Piecing it All Together by Leslie Gould ~ Review

My Review:

Savannah Mast goes home to spend much needed time away from the stress of the city and her broken engagement. But when an Amish teenager disappears and Savannah's childhood friend is implicated as a prime suspect, she offers to help, while a learning about a young Amish midwife decade before in a similar situation. 

Savannah Mast grew up Amish adjacent, assisting her mother who also served Amish women as a midwife. She has a gift for helping others, and genuinely cares for their well-being. I liked how she clung to her faith in hard times, and was able to think realistically about her situation. 

There are many supporting characters and members of the community and not much happens without the notice of others. I loved how Mammi, was like a Mammi to the whole community. There are a lot of things going on in this story, as well as a little mystery and family drama. While I did enjoy Emma's story I felt that it disrupted the flow of the story to introduce her 1/3 of the way through the book.

Overall, I really liked this Amish adjacent story, it had well developed characters that felt realistic in how their lives were far from perfect. I admired Savannah's character and faith. But I did feel the like the pace lagged for me through the middle parts. I great introduction as well to Jane and her stories from the past, I liked how this story was set in Amish country, with many Amish characters, but that there were also many who were not Amish and that was Ok, which I really enjoyed. 

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

Legacy of Honor by Renae Brumbaugh Green ~ Celebrate Lit Tour, Review and Giveaway

 

About the Author

 

Book: Legacy of Honor

Author: Renae Brumbaugh Green

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: Nov, 2020

He’s been raised to carry on the legacy.

After her mother’s untimely death, Emma Monroe’s dreams to become a teacher are dashed. She takes a job as maid and cook at the local Stratton Ranch, where she endures humiliation and hardship in order to provide for her ailing father and younger brother. Only Riley Stratton, her childhood friend and heir to the Stratton fortune, sees her heart. When she’s asked to care for Skye, the young half-Indian girl most family members refuse to claim, Emma finally finds the purpose she craves.

Riley Stratton has it all, or so it seems. Growing up as the youngest son of the rich and powerful John Stratton, Riley stands to inherit a legacy of greatness in the Stratton Ranch. On the surface, his family looks like they have it all, but manipulation, deceit, and an ever-present quest for power leave him desperate for change. Yet his father has made it clear: do things the Stratton way, or face alienation and disinheritance.
As Riley and Emma choose between honor, dreams, and expectations—not to mention the love they can no longer deny—their first steps prove how quickly the situation can spin into danger. When their best efforts threaten the lives and hopes of those closest to them, it becomes clear the decisions they make will change the course of their lives forever.

 Review:

Which legacy will he choose?

An engaging start to a brand new series, with an intriguing plot and strong protagonists that I couldn't help but cheer for the whole way through. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, with a full cast of characters, and the right amount of conflict to move the plot and entertain without making me frustrated. 

Emma Monroe is a strong duty-driven young woman, she is devoted to her family, giving up her dreams of college and teaching. She is compassionate, caring, and intelligent, finding ways to show kindness to Skye, a half-Indian girl who lives on the Stratton's ranch and is sorely mistreated.

Riley is a man who appears to have it all, born into a wealthy ranching family, that he is expected to take his place among. But as his family's unsavory legacy becomes harder to ignore, he delves deeper in his family's history and is faced with a choice. Riley is friendly and outgoing, but most of all I admired his courage. 

Overall, this was an entertaining and engaging read from beginning to end, with a well woven plot, and excellent, well developed characters in this story of faith and honor. Highly recommend!

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

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Renae Brumbaugh Green is an ECPA Bestselling Author, award-winning humor columnist, and wannabe superhero. She lives in Texas with her handsome, country-boy husband, four nearly-perfect children and one nearly-perfect son-in-law, and far too many animals. When she’s not writing, Renae teaches online classes and tries to be rugged without chipping her nail polish.

 

More from Renae

I’ve been writing this book for more than a decade!

In 2008, my dear friend and writing mentor, Chip Ricks, shared a book idea with me. Loosely based on her own family history, she wanted to write a story about two brothers—one who chose to live for Christ, the other who didn’t. She wanted to follow that family through the generations, to show the impact of that one choice, on the people who came behind.

She just had one problem. Chip was a brilliant writer, but she wasn’t a fiction writer. “Will you help me write this book?”

Now, Chip was in her 80s at the time. She was a mother, a grandmother, to me in the faith. If she’d asked me to paint the moon pink, I’d have given it my best shot. For several years, Chip and I worked together on several versions of the book. We only ever got through the first few chapters, and we’d change our minds about the characters or the situations. Finally, one day she smiled at me. She said, “You know, Renae. This is your book. I know I whispered the idea to you, but I always wanted you to be the one to write it. I’m getting too old to work on this . . . please take it. It’s your story.”

Soon after, she moved across the country to live with her daughter. We stayed connected via phone calls and Facebook, until eventually, she stopped responding. We lost touch. I continued to write the book—Chip’s book. Now my book. I’d work on it a while, then put it away for several months, even a few years at one point. In 2017, I finished what would become the first final draft. I fiddled with it more, here and there, but I hung onto it until I met Misty Beller, my publisher at Wild Heart.

I submitted the book to her, and she accepted it, right away! Then the editor got hold of it. God bless Erin Taylor Young! She was brutal, in the best possible way. I spent weeks (months?) making the suggested changes, and each one made the book so much better. The day I turned in those final edits to my publisher, I opened up Facebook. There, on Chip’s FB page, was a note to all her friends.

From one of her children.

She’d gone to see her Heavenly Father.

I sat there, frozen, looking at my screen, big fat tears tracking my cheeks. How was it possible that on the day the book was complete, I learned of her death? She was so instrumental in my walk of faith, and in my path as a writer. It was almost like the Holy Spirit wanted me to know . . . this particular journey was now complete.

I hope you enjoy this book, book one in a trilogy, for it is very close to my heart. And I hope you learn from the actions of two brothers, so many years ago, that our choices have an impact on our own lives, and on the lives of those who follow us.

 

—Renae Brumbaugh Green

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, October 16

Through the Lens of Scripture, October 16

The Christian Fiction Girl, October 17

deb’s Book Review, October 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 18

Labor Not in Vain, October 18

Texas Book-aholic, October 19

Genesis 5020, October 19

Vicky Sluiter, October 20

lakesidelivingsite, October 20

Betti Mace, October 21

Sara Jane Jacobs, October 21

ABBA’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 22

Sodbusterliving, October 22

Older & Smarter?, October 23

Jeanette’s Thoughts, October 23

For Him and My Family, October 24

Lighthouse Academy, October 24 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Inklings and notions, October 25

Daysong Reflections, October 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 26

Simple Harvest Reads, October 26 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Artistic Nobody, October 27 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Splashes of Joy, October 27

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 28

Adventures Of a Travelers Wife, October 28

Connie’s History Classroom, October 29

Pause for Tales, October 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Renae 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.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10258/legacy-of-honor-celebration-tour-giveaway

Texas Holiday Hideout by Virginia Vaughan ~ Celebrate Lit Tour, Review and Giveaway!

 

About the Book

 

Book:  Texas Holiday Hideout

Author: Virginia Vaughan

Genre:  Christian Romantic Suspense

Release Date:  October 1, 2020

When her identity’s exposed,

hiding on a lawman’s family ranch is her last hope.

After her mother is killed, Melissa Morgan’s shocked to learn she’s spent her life in witness protection. Now it’s US marshal Miles Avery’s job to keep her and her little boy safe. And with a mole in his agency, the only way to evade the killer is to hide Melissa on Miles’s family ranch…and pretend she’s his wife for the holidays.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 Review:

There's a lot going on and a lot to love in this fast paced suspense, filled with amazing characters, and great romantic tension. 

This book has a lot going for it with a great plot, I loved the characters and how welcoming Miles' family was to Melissa and Dylan. I also felt like I learned a lot about witness protection, and I liked how the author really brought the characters and the situation to life. 

Miles has a great family, he is a honorable guy, who is still figuring out how to fit all the pieces of his life together, but he takes his duty seriously. I love how he connects with Dylan, and is pained by lying to his wonderful family. 

Overall, this book really does have it all, if you like suspenseful books, with fantastic characters, great interaction, adorable children and amazing romantic tension I think that you will be hard pressed not to like this book. Highly recommend this terrific read! Highly enjoyable!

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

About the Author

Virginia Vaughan is a multi-published author of inspirational romantic suspense. Blessed to come from a large, southern family, her fondest memories include listening to stories recounted by family and friends around the large dinner table. She was a lover of books even from a young age, devouring gothic romance novels and stories of romance, danger, and love. She soon started writing them herself. A former investigator for the State of Mississippi, Virginia utilizes her criminal justice background with her love of writing to transform words into powerful stories of romance and danger.

 

More from Virginia

What if one day you discovered you were in the Witness Protection Program and didn’t know it?

This is the premise for my October book, TEXAS HOLIDAY HIDEOUT, which releases this month. My heroine, Melissa Morgan, learns she and her mother entered the program when Melissa was a child. Her mother never told her and, when Melissa witnesses her mother being murdered, she becomes the assassin’s next target. US Marshal Miles Avery steps in to protect the single mom and her son from a killer, but a leak in WITSEC leaves him with little options except to take his witnesses to his family’s ranch…and pretend she’s his wife for the holidays.

So, in celebration of TEXAS HOLIDAY HIDEOUT releasing this month, here are 10 things about the Witness Protection Security Program (or WITSEC) I learned during my research for this book.

1. 1. The program is voluntary. No one can be forced to enter.
   2. You can leave the program at any time—although it is not recommended.
   3. No person in the program, who follows the rules, has ever been killed.
   4. People entering WITSEC sometimes keep their same first name and/or initials so that if they mess up and start to sign their name, they have time to correct.
   5. Since WITSEC is a federal program, many states have their own programs to protect witnesses of gang or street-level crimes.
   6. If you get married while in WITSEC, you must lie to your new spouse to protect your true identity in the event the relationship doesn’t last.
   7. Protected witnesses are mostly criminals. Only about 5% are innocents despite the popular trope in movies and fiction.
   8. Local law enforcement may or may not be notified when a protected witness is relocated to their jurisdiction.
   9. Divorced, non-custodial parents have had their children hidden from them and now must agree to allow their children to enter the program.
   10. WITSEC protected witnesses are expected to eventually become self-sufficient. They do not get to live off the government for the rest of their lives.

Did any of these facts about WITSEC surprise you? I’d love to hear which ones. I had a lot of fun researching WITSEC for TEXAS HOLIDAY HIDEOUT. I hope you enjoy Miles and Melissa’s story! Look out for the next book in the series—middle brother Navy SEAL Paul Avery’s story—coming in TEXAS TARGET STANDOFF in March of 2021.

Blog Stops

Through the Fire Blogs, October 8

Genesis 5020, October 8

Hallie Reads, October 8

Artistic Nobody, October 8 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Through the Lens of Scripture, October 9

Texas Book-aholic, October 9

reviewingbooksplusmore, October 9

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 10

deb's Book Review, October 10

The Cafe Scholar, October 10

Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting, October 11

KarenSueHadley, October 11

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 11

Older & Smarter?, October 12

Inklings and notions, October 12

Simple Harvest Reads, October 12 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

She Lives To Read, October 13

Hebrews 12 Endurance, October 13

For Him and My Family, October 13

Betti Mace, October 14

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 14

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 14

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 15

lakesidelivingsite, October 15

Lighthouse Academy, October 15

To Everything There Is A Season, October 15

Sara Jane Jacobs, October 16

Blogging With Carol, October 16

Book Love, October 16 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 17

Batya's Bits, October 17

Emily Yager, October 18

Labor Not in Vain, October 18

HookMeInABook, October 18

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, October 19

Mary Hake, October 19

Daysong Reflections, October 19

For the Love of Literature, October 20

Bigreadersite, October 20

EmpowerMoms, October 20

Blossoms and Blessings, October 21

Splashes of Joy, October 21

Pause for Tales, October 21

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Virginia is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of Texas Holiday Hideout!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/101f3/texas-holiday-hideout-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sand and Mistletoe by Chautona Havig ~ Celebrate Lit Tour, Review, Giveaway

 

About the Book

 

Book:  Sand & Mistletoe

Author: Chautona Havig

Genre:  Contemporary Christian Romance (Holiday)

Release Date: November 24, 2018

What’s Christmas without family drama, an accident, and mistletoe?

If you ask Portia Spears, it’s a horror movie—especially since she’s never the one caught under that mistletoe. And who thought it was a good idea to spend the last Christmas as a family unit away from their family home?

Her bossy older sisters, that’s who.

Christmas at his parents’ house with his son—just the way Reese Whitaker likes it. But a chance encounter on the beach might just change everything. How often do you meet someone who loves kids and knows American Sign Language?

Not often. Trust him.

However, with just two weeks to get to know each other and two families that couldn’t be more different vying for their time, will they even have a chance to test out that mistletoe they found?

Find out today in Sand & Mistletoe.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 Review:

A heartwarming Christmas time romance, stemming from a chance meeting while on vacation that changes everything.

Portia Spears has a passion for working with children, she is thoughtful and kind, and has plenty of patience from growing up with 4 sisters. I loved the realistic chaos and complications in the dynamics of the growing Spears family, who can't relate to the love, laughter and drama of Christmastime. I loved how she is thoughtful and makes Duncan feel right at home with her. 

Reese is a wonderful father who has been burned in the past by love, but Portia seems too good to be true. Reese is fun and outgoing, willing to take risks and make gestures. He is close with his family, and I loved how important faith is to both Reese and Portia. 

Overall, this is a sweet holiday time romance, filled with family, faith, and new beginnings. I really liked how the author presented Duncan and the challenges that he faces, sometimes being unintentionally left out. He is a darling boy, clever with  a good sense of humor. This is a pleasant read, though sometimes I thought that the plot had times when things fell into place too easily, and lacked tension, but that could be more of a personal preference. But in the end a sweet story of love and new beginnings.

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

About the Author

Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

 

 

More from Chautona

What Happens When an Author Rewrites History

To be fair, almost none of us wanted to be there.

And really, that wasn’t fair. Two of our daughters planned as a “destination Christmas” bash for the whole family—just a nice getaway in San Diego for the “last” Christmas we’d probably all be in the same place on the same days.  The kids were getting older, getting married, and even moving out of state. It was a beautiful thing for them to try to do for us.

But Havigs are homebodies who like their traditions, and most of us left in Ridgecrest weren’t too thrilled being “dragged” four hours south to celebrate Christmas in a beautiful house on a cliff overlooking the San Diego countryside.  It had everything, game room, lots of space, yards, hiking trails, an infinity pool, a hot tub…

Yeah. That hot tub kicked off the weekend with a splash all right.  With no lighting around it, and no railing either, my husband stepped out of it and right off the ledge—down a hill (at least fifteen feet), bouncing off boulders and thankfully, stopped by a fence. Otherwise, he’d have rolled for a LONG way.

Get this.  He broke nothing.  Don’t even ask me how (because we all know Who took care of that, right?).

Still, I spent my Christmas Eve sitting in an ER waiting for someone to tell us the damage (superficial scrapes and deep bruising). The whole time I thought, “This has got to be a book.”

Two years later, it was.

I say this at the end of the book, but I need to say it again.

People who know our family will recognize some of my kids (I left four of them out of the story).  They will also say, “Wait, she’s not like that!”

And that’s the point.  I put just enough of real people in it to really capture the feel of the personalities, meshed some quirks (including the ones that got left out), and then set them in a stressful situation and really way over-exaggerated actual responses.  I want to say this here again.  None of us acted just like I portrayed us in Sand & Mistletoe (although, frankly, I wouldn’t have blamed a couple of them if they’d wanted to). Unlike A Bird Died, I didn’t even try to stick to facts.

Instead of San Diego hill country, I put us at my favorite beach—Ventura. I stuck our rented beach house where the Pierpont Inn is/used to be (don’t even know if it exists anymore). Reese’s parents live in the house I lived in when I was nine—right there on Pierpont just a block from the beach.  And where they went to get mistletoe… one of my favorite places in the world.

So, here’s my version of the tale—the one I wrote instead of told.  Just like Francie Nolan learned from her teacher in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.  When I tell the story, I tell it exactly how it happened.  However… I wrote what should (not) have happened!  (this is much more interesting than the real story).

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, October 12

Emily Yager, October 12

The Book Chic Blog, October 12

Inklings and notions, October 13

Get Cozy Book Nook, October 13

For Him and My Family, October 14

Blogging With Carol, October 14

deb's Book Review, October 15

lakesidelivingsite, October 15

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 16

Splashes of Joy, October 16

Labor Not in Vain, October 16

She Lives To Read, October 17

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 18

Mary Hake, October 18

Livin’ Lit, October 19

Artistic Nobody, October 19 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Sara Jane Jacobs, October 20

Spoken from the Heart, October 20

Lots of Helpers, October 21

Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting, October 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 22

Batya's Bits, October 22

As He Leads is joy, October 23

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, October 23

Simple Harvest Reads, October 24 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

SusanLovesBooks, October 24

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, October 25

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, October 25

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, October 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away the prize package including a signed paperback & a handmade ornament!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/101f6/sand-mistletoe-celebration-tour-giveaway

Everywhere to Hide by Siri Mitchell ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Whitney Garrison feels stuck, struggling to find that next step and keep on top of her student loans. Then she is witness to a murder that makes her a target of a killer, but she suffers from a rare neurological condition that makes her blind to faces. Can she stay one step ahead of the killer, when they have Everywhere to Hide?

Told in the first person POV, the author does an excellent job of drawing the reader into Whitney's world and the realities of what she is facing. I  liked the attention to detail, and how Whitney has learned to cope with her condition. 

Leo Baroni is a detective, who comes alongside Whitney and help her looks for answers as well as keep her safe. I liked how he goes the extra miles to help her feel safe and comfortable. 

Overall, this was a fascinating read with realistic threats and the chilling suspense of the unknown. I liked the interaction between Leo and Whitney, as how the facial blindness really changed the risks and odds. The first person POV did lead to some repetitiveness as it felt more like a stream of consciousness, which was realistic, but felt like it slowed the pace. A clean suspenseful read.

Note: I was expecting it to be a Christian read, and while it was cleaning content it was lacking elements of faith that I was expecting. My rating though is due to the slow pacing.

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

Point of Danger by Irene Hannon ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

A engaging, action-packed, suspense, with a fantastic plot, and characters that you can cheer for the whole way through. 

Conservative talk show personality Eve Reilly has always been cautious, her job making her a target because of her unpopular opinions. But when a ticking box shows up on her doorstep, she knows that it's more than an innocent prank as the incidents escalate. 

Eve is an intelligent and accomplished woman, I admired her willingness to speak out on controversial issues, and her common sense approach to life. Eve is a believer, and I loved her strong relationship with her sisters, as well as her do-it-herself smarts.

Newly promoted detective Brent Lange is intrigued by Eve, and is determined to connect the incidents and find the person behind the threats. He has struggled with relationships in the past, but I loved how supportive his best friend is, and I liked the interaction between him and Eve. He is an honorable man with a strong sense of duty. 

Overall, a fantastic read from beginning to end, with strong protagonists, and an engaging plot that kept me on my toes. I loved Eve, she is exactly the kind of heroine that I can't help but cheer for, I admired her courage and level headed approach to things, as well as how she helps Brent deal with his past and envision a different kind of future than he'd been selling to himself. This was a quick read, because I didn't want to put it down, another stellar novel from Irene Hannon. Highly recommend!

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