No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer

Men are optional. That's the credo Emma Chandler's suffragette aunts preached and why she started a successful women's colony in Harper's Station, Texas. But when an unknown assailant tries repeatedly to drive them out, Emma admits they might need a man after all. A man who can fight--and she knows just the one.

Malachi Shaw finally earned the respect he craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's plea arrives, he bolts to Harper's Station to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve.

As the danger intensifies, old feelings grow and deepen, but Emma and Mal will need more than love to survive.

About The Author

Christy Award finalist and winner the ACFW Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, and Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, CBA bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes Christian historical romance for Bethany House, believing the world needs more happily-ever-afters. She is an avid cross-stitcher and makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children.


My Review

I loved the concept of the woman only town, but now the town is under attack, whom would want to close this town.
Emma Chandler and her spunky aunts have established this colony to help woman and let them earn their freedom and restore their lives. Many come from abusive relationships.
When the town is attacked Emma can only think of one person to turn to for help, Malachi Shaw, who she helped along with aunts when he was homeless, cold and starving, of course she was younger than him, but they opened their home to him. Now they need him, and when the telegram comes, Malachi and off as fast as he can!
Then comes an ultimatum from Malachi’s boss, come back to work or your done, what will he do? He cannot stay forever in a ladies only town, can he? The threats and violence keep coming, and we need to put faces to who is responsible, how can it all be stopped, and why is this happening?
Be ready for a page-turner here, and enjoy as we journey in a woman’s world!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House and was not required to give a positive review. 

Debut Authors Giveaway Hop ~ $10 Amazon Gift Card

 

This hop is designed to introduce you to some new Debut Authors, the new guys on the block!

You may find your new favorite author, and I'm giving a $10 Amazon Gift Card to give you that chance to try someone new!

Just fill out the rafflecopter!

Here are a couple of ones...one I've read and the other I'm looking forward to reading...I'm sure you have some that look good to you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

From This Moment by Elizabeth Camden

Romulus White has tried for years to hire illustrator Stella West for his renowned scientific magazine. She is the missing piece he needs to propel his magazine to the forefront of the industry.
But Stella abruptly quit the art world and moved to Boston with a single purpose: to solve the mysterious death of her beloved sister. Romulus, a man with connections to high society and every important power circle in the city, could be her most valuable ally.
Sparks fly the instant Stella and Romulus join forces, and Romulus soon realizes the strong-willed and charismatic Stella could disrupt his hard-won independence. Can they continue to help each other when their efforts draw the wrong kind of attention from the powers-that-be and put all they've worked for at risk?

About The Author

Elizabeth Camden is the author of eight historical novels and has been honored with a RITA Award, Christy Award, and Daphne du Maurier Award. With a master's in history and a master's in library science, she is a research librarian by day and scribbles away on her next novel by night. She lives with her husband in Florida. 
Learn more at www.elizabethcamden.com. 


My Review

I found myself unable to put this one down, just one more chapter and I’ll turn off the lights, and then one more.
Living in England and living a dream life Stella West is called home to Boston for the unthinkable, her sister has died. Now Stella does not believer her sister Gwendolyn drowned, she knows she was a strong swimmer, and her sister had been corresponding with her about helping A G to bring down the corruption rampant in the City.
Romulus White runs a successful scientific magazine and for years has been trying to coach Stella Westergarrd, a brilliant illustrator, to come and work for him. When he finds out she is in town, he pursues her and ends up becoming involved in the evil that is being perpetrated in Boston.
I didn’t see who or whom the perpetrators were, and was really surprised how the story unfolded, and who will survive the evil that abounds here, and in the form of greed and murder.
There are historical elements here with the building of the subway under the streets of Boston, and I learned something that I had never heard before. This is one really great read, and one you won’t want to put down.

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

Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke, Laurel Oke Logan

Her courage and her heart will be tested in ways she never expected…
Beth Thatcher has spent her entire life in the safe, comfortable world of her family, her friends, and the social outings her father’s wealth provides. But Beth is about to leave it all behind to accept a teaching position in the rugged foothills of western Canada. Inspired by her aunt Elizabeth, who went west to teach school several years ago, and gently encouraged by her father, Beth resolves to put her trust in God and bravely face any challenge that comes her way.
But the conditions in Coal Valley are even worse than she’d feared. A recent mining accident has left the town grieving and at the mercy of the mining company. The children have had very little prior education, and many of the locals don’t even speak English. There isn’t even a proper schoolhouse. In addition, Beth’s heart is torn between two young men–both Mounties, one a lifelong friend and the other a kind, quiet man who comes to her aid more than once.
Despite the many challenges, Beth is determined to make a difference in the rustic frontier town. But when her sister visits from the East, reminding her of all the luxuries she’s had to give up, will Beth decide to return to her privileged life as soon as the school year is over?

Purchase a copy and read an excerpt here.

About The Authors

**Janette Oke** Celebrated for her significant contribution to the Christian book industry, Janette Oke is the recipient of numerous awards. Her novels have sold more than 30 million copies and are beloved by readers around the world. Janette lives with her husband, Edward, in Alberta, Canada.
**Laurel Oke Logan**, is the daughter of Edward and Janette Oke, is the author of “Janette Oke: A Heart for the Prairie,” as well as the novel “Dana’s Valley,” which she co-wrote with her mom. Laurel and her husband have six children and two sons-in-law and live near Indianapolis, Indiana.


Find out more about Janette at http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/authors/janette-oke/932.

My Review:

When I saw that one of my all time favorite author had a new book out, co-authored by her Daughter Laurel Oke Logan, I knew I had to read it. Again, I was not disappointed.
In this book we have Elizabeth's niece Beth. Beth comes from a well to do family, and has always had a delicate health. When she decides to take a teaching job out West in Coal Town. Her Mother doesn't want her to go, but her father prevails and Beth is off on a new adventure in her life.
Long time family friend Edward, meets her as she gets off the train, he has been there on the train with her all along. He precedes to help Beth getting to her hotel, and hires a man to take her things there. I find this quite a funny part of the story, as Edward is in his Royal Mounted Police uniform, and pays the guy....who steals everything.
What a start to a new life?? Arriving in a new town as the teacher, with no clothes or books, or anything...no underwear! Now this is a small, small town, you cannot go out and buy what you need. Thank goodness Mom comes to the rescue.
Through out all of her stay here, she finds a new family. The people make her feel so welcome, and Beth keeps coming up with new ways to help these miners and their families. I can see God's hand in a lot of what happens here. He seems to answer a lot of prayers.
We will sympathize with the plight of the families here, and hope something can be done for them. Beth sure is trying!
You will wonder if there is a bit of romance in the air, and I see at least three possibilities. Will any of them work out?
I hope that there will be more stories coming, I feel like I need to know what is going to happen next! Enjoy!

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

Kill Devil by Mike Dellosso

Jed Patrick is convinced he's doing all it takes to keep his family safe--new names, new location, new identity. But just when he thinks he finally has his life back, trained men claiming to be CIA agents break in and threaten his wife and daughter, proving once and for all his family will never truly be safe until he eliminates the agency dead set on hunting him down.Not knowing if Karen and Lilly are better off by his side or in hiding, Jed is determined to protect them while finding a way to use the classified information that he possesses to dismantle the Centralia Project. But he soon learns that eliminating Centralia may require compromising his own values. As danger escalates, Jed isn't sure whether there's anyone or anything he can trust--including his own senses.


About The Author

Mike Dellosso, writing also under the pen name Michael King, is the author of numerous novels of suspense, including Darkness Follows, Darlington Woods, and Scream. Mike is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and is a popular conference and workshop teacher. He earned his BA degree from Messiah College and his MBS from Master's International School of Divinity. He lives in Hanover, PA, with his wife and daughters. Mike is also a survivor of colon cancer, diagnosed in 2008.


My Review

 
Mike Dellosso new book is a continuance of Centralia, and I have not yet read it, but Kill Devil picks up where that book left off, and I didn’t feel at all lost.
This book is about corruption at the highest levels of our Government, and is there anyone left to trust? Our hero has served his country in Afghanistan, and we flash back to his time there, and he is a renowned sniper, which now puts him in danger, along with his family.
These people will go to all means to make their plans work, and that includes using Jeb Patrick to do their dirty work. You will never see coming the lengths these people will go to, I rather guess one of their evil stunts, but still wasn’t sure. They hit him in the juggler by using his family, and what they do to his eight-year-old daughter Lilly is atrocious.
The author really made me think, and this may be far fetched, but could or is our government out of control? I also love the Christian factor in this story, Lilly is a little one of great faith, and God is with her when they torture her.
I do recommend you read this book; it will really make you think!
I received this book from the Tyndale Book Blog Network, and was not required to give a positive review.

June by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

From the New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet comes a novel of suspense and passion about a terrible mistake made sixty years ago that threatens to change a modern family forever. 

Twenty-five-year-old Cassie Danvers is holed up in her family’s crumbling mansion in rural St. Jude, Ohio, mourning the loss of the woman who raised her—her grandmother, June. But a knock on the door forces her out of isolation. Cassie has been named the sole heir to legendary matinee idol Jack Montgomery's vast fortune. How did Jack Montgomery know her name? Could he have crossed paths with her grandmother all those years ago? What other shocking secrets could June’s once-stately mansion hold?

Soon Jack’s famous daughters come knocking, determined to wrestle Cassie away from the inheritance they feel is their due. Together, they all come to discover the true reasons for June’s silence about that long-ago summer, when Hollywood came to town, and June and Jack’s lives were forever altered by murder, blackmail, and betrayal.

As this page-turner shifts deftly between the past and present, Cassie and her guests will be forced to reexamine their legacies, their definition of family, and what it truly means to love someone, steadfastly, across the ages.

Purchase

About The Author

I write novels. My third, New York Times bestseller Bittersweet, is set at the home on Lake Champlain where I spent my summers as a little girl. But that's where the resemblance to life ends - the place, renamed Winloch in the book - is inhabited by a family of deliciously bad people. I wrote Bittersweet for people like me, who love The Secret History and The Emperor's Children; it's a literary beach read.

My first two novels were published in 2005 and 2007. My next novel, June, will be out in 2016.

Based in some part on my own experience being photographed by two fine arts photographers, Jock Sturges and Mona Kuhn, I started my first novel, The Effects of Light, to answer the question most Americans seemed to ask when I explained this photographic work to them--would I still love it if an innocent died because that work had been made?

My second novel, Set Me Free, was based in part on the time I spent on the Crow reservation in highschool, the legacy of my countercultural parents, and the complications of their generation of liberal do-gooders. The book was also an homage to my theater school-aged days and based on The Tempest. 


My Review

This story takes place in St Jude, Ohio, and our main character Cassie Danvers is living in an old, disrepaired mansion, that she has inherited from her grandmother June. When the story opens, Cassie appears to be very depressed, and experiencing wild dreams, that give her a glimpse into her grandmother’s life back in 1955.
The story flashes back and forth into the past and then back to the present 2015, and we learn a lot about grandma June, and her friend who idolizes her Lindie, whom it seems is always getting herself in a bit trouble.
The dreams that Cassie experiences seem to answer a lot of questions, we have an open camera to the past. What defines all of this is who Cassie really is, that is, is the father she knew during her short time with him, really her dad?
What a turn of events happen in this young woman’s life, is she about to find out life changing news, or is she going to find out about her roots to this old town?
A very different, and entertaining book, from the first page forward, there are a lot of bomb shells dropped and you won’t see most of them coming.
I received this book through Crown Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Alliance by Jolina Petersheim

When Leora Ebersole sees the small plane crash in her Old Order Mennonite community, she has no idea it’s a foreshadowing of things to come. Once the young pilot, Moses Hughes, regains consciousness, they realize his instruments were destroyed by the same power outage that killed the electricity at the community store, where Englischers are stranded with dead cell phones and cars that won’t start.

Moses offers a sobering theory, but no one can know how drastically life is about to change. With the only self-sustaining food supply in the region, the Pacifist community is forced to forge an alliance with the handful of stranded Englischers in an effort to protect not only the food but their very lives.

In the weeks that follow, Leora, Moses, and the community will be tested as never before, requiring them to make decisions they never thought possible. Whom will they help and whom will they turn away? When the community receives news of a new threat, everyone must decide how far they’re willing to go to protect their beliefs and way of life.

About The Author

Jolina Petersheim is the bestselling author of The Outcast, which Library Journal called “outstanding . . . fresh and inspirational” in a starred review and named one of the best books of 2013. That book also became an ECPA, CBA, and Amazon bestseller and was featured in Huffington Post’s Fall Picks, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and the Tennessean. CBA Retailers + Resources called her second book, The Midwife, “an excellent read [that] will be hard to put down,” and Romantic Times declared, “Petersheim is an amazing new author.” Jolina and her husband share the same unique Amish and Mennonite heritage that originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. After years of living in the mountains of Tennessee, they moved to a farm in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin, where they live with their two young daughters.


My Review 

Wow! What a different type of Plain story, an old order Mennonite community is our setting in Ohio. Can you imagine seeing a small plane falling out of the sky and crashing, and the pilot is really not seriously injured.
At the same time the plane crashes everything else stops working, and he seems to have landed, or crashed where he is needed, in an Old Order Mennonite Community, in Ohio. Now why would he need to be here?
As you turn the pages of the book, all law and order has ceased, and people start coming for handouts, as you would expect, but gangs are on the horizon, and out for no good.
The compassion and love these people showed others, but they are Pacifists and who will be able to help them. Moses Hughes is the pilot, and Leora Ebersole is the other main character, and these two opposites seem to click. The community takes in others, and a few other non-mennonite along with Moses take on an alliance to help.
When things go from bad to worse, I loved Moses reference of why he was staying where he was, back to Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, and who told he wasn’t that Moses, made me chuckle.
We rather end this story on a cliffhanger, and I don’t know who made it, and how they are going to survive, or what happens. Sure can’t wait for book two in this, I need to know!
I received this book through Tyndale House Publishers, and was not required to give a positive review.