Obsession

GIVEAWAY

BRADLEY, PATRICIA

OBSESSION

Natchez Trace Ranger and historian Emma Winters hoped never to see Sam Ryker again after she broke off her engagement to him. But when shots are fired at her at a historical landmark just off the Natchez Trace, she's forced to work alongside Sam as the Natchez Trace law enforcement district ranger in the ensuing investigation. To complicate matters, Emma has acquired a delusional secret admirer who is determined to have her as his own. Sam is merely an obstruction, one which must be removed.

Sam knows that he has failed Emma in the past and he doesn't intend to let her down again. Especially since her life is on the line. As the threads of the investigation cross and tangle with their own personal history, Sam and Emma have a chance to discover the truth, not only about the victim but about what went wrong in their relationship.

My Review:

Wowzers! I have a case of reader whiplash after racing through this nail-biting romantic suspense. So many complicated layers, both in plot and character, that writhe and twist into a heart-thundering tale of murder and mayhem with a scary stalker vibe. Cue the creepy music, grab some comfort chocolate and a teddy bear to hug because the stalker's POV is sinister.

And there's a reunion romance that starts out all snip and snark courtesy of Emma. That girl has some serious issues with her past and her fear default is anger. She can be defensive and prickly but, deep down she's as attracted to Sam as he is to her. And though he's been hurt by her rejection in the past, his unfaltering steadfastness keeps them both grounded as they try to outsmart an evil-minded villain. These two have a lot to sort out before they can even glimpse a happily ever after in their future.

Bradley provides some likely suspects and enough red herrings to keep an armchair sleuth on the edge of her seat right to the very end. And, mercy, what a heart-stopping conclusion!

Another incredible addition to Patricia Bradley's Natchez Trace Park Rangers 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 Obsession, 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 winners announced on Saturday February 20  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

A Perfect Amish Romance

GIVEAWAY

GRAY, SHELLEY SHEPARD

A PERFECT AMISH ROMANCE

From New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray comes a new series that follows a bookmobile driver-turned-matchmaker who learns that her Amish patrons need a whole lot more than just new books to read.

Aaron Coblentz has a secret: he's been studying to take the GED to get promoted at work. But he can't let his Amish family know, not when his older brother already left the faith just a year after getting baptized, practically crippling the family. When Aaron asks bookmobile librarian Sarah Anne Miller for some additional study guides, she does one better. She arranges for Kayla Kaufman to be his tutor.

Kayla has a secret too. Her life has been turned upside down in a matter of months -- her mother's death propelled her father into a constant state of depression, and unable to deal with his erratic behavior, her longtime boyfriend has broken things off. But despite losing those she holds most dear, she hasn't completely given up on love. Only now she seeks to find it in the sweet romance novels she secretly checks out from Sarah Anne's bookmobile.

As Aaron and Kayla's study sessions start to feel less like work and more like pleasure, they soon realize that happily ever afters don't only happen in fiction; sometimes they happen when you least expect it.

From a "skilled storyteller who reminds the reader that faith can help us survive the ups and downs in life" (RT Book Reviews), A Perfect Amish Romance is a moving and deftly told story that paints a heartwarming picture of the magic of true love.

My Review:

Sqqquuueaaall! A new series by Shelley Shepard Gray is always something to shout (or squeal) about! And this one features a bookmobile which is all kinds of library magic right there. Sigh. I've worked in school libraries and college libraries and genealogy libraries and church libraries but I always longed to be a bookmobile librarian. Alas, it was not meant to be but at least now I can enjoy the experience vicariously through Sarah Anne. :-)

In true SSG fashion, this novel is as much about community as it is the characters. I love the way this author follows a theme through the lives of various folks...in this case it's the perils of secrets that build tension and drama throughout the story. And...eeeepppp!!!...we get two romances and five points of view (including Sarah Anne's) as these characters discover that the perfect Amish romance is actually an imperfect one.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Tavia Gilbert who did a great job of bringing these captivating characters to life.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Perfect Amish Romance, 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 winners announced on Saturday February 20  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

February Giveaway -- Week Two

WON BY KAYLEE

WON BY CARYL KANE

WON BY ROXANNE CRUZ

WON BY THE GOLDENS

WON BY RUBYNREBA

WON BY KAY GARRETT

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address in the comments, 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:

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Pushing Past the Pain

GIVEAWAY

HOLT, MILLA

PUSHING PAST THE PAIN

A devoted father devastated by the loss of his wife. A young widowed mother whose wounds began long before her husband died. Will their shared grief bring them together or push them apart?

Ragnar's life was shattered when a hit-and-run driver robbed him of his wife and his young daughter of her mother.

Ella was struggling to hold her fractured marriage together when her husband died suddenly, leaving her with a mountain of debt and a heartbroken young daughter.

When her new neighbor, Ragnar moves in, their little girlssoon become inseparable, and Ella is the perfect babysitter fro Ragnar's daughter. But as the chemistry between them grows, Ragnar wants much more than childcare.

He's dreaming of finding love again while she is petrified of repeating the mistakes that mad her first marriage a nightmare.

This is an inspirational romance with Christian themes.

My Review:

I'm a tad shy of giddy over the serendipitous moment I discovered new-to-me-author Milla Holt. This is her second book (Color-Blind Love series) but reads fine as a standalone though we do get some quality page time with the hero and heroine of book one which is bound to please Holt fans. (I know because I checked out her website and I'm a  card-carrying fan now, ready to dive into the rest of the series and hoping for many more to come.)

Two box-ticking things stood out for me right away -- the diverse cast of characters and the non-North American locale (UK setting). Those, and the enticing back cover blurb, were enough to lure me in but Holt's classic storytelling style kept me there. 

This is an emotional read with punches of humour and an anchoring inspirational thread that made me blissfully happy. How I've longed to read a Christian romance where the hero and heroine actually apply their faith to their relationship. Prayer and communication are not just buzz words, people! And that doesn't mean there isn't conflict and angst and turmoil aplenty. But it does mean that Ragnar and Ella work their way through it all one step at a time and that makes them so relatable.

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 Pushing Past the Pain, 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 winners announced on Saturday February 13  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

Trailing a Killer

GIVEAWAY

POST, CAROL J.

TRAILING A KILLER

A killer with an explosive agenda.

And a K-9 and determined detective on the case.

In a hurricane's aftermath, Detective Erin Jeffries is stunned when she and her search-and-rescue K-9, Alcee, uncover a collapsed building's only survivor -- her long-ago ex, Cody Elbourne. And it's quickly clear that the disaster was no accident. Now only Cody can identify the man who set the explosives that killed his grandfather...and Erin must stop the killer dead set on silencing him.

My Review:

Eeeep! There are so many reasons I love this Love Inspired Suspense and one of them is that it veers from the line's norm by offering a more sedate approach to the suspense. That in no way means there aren't many high-octane moments in Trailing a Killer, just that they are spread out over weeks, not days, and there's plenty of down time for relationship building. 

Getting to know Cody and Erin with a specter of danger looming over them but not wholly consuming every second of their story was a refreshing break from the usual edge-of-your-seater where action happens on every other page. That doesn't mean this still isn't a page-turner or that I'm not a fan of relentless action thrillers. It's that, just like I enjoy varying my genre choices when I read, I like to vary the intensity in my suspense as well. Variety is the spice of an armchair sleuth's life, after all. :-)

So what else did I love about Trailing a Killer? Alcee, of course, and her empathetic doggy nature as well as her canine conversational skills!  :-) And the way the investigation develops -- including the tedious wait-for-results reality check to crime fighting! And the reunion romance where love has a chance to deepen into something profoundly beautiful if only fear can be conquered. Honestly -- there's as much suspense surrounding the romance as there is with the investigation! And I loved the significant faith thread that brings everything into perspective.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Emma Lysy who brought these characters to life and increased my 'reading' enjoyment tenfold. I'm hoping that the Love Inspired lines produce more audible editions in the future.

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 Trailing a Killer, 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 winners announced on Saturday February 13  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

The Dress Shop on King Street

GIVEAWAY

CLARK, ASHLEY

THE DRESS SHOP ON KING STREET

Harper Dupree has pinned all her hopes on a future in fashion design. But when it comes crashing down around her, she returns home to Fairhope, Alabama, and to Millie, the woman who first taught her how to sew. As Harper rethinks her own future, long hidden secrets about Millie's past are brought to light.

In 1946, Millie Middleton -- the daughter of an Italian man and a Black woman -- boarded a train and left Charleston to keep half of her heritage hidden. She carried with her two heirloom buttons and the dream of owning a dress store. She never expected to meet a charming train jumper who changed her life forever...and led her yet again to a heartbreaking choice about which heritage would define her future.

Now, together, Harper and Millie return to Charleston to find the man who may hold the answers they seek...and a chance at the dress shop they've both dreamed of. But it's not until all appears lost that they see the unexpected ways to mend what frayed between the seams.

My Review:

This is me completely stymied over what to say about this debut novel...other than it's phenomenal! Clark's evocative phrasing is bliss to sink into. Sharp imagery, exquisite word choice and depth of storytelling pulled me in and held me captive until the very end. Now I'm an emotionally saturated mess suffering separation anxiety from these characters and their charged stories.

So...two timelines equals two heroines as well as two heroes and we get all their perspectives. I usually relate to one time period more than the other in this type of story but I was equally invested in both in The Dress Shop on King Street. And I loved the way the author moves from one era to the other, expertly weaving disparate lives together in such an enthralling way. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! Especially with such soul piercing tidbits as these:

"Wasn't stepping out in faith all it took to come into God's blessing?" (p 79) Ha! I loved Harper for thinking this in an almost petulant, grumpy kind of way because I've been there mulling over the exact same thing, on the same kind of journey she's on. :-)

and

"...have you ever considered whether fear -- rather than your dream -- is what you're holding onto?" (p 217) Both heroines struggle with this one...and...tada...me too. I did a double take when I read these words, courtesy of one of our dashing heroes. Love when it feels like my storybook characters are talking right at me. :-)

Astonishing. Moving. Memorable. The Dress Shop on King Street is the kind of book that has the power to make a difference in a reader's life.

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 The Dress Shop on King Street, 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 winners announced on Saturday February 13  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

Someone to Trust

GIVEAWAY

DAVIDS, PATRICIA

SOMEONE TO TRUST

On an Amish matchmaking trip, can she avoid falling in love?

Esther Burkholder has no interest in her stepmother's matchmaking when her family visits an Amish community in Maine. Deaf from a young age, she's positive a hearing man couldn't understand the joys and trials of living in a silent world. But Gabe Fisher is certainly handsome, hardworking and brave. More importantly, he sees the real Esther. Might this Amish bachelor be her unexpected perfect match?

My Review:

This has to be one of my favourite Love Inspired Amish stories. I love Patricia Davids writing anyway, but she has really excelled with this novel. 

It's the cover that grabbed my attention first...Amish woman making the ASL sign for I love you...I'd have bought it based on that alone but then I noticed the author and I was sold. The book didn't last thirty minutes in my house before I started reading. And then I couldn't stop. Because there are two stories going on here.

First, the obvious matchmaking mama throwing her daughters at a family with a convenient number of eligible bachelor sons. While not an unusual theme for an Amish romance, Davids brings a few unique twists that makes it fresh. Plus, she knows how to delve deep into her characters' emotions and that's what kept me turning pages. It's not just the hero and heroine either -- it's the well developed secondary characters who significantly contribute to the plot as well.

Second, is the touching story of a Deaf woman seeking acceptance for who she is. Not broken or in need of fixing or destined to be a burden to her family, but someone who is strong and capable and worth knowing...and loving...just the way she is. Davids did an incredible job of exploring aspects of Deaf culture which I found really fascinating.

Esther and Gabe's heartwarming romance is fueled with love, laughter and faith...and enough misunderstandings to keep us a reader on our toes until the very end. :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Someone to Trust, 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 winners announced on Saturday February 13  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!