Christy Award Finalist - General Fiction

GIVEAWAY

What are the Christy Awards?

The Christy Award is destined to nurture creativity and quality in the writing and publishing of fiction written from a Christian worldview and showcase the diversity of genres. These 2022 finalists are books published in 2021.

How does this giveaway work?

You select one of the General Fiction finalists you would like to receive if you name is drawn. Mention the title in a comment (or in an email if you're entering that way.) If you win, that's the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy. Here are the finalists. (I have provided links to me reviews of the books I have read.)

GENERAL FICTION

The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin, Thomas Nelson

(Murphy Shepherd; 2)

Combining heart-wrenching emotion with edge-of-your-seat tension, Charles Martin explores the true power of sacrificial love.

He shows up when all hope is lost.

Murphy Shepherd has made a career of finding those no one else could -- survivors of human trafficking. His life's mission is helping others find freedom.

But then the nightmare strikes too close to home.

When his new wife, her daughter, and two other teenage girls are stolen, Murphy is left questioning all he has thought to be true. With more dead ends than leads, he has no idea how to find those he loves.

After everything is stripped away, love is what remains.

Hope feels lost, but Murphy is willing to expend his last breath trying to bring them home.

The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox, Revell / Baker Publishing

Present Day. After tragedy plunges her into grief and unresolved anger, Sarah Ashby returns to her childhood home determined to finally follow her long-denied dream of running Old Depot Grocery alongside her mother and grandmother. But when she arrives, her mother, Rosemary, announces to her that the store is closing. Sarah and her grandmother, Glory Ann, make a pact to save the store, but Rosemary has worked her entire life to make sure her daughter never follows in her footsteps. She has her reasons -- but she'll certainly never reveal the real one.

1965. Glory Ann confesses to her family that she's pregnant with her deceased fiancé's baby. Pressured into a marriage of convenience with a shopkeeper to preserve the family reputation, Glory Ann vows never to love again. But some promises are not as easily kept as she imagined.

This dual-timeline story from Amanda Cox deftly explores the complexity of a mother-daughter dynamic, the way the secrets we keep shape our lives and the lives of others, and the healing power of telling the truth.

Under the Magnolias by T.I. Lowe, Tyndale House

This night not only marked the end to the drought, but also the end to the long-held secret we'd kept hidden under the magnolias.

Magnolia, South Carolina, 1980

Austin Foster is barely a teenager when her mama dies giving birth to twins, leaving her to pick up the pieces while holding her six siblings together and doing her best to stop her daddy from retreating into his personal darkness.

Scratching out a living on the family's tobacco farm is as tough as it gets. When a few random acts of kindness help to ease the Fosters' hardships, Austin finds herself relying upon some of Magnolia's most colourful citizens for friendship and more. But it's next to impossible to hide the truth about the goings-on at Nolia Farms, and Austin's desperate attempts to save face all but break her.

Just when it seems she might have something more waiting for her -- with the son of a wealthy local family who she's crushed on for years -- her father makes a choice that will crack wide-open the family's secrets and lead to a public reckoning. There are consequences for loving a boy like Vance Cumberland, but there is also freedom in the truth.

T.I. Lowe's gritty yet tender and uplifting tale reminds us that a great story can break your heart...then heal it in the best possible way.

 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the  General Fiction finalists, 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 November 12 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.

Gideon's Gift

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ

KINGSBURY, KAREN

GIDEON'S GIFT

One long-ago Christmas, Earl Gibson lost the two things most precious to him: his wife and daughter. Angry and heartbroken, he ended up living on the streets and abandoned any belief he'd once had in God.

Ten years later Big Earl meets Gideon, an eight-year-old leukaemia patient who believes with all her heart that "Christmas means never having to ask God how much he loves us." Gideon is determined to reach this lonely and hurting man who hates Christmas -- and he is just as determined to reach this lonely and hurting man who hates Christmas -- and he is just as determined to rebuff her.

It will take a miracle for Earl to come to understand the true meaning of Christmas. But if he can accept what Gideon wants to give him, he might find that he can return the favour with a precious gift of his own.

In Gideon's Gift, Karen Kingsbury reminds us that Christmas is still a time of miraculous possibilities if only we reach out to those around us.

My Review:

published in 2002

My thanks to Tracey for pointing me in the direction this priceless gem.

Phew! Have a box of tissues handy before you start reading because 'Gideon's Gift' is tear inducing. I still have a lump in my throat. It start's out in darkness and despair which is slowly vanquished through the simple faith of one little girl. And an act of kindness that has an unforeseen, far-reaching ripple effect that echos on for years to come. 

The shiver-with-delight kind of read that brings the heart of Christmas to the forefront. This short little novella packs an emotional wallop. Gentle and heart-stirring and so very, very hopeful.

Goal Update: #7 Start new-to-me series

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the  Gideon's Gift, 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 November 12 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.

November Giveaway -- Week One

WON BY PAM K

WON BY CC

WON BY JACKIE SMITH

WON BY TRIXI

WON BY LUCY

WON BY CHANEL M.

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:

***IMPORTANT -- PLEASE NOTE GIVEAWAY EDITIONS 

AS THEY VARY***

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

Christy Awards Finalists

General Fiction 

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

The Mistletoe Favor

GIVEAWAY

KEMERER, JILL

THE MISTLETOE FAVOR

It will take one special cowboy to make this season bright.

After gaining guardianship of his half sister, wealthy rancher Mac Tolbert hopes a part-time job during the holidays will help the grieving teenager. New coffee shop owner Bridget Renna has been on her own since sixteen and is immediately drawn to the shy orphan -- and her handsome brother. But as Bridget grows closer to the siblings, will her troubled past ruin their chance at a Christmas together?

A Wyoming Ranchers novel.

My Review:

This is the fourth Wyoming Ranchers novel but can easily be read as a standalone. The series centers around single cowboys who are (ahem) married to their bachelorhood...but since four of 'em have found romance, you can see how well that's going. And we still have two more diehard bachelors to rein in. Yeehaw! 

I love the way Kemerer creates a community and Sunrise Bend is definitely a place I'd want to live. Aside from all the cowboys roaming around town (!) it's full of great folks with a lot of heart. Oh, there are a few bad 'uns to keep things a might interesting, but otherwise pretty near perfect.

It's been a haven for Mac, the product of a 'poor little rich boy' upbringing. He's made some lifelong friends -- even though a few of their tight knit group have gone and found love -- and that's all he needs to make his life complete. Or so he thinks.

The sudden guardianship to his teenage sister starts to mess with his carefully constructed refuge but when the new coffee shop owner is drawn into the mix, he becomes truly rattled. Because Mac is a cowboy without a lot of social graces. He's more of a work hard, ride the range kind of guy. And two girls -- one a perplexing teen, the other an even more perplexing spitfire with heart -- well, it's almost too much for a guy to take.

Cue laugh-out-loud funny moments. Ha -- I laughed so hard I had to stop and wipe the tears from my eyes every couple of sentences over the learning to drive scenes. Priceless!

But there are sweet, poignant moments in this story too. And the kind of emotional angst guaranteed to pull at the most stoic reader's heart. Plus -- this is a Christmas book that features...ta da! Christmas!!!!

A fantastic holiday romance.

Goal Update: #6 Stay current with a series

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the  The Mistletoe Favor, 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 November 5 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.

The Cryptographer's Dilemma

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ

ALEXANDER, JOHNNIE

THE CRYPTOGRAPHER'S DILEMMA

A code breaker uncovers a Japanese spy ring

FBI cryptographer Eloise Marshall is grieving the death of her brother, who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor, when she is assigned to investigate a seemingly innocent series of letters about dolls. Agent Phillip Clayton is ready to enlist and head overseas when asked to work one more FBI job. A case of traitorous messages disguised as correspondence about dolls should be easy, but not so when the clues take Eloise and Phillip on a cross-country trek that has them both confronting past demons and an unmistakable attraction.

Eloise believes the letter refer to classified intel about U.S. warships, but can she prove it in time to catch the spy? Or, before she and Phillip are permanently separated?

Heroines of WWII : Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates unsung heroes -- the women of WWII

My Review:

published in 2021

This is my introduction to the 'Heroines of WWII' series and I have to say I'm impressed! It's a favourite fictional era of mine and I'm always amazed at all the interesting angles authors find to delve deeper into this time in history.

My typical WWII reads are set in Europe or England so I'm always excited to discover a novel that features a 'Homefront' angle and this homegrown spy story based on actual events (!!!!) blew me away! Really, I had no idea! And the way the author has woven together fact and fiction to make a compelling read fills me with all kinds of bookish glee.

So we have our heroine, Eloise -- an intriguing mix of brilliant mind and outward bravado that conceals a few insecurities. And she's also a woman of mystery which upped the intrigue all the more!

Then there's Phillip -- disgruntled and grumpy over a personal 'failure' that keeps him from serving his country the way he would like. He still wants to enlist, though, except he has to complete one last mission for the FBI first. One where he's paired up with a civilian! A female one at that! Oh the horrors. lol 

But Phillip's impatience turns to admiration when he realizes that Eloise's codebreaking skills are the key to opening up their investigation. Loved the journey Alexander takes her characters on -- both physically and emotionally. The historical details are really well done -- especially the codebreaking which is so fascinating. I haven't read anything like this before so I really enjoyed the fresh approach to the genre.

And then there's the forbidden (for so many reasons) romance that slowly draws Phillip and Eloise closer...and complicates everything just a bit. :-)

Seriously, need I say more...other than, "read this book!'

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the  The Cryptographer's Dilemma, 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 November 5 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.

Christmas Hostage

GIVEAWAY

Dunn, Sharon 

Christmas Hostage

Rescuing an innocent hostage could blow an agent's cover

Taken hostage by bank robbers on Christmas, security expert Laura Devin suspects one of the thieves is not who he appears to be. When the danger heightened after Laura sees the leader's face, undercover FBI agent Hollis Pryce is forced to flow his cover to free her. He'll risk everything to assist her escape from the Montana mountains and the criminal mastermind hunting them...

My Review:

"Even before the shouting and the woman's scream, Laura Devin sensed that something was wrong in the lobby of First Federal Bank." 

An attention grabbing opening sentence if ever there was one! Cue the ominous music and be prepared to sit on the edge of your seat for the duration of the read because the tension never lets up. Heart-stopping, adrenaline-pumping, gasp-out-louding all the way through. 

Definitely a meet-cute worthy of regaling future grandchildren with. lol The romance is just as intense as the suspense in this everything-happens-at-the-speed-of-light story. Hollis and Laura's harrowing escape, crashing through the wilderness in frigid temperatures was one of my reading highlights. Yet, even when they finally make it back to civilization they aren't in the clear...the danger only increases. 

Phew, this one left me breathless. The only thing missing was Christmas. It's in the title, and there's a reference to a Christmas tree in the bank lobby in the first scene and a Christmas setting in the last (very short) chapter but no other festivities in sight, so I wouldn't call this a holiday read. Definitely an escape read though. :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the  Christmas Hostage, 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 November 5 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.

Forever Home

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ

GROCHOWSKI, AMY

FOREVER HOME

A Canadian Amish farmer, a Lancaster Amish businesswoman, a Prince Edward Island foster child...

Providence brings together a mismatched family, giving all three a second chance for love. Only love may never had had such a tough job.

Lydia Miller is an anomaly among her Amish people -- a single woman in her thirties, running her own store, determined to forge a life on her own. But when Joel Yoder comes into town to sell his property, Lydia suddenly finds all of her hopes and dreams crumbling around her and a new opportunity placed in her lap.

Joel has his own problems. Recently jilted by his fiancee, Joel has seen his own dreams of moving to a newly-established Amish community begin to falter. The new community welcomes married couples only. With his dreams quickly slipping from his fingers, Joel suddenly sees the only option he thinks he has -- a marriage of convenience for both of them.

As the new couple begins life in a new settlement, they are even more surprised when a foster child in need of a home finds her way to them. Yet what will happen when the English world and the Amish world collide?

My Review:

published in 2020

This was an unexpected find at my library! A new-to-me author in the Amish genre and it's set in Prince Edward Island! That right there is enough to send me into a bibliophile swoon. But there's another draw too -- the marriage of convenience trope -- Eeeeeeeeeppppp!

I don't know why I am so drawn to marriage of convenience stories because, on principle, the idea is atrocious, but my romance loving heart also finds it soooo romantical...in fiction, mind you. :-) And this one is written so well. Really beautifully crafted and emotionally engaging.

We start out in Ohio but move on to Prince Edward Island pretty quickly and then the fun really begins! And by fun I mean angst. There's so much for Lydia to come to grips with -- not the least of which is having a husband! They go from wary truce to friendship but stubbornly stop at developing deeper feelings -- or at least acknowledging that deeper feelings are developing. Joel makes some missteps, Lydia harbours old hurts and they are just so achingly vulnerable it stirred me into a page-turning reading frenzy to get them past the rough spots.

And then there's the added drama of throwing a foster child into the mix. Talk about pulling at heart strings -- little Samy adds so much to the story.  And there's a wonderful fledgling Amish community who welcome (mostly) Joel and Lydia into the fold. And, woohoo, this is the first book in the 'Amish Dreams on Prince Edward Island' series. Off to hunt down the next one now.

Goal Update: #3 Read more debut authors, #5 Diversify my reading, #7 Start new-to-me series

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the  Forever Home, 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 November 5 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.