Monday, August 14, 2017

Review & Giveaway: The Alaskan Catch by Beth Carpenter




On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Alaskan Catch
(Northern Lights #1)
by Beth Carpenter
Adult Contemporary Romance
Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 368 pages
August 1st 2017 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Where life's currents take you…

Dana Raynott just traveled 3,600 miles to reunite with the brother who changed his name and fled to Alaska nineteen years ago. It's impossible not to be moved by this wild, breathtaking state, even if Dana's no closer to finding the answers she came here for.

Her brother's best friend, Anchorage engineer Sam MacKettrick, might be able to help her. He's strong and kind—a six-foot, irresistible blend of diverse cultures. He's also haunted by a tragic family history with a startling connection to Dana's past…

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin│Kobo│Google Play│iTunes

My Review

What an adventure! I loved all the details of Dana's adventure in Alaska. There was a mystery of old family secrets, a friendship-to-romance relationship, exciting excursions, and descriptions of amazing landscapes and wildlife. I felt like the emotions of the characters weren't delved into so I didn't make an emotional connection with them and felt more like an observer, but they were so likable and realistic and entertaining that I just tried to fill in the blanks for myself and enjoyed reading the story. It had a great pace and balance between all the elements of the plot, and each aspect unfolded naturally as I read. Dana and Sam gradually confide in each other and their conversations on life made them more three-dimensional and complex, especially when they discovered their connection to the past. I also enjoyed Chris, Dana's brother (who I hope will have a book of his own), and Ursula, Sam's surrogate mother, who rounded out the story and the interactions with them showed deeper parts of Dana and Sam's personalities. Looking forward to reading more by this author and someday visiting Alaska myself!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


About the Author


Once upon a time ...

when Beth Carpenter was a little girl, she read everything she could get her hands on, and entertained herself on the school bus by making up stories in her head. Not a lot has changed. She's still consuming books like M&Ms, and spends her days creating happily-ever-afters for her imaginary friends.

She lives in Alaska and Arizona with her husband and an aggressively affectionate fifty-pound lap dog. She loves to hear from readers.

 Taste of Alaska Prize Pack (US only), which includes:
  • Alaska cross-body bag
  • Wild Smoked Alaska Salmon for Dip
  • Alaska Wild Berry Company Bering Sea Salt Caramels
  • Gold Nugget Chocolate Chunks
  • Raspberry Herbal Tea
  • Salmon Jerky – Teriyaki and Original
  • Three Bears Postcard
  • Alaska Sourdough Starter
  • Moose Notecards by Alaskan Artist Vonnie Gaither

 $25 Amazon Gift Card (open internationally)

Ends August 22nd

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Thursday, August 10, 2017

Review, Interview, & Giveaway: Courting the Country Miss by Donna Hatch







Cynical and broken-hearted, Leticia banishes dreams of marriage. When her childhood friend, Tristan, wagers he can find her the perfect husband, she hopes the challenge will coax him to forgo his devil-may-care lifestyle. Meanwhile, Leticia throws herself into forming her charity school but meets opposition—even from the people she’s helping.


Guilt-ridden that his past mistakes robbed Leticia of true love, Tristan vows to set it right, but match-making has its pitfalls for a repentant scoundrel. When he finds two ‘perfect’ gentlemen to court her, he discovers his own deep feelings for the lady.



Though Tristan seems to reform, Leticia doesn’t dare risk heartbreak with a notorious rake. When opposition for the school takes a deadly turn, can Tristan protect her from a madman bent on destroying their dreams and their lives?



Come check out her other books and see what's new!


And she has even more books we have not featured!

Be sure to check them out on her website!


Donna Hatch is the author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” and a winner of writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she discovered her writing passion at the tender age of 8 and has been listening to those voices ever since. She has become a sought-after workshop presenter, and also juggles freelance editing, multiple volunteer positions, and most of all, her six children (seven, counting her husband). A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.


Connect with the Author here: 

~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Amazon ~
~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~



I loved reading about the characters again from Courting the Countess and seeing the story continue. I'm not a fan of "rakes" so it took a while for me to warm up to Tristan, but as the story progressed his vulnerabilities were revealed and his choices to become better and worthy of Leticia made him easier to like. Leticia's disappointment in her love life is the focus of her thoughts early in the book, so I was glad when she put her efforts into creating opportunities for education  for the lower class. The action in the plot that came later made things exciting and it was great to see Leticia and Tristan's relationship develop from sibling-like to romance. Another lovely Regency from this author!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions expressed are my own)



Can you tell us a little about yourself? 

I have been married for almost 30 years and we have 6 children and one grandchild. I recently moved to the Pacific Northwest and I love the beautiful area! My first book was published in 2008 and to date, I have 19 published titles.

What do you do besides writing? 

I enjoy going for walks, hiking, and music in all its forms: listening to it, singing, and playing the harp. I enjoy old movies and browsing antique stores. Since my move to the Pacific Northwest, I have taken up gardening a little which I enjoy much more than when I lived in the Arizona desert.

Do you have images you can share that come close to how you picture your characters? Do you like to find visual inspiration for your characters before or during your writing process? 

The female model on the cover of my book looks a lot like I'd pictured my heroine, Leticia, of this book. My hero, Tristan, looks nothing like the model. My hero looks more like the hero on the cover of my book, The Suspect's Daughter.  The appearance of the characters usually develops during the first few chapters of the rough draft.

What are some songs that you listened to or inspired you while writing your book? 

I like to listen to new age piano music such as Yanni or David Lanz or to the Regency Age music channel on Pandora. I can't listen to any lyrics or a drum beat or it bumps me out of my writing groove.

What message would you like readers to ultimately take away from the book? 

Take your pick; love conquers all, we all deserve second chances, forgiveness heals wounded hearts, serving others makes us better people and creates meaning and purpose to our lives. Readers might pick out others.

What can we look forward to coming from you in the future? 

I am working on book five of the Rogue Hearts series and I'm also plotting a third book in the Courting Series.



To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 








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Link-up: Free / Bargain Books



Sharing the Love of Books
Enjoy our selection of New Releases / Free & Bargain Books this week

Authors please feel free to add your own books
Readers please free to add your own finds
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...
Monday
 Leels Loves Books | IrishdaisylovesRomance | Book Babble | Traci Hayden
Tuesday
Celticlady's Reviews | First Time Mommy Adventures 
Wednesday
Beck Valley Books | Jude Ouvrard
Thursday
Miki's Hope | Heidi Reads...
Friday
Ebook Addicts | I Love Romance | Colorimetry | J.C. Clarke
Saturday
3 Partners in Shopping | I Create Purty Thangs | Wishful Endings 
Sunday

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author
For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author
For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date 
For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please.  Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, incase any underage child is viewing it!)

Here is this weeks awesome selection!

Would you like to share our linkup on your site? click here
Would you like to become a weekly host? sign up here
Come back and check out the new selection every week!







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Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Review & Giveaway: Havencross by Julie Daines


Heidi Reads... Havencross by Julie Daines

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttps://deseretbook.com/p/havencross?autocomplete=true&variant_id=154451-paperbackhttp://www.bookdepository.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

When a shocking scandal involving her father spreads through London society, Elaine Cardinham and her parents are forced to retreat to their country home in Cornwall for refuge. But Havencross is no sanctuary for Elaine. She is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of her brother—and the heartbreak she left in her wake all those years ago. It has been five long years since Gareth Kemp last saw Elaine—when she rejected his marriage proposal. Her reappearance convinces him of one thing: he has never stopped loving her. To put his feelings for her aside, he focuses his attention on the dangerous smuggling plaguing the Cornish coast. As Elaine attempts to run from her past, she ventures ever closer to a dangerous truth—and Gareth may be the only one who can save her from a deadly finish.

My Review

I love this author's writing style, so I was so excited to read her new book! And it did not disappoint. I felt transported to the setting and loved the rich historical details and descriptions of the landscape. Elaine and Gareth are easy to like, and I loved how their relationship developed as they grew close again. The danger and tension of the plot kept the pace moving steadily along and I felt like there was a good balance between the various aspects of the story. This is definitely a book I plan to read again and highly recommend!

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