Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Spotlight & Excerpt: No Journey Too Far by Carrie Turansky




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Synopsis

It's 1919, and Garth McAlister returns from to England to be reunited with his family after fighting in the Great War. But his heart is still in Canada with his sweetheart, Emma Lafferty. It's been four months since he has heard from Emma, and he is determined to return to Canada and discover if she still loves him or has given her heart to another. The ten-year-search for his youngest sister Grace continues, and the family is stunned to receive a letter from Grace, who is now almost eighteen and living in Toronto, Canada. Follow the heart-tugging story of these young adult British Home Children as they seek to be reunited with those they love.

EXCERPT

Prologue

Belleville, Ontario, Canada

May 1909

Grace McAlister held tight to her sister Katie’s hand as they slowly walked across the large open room in the Belleville Town Hall.

“It’s all right, Grace. We’re going to meet our new family this morning.” Katie smiled down at her, but it didn’t look like her real smile.

Grace swallowed hard and pushed out her words. “What if they’re not nice?”

“Anyone who would take in children who are not their own must have a kind heart.” Her words sounded brave, but she still looked worried.

Grace matched Katie’s steps as they followed the line of girls who had come with them on the big ship from England to Canada and then on the train to Belleville. She wished she had eaten more of the porridge at breakfast that morning, but her tummy felt funny, and she’d pushed her bowl aside after a few bites. She missed Mum, Garth, and Laura. Where were they? Why didn’t they come and take her and Katie home?

Grace and Katie joined the line of girls along the back wall of the room. Miss Delaney, the tall lady with red hair who had come over on the ship with them, talked to two men and an old lady sitting at a long table in the front of the room.

Who were they? Where was her new family? Would they like her? When could she and Katie go home and see Mum?

A buzzing began in Grace’s head like there was a bee inside. She squeezed her eyes tight until the buzzing finally went away. Taking a slow deep breath, she opened her eyes. Everything would be all right. Katie promised it would.

She smoothed the pinafore over her green dress. All the other girls were dressed the same, and each wore a blue jacket and straw hat like hers. Most of the girls were bigger, like Katie, who was fourteen. She looked down the row, searching for Millie, the only girl in their group younger than Grace. Millie was six, and Grace was seven. They’d played together on the ship. Would Millie find a new family too? What if no one wanted her? What if no one wanted Grace and Katie?

The buzzing in her head came back. She stepped closer to Katie and leaned against her side. Her sister’s arm felt warm like when they used to sit together in the big chair at home and Katie would read her a story.

Miss Delaney crossed the room and stopped in front of Grace. She wore a plain brown dress and small hat, and her pink cheeks were covered with freckles. “All right, girls. I want you to stand up straight. Look smart and be quiet and respectful to the people who come in to see you.”

Grace’s tummy tightened. She peeked up at Katie. Her sister stood taller and lifted her chin like Miss Delaney.

A side door opened, and a man and lady walked in and came toward the line of girls. The man was tall and wore a black suit and hat. He looked at each girl as he and the lady moved down the line. The lady wore a dress the color of pennies. Her big hat was the same color, with lots of flowers and feathers on top. She had a pretty face and blue eyes. As the lady came closer, Grace could see she had brown hair under her hat.

The man and lady stopped in front of them. The lady looked down at Grace for a few seconds and smiled. She turned to the man. He nodded and then took the lady’s arm and they moved down the row.

“They didn’t like us?” Grace’s voice felt tight and shaky.

Katie put her arm around Grace. “Don’t worry. I’m sure there are more families coming in soon.”

Grace fiddled with the edge of her pinafore and counted the boards on the floor around her. She thought about Mum and the times they used to go to the park near their flat over the dress shop. Grace liked feeding the ducks and chasing Garth and Katie across the grass. Mum would smile as she watched them from the bench in the shade of the big tree by the pond. Grace wished they could all go to the park again.

“I’d like you to come with me, Grace.”

Grace sucked in a breath and looked up. Miss Delaney stood in front of her.

Katie gripped Grace’s hand. “Why? Where are you taking her?” Her voice sounded high and scared.

Miss Delaney motioned toward the front of the room where the man and lady stood. “That couple would like to talk to her.”

Katie pressed her lips together for a second, then nodded. “Go ahead, Grace.” Katie let go of Grace’s hand. “Just be sure to tell them I’m your sister and we have to stay together.”

Before Grace could answer, Miss Delaney took her hand and tugged her across the room. Her face felt hot, and she could feel her heart beating hard. Why couldn’t Katie come with her to talk to the man and lady? What did they want to say to her?

“This is Grace.” Miss Delaney gave her a little push toward the man and lady. “She’s seven years old.”

The lady in the penny-colored dress smiled. “Hello, Grace. I’m Mrs. Hamilton, and this is Mr. Hamilton.”

Grace knew she should say something, but she couldn’t make her voice come out. She bit her lip and looked at the floor.

“Have you been to school yet?” The man’s voice was strong and loud.

Grace kept her eyes down. If she said yes, would they ask her to count or recite? She could do that with Katie but not with people she didn’t know.

The lady bent down toward her. “Can you tell us something you enjoy doing?” Her voice sounded nice, but when Grace glanced at her face, there were lines across the lady’s forehead. Was she mad because Grace didn’t answer?

Grace peeked over her shoulder at Katie. Her sister sent her a pleading look, but Grace wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say or do.

“Mr. Hamilton and I have a dog named Cooper,” the lady continued. “He’s a very pretty collie. We like to take him for walks in the park or spend time with him out in our garden. Do you like dogs?”

Most of the dogs Grace had seen in London lived on the street and weren’t very friendly. Her mum had always told her to stay away from them. What should she say?

“What’s your favorite food?” the lady asked.

If she said Mum’s meat pies, would they know what she meant? Grace shrugged.

The man frowned. “Why won’t she speak to us?”

Mrs. Hamilton patted Grace’s shoulder. “I’m sure this is all a bit overwhelming.” She turned to Miss Delaney. “Do you have information about her background and family? Is she in good health?”

“She’s in excellent health. All the children are given examinations before they leave England and on arrival in Canada.” Miss Delaney opened a file and sorted through some papers. “She’s an orphan from London with no relatives who can care for her. She was born on May 16.” She closed the file and looked up at Mrs. Hamilton. “I can assure you she will have more to say once she feels comfortable. Isn’t that right, Grace?”

“Yes ma’am,” Grace whispered.

Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton looked at each other. Mr. Hamilton nodded and then turned to Miss Delaney. “Very well. We’ll take her.”

Grace gasped. They were going to take her? What about Katie? She turned and looked toward the back wall. Her sister watched her with wide eyes.

Mr. Hamilton stepped up to the table and signed a paper. Mrs. Hamilton took Grace’s hand and started toward the side door.

Grace pulled back. “Wait!”

“It’s all right, dear.” Mrs. Hamilton gripped harder and continued toward the door. “Our motorcar is just outside. Have you ever ridden in a motorcar?”

“No! No!” She screamed and tried to wriggle away.

Mrs. Hamilton held on tight. “There’s no need to make a fuss.”

Grace’s eyes burned and overflowed, and her cries turned to jerky sobs.

“That’s enough! Settle down, Grace!” Mr. Hamilton scooped her up and hurried across the room.

Grace tried to get away, but Mr. Hamilton’s strong arms pressed her hard against his chest. She jerked her head up, searching for her sister as they passed out the door. Katie stood by the wall, a wide-eyed, fearful look on her face. Grace’s heart lurched, and she screamed her sister’s name. But the door slammed behind them, and she couldn’t see Katie anymore.

 

Excerpted from No Journey Too Far. Copyright © 2021 by Carrie Turansky. Used by permission of Multnomah, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 
CARRIE TURANSKY is an award-winning author of twenty novels and novellas. She has won the ACFW Carol Award, the Crystal Globe Award, and the International Digital Award, and she was a finalist for the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award and the Maggie Award of Excellence.

A prolific writer of contemporary and historical romance,
women’s fiction, short stories, articles, and devotionals, Turansky
lives in central New Jersey with her husband, Scott. They have
five adult children and six grandchildren.
 
For more information, visit www.carrieturansky.com.
Facebook: @AuthorCarrieTuransky
Twitter/Instagram: @CarrieTuransky






Friday, June 4, 2021

Review: The Heart's Charge by Karen Witemeyer



My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

Members of Hanger's Horsemen, Mark Wallace and Jonah Brooks arrive in Llano County, Texas, to deliver a steed, never expecting they'd deliver a baby as well. Left with an infant to care for, they head to a nearby foundling home, where Mark encounters the woman he'd nearly married a decade ago.

After failing at love, Katherine Palmer dedicated her life to caring for children, teaming up with Eliza Southerland to start Harmony House. From mixed ancestry, illegitimate, and female, Eliza understands the pain of not fitting society's mold. Yet those are the very attributes that lead her to minister to outcast children. The taciturn Jonah intrigues her with his courage and kindness, but there are secrets behind his eyes--ghosts from wars past and others still being waged.

However, when a handful of urchin children from the area go missing, a pair of Horsemen are exactly what the women need. Working together to find the children, will these two couples find love as well?


My Review

We get a two for one romance in The Heart's Charge! I loved both couples, but especially enjoyed Jonah and Eliza as they unexpectedly fall in love after believing it would never be in their futures. There is a great balance struck between the adventure, suspense, good humor, sweet romance, and spiritual growth. The pace was steady with spurts of acceleration as danger threatens the children of the community. Rawley, Abner, and the other kids in the story were a fun contrast to the adults, and contributed in their own special way to solving the mystery and making the story come to life. The way Mark, Jonah, Katherine, and Eliza interacted with the children showed deeper aspects of the adults' personalities in a way that was more impactful than simply telling. I admire the qualities of the men of Hanger's Horsemen that have them ready and willing to fight for those who need an extra measure of protection and assistance. I'm excited to see what the next book brings!

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 Hanger's Horseman series . . .




Thursday, June 3, 2021

Review: Just a Boyfriend by Sariah Wilson



My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

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Synopsis

The rules of love and second chances are due for a major-league shake-up in a warm, witty, and unpredictable romance by the bestselling author of The Friend Zone.

Ian “Bash” Sebastian and Ember Carlson were high school sweethearts…until their single parents got married. With one thorny twist of fate, a secret young crush went from on fire to off-limits. What could a new stepbrother do but bail? Now, after almost four years, Bash has returned to Seattle, and he’s back in Ember’s orbit at End of the Line. EOL is the go-to college for second-chance scholarships. But what about love?

Sure, the old hurts are there. So is the attraction—and it’s more magnetic than ever. Still, they’re adults now, levelheaded and just fine with the friend thing. If only to make family dinners less awkward. But when they agree to start dating other people, moving on threatens to bring them closer together than ever.

Is it time to admit their past to their parents? Even trickier, their hope for the future? Because Ember and Bash deserve a love story of their own. With all their defenses down, can they make it a happy ever after?

My Review

What an angst-fest of emotion! Bash and Ember have quite the history- sweet first love mixed with heartbreak and zero closure. I was worried in the beginning of the book as I read that dating others would be the main plot and they would just avoid the feelings, but thankfully the author dives into their messy relationship and the reader gets to hang on for the ride as they work through their issues. They have awesome chemistry and the flashbacks helped establish their foundation of friendship and romance as they explore that territory again. Themes of trust, healing, forgiveness, family loyalty, and personal autonomy made this book deeper than I expected and increased my reading enjoyment!

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 in the End of the Line series . . .




Thursday, May 27, 2021

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Rising Danger by Jerusha Agen

Rising Danger JustRead Blog Tour 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Rising Danger by Jerusha Agen, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rising Danger

Title: Rising Danger
Author: Jerusha Agen
Publisher: Love Inspired Trade
Release Date: May 25, 2021
Genre: Christian, Romantic Suspense

It’s up to a K-9 handler and her canine partner to stop a bomber before it’s too late. 

Someone’s planting explosives on dams in the Twin Cities, and Bristol Bachmann and her bomb-sniffing dog must move quickly to find them before everything ends up underwater. That means relying on the dams’ supervisor—an ex-boyfriend Bristol never thought she’d see again. Hopefully Remington Jones has grown up from the rakish charmer she knew in her academy days. Because lives now depend entirely on them… 

It’s an environmental terrorist who wants the dams gone, and his bid to set the waters free has lethal consequences. When he sees Bristol and her K-9 working to stop him, he sets his sights on them. Can they evade him in a lethal game of cat and mouse and protect the cities from devastating destruction before the clock runs out?

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

 

EXCERPT

“Hey, Bachmann. Good to see you.” Miles gave her a smile as he passed through with Duke.

“You, too, Miles.”

Toby wagged his tail but held true to his training and didn’t try to smell the other dog as they followed Miles through the entryway and second set of doors.

They rounded the barricade blocking the entry from the escaping people and stopped in the lobby where the crowd dwindled to a trickle as the remaining visitors exited.

“I’m glad the sergeant called the Phoenix K-9 agency to bring you in, too.” Miles’s green eyes pulsed with his charac­teristic insatiable energy. “Nick is out with an injury.”

“Oh, no.” Heavy blow to the MPD Bomb Unit, losing the K-9 star of their most experienced detection team. “Is it bad?”

“Just a sprain. Training injury. I’m glad we have backup now with your new partner.” Miles grinned at Toby.

“Me, too.” Relief washed through her. Maybe Miles understood why she had left MPD’s bomb squad to join the private K-9 security and detection agency owned by Phoenix Gray. “So what have we got here?”

Miles dropped his smile. “I was told the threat indicated an intention to blow up the dam, so there could be one or more devices anywhere in the building. Or in the dam itself.”

Nerves twisted her insides. She’d hoped the target was the new visitor center, not the actual dam. She swallowed hard. “Wouldn’t that cause flooding?”

“Probably. The safety supervisor for the dam is supposed to meet us—”

“That’s me.” The masculine voice with a hint of roughness singed her ears. It couldn’t be…

“Sorry to be late.”

She turned to see the source of the voice.

“I was overseeing the evac…” Remington Jones stood six feet away, his sentence dying off as his gaze locked on her face. He’d grown a closely trimmed beard and his golden brown hair was longer on top, but there was no change in those un­mistakable chocolate brown eyes or the grin that slowly curved his mouth. “Bristol Bachmann.”

The sound of her name on his lips stirred her nervous stomach as though fish decided to take a swim in the tension pooling there.

“You know each other?” Miles cut in like a life preserver.

“Very well.” Rem gave her a too-familiar grin, as if they were still dating and she hadn’t learned his true character.

She tightened her abs, forcing away her silly schoolgirl flut­ters. She may have fallen for him six years ago, but she never made the same mistake twice. Apparently, she needed to make that clear. “You’re in charge of dam safety?”

 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jerusha Agen 

Jerusha Agen imagines danger around every corner, but knows God is there, too. So naturally, she writes romantic suspense infused with the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jerusha loves to hang out with her big furry dogs and little furry cats, often while reading or watching movies. Find more of Jerusha’s thrilling, fear-fighting stories at JerushaAgen.com.

CONNECT WITH JERUSHA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Rising Danger by Jerusha Agen!

Rising Danger JustRead Giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 26, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 2, 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


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

JustRead Publicity Tours 

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