Monday, August 5, 2019

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Hope for Tomorrow by Michelle De Bruin


 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour (and Giveaway!) for Hope for Tomorrow by Michelle De Bruin, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

https://amzn.to/319bgxT 
Title: Hope for Tomorrow 
Author: Michelle De Bruin  
Publisher: Mantle Rock Publishing 
Release Date: October 23, 2018  
Genre: Inspirational Historical Fiction

When Logan De Witt learns of his father’s sudden death, he returns home to the family’s dairy farm. During his stay, he discovers his mother’s struggle with finances and his younger sister’s struggle with grief. Concern for his family presses Logan to make the difficult decision to leave his career as a pastor and stay on the farm. As a way to make some extra money, he agrees to board the teacher for their local school.

Karen Millerson arrives from Chicago ready to teach high school but her position is eliminated so she accepts the role of country school teacher. Eager to put her family’s ugly past behind her, Karen begins a new career to replace the trust she lost in her own father who had been in ministry when she was a child.

Logan and Karen both sense a call from the Lord to serve him, but neither of them expected that one day they would do it together.

Can Karen learn to trust again? Will Logan lay aside his grief in exchange for God’s purpose for his life?


  EXCERPT

Logan’s heart thundered deep in his chest. He and Karen supported each other, partnered together in so many ventures, and shared joys as well as sorrows. Even more, along the way she’d become the prayer support he’d thought forever gone from his life after the loss of Dad. He stared at the pages in his hands, attempting to read them. His mind spun. In all of Logan’s efforts to stay focused on God, God had actually dropped right into Logan’s life the perfect woman for him.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Michelle De Bruin is a worship leader and spiritual services provider. She lives in Iowa with her husband and two teenage sons. A romantic at heart, Michelle is always looking for glimpses of God’s love through the window of a good story.  

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE: Website | Facebook | Twitter

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a prize pack that includes a print copy of Hope for Tomorrow and a $25 gift card plus a set of handmade quilted hot pads and Dutch chocolate.


Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight August 5, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on August 12, 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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Thursday, August 1, 2019

Spotlight: Love and Other Mistakes by Jessica Kate


 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Love and Other Mistakes by Jessica Kate, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

https://amzn.to/2SY2AaW 
Title: Love and Other Mistakes 
Author: Jessica Kate  
Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
Release Date: July 30, 2019 
Genre: Romantic Comedy

There’s a fine line between love and hate . . . And for the last seven years, Natalie Groves has hated Jeremy Walters.

Natalie Groves was meant for great things. But soon after her fiancé left, Natalie’s father was diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly her grand plans evaporated . . . and God felt very far away.

Fast-forward seven years, and an internship presents Natalie a chance at her destiny—but she needs a job to work around it. And the only offer available is worse than a life sentence. Her ex Jeremy, now back in town, is desperate for help with his infant son and troubled teenage niece, Lili. And Natalie may be just the one to help Jeremy . . . provided they don’t kill each other in the process.

When Jeremy and Natalie join forces, sparks fly. But will either of them get burned along the way?


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Australian Jessica Kate is a sassy romance author and addict.

Her novels feature wit, snark and grit, and her StoryNerds podcast gives her a chance to nerd out with others about these ingredients in books, movies and TV.

She has a passion for garlic bread, theme parks and Batman.

Sign up to her newsletter at jessicakatewriting.com to hear first about her books, including her upcoming novels Love and Other Mistakes and A Girl’s Guide to the Outback.

The StoryNerds podcast is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and at www.storynerds.podbean.com.

CONNECT WITH JESSICA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


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

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*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.





Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Cover Reveal: The Aftermath by Amy Matayo




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Synopsis

According to Riley Mae Floss, life is a ten-page menu of possibilities. As the owner of a cupcake shop in small-town Missouri, she thrives on candies and rainbows and spreading joy every chance she gets. Even her hair is the color of bubble gum. Life is just the way she likes it, so why would she want anything to change now? 

But when a tornado rips into Riley Mae’s southern town and destroys nearly everything in its path, her happy little life changes in less than forty-two seconds. Buildings gone. Homes carried away. People missing or even dead. Her bakery a shell of what it once was; also her life. Riley Mae’s picture-perfect world is shattered, and everyone she cares about has been hurt in the process. 

According to insurance adjuster Chad Gamble, life always works out exactly the way it’s supposed to…for other people. As for him, life is a bit of a crapfest—one where he never wins the prize, makes the starting team, or gets the girl. He’s straight-laced, suit-and-tie, all-business, and sees the world for the color it is: muted gray with a little black around the edges.  

So when Chad Gamble walks into Riley Mae’s ruined bakery to “assess the damages”—his words, not hers—he has no intention of getting bogged down by sentimental nonsense. Sparks immediately start to fly, and not the good kind. Who does this pushy, pink-haired chick think she is, treating him like an outsider when all he came to do was help?  He can’t figure out why the locals like her so much. 

Or worse, why he can’t stop thinking about her.






Sunday, July 28, 2019

Review: This Healing Journey by Misty M. Beller


https://amzn.to/2IfJA42

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

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Synopsis

She’s never left her home in the mountain wilderness of the Canadian Rockies—until now. Little did she realize this journey would change her life in every way. 
 
