Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Shelter in the Storm by Laurel Blount

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Shelter in the Storm by Laurel Blount, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Shelter in the Storm 

Series: Johns Mill Amish Romance #1 

Author: Laurel Blount 

Publisher: Berkley Books 

Release Date: May 25, 2021 

Genre: Christian Contemporary/Amish Romance 

In this moving Amish romance, two broken hearts find hope in each other after a terrible loss.

Unspeakable tragedy strikes the Amish hamlet of Johns Mill when an unstable Englischer opens fire in the Hochstedler's General Store. In the aftermath, and under the media's spotlight, Joseph Hochstedler struggles to hold his shattered family together, drawing unexpected comfort from a faithful childhood friend. 

Born with a serious heart defect, optimist Naomi Schrock has always longed to live a life of service. She rolls up her sleeves, determined to help Joseph cope with this terrible crisis. But dare she hope that his friendship will finally deepen into love? 

As the media's obsession with the Hochstedler shooting escalates, Joseph and Naomi find themselves caught between tradition and compromise, lingering sorrows and uncertain hopes. And in the end, two people who've already lost far too much must find the courage to trust their hearts one last time.

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

 

 

EXCERPT 

“Do you like to take chances, then, Naomi?” His heart was pounding so hard now, he could barely think. All his common sense was slipping away, like reins sliding through slack fingers. Something strong deep inside him was taking control, like a horse took his head when the comfort of his barn came into view after a long ride home.

She laughed and the gentle sound tickled up the back of his neck like playful fingers. “Oh, ja, I do. I spent so long not taking any at all, you know. Mamm wouldn’t let me do anything the least bit risky while I was so frail. So I guess now I take them whenever I can to make up for lost time!”

He’d forgotten how to breathe, and he was feeling pretty light-headed, but it didn’t matter. He forged ahead. “I can think of another chance you could take, then, since you like them so much.”

She looked up at him, the metal pastry cutter motionless in her hand. “And what would that be, Joseph?”

“You could marry me.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carol award-winning author Laurel Blount writes captivating romances full of grit and grace—with characters who’ll walk right off the page and into your heart. She lives on a farm in Georgia with her husband, their four fabulous kids, and an assortment of ridiculously spoiled animals. Connect with her at www.laurelblountbooks.com

CONNECT WITH LAUREL: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive an Amish Meets Amazon prize package including a silver Shelter in the Storm bookmark, a hand-knitted dishcloth, a package of Amish church mints, and a $25 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 May 24, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 31, 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.

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Promise Tree by Janalyn Voigt

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Promise Tree by Janalyn Voigt, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Promise Tree 

Series: Montana Treasure #1 

Author: Janalyn Voigt 

Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink 

Release Date: May 5, 2021 

Genre: Christian, Historical/Western Romance 

A preacher’s daughter shouldn’t encourage a troublemaker—no matter what her wayward heart desires. 

Liberty has always believed she should marry a man of God, but Jake doesn’t qualify. The promises they’d made at age twelve can’t change that. If only Jake would stop pursuing her, she might keep from falling in love with him. 

Jake fears he’ll lose Liberty to Beau, the new man in town. He doesn’t trust the smooth-talker—and certainly not with Liberty. Expressing his opinion sounds jealous and pushes Liberty further away. Jake’s efforts to forget the woman he loves lands him in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. 

A bounty hunter on the trail of a notorious outlaw gallops into town, and Liberty finds herself in unexpected peril. When Jake rides after her, he faces a test of faith. Jake and Liberty must each overcome their own false beliefs. Only then can they experience the truth of God’s redeeming love. 

Set during a troubled time in America, the Montana Treasure series explores faith, courage, and love in the Wild West. Read this heartwarming story to affirm your faith in love. 

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

 

 

EXCERPT

[Jake, the hero, reflects on his love for Liberty after she rejects him.]

Jake met no one on the way to town, which was fortunate. Sometimes a man needed privacy. Suspecting that would be the case this morning, he’d saddled and bridled Scout before saying goodbye to Liberty. The smoke curling from the town’s chimneys told the story of happy families gathered around the table. Breakfast would be over by now, but a cookfire took a while to die out.

Like a smoldering fire, love might linger but finally extinguish. He hoped so, because he didn’t want to go through life with this burden of sorrow. All he could do was carry it until it dwindled away, if it ever would. He had his doubts.

Jake wondered, not for the first time, why so many counted romantic love essential. Except for the brief interlude of bliss when he’d believed Liberty wanted to marry him, it had felt more like a kick in the chest. Love caused people to act stupidly, himself included.

 

ALSO AVAILABLE

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janalyn Voigt fell in love with literature at an early age when her father read chapters from classics as bedtime stories. When Janalyn grew older, she put herself to sleep with tales "written" in her head.

Today Janalyn is a storyteller who writes in several genres. The same elements--romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy--appear in all her novels, no matter what the genre. 

Learn more about Janalyn Voigt and the books she writes at http://janalynvoigt.com

CONNECT WITH JANALYN: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $20 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 May 18, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 25, 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.

Virtual Book Launch: The Immortals by Steven T. Collis

 

Sign up for the Book Launch Event Here!

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About the Book

During World War II, four chaplains were assigned to the SS Dorchester with more than 900 men on board. Alexander Goode, a Jewish rabbi; John Washington, a Catholic priest; George Fox, a Methodist minister; and Clark Poling, a Baptist minister, all offered comfort, reassurances, and prayers along with a warning from the captain that a German submarine was hunting their convoy.

Thoroughly researched and told in an engrossing nonfiction narrative, this true story alternates between accounts told from the perspective of the Nazi U-boat captain and his crew (as found in their journals and later interviews) and survivors from the Dorchester who credit the four chaplains with saving their lives after their ship was torpedoed.

The celebrated story of the men who became known as the Immortal Chaplains is now joined for the first time in print by the largely untold story of another hero: Charles Walter David Jr. A young Black petty officer aboard a coast guard cutter traveling with the Dorchester, Charles bravely dived into the glacial water over and over again, even with hypothermia setting in, to try to rescue those the chaplains had inspired to never give up.

Page-turning and inspiring, The Immortals explores the power of both faith and sacrifice and powerfully narrates the lives of five heroic men who believed in something greater than themselves, giving their all for people of vastly different beliefs and backgrounds. 

 

Book Trailer

About the Author

 

STEVEN T. COLLIS is a storyteller at heart. He is also a law professor at the University of Texas School of Law and the faculty director of Texas’s Bech-Loughlin First Amendment Center and Law and Religion Clinic. Previously, he was the Olin-Darling Research Fellow at the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School and chair of the Religious Institutions and First Amendment Practice Group at Holland & Hart LLP. He is an engaging and sought-after speaker nationwide on religion and law. Steven received his MFA in creative writing from Virginia Commonwealth University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School. He is the author of Deep Conviction: True Stories of Ordinary Americans Fighting for the Freedom to Live Their Beliefs. He and his wife have five children and reside in Texas.
 

Book Tour, Review & Giveaway: Dusk's Darkest Shores by Carolyn Miller

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

How can a meek wallflower help a returning war hero whose dreams are plunged into darkness?

Mary Bloomfield has no illusions. Her chances for matrimony have long since passed her by. Still, her circumstances are pleasant enough, especially now that she has found purpose in assisting her father with his medical practice in England's beautiful Lake District. Even without love, it's a peaceful life.

That is until Adam Edgerton returns to the sleepy district. This decorated war hero did not arrive home to acclaim and rest, but to a new battle against the repercussions of an insidious disease. Mary's caring nature cannot stand to see someone suffer--but how can she help this man see any brightness in his future when he's plunged into melancholic darkness, his dreams laid waste by his condition?

Adam wants no charity, but he's also no coward. If this gentle woman can work hard, how can he do less? Together they struggle to find a way forward for him. Frustration and antipathy slowly develop into friendship and esteem. Then a summer storm atop a mountain peak leads to scandal--and both Mary and Adam must search the depths of their closed hearts for answers if they hope to find any future path with happiness at its end.
 

My Review

Two of my favorite types of characters were featured in this story- a military hero recovering from injury, and a stalwart heroine who finds purpose in being helpful. The author authentically depicted the range of emotions Adam went through as he grieved his former life and adjusted to his new reality. I loved how Mary balanced compassion with bluntness, like her father. It proved to be the soul-healing medicine Adam needed, even though he fought against it at times. I loved how they interacted and their friendship blossomed in difficult circumstances. Mary's tender feelings are hidden as she puts on a strong front, but she is vulnerable to thoughtless comments about her lack of marital prospects. Her younger sister is blunt without the compassion and the girls clash like oil and water, yet there is a strong thread of family loyalty and love that emerges. Their friend Emily who was engaged to Adam is a complication that provides an interesting study of human nature and self-preservation. What I liked most about this book is the hope that emerges from the darkness as Adam makes the shift from depression to determination, and the role Mary plays in supporting him. A wonderful story!

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.

 

Giveaway

 

 

Enter to win a fun prize pack inspired by the book and its English setting that includes: 
 
- a copy of Dusk’s Darkest Shores
- a canvas bag to carry your latest reads
- a fun pair of Jane Austen socks
- Novel Teas’ English Breakfast tea
- “Drink tea, read books, and be happy” tea spoon
- “Let your faith be bigger than your fear” mug
- Black currant preserves from England
- Wax Lyrical candle from England

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