Me

Me

Sunday, March 10, 2024

The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel

 


    
The Maid Of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel should be read over a long weekend with pots of tea, snacks, a comfy chair and a cozy blanket. The story is exquisite and the characters, setting and plot are fantastic. I love this story and highly recommend it. In fact it will most likely be on my top ten list for the year.

I was not asked to review this book and all thoughts are my own.


From Amazon:

Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room.

When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything.

Fan favorite Jennifer Deibel invites you back to the Emerald Isle in the 1930s for this fresh take on the Cinderella story, complete with a tantalizing mystery, a budding romance, and a chance at redemption.


"Deibel's update on the 'Cinderella' story features sympathetic, three-dimensional characters that readers will find easy to root for."--
Publishers Weekly

"Deibel once again inventively draws on Ireland's fascinating history as inspiration for a compassionate and compelling sweet romance with a Celtic Cinderella-like flavor."--
Booklist

"Jennifer Deibel has done it again with 
The Maid of Ballymacool, a hopeful historical romance novel about unrelenting faith and new beginnings with just a pinch of mystery. With rich language and historical detail, Deibel brilliantly emphasizes the story's central themes of love, faith, and redemption."--BookPage


About the author:


Jennifer Deibel is a middle school teacher and freelance writer. Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic Magazine, and others. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona.

Author photo credit: Katherine Marini, Photography by Katherine Nicole

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

If The Boot Fits (Texas Ever After) By Karen Witemeyer


I enjoyed If The Boot Fits so much that I used some PTO and left work at noon to go home and read. Karen Witemeyer wrote a very good story loosely based on Cinderella with Asher being the male version of Cinderella and Samantha the princess. The characters were strong and endearing, the plot delightful and the characters faith was strong. I highly recommend If The Boot fits to all who love Happily Ever After Stories.

So grab your favorite beverage and settle in for a fantastic read.

I was given a copy of If The Boot Fits with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

link to buy a copy of If The Boot Fits


From Amazon:

One fateful night will change their destinies forever. . . .

Convinced that his stepmother and half brothers have been wrongfully evicted by cattle king Eli Dearing, Asher Ellis uses the cover of an extravagant ball to break into the Three Cedars' ranch house to search for proof. On the verge of discovery, he flees, but a boy's cry compels him to make a daring rescue.

Spunky and independent Samantha Dearing balks when she learns the ball her father is hosting is nothing more than a matrimonial ambush. Taking a break from unwanted suitors, Samantha spots a thief fleeing her home. When the stranger ends up saving her brother's life, she hides the only clue to his identity left behind--his boot--and resolves to find him herself.

When Samantha encounters the older brother of a student she tutors, all thoughts of the bootless mystery man vanish. Asher values family above wealth, a rare trait that opens her heart. Afraid she will discover his past misconduct, Asher tries to keep his distance, but when a series of suspicious accidents befall her, he vows to protect her, even though saving her life could mean losing her love.


About the author:



For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Voted #1 Readers' Favorite Christian Historical Author in 2023 by Family Fiction Magazine, Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and family board game player who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she's on deadline. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com.

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Untaken by C.O. Wyler


 I just finished reading Untaken by C.O. Wyler. I found it to be a very interesting book on the rapture. Told from the first person viewpoint Untaken follows a young woman named Sarah as she struggles to comprehend what has happened. At times the narrative is a bit grotesque, but necessary to convey the horror of being left behind. It is a quick, but tough read. Untaken is free on kindle.


I read the free kindle version. All thoughts are my own.

Here is the link to your free copy of Untaken:




From Amazon:

What would you do? Your husband is missing; you don't want to be pregnant; you witness a horrific airplane accident, and you learn all babies and young children have disappeared. Twenty-eight-year-old Sarah Colton may think she is in control, but she's far from the truth, not realizing the Pre-Tribulation Rapture has occurred. Enter the writer's mind as she deals with this imminent, amazing event. 

* Updated 2023 version of Untakenable published in 2017.
 

"Although a fictional account, Constance O Wyler's novel, Untaken, represents spectacular prophetic truth on the verge of any moment fulfillment." ~ Terry James, international Bible prophecy book author

"
Untaken creatively drives the reader to imagine how the rapture could affect the world and individual people in ways not often considered. A gripping and thought-provoking read!" ~ Matt Costella, Grace Bible Church, Fresno, CA

"An irresistible story that true believers will thoroughly enjoy, and that unbelievers should read before it's too late." ~ Kitty Foth-Regner, author of 
Heaven Without Her and The Song of Sadie Sparrow





about the author:


Born and raised in Southern California, Wyler is a Christian who lives in the Pacific Northwest. Having owned a business for over thirty years, she is retired and enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Never Fall Again (Gossamer Falls #1) by Lynn Blackburn


 Everyone in Gossamer Falls has a story. Never Fall Again is Cal and Landry's tale. I loved the way they tried to deny their feelings for each other. The romance was sweet but not over done. I also enjoyed the suspense element. I was impressed with the way Ms. Blackburn created a faith journey that included having her characters pray together. All in all a great book. I am looking forward to reading book 2 in the Gossamer Falls series. I really want to know the other peoples stories!


This book calls for a pitcher of sweet tea and a porch swing!


I was given a copy of Never Fall Again with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.


From Amazon:

Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven's guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.

Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family's business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can't bear to lose like that again.

Before construction on the house can begin, Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger--but because of whom? But, after losing one relationship, he is hesitant to try again.


About the author:


Lynn H. Blackburn loves writing romantic suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she's a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters and loves putting them into all kinds of terrifying situations while she's sitting at home safe and sound in her pajamas!

Lynn’s titles have won the Carol Award, the Selah Award, and the Faith, Hope, and Love Reader’s Choice Award. Her newest series kicked off in March 2021 with Unknown Threat, Book 1 in the Defend and Protect series.

She is a frequent conference speaker and has taught writers all over the country. Lynn lives in South Carolina with her true love and their three children. You can follow her real life happily ever after by signing up for her newsletter at LynnHBlackburn.com and @LynnHBlackburn on Bookbub, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.


Wednesday, February 14, 2024

One Wrong Move (Jeopardy Falls #1) by Dani Pettrey

 

I always look forward to reading Dani Pettrey's books. She does a fantastic job of creating characters that are realistic and fun to read about. I love the way she weaves together faith, romance and suspense into a story that keeps you turning the pages way after bedtime. Her latest book, One Wrong Move, is a great kick off to her Jeopardy Falls series. The story is fast paced and while complete, it definitely opens the door to further books.


So brew up a pitcher of tea, turn off your phone and enjoy Dani's latest adventure.


I was given a copy of One Wrong Move with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.


From Amazon:

Taunting riddles.
A deadly string of heists.
Two broken hearts trapped in a killer's game.

Christian O'Brady was pulled into a life of crime at a young age by his con artist parents. Now making amends for his corrupt past, he has become one of the country's foremost security experts. When a string of Southwestern art heists targets one of the galleries Christian secured, he is paired up with a gifted insurance investigator who has her own checkered past.

Andi Forester was a brilliant FBI forensic analyst until her career was destroyed. She now puts those skills to work investigating insurance fraud, and this latest high-stakes case will test her gift to the limit. Drawn deep into a dangerous game with an opponent bent on revenge, Christian and Andi are in a race against the clock to catch him, but the perpetrator's game is far from finished, and one wrong move could be the death of them both.

Dani Pettrey captivates with . . .

"An intense blend of suspense, love, and faith."--Booklist

"Wicked pace, snappy dialogue, and likeable characters."--Publishers Weekly


About the author:


Publishers Weekly and #1 Amazon bestselling author, Dani Pettrey has sold nearly 800,000 copies of her novels to readers eagerly awaiting the next release. Dani combines the page-turning adrenaline of a thriller with the chemistry and happy-ever-after of a romance.

Her novels stand out for their "wicked pace, snappy dialogue, and likable characters" (Publishers Weekly), "gripping storyline[s]," (RT Book Reviews), and "sizzling undercurrent of romance" (USA Today).

She researches murder and mayhem from her home in Maryland. For more information about her novels, visit www.danipettrey.com.

Saturday, January 27, 2024

Havoc (A Breed Apart Legacy) by Ronie Kendig

 



I loved the action and of course the dog was awesome. I enjoyed the way  Foxtrot and Crew tried to deny their growing romance. This was my first book by Ronie Kendig, but it won't be the last. Highly satisfying read!

So grab your favorite treats and settle in for a great adventure.


I borrowed this book with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.


From Amazon:

A soldier, a Malinois, and a stuntwoman walk onto a TV set . . .

Former Special Forces operator Sergeant Crew Gatlin takes everything in stride, even the career-ending incident that separated him from the Army, half a leg, and his beloved working dog, Havoc K027. Putting his life back together and lying low, he takes a job with A Breed Apart and is unexpectedly reunited with Havoc. It’s too good to be true—and the proof is in their first assignment: to work as a K-9 team for a television drama in Los Angeles. Miffed at being relegated to TV fodder, he’s willing to pay the price when he sees the stuntwoman.

Being a stunt double allows Vienna Foxcroft to fulfill her acting dream—with a side of MMA—and stay out of the limelight. The same one that plagued her childhood and put her through a nightmare scenario. Now, her tight-knit stunt team are the only ones she trusts. Then in walks Mr. Mountain-of-Muscle and his tough-as-nails dog, and Vienna has a bad feeling her life is about to turn upside down.

Ticked as they head overseas for a location shoot in Turkey, Crew guts it up—after all, he has Havoc again. Okay, and yeah—Vienna is going, too. When an attack sends the cast fleeing into the streets of Turkey, Vienna must face the demons of her past or be devoured by them. And Crew and Havoc are tested like never before.

Experience the high-octane thrill ride that is the first book in the A Breed Apart: Legacy series.

A Breed Apart: Legacy
Book 1: Havoc
Book 2: Chaos (coming soon)
Book 3: Riot (coming soon)
Book 4: Fury (coming soon)
Book 5: Surge (coming soon)

A Breed Apart by Ronie Kendig
Book 1: Trinity
Book 2: Talon
Book 3: Beowulf


About the author:


Ronie Kendig is a bestselling, award-winning author of over 35 books. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband have returned to their beloved Texas after a nearly ten-year stint in the Northeast. They survive on Sonic runs, barbecue, and peach cobbler that they share--sometimes--with Benning the Stealth Golden and AAndromeda the MWD Washout. Ronie's degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters. Visit Ronie online at:

www.roniekendig.com

FB: RapidFireFiction

Instagram: @kendigronie

Since launching onto the publishing scene in 2010, Ronie and Rapid-Fire Fiction novels have hit bestseller lists and garnered awards and critical acclaim, including:

2023 Realm Award - Shadow of Honor (Science Fiction Finalist)

2020 Realm Award - Brand of Light (Science Fiction)

2020 Alliance Award - Brand of Light

2020 Carol Award - Brand of Light

2019 Realm Makers Award - Fierian (Fantasy)

2017 RT Reviewers' Choice Award Winner - Crown of Souls (Inspirational Suspense)

2016 RT Reviewers' Choice Award Winner - Conspiracy of Silence (Inspirational Suspense)

2016 Carol Award Finalist - The Warrior's Seal (Novella)

2016 INSPY Shortlist - Falcon (Suspense/Mystery/Thriller)

2016 INSPY Shortlist - Embers (Speculative Fiction)

2015 RT Reviewer's Choice Award Finalist - Falcon

2015 FamilyFiction 15 Top Books of 2015 - Falcon

2015 Lime Award Winner - Falcon (Suspense)

2014 INSPY Award Finalist - Talon: Combat Tracking Team Dog

2013 HOLT Medallion Winner - Trinity: Military War Dog (Best Book by a Virginia Author)

2013 Selah Award Winner - Firethorn (Fiction - Suspense)

2013 Inspirational Reader's Choice Award Winner - Trinity: Military War Dog (Romantic Suspense)

2012 Christy Award Winner - Wolfsbane (Contemporary Romance)

2012 Lime Award Winner - Firethorn (Suspense)

2012 Carol Award Finalist - Wolfsbane (Romantic Suspense)

Christian Retailing's 2011 Readers' Choice Awards Finalist - Nightshade

2011 Inspirational Reader's Choice Award Finalist - Nightshade (Romantic Suspense)

Named one of the Top 25 Christian Fiction Suspense, Mystery, and Thriller Writers by FamilyFiction (Sept 2011)

2011 FamilyFiction Readers' Choice Awards - 3rd place as New Favorite Author, 8th place with Nightshade for Novel of the Year.

INSPY Award Shortlist final in Mystery/Thriller (Dead Reckoning)

The Christian Manifesto's 2010 Lime Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Nightshade)

Ronie's titles include:

-->THE DROSERAN SAGA: Brand of Light, Dawn of Vengeance, Shadow of Honor, War of Torment, Lady of Basilikas (May 2024)

-->THE METCALFES: Stone, Willow, Range, Brooke

-->BOOK OF THE WARS series: Storm Rising, Kings Falling, Soul Raging

-->THE TOX FILES series: The Warrior's Seal (novella), Conspiracy of Silence, Crown of Souls, & Thirst of Steel

-->DEAD RECKONING

-->DISCARDED HEROES series: Nightshade, Digitalis, Wolfsbane, Firethorn, & Lygos (novella)

-->ABIASSA'S FIRE series: Embers, Accelerant, and Fierian

-->A BREED APART series: Trinity, Talon, Beowulf

-->THE QUIET PROFESSIONALS series: Raptor 6, Hawk, Falcon, Titanis (novella)

-->Operation Zulu: Redemption

-->Novellas: one in Central Park Rendezvous and two in Denali Dreams anthologies


Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Authentically Izzy (Skymar book 1) by Pepper Basham

 



Pepper Basham is one of my favorite authors, however, Authentically Izzy is not one of my favorite books by her. I loved the plot, the characters are fantastic, and the settings are delightful. I did not care for the whole texting thing. I also struggled with all of the references to The Lord Of The Rings. I have neither read nor watched the movies, and honestly I have no desire too. (Sorry Pepper).  I can honestly say Authentically Izzy is worth reading.


So pour up a pot of tea, grab a cozy blanket and curl up for a fun read.


I was given a copy of this book with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.


From Amazon:


Dear Reader, My name is Isabelle Louisa Edgewood—Izzy, for short. I live by blue-tinted mountains, where I find contentment in fresh air and books. Oh, and coffee and tea, of course. And occasionally in being accosted by the love of my family. (You’ll understand my verb choice in the phrase later.) I dream of opening my own bookstore, but my life, particularly my romantic history, has not been the stuff of fairy tales. Which is probably why my pregnant, misled, matchmaking cousin—who, really, is more like my sister—signed me up for an online dating community.

The trouble is . . . it worked. I’ve met my book-quoting Mr. Right, and our correspondence has been almost too good to be true. But Brodie lives across an ocean. And just the other day, a perfectly nice author and professor named Eli came into the library where I work and asked me out for a coffee. I feel a rom-com movie with a foreboding disaster nipping at my heels.

But I’ve played it safe for a long time. Maybe it’s time for me to be as brave as my favorite literary heroines. Maybe it’s time to take the adventures from the page to real life. Wish me luck.

Authentically,

Izzy

  • Witty, hilarious, and heartwarming contemporary romance about book lovers
  • A sweet, kisses-only romance
  • An epistolary novel written mostly in emails and texts
  • Stand-alone novel
  • Book length: approximately 105,000 words
  • Includes discussion questions for book clubs


About the author:

Pepper Basham is a best-selling author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the wife of a fantastic pastor, mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her twentieth book, The Cairo Curse, came out in February. Next up is Positively, Penelope, the sequel to her bestselling novel, Authentically, Izzy. She loves connecting with readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook & Instagram.

You can learn more about Pepper and her books on her website at www.pepperdbasham.com

.