A Lancaster County Christmas

Giveaway!!!!

FISHER, SUZANNE WOODS
A LANCASTER COUNTY CHRISTMAS

Mattie Riehl was hoping to give her husband, Sol, the Christmas gift they have both longed for--news that a baby was on the way. But as usual, she is disappointed. The holidays bring an acute awareness to Mattie that her dream of a big Amish family isn't likely to become a reality. Will those empty chairs at the table ever be filled?

Then a winter storm raging outside blows an impatient young woman and her husband into the Riehl home on Christmas Eve--and into a much slower pace of life.

Both couples are about to find out if they can weather the storm--and if miracles still happen at Christmastime.

My Review:

 A stirring story that all takes place in just a few days' time but made an impact on both the characters and this reader. Expertly told from varying viewpoints, Fisher succeeded in drawing me in quickly and keeping a hold of my attention until the very last glorious page. There's a timeless quality to this tale -- filled with heartache and peppered with gentle humour. In fact, I was profoundly affected by Mattie's epiphany towards the end of the book. My 'aha' moment paralleled hers. I love it when a book speaks to me like that. It's a precious gift from author to reader.

Fisher has done an amazing job of conveying the spiritual magic that is Christmas. A definite must read.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like a chance to win your own copy of A Lancaster County Christmas, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Please remember to put the title in the subject line. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday November 20. Offer open internationally. 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".

November Giveaway - Week Two

Whhhheeeeeeeee, we have winners!!!!!



Lilly's Wedding Quilt by Kelly Long
won by Gwendolyn Gage

  

Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh
won by Cheryl Barker



The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson
won by Jen

I'll contact y'all via email today but if you don't hear from me by Monday evening can you please email me your snail mail address to kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca.  Thanks!!!!

Looking ahead to this week's giveaways:

Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist 

 Reading this one right now and it's peppered with so much humour I have a silly grin on my face all the time.

A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher 

 Wonderful Amish story that really touched my heart and got me thinking.

And if my Love Inspired shipment comes early enough in the week, I'll be offering a Love Inspired title as well so cross your fingers for the efficiency of Canada Post.

The Christmas Shoppe

GIVEAWAY!!!

CARLSON, MELODY
THE CHRISTMAS SHOPPE

The small town of Parrish Springs is not ready for Matilda Honeycutt. A strange older woman with scraggly gray hair and jewelry that jangles as she walks, Matilda is certainly not the most likely person to buy the old Barton Building on the town's quaint main street. When it becomes apparent that her new shop doesn't fit the expectations of Parrish Springs residents, a brouhaha erupts. After all, Christmas is approaching, and the last thing the town needs is a junky shop run by someone who looks and acts like a gypsy. But as townsfolk venture into the strange store, they discover that old memories can bring new life and healing.


Once again, Melody Carlson delivers a Christmas story that will touch hearts and delight the senses. Sure to be a classic, The Christmas Shoppe is filled with the special magic the best Christmas stories share--that intangible mixture of nostalgia, joy, and a little bit of magic.
 
My Review:
 
Carlson delivers a dose of Christmas hope in this whimsical celebration of the holiday season. This is a touching, feel-good tale that tackles life's challenges with a gentle, heavenly nudge in the right direction.  A simple, inspiring story that will put a smile on your face and hope in your heart. We all need a Matilda Honeycutt to sprinkle some sacred magic in our lives!
 
Giveaway Opportunity:
 
If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Christmas Shoppe, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahoo.ca. Remember to put the title in your subject line. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday November 13. Offer open internationally.
 
"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".

Remembering Christmas

GIVEAWAY!!!!

WALSH, DAN
REMEMBERING CHRISTMAS

Rick Denton lives his life on his terms. He works hard, plays hard, and answers to no one. So when his mother calls begging him to come home after his stepfather has an aneurysm, Rick is more than a little reluctant. What was supposed to be just a couple days helping out at the family bookstore turns into weeks of cashing out old ladies and dealing with the homeless guy who keeps hanging around the store. The one bright spot is the lovely and intriguing young woman who works at his side each day.

As Christmas nears, Rick's old life beckons, the hurts from his past loom large, and the decisions he makes will determine more than just where he spends Christmas Eve.

My Review:

Remembering Christmas is destined to be a holiday classic, I'd love to see this story played out on the big screen! I guarantee it would become an annual favourite. Somebody call Hallmark!

Walsh writes with a measured clarity that evokes images. Vivid, heart-wrenching and definitely heart-warming, the author has penned a story that shows us the powerful difference one constant follower of Christ can make in many lives. Have a Kleenex box handy and be prepared for more than just a few goosebump moments. This is a timeless tale you'll want to immerse yourself in. I read it in one sitting because I simply couldn't stop.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like to win a copy of Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Please remember to add the title to the subject line. Offer open internationally. Draw will be held and the winner announced on Sunday November 13. 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".  

Lilly's Wedding Quilt

GIVEAWAY!!!!

LONG, KELLY
LILLY'S WEDDING QUILT

Handsome, headstrong Jacob offers Lilly his hand in marriage, but his heart belongs to someone else.

While Lilly Lapp has loved Jacob for years, she wouldn't compete with Sarah King, the woman Jacob was determined to marry. But when Sarah marries another, Jacob spontaneously agrees to wed Lilly.

Lilly divides her time between teaching the local Amish children and caring for her widowed mother who suffers from depression. Lilly's faith comforts her, but her heart still longs to be the sole object of Jacob's affection.

As the days slip by, Lilly decides that hoping is too risky and vows to protect her heart. But God is subtly as work, and as winter turns to spring, their hearts awaken.

The furthest thing from Lilly's mind is her Amish wedding quilt, a traditional gift for new brides. And the person she'd least suspect is the one making it. Like stray pieces of fabric quilted into a new design, Jacob and Lilly's marriage begins to bind them together in ways neither expected

My Review:

I think Long fried my brain with her sizzling passages so I'm not quite sure I can make this review a coherent one. It was emotionally engaging from the very first page. We hurdle into Lilly and Jacob's story in a powerful way. Long doesn't ease us into their story, she catapults us into the middle of it! And from then on it's an emotional roller coaster ride with an incredible deep layer of faith to support it.

What will melt your heart (and a good number of your bones as well) is the interplay between Lilly and Jacob as they get to know each other. I have never read anything quite like it! Their growing desire goes deeper than mere physical need. They strive for an intimacy of both heart and mind surrounded by a solid faith structure and that's what increased the emotional rewards of this read for me. I'm near speechless over how good it was. In fact, I read the last bit twice! Let's just say that Jacob is a romantic with a capital R!!!!!!

Masterfully told, Long has captured every nuance of a developing relationship while peppering her story with wonderful comic relief along the way. I particularly adored the play-by-plays between Jacob and his brother, Seth! And I'm desperately hoping that she's sown the seeds for the next book which will hopefully be Seth's love story. He definitely deserves one!

So if you want your toes curled and your hair frizzed, don't hesitate to grab a hold of Lilly's Wedding Quilt anyway you can and one of those ways can be:

Giveaway Opportunity:

Here's your chance to win a copy of Lilly's Wedding Quilt by Kelly Long. Just leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Please make sure to put the title in the subject line. Draw will be held and the winner announced on Sunday November 13. Offer open internationally. Good luck!

November Giveaway - Week One

Happy Fall Back Day -- I used my extra hour productively. Finished one book and started another!
Here's this week's winners.



The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall
won by Charity



A Texan's Promise by Shelley Gray
won by Jo



Happy reading, ladies. I'll email you today but if you don't hear from me by Monday evening please contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with your snail mail address.

Looking Ahead to Next Week's Giveaways:

Lilly's Wedding Quilt by Kelly Long

Okay, I know this isn't a new release but it is such a heart-palpitating, toe-curling, muscle-melting romantic read that I can't not offer a copy of this one!

Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh

Another classic Christmas gift from this amazing author.

The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson

Can you believe that I haven't read any of Carlson's books? Well that's about to change when I delve into this lovely Christmas read. I can't wait.

A Texan's Promise

GIVEAWAY!!!!

GRAY, SHELLEY
A TEXAN'S PROMISE

Past promises will be tested as new ones are given...


When Clayton Proffitt, foreman of the Circle Z Ranch in Texas, discovers Vanessa Grant is the victim of her stepfather's advances, Clayton knows he must protect her honor and move her far away from the ranch -- and from the man she fears.

As they make their way West, an unexpected, deep bond develops between Vanessa and Clayton -- far more powerful than a mere friendship or his sense of duty to her. But Vanessa's stepfather won't let her go so easily. As Clayton and Vanessa place their faith in God and their trust in each other, will they find healing and hope for the future together?
 
My Review:
 
Well I'm sure glad I didn't give up on cowboys after all my swooning over a Scottish hero with a brogue last week!!!! Because Clayton is the epitome of perfection right down to his exasperating hard-headedness.  And he wouldn't be much of a cowboy without that mile-wide stubborn streak, would he? Luckily it's off-set by copious amounts of tenderness and the endearing quality of addressing Vanessa as sweetheart and sugar and darlin'...(and just so you know, a shiver goes up my spine when a cowboy starts dropping his 'g's!)
 
This is a classic Western, with a dastardly villain and trail rides and even a run-in with a 'working girl'. If that isn't enough to pique your fancy, Gray has charged her story with emotional angst that will keep you turning pages long after 'lights out'. The aftermath of the civil war has marked each character's life in some way and the author has done a superb job of developing that common, tragic thread. This is a story about surging forward out of your past and finding hope in a new future. Gray has written some beautiful, thought-provoking truths that span time and generations. That alone makes this a must read. The toe-curling romance and all that action and angst is just an extra bonus.
 
Giveaway Opportunity:
 
If you would like a chance to win A Texan's Promise please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Please remember to add the title to your subject line. The draw will be held and the winner announced on Sunday November 6. Good luck!!! Oh -- and it's open internationally!