Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Cast the First Stone by David James Warren

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Cast the First Stone by David James Warren, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

From the creative pens of USA Today bestselling author Susan May Warren, award-winning author James L. Rubart, and new voice, David Curtis Warren, writing collectively as David James Warren.

Title: Cast the First Stone
Series: The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone #1
Author: David James Warren
Publisher: TriStone Media
Release Date: February 8, 2021
Genre: Time Travel Detective Series One case haunts him. One chance to fix the past. One mistake could cost him everything. 

Ex-Minneapolis Police Detective Rembrandt Stone walked away from a career he loved—just the price of being sure he can come home to the wife and daughter he cherishes. But he can’t shake the deep regret over a case left behind. 

When his mentor, the former Chief of Homicide dies and leaves Rembrandt with a box of cold cases and a mysterious watch, he finds himself thrust into a world he recognizes—a world from twenty years ago—the same world he’s woken from in a cold sweat a hundred times. But is it a dream, or some kind of twisted reality? 

If he solves the case that plagues him, and justice is finally served, will it destroy the life he loves? 

Strap in for a mind-bending, time travel thrill ride in Book One of this riveting new series, The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

 

EXCERPT

The door opens, and I’m sized up by an elderly gentlemen, so thin his bones protrude from a lined, saggy face. Fraying white hair, gnarled hands, but his eyes bore through me as if, once up on a time, he was somebody that understood what trouble looked like.

Or maybe that’s just the bars on the door telling his story. Still, my instincts kick in and give me the weirdest sense that I’ve just walked into my destiny.

“Yes?”

I can’t tell if he’s annoyed or intrigued, so I offer my name, adding, “I was sent here by the Vintage Watch shop guy in Uptown.”

He frowns.

“I was hoping…” I pull out the watch.

He stretches out a hand, through the bars, and I hesitate only a moment before dropping it into his grip.

He comes alive as he runs his thumb over the inscription, not unlike I’ve found myself doing. He fiddles with the dial, then with a quickness that startles me, shuts the door.

What—?

“Hey!” I grab the bars, knock on the door, but it’s locked. I lay on the doorbell. “Give

me my watch back!”

I’m debating circling around the back when the door pops open and Grandpa is back, holding my watch, a stethoscope hanging from his ears.

Seriously?

He’s listening to the watch as if it might have a heartbeat. I stand there awkwardly, waiting for the prognosis.

This is stupid.

But when he hands the watch back to me, I’m oddly hopeful. Until, “There’s nothing wrong with the watch.”

Here we go again. “What are you talking about? It doesn’t work, see?” I do a demonstration for him, winding the dial, holding it up so he can see the dead-in-their- tracks hands. “Nothing moves.”

Grandpa has removed his stethoscope, draping it around his neck. He looks at me with a sort of shake of his head. “The watch is working exactly as it is intended. Didn’t anyone show you how to use it?”

I blink at the old man. “No. Actually, I sort of inherited it.”

One untrimmed eyebrow goes up. “Certainly you’ve seen it used.”

This rocks me back. “Of course. It was…well, my boss had it, and he gave it to me when he died. But he wore it for years.”

This has elicited a response, something of understanding because Grandpa is

nodding. “I see.”

“But I don’t!”

“Just use it like you saw him use it, and it will do its job.” “It doesn’t work! It’s job is to tell the freakin’ time!”

“You are not wrong.” And with that Grandpa closes the door.

Leaving me to stand on the steps in hot sun.

Copyright: TriStone Media Group, LLC

BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

CONNECT WITH REMBRANDT STONE: Website | Instagram

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

 

James L. Rubart is 28 years old, but lives trapped inside an older man’s body. He’s the best-selling, Christy Hall of Fame author of ten novels and loves to send readers on mind-bending journeys they’ll remember months after they finish one of his stories. He’s dad to the two most outstanding sons on the planet and lives with his amazing wife on a small lake in eastern Washington. More at http://jameslrubart.com/

CONNECT WITH JAMES: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling, Christy and RITA award–winning author of more than eighty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. The mother of four grown children, and married to her real-life hero for over 30 years, she loves traveling and telling stories about life, adventure and faith. For exciting updates on her new releases, previous books, and more, visit her website at www.susanmaywarren.com. 

CONNECT WITH SUSAN: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

David Curtis Warren is making his literary debut in these novels, and he’s never been more excited. He looks forward to creating more riveting stories with Susie and Jim, as well as on his own. He’s grateful for his co-writers, family, and faith, buoying him during the pandemic of 2020, and this writing and publishing process.

CONNECT WITH DAVID: Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card and a print copy of Cast the First Stone!

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight February 9, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 16, 2021. 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.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Review: A Christmas Waltz by Josi S. Kilpack

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

One dance, once a year.

This defines Marta and David’s friendship from the moment they first meet at the Yuletide Ball. Now, dancing the annual Christmas Waltz is a tradition between the pair in which they agree to tell each other the truth about their lives. Over the years that follow, their lives take different directions, wrong turns, and heartbreaking spirals, but they never miss their chance to reconnect and encourage one another to live their best lives, even if they can’t live them side by side.

My Review

It's hard to know what to think of this novella. It's encompasses a variety of emotions as Marta and David cross paths only once a year over several years. Their story begins with hope and anticipation, descends into depression and despair, shows the value of true and lasting friendship, then rises again with healing and a predictable resolution. The storytelling was unique in that we only get glimpses of their lives outside of the few minutes they spend in the waltz. I enjoyed their personalities but it was a shame to miss out on the fullness of their life experiences, although that would have been a much longer story. It reads rather as a cautionary tale, but I loved the advice David give Marta one year when she shares her regrets over her marriage, "You did not make a mistake... You made a choice, and as every other person in the world, you are now charged with making the best of that decision, which is precisely what you will do." This story is less about romance, and more about both David and Marta making the best of their friendship when their choices result in the impossibility of more.

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.

Review: Light in the Mountain Sky by Misty M. Beller

Book Three in the Call of the Rockies series

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Determined to prove her worth, Meksem fiercely fought to earn her place among the warriors in her Nez Perce camp. When her half-sister is captured by an enemy tribe, she refuses to trust the rescue to anyone else. But her new friends insist on joining her mission, and she battles between relief and frustration at their presence. Especially the white man who peers at her as if he can see through the face of the warrior she struggles so hard to maintain.

Spaniard Adam Vargas thrives on adventure wherever his travels take him. He’s fallen in love with this Rocky Mountain wilderness, as well as the spotted horses the Nez Perce tribe raise. His fascination with this Indian maiden-turned-warrior catches him off guard though, including the way she seems to be fighting for more than her sister’s safe return.

The journey proves more perilous than any of the group expects, and the secret Meksem hides becomes impossible to conceal. If they live through this mission, the life they knew will never be the same again.

My Review

I've enjoyed the adventure in this series and the author's trademark hostile wilderness setting. We've followed a group of friends as they traveled to find Adam, with three women joining along the way. I've eagerly anticipated learning Adam's story and what compelled him to search after the elusive spotted horses. His biggest flaw is how impetuous he is! Sometimes it works in his favor, but more often than not it brings difficulties and complications since he acts single-mindedly before considering the possible consequences. Meksam is a stalwart female warrior, but inside she is a hot mess of suppressed emotions and tragic memories. She internalizes her grief and it influences her outlook on life and her decisions. They are a disparate pair, but the consideration and compassion they show each other indicates deep feelings and a partnership that defies their different worlds. Their journey is filled with harshness and danger, tempered with spiritual longings and growth, and I'd expect nothing less from this author!

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.

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Don't miss the other books in the Call of the Rockies series . . .

Book One

Book Two

 

Book Four - coming April 2021

 

Book Five - Coming June 2021

Review: A Cowboy for Keeps by Jody Hedlund

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Greta Nilsson's trip west to save her ailing little sister, Astrid, could not have gone more wrong. First, bandits hold up her stagecoach, stealing all her money. Then, upon arriving in Fairplay, Colorado, she learns the man she was betrothed to as a mail-order bride has died. Homeless, penniless, and jobless, Greta and her sister are worse off than when they started.

Wyatt McQuaid is struggling to get his new ranch up and running and is in town to purchase cattle when the mayor proposes the most unlikely of bargains. He'll invest in a herd of cattle for Wyatt's ranch if Wyatt agrees to help the town become more respectable by marrying and starting a family with Greta. But when old insecurities and surprising revolutions arise, can a union born out of desperation survive?

My Review

Reading this book was like settling in with an old friend- several of my favorite story elements wrapped up in a new tale. It was just a pleasure to read! Wyatt and Greta both have heavy worries and vulnerabilities, but one of the major themes of the book is how we are stronger together rather than apart. Even though Greta and the precocious Astrid bring light and joy into the lives of Wyatt and Judd, not to mention her hard work and a new income with her pie and jam selling, she still feels they are a burden. Complications with neighbors and townspeople keep their relationship from being simple, and I was anxious as I read for Greta and Wyatt to learn to communicate more effectively with each other and work out their feelings. They have wonderful chemistry and it was fun to see their attraction blossom as they explored their growing feelings with stolen kisses. Some climaxes added tension and a little suspense, making this a well-rounded western with sweet romance! The epilogue gives a lead-in to the next book with Wyatt's family, and I'm looking forward to getting to know more characters in this series!  

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.

Book Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron #TheParisDressmaker #KristyCambron #HFVBTBlogTours

The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron

Publication Date: February 16, 2021

Thomas Nelson

Paperback & eBook; 400 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction/Christian

Based on true accounts of how Parisiennes resisted the Nazi occupation in World War II—from fashion houses to the city streets—comes a story of two courageous women who risked everything to fight an evil they couldn’t abide.

Paris, 1939. Maison Chanel has closed, thrusting haute couture dressmaker Lila de Laurent out of the world of high fashion as Nazi soldiers invade the streets and the City of Lights slips into darkness. Lila’s life is now a series of rations, brutal restrictions, and carefully controlled propaganda while Paris is cut off from the rest of the world. Yet in hidden corners of the city, the faithful pledge to resist. Lila is drawn to La Resistance and is soon using her skills as a dressmaker to infiltrate the Nazi elite. She takes their measurements and designs masterpieces, all while collecting secrets in the glamorous Hôtel Ritz—the heart of the Nazis’ Parisian headquarters. But when dashing René Touliard suddenly reenters her world, Lila finds her heart tangled between determination to help save his Jewish family and bolstering the fight for liberation.

Paris, 1943. Sandrine Paquet’s job is to catalog the priceless works of art bound for the Führer’s Berlin, masterpieces stolen from prominent Jewish families. But behind closed doors, she secretly forages for information from the underground resistance. Beneath her compliant façade lies a woman bent on uncovering the fate of her missing husband . . . but at what cost? As Hitler’s regime crumbles, Sandrine is drawn in deeper when she uncrates an exquisite blush Chanel gown concealing a cryptic message that may reveal the fate of a dressmaker who vanished from within the fashion elite.

Told across the span of the Nazi occupation, The Paris Dressmaker highlights the brave women who used everything in their power to resist darkness and restore light to their world.

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Look at the nations and watch—

and be utterly amazed.

For I am going to do something in your days

that you would not believe,

even if you were told.

—Habakkuk 1:5 niv

 

31 December 1943

Forêt de Meudon

Meudon, France

If Lila de Laurent were discovered in the forest, she was dead.

Orphaned snowflakes drifted down, making the depths of the woods seem far more threatening in their desolation than the streets of Paris ever could. Floodlights grasped behind her, searching through the trees with skeletal shadows as she swept through undergrowth that frayed the hem of her ivory gown into damp strips. The sounds of patrol dogs barking in the distance echoed loudly, competing with her own drumming heartbeat as she ran through the snow.

If the Vichy police caught up to her, they wouldn’t need an excuse to turn Lila over to the SS. And the Nazis would show no mercy. They wouldn’t inquire why a Vogue fashion plate was trekking through the Forêt de Meudon on New Year’s Eve. A bullet hole through her side and a pistol in her pocket would tell them all they needed to know about who Lila de Laurent had become.

The gloved hand she kept pressed to her side warned of urgency, blood seeping through the thin gabardine plaits of her ivory opera coat—a stain she couldn’t hope to hide and an impediment she could not ignore.

“Il faut que je file!” Run! Lila gave herself the order through gritted teeth.

Even if it hurt to breathe, or move, or think from one moment to the next, she had to keep going. The Boche were as thick as the trees within the Forêt borders and the Maquis had a system of guerrilla fighters positioned in all directions spanning from Paris. It meant they couldn’t account for one combatant’s safety—even from their own guns—making the escape through the forest a foolhardy one if she was discovered and disbelieved by either side.

Her comrade, Violette, had repeated the warning with a firm grip to her arm seconds before Lila fled the Hôtel Ritz that evening:

“To go through the Meudon is your only way out now. But be careful; it is overrun. Change your clothes. And cut your hair. If they learn of this, the SS will circulate a photo of you as the fashion princess with the trademark marron locks spilling down her back. You must not look like her. If you are to live, then that girl must first die.”

With no time to shed the silk gown she wore or to see to the fallen chignon that now tangled in long ropes over her shoulders, Lila had already failed that instruction. So she avoided the cleared paths—which were likely host to buried mines at their borders—and kept to the camouflage of snowy places, following the trail set by Nazi-protected rail lines stretching through the trees.

A road curved round a bend and over a rise; château gates emerged.

 

Praise for The Paris Dressmaker

“Woven within this beautiful historical tapestry of WWII from Cambron (The Painted Castle) is the stark reminder to keep friends close and enemies closer . . .Based on true events, this exquisite tale impresses with its historical and emotional authenticity. Historical fiction fans won't want to miss this.” —Publishers Weekly Starred Review

“Unimaginable heartache, unforgettable romance, and cheering defiance against the oppression the Nazis inflicted on Paris; readers will be swept away into a story where battle-scarred good at last rings victory over evil.” —J’nell Ciesielski, author of The Socialite

“Stunning. With as much skill and care as the title’s namesake possesses, The Paris Dressmaker weaves together the stories of two heroines who boldly defy the darkness that descends on the City of Light.” —Jocelyn Green, Christy Award-winning author of Shadows of the White City

“A thoroughly satisfying blend of memorable characters, evocative writing, and wartime drama that seamlessly transport you to the City of Light at its most desperate hour.” —Susan Meissner, bestselling author of The Nature of Fragile Things

“Kristy Cambron deftly weaves multiple timelines to craft a story as complex and romantic and beautiful as a couture gown. In addition, Lila and Sandrine’s strength and courage in a troubled world inspire us to live likewise. Tres magnifique!” —Sarah Sundin, bestselling and award-winning author of When Twilight Breaks and the Sunrise at Normandy series

“With real-life historical details woven in with her fictional tale, the story popped off the page. Readers will be thinking of this book long after they've read the last word.” —Rachel Hauck, New York Times bestselling author

“A well-researched and beautifully interwoven treatise on courage and conviction in the midst of oppression.” —Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration and The Mozart Code

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound | Kobo

About the Author

Kristy Cambron is an award-winning author of historical fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of nonfiction, including the Verse Mapping Series Bibles and Bible studies. Kristy's work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations, and has been featured at CBN, Lifeway Women, Jesus Calling, Country Woman Magazine, MICI Magazine, Faithwire, Declare, (in)Courage, and Bible Gateway. She holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing and lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, where she can probably be bribed with a peppermint mocha latte and a good read.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, February 9
Review at Amy's Booket List

Wednesday, February 10
Review at Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

Thursday, February 11
Review at Gwendalyn's Books

Friday, February 12
Excerpt at Heidi Reads
Guest Post at Novels Alive

Saturday, February 13
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Monday, February 15
Review at Jorie Loves A Story
Review at Library of Clean Reads

Tuesday, February 16
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Wednesday, February 17
Interview at Novels Alive

Thursday, February 18
Review at Read Review Rejoice

Friday, February 19
Review at Hallie Reads
Review at View from the Birdhouse

Monday, February 22
Review at Nursebookie

Tuesday, February 23
Review at Books, Writings, and More

Wednesday, February 24
Review at Novels Alive

Thursday, February 25
Review at The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Friday, February 26
Review at The Lit B****

Giveaway

We have 5 paperback copies of The Paris Dressmaker up for grabs!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on February 26th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

The Paris Dressmaker

Review: Chute Boss by by Sophia Summers, Heather B. Moore, Rebecca Connolly

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

The perfect vacation: Rest. Therapy. And miles away from Reid Browning.

At first Eden thinks she's spending three weeks at Broken Hearts Ranch to heal her head. But the longer she works with Kellie, the more she realizes her head is not the only thing hurting. Images from her tour in Iraq stay hidden but not deeply enough, and she knows she will need to forget or heal or both if she is ever going to move on. As a bonus, the ranch was going to be a good opportunity to avoid the dating scene, and men in general. Or so she thought.

As a world class bareback rider, Reid has given his all to rodeo and does everything he can to forget his law degree and the fast paced life he left in Washington DC. That includes the woman he recently met who got under his skin in all the wrong ways. The trouble is, she got under his skin in the right ways too. When he escapes to Texas to support his college brothers in the Lost Creek Rodeo, he couldn't be more surprised to find her there.

Sparks fly and not always the good kind, but when circumstances throw them together and barriers come down, the two just might find a path to healing and maybe even love.

My Review

I was surprised by the contrasting careers of Eden and Reid. She is a high powered activist for veterans, and he acts the part of a rodeo star, shunning the political life of his father. They have a rocky first couple of interactions before coincidentally meeting up again at the Broken Hearts Ranch, a therapy-centered retreat run by Reid's friend. Their rocky start gets even rockier, until suddenly they do a complete 180. It seemed a little out of character for Eden, but she was tapping into her buried emotions at the time, and Reid was also in atypical circumstances. I did like that even after they got together, their personalities didn't change, and they both stood up for themselves even when they disagreed. It actually reminded me of my husband and me! They learn about listening to understand, compromise, and supporting each other, despite their uncertain future. I liked how they were able to discover new dreams and priorities. A great addition to the series and I can't wait for the next book!

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.

Welcome to Lost Creek Rodeo!

Best friends at a small college in Texas, six cowboys rise to become pro-rodeo stars. Follow Ryan, Reid, Westin, Ford, Eric and Lars in these six swoony sports romances.

Visit us on Facebook: Swoony Sports Romances

Releases March 2021

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