To Tame a Cowboy

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY,

TO TAME A COWBOY

Brody McQuaid is a broken man, and he knows it. While his body survived the war, his should did not. Besides loving his little niece, his only other sense of purpose comes from saving the wild horses that roam South Park. Ranchers in the area have taken to killing the horses, which are competing with their cattle to feed on the open grass.

Savannah Marshall is a veterinarian on her family's Colorado ranch. She longs to keep her father happy following the tragic death of her older brother, including marrying a man of his choosing. But days before her wedding, she gets cold feet and disappears to South Park. As she learns more about the destruction of the horses, she joins Brody in an attempt to save the wild creatures. But when Savannah's family and the resentments of the area cattlemen catch up with them both, Brody and Savannah will have to tame their fears if they've any hope to let love run free.

My Review:

"This week, watching you tame that stallion, I couldn't help but notice that you have the most patience for the wildest creatures. Maybe God has the most patience with the wildest of us too."

Seriously, does it get any better than a brooding cowboy, a runaway almost-bride and wild mustangs in terrible peril? Only if it's written by Jody Hedlund!!!!

This is the third in her Colorado Cowboys series and it might be my favourite. Love that Savannah is a veterinarian. She's conflicted between duty to family and the need to chase her own dreams. And she has a way with wounded creatures, which makes her the perfect match for Brody McQuaid.

Fireworks start sizzling the second they meet and you'll definitely need a fainting couch and smelling salts if you hope to reach 'the end' unscathed. A hankie or two wouldn't go amiss either, for those touching scenes where Brody claws his way back from the horrors of his wartime memories. This is very much his redemption story.

Of course, there's conflict from within and without before these two can make their way to a happily ever after. Lots of Wild West action and adventuring and tons of critter tending along with lovely cameos of the whole growing McQuaid clan. (No worries, if this will be your first book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.) Plus, the author includes a cliff hanger of a teaser for the next book coming out in October -- Falling for the Cowgirl, the lone McQuaid sister's story. And, eeepppp, there's going to be one more after that too. Yeehaw!!!

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 To Tame a Cowboy, 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 May 28 2022. Offer open to International Readers.

Never Leave Me

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY

NEVER LEAVE ME

In the last stages of a genetic disease, Ellen Creighton had decided to live out her remaining days at the estate of her longtime friend Harrison Burlington. Harrison cares deeply for Ellen, but as a wheel-chair-bound paraplegic, he's never allowed himself to get serious in a relationship. However, he's desperately trying to save her by finding the holy water that is believed to heal any disease.

When he locates two flasks, Ellen refuses to drink one of them because she believes the holy water killed her sister and father. In an effort to convince her to take it, Harrison ingests the contents first, and when Ellen witnesses the effects, she can no longer deny the power of the substance in the bottles. Dangerous criminals are also seeking the holy water, and Ellen soon learns they will go to any lengths to get the powerful drug -- including sending her back into the past to find it for them.

Award-winning author Jody Hedlund plunges you into the swiftly flowing river of history in a race against the clock in this breathtaking, emotional second Waters of Time story.

My Review:

Me while reading Never Leave Me: "Wait...what? No! Gasp!!!" and repeat. And that's about all I can say in a review because I can't figure out how to talk about this book without posting spoilers. I will say emphatically that you MUST read the first book, Come Back to Me before opening this one. In fact, you might want to do yourself a favour and read them back to back. :-)

Love the intricacies of the time travel elements and the moral questions they pose. And I absolutely adore the romance! Desperate love lived out desperately. Friends who have never ventured further for all kinds of reasons but as events ramp up so do deep emotions. And there are so many wonderful faith elements in this story which also raise moral questions. So, lots of depth for a reader to lose herself in.

Of course there's intrigue and danger and truly vile villains to add to all the angst and drama and keep a reader frantically turning pages which makes Never Leave Me one unputdownable read.

Goal Update: #5 Diversify my reading, setting; #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 Never Leave 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 12 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

The Heart of a Cowboy

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY

THE HEART OF A COWBOY

When he agreed to guard her, he never bargained on having to guard his heart. 

Brilliant scientist Louisa Newberry is on the adventure of a lifetime, traveling the Santa Fe Trail with her grandfather, Dr. Powell, on a botanical expedition to Colorado Territory. She longs to be valued for her contributions and not seen as a helpless liability. But at every calamity she faces, her grandfather threatens to send her home.

After watching his ma suffer and die in childbirth, Flynn McQuaid has sworn off women and marriage forever. Headed west to start a new life, he has his hands full not only taking care of his younger siblings but also delivering cattle to his older brother. He doesn't nee more complications.

When Flynn rescues Linnea from drowning during a river crossing, Dr. Powell promptly hires Flynn -- unbeknownst to Linnea -- to act as her bodyguard for the rest of the trip. As Flynn fights against the many dangers of the trail, he soon finds himself in the greatest danger of all -- falling for a woman he's determined not to love.

My Review:

Reading Heart of a Cowboy gave me Little House on the Prairie vibes only for grown ups. And mashed in with an old-timie Western like Rawhide. :-) And I like how some of the emphasis is on what the women endured making that kind of cross country wilderness trek. Including the limitations placed on them by men who thought they knew better which makes for so many intriguing plot points!

Loved Linnea and her earnest scientific mind that sometimes leaves her in calamitous situations which just begs for a strapping hero rescue a time or two.. :-) In fact, Flynn and Linnea's meet-cute is an extremely memorable one. Sigh, yes, I know I just mentioned the exasperating limitations men put on women in this era but, really, for all Linnea's intelligence and gumption, she still needs rescuing in this unfamiliar territory and Flynn is just the man for the job. Which made me one happy reader.

Tremendous character growth stems from some conflicted back stories. Both Flynn and Linnea harbour secrets and hurts that they aren't comfortable voicing which, naturally, puts a damper on romance...if only they weren't so drawn to one another! Honestly, this story took quite a few unexpected turns that kept me in a cattywampus state right to the very end!

Action, adventure, danger -- everything you'd expect to find in a classic Western romance crafted in Jody Hedlund's uniquely captivating style.

This is the second book in the author's Colorado Cowboys series and, while it can be read as a standalone, the McQuaid family is worth getting to know right from the start so do yourself a favour and hunt down a copy of  A Cowboy for Keeps as well.

Goal Update: Goal #5 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 The Heart of a Cowboy, 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 January 8 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Come Back to Me

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY

COME BACK TO ME

The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.

That's exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father's quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He's left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he's crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising.

William Durham, a valiant knight comes to Marian's rescue and offers her protection...as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund is your guide down the twisting waters of time to a volatile era of superstition, revolts, and chivalry in this suspenseful story.

My Review:

:-0 This is me. Gobsmacked. Senses reeling, toes still kinked from too many toe curling scenes...wait, can there be such a thing as too many toe curls? I think not. But wooheeee --- make sure you have a fainting couch on hand (and a spare), a stash of smelling salts and a fan or two before you venture into this exceptional time travel story. And a collection of your finest lace hankies because...emotional trauma alert! 

Tumultuous romance! Doomed love, destined to fail...but, wait...this is Jody Hedlund so she'll lead her faithful readers to a happily ever after, right? I wrestled with that question all the way through because I couldn't quite see how she could keep Will and Marian together. Which time period would work best? And what about...and...and...there are still some unanswered questions which will thankfully be dealt with in future books in the series, though the author is giving us no hints of titles or cover art or synopsis or when the next book will come out. I am in anticipatory agony  waiting for news!

So...William. Be. Still. My. Heart. Imagine every fictional heart-throb you've ever loved, multiply that by a hundred and you come close to this knightly hero. Protective. Possessive. Wounded. In turmoil. But when he sees Marian, hope stirs inside him for the first time in a very long while. He's very much a man who is used to being in control while she's a 21st century woman who is having a hard time assimilating to the 1300s. Their verbal sparring is hysterical. And when it morphs into flirtation...THUD! Make sure your fainting couch has extra pouffy ticking, that's all I'm gonna say about that.

Hedlund has done an amazing job with the time travel plausibility, making it work to create a very unique edgy vibe. There's danger and intrigue in both time periods with Marian caught between two worlds. There's even some deeply philosophical conundrums posed and I can't figure out how they'll be resolved by the end of the series.

I compulsively listened to the audible edition narrated by Sarah Zimmerman, one of my favourite narrators. She did an excellent job of keeping me riveted to Jody Hedlund's breathtaking storytelling. And get a load of the audible cover art. I much prefer it to the paperback one.

 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is available in paperback or ebook format -- winner's choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Come Back to Me, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 winners announced on Saturday June 12 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A Cowboy for Keeps

 

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY

A COWBOY FOR KEEPS

Greta Nilsson's trip west to save her ailing sister, Astrid, could not have gone more wrong. First, bandits hold up her stagecoach, stealing all her money. Then, upon arriving in Fairplay, Colorado, she learns the man she was betrothed to as a mail-order-bride has died. Homeless, penniless, and jobless, Greta and her sister are worse off than when they started.

Wyatt McQuaid is struggling to get his new ranch up and running and is in town to purchase cattle when the mayor proposes the most unlikely of bargains. He'll invest in a herd of cattle for Wyatt's ranch if Wyatt agrees to help the town become more respectable by marrying and starting a family with Greta. But when old insecurities and surprising revelations arise, can a union born out of desperation survive?

My Review:

A cowboy for keeps? Yes please, especially if he's the product of Jody Hedlund's imagination! And --- eeeeeeppp -- this is a mail-order bride story! Absolutely love the way Greta and Wyatt haltingly draw closer as they partner together to make a success of the ranch. 

Love Greta's spunk and her dedication to her outrageously funny little sister. Honestly, Astrid stole the show for me with her childlike wonder and enthusiasm. Half angel, half imp, she certainly livened up the story!

And then there's Wyatt. Excuse me while I stare off into space with a goofy grin on my face because...oh, my!!! He's kinda gruff and awkward on the outside but all tender and kind on the inside. And rather flummoxed since he went to town to do some business and came home with a bride! 

I really enjoyed the way the romance develops. Lots of wary missteps and miscommunications peppered with sweet, hopeful moments of what could be...if these two dunderheads just sat down and talked everything through! Their chemistry is fabulous, sizzling and sparking and giving me hope that a happily ever after can become their reality...once they deal with a few pesky problems including some classic Wild West shenanigans that threaten everything they hold dear.

This is the first book in the Colorado Cowboys series and the tantalizing epilogue gives us a glimpse into what's in store next and I can't 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 A Cowboy for Keeps, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 winners announced on Saturday February 20  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

Almost a Bride

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY

ALMOST A BRIDE

Always lose, but never a bride.

Longing to find true love, Kate Millington arrives in British Columbia on a bride ship. With countless men waiting to snag a bride, Kate has no trouble getting engaged, it's staying engaged that's the problem. After traveling to the remote mining town of Williamsville to marry her newest fiance, she finds herself single again.

As the prosperous owner of a gold mine, Zeke Hart has everything hes ever wanted except for a wife. At Kate's arrival, he takes it upon himself to protect his childhood friend from a the men clamoring to court her. The more he renews her friendship, the more he wants to win her for himself. But as much as Kate admires Zeke, she's resolved not to marry someone who doesn't share her faith.

When Zeke begins receiving anonymous threats, he unwittingly puts them both in grave danger. In the midst of peril, the past rises up to haunt them both, and Zeke realizes the fight for Kate's affection may be his biggest challenge yet.

My Review:

This is me in a puddle of goo from melting one too many times over this very swoonworthy hero. Addled meet discombobulated -- that's me! :-) Take this as your fans and fainting couch warning.

And Kate -- oh dear, she is the quintessential runaway bride! Of course, I knew that's because none of them were Zeke but she's just as skittish with him and sometimes I wanted to shake her silliness loose and give her a good pep talk. Alas, sometimes we must leave characters to figure things out on their own, even if it keeps us in a nail-biting, page-turning frenzy. (Well, actually speed listening since I 'read' the audible edition.)

And if you don't lose your mind over the shenanigans of this hero and heroine, you will absolutely adore Mr. Peabody. He's worth the read all on his own! A French spouting, British ex-pat with a flare for French cuisine and housekeeping -- he's Zeke's very proper manservant. And of like mind with me when it comes to Kate being destined for his employer. :-)

Great historical details and plenty of danger and adventure provide an exciting conclusion to Hedlund's Bride's Ship series with all the appropriate fanfare it deserves.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Almost a Bride, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 December 12 2020. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

A Bride of Convenience

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY
A BRIDE OF CONVENIENCE

There is nothing left to keep Zoe Hart in England. Unemployed and struggling with grief, she decides to leave her bleak life behind her and emigrate on a bride ship to British Columbia -- the place her brother fled to when falsely accused of a drastic crime.

Pastor to miners in the mountains, Abe Merivale discovers an abandoned native baby during a routine visit to Victoria and joins efforts with Zoe -- one of the newly arrived bride ship women -- to care for the orphan. When Abe is forced to choose between following the strict rules laid down by his bishop and listening to God's nudges to care for his people, he is left at a crossroads.

Determined to find her brother and to give the baby a home, Zoe rashly accepts a marriage proposal from a man who promises both. But Abe knows the man's unsavory reputation. Intent on protecting Zoe and wounded by his own failed engagement, Abe impulsively offers his own hand instead. They hastily marry, but both soon realize the marriage of convenience they imagined is not so convenient after all.

My Review:

I have a serious fascination for the marriage of convenience trope even though I know our pioneering sisters fought for equality and the right for a woman to not need a man to survive so I feel kinda guilty about this not-so-secret obsession. :-) But I still happily immersed myself in Zoe's story anyway. Especially since I listened to the audible version narrated by Esther Wane which enhanced my enjoyment all the more.

So, gentle readers, clear off your fainting couches and grab your smelling salts and a fan or two before settling in for a toe-curling romantical journey. It's fraught with turmoil and even some danger, so you might want to add some comfort chocolate to your stockpile. Zoe and Abe have a lot to get through before they can enjoy their happily ever after. And it's all page-turning stuff.  From their sizzling chemistry to the plight of an orphaned baby and the dastardly deeds of a nefarious villain -- Hedlund delivers a captivating tale full of heart and hope and second chances.

This is the third book in her Bride Ships series and -- eeeeepppp -- there's one more to go, Almost a Bride, which comes out in August. These books can be read as standalones even though some of the characters carry over from book to book. I was thrilled to be given a glimpse of Pete and Arabella's wedded bliss in this one, for instance. And a character who is introduced in this book gets top billing in this next one which has me super excited!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  A Bride of Convenience, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 18 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

The Runaway Bride

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY
THE RUNAWAY BRIDE

Wealthy Arabella Lawrence flees to British Columbia on a bride ship still wearing the scars of past mistakes. One of the few single women in the boomtown, she immediately has suitors, but she is determined not to find herself trapped again by a poor choice.

Vying for her hand are two very different men. Lieutenant Richard Drummond is a gentleman in the Navy and is held in high esteem. Peter Kelly is the town's baker and has worked hard to build a thriving business. He and Drummond not only compete for Arabella's affections, but clash over their views of how the natives should be treated in the midst of a smallpox outbreak.

As Arabella begins to overcome her fears, she discovers someone in dire need -- a starving girl abandoned by her tribe. Intent on helping the girl, Arabella leans on Peter's advice and guidance. Will she have the wisdom to make the right decision or will seeking what's right cost both her and Peter everything?

My Review:

"Yet as far a he had fallen, God had held on tight. When he had been at his worst, God's grace had been at its best."

What an emotional blockbuster! I was alternately seething and swooning and aching and laughing and...well, let's just say The Runaway Bride has all the feels to send an emotionally addled reader like me into a frenzy of bibliophile delight. :-)

So, clear off the fainting couch and grab your smelling salts 'cause Pete is the kind of swoonworthy hero that makes both a safety requirement...if you want to reach the end without risk of  a romantically induced concussion. :-)

Pete's pursuit of Arabella!!! My heart hasn't slowed to its normal pace yet. He's so clearly the better of her two suitors (no spoiler here, just the plain truth that any reader can see for herself) but this class conscious bride-to-be takes a harrowing long time to come to that conclusion. Hence my emotional meltdowns. And Pete's pursuit of God is just as powerful...wait...make them even more powerful. That man doesn't do anything by half measures.

This piece of my country's history is heart breaking and confusing and some aspects of it sent me into raging hissy fits. The treatment of the natives. The ridiculousness of fleeing the constraints of the class conscious English society only to replicate it in the new world! The pettiness of those who think they are superior. The layers of cruelty that so much of the populace turned a blind eye to. Argh! Rampant emotions ran amok throughout the read.

Well, actually, I listened to the audible version narrated by Esther Wane. Her superlative performance enhanced Hedlund's storytelling and held me spellbound right to the very end.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Runaway Bride, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 April 4 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Always

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY
ALWAYS

A fierce elite guard. A loyal lady in waiting. They must work together to save three princesses from certain death.

On the verge of dying after giving birth to twins, the queen of Mercia pleads with Lady Felecia to save her infant daughters. With the the castle overrun by King Ethelwulf's invading army, Lady Felicia vows to do whatever she can to take the newborn princesses and their three-year-old sister to safety, even though it means sacrificing everything she holds dear, possibly her own life.

Gravely wounded in battle and knowing all is lost to his enemy, the king of Mercia tasks Lance, one of his fiercest elite guards, to protect his family along with keys to an ancient treasure. As Lance makes a plan to sneak the princesses out of the capital city, he doesn't need or want Lady Felecia's help.

With the dark enemy in pursuit, Lance and Felecia must put aside their differences to outrun King Ethelwulf and prevent him from killing the princesses. In a desperate attempt to hide the young girls, Lance and Felicia agree to a marriage of convenience, a decision that will change their lives -- and hearts -- forever.

My Review:

"Sometimes, when we think we've come to a dead end, we've arrived instead at God's stepping-stone on the way to bigger plans."

Stunning cover delivers exactly what it promises. Knights and ladies; dire danger and plenty of action. And sweet, chivalrous romance. What a spellbinding start to Jody Hedlund's Lost Princesses series. The author sets the stage for the three enchanting tales to come in this novella. But don't be fooled by the shorter length -- Always is chock-full of page-turning delights. Love the fairy tale quality and medieval setting. While Lance and Felecia's part of the story comes to a satisfactory conclusion, the author leaves some dangling threads that will be picked up in future books -- three 'lost' princesses (actually they are just really well hidden) = the promise of three enchanting stories to come. And since Evermore, Foremost and Hereafter are already in print I'll be devouring them soon.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Always, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 9 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A Reluctant Bride

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY
A RELUCTANT BRIDE

A  new life awaits her across the horizon

Living in London's poorest slum, Mercy Wilkins harbors little hope for a better life. So when she's offered the opportunity to join a bride ship sailing to British Columbia, she agrees. The journey abroad is her only prospect to escape a bleak future -- both for herself and to help her sister, who's suffering in a workhouse.

Wealthy and titled Joseph Colville leaves everything behind and takes to the sea to escape the pain of losing his family. As the ship's surgeon, he's in charge of the passengers' welfare aboard the Tynemouth, including sixty brides-to-be. He has no immediate intention of settling down, but when mercy becomes his assistant, the two must fight against a forbidden love.

With hundreds of single men congregating along the shore of Vancouver Island, eager to claim a bride from the Tynemouth, will Mercy and Joseph miss their chance at true love, or will they overcome the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart?

My Review:

"What's the small part God's calling you to? Are you seeking His leading or are you running away from it?" (p 22)

Jody Hedlund has made a cracking good start of her Bride Ships series with this first book. There's such depth in both the character development and the faith thread that it was easy to be swept away right from the very first page. And I love that the story went in directions I wasn't expecting.

I was completely entranced by Mercy and Joseph and the very different worlds they come from. The way their lives intersect both in London and on the ship -- such a magical 'destined for each other' kind of aura and that made me all the more anxious during the gnarly bits that threatened my blood pressure! There's this one odious individual in particular who gave me conniptions - gah, but he's lucky I wasn't on that ship or it would have been 'man overboard' for sure! :-)

The historical research is impeccable, and it's worth reading the author's notes at the end of the book for some extra insights. Hedlund doesn't gloss over the horrid conditions in the London slums or in steerage on the ship. I shudder just remembering some of those scenes and marvel that our ancestors had the courage and gumption to go through what they did for a better future. And I love that books like this one bring history to life and help me appreciate the sacrifices of those who have gone before.

 Honestly, I'm kinda speechless over this one. Riveting. Enthralling. Moving. Uplifting. Not to be missed in my books!

"I want you to remember that when we are troubled on every side," Patience said, her voice wavering, "we can't get caught up in seeing the problems from our view. God's so much bigger and has things worked out in His ways -- ways we can't begin to understand." (p 61)

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Reluctant Bride, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 August 31 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Searching For You

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY
SEARCHING FOR YOU

Her search for a place to call home leads her to the last place she ever expected.

For years, Sophie Neumann has been running from the orphanages of 1850s New York City. Tasked with caring for two young children, she's determined not to let them be taken from her, and not to abandon them the same way her older sisters did her. But times are growing desperate, and when she falls in with the wrong crowd and witnesses a crime, she realizes fleeing the state is her only option.

Disappearing with her two young charges into a group of orphans heading west by train. Sophie hopes to find safety and a happy life. But when the train stops in Illinois, she faces an agonizing decision as the orphans will be placed in new homes. Afraid she'll lose them forever, she finds help in a familiar face she never expected to see so far from New York.

Reinhold Weiss has finally purchased his won small farm in Illinois. With mounting debts, a harvest to bring in, and past scars that still haunt him, Reinhold is in no position to give his heart away...but can he say no when his long-lost friend shows up on a nearby farm pleading for  his help?

My Review:

"And deep down, Sophie knew it was time to stop running from her mistakes and the brokenness of her life...She had to place the broken pieces into God's hands and let Him start putting her back together." (p 300-301)

Squueeepp!!!  I have been so anxious to read the conclusion to Jody Hedlund's Orphan Train series. And I do mean anxious -- like really wanting to read it because I need to know what happened to Sophie after all this time and really not wanting to read it because I'm afraid to know what happened to Sophie after all this time! lol Talk about living on the avid reader edge! Basking in bibliophoria here. :-)

Oh -- and I should mention that while this book could be read as a standalone there's so much depth to all the backstory from the first two books that I think it'll make the read all the more thrilling if you've read the books in order.

Heartbreaking and hopeful -- full of searing emotion and raw passion  -- this is the kind of story that pulls you in and holds you captive. I about turned blue from holding my breath in alarm or anticipation for the duration of the read!

Sophie's journey is incredible and poignant. There's a gritty essence to her vulnerability that fascinated me. And Reinhold! Be still my heart. Love me a brooding hero who thinks he doesn't deserve a happily ever after. And I've seen him through so much heartache over the course of this series -- it was his time! With Sophie! Definitely not who I saw him ending up with from the start of book one but it works. (Cue the fainting couch and smelling salts, readers!)

And can we talk for a minute about the title? Because there's so many ways you can spin it. Searching for family.  Searching for someone to love. Searching for a Redeemer. And the way Hedlund ties all that together makes for a page-turning thrill of a read!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Searching for You, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 16 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Together Forever

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY
TOGETHER FOREVER

Will the mistakes of their past cost them a chance at love?

Determined to find her lost younger sister, Marianne Neumann takes a job as a placing agent with the Children's Aid Society in 1858 New York. She not only hopes to offer the children a better life, but prays she'll be able to discover whether Sophie ended up leaving the city on an orphan train so they can finally be reunited.

Andrew Brady, her fellow agent on her first placing-out trip, is a former schoolteacher who has an easy way with the children, firm but tender and friendly. Underneath his charm and handsome looks, though, seems to linger a grief that won't go away -- and a secret from his past that he keeps hidden.

As the two team up, placing orphans in the small railroad towns of Illinois, they find themselves growing ever closer...until a shocking tragedy threatens to upsend all their work and chance one of their lives forever.

My Review:

The second book in Jody Hedlund's Orphan Train series is just as captivating as the first one. You can totally read Together Forever as a standalone novel but I do feel like you'll get some of the emotional undercurrents better if you've read With You Always. And this is such an amazing series you'll be more than happy to lose yourself in both stories.

Once again, Hedlund dazzles with fascinating historical facts that boggle the mind and then she weaves an exceptional story around them. The whole concept of the Orphan Trains -- the haphazard paperwork, the almost casual way children are placed in homes...I can't even. In some ways it reminded me of a slave auction though no money exchanged hands. And they didn't seem to be too worried about ensuring that all the children were actually orphans. That's not to say that the intent wasn't honorable...it was just so...casual. But the New York City slums were death traps so desperation drove this innovative solution to saving children's lives.

Against that intriguing backdrop, Marianne and Drew are paired as placing agents heading west with 30 orphans to place along the way. She's hired on in a desperate attempt to track her missing sister. He's running from a painful past. The air crackles at their first meet and rises to a sizzle as they get to know each other on the journey. Simply put, Drew is a heartthrob. A man who loves women and knows how to flirt and tease and curl toes. Marianne is smitten in spite of herself and you'll definitely want to plump up the cushions on your fainting couch so swooning accidents can be kept at a minimum.

But this story isn't all sizzle and spice -- the plot twists and turns in unexpected ways and both hero and heroine wrestle with an inability to forgive themselves for issues that belong in the past. Together Forever is an emotionally charged, page-turning-frenzy of delight!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Together Forever, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please at the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday August 12 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

All My Tomorrows : 3 Historical Romance Novellas of Everlasting Love

GIVEAWAY

WITEMEYER, KAREN
HEDLUND, JODY
CAMDEN, ELIZABETH
ALL MY TOMORROWS : 3 Historical Romance Novellas of Everlasting Love

Stories of love that will last through every tomorrow

Karen Witemeyer, Jody Hedlund and Elizabeth Camden are among the most acclaimed authors in the historical romance genre -- their novels have won a RITA award, a Christy Award, A Christian Book Award, and multiple Carol Awards. These beloved writers offer for the first time in print three unforgettable historical novellas that celebrate true love.

Karen Witemeyer's "Worth the Wait" takes readers to the Harper's Station women's colony where a single mother must overcome pain and fears of the past in order to trust a gruff but kind freighter who has helped the women expand their business.

Jody Hedlund's "An Awakened Heart" follows a young woman into the shadows of New York's tenements where she and a newly appointed minister spar over the best way to car for the poor and orphaned.

Elizabeth Camden's "Toward the Sunrise" finds a female medical student trying to overcome the ramificiations of a decision that leaves her at the mercy of a stubborn but handsome attorney.

My Review:

Toward the Sunrise published in 2015
Worth the Wait published in 2017
An Awakened Hearat published in 2017

Sqquuueeeeaaaalllll! I'm so excited that these novellas are finally available in paperback!!!! Since I don't read ebooks I've been missing out on some of my favourite series. So, yes, you might have read these stories, but here's a chance to get them in hard copy for your Keeper Shelves...I mean, with these stellar authors, how can you resist?!

We've got spunky heroines who know how to frustrate their heroes to no end. There's lots of drama and angst sweetened with laughter and warmed with toe-curling romance. What more can you ask of your fiction?

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of All My Tomorrows, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. 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 Sunday July 15 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

With All My Heart

GIVEAWAY

WITEMEYER, KATE
HEDLUND, JODY
JAGEARS, MELISSA
TURANO, JEN
THOMAS, SARAH LOUDIN
WITH ALL MY HEART

Take a Journey Across America and through time in this heart-warming collection of novellas from your favourite historical romance writers.

Originally released only as ebooks novellas -- moving, fun, faith-filled, and always deeply romantic -- now find print for the first time.

My Review:

While this collection was published in 2016, the actual copyright dates of each novella range from 2012-2015. From what I can figure out, each novella was an ebook introduction to a new series by each author. So though you might recognize some of these stories, this is a chance to have these wonderful novellas all in one print collection.

Karen Witemeyer's Love on the Mend -- The central theme of forgiveness gives this novella a deeply thought-provoking quality. Of course, it's also laced with humour, we're talking Karen Witemyer, after all. And action. And a toe-curling romance between a broody hero and a plucky heroine who isn't afraid to speak her mind. The perfect blend for reader satisfaction.

Jody Hedlund's Out of the Storm --  The first lighthouse story in the Beacons of Hope series! Henry is a worldly irrepressible rogue and Isabelle is a very sheltered young woman who lives in her over protective father's shadow. Secrets threaten to keep these star-crossed lovers apart unless they can find the faith to face an uncertain future together.

Melissa Jagear's Love by the Letter -- There's definitely a BIG twist to this mail-order bride story! Perfect blend of comedy and drama. Dex is a wee bit bumbling in the romance department. Rachael is worn out from pining over an impossible love. Cue the fireworks when these two are thrown together in an unexpected way. A tender and funny love story guaranteed to make your smile.

Jen Turano's Gentleman of her Dreams -- Charlotte and Henry have been best friends since they were in the schoolroom -- only when feelings blossom into love for both of them neither is willing to make the first move. Talk about wanting to knock some heads together! :-) She's a force to be reckoned with even though she doesn't always think things through which leads to disastrous -- and hilarious -- results. Stalwart Henry is her longsuffering wingman. Love + Laughter = Happily Ever After...eventually!

Sarah Loudin Thomas's Appalachian Serenade -- Robert and Delilah have both nearly given up on love when circumstances throw them together. A gentle story that explores the concept of placing trust in God's hands and thereby learning to 'think outside the box' when it comes to what family means. Love matters. Sharing matters. Trusting God matters most of all.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of With All My Heart, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to your 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 in order to make it easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday August 27 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

With You Always

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY
WITH YOU ALWAYS

Could following the opportunity of a lifetime cost them the love of their lives?

One of the many immigrants struggling to survive in 1850s New York, Elise Neumann knows she must take action to care for her younger sisters. She finds a glimmer of hope when the New York Children's Aid Society starts sending skilled workers to burgeoning towns out west. But the promise of the society's orphan trains is not all that it seems.

Born into elite New York society, Thornton Quincy possesses everything except the ability to step out from his brother's shadow. When their ailing father puts forth a unique challenge, Thornton finally sees his chance. The conditions to win? Be the first to build a sustainable community along the Illinois Central Railroad and find a suitable wife.

Thrown together against all odds, Elise and Thornton couldn't be from more different worlds. The spark that ignites between them in undeniable, but how can they let it grow when that means forfeiting everything they've been working toward?

My Review:

One of the things I absolutely love about Jody Hedlund's novels is the way she brings to life some of the lesser known aspects in history -- particularly issues that affected women. And that's exactly what she delivers in With You Always. Of course, I've heard of the Orphan Trains but I had no idea that women were also sent west with that program. Or that it broke up families and left desperate women torn between staying with their children or finding work far away in order to keep their children alive.

And that's the predicament Elise finds herself in. After her parents death, she struggles to keep what's left of the family together. Heartache and sorrow dog her heels as she tries to make a life in the crowded, impoverished slums of New York City. Until the day fate throws Thornton Quincy into her path.

He comes from a life of privilege and, while he's kind and compassionate, he can't grasp the harsh circumstances the immigrants endure. Or how his business endeavors can help or harm hundreds of desperate workers. This contrast between these two lifestyles is sheer brilliance and makes for a riveting read.,,and a complicated romance!

Though Elise isn't his social equal, she's not cowed by Thornton's power and wealth. And she's not afraid to speak her mind and challenge his preconceived ideas. She's good for him and he knows it. He just isn't sure what to do with that knowledge. There's angst and confusion and a piercing sweetness as an impossible love begins to flourish.

A plot filled with the unexpected -- even a hint of intrigue -- and the freeing hope that comes from placing your trust in Jesus even in the most difficult times, makes this first book in the Orphan Train series a stunning success.

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of With You Always leave a comment below or send me an email at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to your comment remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and .to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please put the title in the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your email. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday June 18 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

For Love and Honor

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY
FOR LOVE AND HONOR

A wealthy noblewoman. A desperate knight. A dangerous secret that threatens their love...and their lives.

Lady Sabine is harboring a skin blemish, one, that if revealed, could cause her to be branded as a witch, put her life in danger and damage her chances of making a good match. After all, what nobleman would want to marry a woman so flawed?

Sir Bennet is returning home to protect his family from imminent attack by neighboring lords who seek repayment of debts. Without fortune or means to pay those debts, Sir Bennet realizes his only option is to make a marriage match with a wealthy noblewoman.

As Lady Sabine and Sir Bennet are thrust together under dangerous circumstances, will they both be able to learn to trust each other? Or will those secrets ultimately lead to their demise?

My Review:

A spectacular YA romance with a fairy tale feel. There's even a knight in shining armor, though he's the one who needs rescuing from a desperate situation. Sabine has the power to come to his aid -- or, at least, her fortune does. Neither are keen on a marriage devoid of love, but when Bennet pays court to his lady, friendship ensues -- with the promise of more...if only Sabine didn't harbor such a desperate secret. A thrilling blend of danger and romance will keep readers glued to the very last page.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of For Love and Honor, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, remember to add the title to the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday June 18 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Never Forget

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, JODY
NEVER FORGET

June 1880 -- Rose Island Lighthouse, Rhode Island -- Will she betray his trust to stay on the island she loves?

Abbie Watson is content to spend her days clamming, crabbing and tending Rose Island Lighthouse. Her grandpa is the head light keeper, but his senility may lead to their eviction. Since leaving the island would kill her beloved Gramps, Abbie will do anything to keep him in the one place he knows and loves.

Wealthy Nathaniel Winthrop III's wild living has gained him a reputation as the 'bad boy' among the elite social circles of Newport. After a blow to the head in a yachting accident washes him up on Rose Island, Nathaniel has no memories of his past.

Abbie tends the wounded stranger in her home only to realize he assumes they're married. Although she knows she needs to correct Nathaniel's mistake, his presence calms Gramps and provides a way to prevent eviction from the lighthouse.

The longer the charade continues, the harder it gets for Abbie to tell Nathaniel the truth, more so as she begins to fall in love. Everyone she's ever loved has abandoned her. Will Nathaniel leave her too, since he discovers he's not really her husband?

My Review:

A resounding conclusion to the Beacon of Hope series. I love the way the author honoured female lighthouse keepers in these books. Such an unusual angle for a historical romance. And there's something so alluring about life in the old lighthouses!

Abbie and Nathaniel's story is fraught with sorrow and complications that seem insurmountable. Just when I felt a glimmer of hope it would be dashed as sure as the waves against Rose Island's rocky shoreline. And, oh my goodness, but Hedlund kept me on tenterhooks the entire read.

I admire Abbie's gumption when it comes to eking out a living while tending to her ailing grandfather. Her dedication is both commendable and alarming. And that's because it clouds her judgment and infringes on Nathaniel's rights. He washes up on shore, injured with no idea of who he is or how he got there. Yes, Abbie rescues him, but in a sense she holds him hostage by allowing him to believe he's her husband because it plays into a wild and desperate scheme to help her grandfather. I had such a hard time justifying her actions the longer the pretense went on and that made it hard for me to cheer on their blossoming romance. To be fair to Abbie, she tried to keep her distance but Nathaniel isn't easy to ignore. :-)

He has a vague disquiet about the kind of man he once was and grasps this opportunity for a second chance to be the kind of man Abbie can be proud of. He reconnects with his faith and there's a beautiful inspirational thread that celebrates the power of forgiveness and God's loving grace.

And then it all comes tumbling down as I knew it would and things get a whole lot worse before they get better and there were twists that truly gutted me so I'm a bit of an emotional wreck now that I've reached the end. An emotionally charged conclusion to an awesome series.

Giveaway Opportunity:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Never Forget please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you post a comment and add your email address please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 19 2017.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck!