Justice Betrayed

GIVEAWAY

BRADLEY, PATRICIA
JUSTICE BETRAYED

Unsolved murders seventeen years apart are about to get personal...

It's Elvis week in Memphis, and homicide detective Rachel Sloan isn't sure her day could get any stranger when aging Elvis impersonator Vic Vegas asks to see her. But when he produces a photo of her murdered mother with four Elvis impersonators -- one of whom had also been murdered soon after the photo was taken -- she's forced to reevaluate. Is there some connection between the two unsolved cases? And could the recent break-in at Vic's home be tied to his obsession with finding his friend's killer?

When yet another person in the photo is murdered, Rachel suddenly has her hands full investigating three cases. Lieutenant Boone Callahan offers his help, but their checkered romantic past threatens to get in the way. Can they solve the cases before the murderer makes Rachel victim number four?

My Review:

"Maybe she didn't have peace because she wouldn't let God in." (p 141)

Breath-snatching good! The way the author weaves past and present together into a frenzy of a cold case suddenly turned hot is mind blowing! I was on tenterhooks the whole read. And I love the way the case is set out -- very police procedural so you feel like you're right there working every clue with meticulous detail right along with Rachel and Boone. And oh, those twists and turns and the line up of potential suspects is riveting! I managed to whittle it down to two close to the end and then -- bam! -- it all comes together with startling clarity when it's almost too late!

Rachel really intrigued me when I met her in Justice Buried. A little uptight, very focused and very mysterious. Especially when it came to her interactions with Boone. So I was thrilled to dive right in and get deeper into their individual stories and the reason for all the sizzling fireworks that set off every time they are together. The romance is just as angst-riddled as the suspense. Often subtle at times though there's no doubting the connection Rachel and Boone have.

An edge-of-your-seat thrill of a read!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Justice Betrayed, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday November 4 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Grave Peril

GIVEAWAY

ALFORD, MARY
GRAVE PERIL

Mountain Ambush
Reunions can be deadly

Jamie Hendricks always believed her late father was innocent of murder...and now her uncle claims to have proof. But when she arrives in her hometown, her uncle has vanished -- and someone wants her dead. Jamie's ex-boyfriend, CIA agent Gavin Dalton, is the only person she trusts...even if he believes her dad killed his father. But can he help her uncover a deadly consipiracy that goes deeper than anyone expected?

My Review:

Adrenaline rush of a read! If bullets weren't flying, things were exploding or crashing or...insert any number of dangers you can think of! This is one page-turner of a suspense. Chock full of emotional angst too. Ten years ago Jamie and Gavin were high school sweethearts but when tragedy strikes, young love isn't enough to weather the storms and they haven't seen each other since. Residual feelings -- both sweet and painful -- get in the way of their fight for survival...and Alford barely gives them a minute to try and work things out! Phew! Another fast-paced romantic suspense from a favourite LIS author!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Grave Peril leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 21 2108. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Her Fear

GIVEAWAY

GRAY, SHELLEY SHEPARD
HER FEAR

In New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray's latest novel of suspense in her Amish of Hart County series, an EMT falls for a woman with ties to an Amish community where people are dying similar, suspicious deaths.

Sadie Detweiler never imagined she'd move to Kentucky, ye here she is: a pregnant, unmarried Amish girl banished by unforgiving parents to live with kin she barely knows. The men are gruff and her cousins are secretive. Worst of all, elderly matriarch Verba becomes mysteriously ill shortly after Sadie moves in. When EMT Noah Freeman arrives, Sadie immediately notices he's unlike any other Amish man she's met. Noah is warm, confident, and has an easy way with practically everyone in the community both Amish and English. Though Sadie is drawn to him, she has little hope he will reciprocate her feelings once he learns she is with child.

Noah can't understand how a girl as sweet and lovely as Sadie ended up sleeping on a cot in Verba Stauffer's kitchen. He also senses Sadie is terrified of something. Concerned, he checks up on her. Eventually they strike up a friendship and soon their attraction is undeniable. When Verba later dies at the hospital and her death is followed by two others, Noah's boss wants him to dig around the Amish community for clues. He agrees -- for Sadie's sake -- because only the truth will keep her safe and by his side.

My Review:

"Fear was being alone. Fear was feeling abandoned. Fear was realizing that anyone could lie, hurt, and betray her. Anyone at all." 

Phew! That whoosh you hear is hours worth of pent-up breath being released at last. What an emotional, mysterious, compelling read! Amish with a bit of a Gothic vibe is how I'd describe Her Fear.

Burdened by crippling fear is no way to face a fresh start -- especially when there seems to be more to fear in Sadie's new situation than her last. Gray draws out the intrigue and the drama in the midst of family dysfunction shadowed by something sinister.

