Wednesday, February 26, 2020

One Summer Day Blog Tour



One Summer Day (Prosperity Ranch #1)
By Heather B. Moore

About the book:
Macie’s divorce has left her at rock-bottom, and she uproots everything and takes her young daughter to visit Prosperity Ranch for the summer. Every kid deserves to know her grandparents, right? Macie hopes for some healing time, even if she is staying at her ex in-laws ranch. What she isn’t expecting is her ex-husband’s brother, Holt Prosper, to fit every ideal she’s ever hoped for in a man.

My review:
This was a really fun contemporary romance. Holt made a dreamy leading man, and I liked seeing how Macie asserted herself and decided to go for what she wanted. The chemistry was great. This was a little bit edgier than Heather B. Moore's other contemporary romances (a little bit more swearing and a casual beer) but still clean. I'm excited to read the other books in the series. 4 stars.

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

About the author:
Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty publications. Her historical novels and thrillers are written under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women's fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt, the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in Utah. Heather is represented by Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.
Literary awards: 6-time Best of State Recipient for Best in Literary Arts, 4-time Whitney Award Winner, and 2-time Golden Quill Award Winner


Please join Heather's email list at: HBMoore.com/contact/
Blog: MyWritersLair.blogspot.com 
Website: HBMoore.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1344869.Heather_B_Moore


Monday, February 24, 2020

To Every Love a Season

To Every Love a Season
By Stacy Henrie

Book info: 
From USA TODAY best-selling author Stacy Henrie comes five inspirational historical romance novellas.

Her Winter Suitor
If Callie doesn’t attract the interest of a suitor by the Patriarch Ball, she’ll be shipped off to England to find a husband. Unwilling to let that happen, Leo, the son of Callie’s favorite chocolatier, volunteers to pretend to be her secret admirer. In return, Callie will ensure his family’s shop provides chocolate favors for the ball—in hopes of keeping the shop from closing. But when their arrangement deepens into real feelings, the two must decide if a humble maker of chocolate and a wealthy heiress can find more than temporary happiness together.

An Unlikely Spring Courtship
Tempest and Bram are both eager to have the most successful mercantile in town. But there are only enough customers to support one store, and neither Tempest or Bram are willing to concede defeat. In spite of their initial competition, the two can’t help but admire the tenacity of the other and eventually they form a bond of friendship. When disaster strikes the town, the pair will have to choose what matters most—success in business or in following one’s heart.

A Summer for Love
When circumstances thwarted their young love, Wyatt and Loralee promised to meet in eight years if neither of them had found someone. This time Loralee isn’t returning to the beach resort as a lowly hotel maid, though—she’s become a renowned singer, performing across the country. Wyatt’s situation has also changed. He’s become a father to his orphaned niece and wishes to provide her with a stable home. But when Wyatt and Loralee see each other again, they begin to wonder if their love hasn’t lessened with time but has deepened instead into something lasting.

Romance in Autumn
Once the daughter of a servant, Phoebe is now an heiress with enough funds to provide herself and her mother with a home of their own. And she knows exactly which house she wants to buy—the mansion at the seaside where she and her mother once worked in the summers. However, James, the son of their former employer, has been tasked to sell the mansion at auction for a price much higher than Phoebe can likely afford. Still hopeful, she volunteers to help James return the neglected mansion to its former glory, and the two become good friends. Yet as the auction draws nearer, they will need to determine which dreams are worth pursuing and which are worth changing.

A Long Winter Kiss
Once the best of friends, with the promise of being something more, Samantha and Rex have seen little of each other since Rex returned home from the war. Samantha is still hurt over Rex eventually asking her not to write him anymore while he was away, and Rex is certain Samantha doesn’t deserve to be with a man who bears the emotional scars of a soldier. However, the two of them are thrown together again when Samantha’s father is unable to deliver his annual Christmas Eve gifts. As Samantha and Rex perform the task, the walls between them start to crumble, making them both hope in the miracles of the season.

Review:
This was a really sweet collection of novellas, each in a different place and time period (although all are historical fiction), which made for a nice variety, as did the fact that they are set in different seasons of the year. Each novella is enjoyable, and it's tough to pick a favorite! I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own. This was a really sweet collection of novellas, each in a different place and time period (although all are historical fiction), which made for a nice variety, as did the fact that they are set in different seasons of the year. Each novella is enjoyable, and it's tough to pick a favorite! I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.


About the author: 
A USA TODAY bestselling author, Stacy Henrie graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in public relations. Not long after, she switched from writing press releases and newsletters to writing inspirational historical romances. Born and raised in the West, where she currently resides with her family, she enjoys reading, road trips, interior decorating, chocolate, and most of all, laughing with her husband and kids. Her books include HOPE AT DAWN, a 2015 RITA Award finalist for excellence in romance.
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/stacy-henrie
Tour schedule:
Feb 25: Empower Moms


Friday, February 14, 2020

Like Flames in the Night

Like Flames in the Night (Cities of Refuge #4)
By Connilyn Cossette
Published by Bethany House
Publication Date: March 3rd, 2020

Description:
Strong-willed Tirzah wants to join her people in driving the enemy from the land of Israel and undergoes training for a secret mission inside the stronghold of Shechem. But soon after she has infiltrated the ruthless Aramean commander's kitchen, she makes a reckless decision that puts her and her allies in grave danger.

Fresh off the battlefield, Liyam returns home to discover his beloved daughter is dead. After his vow to hunt down her killer leads to months of fruitless pursuit, his last hope is in a family connection that comes with strings attached. Strings that force him to pose as a mercenary and rescue an infuriating woman who refuses to leave her mission uncompleted.

When an opportunity to pave a path to a Hebrew victory arises, can Tirzah convince Liyam to fight alongside her in the refuge city of her birth? Or will Liyam's thirst for vengeance outweigh his duty to his people, his God, and the woman he's come to love?

Review:
Oh, my goodness! I cannot possibly overstate how much I enjoyed this book. Anyone who has ever read anything by Connilyn Cossette will not be surprised that she has written yet another phenomenal book. (Those who haven't read anything by her--go do it, now!) Each time I read one of her books, I'm blown away by how much I enjoy it, so for me to say that this book is my very favorite of hers is high praise. I just loved everything about this book. It never ceases to amaze me how she takes readers into the Hebrews' world, with rich details about their struggles against their enemies as well as their day-to-day life. Within her carefully-crafted setting, she also gives terrific characters, who are well-developed with both strengths and weaknesses. I loved getting to know both Tirzah and Liyam, as well as getting to see other favorite characters from her earlier books. Both broken in their own ways, Tirzah and Liyam are so relatable and so engaging; I just adored both of them and loved reading about their journey. The plot was so gripping as well! This book was just an absolute pleasure to read, and it's definitely one of my picks for the best books of 2020. The only "bad" thing about it is that it's the end of a series that I wish would go on and on!
Five stars!
I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Veiled in Smoke

Veiled in Smoke (The Windy City Saga #1)
By Jocelyn Green
Published by Bethany House

Description:
Meg and Sylvie Townsend manage the family bookshop and care for their father, Stephen, a veteran still suffering in mind and spirit from his time as a POW during the Civil War. But when the Great Fire sweeps through Chicago's business district, they lose much more than just their store. The sisters become separated from their father, and after Meg burns her hands in an attempt to save a family heirloom, they make a harrowing escape from the flames with the help of Chicago Tribune reporter Nate Pierce. Once the smoke clears away, they reunite with Stephen, only to learn soon after that their family friend not only died during the fire--he was murdered. Even more shocking, Stephen is charged with the crime and committed to the Cook County Insane Asylum. Though homeless, injured, and suddenly unemployed, Meg must not only gather the pieces of her shattered life, but prove her father's innocence before the asylum truly drives him mad.


Rich in historical details--from the Great Fire itself to the reconstruction efforts afterward to the way that patients in the Cook County Insane Asylum were treated--this novel quickly transports readers back to Chicago in 1871, setting the stage for a fascinating story. With the mystery of who really killed their family friend, Meg and Sylvie adjusting to life after the fire, and Stephen trying to regain his life altogether, there's a lot going on, but it all fits together well and moves along quickly. The message of healing through God was tender and believable without being overbearing. With so much to like about this book, I'll definitely be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series and reading Green's other books in the meantime.
4.5 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.