Another Day Another Dali

GIVEAWAY

ORCHARD, SANDRA
ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER DALI

The world of art theft can be a deadly game -- one that Serena Jones understands all too well.

When FBI Special Agent Serena Jones takes on the case of a forged Dali painting as a favor to her grandmother, she assumes it will be a typical investigation. Hopefully collaring the thief will also mean finally measuring up in her grandmother's eyes. But the deeper she delves into the forgery and the suspects surrounding it, the less typical it becomes.

The Dali isn't the only painting that's fallen prey to the forgery-replacing thief, raising the possibility of a sophisticated theft ring -- one with links to dirty cops, an aspiring young artist, and the unsolved murder of Serena's grandfather. To make matters worse, someone connected to the forgeries seems to be determined to stop Serena's investigation -- no matter the cost.

Another Day, Another Dali gives the plucky Serena Jones -- and readers -- a new high-stakes case to crack. You won't want to miss a single brushstroke!

My Review:

Clever title. Clever cover. Clever plot. Campy good fun with lots of tongue-in-cheek wit and a passel of quirky secondary characters. Not to mention an opinionated cat named Harold. What is not to love?

And that includes the two hero heart-throbs engaged in a subtle one-upmanship as they vie for Serena's attention. In fact the author has invited her readers to cast their vote for the man who will ultimately claim Serena's heart by the end of the series. I'm hovering between Team Nate and Team Tanner in the worst way. I love them both and I don't want either one to get hurt. :-(  The uncertainty of it all is causing me severe romantical reader anxiety!

Serena Jones has moxie...except maybe when it comes to facing her formidable grandmother. A complicated family history ties Serena to her past and that shapes her present. She feels like she has a lot to prove and becoming an FBI Agent extraordinaire is her way of doing that. Unfortunately she has to juggle her professional life with an eclectic mix of relatives who kept me grinning the whole read through. And Orchard dangles an exciting hint about Aunt Martha's past for the avid mystery connoisseur to store away in anticipation of the next book. (Another Day, Another Dali is the second book in A Serena Jones Mystery series and while it can be read as a standalone, there's enough carry over in characters and one over-arcing plot point that I think it's best to read the books in order.)

A compelling mystery with plenty of potential suspects and hair-raising cat-and-mouse scenes kept me on the edge of my seat. Orchard is really skilled at creating whiplash plots. Half the time I didn't know if I should be laughing or ducking. But in the end, Serena emerges triumphant. Case closed along with another piece of the larger puzzle that ties the books in the series together.

The only thing missing is an inspirational thread. Just a mention of attending church and a paragraph about observing Sunday as a day of rest. And there's so much potential in Serena's life for a solid faith thread to be woven in. Otherwise, this novel ticked all the boxes and then some. Can't wait for the final Serena Jones installment.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Another Day Another Dali 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 6 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

October Giveaway - Week Five

WON BY TERRILL

WON BY TRIXI

WON BY MARK

WON BY PAM K.

WON BY JACKIE

WON BY TAMMI D.

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:

False Pretenses

GIVEAWAY

HERMAN, KATHY
FALSE PRETENSES

Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13

Zoe Broussard stands in the shade of the live oak on rue Madeline and surveys her beloved Louisiana hometown. Wrought-iron galleries overhand the sidewalk lined with brightly colored shops, and the smell of coffee wafts from the Cajun eatery she and her husband, Pierce, own, which brings folks all the way from Lafayette for lunch or dinner. It seems like heaven.

But it's about to become hell. A series of threatening, anonymous notes is making her life miserable -- because Zoe has a secret so terrible it could leave the business in shambles and tear her marriage apart. Terrified by a stranger who seems to know her, Zoe must confront her past before it confronts her.

My Review:

A multi-faceted story filled to brimming with grace. I love the way the author tells it from the point of views of two couples -- Zoe and Pierce and Vanessa and Ethan. She weaves their diverse stories into the increasingly sinister suspense thread and in the process, creates a riveting tale of compassion and love and ultimately the forgiveness that comes from the grace Jesus offers us. Hair-raising, breath-snatching, I came to a point where I couldn't put the book down and had to finish it in one chilling sweep. So many 'aha' moments by the time I reached the triumphant conclusion.

This is book 1 (2011) in the Secrets of Roux River Bayou and you can bet, I'll be hunting down books 2 and 3! And to Kathy Herman fans -- You'll recognize Vanessa and Ethan from the Sophie Trace Trilogy.  I haven't read those books but there was enough background references that I felt compelled to check the author's website and sure enough I found Vanessa and Ethan's story in The Right Call, which I'll be reading soon as well. LOL

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Available in ebook format only

One of the down sides of retro reading is that the books aren't always available in print format. I obtained my paperback copy from the church library but discovered that the book is currently only available in ebook format now.

 If you would like an opportunity to win an ebook copy of  False Pretenses 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 October 23 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Pastor's Christmas Courtship

GIVEAWAY

KAYE, GLYNNA
THE PASTOR'S CHRISTMAS COURTSHIP

Her holiday homecoming

Jodi Thorpe's childhood vacation cabin seems the perfect place for her to heal her broken heart...and avoid Christmas cheer. After twelve years, nothing in Hunter Ridge has changed -- except Garrett McCrae. The bad boy who was once her secret crush is now the town minister. And Garrett won't let her miss out on all the hope and joy the holiday brings. With every day he's drawn to the vulnerable woman Jodi's become, even as he's about to leave for a mission halfway around the world. But as they grow closer, their plans begin to change. Can Garrett make it a season to remember, with a love they can't forget?

My Review:

An absolutely priceless Christmas gem. I got goosebumps and teared up at one point as Kaye conveyed the ultimate peace that one special baby brings -- not just on Christmas Eve but all through the year.

Christmas is at the heart of the story and so is God's will -- and both are subjects that Jodi has to grapple with as she finds her faith floundering. Hiding away at the family's vacation cabin seems like the perfect way to lick her wounds and come to grips with her reality once and for all. She's looking for quality hermit time but, of course, God has other plans and we all know His will is sovereign.
Cue the heartthrob pastor who has some issues of his own.  What results is an emotionally engaging and spiritually uplifting story perfect for the holiday season.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Pastor's Christmas Courtship 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 October 30 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Road We Traveled

GIVEAWAY

KIRKPATRICK, JANE
THE ROAD WE TRAVELED

Tabitha Brown refuses to be left behind in Missouri when her son makes the decision to strike out for Oregon -- even if she has to hire her own wagon to join the party. After all, family ties are stronger than fear.

Along with her reluctant daughter and her ever-hopeful granddaughter, the intrepid Tabitha has her misgivings. The trials they face along the way will severely test her faith, courage, and ability to hope. With her family`s survival on the line, she must make the ultimate sacrifice, plunging deeper into the wilderness to seek aid. What she couldn`t know was how this frightening journey would impact how she understood her own life -- and the greater part she had to play in history.

My Review:

Jane Kirkpatrick writes fictional biography that draws on the real lives of courageous pioneer women. This time she takes us along the Oregon Trail with Tabitha Brown. The author`s detailed notes at the end of the book bear witness to the impeccable research that went into writing Tabitha`s story. It`s a raw and honest account of the woman who became known as "the mother of Oregon".

I am awestruck by Tabitha`s grit and determination. Headstrong, iron-willed. Faith-filled. And a heart for service. All qualities that held her in good stead on the arduous journey west. And amazingly she began that grand adventure at the age of sixty-six, a grandmother with a disability no less. But this is also a multi-generational tale -- three women, grandmother, daughter and granddaughter, facing the greatest adventure of their lives together.

A captivating read that has given me a renewed appreciation for our pioneer forefathers (and mothers!) I also feel encouraged to look at my own life journey in  a new light. I might not have to trek across the country in a covered wagon, but there are challenges and hardships that I could do well to approach with the kind of pioneer spirit that Tabby had.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Road We Traveled 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 October 23 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

High Speed Holiday

GIVEAWAY

LEE, KATY
HIGH SPEED HOLIDAY

Tangled past

After Ian Stone discovers he was kidnapped when he was a baby, he journeys to his "family's" hometown -- and is shot at shortly after he arrives. Now he's convinced the Spencers don't want their long-lost brother, Luke, to return and claim his inheritance. But local chief of police Syvlie Laurent doesn't believe his siblings would try to kill him. And the stubborn woman is determined to protect him until she uncovers the truth. At first, Sylvie is skeptical of Ian's story...but he bears a strong resemblance to the Spencers. And they'll have to work together to stay ahead of the danger if they want to live to see him reunited with his family at Christmas.

Roads to Danger: Family secrets resurface

My Review:

I have loved every book in the Roads to Danger series. The racetrack background, family secrets and captivating suspense has carried through in every single book. That doesn't mean you need to read all the books in order to enjoy this one, but they are so good I think you really should. :-)

Sylvie is the tough as nails newly minted police chief who Ian doesn't want working his case. Love it when a hero and heroine butt heads from the get go. He's a wee bit surly and has a real chip on his shoulder -- can we all say 'brooding hero' in a collective sigh?  Bliss. But the romance has to simmer on the back burner (and simmer it does - insert fanning smilie here) while Sylvie and Ian dodge bullets, race ski-doos and generally create mayhem as they try to find the villainous mastermind out to get them. Uber great conclusion to an awesome series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  High Speed Holiday 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 October 30 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

An Amish Family Christmas

GIVEAWAY

GRAY, SHELLEY SHEPARD
AN AMISH FAMILY CHRISTMAS

In Shelley Shepard Gray's fourth book in her Charmed Amish Life series, an unlikely Amish romance reveals that Christmas is a time for family, miracles -- and love.

Ever since his father died in a tragic fire, Levi Kinsinger has felt adrift. Having just returned to Charm, Ohio, Levi tries to fit into his old life only to discover he seems to have outgrown it.

When Julia, Levi's young widowed neighbor, asks for his help with a Christmas project, he finds a sense of purpose for the first time in months. She and her daughter are new to Charm and could use a friend, a task Levi takes seriously. Soon enough, his friendship with Julia grows into attraction, but Levi can't help harboring doubts. There's something about Julia that doesn't ring quite true...

Like Levi, Julia Kemp has survived her fair share of hardships -- but only by hiding the truth of her past. Then she meets Levi and, for the first time, she feels hopeful. Little by little, she begins to imagine telling him her darkest secret and eventually...perhaps even sharing her life with him.

Christmas is a time for family, and as the holiday draws closer, Julia and Levi will have to face their pasts together in order to find the healing, support, and love they so desperately desire.

My Review:

The final book in the Charmed Amish Life series brings wonderful closure to the Kinsinger family...and their devout reading fans. The whole series has been a fascinating study on the many faces of grief as each Kinsinger sibling works through the accidental death of their father. In this final novel, we get a close up look at Levi and how his grieving process has affected his life and relationships.

This brother is adrift -- feeling stuck in a rut as his sisters and brother have successfully moved on. Even a stint working construction in Pinecraft, Florida didn't bring him the breathing space he needed. Now he's back in Charm, trying to fit it in and failing miserably. My heart went out to Levi from the very first book. He was the most volatile and even though he's worked through some of that anger, he's still in turmoil. What the man needs is a distraction...and a chance to act the knight in shining armor to a damsel in distress provides exactly that.

Julia is harboring so many secrets she feels like they are swallowing her up whole but she will do anything to keep her past in the past. Even if that means keeping her handsome new neighbour at arms length. But it's Christmastime and that special magic is in the air and romance seems inevitable until something happens that threatens it all. An emotional, heart-tugging story with a few unexpected twists and turns that rattled my orderly reader world.

A resounding conclusion to the Kinsinger family saga.

My thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group and Avon Inspire 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  An Amish Family 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 October 23 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The author is doing a two book giveaway as well. Here's the info. Click on the link below in order to enter:

https://promosimple.com/ps/a725

A Sister's Wish

GIVEAWAY

GRAY, SHELLEY SHEPARD
A SISTER'S WISH

In the third book of New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray's Charmed Amish Life series, a young woman finds herself falling for an Amish man from the wrong side of the tracks.

Amelia Kinsinger may seem like the perfect Amish woman, but she is harboring a secret: She's been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember.

Life hasn't been kind to Simon. He ran away from an abusive home and landed in prison. Now back in Charm, he's determined to put his wild past behind him and make a new life.

And Amelia is off limits. Everyone thinks she's too good for Simon -- most of all her older brother, who just happens to be Simon's best friend. When a chain of events forces them to face their past mistakes, all their secrets are revealed. Now Simon must dare to trust Amelia, and she must show him that he is already everything she ever wished he could be.

My Review:

This is the story I've been waiting for since reading A Daughter's Dream...and by the way, I love how Shelley Shepard Gray's books come out so close together - a four book series is published within a year. While each book in the Charmed Amish Life series can be read as a standalone, characters and setting carry on through each story. So to get the full background of characters and families it's best to read the books in order.

Anyway -- the author really tickled my fancy with Amelia and Simon in the previous book. Great set up for A Sister's Wish. I gobbled it up the minute it shot through my mail slot. And it was just as good as I anticipated.

Amelia, and all her siblings, are dealing with the fairly recent death of their father...and each of them handles their grief in a different way. As the youngest, Amelia has to endure the well intentioned smothering of her older siblings. Not fun -- especially when their concern over a potential love interest turns to interference. She has known Simon all her life and has secretly loved him for almost as long.

There's something about a besotted and oh-so-tender hero with a troubled past. Insert contented sigh here. Simon's life went off course for a number of years but he's back, living among the Amish, proving himself indispensable at the Kinsinger Lumber Company. Amelia's older brother counts Simon as a best friend -- but not good enough to be suitor material for his baby sister. A twisty/turny tale ensues where Gray explores the true meaning of forgiveness. It packs an emotional punch that left me breathless.

My thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group and Avon Inspire 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  A Sister's Wish 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 October 23 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The author is doing a two book giveaway as well. Here's the info. Click on the link below in order to enter:

https://promosimple.com/ps/a725
 

October Giveaway - Week Four

WON BY CARYL KANE

WON BY DIANA FLOWERS

WON BY DIANE BLASER

WON BY CC

WON BY SAVINGS IN SECONDS

WON BY KAREN (SONFLOWER)

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:

Vicious Cycle

GIVEAWAY

BLACKSTOCK, TERRI
VICIOUS CYCLE

To protect her newborn baby, Jordan has to abandon her.

When fifteen-year-old Lance Covington finds an abandoned baby in the backseat of a car, he knows where she came from -- she's the newborn daughter of a meth addict he's been trying to help. But when police arrest him for kidnapping, Lance is thrust into a criminal world of baby trafficking and drug abuse.

His mother, Barbara, looks for help from Kent Harlan -- the man whom she secretly, reluctantly loves and who once helped rescue her daughter from a mess of her own. Ken flies to her aid and begins the impossible work of getting Lance out of trouble, protecting a baby who has no home, and finding help for a teenage mother hiding behind her lies.

In this latest novel of suspense and family loyalty, bestselling author Terri Blackstock offers a harrowing look at drug addiction, human trafficking, and the choices that can change lives forever.

My Review:

Intense. Riveting. Heart-breaking. Blackstock delivers another breathtaking suspense that exposes the gritty underbelly of American society. This is the second book in the Intervention series. You don't need to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one but there is carryover of both characters and setting so you'll feel more of an impact if you read Intervention first.

We're back in the middle of the Covington family's lives -- one year has passed since we met them in the first book. Lance steals some of the limelight in Vicious Cycle and I have to say I just love that kid. He was a great sidekick in Intervention and even better in this one. He's an interesting mix of naïve kid and worldly teen and good intentions lead him straight into the kind of danger that's hard to fathom.

The story is told from multiple points of view so we get to bask in the glory of Barbara and Kent's developing romance as well as touch base with nineteen-year-old Emily. A fast-paced plot with plenty of twists and turns and a solid faith thread make this a read-in-one-sitting kind of read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Vicious Cycle 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 October 23 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Silent Night Shadows

GIVEAWAY

VARLAND, SARAH
SILENT NIGHT SHADOWS

Hijacked holiday

When she's snatched off a sidewalk en route to the local Christmas tree lighting, Claire Phillips knows her cozy small town is no longer safe. And when she's saved by a mystery man, she gets another surprise. Her rescuer is none other than Nate Torres -- a man from her past that she's tried to forget. He's in town undercover, investigating a drug smuggling ring, and he thinks she's witnessed more than she realizes. Worse, he thinks the ring's leader is a local. Someone she knows and trusts. There's no one for her to rely on but Nate, a man whose action-packed life is worlds away from the security she craves. As the attacks grow more menacing, it will take courage Claire no longer thinks she has to survive to Christmas.

My Review:

Nothing like a Christmas kidnapping attempt to herald in the season -- if you're a fanatical romantic suspense fan like I am. :-) Danger and intrigue right from the heart-pounding opening scene. Add in a man from the past...a past the heroine would rather forget...and you have a real pager-turner. Claire is all about  being the "perfect and predictable" small town girl. Nate is having a hard time reconciling the current Claire with the adventurous college student he used to know. Mystery and danger throw them together, igniting a deliciously uncertain romance. A breathtaking combination that makes a satisfying holiday read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Silent Night Shadows 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 October 23 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

A Love Transformed

GIVEAWAY

PETERSON, TRACIE
A LOVE TRANSFORMED

When her husband, Adolph, dies suddenly, Clara Vesper is stunned. Not grief-stricken, as their marriage had never been a love match, but staggered by what might become of her and her children. For years she designed the sapphire jewelry that made her husband's company a fortune, but she has little money in her own name and soon discovers that she has inherited nothing. Fearing for the welfare of her two small children, she decides to take them to her aunt and uncle's ranch in Montana, the only place she has ever been happy.

But much has changed since she last visited the Montana ranch, both for Clara and for those she was forced to leave behind. And when dangerous secrets from her late husband's past threaten everyone she loves, Clara must fight to remain where she can fulfill her dreams.

My Review:

Classic Peterson. I love the way she ties redemption into her novels. This is a faith-filled story that promises hope...if only the threat from Clara's past will leave them all alone. Great character dynamics -- a redemptive hero who can't quite believe his worth and the woman he can't resist loving. Insert blissful romantical sigh here. There's plenty of twists and turns, a sinister pursuit and two adorable (and very earnest) preschoolers to keep everyone in line. Will leave you breathless by the end.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  A Love Transformed 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 October 23 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

High-Risk Reunion

 

GIVEAWAY

DALEY, MARGARET
HIGH-RISK REUNION

A perilous second chance

When district attorney Tory Carson returns home after a long day in court prosecuting a gang leader, she finds her house trashed. Concerned that the vandalism is connected to the trial, the local police chief calls the Texas Rangers...and her former love Cade Morgan responds. Tory's history with Cade -- and the secret they share -- makes her reluctant to let him back into her life. But Tory doesn't want to choose between bringing down a gang leader and protecting her teenage daughter. With the threat escalating the longer she tries the case, the safest place for Tory and her daughter is at Cade's ranch. But can Cade protect them long enough for Tory to bring the criminal to justice?

Lone Star Justice: Lawmen protecting Texas - and falling in love

My Review:

Great start to an awesome new series! A complicated and hard-hitting plot makes trying to put all the pieces of the case together pretty daunting. My brain got a real workout over this one. And the tension between Tory and Cade is palpable from the get go. These two have history with a capital H. Take a gnarly romance plus a gnarly suspense and pair it with the gnarly antics of a teenager and what do you get? An explosively good read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  High-Risk 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 October 23 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Mattie's Pledge

GIVEAWAY

DREXLER, JAN
MATTIE'S PLEDGE

When she feels the pull of both home and the horizon, which will she choose?

Mattie Schrock is no stranger to uprooting her life. Even as her father relocated her family from one Amish community to the next, she always managed to find a footing in their new homes. Now as the Schrock family plans to move west from Somerset County to a fledgling Amish settlement in Indiana, she looks forward to connecting with old friends who will be joining them from another Pennsylvania community -- friends like Jacob Yoder, who has always held a special place in her heart.

Since Mattie last saw Jacob, they've both grown into different people with different dreams. Jacob yearns to settle down, but Mattie can't help but dream of what may life over the western horizon. When a handsome Englisher tempts her to leave the Amish behind to search for adventure in the West, will her pledge to Jacob be the anchor that holds her secure?

Tender, poignant, and gentle, Mattie's Pledge offers you a glimpse into Amish life in the 1840s -- and from the yearning heart of a character you'll not soon forget.

My Review:

Amish meets Little House on the Prairie - a seriously wicked combination. Drexler has captured the pioneering spirit of our ancestors in the heart of Mattie Schrock. And an Amish girl with wanderlust makes for an interesting conundrum. She's always looking towards the horizon, yearning to find out what lies beyond...but will those discoveries feed her soul and fill the empty place in her heart?

Childhood friend, Jacob is the exact opposite. He's looking forward to buying land in Indiana that will serve his family for generations. So we have a hero who finds freedom in making roots while the heroine is looking for freedom by pulling up roots. Not an optimal situation for a love story so be prepared for some angst. Especially when a mysterious Englisher comes onto the scene.

And, oh my goodness, the history!!!! We're talking a wagon train of Amish venturing west from Pennsylvania and all the complications and dangers that go along with that. There are so many twists and turns that I might have gone into a bit of a reading frenzy. I was gobsmacked more than a time or two. I do so love being astonished by an adventurous plot.

And while this is Mattie's story, we also get a few different character perspectives and the bonus of a secondary love story.  All in all a sublime combination that will engage the most discerning of readers. 

My thanks to Baker's Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Mattie's Pledge 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 October 23 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Domino Effect

GIVEAWAY

BUNN, DAVIS
THE DOMINO EFFECT

"...genuinely compelling, and comes with a real warning about real markets. The dominoes may well fall in quick procession."
Ted R. Malloch, Senior Fellow, Said Business School, University of Oxford

Esther Larsen, a top risk analyst at one of the country's largest banking institutions, is becoming more and more convinced that she has uncovered a ticking bomb with the potential to make the 2008 market crash look minor by comparison. And as her own employer pursues "investment" strategies with every-increasing levels of risk, she becomes convinced she must do something. But Esther is only on person; can she stand up to an international conspiracy of greed? And if she does, will anyone take her seriously?

Every moment of indecision edges the markets closer to a tipping point -- the teetering first domino in a standing row that circles the globe. And when Esther finds her voice, those she seeks to expose will not sit idly by. With global markets on the brink, and her own life in danger, Esther is locked in a race against the clock to avert a financial tsunami that threatens worldwide devastation.

My Review:

Warning: may incite a rabid reading frenzy of epic proportion.

I hesitated over reading The Domino Effect simply because I thought it would be way over my head. The average third grader has surpassed my math comprehension so reading a book about banks and investment strategies seemed like an exercise in torture to me. :-) But I know Davis Bunn can spin a good tale and I was intrigued enough to step out in faith and start reading.

Wow.

Intense. Dynamic. Compelling. Yes, I didn't understand the nitty gritty of all the financial stuff, but I always grasped the gist of it so I understood the danger and how it carried the plot forward. In fact, there were a few places where Bunn did such a good job of breaking down the banking information that I actually began to get some of it. So I learned something from reading The Domino Effect!

Esther is such a relatable heroine. And I love the parallel the author has created between his present day Esther and the biblical one. That just brought a whole other dimension to the story. Esther has spent most of her life as an outsider looking in. Her current work situation becomes the catalyst that compels her to move out of the shadows and become the complete woman God meant for her to be. And in the process the reader gets the benefit of a bit of light romance. Can't go wrong with that, in my humble opinion!

An absorbing, mesmerizing story that's sure to get you thinking.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Domino Effect 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 October 23 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

October Giveaway - Week Three

WON  BY JOYE

WON BY TAMMIE

WON BY JAYLEEN MCCONNELL

WON BY AGBOSS

WON BY LIBRARY LADY

WON BY RACHAEL 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: