At Love's Bidding

GIVEAWAY

JENNINGS, REGINA
AT LOVE'S BIDDING

After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she's accidentally sold a powerful family's prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the furious family, her grandfather tracks it to the Missouri Ozarks and makes an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house if they promise not to sell anything until he arrives.

Upon their arrival, however, they discover their new business doesn't deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its manager, ruggedly handsome Wyatt Ballentine, is frustrated to discover his fussy new bosses don't know a thing about the business he's single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more cattle than they can count--but no mysterious painting--Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and salvage a bad situation getting worse.

My Review:

Sweet swoony lighthearted bliss. Love all the exacting details in a Jennings novel right down to the clever title tie-ins and this one is brilliant. What starts out as a comedy of errors turns into a intriguing tale of subterfuge. An Ozark Mountain town full of quirky characters provides a lively backdrop to romance and mayhem as Miranda and Wyatt try to navigate their attraction to each other and the mystery dogging their heels.

And while I'd categorize At Love's Bidding as a romantic comedy there are still some deep and thought-provoking story threads that make the read all the richer. One of those has to do with Miranda's grandfather. He is in the early stages of what we now know as Alzheimer's and watching Miranda struggle to come to grips with the change in her beloved grandpa made my heart ache. Jennings does an incredibly good job of portraying the honest emotions of this kind of family turmoil.

A delightful mix of comedy and drama make up another immensely satisfying read from one of my favourite authors.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  At Love's Bidding 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 January 3 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

A Dream for Love

GIVEAWAY

BELCASTRO, LISA
A DREAM FOR LOVE

“Sold!”

When the gavel hit the wooden block at the Possible Dreams Auction, Laurel Simmons sat in stunned silence. Her sister had lost her mind, purchasing a week’s vacation stay for two at actor Ryan Crandall’s beach house on Martha’s Vineyard. And then Tammy announced that she was giving the “dream” to Laurel as an early birthday present.

A month later, Laurel and her four-year-old daughter Gracie arrive at the luxurious house on Squibnocket Beach ready to swim, play, picnic and enjoy the peace and solitude together.

Laurel’s dream vacation quickly turns into a nightmare when Hollywood bad boy Ryan Crandall shows up to escape his latest tabloid headlines. Ryan wants the woman and her child gone. Laurel wants him gone. Fate will bring them together for reasons neither one of them expected, but fate will also drive them apart.

Laurel has a past she needs to keep hidden. Her life and Gracie’s depend on it. Ryan has a past, and present, that’s been food for public consumption for over a decade. Will the past deprive them of a future? Or will they dare to dream a dream for love?  

My Review:

Seriously in love with Princess Gracie (Laurel's daughter). A-d-o-r-a-b-l-e doesn't do justice to the 'little squirt'. This is as much her story as it is Laurel's and Ryan's.

And speaking of Ryan. Ugh. When we first meet him he is definitely not hero material. Full of himself. Spoiled. Shallow. Womanizer. He is a product of all the vices that fame offers...until...Princess Gracie works her magic. That's when my frozen heart started melting, scene by delectable scene.

Laurel's not immune to 'Prince Ryan' either -- at least, the one under the four-year-old, mermaid-obsessed, little girl's spell. And Laurel has plenty of reasons to keep her guard up. Her past might not be as colourful as Ryan's, but it had some gritty moments that haunt her still.

A recurring inspirational theme based on 2 Corinthians 5:17 impact Ryan and Laurel, adding wonderful depth to their love story.  "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." They must both embrace the truth of this scripture in order to have a chance at a future together.

As to the romance...Oh mercy, you might as well go ahead and order a second fainting couch now because you're going to wear the springs out on the first one after reading A Dream for Love. Swoon. Thud. Swoon. Thud. Swoon. Thud. That was me as I devoured page after page. Pure sizzling romance that gradually becomes more intense as the story progresses.

In fact, this book has all the magic and charm of one of Gracie's favourite Princess stories. I could easily see it playing out on the big screen. Love it when a book comes to life like a moving picture show in your mind.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Please note: ebook giveaway only

If you would like an opportunity to win an ebook copy of  A Dream For Love 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 January 3 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Where Secrets Sleep

GIVEAWAY

PERRY, MARTA
WHERE SECRETS SLEEP

In Amish country, not everything is as simple as it appears...

After suffering a terrible betrayal, Allison Standish flees Philadelphia for the small Amish village of Laurel Ridge. There, she comes into an unexpected inheritance—her late grandmother bequeathed her a mansion housing various shops. Allison intends to sell Blackburn House, until one of her tenants, single father Nick Whiting, challenges everything she believes about her estranged grandmother and the Amish community, and she decides to stay—temporarily.

Soon, strange stipulations in her grandmother's will bring to Allison's door distant relatives and seething townsfolk who think Blackburn House shouldn't belong to an outsider. As anonymous threats escalate, Nick is protective of Allison, and she finds herself falling for the handsome carpenter. But when she discovers her grandmother's death may not have been accidental, Allison must face the truth that someone wants her gone…permanently.

My Review:

A rich blend of mystery and suspense kept me guessing right to the end. There's almost a Gothic element to Blackburn House, with all it's strange secrets and intriguing occupants. I was on edge every time Allison ventured through the doors. Perry expertly builds tension and intrigue along with the sweet allure of romance. A host of compelling secondary characters provoked a multitude of emotional reactions in me -- from delight to exasperation to righteous indignation. And the romance between Nick and Allison is delicately woven into all the action and danger. In fact, that suspenseful backdrop heightens their love story, which kept me on edge right to the end as well.

A perfect romantic suspense -- even for readers who aren't fans of Amish fiction. That's because most of the story deals with the 'English' in town. Only two Amish play a significant role, Allison's friend, Sarah and her mother, Hannah. And while this isn't a Christian Fiction novel (it's published for the general market by HQN), there are still some inspiring conversations between Allison and her Amish friends that I found thought provoking.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Where Secrets Sleep 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 January 3 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn

GIVEAWAY

GRAY, SHELLEY SHEPARD
A WEDDING AT THE ORANGE BLOSSOM INN

In the third book in New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray's Amish Brides of Pinecraft series, a wedding brings together two young widowed parents . . . and gives them a second chance at love

Emma Keim was heartbroken when her husband, Sanford, passed away, leaving her to raise three young daughters alone. Though several years have passed, her relatives have made it no secret that they expect Emma to remain a widow, mourning Sanford indefinitely. But when she meets Jay Hilty—a handsome widower with three young sons of his own—Emma is delighted to have a new friend who understands her struggles. Still, she is dismayed that her family is so opposed to their friendship—and the idea of it ever becoming anything more. She honors her husband's memory every day, but is she destined to be alone forever?

Emma's gentleness with Jay's boys stirs something in his heart that's been quiet for far too long. But when his oldest son becomes engaged to a local woman, suddenly Jay, Emma, and their children are swept up in wedding preparations. Witnessing his son's joy, Jay wonders if it's time for him to move forward, too, and find happiness again.

Once again, love has come to Pinecraft. But can these two parties of four become a happy, healthy family of eight?

My Review:

Reader Beware: Naughty dog scenes abound and you should not read this book while drinking hot chocolate (or coffee or tea) as you might find yourself spewing liquid everywhere -- including all over your precious book!

A sweet, fun romance, with a deeper message about having the strength to let go of the past so you cherish every precious moment of the present unfolding before you. Loved the rickety start to romance. Emma and Jay are adorable with their bumbling ways -- clearly shown up by the ease in which Jay's son, Ben, handles his whirlwind romance. Told from multiple viewpoints, readers will be thrilled to get two romances for the price of one.

The kids are a riotous mix of all-boy and girly-girl and Frankie, the Naughty Beagle, well, he steals every scene he's in (as well as most of the food.) Still grinning over those canine antics. And fun to note that the author patterned the pooch after her own much loved (and eccentric) family beagle.

While you don't need to read the first two books in this series, innkeeper Beverly's storyline will make more of an impact if you have. Looking forward to the concluding book, A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft, where I'm hoping Beverly finally finds what she is yearning for.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn 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 January 3 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

December Giveaway - Week Four

As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the Internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a month time frame. If I can't reach you within four weeks your win will be forfeited.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Reader's Choice - Christian Fiction

GIVEAWAY

IT'S CHRISTIAN FICTION GIVEAWAY DAY!!!!!

 
To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title of the book(s) in the Christian Fiction genre you'd like to win. Please note: This is an open giveaway -- any Christian Fiction book published in Jan, Feb or March 2016 is eligible. You can choose books you've already entered on other days or select completely different ones. This is also a chance for readers who enjoy Women's Fiction, YA, Sci/Fi, Fantasy etc to have their say since those categories didn't have their own giveaway day.

How does it work?

 

Easy-peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section each day and if you win the draw, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES!!!!!!

 

Publication dates must be

January, February or March 2016

Each day is genre specific so

only submit books from that genre

Christian Fiction books only please!

You can offer three suggestions per day

BUT

they need to be made in

three separate comments

(makes it easier for me to tally)

No email entries this week 

(too hard to keep track of due to the

# of responses)

 

Open to International readers (I'm all about spreading the Good News about Christian Fiction all over the globe!!!!!!)

 

Please remember to include your email, using AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December  27 2015.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Reader's Choice - Novella Collection

GIVEAWAY

IT'S NOVELLA COLLECTION GIVEAWAY DAY!!!!!

 
To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title of the book(s) in the Novella Collection genre you'd like to win. Please note: novellas are short stories written by multiple authors, usually bound in a collection of three more. Novellas can also be a single story published by one author. Both types of novellas are eligible in this giveaway.

How does it work?

 

Easy-peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section each day and if you win the draw, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES!!!!!!

 

Publication dates must be

January, February or March 2016

Each day is genre specific so

only submit books from that genre

Christian Fiction books only please!

You can offer three suggestions per day

BUT

they need to be made in

three separate comments

(makes it easier for me to tally)

No email entries this week 

(too hard to keep track of due to the

# of responses)

 

Open to International readers (I'm all about spreading the Good News about Christian Fiction all over the globe!!!!!!)

 

Please remember to include your email, using AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December  27 2015.

Reader's Choice - Amish Fiction

GIVEAWAY

IT'S AMISH GIVEAWAY DAY!!!!!

 
To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title of the book(s) in the Amish Fiction genre you'd like to win.

How does it work?

 

Easy-peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section each day and if you win the draw, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES!!!!!!

 

Publication dates must be

January, February or March 2016

Each day is genre specific so

only submit books from that genre

Christian Fiction books only please!

You can offer three suggestions per day

BUT

they need to be made in

three separate comments

(makes it easier for me to tally)

No email entries this week 

(too hard to keep track of due to the

# of responses)

 

Open to International readers (I'm all about spreading the Good News about Christian Fiction all over the globe!!!!!!)

 

Please remember to include your email, using AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December  27 2015.

December Giveaway - Week Three

As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the Internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a month time frame. If I can't reach you within four weeks your win will be forfeited.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Reader's Choice - Romantic Suspense/Mystery

GIVEAWAY

 

IT'S ROMANTIC SUSPENSE/MYSTERY GIVEAWAY DAY!!!!!

 
To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title of the book(s) in the Romantic Suspense/Mystery genre you'd like to win.

How does it work?

 

Easy-peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section each day and if you win the draw, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES!!!!!!

 

Publication dates must be

January, February or March 2016

Each day is genre specific so

only submit books from that genre

Christian Fiction books only please!

You can offer three suggestions per day

BUT

they need to be made in

three separate comments

(makes it easier for me to tally)

No email entries this week 

(too hard to keep track of due to the

# of responses)

 

Open to International readers (I'm all about spreading the Good News about Christian Fiction all over the globe!!!!!!)

 

Please remember to include your email, using AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December  20 2015.

Reader's Choice - Contemporary Romance

GIVEAWAY

 

IT'S CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE GIVEAWAY DAY!!!!!

 
To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title of the book(s) in the Contemporary Romance genre you'd like to win.

How does it work?

 

Easy-peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section each day and if you win the draw, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES!!!!!!

 

Publication dates must be

January, February or March 2016

Each day is genre specific so

only submit books from that genre

Christian Fiction books only please!

You can offer three suggestions per day

BUT

they need to be made in

three separate comments

(makes it easier for me to tally)

No email entries this week 

(too hard to keep track of due to the

# of responses)

 

Open to International readers (I'm all about spreading the Good News about Christian Fiction all over the globe!!!!!!)

 

Please remember to include your email, using AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December  20 2015.

Reader's Choice - Historical Romance

GIVEAWAY

 

 

IT'S HISTORICAL ROMANCE GIVEAWAY DAY!!!!!

 
To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title of the book(s) in the Historical Romance genre you'd like to win.

How does it work?

 

Easy-peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section each day and if you win the draw, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES!!!!!!

 

Publication dates must be

January, February or March 2016

Each day is genre specific so

only submit books from that genre

Christian Fiction books only please!

You can offer three suggestions per day

BUT

they need to be made in

three separate comments

(makes it easier for me to tally)

No email entries this week 

(too hard to keep track of due to the

# of responses)

 

Open to International readers (I'm all about spreading the Good News about Christian Fiction all over the globe!!!!!!)

 

Please remember to include your email, using AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December  20 2015.

Looking ahead to 2016 new releases

Isn't it comforting to know that Santa enjoys a good read? Of course, he's probably not reading much these days. After all, he has a major deadline to meet.

And so do I.

I'm making Christmas gifts this year and playing the frantic elf isn't going to leave me much time to read until after the 25th. I usually read a week or two ahead of the reviews I post on my blog and I'm trailing way behind. So, while I play catch up I thought we'd do a round (or two) of the ever popular Reader's Choice Giveaways. Three this week. Three next week. Winners will still be announced on Sundays but here's a calendar showing the dates (marked by presents) that the Giveaway posts will 'air'.

If you're new to Reader's Choice  here's how it will work.

I'm getting ready for a winter reading blitz but I need your input to help me scout out the best new January - March 2016 releases. So, instead of reading and reviewing books I'll be asking you to recommend some early 2016 release titles. 

How does it work?

 

Easy-peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section on (any or all of the following dates) December 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23 and if you win the draw, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES!!!!!!

 

Publication dates must be

January, February or March 2016

Each day is genre specific so

only submit books from that genre

Christian Fiction books only please!

You can offer three suggestions per day

BUT

they need to be made in

three separate comments

(makes it easier for me to tally)

No email entries this week 

(too hard to keep track of due to the

# of responses)

 

Open to International readers (I'm all about spreading the Good News about Christian Fiction all over the globe!!!!!!)

 

And since there's been some confusion in the past about what fits in each genre,

here's a handy-dandy guide

 

ROMANTIC SUSPSENSE OR MYSTERY:

A mystery ia an important part of the plot. The heroine or hero (or both) are often in peril (more so in a suspense). Can be set in a contemporary or historical setting.

 

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

A story where the romance plays a major role and is set in any time period before the mid 1970s

 

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

A story where the romance plays a major role and is set in our 1980s to current.

AMISH ROMANCE

A story where the hero or heroine (or both) are Amish.

 

NOVELLA COLLECTION

A book that consists of multiple short stories written by various authors.

 

CHRISTIAN FICTION

Yes, all the above categories have to be Christian Fiction as well, but I've added this one to include any other genres within inspirational fiction. Like Women's Fiction, Sci/Fi or Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery without a romantic element. Plus anything from the previous mentioned categories.

 

So that's it. You can ask any questions in the comment section or just say 'hey' but no book suggestions until tomorrow when we kick off the festivities with Historical Romance.

December Giveaway - Week Two

As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the Internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a month time frame. If I can't reach you within four weeks your win will be forfeited.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

I'm the crazy lady making her Christmas presents this year and heading into panic mode. Therefore, for the next two weeks we're going to do a Reader's Choice Giveaway for new releases in Jan-March 2016. We'll do three giveaways this week, and three Christmas week. I'll explain more in Monday's post and the giveaways will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday of this week and Monday Tuesday, Wednesday of Christmas week.

Silent Night Pursuit

GIVEAWAY

LEE, KATY
SILENT NIGHT PURSUIT

Race against time...

Lacey Phillips believes Captain Wade Spencer knows something about her brother's mysterious death. So she throws caution to the wind and tracks him down on Christmas Eve looking for answers. Wade tries to turn her away—until bullets start to fly. He doesn't want to take the stubborn beauty on his life-or-death mission to find out the truth about how Wade's past may have cost her brother his life. But with killers lurking everywhere, he has to protect her—especially when she breaches the walls around his heart. Can Wade and his faithful service dog keep Lacey alive long enough to figure out who's targeting them?

My Review:

A sense of urgency kept me on edge from the get go. Lacey is my kind of heroine. She's gutsy and determined and her impulsive streak stands her in good stead...sometimes. Wade is her exact opposite. A stalwart planner and very much the loner, he wants nothing more than to send Lacey back from whence she came...if people would stop shooting at her long enough to make that possible! And don't get me started on Promise, Wade's faithful service dog. She's the real heroine of this story. And she has excellent instincts when it comes to finding her human the perfect mate. Too bad it takes Lacey and Wade so much longer to come to that realization. Promise had them pegged at their first meet. :-) This one's a real page-turner -- with lots of action and plenty or surprising twists right to the very last page.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Silent Night Pursuit 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 December 13 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Home for Christmas : Historical Christian Romance Collection

GIVEAWAY

DEAN, JANET
HERNE, RUTH LOGAN
HILLMAN, PAM
LESSMAN, JULIE
HOME FOR CHRISTMAS : HISTORICAL CHRISTIAN ROMANCE COLLECTION

There is nothing better than romance unless it's faith-filled romance plus Christmas! Join these multi-published, award-winning and best-selling historical authors as they take you on a joy-filled, old-fashioned sleigh ride full of sweet, happily-ever-after romances, the tried-and-true kind that honor God, love, romance and timeless Christmas spirit!

My Review:

A wonderful collection of Christmas novellas that will definitely put you in the holiday spirit. I think what struck me the most is how each story immediately grabbed my attention. I was hooked on the very first page and each author followed through with plenty of action and romance to keep me captivated right to the end. The kind of satisfying read you get from a full length novel only in a shorter format.

A Daddy For Christmas by Janet Dean A heartwarming love story set in 1930 about a man who wants the chance to be a father, a child who wants the chance at having a daddy and the woman who chances everything by loving them both. Dean pulled at my heartstrings as I watched Rafe and Tess struggle to find their way. A stirring tale of restitution and hope.

Second Chance Christmas by Ruth Logan Herne In Levi's own words, "Life stopped being simple about the time Nellie Bausch sashayed into his shop." And that pretty much sums up this novella. Nellie arrives in Second Chance, South Dakota determined to start fresh. She's an independent woman who isn't afraid to voice her opinion. Just the kind of woman Levi isn't looking for and that makes the best kind of romance. :-)

All Aboard : Destination Christmas by Pam Hillman Katie is torn between her love of ranch life and her aunt's determination to find her better prospects in the city. When her trip to Portland is cut short by an accident, Katie's faced with an uncertain future -- and a handsome cowboy who is determined to keep her safe. Lots of tension and laughter and few sweet moments under the mistletoe.

The Best Gift of All by Julie Lessman A wonderful glimpse into a wild and whacky O'Conner Christmas. While this is mostly Lizzie and Brady's story, there's still some side-slapping scenes with all the O'Connor sisters and their various offspring. Love the humour and chaos. But there's a serious side to this novella as well as Lizzie and Brady struggle with the pressures of their expanding family. Lessman delivers faith and romance with her trademark passion for both.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Available in ebook format only

If you would like an opportunity to win an ecopy of  Home For Christmas 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 December 13 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Whispers in the Reading Room

GIVEAWAY

GRAY, SHELLEY
WHISPERS IN THE READING ROOM

Lydia's job at the library is her world---until a mysterious patron catches her eye . . . and perhaps her heart.

Just months after the closure of the Chicago World's Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron. He has never given her his name; he actually never speaks to a single person. All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does.

Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks. She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him.

Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship, but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn't merely a very wealthy gentleman, but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked.

Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night and suddenly is a suspect to a murder. She must determine who she can trust, who is innocent, and if Sebastian Marks-the man so many people fear-is actually everything her heart believes him to be.

My Review:

Oh mercy -- if you are looking for a hero to swoon over, Sebastian Marks is your man. I melted into a puddle of goo a number of times while reading Whispers in the Reading Room. I mean who can resist a man who loves books and libraries? And the kicker is that Sebastian isn't your classic hero material. He runs a gambling hall for goodness sakes! And while his ability to drag himself up from the dregs of society is commendable, his methods of success are questionable.

But Gray makes it work -- largely because of the insights we glean from Sebastian's visits to the reading room. The contrast between the literary man who finds solace in the company of books and the rough and exacting taskmaster at his club is absolutely intriguing. Take a look at this description of Sebastian leaving the library to go back to the seedier side of town where he runs his business:

"It took Sebastian Marks almost four blocks to shake off the cool feeling of serenity he'd enjoyed at the library. As the number of people around him doubled, then tripled, he forced himself to push away everything about his time at the Lincoln Lending Library. A gent like him was liable to get himself killed otherwise. After another block, he added a swagger to his step and a bit more menace to his expression." (p. 4)

Is it any wonder that he catches Lydia's eye? He's not the usual run-of-the-mill library patron, that's for sure. Without ever saying a word to one another they manage to create an alluring intimacy of awareness from the very first page. Delicious toe-curling stuff. An unlikely friendship slowly develops. Sebastian is intrigued by Lydia's unusual mix of wide-eyed innocence and striking intelligence. She's lived most of her life in the pages of books and he suddenly appears offering her abundant real-life adventures.

Once again, Gray throws her characters into Chicago's darker underbelly. Something sinister is going on, there's mystery and murder afoot and Sebastian finds himself in the role of protector, Lydia the damsel in distress that needs rescuing. But soon lines become blurred and it's no longer clear who is rescuing whom. Because Lydia grabs hold of his heart and challenges him to believe in the kind of future he never dared dream of.

The third and final book in A Chicago's World Fair Mystery series. Reads wonderfully well as a standalone, but if you have read Sloane House and Deception on Sable Hill, you'll be thrilled to meet up with police detectives Sean Ryan and Owen Howard.

My thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group and Zondervan for providing me with a copy of this book.

http://litfusegroup.com/author/sgray

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Whispers in the Reading Room 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 December 13 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Mistletoe Justice

GIVEAWAY

POST, CAROL J.
MISTLETOE JUSTICE

Frame-up

Someone has framed Darci Tucker for embezzlement—and she's pretty sure it's her boss. The real criminal will do anything to make sure she doesn't talk, from breaking into her home to hacking her computer. Her only hope for regaining control, and protecting her young son from danger, is Conner Stevenson. Desperate for answers about his sister's sudden disappearance, Conner is determined to uncover why the bookkeeper was named a target. Now Darci and her son have become pawns in a deadly game, and as Conner races to protect them, he finds he wants more than justice. He may want a family for Christmas after all…if they live that long.

My Review:

Phew! Expelling a deep breath as I try to figure out what to say. Sinister simmers in every scene. No flying bullets or face to face combat...at least to start. It's more subtle than that. Just the hint of lurking danger and something going very, very wrong. The tension builds with every page. The kind of cloak and dagger stuff that raises the stakes higher and higher. Suddenly it isn't just about Darci -- her family is endangered too. She's desperate to prove her innocence and put her life back together. Conner is just as determined to help her. The unlikely duo draw closer in their fight for justice. An exceptional romantic suspense that will hold you spellbound until the very last page.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Mistletoe Justice 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 December 13 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!