The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck

GIVEAWAY

TURNER, BETHANY
THE SECRET OF SARAH HOLLENBECK

Becoming a Christian is the best - and worst -- thing that has ever happened to Sarah Hollenbeck.

Up to now, Sarah Hollenbeck made her very comfortable living as a well-known, bestselling author of steamy romance novels that would leave the members of her new church blushing. Now she's trying to reconcile her past with the future she's chosen. She's still under contract with her publisher and on the hook with her enormous fan base for the kind of book she's not sure she can write anymore. She's discovering that the church might frown on her tithing on royalties from her "scandalous" book. And the fact that she's falling in love with her pastor...well, let's just say that doesn't make things any easier.

With a powerful voice, penetrating insight, and plenty of humor, novelist Bethany Turner explodes onto the scene with a witty debut that isn't afraid to deal with the thorny realities of living the Christian life.

My Review:

My cheeks hurt from grinning so much! Funny, awkward, goofy... and frank. This book has garnered quite the controversy as readers deal with that verboten subject -- desire. Dare I say we seem to be a passionate lot when it comes to passion in our Christian fiction?

If you aren't into romance novels, this isn't the book for you because The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck is pure romance. It's toe-curling and swoon inducing, making a fainting couch a very real necessity for the duration of the read. But it also examines aspects of Christian culture - both good and bad -- as well as the foibles of human nature that left me grinding my teeth and hurling insults at certain characters. Which is all good, because I love to get totally immersed in a story.

Told completely from Sarah's first person point of view, Turner takes her readers on a rollicking roller coaster of a ride. I love Sarah soooo much! Self-deprecating humour masks some deep insecurities as she tries to make sense of her life after divorce. At first, she might seem to be self-absorbed but it's really self-preservation as she struggles to emerge from the shadows of her dysfunctional marriage.

Going from steamy romance author sensation to born again Christian is a bit of a cultural shock -- especially when Sarah falls for the pastor her first Sunday at church. Loved that immediate attraction -- a tangible, inexplicable link that sets both their worlds on a giddy tilt-a-whirl of emotional ups and downs. And physical attraction is very much a part of their developing relationship. Turner doesn't shy away from writing about that yearning but it's in a celebratory Godly way.

"I never would have imagined that there could be something more powerful than the desire I felt for Ben in that moment but the desire to not tarnish the love God was building within us was overpowering." (p 160)

Ben and Sarah don't hide from these feelings - but they do control them by putting God first in their relationship. My only hesitancy over their romance came from their spiritual inequality. Pastor Ben is a life-long Christian with a Divinity degree while not only is Sarah a new Christ-follower, but she doesn't have a clue what that actually means. And it does create some problems, but I love the way Sarah grows in her faith and actually ends up encouraging and guiding Ben through a tough situation. I love the way Turner shows how the Spirit can work when our hearts are open and receptive..

The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck is not your Granny's Christian romance! But if you have an adventurous reading spirit and enjoy a God-centered love story with flawed characters saved by grace, you'll definitely want to give this one a try.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Secret of Sarah Hollenbeck, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday May 6 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

April Giveaway -- Week Five

WON BY LUCY REYNOLDS

WON BY SAVINGS IN SECONDS

WON BY MINDY H.

WON BY PAM WESTFALL

WON BY CAITLIN M.

WON BY JASMINE

You know the drill -- I will notify the winner if they included their email. Otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca and please include your snail mail address. If I can't connect with a winner within a month, the win if forfeited. Books are usually sent out within a week of receiving a winner's address but give it a month before inquiring about deliver to allow for processing and shipping times.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

The Message on the Quilt

GIVEAWAY

WHITSON, STEPHANIE GRACE
THE MESSAGE ON THE QUILT

Unravel the message behind a treasured quilt...

Emilie Rhodes had been taught to think for herself. But thinking for herself soon leads her to want to write 'real news.' Her newspaper editor father won't hear of it and fires her. When Emilie begins writing anonymously for her father's competition, interviewing speakers at the 1890 Chautauqua series, she meets and falls in love with "The Man of Many Voices."

Noah Shaw is unsettled and feels adrift, even though he is a well-respected lecturer and dramatist. He's never felt that he belongs anywhere. His professional life is only one reason he's now in Nebraska. Noah is on a quest to find answers. Everyone always said Grandma's quilt stories were just that -- stories. But Noah's not so sure...and he's anxious to discover a piece of his past.

But will the truth Noah discovers about his heritage and a treasured quilt prove to bear a message of brokeness -- or hope and healing?

My Review:

published in 2013 -- this went out of print fast. I found a copy on the clearance table at my local bookstore so the winner of this giveaway will receive a gently read copy of The Message on the Quilt.

Two heroines, decades apart in age struggle to make their way in an ever changing world.

While largely Emilie's story, the secondary plot involving Grace captivated me. I didn't know what to make of her at first and then, slowly, Whitson peels away layers until an astonishing story comes to light. Loved that unexpected gem in the midst of a 'young' love story.

And I say young because Emilie is eighteen. Full of ambition, with suffragette leanings. This is very much a coming of age story. Emilie strives for independence as she feels increasingly confined by  parental restrictions. And like every mama in the late 1800s, Emilie's mother just wants her to settle down and marry (because, eighteen is on the verge of spinsterhood...snicker.)

A chance meeting with "The Man of Many Voices" may just be the answer to a mother's prayers. Noah's profession totally intrigues me...and has left me yearning for simpler times when people viewed poetry recitations and bible readings as lively entertainment.

And can I just say that the Chatautauqua campground angle totally fascinated me? Acres of parkland on the outskirts of the city with an impressive building called the Tabernacle which was used to host a variety of lecturers and musicians on a summer circuit (our hero Noah and his many voices being one of the most anticipated acts.) Love it when a historical fiction read inspires me to do my own after-story research!

A sweet summer romance is interrupted when family secrets are brought to light, threatening young love's future. A truly captivating read!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a gently read copy of The Message on the Quilt, leave a comment below ore email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday April 29 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck.

Counting on the Cowboy

GIVEAWAY

VANNATTER, SHANNON TAYLOR
COUNTING ON THE COWBOY

Ranching is his whole life...until he meets one special city girl

Texas Cowboy Brock McBride knows better than to fall for a city girl. She'll leave and break his heart -- just like his ex-fiancee did. But his job at Chasing Eden Dude Ranch requires working alongside. Dallas wedding planner Devree Malone. And despite fierce resistance, he's falling hard. Yet with Devree's business back in the city, can he convince her she's found her home...with him?

My Review:

"Help! There's a goat on the roof!" Bwahahaha! Best opening line every! And really, you know you can't go wrong when a story features a goat, right? I was definitely hooked. And I'm still grinning over all the laugh-out-loud critter moments in this romance.

Devree is definitely a girly-girl way out of her element. But she's more adaptable than she thinks and she'll do anything to make her very pregnant sister's life easier even if that includes goat wrangling and rooster deflecting -- especially when it includes the company of one very intriguing cowboy with "enigmatic green eyes, cleft chin and dimples that came out of nowhere." (p 56) Makes her forget she's sour on love.

Brock tries to rein in the instant attraction that flares when he meets Devree but fate (and possibly some matchmaking minded adults) keep throwing them together. Not to mention the number of times he ends up rescuing her from one kind of varmint or another. So much laughter -- and the growing tenderness between them is palpable. Sweet and achy and filled me with yearning. There's nothing I wanted more than for these two to find their way towards each other.

Vannatter doesn't make it easy though. Brock, in particular, has a personal struggle that tied me up in knots! And, at one point, Devree disappointed me -- deeply! Phew, I'm happy to report we all made it through to the happily ever after side of the story!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like to win a copy of Counting on the Cowboy, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday April 29 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A New Shade of Summer

GIVEAWAY

DEESE, NICOLE
A NEW SHADE OF SUMMER 

As an artist, Callie Quinn relies on inspiration to guide her wandering soul. This summer she accepts a short-term muralist job in her sister's charming town to spend some much-needed time with her family. After meeting her nephew's friend Brandon, she's eager to draw out his untapped artistic talents -- however, it's the boy's straitlaced single father who could use a little color in his life.

