The Christmas Singing

GIVEAWAY!!!!

WOODSMALL, CINDY
THE CHRISTMAS SINGING

Gideon Beiler has loved Mattie Eash since they were children. But when faced with unexpected circumstances, he makes up an excuse to end their engagement. He doesn't want to lie to her, but he believes that telling Mattie the truth would be more hurtful.

Brokenhearted, Mattie moves from Apple Ridge, Pennsylvania, to Ohio, where she pursues her longtime dream of becoming a cake decorator. She finds a new beau -- a man offering the secure relationship Gideon has denied her.

When Mattie is forced to return to Apple Ridge, she and Gideon must confront the suffering created by his dishonesty -- and address the powerful emotions that continue to bind the two childhood friends.

My Review:

This slim little book packs a wallop and proves that Cindy Woodsmall can do concise without losing out on the depth and detail she is known for. Mattie is such a fun character -- and very different from your typical Amish heroine. Love her dreaminess, her klutziness, the way she can turn disaster into something fun and light-hearted. Except for her broken engagement that is. She knows how to harbour a grudge and I honestly can't blame her since she thinks one thing while the reality is far different.

I spent my time being alternately irritated and enamoured with Gideon. Honestly --he's...he's...just like a man!!!! Thinks like a man, acts like a man and believe me that isn't always a good thing! So there's fireworks at times, angst a plenty, but Woodsmall weaves it all together with some wonderfully heart-warming, light-hearted moments as well. A great combination for a Christmas read -- though there's not a lot of Christmas in the read. LOL. It's not as seasonal as I thought it would be, but that didn't detract from the story at all. In fact it makes it more universally appealing. Definitely not a book that has to be read only at Christmas.

Giveaway Opportunity:


If you would like a chance at winning your own copy of The Christmas Singing please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Make sure to put the title in the subject line please. Draw will be held and announced on Sunday November 6. This offer is open internationally. Good luck!

October Giveaway - Week Five



CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!



Attracted to Fire by DiAnn Mills
won by Bethany Schweitzer



Highland Sanctuary by Jennifer Hudson Taylor
won by Faye



Congratulations ladies and I'll be sure to get in touch with you today for your snailmail address. If you don't hear from me by Monday night assume cyberspace has absconded with my email and please send me one of your own. :-)

And on that note -- I try to order the books asap so I don't forget but I have had limited computer/internet access for weeks now so if you won a book here and haven't received it within about three weeks don't be shy at giving me shout. I track everything I order so it would be easy to see if I messed up somehow and forgot an order. That happened to me in the summer. Sooooo embarrassing!

Looking ahead to next week's giveaways:

The Christimas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall -- what a treat! A slight novella that left me wishing it was a full-blown book.

A Texan's Promise by Shelley Gray -- so glad I didn't give up all my cowboys for brawny Highlanders! Clayton is a keeper!

Highland Sanctuary

GIVEAWAY!!!

TAYLOR, JENNIFER HUDSON
HIGHLAND SANCTUARY

Gavin MacKenzie, a chieftain heir who is hired to restore the ancient Castle of Braigh, discovers a hidden village of outcasts who have created their own private sanctuary from the world. Among them is Serena Boyd, a mysterious and comely lass, who captures Gavin's heart in spite of harboring a deadly past that could destroy her future.

The villagers happen to be keeping an intriguing secret as well, and when a fierce enemy launches an attack against them, greed leads to bitter betrayal. Then, as Gavin prepares a defense, the villagers unite in a bold act of faith, showing how God's love is more powerful than any human force on earth.

My Review:

What a refreshing read! And Gavin MacKenzie is a welcome diversion from the plethora of cowboy heroes parading through Christian Fiction these days. Not that I have anything against cowboys, you understand -- oh my heaven's no! (she says, fanning herself vigorously at the images that come to mind from recent reads.) BUT there is something about a warrior hero with a brogue, isn't there? Be still my wildly beating heart! Gavin is the perfect candidate for the role too. Level-headed, strong, compassionate, kind, knows his own heart...it just gets better and better -- or it would if Taylor didn't keep throwing literary daggers his way!


I loved the village of outcasts. Each character is so unique and Taylor uses them in a powerful way to carry Christ's message of hope -- a central theme carried throughout the book. If you love a solid medieval romance with lots of action, toe-curling romance (I feel a swoon coming on just thinking about a scene or two) and a strong inspirational thread then look no further. Highland Sanctuary definitely fits the bill.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win your own copy of Highland Sanctuary please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Please make sure to add the book title to the subject line. Draw will take place on Sunday October 30 and will be posted on the same day. Offer open internationally. Good luck!

Attracted to Fire

GIVEAWAY!!!

MILLS, DIANN

ATTRACTED TO FIRE

Special Agent Meghan Connors' dream of one day protecting the president of the United States is about to come true. Only one assignment stands in her way. After the vice president's rebellious daughter is threatened, Meghan is assigned to her protective detail on a secluded ranch in West Texas. Unfortunately, working with Special Agent in Charge Ash Zinders may be as tough as controlling her charge. Ash has a reputation for being critical and exacting, and he's also after the same promotion as Meghan. But when the threats escalate and security on the ranch is breached, it becomes clear this isn't the work of a single suspect-it's part of a sophisticated plan that reaches deeper and higher than anyone imagined. And only Ash and Meghan can put the pieces together before it's too late.

My Review:

Mills deftly combines romance, action, suspense and drama into a riveting read. The intricate details of this suspense build into a page-turning frenzy by the end. I particularly loved the slow-burn of the romance angle. Ash is just so anti-woman at the beginning and it was great fun to be inside his head as his preconceived notions slowly unravel. And Meghan is so cool and collected! It definitely provided a bit of comic relief in an otherwise angst-riddled plot. This is the kind of book you'll want to finish in a day because you just won't want to put it down!
 
Giveaway Opportunity:
 
First off, I apologize for posting my giveaways up late in the week. Computer and Internet problems at home and a frantic pace at work have effectively muzzled me this week!
 
If you would like a chance to win a copy of Attracted to Fire please post a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Make sure to put the book title in the subject line. This offer is open internationally. Draw will be held and the winner announced on Sunday October 30. Good luck!

October Giveaway - Week Four

Giveaway Winners Announced!



Along Wooded Paths by Tricia Goyer
won by Diana Flowers



House of Secrets by Tracie Peterson
won by Esther

Congratulations to the winners. I will contact you by email for your snail mail address. If you don't hear from me by Monday evening please email me so I can get your book to you in a timely manner.

Looking Ahead to Next Week's Giveaways:

Attracted to Fire by DiAnn Mills

Wow!!!! Talk about suspense!!!! You'll wear out your index finger turning pages so fast!

Highland Sanctuary by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

Just getting into this now. I'm in the mood for a swoonworthy Scottish hero and I'm sure Taylor won't disappoint!

Along Wooded Paths

GIVEAWAY!

GOYER, TRICIA
ALONG WOODED PATHS

All she wanted was a simple Amish life . . .

But now Marianna Sommer finds herself depending on Englisch neighbors. Although proud of living apart from the world, she and her newly relocated Amish family have discovered that life in the remote mountains of Montana requires working together.

As Marianna begins helping those different from herself—and receiving their help—her heart contemplates two directions. She’s torn between the Amish man from Indiana whom she has long planned on marrying and the friendly Englischer who models a closer walk with God than she’s ever seen before.

Who should have young Marianna’s heart? What is God asking her to sacrifice? Her traditions? Her community? The answer is found along the wooded paths.
 
MY REVIEW:
 
Rich, vibrant, descriptive writing and a profound depth to the storyline make Along Wooded Paths an incomparable read. This is the kind of book you can happily lose yourself in and I certainly did. It packs an emotional punch too and I admit to reading with trepidation at times. I was as torn as Marianna was between Ben and Aaron and I ached for both men who obviously loved her. Goyer had me squirming a time or two and I'd love to participate in a book club chat about the romantic angles in this book since I can't here without posting spoilers.

What touched me the most though was Marianna's spiritual growth -- her awakening to a deeper understanding of her relationship with the Lord. It's definitely something any Christian could parallel in their own life and for that reason I'd say that this is more than an Amish romance. I still loved the Amish setting though, and the way Along Wooded Paths shows a community of Englisch and Amish who interact more than in most.

Goyer has posted a teaser from the next book in the series that has me on edge and anxiously waiting the its release. I'm glad she isn't through with Marianna and the Sommer family!

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like to win a copy of Along Wooded Paths, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Remember to add the title to the subject line. The draw will be held and the winner announced on Sunday October 23. Good luck! Open internationally.

A House of Secrets

GIVEAWAY!!!

PETERSON, TRACIE
A HOUSE OF SECRETS

When her father orchestrates a surprise trip to the summer house of her childhood, Bailee Cooper is unprepared for what follows. What is intended to be a happy reunion for Bailee and her sisters, Geena and Piper, quickly becomes shrouded by memories from the past.


Together again, the three sisters sift through their recollections of fifteen years ago...of an ill mother, and of their father making a desperate choice. They vowed, as children, to be silent--but one sister believes the truth must now be revealed. Yet can they trust their memories?

Mark Delahunt arrives in the wake of this emotional turmoil. Determined to win Bailee's affection, Mark becomes the strong fortress for her in this time of confusion, and what was once a tentative promise begins to take root and grow. Caught between the past and an uncertain future, can Bailee let God guide her to heal the past and ultimately to embrace love?

My Review:

Emotionally riveting and powerful, this book consumed me. Peterson has created a believably flawed family struggling to overcome the secrets of their past. The Coopers are as dysfunctional as they get and each daughter is clearly a product of that dysfunction. Peterson's strength is in her detailed characterizations. The sisters, Bailee, Geena and Piper, in particular, had solid reasons for behaving the way they did and Peterson eases us beneath layers and layers of confusion, coping strategies and fear until we come to the startling heart of the matter.

Add in Mark Delahunt -- stalwart, dependable, patient and kind -- he's almost too good to be true, but exactly what Bailee needs during this tumultuous time. He provides an anchor of stability to the whole family in the midst of their crumbling secrets. And he's in love with Bailee. Has been for a long time. But her past hinders her future and witnessing her struggle to come to grips with it all is heart-wrenching. Peterson's use of first person narrative makes it all the more poignant.

This is a tale about survival and growth and the goodness of God. It's about not giving up even when you have to let go and it will haunt you long after you read the last word.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like to win a copy of House of Secrets by Tracie Peterson, leave a comment below. Or you can email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Please make sure to put the title in the subject line. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 23. Good luck! Offer open internationally.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".