An Appalachian Summer by Ann H. Gabhart

In 1933 Louisville, Kentucky, even the ongoing economic depression cannot keep Piper Danson's parents from insisting on a debut party. After all, their fortune came through the market crash intact, and they've picked out the perfect suitor for their daughter. Braxton Crandall can give her the kind of life she's used to. The only problem? This is not the man--or the life--she really wants.

When Piper gets the opportunity to volunteer as a horseback Frontier Nursing courier in the Appalachian Mountains for the summer, she jumps at the chance to be something other than a dutiful daughter or a kept wife in a loveless marriage. The work is taxing, the scenery jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the people she meets along the way open up a whole new world to her. The longer she stays, the more an advantageous marriage slips from her grasp. But something much more precious--true love--is drawing ever closer.

Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart invites you into the storied hills of Eastern Kentucky to discover what happens when one intrepid young woman steps away from the restrictive past into a beautiful, wide-open future.

Amazon 


About The Autor

Ann H. Gabhart grew up on a farm in Kentucky. By the time she was ten she knew she wanted to be a writer. She's published over twenty novels. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. She still lives on a farm not far from where she grew up. She loves playing with her grandkids, walking with her dog, reading and, of course, writing. Her Shaker books, set in her fictional Shaker village of Harmony Hill in the 1800's, are popular with readers. The Outsider was a Christian Fiction Book Award Finalist in 2009. Her Heart of Hollyhill books are Small Town, America books set in the 1960's. Angel Sister, a Rosey Corner book set during the Great Depression, will be followed by Small Town Girl. Visit Ann's website http://annhgabhart.com or her two blogs, One Writer's Journal, www.annhgabhart.blogspot.com, and the Hollyhill Book of the Strange, www.hollyhillbookofthestrange.blogspo....  


My Review

A look back at a difficult time in our history, people are still reeling from the stock market crash that devastated the country. The author gives us both the ones who were able to hold on to their wealth and others who fell and lost everything including family members.
We are given a young woman, Piper, her family has kept their fortune and she has just had her debutant, a few years later than most, she has graduated from college.
We also meet a young man, whose family were not a fortunate and fighting back for survival. He also has graduated from college and trying to find his way, knowing that above all he loves Piper.
Now this is the second book set here in the Appalachian Mountains, and we are again with the Frontier Nurses and catching babies.
Come and get lost in these mountains, meet some delightful children, they tell it like it is, and those that will give what little they have.
We get to enjoy Piper as she embraces this very different life, and wonder what path she will further journey on!
I received this book through the Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review. 

Don't Keep Silent (Uncommon Justice, #3) by Elizabeth Goddard

Justice comes easy for these two. But forgiveness? That's another matter altogether.

Investigative reporter Rae Burke will do anything to find her missing sister-in-law, even if it means facing Liam McKade, a man who almost lost his life saving hers. A former DEA agent, Liam thought he could find peace at his Wyoming ranch, but he doesn't feel at home anywhere anymore. When the reporter who blew his cover on an important investigation inserts herself back into his life, he's less than thrilled. But Rae's keen investigative skills have led her down the right path--and directly into the dragon's mouth--leaving Liam no choice but to protect her.

As the danger increases, the past they both tried to flee catches up to them, along with the feelings they once had for each other.

Amazon


About The Author

Elizabeth Goddard is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than thirty romance novels, including the romantic mystery, The Camera Never Lies—a 2011 Carol Award winner. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to home school her children and fulfill her dreams of becoming an author. 

Website


My Review

I have read all of the books in this series and enjoyed them, and this one did not disappoint.
We take care of some unfinished business, and are updated on the McKade brothers, but don’t get to comfortable, you will soon be holding your breath and page-turning for answers, they will come, and maybe not how you expect.
We experience the beauty of the area around Jackson Hole through the eyes of these characters, but evil is lurking, and they have no regard for human life.
Will all of the characters you care about make it to the end? Will the little one get to see her Mom again? Answers come yes, but surprises abound, and bombshells drop, and you will be ducking as the bullets fly!
I received this book through the Publisher Revell and was not required to give a positive review.

A Bride of Convenience (The Bride Ships, #3) by Jody Hedlund

Unemployed mill worker Zoe Hart jumps at the opportunity to emigrate to British Columbia in 1863 to find a better life and be reunited with her brother, who fled from home after being accused of a crime.

Pastor to miners in the mountains, Abe Merivale discovers an abandoned baby during a routine visit to Victoria and joins efforts with Zoe, one of the newly arrived bride-ship women, to care for the infant. While there, he's devastated by the news from his fiancee in England that she's marrying another man.

With mounting pressure to find the baby a home, Zoe accepts a proposal from a miner of questionable character after he promises to help her locate her brother. Intent on protecting Zoe and frustrated by his failed engagement, Abe offers his own hand as groom. After a hasty wedding, they soon realize their marriage of convenience is not so convenient after all.

Amazon


About The Author

Jody Hedlund is the author of over twenty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.

Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).

When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

Website


My Review

What a great read, and this is the third book in the series, and while there are a few recurring characters, this book could be read alone. There are a few references to the past reads, but you won’t be lost.
This is Pastor Abe’s chance to find love, his hearts desire is still in England, when circumstances take a turn, and Zoe Hart appears.
Zoe is a joy of a character, she  shows love and compassion to most everyone, and she sure has a heart for children.
We are again reminded of the conditions in England that leads these young woman to travel to the unknown, no jobs and no food, but what will they face when they arrive in Western Canada. These are strong woman and there could be stories here for all of them.
As I finished this read, I felt as if the author had given me a personal gift, I just hated for it to end!

I received this book through the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Crushing Depths (Coastal Guardians, #2) by Dani Pettrey

When an accident claims the life of an oil-rig worker on the first drilling platform off the North Carolina coast, Coast Guard investigators Rissi Dawson and Mason Rogers are sent to take the case. Tensions surrounding the oil rig are high and the death has everyone on edge. Environmental activists are threatening to do whatever it takes to stop the structure from being completed, while rumors are being whispered about ancient curses surrounding this part of the ocean.

Mounting evidence shows the death may not have been an accident at all. Was he killed by one of the activists or, perhaps more frighteningly, a member of his own crew? Rissi and Mason have to sort through not only a plethora of suspects, but also their own past and attraction to each other.

Just as the case seems like it'll break open, worse news arrives. A tropical storm has turned their way and soon they're cut off from any rescue--and right where the killer wants them. It's a race to discover his identity before he eliminates the threat they pose.

Amazon


About The Author

Praised by New York Times best-selling author Dee Henderson as “a name to look for in romantic suspense,” Dani Pettrey has sold more than half a million copies of her novels to readers eagerly awaiting the next release. Dani combines the page-turning adrenaline of a thriller with the chemistry and happy-ever-after of a romance. Her novels stand out for their “wicked pace, snappy dialogue, and likable characters” (Publishers Weekly), “gripping storyline[s],” (RT Book Reviews), and “sizzling undercurrent of romance” (USA Today).

Her Alaskan Courage series and Chesapeake Valor series have received praise from readers and critics alike and spent multiple months topping the CBA bestseller lists. Dani has also been honored with multiple awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award, two HOLT Medallions, a Christy Award finalist, two National Readers’ Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, and Christian Retailing’s Best Award.

From her early years eagerly reading Nancy Drew mysteries, to paging through Agatha Christie novels or watching on-the-edge-of-her-seat adventure movies, Dani has always enjoyed mystery and suspense. She considers herself blessed to be able to write the kind of stories she loves—full of plot twists and peril, love, and longing for hope and redemption. Her greatest joy as an author is sharing the stories God lays on her heart. She researches murder and mayhem from her home in Maryland, where she lives with her husband. Their two daughters, a son-in-law, and two adorable grandsons also reside in Maryland. For more information about her novels, visit danipettrey.com.


My Review

I love reading this author’s books, and this one will not disappoint, and you will be holding your breath as the danger happens. This is the second book in this series, and yes, I recommend you read it, but you can start here there is enough information given.
I enjoyed being reunited with these characters, and looking forward to more. This one will have you guessing and surprises are coming, a lot I new saw in my mind. We are given a few facts that will keep you guessing, and there is a lot of action taking place.
We are following more than one story, but the characters all interact, and I was quickly page turning for answers, and solutions.
We are offered  a bit of sweet romance, and revealing of the horrors that brought these two special people together to begin with. There is some unrequited love here, but maybe there is a spark from someone else? Actually, there is a third case of maybe a match, you will have to read and see?
If you like non-stop action, like helicopter crashes for example you to will find this a riveting read!

I received this book through the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review. 

Never an Amish Bride (Honey Brook #1) by Ophelia London

Welcome to charming Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, where bestselling author Ophelia London will bring you on a moving and unforgettable journey through faith, forgiveness, and ultimately love.

Everything changed for Esther Miller with the death of her beloved fiancé, Jacob. Even years later, she still struggles with her faith and purpose in the small, tight-knit Amish village of Honey Brook—especially now that her younger sister is getting married. All she wants is to trust in the Lord to help her find peace...but peace is the last thing she gets when Lucas, Jacob’s wayward older brother, returns to town.

Lucas Brenneman has been harboring a secret for years—the real reason he never returned from Rumspringa and the truth behind his brother Jacob’s death. Honey Brook still calls to him, but he knows his occupation as a physician’s assistant must take precedence. With sweet and beautiful Esther he finds a comfort he’s never known, and he feels like anything is possible...even forgiveness. But she was Jacob’s bride-to-be first. And if she knew the truth, would she ever truly open her heart to him?

Amazon


About The Author

USA Today bestselling author Ophelia London was born and raised among the redwood trees in beautiful northern California. Once she was fully educated, she decided to settle in Florida, but her car broke down in Texas, and she’s lived in Dallas ever since. She enjoys cupcakes, treadmills, reruns of Dawson’s Creek and obsessing over her Italian Greyhound, Peanut. Ophelia is the author of NEVER AN AMISH BRIDE (Honey Brook series), her very first Amish romance! As wells as the Sugar City series, the Perfect Kisses series, the Abby Road series, and other adult, NA and YA sweet romances. Visit her at ophelialondon.com, but don’t call when she’s streaming The Walking Dead.

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Opheli...
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My Review

 This book felt so real, whether Amish or Englisch, could be any family. I even had a teacher who never married, she had lost her fiancée, so very sad.
The author gives us a young man who is a Physician’s Assistant, and has a lot of compassion for his fellow man, and we see him going the extra mile. Now he is working in a town he left ten years ago, and struggling to reunite and forgive his family.
Esther and Lucas seem so perfect for each other, but there is a big obstacle between them, she is baptized  in her faith, and although he is not shunned, he is an outcast, or so he thinks.
Follow these two hurting individuals as they try and fight their attraction, and many hurdles that are placed in their way.
I also thank the author for the Epilogue, I love looking into the future!

I received this book through Net Galley and Entangled Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards

A world at war. A beautiful young star. A mission no one expected.

Paris, 1944

Celebrated singer Genevieve Dumont is both a star and a smokescreen. An unwilling darling of the Nazis, the chanteuse’s position of privilege allows her to go undetected as an ally to the resistance.

When her estranged mother, Lillian de Rocheford, is captured by Nazis, Genevieve knows it won’t be long before the Gestapo succeeds in torturing information out of Lillian that will derail the upcoming allied invasion. The resistance movement is tasked with silencing her by any means necessary—including assassination. But Genevieve refuses to let her mother become yet one more victim of the war. Reuniting with her long-lost sister, she must find a way to navigate the perilous cross-currents of Occupied France undetected—and in time to save Lillian’s life.

Amazon


About The Author

Karen Robards is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than fifty books and one novella. She has won multiple awards including six Affaire de Coeur Silver Pen Awards for favorite author.
Karen has been writing since she was very young, and was first published nationally in the December 1973 Reader's Digest. She sold her first romance novel, ISLAND FLAME, when she was 24. It was published by Leisure Books in 1981 and is still in print. After that, she dropped out of law school to pursue her writing career.
Karen was recently described by The Daily Mail as "one of the most reliable thriller....writers in the world."

Website 

My Review

 


This book grabbed me, I could almost smell the fear and see the horrors that were being perpetrated on Europe and in this book France during this terrible time in history.
The author gives us a young woman struggling with her grief, and thrown into the limelight as a star the German Regime enjoys seeing. As her manager is a man with many personas, and at times I wondered if Max was really for or against Genevieve. Well, we sure are given a lot of action and found myself looking for answers here.
This is a world at war time, and we don’t know from beginning to end who will survive the horrors that are executed  here, and I found myself holding my breath during parts of this read. Praise that we really know how the war ends, but this puts you right in the heat of battle, and lets you know about those behind the scenes who helped at great costs, to bring victory.
We put faces on some of these people and the author did a great job of bring alive this part of a dark time in history.

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

A Dream within a Dream (Coffey & Hill, #3) by Mike Nappa, Melissa Kosci

Trudi Coffey only realizes that she hasn't seen Samuel Hill in weeks when the FBI shows up asking questions about him. After a strange encounter with an armed man demanding her help and an attack by a member of the Boston mob looking for someone named Dream, Trudi manages to find Samuel--or rather, he finds her. He's made some pretty powerful enemies, but right now his full attention is on protecting Dream from the mob. Because Dream has something they want--the map to the location of artwork stolen from the Gardener Museum during the infamous 1990 heist.

With danger closing in from all sides, Trudi and Samuel will have to call on all of their allies to keep Dream safe and discover the identity of the people who have been hunting down Samuel. The real questions are whom can they trust? And who will make it out of this thing alive?

Amazon


About The Author

Mike Nappa is an entertainment journalist at PopFam.com and author of many books. Learn more at http://www.popfam.com and http://www.nappaland.com. http://www.instagram.com/nappaland 

Melissa Kosci is a fourth-degree black belt in and certified instructor of Songahm Taekwondo. In her day job as a commercial property manager, she secretly notes personal quirks and funny situations, ready to tweak them into colorful additions for her books. She and Corey, her husband of twenty years, live in Florida, where they do their best not to melt in the sun.



My Review

I found this book to be a compelling read, if I finished a chapter, I had to keep going to find out what was happening. Even with being a bit lost, I still kept turning the pages.
This is the first book in this series that I have read, and there are three, but lots of information is given, and I can tell by this book that they had to be good!
You never know what is going to happen, and even when answers are given, I still wasn't sure.
In the end I wasn't sure all would survive, and when the book ended I was still wondering. Wonder if you will feel the same?
Come and get lost in a book that is full of action, you won't see most of it coming! Greed, the root of all evil?
I received this book through the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.
 

Celebrate Lit Presents: Victoria Grace: The Jerkface by S.E. Clancy

About the Book

Book:  Victoria Grace: The Jerkface
Author: S.E. Clancy
Genre:  Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: June 15, 2020

Ever since Tori Weston and MamaBear were abandoned by her dad, finances have been tighter than a new pair of skinny jeans. As if keeping her grades up for scholarships and working every spare moment weren’t enough, Tori gets suckered into visiting a retirement home and paired with ancient resident Marigold Williams. After learning she’s the only one to visit Marigold in decades, Tori becomes a regular at Willow Springs. Besides, someone has to help with her history homework.
Corbin Dallas barges into Tori’s life with a prosthetic leg and a dimple, working his way into her hectic schedule. Though she tries to deny it, there’s something beyond his Texan drawl that gets Tori hoping she’s more than his sidekick. Together, they race to find Marigold’s missing family before she fades away. Tori ditches her soul-sucking job, along with her dreams of having a paint-peeled clunker to call her own, in order to help her friend one last time.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

S.E. Clancy (aka Sarah) is a bit of a sci-fi nerd, geek, and self-proclaimed dork. There isn’t much she won’t try at least once…unless it involves mayonnaise, because that stuff is just gross. You can learn more about her at seclancy.com.

More from S.E.

Victoria Grace the Jerkface started as a short story after I’d listened to my favorite song by Nat King Cole: The Christmas Song. I’d overheard a teenager say, “I don’t even know what a chestnut is.” I typed that into a note on my phone because it struck a chord. Within days, a photographer named Tom Hussey issued a series called “Reflections” that featured elderly people gazing into mirrors and seeing their younger selves. That same night, one of my children asked for a project to earn school credits. Like flint to tinder, the idea of this teenager who didn’t know what a chestnut was having to visit an older person left in a care home began to grow.

To add in a bit of my mom and myself to the story, I had my main character Tori (Victoria Grace) love her mom’s meatloaf. It’s a recipe that my mom used from her grandma, an amazing woman we called Grandma Ted.

Ted’s Meatloaf

• 1 pound thawed ground beef or turkey
• 1 packet of dry onion soup mix
• 1 – 2 heels of bread torn into dime-sized pieces (1 for turkey, 2 for beef)
• 1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in a single bowl. Works best if you use your hands, but mix really well if you use a spoon to incorporate all of the ingredients.

Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray. Do not use parchment paper—no one wants a soggy bottom. Plop the entire mixture into the pan and place into the middle of the oven. Cook for an hour.

This recipe doubles easily, just change the cooking time to 1 ½ – 1 ¾ hours and check the internal temp with a thermostat.

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 15

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 16

Books, Life, and Christ, June 16

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 18

Texas Book-aholic, June 19

Inklings and notions, June 20

Robin’s Nest, June 20

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 21

Nancy E Wood , June 21

For Him and My Family, June 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 23

deb’s Book Review, June 24

Batya’s Bits, June 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 26

CarpeDiem, June 26

Pause for Tales, June 27

Artistic Nobody, June 28 (Guest Review from Kelsey Barela)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, S.E. is giving away the grand prize package of signed book, origami bookmark, marigold seeds, & $10 Amazon gift card!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/fc81/victoria-grace-the-jerkface-celebration-tour-giveaway

Celebrate Lit Presents: Chemicals and Christians by Martha McLaughlin

About the Book

Book:  Chemicals and Christians
Author: Martha McLaughlin
Genre: Non-fiction
Release Date: January 31, 2020

“Just because you’re set apart doesn’t mean you’re set aside.”
Martha McLaughlin and her husband served as international missionaries for 10 years, ministering in a variety of ways, including helping to identify unreached people groups. When her physical breakdown forced them to return to the USA, she feared it was the end of her missionary journey. But instead, God told her, “Just because you’re set apart doesn’t mean you’re set aside.”
Today Martha feels called to try to help a different kind of unreached people group: the isolated sufferers of toxic illness, a growing but largely invisible population. Yet, like the canaries once used in coal mines to detect poisonous gases, they are a wake-up call to the effects of the thousands of chemicals used daily in our modern society.
Expertly researched and written, Chemicals and Christians: Compassion and Caution is loaded with valuable information and biblical counsel for hope and avoiding harm in our increasingly chemicalized environment. It provides steps for biblical health management, offers practical resources, and shows Christians ways to help.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

A professional writer since 2006 with a BS and an MEd, Martha has had more than 500 articles published. Alongside her husband, she served as a missionary in South America from the late ‘80s through the late ‘90s. A widow with two young adult sons, Martha lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and enjoys outdoor activities.

More from Martha

When people talk about taking the road less traveled, the implication is generally that there was a choice involved. I’ve made choices at times to wander down lonely trails, such as deciding to become a missionary and move to a country in crisis. Water and electricity were rationed, grocery store shelves were empty, a cholera epidemic raged, the president disbanded congress, inflation hit 10,000 percent, and active terrorist bombing shook our house on a regular basis. Most mission organizations and all non-essential embassy personnel left the country and those of us who chose to stay found ourselves on a very sparsely populated path.

At other times in my life I’ve ended up on roads less traveled not by any decision of my own, but by circumstances beyond my control. During my decade of missionary service, my health steadily declined and I was forced to return to the States to look for help. It wasn’t easy to find, but I eventually learned that Lyme disease, mold exposure, and the chemical onslaughts of a third-world megacity had overwhelmed my detoxification system. I discovered I could climb out of bed and function if I avoided anything that would make my full metaphorical barrel of toxins overflow. I also discovered that was much easier to do in theory than in practice because of the overabundance of untested and unregulated chemicals in common, everyday products.

My health condition introduced me to a world of chemically sensitive people, all of us living isolated lives, unable to safely access most medical care, shopping, schools, and churches. I’d been deeply saddened at having to leave the mission field and wondered why God had removed my ability to serve, but not the sense of call I felt. I gradually began to understand that I still had a calling, but to a different population. I felt God asking me to speak for people who are generally unseen and unheard. I want the Christian church to not only see us, but to find ways to open their doors and provide the spiritual nourishment and connection we so desperately need.

As I was discovering the needs of the chemically sensitive population, I was also learning how quickly it’s growing and how easy it is for anyone to join. I began to understand the connection between everyday chemical exposures and common mental and physical health conditions and symptoms. So the other side of my call is to warn healthy people, or those who haven’t yet connected their chemical exposures and health complaints, that it’s wise to be careful – that being a good steward of the physical body doesn’t just mean getting eating, sleeping, exercise, and relaxation right, but that avoiding toxins is a huge piece of the puzzle.

I’m not someone who always had a burning desire to write a book. I wrote it because I had something to say and a conviction that God wanted me to say it. I want healthy people to stay that way, and I want chemically ill people to be seen, heard, and reached with God’s love. My deep desire is for Chemicals and Christians to help save people from unnecessary suffering.

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, June 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 23

Vicky Sluiter, June 24 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 25

Texas Book-aholic, June 26

My Devotional Thoughts, June 27 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, June 28

Splashes of Joy, June 29

For the Love of Literature, June 30 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, July 1

Lots of Helpers, July 2

Artistic Nobody, July 3 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, July 3

Godly Book Reviews, July 4

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Martha is giving away the grand prize of a $30 Amazon gift card!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/fcd3/chemicals-and-christians-celebration-tour-giveaway

Celebrate Lit Presents: Blood Sisters by Jim O'Shea

About the Book

Book:  Blood Sisters
Author: Jim O’Shea
Genre:  Suspense/Thriller
Release Date: June 16, 2020

Libby Meeker is seeing things.
The young Salt Lake City architect is experiencing visions of her twin sister, despite the fact that Melissa died mysteriously almost one year ago.
If that’s not bad enough, a serial killer surfaces in northern Utah, and a series of bizarre clues lead Detective Troy Hunter to Libby…and unspeakable possibilities that begin to shatter her fragile world.

Click here for your copy!

About the Author

Author of two highly-rated thrillers (The Linen God and The Reluctant Disciple), Jim O’Shea spends his time crafting novels of suspense that frequently tackle the dynamic between faith and science. Jim believes God continues to reveal his creation masterpiece through scientific discovery, and that Christian fiction is a great tool to expose those emerging truths.
His third novel, “Blood Sisters”, takes a more traditional approach to mystery thrillers with a mind-bending whodunit in the tradition of Agatha Christie, Harlan Coben, and Michael Connelly. His fourth novel, “I, Witness”, will return to his faith/science roots and feature a compelling blend of espionage, leading-edge science, and salvation.

More from Jim

I had a dream years ago about identical twin brothers horsing around on a bridge over a rushing river. One tragically fell in and his body was never recovered, but years later the surviving twin began seeing his late brother outside his bedroom window, in the shadows of the church next to his home, and in passing cars and busses.
That dream eventually became the basis for my latest Christian mystery/thriller. In “Blood Sisters”, Libby Mitchell is not only seeing her deceased twin sister all around her small Utah town, but also dealing with the frightening reality of a serial killer targeting young women with red hair. When a series of bizarre clues point Homicide Detective Lee Hunter to thirty year old, red-haired Libby Mitchell, the mystery takes more than a few unexpected turns, providing a thrill ride the reader won’t soon forget.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 18

Rebecca Tews, June 19

Wishful Endings, June 20 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 21

Texas Book-aholic, June 22

For the Love of Literature, June 23

Inklings and notions, June 24

For Him and My Family, June 25

Betti Mace, June 26

A Baker’s Perspective, June 27 (Author Interview)

April Hayman, Author, June 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 28

deb’s Book Review, June 29

Artistic Nobody, June 30 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, June 30

Blogging With Carol, July 1

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Jim is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card and a copy of each of Jim’s three books!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/fccf/blood-sisters-celebration-tour-giveaway

Celebrate Lit Presents: Betwixt Two Hearts

About the Book

Book:  Betwixt Two Hearts
Authors: Amanda Tru, Cathe Swanson, Kari Trumbo, Alana Terry, Carol Moncado, & Chautona Havig
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Release Date: June 9, 2019

Six of today’s Best-selling Christian Authors weave six brand-new, unique, interconnected stories where nothing comes between the love betwixt two hearts.

Betwixt Two Hearts by Amanda Tru
With control of their dating website the prize, Bailey and Camden embark on a matchmaking competition that snags on unexpected results. All is fair in a contest of love. May the best matchmaker win.
The Swedehearts Glory Quilt by Cathe Swanson
Eleanor ran away to find herself. David knew exactly where he wanted to go. Could a matchmaking agency put them on the same map?
Whole Latte Love by Kari Trumbo
Misguided Drew thinks all quiet women hide harmful secrets. While pretty, new best friend Addi’s soft-spoken nature reminds him too much of past hurts to move their relationship forward. Can a matchmaking agency change his heart?
Seoul Refuge by Alana Terry
Caroline is a new believer, excited and passionate about her faith. Calvin is a Boston police detective, an atheist who can hardly believe Christians have brainwashed his wife. Caroline just wants to follow God. Calvin just wants his wife back.
Guardian of Her Heart by Carol Moncado
Signed up for a dating service by friends and brought together by a stowaway cat, Mark and Casey must decide if they want to overcome their apparent incompatibilities or go their separate ways.

Random Acts of Shyness by Chautona Havig
Heath’s sister, Selby, has laid down the law. It’s time to let her take over his love life. After a series of first and only dates, Heath embarks on her new scheme to help him overcome the debilitating nervous habit that has plagued him all his life. However, between dates, each worse than the last, he tries one more time to do things his way… sort of.
Please Note: The Crossroads Collections are sets of stories that are interconnected in some way, but the collections are independent, complete, and can be read in any order.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Authors

Welcome to the Crossroads!
This is a unique collection of stories, with each never before published book by one of today’s favorite best-selling Christian authors fitting together like puzzle pieces. There is nothing else like it on the market!
If you love the premise of this Crossroads Collection and are eager for more, please check out the other Crossroads Collections. In each of them, you will find all new stories tied together once again where the books intersect at a Crossroads.
Out of the Blue Bouquet
Floral folly fables from Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, Carol Moncado, Chautona Havig, & Amanda Tru

Yesterday’s Mail
Misdelivered mail tales from Alana Terry, Cynthia Hickey, Hallee Bridgeman, Chautona Havig, & Amanda Tru

Under the Christmas Star
Ornamental yarns from Lesley Ann McDaniel, April Hayman, Chautona Havig, Alana Terry, & Amanda Tru
Betwixt Two Hearts
Dating site stories from Amanda Tru, Cathe Swanson, Kari Trumbo, Alana Terry, Carol Moncado, & Chautona Havig
The Wedding Dress Yes
Wedding dress dramas from Alexa Verde, Chautona Havig, Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, & Amanda Tru
When Snowflakes Never Cease
Heartwarming wintery accounts from Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, Chautona Havig, Jaycee Weaver, & Amanda Tru
Sign up to receive Amanda Tru’s email newsletter for news of upcoming Crossroads Collections!
www.amandatru.com/newsletter

More from Chautona

“I’ve got a new idea for the next CrossRoads Collection, and I think it might be perfect for your bladder guy.”
Excitement?  Total understatement. Giddy—that’s more like it.  Totally giddy when I “hear” (read) Amanda Tru say, “I’ve got a new idea….”  Without skipping a beat, I typed back, “Let’s hear it.”
As the idea burst into my messenger box, I knew she was right. A matchmaking website?  Perfect for a shy guy with an unfortunate coping mechanism that ensures that he has a string of first and only dates in his back pocket. You can read about that story, here.
I had two months to write it—and had two other books to finish in the meantime.  YIKES!  Still, I had to do it.
I almost made it, too.
For those who don’t know about the CrossRoads Collections, they feature five or six books (of varying length from short novella to full-length novel) and the final (or in the case of Betwixt Two Hearts, the first) book interconnects all the others.  Each collection stands alone, and each story in the collections stand alone, but that one book in each collection ties all the others together in a unique, brilliant way that only the lovely Amanda Tru could manage.
We began with Out of the Blue Bouquet, which tells of five floral fiascos and one florist who causes and redeems them all.
Then came Yesterday’s Mail which features five accounts of lost or misdirected mail and the postal worker tasked with fixing it all.
Of course, when Christmas came around, we needed a good Christmas collection, so our first kicked off with Under the Christmas Star. This collection features five ornaments and the stories connected to each.
Next, we combined forces to do a little matchmaking, and kicked off this collection. Betwixt Two Hearts in a story of a matchmaking website and the people it connected, not to mention the entrepreneurial pair that can’t agree on how to run it!
Of course, weddings are lots of fun, so we came up with The Wedding Dress Yes. In it, you’ll meet CrossRoads’ fabulous new bridal designer who thwarts the efforts of a shop owner still stuck in the eighties with dresses that ensure more social distance than most couples care to have on their wedding day.
And most recently, the When Snowflakes Never Cease collection features a snowstorm that sweeps across the nation during Christmas week and tries to prevent two people determined to find someone in the midst of all that frosty carnage.
I’ve loved writing for all of these collections, but my novel, Random Acts of Shyness in the Betwixt Two Hearts is probably my favorite.
All of the CrossRoads Collection books are available on Kindle Unlimited, and several are just .99 to purchase.
The CrossRoads authors invite you to pick up one of the collections today. We recommend starting with Betwixt Two Hearts while it’s still available in one, inexpensive collection.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, June 12

Inklings and notions, June 13

Reading Is My SuperPower, June 14

deb’s Book Review, June 14

She Lives To Read, June 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 16

For Him and My Family, June 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 18

Read Review Rejoice, June 19

Blossoms and Blessings, June 20

Batya’s Bits, June 21

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, June 22

Connect in Fiction, June 23

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 24

Artistic Nobody, June 25 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, the Betwixt authors are giving away the grand prize of a 6-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/fc72/betwixt-two-hearts-celebration-tour-giveaway

Celebrate Lit Preasents: Forever Music by Hope Toler Dougherty

About the Book

Book:  Forever Music
Author: Hope Toler Dougherty
Genre:  Sweet, inspirational romance
Release Date: May 19, 2020
College history instructor, Josie Daniels is good at mothering her three brothers, volunteering in her community, and getting over broken hearts, but meeting aloof, hot-shot attorney Ches Windham challenges her nurturing, positive-thinking spirit.
Josie longs to help Ches find his true purpose, but, as his hidden talents and true personality emerge, will she be able to withstand potent his charms or will she lose her heart in the process?
Rising star in his law firm, Ches Windham is good at keeping secrets.
He’s always been the good son, following his father’s will to become an attorney and playing the game for a fast track to partnering with a law firm. Lately, though, his life’s path has lost what luster it ever had—all because of his unlikely, and unacceptable, friendship with Josie. He struggles between the life he’s prepared for and the one calling to him now. Opposing his father has never been an option, and spending time with Josie can’t be an option. The more he’s with her, however, the more he wants to be.
When a crisis tarnishes his golden future and secrets are revealed, Ches is forced to reexamine the trajectory of his life. Will he choose the path his father hammered out for him or the path that speaks to his heart?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Hope holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Forever Music is her fourth novel. Residing in North Carolina, she and her husband enjoy visits with their daughters and twin sons.

More from Hope

We love holidays at our house. A couple of months beforehand, my grown children begin asking, “So who’ve you asked? Who’s coming?” Never mind that with our six, my brother’s seven, my parents, a few aunts, uncles, and cousins, we have at least twenty to begin with. They want a crowd—friends, neighbors, and even strangers.
The bigger the better.
For Thanksgiving 2015, people started rolling in on Tuesday night, including a British friend who’d never experienced an American Thanksgiving. I already had some dishes prepared, but when old high school friends began arriving to visit my home-from-college children, I kicked into high gear.
I felt like I cooked pretty much round the clock from Tuesday through Sunday morning.
And I loved it.
I remember just repeating, “Thank You, God! Thank You, God,” like a mantra as I retrieved another casserole from our oven or stirred another dish. The house vibrated with laughter and conversation and love.
It’s one of my all-time favorite weeks.
Forever Music shares the love story of Josie and Ches, but it’s also a nod to close-knit families. Josie and her three brothers portray a teasing, rollicking, loving family. Whether it’s a full-blown holiday or just a weekend supper, they enjoy time together, sharing jokes and jabs over food, games, or projects.
I am blessed beyond measure with my nuclear and extended family and was grateful to model this fictional family on my real one. I hope readers will love the Daniels family as much as I do!

Blog Stops

Batya’s Bits, June 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 11

Genesis 5020, June 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 12

Emily Yager, June 13

Texas Book-aholic, June 14

For Him and My Family, June 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 16

Older & Smarter?, June 17

deb’s Book Review, June 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 19

Writing from the Heart Land, June 19

Pause for Tales, June 20

reviewingbooksplusmore, June 20

Inklings and notions, June 21

Ashley’s Bookshelf, June 22

Artistic Nobody, June 23 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Hope is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card & a copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/fc70/forever-music-celebration-tour-giveaway