The Rancher's Unexpected Baby

GIVEAWAY

LYNN, JILL
THE RANCHER'S UNEXPECTED BABY

From bachelor to daddy...overnight!
A Colorado Grooms novel

After his marriage ended, Gage Frasier vowed he'd never remarry or have children -- but now he's guardian of an orphaned baby boy. Thankfully, his friend's sweet sister, Emma Wilder, offers to nanny while Gage weeks a more suitable family for the child. But soon Gage finds himself bonding with his new son...and with Emma. Parenthood surprised Gage, but will love sneak up on him too?

My Review:

That cover! Blissful sigh. Between gushing over the baby and swooning over the cowboy I'm romanticaliously discombobulated. What a toe-curling extravaganza of utter delight! And I'm giving myself a time out in the corner because after reading Jill Lynn's debut novel in 2015 I somehow missed 3 other novels before I got my act together and bought this one! I'm aghast and appalled and wholeheartedly ashamed of myself!

Love, love, love this heroine. I've fallen under the spell of 'the Emma Effect' just like Gage has. It's impossible not to. She's sunshiny optimism to his cynical pessimism. Her passion for life and capacity to love knows no bounds and when she sets her sights on helping someone --- well, best to back out of the way and let her get on with it! And she's harbored a full-blown crush for her brother's best friend for a while now. I grew more and more besotted over Gage right along with her.

Because, hello, cowboy! With a past that's made him bitter. Caused him to doubt his capacity to love but noble enough to honor a friend's impossible request which makes him guardian of baby boy. And -- be still my heart -- the gift he gives Emma at the end! Thud -- that's me swooning so hard I bounced off my fainting couch!

Laughter and tears and the sweet thrill of romance make The Rancher's Unexpected Baby an astonishingly not-to-be-missed-go-out-and-buy-it-now (or win it here) kind of read! :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Rancher's Unexpected Baby, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 26 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Things Left Unsaid

GIVEAWAY

WALSH, COURTNEY
THINGS LEFT UNSAID

An emotional novel of family, friendship and forgiveness from Courtney Walsh, the New York Times bestselling author of Hometown Girl.

Lyndie St. James is thrilled that her best friend, Elle, is getting married but is unprepared for the emotional storm of the wedding week and returning her childhood summer home of Sweethaven. The idyllic cottage community harbors some of her best -- and worst -- memories. It's not only the tragic death of her childhood friend Cassie that has haunted her for the last ten years, it's the other secrets she's buried that have kept her from moving on.

But Lyndie isn't the only one with secrets.

Cassie's mother, father, and brother, still struggling with loss, have been drifting further and further apart. And Elle herself, the last to see Cassie alive, carries an impossible burden of guilt. Now reunited, each of them has a choice: to reveal the truths of that night or continue to live in its shadow. That means embarking on a personal journey of the heart -- to escape the darkness and all its regrets  and to finally come to terms with the past, and, especially with each other.

My Review:

"Some things have to be said out loud. 

That's how they lose their power."

Whoa -- kinda speechless here. This story wasn't at all what I expected it to be...it was all that and so much more! Walsh digs deep into the fractured lives of her characters and delivers an emotionally breathtaking read. This is a story about the many facets of grief. About the kind of brokenness only grace can heal. About stilted friendships and past mistakes and how it all comes crashing down one week when everyone gathers for the wedding of the season.

Honestly, I was mesmerized from the very first page. The author tells the story from multiple perspectives which let me into each character's heart and mind. I love an emotional read -- the kind that ties you up in knots and makes chocolate and tissues a necessity and Walsh definitely delivers that! I was on edge the whole read, trying to figure out how a past tragedy altered the lives of each character. And the slow reveal of backstories was excruciating!

Consider this your rabid-compulsive-read warning. You won't be able to put this book down...unless it's to scribble out profound quotes that you end up sticking up all over your house so they can bring you the same kind of transformation they brought Walsh's characters. In fact, I did so in such a frenzy that I neglected to record page numbers for the quotes included here. My apologies!

"You can keep struggling and trying to do this your own way, or you can actually lay it down and let God do whatever He wants with it."

Profound and powerful. Steeped in faith. Brimming with grace. Boldly proclaiming the magnificence of a God who forgives and forgets. An unforgettable story that might just change your life in the same way it changed the lives of the characters in this book...if you dare let it.

"You give away the very thing you need. If you need hope, find a way to give others hope. If you need a friend, find a way to be a friend. If you need forgiveness, give forgiveness."

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Things Left Unsaid, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 26 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

January Giveaway -- Week Three

WON BY TRIXI

WON BY CONNIE

WON BY JANA LEAH

WON BY SHARON TIMMER

WON BY SABRINA TEMPLIN

WON BY LUCY R.

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address. Otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with your mailing address. From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven't been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now so, please, DON'T BE SHY -- CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN'T LEAVE YOUR EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU. Books will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address and I'll email you to confirm your win is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring about the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping time. Thank you!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Explosive Reunion

GIVEAWAY

KIRST, KAREN
EXPLOSIVE REUNION

"I'm not leaving you."
He made a promise to protect her.

Back in her hometown, Tori James never expects to spend time with her ex-fiance -- until someone blows up her car. Now she has a target on her back, and accepting Staff Sargeant Cade McMann as her bodyguard is her only hope of staying alive. But even as Cade and Tori are drawn back together, a killer is determined to tear them apart for good.

My Review:

Catchy title for a riveting 'debut'. This is Karen Kirst's first romantic suspense and it's an explosive page-turner. Impeccable pacing, intriguing suspense, diverse action and some great hero/heroine heart-to-hearts. It was easy to lose myself in the story and savor each scene as I tried to puzzle out the how and why of Tori's mystery threat. And there are a couple of interesting secondary characters I'm hoping might get their own story sometime in the future. Pretty please with a cherry on top! This author has shot up to the top of my LIS 'must buy NOW' authors list. Super excited to see what comes next from Karen Kirst!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Explosive Reunion, leave a comment below or email me at kavlvustoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to 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 easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 19 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Lieutenant's Bargain

GIVEAWAY

JENNINGS, REGINA
THE LIEUTENANT'S BARGAIN

Hattie Walker dreams of being a painter, while her parents want her to settle down. As a compromise, they give her two months to head to Denver and place her works in an exhibition or give up the dream forever. Her journey is derailed when a gunman attacks her stagecoach, leaving her to be rescue by a group fo Arapaho...but she's too terrified to recognize them as friendly.

Confirmed bachelor Lieutenant Jack Hennessey has long worked with the tribe and is tasked with trying to convince them that the mission school at Fort Reno can help their children . When a message arrives about a recovered survivor, Jack heads out to take her home...and plead his case once more.

He's stunned to run into Hattie Walker, the girl who shattered his heart -- but quickly realizes he has a chance to impress her. When his plan gets tangled through translation, Jack and Hattie end up in a mess that puts her dreams in peril. -- and tests Jack's resolve to remain single.

My Review:

That cute cover promises reading bliss within and Jennings delivers in this drama/romcom/mystery. Great opening scene full of action and danger and some surprising laugh-out-loud moments. The perfect set-up for Hattie's wild west adventures! She's kinda prissy, prone to making snap judgments and fiercely determined to live her life on her own terms...until a vicious gunman dashes her plans.

Cue Lieutenant Jack Hennessey -- her knight in shining armor -- who rescues her from one scrape only to land her into an even bigger one. And poor Jack, he's besotted -- has been since they were classmates in school. Hattie didn't notice him then -- not in that way! But she's noticing him now and having a hard time connecting the school boy with the army officer who has suddenly become the focal point in her life. Lots of fodder for romantic tension, not to mention laughter.

It's an intriguing time period -- and not without controversy. I'm always uncomfortable when I think about the ways both American and Canadian governments 'managed' the Native populations. Issues like sending the children to mission schools, cutting their hair, refusing to allow them to speak their own language etc. The force-feeding of white culture at the expense of Native traditions. So I was wary of that aspect of the story but I think Jennings did a marvelous job of being historically accurate while showing compassion and understanding through the thoughts and actions of her characters -- especially through Jack.

Then there's the mystery, some danger, the enthralling details of fort life and even a Christmas twist towards the end! All combine to make this the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter's night.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Lieutenant's Bargain, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to 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 easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 19 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Wait For Me

GIVEAWAY

WARREN, SUSAN MAY
WAIT FOR ME

Pete Brooks can't believe he's waited an entire year for Jess Tagg to return to Montana, only to have her break his heart by getting engaged to her ex-fiance. Worse, a series of mistakes on the job has cost lives, and Pete isn't sure he wants to continue to work in Search and Rescue. Maybe if he can just get over Jess, he can figure out how to move forward.

EMT Jess Tagg has returned to Montana to finally give her heart to Pete, be it seems he's no longer interested. When a terrible fight between them sparks an impulsive decision, she finds herself crashed on the side of a highway along with Esme Shaw. And just when she thinks things couldn't get worse, she and Esme are taken captive and into the untamed Montana wilderness -- with murderous intent.

Now Pete and the other PEAK Rescue Team members are in a race against time, the elements, and the actions of a vengeful man. Pete will have to use everything he's learned to find Jess and Esme -- and pray that his past mistakes don't cost him the life of the woman he can't stop loving.

My Review:

"He wasn't looking for trouble, but if Pete didn't act right now, at least one person was going to die." And so it begins -- the much anticipated/dreaded conclusion to Susan May Warren's Montana Rescue series. I'm in an addlepated stupor of bookish proportions but will try to rally long enough to write this review.

So Jess....gah! And Pete...whimper. And Jess and Pete...I can't even...I mean, honestly -- I adore Pete. I'm madly in love with Pete. I kept telling Pete, "Forget about Jess. I'm right here. Ready to make all your dreams come true!" But did he pay me any attention? Pffft. Sigh. I guess I can cut him some slack with all the bullet-flying-car-crashing-cliff-dangling etc. distractions Warren placed in his way. Clearly he had more on his mind than one simpering, swoony reader fangirling all over him but it still cuts.

And that Jess --- I. Have. No. Words. Well, expect, maybe to say that if any heroine in all the fictional heroines in the world ever deserved a good purse whomping -- it's Jess Tagg. And I would have followed through except that Warren did her own diabolical version of purse whomping in multiple harrowing ways so I felt sorry for Jess and gave her a pass. :-)

The whole Montana Rescue crew makes multiple appearances in this sixth and final installment which was scrumptious but leaves me with one burning question: What is it with all these long engagements you guys?!

As always, Warren deftly weaves an inspirational thread through the chaos and mayhem which actually makes it all the more poignant. "Yeah. I'm talking about God's love, Pete. You gotta start trusting in God's love for you. For Jess. Lean into it. Let it change you. Let it set you free." 

A breath-snatching, tail-spinning, mind-blowing conclusion to one of my favourite series! I'm still feeling a bit shell-shocked but I'd go through every nerve wracking moment all over again. In fact, I likely will because this set goes on my keeper shelf to be enjoyed again at some future date.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Wait for Me, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email ot 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 easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 19 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Just Plain Murder

GIVEAWAY

BRADFORD, LAURA
JUST PLAIN MURDER

Claire Weatherly and her beau, police detective Jakob Fisher, learn that when it comes to murder, evil can hide in plain sight in this all-new addition to the national bestselling Amish Mysteries.

Jakob and Claire have been enjoying more time together in Heavenly, Pennsylvania. With Claire's help, the detective is making slow progress reconnecting with the members of his Amish family sho stunned him when he left to prepare a career in law enforcement. Jakob's mentor, Russ Granger, the long-retired police chief who inspired him to become a cop, is back in town. Claire has always wanted to meet the man who changed the course of Jakob's life. But not long after he arrives in Heavenly, Russ is murdered.

Jakob can only imagine that his old friend must have been killed by someone outside the Amish community. He and Claire soon find that things are not as they seem -- and that Russ must have stumbled into something sinister before he was killed. the answers they uncover are closer to home and more shocking than they ever expected.

My Review:

Yay!!! Another visit to charming Heavenly, Pennsylvania was just the kind of armchair traveling I needed during a frigid bout of winter weather. There's nothing more sublime then cozying up with a cozy! And I love Claire and Jakob and the interesting mix of Amish and Englisch secondary characters that make up this quaint small town...which has had more than it's fair share of murders!

Claire just can't help but become involved even though her boyfriend is the town's detective. But this time it's personal and Jakob's assaulted by emotions and regrets as he tries to remain objective while investigating his mentor's murder. Love that these two are in a solid relationship now and the way Claire supports him as he struggles to work everything out. Sometimes it's fun to celebrate a romance without all the angst, you know?

This is the sixth book in Bradford's Amish Mystery series but it can be read as a standalone -- though there are a lot of secondary to become acquainted with. I think the author does an excellent job of introducing them and their back stories, but readers familiar with the series will be happy to renew acquaintances!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Just Plain Murder, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an 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's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 19 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!