The Cowboy's Texas Family

GIVEAWAY

DALEY, MARGARET
THE COWBOY'S TEXAS FAMILY

From cowboy to father figure

Rancher Nick McGarrett wants to help orphaned ten-year-old Corey Phillips, the brother of his late comrade. But he's not fit to be a father -- not with his troubled past. Thankfully, the child finds a home at the Lone Star Cowboy League Boys Ranch, where Nick volunteers.

When wealthy newcomer Darcy Hill discovers she's Corey's cousin, she hopes to eventually take him in. Nick and Darcy couldn't be more opposite -- or more drawn to each other. But for Darcy, raising Corey in her hometown means leaving Texas...and Nick. It'll take a special little boy to show these two grown-ups that the key to forging a new future is being together.

Lone Star Cowboy League: Boy's Ranch - Bighearted ranchers in small-town Texas

My Review:

Take one rancher with a heart of gold who thinks he's terrible father material, add a self-assured young woman in search of her roots, throw in a traumatized boy who needs a family and you've got the makings of a tantalizing romance. Sweet and funny and tragic all rolled up into one captivating read.

This is the fourth book in a miniseries but it reads really well as a standalone...though there is a mystery that still needs to be solved. A few of them actually. I don't know how I missed the other books. I might just have to backtrack to catch up. :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Cowboy's Texas Family 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 January 15 2017. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

A Moonbow Night

GIVEAWAY

FRANTZ, LAURA
A MOONBOW NIGHT

In an uncertain time, she faces a choice that will change her life forever

After feeling Virginia, Temperance Tucker and her family established an inn along the Shawnee River. It's a welcome way station for settlers and frontiersmen traveling the wild Cumberland region of Kentucke - men like Sion Morgan, a Virginia surveyor who arrives at the inn with his crew, looking for an experienced guide.

Though he balks when Tempe is appointed to lead his team through the wilderness, it isn't long before Sion must admit that her abilities may outmatch his own. But can the tenuous tie they are forming survive the dangers waiting just around the bend?

With her signature sweeping style and ability to bring the distant past to vivid life, Laura Frantz beckons you to join her in a land of Indian ambushes, conflicting loyalties, and a tentative love that meanders like a cool mountain stream.

My Review:

Culture shock. My brain is all befuddled as I try to get my bearings in this foreign twenty-first century world after losing myself in the wilds of the Kentucke frontier. Frantz writes with such authority and passion that I don't doubt a single word. I love her lyrical style. The way she paints pictures with her words and breathes life into characters that will long live in my memory as cherished friends.

But as much as I enjoyed immersing myself in the 1770s for a time, I can say with utter conviction that I do not possess an ounce of hardy frontiersman stock. I cannot fathom how they survived. What fueled their desire to eke out an existence in such hostile territory. But this author understands that pre-pioneering spirit and all the intricacies that go along with divided loyalties and an ever changing landscape. Mercy, but I have the greatest of respect for these early settlers. (And I wish Laura Frantz had been my history teacher!)

There is a sorrowful air about this tale -- especially in the beginning. Both Sion and Temperance have suffered great losses. Tempe in particular seems to have a dark cloud hanging over her and that makes for a sobering start to their story. She can't let go of the past, and it shadows her future...until Sion breaks through the wall around her heart.

A Moonbow Night is a sweeping, exciting, terrifying whirlwind of twists and turns that pay tribute to the legendary heroes who settled America.

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  A Moonbow Night 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 January 15 2017. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Stalking Season

GIVEAWAY

ROBBINS, SANDRA
STALKING SEASON

Yuletide stalking

After moving to the Smoky Mountains at Christmastime, Cheyenne Cassidy is ready for a fresh start -- until danger from her past follows her to her new home. Cheyenne believed the stalker who killed her parents was dead, but somehow he's back and determined to kill her. And her only hope for survival is relying on Deputy Sheriff Luke Conrad. The lawman wants to help Cheyenne face down the obsessive madman, but he can't protect her if he doesn't know the full story. And Cheyenne has no choice but to trust him with a secret she's never revealed about her stalker. Armed with the knowledge of her tragic past, Luke will put his life on the line to keep her alive...but will that be enough to save her?

Smoky Mountain Secrets: Love and danger collide in the southern wilderness

My Review:

Shudder. There's something so eerily enthralling about a stalker story and this is one heart-pounding read. I was on edge from the gripping opening scene through the myriad of plots twists to the heart-in-throat climax. Cheyenne has been living the nightmare so long she can't remember what peace feels like. Even a fresh start in a new town can't shake her escalating stalker. Cue the spooky music and plug in your nightlight. The one ray of hope is Luke -- the deputy sheriff determined to put an end to her ordeal once and for all. Their unexpected romance sweetens the story and gives the reader some breathing room from all that stalkerish tension. A real page-turner of a read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Stalking Season 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 January 15 2017. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Fragment

GIVEAWAY

BUNN, DAVIS
THE FRAGMENT

In the newest high-stakes historical thriller from master storyteller, Davis Bunn, skepticism vies with faith amid the grit and grandeur of post World War I Europe.

It's 1923, and a resilient Paris is starting to recover from the ravages of war and the Spanish Flu Epidemic when young Muriel Ross, an amateur American photographer, visits the City of Lights. Exhilarated to escape the confines of her Virginia home, she is tasked with documenting antiques for U.S. Senator Tom Bryan. But events take a dangerous turn when Muriel discovers that the senator is also on a mission that's momentous -- and potentially deadly.

At the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Bryan asks Muriel to photograph an astonishing artifact: a piece of the True Cross. But when rumors surface that another fragment has been unearthed, Muriel becomes enmeshed in a covert international alliance dedicated to authenticating the fragment -- and protecting it from those who will stop at nothing to steal and discredit it.

