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Christmas Bells and Wedding Vows Review: On Tour with Celebrate Lit

Christmas Bells and Wedding Vows Review

About the Book

Book: Christmas Bells and Wedding Vows – A Marriage of Convenience Anthology

Authors: Jody Hedlund, Lacy Williams, and Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 26, 2023

From bestselling and award winning authors, experience Christmas on the rugged western frontier with three novellas filled with unforgettable adventures, enduring romance, and the timeless message of hope found in the Savior’s birth.

Claiming the Cowgirl by Jody Hedlund

Serena Taylor is hiding in Colorado’s high country to keep her son safe, and she knows the best way to protect him is by marrying again and giving him a father. Weston Oakley needs a wife by Christmas to placate his meddling family, but after being spurned one too many times in love, he’s reluctant to give his heart away again. When they agree on a marriage of convenience, both of them get much more than they bargained for.

Doctor’s Snowflake Bride by Lacy Williams
Minnie steps off the train ready to become a mail-order bride, but she finds the well-dressed man waiting for her isn’t her intended husband. The protective oath Jed took when he became a doctor doesn’t cover stranded women, but he can’t leave the beautiful stranger alone in a building blizzard two days before Christmas. When circumstances force them into close proximity, Jed and Minnie find that their growing feelings aren’t convenient at all.

Marrying the Mountain Man’s Best Friend by Misty M. Beller

Two Stones, a Salish warrior accustomed to navigating between tribes and miners, unexpectedly finds himself summoned to the side of a dying friend in Virginia City. Sworn to honor the miner’s last wish, Two Stones agrees to marry his daughter, Heidi, but plans to take her to live with his parents. He’ll provide all her needs, make sure she’s safe, and visit her on occasion when his path leads him that direction. As they set out on the journey, their path is fraught with challenges that defy Two Stones’ plans and reveal a surprising depth to Heidi’s character. As they near the end of their trail and join the Christmas festivities at the Coulter Ranch, Two Stones begins to realize this inconvenient marriage might really be a Christmas gift he’ll always treasure.

My Christmas Bells and Wedding Vows Review: Historical romance, marriage of convenience, and Christmas. If you enjoy any of these elements in the books you read, you’re going to enjoy Christmas Bells and Wedding Vows. Three unrelated (except by the three elements I just shared) novellas by three great authors makes for an evening or two of reading pleasure. I can’t pick my favorite story of the three.

A couple of them gave me all the feels multiple times in the story. The characters in each were easy to like. Each author put their own spin on the marriage of convenience trope. This kept that element from becoming dull. The only issue I found, and to me it isn’t really a problem, is that the characters tended to fall deeply in love after only a few days. If they’d known each other in the past, heard all about each other from a mutual friend, or something like that, it would not be an issue at all. I’d say they had a base to form that depth of bond. And for the most part, the authors did a good job of providing a few outside forces that helped move that bond along with more speed than one would typically consider normal. But if you’re a reader who doesn’t go for the whole instant deep love idea, you may not enjoy these as much as other books.

That said, I don’t usually go for that. I want a reason for the depth of their bond. However, the addition of instant love did not detract from my enjoyment of the stories at all. In fact, this is a book I’ll probably read multiple times because when you find a book that makes you want for the characters and have all the feels with each new chapter, that’s a book worth reading more than once.

I give this book 5 stars.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Authors

Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over forty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle.

USA Today bestselling author Lacy Williams is devoted to bringing her readers heartwarming love stories about cowboys and the women that tame them.

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

More from Misty

When Friends Join Forces…Magic Happens!

For me, joining with my good friends Jody Hedlund and Lacy Williams resulted in Christmas magic!

Ever since I was young, Christmas stories have held a special place in my heart. The charm and warmth they exude, coupled with the enchantment of the holiday season, are a captivating combination I find irresistible. Can you relate?

I’ve also long been a HUGE fan of Jody Hedlund and Lacy Williams. I’ve read so many of their books over and over!

Joining them for this Christmas novella collection has been a dream come true for so many reasons. And not only are these three marriage of convenience stories set on the Rocky Mountain frontier (my favorite place!), each of these novellas is an exciting extension of the current series we’re each writing.

Jody’s novella is the finale to her Colorado Cowgirls series. We meet both the hero and heroine of this Christmas story back in book 4. You don’t have to have read Jody’s series to fall in love with them here though!

Lacy’s novella tells the story of a character from a new mail order bride series she has coming soon. This prelude is a fantastic taste that will have you swooning as you eagerly await the rest of the books!

My own contribution features Two Stones, the Coulter family’s best friend from the Brothers of Sapphire Mountain Ranch series. I love having the chance to tell his story, even though he’s not ‘officially’ one of the brothers. 

If you’ve read any of these series—or if you just love Christmas books like I do!—you’ll definitely want to read the novellas in Christmas Bells and Wedding Vows. It’s our collective holiday gift to you, the readers—intertwining familiar settings and characters with the joy and love that the festive season brings. We hope these tales bring you the same warmth and joy we’ve felt while penning them.

 

Blessings!

Misty

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 6

, September 6

Texas Book-aholic, September 7

Mary Hake, September 7

By the Book, September 8

She Lives To Read, September 8

Vicky Sluiter, September 9

Melissa’s Bookshelf, September 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 10

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 11

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 12

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, September 13 (Author Interview)

Connie’s History Classroom, September 14

Blossoms and Blessings, September 15

Britt Reads Fiction, September 15

For Him and My Family, September 16

Labor Not in Vain, September 16

Holly’s Book Corner, September 17

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 17

Books You Can Feel Good About, September 18

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, September 18

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, Misty, Jody, and Lacy are giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/28138/christmas-bells-and-wedding-vows-celebration-tour-giveaway

The post Christmas Bells and Wedding Vows Review: On Tour with Celebrate Lit appeared first on Heather Greer.

Itty Bitty Faith Review: On Tour with Celebrate Lit

Itty Bitty Faith Review

About the Book

Book: Itty Bitty Faith

Author: Jennifer Sienes

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction, and Southern Fiction

Release Date: July 18, 2023

Sometimes your past comes back to haunt you…

As a single mama, Alyssa Mitchell learned to depend on no one but herself while raising her boy. She never even gave Jared’s daddy a single thought—well, not often anyway. Why would she when he left her behind to go off and save the world? It didn’t matter one little bit that he was unaware she was pregnant, she felt betrayed just the same. But when she overhears Jared lamenting over not even knowing who his daddy was, she tucks her pride away long enough to track him down.

Brandon Jamison spent years bringing clean water to third-world countries. It was downright confounding why God would see fit to bring him back to the states – with no job or clue what to do next. That is until Alyssa Mitchell shows up and drops a bomb – Brandon has a seventeen year old son. All his past failures and shame came to the surface just like the lemon in Mama’s sweet tea.

It’ll take more than itty-bitty faith to put the past behind them.

MY ITTY BITTY FAITH REVIEW: After reading Shadow Dancing, also by Jennifer Sienes, I knew I wanted to read Itty Bitty Faith too. I wondered if the author’s unique storytelling voice would come through as clearly as it did in the previous book. I was pleased to find it present from the very first paragraph. Itty Bitty Faith was an easy to read story, though it deals with some tough issues of life.

Honestly, the only issue I had was that I felt everything came together too quickly or easily. I loved the story and the characters and I wished I was given more time with them, that I was able to see more of their struggle to right the wrongs, forgive, and move forward. The author includes these elements, but I didn’t get a strong sense of the internal struggle or how it created problems for the characters in the here and now.

But this one small thing didn’t hurt my ability to thoroughly enjoy the story. And I know the next time I see a story by this author, I’ll be reading it as well. I give this story 4 stars.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Jennifer Sienes holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing–and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies–two in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.

 

More from Jennifer

It’s easier for me to write an entire novel (or novella) then to come up with a title. I wasn’t impressed with Itty Bitty Faith, and hoped my publisher might change it. No such luck. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to fit.

 

I love that the Bible tells us in Matthew 17:20 “…Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Faith as small as a mustard seed is what I’d call itty bitty faith.

 

Even though I was raised in the church, I didn’t come to truly know Jesus until everything I held dear was taken away, and I had nowhere to go but my knees. Some of us like to think we’re in control—and I was no exception. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”—Proverbs 16:18. And boy, was I proud. But it didn’t keep my children safe, or my marriage intact, or my mother from dying of cancer. And it wasn’t until I acknowledged the goodness and sovereignty of God (yes, that’s sometimes a hard one to reconcile) that I began to truly grow in my faith.

 

Alyssa Mitchell struggles with a faith-crisis of her own. A single mother to a teenage boy, living under the same roof as her own mama, she thinks her family is a victim of some cruel curse. The high school boy she loved left her alone and pregnant to serve the Lord. It’s enough to make her suspicious of the so-called righteous, and she’s held onto bitterness longer than a body should. It’s not until she hears her son Jared lament over never knowing who his daddy is that she takes a step of faith (although it’s not what she’d call it) to search out Brandon Jamison.

 

The key theme in this story is how God works in the background to give us the desires of our hearts long before we even know what they are. Isn’t that incredible? We just need to open our hearts and eyes to see His hand in every detail. Bitterness is poison to the soul, but when we can let go of it and trust in Him, life has a way of working out far better than we can hope or imagine.

 

I pray you will enjoy this journey alongside Alyssa, Brandon, and Jared. And that even if your faith is still itty bitty, the Lord will grow it to gargantuan proportions.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 25

By the Book, August 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 27

SusanLovesBooks, August 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 28

lakesidelivingsite, August 29

An Author’s Take, August 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 31

The Book Club Network, September 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 2

She Lives To Read, September 3

For Him and My Family, September 4

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, September 5 (Author Interview)

The Lit Lady, September 5

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 6

Splashes of Joy, September 7

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/27785/itty-bitty-faith-celebration-tour-giveaway

The post Itty Bitty Faith Review: On Tour with Celebrate Lit appeared first on Heather Greer.

Robbing the Races Review: On Tour With Celebrate Lit

Robbing the Races Review

About the Book

Book: Robbing the Races

Author: Tabitha Bouldin

Genre: ChristianHistorical Mystery, Fairytale retelling

Release Date: July 4, 2023

The Legend of Locksley might just get Robin and Marian killed.

Robin Locke’s career as a jockey is far more successful than he ever expected. When a groom is found dead in the stables, Robin sets out to right the wrongs of Locksley. Unfortunately, Robin’s rival is dead set on proving him guilty!

Marian Silvers sets out to find a once in a lifetime story that will ensure her career as a reporter withstands the masochistic attitudes of the paper where she works. As she and Robin dig into the groom’s murder, she finds another side to the legend of Locksley…a side he would prefer stay hidden forever.

While the murderer wreaks havoc in their small town, Marian and Robin find that all is not as it seems. And then they become the next targets. They just need to evade the killer long enough to bring him to justice… and perhaps find love along the way.

This 1940s Robin Hood retelling features swapped character roles and a race against the clock

MY ROBBING THE RACES REVIEW: I have to admit, other than the Disney cartoon and the movie from 1991, I don’t know a lot about the Robin Hood original story. Come to think of it, I’m not sure either of those knew a lot about it either. So, I can’t tell you if the author kept true to the character of Robin Hood or the themes of the original.

I know there is supposed to be animosity between Robin and Nottingham. I can put a big fat check on that one in Robbing the Races. Robin and Marian are supposed to have chemistry with each other and be in danger. Another check. And Robin is supposed to be a thief who steals from the rich to take care of the poor. Bouldin’s Robin checks that box too.

But beyond the facts of the original material, what I can tell you is that Tabitha Bouldin, once again, delivers a great story. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story about horse racing, but I’m glad I had the chance to read this one. I loved the interactions between Robin and Marian. I loved the mystery. I also loved the way their histories shaped each character’s decisions and how they could inspire each other to be better people. The heroes weren’t perfect, but I can get behind that. How often do we make mistakes because we think we have good reason?

I give Robbing the Races five stars.

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Tabitha Bouldin is a student at Southern New Hampshire University, where she is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Creative Writing. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), she works with critique groups and provides endorsements for other authors. Tabitha’s genre of choice is Contemporary Christian Romance which she describes as: Adventure with heart. Tabitha spent ten years working as a Medical Assistant before God opened the door which allowed her to become a stay-at-home-homeschooling-mom and author.

 

More from Tabitha

As a kid who grew up with Disney films, the Robin Hood cartoon fascinated me. I wanted to know what made Robin Hood such a cavalier thief. I understood his mindset of “steal from the rich and give to the poor” but why did he need to steal?

My uncle David had a saying for years. He’d say, “Steal from Peter to pay Paul and David stays broke.” What he meant was, no matter how hard he tried, he never managed to get ahead in life. Uncle David had a saying for everything and they always made sense in a convoluted sort of way.

In Robbing the Races, I didn’t want to try and persuade Robin that he had a right to steal, I wanted him to have a reason to think it was okay, then show him otherwise. I love heroes who need a little nudge back onto the straight and narrow. Robin sees families suffering, and when he can’t provide for them himself and he sees others who have an excess of money, he decides to take it to help the less fortunate.

Kind of like the two wrongs don’t make a right, Robin learns that his version of justice might help for a moment but that does not excuse his actions. He’s still wrong.

Robin is not the most forgiving character, but he was certainly fun to work with.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 23

Texas Book-aholic, August 24

By the Book, August 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 26

Holly’s Book Corner, August 26

Connie’s History Classroom, August 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 28

The Book Club Network, August 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 31

Book Looks by Lisa, September 1

She Lives to Read, September 1

Blogging With Carol, September 2

Lily’s Book Reviews, September 3

Simple Harvest Reads, September 4 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, September 5

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/27780/robbing-the-races-celebration-tour-giveaway

The post Robbing the Races Review: On Tour With Celebrate Lit appeared first on Heather Greer.

Desperation Review: On Tour with Celebrate Lit

Desperation Review

About the Book

Book: Quest of Fire: Desperation

Author: Brett Armstrong

Genre: Christian, Epic Fantasy

Release Date: September 13, 2022

Guarding his nation’s last hope, a teen must escape enemy lands.

While Anargen, Caeserus, and Bertinand are held captive in Stormridge, the war to restore Ecthelowall’s Commonwealth has been waged for months. Their friend Terrillian is on its frontline and hopes are high.

For Barons Fenwrest and Sornfold the fight is too close to their children, whose union represents the only viable challenge to the Monarchists claim to Ecthelowall’s ancient throne. Enter Thomas Fenwrest, an orphan and page to Sir Hurstwell, who is captain of Baron Fenwrest’s guard. The pair must escort the teens to Castle Yerst expecting boredom to be their only danger. Everything quickly spirals out of control when the Monarchists somehow deliver a devastating blow to the Restoration army and Thomas and Sir Hurstwell face the increasingly difficult task of keeping their charges alive. Ancient sorcery and bitter grudges combine to ensnare them. As desperation sets in for the Restoration and Thomas, to where will they turn for hope?

 

MY DESPERATION REVIEW: While I’ve not read all of the books in this series yet, I have read a few. From the first one, I’ve enjoyed the author’s way of telling a story, his voice as a storyteller. He’s created a complete world and characters with varied histories and personalities. Desperation is no different in the quality and style of writing, and I love those things about it.

From the first chapter, Desperation had my attention. The characters immediately give you a sense of who they are. And while they experience growth throughout the story, it is these first glimpses that let you know who they’ve been. Then, the story invites you to join them not only in their quest against evil but also on the path to who they are becoming. Personal and spiritual growth, mentorship, and choosing friends wisely are ideas that allow the world of Desperation to have meaning in our world.

And while we may not face epic battles against unthinkable monsters, we do fight against evil. The results of that evil can be just as ugly and devastating as the monsters the author has created. It’s wonderful to have well-written, interest grabbing (and keeping) stories of adventure to remind us that the monsters can be fought, and they can be defeated. I’d say the next generation needs these epic stories of heroism and fighting for the Light, but that wouldn’t be the complete truth. Really, we all need these stories, and Brett Armstrong has once again delivered an engaging story that does exactly that. I give Desperation five stars.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Brett Armstrong has been exploring other worlds as a writer since age nine. Years later, he still writes, but now invites others along on his excursions. He’s shown readers haunting, deep historical fiction (Destitutio Quod Remissio), scary-real dystopian sci-fi (Day Moon and Veiled Sun), and dark, sweeping epic fantasy (Quest of Fire). Every story is a journey of discovery and an attempt to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. Through dark, despair, light, joy, and everything in between, the end is always meant to leave his fellow literary explorers with wonder and hope. Always busy with a new story, he also enjoys drawing, gardening, and spending time with his wife and son.

 

More from Brett

There are three things I’ve come to learn that define what Quest of Fire is and means to me. When I first started writing the Quest of Fire series years ago, I knew I wanted to tell a big story set in an even bigger world. One with all the depth and breadth of my favorite series: Lord of the Rings and Star Wars and Chronicles of Narnia. Over time, the main story of Quest of Fire and the Lowlands it’s set in have grown every bit as big and fantastical as I always dreamed.

But there was a second something I realized I wanted to do with the series as much and more than tell sweeping stories. I wanted people to be able to zoom in on the sprawling maps and look closer and closer, and see people who look real, relatable. People with struggles and questions and who don’t always feel prepared for what comes next. So, I wanted to make even numbered books in the series novellas that zoom in and tell very personal and targeted stories.

Like Thomas’s in Book 4, Desperation. Unlike Anargen in the main entries, he wasn’t raised by Knights of Light and had a rough childhood. He has plenty to be bitter about and in Desperation his world is imploding around him. He’s overwhelmed at first and then he meets a Knight of Light, Terrillian, who steps out of the main storyline to be a mentor and shows Thomas what the life of one in service to the High King of All Realms looks like. How there is light even on the darkest of nights. We never know how much and how many will be impacted when we make a stand for Christ and we model his love and teachings before others. Likewise, Terrillian may not realize how profound his faithfulness will affect Thomas.

I write Quest of Fire to tell stories to encourage believers to stand firm in the faith, to join the fight against monsters in the pages of books so that when’s life’s beasts come against us we’re better equipped to face them. At least that is my hope and my prayer. Because the most important thing I learned I wanted Quest of Fire to be is a story that helps people better understand and join in the Greatest Story written by the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 10

By the Book, August 11

Blogging With Carol, August 12

Artistic Nobody, August 13 (Author Interview)

Christina’s Corner, August 13

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 16

Through the Fire Blogs, August 17 (Author Interview)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 18

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 19 (Author Interview)

Mornings at Character Cafe, August 19

Holly’s book Corner, August 20

Guild Master, August 21

The Book Club Network, August 22

Splashes of Joy, August 23 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Brett is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card, copy of Desperation, and digital extras (exclusive map and music)!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/27731/desperation-celebration-tour-giveaway

The post Desperation Review: On Tour with Celebrate Lit appeared first on Heather Greer.

You Wrote a Book

You wrote a book, or maybe, you’re in the process of writing a book. It’s clean or Christian fiction. Maybe you went with a cozy mystery or historical. Or you wrote a contemporary rom-com or a moving historical romance are more your expertise. Maybe you even get a little wild and crazy by building your own worlds with something in the speculative fiction genre. 

No matter the genre, you wrote a book (or are in the process) that you’re proud of and you wonder what the next step should be for your book baby. Maybe you wonder if what you wrote is on the right path to being a professionally published book that others will want to read. Maybe you’re deciding if you should indie publish or traditionally publish or try to get an agent’s attention.

Have you thought about entering your story in a contest?

Contests are a great way to get feedback on your work. They’re a great way to get your name out in the publishing world. They’re a great way to learn and grow as a writer. And Scrivenings Press, my publisher, is hosting two separate contests right now.

If you wrote a book (the manuscript is complete), the Get Pubbed Writing Contest is the one you want to consider. The winner of this contest receives a publishing contract, along with other prizes. You can find information on that one here:

Get Pubbed Information

If you’re in the process of writing your book but haven’t completed it yet, you should take a look at the Novel Starts Writing Contest. The winner will receive a critique of 25 pages of their manuscript, along with other prizes.

Novel Starts Information

The post You Wrote a Book appeared first on Heather Greer.

Love Like No Other Review: On Tour with Celebrate Lit

Love Like No Other Review

About the Book

Book: Love Like No Other

Author: Tabitha Bouldin

Genre: Christian Contemporary Suspense

Release Date: June 27, 2023

Trying to overcome a past like hers might just help him overcome his.

Alicia Gray wants one thing: to prove her capabilities as a doctor. Maybe then she can escape the feeling that her mother’s abandonment was deserved. She’s never felt worthy and grew up in foster home after foster home, always being told that if she did better, if she was more amenable, she’d find her place. When she came to Suamalie, the last thing she expected to find was a man whose grumpy personality conflicted so piercingly with her sunshine demeanor.

Colin Tremblay was dishonorably discharged from his army medic position and sent home in disgrace after his twin brother stole from his clinic. Back on the islands, he’s bounced from job to job, never finding anything that satisfies him. To make matters worse, his twin niece and nephew convince him to spend his summer overseeing their camp activities while working alongside Little Miss Sunshine herself.

This grumpy versus sunshine romance is sure to send them both scrambling when Colin confronts Alicia’s need to please while she reminds Colin that not every bad day is a reason to run for the hills.

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

MY LOVE LIKE NO OTHER REVIEW: I love, no, I LOVE Tabitha Bouldin’s fantasy series. And loving those stories as much as I do, I wondered if it would make this contemporary story less in comparison. It did not. I was pulled into the story immediately.

I can empathize with Alicia’s desire to prove herself. And I can relate to her inability to say no. Her reasoning (to keep those in her life happy and make herself worth something) may not be the reason for my own struggles with an overfull schedule but the end result is the same. And Colin was great. Not perfect, as he struggles with seeing the good side of life and embracing it. He’s the right mix of angst, caring, and spirit to make him lovable.

I love a great story where opposites encourage God’s best in each other, but it’s hard to make a story like that seem realistic and avoid becoming cliche. Tabitha Bouldin does both. She gives readers a setting they will want to visit, characters they will relate to and enjoy, and a story they’ll want to stay up late reading and then tell others about. I give this book five stars.

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Tabitha Bouldin has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing/English from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and started writing in 2015. When she’s not homeschooling her two boys, you’ll find her curled up with a book.

 

More from Tabitha

When it came time to write my Suamalie Island book, I knew it was time for me to head back to the place I love best. It was time to bring back the cowboys. Colin might not be a cowboy in his own mind, after all, he left the ranch and worked for years as an Army medic and wants nothing more than to help people as a way to make up for not being able to save his brother when he needed it most. Alicia, the island’s resident mobile doctor, feels the same way. You would think that these two would manage to get along since they both want the same thing. Not so. They disagreed on almost everything. From a personality perspective, they couldn’t be more different. Alicia is sunshine and rainbows to Colin’s storm clouds. The one thing they can agree on is helping others, and when things get tough, Colin is the one person who Alicia finds she can trust to follow through and not back down from the hard aspects like throws their way. And threaded through it all is Colin’s cowboy past and the heart that carried him across the battlefield and back to the islands he’s always called home.

Blog Stops

The Book Club Network, July 28

Life, love, writing, July 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 29

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 30

Simple Harvest Reads, July 30 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 31

lakesidelivingsite, August 1

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 1

Texas Book-aholic, August 2

She Lives To Read, August 3

By the Book, August 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 5

Karen Baney Reviews, August 5

Babbling Becky L, August 6

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 7

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 8 (Author Interview)

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 8

Aryn the Libraryan, August 9

For Him and My Family, August 10

Batya’s Bits, August 10

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/26d5a/love-like-no-other-celebration-tour-giveaway

The post Love Like No Other Review: On Tour with Celebrate Lit appeared first on Heather Greer.

Main Character Monday: Interview with Ty Dunne

Welcome to Main Character Monday, where today I’m sharing my interview with Ty Dunne. Ty is the main character from Amy R. Anguish’s newest release, Window of the Heart. This book is the third in a series of novels spanning from the 1920s to the dystopian future (to be released in December). It follows the Dunne family and a family heirloom stained-glass window through the years. Window of the Heart is the contemporary romance in the series, and I am excited to speak with Ty today. Welcome Ty.

Let’s start off with an easy one. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I don’t think I’m too terribly complicated. I mean, I’m fairly easy-going. I love my family, love our heritage and history, and love my convertible. I do find it hard to be on time, but I had to have one imperfection, right?

Doesn’t everyone. If being late is your only one, I think you’re doing better than most of us. Tell me something about you that readers may find surprising?

I double-majored in Business and Design. The business was for my dad. The design was for me. I love helping people make a room or home their own.

I can understand why that would be rewarding. Everyone needs a place to call their own. Next question. What is your favorite book of the Old Testament?

Am I allowed to say Song of Solomon? Just kidding! Seriously, though, that’s a tough one. I probably haven’t studied the Old Testament enough to give a thorough answer, but let’s go with II Samuel. It has lots of stories about David, and he’s one of the best.

Is there a book of the Bible you have trouble getting through?

Leviticus. And basically, all of the prophets.

Those laws can be a little tedious to read sometimes. If you could meet anyone from scripture, excluding Jesus, who would it be?

Peter. When we first meet him, he has this issue with just blurting things out. I want to ask him how he moved past that and overcame it. Because I might need help in that area sometimes.

Jesus had twelve disciples. Which one are you most like?

See answer above.

Okay. I can see where I deserved that bit of snark. I should’ve seen that coming. Jesus says we are to be His light in the world. What does this mean to you?

Lately, it means showing His love. The true meaning of love, not just what the world says it is. Because a lot of people get confused about that, especially my new friend Lennox.

Lennox? It might be nice to meet her too sometime. Maybe you can arrange that for me. But for now, if you could leave readers with one message, what would it be?

Don’t judge a person by your first meeting. Sometimes people don’t come across well in the first half hour (especially if he’s running late). Get to know him a little more and see if maybe he’s not as bad as you think he is.

Somehow, I think there’s a story there. But, sadly, we have to move on to our fun questions. I guess readers will have to check out your story to find out more about what inspired this answer. If you could have a superpower, what one would you choose?

Being two places at once would’ve been super helpful this year. Trying to work my real job and repair the family chapel was not easy at times.

If offered the opportunity would you choose to travel in space?

Hmm. Probably not. As much as some people think my head is in the clouds, I prefer driving a fast car to being out where there isn’t any oxygen or gravity.

Fair enough. Dark or Milk Chocolate? Milk. I’m not complicated.

Roses or Daisies? Roses now that I’ve seen someone else admiring them.

Salad or Soup? I guess soup. Salad never seems filling enough.

One final question. How would you describe Amy R. Anguish using only three words?

Laid-back, disorganized, faithful

I’d like to thank you, Ty for joining me today. Readers, thanks for checking out this Main Character Monday interview with Ty Dunne. I encourage you to keep reading. It’s time to find out a bit about the author, Amy R. Anguish and Window of the Heart.

About Amy R. Anguish:

Amy R Anguish grew up a preacher’s kid, and in spite of having lived in seven different states that are all south of the Mason Dixon line, she is not a football fan. Currently, she resides in Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and son, and usually a bossy cat or two. Amy has an English degree from Freed-Hardeman University that she intends to use to glorify God, and she wants her stories to show that while Christians face real struggles, it can still work out for good.

Follow her at http://abitofanguish.weebly.com or http://www.facebook.com/amyanguishauthor

Or https://twitter.com/amy_r_anguish

Learn more about her books at https://www.pinterest.com/msguish/my-books/

And check out the YouTube channel she does with two other authors, Once Upon a Page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEiu...)

 

More About Window of the Heart:

Lennox Malone may not believe in love, but she’s determined to do the best job she can as her friend Sara Beth’s maid of honor. Problem is, the man in charge of fixing up the chapel doesn’t match her determination. Fighting against preconceived notions, a past that catches up to her, and an attraction she wants nothing to do with, this wedding is turning into more than she can handle.

Ty Dunne might be laid back and easy-going, but he’s determined to make sure the chapel is ready for his cousin’s wedding. Not only is it his duty as best man, but he wants to preserve the family’s history in the building. If only he could live up to his family’s other expectations—or those of Lennox Malone, the fiery redhead he can’t stop thinking about. Before he can go any further with her, though, he has to convince her that love is real and worth the risk.

Lennox has built her walls high and sturdy, but Ty is determined to find a way in—even if it’s a window. Maybe the history of the chapel itself along with the romance of a wedding will help.

Buy Window of the Heart

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Runaround Sue Review: On Tour with Celebrate Lit

Runaround Sue Review

About the Book

Book: Runaround Sue

Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary

Genre: Sweet and Wholesome Romance

Release Date: May 30, 2023

She gave away something precious…

…He lost a part of himself.

Can they find a way to help each other heal?

Sue is hiding out until she is sure her former reputation won’t destroy what she’s trying to rebuild. Unfortunately, that means this brilliant wordsmith turned semi-hermit is working beneath her potential and dealing with stress every time her office door opens.

The last thing she needs to do is greet some biker guy who sets her nerves to jumping just by being in the same room.

And if his hairy face isn’t enough to put her off, the mere fact that he’s male is.

So why does she keep ending up in his presence?

Mac is home from Viet Nam and if he never thinks about that place again, it will be too soon. Instead, he’s returned to his music that got him through his teen years, his exotic senior trip overseas (thanks to his Uncle Sam), and the deep wound that he brought home with him. Using his GI bill to further his music understanding has pushed him outside his comfort zone, but the leggy secretary at his professor’s office is tempting him with other ideas he thought he’d shelved for good.

Even if she gets flustered every time he runs into her.

What will it take for her to give him a chance? Or is she more wounded than he is?

Return to 1972 Kokomo, Indiana for the third installment of The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series—Runaround Sue—and what see happens when people discover who God has called them to be.

You will love Runaround Sue, inspired by Dion and the Belmonts’ 1960s hit song, because everyone understands about facing fears with a do-over.

MY RUNAROUND SUE REVIEW: I think the theme of this story is one many can relate to. How many of us have hesitated in moving forward in something when we’ve tried and failed before? It’s even harder when our failure was due to a sin that continued to affect us even after we asked God to forgive us. Sometimes those consequences (people talking about us, hurt relationships, etc.) pile on guilt and shame that God wants to free us from. That’s what Sue faces. And it isn’t easy, especially when she still wants what she thinks she doesn’t deserve.

Mac and Sue are enjoyable characters, each with their own setbacks to overcome. Their story is fun but not without truth and substance. And the time period is one that I haven’t read a lot of stories from. I enjoyed that aspect, though a few times I felt the time period wording was pushed too much, making some parts a little awkward for a reader. This didn’t make it difficult to get into the story though. And I give Runaround Sue four stars.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Historical Christian Romance author, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawland The Forgotten Gratitude Journal.

Runaround Sue is the third book of her spin-off series The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue.

 

More from Jennifer Lynn

One of the best parts of writing this series is that I get to relive lots of fun memories from my childhood. As my bio states, I am a direct descendant of Davy Crockett. This was a big deal to my father, and he made us memorize the generations back.

Well, my first real friend (we met when we were four but didn’t get to play together again until we were in first grade—long, funny story) had a famous last name, famous around Kokomo at least. Haynes. She mentioned she was related to this guy who was a big deal with cars and steel. That was about all my first grade mind could fathom.

I was able to connect that to a little side trip I took with my dad one day. He pulled up in front of an old white building on Apperson Way in Kokomo and led me to the front door. It was obvious the building was empty and had been for some time. But on the slab porch, in front of the entrance, he pointed out a tiled mosaic of a jack rabbit. Dad explained that this had been the factory where the Apperson brothers produced their car, the Jack Rabbit. They ran their factory for about twenty-five years producing one of the first sports cars ever made.

By fourth grade, where we learned about Indiana history, I also got a bit more information on Elwood Haynes (my friend’s ancestor) and the Apperson brothers. Aside from a converted horse cart, their Pioneer car from 1894 is considered the first automobile made in the USA and is now housed in the Smithsonian.

I don’t think I fully grasped Elwood Haynes’s contributions to science and industry, however, until I moved away and became an adult. (Getting older and learning how to surf the web helped too). I was able to use what I learned about the man and share it in Runaround Sue.

The auto industry left Kokomo in the dust when it became evident that Detroit was easier and less expensive to deliver raw products to. However, that didn’t stop Mr. Haynes from doing his experiments. One story has it that he invented stainless steel because his wife was tired of polishing the silver. And we can thank him for finding a use for that residue that was left after cleaning the oil captured from the drilling in the Kokomo area—a little thing called gasoline.

I love that I’m from Kokomo, that I had a wonderful childhood there, and that there are so many cool pieces of information about the place. (BTW, actor Strother Martin and author Norman Bridwell of Clifford the Big Red Dog series are both Kokomo famous sons).

If you’ve ever been to Kokomo, Indiana, I hope you will respond and let me know. If you haven’t, it’s a nice place to visit. I hope you will check it out.

Blog Stops

By the Book, July 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 22

Texas Book-aholic, July 23

Connie’s History Classroom, July 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 25

Books I’ve Read, July 25

The Book Club Network, July 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 28

Blogging With Carol, July 29

For Him and My Family, July 30

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 31 (Author Interview)

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 31

Pause for Tales, August 1

JESUS in the EVERYDAY, August 2

Cover Lover Book Review, August 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon card and an eBook copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/26ba3/runaround-sue-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Happy Birthday Scrivenings Press, Great Reads for You

Happy Birthday Scrivenings Press!

Scrivenings Press is celebrating their third birthday and they want you to join the celebration!

In addition to giving away three eBooks every Saturday in July (Visit and follow their Facebook page for more on that), they’re also hosting an eBook sale which includes almost every title they publish. From July 8-10, you can get as many of these eBooks as Amazon will allow (which should be as many as you want) for only 99¢.

I made a little video about it. If you’re interested, here’s the link.

Happy Birthday Sale Video

Each of my books is included in the sale. But if you want Window of Opportunity for the special 99¢ eBook price, you’ll need to act fast. It was only able to be included for July 8th.

With Amazon’s gifting options, you can even buy for others now and save them for digital birthday gifts or digital stocking stuffers. Here’s a link to the Scrivenings Press blog post that includes a buy link for every title on sale. Give a big Happy Birthday to Scrivenings Press. Then, go fill your kindle with great stories.

Scrivenings Press Birthday Sale Post

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Christmas in July: Wednesday in the Word

Christmas in July. From what I’ve seen, you either love it or hate it.

Those who hate it, seem to think those who love it are Christmas fanatics. They seem to believe the pro- Christmas in July people are the ones ready to skip right past Thanksgiving and employ a Christmas 24/7 mentality beginning on November 1st. They’re also the last ones to remove their trees, some waiting until February to do so.

Of course, those who are pro- Christmas in July tend to paint the Christmas only in December people as modern day Scrooges, waiting to snuff out all things festive. They see them as the ones who wait until Christmas Eve to do shopping and decorating, and they believe all remnants of the holiday will be purged by December 26th.

I don’t think either stereotype is completely right. And personally, I enjoy fresh reminders of Christmas sporadically through my year. When summer is at its hottest, I enjoy revisiting winter through a good Christmas movie. (Summer heat and I are not friends.)

But it’s more than that. The love evident in the Christmas story, the lengths God went to in offering us salvation from our sins, and the call to give to others with the same love God showed to us are what Christmas is all about. When I take time to focus on Christmas in July, I also remember those things are not reserved for December’s celebrations.

I remember that God is love. I remember that God so loved the world He gave His only Son. I remember that when I confess my sins, God is faithful to forgive them. I remember God’s call to be His representative to those in the world. That includes caring for widows and orphans. That includes doing all things in the same spirit of love that God showed to me.

Whether we’re pro- Christmas in July or not, each of us should be pro- the true spirit of Christmas in July and December and every other month of the year. Giving and receiving God’s love should be something we’re excited about all year long.

An announcement:

This year, on October 10th, I’m releasing my first devotional book. Reflecting on Christmas Past blends 31 devotional readings with journaling pages for reflection and Christmas memories. I can’t wait for you to read it, and I’m excited to share the cover with you today. I think it’s perfect!

 

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