Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Color of Sky and Stone by Sara Davison

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Color of Sky and Stone by Sara Davison, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Color of Sky and Stone
Series: In the Shadows #1
Author: Sara Davison
Publisher: Independently Published (through The Mosaic Collection)
Release Date: November 22, 2023
Genre: Romantic Suspense (Christian)

She is the only one who truly sees him.
Which makes her his greatest threat. 

Black ops undercover agent Tane Temauri—code name Vapor—has made it his life’s mission to stay out of sight. Given the dangers inherent in his job, the last thing he can afford is to step into the open and become a target. Again. 

Then a letter from a mysterious stranger changes everything. Although the letter was not meant for him, somehow, on a greater, cosmic scale, it feels as though it is. 

But answering it will make Tane vulnerable. 

Can he emerge from the shadows and risk everything for a woman he has never met? 

 If he does, more than his heart could be on the line. 

So could his life. 

And hers.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

Excerpt

The letter wasn’t meant for him. But wasn’t it possible that, on a larger, cosmic scale, it was? Somehow it had fallen into his hands. The thought of the woman, whoever she was, going to the post office and sliding a key into the hole, only to be disappointed by the sight of the empty metal box, crushed him. Even so, it wasn’t his path that had crossed with hers, however briefly. Responding to the letter would require assuming the identity of his dead partner, his friend.

Which meant he’d be keeping Johnny’s memory alive. A tribute, of sorts.

Tane pursed his lips. The mental fencing match felt a lot like an attempt on his part to justify the unjustifiable.

Still, the picture the woman had drawn, of light shining through a window on a dark night, seeped deep into his bones.

What harm could it do? She’d never know it wasn’t Johnny who’d written her back. Tane could send a letter or two, let her know what her words had meant to him and wish her well, as she had done his partner. After that, their correspondence would end, and they could get on with their lives. While it lasted, though, they might both be able to draw comfort from it, a small amount of warmth in the midst of a cold, cold world.

 

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About the Author

Sara Davison has a passion for writing stories that keep readers on the edge of their seats—and maybe swooning a little. Beyond that, she longs for readers to discover, as her characters do, that whatever they are going through they are never alone. God is always with them. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, Davison is a Cascade, Word, and two-time Carol Award winner for romantic suspense. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason.

Connect with Sara by visiting saradavison.org to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a paperback copy of The Color of Sky and Stone, a $25 Amazon card, and a Romans 8:39-39 wall hanging

(1) winner will win a paperback copy of The Color of Sky and Stone

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 27, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on December 4, 2023. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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Review: Christmas Forevermore by Sally Britton, Sarah M. Eden, Ashtyn Newbold, Karen Thornell

My rating: 5 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

This holiday season, fall in love with a brand-new collection of swoon-worthy novellas from four of your favorite historical romance authors. From meddling matchmakers to fortuitous fiascos, the holidays have never been more magical!
 

A Family Christmas by Sally Britton

After years abroad, Cyril Grant worries about relating to his highborn relatives at the family’s holiday celebration. But an unexpected connection with a member of the household staff opens his heart—in more ways than one.
 

Christmas Forevermore by Sarah M. Eden

In this reimagining of the beloved Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Carol, spinster Minna Schofield is inadvertently ensnared by a local matchmaker whose meddling launches Minna on a journey of self-reflection that could lead her to unexpected love.
 

Christmas at Cranfield by Ashtyn Newbold

Though childhood friends Hannah and Samuel secretly adore one another, fate conspires to keep them apart. But after years of shared holidays and missed opportunities, this Christmas brings the hope that their stars will align.
 

A Thrill of Hope by Karen Thornell

After a devastating loss, Christmas holds little appeal for Isabel Reid. But when a snowstorm traps her in the company of a surprising traveling companion, the perpetual winter of Isabel’s heart may just begin to thaw.

My Review

I always love a good Christmas novella! This collection is wonderful, and provided some lovely reading sessions during a busy season. The authors all did an amazing job with quick character development and engaging plots, drawing me into the story and leaving me with a satisfied feeling from connecting with the emotions. The sweet romance and warm Christmas vibes brought depth and joy to each character's journey. Highly recommend for winter reading and anytime you need a heartwarming escape!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: From an Unknown Sender by Traci Hunter Abramson & Sian Ann Bessey

Welcome to the Blog Tour for From an Unknown Sender by Traci Hunter Abramson & Sian Ann Bessey, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: From an Unknown Sender
Series: Falcon Point Suspense #2
Author: Traci Hunter Abramson & Sian Ann Bessey
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: November 21, 2023
Genre: Clean Suspense

After spending a busy holiday season putting drug smugglers behind bars, CIA operative Cole Bridger is looking forward to spending a quiet Christmas in Vienna with his girlfriend and fellow operative, Isabelle Roberts. But when Isabelle is tasked with investigating a string of suspect financial transactions and redirects a suspicious package to a museum in Amsterdam, she inadvertently places Cole’s cousins in the crosshairs of a drug smuggling ring. 

Lars and Marit have no desire to be drawn into the deadly dealings of the criminal underworld, but when Lars’s sister, Tess’s, life is placed in danger, they willingly join Cole and Isabelle in their efforts to uncover the mastermind behind the drug smuggling ring. Unfortunately, the two couples’ involvement does not go unnoticed. And though each step brings them closer to the truth, they also reveal a startling picture of greed and corruption at the center of a dangerous organization that will stop at nothing to retrieve what it has lost.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Excerpt

It had been six years since Marit had lived in the southern Dutch city of Maastricht, and yet she couldn’t deny the feeling of homecoming that washed over her as she led Lars down the cobbled street toward her parents’ home. She loved Amsterdam and was grateful for the opportunity her career had given her to travel to numerous fascinating and exotic locations, but nothing quite compared with spending Christmas in Maastricht. And to be here with Lars made it all the more special.

She looked over at him now. Despite the bitter-cold wind, he was walking slowly, his attention on the meticulously maintained nineteenth-century homes lining their path. The redbrick buildings stood pressed together in a long row of tall, narrow houses. Their white window frames and doorframes unified them even as their colorful curtains and doors set them apart.

“You’re itching to stop and take photos, aren’t you?” she teased.

His gaze dropped from the roofline of the nearest house to Marit’s face, and he grinned. “It’s that obvious, huh?”

Marit laughed. A professional photographer for Royal Coster Diamonds, Lars was rarely without his camera.

More Books in This Series

 

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About the Authors

 

Traci Hunter Abramson was born in Arizona, where she lived until moving to Venezuela for a study abroad program. After graduating from Brigham Young University, she worked for the Central Intelligence Agency, eventually resigning in order to raise her family. She credits the CIA with giving her a wealth of ideas as well as the skills needed to survive her children’s teenage years. She loves to travel and recently retired after twenty-six years coaching her local high school swim team. She has written forty-five best-selling novels and is an eight-time Whitney Award winner, including 2017 and 2019 Best Novel of the Year.

Connect with Traci by visiting traciabramson.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Sian Ann Bessey was born in Cambridge, England, and grew up on the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales. She left her homeland to attend university in the US, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications, with a minor in English. She began her writing career as a student, publishing several articles in magazines while still in college. Since then, she has published historical romance and romantic suspense novels, along with a variety of children’s books. She is a USA Today best-selling author, a Foreword Reviews Book of the Year finalist, and a Whitney Award finalist.

Sian and her husband, Kent, are the parents of five children and the grandparents of three beautiful girls and two handsome boys. They currently live in southeast Idaho, and although Sian doesn’t have the opportunity to speak Welsh very often anymore, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch still rolls off her tongue. Traveling, reading, cooking, and being with her grandchildren are some of Sian’s favorite activities. She also loves hearing from her readers. 

Connect with Sian by visiting sianannbessey.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each win a $20 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 20, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 27, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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Book Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: Knowing You by Tracie Peterson

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Knowing You by Tracie Peterson hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

 

Title: Knowing You 

Series: Pictures of the Heart #3 

Author: Tracie Peterson 

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers 

Release Date: November 7, 2023 

Genre: Christian Historical Romance 

Could a captivating art exhibit hold the key to truth--and love? 

Budding artist May Parker is captivated by the Japanese exhibits at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition and longs to know more about her mother's heritage--which her mother refuses to speak of because of the heartache she left behind in Japan. Wanting to experience more of the exhibits, May works as a Camera Girl--but her curiosity leads her into danger when a suit of samurai armor becomes the target of an elusive art forger. 

After ten years apart, May is reunited with her childhood friend Lee Munro, a police detective assigned to keep a watchful eye on the exposition. Their friendship immediately begins to blossom with hints of something more, but when they become entangled in a dangerous heist involving the samurai armor and their love is threatened, can they overcome the odds against them?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Christianbook | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

 

Excerpt

When the clock chimed five, May put away her paints and brushes as the Camera Girls filed back in one by one. There was a great deal of chattering about the day and all that had taken place.

“Tomorrow is Japan Day,” Mary told May as she took off the camera from around her neck.

“I know. I’m very excited to see what all they do.” May continued cleaning her station.

“I heard there would be a parade from the Japanese vil- lage to the Japan building,” Mary added. “It’s first thing in the morning.”

May smiled. “I have the day off and intend to watch it all and listen to the speakers and hear the Japanese musicians. I am quite excited.”

Mary nodded and returned May’s smile. “I hope you enjoy yourself. If I were off, I would join you, but I’ll probably be too busy photographing people. Maybe I can come find you at lunch.”

“One of the restaurants is going to serve authentic Japa- nese food. I want to try it all,” May said with a laugh.

Her mother never allowed Japanese food to be served in the house. on more than one occasion May had snuck down- town to the Japanese area of Seattle—Japantown. Bordered by Yesler Way and Dearborn on the north and south ends, and Fourth and Fourteenth Avenues on the east and west, Japantown offered May a glimpse into a world she had only dreamed about. It was here she had sampled a few classic dishes, but she’d never told her mother. She knew the older woman would have been very upset to know that May was even interested in such things.

But she was.

She longed to know about her Japanese ancestors and the culture of Japan. She had tried so many times to get her mother to open up and talk about it, but it almost al- ways resulted in either tears or silence. Japan, her father had once told her, had been most hurtful to her mother, and she left many bad feelings there when she got on the boat for America.

When May had first heard of the expo and its plans for promoting Japan and other Pacific Islands, she knew she wanted to somehow be a part of it. Upon visiting, she’d seen the advertisement at Fisher Photography for Camera Girls. When she went in to speak to the owner about the job, somehow the conversation had turned to May being an artist. One thing led to another, and Mr. Fisher asked if she thought she could touch up the photographs with color. May was confident she could, and so she was hired. It turned out to be the perfect job for her, although she was also trained on the Brownie.
 

from Knowing You by Tracie Peterson / Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group © 2023 used by permission

More Books in Series

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About the Author

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling author of more than 100 novels, both historical and contemporary, with more than 6 million copies sold. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana.

Connect with Tracie by visiting traciepeterson.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a copy of Knowing You and a $15 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight November 15, 2023 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on November 22, 2023. 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. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

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Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: It's Your Love by Rachel D. Russell

Welcome to the Blog Tour for It's Your Love by Rachel D. Russell, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: It's Your Love
Series: Fox Bakery #2
Author: Rachel D. Russell
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Release Date: November 7, 2023
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

When Grayson Fox is asked to return home to Deep Haven and run the wrangler activities for the local camp, the last thing he expects is to run into the one woman he never wanted to see again. Worse…she’s his boss. But Grayson has big hopes for a life back in Oregon, and he must keep the promise to the camp in order to keep his dreams alive.

Just because Beth Strauss has stuck around Deep Haven doesn’t mean she doesn’t want a bigger life. And becoming the camp assistant director is the first step to that bigger life. Of course, standing in her way happens to be the one man who has always managed to derail her dreams, way too arrogant Grayson Fox. 

But if they want to keep the camp afloat and their dreams alive, these two must learn to work together. But will these enemies become sweethearts, and if they do, will they find something better than the dreams they’re striving for?  

The next delightful installment of the Fox Family series!

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

 

Excerpt

He slowed Maverick when he saw Beth leading Rex from the hitching post. He hadn’t expected her to say yes when he’d invited her to check the trails, but then, maybe he hadn’t misread that look on her face in the bakery. When he’d been nearly certain she’d wanted him to kiss her.

She wore a blue T-shirt with her jeans and had her hair hanging loose under her hat.

Like she belonged there. Like it was still natural for her to be leading a horse.

He relaxed in the saddle, drawing in Maverick’s pace to a stop near the gate. He let the horse stretch his neck out, long and low. Mav blew out a contented breath. “Ready?”

Beth tilted her head. “It’s funny—I love it. I don’t know why, but it still gives me butterflies.”

She gave him butterflies. Or something. Whatever that unfamiliar rush of adrenaline was called that swirled in his chest.

He leaned down and swung the gate open before side-passing Mav and closing the gate. “And yet you can’t help yourself.”

She looked up at him and grinned. “It seems so.” She rubbed Rex’s neck. “This feels really good.” She led her horse to a mounting block that sat outside the arena panels and hopped on. All by herself. Like she’d never been away from it.

Okay, he was maybe a little proud at the confidence she’d been building.

More Books in This Series

 

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About the Author

Rachel D. Russell is a member of Oregon Christian Writers, My Book Therapy’s Novel Academy, and is a regular contributor to the Learn How to Write a Novel blog. When Rachel’s not cheering on one of her two teens at sporting events, she’s often interrogating her husband on his own military and law enforcement experience to craft believable heroes in uniform. The rest of her time is spent cantering her horse down the Oregon trails and redirecting her three keyboard-hogging cats.

Connect with Rachel by visiting racheldrussell.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a print copy of It's Your Love and $10 gift card to the Sunrise Shop!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 13, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 20, 2023. 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. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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Review: Just Add Friendship by Heather B. Moore

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Ten years of dating since he left. Ten years of nothing working out. Is it her, or is it him? Or can no one else measure up?

Stephenie Grady can’t figure out why every man she dates turns into a troll, well, not an actual troll with green skin and warts, or the kind of troll who stalks the internet with negative comments, but the kind of troll who dumps her. Yes, she’s been dumped every time, by every guy she’s dated. She’d blame it on the male population, but her girlfriends have amazing men in their lives.

Steph could also tell herself she hasn’t met the right man yet, and that could be true, but what if she already has? What if the right man was in her life ten years ago, and what if he comes to their ten-year high school reunion? And what if her memories of a past relationship don’t measure up to the realities of the boy-turned-man, Cal Conner?

My Review

The contemporary romances by this author are my favorites! The characters are realistic, likeable yet slightly flawed or quirky and growing in their journey. Steph and Cal have great chemistry- as friends and with their romance. I love the way Steph accepts Cal's past and shows compassion, not pity. He also accepts her present and helps without being asked (which can be hard for her to accept), and forms his own bond with her grandfather she cares for. I love the group of friends Steph has, Everly and Brandy from the first two books, as well as some others. Cal and Steph both have some issues to work through, and I appreciated their maturity in talking through them and being patient with each other. A wonderful story with a satisfying ending! This book can be read as a stand alone, but I'd recommend reading the first two books in order since they are more connected.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Don't miss the previous books in the Everly Falls series . . .

Review: The Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan

My rating: 

Synopsis

No matter how you might try to hide in a war to escape your past, it is always close at hand.

Lady Sophia Huntington Villiers is no stranger to intrigue, as her work with Alan Turing’s Bombe Machines at Bletchley Park during the war attests. Now, as part of Simon Barre’s covert team in post-war Vienna, she uses her inimitable charm and code name Starling to infiltrate the world of relics: uncovering vital information that could tilt the stakes of the mounting Cold War. When several influential men charge her with finding the death mask of Mozart, Sophie wonders if there is more than the composer’s legacy at stake and finds herself drawn to potential answers in Prague.

Simon Barrington, the illegitimate heir of one of Sussex’s oldest estates, used the previous war to hide his insecurities about his past. Now, he uses his high breeding to gain access to all four allied quarters of the ruined city in an attempt to slow the fall of the Iron Curtain. He has been in love with Sophie Villiers since the moment he met her, and a marriage of convenience to save Simon’s estate has always kept her close. Until now, when Sophie’s mysterious client in Prague forces him to wonder if her allegiance to him—and their cause—is in question. Torn between his loyalty to his cause and his heart, Simon seeks answers about Sophie only to learn that everything he thought he knew about his involvement in both wars is based on a lie.

My Review

This book opened my eyes to the unrest and turmoil of post-war Europe. I would recommend reading The London Restoration first, since this book picks up where it left off, just focusing on different characters. But the friendships and characters in the first book are helpful in understanding some details in this story. Like the previous book, the style is hazy and ambiguous, reflecting much of the uncertainty in Simon and Sophie's work and relationship. Communism is an ideology that influential people in Austria are considering for the next political era since being released from Nazism. Somehow the arts and culture, especially Mozart's legacy and identity is seen as a gateway to instill the ideology that will reign. I would have liked to know more details about how Sophie acquired antiques and artifacts for her clients, but much of her work remained vague. I was glad to learn about Simon's past, and how it influenced him. He and Sophie have a kind of yearning and longing in their relationship, and I was happy to see Sophie reconcile herself to allow her feelings to be valid, after being raised with the idea that love is dangerous. The story picks up toward the end and once the mysteries are revealed, I enjoyed the book more, rather than the majority of the time feeling like I'm wandering.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Check out the previous connected book, The London Restoration

 

 

 

 

Review: The London Restoration by Rachel McMillan

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

In post-World War II London, determined to save their marriage and the city they love, two people divided by World War II's secrets rebuild their lives, their love, and their world.

London, Fall 1945. Architectural historian Diana Somerville's experience as a codebreaker at Bletchley Park and her knowledge of London's churches intersect in MI6's pursuit of a Russian agent named Eternity. Diana wants nothing more than to begin again with her husband Brent after their separation during the war, but her signing of the Official Secrets Act keeps him at a distance.

Brent Somerville, professor of theology at King's College, hopes aiding his wife with her church consultations will help him better understand why she disappeared when he needed her most. But he must find a way to reconcile his traumatic experiences as a stretcher bearer on the European front with her obvious lies about her wartime activities and whereabouts.

My Review

The city of London was a major character in this book, especially its churches. The main character Diana is obsessed, or devoted, to the architecture of Christopher Wren, and her knowledge and intuition about the churches pulls her into secret agent work. The story is told with a dual timeline of the present post-war intrigue and Diana's reunification with her husband Brent, and the early days of the war when they met and fell in love, and Diana's codebreaking work while Brent was abroad. The style of writing is very ambiguous, especially in the beginning, and I had a difficult time connecting to the characters and story. The vibe felt hazy, with too much unknown, and the details too slowly revealed. Even though there was quite a bit of description, I never felt grounded in the setting. By the end of the book I had a better picture of things, but my experience reading the book felt fumbling, much like Diana's amateur investigative work. The thing I enjoyed the most was the friendships Diana gained during her time at Bletchley Park, and the way she and Brent eventually gained the footing back in their marriage.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Don't miss the author's connected post-WWII book, The Mozart Code