My Review:

I'd compare this book to a sleeper movie -- you know a quiet little film that becomes a success despite having very little promotion. The Fragment is like that...at least in the corner of cyberspace I frequent. I didn't even know about it's release until I spotted a copy on the new release shelf at my public library. I was familiar with Davis Bunn as a quality Christian author and intrigued by the back cover blurb enough to take it home and give it a try. And I'm glad I did.

It's a short book -- 168 pages -- but the story carries an alluring mystique that captivated me. Told entirely from twenty-three-year-old Muriel's point of view, the author takes us on a fantastical, faith-filled journey across post-war Europe. Muriel's wide-eyed innocent wonder makes a sharp contrast to the worldly events that transpire. Mystery and intrigue and a myriad of secrets against the opulent backdrop of Paris and Constantinople -- including a trip on the Orient Express! I found The Fragment to be both riveting and puzzling...but uplifting nonetheless.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Fragment 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 January 15 2017. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Tangled Webs

GIVEAWAY

HANNON, IRENE
TANGLED WEB

Finn has packed away his combat instincts -- but he may need them again when danger begins to stalk his quiet hideaway...

After a disastrous Middle East mission ends his six-year Army Ranger career, Finn McGregor needs some downtime. A peaceful month in the woods sounds like the perfect way to decompress. But peace isn't on the agenda once he crosses paths with publishing executive Dana Lewis, a neighbour who is nursing wounds of her own. Someone seems bent on disrupting her stay in the lakeside cabin she inherited from her grandfather. As Finn and Dana work together to discover who is behind the disquieting pranks, the incidents begin to take on a menacing tone. And when it becomes apparent Dana's foe may have deadly intent, Finn finds himself back in the thick of the action -- ready or not.

Bestselling author and three-time RITA Award winner Irene Hannon draws readers into a web of psychological suspense where danger lurks in dark corners...and keeps them captive until the very last page.

My Review:

There's always a rush of anticipation whenever I get an Irene Hannon book in hand. I know I will settle into an absorbing story that will keep me buried in the pages for the duration of the read. No distraction is big enough to deter me from my reading pleasure...well, maybe if Finn McGregor in the flesh walked into my room I might spare a glance his way. :-)

So, Finn. Blissful sigh. Ex-army ranger on hiatus in the country surrounded by woods and lake and a rather intriguing and very beautiful neighbour. Their first meet is memorable.  And Dana is packing quite a mystery which peaks Finn's natural curiosity. Hannon offers readers a tantalizing slow reveal of her background that kept me committed to turning pages in order to figure everything out. Love that kind of armchair heart-racing puzzle.

Their love story heats up pretty quickly but with all the wariness of getting involved in what is destined to be a long distance relationship since they live in different parts of the country. But the attraction is so intense it isn't long before they are falling hard and fast which results in some toe-curling, playful, sweet and heady romantical scenes. The kind I love to savor. :-)

As to the suspense -- this one is more mystery than suspense. And it's not one that we need to solve since Hannon lets us in on the who, what, where right from the beginning. An unusual twist for this genre but I found it engaging. And knowing what was happening while Finn and Dana are in the dark made the read edgier in a different kind of way.

If you are a Men of Valor fan you'll be thrilled to know that Finn's big brothers, Mac and Lance, make a few cameo appearances. And there's a beautiful, heartwarming scene at the end with the whole family together which wraps this series up perfectly. No worries if you haven't read Buried Secrets or Thin Ice because Tangled Webs reads well as a standalone too. I just get such a kick out of catching up with past heroes.

Another superb romantic suspense from a must-read author.

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  Tangled Webs 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 January 15 2017. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

January Giveaway - Week Two

WON BY MINDY

WON BY DIANE BLASER

WON BY NICOLE SAGER

WON BY TRUCKREDFORD

WON BY HEIDI

WON BY JOAN ARNING
& JENNIFER MILLER

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:

A Memory Between Us

GIVEAWAY

SUNDIN, SARAH
A MEMORY BETWEEN US

Can they overcome the past to find a brighter future?

Major Jack Novak has never failed to meet a challenge -- until he meets army nurse Lieutenant Ruth Doherty. When Jack lands in the army hospital after a plane crash, he makes winning Ruth`s heart a top-priority mission. But he has his work cut out for him. Not only is Ruth focused on her work in order to support her orphaned siblings back home, she also is determined not to give her heart to any man.

As the danger and tension of World War II rise to a fever pitch. Jack and Ruth will need each other more than ever. Can Jack break down her defenses? Or are they destined to go their separate ways?

From the English countryside to the perilous skies over France, A Memory Between Us takes on a journey through love, forgiveness and sacrifice.

My Review:

I'm catching up on Sarah Sundin's first series and I'm as gobsmacked over this one as all the others I've read. I swear she has a secret time machine that she uses to travel back and get all those 1940's details just right. And I pour over every word. From fashion to dialogue to nursing and flight details -- this is the kind of read that sweeps you away.

And the World War II backdrop brings a real sense of urgency to Jack and Ruth's romance...which is really a rocky friendship. These are two flawed characters who struggle to put the past behind them. Jack is just a tad too cocky -- so self-assured that he can't believe Ruth isn't willing to date him. But Ruth has her reasons for holding back and her story is heart-breaking. Sundin kept me on tenterhooks over both the romance and the war angst.

A strong faith element transforms both characters throughout the course of story. Both learn to trust the Lord in new ways and consequently experience the healing power of His love. A powerful reminder that I took to heart.

Another exceptional read from a favourite author.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of A Memory Between Us 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 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 January 8. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!