Review and Giveaway: Stay with Me by Becky Wade May 28, 2020

 

About:

Loving her is a risk he can’t afford . . . and can’t resist.

When acclaimed Bible study author Genevieve Woodward receives an anonymous letter referencing her parents’ past, she returns to her hometown in the Blue Ridge Mountains to chase down her family’s secret. However, it’s Genevieve’s own secret that catches up to her when Sam Turner, owner of a historic farm, uncovers the source of shame she’s worked so hard to hide.

Sam has embraced his sorrow, his isolation, and his identity as an outsider. He’s spent years carving out both career success and peace of mind. The last thing he wants is to rent the cottage on his property to a woman whose struggles stir his worst failure back to life. Yet can he bear to turn her away right when she needs him most?

 

About the Author:

Becky Wade is the 2018 Christy Award Book of the Year winner for True to You. She is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and moved to Dallas. She published historical romances for the general market, then put her career on hold for several years to care for her children. When God called her back to writing, Becky knew He meant for her to turn her attention to Christian fiction. Her humorous, heart-pounding contemporary romance novels have won three Christy Awards, the Carol Award, the INSPY Award, and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award for Romance. Becky lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and three children.

 

Website | Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Follow the Tour Here:

Giveaway:

 

One winner will receive:

– A $100 gift card

– A paperback copy of Stay with Me

– A hand-knit scarf

– A pair of earrings

– A package of “Georgia Blues” coffee

– A package of apple oatmeal muffin mix

 

ENTER HERE

My thoughts:

Becky Wade is one of my favorite contemporary romance writers. I don’t even read the back cover blurb because I know I will like her books because she has never let me down.

I’m not even sure where to start.

How about with the romance? Becky knows how to light a fire under her characters and develop a romance that will have you cheering them on. Sam basically has to face his worst fears when he meets Genevieve and Genevieve needs to start being real with herself and along the way they try not to love each other.

How about Genevieve’s issues? As someone in ministry myself I can relate to the fact that you feel like you can’t be real because people see you one way on the stage, but wonder if they knew the struggles you were really going through? Would they still love you, respect you? Very tough topics in this book.

How about the mystery? That is what I love about Becky’s books. She always has some kind of mystery involved in the story. This is a good one that had me wondering what in the world was going on.

So did I like this book? Yes!! I loved it and can’t wait to read more in this series, which the ground work is beautifully laid out in this book.

Visit Becky here.

Grab your copy at your local bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com or our favorite retailer.

A copy of this book was given to me. All opinions are my own. 

Review and Giveaway: Socialite by J’nell Ciesielski

About the Book

Book:  The Socialite

Author: J’nell Ciesielski

Genre:  Historical Romance

Release Date: April 14, 2020

 

Glamour, treachery, and espionage collide when an English socialite rushes to save her sister from the Nazis.

As the daughter of Sir Alfred Whitford, Kat has a certain set of responsibilities. But chasing her wayward sister, Ellie, to Nazi-occupied Paris was never supposed to be one of them. Now accustomed to the luxurious lifestyle that her Nazi boyfriend provides, Ellie has no intention of going back to the shackled life their parents dictate for them—but Kat will stop at nothing to bring her sister home.

Arrested for simply trying to defend himself against a drunken bully, Barrett Anderson is given the option of going to jail or serving out his sentence by training Resistance fighters in Paris. A bar owner serves as the perfect disguise to entertain Nazis at night while training fighters right below their jackboots during the day. Being assigned to watch over two English debutantes is the last thing he needs, but a payout from their father is too tempting to resist. Can Barrett and Kat trust each other long enough to survive, or will their hearts prove more traitorous than the dangers waiting around the corner?

 

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

I blame Pinterest. Too many hours are spent chasing rabbit holes of glorious pictures of fashion from eras gone by, Highlanders in kilts, WWI ambulances, and fairytale castles. One day I was browsing something super important (or possibly escaping from the actual work I was supposed to be doing, er, we’ll never know) and stumbled across a black and white picture of six beautiful girls. Who are these lovely ladies? I wondered. A quick search brought up the Mitford sisters. Six gorgeous daughters born into an aristocratic English family, each girl with a different passion: Diana the fascist, Jessica the communist, Unity the Hitler lover, Nancy the novelist, Deborah the duchess, and Pamela the poultry connoisseur. Whoa. You know dinner time around their family table was interesting. How could such different personalities belong in the same family? What would you do if your sister got moon-eyed over Hitler??

Bam. An idea was born.

In the beginning, my little rebel Ellie was going to be a full-fledged Nazi ideology lover, but she quickly informed me that it wasn’t so much the Nazis or their crazy ideas she loved, but one man in particular. One twisted Nazi who had fallen completely under her spell, and she under his. The ideas of love can often be more difficult to break as Kat finds out when she tries to rescue her naïve sister. Luckily, she has a hunky Sottish bartender to help her while providing a few romantic intentions of his own. With everyone hiding past hurts and true identities, how will they ever hope to find the love they each long for when war rages under the bright lights of Paris? Guess you’ll have to read to find out 😉

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 22

Emily Yager, May 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 22

Back Porch Reads, May 22

Inklings and notions, May 23

Breny and Books, May 23

Stories By Gina , May 23

For Him and My Family, May 24

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 24

Connect in Fiction, May 24

Simple Harvest Reads, May 25 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 25

Life, Love, Writing, May 25

Livin’ Lit, May 26

Robin’s Nest, May 26

All-of-a-kind Mom, May 26

For the Love of Literature, May 26

Betti Mace, May 27

Maureen’s Musings, May 27

Where Faith and Books Meet, May 27

Genesis 5020, May 28

Book of Ruth Ann, May 28

Remembrancy, May 28

Read Review Rejoice, May 29

Quiet Workings, May 29

Mia Reads, May 29

The Christian Fiction Girl, May 30

Rebecca Tews, May 30

deb’s Book Review, May 30

Older & Smarter?, May 31

Texas Book-aholic, May 31

Books I’ve Read, May 31

Batya’s Bits, June 1

Blossoms and Blessings, June 1

Splashes of Joy, June 1

Through the Fire Blogs, June 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 2

Moments, June 2

Pause for Tales, June 3

Andrea Carmen, June 3

Just Your Average reviews, June 3

To Everything There Is A Season, June 3

Fiction Aficionado, June 4

Lis Loves Reading, June 4

Hallie Reads, June 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, J’nell is giving away the grand prize of a book and a book sleeve!!

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/fa09/the-socialite-celebration-tour-giveaway

My thoughts:

What a great book. I love books set in World War II. I can’t even imagine being surrounded by Nazis and pretending you agree with them. Their complete hatred for the Jews and anyone that isn’t like them is sickening.

Kat has no idea what she is getting into when she goes to Paris and soon she discovers she is stronger then she ever gave herself credit for. Her sister seems pretty clueless and totally immature and selfish, but as the book goes on we see cracks in those traits.

I couldn’t wait to see how they would get out of Paris, what would the future look like once they got out?

Overall, a very good book full of tension, questions and romance.

Grab your copy at your local bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble,Christianbook.com or your favorite retailer.

A copy of this book was given given to me by the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own. 

They Shall Expel Demons by Derek Prince May 27, 2020

About:

What are demons? How do they gain entry? Do Christians ever need deliverance from demons?

If you are struggling with problems that never seem to go away, has it occurred to you that demons might be at work?

In this practical, comprehensive handbook on deliverance, author and Bible expositor Derek Prince addresses the fears and misconceptions often associated with the subject of demons. He describes nine characteristic activities of demons, seven ways demons gain access to people’s lives and nine steps leading you to deliverance.

By sharing his own struggles with unseen forces, he encourages believers to become equipped to take action against these evil beings. He exposes their characteristics, activities and entry points and offers solid, down-to-earth advice on how to receive and minister deliverance–and how to remain free.

This expanded edition of the classic work features a brand-new study course for groups or individuals. Each chapter includes review questions, life application questions, a memory verse and a faith response.

Derek Prince (1915-2003) was the author of more than 80 books and 600 audio and 110 video teachings, many of which have been published in more than 100 languages. He founded Derek Prince Ministries International, and his daily radio broadcast, Derek Prince Legacy Radio, still reaches listeners around the world. Learn more at http://www.derekprince.org.

My thoughts:

So I wasn’t sure what to think of this book at first. At the beginning I started to think the author believed everything bad was a demon and left out the fact that we have free well and the flesh plays a part in a lot of our bad choices. But as I continued reading the author does acknowledge this fact and that we need to be careful.

The other extreme is to ignore the work of the enemy all together, and that isn’t good either. I think many Christians live in that place and don’t realize a lot things they deal with really is the enemy at work in or around us.

I also liked that the author stated he didn’t believe Christians could be possessed by a demon but could be influenced by one, and to me that made sense.

This actually was a very interesting book and I think I would like to go through it again and really take a look at some areas in my own life that I have struggled with and don’t seem to be making any head way. Maybe there is more at work then I realize.

Visit Derek here.

Grab your copy at your local bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com or your favorite retailer.

A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher. All opinions are my own. 

Daughter of Cana by Angela Hunt May 26, 2020

About:

How Will Walking in Yeshua’s Footsteps
Forever Change Her Life?

Thomas and Tasmin, twin siblings hired to oversee a wedding feast in Cana, worry when the host runs out of wine . . . until a guest tells Tasmin to have the servants fill the pitchers by the gate with water from the cistern. Reluctantly, she obeys–and is amazed when rainwater turns into the finest wine ever tasted in Cana.

When Thomas impulsively decides to follow the teacher from Nazareth, the twins argue bitterly. Tasmin refuses to be abandoned or to let her brother be taken in by a magician-prophet. When he departs anyway, she decides to follow the Nazarene’s group, aided by Jude, younger brother to Yeshua of Nazareth, and do whatever she must to mend the fractured relationship, reveal the truth, and bring her brother home.

My thoughts:

This was a very interesting look at what Jesus’ brothers might have thought about Jesus and also the doubt of others who saw what Jesus was doing.

We start with Tasmin and she is very doubtful of who Jesus is. Then we she connects with Jude, one of Jesus’ brothers that doubt is magnified. If his own brother doesn’t believe that Jesus can really do these miracles why would Tasmin?

There was a lot of traveling in this book, but I suppose that might have been true to life back in these times and many dangers that surround foot travel.

I didn’t love this book, but it was good and definitely gave me a new perspective on how Jesus’ family might have reacted to him.

Visit Angela here.

Grab your copy at your local bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com or your favorite retailer.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own. 

Standoff by Patricia Bradley May 25, 2020

About:

“An explosive start to a brand-new series.”—Lisa Harris, bestselling author of the Nikki Boyd series

The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It’s the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for Luke Fereday, it’s also perfect for moving drugs.

Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers. John’s daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father’s murder but soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her.

Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who’s going to keep him safe when he realizes he’s falling–hard–for the daughter of the man he failed to save?

My thoughts:

I’m definitely a Patricia Bradley fan. Since her debut I have enjoyed every book she has written and this start to a new series promises to be a very good one.

There were so many possible people that had killed Brooke’s dad, although I will say from the beginning I had a feeling about one character in particular and I was correct in the end. But I wanted to be proven wrong so I was kind of surprised that I was right.

Brooke and Luke are both very interesting characters dealing with their own issues and desires alongside this mystery going on in the book.

Overall, a satisfying read that will keep you turning pages.

Visit Patricia here. 

Grab your copy at your local bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com or your favorite retailer.

A copy of this book was given to me through the publisher. All opinions are my own. 

The Merchants Yield by Lorri Dudley May 21, 2020

It was a marriage of inconvenience… 

Charlotte Amelia Etheridge has cowered to her mother’s sharp tongue and endless demands for the last time. In a fleeting moment of rebellion, she recklessly asks the last person her mother would ever consider appropriate, a foreigner from the Leeward Islands, for a dance. However, her courageous act ends in disaster when an innocent mistake lands her in a compromising position with the islander. Forced to wed a stranger, Lottie leaves the only home she’s ever known to sail across the Atlantic to the isle of St. Kitts.

Life has a wicked sense of humor…

Nathaniel Winthrop’s troubles are mounting. The rumors of him being cursed are spreading, and his merchant ships have been raided. The last thing he needs is a wife to care for. Especially when he discovers Lottie had been confined to a sick room most of her childhood. Her weak constitution will never survive the hardships of island life. The fever has already claimed the lives of his mother and sisters. Nathan guards his heart against falling in love with this gentle beauty, knowing that, for Lottie, island life will be a death sentence.

The meek shall inherit the earth… 

No longer under her mother’s scrutiny, the newfound freedom of the island rejuvenates Lottie’s spirit with fresh wind. She is tired of being told she’s too ill to enjoy life. If her days on this earth are limited, then it’s time she lives it to the full. Lottie must prove to Nathan that God is more powerful than any curse, and that even though Nathan was forced to marry her, she is the one he can’t live without.

Freedom isn’t the absence of struggle; it’s the presence of God.

My thoughts:

Wow. This was a great story and Lorri knows how to write a good kiss. I would compare her to Jody Hedlund in the romance department. That first kiss between Nathan and Lottie was awesome.

The faith and romance development in the story is so well done. Lottie and Nathan both learn to rely on God and not superstitions or wounds from the past. In their relationship they learn to love each other but not without a lot of ups downs that makes it all more interesting.

I read the first book in this series and really enjoyed it but I think I liked this one even more. I have the third one to review soon and I can’t wait to read that now.

Visit Lorri here.

Grab your copy at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or your favorite retailer.

A copy of this book was given to me. All opinions are my own. 

Secrets of the Happy Soul by Katie Orr May 20, 2020

About:

Experience the Deep Delight You Were Made For

How do some people do it? They rise above the circumstances and distractions of life and remain consistently happy. For the rest of us, the pursuit of lasting happiness can be exhausting. No matter how much we try, dissatisfaction and discouragement inevitably return.

But what if there is another way? A true path to happiness that is far better than chasing an elusive ideal? In Secrets of the Happy Soul, Katie Orr shares six clear ways to nurture the Happy Soul already within us. Through key teachings from the book of Psalms, you will learn how to
· seek God in everyday moments
· grow your resolve to follow His way
· cultivate a growing love for God’s Word
· develop a deep-rooted relationship with God
· be confident in God’s will for your life
· surrender to the Lord and experience daily delights found in His presence

Uncover the secrets of the Happy Soul and experience the satisfying, fruitful life you crave.

“What I love most about this book is that the secrets Katie reveals are not simply steps to rehearse or goals to reach for. Katie digs much deeper to show us how the secrets of a Happy oul are the unlimited riches already deposited in every Christ follower, and she unpacks how to work them out in our everyday lives.”–JEANNIE CUNNION, author of Mom Set Free

Katie Orr is passionate about helping women enjoy God daily. As a conference speaker, prolific author, and online Bible coach, she provides biblical teaching and relevant resources to help women jump-start their journey toward walking with Jesus. Katie and her pastor-husband have three children and serve together in the local church. Learn more at http://www.katieorr.me.

My thoughts:

I almost didn’t pick up this book to review because anything the tells me I can have a happy soul seems “new age-y” to me. But the cover looked so pretty I couldn’t resist. So I grabbed it and I’m glad I did.

This was a very good book with some practical answers. I never realized how many verses in the Bible use the word happy. I have always thought of happiness as a temporary feeling and joy as something I should really  attain to. But there are many verses that say we will be happy. Interesting.

So many good things to highlight in this book. On page 56 the author says. “Our actions ought to point others to see God’s greatness, not our own.”

The other thing she wrote that profoundly impacted me was on p. 66, (she is referencing when we read out Bible): “‘What does this teach me about who God is?’ This the primary purpose of the Bible: to specifically reveal to us the character of God.”

These are just a few of the insightful things Katie talks about in her book, but it is full of nuggets of truth and wisdom.

Visit Katie here.

Grab your copy at your local bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com or your favorite retailer.

A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher. All opinions are my own. 

The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson May 19, 2020

About:

Home is the place to heal . . . right?

At least, that’s what Dillon Michaels is hoping as she leaves her disappointing career and nonstarter love life behind to help her grieving and aging grandfather on his small Oregon farm. The only problem? Her eccentric mother beat her there and has taken over Dillon’s old room. After a few nights of sleeping on a sagging sofa, Dillon is ready to give up, until she receives an unlikely gift–her grandfather’s run-down vintage camp trailer, which she quickly resolves to restore with the help of Jordan Atwood, the handsome owner of the local hardware store.

But just when things are finally beginning to run smoothly, Dillon’s noncommittal ex-boyfriend shows up with roses . . . and a ring.

My thoughts:

This is a fun, light read and I love the camper theme. I appreciated that Melody did her research when it comes to campers. My family does a lot of camping so I know quite a bit about campers. I could so relate to Dillon’s nervousness about backing up. She is way braver then me, I have never tried but am always impressed by my husband’s ability to do so.

The ending is so sweet, I couldn’t have pictured a better why to wrap up the story.

If you are looking for a fun summer read with a camping theme I think you will enjoy this one.

Visit Melody here. 

Grab your copy at your local bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.comor your favorite retailer.

A copy of this book was given to me by Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own. 

Dead End by Nancy Mehl May 18, 2020

About:

When a body is discovered in a field in Iowa, the police uncover fourteen additional corpses, some from twenty years ago, others from the recent past. The remains point to a serial killer with an MO the authorities have seen before–Ed Oliphant, a man who has been in prison for more than twenty years . . . and is FBI Special Agent Kaely Quinn’s father. After several failed attempts to discover if Ed has been training someone to be a copycat killer, the police turn to Kaely in St. Louis for help.

Kaely promised herself she would never step foot in her hometown or set eyes on her father again. She’s always refused to confront her past, but if she wants to prevent any more deaths, she must come face-to-face with the man she’s hated for years.

As more bodies are discovered, Kaely races against time and her own inner turmoil to uncover the killer. Will this most personal case yet cost Kaely her identity and perhaps even her life?

My thoughts:

I loved this series. It was by far my favorite series that I have read by Nancy. And I loved watching the story arc of Kaely through these three books. Nancy did a fabulous job of making that happen and in this book Kaely finally comes face to face with her greatest fears and greatest hopes.

Nancy also did a wonderful job of using some supernatural aspects of the Christian faith that many Christians don’t want to talk about, but are very real, but also being careful with how she handles it.

In this book we watch Noah and Kaely decide what direction to take in their relationship and learning to trust God more then their past wounds. A truly beautiful story that I couldn’t put down.

Visit Nancy here.

Grab your copy at your local bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com or your favorite retailer.

A copy of this book was given to me by Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own. 

Lost Down Deep by Sara Davison May 17, 2020

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Lost Down Deep
Series: The Rose Tattoo Trilogy #1
Author: Sara Davison
Release Date: April 1, 2020
Genre: Romantic Suspense

She is the only one who can tell the police who attacked her in her home. If only she could remember…

Summer Velasquez is on the run from a man she has no recollection of after an attack she can’t recall. Every face in the crowd is a potential suspect, so how is Summer supposed to know who is a threat to her and who isn’t?

After fleeing her assailant and the parents who lied to her about what happened, she changes her name and seeks refuge in Elora, Ontario. The small town feels familiar, although she has no memory of ever having been here.

Even in what should be a safe place, she can’t shake the feeling that she is being watched.

When Ryan Taylor strolls into the Taste of Heaven Café where she works, Summer is immediately drawn to him. However, he may not be who he says he is either. As her suspicions grow, Summer prepares to run again.

But at least one person is determined to stop her. Permanently. And if she can’t remember who he is, this time he may succeed.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sara Davison is the author of the romantic suspense series, The Seven Trilogy and The Night Guardians. She has been a finalist for eight national writing awards, including Best New Canadian Christian author, a Carol Award, and two Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a Word and Cascade Award winner. She currently resides in Ontario, Canada with her husband Michael and their three children, all of whom she (literally) looks up to.

CONNECT WITH SARA: Website | Facebook | Twitter

My thoughts:

Oops, somehow I didn’t realize I signed up to review this book and I had to speed read it. Thankfully, it was a good book so I wanted to keep reading to see what was going on.

I can’t imagine forgetting everything that happened in the last few years, especially when you know you lost your memory because someone was after you. Who can you trust?

There we several people watching Summer and only one was I sure she could trust, and even that person I wasn’t sure for a little bit. The others I had no idea what they were after, why were they following Summer?

I did question why the person who was originally after waited so long to strike. If he went after her the first time why did he bother waiting another month to get her again? Of course, if that happened that would have been no story, so I get that.

Overall, a very good read that does a wonderful job of showing the power of our relationship with Jesus no matter what else we might forget.

Grab your copy at Amazon, Barnes and Noble,  or your favorite retailer.

A copy of this book was given to me through JustRead tours. All opinions are my own.