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Reader’s Choice Bonus Round Giveaway

Well, wasn’t last week a whirlwind of bookish delight?! So many great books to add to our spring reading lists! Except, guess what? I found more! Extra titles that still need to be added to our TBRs. So, I thought I’d list them here (with very brief descriptions — usually just a tag line unless the blurb was really short) and for this giveaway you can pick one book. Add it in a comment (or in an email, kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca) and if your name is drawn, that’s the book you’ll win. So, yeehaw, let’s get started on this

Reader’s Choice Bonus Round Giveaway

Memories of the Heart by Valerie M. Bodden : A series of heartbreaking losses have left Simeon and Abigail’s marriage in shambles. But can God rebuild it even stronger than they remember? (indie; April 25)

Holding Onto Hope by Janet W. Ferguson : A fun road trip romance to the Grand Tetons. Always the wedding planner, never the bride. (indie; April 1)

The Beach Reads Bookshop by Lee Tobin McClain : Running a bookshop on a quaint Chesepeake island is exactly the life Deena Clarke would have chosen for herself — but helping billionaire businessman Luis Dominguez figure out fatherhood is part of the package. Can bonding over books and one little girl help them open their hearts to each other? (HQN; April 25, Hometown Brothers;3)

Shadow Dancing by Jennifer Sienes : Wading through grief is like dancing with shadows….When you’re dancing with shadows who gets to lead? (Celebrate Lit Publishing; April 18, Bedford County;2)

Loving Lydia by Susan Pope Swan : Two Southerners thrown together by the Union army. He’s on a quest for vengeance. She’s determined to preserve her family. (Wild Heart Books; April 25, Rescued Hearts of the Civil War;2)

The Title Wave by Chautona Havig : All he wants to do is help people, but local women want to help themselves…to him! (Celebrate Lit Publishing; April 25; Sumalie Islands;3 (multi-authored series)

Expired Hope by Megan Being (inspired by Lisa Phillips) : She battled every fire she ever faced. He’s risking everything for the chance to belong. (Sunrise Publishing; April 25; Last Chance Fire and Rescue ; 2)

A Green and Vibrant Hope by Valerie Comer : A small-town Christian Romance. She thinks he’s arrogant. He thinks she’s flaky. Two bad they need each other…What will it take to get them to see into each other’s hearts and grasp a green and vibrant hope? (Indie; May 6; Farm Fresh Market ; 2)

In Feast or Famine by Mesu Andrews : Thrust into an arranged marriage, the daughter of ancient Egypt’s high priest plays a pivotal role in Jospeh’s biblical narrative in this powerful novel from the award-winning author of Potiphar’s Wife. (Waterbrook; May 9; The Egyptian Chronicles ; 2)

Finding Her Frontier Home by Louise M. Gouge : A ranch out west could be the home she’s longed for. (Love Inspired Historical; May 23)

Wagon Train Baby by Rhonda Gibson : They came together for an orphaned child…will they stay together for love? (Love Inspired Historical; May 23)

Beneath a Peaceful Moon by Debby Lee : Mary’s language skills could help end the war in the Pacific. Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this series celebrates the unsung heroes — the heroines of WWII. (Barbour; May 31; Heroines of WWII; 10 multi authored series of standalone novels)

Love Somebody Like You by Carolyn Miller : For Lexi Franklin, returning to Trinity Lakes feels a little like running home with her tail between her legs. But what’s a girl to do when her life has been turned upside down on the other side of the world?…Jackson Reilly has his own set of troubles. Will he be able to save his ranch, and his hopes and heart, before Lexi returns to Australia? (Indie; June 27; Trinity Lake Romance ; 5)

The Lies We Believe by Lisa Harris : A gripping psychological thriller. The book blurb is way too long and there’s no tagline so I’ll give it a go. A single mother who works at home as a security analyst starts forgetting things…and then seeing things…and then her daughter disappears! The hero is a SOG team member tasked with tracking down a group of endangered children…(Indie; June 28; Shadow Stalkers ; 1)

The Courteous Cad by Catherine Palmer : On her tour of the English countryside, a chance encounter on the streets alerts Miss Prudence Watson to the inhumane working conditions at the worsted mill. She learns that the owner is William Sherbourne, a Royal Naval officer just returned from sea. Following in his wake is his reputation as a cad and a secret so ghastly he’ll do anything to protect it. Even worse, he’s handsome and charming and not at all the villain Prudence expected him to be. (Tyndall House; June 20)

One Southern Summer by Heidi McCahan : It’s her second chance summer…if she’s ready for it — in this warm and utterly irresistible Southern small-town novel. ( my input: includes three generations of strong Southern women and some grandmotherly interference. keep!) (Love Inspired Trade; June 27)

So, there you have it — lots to choose from. I know what’s caught my eye, how about you? Leave a comment below with the title you’d like to win and we’ll see what happens come Saturday. (and look at me getting fancy with my photo placements! Snicker!)

March Giveaway — Week Two

WON BY TRACEY HAGWOOD

WON BY MELISSA ANDRES

WON BY BECKY

WON BY PAM K.

WON BY WINNIE

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

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

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK’S GIVEAWAYS:

Please read the giveaway options written in red noted under “Giveaway Opportunity” in each blog post as formats will vary.

Paperback or ebook — winner can choose either format

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

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

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

Beneath His Silence + Giveaway

Will seeking justice lead to her own demise?

A Gothic Style Regency Romance from a promising young author

Second daughter of a baron — and a little on the mischievous side — Ella Pemberton is no governess. But the pretence is a necessity if she ever wishes to get inside of Wychkhorn Manor and attain the truth. Exposing the man who killed her sister is all that matters.

Lord Sedgewick knows there’s blood on his hands. Lies have been conceived, then more lies but the price of truth would be too great. All he has left now is his son — and his hatred. Yet as the charming governess invades his home, his safe cocoon of bitterness begins to tear away.

Could Ella, despite the lingering questions of his guilt, fall in love with such a man? Or is she falling prey to him — just as her dead sister?

My Review:

Well, I’m gobsmacked by this debut novel! Very Jane Eyre-esque with Gothic undertones. Lots of emotional angst and high drama that peaks by the end. And so much character growth! Which is a good thing because Ella’s obsession with seeking vengeance over her sister’s death was a bit hard to take in the beginning. She is full of self-righteous indignation and preconceived assumptions based on her late father’s consuming hatred. And now she feels compelled to carry on his crusade to destroy Lord Sedgewick.

If you like brooding heroes you will definitely be drawn to poor Henry. He fits the Mr. Rochester archetype — with one major difference. Henry constantly leans into his faith. Imperfectly, maybe, because he still struggles with bitterness and unforgiveness but he never turns away from God. Very realistic and relatable.

So, Ella arrives at Wychkhorn Manor under false pretences, intent on exposing the dark truth about Lord Sedgewick. She isn’t prepared to fall in love with her young charge — the nephew she’s never met before (gah, and I wanted to know why — the family had no contact with the older sister, didn’t even attend the wedding and that was never explained. My mind is working overtime thinking up credible possibilities.) Of course, Ella is about as ungovernessy a governess as they come. She’s also opinionated and impulsive which makes for some interesting cutting-edge banter. And I do so love great banter in my Regencies!

Very much an enemies to more trope and I love the way the author developed the relationship that grows between Henry and Ella. It’s all two steps forward, one step back and full of self-doubts and erroneous assumptions. You never met two more reluctant would-be-lovers! And I enjoyed every second!

And the Manor had a character all its own. Steeped in tragedy and hiding so many secrets! I was on tenterhooks the whole read trying to piece everything together. From the closed mouth servants to Ella’s feelings of being watched, to…well, I can’t say any more without posting spoilers…but, eeeeppp, deliciously mysterious.

I listened to the audible edition of Beneath His Silence and enjoyed Anna Flosnik’s narration. Her performance enhanced the Gothic vibes and kept me riveted.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Beneath His Silence, 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 March 11, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

A New Year and a New Blog

Welcome to Best Read’s new blogging home. For those of you who have been following me over the last — gasp! – twelve years — on blogger, I hope you enjoy the new digs and have patience with my extremely non-techy self as I continue to figure things out here. It’s been quite the learning curve and I have to admit that I’ve only gotten this far by happenstance so bear with me as this site will continue to change as I figure things out. Like how to add a subscribe button! And tags etc. So, we might be bare bones in these early days. But, the comments should work…hooray!

The blog’s official debut will be on Wednesday February 1, 2023 and will feature the first book review and giveaway of the year. Woohoo! Until then I’ll continue tinkering around behind the scenes and try to spruce things up a bit…once I figure out what a widget is and what the difference between categories and tags are and…

In the meantime…Happy Reading everybody!