Monday, March 18, 2024

The Memory of Lavender and Sage by Aimie Runyan

 

Perhaps the secrets of her mother’s past in this tiny French town hold the key to her own future. . .

Food critic Tempèsta Luddington has always felt like the odd person out in her family, ever since she lost her beloved mother at the tender age of thirteen. When her workaholic father passes fifteen years later, Tempèsta is not surprised that the majority of the considerable family money will pass to her dutiful younger brother, Wal. Still, she is left a modest remembrance from her mother, and for the first time Tempèsta has a world of choices before her.

Lost in grief and hoping to reconnect with her memories and her mother’s past, she uses the money to buy a ramshackle manor house in Sainte-Colombe, a small village in Provence, where her mother had grown up. But she is greeted with more questions than answers. Her welcome, especially by the town’s stodgy mayor, is cold at best, and she finds herself wondering if the entire experiment was a mistake.

Yet she stays, stubbornly sticking it out, slowly learning that her mother’s legacy was more than just a nest egg. Through her mother and the village, Tempèsta learns the value of community and friendship, the importance of self-confidence, and the power of love and trust. What’s more, she sees for herself that there is magic and beauty in the everyday—even something as simple as a sprig of lavender and sage.
Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                     The Memory of Lavender and Sage: Runyan, Aimie K.: 9781400237258: Amazon.com: Books

Aimie K. Runyan writes to celebrate history’s unsung heroines. She has been honored as a Historical Novel Society Editors’ Choice selection, as a three-time finalist for the Colorado Book Awards, and as a nominee for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer of the Year. Aimie is active as an educator and speaker in the writing community and beyond. Her next books, The Castle Keepers (in collaboration with J'nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan) and A Bakery in Paris will release in 2023 from Harper Collins. Also from Harper Collins, Aimie's contemporary Women's Fiction debut, The Memory of Lavender and Sage, will release in early 2024. She lives in Colorado with her amazing husband, two (usually) adorable children, two (always) adorable kitties, and a dragon. To learn more about Aimie, please visit www.aimiekrunyan.com. 
Let's talk about this cover for a second. Is that not just gorgeous! Do you feel like you don't fit in? Even in your own family, if you answered yes then you are going to love this main character, Tempesta. You will relate to her. This book was such a good read.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Friday, March 15, 2024

I Could be Wrong But I Doubt It by Phil Robertson


 Discover the completely unique qualifications and accomplishments of Jesus Christ--the Creator of everything, the King who will set you free, and the best friend you could ever have.

Over nearly five decades of walking with God, podcaster, author and Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson has learned a thing or two about why Jesus is the only one worth following. Of all the things we could put our trust in, only Jesus has the answers to our questions and the solutions for our problems.

Plenty of people claim to have the answers for a better life. Politicians claim they can fix our nation. Scientists and technologists trumpet the latest and greatest discoveries that'll make everything right. Self-help gurus offer one pathway to peace after another. But it's no secret that our world is increasingly divided and broken--and we've got the fear, anxiety, and hopelessness to prove it. Jesus alone can make good on the promise of lasting peace, real freedom, and life eternal.

With his trademark directness, humor, and insight, Phil will help you

  • experience Jesus as the Creator and all-powerful Sustainer of all creation;
  • reconcile your own brokenness and sinfulness with Jesus’ unending well healing, forgiveness, and peace;
  • develop the eyes to see Jesus for who he really is: the friend who will always be there for you, no matter what mistakes you've made; and
  • look to the Bible to get to know Jesus and better understand His grace and love for you.
Politics won't save you. Science can't give you the power to sidestep death. The pleasures and joys of this world are fleeting at best, damaging counterfeits at worst. But Phil has good news for you: Jesus offers life, joy, and peace, and he's never more than a prayer away.
Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                     I Could Be Wrong, But I Doubt It: Why Jesus Is Your Greatest Hope on Earth and in Eternity: Robertson, Phil, Dasher, Gordon: 9781400230181: Amazon.com: Books

Phil Robertson is a professional hunter who invented his own duck call and founded Duck Commander. He also starred in the hit A&E series Duck Dynasty and is now the co-host of the hugely popular podcast Unashamed with Phil & Jase Robertson.

Phil is the New York Times bestselling author of Uncanceled; Jesus Politics; The Theft of America’s Soul; Happy, Happy, Happy; and UnPHILtered. He and his wife, Kay, live in West Monroe, Louisiana. He has five children, 19 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. 


My Thoughts...
In this day and time, we all need hope. And Mr. Robertson gives us a look at that hope in his newest book. This is one to take your time and read and let it all sink in. Full of Scripture and sound advice this is a must read.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Letters of Wisdom by Wanda Brunstetter GIVEAWAY!

 

Letters and Prayers Between Friends Become a Balm for Healing
 
Irma Miller thought having a family of her own would bring her joy and a sense of accomplishment, but she struggles with memories of the abuse she suffered as a child at the hand of her stepfather. When she becomes physically and emotionally abusive to her own children, she reaches out to her friend Doretta for prayer and wisdom. But Irma may find herself at an even darker emotional place before she will admit she needs professional help to heal the past traumas. Will Doretta’s letters of wisdom help Irma and her family, or will too much be broken to ever be repaired? 

Pick up your copy here...


Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 100 books with more than 12 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today.

Wanda's fascination with the Amish culture developed when she met her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, and whose family has a Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Meeting her new Mennonite sister-in-laws caused Wanda to yearn for the simpler life. In their travels, she and her husband have become close friends with many Amish people across America. Wanda's desire to explore their culture increased when she discovered that her great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith.

All of Wanda's novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Many of her books are well-read and trusted by the Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.

Wanda's primary attraction to the Amish is their desire to live a devout Christian life that strives to honor God, work hard, and maintain close family ties. Whenever she visits her Amish friends, Wanda finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties, which is in stark contrast to the chaos and busyness that plagues so many modern "Englishers." Time and time again, Wanda loses her heart in the Amish life, and she hopes her readers will, too. For more information, visit: www.WandaBrunstetter.com 

It's not often that an Amish fiction author writes about a tough topic such as abuse. So, this was a new take on Amish Fiction and Brunstetter did it with so much love. This is one Amish book you might want to read.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

What Color is God's Love? by Xochitl Dixon

 

This playful rhyming picture book invites young readers to discover all the ways God’s love can be displayed through a rainbow of colors.

All the colors displayed in this world that God made—
every glorious, fabulous, beautiful shade—
show how good God is and will always be.
But what is the color of love? Come and see!

God created all the colors in the world, and in each one, we can discover how great His love is for us and how we can let that love shine to others! With each turn of the page, the focus shifts to a specific color—orange, yellow, blue, green, pink, black, white, gray, brown, red, purple—and explores a different attribute and expression of love through its many shades. 

Pick up your copy here...


Xochitl (So-Cheel) E. Dixon is a disabled, Mexican Christian author, speaker, wife, mom, and grandma, who loves Jesus and people. She celebrates diversity, advocating for inclusion and disability awareness with her service dog, Callie.

As a regular contributor to Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org) and God Hears Her (www.godhearsher.org), and in her first devotional, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace (2019), Xochitl crosses international, cultural, and generational lines with hope-filled, biblical encouragement and Scripture-based prayers that inspire spiritual growth through authentic community.

Her first picture book, Different Like Me (2020), also available in Spanish (Diferente como yo, 2022), is a 2021 Evangelical Christian Publishing Association Christian Book Award Finalist. Her second picture book, What Color is God’s Love? (WaterBrook & Multnomah, 2024), is available for pre-order now!

Connect with Xochitl here, on Facebook and Instagram, and at www.xedixon.com.

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Love, Unscripted by Denise Hunter

 

The perfect boyfriend only exists on paper…doesn’t he?

Fresh off the heels of a bad breakup, Chloe Anderson poured her heart into penning the perfect boyfriend—and the result was an off-the-charts debut beach read that resonated with women worldwide. Now, Chloe’s scripted hero is headed for Hollywood, with her book destined to become a major motion picture.

When Chloe gets wind that silver screen bad boy Liam Hamilton has been cast as the ideal-in-every-way hero of her novel, she’s horrified by the film director’s choice. How could a player like Liam possibly do Chloe’s perfect hero justice? Unafraid to speak her mind, Chloe lets her executive producer know she’s one hundred percent opposed to the casting. And oops—the call is on speakerphone, where the annoyingly attractive Hollywood star hears Chloe’s unbridled outrage firsthand.

With Liam’s reputation already on the rocks, his agent concocts a PR plan to upgrade Liam’s image while putting the story—and the film—in the spotlight. The catch? During the movie’s filming in Chloe’s cute hometown of Stillwater, North Carolina, Chloe and Liam will fake a wholesome, committed relationship. Both stand to gain something from the arrangement. Liam’s fans will see him in a new light, while Chloe can boost her struggling social media following and further her writing career. What could possibly go wrong?

As author and actor navigate the waters of the PR relationship, they’re unpre­pared when their professional agreement turns into an actual friendship. And when serious sparks start to fly—well, that’s an unread chapter for both of them.
Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                     Love, Unscripted: Hunter, Denise: 9780840716651: Amazon.com: Books

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than forty novels, three of which have been adapted into Hallmark movies. She has appeared on the The 700 Club and been featured in Southern Living and Woman's World.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories, peopled with layered characters who have real-life issues. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.

In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

When Denise isn't orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling, drinking chai lattes, hiking, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband raised three boys and are currently enjoying an empty nest and two beautiful granddaughters.

You can learn more about Denise through her website www.DeniseHunterBooks.com or by visiting her FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/authordenisehunter 

What a sweet romance. The setting in North Carolina just happens to be my state that was a plus but Liam and Chloe were the perfect couple. They were so easy to connect with. Liam was the perfect boyfriend not just on paper does he exist. I love this story was about a book turn movie. This is a must read.

Monday, March 11, 2024

Eight Weeks Later G. T. London

 

A key to paradise isn’t the same thing as entry.
After a tumultuous childhood, Roy Fernsby now runs a quaint London coffee shop that his friends frequent, cycles on Sundays . . . and keeps his distance from romantic relationships. Though Roy’s charming and well-liked, being single suits him—if only because it helps him avoid the sting of abandonment. Besides, Roy likes his life exactly as it is.

Then a lawyer in Hawai’i calls Roy to inform him that he’s just inherited a beach house in Nalu from his grandparents. There’s just one problem: a former foster child, Roy never knew he had grandparents.

Roy doubts this newly discovered “family” ever cared about him. But a tropical island—complete with a beach house inheritance—beckons. He takes a chance and flies to Hawai’i, expecting to stay a week and sell the beach house. Fast. What he isn’t anticipating is the resentment and painful childhood memories that resurface as he uncovers the roots of a close-knit family he never knew he had. Why didn’t any of these folks, whom everyone adored, look for him?

Then he meets Amy, a former New Yorker and single mother who works as a snorkeling guide. Though the pair are from opposite worlds—literally—and neither is looking for a relationship, their connection is instant, and they’re soon spending a lot of time together.

Roy tells himself that Amy’s only a nice distraction, even as he falls for her. But Amy has her own secrets . . . and a hidden agenda that involves Roy and his beach house.

As Roy grapples with life-changing secrets regarding his past, he must make difficult decisions about his present: Can he embrace his roots and let go of resentment? Can he trust Amy? Can he stay and seek the truth about where he belongs—no matter the cost to his guarded heart? 


G.T. London is a contemporary romance novelist who crafts love stories infused with secrets, mystery, and suspense. Characters often venture far from home, whether in pursuit of self-discovery, a new place to belong, life-changing decisions, or escaping their past or present. Bold leaps define their journeys, and all facets of love are explored in her stories.

For most of her adult life, she embraced the vibrant energy of the bustling city of London and dedicated herself to making a difference as a business and leadership coach, consultant, and trainer in both the UK and Canada.

She holds an MBA from Warwick Business School in the UK and has served as a guest lecturer for MBA students. Now a full-time writer, she has published articles for Entrepreneur and Training magazines, and she also mentors at business schools internationally.

G.T. London now lives in Hawai’i with her author husband and partner-in-adventure, Jason. 


Pick up your copy here...

This one I was on the fence about the writing style was not my usual writing style that I like to read. But the story kept me engaged and I loved the romance and the characters.  So glad I stayed with this one in the end the story really was a good one.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Thursday, March 7, 2024

The Last Verse by Caroline Frost


 Set in the country music world of 1970s Nashville, a struggling musician writes a hit song that both promises her long-sought-after fame and implicates her in a heinous crime. 

Nashville, 1977: A broken heart. A terrible crime. A song the world would sing.

When aspiring musician Twyla Finch arrives in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1977, the nineteen-year-old Texan is dazzled by the fringe-and-rhinestones country music scene. Live music flows from bars, open mic nights tempt with the chance of stardom, and record label execs seek the next hot new act.

As Twyla finds her way in this vibrant town, she soon falls for Chet Wilton, country music hopeful and son of blue-blooded Nashvillians. When a night out with Chet goes terribly wrong, Twyla finds herself involved in a shocking crime. Hoping to process what happened that fateful night, she composes a haunting ballad that she performs only once in an empty bar. But weeks later, when she turns on the radio, she hears another woman singing her song.

Twyla must decide: Should she claim her ballad and secure the fame she’s always wanted? Or stay quiet and avoid implicating herself in the terrible crime she’s desperate to put in the past?

Seductive and bold, tense and unflinching, The Last Verse is the story of a woman’s ambitions, obsessions, and determination to claim her voice.

Pick up your copy here...


Caroline Frost has a Master of Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Although she currently resides in California with her husband and three young children, her roots in Texas run deep. SHADOWS OF PECAN HOLLOW is her first novel.