And there's Noah, a bright light shining in the darkness. Too good to be true -- especially for a woman who wears fear like a second skin. He's drawn to her and she's more than a little wary. Their life stories are completely opposite. He's from a nurturing family whose love and support has allowed him to make his own way in a non-traditional Amish occupation. She's browbeaten and abandoned by a harsh father after a lifetime of condemnation and ridicule. Love blossoms beneath a cloak of mystery and I gobbled up their story in one sitting because I couldn't stand not knowing what would happen next.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Her Fear, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of  @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday November 4 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!b

October Giveaway - Week Four

Still dividing my time between the public library computers and my phone...I gotta tell you, typing up a review on the phone is crazy frustrating. Beware autocorrect is all I can say. I remember reading about an author who typed her whole manuscript on her phone! I can't even....Hopefully this week all my computer woes will be a distant memory BUT because of them I'm behind in ordering giveaway books. I finally convinced my phone to cooperate and managed to order all of Oct 7th wins this week. Yay me! So I'll catch the rest up over the next few days and shoot winners an email with a projected delivery time.  Can't wait to get back to normal!

GAH! Blogger and my phone don’t play nice and it won’t let me add captions to the images I painstakingly set up on the library computer yesterday! Sigh! So I deleted the pretty pictures and here are the winners in black and white!!! GAH!!!!

WHERE HOPE BEGINS won by PAM K
CHRISTMAS HIDEOUT won by SUSAN P and SUSAN F
JUST LET GO won by CC
LONE STAR CHRISTMAS won by CONNIE
A WELLS LANDING CHRISTMAS won by KAY GARRETT
HOPE BY THE BOOK won by AGBOSS

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address. Otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with your mailing address. From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven't been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now so, please, DON'T BE SHY -- CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN'T LEAVE YOUR EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU. Books will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address and I'll email you to confirm your win is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring about the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping time. Thank you!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Hope By the Book

GIVEAWAY

Psssst!!!! Have you heard the buzz? About the magazine launch of Hope By the Book -- a periodical dedicated to avid readers? It's a celebration of all things bookish created by "book nerds who love Jesus and read past their bedtime." (Carrie, Seekerville, Oct 12, 2018) This is the kind of thing that happens when bookish friends gather together and start talking books...and aren't we glad?!The first edition comes out November 13 2018. Full to brimming with the kind of content that will send avid readers into a tailspin of giddy delight. Articles, reviews and images that promise to "feed your inner bookworm."  I'm so excited about this new enterprise that I'm giving away a a year's subscription for Hope By the Book. Giveaway details are below and I've included the link to Carrie's blogpost over on Seekerville in case you are consumed with a burning curiosity to know more. :-)

http://seekerville.blogspot.com/2018/10/finding-hope-by-book.html

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a one year subscription to Hope By the Book, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 28 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A Wells Landing Christmas

GIVEAWAY

LILLARD, AMY
A WELLS LANDING CHRISTMAS

As the most joyous of seasons comes to the Amish community of Wells Landing, Oklahoma, one young woman gets a chance to start again -- and rediscover the gift of true love...

Families rejoicing together, caroling parties full of cheer, and church get-togethers brimming with delicious cooking and warm fellowship. Ivy Weaver would give anything to be a part of Christmas in Wells Landing. But one reckless mistake made her an outsider, and it's all she can do now to tend to her ailing grandfather and make a living. She sure doesn't need Zeb Brenneman returning to help after he abandoned her for no reason. He's working hard to make amends, but Ivy isn't sure there's enough faith -- or still-sparkling love between them -- to stir her forgiveness...

Zeb knows leaving Ivy was the biggest mistake he's ever made. Even though she won't hear him out, he's determined to prove he's become the trustworthy, steadfast man she truly deserves. But bright new chances and surprising revelations will give him and Ivy choices they never imagined. And finding their way back to each other will be the most challenging -- and precious -- Christmas gift of all...

My Review:

Two hurting people in desperate need of a second chance that seems impossible until the spirit of Christmas takes hold. Ivy is ornery and Zeb's conflicted and judgement abounds in a community that's supposed to know better. A truly beautiful look at the power of forgiveness and the meaning of grace in action.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Wells Landing Christmas, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 28 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Lone Star Christmas

GIVEAWAY

NAVARRO, JOLENE
LONE STAR CHRISTMAS

The Cowboy's Christmas Reunion -- a Lone Star Legacy romance.

determined to restore the historic buildings in Clear Water, Texas, Jackie Bergmann needs permission from the property's new owner -- her ex-boyfriend. And though Max Delgado agrees to give her access, he has one request: that she help him care for his orphaned brothers. But when she starts to fall for Max again, can she convince him not to sell his family's ranch...and stay home for Christmas and forever?

My Review:

I can’t believe I am so far behind in reading Jolene Navarro’s books!  She’s written tons and this is only my second one! How on earth did that happen? Where were my angsty-contemporary-romance spidey senses when I needed them?! I’m a convert to this author’s style and heart for storytelling and I aim to keep current from now on as well as play catch-up!

Lone Star Christmas is the kind of second chance romance where starry-eyed teenage love has the chance to finally deepen into something lasting...but not without a lot of pitfalls. Past misunderstandings, family dysfunction and two precocious little boys plus their surly teen brother all stand in the way of a happily-ever-after...Or maybe prove to be the much needed catalyst for change.

A perfect holiday read that celebrates the special kind of love that can only be found at Christmas time.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Lone Star Christmas, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 28 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Just Let Go

GIVEAWAY

WALSH, COURTNEY
JUST LET GO

For Quinn Collins, just buying the flower shop in downtown Harbor Point fulfills a childhood dream, but also gives her the chance to stick it to her mom, who owned the store before skipping town twenty years ago never looking back.  Completing much needed renovations, however, while also competing for a prestigious flower competition with her mother the head judge, soon has Quinn in over her head. Not that she'd ever ask for help.

Luckily, she may not need to. Quinn's father and his meddling friends find the perfect solution in notorious Olympic skier Grady Benson, who had only planned on passing through the old-fashioned lakeside town. But when a heated confrontation leads to property damage, helping Quinn as a community-service sentence seems like the quickest way out -- and the best way to avoid more negative press.

Quinn finds Grady reckless and entitled; he thinks she's uptight and too regimented. Yet as the two beginners n to hammer and saw, Quinn sees glimpses of the vulnerability behind the bravado, and Grady learns from her passion and determination, qualities he seems to have lost along the way. But when a well-intentioned omission  has devastating consequences, Grady finds himself cast out of town -- and Quinn's life -- possibly forever. Forced to face the hurt holding her back, Quinn must finally let go or risk missing out on the adventure of a lifetime.

My Review:

“Sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zone in order to see what God has for us.” (P 260)

Courtney Walsh delivers another emotional blockbuster! The kind that keeps a reader awake into the wee hours of the morning wrestling with love and loss and all the other complicated stuff life brings our way. This author knows how to keep it real but no matter how messy it gets, she always shines the light of Christ into the darkest places.

Phew! Be prepared to be uncomfortable. To want to throttle certain characters while extending bone crushing hugs to others. And sometimes — quite a bit actually — a reader might get the urge to full-on throttle-hug a certain character...or two...though, honestly, it was Quinn who gave me the most grief.

A prisoner of her past, she “sees everyone through a lens of brokenness” (p 174) — Miss Susie Sunshine she is not. Grady finds her maddening...and that isn’t always a bad thing. An unsuspecting reader might get singed when these two face off so consider yourself warned.

And isn’t there just something about a bad boy in the process of change that sets a reader’s senses all awhirl?! I liked Grady right from the start even when he was in full cocky, smirking, entitled mode. It’s a talented author who can make a flawed hero like this one so relatable..

These two are in for a world of heartache and challenges as they discover more about themselves and each other. Luckily there’s a bounty of friends and family to help them along the way. A riveting contemporary romance wrapped up in faith.

“Sometimes our biggest setbacks turn out to be our greatest blessings.” (P 260)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Just Let Go, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 28 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Christmas Hideout

GIVEAWAY

SLEEMAN, SUSAN
CHRISTMAS HIDEOUT

Fleeing from her dangerous ex-boyfriend, on-the-run single mother Nicole Dyer takes refuge in a cabin -- and is discovered by the ranch owner, Deputy Matt McKade. It's easy to fall lfor the handsome lawman and his kind family, but staying at the ranch endangers them all. When everything Nicole loves comes under direct fire, can Matt keep her -- and his heart -- heart safe?

My Review:

Eeeeep! Third book in the McCade Law series and if you’re familiar with the McCades you’ll know what all the squealing is about. A three generation law enforcement family with a heart for justice and a passion to serve. Love Granddad and Nana and the grace and acceptance they extend to others — not to mention the free advice they like to share with their grandkids whether asked for or not! :-) Great family dynamics carry through each book in this series so it feels like a real homecoming when a new one is released.

There’s nothing quite like a cowboy lawman with a tender heart to send me into a twitterpated frenzy of hero worship. Deputy Matt McCade fits the bill nicely. Caution wars with the urge to protect and the pages crackle with tension and danger...and impossible romance! Happy sigh!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

WOOHOO!!!!!! Trixi has an autographed copy of this book to give away as well so there will be two winners for this draw!

If you would like  a chance to win a copy of Christmas Hideout, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 28 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Where Hope Begins

GIVEAWAY

WEST, CATHERINE
WHERE HOPE BEGINS

Sometimes we're allowed to glimpse the beauty from within the brokenness...

Savannah Barrington has always found solace at her parent's' lake house in the Berkshires, and it's the place that she runs to when her husband of over twenty years leaves her. Though her world is shaken, and the future uncertain, she finds hope through an old woman's wisdom, a little girl's laughter, and a man who's willing to risk his own heart to prove to Savannah that she is worthy of love.

But soon Savannah is given a challenge she can't run away from: forgiving the unforgivable. Amidst the ancient gardens and musty bookstores of the small town she's sought refuge in, she must reconcile with the grief that haunts her, the God pursuing her, and the wounds of the past that might be healed after all.

Where Hope Begins is the story of grace in the midst of brokenness, pointing us to the miracles that await when we look beyond our own expectations.

My Review:

Hard hitting. Emotion stirring. Heaving sob inducing. I don't even know how to review Where Hope Begins. Tough read. I mean I really didn't want to read this book only I couldn't stop reading it either. Serious subject matters -- adultery, death, grief -- doesn't that sound like fun? But there is so much hope within the pages of this book as well! The goose-bumping, deep-rooting kind that takes your breath away.

And though that makes this book seem like a heavy read, there is an ethereal beauty in the way the story unfolds that lifts all the harsh reality into something quite magical. I sat in stunned silence when I reached the end  -- and y'all know me, when am I ever quiet when it comes to books?! So, be prepared to be amazed...and moved...and changed. Simply stunning!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Where Hope Begins, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 21 2108. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

October Giveaway - Week Three

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Phew! Still without my laptop so I'm dividing my time between the library computers and my phone. At least I can comment on my phone and painstakingly type a review if I have to but I set up the actual blog posts at the library on a 'real' computer. It's a bittersweet situation because, before I left work on disability one of my jobs was reference desk at a college library. Watching the librarians rush around answering all the questions I used to -- helping people with printing and filling our forms on line and resume questions etc...sigh. That used to be me. But I'm glad I don't have to wrangle the printer -- hated that part of the job. lol

WON BY LADY SNOW ANGEL 

WON BY PAULA

WON BY MINDY H

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address. Otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with your mailing address. From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven't been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now so, please, DON'T BE SHY -- CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN'T LEAVE YOUR EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU. Books will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address and I'll email you to confirm your win is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring about the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping time. Thank you!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:




 and a surprise retro read. :-)

Cold Shot (Take two)

GIVEAWAY

PETTREY, DANI
COLD SHOT

Four best friends and then one went missing...

In college, Griffin McCray and his three best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore Police Department, Declan Grey would head to the FBI, and Parker Mitchell would study to become a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world -- and friendship -- crumbled.

Now years later, Griffin has left the police and his friendships behind. Still trying to forget a case that went bad when he was a SWAT team sniper, he's living a quiet life as a park ranger at Gettysburg. Quiet until skeletal remains are uncovered near Little Round Top -- and they aren't Civil War-era.

Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott discovers evidence pointing to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Grey steps in to take over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he'll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he -- and those he cares about -- are going to escape a downward spiral of crime, danger, and murder.

My Review:

published in 2016
My thanks to my public library for providing me with an audio version of this book read by a marvelous narrator - Therese Plummer. I'm about to read the last book in this series and when I saw that the library had this recorded version of the first Chesapeake Valor series I thought it would be a great way to reacquaint myself with the gang. Stellar recording! Therese Plummer has a real talent for telling a story and portraying different characters in such a way that it's easy to tell who is who just by the slightest inflection. And her voice gets all fast and tense at the suspensey bits and the way she portrays Griffin...blissfully toe-curling! So if you don't have your own copy of Cold Shot or -- gasp! -- you haven't read it yet, here's your chance.

Exceptional start to a new series. I have to admit to being gutted after I read the last book in the Alaskan Courage series. I didn't want to leave the McKennas and I was mildy put out at the author for not making that clan bigger so there could be more books. :-) However, Dani Pettrey has redeemed herself with this magnificent start to a promising new series and a new host of swoonworthy heroes.

The stars of the Chesapeake Valor series aren't from the same family, but they are a brotherhood...of sorts. Fractured relationships are the result of past tragedies but they are beginning to move towards restoration. In Cold Shot they are united by a common goal -- solving a complicated cold case.

Pettrey provides delectable hints of background that she slowly reveals throughout the read. There's still plenty to learn about these intriguing men though, which has me rabidly anticipating the release of the next book.

So for now we'll concentrate on Griffin -- a taciturn and gruff park ranger who is carrying around a world of hurt and bitterness. He doesn't make a good first impression on Finley...or a good second, third or fourth one either. It is sheer delight to be privy to their inner thoughts as they size each other up. Finley's unsettled by her attraction to Ranger Grumpy until she burrows beneath the gruff exterior and catches glimpses of the real man. Be still my heart -- I was swooning way before she started (mind you I had the advantage of 'hearing' his musings about her.)

A delectable romance with loads of promise ensues. Pettrey develops it slowly, teasing her readers with just a glimpse of what is in store. Finley and Griffin learn to work together, respecting each others' strengths and weaknesses before gradually unbending enough to engage in some heart-to-heart talks that lead to a deeper relationship. Unexpected humour and compelling faith conversations make their love story even more thrilling.

As to the suspense -- intense, complicated -- the kind that keeps your heart racing and breath puffing out in shallow gasps from time to time. "Duck!" and "No!" became a kind of reading chant as I raced along plenty of hair-pin plot turns. Phew! Still catching my breath.

And I can't forgot to mention the road trip loving Irish wolfhound. Yes, I said Irish wolfhound. I might have swooned more over the dog than the hero. :-)

A definite 'must read' if you enjoy romantic suspense. Dani Pettrey fans will be ecstatic and she's sure to garner new ones with this enthralling story.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:


If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Cold Shot please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 21 2018.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Battle Tested

GIVEAWAY

SCOTT, LAURA
BATTLE TESTED

Keeping guard -- because a killer lurks
A Military K-9 Unit novel

When Captain Isaac Goddard saves Vanessa Gomez from a vicious attack, he discovers the feisty military nurse is the Red Rose Killer's next target. With help from Vanessa's guard Doberman, the former pilot makes it his mission to protect Vanessa and her young brother. But when the danger closes in, can he overcome the post-traumatic stress that haunts him and stop a ruthless killer?

My Review:

Puppies!!!!! And they are named after national parks — how can a reader resist that? Plus, there are three K-9s in this story as well!!! This might be the first book I’ve read where the dogs outnumber the humans and I’m loving it!

Okay, the hero and heroine are pretty cool too. We’ve met them both in previous Military K-9 books and I’ve actually been really looking forward to Isaac’s story. No worries if you haven’t read any of the previous books — each one reads well as a stand-alone. Though they share a common suspense thread, each story has a unique mystery to solve too...and a romance to sort out! But I earned bragging rights because I figured out who the anonymous blogger was two books ago and information in Battle Tested proves l was right!!!! Woot! How’s that for some keen armchair sleuthing?

Looking forward to the series grand finale next month when the Red Rose Killer will finally face justice!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Battle Tested, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 21 2108. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Miss Serena's Secret

GIVEAWAY

MILLER, CAROLYN
MISS SERENA'S SECRET

With devastating scars in her past, Serena Winthrop is sure no man can be trusted -- especially not men like the far-too-smooth Viscount Charmichael. His reputation as a charmer and a gambler is everything she despises. And the young artist makes sure that this disreputable heir to an Earldom knows of her deep disapproval whenever they encounter one another.

Henry, Lord Carmichael, is perfectly aware of his charms to the women of the ton. He's gambled with plenty of their hearts as easily as he does their husband's money -- it's all in good fun to him. But lately he's been wondering if there's more to life -- and confronting the idea that his actions might not prove worthy of the admirable wives his friends have found.

When Serena's brother-in-law asks his best friend to protect his young ward, Henry promises to be on his best behavior and not woo her. But the more he learns of her, the more he realizes she might be his best reason for changing his character. Then the lady's art leads her to London infamy. Now Henry must choose between the life mapped out for him as the Earl apparent, and the love of his life. And Serena's secret may mean the end of his family's titled line.

My Review:

I’m all in a giddy tilt-a-whirl of delight over another sublime Regency Romance by Carolyn Miller! Be sure to dust off those fainting couches and have a stock of smelling salts and fans on hand because...well...

Henry!!! Currently a Viscount but soon to be an Earl, who is also somewhat of a morose rake when first we meet. Though jaded with his lifestyle, he isn’t quite ready to embrace the idea of change. If only his friends hadn’t found such delightful wives and seem so happy! I do so adore a reluctant-to-reform rake caught in the crosshairs of an enchanting woman!

But Serena is so aloof and mysterious — and amusingly frank — how can Henry resist? Despite the fact that he has promised his best friend (and Serena’s brother-in-law) that he won’t woo the lady.

What follows is a tangled web of angst and emotional mayhem full of the kind of ‘Regency speak’ that thrilled me to my toes! And the drawing room shenanigans...be still my heart, I feel a fit of  the vapours coming on!

And Miller always includes a host of compelling secondary characters — some of whom I love to hate! Serena’s mother is just as clueless and exasperating as she was in ‘Winning Miss Winthrop’ and there’s a truly viperous ‘lady’ who still makes me shudder. (Side note: you don’t need to read WMW to enjoy MSS but Serena is Catherine’s sister so there are scrumptious bits of Jon and Catherine that made me very happy.)

And if you think it can’t get better than all that — well, you’d be wrong because the author includes a moving inspirational thread that brings depth and meaning to an unforgettable love story.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Miss Serena's Secret, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 21 2108. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

October Giveaway — Week Two

Argh! My poor laptop is gravely I’ll! She won’t even stay on for more than a minute! So  I’m  posting the giveaway  results on my phone which isn’t fun and I'm not clever enough to figure out graphics — so this isn’t going to be pretty!

CONGRATULATIONS

The House at Saltwater Pond won by LEA

A cowboy Christmas won by Caitlin M

At Home in Wishing Bridge won by Rebecca Maney

The Sound of Distant Thunder won by Terrill

Justice Buried won by Karen H

Lost December won by Perrianne Askew

Winners can email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with their mailing address and/or I will email you requesting your email address.

NEXT WEEK GIVEWAYS:

Well, this is a bit of a mess — I have a few books read and reviews handwritten,  but trying to learn how to set a blog post up on a phone is going to be a bit tricky— I am after all not known for my techno wizardry😏 so, let’s just say this week will be full of surprises! I’m bringing my sick and wounded to the doc tomorrow and I don’t know if it will be a quick fix or a slow death so I won’t be posting until Wednesday or Thursday. So, stop by then and i’ll either have my baby back or I will have figured out this phone thing or I’ll throw myself on the mercy of the library’s public access computers!

Lost December

GIVEAWAY

EVANS, RICHARD PAUL
LOST DECEMBER

When Luke Crisp graduates from business school, his father, CEO and co-founder of Fortune 500 Crisps Copy Centers, is ready to share some good news: he wants to turn the family business over to his son. But Luke has other plans. Taking control of his trust fund, Luke leaves home to pursue a life of reckless indulgence.

But when his funds run out, so do his friends. Humbled, alone, and too ashamed to ask his father for help, Luke secretly takes a lowly job at one of his father's copy centers. There he falls in love with a struggling single mother and begins to understand the greatest source of joy.

My Review:

published in 2011
So thankful for a public library that provides me with all kinds of wonderful retro reads like this one!

Heart-tugging, Kleenex-inducing modern twist on the Prodigal Son. Fabulous retelling, though I'll admit that Luke is hard to take in the first half of the book. What a wretchedly lost soul and some of his so-called 'friends' had me fuming! But, as in the biblical story, Luke finally reaches rock bottom and there's nowhere to go but up from there!

The second half of the book is a powerful testimony of so many gospel truths -- gratitude, redemption, the hope of second chances and the secret to true happiness. And all wrapped up with a Christmas bow! Richard Paul Evans delivers another heartwarming holiday story destined to be enjoyed year after year.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like to win a copy of Lost December, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December 13 2018. Offer open to International Readers.

Justice Buried

RETRO READ

GIVEAWAY

BRADLEY, PATRICIA
JUSTICE BURIED

In an effort to get her security consulting business off the ground, Kelsey Allen has been spending a lot of time up in the air, rappelling down buildings and climbing through windows to show business owners their vulnerabilities to thieves. When she is hired to pose as a conservator at the Pink Palace Museum in order to test their security weaknesses after some artifacts go missing, she's ecstatic. But when her investigative focus turns from theft to murder, Kelsey knows she's out of her league -- and possibly in the cross hairs. When blast-from-the-past Detective Brad Hollister is called in to investigate, Kelsey may find that he's the biggest security threat yet...to her heart.

Crackling with romantic tension and laced with intrigue, this suspenseful story from award-winning author Patricia Bradley will keep your guessing -- and looking over your shoulder.

My Review:

published in 2017

Definitely a sleep-depriving-red-eyes-in-the-morning kind of read because once you start Justice Buried there's no way you'll be able to stop. Intriguing, edge-of-your seat stuff! From the cold case (that's heating up with alarming speed) to the prickly, slow-start romance. And if there was ever a kick-butt heroine it's Kelsey! I mean she's like a Ninja female Spiderman. How could you not love a heroine who rappels down buildings for a living?!

Well, Brad has a few doubts at first. These two were not high school sweethearts -- more like indifferent and misunderstood -- and they carry those residual feelings into their unexpected reunion. And then things get really complicated as the action and danger amps up. And oh, what a thrilling twisted mess it is! Lots of potential suspects, riveting casework and compelling clues. I was a nervous wreck by the halfway point and then, as things began to come together in my steel trap of an armchair sleuth mind (smirk), I came close to hyperventilating. Heart attack material within the pages of this book!

A compulsive thrill of a read!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Justice Buried, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT or DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December 14 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Sound of Distant Thunder

GIVEAWAY

DREXLER, JAN
THE SOUND OF DISTANT THUNDER

For two hopeless romantics, the Civil War will be the ultimate test.

Seventeen-year-old Katie Stuckey is starry-eyed, in love with the idea of being in love, and does not want to wait until she is eighteen to marry Jonas Weaver as her parents insists. Twenty-year-old Jonas knows war is at odds with the teachings of the church, yet he can't help being taken in by the romance of the soldiering life, especially for the abolitionist cause.

When his married brother's name comes up in the draft list, Jonas volunteers to take his brother's place. But can the commitment Katie and Jonas have made to each other survive the separation?

My Review:

"Jonas never worked around a problem, he worked through it." (p 55 ) -- a father's interesting observation which plays out in unexpected ways throughout the course of this first book in Drexler's The Amish of Weaver Creek series.

And what a stunning work of historical fiction! This author does her research and then brings history to life with her stories. The Sound of Distant Thunder is more than a Civil War novel. Yes it includes battles and politics and violence but  Drexler has created a very intimate look at these events through the eyes of her characters -- the kind that feel like living, breathing people it's easy for a reader to bond with.

And by doing that she has brought that time in history to a truly personal level. It made a real impact on me and I found myself mulling over parallels I see in this upside down 21st century world and the decisions and conflicts each of us is faced with daily. In some ways we are very much like Jonas -- but are we looking for ways around our problems or are we courageous enough to work through them?

For all his youth, Jonas is amazing hero material. Torn between his Amish faith and his desire to see slavery abolished -- and it seems like there is no way to honour both. I love the way the story unfolds. There's plenty of day-to-day Amish living in 1862 -- and historical Amish fiction is so fascinating! There's the sweet romance between Katie and Jonas -- the impetuous impatience of young love! But this is also a very interesting time in Amish church history as different districts battle over what being Amish really means. Conflicting opinions threaten their Old Order way of doing things. Intriguing parallels here between a nation fighting for change and a church struggling to keep change out.

Jan Drexler provides exquisite storytelling with the promise of more goodness to come as future books in the Amish of Weaver's Creek series release (hopefully in the very near future!)

Book provided courtesy of Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Sound of Distant Thunder, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 14 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!;lishis

At Home in Wishing Bridge

GIVEAWAY

HERNE, RUTH LOGAN
AT HOME IN WISHING BRIDGE

The right place can mend your heart.
Ruth Logan Herne, the bestselling author of Welcome to Wishing Bridge, invites readers back to the small town where big dreams come true.

After the streets of South Philly, Thea Anastas never thought she'd wind up working in rural New York. But a call from a friend in need convinced the nurse practitioner to make the trip. Now her temporary position is making a difference, to fill a gaping hole in the sweet, small town. After all, the current medical practice is being dissolved in three months, and bigger opportunities are luring her away...

Her partner, Dr. Ethan Brandenburg, has his own struggles: caring for his orphaned niece and nephew and holding firm to his decision to leave Wishing Bridge for a prestigious job in Chicago. Though Thea's no-nonsense advice in the office has been good for business, her compassion in Ethan's personal life has been good for his heart. But how can he offer a commitment to a woman when they're both about to say goodbye?

Wishing Bridge may be surrounded by forests and farms, but Thea is starting to realize that friendships and family form its heart -- and that what she wants in life and love may be right in front of her eyes.

My Review:

Woohoo! We're back in Wishing Bridge for some more Ruthy magic -- the kind that sparks and sizzles with the perfect blend of whimsy and common sense! And lots of faith. And community. And deep friendship. Cute (and not so cute) kids. Herne has a knack for bringing real life drama to light -- where hope rises from the ashes of despair by the time we reach the end.

It's never cookie cutter though, and she doesn't dodge the tough issues like neglect and abuse, grief and anger, but she does cushion the dark parts of a story with grace and mercy. So sometimes a sensitive reader might become teary from either sadness or joy and will often feel the spiritual thrill of conviction over a simple gospel truth -- like "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34) Because love in all its many forms is at the heart of this story. As imperfect and messy as we humans manage to make it. My heart felt a little bit bludgeoned by the time I finished. (Heartfelt achy sigh.)

The premise of the series -- three young women who bonded in foster care encourage and support one another as they each strive to leave past hurts behind in the hopes of making a new future. And Wishing Bridge is the perfect small town to let them shine. Welcome to Wishing Bridge was Kelsey's story, and I think it's well worth reading that book first. All the better to become acquainted with Thea, Jazz and Kelsey and the salt-of-the-earth townsfolk who show them what that John 13 scripture really means. And the family and friendship dynamics will make more sense right from the start as well.

This is mostly Thea's story -- a nurse practitioner with a heart for service and an unwavering faith in God. And Dr. Ethan Brandenburg who might just drive her a little bit crazy and tease her with the kind of 'what ifs' she hasn't dared to dream about. Sweet, tender love story with lots of angst thrown in the midst. And lots of surprises. I do love a romance that keeps me on my toes and this one sure did!

The author also gives us a glimpse into Jazz's heart and mind as she sets up the next book in the Wishing Bridge series which can't come out soon enough for me! I've been fascinated by Jazz from the very beginning and I'm anxious for her to be just as settled as Kelsey and Thea now are! Have no idea when her book will come out so if anyone knows, please give a shout out in the comments. You intrepid readers always seem to be ahead of me with insider scoops.

My thanks to the author for gifting me with a copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of At Home in Wishing Bridge, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 14 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A Cowboy Christmas

GIVEAWAY

GOODNIGHT, LINDA
HERNE, RUTH LOGAN
A COWBOY CHRISTMAS

Second chances at love. A duet of Christmas cowboy romances.

Rancher Caleb Girard never thought he deserved Kristen Andrews. But when his ailing foster father brings her home as his nurse, Christmas blessings could surprise them all in Snowbound Christmas.

After a tragic loss, Ty Carrington tries to hide from the world on his Idaho ranch...until Jessica Lambert and her adorable daughter sneak into his life and his heart in Falling for the Christmas Cowboy.

My Review:

Christmas + Cowboys + Second Chance Romance? Yes please! Bring it on!!!!

Snowbound Christmas by Linda Goodnight -- There's something about the holidays that puts an extra strain on the vulnerable. While Caleb is all closed off and stoic in a manly I-don't-need-any-help kind of way, he's definitely vulnerable. His dad is critically ill and Caleb is fast losing hope. What good will any kind of Christmas cheer do them? And the tragedy of his childhood (before his foster father took him in) has left some deep scars - feelings of abandonment he can't shake. That's what stood between Kristen and him in high school and it's a chasm between them now as they become reacquainted. But she's all about faith and hope and being a light to those around her. And she believes in miracles. And that can be contagious...even among the most curmudgeonly.  A stirring, warmhearted second chance romance full of Christmas spirit!

Falling for the Christmas Cowboy by Ruth Logan Herne --

A hero and heroine who have survived tragedies in their past are ripe for a second chance at finding romance...even if that's not on either of their agendas. Jessica has a cute-as-a-button four-year-old to take care of and a new future (free from drama and pain) to build for them both. Ty's spent five years grieving. He has put up boundaries around himself that even his family hasn't been able to breach. And he's good with that -- until a beguiling widow with an adorable little girl show up in town. Confusion, chaos, and sweet yearnings for a happily-ever-after suddenly turn his world upside down and make this Christmas one that might just offer up a second chance at happiness...if he finds the faith to finally put the past to rest!

Book provided courtesy of author Ruth Logan Herne.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Cowboy Christmas, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT or DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 14 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The House at Saltwater Point

GIVEAWAY

COBLE, COLLEEN
THE HOUSE AT SALTWATER POINT

The dangerous beauty of Lavender Tides is harboring secrets that reach around the world.

Ellie Blackmore is making a name for herself as a house flipper. But when her sister Mackenzie disappears, Ellie can't focus on anything but uncovering what happened. Her only clue is the bloodstain on the deck at Mackenzie's boat. Ellie knows her sister isn't on the best of terms with her ex-husband, Jason, but he wouldn't kill her -- would he?

Coast-Guard Intelligence Officer Grayson Bradshaw believes Mackenzie faked her own death after stealing a seized cocaine shipment. The problem is convincing Ellie, who seems to view him as the true enemy.

Both Ellie and Grayson want truth, but truth -- and family -- is often more complicated than it first appears. From International terrorism to the peaceful lavender fields of Puget Sound, The House at Saltwater Point is a thrilling race to uncover the truth before it's too late.

My Review:

Shaky sigh -- I won't be looking at black SUVs in the same way any time soon. In fact, I'll be busy throwing myself into bushes and ducking around corners every time I see one from now on because scary things happen when a black SUV rolls by.

But do you think Ellie figured that out in time to save this reader untold angst? Nope -- that girl is one stubborn spitfire who doesn't know what the word 'cautious' means. And 'backing down' isn't in her vocabulary either. I screamed myself hoarse trying to guide her safely through to 'the end'. But she's tone deaf when it comes to directions from the reading gallery. And she doesn't always take directions from Grayson well either. She both annoys and fascinates him and royally messes up his well-ordered world. Love the great chemistry between these two! It's as charged as the suspense!

And there's an urgency to absolutely everything in this story. From the tense mysteries (yes, there's more than one) to the menacing villains (again, note the plural!) to the fast-paced action scenes. Not to mention the body count! And the specter of danger looming over them all! A delightfully page-turning, shoulder-checking and gasp-out-louding kind of a read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The House at Saltwater Point, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from apammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 14 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!