May Giveaway – Week Five

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!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK:

Conversations with Kav – a place for us to chat about bookish topics if anyone is so inclined. Sometimes there will be giveaways, sometimes there won’t. It will just depend on the topic of the day. Hope to see you there! Otherwise my inner book nerd and I will carry on by ourselves. Bwahaha!

2025 Carol Award Finalists (Historical Fiction) I can’t believe it’s that time already but the finalists were just announced this week and the winners in each category will be announced on September 6 at the ACFW Conference Gala. Soooo exciting. This year especially because 40% of the finalists are indie authors! And most of the rest are from small publishing houses. Tons of new-to-me authors listed and books I’ve never even heard of.

So, while all that is exciting, I’ve discovered it can be a little be tricky when it comes to sourcing all editions of the books. I’ve noticed that small press books seem to carry hefty price tags in print format for a while now, but some of these were crazy! One 300 page book is $80 in Canada! And a $10 US book is $32 in Canada while another book was $7 here and $40 in the US. All kinds of crazy — so, all this to say pay particular attention to the giveaway options for each Carol Award Finalists title in the coming weeks. They will be listed in bold after the title/author/publishing info statement and will be divided by US, Canada and International.

Hello June! Time to take a look at the Christian Fiction books releasing in June and choosing the one title you would like to win.

Standing Watch

To protect an innocent witness…a K-9 must sniff out a killer.

When K-9 task force officer Zach Kelsey’s estranged wife is attacked at a Mount Rushmore observation deck, he and his K-9, Amber, are quick to come to her rescue. He discovers not only that Eden, a park ranger, is carrying his child, but that she saw her coworker’s murder. As the only witness to the crime, Eden has no choice but to accept Zach’s protection. But with a ruthless killer ramping up his vicious attacks, they must put their differences aside to catch the murderer…before Eden becomes his next target.

My Review:

Phew! Heart-in-throat opening scene sets the tone for this tense, action packed romantic suspense! The way Reed describes Eden’s desperation and panic kept me frantically listening. (Yes, this was another audible read for me – wonderful performance by a favourite narrator, Tanya Eby.) And the emotional turmoil of the reunion romance added a whole other kind of tension. I just had to keep ‘reading’ in order to get to the happily-ever-after reward.

So, Zach and Eden have a history — and it’s pretty fresh. They’re married but have been separated for a couple of months. Feelings are tender. Miscommunication rampant. Secrets need to be shared. All while trying to stay one step ahead of a very determined killer.

This is the third book in the Dakota K-9 Unit multi-authored continuity series but makes an excellent standalone read as well. There is one over-arcing suspense plot that carries through from the first book to the last while each story has its own suspense and romance with complete resolution.

A captivating page-turner (or compulsive listen.) Zach and Eden’s story is an incredible addition to the series and I’m excited to be back with the team next month for another installment!

A is for Amish + Giveaway

In a heartwarming new series from New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray, four siblings take a genuine leap of faith when they move to their grandparents’ farm in rural Ohio and decide to become Amish.

Exploring the relationship between Amish and English cultures through the lens of a single family, the Amish Again series is perfect for fans of Beverly Lewis, Suzanne Woods Fisher, and Charlotte Hubbard – and anyone who enjoys uplifting stories about faith, family, love, and the simple life.

Siblings Martin, Kelsey, Beth, and Jonny are as different as can be, but they have one thing in common. They’re all longing to reinvent their lives. Raised by their divorced lapsed-Amish father and English mother, they only knew real stability and a sense of family when visiting their Old Order grandparents, Josiah and Sylvia Schrock, in peaceful small-town Millersburg, Ohio. Now the four want to try living with them and joining their faith—much to the Schrocks’ surprise . . .

Martin, the eldest, is reeling from a bad breakup, so he’s especially determined to make a fresh start. When he meets his grandparents’ neighbor, Patti Coblentz, he’s immediately drawn to her outgoing, helpful nature—but is so overwhelmed that he appears blunt and rude. Is there any way he can drop his defenses enough to admit she’s captured his heart?

Always self-conscious about the birthmark on her temple, Patti is resigned to never marrying and busying herself with the responsibilities of the large home and property she has inherited. Besides, Martin’s ill-mannered behavior and disconcerting directness make him the last man she’d ever want to wed—no matter how handsome he is.

Yet given time and patience—and adhering to their grandparents’ unexpectedly challenging rules—the whole family might just find what they’re looking for, even Martin and Patti.

My Review:

I really enjoy Shelley Shepard Gray’s distinctive storytelling style. And I love the emotional depth in her characters and the realistic situations she puts them in. It all feels so very real and plausible and like something I can relate to. So easy to become completely immersed in the story. And I also appreciate the way she builds a series. The stories are interconnected and some plot lines carry over from book to book, but somehow she still makes each one work as a standalone.

So, the premise of this Amish ABCs series centres around four siblings who have had an unorthodox upbringing with borderline negligent, definitely emotionally detached parents. Their one constant and only security during their childhood was the summers they spent on their grandparent’s farm – their Amish grandparents.

Fast forward a decade or so and we find Martin, Kelsey, Beth and Jonny making an unusual pact. They’re ready (or so they think) to leave their complicated ‘English’ lives behind for the simple pleasures of plain living. Naturally, it’s not that simple and we only get part of the story in this first instalment. And this is where it get’s tricky to review without major spoilers.

I’ll just say that I was completely captivated by Gray’s multiple POV storytelling which reveals individual insecurities and misconceptions that stirred up so many emotions in my compassionate reader’s heart. I might have teared up a time or two. Plus there’s a bit of a cliffhanger ending to one major plot line in ‘A is for Amish’ so I have to get a copy of ‘B is for Bonnet’ and dive back in to this charming fictional world as soon as possible!

Sometimes You Stay + Giveaway

For digital content creator Cretia Martin, home is wherever her carry-on suitcase lands. And it’s constantly landing in new places as she travels the world. She’s never been interested in settling in one spot–after all, houses are just places that collect junk and tie you down. But when she literally bumps into local dog breeder Finn Chaffey on Prince Edward Island and all of the tools of her trade end up in the harbor, she can’t exactly leave until she gets things sorted out.

Finn is horrified by the part he played in the accident and offers to help, arranging for Cretia to stay with a friend at the beautiful Red Door Inn. The longer Cretia is forced to remain in one place, the more she discovers what she’s been missing with life on the road–and the more she wants to see Finn and his business succeed. But helping him means staying put, the one thing she always swore she wouldn’t do, and risking the only thing she’s never put on the line–her heart.

New York Times bestselling author Liz Johnson invites you back to the Red Door Inn on Prince Edward Island for an inspiring story full of adorable puppies, sweet friendship, and unexpected romance.

My Review:

Mercy! I think my toes are permanently crimped from all the toe-curling romantical moments in this story. Swoonable from start to finish — even though the meet-cute was anything but cute! Totally funny and kinda embarrassing though. And I love the way Joe Jr. saved the day! Bwahahaha!

Poor Finn. He’s way out of his element from the moment he meets Cretia and his discombobulated state doesn’t ease up any time soon. Conflicted is the word of the day for these two because of personal histories and the whole location issue. Cretia travels the world for her job, after all and Finn is rooted in the deep red soil of his PEI farm where he breeds and trains search and rescue Newfoundland dogs (eeeeppp, one of my favourite breeds!) And collects an assorted menagerie of rescue animals. Happy sigh, Farmer Finn is my kind of hero.

This opposites attract romance is so achingly tender and full of emotion. It’s sweet and funny but when the sizzle starts to spark, watch out, sensitive readers might feel a little singed around the edges! Love the balance between lighthearted moments and the deep soul-searching ones. Finn and Cretia both have to come to terms with their pasts in order to be free to create a future together. This is a bit of a redemption story for both of them.

Love that we get glimpses of what life is like at the Red Door Inn since Marie (Red Door Inn heroine) takes Cretia in when she finds herself stranded after an unfortunate occurrence (the aforementioned meet-cute.) And the familiar small town community vibe adds warmth and grace to the story. Reading ‘Sometimes You Stay’ felt very much like a homecoming. Cozy and comforting and so, so satisfying!

I enjoyed listening to the audible edition narrated by Kelli Tager. She did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life. Would definitely recommend the audio edition to discerning listeners.

Hope Harbor + Giveaway

Tracy Campbell never wanted to leave Hope Harbor, Oregon, or the idyllic three-generation cranberry farm where she grew up. But life–and love–altered her plans. When tragedy strikes and changes her plans yet again, she finds herself back in her hometown with a floundering farm to run and a heartbreaking secret. Romance is not on her agenda. Nor is it on Michael Hunter’s. The visitor from Chicago has daunting secrets of his own. But when Tracy recruits him to help save a struggling charitable organization, the winds of change begin to sweep through Hope Harbor, bringing healing, hope, and love to countless lives–including their own.

Fan favorite Irene Hannon brings a whole new cast of characters to life in a charming Oregon seaside village. Emotional and heartwarming, this story invites readers to come home to Hope Harbor, where love and hope bloom–and hearts heal.

My Review:

first published in 2015

I am so in love with this series that  I’m re-reading them — well, listening this time round because I LOVE Therese Plummer’s narration — again. This will be my third time starting with book one and going right through to book 11. I realized from the comments on my review of Sunrise Reef last week that there are a number of readers who haven’t so much as dabbled a toe in Hope Harbor! So here’s your chance to take the plunge (ha, see what I did there?) I’ll be reading (aka listening) to a book a month so there will be plenty of opportunities to jump on board with this series…or fill the gaps in your collection if you missed some along the way.

So much more than a love story. In fact, I’d consider it the perfect example of the ultimate love story — the one we each share with God. Honestly, I was moved to tears quite a few times during my reading experience. And even now, as I write this review I’m getting all teary eyed. How to convey why? Let me try to explain.

Told from multiple viewpoints, this is more than just Tracy and Michael’s ‘winds of change’ story. Diverse characters, all harboring pain from regrets they can’t seem to overcome, have important roles to play. Hannon does an incredible job of weaving their stories together, expertly building them into a crescendo of a climax that left me sobbing. The author’s brilliance is evidenced by the way each character’s story intersects. Story threads merge and blend and become something so much bigger than each individual triumph. I found it totally moving.

The inspirational thread is strong but not overbearing. It flows as a natural extension of characters who strive for relationship with their Heavenly Father. And there’s this one character, Charley, who is pivotal to the whole plot though he really takes a backseat in the overall scheme of things. But I have my suspicions about Charley which has me grinning from ear to ear.

Hope Harbor dishes out hope and healing, not just to the characters within its pages, but to the readers on the outside looking in. Definitely one for the keeper shelf.

2025 Carol Awards Finalists – Contemporary + Giveaway

First off — what exactly are the Carol Awards?

They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2025 finalists are books published in 2024. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.

Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 6 2025 at the ACFW Gala in Springfield, Missouri (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)

How does this giveaway work?

You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2025 —Contemporary Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy. 

Contemporary Finalists

After a vagrant upbringing, free-spirited Wren Atwood has fought to beat the odds. She has a career as a massage therapist, a solid church community, and now her lifelong dream is coming true, with a little blue house to call her own. But the first person to congratulate her is the last person she wants to see: pompous businessman Daniel Hollis.

Adored by most of Ridley Bay, Hollis has found success as an entrepreneur. Yet no amount of money can buy love from his family or health for his sister.

When a hurricane rips through the Texas coast and forces Wren and Hollis together, the walls they have built are exposed, along with the family secrets they hide.

As Wren turns to her toxic family for help, and Hollis fights to save his sister’s life, they discover their efforts alone will never be enough. If grace can’t repair the past, how can it rescue the future?

A Year in the Room by Steven Rogers – Elk Lake Publishing – Editors: Michelle Chynoweth and Deb Haggerty – Giveaway Options: ebook for US, Canada and International (with US Kindle account). Also available on Kindle Unlimited for US and Canada

Reluctant pilgrim Ben Cahill steps off a flight from Israel facing an unrelenting list of challenges—a fractured family, no job, no place to live, and a dubious grip on his newly-found sobriety. He has no plans for the next steps in his life.

Ben starts over, settling into a small, rented room and working three part-time jobs. As his first year of recovery unfolds, Ben fights an unrelenting spiritual war against his personal demons and the consequences of his past actions. Can a chain-smoking, no-nonsense grandmother, a retired navy cook, a crusty old Scotsman, and an unexpected pilgrimage to the legendary Scottish Island of Iona, clear away the wreckage of Ben’s life and lead him to hope? Join Ben on his journey in this sequel to the award-winning novel Into the Room.

When the Wildflowers Bloom Again by Donna Jo Stone – Indie – Editor: Anne Victory – Giveaway Options: ebook for US, Canada and International (with US Kindle account.) Also available on Kindle Unlimited for US and Canada.

Fourteen-year-old Marigold (Mary) Parker spends the summer of ’78 with her cousin and best friend, Sharon, biking the roads of their rural neighborhood in Pleasant Waters, North Louisiana. The girls while away the days at the local pond, listening to the BeeGees and talking about boys. Caring for her emotionally fragile mother is Mary’s only worry, until Sharon’s older half-brother finds Mary alone at the pond one day.

She can’t speak of what happened in the woods. The truth will destroy her family and cost her the relationships she holds most precious.

But secrets have a way of making themselves known, and when Mary finds herself pregnant, she’s forced to grapple with hard decisions. Babies are a gift from God. Mary knows this full well, but she doesn’t know how to deal with a pregnancy, or who to turn to for help.

Trials seem to multiply as Mary struggles to keep faith in the God her parents have taught her to trust.

Richly detailed and evocative, When the Wildflowers Bloom Again captures the emotions and the heart, vividly detailing the struggle of facing impossible choices, the true test of family ties, and of the hope found in new beginnings. Infused with both sorrow and faith, Marigold Parker’s tale is a story you won’t soon forget.

Conversations With Kav – Found Families in Fiction + Giveaway

I love me a good found family series. The concept of random eclectic people coming together and bonding in a significant, ‘we’re family now’ kind of way is so appealing. Love the group dynamics, the inevitable teasing and banter as well as the more serious heart-to-heart chats that can be life changing. And I love getting to see that with every book in the series no matter who is starring as hero or heroine in the current story. It’s like a special kind of homecoming with every book. Found family series just make me all kinds of happy.

Only…lately, I keep finding family series. Siblings, cousins, all brothers, all sisters etc. And I love those too but lately I’m crazy craving a good, solid ‘found family’ series so I’m looking for suggestions. Bonus points if it’s an indie series. 🙂

I’m going to share one found family series per genre that I have loved and highly recommend. And I’d love for you to share any found family series suggestions you think I might enjoy. (Must be Christian Fiction or Closed Door.) Share your thoughts in a comment and I’ll enter you in a draw for a bookish gift card – details at the end of this post.

FOUND FAMILY SERIES FAVES

The Dread Penny Society series by Sarah M. Eden includes 5 books starring members of The Dread Penny Society in Victorian London. They are a group of Penny Dreadful authors who represent a wonderful cross section of society and work ‘undercover’ to rescue London’s downtrodden. Witty and mysterious with nefarious arch villains and toe-curling romance in every book.

Sarah Monzon’s Sewing in SoCal series features five women of diverse backgrounds who have formed a very special sisterhood. Love all the girl-bonding moments, the teasing, the laughter…even the sniping. I especially appreciate their shared faith which keeps them grounded…more or less. 🙂 Distinctive personalities add intriguing variety and I love the way we get a healthy dose of SoCal sisterhood interaction in each book.

Natalie Walters knows how to create memorable team dynamics and her SNAP Agency series is one of her finest. They are a a diverse and eclectic band of talented professionals who know how to work hard and have formed a deep bond which spills over into teasing banter and pointed heart-to-hearts. They’ve created a unique found family that will hold up under any kind of pressure. and I loved every single group scene! Three books and one prequel.

Shelley Shepard Gray’s Walnut Creek series centers around friends who vow to stick together after the tragic suicide of one of their group. Each book gives some quality page time to all the friends, while focusing on one hero and one heroine’s love story. And Gray doesn’t shy away from hard topics as she explores ways forgiveness and friendship can transform lives. Six books in the series and one prequel novella.

Giveaway Opportunity:

Share your thoughts in a comment to be entered in a draw to win a $10 gift card from Baker Book House OR for Canadian readers – a card of equal value from Cdn Amazon or Indigo.

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday May 31 2025.

May Giveaway – Week Four

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!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK:

Conversations with Kav – a place for us to chat about bookish topics if anyone is so inclined. Sometimes there will be giveaways, sometimes there won’t. It will just depend on the topic of the day. Hope to see you there! Otherwise my inner book nerd and I will carry on by ourselves. Bwahaha!

2025 Carol Award Finalists – I can’t believe it’s that time already but the finalists were just announced this week and the winners in each category will be announced on September 6 at the ACFW Conference Gala. Soooo exciting. This year especially because 40% of the finalists are indie authors! And most of the rest are from small publishing houses. Tons of new-to-me authors listed and books I’ve never even heard of.

So, while all that is exciting, I’ve discovered it can be a little be tricky when it comes to sourcing all editions of the books. I’ve noticed that small press books seem to carry hefty price tags in print format for a while now, but some of these were crazy! One 300 page book is $80 in Canada! And a $10 US book is $32 in Canada while another book was $7 here and $40 in the US. All kinds of crazy — so, all this to say pay particular attention to the giveaway options for each Carol Award Finalists title in the coming weeks. They will be listed in bold after the title/author/publishing info statement and will be divided by US, Canada and International.

Oh — and bizarrely one title isn’t available in Canada at all, in any format. We’ll see if that changes as the weeks go by. I’ve scheduled all 11 Carol Finalists posts (every Monday throughout the summer) and I’ll check for updated pricing info each week to see if there are any changes.

A Faithful Gathering

Leisel Bachmann left her Amish roots and beloved sisters to pursue a career in medicine without a second thought. She has an Englisch boyfriend, Nick Jordan, and dreams of a new life–but those dreams come crashing down when her sister Marie is diagnosed with cancer.

Soon nothing is going as she planned–not her state boards, not her first nursing job, and certainly not her relationship with Nick. As she becomes increasingly discouraged, her aunt shares the story of Leisel’s grandfather during World War II and the struggle he faced between returning to Lancaster or being with the woman he loved.

Peace and a vision for the future are difficult to find, and when Nick leaves Pennsylvania for a completely new life, Leisel is faced with impossible choices. Will she stay in Lancaster, close to her family and the traditions of her past? Or learn from her grandfather’s story and embrace a life of love and service in an uncertain future?

My Review:

Not your typical Amish romance! I really appreciate the unique approach Leslie Gould has taken with this series. I read book one, loved it, skipped book two because I didn’t much care for the sister it featured but now that I’ve read the third book I definitely have to backtrack and read the second one. 🙂 I should have trusted the author all along.

Tough subject matter, both past and present (this is a dual timeline story as we observe WWII through the eyes of Leisel’s grandfather) highlight the real struggles of finding peace in the midst of trauma and pain.

Leisel grew up in a less that ideal enviroment, left her Amish community to pursue her calling as a nurse and returns home to support her sister diagnosed with cancer. She’s caught between two worlds, which, sadly (for me) includes two fellas. So…a bit of a love triangle adds yet more angst to the mix.

Love the way her grandfather’s experiences being conscripted into the Civil Public Service during the war carry into Leisel’s present day. The timelines are woven seamlessly and make an emotional impact.

A stirring redemptive story of faith and hope.

The Song of Sourwood Mountain + Giveaway

The doors she thought were closed forever are starting to open up . . . just a crack

Though the century began with such promise, it is 1910 when Mira Dean’s hopes of being a wife and mother are dashed to pieces. Her fiancé dead from tuberculosis, Mira resigns herself to being a spinster schoolteacher–until Gordon Covington shows up.
 
No longer the boy she knew from school, Gordon is now a preacher who is full of surprises. First, he asks Mira to come to Sourwood in Eastern Kentucky to teach at his mission school. Second, he asks her to marry him. Just like that.
 
With much trepidation, Mira steps out in faith into a life she never imagined, in a place filled with its own special challenges, to serve a people who just might end up becoming the family she always yearned for.

My Review:

Lyrically beautiful storytelling. Gabhart brings Appalachian culture and community to life in such a vibrant way that it’s easy to picture every detail as the story unfolds.

Gordon caught my attention in the very first chapter with his unorthodox proposal which sends Mira’s world spinning out of control. Loved the marriage of convenience storyline with Mira being scooped out of all that is familiar and deposited into a very different environment.

And, oh my goodness, the characters (both loveable and not so much) in those Kentucky hollers! Love Mira’s grit and determination and her unflinching compassion in every situation. Particularly when dealing with ten-year-old orphan, Ada June. The girl has gumption! And such a big heart but she’s so misunderstood and overlooked. I really enjoyed having part of the story told from Ada June’s perspective. Added even more emotional depth to this classic-feeling Appalachian tale.

The romance between Gordon and Mira is gentle and tender and develops slowly from a foundation of mutual faith and trust in God. It felt so natural and plausible and emotionally satisfying. There’s lots of growth, both in their relationship as well as with the people in the community they have been called to serve.

I love becoming immersed in a story and ‘The Song of Sourwood Mountain’ was that kind of read for me. These characters will stay with me (so hoping for an Ada June story sometime in the future!) A classic Ann H. Gabhart bestseller!