Tracking Secrets

GIVEAWAY

WOODHAVEN, HEATHER
TRACKING SECRETS

Caught in the crosshairs

A dog-sitting favor for a friend takes a terrifying twist when the police-dog-in-training runs off and leads Alexis Thompson into the middle of a drug drop. Only the quick thinking of a passing stranger gets them both out alive. Veterinarian Nick Kendrick, who's running for mayor, knows the race for survival is just beginning. As moving targets, he and Alexis must work together to learn the identity of the drug ring's murderous mastermind. But having killers on their tail isn't the only problem they face. Alexis's past as a disbarred lawyer could jeopardize Nick's political future. Only by putting their dreams and their safety on the line can they eliminate the threat to their town, and find a way forward together...

My Review:

Gasp! A heroine who doesn't like dogs?! With a hero who loves animals so much that he's a veterinarian? This pair is doomed right from their eventful first meeting. Luckily Raven the black lab has their back. :-) And they will need all her matchmaking skills as well as her finely tuned canine nose to help them reach their happily ever after.

Thrilling action, a puzzling mystery to solve and the relentless threat of danger kept me frantically turning pages. So did Raven's gentle human whispering until romance -- albeit reluctantly -- blossoms between Alexis and Nick. Romantic suspense at its finest. Blissful sigh.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Tracking Secrets, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email in a comment remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 9 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck.

Her Guilt : the Amish of Hart County

GIVEAWAY

GRAY, SHELLEY SHEPARD
HIS GUILT : the Amish of Hart County

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray delivers the next novel in her Amish of Hart County series -- a suspenseful tale of an Amish man who will risk all to protect the woman he loves.

Mark Fisher has returned home to Hart County determined to put the past behind him. Two years ago after being wrongly accused of assault, he left the Amish community, though he never forgot his home. When the one person who helped him through rough times asks for help, Mark returns. But it is pretty Waneta Cain who makes him want to stay...

Neeta is one of the view people in Hart County who doesn't believe Mark is guilty of hurting anyone. However, his worldliness and tough exterior make her uneasy. As she begins to see the real man behind all the gossip and prejudice, she wonders if he is the man for her.

Just when Mark starts to believe a new life is possible, a close friend of Neeta's is attacked. Once again, everyone in the community seems to believe Mark is guilty. But what hurts him most is Neeta's sudden wariness around him. When another woman is hurt -- a woman who is close to both Neeta and Mark -- Mark fears he knows the real culprit. And time is running out. Will Mark be able to find the perpetrator before Neeta becomes his next victim?

My Review:

A complicated love story cloaked in suspense. An unusual combination for an Amish novel and I love the edginess Gray brings to her story. It's full of imperfect characters making flawed decisions that have far reaching ramifications. Lots of juicy, gnarly stuff that makes you think and squirm and come away a better person.

Even in this tight-knit Amish community, Mark can't escape the shadow of his past. It doesn't matter that he's not guilty of any wrong doing if everyone still thinks he is. Prejudice fuels gossip and soon he's second guessing his return to Hart County. But for the kindness and faith of a few, he'd be truly lost.

The gossip ensnares Neeta, and she struggles to separate fact from fiction as she begins to develop a friendship with Mark. Wary. Confused. Feeling pulled in two directions, it takes awhile for Neeta to see the truth and gain the confidence to stand by it.

Shelley Shepard Gray once again brings inspiration and hope into the lives of characters facing real and raw issues. But she doesn't leave it there. She throws in a sinister suspense plot that kept me riveted right through to the hair-raising conclusion. A spellbinding read.

Book provided courtesy of Avon Inspired and Litfuse Publicity Group.

http://litfusegroup.com/author/SGray

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of His Guilt : the Amish of Hart County, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you leave your email in your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 9 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Fatal Cover-Up

GIVEAWAY

HARRIS, LISA
FATAL COVER-UP

Deadly Conspiracy

Talia Morello moved to Rome for a fresh start --- but instead finds herself at the center of a deadly art smuggling ring with everything to lose, including her life. Someone's dead set on retrieving three priceless paintings believed to have been stolen by Talia's late husband. And when his unsolved murder is linked to the bullet that killed FBI agent Joe Bryant's brother during a museum heist, Joe is determined to find out all of Talia's secrets. When she denies any involvement, Joe's gut and heart tell him to trust her. But with the target on Talia's back only growing, there may not be time to uncover the whole truth and save the woman he's falling for...

My Review:

It isn't often that you find a Love Inspired Suspense novel 'on location' so I was thrilled to travel to Italy with Talia and Joe. The 'exotic' (to me, anyway) locale made this romantic suspense even more exciting. And the author sneaks in fascinating facts about Rome, Florence and Venice as our intrepid hero and heroine chase down stolen art while dodging a lethal pursuer.

I love that Talia acts more like I probably would when confronted by death and destruction. :-) She's scared and it shows. But trembling limbs and the occasional crying jag aside, Talia draws on an inner strength she didn't know she had to cope with the whole ordeal. And it's that courage and determination that attracts Joe in a totally unprofessional way.

A twisty-turny plot prompted a reading binge that kept me up past bedtime and just when I was lulled into a false sense of security -- bam -- I wasn't! Gotta love an author that keeps a reader on her toes!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
If you would like a chance to win a copy of Fatal Cover-Up, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it is easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 9 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A Rose So Fair

GIVEAWAY

JOHNSON, MYRA
A ROSE SO FAIR

Plucky Rose Linwood grew up on her grandfather's Arkansas tenant farm, a life her two older sisters never cared much for. Working alongside her grandpa, though, Rose learned to love the land as much as he did. Now her sisters have married and moved on, Grandpa has gone to his eternal reward, and Rose is determined to make a go of the farm on her own. But crops have been slow to recover since the drought of 1930-31, and the whole country struggles in the grip of the Great Depression. Drifters looking for work or handouts roam the countryside, some of them up to no good, so Rose keeps her trusty Winchester rifle at the ready.

Caleb Wieland, Rose's best friend, isn't the farmer his late father was, and he's about to lose his cotton crop to boll weevils. He'd let the farm go and search for work he's more suited to, except he can't desert his widowed mother. Besides, he's been quietly falling in love with Rose since they were in grammar school, and the thought of leaving her behind is too much to bear. He'd give anything to win her heart, but Rose's stubborn independence is proving as thorny as the flower for which she's named.

My Review:

I'm both excited and a little sad to be reading the last book in Myra Johnson's Flowers of Eden series. I feel like I'm saying goodbye to very dear friends with no idea if I'll ever meet up with them again.

The author has given avid fans of the Linwood sisters a stupendous send off though, with plenty of sisterly interaction and a heartwarming epilogue that I savored in a contented buzz of bibliophile delight. No worries if you haven't read the first two books -- The Sweetest Rain and Castles in the Clouds -- book three can definitely be read as a standalone...though I highly recommend reading the entire series.

So what captivates me about this series? Definitely the Linwood sisters. Each uniquely talented in a different way -- but they all share one common familial trait -- pigheaded stubborness! Which makes for some great sibling dynamics, aka, hot-headed discussions. But Bryony, Lark and Rose are also fiercely loyal to one another. There's no doubting their mutual love, though their strong personalities often clash.

And speaking of strong personalities and stubbornness -- throw in a healthy dose of fiesty and more than a dash of digging-in-my-heels-and-never-giving-up and you get a good idea of what Rose is like. As pretty -- and thorny-- as her name.

Caleb is smitten...but our prickly Rose doesn't make it easy for him. She doesn't do change well (and I can totally relate to that!) But there have been a lot of changes in her life in recent years -- both sisters marrying, the birth of a niece, the death of her beloved grandfather...it's enough to send her running scared. There is something so heartwarming about Caleb's steadfast loyalty -- his sweet determination to woo Rose and win her heart.

Their tumultuous love story is set against the backdrop of a nation struggling to recover from a severe economic downturn. Johnson has incorporated some fascinating details into the plot and her author's note at the back of the book is worth reading. I learned a lot and, as I've said before, I love getting history lessons through fiction!

An exceptional conclusion to the Flowers of Eden series -- even though I'm reluctant to leave Eden behind.

My Review:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Rose So Fair, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to your comment remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so that it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 9 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

One Dominion : Celebrating Canada, Prepared for a Purpose (Review) + Maggie's War (Giveaway)

Canada has just celebrated her 150th birthday and to commemorate this historic event I'd like to share a review of an inspiring non-fiction book about this great country. But -- since we're all about great Christian Fiction here at Best Reads, I'm also hosting a giveaway for Canadian author Terrie Todd's latest release, Maggie's War. Read below for further details.

Beasley, Bob
Richardson, Paul
One Dominion : Celebrating Canada, Prepared for a Purpose

Canada is not a nation of one story alone, but of many stories, from ordinary people, and often ordinary people of faith, who helped form the foundations of our wonderful country. This book takes time to pause and reflect on the stories of these ordinary men and women of God who contributed to the fabric of our nation. Let us not just celebrate the blessings we enjoy today because of them, but learn from their example and, as we look to the future of our country, perhaps be inspired to action as well.

My Review:

A beautiful coffee table book that just begs to be picked up and leafed through. Stunning photographs highlight what makes this country unique -- both in landscape and the faces of the people who call Canada home. The authors draw from this country's rich history, choosing to share how Christians have made a difference in developing this nation. It reminds readers that our very foundation is based upon the faith of our forefathers and while we enjoy the blessings that comes from the fruit of their labours, we can be inspired to action as well.

Book provided courtesy of Bible League Canada and Graf-Martin Communications.


 

GIVEAWAY

TODD, TERRIE
MAGGIE'S WAR

After a lifetime of wrong turns, three faithful hearts are on the road to redemption.

In 1942, telegram always bring life-altering and tragic news in a war-hardened world -- and the one Maggie Marshall receives i no different. But running a restaurant with the help of only pregnant, unwed girls has taught her to be tough. Maggie's no weeping widow, but Charlotte Penfield thinks she's the most unfeeling woman on earth. Seventeen, exiled by her wealthy parents, and working in the restaurant, fanciful Charlotte runs away with romantic notions of a reunion with her baby's father at his military camp.

It has been years since Maggie darkened the church door of her pastor and childhood friend, Reverend Reuben Fennel, and his heart breaks for the hardened woman Maggie's become. When she seeks his help to find Charlotte, he's happy to aid her in the chase -- though it may cost him his job and reputation.

Over the miles from Winnipeg to Fort William, Reuben and Maggie's journey rekindles their affection -- and their dreams of what they still could be. But Maggie stubbornly clings to her independent ways until she's dealt another devastating loss, one that forces her to recognize that heroes can be discovered in unlikely places and love may be far sweeter than she ever dared imagine.

My Review:

Maggie Marshall's curmudgeonly ways are threatening to consume what's left of her heart. Charlotte, the pregnant teen under Maggie's care has nicknamed her Grumpystiltskin -- though she'd never dream of saying that out loud! Maggie's hard enough to please without riling her up any more. Pastor Reuben Fennel barely recognizes the sweet, carefree girl he once loved.

The fact is, Maggie has allowed circumstances to steal away her joy. She's faced some insurmountable hardships and survived -- that has to count for something, right? Even if it's left her a shell of the woman she once was. Maggie isn't very likable at the start of this story but she's intriguing and Todd does an amazing job of slowly revealing why Maggie is the way she is...and then sets out to redeem her.

Reuben plays an important role in this redemption story. He's a pastor but not a preacher. More like a shepherd, gently nudging his sheep back to the fold. His patience and forbearance stand him in good stead on the unusual journey he takes with Maggie and in the process he discovers the difference between faith and religion.

Touching and funny and completely captivating!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Maggie's War, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If add your email in your comment remember to use AT and Dot instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 9 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

July Giveaway - Week One

WON BY  KAREN (SONFLOWER)

WON BY BOOKS ARE A BLESSING

WON BY MARK

WON BY SUSAN F.

WON BY DEANNE PATTERSON

WON BY RBOOTH

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 a winner 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:

When Love Arrives

GIVEAWAY

ALEXANDER, JOHNNIE
WHEN LOVE ARRIVES

Dani had planned to spy on Brett -- so how did she end up on a date with him?

Dani Prescott can't believe the lie Brett Somers is trying to sell to the media. During an interview about the plane crash that killed his parents, he blamed Dani's mother. But the crash killer as as well. Vowing to restore her mother's reputation, Dani has been following Brett and taking photos, hoping to find something she can use to discredit him. But when she catches his eye instead, she quickly finds herself agreeing to a date. Brett knows this mystery girl is hiding something -- but he's got his own secrets to keep. What will happen when he discovers who she really is?

My Review:

Be prepared for a tummy-flipping, heart-dropping emotional roller coaster of a read. Honestly, I was so anxious about Dani's deception that I squirmed my way through this story. Oy. I kept ranting at her, begging her, cajoling her -- 'Just talk to him!' I pleaded but did she? Nope. Sigh. I made need counseling after this one.

But for all the angst this is a stunning redemption story.  If you read Where She Belongs (the first book in the Misty Willow series) you will be familiar with Brett. Shudder. I was not a fan in book one. He was.a self-serving slimeball. I'm just telling it like it is. But God gets a hold of his heart and he starts on a transformation that is truly miraculous. It's this Brett we meet in When Love Arrives. The guy who is struggling to put his past behind him and face the future with honor and hope. And there is nothing so romantical as a 'reformed rake.'

The funny thing about Dani is that I would almost be cheering her on if she'd started her smear Brett Somers campaign a year ago. (I know that's awful of me to admit!) But not this new and improved Brett. Dani has her reasons -- though that's not an excuse. But hurting, damaged people don't always act rationally and she's suddenly caught up in a personal dilemma of her own. Gah! I was tied up in knots right to the end! If you enjoy an emotional read, then When Love Arrives is definitely the book for you.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of When Love Arrives, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you leave your email in a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please remember to add the title in the subject line so that it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 2 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!