Heidi Reads...

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Bout of Books Read-a-Thon!

I'm excited to be joining the Bout of Books read-a-thon! Hoping to make significant progress on my to-read list...

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 9th and runs through Sunday, May 15th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 16 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Friday, April 22, 2016

Join Becky Wade for a Facebook Party May 5th!

A female bodyguard plus her star NFL client plus danger equals a great recipe for romance! Her One and Only, book four in Becky Wade's Porter Family novels, releases May 3. To celebrate, Becky is hosting an author chat party on her Facebook page on May 5 at 5 PM PDT/8 PM EDT. Join Becky for an evening of book chat with other bookworms and prizes.

Plus a portion of all pre-sales and sales the release week of Her One and Only will be donated to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. For more details on how to purchase a copy, click here.

About the Book

After ten years in the NFL, super star Gray Fowler is accustomed to obsessive fans. But when Gray starts receiving death threats from a stalker, his team hires an executive protection agency to guard him until the culprit is caught. Dealing with bodyguards 24/7 is a headache, especially when one of them is a young, beautiful woman. How can a female half his size possibly protect him better than he can protect himself?

Dru Porter is a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt–none of which saved her from disaster on her last assignment. In order to rebuild her tarnished reputation, she’s determined to find Gray’s stalker and, since relationships between agents and clients are forbidden, avoid a romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past.

Yet every secret that leads Dru closer to the stalker also draws her closer to Gray. As the danger escalates, they’ll survive only if they can learn to trust their lives — and their hearts — to one another.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Review: Spring in Hyde Park (Timeless Regency Collection) by Jennifer Moore, G.G. Vandagriff, Nichole Van

Heidi Reads... Spring in Hyde Park (Timeless Regency Collection) by Jennifer Moore, G.G. Vandagriff, Nichole Van

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

A HAPPY ACCIDENT by Jennifer Moore
Jonathan Burles father has just died, making him the new Marquess of Spencer and the most sought after bachelor in London. An unfortunate accident leads to a forced marriage to Maryann Croft, a young woman who possesses no title, and an unexpected secret. With the unstable beginning to their marriage, finding love together seems impossible.

THE DISDAINFUL DUKE by G. G. Vandagriff
Lady Saphronia Huffington has always thought of herself as plain next to the beauty of her sister, Lady Lavinia. So when her sister becomes engaged to Lord Gilbert Caldwell and Saphronia is paired for wedding events with his brother, the granite-faced Duke of Mayfield, who is known to prefer beauties, she sharpens her wit. Thus begins a lengthy sparring contest during which the Duke realizes Saphronia is anything but plain.

AN INVISIBLE HEIRESS by Nichole Van
Miss Belle Heartstone has everything money can buy—houses, servants, carriages, clothing, jewels. A husband, however, is proving much harder to, ehr . . . purchase. Colin Radcliffe, the newly minted Marquess of Blake, is in desperate need of funds—preferably of the wife-free variety. When circumstances draw the two together, Blake might be the only man able to see beyond the Belle’s outer façade, and fall in love with the woman inside.

My Review

Regency novellas are my favorite! There's something about the setting, the manners and society rules of the time period that I find fascinating. I enjoyed Jennifer Moore's story of an unexpected marriage, and the way Jonathan and Maryann struggled through miscommunication to learn to trust each other. G.G. Vandagriff's story was a bit wordy for my taste, the plot was fine but the writing style isn't one that resonated with me. I was happy to finish the collection with Nichole Van's delightful tale of looking past one's circumstances to appreciate the true character of a person. These novellas are ones I can see myself re-reading in the future.

(Thank you to Ebooks for Review for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Review & Giveaway! The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White

Heidi Reads... The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Will Fleeing the Scottish Highlands Only Leave Her in More Danger?

Lady Rowena Kinnaird may be the heiress to a Highland earldom, but she’s never felt good enough–not for her father, not for the man she thought she’d marry, not for God. But after a shocking attack, she’s willing to be forever an outcast if it means escaping those threatening her life.

Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has never been one to shy away from manor-born ladies, yet the last thing he needs is the distraction of the newly introduced Lady Rowena. He has enough on his plate having recently come into possession of a rare treasure for which many would kill, yet those around him seem intent on pairing him with this desperate but beguiling girl.

Rowena is reluctant to marry this notorious flirt. And when she learns that Brice is mixed up in some kind of questionable business with a stolen treasure, she fears she’ll end up in more danger than she fled.

My Review

There are so many things I enjoyed about this book! Rowena's consistent Scottish burr was a delight to imagine in my head as her voice. It made her character distinctive and unique from the others in the story. Her brokenness of spirit creates empathy and her strength of will, admiration. The way she learns to recognize God's blessings in her life and turn to Him is a subtle and inspiring theme. The intrigue of the plot is one continued from the previous book in the Ladies of the Manor series, The Lost Heiress. Once again I read the second book before the first, but I felt like the author did a good job of catching the reader up (without being obvious or info dumping) so this book can be read as a stand alone. Brice's friends who starred in the first book make a significant appearance in this book so it made me anxious to read The Lost Heiress and not only read their love story but see the origins of the diamonds entering and disrupting their lives. Brice is a great hero- charming and friendly, yet fiercely protective of Rowena and a spiritual leader to both her and their friends. I appreciated that he also had a journey of self-realization and turned to the Lord for grace in overcoming his weaknesses. The dangers faced by Rowena and Brice kept the story moving forward, yet there was a definite focus on their relationship and efforts to learn to trust and love.

(Thank you to Celebrate Lit Publicity for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Enter the Tour Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of her book, Roseanna is giving away a few of Rowena's favorite things...