A Monumental Love Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Book Description:
Roxelle McCann is eager to meet the family of her best friend, so she takes a mini-vacation to the Navajo Nation. Roxelle expects to find out more about Navajo language and customs and to be awed by the beauty of Monument Valley. She does not expect to find love among the monuments. The man she meets offers both a surprising possible future and a tender reminder of the past.

My review:
Although this a novella and kinda short by nature, the author packs a lot in, including Roxelle's backstory, her current appreciation for the Navajo lands and culture, and the dynamics of making a relationship work. This is a clean read that can be read in less than an hour, so it's a great choice for those who want a quick escape. It was a lot of fun to read--and totally makes me want to go see Monument Valley! 4 stars.
I read an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

About the author:
Susan Aylworth loves books, poems, plays, words in almost all polite forms, and good raspberry jam. Her first book, started when she was nine, "was a rip-off of Black Beauty. I wrote eight whole pages." For her fifth grade career day, she stated her ambition to become "a rich and famous author." Decades later, she is pleased to have achieved the 'author' part of that goal. A former university professor, she enjoys researching backgrounds and careers for her novels. "It's one way to live many lives all at once." Servant to two spoiled cats, she lives in northern California with her writer husband, Roger. She wishes the kids would visit more often. Susan loves "travel, great music, and hearing from readers." Reach her at susan.aylworth.author@gmail.com, post on her wall at: www.facebook.com/Susan.Aylworth.Authoror follow her @SusanAylworth. "If you enjoy my books, please tell everyone you know: friends, relatives, neighbors, the person who delivers your mail, people you meet in line in the grocery store, everyone!" She welcomes ideas for new books and characters.

Check it out here:
Goodreads
Amazon *If you have Kindle Unlimited, you can snag this for FREE!

Connect with Susan here:
Facebook author page
Twitter
Website

Visit the other blogs on the blog tour:
Feb 25: Katie’s Clean Book Collection / Peggy Urry Writer
Feb 26: Mel’s Shelves / Getting Your Read On
Feb 27: Wishful Endings / Bookworm Lisa
Feb 28: Heidi Reads / The Bibliophile Files
March 1: Literary Time Out / My Book a Day / Books are Sanity / Singing Librarian Books


And finally, enter to win a copy of the ebook here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour and Giveaway for Just in Time: The Rescue Begins in Delaware

The Rescue Begins in Delaware (Just in Time Book 1)
By Cheri Pray Earl and Carol Lynch Williams

Premise:
Dover, Delaware 1776: George and Gracie need to rescue their parents. Instead, they find themselves time-traveling into the middle of the American Revolution. Not only that, but one of the twins changes into an animal with each time travel. This time Gracie is a horse. They end up helping Caesar Rodney make his famous ride into Philadelphia to vote “yes” for the Declaration of Independence. But time is running out to rescue their parents.  

My thoughts:
This was a fun book to read; although I read it by myself, I can easily see this book being one my children will enjoy in next year or two. I particularly liked the historical information--I'd never learned about Caesar Rodney's hurried ride from Delaware to Philadelphia, so that was interesting to learn a little about him and his efforts to support American independence. I think my kids will find that interesting but also be really pulled in to the time travel and mystery elements of the story. Good start to a series; I look forward to reading the rest of the books.

I read a copy provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

About the Authors: Cheri Pray Earl graduated with her master's degree in creative writing from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1995 and has taught creative writing and literature courses for the BYU Honors Program and the English Department for more than 25 years. She was awarded BYU Honors Professor of the Year in 2005 which she brags about every chance she gets. Cheri writes the middle-grade novel series, Just In Time, with Carol Lynch Williams and published a non-fiction children’s book for American Girl in 2009, co-authored with the late Rick Walton. But in real life she writes young adult and adult novels. She won her first real writing contest, the Utah Original Writing Competition, in 1994 for her YA novel, Flat Like Me, and took Honorable Mention in 1997 for her YA novel, The Swan. She’s currently working on an adult mystery novel and a contemporary adult novel. Cheri’s most recent children’s book, Mr. Dietsche, is a middle-grade novel based on her childhood in Dodge City, Kansas that her agent, Steve Fraser from JDLIT, is this very minute shopping around. That’s Secret Agent Steve. See more of Cheri's stories at dustingforfingerprints.wordpress.com 

 Carol Lynch Williams is the author of more than 30 books for middle grade and young adult readers. Her novels include The Chosen One, Never that Far, Messenger and Never Said. Her most recent book is the novelization of the movie Once I Was a Beehive. Carol has an MFA from Vermont College in Writing for Children and Young Adults and teaches creative writing at BYU. She runs Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers, a week-long writing conference for the not-faint-of-heart writer (www.wifyr.com). As well she is a mentor for those who want to write for kids and teens. Her best creative effort, however, are her five daughters.

Find the book here:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43895093-george-and-gracie-just-in-time
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rescue-Begins-Delaware-Just-Time-ebook/dp/B07ML8WJBD/

Connect with authors here:

Twitter Cheri Pray Earl 
 Twitter Carol Lynch Williams 

Check out the blog tour here:

Feb 18: Bloggin' Bout Books / Peggy Urry Writer

Feb 19: Min Reads and Reviews

Feb 20: LDS Writer Mom

Feb 21: My Book a Day

Feb 22: Literary Time Out / The Bibliophile Files

And finally, enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal! Upon My Heart Forever

Amber Lynn Perry's novella, Upon My Heart Forever, a Timeless Romance single, will be released on April 30th, but we get to look at the cover today! Isn't it beautiful? I love the combination of the pink and yellow, with the green in the background. So pretty!

Pre-order here! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NXWYHD8/
Add it your Goodreads shelf here:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44023416-upon-my-heart-forever

Escape to Everly Manor

Escape to Everly Manor
By Chalon Linton

Lizzy will do anything to protect her younger brother Thomas, so when she realizes her Uncle Cline, their father's estranged brother who claimed their estate and became their guardian after their parents' deaths, plans to send him to join the crew of a merchant vessel, she is determined to keep that from happening. They escape on the journey to the ship and take refuge in an abandoned cabin, and they soon find an ally in Mr. Barton, a handsome young man who wants to help this mysterious girl and her brother.
Barton knows that Lizzy isn't telling him everything, and his mother warns him against trusting her, but he can't turn his back on her and will do all he can to keep her safe and show her that she can trust him with her entire story--and with her heart.
I really enjoyed Barton's kindness and Lizzy's devotion to her brother. I also enjoyed it when Lizzy would banter with Barton, and I also enjoyed the fact that Barton actually slugged someone in the course of the story. There were some points where I started to lose interest, but all in all, I enjoyed it.
3.5 stars.
I read an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Cover Reveal--Beneath an Italian Sky!

Last year, the first book in Stacy Henrie's American Heiress series, A Night at the Opera, was released. (You can read my thoughts about it here). I'm excited for the second book in the series, Beneath an Italian Sky, which is set to come out on April 23rd, and I'm excited to share the cover, which is as beautiful as the first book's.

Here's the description:
American heiress Clare Herschel made what she hoped was a love match when she married the handsome, witty Emmett Markham, the Earl of Linwood. A little over a year into her marriage, though, Clare finds herself wintering in Sicily—alone. She is sure the mild climate is the answer to avoiding another miscarriage and Emmett’s apparent indifference, so she’s determined to remain in Italy as long as possible. The last person she expects to show up at the villa is her husband, especially when Emmett confesses he’s there to convince her to return to England.
As the only surviving son of a marquess, Emmett has done everything his father has asked of him—even agreeing to run for a seat in the House of Commons. However, this latest task comes with a nearly impossible caveat. He must convince his wife Clare to come back to England with him in order for them to appear to be a happy couple for his political campaigning. Emmett isn’t confident Clare will agree to the plan, though, not when she seems to want nothing to do with him or the life they’d begun building before she abruptly left him for Italy.
When a massive earthquake strikes Messina, Sicily, claiming the lives of thousands, Clare and Emmett must set aside their mutual misgivings about their marriage in order to survive and lend a helping hand to others. But in the wake of the destruction, they begin to realize they’ve been given a chance to decide if their love is stronger than the upheavals of the past.

Doesn't it sound fantastic? I can't wait!
Add it to your Goodreads shelf here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43785500-beneath-an-italian-sky

A Tender Hope

A Tender Hope (Cimarron Creek #3)
By Amanda Cabot

Thea Michener is ready for a fresh start. Her husband was murdered and their son stillborn, so when she's offered a position as a midwife in Cimarron Creek, she leaves Ladreville and throws herself into her job. Things start off differently than anticipated, though, because the first person who needs her help isn't an expectant mother but an orphaned child. Although she thinks caring for a child will be too painful, she soon finds herself wrapped around the baby's finger and equally intrigued by the man who brought the child to her.

Texas Ranger Jackson Guthrie is looking for Thea; he knows what she doesn't--why her husband was murdered. Daniel Michener was part of a gang of thieves who killed Jackson's brother and injured Jackson's partner. Jackson is determined to find the remaining three members of the gang and bring them to justice. Soon, though, he finds that the reasons he wants to be around Thea and talk to her have nothing to do with her dead husband but everything to do with her. While it doesn't take him long to realize he's more interested in a future with Thea than the Texas Rangers, he knows he has to solve the case--which is becoming more complicated--for his own sake but also to keep Thea safe.

This is the third book in a series, and while I think it would probably make sense without having read the other two books, it's definitely worth your time to read the other two as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed the plotline of this book; I liked the element of mystery and the building romances. The story moved along quickly and kept me interested throughout. I also really liked the characters--Thea, Jackson, and the secondary characters. I liked Jackson's steadiness, and I felt like Thea's wounded heart and the fears that came with it were conveyed well. This is a satisfying conclusion to a terrific series.
4.5 stars.

 I read an ARC from the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A Return of Devotion

A Return of Devotion
By Kristi Ann Hunter

As a new marquis, William heads to a small holding to retreat from the world for a little bit and find some peace as he renovates the house and takes on his new responsibilities. However, after arriving at the estate, he finds peace might not come so easily, as his bewildering housekeeper, Mrs. Brightmoor, alternates seems simple-minded and devious. He realizes she's hiding something, but getting her to tell him what is going on proves to be no easy task.

Daphne Blakemoor left London society, unwed and pregnant, more than a decade earlier. She made a nice life for herself, taking in the children of other women in similar situations, rearing them, and preparing for a life in service or trade. She quite enjoyed her life, but now that the estate is being inhabited by its owner, her meaningful work has come to an end and she has to adjust to being a housekeeper, which doesn't come easily to her for many reasons--not the least of which is the handsome, intriguing man who is now her employer and the fact that she needs to keep him from finding out about how she used his family's house twelve years and that her own illegitimate son is his spitting image.

Daphne's story was so captivating and she's a very interesting character--endearing and occasionally exasperating and very well-developed. William was slower to grow on me--but that's just because he was frustrated with Daphne so often early on! He's a good guy and I knew things would turn out well, and it's totally realistic that it took him a while to appreciate Daphne for who she is--because she took so long to let him see who she was. The plot is really interesting, and the dialogue was awesome--there were so many zingers that I just loved. There are so many heart-stealing secondary characters, and there are good (but not preachy) messages about forgiving oneself and finding oneself. Another great book from Kristi Ann Hunter.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.