Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Review: The Crossing at Cypress Creek by Pam Hillman


https://amzn.to/2IMRhxL

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

Sailing and soldiering around the world has taken Caleb O’Shea far from his native Ireland, so he never imagined that a promise to see a fellow crewman safely home would practically land him on his brother’s doorstep. After spending years away from his family, Caleb isn’t certain what kind of reception he will receive when he steps foot in Natchez, Mississippi. The one thing he knows for sure is that he won’t stay long.

Since her sister was kidnapped by river pirates six months ago, Alanah Adams has taken special care to avoid drawing attention to herself. Those living in the rough-and-tumble settlement of Cypress Creek might even think she’s addled. But when she stumbles into Caleb and his friends in Natchez, she appears to be the picture-perfect lady.

Caleb only catches glimpses of the mysterious and beautiful Alanah before she disappears. But a chance encounter with her at his brother’s logging camp near Cypress Creek leaves him uncomfortable at the thought of the young woman traversing the dangerous area alone. At a crossroads in his life, Caleb must decide whether he wants to give up the worldly adventures he’s been seeking for one closer to home.


My Review

I loved that we got to see Caleb's story and discover where he went after leaving his brothers in Ireland. He's had a life of turmoil, but he's thrived in the treacherous environment on the seas. He appears in Natchez at the perfect time to assist his family defeat the river pirates that are plaguing the communities. I loved Alanah's grit as she carves out a life for herself in Cypress Creek foraging for medicinal herbs and apprenticing to the local healer. It would be hard for me to live in such a dangerous area, but Alanah is at home there, even as she grieves her sister's kidnapping. Caleb shows her that not all men are evil, but there are those out there that respect women, and he is one of them. The author shares so many great historical details of the setting, including logging and transportation on the river. Quinn (the brother from the second book) is pretty stubborn and has a hard time with Caleb's appearance, but Caleb has a hard time with him too. It was good to see them clear the air and slowly rebuild their relationship. I enjoyed this last installment in the Natchez Trace series!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


Monday, June 17, 2019

Review: Flirting With First by Sophia Summers, Heather B. Moore, Rebecca Connolly


https://amzn.to/2RgsExb

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

Trista’s movie star status keeps her from the one guy she’s ever really wanted—professional baseball player, Ryker Stone.

Ryker Stone, one of the famed Belltown Six Pack loves what no one else notices in Trista McKinney. But when co-star and heart throb, Trevor Dayton, starts a social media campaign, competing for her attention, and Ryker’s baseball schedule and pressures amp up, Ryker lays it all on the line to win her over forever.

Trista McKinney doesn’t need winning. She’s been Ryker’s from the very beginning, but her movie’s production schedule and her dreams of one day winning an Oscar make it almost impossible for things to progress between the two.

With feelings high, both of their careers in the balance, can Trista and Ryker find a path to professional success without losing what they’ve found in each other?

My Review

It was so fun to see the continuation of a meeting that happened between two people in one of the previous Belltown books! Ryker fills in for Cole when he decides to ditch the famous actress his agent set him up with, and Ryker's friendship with Trista moves to the next level in this book. It was interesting to see Trista's insecurities and secret passion for math that makes acting and modeling just another job for her. Ryker is a good friend to her, but he's trying to play it cool so that she'll stay interested in him. I love the perspective of the guys and realizing how differently they think and perceive things. I enjoyed the personal side of their relationship, but the media side of their lives was not only frustrating and exhausting to them, it was to me as a reader. But that really drove the conflict and the plot, so I kept reading and appreciated the way Ryker and Trista handled the hype and obstacles along the way as they grew closer together. The dynamic of the Belltown Sixpack was as always a highlight of the book for me, it really makes this series stand out!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)



Welcome to Belltown! Six baseball players meet in the college town of Belltown, Massachusetts, becoming best friends, their lives intertwining as they each get called up to the Major Leagues.


https://amzn.to/2EEdT2m

Follow Sawyer, Cole, Axel, David, Ryker, and Levi in these six swoony sports romances.

Belltown Six Pack Series:
 

Hitching the Pitcher
Falling for Centerfield
Charming the Shortstop
Snatching the Catcher
Flirting with First
Kissing on Third







Review: B is for Barista by Brenna Jacobs


https://amzn.to/2IhPNwf

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

Ivy Morehouse loves her hourly-wage job at the funky punk-rock-themed Velvet Undergrounds coffee house. Bentley Hollis grew up in a wealthy family and has a Harvard business degree. The only thing they have in common is an appreciation for ironic branding and great pastry.

When Bentley shows up at the Velvet Undergrounds as an employee, Ivy’s certain he’s just another overconfident, rich, handsome jerk—a type she’s unfortunately familiar with. And he’s clearly keeping a secret. Why else would he be working in a coffee shop? But as she overcomes her first impressions, will they both learn that they could be the perfect blend?

My Review

This story is pretty cute! The coffeehouse setting is fun as well as Bentley's secret identity. I found his vulnerability and self-consciousness in Velvet Undergrounds surprising since he's at home in the much more intimidating setting of a corporate boardroom. Ivy really catches him off guard and makes him curious about what makes her tick. The chemistry wasn't all there for me, but I enjoyed their interactions and the anticipation of what would happen when his identity was revealed. The mannerisms of the characters really brought them to life. I'm excited for more from this promising series!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)



Don't miss the novella that kicks off the series and the first book, A is for Author . . .

https://amzn.to/2Wg6Lj2

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Synopsis

Can he persuade her to see him as something more than just her best friend?

Allie Carmichael is dating the wrong kind of man. To help Allie out of her dating rut, Allie’s sister, Cassie, challenges her to date 26 new men, all that have 26 different careers—one for every letter of the alphabet.

When Eric’s neighbor, Allie, asks him for help with her new dating challenge, he’s reluctant to get involved. Mostly because he’d really like Allie to fall in love with him. She’s determined to finish out her dating challenge, but he’s a veterinarian. And V is at the end of the alphabet.

Can Eric persuade Allie to abandon the list and see him as something more than just her best friend?

(Previously titled The ABC's of Dating) 

https://amzn.to/2TpCJwa


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Synopsis

He’s the guy she loves to hate.
 
Emma Lindsor writes beautiful books adored by literary critics, even if readers don’t exactly line up for them. Aidan Maxwell writes heart-pounding thrillers with explosions and car chases. And thanks to his handsome face, readers line up for blocks to buy his novels.

Aidan Maxwell stands for everything Emma loathes, and when professional circumstances throw them together, sparks fly—angry ones. But as their paths keep crossing, will they see past their own hardwired ideas to star in a love story all their own?






Cover Reveal & Giveaway: By Hook or By Rook by Rebecca Connolly

By Hook or by Rook Cover Reveal Banner

About the Book

Series: The London League  
Genre: Adult, Historical, Regency, Romance  
Publisher: Phase Publishing  
Publication date: July 1, 2019

The most dangerous journeys...

Jeremy Pratt is a spy for the Crown, and one of the best. He has been in more dangerous situations than he can admit, and has always come out unscathed. But escorting his colleague’s cousin home to her family, even in disguise, just might be beyond his skills, and the temptation beyond his ability to withstand.

...May be ones of the heart...

Helen Dalton is convinced there is more to this man escorting her than meets the eye, and something familiar about him, as well. There is only one man in the world who looks at her so intensely, banters with her so easily, and makes her blush so furiously. And when he manages a daring and heroic rescue, she wonders if she ever knew him at all.

About the Author

rebecca-connolly-headshot

Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.

Cover Reveal

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By Hook or by Rook

What do you think?

Giveaway

BHobR Giveaway

(1) winner will recieve a print copy of By Hook or by Rook (US mailing addresses only).

Giveaway ends June 24 at 11:59pm MT. Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.


Blog Stops

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





Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Hometown Hope by Laurel Blount



Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Hometown Hope by Laurel Blount, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

https://amzn.to/2IfGCwq Title: Hometown Hope 
Author: Laurel Blount  
Publisher: Love Inspired 
Release Date: June 18, 2019 (print), July 1, 2019 (ebook)  
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance

He’ll do anything for his daughter…

Even fight to regain an old classmate’s broken trust.

In the three years since her mother’s death, widower Hoyt Bradley’s daughter, Jess, hasn’t spoken—until she suddenly begs him to save her favorite bookstore from closing.

Hoyt is desperate to hear his daughter’s voice again, but he and the bookstore’s pretty owner, Anna Delaney, share a less-than-friendly past.

Working together is complicated enough…but can they avoid falling in love?

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



EXCERPT


She was going to blow this. She just knew it.
“Miss Anna?” Jess wiggled insistent fingers in her direction. The little girl was already holding Hoyt’s hand, but she wanted Anna’s, as well. “Let’s go get some pizza!”
She took Jess’s hand, feeling the little girl’s slightly sticky fingers twine trustingly around her own. Hoyt’s eyes met hers, and he grinned.
That grin had the butterflies in Anna’s stomach multiplying like rabbits. She knew why Hoyt was smiling. Jess was talking. That warm light in his eyes was all about his daughter. It had nothing to do with Anna.
But for a second, standing there, feeling tiny fingers in hers and seeing Hoyt’s face soften in that smile, it sure felt more...personal.
It felt like family.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR

   


Laurel Blount lives on a small farm in middle Georgia with her husband, their four children, a milk cow, dairy goats, assorted chickens and ducks, four spoiled cats and one bossy goose with serious boundary issues. She divides her time between farm chores, baking, homeschooling and writing. She's busy, but she's never bored!  

HOMETOWN HOPE is Laurel’s third Love Inspired romance. Her debut Love Inspired novel A FAMILY FOR THE FARMER was the recipient of the 2017 Maggie Award for Excellence in the Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements category. This book also received two 2017 Holt Awards of Merit and was a finalist in the 2017 Carol Awards. A BABY FOR THE MINISTER, her second Love Inspired, was released in September of 2018.

