Sea Glass Castle

GIVEAWAY

LOWE, T. I.

SEA GLASS CASTLE

Sophia Prescott is still mending from the embarrassment of a highly publicized divorce from a pro-football player, and the now-single mother is back in Sunset Cove, surrounded by the supporting love of her family and the Sand Queens. Sophia doesn't think there's any hope for starting over until an unexpected trip to the pediatrician's office gives her a second chance after all.

Dr. Weston Sawyer knows all about lives shattering into millions of pieces. His own all but ended when a truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and barreled head-on into his pregnant wife's sedan, killing her instantly and leaving Wes with a soul so wounded that it has refused to heal. He packed up and left swampy southern Alabama for South Carolina with the hope of fading into the sleepy coastal town of Sunset Cove. Instead, feisty brunette Sophia Prescott will have him braving something different and entirely unexpected. If Sophia and Wes can take the leap to give love another try, they just might find that hope has a way of coming back around and weaving into one's heart.

My Review:

That hiccuping, shuddering sigh you hear is equal parts happy and sad. Happy because Sea Glass Castle is the crowning glory of Lowe's Carolina Coast series. Sad because...it's the last book! Soooobbbbbb!!!! And what an emotional sucker-punch of a conclusion it is!

You can read this third book without having read the first two, but just keep an open mind about Sophia if you're a Sand Queen newbie. 'Cause she's gone through a lot, which you will eventually discover and she really doesn't make a good first impression in this book -- for reader or Dr. Weston Sawyer! Honestly, I knew what she's been dealing with and I still wanted to smack her up side the head and shake some sense into her before the first chapter was over. :-) 

So, be prepared to give her some grace and go with the flow because Sophia has lots of 'tude. Feisty and opinionated and fiery. She's apt to fly off the handle any second and Wes is so not impressed. Even though I eye-rolled my way through their introduction, I was howling with laughter too. And it just keeps getting better. 

T.I. Lowe has a real gift for creating the realistic drama...and humour...of life. Honest, gritty, funny and more than a tad swoony. My emotional barometer imploded during this read. 

A moving, uplifting second chance romance with the sweet promise of hope.

I listened to the audible edition of Sea Glass Castle narrated by Amy Rubinate who is one of my favourite audible performers. She portrays these characters just the way I imagine them to be and made it easy to connect with the story. A sublime listening experience.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

available in either paperback or ebook -- winner's choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Sea Glass Castle, 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 14 2020. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

Driftwood Dreams

GIVEAWAY

LOWE, T.I.
DRIFTWOOD DREAMS

Josie Slater has allowed the circumstances anchoring her in Sunset Cove to become a life sentence. Since her mother's death years before, she's spent most of her waking hours helping her dad run the Driftwood Diner. As her best friends, Opal and Sophia, make their dreams come true, Josie watches her own art school aspirations drift on by. But when a French -speaking Southern gentleman from her past moves back from Europe, Josie is launched into a tizzy of what-ifs and I-sure-do-hope-sos.

August Bradford left Sunset Cove six years ago to sow some life oats and conquer his ambitious career goals. Finally ready to lay down some roots, the successful artist is back in town and determined to win Josie's heart. When he enlists Josie's help in the preparations for a children's art camp, Josie finds herself unleashing her artistic side in a way she hasn't since before her mother's death. August hopes to convince Josie to paint a life with him, but the problem is convincing her to let go of her apprehensions and give him -- and her dreams -- a fair chance.

My Review:

One of the most romantical books I've ever read. Truly toe-curling, fainting-couch-is-a-necessity divine. Because...August!!!! He's a man on a mission and executes his tactical strategies with artistic flare. This is a deeply layered love story -- so full of tenderness and compassion. And patience!!!! The way August slowly, deliberately coaxes Josie out of her self-imposed 'prison' is absolutely breathtaking. I am head over heels for August forever!!!!!

And Josie is so lovable while being sweetly exasperating at the same time. She has this amazing talent that she's hidden away out of fear and a misguided sense of loyalty to her father and so many other folks she's forever helping out. What a complex heroine! I was really touched by her journey of self-discovery which spoke to my life in a very personal way.

T. I. Lowe has imbued her story with a sustaining faith thread that quietly works its way through these characters' lives. Never preachy, but  it is so obviously a foundation for the entire novel, that the story would unravel without it.

I listened to the audible edition of this book because...Amy Rubinate narrates it and she is one of my favourite narrators! I was going to buy the print version since I have the first book in this series in paperback but when I saw that Amy was the narrator I clicked on 'add to cart' in a nano-second. And started listening right away. This author/narrator combination is a bibliophile's nirvana!

Oh -- and though this is the second book in the Carolina Coast series, you can totally read it as a standalone. But be forewarned: once you've read Driftwood Dreams you'll be rushing to grab a copy of Beach Haven so you'll be all set for August 4 when Sea Glass Castle releases. Squeeeeee! I can't wait!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Driftwood Dreams, 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 11 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Beach Haven

GIVEAWAY

LOWE, T.I.
BEACH HAVEN

"Sometimes things happen. They change us, and life leads us to other paths."

Free-spirited Opal Gilbert seems to have everything she needs to keep living a happy life in Sunset Cove as she refurbishes vintage furniture to sell at her funky ocean-side boutique, Bless This Mess. Until Lincoln Cole, a new-to-town ex-Marine mursing deep wounds and harboring hurts he can't seem to shake, wanders into her shop. Opal knows a person in need when she sees one and offers Lincoln a job in her workshop on the spot. But the brooding former soldier has no interest in Opal's offer. Thanks but no thanks.

But then a hurricane strikes, damaging Bless This Mess. Feeling guilty for how he treated Opal, Lincoln decides to help her repair the store. And soon it becomes clear Opal wants to restore not only her business, but also help Lincoln find restoration. As much as Lincoln tries to keep her at arm's length, Opal's well-meaning meddling begins to heal his wounds...and capture his ehart almost before he realizes it.

My Review:

Oh happy, happy, sigh! What a romantical love story! Even when Lincoln is being gnarly (which is pretty much most of the time) he's deliciously swoonworthy in that wounded hero kind of way. And my oh my, but does he ever have a bite to go with that bark. He growls his way through so many conversations with Opal and she's all la-de-dah, you're not going to mess with me, boyo. Ha! So much fun!

I have just discovered T.I. Lowe this year and her name is now written in permanent ink on my must-buy-as-soon-as-it-releases list. I love the way she paces a story and the way she builds a community and the faith threads seamlessly woven into every plot. And her writing is so smooth...a luscious flow of words that create such vivid images in my mind. I pretty much inhaled Beach Haven in one blissful sitting.

Oh -- and Opal -- she has to be one of the most unique heroines I have ever met within the pages of a book! I love her! She's quirky and artsy and definitely marching to the beat of a different drummer. And she about drives Linc crazy! Such a contrast to his grumpy, taciturn self. :-) This is me grinning maniacally.

And, whoohoo, this is the first book in The Carolina Coast series and Lowe has done a wonderful job of setting the stage for books to come. I am totally invested in Sunset Cove and its inhabitants. Definitely a not--to-be-missed read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Beach Haven 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 June 20 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Lulu's Cafe

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

LOWE, T.I.
LULU'S CAFE

When a damaged young woman is given a chance to reclaim her life in a small South Carolina town, she must reckon with the dark secrets she left behind in order to accept the love she deserves.

On the run from a violent past, Leah Allen arrived in tiny Rivertown, South Carolina, battered and broken, but ready to reinvent herself. By a stroke of fate, Leah is drawn to the Southern hospitality of a small cafe, looking for a warm meal but finding so much more. Lulu, the owner, offers her a job, a place to stay and a new lease on life. Through Lulu's tenacious warmth and generosity, Leah quickly finds herself embraced by the quaint community as she tries to put herself back together. Given she's accustomed to cruelty, the kindness is overwhelming.

Soon Leah meets Crowley Mason, the most eligible bachelor in town. A lawyer and friend of Lulu's, Crowley is wary of Leah's sudden, mysterious arrival. Despite his reserve, something sparks between them that can't be denied. But after all she's been through, can Leah allow herself to truly love and be loved, especially when her first urge is to run?

Exploring the resiliency of both the heart and the spirit, Lulu's Cafe gorgeously illustrates how old scars can finally heal no matter how deep them seem.

My Review:

published in 2014

"Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed.; save me, Lord, and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise." Jeremiah 17:14

What a mesmerizing read! Deeply profound. Moving. Devastating. And hopeful. And the way the reader gets to connect the dots and see the way God is pursuing Leah when she can't see it herself is so inspiring. This stories show how we can be God's hands and feet in this broken world.

Lulu's Cafe is a hard read at first. Domestic abuse is vicious and Lowe shoves us into that darkness right away. She doesn't mince words or shy away from a brutal portrayal of the evil and its aftermath. But, reader take heart because Leah's story is laced with hope and when she hits Lulu's Cafe...well, the story takes a whole other turn.

A word about Crowley Mason. He can stand proudly on my Book Hero pedestal. His heart. His faith. His honor. That Southern charm. All while being a devastatingly handsome flirt. Definitely worthy of an ugly cry ending. Sniffle. My heart is so full.

I listened to the audible edition of Lulu's Cafe, narrated by Natasha Soudek and I really enjoyed the Southern atmosphere she conjured up.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Lulu's Cafe, 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 25 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck