Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo March 7, 2019

About:

A Series for Lovers of History, Adventure, Romance, and Ancestry

Will Ellis Lose All at the Alamo?
Ellis Dumont finds a man in New Orleans Grey unconscious on Dumont property in 1836. As his fevers rage, the man mutters strange things about treasures and war. Either Claiborne Gentry has lost his mind or he’s a spy for the American president—or worse, for the Mexican enemy that threatens their very lives. With the men of her family away, Ellis must stand courageous and decide who she can trust. Will she put her selfish wants ahead of the future of the republic or travel with Clay to Mission San Jose to help end the war?

Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo.

More in the Daughters of the Mayflower series:
The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1620 Atlantic Ocean (February 2018)
The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1725 New Orleans (April 2018)
The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep – set 1760 during the French and Indian War (June 2018)
The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1774 Philadelphia (August 2018)​
The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear – set 1794 on the Wilderness Road (October 2018)
The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall – set 1814 Baltimore (December 2018)
The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1836 Texas (February 2019)

My thoughts:

I enjoy this series. Each book is written by a different author. Some books I like better than others. This is one I like a bit less.

I might have enjoyed it more my mind wasn’t trying to make connections to the previous books. But since I have read the other books I was busy trying to make connections.

It is a book full of history though, and it’s a part of history I don’t know much about so it was interesting in that regard.

But something for me didn’t hold my attention like it wanted it to.

Visit Kathleen 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. 

The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo April 2, 2018

About:

Can a former privateer and a determined heiress find lost treasure in 1725?
A brand new series for fans of all things related to history, romance, adventure, faith, and family trees.

Pasts Collide in New Orleans when a Treasure Goes Missing
The last time New Orleans attorney Jean-Luc Valmont saw Maribel Cordoba, a Spanish nobleman’s daughter, she was an eleven-year-old orphan perched in the riggings of his privateering vessel proving herself as the best lookout on his crew. Until the day his infamy caught up with them all and innocent lives were lost. Unsure why he survived but vowing to make something of the chance he was given, Jean-Luc has buried his past life so deep that no living person will ever find it—until a very much alive and very grown up Maribel Cordoba arrives on his doorstep and threatens all he now holds dear

My thoughts:

This is the second book in this series, however, the only thing really connecting the two is the family tree, so you could pick this one up and not be lost at all.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was so good. I was surprised how long we were with Maribel as a child and not an adult, pretty much half of the book was her very young. But I understood why the more I read. It really established the relationship between Jean and Maribel.

That being said, I couldn’t wait for them to meet again when she was an adult and it did not disappoint.

This was a quick read for me because it was so engaging.

I can’t wait to read the next book (all books are by different authors).

Visit Kathleen 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. 

365 Family Dinners and Devotions Cookbook by Kathleen Y’barbo June 7, 2016

About:

This daily, family-, faith-, and food-themed devotional is delightfully unique. . .for every recipe (one for every day of the year), there is a family-friendly dinnertime devotional as well. Each reading is themed to appeal to your family–with topics like priorities, prayer, encouragement, love, and dozens more. Bonus material includes creative ideas and inspiration for getting the entire family around the dinner table each night of the week, plus a categorized recipe index will help you easily locate your family’s favorite dishes. 365 Family Dinners and Devotions Cookbook makes a great gift!

My thoughts:

I haven’t had the opportunity to try every recipe but the ones I have tried I have liked and more importantly my family enjoyed as well.

After each recipe is a little devotion and conversation you can have with your family at the dinner table which I believe it very important. So many times my kids woof down their food and asked to be excused before I even finish a salad. Doing a devotion slows us down and gives us something focused to talk about.

If you enjoy cooking and are looking for some new recipes and a way to  get more of God at the table this is a great place to start.

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  through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. 

Review and Giveaway: Firefly Summer by Kathleen Y’Barbo October 5, 2015

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Firefly Summer
Redbud Press (June 23, 2015)
by
Kathleen Y’Barbo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

RITA and Carol award nominee Kathleen Y’Barbo is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than forty novels, novellas, and young adult books. In all, more than one million copies of her books are currently in print in the US and abroad, and her books have been translated into Dutch, German, and Spanish, to name a few.

Kathleen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. She holds a BBA from Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School and a certification in Paralegal Studies, and is a former member of the Texas Bar Association’s Paralegal Division.

A tenth-generation Texan, Kathleen Y’Barbo has four children of her own as well as seven bonus kids she gladly inherited when she married her own hero in combat boots (read about their real-life romance here!). Kathleen is proud to be a military wife, even if it did mean giving up her Texas drivers license.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A new cowboy romance from award-winning author Kathleen Y’Barbo.

Trey’s biggest challenge isn’t performing surgery…it’s restoring Sessa’s heart!

Artist Sessa Chambers may never recover from losing her prodigal son. Even as she grieves the tragic decisions that led to his death, and left her with a toddler to raise, she’s asked to work on her dream project—restoring carousel horses for the Smithsonian. But she can’t do it on her own…

Dr. Trey Brown can’t pick up a scalpel again. Yes, he acted in self-defense, but the events of that awful night haunt him. He was trained to save lives, not take them. When he goes to the young man’s widowed mother to apologize, she’s not at all what he expected. For one thing, she’s not as alone as he thought—not with the fearsome ladies of the Pies, Books, and Jesus Book Club in her corner. For another, she’s beautiful, and being in her presence is more jolting than any eight-second bronco ride from his former rodeo days. Before he knows it, she’s captured his heart as easily as they capture the fireflies gracing Sessa’s Texas ranch.

How can they overcome their past to embrace a future together?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Firefly Summer, go HERE.

My thoughts and giveaway:

This book drew me in right away. The writing is excellent and the story line just grabbed me. I had to see how things would turn out.

Kathleen did a great job of creating two very likable characters in a short book.

Sessa falls in love with her little grand-daughter after she tries to talk herself out of it. She is strong women, especially considering the pain she has faced having a wayward son, which many people I am sure can relate to.

Trey sounds like a great guy, and handsome. I could very much picture this doctor/cowboy and the pain of trying to get over what he did to Sessa’s son.

When these two come together the chemistry sparks and it’s such an odd combination but it works.

I also enjoyed the small town feel and how the ladies had their noses in everyone else’s business.

The overall theme of true forgiveness is one we can all learn from. A wonderful romance 🙂

Leave a comment by October 14th for your chance to win a copy. One winner will be chosen by random.org. (U.S. addresses only. I am not responsible for books lost or damaged in the mail.)

A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher through the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance in exchange for an honest review. 

Review and Giveaway: Millie’s Treasure by Kathleen Y’Barbo August 5, 2013

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Millie’s Treasure

Harvest House Publishers (August 1, 2013)

by

Kathleen Y’Barbo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

RITA and Carol award nominee Kathleen Y’Barbo is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than forty novels, novellas, and young adult books. In all, more than one million copies of her books are currently in print in the US and abroad, and her books have been translated into Dutch, German, and Spanish, to name a few.

Kathleen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. She holds a BBA from Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School and a certification in Paralegal Studies, and is a former member of the Texas Bar Association’s Paralegal Division.

A tenth-generation Texan, Kathleen Y’Barbo has four children of her own as well as seven bonus kids she gladly inherited when she married her own hero in combat boots. Kathleen is proud to be a military wife, even if it did mean giving up her Texas drivers license.

ABOUT THE BOOK

From bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo comes Millie’s Treasure, the second book in The Secret Lives of Will Tucker series, a new set of novels involving romance, adventure, and hidden identity.

Memphis 1890–Bookish heiress Millie Jean Cope is as clever as she is beautiful. Unfortunately, though adept at solving puzzles and cryptograms, she doesn’t realize her new fiancé isn’t who he claims to be, but instead is a charming scoundrel. The infamous Will Tucker is presenting himself as a British gentleman, Sir William Trueck, though in reality he is a crafty criminal looking for a hidden map to a secret treasure.

Pinkerton agent Kyle Russell has been on Tucker’s trail for years. At last Kyle believes he has Tucker cornered, but he is uncertain whether the lovely woman on the con man’s arm is an unsuspecting victim or willing accomplice. Finding reasons to spend time with Millie is easy. Keeping himself from falling in love with her is another issue entirely.
A fun and entertaining story of how God can shine the light of truth on the most cryptic circumstances.

If you would like to read the first chapter of >Millie’s Treasure, go HERE.

My thoughts and giveaway:

I enjoyed the characters in this story. Millie is not afraid to speak her mind and go after the things she loves, her dreams, I admire that.

Kyle is a great hero, he will do whatever it takes to protect Millie and go after the bad guy.

The search for Millie’s treasure kept me reading. I wanted to see if and when they would find it and what would happen when they did. I can’t say a bunch about that, it would give away too much of the plot. But there are many twists and turns in this book.

In case you are like me and expected Will Tucker to play a more important role in the book, I will tell you he doesn’t. He is very secondary. I actually would have liked to see a bit more with him and his trickery.

I did feel that some of the developments in the story were a bit contrived and far-reaching. But I went with it and allowed the story to unfold.

For me this book was okay, not great. There wasn’t the heart pounding romance I really like. Although there was romance I didn’t really feel it. However, there are some moments when you are sure Millie’s father is going to ruin everything for her and a very heartbreaking moment that takes place.

You can grab your copy at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com or Deeper Shopping (you can visit their fiction page here).

You can visit Kathleen’s website here.

You can enter to win a copy by leaving a comment by August 11th at 5:00 pm. (U.S. residents only)

A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher through the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance in exchange for an honest review.