Movie Spotlight & Giveaway: Once I Was Engaged

 

ONCE I WAS ENGAGED TICKETS ON SALE NOW

-Highly Anticipated Sequel to ONCE I WAS A BEEHIVE opens exclusively in theatres on July 21-

 

SALT LAKE CITY – Advance tickets are now on sale for ONCE I WAS ENGAGED – the eagerly awaited sequel to the award-winning, smash hit ONCE I WAS A BEEHIVE – the film opens exclusively in Utah theatres on Friday, July 21 before expanding to Arizona, Idaho, and Nevada on August 6 and nationally on August 13. Written and directed by Maclain Nelson, ONCE I WAS ENGAGED brings back all the original film’s favorite cast of characters, including Bree (Clare Niederpruem), Holly (Hailey Smith), Lane (Paris Warner), and of course, Carrie Carrington (Lisa Valentine Clark). And this film introduces a couple key new characters, including Curt Carrington; Carrie’s husband and Bree’s father, played by High School Musical’s Bart Johnson; and Thys Chesterfield, played by Studio C’s Tanner Gillman.

“Fans have been screaming for a sequel ever since we released the first film,” exclaimed Nelson. “And we are beyond excited for everyone to get back to the movie theatre and experience the next chapter in the lives of their favorite campers.”

The story takes place about two years after ONCE I WAS A BEEHIVE. The young women and their leaders have grown up (some more than others), and Bree’s surprise engagement and the whirlwind of wedding planning brings them all back together – with hilarious and touching results.

“This movie is the warmest and funniest thing you’ll see this year,” quipped Lisa Valentine Clark. “Not to mention audiences get to see some men in the mix this time. We added the one-and-only Bart Johnson and the charming and hilarious Tanner Gillman. I’m not going to say they steal the show, but I’m not going to not say that either. You’ll just have to come see for yourself.”

Even though the story is a sequel to the first film, audiences will also get to see the original girls as their much younger selves for the first time. “I won’t give away too much, but old and new fans alike get to learn so much more history of the girls,” explained Clare Niederpruem, who plays Bree. “Audiences will absolutely adore them, and who knows, maybe there’s a prequel story to BEEHIVE that needs to be told.”

In the years since ONCE I WAS A BEEHIVE was released, many cast members have been busy in the entertainment industry, especially Clare Niederpruem. ENGAGED signals her first return to being in front of the camera in quite a few years. “We’re so excited to celebrate at the premiere and mingle with the fans. We want this to be the party of the summer,” said Niederpruem who has become a sought-after director for feature films, TV movies and TV series, including an adaptation of LITTLE WOMEN and multiple TV movies for the Hallmark Channel

To see the trailer for ONCE I WAS ENGAGED and to see where the film is playing nearest you, visit: https://www.onceiwasengaged.com/

Giveaway
 

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Review: Fly Home to Me by Chalon Linton

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

A traffic jam is the last thing Piper Holland has patience for. The dry cleaner’s will soon close, and she really hopes to wear her luxury silk blouse when she pitches her theme to the editors of the magazine she works for. But when she finally sees what’s caused the backup, she feels a pinch of guilt: a man in a military uniform is gallantly pushing a stalled vehicle off the road. Suddenly her rush to the dry cleaner’s seems incredibly unimportant. Fate offers Piper a chance to redeem herself, however, when the handsome good Samaritan crosses her path again.

Gabriel Orsini, a fighter pilot stationed at Luke Air Force Base, seems to be the perfect man, and an assignment at the magazine offers Piper the perfect chance to get to know him better. Her “Day in the Life: Hometown Heroes” article was tailor-made for the bighearted pilot. Before long, their interviews for the article enter date territory, and Piper realizes she’s falling for Gabriel. But her tragic past has taught her one thing: everyone leaves. And the transient lifestyle of a military man leaves her no doubt that Gabriel will eventually abandon her too. With her heart on the line, Piper must decide: is the risk of loss worth the possibility of forever?

My Review

This sweet and gentle romance follows Piper's healing journey as she comes to terms with how her losses and grief are affecting her relationships. Her parents and one of her brothers had been killed in a car accident several years previously, and the fear and anxiety she developed over losing those she loves influences her relationships with her remaining brothers, sister-in-law, best friend, and dating life. I appreciated that her process of awareness and change included long term work with her therapist as well as her deepening relationship with God through church and prayer. She is well put together and successful in her career, and Gabriel's sunny personality instantly draws her to him. Their rapport develops quite naturally and is refreshingly realistic. Gabriel is patient as she gets used to the idea of ditching her four-date rule and moving into a meaningful relationship. I felt like her constant worrying overshadowed the joy of their falling in love, and I found it a little difficult to connect to those feelings. The lessons she learns about reconciliation and letting go of her perceived control bring both depth and  light to her character and I was happy to see her growth by the end of the story. The pace of the book is on the slower side with plenty of details that bring each scene to life, allowing me to easily envision them in my mind.

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.

 

Don't miss the first book in the Flying in Love series . . .

 

 

 

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Pearl's Promise by Edwina Kiernan

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Pearl's Promise by Edwina Kiernan, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Pearl's Promise 

Series: Gems of Grace #2 

Author: Edwina Kiernan 

Publisher: Moliant Publishing 

Release Date: May 1, 2021 

Genre: Christian Historical Romance 

A duty-bound heir. A dejected spinster. An encounter that could ruin both their families' demands for their futures... 

Horrified to see the man she had always dreamed of marrying saying his vows to someone else, Pearl Acton’s devastation only seems to confirm one of her deepest fears - that she’ll remain unseen and alone, never mattering to anyone. 

And when her family falls on hard times and seeks to marry her off to a wealthy suitor as soon as possible, her other deepest fear seems inevitable - being trapped in a loveless marriage, just like her parents. 

Until an encounter with a quiet and soulful heir, Nicholas Dalton, sparks a fragile hope that perhaps Pearl might save her family’s fortune and marry for love. 

But when circumstances on both sides of their families take drastic turns, the promise of happiness seems irrevocably shattered. 

As Pearl and Nicholas each strive to uphold their family duties, they soon discover that things aren’t quite what they seem. But is it too late to escape their crushing obligations and forge a new path - together? 

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

 

Excerpt

 

Nicholas rose to his feet. “I shall away at once and send for Dr. Henderson. I shall return with him as soon as he is able to come.” He made haste toward the door. Mr. Smith stirred with intent to rise also.

            “No. Remain where you are. Rest awhile.” Nicholas paused. “Is there anything that you need before the doctor arrives?”

            “No, sir,” Mr. Smith said, weakly. “Sir, I—” He shook his head slowly. “I cannot thank you enough, sir. For your kindness.”

            Nicholas assured him there was no such need. As he stepped out into the chilly, fresh air, he was almost light- headed. Walking away, he glanced back, a heaviness on his shoulders that he didn’t know how to remove. What a woeful place poor Mr. Smith was forced to dwell in.

            As he turned the corner and saw Eirwen waiting patiently for him, a rush of comfort swept over him.

            “There now, old girl. We were right. Poor Mr. Smith is not well at all.”

            The mare looked at him as he spoke, with a deep, steady eye. Nicholas leaned his forehead against her neck and sighed. His mind raced with thoughts of Mr. Smith, of what might be done, and of his father, whose disapproval would be as severe as his manner.                       It still made him shudder slightly to remember the time not so long ago that he had overheard his father and Brooks discussing the tenants. Cretins, he had called them. Miserable parasites.

            The same indignance rose now in Nicholas’s chest as it had that night. He’d hovered outside the door, praying for the courage to go in and defend the people that his father seemed to have forgotten were so integral to their prosperity.     

Yet, he’d failed.

As he mounted his horse, the memory of injustice gave him new resolve.

            “Come, we must return and send for the doctor,” Nicholas said to Eirwen.

            With a dig of his heels, they were bounding back to the main house, Nicholas asking in silent prayer for guidance.

            One thing he knew: this time, he wouldn’t fail. 

  

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Edwina Kiernan is a Christian writer, and author of the well-received Inspirational Regency romance novel, Ruby’s Redemption.

An enthusiast of classic novels and history, Edwina combines her faith, imagination, and research in hope-infused tales set in times past. Her latest novel is the second in the Inspirational Regency romance series, Gems of Grace. 

A lifelong word admirer, with Welsh and Irish heritage, she started writing stories early in childhood. She still loves to learn, taking courses from places like Oxford University and the Beau Monde, for both fun and further education. 

When she’s not writing, Edwina loves spending time with her dashing husband and lively little son, reading and studying the Bible, getting lost in a captivating novel, and drinking more types of tea than most people realize even exist. 

 For free gifts, updates, and lots of classic and historical fiction goodness, join her mailing list at EdwinaKiernan.com

CONNECT WITH EDWINA: Website | Facebook | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Pearl's Promise 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 June 22, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on June 29, 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.

Book Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: An Alaskan Homecoming by Beth Carpenter

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

An Alaskan Homecoming

(Northern Lights #8)

By Beth Carpenter

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 384 Pages

June 1, 2021 by Harlequin Heartwarming

“Ever after” wasn’t the plan…
Until now!

Rowan O'Shea's intention was just to visit her family in the small Alaskan town she calls home. Now she's not sure she wants to leave, given the romantic mess she's left behind. A temporary fake marriage to gorgeous veterinarian Zack Vogel might be the perfect solution, if she can convince Zack. But Rowan's marriage of convenience has a seriously inconvenient snag—she's falling for her new fake husband!

A Northern Lights Novel
Book 1: The Alaskan Catch
Book 2: A Gift for Santa
Book 3: Alaskan Hideaway
Book 4: An Alaskan Proposal
Book 5: Sweet Home Alaska
Book 6: Alaskan Dreams
Book 7: An Alaskan Family Christmas
Book 8: An Alaskan Homecoming

(Affiliate links included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | Bookshop | B&N | BAM

Book Depository | Target | Walmart | IndieBound

Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Harlequin

Excerpt

“Let’s try this once more.” Moving slowly, Zack approached the downy yellow moose calf and waved a bottle of formula in front of his face. “Yummy stuff.”

The calf butted his head against the bottle, almost knocking it from Zack’s hand. He shifted his grip and tried again. “Come on, buddy. I know it’s not as good as Mama’s, but your mama isn’t feeling up to nursing right now. Give it a try.” He squirted a little formula onto his fingers and slid them into the calf’s mouth.

Instinctively, the calf began to suck. Zack eased the nipple of the bottle in beside his fingers. Tasting the milk, the hungry calf sucked harder. Slowly, without disturbing the calf’s rhythm, Zack retrieved his fingers.

“You got him to eat.” Maggie poked her head around the corner of the stall. The calf eyed her but didn’t stop sucking.

“Yeah. He wasn’t too sure about this rubber nipple at first, but he’s getting the hang of it. We’ll just need to feed him formula until all the drugs are out of Mom’s system.”

Maggie watched in silence for a few seconds, but a worry line had formed between her eyebrows. “Speaking of formula, the feed bill is due.”

Zack groaned. “I suppose the kitty is empty?”

“Jessie says the next grant check won’t arrive until next Friday.”

“Hmm.” Zack mentally tallied up payments due on his mortgage, his portion of the vet clinic, his student loans and his truck, comparing that with the balance in his account. It would be close. “I’ll write a check to the feed store.”

“You have to stop doing that. You should be drawing a salary, not funding the wildlife rehab out of your own pocket.”

“Says the woman working six days a week for free.”

“I have the time. I’m retired, but you’re not. WildER needs more sponsors. You know our grant is contingent on matching funds. If we don’t raise more money by September, they’ll reduce it next year.”

Zack grimaced as he adjusted his grip on the bottle. He loved helping injured animals recover and return to the wild, but fundraising was not his strength. “Got any ideas?”

 

Other Books in the Series

(Linked to an Amazon affiliate links.)

About the Author

Beth Carpenter is thankful for good books, a good dog, a good man and a dream job creating happily-ever-afters. She and her husband now split their time between Alaska and Arizona, where she occasionally encounters a moose in the yard or a scorpion in the basement. She prefers the moose.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card and Alaskan Dreams, An Alaskan Proposal and Sweet Home Alaska (paperbacks if winner is in the US, ebooks otherwise)

Ends June 30, 2021

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Book Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: Distracting the Deputy by Shanna Hatfield

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Distracting the Deputy

(Summer Creek #4)

By Shanna Hatfield

Western Romance, Christian

Paperback & ebook, 301 Pages

June 22, 2021 by Wholesome Hearts Publishing

Trouble is coming . . . but for whom?

When he’s not evading grabby-handed octogenarians, mentoring troubled teens, or rescuing rascally youngsters from disaster, Deputy Knox Strickland can be found upholding the law in the eastern Oregon region he patrols. He avoids making plans for tomorrow, focusing instead on doing his best today. Then one chance encounter with a beautiful woman in a wheat field turns his world upside down. Knox is left questioning what secrets she’s hiding, and how hard he’ll have to work to scale the fortress she's built around her heart.

Zadie Redmond isn’t like most women. A life spent looking over her shoulder has destroyed the promising future she’d once envisioned. Her days are spent leading hunting and fishing adventures, or teaching tiny ballerinas the proper way to plié. She fills her evenings with do-it-yourself projects while worrying about the day her past catches up with her. In an unexpected moment, the local deputy swoops into her world like a storybook hero and she knows nothing will ever be the same. Zadie will do anything to keep Knox safe from the danger lurking in the shadows, even if it destroys her chance at love.

Will Knox convince Zadie she can trust him with her secrets and her heart?

A sweet romance full of quirky small-town fun, Distracting the Deputy is a story of hope, help, and hanging on to what matters most.

(Affiliate links included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Apple Books | Kobo | Smashwords

For a limited time, the eBook is available at the discounted price of just $2.99.

Excerpt

She rushed out of the store and was loading the pile of groceries into her SUV when a pair of big, tanned hands reached into her cart and lifted five bags, setting them into her vehicle.

“Did you help Mrs. Dunigan?” she asked Knox without looking at him. Even if she hadn’t recognized the hands, his delicious scent pervaded her nose and tickled her senses.

“I think that ol’ girl might have been quite a player back in her day. She kept squeezing my arm as I helped her with her groceries. After I walked her to her car, she pinched my bum. Twice!”

Zadie couldn’t stop the giggle that burst out of her. A picture of Knox trying to help an elderly, frail member of the community only to be accosted by a grabby-handed octogenarian settled in her mind. “Now that’s funny.”

“No, it isn’t! It’s unsettling and unnatural, and it made me feel like a hunk of beef in a butcher’s window.”

“Oh, poor Knox. He’s too handsome for his own good.” Zadie offered him mock sympathy with her lower lip rolled out in an exaggerated pout while batting her eyelashes at him.

He made a growling sound deep in his throat and took a step closer to her. “You keep doing that, and I’ll forget about the promise I made to you in the wheatfield the other night.”

She sucked in her lip, set the last bag in the SUV, and slammed the hatch shut. “That won’t be necessary, Deputy Strickland.”

Knox rolled his eyes. “Back to that are we? Don’t you think, after what we shared, we could be friends?”

“Friends, yes. Anything else, absolutely not.”

About the Series


Summer Creek is one of those small towns—the kind brimming with quirky inhabitants, pets with personalities (like a meandering goat named Ethel), meddling matchmakers, tumbling-down old buildings, and dreams. So many dreams. These sweet, uplifting romances explore the ties that bind a community together when they unite for a common purpose and open their hearts to unexpected possibilities. Heart, humor, and hope weave through each story, touching the lives of those who call Summer Creek home.

Readers who love Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series and RaeAnne Thayne’s Haven Point series will enjoy coming home to Summer Creek.

Grab the series from Amazon.

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes. When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook

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Blitz Giveaway

One winner will receive autographed copies of the Summer Creek series, Dilettante peppermint truffle crémes (these are SO good!), a cute notebook, a bottle of You’re the One lotion, a Hopeless Romantic dish towel and potholder set, and a swag bag to carry it all! (Value $100+)

One entry per person. Entries must be received by June 30, 2021. Winners will be notified by July 15 and will be given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

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