A Defense of Honor

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

HUNTER, KRISTI ANN
A DEFENSE OF HONOR

When Katherine 'Kit' FitzGilbert turned her back on London society more than a decade ago, she determined never to set foot in a ballroom again. But when business takes her to London she's forced to run for her life, she stumbles upon not only a glamorous ballroom but also Graham, Lord Wharton. What should have been a chance encounter becomes much more as Graham embarks on a search for his friend's missing sister and is convinced Kit knows more about the girl than she's telling.

After meeting Graham, Kit finds herself wishing things could have been different for the first time in her life, but what she wants can't matter. Long ago, she dedicated herself to helping women escape the same scorn that drove her from London and to raising innocent children caught in the crossfire. But as much as she desperately wishes to tell Graham everything, the risk of revealing the truth may come at too high a price for those she loves.

My Review:

I am reading this series from the inside out -- started with the second book, then the novella -- which comes between the first and second book and finally landed on Defense of Honor where it all begins. Now I'm anxiously awaiting the release of A Pursuit of Home which comes out next week. All that to say...

Eeeeeepppppp!!!! I'm in a full-blown, tailspinning Regency swoon!!!! Electrified by a tizzy of post-reading aftershocks while my anticipation for Jess's story has me in a permanent twitterpated state. Phew!  This is me brimming with Regency Euphoria. :-)

Love Kit and Graham's story!!! The first time they meet is absolute perfection -- intriguing, mysterious, playful. Lighthearted banter with an undercurrent of urgency. Be still my heart! I went into rabid reader mode and didn't come up for air until I finished the book.

Kit is so determined and resourceful, but she has a vulnerable side too. As dedicated as she is to the women and children she serves, there's a part of her that yearns for what she's exiled herself from -- her own happily ever after. And her spiritual epiphany is so touching! Grace versus works and placing complete trust in the Lord really challenge her and I love the way Graham helps her figure things out.

Speaking of Lord Wharton! Prepare your fainting couches! Grab your smelling salts and a fan or two and be prepared to be be swept off your feet. His pursuit of Kit is toe-curling and the rambunctious way he plays with the children....I have no words. He's not perfect, mind you and comes to his own reckoning, but he is Kit's perfect match. If only she realized that!

A scrumptiously delightful must-read for Regency lovers who enjoy an inspirational romance.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Defense of Honor, 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 Saturday November 2 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Hometown Christmas Gift

GIVEAWAY

BROOKES, KAT
HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS GIFT

Her little family needs hearling...
Could he be the answer to her Christmas wish?

Home for the holidays, widow Lainie Michaels never would have thought to ask old love Jackson Wade to help her troubled child. But when her still-grieving son forms a bond with the handsome rancher, ignoring Jackson goes from challenging to impossible. Jackson let his first love go once before, but this Christmas, he'll hold on to Lainie with all his heart.

Bent Creek Blessings

My Review:

The realistic portrayal of a little boy's grief is at the heart of this sweet reunion romance.

Heart-snatching cowboy alert! Jackson doesn't play fair with his lethal combination of brooding and caring. A guy who has made some mistakes in his past -- one that hurt the starry-eyed girl-next-door and sent her running. He's regretted it ever sense. Now, she's back with a son who is defiantly acting out over the loss of his father and Jackson has a chance to make things right with Lainie ...let the swooning begin!

How have I missed Kat Brookes all this time? This is her third Bent Creek Blessings book and her sixth with Love Inspired -- all of them cowboy-centric so how have I missed them all? Preparing to backtrack and devour her earlier works while keeping current with this author from now on..

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Hometown Christmas Gift , 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 Saturday November 2 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

One Final Breath

GIVEAWAY

BLACKBURN, LYNN HUGGINS
ONE FINAL BREATH

When investigator Gabriel Chavez had his cover blown by an aggressive reporter, the silver lining was being able to rejoin the dive team. The downside? Dive team captain Anissa Bell -- a woman who both fascinates and frustrates him.

Anissa grew up as a missionary kid on the Micronesian island of Yap and always planned to return after college. But she remained stateside, determined to solve the case that haunts her - the murder of her best friend and the disappearance of a three-year-old child.

When Anissa's fractured past collides with Gabe's investigation into the tragic shooting death of a teenage boy in Lake Porter, they'll have to put their complicated history with each other aside in order to uncover the identity of a killer. What they'll discover is that revenge has no statute of limitations.

Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn closes out her nail-biting Dive Team Investigations series with a story that will have you wondering how long you can hold your breath.

My Review:

GabeGabeGabeGabeGabeGabeGabe...am I babbling? Yes. But...Gabe!!!!!! My fried neurons from last week have short-circuited so I'm stuck on a Gabe loop now...which is sublimely distracting. :-)

I have been waiting for Anissa and Gabe's story since meeting them in the first Dive Team Investigations book! The anticipation was nearly unbearable and I eagerly dived into this one (pun intended.) I listened to the audible version and Kate Forbes did justice to these beloved characters and their story! Her narration made this a compulsive listen.

Love, love, love how the author brings the whole team together so many times in this final Dive Team Investigation book. (Sob!) Their banter-fueled camaraderie is the best and kept me grinning through the tough times. My jaw aches from smiling so much! You don't need to have read the first two books to get the team dynamics -- Blackburn does an excellent job of highlighting relationships and catching new-to-the-series readers up so they won't feel lost. But these guys have all been given plenty of page time regardless of who has the starring roles so this felt kinda like a reunion read for me.

The suspense is crazy intense -- three cases that become entangled with just enough sinister asides from the mysterious bad guy to give a reader sublime anxiety. :-) Page-turning (or rabid listening) is a foregone conclusion once you start in on this story.

And did I mention Gabe? Of course I did -- excitedly fangirling without any substance so let me rectify that. Think contrasts. Tough and tender. Teasing and serious. Protective but respectful. He's been falling in love with Anissa for months and he's just realizing it. And when he lapses into Spanish here and there...well, it's time I posted a sizzling meltdown warning! The swoonworthiest of swoonworthy heroes!

I love that both Gabe and Anissa are Christians who believe in the power of prayer. Blackburn includes some wonderful inspirational threads throughout this plot. Love how their faith just flows naturally into the story. But they are by no means perfect -- they have their own doubts and fears to wrestle with. As dear Mr. Cook gently advises -- "Be open to the gifts God's trying to give you."

Hair-raising, heart-racing, toe-curling laugh-out-loudable and a whole lot of fun!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of One Final Breath, 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 Saturday November 2 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A Christmas Home

GIVEAWAY

PERRY, MARTA
A CHRISTMAS HOME

A woman returns to the quaint Amish community of Promise Glen hoping for a new future in a joyful novel that captures the spirit of Christmas.

After ten years spent keeping house and raising her younger siblings, Sarah Yoder returns home to Promise Glen determined to make a fresh start. Her new job with neighbor Noah Raber's furniture business seems promising -- until she and the woodworker clash over everything from the best way to reach new customers to how to raise his mischievous six-year-old twin boys.

Though Sarah longs for a home of her own, she fights the appeal of Noah's ready-made family, resolved to maintain a professional distance. But when she and Noah both agree to help with the school's annual Christmas program, Sarah finds her heart touched by the motherless boys and Noah's quiet strength. Thrown together at work and at the school, their feelings continue to grow, and Sarah struggles to keep Noah at arm's length.

Loving Noah may seem impossible, but with faith, love, and a little help from their close-knit community, there may yet be a Christmas home for them both.

My Review:

Who doesn't want to go home for Christmas? After a decade of being uprooted by her father's wanderlust, Sarah is ready to return to the place she thinks of as home and into the welcoming arms of her extended family -- without her father. (Or her siblings who have all settled into married life at various stopping points on their travels.) She's looking for a place to belong and that's Promise Glen -- at least the way she remembered it before her mam died and her life was upended.

Sarah is one of the most likable heroines I've ever met between the pages of a book. She's so vulnerable and hopeful, but pragmatic too. Generous and kind and outgoing. A born organizer who deftly manages situations...and people.  Which kinda irks Noah even as he admires that quality in his new employee. Theirs is such a heart-tugging romance and I'm not going to tell you why -- you need to discover that on your own. I will tell you that I loved the way their relationship developed -- the rapport that builds, the desperate longing that they know must go unfulfilled. Laughter and arguments -- I don't know which made better scenes, the guarded moments or the unguarded ones.

And then there's Matty and Mark -- Noah's rambunctious twins who steal the spotlight whenever they make an appearance. More laughter and sweet heartache which means this was a blissfully emotional read for me. Just what I'm looking for in a Christmas romance.

Perry has done an exceptional job of setting up the Promise Glen series in this first book. There are agreeable...and not so agreeable...secondary characters and a wonderful sense of the Amish community and sweet hints (I think) at future heroines and maybe one hero? Crossing my fingers on that one! And the anticipation of a simple, faith and family filled Christmas shines out from every page. The author has even included a few recipes and notes on Amish Christmas customs at the end of the book which I think makes it the perfect kind of gift for the bibliophiles on your list.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Christmas Home, 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 Saturday November 2 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A Killer Carol

GIVEAWAY

BRADFORD, LAURA
A KILLER CAROL

Heavenly, Pennsylvania has been transformed into a Christmas wonderland, and Claire is delighted to celebrate the season -- but a fiendish killer has other plans in this all new installment in the national bestselling series...

As the owner of Heavenly treasures, Claire is busier than ever helping her customers and friends find the perfect gifts for the special people on their lists. She is also organizing One Heavenly Night, a holiday celebration for the entire community that will feature all the shops on Lighted Way. Claire finds herself up to her ears in holiday cheer until a double murder threatens to derail everything even her relationship with Jakob Fisher, a former Amish man turned police detective.

Two of Claire's closest Amish friends were the last to see the victims alive and are now Jackob's prime suspects. Claire is certain they are innocent, but Jakob has come upon evidence that says otherwise. He's also been acting strangely distant lately. She knows there's something wrong, but she's too busy trying to find the real killer to gie in to her fears about their relationship. Claire just might need a Christmas miracle to save the season for herself and everyone she holds dear.

My Review:

First things first -- isn't that an eye-catching cover?! Made me all the more eager to read the story inside. Especially since I'm a fan of Laura Bradford's Amish Mysteries series plus, well, nothing says Christmas quite like a cozy! And this one fairly sparkles with festivities. In fact, Claire might have gone a tad overboard. Especially when it comes to getting everything just right. Honestly, I wanted to clock her with a candy cane a time or two, but, since her heart is always in the right place, I allowed the warmth of the season to soothe my peppermint thrashing tendencies. :-)

As the seventh book in the series, A Killer Carol comes complete with a town full of established characters. The first few chapters might seem a tad overwhelming if you haven't met the key players in previous books -- especially the Amish contingency. But go with the flow and I'm sure you'll figure out who is related to who and why that matters in no time at all. And if you are familiar with Claire and her Amish cohorts you'll be tickled to see how everyone is faring...and who's involved in a murder this time.

Bradford really captures the holiday atmosphere well -- and I appreciated the gentle contrasts between Claire's over-the-top-get-everything-right approach with the simpler Amish traditions. This author always does a great job of meshing the two worlds, respecting both as she points out differences.

This time round, the investigation places more of a strain on Claire and Jakob's romance as details unfold that drive Claire to stick her nose into police business...again! This character-driven mystery relies on relationships as the impetus that drives the plot forward. Not the usual shoulder-checking nail-biter -- more of a steady build full of puzzling elements and intriguing potential suspects. That doesn't mean it's not a riveting read -- because it is. Complete with twists and turns and a perplexing whodunnit. Bradford really challenged my armchair sleuthing skills. This gentler approach to mystery solving really fit the cozy ambiance of this Amish centered story. And definitely kept me engrossed until the sublimely satisfying conclusion. (Still have a big grin on my face.)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Killer Carol, 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 Saturday November 2 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

October Giveaway -- Week Four

WON BY NANCY PAYETTE

WON BY SIS

WON BY DIANA FLOWERS

WON BY LUCY REYNOLDS

WON BY LAURA WALTZ

WON BY KIM HANSEN

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address. Otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with your mailing address. From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven't been able to reach you within 30 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 will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address and I'll email you to confirm your win is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring about the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping time. Thank you!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Security Measures

GIVEAWAY

PARKER, SARA
SECURITY MEASURES

A Killer lies in wait...
And now she's in danger.

To halt a killing spree, bodyguard Triss Everett tightens security at the senior community where she volunteers -- and makes herself a target. Her coworker, Hunter Knox, won't let the woman he cares about more than he should become the next victim. But working together to find the murderer in their midst is the most challenging job he's ever taken on -- and the most dangerous.

My Review:

Squeeeep!!! Another Shield Protection Bodyguard suspense from Sara K. Parker! I do so love the way this author pulls a story together. And Triss and Hunter's romance is another enthralling read!

First -- love that these two have a history. Not only are they Shield colleagues, but that were on the verge of something special months ago. Until Triss pulled back and dropped out of sight. A particularly painful retreat since Hunter has two young children who were negatively affected by Triss's disappearing act. And the author drove me out-of-my-mind-crazy trying to figure out what Triss was hiding -- and why it would make her run in the first place. Nothing like keeping a reader on romantical pins-and-needles for most of the read!

Then there's Hunter! (Still ironing out the kinks in my toes from all that curling!)  I have such a weakness for devoted father heroes and Hunter is that -- and so much more. Despite Triss's withdrawal, he's right by her side at the first sign of trouble. All gentle protector determined to break through that wall around her heart. If only the attempts on her life would stop long enough for him to begin his wooing in earnest. Gah!

Clever mystery, intense plot and enough swoonworthy moments to keep a sensitive reader lightheaded. In other words -- sublime satisfaction guaranteed!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a gently read copy of Security Measures, 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 Saturday October 26 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Painted Castle

GIVEAWAY

CAMBRON, KRISTY
THE PAINTED CASTLE

A lost painting of Queen Victoria
A library bricked off from the world.
And three women, separated by time, whose lives are irrevocably changed.

When art historican Kiera Foley is hired to authenticate a painting of a centuries-old East Suffolk maor, she hopes this is just the thing to get her career and life back on t rack. But from the time she arrives at Parham Hill Estate and begins working alongside rumored art thief Emory Scott, she's left with far more questions than answers. Could this lost painting of Queen Victoria be a duplicate of the original Winterhalter masterpiece, and if so, who is the artist?

As Keira begins to unravel the mystery behind the portrait, two women emerge from the estate's forgotten past. In Victorian England, talented sketch artist Elizabeth Meade is engaged to Viscount Huxley, then owner of Parham Hill. However, Elizabeth's real motive for being at Parham Hill has nothing to do with art or marriage. She's determined to avenge her father's brutal murder -- even if it means a betrothal to the very man she believes committed the crime.

A century later, Amelia Woods -- a World War II widow who has turned Parham Hill and its beloved library into a boarding school for refugee children -- receives military orders to house a troop of American pilots. She is determined the children in her care will remain untouched by the war, but the task is proving difficult with officers taking up every square inch of their world...and one in particular vying for a space in Amelia's long-shut up heart.

Set in three time periods -- the rapid change of Victorian England, the peak of England's homefront tensions at the end of WWII, and modern day -- The Painted Castle unfolds a story of heartache and hope and unlocks secrets lost for generations just waiting to be foudn.

My Review:

Once upon a time there was an avid reader who had her brain fried by the sheer artistry of an author's storytelling. The reader's short circuited neurons left her incapable of composing a review worthy of such literary mastery which resulted in ineffectual garbled run-on sentences as well as an accumulation of exclamation marks that would send an editor into fits of the vapors. (insert deep breath here.)

Redundant phrases such as "This book is so good!!!!!"  and "Too many heroes to swoon over!!!!! (note the exuberant punctuation) monopolized the review. Also, a disproportionate number of THUDs are cause for serious concussion concerns. Which may explain my muddle-headed addlepatedness. So, in the interest of clarity I've resorted to reviewing The Painted Castle in brief spurts of euphoria as follows:

Evocative word choice!!
Spellbinding plots!!!
Triple timelines!!!! (Each story could easily read as a standalone novel)
Impeccable pacing in regards to how the author weaves in and out of each time period.
Reference of a favourite childhood picture book in a meaningful way (goosebumps on my goosebumps!!!!)
Fiesty heroines and swoonworthy heroes!!!! (x 3)
Toe-curling glimpses of my man Cormac (Castle on the Rise) bouncing between protective big brother mode and besotted daddy mode!!!!
Tears-by-the-bucketful emotional romance (x3)
Epic Epilogue!!!!!!
Hope and Redemption
There's even a wee bit o' Christmas
And Amy Rubinate's incredible narration is the icing on the cake! Rich and delicious and soul satisfying!!!

Sign me gobsmacked.

"It's never about the end of a road, is it? It's about living and loving and the journey we take to get where we are. Right now. Right to this very moment...What lasts isn't what we build on our own, but the stories He builds in and around us."

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Painted Castle, 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 Saturday October 26 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Holiday Secret

GIVEAWAY

SPRINGER, KATHRYN
THE HOLIDAY SECRET

She could make a little girl's wish come true. But her secret stands in the way.

Family's all Ellery Marshall wants for Christmas. To connect with her long-lost brothers, she travels to Castle Falls and instantly falls for the innkeeper's five-year-old granddaughter, Bea. Carter Bristow -- Ben's handsome father -- has given up on love. But Bea hasn't given up on him, and Ellery could be the answer to her holiday wish to make Daddy happy again.

My Review:

A perfect blend of holiday and romance embellished with the sweet spark of hope. Christmas isn't just mentioned -- it's part of the setting! So often a Christmas story doesn't really feature the season -- it's more of an afterthought lurking in the background so I really appreciate the way the seasonal aspects enrich Ellery and Carter's love story.

A five-year-old who doesn't stop talking -- even in her sleep, a guarded dad ever vigilant against potential hurts and a quietly grieving woman who yearns to connect with the brothers she's never known -- doesn't that sound like an amazing character line-up for a scrumptiously emotional holiday romance? (You'd be right if you said 'yes'.)

 And those brothers? They would be Brendan, Liam and Aiden Kane -- who have each starred in their own stories in the Castle Falls series. I still can't wipe my grin off my face over their antics -- there's so much misdirected Kaneish brotherly love to go around! It was a real treat to meet up with them (and their lady loves) again -- but you needn't fret if you haven't read any of the other books -- The Holiday Secret works perfectly fine as a standalone. Wait. I take that back -- you really do have a reason to fret if you haven't read the other books because you are missing on some great storytelling!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a gently read copy of The Holiday Secret, 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 Saturday October 26 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A Glitter of Gold

GIVEAWAY

JOHNSON, LIZ
A GLITTER OF GOLD

Anne Norris moved to Savannah, Georgia, for a fresh start. Now her pirate-tour business is flagging and paying the rent requires more than wishful thinking. When she discovers evidence of a shipwreck off the coast of Tybee Island, she knows it could be just the boon she needs to stay afloat. She takes her findings to local museum director Carter Hale for confirmation, but she runs after a disastrous first meeting.

Carter has been searching for the location of the wreck detailed in the worn pages of an 18th century diary, the discovery of which could open the door to his dream job at a prestigious museum. But convincing Anne to help him fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle is no easy task.  And working with Carter means that Anne will have to do the one thing she swore she'd never do again: trust a man.

Finding a monetary backer and sticking with a search that's turning up nothing will take all their dedication -- and every secret they've tried to hide. If they can find the lost ship, they may discover a treasure worth more than all the pirate gold in the world -- love.

My Review:

Squeealll!!!!!! Pirates and shipwrecks and mystery, oh my! Along with the best ever occupation for a heroine -- pirate tour guide! (Insert crazy wide Cheshire grin here.) And there's a dual timeline! Double Squeeeaalll!!!! I'm still in a tizzy from the just-finished-all-this-literary-awesomeness after-glow. Happy sigh.

Contemporary heroine Anne is so intriguing! Wounded and wary and so on guard -- she about broke my heart! And I love the way Johnson draws out her backstory. My heart hurt a bit more with each new revelation. She's a woman who desperately needs to understand the healing power of grace. She was a believer once, and understood the concept but now she has the opportunity to actually live it...if she can summon up the courage to trust again. Such a powerfully moving inspirational thread.

And Carter is everything you can hope for in a somewhat nerdy, history-lovin', pirate obsessed hero. :-) He has his own past hurts to overcome and an 18th century diary that has driven him to defy family and future in order to solve an impossible mystery. Their worlds collide and suddenly they find themselves in a cautious partnership that could benefit them both.

The historical timeline is told in first person POV in the form of journal entries. Adventure and danger and a doomed romance! Breathtaking stuff! And the way Johnsons blends both stories -- meshing them into a triumphant and heart-pounding conclusion is sheer poetry. Absolutely riveting.

I listened to the audible version of this book and savored every second of Melissa Bentley's narration.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Glitter of Gold, 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 Saturday October 26 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Truth Stained Lies

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

BLACKSTOCK, TERRI
TRUTH STAINED LIES

When truth doesn't make sense, will lies prevail?

Cathy Cramer is a former lawyer and investigative blogger who writes commentary on high-profile homicides. When she finds a threatening note warning her that she's about to experience the same kind of judgment and speculation that she dishes out in her blog, Cathy writes it off as mischief...until her brother's wife is murdered and all the "facts" point to him. The killer has staged the crime to make the truth too far-fetched to believe. Working to solve the murder and clear her brother's name, Cathy and her two sisters, Holly and Juliet, moonlight as part-time private investigators. Juliet, a stay-at-home mom of two boys, and Holly, a scattered ne'er-do-well who drives a taxi, put aside their fear to hunt a real killer.

Stakes rise when their brother's grieving five-year-old son is kidnapped. As police focus on the wrong set of clues, the three sisters and their battered detective friend are the only hope for solving this bizarre crime, saving the child, and freeing their brother.

My Review:

 published in 2013
My thanks to my public library for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

Intense. And I mean stomach-in-knots, heart-exploding-out-of-chest, edge-of-your-seat intense. Terri Blackstock knows how to keep me delightfully uncomfortable and I enjoy every shivery minute! :-)

Multidimensional characters with complex lives and a deeply rooted faith thread enrich the heart-pounding suspense. This is the first book in Blackstock's Moonlighters series and I'm amazed at how quickly I got to know these three sisters and their family dynamics -- even in the midst of all the tension and strife.

I listened to the audible version, narrated by Gabrielle de Cuir and she did an excellent job of drawing out the suspense and amping up my panic-stricken state. Honestly, I don't think my heart rate evened out until well after it was all over. Whew -- what an adrenaline rush of a ride!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Truth Stained Lies, 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 Saturday October 26 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Operation Mistletoe

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

Maddrey, Elizabeth
Operation Mistletoe

Victoria Spencer hates Christmas

For the last ten years, disaster has struck on Christmas  Eve, leaving Tori dreading the holidays. When she's assigned to cover the light displays for her newspaper, she's determined to spend as little time on the article as possible. Especially once she realizes she's to feature frat boy Gabe "The Babe" Robertston, her former college crush.

Gabe Robertson is a different man than he was in college. Every December, he transforms his acreage into a winter wonderland designed to celebrate the birth of Christ and share God's love with the community. He also uses the lights to raise money for Operation Mistletoe, an organization that sends Christmas to troops stationed overseas.

Unable to se aside her prejudice, Tori looks for ulterior motives in Gabe's actions and dtermines to dig deeper. Will her investigations destroy any chance of a Merry Christmas?

My Review:

published in 2015

This is my first Elizabeth Maddrey book and I'm so glad I have another one waiting on my TBR pile! I don't know how I missed this author but I intend to play a serious game of catch-up now that I've 'discovered' her!

A Christmas story with a Scroogy twist. Victoria isn't a fan of Christmas. Gabe  is an over-the-top, out-of-the-box celebrator. Victoria isn't impressed. She's looking for an angle and Gabe's got one -- Jesus. Love the way the author incorporates the true meaning of Christmas into this story. Love Gabe's enthusiasm. His servant's heart. The way he lives his beliefs. But Victoria's certain there's something fishy going on and she plans to uncover the truth.

This is a shorter read, but it packs an emotional wallop along with a zing of Christmas cheer and holiday romance.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Operation Mistletoe, 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 Saturday October 26 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

October Giveaway -- Week Three

WON BY KAY GARRETT

WON BY AMADA

WON BY ELLY

WON BY RUBYNREBA

WON BY MELISSA ANDRES

WON BY TRIXI

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address. Otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with your mailing address. From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven't been able to reach you within 30 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 will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address and I'll email you to confirm your win is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring about the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping time. Thank you!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Christmas Witness Protection

GIVEAWAY

BLACK, MAGGIE K.
CHRISTMAS WITNESS PROTECTION

A witness targeted...and on the run. The first Protected Identities novel.

When key witness Corporal Holly Asher is abducted Detective Noah Wilder risks everything to rescue her. Now they're undercover as an engaged couple, hiding from a sinister hacker group -- who plan on exposing every witness in protection on Christmas Eve. But can Noah and Holly stop a deadly conspiracy...without tipping off those who want to kill her?

My Review:

Woohoo -- another mountie series from Maggie Black with a couple of carryover characters from previous series as an extra bonus! Can't wait to get more of their stories.

Black creates a sense of urgency from the very first page and pulls that tension taut right through to the very end -- both with the suspense and the romance! All while introducing us to an unorthodox team of "rogue RCMP agents" who will be featured in future novels...I hope!

And I believe Black is the queen of writing kick-butt heroines. Holly is a trained soldier and acts like one. Better yet, Noah respects her for it and treats her like an equal even when his protective instincts threaten to take over a time or two.

An intricate plot, tons of action and a great cast of characters makes Christmas Witness Protection a stellar start to a new series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Christmas Witness Protection, 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 Saturday October 19 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!