Cowboys Under the Mistletoe

You can't beat the price for five cowboy Christmas stories.

 I liked all the characters and felt their circumstances and backstories were all believeable and played a part in their present motivations and decisions. Each author has her own unique voice and style, yet the stories blended well together to form a satisfying whole.

I took a chance on this set based on my previous positive reading experiences with Liz Isaacson's work. As is usual with anthologies, some stories are better than others. Overall, they were well written, though some could've used more development of story and/or character.

Clean. Sweet. A touch of Christianity. Delightful kisses. And a sprinkling of mistletoe made all the stories bright.

A good read for the season.


Amazon

Bring Five Cowboys Home for the Holidays with New Stories from Best Selling Christian Romance Authors

The Cowboy's Christmas Wish by Kristen Ethridge
Sarah Murdoch knew bringing her daughter, Jamie, halfway across the country to Port Provident, Texas would cause more anxiety than feel-good Christmas memories. But when Jamie bonds with Grant McCray, the owner of Beachcomber Stables, she begins to come out of her shell. Can this big-city mom learn to embrace small-town simplicity and let a heart-scarred cowboy make a little girl’s Christmas wish come true?

Memories + Mistletoe = Love by Danica Favorite
Mallory McPherson’s act of desperation in accepting a long-lost relative’s Christmas invitation brings up difficult memories she doesn’t expect. Cowboy Nolan Masters knows what it’s like to come from a painful past. Can the lessons he’s learned bring healing- and maybe a happily-ever-after- to Mallory?

Up on the Housetop by Liz Isaacson
Archer Bailey has already lost one job to Emersyn Enders, so he's beyond angry when he sees Emery at the ranch interview anyway. Then the owner of the ranch announces a contest to see which cowhand applicant can earn the most stars by Christmas. Whoever does will win the job. Will Emery and Archer be able to navigate the ranch, their close quarters, and their individual circumstances to find love this holiday season?

Wilde About You by Deb Kastner
When their best friends' wedding is about to collapse the night before the nuptials, the best man, wrangler Matthew Wilde, and the maid of honor, Riley Weaver, must work together to make their friends' Christmas wish come true. Despite their differences and a family feud, can Matthew and Riley embrace the holiday spirit--and each other--before the clock ticks down?

Home for Hope by Jessica Keller
When Hope Beckett crashes on Rider Longley’s property during a snowstorm, she wonders if life could get any worse. Running from her troubles, she can’t afford to stay in Bitterroot Valley for long. But Rider’s kind and steady personality makes it hard to leave, especially in the midst of the Christmas season.

Hazel's Christmas Duet

I believe this is my first read by Ms. Rian. It will not be the last.

A sweet holiday read with all the right notes both musical and emotional. A slow building friendship blossoming into sweet romance. There are all the right amount of obstacles to overcome and yet aren't insurmountable. Certainly a worthy read to your holiday schedule.

I hope she'll add more tales to this locale. I'd like to go back to this small town and get to know more characters.

Amazon

Will music and love heal Hazel’s heart?

To escape the awkwardness of her recent break-up with her boss, Hazel takes a new job in a distant town, Holly Haven. Miles from friends and family, Hazel does her best to stay cheery despite knowing she may be all alone for Christmas.

After making a new friend at the local bakery and joining the community orchestra, Hazel's holidays are starting to take a turn for the better. Hazel even begins to develop feelings for the orchestra director, Michael, and looks forward to getting to know him better.

However, a skidding car on an icy winter day leads Hazel to a shocking discovery.

Hazel’s Christmas Duet is about finding friendship and love in the more trying seasons of life when they are needed the most.

Christmas at Edgewood Park

This might be my first read by Shaela Kay. If so, it's certainly not going to be my last. What a wonderful introduction to this author.

The story is a delightful regency tale of a spinster and a deformed gentleman coming together for the good of the community and their hearts. It's heartfelt and heart tugging. The characters are charming. Beautifully written. Clean. Sweet. Sigh worthy. Satisfying on every level.

I love the cover.

A delightful Christmas read. 


Amazon

At nearly thirty years old, Eleanor Eves is a confirmed old maid - and a rather wealthy one at that. She enjoys her independence, relishes her position, and delights in serving the people of Littleton. But when the reclusive Mr. Cartwright returns to town after eight years abroad, she finds herself the unwilling delegate volunteered to welcome him into the neighborhood. 

Not only is he shrouded in mystery, but Albert Cartwright is horribly disfigured, and carries a reputation for being somewhat of a brute. With Christmas on the horizon, a holiday bazaar to organize, and her aging father to care for, can Eleanor make room in her heart for Mr. Cartwright as well?

Love on a Limb

Ms. Lewis knows no bounds when it comes to heart/gut wrenching romance. This time it's between a dying cancer patient and his nurse/soon-to-be wife. The agreement is not to fall in love, in case the worst happens.

I seriously don't have words to describe the deep emotional roller coaster ride this book launches you on, leaving you dizzy, breathless, and believing in hope. It is little short of perfect in terms of a clean romantic read.

As always, Ms. Lewis is at the top of her craft. I imagine she'll stay there forever.

Amazon

Matthew Grayken is young, successful, and dying, which is why he’s about to propose to a total stranger. He isn’t interested in love. He needs a caregiver, a companion, and someone to be his legal voice when he can no longer speak for himself.

Lonely, compassionate nurse Mikaela Compton is intrigued by Matt Grayken’s tender request, but when their friendly marriage turns into love, she rejects the inevitability of Matt’s death and prays for a miracle instead.

Mikaela succeeds in reigniting Matt’s will to fight, but his body is losing the battle and he is suffering. She recognizes that her urgent need to save Matt has caused her to betray the fundamental promise she made him--to help him die peaceably. 

Matt needs a miracle, and Mikaela believes one is attainable, but she will need to leave him at the hour of his greatest need. She's about to learn that while love sometimes draws you close, it sometimes requires you to go out on a limb.

Adding Christmas

This Christmas romance by Rebecca Talley has it all: romance, clean kisses, conflict, and a satisfying ending.

The struggles of disliking Christmas for Chloe are real. And let's admit it, at some point in our lives, most of us have disliked some aspect of the holiday season for one reason or another. Her character is real and relatable. Plus, we all recognize a workaholic when we read/see one. She has good reason for that too. In all, her motives ring true, as do her responses to Mitch.

The jilted man. Sigh. Always makes us sympathetic to one who has been thoroughly ruined in love. I liked his upbeat, can do spirit even through his shattered in romance rose colored glasses.

A wonderful, holiday read that will satisfy your heart.


Amazon

For advertising executive Chloe Henderson, Christmas is a stark reminder of heartache and loss, so she avoids it every year and focuses all her energy on her career. With the promise of a promotion, Chloe is more determined than ever to work her way up the ladder. 

Mitch Powell thought he had it all until his fiancée walked out. Since then, he’s embraced his bachelor lifestyle and lived it up. When his father asks him to take over the family business, he reluctantly agrees, as long as he can make some changes. First up: a new advertising campaign. 

Chloe meets Mitch, a lover of all things Christmas, when she’s assigned his account. The attraction is strong and immediate, but she refuses to mix business with pleasure and put her job in jeopardy. Can she set aside her personal feelings and come up with a winning campaign to earn her well-deserved promotion, or will she risk it all for a chance at love? 

Fall in love with this sweet Christmas romance sure to warm your heart any time of the year.

Swing Vote

Be sure and check Donna Weaver's Swing Vote. She's one of my favorite authors and I have loved this series!

Swing Vote will be on sale for $.99 between Dec 11 & Dec 17.  

Marc survived an IED but will his heart survive McKenzie?

An IED blew up more than Marc North's career as a Cobra pilot; it shattered his plans for marriage. After being dumped by his girlfriend and spending more than a year in rehab, all he wants is to fly again. He jumps at the chance to partner with a combat buddy in a helicopter sightseeing business. Now in a boomtown in southern Utah, Marc gets caught up with local politics. And the local election official.

At work, McKenzie Terkildsen struggles to keep control of a dangerously contentious election. At home, she shares the challenge of raising younger half-brothers with her older step-brother. He complicates things by inviting a Marine buddy to stay with them while the two build a business together. As a council member takes liberty with facts and stirs the already caustic election brew, the last thing McKenzie needs is one more guy messing up her life—or her heart.

Amazon

Home for the Holidays

I'm a fan of Ms. Hoagland. I can always count on solid clean writing and likable characters.

Poor Avery brings home a boyfriend whose luster started diminishing prior to the holidays. A classic example of how different priorities end relationships.

There's lots of heart and the setting reminds the reader that not all holidays are celebrated in snowy climes with mittens. Loved the beach vibe of being in south TX. Plus, being a home renovation fan I like the house building going on. The right mix of everything for me.

Add it to your holiday list of reads.

Amazon

Spending Christmas vacation with her father is part of Avery Baumann’s plan—right between graduating with her MBA and starting her first real job alongside her successful boyfriend, Hayden. But it’s a plan she’s beginning to second-guess.

Architect Keenan Perry wants to design a plan of his own—one that includes Avery. If only it wasn’t for their rocky history, secrets buried in his past, and that pesky boyfriend of hers.

As Avery and Keenan work side by side to rebuild a friend’s home by Christmas, it may take more than a miracle for them to patch the past and build the future of their dreams . . . even if it isn’t what they had planned.

A Gift for Lord Trevelin

This is a short and sweet Christmas tale of mercy from Heidi Ashworth.

Actually, I would've liked it to be a little longer as for me there were two conversations, a declaration of love, and several loose ends. I enjoyed the characters and what drew them together. I would've liked to see more development of their clearing obstacles standing in their way of HEA.

The tale is clean and a quick Christmas read.

Amazon

**This story was first published as The Lord Who Sneered in "The Lord Who Sneered and Other Tales: A Regency Holiday Anthology".** Debutante Lady Sophie Lundell has been warned about the notorious Julian Silvester, Marquis of Trevelin, but when she encounters him at a Yuletide ball, she feels his loneliness. Her instinct is to go to him despite the scar at the corner of his mouth; one that leads most to believe he is sneering at them. Curious as to how he came by the scar, and convinced of its connection to his aura of desolation, she burns to speak with him. She follows him out onto the veranda and draws the story from his lips; one which he has told no one in its completeness; one of such deceit, betrayal, and misery, that her heart aches for him. Come Christmas day, she is surprised by a visit from the marquis. She is even more surprised when she learns the gift she has given him. A tender tale of hope, faith, charity, and true love. Though a stand-alone story, readers of The Lord Trevelin Mysteries will especially enjoy reading about "Trev's" Happily Ever After.

Summer's Squall Blog Tour

Do you like winter? There are a lot of people who don’t.
Just remember, summer is coming. Yes, it’s about seven months away, but we can
still celebrate it. And today, Amy Schliser is on the blog telling us all about
her new book, Summer’s Squall.

About the Book

Summer’s Squall,
begins in Baltimore where Baltimore City Police Detective, Abe (Lank) Lankton,
assumes he'll be helping his cousin solve a minor problem when she calls and
asks him to fly west. When he learns that he's been called out there to aid in
capturing an elusive stalker, his first instinct is go straight back to
Maryland. However, when he meets the alluring victim, Summer Cooper, all bets
are off. With his future, and his own life, in jeopardy, Lank must choose
between going back to the life he knows in America's Charm City or staying out
west to help Summer. But Lank's not sure that Summer is all that she claims to
be or that the stalker even exists. One thing he knows for sure, Summer is
guilty... of stealing his heart. Summer’s
Squall is published by Chesapeake Sunrise Publishing and will be available
in local book stores. It may be ordered through Amazon, Barnes and Noble,
iBooks, and most other online sellers.

About the Author

Award-winning author, Amy MacWilliams Schisler, grew up in
Maryland, not far from Washington, DC. She graduated from Salisbury University
with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Political Science and from the
University of Maryland with a Masters of Library and Information Science. Amy
began writing as a child and spent fifteen years working as a librarian, a job
she dearly loved, before becoming a full-time author. Her debut book was the
beloved children’s book, Crabbing With
Granddad, an autobiographical book about spending the day with her
grandfather that us used throughout the state of Maryland as part of its
Maryland history unit. Amy’s first novel, A
Place to Call Home, was published in 2014 by Sarah Book Publishing. Her
books, Picture Me and Whispering Vines, received 2016 and 2017
Illumination Book Awards, which recognize the best Christian themed books
published both in the traditional book form as well as the ebook industry. Whispering
Vines received a 2017 LYRA Award for the best romance of 2016. She followed
up her success with the acclaimed, Island
of Miracles in 2017. Amy’s weekly
blog currently has over 1000 subscribers, and topics vary from current events
to her home life with her husband, Ken, and their three daughters, Rebecca,
Katie, and Morgan as well as their two dogs, Rosie and Misty.

Schisler delights in speaking to groups, and more
information may be found at her website: http://www.amyschislerauthor.com.

You may
follow Amy online at the following places:

http://amyschislerauthor.com

http://amyschisler.wordpress.com

http://facebook.com/amyschislerauthor

https://www.goodreads.com/amyschisler

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amy-schisler

Twitter
@AmySchislerAuth

Giveaway

Amy is generously giving one lucky person two
signed paperbacks. One copy is for you and the other for your friend. You can
enter here: 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

December 4

Bookish
Orchestrations – Intro
Post

December 5

Lisa Swinton -
Queen of Random – Book Spotlight

Amy Schisler,
Author – Book Spotlight

Letters
from Annie Douglass Lima – Book Spotlight

Rachel Rossano's Words – Book Spotlight

December 6

Rebekah Lyn Books –
Book Spotlight

December 7

Among the Reads –
Book Spotlight

December 8

Adventures in
Publishing – Book Spotlight

December 9

Bookish
Orchestrations – Giveaway
winner

Shot to the Heart

This work by Ms. Kate Palmer is a delicious novella.

Archery is the center of the skills of the main characters and where their history was built and destroyed. Archery is how the hero plans to woo his fair maiden once more, but Arrowe’s past choices and Robyn’s decided prejudices are against him. Enter a suspense element in the form of a stalker and a hero can truly show his colors and heart.

A quick clean read with a satisfactorily romantic ending. 

Apparently I picked this up through a promo or newsletter thath is not available on Amazon, etc. If you want it go check her author web prescence and see when you might be able to score a copy. 

~Lisa

The Silver Princess

The Silver Princess

I had not had the pleasure of reading one of Ms. Carter’s works before The Silver Princess and was delighted to discover it is the first in a six-part series. Wonderful.

Her writing style is unique and she is adept at creating her own beautiful version of a fairy world full of intrigue, surprises, and romance. I quite like her voice.

The characters were distinct and mysterious, the way fairies should be.

A well-crafted, well built, clean read, with twists that had me guessing until the end. Easy quick read for 10 and up. 

Amazon

Ever wondered what would happen if fairies weren't "stuck" in adolescence? If they didn't spend all their time preparing to paint flowers and spread frost?
Silver Princess introduces the world of Fairydom through the eyes of a relatively young protagonist, fairy Princess Rebecca. Her simple, sheltered life has done little to prepare her for the trials she faces when it is revealed that the rebels trying to quietly force her father to abdicate have big plans for her.

Before It's Love

This is my first read by Michelle Pennington. I'll be back for more.

What a tangled mess the characters of Lauren and Jake get pulled into, with so many love triangles, it'll make your head spin.

There's great depth to Lauren and Jake. They have insecurities, goals, desires, and art. It's obvious Ms. Pennington did her homework when it comes to describing the process of creating visual art. I learned loads but the descriptions invited insight to the characters rather than being tedious to read.

Emotions fly on the page, hidden under characters facades, and manifest in subtext. Wonderful.

It's a tale of falling in love when you haven't even dated. Lovely.

Amazon

"Just Friends" was harder than they thought.

Moving to Arkansas is hard for Lauren, but it’s worth it to be near her boyfriend and pursue her art degree. That is, until she meets Jake, the guy her roommate is in love with. Now she’s stuck on a merry-go-round of love triangles, and someone is going to get hurt.

Jake is focused on juggling his two careers and taking care of his feisty grandma. The last thing he needs is a serious relationship, so when Lauren moves in, it's okay that she's dating someone else. Until being her friend is no longer enough.

Before It's Love is a sweet romance.

Once Upon a Wish

I'm a fan of Ms. Ferguson!

This book is decidedly different in voice, tone, style, and pacing than her other sweet romances. That is not a bad thing. While her previous books have a sassy and spicy swagger to them (which I love) , Once Upon a Wish is a slow simmering burn.

The imagery of the locale, the occasional French word, and the constant consumption of high caliber french hot chocolate, transport you to the lovely setting of La Rochelle in France.

The characters are charming, engaging, and well fleshed out. It seems easy to imagine having a chat with Delphine at the cafe or meeting with Jean Luc to see what magic he can work on your social media prescence. Both characters have their own obstacles to overcome in their personal lives as well as finding a way to walk a path together.

So grab your sadly watered down American version of hot chocolate, a cozy blanket, and get lost in France for awhile.

Amazon

Be careful what you wish for . . .

Delphine Baudry wished to be a best-selling author, but now instead of celebrating and jumping into her next novel, she's frozen with fear. What if she turns out to be a one-hit-wonder? What if all her new fans hate the next book? To top it all off, she can't even discuss the situation with her favorite brainstorming partner, her mother, who is losing her memory to Alzheimer's. Taking a cue from some teens tossing Euros into a fountain, Delphine gives into some whimsy and wishes for her next book plot.

Jean-Paul Chassériau wished to start an online marketing company in La Rochelle. Now the real work begins. Feeling pressure to live up to his father's name in traditional marketing, Jean-Paul has a million ideas but no clients. When he finds a funky old Franc lodged between cobblestones near a fountain, there was only one thing to do. Make a wish.

When their coins collide, Delphine and Jean-Paul's wishes become intertwined, changing the course of their futures, and teaching them that wishes are sometimes fulfilled in unexpected ways.

Swing Vote

Swing Vote by Donna Weaver. I'm excited! She's one of my favorite authors!

An IED blew up more than Marc North's career as a Cobra pilot; it shattered his plans for marriage. After being dumped by his girlfriend and spending more than a year in rehab, all he wants is to fly again. He jumps at the chance to partner with a combat buddy in a helicopter sightseeing business. Now in a boomtown in southern Utah, Marc gets caught up with local politics. And the local election official.

At work, McKenzie Terkildsen struggles to keep control of a dangerously contentious election. At home, she shares the challenge of raising younger half-brothers with her older step-brother. He complicates things by inviting a Marine buddy to stay with them while the two build a business together. As a council member takes liberty with facts and stirs the already caustic election brew, the last thing McKenzie needs is one more guy messing up her life—or her heart.

Amazon: 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076CFBKYR

Goodreads: 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36053276-swing-vote-safe-harbors-3

Second Chance Kisses

I love going back to Echo Ridge and watching new characters fall in love. It's so much fun!

All the stories are well told. Some move fast, others have a sprinted ending. Others melt slowly and satisfyingly like chocolate. All are good, though my favorite might be A Perfect Fit, but its really hard to choose.

I love the Homecoming theme. I hope we have more romances to come. Mason needs a love story!

Clean, sweeping you off your feet, inspiring; these women have done it again.


Amazon
Do you remember your first love? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you had a second chance to follow your heart? In this collection of novellas written by award-winning and bestselling authors, come home to Echo Ridge as summer winds down and hearts once broken and lost are given one more chance, a second chance to love.

A Brand New Second Chance by Lucy McConnell
With a broken heart and an unsure future, Abigail Martin moves home to Echo Ridge to capture the parts of her teenage years she missed out on because she’d had a steady boyfriend. Kissing a random guy, flirting with strangers, hanging out at Fay’s after a football game—all of it. Carter Montgomery offers his help, because he’s a helpful kind of guy, and she quickly falls for his quiet humor, kindness, and heated kisses. Fearing that she hasn’t lived enough of life to settle down, Abigail must decide if she’s going to break Carter’s heart or give love a brand new second chance. 

A Perfect Fit by Janette Rallison
Jojo Halifax believes that winning Echo Ridge's float competition is just what her fledgling art career needs. And if that means giving her ex-boyfriend, Anthony, a second chance so she can be a designer on his team, well, she's willing to make the sacrifice. But when a lost bet leads to a blind date with her brother's friend, Wyatt, she begins to have second thoughts about second chances. Wyatt is handsome and charming and just might have been paid to make her forget about Anthony. Is falling for his charm worth the risk or should she take Anthony back again?

Almost Home by Heather Tullis
Damon lived in ten towns while growing up, but Echo Ridge is one of the few that started to feel like home before his parents relocated their family again. Now a widower, moving back to the small ski resort town is irresistible for him—but somewhat less so for his daughter, Maggie. Learning that Haley, the girl who had gotten away, is back in town is an unexpected bonus.

When Haley left a high-powered job in New York City to take care of her grandmother, she never expected to run into the boy she’d been crushing on sixteen years earlier. When they end up working together on the homecoming float, she finds the attraction between them just as compelling as before. But when given a choice, will she give him her heart, or leave love behind to return to her job in the city?

Change of Plans by Cami Checketts
Kaitlyn Johanson comes home to Echo Ridge planning to bring the sparks back with her high school boyfriend, Mason, work at Kenworth's, and enjoy family and the beautiful valley. She never expected her heartthrob, national-acclaimed lacrosse player, Axel Olsen, would visit her hometown. When Axel steals her attention and possibly her heart from the man she was supposed to marry, she has to choose if she'll take a risk on new love or give old love a second chance. 

Coming Home to Love by Rachelle J. Christensen
When Laney Richins left Echo Ridge, New York eight years ago, she vowed she’d never return, but life had other plans. Those plans included her cute little boy and a divorce, so Laney moved back home and started over. Working in the flower shop seems like the perfect plan until Billy Redford, the man she should have married shows up. 
Billy Redford’s heart was broken when his high school sweetheart turned her back on him and fled Echo Ridge for the big city lights. Running into Laney in Echo Ridge now brings up past feelings he thought were long gone. She’s prettier than ever, still seems to read his mind, and despite his protests ends up on the building and decorating committee with him for the Homecoming dance. Billy knows how to build just about anything, but he isn’t sure he knows how to mend a broken heart.

House of Spies

Spy thrillers aren't my typical fare but my book club chose it, so I read it.

That being said, this isn't my first spy thriller read, though I hadn't read a Daniel Silva book before.

The writing is solid, well researched, and fairly clean in terms of language, though there are a few swear words. Spies, you know. There's violence and death, but I expected nothing different due to the genre. The deaths aren't gory.

Many in my book club had trouble keeping track of characters, which is understandable as several of them go by multiple names.

Though this is well into the series, it can be read as a stand alone and the reader won't be lost.

Amazon

Four months after the deadliest attack on the American homeland since 9/11, terrorists leave a trail of carnage through London’s glittering West End. The attack is a brilliant feat of planning and secrecy, but with one loose thread. 

The thread leads Gabriel Allon and his team of operatives to the south of France and to the gilded doorstep of Jean-Luc Martel and Olivia Watson. A beautiful former British fashion model, Olivia pretends not to know that the true source of Martel’s enormous wealth is drugs. And Martel, likewise, turns a blind eye to the fact he is doing business with a man whose objective is the very destruction of the West. Together, under Gabriel’s skilled hand, they will become an unlikely pair of heroes in the global war on terror.

Written in seductive and elegant prose, the story moves swiftly from the glamour of Saint-Tropez to the grit of Casablanca and, finally, to an electrifying climax that will leave readers breathless long after they turn the final page.  

October a novel

For Emily Baxter, life is simple. Her world is made up completely of school, church, and the community
in the small farming town she calls home. All that changes one fateful Sunday, when a new girl shows up
at Pleasanton Baptist—a girl unlike anyone Emily has ever seen. A girl with long red hair, crystal green
eyes, and style and posture like royalty.
A girl named October.
The months that follow are filled with magic—the magic of ordinary things, of finding pictures in the
stars, of imagination and a new sense of beauty. But as time goes by, Emily begins to sense that her
enchanting new friend may have secrets that could break the spell. Is October really all she seems to be?
About the Author
J. Grace Pennington has been telling stories since she could talk and writing them down since age five.
Now she lives in the great state of Texas, where she writes as much as adult life permits. When she's not
writing she enjoys reading good books, having adventures with her husband, and looking up at the stars.
Giveaway
Grace has generously offered a paperback book of her new book as her giveaway prize. You can enter at
this link or the widget below.
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9912248025/" rel="nofollow" data-
raflid="9912248025" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_zwvc03ab">a Rafflecopter
giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
Excerpts
Excerpt #1:
The first time I saw October Blake, I was sitting in the front right pew of the Pleasanton First
Baptist church, where we always sat, watching as people filed into the sanctuary. The rich organ tones of
'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus resonated through the chamber under the magic of Ms. Hendrix's wrinkled
fingers. Soft chatter and friendly greetings mingled with the tune. Stained-glass windows cast rainbows
across the scene.
October fit the setting better than anyone I had seen enter. She didn't walk in, she glided, moving
over the gray carpet with a grace that held the eye. Her thick red hair was piled up on her head like
something out of an Anne of Green Gables movie, her skin almost porcelain, her eyes a pale, crystal green
visible from across the sanctuary. A ruffled cream blouse left her arms bare, and a floor-length green skirt
swished as she slipped down the aisle.
I watched—stared is a better word—as she found her way to the third pew from the front center.
She laid a hand on the back of it, then turned to look at the people behind her. I hadn't noticed until then
that Mr. and Mrs. Rivers were there, shuffling to adjoining seats. She didn't seem to belong to them. But
then, she didn't seem to belong to anything about Pleasanton. Pleasanton consisted of farms, fields, and
stores reluctant to move into the twenty-first century, with a little brick high school and long, hot
summers. This girl seemed more fitted to lilac and lace and the smell of old books with long, beautiful
words in them.

Tour Schedule
October 25, 2017
Bookish Orchestrations – Introductory post
God's Peculiar Treasure Rae – Character Spotlight
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – Character Spotlight
Lisa Swinton - Queen of Random – Book Spotlight
Audrey Rich – Book Spotlight
October 26, 2017
Frances Hoelsema – Excerpt
Jaye L. Knight – Character Spotlight and Excerpt
Morgan Elizabeth Huneke – Review
October 27, 2017
Liv K. Fisher – Author Interview and Excerpt
Opinions, Thoughts, and General Rambling – Character Spotlight and Excerpt
Leila's Bookshelf – Book Spotlight
Britbear's Book Reviews – Guest Post
October 28, 2017
Rebekah Lyn Books – Excerpt
In the Bookcase – Review
Roxbury Books – Character Spotlight and Excerpt
J. Grace Pennington – Special author’s post
October 29, 2017
Bookish Orchestrations – Giveaway Winner
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076JMZCYX/

Kiss Me in the Rain (Destined for Love: Mansions)

I'm a fan of Ms. Armstrong and have been awhile. I look forward to each of her publications.

This one has all the bells, whistles, and strong writing I've come to expect from Ms. Armstrong. Along with steamy kisses, plot twists, and good old Southern charm.

You'll love the chemistry between Layla and Tyler, and it's clean too.

Set yourself up with some Southern tea and a beignet, and curl up in your cozy chair. You won't want to put this down.


Amazon

Will she risk the home she treasures for the man she loves?

Cypress Grove has always been a treasured constant in Layla's perfect life. Now the mansion will be sold to the highest bidder if she doesn’t date an investor's son. The problem? The man she really wants just rolled into town.

Tyler is done being responsible and never going after what he wants. Layla's finally given him the courage to quit grad school and use his student loans to flip houses. And he's decided to move near Cypress Grove to do it.

When Layla happens upon suspicious ledgers at the mansion, her family's financial woes take a sinister turn. As Tyler and Layla work together to find the culprit, the attraction between them threatens to burst into flames. But admitting their feelings could spell disaster for Cypress Grove.

Devour this thrilling romance today!

Books in the Destined for Love: Mansions Collection
—Kiss Me in the Rain by Lindzee Armstrong
—Roping His Heart by Jaclyn Hardy
—The Princess and the Pizza Man by Cassie Mae
—Mending Fences by Lorin Grace
—Love Me at Sunset by Lucinda Whitney
—Saving Her Plantation by Cami Checketts

Fairest One

This is my first read by Amy Linnabary and it won't be my last, especially as this is book two in the series. That means I have the pleasure of going back and reading book one. And now you know that the books can be read as stand alones and be perfectly enjoyable reads.

Think you know fairytales? Not like this one.

Ms. Linnabary gives a refreshing take on the classic princess fairytales by turning them modern and giving a girlssuper powers. How awesome is that?

The writing is strong. The pacing is consistent. The characters are deep.
Romance is in the air, 'cause what's a princess without a prince? Even if they both aren't royalty. There are some satisfying teen kisses in the mix, along with fun side characters (Jamie!).

Can't wait for the next in the series and how the princesses will conquer the evil, wand carrying  mystery woman.


Amazon
What if fairytales weren't just stories, but modern-day prophecies?

My name is Rosa.
My parents abandoned me as a baby and left me to rot in the foster system. 
I live with seven foster brothers. 
I just wanted to disappear. 
I am Snow White.

Oh, and I have superpowers. 

I had accepted my life until my stepmom showed up and asked me to live with her. Now I can’t help but wonder what having a family might be like. Even if it means abandoning the boys that I care for. But when visions I've had start to come true, I can’t justify leaving. 

Just when I think I’m alone, a strange girl from California shows up and tells me I’m the princess prophesied about in the fairytale, Snow White.

Now I must decide to either trust these strangers to save my loved ones, or keep my secrets hidden so no one can hurt me again. 

Lady Helen Finds Her Song

I’ve long been a fan of Ms. Moore. Her books are both swoon and sigh worthy while also being well researched and impeccably written. 

This time she weaves her descriptions of India so seamlessly that you’d almost believe you were there walking in Helen’s shoes or Michael’s boot. The development of the individual characters coupled with the growing romance makes you want to savor every word, every page, to make the tale last as long as possible. There is beauty and ugliness found in India, as there are in all nations of the world. Helen’s reactions to them and the choices she makes in response are what set her apart from so many other heroines. By the end, you’ll hope you can see your own life through Helen’s eyes, but more especially with her generous heart. 

Amazon

Spring 1813 --The exotic splendors of India are legendary, and the colorful sights of her new home in Calcutta immediately captivate eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Poulter. Whereas many of her fellow British expatriates despise the culture they see as barbaric, Helen sees excitement in the unusual locale. It is in this vibrant, bustling city that she finds a kindred soul in Captain Michael Rhodes, an Englishman whose lifelong love of India runs deep. Their friendship quickly grows, yet despite their undeniable connection, she could never think of Captain Rhodes as more than a dear friend. Her love, in truth, has been captured by dashing British Lieutenant Arthur Bancroft. This handsome soldier represents the embodiment of all she’s dreamed of in a husband. Preoccupied by her growing affections, Helen never dreams that beneath the glamor of the city, hostilities are reaching a boiling point. When battle ultimately threatens both of the men in her life, she must make a choice: pursue the man who symbolizes her British past, or let herself love a man who promises an unknown future in the land she loves. But amid the casualties of war, will her declaration of love come too late?

All Regency Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology Book 10)

These ladies can do no wrong. It doesn’t matter which assortment writes the current anthology, or which time period they pick, the reads are delightful, sweet, and keep the pages turning. These are perfect for the busy life as reading each mini story fits easily into stolen moments or reading. And you’ll find yourself stealing moments more often with each tale. 

Amazon
Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Regency Collection. Readers will love this collection of six regency romance novellas.

In THE WEDDING GIFT: A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE STORY, an enchanting novella by Anna Elliott, the story opens two weeks before Elizabeth Bennet’s wedding to Mr. Darcy. He has given her the perfect wedding gift, and now she must come up with one for him. But what do you give a man who has everything? Elizabeth soon discovers that the gift of love is more important than any one thing.

DREAM OF A GLORIOUS SEASON, a sweet novella by Sarah M. Eden, we meet Elizabeth Gillerford who envies her sister only one thing—that she’s been intended for Julian Broadwood since they were children. The trouble is that Elizabeth is hopelessly in love with Julian too. When Julian discovers that Elizabeth has been denied a Season because her older sister is yet unwed, he undertakes his own stealthy measures to introduce her to society, only to find himself falling in love with her himself.

In THE MENDER, a captivating story by Carla Kelly, Thankful Winnings takes a sea voyage with her cousin on the Ann Alexander, in a last adventure before she settles down to marry one of her beaus. Unexpectedly they come upon the aftermath of a fierce ship battle, and Thankful is commissioned to help in the place of an injured surgeon on one of the Royal Navy ships. Adam Farnsworth, surgeon, has been at sea for years. Tired of war, but devoted to his post, it takes a resourceful lady such as Thankful to give him the hope of love and help heal his own wounds, the ones that show and the ones that don’t.

In BEGIN AGAIN, a charming novella by Josi S. Kilpack, Regina Weathers gives up on marrying for love the day that Ross Martin walks out of her life. Now, fifteen years later, Ross shows up at a ball and thinks he can woo Regina. But she is set on her lonely path and stitched-up heart, no matter the excuse Ross gives for his years of silence and neglect. When Ross insists he wrote many letters during his military years, Regina discovers a secret long-since buried by her father, and the revelation might be enough to thaw the coldness of her heart.

In Annette Lyon’s endearing story, THE AFFAIR AT WILDEMOORE, Mrs. Ellen Stanhope escorts her three daughters to a ball. As her oldest flirts with a beau, Ellen is reminded of her courtship and early years of marriage with Anthony, before tragedy struck with the death of their infant son. The marriage has faded and dulled. Not until she sees Anthony dancing with a woman he courted years before does Ellen realize how much she misses him, still loves him, and yearns for him to yet feel the same way for her.

In the delightful novella, THE DUKE’S BROTHER, by Heather B. Moore, Mr. Gregory Clark is having an awful day, and it only gets worse when he’s ran over by … a woman. Mabel Russell reluctantly visits her sister in London for the Season, even though she’d rather stay in the country cataloging insects and aphids. When she runs into Gregory Clark, quite literally, she’s afraid to show any interest, especially since he’s a member of the dreaded ton. But getting to know Gregory becomes an unexpected delight.

The {Re}Model Marriage

I’m a fan of Ms. Hoagland and this book didn’t disappoint.

Very few writers tackle the romance between husbands and wives. Ms. H. does it well and with finesse. As Kirk and Jamie renovate their home, they rekindle the love and romance which has died between them. There are no sordid reasons for them to part ways, they’ve simply drifted apart as they focused on other things or relationships they deemed more important than one another. As they peel back the layers of age and neglect in their home, they reveal the innerworkings of their relationship. Some truths are hard to swallow while other revelations bring joy. It’s a wonderful emotionally deep read that will have you turning pages and sighing. The characters are relatable and real. You’ll notice something of yourself or someone you know in each of them, and may even find yourself elbowing your spouse to indicate, “That is so us.” One can only hope that this story will encourage you to fall in love with your spouse again. 

Amazon
2016 Whitney Award Finalist and awarded a Crowned Heart in InD'Tale Magazine.

From the outside, Kirk and Jamie appear to have a beautiful home and the perfect marriage. Inside, the aging Craftsman is falling apart, their marriage is crumbling from neglect, and Jamie Royce wants out! Kirk, on the other hand, isn’t ready to give up on either the house or their relationship.

With their divorce scheduled for the day after their daughter’s high school graduation, Jamie and Kirk have to fix the home’s problems to lift their selling price out of the basement. Working to renovate the home together, they discover secrets—in the home, in their marriage, and in the fertility clinic that helped give them their daughter—and find themselves questioning what true love really is.

September Ebook Sale!

Remember back in June when I published 12 Days to Love as part of the Destined for Love: Europe Collection?

Well, this week 12 Days to Love is only $0.99 as are all the books in the Europe Collection! Get them here:

Desperately Seeking Mr. Right by Sally Johnson

Meet Me at Sunrise by Lucinda Whitney

Kiss Me in the Moonlight by Lindzee Armstrong

Never Trust the Rain by Laura D. Bastian

Even better there are 80 books for $0.99 this week and
On the Corner of Heartache & Love  is included. Grab them while you can!

http://www.lindzeearmstrong.com/sales/september-ebook-sale/

Additionally Fallen Angel is $0.99(where you can read more about Enzo and Chiara)!

This is all in celebration of the new Destined for Love: Mansions Collection coming out later this month! I'll give you more details as they become available. But you can start preordering some of them here:

Kiss Me in the Rain by Lindzee Armstrong

Roping His Heart by Jaclyn Hardy

Love Me at Sunset by Lucinda Whitney

Saving Her Plantation by Cami Checketts

With two more titles still to come:

The Princess and the Pizza Man by Cassie Mae and Mending Fences by Lorin Grace.

Get ready for some great Fall reading!

Amnesty

Supernatural YA is a little outside my usual genre, but Amnesty, by Jo Noelle, is totally worth the read. Also, there is a romantic thread so...romance readers will be happy too.

I'm a long time fan of this writing team. They consistently deliver solid writing with emotional depth, and keep the pacing steady to keep the story moving and the reader reading.

In this one, the heroine, Cassie, takes on the afterlife in a big way. She's sentenced to the fire and brimstone, but given a chance at redemption through the Amnesty program. Her twenty days on Earth will determine if she keeps her original sentence or earns a ticket through the golden door.

Life on Earth wasn't easy the first time and isn't any easier in her twenty days. This is a novel about exploration of the soul, and who we choose to be. It's all about agency and action. Cassie still makes mistakes, gets tempted to back to her previous ways, and takes steps to go outside her comfort zone to learn about others and, in the process, herself.

Yes, there are gorgeous guys too, even in the afterlife.

Reader note: the word hell is used in context of the place, and there are a few minimal swear words in the text.

If you liked All By My Selfie, (apparently all hot guys originate in Scotland) grab this one too.

Amazon
Cassie is going to heaven—if she can get amnesty from hell in the next twenty days. Her assignment is to change the eternal destination of a girl in Albuquerque to earn admittance into heaven. 
No sweat.
But when Cassie returns to earth during her three-week, mostly-mortal assignment, her old habits get in the way, (apparently habits don’t die when you do), the partners assigned to help her are anything but helpful, and it turns out the girl she is supposed to help is the only enemy she made on her first day of school.
Oh, I’m so going to hell.
Things aren’t all bad—it helps to have a hot angel on your side. Mmm-Marc. Even though he’s all about heavenly business, Cassie would like to make it personal.
Assignment with benefits.
_____________________ 

This young adult novel is a coming of age story with a clean romance, packed with action and suspense in this YA supernatural romance.

My One and Only

I do enjoy Ms. Guymon's books. Can't remember which of her others I've read but I'm a fan when I do!

I like Meredith, no lie. She is stubborn and in her own way of love. She has a good reason. She's protecting her heart. I get this heroine.
Asher is easy to like and so is Pule, though for me the triangle didn't last long. I was team Asher from the beginning. I would like Pule to get his own HEA (happily ever after.) As its a series, I bet he will, and she'll be awesome.

All the wonderful emotional roller coaster ride elements are here, along with wit, and description that gives the message without being lengthy. Well-written, unexpected plot twists, and hard to put down are part of Ms. Guymon's hallmark. Clean and wholesome through and through.

Grab a copy, and the rest of the series.

Amazon
Meredith Jensen has seen her share of ups and downs. She’s found love twice already and lost it in spectacularly traumatic ways. Now? She just wants a peaceful life, free from love and drama. Meredith’s plans for the future center around planning other people’s weddings and her new online dating website. Just because she works to help other people find love doesn’t mean she wants any part of it though. Unfortunately for Meredith’s plans, Asher Murphy is determined to get her to give love another chance. But then again, so is Pule Matafeo. Meredith has never denied that she’s stubborn and feisty so it might take the combined forces of all their friends in Fircrest to get her heart back on track in time for Valentine’s Day.

The Bet

This might be my first read by Taylor Hart, either way, it won't be my last. 

There's a lot going on emotionally in this tale, with every character. So if you're looking for emotional depth, you have got the right book. 

It was quite a page turner as the heroine had very opposite personality type  brothers vying for her affection. I wasn't sure which one she would pick, though I had a favorite I rooted for. Thankfully, I chose the same one as the heroine. 

Clean, sweet, a hint of spice. A definite winner. 

There's seems to be alot of things happening with all the characters we meet so I think it would be beneficial to read any of the Snow Valley Romances that may come before this one. 

Amazon

Enjoy this sweet romance by best-selling author, Taylor Hart
When Destiny Morningstar gets blackmailed into spending her spring break in Snow Valley, the last thing she’s looking for is a date, especially not with Adam and Chase Moon—two attractive and athletic brothers. But soon she finds herself tangled up in a dating spree that includes a flag football game, swinging around the barn dance, and hiking to Snow Valley's romantic hot springs with the town's most eligible bachelors. At every turn she's within kissing distance of one of the delectable Moon men. When she discovers she’s been part of some bet fueled by sibling rivalry and overactive egos she has to make a decision—forgive them both or miss out on the best thing that’s ever happened to her.

This includes a bonus chapter of Taylor Hart's next book in this series, The Better Man.

A Timeless Romance Anthology: Mail Order Bride

Welcome to the eighteen hundreds/turn of the century, when being a mail order bride was sometimes the only option for a respectable single lady with nowhere to go or no one to turn to. The other option was to be an unrespectable lady.

Each of the six stories is told with its own charm and voice. All the heroines head west for a fresh start with a stranger. What they end up with a man who captures her heart. The fun of each story is in the details.

Clean, wholesome, romantic, and utterly enjoyable.

I'd love to see these authors cook up a reverse romance series where the hero is a mail order groom!

Amazon

Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Mail Order Bride Collection, now a USA TODAY Bestseller! Six historical romance novellas set in the Old West. 

WRITTEN IN HER HEART, a charming novella by Stacy Henrie, Georgeanna is getting desperate. She can’t fund her favorite orphanage unless she marries and secures the rest of her inheritance left by her father. But her father’s financial planner, Clay, can't understand why she's not content with her current situation. Georgie determines to send out a notice as a mail order bride to attract suitors who won’t know her financial situation. Little does she know, Clay takes up the pen and sends her letters of his own under an assumed name. After years of working for Georgie’s father, Clay realizes he isn’t ready to watch her marry another, not when his heart is already claimed by her.

In Kristin Holt’s delightful novella WANTED: MIDWIFE BRIDE Dr. Naomi Thornton thinks she has it all: a beautiful house, a loving husband, and a fulfilling career. But when everything she holds dear is ripped away, Naomi has no choice but to start over. What will she find in the wild and untamed Wyoming Territory? Dr. Joe Chandler has waited years for a wife with the knowledge, skills, and tender heart he yearns for in a medical colleague and lifetime companion. When a midwife arrives with more expertise and secrets than he counted on, Joe quickly discovers there’s more to love and marriage than a simple mail order contract. 

In THE SOUND OF HOME, a captivating novella by Annette Lyon, Marilyn is given the choice of either marrying the despicable Victor or being charged with a murder she didn’t commit. Refusing to believe that either is her fate, she finds a third option: she answers a mail order bride advertisement and boards a train to Wyoming to wed a man named Harry. Moments after her arrival, she learns that Harry isn’t who he seemed to be, and the advertisement turns out to be a giant mistake. Harry’s brother Thomas agrees to let her stay until she can figure out what to do next—after all, she simply cannot return to New York—but Marilyn quickly finds herself developing feelings for Thomas.

In Sarah M. Eden’s endearing novella FOR BETTER OR WORSE Gerald Smith, on the advice of his well-meaning neighbors, has decided it’s time to change his lonely existence. Mary Hill, on the advice of her empty pocketbook and non-existent roof over her head, has decided it’s time to secure herself a future. A mail-order marriage, they both realize, is no guarantee of happiness, but it is a risk they are willing to take. However, coming face to face on the train platform, the hapless couple discovers an unexpected truth: marriage to a perfect stranger is sometimes far preferable to the prospect of a lifetime with someone you used to know.

Heather B. Moore’s sweet novella THE INCONVENIENT BRIDE sees Carmela traveling from Boston to Colorado, eager to meet the man she’s been corresponding with and will soon marry. Her brother’s new marriage leaves little room for Carmela in her old life. Upon arrival in Leadville, she faces a rude awakening, and the only one who can understand her predicament is her fiance’s brother, Samuel. But Samuel can’t possibly help her out of an awkward situation, can he? 

THE PRICE OF SILVER, an engaging novella by Siân Ann Bessey, Katie leaves New York for Idaho to marry Jake, a man she’s written to a couple of times. But when she steps off the train, his brother Caleb is there to greet her. Jake has gone to take a mining job he couldn’t pass up. Caleb takes Katie back to the family ranch to wait for Jake’s return. The more Caleb gets to know Katie, the more he envies his brother, but he can’t let his heart overrule his head unless Jake changes his mind about his intended bride.