Review: Stitches in Time by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Book Two in The Deacon's Family series

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Detachment had worked well as a life strategy for horse trainer Sam Schrock. Until he met Mollie Graber . . .

New to Stoney Ridge, schoolteacher Mollie has come to town for a fresh start. Aware of how fleeting and fragile life is, she wants to live it boldly and bravely. When Luke Schrock, new to his role as deacon, asks the church to take in foster girls from a group home, she's the first to raise her hand. The power of love, she believes, can pick up the dropped stitches in a child's heart and knit them back together.

Mollie envisions sleepovers and pillow fights. What the 11-year-old twins bring to her home is anything but. Visits from the sheriff at midnight. Phone calls from the school truancy officer. And then the most humiliating moment of all: the girls accuse Mollie of drug addiction.

There's only one thing that breaks through the girls' hard shell--an interest in horses. Reluctantly and skeptically, Sam Schrock gets drawn into Mollie's chaotic life. What he didn't expect was for love to knit together the dropped stitches in his own heart . . . just in time.

My Review

This book isn't quite what I was expecting but it was wonderful just the same. I was surprised by how much of the story is about Luke (from the previous book Mending Fences) and his new and unexpected role as deacon. I didn't realize how involved that calling is, and that it is a lifetime of service. It was interesting to read so much of the story from a (somewhat obtuse) man's perspective, and especially watch his process of growth from a prodigal son to a leader in the community. The bishop is a wonderful source of wisdom and friendship for Luke as he navigates his way with his new marriage and new calling.

Mollie and Sam are just forming a tentative friendship when Mollie eagerly jumps into fostering two girls from the local group home, who turn out to be the most troublesome of the bunch. Sam does his best to support her while also trying to open her eyes to a more effective way of dealing with the girls' misbehavior. Mollie is a naive optimist, but this experience gave her more than she bargained for, providing opportunities for growth and learning and sacrifice. The shenanigans were at times funny, but grew in seriousness. Sam's influence on both Mollie and the girls was steadying, while Mollie brought light and excitement into his life. I enjoy this author's thoughtful writing style and the way she explores difficult themes with grace.

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

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Don't miss the other books in The Deacon's Family series . . .

Book One

Book Three

Review: Loving Her Fling by Heather B. Moore

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Can her love tame her fling?

Everly King’s life might be on a Plan B track, but she’s perfectly content with her job, her nights out at the movies, and putting her past behind her. She certainly doesn’t need to be reminded over and over that her sister is, well, engaged to Everly’s ex.

Austin Hayes is the architect hired to redesign Everly's beloved theater. As a widower with a young daughter, the last thing he wants is to juggle another relationship.

Thankfully, Austin is only in Hidden Hollows for a few weeks. A fake relationship seems exactly what both need. After all, when it’s just a fling, no one gets hurt. Right?

My Review

I loved this story so much! I read it twice last month. It's going on my list of faves to re-read when I'm not in the mood to start a new book. Everly is lovingly quirky, and her struggles were realistic. She's still grieving her father's death but has a fun weekly tradition of secretly attending the movies at the old theater that her dad used to take her to. Her sister is dating her former best friend/ex-boyfriend who dumped her, and her mother is an overbearing, hovering, worrywart. She loves her family but they don't seem to understand her and her need for space. Austin is genuine and charming, and it was easy to see how these two had such great chemistry. Don't let the book synopsis fool you- their relationship is never fake (although Everly did make up a different man to get her mom off her back), and their friendship quickly develops into a sweet romance that has them both enjoying their time together while concerned about what the future would bring. I appreciated that their relationship is so natural and they bring out the best in each other as they deal with each other's families. Austin has a daughter to consider and his parents who support him in her care. As dynamics become more complex and involved, Everly and Austin's relationship has some tests to withstand. This story is simply delightful and also has the depth of emotion that makes it easy to connect with the characters. Highly recommend!

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

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Second Chance for the Single Dad by Carol Ross #SCSDPrism

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Second Chance for the Single Dad
By Carol Ross
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages
March 1st 2020 by Harlequin Heartwarming

She’ll save him a dance…

…if he follows his heart.

Dance teacher Camile Wynn has a new student. Reclusive Rhys McGrath is learning to waltz so he can take his orphaned niece to a father-daughter dance. Camile is surprised by her connection with him, but there’s a generous heart behind Rhys’s awkward exterior. When she learns Rhys could lose custody of his niece, Camile goes behind his back to help him…but will her lies end up hurting him instead?

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Excerpt

Two lessons, one dance, Camile reminded herself. Get in, get out, done.

“Good! You got this. Again,” she said.

Rhys repeated the movement.

“Now, this time, don’t stop. Just keep box stepping, and I’ll do it with you.” They performed the movements together with Camile counting and snapping her fingers.

Still moving, she danced around in a half circle until she was facing him, mirroring his steps. “Excellent. And there you have it. Now you’re going to try it with me.”

He stopped in his tracks, brow lines back in full force.

Facing him, Camile patted her left shoulder and instructed, “Right hand here.” He complied, and she ignored how nice the heat of his hand felt as it seeped through the thin fabric of her tank top. “Left arm up.” He obeyed. Silently, she admitted there was something vaguely satisfying about barking orders at him. But this action, the press of his palm against hers, the feel of the work-roughened texture of his skin, her hand enfolded in his, was slightly more difficult to ignore. She told herself it was just the shock of it all, being here with him. Dancing.

“Ah,” he said, tilting his chin toward the floor again. “Now I see why you’re wearing heels.”

“Is that your way of insulting my height?” she joked, breaking her own rule before she could stop herself.

He brought his gaze back up and locked it on to hers, and Camile was a little taken aback by the intensity she saw there. “No. Absolutely not. Why would that be insulting? I’m sorry if you took it that way.”

“Um, it’s—it’s fine,” she stammered. “I was joking. I know I’m short. It would be difficult to forget as the only short person in a family of very tall people. You know, recessive genes or whatever.”

“That would not be the case,” he said. “Height is polygenic. And there are other variables. It’s more quantitative than that. So the term recessive doesn’t apply when it comes to height.”

Camile squinted up at him, trying to decide if he was serious. When he didn’t blink, she said, “I know. At least three genes are involved and like six alleles, right?” Genetics had been one of her favorite premed courses. “Plus, there are nutritional and environmental factors. I wasn’t being literal. I was exaggerating for effect. Making fun of the fact that I drew the short straw in my family.” She added a wink.

Gaze narrowed in on her, he shook his head a couple of times very slowly as if thinking carefully about how to respond.

Embarrassed by her lame joke, she clarified, “That was a bad pun. Sorry.”

When he spoke, his eyes traveled over her while his mouth hinted at a smile. “No, you’re wrong. It was not a bad pun. It was a very good pun. But there’s nothing inferior about your genetic fate. Quite the contrary. Height is also a very subjective preference as far as attractiveness goes. Studies have shown that shorter women with discernible curves are the most symmetrically pleasing. I happen to agree with the consensus.”

Camile stared into his earnest blue eyes and felt her lips part. What the...? Her neck went hot as she tried to wrap her brain around this moment. Obviously, the man was brilliant in a way that resulted in a unique perspective. But the part that had her speechless was the fact that he’d just given her a really lovely compliment. Like, spellbindingly good. And he seemed sincere. Granted, the delivery wasn’t the smoothest, but the meaning was there. It also caught her off guard and made her feel warm in even more surprising ways. Ways she shouldn’t feel. Not with Rhys McGrath, date absconder, social snob and possibly worse, if any of the rumors were true.

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Carol Ross grew up in small town America right between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains, in a place where you can go deep sea fishing in the morning and then hit the ski slopes the same afternoon. The daughter of what is now known as free range parents, she developed a love of the outdoors at a very early age. As a writer, Carol loves to breathe the life she has lived into the characters she creates, grateful for the “research material” that every questionable decision, adrenaline-charged misstep, and near-death experience has provided.

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Blitz Giveaway

One winner will receive a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card and a copy of Second Chance for the Single Dad (signed print copy if US/CAN, ebook if international)

Ends March 6, 2020

ENTER HERE

Book Tour & Giveaway: No Chance Meeting by Jaye Elliot #NCMPrism

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

No Chance Meeting
(No Chance Love #1)
By Jaye Elliot
Christian Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 393 Pages
February 11th 2020 by Living Sword Publishing

Alex Jennings is done with life. After losing her brother in Afghanistan, everything has collapsed around her. Getting laid off from her day job and failing in her art career, she has nowhere left to turn. She once had faith to believe that all things would work together for good, but that faith died with her brother. Now she just wants the pain to end.

Riley Conrad served thirteen years in the military until three bullets sent him home. After a year and a half of physical therapy and scraping together a living, all he wants is to live a simple life and perhaps even open the coffee shop he dreams about. However, the weight of failing his parents’ expectations doesn’t make it easy, and working as a bartender isn’t getting him anywhere fast.

Could a “chance” meeting between Alex and Riley set them both on the path God always intended?

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About the Author

Jaye Elliot is an award-winning author, country girl, and hopeless romantic at heart. She loves a good hero and will always sigh happily during the lights scene in Tangled. She writes from her home in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, which she shares with three cats she considers her kids. When not writing romance novels, she pens fantasy and adventure stories as Jaye L. Knight.

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Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive a signed copy of No Chance Meeting, a coffee mug, a bag of chocolates, and a hand painted watercolor bookmark (US only)

Ends March 4, 2020

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Guest Post from Leah Garriott, author of Promised

Guest Post from Author Leah Garriott

Thanks to everyone for joining me here at Heidi Reads and to Heidi for hosting this stop. I’m so excited to talk about Regency-era research.

There are so many areas to research when writing a historical novel, and a Regency novel in particular. Before I began writing Promised, I put in a lot of time into figuring out where the story should take place; I wanted to pull from real places, not only so I knew what to write but also so that the reader would hopefully feel the world come alive. Scouring the internet, I found my heroine’s home by chance when looking through listed real estate, daydreaming about living in England. (It has since been unlisted, but on a research trip to England I was able to tour Shortmead House in Bedforshire and used the feeling of that house as I made final edits on Promised.) Finding my hero’s home was a little easier; I searched historic homes near, but not too near, my heroine’s home, finally settling on Lilford Hall (which also went up for sale while I was writing the book. Too bad I didn’t have a few extra million dollars laying around or everyone would be welcome to tour it). Once I had my setting, I had to learn about dress (what undergarments did Regency women wear, exactly), differences in candles and lighting, flooring of homes, gardening, farming techniques, carriages as well as which type of person would drive which type of carriage when, diseases, etc.

Another area of research were the people. I needed to know what time people rose in the mornings (it varies depending on livelihood and location, with servants and country folk rising earlier than gentry in the city), when they ate (generally a later breakfast and a large dinner), what they did during the day, and what dances were danced at balls. It was important to me to be accurate as to what characters thought and expected even while trying to modernize language and attitude to appeal to the contemporary reader.

Which leads right into the hardest part of the research, which was figuring out how be historically accurate while also writing to reader expectations. Much of what we believe to be Regency standards such as women always being chaperoned, women not showing ankles, and corsets so tight they make a woman faint, are actually later Victorian standards we’ve placed upon the Regency time period.

Though standards were definitely different in the city than in the country, both Elizabeth Bennett and Marianne Dashwood take regular walks alone. And Anne Elliot looks forward to walking unchaperoned through Bath after receiving Captain Wentworth’s declaration of love in the form of a letter (although her one-time-suitor-turned-brother-in-law accompanies her in the end). 

Fashion plates of the time (such as those found in Ackermann’s Repository) show numerous depictions of women reclining in chairs with their ankles on display for all to see. They also illustrate women promenading in gowns and coats that don’t cover ankles, as well as women readying themselves in ball gowns that hit low on the shin. It wasn’t until the Victorian era that shoe styles changed from the Regency slipper to heeled boots rising well above the ankle. During this later time, hemlines also lowered dramatically, skirts widened, and women began to wear pantaloons as underwear.

The tightness of corsets (called stays during the Regency) that have women fainting in many period books was actually impossible during this time period. Buttonholes were merely stitched cloth openings and pulling laces too tightly would have ripped the holes or disfigured them under the pressure. Besides, it didn’t fit with Grecian theme of Regency dress to manipulate the body into having small waists when the gowns were empire-waisted and loose.

There is also a perpetuation that a woman needed to marry young, and that after they were twenty-three or so, their time for marriage was over. Part of this belief may stem from Charlotte Lucas believing she was without prospects at twenty-seven. Yet Elizabeth Elliot was twenty-nine and still considered quite marriageable, while Anne Elliot was twenty-seven and still expected to make a good match. The acceptable age of singlehood may have been influenced by money and title.

Yet even with these propagated misconceptions, this time period is truly a gem. I hope you relish your next Regency read.

Synopsis

Margaret Brinton keeps her promises, and the one she is most determined to keep is the promise to protect her heart.

Warwickshire, England, 1812

Fooled by love once before, Margaret vows never to be played the fool again. To keep her vow, she attends a notorious matchmaking party intent on securing the perfect marital match: a union of convenience to someone who could never affect her heart. She discovers a man who exceeds all her hopes in the handsome and obliging rake Mr. Northam.

There’s only one problem. His meddling cousin, Lord Williams, won’t leave Margaret alone. Condescending and high-handed, Lord Williams lectures and insults her. When she refuses to give heed to his counsel, he single-handedly ruins Margaret’s chances for making a good match—to his cousin or anyone else. With no reason to remain at the party, Margaret returns home to discover her father has promised her hand in marriage—to Lord Williams.

Under no condition will Margaret consent to marrying such an odious man. Yet as Lord Williams inserts himself into her everyday life, interrupting her family games and following her on morning walks, winning the good opinion of her siblings and proving himself intelligent and even kind, Margaret is forced to realize that Lord Williams is exactly the type of man she’d hoped to marry before she’d learned how much love hurt. When paths diverge and her time with Lord Williams ends, Margaret is faced with her ultimate choice: keep the promises that protect her or break free of them for one more chance at love. Either way, she fears her heart will lose.

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Hometown Healing by Jennifer Slattery

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for Hometown Healing by Jennifer Slattery, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Hometown Healing
Author: Jennifer Slattery
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: August 1, 2019
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance

She’s home again, but not for long… 

Unless this cowboy recaptures her heart.

Returning home with a baby in tow, Paige Cordell’s determined her stay is only temporary. But to earn enough money to leave, she needs a job—and her only option is working at her first love’s dinner theater. With attraction once again unfurling between her and Jed Gilbertson, can the man who once broke her heart convince her to stay for good?

  PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository

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EXCERPT

Paige followed to the archway that signaled the end of the kitchen, and then she stopped short. Jed was sitting on the ground, next to Ava, and had begun playing with her grungy stuffed cat, talking to it as if it were real. The image triggered memories of dreams—of her and Jed and their happily-ever-after—she’d long since let die.

She could not—would not—allow them to resurface.

Two heartbreaks in one lifetime were more than enough. Besides, by summer’s end, she’d be back in Chicago, with its museums, restaurants and shopping malls.

Upon seeing Paige, he stood and sort of hovered there, as if uncertain where to land. He eventually chose the edge of the couch where her mom hadn’t piled laundry.

Paige took his place on the floor, largely to distance herself from him.

She grabbed some board books from her backpack and handed one over. Ava started flipping through the pages, repeating random words from memory.

That entertained the adults for a bit, but soon the conversation, which had already felt stilted, stalled.

Jed shifted. He scratched at the back of his neck, looked at her and then at Mom, with his brow pinching in that way it always did when he was trying to come up with something to say but had reached a blank. But then he grabbed a cookie and shoved half of it into his mouth.

Paige was tempted to do the same, if only to distract herself from the much-too-handsome man sitting in her mother’s living room.

It was almost like old times.

But if her divorce had taught her anything, it was that she had no business dabbling in romance. The deeper one fell, the more it hurt when everything came undone. And based on the way her breath stalled every time his chocolate eyes latched on to hers, she was dangerously close to regressing back to her teenage years, when Jed’s crooked smile and laughing eyes had threatened to steal her reason. She’d responded to her ex-husband in much the same way and had allowed his sweet talk and promises of forever blind her to some major red flags.

 

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and writers across the nation. She’s the author of the soon to release Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com. As the founder of Wholly Loved Ministries, she’s passionate about helping women discover, embrace, and live out who they are in Christ. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE  and make sure to connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.

CONNECT WITH JENNIFER: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a signed four print book bundle including Restoring Her Faith (Love Inspired), Hometown Healing (Love Inspired), Breaking Free (New Hope), and Restoring Love (New Hope)!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight February 22, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on February 29, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Continental US mailing addresses only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

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Review: One Summer Day by Heather B. Moore

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

She’s desperate to start over. He represents the past she wants to leave behind. But falling in love is never about logic.

USA Today bestselling author Heather B. Moore welcomes you to Prosperity Ranch!

Macie’s divorce has left her at rock-bottom, and she uproots everything and takes her young daughter to visit Prosperity Ranch for the summer. Every kid deserves to know her grandparents, right? Macie hopes for some healing time, even if she is staying at her ex in-laws’ ranch. What she isn’t expecting is her ex-husband’s brother, Holt Prosper, to fit every ideal she’s ever hoped for in a man.

My Review

I'm so excited for a new contemporary romance series from this author! Her writing style appeals to me and I especially appreciate the maturity in her characters and their genuine personalities. Macie and Holt both have their struggles and regrets, but coming to know each other opens their hearts to hope and healing. I loved the ranch setting and the cozy atmosphere. It was impressive how Macie always treated her mother-in-law with respect, even though it must have been hard with some of the words and attitudes that were well-meaning but hurtful all the same. Holt is such a good uncle and opens Macie's eyes to how wonderful it is to have a supportive and encouraging partner in raising a child. There is plenty of conflict with Macie's ex-husband encroaching on her newfound peace and Holt's new hopes for a deeper relationship with Macie. There are complex family dynamics that come into play, especially with issues with the ranch and their mother's health. The sweet friendship and romance between Macie and Holt, and the fun personality of her daughter bring a lightness that balances the heavier themes. I can't wait to read more in the series!

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

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I'm really looking forward to the upcoming books in the Prosperity Ranch series!

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About the Author

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty publications. Her historical novels and thrillers are written under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women's fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt, the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in Utah. Heather is represented by Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.

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