A Mother for His Twins by Jill Weatherholt // Celebrate Lit Tour, Review, Giveaway

 

About the Book

 

Book:  A Mother for His Twins

Author: Jill Weatherholt

Genre: Inspirational Romance

Release date: Sept, 2019

First-grade teacher Joy Kelliher has two new students—twin boys who belong to her high school sweetheart. If teaching Nick Capello’s sons wasn’t difficult enough, the widower’s also her neighbor…and competing for the principal job she wants. Now with little matchmakers drawing Joy and Nick together, can they overcome a painful past to build the family Joy’s always wanted?

 

Click here to get your copy!

Review: One night changed everything for Nick and Joy, once high school sweethearts, now competing for the same position as the principal in their hometown. 

A heartwarming romance of second chances, forgiveness, and family. Joy loves her job as a first grade teacher, and I loved her passion for teaching. I liked that the backstory unfolds over the course of the book, keeping me engaged and made it more satisfying to have to "work" for the backstory. 

Nick is a fantastic father to his boys, working hard to be more present than he was in the past. He wants to do what is best for his family and is surprised to find Joy still living in the town that he left so many years before. I liked that they were both Christians, and that it took time to build trust and unpack everything that had happened in the past. The boys, Tyler and Jordan are adorable, each with distinct personalities and mannerisms. I loved how they take to Joy right away.

Overall, a highly enjoyable read that was hard to put down. I also liked how Joy's sister also makes an appearance in this book as well. Wonderful characters, and a compelling storyline in this heartwarming second chance romance.

 I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About the Author

She holds a degree in Psychology from George Mason University and Paralegal Studies Certification from Duke University.

She shares her life with her real-life hero and number one supporter. Their relationship grew on the golf course, and now they have one in their backyard.

Jill believes in enjoying every moment of this journey because God has everything under control.

 

More from Jill

Back in 2019, when my editor sent me a cover mock-up for my third Love Inspired book A Mother for His Twins, I was thrilled to see the art department had used a picture of my hero’s twin boys, Jordan and Tyler Capello.

I had so much fun developing the characters of these two little rascals. Although they were twins, I wanted to make sure they each had their own unique personality.

Once I had Tyler’s character sketch completed, I went to work developing Jordan. Unlike his brother who is the outgoing one of the two, I wanted Jordan to be more quiet and shy than his twin. That’s when I decided to draw on my own experience as a child.

Like Jordan, I had a speech impediment when I was a child. I was unable to pronounce the letter R. Because of this, I was teased by my classmates. To make matters worse, once a week, my speech teacher would come and pull me from my classroom for my private session. I can still hear the giggles and murmuring that filled the room. Thankfully, with a lot of instruction and practice, I was able to overcome the impediment.

Life is full of obstacles. Looking back at what we’ve overcome gives us the confidence to keep pressing forward when we know God will never leave us.

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, May 5

Just Writing, May 5

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 6

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, May 7

Lighthouse Academy Blog, May 7 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Labor Not in Vain, May 8

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 8

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 9

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, May 9

Texas Book-aholic, May 10

Inklings and notions, May 11

Genesis 5020, May 11

For Him and My Family, May 12

Remembrancy, May 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 13

deb's Book Review, May 14

Britt Reads Fiction, May 14

Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting, May 15

Simple Harvest Reads, May 15 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 16

Kayem Reads, May 16

Splashes of Joy, May 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 18

Blossoms and Blessings, May 18

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jill is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Link for giveaway: https://promosimple.com/ps/10baa/a-mother-for-his-twins-celebration-tour-giveaway

Seeking Sanctuary by Susanne Dietze // Review

Lucie's Review:

A sweet small town romance about finding love and new beginnings. 

Paige Faraday is pregnant and looking for a fresh start in Widow's Peak, where Kellan Lambert gives her a job working at his bookstore. Paige has a passion for children and reading, which she puts to work at Kellan's store. I loved how he let's her use her gifts to bring a fresh spin to his store. Kellan is a really nice guy, well loved by the community, but holding onto a secret. 

This was an enjoyable read with likable characters, in a delightful setting. I loved the knitting circle ladies who where constantly trying to help them out. Paige is a new Christian and I admired her sincerity in wanting to live her new faith. 

A sweet read with good character development and interaction along the way!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Gentle Tyranny by Jess Corban // Review

My Review:

A dystopian read that imagines a futuristic feminist society where men have been "gentled" and women work together in a collaborative under the rule of Matriarchy.  But things are not as they seem.

Reina has lived her whole life knowing that she was different, daring to question the way things are, and dreaming of being an Alexia. Over the course of the book I came to admire her for her strength, strong resolve, and willingness to sacrifice, as well as how her thinking changed over the course of the story. 

A dystopian new world that imagines feminism and masculinity taken to extremes, as Reina finds her eyes opened while fighting for the honor of Matriarch. I liked getting to know the other girls, as well as about the world around them as well as the differences between the provinces, though at times it felt heavy on the information dumping, and took a while to ramp up. 

Overall, this was an intriguing read, though slow to start, I found that I had grown to care about the characters over the course of the book. While a work of speculative dystopian fiction it felt at times that the seams of the world were a bit rough. I loved Calisto, as well as Reina's brave gentle friends, I am interested to see where this will go.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Piece of the Moon by Chris Fabry // Review

My Review:

Heartfelt southern fiction, about treasure, family, love, faith, and Country radio. 

When an eccentric multi-millionaire buries a treasure in the hill of West Virginia with Scripture based clues, the small town of Emmaus is filled with fortune seekers as local Country radio hosts TD and Waite discuss the latest updates on the search. 

This book follows a handful of diverse characters with their intertwining storylines from TD searching for the treasure to help an old friend, Waite trying to save the station, Pidge raising a teenager, and Clay coming of age and a budding love of radio. I loved the developing relationship between the various characters, over the course of the book. And I was equally invested in each of the storylines, though my favorite character had to be Clay, hands down.  Clay struggles with honest fears, with a wholesome desire to help others. I especially loved his friendship with Waite. 

A well written story that I didn't want to put down, compelling storytelling, masterfully weaving all of the stories together, with touches of humor, quirkiness, as well as an honesty that gives the story a riveting levity. A feel good story, with a satisfying ending, with some fun twists along the way. I enjoyed every minute of this book. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Alaskan Rescue by Terri Reed // Review

Lucie's Review: 

Someone wants dog trainer, Ariel Potter dead, but she doesn't know who. It is up to her, State Trooper Hunter McCord, and his K-9 partner Juneau to get to the bottom of things before it is too late. 

A suspenseful read that starts with a bang, and a string of break-ins that leave Hunter and Ariel wondering if they are all connected. This is a great start to a new series, but also shines on its own, with a full cast of characters and a fast moving plot. 

A well balanced read with wonderful characters, riveting plot, plenty of action and relationship building along the way. I loved how Hunter is supportive of Ariel's passion of raising and training dogs, and how they are both committed to their faith. Fantastic read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Dust by Eva Marie Everson ~ Review

My Review:

Deriving its title from Kansas's famous song Dust in the Wind, this book follows the lives of four people and the way that other people's choices, as well as their own, affect their lives.

The characters realistically jump off the page in all their flawed glory, drawing me into their lives through the ups and downs, as well as the triumphs and struggles. I think that the author did an amazing job of creating credibly real characters, mixtures of misguided good intentions, dreams, jealousy, and pain. She doesn't shy away from the more adult situations, including multiple scenes that while not overly explicit, you do get the full gist of what happened, so I would not recommend for younger readers. 

The book's main character is Alison, a young housewife forced to cope with the bombshell dropped by her new husband. I found it easy to be drawn into her story, as we follow her through the years and decades of her life. I loved her friendship with Rose Beth and Aunt Justine, who were 2 of my favorite characters. Westley was an interesting character, almost predictable and unpredictable in the same breath. I didn't like reading Cindi's parts of the story, and downright disliked Patterson's chapters.

Overall, this is a poignant read with realistically raw characters, brought to life almost tangibly, in a way that had me riveted to the pages. I think that the ending does a great job of tying everything together in a satisfying way that really pays off, though there were times that I found the storyline to be so disheartening and depressing that I wondered if I would make it through. Honest and heartbreaking, yet inspiring in the ordinary and everyday choices. Recommend for older readers who like Women's Fiction, and don't mind more adult content.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | ChristianBook | BookBub

Three Missing Days by Colleen Coble ~ Review

Review: 

Jane and Reid are facing every parent's worst nightmare when their 15 year old son Will is falsely charged with manslaughter. Meanwhile Jane is investigating the murder of a local woman, and face from her past some back to haunt her, and questions swirl about what they should to to protect their son when all the evidence points to Will. 

A thrilling, suspense-filled conclusion to the Pelican Harbor Series, nail-biting and heart pounding emotionally, in a way that made this book near impossible to put down because I just had to know what would happen next!

A must read for people who have read the other books in the series, as this book gives it a satisfying, yet suspenseful conclusion, as well as draws on information revealed in previous books. The series is well worth the read!

I loved the character development over the course of the series and how Jane has grown in her faith, and we have gotten to know Will. Jane has an amazingly supportive best friend who is also going through a health crisis of her own during this trying time. Reid is a wonderful man who has also been through a lot, and I like that he has been there for Jane while also given her space to process everything that they have been through. 

Overall a heart-pounding and heart wringing read, with terrific characters and plot that makes the book impossible to put down. There is so much going on, and all of the threads are woven together in a satisfying way, with plenty of twists along the way. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Blackberry Beach by Irene Hannon ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Welcome back to Hope Harbor, a beachside community filled with warmhearted citizens, where love blooms and new beginnings are found. 

Katherine Parker is ready to take some time off from acting and get her life back on track, so she rents a house in Hope Harbor. I loved how she is drawn into the goings on in the community through her visits to the local coffee shop and volunteer work with the local foster rehab center. 

Zach loves his home in Hope Harbor, a picturesque small beach town, where he has built up his coffee business carving out his own place to belong. He is passionate about what he does and where he lives, I like that he is very outgoing and active in his community. 

This is a enjoyable read from beginning to end, a delightful summery beach romance, with endearing characters, and a terrific parallel storyline that follows Zach's retired aunt and one of his friends. A heartwarming read that was over too soon, I loved coming back to Hope Harbor and revisiting many familiar faces along the way. Great as a standalone as well!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

From This Moment by Kim Vogel Sawyer ~ Review

My Review:

Heartwarming faith filled read follows three main characters in small town Kansas, new-to-town Youth Pastor Jase Edgar, spunky Lori, and ex-Amish weaver Kenzie. 

Jase Edgar is still struggling to come to terms with the death of his fiancé, he feels like a fraud answering their call alone. He is welcomed warmly, I loved Merlin and Leah, and how everyone helps him feel at home.

 Lori, while she is outgoing, struggles with the pain of a distant father and a troubled upbringing. I love that she is a supportive friend, and willing to lend a hand, always bringing her infectious enthusiasm to the table. 

 While Kenzie's faith has flourished away from the Amish community, her heart aches for the family that she left behind. I admired her heart for others, and how she has kept modest habits. She loves her family fiercely, and is a great friend to Lori. 

This is a small town set read with engaging characters, more of a gentler read, where more of the conflicts are internal, with strong themes of faith. I loved how the author portrays people who are Christians, but still struggle with doubting and not having all the answers in an honest and relatable way.

Overall, a well written heartwarming read, filled with faith, and heart-tugging characters. Definitely recommend for people who like excellent faith fiction with a gentler pace, and sweet romance. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Curator's Daughter by Melanie Dobson ~ Review

Review:

A time split novel that tells the story of Holocaust researcher Ember Ellis who has a past shrouded in darkness, hoping to bring light to a racially tension fraught landscape as she uncovers the story of Hanna Tillich, wife of an SS officer and "friend to the Jews."

A bit slower to start as I familiarized myself with all of the story threads, but the story builds as it all comes together and I became more invested in each of the women's stories. I loved how this book highlights the unlikely heroes who risked everything to preserve the history in hopes that a dawn was coming. 

A heartbreaking read, rich in history, that realistically brings to life Nuremberg in the 1940's, as well as exploring modern day tensions and trauma. I admired how Dakota had changed and was determined to show Ember that he was a different man now, grounded in faith. I think my favorite character was Mrs. Kiehl as we uncover her connection to the story. 

Overall, a compelling historically realistic read that brings to life the challenges faced by German citizens living under Himmler's edicts for an Arian society. I admired Hanna's faith and quiet courage. A well crafted read, that opens up many important talking points. Well worth the read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.