Review: You and Me by Becky Wade

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Easy-going, artistic Connor Bryant fell hard for his friend Shay Seaver when they were both in the seventh grade. Now, sixteen years later, he's returned to Misty River. She's finally between boyfriends. And his crush on her hasn't wavered. Now's his chance.

He tells Shay that he's found someone he wants to date and is in need of a makeover when it comes to his appearance and dating strategies. He asks if she'll serve as his consultant -- in hopes that he'll learn how he can become her ideal man. What he doesn't tell her? That she's the one he wants to date.

Sporty stationery shop owner Shay immediately agrees to Connor's request because he's one of the best guys she knows. However, she quickly realizes she's in over her head. She's pledged to help him win the affection of another woman -- even though she dearly wants to claim his heart.

It's Christmas in the mountain town of Misty River! This sweet contemporary romance novella, penned by Christy-winning author Becky Wade, can be read alone or paired with the other books in the series.

My Review

What a perfect novella! It's full of longing, romantic tension, anticipation, and a special ending! Even though it's part of a series, it can be enjoyed without having read the other books- although I'm sure it will make you want to read the rest of them immediately! I felt like I quickly got to know Connor and Shay, understood their vibe and the dynamic of their relationship, and loved every minute of their path to Shay recognizing her feelings and Connor revealing his. Love, love, loved it!

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 other books in the Misty River Romance series . . .

Book 3 coming in May 2022!

Book Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Good Morning, Little One by Amy Kavelaris

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Good Morning, Little One by Amy Kavelaris, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

Title: Good Morning, Little One 

Author: Amy Kavelaris 

Publisher: Tommy Nelson 

Release Date: February 8, 2022 

Genre: Children's Devotionals/Prayers, Christian 

Reassure kids that God is carrying them throughout the day with these morning affirmations and whimsical illustrations from beloved author Amy Kavelaris. Adorable animals with gorgeous floral art and words of hope remind little ones of God's love, security, and peace for the day ahead. 

Through a child’s eyes, the world can be beautiful, wonder-filled, and a bit fear-filled all at the same time. Remind your little one that God is always near with this unique book of blessings. A beautiful companion to Amy Kavelaris’s popular Good Night, My Darling Dear, this inspirational picture book 

• reassures children ages 4 to 8 that God carries them through good days, hard days, and anxious days 

• shares biblical promises of God's love, purpose, and protection 

• features the whimsical imagery of nature and animals that has made Kavelaris’s art beloved 

• encourages kids to discover God each day and joyfully live out who He created them to be 

• gives children confidence to be brave in scary and unexpected situations 

This unique book of blessings and prayers will remind your little one of God’s loving promises revealed in nature: that He protects us from the rain, He covers us with His wings, He shines His light into the darkness, and most of all, He’ll always be with us. Good Morning, Little One by artist Amy Kavelaris 

• includes a stunning cover with a jacket over hardcover 

• makes a touching keepsake gift book for a child's Easter basket, baby showers, and other new beginnings such as adoption, a new sibling, or the first day of school 

• is an enchanting piece of art for a botanical nursery or child's bedroom 

• is ideal for any parent, grandparent, or family who wants to establish a tradition of blessing their child in the morning 

There's no better way to start the day than praying over your children with this sweet, Scripture-based book about trusting God to carry each of you in His gentle arms. 

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | ChristianBook | BookBub

 

EXCERPT

 

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy (Kavs) Kavelaris' work can be spotted in Target, Anthropologie, Bebe au Lait, and Better Homes & Gardens, as well as in homes around the globe. She has collaborated with countless brands, including Skechers Shoes and Pampers Diapers, and served as a judge for the Miss America Foundation. Her impressionistic, bohemian style merges with her painterly whimsy. Amy and her husband live in the Midwest with their three small girls. See her art at bloomprintsstudio.com and @amykavs on Instagram.

CONNECT WITH AMY: Website | Instagram

---

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Good Morning, Little One!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight February 21, 2022 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on February 28, 2022. 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

---

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

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Review: Choices of the Heart by Sarah M. Eden

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

The paths of life that brought them together are destined to tear them apart.

Burke Jones began his life as a nameless orphan, dreaming of one day being a renowned doctor with a home and family to call his own. Sophie Kingston, daughter of an influential East Coast family, was destined to be an important and beloved part of Baltimore Society.

Life has not gone quite as either planned.

Now living in the home of a family friend, Sophie joins the lady on a journey to the tiny town of Hope Springs in Wyoming Territory. It is unlike any place she’s ever known. And the resident doctor is a mystery as well. Burke knows he isn’t the success he’d always imagined he would be, and seeing it through the eyes of this newly arrived Society lady only drives that home.

As Hope Springs begins to weave its magic, Sophie discovers more than she’d ever imagined, in both the town and its doctor. And Burke, who has always guarded his heart, begins to wonder if there might be more to life than he has previously imagined.

Their futures, however, do not lie along the same path or in the same destinations. Fate has once again proven unkind.

Can Hope Springs work yet another miracle?

My Review

Hope Springs is full of wonderful characters that are added with each book in the series. Although there are plenty of scenes with the O'Connor and Archer family members, this addition also focuses on two newcomers to the town, paths crossing but each with a future that continues on in different directions. Burke and Sophie have a rocky beginning, but the special qualities of Hope Springs begin to transform their perspective and they let down their guard, leading to a lovely friendship. I missed the strength of romantic chemistry that I usually find in this author's stories, and I wonder if the large cast of community members and the focus on some subplots distracted me from connecting with the emotions of Burke and Sophie. I'm definitely looking forward to a continuation of Finbar O'Connnor and Emma Archer's 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.

Don't miss the previous books in the Hope Springs series . . .

Review: Her Unsuitable Match by Sally Britton

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Lady Philippa must wed to gain her fortune and freedom. A former soldier wants only peace and seclusion. Marriage to each other is their best solution.

Lady Philippa Gillensford is three and twenty, an heiress, and sister to a penny-pinching earl. After rejecting every bachelor her mother approves of, Philippa is ready to take her future into her own hands. Though she doubts she’ll marry for love, she is more than willing to marry for freedom from her family’s influence.

Myles Cobbett has withdrawn from Society, content to remain alone after surviving the horrors of the Napoleonic wars. When a friend convinces Myles to attend a ball benefiting wounded veterans like himself, Myles meets the lively Lady Philippa. Shortly thereafter, to help Philippa avoid scandal, Myles rescues her from a complete cad.

Sensing a chance to escape her family’s control, Philippa convinces Myles he must marry her to save her reputation. In exchange for this favor, Philippa promises him the very thing he thought he always wanted: a quiet life, alone in the country.

While the two put on a show of marital happiness for their neighbors, both realize they want much more from this arrangement. Can they take a marriage of convenience and turn it into a love match?

Her Unsuitable Match is a sweet Regency romance and can be read as a stand-alone or as the sequel to Sally Britton's previous novel, His Unexpected Heiress.

It is also part of the Supposed Scandal series.

My Review

Myles and Philippa are both in difficult circumstances, but I loved how they showed determination to stay true to themselves and persevere through their trials. They are intrigued by each other, and even though it is unexpected, the solution of a marriage of convenience frees them both and opens their options for the future. Some couples from the authors other books are woven into the local society and I enjoyed revisiting them and the way they exemplified genuine love for Pippa and Myles. There's just something about the way they allow themselves to reach for more in their relationship that brings romantic tension and a sweetness to their special moments. 

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 previous book, His Unexpected Heiress . . .

Check out the other books in the Supposed Scandal series . . .

Review: Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Agatha Christie meets Jane Austen in this atmospheric Regency tale brimming with mystery, intrigue, and romance.

When Miss Rebecca Lane returns to her home village after a few years away, her brother begs for a favor: go to nearby Swanford Abbey and deliver his manuscript to an author staying there who could help him get published. Feeling responsible for her brother's desperate state, she reluctantly agrees.

The medieval monastery turned grand hotel is rumored to be haunted. Once there, Rebecca begins noticing strange things, including a figure in a hooded black gown gliding silently through the abbey's cloisters. For all its renovations and veneer of luxury, the ancient foundations seem to echo with whispers of the past--including her own. For there she encounters Sir Frederick--magistrate, widower, and former neighbor--who long ago broke her heart.

When the famous author is found murdered in the abbey, Sir Frederick begins questioning staff and guests and quickly discovers that several people held grudges against the man, including Miss Lane and her brother. Haunted by a painful betrayal in his past, Sir Frederick searches for answers but is torn between his growing feelings for Rebecca and his pursuit of the truth. For Miss Lane is clearly hiding something. . . .

My Review

There is such a variety of things to appreciate about this book! The Gothic vibes of the setting with a murder mystery in a rumored haunted abbey, refurbished as a Regency hotel. The historic details of law jurisdiction, criminal investigation, book publishing, neighborhood improvement, and more brought the era to life and highlighted the differences and similarities to how those processes work now. I enjoyed the cast of unique characters that influence Rebecca and those close to her. The somewhat slower pace gives the reader a good opportunity to get to know the characters as the threads of the plot begin to weave together. I felt that the romance could have used more chemistry, but I enjoyed the sweet romance between Rebecca and the man she crushed on in her childhood. The solving of the mystery had tones of the Lady Darby Mystery series by Anna Lee Huber, and it was intriguing to see some science come into play as well as motivation. An entertaining mystery!

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: The Calico & Cowboys Romance Collection by Mary Connealy

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Calico and denim clash in the Old West

From Texas to Nebraska across the Plains to Montana, love is sneaking up on eight cowboys who begin their relationships on the wrong foot with women. Faced with the challenges of taming the land, enduring harsh weather, and outsmarting outlaws, these couples' faith and love will be tested in exciting ways.

The Advent Bride
A Bride Rides Herd
His Surprise Family
Homestead on the Range
Sophie's Other Daughter
The Sweetwater Bride
Texas Tea
Hope for Christmas

The Old West comes to life under the talented pen of bestselling author Mary Connealy, and readers will enjoy a lighthearted ride alongside one contemporary and seven historical cowboys and the women who tame their hearts.

My Review

Mary Connealy is one of my favorite authors, bringing humor and sweet romance to the world of Louis L'Amour westerns. Her novellas are always fun to read, although there sure is a lot of insta-love ;) Her characters tend to jump into marriage quickly, but that is part of the times and is refreshing when compared to today's commitment wary society. The action and adventure always sweep me away to the setting and keep me turning the pages. It's a delight to revisit the families that are built throughout her series of books.

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: Say It's For Good by Teresa Tysinger

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Is a decade enough time to heal old wounds?

Professional chef Leah Spencer is level-headed, responsible, and practical—making it an easy decision to move home to Laurel Cove, North Carolina to care for her ailing father. All he wants is for his only child to find love and partnership like he had with his late wife—before he leaves her all alone. Desperate to ease his worries, as well as her own, she breaks character and creates a fake relationship with the one man in town who likely wants nothing to do with her. And the one man she’s ever truly loved.

Ladies’ man Jasper Bowdon has successfully avoided commitment ever since his heart was broken a decade ago. Casual dating, however, had grown tiresome and he’d recently decided to take a break from women to finally figure out what he really wants. Why, then, does he agree to a pretend relationship with the very woman who’d ruined him in the first place? And why is he left wondering if it could all be part of God’s plan to heal them both?

Love and friendship get a second chance in this final installment of the Laurel Cove Romance Series. Books in this series are stand-alone and can be read and enjoyed in any order.

My Review

Both Leah and Jasper are full of conflicts, so it took me a bit to understand what is real about them and what is a front they are putting up. The book began a bit slow as Leah has recently returned to Laurel Cove, set up a new business with best friend Penny, and anxiously worrying over the health of her father. The initial interactions between Leah and Jasper are stiff and awkward- almost painful to read. I was relieved when they began to act on instinct (against their better judgement) and had more genuine connections. With the way their relationship had ended, Leah is holding onto a debilitating amount of guilt while Jasper has an easier time overcoming his resentment as his feelings of love are swiftly resurrected. They are each well acquainted with grief, and it is a strong theme of the book as they learn about the risks and joy in finding a second chance at both love and life.

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 previous books in the Laurel Cove Romance series . . .

Book Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Discovery of the Five Senses by K.N. Smith

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Discovery of the Five Senses

(The Urban Boys #1)

By K.N. Smith

Young Adult, Adventure, Thriller, Urban Fantasy, Mystery

Paperback & ebook, 340 Pages

September 3, 2015 by Two Petals Publishing

A suspenseful incident in a forbidden preserve heightens the senses of five friends. But furious battles confront the boys as they try to understand their sensory superpowers in a race to save mankind. With light beings and mysterious strangers complicating their plight, will the boys be able to defeat the evil Druth before it’s too late?

(Affiliate links included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

IndieBound | Apple Books | Kobo | Smashwords

 

Excerpt

As one would imagine, a mysterious forest might offer deep, eerie chills, especially at night. Instead, the forest cast a rich glow, and the environment was beautiful and serene.

Walking slowly with their eyes absolutely feasting on the horticultural delights, the boys were approached by something they weren’t sure was real. It floated effortlessly, lighting up in a sporadic pattern, but had neither sound nor discernible shape, other than being somewhat clear and round.

Its fluttering wings suspended it in the center of their disbelieving huddle. All eyes were on it, but what it was provoked more mystery than the forest itself. It bounced in a cheery, beckoning fashion, flashing its stunning wings, drawing the boys into a never-ending waltz. They were transfixed, unable to glance at each other, prevented by the daze each silently battled.

The little glowing being carried about, moving closer to their faces. It moved in and out of trees, spewing sparkle and splendor, then floated away from the boys, yet stayed close enough to continue the enticement.

Contributing to the amazing glow ricocheting from sprawling fronds to soaring trees and fallen leaves, the being’s creativity advanced in a display of twirls and spins, astonishing the boys. And they followed their little friend further and further into the forest.

Deeper ahead, the visual spectacle beautifully intertwined with the clicking noise, which grew louder and more defined, moving up the scale into high notes. The repetition of the noise mesmerized the boys, equating to an invisible lasso.

The friends grouped together, looking ahead and behind. Their stomachs tightened as the tension grew.

What they saw next would pale in comparison to their little, wondrous friend, who steadily bounced around several curvy pathways.

Excerpted from Discovery of the Five Senses by K.N. Smith, Copyright © 2022 by K.N. Smith. Published by Two Petals Publishing.

About the Author

K.N. Smith, winner of the “Best of” in the category of “Outstanding Young Adult Novel” at the Jessie Redmon Fauset Book Awards, is an author, screenwriter, and passionate advocate of literacy and arts programs throughout the world. She inspires people of all ages to reach their highest potential in their creative, educational, and life pursuits. She lives in California with her family. Visit K.N. Smith at www.knsmith.com.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Bookbub

 

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway


Four winners will receive a $25 Visa e-gift card (INT)

Ends February 23, 2022

ENTER HERE