Monday, August 31, 2015

Stealing Jake - by Pam Hillman

Stealing Jake

This was an entertaining and wonderful story about a young woman who's trying to escape her past and save as many children as she can in the process.  Livy O'Brien used to be a street kid on the streets of Chicago from her earliest memories until 1872 when a loving Christian woman took her in and earned her trust.  Mrs. Brooks showed her that she could be safe and cared for and introduced her to Jesus.  She moved with Mrs. Brooks to the smaller town of Chestnut, where they set up an orphanage.  She's focused on taking care of the children and plans to never marry, especially after what happened to her sister.

Deputy Jake Russell has his hands full trying to do his job keeping the town safe and take care of his widowed mother and siblings.  He has no time for a woman, until he literally runs into Livy when she's returning a gold watch to his pocket that she saw a child lift from him.  He's none the wiser, but he's having a hard time forgetting her, especially when they keep being thrown together.  There's an influx of street children in his town and a rise in crime and most everyone believes the two are related.  He needs to find them and fast, yet Livy challenges his beliefs about the children and makes him wonder if they're really to blame.

Pam Hillman has another winner!  This was a wonderfully written story where the characters really came alive.  I loved Livy and Jake.  It was fascinating to learn more about Livy's life growing up in Chicago and her fear that someone would find out about her past.  From what I've read about Chicago in the past, it was a very corrupt place where you couldn't even trust a lot of the cops.  I admired her determination to save the children and her tender heart.  Jake was a good man who didn't have all the facts, but was willing to change his mind when his eyes were opened to the truth.  His care of his family and the townspeople was admirable.  He really went above and beyond to watch out for them.  I liked the multiple viewpoints, including Luke, a street kid trying to find his younger brother after being shipped to Chestnut.  The romance is sweet, with plenty of romantic moments.  I liked the strong faith element, with multiple times where Livy prays for guidance and safety, talks about her salvation and her and Jake both attend church.  Jake also prays and seems to have a faith that consists of more than just church attendance.  The plot was interesting and kept my attention.  I highly recommend it for fans of historical fiction.

I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.


Sunday, August 30, 2015

‘A Heart’s Home’ and Conversations with Colleen Coble Giveaway + Review!

About the book:
A Heart's Home (Thomas Nelson, August 2015)Emmie's hope for a life with Isaac is overshadowed by a tragic loss at Fort Phil Kearny.

Isaac Liddle is keen to marry Emmie, and she knows she shouldn't hide her pregnancy from him any longer. But before she can tell him her secret, a widower friend asks the impossible of Emmie: Will she honor her promise to his dead wife by marrying him to care for the orphaned baby?

With the Sioux Wars threatening outside the fort, Emmie's solemn vow threatens her happiness from within. Will she honor a promise sure to break her heart---and Isaac's? Or is there another way to find a home for her heart?

My review:

I enjoyed this suspenseful conclusion to the six-part Journey of the Heart series.  You definitely need to read at least the first three or last three in order as the first three focused more on one character and the last three on Emmie.  There was a good mix of sadness, happiness and suspense in the story.  I felt for Emmie and a choice she had to make.  I don't know that I would have made the same one, but it was a tough call.  One person I was expecting to reappear didn't show and his fate seemed anti-climactic when we do find out.  There was one thing I don't think was ever resolved and it was a pretty big secret Emmie had.  It seemed odd that it was left out as it was a pretty big focus of her story.  There's a little bit of romance.  God was discussed some as directing someone's steps and being with them.  Overall this was an interesting and pleasant series, but the writing wasn't up to par with Coble's later style and the characters didn't seem very developed.  You might enjoy it if you like historical fiction.

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

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1Iyr7Im

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




A hidden pregnancy, a promise sure to break hearts, and a tragic loss at Fort Phil Kearny: Don't miss the gripping conclusion in book six, A Heart's Home, of Colleen Coble's A Journey of the Heart series. With the Sioux Wars threatening outside the fort, Emmie’s solemn vow threatens her happiness from within. Will she honor a promise sure to break her heart—and Isaac’s? Or is there another way to find a home for her heart?

Colleen is celebrating the final book release of her A Journey of the Heart series by giving away the entire series and the chance to host Colleen virtually at your book club, local library, or women's group to talk about the series.

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One grand prize winner will receive:
  • Books 1–6 of A Journey of the Heart series
  • A chat with Colleen via Skype or Google Hangout
  • A custom book-club kit PDF, featuring Colleen's favorite recipes and group discussion questions
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 31st. Winner will be announced September 1st on Colleen's website.

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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Review of Debra Clopton’s New Book and Love at the Reins Giveaway!

About the book:
Counting on a Cowboy
(Thomas Nelson, August 2015)

After losing everything she held dear, Abby never wants to love again. But a certain cowboy may just spur her to wonder if love might be worth the risk.

Running from a past that haunts her, Abby Knightly is drawn to the cozy town of Wishing Springs, Texas. Maybe this small town could offer hope and healing and a future for Abby . . . if she's brave enough to reach out and take it by the reins.

Bo Monahan isn't interested in the new romantic destination his little town has become---or the women who might be looking at him like he's their next Mr. Right. Between taking care of his Pops and his growing stirrup business, he isn't looking for serious romantic commitments. But when the infant son he never knew about shows up at his doorstep, his world is turned upside down.

This confirmed bachelor might not think he needs a wife, but he sure needs help. Even Abby can see that, and despite her best efforts to keep her distance, she can't help but be drawn to this new father-son duo. As Abby throws herself into helping Bo navigate fatherhood, hope sparks between them, revealing that maybe, just maybe, they can navigate their dark pasts and emerge together into a future as bright as the Texas sun itself.

My review:
This was an enjoyable story with a good dose of fun while also dealing with some serious issues.  I really felt for Abby and all she had gone through.  It was heartbreaking to see how much she blamed herself for what had happened and that she didn't feel she deserved happiness again.  There's also a character dealing with alcoholism, though that's a minor part of the story.  I loved Bo!  There's nothing better than a handsome cowboy!  It was admirable to see how he took responsibility for the baby even when he wasn't sure he was his.  He seemed to really grow up as the story progressed.  There were some nice romantic moments and also some humorous ones.  Wishing Springs is such a cozy community.  I just loved the townspeople, especially Clara Lynn and Reba. They were a hoot!  There's some talk of faith as Abby talks about attending church and one of the ladies talks about placing your faith in God and depending on Him.  It didn't seem like there was much, if any, faith in Bo's life and I was disappointed there wasn't more in the story.  I liked how it was pointed out that Abby needed to forgive herself and another and let go of the guilt. This is book two in the Four of Hearts Ranch series and while it's not necessary to read them in order, the characters in book one figure prominently in this one.  I would recommend this story if you like cowboys and romance!

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


Purchase a copy:
http://bit.ly/1fniSV6

About the author:
Debra Clopton is a multi-award winning novelist and has written more than 22 novels. Along with writing, Debra helps her husband teach the youth at their local Cowboy Church. Debra's goal is to shine a light toward God while she entertains readers with her words.

Find Debra online:
website, Facebook, Twitter



A new tale of romance, family, and taking risks—don't miss Debra Clopton's Counting on a Cowboy! After losing everything she held dear, Abby never wants to love again. But a certain cowboy may just spur her to wonder if love might be worth the risk. As Abby throws herself into helping Bo navigate fatherhood, hope sparks between them, revealing that maybe, just maybe, they can navigate their dark pasts and emerge together into a future as bright as the Texas sun itself.

Saddle up with Debra and her new book and enter to win her Love at the Reins prize pack!

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One grand prize winner will receive:
clopton collage

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 8th. The winner will be announced September 9th on Debra's blog.

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