February Giveaway - Giveaway Three

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:

Hannah's Choice

GIVEAWAY

DREXLER, JAN
HANNAH'S CHOICE

When love and family conflict, will she listen to her head...or her heart?

Hannah Yodder loves her quiet life on the banks of Conestoga Creek. In 1842, this corner of Lancaster County is settled and peaceful -- yet problems lurk beneath the placid façade. Hannah strives to be the one person who can bind the threads of her family together in spite of her father's worries, her mother's depression, and her sister's rebellious ways. But her world threatens to unravel.

When two young men seek her hand in marriage -- one offering the home she craves and the other promising the adventure of following God's call west -- Hannah must make a choice. Will she stay true to the faith of her family or defy her father and abandon her community?

My Review:

Heart engaged.
Tears shed.
Mourning period begun.

Truly, my heart hasn't quite settled yet. I was so immersed in Hannah's story that I think I worried years off my life before she finally made her choice. (Awesome title tie-in, by the way.) In fact, I have never been so tempted to sneak a peek at the last few pages of a book. I was desperate to find out Hannah's choice and at the same time dreading that ultimate revelation. And that's because Drexler has fleshed out these characters to breath-taking proportions. I came to care for all of them, including both suitors so my heart is slightly crushed right now. This author should be reported for cruelty to readers. :-)

Love the mix of Amish and Historical and the author does an amazing job of bringing that rich history to life. Funny to think that the Pennsylvania Amish of 1842 worried about the encroaching world threatening their way of life just as much as their 21st century counterparts. I was also thrilled to find an underground railroad story woven into this read. Lots of scope for conflict and battles of conscience right there. More for Hannah to struggle with as she stretches and grows in her faith.

And speaking of struggling -- hello -- two suitors that would lead her in two different directions. A family suffering with a brokenness only God can heal...if the individuals are willing. And Hannah in the centre of it all trying to be everything to everybody while following her own faith journey. Riveting stuff.

A compelling read that's sure to thrill both Amish and Historical Fiction readers.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Hannah's Choice 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 February 21 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Under Duress

GIVEAWAY

CARVER, MEGHAN
UNDER DURESS

Family on the run

Criminals are trying to kidnap attorney Samantha Callahan's adopted daughter, Lily -- and she has no idea why. So when bullets start flying, Samantha and Lily speed of in her car...and crash right into help.

Ex-cop Reid Palmer is shocked when former law school student classmate Samantha rear ends his car and then climbs in with her daughter and begs him to drive. Now they are on the run, and Reid will do anything to protect them and figure out why kidnappers are after Lily.

As they struggle to evade capture, Reid begins to realize that Samantha is more to him than just a woman in trouble. But with the enemies closing in and their motives finally revealed, will Reid be able to make sure justice is served?

My Review:

An apt title because Reid and Samantha are under duress the entire book. The cat and mouse chase just doesn't let up and they can't figure out why. How are they being tracked? And what do the criminals want? No matter what they do they are never safe for long. I was a nervous wreck on their behalf by the end of the story! Luckily Samantha is made of sterner stuff -- though she does have her moments. Nice to meet a heroine who doesn't have it all together all of the time. She even snipes with Reid just because. Poor Reid, he really doesn't deserve it either, but he is the stoic type. A whirlwind of a read that will leave you feeling dishevelled by the end.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Under Duress 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 February 21 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Kissed by a Cowboy

GIVEAWAY

CLOPTON, DEBRA
KISSED BY A COWBOY

Cassidy was looking for a home and a place to belong...not for a cowboy to steal her heart.

Having lived through her parents' endless string of 'matrimonial bliss gone wrong,' Cassidy Starr knows when the odds are not in her favour. Divorced and humiliated, her faith on rocky ground, Cassidy is through with love. She's been bucked off that horse far too many times. Instead, she returns to Wishing Springs, Texas, and the rundown farm she's inherited from her great aunt Rosie. She'll reopen the strawberry farm and a bed & breakfast and follow in her aunt's footsteps, remaining forever-independent, happy...and single.

Rancher Jarrod Monahan's hands are full running the ranch, looking after his ailing grandfather, and chasing down a group of rustlers on the loose. He's pushed his longing for a family to the bottom of his list of priorities. Besides, he was in love once but ran scared and lost his shot at happiness. But suddenly, the biggest regret of his life has moved in next door with a wounded heart, determined to become a spinster...and that's a challenge that Jarrod can't pass up.

Jarrod sets his mind to breaking down the walls around Cassidy's stubborn heart. How can he show her that a cowboy's kiss lasts forever? For the good folks of Wishing Springs, falling in love has never been so much fun to witness.

My Review:

Holey smokin' pine cones! Make sure the fainting couch is plumped up and you have a fan or two handy...or you could just stick your head in a snow bank periodically if you live in Northern climes...because you are going to swoon over Jarrod Monahan.

He's a take-charge cowboy with a heart for service and his sights are set on Cassidy.  Only gremlins from her past cause her to interpret his neighbourly overtures as overbearing. Talk about a confusing clash of wills and a definite lack of communication at times. But it's impossible for Cassidy to remain aloof as memories from their past take residence in her mind...and unfortunately...her heart.

But she's one determined lady and her life plan involves living alone on her organic strawberry farm. It definitely doesn't include a male and most certainly not Jarrod in particular. But this cowboy won't be dissuaded. His toe-curling pursuit of the woman he loves is sublime in hyperventilating proportions. Swoon inducing kissing scenes and a relentless cowboy bent on getting the girl made my heart stutter a time or two...or three or four...during this read.

Clopton's trademark humour is evident on every page. From the quirky secondary characters readers have come to love in this series to brotherly advice on matters of the heart -- well, it's sweet perfection and I'm still grinning.

An incredible conclusion to the Four Hearts Ranch Romance series - faith-filled and brimming with hope -- Jarrod and Cassidy's story will grab your heart and linger with you long after the last page.

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

http://litfusegroup.com/author/dclopton

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Kissed by a Cowboy 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 February 21 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

February Giveaway - Week Two

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:

Murder, Plain and Simple

GIVEAWAY

ALAN, ISABELLA
MURDER, PLAIN AND SIMPLE

When Angela Braddock inherits her late aunt’s beautiful Amish quilt shop, she leaves behind her career and broken engagement for a fresh start in Holmes County, Ohio.
With her snazzy cowboy boots and her ornithophobic French bulldog, Angie doesn’t exactly fit in with the predominantly Amish community in Rolling Brook, but her aunt’s quilting circle tries to make her feel welcome as she prepares for the reopening of Running Stitch.

On the big day, Angie gets a taste of success as the locals and Englisch tourists browse the store’s wares while the quilters stitch away. But when Angie finds the body of ornery Amish woodworker Joseph in her storeroom the next morning, everything starts falling apart.

With evidence mounting against her, Angie is determined to find the culprit before the local sheriff can arrest her. Rolling Brook always appeared to be a simple place, but the closer Angie gets to the killer, the more she realizes that nothing in the small Amish community is as plain as it seems....

My Review:

Thrilled to have discovered this new Amish series. Doubly so to discover that Isabella Alan is the pseudonym for Amanda Flower who writes Amish mysteries for the Christian market. So, while not strictly Christian fiction, Murder, Plain and Simple is a clean read with some gentle faith messages concerning forgiveness courtesy of the Amish characters.

Completely captivating read. Loved the humour that Alan instills throughout the story -- especially when it comes to Angie's bird phobic dog, Oliver. Hysterical. He stole every scene he was in.

The mystery is...mysterious...lots of suspects, including poor Angie so she decides to take things into her own hands. She's not a subtle investigator by any means and steps on the sheriff's toes more than a few times. A handsome, intriguing Sheriff, by the way. There's just the hint of a budding romance in their future and I'm looking forward to watching that pan out in future books.

A superb specimen of the cozy mystery genre -- and the Amish setting makes the read all the more sublime in my book (pun intended.)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Murder, Plain and Simple 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 February 14 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Blue Ribbon Trail Ride

GIVEAWAY

FERRELL, MIRALEE
BLUE RIBBON TRAIL RIDE

Thirteen-year old Kate and her friends came up with the perfect way to raise money for her autistic younger brother and others to attend summer camp—a horse scavenger hunt! As local businesses donate money and prizes, Kate keeps the entry fees in her mom’s antique jewelry box.

But when the box and the money disappear, Kate and her friends must unravel the clues, hold on to hope, and solve the mystery along the Blue Ribbon Trail Ride.

My Review:

What can be more exciting to a preteen than a book about horses and friends and exciting adventure? Not much -- unless you add a mystery into the mix. This is the fourth book in the Horses and Friends series but it reads well as a standalone. I haven't read the first three books yet and had no problem connecting with the characters and setting.

Love the dynamics between Kate, Melissa, Tori and Colt. They make an intrepid team that can't be beat. Especially when it comes to cracking a case. When fundraising money goes missing and threatens the chance for autistic children to attend a special summer camp, this fab four sets out to make things right. They unravel clues in hot pursuit of a heartless thief. They learn some important lessons along the way and I love how the author seamlessly weaves Christian living throughout the story. That mix of adventure and inspiration make for a truly captivating read.

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

http://litfusegroup.com/author/mferrell

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Blue Ribbon Trail Ride 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 February 14 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!