DRIFTWOOD BAY by Irene Hannon: Book Blog Tour – Review and Giveaway

DRIFTWOOD BAY

A Hope Harbor Novel, Book 5

by

IRENE HANNON

Genre: Contemporary / Christian / Romance
Publisher: Revell
Date of Publication: April 2, 2019
Number of Pages: 368

Scroll down for Giveaway!

After tragedy upends her world, Jeannette Mason retreats to the tiny Oregon seaside town of Hope Harbor to create a new life. Vowing to avoid emotional attachments, she focuses on running her lavender farm and tea-room—until a new neighbor with a destructive dog and a forlorn little girl invades her turf. But she needn’t worry. Dr. Logan West is too busy coping with an unexpected family, a radical lifestyle change, and an unruly pup to have any interest in his aloof and disagreeable neighbor.

Yet when both Jeanette and Logan find themselves pulled into the life of a tattered Christian family fleeing persecution in war-torn Syria, might they discover that love sometimes comes calling when it’s least expected?

Bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon invites readers back to the charming seaside town of Hope Harbor, where they are sure to find peace, healing, and a second chance at happiness.

>> CLICK TO READ CHAPTER ONE! <<

CLICK TO ORDER ON:
Baker Book House ┃ Amazon ┃ Barnes & Noble
┃ Christianbook.com ┃ Books-A-Million ┃ Kobo ┃ Get It Local Today ┃

Driftwood Bay is a beautifully-balanced and uplifting read. I come into this aptly-named series quite late with this, the fifth book, as my introduction. It’s also the first Irene Hannon book I’ve ever read. I must say I need to read the first four now, especially if they’re as heartwarming as this one. It’s the kind of book that makes you feel good after reading it. It leaves you believing the best in people and strengthening your faith in God and in love.

The way Ms. Hannon blended heavy drama with canine-provided comic relief, steadfast spirituality, inclusive diversity, and wholesome romance worked for me. Her storytelling is evocative and involving. Her words are inspired, eminently quotable. Some of my favorites are:

“Don’t let fear stop you from being everything God intended you to be. Go. Learn. Live. Love.”
“… like a ship that never sails, a heart that’s never used isn’t living up to its potential.”
“… love is better than lonesome.”

Most of these quotes are said to Jeanette who has been guarding her heart by isolating herself in her lavender farm. How her new neighbors Logan, the new town doctor; Molly, his grieving niece; and their rambunctious puppy Toby drew her out is the main story of Driftwood Bay. It was told in a way that is moving and highly relatable.

The other significant story, that of the Syrian refugees Mariam, Thomma, and Elisa was treated with sensitivity and respect. This is where the community of Hope Harbor shines in their coming together to provide a fresh start for a family trying to recover from a devastating tragedy. I could only hope such a community exists in real life for we need them now more than ever.

While all the main characters–both Americans and Syrians–are sympathetic, it is the little girls Molly and Elisa who brought tears to my eyes. They are the catalysts for everything that happened in the book. Their insta-friendship and their unspoken need to be loved by their respective fathers really touched my heart.

Finally, I cannot complete this review without mentioning Charley, the mystical fish taco food truck owner who dispenses wisdom that helps guide the actions of many characters in Driftwood Bay and possibly the series. He’s one of the reasons why I would like to read the other Hope Harbor books.

Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including One Perfect Spring, Hope Harbor, Sea Rose Lane, Sandpiper Cove, and Pelican Point, as well as Dangerous Illusions and the Private Justice and Men of Valor suspense series. Her books have been honored with three coveted RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, and she is a member of that organization’s elite Hall of Fame. Her many other awards include National Readers’ Choice, Daphne du Maurier, Retailers’ Choice, Booksellers’ Best, Carols, and Reviewers’ Choice from RT Book Reviews magazine, which also honored her with a Career Achievement award for her entire body of work. In addition, she is a two-time Christy Award finalist.

WEBSITE FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

Grand Prize:
A Copy of Driftwood Bay + Oregon Coast Rain Globe
1st Runner-Up:
A Copy of Driftwood Bay + Book Lover’s Coffee Mug
2nd Runner-Up:
A Copy of Driftwood Bay + $10 Starbucks Gift Card
April 2-12, 2019
(U.S. Only)

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

4/2/19 		Series Spotlight 	The Clueless Gent 
4/2/19 		Scrapbook Page 		Hall Ways Blog 
4/3/19 		Review 			Forgotten Winds 
4/4/19 		Review 			That's What She's Reading 
4/5/19 		Character Interview 	Sybrina's Book Blog 
4/6/19 		Guest Post 		All the Ups and Downs 
4/7/19 		Review 			Carpe Diem Chronicles 
4/8/19 		Author Interview 	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews 
4/9/19 		Top Ten List 		Rainy Days with Amanda 
4/10/19 	Review 			Bibliotica 
4/11/19 	Review 			StoreyBook Reviews

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LOVE IN BLOOM: A Spring Romance Collection – Release Day Review

LOVE IN BLOOM

A Spring Romance Collection from the Romance Café

What do vampire warriors, cosplayers, FBI agents, dog trainers, and steampunk pirates have in common? They’re all in grave danger of succumbing to a springtime romance.

From the talented authors of the Romance Café, an all-new collection of nine sassy and spicy short stories.

Whether you like historical, contemporary, or paranormal, friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers, or second-chance romance, the Love in Bloom spring anthology holds something for you.

Available on Amazon:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07P6FHS1R
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P6FHS1R

REVIEW

Love In Bloom is a fabulous mix of stories from all over with no two alike except for being set during spring. The nine tales ran the gamut of romance sub-genres: from Victorian historical steampunk to multicultural contemporary to paranormal/fantasy.

There are a couple of standouts, a few solid ones, and a handful of promising stories that could use better editing to make them shine.

My top two are Cosplay by Thyra Dane and Love Is In The Airship by Catherine Stein. The first is a cross-cultural romantic comedy of errors that shows the differences between Americans and Norwegians at the same time that it celebrates how love can bridge two cultures together. Ms. Dane had me laughing out loud which put me in the perfect mood for the rest of the stories. It didn’t hurt that the theme of the cosplay is Beauty and the Beast, my most favorite Disney movie ever.

Airship is equally delightful. It is imaginative and exhilarating with wonderfully fascinating characters and heart-pounding adventures. Most of the action happens thousands of feet above the ground. How fun! Incredibly creative, it is a joyful read.

Buy it for the charity, read it for entertainment. 👍🏼👍🏼

More about The Romance Café:

This anthology is brought to you by The Romance Café, a community of romance novel fans and writers, born out of the desire for a safe space to discuss about our shared passion for romance, as well as empower and support authors of the genre. Join us every day for your dose of romance in the Café:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/292243634861501

Follow the Authors on Social Media:

Thyra Dane:
Website: https://thyradaneauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThyraDaneAuthor/

S L Hollister:
Website: https://sherrilhollister.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sjlhollisterwriter/

Miranda Jameson:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirandajamesonwriting/

Suki McMinn:
Website: www.sukimcminn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suki-McMinn-167521896754455/

Rachell Nichole:
Website: https://www.rachellnichole.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachellNichole/

Catherine Stein:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catsteinbooks/

Jess Taylor:
Email: 1brokegirl1981@gmail.com

Lara Temple:
Website: www.laratemple.com
Facebook (Author page): www.facebook.com/LaraTempleAuthor
Twitter: @laratemple1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/LaraTemple

Anna Volkin:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/avolkin/

A TENDER HOPE by Amanda Cabot: Book Blog Tour – Review and Giveaway

A TENDER HOPE

The Cimarron Creek Trilogy, Book 3

by

Amanda Cabot

Genre: Historical Romance / Inspirational
Publisher: Revell
Date of Publication: March 5, 2019
Number of Pages: 352

Scroll down for the giveaway!

As far as Thea Michener is concerned, it’s time for a change. With her husband murdered and her much-anticipated baby stillborn, there is nothing left for her in Ladreville. Having accepted a position as Cimarron Creek’s midwife, she has no intention of remarrying and trying for another child. So when a handsome Texas Ranger appears on her doorstep with an abandoned baby, Thea isn’t sure her heart can take it.

Ranger Jackson Guthrie isn’t concerned only with the baby’s welfare. He’s been looking for Thea, convinced that her late husband was part of the gang that killed his brother. But it soon becomes clear that the situation is far more complicated than he anticipated–and he’ll need Thea’s help if he’s ever to find the justice he seeks.

Amanda Cabot invites readers back to Cimarron Creek for a tender story of loss, betrayal, and love in the majestic Texas Hill Country.

**PRAISE FOR A TENDER HOPE:**

“Such beautiful words flow from Amanda Cabot’s pen–words that lead characters from tattered situations to fresh beginnings and culminate in tender story endings that make a reader sigh in satisfaction. I’ve never been disappointed by a Cabot tale.” — Kim Vogel Sawyer, bestselling author of Bringing Maggie Home

CLICK TO ORDER ON:

Baker Book House ┃ Amazon ┃ Barnes & Noble
┃ Christianbook.com ┃ Books-A-Million ┃ Kobo ┃ Get It Local Today ┃

A Tender Hope, the final book in Amanda Cabot’s Cimarron Creek Trilogy, is probably my favorite of the three and that’s saying something because A Stolen Heart and A Borrowed Dream are fantastic novels in their own right.

It’s the fact that events came to a satisfactory conclusion here. It’s because everyone’s stories, especially the couples’ have hopeful endings/beginnings. And it’s definitely because it had me smiling when I closed the book after the final word.

Being immersed in the Cimarron Creek series is like traveling in time to an era that is both gentler and harsher than the present. Ms. Cabot’s imagined world of apothecaries and mansions, of buggies and prams, of Rangers and outlaws, of midwives and stagecoaches, is a place I enjoy visiting. Being a foreign-born transplant to Texas, I appreciate this recreation of a past I know nothing about except for what I read in books.

From the first scene, A Tender Hope literally and figuratively takes the reader on a journey. Thea and Jackson travel separately to Cimarron Creek carrying their physical and emotional baggage: Thea with her heartbreak from losing her husband and son; Jackson with his hunt for the outlaw who killed his brother. An abandoned child, along with their respective jobs, brings them together in a way that aided their growing attraction to each other and hastened their discovery of what they really want in life. Amidst the danger posed by a vicious gang, they realized that what they want is to build a family in Cimarron Creek, their found home.

I love every aspect of Thea and Jackson’s romance: the constant desire to be in each other’s company, the honest conversations, their mutual respect, their belief in the other’s capabilities, and their support of each other’s careers. What had me swooning is their observance of proper courtship, something that is missing in contemporary romance and even in many historical romance these days. I enjoyed reading it here.

Another courtship I enjoyed is that of Aimee and Nate’s. These two brought some lightness and comic relief to balance the themes of the novel. Also ably supporting are Warner and Patience, Travis and Lydia, Grace, and other members of the small town. Their various subplots and the menace of the villains help enrich A Tender Hope’s overall storyline.

I’m really going to miss the wonderful people in this fictional community but I trust in Ms. Cabot and I’m sure her next series will be as fantastic as Cimarron Creek had been.

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of the Cimarron Creek trilogy, as well as the Texas Crossroads series, the Texas Dreams series, the Westward Winds series, and Christmas Roses. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards and the Booksellers’ Best. She lives in Wyoming.

║Website ║ Facebook ║
║ Blog║ BookBub ║
║ Twitter ║ Goodreads ║

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

THREE WINNERS

1ST: Copy of A Tender Hope + Spa Basket
(An assortment of Cru de Provence lavender vanilla scented spa products fills this lovely basket including lotions, soap, bath salts, waffle slippers and much more.)
2ND: Copy of A Tender Hope + $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card
3RD: Copy of A Tender Hope + $10 Starbucks Gift Card
APRIL 5-15, 2018
(US ONLY)

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

3/5/19 		Character Interview 	Chapter Break Book Blog 
3/5/19 		Bonus Post 		Hall Ways Blog 
3/6/19 		Review 			Carpe Diem Chronicles 
3/7/19 		Author Interview 	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews 
3/8/19 		Scrapbook Page 		StoreyBook Reviews 
3/9/19 		Review 			Missus Gonzo 
3/10/19 	Excerpt 		Momma on the Rocks 
3/11/19 	Review 			The Love of a Bibliophile 
3/12/19 	Series Spotlight 	All the Ups and Downs 
3/13/19 	Review 			Reading by Moonlight 
3/14/19 	Review 			That's What She's Reading

blog tour services provided by:

ARRANGE ME by Katy Regnery – Release Day Review

My name is Courtney Jane Salinger…
and I’m sick of games.

