Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Shenanigans by Heather Norman Smith


Shenanigans JustRead Blog Tour 
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for Shenanigans by Heather Norman Smith, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOKS

 

Shenanigans by Heather Norman Smith Title: Shenanigans
Author: Heather Norman Smith
Publisher: Every Season Books
Release Date: April 1, 2020
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Fiction

You're never too old for fun, faith, or love.

Lavinia Lewis is a wealthy southern widow who enjoys a good prank. But when a resident at her posh retirement community in Southport, North Carolina gets sick at a potluck, Lavinia's reputation as a jokester lands her in big trouble. How can she clear her name when her own daughter doesn't believe she's innocent?

Neville McGrath is a long-in-the-tooth lawyer, afraid of being put out to pasture. Torn between his nephew's offer to move to Maine to live with him and his desire to keep working, Neville discovers other options when he takes Lavinia's case.

The jokes keep her young, but Lavinia remembers the true source of joy as she faces criminal charges. Can she help Neville find his faith for the first time, and can they both find love at eighty-years-old?

A humorous and inspirational story with lovable characters, a beautiful setting, fun mystery, sweet romance, family drama, and an ending that will leave you sighing in satisfaction.

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


 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Heather Norman Smith

Heather Norman Smith is a Christian Fiction and devotions author. Her goal is to use the written word to entertain and encourage while illuminating the redemptive love of God. She is proud to be a life-long North Carolinian and also aims to present the beauty of the Tar Heel State in her fiction. Heather's home is just outside Winston-Salem, NC, where she lives with her husband, their four children (currently including a foster son,) and several very spoiled pets. In addition to writing and spending time with her family, Heather enjoys singing about Jesus. Her "day job" is in the Information Technology field, and she is also involved in youth ministry with her husband. Heather's other novels include Grace & Lavender and Where I Was Planted.

CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Website | FacebookTwitter | Instagram


 

TOUR GIVEAWAY

 

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Shenanigans and a story inspired glass ornament! Plus (1) additional winner will receive a print copy of Shenanigans!

Shenanigans JustRead Blog Tour Giveaway

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 March 30, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on April 6, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US mailing addresses only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

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.





Friday, March 27, 2020

Book Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Happy Valley by Lin Stepp


Happy Valley Return to Edisto JustRead Blog Tour 
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Happy Valley & Return to Edisto by Lin Stepp, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Happy Valley by Lin Stepp Title: Happy Valley
Author: Lin Stepp
Publisher: Mountain Hill Press
Release Date: April 2, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Escape to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee in this sweet tale of two young people who meet by chance, their paths soon overlapping and intertwining amid a cast of warm-hearted characters in the small rural community of Happy Valley.

With Grandpa suffering a heart attack, Juliette Hollander saw little choice but to head back to their Tennessee mountain farm in Happy Valley to help out.  She didn’t expect, or want, to leave behind her life and work in North Carolina to return to her grandparents’ home so soon. Nor did she imagine meeting, and working with, the mysterious man she met briefly last summer and never thought to see again.

Walker Logan spent the last two years traveling the United States, seeing the beauty of the country and running from his past. But an old rock house he sees while hiking near Abrams Creek Campground unexpectedly calls to his soul. With danger close behind, he never stayed in one place long enough to put down roots. Yet now, with a new vision, he decides to take the risk.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
 



EXCERPT



Over coffee and banana bread, the women chatted and caught up on their lives and news, enjoying being together again. …After a pause in their conversation, though, Lenora leaned forward across the table, a hand under her chin, and asked, “And how is Juliette deep inside where no one sees?”
It was an old familiar line of Lenora’s and brought tears to Juliette’s eyes to hear it.
“Talk to me,” Lenora said. “You’re unhappy. I can feel it.”
“Well, I feel guilty to be unhappy. There’s nothing wrong with my life. … There’s no reason I should feel edgy, restless, and discontent.”
“But you do.”
“I do.” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t either. I don’t know what in the world is wrong with me.”
Lenora smiled. “Sometimes it takes a while to sort ourselves out in life, to know who we are within ourselves.” …
She sighed. “I always feel so torn. Like I can’t figure out who I am or what I should be.”
Lenora sat quietly for a time and then said, “Forging an identity takes hard work and involves some struggle and searching for most people. For women especially, raised eager to please, we hope for an affirmation from others that we’re on the right course, pursuing the right thing, becoming what we should become. But frankly, Juliette, the courage to be who you are and to pursue your own dreams must come from within. You have to decide personally that your goals are worth pursuing, your talents valuable, your contributions and service good—despite what others may say or think. You need to be willing to pay the price to follow your heart and your destiny.”
She smiled at Juliette. “You are an artist, and a gifted one…. There is a rich creativity inside you, a gift placed there—yes, put there by God—that yearns to find its place in the world. It would be wrong to suppress it. Why would you want to do that?”





ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lin Stepp

Lin Stepp is a native Tennessean, businesswoman and educator. A New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Amazon best-selling international author, Lin has eighteen published books, including her twelve beloved Smoky Mountain novels, all set in different Tennessee and North Carolina locations, her newest Mountain Home book, a novella in one of Kensington’s Christmas anthologies, and two novels in her new Edisto Trilogy, set on the South Carolina coast. Lin and her husband J.L. also write regional guidebooks, including a Smoky Mountain hiking guide and a Tennessee state parks book.

Stepp’s latest 2020 releases are Happy Valley, set in a quiet rural valley near the Smoky Mountains, and Return to Edisto, set at Edisto Beach, South Carolina. Lin’s previous title Claire At Edisto was the 2019 Best Books Award Winner in Fiction: Romance, sponsored by American Book Fest, her novel Welcome Back a finalist in the 2017 Selah Awards, and Lin and her husband’s guidebook Discovering Tennessee State Parks a 2019 American Book Fest Best Books Award Finalist in Nonfiction: Travel Guides and Essays.

Lin enjoys speaking for events, festivals, libraries, and book clubs, reading, hiking, exploring out of doors, and keeping up with her readers on Facebook, Twitter, and through her monthly blog and newsletter which you will find on her website at: www.linstepp.com

CONNECT WITH LIN: Website | Facebook | Twitter


TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Happy Valley & Return to Edisto, matching bookmarks, and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Happy Valley & Return to Edisto JustRead Giveaway

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 March 23, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on March 30, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US mailing addresses only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

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.





Thursday, March 26, 2020

Review: A Glitter of Gold by Liz Johnson



My rating:4 stars / I really liked it


http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttps://www.bookdepository.com/Glitter-of-Gold-Liz-Johnson/9780800729417https://bookshop.org/a/1059/9780800729417http://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Anne Norris moved to Savannah, Georgia, for a fresh start. Now her pirate-tour business is flagging, and paying the rent requires more than wishful thinking. When she discovers evidence of a shipwreck off the coast of Tybee Island, she knows it could be just the boon she needs to stay afloat. She takes her findings to local museum director Carter Hale for confirmation, but she runs after a disastrous first meeting.

Carter has been searching for the location of the wreck detailed in the worn pages of an 18th-century diary, the discovery of which could open the door to his dream job at a prestigious museum. But convincing Anne to help him fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle is no easy task. And working with Carter means that Anne will have to do the one thing she swore she'd never do again: trust a man.

Finding a monetary backer and sticking with a search that's turning up nothing will take all their dedication--and every secret they've tried to hide. If they can find the lost ship, they may discover a treasure worth more than all the pirate gold in the world--love.


My Review

I was quickly drawn into this story and really enjoyed the characters and setting. Savannah has such a unique vibe, and it was easy to imagine Anne and Carter in the city since I've been there once before. Anne and Carter are both likeable, and their friendship develops naturally. They each have issues from their past they are still working through that brought depth to the story, especially in the end as they overcome their personal struggles through faith and forgiveness. The pirate story was exciting and even though the longer passages from the diary slowed the pace of the present-day story at times, it was a good fit with Anne's tour business and Carter's background of maritime historical research, not to mention the family connection. I loved his Aunt Tessie, Wallace, and Hazel as secondary characters that supported Anne and Carter in their quest for funding to discover the location of the shipwreck. The attraction between Carter and Anne is a slow-burn through most of the book, but when they do surprise each other with romantic feelings, it's sweetly passionate. I appreciated that there was a good resolution to the story from the diary and everything wrapped up nicely.

