Bringing Maggie Home by Kim Vogel Sawyer (Contemporary Fiction from WaterBook Press) [Giveaway]

About the book: Decades of loss, an unsolved mystery, and a rift spanning three generations

Hazel DeFord is a woman haunted by her past. While berry picking in a blackberry thicket in 1943, ten-year-old Hazel momentarily turns her back on her three-year-old sister Maggie and the young girl disappears.

Almost seventy years later, the mystery remains unsolved and the secret guilt Hazel carries has alienated her from her daughter Diane, who can't understand her mother's overprotectiveness and near paranoia. While Diane resents her mother's inexplicable eccentricities, her daughter Meghan---a cold case agent---cherishes her grandmother's lavish attention and affection.

When a traffic accident forces Meghan to take a six-week leave-of-absence to recover, all three generations of DeFord women find themselves unexpectedly under the same roof. Meghan knows she will have to act as a mediator between the two headstrong and contentious women. But when they uncover Hazel's painful secret, will Meghan also be able to use her investigative prowess to solve the family mystery and help both women recover all that's been lost?

About the author: Kim Vogel Sawyer is a highly acclaimed, best-selling author with more than one million books in print, in seven different languages. Her titles have earned numerous accolades including the ACFW Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers' Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Kim lives in central Kansas with her retired military husband, Don, where she continues to write gentle stories of hope. She enjoys spending time with her three daughters and grandchildren. Learn more at kimvogelsawyer.com.

Learn more & purchase a copy

GIVEAWAY

Begins October 3

Ends October 19 @ 12:01 a.m. EST

Open to USA addresses only.

Winner's copy is graciously provided via Litfuse Publicity Group, the author, and publisher.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Watch for Chat With Vera's review soon!

Rule of Law by Randy Singer [Giveaway]

What did the president know? And when did she know it?

For the members of SEAL Team Six, it was a rare mission ordered by the president, monitored in real time from the Situation Room. The Houthi rebels in Yemen had captured an American journalist and a member of the Saudi royal family. Their executions were scheduled for Easter Sunday. The SEAL team would break them out.

But when the mission results in spectacular failure, the finger-pointing goes all the way to the top.

Did the president play political games with the lives of U.S. service members?

Paige Chambers, a determined young lawyer, has a very personal reason for wanting to know the answer. The case she files will polarize the nation and test the resiliency of the Constitution. The stakes are huge, the alliances shaky, and she will be left to wonder if the saying on the Supreme Court building still holds true.

Equal justice under law.

It makes a nice motto. But will it work when one of the most powerful people on the planet is also a defendant?

GIVEAWAY

Begins September 20

ENDS October 2 @ 12:01 a.m. ET

Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Watch for Chat With Vera's review on September 20.

Randy Singer is a critically acclaimed, award-winning author and veteran trial attorney. He has penned more than 10 legal thrillers and was recently a finalist with John Grisham and Michael Connelly for the inaugural Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction sponsored by the University of Alabama School of Law and the ABA Journal. Randy runs his own law practice and has been named to Virginia Business magazine's select list of "Legal Elite" litigation attorneys. In addition to his law practice and writing, Randy serves as teaching pastor for Trinity Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He calls it his "Jekyll and Hyde thing"---part lawyer, part pastor. He also teaches classes in advocacy and civil litigation at Regent Law School and, through his church, is involved with ministry opportunities in India. He and his wife, Rhonda, live in Virginia Beach. They have two grown children. Visit his website at www.randysinger.net.

Learn more & purchase a copy

More reviews & information

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse Publicity Group to facilitate a review. Giveaway copy is provided by publicist and publisher, Tyndale House and mailed directly to the winner.

God Bless Us Every One (A contemporary Christmas carol) by Eva Marie Everson (Christmas Novella) [Review & Giveaway]

My thoughts: I love that the setting of God Bless Us Every One is in my home state of North Carolina. The little town of Testament (fictional) is nestled in the mountainous area of Morganton (a real place). The characters are real, down-to-earth folks with real life issues, real likes and dislikes, real stuff happening in their live.

This contemporary story runs a bit parallel to Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"; in fact each chapter begins with a meaty quote from Dickens. The reader will soon learn that Charlie's (female protagonist in story) father, John, is in prison. Note please that Charles Dickens' father's name was John and he was imprisoned in debtor's prison when Charles Dickens was a boy. Hmmmm.... getting the point?

As the story progresses, our modern day Charlie gets to know her father in his present day surroundings - a homeless shelter. Can she forgive for his past? 

Love that Charlie and her childhood crush, Dusty are reunited and strike up a great friendship (errr.... relationship). But the sweet nugget at the end doesn't entail Charlie and Dusty. You'll have to read this delightful novella to find out just what that was.

God Bless Us Every One rates a 4 or a 5 star for Christmas novella reading.

About the book: A timeless classic can change the future.

Charlene Dixon---called Charlie by family and friends---is devastated at the recent loss of her job. For the last five years, the twenty-seven-year-old has blossomed as the activities director of an exclusive all-girls school. But when a misunderstanding with the head-mistress leads to a pink slip right before the holidays, Charlie packs up dreams and returns to Grandma Esther, who raised Charlie as her own.

When Charlie arrives---broken and confused---Esther immediately puts her granddaughter to work behind the scenes of the local school's Christmas play, A Christmas Carol. When Charlie disapproves of having to work with Dustin Kennedy, the seventh-grade English teacher, Grandma Esther encourages her to take a deeper look at why the book by Charles Dickens had been written in the first place and what the book could teach Charlie about the needs of the children in their own community.

GIVEAWAY

BEGINS September 6

ENDS September 20 @ 12:01 a.m. ET

Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE:I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse Publicity Group on behalf of the author and publisher to facilitate my review. Opinions are my own, alone. I was not compensated for this review.

***FLASH GIVEAWAY*** Dawn at Emberwilde by Sarah E. Ladd (Regency Romance) from Thomas Nelson

Isabel Creston never dared to dream that love could be hers. Now, at the edge of a forest filled with dark secrets, she faces a fateful choice between love and duty.

For as long as she can remember, beautiful and free-spirited Isabel has strained against the rules and rigidity of the Fellsworth School in the rolling English countryside. No longer a student, Isabel set her sights on a steady role as a teacher at the school, a safe yet stifling establishment that would enable her to care for her younger sister Lizzie, who was left in her care after her father's death.

The unexpected arrival of a stranger with news of unknown relatives turns Isabel's small, predictable world upside down, sweeping her and her young charge into a labyrinth of intrigue and hidden motives.

At her new family's invitation, Isabel and Lizzie relocate to Emberwilde, a sprawling estate adjacent to a vast, mysterious wood rife with rumors and ominous folklore---along with whispers of something far more sinister. Perhaps even more startling, two handsome men begin pursuing Isabel, forcing her to learn the delicate dance between attraction, the intricate rules of courtship, and the hopes of her heart.

At Emberwilde Isabel will discover that the key to unlocking the mystery of her past may also open the door to her future and security. But first she must find it---in the depths of Emberwilde Forest.

GIVEAWAY

Begins 6/10

Ends 6/15 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT

Open to USA addresses only

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Author info: Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood. She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever.

Through the Shadows (Book #3 Golden Gate Chronicles) by Karen Barnett [Review & Giveaway]

My thoughts: Stepping into history with Karen Barnett is a treat as she develops very realist characters, scenes, and events.

As San Francisco continues to reconstruct after the historically catastrophic earthquake and fire that gutted the city, corruption and evil manipulate the lives of the populace. The evils of criminal politicians, human trafficking, and racism are rife.

The good folks still exist, though, and Elizabeth King and Charles McKinley muddle through discovering how God's grace and His strength can imbue one with wisdom and virtue to carry on.

This is an absolutely riveting read and a fine conclusion to the Gold Gate Chronicles.

About the book: As San Francisco rises from the ashes, an age-old battle looms between corruption and the promise of new beginnings.

The devastating earthquake is just two years past, but the city of San Francisco is still trying to recover. Destruction of this magnitude is not so easy to overcome---and neither are the past regrets shadowing Elizabeth King's hopeful future.

Hoping to right her wrongs, Elizabeth dedicates herself to helping girls rescued from slavery in Chinatown brothels, even if it means putting her own life at risk to sneak through the gloomy alleys and rooftops where dangers lurk.

Putting her life on the line for a worthy cause is admirable. But opening her heart is even more terrifying. So when Elizabeth meets attorney Charles McKinley---a man who dreams of reforming San Francisco's crooked politics---Elizabeth begins to doubt: Can she maintain her pretense and hide her past? Or will her secret jeopardize both their futures?

GIVEAWAY

Begins May 17 

Ends June 5 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT

Open to USA addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you have won a book from a Litfuse giveaway hosted here on Chat With Vera in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win again. 

Click Here for More Reviews   Learn More & Purchase

https://promosimple.com/ps/99f1

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse Publicity Group to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated. Giveaway copy is provided directly to the winner via Litfuse.

Through the Shadows (Golden Gate Chronicles #3) by Karen Barnett [Giveaway]

The devastating earthquake is just two years past, but the city of San Francisco is still trying to recover. Destruction of this magnitude is not so easy to overcome-and neither are the past regrets shadowing Elizabeth King's hopeful future.

Hoping to right her wrongs, Elizabeth dedicates herself to helping girls rescued from slavery in Chinatown brothels, even if it means putting her own life at risk to sneak through the gloomy alleys and rooftops where dangers lurk.

Putting her life on the line for a worthy cause is admirable. But opening her heart is even more terrifying. So when Elizabeth meets attorney, Charles McKinley--a man who dreams of reforming San Francisco's crooked politics--Elizabeth begins to doubt: Can she maintain her pretense and hide her past? Or will her secret jeopardize both their futures?

GIVEAWAY

Begins May 17 

Ends June 5 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT

Open to USA addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway 
Watch for Vera's review coming soon!

Sister Dear by Laura McNeill [Review & Giveaway]

About the book: All Allie Marshall wants is a fresh start. But when dark secrets refuse to stay buried, will her chance at a new life be shattered forever?

Convicted of a crime she didn't commit, Allie watched a decade of her life vanish---time that can never be recovered. Now, out on parole, Allie is determined to clear her name, rebuild her life, and reconnect with the daughter she barely knows.

But Allie's return home shatters the quaint, coastal community of Brunswick, Georgia. Even her own daughter Caroline, now a teenager, bristles at Allie's claims of innocence. Refusing defeat, a stronger, smarter Allie launches a battle for the truth, digging deeply into the past even if it threatens her parole status, personal safety, and the already fragile bond with family.

As her commitment to finding the truth intensifies, what Allie ultimately uncovers is far worse than she imagined. Her own sister has been hiding a dark secret---one that holds the key to Allie's freedom.

My thoughts: I have very mixed feelings about the book, Sister Dear. It is a very interesting read and the story and characters are well developed. The writing is excellent. Following timelines ten years apart and written from the perspective or the main characters, it weaves an intriguing story that captivates the reader.

While the story is essentially a clean read by secular standards, I did not care for the scene where two characters met for a sexual encounter. While not graphic, it was too intense.

Populated with jealousy, greed, betrayal, revenge, murder and the highly competitive sports world. Also, there is a high level of deception and hatred. While this is true in many life situations, I found it dark and foreboding.

Again, the story is well written. There is nothing overtly sexual or violent but there is violence. It is a dark psychological suspense story but doesn't deal with evil spirits or darkness of that type.

I did not sense any degree of Christian association on behalf of the characters. The publisher is Thomas Nelson Publishing and they have long been considered to be one of the top Christian publishing houses. Interesting.

Do I recommend it? Yes, because it is a good read, well done, and essentially clean. I do not recommend it for youth under age 16 or 17 simply because it is not the type book I would want to place in their hands - other parents and adult leaders might feel differently.

GIVEAWAY

Begins April 27
ENDS May 14 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. 

 Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Meet the Author: After six years behind the anchor desk at two CBS affiliates, Laura moved to the Alabama Gulf Coast to raise her family. Her accolades in broadcasting include awards from the Associated Press, including Best News Anchor and Best Specialized Reporter.

She holds a master's degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and a bachelor's degree in English from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She is currently pursuing a second master's degree in interactive technology from the University of Alabama.

Purchase a copy        More reviews & information

DISCLOSURE: I received a copy from Litfuse Publicity Group on behalf of the publiher and/or author to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

Sister Dear by Laura McNeill [Giveaway]

About the book: All Allie Marshall wants is a fresh start. But when dark secrets refuse to stay buried, will her chance at a new life be shattered forever?

Convicted of a crime she didn't commit, Allie watched a decade of her life vanish---time that can never be recovered. Now, out on parole, Allie is determined to clear her name, rebuild her life, and reconnect with the daughter she barely knows.

But Allie's return home shatters the quaint, coastal community of Brunswick, Georgia. Even her own daughter Caroline, now a teenager, bristles at Allie's claims of innocence. Refusing defeat, a stronger, smarter Allie launches a battle for the truth, digging deeply into the past even if it threatens her parole status, personal safety, and the already fragile bond with family.

As her commitment to finding the truth intensifies, what Allie ultimately uncovers is far worse than she imagined. Her own sister has been hiding a dark secret---one that holds the key to Allie's freedom.

Watch for my review on May 10th

GIVEAWAY

Begins April 27
ENDS May 12 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. 

 Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Meet the Author: After six years behind the anchor desk at two CBS affiliates, Laura moved to the Alabama Gulf Coast to raise her family. Her accolades in broadcasting include awards from the Associated Press, including Best News Anchor and Best Specialized Reporter.

Back In the Saddle by Ruth Logan Herne [Review & Giveaway]

About the book: The prodigal is coming home.

It's been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray's Glen, Washington. He's broke, but not broken, and it's time to check in with his ailing father, and get his legs back under him by climbing into the saddle again.

He doesn't expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his chest---a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt senses there's more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he's determined to find out what she's hiding . . . and why.

Colt's return brings new challenges. Younger brother Nick has been Sam's right-hand man at the ranch for years and isn't thrilled at having Colt insert himself into Double S affairs. And the ranch's contentious relationship with the citizens of Gray's Glen asks all the Stafford men to examine their hearts about what it truly means to be a neighbor.  And as Wall Street recovers, will Colt succumb to the call of the financial district's wealth and power---or finally the courage to stay in the saddle for good?

My thoughts: The author has woven a multi-storied tale that resembles a bird's nest in it's complexity and strengths. While the "theme" of the prodigal returning is a surface story with rugged cowboy turned New York financier returning to the ranch after the financial world plunges downward dragging him with it, I don't see this as a weakness of Colt's but as a strength. He recognizes his need to return to his home where his father, who has fallen ill, can use his expertise as a cow wrangler and it serves his own need as well. He is not too proud to recognize he has a need and faces the challenge of returning in "shame" to family and friends.

Along with Colt's story, there is a layer of family in crisis and the story of the repentant father who is seeking to make up for his many shortcomings and failures through the years as a father to his broken and hurting family.

And the lovely and interesting Angelina has a story that intrigues and draws Colt. Of course, her beauty and kindness are a "draw" as well.

Ah, there is also a charming wee little one that is tightly woven into this nest of complexity with whom you'll fall in love - just as I did.

Ruth Hogan Herne has given us a good read of contemporary ranching complete with vivid roundups in terrible cold and of newborn calves being cared for by rough and tumble cowboys.

GIVEAWAY

Begins March 29
ENDS April 13 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. 

 Open to USA addresses only.
If you have won a contest from Litfuse Publicity Group or this publisher in the past 30 days prior to contest closing, you are ineligible to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author info: Ruth Logan Herne has more than half a million books in print, including fifteen Love Inspired contemporary novels. Back in the Saddle is the first book in her new western romance series. Ruth is a founding member of Seekerville, a popular writing collective blog. A country girl who loves the big city, Ruth and her husband live on a farm in upstate New York.

Read more reviews - click here

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by Litfuse Publicity Group to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Back In the Saddle by Ruth Logan Herne [Giveaway]

About the book: The prodigal is coming home.

It's been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray's Glen, Washington. He's broke, but not broken, and it's time to check in with his ailing father, and get his legs back under him by climbing into the saddle again.

He doesn't expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his chest---a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt senses there's more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he's determined to find out what she's hiding . . . and why.

Colt's return brings new challenges. Younger brother Nick has been Sam's right-hand man at the ranch for years and isn't thrilled at having Colt insert himself into Double S affairs. And the ranch's contentious relationship with the citizens of Gray's Glen asks all the Stafford men to examine their hearts about what it truly means to be a neighbor.  And as Wall Street recovers, will Colt succumb to the call of the financial district's wealth and power---or finally the courage to stay in the saddle for good?

GIVEAWAY

Begins March 29
ENDS April 13 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. 

 Open to USA addresses only.
If you have won a contest from Litfuse Publicity Group or this publisher in the past 30 days prior to contest closing, you are ineligible to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author info: Ruth Logan Herne has more than half a million books in print, including fifteen Love Inspired contemporary novels. Back in the Saddle is the first book in her new western romance series. Ruth is a founding member of Seekerville, a popular writing collective blog. A country girl who loves the big city, Ruth and her husband live on a farm in upstate New York.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by Litfuse Publicity Group to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

The Hearts We Mend by Kathryn Springer

About the book: Planning and Post-It notes are the epitome of Evie’s life. But when she meets Jack, her life gets more than a little complicated.

Thirteen years ago, Evie’s firefighter husband was killed in the line of duty, leaving her to raise their young son, Cody, alone. Now, Cody is marrying the love of his life, and as he packs up his belongings, the house feels as empty as Evie’s heart. But for all her planning and mad organizational skills, Evie could never have anticipated the dramatic shift her life is about to make.
Tattooed, rough-around-the-edges Jack raises quite a few eyebrows in the tight-knit community of Banister Falls. Where Evie’s life is stream-lined, Jack’s approach to living is moment-by-moment. But as Evie gets drawn into Jack’s world—a world that isn’t as safe or predictable as the one she’s worked so hard to create—he challenges her to open her eyes to the problems outside the walls of the church.

Jack doesn’t make Evie feel comfortable, but he definitely makes her feel something. Something she hasn’t felt since Max passed away—or, maybe ever. Because even though Jack isn’t anything like her late husband, he just might be everything she needs.

My thoughts: A cast of delightful, believable, and vibrant characters hammer their way through this story of lives in distress, lives healing, lives discovering. Main protagonists, Evie and Jack, virtually run headlong into each other on a dark night as she adventures forth to help another and he, stealthily with baseball bat in hand, protects his neighbor from intruders.

Evie is a young widow whose son is marrying very young just as she, herself, did. So I'm guessing her age to be around 37. Young enough to be attracted to the brash and handsome Jack who has now entered her daily life at the church where she works. Evie is old enough to be an in-charge and take-charge person.

Jack has a family chock full of difficulties and problems. He has moved to Banister Falls to be on hand to catch the fall out from these problems and hopefully help solve them.

Most lovable of all the characters, though, is lovable Lily the wee little daughter of Travis who is younger brother to Jack. You will want Lily to paint your toenails Caribbean Orange, too.

A delightful and quick read that is well suited for anyone past teen years. The content isn't "adult" but the interest level more appealing for those a  bit older. Loved it.

Read more reviews - click here

Learn more and purchase a copy. 

About Kathryn Springer: Kathryn Springer is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in northern Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child she spent many hours sitting at her mother’s typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books – which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own. Kathryn has written nineteen books with close to two million copies sold. She lives with her husband and three children in Marinette, Wisconsin. Find out more about Kathryn at http://www.kathrynspringer.com. 

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse Publicity Group to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for the review.

Kissed by a Cowboy (Four of Hearts Ranch #3) by Debra Clopton [Review & Giveaway]

About the book: Cassidy was looking for a home and a place to belong . . . not for a cowboy to steal her heart.

Having lived through her parents’ endless string of “matrimonial bliss gone wrong,” Cassidy Starr knows when the odds are not in her favor. Divorced and humiliated, her faith on rocky ground, Cassidy is through with love. She’s been bucked off that horse far too many times. Instead, she returns to Wishing Springs, Texas, and the rundown farm she’s inherited from her great aunt Roxie. She’ll reopen the strawberry farm and a bed & breakfast and follow in her aunt’s footsteps, remaining forever-independent, happy . . . and single.

Rancher Jarrod Monahan’s hands are full running the ranch, looking after his ailing grandfather, and chasing down a group of rustlers on the loose. He’s pushed his longing for a family to the bottom of his list of priorities. Besides, he was in love once but ran scared and lost his shot at happiness. But suddenly, the biggest regret of his life has moved in next door with a wounded heart, determined to become a spinster . . . and that’s a challenge that Jarrod can’t pass up.

Jarrod sets his mind to breaking down the walls around Cassidy’s stubborn heart. How can he show her that a cowboy’s kiss lasts forever?  For the good folks of Wishing Springs, falling in love has never been so much fun to witness.2/23

My thoughts: Debra Clopton writes an entertaining contemporary story, and this third in the series was awaited with anticipatory thoughts of fun and relaxed reading. I was not disappointed on that level. I knew with a title such as "Kissed by....." that it might entail more kissing than I like for my reading and reviewing. But I do enjoy Ms. Clopton's stories, so I dove into reading it.

The story is warm and entertaining and the characters realistic, charming, quirky, lovable.  The little town has a bit of everything and a heaping dose of friendliness and caring.

Cassidy has returned to the home of her beloved aunt deceased for several years. Seeking a new life in a new place following her divorce after eight years married to a man who has been grossly unfaithful to her, she desires to establish a Bed and Breakfast and small business on this inherited property she loves. It is close by the ranch of the man who previously broke her heart prior to her marriage.

So Cassidy is dealing with the aftermath of divorce, refurbishing and refitting the property to ready it for her dreamed future, and trying to convince everyone she is not interested in a new relationship with a man. But then there is a whole lot 'o kissing going on.

This is not a story I would particularly want to pass along to a teen. While it is not truly offensive, some things you just need to keep a bit low key.

GIVEAWAY 
Begins February 9

ENDS February 25  @ 12:01 a.m. ET. 
 Open to USA addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

More about the book & more reviews - click here

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse Publicity Group to facilitate this review. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson & Kimberly Woodhouse, Historical Romance [Review & Giveaway]

ISBN13: 9780764214103
Bethany House $14.99 Paperback

My thoughts: The collaborative writing of prolific authors Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse has brought a moving story to the Christian historical fiction realm. Laced with gossip, fear, suspicions, the world of Angels Camp, California is fertile ground for people to turn their backs on a family that is hurt and needful and living with intense sorrow.

Lillian Porter literally walks into this world and frankly has no recourse but to grit her lady-like teeth and stay put. She can't return to the life she has left and she has not the means to go elsewhere.

As the story unfolds, the tenderest victim is the young boy who is terrified and hasn't spoken a word since witnessing the horror. Lillian quickly wins his confidence, though not yet his voice, and begins to bring him back from the shadows.

This is a tender and yet strong read of a young woman who dares to speak out, who dares to venture forth, and who dares to love a young child and the man her heart speaks to.

A good read and worth the time.

About the book:  The shadows over this olive grove hide more than just the truth. . . .

Lillian Porter has always wanted to fulfill her mother's dream of going west, so when she hears about a nanny position in Angels Camp, California, she defies her grandfather and takes a chance on a new future. But she quickly wonders if she made the right choice. Murky rumors swirl around Woodward Colton, her new employer, but the gossip doesn't match the man Lillian comes to know.

Still, something dark did happen in the family's past. Lillian's seven-year-old charge hasn't spoken in over a year. Gently, Lillian tries to coax him out of his shell, hoping he'll one day feel safe enough to share what scared him. But the Colton olive farm is no longer a safe place. Lillian encounters suspicious characters on their land and mysterious damage done to the farm. When the housekeeper is brutally attacked, the town once again suspects the worst. Will discovering the truth help Lillian clear the name of the man she has come to love---or will it endanger her even more?

More reviews & information about the book - click here

GIVEAWAY 

Begins January 24
ENDS February 10  @ 12:01 a.m. ET. 

 Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by Litfuse Publicity Group on behalf of the authors and Bethany House to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review. Giveaway prize copy is provided by the publicist and will be sent directly to winner by publicist or publisher.

Giveaway: Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson & Kimberly Woodhouse

ISBN13: 9780764214103
Bethany House $14.99 Paperback

About the book:  The shadows over this olive grove hide more than just the truth. . . .

Lillian Porter has always wanted to fulfill her mother's dream of going west, so when she hears about a nanny position in Angels Camp, California, she defies her grandfather and takes a chance on a new future. But she quickly wonders if she made the right choice. Murky rumors swirl around Woodward Colton, her new employer, but the gossip doesn't match the man Lillian comes to know.

Still, something dark did happen in the family's past. Lillian's seven-year-old charge hasn't spoken in over a year. Gently, Lillian tries to coax him out of his shell, hoping he'll one day feel safe enough to share what scared him. But the Colton olive farm is no longer a safe place. Lillian encounters suspicious characters on their land and mysterious damage done to the farm. When the housekeeper is brutally attacked, the town once again suspects the worst. Will discovering the truth help Lillian clear the name of the man she has come to love---or will it endanger her even more?

GIVEAWAY 

Begins January 24
ENDS February 10  @ 12:01 a.m. ET. 

 Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read more about this book & more reviews - click here

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by Litfuse Publicity Group on behalf of the authors and Bethany House to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review. Giveaway prize copy is provided by the publicist and will be sent directly to winner by publicist or publisher.

At Love's Bidding by Regina Jennings (Christian Historical Romance set in the Ozark Mountains) [Review & Giveaway]

ISBN13: 9780764211416
Bethany House

About the book: She sells priceless antiques. He sells livestock by the pound. Is he really the man to make a bid for her heart?

After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she's accidentally sold a powerful family's prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the people who could ruin them forever, they track it to the Missouri Ozarks and make an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house and all its holdings before the painting can move again.

Upon crossing the country, however, Miranda and her grandfather discover their new auction house doesn't deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its frustratingly handsome manager, Wyatt Ballentine, is annoyed to discover his fussy new bosses don't know a thing about the business he's single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more heads of cattle than they can count---but no mysterious painting---Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and prevent a bad situation from getting worse.

My thoughts: Author Regina Jennings brings good clean stories to life with her quirky, sweet, irksome characters. You’ll find as I always do when reading a Jennings book that you get a lighthearted feeling because there is fun, joviality, and downright silliness sometimes in the characters as she develops the story around them.

When Miranda meets Wyatt, it is under hilariously disturbing circumstances. She and her grandfather have just traveled by train from the cultured city of Boston to the rough and tough Ozarks. Expecting to be met by some transportation to take them to their final destination which they assume is a cultured auction house situated in a cultured city or town, they find themselves met by a suave young man seated upon a rough wagon. Right after his arrival, another “gentleman” arrives on the scene and snatches the wagon right out from under the first and departs. This leaves Miranda and her grandfather to fend for themselves.

As the story progresses, Miranda and grandfather find the fancy auction house is actually a stinking animal barn where cows, sheep, goats, and chickens are auctioned. Not some fancy place which they were expecting their newly purchased auction house to be.

As the story progresses, the funny turns sad and more realistic. Miranda’s grandfather is behaving weirdly and totally out of character. Actually, he is spiraling downward into dementia.

Wyatt shows a tender and caring side as he grows fond of Miranda and her grandfather. He is kindness embodied in a strong manly form.

I found this a fun and interesting story touching on a bit of Americana from the turn of the century. Spoiler alert: No, grandfather doesn’t get any better. This is a bittersweet tale that embraces the need for caring people to watch over those cascading down the dark halls of dementia.

I recommend this for light reading with a touch of serious matter.

GIVEAWAY 

Begins December 15
ENDS December 30 @ 12:00 a.m. ET. 

 Open to USA addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read more reviews - click here

DISCLOSURE:  I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse Publicity Group on behalf of Bethany House a division of Baker Publishing Group and the author to facilitate this review.Opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review.

An Endless Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti (Holiday Novella) [Review & Giveaway]

About the book: Christmas takes a very different turn when the guests of honor break up instead of announcing their engagement. Trapped with his family, they learn that love looks different than either imagined.

Both in their eighties, Dodie and Wilson Binder celebrate every Christmas as if it were their last. This year, their grandson Micah is planning to ask his girlfriend, Katie, to marry him so they can celebrate with the whole family. But things go very wrong when she says, "no." Now they are stuck. Too many people, too much snow, and too little room should be a recipe for disaster. But sometimes too much is just enough. Especially when it's Christmas.


My thoughts: This is an unbelievably delightful read. Unless you’ve been around a large family, you might find some of the scenes unrealistic – yet they are not. Or if you’re from a rather dysfunctional family like Katie is, you might find the Binder clan a bit fairytale unreal – but they aren’t.

As the Binder family and all the inlaws gather in Grandma and Grandpa Binder’s little cottage way up North, layers of sweetness, tenderness, joviality, joyfulness, playfulness, and lots of other things begin to emerge as the “normal” ebb and flow of Christmas at the Binders.

Bits and pieces remind me of Christmases past at my parents. And of Christmases with my own children. And then of Christmases with my grown children and grandchildren. But the Binders take it to yet another layer of loving interaction and caring.

Without giving away too much of the story, sufficie it to say that Grandpa Binder gives them a little scare and that takes the family to another layer of cooperation and caring.

This is a must read Christmas novella. Be sure you find a copy somewhere. You may want to get it early in the season so you have time to share it with someone else.

GIVEAWAY 

Begins November 10
ENDS November 25 @ 12:00 a.m. ET. 

 Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway 
Meet the Author: Cynthia Ruchti tells stories "hemmed in hope." She's the award-winning author of sixteen books and a frequent speaker for women's ministry events. She serves as the Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers, where she helps retailers, libraries, and book clubs connect with the authors and books they love. She lives with her husband in Central Wisconsin.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review from the Litfuse Publicity Group. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New by Marty Machowski, Illustrator Andy McGuire

• ISBN-13: 978-1942572282

New Growth Press and Marty Machowski are pleased to offer a new way to teach kids the importance of theology.

About the book: In the cellar of an old stone cathedral, two children discover an ancient book called The Ology. The beautifully illustrated storybook ushers them into a story of adventure, mystery, and wonder in which they discover life-changing truths about God, themselves, and the world around them. The first illustrated systematic theology book designed especially for grade-school children, The Ology includes built-in adaptations for use with younger or older children, so that entire families can enjoy learning about God together.

The Ology gives kids of all ages a beginner’s theology book to help them understand who God is and how we, as his children, relate to him. Arranged within a traditional systematic theological framework, each truth in The Ology is also connected to the larger redemptive story of Scripture. The doctrine of God, for example, is presented in the larger framework of creation, where the attributes of God are more clearly on display. The Ology takes abstract theological concepts and makes them easier to understand with the use of creative examples, illustrations, and analogies. The goal is not to say everything that could be said about a theological topic, but rather to share the key thoughts behind a theological concept. The Ology is a starting point to learning theology and aims to create a hunger and desire in children to learn more as they grow older.

Designed for six-year-olds through preteens, this flexible resource includes built-in adaptations for use with younger or older children, so that entire families can enjoy it together. Read The Ology to preschoolers, read it with grade-school kids, and let older kids discover the “hidden” truths by reading the corresponding Scripture passages for each section. However you read it, The Ology will give your children a gift that will last a lifetime—a solid foundation of life-changing biblical truth that will point them to the God who loves them and gave himself for them.

PREVIEW The Ology

My thoughts: What a wonderful opportunity this book brings to parents to help them instill a knowledge of theology in their children. Beginning with basic truths. This is a rather comprehensive book given the target audience. The following truths are examined conceptually in terms that the young can understand and which will be a springboard for deeper discussion and study.

• God
• People
• Sin
• Promise of the Lamb (redeemer)
• Christ - comes to Earth leaving His throne in Heaven, Completely Human, Completely God, Death and Resurrection
• Holy Spirit
• The Church
• End Times
• God's Word

The Ology goes beyond the typical Bible storybook in that it brings deeper lessons to bear in a manner that the young child to adult can comprehend without feeling oppressed by complicated concepts about who God is, what He is doing, and who His Son, Jesus is.

The material is approached in a systematic manner yet the method is that of a story telling - an absolutely brilliant concept of teaching.

I highly recommend The Ology.

A companion The Ology CD from Bob Kauflin

 and Sovereign Music is also available. 

More reviews and information - click here

Purchase a copy of the book - click here 

Meet the Author - Marty Machowski is a Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he has served on the pastoral staff for over twenty-five years. He is the author of Prepare Him Room a family Christmas devotional and curriculum, the Gospel Story for Kids series including The Gospel Story Bible, two family devotionals, Long Story Short and Old Story New, and the Gospel Story Curriculum. He and his wife Lois and their six children reside in the West Chester, Pennsylvania area.

DISCLOSURE: I was provide a complimentary copy by Litfuse Publicity Group on behalf of the publisher and author to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Miracle Drug by Richard L. Mabry, M.D. [Review & Giveaway]

ISBN: 9781630881184

Paperback $14.99

Abingdon Press
Purchase a copy

About the book: Overcoming these odds will take more than a miracle drug---it will take a miracle.

The infection wasn't supposed to happen, but it did. The treatment was supposed to take care of it, but it didn't. Then Dr. Josh Pearson discovers why---his patients, including the former President of the United States, have been dosed with a different strain of the original virus, one that is universally fatal. The only chance for survival is treatment with an experimental drug, but the manufacturer might already have discarded its supply.

As if treating the President of the United States isn't stressful enough, the situation goes from bad to worse when Rachel Moore, a nurse Josh is falling in love with, falls ill. With the nation's eyes on him, Josh must pull off a miracle to save a man who holds a good deal of power and the woman who holds his heart.

My thoughts: My experience reading books written by retired doctor Richard L. Mabry has been enjoyable and a pleasure to recommend to others. As his latest book emerged, I looked forward to reading it. I was absolutely not disappointed! From the first page, the story was fast paced and interesting.

The need to find the source of an American ex-president's illness and treat him accelerates with the discovery that the initial diagnosis while correct is only a small part of the problem, and the race is critically paced to find a cure. The plot thickens as an assassin manages to slip past the armed guards and into the ex-president's room. He is discovered and killed in the nick of time. Who sent him? How wide-spread is the plot to kill this ex-president?

As Secret Service and local police protect the victim and analyze the crimes, and as they try to keep it from becoming public knowledge, the doctors and a smart lab technician fight the medical battle.

In this medical thriller the reader will wonder if this is an international plot, a ploy of a drug company, or a greedy individual who will stoop to the lowest low for their own corrupt gain.

I loved the interaction and fast thinking of the medical professionals and the ex-president's professional staff to facilitate safety, secure the rare cure, and assist in the solution of the multiple crimes committed in this saga.

The reader is reminded that this is a work of fiction. The infection is fictitious as is the rare drug. However, it reads like modern science and the skill of Dr. Mabry brings. a great level of medical professionalism and believability. Another good read from the pen of a medical professional turned professional writer.

More reviews & information - click here

GIVEAWAY 

Begins October 11
ENDS October 30 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. 

 Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author: A retired physician, Dr. Richard Mabry is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels of medical suspense. His previous works have been finalists for the Carol Award and Romantic Times Reader's Choice Award and have won the Selah Award. He is a past vice president of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of the International Thriller Writers. He and his wife live in North Texas.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry [Review & Giveaway]

ISBN 9780825443879

 $14.99 | Paperback

Kregel Publications

My thoughts: Historical fiction with a bit of science fiction twist to it. That is how I would categorize The Methuselah Project. This is the fictional work of an imaginative mind taking us into the realm of Nazi Germany during the Third Reich when Hitler was trying to rid the World of undesirables and promote his pure and super race. Hitler's goal (fact here) was to make sure his perceived pure race of Germans would continue unabated throughout the World. Now venturing into the fictional arena, the author has Third Reich scientists using captured soldiers with all the "right" qualities, on which to experiment and test their alteration of the genetic makeup of these individuals to ensure Methuselah type length-of-life.

Imprisoning seven of these men and subjecting them to the experiments, only one survived and exhibited the qualities they were seeking. That was the male protagonist in our story, Roger Greene. Alas, a bombing took out the lab killing the main scientist and destroying the majority of his records. 

Seventy years later, Roger Greene escapes his captors and enters the modern, perplexing world. His life is in danger from many corners and he must seek to find proof of who he really is. 

This is a pretty far fetched premise, but many scientific ideas have previously been in the realm of the unattainable and are now fact. 

I found the story entertaining and providing reflection on some of the atrocities that were and may have been committed during that period of time. The Christian aspect was there, but not overwhelming. The touch of romance that developed between Roger and Katherine is certainly well within what is acceptable for Christian fiction. A good book to recommend. 

About the book: Nazi scientists started many experiments. One never ended.

Roger Greene is a war hero. Raised in an orphanage, the only birthright he knows is the feeling that he was born to fly. Flying against the Axis Powers in World War II is everything he always dreamed--until the day he's shot down and lands in the hands of the enemy.

When Allied bombs destroy both his prison and the mad genius experimenting on POWs, Roger survives. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success--but this ace is still not free. Seventy years later, Roger hasn't aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. This isn't Captain America--just a lousy existence only made passable by a new-found faith. The Bible provides the only reliable anchor for Roger's sanity and his soul. When he finally escapes, there's no angelic promise or personal prophecy of deliverance, just confusion. It's 2015--and the world has become an unrecognizable place.

Katherine Mueller--crack shot, genius, and real Southern Belle--offers to help him find his way home. Can he convince her of the truth of his crazy story? Can he continue to trust her when he finds out she works for the very organization he's trying to flee?

Thrown right into pulse-pounding action from the first page, readers will find themselves transported back in time to a believable, full-colored past, and then catapulted into the present once more. The historical back-and-forth adds a constantly moving element of suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Purchase a Copy or Read an Excerpt- CLICK HERE 

GIVEAWAY

Begins September 28
ENDS October 10 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. 

Open to USA Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read Reviews & other info here: http://litfusegroup.com/author/rbarry

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Kregal Publications in exchange for my review. Opinions are my own. No compensation was received for this review. Giveaway copy is provided by Litfuse Publicity Group.

The Methuselah Project By Rick Barry - a novel from Kregel Publications [Giveaway]

ISBN 9780825443879  $14.99 | Paperback Kregel Publications About the book: Nazi scientists started many experiments. One never ended. Roger Greene is a war hero. Raised in an orphanage, the only birthright he knows is the feeling that he was born to fly. Flying against the Axis Powers in World War II is everything he always dreamed--until the day he's shot down and lands in the hands of the enemy. When Allied bombs destroy both his prison and the mad genius experimenting on POWs, Roger survives. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success--but this ace is still not free. Seventy years later, Roger hasn't aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. This isn't Captain America--just a lousy existence only made passable by a new-found faith. The Bible provides the only reliable anchor for Roger's sanity and his soul. When he finally escapes, there's no angelic promise or personal prophecy of deliverance, just confusion. It's 2015--and the world has become an unrecognizable place. Katherine Mueller--crack shot, genius, and real Southern Belle--offers to help him find his way home. Can he convince her of the truth of his crazy story? Can he continue to trust her when he finds out she works for the very organization he's trying to flee? Thrown right into pulse-pounding action from the first page, readers will find themselves transported back in time to a believable, full-colored past, and then catapulted into the present once more. The historical back-and-forth adds a constantly moving element of suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Chat With Vera's Review will be posted Oct. 5 Purchase a Copy or Read an Excerpt- CLICK HERE  GIVEAWAY Begins September 28 ENDS October 10 @ 12:01 a.m. ET.  Open to USA Only a Rafflecopter giveaway DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Kregal Publications in exchange for my review. Opinions are my own. No compensation was received for this review. Giveaway copy is provided by Litfuse Publicity Group.