The Theory of Happily Ever After by Kristin Billerbeck

According to Dr. Maggie Maguire, happiness is serious science, as serious as Maggie takes herself. But science can't always account for life's anomalies--for instance, why her fiancé dumped her for a silk-scarf acrobat and how the breakup sent Maggie spiraling into an extended ice cream-fueled chick flick binge.

Concerned that she might never pull herself out of this nosedive, Maggie's friends book her as a speaker on a "New Year, New You" cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Maggie wonders if she's qualified to teach others about happiness when she can't muster up any for herself. But when a handsome stranger on board insists that smart women can't ever be happy, Maggie sets out to prove him wrong. Along the way she may discover that happiness has far less to do with the head than with the heart.

Filled with memorable characters, snappy dialogue, and touching romance, Kristin Billerbeck's The Theory of Happily Ever After shows that the search for happiness may be futile--because sometimes happiness is already out there searching for you.

Amazon



About The Author

I grew up with a strong sense of justice. I simply knew the way things should be. And since I’m not smart enough to be a district attorney, I am a novelist. My childhood was slightly confusing. I blame my parents for this. Oh heck, I’m going to blame them for everything. I think I would have turned out normal if it weren’t for them.
the billerbeck's

Okay, probably not. I am a fourth-generation Californian, and an American mutt, but identify most strongly with my Italian heritage. My mother’s family, of strong Norwegian/German descent, tried to teach me how to do things right. How to cook, clean, sew, budget accordingly – all the things a proper young girl should know to be a contributing member of society. I, however, failed miserably. For my 40th birthday, my grandmother gave me a cookie gun, so it’s clear she hasn’t given up on me yet! That is eternal optimism!

My dad’s Italian family taught me about the good life. The indulgent life. How to eat, shop and be merry. My Nana had very tiny feet and a penchant for shoes (she worked at the Emporium, no doubt to fund her shoe addiction). My afternoons at her house had no lessons, other than how to walk in her high heels, drape myself in her mink stole and drip myself with rhinestones. Tastefully, of course. I picked up on this lifestyle much quicker.

I graduated San Jose State University with a degree in Journalism & Mass Communications (emphasis in Advertising), gave my life to Jesus during college and found my true love in a Christian Singles’ Group, which yes, I skewer in “What a Girl Wants”. He is German. Practical. And a Contributing Member of Society. I am still Italian, fluffy and an aficionado of fine shoes & handbags.

Together, we have four children and now it’s our turn to confuse them. The circle of life. Dysfunctional family style.

 Website 


My Review

When you figure out that these women have been college friends, and are there for one another, and they also work for our main character Dr. Maggie.
Be ready for some great laugh out loud moments, and for some big bombshells being dropped, as we go for a wonderful, rather luxurious, and kidnapped cruise. You can see there is a lot going on here, with giving speeches and ending up in a fire, to choking, and they all meld into this story.
Cruising with friends and a bit of romance, what could go wrong? You will soon be quickly page turning to see how our Dr.’s life is going to continue after this sudden vacation.

I received this book through the Publisher Revell and their Blogger Program, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Forbidden Groom by Sarah Guy – $25 Giveaway

The Forbidden Groom by Sarah Gay
Cole isn’t looking for love. In fact, it’s forbidden by his PR firm and agent until a new contract can be negotiated with the Texas Titans. His resolve is tested when he lays eyes on Maggie, the spunky caterer. Ever since she caught him from falling, he can’t seem to stop himself from falling for her.
Maggie, a Park City Firefighter, needs a change of scenery. When an offer comes in to possibly take over a successful event planning business in sunny Dallas, Texas, she jumps at it. After a group of NFL players crash her first event, Maggie’s amazing opportunity fizzles. Cole, the handsome football player has ruined her employment prospects and wounded her pride. She may find the true love she has always dreamed of if she can forgive him.

Author Sarah Gay
Sarah, a Wisconsin native, now calls the northern mountains of Utah home. She graduated from BYU with a BS in Human Development and a Spanish minor. She worked for many years as a Human Resource professional.
Sarah now dedicates her time to raising her four children with her husband, Tom, and enjoys her moments to write– in between soccer games, dance competitions, wrestling matches, violin concerts, and lots and lots of driving.

Website

Giveaway Details


$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway
Ends 5/24/18
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

The Redeemed Groom by Taylor Hart – $25 Giveaway

The Redeemed Groom by Taylor Hart
Sloane Kent, famous Country music star, is only in Jackson, Wyoming for one reason: lay down the music for his next album. Since his mother’s passed away and his girlfriend’s left him, there’s been no music, no feeling…nothing. While on a run, he witnesses what a appears to be a young woman who needs help and finds himself hopping on a Greyhound Bus headed for Las Vegas.
Hope Jones does not need a celebrity super star’s help and when he gets on the bus and tries to make friends with her…she turns him down flat. But when she discovers he’s fleeing from a stalker….she decides to listen to his story. Too bad … he lied about it to get her talk to him. Good thing she tells him to go away!
But after reluctantly sharing dinner with him at a bus stop, breaking down in Rawlin’s Wyoming, and hypothesizing about having thirteen children together and living in a broken down fire station, she finds herself more and more intrigued with the famous Country Music Star.
When her ex-fiance tracks her down and puts both of their lives in jeopardy, Hope has to make a choice—trust in Sloane or lose everything.

Author Taylor Hart
Taylor Hart has always been drawn to a good love triangle, hot chocolate and long conversations with new friends. Writing has always been a passion that has consumed her dreams and forced her to sit in a trance for long hours, completely obsessed with people that don’t really exist. Taylor would have been a country star if she could have carried a tune—maybe in the next life.

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Giveaway Details
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway
Ends 5/18/18
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

BLAST – Scarlet by Jen Geigle Johnson

Scarlet by Jen Geigle Johnson
The roads in and out of Paris are heavily guarded, but the dead have easy passage out of the city. A ragged old woman transports the coffins of the most recent victims of the guillotine and is waved on unimpeded. Later, the same crone watches five French aristocrats step out of their coffins unscathed. Not beheaded but spirited away to safety by that most elusive of spies: the Pimpernel. Or, as she’s known in polite society, Lady Scarlet Cavendish.
When not assuming her secret identity as a hero of the French Revolution, Scarlet presents herself as a fashionable, featherbrained young widow flitting about London. In truth, this façade is merely a diversion designed to conceal her clandestine work in France. Among members of the doomed French aristocracy, the Pimpernel is renowned for her bravery and cunning. But when tasked with rescuing handsome Comte Matteo Durand, she faces an unprecedented challenge: she is falling in love with the man. If ever there were a time to keep her head, it is now— because in a world brimming with intrigue, she is not the only one harboring secrets. And if Scarlet doesn’t take care, Madame la Guillotine may finally catch up with the Pimpernel.





Praise
“Jen handled her adaptation beautifully, she makes the history of this tumultuous era come alive. Those familiar with The fictional world of The Pimpernel will appreciate her salute to the original and lovers of history will applaud how she makes the French Revolution personal, and intimate.
“She has a beautiful grasp on our innate desire for freedom and infuses that into her story. The plot is heart rending and suspenseful. The romance is toe tingling and the characters are so realistic, for the first time in my life, I felt emotionally connected to Marie Antoinette. With a strong female character you can root for this is one of my new favorite Pimpernel adaptations.”






Excerpt
“I think you look handsome.”
“Well, that is something, but coming from a woman in your current attire, I hesitate to lay much weight to your approval.” His eyebrow quirked as his gaze searched her from toe to headdress. A chuckle escaped. “What can you mean by dressing us in such a manner?”
His incredulity gave her pause to question. She had pushed the ridiculous to its upper limits, hoping their decoy would further dispel any possible suspicion of her involvement in serious rescue attempts from France. And by involving Matteo, perhaps convince a few suspicious minds of his new allegiance to wealth, pleasure, and fashion. “I have a reputation to uphold, my dear.”
“Am I to now share in your love of fashion extremes?” He gestured to the embroidery on his sleeves.
“For France, darling. If we appear thus, we set ourselves as the supreme leaders in fashion. And besides the prince himself, everyone will turn to us.” All true, naturally, but an equally important great disguise and sleight of hand were at play as well.
“And you feel that men of substance, men I would care to influence, will have any respect for me at all? I am wearing purple breeches. Could I not simply wear my usual tan or black?”



 

Author Jen Geigle Johnson
Jen Geigle Johnson once greeted an ancient turtle under the water by grabbing her fin. Other vital things to know: the sound a water-ski makes on glassy water and how to fall down steep moguls with grace. No mountain is too steep for her to climb, yet. During a study break date in college, she sat on top of a jeep’s roll bars up in the mountains and fell in love. She discovered her passion for England while kayaking on the Thames near London as a young teenager.
Now an award-winning author and mother of six, she loves to share bits of history that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether in Regency England, the French Revolution, or Colonial America, her romance novels are much like life is supposed to be: full of adventure. She is a member of the RWA, the SCBWI, and LDStorymakers. She is also the chair of the Lonestar.Ink writing conference.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Giveaway Details
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway
Ends 5/21/18
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

Honeysuckle Dreams (A Blue Ridge Romance #2) by Denise Hunter

After Brady Collins’ ex-wife dies, he receives devastating news—his nine-month-old son Sam isn’t his son at all. And Sam’s wealthy maternal grandparents want custody of the child. Brady knows he’s in for the fight of his life. But regardless of what any blood test says, Sam is his son, and Brady will go to any lengths to keep him.
Brady’s attorney tips him off that one major life change would virtually assure him of winning guardianship of baby Sam at the final hearing: an impending marriage. And his friend Hope is willing to step in as the loving and devoted fiance.
Local radio celebrity Hope Daniels has been driven by a solitary goal her entire life, and after a happy accident she’s finally offered her dream job. But if the truth comes out about her arrangement with Brady, she may miss the chance of a lifetime and stand in the way of a dear friend’s dreams.
As Brady and Hope make sacrifices to help each other in their times of need, they risk uncovering a truth neither of them expects to find.

Amazon


About The Author

Denise Hunter is the award-winning author of more than 30 novels, including "The Convenient Groom" and "A December Bride", which have been made into Hallmark movies.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town romances. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.

Denise and her husband live in Indiana, where they raised three sons, and are currently enjoying an empty nest. In 1996, Denise began her first novel, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her books contain a strong romantic element, and her husband says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

Website


My Review

The author has given us a story of two longtime friends, broken from past relationships and yet trying to be there for one sweet baby, a catalyst to bringing them together, or not.
Can these two forge a convincing union to make a home for a precocious infant, who desperately needs them. Will they be able to let go of the past, and move on with a picture-perfect marriage, at least in the eyes of others, or will their worlds come tumbling down?
Answers are here and you will be quickly page turning as we follow the outcome of the lives of these involved, and hoping for the baby’s sake all the right decisions will be made.

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

She Who Knows No Fear Celebration Tour

About the Book

Title: She Who Knows No Fear
Author: Barbara Bras
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Release Date: December 8, 2017
Cassie’s dream is about to come true. She’s marrying her best friend, the love of her life.
She will never be alone again.
But when Zack fails to return from surfing, Cassie’s safe world comes crashing down around her and she begins her struggle anew.
Haunted by her conviction that her late grandmother left her something that will help her, Cassie discovers hidden “treasures” in the house she inherited.
With the help of her stepmother, Cassie unlocks the secrets of her grandmother’s journey and along the way finds the ultimate answer for her own life.

Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Author

In 2015, Barbara Bras left her career to pursue her dream of serving God. She believed that her first step was to share the amazing story of God’s blessings in her life. Wrapped in God’s Grace, A Life Rediscovered does so through a trio of narratives. It begins with the story of her son’s miraculous adoption and the challenging years that followed, her grandparents’ remarkable survival in Armenia, and her own quest for purpose and love. Once written, Barbara realized her life’s new purpose. Captured by St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, she views her writing as a tribute to the God who comforts and strengthens us in hardships and trials, and as her mission to encourage others. Her first novel, She Who Knows, A Tale of the Heart, seeks to inspire and encourage. The sequel, She Who Knows No Fear: Another Tale of the Heart, released in December 2017. Solo Deo Gloria, To God Alone Be the Glory

Blog Spots

All-of-a-kind Mom, April 26

proud to be an autism mom, April 26

Reflections From My Bookshelves, April 27

Inklings and notions, April 28

Blogging With Carol, April 28

Bibliophile Reviews, April 29

A Greater Yes, April 29

Josephine’s Thoughts, April 30

Among the Reads, April 30

Maureen’s Musings, May 1

Texas Book-aholic, May 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 2

Janices book reviews, May 2

Jeanette’s Thoughts, May 3

Reading is my Super Power, May 3 (Interview)

Reader’s Cozy Corner, May 4

Pause for Tales, May 4

Kaylee’s Kind Of Writes, May 5

Carpe Diem, May 5

A Baker’s Perspective, May 6

margaret kazmierczak, May 6 (Interview)

Mary Hake, May 7

Simple Harvest Reads, May 7 (Guest Post from Mindy Houng)

Two Points of Interest, May 8

Bigreadersite, May 8

For the love of books, May 9

Artistic Nobody, May 9 (Spotlight)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Barbara is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card plus a signed copy of She Who Knows and She Who Knows No Fear!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca74

My Review

In this the second book in this series, we have Cassie marrying Zach, and all should be happily ever after, but of course not, but we hope as we continue reading that all will be well.
This book has a lot of new information dropped and a few bombshells, that you will have to wait for, but with each find it seems that Cassie’s faith has grown.
Will Cassie learn to live her faith, will she be able to overcome her fears, and in the end, we hope that she will survive.
I did love the setting for this book, and could almost feel myself looking the beautiful view, and feel that tropical breeze on my face, and could see her Dad’s house up on the hill, just a bit higher to get the view.
We are there when the surprises and gifts that Cassie is able to find, and also the big bombshell, and yet they are all treasures from the past.
A book to get lost in, and yet I would love to return.

I received this book through Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Amish Quilter by Mindy Starnes Clark

Linda Mueller happily devotes most of her time to quilting. When she's not working at an Englisch fabric shop, she's busy working on her own quilts and honing her craft.

Linda's orderly life is suddenly disrupted when the husband of her oldest sister, Sadie, passes away. Linda meets her brother-in-law's nephew, Isaac Mast, a newcomer to Lancaster County and a talented painter. As Linda struggles to support Sadie and still find time for her own pursuits, she finds herself drawn to Isaac.

Linda and Isaac bond over their respective hobbies and Isaac's deep love for his grandmother. Inspired by him, Linda starts to uncover the story of her own grandmother, who died a bitter old woman.

What lessons from the past will Linda learn that might prepare her for a terrible secret, one that threatens her future with Isaac?

Amazon 


About The Author

Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of more than 30 books, both fiction and nonfiction, and has received numerous literary honors, including two Christy Awards and RT Book Reviews 2012 Career Achievement Award. Mindy and her husband, John, have two adult children and live near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. 

Website


My Review

I enjoyed this story, and it is actually a few stories in one, and then it circles to include each one.
What does quilting and artistic painting have to do with one another, well that is what the author is about to show us as this story unfolds. There is a bit of sadness, a little romance, and an unfolding family mystery, that comes to light. Our main character Linda, seems to oblivious to a lot that goes on around her, especially concerning her family and community, and secrets that others have shared.
Once a hand painted picture is found, we are in for a treat as unknown family members are found.
A page-turner for sure!
I received this book through Net Galley and Harvest House Publishers, and was not required to give a positive review.