Davis Carter may be the town's favorite animal whisperer, but his experience is limited when it comes to understanding his preteen's rebellious behavior. Desperate for a breakthrough, he follows the lead of a free spirit who claims to know the way into his son's closed-off world. Soon, Davis isn't the only one caught up in the hope of a new beginning.

Just as Callie considers trading her unattached existence for a life rich with promise and permanence, an unexpected visit from the past threatens to send her packing once again. Davis and Callie must learn to surrender their fears so they can find a love that will outlast the summer.

My Review:

I love, love, LOVE this book! Can you hear the hallelujah choir singing literary affirmation in the background? Because that's how much I love this book! Callie charmed me and Davis sent me into a tailspin of euphoric hero-worship! I mean, really, an animal whispering veterinarian?! Be still my heart.  And there's a character I really loved to hate...in an unrepentantly venomous way. There are certain times when a reader just needs to be filled with a good fury of righteous indignation on behalf of beloved characters. :-)

Davis and Callie's love story is deliciously romantical but not without complications and angst. Callie might seem like a free spirit but she is bound by a childhood trauma that has shaped her life...and keeps her running from commitment. Davis has suffered unimaginable loss and has his troubled preteen son to consider so he's cautious and pragmatic.

But, oh la la, these two are so good together! They balance each other perfectly. Davis is a steadfast anchor to Callie's embrace-the-moment exuberance. This is storytelling at its finest - the measure of words and descriptions that exactly fit the characteristics of the hero and heroine drew me deeper into their lives. And the title tie-in is superb! I got choked up at one point and cried happy tears at the end.

This inspirational romance ticks all the boxes for me - compelling characters, lots of heart and faith and just enough laughter to bind it all together. Sublime!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A New Shade of Summer, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday April 29 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Wilderness Pursuit

GIVEAWAY

KARL, MICHELLE
WILDERNESS PURSUIT

His mission: keep his ex-love safe
Discover the Mountie Brotherhood series

Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer Sam Thrace can't believe the woman he's rescued from certain death is Kara Park -- his former sweetheart. Once brokenhearted, now he's protecting the courageous archaeologist from someone out to sabotage her controversial pipeline findings. And as he and Kara escape into the remote Canadian wilds, neither is safe from their emerging feelings -- or the threat to their lives.

My Review:

So...yeah, just the name of this series has me all twitterpated - Mountie Brotherhood. And Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer Sam Thrace is a fine hero to start things off. Blissful sigh.

Karl gives us an exciting glimpse into the life of a rural RCMP officer - maybe a little too exciting! 'Cause this is what I like to call a 'rabid-reader page-turner'. Be prepared for a hair-raising life-or-death pursuit through the Canadian wilderness. Honestly, the bad guys are...shudderingly ingenious in their lethal plans. Which means Sam and Kara are in for the fight of their lives.

These two have history of the high school kind and it's been eighteen years since Kara left their small community to attend university. Sam thought they had something special back then but this is  the case of two people who might be good with each other needing to grow up before they can be good for each other.

Nearly two decades later their explosive reunion kicks off a series of events that forces them to work together in order to survive. Kara's a hard-hitting professional used to making herself heard in a male-dominated profession and Sam can't seem to turn the macho protector off. These two grate on each other - and Kara can be biting in her bid to stand her ground. Great dynamics between these two! The romance is as nail-biting as the suspense!

And an added bonus -- Kara is Korean Canadian. I really can't express how thrilled I am to see more diversity in the Love Inspired lines.

So if you like plenty of action, wilderness survival and a Mountie riding to the rescue (literally) this is a definite must read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Wilderness Pursuit, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday April 29 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Heart of an Agent

GIVEAWAY

LYONS, TRACEY J.
THE HEART OF AN AGENT

A mountain town gives Lily a new home and a new love. But will her past ruin her future?

Former Pinkerton spy Lily Handland has always dreamed of a quiet, safe life, free from chasing criminals and putting herself at risk. S when the opportunity to invest in a failing Great Camp in the Adirondacks comes to her attention, she quickly umps at the chance.

Filled with grief, widower Owen Murphy wants to run away from it all. Though he's worked hard to forge a future for himself, his grief has kept him mired in the past. But all that changes when a headstrong, mysterious woman shows up at Owen's door. Together, as Lily and Owen restore the beauty of the Great Camp, he begins to finally see a future. But will learning about Lily's past destroy it all?

The author of A Changed Agent returns to the Adirondack Mountains of the 1890s in a novel of love, faith, and secrets...

My Review:

An endearing mix of bittersweet and funny. Owen's grieving is heart-wrenching...but I'll admit to being a wee bit impatient with him too. I know that sounds awful - it's just that he has been wallowing for a long time with disastrous  results. He hasn't turned away from God, but he doesn't take hold of Him either so he's living in a grief-stricken vacuum.

And then Lily happens. She's vibrant and opinionated and ready to take her life in a new direction. One that doesn't require lying for a living. Only in order to move forward she finds herself lying about her past to the person who has come to matter the most.

She's impulsive. He's cautious. She's exuberant. He's quiet. She's a go-getter. He's wait-and-see. These two lead readers on a delightful dance of angst and humour as they strive to work together. And then the magic happens -- sweetly, tenderly, ever so hesitantly, a spark fans to life and Owen and Lily find themselves falling in love. Cue the happily ever after --- well, not quite yet. Because Lily will need every scrap of her indomitable spirit and Owen will have to find the courage to come fully back to the land of the living before we get that HEA.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Heart of an Agent, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstreadATyahooCA. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday April 29 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Lacemaker

GIVEAWAY

FRANTZ, LAURA
THE LACEMAKER

It is the eve of a new age of freedom in the colonies. But can a proper English lady dare hope for her own independence?

Lady Elizabeth "Liberty" Lawson has nearly everything a lady of her position could want. Daughter of the British lieutenant governor of the Virginia Colony and a darling of fine society in a rugged land, she is anticipating an advantageous marriage. That her betrothed is a rake and a love is lacking is of little consequence - or so she tells herself.

Though her own life seems in order, colonial Williamsburg is a powder keg on the verge of exploding, and her fiance's cousin Noble Rynallt carries the flame of revolution in his heart. Those with connections the the British nobility are suspected as spies, and Liberty soon finds herself left with a terrible choice. Will she stay true to her English roots? Or side with Noble and the radical revolutionaries?

My Review:

Oh, let's just cut to the chase and start with the hero since I'm that twitterpated over Noble. Fainting couches, fans, smelling salts - a full stock of swoon recovery items are a definite necessity before embarking on this historical romance. Because Noble is one of the most romantical heroes I've ever encountered in fiction. And he really does live up to his name. Patriotic. Idealistic. Decent and kind. A man who doesn't take faith for granted. A true gentleman back in the day when that actually meant something! I could go on but I'm in danger of melting into a puddle as I relive those exquisite moments of Noble murmuring Welsh endearments in my...er Liberty's...ear. Thud - and pass the smelling salts please.

Then there's Liberty -- on the verge of entering into a loveless marriage, ever her father's obedient pawn. A sleeping beauty in need of awakening. Love the parallels between her personal quest for independence set against the backdrop of a nation's quest for freedom.

Frantz blends fact and fiction into a vibrant story that brings history to life. Real life heroes take their place on the page next to fictional ones as she delivers a rich, multi-layered tale of faith and freedom.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Lacemaker, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title in the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday April 29 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

April Giveaway - Week Three

WON BY WINNIE THOMAS

WON BY VANG

WON BY RUBYNREBA

WON BY LEA

WON BY TERRILL

WON BY LINDA MOFFITT

You know the drill -- I will notify the winners if they included their email. Otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with your mailing info. If I can't connect with a winner within a month, the win is forfeited. Books are usually sent out within a week of receiving a winner's address but give it a month before inquiring about deliver to allow for processing and shipping times.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Leah's Choice

GIVEAWAY

PERRY, MARTA
LEAH'S CHOICE

In the Amish community of Pleasant Valley, a teacher must rely on her faith to guide her heart through challenging times.

All of Pleasant Valley seems to thinks the newcomer from Lancaster County is the perfect match for schoolteacher Leah Beiler. After all, so few new families come to their secluded Amish community, and even fewer unmarried men. Daniel Glick is a widower with three young children to look after -- clearly he's in need of a wife.

But Daniel's past haunts him at every turn. Though he cannot miss the beauty in Leah's bright eyes and patient ways, he also sees a reminder of the pain he came so far to escape. Leah, too, has a burden on her heart. Years ago she was engaged to Johnny Kile and was heartbroken when he decided to leave the Amish community. Since then she has immersed herself in her love of the children she teaches, forgetting any hopes of having her own family.

When Johnny returns, seeking reconciliation, Leah must decide between two pathways, either of which will change her life forever...

My Review:

first published in 2009 and reissued in mass market paperback format this year.

My thanks to my public library for keeping me in retro reads!

I've read a couple of books in the Pleasant Valley series and am happily backtracking to catch up on the ones I've missed. Leah's Choice is the first book in the series and Marta Perry has created such an enthralling Amish community! I love the way she includes so many fascinating details about the culture and the people, including Pennsylvania Dutch words and phrases. It's easy to grasp their meaning in context, but a glossary is included at the end of the book as well.

Leah has found her calling in the schoolroom. She is steadfast in her faith and her future until she's unexpectedly challenged by two very different men. Widower Daniel has moved into the community to give his traumatized children a fresh start but he has mixed feelings when Teacher Leah shows a special interest in Matthew, Elizabeth and Jonah. She sees needs in his kinner that he doesn't want to acknowledge. Lots of emotional undercurrents bring an edge to their developing romance as Daniel harbors secrets under the false assumption that he can handle it all. If that isn't enough angst, Leah is confronted with the return of her first love, Johnny Kile (who I wanted to purse whomp on more than one occasion!)

A powerful story that explores the deeply rooted need to belong -- a theme that plays out in various ways in the lives of different characters. The kind of story that captivates a reader right to the soul stirring end.

.GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Leah's Choice, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you leave your email in a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday April 22 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Rancher Inherits a Family

GIVEAWAY

ST. JOHN, CHERYL
THE RANCHER INHERITS A FAMILY

Unexpected Father...

The pretty redhead Seth Halloway pulls from a derailed train has surprising news for him. The children she's accompanied to Cowboy Creek aren't heres -- they're his, thanks to the last wishes of a late friend. Busy rancher Seth must suddenly cope with three rambunctious boys...and try to ignore his growing feelings for independent Marigold Brewster.

Marigold hopes to start over as the town's new schoolteacher. She'll choose her own path, and stay aloof from the adorable Radner boys -- and their guardian. But the man who rescued her from a wrecked railcar might ust be the one to save her from loneliness...if she dares to let him in.

My Review:

I can't believe this is my first visit to Cowboy Creek! Clearly I have been missing out on a lot! Love this growing town and the way they draw together to become a community of faith and grace. What a great backdrop for a cowboy romance...speaking of which...Seth Halloway! If you made a list of all the swoonworthy characteristics we all love in a Western wrangler you could put his name in as the definition. Including being endearingly awkward in the wooing department. And intensely stubborn when it comes to sharing his feelings...or even acknowledging them.

Mind you, Marigold isn't much better. Still reeling from a series of losses, she's determined to make a life for herself on her own -- pouring her love into her young scholars instead of seeking romance and a family of her own. But that's before three little rapscallions get under her skin and their quietly steadfast guardian opens his home....and heart.

A heartwarming love story that celebrates the miracle that comes from creating a new family out of unspeakable loss and heartache.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Rancher Inherits a Family, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday April 22 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Troubled Waters

GIVEAWAY

WARREN, SUSAN MAY
TROUBLED WATERS

With their past tearing them apart, it will take a storm to bring them together...

Billionaire Ian Shaw can have everything he wants -- except a happy ending. Or at least that's what it feels like with his fortune recently liquidated, his niece missing, and the woman he loves refusing to speak to him. Despite her love for Ian, Sierra Rose knows he has no room in his life for her as long as the mystery of his missing niece goes unsolved. Sierra has solved it, but a promise to the girl to keep her whereabouts secret has made it impossible to be around Ian.

When Sierra needs funds to repair the damaged PEAK chopper, Ian offers a fundraising junket for large donors on his yacht in the Caribbean. But the leisurely excursion turns into a nightmare when a rogue wave cripples the yacht and Ian and Sierra find themselves washed up on a strange, empty shore.

It will take guts for the PEAK team to rescue the duo. But it will take a miracle to rescue Ian and Sierra's relationship.

My Review:

"I recognize that look. Defeat. Broken and at the end of yourself." (p 321) That perfectly describes me all through this book! Bwahahaha! Seriously tummy-tied-in-pretzel-knots emotional angst of a read. Warren put this romance-loving reader through her paces with not one but two heart-crushing love stories.

And once again I'm left clamoring for more when it comes to Jess and Pete. Honestly, those two are killing me!!! This might be a good place to recommend reading the Montana Rescue books in order since relationships carry over from one book to the next. You could read Troubled Waters as a standalone, but you will feel ever excruciating nuance more if you've been following the team from the very beginning. :-)

So, back to Pete and Jess who have been dancing around each other forever (or so it seems) and they did make some toe-curling, fainting couch swoonworthy progress...until Warren slammed them with harsh reality. Sigh. It shouldn't bother me so much, I know. They are only fictional characters --oh, who am I kidding? There is no 'only' when it comes to the people this author brings to life in her books. And it looks like Pete and Jess (and me) will have to wait a while longer to get our happily ever after. Sigh.

But I can be okay with that (somewhat) because Ian and Sierra finally wrangle their way back to each other. Oy. My heart hurt soooooo much for them! Sierra, bound by an impossible sense of honor and loving Ian so completely and deeply for so long. She wears her heart on her sleeve and is so openly vulnerable that everyone notices...except Ian. Gah! He's his own worst enemy. Compulsively organizing everything because he needs to be in control. All the time. He has to learn to let go and find God before any of us have a hope of healing Sierra's broken heart.

Once again Susan May Warren dazzles with intense, faith-fueled and action-packed romance.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Troubled Waters, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday April 22 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Mission to Protect

GIVEAWAY

REED, TERRI
MISSION TO PROTECT

Enter the world of the Military K-9 Unit
A riveting new series begins!

When the Red Rose Killer leaves his calling card for Staff Sergeant Felicity Monroe, she knows exactly what that means -- she's on his revenge list. Her boss, Master Sergeant Westley James and K-9 German shepherd Dakota become her guardians, but they'll have to act fast to escape the man who wants her dead.

My Review:

Woohoo! I'm super excited about this new Love Inspired Suspense continuity series! Six great authors working their suspense magic on one over-arcing plot while delivering an edge-of-your-seat suspense unique to each book. And the best part is there's a book every month so we don't have long to wait between reads.

Terri Reed sets it all up beautifully in Mission to Protect with murder and mayhem from the very first page. Nothing like an escaped serial killer on a rampage to get a reader's blood pressure up. But there's something else sinister going on here too. Something creepy stalkerish and Felicity is caught in the cross-hairs.

That doesn't sit well with Westley and not just because he feels responsible for Felicity because she's under his command. That right there is the problem due to the Air Force's non-fraternization policy. Both their careers will be in jeopardy if Westley can't get a hold of some confusing emotions. So he is gnarly and terse and overly stoic in all his interactions with Felicity. Which should settle the matter except... "He didn't understand it. Not liking her should have been easy. She was annoyingly optimistic and bubbly." (p 30) Bwhahaha! I just adore a hero confused by love.

An impossible romance paired with two hair-raising suspense threads make this a real page-turner of a read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Mission to Protect, leave a comment below, or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday April 22 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!