Brightest and Best

GIVEAWAY

NEWPORT, OLIVIA
BRIGHTEST AND BEST

Ella Hilty's deepest desire is to marry Gideon Wittmer and be a mother to his three children. But before the betrothal and ceremony take place, Ella's 1918 Ohio Amish community gets caught in a storm of controversy when English government authorities dictate that Amish children must attend consolidated public schools rather than their one-room-schoolhouse.

English schoolteacher Margaret Simpson had given up thoughts of marriage years ago, and she's content with her peaceful life. But a budding romance and conflict with the neighboring Amish community lead Margaret down a path that she never expected.

Citing freedom of religion, Amish parents stand their ground against progressive English laws that threaten to erode their culture and beliefs beyond recognition, but their stance doesn't come without consequences. Where is the balance between submission to God and submission to a God-ordained government that endangers the church?

Soon Margaret puts her last chance for romance at risk for the only choice her conscience can abide, and all eyes turn to Ella to bring unity to the Amish and understanding to the English.

My Review:

Not only did Newport engage this reader, she held her captive right to the very end. Seriously compelling. I couldn't put it down. I lost sleep over this book. Both because I stayed up late reading and because I dreamed about the story when I finally did drift off. Applying cucumber slices to my puffy eyes right after I finish writing this review. :-)

If you're not an Amish reader but you love historicals don't be shy, give Brightest and Best a try. Two heroines, one Amish, one English, will keep both kinds of readers happy. And 1918 is an interesting time period for an Amish novel. In many ways, the Amish aren't so very different from their English neighbours. Day to day life is pretty similar between the two groups -- however modern conveniences such as the automobile and the telephone are beginning to create a wider gap between them.

And I found the whole school issue which is at the core of this story utterly fascinating. Newport tells it from various viewpoints, both Amish and English and it pulled at my heartstrings because I know that many Amish communities went through what this one did before they were finally allowed to educate their own children. I was outraged, appalled, devastated...pretty much emotionally spent by the time I reached the end.

This is as much a book about human rights as it is about the Amish at the turn of the century. A reader can make some interesting parallels to similar modern day stories seen in the media the last few years, which really got me thinking. Definitely the kind of book that has plenty of starting points for discussion so it would make an excellent book club choice.

Oh -- and let's not forget the romance. Sweet and yearning, Gideon and Ella's love story is complicated by the growing dissent surrounding them. Their happily ever after seems as illusive as the hoped for Amish schoolhouse. Page-turning to the very last delectable page.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Brightest and Best 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 6 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

November Giveaway - Week Five

WON BY LYNN, SUSAN F., SUSAN P., KIM, HEATHER & BONNIE

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.

An Amish Noel

GIVEAWAY

DAVIDS, PATRICIA
AN AMISH NOEL

An Amish Homecoming

Luke Bowman's homecoming is turning Emma Swartzentruber's carefully ordered world upside down. Gone is her rebellious girlhood crush, and in his place is a handsome man who seems committed to serving the community. Luke's even agreed to work for Emma's ill father, whose last wish is to see his daughter wedded to a stable, loving man. But Luke - a man who flirted with the outside world with disastrous consequences - is hardly marriage material for a good Amish woman. Yet this Christmas, when her family is flung into crisis, Emma finds that he may just be the one to capture her heart for good.

My Review:

I love the rich depth in the stories Patricia Davids delivers and this one has a unique hook that reeled me in.  Luke's past plays a huge role in his present and has the potential to jeopardize his future...if he lets it. He has to learn to believe in himself so he can have the confidence to put the past behind him for good. While Emma strives to live the same important Amish principle of forgiveness, she finds forgetting is much harder. And sometimes a knee-jerk reaction to judge can interfere with all her good intentions. Davids really knows how to draw her readers in with a complex plot with enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. Throw in some lovely Amish Christmas traditions and you get a heartwarming holiday read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  An Amish Noel 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 November 29 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Come Rain Or Come Shine

GIVEAWAY

KARON JAN
COME RAIN OR COME SHINE

Over the course of ten Mitford novels, fans have kept a special place in their hearts for Dooley Kavanagh, first seen in At Home in Mitford as a barefoot, freckle-faced boy in filthy overalls.

Now, Father Tim Kavanagh’s adopted son has graduated from vet school and opened his own animal clinic. Since money will be tight for a while, maybe he and Lace Harper, his once and future soul mate, should keep their wedding simple.

So the plan is to eliminate the cost of catering and do potluck. Ought to be fun.

An old friend offers to bring his well-known country band. Gratis.

And once mucked out, the barn works as a perfect venue for seating family and friends.

Piece of cake, right?

In Come Rain or Come Shine, Jan Karon delivers the wedding that millions of Mitford fans have waited for. It’s a June day in the mountains, with more than a few creatures great and small, and you’re invited—because you’re family.

By the way, it’s a pretty casual affair, so come as you are and remember to bring a tissue or two. After all, what’s a good wedding without a good cry?

My Review:

True confession -- I haven't read any of the Mitford series but there are so many that I just decided to leap into the fray with this book. Am I brave or what? LOL Definitely not the way I'd recommend reading this series. There are just so many characters to keep track of. A lot of them are still a mystery to me, but I did enjoy getting to know the key players in Come Rain Or Come Shine. I think Lace was my favourite -- loved  reading her journaling. It revealed so much about her personal and spiritual growth and helped me with her background and how her romance with Dooley developed.

There's a lot happening in this book. Blissful (or maybe not so blissful) wedding preparations take centre stage and are the catalyst for all the action. A clever mix of humour and heartwarming sets the perfect tone for all the shenanigans.

Karon's penchant for beginning scenes without identifying the point of view character proved a real stumbling block for me -- especially since the story is told from multiple viewpoints. The author uses 'he' or 'she' instead of identifying the character by name and it took several paragraphs (sometimes a whole scene) before I could figure out whose thought process I was following. There were some scenes I just skimmed because I didn't have a clue. At first I thought  it was because I didn't know all the characters well enough since I haven't read the previous books but then I read some reviews online from ardent Mitford fans who had the same problem so I didn't feel so bad. :-)

The other thing that threw me was the way the author 'head-hopped' in the middle of a scene -- often abruptly. Ping-ponging between character point of view within a couple of sentences. It jarred me out of the story and left me rereading and trying to sort out whose thoughts belonged to who. Very disconcerting.

So,  overall, I enjoyed the story -- the crazy wedding preparations, how unique the wedding was, Lace and Dooley and Father Tim and Choo-Choo the bull -- I just felt a bit like a long lost cousin on the outside looking in. Definitely do not recommend reading the Mitford books out of order.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Come Rain Or Come Shine 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 November 29 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Christmas Blackout

GIVEAWAY

BLACK, MAGGIE K.
CHRISTMAS BLACKOUT

No way out!

The last thing Benjamin Duff needs is to be stranded at his friend Piper Lawrence's bed-and-breakfast with a dangerous intruder. But when he stops to say goodbye before moving across the world, he finds a masked man attacking Piper. Benjamin rushes to save her, crashing his truck and trapping them during a winter storm in the process. With no power or cell phones and time running out before his trip, he'll have to work fast to catch the killer. As they fight for their lives and their feelings for each other grow, Benjamin must decide if he's really willing to leave Piper behind.

My Review:

All hail to kick-butt heroines who wear glasses! I can seriously relate to a woman who only sees misshapen blobs without her glasses on. I'd love Piper just for that endearing fact, but there's so much more that makes her a winning heroine in my book. Dedication and loyalty to family for one. A giving nature. The steely determination to overcome whatever obstacle is placed in her path. Not to mention her keen sense of self-preservation. It's no wonder Benjamin is drawn to her at a time when he can't possibly be. They are set on two difference paths -- destined to be continents and oceans apart. So not the time for romance!

The plot is all a suspense lover could want -- twisty and turny and convoluted. The real keep-you-on-your-toes-until-the-very-end kind. I did not have a clue regarding some things. Not. A. Clue. Made for a voracious reading spell. Good luck putting this one down before you've reached the last page!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Christmas Blackout 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 November 29 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Someday Home

GIVEAWAY

SNELLING, LAURAINE
SOMEDAY HOME

The sprawling lake home Lynn Lundberg built with her husband has been an epicenter of joyful family life, from summer holidays spent around the water, to cookies baked in the kitchen with grandchildren in the fall. But since her husband's sudden passing two years ago, Lynn has been lost in the grief and solitude she feels without him at home. She doesn't want to sell the big family place, but she can't exist there on her own much longer.

After hearing of a new way of living--where single women share responsibilities as housemates--Lynn thinks she's found the answer to her prayers. Soon she meets two ladies with whom she could begin this journey. Angela Bishop, a successful real estate agent accustomed to the finer things in life, has just been jilted by her husband of twenty-five-years. Judith Rutherford, who has devoted her adulthood to caring for her ailing father, must leave the only home she's known now that he has passed.

These three women seek a place to grieve, to laugh, and to be renewed. But coming from such differing circumstances, will the new challenges they face undo their plans? Or will they begin a friendship to see them through the years to come in this SOMEDAY HOME?

My Review:

I read out of my comfort zone when I picked up Someday Home and I'm so glad I did. This is a book about relationship -- both with the Lord and the people you let into your life. There's a special strength that comes from leaning on the Lord and that's just what each of these women discover when life throws a major detour into their chosen paths.

Midlife heroines aren't plentiful in fiction as a rule but I really enjoyed the fresh perspective. Have to say Lynn is my favourite. A widow struggling to find balance after the untimely loss of her husband. Her grown kids are worried about her and aren't shy of sharing their opinions. Love the dynamics in that family. They're a hundred per cent behind her when she decides on giving this new-fangled house sharing idea a try. Lynn feels God's nudge as she goes about looking for the right housemates.

Point of view shifts between Lynn, Judith and Angela as they grapple with their new found reality. Loved witnessing the bond of friendship that grows between them. And the growth they make as their lives intermingle and they learn to draw support from one another. Truly a soul satisfying read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Someday Home 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 November 29 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Love by the Reins: Christian Contemporary Romantic Novella

GIVEAWAY

NOLAN, CATE
LOVE BY THE REINS : CHRISTIAN CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC NOVELLA

When David Marlow hires Willa James to give his daughter riding lessons, he's secretly hoping she can work magic. Since her mother's death, Hailey has become a tiny terror, caring about no one and nothing but winning gold medals.

Ten years ago, Willa lost everything when a riding accident stole her chances of Olympic gold. In one night she lost her boyfriend, her riding dreams, and any chance of ever having a family of her own. When she takes on the challenge of training David's daughter, she has to confront her memories and learn to open herself up to life and love again.

Can one not-so-angelic little girl bring a Christmas miracle and a second chance at love for David and Willa?

My Review:

A Christmas novella worth swooning over! I don't know how Nolan packed all the emotional satisfaction of a full length romance into this sweet novella, but I'm glad she did. My little girl heart pitter-pattered over the horse stable setting. Kind of like The Saddle Club for adults. :-) This intense second-chance love story sure packs a wallop. I felt every angst-riddled moment right along with David and Willa. And the not-so-angelic Hailey kept me laughing and wincing.  The perfect holiday read to help you countdown to Christmas.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This novella is published in ebook format only

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Love by the Reins 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 November 29 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Golden Braid

GIVEAWAY

DICKERSON, MELANIE
THE GOLDEN BRAID

The one who needs rescuing isn't always the one in the tower...

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.

Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel's hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again---this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.

The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight---Sir Gerek---Rapunzel, in turn, rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to him than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?

As Rapunzel acclimates to life in a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery are about to be revealed after seventeen years. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?

My Review:

I can't begin to convey how much I love Melanie Dickerson's fairy tale retellings. She can't write them fast enough for me! The Golden Braid is a fantastic addition to her impressive collection. Rapunzel was one of my favourite fairy tales as a kid and I have read a number of fairy tale  retellings, but never one with Rapunzel as the theme. So there I was -- squealing in delight all the way through! Kinda embarrassing, but at least I read it at home so no one witnessed my fan-girling moments, except maybe the mice lurking in the walls. :-)

Dickerson keeps her reader riveted while weaving a familiar but not-so-familiar tale. She's done a marvellous job with the key points of this particular fairy tale, Cleverly twisting classic elements into her own gripping tale of love and betrayal and that all important happily ever after. She kept me on my toes right to the end though.

Oh -- and about that ending. There's a point where this book meshes with scenes from The Princess Spy. It took me a page or two to adjust. I was like, "Wait, I've read this before...no I haven't...um, yeah...but not exactly." So much fun -- the author has added additional layers to the original scenes from a whole new perspective. That was one of my major fan-girling moments. Loved the crisscross connection. No worries if you haven't read The Princess Spy (though why ever not, I ask with a scowl aimed directly at you) those scenes will make total sense to a new reader. Dickerson veterans will just get an extra kick of book-happy while reading them.

Also loved the way the inspirational thread is seamlessly woven into the very fibre of this tale. The Golden Braid checks all the boxes: Adventure. Romance. Inspirational. Angst. Humour. A lovely mix that's sure to leave you basking in the glow of a stellar happily ever after.

Thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group and Thomas Nelson for providing me with a review copy of this book.

http://litfusegroup.com/author/mdickerson

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Golden Braid 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 November 29 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

November 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.

Love's Sure Dawn

GIVEAWAY

RAWLINGS, NAOMI
LOVE'S SURE DAWN

No matter how hard she tries to help, Rebekah Cummings always ends up causing more problems than she solves. This time, though, things will be different. She'll find a way to pay her family's debts, even if doing so requires leaving Eagle Harbor. Maybe then they'll start treating her as a capable woman who makes her own choices.

Gilbert Sinclair is going to marry an heiress. With his latest business venture sunk at the bottom of Lake Superior, he needs money to replace the steamship he lost, so he heads to Chicago where his father's business connections should land him a suitable wife. Like most things in his meticulously planned life, everything goes as expected—until he discovers Rebekah Cummings working as the new cook on his ship.

Rebekah well remembers the pain she endured the last time she tried trusting Gilbert, and Gilbert can't afford to pursue the love of a working class woman. But they can't stop the forgotten feelings swirling between them—or ignore the sacrifices they'd both have to make for a future together.

My Review:

Rawling writes some of the best sparring scenes I've ever read. And Rebekah and Gilbert have more than their fair share of them in Love's Sure Dawn. But then, this author isn't known for being kind to her heroes and heroines which is fine by me since it makes for a compelling (and angsty) read.

Fans of the Eagle Harbor series will already be acquainted with Rebekah and Gilbert from the previous two books. No worries if you haven't read the first two stories because this one also reads well as a standalone, though I have to admit to being particularly eager for this romance.

Rebekah is an interesting character. A tomboy way past the age when running wild is acceptable, she's gotten away with it in the small lakeside community. But though she's as adventurous and courageous as her brothers, she chafes at the protective restrictions they place upon her. So what's a stifled little sister to do? Take matters into her own hands. of course and that leads to trouble. Especially for Gilbert.

Cue humour and adventure and a few heart-stirring situations that bring these two together in a clash of wills and long buried desire. A feisty, toe-curling romance that will keep you hooked right to the very end.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
This giveaway is in EBOOK format only

If you would like an opportunity to win an ecopy of  Love's Sure Dawn 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 November 22 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Keeping Christmas

GIVEAWAY

WALSH, DAN
KEEPING CHRISTMAS

For the first time since their children were born, empty nesters Judith and Stan Winters spent Thanksgiving without the kids, and it's looking like Christmas will be the same. Judith can't bring herself to even start decorating for the holiday; her kids always hung the first ornaments on the tree, ornaments they had made each year since they were toddlers. Sure they were strange-looking--some could be called downright ugly--but they were tradition. A tradition she's heartbroken to miss this year.

With Judith refusing to decorate the bare spruce tree in their living room, Stan knows something must be done. And his only hope for saving the holiday is found in a box of handmade ornaments.

Fan-favorite Dan Walsh invites readers to enjoy this nostalgic Christmas story that celebrates all of our most cherished seasonal traditions, especially the importance of family. Readers will join in remembering the things that make their own Christmas season so special.

My Review:

In some aspects this was a hard read for me. Judith isn't handling being an empty-nester during the holidays. She's in a blue funk for most of the story and I found the first half the book just plain depressing. Judith is wallowing and Stan is clueless and I pretty much wanted to wash my hands of them both. Of course, that's the problem with depression -- there isn't an easy fix and it affects everyone around you.

Still, there are too many similar scenes illustrating how depressed Judith is. Keeping Christmas is a shorter length novel (215 pages) but I feel like it would make a better novella -- where those scenes could have been tightened up quite a bit, achieving the overall mood without being so oppressive.

I have read most of Dan Walsh's books and been enamoured with them all, but I found this one missing the depth and complexity of his other work. Things don't pick up until well into the second half of the book. Judith begins to discover who she can be outside of a mother and grandmother and takes some steps towards change. Stan gets inspired and plans a Christmas to be remembered and, while the ending is predictable, it definitely redeems the story.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Please note: giveaway is for a gently read hardback copy of the book.

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Keeping 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 November 21 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!  

A Flying Affair

GIVEAWAY

STEWART, CARLA
A FLYING AFFAIR

Ever since Mittie Humphreys agreed to join dashing brainstorming pilot Ames for a joyride in his airplane, her lifelong love of horses has been surpassed by one thing -- a longing for the skies. It seems she's not the only one. With Charles Lindbergh making his victory tour in the Spirit of St. Louis, aviation fever is spreading across the country. Mittie knows flying is the perfect focus for the soaring ambition and taste for adventure within her, and whenever she can slip away from her duties on her family's prosperous Kentucky horse farm, she heads to the airfield.

Considering their shared passion, it's no surprise that Ames begins to vie for Mittie's time. But when handsome British aviator Bobby York offers her flying lessons, he is equally surprised -- and beguiled -- by Mittie's grit and talent. Drvien to succeed, Mittie will do whatever it takes to compete in the Women's National Air Derby alongside Amelia Earhart. But when Calista 'Peach' Gilson, a charming Southern belle, becomes her rival both professionally and in love, Mittie must learn how to navigate her heart's romantic longings as well as the skies.

My Review:

What an exciting read! It's the late nineteen twenties and the world is all agog over aviation -- Lindbergh, Earhart, pioneering women who are beginning to break out of the conventional mold society has placed them in for centuries. And Mittie is just such a woman. Indulged by her father, she's the despair of her mother. A determined heroine with a mind of her own. And there's the problem. For all her adventurous spirit, there's a certain naivete about her and she learns some hard lessons in her quest to follow her dreams.

I don't want to say too much about the romance since there are two men vying for Mittie's attention. Suffice to say I had a clear favourite and  there was more than one occasion when I wanted to shake some sense into her. :-)

A tight plot with plenty of twists and turns and some hair-raising aerial scenes kept my nose buried in the book even though I had plenty of other things that needed doing. I do so love getting lost in a good story! You might say I spent most of the day with my head in the clouds right along with Mittie.

A captivating and exhilarating read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  A Flying Affair 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 November 22 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Capitol K-9 Unit Christmas

GIVEAWAY

MCCOY, SHIRLEE
WORTH, LENORA
CAPITOL K-9 UNIT CHRISTMAS

Danger strikes at Christmastime

Protecting Virginia by Shirlee McCoy

When foster care worker Virginia Johnson inherits her abusive late husband's family home, she's desperate to sell it before Christmas. But a mysterious intruder doesn't want her in the house. Terrified, Virginia turns to her neighbor, Capitol K-9 Unit officer John Forrester, and his four-legged partner, to keep her alive to see the New Year.

Guarding Abigail by Lenora Worth

Capitol K-9 Unit officer Dylan Ralsey's new mission: protect a murdered diplomat's daughter while she's in the nation's capitol. But when an attempt is made on Abigail Wheaton's life, Dylan and his trusty canine partner must keep her safe from a murderer who wants to ruin everyone's holiday.

Capitol K-9 Unit: These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners.

My Review:

Protecting Virginia by Shirlee McCoy -- Seriously hair-raising opening. My heart revved up a notch and I felt like I was the one alone in that big ol' spooky house. Phew, McCoy packs a lot of danger and tension in a short word count. Along with the stirrings of a sweet holiday romance. Awesome combo.

Guarding Abigail by Lenora Worth -- A riveting read. Officer Tico (the dog) stole my heart just a smidgen before Dylan did. The perils of being a hero in a K-9 story -- at least with me as the reader. :-) Worth packs a complex plot in this cat-and-mouse suspense that kept me turning pages right to the end. A delicious treat of a holiday read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Capitol K-9 Unit 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 November 22 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Sea Keeper's Daughters

GIVEAWAY

WINGATE, LISA
THE SEA KEEPER'S DAUGHTERS

Wingate's third Carolina book follows the highly reviewed, The Prayer Box and The Story Keeper as well as related three novellas.

From modern-day Roanoke Island to the sweeping backdrop of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and Roosevelt’s WPA folklore writers, past and present intertwine to create an unexpected destiny. . .

Restaurant owner Whitney Monroe is desperate to save her business from a hostile takeover. The inheritance of a decaying Gilded Age hotel on North Carolina’s Outer Banks may provide just the ray of hope she needs. But things at The Excelsior are more complicated than they seem. Whitney’s estranged stepfather is entrenched on the third floor, and the downstairs tenants are determined to save the historic building. Searching through years of stored family heirlooms may be Whitney’s only hope of quick cash, but will the discovery of an old necklace and a depression-era love story change everything.

My Review:

A masterful tale so profound that I'm still reeling. Talk about compelling! I couldn't read fast enough. My eyeballs were tripping over each other in a race to the finish. I knew I should slow down, spend some time savoring artfully crafted gems like this: "Sometimes, even when you've spent years ignoring God, there are places where his fingerprint and his intentions seem absolute." (p.170) But I was so eager to find out what happens next I barely remembered to breathe.

This novel surprised me. Not because I enjoyed it so much -- I'm acquainted with Wingate's work so I knew that was a given. What surprised me was the incredible story within a story that I discovered within these pages. I knew nothing about Roosevelt's WPA folklore writers but I'm definitely going to follow through with the reference links the author provides at the end of the book and learn more.

An emotional read, I wept at the end. Great gasping sobs -- a mixture of sorrow and joy. The power is in the legacy of family -- the heart of this story. Whitney sums it up beautifully. "Despite the lack of answers, I know I've found the truth of who I am and where I come from. The path isn't straight. It winds and bends in magnificent ways, its course shepherded by strong women who've left their footprints behind." (p.403) Her journey of self-discovery makes for a truly mesmerizing read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Sea Keeper's Daughters 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 November 22 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

November 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:

The Story Jar

GIVEAWAY

HATCHER, ROBIN LEE
HUNT, ANGELA E.
BEDFORD, DEBORAH
THE STORY JAR

While cleaning in a tiny old church, Beth Williams finds a gallon-sized mason jar filled with an odd assortment of items. "It's a story jar," explains Mrs. Halley, the newly widowed pastor's wife. "Every item in it represents a mother's story and a miracle of God."

Curious, Beth listens as the tale behind each object unfolds: a blue hair ribbon and the mother who faces her greatest fear...a silver ring and the woman who finally sees into her daughter's heart...a tiny, yellow sock and the adoption that tests a young mother's patience and faith.

In addition to three heart-wrenching, heart-warming novellas, The Story Jar features true-life tributes to their mothers from Jerry Jenkins, Francine Rivers, Debbie Macomber and others. This is a book that will lift your spirit and lead you to new faith in the Father as it honours mothers everywhere.

My Review:

A charming collection of powerful mother-love novellas.  These are stories as much about faith and trust in God as they are about motherhood. Three mothers face different life-changing challenges -- cancer, teenage rebellion and infertility. All heavy issues that could burden a reader however each author infuses such hope and spirituality into each story that I came away uplifted instead.  A compelling read that was over way too fast.

Added bonus: a variety of authors have written sweet tributes to their own mothers including Debbie Macomber, Francine Rivers, Lori Copeland, among others.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Story Jar 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 November 15 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!