Category: Book Review

Falling for the Cowgirl + Giveaway

Years ago, he shattered her heart. Now she must trust him with her life.

As the only girl in her family, and with four older brothers, Ivy McQuaid can rope and ride with the roughest of ranchers. She’s read to have what she’s always longed for — a home of her own. She’s set her heart on a parcel of land south of Fairplay and is saving for it with her winnings from the cowhand competitions she sneaks into — but her dream is put in jeopardy when the man she once loved reappears in her life.

After two years away, Jericho Bliss is back in South Park as an undercover Pinkerton agent searching for a war criminal. He has no intention of involving a woman in the dangerous life he leads, but one look at Ivy is all it takes for him to question the path he’s set out for himself.

Even though Jericho tries to resist his longtime attraction to the beautiful and vivacious Ivy, he finds himself falling hard and fast for her. In the process, his worst fear comes true — he puts her smack dab in the middle of danger. With Ivy’s life in the balance, will Jericho give her up again, or will he find a way back to her, this time forever?

My Review:

I am loving this Colorado Cowboys series. The McQuaid family is the stuff heroes…and heroines…are made of and it’s time for Ivy to shine in this fourth book (though that doesn’t mean her bossy older brothers don’t horn in on some of the fun!) No worries if you haven’t read any of the other books in the series, this one reads fine as a standalone…though if you’re a Colorado Cowboys fan, you’ll be thrilled with all the page time given to Flynn, Wyatt and Brody and their lady loves as well. 🙂

Ivy was a gutsy little dynamo in the first book and she still is for all that she’s a woman grown now. One with an interesting take on life and her future and what females apparently can and cannot do. Part of that comes from being raised by her brothers and though the influence of sisters-in-law have softened her somewhat, she’s still very much the stubborn, outspoken and pesky sister the McQuaids all love…and grow frustrated with on a regular basis.

And, oh my, but Ivy has always had a thing for Jericho Bliss. That girlhood crush has matured into full-fledged love which she’s not about to give into now that he’s back. Talk about sizzling attraction and clashing wills. These two don’t know how to do anything but fight…until they discover kissing and then, boy howdie, grab yourself a fan and an ice bucket or you’ll be at risk of melting into a puddle and then how will you turn the pages so you can read more?!

Action, adventure, toe-curling romance and the McQuaid clan in all it’s wondrous glory! The Wild West doesn’t get any better than this.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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 – winner’s choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Falling for the Cowgirl, 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 May 13, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Edge of Steele

With enemies surrounding her…

Ryleigh Steele gives in to mounting pressure from her siblings and cousins and leaves her job as a law enforcement officer to join the Steele Guardians. She’s just getting her feet wet when a lumber company begins receiving threats, and the owner contracts with Ryleigh for the Steele Guardians to protect their workers. But the threats quickly escalate under her watch, and a bomb is detonated at one of the sites, killing one of the workers. Can she find the killer and save her company’s reputation and her life?

Ryleigh takes the man’s death personally and commits to finding the killer. Trouble is, the owner has hired a security manager without Ryleigh’s knowledge, and the manager isn’t about to let anyone cut him out of this investigation. Ryleigh gets ready to do battle with him, but when she meets the handsome head of security, former Navy SEAL Finn Durham, she can barely find the words to speak much less fight. She and Finn had once dated, a tumultuous month, that ended badly. Doesn’t matter. She can’t let their past or her residual feelings for him distract her in the hunt for the killer. If she’s not careful, the killer will find her first.

My Review:

These family based suspense series from Susan Sleeman are absolutely one hundred percent my definition of a ‘Comfort Read’! I get giddy with bookish glee every time one comes out and I snatch it up and race through it and then bask in bibliophile wonder…for a nanosecond…until I start pouting and lamenting because now I have to wait for the next Sleeman read. Thankfully she’s a pretty prolific author so the wait is a matter of a few months rather than a full year. Phew!

So, while I’m sad to see the conclusion of the Steele Guardians series, I’m jazzed about the upcoming new series and the fact that we’ve been given a glimpse into what it’s going to be like and…Eeeeepppppp!!!!!!!! I’m so excited!!! Oh — and even though this is #6 in the series, Edge of Steele reads absolutely fine as a standalone. That’s something this author does really well — creating a unique story with an overlapping cast of characters that need no introduction. You just love ’em on sight and you’ll be wowed by all that Steele charm (especially when it comes to their grandparents!)

So, Ryleigh and Finn — in the mood for a stellar second chance romance, anyone? Sqqqueeallll! And it’s a doozie! Love the connection they have from the very start…even if it’s all bristling animosity! Some fun sniping and bantering and no shortage of sizzle. Paired with an intriguing investigation that kept me on edge right to the exciting conclusion. Great balance between suspense and romance and the camaraderie between friends and family. I really can’t adequately express how much I’ve loved this series (and anything else Susan Sleeman writes!) Except to say she’s an auto-buy author for me and I’m very, very, very close to being caught up on her back list too. I love her storytelling that much!

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Whitney Dykehouse. I really enjoy her narrations — she’s done all of Susan Sleeman’s books and I get a real sense of homecoming whenever I start listening.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone with a .com kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or gift card for ebook or audible.ca edition

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Edge of Steele, 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 May 13, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Worthy of Legend + Giveaway

After a summer of successful pirate-treasure hunting, Lady Emily Schofield and her friends must hide the unprecedented discoveries they’ve made, thanks to the betrayal of her own family. Horrified by her brother who will stop at nothing to prove himself to their greedy father, Emily is forced to take a stand against her family — even if it means being cut off entirely.

Bram Sinclair, Earl of Telford, is fascinated with tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table — an interest he’s kept mostly hidden for the last decade. But when a diary is unearthed on the island that could lead to a secret artifact, Bram is the only one able to piece the legends together.

As Bram and Emily seek out the whereabouts of the hidden artifact, they must dodge her family and a team of archaeologists. In a race against time, it is up to them to decide what makes a hero worthy of legend. Is it fighting valiantly to claim the treasure…or sacrificing everything in the name of selfless love?

My Review:

What do pirate lore, buried treasure and King Arthur’s legends have in common? A brilliant-minded, creative-thinking author named Roseanna M. White! ‘Worthy of Legend’ is the resounding conclusion to her ‘Secrets of the Isles’ series, full of adventure, danger, intrigue and, of course, toe-curling romance!

The mystery includes the vilest of villains and — gah — but I was steaming mad on Emily’s behalf so many times! The addition of Arthurian legends made this final book all the more captivating. Bram and Emily and the whole gang are united once again in a treasure hunting alliance that sends them on a fantastical quest they can hardly believe is real.

I’ll pause here to mention that I feel it would be best to read these books in order. You’ll have a better understanding of the large cast of characters and the history behind the pirate treasure and how everyone has come to the Isles. If you do decide to jump into the series at this point, just be patient, you’ll likely get the gist of things after a few chapters (though it might be a good idea to jot down some character notes as you go.)

There’s such depth in these characters and their personal growth and faith journeys are inspiring. “The Lord knew. The Lord saw her, no matter how dark and small the place in which she was locked. He saw her, and He cared enough to send someone to pray over her when she never would have asked for it.” (p 101)

Swashbuckling adventure + swoonworthy romance + the kind of friendships that are destined to last a lifetime = a memorable read that buoys the spirit and thrills the heart.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

SPECIAL NOTE: Because I think it is best to read this series in order, this giveaway is for the winner’s choice of EITHER #1 The Nature of a Lady, #2 To Treasure an Heiress or #3 Worthy of Legend. Please note your choice in your comment or email entry.

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 – winner’s choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Worthy of Legend (or the first or second book in the series), 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 May 13, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Fatal Strike + Giveaway

RANDOM RETRO READ

There’s a killer on the loose in Galveston, targeting law enforcement officials and using a fatal injection of snake venom to take them down. Authorities have reasons to believe the Veneno gang is behind the hits, and FBI agents Leah Riesel and Jon Colbert team up to track down those responsible. Their best lead is an eyewitness ho identifies a young man dumping the third body on a church doorstep. But their suspect has gone into hiding, and those closest to him are reluctant to reveal anything that might help investigators find him.

As Leah and Jon check connections among the victims and dig deeper into movies, they discover appearances may be deceiving. Someone is desperate to keep their secrets hidden, and Leah and Jon must face their greatest fears in order to stop the next fatal strike.

My Review:

published in 2019

A riveting police procedural. There’s tension in every scene as we scramble to figure out who is behind the recent murders in Galveston. And we see it all from a boots-on-the-ground viewpoint through Leah and Jon. I love being able to work the case right along side the hero and heroine in a suspense novel, and this one is written so well.

The pacing is perfection. Mills knows how to build suspense and keep a reader anxious for more. The nuances in every interview, the frustration of not being given the complete truth, the determination to dig deeper and put seemingly random pieces together…my brain got quite the workout and I’m feeling rather smug about figuring some things out before Leah and Jon did.

I quite enjoyed the low key approach to the romance. This is the first time Leah and Jon have been partnered together, though they are acquainted. And they are both snipers which is all kinds of interesting and brings an edginess to their relationship just because of the way they handle that aspect of their job. This isn’t a fall madly in love at first sight kind of romance, rather, it develops from mutual respect, to attraction and to the idea of exploring something more. All in keeping with the rigours of their caseload and desperate bid to stop a killer.

They are both struggling with the idea of trusting a God they know very little about and their combined faith journeys added an extra dimension to the story.

I listened to the audible edition expertly narrated by Cynthia Ferrell and was enthralled right to the end.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone with a .com kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or gift card for ebook or audible.ca edition

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Fatal Strike, 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 May 13, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

The Baby Inheritance + Giveaway

An infant in need…but she’s a package deal.

After the tragic loss of his best friends, rancher Drew Morgan willingly accepts guardianship of their six-month-old baby — until he learns big-city professor Sadie Ross has temporary custody as well. Opposites in every way, the pair now has eight weeks together on Drew’s ranch to decide who will become the permanent parent. Could this makeshift family turn into something real…before the deadline is up?

Lazy M Ranch ; Book 1

My Review:

Tina Radcliffe made me cry. There was this one part towards the end where Sadie’s situation, and her inner thoughts, well, they just hit me hard and I blubbered like a baby. Luckily Gramps gave Drew a good talking to and that crisis moment didn’t last long, but, phew, I felt every pang in the duration.

So much to love about this new Radcliffe release! Like it’s the first in a series and Drew has a bunch of cowboy brothers so I’m thinking they are going to find themselves on their own happily-ever-after journey. Yeehaw!!!

Also, the secondary characters!!! This author somehow makes them come alive in the same way she does her hero and heroine, even though they don’t have the same amount of page time. When they do though, wow, it makes an impact. Laughter and tears and warm fuzzies galore. Gus (Gramps) and Bess (housekeeper) are two of my favourites and I’m looking forward to meeting up with them in future books.

This is kind of a forced proximity romance because Sadie temporarily moves to the ranch while she and Drew figure out the guardianship details for little Mae. So they are pushed together as they care for the infant and the two couldn’t be more different!

Drew’s pretty easy going ’cause caring for calves gives him an edge, right? Snort! Sadie is totally freaked out with zero childcare experience of any kind. And she’s a list making, book researching organizer which definitely clashes with Drew’s laid back attitude. Lots of fun watching them work together, learning to compromise and discovering an unexpected attraction that seems doomed from the start. Because Sadie is a college professor in Tulsa and Drew is a small-town rancher.

All kinds of awesomesauce from start to finish. The kind of romance that leaves you basking in the warmth of bibliophile delight with a silly grin on your face. 🙂

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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) winner’s choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Baby Inheritance, 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 May 6, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Memory Lane + Giveaway

After surviving a trauma several years back, Remy Reed relocated to a cottage on one of Maine’s most remote islands. She’s arranged her life just the way she wants it, spending her time working on her wood sculptures and soaking in the beauty of nature. It’s quite and solitary — until the day she spots something bobbing in the ocean.

Her binoculars reveal the ‘something’ to be a man, and he’s struggling to keep his head above water. She races out to save him and brings him into her home. He’s injured, which doesn’t detract from his handsomeness nor make him any easier to bear. He acts like a duke who’s misplaced his dukedom…expensive tastes, lazy charm, bossy ideas.

Remy would love nothing more than to return him to his people, but he has no recollection of his life prior to the moment she rescued him. Though she’s not interested in relationships other than the safe ones she’s already established, she begins to realize that he’s coming to depend on her.

Who is he? What happened that landed him in the Atlantic Ocean? And why is she drawn to him more and more as time goes by?

There’s no way to discover those answers except to walk beside him down memory lane.

My Review:

“God has a soft spot for those of us who feel like we we’ve been thrown onto the garage sale pile….He’s never closer to us then when we are beaten up, unloved, betrayed.”

My brain is fried, my heart is short-circuited and I’m drifting on a cloud of bibliophile euphoria right now so excuse me if this review doesn’t make any sense. 🙂

Seriously not what I expected…at all. I love Becky Wade’s storytelling and have read all of her novels, but I have to say that this first book in her new ‘Sons of Scandal‘ series is off the charts phenomenal in every way imaginable! I listened to the audible edition and highly recommend it if you love audio books. Narrators Heather Masters and Ryan Hunter do an incredible job of bringing Remy and her ‘Jonah’ to life. I was spellbound all the way through.

This is the kind of read that you can’t wait to get through because there is so much you need to know, but you also want slow down and savour every scene. Besides, what on earth will you do once it’s all over?! (Except impatiently wait until next year when the second book comes out.)

And I guess here is as good a place as any to point out that the amnesia trope is one of my least favourites. Read too many, seen it way overdone, cliched to death etc etc. But two words convinced me to give this one a try: Becky. Wade. And (is anyone surprised?) Best Amnesia story EVER!!!!! Seriously believable and anxiety inducing and so intriguing. This isn’t the ‘bam on the head one week later and your memory comes back’ kind of deal. This is agonizingly slow and soul searching and really delves into the uncertainty and complications of walking around without any concrete memories.

It’s no wonder ‘Jonah’ connects to Remy — she’s all he really knows at first. But she’s not a fan. Their romance starts out in a very humorous enemies to more kind of way. My, but that woman can hold a grudge and drag her heels and get her back up over ever little thing! (She has her reasons which are slowly revealed through the course of the story.) But ‘Jonah’ gets a kick out of her fiery attitude so it doesn’t deter him at all.

Their romance is…no words here. Complicated. Heart-rending. Toe-curling to the point of not being able to stand upright for the swoonability of some scenes.

And there’s even a mystery to add to the unputdownableness of it all!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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 – winner’s choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Memory Lane, 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 May 6, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Scent of Truth + Giveaway

An innocent suspect. A look-alike killer.

Can a K-9 team crack this case?

After Officer Colt Maxwell and his K-9 partner, Sampson, discover a body, all signs point to Brooke Stevens as the murderer. But Colt suspects someone’s framing the park ranger — and that the killer looks exactly like her. When the imposter turns her sights on Brooke, it’s up to Colt to guard her. But can they track down the truth…before innocent Brooke loses her life?

Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit

My Review:

This second book in the multi-authored Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit continuity series is full of intrigue and danger — and romance (of course!) Love that these books come out every month and especially that they are available in audio format. I have them all preordered and have to admit that this one was ‘read’ in a day since Colt and Brooke kept me company in the garden while I cleaned up and planted peas and beans. Multi-tasking at it’s finest. 🙂

Oh — and, in case you are wondering, these books can be read out of order. Each novel has it’s own unique suspense which is solved as well as a romance that ends in a happily ever after, but there is also an over-arcing suspense thread that gradually builds with each book and won’t be solved until the last story.

I’ve never personally known a bloodhound, but, if they are all like Sampson, I can see I’ve been missing out. Love the bond Colt has with his K-9 and the heart-to-hearts they share. Brings great insight into the characters of both man and beast. And Brooke is a popular topic of ‘conversation.’

Murder and mayhem have unexpectedly become the norm for Brooke as she strives to prove she’s a victim not a suspect. But, oh, it’s so complicated and twisty-turny! Luckily it doesn’t take long to convince Colt of her innocence…right about the time the attempts on her life ramp up. Great pacing and a measured approach to the romance kept me riveted right to the very last word.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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 – winner’s choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Scent of Truth, 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 May 6, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

The Art of Victory + Giveaway

Diana Donovan was raised aboard a naval ship on a steady diet of war strategy, so when her orphaned friend, Lucy, is denied a perfectly respectable love match by her controlling guardian, Diana sees an opportunity to put her battle knowledge to use in service of a deserving friend.

But Marmaduke Russell is not the middle-aged curmudgeon Diana is expecting. He is a maddeningly cool, unmarried gentleman who seems uniquely able to parry her tactics — and infuse her with even more determination to win. As battle ensues, though, it becomes clear that there may be more hearts in the balance than just Lucy’s.

My Review:

I’m a tad shy of giddy over discovering a new-to-me author writing in one of my favourite genres! And this is the first book in a new series, so what an opportune time to jump onto the Martha Keyes bandwagon! I’ll be singing her praises with gusto forevermore, because this book is that good.

An enemies to more trope written in spectacular fashion. It’s a brilliant battle of wills that is only exceeded by a battle of wits — and the two combined make for such a fun read! If I wasn’t laughing hysterically, I was furiously fanning myself and then, when things really heated up, it was all swoon and repeat until the very end. My fainting couch got a real workout so I suggest you dust yours off and check the springs before starting in on The Art of Victory. (Such a clever title too!)

So, I just checked the author’s webpage and she not only writes Regency Romances — she writes Scottish (Historical) ones too. Eeeeeepppppp!!!! I’ll be happily playing catch up for awhile.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

paperback — US, Canada, UK.

ebook — with an Amazon.com account

audible — Canada

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Art of Victory, 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 May 6, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Against the Currant + Giveaway

Investigating a murder was never on the menu…but someone’s set the table for bakery owner Lyndsay Murray to take the fall.

Little Carribbean, Brooklyn, New York: Lyndsay Murray is opening Spice Isle Bakery with her family, and it’s everything she’s ever wanted. The West Indian bakery is her way to give back to the community she loves, stay connected to her Grenadian roots, and work side by side with her family. The only thing getting a rise out of Lyndsay is Claudio Fabrizi, a disgruntled fellow bakery owner who does not want any competition. On opening day, he comes into the bakery threatening to shut them down. Fed up, Lyndsay takes him to task in front of what seems to be the whole neighbourhood. So when Claudio turns up dead a day later — murdered — Lyndsay is unfortunately the prime suspect. To get the scent of suspicion off her and her bakery, Lyndsay has to prove she’s innocent — under the watchful eyes of her overprotective brother, anxious parents, and meddlesome extended family — what could go wrong?

My Review:

I’m happing dancing over my discovery of this new cozy mystery series for so many reasons!

Love the unique Brooklyn setting. Cozies tend to be set in small towns so a metropolitan locale is quite the departure from the genre. But Matthews still manages to create that same sense of community and, well, coziness factor, within the cultural backdrop of this Little Caribbean neighbourhood.

