The Cowboy's Ready-Made Family

GIVEAWAY

FORD, LINDA
THE COWBOY'S READY-MADE FAMILY

The cowboy arrangement

Susanne Collins has her hands full raising her four orphaned nieces and nephews and managing the family farm. So when her cowboy neighbor proposes he plant her crops in exchange for keeping his wild horses in her corrals, Susanne hesitantly takes the deal. Soon her reluctance to accept help ebbs, and she wonders if Tanner Harding will he prove to be the strong, solid man she's been hoping for...

Half-Native American Tanner has always been adrift in a white man's world. Yet the beautiful stand-in mother and her ready-made family give him a sense of belonging for the very first time. But can he convince Susanne to take a chance and welcome him not just into her home but also into her heart?

Montana Cowboys : these brothers live and love by the code of the West

My Review:

Spectacular start to a new series about cowboys written by Linda Ford! Can it get any better than that? Tanner has experienced enough prejudice to make him wary. He's got a chip on his shoulder when he meets Susanne and is quick to misjudge as a result. Her past has left her with her own reasons to be leery. Stubborn and feisty meets hard-headed and reserved. Ah, the stuff romantic dreams are made of. :-) Ford has created a compelling love story out of the ashes of two broken lives. A testimony to finding God in the most difficult of times and trusting Him to ease the way. Heartwarming and uplifting right to the very last page.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Cowboy's Ready-Made Family 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 April 3 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

A Treasure Concealed

GIVEAWAY

PETERSON, TRACIE
A TREASURE CONCEALED

There is more than gold to be found in these hills.

Emily Carver longs to have a home of her own, but instead she endures a transient existence in the gold mining camps of Montana Territory, where her father's hopes for riches be lie endlessly buried. Promises of wealth from this wild land have brought only hardship and disappointment, causing Emily to wonder if her own modest dreams will ever see the light of day.

Caeden Thibault, a young geologist working for the government, is a man trying to escape the pain of his past, and the idyllic mountains of Montana serve his purposes well. In the course of his work, he has seen more than his share of starry-eyed gold seekers. So when Emily Carver catches her attention, he is intrigued by the fact that she isn't pinning her hopes on striking it rich.

Will an unexpected discovery come between them or draw them together?

My Review:

The kind of story you lose yourself in from the very first page. The historical details of life in the gold mining camps are riveting. So many men (and some women) caught 'the fever' and endured years of hardship for the dream of striking it rich. But oh, the havoc that wrought in the lives of their families!

As much as I wanted to dislike Emily's father for all he put her through, I just couldn't. Henry Carver is a complicated character who loves the Lord and believes he's following a calling of sorts. Foolishly stubborn perhaps, but he has a heart of gold (pun intended) and an affable nature. Which brings Caeden to their doorstep. And that's when the magic really begins.

Incredible first meet. Peterson knows how to lace drama with humour and witty dialogue. But she also knows how to riddle a plot with unexpected twists and turns. Not to mention conniving villains. So Emily and Caeden are in for quite a journey before they even have a hope at a happily ever. A page-turning wonder of a read.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  A Treasure Concealed 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 April 3 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Flirtation Walk

GIVEAWAY

MITCHELL, SIRI
FLIRTATION WALK

At West Point, only true love should lead you to Flirtation Walk

Lucinda Pennyworth, the daughter of a con man, is trying her best to leave her father's sordid past behind her. When he dies unexpectedly, she takes the opportunity to move to West Point to live with her aunt, ready to take on a new life and determined to marry a respectable man, a West Point cadet, to impress her relatives.

Seth Westcott, a cadet at the academy, is proud to be at the top of his senior class. But when his mother dies and his sister loses their inheritance to a swindler, Seth wants nothing more than to head west to track down the con man. But the army will only send the cadets at the bottom of the class to the frontier...which leaves Seth with some tough choices.

When a woman trying her best to be good meets a man determined to be anything but, can there be hope for love or will two lonely hearts be condemned to casual flirtations?

My Review:

My tummy did a backflip after reading the synopsis on the back of the book and I knew I was in for a challenging read. Goodbye peace of mind, hello emotional combustion! Both Seth and Lucinda are wrapped up in deceit and oh what a tangled web we all got caught in. A right angsty mess!

Lucinda has a very calculated way of looking at things -- people are objects to be manipulated to achieve an end. At least that's how things start out. Needless to say, I didn't cotton to Lucinda in the beginning, but I could understand where she was coming from. She's her father's daughter, taught his skewed concepts from an early age. Scams and scandal were the norms of her childhood. But now she's free to make something of herself and her desperate journey towards respectability is fascinating. There's even some ironic humour in her scheming approach to securing her future. But as the story progresses, Lucinda discovers that life and relationships are much more than an end to a means.

Seth  is too good to be true until he decides not to be in a desperate attempt to come to the aid of his sister. There are some great scenes with Seth and his outrageous 'tutors' known as the Immortals. A lack lustre crew of cadets who are content to be at the bottom of the pecking order. Unexpected humour and plenty of hijinks.

A stellar host of secondary characters help (or hinder) these two along the way with varying results. A twisty-turny plot with plenty of surprises kept me hooked right until the very end. Insert a huge sigh of relief. And I love the inspirational thread that wound its way around my heart. What if God is love and life isn't about making your own luck? How would that impact your decisions and choices?

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Flirtation Walk 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 April 2 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

One Dress. One Year. : One Girl's Stand Against Human Trafficking

GIVEAWAY

WINZ, BETHANY
AUGHTMON, SUSANNA FOTH
ONE DRESS. ONE YEAR. : ONE GIRL'S STAND AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING

One girl. One dress. One year. For freedom

When sixteen-year-old Bethany Winz learned about the millions of men, women, and children around the world trapped in slavery, her stomach churned. How can anyone do that to another human being? she wondered. And why aren't we doing something?

This is the story of Bethany's "something."

Journey with her as she wears the same black dress every day for a year to focus attention the lack of choices people in modern-day slavery face and raise money to help end human trafficking. As Bethany works to bring freedom to people worldwide, she'll discover how much she too needs freedom. You'll be inspired not only to change the world in your own way but also to experience the life-changing freedom of God's irrepressible love.

My Review:

A teenage girl with a convicted heart and the courage to do something about it. Her transparency is commendable. The determination to complete this journey is inspiring. By her own admission, Bethany starts the year feeling that this project would somehow increase her value, make her special and what sixteen-year-old doesn't what that kind of validation? Instead she discovered that the experience altered the way she sees herself and increased her understanding of the way God sees her. "All I could do was hope that somehow, even when I felt unlovable, he loved me still. The beautiful part was that in my darkness and my doubt, God met me. He's still meeting me." (p. 13)

A truly fascinating read. I'd recommend it for anyone but especially teen girls. It would make a great book club read as well since there are so many topics that would make for lively and enlightening discussion.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Please note: this giveaway is for a gently read copy. :-)

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  One Dress. One Year. : One Girl's Stand Against Human Trafficking 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 April 3  2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

March 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:

Annabel Lee

GIVEAWAY

NAPPA, MIKE
ANNABEL LEE

The secret's name is Annabel Lee. She doesn't know why her enigmatic uncle has stowed her deep underground in a military style bunker. He's left  her with a few German words, a barely controlled guard dog, and a single command: "Don't open that door for anybody, you got it? Not even me."

Miles away, in Atlanta, private investigator Trudi Coffey is visited by a mysterious older man calling himself Dr. Smith. He's been trailing a man for a decade -- a man she met through her ex-partner Samuel Hill -- and the trail has led him to her office. The last thing Trudi wants to do is to contact Samuel. But it will take both of them to unravel this mystery -- before it's too late.

My Review:

Superbly told tale fraught with action and suspense. Nappa's writing style is smooth and fluid even as he pulls off the unlikely combination of both 1st and 3rd person viewpoints. Only Annabel's passages are in 1st person and it really suits her tough/vulnerable eleven-year-old persona. In fact, I connected the most with Annabel. The rest of the story is told in 3rd person through the eyes of Trudi and the enigmatic ex-soldier known as The Mute.

Annabel Lee reads like a thriller -- plenty of mystery and enough graphic violence to make me squirm.  A bit like watching a Mission Impossible/Alias episode. Has the same kind of vibe, evil villains, tons of action scenes and fantastical plot. Oh and cutting dialogue. The give and take between Trudi and Sam is quite entertaining. An edge-of-your-seat thrill of a read.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Annabel Lee 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 March 27  2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Protecting Her Daughter

GIVEAWAY

EASON, LYNETTE
PROTECTING HER DAUGHTER

Anything for her child...

After someone attempts to abduct her daughter, single mom Zoe Collier flees to a remote ranch for safety. But when the would-be kidnappers follow them to Wrangler's Corner, Zoe must figure out why somebody wants Sophia. Local vet Aaron Starke is determined to help Zoe investigate -- and to keep his intriguing new neighbours safe. Zoe's used to relying on her own wits to survive. But quick-witted, caring Aaron is just the type of man she needs in her corner. And he might be her partner for keeps...if they can find the truth without losing their lives.

Wrangler's Corner: family comes first

My Review:

A twisty-turny ride through danger and intrigue that starts on page one and doesn't let up until the very end. Phew! You'll need to stop to take a breather periodically...if you can pull yourself away. Intense, edge-of-your-seat action heightens the desperation and complicates the developing relationship between Aaron and Zoe. Love a teetering-on-the-edge romance. And fans of Wrangler's Corner will be thrilled with a few cameo appearances by heroes and heroines from past books. All in all another stellar romantic suspense from Lynette Eason.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Protecting Her Daughter 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 March 27 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

More Than a Promise

GIVEAWAY

HERNE, RUTH LOGAN
MORE THAN A PROMISE

Widower Matt Wilmot is struggling to raise three rambunctious sons all on his own.  The boys' antics have earned them a reputation throughout the small town of Cedar Mills. Enter Matt's new neighbor, Elle Drake. She's made a successful career for herself, but after a disastrously public break-up with her millionaire ex-husband, she's back in Cedar Mills to lick her wounds. When one of Matt's boys causes damage in Elle's yard, her commonsense approach forces the boy to take responsibility for his actions and gives Matt a wakeup call he desperately needs.

But everything changes one day when Elle overhears the boys' grandmother, a powerful local judge, threatening a custody battle to take the boys. With a spur-of-the-moment reaction, Elle pretends to be Matt's fiancée in order to defuse the situation. When Matt decides it's a brilliant plan and kisses her to seal the deal, Elle knows he's crazy. But he's also sweet, funny, engaging, sexy and strong...which isn't a bad thing!

My Review:

Rollicking fun, achingly sweet and peppered with large doses of love and laughter. Honestly, those Wilmot boys are a hoot! Had my hair standing on end a time or two and makes me glad I had a daughter. It's easy to see why Matt is in over his head where those three 'hooligans' are concerned. All male, conflicted by the absence of a mother and the strained relationship between their dad and their grandmother these perceptive little guys are left to their own devices way too often. With disastrous (and amusing) results.

And then there's new neighbour, Elle. A practical woman of strong opinion and love for children including the scallywags living next door. The way she woos them one at a time until she has even their father under her spell...blissful sigh...utterly sublime.

Secondary characters that make you cheer and jeer bring Cedar Mills to life and make things all the more interesting for Elle and Matt. The kind of romance that creeps up on you unawares and turns into something deep and abiding. Herne captures the heart and soul of family in all it's agony and glory.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of More Than a Promise 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 March 27 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Austen in Austin

GIVEAWAY

DIETZE, SUSANNE
DRAPER, ANITA MAE
MARVIN, DEBRA E.
WELBORN, GINA
AUSTEN IN AUSTIN

Discover four heroines in historical Austin, Texas, as they find love -- Jane Austen style.

If I Loved You Less by Gina Welborn -- based on Emma -- A prideful matchmaker examines her own heart when her protégé falls for the wrong suitor.

Romantic Refinements by Anita Mae Draper -- based on Sense and Sensibility -- A misguided academy graduate spends the summer falling in love...twice.

One Word From You by Susanne Dietze -- based on Pride and Prejudice -- A down-on-her-luck journalist finds the story of her dreams but her prejudice may cost her true love...and her career.

Alarmingly Charming by Debra E. Marvin -- based on Northanger Abbey -- A timid gothic-dime-novel enthusiast tries to solve the mystery of a haunted cemetery and, even more shocking, why two equally charming suitors compete for her attention.

My Review:

Jane Austen fans will delight in these Westernized versions of her classic tales. Love how the authors incorporated familiar elements into a Texas locale.

If I Loved You Less by Gina Welborn -- based on Emma -- Noah is a swoonworthy, long-suffering hero. He has to be with Emmeline for a friend! I wanted to box her ears a time or two just to get her to stop talking and listen for once!!!! Pride gets in the way of her matchmaking schemes, and more importantly, nearly costs her own chance at a perfect match.

Romantic Refinements by Anita Mae Draper -- based on Sense and Sensibility -- Oh, foolish girl, Miss Marion McDermott! A story about the foibles of misguided youth though Marion is a likeable heroine who does some growing during the course of this novella. Brandon makes the perfect brooding hero, hovering in the background yet always there when Marion needs a hero. Their love story kept me riveted and I had to consume Romantic Refinements in one gulp! It's that delicious.

One Word From You by Susanne Dietze -- based on Pride and Prejudice -- A delightful nod to this timeless classic. Eliza and Will make the perfect sparring pair, their relationship (or lack thereof) a humourous mix of pride and prejudice. Leaping to wrong conclusions and impulsively judgmental, these two deserve each other. LOL. A fun, quick read for the P andP connoisseur.

Alarmingly Charming by Debra E. Marvin -- based on Northanger Abbey -- A timid, bespectacled bookworm with the heart of a lion and a gallant rancher who puts her dime-novel cowboys to shame.
Clever and witty and so much fun to read. Sweet romance, no shortage of emotional angst and a blockbuster ending. Perfection.

My thanks to the authors and publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Austen in Austin 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 March 27 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

A Home of Her Own

GIVEAWAY

GWYN, KELI
A HOME OF HER OWN

A blossoming love...

Becky Martin knows that she can't stay at James O'Brien's apple farm forever, but she wishes she could. After her brother framed her for arson, she flees Chicago, traveling cross-country to California and finding work caring for James's ailing mother. Beneath the apple blossoms, it's almost as if she has a real family...but her secret won't stay buried forever.

James, scarred from an explosion, didn't expect to connect to the pretty young traveler. Could she really love someone damaged like him? He knows she's hiding something. If only she'd trust him. Can she let go of her past and believe in the possibility of a future amid the apple trees?

My Review:

First, take a gander at that gorgeous cover! The Love Inspired art team did an incredible job. Promises exactly what this book delivers.

James and Becky's first meeting is certainly memorable and highly entertaining to read. James is all gnarly and Becky is all obstinate and thank goodness James's mother is on hand to sort those two out. But my it does take time and a lot of patience! A complex plot with a hint of danger gives this sweet romance a bit of bite. And I love how Gwyn brings history to life both in the area and the apple orchard. Adds a whole new dimension to the story. There's joy and sorrow and plenty of conflict before James and Becky reach their happily ever after and I enjoyed every blessed minute!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  A Home of Her Own 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 March 27  2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Joshua's Mission

GIVEAWAY

CHAPMAN, VANNETTA
JOSHUA'S MISSION

Joshua Kline travels from his farm in Oklahoma to offer aid to an Englisch town on the Gulf Coast of Texas after a hurricane has ravaged the area. He takes his younger brother, Alton, with him because the last thing Alton needs is another brush with the law. Joshua is pleasantly surprised when he hears that Becca Troyer, the bishop's granddaughter, also plans on joining their team.

What will he find when he arrives in Texas? Certainly, Englischers and other Plain people, who  provide fresh perspective on life as the Amish volunteers help restore order from destruction. But a budding romance? A call from Gotte? A possible healing of his relationship with Alton?

Joshua's Mission is a story of love, forgiveness, and the grace of God that carries us through even the most desperate situations.

My Review:

The kind of story that leaves you feeling totally changed. Simple truths are earth shattering in their clarity as Chapman explores the emotional journey of three characters -- two Amish, Joshua and Becca, and Englischer, Charlie. Profound and gentle, funny and anxiety-riddled, the author digs deep and delivers an exceptional testimony of God's grace in various stages of life. From Joshua's impossible attempts to control his brother to Becca's insecurities to Charlie's valiant efforts to rebuild after the ravages of a hurricane. I lost myself in their stories, marveled at the way their destinies linked together and shaped their futures. Real life, tenuous love and the hope that can only come from a Father above.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Joshua's Mission  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 March 26 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

March 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 Fruitcake Challenge

GIVEAWAY

PAGELS, CARRIE FANCETT
THE FRUITCAKE CHALLENGE

When new lumberjack, Tom Jeffries, tells the camp cook, Jo Christy, that he’ll marry her if she can make a fruitcake, “as good as the one my mother makes,” she rises to the occasion. After all, he’s the handsomest, smartest, and strongest axman her camp-boss father has ever had in his camp—and the cockiest. And she intends to bring this lumberjack down a notch or three by refusing his proposal. The fruitcake wars are on!  

My Review:

A sweet novella brimming with faith and humour. Loved the whole concept of the fruitcake challenge -- which took on an engaging life of its own. And the fascinating details of life in a Michigan lumber camp created the perfect backdrop for these star-crossed lovers. Jo is so hard on poor Tom at the beginning, but then he's a tad brash and tends to grate on her nerves. Me thinks the lady doth protest too much. A delightful novella with a light Christmas theme which makes it suitable to read in any season.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Fruitcake Challenge 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 March 20  2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Alaskan Reunion

GIVEAWAY

CALHOUNE, BELLE
ALASKAN REUNION

A baby between them

After her father's betrayal turned her hometown against her, Paige Reynolds fled Love, Alaska. Now she's returned to mend the damage her dad's actions caused. But repairing her broken heart is a different story. She must face Cameron Prescott, the man she left behind -- and reveal he's the father of her infant daughter. As Cameron falls in love with his baby girl, he can't bury the growing feelings for her mother. In a time of turmoil, they turned on one another. But older and wiser, can Cameron and Paige learn that forgiveness may lead to their happily-ever after?

My Review:

I don't know how I missed the first book in this series but I'm backtracking fast. I love a good family series and this one is exceptional judging by Alaskan Reunion. I was drawn to Paige from the very beginning -- emotions engaged and my heart in my throat as I felt her anxiety and fear and pain. But her resolve drew her forward with an impossibly hard task and that made me admire her all the more. The girl's got grit and she's been hard done by. I wanted knock some heads together and shake some sense into Cameron's narrow-minded brain. Honestly, I spent most of this read fighting back indignant tears. Love how the redemption unfolds, how God works in the lives of both Paige and Cameron to restore so much that was lost. An incredibly uplifting and emotional romance.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Alaskan Reunion 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 March 20  2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Red Door Inn

GIVEAWAY

JOHNSON, LIZ
THE RED DOOR INN

Marie Carrington is broke, desperate, and hoping to find sanctuary on Prince Edward Island while decorating a renovated bed-and-breakfast. Seth Sloane moved three thousand miles to help restore his uncle's Victorian B and B -- and to forget about the fiancée who broke his heart. He wasn't expecting to have to babysit a woman with a taste for expensive antiques and a bewildering habit of jumping every time he brushes past her.

The only thing Marie and Seth agree on is that getting the Red Door Inn ready to open in just tow months will take everything they've got -- and they have to find a way to work together. In the process, they may find something infinitely sweeter than ever imagined on this island of dreams.

My Review:

Wow...just...wow. My Anne-girl lovin' heart is all a twitterpated over the Prince Edward Island setting but when I discovered that heroine Marie also has an affinity for Anne and even carries around a dog-eared copy of Anne of Green Gables? Well that's book nirvana right there.

Marie is such an intriguing character -- she's a mystery right from the start. It's clear that she is a wretched shell of herself but why? Johnson draws out that answer with an intermittent slow reveal. Utterly riveting. I didn't want to stop reading until I knew it all and then, when I did, my eyes leapt over the words on the pages anxiously searching for the point when Seth discovers the answers as well. Of course that meant I just couldn't put The Red Door Inn down until I reached the end...and had a good cry.

Seth's plain mean from the start. Yes, he's carrying a world of hurt after a brutal betrayal but he's using Marie as a scapegoat. He's quick to judge and unwilling to trust and I just wanted to smack him upside the head a time or two...or maybe three. They are on shaky ground for quite a while until a tenuous truce develops. And when the stirrings of romance begin to unfurl...be still my heart. Reader delight!

An engaging plot, a solid inspirational thread and the magic of PEI all conspired to hold me spellbound. And, oh happy day! This is only the first book in the Prince Edward Island Dreams series. The next one comes out in September.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Red Door 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 March 20  2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Room for Hope

GIVEAWAY

SAWYER, KIM VOGEL
ROOM FOR HOPE

In a desperate time, can Neva find forgiveness for a grievous wrong—and make room for hope?

Neva Shilling has a heavy load of responsibility while her husband travels to neighboring communities and sells items from his wagon. In his absence, she faithfully runs the Shilling Mercantile, working to keep their business strong as the Depression takes its toll, and caring for their twins.

When a wagon pulls up after supper, Neva and her children rush out—and into the presence of the deputy driving a wagon carrying three young children. The deputy shocks her with the news that Warren and his wife have died, insisting it was their last request that the three children go live with “Aunt Neva.”

Neva’s heart is shattered as she realizes that Warren’s month-long travels were excuses for visits with his secret family. She wants nothing more than to forget Warren, but can she abandon these innocent children to an orphanage? Yet if she takes them in, will she ever be able to see them as more than evidence of her husband’s betrayal and love them the way God does?

My Review:

One of the most stirring redemption stories I have ever read. The power and majesty of forgiveness is portrayed through the lives of these characters. Life-like battles for release from bitterness and despair brought me to tears.

First off -- can you imagine being in Neva's shoes? Talk about the ground dropping out from under you! I felt faint at the knees right along with Neva when she finds out about her husband's unfaithfulness. And then to be expected to care for the children from that duplicitous relationship! Oy! My sensitive reader's heart took a major nose-dive.

Told from four different viewpoints, Sawyer does an incredible job of capturing individual personalities and struggles. Each character is at a crossroads in their life and the subsequent decisions and ensuing actions will determine more than just their own future. Compelling stuff.

A faith-based, hope-filled story that had me cheering for the resounding testimony that proclaims there is always room for hope.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Room for Hope 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 March 20  2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Back in the Saddle

GIVEAWAY

HERNE, RUTH LOGANBACK IN THE SADDLE

The Prodigal Is Coming Home

It’s been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray’s Glen, Washington. He’s broke, but not broken, and it’s time to check in with his ailing father, and get his legs back under him by climbing into the saddle again.

He doesn’t expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his chest— a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt senses there’s more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he’s determined to find out what she’s hiding...and why.

Colt’s return brings new challenges. Younger brother Nick has been Sam’s right-hand man at the ranch for years and isn’t thrilled at having Colt insert himself into Double S affairs. And the ranch’s contentious relationship with the citizens of Gray’s Glen asks all the Stafford men to examine their hearts about what it truly means to be a neighbor.  And as Wall Street recovers, will Colt succumb to the call of the financial district’s wealth and power—or finally the courage to stay in the saddle for good?

 HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!

I had a sneak peek at this book three months ago and posted a review and IOU giveaway back then. Now that the release day is finally here I couldn't resist reposting this review and offering up another giveaway -- it's just that great a read.

My Review:

A fresh new series from a best selling author known for her accurate portrayal of family life. Realism abounds -- both good and bad, as Herne explores the complications that come from living in relationship both at home and in the broader community.

The Stafford men are a force to be reckoned with. Rough around the edges, decent, hardworking, stubborn to the core. But each grapples with deep wounds from their past. Patriarch Sam Stafford is finally ready to face the part he played in his broken family and willing to make amends...if it's not too late. What a wonderful set up for the Double S Ranch series.

Back in the Saddle is eldest son, Colt's journey of self-discovery. He comes home to lick his wounds and discovers everything has changed -- from his curmudgeon of a father to a feisty house manager and testy brother. He's challenged at every turn and it isn't long before his life takes an unexpected shift.

Angelina is sweet perfection . Her tough, no nonsense attitude holds her in good stead amongst a ranch of cantankerous males. She's not afraid to speak her mind or share her faith, In fact her heart for God pours into everything she does, including those around her. Even Colt who swore off God a long time ago. Their relationship grows in gentle waves as they both struggle to keep their distance. Sometimes they succeed and sometimes they are drawn together despite their better judgement. And when they do -- fireworks explode! Theirs is a slow-burn, toe curling type of romance.

A town in peril and a host of engaging secondary characters bring an extra depth to the story. This is Herne at her best. A glorious tale of restoration and love.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Back in the Saddle 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 March 20 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Murder Plainly Read

GIVEAWAY

 

ALAN, ISABELLA
MURDER PLAINLY READ

In the latest from the author of Murder, Served Simply, an Amish man checks out permanently, but quilt shop owner Angie Braddock’s got this mystery covered…

With so much to do between running her shop and spending time with her new boyfriend, it’s amazing Angie is able to help organize the Rolling Brook library's annual book sale. Luckily she’s working alongside brash librarian Austina Shaker, a lady who isn’t afraid to make waves to get books to her patrons—even the Amish. Unfortunately, this draws the ire of cranky Bartholomew Belier, an Old Order Amish bishop, who publicly vows to ruin Austina.

And she certainly might be ruined after Belier is found dead in her bookmobile. Now Angie must employ the help of her loyal quilting circle—as well as her beloved French bulldog, Oliver—if she hopes to prove Austina’s innocence before the real killer books it…

My Review:

Best lines in the book:

"But surely Austina wouldn't kill anyone over books."
He frowned. "She's a librarian -- who knows what she is capable of?"

Bwahahaha! Gotta love the library humour. :-)

So, you can obviously tell that I love this series since I've reviewed the first three books in quick succession on retro Saturdays. Those who aren't Amish cozy mystery fans will be happy to know that Murder Plainly Read brings me up to date...until June when the fifth book comes out.

 As I mentioned in my previous reviews, Isabella Alan is the pseudonym for Amanda Flower who writes Amish mysteries for the Christian market. So, while not technically Christian Fiction, Murder, Plainly Read is a clean read with some gentle faith messages courtesy of the Amish characters.

It's been nearly a year since the last murder in Rolling Brook and Angie has settled into a predictable routine. She's plenty busy with her quilt shop and her gig as a town trustee all while trying to carve out some quality time with her Sheriff boyfriend. Life is pretty close to perfect until she discovers another body. This time Angie swears she is going to let the police handle the investigation -- until friends, both English and Amish egg her on. And, true to form, Angie's hot on the trail with her quirky side kick Oliver, the French Bulldog not to mention the astute advice of her Amish sewing circle friends. Mystery and mayhem ensue to this armchair sleuth's unbridled delight.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Murder Plainly Read 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 March 20 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

March 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: