July Giveaway -- Week Five

 

WON BY CONNIE LEE

WON BY KIM HANSEN

WON BY BECKY

WON BY RUBYNREBA

WON BY CC

WON BY ELIZABETH LITTON

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address in the comments, otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. (Please note it's ca as in Canada not com)

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 AN EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU!

Books will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address (or email address for ebooks) and I'll email you to confirm your book is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring on the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping times.

REMINDER: If you've been following my blog through email updates, you need to re-subscribe (blogger stopped it's subscription service so I had to switch to another.) Just fill in your email address in the white box in the upper right hand corner of the blog and click on subscribe. 

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

SUNDAY

MONDAY

2021 Carol Award Finalists'

Romance Category

(woohoo -- I've read them all!)

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

The Price of Dreams

GIVEAWAY

SHILOH, TONI

THE PRICE OF DREAMS

Ballet has always been my life, but one terrible moment may have destroyed everything I've worked so hard for -- especially my title of Octavia Ricci, principal ballerina. I thought for sure my physical therapist, Dr. Noah Wright, could help me obtain my dream once more, but he wants more than I'm prepared to give.

I've seen firsthand the trials of interracial relationships. I'm a product of one myself and promised I'd never put my hopefully-someday kids through that drama. Everyone keeps telling me to let go of other people's expectations, but I'm just not sure I can. Besides, if my dreams of returning to ballet are futile, what hope is there in seeking unconditional love?

My Review:

I'm happy/sad after reading this book. Happy because I love Shiloh's Faith & Fortune series and sad because this the last book. Sniffle. 

I'm actually surprised at how hard I fell for the series -- which isn't me dissing the author, honest! It's because I'm not into glam anything ever. A spa day sounds like torture to me and I'm too busy reading to social media stalk the rich and famous. Though....come to think of it...if some of my favourite fictional heroes or heroines had an instagram account or posted regularly on tiktok I could defintely get into the social media frenzy! But, I digress. Back to this review.

Octavia and her friends are rich and famous but also real and vulnerable and very much down to earth as in 'I'm not going to let a jaunt to Italy in a private jet go to my head.' :-) The fact that Octavia lives out her faith in a perfectly imperfect kinda way also helped to soothe my trepidation. If this is what 'billionaire' romance is all about, I could get on board with it.

So, we have Octavia -- famous principal ballerina and currently out with a horrific injury, with no guarantees that dancing will ever be in her future again. And Noah, physical therapist extraordinaire who brings a personal drive and compassion to every patient he works with. 

Only in Octavia's case there's passion too. Oh la la, the romantical tension between these two is divinely delicious. All edgy and complicated with Octavia determined to make it more so and Noah in hot pursuit. Thud! Seriously, clear the fainting couch and grab your smelling salts before you start reading.

Love the camaraderie between Octavia and Holiday and Tori. Though this is Octavia's story, their special friendship is definitely at it's heart. Loved the girl chats and texts. Theirs is the kind of enduring bond that will last a lifetime. No worries if you're not familiar with the series, The Price of Dreams reads fine as a standalone, but once you've met this trio I'm betting you won't be able to resist catching up with Holiday and Tori in the previous books. 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Price of Dreams, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday July 31 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

To Find Her Place

GIVEAWAY

MASON, SUSAN ANNE

TO FIND HER PLACE

Can they find their way to the right future amid the uncertainty that faces them?

In the midst of WWII, Jane Linder pours all her energy and dreams for a family into her career at the Toronto Children's Aid Society. As acting directress, Jane hopes for a permanent appointment so she can continue making a difference in the lives of children. But is the board were to find out she is divorced, everything would change.

Garrett Wilder has been hired to overhaul operations at the Children's Aid Society and investigate a report of misused funds. He hopes to impress the board members with the findinings and earn the vacant director's position. A war injury ended his dream of taking over his parents' farm, but with the security of the director's job, he'd be able to contribute financially and help save the family business.

Despite their competing interests and Garret's early suspicions, a friendship grows and feelings begin to blossom. but when Jane receives an unexpected opportunity that could fulfill her deepest desires, she finds herself at a crossroads. Can she discern the path to true happiness?

My Review:

I can always count on a Susan Anne Mason novel to tie my stomach up in knots and toss me off an emotional cliff or two or three...or more. And I love the thrill of the read from start to finish, even if my insides feel tender for a while afterwards. :-) 

There's nothing like living life to the fullest with characters you care about and Jane and Garrett and young Martin were easy to love. And just as easy to become exasperated over (cue the tummy flip-flops.) There's angst and tenderness and a multitude of complications -- plot dips and dives that kept me glued to the page. And a bevy of secondary characters to rejoice with and moan over. 

Love the Canadian setting! And time period. Homefront war stories aren't as popular when it comes to World War II fiction, but I enjoy the fresh perspective. Mason really brings the city (Toronto) and the historical social challenges to life. The CAS background was fascinating and I loved both Jane and Garrett's heart for serving the children in their community.

One of the things I love most about Mason's writing is the way she seamlessly weaves a significant faith thread into the very fabric of her stories. God is at work in Jane and Garrett's story -- creating something beautiful and lasting from the broken pieces of their lives. I'll admit to being a wee bit teary by the end.

To Find Her Place is the second book in the Redemption of Light series, though it reads very well as a standalone novel. But if you haven't read A Haven for Her Heart make sure to fit that onto your TBR list sometime soon! You really don't want to miss out on either of these two novels. 

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy

If you would like a chance to win a copy of To Find Her Place, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday July 31 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Exposing a Killer

GIVEAWAY

EAKES, LAURIE ALICE

EXPOSING A KILLER

Their lives are on the line -- and a cell phone video holds the key...

A routine stakeout turns lethal when private investigator Megan O'Clare videotapes a murder -- and ends up dodging gunfire with rival PI Jack Luskie. As the killer fights to destroy the evidence on Megan's phone -- and them along with it -- this investigation becomes personal. But can Megan and Jack put aside their rivalry and work together to survive?

My Review:

What a thrill of a read! Tension ratchets up from start to finish and turned my 'I'll just read for ten minutes" into a read-to-the-end marathon. 

Loved the Chicago setting -- made the endless pursuit scenes all the edgier as most of them involved the public transit system. I'll never think of commuter trains in the same way again! Yikes!

And the give and take between Megan and Jack was so much fun. Again, edgy, but sometimes sweet and definitely toe-curling a time or two. Great secondary characters helped carry the show and I have hopes of one getting her own story in the future.

Solid writing and a tight plot with enough sharp turns to leave a reader breathless made me one very happy reader. :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback  

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Exposing a Killer, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday July 31 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Carol Awards -- Novella

 

GIVEAWAY

First off -- what exactly are the Carol Awards?

They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2021 finalists are books published in 2020. You might have read them already, you might not. I'll include links to reviews of the books I've read, but I have a lot of catching up to do so there will be gaps.

How does this giveaway work?

You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2021 -- Novella Category you would like to receive if your name is drawn. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you're entering that way) and if you win, that's the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy. Here are the three finalists:

Far as the Curse is Found, from the collection Joy to the World : A Regency Romance Collection by Amanda Barratt, Kregel Publications, Editors: Janyre Tromp and Dori De Vries Harrell

One winter night, a woman struggling to provide for her illegitimate child encounters a scarred veteran of the Napoleonic Wars on the streets of London. Can love conquer the darkness of two broken pasts?

*Please note: since this novella is part of a collection, the book being offered is Joy to the World and includes novellas by Carolyn Miller and Erica Vetsch as well.

Christmas in Galway, in the collection Christmas Lights and Romance by Elizabeth Ludwig, Winged Publications, Editor: Cynthia Hickey

It's been two years since a drunk driving accident claimed the life of Elinor Walsh's fiance. Though she's longed to create a thriving design business for herself, the past still haunts her. Prompted by her friends, she finally capitulates and schedules a flight to Ireland -- a trip that should have been her honeymoon. Armed with just a list her fiance wrote and the keys to a rental car, Elinor heads to Galway, never dreaming that the people she meets there will change her life forever. Confronted with a choice -- her past with an old friend or her future with a new one -- will she finally be able to move beyond her grief? Or will she cut her losses, and her trip short, and miss out on the one thing she never expected?