And the close-knit Murray family is awesome! Love the way they pull together to help Lyndsay achieve her dream. And Granny’s spitfire attitude kept me grinning. As much as her words of wisdom left me pondering. Love the way the author included snippets of West Indian culture and food throughout the read. It brought an extra dimension to the story.

Lyndsay possesses all the qualities I enjoy in my amateur sleuth heroines. She’s reluctant, but determined to find a way to deflect the police’s focus on her as a primes suspect and she has to really stretch out of her comfort zone to do that. She’s more of an introvert who likes to stick close to home and family, but when’s she’s passionate about a cause — and what better cause is there than to keep herself out of jail?! — well, she’s relentless. And she also possesses a very unique talent that proves quite useful in her crime fighting. 🙂 Plus, she’s smart, but not reckless — no TSTL stunts for this heroine!

Of course, her family has her back and she picks up a few friends along the way who are ready to stand by her. In fact, the whole neighbourhood is rooting for Lyndsay! A solid mystery with so many viable suspects I had a hard time picking out just one potential killer! Love when my armchair sleuthing skills get a workout during a mystery read.

And I’m super excited because — eeeepppp — the next book in the Spice Isle Bakery Mystery series is due to come out on May 23rd! Just a month to wait before I’ll be back with Lyndsay and her clan, experiencing more murder and mayhem, Caribbean style.

*Of note: this isn’t a Christian Fiction read, but it is a clean one and Lyndsay’s life revolves around her family, her bakery and church. Plus, this is a family that prayers together.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Against the Currant, 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 April 29, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Then There Was You + Giveaway

RANDOM RETRO READ

Would you give up everything for a life you hate with the person you love?

Paige McAllister needs to do something drastic.* She’s been playing life safe and predictable for six years.* Things need to change. A moment of temporary insanity finds her leaving her life in Chicago to move to Sydney, Australia. There she finds herself , against many of her convictions, as a logistics planner to one of Australia’s biggest churches, and on a collision course with her boss’s son.

Josh Tyler fronts a top-selling worship band and is in demand all over th world. But his past failed romantic relationships almost destroyed both his reputation and his family. He’s determined to never risk it happening again. The last thing he needs is some American girl tipping his ordered life upside down. Especially one who despises everything he’s ever worked for and manages to push every button he has.

When Josh and Paige are thrown together to organize his band’s next tour, the sparks fly. But can they find a way to bridge the differences that pull them apart? Or will they choose the safety and security of what they know over taking a chance on something that will require them to risk everything?

Please note: I radically altered the beginning of this synopsis because I felt it revealed too many spoilers so I condensed things into one brief sentence bracketed by *s.

My Review:

published in 2017

Have you ever wanted to read a book but for some reason or other you keep skipping it over for something else? Until, when you finally get around to reading it, you’re all kinds of furious with yourself for waiting so long? Because it turns out that the book is so incredibly marvellous you can’t believe you’ve spent the last six years without these characters in your life? Yeah, well, Then There Was You was that kind of read for me. I mean, really, why did I wait so looonnngggg????

I’m still reeling from all the revelations in this story. And the way the author s-l-o-w-l-y exposes truths one layer at a time. The depth in characterization is phenomenal. I laughed. I cried. I gasped out loud. Loved the unexpected bursts of comedic brilliance. At one point I was yo-yoing between tears and maniacal laughter. Not a pretty sight when you’re listening to your audio book while grocery shopping. 🙂

And the inspirational aspects in this novel — I don’t even know where to start! Again, so many layers that deal with everything from personal faith to the complexities that come with ministry in a mega church. I’m kinda gobsmacked still.

Then there’s the romance. Swoonworthy? Check. Banter? Check. Fiery dialogue? Double check! Tender moments? Melt-in-a-puddle check!

An extraordinary contemporary romance filled to overflowing with faith and hope and the kind of second chances that only come through God’s divine guidance.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Then There Was You, 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 April 30, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.