The Tapestry of Grace, by Kim Vogel Sawyer, is a wonderful Christian historical story. It is a well written and easy to imagine story that grabbed my attention right away and kept it to the end. I enjoyed the characters and the struggles they endured for their families.
Konrad and Augusta both have lost their spouses. Konrad is determined to raise his boys without help from others. Augusta wants to give her only daughter what she wants without spoiling her. It’s enjoyable to see how their children get along.
I also enjoyed the character of Martina. The struggles she and her husband goes through are so realistic. It’s enjoyable to see the outcome when they actually communicate.
This is a very enjoyable story to read. It brings out the fact that God is in control and He answers prayer.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and Waterbrook Publishing. This is my honest review.
About the Book
When a group of Kansas women start a Frauenverein, a benevolent society devoted to aiding widows and orphans, life changes for more than just the hurting people they seek to help in this heartwarming romance inspired by historical events—from the bestselling author of Freedom’s Song.
With classes paused for the planting season, Alexandertol’s schoolteacher Augusta Dyck is glad for some meaningful work to occupy her time. She even knows exactly who their town’s benevolence society should help first: quiet, reserved widower Konrad Rempel and his young twin sons.
Konrad Rempel, however, is adamant that he doesn’t want help. His boys are mischievous but good-hearted. And though Konrad may be struggling, he doesn’t want anyone else sticking their nose in and telling him what his sons need. Or what he needs.
For her part, the charity’s founder Martina Krahn is relieved to have a reason to spend time outside her unhappy home. It even occurs to her that she may, through her work, encounter a boy in need of a family and so find a son for her husband since they have no children of their own.
Augusta, Konrad, and Martina each have deep needs and desires, and each imagines how they should be met: by reaching out or by being left alone. But God, indeed, knows best. Will the competing agendas of Alexandertol’s residents prevent them from receiving God’s help? Or will the members of this small Mennonite community find the answers to their prayers in the very last place they expect—in one another?
About the Author
Kim Vogel Sawyer is best-selling, award-winning author and is highly acclaimed for her “gentle stories of hope.” Readers and reviewers alike are drawn to her books and the life lessons contained within the pages. Kim dreamed of being a writer from her earliest memories, and her little-girl dream came true in 2006 with the release of Waiting for Summer’s Return. Now with over 1.5 million books in print in six different languages, she praises God for blessing her far beyond her imaginings. When Kim isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling with her retired military hubby, quilting, performing in community theater, and spoiling her quiverful of granddarlings. You can learn more about her and the books she has written at https://kimvogelsawyer.com/
Windswept Way, by Irene Hannon, is the ninth book in A Hope Harbor Novel series. This is a well written, easy to read story that is fun to read. It’s fun to revisit the area and people, especially Charlie and his birds. His tacos are well known and just reading about them made me hungry. And we can’t forget the local pastors who have such an amazing and fun relationship. In this story we meet new comer Ashely, who is partnering with a local resident to upgrade her home into an events center. We also meet Jonathan, their neighbor and owner of the landscaping business they hire.
This is such an encouraging story to read. The message of second chances and moving forward is strong. With Ashley, she lost her previous job to fire damage and is using her savings to get a new start. For Jonathan, he was badly injured in the war with physical scars he keeps covered up to avoid people staring. For Rose it is getting out with others and letting her secrets be known. This is a fun story to read to just get away. It is inspirational in a way that is realistic. I enjoyed when Jonathan visited the pastor’s garden, the inspiration and help the pastor gave him.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell publishing through NetGalley, this is my honest review.
About the Book
Buying a haunted house was never in Ashley Scott’s plans, but when an intriguing opportunity drops into her lap after a major setback, she finds herself trekking cross-country to Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast to launch a new life.
Wounded warrior Jonathan Gray isn’t sure what to make of the attractive woman on his reclusive older neighbor’s isolated property, but her presence is none of his business–until she enlists his help with an ambitious project. When Jonathan finds his interest in the new arrival becoming more personal than professional, however, his defenses go up. There’s no room in his life–or his heart–for romance.
Yet, as these three hurting people join forces to restore life, laughter, and love to a historic estate that has known too much sadness, they may also find healing, hope, and happiness for themselves.
Bestselling author Irene Hannon invites you back to Hope Harbor, where hearts heal and love blooms.
About the Author
Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author who took the publishing world by storm at the tender age of 10 with a sparkling piece of fiction that received national attention.
Okay…maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But she was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. And she likes to think of that as her “official” fiction-writing debut!
Since then, she has written more than 50 romantic suspense and contemporary romance/women’s fiction novels. She is a seven-time finalist for and three-time winner of the RITA award—the “Oscar” of romance fiction—and a member of the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. She has also received a Career Achievement award from RT Book Reviews for her entire body of work. In addition, her books have won a Daphne du Maurier award, two Carol awards, three HOLT Medallions, a National Readers’ Choice award, a Retailers Choice award, three Booksellers’ Best awards and two Reviewers’ Choice awards from RTBook Reviews. She is also a two-time Christy award finalist.
Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full time. She is happy to say she has no regrets!
In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing. A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church. You can learn more about her and the books she has written at: https://www.irenehannon.com/
Forged in Love, by Mary Connealy, is book one in the Wyoming Sunrise series. This is a Christian Historical Fiction story that is set Pine Valley, Wyoming in 187o. Mariah, her father and brother are on their way home when the stage coach they are ride is attacked by the Deadeye Gang. The stage tips, Mariah is thrown out an presumed dead. Clint rides out to check and finds the coach with everyone by Mariah dead, she however has no memory of what happened. Mariah takes over her family’s blacksmith business.When the gang members realize she survived, they make many attempts on her life. Together with her friends, Becky and Nell, Clint tries to keep her safe while keeping his diner and farm going.
This is a fun, easy to read story. It is descriptive and easy to envision. It has nice, strong characters. Mariah has so much strength to keep and work the business with all the attacks on her. There are so many, they could only happen in a book. And Clint, oh my, a man who can not only raise his food, but make such delicious meals as well. I found my self getting hungry just reading about it. I enjoyed the modern touches in this story with the jobs Clint and Mariah had as well as accepting women working after marriage.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.
About the Book
Book: Forged in Love
Author: Mary Connealy
Genre: Historical Romance
Release date: February 28, 2023
When sparks begin to fly, can a friendship cast in iron be shaped into something more?
Mariah Stover is left for dead and with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she’s riding in, killing both her father and brother. As she takes over her father’s blacksmith shop and tries to move forward, she soon finds herself in jeopardy and wondering–does someone know she witnessed the robbery and is still alive?
Handsome and polished Clint Roberts escaped to western Wyoming, leaving his painful memories behind. Hoping for a fresh start, he opens a diner where he creates fine dishes, but is met with harsh resistance from the townsfolk, who prefer to stick to their old ways.
Clint and Mariah are drawn together by the trials they face in town, and Clint is determined to protect Mariah at all costs when danger descends upon her home. As threats pursue them from every side, will they survive to build a life forged in love?
Mary Connealy (www.maryconnealy.com) writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than one and a half million books. She is the author of the popular series Brothers in Arms, Brides of Hope Mountain, High Sierra Sweethearts, The Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Lassoed in Texas, Sophie’s Daughters, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.
More from Mary
The Inspiration
I started plotting this novel when I found out that Wyoming was the first state (then a territory) in the Union to grant women the right to vote. Then I discovered it wasn’t just the right to vote; all sorts of other rights were given to women as well, like the right to run for elected office or be appointed to office. In fact, the first woman justice of the peace in the U.S. was from Wyoming. This inspired me to have one of my heroines be the second justice of the peace in the country.
As I continued my research, reading about all that went on in Wyoming was fascinating. They became a territory in 1868—with women voting—and yet they weren’t allowed statehood for another thirty years. With other states being granted statehood in only a few years, why was this? Because the U.S. government refused to let Wyoming in unless they took the vote away from women.
Because Wyoming adamantly refused to strip the vote from women, year after year they were denied statehood. When they finally did get it, the state’s women maintained their right to vote because Wyoming would not budge on the issue. The whole history of this was great reading.
So I wrote a three-book series called Wyoming Sunrise in which all my heroines play against the normal, conventional female roles of the day.
Now, what job could I possibly think of that wasn’t traditionally for women? How about Mariah who happens to be a blacksmith? And while I’m writing against stereotypes, I created a man named Clint who runs a diner. That wasn’t too unusual, for lots of diners were run by men back in the day. Yet not many of them were talented chefs trained in high-class restaurants in New York City. Clint is an excellent chef. Of course, an excellent chef in a small Wyoming town is kind of wasted on folks who prefer fried chicken and beef stew.
Clint makes chicken and beef, but he calls his dishes weird names and makes them unusually delicious. Meanwhile, Mariah is working over a hot forge for long hours every day. When her father and brother are killed in a stagecoach holdup, she becomes the only blacksmith in town.
There’s some resistance to her doing such a masculine job, but even among those who disapprove, well, they’ve got a broken wagon wheel or a hole in their kettle and it’s either let Mariah fix it or go without. Mariah is allowed to be a blacksmith out of pure necessity.
My second book, The Laws of Attraction, has a female justice of the peace, while the third, Marshaling Her Heart, features a tough lady rancher. I write westerns, and honestly, writing about tough, feisty lady ranchers like Becky the Rancher comes naturally to me. Writing about a blacksmith and a judge, however, presents more of a challenge.
Mariah, who survived the stagecoach holdup, learns that the robbers believe she might know something that will reveal their identity, and she needs to be silenced. Clint tries to protect her and finds himself stepping between her and a murderous gang of outlaws.
Through it all, love finds them, and they begin to forge a life together.
Welcome to the Takeover Blitz for Fields of Bounty by Lauraine Snelling, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
My Review
Fields of Bounty, by Lauraine Snelling with Kriersti Giron, is book three in the Leah’s Garden series. This story does take over where the second ends, so it is best to read this series in order. It is a very well written, fun and easy to read story that is set in Nebraska in 1867. Lilac is one of four sisters who moved to Nebraska from Ohio. Ethan is the local pastor who she plans to marry. Both go through struggles and trials that show their trust and faith in the Lord.
This is such a good story, infact, I have enjoyed the whole series. There are so many things I like about it. When the sisters first arrived a sody was built to live in. Two of the sisters still live there and care for the animals and fields. The other two are married and starting their own families, but they are still close and help a lot. I enjoy how talented, strong, and knowledgeable they are. They plan ahead for future needs, this comes out when they are making butter with the last of the mild a cow will give for a while. They hunt for the food for the whole family as well as the boarding house. I especially like how the family is there for each other and watches out for each other. Yet when Lilac is struggling with a decision, they don’t interfer until she askes for advice. The connections they have to each other show with how Lilac and her older brother work secretly together to get her drawing published. She even turns to him first when she starts questioning her future plans.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.
About the Book
Title: Fields of Bounty Series: Leah’s Garden #3 Author: Lauraine Snelling Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Release Date: March 21, 2023 Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
They must set aside their own plans and rely on their faith to bring their true destiny to light.
Lilac Nielsen’s dream has come true: handsome young Reverend Ethan Pritchard has finally noticed her. Yet she must balance this new courtship with the pursuit of another dream–the publication of her artwork in a New York paper. She has secretly been submitting a series of drawings under a pen name, and if anyone traces the drawings back to her and finds out where Lilac and her sisters settled, the entire Nielsen family could be in danger.
As their family farm expands and Lilac’s relationship with the reverend grows, it’s a time of new beginnings. But when a family crisis back in Ohio shakes the Nielsen sisters, can they continue to build the new life they’ve begun in Nebraska? And will Lilac be prepared for what God has in store for her future?
“A tender story. I know my readers will enjoy these stories and look forward to the books yet to come.”–TRACIE PETERSON, bestselling author of the Pictures of the Heart series
Lauraine Snelling is the award-winning author of more than 100 books, fiction and nonfiction, for adults and young adults. Her books have sold more than five million copies. She and her husband make their home in Tehachapi, California.
Connect with Lauraine by visiting laurainesnelling.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a paperback set of the first three books in Lauraine Snelling’s Leah’s Garden series: The Seeds of Change, A Time to Bloom, and Fields of Bounty!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 29, 2023 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on April 5, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
The Trail of Secrets, by Lacy Williams, is book two in the Wagon Train Matches series. This story does follow after the first book in the series, with the same wonderful, caring characters and events. This is a nicely written, easy to read story. The story also contains mystery with the dangers surrounding members of Stella’s wagon, why they are disguised and why they are on the trail.. It also contains suspense with the dangers that happen on the trail with the shootings and the weather.
I enjoyed reading this story, with just 250 pages, it can easily be read in a weekend. I enjoyed reading of how Collin and Stella worked together and cared for each other. I also enjoyed the relationship between the family members and how they changed during the travels.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this story, this is my honest review.
About the Book
Book: Trail of Secrets
Author: Lacy Williams
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release date: March 16, 2023
Stella is the oldest of three sisters and she’s got a long history of being the one to protect and provide for her family. When a dangerous threat sent the Fairfax sisters on a wagon train journey west, Stella knew her best bet was to disguise herself as a man to keep herself and her sisters safe.
Collin Mason has secrets of his own. And his family isn’t short on drama either, not with his troublemaking twin and an older brother about to get hitched. But he’s the only one who sees the real Stella—and that she needs help.
Collin sees the vulnerability Stella tries so hard to hide. When he becomes the only one she can trust and she discovers that danger has followed her family, Stella must rely on him despite her reluctance…
Lacy Williams wishes her writing career was more like what you see in Hallmark movies: dreamy brainstorming from a French chateau or a few minutes at the computer in a million-dollar New York City penthouse. In reality, she’s up before the sun, putting words on the page before her kids wake up for the day. Those early-morning and late-night writing sessions add up, and Lacy has published sixty books in a decade, first with a big five publisher and then as an indie author. When she needs to refill the well, you can find Lacy birdwatching, gardening, biking with the kiddos, or walking the dog. Find tons of bonus scenes and reader extras by becoming a VIP reader at http://www.lacywilliams.net/vip .
More from Lacy
Exploring birth order in fictional characters
Are you a firstborn? Middle child? Baby of the family? I’m not versed in all the psychology or science of birth order but I can tell you that I knew my second-born had a different personality from my first-born within a few hours of his birth.
I am two years older than my brother and four years older than my sister. We’re all three different. I get along with my siblings in different ways. We enjoy doing different activities together.
I love reading books with strong sibling ties. And in my books, I often like to explore the relationships between siblings. I like to play with the dynamics between brothers or have squabbling sisters (that truly love each other, deep down). And my new book TRAIL OF SECRETS is no different!
Heroine Stella is an oldest child. When her father died, she took responsibility for her two sisters. She kept the family together (even in an unconventional way) and she’s going to get the three of them to Oregon. No matter what.
Hero Collin is a middle child and a twin. He’s a peacemaker and a protector. And he drives Stella a little bit crazy with his ability to always look on the bright side. Their personalities clash but only in the best way.
After a tornado ravages the wagon train, Collin and Stella have to work together to survive and rescue family members. Can their differences be strengths when they partner up?
A Trail so Lonesome by Lacy Williams is a wonderful new series . The story is filled with nice, caring, helpful characters. It is well written and easy to read. I enjoyed how the author introduced each character and told their background story. Each character has their reason for making the trip. Leo feels they need to get away from where they were because of his brother’s actions. Evangeline want a member of her family to have a chance at a normal life.
I enjoyed reading of the family dynamics of Leo’s family. I also enjoyed Evangeline and her determination to follow through with travels. I enjoyed reading how she is determined to learn how to do all the things that are required on the journey when she has never done any of them before. This is a nice story that has suspense, action and growing relationship
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, this is my honest review.
About the Book
Spending five months eating trail dust wasn’t Leo Spencer’s first choice. Or his second. He’s not one to run away, but some situations can’t be fixed and his family—two brothers and a sister—needs to start over. Which is how he finds himself on a westbound wagon train.
Evangeline has a secret, one that has sent her on a journey across the plains on the Oregon Trail. When her father is badly hurt and she needs help, Leo is there. A deal is struck and the two unlikely friends form an alliance… that leads to more.
But Evangeline’s secret looms over her… and Leo’s family troubles are far from over.
About the Author
Lacy Williams wishes her writing career was more like what you see in Hallmark movies: dreamy brainstorming from a French chateau or a few minutes at the computer in a million-dollar New York City penthouse. In reality, she’s up before the sun, putting words on the page before her kids wake up for the day. Those early-morning and late-night writing sessions add up, and Lacy has published sixty books in a decade, first with a big five publisher and then as an indie author. When she needs to refill the well, you can find Lacy birdwatching, gardening, biking with the kiddos, or walking the dog. Find tons of bonus scenes and reader extras by becoming a VIP reader at http://www.lacywilliams.net/vip .
A Mark of Grace, by Kimberly Woodhouse is book three in the Secrets of the Canyon series. This story does contain characters from the earlier books in the series, so it is best to read them in order. In this story we get to know Ruth and Frank better. Ruth is struggling with scars and pain from an incident with a wild cat 2 years earlier. No matter how Frank tries to tell her she is beautiful, she doesn’t believe him. Ruth was the head waitress at El Tovar Grand Canyon Hotel, with her physical limitations, she is now in charge of the dining room. Frank gets promoted to head chef when the previous chef leaves quickly. When financial discrepancies show up, they work to help the hotel manager, Mr. Owens find the answer.
This is a well-written, easy to read Christian historical fiction story that is filled with suspense. While the author writes in the reason for Charles Goodall’s actions, the story is filled with the steps he goes through to accomplish his goal.
I enjoyed the deep friendship between Frank and Ruth and appreciate the struggles Ruth has with her pain and not wanting to spend time with others. I appreciate how dedicated they both are to their jobs and how they work extra hours to catch the person responsible. I enjoyed the friendships of the girls and how they cared for each other.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.
About the Book
Book: A Mark of Grace
Author: Kimberley Woodhouse
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release date: January 3, 2023
When everything crumbles, her chance for a new beginning hangs in the balance.
Ruth Anniston survived an injury that left her physically scarred, broken, and angry at God. Now, she finds herself working behind the scenes as a kitchen and dining room supervisor at the El Tovar Hotel, hidden away from curious eyes and with little hope of finding love. When money begins to disappear from the hotel, Ruth’s entire livelihood is put at risk when she lands on the list of suspects.
Frank Henderson has at last succeeded in obtaining his dream job as head chef at the El Tovar. But competition in the kitchen is fierce, and one mistake could cost him his future. As the thefts at the hotel continue, and his affection for Ruth grows, Frank’s career–and his heart–are in jeopardy.
As tensions run high, Ruth and Frank must work together to save the El Tovar. They find themselves growing closer . . . but can their combined ingenuity overcome the odds against them?
Kimberley Woodhouse (www.kimberleywoodhouse.com) is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 30 fiction and nonfiction books. Kim and her incredible husband of 30-plus years live in the Poconos, where they play golf together, spend time with their kids and grandbaby, and research all the history around them.
More from Kimberley
It is such a thrill to be able to bring readers A Mark of Grace, book three in my Secrets of the Canyon series. These books have been near and dear to me since 2009, right from the moment the idea of setting a Harvey Girls series at the El Tovar on the rim of the Grand Canyon first hit me.
Ever since the release of A Deep Divide, book one in the series, I’ve received tons of messages from readers who hoped Ruth would have her story. All along, the plan was for the final installment to be hers.
Ruth has been a strong character throughout the series. A mentor. A friend. A headwaitress. But when a crisis hits her life, it affects every area—emotional, physical, and spiritual—and her confidence in everything she thought she knew crumbles.
Life isn’t easy for any of us, and I love a good story that I can grow and learn through. I pray A Mark of Grace is that for you.
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for On the Golden Cliffs by Christen Krumm with Tricia Goyer, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
My Review
On the Golden Cliffs, by Tricia Goyer and Christen Krumm is book two in A Big Sky Amish Novel series. This is a contemporary Amish story that mentions some of the characters from the first book. But it is written so that it is also a good stand alone story. This is a sweeet and realistic story of Lyla, an Englisher who is sent to rest at an Amish dawdi house. Rueben has been trying to keep the family home, farm and business going while being committed to secretly write another book.
This is a well written story that is easy to read and imagine. I just love how Lyla gets involved with helping fix up the dawdi house so Rueben’s family can be more successful with renting it. I just love the Milner family. Tragedy has struck their family twice but they do what they need to get past the health and financial struggles. I like how the whole family works so well. The relationship between Rueben and his sister is comical with how she refers to him. This is an enjoyable story that was fun to read.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.
About the Book
Title: On the Golden Cliffs Series: Big Sky Amish #2 Authors: Christen Krumm with Tricia Goyer Publisher: Sunrise Publishing Release Date: March 21, 2023 Genre: Christian Contemporary Amish Romance
One wrong post has sent influencer Lyla Taylor’s social media empire crashing to her feet. To save it, she’ll have to escape to rural Montana. Six weeks in a high-end spa won’t hurt…except, she’s not booked into a spa, but at a rustic Amish B&B. Suddenly, her roommates are racoons, and her daily activities include hanging laundry. Thanks, but no thanks. Lyla is ready to hit delete and head back to civilization.
Amishman Reuben Milner has a secret…one that could destroy his world. For now, however, he’s kept his life as a novelist under wraps, focusing on providing for his family after the tragic passing of his father. Renting the dawdi house seems the right move—until the wrong woman moves in. However, she comes with ideas to help improve their B&B, and that, along with her feisty personality, is something Reuben can’t ignore. Even if the elders want him to focus on joining the church and finding a wife.
When going home isn’t an option, Lyla decides to help the Milners spruce up their rental. It does help distract her from her problems online. The more Lyla works on the rental with Reuben, the more she wonders if returning to her former life is worth it. However, is it the simple life that Lyla’s heart longs for—or a particular guarded Amishman with secrets of his own? And when those secrets are discovered, what will it cost them both?
Book two in the delightful and sweet Big Sky Amish Collection.
Tricia Goyer writes out of her passion for God and her love for family and others. The author of more than 70 books, she writes both historical fiction and nonfiction related to family and parenting.
This USA Today best-selling author has won a two Carol Awards and a Retailer’s Best Award. She was also an ECPA Gold-Medallion Nominee and a Christy Award Nominee and won Writer of the Year from the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference.
Tricia’s contemporary and historical novels feature strong women overcoming great challenges. She is a beloved author of Amish fiction, having written the Big Sky and Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series.
Whether for fiction or nonfiction, Tricia’s writing style is vivid and heartwarming, allowing readers to take home more than engaging stories, but also messages that inspire faith and hope. Her goal is to write stories that matter.
