Colleen Coble’s Melt into Summer Giveaway - Ends Today! and ‘A Heart’s Betrayal’ Blog Tour

About the book:
A Heart's Betrayal (Thomas Nelson, June 2015)

Emmie finds shelter in the arms of a soldier, but her secret could drive them apart.

When Emmie Croftner answered the door to her late husband's home, she discovered an awful truth: her deceased husband was a bigamist. And what's more, the home she thought she inherited never belonged to her at all.
Suddenly displaced, powerless, and ashamed, Emmie can't stay in Wabash, Indiana. She makes a hopeful start for Fort Laramie, Wyoming, to find her friend Sarah Montgomery and a new beginning. But when she arrives, she discovers she's pregnant---and without a husband. The new start she'd hoped for slips from her fingers.

But then she meets Isaac Liddle, a handsome soldier with a kind heart. When he begins to court her, Emmie wonders whether she could ever really be his---and whether she dares to tell him she is carrying another man's baby.

My review:

I liked this story about a girl who discovers she's been betrayed and goes west as her only option.  I liked Emmie and felt sorry for her.  I can't imagine what it would have been like to not have options and head west into the unknown.  It was nice to see Sarah and Rand again and see where their lives have taken them.  There's some setup for a romance brewing between Emmie and Isaac, though Emmie doesn't want to trust a man ever again.  When she discovers she's pregnant, she figures no one will ever want her now.  She also struggles with believing God cares about her.  It was interesting learning more about the Native American situation at the time.  If you like historical fiction, you might want to check it out.

I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

More reviews at Litfuse!

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1B65ZsM

About the author:

Colleen Coble has sold over 2 million novels worldwide. Seagrass Pier, the third installment in her acclaimed Hope Beach series, marks a new highpoint for emotion and complexity in Coble's addictive brand of romantic suspense.

Find Colleen online: website, Facebook, Twitter

Emmie finds shelter in the arms of a soldier in Fort Laramie, Wyoming, but will her big secret drive them apart? Find out in book four, A Heart's Betrayal, of Colleen Coble's A Journey of the Heart series. Suddenly displaced, powerless, and ashamed, Emmie can’t stay in Wabash, Indiana. She makes a hopeful start for Fort Laramie to find her friend Sarah Montgomery and a new beginning. But when she arrives, she discovers she’s pregnant—and without a husband. The new start she’d hoped for slips from her fingers.

Melt into summer with a new giveaway from Colleen: four books (books one–four in Colleen's A Journey of the Heart series) and a box of chocolates to pair with your new books!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Heart's Betrayal
• A box of Colleen's favorite chocolate truffles from DeBrand Fine Chocolates
• A copy of A Heart's Disguise
• A copy of A Heart's Obsession
• A copy of A Heart's Danger

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 30th. Winner will be announced July 1st on Colleen's website.

The Art of Losing Yourself - by Katie Ganshert

This was an amazing book I had a hard time putting down!  I really liked the dual way of telling the story, with the point of view going back and forth from Carmen to her half-sister Gracie.  Carmen is a meteorologist on TV who's used to projecting a certain image to the world even if her world is crumbling.  She's lost baby after baby to miscarriages and feels distant from her husband and God, who she's not sure she believes in anymore.  Gracie is seventeen and being raised by their alcoholic mother.  She's used to watching out for herself until her mom decides to send her to live with her father.  She decides instead to run away and go to the beachfront motel run by their great-aunt that she used to visit as a child, but when she gets there, discovers it's boarded up and vacant.  She decides to stay there anyway.  Carmen gets called by the police and finds her there and takes her in.  She struggles with guilt over not looking out for her sister all these years even though she knew their mom had a problem.

Carmen's side of the story focuses on her struggle with reaching Gracie and trying to figure out if her marriage is worth saving if she doesn't get a baby that they're now trying to adopt.  She also decides to restore the motel, partly because some of her best memories are there, like when she met and fell in love with her husband, and partly for her great-aunt, who's now in a nursing home struggling with dementia.  She wants to give her a great Christmas there like they used to have.  Her father is also threatening to sell it and she's horrified by the idea that it will get razed and a fancy hotel put in its place.  Gracie wants to help, too.  She struggles with showing too much interest in anyone or anything so as not to get disappointed again, but she meets a boy soon after she arrives in town who defies her every expectation.

The characters were done so well, especially Gracie.  Her wisecracks made me laugh out loud.  It was interesting to see her try not to care when she obviously did and how she opened up more and more.  Her relationship with Elias was sweet and I liked the conversations they would have about faith and their lives.  He really made her think.  I think he was my second favorite character.  I felt a lot of sympathy for Carmen and her struggle.  I can't imagine the pain of losing your children and then waiting on pins and needles to see if you'll get chosen to adopt.  I did get frustrated with how she treated her husband because he seemed like such a great guy who always put her first.  I thought her struggle with God felt very real and honest.  She felt like she did everything right, so why didn't God give her a child?  I know I've felt entitled at times and I'm sure all Christians probably have, though that's not the right attitude to have.  We're not God.  There was a passage of Scripture from Isaiah that she read to her great-aunt that was what I needed to hear right when I read it and was feeling so tired with some health issues.  It's about God not fainting or growing weary; "his understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength."  This book dealt with some tough issues, but in a hopeful way.  I absolutely loved it and would highly recommend it!

I received this book free from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

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Desperate Measures - Port Aster Secrets 3 - by Sandra Orchard

About the book:

Kate won't be safe until all of Port Aster's secrets are revealed
Researcher Kate Adams has finally pinpointed the supposed "miracle plant" that tore apart her family years ago. She's certain that discovering its secrets is her only hope of solving the mystery surrounding her father's disappearance. She's willing to risk anything to find the truth, including her relationship with Detective Tom Parker. But with so many people in pursuit of the plant, going it alone might be a fatal mistake.

Award-winning author Sandra Orchard pulls out all the stops in this breakneck and breathtaking conclusion to the Port Aster Secrets series.

My review:

This was a fast-paced conclusion to the series with so many suspects it was pretty much impossible to figure out!  You weren't sure who to trust, which is great in a suspense story!  This definitely continues on from the last book, so I recommend reading this series in order.  There's romance, yet Tom and Kate still struggle to get it together, mainly because Kate's hiding a big secret from him.  Kate also struggles with her faith, wanting to do things her own way and not listen to God in case He says different.  There's a side case for Tom as he tries to find a missing teenager, which was interesting, too.  There's informative information about plants and their uses I never knew about.  I would recommend this book if you like romantic suspense!

I received this book free from Revell in exchange for an honest review.

The Author

1. 

   Sandra Orchard

   Sandra Orchard is the award-winning author of several inspirational romantic suspense/mysteries, including Deadly Devotion and Blind Trust. Her Love Inspired Suspense titles have garnered two Canadian Christian Writing Awards and a...
   

   Continue reading about Sandra Orchard 

A Faith of Her Own - A Middlefield Amish Novel - by Kathleen Fuller

About the book:

Jeremiah thought leaving Middlefield was the hardest thing he'd ever do. That was nothing compared to returning home.
When Jeremiah left his Amish community to pursue his dream of becoming a veterinarian, he left more than just his faith behind-he walked away from his family and his childhood friend, Anna Mae. Now that he's returned to help out his mentor and work in a Yankee veterinarian practice, Jeremiah must face his past-and the people he betrayed.
Anna Mae had finally put the loss of Jeremiah and the broken vow between them behind her. Even though she supported her best friend's pursuit of his dream, she never let on how his departure left her questioning her own place in the Amish world. With his return, new questions arise, along with feelings she'd never fully acknowledged before.

As their rekindled friendship begins to turn into something more, Jeremiah and Anna Mae must examine their own faith and their relationship with each other and their families. With both of them torn between loyalty to their loved ones and being pulled in different directions, they must decide whether to heed God's call, even if it means being apart forever.

My review:

I really enjoyed this novel with two interesting story lines!  It was interesting to see Jeremiah come back and how that affected Anna Mae and his family.  He had a lot of fences to mend with them and it was sometimes frustrating as he tried to deal with his dad especially.  Most of the characters were very likeable, especially Amos, Jeremiah's mentally challenged brother.  I thought the plot line about Anna Mae and Jeremiah's cousins was funny, where two that seem to get on each other's nerves perhaps secretly like each other.  It was amusing to watch a non-traditional Amish woman, and a straight-laced Amish man butt heads.  There were cute romantic moments in both of the relationships.  It was interesting to see Anna Mae struggle with what she should do about her future.  I also liked learning more about veterinary medicine and how Jeremiah was trying to help a bunch of horses that were getting sick.  Faith was important in the story as Anna Mae tries to discover God's will and different characters struggle with forgiveness.  I would recommend this if you like Amish fiction.

I received this book free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Check out the book here:
http://store.faithgateway.com/a-faith-of-her-own

About the Author:


Kathleen Fuller is the author of several bestselling novels, including A Man of His Word and Treasuring Emma, as well as a middle-grade Amish series, The Mysteries of Middlefield. Website: www.kathleenfuller.com Twitter: @TheKatJam Facebook: Author Kathleen Fuller

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Review of Jody Hedlund’s ‘Hearts Made Whole,’ Prize Pack Giveaway and Facebook Party

About the book:
Hearts Made Whole (Bethany House, June 2015)

Can she forgive the hurting man who costs her the role she loves?

After her father's death, Caroline Taylor has grown confident running the Windmill Point Lighthouse. But in 1865 Michigan, women aren't supposed to have such roles, so it's only a matter of time before the lighthouse inspector appoints a new keeper---even though Caroline has nowhere else to go and no other job available to her.

Ryan Chambers is a Civil War veteran still haunted by the horrors of battle. He's secured the position of lighthouse keeper mostly for the isolation---the chance to hide from his past is appealing. He's not expecting the current keeper to be a feisty and beautiful woman who's angry with him for taking her job and for his inability to properly run the light. When his failings endanger others, he and Caroline realize he's in no shape to run the lighthouse, but he's unwilling to let anyone close enough to help. Caroline feels drawn to this wounded soul, but with both of them relying on that single position, can they look past their loss to a future filled with hope...and possibly love?

My review:

This was an amazing story about redemption, forgiveness and love I had a hard time putting down!  I loved Caroline and Ryan; they were wonderful characters and Ryan especially, was a decent man who struggled with horrible memories, guilt and intense pain, which drove him to drink and pain pills.  I admired how Caroline saw the good in him even though he failed again and again to do what he should.  I was getting frustrated with him!  Her lack of judgment made him want to be better and it was great to see his progress.  Caroline struggled, too, with worry and panic attacks.  They both had a hard time turning to God and letting Him take their burdens.  I thought Caroline made a pretty stupid decision near the end that wouldn't have solved anything and I'm glad it didn't turn out that way.  I also thought she and Ryan should have figured something out sooner than they did.  I was pretty angry with her sister, Tessa, and with what a selfish and hurtful thing she did to them, but at least she made up for it.  I really appreciated the reminder that Caroline's dad would say, "God is good all the time" no matter what hard times someone is going through and that we need to give our burdens to Him. The romance was wonderful, with many sweet and passionate moments while keeping it clean. I enjoyed how her friend was involved in women's suffrage and fought for Caroline to keep her job.  This is book two, but works great as a stand-alone.  This was my first Jody Hedlund book and I'll definitely be reading more!  This was a very well-written story sure to please fans of historical romance!

I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review. 

More reviews at Litfuse!

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1eN4pC8

About the author:

Jody Hedlund is an award-winning and bestselling historical fiction author. She won the 2011 Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, the 2011 Award of Excellence from the Colorado Romance Writers and was a finalist for Best Debut Novel in the 2011 ACFW Carol Awards. Currently she makes her home in central Michigan, with her husband and five busy children. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog.


Find Jody online: website, Twitter, Facebook

Don't miss Jody Hedlund's new book, Hearts Made Whole, a story of loss, forgiveness, hope, and true love set in 1865 Michigan. When Ryan's failings endanger others, he and Caroline realize he’s in no shape to run the lighthouse, but he’s unwilling to let anyone close enough to help. Can Caroline forgive the hurting man who costs her the role she loves?

Celebrate the release of Hearts Made Whole by entering to win an Afternoon at the Beach prize pack and RSVPing to Jody's June 23rd author chat party!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Hearts Made Whole
• A picnic basket set
• A beach bag
• Flip flops
• A beach towel

One second-place winner will receive:

• A copy of Hearts Made Whole
• A lighthouse journal

One third-place winner will receive:

• A copy of Hearts Made Whole
• A lighthouse necklace

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 23rd.Winner will be announced June 23rd at Jody's Facebook party. RSVP here!