A Rumored Fortune

GIVEAWAY

POLITANO, JOANNA DAVIDSON
A RUMORED FORTUNE

Welcome to Trevelyan Castle, home of the poorest heiress in Victorian England.

Tressa Harlow's father kept his vast fortune hidden somewhere on his estate in the south of England and died suddenly, without telling anyone where he had concealed it. No Tressa and her ailing mother are left with a mansion and an immense vineyard and no money to runi ti.

It doesn't take long for a bevy of opportunites to flock to the estate under the guise of offering condolences. Tressa knows what they're really up to. She'll have to work with the rough and rusticated vineyard manager to keep the laborers content without pay and discover the key to finding her father's fortune -- before someone else finds it first.

My Review:

SQQQQEEEEPPPPP!!!!! Sorry for the shattered eardrums but this book is worthy of the combined squealing and eeeping hullaboo I reserve for a sacred few exceptional novels. I'm still all shivery delight as I think back on this story.

Mainly because of the distinctive Gothic style. It creeps in on the very first page and continues on right to the end. A heroine in peril. A hero with secrets. A sinister pall casting dark shadows over Trevelyan Castle. And so many characters with nefarious purposes. An absolute page-turner!

And exquisitely told! So beautifully written that it begs to be read aloud. The kind of words you want to savor -- so much so that sometimes I'd read a passage over again just to let it sink into my bookish soul! .

And then there's Donegan Vance. Just typing his name sends me into a swooning tailspin! Wooooeeeeee! So mysterious and austere. But unexpectedly kind. Stalwart. Tortured. This is one complex man. Drawn to Tressa Harlowe even though he finds his fascination 'utterly absurd'. They come from different worlds. She's the princess of the castle. He's a lowly servant.

"No matter if she was intelligent and interesting, passionate and spirited, beautiful and bewitching to the extreme. She could be everything he'd ever hoped to find, but it mattered little if he was nothing of what she sought for herself." (p 164)

Tressa is the classical Gothic heroine. Reduced circumstances. A mystery to solve. Encroaching danger. Surrounded by people more intent on harming her than helping her. And who can she trust? My tummy jumbled up in knots over some of the decisions she made. I became an anxiety-addled reader! The only thing that soothed my taut nerves was the knowledge that Donegan was just a page or two away. :-)

And, oh goodness, their banter! Barbed words followed by tender ones. Passion vying with wry amusement. Completely, utterly delicious. Every. Single. Word.

And the piece de resistance is the inspirational thread expertly woven throughout as the author uses the vineyard as a metaphor for God's love....blew me away!

"Finally she spoke. "I can only take so much pruning," she whispered. "Why is God doing this to me? He's...he's pruning the very life out of me."

"No, he's bringing you to life. It takes a harsh summer to yield abundance in the vineyards. Perhaps this is your summer." (p 281)

Enchanting and captivating and just plain old really, really good!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Rumored Fortune, 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 Sunday November 18 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Framed for Christmas

GIVEAWAY

BULLARD, JAYCEE
FRAMED FOR CHRISTMAS

Holiday on the run...can they prove her innocence?

DNA technician Dani Jones can't believe she's being framed. But there's no other explanation for the illegal drugs in her trunk -- or the deadly target on her back. Though former DEA agent Gideon Marshall has learned to stay guarded, he won't let Dani go down without a fight. But can Gideon and his retired drug-sniffing dog make sure she survives long enough to clear her name?

My Review:

Woohoo! A spectacular debut romantic suspense and a new favouite Love Inspired author for me to enjoy (hopefully for years to come!)

Lou, the retired drug-sniffing dog captured my heart immediately. What a hero! And as gallant as only a noble K-9 can be! His 'partner', Gideon isn't half bad either -- and just about as furry. :-) Though he has some issues that make him gruff and grumpy and a tad untrusting. Which isn't in Dani's favour 'cause she's in a heap of trouble! Love the way the plot unfolds -- great action and suspense but with enough quality breathing spaces for a relationship to develop even though this all takes place in a whirlwind couple of days!

Jaycee Bullard is on my reader radar now and I'm excited to see what she has in store for her next Love Inspired Suspense novel! Can't wait!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Framed for Christmas, 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 November 18 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Dead Drift

GIVEAWAY

PETTREY, DANI
DEAD DRIFT

The final countdown to stop an imminent attack has begun.

Burning debris littering to the ground...smoke plumng in the acrid air...this is just the beginning if he fails.

Seven years ago, operative Luke Gallagher vanished to become part of an elite team set on capturing a deadly terrorist. When Luke returns to face those he left behind, their help becomes his only hope of stopping his target's latest threat of an attack that would shake America to its core.

Private investigator Kate Maxwell never stopped loving or looking for Luke after he disappeared. But she also never imagined he left her or his life by choice. Now he's back, and together they must unravel a twisting thread of secrets, lies, and betrayal, all while on the brink of a biological disaster.

Will they and their love survive, or will Luke and Kate become the terrorist's next mark?

My Review:

Oh wow -- stellar (but bittersweet) conclusion to this epic series! The only thing that keeps me from drowning in the depths of despair as we come to the end of the Chesapeake Valor books is the author's promise of a new series in our future -- Coastal Guardians -- which will undoubtedly be awesome too. Trouble is, Dani Pettrey has the power to create such memorable characters that it's hard to let them go when she wraps up a series. And that results in me wallowing in the separation-anxiety-blues. Sniffle.

Sublime action and suspense! Two suspense plots, actually, and both so riveting that I read Dead Drift in one sitting because how could I possible leave the team in that situation? Or that one? Or-- gasp -- nooooooo, I can't go to sleep until we get the all clear! Talk about nail-biting intensity! And plot twists galore. And don't get me started on the romance...my pulse is still erratic and my toes painfully curled. But I'm prepared to make such sacrifices in the interest of quality romantical interludes in a story -- I'm dedicated like that. :-)

Reading Dead Drift was exquisite torture -- because I wanted to read it s-l-o-w-l-y in order to draw the experience out but I couldn't summon up enough willpower to do that so it was over way too soon! Sob! So, if you like to be tortured by excellent storytelling this is definitely the book for you.

Oh -- and I should mention that I do think it`s best to at least have read the previous book -- Blind Spot -- before reading this one since the last part of that story really sets things up for this one and they flow seamlessly together. But, honestly, you really should read all the Chesapeake Valor books in order so you can truly bask in all the literary awesomeness!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Dead Drift, 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 Sunday November 18 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Jane by the Book

GIVEAWAY

BASHAM, PEPPER
JANE BY THE BOOK

A Jane Austen inspired novella

She's level-headed and ordered. He talks to imaginary characters. She keeps to the plan. He never has one.

Will true love find a way to color outside the lines but inside God's love to create a story they can write together?

Four years ago, Jane Warwick escaped the shame of being jilted at the altar by becoming a housekeeper at the secluded Inn at Simeon Ridge. Predictable and quiet, the inn and large Simeon family help Jane find a place to heal but also cultivate her natural strengths for order and planning. But an unexpected visit to Bath, England, upsets Jane's peaceful monotony and sends her out of her comfort zone, directly into the harrowing path of historical detective author, Titus Stewart.

The only plans Titus sticks to are family holidays and the ones that send him careening into his story worlds, but when an uptight innkeeper stumbles into his life -- and his latest novel -- nonfiction begins to take on a much more interesting gleam.

With the help of a mysterious journal, will they both uncover a romance that stands the test of time?

My Review:

"If God can use a talking donkey and a group of disgruntled fishermen, I think He can inspire an author with the right heart and abilities to create a story that will touch people's lives." (p 86)

Love, love, LOVE!!!!!! In a giddy, tilt-a-whirl, heart-thrumming, cheeks-hurt-from-grinning kind of way. Short (novella length) but oh so sweet!!!! And God bless authors who go to the trouble of making their novellas available in paperback format! This cherished copy is going on my keeper shelf and every time I spy it's pretty cover I'm going to get all nostalgic and swoony. :-) And isn't it adorable?! Love that both the hero and heroine are sporting glasses. You don't see that every day.

If you enjoy a bookish love story -- you know, where there's tons of references to books and reading and the power of story you will be over-the-moon ecstatic with this novel. Hero Titus is an author -- squeeeeallll -- and getting a peek into his slightly crazed writer mind is so much fun! He's probably the most unique hero I've ever met and the banter between Jane and Titus still has me smiling. "He really was fun to spar with, and he didn't seem to mind her sarcasm at all. It bounced off his optimism with the ease of rain off an umbrella." (p 44)

Despite the short word count (123 pages), Basham delivers a riveting plot filled with drama and romance and lots and lots of laughter. And a genealogical mystery to solve! And -- surprise -- there's even a Christmas component to this story! "Milkshakes, mystery and kisses from Jane Cecily? Merry early Christmas to him!" (p 88) And to happy readers everywhere. Seriously good and not to be missed!

"God created romance. It makes sense that people who write from a Christian worldview would incorporate it into their books and show the God-given beauty of the love between a man and a woman." (p 67)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Jane by the Book, 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 November 18 2018. Offer to International Readers. Good luck.

November Giveaway -- Week Two

WON BY JANA LEAH

WON BY SUSANNE MINCER

WON BY TRACEY HAGWOOD

WON BY KAY GARRETT

WON BY PATTY

WON BY TAMMIE EDINGTON SHAW

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address. Otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with your mailing address. From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven't been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now so, please, DON'T BE SHY -- CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN'T LEAVE YOUR EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU. Books will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address and I'll email you to confirm your win is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring about the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping time. Thank you!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

A Simple Christmas

GIVEAWAY

HUBBARD, CHARLOTTE
A SIMPLE CHRISTMAS

The rustic beauty of a country Christmas fills the Simple Gifts crafts shop, while the Amish residents of Willow Ridge pull together in uncertain times -- and in the face of an unexpected homecoming.

Nora Hooley's shop is abuzz with preparations for the holiday open house, and Rosalyn Riehl is handcrafting wreaths from everygreen boughs, pinecones, and other natural materials. The work is a welcome diversion for the only unmarried daughter of Cornelius Riehl: her gruff dat has been receiving envelopes marked Past Due, leaving dutiful Rosalyn to manage the household's inexplicably shrinking budget. Then another distraction swaggers into Simple Gifts -- blue-jeaned and leather-jacketed, with a reputation that precedes him.

Marcus Hooley hightailed it to Willow Ridge on a wing and a prayer -- not that he's the praying type. He rejected his Amish roots long ago. But behind the bad-boy attitude is a gifted horse trainer who's counting on some bent-but-not-broken family ties to throw him a lifeline. He can't erase his past, but a sparking attraction with strong, spirited Rosalyn holds the promise of a second chance...and of shedding light on shadowy secrets to build a bright tomorrow.

My Review:

Our regularly scheduled Retro-Read is preempted by some seasonal literary cheer.

A Simple Christmas is anything but as this prodigal son story morphs into so much more. Plenty of angst and drama and complications galore. I wasn't enamored with Marcus in the beginning. He's pretty brash and intolerable but it isn't long before the good folk of Willow Ridge work some Christmas magic on him -- along with some much needed tough love! And the lure of Rosalyn Riehl goes a long way towards smoothing some of Marcus's rough edges. This is the kind of love story that pulls at your heartstrings and surprises a reader with unexpected twists and turns.

A Simple Christmas is the third book in the Simple Gifts series and I think it's best if you read the books in order. I didn't, and while I enjoyed the story, there were times I floundered a bit as a few plot points have been carried over from previous books. Plus, there's an extensive list of secondary characters to get acquainted with all at once. I still enjoyed the read though --- a sweet seasonal love story guaranteed to deliver some holiday cheer.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Simple Christmas, 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 November 11 2108. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Place Called Home

GIVEAWAY

ANDERSON, BRENDA S.
PLACE CALLED HOME

All she wants is a settled place to call home.
He can't wait to make home a life-long road trip.

All Tessa Chansen ever wanted was a stable place to call home. She though she'd found that when she moved in with Jared -- until his home became her prison. When his control escalates, the only answer is to escape -- an escape that's hampered when she falls and fractures her ankle.

While building his graphic design company, Nate Brooks is focused on the future he's dreamed of: traveling around the country from the comfort of his renovated school bus. But when he picks up a wounded, mysterious hitchhiker, those well-laid plans take a backseat to protecting her.

Hobbled by her injury, Tessa fears she'll never find freedom. Or has she found it with the family who graciously opens their home to her? And with Nate's protection put his family -- and his heart -- at risk?

My Review:

This is the eleventh book in the innovative Potter's House series -- a multi-authored series of standalone books loosely  linked through the theme of "hope, redemption and second chances."

"I'm learning that when God sends me on a detour, I need to enjoy the view." (p 58). That's Nate Brooks -- gregarious, mission-minded and compassionate. Always ready to share the gospel and come to the aid of someone in need. In fact, he has a reputation for picking up 'strays' of the two-legged variety. He can't help it when those God nudges prompt him to offer help before he can think things all the way through.

Nate is young -- just out of college and starting up his own business. He's all about fiscal responsibility and making a dent in those student loans. He doesn't have the time or inclination to get mixed up in Tessa's complicated story...only there's that divine nudge...more of a shove, really that has him reaching out to help even though Tessa's loathe to accept it. She's aggravating and captivating and it doesn't take long for Nate to become completely entangled in her life.

Fleeing an emotionally abusive relationship, Tessa hardly recognizes the woman she's become. So far from the faith she grew up with and the music she lived for. Watching her slowly regain her confidence and sense of self makes for a captivating read. Alternately sweet and heart-wrenching. Even funny in places.

Place Called Home is a short novel that packs a wicked punch. A story with heart and hope and the miracles that come in the form of divine second chances.

My thanks to the author for gifting me wih a copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Paperback copy only available for US and Canadian readers. Ebook for International readers.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Place Called Home, 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 November 11 2108. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!