Thursday, May 26, 2022

Review: Peace in the Mountain Haven by Misty M. Beller


My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing



Synopsis

This epic journey is her best chance to find the family she and her daughter long for.

Watkuese is desperate to return across the Rocky Mountains before winter sets in. Time is running out for her to get her adopted daughter back to the familiar surroundings of the Shoshone village before the grief of her parents’ death causes irreparable damage.

Hugh Charpentier has spent his life watching over his siblings, which meant also ensuring his brother’s widow and babe are settled well into their new life. Now he’s asked to help shepherd a woman and child he barely knows across the mountains. As hard as it is to keep up with a six-year-old in the treacherous Rockies, it’s not nearly as dangerous as risking his heart to a woman and child who may not ever be his.


My Review

Another epic wilderness adventure in the Call of the Rockies series! I like that these follow a group of friends and travelers (which grows with each book), yet each can be read as a stand alone. They can also be read in order for time continuity. Hugh is a newcomer to this group, joining them when his search for his sister-in-law came to an end. He's solemn and stalwart, which hides his insecurities and pain from his childhood. He's caring and compassionate with others, even when he has a difficult time showing it. Watkuese is grieving her friend's death and honoring her by taking in her daughter, who is also deep in grief, and acting out in unsafe ways. Hugh, his younger brother Louis, and Watkuese work together on their journey back to Watkeuse's tribe to protect the child and help her heal, and it takes time as they make their way through the dangerous terrain. The time also allows for introspection, spiritual growth, and bonding as Hugh and Watkeuse rely on each other. They develop wonderful chemistry and I really enjoyed their romance. A strong addition to the series!

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 Call of the Rockies series . . .
 





Review: Love Practically by Nichole Van


My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing



Synopsis

As a young woman, Leah Penn-Leith fell hopelessly in love with Captain Fox Carnegie—the only irrational mark on her decidedly sensible life. Fox, unfortunately, did not return her regard.

Their story should have ended there. After all, Fox left for India. And Leah returned home to Scotland to rear her much younger brothers.

But twenty years later, Fox appears on Leah’s doorstep—older, scarred, and world-weary—proposing a marriage of convenience between them. He needs a mother for his young ward, and Leah, with her capable good sense, comes highly recommended. What woman could say No to such a proposal? Not Leah. Fox has always wreaked havoc on her ability to think rationally.

But after their marriage, Leah confronts the chaotic reality of Fox’s life. His castle, ten miles up a rugged Highland glen, is shambolic. His ward, Madeline, is a precocious handful. Fox’s time in India is shrouded in rumor and mystery. Worst of all, Fox himself is distant and broken, his personality as altered as his scarred body.

Throughout it all, Leah is left with two questions: What happens to a woman after her most-cherished fantasy comes true? And can a marriage, begun in practicality, transform into something deeper? Something like . . . love.


My Review

I am thrilled for a new series from this author, and was immediately swept away with the setting and characters in Love Practically. Leah and her brothers are close, and I loved how protective they are of her when she decides to take the opportunity to marry Fox, even though it's a marriage of convenience on his part. I was feeling all the feels as Leah serves and sacrifices in her new roles as wife, mother, and homemaker. Each character came to life with mannerisms and personalities that were vibrant and unique- even the cat! Such a heartrending story of love that grows through hardship and healing. I especially enjoyed the poetry that inspired the title of the book and the way it shifted as Leah's brothers saw her change from a woman who loves to a woman who is loved. This is a story I plan to read again, and I'm anxiously awaiting the next book!

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.


Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Review: Games in a Ballroom by Jentry Flint



My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it



Synopsis

She was forbidden to love him.
He only wanted her heart.
Can a childhood game bring them together?


London, 1815

Olivia Wilde has resigned herself to never finding a love match. Her father has insisted she marry a man with a title, but the men her father deems acceptable are either boring or are only interested in increasing their own diminishing coffers. With her future looking dismal, Olivia vows to enjoy the last few months of freedom with her childhood friends, including Emerson Latham. His devilish smile and flirtatious teasing stirs up feelings she knows she cannot entertain.

Emerson is struggling to rise to his responsibilities after his father's death. Though he is still learning his place, one thing he knows for certain is that he wants Olivia Wilde to be his wife. Emerson had long ago fallen in love with her quick wit, beauty, and passionate heart. Yet, without a title, he will never be permitted to court Olivia openly. But he has a plan that may give him a chance to court her in secret.

As the Season kicks off, Emerson proposes a playful game of tag. Olivia's friends are delighted by the idea, though Olivia is wary. After all, the game must be played in secret as they tag each other at dinners and balls. As the romance builds between Olivia and Emerson, so does the risk of being discovered. Not only are their reputations at stake, so is their safety if they are caught by Olivia's strict father.

Can their love find a happily ever after before the game ends?

My Review
 
What a fun notion! The games of tag in the ballroom brought a sense of anticipation throughout the book, although I wasn't sold on the sense of purpose with some of the game-themed scenes, especially one involving cards and two male egos. I thought it was an endearing trait for Emerson to be up for a good game or prank, but Olivia didn't allow herself to feel much which prevented me from connecting to her emotions. She seemed stuck, and she didn't progress for most of the book- frustrating for both myself and Emerson. I think it affected the pace and slowed it down with some repetition of her thought patterns. I began to enjoy the book more with the extremely well-written kissing scenes (*fans self*). I thought the foreshadowing with the pig was very clever and the scene where it takes center stage does not disappoint! I'm planning to read more from this creative author and I hope we get books for each of Emerson's friends/partners-in-crime.

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: A Warrior's Heart by Misty M. Beller


My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing



Synopsis

Brielle Durand is a key defender and hunter for her people's peace-loving French settlement in the Canadian mountains. When a foreigner wanders too near to their secret homes, she has no choice but to disarm and capture him. She won't allow another massacre like the one that killed her mother a dozen years before. But now, what to do with this man who looks at her in a strange way?

Evan MacManus was on assignment to find among the caves the mineral pitchblende that might help America win the War of 1812. Despite being taken prisoner, Evan is determined to complete his mission. But when that assignment becomes at odds with his growing appreciation of the villagers and Brielle, does he follow through on the promise he's made to his government or take a risk on the path his heart tells him is right? Either choice will spell death for someone.


My Review

I absolutely love the premise that a community of people lived and thrived in the northern Canadian wilderness separately from the rest of society. It was fascinating to see real history woven with the author's worldbuilding. The details of the people of Laurent and their history added to the intrigue and adventure. Brielle is the leader of the hunters and has honed skills that provide and protect, but her tough persona is balanced by intuition and thoughtful consideration, especially when she comes to know Evan over time. I liked how she could sense that he was withholding from her, even as she grew to admire him. As always there is a strong faith element as Evan and Brielle come to terms with their pasts and the loyalties they hold. The romance that develops between them despite their roles feels genuine and I enjoyed their chemistry. A strong cast of family and community members brought a foundation that will last through the series.

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 Brides of Laurent series . . .

Book Two
 
Book Three




Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Book Tour, Review & Giveaway: An Unfamiliar Duke by Sian Ann Bessey




My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing



Synopsis

At eleven years of age, Rosalind Ainsworth was convinced that Sebastian Lumley, the future Duke of Kelbrook, was the most odious young man she’d ever met. And ten years later, after having had no contact with the nobleman in the intervening time, her opinion of him has not changed. Unfortunately, neither has the marriage contract their fathers signed soon after her birth.

As Rosalind’s twenty-first birthday and the appointed wedding day approaches, Sebastian makes a rare appearance in London. His first meeting with Rosalind since childhood goes less than perfectly, but Sebastian has a compelling reason for honoring their marriage contract—a reason outlined in a document kept behind his workshop’s locked door.

