The Vanished by Cara Putman – Review & Giveaway

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for The Vanished by Cara Putman hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

My Review

The Vanished, by Cara Putman, is the first book in Secrets to Keep series. This story is well written and easy to imagine. It contains suspense, mystery and touches of romance. I found this book to be an very enjoyable story with well developed characters. I especially enjoyed the parts of Janae, her mother and grandmother as they cleanout the carriage house and found items Janae’s father has tucked away and not spoken about. I found the topic of art stolen during WWII to be very interesting. I enjoyed the closeness of the three women and how they worked together.

I enjoyed the mystery and suspense of the surrounding the painting at the gallery that were under question. It gives a look into what it might be like for the families that lost items as well as to how the stolen items were dealt with. This is such an enjoyable story, I look for to the rest of the series.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this story, this is my honest review.

About the Book

Title: The Vanished
Series: Secrets to Keep #1
Author: Cara Putman
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: April 16, 2024
Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense

Janae Simmons left the small town of Kedgewick, Virginia, ten years ago to pursue her legal career and never looked back–until a professional mistake leads her to her grandmother’s historic carriage house and to the town where her past threatens to find her. The quiet streets echo with her grandfather’s sterling reputation, one that conflicts with fresh questions that claw at Janae, launching her on a reluctant journey to unearth his secrets. When her new job at a local law firm doesn’t live up to expectations, she wonders if coming home was the right decision.

Carter Montgomery starts his art preservation career with the only job he can get–director at the Elliott Museum of Art. At least Kedgewick is a nice enough town to provide him and his nephew with a safe place to grieve the loss of Carter’s sister. But Carter’s calm days disappear when an elderly woman claims two paintings in the museum’s collection were stolen from her family during World War II.

Carter enlists Janae’s help to unravel the legal labyrinth of art ownership, and the peaceful facade of Kedgewick morphs into a hot bed of secrets. When an attorney turns up dead and Janae uncovers another painting, what began as a simple legal issue spirals into a race against time. As the web of intrigue tightens, the duo must confront a looming question: What dark truths lie beneath the surface, waiting to be exposed?

“Putman’s legal expertise shines in this compelling and intricately plotted romantic suspense. Highly recommended!”

—Colleen Coble, USA Today best-selling author

“Cara Putman has once again created an exciting cast of characters. I was immediately drawn in by Janae and Carter’s unique chemistry. This is one story you don’t want to miss.”

—Rebecca Hemlock, award-winning author of Fury in the Shadows

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop | BookBub

More Books in Series

---

About the Author

Cara Putman is the award-winning, best-selling author of more than thirty-five novels, including the Cornhusker Dreams series and the Hidden Justice series.

Connect with Cara by visiting caraputman.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

---

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of the book, art-themed notebooks, and stickers that inspired the art stolen in the book!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 17, 2024 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on April 24, 2024. 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.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

---

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

The Lady with the Dark Hair by Erin Bartels

My Review

The Lady with the Dark Hair by Erin Bartels is a dual timeline Christian fiction story. It is well written, easy to read and imagine. I just love the character of Viviana and enjoyed reading of her struggles, travels and different painting situations. I also enjoyed the interaction between Esther and her mother. I especially enjoyed the parts of her mother as she shows her independence.

This is a great story that follows a family of women artists. I appreciate as it unfolded how the reader gets a look into Viviana’s past and the reason for her name changes. I enjoyed the mystery behind the signature on the paintings. I also enjoyed how hard Esther worked to keep the museum going and taking care of her mother. If there was one thing I would change, it would be to have more information at the end as to how the women were all connected.

This is a great story to read that I received a complimentary copy of. This is my honest review.

About the Book

Toulouse, France—1879
Catalan orphan-turned-fugitive Viviana Torrens has found sanctuary serving in the home of an aging artist in Southern France. It is in his studio that she meets Francisco Vella, a Gibraltarian merchant who sells artists’ pigments. When her past catches up to her, she is compelled to pose as Vella’s sister and join him on his travels or be deported back to Spain to stand trial. Along the way she will discover that the many parts she has been playing in order to hide her identity have far-reaching implications she never could have foreseen.

East Lansing, Michigan—Present Day
Esther Markstrom and her artist mother have always been proud of their ancestor, painter Francisco Vella. They even run a small museum and gallery dedicated to raising awareness of his scandalously underappreciated work. But when Esther reconnects with her former art history professor, she finds her once-solid family history on shaky ground as questions arise about Vella’s greatest work—a portrait entitled The Lady with the Dark Hair.

This dual-timeline story takes you on a captivating journey across time and continents, where past and present converge in a relentless search for truth, identity, and the freedom to follow one’s dreams.

To read the first chapter, click here.

About the Author

Erin Bartels is the award-winning author of We Hope for Better Things, The Words between Us, All That We Carried, and The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water. A two-time Christy finalist and winner of two 2020 WFWA Star Awards and the 2020 Michigan Notable Book Award, Erin has been a publishing professional for twenty years. She lives in Lansing, Michigan, with her husband, Zachary, and their son. Find her online at www.erinbartels.com.

Where to Purchase

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lady-with-the-dark-hair-erin-bartels/1143717389

https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/542756

https://www.christianbook.com/lady-with-the-dark-hair-softcover/9780800741662/pd/0741662?

Lethal Danger by Jerusha Agen Book launch

My Review

Lethal Danger, by Jerusha Agen is the fourth book in the Guardians Unleashed series. This series is about a K-9 team made up of women and their dogs that provide security in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area. This story focuses on Jazz, her family, her past and her feelings of not fitting in.

This is a great story to get lost in. The well developed character are strong, caring people who are there for each other. It’s a fast paced story that is filled with action, suspense, mystery and growing relationship. I really like that the story is so well written, I was able to imagine what was happening and where. I enjoyed reading of the other characters in the K-9 team and how their lives have changed during this series. I appreciate the faith they have and how comfortable they are with sharing with others. I especially enjoy the closeness Jazz has with Navaeh and how supportive Navaeh is towards Jazz. This story kept me reading and guess to the very end as to who was doing damage to the fair and after Jazz and why.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

About the Book

THIS K-9 TEAM IS TRAINED TO ELIMINATE THREATS. THIS THREAT COULD ELIMINATE THEM.

Being a loner is getting old. Jazz Lamont still can’t fit in at the Phoenix K-9 Agency, and she’s losing her best friend. At least providing security with her K-9 partner at the Tri-City Fair will mean revisiting the only place where she once belonged. But a series of accidents threatens her beloved fair and puts lives at risk.

Thriller author Hawthorne Emerson suspects foul play after the first “accident.” Moonlighting as fair security to investigate the death of his sister’s boyfriend, he’s eager to find the truth. He doesn’t expect the task to lead him to the cult he escaped.

Finding the culprit behind the sabotage is personal for Jazz and Hawthorne. But someone else has a personal stake, too. Someone who wants Jazz dead. When everything she thought was true is dismantled, can Jazz risk trusting others—including God—to survive?

About the Author

Jerusha Agen imagines danger around every corner but knows God is there, too. So naturally, she writes romantic suspense infused with the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jerusha loves to hang out with her big furry dogs and little furry cats, often while reading or watching movies. Find more of Jerusha’s thrilling, fear-fighting stories at JerushaAgen.com.

Connect with Jerusha by visiting JerushaAgen.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Other Books in the Series

Where to Purchase

https://payhip.com/b/sk3GW – soft cover

https://payhip.com/b/JcBgP – hard cover

https://payhip.com/b/xp6W7 – large print

https://payhip.com/b/ajP1y – ebook

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lethal-danger-jerusha-agen/1144253336?ean=9781956683325

Sandcastle Inn by Irene Hannon – Review & Giveaway

My Review

Sandcastle Inn is the 10th book in the Hope Harbor series by Irene Hannon. While this is part of a series, this is also a great stand alone story with old and new characters. In this story we meet the new owner of the inn, her brother, Matt, and the people who come to help him with the renovation and reopening of the inn. I have enjoyed the entire series, but this is my favorite book so far. I enjoyed how so many needs are met with the renovation of the inn. We meet a carpenter who was forced to close his business and was living in a tent along with his wife, with no income. We meet Vienna, who was affected by company downsizing who has come home to visit her mother and finds there really is no room at her mother’s place. With limited fund to do the reno, Matt comes up with a unique way to help other and get the job done for his sister.

This story is such an inspirational reminder of how God works in so many ways to help us meet our needs. It’s a reminder that He has a much greater understanding of what is best for us and answers our prayers in the way that works best for us. I totally enjoyed this story and hope there are many more like it to come.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

About the Book

Book: Sandcastle Inn

Author: Irene Hannon

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 2, 2024

Vienna Price never intended to return for more than a passing visit to Oregon and all the bad memories she’d left behind. But when your career tanks, home is where you go to nurse your wounds and chart a new course. Only temporarily, of course—because as much as she loves her quirky mom, anything more than a short stay would drive them both crazy.

A trip to Oregon isn’t in Matt Quinn’s plans, either, until a perfectly timed appeal for help arrives from his sister. What better place to decompress after a shattering loss than a quiet, seaside town named Hope Harbor? But R&R isn’t on the agenda when he arrives to find his sister’s new enterprise on life support.

Vienna, however, may have just the skills needed to resuscitate the foundering B&B—if Matt can convince her to hang around long enough to mend an inn . . . and his heart.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Irene Hannon is the bestselling and award-winning author of more than 60 contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. In addition to her many other honors, she is a three-time winner of the prestigious RITA Award from Romance Writers of America. She is also a member of RWA’s elite Hall of Fame and has received a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews for her entire body of work.

More from Irene

In my world, the approach of April signals not only tulips, dogwoods, and daffodils, but a return to my little seaside town of Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast. And this year marks a milestone. Sandcastle Inn is the tenth book set in this charming locale.

When I conceived of this series back in 2013, neither I nor my editor had any idea how long it would run—or that Publishers Weekly would deem my small fictional town “a place of emotional restoration that readers will yearn to visit.”

But visit they have. Hundreds of thousands of copies of the books have been sold worldwide, the novels have been translated into multiple languages, and taco-making artist/town sage Charley Lopez has become an iconic figure.

It’s been an amazing journey—with more books to come.

If you’ve never visited Hope Harbor and are reluctant to dive in at this stage, no worries. Each book stands alone, with a whole new cast of main characters. Each story also begins and ends in each book, with no hanging plot threads from book to book. The town is the unifying element in the series—along with a few secondary characters like Charley, the bantering town clerics from neighboring churches, and the seagull couple Floyd and Gladys, who always seem to be around when romance is in the air.

If you’re new to the series, Sandcastle Inn is a fine jumping-off point. This story features a hero struggling to recoup from a tragic loss and a heroine still reeling from an unplanned career detour. When they join forces to save a floundering inn, challenges ensue…and sparks fly. Because if it’s Hope Harbor, there has to be romance!

The book resonates with multiple other themes too—dealing with grief, moving on, changing direction, mending past relationships, taking a leap of faith. And of course there’s a happy ending.

It’s the kind of book that will put a smile on your lips and hope in your heart.

So I invite you to find a comfy spot, pour a mug or cup of your favorite beverage, and travel with me to Hope Harbor, where hearts heal…and love blooms.

Insider’s Tip: If you ever decide to book a stay at Sandcastle Inn, ask for the seaside room upstairs at the end of the hall that leads to the right. The view is stunning!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 4

Texas Book-aholic, April 5

Blogging With Carol, April 5

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 6

For Him and My Family, April 6

Jeanette’s Thoughts, April 7

Splashes of Joy, April 7

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 8

She Lives To Read, April 8

lakesidelivingsite, April 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 10

Southern Gal Loves to Read, April 10

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 11 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 11

Cover Lover Book Review, April 12

The Lofty Pages, April 13

Melissa’s Bookshelf, April 13

Blossoms and Blessings, April 14

Labor Not in Vain, April 14

Wishful Endings, April 15

By The Book, April 15

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 16

Pause for Tales, April 16

Batya’s Bits, April 17

JESUS in the EVERYDAY, April 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Irene is giving away the grand prize package of a full set of the Hope Harbor series (10 books) and a $50 Bookshop.org gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2ac75/sandcastle-inn-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tangled Secrets Epic Book Launch

About the Book

Book Title: Tangled Secrets

Author Name: S.F. Baumgartner

Genre: Christian Suspense Thriller

Release Date: April 29, 2024

Two women. One targeted by an unknown enemy. One being accused of murder. Will they

overcome their obstacles?

The twenty-five-year-old schoolteacher Grace Benson is living a quiet life until she receives a

threatening note. Her life turns upside down when the FBI becomes involved.

The middle-aged wedding planner Sheila Mitchell comes home to find her husband dead before

she’s knocked out. When she comes to, the murder weapon’s in her hand.

Will Grace survive? And will Sheila’s ex-husband, an FBI agent, clear her name? Who is

targeting these women?

Book Excerpt two

The shepherds, a group of second graders, entered from stage left, followed

by the wise men adorned in sparkling costumes. The angels, a chorus of

kindergarteners and first graders, flanked the stage, their voices joining in the

song to create a heavenly sweetness that seemed to lift the entire auditorium.

Smiling, she watched from her piano. The children were more than rising to

the occasion—they were shining. Of course, the audience was mostly family

members, guardians, and relatives. A lot of them slid their phones up to record

when their kids took the stage.

As the evening’s last notes faded and the auditorium began to empty, parents

approached her, each of them beaming. Their words washed over her, filling her

with a warm sense of accomplishment. She greeted every compliment with a

humble smile, her heart still racing from the night’s success.

Amid the departing crowd, Mrs. Montez, the mother of one of the kindergarten

angels, made her way toward her. Her face was alight as she began in Spanish,

her words tumbling out in a fluid, lyrical stream.

Caught off guard, Grace managed a smile. “Solo hablo un poco de español,” she

inserted, her accent betraying her lack of fluency

Missed Any Excerpts

Excerpt One: https://coverloverbookreview.blogspot.com/2024/04/tangled-secrets.html
Excerpt Two: https://lakesidelivingsite.wordpress.com/2024/04/08/tangled-secrets-epic-book-launch/
Excerpt Three: https://musingsbymaureen.blogspot.com/2024/04/celebrate-lit-presents-tangled-secrets.html
Excerpt Four: https://moments-of-beauty.blogspot.com/2024/04/epic-book-launch-tangled-secrets-by-sf.html
Excerpt Five: https://www.artistwriterandstudentohmy.com/posts/tangled-secrets-epic-book-launch/
Excerpt Six: https://www.guildmaster97.com/posts/tangled-secrets-epic-book-launch/
Excerpt Seven: https://www.fictionbooklover.com/posts/tangled-secrets-epic-book-launch/—

About the Author

S.F. Baumgartner is a Christian suspense thriller author. She graduated from the University of

Hawaii and the University of Cincinnati. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her

cats, staying active, and binge-watching crime TV shows. She lives in Ohio with her family

To Speak His Name Epic Book Launch

xr:d:DAFkzT7CDXw:69,j:463156362688882908,t:23120702

About the Book

• Book Title: To Speak His Name
• Author Name: Tara Johnson
• Genre: Historical Romance
• Release Date: March 4, 2024

Avalina is a woman trapped in silence. Stolen from her home in Ireland and sold as a slave to a Barbados plantation owner, the trauma of her past has left her mute, wrapped in a prison of loneliness and isolation amid an island of beauty. Though she longs to be free from the cruelty of her overseer, her heart yearns for a greater freedom…something just beyond her grasp.

Josiah Holland has been born into a South Carolina slave-holding family but all it takes is one trip to the island of Barbados to open his eyes to the ugly cruelty that abounds beyond the confines of his plantation. With the aid of fiery abolitionist Benjamin McGee, Josiah forges a new future, fighting the very ideals he was once a part of. When Avalina and Josiah’s lives entwine, will their spark engulf them in destruction, or ignite a revolution?

Book Excerpt 1

Prologue

They tell me I was sold on a Thursday but being only a wee one, I have no recollection.

As I search through the dark recesses of my earliest years, I find only shards of images and snippets of color. And a melody. A sweet caressing song that haunts my dreams at night and calls to me during the waking hours. The words yet elude me but the song—the beautiful melody carried by the voice of a faceless woman—remains locked in my heart.

I recall small fragments: a woman’s blue eyes, bright as a robin’s egg, yet shadowed with a darkness I can’t understand. Dirt-stained fingers wrapping around my arm to yank me from my bed. Spitting out salty, briny sea water onto sugary sand. Digging my hands into that same strange sugar and having it cake my dress and skin. Seeing the strange, braided trunks of palms, with their plumy tops.

I wandered through thick foliage amid the buzz of bees and the odd chirping of limb-swinging furry creatures, and I called for my mother over the cacophony of a strange new world

Missed Any Excerpts,

Excerpt One: https://lakesidelivingsite.wordpress.com/2024/04/04/to-speak-his-name-epic-book-launch/
Excerpt Two: https://musingsbymaureen.blogspot.com/2024/04/celebrate-lit-presents-epic-book-launch.html
Excerpt Three: https://coverloverbookreview.blogspot.com/2024/04/to-speak-his-name.html
Excerpt Four: https://www.artistwriterandstudentohmy.com/posts/to-speak-his-name-epic-book-launch/
Excerpt Five: https://www.guildmaster97.com/posts/to-speak-his-name-epic-book-launch/
Excerpt Six: https://moments-of-beauty.blogspot.com/2024/04/epic-book-launch-to-speak-his-name-by.html
Excerpt Seven: https://www.fictionbooklover.com/posts/to-speak-his-name-epic-book-launch/

About the Author

Tara Johnson is an author and speaker, and loves to write stories that help people break free from the lies they believe about themselves.

• Tara’s debut novel Engraved on the Heart (Tyndale) earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and was a finalist in the Carol and Christy awards. Tara has been published by Tyndale House, Annie’s, and Guideposts. In addition to being published in a variety of digital and print magazines, she is a certified body language expert and has been on radio, television and podcasts. She is a history nerd, especially the Civil War, and adores making people laugh. She, her husband, and children live in Arkansas.

Love’s Winding Road by Susan F. Craft

My Review

Love’s Winding Road, by Susan R. Craft, is the first book in the Great Wagon Road series. This is the first book I have read by this author and found it to be very enjoyable. While many stores have been written of the Oregon Trail, this is the first I have read of the wagon trains that have moved south, this one to South Carolina. I appreciate the dangers the author points out of the travel the early settler experienced. I enjoyed the characters and their determination to make a new life for themselves. It was easy to see that Daniel and Rose developed a friendship quickly and how their feelings for each other grew.

I enjoyed how Daniel’s family is so quick to help out when they get to his home. I enjoyed the ways he has made his home so that if an immediate need to flee arose, there was a secret way to safety. I also enjoyed the added suspense this story has with events that happen after Daniel and Rose settle into his home. This is a very enjoyable Christian historical fiction romance story, I look forward to reading the rest in the series.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

About the Book

Book: Love’s Winding Road

Author: Susan F. Craft

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 27, 2024

They were forced into this marriage of convenience, but there’s more at stake than their hearts on this wagon train through the mountain wilderness.

When Rose Jackson and her Irish immigrant family join a wagon train headed for a new life in South Carolina, the last thing she expects is to fall for the half-Cherokee wagon scout along the way. But their journey takes a life-changing turn when Rose is kidnapped by Indians. Daniel comes to her rescue, but the effects mean their lives will be forever intertwined.

Daniel prides himself on his self-control—inner and outer—but can’t seem to get a handle on either when Rose is near. Now his life is bound to hers when the consequences of her rescue force them to marry. Now it’s even more critical he maintain that self-control to keep her safe.

When tragedy strikes at the heart of their strained marriage, they leave for Daniel’s home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As they face the perils of the journey, Rose can’t help but wonder why her new husband guards his heart so strongly. Why does he resist his obvious attraction for her? And what life awaits them at the end of love’s winding road?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Susan F. Craft retired after a 45-year career in writing, editing, and communicating in business settings.

She authored the historical romantic suspense trilogy Women of the American Revolution—The Chamomile, Laurel, and Cassia. The Chamomile and Cassia received national Illumination Silver Awards. The Chamomile was named by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance as an Okra Pick and was nominated for a Christy Award.

She collaborated with the International Long Riders’ Guild Academic Foundation to compile An Equestrian Writer’s Guide (www.lrgaf.org), including almost everything you’d ever want to know about horses.

An admitted history nerd, she enjoys painting, singing, listening to music, and sitting on her porch watching geese eat her daylilies. She most recently took up the ukulele.

More from Susan

Colonial American medicine fascinates me. The shortage of doctors made it critical for women to maintain medicine kits that included remedies brought with them from Europe as well as those shared with them by Native Americans.

In Love’s Winding Road, my character Rose falls into river rapids and suffers serious scrapes and bruises. Daniel, the half-Cherokee scout of her wagon train, rescues her and makes witch hazel flowers into a paste.

With gentle movements, he spread the ointment on her arms, legs, and neck. When he dabbed some on several raw places on her scalp where her hair had been ripped out, Rose clenched her teeth until her face hurt. With her hand trembling, she reached up to touch her hair.

“Don’t worry. It will grow back. Just thank the good Lord, for though it may be distressing and painful to have lost some of your hair, the strands helped me keep track of you.”

Rose’s father suffers from arthritis in his hands, so he chews on the twigs of black willow trees (not weeping willows) and drinks the tea his wife prepares from the bark also used to treat back pain, headaches, and inflammatory conditions.

When a mountain lion attacks Daniel, Rose stitches the laceration. She cleans the area with whiskey and offers it to him as a painkiller.

She threaded her needle with her finest flax fiber, and holding her breath, she began the first tiny stitches. Think of it as cloth. Think of it as cloth. She repeated the words over and over in her head.

Sometimes doing research can be amusing.

The night before I was to see my doctor, I’d read a resource book, Indian Doctor – Nature’s method of curing and preventing disease according to the Indians. I showed my doctor the Indian cure for my problem.

What a hoot! We had such fun looking through the book. Seems as if every cure involved mixing something with wine, ale, beer, or liquor. We came to the conclusion that with enough alcohol, even if you still had the problem, you wouldn’t care anymore.

Two weeks later, I saw my doctor for an earache. Of course, we looked up the Indian cure. It involved lily onions, marsh mallows, oil of violet—all taken with wine. And then, bleeding.

I’ll stick with antibiotics.

I pray that my Great Wagon Road series honors the Lord and the gifts He has given me and that you will love my characters as much as I do. Soli Deo Gloria.

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 3

Simple Harvest Reads, April 3 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

lakesidelivingsite, April 4

Pause for Tales, April 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 5

For Him and My Family, April 5

Lighthouse Academy Blog, April 6 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 7

The Lofty Pages, April 7

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 8

Bizwings Book Blog, April 9

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 9

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 10

Texas Book-aholic, April 11

Connie’s History Classroom , April 11

Cover Lover Book Review, April 12

Batya’s Bits, April 13

Holly’s Book Corner, April 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 14

Books You Can Feel Good About, April 15

Blossoms and Blessings, April 15

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 16 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Susan 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 the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2ac74/love-s-winding-road-celebration-tour-giveaway

Loves Promise by Penny Zeller – Review & Giveaway

My Review

Love’s Promise is book four in the Wyoming Sunrise series by Penny Zeller. This is a nicely written, easy to read and imagine Christian historical fiction story. I’ve enjoyed reading this series and seeing how the characters grow and help each other. This story focuses on Silas and Amaya. Silas is a former outlaw. After accepting the Lord, he has established his ranch. He has developed an amazing relationship with the members of the community, especially the mercantile owners. When their granddaughter comes to their aid, he goes to meet the stage. He finds the stage coach after a terrible accident and Amaya the only person able to protect the passengers.

I enjoyed reading this story. It is filled with wonderful caring characters who help each other out. I enjoyed how Silas has come to close to Amaya’s grandparents and how they treat each other like family. This is a very inspirational story that shows how Silas has turned his life around and now helps to keep peace in their community. I enjoyed reading of how he and Amaya develop a friendship that helps her heal from the loss of her fiance. This is an enjoyable, easy to read story.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this story, this is my honest review.

About the Book

Book: Love’s Promise

Author: Penny Zeller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: March 19, 2024

Can one man’s love win a fragile woman’s heart?
After Amaya Alvarado lost her fiancé to a senseless tragedy, she vows never to love again. Two years later, at her grandmother’s request, she travels to Poplar Springs to assist with the mercantile and help care for her ailing grandfather. During a stagecoach accident and a confrontation with nefarious outlaws, she crosses paths with a man named Silas McFadden who rescues her and the other passengers. A bond between them soon forms.
Silas is not the man he once was. After a stint on the wrong side of the law, he’s now a respectable rancher in Poplar Springs, Wyoming. After becoming a man of faith, he determines to live his life for the One who gave him a second chance. He just never imagined that second chance might include Amaya. Now all he has to do is ensure his past doesn’t return and destroy his and Amaya’s fragile relationship.
Amaya’s and Silas’s friendship soon grows, and she begins to trust him with everything but her heart. Can she push her growing feelings for him aside? After all, isn’t it betraying her fiancé to care for another man the way she has grown to care for Silas?
When the past comes back to haunt him and revenge is sought, can Silas protect the woman he has come to love?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics.

Today Penny is the author of nearly two dozen books. She is also a homeschool mom and a group fitness instructor. Her desire is to assist and nurture women into a closer relationship with Christ.

When Penny is not dreaming up new characters, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters and camping, hiking, canoeing, bicycling/cycling, reading, running, gardening, and playing volleyball.

She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and loves to hear from her readers.

More from Penny

In Love’s Promise, one of the tender memories main male character, Silas McFadden, recalls is, as a young’un, making his Oma carrot cake for her birthday from her favorite recipe.

Big clumsy hands weren’t helpful when it came to cracking the eggs and scooping the batter into the pan. He’d opened the oven door at least twenty times in the course of the cake baking just to be sure he didn’t burn it. For if he did, there were no more ingredients.

The icing was runny, but Oma hadn’t minded. When she finally returned home, Silas had the cake waiting for her. She had cried, told him how much she loved him, and then together, they’d eaten the entire cake that evening.

I’d love to share with you Oma’s recipe, which in actuality, is a family recipe. 

Oma’s Carrot Cake

2 c. flour, sifted

2 c. sugar

2 tsp. soda

2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Sift together the above ingredients and set aside.

3 c. grated carrots

4 eggs

1 ½ c. oil

Mix well 1 c. carrots with 1 egg and ½ c. of oil. Repeat twice and add extra egg with last mixing. Combine with dry ingredients. Mix well.

Pour into greased pan and bake at 350º for one hour. Cool. Frost if desired.

Blog Stops

Madi’s Musings, April 2

The Lofty Pages , April 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 3

lakesidelivingsite, April 4

She Lives To Read, April 5

Connie’s History Classroom, April 5

Alena Mentink, April 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 7

Holly’s Book Corner, April 7

Texas Book-aholic, April 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 10

Pause for Tales, April 10

Books You Can Feel Good About, April 11

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 12

Cover Lover Book Review, April 12

For Him and My Family, April 13

Devoted To Hope, April 13

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 14 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 14

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 15

Splashes of Joy, April 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Penny is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2ac73/love-s-promise-celebration-tour-giveaway

Falling for A Bossy Cowboy by Karen Baney

My Review

Falling for a Bossy Cowboy is book three in Karen Baney’s Vargas Ranch series. This is a wonderful contemporary Christian series that follows the Baney brothers, their part in running the ranch and the women they fall for. The stories reference characters from the previous books so it is more enjoyable to read them in order. However the author does a great job of introducing characters so the books can be stand alone stories as well. In this story we meet Derin as her is adjusting from being the ranch foreman to the manager of the new sports complex. Madison has suffered a great injury during one of her tennis matches and is now at the complex trying to gain back her strength to return to playing professional tennis.

I enjoyed reading this book. It is a good story of overcoming changes and moving forward. I enjoyed the interaction between Derin and Madison. I also enjoyed the relationship Derin has with the men in his life and how hard he is working towards turning from past habits. I enjoyed how hard Madison worked to recover from her injury and appreciated her reaction after her last tennis match.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

About the Book

She’s famous and nearing the end of her career. He’s blunt, bossy, and downright annoying. Will these two find the perfect balance between truth and love?

Sports fanatic Derin Vargas steps down from his position as foreman of Vargas Ranch to run the family’s new sports complex. Uncomfortable in his new role, he compensates by being bossy. When a famous pro-tennis player stays at the resort to rehab after surgery, Derin points out her shortcomings no one else will.

Pro-tennis player Madison Moore heads to a remote sports complex on Vargas Guest Ranch & Resort to finish rehabbing after shoulder surgery. As she fears the death of her pro career, the bossy cowboy manager gets under her skin.

Will Derin soften his rough edges to win over the beautiful tennis player? Will Madison listen to the hard truth about her future while opening her heart to love?

About the Author

I love writing. Whether it is historical fiction set in my beloved state of Arizona or a modern story set in the Phoenix Metro Area or a contemporary cowboy romance in rural Arizona, my novels always tell an engaging story of flawed characters in need of second chances, redemption, or they must overcome personal trials. I love finding ways to weave real history and real settings into my stories.

My husband, Jim, and I live in Gilbert, Arizona with our dogs Bella and Daisy. We enjoy traveling throughout the state finding new adventures which often end up influencing the stories I write. We also are very active at Rock Point Church in Queen Creek, Arizona.

Where to Purchase

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/falling-for-a-bossy-cowboy-karen-baney/1144742425?ean=2940179852261

One Final Target by Janice Cantore

My Review

One Final Target, by Janice Cantore is a contemporary Christian fiction legal drama. It’s a fast paced, action packed story that is filled with suspense, mystery with touches of romance. This story focuses on healing from the loss of someone close to them and moving forward.

I really enjoyed this story. I enjoyed how quick Sam was to help Jodie and how they worked together. I appreciate how important faith is to them. It’s easy to feel sympathetic towards Jodie as she works through her grief and is being blamed by former co-worker for the loss of her team, all while someone is after her.

I received this book through My Reader Rewards program, I was not required to write a review.

About the Book

Two wounded heroes shattered by tragedy and paralyzed by guilt and must find their footing and work together to catch a killer.

A warrant service in the San Bernardino Mountains goes horribly wrong when an IED blast kills four police officers. Devastated by the loss of her team, the lone survivor, Long Beach sergeant Jodie King, struggles with her guilt and grief, especially as the case remains open with no clear leads or suspects. Weeks after the explosion, Jodie retires from the police department and returns to the mountain bomb site seeking peace and resolution . . . only to find herself in the crosshairs once again.

Sam Gresham just happens to be in the right place at the right time when shots are fired at Jodie. The newest detective for the county sheriff’s department, Sam is assigned to work the IED, his first case back after his own traumatic loss. While Sam sees an opportunity to help Jodie heal from her lingering scars, Jodie hopes fresh eyes will bring new insight to the investigation. Because after this latest shooting, one thing seems Jodie has always been the intended target―and the threat may be much closer to her than anyone wants to admit.

Janice Cantore delivers another pulse-pounding contemporary romantic suspense novel about overcoming grief and learning to trust again.

About the Author

A retired Long Beach California police officer of 22 years (16 in uniform and 6 as a non-career officer), Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, patrol, administration, juvenile investigations and training.

Where to Purchase

https://www.walmart.com/ip/One-Final-Target-Paperback-9781496457608/2302140778?from=/search

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-final-target-janice-cantore/1143681749?ean=9781496457608

https://www.target.com/p/one-final-target-by-janice-cantore-paperback/-/A-90170095