Sunday, May 31, 2015

May 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:

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Plain Murder


GIVEAWAY
MILLER, EMMA
PLAIN MURDER

Fifteen years after leaving her Old Order Amish life, Rachel Mast has returned to Stone Mountain, Pennsylvania. Corporate success didn't bring true happiness, but Rachel also knows she can never be Amish again. Instead, she runs a B&B and tries to help her community in ways they can't help themselves.

But now a gruesome discovery has been made in her Uncle Aaron's cow pasture—the body of prominent Englisher businessman Willy O'Day. Aaron refuses to hire a lawyer, trusting his own innocence, and his faith, to see him through. Rachel isn't so sure, especially give the public feud between the two men. Her relatives won't speak to the police, but they will talk to Rachel—if she puts on a skirt and a bonnet. Rachel knows emotions and entanglements run as complicated in the Amish world as outside it. But as she delves deeper to clear Aaron's name, she discovers secrets that could put her own life in danger.


My Review:

I reviewed the second book in this series earlier this week and I loved it so much I couldn't resist ferreting this one out at my public library and devouring it as well. Loved it just as much even though I knew the whodunit part because of the spoiler in the second book. I didn't know all the wherefores and whys of the murder so I was still gripped right to the very end. I thoroughly enjoyed my second visit to Stone Mill. The author deftly weaves mystery into the day to day life of an Amish/English community. Provoking insights into plain living add an extra zest the story. A captivating cozy mystery well worth the read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Plain Murder 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 May 31 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Friday, May 29, 2015

The Heart of the Amish : Life Lessons of Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness

FISHER, SUZANNE WOODS
THE HEART OF THE AMISH : LIFE LESSONS OF PEACEMAKING AND THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS

We have all been hurt and we all have someone we need to forgive. But sometimes it's hard to let go of our hurt and anger in order to truly forgive and move on.

For the Amish, forgiving others in order to live at peace is woven into the very fabric of their faith. From daily annoyances to heartbreaking tragedy, they exhibit an incredible capacity for forgiveness that often baffles us. How do they do it? And how can we have the same attitude and ability to forgive?

Through true stories gathered from a variety of Amish communities, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher shows you how the Amish are able to release their pain and desire for revenge, and live at peace with others. Her in-depth, personal research uncovers the astounding yet fundamental way the Amish can forgive anyone from the angry customer at the grocery store to the shooter at Nickel Mines. You'll learn how to invite God into your story, apply lessons from the Amish to your own circumstances, and find the freedom that comes with true forgiveness.

My Review:

A book to savor. I've been reading it like a devotional and it's been a blessing that sets the tone of my day. Each chapter starts with an Amish proverb followed by a compelling real-life situational story relating to the theme of forgiveness and peacemaking. Those stories make a powerful impact, but when combined with the authors thought-provoking questions in the Reflections on Peacemaking section,  each story has the potential to become deeply personal and life-changing. A real opportunity for growth.

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

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Memory Box Secrets

GIVEAWAY

ANDERSON, BRENDA S.
MEMORY BOX SECRETS

Newlyweds Richard and Sheila Brooks have it all. Sheila is pregnant. Richard’s business is flourishing. Their formerly broken lives have been mended, and life couldn’t be better. Or so they thought. Just a few years ago, Richard had thrived in Manhattan’s fast-paced business world, yet that’s the very place he abandoned his faith. Now that his faith is restored, he never planned to return to that old life. But then the New York corporation that once rejected him calls, begging him to come back. Richard knows returning is unwise, but his gut is telling him to go. Sheila yearns to have something from her childhood to pass on to her child, but when her parents abandoned her years ago, they took all remnants of her past with them. Then, out of the blue, her aging father calls, asking to be let back into her life. Her head screams “no”, but her traitorous heart is saying “yes.” If Richard and Sheila answer these calls from their pasts, will they risk breaking what they’ve spent so much time mending?

My Review:

My. Heart. Hurts. Five tissue box alert! This sequel to Chains of Mercy packs an emotional wallop that will leave you reeling. And to 'enjoy' the full impact I suggest you read the books in order.

Anderson has a knack for digging deep into the lives of her characters as she challenges them with impossible scenarios that will either make or break them. This author takes the sage writing advice, 'be mean to your characters' to heart! Perhaps too much so. LOL

Told in multiple points of view, the reader follows various story threads on a thought-provoking journey of  grace and sacrifice. Anderson delivers a tale rife with brutal honesty and heart wrenching decisions. Luckily I trust the author or I might just have stopped reading. Memory Box Secrets is real and gutsy and ultimately brimming in hope. A stunning continuation to Richard and Sheila's inspiring story.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
Important to note: Paperback available only in U.S. Ebook format for international readers.

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Memory Box Secrets 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 May 31 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

As Love Blooms

GIVEAWAY

SEILSTAD, LORNA
AS LOVE BLOOMS

Young romance opens like a rose . . . but even a rose has its thorns.

Tessa Gregory is nothing if not tenacious. Denied a position as a horticulturist at prestigious Como Park in Saint Paul, Minnesota, she is not above a little benevolent deception in order to get the park superintendent to change his mind and hire her. She plans to infiltrate the world of wealthy and influential people in hopes of drumming up financial support for a world-class conservatory. But before she can put those plans into action, she meets Reese King, a handsome gardener at Como Park--and a major distraction. Still, Reese might be the key to achieving her dream. But is his goal to help her . . . or to capture her heart?

Against the lush backdrop of manicured gardens and greenhouses full of the exotic, Lorna Seilstad weaves a sweet and sassy story that is sure to delight.

My Review:

The much anticipated finale to The Gregory Sisters series. This time it's younger sister, Tessa, who takes her turn to shine. She is just as rambunctious as ever and one of the fun things about reading her story is that I feel like I've watched her grow up through the other books.

Impetuous, passionate and determined, Tessa sets out to make her mark in the male-dominated horticultural field. My inner gardener swooned with delight at all the plant talk. LOL. Tessa dives in and out of scrapes with great aplomb -- so wrapped up in her need to prove herself and create her own opportunities she almost forgets to put God into the equation.

The sweet romance isn't without its fair share of thorns as Tessa and Reese struggle with finding a balance between their professional goals and their personal ones. A thought provoking look at the consequence of keeping secrets and the ensuing aftermath that occurs once they are revealed.

A truly captivating read.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of As Love Blooms 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 May 31 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Together With You

GIVEAWAY

BYLIN, VICTORIA
TOGETHER WITH YOU

Sometimes the most unexpected love can be exactly what a heart needs...

When a Lost Child warning blares over the mall's PA system, Carly Mason finds the little girl playing with a stuffed rabbit. Something about Penny Tremaine is different. An ex-social worker, Carly recognizes that the child suffers fetal alcohol effects, and a piece of Carly's past suddenly confronts her. Never again will she become personally involved with a client. The risks are far too great. But something about Penny--and Penny's handsome father--tugs at Carly's heart.

Dr. Ryan Tremaine is trying to put his life back together. With his ex-wife remarried and on a trip far away, his two teenage sons and Penny are living under his roof full time. Ryan has put his faith in his Sink-or-Swim list, a plan to reconnect with his children. The first step: recruit Carly Mason to be Penny's nanny.

Ryan never anticipated being so drawn to Carly, an attraction Carly seems to fight as much as he does. Could Carly be the missing piece that helps his family stay afloat, or will their blossoming romance only complicate things further?

Known for her realistic and engaging characters, Victoria Bylin delivers an emotion-packed story reminiscent of The Sound of Music, one that reminds us all to believe in the power of faith and love.

My Review:

Incredibly good read. The kind you need to savor for a while before starting on your next book. I became emotionally connected to the characters. Carly -- so hopeful and yet wounded too. Ryan -- so endearing in his clumsy attempts to patch his family back together. And the kids -- teenage angst, first love and little Penny who has her own unique take on the world.

Bylin's exquisite wordsmithing left me feeling a gamut of emotions. From outrage, despair,, fury, hope, aching sorrow and the ultimate joy that comes from embracing faith. I was emotionally spent by the end of the book! Replete too, as I basked in the afterglow of a story well told.

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 Together With You 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 May 31 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Monday, May 25, 2015

Plain Killing

GIVEAWAY
 MILLER, EMMA
PLAIN KILLING

When the Amish community of Stone Mill, Pennsylvania, refuses to discuss a murder with the police, it's up to Rachel Mast to bridge the cultural gap and stop a killer from striking again. . .

While swimming in a local quarry, Rachel and her cousin Mary Aaron discover the body of an Amish girl, fully clothed in her white bonnet, floating face down in the water. The drowned young woman, Beth Glick, had left Stone Mill and her Old Order Amish life a year ago, causing her to be shunned by her family and her people.

But if Beth had joined the English world, why was she found dressed in Amish clothing and strangled? Rachel's boyfriend, police detective Evan Park, is getting nowhere with questioning Beth's family. He's also troubled over the fate of three other Amish girls who left Stone Mill in the last two years. As someone who gave up the Plain lifestyle herself then returned to operate a B&B, Rachel is able to use her ties to the community to learn more about the missing girls. But when her search eventually leads to the dark underbelly of the secular world, Rachel finds her own life in dire jeopardy. . .

My Review:

This is second in the Amish Mystery series, but it's the first one I read. Can definitely be considered a standalone except there's a bit of a spoiler from the first book, Plain Murder so you might want to read them in order. Also, there's a continuation of the romance, which obviously began in the first book. The author plays 'catch-up' beautifully though and I never felt like I was missing out on anything. Mind you I just picked up Plain Murder at the library today because I couldn't wait to read it too.

Miller has crafted a compelling page-turning mystery. And I absolutely love the intrepid Rachael Mast. With her familial ties to the Amish, she's a great help to Evan, even though he wants her to stay well away from the murder investigation. But, seriously, that's like asking Nancy Drew to stop solving mysteries! Rachael feels compelled to help both because of her desire for justice and because she desperately wants to help the Amish community she still feels ties with. The light romance has a few rocky points which I suspect will be tied up in book three. All in all a stupendous armchair sleuth kind of read. Can't wait for Plain Dead's release in December.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Plain Killing 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 May 31 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Called to be Amish


MILLER, MARLENE C.
CALLED TO BE AMISH
 
Fewer than one hundred outsiders have joined the Old-Order Amish---and stayed---since 1950. Marlene C. Miller is one of them. In this rare memoir, Marlene recounts her unhappy and abusive childhood, how she throws herself into cheerleading and marching band, and how she falls in love with Johnny, the gentle young Amish man who helps her lace her ice skates.

Against the wishes of both sets of parents, Marlene and Johnny get married and begin a family. Follow the author on this unusual journey to find out how God's love called her out of bitterness and depression and into the warm embrace of her new Amish community.

Accompany her as she dons an Amish dress and prayer covering and gets baptized. Learn how she endures the strain of ten children, a hundred-acre farm, and accidents and tragedy, and find out how she comes close to walking away from it all. Turning Amish has proven to be anything but plain and simple for this former majorette. But nearly fifty years later, Marlene is still living out God's call as an Old Order Amish woman.
 
My Review:
 
An interesting glimpse into the life of an Amish convert. Miller's conversational tone made me feel like I was sitting right there listening as she reminisced about her life. She is frank about everything from her troubled childhood to the many ups and downs of living Amish for decades. Just reading the harrowing tales about the mischief (and danger!) her children got into on the farm about gave me heart palpitations. The author is certainly made of sterner stuff than I am, that's for sure. And that's what really shone through for me -- Miller's pioneer spirit. That along with her zest for life and love for the Savior. 
 
My thanks to Litfuse Publicity and Herald Press for a review copy of this book.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

May 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:

Sorry -- no giveaways next week. I'll just be posting two scheduled non-fiction reviews. Well, there's supposed to be a fiction one but the book hasn't arrived yet. Anyhow, I've been doing some pretty intensive physiotherapy that has just wiped me and I've been unable to do anything -- even read!!!! Thankfully, I have a week off from physio and I plan to relax and read the days away. So...in TWO WEEKS TIME (MAY 25 - 30) these books will be available for giveaways:

Thursday, May 14, 2015

With This Kiss Contemporary Collection : Five Inspirational Stories of Faith, Hope and Love

GIVEAWAY

CONNEALY, MARY
HERNE, RUTH LOGAN
LEESMITH, SANDRA
RADCLIFFE, TINA
TIPPENS, MISSY
WITH THIS KISS CONTEMPORARY COLLECTION : FIVE INSPIRATIONAL STORIES OF FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE

Five heart-stirring Christian romances of faith, hope and love! This new collection by five of the “Seekers” (the multi-published authors from www.seekerville.blogspot.com) will make you smile, sigh and remind you why we love happily ever afters! What happens when a fun mix of best-selling, multi-published, award-winning authors decide they have time on their hands? They write sweet novellas for their beloved readers! Jump into this delightful group of second-chance stories, tales of new beginnings, new starts and second chances for one incredibly low price! Because doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?

Safe Shelter by Mary Connealy: Janna is a frightened woman hiding from a stalker. She finds a job using a disguise and a new name. Scott, her boss, has burned too many times by lying women. Feelings grow between them until the truth comes out in an explosion of violence that endangers their lives and risks their fragile, new love.

Drama and comedy collide in this captivating story. Connealy's contemporary heroine has all the grit and determination of her historical ones. Loved getting inside Janna's head, discovering the complex layers that make her so intriguing to Scott. The best kind of romance -- where a HEA seems doomed from the start and therefore so much more satisfying by the time you reach the end.

Second Chance Sheriff by Ruth Logan Herne introduces another Karralis cousin. We met Rafe in the Hope for the Holidays collection, now we meet Deputy Dimtrios (Jim) Karralis as he rescues Salena Ramos and her newborn nephew from the jaws of human traffickers who killed her sister and stole the baby. But when danger looms from inside the sheriff’s department, will Dimi and Lena get the second chance they both deserve?

Romantic suspense from Ruth Logan Herne?! What an awesome surprise. The opening scene is an attention-grabber. After that I was tripping over words in my haste to find out what was going to happen next. Herne packs a lot of action, suspense and sweet romance in this novella!

Where the Eagle Flies by Sandra Leesmith: Sid Bradshaw has loved Melissa Anderson since they were children. He stepped back for years while Melissa followed her dreams to travel. He is hoping that he will have a second chance to win her love while on an outing with their families. A summer monsoon leaves the pair stranded in an isolated cove. Will this harsh land where the eagle flies show Melissa she has loved Sid all along?

A riveting survival story. Leesmith has the uncanny ability to take a setting and turn it into a secondary character. I love the way she transports me to different places and makes me feel like I've actually visited them. In this story, Lake Powell, Arizona is the 'secondary character' acting as the catalyst that plunges Sid and Melissa into a journey of self-discovery and a second chance at love.

No Time for Love by Tina Radcliffe: Nicki Baldwin's on the career fast track, until things come to a screeching halt courtesy of the mystery man who bought the property she has slated for a coffee shop out from under her. Steven Smith has met his former lifestyle in Nicki. Can he convince the beautiful hard hat to slow down and taste the pasta?

I'm smitten! Steven is the kind of hero it's easy to fall for. Audacious, introspective, easy-going, killer charm...and most appealing of all -- he's sure of himself. He's figured life out the hard way and he's in a good headspace. Enter Nicki who hasn't and isn't. Until Steven weaves his magic. Readers will be spellbound.

His Heart to Hold By Missy Tippens: Single dad Matt Bassani doesn’t need a watch dog during his daughter’s visit. But his ex-wife’s best friend, Taryn Minton, seems to thinks so. Will she be able to keep her promise to her best friend, or could the hunky dad win her over? 

Wow -- talk about emotional upheaval. I was righteously indignant for Matt a time or two...or three. And Taryn's torn loyalties had me alternately shouting at her and cheering her on. LOL. This is the kind of romance that keeps you on emotional tenterhooks until the very end.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
AVAILABLE IN EBOOK FORMAT ONLY
If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of With This Kiss : Contemporary Collection 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 May 17 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

A Love Like Ours

GIVEAWAY

WADE, BECKY
A LOVE LIKE OURS

Former Marine Jake Porter has far deeper scars than the one that marks his face. He struggles with symptoms of PTSD, lives a solitary life, and avoids relationships.

When Lyndie James, Jake's childhood best friend, lands back in Holley, Texas, Jake cautiously hires her to exercise his Thoroughbreds. Lyndie is tender-hearted, fiercely determined, and afraid of nothing, just like she was as a child. Jake pairs her with Silver Leaf, a horse full of promise but lacking in results, hoping she can solve the mystery of the stallion's reluctance to run.

Though Jake and Lyndie have grown into very different adults, the bond that existed during their childhood still ties them together. Against Jake's will, Lyndie's sparkling, optimistic personality begins to tear down the walls he's built around his heart. A glimmer of the hope he'd thought he'd lost returns, but fears and regrets still plague him. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend?

My Review:

Seriously, gut-wrenchingly, 5-tissue-box-alert good. I love an emotional read and Wade always succeeds in delivering one. Plus she gets me thinking...and squirming...as I grow right along with her characters.

There's something so delicate about the fragile link Jake and Lyndie share from childhood. The thinnest of threads is all that is left when they reconnect as adults but it turns into a solid life line for Jake. But, oh my, it's a painful journey until he figures out how to hold on.

Exquisite storytelling delves deep into the tormented psyche of a man struggling with PTSD. I ached for Jake even as I fumed at him. And Wade does an incredible job of slowly edging him out of his self-imposed isolation. When we first meet him he's surviving more than living. And then Lyndie breezes in -- a whirlwind of tenacity and faith and unconditional love. She's like a breath of fresh air and Jake's defences don't stand a chance. Though he does make a valiant effort.

The beauty of their romance is that it isn't always pretty. And complications take on a whole new meaning after you've read their story. I was wrenched into the depths of despair and then buoyed up in a hope so bright it actually hurt.

My takeaway message from this read: God is good. You just need to let Him into your life to realize how good He really is.

My thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group and Bethany House for supplying a review copy of this book.
 
 
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of A Love Like Ours 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 May 17 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!
 
To celebrate the release of her new book, Becky is giving away a $100 cash card and a book-inspired prize pack!


lovelikeours-400 
One grand prize winner will receive:

  • A $100 cash card
  • A copy of A Love Like Ours
  • A copy of the Secretariat DVD
  • A scarf
  • A dog-tag/cross keychain
  • A pair of earrings
  • A Scarf
  • A Texas-shaped cutting board
  • A Jake Porter mug

  • Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 26th. Winner will be announced May 27th on Becky's site.
    lovelikeours-enterbanner
    

    Tuesday, May 12, 2015

    Amish Promises

    GIVEAWAY

    GOULD, LESLIE
    AMISH PROMISES

    Journey Down a Quiet Lane in Lancaster County Where Love and Heartache and Friendship and Healing Meet
    When Joel and Shani Beck arrive at their new home, they're looking for peace. Shani is thrilled to have Joel back from Iraq, but he needs time to heal, and the quiet of Lancaster seems just the place. They can't imagine any trouble with their Amish neighbors, the Lehmans, but things get off to a rocky start when their son is involved in an accident that injures one of the Lehman boys.

    Eve Lehman has run her brother's household ever since the death of his wife, but Tim's a stern patriarch. Despite his protests, she's drawn to the new neighbor, Shani, and the two begin to form a strong friendship forged on faith and family. Things seem like they've quieted down until Joel's single and handsome army friend Charlie catches Eve's attention--a man unlike any Eve has ever met. Suddenly life for both families becomes more complicated than any of them could have ever imagined.

    My Review:

    A rich read with so many luscious layers to delve into. Gould takes us into the lives of real people struggling to shield their families from loss and heartache. Only everyone is broken, experiences can scar and suddenly finding shelter at home isn't as easy as it sounds.

    There are so many wonderful characters to relate to -- I especially connected with Shani and Eve. Two women determined to do the best for their families despite some of the members within them. Loved watching the way their friendship spanned a cultural divide and strengthened in the midst of adversity.

    The twisty turny romance thread caused me to shed a tear or two. So complicated. So impossible. So perfect.

    An intense read with light spurts of comic relief. And impossible to put down.

    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 Amish Promises 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 May 17  2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

    Monday, May 11, 2015

    A Heart's Danger



    COBLE, COLLEEN
    A HEART'S DANGER

    On the brink of war with the Sioux, Sarah risks everything to expose the betrayal threatening the man she loves.

    Christmas is coming, and the air at Fort Laramie has turned cold . . . but relations with the Sioux have turned colder. As tensions between soldiers and natives approach a tipping point, a trap has been set for Rand Campbell.

    Rand’s new fiancée wants to keep him from returning to Sarah Montgomery . . . for whom his heart clearly still yearns.
    Sarah just wants to move on with her life at Fort Laramie, but doing so under the watchful eyes of both Campbell—the man whose love she craves—and Croftner—the man whose lies have cost her everything.

    Will Rand fall victim to the conspiracy and go through with his wedding? Or will he declare his love for Sarah and make good on the promises that brought her into the rugged western territories?

    My Review:

    The third book in The Journey of the Heart series (a book-a-month released March - August.) It's an interesting marketing venture that I have mixed feelings about. I'd almost prefer it if the books were released closer together. They're short -- novella length -- and easily read in an hour so it's a long wait for the next installment which breaks up the story for me. The whole series is a re-issue of Colleen Coble's first two novels which have been out of print for a decade (though available in ebook format.)

    A Heart's Danger is filled with exactly that -- danger. Lots of it in various forms caused by a very diabolical villain. Fractions between Indian and Whites escalate and there's enough foreshadowing (or I'm reading between the lines) to leave me with an unsettled feeling of dread as I look ahead to reading the last three installments this summer.

    *Please note -- Because of the installment nature of this series I won't do a giveaway until the very last book is released -- in August -- when I'll do a giveaway of the 6 book set.

    My thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group and Thomas Nelson for supplying me with a review copy of this book.

    Sunday, May 10, 2015

    May 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:

    Saturday, May 9, 2015

    When Mercy Rains


    GIVEAWAY

    SAWYER, KIM VOGEL
    WHEN MERCY RAINS

    Suzanne Zimmerman was only seventeen and pregnant when her shamed mother quietly sent her away from their Old Order Mennonite community in Kansas. With her old home, family, and first love firmly behind her, Suzanne moved to Indiana, became a nurse, and raised a daughter, Alexa, on her own.

    Now, nearly twenty years later, an unexpected letter arrives from Kansas. Her brother asks her to bring her nursing abilities home and care for their ailing mother. His request requires that Suzanne face a family that may not have forgiven her and a strict faith community. It also means seeing Paul Aldrich, her first love.

    Paul, widowed with an eight-year-old son, is relieved to see Suzanne again, giving him the chance to beg her forgiveness for his past indiscretion. But when he meets Alexa, his guilt flickers in the glare of Suzanne's prolonged secret-one that changes everything.

    Suzanne had let go of any expectation for forgiveness long ago. Does she dare hope in mercy-and how will her uncovered past affect the people she loves the most?

    My Review:

    After I read book two in this series, a few weeks ago, I couldn't wait to backtrack and read When Mercy Rains. And even though I read them out of order so I knew a few spoilers when I started this one, I still loved it. In fact, knowing the outcome of a few threads made the read even edgier.

    Love the family dynamics -- The Zimmermans are a complicated bunch and Sawyer magnificently illustrates how one action can snowball into a multitude of reactions that have long reaching effects. Sawyer has created a riveting tale of loss and love and what mercy can mean for second chances.

    GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

    If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of When Mercy Rains 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 May 10 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

    Thursday, May 7, 2015

    Reader's Choice - Novella Collection

    GIVEAWAY

    I'm getting ready for a summer reading blitz but I need your input to help me scout out the best new June - August releases. So, instead of reading and reviewing books this week, I'm appealing to my fellow bibliophiles for recommended summer release titles. 

    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
    June, July or August 2015
    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!!!!!!)
     

    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 (and you think I'd like to read!)

    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 May 10  2015.
    .

    Wednesday, May 6, 2015

    Reader's Choice - Romantic Suspense

    GIVEAWAY

    June - August 2015 release

    I'm getting ready for a summer reading blitz but I need your input to help me scout out the best new June - August releases. So, instead of reading and reviewing books this week, I'm appealing to my fellow bibliophiles for recommended summer release titles. 

    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
    June, July or August 2015
    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!!!!!!)
     

    IT'S ROMANTIC SUSPENSE 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 genre you'd like to win (and you think I'd like to read!)

    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 May 10  2015.

    Tuesday, May 5, 2015

    Readers's Choice - Contemporary Romance

    GIVEAWAY

    June - August release dates

    I'm getting ready for a summer reading blitz but I need your input to help me scout out the best new June - August releases. So, instead of reading and reviewing books this week, I'm appealing to my fellow bibliophiles for recommended summer release titles. 

    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
    June, July or August 2015
    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!!!!!!)
     

    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 (and you think I'd like to read!)

    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 May 10  2015.