Welcome to my Book Review Blog. My goal is to connect readers with the wonderful and amazing books I am blessed to reveiw. And to introduce you to the talented and wonderful authors responsible for writing these books. May my love for books show through my reviews on this site.
December 30, 2024 – January 31, 2025 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
Trust means everything…
when danger hits too close to home.
Hunting a never-caught killer, Special Agent Nolan Shea learns of a new victim. But the body on Ava Burke’s land puts her and her young daughter, Rose, in someone’s lethal sights. With a trail of shocking clues pointing to her family’s involvement, Ava starts to question everything she holds dear and is soon desperate to uncover the truth with Nolan. Step after step, they confront their fears. But will finally cornering a murderer out in the wilderness become a trap they can’t escape?
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
MY REVIEW OF THIS BOOK
I always love a book full of mystery and suspense, and Lethal Wilderness Trap has both of these and a whole lot more. Being the first book I have read by Author Susan Furlong, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I am so glad I had the opportunity to read and review this one. And this is such a good book. The excitement starts in the very beginning, and it doesn’t let up until the very end. And I have to say, I did not see that ending coming. I never guessed who the bad guy was.
Ava Burke now lived with her father-in-law after the death of her husband. It was in his barn that she stumbles upon a dead women’s body. And it seems after this, everything starts barreling out of control. Special Agent Nolen Shea is sent to the area to investigate, and to find out what is going on, and who this lady is. This starts an unexpected journey following an immense trail of potential evidence, but it sure wasn’t going to be easy to find the one who took this young lady’s life. Agent Nolen and those working with him were running into a dead end every way they turned.
I love all of the mystery and suspense at every turn throughout this book. Every time I thought I had it figured out, the author so expertly sent me down another trail, searching, only to come up empty. And I loved it! Author Susan Furlong has a way to keep you on your toes searching for answers just like the detectives in the story. The characters created by Furlong are spot on and I enjoyed getting to know them and their part in this story. It was fun seeing where the romance would pop up, because it usually does. The romance was quite subtle, until pretty much the end, but there are reasons.
This is all I will say about this book, without giving away too much. The rest is up to you to read Lethal Wilderness Trap by Susan Furlong. I’m giving this book Five Stars! I encourage you to pick up this smaller book that you can read easily in one day. You will definitely be glad you read this one.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Susan Furlong grew up in North Dakota where she spent long winters at her local library scouring the shelves for mysteries to read. Now, she lives in Illinois with her husband and children and writes mysteries of all types. She has over a dozen published novels and her work has earned a spot in the New York Times list of top crime fiction books of the year. When not writing, she volunteers at her church and spends time hiking and fishing.
Finding Jesus is a christisn alternative to the elf on the shelf that so many do today with their children during the Christmas season.
Description
Gift your loved ones a fun activity that teaches the true meaning of Christmas. Find God’s Word daily inside the pocket of a 12” plush, huggable Finding Jesus doll. These short scriptures and sweet illustrations, printed on 24 double-sided puzzle pieces, come together to make a beautiful picture. Unlike most puzzles, however, the finished product is only revealed one day at a time. A counter-worthy at scripture book correlates to each puzzle piece and walks through the birth of our Savior. Watch the artwork unfold daily within the unique dual-sided puzzle box frame. Finding Jesus is designed to intrigue curiosity and wonder leading up to Christmas instilling the habit to Seek Him First.
Just in case you are interested in the dimensions, here they are:
12” – Finding Jesus Doll
4.5” x 6” – Scripture Book
14.75” x 11.25” x 3” – Puzzle Frame Box
Approximately 2.5” x 2.5” Puzzle Pieces
#findingjesus
#seekhimfirst
#meaningfulchristmas
#christmas
#intentionalparenting
#christianparenting
#huggablejesus
#puzzle
#godsword
#jesusisfun
#reasonfortheseason
#earlychristmaspresent
Seek, Find, Hug, Learn, Delight, Inspire, Believe
A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER: “the puzzle is kinda like how we walk with Jesus…we don’t know the full picture, but we get what we need for each day and he works it all out to a beautiful picture. And I have been collecting testimonies of how or when people found Jesus. That is another way that people can share. It is really about a personal relationship with Jesus…that is my hope for this product…to encourage and/or deepen relationships with Jesus.” ~Lillian
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS ADORABLE PROJECT
This sweet Finding Jesus activity is the Cutest. As you can see my grandaughter loves the Jesus that is in the package, and was so sweet when she first saw him. She was hugging Him and singing Jesus Love’s Me. The one year old was just as sweet. She hugged Jesus up to her and was giving Him kisses. They both have been told Repeatedly who Jesus is and that we celebrate Jesus’ birthday at Christmas. I will update with a picture a little later of the one year old. I love that this activity will be a new story from the Bible and the neat puzzle that goes with it telling the real meaning of Christmas and why we celebrate. It is something parents can use from year to year as they help their children to understand that Jesus definitely is the reason for the season.
Another thing with this kit is, you can adapt it for the age of your children. I can tell you that my two grandgirls will have fun times each day as they listen to the Bible stories and put the puzzle pieces in place. And not to for get finding where Jesus is each day. There are all sorts of ways to make this kit so fun for the entire family.
If you didn’t get in on the Finding Jesus this year, you will have your chance again next year. Again, go to https://seekhimfirst.com/ and leave your email to be one of the first to hear about what next year will bring you from Seek Him First.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this finding Jesus kit. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Hi bloggers, I have an awesome children’s Christmas book for you today! Please scroll down and read the very interesting Q&A with the author. It’s a fabulous way to get to know author Maria Antonia.
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I decided last minute to Review this beautiful book because it is do cute I just couldn’t pass it up. I appreciate the publisher, Paraclete Press sending me a print copy of this adorable book. Here is my review!
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
This is a precious story about a little girl, Ellie wanting to be a character in the Christmas play about the story of Christmas, but she wants to be an Elephant. Ellie’s sister Piper is directing the play and will not let Ellie be an Elephant because she says “There were no elephants in Bethlehem!” Well, you just need to read this oh so cute book to see what happens in the play.
This entire book is full of cuteness overload. The story of Jesus’ Birth with the fabulous illustrations by Laura Zarrin fit so well together. I love Zarrin’s illustrations. They are vibrant and colorful, and I can see any child grabbing this book from the shelf first. The beautiful read cover with the adorable elephant holding Baby Jesus is just precious for any child. I can certainly see this adorable book in any child’s classroom and especially in a Christian school environment. I encourage parents to consider gifting this book to your child’s classroom. I remember gifting books to my sons classroom when he was little. Wish I’d had this one at the time.
I’m giving The Christmas Elephant by Maria Antonia 5 stars. I encourage you to check out your favorite bookstore and find this sweet and beautiful book, inside and out. Your child will love it. I have two grandgirls ages one and three who just loves this elephant and baby Jesus book, as they call it.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Q&A with Maria Antonia, author of The Christmas Elephant
Q: What inspired you to start writing children’s books?
A: When I was in university, I studied history and literature, mostly classics like Shakespeare and Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy. And then I took a course in Children’s Lit. My professor introduced me to children’s books I had never read before, like E. Nesbit’s The Story of the Treasure Seekers or Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons. And I fell in love with these books. I realized that I like happy endings. Oh, things don’t have to be perfect, but I like a hopeful ending. It took a few years for that to sink in, though.
Then, my nieces and nephews were born. Knowing I’d be broke if I gave all of them gifts for their birthdays, I started writing stories for them and making little books. (Perhaps a little like Beatrix Potter did, but without the amazing illustrations!) Finally, after years of doing these birthday stories, I decided to try submitting to a publisher that took unsolicited submissions. I sent in my best story but … I never heard from that publisher. Then I decided to look for an agent, and in the meantime, wrote stories and sent them in to magazines. Some of those stories got published!
All the while, I was learning everything I could to craft the best picture book stories I could. I finally found an agent … just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit. But we persisted, and then in 2023 I got the news that Paraclete Press wanted, not one, but two of my picture books. And the first one is The Christmas Elephant with art by Laura Zarrin.
Q: What is the hardest thing about being a picture book author?
A: For me, as an author-only, not knowing how the art will turn out is probably one my greatest concerns. For my two upcoming picture books, I got to have input on the potential illustrators. And while it’s hard not knowing, it’s also kind of fun! I get to be surprised when I finally see how my words get interpreted by an artist. I absolutely LOVE Laura Zarrin’s art for The Christmas Elephant!
Q: How do you come up with ideas for your stories?
A: I find ideas all around me. Sometimes I hear a funny story about a coworker’s grandchild. Sometimes a story comes from my own childhood or from something that happened to my students when I taught school. With my picture book, The Christmas Elephant, I was inspired by one of my nieces. She loved elephants. One day, at a rummage sale, my mom and I found an elephant costume. When we gave it to her, her eyes lit up. She wore that thing everywhere! Just like my character, Ellie!
Q: What do you think are the key elements that make a children’s book successful?
A: Kids have such big emotions and when I write for them, I try to tap into this. For The Christmas Elephant, I wanted a little humor. My protagonist, Ellie, goes through several attempts to try to wear her elephant costume onstage, even though her older sister says “There were no elephants in Bethlehem!” She tries to hide with the camels and angels. And then at the end, I work in a heart moment between the sisters. Humor and heart! I think a good picture book usually has both of these elements.
Q: How do you stay updated on trends and changes in the children’s book market?
A: I read a lot of books. And while I like to read older titles, I also keep an eye out for books published within the last 3-5 years. I review some of the books I read on my blog. One thing I found very helpful is to include the first lines in my review. First, I think it helps the potential reader get a taste of the book. Second, it helps ME learn what makes a good first line!
I also attend webinars, mostly the free ones. Some have been recommended by my agent, my editor, and also online writing groups like Kidlit411, 12×12, and Picture Book Summit. Sometimes, I already know the info, but I always learn a little something new!
Q: Can you tell us about any upcoming projects or books you are working on?
A: I have a second picture book coming out in March 2025 called Barnaby the Runaway Sheep. I recently signed off on it. The art by Sayani Mukherjee is adorable! I’m also working on many other projects, so I’m always busy writing something. (And I still have one final birthday story to send my youngest niece. She’s the last one as the rest have gotten too old for birthday stories!)
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: I’m giving away a FREE copy of The Christmas Elephant as part of my blog tour. You can sign up here to be entered. This giveaway is open to readers in the U.S. and Canada. (Giveaway ends on October 19th.)
About the Author
MARIA ANTONIA learned to write her name at five years old and tried typing with an old manual typewriter at age eight. However, it was when she met the computer that she never turned back. Many years later, she still clickety-taps out her stories onto the screen, stories that have turned into picture books like The Christmas Elephant and Barnaby the Runaway Sheep. In addition to writing, Maria also enjoys sipping a nice cup of hot tea and capturing the world with her camera. She has lived in Sunny Spain, Busy New York City, and currently resides in the Great White North of Canada.
About the Illustrator Laura Zarrin planned on becoming an archeologist, but realized she was much happier staying home drawing and watching TV. Luckily that worked out pretty well. Laura is the illustrator of the Wallace and Grace series by Heather Alexander and the Katie Woo’s Neighborhood series by Fran Manushkin. Laura has illustrated over 30 books for children including board books, picture books, and chapter books, Highlights Hidden Pictures, and various educational projects. She’s happiest writing and illustrating characters with subtle and not so subtle humor.
AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY
BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY!
Now for the fun of the blog tour! For a chance to win a copy of The Christmas Elephant book + some elephant swag, sign up for Maria’s newsletter. You can get extra entries by leaving a comment telling us about your favorite holiday movie or book. Don’t forget to comment at the other blog stops for more entries! (Giveaway ends on Friday, October 18, 2024.)
Many thanks to Our Daily Bread Ministries for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and are not influenced my monetary compensation.
Unshakable Moxie is presented by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
What is Unshakable Moxie, you say? Well I am happy to let you know all about this wonderful and exciting new Bible Study presented by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Unshakable Moxie is a new and interesting 6-Session Women’s Bible Study written by Lina Abujamra, and it is about Growing A Resilient Faith.
Below, you will find four paragraphs that will help you understand what this study is all about. Did you read about the QR codes to the 6 video episodes? Isn’t this exciting. For me, this is my first Bible Study with QR codes and it is an awesome addition to the study.
*This 6-part docuseries and accompanying Bible Study invite you to learn from remarkable women who trust God even through their lowest valleys, allowing Him to write their story as one of resilient faith and overcoming.
*The Unshakable Moxie Study Pack includes the 6-lesson Bible Study (with QR codes to the 6 video episodes), a beautiful hardcover Prayer Journal, and inspirational cards that share Scripture and powerful quotes from the series. Each item can also be purchased separately.
*What does a “woman of moxie” look like? She is a dynamic, resolute woman of resilient faithfulness, unshakable confidence, and trust in God.
*This episode was life-changing for me and spoke so loud for me! Thank you for putting into words how I have been feeling. Love this whole series but adore this one! — Unshakable Moxie viewer.
My Review of Unshakable Moxie
I find this 6-Session Bible Study about Growing A Resilient Faith to be a strong and powerful women’s study, with lessons teaching us trust, perseverance and faith. This study is not only teaching you how to live, but each lesson offers a 30min video with interviews from women who through their own struggles, have found their source of strength.
I didn’t take long on each study this time, but I plan to get some ladies together and dive in to this study. This is one you dont want to miss ladies! OUR DAILY BREAD has been around for a long time, so you know their Bible studies are amazing.
One thing I like about this study is that it can be done at home or online. You can do your Bible studies together either way.
A couple amazing things that come with the study kit are the beautiful hardcover Prayer Journal, and inspirational cards that share Scripture and powerful quotes from the series. I love the journal because I want to write out Scripture so I can remember them better. And the cards are so beautiful and perfect to give out when you go to the store, Dr office or just walking down the street, you can encourage someone else.
Everything in this review is my opinion alone. The review is my thoughts only about this Bible study.
What People are Saying About Unshakable Moxie: **This episode was life-changing for me and spoke so loud for me! Thank you for putting into words how I have been feeling. Love this whole series but adore this one! — Unshakable Moxie viewer
**I am loving this series!!! I have to say what I am learning so far is teaching me so many lessons in life from so many different perspectives. — Unshakable Moxie viewer
**This series was such a blessing to me! I’m inspired, motivated, and desiring to be a woman of unshakable moxie. I love this. Today I started memorizing God’s promises in scripture and claiming them over my and my family’s life! Thanks for that tip, Joni. Thank you to Our Daily Bread Ministries for producing this…will be sharing and re-watching for sure! — Unshakable Moxie viewer
**I’m SO sorry this journey is over. It has seriously been a blessing. I believe my biggest takeaway is (or biggest two takeaways are) (1) God is with us (me) in the messy and He’s not afraid or upset or running away from it! He meets me in the messy. He’s not afraid of my questions. He wants to hear about my turmoil; He invites it; He loves me. (2) Having questions doesn’t make me a weak Christian; it’s precursory to me having a strong faith. I have to be willing to dive in it with Him, knowing He won’t forsake me as I go. In my weakness, He excels in strength. Thank you for this. Unshakable Moxie viewer
This is what we are giving away.
Please….read very carefully and do everything it says to do below in order to be eligible to win
● Prize: Unshakable Moxie Study Pack & $20 Amazon Gift Card ○ Study Pack includes: ■ (1) Unshakable Moxie Bible Study w/QR code access to the video series. ■ (1) Unshakable Moxie Prayer Journal ■ (1) Unshakable Moxie Scripture & Encouragement Cards Pack
● Territory: Limited to US winners only.
● How to Enter: To enter for the chance to win the Unshakable Moxie Study Pack & $20 Amazon Gift Card, participants must do the following: ○ Follow Our Daily Bread Ministries and God Hears Her on Facebook or Instagram. ■ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ourdailybread ■ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GodHearsHer ■ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourdailybread/ ■ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/godhearsher/ ○ Repost/Share the giveaway with this hashtag – (#unshakablemoxie) ○ For a bonus entry, subscribe for God Hears Her emails. ○ For a bonus entry, tag a female friend that lives life with “unshakable moxie”.
PLEASE: If you have questions, please comment here or email me ibjoy1953@yahoo.com (blog post in the title) leave out giveaway to keep from going to spam.
Or message me through FB Messenger. I will check each one several times a day.
Unshakable Moxe Boilerplate: Unshakable Moxie is a powerful Bible study and 6-episode video series from Our Daily Bread Ministries that explores tough topics including forgiveness, disillusionment, and hardship. When answers don’t come easy, these resources press in deeply to see what Scripture reveals to encourage women to grow in their faith amid challenging circumstances. Lina AbuJamra, who shares her heart in this Bible study, is a woman of moxie who draws inspiration from her life experiences and teaches women how to build their own resilient faith. Each chapter contains a QR code linking to the Unshakable Moxie video series where hosts Moriah Smallbone and Toni Collier take you on faith journeys with special guests including Joni Eareckson Tada, Ruth Chou Simons, and more.
Our Daily Bread Ministries Boilerplate: For more than 85 years, Our Daily Bread Ministries has been a donor-supported, non-profit ministry committed to nurturing a lifelong love for God’s Word as millions around the world grow closer to God and are transformed by their relationship with Jesus. Through our daily devotions, podcasts, videos, and other resources, we work to make the life-changing wisdom and stories of the Bible understandable and accessible to all. In our mission of fueling a global Bible-engagement movement, we strive to make Scripture a part of everyday life, giving the Holy Spirit greater opportunity to transform hearts and help people.
Book: Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin (In God We Trust: Book 2)
Author: Dennis Conrad
Genre: Christian Children’s Picture Book
Release date: December 2, 2023
Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin is an exciting adventure in the Ancient Roman Empire at the time of Christ. Eight-year-old Marcus and his father are on a mission for the Emperor and visit a mine and a mint where coins are made. Marcus himself makes a denarius, a coin with the emperor’s image.
Marcus goes to Jerusalem where he sees Jesus hold a denarius saying, “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” What will seeing Jesus mean for Marcus, and will he ever be the same again?
About the Author
A former coin collector for over fifty years, Dennis combines his love for the Bible, children’s literature, and sharing stories about the history behind coins.
Dennis retired as a professor of speech communications from Barstow Community College. He and his wife served as English and public speaking teachers ten summers overseas.
Dennis became a sustaining member of the Numismatic Association of Southern California in 1979. He is also a life member of the American Numismatic Association.
Dennis is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and a Fellow of the National Writing Project.
More from Dennis
James L. Rubart narrates Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin on Audible.
Rubart is the best-selling, Christy Hall of Fame, CAROL, INSPY, and RT Book Reviews award winning author of sixteen novels.
His voices for the characters make the story come to life.
When first released, Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin became a #1 Release on Audible.
The book by Dennis Conrad became a number one bestseller in two categories: Children’s Christian Historical Fiction and Children’s Christian Learning Concepts Fiction.
Marlene Bagnull, Author and Director of Write His Answer Ministries says, “This story behind the familiar Bible story of Jesus’s words about the coin someone handed him will hold the attention of boys and girls and encourage them to consider what they can give to God.”
Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin opens the door for teachers, parents, and grandparents to have the salvation conversation with the next generation.
Receive Monthly Activity Sheets
Want to encourage the child in your life to learn more about coins? Sign up at https://dennisconradauthor.com so your child can become a Junior Coin Collector. Receive free, monthly activity sheets like a crossword puzzle. There is a Coin Hunt section where children can search for and find coins in change for their collection, and a Vocabulary Builder section with coin collecting terms.
Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for The Way Back by Heidi Chiavaroli hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: The Way Back Series: Lights of Acadia #1 Author: Heidi Chiavaroli Publisher: Hope Creek Publishers Release Date: June 18, 2024 Genre: Dual Timeline Women’s Fiction
Young love means everything . . . until it leaves you with nothing.
The summer before her senior year of high school, Laney Jacobs and her best friend jump from a six-story beachside cliff in an attempt to impress their boyfriends. Laney rose from the water. Her friend did not.
Six years later, when Laney’s troubled mother’s memoir hits the bestseller list airing the family’s destructive secrets, Laney is forced to relive the trauma, this time in the public eye. To escape the scrutiny, she seeks shelter at her estranged grandmother’s seaside inn. But she can’t reconcile the loving woman with the heartless parent in her mother’s book. As she seeks answers, the boyfriend who once cost her a promising future reappears, stirring up both pain and hope.
When her mother’s vindictive fans threaten her grandmother’s livelihood and the lighthouse Laney has come to love, she turns to the century-old words of a young lighthouse keeper to help her find the courage to move forward. But once truths from the past come to light and old love finds new beginnings, will Laney discover that forgiveness is the only way toward true healing?
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Oh my goodness what an amazing read. Life has not been easy for Laney since she lost her best friend in an accident and lost her boyfriend at the same time. Then her mother’s memoir was released, and her nana suffers several ways of hurt by the accusations in this memoir, not to forget what it does to nana’s Seaside Inn. Laney and her nana had a lot to endure.
The author deals with many tough issues in The Way Back. A lot of these issues go back many years and family hurt is so deep it will take a lot to even break through. It is when Laney starts cleaning out some of the family’s old stuff that she finds a centry old journal written by a young lightkeeper as she makes sure the lights are on each night in the lighthouse. This was one of my favorite parts of the story, and I am going to leave it at that. You will understand when you read this book. One thing I will say is, I would love to see that old journal published, it would make a great companion to this book. There is so much more I wanted to read in that journal, and I know there must have been so much more there. Just my thoughts!
There is so much going on in this book. I love the setting of the old Seaside Inn with its Lighthouse highly reaching so beautifully. I was also glad Laney and her nana began to form a relationship, just as I had with my grandmother. Jason showing up was a little touchy as first, but it was good. I enjoyed he and Laney’s conversations and how he helped her so much. I couldn’t understand nana speaking up about the memoir at first, but toward the end, I got it. And I must say that is one of the most beautiful endings I’ve read in a book. Some may not feel like that, but I do. I was completely mesmerized by this story.
I’m giving The Way Back by Heidi Chiavaroli Five Stars and I wish I could give it more. If you enjoy beaches and old lighthouses, Christian historical fiction, or just a good clean book to read, I highly recommend this one.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Heidi Chiavaroli (pronounced shev-uh-roli…sort of like Chevrolet and ravioli mushed together!) wrote her first story in third grade, titled I’d Cross the Desert for Milk. It wasn’t until years later that she revisited writing, using her two small boys’ nap times to pursue what she thought at the time was a foolish dream. Despite a long road to publication, she hasn’t stopped writing since! Heidi writes women’s fiction, combining her love of history and literature to write both split time stories and contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, Freedom’s Ring, was a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist, a Romantic Times Top Pick and a Booklist Top Ten Romance Debut. Her second Carol Award-winning novel, The Orchard House, is inspired by the lesser-known events in Louisa May Alcott’s life and led her to write The Orchard House Bed and Breakfast series, a contemporary twist on Little Women. Heidi makes her home in Massachusetts with her husband, two sons, and Wyatt, her standard poodle.
Connect with Heidi by visiting heidichiavaroli.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical / Regency Romance
Release date: May, 2024
The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.
Enjoy another Gothic Style Regency from Hannah Linder.
Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and protected her from.
That is, until a handsome stranger named Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have witnessed.
When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Manor and reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own mind?
As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
This story grabbed me from the very beginning and didn’t let go until I was finished reading the book. Eliza doesn’t know how long she has lived in Balfour Forest, but she’s fine being there with the elements of the forest. Until one day Felton Northwood enters her woods and her life and steals her from her beloved forest and trees. Hannah Linder creates amazing characters in this story with twists and turns that will have your head spinning from early in the story. It is impossible to figure out the plot, because every time I thought I had it all figured out, here comes a different twist or turn in the story that had me returning back to whodunit. There are a few dark moments in the story that left me wondering, and the mystery throughout kept me reading and not able to put the book down.
I enjoyed the slow pace romance between Eliza and Felton, with wonder about how the life would turn out. Would Eliza be haunted over what happened to her? Would she finally understand? Each detailed scene created by Linder was so vividly described, I was in awe of it all. If you enjoy a good mystery full of twists and turns you can’t figure out. I highly recommend The Girl from the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder. I’m giving this one 4 stars.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels filled with passion, secrets, and danger. She is a four-time Selah Award winner, a 2023 Carol Award semi-finalist, a 2023 Angel Book Award third place winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Also, Hannah is an international and multi-award-winning graphic designer who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and international bestsellers. She is also a self-portrait photographer of historical fashion. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments—piano, guitar, ukulele, and banjolele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, square dancing, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.
More from Hannah
Everyone has been asking me for years: “Can you see yourself in any of your characters?” I guess I’m in everything, interwoven in all of the sentences. Pieces of me are scattered in the settings. Traits and quirks and secret thoughts are dispersed into the minds and souls of my characters.But I always felt the need to say no. I don’t see myself in my characters.
Perhaps because, in the past, so many of my heroines have been so different than me. Ella Pemberton (Beneath His Silence)—outlandish and stubborn and daring, apt to speak her mind, bold in her manner and flawless in her dance. Nan Duncan (When Tomorrow Came)—injured and worrisome, voice like an angel, childishly sweet, yet too eager to please. Isabella Gresham (Garden of the Midnights)—spoiled and excitable, with raven black hair and an art for entering social circles with impeccable grace and exquisiteness.
I love them, sweet characters of mine.
But I don’t understand them. We’re too different. Like sand and sea, we meet, we touch, we sweep back and forth together but we’re of different substance.
But Eliza Ellis—rather, Eliza Gillingham—is the first character I truly resonate with. Not on purpose. In no wise did I pen her with conscious hints back to myself. But as the story progressed, I found my heart reaching out to her, settling into her.
Because she was the same.
The way she thought, the things she imagined, her forest and her pet and her stories. I comprehended what made her hurt. I understood the dream world she lived in, because I live in a dream world too.
So, if anyone asks me, “Do you see yourself in any of your characters?”, I’ll pull The Girl from the Hidden Forest from the bookshelf and hand it to them. I’ll tell them Eliza and I are like kindred spirits, that we’ve bridged a friendship between reality and fiction.
Whether you’re a reader or a writer, I hope you stumble upon a character one day that feels like you. It’s a strange and special feeling indeed.
Choices her father made before she was even born reached a bony finger into her life, clouding her future with hopelessness. Her father’s cold heart had no room for her. He easily cast her aside when the Law permitted it. Defined as an outcast because of a physical infirmity, Priscilla was told death was her destiny. Despite the limited perspective brought about by years of adversity, Priscilla fought to keep hope alive and wait for the Lord’s timing.
Aquila lost his father at the most critical time in his life. Battling against grief and bitterness, Aquila uncovers a secret about his father’s death that undermines his faith in a religious system that once defined him. Driven from his homeland, Aquila becomes someone he no longer recognizes.
Two people whose perspectives are skewed by adversity become divinely intertwined in mysterious ways. As they wait upon the Lord for His timing, would Priscilla and Aquila ever find the truth that would lift their eyes to the hills so they could see the purpose of life, not only between a man and a woman but between God and His creation? A poignant story about how God uses adversity for good in the lives of those who truly love and trust Him.
Now enjoy an interview with author D.M. Griffin and writing The Crooked Daughter.
1. Do you like music or silence when you write?
Answer: I definitely prefer solitude when I write, but that doesn’t translate to silence. It is just harder for me to write when people are around. Interruptions are difficult to handle when I am drafting a novel. I enjoy background ambient music that matches the mood of the story I am writing.
2. Do you enjoying writing stand alone stories or series? And Why?
Answer: I enjoy writing series rather than stand-alone books. Other than my prayer books and devotionals, the novels are all series-based. I think that is because I like reading series of books rather than stand-alone. I tend to write an entire series before I publish even one book in the series. This was a bit of a challenge for the longer series that had twelve books. I had to wait four years before publishing them. Four book series are much easier to write. Once I get the series done and edited, then I focus on publishing.
3. Which scene, character or plotline in The Crooked Daughter changed the most from first draft to published book?
Answer: I ended up changing the main characters in the story from the first draft to the published edition. I started with the intention of writing separately about the crooked woman in the gospels and Priscilla and Aquila in Acts. I was going to have them meet one another and weave the story together that way, but it was too splintered. So, I ended up taking creative liberty in combining the two characters mentioned in the Bible into one person. It was risky for Biblical Fiction, but the core of The Crooked Daughter isn’t a historical narrative. It is a thematic one about healing, the purpose of suffering, and how pain can distract us from recognizing our Healer. I think the story flows better by connecting Priscilla’s backstory with that of the crooked woman.
4. Your favorite thing about writing?
Answer: I think my favorite thing about writing is getting to know my characters. I am an introverted person by nature. When I write, I am surrounded by so many characters that it can feel a little overwhelming. As an only child, I often feel as if they become like brothers and sisters as I craft a novel. Writing Biblical Fiction immerses me in Scripture with a depth that chisels my imagination and brings me to new levels of devotion in studying and reading my Bible.
5. What are your hobbies besides writing?
Answer: Besides writing, I love to read. I also take daily walks around the lake by my house. I work part-time. I crochet prayer shawls. I like to draw and journal. I work on my website. I design my own book covers which I have fun doing. I really like having lunch with friends when I can. I also travel to visit my son and his family while they are stationed across the country.
6. If you had one piece of advice for new writers, what would it be?
Answer: One piece of advice for new writers is: Don’t give up. Someone told me that when I first started out, and it has been an anchor for me. The process can be extremely discouraging. (Negative reviews are hard on the heart) But with every novel, even with every review, a writer can become better at the craft. The key is to fight through the discouragement.
My thanks to D.M. Griffin for taking the time to answer my questions. I enjoyed your answers very much and I know my followers and visitors will as well.
About the Author
D.M. Griffin is the author of several Biblical Fiction novels as well as devotionals, prayer journals, and Bible studies. She will be releasing a Christian Fantasy series in 2025. She currently resides in Northern California with her husband. They met in middle school a few days after she was transplanted to the West Coast at the tender age of twelve. She has three adult children who have been an endless source of delight and inspiration. She also has a precious new grandchild who brings her joy.
As a native New England girl, she fondly remembers spending her summers there as a child. Thick accents, small towns, and fascinating weather stirred the imagination of a young heart. She has always had a fondness for stories thanks to her imaginative mother who would make up wild, adventurous tales to tell when tucking her into bed as a child.
She truly believes that a book that sits on a shelf unread is like a planted seed that never blossoms. Nothing delights her more than sharing a story.
More from D.M.
My inspiration for writing The Crooked Daughter is multi-faceted. First of all, I was intrigued by the unnamed characters in the Bible who had a single extraordinary encounter with Jesus. The woman who was bent over for eighteen years was one of the four that I selected for The Encounter Series.
Though there were few verses dedicated to this woman, I felt the deeper pull of a story tucked inside the folds of those verses describing Jesus healing her on the Sabbath. I wondered what her story was. What led her there that day? Did she go searching for Him or did Jesus pick her out of the crowd?
Reading that the woman was in that condition for eighteen years is worthy of pondering. I think a lot of times when we read Scripture, we miss the impact of time’s passage. As someone who has suffered from back pain for many years, I could relate to the crooked woman’s story. Eighteen years is a long time to be bent over. The longest I had to remain in a bent position was three weeks. It is extremely difficult to move through the world when the only thing you can see is the ground. Pain is bad enough to endure. Pain for eighteen years must have been excruciating. I know when I am in pain my mood and attitude definitely need adjustment. I would have been a monster after eighteen years!
Developing Priscilla’s character challenged me as a writer. As someone who suffered an early rejection in life only to endure physical infirmity on her own, I didn’t want her to become embittered the way most would after enduring such a trial. There was a delicate balance between lamenting her fate and holding onto hope as it slipped away. Therefore, I introduced the playful, furry character – a dog named Patch.
Aquila’s character was complex and layered. While he was physically able-bodied, his heart was agonizing with grief, responsibility, and disillusioned faith. He was a man who could stand straight even while his soul was bent over.
I have always been intrigued by Aquila and Priscilla in the Bible. As an inspirational couple who served the Lord together, I enjoyed weaving the threads of their story into the fictional account about the crooked woman. I believe that love soothes the wounds of suffering. Falling in love straightens the crooked perspectives of circumstances. Who doesn’t enjoy a good love story that culminates in a strong, enviable marriage?
In The Crooked Daughter, the main character’s condition is symbolic of the political climate of those days. The religious leaders were the ones who were bent over, their perspective about God’s acceptance of people horribly skewed under the heaviness of pride. They could not lift their eyes to the heavens to recognize the Messiah in their midst. Their hearts were hunched under the weight of selfish ambition and prejudicial attitudes. Condemnation was the chain that kept them bound, unable to see the horizon of eternity.
Physical infirmities are horrible to endure. Even worse are the infirmities of the soul. So many things can truly bend us away from God – rejection, selfishness, anger, grief, regret. Thankfully, Jesus is more than a healer. He is our Savior. I truly enjoyed exploring these themes throughout The Crooked Daughter. I hope that readers come away from the story with hope as an anchor for hard times. God truly uses all things for good when we trust in His plan.
A ruthless murderer. A deadly secret. An unbreakable love.
After the brutal murder of her mother and brother twelve years ago, Corina Roberts built a new life in Kentucky. But when strange things begin to happen, she is thrust into a perilous game of life and death. With nowhere else to turn, her best hope of survival depends on her ex-boyfriend, army veteran Bryce Jessup.
Recently returned from service, Bryce has every intention of staying away from Corina, but when threats close in around her, he isn’t willing to leave her safety to chance. As their search for answers uncovers lethal secrets her detective father kept hidden, Bryce and Corina must untangle the mystery of the merciless killer intent on terrorizing and eliminating Corina’s family before it’s too late.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Secondary Target is an action packed fast paced thriller that grabs your attention from the very first page. This debut book from author Angela Carlisle will keep you turning the pages until the very end of the book.
Corina Roberts is being targeted and didn’t know why. She turns to her ex-boyfriend, army veteran Bryce Jessup, though this is not the ideal situation Corina wanted. As they search Corina’s dad, Will’s office, hopefully they will find what is going on. But things start happening before they can completely finish their search. When Will goes missing, it’s time to get the police involved and see who is doing all of the attacks on Corina and her dad.
Author Angela Carlisle writes a fabulous debut read in Secondary Target. I always enjoy a reading a good action packed, fast paced thriller and this is why I love loved reading this book. This one will get a second read from me. Corina and Bryce were my favorite, by far. I enjoyed their interactions as the attacks on Corina forced them together to go after the one who is responsible. I was scared for them several times, but I knew they would more than likely make it to the end. It’s was just scary getting there. I was stumped for the entire book on who was after Corina. I was in total shock, which I loved. Again, Carlisle does an amazing job keeping readers guessing throughout the story. I will be watching for book two in this series. I can’t wait to read more from this fabulous author.
I’ll not tell any more of the story, you need to read it for yourself. I’m giving Secondary Target Five Stars, and it is well deserving of each star.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Praise for Secondary Target:
“A thrilling debut that pulled me in from the first scene and kept me enthralled until the final page.” LYNN H. BLACKBURN, bestselling and award-winning author
“Carlisle’s debut is a fast-paced thrill ride.” JESSICA R. PATCH, award-winning author of The Garden Girls
“Angela Carlisle weaves action-packed suspense that keeps the reader turning pages.” LIZ BRADFORD, author of the Knoxville FBI series
“A riveting debut novel from Angela Carlisle guaranteed to intrigue you from page one to the very end.” JAIME JO WRIGHT, bestselling and award-winning author of Night Falls on Predicament Avenue
Book Details:
Genre: Romantic Suspense Published by: Bethany House Publishers Publication Date: May 7, 2024 Number of Pages: 336 ISBN: 9780764242502 (ISBN10: 0764242504) Series: The Secrets of Kincaid, Book 1 Book Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Baker Book House
Read an excerpt:
1
Security alarms shattered the autumn morning’s tranquility.
The mechanical shrieks pierced Corina Roberts’s consciousness, dissipating any lingering fog of sleep.
Not again.
She threw back the covers and rolled from the bed, revolver drawn from the nightstand before her feet touched the polished oak floor. She shoved the holster into her pocket but didn’t bother searching for her phone. Her dad’s security system was configured exactly like her own and would send a notification to the police within thirty seconds of being triggered if they didn’t shut it off. Help would be here soon enough. In the meantime, she’d be prepared to protect herself if necessary.
As she reached for the bedroom door, her German shepherd howled, creating a dissonant chorus with the wailing alarm. Shivers chased themselves up her spine. Her hand tightened around the revolver’s rose–wood–and–steel grip, and a fraction of her tension melted away. The .38 Special LadySmith fit her hand perfectly.
Hopefully, she wouldn’t need it.
She sucked in a deep breath and glanced over her shoulder. “Houston. Quiet.”
The howling broke off abruptly, but agitation continued to radiate from him. Before she had the door fully open, he burst through it, nearly knocking her off–balance in the process.
She slipped into the darkened hallway after him and caught sight of her father already standing at the front door, his own gun held in a ready position as he peered out the peephole. He would have checked the security monitor as soon as the alarms started. Whatever triggered them must be somewhere along the front of the house. The bright glow of motion–sensing lights beyond his position confirmed it.
“What is it?” She raised her voice to be heard over the alarm.
“I don’t know yet. Stay back.” He didn’t look her direction as he crept from the peephole to the edge of a nearby window and parted the blinds with his finger. Seconds passed. They were well past the requisite thirty now. “Turn the alarm off.”
Keeping to the perimeter of the entryway, she did as he asked. Sudden silence engulfed the home, but her eardrums still pulsed with the electronic rhythm of the previous few moments.
She glanced at her dad, and he signaled her to wait. Together they listened, but no sound carried through the door. Whoever had set off the alarm had probably been frightened away. Or were they merely biding their time?
Her dad bent down until his lips were close to her ear. “I’m going out the back to have a look around.”
She latched onto his arm as he started to turn away. “Wait for the police, Dad.”
“If anyone’s still out there, the police will scare them off.”
“Then let them get scared off.” Her voice rose on the last words, and he pressed a finger to her lips.
“Shh. I know what I’m doing. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He extracted himself from her grasp as he spoke.
Something akin to panic wrapped around her chest as he strode down the hallway. She had to stop him from doing something reckless. Something that could get him killed.
She followed him to the spare bedroom and found him unlocking a window. Even with the alarm off, he couldn’t use the back door without setting off the motion sensors. A window was his only option. But a window wouldn’t do much good if he needed to make a quick reentry.
“Don’t go out there, Dad.” Corina tried to still the slight tremble in her voice. She hated sounding weak, but more than that, she knew it would only feed her dad’s protective instincts.
“I need to, Corina.”
“Why? So you can play hero?” She refused to cringe at the implication of her words or take them back. Her dad didn’t play hero—-and they both knew it. But she never understood why he was always adamant about investigating threats on his own. Almost as if he didn’t trust the police to do their jobs.
He didn’t answer her. Just started easing the window upward. He wasn’t going to listen, so she said the first thing she could think of. “Fine. I’m going with you.”
Her wild shot hit its mark. Her dad stopped midmotion and turned back to face her. Even in the near darkness, she could see the steel in his gaze.
“No. You’re not. Stay here and keep Houston close.” Quiet finality rang in his words, but she lifted her chin in defiance, tamping the fear that threatened her control.
“I’m not a child, and if you’re going, so am I.”
“Corina, I know you’re not a child, but I don’t have time to argue with you. Stay. Here.” He fixed her with a look that had once made hardened criminals sweat.
She met it. Matched it. And waited.
The faint sound of a quickly approaching vehicle interrupted their glaring match and saved her further argument. The car stopped at their house, strobing lights announcing the police had arrived.
Her dad frowned and brushed past her to let them inside. He wasn’t happy, but he was safe. She’d stalled him long enough.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Corina leaned back against the wall as red and blue lights bounced around her. She slipped her revolver into her pocket holster, then clasped her arms across her chest to hide the trembling in her hands.
Buried memories surfaced, and she fought a wave of nausea. Not now. She clenched her fists and forced herself to focus on the present until the feeling subsided. She’d dwell on the past another day. Maybe.
***
Bryce Jessup’s hands stilled in the middle of his fifty–third rep. Police lights flashed outside his front window, and they weren’t just passing by. Not normal for sleepy Kincaid, Kentucky, especially at four in the morning. He lowered the barbell to its resting place and removed the headphones pumping upbeat music into his ears.
He tossed a towel around his neck before moving to peer outside. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of a cruiser parked across the street. Corina doesn’t live there anymore, he reminded himself. His sister had assured him of that.
Her father hadn’t moved, though.
Concern for the overly private man prompted him to step outside. He ignored the midforties temps and focused on the two officers from the local PD standing on the Robertses’ porch. With their backs to him, he couldn’t identify them. Truth was, he might not know them anyway. It had been several years since he’d spent more than a week or two in his hometown. Change in a small town might be stilted, but it was still inevitable.
Will Roberts stepped into view, leaving the door open behind him. Okay, so he was safe. Bryce held his breath, trying to hear the low voices, but he was too far away.
A flash of fur caught his eye as a familiar—-though now fully grown—-German shepherd pushed around Will to investigate the officers and the mess littered about the porch. A mess Bryce hadn’t noticed until now. He eyed the upturned trash can.
“Houston. Inside.” The command came from somewhere behind Will. The feminine voice was one Bryce knew all too well. His gaze settled on a shadow in the darkened doorway. His jaw tensed. So Corina was there after all. Why would Allye tell him she’d moved if she hadn’t?
When his mom had offered to rent him their old home upon his return from active duty, he’d put her off with excuses, not caring to voice the real reason behind his hesitation. Allye wasn’t fooled, though. At least she’d had the decency to wait until their mom was out of earshot before flatly informing him that Corina had moved. She hadn’t called him a coward, hadn’t even insinuated it. But he’d felt like one just the same as he took his mom up on her offer.
Now he just felt like a fool.
He truly intended to seek Corina out at some point—-try to make things right. But he had no intention of seeing her day after day in the neighborhood where they’d shared so many memories. That was asking too much.
Far too much. He cleared his throat, and Houston’s head shot up. Now you’ve done it, Jessup.
“Houston.” Corina’s call was slightly louder this time.
Houston glanced at the doorway. Back at Bryce. Back at the door-way. In an instant, he was off the porch and making a beeline for him. Bryce braced himself for the impact of paws against his chest. “Oof!” Houston had definitely grown since the last time he’d seen him.
He grunted and pushed the excited animal off him. “Down.” Without taking his eyes off the scene across the street, Bryce bent to ruffle the fur on the dog’s neck. “So you remember me, huh, boy?”
One of the officers turned, and he recognized Mike Broaddus, a senior member of their small department and one affectionately dubbed “Officer Mike” whether on or off duty. Although Mike was the type to keep a bag of candy in his patrol car just in case he had a chance to treat the neighborhood kids, he could also hold his own against any criminal likely to show up in this town.
As the man began walking toward him, Bryce straightened and pointed at the Robertses’ house. “Go home, Houston.” The dog sauntered off, taking his time but headed in the right direction.
“Well, if it isn’t Bryce Jessup. I’d heard you came back.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Bryce nodded, then gestured to the Robertses’ home. “Some excitement this morning?”
“Yeah.” Officer Mike scratched his head. “Something triggered his alarm system. You didn’t happen to see anything, did you?”
“Sorry, no. I was up but didn’t look outside until just now.”
“Figures. Eric’s taking a look around, but there’s no evidence anyone made it inside—-or even tried to, if you discount the alarms.” The man sighed. “I’d better get back over there.”
“You mind if I come with you?” Bryce could have kicked himself the instant the request popped out of his mouth.
Officer Mike quirked an eyebrow. “You and Corina back together?”
“No.” His lips firmed, and he was thankful for the darkness that hid the heat rising in his neck. Officer Mike and everyone else had been aware of their previous relationship. And why it ended.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to hit on a touchy subject.”
Bryce waved him off. “Not touchy. That ship sailed a long time ago.” Five years ago next month to be exact.
“Understood.” Officer Mike turned away. “I suppose it won’t hurt. Just don’t touch anything.”
“Thanks.” Bryce followed the officer across the street, still trying to figure out why he’d asked to come. He paused at the edge of the Robertses’ porch and glanced at the still–open door. No Corina. He wasn’t sure whether he was more relieved or disappointed. As much as he dreaded their inevitable meeting, he couldn’t help wondering how the last five years had treated her.
Will had his back to him and didn’t seem to notice his presence, but the other cop who’d arrived with Mike caught his eye and nodded. Eric Thornton. Of all the guys he’d attended high school with, Eric was the last one Bryce would have expected to hang around Kincaid this long. Maybe things had changed even less than he’d thought.
Bryce returned the nod, then allowed his gaze to travel the area. Might as well be useful while he was here. His eyes landed again on the upturned trash can. This was garbage day, so it had probably been full—-hence the mess. But he saw nothing that should have set off the alarm. Nothing unless . . .
On a hunch, he circled the outside perimeter of the porch, paying careful attention to a muddy patch near one corner. Yep. There they were. He motioned to the men. “Hey, I have some footprints over here.”
2
Corina surveyed what she could of the front porch from her position just inside the doorway. It wasn’t much, and she couldn’t see the impressions Bryce Jessup was chuckling about, but a raccoon had apparently been a recent visitor.
Why is Bryce even here? She peeked around the corner and caught a glimpse of him in an undershirt and sweats. His shoulders were broader than she remembered. Her already racing heart hit the accelerator, and she promptly wrote it a speeding ticket. She’d prefer to revoke its license. The traitorous thing. Hoping he hadn’t noticed her, she ducked back out of sight.
Last she’d heard, Bryce was stationed out of the country. She tried to recall how long it had been since that news. Six months—a year, maybe? She shook her head. No matter. But it was strange that Allye, his sister and her semi–housemate, hadn’t mentioned his return. Not that Corina had asked about him, but if she’d known he was in town, she might have done things differently. Like schedule a vacation in Florida while her side of their duplex was being renovated instead of arranging to stay with her father.
“How likely is it for a raccoon to set off an alarm?” The skepticism in her dad’s voice pulled her attention back to the present.
Eric released a laugh so brief it was barely more than a breath. “I don’t know how likely it is, but it’s entirely possible. One broke into my attic through a loose window once and made it through more than one closed door in its search for food. They can turn a knob almost as easily as a human.”
And her dad’s system was purposely wired to respond to even the slightest provocation. He’d chosen the specifications with care.
“I still want to take a look around.” Her dad was clearly unwilling to pin their wake–up call on a woodland creature until he’d exhausted every other possibility. And as a former PI, he had to be part of the investigation.
“No problem. We’ll do the same.” Eric didn’t sound bothered by her dad’s interference. The local police were used to it by now.
Corina breathed a sigh of relief as the voices faded and the group moved to the backyard. Despite what her dad thought, she was convinced any other evidence would confirm the raccoon theory. It had all been a false alarm, as it always was.
Her dad would be fine.
She started to close the door, then realized Houston was still outside. Without a fenced–in front yard, she couldn’t leave him out there running loose. Why hadn’t he come when she called? Usually he was better behaved, but if there was a raccoon to track, there was no telling how far he’d go before coming home.
She muttered under her breath as she opened the hall closet and snatched a dark denim jacket from its hanger. Houston would choose to run off at a time like this. Without taking the time to retrieve socks, she slipped on a pair of boots and stomped outside.
And almost into Bryce’s muscular arms. Sidestepping to avoid him, she tripped over the garbage can lid. His reflexes saved her balance but not her pride.
“Sorry if I scared you,” Bryce said as she pulled away. A tight smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, hinting at the familiar dimple in his left cheek.
Straightening, she shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and ignored his comment. And the dimple. She wasn’t about to explain her reaction. “I’m looking for Houston. Have you seen him?”
The smile disappeared. “A few minutes ago, but he was headed this way.”
“Well, he didn’t come back inside.” She pushed past him, careful this time to avoid the obstacle course on the porch. Unsure which way to go once she reached the street, she paused beneath a tree and cupped her hands around her mouth. Just as quickly, she dropped them. It was still early. If any of the neighbors had managed to get back to sleep after the ruckus they’d caused, she didn’t want to wake them now by yelling her dog’s name. Again.
A whistle pierced the air, and she turned a sour look on Bryce.
“What?”
Before she could say anything, she heard Houston’s bark—-immediately followed by the crack of a gunshot and a pained yelp.
“Houston!”
***
Bryce tackled Corina as the cry tore from her lips. Covering her with his body, he scanned the area. At this hour, not even the faintest tinge of amber colored the horizon. Motion–sensing lights still shone on the Robertses’ house, but their glow didn’t penetrate this area of the yard. Good.
But that meant he couldn’t see anything close to them either. And he had no idea where the single shot had originated. Canine whimpering indicated its destination, though.
“Get. Off.” Corina struggled beneath him.
He shifted his weight so he wasn’t squashing her and received an elbow to the chest as thank–you. Corina’s only response to his grunt was to push him farther away and stand.
“Wait.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.
“Houston’s out there,” she hissed.
“I know, and so is someone with a trigger–happy finger.”
She pursed her lips, then focused on something behind him. He turned to follow her gaze. Nothing more than darkened houses met his eyes, but Corina took advantage of his shifted attention. With a quick twist, she broke his grip on her arm and took off at a run.
He stood and puffed out a breath as he headed after her. They should have waited for Officer Mike and Eric to join them. That’s what he would have told her if she’d taken the time to listen. Now no one would know their position when they came to investigate.
It was too late for that now. He couldn’t let Corina go off alone with an active shooter on the loose. At least she had sense enough to keep to the shadows as she searched for her pet. With her dark clothing, only her long blond ponytail stood out against the blackness surrounding them.
When she disappeared around a bend in the road, Bryce quickened his pace to catch up and almost bowled her over when he made the turn himself. Crouching next to Houston under a dim streetlight, Corina murmured soothingly in the German shepherd’s ear. Her fingers probed his fur, searching for wounds.
Bryce ran his eyes over the dog, evaluating him as best he could in the light they had. Houston was standing—-shaky, but standing. And the blood on the pavement appeared to be minimal. Maybe he wasn’t hurt badly after all. Please, God. It would crush Corina to lose her dog.
“How is he?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Houston yelped as Corina moved to his back legs. Blood marked the hand she snatched back. “Found it,” she muttered.
“Can you tell how bad it is?”
She shook her head. “I think just a graze, but I can’t be sure in this light.” She yanked off her jacket and reached for the injured leg again. “Hold still, Houston.”
Bryce arrested her hand. “Wait. Use this.” He pulled the towel from his shoulders and offered it to her. He’d almost forgotten it was there.
She hesitated only a second before accepting it. With gentle quickness, she wrapped it around the wounded limb, securing the ends together with an elastic band pulled from her hair.
“Thanks.” She slipped back into her jacket. “Who would do this?” Disgust coated her words as she surveyed the surrounding houses. The homes of their longtime neighbors.
Bryce followed her gaze. Who indeed? And why? There weren’t many good reasons to fire a gun within city limits. Did the shooter hate dogs? Mistake Houston for a coyote? Or did he have something to hide? Like an attempted break–in.
Maybe they’d been too quick to blame everything on the foraging raccoon.
One thing he was sure of. Whoever it was hadn’t gone far in the last couple of minutes. The three of them needed to get out of the open. Besides, the cops would be searching for the shooter by now, maybe even calling in backup. And they didn’t know he and Corina had left the house. Dodging friendly fire was not something Bryce wanted to do ever again.
And as soon as Corina’s dad noticed her absence, he’d work himself into a protective frenzy. The man’s temper was volatile when it came to his daughter. That overbearing protectiveness was the only thing Bryce hadn’t missed after he and Corina broke up. He understood it to a degree—-he’d be protective himself if he had a daughter, especially one like Corina—-but Will took things a little too far.
They needed to get back. The sooner the better.
Bryce looked at Houston. “We need to get him back to the house and get a better look at that wound.”
“I know, but I’m not sure how well he can walk.” Corina reached into a pocket, then frowned. “And I don’t have my phone. You don’t happen to have yours, do you?”
Bryce shook his head. There had been no need to grab it before leaving the house. He hadn’t planned on going anywhere.
“Why don’t you head back and get my dad to drive up here and get us?”
And leave her alone in the meantime? Did she not realize the shooter might still be close by?
“I don’t think so.” Without waiting for a response, Bryce bent and lifted Houston onto his shoulders, taking care not to touch the wounded area. The dog whined but didn’t fight him. Good thing too. He wasn’t a small animal—-probably weighed close to eighty pounds. At least they only had a quarter mile or so to go.
Corina stood with him. As they turned back the way they’d come, a tingling feeling settled on his back—-the unmistakable sense of being watched.
He spun and stared into the darkness.
“What’s wrong?” Corina’s voice barely reached his ears. Her hand inched toward a slightly bulging pocket. Was she carrying? Probably.
He wished he were.
He shook his head and held his position a moment longer. Nothing moved, and only Houston’s heavy breathing disturbed the predawn quiet. But the feeling didn’t go away.
“Something’s off,” he finally said. “We need to go. Now.”
His jaw twitched as he turned his back to the potential threat and ushered Corina around the bend. Back toward the safety of her home. If he were alone and armed, he would investigate. But he wasn’t alone, nor did he own a gun. And he wasn’t foolish enough to walk around in the dark while the cops were searching for an active shooter.
He blew out a breath.
“You okay?” Corina asked, glancing at him.
“Fine.” He didn’t expound further. They didn’t have far to go now and were close enough to see the increased activity around Will’s property. A third police car had joined the pair already parked at the curb, and another was just pulling onto the opposite end of the street.
As they neared the house, a bright light suddenly switched on, partially blinding them.
“Freeze. Police.” Eric’s voice rang out from behind the light.
“It’s just us,” Bryce said, complying with the demand.
“Bryce? Corina?” Eric grunted and lowered his flashlight. “What are you doing wandering around? You could’ve gotten yourself shot.”
“Somebody shot Houston,” Corina blurted before Bryce had a chance to respond.
“Houston?” The officer turned his light to the dog, who still rested on Bryce’s shoulders. “How bad is it?”
“Leg wound. Probably not too bad, but he’ll need a vet to check him out.”
“Where’d you find him?”
“Up the road a bit. Let me drop him off, and I can show you.”
“All right.” Eric let them continue on to the house.
When they arrived, Corina held the front door open and directed him to place Houston on a towel in the large master bathroom.
“Thanks,” she murmured.
“You’re welcome.” He wanted to tell her how risky it had been to go after the animal, but watching her retrieve a first aid kit and tend to her pet, he didn’t have the heart to.
He headed for the porch, where Eric waited. As he exited the house, he heard a frantic voice behind him.
“Where have you been?”
Will.
Bryce winced and glanced over his shoulder at the nearly shouted words. The question hadn’t been aimed at him. The man was focused on the bathroom.
Bryce almost turned back to defend her actions, even though he didn’t agree with them, but it wouldn’t do any good. Corina was Will’s only living child, and she’d put herself in danger.
Eric caught his eye and gestured toward the road. “Show me.”
Bryce nodded, tuning out the argument behind him. Corina could hold her own. She always did.
Right now, it was more important for the police to figure out what happened this morning, and taking them to the spot they’d found Houston was the best thing he could do to help. The dog might have moved after the shot, but if he had, the police could follow the blood trail to find his original position. Then they could work on determining where the shot had come from.
And who fired it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt from Secondary Target by Angela Carlisle. Copyright 2024 by Angela Carlisle. Reproduced with permission from Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Angela Carlisle (AngelaCarlisle.com) resides in the hills of northern Kentucky and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and The Christian PEN. Angela is an editor by day and prefers to spend her free time reading, baking, and drinking ridiculous quantities of hot tea. Her unpublished works have won awards in ACFW’s Genesis and First Impressions contests and placed in the Daphne du Maurier contest. Her shorter fiction works, including the prize-winning flash-fiction piece “Mansion Murderer,” have appeared in Splickety and Spark magazines.
Book: Do You Have the Courage to Be You? 10th Anniversary Edition: A Guide to Discover Your Unique Identity and World-changing Destiny
Author: Jenny Williamson
Genre: Nonfiction Christian Living: Personal Memoirs/Personal Growth
Release Date: September 30, 2023
There is no one else like you.
You are an exceptional work of art.
You are special, unique, and original.
If all this is true, then why do we strive so hard for most of our lives to look and act like everyone else? We spend more time trying to reinvent ourselves than we do getting to know ourselves. It is critical to knowyou, love you, and value you so that you can be and do all you were created for.
Did you know there is somebody on this earth waiting for you to be you? When you are being you . . . the you God created you to be . . . lives will be changed, history will be made, and prayers will be answered. If you don’t dream it, create it, write it, tell it, sing it, or build it, it will never be done. Lives are literally at stake.
Part memoir and part self-help book, Do You Have the Courage to Be You? tells the story of Jenny Williamson and how she left her ordinary, comfortable life to start an international nonprofit that creates safe homes for children being sold for sex. Her journey of purpose guides readers to find their unique identity and uncover their passion, calling, and mission for life. What does it mean to have the courage to be you? What thought patterns or belief systems keep you stuck? What will you need to face the challenges? Jenny answers these questions in this revised edition of this powerful book. Reading it might just set you on the path to fulfilling your destiny.
Now join me for a unique interview with the author.
Today author Jenny Williamson answers questions about her writing.
1. What do you like best about writing non-fiction?
A. That I can draw on how God works and has worked in my life and the life of others. Our story is His story, and it is worth sharing with others.
2. What do you hope readers will take away from this story?
A. My hope is that readers will come to know that this book is all about them and for them. They were created on purpose for a water-walking, giant-slaying, history-making purpose! I hope they will also desire to find their purpose and be inspired to move forward into what God has for them. I wrote a 10-week study to help them do just that called Uniquely You: A Faith-Driven Journey to Your True Identity and Water-Walking, Giant-Slaying, History-Making Destiny.
3. Do you prefer writing in silence or to music? A. Total silence with a view of nature!
4. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? A. A mom and a missionary to faraway places.
5. Your favorite pastime or hobby? A. Hiking, and I just started playing Pickle Ball!
6. Do you have a favorite vacation spot? A. Anywhere there are both mountains and the ocean.
7. Give us 6 things your readers may not know about you. Answer: 1. I have ridden a camel. 2. I started a nonprofit for minor female victims of sex trafficking. 3. I became a foster mom. 4. I am from Mississippi but live right outside Lake Tahoe in California. 5. I love to hike and snow ski. 6. I am a grandmother.
8. Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans? A. In my experience as a speaker, speaking on the topic of identity and destiny, I have found that the vast majority of individuals I meet do not believe they were created on purpose for a purpose and have no idea who God created them to be! This book not only tells my story of how I started Courage Worldwide and conquered some very deep-seated fears, but it addresses God-given identity issues and much more, hopefully inspiring readers to step out and pursue the calling God has on their lives.
Thank you to the author for answering these questions. I hope you all have read them and you now know a little more about Jenny Williamson. Don’t forget to check out her other book she mentions in this interview, A 10 week study, Uniquely You: A Faith-Driven Journey to Your True Identity and Water-Walking, Giant-Slaying, History-Making Destiny.
About the Author
Jenny Williamson is the Founder and CEO of Courage Worldwide, an international nonprofit that builds Courage Houses for children recovered from sex trafficking around the world. Jenny is known for her contagious energy, her motivational speeches, and her passion for changing the world. She is an international speaker and courageously is and does all God created her for and absolutely refuses to settle for less. She encourages everyone she meets to do the same. Jenny and her family live in Northern Nevada.
More from Jenny
I wrote this book because, for most of my life, I believed I was created without talent, gifts, or any special ability to offer this world. Growing up, I was told I was too loud, too bossy, too stubborn . . . and too much! I didn’t believe God had created anything special in me, and I certainly didn’t believe I had a water-walking, giant-slaying, history-making destiny. I so wanted to matter—to make a difference in this world, but I didn’t believe I had anything special to offer . . . until I began reading my Bible—for myself!
Though I was raised in the Bible Belt of the South, went to church five times a week, am a seventh-generation Christian, and have a mother who speaks King James (any question you ask my mother about anything, she will answer you with a Bible Verse), I never had read the entire Bible cover to cover. I didn’t have to. I knew all the stories. They start teaching them in “Sunday School” every year and then repeat them the next. These stories didn’t “wow” me because I knew how they all ended. Abraham does have a son. Joseph does get out of the pit and prison. David does become King. Daniel doesn’t get eaten by lions, and Jesus doesn’t stay in the grave.
However, in my search for meaning and purpose, I picked up my Bible and started reading it from the beginning—word for word. In that search, I found the most astonishing thing: God uses the most ordinary people, often dysfunctional, without great talent, to literally change the world! In that journey of reading, a tiny spark was lit inside of me that turned into a burning flame of desire to be and do all God created me to. It was then I heard the whisper, “Do you have the courage to be you—you I created?” I embarked on the life-changing journey of discovering first who I was and what I was created to do. When I discovered those two things, I wanted to share this truth with everyone who crossed my path!
You, too, have been created on purpose for a water-walking, giant-slaying, history-making purpose. Mine led me to help children who were being sold for sex. I wonder where yours will lead you? I pray this book encourages you on that journey!
Cross the grid. Survive the storms. Let your destiny burn.
When mankind’s attempts to control nature backfire, Texas descends into a wasteland. Storms rage and ravenous beasts roam the Outer Grid. The only safe havens rest inside the tech-obsessed domed cities. But when her parents are murdered inside the Plex City dome, seventeen-year-old Juniper Conway wants revenge.
Ties to her extended family threaten to pull her back as she runs from city to city. The Plex is endangering its citizens by legalizing a deadly nano drug, and Juniper’s family needs her help to deliver the counteragent. Saving the city who orphaned her goes against everything she stands for. The only way out is to brave the wasteland.
Juniper joins a shipping crew fearless enough to transport food across the Outer Grid. But when a string of bad luck turns lethal, she fears something, or someone, is dragging her back to the Plex. As her world sinks into chaos, Juniper must decide if revenge is worth the lives of the crew she has come to love.
Now,I encourage you to read this unique interview with author Lyndsey Lewellen.
1. Why choose the genre you are writing?
Answer: When I was on vacation to my Grandparent’s house as a child, I would stay in my Grandpa’s downstairs living room to sleep. It had a nice comfy couch and a Grandpa who loved staying up till the wee hours watching the SyFy channel. Sometimes I wished he would go to bed and let me sleep, other times, I wanted to scoot next to him while we watched another episode of Star Trek. My love of science fiction was born, and I never looked back.
2. How long did it take to publish your first novel?
A. My first novel took eleven years to publish. Two of those years were spent not writing a single word. I had given birth to my twins and gave up writing for good. But God had other plans for me. Even though I said no to His calling, he remained faithful to what He put in my heart to do.
3. Which scene was most fun to write? Why? I always love writing big reveal scenes. This is the punchline to a good book. The whole novel, or at least the past few chapters, has been leading up to this point. Why is this character acting this way? What secret are they hiding? What will the other characters think of them if they know the truth? Whose side are they really on? I just love it. Reveals are why we enjoy well-timed jokes. They pay off.
4. What are your hobbies besides writing?
I need silence to write while I am at home. Otherwise, I get too distracted in the music. Especially if that music has lyrics. When I am at a coffee shop, I like to listen to ambient mood music. Sometimes I’ll just listen to futuristic space noises or rain falling on a cyberpunk city. But once I hit the climax, I might listen to some epic soundtrack songs to get me in the right frame of mind.
5. How did you go about developing the setting(s) for this story?
The Chaos Grid takes place in a futuristic Texas wasteland where storms rage and mutant beasts roam the lands between domed cities. The thought of a chaotic world came to me while I was stuck in Dallas traffic. I remember looking out the window wondering what it would be like if everything I saw became uninhabitable and what kind of people would travel that world if they had no choice.
6. Which scene was most fun to write? Why?
A. I always love writing big reveal scenes. This is the punchline to a good book. The whole novel, or at least the past few chapters, has been leading up to this point. Why is this character acting this way? What secret are they hiding? What will the other characters think of them if they know the truth? Whose side are they really on? I just love it. Reveals are why we enjoy well-timed jokes. They pay off.
About the Author
Lyndsey Lewellen grew up on a healthy dose of comic books, punk music, and sci-fi. She infuses all three loves into novels written for young adults. Inside her “what if” worlds, her characters take risks, grow, and fight for what matters. When she’s not writing or whittling down her endless TBR, she designs novel covers and paints on shoes. She lives on a small Texas farm with her best friend/husband, five children, and what some might call a zoo of animals (especially after meeting the peacocks).
More from Lyndsey
“‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.” – Matthew 21:29
No. It’s a word I’ve heard many times over in my early days of parenting five children. In fact, after mama and dada, no was one of their earliest exercises of the English language. My eldest son held the word on the tip of his tongue like a cowboy during a high-noon showdown. Clean your room. No. Do your homework. No. Say you’re sorry. No. My children’s fondness of the word no is not a fluke, they come by it honestly. When something seems too difficult or overwhelming, I let loose the word no without giving it a second thought. At least in my heart I do. Yet, these days, I find myself saying yes while the no lingers on. Which, unless I actually do it, I’m sure is worse.
I think it is easier to follow a no with a yes when you can clearly see your wants are wrong. But what if the no seems justified? Then what?
In The Chaos Grid, Juniper Conway runs into this problem. Growing up in a domed city with all the comforts of weather regulation and short distance teleportation, on the surface, Juniper seems to want for nothing. Nothing except revenge. After her parents are murdered in the city that was supposed to keep her safe from the wasteland outside, she vows never to lift a finger of help for anyone under the Plex City dome.
Her plan goes well at first, bouncing from domed city to domed city, never returning to the Plex. But one day, she is plagued with visions calling her to either help those who took away her family or watch Plex City burn to the ground. Deep emotional wounds cloud Juniper’s judgement. She could never rescue people who caused her such trauma. So, out comes the no.
Only, to say no, Juniper chooses a path through the dangerous Texas wasteland, known as the Outer Grid, filled with mutated beasts, wild storms, and vicious nano drug smugglers. Her only hope of survival rests in the shippers, truck drivers who deliver natural food from the protected farms to the domed cities. But becoming a shipper carries its own costs. Unfortunate events rain down on her as she crosses the Outer Grid, spilling over onto the crew. Eventually, she can no longer write the chaos off as bad luck and must face what it really is—discipline.
It’s in those realizations that we come to a crossroads. When we know our parents, bosses, or especially God disciplines us for what we do wrong, do we change course? It’s a humbling action, I know, specifically when you feel so strongly that you were in the right. But we humans don’t live in a vacuum. The actions we choose today tend to splash consequences onto others, whether good or bad. When that happens, it may cause us to look at ourselves with more of a critical eye. Am I being refined during this difficult time? Or is there a no I’ve said when I should’ve said yes?
For this reason, I believe the Psalmist writes, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” – Psalm 139: 23-24
As far as my children go, I’ve noticed wonderful changes as they grow. My son, for instance, now in high school, still answers my instructions with no at times. But more and more, he stops, assesses the situation, and comes back with a yes, doing what was asked over simply telling me he’d do it. And while I’d like to say his corrective behavior is due to my parenting skills, I know it comes from the Holy Spirit urging him to follow the commands God set up in the beginning. But I think it also comes from watching those in his church community do the same. When we do what we should do, others see it. The practice of doing God’s will over simply saying you’ll do it, whether anyone sees you do it or not, can greatly change our culture. Because God sees it. And His discipline is loving.
Sometimes it takes a good smack upside the head for us to recognize His loving discipline. For Juniper, a wild ride through the post-apocalyptic wasteland might just do the trick. I hope you will follow her down a road of twists, turns, and the journey to do what’s right when every fiber of you being tells you not to.
All the colors displayed in this world that God made— every glorious, fabulous, beautiful shade— show how good God is and will always be. But what is the color of love? Come and see! In What Color is God’s Love?, a little girl and her service dog join their diverse friends through a whirlwind of adventures. As they celebrate the spectacular spectrum of colors God designed, each color invites readers to explore their God-given emotions and becomes a reminder of God’s unchanging character. While encouraging children to acknowledge God’s constant presence with every turn of the page, What Color is God’s Love? also empowers children, with and without disabilities, to play, work, and serve God together, by simply letting the colors of His love shine through them. With each turn of the page, the focus shifts to a specific color—orange, yellow, blue, green, pink, black, white, gray, brown, red, purple. Each lyrical rhyme invites readers to engage with God through empowering and faith-building truth-statements that incite worship and encourage a lifestyle of loving God and neighbors.
About the Author
Xochitl (So-Cheel) Dixon, contributing writer for Our Daily Bread and God Hears Her, is the author of Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. She loves Jesus and people, as she crosses cultural, generational, and international lines with encouraging and sound biblical teaching. Celebrating diversity and inclusion, she advocates for disability awareness with her beautifully diverse family and her service dog, Callie. Her first children’s picture book, Different Like Me, now available in Spanish, is a 2021 ECPA Christian Book Award Children’s Book Finalist. In March 2024, Xochitl’s second picture book, What Color is God’s Love?, is releasing with WaterBrook.
More from Xochitl
The Heart Behind My Story
By Xochitl Dixon
Like most of my writing, What Color is God’s Love? began as an overflow of worship while I prayed and praised God. In 2018, my husband and I had followed God from California to Wisconsin. I’m disabled and can’t drive, so his long hours at work left me feeling isolated while I searched for a new church and new doctors. As the weather became more extreme, I grew more discouraged, frustrated, and resentful. I struggled as I wrote my first 31-day devotional for Our Daily Bread, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. I was praying for people, studying and teaching the Bible every day. So, I couldn’t figure out why I felt so out of touch with God.
When my new puppy, Callie, licked my tears away, I looked out the window and noticed the rain had finally stopped. Rays of sunlight pierced through the dark gray clouds, shining on a white heron that had landed in the greed foliage on the creek’s bank next to our front yard. I wept tears of grateful praise. I wrote the first draft of a free verse poem celebrating God’s loving care for the details in Creation and in the lives of His people.
As I prayed, I realized I had been spending time talking to people about God. However, as the physical, emotional, and mental effects of our transition overwhelmed me, I had stopped spending quality time with God. As I watched the white heron take flight, God led me to Psalm 33:6-9, which became the first What Color is God’s Love? Bookend Bible verse.
I released Waiting for God in 2019 and my first picture book, Different Like Me, in 2020. But God had me tuck that free verse poem away as He dramatically transformed me and the original manuscript over the next few years. I wanted to give young image-bearers what I never had growing up: a safe place to process emotions . . . in God’s presence. I also wanted God’s beautifully diverse image-bearers, people with and without disabilities, to see each color as a reminder of His unchanging character, unlimited power, and unwavering grace, as they experienced His unconditional love flowing for them, in them, and through them.
After I signed the contract in November 2021, God began leading me to the right Bible verses to build the messages for each color I shared. Over time, I created the Breath Prayer Cards as a free download on my website, the YouVersion reading plan, and the devotional for the rest of the colors not shared in the reading plan.
I wanted each color to be a reminder of God’s unchanging character, unlimited power, and unwavering grace as we experience His unconditional love flowing for, in, and through us. More importantly, I began praying that everyone who read What Color is God’s Love? would be inspired to open their Bibles and spend more time with God, including me.
To celebrate her tour, Xochitl is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card, a copy of Different Like Me, and What Color is God’s Love?!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
“God won’t give me more than I can handle? I’m pretty sure He just did.”
After a year of loss and bad choices distance Emma Reynolds from her lifelong beliefs, she finds herself pregnant and alone at a twenty-week ultrasound, hearing the words “incompatible with life.” When her son, Theo, survives birth, she fights to give him the best care possible. As each day passes, Emma’s love for Theo grows—along with her fear of losing him. She can’t understand why God allows her son to suffer.
Seventeen-year-old blogger, Mason Hughes, feels lonely and worthless after his father left their family years ago. When he ignores his mother’s push to “contribute to society,” she volunteers him to help Emma each week. Wishing he’d applied for any other job, Mason has no choice but to grocery shop and practice his rusty social skills with a mother and son he doesn’t know.
Paramedic Ben Sullivan has earned himself the title of “most eligible” bachelor among his friends as they continually set him up on blind dates. While he’d love to avoid the uncomfortable events, his heart can’t help but seek the one thing missing in his life—a marriage like his parents have. If only he could find the woman himself.
As Theo’s tiny life connects them to each other, their loneliness breaks under the love of community, and they will never be the same.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Emma’s Hero is a beautifully written book that will grab your heart and won’t let go. Emma is a scared but determined young lady as she faces life with a special needs son. She will do everything she can to make sure he has the best care possible. With the help of Ben, who is a Paramedic and teenager Mason, life was easier for Emma.
What an amazing debut book by Author Carrie Walker! I cried more than usual as I read this wonderful book. I just love Emma, and and the sweet mom she becomes. And Mason. I love how he develops into the sweetest young guy as the story unfolds. I like how Ben prays for Emma long before he meets her. And the three of these characters will stay with me for a long time, along with the beautiful and sweet Theo. This is for sure a book I will keep and read again. I can’t wait for the second book in this Faith Endures Series, and what Carrie Walker has for us next. I’m giving this special book Five Stars. If you enjoy new authors, or contemporary Christian, or just a good clean book to read, you have to try Emma’s Hero. You will not be disappointed!!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Carrie Walker lives in Michigan with her husband and seven children. From her ten years serving as a high school youth minister, adventures around the globe, and raising a family, many stories have been knit within her heart.
As an avid reader she pens what she loves to read: contemporary stories that bring hope to a hurting world. Weaving romance among storylines of characters in struggle, she aims to show God working in all situations. When she’s not playing board games with her husband, shuttling kids in the Walker bus, or wishing for snow, Carrie can be found at the keyboard bringing those stories to life.
A member of ACFW, ACFW-GL and FHLCW, Carrie’s writing has been recognized in many contests and her debut novel, Emma’s Hero, won the 2020 ACFW First Impressions Contest for Contemporary.
To learn more about Carrie and her writing or to connect with her, follow her on social media! She’d love to hear from you.
More from Carrie
A number of years ago, I walked into a hospital room to visit a young woman I knew whose daughter with semi-lobar holoproscencephaly had been admitted. When I laid my eyes on the beautiful, tiny baby I knew that sweet girl had touched many lives, probably without her mother even knowing. The seed for a story was planted. I’d never written a book before so I ignored it for a long time, but then I witnessed an isolated teen in the school my children went to and that seed of an idea blossomed. Soon, the idea of a baby changing the life of a troubled teen would not leave me alone. And because I believe every book is better with romance, that baby might just have to touch a few other lives 😉 I took writing classes and penned this story over and over until it was right. And now I hand baby Theo to you, and pray he touches your life as well.
To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book (Winner’s choice of eBook or paperback)!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Three strangers stranded in a North Georgia inn confront lies from their pasts and experience the healing power of friendship.
Amanda Sullivan is desperately trying to save her crumbling second marriage. Will celebrating her ninth anniversary with her husband in Blue Ridge breathe new life into their troubled relationship?
Erica Parker suspects her husband is unfaithful. She vows to learn if her distrust is real or imagined.
Wendy Peterson can hardly wait for the birth of her baby with her wealthy husband, until a shopping spree in the quaint tourist town shatters everything.
When a once-in-a-century snowstorm blankets the country and delays their husbands’ arrivals, the perfectionist, the peacemaker, and the socializer find themselves alone at the historic Blue Ridge Inn. During two days of isolation, they overcome the differences in their ages and lifestyles to discover they have a lot in common. As the temperature rises and the snow begins to melt, a stranger delivers shocking news. Their stay at the inn is no accident.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
This women’s fiction starts off with three couples going to the Blue Ridge Inn. All are strangers and at the Inn for different reasons, but they all are stranded buy their husband’s. When a snow storm hits the area, the three women are stranded alone at the Inn.
I have read several books by Pat Nichols and was excited to read this one. I’m glad it is a first in the Blue Ridge series. It will be fun to read the next three books in the series. Blizzard at Blue Ridge Inn is a fabulous setting for this book. I love the blankets of snow over this town and the way the three women form a friendship that stick together. There were several twists and turns, but the one that destroys the three ladies and their marriage has to be the worst. I like how these three pull together, helping each other out as they try to navigate their life after their devastating news that ripped their marriages apart and tried to destroy their lives. The gall of that horrible man. I was happy for Amanda, Erica, and Wendy as they helped one another get over the deceit and get on with their lives. The support from each other was heartwarming.
This is a sweet story that anyone who loves Women’s Fiction will enjoy. You will also enjoy if you love good clean inspirational reads. Being the first in a series gives you the opportunity to stay up to date on the entire series. I’m giving this book Five Stars!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Award-winning author, Pat Nichols is proving it’s never too late to follow your dreams. Nine years after retiring from a twenty-seven-year corporate career with an international beauty company, her love for writing resurfaced and prompted her to launch career number two as a novelist. Now she draws on her experience to write stories with tension-laced challenges and heart-warming triumphs. The Secret of Willow Inn is a 2020 Selah Award winner. Starstruck in Willow Falls is a NGCWC Georgia Peach Award winner. Her short story The Vet and Valentine Day also won a NGCWC Georgia Peach Award.
Pat is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Word Weavers International. She has been featured on WATC Television Atlanta Alive, in Southern Writer’s Magazine, and in Voyager Magazine.
More from Pat
Nestled in Chattahoochee National Forest, Southern Living Magazine named Blue Ridge, Georgia as one of 2022 South’s Best Mountain Towns. The first time my husband and I visited the town, we were impressed with the galleries, shops, Scenic Railway, and the friendly vibe. Although I was writing a series set near Savannah, the idea of Blue Ridge staring in a new series took root. When I finished writing the last book in the Butler Family series the idea had blossomed.
Another trip to the iconic town. This time to identify a setting for book one about Amanda, Erica, and Wendy, strangers who find themselves stranded in a cozy inn during a blizzard. We found the Blue Ridge Inn Bed and Breakfast. Perfect! I pressed the front-door buzzer. When I explained my mission to the woman who responded, she took my number and promised the owner would contact us. An hour later John Lavin met us on the front porch. He graciously gave us a tour and shared the 1890 Victorian home’s history.
Writing a fictional story set in a historic inn steps from the train depot and downtown Blue Ridge was inspiring. In fact, I’ve dedicated Blizzard at Blue Ridge Inn to John and guests who stay at the inn. In June, my husband and I plan to spend our anniversary in the suite reserved for Erica. We’ll ride the train and enjoy dinner at the Black Sheep restaurant, a scene in Blue Ridge series book two. By that time, book three will be finished. Then on to book four.
Can one man’s love win a fragile woman’s heart? After Amaya Alvarado lost her fiancé to a senseless tragedy, she vows never to love again. Two years later, at her grandmother’s request, she travels to Poplar Springs to assist with the mercantile and help care for her ailing grandfather. During a stagecoach accident and a confrontation with nefarious outlaws, she crosses paths with a man named Silas McFadden who rescues her and the other passengers. A bond between them soon forms. Silas is not the man he once was. After a stint on the wrong side of the law, he’s now a respectable rancher in Poplar Springs, Wyoming. After becoming a man of faith, he determines to live his life for the One who gave him a second chance. He just never imagined that second chance might include Amaya. Now all he has to do is ensure his past doesn’t return and destroy his and Amaya’s fragile relationship. Amaya’s and Silas’s friendship soon grows, and she begins to trust him with everything but her heart. Can she push her growing feelings for him aside? After all, isn’t it betraying her fiancé to care for another man the way she has grown to care for Silas? When the past comes back to haunt him and revenge is sought, can Silas protect the woman he has come to love?
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
I was anxious to read Penny Zeller’s new book, Love’s Promise. After reading the others in the series, I had to find out more that was happening in Poplar Springs. It was nice re-connecting with the characters in the other series books as well.
I love historical fiction and this one was fabulous. I love the characters and their development throughout the story. I like how it feels as though I know them personally, which sounds, that’s the way it is sometimes. I found it interesing and sweet that Amaya Alvarado was willing to help with her grandparents and help them with the mercantile. I enjoyed her stay, and especially after she meets Silas. Their relationship was sweet and I loved the was they continued to grow closer together. Penny Zeller does an awesome job writing this historical fiction. She adds just the right amount of twists and turns to keep you reading until the last page. And as always, I really like the way Penny shares her faith through her characters, in a subtle way. I think I’ll stop here in describing the book, you need to read it for yourself.
I’m giving Love’s Promise by Penny Zeller Five Stars! If you enjoy a good clean Christian historical romance, you will love this book, as well as this entire series. Check it out for yourself.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics.
Today Penny is the author of nearly two dozen books. She is also a homeschool mom and a group fitness instructor. Her desire is to assist and nurture women into a closer relationship with Christ.
When Penny is not dreaming up new characters, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters and camping, hiking, canoeing, bicycling/cycling, reading, running, gardening, and playing volleyball.
She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and loves to hear from her readers.
More from Penny
In Love’s Promise, one of the tender memories main male character, Silas McFadden, recalls is, as a young’un, making his Oma carrot cake for her birthday from her favorite recipe.
Big clumsy hands weren’t helpful when it came to cracking the eggs and scooping the batter into the pan. He’d opened the oven door at least twenty times in the course of the cake baking just to be sure he didn’t burn it. For if he did, there were no more ingredients.
The icing was runny, but Oma hadn’t minded. When she finally returned home, Silas had the cake waiting for her. She had cried, told him how much she loved him, and then together, they’d eaten the entire cake that evening.
I’d love to share with you Oma’s recipe, which in actuality, is a family recipe. 😊
Oma’s Carrot Cake
2 c. flour, sifted
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
Sift together the above ingredients and set aside.
3 c. grated carrots
4 eggs
1 ½ c. oil
Mix well 1 c. carrots with 1 egg and ½ c. of oil. Repeat twice and add extra egg with last mixing. Combine with dry ingredients. Mix well.
Pour into greased pan and bake at 350º for one hour. Cool. Frost if desired.
Sparks fly—but will they burn them or make them sizzle?
When Rose Crackinbush D.C. sets up her modern (for the 1970s) practice in a new town, heaven help anyone who thinks chiropractors aren’t legitimate doctors. Those naysayers will eat their words. Or she might make them cookies—she can be nice.
And if she can keep her temper about the town’s Jokester MD, she might win some new patients.
But this MD isn’t just a jokester. A dedicated family doctor, Brett Shoffner uses humor to help heal his patients. Only it seems newly-arrived lady chiropractors aren’t ready for his quips — no matter how pretty and smart they are. This specific lady chiropractor, not the quips.
Life would be so much easier for these two if they could avoid each other. But fate keeps throwing them together. Can they see beyond the symptoms and diagnose the real reasons behind their push-pull attraction?
And if so, will they choose the best cure?
Welcome back to 1972 Kokomo, Indiana in Cracklin’ Rosie, the fourth installment of the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series, where the Great Physician can adjust callings and purposes in ways never imagined.
You will enjoy Cracklin’ Rosie, a sweet, clean romcom inspired by Neil Diamond’s 1960’s song of the same title, because everyone knows that the plans we make don’t always end up as we thought they would.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Being new to the area, Rose Crackinbush, D. C. wasn’t sure how the community would react to a Chiropractors office in town. But she was soon to find out how the town Dr feels. She just doesn’t know how to take his forever joking. But she is soon to find out when she spends time with her friend, who is married to the Dr’s brother, that the Dr. isn’t so bad after all.
I love this book and the fact that it had me laughing much of the time. This is the fourth book in the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and VenueSeries. I didn’t read the first three books and I had no problem understand what was going on, though I feel if you read the first three, you will better understand this book. Either way, it’s a fabulous read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters were carefully etched out by the author and very creative as the story unfolds. If you enjoy a good clean fiction to read, I highly recommend Cracklin’ Rosie by Jennifer Lynn Cary. I am going to check out the first three books in the series to read, and I encourage you to do the same. Jennifer Lynn Cary is a fabulous author, and I will be looking forward to her next series.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Historical Christian Romance author, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawl and The Forgotten Gratitude Journal. Cracklin’ Rosie is the fourth book of her spin-off series The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue.
More from Jennifer
I’ve long been a fan of 60s music—since the 1960s! Neil Diamond has been a favorite performer since that time. I must have been in fourth grade with “Thank the Lord for the Nighttime” was released. I had no idea of any deeper meaning, just loved the song—it would’ve gotten full 98 score from me for having “a great beat and fun to dance to” if I’d been a judge on American Bandstand with Dick Clark.
Fast-forward a good fifty plus years, and I’m researching 60s music where the song title has a girl’s name in it for my Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series and I run across “Cracklin’ Rosie.” That was one song I sang with gusto. So fun. But I never was sure of the meaning. What or who was Cracklin’ Rosie? Then I got an inspiration that made me laugh out loud. I even contacted friends to share—tickled me to no end. What if Rosie was a chiropractor? That was the genesis for this story.
Of course, it needed to be funny. And who better to add humor and conflict than a medical doctor who fancied himself as an amateur comedian? The idea stuck and the brainstorming began. I have to tell you my critique partner, Diana Brandmeyer, understands humor. It was a blast coming up with ways to make it funny.
I hope you will agree, and that there will be moments when you snort or chuckle. Or even laugh out loud and have someone look over at you, so you tell them, “You gotta read this book.” Anyway, whether anyone watches you read, I hope you’ll enjoy this latest addition to the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series, Cracklin’ Rosie.
Book Title: Falling for a Shy Cowboy (Vargas Ranch Book 2) by Karen Baney
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 192 pages Genre: Contemporary Christian Western Romance Publisher: Desert Life Media Release date: Dec 19, 2023
Format available for review: e-book (BookFunnel download), audiobook (BookFunnel downoad)
Tour dates: Mar 26 to Apr 22
Content Rating: PG + M. The main character broke free from an abusive past relationship with her son’s father. Some flashbacks to the abuse. Only one scene described in detail (2 paragraphs). No cursing or graphic descriptions.
Book Description
She’s a single mom with a disabled son. He’s been in love with her since high school. Will this shy cowboy finally win her heart?
Dylan Vargas is too shy for his own good. While he and his best friend Adan work with the horses on his family’s ranch near Wickenburg, Arizona, Adan signs him up for an online dating service. Dylan begrudgingly looks through the profiles. One face stands out above the others—that of his childhood crush. There’s only one impossible problem—she is Adan’s little sister.
Brisa Franco moves home to Wickenburg after a tragic car accident left her four-year-old son disabled. As she starts a new job in her hometown, she never expects to help her brother’s best friend in his quest to overcome a speech impediment.
Will Dylan steal her heart as she helps him learn how to release his anxiety? Will Brisa learn to trust him and let go of her deeply engrained fears from her past relationship?
MY THOUGHTS ON FALLING FOR A SHY COWBOY BY KAREN BANEY
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series of Cowboy Romances. Today’s story is Falling For A Shy Cowboy. This was interesting because I wanted to see what this Shy cowboy was all about. This book is Dylan and Brisa story. I enjoyed so much re-visiting the Vargas Ranch and connecting with all of the characters from the other books. Though they seem more like friends that characters. When Dylan’s friend Aden signs him up with an online dating service, no one would know that he took a look at the profiles there, would they? Dylan had a big surprised in finding his long time childhood crush, Brisa listed there. Would she see him listed there as well?
This is an interesting twist to the story. Could the two of them get together after all these years? Dylan was still as shy as ever, and Brisa not only brings her son, but also her share of problems back to her hometown. I love these characters, as well as the other characters that shows up in this book from the other books in the series. I think Karen Baney does an amazing job of once again bringing the Vargas Ranch back to life. I’m not sure if this series is complete, but I would love reading more about the Vargus Ranch and everyone it takes to make the ranch a success. I’m giving Falling For A Shy Cowboy Five Stars! Anyone loving a clean read, Cowboy’s and Ranch stories, and sweet romance stories will love this book as much as I did!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
FALLING FOR A BOSSY COWBOY By Karen Baney
Book Details:
Book Title: Falling for a Bossy Cowboy (Vargas Ranch Book 3) by Karen Baney Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 204 pages
Genre: Contemporary Christian Western Romance Publisher: Desert Life Media Release date: Mar 26, 2024
Format available for review: e-book (BookFunnel download), audiobook (BookFunnel downoad)
Tour dates: Mar 26 to Apr 22
Content Rating: PG + M. My book deals with a main character overcoming his sexually immoral past. He is in active recovery and God’s grace and strenghth shine through his story line. Written tastefully with character showing true remorse for his past actions. There are NO cursing or graphic descriptions of any kind.
Book Description:
She’s famous and nearing the end of her career. He’s blunt, bossy, and downright annoying. Will these two find the perfect balance between truth and love?
Sports fanatic Derin Vargas steps down from his position as foreman of Vargas Ranch to run the family’s new sports complex. Uncomfortable in his new role, he compensates by being bossy. When a famous pro-tennis player stays at the resort to rehab after surgery, Derin points out her shortcomings no one else will.
Pro-tennis player Madison Moore heads to a remote sports complex on Vargas Guest Ranch & Resort to finish rehabbing after shoulder surgery. As she fears the death of her pro career, the bossy cowboy manager gets under her skin.
Will Derin soften his rough edges to win over the beautiful tennis player? Will Madison listen to the hard truth about her future while opening her heart to love?
Book Title: Falling for a Real Cowboy (Vargas Ranch Book 1) by Karen Baney Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 208 pages
Genre: Contemporary Christian Western Romance Publisher: Desert Life Media Release date: Nov 21, 2023
Format available for review: e-book (BookFunnel download), audiobook (BookFunnel downoad)
Tour dates: Mar 26 to Apr 22
Content Rating: PG – Some situations might not be suitable for under 16 yrs old. A character accuses another of hiring his “lover” to design a hotel reservation website (even though it wasn’t true). No cursing or graphic descriptions.
Book Description:
She’s trying to resurrect her career. He’s sworn off women. Will this city-meets-country duo find love where they least expect it?
Dalton J. Vargas the fourth has sworn off love. Women are just a distraction that keep him from running his family’s multi-million-dollar guest ranch near Wickenburg, Arizona. After his father announces an early retirement, the full burden of the ranch rests on his shoulders. When a city-slicker romance author stays at the ranch, Dalton’s perfect world turns to chaos.
River Sloane’s last workplace romance novel flopped—big time. Now her publisher wants her to write a modern-day cowboy romance, which she has resisted for years. When her publisher sends her to a dude ranch in the middle of nowhere Arizona, she must learn about cowboys and ranching to get her career back on track. One hunky cowboy stirs her heart and unexpectedly becomes her muse.
Will she let herself fall in love with the real cowboy or will she return to the life she left behind? Will Dalton open his heart to a new, lasting love?
Book Title: Falling for a Shy Cowboy (Vargas Ranch Book 2) by Karen Baney Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 192 pages Genre: Contemporary Christian Western Romance Publisher: Desert Life Media Release date: Dec 19, 2023
Format available for review: e-book (BookFunnel download), audiobook (BookFunnel downoad)
Tour dates: Mar 26 to Apr 22
Content Rating: PG + M. The main character broke free from an abusive past relationship with her son’s father. Some flashbacks to the abuse. Only one scene described in detail (2 paragraphs). No cursing or graphic descriptions.
Book Description:
She’s a single mom with a disabled son. He’s been in love with her since high school. Will this shy cowboy finally win her heart?
Dylan Vargas is too shy for his own good. While he and his best friend Adan work with the horses on his family’s ranch near Wickenburg, Arizona, Adan signs him up for an online dating service.
Dylan begrudgingly looks through the profiles. One face stands out above the others—that of his childhood crush. There’s only one impossible problem—she is Adan’s little sister.
Brisa Franco moves home to Wickenburg after a tragic car accident left her four-year-old son disabled. As she starts a new job in her hometown, she never expects to help her brother’s best friend in his quest to overcome a speech impediment.
Will Dylan steal her heart as she helps him learn how to release his anxiety? Will Brisa learn to trust him and let go of her deeply engrained fears from her past relationship?
Falling for a Real Cowboy (Vargas Ranch Book 1) by Karen Baney Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 208 pag3
Genre:
Contemporary Christian Western
Romance Publisher:
Desert Life Media Release date: Nov 21, 2023
Format available for review: e-book (BookFunnel download), audiobook (BookFunnel downoad)
Tour dates: Mar 26 to Apr 22
Content Rating:
PG – Some situations might not be suitable for under 16 yrs old. A character accuses another of hiring his “lover” to design a hotel reservation website (even though it wasn’t true). No cursing or graphic descriptions
A city-slicker romance author stays at the ranch, Dalton’s perfect world turns to chaos.
River Sloane’s last workplace romance novel flopped—big time. Now her publisher wants her to write a modern-day cowboy romance, which she has resisted for years. When her publisher sends her to a dude ranch in the middle of nowhere Arizona, she must learn about cowboys and ranching to get her career back on track. One hunky cowboy stirs her heart and unexpectedly becomes her muse.
Will she let herself fall in love with the real cowboy or will she return to the life she left behind? Will Dalton open his heart to a new, lasting love?
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Falling for a Real Cowboy (Vargas Ranch pBook 1) by Karen Baney is another fabulous book that I really enjoyed. With both River and Dalton having their own opinions of romance, neither was interested in finding love. River is only at the ranch because her publisher wants a modern day cowboy romance novel, therefore she needs to stay at the ranch and learn all about it.
I enjoyed the romance taking place in this book between the two major characters. It was sweet watching the two interact with each other. It was also interesting to follow River as she is trying to write her book. Karen Baney has once again created a cast of characters that readers will fall in love with. I love each detailed scene, and it was especially fabulous to spend time on the Arizona ranch. I love stories that speak of ranches, and this one was top notch. If you enjoy sweet cowboy romance stories, you will love Falling for a Real Cowboy. I’m giving this one FIVE STARS!!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Book Details:Book Title: Mei’s Mermaid Mission by Crystal Z. Lee Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 42 pages Genre: Children’s Picture Book Publisher: Balestier Press Publication Date: Mar 1, 2024. Content Rating: G
Book Description:The mission of the Mermaids International Rescue Alliance (MIRA) is to guard the ocean and protect the sea creatures. There are many mermaid members in MIRA from all over Asia, such as Princess Hwangok (Korea), Roro (Indonesia), Jiao (China), Ningyo (Japan), Songkhla (Thailand), Duyung (Malaysia), Sovann Macha (Cambodia), Sirena (the Philippines), and Mei (Taiwan). Mei’s Mermaid Mission is an exquisitely illustrated picture book that follows Mei as she travels all over the Asia Pacific region to gather the team of heroic mermaids in order to stop the pirate from polluting. Can Mei and the MIRA mermaids stop the pirate in time? Over twenty sea animals and over twenty locations in Asia are introduced in this story, as well as Asian mermaid mythologies in the book’s backmatter. Children and adults will delight in this cultural story emphasizing empathy, friendship, collaboration, and environmental protection.
Mei’s Mermaid Mission by Crystal Z. Lee
Author Interview
1. There are some specialty ships mentioned in Mei’s Mermaid Mission. Can you share them with our readers?
Turtle ships were armored battleships used from the 15th-19th centuries in Korea. The ships resembled turtles with their fully covered plates.
Dragon boats have been around for more than two thousand years! They are traditional paddled long boats with decorative dragon heads and tails. Today they can be found all over Asia, such as in Taiwan, Cambodia, Japan, Malaysia, China, Laos, the Philippines, etc.
Moon boats are traditional Bangladeshi fishing boats with a distinctive crescent moon shape.
2. We love the vibrant outfits on each mermaid in your book. What was the inspiration behind that?
Each mermaid’s outfit is inspired by either the mermaid mythology from their home country, or from the traditional wear originating from their native culture. For example, Mei the Taiwanese mermaid is wearing Indigenous Tao clothing, Ningyo the Japanese mermaid is illustrated to have a ninja vibe, and Sirena the Filipina mermaid is wearing an interpretation of the baro’t saya (the traditional dress of the Philippines).
3. You seem to have penchant for animals in your picture books. Is there a reason for that?
You’re right! My other picture books, Kai the Dancing Butterfly and A Unicorn Named Rin also include many animals. I believe that as stewards of the earth, humans have a responsibility towards other animals and creatures we share this planet with. I think children should be taught this great purpose from a young age.
4. There are many endangered animals mentioned in Mei’s Mermaid Mission. Which ones made an impression on you?
Blue whale: The heart of a blue whale is the largest of any animal in the world!
Hainan gibbon: Found only in China, Hainan Gibbons are known for their singing, and they sometimes even sing in duets!
Whale sharks: As the world’s largest fish, a whale shark is about the size of a bus. The Philippines boasts the third largest known aggregation of whale sharks in the world.
Taiwanese humpback dolphin: Found only off the coast of Taiwan, these humpback dolphins may sometimes appear pink!
5. Tell us about your writing and publishing journey.
I started writing my first novel, Love and Other Moods, when I was still living in Taipei and Shanghai. Later when we moved back to California, I started taking publishing and writing courses at Stanford University. The pitching journey was challenging. I was first working with a US indie press and had landed a literary agent, but later I parted ways with both amicably. Then a British press accepted my manuscript and I’ve stayed with them since! My next three books were children’s picture books: A Unicorn Named Rin, Kai the Dancing Butterfly, and Mei’s Mermaid Mission. I also dabbled in other forms of literature such as poetry. Last year my poetry was accepted into a UK anthology, Tabula Rasa.
6. Mei’s Mermaid Mission references names from mermaid mythologies in Asia. Tell our readers about some of them.
In Cambodian and Thai mythology, Sovann Macha was a golden mermaid who led a pack of mer-warriors.
In Korean lore, there is a love story between King Eunhye and a mermaid princess, Hwangok. Princess Hwangok lived at Busan and patiently kept vigil for Eunhye by the shore.
My book references names from mermaid mythologies that have permeated the Asia Pacific region, some of them for centuries. I’ve always been fascinated with the underwater world so writing this book was a wonderful journey.
Crystal Z. Lee grew up in a bilingual household in Taiwan and in California. She is an avid traveler and has visited over thirteen countries in Asia. Her favorite travel memories include hiking the forests of Borneo, boating in Phuket, cruising down the Yangtze River, chasing butterflies in Taiwan, attending literary festivals in Hong Kong, and visiting family in Singapore. Crystal is the author of children’s books A Unicorn Named Rin and Kai the Dancing Butterfly. Her poetry was recently included in the UK anthology, Tabula Rasa. She is also the author of a novel, Love and Other Moods.
Allie Su was born and raised in a village in Yunlin county, Taiwan. She attended Nanhua University in Chiayi city, majoring in Visual Arts. Allie once lived in Korea for some time, volunteering in the area of animal protection. She loves kimchi, Korean saunas, Incheon’s snowy winters, and taking boat rides to Yeouido. She believes in bringing joy to people through art. Allie has worked as a children’s art teacher and a professional illustrator. She also illustrated a picture book about Taiwan, Kai the Dancing Butterfly.
Vienna Price never intended to return for more than a passing visit to Oregon and all the bad memories she’d left behind. But when your career tanks, home is where you go to nurse your wounds and chart a new course. Only temporarily, of course—because as much as she loves her quirky mom, anything more than a short stay would drive them both crazy.
A trip to Oregon isn’t in Matt Quinn’s plans, either, until a perfectly timed appeal for help arrives from his sister. What better place to decompress after a shattering loss than a quiet, seaside town named Hope Harbor? But R&R isn’t on the agenda when he arrives to find his sister’s new enterprise on life support.
Vienna, however, may have just the skills needed to resuscitate the foundering B&B—if Matt can convince her to hang around long enough to mend an inn . . . and his heart.
About the Author
Irene Hannon is the bestselling and award-winning author of more than 60 contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. In addition to her many other honors, she is a three-time winner of the prestigious RITA Award from Romance Writers of America. She is also a member of RWA’s elite Hall of Fame and has received a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews for her entire body of work.
More from Irene
In my world, the approach of April signals not only tulips, dogwoods, and daffodils, but a return to my little seaside town of Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast. And this year marks a milestone. Sandcastle Inn is the tenth book set in this charming locale.
When I conceived of this series back in 2013, neither I nor my editor had any idea how long it would run—or that Publishers Weekly would deem my small fictional town “a place of emotional restoration that readers will yearn to visit.”
But visit they have. Hundreds of thousands of copies of the books have been sold worldwide, the novels have been translated into multiple languages, and taco-making artist/town sage Charley Lopez has become an iconic figure.
It’s been an amazing journey—with more books to come.
If you’ve never visited Hope Harbor and are reluctant to dive in at this stage, no worries. Each book stands alone, with a whole new cast of main characters. Each story also begins and ends in each book, with no hanging plot threads from book to book. The town is the unifying element in the series—along with a few secondary characters like Charley, the bantering town clerics from neighboring churches, and the seagull couple Floyd and Gladys, who always seem to be around when romance is in the air.
If you’re new to the series, Sandcastle Inn is a fine jumping-off point. This story features a hero struggling to recoup from a tragic loss and a heroine still reeling from an unplanned career detour. When they join forces to save a floundering inn, challenges ensue…and sparks fly. Because if it’s Hope Harbor, there has to be romance!
The book resonates with multiple other themes too—dealing with grief, moving on, changing direction, mending past relationships, taking a leap of faith. And of course there’s a happy ending.
It’s the kind of book that will put a smile on your lips and hope in your heart.
So I invite you to find a comfy spot, pour a mug or cup of your favorite beverage, and travel with me to Hope Harbor, where hearts heal…and love blooms.
Insider’s Tip: If you ever decide to book a stay at Sandcastle Inn, ask for the seaside room upstairs at the end of the hall that leads to the right. The view is stunning!
To celebrate her tour, Irene is giving away the grand prize package of a full set of the Hope Harbor series (10 books) and a $50 Bookshop.org gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!
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