Under a Blackberry Moon

GIVEAWAY

MILLER, SERENA B.
UNDER A BLACKBERRY MOON

Just a few days after she gave birth alone in the northwoods, a recently widowed young Chippewa woman stumbled into a nearby lumber camp in search of refuge from the winter snows. Come summer, it is clear that Moon Song cannot stay among the rough-and-tumble world of white lumbermen, and so the camp owner sends Skypilot, his most trusted friend, to accompany her on the long and treacherous journey back to her people.

But when tragedy strikes off the shore of Lake Superior, Moon Song and Skypilot must depend on each other for survival. With every step they take into the forbidding woods, they are drawn closer together, until it seems the unanswerable questions must be asked. Can she leave her culture to enter his? Can he leave his world to enter hers? Or will they simply walk away from a love that seems too complicated to last?

Get swept into a wild realm where beauty masks danger and only the truly courageous survive in a story that will grip your heart and your imagination.

My Review:

The kind of read that makes your blood boil and your heart thrill. Miller does an exceptional job of delivering historical accuracy...and she doesn't pull any punches. The treatment of native people throughout history has been abysmal. It's a good thing I wasn't actually there because I would have done a few individuals bodily harm. How so-called Christians could treat an entire race with such callousness and cruelty...well it boggles the mind.

Skypilot (Isaac Ross) is larger than life -- the stuff tall tales are made of. A kind and decent man with his feet firmly planted in the white man's world. Moon Song is just as immersed in her Chippewa culture and yet an unlikely friendship has developed between the two. A friendship that deepens into something much more during their treacherous journey. Talk about an impossible romance!

Miller has drawn on historical figures to flesh out her fictional characters and their stories leave me in awe. The details are spectacular -- everything from the bawdy logging town to the plight of women in the mid 1800s. Lots for a reader to sink her teeth into. Like this:

"Ladies are supposed to strive to be competent, never excel." A secondary character, Isabella, makes this comment to Skypilot. Of course, she's speaking from a white woman's perspective so the contrast between Moon Song and her white counterparts is riveting -- both for the reader and Skypilot himself.  Because Moon Song excels at a lot of things.

Complicated relationships, life and death struggles and always the thrill of the unexpected -- Under a Blackberry Moon is the kind of story that sweeps you away and holds you captive until the very last page.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Under a Blackberry Moon 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 March 6 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

An Uncommon Grace

GIVEAWAY!

MILLER, SERENA B.
AN UNCOMMON GRACE

Grace Connor, a military nurse formerly stationed in Afghanistan, hopes that moving to a farm in rural Ohio will help her recover from the ravages of war.

Levi Troyer finds his pacifist beliefs challenged when he discovers his stepfather has been killed and his mother wounded by an unknown intruder. Levi and Grace are thrown together when she comes to his family’s rescue and saves his mother’s life. A deep attraction develops—even though a relationship between them is strictly forbidden.

Levi belongs to the most conservative and isolated of all Amish sects—the Swartzentruber Amish. Even before meeting Grace, Levi had begun to question some of their teachings. He has considered leaving, but knows he will be banned forever from contact with his younger siblings and widowed mother—who need him to survive. He is torn between his love for Grace and his responsibility to his family.

Grace considers leaving her beloved farm and reenlisting rather than continuing to live near the man she loves but cannot have. Levi must confront the Bann if he pursues Grace. And a murderer must be caught. When lifelong allegiances are tested, can love and justice prevail?

My Review:

Captivating from the very first page, An Uncommon Grace made me think as much as it entertained.

First things first -- you have to get past the misleading cover. I've never seen such a misrepresentation of a book before! Who is that woman looking off into the distance and why is she on the cover of Grace and Levi's story? LOL. Grace is obviously not Amish and this book is just as much about Grace and her family as it is about Levi's and his.  In fact, if you aren't into Amish fiction, I'd wager that you'd still find this a compelling read on so many levels.

One of the most fascinating part of this book is the glimpse Miller gives us into the strict Swartzentruber Amish order. The story is peppered with so many interesting facts and comparisons with the Old Order Amish that is usually featured in fiction.

The addition of a murder mystery along with the complicated relationship that slowly develops between Levi and Grace makes this  the kind of read you just won't want to put down. Miller's characters become living, breathing people with minds and hearts of their own. Grace's grandmother is an incredible rock for both of them -- a genteel lady with a quick sense of humour and deep understanding of the Savior's love.

As Levi struggles to make sense of the sudden upheaval in his life, Grace finds herself drawn into a chaos of her own. Both ardently support their families, willing to sacrifice anything for those they love. In a perfect world, they would be perfect for each other -- but perfection doesn't come in this life and their journey isn't an easy one. Miller has spun an emotional tale that I soon won't forget...and hopefully you won't either because you're sure to want to read it now too, right?

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like to win a copy of An Uncommon Grace, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Please make sure to put the title in the subject line so your entry is easy for me to spot. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday May 13. Offer open to international readers.

The Measure of Katie Calloway

Giveaway!

MILLER, SERENA
THE MEASURE OF KATIE CALLOWAY

Her heart seeks sanctuary in the deep woods. But will trouble find her even here?


The Civil War has ended, but in Katie Calloway's Georgia home, conflict still rages. To protect herself and her young brother from her violent and unstable husband, she flees north, finding anonymity and sanctuary as the cook in a north woods lumber camp. The camp owner, Robert Foster, wonders if the lovely woman he's hired has the grit to survive the never-ending work and harsh conditions of a remote pine forest in winter. Katie wonders if she can keep her past a secret from a man she is slowly growing to love.

With grace and skill, Serena Miller brings to life a bygone era. From the ethereal, snowy forest and the rowdy shanty boys to the warm cookstove and mouth-watering apple pie, every detail is perfectly rendered, transporting you to a time of danger and romance.

My Review:
 
Utterly captivating! Miller has gone to great effort to get her historical facts right and it certainly shows in this sweeping saga. I loved the unique setting and the author used it to the best advantage in this gripping plot. Miller's vivid details made each scene jump off the page and it was very easy to lose myself in the wealth of this story. In fact, I was very reluctant to give it up when I reached the conclusion.
 
Stunning passages, endearing characters and a stellar plot will engage any reader's emotions. Katie's struggles with an abusive past are particularly poignant and just when everything seems hopeless...well...Miller doesn't leave it there. She crafted an incredible, page-turning conclusion that left me breathless. This one should definitely have a place on your Keeper shelf.
 
Giveaway Opportunity:
 
If you would like to win a copy of The Measure of Katie Calloway, please leave a comment below. Or you can email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Please include the title in the subject line. Offer open internationally. Draw and winner announced on Sunday October 16. Good luck!
 
"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Love Finds You in Sugarcreek Ohio

MILLER, SERENA B.

LOVE FINDS YOU IN SUGARCREEK OHIO

Policewoman Rachel Troyer has always looked after her three elderly Amish aunts, proprietors of a farmhouse inn near Sugarcreek, Ohio. The idyllic town is popular with tourists, who come to sample its famous Amish goods. But one thing is clear to Rachel -- Joe Matthews is no tourist. When the bearded stranger lands on her aunts' doorstep, begging shelter for himself and his young son. Rachel is suspicious. Will she be able to uncover Joe's secrets despite her aunts' -- and her own -- growing affection for him?

THIS BOOK HAS THE PERFECT BLEND OF MYSTERY, DRAMA, HUMOUR AND ROMANCE AND MILLER HAS HER PACING DOWN PAT. SHE WEAVES A TIGHT PLOT OUT OF A MULTITUDE OF RANDOM STORY THREADS THAT ALL KNOT TOGETHER FOR A SURPRISING, NAIL BITING AND OFT TIMES HILARIOUS CONCLUSION.

I LOVED THE AUNTS!!!! SUCH A WONDERFUL VENUE FOR COMEDY AND WISDOM! AND A GREAT FOIL FOR THEIR EARNEST YOUNG NIECE WHO THINKS SHE HAS TO CONTROL THEM FOR THEIR OWN GOOD. THE GENERATION GAP -- AND IN SOME WAYS CULTURAL GAP -- IS ALIVE AND WELL IN SUGARCREEK, OHIO.

RACHEL IS SUCH A CONTRADICTION AT TIMES -- STRUGGLING TO DISCOVER WHO SHE REALLY IS AND WHAT SHE WANTS OUT OF LIFE. HER SENSE OF FAMILY, HER ETHICS AND HONOUR ARE BOTH ADMIRABLE AND FRUSTRATING...AND TOTALLY CLASH WITH POOR JOE AND THE SECRET HE IS TRYING TO KEEP HIDDEN. WHAT A WONDERFUL COMPLICATED STARTING POINT FOR THEIR ROMANCE. THERE IS SO MUCH TO KEEP THEM APART AND YET THEY CAN'T HELP BUT BE DRAWN TO EACH OTHER.

AND SPEAKING OF JOE...SIGH FOLLOWED BY A SWOON...HE MAKES A VERY ATTRACTIVE...AND VULNERABLE...HERO. CAUGHT IN MID-FLIGHT, HIS ONLY DESIRE IS TO PROTECT HIS YOUNG SON BUT HE FINDS HIMSELF WRAPPED UP IN A MYSTERY AND FORCED TO FACE A PAINFUL PAST. AND HE'S OFTEN AT ODDS WITH RACHEL...BUT THEN THERE ARE THE TIMES WHEN THEY MESH AND SPARKS FLY!

LOVE FINDS YOU IN SUGARCREEK, OHIO IS A FANTASTIC 'LOSE YOURSELF IN ANOTHER WORLD' KIND OF READ. DEFINITELY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. A BRILLIANT DEBUT NOVEL.

REMINDER: IF YOU WOULD LIKE A CHANCE AT WINNING YOUR OWN COPY OF LOVE FINDS YOU IN SUGARCREEK, OHIO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW OR EMAIL ME AT kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. MAKE SURE TO WRITE 'GIVEAWAY' IN THE SUBJECT LINE. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS SEE THE JANUARY IS GIVEAWAY MONTH BLOG BELOW THIS ONE.