Sick of the Friday night bar-scene-cum-meat-market.
Sick of the boy-girl, man-woman, Mars-Venus, flirtation-without-expectation, game-playing nonsense.
Sick of awful dates and one-night stands, booty calls and guys who don’t call back, mixed messages or NO messages and—and—and…I’m sick of all of it.

I’m done.
I just can’t do it anymore.
It’s too hard, and worse: little by little, it’s making me hard.
It’s breaking my heart.

What do I want?
That’s easy.

I want a house in suburbia with a white picket fence.
I want babies to buckle into a minivan.
But most of all, I want to be married.
I want a husband.

So I’ve made an important decision: I’m making my escape from the dating world and the single life.
I’ve filled out my application on ArrangeMe.com and I’m putting my fate into the hands of experts.

Is it a little scary?
Sure.
I mean, I have no idea who I’ll end up with.
After all, I’m planning to marry a complete stranger.

But between you and me?
I can’t wait.

Being arranged can’t possibly be worse than being single.
Can it?

Available here:

🌸Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P7D9W4K
🌸Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07P7D9W4K
🌸Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07P7D9W4K
🌸Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07P7D9W4K

REVIEW

I’ve been reading Katy Regnery’s books for several years now and I know I can count on her to provide a fresh take on any romance story. In Arrange Me, she once again proved why she’s one of the top indie authors in the world with its unconventional premise and relatable characters.

I’m now in my forties and have been happily married for over a decade, but I still remember being late-twenties and being incredibly frustrated with the singles scene. I get exactly where Courtney is coming from and so will plenty of people who have unfulfilled desires no matter the success they’ve accomplished in other areas of their lives. Her solution of participating in an arranged marriage might have been extreme, but she was taking control of her life and I like that in my heroines.

There’s much to like in this novel. The smooth storytelling, the inclusion of diverse characters, the flipping of roles in terms of age and financial status between the heroine and hero, the realism of living paycheck-to-paycheck in New York City, and all the theater talk. I’m a musical theater junkie and I appreciate all the discussions and mentions of my favorite shows, especially that of Miss Saigon.

If I have a minor complaint, it’s that the arranged husband seems to be giving more to the relationship than Courtney has. So far. I hope that’s addressed in Arrange Us. I’d hate for the imbalance to continue.

Overall, I enjoyed Arrange Me and I’m looking forward to the continuation of Courtney and her husband’s story. It’ll be interesting to see how Katy writes the fall-out of the rash decisions the main characters made and how they will resolve the serious issues they’re facing now that the honeymoon is over.

IT’S GETTING SCOT IN HERE by Suzanne Enoch – Release Day: Review and Giveaway

IT’S GETTING SCOT IN HERE

The Wild Wicked Highlanders

Suzanne Enoch

Synopsis

The first in a wickedly seductive new Scottish historical romance series from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Enoch!

“It’s time to fall in love with Suzanne Enoch.” — Lisa Kleypas

HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER
London socialite Amelia-Rose Baxter is nobody’s fool. Her parents may want her to catch a title, but she will never change who she is for the promise of marriage. Her husband will be a man who can appreciate her sharp mind as well as her body. A sophisticated man who loves life in London. A man who considers her his equal—and won’t try to tame her wild heart…
IN THE HIGHLANDS
Rough, rugged Highlander Niall MacTaggert and his brothers know the rules: the eldest must marry or lose the ancestral estate, period. But Niall’s eldest brother just isn’t interested in the lady his mother selected. Is it because Amelia-Rose is just too. . . Free-spirited? Yes. Brazen? Aye. Surely Niall can find a way to soften up the whip-smart lass and make her the perfect match for his brother for the sake of the family.

JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT HOTTER
Instead it’s Niall who tempts Amelia-Rose, despite her reservations about barbarian Highlanders. Niall finds the lass nigh irresistible as well, but he won’t make the mistake his father did in marrying an Englishwoman who doesn’t like the Highlands. Does he have what it takes to win her heart? There is only one way to find out…

Buy-Book link: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250296375

Review

A fun new Highlander series from Suzanne Enoch. The MacTaggert brothers’ entrance was spectacular and getting to know each of them (Coll, Aden, and Niall) as the book progressed was enjoyable. They were not necessarily nice, more often rough and rude, but they love one another and have the best intentions even if they didn’t show it to the hated Sassenachs.

Being a series starter, It’s Getting Scot in Here is understandably filled with introduction of multiple characters, but it became very obvious quickly that Niall and Amelia are the stars of this particular book even if you don’t read the blurb. I like that their attraction grew from proximity and lots of conversations. I like that there is a true societal conflict–which is reflective of the times–that they have to overcome to be together. And, I especially appreciate how the entire family came together to help them get their happy resolution.

With a fascinating background of the cross-cultural clash between English ton and Scottish highlands, this is a great start to the Wild Wicked Highlanders series and I’m looking forward to the next installments.

Giveaway

St. Martin Press is giving away a paperback copy of It’s Getting Scot in Here to one lucky follower of Carpe Diem Chronicles. All you have to do for a chance to win is Like this post and Comment. I will draw a winner on Monday, March 4 at 12 noon Central time.

Author Bio

A native and current resident of Southern California, Suzanne Enoch loves movies almost as much as she loves books, with a special place in her heart for anything Star Wars. She has written more than forty Regency novels and historical romances, which are regularly found on the New York Times bestseller list. When she is not busily working on her next book, Suzanne likes to contemplate interesting phenomena, like how the three guppies in her aquarium became 161 guppies in five months.
Some of Suzanne’s books include Barefoot In The Dark, It’s Getting Scot in Here, Lady Whistledown Stirkes Back and The Legend of Nimway Hall.

THE OUTLAW’S MAIL ORDER BRIDE by Linda Broday – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

THE OUTLAW’S
MAIL ORDER BRIDE

Mail Order Bride, #1

by

LINDA BRODAY

Genre: Historical Western Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: January 29, 2019
Number of Pages: 384 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

When the West was wild, and man’s law favored the few, extraordinary women could be found…in the heart of an outlaw.
Outlaw Clay Colby is tired of living one step in front of the law and wants to see his dream of having a wife, a family, to give his life meaning. So far, he’s been rejected twice, and he won’t try again if this one doesn’t work out. But hope fills him that Tally Shannon will see his heart and help him finish this town where once stood an outlaw hideout. On the day when she’s supposed to arrive, a bitter enemy sets fire to the buildings he’d fought to erect and he’s back with nothing to show for his efforts. There’s no woman in the world who’d stand by him now.
But Talley Shannon is no ordinary woman.
After escaping the living hell of the Creedmore Insane Asylum into which she was thrust to die, Tally only wants someone to protect her and the little girl under her care. She doesn’t mind that Clay’s home is dang near burned to the ground—not when he makes her feel so safe. So cherished. But it’s only a matter of time before the ghosts of her past come calling, intent on stealing her happiness, her very life…and her loving cowboy must defend his new bride—and the family they forged—to his very last breath.

PURCHASE THE BOOK
│ iBooks │ Amazon │Barnes and Noble│

PRAISE FOR THE OUTLAW’S MAIL ORDER BRIDE:

“Broday’s earthy, no-nonsense characters fit the rugged setting perfectly, and it’s a pleasure to watch these two lonely, cynical souls forge a powerful, passionate partnership.” – Book Page

“Clay and Tally’s story will captivate the historical western lover in us all. Linda Broday has earned her way into the coveted title of “Queen of Texas Historical Romance.” — Tonya, Goodreads reviewer

“If love is your interest, do not miss this book. I could not put it down it was so compelling.” Cricket, Goodreads reviewer

“Trying to put this book down at times was like trying to get off of a high-speed roller coaster — the kind with twists, turns, and even loops; it’s just impossible.” Glenda, Goodreads reviewer

Whenever I’m in the mood for a historical western romance, I go to my shortlist of favorite authors and Linda Broday is one of them. Her books always have plenty of action and lots of heart. She always takes me to the Wild, Wild West and makes me feel that I’m really there when I read one of her books.

In The Outlaw’s Mail Order Bride, the first book in her new series, Ms. Broday tells the story of Clay and Tally: two characters who are physically and emotionally scarred by their past experiences but are able to overcome lack of trust to find lasting love with each other. These two had such heartbreaking back stories that will make you want to root for them to find their happily ever after. Of course, Ms. Broday had to take them through many trials first, a couple of push-and-pull scenarios before she gave them a strong foundation to build their future on just like the town they are constructing from nothing.

In Linda Broday’s historical western universe, there is a clear delineation of who are in the good camp and who belong to the villainous camp. At the same time, the main characters have shades of gray. Clay and Tally both have strength of will and unbreakable spirit balanced with doubts and too much caution, sometimes making bad decisions. All of these qualities make them real flesh and blood people.

I really enjoyed this fast-paced story and the characters who came to life through Linda Broday’s engrossing prose. I loved Violet and Bullet, Luke and Josie, the unique assortment of secondary characters whose future books I’m looking forward to reading.

If y’all haven’t read Linda Broday yet, pick up this book for a guaranteed wild ride.

I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty historical western romance novels and short stories. I reside in the Texas Panhandle on land the American Indian and Comancheros once roamed, and at times if the breeze is just right, I can hear their voices whispering in the wind. Texas’ rich history is one reason I set all my stories here where cowboys are still caretakers of the land. I’m inspired every day by their immense dedication and love for the wide open spaces.

When I’m not writing, I collect old coins and I’ve also been accused (quite unfairly I might add) of making a nuisance of myself at museums, libraries, and historical places. I’m also a movie buff and love sitting in a dark theater, watching the magic unfold on the screen. As long as I’m confessing…chocolate is my best friend. It just soothes my soul.

║ WEBSITE ║ FACEBOOK ║ PINTEREST
TWITTER ║ GOODREADS ║ LINKEDIN ║ BOOKBUB

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

FIRST PRIZE: Signed Copy of The Outlaw’s Mail Order Bride + $25 Amazon gift card
TWO WINNERS: Signed Copies of the book.

FEBRUARY 5-15, 2019

(USA only)

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

2/5/19 		Excerpt 		All the Ups and Downs 
2/5/19 		Bonus Post 		Hall Ways Blog 
2/6/19 		Review 			Chapter Break Book Blog 
2/7/19 		Excerpt 		StoreyBook Reviews 
2/8/19 		Review 			That's What She's Reading 
2/9/19 		Author Interview 	Forgotten Winds 
2/10/19 	Top Ten 		Reading by Moonlight 
2/11/19 	Review 			Carpe Diem Chronicles 
2/12/19 	Guest Post 		Book Fidelity 
2/13/19 	Review 			The Book Review 
2/14/19 	Review 			Momma on the Rocks

blog tour services provided by:

THE MILITARY WIFE by Laura Trentham – Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

THE MILITARY WIFE

Laura Trentham

SYNOPSIS

A young widow embraces a second chance at life when she reconnects with those who understand the sacrifices made by American soldiers and their families in award-winning author Laura Trentham’s The Military Wife.

Harper Lee Wilcox has been marking time in her hometown of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina since her husband, Noah Wilcox’s death, nearly five years earlier. With her son Ben turning five and living at home with her mother, Harper fights a growing restlessness, worried that moving on means leaving the memory of her husband behind.

Her best friend, Allison Teague, is dealing with struggles of her own. Her husband, a former SEAL that served with Noah, was injured while deployed and has come home physically healed but fighting PTSD. With three children underfoot and unable to help her husband, Allison is at her wit’s end.

In an effort to re-energize her own life, Harper sees an opportunity to help not only Allison but a network of other military wives eager to support her idea of starting a string of coffee houses close to military bases around the country.

In her pursuit of her dream, Harper crosses paths with Bennett Caldwell, Noah’s best friend and SEAL brother. A man who has a promise to keep, entangling their lives in ways neither of them can foresee. As her business grows so does an unexpected relationship with Bennett. Can Harper let go of her grief and build a future with Bennett even as the man they both loved haunts their pasts?

Buy it here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250145536

REVIEW

As a military wife myself (my husband served in the US Air Force for 25 years before retiring), I felt a strong connection with this book. I identified right away with Harper, with her adorable little boy, friendship with Allison, childbirth experience, and frustration with the lack of job opportunities for military spouses no matter how qualified we are.

This doesn’t mean that you have to be a military wife to be able to relate with this novel. Far from it. Laura Trentham expertly interspersed the present and the past in this heartwarming second-chance-at-love story. Romance readers will love Harper’s sass, determination, compassion, strengths, and vulnerabilities. They will swoon at Bennett’s sexily gruff exterior matched by a generous and soft heart. They will definitely adore Ben and Jack London and smile whenever Gail Frazier enters the scene. Harper’s love stories with both Noah and Bennett are equally special. All these are the happy parts.

The angsty part is provided by Allison and her husband Darren who is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is a difficult subject to tackle and I think Laura handled it incredibly well. I am so glad this is a romance with a guaranteed happily-ever-after because for a few scenes there I had wondered if there’s going to be a tragedy or two. I was relieved and satisfied with the resolution.

Splendid writing, relatable characters, relevant story lines, balance of humor and drama. These are the reasons why I’m highly recommending The Military Wife.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LAURA TRENTHAM is an award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance. She is a member of RWA, and has been a finalist multiple times in the Golden Heart competition. A chemical engineer by training and a lover of books by nature, she lives in South Carolina.

GIVEAWAY

Macmillian is generously giving a paperback copy of The Military Wife to one of my lucky readers. All you have to do to qualify in a random draw is Like and Comment on this post and Follow this blog if you haven’t done so yet. I will announce the winner on Tuesday, February 12 at 12 noon Central time.

ILLEGALLY YOURS by Kate Meader – Book Blitz Review and Giveaway

ILLEGALLY YOURS

by Kate Meader
Laws of Attraction, #2
Publication Date: January 22, 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Loveswept

AVAILABLE NOW!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2T33QbR
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2RDdmWA
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2CwCwvN
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2RyxTvs
B&N: http://bit.ly/2Cwewsq
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2FMsPwe
iTunes: https://apple.co/2sz1UMP

SYNOPSIS

Rule #1: Never fall for your client.
Rule #2: Never fall for your client’s fiercely protective, smoking hot sister-in-law.

I’m the kind of guy who believes that everyone deserves the best legal representation money can buy—which just so happens to be me, Lucas Wright. Give me your henpecked, your cuckolded, your irreconcilable differences yearning to break free! And if you’re the bad guy in your marriage, that’s cool too. Your green is as good as anyone’s.

Tell that to Trinity Jones. It’s my job to destroy her sister—the soon-to-be ex-wife of my a-hole of a client—and Trinity’s “big sis” instincts are dialed up to the max. I admire that. I admire her. But she won’t stop me from representing my client to the best of my ability.

Not even if my chemistry with Trinity is undeniable. Not even if we can’t keep our hands off each other. Not even if she injects life into a heart assumed to be long dead.

Because when faced with a choice between love and duty, the job will always win—or at least that’s what I thought before I met Trinity . . . and suddenly conflict of interest never felt so right.

REVIEW

I read Illegally Yours to reward myself when I reached the word count goal on my upcoming novel. After crying my eyes out from writing a break-up scene, I needed the humor and the clever banter Kate Meader provided through Lucas and Trinity.

I thoroughly enjoyed Down With Love, the first book of this series, but I have a soft spot for this one as interracial romance is my jam. Add that to the fact that there’s so much about family and friendship along with romantic love in this book, I can’t help but, well, love it.

I’ve been reading Kate’s books for a couple of years now and I’ve come to expect her to deliver an engaging read. She didn’t disappoint. She never does.

Amidst the divorce proceedings of Trinity’s overly-dependent younger sister from Lucas’s douche of a client Brian, we find a slow(ish)-burn love story that skirts ethical standards (hence the title). We learn that what these two show to the world–Lucas’s loudmouth clown persona, Trinity’s dependable competence–are nothing more than masks hiding painful personal history. Neglectful parent, guilt, misplaced pride, long-held resentments, etcetera. Their slow opening up to each other matched with simmering physical attraction made their relationship work for me.

I loved the older woman-younger man scenario, the varied locations, the trivia quiz, all the pop culture references, and the fascinating side characters. Grant and Aubrey’s awesome back-and-forth in this story had me excited for their own happy-ever-after.

Illegally Yours had been a great break from writing and I must get back to it so as to add more love to the world. Thanks, Kate, for this fantastic story. Looking forward to more of these in 2019 and beyond.

ABOUT KATE MEADER

Originally from Ireland, USA Today bestselling author Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with alpha heroes and strong heroines who can match their men quip for quip.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

THE DUKE I ONCE KNEW by Olivia Drake – Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

ABOUT THE BOOK

Award-winning author Olivia Drake begins her new Unlikely Duchesses series with THE DUKE I ONCE KNEW (St. Martin’s Paperbacks; December 31, 2018). With compelling characters and skillful plot twists, Drake’s latest novel will take your breath away.

First love is always the sweetest…

For years, Abigail Linton devoted herself to caring for her parents and her siblings’ children. Now, eager to create a life of her own, Abby seizes upon a position as a governess on a neighboring estate. Unfortunately, her absentee employer is Maxwell Bryce, the Duke of Rothwell, the notorious rake who once broke her youthful heart. But since he hasn’t set foot on his estate for fifteen years, Abby assumes she’ll never have to lay eyes on him ever again.

Then, from out of nowhere, Max appears. He is stunned to come face to face with the girl next door he fell for years ago—before he went away, and she stopped writing to him … even though Abby swears that he is the one who left her without a word. Could it be that this spirited, witty spinster has won Max’s heart all over again—and that they may have a second chance at love?

Buy this book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250174376

REVIEW

The Duke I Once Knew will delight readers who are fans of historical romance novels that are light, entertaining, and simply about two people falling in love. There’s no deep angst, dark deadly secrets, or hardline stance of any kind. Just good story-telling. Sometimes that’s what I’m looking for. And it’s all right.

Abby and Max reunite after fifteen years and the return of their love for each other is utterly believable and quite obviously inevitable. The forces that are trying to keep them apart (misunderstanding about the lost letters, Lady Elise, Max’s poor example of a father) are addressed one by one and in a timely manner.

I love reading an older heroine in Abby. There are so few of them in historical romance that when I find one, I gravitate towards it right away. It was fine for me to read teenagers when I was younger, but not when I’m middle-aged and can’t relate. I also love her taking control of her own life and not letting herself be pushed around anymore. And when she and Max had their intimacy, she proved her strong will once more.

I also loved that the characters are flawed, but still sympathetic. Especially Max. It makes the book as close to reality as it could get.

If I have minor complaints (villainess with no redeeming factor, some repetition in the PoVs, so many named characters some of whom never got fully developed), they’re overshadowed by the positives.

GIVEAWAY

SMP will send a paperback copy of The Duke I Once Knew to one lucky reader who follows me on social media and who likes this post. Comment here or my Facebook Author page to let me know you’ve entered. Here are my links:

1. Amazon
2. Blog
3. BookBub
4. Books+Main
5. Facebook
6. Goodreads
7. Instagram
8. LinkedIn
9. Pinterest
10. Twitter

I’ll draw the winner on Monday, January 7 11:59 pm CST.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Olivia Drake is the author of the Cinderella Sisterhood series (Seducing the Heiress, Never Trust a Rogue, Scandal of the Year, If the Slipper Fits, Stroke of Midnight, Abducted by the Prince, Bella and the Beast, His Wicked Wish, and The Scandalous Flirt). She has been a member of Romance Writers of America since 1981, and her novels have won the Golden Heart Award, Best Historical Romantic Suspense and Best Regency Historical from Romantic Times. She has also won the prestigious RITA award. She currently resides in Houston, TX.

Author website: http://oliviadrake.com/
Author Twitter: @OliviaDrake1
Author Facebook: Olivia-Drake

SMP Romance Twitter: @SMPRomance or @heroesnhearts
SMP Romance Website: https://heroesandheartbreakers.com/

BEST 18 OF 2018

In 2018, I wrote one novella (New York Engagement) and three short stories, published three of them, and started on a novel. In doing so, I had to curtail my reading by a lot compared to previous years (465 in 2016, 208 in 2017).

One hundred twenty-one is still decent. I’ve actually accomplished the goal I set out at the beginning of the year of reading ten books a month. For the most part, those books were excellent with only a couple of duds among them. So good that I rated 55 novels five-stars in Goodreads, Amazon, NetGalley, BookBub, Edelweiss, etc. That’s nearly half of them, that’s why it’s so hard for me to choose the traditional Top 10. The bare minimum I could do is eighteen. These books made me laugh, cry, feel, and love. Here they are in no particular order: