rather than what the Holy Spirit was beckoning me to do.

Since that moment, my life has changed. I believe your life needs to change, too, if you’re feeling comfortable. It’s time to get uncomfortable, to overcome your desire for certainty, and to inspect the ways in which you have limited the Spirit’s power to work through you. I invite you on a journey to identify subtle comfort zones that you never knew you had and to uncover trust zones that will take your faith to new levels while mightily serving Christ. I invite you to the experience that is From Comfort Zone to Trust Zone: How Jesus Urges Us to Take Leaps of Faith for His Kingdom.