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!

Homefront Heroines

GIVEAWAY

ALEXANDER, JOHNNIE

BARRATT, AMANDA

BLISS, LAURALEE

GERLACH, RITA

Homefront Heroines

Patriotic service leads to victories in romance

Relive life on the American Homefront as four women of the WWII era join the workforce and discover romance in surprising ways.

Moonlight Serenade by Rita Gerlach -- 1941, Washington DC -- When Kate St. Clare takes a job at the Navy Yard in Washington D.C. to help with the war effort, she is thrown into a romance she never expected.

Only Forver by Lauralee Bliss -- 1943, Springville New York -- When a new enemy threatens their town, Marilyn and Arthur team together to overcome evil with good and learn it's not the outside that counts but the inward working of the heart.

Blue Moon by Johnnie Alexander -- 1943, Oak Ridge, Tennessee -- After humiliating each other, a WOOPs officer and an Army Intelligence agent team up to protect a top secret atomic-bomb facility from sabotage. 

Dream a Little Dream by Amanda Barratt -- 1945, Palm Springs, California -- When a widowed nurse and a former film star are reunited at a wartime hospital, can they move beyond their past and into a future together?

My Review:

What a great collection of World War II Homefront stories! Love how each author approached the theme from a different angle. There's definitely something for every reading preference here. From insta-love to friends to more; reunion romance to second chances. 

And the settings are just as varied. Different locations and circumstances find each of these heroines contributing to the war effort in unique ways. I really loved the glimpse of the war years from the perspective of those left behind. The sacrifices women made while living with so much uncertainty exemplifies the meaning behind the expression 'grace under fire.' A lesson we could learn from in today's troubled times!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Homefront Heroines, 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 September 11 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Seven Brides for Seven Texas Rangers Romance Collection

GIVEAWAY

SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN TEXAS RANGERS ROMANCE COLLECTION
VETSCH, ERICA
BARRATT, AMANDA
DAVIS, SUSAN PAGE
MCDONOUGH, VICKIE
MEYER, GABRIELLE
SEILSTAD, LORNA
Y'BARBO, KATHLEEN

7 Rangers Find Love and Justice on the Texas Frontier
No one is too tough to be loved...

Seven Texas Rangers -- tough, smart, and ready for danger -- are totally unprepared when love sneaks in and makes off with their hearts. Aided by their commanding officer and his matchmaking wife, each one is paired with a seemingly unsuitable bride and in the end, each man may be more than willing to be found guilty of love.

But first, they will need to face the Cass Markham Gang as it makes its way through eastern Texas, stealing and kidnapping as they go. Will romance be a distraction or just the thing to inspire each Ranger to courageous feats?

My Review:

Another stellar novella collection from Barbour. Love the theme of this one because, really, who doesn't swoon just a teensy bit at the mention of a Texas Ranger?! And there's a great prologue and epilogue that anchor these stories in a very satisfying way. These Rangers are under the direction of Captain Sterling who oversees their work routines but it is the captain's wife, Etta, who has the final say on 'her boys' personal lives. And that means these Rangers are about to meet their matrimonial matches! This is just reading goodness all 'round.

The Ranger's Reward by Gabrielle Meyer --  A routine check on an isolated widow turns into anything but for Texas Ranger Griffin Sommer when the Markham gang show up at the ranch. Griff suddenly finds himself undercover. playing the role of husband to Evelyn and pa to young Harrison . Cue toe-curling kisses as tensions rise and danger threatens. Woot! A heart-pounding read-in-one-sitting kind of novella.

More Precious Than Rubies by Lorna Seilstad --  Hearts collide when schoolyard sweethearts Violet Tatienne and Texas Ranger Whit Murray reconnect on the train during a robbery. He's sworn to bring the robbers to justice but Violet has a vested interest in hunting the villains down too -- they stole the gems she was transporting to her father's jewelry store. Cue the fireworks as this exasperated ranger  tries to curtail Violet's inexperienced sleuthing while doing his own. Great blend of humour and danger and sweet romance.

Jesse's Sparrow by Amanda Barratt -- Sara Byrne has escaped a life of prostitution and has finally saved up enough money to rescue the girls she left behind in captivity...until she becomes the victim of a stagecoach robbery. Left stranded and penniless, Sara has no choice but to accept the help of Texas Ranger Jesse Rawlings. Her past has made her wary of men and trust for the ranger doesn't come easily. Luckily Jesse has a compassionate heart and the patience of Job. This story has a more serious nature than the others and the author has included a heartfelt note appealing to readers to take a stand against human trafficking in all its evil forms.

The Countess and the Cowboy by Kathleen Y'barbo -- Classic star-crossed lovers with nefarious villains thrown in. Ava Becker and Texas Ranger Ezra Creed were an item once upon a time. Now they are thrown together again when a horse thief connected to the notorious Markham gang pays a visit to the Becker ranch. Heated emotions unmask a deeper yearning as these two set out to find justice...and lost love.

Simple Interest by Susan Page Davis -- Ranger O'Neal Brewster has a thing for pretty bank teller Augusta Ferris. He flirts and she deflects but O'Neal is sure she's destined to be in his future...until the bank is held up and Augusta is taken hostage. Now it's up to the intrepid Ranger to track the Markham gang and rescue his damsel in distress. Only there's a whole lot of feisty buried beneath the bank teller's prim exterior and O'Neal is in for some surprises. Humour and action make this a super fun read.

Partners in Crime by Vickie McDonough -- Micah McCullough is working undercover as a member of the notorious Markham gang. The Texas Ranger has a plan that runs to ground when the gang kidnaps a young woman who they believe can create counterfeit money plates. But though Laurel Underwood is a prize winning silversmith she knows she will be unable to deliver on the Markham's demands. Suddenly Micah's mission switches from information gathering to rescuing the lady hostage. Tension and fear heighten emotions and Laurel and Micah soon discover that escaping to freedom holds untold promises if they can spend it together.

Guard Your Heart by Erica Vetsch -- Branch Kilborn is the last bachelor Texas Ranger in Hartville and he aims to keep it that way. And then Constance Spanner witnesses a murder and he's tasked with keeping her safe until she can testify. Tough ol' rough-around-the-edges Branch is suddenly intrigued, But he finds that Constance is a guarded woman whose grit and determination are more than enough to keep him at bay. Which, oddly enough irks him to no end. Subtle humour add to this action-packed conclusion to the Seven Brides for Seven Texas Rangers Romance Collection.

My thanks to author Lorna Seilstad for providing me with a copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like the chance to win a copy of Seven Brides for Seven Texas Rangers Romance Collection, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you leave your email in 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 and the subject line so it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 4 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Seven Brides for Seven Texans

GIVEAWAY

VETSCH, ERICA
BARRATT, AMANDA
DAVES, SUSAN PAGE
GWYN, KELI
MCDONOUGH, VICKI
MEYER, GABRIELLE
SEILSTAD, LORNA
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN TEXANS

Time is running out to find love...

George Washington Hart is tired of waiting for his seven grown sons to marry, and now he may not live long enough to see grandchildren born. So he sets an ultimatum for each son to marry before the end of 1874 or be written out of his will to inherit a portion of his extensive Texas ranch. But can love form on a deadline?

Each of the Hart brothers -- Austin, Bowie, Travis, Houston, Crockett, Chisholm, and Hays -- attempts to fulfill his father's wishes in his own stubborn way. Adventures await these handsome bachelors, but will each quest lead to true love?

My Review:

One of the most enjoyable novella collections I have ever read. Each story compliments the others and there's a great flow between them all. And I loved the prologue and epilogue which neatly bookends the collection of stories. And the play on the movie, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is so much fun. Only here we have cowboys on a matrimonial deadline -- let the games begin!

First Comes Love by Gabrielle Meyer : There's something about a brash, determined cowboy with marriage on his mind. Thud. Hays is smooth, friendly and all too popular with the ladies. But he's sincere and kind and falling hard for Emma. She has marriage on the mind too --- how to avoid it. These two clash from the get-go and this light-hearted romance kept me smiling right to the end.

The Heart of Texas by Lorna Seilstad :  I do so love a lawman with dimples. Swoon. And Chisholm has an easy-going nature and plenty of reasons to flash those dimples -- especially in Caro's direction. But she's too busy plotting against him to notice...much. The more put out Caro acts, the more Chisholm is amused. Love me some laughter with my romance. And a bit of suspense gives this story an extra kick.

The Truest Heart by Amanda Barratt : A moving starry celebrating the joy of second chances. Annie is burdened by a guilt she doesn't need to carry and it's Travis who gently reminds her that God doesn't bestow blessings because we deserve them but rather, because He chooses to bless us through His love. A truly uplifting inspirational romance.

A Love Returned by Keli Gwyn : The importance of commitment to family shines through in this touching historical romance. A miscommunication in their youth pulled Houston and Coralee apart and broke both their hearts. Wounded and wary, Coralee spurns Houston's attempts to rekindle their romance but he's not a man easily deterred.  A sweet romance that's sure to satisfy.

For Love or Money by Susan Page Davis : Crockett is a serious contender for cowboy hero of the month. He's a man of action so it's no surprise that when Jane's family home is burnt to the ground, Crockett is the man who orchestrates the rebuilding effort. And much to this reader's delight he ends up falling for his tenacious cowgirl neighbour in the process.

Mail-Order Mayhem by Vickie McDonough : I do so love a good mail-order bride story and this one definitely fits the bill -- with a unique twist that kept me grinning. And wincing. Poor Austin's clever plans to meet his father's inheritance requirements go awry when two ladies step off the stagecoach in Hartville. One is his intended, the other her chaperoning sister. Doesn't sound complicated, right? Wrong! Things get all twisty turny before they even out and I loved every minute of it.

Love at Last by Erica Vetsch : Bowie caught my attention in the prologue and I couldn't wait to get to his story. Disfigured in the war, Bowie has become somewhat of a recluse, working on the ranch and avoiding town and people in general.  Finding a wife within the year time limit set by his father seems like an impossible task...until he latches onto the idea of contracting a marriage of convenience with his former nurse. What follows is a heart-tugging story of accepting one's worth and the power of love.

My thanks to author Lorna Seilstad for providing me with a copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email addres, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email  please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday January 1 2017. Offer open to International readers. Good luck!