The mountain wilderness of her family’s home in the Canadian Rockies is all Hannah Grant has ever known. Now at the age of twenty-four, she’s on a journey to help her father to find the son he gave up for adoption three decades before. This is Hannah’s chance to discover the life she’s missed out on so far—and hopefully find a husband along the way. But she certainly doesn’t plan to fall for the first man she meets.

Years in the cavalry provided Nathaniel Peak with more than his share of violence and adventure. That life behind him, he wants nothing more than to settle down in the beautiful Montana mountains and raise his own stock—in peace. The last thing he expects is the savagely wounded child who shows up in his barn. Nor the woman he comes to rely on for the girl’s care.

Hannah can’t help but fall in love with the brave Indian child who so desperately needs her, but no matter what, she can’t let herself fall for the man whose past choices go against everything she believes in. As the situation grows worse, Hannah and Nathaniel are forced to make a heart-rending decision to save the girl’s life. Little do they imagine, the choice they make could spell disaster for them all.

My Review

I was surprised and glad the author brought a new element into this final journey story as the Heart of the Mountains series concludes. The reunion of Simeon (This Treacherous Journey, Heart of the Mountains #1) with his son Reuben (The Lady and the Mountain Call, Mountain Dreams #5) is bittersweet since Reuben's adoptive parents didn't share the story of his birth with him, and his mother is suffering from dimensia. On top of that, new neighbor Nathaniel is struggling to establish his ranch and has the burden of caring for a mysterious and wounded Indian girl who cannot be moved. Hannah finds herself to be the perfect solution, finding purpose in nursing the child and helping Nathaniel. A friendship and romance naturally develop, and I appreciated how their combined efforts brought them closer together and also bonded them both to the girl in their care. Danger, adventure, and healed family relationships made this book standout among the others in the series.

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



Don't miss the other books in the Heart of the Mountains series . . .


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Review: Never Marry a Marquess by Regina Scott


https://amzn.to/2XhRPVr

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

Shy Ivy Bateman has always felt more comfortable behind the scenes than front and center. She is happiest caring for her family and baking sweet treats. She certainly never expected the wealthy Marquess of Kendall to propose marriage, especially a marriage of convenience. It seems his baby daughter needs a mother, and Ivy cannot deny the attraction of the role, or the attraction she feels for the handsome marquess.

Kendall had asked Miss Thorn of the Fortune Employment Agency to find him a particular sort of lady. His heart went to the grave with his first wife. Now, all he cares about is ensuring his frail daughter doesn’t follow it. Installing Ivy Bateman as his next marchioness will not disrupt his life or make him question his love for his dead wife. But as he comes to appreciate Ivy’s sweet nature, he begins to wonder about their future. When an old enemy strikes at Miss Thorn and all her ladies, a grieving lord and a shy lady must work together to save the day. In doing so, they might just discover that love, and a good cinnamon bun, can heal all wounds.


My Review

Such a sweet story! We got to know Ivy in the previous book as Charlotte helps her and her sisters prepare to enter Society. I enjoyed Ivy's growth as she determines that helping baby Sophia will bring her happiness. Kendall is kind and overprotective, completely endearing as he learns from Ivy what his daughter truly needs. His joy at seeing his daughter thrive was lovely and I enjoyed the way he and Ivy quickly trust each other and the blossoming friendship that turns to more. The subplot of Miss Thorn and Julian's relationship that has lasted throughout the entire series is finally concluded as well. I've enjoyed this series and the consistent quality of storytelling and vibrant characters. I recommend that it be read in order for full enjoyment!

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



Don't miss the previous books in the Fortune's Brides series . . .

https://amzn.to/31Alrg0https://amzn.to/31Alrg0

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Review: One of the Girls by Robin Daniels


https://amzn.to/31rjSRw

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

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

Synopsis

FROM ENDZONE TO FRIENDZONE...

Senior Nick Moody is the second string quarterback on Roosevelt High School’s championship football team. He’s crushed on Mia for years, but she doesn’t know he exists. It’s time to come off the bench and into the game. Nick refuses to graduate without getting the girl or the glory.

Mia Ashlock is the remarkably kind cheer captain. She’s a yes girl, and her penchant for people pleasing always leads to bad relationships. After being humiliated in a very public dumping, her teammates decide to break her bad habit with a ban on boyfriends.

When Nick sees a poster, advertising cheer tryouts, he has a crazy idea: quit football and become a cheerleader. It’s perfect! He can get close to Mia and steal the spotlight, using his true and hidden talent—gymnastics. Nick and Mia have instant chemistry, but it does him little good. If Mia’s zero dating rule weren’t bad enough, the team treats him less like boyfriend material and more like one of the girls. Breaching the friendzone will be much harder than he thought.

Content: This book contains kissing along with limited/mild swearing and minimal innuendo/crude humor. No explicit language or references to sex.


My Review

I loved this YA book and the way it looked beyond the surface to what deeper issues the teens were facing. Nick is not just a typical football player- he has hidden skills of gymnastics abilities that he enjoys more than being a benched quarterback, but even more importantly- he is a genuinely nice guy. Aren't those the best heroes? I loved watching him come out of his shell as he does his best to subtly pursue Mia and learn more about himself as he defies the social norms of his school and expectations of his grandfather/coach. Mia is a bit of a doormat in the beginning, but thanks to some overly helpful friends and new relationship with Nick, she also discovers her inner strength and experiences a good amount of growth. A fun book with dialogue and narration that felt authentic (several laugh out loud moments!) and kept me interested in the emotions of the characters.

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