A Match Made at Christmas

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

WALSH, COURTNEY

A MATCH MADE AT CHRISTMAS

Hayes McGuire never believed the stories about a famous Nantucket matchmaker, until she ropes him into taking over her duties while she's off the island for Christmas.

So he enlists the help of the one person he can trust with this crazy scheme -- his best friend, Prudence. Armed with a series of rules, a book of success stories and the promise of Christmas magic, the pair of old friends sets out to make a Christmas match.

Little do they know that magic doesn't discriminate, and the pair soon finds their years of friendship deepening into something more. Will Pru and Hayes ignore the electricity in the air between them or will there be more than one match made at Christmas?

My Review:

published in 2020

A seriously brilliant twist on the friends to more trope with so much Christmas pizzazz I can't even...

"They were like two shattered pieces of glass, and she had to wonder if their pieces would ever fit together." (p 8)

A blissfully happy marshmallows-melting-in-my-hot-chocolate romantical read that transformed me into giggling goo. :-) (And apparently left me a tad addlepated to boot!) 

Loved the matchmaking magic that turns out to have quite a kick! And the valiant way Hayes tries to honour his promise to carry out his mission. And, since he's a romance flunkee, he enlists the aid of his bestest of best friends, Pru. Who is also his secret love, though he refuses to acknowledge that pesky feeling. And Pru, well, she's all about preserving their friendship at any cost -- including not giving in to the romantic notions about Hayes that have plagued her for years. 

Thrown together on a holiday quest to bring light and love to an unsuspecting pair, these amateur matchmakers aren't prepared for the 

residual fallout that has the potential to make or break their friendship forever.

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 A Match Made at Christmas, 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 November 6 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

October Giveaway -- Week Four

WON BY ELIZABETH LITTON

WON BY TERRILL

WON BY TAMMIE EDINGTON SHAW

WON BY ANGIE

WON BY LANE HILL HOUSE

WON BY CHERYL BARKER

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

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Joy to the World

GIVEAWAY

MILLER, CAROLYN

BARRATT, AMANDA

VETSCH, ERICA

JOY TO THE WORLD

This heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance from three popular inspirational authors is the ideal stocking stuffer for a very marry Christmas! Based on lines from the beloved Christmas carol, these novellas have depth, faith, and satisfying stories. Curl up those tales of love and joy for a break from all the busyness that surrounds the holiday season.

Heaven and Nature Sing

by Carolyn Miller

To music lovers, deeply devoted to each other, were on the brink of engagement when family circumstances drove them apart. How can they ever overcome their obligations and fears to find their way back into each other's arms!

Far as the Curse is Found

by Amanda Barratt

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?

Wonders of His Love

by Erica Vetsch

A Scots portrait painter finds work as a noble manor house over the holidays. He never imagined he'd fall in love with the emotionally frozen widow there. Now he wants nothing more than to thaw her heart.

My Review:

An incredible collection by stellar authors makes this a Regency Romance lover's delight!

Heaven and Nature Sing by Carolyn Miller -- Beguiling reunion romance that drove me crazy trying to figure out what caused the rift in the first place. Miller had me hooked right to the end. And, woohoo, Regency house party at Christmastime! Loved all the traditional holiday details and the oh-so-proper banter. Happy sigh!

Far as the Curse is Found by Amanda Barratt -- "Even the sky wept at the sight of him." (p 111) If ever an opening sentence set the mood of a story, that one sure does! Barratt's sumptuous prose has a Dickensian flare in this despair-turns-to-hope Christmas tale that would do the Victorian novelist proud. And there's also a Beauty and the Beast ambiance within these pages as well. Emotional and uplifting.

Wonders of His Love by Erica Vetsch -- Sqqquuueeallll!!! Swoonworthy Scottish hero alert. I kenna even...thud. :-) Love that he's an artist and of the wrong class for his aristocratic lady love. And I adore the way she blossoms under his admiring regard. Poor little rich girl aptly describes our heroine and she needs the likes of a 'wild' Scotsmen to help her see the hope in both herself and the future.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Joy to the World, 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 October 30 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Yours is the Night

GIVEAWAY

DYKES, AMANDA

YOURS IN THE NIGHT

A mysterious song in the forest...

a discovery in war-torn France...

a journey toward hope.

The trenches of the Great War are a shadowed place. Though Platoon Sergeant Matthew Petticrew arrived there with a pas long marked by shadow, the realities of battle bring new wounds -- carving within him a longing for light, and a resolve to fight for it.

One night, Matthew and his comrades are enraptured by a sound so pure, a voice so ethereal, it offers reprieve -- even if only for a moment. Soon, rumours sweep the trenches from others who have heard the lullaby too. "The Angel of Argonne," they call the voice: a mysterious presence who leaves behind wreaths on unmarked graves.

Raised in the wild depths of the Forest of Argonne, Mireilles finds her reclusive world rocked when war carshes into her idyllic home, taking much from her. When Matthew and his two unlikely companions discover Mireilles, they must embark on a journey that will change each of them forever...and perhaps, at long last, spark light into the dark.

On the 100th anniversary of the dedication to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier comes an emotive tale inspired the courageous soldiers of World War I.

My Review:

So many emotions...

So few words...

I'm gobsmacked and awestruck and totally incapable of writing a cohesive sentence so here's my review in a random gushing sprint:

One of the greatest romances ever. Seriously. It goes much deeper than swoons and toe-curls into the realm of sacrificial love. And how faith can bring even more depth to already unlimited emotions. Just stunning.

Lyrical text transported me into the pages of this book until I forgot it was a story and that these characters weren't real.

And, oh, these characters!!! Multiple points of view and I loved them all. The way the author shows growth in every single one. How their faith grows in startling, goosebumping 'hallelujah' moments. As well as the quieter moments of conviction. Moved me to tears so many times.

Speaking of which...mega tissue box alert...I cried buckets. Great, heaving, ugly-cry sobs by the end. My heart is still bruised and it kinda hurts to breathe. But there was just as much happy crying as sad crying. Phew! Wonderfully cleansing to let all those emotions ride roughshod over me for a time.

I want to say so much more but these characters...their journeys...are best experienced with fresh reader eyes. Just know that they will become real and you'll laugh with them and cry with them and sometimes want to smack one or two upside the head. But mostly, you'll just want to sink into their stories and soak up the wisdom and hope that comes from lives well lived.

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

*Added note: Though I had a paperback copy for review purposes I couldn't resist purchasing the audible edition as well. I really think that this multi-performer cast enhanced my enjoyment of Yours in the Night. They certainly brought these characters to life for me. Vibrant. Brilliant. Emotional. If you enjoy listening to audiobooks, I highly recommend this one.

 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy Yours is the Night, 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 October 30  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Lines Between Us

GIVEAWAY

GREEN, AMY LYNN

THE LINES BETWEEN US

A WWII novel of courage and conviction, based on the true experience fo the men who fought fires as conscientious objectors and the women who fought prejudice to serve in the Women's Army Corps.

Since the attack on Pearl Harbor, Gordon Hooper and his buddy Jack Armitage have stuck to their values as conscientious objectors. Much to their families' and country's chagrin, they volunteer as smokejumpers rather than enlisting enlisting, parachuting into and extinguishing raging wildfires in Oregon. But the number of winter blazes they're called to seems suspiciously high, and when an accident leaves Jack badly injured, Gordon realizes the facts don't add up.

A member fo the Women's Army Corps, Dorie Armitage has long been ashamed of her brother's pacifism, but she's shocked by news of his accident. Determined to find out why he was harmed, she arrives at the national forest under the guise of conducting an army report...and finds herself forced to work with Gordon. He believes it's wrong to lie, she's willing to do whatever it takes for justice to be done. As they search for clues, Gordon and Dorie must wrestle with their convictions about war and peace and decide what to do with the troubling secrets they discover.

My Review:

Another book that took me to unexpected places.

First, kudos to the author for finding a fresh WWII angle to write from. The Homefront setting has so many aspects I've never considered before. In The Lines Between Us (brilliant title tie-in, by the way), Green takes a hard look at the role of Conscientious Observers among some other controversial topics that left me with lots to ponder over.

While not completely epistolary fiction, letters and other documentation are scattered through out the narrative. I liked the way they enhance the storytelling and bring the reader closer to the characters and the mystery. 

Speaking of characters. I adored Gordon from the very first page. Dorie...not so much. This heroine riled me early on and kept me stewing for quite a while. She's opinionated and judgemental and brash. Feisty. Outrageously outspoken. More apt to act before thinking anything through. She's a firecracker and while I loved her spunk, it was the bitterness and ill-conceived convictions that had me seething. 

But, thankfully, Dorie is on a journey and the author does an incredible job with characterization. Not only with her heroine but with Gordon and a multitude of secondary characters as well. I felt like I'd been stretched and pummelled and pulled apart by the end of this novel. My heart is still tender and sore and I don't mind confessing I cried in a few places. 

"There's a lot of judgment in the bible."

"And a lot of grace."..."When I learn how to find the balance, I'll let you know." (p117)

This story, these characters, have worked their way into my heart and left me with some life altering takeaways. I'm still hashing through a briar patch of tangled thoughts and feelings over the many ways I can see history repeating itself. And wondering what I can do to help stop that endless loop of repetition. Always a great thing when a book sparks a desire in a reader to look deeper.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing 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  The Lines Between Us, 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 October 30  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Nature of Small Birds

GIVEAWAY

FINKBEINER, SUSIE

THE NATURE OF SMALL BIRDS

In 1975, three thousand children were airlifted out of Saigon to be adopted into Western homes. When one of those children announced her plans to return to Vietnam to find her birth mother, her loving adopted family is suddenly thrown back to the events surrounding her unconventional arrival in their lives.

Mindy's father grapples with the tension between holding on tightly and letting his daughter spread her wings. Her mother undergoes the emotional roller coaster inherent in the adoption of a child from a war-torn country, discovering the joy hidden amid the difficulties. And Mindy and her sister struggle to find the strength to accept each other as they both discover who they truly are.

Told through three distinct voices in three compelling timelines, The Nature of Small Birds is a hopeful story that explores the meaning of family far beyond genetic code.

My Review:

This book surprised me -- from the way the story is told to the content. I expected something much different so it took me awhile to adjust to Susie Finbeiner's storytelling choices. 

So, first unexpected thing -- while the author uses three distinct voices, none of them are Minh/Mindy's and since her search for her biological Vietnamese family is the impetus of the story, well, it came as a surprise to read about Mindy instead of experiencing events through her eyes.

Three timelines -- three points of view. Linda (Mindy's adoptive mom) in 1975, Sonny (Mindy's adoptive sister) in 1988, and Bruce (Mindy's adoptive dad) in 2013. The story starts in present day when Mindy expresses an interest in trying to discover her biological mother. From there we get a series of family vignettes that jump through the decades. 

Linda remembers the unexpected arrival of a desperately wanted child, the learning curve of the adjustment period and the hostility of extended family because of the child's race. High school senior Sonny is learning to navigate teen angst and young love which affects sisterly dynamics and Bruce is anchored in the present, desperate to keep his daughters safe, yet knowing he has to let them fly free.

There isn't a plot so much as a kaleidoscope of past and present that give a reader impressions about this family and the way they've banded together to create something lasting. Proof that love knows no bounds and that family isn't all about DNA and genealogical roots.

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

 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Nature of Birds, 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 October 30  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Christy Award Finalists -- Historical Romance

  

GIVEAWAY

What are the Christy Awards?

"The Christy Award is designed to nurture and encourage creativity and quality in the writing and publishing of fiction written from a Christian worldview and showcase the diversity of genres." (from the Christy Awards website)

These 2021 finalists are books published in 2020. You might have read them already. You might not. I'll include a link to my reviews of the books I've red underneath the descriptions.

How does this giveaway work?

You select which title from the Historical Romance category you would like to win if your name is drawn. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you're entering that way.) If you win, that's the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy. Here are the three finalists.

Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White (Bethany House, Baker Publishing)

Zivon Marin was one of Russian's top cryptographers until the October Revolution tore apart his world. Forced to flee to England after speaking out against Lenin, Zivon is driven by a growing anger and determined to offer his services to the Brits. But never far from his mind is his brother, who Zivon fears died in the train crash that separated them.

Lily Blackwell sees the world best through the lens of a camera and possesses unsurpassed sill when it comes to retouching and re-creating photographs. With her father's connections in propoganda, she's recruited to the intelligence division, even though her mother would disapprove if she ever found out

After Captain Blackwell invited Zivon to dinner one evening, a friendship blooms between him and Lily that soon takes over their hears. But both have secrets they're unwilling to share, and neither is entirely sure they can trust the other. When Zivon's loyalties are called into questions, proving him honest is about more than one couple's future dreams -- it becomes a matter if ending the war.

My Review: https://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-portrait-of-loyalty.html

The Prince of Spies by Elizabeth Camden (Bethany House, Baker Publishing) 

Luke Delacroix has the reputation of a charming man-about-town in Gilded Age Washington, D.C. In reality, he is secretly carrying out an ambitious agenda in Congress. His current mission is to thwart the reelection of Congressman Clyde Magruder, his only real enemy in the world.

But trouble begins when Luke meets MarianneMagruder, the congressman's only daughter, whose job as a government photographer gives her unprecendented access to sites throughout the city. Luke is captivated by Marianne's quick with and alluring charm, leading them both into a dangerous gamble to reconcile their feelings for each other with Luke's driving passion for vital reforms in Congress.

Can their newfound love survive a political firestorm, or will three generations of family rivalry drive them apart forever?

My Review: https://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/2021/03/prince-of-spies.html

When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin (Revell, Baker Publishing)

Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession and to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line . If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country -- or worse. If she does not report truthfully, she'll betray the oppressed and fail to wake up the folks back home.

Peter Lang is an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party -- to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.

As the world marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.

My Review: https://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/2021/02/when-twilight-breaks.html

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 these Christy Award Finalists, 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 October 30  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Christy Award Finaltists -- Mystery/Suspense/Thriller and Short Form

 

GIVEAWAY

What are the Christy Awards?

"The Christy Award is designed to nurture and encourage creativity and quality in the writing and publishing of fiction written from a Christian worldview and showcase the diversity of genres." (from the Christy Awards website)

These 2021 finalists are books published in 2020. You might have read them already. You might not. I'll include a link to my reviews of the books I've red underneath the descriptions.

How does this giveaway work?

You select which title from EITHER the Mystery/Suspense/Thriller OR Short Form category you would like to win if your name is drawn. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you're entering that way.) If you win, that's the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy. Here are the six finalists. 

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

Port of Origin by Lisa Harris and Lynne Gentry (Harris-Gentry Suspense)

Agents of Mercy, #2

When virus-infected pirates hijack a humanitarian medical ship, they trigger the threat of a global pandemic.

An African fisherman.

Forgeign exploitation of African's natural resources has destroyed the fishing business of Dabir Omar. Hijacking oil tankers brings cash to his family in their remote village, but it doesn't buy the medical care needed to stop the deadly sickness attacking his people. When Dabbir's son becomes ill, the desperate pirate sets sail for the Liberty, an international humanitarian medical ship ported on the coast.

An American surgeon.

Against his better judgment, Dr. Josiah Allen agrees to work a two-week surgical stint on the Liberty, moored in Douala, Cameroon. Shortly after he arrives with his precocious six-year-old daughter, Josiah is sent ashore to investigate a mysterious illness at the ship's post-op clinic. While he's gone, Ebola-infected pirates hijack the medical ship where Josiah left his daughter.

The woman compelled to save them all.

When pirate negotiations fail, Mackenzie Scott's privately-owned extraction unit comes in for the rescue. But when the medical ship where Mac had taken a wounded comrade is hijacked by pirates, the former military pararescue jumper becomes the pirate's key hostage.

Both fathers go to war to save their children. If Mac can't convince them to work together, the winner of this conflict will be a deadly virus intent on destroying the world.

Relative Silence by Carrie Stuart Parks (Thomas Nelson)

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 and 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 rumours 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 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

Unknown Threat by Lynn H. Blackburn (Revell/Baker Publishing Group)

Defend and Protect, #1

US Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell is lucky to be alive. Three of his fellow agents have died in unusual circumstances in the past ten weeks. Luke is devastated by the loss of his friends and colleagues, and his inability to locate the killer feels like a personal failure. He's an expert at shielding others, but now the protectors are in need of protection.

FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is driven to succeed and confident in her ability to solve every case she's assigned. She's been put in charge of the investigation into the unprecedented attacks, and with Luke's life in danger, the stakes have never been higher. But it's hard to know how to fight back when you don't know who the enemy is.

As more agents are targeted, Luke and Faith will have to work together to bring a killer to justice and prevent any more names from joining their fallen brothers and sisters on the Secret Service Wall of Honor.

My Review: https://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/2021/05/unknown-threat.html

Short Form

A Match Made at Christmas by Courtney Walsh (Sweethaven Press)

Hayes McGuire Neve believed the stories about a famous Nantucket matchmaker until she ropes him into taking over her duties while she's off the island for Christmas.

So he enlists the help of the one person he can trust with this crazy scheme -- his best friend, Prudence. Armed with a series of rules, a book of success stories and the promise of Christmas magic, the pair of old friends sets out to make a Christmas match.

Little do they know that magic doesn't discriminate, and the pair soon finds their years of friendship deepening into something more. Will Pru and Hayes ignore the electricity in the air between them or will there be more than one match made at Christmas?

Joy to the World : Far as the Curse is Found by Amanda Barratt (Kregel Publications)

In Joy to the World, three popular romance authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas have depth, faith, and satisfying stories all packed into the perfect length for readers to curl up and take a brief break from their holiday busyness.

Far as the Curse is Found -- 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?

Joy to the World : Wonders of His Love by Erica Vetsch (Kregel Publications)

In Joy to the World, three popular romance authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas have depth, faith, and satisfying stories all packed into the perfect length for readers to curl up and take a brief break from their holiday busyness.

Wonders of His Love -- A Scots portrait painter finds work at a noble manor house over the holidays. He never imagined he'd fall in love with the emotionally frozen widow there. Now he wants nothing more than to thaw her heart.

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 these Christy Award Finalists, 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 October 30  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

October Giveaway -- Week Three

WON BY KAY GARRETT

WON BY PAULA S.

WON BY TRACEY H.

WON BY TIGHEFAN

WON BY LEA

WON BY KATE

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

Christy Award Finalists

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

Short Form

MONDAY

Christy Award Finalists

Historical Romance

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

The Secret of Emerald Cottage

GIVEAWAY

LESSMAN, JULIE

THE SECRET OF EMERALD COTTAGE

A love story to die for...

Molly Stewart -- ex-Navy nurse and former evidence technician for the Charleston Police Department -- has been burned by love. So when her friend Pastor Chase Griffin begs her to move to scenic Lake Loon to be a nurse and companion for Miss Lilly, his elderly landlady, she jumps at the chance. The secluded and cozy cottage on a clear mountain lake seems the perfect place to heal from her fiance's betrayal as well as indulge in one of her greatest passions -- cozy romance. First with reading them by the bookcase and then hopefully, if dreams come true, writing and solving them one day as an author and detective. But when Miss Lilly's estranged great nephew shoes up, it's no mystery as to why he and Molly butt heads. Because it only takes one stolen kiss -- while she's sleeping no less -- to discover he's an even bigger player than the ex-fiance who broke her heart.

When international playboy and Irish soccer star Brec McGill learns his long-lost great aunt is in a coma from a drowning accident, he rushes to her side. No only is he anxious to reconnect with his only living relative he spent summers with as a boy, but her cottage on Lake Loon, Georgia is the perfect respite to heal from game injuries and escape a tabloid scandal. At thirty-three, he's disillusioned with the game, his fiance, and life in general, craving nothing but a little peace and solitude to get his head on straight. But when he discovers his aunt's cottage is not only inhabited by a crusty Aunt Lilly he hasn't seen in years, but a pretty prude of a nurse as well, his plans take a nose-dive in the Lake. Because suddenly it appears not only was Aunt Lilly's accident no accident...but somebody out there wants to see them all dead.

My Review:

All of Julie Lessman's trademark sizzle and spark with a hint of mystery besides? Yes please!

This author has a deft hand with characterization that always leaves me feeling like I'm witnessing the angst and turmoil in real lives...because it ain't a Lessman story unless your tummy's in a twist and you have a lump in your throat some of the time. :-)

Molly's all snap and sass -- a strong willed woman who values honesty, integrity and faith...which is kind of a problem when Brec shows up because he's been anything but. Not her ideal man but my how those sparks just seem to zip and zing around them every which way. There's a prodigal son twist to this story that was moving and inspiring...

But...and I can't believe I'm saying this...I was#team 'other guy' all the way. No spoiler because it's obvious from the cover blurb who the hero is in this story, but yes, there's a bit of a love triangle going on here. It's not the dominant part of the story, but it's there, and the other guy had my vote even though I knew it wouldn't turn out well for him. Sigh. I'm hoping the author writes him his very own love story. Sniffle.

I think what put me off Brec was the meet-cute. It made me uncomfortable -- again, no spoilers -- but -- gah, I'd like to talk this out with someone -- let's just say I found it unsettling enough that I was off kilter the rest of the read so while I could appreciate his growth and his vulnerabilities and the inner battles he had over making sense of his past in order to make changes in his present...well, I still connected with Other Guy more. 

The mystery is multi-layer intriguing, but I wouldn't say it's the main focus of the story. Molly and Brec's relationship is definitely front and centre but with this Gothic-y vibe, creep factor suspense that seeps into their lives and keeps the reader on edge trying to figure out what happened to Aunt Lilly and why. In between swooning over the toe-curling scenes, because this is a Julie Lessman creation after all. :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for an ebook copy

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Secret of Emerald Cottage, 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 October 23 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

Beyond the Tides

GIVEAWAY

JOHNSON, LIZ

BEYOND THE TIDES

When Meg Witaker's father decides to sell the family's lobster fishing business to her high school nemesis, she sets out to prove she should take it over instead. Though she's never had an interest in running the small fleet -- or even getting on a boat due to her persistent seasickness -- she can't stand to see Oliver Ross in charge. Not when he ruined her dreams of a science scholarship and an Ivy League education ten years ago.

Oliver isn't proud of what he did back then. Angry and broken by his father walking out on his family, he lashed out at Meg -- an innocent bystander. But owning a respected fishing fleet on Prince Edward Island is the opportunity of a lifetime, as well as a way to provide for his mother, and he's not about to walk away just because Meg wants him to.

Meg's father has the perfect solution: Oliver and Meg will work the business together, and at the end of the season, he'll decided who gets it. Along the way, they discover that their stories are more similar than they thoughts...and their dreams aren't what they expected.

My Review:

Eeeeepppp!!!! This is me fangirling over another chance to armchair travel to Prince Edward Island with Liz Johnson! I swear I could smell the salty brine in the air and hear the gulls swooping and the water lapping along the shore. Nearly as good as an actual real live visit -- maybe even better since I didn't have to gag over the fishy smells. Which is kinda funny, since my imagination seems to conjure up all the nice scents while conveniently leaving out the foul ones. :-)

And I love, love, love the Canadian setting and the way the author brings this charming part of my country to vibrant life. Even using notable landmarks to share inspirational insights like this one:

"This bridge must have taken thousands of people to build it. But if God gave some guy an idea for how to span thirteen kilometres of open water, then I figure he can probably show me a way through whatever I'm facing. The bridge reminds me that even if I don't have a plan, God can figure it out." (p 94)

Honestly, I got a kinda Anne Shirley / Gilbert Blythe vibe from Meg and Oliver which still has me giddy. I'm not sure if that was in the author's mind as she wrote or if my childhood L. M. Montgomery bingeing has forever clouded my mind for any other notion of island romance. :-) 

But they have that same enemies to more thing going on after a falling out in high school has left them at odds ever since -- which is saying something since they live in the same small town. Well, Meg went away to university, but since she's been back they've managed to avoid speaking to each other. And, like Anne, Meg knows how to hold a grudge and work it into a knot of fury and resentment. Unlike Gilbert though, Oliver did do something pretty rotten when they were in their teens. But, hello, ten years have past, it's time to let go of past hurts and move into the happily-ever-after future that just might be theirs if only....

Sigh. The 'if only' part is pure magic. This is a love story about overcoming hardships and heartache and learning to work side by side in order to create something lasting and meaningful. You can learn a lot about someone during long days of lobster fishing. 

I feel a little windburned now that the season is over and story has come to an end. Blissfully satisfied too. And -- hooray! -- Beyond the Tides is the first book in Liz Johnson's Prince Edward Island Shores series and Oliver has brothers whose stories need telling. I cannot wait!

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 Beyond the Tides, 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 October 23 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!