The Elusive Miss Ellison

GIVEAWAY

MILLER, CAROLYN
THE ELUSIVE MISS ELLISON

Regency Brides : A Legacy of Grace

The arrival of the new Earl of Hawkesbury has the entire village aflutter -- everyone except Lavinia Elliston, that is. In fact, in Livvie's eyes, he is just as arrogant and thoughtless as his brother -- who stole the most important person in her world.

Nicholas is weighed down by guilt, by ancestral obligations, and by the legacy of war. He hadn't anticipated that a perfunctory visit home would engage either his mind or his heart. Then the hoydenish, intelligent, and very opinionated Miss Ellison challenges him to see past his pain and pride. But between society's opposition, his brother's reckless past, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles for the two of them to ever truly get along.

Fans of Georgette Heyer, Lori Wick, and Julie Klassen will enjoy the spirited exchanges between the bluestocking minister's daughter and the bruised war hero as they move past their painful histories presumptuous to a humbled appreciation of God's grace and the true strength of love.

My Review:

Sqqquuuueeeallll! New Regency Author Alert!!!! And this is her debut novel...with two more to follow this year. I'm all aflutter as I sink onto my fainting couch in full Regency-worthy swoon. Pass the smelling salts please.

If you love Jane Austen -- especially Pride and Prejudice -- this novel is for you. Exquisitely written with rich dialogue and delightful descriptions. I felt like I'd time-traveled to 1813 Gloucestershire England. Be still my heart.

And I'm in rapturous joy over the sublime battle of wits! Seriously cutting dialogue. Lavinia excels at getting a point across no matter who she is talking to. Sometimes she manages that with a subtle nuance, other times it's an outright blast of icy disdain -- always delivered with proper decorum, of course. I'm giddy recalling some of her jibes.

Of course Nicholas is just as adept -- a worthy sparring partner. The two together are lethal which is funny and frustrating verging on infuriating. Gah, but I wanted to knock their heads together a time or two! They battle with pride in different ways and, truthfully, I found Nicholas a bit off-putting at the beginning of the book. Still enjoyed the witty repartee but I didn't connect with him until later in the story. Just like Mr. Darcy. He annoyed me no end when I first met him too. :-)

But this hero's journey is compelling and as the story progressed I began to understand the motivation behind Nicholas's detached manner. There's an interesting tug of war going on between the battle-scarred cynic and the new man coming to life from within.

These two make an intriguing pair -- the independent-thinking minister's daughter and the world weary nobleman. A romance seems impossible until forgiveness and grace prepare the way for an epic happily ever after. A stunning debut novel!

My thanks to Kregel Publications for providing me with a copy of this book.

Giveaway Opportunity:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Elusive Miss Ellison please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you post a comment and add your email address please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 12 2017.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Race to Win (review) + Cowboy Fiction Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Race to Win (DVD format) I'm hosting a different king of giveaway today. I'll review the movie which I had the opportunity to view ahead of time and then I'm doing a giveaway of any Christian Fiction Cowboy Themed novel published through to March 2017.
Read below for further details.

Race to Win DVD Release

Race to Wind (originally titled Race to Redemption) is an inspirational, heart-warming story of hope and perseverance, even when the giant is tall. The film tells the story of a young woman who struggles to find the courage to compete in the race of her life after her father's devastating death. If she loses the race, her family will lose everything, including the legacy and home they worked so hard to build. If she wins, her life might just fall back into place!

My Review:

A clean, family-friendly horse-centric movie. Preteen girls will especially enjoy all the horse action.

A classic drama that exposes the struggles and grief of a family trying to move on after the death of the husband/father. In some ways the story unfolds in a predictable manner but I was surprised by a few unexpected twists too. One of the predictable elements is the truly vile villain but it was so much fun to hate him and finally be able to stand up and cheer when he gets his comeuppance that I didn't mind his cookie-cutterness. :-) Overall, Race to Win offers a solid story -- I just felt it needed more time to dig deeper into relationships and more fully develop plot threads. Fresh and appealing to young eyes but a bit stagnant for seasoned viewers.

My thanks to Graf-Martin Communications and Mongrel Media Inc. for providing me with an online screening of this movie.

GIVEAWAY

The Giveaway Details:

Since I'm all about giving away books not movies, I decided to make this a Cowboy Themed Christian Fiction novel published any time up to March 2017 giveaway. Here's how it will work:

* Just state the title and author of the book you want to win in the comment section. (up to 3 different suggestions per person). BUT EACH TITLE/AUTHOR MUST BE IN A SEPARATE COMMENT. (makes it easier to tally)
*  Books must be Christian Fiction and can be any genre as long as they feature a cowboy/cowboy setting.
*  Books must still be available (obviously) and published any time up to March 2017
*  Remember to include your email address in your comment using AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers.
*  Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 12 2017
*  Offer open to international readers

Having some trouble thinking up cowboy novels? Here's some authors who have written at least a few cowboy stories you might what to check out: Mary Connealy (she has a new just out), Ruth Logan Herne, Sharon Gillenwater, Debra Clopton, Margaret Brownley, Karen Witemeyer, Shannon Taylor Vannatter, Robin Lee Hatcher, Erica Vetsch, Linda Ford... I know there's a ton more but that's just off the top of my head. GOOD LUCK!

March Giveaway - Week One

WON BY DIANA FLOWERS

WON BY BOOS MUM

WON BY CATILIN M

WON BY AMY C. & JACKIE SMITH

WON BY PAULA

WON BY JASMINE A.

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 the 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:

Exit Strategy

GIVEAWAY

MCCOY, SHIRLEE
EXIT STRATEGY

The widow's protector

Lark Porter thinks she'll find answers about her husband's death when she returns to their former home, but someone doesn't like the questions she's asking. She's quickly taken captive, and all that stands between her and certain death is a mysterious stranger telling her to trust him if she wants to get out alive. Hostage Rescue and Extraction Team member Cyrus Mitchell marvels at Lark's strength and determination to survive. The closer they get to freedom, the more dangerous the situation becomes. Once free, though, it takes all the skills and training Cyrus has to outmaneuver the deadly killers on their trail.

Mission Rescue - No job is too dangerous for these fearless heroes

My Review:

This is the third book in this series -- and there are seven to date. Thankfully they all read brilliantly as standalones but beware -- these books are addictive and once you've read one story you'll need to read them all. That's why Exit Strategy has landed here on Retro Saturday. I somehow missed it first time round. As soon as I realized that (after reading book #7) I hightailed it over to the publisher's website and nabbed a copy. And just in time too. They only have larger print editions left -- sold out of regular print!

So, make sure you have a spare oxygen tank on stand-by. You're going to need it because of the non-stop action and fast-paced plot. Riveting. I have callouses on my fingers from gripping the book so hard. Phew! And the circumstances and setting add to the urgency. Cyrus is all gruff and stand-offish (in the sweetest way) and Lark is so fiercely stubborn. He can't help but admire her tenacity despite the trouble she causes. And she has to fight the temptation to lean on him. Wills clash and tempers rise as these two try to unravel a dangerous mystery that might just cost them their lives. But you can be sure that love emerges amidst all that angst in the most delicious way. Such a fantastic read!

Giveaway Opportunity:

PLEASE NOTE: THE ONLY EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ARE THE LARGER PRINT PAPERBACK VERSION OR THE EBOOK VERSION. 

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Exit Strategy please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you post a comment and add your email address please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 5 2017.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Newton and Polly : a Novel of Amazing Grace

GIVEAWAY

HEDLUND, POLLY
NEWTON AND POLLY : A NOVEL OF AMAZING GRACE

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found

Now remembered as the author of the world's most famous hymn, in the mid-eighteenth century as England and France stand on the brink of war, John Newton is a young sailor wandering aimlessly through life. His only duty is to report to his ship and avoid disgracing his father -- until the night he hears Polly Catlett's enchanting voice, caroling. He's immediately smitten and determined to win her affection.

An intense connection quickly forms between the two, but John's reckless spirit and disregard for the Christian life are concerns for the responsible, devout Polly. When an ill-fated stop at a tavern leaves John imprisoned and bound, Polly must choose to stand by his side or walk out of his life forever. Will she forfeit her future for the man she loves?

Step back through the pages of history, to uncover the true love story behind a song that continues to stir the hearts and ignite the faith of millions around the globe.

My Review:

Powerful. Intense. Awe-inspiring. All the more so because this is real life! Hedlund captures the spirit of Amazing Grace in the lives of John and Polly. Lifting doubt to faith, despair to hope in an emotional biography that reads truer than fiction.

I've always been immensely moved by this beloved hymn and I knew a little bit of the background around its conception but after reading this novel....wow -- I don't know if I have the words to convey my emotions. Amazing grace indeed.

One of the things that really struck me was the role Polly played in John's life. It had me wondering if Amazing Grace would ever have been written without her influence. She was a constant, steady beacon of faith beckoning John away from his life of degradation. The Spirit worked within her to bring him back to the fold. I'm not sure he would have ever made the changes he did without her steadfast encouragement. Such a powerful redemption story. And encouraging for those who stand in the gap for people they love in these modern times.

Hedlund's inspired words deliver a transforming love story that changed history and still touches us all.

Giveaway Opportunity:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Newton and Polly : a Novel of Amazing Grace please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you post a comment and add your email address please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 5 2017.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Lady and the Lionheart

GIVEAWAY

BISCHOF, JOANNE
THE LADY AND THE LIONHEART

Carpe Diem...

Raised amid the fame and mystique of the Big Top, Charlie Lionheart holds the audience in the palm of his hand. But while his act captivates thousands, it's away from the spotlight where his true heart lies. Here he humbly cares for his pride of lions as if they were his brothers, a skill of bravery and strength that has prepared him for this most challenging feat yet -- freeing an orphaned infant from the dark bondage of a sideshow. A trade so costly, it requires his life in exchange for hers, leaving him tarnished by the price of that choice.

As the circus tents are raised on the outskirts of Roanoke, nurse Ella Beckley arrives to tend to this Gypsy girl. All under the watful eye of a guardian who not only bears a striking resemblance to the child, but who protects the baby with a lvoe that wraps around Ella's own tragic past, awakening a hope that goodness may yet reign. When their forbidden friendship deepens, Charlie dares to ask for her heart, bringing her behind the curtain of his secret world to reveal the sacrifice that gave hope to one little girl -- boldly showing Ella that while her tattered faith is deeply scarred, the only marks that need be permanent are his own.

My Review:

I've heard chatter about this book all across cyberspace. Can't count how many people said, "Oh, you must read The Lady and the Lionheart!" And it made the rounds on people's top reads of 2016 lists. The buzz kept getting louder and I was beginning to feel like I was the last person on the planet to read this book! Not for lack of trying but for some reason it was either sold out or unavailable to ship to my country ('cause Canada is so exotic and all!) But finally...FINALLY...I understand the hype and I'm eager to chime in.

I can sum it all up in one word. Charlie. Seriously swoonworthy. Tough and determined. Gentle and kind. Passionate. Committed. Loyal. Fierce. And oh so tender! His faith is his anchor, his desire to share the power of God's grace touched me in ways no other hero has. He has a servant's heart and his powerful example of sacrificial love is mind-blowing. Sigh.There's just something about Charlie. If I was into making lists and composed a Best Hero Ever in the History of the World one Charlie would be right at the top.

And then there's Ella. The perfect foil for such a noble hero. She hides a tragic past behind her cool professional demeanor. She doesn't know what to make of Charlie. Truthfully, he doesn't make the best first impression but she does find him intriguing and it isn't long before she finds herself entangled in his world. There's an exquisite Beauty and the Beast quality to their love story. I savored every single word. It's not the kind of novel you want to hurry through because I happen to agree with Charlie: "If you're passionate about something, why rush?" (p 123) And I am passionate about this book. I might just have to read it again.

Giveaway Opportunity:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Lady and the Lionheart please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you post a comment and add your email address please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 5 2017.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Prose and Cons : a Magical Bookstore Mystery

GIVEAWAY

FLOWER, AMANDA
PROSE AND CONS : A MAGICAL BOOKSTORE MYSTERY

In Cascade Springs, New York, Violet Waverly and her Grandma Daisy are the proprietors of Charming Books, where the power of the written word is positively enchanting...

October in Cascade Springs means tourists are pouring in for the annual Food and Wine Festival, Daisy hopes to draw those crowds to the store. She asks Violet and the local writing group, the Red Inkers, to give a reading of the works of Edgar Allan Poe in the shop's back garden to entertain the revelers. Everyone eagerly agrees.

Yet their enthusiasm is soon extinguished when Violet discovers one of the writers dead during the event. After the shop magically tells Violet she'll need to rely on Poe's works to solve the murder, she enlists the help of her trusty tuxedo cat, Emerson, and the shop's crow, Faulkner. But they must act fast before someone else's heart beats nevermore...

My Review:

I can't tell you how ridiculously giddy I am over this series. I mean, how can anyone resist a magical bookstore? Where the books choose the right readers and leave cryptic clues lying around to help Violet with her crime solving. The same bookstore that has a majestic birch tree smack in the middle of it that requires nourishing from the town's special spring water. Where a talking crow roosts in it's branches. And a  tuxedo cat has his own unique way of communicating. Sheer bibliophile bliss.

The mystery is clever and so well laid out with a selection of interesting suspects and Violet unable to resist sticking her oar in despite the police chief's (and hopefully future love interest) disapproval. Her sleuthing skills fall into the act-first-think-later category which leads to some delightful madcap humour. Fast-paced and snappy and totally addictive.

Please note: This book is not in the Christian Fiction genre but it is a clean read.

Giveaway Opportunity:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Prose and Cons : a Magical Bookstore Mystery please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you post a comment and add your email address please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 5 2017.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck!