Friday, March 30, 2018

Love in Bloom $100 Kick Off Giveaway


Love in Bloom
Hosted by I Am A Reader
April 2018
Throughout the month of April, we will be featuring 10 fabulous authors who write clean romance. There will be a dozen giveaways, free ebooks and lots of great deals on books.
We’re starting off with a $100 Kick-Off Giveaway.
One lucky winner will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Code or $100 in Paypal Cash.
Check out this great list of authors we will be spotlighting!



Participating Authors



Giveaway Details
$100 in Paypal Cash or a $100 Amazon.com eGift Card
Ends 4/30/18
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via PayPal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beneath a Prairie Moon by Kim Vogel Sawyer







Readers rabid for the sweet historical romances of Tracie Peterson and Tamara Alexander will flock to Kim Vogel Sawyer's prairie-set heartwarmer of a pair of opposites destined for love.

Estelle Brantley grew up in affluence and knows exactly how to behave in high society. But when she is cast from the social registers due to her father's illegal dealings, she finds herself forced into a role she never imagined: tutoring rough Kansas ranchers in the subjects of manners and morals so they can "marry up" with their mail-order brides. Mack Cleveland, whose father was swindled by a mail-order bride, wants no part of the scheme to bring Eastern women to Spiveyville, Kansas, and he's put off by the snooty airs and fastidious behavior of the "little city gal" in their midst. But as time goes by, his heart goes out to the teacher who tries so diligently to smooth the rough edges from the down-to-earth men. How can he teach her that perfection won't bring happiness?


Amazon







Award-winning, bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer told her kindergarten teacher that someday people would check out her book in the library. The little-girl dream came true in 2006 with the release of Waiting for Summer's Return. Kim's titles now exceed 1.5 million copies and are available in six different language. A former elementary school teacher, she now enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Kim's passion lies in writing stories that point the reader to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. When Kim isn't writing, you'll find her traveling with her retired military hubby, spoiling her granddarlings, petting the cats, quilting, or--as time allows--participating in community theater. You can learn more about Kim's writing and speaking ministries at her website, KimVogelSawyer.com.


My Review




The author has offered us a different type of mail order brides, with many requests all going to the same town. Then she put a boulder in the way when the expected brides don’t show up in the prairie Kansas town, but only the owner and her helper arrive.
Now you can just picture a young woman, and she is not spoken for, arriving to teach a bunch of small town men and farmers some manners. Oh, to be a fly on wall with some of the classes she offers and these poor men are required to attend, that is if they want a bride.
There are some sad happening here where the sins of the father seem to come home when others put the blame on the child, so very unfair. Then there is child abuse, and putting such unfair blame on a child, the father of these boys is a bit unbalanced.
You will enjoy being in this town and most of the people here, of course, every town has those other folks! There is a bit of romance here, and one I thought would happen sure surprised me.
You will be in for a very enjoyable read!

I received this book through Net Galley and WaterBrook & Multnomah and was not required to give a positive review.


Thursday, March 29, 2018

Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours Presents: Clues In The Sand by Terry Ambrose Giveaway & Review



Clues in the Sand (A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery)
by Terry Ambrose

This cozy has plenty of intrigue and characters who aren’t exactly telling the truth!
~Teresa Trent, Author
A cast of characters who all seem to have secrets and townspeople who know them but are not sharing round out this cozy mystery suitable for ages ten and older.
~Laura’s Interests
I found myself hooked wondering who the bad guy was following all the little clues offered along the way.
~Books a Plenty Book Reviews
Charming. Delightful. Pleasant and Likable . . .
~My Reading Journeys

About the Book


Clues in the Sand (A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Self Published
Release Date – March 15, 2018
Print Length: 191 pages
ASIN: B078ZMZQ48
To Rick Atwood’s dismay, the police find a body on the beach near his Seaside Cove B&B. The dead woman held a pottery shard from an ancient rice bowl, which the cops believe is a clue to her murder.
The chief suspect is Flynn O’Connor, a female archaeologist known for her hatred of treasure thieves. Trouble is, Rick’s daughter Alex sees Flynn as a role model and will not believe her friend is a killer.
Alex pressures her dad as only a ten-year-old can to prove Flynn is innocent. The mayor is also making demands—for Rick to stay out of the investigation. With his daughter and the mayor at odds, Rick sees trouble brewing. He knows too well how much Alex loves sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. Especially when there’s murder involved.

About the Author


Terry Ambrose is a former skip tracer who only stole cars when it was legal. He’s long since turned his talents to writing mysteries and thrillers. Several of his books have been award finalists and in 2014 his thriller, “Con Game,” won the San Diego Book Awards for Best Action-Thriller. He’s currently working on the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery series.
Author Links:
Website: http://terryambrose.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/suspense.writer
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6447968.Terry_Ambrose
Purchase Link
Amazon


a Rafflecopter giveaway
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
March 22 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 22 – The Editing Pen – GUEST POST
March 23 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 23 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST  
March 24 – Readeropolis – GUEST POST
March 24 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
March 25 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 25 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
March 26 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
March 26 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 27 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
March 27 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 28 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 28 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 29 – Maureen’s Musings – REVIEW
March 29 – La libreria di Beppe – SPOTLIGHT
March 30 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – REVIEW
March 30 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 31 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
March 31 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

My Review





We are at a Florida B & B and I would love to go and stay there, although a murder seems to come along with your stay.
You’re going to love the father and daughter relationship here, so very sweet, and our Alex is quite precocious and adorable, her father is doing a great job!
As we try to get to whom the culprit maybe, I found myself changing my thoughts as to who committed the crime, and then again. I loved the help the police get from a ten-year-old!
If you like good clean romance, small town values, and a good mystery, this one will keep you page-turning!

I received this book through Great Escapes Book Tour, and was not required to give a positive review. 






Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Write Now Literary Book Blast




Write Now Literary is pleased to be coordinating a blog tour for fiction authors Lisa Watson, Nicole Hampton, J.L. Campbell and Perry Busby. This tour will run March 29, 2018.  Follow the tour here.   Book your own tour here.






About the Author
J.L. Campbell is fascinated with Jamaican flora and has hundreds of photos to prove it. She writes contemporary and sweet romance, romantic suspense, women's fiction, as well as new and young adult novels.
Campbell, who features Jamaican culture in her stories, has written twenty-seven books and two short story collections. She is also a certified editor.








About the Book
Aside from a brief stint of madness during their teen years, Vance James and Ayisha Glenn are not each other's idea of relationship material. Vance, a financial analyst and avid golfer, is preoccupied with getting his fill of women, and finding that special someone doesn't factor into his plans. Yet all it takes to turn his world upside down is one remark from Ayisha about his lifestyle. Suddenly, his focus shifts and he's spending his days trying to prove he can be the man she needs.
Ayisha is a go-getter who knows what she's about—a successful business, a lifetime with the man of her dreams, and children to complete the picture. Vance is an expert at romance, but with Ayisha it's all or nothing. She's waited years for Vance to stop chasing the wind in pursuit of what's already in front of him. Now that he's set his heart on having her, will she accept his love?
Genre: Contemporary Romance
About the Author
 National bestselling author, Lisa Watson, is a native of Washington D.C., and writes in the Multicultural & Interracial, Contemporary, Romantic Suspense, and Sweet Romance genres. Having her debut novel nominated for Best Contemporary Fiction, sparked Lisa’s desire to continue creating engaging storylines, strong characters with universal appeal, and a keen sense of humor. They are drawn together by love, respect, and a strong family ties.
Lisa loves traveling, so weaving beautiful destinations into the pages of her novels as lush backdrops, or the heritage of her characters is not uncommon.














About the Book
Danger doesn’t make an appointment…it just shows up.
When Sasha Lambert’s debut novel, The Passport Diaries, hits the bookstores it quickly becomes a bestseller. Her ex-boyfriend, and Greek tycoon, Milo Georgopoulos, believes one of the characters in the book sheds a not-so-positive light on his own extracurricular activities. He gives Sasha an ultimatum: Ditch the book or else.
Retired football player, Pierce Deveraux thinks he too has been placed between the pages of The Passport Diaries. Determined to make Sasha pay for putting a ding in his knight-in-shining-armor image, Pierce contemplates how best to even the score.
Suddenly strange things start happening wherever Sasha goes. Even her twin sister, Dr. Sienna Lambert-Deveraux worries for her safety. With an adoring assistant, an ambitious publicist, and jealous ex-lover vying for her attention, Sasha soon finds herself at the center of dangerous tug-of-war.
Genre: Romantic Suspense
About the Author
Nicole Hampton is a compassionate woman, who loves to create stories readers can relate to in a way that validates situations that occur daily the lives of many. Her love for reading developed at an early age. She often spent hours becoming lost in the worlds of characters of her favorite books. Born in the South Suburbs of Chicago, IL, reading offered an opportunity for Nicole to dream about life outside of her community and fed her desire to want to explore the world beyond her modest surroundings.
Nicole earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work, and utilizes the skills and knowledge learned to address the issues presented in her debut novel Glimmer in the Darkness in a manner that allows people to connect and understand the struggles of her characters. Nicole lives in North Carolina, is a dedicated wife and mother of six, who spends any time she can snatch, developing characters and story lines to share with her readers. Her second novel, Tears of the Storm, will release in summer of 2018.




About the Book
For Shannon Johnson, full-time wife, mom and freelance writer, life as she knew it changed one spring afternoon with the ringing of her doorbell. On the other side stood Vaneetra James, former mistress of Shannon’s husband, Daniel. With two sons, Shannon resisted the urge to leave Daniel in order to keep her family intact. However, she refused to deal with the issues resulting from Daniel’s extramarital affair.
When Shannon thought her life couldn’t get any worse, a tragic turn of events in Vaneetra’s life turned Shannon’s already fractured world upside down, sending her marriage into an even deeper peril.
Feeling desperate and trapped, Shannon made a series of rash decisions that landed her in the arms of another man, bringing her already fragile world crashing downward. Having to come to grips with the reality that the man she once thought was extraordinary was just ordinary, she had to trudge the road of forgiveness, while learning to love again and accept what she never imagined could ever exist.
Genre: Women’s Contemporary Fiction
                              About the Author
Perry Busby is an author and founder of Buzz Word Publishing. In addition to writing, he is a freelance programmer and data analyst. His client list includes both government and private organizations; from NASA, to the Federal Reserve Bank, and political campaigns; from Fortune 100 companies to non-profit organizations and local business. After 30 years of designing and analyzing software and data, Perry now turns his creative energies and keyboard to write about a journey that has been just as adventuresome as it has been nerdy. When he isn’t writing, Perry dedicates time to engage and counsel minority youth and college students on the obstacles and opportunities of working within the IT sector.  
Website: http://www.buzzwordpublishing.com






 


















About the Book
Phil Jacobson, a young African-American computer enthusiast and hacker, lands a prized position as a programmer with Intellect Technology Incorporated, a leading technology company. While coping with being one of a select few minority programmers the company has recently hired, Phil discovers a fellow hacker has uncovered evidence that points to his hiring as being part of a more egregious cover up.
On the brink of closing their doors for good, and faced with competition from a growing personal computer industry, Jack Sherman, the CEO of ITI, hedges his bets on his young chief financial officer, Vincent Martello, and a new technology called the Internet. ITI is set to acquire the first Internet browser from WorldNet Labs, a small startup company founded by Phil’s longtime friend, Malcolm Graves. The deal between ITI and WorldNet Labs could potentially be the smartest and most lucrative corporate deal of the century. But, ITI’s questionable employment practices, a reported EEOC complaint, and Jack Sherman’s sordid family alliances, could kill the deal in its tracks. Relying on the skills he learned while assisting his father and information he’s gathered from the Underground (a virtual network of computers on a Bulletin Board System), Phil rushes to uncover ITI’s secret past and put an end to what may be the worst deal ever for his friend.
With Charlotte, North Carolina, as the backdrop Perry Busby weaves a suspense tale about a family confronting life’s changes as society prepares for its next disruptive invention, the Internet.
Genre: Mystery

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Winning Miss Winthrop (Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope #1) by Carolyn Miller






Catherine Winthrop has cried out to God too many times to count. Years ago, the man who stole her heart rejected her--and she's never recovered. Now tragedy has brought him back into her life. This time it isn't her heart he's taking, it's her home and her family's good name--and she has no one to share her grief.

Jonathan Carlew's life may look enviable from the outside--wealthy, handsome, landed--but the mystery surrounding his birth has shadowed his entire life. Now as he ascends to the barony, fresh challenges await, including a scheming mama who wants him to embrace power, even at the cost of losing love. How can he remain the kind, honorable man he strives to be and still meet the demands of his new society responsibilities?

These two broken hearts must decide whether their painful past and bitter present will be all they can share, or if forgiveness can provide a path to freedom for the future.

Set in the sumptuous salons of Bath, Regency England's royal breeding ground for gossip, Winning Miss Winthrop is the first volume in Carolyn Miller's new series. Fans of the wholesome and richly drawn first series won’t want to miss this new set of characters.


Amazon


About The Author





Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn's previous novels have won several contests, including the 2014 RWA "Touched by Love" and 2014 ACFW Gensis contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and My Book Therapy.


My Review




 I love that the author has included some of the past series characters that I had grown to love into this new series, we are running in the same circles and they are friends.
This book will make you think about what your life would be like if in one day everything you owned was suddenly taken away from you. Basically, with the aristocratic society in England when one dies without a male heir then it falls to the next in line.
The author takes a play with this action in this page turning read, and you will be quickly caught up, and soon wanting to get in there and tell them they have it wrong.
I am enjoying this new series, and am really looking forward to the next book in this series,

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Kregel and was not required to give a positive review.



 

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Plain Confession (An Amish Mystery #5) by Emma Miller



When Rachel Mast returned to Stone Mill, Pennsylvania, she unwittingly became a bridge between the closed Amish community and the Englisher police. Now, as she prepares for her wedding, she's drawn into an investigation that could end in a different ceremony--her funeral . . .

Rachel didn't know Daniel Fisher well, but it still comes as a shock when her fianc', a state trooper, tells her that the young Amish man's death may not have been a hunting accident. The police believe he was murdered and they need Rachel's help telling the family. But when she does, they don't seem upset or even surprised. Even more unsettling, Daniel's brother-in-law confesses--while his mother begs Rachel to prove his innocence. But why would he give a false confession? Who is he trying to protect?

As Rachel's search for answers overshadows her wedding plans, rumors swirl that she might not show up at the altar--and that Daniel wasn't as upstanding as he seemed. While the list of people who wanted him dead grows, Rachel is caught in the killer's crosshairs, and if she's not careful, it may be more than her feet that turn cold.


 Amazon


About The Author



Emma Miller is a wife, mother and a grandmother who lives a quiet life in Delaware. She's the author of the Hannah's Daughter's series and is at work on her next Amish romance novel.




















My Review








The author has us back at Rachel Mast’s Inn, and we catch up with her life, and with Mary Aaron, and Evan, and of course her State Trooper fiancé, and without a doubt there will be a mystery.
Balancing her wedding, and running the inn, along with the murder of a local Amish man, keeps our girl busy, and missing appointments. There are even odds that she will bolt from her ceremony.
This one is going to keep you guessing from beginning to end, and we get to meet a lot of interesting characters while we try to guess to find out who the murderer really is.
I enjoy being in this community, and hope for more, need to know what happens with Mary Aaron, and the rest of the folks we have come to know.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Kensington, and was not required to give a positive review.














Just in Time by Marie Bostwick








Fifteen years ago, Grace Saunders vowed to take her beloved husband for better or worse. Now she's coming to terms with difficult choices as she crafts a memory quilt from scraps of their life together--a life torn to shreds by an accident that has left him in a coma. Enduring months of limbo, Grace is at least not alone.

Nan has been widowed for twenty years, but now, with her children grown, her home feels painfully empty. Even the company of her golden retriever, Blixen, and a series of other rescue dogs, can't fill the void. Then there's Monica, a feisty woman with a biting wit who's reeling following her husband's death--and the revelation of his infidelity.

As for Grace, a chance evening with a man she barely knows brings a glimmer of joy she hasn't felt since the tragedy--along with feelings of turmoil and guilt. But her struggle to cope will force all three women to face their fears, share their deepest secrets--and lean on one another as they move from grief and isolation to hope, and a second chance at happiness.


Amazon 


About The Author


Marie Bostwick is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of uplifting historical and contemporary fiction. She lives in the state of Oregon and travels fequently to sign books, speak to reading groups, and meet her readers.  

Website  


My Review






When I first started this book, it took me a couple of chapters to get into it, but from then on it became a page turner, and is reminiscent of a Debbie Macomber read, and I wanted more once the last page was turned.
The author introduces us to three women who share a common bond, in that they have all lost or are losing a spouse. We get to walk in each of their shoes and get to know them personally, what makes them happy and what makes them tick.
As we journey with them we see what dear friends they have become, and wouldn’t we all want the same. As for me I am a dog lover and a quilter, think I could fit in with this group, and one of the reasons that I chose to read this book, and I am so glad that I did.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Kensington, and was not required to give a positive review.







High Cotton by Debby Mayne






Some families are filled with so much love they can’t help but drive each other crazy 

Shay Henke has mixed feelings about going to her family’s next reunion. On the one hand, she’ll get to see everyone in her mama's family—folks she loves unconditionally. On the other hand, she knows there’ll be more drama than you can shake a stick at.

The days leading up to the event bring one surprise after another. First Shay must deal with her sister-in-law’s deep, dark secret. Then she has to contend with the childish ways of her business-mogul twin cousins. And when her high school crush wants to be her date to the reunion . . . well, it may have been a dream come true for Shay’s teen self, but the woman she’s become doesn’t know what to make of this.

Shay’s contentment is challenged, and she’s determined to shake things up a bit. But will she find the excitement she’s looking for, or will Shay realize she prefers her quiet and predictable life? One thing is certain: Life in the Bucklin family is never boring.


Amazon


About The Author






Debby Mayne has published more than 30 books and novellas, 400 print short stories and articles, more than 1,000 web articles, and a slew of devotions for women. She has also worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, a creative writing instructor for Long Ridge Writers Group, and a copy editor and proofreader for several book publishers. For the past eight years, she has judged the Writers Digest Annual Competition, Short-Short Contest, and Self-Published Book Competition. Three of Debby’s books have been top ten favorites by the Heartsong Presents book club. Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida received 4-1/2 stars from Romantic Times Magazine, and was named a Top Pick for the month of July 2009.

Website


My Review






The first word that comes to mind about this book is delightful, yes and the pages flew, a real fast read.
We with the author’s help are invited to a family reunion, the Bucklin Family, to be exact, and before we go we get to meet some of this expansive kinfolk up close and personal.
You will find yourself really liking some, others will grow on you, and by the end of the book some are still questionable.
There is a bit of clean romance here, and so very enjoyable, whether it is among the young single cousins, or the old married folks.
Generations are going on here from preschool to grandparents, and these people do reunions up right, everyone brings their best food, as true southerners, and we are deep in the southern Mississippi!
I loved being with most of this family, and really can’t wait for the next book, I want to spend more time here!

I received this book through Lit Fuse Publicity Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.

I Am A Reader. Not A Writer Presents: Comes the Winter by Samantha St. Claire Book Blast & Giveaway

   






Comes the Winter by Samantha St. Claire Avalanches, isolation and snow blindness were stark realities for those daring to remain in Idaho’s Sawtooth Range through the harsh winter months. For city dweller, Lena Sommer, the warnings seemed exaggerated. In the fall of 1886, Lena leaves behind a life fraught with disappointments and loss only to arrive in Sawtooth City and find the man she’d pledged to marry has been killed. To return east is unthinkable; to stay is ill-advised, but she resolves to remain and manage the man’s lodging house despite the warnings. More than her stubborn nature influences her decision. From her first glimpse of this mountain valley, she falls captive to its wild beauty. Feeling she has at last found a hearth to call her own, she eagerly puts down roots. Sharing her love of literature with her lodgers before a warming fire, she builds a family of lonesome souls, where dreams awaken. However, one man stands apart, disturbing her peace with ominous warnings to leave before winter comes. Evan Hartmann knows from personal loss that winter snows bring to these mountains both unimaginable beauty and death. He is also a man conflicted, because as much as he’d like for Lena to leave the mountains, his heart longs for her to stay.


   


Praise for Comes the Winter "This story has a surprise ending which will delight fans of romance/adventure novels who have read too many scripted endings. This is a terrific read, a great novel!" ~Readers' Favorite five-star review "St. Claire has a wonderful ability to make the characters, the history and the scenery come alive. She is an enchanting writer! Romances normally would not be my genre of choice, and yet I find myself totally engrossed in her stories. I have actually found it difficult to put the book down. Wonderful job! I look forward to more of her writing." ~Amazon customer "A most emphatic 5 stars. I've already bought the first two now that I finished this one, and will bookmark this author as one to follow. I will recommend this book to anyone - wonderful!" ~Amazon customer





 Excerpt:
 
She recalled the small photo Mr. Nash had sent her, so little to explain the man who’d penned the letters. How strange, apprehending the essence of the man without ever having really known him. She wouldn’t even be haunted by his ghost because nothing bound them in this world aside from an agreement to marry. This was a grief of sorts, she supposed, not for herself, but for a future that might have been. Perhaps their relationship might have become more than one of business. The unlikely event that love might grow from such a relationship had not even tempted her. She was a realist, honestly born to it by two very pragmatic parents.
A sudden rise in men’s voices from the room below was followed by a whispered hush, as though someone had remembered the women were asleep in the room above them. That act of consideration she found endearing. Strangers can be kind. Somehow the kindness of these strangers touched her as the news of Mr. Nash’s passing had not. A single tear rolled from her eye to drop upon the pile of papers atop the desk. She brought her hand to her cheek and wiped it away. No more need fall. One was enough.
For a long while she sat in the oversized chair, his chair, with her feet tucked up beneath her. From here she had a view of the shadowy form of the mountains. The voice of her father whispered in her memory. Beware the dangers of making decisions after the sun sets. Best to tuck your worries under your pillow and sleep on them till morning. Sometimes in the night the worries will be ironed out by your sleeping head. So, she resolved not to decide what to do tonight. That decision would wait until the clear light of day.
But sleep refused to come. When all sounds in the room below had ceased, she wrapped a quilt around her shoulders, slid her feet into her slippers and tiptoed down the stairs. Opening the front door, a cacophony of night music met her. Gently closing the door behind her, she padded to the west end of the porch, settling herself in a generous chair with a view of the western sky where the ragged edge of the mountains made a darker shade of night. Stars danced above the distant peaks, and the moon cast a pale light upon the mountain’s craggy face.
A calm that should not have been her companion after a day of upheaval took a seat beside her. She had no idea when her weary body succumbed to its need for rest and her eyes closed in sleep.


   










Author Samantha St. Claire


Samantha St. Claire was born in 2016, the alter-ego and pen name of an author of historical fiction born a few decades earlier. She may have found her niche in western historical fiction, served up sweet. Never faint of heart, her signature female protagonists face the hazards of the frontier with courage, wit, and a healthy pinch of humor. The road from college graduation led due west where teaching in a small Arizona town fulfilled childhood fantasies on multiple levels. Hiking and backpacking the canyons and desert fed her imagination with the landscapes she would use later in life as an author. A few years passed before a change in jobs took her to California where her love of western history was further fed and her first novel of Russia's Fort Ross Colony came to life. But Idaho sparked her interest in the history of the magnificent central mountain ranges and Samantha St.Claire began her first series, The Sawtooth Range. Follow www.samanthastclaire.net to read more about the research that has helped develop the characters, towns and stories of the Sawtooth Range Series and now Whitcomb Creek, Montana.












  

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 4/18/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Celebrate Lit Presents: The Heart's Appeal by Jennifer Delamere

The Hearts Appeal FB Banner copy

About the Book

Heart's Appeal


Book Title: The Heart’s Appeal
Author: Jennifer Delamere
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance


Strong-minded and independent, Julia Bernay has come to London to study medicine and become a doctor–a profession that has only just opened up to women. When she witnesses a serious accident, her quick action saves the life of an ambitious young barrister named Michael Stephenson. It’s only later that she learns he could be instrumental in destroying her dreams for the future.
Coming from a family that long ago lost its status, Michael Stephenson has achieved what many would have thought impossible. Hard work and an aptitude for the law have enabled him to regain the path to wealth and recognition. His latest case puts him in the middle of a debate over the future of a women’s medical school. He’s supposed to remain objective, but when the beguiling and determined Julia reappears with an unexpected entreaty, he begins to question what he’s made most important in his life. But Julia may be hiding her own motivations. As the two are tangled into spending more time together, will their own goals be too much to overcome?

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Book

Delamere_JenniferJennifer Delamere’s debut Victorian romance, An Heiress at Heart, was a 2013 RITA Award finalist in the inspirational category. Her follow-up novel, A Lady Most Lovely, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and the Maggie Award for Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers. Jennifer earned a BA in English from McGill University in Montreal, where she became fluent in French and developed an abiding passion for winter sports. She’s been an editor of nonfiction and educational materials for nearly two decades, and lives in North Carolina with her husband.

Guest Post from Jennifer Delamere

Power couples?
Perhaps that’s not a concept that initially comes to mind when one thinks of Victorian England! And yet, they did exist. I love to include real people from history in my books, and in The Heart’s Appeal, Julia Bernay meets two inspiring real-life couples who will make a positive impact in her life.
In 1865, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson became the first woman to qualify as a physician in Britain. She did this through a legal loophole, but soon the laws were changed to open the medical field to all women. In 1874, Dr. Anderson co-founded the London School of Medicine for Women. She remained involved in the school in various capacities for the rest of her life, even as she continued to run her own busy practice. In The Heart’s Appeal, she becomes a mentor for Julia, opening doors for her education and introducing Julia to people who can help her succeed in medical school.
Dr. Anderson’s husband, James Anderson (Jamie), was the joint-owner of a successful shipping line and also served on the boards of several organizations (including a children’s hospital). He was a handsome man, very much in love with his wife, and fervent in supporting her choice of a career.
In a letter he wrote to her while they were engaged, Jamie explained his vision for their future—how they could keep their professional and private lives separate, yet still give each other plenty of love and support:
“I think we had better lay it down once for all as a rule that I am under no circumstances to bring people ‘favorably under your notice’ or ‘exert any influence’ or anything of the sort. It will give people a wrong idea of you unless I take a decided line in this matter — and as I mean to be if I can a successful man of business, neither interfering with your pursuits nor being interfered with by you (but having our confidences on all feasible subjects at off times of the day and week and mutually advising and fortifying one another), I must let people know unmistakably not to come bothering me about your public affairs. Will you think about this, dearest?”
Who couldn’t love a man like that?
Jamie Anderson’s outlook on life comes into play later on in The Heart’s Appeal, when he provides advice and aid to Michael Stephenson, the book’s hero, at a critical time.
Julia also has an inspiring encounter with Dr. Anderson’s sister, Millicent Fawcett. Millicent was married to a Member of Parliament and actively supported her husband’s career in many ways, including acting as a scribe for him since he was blind. She is most remembered for her role in the women’s suffrage movement. In fact, a statue of her will be placed in Parliament Square in London this summer. She was not a militant suffragette, but rather campaigned for suffrage under the banner “Law-Abiding Suffragists.”
Both couples raised families, too, and their children’s successes in life show they were raised to have the same energetic and “can-do” attitudes that their parents had.
Julia initially believes she must remain single to achieve her life’s goals. But soon she finds her heart drawn to successful barrister Michael Stephenson, who admires Julia’s intelligence and ambition. She learns that love and the freedom to pursue her dreams do not have to be mutually exclusive. A meeting of minds to spark a true romance? Yes, please! I hope readers will agree this can be the most satisfying of all.

Blog Stops

A Greater Yes, March 23
Among the Reads, March 23
Splashes of Joy, March 23
Mary Hake, March 25
Remembrancy, March 25
Genesis 5020, March 26
Carpe Diem, March 27
Baker Kella, March 29
Simple Harvest Reads, March 29 (Guest post from Mindy)
Pause for Tales, March 30
Cafinated Reads, March 30
Pursuing Stacie, March 30
Book by Book, March 31
Bigreadersite, March 31
Vicky Sluiter, April 2
Live Love Read, April 4

Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away a grand prize package of that includes All four March Bethany House historical releases (The Heart’s Appeal, plus A Most Noble Heir by Susan Anne Mason, A Chance at Forever by Melissa Jagears, In Places Hidden by Tracie Peterson) and a $20 Starbucks gift card!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/cacd


My Review



This is the second book in this series that I have read and enjoyed, and there is a third sister, so there is hope of another book.
Again, the author has set this read in 1870’s England, definitely a man’s world, and there are those that will do all they can to keep it as such.
Our heroine is a woman, Julia, who heart’s desire is to be a doctor, and she uses her skills to save the life of the man that is destined to help her, Michael.
There are twists and turns and several surprises and bombshells, and misguided intentions, but we hope for the Lord to work on these people’s hearts, and we are there to watch things unfold.
Now I wait patiently for the third sister, and her story.
I received this book through Net Galley, and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

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