Whenever she's not working, you can find Laurel with a cup of tea at her elbow, a cat in her lap and a good book in her hand. She loves to hear from readers! Drop her an email at laurelblountwrites@gmail.com or visit her website: www.laurelblountbooks.com and be sure to sign up for her monthly newsletter!  

CONNECT WITH LAUREL: Website | Facebook | Twitter
 

TOUR GIVEAWAY


(1) winner will receive an autographed copy of Hometown Hope, a $10 Starbucks gift card, a travel coffee mug, and a bar of Milltown soap--which is produced in author's hometown (Dough bowl is not included.)

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight June 17, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on June 24, 2019. 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.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.


 
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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Friday, June 14, 2019

Blog Tour: The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White


 

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White with JustRead Publicity Tours! Follow along with the tour for a special inside peek at how The Number of Love is connected to the author's previous book from another series, A Song Unheard.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Number of Love  
Series: Codebreakers #1  
Author: Roseanna M. White  
Publisher: Bethany House  
Release Date: June 4, 2019  
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue

Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network—field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.

Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy that just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the too-intelligent Margot, but how to convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart?

Amidst biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them, but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save them all from the very secrets that brought them together.




Title: A Song Unheard
Series: Shadows Over England #2 
Author: Roseanna M. White  
Publisher: Bethany House  
Release Date: January 2, 2018  
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue

Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which make her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I—to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales.

Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won—until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is in meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe.

But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn't—that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.



CHARACTER SPOTLIGHTS
From The Number of Love


Drake Elton


Margot De Wilde



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.

CONNECT WITH ROSEANNA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
 



TOUR GIVEAWAY

Grand Prize: Shadows Over England series, The Number of Love, and the Decrypto board game, plus "Mi Alma" necklace (Necklace is 24" chain with a 1" pendant that says "Mi Alma" Spanish for "My Soul". A term of endearment used throughout the book. Handmade by Bookworm Mama)

(3) additional winners of The Number of Love.

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight June 3, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm June 17, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.



Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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Thursday, June 13, 2019

Review & Giveaway: Tate by Susan May Warren


 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for Tate, the second book of The Montana Marshalls series by Susan May Warren, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

https://amzn.to/2WJiL0Y Title: Tate 
Series: The Montana Marshalls, Book 2 
Author: Susan May Warren 
Publisher: SDG Publishing 
Release Date: July 9, 2019  
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

What will it cost this bodyguard to save the woman he loves?

Bodyguard, Tate Marshall, has always been the family troublemaker. Maybe it’s his impulsive propensity to get into the middle of problems that don’t belong to him. But once in, he can’t stop himself from trying to solve them and that includes his recent dilemma. He’s in love with the woman he’s supposed to protect, the beautiful Gloria, “Glo” Jackson, daughter of US Senator and presidential hopeful Reba Jackson. A member of the country band, the Yankee Belles, Glo was targeted in a recent terrorist attack designed to deter her mother from running.

Glo is as stubborn as her mother, and Glo isn’t about to hide from threats, at least the kind that won’t cost her heart. Because she’s already paid a terrible price for the war on terror, and she can’t let herself love a man who might die, especially because of her.

As the campaign heats up and the threats deepen, so does the attraction between Tate and Glo. But when they’re discovered, and Tate is fired, what will he do to protect the woman he loves?

And what will Glo do to keep from losing another man to the costs of war?

The gripping second installment of the Marshall Family series.


Knox & Tate Sale_JR_1

  MY REVIEW

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Another amazing story in the Montana Marshalls series! The previous book Knox provided a great lead in to the suspenseful plot as well as introducing readers to both Tate and Glo, but only hinting at the things they have gone through, increasing curiosity and anticipation for this book. I loved the strong yet vulnerable personalities of Tate and Glo, and the chemistry and attraction they share. I've been interested in the Marshall siblings since reading Reuben's story in the third Montana Fire book, Burnin' For You. The brothers and sister have a strong family bond, but also some drama in their history and it's been great to get to know the dynamic they share and look forward to more being revealed with each book. The siblings are finding their own way in life, but have a haven in the family ranch where their mother keeps the homefire burning. The swift pace and exciting action kept me glued to the pages and the angst between Tate and Glo as they figure out their relationship was heartwrenching. Highly recommend to fans of contemporary romance and suspense! 

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions expressed are my own)
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling, Christy and RITA award-winning novelist of over sixty-five novels. An eight-time Christy award finalist, a three-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Carol Award.

A seasoned women’s events speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: The Story Equation.

She is also the founder of MyBookTherapy.com, and Novel.Academy, a school for aspiring novelists.

CONNECT WITH SUSAN: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

TOUR GIVEAWAY


(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Knox & Tate, plus 2 CDs - Kelsea Ballerini (Unapologetically) and Brett Young (Ticket to LA)

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight June 10, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on June 17, 2019. US only. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.

 Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.


 
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.