October Giveaway - Week Two

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 time frame. If I can't reach you within four weeks your win will be forfeited.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Retro Reader's Choice

GIVEAWAY

FIRST EVER RETRO READER'S CHOICE GIVEAWAY 

It happens sometimes -- you pick up a book and it just doesn't jive so you pick up another one and you're like 'meh' so you try yet another and it's 'nu-uh'. That happened to me recently. Three retro reads in a row just didn't float my boat so I don't have an offering this week. Not to despair though because I've had the brilliant idea of hosting the first ever RETRO READER'S CHOICE GIVEAWAY

That means YOU get to CHOOSE which book you would like the chance to win. The rules are simple:

1. Books must be published in 2014 or earlier.
2. Must be Christian Fiction -- but can be any genre.
3. Include the title of the book you would like to win in your comment (or email).
4. One entry per reader.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of a retro read (published 2014 or earlier) please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, 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 October 10 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Love's Unfading Light

GIVEAWAY

RAWLINGS, NAOMI
LOVE'S UNFADING LIGHT

Tressa Danell is finished with men—from the wastrel who left her a widow, to the smelly trapper who keeps proposing, to the banker who wants to repossess her bakery. Every hour is spent working to pay off her late husband’s debt and keep a roof over her son’s head, though it’s doubtful she can do both for very long. But one thing’s certain—she’ll never be beholden to a man again.

Tired of living in a small town that blames him for actions his father committed ten years ago, Mac Oakton is scheduled to leave Eagle Harbor. So why does the pretty widow at the bakery keep tugging at his heart? He can’t get involved in her predicament when he’ll only be around for two more weeks.

But when Tressa’s burdens overwhelm her, they both face a decision. Can Mac set his own plans aside to help? And can Tressa accept his support if that means giving up her independence ... and being obligated to a man again?

My Review:

Mercy, but the townspeople got my dander up from the get go. I have never come across so many narrow-minded, sanctimonious, grudge-holding, unforgiving, judgemental people in one book! I was fuming on Tressa's behalf the whole way through the read. There's something very energizing about being righteously indignant for a sustained period of time. LOL

Tressa's future looks beyond bleak. Overwhelming odds keep pummeling her down. Just when you think it can't get worse it does! Mac is a bright beacon on her horizon. (pun intended since he's a lighthouse keeper.) His gallant and earnest desire to help Tressa is so endearing. Unfortunately, Tressa doesn't think so. But she can't always resist his charm which results in some lovely playful and humorous scenes. 

Rawlins expertly weaves strong inspirational threads amidst the angst and drama. Mac comes to grips with his past and searches for God's hand in his future while Tressa struggles to believe in her worth as a daughter of a Heavenly Father. Both touched my reader's heart without the message feeling preachy or forced. Definitely deepened the read and left me with lots to think -- and pray -- about.

A delightful start to a promising new series.

My thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Love's Unfading Light please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, 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 October 10 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Murder at the Courthouse

GIVEAWAY

GABHART, A.H.
MURDER AT THE COURTHOUSE

Michael Keane's stressful days as a Columbus police officer are done. He's ready to relax into his new position as deputy sheriff in his sleepy hometown. Nothing ever happens in Hidden Springs, Kentucky -- and that's just fine with Michael.

Nothing, that is, until a dead body is discovered on the courthouse steps. As Michael works to solve the case, it seems that every nosy resident in town has a theory. When the sheriff insists Michael check out one of those harebrained theories, his surprising discovery sends him on a bewildering search for a mysterious killer that has him questioning everything he has ever believed about life in Hidden Springs.

Bringing with her a knack for creating settings you want to visit and an uncanny ability to bring characters to life, A. H. Gabhart pens a whodunit that will keep you guessing.

My Review:

Gabhart knows the intricacies of small-town life and the complexities of a good mystery -- a winning combination that makes for a truly riveting read. I was smitten by Hidden Springs and its eccentric characters. Enthralled by the mysterious plot rife with twists and turns and enamoured with hero Michael Keane. He's a good guy with a deep, abiding faith who believes that quiet, one on one interventions can make a world of difference to a lost soul. A police officer with an emphasis on keeping the peace, touching lives, making a difference. And then a murder throws this idyllic town -- and Michael -- into a tailspin. He has to dig deep and look hard at people he has known and trusted his entire life. An edge-of-your-seat read paired with a hint of romance kept me engaged right to the end. And -- yay -- this is the first book in A Hidden Springs Mystery series. So looking forward to reading more.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Murder at the Courthouse please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, 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 October 10 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Mistress of Tall Acre

GIVEAWAY

FRANTZ, LAURA
THE MISTRESS OF TALL ACRE

The American Revolution is finally over, and Sophie Menzies is starved for good news. When her nearest neighbor, General Seamus Ogilvy, finally comes home to Tall Acre, she hopes it is a sign of better days to come. But the general is now a widower with a small daughter in desperate need of a mother. Nearly destitute, Sophie agrees to marry Seamus and become the mistress of Tall Acre in what seems a safe, sensible arrangement. But when a woman from the general's past returns without warning, the ties that bind this fledgling family together will be strained to the utmost. When all is said and done, who will be the rightful mistress of Tall Acre?

Triumph and tragedy, loyalty and betrayal--readers find it all in the rich pages of this newest historical novel from the talented pen of Laura Frantz. Her careful historical details immerse the reader in the story world, and her emotional writing and finely tuned characters never cease to enchant fans both old and new.

My Review:

I am still languishing on my fainting couch as I try to pen this review. I'm blaming Seamus for my discombobulated state. I fear I swooned my way through The Mistress of Tall Acre. Yes, I fell fast and hard for Tall Acre's hero. In fact, I was pretty much a goner by page fifteen. Melted into a puddle on the floor and haven't been quite the same since.

Frantz is an exceptional storyteller with a distinctive cadence to her writing. Her words seem to flow through my mind like the sweetest piece of music. I'm carried away to a different time and place and begin living someone else's story. And what an absorbing read this one was!

From Sophie's desperate attempts to salvage what is left of her ancestral home and family honor after the Revolutionary War to Seamus's return to Tall Acre with a daughter he barely knows, there's plenty of fodder for drama and romance and even a bit of suspense. Theirs is a story of heart and hope amidst nearly insurmountable odds. I couldn't read fast enough even though I wanted to slow things down so I could savor every word.

Riveting. Captivating. Breathtaking. Achingly sweet. The Mistress of Tall Acre is the kind of book you want to live in forever. And now that it's over? Well, it's official. I'm in mourning. You know those I-can't-believe-it's-over-already blues that wash over a reader when she reaches the end of a particularly scrumptious read? I need some quiet time, perhaps a few condolence cards and chocolate. Yes. Definitely chocolate. Much preferable to smelling salts. I might recover. Eventually.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Mistress of Tall Acre please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, 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 October 11 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Desperate Escape

GIVEAWAY

HARRIS, LISA
DESPERATE ESCAPE

Doctor in peril

When Dr. Maddie Gilbert is kidnapped by rebel forces in West Africa, special ops agent Grant Reese races to rescue her. But the ruthless drug traffickers holding Maddie hostage have powerful connections—maybe even inside the US government. And they'll go to any lengths to silence her—permanently. Grant knows that getting Maddie free and safe is just the first step of this mission. Because he's fallen for the spirited beauty, and as her enemies pursue them, Grant must face a second battle—the one to win her heart.

My Review:

Intense. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest it was pounding so hard while I read the first chapter. The exotic locale made this read all the edgier. Thrilled that Love Inspired Suspense is branching out from the traditional North American settings. Grant and Maddie have a shared history from their youth and that familiarity anchors their developing romance but they have to fight ruthless drug traffickers and spectres from their past before they can emerge triumphant. As Maddie says, "Sometimes you have to fight for a happy ending." Desperate Escape held me enthralled to the very last page.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Desperate Escape please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, 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 October 11 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Amish Mother

GIVEAWAY

KERTZ, REBECCA
THE AMISH MOTHER

Unexpected Love

Amish widow Lizzie Fisher loves her seven stepchildren as though they were her own. But her brother-in-law's unexpected arrival on the farm has her worried. After all, Zachariah Fisher is the true heir of the property. And he could decide to send her away from her family and her home of two years. Lizzie is determined to show the handsome farmer that her physical challenges don't prevent her from being a hard worker or a loving mother. For she finds herself losing her heart to Zack and hopes he'll see they're meant to be a family forever.

My Review:

Book 2 in the Love Inspired continuity series, Lancaster Courtships Books are released monthly, written by multiple authors and though they share an overlapping community (Honeysuckle, Pennsylvania) and characters, each book reads as a standalone. How cool is that?

First, kudos to Rebecca Kertz for creating a heroine with a disability in The Amish Mother. It is heartening to read about a heroine who doesn't meet the traditional romance novel standards. I'm of the opinion that diversity in fiction is as important as diversity in our daily lives.

Lizzie has battled a physical challenge all her life and she's determined to prove herself. Especially to the brother-in-law she's just met. Imagine being widowed at nineteen! And left a step-mother to seven children! Lizzie has enough love in her heart and desperate determination to keep the family together especially when Zach arrives in Honeysuckle. He intends to lay claim to his family's farm and his brother's children. Nothing has prepared him for Lizzie though and an unusual love story ensues.

Best line in the book: Little Amish boy explaining the drama of a gash in his hand. "I had an accident. It's better now. Mam took me to the doctor and I got quilted." (pg.109)

And just an interesting side note: Unlike the usual two person point of view found in Love Inspired books, this one has multiple viewpoints and a secondary romance -- all wrapped up in a heartwarming package.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Amish Mother please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, 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 October 11 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!