Shaped by the Waves

GIVEAWAY

NELSON, CHRISTINA SUZANN

SHAPED BY THE WAVES

Cassie George is barely staying above water as she works to get her doctorate and raise her daughter. But she stubbornly keeps swimming to prove a few bad decisions haven't ruined her forever. Plus, it's all a great excuse to stay away from the small Oregon town she fled in shame years prior. But when she receives a call that the aunt who raised her has had a major health crisis, she knows it's time to return.

Cassie is surprised to be more welcomed by the quirky seaside community than she expected even if there's still tension between her and her former classmate Nora Milford. But she still can't help feeling unsettled and is mystified by a mysterious package that appears, full of typed pages that tell the story of an anonymous woman's life. As her curiosity sends her on a journey toward truth, Cassie will discover that who she thought she was and what she wants for her life are both about to change.

My Review:

A story within a story and both kept me riveted.

An emotional tale of loss and grief and the power of sacrificial love. Of learning to embrace what you have while letting go of the past. Cassie is on a journey back to her God and it takes her home...to finally face the ghosts she never really left behind.

Honestly, I'm not sure what I can say about this novel except it's thrilling and compelling and richly layered with faith and wisdom. Love Cassie who unnecessarily struggles to carry a full load when there are so many willing hands to help her. Letting go of pride and shame is a huge part of her journey and makes for a tumultuous and poignant tale. And when she reconnects with 'her people' and starts to trust them with her brokenness, well, magic happens.

And her daughter, Lark, is a bedazzled gem of sunshine and hope and lightens even the darkest scenes. As does a certain barista who brings a spark of love and the hope of happily ever afters into Cassie's life. But there's lots to work through before that can happen and that involves the kind of emotional roller coaster ride I love to read.

Some of those highs and lows come courtesy of a mysterious manuscript addressed to Cassie. She's fascinated...but is it fact or fiction? A little bit of mystery that adds even more layers to this enthralling tale.

Side note: There's a secondary story interlaced with Cassie's but they never really connect and I found myself puzzling over exactly why snippets of Nora's POV were added in. I thought maybe it was a set up for the next book, but Shaped by the Waves isn't marked as part of series so I'm a little befuddled. Not enough to dim my reading enjoyment, but still, I wonder....

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 Shaped by the Waves, 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 March 5 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

A Promise of Forgiveness

GIVEAWAY

BROWN, JO ANN

A PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS

Every little secret is a chain to the past...

For Amish widow Naomi Ropp, moving back to her parents' Bliss Valley home -- with her boisterous twin toddler boys -- is a chance to start over and bury the painful secrets of her marriage forever. But her life is turned upside down once again when she learns she's not the only one hiding things. The parents she believed were always open and honest have been keeping a secret her whole life. And now her only confidant is her father's new employee -- a handsome Amish man who was once her childhood tormentor.

Samuel King knows more than anyone should about mistakes -- and the way he treated Naomi is at the top of his list. But the shock of seeing her pretty face again is quickly overshadowed when they find a slumbering boppli abandoned on his porch. Caring for the sweet newborn together is finally bringing some peace to their feelings as they start to look toward the future. Samuel must find a way to convince Naomi to trust the man he's become...and the promise of new love.

My Review:

Back in Bliss Valley with more emotion and angst in the mighty fine storytelling style of Jo Ann Brown. Love how she wrestles an issue to ground and makes her characters face their demons...and conquer them. :-)

So, we have an enemies to lover trope with a very prickly, unyielding heroine who understands her Amish teaching of forgiveness but can't quite  apply it to the tormentor of her youth. Naomi still comes across in an engaging way though, and that's because we get insights into her past up front so I was all on pins-and-needles feeling her pain. 

Gah, but she's endured a lot!!!!! And just when she has no other recourse but to return to her father's house with her adorable (and extremely mischievous) toddlers in tow she walks straight into the catalyst that started it all. Not only does Samuel work with her dat but he lives on the property!

For his part, Samuel is a reformed man -- by way of some very harsh life lessons -- but Naomi isn't willing to accept that he has changed. She wants him gone but her dat needs his help in this buggy repair shop so they are at loggershead from the get go. Honestly, sometimes I wanted to shake some sense into Naomi and other times I just wanted to give her a big ol' comforting hug. Samuel feels pretty much the same way too. :-)

And as if life isn't complicated enough, an abandoned baby ends up in their care and...well, I won't say what else happens because it's not in the synopsis and I don't like to post spoilers. Let's just say the ensuing read (er...listen, for me) was unstoppable!

This is the second book in Brown's Secrets of Bliss Valley series (and oh my -- those secrets!) but I think it would read well as a standalone as well. There's a bit of a carry over secondary plot thread but it's explained enough to make things clear. (If you have read the first book, you'll be happy to catch glimpses of Adam and Lauren in this one. )

 GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy.

If you would like a chance to win a , 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 March 5 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

February Giveaway -- Week Four

WON BY JO

WON BY MELISSA ANDRES

WON BY PAULA S.

WON BY KAYLEE

WON BY TERRILL

WON BY DANIELLE H.

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address in a comment, 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.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Please read the giveaway options written in red noted under "Giveaway Opportunity" in each blog post as formats will vary.

Paperback or ebook -- winner can choose either format

Paperback -- I have a new physical book on hand to give away

Gently Read Paperback -- It's the actual book I read to review

ebook -- that's the only format option available, often because it's an indie book where a paperback copy is either unavailable or exorbitantly priced. Or when a physical edition is out of print.

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

The Adoption Surprise

J

GIVEAWAY

ACKSON, ZOEY MARIE

THE ADOPTION SURPRISE

Separated at birth and determined to become a family.

"She looks like me!" When her orphaned niece utters those words, Kelsey Harris is shocked -- not only that Morgan has a long-lost twin but that the grieving five-year-old spoke at all. Overjoyed by Morgan and Mia's instant connection, Kelsey and Zach Johnson, Mia's widowed adoptive father, agree to be friends -- and only friends. But can they ignore their growing feelings when the matchmaking sisters put their plan into action?

My Review:

Love Inspired totally aces yet another cover win! Are those little girls not adorable? And peeking out from behind the tree...just all kinds of cuteness and screams 'read me!" so I did. :-)

Winning debut novel with so much heart and faith! Really love how the faith elements anchored the whole story. Amazing insights and so inspiring. And the way the author seamlessly weaves them around the romance makes for some blissful reading time. 

What a stunning premise to build a love story on -- adopted twins girls, separated at birth meet up in small town Delaware (love the location -- I haven't read any books set in this state before!) Little Mia has moved to town with her widowed dad and Morgan is struggling over the loss of her parents in a car crash and adjusting to living with her Aunt. 

Kelsey and Zach's first meeting delivers all the thrills and grabbed my attention. Once they figure out that the girls are actual sisters -- well, it's bonding time so cue the swoony sighs (Zach) and gleeful chuckles over all the little girl antics! But Jackson has added quite a bit of depth with issues raised and struggles fought and I was desperately hanging on for that happily-ever-after. Hard won, but, phew, she came through in the end!

Plus I'm now friends with a slew of secondary characters that I know are clamouring for their own stories so I'm hoping the author plans to take us back to Swallow's Creek sometime real soon!

Goal Update: #3 Read more Debut authors, #5 Diversify my reading

 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Adoption Surprise, 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 February 26 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Life Flight

GIVEAWAY

EASON, LYNETTE

LIFE FLIGHT

EMS helicopter pilot Penny Carlton is used to high-stress situations, but being forced to land on a mountain in a raging storm with a critical patient -- and a serial killer on the loose -- tests her skills and her nerve to the limit. She survives with FBI Special Agent Holt Satterfield's help. But she's not out of the woods yet.

In the ensuing days, Penny finds herself under attack. And when news reaches Holt that he may not have gotten his man after all, it will take all he and Penny have to catch a killer -- before the killer catches one of them.

My Review:

Okay, so my suspense-lovin' readerly brain might have blown inside out over this latest Eason masterpiece. I mean...the first few chapters could have been a book all on it's own. They are delivered in one harrowing scene after another until we can breathe a sigh of relief...or can we? 

Because then Eason gets serious! Bwahahaha. Complicated plot riddled with so many plot twists and out and out U-turns that I am suffering from a case of literary whiplash. And then she ups the creep factor and...eeeeppp! Let's just say this author has a very vivid imagination and I'm glad she does...I think. :-)

We are introduced to two teams: Penny's life flight crew and Holt's FBI cronies. What an intriguing and eclectic mix of secondary characters who all have the potential of starring in their own stories so I hope Revell and the author have plans to make this a longer than the typical 3 book series! 

I love the way the author dropped in back stories in just the right doses...sometimes too agonizingly slow for me! lol As for the romance -- Penny and Holt have some history which I'll let you discover on your own. This isn't a reunion romance, but they have been getting to know each other after a startling unique first meet (the kind of thing perfect to regale grandkids with!) It makes a solid foundation for what follows.

Even though I received a book from the publisher, I also bought the audible edition because..well, I can be bookish fanatical like that. I enjoyed Sara Sheckells' narration and would definitely recommend Life Flight as an excellent audio book choice. Or paperback. Or ebook. Whatever the edition, don't miss out on hair-raising page-turner!

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

Goal Update: #6 Stay current with a series

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Life Flight, 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 February 26 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Covert Takedown

GIVEAWAY

TAILER, KATHLEEN

COVERT TAKEDOWN

She'll do anything to protect a witness...but can she forgive him?

With her ex's witness protection cover blown and someone trying to murder him, it falls to FBI agent Tessa McIntyre to protect the man who left her at the altar. Gabe Grayson's the only one who can identify who's behind the recent killings linked to a money laundering scheme. But can Tessa forgive their past and work with Gabe to stop a murderer...before they're silenced for good?

My Review:

Gleeps! This hero and heroine have HISTORY!!!! I want to talk about it but I can't because, well, you just need to read it for yourself. And, mercy, but does this suspense have a hair-raising start! Beware paper cuts on your finger tips from frantically flipping pages! And then it's all fast and furious and puzzling the rest of the way through. All while Tessa and Gabe slowly reclaim what they lost three years ago. A read-in-one-sitting wonder.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Covert Takedown, 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 February 26 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Where the Last Rose Blooms

 GIVEAWAY   

CLARK, ASHLEY

WHERE THE LAST ROSE BLOOMS

Alice runs a New Orleans flower shop alongside her aunt, but thoughts of her mother, who went missing during Hurricane Katrina, are never far from her mind. After getting off on the wrong foot who a man who comes to the shop, Alice soon realizes their worlds overlap -- and the answers they both seek can be found in the same place.

In 1861 Charleston, Clara is an abolitionist, unbeknownst to her father, who is heavily involved with the Confederacy. She attempts to assist an enslaved woman reunite with her daughter, and a dashing Union spy is just the person to help them. But things go very wrong when Clara agrees to aid the Northern cause by ferrying information about her father's associates -- and her own fiancé.

Faced with the unknown, both women across the years will have to dig deep to let the their courage bloom.

My Review:

"If God has truly redeemed me, why on some days do I still feel broken?"

The final book in Ashley Clark's Heirloom series is just as stunning as the first two. She has a magical way with words that weave a story together and keep a reader spellbound until the very last page.

Two heroines (and their heroes). Two time periods. Alice and Clara are separated by more than a century but they both struggle to make a place for themselves in a world that isn't always kind or predictable. 

This time I was particularly drawn to Alice's story (present day timeline.) I was moved by her faith journey and the depth the author brings to the complicated layers of her life. There were a few instances of leaping back in time to the early 2000s which threw me off a bit. Not a huge deterrent to my enjoyment of the story but I think I've come to the conclusion that I much prefer dual timeline stories rather than multi timeline stories. Just a personal preference.

The historical timeline with Clara and Rose was interesting, but it felt rushed to me. I wanted more details. More emotion. And there isn't an ending as much as a tapering off. It left me feeling a little bereft because not everything is tied up in a neat little bow. Much like real life, I guess. 

I think it would be best to read this series in order...or at least read the first book...before reading Where the Last Rose Blooms. Clark brings the series around full circle and we get a host of familiar faces to meet up with again. And I think there are aspects of the ending in the present day timeline that won't hold as much significance if you aren't familiar with the other stories.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Pilar Witherspoon and Lynette R. Freeman who did a fabulous job of breathing life into these characters and doing justice to Ashley Clark's incredible storytelling skills.

"Brokenness abounds -- it is the state of this world." She patted the stitches once more with her wrinkled hand. "But if we look hard enough, we can find spaces, pierced by a needle. When threaded together, they create something beautiful -- a story, our story, and through the threads and the holes, we grow."

Goal Update: #6 Stay current with a series

 

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 , 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 February 26 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

What You Said to Me

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

NEWPORT, OLIVIA

WHAT YOU SAID TO ME

When 15-year-old Tisha Crowder gets caught shoplifting, attorney Nolan Duffy tries to protect her from consequences that could rattle her already troubled life. His daughter, Jillian, feels like she's the one being punished instead -- by having Tisha assigned to work with her on a backlog of genealogy files. Tisha doesn't seem interested in taking the job seriously, and Jillian's patience wears thin. Besides, everyone in Canyon Mines knows the Crowder family have experienced generations of brokenness. Then a sliver of hope turns up in long-ago words in plain sight, challenging shrouded assumptions about Tisha's family. Now Jillian is the one who can walk with Tisha back to 1893 and uncover where everything went wrong in the first place -- and save her from the past.

My Review:

published in 2020

This is a series that somehow got away from me but I'm rectifying that asap even though I'm reading them out of order. :-) Now I've read book one and four and have to fill in with the middle books. There does seem to be some carry over elements among the stories, but I didn't feel lost at any point, though I am eager to backtrack because Jillian has picked up a beau somewhere along the way. :-) The whole series explores the legacy of family history and how it continues -- for good or bad -- into each generation.

So, basically what you need to know in order to jump right in with book four is that Jillian and her father are very close and they live together. I  love the relationship between this duo. It's funny and touching and rooted in love and a shared loss. 

She's a genealogist (which sounds like all kinds of fun!!!) and her dad is a lawyer with ninja mediation skills. She's pretty careful and exacting and...well, predictable. He's a more carefree, go-with-the-flow kinda guy. And that means sometimes they clash. Like when Nolan comes home with a fait accompli involving Jillian supervising a juvenile delinquent's community service time. Aka, find ways for the sullen teen to help out with  the huge genealogy project Jillian's working on. That goes about as well as you'd expect. :-)

Did I mention this is a dual timeline? The story flips between present day with Jillian and Nolan trying to help the recalcitrant Tisha and the intriguing past of a family in turmoil in the late 1890s. Both are fascinating and emotional and I was near crazy trying to figure out the connection between past and present, because I knew there had to be one. Wonderfully written in an engaging style that kept me flipping pages until the very end. Yep, read it in one sitting. Already have books two and three on hold at my library. :-)

Goal Update: #2 Catch up on series

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 What You said to Me, 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 February 26 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

A Sudden Spark

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

HO, LIWEN Y.

A SUDDEN SPARK

He's a writer too shy to speak to women. She's a single mom who's sworn off men. Little do they know how much a marriage of convenience will shake up their lives.

Brandon Spark may know a thing or two about women as a romance author, but his real love life proves otherwise. Between his hang-up over a college friend and hours with social anxiety, dating is the last thing on his mind -- unit he runs into his old crush.

Hair stylist Bria Montgomery made some major mistakes a decade ago -- wandering from her faith, then getting pregnant and dropping out of college. She's desperate to leave her past -- and the men from it -- behind, but it's impossible when they keep showing up in her life.

Brandon can't believe he has a second chance with his first love: Bria can't fathom ever falling for a guy she friend-zoned years ago. When an unexpected custody battle forces them to become husband and wife, things get intense and personal -- fast. Will this sudden change end their friendship or spark a lasting romance?

My Review:

published in 2018

I fear I abandoned the Spark brothers back in 2020 but I'm determined to catch-up with all their shenanigans and, of course, romance (!) in very short order. This is the second book in the series but easily reads well as a standalone too. Love the brotherly connection, their genuine interactions whether they are joking around or engaging in serious heart-to-hearts. It's a fantastic foundation for a series.

And this time it's Brandon's turn to find love, which is only fair since he's...wait for it...a popular romance author who writes swoonworthy happily ever afters all the time...except in real life. Because Brandon is painfully shy and suffers from social anxiety. But he made one special friend in college and after they reconnect during a chance encounter, he can't resist trying again. 

The author manages to convey all the awkward emotions and heartbreak along with a healthy dose of humour to lighten things up a bit. Like this:

"If God could make a donkey in the Old Testament talk, He could certainly help him form some words, couldn't He?" (p 48)

Guffaw and happy sigh. This story is sooooo romantical not to mention...drum roll please....rapapapum...Contemporary Marriage of Convenience Alert!!! And we all know it takes imagination + talent to make that trope work in the 21st century and Liwen Y. Ho does it brilliantly!!!!!

When I wasn't swooning over Brandon or his brothers, I was cheering Bria on through her struggles as a single mom who has recently recommitted to her faith. Loved the inspirational arc in this novel and the timeless truths other characters speak into Bria's life.

"Well, if it's any consolation, nothing that happens is a surprise to the Lord. The real surprise is seeing how He turns things around for us. And when He doesn't change the circumstances, He does something even better."

"What's that?"

"He changes hearts." (p 33-34)

I have to celebrate a Christian Fiction novel that inspires while entertains and A Sudden Spark does all that -- and more -- exceedingly well.

Goal Update: #2 Catch-up on series I'm behind in, #5 Diversify my reading

 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Sudden Spark, 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 February 26 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

February Giveaway -- Week Four

WON BY PATTY

WON BY BEAUTY IN THE BINDING

WON BY CONNIE LEE

WON BY CINDY

WON BY ANGIE

    WON BY MELMO2610
AND WINNIE

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address in a comment, 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.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Please read the giveaway options written in red noted under "Giveaway Opportunity" in each blog post as formats will vary.

Paperback or ebook -- winner can choose either format

Paperback -- I have a new physical book on hand to give away

Gently Read Paperback -- It's the actual book I read to review

ebook -- that's the only format option available, often because it's an indie book where a paperback copy is either unavailable or exorbitantly priced. Or when a physical edition is out of print.

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

The Rebel's Return

GIVEAWAY

JOHNSON, MYRA

THE REBEL'S RETURN

Surprise fatherhood could be just the thing to reform this black sheep.

Called home after an injury in the family, prodigal son Samuel Navarro shocks everyone by arriving with his surprise baby in tow. When Samuel's mom is unable to act as a full-time babysitter, his childhood, Joella James, reluctantly takes the job. But can the newly devoted dad convince Joella he's a changed man...and that she's the perfect final piece to his little family?

A Ranchers of Gabriel Bend Novel

My Review:

"You don't need to see the whole path in order to take the next step." (p 197)

Gotta love a prodigal story with a cowboy hero! Especially when it's set in Myra Johnson's Ranchers of Gabriel Bend series. If you've read the first book, The Rancher's Family Secret, you'll be happy to see some familiar faces in this story, but it also reads wonderfully well as a standalone too. 

Love all the drama and friendships and romance ricocheting around the neighbouring ranches and the strong cast of secondary characters who enrich Samuel and Joella's love story. That includes adorable little Sophie who is just days old when we meet her and brings all kinds of complications to Samuel's life but he wouldn't have it any other way. 

Johnson creates characters that come alive and struggle with the kind of worries and fears most every reader can relate to. And the act of letting go and trusting God with it all is portrayed beautifully through the lives of this hero and heroine. 

 A sweet and uplifting romance full of wisdom and warmth and the promise of happily ever after.

Goal Update: #6 Stay current with a series

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback.

WAIT!

Trixi just told me she has one brand spanking new copy to give away as well so there will be two winners for this giveaway. 

THANK YOU, TRIXI!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Rebel's Return, 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 February 19 2022. Offer open to 

Deadly Target

GIVEAWAY

GODDARD, ELIZABETH

DEADLY TARGET

Criminal psychologist Erin Larson's dreams of a successful career come to a screeching halt when she nearly loses her own life in a boating accident on Puget Sound and then learns that her mother tried to commit suicide. She leaves her job as a criminal psychologist to care for her mother in Montana. At least she is able to produce her podcast, which focuses on solving missing persons cold cases.

Nathan Campbell's father was investigating such a case when he was shot, and now Nathan needs to enlist Erin's help to solve the case. She's good at  what she does. The only problem? She's his ex.

As the two dig deeper, it becomes clear that they, too, are being targeted -- and that the answers to their questions are buried deep within the past Erin struggles to explain and longs to forget.

The race is on for the truth in this gripping and complex tale of suspense, intrigue, and murder from USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard.

My Review;

I think I'm too gobsmacked to formulate words. What a thrill of a read! I mean it starts off straight forward...ish. :-) A heroine who secretly podcasts about missing children; a hero who is reconnecting with his dad after years of estrangement only to have him shot. Oh and the hero and heroine were once an item so there's reunion romance angst as well. 

Lots for a suspense reader to dig her teeth into and I thought I was prepared but Goddard kept me spinning loop-de-loops right to the very end. It was "wait...what?...bbbbut....ohooooo" all the way through. Punctuated by so many startling revelations that I'm completely baffled over how the author kept it all straight as she was writing. So it's complicated but not so much so that I was lost -- more like awed. Over and over again.

And then there's Nathan and his silver linings. :-) Be still my heart! And Erin who flat out ran from their relationship back in the day. No real reason other than a deeply rooted fear that she still hasn't escaped. So there's that to work through while dodging a maniacal killer and investigating a cold case and just staying alive. All while trying to absorb the whiplash of repeated startling discoveries. Phew!

A page-turning mix of suspense and romance that's pretty much unputdownable. Or un-not-listenable? 'Cause this was another audible selection for me, aptly narrated by Cynthia Farrell. 

Goal Update: #6 Stay current with a series

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 Deadly Target, 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 February 19 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Secret Sabotage

GIVEAWAY

REED, TERRI

SECRET SABOTAGE

The crash was intentional...but he can't remember why.

With no memory of the crash that landed him in the hospital, Ian Delaney is determined to uncover who sabotaged his helicopter -- without the protection of his family appointed bodyguard. But Simone Walker's used to stubborn clients and won't let Ian leave her sight. To catch an unknown traitor, they must rely on each other...or the next attack could prove lethal.

My Review:

Terri Reed is one of my go-to authors. I see her name on the book cover and don't even read the synopsis, just drop it into my cart and read the book pretty much the minute it comes into the house. :-) And Secret Sabotage is the perfect example of why!

Great blend of action and suspense and relentless danger as well as the lure of romance. Happy sigh. And I love the bodyguard flip with Simone being the bodyguard to one very perplexed Ian. He has partial amnesia from a crash that makes it incredibly difficult to figure out just why someone is gunning for him and that added to the intrigue and sense of danger.

I know the amnesia trope is very popular but I think I overdosed on them the last few years so I always go into one of these reads with some trepidation. I'll even pass on a book sometimes if it's not written by a tried and true author. Still, when I do read this trope, I'm always astounded over how certain authors have the ability to make it seem fresh and new. Reed has brought some unique twists and emotional layers to this romantic suspense. Plus, she gobsmacked me in places! Love it when an author does that.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Secret Sabotage, 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 February 19 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck