Cold Aim

GIVEAWAY

CANTORE, JANICE
COLD AIM

Police Chief Tessa O'Rourke's small town is still reeling from a devastating fire when the FBI asks for help: Could she shelter a witness in a high-profile human trafficking case? Initially reluctant to put the townspeople of Rogue's Hollow at risk, Tess is swayed after she sees Pastor Oliver Macpherson's genuine conviction to rescue those in need, a trait in him she's coming to love more each day.

Tess's fledling faith is tested when crews of workmen from out of town come in to assist with the fire cleanup and she worries that one of these strangers might shine a light on things best kept hidden. Neither she nor Oliver knows that Rogue's Hollow is already home to a suspect from a twenty-five-year-old murder case...and someone is taking cold aim at those Tess is sworn to protect.

My Review:

With the grit and honesty hailing from her twenty-two year police force career, Janice Cantore crafts another page-turning suspense. The third and final book in her Line of Duty series and I think it's the best. Take heart if you haven't read the first two books -- you can definitely enjoy this one as a standalone read but, oh my, if you've been following Tess's career as Rogue Hollow's police chief you will enjoy Cold Aim that much more.

A complex suspense plot with a real sense of urgency made this a breathtaking page-turner (well, compulsive listen, since I enjoyed the audible edition.) So many diverse threads that are gradually woven together into a heart-pounding crescendo at the end. My pulse is still thready from the after effects. :-)

Tess is continuing her faith journey, ready to commit to baptism even as she struggles with some of the nitty-gritty details. Like letting go and letting God. She's been micro-managing her life for so long, bearing the stress of worry and guilt, it's hard for to hand it all over to Him.

And then there's the complication of the police chief being romanced by the pastor much to the dismay of some disgruntled congregants. And Oliver is having difficulties dealing with the dangerous aspect of Tess's job. I'd say the recurring themes of trust and prayer play over and over in both their lives throughout the course of this story. I was as on edge over their romance as  much as I was over the suspense!

The perfect conclusion to an outstanding series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Cold Aim 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 June 20 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Marshmallow Malice

GIVEAWAY

FLOWER, AMANDA
MARSHMALLOW MALICE

Caught in a sticky situation...

With Juliet Brody and Reverent Brook tying the knot in Ohio's Amish Country's most anticipated nuptials of the year, Bailey King is determined to do everything in her power to make the even a sweet success. Except midsummer heat waves and outdoor ceremonies don't mix, and an exasperated Bailey soon finds herself struggling to fulfill bridesmaid duties and keep her stunning marshmallow-frosted wedding cake from becoming a gooey disaster. Then much to everyone's shock, the entire ceremony crumbles when a guest drops dead, and the cause isn't sunstroke...

Turns out, the uninvited victim came equipped with lots of dirt on the devout reverent's hidden past. As Reverent Brook tops the murder suspect list on what should have been the happiest day of his life, Bailey and her sheriff's deputy boyfriend vow to clear his name. Can the duo boil down a series of baffling clues before Juliet considers her marriage a bad mistake -- or the killer whips up another deadly surprise?

My Review:

I love this book because -- hello --Jethro the toaster-sized pot-bellied pig aka' bacon bundle' is the ring-bearer sporting a lavender satin leash!!! And his furry cohorts are back too. That would be Nutmeg the cat and Puff, a very large rabbit. And, of course, some of my favourite cozy mystery characters add to all the chaotic fun. Plus some new ones, including a killer. Bwahahaha! Amanda Flower's books always fill me with giddy delight!

And though this mystery features a wedding, it isn't Bailey's (awwwwwww!) but she is the maid of honor and has the privilege of walking said pig down the aisle. :-) I so adore this author's personal brand of zany!

Of course there's also a mystery to solve and a bit of a relationship hiccup (just a wee one) for Bailey and Aiden to navigate through before this reader could usher a hearty sigh of satisfaction and approval. Even so, the end came much too quickly. Amanda Flower needs to write faster! (Impatient reader, much? Yep, that would be me.)

While this is the fifth Amish Candy Shop Mystery you could read it as a standalone. This author is really good at introducing characters and establishing setting in a way that's fresh for the return reader and easy to catch up for the new reader.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Marshmallow Malice 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 June 20 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

June Giveaway -- Week Two

WON BY CARYL KANE

WON BY PATTY

WON BY LIZ R.

WON BY LESLIE WATERS

WON BY MELMO

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:

The Cowboy's Sacrifice

GIVEAWAY

FAVORITE, DANICA
THE COWBOY'S SACRIFICE

He just wanted her to go...now he'll do anything to make her stay.

Ranch attorney Ty Warner isn't buying Rachel Henderson's story. He's sure the pretty single mom is after his boss's fortune, but Rachel claims she's just looking for family who might donate the kidney she needs to survive. As Ty grows closer to Rachel and her little girl, he discovers the raw truth -- he'll do whatever it takes to help Rachel live.

A Double R Legacy Tale

My Review:

A pull-at-your-heartstrings contemporary romance. Rachel's predicament -- the fact that she urgently needs a life saving kidney transplant is enough to send me into an emotional tailspin, but add in the fact that she's a single mom and has absolutely no other family...well, I had a lump in my throat the whole read.

And Ty -- gah -- but that man is bullheaded! So bent on seeing Rachel in the worst light. True, he has valid reasons but, goodness, he could be quite cutting in a don't-mess-with-my-lawyerly-self way when he wanted to get his point across. That's because he's committed to protecting his employer from the fortune hunting interloper. Bwahahaha! Luckily Rachel is just as bullheaded so she can hold her own.

Katie, Rachel's four-year-old daughter is a real scene stealer, especially when she works her preschooler wiles on the taciturn lawyer. Happy sigh. I do so love a stalwart hero who melts under the sunshiney force of an adorable child.

 A heartwarming and faith-filled romance.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Cowboy's Sacrifice 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 June 13 2020. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

A Convenient Fiction

GIVEAWAY

MATTHEWS, MIMI
A CONVENIENT FICTION

She needed a husband...

It's been three years since Laura Hayes's father died, leaving her and her invalid brother to subsist on the income from the family's failing perfume business. But time is swiftly running out. What she needs is a husband, and fast. A noble gentleman who can rescue them all from penury. When a mysterious stranger arrives in the village, he seems a perfect candidate. But  Alex Archer is no hero. In fact, he just might be the opposite.

He wanted a fortune...

Alex has no tolerance for sentiment. He's returned to England for one reason only: to find a wealthy wife. A country-bred heiress in Surrey seems the perfect target. But somewhere between the village railway station and the manor house his mercenary plan begins to unravel. And it's all the fault of Laura Hayes -- a lady as unsuitable as she is enchanting.

From the beaches of Margate to the lavender fields of Provence, a grudging friendship slowly blossoms into something more. But when scandal threatens, can a man who has spent his entire life playing the villain, finally become a hero? Or will the lure if easy riches once again outweigh the demands of his heart?

My Review:

A Regency-esque Victorian Romance! I'm in a full tilt-a-whirl swoon over this brooding hero. His dark past has framed the way he lives his life and skewed values have him planning for a future that definitely won't fill in the gaping void in his heart. Cue the opinionated, single-minded heroine determined to save her family. The way they meet -- oh, my -- have your fans and smelling salts ready! This is one toe-curling, fainting-couch-is-a-necessity kind of read.

What I love most about this couple is that they talk to each other! There's no grand misunderstanding or talking at cross purposes that is so often the case in historical fiction. Alex and Laura have wonderful conversations about how they aren't suited. Tons of witty banter and occasional soul-stirring heart-to-hearts. But that doesn't lessen the romantical tension -- if anything, it pulls it even tauter. Because there's a silent subtext going on behind the dialogue -- a yearning hunger of heart and mind that must be ignored. Happy swoony sigh!

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Alex Wynham. True confession -- I usually don't like listening to male narrators because they get the female characters' voices wrong -- kind of a forced high pitch that seems more comedic and makes it hard for me to take the story seriously. BUT Alex Wyndham doesn't fall into that category (thankfully.) While I still prefer female narrators for my romances, I would definitely listen to another Wyndham narration.

Sidenote: While A Convenient Fiction is not a a Christian Fiction selection, it is a clean read, however there were a few instances of using the Lord's name as an exclamation -- not quite a curse, but not a prayer either.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  A Convenient Fiction 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 June 13 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Deadly Connection

GIVEAWAY

WORTH, LENORA
DEADLY CONNECTION

Hidden enemies can be deadly. But the Brooklyn K-9 Unit is on the case.

On her way to question US Marshal Emmett Gage about a DNA match that implicates his relative in a cold case and a recent murder, Officer Belle Montera's attacked. Now she and her K-9 partner must team up with Emmett to find his cousin and the person after Belle. But can they figure out who's targeting her without becoming murder victims themselves?

True Blue K-9 Unit: Brooklyn

My Review:

I absolutely love this K-9 continuity series -- and that includes the gorgeous canine centered covers! Meet German Shepherd Justice who stays by Belle's side through a harrowing week of threats and violent attacks. With a partner like that, how could she not succeed? Plus there's a certain US Marshal who has taken a personal interest in unofficial protective duty. Cue the fangirling swoons. :-)

Love the dynamics between these two. They are both excellent at their jobs and there's a bit of push/pull over Emmett's desire to protect while acknowledging Belle's professional aptitude. A very realistic look at the challenges two law enforcement officers in a relationship might have.

Great secondary characters add extra zest to the story. Belle's family is a delight -- large, noisy and opinionated with open arms and welcoming hearts. And getting to catch up with the Brooklyn K-9 Unit made me happy.

Deadly Connection can be read as a standalone, by the way, though there is an over-arcing suspense plot that is building to a conclusion by the last book. The author does a great job of setting the stage for that suspense while delivering another suspense plot that gets resolution in this story. So you'll be satisfied and intrigued and eager to reach for the next True Blue K-9 Unit: Brooklyn book which releases in July. The great thing about this series is that a new book is published every month so you don't have long to wait to get your next K-9 fix.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Deadly Connection 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 June 13 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

A Single Spark

HO, LIWEN Y.
A SINGLE SPARK

He's a pop singer running from his past. She's a deejay who's given up on men. Little do they know divine intervention has a plan for them.

Former boy band hottie, Aiden Sparks, distanced himself from everything he valued -- faith, family, and fame -- when he lost his girlfriend. A decade later, he's still hiding behind his grief until he accidentally texts a woman who's all too curious about his identity.

Burned by the men in her life, deejay Abby Dearan has chosen to focus on her newfound faith in God and use her radio presence for good. Her plans are thwarted though when a text message -- and the irritating man who sent it -- won't leave her in peace.

Aiden can't forget the woman who reminds him so much of his first love; Abby can't remember the last time a man made her feel so beautiful. To make matters worse, it's impossible to avoid one another when their siblings and friends -- not to mention, divine intervention -- keep pushing them together. Will the sparks igniting between them end up in flames or romance?

My Review:

Squeeee!!! Just discovered a new-to-me favourite author thanks to Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower blog. I love it when trusted reader friends encourage me to branch out and try something new.

I have to admit to not being current at all with indie published books mainly because they are usually only in ebook format or the paperbacks are hard to get or very pricey. But, woohooo, I discovered this one on audible plus it's also available in paperback format on Book Depository (double yay!)  and I am a huge Sparks brothers fan now! 'Cause Aiden has four brothers!!!! Which means four more forays into make-me-tizzy-giddy romances. I can't wait!

Happy sigh -- let me tell you, there's more than one single spark whenever Aiden and Abby get together -- more like a fireworks worth! And the way they meet -- snorty guffaw! Love the way Ho laced humour among the angst. A Single Spark is a snappy, well-paced contemporary romance that still has me grinning.

I listened to the audible version narrated by Lorana Hoopes. Loved her performance -- she definitely captured characters and emotions and made the listen a bibliophile delight.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  A Single Spark 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 June 13 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck