Maid to Match

GIVEAWAY

GIST, DEEANNE
MAID TO MATCH

From the day she arrives at the Biltmore, Tillie Reese is dazzled—by the riches of the Vanderbilts and by Mack Danvers, a mountain man turned footman. When Tillie is enlisted to help tame Mack's rugged behavior by tutoring him in the ways of refined society, the resulting sparks threaten Tillie's efforts to be chosen as Edith Vanderbilt's lady's maid.

But the stakes rise even higher when Mack and Tillie become entangled in a cover-up at the town orphanage. They could both lose their jobs...and their hearts.

My Review:

Published in 2010, this is just one of the many Deeanne Gist books I have to catch up on.

A fascinating look at the below stairs life of the famous Biltmore Estate owned by the Vanderbilts. The vivid details piqued my interest so much that I had to check it out online. My jaw dropped. No wonder it took 66 servants to keep the place running. Tillie is just as mesmerized by the estate and the lifestyle which causes some skewed priorities. Especially when Mack arrives on the scene. Rough around the edges, plain-spoken, he's the one risk that might just interfere with Tillie's ambitions to climb the 'downstairs ladder'. There's plenty of humour, tons of romantic tension culminating in a number of toe-curling scenes. Blissful sigh. And the sweet faith thread about making sure your priorities match God's is just icing on the cake. A sensational read for the discerning historical romance lover.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Maid to Match please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, 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 November 8 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Love on the Line

Giveaway!

GIST, DEEANNE
LOVE ON THE LINE

It's a battle of wills...and love is on the line!

Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world...which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over he shoulder.

Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.

My Review:

Catchy title for a fetching, light-hearted romance. The comedy was prevalent in nearly every scene. From subtle humour to out-loud belly laughs, I smiled my way through this one. (Which was a little embarrassing since I do most of my reading on the bus.)

Gist is meticulous in her characterization and that's what builds this into a memorable read. From Georgie's obsession with birds (there's a hysterical scene where she sums up Luke's appearance as if he were one of her bird sightings. So funny, I'm chuckling just thinking about it.) And Luke just happens to be the exact opposite to Georgie in all the wrong ways! They're a disaster waiting to happen.  And it's that contrast that really sparks the humour over and over again.

That doesn't mean there isn't drama in Love on the Line. There are a few grim scenes (and one in particular that made me cringe and I didn't fully understand until the end.) Doesn't that just make you want to read this book more? :-) I hope so, because this is romantic comedy at it's best.

Giveaway:

If you would like to win a copy of Love on the Line, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Please remember to put the title in your subject line. The draw will be held and the winner announced on Sunday November 20. Offer open internationally.  Good luck!


"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Beguiled

GIST, DEEANNE
BERTRAND, J. MARK

BEGUILED

Rylee Monroe, a dogwalker in Charelston's wealthiest neighbourhood, never feared the streets at night. But now a thief is terrorizing the area and worse, someone seems to be targeting her.

Reporter Logan Woods is following the break-ins with the hope of publishing his coverage as a true-crime book. The more he digs, the more he realizes this beguiling dogwalker seems to be at the center of everything.

As danger draws ever closer, Logan must choose: chase the girl, the story, or plunge into the shadows after the villian who threatens everything?

RIVETING READ. A GREAT BLEND OF SUSPENSE AND ROMANCE. I REALLY LIKED THE WAY THE MYSTERY WAS BUILT -- GIVING THE READER PIECES BIT BY BIT. I WAS ABLE TO PARTIALLY SOLVE IT, BUT THE ENDING WAS A REAL SURPRISE. A FAST-PACED PLOT THAT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE A QUICK READ BUT I WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN IT WAS OVER. I WANTED MORE! LOVED THE EPILOGUE!!!

A Bride in the Bargain

GIST, DEEANNE

A BRIDE IN THE BARGAIN

In 1860s Seattle, redwoods were plentiful but women scarce. Yet a man with a wife could secure 640 acres of timberland for free.

Joe Denton doesn't have a wife, though. His died before she could follow him to Seattle, and now the local judge is threatening to take away his claim. In desperation, he buys himself a Mercer bride -- one of the eastern widoes and orphans brought to the Territory by entrepreneur As Mercer.

Anna Ivey's journey west with Mercer is an escape from the aftermath of the Civl War. She signed on to become a cook -- not a bride. When she's handed over to Denton, her stubborn refusal to wed jeopardizes his land. With only a few months before he loses all he holds dear, can he convince this provoking, but beguiling, easterner to become his lawfully wedded wife?

JOE IS THE PRIME EXAMPLE OF A PERFECT HERO. HE'S INFURIATINGLY SLOW IN SOME WAYS, BUT SENSITIVE, CARING, DECENT AND DETERMINED. WHEN HE SETS OUT TO WOO ANNA...OY! GREAT ROMANTIC DEVELOPMENT --SIZZLES. VERY UNIQUE TAKE ON A 'CLICHE' PLOT. IT READS FRESH AND FAST.