Review: The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Cornwall was in her blood, and Delia feared she’d never escape its hold.

Cornwall, England, 1811

Blamed for her husband’s death, Cordelia Greythorne fled Cornwall and accepted a governess position to begin a new life. Years later her employer’s unexpected death and his last request to watch over his five children force her to reevaluate. She can’t abandon the children now that they’ve lost both parents, but their new guardian lives at the timeworn Penwythe Hall . . . back on the Cornish coast she tries desperately to forget.

Jac Trethewey is determined to revive Penwythe Hall’s once-flourishing apple orchards, and he’ll stop at nothing to see his struggling estate profitable again. He hasn’t heard from his brother in years, so when his nieces, nephews, and their governess arrive unannounced at Penwythe Hall, he battles both grief of this brother’s death and bewilderment over this sudden responsibility. Jac’s priorities shift as the children take up residence in the ancient halls, but their secretive governess—and the mystery shrouding her past—proves to be a disruption to his carefully laid plans.

Rich with family secrets, lingering danger, and the captivating allure of new love, this first book in the Cornwall Novels series introduces us to the Twethewey family and their search for peace, justice, and love on the Cornish coast.

My Review

As usual the author did a lovely job with the setting and characters. I especially enjoyed Delia's role as governess and her love and compassion for the children she cared for. Her grief had some complicated dynamics, and her journey throughout the story took her from never wanting to marry or have children again in order to avoid the pain of loss, to hesitantly allowing hope and love to bring light into her life. She has a turbulent history with her in-laws, and I enjoyed the suspense that slowly grows until the climax. Jac and Delia share a congenial friendship for most of the book, and their common focus is the children, which brings them closer together. Strong themes of family, loyalty, and forgiveness.

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

Review & Giveaway: Upon My Heart Forever by Amber Lynn Perry

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

When Clara Moore learns of her brother's unthinkable scheme—to take her to England and force her into a hasty marriage—she knows she must escape New York. But when she finds out who has accepted the job of taking her to Boston, she almost rethinks her own hurried plan. For the handsome man who comes to her aid is none other than her former love, Ethan Barrik. He left her heart in shambles six years before. Can she trust him a second time?

Ethan Barrik is no stranger to struggle. But tracking the enemy, and war-time spying are nothing compared to the pain of regret. Ready at last to leave his past behind, he accepts one final job for a friend, only to discover the person he's really helping is the woman he still loves. Despite her ire, he knows he must make every attempt to make it right—and hope she will find a way to forgive him and give their love another chance.

My Review

This author has a distinct voice that makes me feel like I'm in Colonial America. The language reflects the era without losing the nice flow of the narrative and it enhances the sense of the setting. I felt like I got to know Clara and Ethan pretty quickly so even though the story dives right into the action, I was already invested in their future. Clara is dealing with quite a bit of angst and doesn't quite know what she wants at first- her anger over being left with no word prevents her from celebrating at their reunion. Ethan still harbors his old insecurities of not being good enough for Clara, but takes on the role of her escort and rescuer in a natural way, despite his misgivings. A wonderful second chance at love story with plenty of romantic tension and sweet moments of anticipation!

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

Connect with Author Amber Lynn Perry:

Goodreads | Facebook | Website | Twitter | Amazon

GIVEAWAY 

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Tour Schedule

May 6th - Heidi Reads... / The Bibliophile Files

May 7th - Katie’s Clean Book Collection / Wishful Endings

May 8th - My Book a Day / Singing Librarian Books

May 9th - Literary Time Out / Getting Your Read On

May 10th - Peggy Urry

Review: My Not So Wicked Ex-Fiancé by Jennifer Peel

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

He rocked her world. She wrecked his. Now their worlds are colliding again. 

Expensive schools and etiquette classes never prepared Shelby Duchane for Ryder Prescott. He taught her more about life in his hay field classroom beneath a blanket of stars than anyone. Under that Georgia sky, she pledged forever to the farm boy with soul-melting chocolate brown eyes, even though it meant forfeiting her large inheritance. She couldn't wait to clip coupons and buy clothes off the sales rack until death do they part. But then she receives some photos of her intended with someone she had not intended. Brokenhearted, Shelby flees her hometown for Colorado without bothering to say goodbye to her cheating ex-fiancé.

A year later and wiser, Shelby's doing her best to move on while running her boutique in Carrington Cove, when Ryder shows up and challenges all she thought she knew. Perhaps he wasn't the wicked ex-fiancé she believed him to be after all. But will Ryder be able to swallow his pride enough to see why she was so persuaded? Will he realize before it's too late that the only way to heal his own broken heart is to mend Shelby's?

My Review

There's something about a Jennifer Peel book that sucks me right into the world of the main character immediately! I enjoyed Shelby in the first book as she befriended the reluctant Emma; she's one you can't help but like. So it was great to get into her head and hear her voice with the first person narrative. She's been on a bit of a journey as she distanced herself from her controlling parents, and she's not the same person she was when she was engaged. I liked seeing she and Ryder get to know each other in their new circumstances and sort out the hurt feelings and truth about their past. A perfect blend of humor, angst, and chemistry-filled romance in this second chance at love story!

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

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Don't miss the first book in the My Not So Wicked series . . .

Read my 5 star review here

Synopsis

I, Emma Loveless, have a destiny. It's not the greatest of destinies, but when you have a name like Loveless, what can you do? I'm cursed to always be the friend, never the girlfriend. Unless you count my love affair with Duncan Hines, Dr. Pepper, and the ever-lovable Pillsbury Doughboy. They've seen me through it all, but a girl needs more than refined sugar to curl up to every night. It doesn't help that I have a meddling, albeit wonderful, mother who can't help playing matchmaker. Thanks to her, I can say I've been on a date with a felon. Now she swears she's found the one for me, her new optometrist, Dr. Sawyer King. Meanwhile, I'm preparing for the inevitable restraining order. That is, until I meet the sexy doctor and have to admit my mother is right--love at first sight does exist.

Unfortunately, my last name means business. Not only do I find myself in the friend zone, but also the twilight zone. Only in my world would Mr. Right turn into my stepbrother. To top it off, he brings with him a wicked stepmother who will do anything to keep us apart. Despite all this my heart--or is that my mom?--keeps telling me Sawyer is the one. But what if true love isn't strong enough to interfere with my destiny? It'll be me and the Doughboy... for eternity.

Book Tour & Giveaway: The Brave Art of Motherhood: Fight Fear, Gain Confidence, & Find Yourself Again by Rachel Marie Martin

Mother's Day is fast approaching, and we're joining up with JustRead Publicity Tours to tell you about a great gift for Mom this year! Keep reading for more info on a special ebook price to make your gift giving even easier AND a book club kit giveaway!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Brave Art of Motherhood: Fight Fear, Gain Confidence, & Find Yourself Again
Author: Rachel Marie Martin  
Publisher: WaterBrook  
Release Date: October 9, 2018
Genre: Christian Living/Women's Interest  

Full-time FindingJoy.net blogger, speaker, marketer, podcaster, and single mom of seven, Rachel Marie Martin presents a wake-up call to those of us who have found ourselves stuck in the 'I'm just a mom' phase of life.

Yes, this book is about motherhood . . . but really, this book is about finding yourself again and following your passion WHILE being a mom. Inspired by her incredible story, Rachel's words always come straight from the gut; they are visceral, real and soul searching. She challenges you to find the courage to break cycles, to take off masks and not let fear take control. This book is a balance of tough, "no excuses" ways of approaching life, while allowing breathing room and grace for yourself, for as we all know, life and mothering are not perfect.

After inspiring and conversing with thousands of women, Rachel has surmised there is always a reason to hope, to move forward and a reason to dare doing what you thought was impossible. (Yes, including what you are skeptical of accomplishing right now). She encourages you to say yes to your dreams and stop waiting for "someday" or "one day" or "when something happens".

Prepare to change the way you think about yourself and your life. This will be a book you read over and over armed with a highlighter in one hand and a journal for introspection in another.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Christian Book | Book Depository
 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

RACHEL MARIE MARTIN, having pulled herself up from poverty to being named one of Inc. magazine's top 40 entrepreneurs, has been writing Finding Joy full time for several years and writing online for over a decade. Rachel is a single mom of 7, whose experiences range from homeschooling her two oldest daughters from kindergarten through graduation, now being a public school mom of 5. She's the daughter of church planters, a long time housewife and now a professional business woman.

She has always had a passion for a daring, adventure-filled life and is often requested to speak and motivate others with her vivacious energy and deep belief that life is a gift. Rachel is also a partner in Blogging Concentrated, the world's largest training and development company for bloggers, vloggers, and podcasters. She travels worldwide teaching marketing, voice, messaging, social media strategy and more.

CONNECT WITH RACHEL: blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will win a Book Club Kit (valued at $99)

• 9 autographed copies of The Brave Art of Motherhood
• audiobook of The Brave Art of Motherhood for those who would rather listen in the car
• The Brave Art of Motherhood Book Club Conversation Guide
• ebook of Rachel's first book, Dear Mom Letters

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight April 29, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm May 6, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

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

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Review: A is for Author by Brenna Jacobs

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

He’s the guy she loves to hate.
 
Emma Lindsor writes beautiful books adored by literary critics, even if readers don’t exactly line up for them. Aidan Maxwell writes heart-pounding thrillers with explosions and car chases. And thanks to his handsome face, readers line up for blocks to buy his novels.

Aidan Maxwell stands for everything Emma loathes, and when professional circumstances throw them together, sparks fly—angry ones. But as their paths keep crossing, will they see past their own hardwired ideas to star in a love story all their own?

My Review

I'm so excited for this series! I enjoy the author's writing style and the blend of fun and sassy with depth and emotion. In this book I loved getting to know Emma and Aiden- their flaws, struggles, vulnerabilities, and hopes. They have a great chemistry that starts out with misguided first impressions so it was interesting to watch how they were able to see past that and discover each other's true personalities and the developing romance.

I especially appreciated the perspectives shown of the literary and genre fiction worlds. I feel vindicated because I once had a liberal arts literary-loving friend mock me for my taste in books, and reading Emma’s experience of discovery was cathartic. The depth in this book goes beyond what your run-of-the-mill chick lit offers, which is what I look for in the contemporary romance that I read and enjoy. 

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

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Don't miss the novella that kicks off the series . . .

Synopsis

Can he persuade her to see him as something more than just her best friend?

Allie Carmichael is dating the wrong kind of man. To help Allie out of her dating rut, Allie’s sister, Cassie, challenges her to date 26 new men, all that have 26 different careers—one for every letter of the alphabet.

When Eric’s neighbor, Allie, asks him for help with her new dating challenge, he’s reluctant to get involved. Mostly because he’d really like Allie to fall in love with him. She’s determined to finish out her dating challenge, but he’s a veterinarian. And V is at the end of the alphabet.

Can Eric persuade Allie to abandon the list and see him as something more than just her best friend?

(Previously titled The ABC's of Dating)

Book Blast: Spinster and Spice by Rebecca Connolly

Synopsis

Spinster, sweet Spinster

Isabella Lambert is a nice person. She is biddable, polite, soft-spoken, and eager to please. She also happens to be a spinster, and one of the writers of the infamous Spinster Chronicles, where she is less polite, more outspoken, and may not please anyone. Izzy also has a secret that only one person knows, and that one person may hold the key to its success.

Sebastian Morton finds Izzy Lambert fascinating. She is the perfect mentor for his younger sister as well as a capable and charming friend for him. When opportunity strikes to spend more time with her, her secret becomes his. But will this secret, and others, ruin their connection?

About the Author

Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Giveaway

Giveaway ends May 11 at 11:59 MT.
Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.


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Check out the other tour stops . . .

April 30- Life is What It’s Called | Heidi Reads…
May 1- Emily Yager | Blooming with Books | Singing Librarian Books
May 2- Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic | Remembrancy​

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Spinster and Spice by Rebecca Connolly

Releases May 1st! Pre-order for only $1.99!

Synopsis

Spinster, sweet Spinster

Isabella Lambert is a nice person. She is biddable, polite, soft-spoken, and eager to please. She also happens to be a spinster, and one of the writers of the infamous Spinster Chronicles, where she is less polite, more outspoken, and may not please anyone. Izzy also has a secret that only one person knows, and that one person may hold the key to its success.

Sebastian Morton finds Izzy Lambert fascinating. She is the perfect mentor for his younger sister as well as a capable and charming friend for him. When opportunity strikes to spend more time with her, her secret becomes his. But will this secret, and others, ruin their connection?

About the Author

Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Giveaway

Giveaway ends May 1 at 11:59 MT.

​Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Review & Giveaway: Beneath an Italian Sky by Stacy Henrie

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

--1908--

American heiress Clare Herschel made what she hoped was a love match when she married the handsome, witty Emmett Markham, the Earl of Linwood. A little over a year into her marriage, though, Clare finds herself wintering in Sicily—alone. She is sure the mild climate is the answer to avoiding another miscarriage and Emmett’s apparent indifference, so she’s determined to remain in Italy as long as possible. The last person she expects to show up at the villa is her husband, especially when Emmett confesses he’s there to convince her to return to England.

As the only surviving son of a marquess, Emmett has done everything his father has asked of him—even agreeing to run for a seat in the House of Commons. However, this latest task comes with a nearly impossible caveat. He must convince his wife Clare to come back to England with him in order for them to appear to be a happy couple for his political campaigning. Emmett isn’t confident Clare will agree to the plan, though, not when she seems to want nothing to do with him or the life they’d begun building before she abruptly left him for Italy.

When a massive earthquake strikes Messina, Sicily, claiming the lives of thousands, Clare and Emmett must set aside their mutual misgivings about their marriage in order to survive and lend a helping hand to others. But in the wake of the destruction, they begin to realize they’ve been given a chance to decide if their love is stronger than the upheavals of the past.

My Review

Clare and Emmett are a sweet couple and I enjoyed getting to know them as they struggle through obstacles separately and together. They have an affectionate rapport and gentle banter, but when it comes to communicating their more difficult feelings or sharing about their past, they have more to learn. Their experiences in Italy draw them closer together, but also brings their hidden conflicts to the surface for them to deal with. Emmett's family dynamics are a source of unhappiness for them both, especially his father's rigid expectations. Hope for her new pregnancy makes Clare stand up for herself more than she had in the past, and I appreciated seeing Emmett's growth as he becomes his own man and the leader of his family. The historical details were intriguing and I was especially moved by the scenes of the earthquake and the devastation there at the turn of the century.

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

Connect with author Stacy Henrie

Facebook | Amazon | Website | Pinterest | Goodreads

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Follow the Blog Tour

April 22nd - Heidi Reads

April 23rd - Peggy Urry

April 24th - The Bibliophile Files | Min Reads and Reviews

April 25th - Getting Your Read On | Katie’s Clean Book Collection | My Book a Day

April 2th - Wishful Endings | Literary Time Out | Singing Librarian Books