Celebrate the release of To Win Her Favor with a Kindle Fire and book giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire HD 6
- A copy of To Win Her Favor
{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}
Showing posts with label Tamera Alexander. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tamera Alexander. Show all posts
Monday, May 4, 2015
Tamera Alexander’s To Win Her Favor Blog Tour and Kindle Giveaway!
Celebrate the release of To Win Her Favor with a Kindle Fire and book giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
Review: To Win Her Favor by Tamera Alexander
My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing!
A gifted rider in a world where ladies never race, Maggie Linden is determined that her horse will become a champion. But the one man who can help her has vowed to stay away from thoroughbred racing for good.
An Irish-born son far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him. He’s come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and start a farm, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he’d wagered, especially when Maggie Linden’s father makes him an offer he shouldn’t accept yet cannot possibly refuse.
Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the annual Drayton Stakes at Nashville’s racetrack––the richest race run in America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that chance, and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder, Maggie’s father––aging, yet wily as ever––makes a barter. His agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail––Maggie must marry a man she’s never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.
Cullen and Maggie need each other in order to achieve their dreams. But their stubborn, wounded hearts––and the escalating violence from a "secret society" responsible for lynchings and midnight raids––may prove too much for even two determined souls.
My Review
This book captivated me from the beginning. The setting is not one I would normally be interested in- post-Civil War South, however the author brings the characters and landscape to life in a way that I can't help but be fascinated. I definitely enjoyed the marriage of convenience theme, and this story is now one of my favorites in that category. Maggie and Cullen are each caught between a rock and a hard place- Maggie because she will lose the family farm to auction, Cullen because nobody will deal with an Irishman. They are both desperate to pursue their dreams, and Maggie's father had enough foresight and faith to offer a solution that would secure the future of both his daughter and their land.
I didn't realize there was such bitter racism against the Irish in the South. It was eye-opening to learn about the attitudes and prejudices that were commonplace. Even Maggie struggled with overcoming her prejudice of Cullen's ancestry but as she grows to respect him for his character she is able to let go of the attitudes passed down by her mother and community. Cullen and Maggie's relationship is fraught with tension; they deal with secrecy and trust issues, feelings of unworthiness, financial difficulties, pressure from society, vandalism and violence from "wolves" (KKK members), and an undeniable attraction and growing love for each other.
I would recommend this book to adult readers since the marital relations between Maggie and Cullen are referred to several times (although tastefully done).
(Thank you to Litfuse Publicity and BookLook Bloggers for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Free e-book! The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander
Download The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander on e-book for free!
(The sale runs through March 1st, but be sure to check the price since e-book sales are for a limited time)
An unexpected inheritance. An unknown future. An unending love.
Determined to tame her younger brother's rebellious streak, McKenna Ashford accepts her cousin's invitation to move west, and to begin again. But she quickly discovers that life in Copper Creek, Colorado, is far from what she expected. Shouldering burdens beyond her years, McKenna tries to be the parent Robert needs, instead of the older sister he resents. But an "untimely inheritance" challenges her resolve at every turn, while also offering a second chance to restore her sense of trust--and perhaps even her heart.
U.S. Marshal Wyatt Caradon is dedicated to bringing fugitives to justice, yet years of living on the trail have taken their toll. When his path intersects with that of McKenna, he comes face-to-face with a past he never wanted to relive--and the one woman who can help him find the future he's been longing for.
As McKenna struggles to let go of her independence and Wyatt considers opening his heart again, they discover an inheritance beyond imagination. But it will come at a price.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
E-book sale: $1.99 for The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander
Today only- download The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander for only $1.99!
(Be sure to check the price before purchasing since e-book sales are for a limited time)
An unexpected inheritance. An unknown future. An unending love.
Determined to tame her younger brother's rebellious streak, McKenna Ashford accepts her cousin's invitation to move west, and to begin again. But she quickly discovers that life in Copper Creek, Colorado, is far from what she expected. Shouldering burdens beyond her years, McKenna tries to be the parent Robert needs, instead of the older sister he resents. But an "untimely inheritance" challenges her resolve at every turn, while also offering a second chance to restore her sense of trust--and perhaps even her heart.
U.S. Marshal Wyatt Caradon is dedicated to bringing fugitives to justice, yet years of living on the trail have taken their toll. When his path intersects with that of McKenna, he comes face-to-face with a past he never wanted to relive--and the one woman who can help him find the future he's been longing for.
As McKenna struggles to let go of her independence and Wyatt considers opening his heart again, they discover an inheritance beyond imagination. But it will come at a price.
Friday, November 7, 2014
E-book sale: $1.99 for A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander
Download A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander for only $1.99 through Nov 10th!
(Be sure to check the price before purchasing since e-book sales are for a limited time)
After an unwanted past, Claire strives to create something that will last as an artist among Nashville's elite society in the 1860s.
Claire Laurent's greatest aspiration is to paint something that will bring her acclaim. Yet her father insists she work as a copyist. A forger. When she's forced to flee her home, her path collides with attorney Sutton Monroe, who shows her kindness by not turning her in to authorities. But when he later refuses to come to her aid, Claire fears she's sorely misjudged him. Finding herself among the elite of Nashville society, Claire believes her dream of creating a lasting impression in the world of art is within reach--but only if her past remains hidden.
The Federal Army destroyed Sutton's home, confiscated his land, and threatens to destroy his family's honor. His determination to reclaim what belongs to him reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined--as well as the woman he loves.
Set at Nashville's historic Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Adelicia Acklen, A Lasting Impression is a sweeping love story about a nation mending after war, the redemption of those wounded, and the courage of a man and woman to see themselves--and each other--for who they really are.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
E-book sale: Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander
Only $1.99 for the e-book of Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander!
Determined to fulfill her late husband’s dream, Rachel Boyd struggles to keep her ranch afloat with the help of her two young sons. But some days it feels as though her every effort is sabotaged. When faced with a loss she cannot afford, she’s forced to trust Rand Brookston, the one man in Timber Ridge she wishes to avoid. And with good reason. He’s a physician, just like her father, which tells her everything she needs to know about him. Or so she thinks...
Dr. Rand Brookston ventured west with the dream of bringing modern medicine to the wilds of the Colorado Rockies, but the townspeople have been slow to trust him. Just as slow in coming is Rand’s dream to build the town a proper clinic. When a patient’s life is threatened, Rand makes a choice—one that sends ripples through the town of Timber Ridge. And through Rachel Boyd’s stubborn heart.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Free e-book! Rekindled by Tamera Alexander
Download Rekindled by Tamera Alexander for free! It's the first book in the Fountain Creek Chronicles series. I enjoyed the author's newest release A Beauty So Rare (read my review here) and can't wait to read her earlier books!
(E-book deal is for a limited time, so check the price before ordering)
At a different time, in a different place, under different circumstances... could two people fall in love once again?
Ten years ago Kathryn Jennings made a vow. For better or worse. And that promise still holds true, even though her marriage has not turned out as she expected. When her husband fails to return home one stormy winter night, she struggles to keep their ranch, but her efforts are blocked at every turn. After a shocking glimpse into her husband's past, Kathryn uncovers a hidden truth. What she wouldn't give to turn back time and be able to love her husband for the man that he was, not for the man she always wanted him to be.
Larson Jennings has spent his entire life running from a broken past, unable to trust, reluctant to try again. One fateful night, his life takes an unexpected twist, and soon he is forced to make a choice. Whatever he chooses, his decision may cost him his life.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
E-book sale! Only $1.99 for To Whisper Her Name by Tamera Alexander
Synopsis from goodreads.com
Set at Nashville's historic Belle Meade Plantation, the most influential thoroughbred stud farm in America's history, To Whisper Her Name weaves the struggles of real people of the post-war South with the journeys of a man and a woman scarred by betrayal.
Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a man shot as a traitor to the South, is shunned by proper society and gratefully accepts an invitation from "Aunt" Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation. Expecting to be the Harding's head housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned when she learns the real reason Elizabeth's husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Not finding the safe haven she expects, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a Southern man who seems anything but a Southern gentleman.
Branded a traitor by some, Ridley Cooper, a Southern son who chose to fight for the Union, is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him. Determined to learn "the gift" that Belle Meade's head horse trainer and former slave, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley harbors secrets that threaten both their lives.
As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for "betraying" the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Pinterest Scavenger Hunt from author Tamera Alexander!
Join me for a Pinterest
Scavenger Hunt and win 1 of 7 copies of USA Today bestselling author
Tamera Alexander’s
newest novel, A Beauty So Rare, the second
standalone novel in the Belmont Mansion series.
The questions are posted below and
the giveaway runs through Sunday night, April 27. The answers to the questions can be found on Tamera's
Pinterest page. Not on Pinterest? Doesn’t
matter. You can still participate and find the answers by using this link.
Your answers must be submitted to
TameraAlexander@ymail.com (numbered
1 - 6) by
Sunday, April 27, midnight Central to be entered into a drawing to win one of
seven copies of A Beauty So Rare, the second standalone novel in the
Belmont Mansion series.
Questions for the Pinterest Scavenger Hunt
1. On the A
Beauty So Rare board, find the pin
that shares the seamstress who sewed the dress on the cover of A Beauty So Rare (featuring the heroine, Eleanor Braddock) and *click the
pin* to discover what the seamstress’s most challenging part of making the
pink dress was.
2. On the A
Lasting Impression board,
find the pin where Tamera shares about the desert seasons in her life––those times that helped her write
about a certain relationship in her novel, A Beauty So Rare. *Click the pin* to learn what specific relationship Tamera
mentions in that blog. It’s the relationship between which
two people?
3. On the My Novels board, find the pin where Tamera shares about the inspiration
behind A Beauty So Rare. *Click it* and watch the video
to learn the true history that ties the Belmont Mansion (the setting of A Lasting Impression and A Beauty So Rare) to the real Insane Asylum that existed in Nashville in
the 19th century.
4. On the Recipes from my
novels board, what's the
recipe from A Beauty So Rare
that’s posted about most often on that board (doesn't
necessarily have the most re-pins)? It's also a favorite
of Eleanor's.
5. On the My Loves board,
find the pin that references Easter weekend then *click it* to learn what kind
of fish Tamera caught this past weekend.
6. On the My Novels board,
find the pin for the book trailer for A Beauty So Rare,
then *click it* to watch the video. What is it that Aunt Adelicia is determined
to find for Eleanor?
In your email, remember
to number your answers from 1 to 6, like this:
1.
Answer
2.
Answer
3.
Answer
4.
Answer
5.
Answer
6.
Answer
7. I liked Tamera's FB page!
Hope you have fun with it!
Note: Pinterest is not sponsoring
this promotion nor are they formally affiliated with it.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Savory Custard recipe from A Beauty So Rare
I'm excited to be able to share with you a bonus feature from a book I recently read and gave five stars- A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander! The author shares below the recipe for a dish the heroine makes for her ailing father since it is his favorite... although one of her pies suffers an dismal fate...
If you haven't checked out this book yet I highly recommend it! It was a pleasure to read :)
If you haven't checked out this book yet I highly recommend it! It was a pleasure to read :)
Eleanor Braddock’s Savory Custard
(or Ham and Cheddar Quiche)
From the novel A Beauty So Rare
by Tamera Alexander
Most people think
quiche originated in France. Not so. It’s originally a German dish and people
referred to them as "savory custards" in the 19th century. Which is
accurate since the egg-based mixture forms a luscious-like custard as it bakes.
In my novel, A Beauty So Rare, the second standalone novel in the Belmont
Mansion series, the heroine, Eleanor Braddock, is "a cook with a
dream." But her dreams don’t quite turn out like she thinks they will.
However, her savories always do!
I hope you enjoy this
recipe (or "receipt" as recipes were called in the 1800s) from A Beauty So Rare. For more about A Beauty So Rare and for recipes from
all my novels, visit www.TameraAlexander.com.
Ingredients
1 old-fashioned unbaked pie crust (recipe
below)
1 large onion, diced (or sliced if you
like larger pieces of onion in your savory)
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound cooked ham diced into cubes (if using
bacon, use 8 slices, fried chewy, not too crisp)
8 large eggs
1-1/2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste (I
always go heavier on the pepper, personal preference)
1 3/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Instructions
Sauté onion in the butter in
a skillet over medium-low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is
golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Chop the ham into
bite-sized pieces (or fry your bacon until chewy, then chop). Set aside to
cool. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out pie crust and press into a deep
dish pie plate. A medium-sized iron skillet works wonderfully for making a
savory custard (and is what Eleanor used). The crust comes out divine. I
just happened to use a pie plate this time.
Whip the eggs, cream,
salt and pepper in a large bowl, then mix in the onions, ham (or bacon), and
cheese. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Cover the pie plate (or skillet)
lightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue
baking for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the quiche is set and the crust is golden
brown. QUICK BAKING TIPS: The quiche may still seem a little loose when you
first remove it from the oven, but it will firm up nicely once removed from the
heat. Also, watch that lovely crust so the edges don’t get overly brown. I use a silicone pie crust
shield if that starts to happen. Those are a fabulous invention (but foil
crimped around the edges works just as well).
Remove from the oven
and allow the savory custard to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before diving in. It’s so
good, and just like Eleanor Braddock would make. It’s
also delicious left over and warmed up the next day.
Eleanor Braddock’s Old-Fashioned Pie Crust
(makes two large crusts)
From the novel A Beauty So Rare
by Tamera Alexander
This is a wonderful
crust that I’ve been using for years. Eleanor would likely have used lard in
place of Crisco (since lard was cheaper than butter in her day), and you may
too, if you prefer. Yes, lard is still available on most grocery shelves,
although I’m pretty sure I just felt you shudder!
This pie crust
"freezes beautifully " as they say in Steel Magnolias (instructions
on freezing below), so even though I may need only one pie crust at the moment,
I always use this recipe and make a second, and freeze it for later. Makes that
next pie (or savory custard) go twice as fast!
1 ½ cups Crisco (or lard)
3 cups all-purpose
flour
1 egg
5 tablespoons ice water
1 tablespoon white
vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, using
a pastry cutter (or two knives will do the job), gradually work the Crisco into
the flour for 3 to 4 minutes until it resembles coarse meal. In a smaller bowl,
whip the egg and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5
tablespoons of ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of
salt. Stir gently until all ingredients are blended well.
Halve the dough. Form
the 2 evenly-sized balls of dough and place each into large sealable plastic bags. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each
to about 1/2 inch thickness to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and
place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you’re
using the crusts immediately, it’s still a good idea to let them chill in the
freezer for about 15- 20 minutes. They’ll be much easier to work with.)
When you’re
ready to roll the dough for your crust, remove from the freezer and allow to
thaw for 15 minutes (if it’s frozen). On a well-floured surface, roll
the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. Sprinkle flour over
the top of the dough if it’s too moist. If the
dough starts to stick to the countertop, use a metal spatula and gently scrape
it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie plate
(or iron skillet).
Using a spatula, carefully
lift the dough from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. (I sometimes
fold my well-floured dough in half and then "unfold" it onto iron skillet.
Or you can lop it over your rolling pin. That works well, too.) Gently press
the dough against the sides of the pan or skillet, getting it all tucked in. Then
crimp the edges in whatever way you prefer. And now, you’re
ready for that yummy savory custard filling above, or maybe for a fruit pie.
If you make this recipe
(or if you’ve read A Beauty So Rare), I’d
love to hear from you. You can write me through my website at http://www.tameraalexander.com/contact.html.
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