Hours to Kill

GIVEAWAY

SLEEMAN, SUSAN

HOURS TO KILL

Each passing hour brings them closer to a deadly showdown

Just as FBI Special Agent Addison Leigh reaches the pinnacle of her cybercrimes investigation into a firearms-smuggling ring, she's attacked and left in a coma with no memory of the incident -- or her estranged husband who rushes to her bedside.

Deputy US Marshal Mack Jordan may have let his past military trauma ruin their brief marriage, but Addison never gave up on their relationship, and he promises to Hunt down the man who attacked her. Mack failed her once when he bailed on their marriage, so he's not about to let her down again, especially after a second attempt on her life is made. Soon it becomes clear that something very sinister is going on, and the killer won't rest until Addison is gone for good.

My Review:

Intense suspense, hair-raising at times and intricate investigative work make this one enthralling read. Love the Red Team (Mack's elite squad) and since this is the third book in the Homeland Heroes series, I felt like I was back among old friends. The camaraderie is superb, fuelled with a mix of banter and teasing along with plenty of contemplative moments as well. Having said that, you could read Hours to Kill as a standalone too, but I think you'll get the nuances of each team member more if you've read the first two books. 

Now, let's talk about the whole amnesia thing, shall we? I used to be a huge fan but then this trope kept popping up in newly released suspense novels so often that I had to start picking and choosing which books to read lest I suffer from amnesia burnout...which I kinda did anyway. So, it's not my go-to any more except when it's a fave author pulling those amnesia strings. Like Susan Sleeman. And I have to say that she did a really good job working the amnesia angle throughout the story and I especially appreciated the way it wrapped up. So that just goes to show that I should never say never when it comes to popular tropes because there's a story somewhere that will prove me wrong every single time. :-)

I think Mack is my favourite Homeland Hero -- maybe because I've had so many tantalizing glimpses of him in the previous novels that I was on tenterhooks waiting to finally unpack his story. Love his dedication to God, but he's introspective enough to examine that relationship and whether he's allowing God to lead or wrestling for control. (I can totally relate to that!) And I love his scripture mantras that anchor him when things get tough. And the way he stoically watches over Addie...agh, his yearning is palpable...but he's too stubbornly noble to give into his heart. Lots of lovely romantical angst -- in between taking down a sinister mastermind!

Highly recommend this series and Susan Sleeman as an author if you enjoy high action, toe-curling suspense with a police procedural flare.

Goal Update: #2 Catch up on series I'm behind in, #8 Play author catch-up, #10 Give unloved tropes a second chance

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Hours to Kill, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 15 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Texas Ranch Refuge

GIVEAWAY

SHOAF, LIZ

TEXAS RANCH REFUGE

A cowboy and his dog must keep a witness safe...even as he investigates her.

When cowboy Mac Dolan and his dog, Barnie, stop an attempted abduction, Mac is surprised to learn the target is attorney Liv Calloway -- the woman the FBI contacted him to investigate. Letting Liv hide on his ranch is the perfect way to keep her close. But even as he protects her, Mac must figure out whether Live is a murderer...or a witness being targeted.

My Review:

Squealling overdose of cover cuteness alert! And Barnie, the big lug, is pawsitively the kind of canine heroes are made of. :-) His human backup isn't half bad either. And there's romance in store for both of them if they all survive.

The nail-biting opening scene sets the pace for this page-turning suspense.  Relentless bad guys (and I do mean relentless!) wreck no end of havoc for Liv and Mac. 

They used to be neighbours until she moved away for college and became a city girl through and through. Mac has a bad history with city girls so he's not about to get ensnared by another one. Ha! So we have chaotic romance paired with chaotic suspense which makes for some heart palpitating scenes that may require the need for supplemental oxygen. And when you're not gasping for air you'll likely be doubled over with laughter.

Oh, and did I mention Mac has brothers? Just saying'...

 GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Texas Ranch Rescue, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 15 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

They Almost Always Come Home

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

RUCHTI, CYNTHIA

THEY ALMOST ALWAYS COME HOME

When Libby's husband Greg fails to return home from a two-week canoe trip to the Canadian wilderness, the authorities soon write off his disappearance as an unhappy husband's escape from an empty marriage and unrewarding career. Their marriage might have survived if their daughter Lacey hadn't died...and if Greg hadn't been responsible. Libby enlists the aid of her wilderness savvy father-in-law and her faith-walking best friend to help her search for clues to her husband's disappearance...if for no other reason then to free her to move on. What the trio discovers in the search upends Libby's presumptions about her husband and rearranges her faith.

My Review:

published in 2009

This was a treasure trove find in the Audible Plus catalogue and I think it's actually Cynthia Ruchti's debut novel! How cool is that? It's a stretch out of my usual reading comfort zone but I was immediately captivated by Libby's dilemma from the very first chapter. The author has a unique gift for drawing a reader into the broken, messy lives of her characters and creating something beautiful and healing and true from the tattered remnants and that's what she did with Libby.

I didn't know a whole lot going into this story, just the brief outline from the synopsis and, because it's not my usual genre, I wasn't sure what to expect. So I was unprepared for the force of emotion that assailed me right from the start. Libby isn't always likeable -- she's a bit sharp, caustic, sarcastic. Bitterness has invaded her heart as she's pulled away from God. Her marriage is on shaky ground and when her husband goes missing she prepares for the worst...only what does that look like? What kind of outcome is she dreading...or hoping for?

A deep dive into characterization enhances the plot as Libby's search for her husband leads her to rediscover her faith. What a powerful, redemption story! Forgiveness, acceptance, trust and ultimately hope replace the bitterness that has been darkening her days for far too long. 

I don't want to say too much more because Libby's journey, both the physical one and the spiritual one, should be unique and fresh for each reader. I will say that They Almost Always Come Home makes for a compelling, contemplative and at times edge-of-your-seat read. I couldn't put it down.

Goal Update: Goal #5 Diversify my reading -- set in Canada, Goal #9 Read  outside my comfort zone

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of They Almost Always Come Home, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 15 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Heart in the Highlands

GIVEAWAY

KIMBALL, HEIDI

HEART IN THE HIGHLANDS

An arranged marriage was never what Callum Darrington, future Duke of Edinbane, imagined for himself. But with the well-being of his uncle's family hanging in the balance, Callum strikes a bargain with his father and reluctantly agrees to tie himself to a stranger. The reality of the lovely Lady Katherine is more than he could have hoped for, and their wedding heralds a bright new future for the couple -- until Callum discovers his father deliberately deceived him. Callum lashes out, setting in motion heartbreak not even he could have foreseen.

Four years later, Callum is ready to piece together the marriage he so carelessly destroyed. But their years apart have hardened Kate: she is not the naive and trusting young woman she once was, and she has no intention of allowing Callum a foothold in her life or her heart. Despite her coldness, Callum works to regain her trust and rebuild their marriage, not realizing Kate harbours a secret that could change everything -- and this time there is much more at stake than just her heart.

My Review:

I'm gobsmacked! In twitter-pated biblio heaven with mush for brains so excuse me while I ramble. 

Whhhoooaaa -- my first Heidi Kimball book, but definitely not my last!!! 

I was expecting a delicious marriage of convenience story and I got so much more! Emotionally churning, heart skipping, achingly romantic....I can't even...

It all starts with an abrupt marriage of convenience that goes terribly awry and then fast forwards to four years later when the errant groom returns to set things right only the spurned bride is having none of it. But it's so much more complicated than that. 

I wanted to be furious at Callum, but I could only feel an aching sorrow for all he has endured and Kimball writes him in such a way that it's impossible not to understand the darkness that takes hold of him. And Kate! Her whole world turned upside down and inside out -- it was easy to see her side of things too. So there I was, the entire read, empathizing my heart out on behalf of them both! I was wrung out by the time I reached the end...and enjoyed every blessed second of Kimball's storytelling marvel matched with Noah Wall's impeccable narration. (Callum's Scottish lilt...I swoon just thinking about it!) Definitely an audible selection I will happily listen to again and again.

Heart in the Highlands is one of the most romantical love stories I've ever read! A redemptive story with depth and hope, it champions the power of forgiveness. Unforgettable.

Goal Update: Goal #4 Read more new-to-me authors; Goal #5 Diversify my reading -- setting -- Scotland

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for an ebook copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Heart in the Highlands, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 15 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

 

An Amish Barn Raising

GIVEAWAY

CLIPSTON, AMY

IRVIN, KELLY

FULLER, KATHLEEN

An Amish Barn Raising

Three sweet stories entered around Amish traditions and the possibility of romance.

Building a Dream by Amy Clipston -- Though they've known each other a long time, Kathryn and Anthony have decided to becoming more than friends -- but they are devastated when Kathryn's father won't allow them to date. He wants his daughter to marry a man with a more respectable job than building gazebos for Englishers. But when Kathryn's father's dairy barn burns down during a thunderstorm, Anthony is the one to arrange a barn raising. Will Kathryn's father realize he has misjudged Anthony?

To Raise a Home by Kelly Irvin -- A year after the wildfires, life has returned to normal for the West Kootenai Amish community. Evan Eicher, son of Deacon Tobias Either, has done his best to move on too. Helping his neighbours and friends rebuild has helped soothe a heart broken when Delilah Mast -- the woman he loves but never had the courage to approach -- moved with her family back to Kansas. At his father's urging, he courts Anna Burkholder, a sweet woman who adores him. But when Delilah moves back to teach school, Evan must wrestle with feelings he's tried so hard to put in the past. And an accident at a barn raising will force Anna, Delilah, and Evan to face their truth about their hearts.

Love's Solid Foundation by Kathleen Fuller -- Devon Bontrager only returned to his old hometown to make good on a past misdeed. He hadn't counted on reconnecting with Nettie Miller, especially since she strung along his younger twin brothers some years ago. Nettie knows she made some mistakes in the past, but she's determined to be an asset to her community from now on. But just as she's making headway, her family's barn burns to the ground. Why does it seem like God is punishing her family when she's finally starting to turn her life around? Can she convince Devon that she has changed? Can Devon trust the woman who toyed with his brothers' hearts?

My Review:

Love the way these three authors have put their own unique spin on a common theme and there's nothing as iconic to the Amish as a barn raising! Each novella delivers depth in both character and plot, providing the kind of sigh-worthy happily-ever-after this reader loves. Times three!

And -- bonus (to this reader, at least, who might just have worn her eyeballs out from a life time of reading) -- this collection comes in the larger paperback format (traditional Christian Fiction paperback vs mass market pocket size!) so it was a real pleasure to read!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook -- reader's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of An Amish Barn Raising, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 15 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

January Giveaway -- Week Two

WON BY ELLY

WON BY LUCY REYNOLDS

WON BY CONNIE LEE

WON BY PATTY

WON BY BECKY

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address in a comment, otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca (please note it's ca as in Canada not com)

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 AN EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU!

Books will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address (or email address for ebooks) and I'll email you to confirm your book is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring on the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping times.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Please read the giveaway options written in red noted under "Giveaway Opportunity" in each blog post as formats will vary.

Paperback or ebook -- winner can choose either format

Paperback -- I have a new physical book on hand to give away

Gently Read Paperback -- It's the actual book I read to review

ebook -- that's the only format option available, often because it's an indie book where a paperback copy is either unavailable or exorbitantly priced. Or when a physical edition is out of print.

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Their Unbreakable Bond

GIVEAWAY

KASTNER, DEB

THEIR UNBREAKABLE BOND

His life has skidded off the tracks...Can she help him start over?

Training avalanche rescue dogs with his best friend's sister, Felicity Winslow, was never in Stone Keller's plans. But after a reckless motorcycle accident ends his rodeo career, he has nowhere to go but home to Colorado. Working with the dogs -- and Felicity -- could be exactly what he needs to put the pieces of his life back together.

A K-9 Companions Tale

My Review:

First book in what I believe is going to be a new multi-authored K-9 companion themed series, though the setting and characters make this also a continuation of Kastner's Rocky Mountain Family series too. Which is kinda weird, but I'm rolling with it 'cause I love the Winslow family and their Christmas tree farm / dog training business. Six siblings to work and relax with...including two protective older brothers who treat their youngest sister like she's still in grade school. :-) Love the family dynamics and how spunky Felicity fights to be recognized as the capable adult she truly is. 

And then her girlhood crush winds up working with her...cue all the grins and swoons 'cause Stone is trying so hard not to notice that his best friend's little sister is a woman now while Felicity is trying just as hard to fight an inconvenient resurgence of puppy love. Sizzles and sparks and hijinks galore. Plus the kind of devoted service dogs I love to read about. In this case it's dynamic avalanche rescue dogs Tugger and Dandy who aren't above giving out a little comfort therapy after a disaster too. 

Their Unbreakable Bond is all kinds of wintry goodness and a perfect way to wile away a chilly afternoon...maybe with your own fur baby cuddled up close by.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Their Unbreakable Bond, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 8 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck