Kav's Best Reads

The Shifting Current + Giveaway

When Coast Guard Investigative Service Special Agent LOGAN PERRY’s beloved grandfather is murdered, Logan races to his hometown of Cauldron Creek, New Mexico to investigate the murder. His teammate and friend, EMMY THORTON, insists on joining him. Not a good idea—not when he loves her, but carries a secret that he knows will tear them apart.

Emmy knows Logan will pursue the investigation no matter the cost, and she won’t let the man she loves plunge into a dangerous situation alone. She needs to be at his side, even if he believes friendship is her only reason for joining him.

What looks like a robbery gone wrong rapidly shifts, drawing Emmy and Logan into a dizzying maze where nothing is as it appears. Every lead slips through their fingers as threats against them grow deadlier at each turn. Having only each other to rely on, their love for one another deepens, but will they live long enough to admit their attraction to each other?

They’re in the killer’s sights. One wrong move puts their future together and their lives on the line.

My Review:

Don’t let the shorter word count fool you — this novella packs a punch. I’m amazed at how deeply layered and intricate the plot is. How did the author fit so much into a novella form? Definitely reads with all the satisfaction of her longer books….well, except for loving these characters and this team and wanting to stay with them forever!

This novella ends the Coastal Guardians series and does so in grand fashion. Logan and Emmy have played supportive roles in the previous books so I was thrilled to catch up with them here. No worries though, ‘The Shifting Current‘ could easily be read as a standalone as well. Especially since Logan and Em are ‘on location’ across the country in New Mexico for this case.

And it’s a bittersweet story based around a difficult set of circumstances. Logan’s grandfather has been brutally murdered and he’s determined to work the case along side his long time friend who is also the sheriff. And Em isn’t about to let him deal all that alone.

The thing you need to know about this pair is that they are professional partners who work brilliantly together. The perfect compliment of talent and brains. They share a deep friendship that could easily become something more — so if you’re a fan of the friends to lovers trope, this is definitely the romance for you!

What amazes me about their story is the way the author has woven the romance through some very dark times. Logan’s grief is gut wrenchingly real, his emotions raw and Em is tenderly supportive. It’s because they know each other so well, that she’s able to watch out for him — pushing Logan forward when necessary but also allowing him time to process through his grief. So, while there are definitely sad, painful moments in this novella, there’s also the comfort of finding fresh hope in new beginnings.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Stephanie Cozart who did a fantastic job with these characters and their story.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere with a .com Kindle account.

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice, or also audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Shifting Current, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 10, 2023.

When Tomorrow Came + Giveaway

They Waited Their Whole Lives for Their Papa to Return

Nan and Heath Duncan, siblings abandoned by their papa and abused by their guardian, have no choice but to survive on the London streets. When a kind gentleman rescues Nan from such a life, the siblings are separated and raised in two vastly different social worlds. Just when both are beginning to flourish and years have healed some of their wounds, their long-awaited papa returns and reunites them—bringing demands with him. Nan is expected to marry a rich suitor she’s never liked, and Heath is expected to forsake his gentle spirit and become the hardened man his father always was.

Dangers unfold, secret love develops, fights ensue, and murder upsets the worlds Heath and Nan have built for themselves.

They’ve waited their whole lives for their papa to return, for tomorrow to come—but now that it has, will they be able to see through to the truth and end this whirlwind of a nightmare before it costs one of their lives?

My Review:

I’m all kinds of addlepated after finishing this amazing Regency Romance with a definite air of mystery. I read Hannah Linder’s debut novel earlier this year and was gobsmacked and this is me once again, mouth agape in stunned bibliophile astonishment. Soooooooooooooooo very good!

Great Expectations meets Mary Stewart/Victoria Holt, creating all kinds of Gothic vibes that ricochet right through the story. I’m still experiencing afterglow goose bumping! And it all starts with the very Dickens-esque, heart wrenching opening scene.

The author lays the foundational work with the harrowing account of Nan and Heath’s childhood living on the London streets through to the agonizing moment they are separated. And I do mean agonizing. I cried. We get both points of view as Nan and Heath struggle to find peace with the direction the split has taken them. I don’t want to say more but I was a blubbering basket case as I lived through every excruciating moment with each of them. I’d say a good quarter — maybe even a third — of the book covers the sibling’s childhood and adolescence.

And then — wow — the story just builds from there. With tons of unexpected twists, moral dilemmas and a looming mystery that threatens all they’ve come to hold dear. On top of that we get two romances! Eeeepppp! Let’s just say the romantic tension sizzling around the Gothic undertones gave me heart palpitations so, fainting couches and smelling salts advised.

This stirring redemptive tale is made all the stronger for the wonderful faith elements woven seamlessly throughout which makes this a sweet perfection of a read.

I listened to the audible edition, narrated by Natasha Soudek and enjoyed every mesmerizing second.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of When Tomorrow Came, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 10, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Vying for the Viscount + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

For Hudson, the newly titled Viscount Stildon, moving to England from India where he was born and raised was already an arduous enough endeavor. When he learns the fate of the racing empire he inherited along with his title depends upon him getting in the good graces of another stable owner, he’s even more at a loss.

The stable at the neighboring estate has been Miss Bianca Snowley’s refuge for years, and when a strange man appears to be stealing the horses, she jumps to their protection without a second thought. Upon learning Hudson is actually the new owner, she can’t help but be intrigued by the area’s newest eligible bachelor.

Any thought of romance is quickly set aside, however, when Hudson proposes they work together to secure suitable spouses for each other. As their friendship grows, Hudson and Bianca begin to reconsider what they truly want in life. But will societal expectations and the weight of their responsibilities keep them from pursuing their true desires?

My Review:

published in 2020 (another re-read courtesy of Audible!)

Oh, my heart!!! I’m a sweet dithering mess of swoonalicious goo! Gather all your Regency accoutrements (fainting couch, smelling salts, fans) because you’re going to need them! What a rapturous start to a new Kristi Ann Hunter series.

I love her Regency world building. I feel like I’ve fallen into an Austen novel only the heroines are a bit more…spunky? (No booing from the Austen crowd!) and the secondary characters are just as alluring as her main characters. In fact, there are a couple of gentlemen that better star in their own stories (pointed hint to the author.) I’ll expire if she doesn’t! Cue a graceful swoon onto my fainting couch.

Ohhhhh — and speaking of swooning!!!! Hudson!!!!!!! He is so out of his element when he arrives in England. He’s lived in India his whole life, but always preparing for the time he would take his place among the English aristocracy. He’s had tutors aplenty and constant instruction from his father but there are holes in his education and that leaves him floundering.

Cue the horse-mad girl next door. Bianca has had free reign of the Stildon stables in the absence of a Viscount. Her first encounter with Hudson is hysterical!!! And really showcases their personalities. Sheer brilliance! So these two set up a friendship of sorts and agree to help each other source out suitable spouses…and you know how that’s going to go, right?

Into drawing rooms and ballrooms and early morning rides chock full of cutting dialogue. Oh, my, how this author knows how to wield a witty turn of phrase! Makes for a delicious read.

There’s even a bit of danger — and an evil (well, almost evil) stepmother to contend with. And a lot of soul searching to do as Hudson and Bianca struggle to find their own personal version of a happily-ever-after. I love the way Hunter has included a gentle, but significant faith thread as both hero and heroine discover the joys — and fears — that come with sacrificing their will in favor of seeking out God’s plan for their lives.

I listened to the audible edition of this book narrated by Anne Marie Gideon who did a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life. I’m still grinning madly and might just have to give this one a relisten — especially since book two, Winning the Gentleman (yay, one of my hero requests!) doesn’t release until April 2021!!!!!!!!

Oh…oh…ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh….I forgot to mention that there are a bunch of exciting cameos from characters of previous Hunter books in this one. It was so much fun to spot them…I might have squealed a time or two. Love fun bonuses like that.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Paperback copy available internationally — so, yay, everybody’s included in this giveaway no matter where you live.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Vying for the Viscount, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 10, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

May Giveaway – Week One

Winners will be contacted if they left their email address, otherwise it’s up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca (please note it’s ca as in Canada, not com.) From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven’t been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now, so please, DON’T BE SHY — CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN’T LEAVE AN EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN’T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU!

Books will be ordered or mailed within a week of receiving your address (or email address for ebooks) and I’ll email you to confirm your book is on the way.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK’S GIVEAWAYS:

Please read the giveaway options written in red noted under “Giveaway Opportunity” in each blog post as formats will vary. AS WILL AVAILABILITY IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS.

Paperback or ebook — winner can choose either format

Paperback — I have a new physical book on hand to give away

Gently Read Paperback — It’s the actual book I read to review

ebook — that’s the only format option available, often because it’s an indie book where a paperback copy is either unavailable or exorbitantly priced. Or when a physical edition is out of print.

The Beach Reads Bookshop + Giveaway

Running a bookstore on a quaint Chesapeake island is exactly the life Deena Clark would have chosen for herself–but helping billionaire businessman Luis Dominguez figure out fatherhood is part of the package. Can bonding over books and one little girl help them open their hearts to each other?

My Review:

The kind of ‘slice-of-real-life’ mixed with romance that I’ve come to expect from this author. McClain creates enticing settings and intriguing characters and it’s so easy to lose yourself in one of her stories. I’ve really been enjoying the Hometown Brothers series — this is the third book (and the last, I think) but reads well as a standalone. The central theme of the series revolves around foster brothers who find their way back to the Chesapeake island where they bonded together as teens. Edgy back stories and a sense of homecoming feature in each book.

And, egads, this time round it’s also a billionaire romance which is a trope I usually avoid, however, McClain does it justice and for all his misguided ways, Luis was surprisingly relatable. He has a lot of growing to do but then instant fatherhood will do that to a guy. 🙂

Deena has become the guardian of her best friend’s toddler and contacting the wealthy father for child support seems like the best way to provide the special needs resources little Willow is going to need. Trouble is, once Luis discovers he has a daughter, he’s not about to relinquish custody. Deena suddenly finds herself in a whirlwind of activity all instigated by a man who is used to getting what he wants, when he wants it.

And that means a move to Teaberry Island — the best place to raise a child as far as Luis is concerned. Where he’ll have family and friends around for support since his workaholic ways mean he’ll end up being a weekend father. Hence the need to lure Deena to the island as his caregiver.The dangling carrot is her very own bookshop! (Be still my heart, I want a hero who would buy me a bookshop!)

Of course the romance is complicated, and not without angst and there’s a secondary plot involving a woman I really disliked for most of the book. lol Every time we switched to Carol’s POV I had to brace myself. Thankfully she mellowed by the end.

A captivating conclusion to the Hometown Brothers series. I’ll be sad to leave Teaberry Island — it’s definitely a place I’d want to live if it wasn’t fictional!

Of note: This is not a Christian Fiction selection, but it is a clean read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Beach Reads Bookshop, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 3, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

June New Releases Giveaway!

It’s a new Best Reads blog tradition! Celebrating the month’s new releases the first week of each month.

WHY?

Because I recently discovered that a book’s success or failure is often determined by first month sales! (Though I bet preorders play into that as well.) Publishing houses look at those stats to determine whether they’ll add on to a series or accept the author’s next manuscript! All that literary goodness hanging in the balance but for a month’s worth of sales! (This was a cozy mystery author, but I imagine all traditional publishers use the same ‘system’.) So, I thought I should do my wee little bit to promote Christian Fiction.

HOW?

By hosting a special “Hello — insert month” giveaway. It’s easy to play along. You just have to choose one of the June 2023 new releases on your TBR wishlist (must be Christian Fiction) and mention the title in a comment below (or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca.) If your name is drawn, that June release is the book you will win and we’re one book count closer to keeping our fave authors in business.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO:

ebook for anyone anywhere who has an Amazon.com kindle account

US – paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice

Canada -paperback or ebook (in form of an Amazon gift card) or audible.ca audio book (if available) – winner’s choice

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 3, 2023.

Explosive Trail + Giveaway

Can an officer and her K-9 partner survive a bomber with a vendetta?

When a serial bomber’s explosion in Olympic National Park lands K-9 officer Willow Bates in the hospital, her estranged husband, FBI agent Theo Bates, rushes to her side. He’s determined to protect her and the baby he didn’t know she was carrying. But the bomber has revenge on his mind and will stop at nothing to finish them off.

From Love Inspired Courage. Danger. Faith.

Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit

My Review:

These LIS continuity series just keep getting better! This one is third in the Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit series but would read really well as a standalone as well. Each book has it’s own individual suspense and romance while carrying forward an over-arcing suspense thread that slowly builds with each book and won’t be resolved until the last one. Reed does an amazing job of fitting in pertinent details without bogging the plot down. Great for new-to-the-series readers but also a helpful refresher for P N K-9 fans.

K-9 Star (bomb and arms detection dog) is the star of this story! Loved this furry scene stealer and I was cheering her on in some of the hair-raising (fur-raising?) scenes! But her humans are pretty cool to and…eeeeppppppp…

Mega Second Chance Romance! Willow and Theo are on the verge of divorce and the wounds are still fresh. An attempt at reconciliation three months earlier didn’t prove fruitful…at least not in the way you might think. Now Willow’s pregnant and that just makes navigating all the hurt and angst that much harder.

Now, I’ll say that while the suspense is fantastic in this novel, the romance is spectacular! The author somehow managed to build emotion into every situation…and the undercurrents in the dialogue!!!! I felt every agonizing moment. And completely related to both Willow and Theo and the reasons for their split. And when they let their guard down and the romance starts to sizzle — be still my heart. Breathtaking stuff!

But, of course, there’s a nefarious bomber to apprehend and quite a bit of adventuring to get through before that oh-so-very-satisfactory happily-ever-after can come about.

Oh — and I love the way the author set things up for the next book and added some more dangling threads to series’ suspense. Makes me all kinds of anxious to pick up the next book soon. Which is easy to do since these books are releasing each month.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya. Absolutely LOVE that this entire series is available in audio format. I have them all on preorder and drop everything when I get the notification that book is available. I finished this one in a day and loved every second.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere with a .com kindle account

US — Paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — Paperback or ebook or audible.ca copy — winner’s choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Explosive Trail, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 3, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Counter Attack + Giveaway

No sooner has Alexis Stone been sworn in as the interim sheriff for Russell County, Tennessee, when a serial killer dubbed the Queen’s Gambit Killer strikes again–this time in her hometown. Pearl Springs is just supposed to be a temporary stop along the way to Alex’s real dream: becoming the first female police chief of Chattanooga. But the killer’s calling card–a white pawn and a note with a chess move printed on it–cannot be ignored.

My Review:

Intense, emotional and unputdownable! I flew through Patricia Bradley’s latest release. Just never found a good place to set the book aside and do other things and I do so love getting lost in a book…even if it’s sometimes scary and a little bit creepy like this one is.

Just the right blend of investigative work interspersed with all the action/danger. And so many things are happening at the same time it’s hard for Alex and Nathan, her police chief counterpart, to keep on top of things. (I’ve always found the US police hierarchy so interesting — where a town has a chief but also a sheriff. And Bradley describes the various responsibilities of each really well.)

I did a good job of sleuthing out some things and was totally clueless about others, so that made for an exciting read. I’m so proud of what I did figure out but agog at what I missed. I won’t quit my day job to become a professional armchair sleuth anytime soon. 🙂

And — woohoo — reunion romance in the making after a high school romance went sour a decade earlier. Love how well they know each other and how irked they are about that. Kinda grumpy and edgy and oh so reluctantly slipping back into old habits. I do so love the second chance romance trope and this one made me all kinds of happy.

A stellar, faith-infused romantic suspense that somehow also manages to ooze Southern Charm. And did I mention that Counter Attack is the first in Bradley’s new Pearl River series? I’m giddy with anticipation for book two’s release.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Gently read paperback copy available internationally — so, yay, everybody’s included in this giveaway no matter where you live.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Counter Attack, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 3, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Spring for Susannah + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read!

Hundreds of miles from home, Susannah faces an uncertain future as a mail-order bride on the untamed Dakota prairie.

When her parents die suddenly, and no suitors call, Susannah resigns herself to the only option available: becoming a mail-order bride. Agreeing to marry her pastor’s brother, Jesse, Susannah leaves the only home she’s ever known for the untamed frontier of the Dakota Territory.

Her new husband is more loving and patient with her than she believes she deserves. Still, there is also a wildness to him that mirrors the wilderness surrounding them. And Susannah finds herself constantly on edge. But Jesse’s confidence in her–and his faith in God’s perfect plan–slowly begin to chip away at the wall she hides behind.

(Please Note: I cut off the synopsis here because it reveals a major spoiler)

My Review:

published in 2011

If the idea of a grown-up Little House book appeals, look no further. My child’s heart is singing even as my adult one is swooning. LOL. This is an amazing read and I’m not quite sure that I will be able to do it justice with this review but I aim to try.

Incredible characterization — and dynamics! Jesse has me all but swooning one second and then wheezing with laughter the next. He’s larger than life with his grandiose gestures and loose tongue that spouts the most surprising things! He’s earnest and loves God and delights in his farm, the land…in his wife who he has determined to love before he ever set eyes on her! He’d be perfect if he wasn’t so exasperating at times and a little titched in the head.

Each chapter in the book starts out with a quote — from Jesse. An intimate glimpse into the man’s conversations with God. My favourite: “Your idea about becoming one flesh, God — it’s the best.”

By contrast Susannah is timid and shy and contained, so terrified of not meeting expectations that she almost sets herself up for failure. But deep in the core of her being the real Susannah is yearning to be let out and Jesse’s just the man to set her free. His unflagging attempts to draw her out of her shell so that he can get to know her — his insistence that she have an opinion, that she make her own decisions — his pride in her accomplishments — his delight in the surprises he uncovers — well, let’s just say this was an incredible read from beginning to end. Definitely a book to savor.

Richmond has captured the essence of the pioneer spirit. Susannah’s personal journey is inspiring, especially when you realize that the hardships she endured are the exact ones our ancestors faced. Homesteading the west was not for the faint of heart!

You might have noted the controversy in other reviews regarding some of the romantic content in Spring for Susannah. Jesse and Susannah are already married at the beginning of the story and we witness the development of that relationship. I don’t feel that there is anything untoward in what Richmond has written, but she does reference the fact that their union involves intimacy. These scenes are filled with tenderness and humour and I think they bring a greater depth to the story.

Spring for Susannah is a rich, robust epic pioneer tale that well stay with you long after finish reading the last page.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

gently read paperback copy which has been stored in a glass doored bookcase available to anyone, anywhere — so this is an International giveaway. Woohoo!!!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Spring for Susannah, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 3, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

May Giveaway – Week Four

*REMINDER: if an email address hasn’t been left in a comment, it’s up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoread At yahoo Dot ca. Giveaway wins are good for one month after announcement date. After that the win is forfeited.

WON BY PAM K

WON BY PATTY

WON BY MARYANN

WON BY LANE HILL HOUSE

WON BY COURTNEY

Books will be ordered or mailed within a week of receiving your address (or email address for ebooks) and I’ll email you to confirm your book is on the way.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK’S GIVEAWAYS:

Please read the giveaway options written in red noted under “Giveaway Opportunity” in each blog post as formats will vary. AS WILL AVAILABILITY IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS.

Paperback or ebook — winner can choose either format

Paperback — I have a new physical book on hand to give away

Gently Read Paperback — It’s the actual book I read to review

MONDAY