Category: Book Review

The Billionaire’s Secret Crush + Giveaway

Love might be a choice, but some choices are off limits.

They say opposites attract—and I’m not going to disagree. In fact, I’d be doing my best to see if the attraction was mutual if not for one little thing.

She’s my best friend’s little sister.

And since she and her brother are close, she’s become the honorary sister for all the guys in our group.

But I don’t see her as a sister.

At all.

She’s funny and smart.

And gorgeous.

But I don’t want to make it weird with the guys, so I figure I’m going to leave it be. And if enlisting her help to plan a fundraiser for my job is a convenient excuse to spend time alone with her? So what?

The only person I’m hurting is me.

My Review:

Who’d have thunk I’d be swooning over billionaires, but Elizabeth Maddrey’s ‘Billionaire Next Door’ series has me all atwitter. This is the third book and I love how connected they are through the characters but also how easy it would be to read any of the books in any order. So, if you haven’t dived into this series, fear not, Cody and Megan’s story is the perfect place to start.

These heroes are definitely not the bad boy billionaire archetype. They are regular guys who just happened to make some astute investments as a group that really paid off. Like really! I love how this series explores both the burdens and joys of wealth and how each hero strives to honour God with their prosperity.

And this time we have an….eeeeeeppppppp…..secret crush turned secret relationship that is all kinds of awesomesauce! Love the way it starts out with both Megan and Cody trying to squash down their feelings for one another. Megan’s been the tag along ‘little sister’ to her brother’s friends for years so it’s no wonder Cody is wrestling with his secret crush, while Megan is positive that he doesn’t see her as anything more than little sister material. It was fun being inside their heads as they mull over furtive longings and I was giddy with anticipation, waiting for the time when all would be revealed.

Maddrey is generous with providing page-time for all the recurring characters in this series. Love the depth in the relationships from light-hearted kidding to calling someone out for being a doofus. 🙂 And the steadfast support they provide to each other, even if they are at odds. These are the kind of characters I mourn over not being real people in my life.

And….another eeeepppppp….Megan owns a bookstore! A struggling indie bookstore that she’s not sure she’ll be able to keep open for much longer. Until some creative thinking turns everything around. There’s tons of interesting tidbits about books and publishing and even indie authors which was fun to read about.

And hoorah, there are still unattached billionaires in need of romance so there are going to be more books in this series and I can’t wait!

I listened to the audible edition of The Billionaire’s Secret Crush performed by Joel Simler and Emma Faye and I really enjoyed having two narrators — really brought Cody and Megan to life for me.

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 Billionaire’s Secret Crush, 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 24 , 2023.

Fallout + Giveaway

Samantha Williams’s carefully crafted life is about to be demolished as thoroughly as her art classroom when a careening SUV smashes into the school.

In the dusty farming community of LaCrosse, Washington, art teacher Samantha Williams manages to save her students when an SUV crashes into the school. Her car isn’t so lucky. Oddly, her purse—containing her driver’s license, credit cards, and other identification—is missing from the wreckage, forcing her to rely on the kindness of strangers. Never one to trust easily, Samantha is thrust into a world far different from her simple life of jigsaw puzzles, children’s books, and lectures at the library.

One of the strangers who befriends her is a reporter from Spokane who is in town investigating two sets of skeletal remains that were recently discovered. When authorities discover that the driver in the school accident was shot before the crash, Samantha quickly becomes enmeshed in strange events, which turn ominous with the discovery of blackmail, murder, an abandoned town, and a secret government project.

Samantha has long tried to forget the tragedy of her past, but the links here can’t be ignored. Yet these are secrets that others are determined to keep buried, and they’ll use any means necessary to stop Samantha’s search for truth.

My Review:

Um….so I’m a little lost for words about this thrilling suspense. The way Parks builds the intrigue is edge-of-your-seat good. Half the time I wasn’t sure what was happening. Other times I was painstakingly putting the pieces together and accomplishing mini ‘aha’ moments, only to be plunged back into confusion. There were characters I didn’t trust from the get go and sometimes I was right, sometimes I was wrong.

And mercy, but that opening scene with the SUV smashing into Samantha’s classroom! I was on high alert from that moment on. Incredible pacing between action scenes (hair-raising!!!!) and investigative puzzle piecing. And all the while I’m wondering who she can trust. It got to the point that I was madly shouting out warnings (which were mostly ignored…gah, some characters just can’t take direction)

And I really loved the…I don’t know how to say it but…phrasing beats — the way Parks uses sentence structure to add to the suspense. Like sometimes it’s sharp and terse — almost staccato beats of unfinished thoughts that leaves the reader hanging and imagining and desperate to get to the truth. All while she feeds us bits of random clues that we aren’t really sure are clues until after the fact. It’s so well done! The kind of suspense that carries a reader away from her mundane real world.

There’s a bit of light romance — but more the hint of it. I wouldn’t categorize this as romantic suspense. And some great faith tie-ins as well, including scriptures which I really appreciated.

While I wouldn’t say that Fallout is part of a series, it does feature the Clan Firinn (Scottish Gaelic for Family of Truth) which is a place of healing for first-responders and law-enforcement personnel recovering from trauma. It’s like a university campus that provides everything from spiritual and emotional counselling to educational opportunities and physical activities. So keep that in mind if you haven’t read any of the author’s previous books featuring the Clan Firinn.

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Fallout, 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 24, 2023.

Texas Ranch Target + Giveaway

Somebody wants her dead…but they’ll have to go through him first.

After his client is murdered, security expert Brett Harmon plans to lie low at his family’s ranch — until he comes across an injured woman in the road. With only Brett’s business card in her pocket and no memory of her attack, Jaycee Richmond turns to her rescuers for answers. But when their search reveals a deadly connection, can Brett protect her from a killer she can’t remember?

A Cowboy Protectors novel.

My Review:

I can always count on Virginia Vaughn to deliver a fast-paced, nail-biting, edge-of-your seat suspense and this is definitely all that and more. From the tense opening scene to the high stakes climax, Texas Ranch Target was a devour-in-one-sitting kind of read for me.

I’m not a fan of the amnesia trope but I thought it was handled well here, and definitely added to the mystery of both Jaycee and the suspense. Vaughn expertly balances action and investigation as she builds up the intrigue towards the big reveal. I was as stymied as Brett and Jaycee by the end. Add in a light thread of romance and the promise of more ‘cowboy protectors’ in future books and count me one very happy reader. 🙂

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Texas Ranch Target, 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 24, 2023.

Winning the Gentleman + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

Aaron Whitworth hasn’t had control over most aspects of his life, but he’s always taken pride in being an honorable businessman and better-than-average horseman. When both of those claims are threatened, he makes the desperate decision to hire the horse trainer of a traveling circus as a temporary jockey for his racehorses.

Sophia Fitzroy knows that most horsemen don’t take her seriously because she’s a woman, but she can’t pass up the opportunity to get away from the tumultuous world of travel and performing. As she fights for the right to do the work she was hired for, she learns the fight for Aaron’s guarded heart might be an even more worthwhile challenge.

As secrets come to light and past vulnerabilities are confronted, will Aaron and Sophia sacrifice their former dreams and forge a new on together?

My Review:

published in 2020

Let it be known that after reading the first Hearts on the Heath novel I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on this second book. No surprise then to note that Winning the Gentleman didn’t have to jockey for position on my TBR pile…it never made it that far. That’s because I had difficulty reining in my excitement and raced right into reading…er listening…the second I woke up on release day. Alas, I galloped through with unbridled enthusiasm and it was over all too soon. Therefore, I suggest you approach your reading using a different tack by pacing yourself so the thrill lasts longer. 🙂

Ahem, I shall put aside me long buried horse-mad tweenish self and attempt to come up with a proper review. Excuse me if intermittent squeals burst forth because…well, why don’t I get the biblio-theatrics out of the way right from the start?

Sqqquuuuueeeealllllllll!!!!! (sorry for any pierced eardrums)

THUD! (no worries, fainting couch on hand)

and repeat, multiple times during the course of this read.

Because…

Aaron!!!! And not only Aaron but a bevy of previous Hunter heroes manage to gather on multiple occasions causing my delicate reader’s heart to race in giddy euphoria. The banter and smirking and honorary brothers backing brothers when the chips are down! I’m still grinning.

And, of course, their heroines make appearances too, which is a little overwhelming for poor Sophia because that sisterhood is a force to be reckoned with. More banter and laughter along with gentle kindness and passionate support for the scandalous horsewoman. Honestly, just these friendly bonding scenes make this book a worthwhile read. But when Hunter puts Aaron and Sophia on the same page…more swooning and squealing and general fangirling ensues.

These two have chemistry! But they are in an impossible situation (a lot of which is their own doing Stringing words into sentences has the power to clarify issues, just sayin’.) But Sophia and Aaron are both battling feelings of inferiority for different reasons and finding a place for themselves within the strict confines of England’s rigid class system makes it that much harder. 

The plot is delightfully complicated with enough twists and turns to keep me on high alert until the very end. Hunter deals with very real, raw emotions with grace and humour…and faith! This is truly an inspiring read and there’s no doubt about Winning the Gentleman being Christian Fiction. But that doesn’t mean it’s preachy or stilted. Faith flows naturally and brings added depth to an already richly layered story.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Ann Marie Gideon and I enjoyed every delectable second.

Oh — and no worries if you haven’t read the first book in this series, Vying for the Viscount, or any other books by Kristi Ann Hunter (though I am worried over how much you are missing out on!) Winning the Gentleman reads beautifully as a standalone novel as well.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for apaperback copy and open to any reader anywhere so — yay- an International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Winning the Gentleman, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. 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 winners announced on Saturday 24 2023. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Courage in the Storm + Giveaway

In this powerful Amish romance, an isolated woman and a compassionate man learn that love can build a bridge between their two worlds.

Since witnessing the murder of her beloved parents, Miriam Hochstedler suffers from paralyzing anxiety and a deep-seated fear of the Englisch . Unwilling to venture beyond her family’s Tennessee farm, she forms a close bond with a badly injured gelding. Like Miriam herself, the traumatized animal seems unlikely to recover—until skilled horse whisperer Reuben Brenneman arrives.

A survivor of an abusive childhood, Reuben understands fear better than most. He’ll do whatever it takes to help a terrified animal, but his compassion doesn’t extend to the church that turned a blind eye to his family’s suffering. Once he finishes this job, he’ll return to the Englisch world, putting his Amish heritage behind him forever.

As Miriam works alongside Reuben, battling the horse’s fear—and her own—an unexpected friendship blooms and deepens into romance. But the Amish faith that sustains her inspires only distrust in Reuben, and the Englisch world he’s chosen has already broken her heart once.

Falling in love was easy. But staying together will take all the courage they have.

My Review:

Such an emotional read! This is the third John Mills Amish Romance novel and, while I think it could be read as a standalone, it will definitely make more of an impact if you read the books in order.

It’s been a year and a half since the Hochstedler’s parents were brutally murdered and while the siblings are coming to grips with their new reality and moving on in different ways, Miriam, who witnessed the murder, is still paralyzed with fear and anxiety. A fragile bond with a traumatized horse that seems beyond rehabilitation seems destined to bring even more heartache into her life…until itinerant horse whisperer and (former Amish) Reuben Brenneman comes on the scene. Turns out Reuben is not only a horse whisperer but a Miriam whisperer as well.

Honestly, the way their tentative friendship develops in measured steps, and not without set backs, was torturously wonderful to read. The parallels between Blaze and Miriam learning to trust again was so profound and the way both ultimately achieved freedom from fear made for the kind of stand up and cheer ending I love in an emotional story.

Reuben has his own past trauma to deal with, which complicates any hope of a future between these two and adds an extra dimension of angst — because things really get messy before they get better. And can I just say that Laurel Blount is positively brilliant in the way she weaves all the intricate threads of this story together.

Now I’m anxiously anticipating the release of the fourth and final book in this series, Home From the Storm, which will be coming out at the end ot this year….and mercy, it sounds like it’s going to be the kind of blockbuster conclusion this series deserves.

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 Courage in the Storm, 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 17, 2023.

Fairest of Heart + Giveaway

Beauty has been nothing but a curse to Penelope Snow. When she becomes a personal maid for a famous actress whose troupe is leaving Chicago to tour the West, she hides her figure beneath shapeless dresses and keeps her head down. But she still manages to attract the wrong attention, leaving her prospects in tatters–and her jealous mistress plotting her demise.

After his brother lost his life over a woman, Texas ranger Titus Kingsley has learned to expect the worst from women and is rarely disappointed. So when a young woman found in suspicious circumstances takes up residence with the seven old drovers living at his grandfather’s ranch, Titus is determined to keep a close eye on her.

With a promotion hanging in the balance, Titus is assigned to investigate a robbery case tied to Penelope’s acting troupe. The evidence points to her guilt, but Titus’s heart divines a different truth–one that might just get Penelope killed.

An enchanting Western take on the classic Snow White fairy tale, Fairest of Heart will sweep you away from once upon a time to happily ever after.

My Review:

Okay, I’m beyond giddy and well into bubbleheadedness over this — eeeeeppppppp — first book in the Texas Every After series which is all about fairy tale retellings!!!!! I can’t even…there just are no words to convey my bookish glee. So if I come across as slaphappy and scatterbrained in this review, blame the author’s storytelling prowess.

First — I love, adore, delight in fairy tale retellings and to find one in the realm of Christian Fiction with a significant faith thread…well…I just…like I said, no words.

Snow White takes an entirely different spin in this Old West version that comes complete with a prince of a Texas ranger (see what I did there?) and seven retired drovers (seriously, is that not clever or what?!) And, of course we have Penelope Snow who does justice to the fairy tale heroine but adds a charm all of her own.

The way Witemeyer has adapted the classic Snow White plot to her Western setting is sheer brilliance! I got such a charge out of recognizing familiar elements in a different way. Beyond clever. And it was so much fun kinda knowing how the story was going to progress, but being constantly surprised by each new twist. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a fairy tale retelling more.

And there’s a spectacular faith thread about mercy that’s woven throughout Titus’s story. He’s all about truth and justice. A personal tragedy led him to join the Texas rangers but, when Penelope shows up in his life, he begins to wrestle with the notion of mercy and where it fits in. “Mercy and truth always together. Mercy always leading the way.” There’s even an awesome scripture chain on mercy that I’ve written into my bible as Titus shares verses tied together “like clues on a treasure map.” And what a treasure he finds by the end!

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Barbara McCulloh. She’s a familiar voice in Western Christian Fiction and I’ve enjoyed all her performances whether she’s reading from works by Mary Connealy, Tracey Peterson or Karen Witemeyer.

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 Fairest of Heart, 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 17, 2023.

Cougar Mountain Ambush + Giveaway

A shooter in pursuit..and no where left to hide.

When Thad Hanson hears gunshots fired on his ranch, the last thing he expects to find is game warden Carrie Caldwell pinned down by an armed drone—and an unknown assailant closing in. Now Thad’s determined to stay between Carrie and the threat at all times. But with the shooter following their every move, can Thad get Carrie to safety…without leading them both into a trap?

My Review:

I read Kathie Ridings’ debut LIS a few months ago and ended my review begging for more Hanson brothers and here we are, back on Cougar Mountain with Levi, Blane, Sean and, of course, this book’s hero, Thad! Love the way this author writes these brothers — all teasing camaraderie with an underlying thread of steel, ’cause if you mess with one brother you’re going to have to take them all on. Thankfully, Carrie has them on her side.

She’s a game warden who has attracted some deadly attention and it happens on Hanson land so Thad feels responsible (and intervenes in a timely fashion!) He is a hero of my dreams — a veterinarian rancher! Really, can it get any better than that for an animal loving reader? What ensues is a perplexing volley of attacks on poor Carrie that has them all flummoxed and Thad appointing himself protector while they scramble to figure out what on earth is going on and why!

Carrie has an interesting back story that plays an important role in her reluctance to become romantically involved…even though Thad is oh-so-tempting! But running for your life tends to wear down one’s resistance so do not despair, there is a happily-ever-after.

An edge-of-your-seat suspense that kept me engaged to the very last page. (Blissful, happy sigh.) And there are two more unattached Hanson brothers who are crying out for their own stories. (More happy sighing.)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Cougar Mountain Ambush, 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 17, 2023.

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau + Giveaway

In 1865, orphaned Daisy Francois takes a position as housemaid at a midwestern Wisconsin castle and finds that the reclusive and eccentric Gothic authoress inside hides more than the harrowing tales in her novels. With women disappearing from the area and a legend that seems to parallel these eerie circumstances, Daisy is thrust into a web that may threaten to steal her sanity, if not her life.

In the present day, Cleo Clemmons is hired by the grandson of American aristocratic family the Tremblays to help his matriarchal grandmother face her hoarding in the dilapidated Castle Moreau. But when Cleo uncovers more than just the woman’s stashes of collectibles, a century-old mystery of disappearance, insanity, and the dust of the old castle’s curse threatens to rise again, and this time, leave no one alive to tell its sordid tale.

Fan-favorite Jaime Jo Wright draws readers into a seamlessly woven dual-time tale of suspense, mystery, romance, and redemption.

My Review:

Eerily mysterious with Gothic undertones that make this one shivery delight of a read! Dual timelines, both equally riveting, and Wright does a phenomenal job of meshing them together by the end.

This is the kind of read you need to go into with very little info — I appreciate the sparse synopsis which tells just enough to lure readers in without revealing any spoilers. So, all I’m going to say is be prepared to be enthralled! Richly layered in both plot and characterization and the way the author builds each scene upon the previous one, even when bouncing between timelines, is masterfully done. As is the seamless way she weaves a redemptive thread throughout. Everything I want in an atmospheric mystery!

I think my ‘reading’ pleasure was enhanced even more by listening to Sara Farrington’s excellent narration. She did justice to these characters and Jaime Jo Wright’s unique storytelling.

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 Vanishing at Castle Moreau, 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 17, 2023.

In Her Sights + Giveaway

He’s sworn off love, but she has his heart in her sights and doesn’t intend to miss.

Stained by his wastrel father’s legacy, Jackson Spivey lives on the fringes of society. Townsfolk tolerate him since he keeps the local hotel supplied with fresh game, but mothers coach their daughters to avoid him. After tasting consistent rejection, Jackson spurns all attempts at courtship. The only things he can count on are his guns and his God.

Tessa James has been secretly in love with Jackson for ages, but trying to gain his favor only pushes him further away. When she learns Annie Oakley is traveling through Texas, Tessa seeks lessons from the famed markswoman. If Jackson’s life revolves around guns, taking up shooting might help her engage his interest. Too bad she can’t hit the broad side of a barn.

When Annie loans Tessa a custom pistol, however, things begin to change. The lore behind the mysterious weapon fosters hope that Tessa might finally hit the target of Jackson’s heart. But when danger threatens, she might be forced to use the pistol for something other than finding love.

My Review:

This was just plain fun! If you told me I’d be gushing over a romance that centres around a very special gun, I wouldn’t have believed you, but here I am, marvelling once again at Karen Witemeyer’s clever storytelling skills.

This is the first book of the multi-authored Pink Pistol Sisterhood series (isn’t that title fantastic? And yes, the pistol is pink!) I’m definitely intrigued enough to check out the other novellas in the collection. Each book reads as a standalone though they are linked by this rather special pistol and how it can work magic when it comes to romance. 🙂

Equal parts comedy and drama with a resounding action scene towards the end, Tessa and Jackson’s story is a classic Western…with a twist.

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of In Her Sights, 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.

Betting on Hope + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

One clutzy advice columnist. One champion cowboy. And an entire small town rooting for love.

Advice columnist Maggie Hope never dreamed she’d be shaking hands with champion horse trainer Tru Monahan over a high-stakes bet, especially one that involves horses. And saddles. And everything else a city girl like Maggie feels uncomfortable around. But after filling in for a coworker and interviewing the handsome cowboy, she finds herself doing just that. Anything to save her advice column.

Despite Maggie’s two left feet, Tru is bound and determined to bring out her inner cowgirl by teaching her to ride a cutting horse, trained to separate cattle from the rest of the herd. While her riding improves, their attraction intensifi es, but Tru knows he can never let her into his heart—for her own good.

In Wishing Springs, a community full of meddling but well-meaning townsfolk, Maggie discovers the home she’s always longed for. But she’s holding something back—a secret that could destroy her reputation and any future she’s ever hoped for with the cowboy she mightust love.

My Review:

published in 2015 (Second time around for me, this time in audio, and it’s just as fantastic as I remembered!)

Wow, this is going to be a doozey of a series. I love the way Clopton creates an unforgettable community of living, breathing characters. Makes me want to visit Wishing Springs but it’s not on the map.  I checked! I’m already lamenting that there are only three Monahan brothers because I want this series to go on for a long time. And just for fun, fans of this author’s Love Inspired books will appreciate the nod to Mule Hollow found within these pages.

The fantastic first meet totally drew me in. I love a klutzy heroine — especially when a dashing cowboy comes to her rescue. I could hear the rumble of fireworks over that first glance and couldn’t burrow into the story fast enough. Clopton is a comedic genius and her scenes just flow with love and laughter. Mind you, there’s plenty of angst to work through for both Tru and Maggie and I loved the way the plot took a few unexpected turns that kept it fresh and compelling.

There are times when secondary characters steal the show — Clara Lyn and Reba from the Cut Up and Roll Hair Salon are on the top of my list of favourites. They are unrepentant busybodies with hearts of gold and bring an added warmth to this inspiring tale. There’s also a secondary plot involving a pregnant teen that further enhances the underlining theme of the hope that comes from sacrifice. Again, it has a couple of surprising twists and enough of an emotional punch to keep my nose buried in the book until I reached the end.

A stellar start to a promising new series.

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 Betting on Hope, 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.