Connect with Tricia by visiting triciagoyer.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
Christen Krumm is the author of the young adult romcom It Happened At Christmas. She lives with her husband and three barefoot wildings in the middle of the world, Oklahoma. She drinks way too much coffee and reads too many books, but creating stories with her Creator is her favorite.
Connect with Christen by visiting christenkrumm.com to follow her on social media, subscribe to email newsletter updates, or listen to her podcast, Exploring the Blank Page.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a print copy of On the Golden Cliffs and a $10 voucher to the Sunrise Shop!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 20, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 27, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Where Treasure Lies, by Amanda Tru, is the first book in the Suamalie Island series. This is a great new series written by different authors and published by Celebrate Lit Publishing. This story is a dual timeline story. Scott arrives on the island to buy property for his father, he falls for a young lady who is already taken. Together they search to find sunken treasure. Fast forward 30 years and Scott’s daughter, Tavia, returns when news of her father’s death is reported. People on the island will not talk with her because of what they thought her father did years ago.
This is a great story. It is well written and easy to read. I enjoyed how descriptive it was and how easy to imagine. This is a fun, easy to read romance fiction that is filled with action, suspense and mystery. This story is basically two stories in one. It has so much happening with rumors of sunken ships with treasures, actual chests of coins, and a crime organization that spans two generations. I especially enjoyed how the characters trust in God to keep the ones they loved safe.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.
About the Book
Book: Where Treasure Lies
Author: Amanda Tru
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
Release date: February 28, 2023
Two stories…thirty years apart. Will solving the mystery of the past provide the key to the present?
Scott Connelly arrives in the Suamalie Islands determined to acquire property for his father and leave as soon as possible. But he doesn’t count on the animosity of the residents, the fascinating local legend of a sunken Spanish treasure ship, or the highly unavailable waitress who comes to his rescue. The fabled treasure promises to buy his freedom, but even seeking it may be a dangerous risk.
News of her father’s death precedes Tavia Connelly’s arrival in the Suamalie Islands. Despite the hatred of the island residents, Tavia’s determined to settle her father’s affairs and return immediately to assume her role as head of the family company. But her father’s wishes require her to find out what happened long ago, given only Scott’s mumbled clues, crazy rumors, and a centuries-old fable.
Tavia should be safe after all those years, but her presence attracts a lot of resentment, and the ghosts of Scott’s enemies may still lie in wait for someone to come searching for a treasure that may have never existed.
But what if it did?
Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.
Amanda Tru is a best-selling author of over thirty Christian fiction books. She writes page-turning fiction to inspire real-life stories. In her own real story, she sheds her super-hero writing cape to be mommy to four kids in a small Idaho town.
More from Amanda
I love to mix truth with fiction. Sometimes I use my own experiences as inspiration for my stories, sometimes I use actual events, and sometimes I do both! When I started writing Where Treasure Lies, I wanted to anchor my fiction in truth. We’ve all read stories that featured a rather cheesy treasure hunt, and I wanted more than that. Besides the subject, the format of a dual time story made it even more difficult. However, a book isn’t worth writing if it isn’t a challenge.
What I found in my research thrilled me, driving my imagination to create a story even better than I thought possible. We’re all familiar with the fantastic tales of treasure ships in the Caribbean. But the story I wanted to tell was set on the fictional Suamalie Islands located a bit farther away—the Pacific. Was it even possible that a Spanish treasure ship could be in that area?
My initial research was discouraging. After all, the main age when Spanish galleons sailed the seas was from 1565 to 1815. The Suamalie Islands were supposedly not discovered until the early 1800s. And they were discovered by a French explorer, which didn’t quite fit my Spanish treasure ship idea. But the more research I did, the more it fascinated me. Starting in the late 1500s, Spain did run treasure ships to the Caribbean, but they also ran them the other direction, seeking the treasures of the New World from the western coast of the continents. Typically, they would set out from Manila in the Philippines, transporting spices, porcelain, and silk to Acapulco where they would trade them for New World silve, gold, gems, and other treasures. They would often make land in Oregon or California before following the coast south. Then they would turn around with their new load and take the treasure back to Manilla and then mainland Spain.
The exact trade route was kept secret. After all, if it were known, the treasure ships would be prime targets for pirates. To this day, the route of the Manilla galleons isn’t known. However, it is estimated that at least 30 Manilla galleons were wrecked, and not all of them have been found. There are even rumors that one of them was shipwrecked off the coast of Oregon!
With that information, I knew it was possible that one of these mysterious Spanish treasure ships could have passed by the fictional Suamalie Islands, even before it was officially discovered. And it would have been kept hush hush because of the secrecy of the trade route. And if one was passing by the island of Oli Oli when there happened to be a big storm… And if residents of the island of Oli Oli told a local legend about such a ship (similar to what is told today even in Oregon)… And if certain characters came to the island and heard the tale… Maybe, just maybe, they would go searching. Whether or not they found a treasure, that search could be a story. And if two different people were searching for the same treasure thirty years apart, maybe readers would want to go on the search with them!
I won’t reveal any spoilers. I won’t say if a Manilla galleon is found, or if four hundred years later such a ship would still contain treasure. However, I hope you will still find treasure as you read this book. In 2023, finding a wonderful story, filled with mystery, romance, and adventure with a few deeper truths mixed in is a wonderful treasure indeed.
Code Name Edelweiss, by Stephanie Landsem, is a stand alone Christian historical fiction based in Los Angeles in 1933. When Liesl loses her job, she contacts Leon Lewis, a Jewish lawyer, for a secretarial position and ends up taking a job as a spy. She volunteers with the Friends of New Germany, an organization set out to get rid of the Jews and take over Hollywood. Leon has another agent, but the agents do not know each other and don’t know who they can trust.
This is a powerful story that gives a look into what may have been happening in the United States while the war with Hilter was happening in Europe. The story is well written with lots of details. It was easy to imagine and kept me reading to see what was going to happen. I enjoyed the family dynamics of Liesl’s family. It was very realistic with how the adult members of the family each had their own ideas of the situation. I enjoyed how the children selected their friends by who they liked and not by nationality. I especially enjoyed seeing how Liesl’s brother changed through out the story. This is a nice story that has drama, suspense, mystery and relationships.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.
About the Book
“What I am looking for—what I desperately need, Mrs. Weiss—is a spy.”
Adolf Hitler is still a distant rumble on the horizon, but a Jewish spymaster and his courageous spies uncover a storm of Nazi terror in their own backyard.
In the summer of 1933, a man named Adolf Hitler is the new and powerful anti-Semitic chancellor of Germany. But in Los Angeles, no-nonsense secretary Liesl Weiss has concerns much closer to home. The Great Depression is tightening its grip and Liesl is the sole supporter of two children, an opinionated mother, and a troubled brother.
Leon Lewis is a Jewish lawyer who has watched Adolf Hitler’s rise to power—and the increase in anti-Semitism in America—with growing alarm. He believes Nazi agents are working to seize control of Hollywood, the greatest propaganda machine the world has ever known. The trouble is, authorities scoff at his dire warnings.
When Liesl loses her job at MGM, her only choice is to work with Leon Lewis and the mysterious Agent Thirteen to spy on her friends and neighbors in her German American community. What Leon Lewis and his spies find is more chilling—and more dangerous—than any of them suspected.
Code Name Edelweiss is based on a true story, unknown until recent years: How a lone Jewish lawyer and a handful of amateur spies discovered and foiled Adolf Hitler’s plan to take over Hollywood.
About the Author
Stephanie Landsem writes historical fiction for women, about women. Her newest novel, Code Name Edelweiss, is based on a true story: how a lone Jewish lawyer and his band of amateur spies discovered and foiled Hitler’s plan to take over Hollywood. You can learn more about her and the books she has written at https://stephanielandsem.com/.
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