Reader's Choice - Historical Romance

GIVEAWAY

June - August release date

I'm getting ready for a summer reading blitz but I need your input to help me scout out the best new June - August releases. So, instead of reading and reviewing books this week, I'm appealing to my fellow bibliophiles for recommended summer release titles. 

How does it work?

 

Easy-peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section each day and if you win the draw, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES!!!!!!

 

Publication dates must be

June, July or August 2015

Each day is genre specific so

only submit books from that genre 

Christian Fiction books only please!

You can offer three suggestions per day

BUT

they need to be made in

three separate comments

(makes it easier for me to tally)

No email entries this week 

(too hard to keep track of due to the

# of responses)

 

Open to International readers (I'm all about spreading the Good News about Christian Fiction all over the globe!!!!!!)

 

IT'S HISTORICAL ROMANCE GIVEAWAY DAY!!!!!

 
To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title of the book(s) in the Historical Romance genre you'd like to win (and you think I'd like to read!)

Please remember to include your email, using AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday May 10  2015.

May 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:

It's Reader's Choice Week again. Time for y'all to help me with my summer reading list. Recommend a Christian Fiction book being released June - August.  Winner will receive the book they recommended. Each post will be genre specific so  pay attention. You can enter up to three titles per genre.

To Win Her Favor

GIVEAWAY

ALEXANDER, TAMARA
TO WIN HER FAVOR

A gifted rider in a world where ladies never race, Maggie Linden is determined that her horse will become a champion. But the one man who could help her has vowed to stay away from thoroughbred racing forever.

An Irishman far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him. He's come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and begin farming, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he'd wagered, especially when Maggie Linden's father makes him an offer he shouldn't accept yet cannot possibly refuse.

Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the inaugural Peyton Stakes, the richest race ever run in America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that chance---and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder---Maggie's father, aging, yet wily as ever, makes a barter. His agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail---Maggie must marry a man she's never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.

My Review:

Such a riveting story with so many interesting elements you don't often see in historical fiction. First up -- the treatment of the Irish in the 1800s. Alexander describes the narrow-minded prejudice with appalling clarity. Even the heroine isn't exempt from it. Quite an eye opener. As is the description of the plight of the freed slaves in the post war South. Both elements of our history that are hard to read but important to remember.

And I loved the thoroughbred racing elements in the story. Especially since it's Maggie who has the passion for horses and the God-given talent to train them. So maverick for a woman of that time which ups the conflict and makes for a page-turning read.

Alexander pairs the two most unsuitable people together and creates a sweeping love story with plenty of angst and a whole lot of passion. In fact, this marriage of convenience novel definitely pushes the envelope when it comes to portraying the intimacies of marriage in a Christian fiction book. It is tastefully done, but sensitive readers should beware.

Love the contrasts between Maggie and Cullen. She's defensive, judgemental and a little bit of a snob at the beginning of the story. Cullen is apologetically brazen and surprisingly compassionate. And oh so very patient -- and he needs to be as far as Maggie's concerned! But he's determined to win her favor. You'll have to read the book to see if he's successful.

Cautionary note: there is a bit of questionable language. Not a lot, but blatant enough to mention. As well as the use of the derogatory (though historically accurate) word for Blacks.

My thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group and the publisher through Net Galley for a review copy of this book.

http://litfusegroup.com/author/talexander

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of To Win Her Favor 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 May 3 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Tamera Alexander’s To Win Her Favor Blog Tour and Kindle Giveaway

Celebrate the release of To Win Her Favor with a Kindle Fire and book giveaway!

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 10th. Winner will be announced May 11th on Tamera's blog. Plus stay tuned for more opportunities to win after May 11 with a special Pinterest contest—more details coming soon!



{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

Fugitive Trackdown

GIVEAWAY

ROBBINS, SANDRA
FUGITIVE TRACKDOWN

Deadly pursuit

Nothing will stop Claire Walker from finding her father's killer. But a shy Southern librarian is no match for a murderer, and as a novice bounty hunter, she's quickly cornered. Fugitive recovery specialist Adam Knight arrives just in time to rescue Claire. But now she owes her life to the man who once broke her heart. With the killer still tracking Claire, Adam decides she needs a guardian—and he's the best man for the job. Set on seeing justice served, Claire and Adam must join forces…and try to outrun a desperado and his deadly traps.

Bounty Hunters: Finding justice one fugitive at a time

My Review:

The bounty hunter angle intrigued me. I don't think we have a Canadian equivalent. But, oh my goodness, Claire is way out of her element!  (And I did cringe a bit at the shy librarian stereotype.) Almost like a teenager thinking she's the next Nancy Drew. Some things are best left to the professionals and Claire learns that the hard way. Thankfully Adam knows what he's doing but this wily fugitive has plenty of nasty tricks up his sleeve and that keeps the tension amped and the plot fast paced. The romance is a slow simmer -- just the hint of a spark from a youthful relationship that never got off the ground. It's rekindling is sweetly satisfying.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Fugitive Trackdown 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 May 3 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

When Grace Sings

GIVEAWAY

SAWYER, KIM VOGEL
WHEN GRACE SINGS

When trouble roars into quiet Arborville, Alexa and Anna-Grace find themselves the target for discord and exposed secrets. Can they continue to seek the God of all grace amidst the fog of confusion? 
Alexa Zimmerman wonders if the Old Order Mennonite community in Arborville, Kansas will ever fully accept her. Her family roots here aren’t what anyone thought when she first arrived, but she is hopeful that her culinary and hospitality skills will win the skeptics over. The bed-and-breakfast she’s operating needs to succeed so Alexa agrees to allow Briley Forrester, the hotshot reporter from Chicago, to stay as a long-term boarder not knowing his real motives for being amongst the Plain folk.

But when Alexa agrees to host her cousin Anna-Grace Braun, the presence of extended family brings out Alexa’s insecurities and sets Briley on the trail to uncovering a web of hidden truths.

Plans for a secure future and the sweetness of young romance hang in the balance when Alexa and Anna-Grace have to face that their secrets are interconnected, binding the two in ways they could not have imagined. They must trust in a loving, heavenly Father and His plan for their futures.

My Review:

Probably my favourite book by Kim Vogel Sawyer -- and that's saying something since I missed Book 1 in the Zimmeran Restoration Trilogy! Sawyer does an excellent job of infusing the pertinent bits from the first book into this one so there's no confusion. Mind you, my curiosity is piqued and I can't go without reading When Mercy Rains so look for it in a retro Saturday sometime soon.

This is the kind of emotional roller coaster ride I love to read. The author tells the story through multiple viewpoints and that creates a sense of urgency to the read. I could see how everyone interconnects and anticipating the fallout when that happens is pure torturous delight! And fallout did happen, but the author wisely left some for Book 3. So while there is a satisfying resolution to a few threads, she's left her readers eagerly anticipating the grand finale for the rest. And she's done that in such a way that the reader doesn't feel robbed. I hate abrupt cliffhanger endings and this isn't one. She leaves each character solidly planted on the right path so I feel I can leave them untended until September! (When Love Returns release date.)

I think Briley's story made the most impact on me. I really did not like him at first (and he opens the book!) The kind of guy who is too good looking for his own good -- and worse -- knows it! And he's out to prove himself regardless of who he has to step on to do that. Sawyer slowly unravels layers of Briley's past and allows readers a peek at festering hurts that have never healed. My heart couldn't help but soften towards the guy. And I loved how his heart softened after getting to know the Old Order Mennonites community in Arborville.

So many twists and turns. Emotional conflict that left me on tenterhooks for the entire read. Captivating. Exciting. Riveting. But most of all -- hopeful.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of When Grace Sings 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 May 3 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Where Trust Lies

GIVEAWAY

OKE, JANETTE
LOGAN, LAUREL OKE
WHERE TRUST LIES

She loves her friends and students in the West, but family obligations have called her home. Where does she truly belong?
After a year of teaching in the Canadian West, Beth Thatcher returns home to her family. She barely has time to settle in before her mother announces plans for a family holiday--a luxurious steamship tour along the eastern coast of Canada and the United States. Hoping to reconnect with her mother and her sisters, Beth agrees to join them, but she quickly realizes that things have changed since she went away, and renewing their close bond is going to be more challenging than she expected.

There's one special thing to look forward to--letters and telephone calls from Jarrick, the Mountie who has stolen her heart. The distance between them is almost too much to bear. But can she give her heart to Jarrick when it will mean saying good-bye to her family once again--and possibly forever? And will she still want to live in the western wilds after the steamship tour opens up a world of people and places she never imagined?

Then comes a great test of Beth's faith. Someone in her family has trusted the wrong person, and suddenly everything Beth knows and loves is toppled. Torn between her family and her dreams, will Beth finally discover where her heart truly belongs?

A companion story to Hallmark Channel's When Calls the Heart TV series!

My Review:

This is my first Janette Oke novel so I'm seriously behind the times as far as the Christian fiction legacy goes! I had to see what all the fuss was about so I scooped this book up at my public library -- a real coup since there's now a humongous waiting list for it. After reading it though, I'm a jumble of mixed feelings so I hope I can make sense to you.

First off, this is the second book in the Return to the Canadian West series. I haven't read Where Courage Calls so I feel like I'm at a bit of a disadvantage. It's not that Where Trust Lies doesn't read well as a standalone -- it does. I didn't ever feel lost in the plot but I missed an emotional connection with Beth and Jarrick, which I think I would have developed if I'd read the first book. I found myself feeling a bit detached as I progressed through this story.

 Another reason, I think, is the style of writing which is very reminiscent of a few decades ago. The story unfolds almost as a narrative, so instead of being plunged into the life (and heart) of the heroine it felt like I was an observer from the outside looking in -- if that makes any sense. Don't get me wrong, the writing is fluid and carries the plot seamlessly forward. I guess I just felt like I was trailing in its wake instead of braving the currents right next to Beth.

Where Trust Lies is a complicated study in the changing relationship of a daughter who has grown into womanhood. It captures that awkward conundrum of wanting to be your own person while still feeling an emotional pull to meet the expectations of your parents. Add in trying to figure out a burgeoning romance and Beth has a lot to think -- and pray -- about. There's a wonderful underlying message about trust in all its many facets. And a surprising mysterious twist towards the end. So, definitely worth the read, though it wasn't as emotional a read as I would have liked.

And worthy to note: CBC will be airing the TV series, When Calls the Heart, this summer. I believe it has been on the Hallmark Channel, but we haven't been able to view it in Canada. The TV series includes the characters from the book series so I'm looking forward to seeing how the actors bring Beth and Jarrick and everyone else to life.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Where Trust Lies 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 May 3 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

April Giveaway - Week Four

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: