Review! Kindle Giveaway! Facebook Party! All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

She's written a recipe for her future, but does it include love?
Katherine 'Kat' Varland is a small town girl, born and raised- and every day, her dreams of owning her own bakery get further away. She has no money, and the cupcake shop she bakes for, Sweetie Pies, seems to get smaller and smaller. Kat might be the sweetheart of Bayou Bend, Louisiana, but she longs to make a name for herself where she can flourish as Kat- not as the girl baking someone else's recipes.
As head coach for the Bayou Bend championship high school football team, Lucas Brannen is used to winning- everything except his best friend's heart. He finally gathers the courage to make a gesture and show Kat his feelings by signing her up for the popular reality TV show Cupcake Combat. But his plan backfires after he realizes the cash prize for the winner also includes a one-year baking contract at one of New York City's most famous pastry houses.
The situation grows sticky when Kat enlists Lucas's help as her baking assistant for the show. Lucas is torn between helping Kat live her dream and selfishly wanting to keep her in town. His plan has always been a dozen acres of land and a farmhouse in Bayou Bend- but Kat is blinded by the stars in her eyes.
Will Lucas and Kat risk their chance at love in order to achieve their individual dreams? Or will they find that sometimes the most delicious happily-ever-afters begin and end in the same place?

My Review

I love stories where best friends fall in love! It's fascinating to see how a relationship makes the shift from friends to more-than-friends. There is plenty of angst from both of the main characters as neither realize that the other feels ready to move forward... which sometimes became repetitive when they would continue to hold each other at arms length and fail to communicate. I don't enjoy watching reality shows, but that aspect of the plot was well-written and kept things exciting. The personalities of Kat and Lucas were both likeable so it was fun to follow their drama and see how things would end up.

(Thank you to Litfuse Publicity and Zondervan Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

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Don't miss Betsy St. Amant's latest fiction release, All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes. A "sweet" tale of two best friends and the choices they make between dreams and a possible "sure thing," St. Amant's novel is sure to satisfy your romantic-fiction craving.

Betsy is celebrating with a fun Kindle giveaway and a Love & Cupcakes Facebook party! One winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle
• All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 18th. Winner will be announced at the "Love & Cupcakes" Author Chat Party on 9/18. Betsy will be hosting a "sweet" book chat, giving away prizes, and answering questions from readers. She will also share an exclusive sneak peek at her next book project!

So grab your copy of All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes and join Betsy on the evening of September 18th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 18th!

Review: Tried and True by Mary Connealy

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing!

Synopsis

Saddle up for a wildly fun ride with the Wilde sisters!

Kylie Wilde is the youngest sister—and the most civilized. Her older sisters might be happy dressing in trousers and posing as men, but Kylie has grown her hair long and wears skirts every chance she gets. It’s a risk—they are homesteading using the special exemptions they earned serving in the Civil War as “boys”—but Kylie plans to make the most of the years before she can sell her property and return to the luxuries of life back East.
Local land agent Aaron Masterson is fascinated with Kylie from the moment her long hair falls from her cap. But now that he knows her secret, can he in good conscience defraud the U.S. government? And when someone tries to force Kylie off her land, does he have any hope of convincing her that marrying him and settling on the frontier is the better option for her future?

My Review

This is a classic Mary Connealy western with the humor, adventure and depth she's known for, but the characters and plot are still fresh and unique. Even though Kylie longs to abandon her role as a man and immerse herself in femininity and civilization, she is not a weak character. There are several layers to this tough pioneer woman that unfold as the story progresses. She ultimately learns that by embracing her womanhood she can accept what blessings God has in store for her life. We are also introduced to her sisters which will each have their own novel in the series. Even though they couldn't be more different, you can tell there is a strong sisterly bond between them as they unconditionally support each other. As one of four sisters myself I could totally relate! It was so interesting to learn about women who served as soldiers in the Civil War. I'm really looking forward to reading the experiences of Kylie's sisters.

It's always amusing to read the perspectives of the men in Mary's books- it vividly shows the difference in thinking between men and women, with humorous results :) Aaron is a big strong man with integrity and honor... and a total sweetheart inside, even when he's pushing Kylie's buttons. There are several secondary characters with distinct personalities that played a strong role in this book and we'll likely learn more about them in the coming novels... which I can't wait for!

(Thank you to Litfuse Publicity and Bethany House Publishers for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

E-book sale: $1.99 for Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

What a fabulous deal on one of my FAVORITE books!!! Download the e-book of Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer for only $1.99! Sale price is TODAY ONLY so don't pass it up!

Synopsis

No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.

Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.

Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride?

Free e-book! The Redemption by MaryLu Tyndall

Free e-book! The Redemption by MaryLu Tyndall

Synopsis

Lady Charlisse Bristol sets off on a voyage in search of a father she never knew, only to find herself shipwrecked on a desert island. Near starvation, she is rescued by a band of pirates and their fiercely handsome leader, Edmund Merrick. Will Clarisse win her struggle against the seductive lure of this pirate captain? While battling his attraction to this winsome lady, Edmund offers to help Charlisse on her quest-until he discovers her father is none other than Edward the Terror, the cruelest pirate on the Caribbean. Can Edmund win this lady's love while shielding her from his lecherous crew and working to bring her father to justice?

Review: A Grand Design by Amber Stockton

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

When Alyssa Denham, a single career woman, wins a fun getaway for two on Mackinac Island where her grandmother lives, she gives her carefree best friend a call. Together, they tour the old shops and hidden treasures of the quaint island while helping Alyssa’s grandmother piece together an heirloom quilt. Their quest gains them entrance into the homes of many longtime residents of the island, parts of the city that are otherwise off limits to tourists.

As the quilt’s story takes shape, Alyssa gains amazing insight into her grandmother’s life . . . and attracts the attention of the handsome Scott Whitman, an island resident in charge of hotel transportation. Will memories of her past keep Alyssa from letting go? Or will the quest to piece together the heirloom quilt restore Alyssa’s fractured heart—and bring healing to her entire family?

My Review

This is a sweet story that reunifies a young woman with the grandmother she has estranged herself from. We discover the reason for their separation as the story progresses, and it is sad that Alyssa turned away from her family instead of leaning on them for support. The writing style has a chick-lit feel as it describes the feelings of the main character and her interactions with her best girlfriend and others. I was compelled to skip over several paragraphs in the beginning of the book describing Mackinac Island as if it were a travel promotion- I would have rather learned about it gradually as Alyssa visited the location. Her love interest Scott was adorable and sweet, just what her character needed since she definitely had issues with men. Sometimes the dialogue was stilted when the author gave them unusually descriptive words that aren't normally used in casual conversation. The quilt block collection quest introduced several wise mentors for Alyssa who imparted loving words of advice.

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

Review: Operation Zulu Redemption serial novel by Ronie Kendig

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked them

Synopsis



Brand-new 5-part Serial Novel! 

They never should’ve existed.  Now they don’t.  In the aftermath of their first highly successful op, the first all-female special ops team, known as Zulu, discovered that innocent civilians—women and children—died at their hands. Zulu was set up to take the devastating fall.  Fearing for their lives, the Zulu team vanished. With new identities and spread across the globe, they live in relative but isolated peace—yet still haunted by the past. Terrified of being discovered.   Five years after that horrific night, they’ve begun to hope they might be safe and the tragedy forgotten.  Until two of them are murdered.

Start the mission with Operation Zulu Redemption: Overkill--The Beginning.  This FREE episode drops you into the rapid-fire action where the women of Zulu are trying to figure out who is targeting them.   Who really set Zulu up to take the fall years ago?  Are they one and the same? Now the remaining members of Zulu have no choice but to regroup and stop their enemy--before it's too late. And Overkill is just the beginning...


My Review

Talk about intense! This is the first serial novel I've read, and it was an interesting format. It felt like a TV drama episode, how it kept switching between points of view to keep the pace fast-moving. The premise of an all-female special forces team definitely caught my attention, and the author made it seem realistic by not making them all best buddies, but individual soldiers with distinctly different strengths and personalities. There is plenty of action and suspense, with some relationship drama thrown in at moments. It was frustrating at first how little the investigating team knew about the case after five years, but each part of the novel quickly adds more information and takes the plot to a whole new level.

"The Beginning" is a free e-book, and the following four parts are only 99 cents each right now. It's a great deal for an exciting read!

(Thank you to Barbour Publishing for copies of the books in exchange for my honest review)

Free e-book! Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin

Free e-book! Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin

Synopsis

Life in Sweden feels like an endless winter to Elin Carlson after the deaths of her parents. When circumstances become unbearable, she determines to find a safe haven for her sisters.

So begins their journey to America, the land of dreams and second chances.

But as hardship becomes their constant companion, Elin, Kirsten, and Sofia question their decision to immigrate to Chicago. Will their hopes for the future ever be realized?

Book Blast and $50 Amazon Giveaway: Thirty-Two Going on Spinster by Becky Monson

   

Thirty-Two Going on Spinster by Becky Monson

Julia Dorning is a spinster, or at least on the road to becoming one. She has no social life, hates her job, and lives in her parent’s basement with her cat, Charlie.

With the arrival of Jared Moody, the new hire at work, Julia’s mundane life is suddenly turned upside down. Her instant (and totally ridiculous) crush on the new guy causes Julia to finally make some long-overdue changes, in hopes to find a life that includes more than baking and hanging out with Charlie.

But when the biggest and most unexpected change comes, will the new and improved Julia be able to overcome it? Or will she go back to her spinster ways?

Purchase your copy for just $2.99!!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iTunes * Kobo

  Praise for Thirty-Two Going on... Spinster   "Oh my, oh my. I have just finished wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes. This is seriously funny." ~Julie Darley (Never judge a Book by its Movie) "This was a refreshing change of pace for me to read. Some good clean romance was found in it’s pages and that is a rare find these days. It was some great chick-lit. I would not have thought this was Becky’s debut book, it was so well done." ~Liberty Ann (SnifferWalkBooks)

    

Author Becky Monson By day, Becky Monson is a mother of three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. In her debut novel, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful time will last... But it probably won't. Becky runs a large book club on Facebook called "This Chick Reads".  

Facebook * Website * Twitter * Pinterest * Goodreads * Blog

   

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/30/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast and $50 Amazon Giveaway: For Love and Country by Elizabeth D. Michaels

 

For Love and Country When A Man Is Torn Between Honoring His Country And The Woman He Loves, The Best Option Might Be To Choose Both.   When Maggie du Woernig willfully ignores her parents’ admonitions and entangles herself with Nik Koenig, she is certain he’s the only man who will make her happy. Blind to Nik’s real intentions, she throws herself recklessly into a situation that could not only destroy her life but compromise the safety of her country.   Han Heinrich has resigned himself to working in the castle stables, mostly as an excuse to have contact each day with Maggie. His aspirations for a more fulfilling career seem fruitless, in spite of his father’s position as the duke’s highest advisor. But when Han learns about Maggie’s precarious situation, he is willing to sacrifice everything to protect the woman he loves, and to save the country he would die for. He only hopes that someday Maggie will forgive him.

Purchase your copy:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

iTunes * Google Play * Kobo

  Praise for The Horstberg Saga: I completely enjoyed this book. The character development is fantastic. The author has a great sense of emotional storytelling that wraps you into the story as if you know,and can fully relate to the characters. This is the kind of story that touches the heart and the spirit. Well done. I look forward to the next chapter in the Horstberg Saga. This book kept me so interested, I had a hard time putting it down. Suspense, love without smut, emotions that so relate to everyday life. This author touched on it all. Such in depth understanding of human emotions with the characters. Firstly, I loved that this was a VOLUME! And what a great story to really sink my teeth into and get settled in with for more than just one sitting! Well written and thoroughly satisfying.

    

Author Elizabeth D. Michaels Elizabeth D. Michaels began writing at the age of sixteen, immersing herself ever since in the lives created by her vivid imagination. Beyond her devotion to family and friends, writing has been her passion for nearly three decades. While she has more than fifty published novels under the name Anita Stansfield and is the recipient of many awards, she boldly declares The Horstberg Saga as the story she was born to write, with many volumes in the works. She is best known for her keen ability to explore the psychological depths of human nature, bringing her characters to life through the timeless struggles they face in the midst of exquisite dramas.

Website * Blog * Facebook

 

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/26/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Free e-book! The Pursuit of Lucy Banning by Olivia Newport

Freebie alert! Download the e-book of  The Pursuit of Lucy Banning by Olivia Newport for free! 

(I've read the second book in this series but didn't enjoy it because the main character was too flawed for my taste... but I'm hoping to be able to give a higher rating to this book!)

Synopsis

Lucy Banning may live on the exclusive Prairie Avenue among Chicago's rich and famous, but her heart lies elsewhere. Expected to marry an up-and-coming banker from a respected family, Lucy fears she will be forced to abandon her charity work--and the classes she is secretly taking at the newly opened University of Chicago. When she meets an unconventional young architect who is working on plans for the upcoming 1893 World's Fair, Lucy imagines a life lived on her own terms. Can she break away from her family's expectations? And will she ever be loved for who she truly is? 

Readers will love being swept away into a world of mansions, secrets, and romance as they follow Lucy through the streets of the Windy City during one of the most exciting times in the city's history. From opulent upper-class homes to the well-worn rooms of an orphanage, Olivia Newport breathes life and romance into the pages of history--and everyone is invited.