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



Check out the other books in the Georgia Coast Romance series . . .

https://amzn.to/2UAOq0Lhttps://amzn.to/2WLrxKy




Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Review & Giveaway: Where the Stars Meet the Sea by Heidi Kimball




My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttps://deseretbook.com/p/where-the-stars-meet-the-sea?ref=Grid%20%7C%20Search-1&variant_id=183295-paperbackhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

A broken man. A fiery young woman. Neither one's heart will come away unscathed.

Juliet Graham fervently counts the days until her twenty-first birthday, when she can claim the inheritance that will grant her the freedom she has always craved and the guardianship of her younger brother. Until then, she is trapped under her aunt Agnes’s domineering will. When forced to accompany the family to a house party at Shaldorn Castle, Juliet’s only objective is to keep to herself. That is, until a chance encounter with a boorish stranger stirs up an unexpected whirlwind of emotions in her. Thrown off-balance, Juliet does the unthinkable: loses her temper and insults the man—who turns out to be her unwilling host, the Duke of Halstead. Fully expecting to be sent away, Juliet is surprised when the brusque and callous duke instead takes an interest in her.

Drawn to the duke in unguarded moments, Juliet finds herself more and more intrigued by the man who shuns Society’s rules as completely as she does, and over the next few weeks, their unlikely friendship deepens into a connection neither expected.

But even as Juliet comes to recognize her true feelings, her scheming aunt issues an ultimatum that threatens the future she was just beginning to hope for. Juliet must choose: either break the promise she made to herself years ago, or lose the man who has captured her heart and soul.


My Review

First of all, isn't that a striking cover?! I think it's my favorite of the year. This is a wonderful Regency romance, with a house party setting, a mysteriously brooding duke, and a spirited young woman who makes friends easily but is long-suffering under her domineering aunt. Juliet has some complicated dynamics in play- the unrequited love of her brotherly best friend/cousin, an inequality in her social status, a younger brother unhappy at boarding school, and an unexpected attraction to the brusque Halstead. I enjoyed how the author wove the story around the various comings and goings at the castle, and the tension that built as Juliet grows closer to Halstead but was pressured to accept her cousin's proposal. It's alluded that there is some secret reason for Halstead to be avoiding society and refusing to marry, so I was a bit let down when the resolution turned out to be rather simple and cliche. I felt like there could have been deeper exploration into his character, but the plot moved on with more misadventure in store for Juliet and her brother. Overall this was an entertaining story perfect for fans of sweet Regency romance!

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

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Monday, March 23, 2020

Review: A Duke's Promise by Jamie Carie


https://amzn.to/2WugRzQ

My rating: 2 stars / It was okay

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.bookdepository.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Award-winning writer Jamie Caries concludes her most epic storyline with a wonderful twist in A Duke’s Promise, the final Forgotten Castles novel.

From the Land of Fire and Ice back to England’s shores, Alexandria Featherstone finds herself the new Duchess of St. Easton. Her husband has promised a wedding trip to take them to the place where her imperiled parents were last seen -- Italy and the marble caves of Carrara -- but a powerful Italian duke plots against Alex and her treasure-hunting parents.

Hoping to save them, Alex and Gabriel travel to Italy by balloon. Fraught with danger on all sides and pressured by Gabriel’s affliction to the breaking point, they must learn to work and fight together. The mysterious key is within their grasp, but they have yet to recognize it. This journey will require steadfast faith in God and each other -- a risk that will win them everything they want or lose them everything they have.


My Review

This is the third book in a series where the story continues over the entire series. I really enjoyed the first book and thought it had a great setup, even though the main characters don't meet. The second book however took a downturn for me, and I was hoping that it would recover in this third book when Alexandria and Gabriel are married, but things just got more melodramatic and my patience was completely gone. The scenes told from Alex's missing parents' points of view made it different from the previous books, and we also get the perspective from a lusty crazed Spanish duke who turns out to be a stalker of the Featherstone women as well as pursuing the manuscript. The sexual content of the book is borderline and I wouldn't consider it entirely clean. The vague descriptions of the  machine the manuscript is about reduced the sense of the importance of their discovery. 

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



Check out the other books in the Forgotten Castles series . . .

https://amzn.to/2J3lKry


Saturday, March 21, 2020

Book Tour Grand Finale: One Little Lie by Colleen Coble #OLLPrism

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops
you'll find snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Author Interview

What was the inspiration for ONE LITTLE LIE and for this new Pelican Harbor series?

I was at a restaurant in Gulf Shores, AL with friends. Their 16-year-old son mentioned he’d been working on a shrimp boat. He said, “You wouldn’t believe the stuff we bring up in the nets. Washing machines, other appliances, you name it.” I immediately had the image of a shrimp net hauling up a body clad in a wedding dress, and that was the nugget that started One Little Lie.


"This was truly a suspenseful "page-turner" with drama, lots of action, and situations which keeps the reader guessing who the "good guys" and the "bad guys" really are! . . . The characters are portrayed so well, one will tend to forget this is fiction."

Heidi Reads... - Excerpt

She turned toward the coffee shop and bumped into a man who reached out to steady her. “Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

His eyes crinkled at the corners as if smiling was his usual expression, though his lips were flat now. He towered over her five feet two inches, and she guessed him to be six foot. His shaved head made his large brown eyes even more expressive and compelling, and he exuded controlled energy and power under his very attractive surface. His muscular arms and face were tanned as if he’d spent a lot of time in the sun. Her immediate attraction to him made her take a step back. She steered clear of relationships. Losing someone you cared about hurt too much.

Those dark eyes smiled down at her. “You’re Jane Hardy.”


"One Little Lie is the first book in the Pelican Harbor series, and after reading this one I certainly cannot wait to read the next book. . . . I enjoyed getting to know the characters in this book and I thought that they were interesting, relatable, and people I could see in real-life situations. Colleen Coble is one of my go-to authors . . . and she certainly came through again with this great book."


"I have read a few of the author's books and enjoyed them. . . . The plot was predictable but, had a few surprises. . . . I did enjoy the book . . ."


"This was one of those stories that compelled me to keep turning the pages. There were so many questions to be answered and lots of secrets to be uncovered. . . . The chemistry between Jane and Reid was there and I enjoyed the suspense . . ."


Kimber Li - Excerpt

Jane parked her SUV in the driveway behind the flashing lights of a patrol vehicle and got out, the rising sun glaring into her gritty eyes. The call to investigate another body had sent her straight to her vehicle without a shower. Two bodies in twenty-four hours . . .

Was she really equipped for this job?

She let Parker out of the back before she walked toward the shotgun house with its neat spring flower beds lining either side of the red front door. She spotted a woman standing off to one side with her arms clutched around her. It was probably the neighbor who’d made the 911 call, and Jane would talk to her next.

A figure moved in the brush at the side of the house, and she caught the shine of something metallic. A gun? She pointed at the bush. “Take down, Parker!”


"Wow, there was a lot going on in this book! I loved the first chapter of the book which really set the stage for the rest of the story. It gave me an instant connection to emotion and really peaked my interest. . . . The intensity ramps up slowly but I could feel it happening. It's exactly what you want to feel when reading this type of book."

I'm Into Books - Spotlight


“Did you need something from me?”

He spread out his hands. “Look, I could shout up to you from the street, but I’d like to come up and talk to you.”

The lights were on next door. What could it hurt to have a private conversation? She wasn’t afraid of him. She gestured to her left.

“There are exterior stairs off the alley. I’ll open the door for you.”

He nodded and moved that direction, and she went inside to open the door in the kitchen. The iron stairs clanged as he ascended them, and for some reason, the sound made her pulse jump. Maybe this was a bad idea.


"Over the years, I’ve read many of Colleen Coble’s books and have enjoyed them immensely. She never ceases to amaze me with her ability to come up with new stories. One Little Lie is another example of her superb writing. . . . One Little Lie is filled with well-written characters, and you’ll love reading their stories. . . . The book’s pacing is perfect for a suspense novel. You’ll be frantically reading to find out how all of the clues fit together."

Uplifting Reads - Review

"This one starts out with a bang, gripping you from the first page . . . I did enjoy the story. I kept my attention during a time of a lot of uncertainty in the world and was a welcome distraction."



"Right off, from the prologue, the novel grabbed me . . . While others could feel bogged down by all that is going on in it, Coble has found a way to make it all work and carefully weave it together. The cases, the people – every little bit. It’s a wild roller coaster of a [read]."


"This was my first ever read from Colleen Coble and just wow! I was blown away by the writing, the flow and the themes within the story. I loved the way everything unfolded as the story progressed and that ending was superb!"


"Overall, I thought the premise of the novel is fantastic and unlike [any] other book I have read. I found the characters fascinating and well developed and I started to care what happens to the them, basically I just want them to have the happiness they so richly deserve. A great book to read in one day or over a weekend."

Wishful Endings - Spotlight


"I have read nearly all of Ms. Coble’s books. She is a wonderful storyteller and infuses her tales with mystery, suspense, romance, and faith. . . . In the end, most things wrapped up nicely."

Hallie Reads - Excerpt

Will’s smile could light up a football stadium. The boy wore a Saints cap backward, and he slung two camera bags onto his shoulders as he exited Reid’s SUV outside the police station. A tripod stuck up out his backpack.

A pelican fluttered down the strut on the grass by the road, and Will pointed it out. “Look at that!”

“No fish here in town.” Reid locked his vehicle. “You don’t look eager or anything. This will be hard work.”

Will bounced a little on his flip-flops.

“It’s going to be great, Dad. I know I can do it. Thanks for giving me a chance.”


"Overall, this has everything that I have come to love from Colleen Coble--- great suspense, unexpected twists, themes of faith and yes, romance too. It was a great start to this new series and I cannot wait to see what happens next. Current fans of Colleen Coble will certainly want to add it to their collection, and new readers are sure to fall in love too!"


"This is such a strong book to begin a new series of hers. The characters were absolutely delightful and relatable. Moreover, she tackles a hot topic now that seems to make its way into popular culture on a regular basis–cults. I appreciate the fact that she, a solid Christian author, tackles such a timely subject, while still including twists, turns, and the gospel message. . . . Fair warning, however. Once you start the book, I promise you WILL NOT want to put it down!"

Splashes of Joy - Spotlight


"One Little Lie is so intriguing and has many twists and turns in this wonderful story that I just couldn't put the book down. . . . Colleen Coble sure knows how to grab your attention and keep it there. Her writng style is fantastic! . . . I wasn't at all disappointed with this novel. It had a little bit of everything in it and just right amount too. Nicely done."

All excerpts from One Little Lie by Colleen Coble. Used with the permission of the publisher, Thomas Nelson. Copyright © 2020 by Colleen Coble. Learn more at TNZ Fiction.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post...

One Little Lie
(Pelican Harbor #1)
By Colleen Coble
Christian Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 352 Pages
March 3rd 2020 by Thomas Nelson

It started with one little lie. But Jane Hardy will do everything in her power to uncover the truth in this gripping new romantic suspense.

Jane Hardy is appointed interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, after her father retires, but there's no time for an adjustment period. When her father is arrested for theft and then implicated in a recent murder, Jane quickly realizes she's facing someone out to destroy the only family she has.

After escaping with her father from a cult fifteen years ago, Jane has searched relentlessly for her mother—who refused to leave—ever since. Could someone from that horrible past have found them?

Reid Bechtol is well-known for his documentaries, and his latest project involves covering Jane's career. Jane has little interest in the attention, but the committee who appointed her loves the idea of the publicity.

Jane finds herself depending on Reid's calm manner as he follows her around filming, and they begin working together to clear her father. But Reid has his own secrets from the past, and the gulf between them may be impossible to cross—especially once her father’s lie catches up with him.

Praise for the Book

“Colleen Coble always raises the notch on romantic suspense, and One Little Lie is my favorite yet! The story took me on a wild and wonderful ride.” —Diann Mills, bestselling author

"Colleen Coble once again proves she is at the pinnacle of Christian romantic suspense. Filled with characters you'll come to love, faith lost and found, and scenes that will have you holding your breath, Jane Hardy's story deftly follows the complex and tangled web that can be woven by one little lie.' —Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

(Affiliate links included.)

About the Author


Colleen Coble is a USA TODAY bestselling author and RITA finalist best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels, including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and the Lavender Tides, Sunset Cove, Hope Beach, and Rock Harbor series.


Bookstagram Tour


Check out all the pictures from the Bookstagram Tour here!

March 9th:
@simplehomemama
@ChristenKrumm
March 10th:
@_coffeecatsandbooks_
@adventurous.bookworm
March 11th:
@irishgirliereads
@christy41970
March 12th:
@SimplyKelina
@ya.its.lit
March 13th:
@savingsinseconds
@fortheloveofchristianfiction

Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a print copy of Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble (US only)
Ends March 25, 2020