Sunday, March 15, 2020

An Amish Picnic

About the Book

Book:  An Amish Picnic
Author: Amy Clipston, Kelly Irvin, Kathleen Fuller, and Vannetta Chapman
Genre: Amish; Christian Romance
Release Date: March 3, 2020
From bestselling authors in the Amish genre come four sweet stories about picnics and romance.
My Thoughts:  Each story is well written and you will be hooked from the first page.  The characters are so real you forget you're reading a work of fiction and instead feel like you're visiting friends. I loved all four stories and it's impossible to pick a favorite. While they're all different, each one had a story that gripped me and kept me wanting more. I got so immersed in the stories I forgot to cook dinner, they're that good!  I chose to read all four stories at once but you could read them one at the time, spread apart how ever you like. I truly loved An Amish Picnic and I think you will too. 
*I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.
Baskets of Sunshine by Amy Clipston
Kevin Weaver has lived with his brother’s family since his parents passed away when he was young, but he craves a home and family to call his own. Freeman Kurtz owns a successful brick mason business, and Kevin takes the job as Freeman’s apprentice to pursue his own financial freedom.
Phoebe Kurtz is helping her sister with her booth at the marketplace when she notices Kevin, her father’s employee. Their friendship grows, but Kevin is convinced that the difference in their ages makes a relationship between them impossible. Amidst summer outings, Kevin and Phoebe must decide if taking a chance on love is worth the risk.
Candlelight Sweethearts by Kelly Irvin
Esther Marie Shrock loves her job at Valley Grocery Store where she’s worked for four years. Despite a stutter that has plagued her since childhood, she thrives filling orders from a steady stream of customers. Still, at 25, she and her family wonder if romance is in her future.
Jasper Cotter isn’t good with people, but he’s found himself obligated to take over day-to-day operations of the family owned grocery store—a store he doesn’t have the first clue how to run. Thrown together, Esther Marie and Jasper don’t exactly see eye to eye. One night, the store loses power, and the candles aren’t the only things shooting off sparks. Esther Marie and Jasper are suddenly forced to discover common ground when it matters most, and they might be surprised with love along the way.
Reeling in Love by Kathleen Fuller
Nina Stoll and Ira Yoder are just friends. Just friends and fishing buddies. Every Saturday afternoon, they have a picnic at their favorite fishing hole and see who can out fish the other. Until Nina starts to wonder if there’s more.
Her plans to share her feelings go awry, and circumstances seem destined to keep Nina and Ira apart. With both Nina and Ira confused and hurting, it’s going to take courage, some help from the community matchmakers, and a little bit of divine intervention for Nina and Ira to realize they’re each other’s perfect catch.
Picnics and Prospects by Vannetta Chapman
Faith Troyer is claustrophobic, and David Lapp builds tiny houses. They went on a date years ago with disastrous results. Now that they’re in their late twenties, their families and friends are beginning to wonder if either will ever find that special someone. When a picnic outing is diverted by the discovery of a package of letters dating back to the 1970s, they take it upon themselves to find answers to a mystery that causes them to rethink their past and consider their future.

About the Author

Amy Clipston is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Kauffman Amish Bakery, Hearts of Lancaster Grand Hotel, Amish Heirloom, Amish Homestead, and Amish Marketplace series. Her novels have hit multiple bestseller lists including CBD, CBA, and ECPA. Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan University and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and four spoiled rotten cats. Visit her online at AmyClipston.com; Facebook: AmyClipstonBooks; Twitter: @AmyClipston; Instagram: @amy_clipston.

Kelly Irvin is the bestselling author of the Every Amish Season and Amish of Bee County series. The Beekeeper’s Son received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, who called it a “beautifully woven masterpiece.” The two-time Carol Award finalist is a former newspaper reporter and retired public relations professional. Kelly lives in Texas with her husband, photographer Tim Irvin. They have two children, three grandchildren, and two cats. In her spare time, she likes to read books by her favorite authors. Visit her online at KellyIrvin.com; Instagram: kelly_irvin; Facebook: Kelly.Irvin.Author; Twitter: @Kelly_S_Irvin.

With over a million copies sold, Kathleen Fuller is the author of several bestselling novels, including the Hearts of Middlefield novels, the Middlefield Family novels, the Amish of Birch Creek series, and the Amish Letters series as well as a middle-grade Amish series, the Mysteries of Middlefield. Visit her online at KathleenFuller.com; Instagram: kf_booksandhooks; Facebook: WriterKathleenFuller; Twitter: @TheKatJam.



Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She is the author of sixteen novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series, The Shipshewana Amish Mystery series, and Anna’s Healing, a 2016 Christy Award finalist. Vannetta is a Carol award winner and has also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She was a teacher for fifteen years and currently resides in the Texas hill country. Visit Vannetta online: VannettaChapman.com, Twitter: @VannettaChapman, Facebook: VannettaChapmanBooks.


Blog Stops

Batya’s Bits, March 6
The Avid Reader, March 6
Bigreadersite, March 8
Quiet Quilter, March 10
Splashes of Joy, March 15
Artistic Nobody, March 18 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
EmpowerMoms, March 18
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Friday, March 6, 2020

From Sky to Sky

About the Book

Book:  From Sky to Sky
Author: Amanda G. Stevens
Genre:  Christian Suspense/ Fantasy
Release Date: February, 2020
Zac Wilson can’t die.
Daredevil Zac Wilson isn’t the first celebrity to keep a secret from the world, but his might be the most marvelous in history: Zac doesn’t age and injuries can’t kill him. What’s more, he’s part of a close-knit group of others just like him.
Holed up in Harbor Vale, Michigan, Zac meets two more of his kind who claim others in their circle have died. Are their lifetimes finally ending naturally, or is someone targeting them—a predator who knows what they are?
The answers Zac unearths present impossible dilemmas: whom to protect, how to seek justice, how to bring peace to turmoil. His next action could fracture forever the family he longs to unite. Now might be the time to ask for help. . .from God Himself. But Zac’s greatest fear is facing the God he has run from for more than a century.

My Thoughts: While this is the first book I have read by Ms. Stevens it definitely won't be the last! She crafts a story that has you hanging onto the edge of your seat and has you wanting more. You get sucked in from the start and quickly forget you are reading a work of fiction. The characters become friends and you find yourself experiencing what they experience in the book. It's an amazing read and I highly recommend it. 
*I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own. 
About the Author
As a child, Amanda G. Stevens disparaged Mary Poppins and Stuart Little because they Seek and Hide was a 2015 INSPY Award finalist. She lives in Michigan and loves trade paperbacks, folk music, the Golden Era of Hollywood, and white cheddar popcorn.
could never happen. Now she writes speculative fiction. She is the author of the Haven Seekers series, and her debut 



More from Amanda

For years, the theme of immortality has intrigued me. I love the Elves of Middle-Earth, the “happiest and saddest” of the peoples Tolkien created as they watch the ages pass. I love the exploration of aged sorrow in Tuck Everlasting. I’ve stuck with TV shows which shall remain nameless (but, ahem, a few feature vampires) because I’m always wondering how did this writer tackle immortality? Anything new? Are the characters convincingly old and young at the same time?
The thing is, while some of these fiction works satisfy me more than others, I’m always left with a tug of incompletion. Eventually I figured out this tug was a story in my own head and heart wanting to come out, a contemporary story that included the gospel. What might God’s plan be for those whose earthly days seem unnumbered? How would their age affect their interactions with humanity and with faith? These questions were the springboard for the No Less Days series, and of course the answers vary with the individual. Ultimately this is why I write: to explore people, their inner selves, their relationships. My goal is always to create characters that breathe from the page.
In From Sky to Sky, we get a look into the head and heart of Zac Wilson, who has been on the run from God longer than any of us could imagine: a full century playing the prodigal. I always try to be honest about how much life can hurt, “even” for the Christian; if we had triple the number of years to accumulate hurt in this broken world, we’d have a lot of it. That’s true of all my ageless characters, including Zac. To scratch the surface, this man fought in two world wars and has outlived all his children.
But the sum of Zac is much more than his collected wounds. He is a deep-feeling, fun-loving, generous guy. He enjoys music and physical activity. He has an insatiable sweet tooth and a need for open spaces. He’s not afraid to laugh at his own expense, and he has a boundless love for people and the stories of their lives.
My hope is that readers will grow to love this young old guy as they journey with him through some dark times toward redemption and light.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, February 22
Inklings and notions, February 23
Inside the Wong Mind, February 23
deb’s Book Review, February 25
For Him and My Family, February 26
Mary Hake, February 26
Older & Smarter?, February 27
Blogging With Carol, February 28
Life love writing, February 28
Hallie Reads, March 3
Simple Harvest Reads, March 4 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Pause for Tales, March 5
Remembrancy, March 6
Bigreadersite, March 6

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Amanda is giving away the grand prize package of a a $25 Amazon gift card and a free copy of From Sky to Sky!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
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Sunday, February 16, 2020

Leaving Texas

About the Book

Book:  Leaving Texas
Author: Caryl McAdoo
Genre:  Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: January 2, 2020
I know the plans I have for you, plans for good, not evil.
Cruel is the illusion of love. Robbed of her true love by his mean-spirited mother, Charity is  
given no choice but to leave Texas and follow her Prince Charming to the Golden State. Instantly attracted to her, Morgan agrees to help the young beauty on her journey, but where all other ladies paled after first blush, his initial fascination only deepens with every turn of the wagon’s wheels. Though obvious to all those around the two—how perfect Morgan and Charity were for each other—will the hard-headed, strong-willed daughter of Liberty O’Neal Harrell ever realize it?  

 My Thoughts:  I really enjoyed Leaving Texas! It will hook you from the first page and you won't be able to put it down until you finish it. Ms. McAdoo has a way of writing that resonates with her readers in a special way, almost like she wrote the book especially for you. I have enjoyed every book I've read that she has written, if you've never had the opportunity to read one of her books I hope you give Leaving Texas a try. You won't regret it!

 *I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own, 

About the Author

Praying her story gives God glory, award-winning author Caryl McAdoo continues prolificity with her new Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga series. Readers around the world enjoy her best-selling novels and shower them with 5-Star ratings galore. With forty-eight titles—and counting—her love for writing is obvious; the lady loves singing the new songs the Lord gives her as well! (Check out YouTube). Caryl gave Ron four children and the couple shares eighteen grandsugars. The McAdoos live in the woods south of Clarksville, the seat of Red River County, in far Northeast Texas, waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.


More from Caryl

As my second family saga series—Cross Timbers Romance—grows, and the children of Book One GONE TO TEXAS come into adulthood, I fall more in love with these characters. This story—Book Four in the series, LEAVIN’ TEXAS, takes readers on another wagon train that historically left right about the same time of year as its early spring setting from Red River County, heading for California in 1850.
LEAVIN’ TEXAS is Charity O’Neal’s story wherein she determines to follow her Prince Charming, Eberhart ‘Hart’ de Vecchi, to California to start her new life with him there—no matter the naysayers or rough trails ahead. But as so often is the case, our plans and those God has in place for us don’t always correlate.

Many times, we’ve prayed about it—what we want Him to do, how we expect everything to turn out—and feel certain we are in His will. I personally thank God for praying mothers, friends, and grandmothers who perhaps see us heading in a wrong direction and beseech Him to guide us in His way, not our own.
My life has benefitted from such praying women.
So does Charity O’Neal’s.
I imagine yours has as well!
I love the well-known verse in Jeremiah! “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 Especially the ‘expected end’ part. I find great comfort in knowing His thoughts—or plans—are of peace and not evil, and that He intends to give us an expected end!
I hope you enjoy LEAVING TEXAS and will take time to review it!
BLESSINGS!

Blog Stops

deb’s Book Review, February 14
Texas Book-aholic, February 15
Inklings and notions, February 17
For the Love of Literature, February 18 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, February 19
Betti Mace, February 20
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, February 21
janicesbookreviews, February 22
Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 25 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, February 26 (Guest Reviewer Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Caryl 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

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Saturday, January 25, 2020

The Protective One



The Protective One is the third book in Shelly Shepard Gray's Walnut Creek Series. If you haven't had a chance to read the others yet, don't worry you can start here and follow along just fine.

Elizabeth Anne, or EA as her friends call her, seems to have her life all figured out. She and David have been dating for quite a while and everyone assumes the next logical step is an engagement and marriage. Their families are neighbors and have been friends for as long as anyone can remember, it just feels like their relationship is meant to be. Somethings aren't always what they seem EA has a restless deep down that she can't contain. Maybe it's because her close group of friends, The Eight as they are more commonly known, are all pairing off but EA just feels the need for a change.

Will Kurtz was feeling at odds himself. Also a member of The Eight, he felt things changing and nothing would ever be the same. Sure he was proud of his friends for their marriages and promotions but he just felt stuck. Maybe he needed a job change or a change of heart, he isn't sure, he just knows he needs something. He's not ungrateful for what he has, he knows he's blessed more than most, he just wishes for something more. But what?

The Protective One is more than just a romance story, it tackles hard to talk about issues with courage and grace. I loved Elizabeth Anne! She reminds me so much of myself. She's kind and caring, has a heart of gold but she isn't afraid to speak up for herself when she feels the need to. She's definitely the kind of friend you want to have around. At times during the story I wondered how on Earth she ended up with someone like David! Where she is kind and thoughtful he is rude and belligerent. When things don't go his way, look out! There is a temper tantrum on the way. I found him to be childish, rude and down right manipulating. I was so glad when EA found her voice and told David to get off her porch, they were though! Of course, even when breaking off a long time relationship she still had tact and finesse, I wish we could say the same for David.

I think my favorite part though, was when EA befriended Marta, her sewing student. Although they were from different backgrounds, EA is Mennonite and Marta is English, EA felt a pull towards Marta. I was glad that EA listened to the Lord and befriended Marta because she sure did need it! Marta's husband was a lot like David only worse. He was controlling, manipulative and also abusing. Of course EA didn't know all this she just felt like she was supposed to be in Marta's life for a reason.

I found myself feeling bad for Will. He always offered encouragement to his friend and co workers but didn't feel right sharing his problems with others. He was so happy for his friends but he felt like his time would never come. He felt awful for feeling this way, mainly because he thought it made him feel petty and stupid. He doesn't want to seem ungrateful he just wants something more, some type of change. When Will finally unburdens himself to EA he finds a kindred spirit. She's not judgmental as he feared, she actually understands and offers him sound advice. Will finds himself looking at EA in a different way, sure they've been good friends for years but could they be more?

I absolutely LOVED The Protective One and I think you will too! It will have you laughing out loud one minute and gasping with surprise in another. If you've never read one of Shelly Shepard Gray's books, this is a great one to start with!

*I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own. 
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Saturday, December 7, 2019

An Amish Christmas Bakery


About the Book

Book:  An Amish Christmas Bakery
Author: Various Authors
Genre: Amish Fiction, Romance
Release Date: October 2, 2019
From bestselling authors in the Amish genre come four delicious novellas perfect for celebrating love, joy, and the holiday season.
Cookies and Cheer by Amy Clipston
As Christmas draws near, Alyssa Byler dreams of a window display for the bakery where she works. When she decides to design and build a sugar cookie nativity scene, all she needs is the right cookie cutters-and handsome blacksmith Kyle Smoker is the one she asks for help. Using Kyle’s handmade cutters, Alyssa creates a striking display that brings more tourists to the bakery than she can handle.
And when shoppers request handmade cookie cutters of their own, Kyle finds himself overwhelmed by the demand. As Christmas approaches, Alyssa realizes she’s been too caught up in work to focus on the true meaning of Christmas-and too distracted to explore the feelings she has for Kyle. Together, they put aside the holiday rush and spend their time celebrating the season that has brought them together.
Loaves of Love by Beth Wiseman
As the only girl in a family of eight, Katie Swartzentruber has been left in charge of her family’s bakery while her mother recuperates from surgery. At first, Katie doesn’t think tending to the bakery alone will be difficult. She’s worked alongside her mother for years. But Christmas is coming, and with the holiday comes a flood of patrons, both regulars and tourists. When Katie becomes overwhelmed with the orders she is receiving, she is tempted to move her Old Order family into the modern world by purchasing propane ovens to help with the workload. She finds help from an unexpected source-childhood friend Henry Hershberger, who has harbored a secret crush on Katie for years. He’s been afraid to tell her how he feels, but he’s sure that this Christmas is his moment. As the demands of the bakery only get more intense, both Katie and Henry have to decide what really matters . . . and find the courage within themselves to go after it.
Melting Hearts by Kathleen Fuller
Mattie Shetler is an expert baker, so when her aunt Carolyn begs for help during the busy Christmas rush, Mattie eagerly packs her bags and heads to Birch Creek. What she doesn’t know is that her uncle has also asked for help with the bakery’s new expansion, and he’s asked none other than Peter Kaufman, Mattie’s sworn enemy. As the two work side by side, though, Mattie discovers not all is as it seems. With Christmas just around the corner, Mattie and Peter open their hearts for the greatest gifts of the season: forgiveness and maybe even love.
Cakes and Kisses by Kelly Irvin
Martha Ropp works hard at her family’s bakery, making cakes and pies in preparation not only for Christmas but the many community weddings, including her sister’s. To help during this busy season, Martha’s mother hires Ambrose Hershberger to make deliveries. Martha remembers Ambrose as a gentle giant from her school days, but soon discovers that still waters run deep. The more they work together, the more they want to spend time together outside of the bakery, but both Martha and Ambrose are too timid to make the first move. That’s when the town matchmakers step in.
My Thoughts: Four stories guaranteed to get you into the holiday spirit! I love each of these author's and I jump at the chance to read anything they write. They did not disappoint, each story is beautifully written and will tug on your heart strings.  These stories stand alone so you can read one or all but if you're like me you'll read all four in one day.  If you're looking for something new to read I highly recommend An Amish Christmas Bakery

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, December 7
The Avid Reader, December 7
Quiet Quilter, December 9
Life as Lanhams, December 10
Britt Reads Fiction, December 10
D’S QUILTS &BOOKS, December 10
Emily Yager, December 11
Texas Book-aholic, December 11
Older & Smarter?, December 13
janicesbookreviews, December 13
Bigreadersite, December 14
Batya’s Bits, December 14
For Him and My Family, December 14
Splashes of Joy, December 15
Lighthouse Academy, December 15
Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 15
EmpowerMoms, December 16
Hallie Reads, December 18
Mary Hake, December 18
A Reader’s Brain, December 20
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