Tackle your TBR Update!

Books Read:  The Promise of Dawn by Lauraine Snelling

Pages Read: 384

Total Books Read:  6

Total Pages Read:  2,256

Finished Books: 

Review: Freedom's Ring by Heidi Chiavaroli

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Boston, 2015
Two years after nearly losing her life in the Boston Marathon bombing, Annie David is still far from “Boston strong.” Instead she remains isolated and defeated―plagued by guilt over her niece, crippled in the blast, and by an antique ring alongside a hazy hero’s face. But when she learns the identity of her rescuer, will he be the hero she’s imagined? And can the long-past history of the woman behind the ring set her free from the guilt and fears of the present?

Boston, 1770
As a woman alone in a rebellious town, Liberty Caldwell finds herself in a dangerous predicament. When a British lieutenant, Alexander Smythe, comes to her rescue and offers her employment, Liberty accepts. As months go by, Alexander not only begins to share his love of poetry with her, but protects Liberty from the advances of a lecherous captain living in the officers’ house where she works.

Mounting tensions explode in the Boston Massacre, and Liberty’s world is shattered as her brother, with whom she has just reunited, is killed in the fray. Desperate and alone, she returns home, only to be assaulted by the captain. Afraid and furious toward redcoats, Liberty leaves the officers’ home, taking with her a ring that belonged to Alexander.

Two women, separated by centuries, must learn to face their fears. And when they feel they must be strong, they learn that sometimes true strength is found in surrender.

My Review

I'm torn over whether or not I like a split timeline in a book, but I think it was done successfully here. Initially the two stories feel completely foreign to each other, but as the common thread of the ring is researched by Annie and her rescuer Brad, the deeper themes begin to weave together and by the end of the book I felt like there was unity between the separate eras. All the characters are flawed and make regrettable choices, but learn over time how depending on our faith and relying on God's strength is what makes us strong and carries us through to a new day and new choices. I loved Annie and Brad's sweet friendship and romance the most. I felt a bit disconnected from the emotion in Liberty's story, but it was a fascinating one. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author!

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

Tackle Your TBR Update!

Books Read:  Freedom's Ring by Heidi Chiavaroli

Pages Read:  388

Total Books Read:  5

Total Pages Read:  1,872

Finished Books:

Link-up: Free / Bargain Books

Sharing the Love of Books
Enjoy our selection of New Releases / Free & Bargain Books this week

Authors please feel free to add your own books
Readers please free to add your own finds
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...
Monday
 Leels Loves Books | IrishdaisylovesRomance | Book Babble | Traci Hayden
Tuesday
Celticlady's Reviews | First Time Mommy Adventures 
Wednesday
Beck Valley Books | Jude Ouvrard
Thursday
Miki's Hope | Heidi Reads...
Friday
Ebook Addicts | I Love Romance | Colorimetry | J.C. Clarke
Saturday
3 Partners in Shopping | I Create Purty Thangs | Wishful Endings 

Sunday

Ali - The Dragon Slayer | Deal Sharing Aunt | Magic of Books Book Blog

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author

For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author

For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date 

For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please.  Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, in case any underage child is viewing it!)

Here is this weeks awesome selection!

Would you like to share our linkup on your site? click here
Would you like to become a weekly host? sign up here

Come back and check out the new selection every week!

Review & Giveaway: Love Remains by Sarah M. Eden

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

From the USA Today Bestselling author of the Longing for Home series, LOVE REMAINS is a new romance novel set in the beloved world of Hope Springs.
 
For nearly a year, Tavish O’Connor has carried the crushing weight of his family’s future on his shoulders. He has taken on the care of his youngest brother, Finbarr, who lost his eyesight in a terrible accident. But the lad needs more than Tavish can provide. Finbarr needs hope.

Cecily Attwater specializes in hope. As a tutor to the newly blind, she has dedicated her life to helping others overcome the obstacles she herself has conquered. Her new assignment in a remote corner of Wyoming proves trickier than usual: Finbarr refuses to learn. To make matters worse, his family—and the other Irish townspeople—are less than thrilled to discover an Englishwoman in their haven.

Cecily’s only hope lies in securing the cooperation of her pupil’s brother, Tavish, who happens to be her harshest critic and quite possibly the most frustrating man she’s ever known.

For Finbarr’s sake, Tavish and Cecily forge an uneasy alliance that, as the weeks pass, tiptoes toward something deeper than either dares admit or face, and toward a future they know to be impossible. There can be no hope of a happy outcome for an Irish man and an English woman amongst a people reeling from violence and centuries of hatred between their two homelands.

My Review

Okay, in order to prep for reading this book I read the first two in the series (I had read the first book back when it was released, and hadn't read the second book yet) and then read Love Remains... all in two days. It was pretty awesome so be so immersed in Hope Springs, Wyoming for three books in a row! As much I I love Katie from Longing for Home, there was so much anxiety and almost a feeling of hopelessness in the circumstances of the feuding town. Love Remains takes place after the feud is resolved so I didn't feel so heavy reading it and was more focused on Tavish and Cecily. It's definitely my favorite of the series and can be read well as a stand-alone, although reading the series in order gives you a better sense of the town and all the characters in the O'Connor family and community, as well as the history there.

I loved that this third book delves into the deeper layers of Tavish and his struggles. He is so charming and ready to make the people around him laugh and smile, but he's not as light-hearted as he seems. Cecily is straight-forward and blunt, the nature of her job has her telling things as she sees them. She has so much confidence, and yet has hidden vulnerabilities that surface during her time in Hope Springs with the O'Connors. There has been so much loss and heartbreak, and dealing with grief is a major theme of the book. I was brought to tears no less than three times, and was touched by the emotion that permeates from the characters and story. But don't worry, there is plenty of humor and sweetness in this love story between two people who are initially frustrated with each other, then align purposes and form a friendship that develops into more as their attraction grows and they provide support in each other's most heart-wrenching moments.

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

About the Author

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today Bestselling author of witty and charming historical romances, including AML's "2013 Novel of the Year" and Foreword Review’s 2013 “IndieFab Book of the Year” gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, as well as 2014 Whitney Award winner for "Best Romance" and "Best Novel of the Year," Longing for Home: Hope Springs. Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a Bachelor's degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski.

Twitter - Facebook - Goodreads - Amazon

Follow the Blog Tour . . .

September 11

My Book A Day

Smiling Book Reviews

Peggy Urry

September 12

 Bookworm Lisa

Wishful Endings

Getting Your Read On

September 13

LDS Writer Mom

Min Reads and Reviews

September 14

Literary Time Out

Heidi Reads...

Singing Librarian Books

September 15

Katie's Clean Book Collection

Why Not? Because I Said So!

Mel’s Shelves

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Tackle your TBR Update!

Books Read:  Longing for Home, Hope Springs, Love Remains by Sarah M. Eden

Pages Read:  1150

Total Books Read:  4

Total Pages Read:  1484

Finished Books:

Review: A New Shade of Summer by Nicole Deese

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

As an artist, Callie Quinn relies on inspiration to guide her wandering soul. This summer she accepts a short-term muralist job in her sister’s charming town to spend some much-needed time with her family. After meeting her nephew’s friend, Brandon, she’s eager to draw out his untapped artistic talents—however, it’s the boy’s straitlaced single father who could use a little color in his life.

Davis Carter may be the town’s favorite animal whisperer, but his experience is limited when it comes to understanding his preteen’s rebellious behavior. Desperate for a breakthrough, he follows the lead of a free spirit who claims to know the way into his son’s closed-off world. Soon, Davis isn’t the only one caught up in the hope of a new beginning.

Just as Callie considers trading her unattached existence for a life rich with promise and permanence, an unexpected visit from the past threatens to send her packing once again. Davis and Callie must learn to surrender their fears so they can find a love that will outlast the summer.


My Review

After Davis was let down by Willa in the previous book of the series, I was so hoping that the author would give him his own story of finding love. And she did! And it is fabulous! I love how different Callie is and exactly what Davis and Brandon need. Her personality shines right off the page and yet has complexity woven in. Her connection to Brandon's artistic side draws him out which makes Davis take notice, in more ways than one. I loved how she was able to perceive people and their strengths, and communicate that to others. There are so many awesome nuggets in this book, but I want you to discover them for yourself! The chemistry between Davis and Callie is palpable and I loved how their romance budded naturally. Because Callie is so carefree in many aspects of her life, is seems that she is also free of fear, but her perceptions of herself and her innate characteristics are shaded by her father's choices and his words of legacy to her. Davis also has fears but he is an example to Callie in overcoming them by processing feelings of grief and anger through turning to God, allowing him to live life to the fullest. This book is full of light and humor, depth and compassion. Highly recommend!!!

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

* Check out the author's Pinterest board for A New Shade of Summer (spoiler alert- it's awesome!) *

---

Don't miss the first books in the Love in Lenox series! 
I loved them both and rated them 5 stars!

Synopsis

Writing happy endings is easy. Living one is the hard part.

Georgia Cole—known in Hollywood as the “Holiday Goddess”—has made a name for herself writing heartwarming screenplays chock-full of Christmas clichés, but she has yet to experience the true magic of the season. So, when her eccentric grandmother volunteers her to direct a pageant at Georgia’s hometown community theater, she is less than thrilled. To make matters worse, she’ll be working alongside Weston James, her childhood crush and the one man she has tried desperately to forget.

Now, facing memories of a lonely childhood and the humiliation of her last onstage performance, seven years earlier, Georgia is on the verge of a complete mistletoe meltdown. As Weston attempts to thaw the frozen walls around her heart, Georgia endeavors to let go of her fears and give love a second chance. If she does, will she finally believe that Christmas can be more than a cliché?

 

Synopsis

At this point in her life, bravery is not a trait Willa Hart would readily claim. She believes her seven-year-old daughter, Savannah, who never knew her father and successfully tackled chemotherapy, is truly the courageous one. Yet after Willa has a fateful encounter with handsome young doctor Patrick McCade, her outlook—and her view of herself—begins to change.

Patrick, a thrill-seeking world traveler and temporary resident of Lenox, Oregon, sets out to show Willa the value of adventure, even within her tiny town. But just when their friendship shows signs of turning into something more, Patrick’s life as a traveling doctor calls him back. Will his last days in town signal the end of their journey, or will Patrick and Willa find the courage to transform a single season into a lifetime?