Her Small-Town Refuge

GIVEAWAY

SLATTERY, JENNIFER

HER SMALL-TOWN REFUGE

To secure the future she's been wishing for, she must earn her boss's trust.

Escaping to the Texas Hill Country with her daughter for a vet tech internship is Stephanie Thornton's chance at a safer life. But when medicine goes missing from Caden Slaughton's struggling vet clinic, all evidence points to Stephanie. With the new life she's been searching for hanging in the balance, Stephanie must convince Caden to trust her with his business...and his heart.

My Review:

Seriously good. Not only does this contemporary romance have a vet setting (hello, critter lovers unite!) and a veterinarian hero, but the heroine is an all out animal whisperer. And i love how that balances her otherwise wary, timid nature. 'Cause Stephanie's been through a lot and she's still struggling to shake the negativity of her past and discover the woman God means for her to be. 

But it's hard, and she can easily be overwhelmed. I love the way Slattery takes us on her redemptive journey. I felt every single emotion. My tummy did loop-de-loops all the way through the read but especially at the beginning because Stephanie arrives in the middle of chaos and things don't get straightened out for a while.

And our over-worked, stressed-out vet is the kind of hero I like to cheer for (and occasionally grump at.) Sparks definitely fly (and not always for the right reasons) between Caden and Stephanie and I enjoyed the stops and stutters and occasional U-turns on the road to their happily-ever-after.

Plus, a cast of memorable secondary characters including Stephanie's adorable preschool daughter bring added depth and meaning to this inspirational romance. And yes, this is the kind of Christian Fiction novel that has a spectacular faith thread woven throughout. Uplifting and entertaining and swoonworthy besides!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Her Small-Town Refuge, 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 5 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Chasing Her Dream

GIVEAWAY

SLATTERY, JENNIFER

CHASING HER DREAM

She needs his help...but can she trust him again?

After she inherits her uncle's mismanaged ranch, single mom Rheanna Stone's not sure she can also handle saving abused horses from a nearby property. So when rancher Dave Brewster offers to stay in town to help, she can't say no -- even if he left her once before. As they grow closer, old secrets are uncovered...but can they heal past heartbreak to give themselves a new beginning?

My Review:

Happy Sigh. Rescue horses and second chances...with a cowboy! I read the back blurb and knew I had to read this book. Besides, it's another Slattery storytelling wonder and shame on me for not picking it up on the strength of her name alone....but I do love reading the descriptions. I know some readers don't, but I hate going into a story blind. And I love the anticipatory glee those tag lines and summaries give. Kinda like savoring the smell of a delectable meal before diving in. :-) Okay, this is getting weird...back to the review.

Love the parallel in the second chances theme -- for both the horses and the hero and heroine. I got all the feels over both. Heartbreak and hope and a few teary moments beside. This author knows how to wring every last emotion out of her characters and her readers!

Plus there's a cute, talks-a-mile-a-minute kid to melt my heart -- and Dave's too. His heart still belongs to Rheanna even after years apart but when he meets little Amelia, he's a goner all over again. Loved the way this reunion romance developed. Gentle and tender fueled with wary uncertainty. But, oh, that pull of memories grows stronger the more time they spend in each others company! Cue the toe-curls, but grab a hankie because that also means the pain of past hurts rise to the surface all over again.

I also love this caring Texan community! Solid secondary characters who know what it means to be a neighbour and live out their faith in service and prayer. Elevates this reunion romance to a whole other level!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Chasing Her Dream, 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 4 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Building a family

GIVEAWAY

SLATTERY, JENNIFER
BUILDING A FAMILY

Can love for two little matchmakers unite their reluctant hearts?

Worried that Noah Williams is still the reckless bull rider she remembers, Kayla Fisher is convinced he isn't the right person to care for their orphaned niece and nephew. Now she's back home, determined to fight for custody. But Noah is a changed man, and he intends to prove it. When Noah and Kayla start falling for each other, could raising the children together be the perfect solution?

My Review:

Gah! There's so much to say about this book but I don't want to post any spoilers. Rule of thumb is to not give away anything that isn't mentioned in the synopsis but that means...gah!!!!

Let's just say there's an extra depth to this Love Inspired contemporary romance. Noah definitely isn't a reckless bull rider any more. He's learned some tough life lessons and is walking by faith now. As in following God's plan for his life, not his own. Even when it's hard and doesn't make sense and things seem impossible. His steadfastness is one of the most alluring things about him.

By contrast, Kayla seems...distracted. She's made her career her focus and even though she's come back home, she's still majorly driven by her business. But as she gets to know her abandoned niece and nephew, her focus is torn and it's just plain confusing. Plus she tends to make hasty judgments -- especially about Noah at the start which complicates things all the more.

Slattery has created a wonderful, caring community who exemplify what being a good neighbour is all about. These secondary characters brought vibrancy to an already compelling read. If you like a romance that touches on serious subject matters in a positive and uplifting way, then Building a Family might just be a good fit.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a gently read copy of  Building a Family, 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

Hometown Healing

GIVEAWAY

SLATTERY, JENNIFER
HOMETOWN HEALING

She's home again, but not for long...Unless this cowboy recaptures her heart

Returning home with a baby in tow, Paige Cordell's determined her stay is only temporary. But to earn enough money to leave, she needs a job --- and her only option is working at her first love's dinner theater. With attraction once again unfurling between her and Jed Gilbertson, can the man who once broke her heart convince her to stay for good?

My Review:

A heart tugging reunion romance that made me a little crazy. lol That's because Paige was so closed off at the beginning -- it about broke my heart the way she rebuffed Jed. She has her reasons, deep rooted issues that she's running from but it still hurt to read some scenes. :-) Absolutely love the whole dinner theater angle. I've never been to one -- not even sure if they are a 'thing' up here -- but I love when characters have unusual occupations so this made it extra fun. And the way Paige and Jed find their way back to each other is such sweet torture! A heartwarming small-town romance that tickled this reader's fancy. :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Hometown Healing, 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 September 7 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Restoring Her Faith

GIVEAWAY

SLATTERY, JENNIFER
RESTORING HER FAITH

She left belief behind...yest this family could change her mind

With two boys to raise, a fledgling contracting business to run and a family ranch to keep afloat, widower Drake Owens finds his hands aren't just full -- they're overflowing. When Faith Nichols is hired to help him renovate the church, he's drawn to the beautiful artist, but he can't fall for a woman who isn't a believer. Can love restore her faith...and his heart?

My Review:

City girl meets country boy and sparks fly! Drake is all cowboy charm and Texan manners while Faith is about as closed off and prickly as a body can get! They both totally misread the other and start circling like wary prize fighters. So much fun!

Sage Creek is the kind of town you want to call home. Love the community dynamics which include a bevy of secondary characters clamoring for their own stories to be told. Since this is Jennifer Slattery's debut Love Inspired novel I sure am hoping it's the first of many and they all take place in Sage Creek!

A touching faith thread that moved me to tears brings extra depth to this sweet romance. And I love the role the church restoration plays in the plot, providing intriguing layers to different aspects of the story. Divinely delicious!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Restoring Her Faith, 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 Saturday April 20 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Restoring Love

GIVEAWAY

SLATTERY, JENNIFER
RESTORING LOVE

Only when we let God write our love story do we live fully restored...

Mitch, a contractor and house-flipper, is restoring a beautiful old home in an idyllic Midwestern neighbourhood. Angela, a woman filled with regrets and recently transplanted to his area, is anything but idyllic. She's almost his worse nightmare. Unbeknownst to Mitch, Angela is also restoring something -- herself.

As he struggles to keep his business afloat and she works to overcome mistakes of her past, these unlikely friends soon discover they have something unexpected in common -- a young mom who is fighting to give her children a better life after her husband's incarceration. While Mitch and Angela are drawn to help this mother survive, they find themselves drawn to each other. Will a lifetime of regrets hold them back or unite them in redemption and true love?

My Review:

Jennifer Slattery excels at writing about real life in all it's messiness. Her characters are flawed, struggling with the kind of issues that are all too common in our modern world. Meet Bianca -- a young mom struggling to raise her children in poverty, Angela -- a mature new Christian desperate to leave the sins of her past behind, and Mitch -- a devout man facing the complications of a struggling business and an addicted son. Three diverse people, on three separate paths whose lives connect in an inspired way.

Restoring Love is much more than a love story -- though there is a sweet mature romance brewing between Angela and Mitch. Love that they are just as uncertain and wary as teenagers -- maybe more so since they've lived a whole lot more and have experienced just how badly a relationship can go. But the more powerful love story here is the one between a loving Father and His children.

Bianca is lost -- running on empty. Barely holding her family together. She's proud and bitter and reclusive, shunning every advance that Mitch and Angela make. Bianca doesn't know Jesus and she needs Him in the worst way. Mitch and Angela know that and I love how tenacious they are about approaching her. Especially Angela, who boldly reaches out despite each rebuff. And she's not comfortable doing it which makes it all the more remarkable. Such a wonderful example of living in community.

A motivationally touching and uplifting story.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.

Giveaway Opportunity:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Restoring Love 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 January 29 2017.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Breaking Free

GIVEAWAY

SLATTERY, JENNIFER
BREAKING FREE

Any broken life can be redeemed for a plan and a purpose...

Women's ministry leader and Seattle housewife, Alice Goddard, and her successful graphic designer husband appear to have it all together. Then their credit and debit cards are denied, and Alice is launched into an investigation that only leads to the discovery of secrets. Meanwhile, her husband is trapped in a downward spiral of lies, shame and self-destruction. Can they break free from deception and turn to the only One who can save them? Full of depth, hear felt emotion, and humour, Breaking Free inspires readers to seek after God in the complexities of their own lives.

My Review:

Wow -- what an emotionally gripping story! You might just need the whole Kleenex box for this one. And definitely do some relaxation exercises now and again throughout the read. Clenching your jaw for hours on end can be detrimental to your teeth! I did my share of teeth grinding -- especially over Trent. Gah! He's lucky I didn't dive into the book and slap him upside the head a time or two or three...or basically in nearly every scene. LOL But I'm getting ahead of myself.

So, what do you do when your carefully constructed, squeaky clean Christian family starts imploding? Seek guidance from your pastor? Turn the weight of your burdens over to the Lord? Pray? Those are the pat answers, but not necessarily the most honest ones. Because we humans...especially of the Christian persuasion...have a hard time admitting to our brokenness. Keeping up appearances is imperative even when it risks the destruction of a family. And that's where Alice and Trent find themselves.

And yes, Trent is the catalyst for a lot of their issues but Alice has turned into his enabler in her desperate bid to keep their 'perfect couple' façade in place. I wanted to slap her silly sometimes too because she missed so many opportunities for healing and comfort. And when she finally acts, she acts alone, withdrawing from the only One who could make sense of the mess that has become her life.

Slattery takes her readers on an intense journey as we watch Alice (and Trent) navigate around all the obstacles strewn in their path. And their own internal demons are some of the toughest to conquer. The author surrounds them with a strong supporting cast of characters ready to lift them up or tear them down. A great study of the many faces we meet in real life. People who are quick to brush aside a cry for help because they don't want to face any unpleasantness. People who are quick to judge, eager to find fodder for gossip at the expense of others. People who doggedly hold onto a friendship even when the friend withdraws; waiting, praying, seeking for opportunities to support and serve. This book really made me think about the kind of friend I want to be.

And woven all through the intricate plot is the burning witness of the hope the Savior can bring to any situation. Astonishingly good. (she says clutching a wad of damp tissues.)

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Breaking Free 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 April 17 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Intertwined

GIVEAWAY

SLATTERY, JENNIFER
INTERTWINED

Abandoned by her husband for another woman, Tammy Kuhn, an organ procurement coordinator finds herself in an altercation with a doctor. Now she is fighting to keep her job and her sanity when one late night she encounters an old flame facing an unthinkable tragedy. Because they both find eternal purposes in every event and encounter, they soon discover their lives are intertwined but the ICU is no place for romance....or is it? This could this be where life begins again.

My Review:

Slattery sure knows how to put the real into realistic fiction. This book packs more than one emotional wallop that left me gasping for breath a time or two. And spitting-nails mad. My tummy was tied in knots the whole read. A gritty novel that explores some pretty harsh realities. But the story isn't without hope and the author does an exceptional job of sharing the power of Christ's redeeming love. Never preachy, there is still a relentless witness woven into every scene. And what I really love about this book is that while Tammy and Nick are Christian they are by no means perfect. They struggle with their own brokenness and sometimes it's messy. Watching them stretch and grow helped me assess and even re-evaluate some issues in my own life. An intense read that has the potential to spark great discussions in a book club.

My thanks to the publisher and author for supplying me with a copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Intertwined 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 October 25 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Beyond I Do

SLATTERY, JENNIFER
BEYOND I DO

Marriage . . . it’s more than a happily ever after. Eternally more.

Ainsley Meadows, raised by a hedonist mother, who cycles through jobs and relationships like wrapping paper on Christmas morning, falls into a predictable and safe relationship with Richard, a self-absorbed socialite psychiatrist. But as her wedding nears, a battered woman and her child spark a long-forgotten dream and ignites a hidden passion. One that threatens to change everything, including her fiancé. To embrace God’s best and find true love, this security-seeking bride must follow God with reckless abandon and realize that marriage goes Beyond I Do.

My Review:

Authentic characters with messy lives struggle to find their way with varying success. Told through multiple viewpoints, Slatterly clearly shows how our lives become the sum total of our experiences. But it is our choices that ultimately bring us victory...or crushing defeat.

Ainsley has had a difficult upbringing and it colours the way she interacts with people. She tries to blend in, stay safe. In fact safety and predictability become her top priorities and it colours her view of the future. She finds herself heading in a direction she had no intention of going.  It takes some divine intervention to help her get back on track.

A solid inspirational theme testifies to the power of faith and the changes it can make in your life.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy of this book.