What Matters Most

GIVEAWAY

GILBERT, KELLIE COATES
WHAT MATTERS MOST

Just when she can't take it anymore, Leta finally catches a break. But when things seem too good to be true, they often are.

Finding her dream job went right out the window when Leta Breckenridge had to quit school to help care for her mother suffering from dementia. When a delinquent account may force her mother into a less desirable facility, Leta is thrilled to land a high-paying job at an Austin public relations firm. But her seemingly ideal job turns into a nightmare when she learns the firm is a front for a political opposition organization -- and that the research she's been collecting will be used against Nathan Emerson, the handsome senator she's swiftly falling in love with.

Nathan is a rising political star being pressured to run a bid to unseat the current governor of Texas. He's already in a relationship with a woman much better suited to be a politician's wife, but he's never met anyone like Leta. Could this feisty woman hold the key to his heart -- and his future?

With emotional depth and keen insight into what drives us, Kellie Coates Gilbert offers a salient story that calls us to consider what we value most in this life.

My Review:

A political Cinderella story that hits the spot during this controversial election season. Topical and informative and a little bit scary. I'm Canadian, so not well versed on American politics, but I understood enough to navigate my way through the intricacies of the story. Gilbert exposes both the good and bad of the election process in this riveting contemporary romance. It made me realize how easily the public can be swayed by the media and the lengths candidates will go to feed the fury. This one hiked my blood pressure up to a danger zone when I read some scenes. Gah!

Leta lives by her mother's conviction to make the right choices and trust God to do the rest. It has held her in good stead until financial constraints threaten her mother's specialized health care. Juggling poor paying jobs while hunting for something better has stretched Leta's resources to the limit and then, voila -- it's as if her fairy godmother waved a magic wand and she lands a dream-come-true kind of job. Only it turns into a nightmare.

I could completely relate to Leta right from the very first page. She's scrappy and smart and committed to her mom. And she never gives up! Love a heroine with stick-to-itness. :-)

And then there's Nathan who is real Prince Charming material. A politician with ideals, he is the antithesis of his domineering mother. Phew, those conversations made my blood boil as well. Nathan is on the fast track to success and then he meets Leta.

She's poor, he's rich. She doesn't have a college education. He was a university success. They live in two completely different worlds but a chance encounter becomes the catalyst that shakes things up for both of them. These two kept me spellbound. If I wasn't swooning I was hunting down crockery to hurl in sheer vexation. Emotionally gripping, delightfully romantic and compelling right to the cheer-worthy ending.

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  What Matters Most 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 September 4 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Close to Home

GIVEAWAY

RANEY, DEBORAH
CLOSE TO HOME

Widowed Bree Whitman wants to be married again, but will it break the hearts of her late husband's family?

Bree Cordel Whitman became part of the Whitman family the moment she said "I do" to her husband, Timothy. Tragically, five years ago, Timothy was killed in Afghanistan, and Bree's in-laws Grant and Audrey were her biggest support throughout the tragedy -- and still are.

When her co-worker Aaron Jakes begins pursuing her, Bree feels the rekindling of feeling she hasn't felt for so long. But she fights guilt, knowing that accepting a new man's love would naturally cut her ties to the beloved Whitman family. After all, what type of man would tolerate her having such a close relationship with her late husband's family?

When another man shows his interest, Bree feels even more troubled. There are two good men wanting to woo her heart -- but neither of them are Tim. Bree knows she can't hang on to the past forever, but how can she keep the Whitman family and move toward finding love again?

My Review:

I adore the Whitman family and am thrilled with this latest installment of A Chicory Inn Novel series. This is the fourth book and there's still one more to come (yay!) No worries if you haven't read any of the other books -- Close to Home reads perfectly fine as a standalone but I enjoyed the extra insider knowledge I have about the characters from having read the first three.

This is one crazy large, multi-generational and opinionated family. Audrey and Grant are running a bed and breakfast out of their family home now that the kids have all moved out. But that doesn't mean they've stopped keeping tabs on everyone from the youngest grandchild to Grant's 85 year-old mother. I love this couple -- the ease of their relationship and the way they face life's challenges with grace and humour (for the most part.) And we get a few scenes from their perspective in Bree's story which is an extra bonus as far as I'm concerned.

Raney has captured the turmoil that comes from moving on after a spouse's death. Honestly, my stomach was in knots more times than Bree's was as I followed her nail-biting foray into the dating world. After five years of widowhood, twenty-eight year old Bree suddenly finds herself entertaining the idea of falling in love. It's complicated and angsty and there are plenty of twists and turns as she finds herself attracted to two very different men.

And while Bree is grappling over how a new romance might affect her position as an 'adopted' daughter in the Whitman family, they all must come to terms with Grandma Cece's encroaching dementia. Raney captures the stresses and joys of this faith-filled family to sweet perfection.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Close to 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 September 4 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Dressed for Death

GIVEAWAY

DEERING, JULIANNA
DRESSED FOR DEATH

Drew and Madeline Farthering arrive at a Regency-era house party Winteroak House, excited to be reunited with old friends, including Drew's former Oxford classmate Talbot Cummins. Tal is there with his fiancée, Alice Henley, and though many present seem worried about the couple, nobody is prepared when Alice dies from an apparent overdose. Tal refuses to believe she had taken the drug intentionally, and the dark question arises of whether the death is an accident or a murder.

The police have their own information, though, and Drew is shocked when they arrest someone he has trusted since his childhood -- someone who has been smuggling drugs into the country for years. Stunned by what has happened, Tal begs Drew to get to the bottom of everything, but Drew has never felt more unsettled. Questioning his own ability to see people as they really are, Drew doesn't know whom to trust, and he's not ready for the secrets he's about to uncover -- or the danger he'll bring down on everyone he holds dear.

My Review:

I've been binge watching BBC period dramas and I can totally see Drew Farthering as the next heartthrob in his own mini-series. Sort of an Agatha Christie meets Downton Abbey. It would be a runaway hit.

Drew has a flare for solving murders and he's long thought of his talent as God given but his confidence is shaken in Dressed for Death and he finds himself struggling to come to terms with some hard truths.

This is the fourth Drew Farthering mystery and while it is still filled with witty dialogue and droll humour, it isn't as lighthearted as the first three books. There's  a more serious tone to this novel as Drew turns introspective, second guessing his life's purpose. He must learn not to lean on his own understanding, choosing instead to follow where God leads.

Drew and Madeline are now newlyweds. I love the dynamics between this very proper English Aristocrat and his Yankee wife. He's completely besotted -- always ready with the most cliché lines which are actually endearing since he means every outrageous declaration. Madeline has him wrapped around her little finger and he doesn't mind at all.

An intense mystery with plenty of twists and turns and a number of surprises kept me guessing right to the very end. And most of my guesses were wrong! No armchair sleuthing award for me this round. I didn't even make the finals! I found Dressed for Death to be witty and intriguing and delightfully captivating.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Dressed for Death 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 September 4 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

August Giveaway - Week Four

WON BY WENONA PHILLIPS

WON BY ANDREA M

WON BY JASMINE A.

WON BY FREDAMANS

WON BY DONNA BROOKMYER

WON BY RUBYNREBA

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:

Saving the Marquise's Granddaughter

GIVEAWAY

PAGELS, CARRIE FANCETT
SAVING THE MARQUISE'S GRANDDAUGHTER

After her Huguenot father is arrested, aristocrat Suzanne Richelieu escapes Versailles. Handsome German peasant, Johan Rousch, risks his life to the safety of his family's farm in the Palatinate duchy, but when Suzanne's brother and the French army arrive with a warning they plan to burn the area, she and Johan are forced to flee. With no money or options, both become indentured servants in exchange for safe passage to Philadelphia.

Suzanne falls gravely ill aboard ship and marries Johan, only to survive with no memory of the wedding -- a reality made worse when Johan spots the 'priest' who married them working as a surveyor and later in Quaker cleric garb. Are their wedding vows valid?

In a land fraught with religious strife, they must break the barriers between status and faith to forge a fresh future in a new world...

My Review:

I have read a few novels based on the Huguenots in recent months and have to admit to finding this time in Protestant history utterly fascinating. Pagels does a great job of steeping her readers in the atmosphere of the time right from the very first chapter. I've come away assessing my own commitment to my faith and am left wondering how valiant I would be in the face of such adversity.

In the beginning Suzanne is a typical spoiled aristocrat. She isn't convicted by her parent's faith -- in fact sees it as merely a deterrent towards her future happiness. Naïve and selfish, she isn't prepared for the impact her father's arrest has on her life as she takes flight and must rely on only her wits and the kindness of strangers to see her to safety.

Enter Johan, peasant farmer and devout Huguenot. A bear of a man who is unflinching in his faith and willingness to help those in need. It isn't long before he falls under Suzanne's spell -- and oh my goodness, what a tangled mess they make of things before all is made right.

A captivating love story that celebrates our brave ancestors who faced the impossible in order to ensure their children would have freedom to worship.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Saving the Marquise's Granddaughter 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 August 28  2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Countdown

GIVEAWAY

WOODHAVEN, HEATHER
COUNTDOWN

Borrowed time...

When Rachel Cooper witnesses the abduction of her neighbor's young twin sons, she springs into action to save them. But now the thwarted kidnappers are after her...and her only hope of survival is relying on their widowed single father, James McGuire. A weapon has been planted on a satellite James's company is ready to launch, and as the systems specialists, it's his job to stop it. But someone is set on keeping James from preventing the scheduled takeoff -- and they'll use anyone close to him as leverage. Now he must find a way to protect his boys and the woman he's beginning to fall for...before the final countdown can even start.

My Review:

An action-packed high tech suspense. The kidnappers are relentless in their pursuit - never far behind no matter what evasive actions James and Rachel take as they race against time. James is an endearing computer nerd. Brilliant at work and a devoted father, he's somewhat bumbling when it comes to social cues and making conversation. Makes for some interesting dialogue between the two! :-) Not that they have lots of time for casual conversation since they are constantly on the run. I'm exhausted just thinking about it! A twisty-turny plot with plenty of suspense and a tender romance make this a compulsive read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Countdown 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 August 28  2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Alliance

GIVEAWAY

PETERSHEIM, JOLINA
THE ALLIANCE

When Leora Ebersole sees the small plane crash in her Old Order Mennonite community, she has no idea it's a foreshadowing of things to come. Soon after the young pilot, Moses Hughes, regains consciousness, they realize his instrument were destroyed by the same power outage that killed the electricity at the community store, where Englischers are stranded with dead cell phones and cars that won't start.

Moses offers a sobering theory, but no one can know how drastically life is about to change. With the only self-sustaining food supply in the region, the pacifist community is forced to forge an alliance with the handful of stranded Englischers in an effort to protect not only their supplies but their very lives.

In the weeks that follow, Leora, Moses, and the community will be tested as never before, requiring to make decisions they never thought possible. Whom will they help and whom will they turn away? When the community receives news of a new threat, everyone must decide how far they're willing to go to protect their beliefs and way of life.

My review:

Kind of eerie and a little uncomfortable to read but totally compelling. I was riveted from the very first page. Complex characters and an intriguing plot made The Alliance a real page-turner. And my goodness, this story has left me with a lot to think about.

Dystopian fiction can be tricky because it shows so much of what is bad in humanity and that can get depressing. But while Petersheim doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of this new bleak world, she is careful to weave in messages of  faith and hope as well.

The Alliance is told from two points of view -- nineteen year-old Leora, an Old Order Mennonite woman and returned soldier Moses, the pilot who crash lands in her family's field. Such a contrast in views! I found myself alternately siding with both as they strive to find the best way to navigate this new chaotic world.

There are so many layers to their backstories. Both Leora and Moses have suffered difficulties and loss before they become entangled in this dystopian catastrophe. The kind of depth that keeps you up at night so you can read one more chapter and then another and another...Captivating stuff.

The hint of an impossible romance blooms even though Leora has ties to a community man. It seems that everything she understood to be true is challenged in just a few short weeks and that leaves Leora questioning where her allegiance lies.

The ending left me breathless and aching for more because there's a second installment due out in the spring. The Divide. I can't believe I have to wait until then to get full closure but you better believe I'll be first in line to buy the sequel! A stunning and thought-provoking book and well worth the read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Alliance 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 August 28 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Traces of Guilt

GIVEAWAY

HENDERSON, DEE
TRACES OF GUILT

Evie Blackwell loves her life as an Illinois State Police detective...mostly. She's very skilled at investigations and has steadily moved up through the ranks. She would like to find Mr. Right, but she has a hard time imagining how marriage could work, considering the demands of her job.

Gabriel Thane grew up in Carin County and is now its sheriff, a job he loves. Gabe is committed to upholding the law and cares deeply for the residents he's sworn to protect. He too would like to find a lifetime companion, a marriage like his parents have...

When Evie arrives in Carin, Illinois, it's to help launch a new task force focused on unsolved crimes across the state. She will work with the sheriff's department on a couple of its most troubling missing-persons cases. As she studies old evidence to pull out a few tenuous new leads, she unearths surprising connections. One way or another, she knows Gabriel Thane and his family will be key to the answers she seeks.

My Review:

I think in order to enjoy Dee Henderson's new storytelling style you have to let go of the O'Malleys. Yes cherish them and reread them and display those books on your keeper shelves, but opening a current Henderson novel and expecting an O'Malley type of story isn't doing the author or the reader any favours.

No matter what style she's writing in, Henderson is still the best at showing the slow but steady journey towards relationship. At the beginning of Traces of Guilt, Evie and Gabriel don't even know each other -- they have a bang up first meet that develops into a professional respect and then friendship over the course of the story. I like Evie and I like Gabriel and I'd like to see them romantically linked. That hasn't happened in this book but since this is labeled as An Evie Blackwell Cold Case, I'm hoping there's another book which will lead to the resolution I long for.

This isn't a nail-biting-edge-of-your-seat kind of read. Instead the author has chosen to highlight the methodical, painstaking process of police work. It's a fascinating look into the thought process of a detective. And when they talk shop it's full of realistic dialogue which isn't always riveting and is sometimes repetitive.

In a broader sense, this is a Thane family story. We're introduced to brothers, Josh, Will and Gabe. Given enough meat to whet our appetite for further books. Each brother has a complicated relationship with a woman they are interested in and Ann Turner (a recurring character from previous books) seems to know the secrets of all these women. She's as cryptic as ever -- warning without explaining, throwing out hints until your mind runs in a thousand gruesome directions but rarely coming out with something substantial when you think she should. But that's Ann -- keeper of secrets. And she does reveal all eventually.

Not your typical suspense since it highlights methodology rather than action. I can usually read a book in a  day -- especially when it's an edge-of-your-seater -- but it took me three days to finish Traces of Guilt. Not because I wasn't intrigued...but I didn't feel the kind of sense of urgency that would keep me up at night turning pages. A good, steady, enjoyable read with promise of more to come.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Traces of Guilt 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 August 28 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

A Mother in the Making

GIVEAWAY

MEYER, GABRIELLE
A MOTHER IN THE MAKING

Matchmaking with a mission

Practical, steady, levelheaded: all qualities single father Dr. John Orton expects in both a governess and a wife. But his children's temporary governess Miss Marjorie Maren seems set on finding him an impractical woman to love...despite his plans of marrying solely for convenience. Nothing could be more exasperating to the handsome widower -- except his increasing interest in Marjorie.

Vivacious and fun-loving: that's the kind of bride the reserved doctor needs. Before Marjorie leaves to pursue her acting dreams, she intends to match him with a suitable wife candidate. Yet growing affection for her four charges and their dashing father has awakened a new hope -- that she might be his perfect bride. But can she convince her employer to take a chance on love and claim real happiness before it slips away?

My Review:

Mercy, but Marjorie is a force to be reckoned with! Something John soon discovers much to the amusement of the reader. A touch of whimsy, a whole lot of laughter and the hope of romance bring this story to life. Loved the children, the indomitable Marjorie and the rather befuddled John who is way out of his element. The romance has a kind of Captain Von Trapp and Maria vibe to it which was fun to read. There's plenty of heart-tugging drama as well though. A great combination of love, laughter and hope.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of A Mother in the Making 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 August 28 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Return to Paradise

GIVEAWAY

CAMERON, BARBARA
RETURN TO PARADISE

Twelve months ago, David Stoltzfus left the Amish community in Paradise, Pennsylvania—and encouraged his siblings to follow—after their father became overly stern and even abusive with them. Escaping to a new life in the Englisch world was the only way to keep one another safe. But it was not without sacrifice. When David left his father’s house and community, he also left behind Lavina Zook, the woman he planned to wed.

Lavina hasn’t forgiven David for abandoning her, but when David’s father is diagnosed with cancer, she believes she might be the only one to lure him back to make peace . . . before it’s too late. Still, forgiveness isn’t easy. Even if she can get David to return, she’s not sure he will forgive his father. And she’s not sure she can forgive David, either.

My Review:

A promising beginning to Barbara Cameron's new Coming Home series. Full of angst and heartache, these characters are in for struggles of epic proportion which serves to make this a truly absorbing read.

In an interesting twist, it's David who faces abuse at home. Feeling trapped by the narrow restrictions of his Amish community he can't see any way out except...well...out into the Englisch world. And there he lives in a kind of no man's land -- not quite Amish and not quite Englisch -- feeling as displaced as any refugee.

Lavina bears the burden of David's rejection. It is the ultimate betrayal and she is left to face the community alone. She's spent a year coming to grips with her new reality -- chasing away all the happy memories she and David once shared. It's been a hard journey but she hopes the end is in sight. And then David comes home and all those feelings she thought she'd buried come swirling to the surface again.

Complicated doesn't begin to describe their renewed relationship. They both must battle bitterness and blame before they can open their hearts to the freedom forgiveness brings. Cameron does an amazing job of digging deep into the psyche of both hero and heroine. I didn't just read this book -- I felt my way through it. And she's nicely set up the next two books...at least I hope I'm right about that and who the heroes and heroines will be. :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Return to Paradise 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 August 28 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

August Giveaway - Week Three



WON BY DIANA FLOWERS



WON BY KIM HANSEN

WON BY KAREN HADLEY

WON BY MARIA

WON BY ROSE MILLIGAN

WON BY PAM K.

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:

Yesterday's Stardust

GIVEAWAY

MELBY, BECKY
YESTERDAY'S STARDUST

Two stories decades apart converge on a secret

With an award-winning series to her name, journalist Dani Gallagher is anxious to find her next big scoop...she just doesn't expect it to come from the past. But while searching for answers connected to her last story, Dani discovers a tattered journal in an alley near Bracciano, an Italian restaurant run by Nicky Fiorini. The diary, written in the Roaring Twenties by a young girl caught in a web of organized crime, mentions Nicky's restaurant; and despite and explosive first meeting, Dani persuades Nicky to help her uncover what happened to the girl -- and what her story has to do with their present.

Nicky is frustrated. No matter what he says, he can't seem to convince Dani that she's treading on thin ice. Her zeal to make a difference for others is leading her into some precarious situations -- and just might get her hurt.

Attraction soon ignites, but in the struggle to reveal the truth, will Dani and Nicky miss the real story while clinging to secrets of their own?

My Review:

I've loved reading this Lost Sanctuary series.  Love the dual timeline and the way events in the 1920s parallel events in present day. So artfully written! There's never a good place to stop reading so be prepared to lose yourself in two amazing worlds. I was as anxious as Dani to uncover the secrets in Francie's journal.

The romance is stupendous -- my favourite kind -- all gnarly and confusing with lots of sparks flying. Their first meet is fraught with tension and humour which sets the tone for the whole book. When I wasn't laughing over Nicky and Dani's antics, I was tearing my hair out over their double dose of stubbornness. Each keeping secrets from the other while delving into secrets of the past. Lots of fodder for rabid reading!

A solid faith thread winds its way through the story as Nicky and Dani struggle to find God's will for their lives. Nicky's bitterness has left him distanced from God. Dani's desire to excel at journalism often clashes with her drive to make a difference in people's lives. This book has it all -- romance, mystery and faith -- in measured doses of pure delight.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Yesterday's Stardust 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 August 21 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Plain Cover-Up

GIVEAWAY

STONE, ALISON
PLAIN COVER-UP

Second Chance Protector

When a speeding car almost hits Dr. Christina Jennings, it's the quick reflexes of FBI agent Dylan Hunter that saves her. They soon realize the driver's purpose -- dumping an unconscious Amish girl on Christina's doorstep. The small-town doctor's set on finding out who's responsible, but doing so throws herself into the path of a killer...and leads her to a past she'd rather forget. On leave after his partner's death, Dylan can't possibly ignore the need to keep Christina safe. But as the man who once shattered her heart, he has to convince her to trust him first. Because the deeper Christina's propelled straight into danger, the more she comes to believe that relying on Dylan may be her only chance of survival.

My Review:

The first page is charged with expectancy. A flash of lightning, the rumble of thunder, a woman walking alone. Cue creepy organ music and be prepared to be carried away by this taut romantic suspense. There's great tension between Christina and Dylan from their first connect -- I do so love a second chance love story. Alas, it seems doomed from the start as these two navigate their way through an unexpected mystery. Well, really, it's Christina storming her way into the mess while Dylan tries his hardest to keep up.  This heroine has spunk and a past she wants to right. In fact she's confronted by it early on and whoosh....that realization took my breath away. I literally gasped when I read the end of chapter two. Out loud. On the bus with people watching! This one will keep you anxiously reading so you can see how it all plays out.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Plain Cover-Up 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 August 21  2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Things We Knew

GIVEAWAY

WEST, CATHERINE
THE THING WE KNEW

When their tragic past begins to resurface, can he help her remember the things she can't?

After her mother's death twelve years ago, Lynette Carlisle watched her close-knit family unravel. One by one, her four older siblings left their Nantucket home and never returned. All seem to blame their father for their mother's death, but nobody will talk about that tragic day. And Lynette's memory only speaks through nightmares.

Then Nicholas Cooper returns to Nantucket, bringing the past with him. Once Lynette's adolescent crush, Nick knows more about her mother's death than he lets on. The truth could tear apart his own family -- and destroy his fragile friendship with Lynette, the woman he no longer thinks of as a kid sister.

As their father's failing health and financial concerns bring the Carlisle siblings home, secrets surface that will either restore their shattered relationships or separate the siblings forever. But pulling up anchor on the past propels them into the perfect storm, powerful enough to make them question their faith, their willingness to forgive, and the very truth of all the things they thought they knew.

My Review:

Heartbreaking and hope-inspiring all in one unforgettable read.

West explores the complicated relationships in a broken family with such depth and clarity that it blew my mind. I was completely riveted, committed to championing each of the Carlisles as they struggle to navigate their way through a family crisis. As they tackle issues surrounding their father's health, they unwittingly uncover buried secrets that have left deep scars on every single one of the siblings.

The Carlisles and their surrogate brother, Nick, are fettered by events of the past and it's time to leave the darkness behind. Trouble is, they have all become adept at keeping their own secrets -- each fighting private battles that would have been made so much easier with the support of the ones who love them most. West has done a wonderful job with the family dynamics. Brutal honesty comes to light as layers of dysfunction are painfully pulled away. It is only then that we get a glimmer of what can be possible when faith and mercy are embraced and forgiveness extended. A breathtaking testimony to the emotional healing possible through Jesus Christ.

The relationship between Lynette and Nick is just as complicated. Their scenes crackle with energy and longing. Love Nick's fortitude, his dedication to the Carlisle family, his desire to champion Lynnie even when she refuses his aid. Overwhelmed with problems at home, Lynette isn't about to fall for the 'boy next door'. Especially since she doesn't understand his abrupt departure years ago. But Nick's relentless determination to help renews their friendship and it isn't long before her heart is aching for something more.

Honestly, I'm not ready to let these characters go. I need to find out what the future has in store for Gray and Liz and Ryan and David...and of course Nick and Lynette. I'm praying fervently that this is just the beginning of many Carlisle stories to come.

An emotionally gripping story that will keep you spellbound.

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

http://litfusegroup.com/author/cwest

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Things We Knew 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 August 21 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Reuniting with the Cowboy

GIVEAWAY

VANNATTER, SHANNON TAYLOR
REUNITING WITH THE COWBOY

The cowboy next door...

A charming cowboy moving in next door shouldn't be bad news. But veterinarian Ally Curtis knows Cody Warren -- she'd never forget the boy who left her when she needed him most. Cody is doing everything he can to show his beautiful neighbor he's not the wild bull rider he once was, from helping her find homes for her beloved strays, to protecting her when her business is threatened. But Cody has a secret that keeps him from fully reaching out. Yet as they continue to work together to promote her shelter, he can't keep himself from hoping that Ally might have a home for him...in her heart.

My Review:

Seriously -- who doesn't want a cowboy living next door? After reading this novel I want one just like Cody -- even though he can be a little close-mouthed in the sharing department. He makes up for that with good intentions and a big ol' heart for animals. What? You thought I was going to say Ally? Well, he is smitten with her, but I'm smitten over his benevolence and understanding towards Ally's strays. I cannot resist a man with a soft spot for animals.  And there are some seriously cute canine/kitty bonding moments in this story. Happy sigh. There's also a bit of suspense which was a fun surprise. And lots of banter and clashing of wills. And...oh my goodness...I laughed myself silly when chapter seventeen came around. Can't tell you why because it would be a major plot spoiler, but funny and touching all wrapped up in one. An awesome Love Inspired debut for this seasoned author.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Reuniting with the Cowboy 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 August 21 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Planted With Hope

GIVEAWAY

GOYER, TRICIA
GORE, SHERRY
PLANTED WITH HOPE

When Hope Miller is offered a plot of land behind her sister's pie shop to start a garden, she jumps at the chance. Finally -- some space away from her four sisters! But everyone in town seems to have an opinion about what she should grow and how she should grow it.

When the widowed schoolteacher, Jonah Sutter, asks if his students at the Amish school can help turn the plot into a community garden, Hope wonders if she will ever find the peace and quiet she craves. But God has a different plan for Hope -- a plan that will open her heart to all the blessings in front of her.

My Review:

Two green thumbs up! I can so relate to Hope's introverted ways and her love of growing things. In fact, this book combines two of my favourite pastimes -- reading  and gardening -- so call me a happy camper.

Moving to Pinecraft, Florida has been a difficult transition for this farm loving girl. Hope is all about the four seasons: the anticipation of spring planting, the summer nurturing of a garden followed by the autumn harvest. Not to mention the bliss of winter planning for the following spring. Only a gardener can understand the way these cycles can ground a person. I totally get Hope. She hasn't quite found her footing in Florida so when the chance to garden crops up, she thinks she might have found a haven at last...until the garden takes on a life of its own!

Widower Jonah and his motherless daughter, Emma, are delightful distractions but also provide a new set of challenges. I loved the sweet, hesitant romance that develops -- so tenuous because of the need to protect little Emma from further heartache.

An unexpected connection with Victory Gardens of the second world war thrilled me right to my toes! And at the heart of it all is the witness of  God's desire for us to build community. Hope is forced out of her comfort zone and has to learn to place her trust in God in order to navigate her present so there is hope for her future.

This is the second book in The Pinecraft Pie Shop series and it is supremely delightful. Love all the little intricate extras that make these books stand out from the rest. Clever title tie-ins are one of those details, each a play on the heroine's name -- Made With Love, Planted With Hope and coming out in September, Sewn With Joy. And, like the first book, the authors have included recipes as well as interesting wartime gardening and household management tidbits throughout. A true gem of a book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Planted With 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 August 21 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Loyal Heart

GIVEAWAY

GRAY, SHELLEY SHEPARD
THE LOYAL HEART

Robert came to Gaveston to fulfill his promise to a dying man and look after his widow. He didn't expect to find love in the unlikeliest of places.

Robert Truax, former Second Lieutenant and Confederate officer in the Civil War, made a promise to his comrade Phillip Markham. If anything happened to Phillip, Robert would look after his beloved wife, Miranda. She was his life, his world, his everything.

After the war, Robert is left to pick up the pieces and fulfill his pact. When he arrives at Miranda's home in Galveston, Texas, things are worse than he imagined. Phillip's name has been dragged through the mud, everyone in town believes him to be a traitor, and his widow is treated as an outcast. Even more disturbing is her emotional well-being. Miranda seems hopeless, lost, and so very alone.

Robert had thought his duty would be simple. He would help Miranda as quickly as possible in order to honor a promise. But the moment Robert laid eyes on her, his plans changed. He's mesmerized by her beauty and yearns to help her in any way he can.

He makes it his duty to protect Miranda, turn her reputation around, and to find some way to help her smile again. But it doesn't prove to be an easy task -- Robert knows something about Phillip that could shake Miranda to the core and alter her view of the man she though she knew so well.

My Review:

An exciting new series (A Lone Star Hero's Love Story) by an author I adore! I love the premise of the series -- desperate men in a desperate situation making a pact to watch out for one another even after the war ends. It speaks of their honour and valour and put this reader into a bit of a tailspin 'cause there's nothing so swoony as a take charge hero who's got your back.

Gray tackles the difficult subject of depression in The Loyal Heart. Miranda has been victimized and subjected to relentless cruelty for so long that it's taken its toll. She's in a vulnerable place when Robert arrives on her doorstep. I love the way she  is able to draw from his strength and kindness. It's like a rebirth slowly takes place over the course of the novel and Miranda comes out better, stronger and more sure of herself than ever before. Wonderful growth -- both in character and in the relationship that sparks between the Lieutenant and the widow.

Robert is a self-made man who dons the veneer of gentlemanly manners with ease. He's a delicious contradiction of cold steel and passionate heat. And gallantly devoted to easing Miranda's pain. He's half in love with her before he even steps over the threshold of her boarding house -- at least with the impression her enamoured husband has left with him. I think it's fair to call Robert noble. He wouldn't agree since he's of lowly birth and had to scrape for a living until he joined the army. Such a deliciously complicated man and the perfect complement for Miranda.

The suspense is intriguing and it take outsiders to cut through the tangled web of deceit which has trapped more than just Miranda in its sticky mess. Compelling secondary characters -- both purely evil and divinely good -- flesh out this captivating read. Eagerly awaiting book two.

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

http://litfusegroup.com/author/sgray

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Loyal Heart 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 August 21 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

August Giveaway -- Week Two

CONGRATULATIONS!

Thanks to everyone for making this week so much fun and productive! I wish I could hand out books to everyone. Instead I doubled the winners per category and here they are: (oh and if you're not on the winner list don't be discouraged. I'll be reading these books and doing giveaways on them in the near future so you can get a second chance!  

HISTORICAL ROMANCE WINNERS:

WON BY SYLVIA

WON BY J.C.

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE WINNERS:

WON BY MELISSA OLDAKER

WON BY MISSIONWIFE 

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE WINNERS:

WON BY TRACEY HAGWOOD

WON BY MH

AMISH FICTION WINNERS:

WON BY MARYANN SKARITA

WON BY SAMANTHA B.

NOVELLA COLLECTION WINNERS:

WON BY KAREN R.

WON BY CC

CHRISTIAN FICTION WINNERS:

WON BY ARTIST LIBRARIAN

WON BY BRITNEY ADAMS

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: