April Giveaway - Week One

As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the Internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a month time frame. If I can't reach you within four weeks your win will be forfeited.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Sanctuary

GIVEAWAY

LEWIS, BEVERLY
LEWIS, DAVID
SANCTUARY

Melissa James has a picture-perfect existence--or so it seems. In reality, she has been looking over her shoulder her entire life. Just as her secrets are about to catch up with her, she seeks a haven in Pennsylvania Amish Country. Will her stay bring her peace, or will it bring danger to the Plain community?

My Review:

Originally published in 2001, this is vintage Lewis. And hard to categorize. It's a little bit Amish, a little bit suspense, a little bit romance and a whole lot of page-turner. Honestly, I was completely whisked away by the story. A sense of frantic edginess pulsates from the very first page and I was hooked. Why is Melissa fleeing her ideal existence, not to mention the love of her life? The authors leave a clever trail of breadcrumb clues -- delectable hints that helped me slowly put the pieces together. So there's definitely that sense of suspense and danger throughout the entire book.

But Sanctuary is also a journey of faith. Melissa manages to find breathing space in Amish country (at least she thinks she has) and her friendship with some Plain sisters as she rents a room from a Mennonite woman is the catalyst for a change in her spiritual outlook.

Told from multiple viewpoints, Sanctuary hurdles its way through to a breath-taking conclusion. Honestly, I didn't know how it would work out until the very end. Such a treasure of a read and so fun to read Lewis at the beginning of her career.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Sanctuary 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 4 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Protection Detail

GIVEAWAY

MCCOY, SHIRLEE
PROTECTION DETAIL

Lawman on a mission

After a prominent senator's son is murdered, Capitol K-9 Unit captain Gavin McCord wants answers. The senator was a mentor to Gavin, and he'll stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice. With his team of elite K-9 cops and his loyal dog, Glory, at his side, Gavin discovers that a child at Cassie Danvers's nearby foster home may have witnessed the murder. He's drawn to the determined and beautiful woman, but she doesn't want him interviewing her traumatized charges. Yet trusting Gavin is the only way to stay one step ahead of the deadly gunman when Cassie becomes a target.

Capitol K-9 Unit: These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners

My Review:

This is the first in a new Love Inspired  continuity series and I'm loving the whole concept! McCoy kept me spellbound with her fast-action plot and she set up the series over arcing suspense thread beautifully. Plus, she gives her readers a glimpse into the future heroes and heroines coming up in the next books. I can't tell you how excited I am over the K-9 theme that links these novels together so no surprise that Glory (the German shepherd) stole my heart! But no worries, hero Gavin caught...and held...my attention too! He's a man on a mission because this case is personal. There's an on-going battle of wills between Gavin and Cassie that adds a nice edge to their burgeoning romance. They both come from similar backgrounds and have definite opinions that often clash. Keeps the romance hopping while the bullets are flying!


GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Protection Detail 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 5 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Amish Redemption

GIVEAWAY

DAVIDS, PATRICIA
AMISH REDEMPTION

An Amish Homecoming

Joshua Bowman is ready to go home. After spending time in prison for a crime he didn't commit, he's putting everything behind him and reconciling with his fractured family. When a devastating tornado throws him unexpectedly into the path of Mary Kaufman and her daughter, Hannah, he feels the first spark of life after months. But Mary's adoptive dad is the Englisch sheriff—and he'd never trust her care to a man with Joshua's past. Plus the lovely single mom has a secret of her own, one that she's spent years running from. Together they survived the storm, but are they strong enough to shed the shadows of their past?

My Review:

Wow! What a captivating story! Both Joshua and Mary are so positive about their futures despite their rocky pasts. Love that they are both moving forward, anchored in their faith when they first meet. Their relationship develops gently in the midst of the chaotic aftermath of a tornado. I particularly adored Joshua's interactions with Mary's daughter, Hannah. There's something so compelling about a man who loves kids. But there's also these secondary plot threads that intertwine into a surprising and explosive climax I didn't see coming. A sheer delight of a read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Amish Redemption 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 5 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Brides of Amish Country: Finding true love in the land of the Plain People.

Secret Refuge

GIVEAWAY

MENTINK, DANA
SECRET REFUGE

His last chance at redemption

Former parole officer Mick Hudson blames himself for the death of Keeley Stevens’s sister. If he hadn’t paroled a criminal, she might still be alive. When he hears that the suspected killer has been spotted in Keeley’s hometown, he worries she might be the next victim. Keeley doesn’t want to take help from the man who could have prevented her sister’s death, but she has more than herself to worry about. She’ll do anything it takes to protect her family. And Mick will risk his life to make sure that the past does not repeat itself.

Wings of Danger: The path to love is treacherous

My Review:

First off, just love Keeley. Flawed, gutsy, Miss-I-don't-need-your-help-and-I'm-not-going-to-trust-you-ever! Seriously, a heroine with 'tude and as frustrating as that can be, I totally get where she is coming from. And oddly enough all that grit and determination just make her seem all the more vulnerable...when you dig down way past the facade she puts on for the world...and especially Mick.

Mentink fans will recognize Mick from the first book in the Wings of Danger series, Hazardous Homecoming. No worries if you haven't read that first one though, Secret Refuge reads perfectly fine (more than) as a standalone. It's just Mick was one of those secondary characters that stuck with me and I actually wondered about his back story. Now I know.

Mentink does a superb job of meshing Keeley and Mick's tumultuous pasts with their tense present. Theirs is an unforgettable journey towards redemption and truth in so many ways. Inspiring and death defying, this edge-of-your-seater makes for a thrilling read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Secret Refuge 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 5 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Vines of Entanglement

GIVEAWAY

CARTER, LISA
VINES OF ENTANGLEMENT

No matter how fast you run, the past has a way of catching up with you.

A tangled web of lies characterizes the life Laura Mabry has built for herself and her son after the tragic death of her husband. But Laura’s carefully constructed world slides off its axis when she stumbles upon the body of a young college student on the recreational trails of Raleigh’s Greenway. What’s worse, Detective Jon Locklear is Laura’s worst nightmare...and her dream come true.

Jon has spent years trying to forget Laura. Past experience has taught him that he can’t trust her, but old habits—like old loves—die hard. When the killer turns his attention on Laura, Jon may be the only one who can save her.

Truth and murder lurk just around the corner for Laura. Can she find the courage to face her deepest fears and unravel the lies of her past before she and her son become the Greenway Killer’s next victims.

My Review:

If romantic suspense was an art form, Lisa Carter would be one of the Masters. There's just as much suspense in the romance as there is in...well...the suspense. This author knows how to weave a story rich in characterization and plot development. I hung on every single word. And I love the way she teased me with tidbits of information, allowing time for me to come to my own conclusions. Then when that particular plot thread was fully revealed I could cheer with giddy delight because I got it right or sit there slack-jawed, astounded that I could be so wrong.

A solid inspirational thread anchors both the romance and the suspense. Ageless truths so hard to understand and personally apply. I grew and stretched right along with Laura. The triumph of love and friendship along with the complication of  messy relationships and way too many hidden lies make this a riveting read that was impossible to put down.  A definite must read for the discerning romantic suspense lover.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Vines of Entanglement 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 5 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Courting Emily

GIVEAWAY

LILLARD, AMY
COURTING EMILY

Return to Wells Landing, the close-knit Amish community in Oklahoma, where a hopeful young woman struggles to find true love while staying true to her faith. . .

Emily Ebersol is the bishop's daughter, and everyone--including Emily--assumes she'll marry a faithful Amish man and live out her days within the community. But her childhood sweetheart, Luke Lambright, fell in love with racing cars during his rumspringa and decided to leave Wells Landing. Emily prays for his return, but as the months go by, she begins spending time with another young man--a man who may not be as exciting as Luke, but perhaps he's exactly what she needs. . .

Elam Rhiel knows that Emily has always been in love with Luke--but he is certain he could be the loyal, steady husband Emily deserves. Then, just as Emily begins to fall for him, Luke returns and complicates her feelings. Now, they all must learn that the greatest love requires the greatest sacrifice. . .

My Review:

A lovely read that is pure romance from beginning to end. That doesn't mean it's easy. In fact, this love story is angst-riddled. But it is a tale that focuses on love. Elam's is unrequited, Emily's is misplaced and Luke has taken it for granted. So many scenes made me squirm as my romance loving heart agonized over how they'd work things out. I was held captive even though I got to a point where I just didn't want to read any more because I could clearly see how devastating it was going to get before things finally turned around. Talk about nail-biting and tummy-churning! Of course, I loved every minute of it, and magnanimously forgave the author any discomfort once I reached the end. :-)

Side note: Not sure what I think about this cover. Emily looks more like a pioneer girl than an Amish one. Funny how book cover first impressions affect me. I actually hesitated reading Courting Emily because that image didn't jive with what I have come to expect from an Amish heroine (speaking to the prayer kapp in particular.) Anyway, just goes to show that you can't judge a book by it's cover because this is a story I wouldn't wanted to have missed out on.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Courting Emily 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 5 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!