The Weaver's Daughter

GIVEAWAY

LADD, SARAH E.

THE WEAVER'S DAUGHTER

Kate's loyalties bind her to the past. Henry's compel him to strive for a better future. In a landscape torn between tradition and vision, can two souls find the strength to overcome their preconceptions?

Loyalty has been at the heart of the Dearborne family for as long as Kate can remember, but a war is brewing in their small village, one that has the power to rip families assunder -- including her own. As misguided actions are brought to light, she learns deep her father's pride and bitterness run, and she begins to wonder if her loyalty is well-placed.

Henry Stockton, heir to the Stockton fortune, returns home from three years at war seeking refuge from his haunting memories. Determined to bury the past, he embraces his grandfather's plans to modernize the family's wook mill, ignoring the grumblings from local weavers. When tragedy strikes shortly after his arrival, Henry must sort truth from suspicion if he is to protect his family's livelihood and legacy.

Henry has been warned about the Dearborne family. Kate, too, has been advised to stay far away from the Stocktons, but chance meetings contine to bring her to Henry's side, blurring the jagged lines between loyalty, justice, and truth. Kate ultimately finds herself with a powerful decision that will forever affect her village's future. As unlikely adversaries, Henry and Kate must come together to find a way to create peace for their families, their village, and their souls -- even if it means risking their hearts in the process.

My Review:

Um...wow? Is that all I have to say? Well, maybe more like WOW!!!!!!!!!! (exclaimed in a hyperventilating gasp of awe accompanied by recurring rushes of goosebumps.) I mean this is the kind of all-encompassing, emotion-stirring, heart-snatching thrill of a read that's certain to send an avid reader into a tailspinning swoon. And it takes you ages to get through because your mind is on fire with all the possibilities that might be on the horizon for this hero and heroine. So you have to stop reading, catch your breath and dream ahead a bit before you can bring yourself to continue. Because if you read The Weaver's Daughter too fast it will be over too soon, but if  you linger too long in the miry muck of angst you're libel to suffer long-term ill effects.

Oh dear, if that sounds like addled jibberish, well, that's what this story has reduced me to. I shall try to rally my sensibilities and strive for a coherent thought or two.

Think North and South. Not the American war between the states mini-series but the British period drama. If you loved that movie, you will LOVE this novel. Weavers versus millers at a time when innovative thinking was threatening the livelihood of traditional occupations. The moral dilemma of child labor. A forbidden Romeo and Juliet kind of love (only with a much happier ending!) Tyrannical patriarchs who stir the unrest into a broiling fury of emotions. Any one of these elements would promise an enthralling read but combine them all and it's positively spellbinding!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Weaver's Daughter, 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 August 5 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Return (non-fiction review) + Reader's Choice of any Christian Fiction Novel in Print

Today I'm reviewing a non-fiction book but since this blog is all about promoting Christian fiction, I thought it would be fun to host a Reader's Choice Giveaway of any Christian Fiction title in print (already released.) Scroll down to the GIVEAWAY graphic beneath this review to get full details.

STURM, LACEY
THE RETURN

Have you ever asked yourself, "What's the point?"

Of this life. Of the same everdayness that can weight on us. Is life really a gift from a loving God? If so, shouldn't our souls burn to love him back with our lives? What does that look like?

In The Return, bestselling author Lacey Sturm offers a collection of thoughts on how Jesus helps us see the world with new eyes and makes the mundane things in life beautiful. It's a guidebook from a fellow traveler on how grace helps us more but because we long to love him back. And a life lived loving God back is a life that shines with heaven's glory.

Are you striving to make this happen? Waiting to get to the real purpose of it all? Coasting in limbo or heading down the wrong path? Then may this openhearted take on responding to God's love give you hope and direction.

My Review:

An eclectic mix of poetry, prayers, journal entries, art and even recipes -- a refreshing break from the typical non-fiction format. Sturm is candid and engaging as she bares her soul and shares her love for God and what that means in her life. This is the kind of book you can pick up and start reading anywhere and come away with something thought provoking and uplifting. It's like intro night at a church small group where you get to dig deep into people's stories -- really get to know their struggles and challenges and how their faith plays a role in all that. I love stories so this is the perfect kind of non-fiction read for me!

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

GIVEAWAY

WINNER'S CHOICE OF ANY CHRISTIAN FICTION NOVEL IN PRINT (ALREADY RELEASED)

State the title and author of the book you want to win in the comment section

-- up to 3 suggestions per person

BUT

each title/author must be in a separate comment

(makes it easier for me to tally)

MUST BE CHRISTIAN FICTION ALREADY RELEASED

Remember to add your email address in one of your comments

(no need to do it each time)

but remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers

Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday August 5 2018 

Offer open to International Readers

July Giveaway -- Week Five

WON BY LORI SMANKSI

WON BY KELLY BLACKWELL

WON BY KAREN HADLEY

WON BY KIM HANSEN

WON BY PERRIANNE ASKEW

WON BY JANA LEAH B.

You know the drill: winner will be contacted if they left their email address otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with their mailing address. From time to time a winner and I don't connect so I have a one month time limit on giveaway wins. If I haven't been able to reach you within thirty days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now, so, please, DON'T BE SHY -- CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN'T LEAVE YOUR EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU.

Books are usually ordered within a week of receiving a winner's mailing address but give it a full month before inquiring about the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping times. Thank you!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAY:

On Monday I will be reviewing a non-fiction book, but since this blog is all about fiction I'm hosting a Christian Fiction Free-for-all Giveaway. You can suggest any CF book in print for a chance to win it. Look for further details on Monday's blog.

The Chance

GIVEAWAY

KINGSBURY, KAREN
THE CHANCE

The day before a teenage Ellie moved from Georgia to California, she and her best friend Nolan sat beneath the Spanish moss of an ancient oak tree where they wrote letters to each other and buried them in a rusty old metal box. The plan was to return eleven years later, dig the box up, and read the letters. But now, as that date approaches, much has changed. Ellie has abandoned the faith she grew up with, her days consumed with loving her little girl and trying to make ends meet. Sometimes she watches TV to catch a glimpse of her old friend Nolan, now an NBA star, whose faith is known by the entire nation. But few know that Nolan's own personal tragedies have fueled both his faith and athletic drive. Despite his success, Nolan is isolated and lonely, plagued by a void in his heart that has remained since that night beneath the old oak tree with Ellie. For both Ellie and Nolan, the coming date is more than just a childhood promise. It's the chance to make sense of it all -- the chance to find out if it's ever too late to find love again.

My Review:
published in 2013
My thanks to my public library for supplying me with this retro read in a truly awesome audio format.

Another blockbuster literary event from Karen Kingsbury! I always feel like making popcorn before settling into one of her books because it's like watching a movie rather than just reading. That might have something to do with the fact that I listened to the audio book read by January Lavoy. Honestly, that woman could read the phone book and I'd be riveted. She has an uncanny ability to create identifiable voices for each character with just a subtle shift of tone. It's truly amazing! And addictive. I binged listened to The Chance because the combination of Lavoy's dulcet tones and Kingsbury's stellar storytelling was irresistable.

This is classic Kingsbury. Told from multiple points of view, she depicts real life struggles with a twist of grace. Ellie and Nolan's love story is also a God love story. I am thrilled at the way this author celebrates faith in her novels. Lots of tears shed -- from heartache and from joy as the author deftly weaves diverse plot threads into an inspirational tale of love and loss and second chances.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Chance, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you include your email, 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 July 29 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

His Two Little Blessings

GIVEAWAY

ROSS, MIA
HIS TWO LITTLE BLESSINGS

Can he find love again -- with two adorable helpers? A Liberty Creek romance

When the school board threatens to cut her art program, Emma Calhoun plans to fight for the job she loves. And with her student's father, banker Rick Marshall, on board to help, she might just succeed. But even as the handsome widower and his sweet little girls burrow their way into her heart, will he allow himself to love once more?

My Review:

There's something about a devoted dad that sets my romantical spidey senses on high alert! Rick is just such a father and his two little girls are adorable! And doesn't that cover art convey all that? I love it when the insides of a book totally deliver what the cover promises. :-)

So we have a straight laced, by-the-book, predictable hero who finds the caring and keeping of two little girls just about stretches his capacity for spontaneity. And then we add a stop-and-smell-the-roses, free spirited kind of heroine and...wooosh...let the fun begin!

He's a number crunching banker and she's a joie de vivre artist. They are drawn together at the best -- and worst -- of times. There's an understated elegance to the way Rick and Emma's love story unfolds. A gentle combination of love and laughter and faith that will sustain the uncertainties of the future.

This is the last book in Mia Ross's Liberty Creek series and though it reads fine as a standalone, fans of the Calhoun family will be happy to meet up with all the clan again in this heartwarming conclusion.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of His Two Little Blessings, 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. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 29 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck.

Love by the Numbers

GIVEAWAY

HILTON, LAURA V.
LOVE BY THE NUMBERS

After a buggy accident claims the life of her fiance, Lydia Hershberger makes a fresh start in Jamesport, Missouri, managing a gift store. It isn't long before she meets the young man hired to handle the bookkeeping -- Caleb Bontrager, whose handcrafted cuckoo clocks are sold in the store.

And it isn't long before Caleb has made up his mind about her: bright and sparkly but not right for him. Alarmed by his attraction to her, he determines to settle down with someone more practical. Less sparkle. More logic. But he can't seem to shake his feelings for Lydia.

When false allegations by the bishop back him catch up with Lydia and threaten to ruin her reputation, can she clear her name and find lasting happiness? Or will Her sunny disposition fade away into heartbreak?

My Review:

Not your typical Amish novel, that's for sure! Not with the emphasis on physical attraction and passion that leaps off the page right from the start. I'll admit, it was off-putting at first, because it seemed so shallow, especially when you think 'Amish romance' so I'm going to tell you what I wish I'd known before I started reading:

 There's a reason for Caleb's thoughts and actions and it shadows everything to do with Lydia. She is quite the woman of mystery living out the repercussions of a past not of her own making that has skewed her sense of self-worth. You won't understand any of that until you've reached the half way point, but keep it in mind because it brings an unexpected depth to what otherwise might appear to be a superficial love story.

The romance sizzles -- scorches, actually so crank up the air conditioning and stick your feet in a bucket of ice before you commence reading.

And you need to be a fan of love at first sight in order to embrace Caleb and Lydia's story. I actually know a couple who just celebrated their 62nd anniversary -- it was love at first sight for him, but she fell head over heels within a week and they were married within the month! I always think of them when I read this kind of love story but I know that some readers don't care for that kind of instant romance so consider yourself forewarned!

Hilton makes this hero and heroine go to battle for their happily ever after -- both physically and spiritually. "What if Gott is waiting for you to stop trying to be gut enough..." (p 174) Caleb's preacher daed cuts to the heart of the matter and what follows is a celebration of forgiveness and grace that took my breath away.

A cast of secondary characters to love -- and to hate -- brought this Jamesport community to life. There's plenty of angst and not all the rough edges are smoothed away by the end, but there's tremendous reader satisfaction over a hard earned HEA!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Love by the Numbers, 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 AT and DOT 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. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 29 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Gone

GIVEAWAY

MCCOY, SHIRLEE
GONE

Agent undercover...identity exposed : the FBI: Special Crimes Unit series continues

FBI agent Sam Sheridan's mission is to take down a human trafficking ring and save missing teens -- until he witnesses a kidnapping. Blowing his cover, Sam rescues Ella McIntire. But she's not safe yet. While searching for the truth about her cousin's death, Ella came too close to a dangerous secret. And now only Sam can protect her from the men determined to silence her.

My Review:

You know what attracted me to this book first? The title. That one word raises so many questions and I wanted all the answers. Immediately. This is definitely a consume-in-one-gulp read.

How's this for an opening line: "She woke up in darkness so thick she thought she'd been buried alive." Just as intriguing as that abrupt title, right? McCoy sure knows how to grab a reader's attention -- and hold her hostage. But unlike the predicament Ella finds herself in, the author's form of kidnapping is much more enjoyable. :-)

I love a good team suspense and this second book in the FBI Special Crimes Unit series is definitely that. The author manages to find time to establish team members and the way they relate to one another without taking away from the intensity of the suspense or the developing romance. Knowing the whole team, catching glimpses of their personalities, including quirks, has sparked my imagination and guarantees I will be following up with future novels.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Gone, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you include an email address in your 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 to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 29 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Pelican Point

GIVEAWAY

HANNON, IRENE
PELICAN POINT

In the midst of life's storms, unexpected love is a beacon of hope.

A crumbling lighthouse is part of the inheritance Army doctor Ben Garrison expects to claim when he journeys to Hope Harbor. Fresh out of the service, he wants only to unload the tower of bricks, decompress from years of treating batttlefield, and prepare to launch his civilian career.

Hope Harbor Herald editor Marci Weber has other ideas. She may not be a Hope Harbor native, but the small Oregon seaside town has become home -- and she's determined to save the Pelican Point landmark.

Sparks fly as the two go head-to-head over the fate of the lighthouse. But when they start to cooperate, a different kind of fire ignites. Can Hope Harbor heal the hearts of these two romance-wary souls?

Come home to Hope Harbor -- where hearts heal...and love blooms.

My Review:

A toe-curling wonder of a read!

The romance is slow and steady and fraught with trepidation. I mean, I knew something was going to happen...but not that! Hannon kept me rabidly turning pages, alternately giggling and swooning and even  edge-of-my-seating in places. Love how this once-bitten-twice-shy hero and heroine start to cautiously move towards romance. Reluctant describes them both but so does crazy-attracted-to-each-other. Such a dilemma! Be prepared for some fireworks and lots of sizzle right from the very first time they meet.

Ben all focused on a future that doesn't include Hope Harbor and Marci a passionate town newbie of two years. And then there's the issue of the lighthouse. Don't you just love stories about lighthouses? They hold a romance all of their own. Though Pelican Point has the potential to break these two apart before there's even a happily-ever-after on the horizon! Talk about emotional angst and impossible road blocks!

This is the fourth book in the Hope Harbor series but I'm thrilled to report it won't be the last! Hannon has created an appealing community brimming with characters I want to meet again and again. Like the amiably feuding pastor and priest and the mysterious Charley -- a renaissance man who seems to have all the answers even before a question is asked. He also has a talent for talking to animals...or at least understanding them. Including a pair of seagulls who have a penchant for being front and center at all the town's critical romantic entanglements.

As it says on the back cover -- Come home to Hope Harbor -- where hearts heal...and love blooms. Coming home is exactly how I feel when I read one of these novels so I'm hoping the author doesn't run out of HH inspiration any time soon.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Pelican Point, leave a comment below or email me at kavlvustoreadATyahooDOTca. 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 July 29 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Love Held Captive

GIVEAWAY

GRAY, SHELLEY SHEPARD
LOVE HELD CAPTIVE

After the War Between the States, a Confederate officer longs to heal the heart of a beautiful woman -- but first he'll have to right the wrongs that were done to her.

Major Ethan Kelly has never been able to absolve himself of the guilt he feels for raiding a woman's home shortly before he was taken prisoner during the Civil War. He is struggling to get through each day until he once again crosses paths with Lizbeth Barclay -- the very woman he is trying to forget.

Life after the war is not much different for former Captain Devin Monroe until he meets Julianne VanFleet. He knows she is the woman he's been waiting for, but he struggles to come to terms with the sacrifices she made to survive the war.

When Ethan and Devin discover that their former colonel, Adam Bushnell, is responsible for both Lizbeth's and Julianne's pain, they call on their former fellow soldiers to hunt him down. As the men band together to earn the trust of the women they love, Lizbeth and Julianne seek the justice they deserve in a country longing to heal.

My Review:

Believe me, no dust gathered on this book's pretty cover once it arrived at my house. In fact, I didn't even introduce it to the other books on the TBR pile. I'm such a rude hostess! Instead, I gathered all my avid reader essentials -- you know, tissues, chocolate, smelling salts -- and actually dove into the story mere seconds after rescuing it from the mailer. Scandalous, I know, but this series -- A Lonestar Hero's Legacy -- is so amazingly good that niceties go to the wayside whenever I get one in my clutches.  And sadly, Love Held Captive is the last in the series which is heart-wrenching though I am somewhat consoled with the fact that there are two heroes and two heroines in this book which means...wait for it...double the romance!

You don't need to have read the first two books in the series to enjoy this one, but, honestly, I highly recommend reading them all! There's something about these heroes -- loyal, brave, broken by war and struggling to find their place in a new society -- but honorable to the very core. And I love the foundation of this series -- a brotherhood of soldiers who survived being prisoners of war  and continue to support one another in civilian life.

In this final book it is Ethan and Devin who are confronted by a vicious colonel from their past and the terror he has reigned on two women. Gray isn't reticent about highlighting the effects the war had on the women of the south. It's gutsy and raw and all too painfully real. Lizbeth and Julianne are true women of courage even if they don't feel that way. They are survivors, determined to make a way for themselves in an often hostile world. And everything these heroes think they know is challenged as they draw closer to the women who have captured their hearts.

There comes a point where Ethan and Devin must make an appeal for help and the band of brothers rides again in one final mission of justice. Cue an Old West theme song as you lose yourself in the exciting visual of them riding out together in their old army formation. I might have let a fangirling squeal or two slip at that exact moment. :-)

Action, adventure, romance all wrapped up with a thread of faith. My heart hurts that it's over, but what a glorious ending!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Love Held Captive, 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 July 22 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

July Giveaway -- Week Four

WON BY FHC

WON BY AMY C

WON BY MARK

WON BY ELLY

WON BY SUSAN FLETCHER

WON BY TAMMIE

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with their emailing address. From time to time a winner and I don't connect so I have a one month time limit on giveaway wins. If I haven't been able to reach you within thirty days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now so, please, DON'T BE SHY -- CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN'T LEAVE YOUR EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU. 

Books are usually ordered within a week of receiving a winner's mailing address but give it a full month before inquiring about the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping times.  Thank you!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

An Amish Hope

GIVEAWAY

WISEMAN, BETH
REID, RUTH
RULLER, KATHLEEN
An Amish Hope

Three novellas:

A Choice to Forgive by Beth Wiseman (also published in An Amish Christmas) -- After Daniel disappeared that long ago Christams Eve, Lydia built a life with his brother. But now she's a widow and Daniel has reappeared, asking for forgiveness. Can she go back to her normal life with her long-lost love as her neighbour?

Always His Providence by Ruth Reid (also published in An Amish Miracle) -- Widow Rosa Hostetler has one month to pay her delinquent taxes before the county auctions her farm. She's prepared to sell whatever is necessary to pay the lien, but she isn't willing to request money from the community's widow fund. She's embarrassed and refuses to admit she needs help. Rosa depends on income from selling eggs, but when that income is threatened, only a miracle can help Rosa accept the kindness of a neighbour.

A Gift for Anne Marie by Kathleen Fuller (also published in An Amish Second Christmas) -- Anne Marie and Nathaniel have been best friends since they were kids. Now things are evolving...in ways everyone else predicted long ago. But when her mother suddenly decides to remarry in another state, Anne Marie's new chapter with Nathaniel looks doomed to end before it begins.

My Review:

A Choice to Forgive first published in 2009
Always His Providence first published in 2013
A Gift for Anne Marie first published in 2014
Thanks to my public library for providing me with an array of retro reads.

I have to admit to being utterly confused and a tad miffed by Zondervan's decision to republish novellas in different collections. It's so frustrating trying to figure out whether you have read them before. As it happens, I had read two out of the three in this collection. Thankfully I got the book from my library so I'm not out of pocket for it but still....Gah!!!! (strangled befuddled groan.)

And it seems like they are all coming from the same collections only mixed up instead of just re-releasing the novellas in the original collections so it would be easier for a reader to know if she has them already. I get that they are appealing to the regular market (aka not Christian) with the smaller trade paperback size in the hopes of cashing in on the popularity of Amish fiction and I'm all for our Christian publishers being innovative to compete with the mass market industry but...I dunno...this feels kinda sneaky somehow.

So -- BUYER BEWARE -- you may have these novellas already in your collection under different titles so I suggest doing your research before buying.

Even though I'm wee bit disgruntled at the publisher, that's no reflection on the authors or the quality of their work. This is an excellent collection -- I mean, how can it not be with contributions from Beth Wiseman, Ruth Reid and Kathleen Fuller?! Each novella has the depth and characterization associated with longer works. The plots are rich, the writing polished and each story is a joy to read....or re-read as the case may be. :-) These writers know how to deliver heartwarming and faith infused love stories that will always leave me coming back for more.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of An Amish Hope, 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 July 22 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

His New Amish Family

GIVEAWAY

DAVIDS, PATRICIA
HIS NEW AMISH FAMILY

Her home -- and heart -- on the line in the heartwarming conclusion to The Amish Bachelors series.

Widow Clara Fisher's late uncle promised his farm to her -- but she can't find the documents to prove it! Desperate to stop her Englisch cousin from selling it, she works to help of auctioneer Paul Bowman. Paul's always been a wandering spirit, but will sweet, stubborn Clara and her children suddenly fill his empty life with family and love?

My Review:

Clyde the matchmaking basset hound and his sidekick Juliet (a raccoon) are back along with eccentric Aenti Charlotte! And I do love Charlotte -- there's wisdom cloaked in the outrageous things she says, you just have to read between the lines. And how can you not love a woman who speaks both dog and raccoon? So glad this trio made it into the grand finale of  The Amish Bachelors series!

I'm going to miss these Bowman brothers/cousins and their extended clan. These folks know what living in community means and the way they rally around Clara and her children just melted my heart. With Paul leading the way, much to his surprise, because he's the happy-go-lucky-never-more-than-three-dates kind of fella. But there's something about Clara that threatens to turn his life upside down if he's not careful.

Clara's serious nature is the perfect contrast to Paul's ready wit and carefree attitude. The way he teases her! The banter is divine -- a combination of wit and tenderness so you don't know whether to laugh or swoon-sigh. But as much as I loved their romance I fear I spent most of the read seething and spewing not very nice things at a certain character who is evidently up to no good but we can't prove it. That plot thread kept me on tenterhooks right to the very end.

Davids has given the Bowmans a spectacular sendoff. I'm giddy and weepy all at the same time. But no worries if you haven't read the other five books in the series -- you'll still be able to thoroughly enjoy this one...and I bet you'll be hankering to play catch-up once it's all over. I might just re-read the whole series from the beginning.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of His New Amish 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 for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 22 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck.

The Orphan's Wish

GIVEAWAY

DICKERSON, MELANIE
THE ORPHAN'S WISH

Orphaned and alone, Aladdin travels from the streets of his Arab homeland to a strange, faraway place. Growing up in an orphanage, he meets young Lady Kirstyn, whose father is the powerful Duke of Hagenheim. Despite the difference in their stations, Aladdin quickly becomes Kirstyn's favorite companion, and their childhood friendship grows into a bond that time and opposition cannot break.

Even as a child, Aladdin works hard, learning all he can from his teachers. Through his integrity, intelligence, and sheer tenacity, he earns a position serving as the duke's steward. But that isn't enough to erase the shame of being forced to steal as a small child -- or the fact that he's an orphan with no status. If he ever wants to feel equal to his beautiful and generous friend, Kirstyn, he must leave Hagenheim and seek his fortune.

Yet once Aladdin departs, Lady Kirstyn becomes a pawn in a terrible plot. Now, Aladdin and Kirstyn must rely on their bond to save her from unexpected danger. But will saving Kirstyn cost Aladdin his newfound status and everything he's worked so hard to obtain?

An enchanting new version of the well-know tale, The Orphan's Wish tells a story of courage and loyalty, friendship and love, and reminds us wat 'family' really means.

My Review:

Only Melanie Dickerson could bring Aladdin to Medieval Germany and pull it off! Love the diverse aspect of an Arabian hero. Orphaned at a young age, Aladdin is rescued from a life of thieving and brought to a kingdom...er dukedom...that Dickerson fans are very familiar with. Love that the author included childhood details in this retelling and we get to watch both Aladdin and Kirstyn grow up -- and into deep friendship -- at the beginning of the story. And then, as in all good fairy tales, danger and mayhem threaten a budding romance as a nefarious villain seeks misguided vengeance.

The perfect summer read for the Young Adult in your life -- or the young-at-heart reader who still gets a kick out of YA literature (waves hand in the air enthusiastically.)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Orphan's Wish, 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 July 22 2108. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Top Secret Target

GIVEAWAY

MENTINK, DANA
TOP SECRET TARGET

Her true identity is a secret
The next explosive Military K-9 Unit thriller

With his ex-wife on a killer's hit list, military police lieutenant Ethan Webb and his K-9 partner, Titus, must guard the woman posing as her. But courageous private investigator Kendra Bell refuses to be just bait -- she wants to help bring down the killer. Can she play her part without falling for her pretend ex-husband?

My Review:

I somehow got behind on this Military K-9 Unit series so I happily get to play catch-up with books 3, 4 & 5 -- and have to do it quickly since the sixth book releases in September. And this is a long series -- nine books! I'm not sure I can handle the over-arcing suspense through to November! That wily Sullivan (crazy killer/stalker dude) is so brazen it has me spitting mad! Gah! Thankfully, each story has it's own mystery (or two) to solve so each book brings some resolution and, of course, a romantical happily-ever-after. :-)

But, oh no, early on I feared that I wouldn't connect with this heroine because of this:

"I don't like dogs," she snapped.
"That's okay. He probably doesn't like you either." (p17)

Bwahahaha -- great comeback, Ethan! And one of the reasons I loved him right away. He and his dog, Titus, are simpatico. Seriously, they know what the other is thinking and the they finish each other's sentences. Blissful sigh -- I do so adore a dog whisperer hero! And Titus -- that's him on the cover, isn't he handsome? -- well, he's right up there as far as hero material go so this book offers up double swoons for the canine devotees out there.

Thankfully, Kendra warms up to Titus -- seriously, how could she resist his charm? Speaking of which, Ethan has a bushel full of his own so I was a goner for most the read. Luckily there were enough hair-raising moments to slap me out of my fangirling stupor. And it's all punctuated with some great (and unexpected) laugh-out-loud moments! That's sweet perfection to this happily-ever-after-lovin' reader.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Top Secret Target, 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 July 22 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!