Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for A Summer to Remember by Lisa Phillips, Andrea Christenson, Rebecca Reed, Gina Conroy, Angela Ruth Strong, Carrie Padgett, Tabitha Bouldin, and Bell Renshaw, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Books
Eight summer novels across 2 volumes.
From Christian fiction’s hottest contemporary romance authors.
Title: Bright Lights
Series: A Summer to Remember #1
Authors: Lisa Phillips, Andrea Christenson, Rebecca Reed, Gina Conroy
Publisher: Two Dogs Publishing, LLC
Release Date: May 16, 2024
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
Finally Home - Lisa Phillips
Ashlynn Monroe knows she has a reputation as the Ice Queen, but being the police commissioner's assistant that rep serves her just fine thank you. When her Aunt Ruby comes to visit from Last Chance County on the anniversary of Ashlynn's mom's death, neither realizes it's a week that will alter both their lives in ways they never imagined.
Fire Chief Greyson Frayer followed in his father's footsteps. Saving lives is who he is, but the burn scars he earned along the way seem to have kept him from the life he wants...until he sees a familiar face as if for the first time. Is Ashlynn the future he's been looking for?
With a romance brewing between Russ and Ruby in the background, Adelynn and Greyson discover the future they've always wanted. And the chance to finally come home.
Summer at Trillium Lake - Andrea Christenson
Privileged Athena Vassos is banished to the family’s lake property near Sunset Falls, WI, to “think about” her place in the family’s multimillion dollar business. She isn’t sure what she wants with her life now that she has finished her graduate degree.
At the rustic Trillium Lake Bible Camp, Sean Campbell is overwhelmed. He was only supposed to be the deputy director, not much more than a glorified handyman, not running the whole show.
When a devastating tornado rips through the camp, Sean and Athena need to work together despite their differences.
Loving the Rodeo Queen - Rebecca Reed
Quinn Mulroney, former rodeo queen, lost it all. Now, she’s dreaming of becoming a veterinarian while caring for her daughter. She’s never forgotten the one man she called hero.
Tiago Vargas is seeking his passion, hoping to prove himself to his exacting father. When fate brings Quinn back into his life, he sees a second chance at his first love and offers her a job.
But she’s not the same woman he rescued. She carries a secret, and if Tiago discovers it, will he still be her hero, or will her hidden life destroy her last shot at happiness?
Anxious for Love - Gina Conroy
Event planner Charlee Lovelle, with a talent for creating perfect moments, except her own, is fed up with online dating games. Australian dating coach Maxwell Adams just wants to help people find love and take his business to the next level, not play the dodgy Love Doctor. Both frustrated with the superficiality of modern relationships, Charlee and Maxwell engage in an emotional game of tug-of-war as they embark on separate paths of self-discovery. In a whirlwind of humor, heart, and unexpected connection, they navigate the complexities of romance and relationships, but will they recognize the pull towards each other or will their own inner struggles keep them apart?
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub
Title: Starry Nights
Series: A Summer to Remember #2
Authors: Angela Ruth Strong, Carrie Padgett, Tabitha Bouldin, Bell Renshaw
Publisher: Two Dogs Publishing, LLC
Release Date: June 6, 2024
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
Out of Play - Angela Ruth Strong
When single mom Bex Lemaire is asked to step down as her eight-year-old daughter’s soccer coach for getting too competitive, she’s hoping the new coach will let her assist. Former child star Skylar Hayes agrees to take over the team as research for his comeback role. At first, he mistakes Bex for a raving fan but eventually realizes she's only crazy about soccer, which gives her the skills needed to train him. She's all work, while he likes to play, but together, they just might win.
Lauren's Second Chance - Carrie Padgett
Lauren’s Second Chance is a contemporary romance for readers who love sun, sand, and satisfying endings. Lauren and Mason were each other’s first loves, until life broke them apart. A decade later, when the opportunity arises to appear with Mason on a reality show, Lauren is conflicted. She needs this show for what it means to a project near to her heart. But can she keep that heart safe from the man who broke it once? Grab your shades and SPF 30 sunscreen to dive into a reality television dating show story where first love is also forever love.
Her Cowboy Champion - Tabitha Bouldin
It’s true that money can’t buy happiness. No one knows that better than Sage Rhett after her boyfriend steals her photography business and leaves her penniless. Heartbroken, faith shattered, she returns to Apple Creek–the last place she called home.
Maverick Pierce is used to people seeing him for the money attached to his family name. As a Pierce, he’s afforded anything that money can buy, but the one thing he wants can never be bought.
When Sage accepts a job working at the Pierce ranch, Maverick discovers he never stopped loving the fiery cowgirl who broke his heart when she left twelve years ago. If he wants to win her over, he’ll have to do more than flash a little
money. This second chance, rags to riches, cowboy romance pits love against responsibility as Sage and Maverick struggle to overcome their history and trust God for a happily ever after.
Love in the Lyrics - Bell Renshaw
Liberty “Libby” Taylor has maxed out on space for her equine therapy business. The best way to gain the capital she needs in order to expand requires a bit of subterfuge, but that will also mean pulling one over on her new boss.
Singer and songwriter Harland Grey left LA for Winter, Montana in the hopes of finding peace from the demons of his not-so-distant past, but purchasing Melody Ranch may not hold the answers he’s looking for.
Thrown together, sparks fly between the two, but will the secrets kept between them finally be what tears them apart?
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon
Author Interviews with Andrea Christenson, Carrie Padgett, and Rebecca Reed
Andrea Christenson
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Sure! I’m a wife, a mom of two daughters, and a serial procrastinator. I’ve never met a task I can’t put off until tomorrow. Ha! I’m also chronically optimistic, and I think that trait fuels the other. Thankfully, God is faithful and he is always on time with his love for me.
What do you enjoy doing besides writing?
I’m a super avid, omnivore reader. If it has words on it, I’m reading it. I also like hiking (but not too extreme, please!), exploring new places, and hunting for the best ice cream shops.
What is something surprising or intriguing you have come across while researching for a book?
My last book, How Sweet It Is, centered on a bakery. It was so delicious doing the research for that one! For my newest book, Summer at Trillium Lake, I spent way too long trying to find the most expensive pontoon boat on the market. The one briefly mentioned in the book, the Barletta Corsa, retails for $74,000 and up.
Do you like to find visual inspiration for your characters before or during your writing process?
When I first started writing, I skipped this step, but the more books I’ve written, I’ve found it helps to have a photo to reference when describing characters. I usually search for them on free photo sites by searching “Young woman with blue eyes and black hair” or whatever I’m looking for. Then I find the one that closely aligns with the image I built in my mind.
What messages or themes do you find compelling in books that you read or write?
I love the concepts of God’s faithfulness, forgiveness, finding a place for yourself, and finding your worth in Christ. For broader themes, I also lean toward family stories and humor.
What can we look forward to coming from you in the future?
I’m working on another book with Sunrise Publishing! They’ve recently announced a new series titled Hometown Hearts and I’m thrilled to be one of the writers for the debut season of this line.
Carrie Padgett
What do you enjoy doing besides writing?I love spending time with my family, especially my six grandkids. I love to read, so gifts to them are usually books. I enjoy sitting on my back patio, playing cribbage with my husband when the weather permits. We both like to travel. He enjoys cooking and I like eating, so that worked out well for us!
What is something surprising or intriguing you have come across while researching for a book?I have a novel that’s been sitting in the cloud for several years. I’m itching to get back to it. The protagonist is a young mother of two. Her nine-year-old daughter is off-the-charts brilliant, and her three-year-old son has Down Syndrome. So, she has two special-needs children, but they’re incredibly different. I loved learning about the various parenting approaches used in each situation, as well as the parameters that indicate a child is “gifted.” My grandkids are all brilliant, of course! 😉
Do you like to find visual inspiration for your characters before or during your writing process?I have spent waaaaay too much time on Pinterest and looking at stock photos finding just the right face, hair style, or outfit for my characters. I now limit myself or I’ll be lost all day.
Do you listen to music while writing your books? What music genres do you gravitate toward?I usually write with Pandora on low. The station depends on what I’m writing. I have a couple of soundtrack stations I like. One has Broadway and movie tunes, the other is mostly instrumental. I’ll do a Praise & Worship station. I also like what we call Spa music when I need to concentrate.
What messages or themes do you find compelling in books that you read or write?I love a good reconciliation story! I love it when hurts are healed and families are reunited.
What can we look forward to coming from you in the future? I’m working on a couple of short novels that I’ll share more about as soon as I can! Thanks for asking!
Rebecca Reed
Can you tell us a little about yourself?This is my debut novel. In my day job, I’m a Spanish and English teacher at the high school I graduated from. I also co-direct the play and coach track and field. (It’s a tiny school!) I’m a wife, mother of 4, grandmother of 3, and have loved reading since I told my mom I could read then recited every word of my favorite book from memory.
What do you enjoy doing besides writing?Reading, of course, and traveling. I love challenging myself to speak with native speakers and once conversed in Spanish all the way from Madrid to Barcelona on the AVE (high speed) train.
What is something surprising or intriguing you have come across while researching for a book?Learning about the various types of roping events in rodeo was an interesting aspect of research for this novel. I watched tons of videos on how best to time a throw, how to swing the loop over your head and target the cow’s horns or hind legs. I’m glad I don’t have to actually be proficient to write about it because it looks really difficult! I have a new appreciation for the talent and hard work of rodeo athletes.
Do you like to find visual inspiration for your characters before or during your writing process?Often, I wait until I know the characters’ personalities a bit better before finding visuals, but not always. Sometimes I’ll find a photo online that makes me stop and think, “I need to write a story about that person.”
Do you listen to music while writing your books? What music genres do you gravitate toward?I’m old-school when it comes to background noise and writing. I can’t have music playing, or it distracts me. I do enjoy writing outdoors with the sounds of birds and leaves, though.
What messages or themes do you find compelling in books that you read or write?All of the novels I’ve written deal with identity and purpose. Moving characters toward discovering their passion and utilizing their gifts is fun and reveals truth in a fulfilling way. I’m also compelled by forgiveness and reconciliation of past mistakes.
What can we look forward to coming from you in the future? I’m hoping to publish a novel (with characters from
Loving the Rodeo Queen) and a novella in 2025, plus a novel that will be part of a collaboration in 2026. Also be on the lookout for a near-past series set in the 80s with a female jockey as the main character and maybe even some fantasy.
About the Authors
Lisa Phillips is a USA Today and top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author of books that span Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense line, independently published series romantic suspense, and thriller novels. She's discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after.
Connect with Lisa at authorlisaphillips.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Andrea Christenson lives in a Minneapolis, MN suburb with her husband and two daughters. When she is not busy homeschooling her girls, she loves to read anything she can get her hands on. She believes that a great loaf of artistic bread can turn a meal into a masterpiece. Andrea’s prayer is to write stories revealing God’s love.
Connect with Andrea at andreachristenson.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Rebecca Reed loves adventure. From riding race horses to sampling the world's ice cream flavors to writing tales of identity and purpose, she sees obstacles as challenges. You might find her listening to audiobooks on her rural Indiana farm. A wife, mother, and grandmother with a huge, fruit-eating canine, her dream is to bring God glory through fiction that delights readers with compelling, flawed characters whose search for identity and purpose reveals God's truth.
Connect with Rebecca at rebeccareedwrites.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Born and bred in New York, Gina Conroy now lives in the Midwest where she splits her time, and sometimes her personality, as a writer, teacher, and life balance coach. Whether writing fiction or real life stories, Gina infuses faith with fun and hopes her readers take away a satisfying read that delves just beneath the surface.
Connect with Gina at ginaconroy.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Angela Ruth Strong works as a flight attendant, survived breast cancer, and uses her own crazy life experiences as inspiration for the stories she writes. Her books have earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, been nominated for a Christy, won the Cascade Award, and become Amazon bestsellers. She and her husband also got to play extras when her novel Finding Love in Big Sky was adapted for film. To help aspiring authors, Angela started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho.
Connect with Angela at angelaruthstrong.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Carrie Padgett has lived in every part of California, and currently writes from her office with a view of the Sierra Nevada. She thinks nuts take up room where chocolate ought to be and chips and dip should be its own food group. She and her husband have been married for far longer than most reality shows last. She has two daughters, two sons-in-law, and six grandkids who call her Grammie.
Connect with Carrie at carriepadgett.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Tabitha Bouldin has a bachelor's degree in creative writing/English from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author and an avid reader. When she's not homeschooling her kids, you'll find her curled up with a book. Tabitha's genre of choice is Contemporary Christian Romance which she describes as: Adventure with heart.
Connect with Tabitha at tabithabouldin.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Bell Renshaw is a pen name for Emilie Haney. She grew up in the Pacific Northwest and has a love for the outdoors that matches her love for the written word. She turned her passion for stories toward writing at an early age, finding entertainment and adventure in made-up worlds fed by the books her parents read to her as a child. Now, she's still getting lost in those worlds but they are of her own making.
She believes that—no matter what—love fights for what's right.
Connect with Bell/Emilie at emiliehaney.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Tour Giveaway
(2) winners will each win paperback copies of both Bright Lights and Starry Nights.
(4) additional winners will each win ebook copies of both Bright Lights and Starry Nights.
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 3, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 10, 2024. 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 for print copies. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Enter Giveaway
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