After a quick wedding, the new couple relocates to Finley Park, where their acquaintanceship slowly blossoms into affection. But when Sebastian’s secretive work threatens their fledgling relationship and Rosalind’s life is placed in jeopardy, Sebastian finds himself forced to choose between the man he has pledged to help and the woman he has come to love.


My Review

I loved this gentle romance! Rosalind and Sebastian are both entering the marriage with few memories of each other, but their maturity helps them navigate their new relationship and I appreciated that their struggles and progress were natural and I loved the small and significant moments that helped them grow closer together. The danger doesn't play a large role until the climax of the book, but the foreshadowing held me in anticipation while I read. The focus on their relationship made this book a pleasure to read, and I loved the way they connected over numbers and Rosalind's genuine interest in Sebastian's work of improvement and innovation. The historical details woven in were fascinating and made the era come alive. All the books in this series are excellent, and this is definitely one of my favorites of them!

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 Georgian Gentlemen series . . .




Giveaway


Monday, May 23, 2022

Book Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: A Deadly Legacy by Malia Zaidi #ADeadlyLegacy #MaliaZaidi #HFVBTBlogTours


A Deadly Legacy by Malia Zaidi

Publication Date: March 15, 2022
Paperback & eBook

Genre: Historical Mystery
Series: A Lady Evelyn Mystery, Book 6


A few months after the Carlisle Detective Agency opened its doors, Lady Evelyn and her partner, Hugh, are twiddling their thumbs. The cases are slow to trickle in, leaving the detectives feeling uninspired. So, when Evelyn's Aunt Louise asks her to join the local chapter of the Women's Institute, she has no excuse to decline the invitation. Yet what she expects to be a tedious gathering, turns out to be anything but. She meets former suffragettes and outspoken women, eager for change, forcing Evelyn to reexamine her own prejudices. A decidedly less welcome surprise is the body she comes across only a few days later. Evelyn need hardly be a professional detective to recognize a murder when she sees one. Amid planning her wedding and navigating family affairs, she sets out to solve the case. The investigation takes Evelyn and Hugh into the past, examining the war years, which left the present far from untarnished. Is the victim's history connected to her death? Could her involvement in the war have given someone a motive for murder? The questions pile up, and Evelyn and Hugh must race against the clock to discover the truth, before more lives are lost, not least, their own…

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Target | Walmart

 

Excerpt

Prologue

She heard them coming through the fog that clouded her mind, made her eyes swim and head throb. The footsteps were heavy, brutal in their approach. Pushing herself up, a spasm of pain ran like a hot poker down her left side and she gasped and pressed her lips together. I will not scream. I will not scream. Tears shot to her eyes, but she swallowed the sob of agony in her throat.

Steeling herself for the door to open, for it to begin anew, she sat as straight as she could, favoring her right side on the stiff straw mattress. Her brow was damp with perspiration. She could taste the salt on her upper lip. Her bare arms were covered in gooseflesh. Though she had hardened herself for this very occasion, the calm she hoped would descend upon her did not come. Her heart beat an angry rhythm in her chest. Counting in her mind, she waited, eyes closed. The steps grew closer. One, two, three. . . She opened her eyes. They were moving away. Her chest felt tight. Something was wrong. What was happening?

A door creaked somewhere down the hallway. The sound of movement, a scuffle. Raised voices and the unmistakable snap of leather against flesh. A cry. A howl. That voice . . .

No. No!

She flew at the closed door, but misjudging her strength and the ferocity of her injury, collapsed before crossing half the short distance. What had she done? She had known the moment the words passed her lips it would be her greatest regret. Yet the hope her betrayal came too late lived inside her until this moment, which proved the opposite true. Pressing her hands to her face, she could hold in her sobs no longer. The pain, the exhaustion and now this, this shattering confrontation with her own weakness, her moral failing was too much to bear. The ground was cold and welcoming as she lay down, and she could not imagine finding the strength ever to rise again.

Time became liquid, flowing around her until she lost her grip on it entirely. Hours passed, then days. Meals were brought, more questions asked, more bruises added to join the map of blue and green patterning her body, tattoos of her mistakes.

She did not beg. Whatever semblance remained of the dignified, clever woman she may once have been left a trace. Whatever clarity her mind possessed was focused on one fact alone, her guilt. Bruises could fade and sores heal, there was no balm to soothe away the damage she had caused. Every time her mind reached this conclusion anew, she sank into a heap of despair on the ground. The cold did not touch her anymore. The gnawing hunger in her belly felt like her just deserts as did the shock of pain burning an eternal flame along the length of her body. And yet . . . had there not been a sliver of hope, just the tiniest fragment, she might have dashed her head against the wall and been done with life, with suffering and pain.

One night – this much she could tell from the tiny, filthy window set high into one wall - her door was opened. She lay on her mattress. The sound of the key in the lock, the metal bolt scraping back made her open her eyes, crusty with sleep and blink into the dim room.

“Aufstehen!” came the barked command, and a torch beam sliced through the darkness, bringing tears to her eyes. The man in the doorway was tall, his voice young as he ordered her to get up. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as she made no move to obey. Let him command all he wanted, what could he do that had not already been done?

“Los, aufstehen!” he shouted once more, throwing a quick glance over his shoulder. Nervous. She did not recognize him. He was a new arrival.

“Warum?” she croaked, conjuring a smile to her cracked lips. It had its intended effect and, riled, he stepped forward.

“Der Kommandant fordert es!“ So he had sent for her once more. She wondered what he could want. Hadn’t she given them enough? Hadn’t they wrung her dry like a limp cleaning rag? Curiosity got the better of her, curiosity and a vague hope that she might be able to alter what she had done.

Slowly, she peeled herself from the misshapen mattress she called a bed and, leaning towards her right, pushed herself up to stand. Her whole body pulsed with pain, and she bit down so hard she could taste the metallic tang of blood on her tongue. The young man was impatient and though the lethargy in her movement was not by choice, she took some pleasure in making him squirm. By the time she reached the door, her legs trembled and her hands were slick. She gripped for the doorframe, but the soldier, either impatient or taking pity on her, took hold of an arm and lent her support. He was younger even than her, she noticed. Just an overgrown boy like so many of them.

By the time they reached a spare room up two flights of stairs, the young man was more or less carrying her. She was deposited on a hard, wooden chair in front of the window. It looked onto a closed courtyard, illuminated by cold light. The flagstones were slick with water. It must have rained. She knew nothing of the outside world, the whims and wiles of the weather. Her back was to the door, still she felt his presence even before he made himself heard. The commander was a man with presence, whatever that meant. He was tall and lean, but filled a room to the point that she could hardly find the air to breathe when he was there.

“What do you want?” she asked, trying to steel her voice, to sound hard and bored, knowing the sorry sight she presented, emaciated and pale, told a different story.

“He stepped into the room, his hat tucked under his arm. “You gave me something, so I thought it is only right I should return the favor.”

He was standing behind her now, his powerful hand resting on her shoulder. She tried to shrug it off, but he only let out a low chuckle at her feeble attempts. Bending down, he whispered into her ear and pointed into the courtyard.

“Look.”

Indeed, as he entered the room, her focus had shifted and it was only now she noticed the commotion in the space below. Her breath caught in her throat.

A man was being led out between two soldiers. He was barefoot, his hands bound and face bloodied. She would have recognized him in a crowd of a million. She reached out, but glass and space separated her from him. Look up, she thought, then immediately shrank back. No, no he must not see her, must not know who brought him to this place.

“Now, now, so squeamish all of a sudden?” the voice in her ear whispered. Her chair was pushed forward so close she was trapped in front of the window.

One of the soldiers had produced a black sack he pulled over his captive’s head before marching him to the wall. She could not bear it, yet she could not tear her eyes away, willing fate to intervene, wishing the God she had forsaken herself would show his mercy after all.

The soldier walked back. The second drew a pistol.

A shot.

A scream.

Silence.

About the Author

 

Malia Zaidi is the author of The Lady Evelyn Mysteries. She studied at the University of Pittsburgh and at the University of Oxford. Having grown up in Germany, she currently lives in Washington DC, though through her love of reading, she resides vicariously (if temporarily) in countries around the world.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads


Blog Tour Schedule

Thursday, May 19
Review at Passages to the Past

Monday, May 23
Excerpt at Heidi Reads

Friday, May 27
Excerpt at The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Monday, May 30
Guest Post at The Cozy Book Blog

Tuesday, May 31
Review at Gwendalyn's Books

Thursday, June 2
Guest Post & Excerpt at Older & Smarter

Saturday, June 4
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Monday, June 6
Excerpt at bookworlder

Thursday, June 9
Excerpt at Coffee and Ink

Giveaway

 
Enter to win all 6 books in the Lady Evelyn Mystery series!

Book One: A Poisonous Journey
Book Two: A Darker Shore
Book Three: The Study of Silence
Book Four: The Golden Hour
Book Five: The Quality of Mercy
Book Six: A Deadly Legacy

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on June 9th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

A Deadly Legacy





Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Her Mountain Refuge by Laurel Blount

Her Mountain Refuge JustRead Blog Tour 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Her Mountain Refuge by Laurel Blount, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

 
Her Mountain Refuge

Title: Her Mountain Refuge 
Author: Laurel Blount
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired
Release Date: May 24, 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christian

Going home could mean risking her heart… 
She needs help to start over… 
But can she ever trust again? 

Widowed, pregnant and under her controlling mother-in-law’s thumb, Charlotte Tremaine needs help—but she doesn’t expect it to come from her estranged childhood best friend. Yet after a fainting spell lands her in the hospital, Sheriff Logan Carter whisks her away to his foster mother’s mountain home to recover. But when her secrets follow, can she face her painful past with Logan at her side?

 

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

 
 

EXCERPT


Logan laughed and looked relieved. “Ruby can get pretty heavy-handed with her matchmaking. I just didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

She patted his arm. “You’re talking to a very pregnant lady. Uncomfortable is my middle name. Don’t worry. Ruby won’t bother me. I know you’ve never looked at me that way.” When Logan didn’t answer, Charlotte clarified, “Romantically, I mean.”

Logan started walking again. “Watch your step,” he cautioned. “The light’s going, and you don’t want to trip.”

It wasn’t much dimmer now than it had been a few minutes ago. Charlotte studied Logan’s face. “You haven’t ever, have you? Looked at me that way?” When he stayed silent, she frowned. “I mean, we’ve always just been really good friends. Right?”

Logan sighed and stopped again. Leaning one elbow on the top of a weathered fence post, he looked away from her, toward the red-and-golden clouds celebrating the sunset.

“Mostly,” he said finally. “Mostly I’ve thought of you as a friend.”
 


 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 
Laurel Blount 

Award-winning author Laurel Blount writes captivating romances full of grit and grace—with characters who’ll walk right off the page and into your heart. She lives on a farm in Georgia with her husband, their four fabulous kids, and an assortment of ridiculously spoiled animals. Connect with her at www.laurelblountbooks.com

CONNECT WITH LAUREL: Website | Facebook | Instagram
 

 

TOUR GIVEAWAY

 

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card, Faith Can Move Mountains Tote Bag, and signed copies of the two Cedar Ridge Love Inspired books, Lost and Found Faith and Her Mountain Refuge!

Her Mountain Refuge JustRead Giveaway 

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 23, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 30, 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!

JustRead Publicity Tours 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.