Picture Perfect

GIVEAWAY

THOMPSON, JANICE
PICTURE PERFECT

Feisty wedding photographer Hannah McDermott has dealt with her share of difficult brides. But none can compare to the ultimate Bridezilla she's dealing with now. Still, she's trying desperately to impress Bella Neeley, Galveston Island's most sought-after wedding planner, so she can take the top spot in Bella's list of recommended photographers--a spot currently occupied by her arch-rival, Drew Kincaid. What she doesn't count on, however, is falling head over heels for the competition.

With her contagious humor and cast of quirky characters, Janice Thompson gives readers more of the bridal business drama they want in a brand-new series all about those long-suffering people who make beautiful weddings happen. Readers are desperately waiting for more of Bella and this new series brings her back in a big way, while introducing new characters fans will love. Fans will laugh out loud as they experience this breezy and entertaining novel from a great storyteller.

My Review:

Picture Perfect is the perfect book for readers who enjoy a liberal dose of humour with their romance. Thompson excels at the snappy quips and awkward moments that accompany the perilous path towards true love. Be prepared for lots of laugh out loud moments. And Bella Neely and clan (Weddings by Bella series) make liberal guest appearances throughout the story. A hearty dose of Irish proverbs add to the madcap feel of this light-hearted read. But for all the hilarity, there is a serious inspirational thread that really touched me as Hannah struggles with how to measure her value. I think many readers will relate to this heroine's issues and consequently be uplifted by her journey.

 Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Picture Perfect, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday February 3 2013. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

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

Blessing

GIVEAWAY

BEDFORD, DEBORAH
BLESSING

Her Secret Was Out...

Uley Kirkland was in a pickle. Nobody in Tin Cup, Colorado, knew that beneath her cloth cap and mining togs, she was all woman. Nobody except Aaron Brown, the handsome newcomer who, thanks to her, was now locked up in the town jail.

In a few days, Aaron would be swinging from a hangman's noose. And it was all Uley's fault. If she hadn't tackled him with a flying leap out of nowhere, he wouldn't be in this fix. Or wasting his last days on earth daydreaming about how pretty Uley would look if she ever got out of those pants and into a dress....

My Review:

I love the premise of this book -- Uley's deception is central to the plot and kept me on the edge of my seat waiting for the big reveal. Her dilemma becomes Aaron's and their lives are suddenly meshed in a web of lies even while sparks fly. Their tender romance is doomed to heartache both from their own stubbornness along with their circumstances. Bedford did a masterful job of drawing out a compelling story with redemption at the heart of it. Stellar inspirational romance.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Blessing, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday February 3 2013. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Air We Breathe

GIVEAWAY

PARRISH, CHRISTA
THE AIR WE BREATHE

Seventeen-year-old Molly Fisk does not go outside. She's ruled by anxiety and only feels safe in the tiny tourist-town museum she and her mother run and call home. Yearning to live free but unable to overcome deep wounds from her past, she stays hidden away. Then the chance arrival of a woman Molly knew six years ago changes everything.

Six years ago, newly single Claire Rodriguez was an empty shell. Only in the unique friendship she strikes up with a young girl--a silent girl who'll only talk to Claire--does she see the possibility of healing. But one day the girl and her mother vanish, their house abandoned. What happened that drove them away? And how can Claire now offer Molly the same chance at finding a life anew?

My Review:

An amazing read that is refreshingly different. Stark honesty and gritty realism pack an emotional punch and left me lingering over plot and characters long after I'd finished the last page.  Complex story strands spin a fascinating web of desperation and hope. The point of view switches between Molly and Claire and I was riveted by how their stories intertwined.  And the Lord is at the heart of it all. An exceptional book that will fascinate you even as it affirms that no matter what 'God is in His Heaven and all is right with the world.'

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Air We Breathe, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday February 3  2013. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

"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".

January Giveaway - Week Four

Congratualtions!

won by Marissa

won by Rebecca (agent_beckster)

won by Mary Cline

As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a month frame. If I can't reach you within four weeks your win will be forfeited and I will add an extra win to a future draw to even things up.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:



Fascinating read.

Perfect romantic comedy!

Captivating Historical Romance!

The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow

GIVEAWAY

NEWPORT, OLIVIA
THE DILEMMA OF CHARLOTTE FARROW

Charlotte Farrow, maid in the wealthy Banning household on Chicago's opulent Prairie Avenue, has kept her baby boy a secret from her employers for nearly a year. But when the woman who has been caring for her son abruptly returns him, Charlotte must decide whether to come clean and face dismissal or keep her secret while the Bannings decide the child's fate. Can she face the truth of her own past and open her heart to a future of her own? Or will life's tragedies determine the future for her? 

This compelling story set against the glittering backdrop of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition captures the tension between the wealthy class and the hardworking servants who made their lives comfortable. Author Olivia Newport expertly portrays social classes while creating a story of courage, strength, and tender romance.

My Review:

An emotional white-knuckle read that deals with the inequality of women in the 19th century. 

Charlotte is faced with an impossible decision to make in the midst of equally impossible, desperate circumstances. The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow is a dilemma to end all dilemmas.  Newport deals with the complexities of class distinction and the limitations it placed on both the wealthy and the poor. It's enough to make my blood boil!

Stalwart, compassionate Archie is what all heroes should be made of -- if only Charlotte could see it that way! But her complicated past makes it difficult for her to see the possibilities in a future that isn't rife with worry and grief and grim reality. My stomach is in knots just thinking about her story. Bless Newport for successfully navigating the way to a happy ending. I found The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow to be a gripping read from beginning to end.



Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday January 27 2013. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Torn Loyalties

HINZE,VICKI
TORN LOYALTIES

Madison McKay doesn't trust anyone. The former military woman and owner of Lost, Inc., learned about betrayal the hard way, in work and in love. That's why she'd never let herself fall for ex-military special investigator Grant Deaver. Yet when Madison is framed for a security breach at a top secret military facility, she's forced to put her life in Grant's hands. But after she discovers that he's been deceiving her, everything will be torn apart unless Grant can convince her to trust him with her life…and her heart.

My Review:

One of the great strengths of this book is the kick-butt heroine. A war hero with gritty determination and a near inability to trust. Talk about fodder for plot-lines! Madison is a character I won't soon forget.

Grant's devotion, his steady pursuit and infinite patience with Madison is the stuff romance readers drool over. At least this one did. And he has an internal conflict that ups the angst quite a few notches.

But be prepared for a complex plot that relies on the two previous books in the series. If you haven't read them, just go with the flow at the beginning because you're given a lot of information that you won't be able to process right away. It will all come together though as the story progresses with plenty of twists and turns and confusions galore to keep your mind reeling.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Torn Loyalties, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday January 27, 2013 Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Tutor's Daughter

GIVEAWAY

KLASSEN, JULIE
THE TUTOR'S DAUGHTER

Emma Smallwood, determined to help her widowed father when his boarding school fails, accompanies him to the cliff-top manor of a baronet and his four sons. But soon after they arrive and begin teaching the two younger boys, mysterious things begin to happen. Who does Emma hear playing the pianoforte at night, only to find the music room empty? And who begins sneaking into her bedchamber, leaving behind strange mementoes?

The baronet's older sons, Phillip and Henry Weston, wrestle with problems--and secrets--of their own. They both remember the studious Miss Smallwood from their days at her father's academy. But now one of them finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her...

When suspicious acts escalate, can Emma figure out which brother to blame and which to trust with her heart?

My Review:

Regency meets Gothic in this exciting historical romance. Klassen gives us the ambiance of Austen's England combined with the suspense of the New Gothic genre. Think Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt. It's a winning cominbation that made The Tutor's Daughter a speed read because I couldn't put it down.

Captivating characters add layers of interest to the complex plot that kept me guessing and second-guessing until the very end. As in all of Klassen's books, I was immediately drawn back in time and found myself living every moment right along with Emma. The author's ability to engage all of a reader's senses makes each of her books a memorable read. This one is a gem from start to finish and belongs on every historical fan's TBR list.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Tutor's Daughter, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday January  27, 2013 Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

"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".