Sunday, November 24, 2019

Marisol Spanish Rose Celebration Tour!

About the Book

Book: Marisol Spanish Rose
Author: Elva Cobb Martin
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: November 8, 2019

Escaping to the New World is her only option…Rescuing her will wrap the chains of the Inquisition around his neck.

Marisol Valentin flees Spain after murdering the nobleman who molested her. She ends up for sale on the indentured servants’ block at Charles Town harbor—dirty, angry, and with child. Her hopes are shattered, but she must find a refuge for herself and the child she carries. Can this new land offer her the grace, love, and security she craves? Or must she escape again to her only living relative in Cartagena?

Captain Ethan Becket, once a Charles Town minister, now sails the seas as a privateer, grieving his deceased wife. But when he takes captive a ship full of indentured servants, he’s intrigued by the woman whose manners seem much more refined than the average Spanish serving girl. Perfect to become governess for his young son. But when he sets out on a quest to find his captured sister, said to be in Cartagena, little does he expect his new Spanish governess to stow away on his ship with her six-month-old son. Yet her offer of help to free his sister is too tempting to pass up. And her beauty, both inside and out, is too attractive for his heart to protect itself against—until he learns she is a wanted murderess.

As their paths intertwine on a journey filled with danger, intrigue, and romance, only love and the grace of God can overcome the past and ignite a new beginning for Marisol and Ethan.

My Thoughts: This is such a powerful and interesting book to read. A novel about forgiveness, learning to trust in God and to let go of the past. A wonderful look at how we can turn back to the Lord, no matter what our circumstances may be. The author has done an incredible job with the characters, she spins a story that not only keeps the readers interested but brings them into the story and feel what the characters are going through. A beautiful story of how God's purpose will be done no matter what it takes. A story of love that no one could stop.

The author gives us a good look at history and how life was, with the piracy on the seas, and customs of the day. This is a story with many twists and turns in the plot; once you think you have the story figured out, the author takes the storyline on a different trail.

I enjoyed the scene in the story with the Andalusian horses and how they dance the flamenco dance. I too have a l love for horses and I thought of the beautiful Lipizzaners when reading about these Andalusians.
I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Elva Cobb Martin.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Elva Cobb Martin is a wife, mother, and grandmother who lives in South Carolina with her husband and a mini-dachshund. A life-long student of history, her favorite city, Charleston, inspires her stories of romance and adventure. Her love of writing grew out of a desire to share exciting stories of courageous characters and communicate truths of the Christian faith to bring hope and encouragement. Connect with her on her web site at http://www.elvamartin.com.

More from Elva

A couple of things inspired me to write Marisol ~ Spanish Rose, in addition to my love of historical romance fiction set in the colonial/pirate era of Charles Town and the Spanish Main. I ran across a teaching of how people often let the one terrible moment of their lives define them and their future. Know anyone like this?

I envisioned a heroine in the 1700’s who let her “terrible moment”—being molested and accidentally killing the Spanish nobleman who attacks her—define her and her future destiny. My premise for this idea and novel is: Love, forgiveness, and determination can overcome the most horrifying experiences and poor choices when we invite God into the equation. Loving horses, particularly the white Lipizzaners, I named my heroine Marisol and set the attack on her father’s Andalusian Stud Farm in Cadiz, Spain in 1740. Andalusians are the Spanish horses in the ancestry of the Lipizzaners. And they can be trained to do dancing steps with a dancing maiden called the Flamenco, which my heroine can do well. Click here for a video of a flamenco dancer. https://youtu.be/lSQWQl0u_Ow Marisol’s exciting Flamenco plays a pivotal part in the novel. All this story idea needed now was an exciting, handsome Charles Town privateer—sometimes pirate—who will cross paths with my heroine when she flees Spain after killing the Spanish nobleman who molested her. Captain Ethan Becket, backslidden former Charles Town minister, has returned to the sea, grieving the loss of his wife and child.

By the time these two get together at the indentured block in Charles Town, Marisol has discovered she is with child. Thanks for stopping by! May you have an exciting, romantic adventure on the high seas with Captain Ethan and Marisol.

Blog Stops

Bigreadersite , November 15

Emily Yager, November 15

Connect in Fiction, November 16

Rebecca Tews , November 16

Moments, November 17

For Him and My Family, November 17

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 18

Genesis 5020, November 18

For the Love of Literature, November 19

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 19

Betti Mace, November 20

mpbooks, November 20

Back Porch Reads, November 21

Maureen’s Musings, November 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 22

Pause for Tales , November 23

Batya’s Bits, November 23

Reflections From My Bookshelves, November 24

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, November 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 25

Godly Book Reviews, November 25

Inklings and notions , November 26

janicesbookreviews, November 26

Texas Book-aholic, November 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 27

A Reader’s Brain, November 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Elva is giving away a vintage nautical writing journal and a $20 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!

Click Here to Enter!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Bright Unknown Celebration Tour!

About the Book

Book: The Bright Unknown
Author: Elizabeth Byler Younts
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: October 22, 2019

Two young friends embark upon an epic journey across 1940s middle America in search of answers, a family, and a place to call home.

The only kind of life Brighton Turner understands is the one she has endured within the dreary walls of a rural Pennsylvania asylum. A nurse has thoughtfully educated and raised Brighton, but she has also kept vital information from her in order to keep her close. Brighton befriends a boy whom she calls Angel—he doesn’t know his name—and as the two of them learn more about what lies beyond the walls they call home, they fight for their release and eventually escape.

However, the world outside the only place they’ve ever known is not what they expect. They have no real names, no money, and no help—and they must rely upon the kindness of strangers as they walk and hitchhike from Pennsylvania to Michigan to find their last hope of a home.

This heartbreaking journey, narrated in gorgeous prose, explores what it means to belong—and to scour the universe with fresh eyes for the brightness within.
My Thoughts: This is an intriguing book. From the very first word, the author gains the readers' attention until the end of the book. The plot is unique as well. The characters are well developed and gain the reader's heart early in the storyline. This is a compelling story of a girl growing up in an asylum and the trials that she had to endure.
The author has done an exceptional job of showing the reader what it was like inside an asylum in the 1930s. I don't want to say too much and spoil the novel, but as I read my heart was with Brighton and hoped she would get out of the asylum. I can not imagine anyone growing up in a place like that. This is a powerful novel that keeps the reader entertained to the very end. If you love a book with some suspense, with some twists and turns in the plot, mixed with some true love; then this is the book for you. I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Byler Younts.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Click here to grab your copy!

About the Author

Elizabeth Byler Younts gained a worldwide audience through her first book, Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed novel The Solace of Water and the Promise of Sunrise series. Elizabeth lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, her two daughters, and a small menagerie of well-loved pets.

More from Elizabeth

The Bright Unknown was born out of a seed of a true story that my husband’s grandmother, Gigi, shared with me. Gigi told me that when she was a young girl living in Oklahoma her mom had a friend who was a nurse. During one of her visits over coffee she would occasionally talk about her patients at the local asylum. One particular story really intrigued Gigi and even decades later she still remembered it. The story was about a patient who had a baby while at the hospital and while Gigi remembers nothing about the patient or the child, she knew that when she moved out of Oklahoma several years later that asylum-born girl was around eighteen and still living within the walls of that hospital along with her patient-mother.

That story stuck with me. This trapped girl and her mother wouldn’t let me go. I began to wonder over her and ask all sorts of unanswered questions. Slowly but surely my imagined story for her came to life. Layer after layer I learned about Brighton, my name for her. I also named two characters after Gigi, her first and middle, as an honor to her. This story was born from a memory but now these characters feel real and present in my life today and I hope you will journey with them in The Bright Unknown.

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, November 2

A Reader’s Brain, November 2

Living Life Free in Christ, November 2

The Christian Fiction Girl, November 3

Inspired by fiction, November 3

Fiction Aficionado, November 4

Genesis 5020, November 4

janicesbookreviews, November 5

Blogging With Carol , November 5

All-of-a-kind Mom, November 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 6

To Everything A Season, November 6

The Becca Files, November 7

Bigreadersite, November 7

A Baker’s Perspective, November 8

Connect in Fiction, November 8

Moments, November 9

Bloggin’ ’bout Books, November 9

Simple Harvest Reads, November 10

Betti Mace, November 10

Pause for Tales, November 11

Inklings and notions, November 11

Mary Hake, November 11

Texas Book-aholic, November 12

Hallie Reads, November 12

For the Love of Literature, November 12

Through the Fire Blogs, November 13

For Him and My Family, November 13

Remembrancy, November 14

mpbooks, November 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 15

Godly Book Reviews, November 15

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Lawfully Innocent Celebration Tour!

About the Book

Book: Lawfully Innocent
Author: Robin Helm
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: August 31, 2019

Benjamin Beckett, a handsome young English lord, lacks purpose in his life of privilege. After learning the truth about his heritage, he decides to leave unbearable boredom behind, making drastic changes in his too predictable life. Adventure awaits Benjamin across the ocean, and he embraces the challenges before him. Can a man who’s not yet thirty be strong enough to impact the New World? Will he find a cure for his loneliness and ennui?
My Thoughts: This is a great read. It takes us into the life of a privileged lord who seems to have no leading in his life until he gets news of his aunts death. Benjamin finds himself headed to America with a new outlook on life.
This is a short but interesting novel that gives the reader a look into the 1800's in southern America. It touches on the subject of slavery, which the author handled brilliantly.
I enjoyed this novel and believe others will also enjoy reading this novel as well.

⭐⭐⭐

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Robin Helm’s books reflect her love of music, as well as her fascination with the paranormal and science fiction. Previously published works include The Guardian Trilogy: Guardian, SoulFire, and Legacy; the Yours by Design series: Accidentally Yours, Sincerely Yours, and Forever Yours; Understanding Elizabeth; and More to Love. Ms. Helm also contributed stories to A Very Austen Christmas and A Very Austen Valentine. She plans to publish Maestro, Lawfully Innocent, and A Very Austen Romance: Austen Anthologies, Book 3 in 2019. Her life in (usually) sunny, small town South Carolina is busy, but affords time for writing, reading, teaching and performing music, and playing games on her phone. (Would you believe she’s an elder in a war game? And she’s writing a book about it?)

More from Robin

I grew up in South Carolina during the 1960’s and 1970’s when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law. South Carolina did not comply immediately, so I remember my doctor’s office with two waiting rooms, two water fountains, and two doors, both leading to the same doctor and same examination room. It seemed very strange to me even then. I did not know any African American children, because schools, restaurants, churches, the town pool, the public health center, our neighborhoods – everything – was segregated. When I was in high school, that began to change. At first, only a few African-American students came to my school. I really didn’t notice, because we all worked together. I have since looked back and realized the bravery of those students. They left their newly built high school, which was much nicer than the very old one I attended, and came to a place where they knew almost no one. My junior year, our schools and all public buildings were desegregated. Our town handled it very well. Three high schools combined, but everyone kept doing the things they had done. That year, three sets of cheerleaders combined and three of each sports team came together. It was wonderful! We had cheerleaders all the way down the sidelines, and the captain’s position was shared. The school busses were desegregated as well, and I drove a route. I have no bad memories of that time. There were no fights, no arguments, no violence of any sort. This story is set in the mid 1840’s in South Carolina, and it addresses what sorts of things had to happen before we could get to The Civil Rights act and desegregation.

Blog Stops

Remembrancy, October 30

Betti Mace, October 31

Just the Write Escape, November 1

For Him and My Family, November 1

Blossom and Blessings, November 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 4

Texas Book-aholic, November 5

janicesbookreviews, November 6

Through the Fire Blogs, November 7

A Reader’s Brain, November 8

For the Love of Literature, November 9

She Lives to Read, November 10

Inklings and notions, November 11

Godly Book Reviews, November 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is 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 Here to Enter!

Friday, November 8, 2019

A Cross to Kill

About the Book: A gripping debut thriller pits a man of God against terrorists--and his own deadly past

John Cross is a small-town pastor, bent on leading his flock to follow God's calling. He's not the sort of man one would expect to have a checkered past.

But the truth is that the man behind the pulpit preaching to his sheep was once a wolf--an assassin for the CIA. When John decided to follow Christ, he put that work behind him, determined to do penance for all the lives he took. He vowed never to kill again.

Now someone wants the peaceful pastor to pay for his sins with his own life. And when a terrorist out for revenge walks into the church, John's secrets are laid bare. Confronted with his past, he must face his demons and discover whether a man can truly change. Can he keep his vow--even when the people he loves are in mortal danger? Will his congregation and the brave woman he's learning to care for be caught in the cross fire? In the end, John's life may be the only sacrifice he has left to offer. . .

Andrew Huff's thrilling debut is not only a riveting story of suspense, it's also a deep exploration of the moral quandaries that face those who choose to follow the Prince of Peace in a violent world.

My Thoughts: This book is an attention-getter. It has your attention from the very beginning and draws the reader into the storyline. It is well written and easy to read as the storyline flows along.

The characters are easy to relate to and the reader is pulled into the book and is always waiting for the next bit of action. The reader can see how the characters deal with faith, redemption, and forgiveness. I enjoyed the plot of this story, former CIA agent turned pastor. It shows the love of Christ for us all, and how we can change our ways with the help of Christ. It also gives the reader a glimpse of what is happening in the Middle East. This is a must-read story that I truly enjoyed.

Definitely a novel for those that love action and intrigue

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Freedom Challenge Celebration Tour!

About the Book

Book: The Freedom Challenge
Author: Dawn Scott Damon
Genre: Christian Living, Women’s Interest, Personal Growth, Devtional
Release Date: March 22, 2019

Be free from toxic mindsets, destructive patterns of behavior, and lies that keep you bound.

The truth behind seven little words changed Dawn Scott Damon’s life when she heard a man from a small country church sing “I am who He says I am!” Her life was transformed as she began to believe what God’s Word says about who she is in Christ, and she started her journey out of betrayal, abandonment, and deception.

She shares compelling truths in a sixty-day interactive Bible study that identifies and confronts eight cords that keep many believers bound. These practical and powerful biblical tools are designed to give you a new mindset, a fresh beginning, and a clear direction for a positive future.

Take the Freedom Challenge and become an active participant in your own emotional and spiritual transformation. Through a guided, intentional, and interactive daily process of putting God’s Word into practice, the strongholds of destructive and bondage-making behavior in your life can be broken. Choose to take that first step to live free from deceptive self-talk, fear, depression, toxic mindsets, and debilitating lies, among others.

Thought-provoking questions, journaling space, confessions, and affirmations are included to help guide you toward freedom.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts: This a must read for all women. The author has written a study that helps women overcome the toxic thoughts and doubts we have about ourselves. The study is broken down I to 60 days which helps the reader reflect and study what the author had to say.

The author uses personal circumstances to help illustrate how we can be free of these toxic and toxic thoughts and image of ourselves. Through this study and journaling we learn to make healthy choices for our lives.

A wonderful must read.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

About the Author

Dawn Scott Damon is an award-winning author, speaker, singer/songwriter, and “freedom coach.” An ordained minister with the Wesleyan Church, Dawn is the lead pastor of Tribes, a multicultural church in Rockford, MI, ministering to every generation. The founder of FreedomGirl Sisterhood conference and radio broadcast, she blogs at freedomgirlsisterhood.com. Dawn and her husband, Paul, have five children between them and eleven grandchildren. They live in the Rockford area.

More from Dawn

As a little girl, I can remember singing in church with all my heart “Blessed Be the Ties That Bind.” Those ties that bind our hearts to one-another in love and to Jesus himself, are indeed blessed. But what about ties that aren’t blessed? Hi I’m Dawn and I’m super glad you stopped by today! I’m a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. At 19 years old, I became a wife and very soon after, a mother. After years of abuse, I was also a victim of rage and bitterness. The childhood sexual trauma was over, but the abuse aftermath—anger, pain, and depression—continued to destroy me. The cords of unwanted bondage choked joy and life out of me. Today, I live fierce and free and serve as a freedom-coach to help others do the same. I’ve been on a journey for over 25 years, seeking God’s freedom through his truth and learning how to empower others to do the same. The Freedom Challenge: 60-Days to Untie the Cords that Bind You, is the map God gave me to find my way out of bondage, and now I’m sharing it with you! I pray you will also experience God’s glorious deliverance. And now some fun facts about me: I have a wonderful husband named Paul. Together we pastor a church called Tribes—but here’s the deal, he’s the “Pastor’s Spouse,” not me. I am a grandma of 11! It’s the awesomest—a word I use to describe it! I especially like what my grandson Colton calls me…Jam’ma. I love animals—all kinds—and I’ve determined there are absolutely no germs in dog kisses. I also have to admit, I adore anything that glitters or sparkles and someday hope to have a bling store. Lastly, I love Jesus and I still sing my heart out in church!