*Please note: Winner can choose either the single title edition or the multi-authored novella collection edition (authors include Joi Copeland, Judy Goodman Howard, Martha Rogers, J. Carol Nemeth and Diane Yates.)

A New Hope for Christmas by Erin Stevenson, Harbourlight Books, a Divsion of Pelican, Editor: M. Jamie West

This Christmas, two lost and broken families need restoration.

Sam Jarrett was just starting to explore spiritual things when his world was shattered. Now, he's completely turned his back on God. Laura Preston is a devoted believer, leaning heavily on her faith to get her through each tortured day.

Two chance meetings spark a friendship and a glimmer of hope.

Sam battles God's prodding through Laura's gentle, caring spirit. When another tragedy strikes on Christmas Eve, Sam is sure that God has completely deserted him. Laura tries to show Sam that God loves him and has been there all the time, but how can Sam trust when he has no faith?

A New Hope for Christmas is a story of restored faith in a God who never leaves us, even when we can't see or feel Him near.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Please note the different edition options for this giveaway:

Far as the Curse is Found by Amanda Barratt is available in the Joy to the World novella collection -- paperback or ebook edition, winner's choice.

Christmas in Galway by Elizabeth Ludwig is only available in ebook format -- either on it's own or in the Christmas Lights and Romance collection.

A New Hope for Christmas by Erin Stevenson is only available in ebook format.

 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the 2021 Carol Award Finalists -- Novella Category, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday July 31 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Carol Awards -- Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

GIVEAWAY

First off -- what exactly are the Carol Awards?

They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2021 finalists are books published in 2020. You might have read them already, you might not. I'll include links to reviews of the books I've read, but I have a lot of catching up to do so there will be gaps.

How does this giveaway work?

You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2021 -- Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Category you would like to receive if your name is drawn. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you're entering that way) and if you win, that's the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy. Here are the three finalists:

Dead End by Nancy Mehl, Bethany House (Baker) Publishing, Editors: Raela Schoenherr and Jean Bloom

When a body is discovered in a field in Iowa, the police uncover fourteen additional corpses ranging from 20 years old to recent. The remains point to a serial killer with an MO the authorities have seen before -- Ed Oliphant, a man who has been in prison for over 20 years...and is Special Agent Kaely Quinn's father. After several failed interview attempts to discover if Ed has been training someone to be a copycat killer, the police turn to Kaely in St. Louis.

Kaely promised herself she would never step foot in her hometwon or set eyes on her father again. She's always refused to confront her past, but if she wants to prevent any more deaths, she must come face-to-face with the man she's hated for yeas.

As more bodies are discovered, Kaely races against time and her own personal turmoil to uncover the killer. Will this most personal case yet cost Kaely her identity and perhaps even her life? 

Relative Silence by Carrie Stuart Parks, Harper Collins Publishing, Editors: Amanda Bostic and Erin Healy

A powerful family with lots of secrets. A forensic artist with his own tragedies. And a hurricane bearing down on their private island.

Fifteen years ago Piper Boone's only child died in a boating accident, and Piper's almost perfect life came to an end too. After living through a divorce and losing her job, she retreats to Curlew Island and her childhood home --- a secluded mansion for the politically powerful Boone family, who are practically American royalty.

But Piper's desire to become a recluse is shattered when a mass shooter opens fire and kills three women at a cafe where Piper is having lunch. The crisis puts her family in the spotlight by dredging up rumors of the so-called Curlew Island Curse, which whispers say has taken the lives of several members of the Boone family, including Piper's father and sister.

Forensic artist Tucker Landry also survives the shooting and is tasked with the job of sketching a portrait of the shooter with Piper. They forge a bond over their shared love of movies and tragic pasts. But when police discover a connection between the shooting and two more murders on Curlew Island, they face a more terrible lineup of suspects that they could have imagined: Piper's family.

Unraveling the family's true history will be the key to Piper's survival -- or her certain death.

My Review: https://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/2020/10/relative-silence.html

A Baby's Right to Choose by David I. Winters, DAVIWIN Publishing, Editor: Renee Holt 

As bodies pile up in their small Ohio city, the victims have only one thing in common. Each young woman visited the local women's clinic and chose not to have an abortion. An intriguing young couple faces an impossible decision amidst a pandemic of murders. With their future in balance, will they have their baby or decide to end the pregnancy. Conventional wisdom goes out the window when a surprising development casts suspicion on the least likely suspects.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the 2021 Carol Award Finalists -- Mystery/Suspense/Thriller category, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday July 31 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Murder in a Scottish Shire

GIVEAWAY

HALL, TRACI

MURDER IN A SCOTTISH SHIRE

Known as the Brighton of the North, Nairn is both a charming Scottish town and a popular seaside resort -- but to Paislee Shaw, it's simply home -- unfortunately to a murderer...

For a twenty-eight-year-old single mum, Paislee has knit together a sensible life for herself, her ten-year-old son Brody, and Wallace, their black Scottish terrier. Having inherited a knack for knitting from her dear departed grandmother, Paislee also owns a specialty yarn and sweater shop called Cashmere Crush, where devoted local crafters gather weekly for her Knit and Sip.

Lately, though, Paislee feels as if her life is unraveling. She's been served an eviction notice, and her estranged and homeless grandfather has just been brought to her door by a disconcertingly handsome detective named Mack Zeffer. As if all that wasn't enough, Paislee discovers a young woman who she recently hired to help in the shop dead in her flat, possibly from an overdose of her heart medicine. But as details of the death and the woman's life begin to raise suspicions for Detective Inspector Zeffer, it's Paislee who must untangle a murderous yarn...

My Review:

Eeeeppp --- exciting new cozy mystery alert! Well, newish, there are only two books out and a third with a release day in early 2022. I listened to the first two back-to-back because these characters, the plots and the engaging way Beverly A. Crick brings them to life were irresistible. 

Love the Scottish setting and the author immerses her readers in the culture through clever dialogue and beautiful descriptions. Definitely an armchair travel kind of read.

I haven't read many cozy mysteries with a young single mum heroine so I found Paislee's perspective on life refreshing. And overwhelming! The struggles of a single mum are something I can relate to but add in all the extra chaos Paislee's faced with in the first chapter and I just wanted to swoop in and help wherever I could. Love the instant connection I felt with her. And I enjoyed the strong sense of family portrayed in this story. Paislee's clan might be on the small side but she's fiercely loyal, even when it comes to a cantankerous estranged grandpa! Great character dynamics and some truly touching family scenes.

Add to that solid background an alluring murder mystery with plenty of plot twists and enough suspects to keep things interesting and you end up with a compelling page-turner (er...rabid listen, in my case,) Plus there's the hint of romance and I'm not even annoyed that there might be a love triangle in the offing, I'm that enamoured with all things in this Scottish Shire!

Please note: while not a Christian Fiction selection, this book is a clean read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Murder in a Scottish Shire, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday July 31 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

July Giveaway -- Week Four

 

WON BY TRIXI

WON BY TAMMIE EDINGTON SHAW

WON BY MJSH

WON BY NANCY M

WON BY ELLY

WON BY PATTY

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address in the comments, otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. (Please note it's ca as in Canada not com)

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 AN EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU!

Books will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address (or email address for ebooks) and I'll email you to confirm your book is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring on the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping times.

REMINDER: If you've been following my blog through email updates, you need to re-subscribe (blogger stopped it's subscription service so I had to switch to another.) Just fill in your email address in the white box in the upper right hand corner of the blog and click on subscribe. 

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Doubling up on the Carol Awards entries this week because we only have until September to fit them all in. Finalists are announced on September 11.

SUNDAY

MONDAY

2021 Carol Award Finalists -

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Category

TUESDAY

2021 Carol Award Finalists -

Novella Category

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Hope Between the Pages

GIVEAWAY

BASHAM, PEPPER

HOPE BETWEEN THE PAGES

Uncover the story behind a one-hundred-year-old bookish love note

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

Clara Blackwell can't lose her family's one-hundred-year-old bookshop, but with the deed missing, there's a chance her father's legacy could fall into the hands of her greedy uncle. In an attempt to locate the missing deed, Clara uncovers an unusual love note which leads to the discovery of a long-lost romance. Forced to step outside her predictable world, Clara embarks on an adventure with only the name Oliver as a hint of the man's identity in her great-grandmother's unknown history. From the beautiful North Carolina Vanderbilt estate to a hamlet in The Lake District, England, can Clara put the pieces of an ill-fated romance together in order to save her bookshop...and maybe even find her own bookish happily-ever-after in the process?

My Review:

I was hooked by the first sentence: "Any story that begins with a library is bound to be an excellent tale." I let out a sigh of contentment and snuggled onto my fainting couch (this is a Pepper Basham story after all) and lost myself in a mystery that crosses time. Two heroines and their heroes. Lots of laughter and quick-witted banter. And letters! Oh, those letters -- they gutted me! Heartache and triumph and every emotion in between! I'm still reeling in bibliophile aftershock.

And so romantical that reading this book will give you permanent kinks in your toes! Including the best ever declaration of love in all it's bookish glory on page 172. I won't quote it 'cause that would spoil it for you, but, heaving a deep sigh, it's splendiferous. Excuse me while I read it again.

Am I rambling? I feel like I'm rambling. Oh well, there's nothing to be done for it because...Sophie and Oliver and Clara and Max!!!! My heart is still trying to recover from all the loop-de-loops and one near fatal nose-dive. I can't believe the author did that.That one terrible, unexpected thing. But she did. Consider this your tissue alert. My nose is still red. And my eyes are teary.

Hope Between the Pages delivers exactly what the title promises. I'm emotionally wrung out and a little weepy. As well as basking in the warm glow of so much book love. Seriously, I've tagged so many bookish quotes it looks like I'm cramming for an exam! A celebration of love and faith and how books can lead us to both. 

"Books and imagination brought me love. Love inspired my hope, and hope led me to purpose...to serve others through generosity, kindness, and...books." (p 222)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Hope Between the Pages, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday July 24 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Restoring Fairhaven

GIVEAWAY

MILLER, CAROLYN

RESTORING FAIRHAVEN

Taking her ailing father's gardening business on Merriweather Island, Samantha Green only wants to escape her ex and to make her father proud. But Sam gets more than she bargained for when Greener Gardens accepts the job of restoring the garden of a reclusive writer, Max Fairhaven, whose historical novels about romance and unrequited love litter bookstore shelves and movie marquees all over the world.

Max much prefers the fictional world to the real, and the gardening girl's interruptions means he's driven from his writing cave far too often for his liking.

How's he supposed to craft stories with her distracting him all the time? Things change when he learns something of Sam's family challenges, and his admiration slowly kindles. With his secretary's goading, he's forced to confront the past, while facing the fact that he needs to change in order to avoid a lonely future. Gentle pruning and a whole lot of banter forges a friendship between this not-so-Southern belle landscaper and the half-British author. But is their budding attraction enough to grow into a flourishing happily-ever-after?

Love hurts, or so the songs say, so who wants it?

My Review:

I've enjoyed Carolyn Miller's Regency romances so I was curious to see what she'd do with a contemporary timeline. The same storytelling magic, that's what! 

I'm not sure if it was intentional, but Restoring Fairhaven reads like a Beauty and the Beast adaptation for me. There's the shaggy haired, surly-to-the-nth-degree hero for starters. Max is positively beastly in the beginning hurling poison darts in word and deed at whim. Quick to judge without all (or any) of the facts, especially where 'the gardening terrorist' is concerned. Gah, if I didn't know his backstory I'd have purse-whomped him but good with a tote bag full of a week's worth of library returns. :-) But Miller gives us measured glances into the roiling hurt and seething wounds that have kept Max cut off from the world.

Enter Samantha Green on a mission to keep her ailing father's gardening business afloat. The substantial job at Fairhaven manor will go along way towards making that happen which means she will put up with pretty much anything in order to keep the contract. Even a cantankerous beast.

Sam carries her own wounds as well, and it is inevitable that she and Max are drawn together in sympathetic unspoken understanding of wounded hearts...when they aren't sniping at each other that is! There's plenty of zippy banter and laugh-out-loud moments in this unusual courtship. As well as tender, heart-stirring ones not to mention the toe-curls. And the way Sam leads Max back into the world is as magical as any fairy tale. The double meaning in the title isn't lost on me, because Samantha is instrumental in restoring the property and the man.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Restoring Fairhaven, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday July 24 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Along a Storied Trail

GIVEAWAY

GABHART. ANN H.

ALONG A STORIED TRAIL

Kentucky packhorse librarian Tansy Calhoun doesn't mind the rough trails and long hours as she serves her Appalachian mountain community during the Great Depression. Yet she longs to find love like the heroines in the books she loves. When a charming writer comes to town, she thinks she might have found it -- or is the perfect man actually closer than she things?

Perdita Sweet has called these mountains home for so long that she's nearly as rocky as the soil around her small cabin. Long ago she thought she could love, but when the object of her affection up and married someone else, she stopped giving too much of herself away to others.

As is so often the case, it's easier to see what's best for others than to see what's best for oneself. Perditia knows who Tansy should choose, but why would anyone listen to the romantic advice of an old spinster?

My Review:

A heaping slice of bookish deliciousness! Yum!!

Gabhart has an uncanny knack for creating living, breathing characters whose faith is reflected in the way they handle their struggles and losses...and hopes and dreams. And loves. Times are tough during the Depression but somehow these mountain folk find joy and satisfaction despite their hardscrabble life. Or maybe because of it.

Love the Appalachian setting and this era and Gabhart writes both so well. She creates an ambience that's easy for a reader to lose herself in. And these characters!!!! Not just our plucky heroine but all the secondary characters who bring even more vibrancy to Tansy's story. I especially adored Aunt Perdie! Cantankerous on the outside, heart of gold on the inside. Her biblical wisdom and wry observations brought so much to the story.

And you just can't go wrong with a plot based around the love of reading. Especially when it comes with packhorse librarians who deliver so much more than just books on their daily rounds. Loved all the little historical details about these ladies and the lengths they went to in order to meet the needs of everyone in their community. It made me realize how much this avid reader takes her easy access to books for granted. 

Along a Storied Trail is the kind of feel-good comfort read that makes my bibliophile heart sing.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Along a Storied Trail, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday July 24 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Woman in Shadow

GIVEAWAY

PARKS, CARRIE STUART

WOMAN IN SHADOW

Award-winning author Carrie Stuart Parks combines her expertise as a forensic artist with her talent for crafting a gripping story in this page-turning web of light and shadow.

A woman off the grid.

Darby Graham thinks she's on a much-needed vacation in remote Idaho to relax. But before she even arrives at the ranch, an earthquake strikes. Then a barn on the edge of town is engulfed in flames and strange problems at the ranch begin to escalate, and Darby finds herself immersed in a chilling mystery.

A town on fire.

More fires erupt around town, and a serial arsonist sends taunting letters to the press after each. As a forensic linguist, this is Darby's area of expertise..but the scars her work has caused are also the reason she's trying to escape her life.

A growing darkness.

As the shadows continue moving in, pieces of the town around her come into sharper focus. To make it out alive, Darby must decide if she can trust the one man who sees her clearly.

My Review:

I don't pre-order many audible books -- I prefer to browse my wish list, looking for a book that matches my current mood -- but when I saw that Carrie Stuart Parks had a new book coming out I couldn't click on the pre-order button fast enough. Was even tempted to set my alarm for midnight on release day so I could get started right away. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and I managed to restrain myself until six a.m. but then it was compulsive listening all the way!

Parks has a knack for creating prickly heroines who are uniquely intriguing. Darby is just such a one -- battered and scarred by life's injustices and battling to make sense of where she's ended up. She's an alluring combination of snark and grit. And her sarcastic inner dialogue makes even the most serious discussions grin worthy. Thankfully she has enough self-control not to let the sass out...most of the time. :-)

I'd never heard of a forensic linguist before so that aspect of the suspense was really fascinating. And woohhheeee -- the suspense! Talk about gripping! There's so much I want to say but can't for fear of posting spoilers. But the way it plays out, all the the secondary characters involved who may or may not be suspects. The multiple twists, turns and dead ends! The gasp-out-loud moments. The times I guessed right. Even more times I guessed wrong! I was mesmerized from start to finish.

And in the midst of all that, there's even a solid faith thread as Darby struggles to find God in the midst of her pain. 

Add in a hint of romance, two crazy cool dogs and a title that fits the story to perfection (I have a thing about clever titles) and I was in storyland heaven. My only complaint -- it was over way too soon! 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Woman in Shadow, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday July 24 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!