Isle of Hope : Unfailing Love

GIVEAWAY

LESSMAN, JULIE
ISLE OF HOPE

She stole his heart.
He stole her peace.
Can hope steal their pain?

At the age of eighteen, Lacey Carmichael was a wild girl bent on fun, promised to Jack O`Bryen, a straight-and-narrow pastor’s kid bent on the seminary. When her father kicks her out of the house, she runs away from Isle of Hope, turning her back on everything she loves. Now, eight years later, she’s back as a woman of faith, hoping to make amends to the father she defied, the boyfriend she deserted, and the best friend she denied. Only the bridges she’s burned are still smoldering, kindled by an adulterous affair by Jack’s pastor father that damaged his son’s faith. But can a turning of tables—and hearts—lead the way back to “hope” for them all?

My Review:

Necessary supplies to gather before reading this book:

Fainting couch
Chocolate (to revive you from a swoon)
Kleenex
More Kleenex
Standby Kleenex (in case you use up all the above mentioned boxes -- and you likely will)

I read Isle of Hope : Unfailing Love with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes and half the time I didn`t know whether to laugh or cry so I did both. Copiously. Yes, my emotions were fully engaged and I was a blubbering mess through most of the book. And that`s because this story is real in that raw, gritty, all too life-like way that this author is famous for.

Two memorable families and a host of unforgettable characters have taken up permanent residence in my heart. I`m bereft now that it`s over and I`ve had to say goodbye to the O`Bryens and the Carmichaels.

God bless Julie Lessman for weaving faith into the very fibre of this story. Intense dialogue that proclaims the truth without seeming stilted or forced bears testimony to the miracle of forgiveness and God`s saving grace. The author doesn`t preach the gospel, she lives it through the lives of her characters. Flaws and all.

And speaking of flaws, the hero has plenty. I`ll admit to having a hard time liking him at the beginning of the book. Sulky, sarcastic, moody, angry. He lets Lacey have it at every turn. But she`s buoyed by her new found faith and bears his jibes rather well. After all, he`s one of the people she`s come home to make amends with.

And here`s where I got my wake-up call. A life lesson I will never forget. I found it easy to like Lacey despite her past because, well, it was her past. She`s chosen a new life in Christ and she shows remarkable courage in facing the people she has wronged. She`s doing the right thing and it was easy to apply forgiveness to this heroine. But Jack -- well, he really got my ire up. I became impatient and frustrated with him. I wanted to reach through the computer and slap some sense into him until I realized that the author was figuratively slapping some sense into me. Because it`s much easier to forgive a repentant sinner than one still mired in his gnarly mess. But isn`t the latter individual the one who needs my forgiveness even more? And who I am to deny him empathy or pass judgment for that matter? Talk about a sucker punch of spirituality.

Lessman has created a masterful tale of love and redemption. There`s plenty of drama, enough romantical scenes to require the aforementioned fainting couch and plenty of jaw-dropping twists guaranteed to keep a reader up late at night.  Add in the author`s eloquent turn of phrase (I`m partial to `bullheaded baboon` myself) and, well, all I can say is clear your calendar and be prepared for an emotional ride of a lifetime.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
Available in ebook format only

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Isle of Hope 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 November 8 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

November 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:

Forgiven : a School Shooting, a Mother's Love, and a Story of Remarkable Grace

GIVEN

ROBERTS, TERRI
WINDLE, JEANETTE
FORGIVEN : A SCHOOL SHOOTING, A MOTHER'S LOVE, AND A STORY OF REMARKABLE GRACE

After a son does the unthinkable, how can a mother go on?On October 2, 2006, a gunman entered an Amish one-room schoolhouse, shooting ten girls, killing five, then finally taking his own life. This is his mother's story. Not only did she lose her precious son through suicide, but she also lost her understanding of him as an honorable man. It was a trauma that none should ever have to face.

But the biggest headlines came when her Amish neighbors did the unimaginable, reaching out to the family of the shooter with comfort and forgiveness. Today Terri lives in harmony with the Amish and has built lasting relationships beyond what anyone could have thought possible. From the grace that the Amish showed Terri's family from day one, to the visits and ongoing care Terri has given to the victims and their families, no one could have foreseen the love and friendship that have been forged from the fires of tragedy.

My Review:

From bitterness comes grace. A gut-wrenching account of what happened before and after the horrific shooting that changed so many lives. This compelling read portrays forgiveness the way God meant it to be. It is by no means an easy thing -- for the person extending forgiveness or even the one receiving it. In fact, when you take in the dire circumstances this Amish community experienced, it's next to impossible to comprehend such an all encompassing act of forgiveness.

With unfailing courage, Roberts bears her soul in order to share the power that came from this remarkable grace. It broke through unspeakable pain and deep sorrow, bringing the light of Christ-like love -- a healing balm that brought hope to all touched by this tragedy. And now, this book, spreads that message out into the world.

A transforming read that challenged me to take a deeper look at what forgiveness means to me.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Forgiven 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 November 1 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Rancher for the Holidays

GIVEAWAY

JOHNSON, MYRA
RANCHER FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Her Could-Be Cowboy

Downsized from his corporate job, Ben Fisher's donning boots and a cowboy hat to try ranching through the holidays on his uncle's spread. The handsome city slicker turns heads wherever he goes—but he soon begins to fall for one special redhead. Marley Sanders has the work-obsessed bachelor doing the unthinkable—volunteering in the community and dreaming of wedding bells and babies. But his sweet country girl insists she's never leaving Alpine, Texas, and he's set to ride out
with the first job offer. Unless Marley can convince him to take the job of her forever cowboy.

My Review:

You know that moment in a book when a character does something so infuriating you want to shriek and box his ears? Yeah, well there's one of those moments in this book. And I'm pointing my finger right at Ben. He's lost his faith and his purpose in life. Alpine is just supposed to be a place to hang out until he gets things sorted out. But fate conspires against him and it soon becomes clear that maybe God has other plans and they might just involve a vivacious and somewhat reticent photographer. A tentative friendship has the potential to develop into something so much more -- if both Marley and Ben have the faith to accept the challenges along the way.

And faith is the key to the compelling inspirational thread. Faith to extend forgiveness, to resist the temptation to judge and most of all, faith to believe in the healing power of Christ's atonement. All seamlessly woven into a captivating love story that makes the perfect holiday read.
             
 GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Rancher for the Holidays 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 November 1 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

A Respectable Actress

GIVEAWAY

LOVE, DOROTHY
A RESPECTABLE ACTRESS

When India Hartley is accused of murder, she must uncover the deceptions of others to save herself.

India Hartley, a famous and beautiful actress, is now alone after her father’s death and embarks upon a tour of theaters across the South. Her first stop is Savannah’s Southern Palace. On the eve of the second night’s performance, something goes horribly wrong. Her co-star, Arthur Sterling, is shot dead on stage in front of a packed house, and India is arrested and accused of the crime.

A benefactor hires Philip Sinclair, the best—and handsomest—lawyer in Savannah to defend India. A widower, Philip is struggling to reinvent his worn-out plantation on St. Simons Island. He needs to increase his income from his law practice in order to restore Indigo Point, and hardly anything will bring him more new clients than successfully defending a famous actress on a murder charge.

Because India can’t go anywhere in town without being mobbed, Philip persuades the judge handling her case to let him take her to Indigo Point until her trial date. India is charmed by the beauty of the Georgia lowcountry and is increasingly drawn to Philip. But a locked room that appears to be a shrine to Philip’s dead wife and the unsolved disappearance of a former slave girl raise troubling questions. Piecing together clues in an abandoned boat and a burned-out chapel, India discovers a trail of dark secrets that lead back to Philip, secrets that ultimately may hold the key to her freedom. If only he will believe her.

My Review:

Sheer brilliance! I love the mix of historical romance and suspense and Dorothy Love has done a superb job of blending the two.  The plot twists have plot twists and the surprises don't stop until the very end. A breathtaking tale of intrigue -- both past and present -- kept me riveted the whole read through. There are even some Gothic elements to this story. Definitely an abundance of delight for suspense lovers.

Fascinating historical details make the read all the richer -- many of them inspired by real life incidents. The author has definitely done her homework and brings history to life in a captivating way. I especially enjoyed the insights into the early days of theatre life. And for fans of courtroom dramas, A Respectable Actress has some compelling courtroom scenes.

I have to admit to being surprised to find the absence of any kind of faith thread since this book was published by Thomas Nelson. One of the reasons I read Christian Fiction is for the uplifting inspirational threads expertly woven into the stories. I find I am continuously being disappointed by this publisher in this regard. That being said, I do feel that A Respectable Actress is a captivating read though I wouldn't classify it Christian Fiction.

My thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group and the publisher for providing me with a review copy of this book.

http://litfusegroup.com/author/dlove

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  A Respectable Actress 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 November 1 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Dangerous Tidings

GIVEAWAY

MENTINK, DANA
DANGEROUS TIDINGS

Searching for the truth...

Coast Guard rescue swimmer Brent Mitchell wants only one gift for Christmas: to find his sister. When he discovers that her disappearance is tangled with the death of private eye Bruce Gallagher, he joins forces with Bruce's daughter Donna to investigate. Grieving Donna is as tough as the determined military man, and both will stop at nothing to find the truth. But the duo soon discovers that a murdered father and a missing sister merely top a looming pyramid of secrets on Coronado Island. Deadly secrets. These unlikely partners have vowed to stick together until their most important case is closed, but they may pay with their lives.

My Review:

A captivating suspense that kept me guessing right to the end. Incredibly well paced, Mentink delivers tantalizing clues that don't quite come together...or do they? I was making reckless accusations by the end -- pretty sure every character mentioned and a host of others were all villains. LOL

Raw emotions sharpen the developing romance. Donna is grieving the loss of her father. Brent is worried about his sister's disappearance. Thrown together to solve the mystery, they are drawn together on an almost elemental level. There's some great faith discussions and a lot of pain-riddled angst to work through though and that, along with the aforementioned stunning suspense, made for one page-turner of a read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Dangerous Tidings 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 November 1 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Ribbons & Roses : Heartwarming & Sweet Contemporary Romance Duo

GIVEAWAY

HERNE, RUTH LOGAN
ROSS, MIA
RIBBONS & ROSES : HEARTWARMING & SWEET CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE DUO

No matter where you live, or what time of year it is, romance brings its own special brand of warmth to any occasion, so join multi-published authors Ruth Logan Herne and Mia Ross as they treat you to smaller helpings of what they do best: write sweet, feel-good fiction, the kind that makes you say "aww...". The kind where dreams really do come true!

My Review:

For the Love of Sophie June by Ruth Logan Herne -- A case of mistaken identity makes for a rocky start to this special romance. It doesn't take long for Deputy Wade Prescott to figure out that single mom Carrie Sullivan is a force to be reckoned with -- a beautiful force of kindness and light and a huge dose of spunk. And little Sophie June is just like her mama. A matching set of feminine wonder that draws Wade close. An upbeat romance filled with love and laughter and an abundance of Ruthyisms.

Sweet Home Carolina by Mia Ross -- Football hero Luke Morrow returns to his small-town roots to recover from an injury and to rethink his life. He doesn't expect to find his high school sweetheart, Carolina Jean (CJ) right where he left her over a decade ago. CJ is the perfect antidote for his jaded psyche. She's funny and compassionate and refreshingly blunt. A sweet second chance love story that will leave your heart aflutter.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
Please note: available in ebook format only.

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Ribbons & Roses 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 November 1 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!