Falling for the Cowgirl

GIVEAWAY

RADCLIFFE, TINA
FALLING FOR THE COWGIRL

She won the job...can he win her heart?

Hiring Amanda 'AJ' McAlester as his assistant at the Big Heart Ranch isn't foreman Travis Maxwell's first choice -- but his sisters insist she's perfect for the job. And AJ's determined to prove she's just as qualified as any man. But with money on the line, AJ and her innovative ideas could put him at risk of losing everything...including his heart.

My Review:

What can you do with a hero and heroine who are "...each riding a stubborn mule going in the wrong direction?" (p 208) Settle in for a an awesome reading adventure, that's what!

Travis is a wee bit annoying in a macho man kind of way. He doesn't mean to be, really...at least he catches himself after he's stuck a cowboy boot in his mouth and AJ gets riled. Mind you, she's a mite sensitive so she tends to over react. Be prepared for some fireworks and angst along with plenty of laughter as these two wrangle their way into a happily ever after.

Love this series -- the whole premise of Big Heart Ranch -- a home for orphaned, abused and neglected children is epic! This is the second book in the series but reads easily as a standalone. I love the way the author has created a real community on the ranch with memorable secondary characters and it was a joy to meet up with them again. Like the feisty old cowboy, Dutch, whose gruff exterior hides a marshmallow heart. And he's always ready with appropriate cowboy wisdom when the situation calls for it.

Not to mention Tripp...be still my heart, 'cause I'm tripping over Tripp! He's pretty much in the background of this story...you know, the strong silent type with a mysterious past. Oh...and he's a vegetarian! Eeeeppp!!! A vegetarian cowboy! I never thought I'd see the day. That's my dream come true right there and all I can say is Tripp better star in the next book or I'll be one very disgruntled reader.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Falling for the Cowgirl, 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 the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday June 3 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

An Amish Spring

GIVEAWAY

CLIPSTON, AMY
WISEMAN, BETH
CHAPMAN, VANNETTA
AN AMISH SPRING

A collection of three novellas by three amazing authors. Includes:

A Son for Always by Amy Clipston
(also published in An Amish Cradle)

Carolyn and Joshua are thrilled to be expecting their first child together. Carolyn was a teenager when she had her son, Benjamin, and she feels solely responsible to secure his future. As Joshua watches Carolyn struggle to accept his support, he knows he must find some way to convince her that she -- and Ben -- will always be taken care of.

A Love For Irma Rose by Beth Wiseman
(also published in An Amish Year)

The year is 1957, and young Irma Rose has a choice to make. Date the man who is "right" for her? Or give Jonas a chance, the wild and reckless suitor who refuses to take no for an answer? Irma Rose steps onto the path she believes God has planned for her, but when she loses her footing, she is forced to rethink her choice.

Where Healing Blooms by Vannetta Chapman
(also published in An Amish Garden)

Widow Emma Hochstetter finds her quiet life interrupted when she discovers a run away teenager in her barn, and then the bishop asks her to provide a haven for a local woman and her two children. Then, her mother-in-law, Mary Ann, reveals one of her garden's hidden secrets, something very unexpected.

My Review:

Three powerhouse Amish Fiction authors share their talent in this captivating collection of springtime romance. From young love to to mature romance, these stories embrace the hope of spring in diverse ways.

Amy Clipston's Carolyn struggles to be truly free from the shame of her past so she can embrace a future with her husband and the child they are expecting. Fans of the Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series will recognize Carolyn as the heroine of book two. I was thrilled to get a glimpse into her future with Joshua. She's still as infuriatingly stubborn! A Son for Always is a great addition to that memorable love story.

Readers of Beth Wiseman's Daughters of the Promise series will be thrilled at this glimpse into grandparents Jonas and Irma Rose's rocky courtship 53 years ago in A Love for Irma Rose. Sweet and funny...and poignant if you've read these books.

Vannetta Chapman has really embraced the concept of new beginnings in Where Healing Blooms. Love the sense of community in this novella and how events unfold to bring something new into Emma's life after a turbulent season. Uplifting and inspiring...I think this novella is my favourite of the three.

Cautionary warning for fellow readers -- Please note that these novellas have appeared in other collections as well so you might want to check before buying. See note under individual novellas for the title of the other book that novella appears in.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of An Amish Spring, 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 June 3 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Long Way Home

GIVEAWAY

ANDERSON, BRENDA S.
LONG WAY HOME

Can she forgive the man who once bullied her and learn that love keeps no record of wrongs?

Having overcome the crippling insecurities of childhood bullying, Laruen Bauman is eager to start her new job 1,000 miles away, and road-tripping across the country with her brother Nate and his new friend seems to be the perfect way to celebrate the move. But her confidence is shaken when she meets Nate's friend -- the kid who'd bullied her years before, trapping her in a decade-long shell of self-doubt.

For Jet Wurm, losing his job and getting kiccked out of his apartment were the best things that ever happened to him. Thanks to the friend who rescued him, he's finally shedding the loser label he'd worn for years. Nate even invited him along on a cross-country road trip with his sister, and Jet couldn't be more excited. But then he meets Lauren, and her fearful reaction tells him they must have met before. Where, he can't recall, but he has no doubt he'd somehow hurt her -- like he'd hurt so many others in his past. And now he's stuck on a six-day road trip with a woman who obviously deplores him.

Though Jet is clearly not the same person who'd bullied her years before, Lauren still struggles to forgive him. But if she doesn't find the courage to forgive, will that convince Jet he's as worthless as he'd always been taught to believe? Or will they learn that real love keeps no record of wrongs?

My Review:

This is the fourth book in an intriguing new series -- The Potter's House -- a collaboration of seven Christian Fiction authors who have created "stories of hope, redemption and second chances." (from website -- potter'shousebooks.com) Each book is independent of the others so they read as standalones -- though they all share an inspirational thread of redemption.

Long Way Home is shorter than Brenda S. Anderson's usual fare (158 p) but it still packs the broiling emotions and edgy grit that I've come to associate with her gripping novels. Love how this author dives into life at it's messiest!

Jet is definitely struggling -- and no wonder, with the upbringing (or lack thereof) he received. It's only now that he's  beginning to deal with some deep-seated issues -- anger being one of them. And that makes for an unpredictable traveling companion.

Lauren has been blindsided with the inclusion of Jet on this cross country trip. She's hovering between fight or flight mode on a daily basis. Anderson takes this bully and his victim on an incredible journey of self discovery. Tough situations = hard lessons learned -- and not just by Jet. Lauren discovers that truly living a Christ-centered life means digging deep and facing your fears...even when you don't want to.

Grace precedes second chances in this powerful story of the redemptive power of a Father's love.

Book provided courtesy of the author.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Long Way Home, 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 June 3 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Masterpiece

GIVEAWAY

RIVERS, FRANCINE
THE MASTERPIECE

A successful Los Angeles artist, Roman Velasco appears to have everything he could possibly want  money, women, fame. Only Grace Moore, his reluctant, newly hired personal assistant, knows how little he truly has. The demons of Roman's past seem to echo through the halls of his empty mansion and out across his breathtaking Topanga Canyon view. But Grace doesn't know how her boss secretly with those demons by tagging buildings as the Bird, a notorious bu unidentified graffiti artist - an alter ego that could destroy his career and land him in prison.

Like Roman, Grace is wrestling with ghosts and secrets of her own. After a disastrous marriage threw her life completely off course, she vowed never to let love steal her dreams again. But as she gets to know the enigmatic man behind the reputation, it's as if the jagged pieces of both their pasts slowly begin to fit together...until something so unexpected happens that it changes the course of their relationship - and both their lives -- forever.

My Review:

This book consumed me. It took over my life and my thoughts and even my dreams for the three days I lived within its pages. My heart was wrung out and stomped on and then pieced back together one glorious bit at a time. What an outstanding testimony of grace! Yes, it's really that simple...and that complicated.

Rivers celebrates God's ardent pursuit of His children. No matter what. No matter where. No matter how many times we mess up. He. Is. There. Constant and loving. Always forgiving. I mean, I knew that...but I don't think I really knew it this completely until I lived life with Roman and Grace. What a witness for redemption and an encouragement to Christian readers. Because we're not perfect. Gasp! We mess up royally. Multiple times. Even when we know better. But Jesus is waiting anyway. This is something Grace knows and Roman has yet to learn at the beginning to their story.

And what a story! Complex and challenging! Roman is horrid when we first meet him, but the author is very clever about slowly revealing a backstory that explains so much and made me open my heart up to him a little more with every page turn. And Grace, struggling to make a new life after her old one crashed and burned.These two have heartbreaking childhood histories that have shaped them as adults. And oh how they clash! So many charged scenes when one unwittingly triggers the other. And heartfelt discussions -- some of the best being when Grace witnesses to Roman and he's not having any of it. But she plants the seed and in spite of himself it flourishes. There are two love stories here -- one between a man and a woman and another between a man and God.

Honestly, I'm breathless at the depth and breadth of their story. Beautifully written and backed with live-out-loud secondary characters that made this an even more delightful read. And the details -- so many exquisite pieces all deftly woven into this masterpiece! The luxurious length -- 458 pages -- is an added blessing....though I honestly couldn't get enough of Roman and Grace! My first Francine Rivers...what on earth have I been waiting for?!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

THIS GIVEAWAY IS FOR AN EBOOK VERSION ONLY

If you would like a chance to win AN ECOPY of The Masterpiece, 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 of the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday June 3 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

May Giveaway -- Week Four

Woohoo -- I survived boot camp and my life is my own again so things will go back to normal around here. This week I'll catch up on sending out the giveaways PLUS I haven't forgotten about you Reader's Choice June winners -- Alison, Tracey, Terrill, CC and Pam K. Your books will be sent out as they become available. And now onto today's business. The winners are....

WON BY ABBI HART

WON BY LADY SNOW ANGEL

WON BY JACKIE SMITH

WON BY  TAMMIE EDINGTON SHAW

I'll email winners if they've left their email address -- otherwise winners nned to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with contact information. If you don't hear from me mid-week, feel free to contact me. From time to time, winners and I don't manage to connect. For this reason, aftter a month, giveaways can no longer be claimed. I usually order books within a week of receiving a mail address but give it a full month before inquiring about delivery to account for processing and shipping times.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Amish Rescue

GIVEAWAY

GUISTI, DEBBY
AMISH RESCUE

Hiding with the Amish
Another thrilling book in the Amish Protectors series

Englischer Sarah Miller escapes her captor by hiding in the buggy of an Amish carpenter.  Joachim Burkholder is her only hope -- and donning Plain clothing is the only way to keep safe and find her missing sister. But for Joachim, who's just returning to the Amish, the forbidden Englischer is trouble. Trapping her kidnapper risks his life, but losing Sarah risks his heart.

My Review:

If you've been following the Amish Protectors series you'll be excited to finally find out what happened to Sarah. If you haven't read the first two books - no worries -- this one reads fine as a standalone too. It's just that now that Miriam and Hannah have been reunited it's time for Sarah to take part in a sisterly happily ever after too. But first she has to escape the clutches of a deranged kidnapper!

Joachim happens to be in the right place at the right time to offer assistance. This unlikely pair team up to expose the evil men behind a human trafficking ring. Both hero and heroine struggle with believing in themselves as they search for a place to belong. Joachim is Amish, Sarah is Englisch so a romance is impossible and yet neither can deny that sense of belonging they've been yearning for happens whenever they are together. Love that kind of doomed romance...of course, knowing that the author will ensure that it doesn't stay doomed. :-)

Guisti does a great job of blending sweet romance and gripping suspense into a thrilling series conclusion.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Amish Rescue, 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 27 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Lost Castle

GIVEAWAY

CAMBRON, KRISTY
THE LOST CASTLE

Run-down walls and crumbling stones seemed to possess a secret language all their own. What stories would they tell, if she finally listened?

Ellie Carver arrives at her grandmother's bedside expecting to find her silently slipping away. Instead, the beloved woman begins speaking. Of a secret past and castle ruins forgotten by time. Of a hidden chapel that served as a rendezvous for the French Resistance in World War II. Of lost love and deep regret...

Each piece that unlocks the story seems to unlock part of Ellie too -- where she came from and who she is becoming. But her grandmother is quickly disappearing into the shadows of Alzheimer's and Ellie must act fast if she wants to uncover the truth of her family's history. Drawn by the mystery surrounding The Sleeping Beauty - a castle so named for Charles Perrault's beloved fairy tale -- Ellie embarks on a journey to France's Loire Valley in hopes that she can unearth its secrets before time silences them forever.

Bridging the past to the present in three time periods - the French Revolution, World War II, and present day - The Lost Castle is a story of loves won and lost, of battles waged in the hearts of men, and of an enchanted castle that stood witness to it all, inspiring a legacy of faith through the generations.

My Review:

I'm well and truly bedazzled! Love the Sleeping Beauty tie-in -- not quite a fairy tale retelling but it creates a fascinating ambiance to this incredible story.

And three timelines?! Who does that? Kristy Cambron, that's who. And she does it well. At first I thought, are three time periods really necessary? Uh...oh yes, they are. Necessary and fascinating and makes for a completely compelling read. Just make sure to take note of the dates when the time period changes because each individual story isn't always in chronological order. Sometimes it skips back a year or two and that rattled my reader sensibilities until I caught on. lol So there's a friendly reader tip for you. :-)

So, we have three heroines -- Aveline (French Revolution), Vi ((World War II) and Ellie (present day) and a castle that captivates them all. Honestly, the castle has a life of its own -- and oh, the secrets it shelters! And the readerly joy of discovering those secrets with each heroine - and the way those secrets intersect and weave their way through each generation. I had so many 'aha' moments along the way.

Actually, I'm kinda speechless. This is the type of story you just have to experience for yourself. And enjoy every blessed minute of it because I'm in a funk now that's over. :-( However, I am substantially cheered by the fact that the next book in the series -- The Castle on the Rise -- is set in Ireland!!!! And it's another triple timeline. I'm so excited!!!!!!

.GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Lost Castle, 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 27 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Texas Ranger Showdown

GIVEAWAY

DALEY, MARGARET
TEXAS RANGER SHOWDOWN

"Stop me."
She was taunted by a killer.

Margaret Daley's thrilling Lone Star Justice series continues, this time pitting radio therapist Dr. Caitlyn Rhods against a methodical murderer. First, her patients are found dead, then the mocking phone calls start. The evidence is pointing Texas Ranger Ian Pierce to one conclusion: he must protect Caitlyn from becoming this vicious killer's next victim...before he loses the woman he once loved - for good.

My Review:

Honestly, just the name Margaret Daley guarantees an exceptional read and she does it again with this gripping stalkerish romantic suspense. This is a slow-burn kind of suspense, with emphasis on the investigation and not as much on the cat-and-mouse chase scenes we typically see in a Love Inspired Suspense. I really enjoyed the change of pace and the ample opportunity Daley provides for readers to figure out clues right along side Caitlyn and Ian.

And there's plenty of time to enjoy watching this hero and heroine get reacquainted with each other after years apart. They weren't quite high school sweethearts but their lifelong friendship was on the cusp of morphing into something more before career choices took them in opposite directions. It doesn't take long for the spark to reignite -- especially with two best-friend grannies providing lots of helpful hints. Sally and Emma were a riot and helped bring some comic relief to these dark times.

Romance and suspense build as the investigation grows more complicated and then it all comes together with startling clarity that left me thinking, "I should have seen that!" Luckily Ian was just as in the dark as I eas so I didn't feel bad -- I mean he gets paid the big bucks to be a Texas Ranger after all!

A riveting read that will keep you frantically turning pages until the very end.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Texas Ranger Reunion, 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 27, 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Esther Paradigm

GIVEAWAY

MONZON, SARAH
THE ESTHER PARADIGM

Hannah Pratt dreams of starting a school for the Bedouin clan she grew up with as a missionary kid, and finally her hopes are coming true. But shortly after she returns to the desert from her college years in the U.S., she discovers her parents have received threats from their Muslim neighbors. As the danger escalates, Hannah finds she's in the middle of a battle no one seems to understand. She must decide to what lengths she'll go to stay faithful to the mission God has called her. Even if it costs her everything.

As sheikh,Karim Al-Amir feels the weight of responsibility as the leader of his people. When a mysterious illness ravishes the clan's flocks and threatens to destroy their centuries-old way of life, locals believe the American doctors and their daughter, his childhood friend, Hannah, are to blame. Karim must do something to keep them safe -- even if the only solution can be found within marriage vows.

In a society where the line is drawn between us and them, Christianity is outlawed, and foreigners are mistrusted,will their union heal wounds or inflict the final fatal blow?

My Review:

Well, I'm gobsmacked. Not sure I can find the words to express what an impact this book made on me. How much I loved the hero and heroine and their sublime romance even though it seemed like it shouldn't work.

First things first -- dust off your fainting couch (which shouldn't take too long if you're anything like me. Mine gets quite the work out with all the romance I love to read!) And then prepare to give yourself plenty of savoring time because Monzon has created such spellbinding imagery that you'll be tempted to linger for awhile.

We are treated to two very distinct first person points of view courtesy of Hannah and Karim. And I do mean distinct. Karim's 'voice' is so...exotic. Not sure if that's quite the right word but somehow, the author brings a multicultural flare to his thoughts. It's in the cadence of his words and the imagery he conjures up to describe or explain something...or someone. Like Hannah. Swoon. Fainting couch here I come! And it's also apparent in the reverence he has for his people and his God.

And Hannah -- caught between two worlds. She's lived among the Bedouin clan since she was six with the exception of a sojourn stateside for college. In some ways, she's spent her whole life trying to fit in - not Arabian enough for her beloved clansmen and women and not American enough for her college friends. She's a unique blend of both cultures and doesn't quite fit with either though there's no doubt her heart belongs to the people of the desert.

Hannah is an interesting mix of conviction and trepidation. She struggles, as many of us do, with being 'enough'. Doubts and feelings of inadequacy threaten the life God is leading her towards. Emotions are raw, circumstances uneasy and Hannah has to step out in faith in midst of turmoil. Such a beautiful parallel to the biblical Esther's story.

And the ending -- goosebump-raising, hallelujah chorus-singing perfection.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Esther Paradigm, 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 27 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

May Giveaway -- Week Three

CONGRATULATIONS!

AND SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THE WINNERS...

1) Since I only reviewed four books this week, I selected  TWO winners from our Friday's Reader's Choice Wishlist Giveaway.

2)  Books will be sent out the week of May 27.

3) It would be super helpful if winners could contact me with their mailing address instead of waiting for me to contact them. kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca BUT I won't email you back until I order the book at the end of the month.

AND THE WINNERS ARE.....

WON BY TAMMIE EDINGTON SHAW

WON BY KAY GARRETT
AND SUSAN POLL

WON BY LAURA DRUMB

WON BY LORI

WON BY PAM WESTFALL

WON BY MARIA DB

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS (only 4 reviews this week -- Monday - Thursday but we'll be back to normal the following week): 

Reader's Choice - Cross-That-Off-My-Wish-List Friday!

GIVEAWAY

Alas, I didn't quite make it to the end of the week. I'm stalled on book # 5 --- happily so as it happens. The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon is the kind of book you have to savor. Must not be read quickly and the thought of trying to assemble my thoughts into something coherent...well, that's not going to happen tonight. So....I'm pushing that review and giveaway to next week - look for it Monday. And I won't do a retro read this Saturday. :-( But it's a three day weekend coming up so I should be able to catch up as I rest up!

BUT DO NOT DESPAIR!!!

Today is Cross-That-Off-My-Wish-List Friday!!!!!

And that means you get to request the book you'd like to win if your name is drawn. One from that lovely long wishlist I know we all have. Must be Christian Fiction but can be any genre or publication date through to this month. And because I know it's impossible to pick just one go ahead and pick two titles. Just state them in two separate comments below or email them to me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca (you can put both titles in one email.) Use Friday's Giveaway as the subject line so it grabs my attention.

Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday May 20 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

And a note for my cheer squad:

Not wanting to brag or anything, but I might just be able to touch my hands to the floor now! And yes, that's HUGE since I could only reach my knees before with a lot of awkward slowness while hanging on to something. 

AND

For the first time in EIGHT years I can lift my heels off the floor and press into the balls of my feet!!!! Yes, I'm sitting down but my feet can bend!!!!! Chair yoga rocks!!!!!

The Bachelor's Perfect Match

GIVEAWAY

SPRINGER, KATHRYN
THE BACHELOR'S PERFECT MATCH

He loves adventures...She only reads them...until now!

Maddie Montgomery, Castle Falls shy librarian, has always played it safe. Enter Aiden Kane, the town's resident adventurer, on the mend from an accident and in need of Maddie's help. As Maddie assists Aiden with his search for a long-lost relative, the handsome outdoorsman coaxes Maddie out of her safety zone. But can Maddie take the biggest risk of all - giving in to love?

My Review:

"At nine o'clock on Monday morning, Maddie Montgomery brewed a cup of Earl Grey tea and opened the Castle Falls Library, ready for another quiet, ordinary day. And then someone dropped a pirate off at her door."  Sqqquuueaaallll - doesn't that opening scream 'Read me! Read me!' Like, right now. So I did. Eyes glued to page until I reached the end. I mean...I can't even...

Shy, bespectacled librarian meets adventure-seeking pirate -- how perfect is that? Except...wait...Maddie lives through her books while Aiden doesn't even read them! Gasp! Say it ain't so -- how can a non-reader be my hero? Especially since I'm like Maddie when it comes to books:

"For Maddie, sharing a favorite book was like sharing a secret. You weren't just giving people a book. You were offering them a glimpse into your heart" (p 39)

Disgruntled sigh. I was prepared to make Aiden work for my hero worship but then he winked at me. Well, at Maddie. And Maddie's tummy went all aflutter just like mine did. And there was Aiden all adorably needy after being in a car accident and grumpy because he's not the kind of guy who likes to be fussed over. In fact, as the youngest Kane he has to endure a lot of  'brother smother' as his macho older siblings try to make things easier for him. So he's hiding out in the library wondering how he totally missed the cute librarian all these years. Because Castle Falls is the kind of small town where everyone knows everyone else. Clearly this hero and heroine lived in different worlds until fate stepped in and...the unlikeliest romance blossoms!

And there's a dog!!! Injured, abandoned and when he bares his teeth it might be preface to a growl or a smile. No one's exactly sure. But he's got attitude, which exactly matches Aiden's so this non-reading hero just went up a notch in my estimation since he's kind to animals (sort of...in a grumpy way.)

A brilliant plot held me spellbound not just because of Maddie and Aiden but a host of captivating secondary characters as well. And dare I hope that the author has set the stage for fourth book in this series? Even though all the brothers have found their matches there's a tight-lipped deputy who caught my eye. A single dad who seems a tad out of his element. I'm hoping he gets his own story and I know just the woman for him...

Oh -- and by the way, this is the third book in Kathryn Springer's Castle Falls series. I missed the first one but The Bachelor's Twins was just as sublime as this one so I highly recommend the series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Bachelor's Perfect Match, 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 May 20 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Melody of the Soul

GIVEAWAY

TOLSMA, LIZ
THE MELODY OF THE SOUL

Anna has one chance for survival -- and it lies in the hands of her mortal enemy.

It's 1943 and Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian living in Prague, has lost nearly everything. Most of her family has been deported, and the Nazi occupation ended her career as a concert violinist. Now Anna is left to care for her grandmother, and she'll do anything to keep her safe - a job that gets much harder when Nazi officer Horst Engel is quarted in the flat below them.

Though musical instruments have been declared illegal, Anna defiantly continues to play the violin. But Horst, dissatisfied with German ideology, enjoys her soothing music. When Anna and her grandmother face deportation, Horst risks everything to protect them.

Anna finds herself falling in love with the handsome officer and his brave heart. But what he reveals might stop the music forever...

My Review:

Liz Tolsma has crafted another compelling World War II novel that digs deep into the complexities of human nature. A story that is as heart-wrenching as it is hopeful. The dilemmas these characters face are incomprehensible. Especially since I know that this type of thing happened to real people all over Europe during the war. Anna poses a piercing question to Horst: "Why didn't your people stop this madman? You should have known, should have seen, what was coming." (p 105) That's a question I constantly ask myself when I read a Holocaust story. And then I think: what are we doing as a society to safeguard ourselves from such atrocities again? Clearly not enough.

Like all of us, Anna and Horst have been shaped by experiences in their childhood. And both have been powerfully influenced by their mothers' faith. I don't know if it's because I read this book on Mother's Day - but I kept seeing that recurring theme play out throughout this story. Such an amazing testimony of the longstanding impression we can make on our children's faith walk. These memories become the moral compass that guides Anna and Horst through their darkest days. And it sustains them until they are able to dig deep and develop their own life-sustaining faith.

Tolsma knows how to draw out a scene, build the suspense and skewer a reader's tender heart with turbulent emotions.And now that the read is done I'm left basking in a jittery mix of grief and joy and eagerly awaiting the release of the next book in the Music of Hope series which comes out later this year.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like to win a copy of The Melody of the Soul, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If 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 20 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Killer Country Reunion

GIVEAWAY

KILLER COUNTRY REUNION

Her family's being eliminated, one by one...but he won't let her be next.

After gunmen attack Caroline Marsh, she's stunned that she survives - and shocked that her rescuer is her ex-fiance, Zane Coleman. With her family's safety on the line, there's no time for grudges over the past. The killers on her trail won't give up easily. And although Zane already left her once, for her own protection, he's not about to lose Caroline again.

My Review:

"She tried to yell for help as she ran, but the terror flooding her body gripped her lungs so tightly that it was all she could do to keep breathing." (p 10) You and me both, Caroline. Awesome opening scene that's guaranteed to steal breaths and weaken knees! And once we get a chance to catch our breath we're left with a puzzling mystery -- who is after Caroline and why?! I had several working theories as the story progressed and I was hard pressed to pick just one. Love when a suspense challenges me that way!

The second chance romance works it's way along an angsty path which is just as edge-of-your-seating as the suspense. Both have nice breathing spaces so we're not always in a tilt-a-whirl frenzy and there's time to delve deeper into the past as well as build -- however shaky -- a new relationship.

Awesomesauce from start to finish!

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Woohoo - 2 chances to win as Jenna Night has also provided an autographed copy for a giveaway. Woot!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Killer Country Reunion, 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 May 20 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A Home for Hannah

GIVEAWAY

LILLARD, AMY
A HOME FOR HANNAH

In Pontotoc, Mississippi, the Amish was means a chance to rebuild, renew and rekindle a love from long ago...

Fifteen years. That's how long it's been since Hannah McLean set foot in the Amish community where she was raised. Through it all her heart has never forgotten Pontotoc - or Aaron Zook, her first love. Now widowed, and left with little more than her hurting teenager and her prayers, she returns home, even knowing she and her son may be turned away.

When Aaron learns Hannah has returned, he nearly falls to his knees. He's a strong man, but lately the care o f his three motherless children and family land have been more than he can handle. Now providence has delivered the first woman he loved, and with her, the rush of feelings they once shared. But will his simple, removed way of life leave Hannah longing for something more, or can they begin anew, finding a new way forward together?

My Review:

Ah, the perils of second chance romance! Be prepared to have your tummy tied up in knots as you navigate your way through the complicated twists and turns of Hannah's messy life. She's dealt with a lot since she left her Amish community in Pontotoc, Mississippi (love the unusual setting!) Now she's headed home after a fifteen year absence -- virtually penniless and with a sullen teen in tow. Talk about abounding angst!

The conservative Old Order Amish community Hannah wanted to escape as a teen has now become her haven - a place where she can regroup and figure out what's next in her life. And maybe breech the ever widening gap between her son and herself. What she hadn't counted on was her first love, Aaron Zook, being a widower or her family throwing the two together in hopes of urging Hannah back to the fold.

There's such sweet agony as feelings reawaken even though it seems hopeless. There's no way to bridge their Amish and Englisch worlds and meet all their family obligations. I was on tenterhooks trying to figure out how Lillard was going to make this romance work. It isn't a perfect ending...but it's a good one.

A Home for Hannah is the first book in the Amish of Pontotoc, Mississippi series. I already love this community and am excited to see what happens next and luckily I won't have long to wait - A Love for Leah releases this July! 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Home for Hannah, leave a comment below or emailme 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 13 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

May Giveaway -- Week Two

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

AND SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR WINNERS

Some of you know that I have been dealing with chronic pain and limited mobility. A year ago I began a new cutting-edge treatment that has made some significant changes in my pain levels and mobility. But, alas, I'm being discharged from that program and so I'm faced with figuring out what I can do to maintain the gains I've made and hopefully, improve upon them. So I'm participating in a kind of chronic pain boot camp. :-) Started this week and it's taking way more out of me then I thought it would. I'm not even able to read a book a day - gasp! And my brain is fuzz so....I'm making some modifications to the blog for the next two weeks.

1) I usually read 1-2 weeks ahead so my reviews are all scheduled well in advance but I've lost some of that cushion this week so....still planning on six reviews/giveaways BUT if I lose my umph I may miss one or two. If that happens I'll definitely offer those books up the following week, so do not despair if it's one you are really interested in.

2) While I'll still be doing giveaways, I'm not going to be sending the books out until the week of May 27. 

3) It would be super helpful if winners contact me with their mailing address instead of waiting for me to contact them. kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. BUT, I won't email you back until I order the book at the end of the month - not because I don't love you but because I'm too discombobulated to think straight. :)

Phew! Think that's all I wanted to say. Kinda long-winded this morning, eh? 

And the winners are....

WON BY CHANEL M.

WON BY CONNIE LEE

WON BY LANE HILL HOUSE

WON BY TRIXI

WON BY TRACEY HAGWOOD

WON BY PERRIANNE ASKEW

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS: