Kav's Best Reads

Christy Award Finalists – Historical Fiction

What are the Christy Awards?

The Christy Award is destined to nurture creativity and quality in the writing and publishing of fiction written from a Christian worldview and showcase the diversity of genres. These 2025 finalists are books published in 2024.

How does this Giveaway work?

You select ONE of the Historical Fiction finalists you would like to receive if your name is drawn. Mention the title in a comment. If you win that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy. Here are the finalists. (I have provided links to my reviews of the books I have read.)

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

Giveaway details may vary with each book (print, ebook only or winner’s choice of either, plus audible options for Canadians.) Edition availability will be noted in bold after the title/author/publisher of each entry. ALSO NOTE: Giveaway is for US and Canada OR ebook international if you have US Kindle account.

All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee – Tyndale Publishing House – Giveaway Options: US – paperback or ebook, Canada – ebook or audible, International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account.

She was so sure she knew her family’s story . . . Now she wonders if she was wrong about all of it.

1969. When Mattie Taylor’s twin brother was killed in Vietnam, she lost her best friend and the only person who really understood her. Now, news that her mother is dying sends Mattie back home, despite blaming her father for Mark’s death. Mama’s last wish is that Mattie would read some old letters stored in a locked trunk, from people Mattie doesn’t even know. Mama insists they hold the answers Mattie is looking for.

1942. Ava Delaney is picking up the pieces of her life following her husband’s death at Pearl Harbor. Living with her mother-in-law on a secluded farm in Tennessee is far different than the life Ava imagined when she married only a few short months ago. Desperate to get out of the house, Ava seeks work at a nearby military base, where she soon discovers the American government is housing Germans who they have classified as enemy aliens. As Ava works to process legal documents for the military, she crosses paths with Gunther Schneider, a German who is helping care for wounded soldiers. Ava questions why a man as gentle and kind as Gunther should be forced to live in the internment camp, and as they become friends, her sense of the injustice grows . . . as do her feelings for him. Faced with the possibility of losing Gunther, Ava must choose whether loving someone deemed the enemy is a risk worth taking, even if it means being ostracized by all those around her.

In the midst of pain and loss two women must come face-to-face with their own assumptions about what they thought they knew about themselves and others. What they discover will lead to a far greater appreciation of their own legacies and the love of those dearest to them.

Includes discussion guide for book groupsStandalone Southern, historical family drama about enduring hope amid personal tragedyClean, suspenseful historical fiction, perfect for fans of Susan Meissner or Lisa WingateDual timeline set during the Vietnam War and WWII.

Born of Gilded Mountains by Amanda Dykes – Bethany House / Baker Publishing Group – Giveaway Options: US – paperback or ebook, Canada – ebook or audible, International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account.

When newcomer Mercy Windsor arrives in Mercy Peak in 1948 after a scandal shatters her gilded world as Hollywood’s beloved leading lady, she is determined to forge a new life in obscurity in this time-forgotten Colorado haven. She purchases Wildwood–an abandoned estate with a haunting history–and begins to restore it to its former glory.

But as she does, her every move tugs at the threads of that mountain’s lore, unearthing what became of her long-lost pen pal, Rusty Bright, and the whereabouts of the infamous Galloping Goose Engine No. 8, which vanished years ago, along with the mailbag it carried, whose contents could change the course of countless lives. Not to mention another fabled treasure that–if found–could right so many wrongs.

Among the towering mountains that stand as silent witnesses, the ghosts of the past entangle with the courage of the present to find a place where healing, friendship, and hope can abide amid a world forever changed.

The Queen’s Cook by Tess Afshar – Bethany House / Baker Publishing Group – Giveaway Options: US – paperback or ebook, Canada – paperback, ebook or audible, International: ebook if you have a US Kindle account.

In the heart of ancient Persia, the empire’s Jewish citizens face an ominous edict that threatens their very existence. Roxannah, the daughter of a once-privileged but now impoverished Persian lord, is devastated by the news. Her father sees this edict as a stroke of good fortune, an opportunity to settle his mounting debts by killing the Jewish physician, Adin, and seizing his belongings, but instead he meets his own untimely end, leaving Roxannah destitute and adrift. Desperate and determined to support her mother while settling the debt, Roxannah approaches Adin–the man whose kind eyes still haunt her–to help her find employment in Queen Esther’s kitchens.

In the opulent palace of Susa, Roxannah strives to overcome prejudice and adversity as she ascends through the ranks in the royal kitchen. Her culinary talent earns her the trust and mentorship of Queen Esther herself, a woman of grace and wisdom, who is navigating treacherous palace politics and whispers of her inability to produce an heir after six years of marriage. Amid this unfolding connection, Roxannah and Adin uncover a sinister plot against Amestris, the king’s most powerful wife and Esther’s archenemy. As secrets unravel and alliances are tested, the fate of Amestris and Esther’s reign hang in the balance.

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 25 2025 (after 12 pm) REMEMBER TO CHECK GIVEAWAY EDITION AVAILABILITY FOR EACH TITLE!

Conversations with Kav – Genre Chat + Giveaway

I thought it would be fun to talk about our favourite genres and how they came to be our favourite. Have your reading tastes changed over the years or have you always been a stalwart *insert genre here* fan?

For some strange reason, I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. Maybe because I’ve been shifting books and bookshelves again (I swear my bookshelves are shrinking! Like a shelf or two vanish with alarming regularity. Where do they go? It’s a mystery!) Anyway, I always get nostalgic and a tad contemplative when I’m organizing my shelves. Every book I touch has a story beyond the one inside – the history of how it came into my house, an author’s signature, the way just touching it can bring on the emotions I felt during the read. Okay, that sounds kinda strange, but I’m sure fellow bibliophiles will understand what I mean. 🙂

Anyway, then I got to thinking about genres and which one I’m most drawn to (hint: it’s a multiple tie) and how my preferences really haven’t changed a ton since childhood. Does that make me boring? Dependable sounds better, I am a dependable genre reader…with the exception of one. Stay tuned to find out which one.

So, I thought I would share my first ever (as far as I can remember) genre read in childhood and then when I discovered Christian Fiction….which was around 2009. If you feel like sharing your thoughts on genre preferences and first books read, I’d love to hear all about it. Bookish talk delights me! And be sure to check out the giveaway instructions at the end of this blog – it’s uniquely genre specific.

Historical Fiction

I’m thinking that my first ever historical novel has to be The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Followed closely by The Little Princess and then all of Louisa May Alcott’s books! My first Historical Romance was Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman. I remember my first swoon and toe-curls fondly. I was fourteen. The book is about a woman who falls in love with a Mountie and the challenges of following him to his postings in Northern Canada. Set in the 1800s. I remember feeling soooo grown up reading it!

My first ever Christian Fiction Historical novel was The Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen. Such exquisite storytelling. I was charmed and have read almost all of Julie’s books since. Just have the latest two Sea view Sisters books to read and I’ll be all caught up.

Contemporary Fiction

My first contemporary novel was Junket by Anne H. White. Of course, it was about a dog! And now it would be considered historical fiction because it was published sometime in the 1940s! I always loved dogs but this book brought me to a whole other level. I was officially dog crazy from the age of eight and always looked for dogs in my fiction since I never had my own until I was in my late twenties.

I’m finding it harder to exactly remember what my first Christian Fiction Contemporary novel was but one that sticks out is The Cubicle Next Door by Siri Mitchell. Humorous, great witty sarcasm but lots of emotion too. Borderline rom/com, but goes deeper.

Suspense/Mystery

Oh, my, there are so many and I really don’t know which book came first. I’m definitely a born mystery reader! I read a lot of Phyllis A Whitney’s mysteries for kids which led me to her gothic adult novels when I was in my teens. And of course, I read, reread and reread again all my Trixie Beldens! And yes, while I did read Nancy Drew and even some of the Hardy Boys and Dana Girls too, I will always choose Trixie as the best girl sleuth ever!

Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series was my introduction to Christian Fiction Suspense and I never looked back. This is truly my favourite genre, I think, since a lot of my Historical novels have elements of mystery in them as well.

Amish Fiction

I discovered Plain Girl by Virginia Sorensen in my school library when I was in grade five and I was utterly fascinated by the story of an Amish girl forced to attend public school and the challenges she faced. It was first published in the 1950s before the Amish were able to create their own school system.

I actually read quite a few Beverly Lewis Amish novels before I even realized there was such a thing as Christian Fiction. I’m pretty sure The Shunning was the first one I read. This is now my least read genre. I still enjoy a good Amish story and my library is great about getting all the big name authors’ books but I don’t reach for them as often as other genres.

Speculative Fiction

When I was a kid, Fantasy was my most read genre! Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis kicked things off, then I discovered E. Nesbitt and Five Children and It etc, and all of Edward Eager’s magic books starting with Half Magic and Canadian author Catherine Anthony Clark wrote a series of books featuring every day children entering a magical world of uniquely Canadian Indigenous myths and legends. The Golden Pine Cone was the first one. Oh and Pierre Berton’s campy, tongue-in-cheek children’s fantasy The Secret World of Og, about a group of children who tunnel their way into a secret world underneath their playhouse. Sigh, I’m getting quite nostalgic. Oh — Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series with it’s Arthurian legends. Oh — Oh — Carbonel and The Kingdom of Carbonel by Barbara Sleigh about a girl who finds a witch’s broom and a talking cat. 🙂 I could go on…but clearly, I was fantasy driven in my childhood.

But now…it’s not a genre I gravitate to anymore and that makes me sad. I think I need to find my fantasy groove again. I don’t have many Christian Fiction fantasy books on my shelves. Lisa T. Bergren’s River of Time series might be the first I read.

Time for a chat and a giveaway!

Share your thoughts about fave genres, past and present and include one title (and author) of a book from your favourite genre that you would like to win. Your name will be added to the Random Wheel of Names and if the spinner chooses you, that’s the book you will win. Of Note: Books should already be published.

Giveaway options:

US – paperback or ebook – winner’s choice

Canada – paperback or ebook – winner’s choice

International – ebooks if you have a US Kindle account

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 25 2025

October Giveaway – Week Three

won by Patty

won by Connie Saunders

won by Kathryn

won by Kay Garrett

won by Stephanie

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:

Sunday

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!

Monday

Christy Award Finalists – Yes, it’s that time again. The Christy Award Finalists have been announced and we’re going to check them out by category every Monday. This week it’s Historical Fiction.

The Confidentiality Clause

My best friend’s brother needs help. And not just because he’s the most annoying man on the face of the earth.

Brock Jones is the definition of a workaholic. He’s constantly on his phone and barely leaves his office.

This makes everyone who loves him worry—namely, his twin and my best friend, Sutton.

She sends me to check on him, and I find out he’s worse off than anyone thinks.

He begs me not to tell Sutton his secret. I agree, but on one he lets me help him out of this mess.

Now we’re spending more time together than ever before, and my big, dumb heart is starting to fall for him.

Which can’t happen, because I need someone who’s husband material, and Brock has already said til death do us part to his job.

The Confidentiality Clause is a best friend’s brother romcom with tons of banter! It has all the sizzling chemistry you love, without the explicit scenes. Check out the fifth and final book in the More Than a Game series, a series based around four professional athletes and their agent.

My Review:

Eeeeepppp!!! I’ve been waiting for Brock’s story. ‘The Confidentiality Clause’ is the fifth book in Annah Conwell’s ‘More Than a Game’ series, though it can certainly be read as a standalone novel. I love the continuity with the guy friend group and the lovely series epilogue at the end of this last book. Such a treat for series fans!

And what an epic grand finale for the series. Ariel and Brock are…well, not exactly each other’s idea of a love match, that’s for sure! Their snarky banter is so well written. Enough snark to keep me chuckling without making it seem mean-spirited. These two have a kind of love/hate relationship from the start. Definitely opposites attract and Brock is such a grumpy workaholic that I despaired of him ever loosening up. But I hadn’t bargained on Ariel’s free-spirited determination to shake his life up a bit – for good, of course!

Conwell’s writing is smart and snappy and full of wit which makes it easy to breeze through the story. But she also excels at creating characters with emotional depth, grappling with real struggles as they try to come to grips with the kind of stuff readers can relate to. And that combination – comedy and drama – is what makes this book so riveting.

I listened to the audio edition of ‘The Confidentiality Clause’ narrated by Chelsea Kwoka and JD Tomlinson and loved every second of it! I’m finding that I really enjoy dual narrators, especially for a rom/com and these performers delivered both the humour and all the emotion perfectly. They really enhanced my listening pleasure.

My thanks to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

Christmas Jars + Giveaway

Random Retro Read

Where had it come from? Whose money was it? Was I to spend it? Save it? Pass it on to someone more needy? Above all else, why was I chosen? Certainly there were others, countless others, more needy than me…

Her reporter’s intuition insisted that a remarkable story was on the verge of the front page.

Newspaper reporter Hope Jensen uncovers the remarkable secret behind the “Christmas Jars”, glass jars filled with coins and bills anonymously left for people in need. But along the way, Hope discovers much more than the origin of the jars. When some unexpected news sets off a chain reaction of kindness, Hope’s greatest Christmas Eve wish comes true.

My Review:

published in 2005

A quick little read with a classic Christmas-y feel. And hard to review without giving away spoilers because of it’s brevity but I’ll try.

Hope is the perfect name for our heroine. By turns, she brings hope and searches for hope throughout the story, culminating in the marrying of both by the heartwarming conclusion.

Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that can rekindle lost hope and I appreciate the way Wright highlights how a simple act of kindness can snowball into an avalanche of goodwill. This story showcases how we are all connected, however tenuously and that life can come full-circle, joy overcoming despair, bringing hope to our future.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy of this book so – yay – International Giveaway. Available to readers everywhere!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Christmas Jars, 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 October 18 2025

Sandpiper Cove + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

Hope Harbor police chief Lexie Graham has plenty on her plate raising her son alone and dealing with a sudden rash of petty theft and vandalism in her coastal Oregon hometown. As a result, she has zero time for extracurricular activities–including romance. Ex-con Adam Stone isn’t looking for love either–but how ironic is it that the first woman to catch his eye is a police chief? Yet wishing for things that can never be is foolish.

Nevertheless, when Lexie enlists Adam’s help to keep a young man from falling into a life of crime, sparks begin to fly. And as they work together, it soon becomes apparent that God may have a different–and better–future planned for them than either could imagine.

Lauded by Library Journal as “a master at character development,” Irene Hannon welcomes readers back to this charming Oregon seaside village where hearts heal–and love blooms.

My Review:

published in 2017

I’m rereading the whole Hope Harbor series via audible editions and am loving Therese Plummer’s narration so much! She breathes life into these characters and heart and humour into her interpretation of Hannon’s exquisite words.

—-

There is something exceptionally delightful about Irene Hannon’s characters. There’s so much depth and intrigue in each and every one whether they are the hero and heroine or any number of secondary characters — including Clyde, the dog!

You can tell a lot about a hero by the way he treats a dog. And Clyde will tell you that Adam is a keeper. Some of my favourite scenes are between this life-battered pair. A man who has had a rough start in life and the abused dog he rescued. Both are wary of getting too close to people, finding comfort and safety in their solitude…until Lexie gets involved.

Love the unusual pairing — an ex-con and a police chief. It’s all kinds of complicated and they are their own worst enemies. Both are wounded by past tragedies and their love story doubles as a beautiful redemption story.

“You know…it’s interesting how our paths often smooth out if we give God a chance to pave the way, isn’t it?” (p 293) One of things I love most about Sandpiper Cove is the way the author has seamlessly woven an inspirational thread into the plot. Faith shines through the lives of some pretty memorable characters. Uplifting but never forced, bringing the warmth of hope to the most difficult situations.

A complex romance that sizzles right to the very last page. Stupendous addition to the Hope Harbor series…and, woohoo…Irene Hannon promises there are more books to come.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – paperback, ebook or audible — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Sandpiper Cove 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 October 11 2025

The Christmas Book Flood + Giveaway

In this charming World War II historical romance novella inspired by Jolabokaflod, Iceland’s Christmas Book Flood, an author falls in love with a man who doesn’t know he is her editor.

Iceland. December 1944. Tatiana Eliasdottir is looking forward to welcoming her niece Elea for Christmas. She’s determined to give the little girl a joyful holiday and take her mind off troubles at home. Soon, however, the publishing house where Tatiana works is flooded with orders thanks to the first issue of a seasonal book catalog. With the war causing so many shortages, Icelanders are eager to give their loved ones something that isn’t rationed, and books are the perfect solution to their dilemma.

Anders Johannsson is an editor who shares Tatiana’s love for stories. While he wishes to know her better, he’s never dared pursue more than friendship. They are first and foremost colleagues. But when Tatiana’s attempts to cheer Elea fail, Tatiana recruits him to help, a plea he can’t refuse. He is, after all, not only an editor but a beloved children’s book author and devoted uncle to his adoring nieces and nephews.

As the two creatively bring Icelandic Christmas traditions to life for Elea and frantically work to meet the demands of the publisher’s holiday rush, Tatiana finds herself increasingly drawn to kind, thoughtful Anders. But if a love is to grow between them, she will need to reveal her closely held she is the mysterious author of a popular new novel . . . and Anders is her editor.

A standalone World War II historical Christmas novella. A sweet holiday romance with a friends-to-more trope. Features a bookish heroine and hero. Christian fiction great for fans of Lynn Austin and Sarah Sundin

My Review:

I’ve been putting off writing a review of The Christmas Book Flood because I can’t seem to find the words to express not only how much I enjoyed this story, but the impact it had on me as well.

I guess I’ll start by saying it’s an epic Christmas tale destined to become a traditional read every year in my house. I’m still living with these characters a week later. In fact, I keep playing complete scenes over again in my mind and I remember so many delightful little details. To say I’m enamoured with this Christmas novella would be an understatement!

First, I’ve been totally captivated with Iceland’s book flood (Jolabokaflod) tradition since I heard about it a few years ago, so to find a story set in the year it started…well, talk about sending me into a bookish tizzy fit! And White’s talent for including historical and regional details in her stories is brilliantly done here. In particular, some epic Icelandic Christmas traditions elevated the story to a whole other level. So many rich details that completely charmed me.

And Anders! Be still my heart – a bookish hero! A rather shy and awkward one at that. And Tatiana with a delicious secret and a sweet little niece to care for over Christmas…and a secret crush on Anders. (Pssst, that crush is not one-sided!) And who can resist the romantic setting of a publishing house? Eeeepppp!!!! Not me!

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Talon David and, oh my goodness, she does an incredible job with these characters! And I appreciated hearing the Icelandic words and phrases pronounced correctly. Really brought authenticity to the storytelling and made the listen extra special.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Sadly, the book isn’t available in print anywhere as far as I can tell. 😦

US – available in ebook — winner’s choice

Canada –ebook or audible — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Christmas Book Flood, 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 October 18 2025

Christy Award Finalists – General Fiction

What are the Christy Awards?

How does this Giveaway work?

You select ONE of the General Fiction finalists you would like to receive if your name is drawn. Mention the title in a comment. If you win that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy. Here are the finalists. (I have provided links to my reviews of the books I have read.)

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

Between the Sound and Sea by Amanda Cox – Revell/Baker Publishing Group – Giveaway Options: US – paperback or ebook, Canada – ebook or audible, International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account.

Every family has its secrets. Josephina Harris wouldn’t mind if her family still had a few of their own after a lawsuit tarnishes their name. When an opportunity opens to become a temporary keeper of a decommissioned lighthouse on a North Carolina island, she jumps at the chance to escape her small town to oversee its restoration.

As the work begins, “Joey” discovers strange notes tucked deep in the crevices of the old stone walls–pages torn from a lighthouse keeper’s log signed by someone named Mae who recounts harrowing rescues at sea. Fascinated by a woman lighthouse keeper, Joey digs into the past only to discover there’s never been a record of a lighthouse keeper by that name.

When things start to go amiss on the island, locals are convinced that it is the ghost of the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who were lost at sea during World War II. As Joey sifts through decades of rumors and legends and puts together the pieces of the past, what emerges is a love story–one that’s not over yet.

Multiple Christy Award winner Amanda Cox is your guide upon the raging seas of young love, heartbreaking loss, and learning to risk it all for a chance at happiness in this timeless novel.

Bitter and Sweet by Rhonda McKnight – Thomas Nelson – Giveaway Options: US – paperback or ebook, Canada – paperback or ebook or audible, International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account.

Two sisters at a crossroad in life find the answers to their problems in the lessons from the past…

Mariah never pretended her marriage was perfect but that didn’t mean she ever suspected her husband of ten years would not only ask for a divorce but steal the business she built for them. Defeated and depressed, she’s not sure how to bounce back from the manipulative betrayal. Sabrina has been self-destructing for years, maybe since she was born, but certainly since the death of her long-time boyfriend. Barely scraping by and living in her van, she’s struggling to figure out what’s next for her, when all she’s ever wanted to do is bake cakes like her mother did.

When Mariah and Sabrina’s grandmother sends them a cryptic text message summoning them to Georgetown, South Carolina, both assume their ailing grandfather’s health has declined. Instead, the estranged sisters are faced with their grandmother’s undeniable request–save the family restaurant. Through letters written by their great-great-grandmother, Tabitha, Mariah and Sabrina learn a heartbreaking yet powerful story of struggle and survival. As the whole truth about Tabitha’s complicated past unfolds, the sisters are inspired by her ability to forge her own way in Charleston, a beautiful and prosperous city that was also rife with oppression under Jim Crow.

With the lessons in their family’s past guiding them, both sisters have a chance at a different life–if they can find a way to bridge the gap that tragedy and unhealed trauma forced between them. Told in a dual timeline that alternates between the 1920s and present-day Charleston, SC, Bitter and Sweet is an emotional story about love, one family’s perseverance, and the bonds of family and heritage. https://kavsbestreads.ca/2024/06/11/bitter-and-sweet-giveaway/

Lowcountry Lost by T. I. Lowe – Tyndale House – Giveaway Options: US – paperback or ebook, Canada – ebook or audible, International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account.

Sometimes what haunts you most is wondering what could have been . . . Avalee Elvis prides herself with being able to fix just about anything. . . except her past. Unable to put the puzzle of her life together, she pours heart and soul into making neglected places whole again. As the owner of Lowcountry Lost, Avalee spends her days in hot-pink Carhartt overalls and a tool belt reclaiming Lowcountry properties. Making them beautiful again releases the deep sigh that soothes the hurt she holds.

Avalee’s latest project takes her to tiny Somewhere, South Carolina, a long-abandoned town. She ignores its ghostly folklore but can’t miss the shock of hearing the familiar Irish brogue that materializes on the job site–the voice of the man she never wanted to see again.

Rowan Murray is a structural engineer hired by investors to oversee the redevelopment of the quaint downtown Avalee is bringing back to life. Once upon a time, he was also the man who knew Avalee better than anyone else–or so he thought. Turns out he was wrong. Neither of them was prepared for what happened between them six years ago. But as they work together to complete the rehabbing of Somewhere, their broken pieces and the pain that nearly consumed them begin to lose its grip, and both begin to wonder if it’s not too late for a restoration of their own.

From the author of the breakout Southern fiction bestseller Under the Magnolias comes a story of loss and abandonment, forgiveness, and the beauty of undying love. https://kavsbestreads.ca/2024/11/08/lowcountry-lost/

The Way Back by Heidi Chiavaroli – Hope Creek Publishers – Giveaway Options: US – paperback or ebook, Canada – paperback, ebook or audible, International – ebook if you have an US Kindle account.

Young love means everything… until it leaves you with nothing.

The summer before her senior year of high school, Laney Jacobs and her best friend jump from a six-story beachside cliff in an attempt to impress their boyfriends. Laney rose from the water. Her friend did not.

Six years later, when Laney’s troubled mother’s memoir hits the bestseller list airing the family’s destructive secrets, Laney is forced to relive the trauma, this time in the public eye. To escape the scrutiny, she seeks shelter at her estranged grandmother’s seaside inn. But she can’t reconcile the loving woman with the heartless parent in her mother’s book. As she looks for answers, the ex-boyfriend who’d witnessed her darkest days reappears, stirring up both pain and hope.

When her mother’s vindictive fans threaten her grandmother’s livelihood and the lighthouse Laney has come to love, she turns to the century-old words of a young lighthouse keeper to help her find the courage to move forward. But once truths from the past come to light and old love finds new beginnings, will Laney discover that forgiveness is the only way toward true healing?

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 18 2025 (after 12 pm) REMEMBER TO CHECK GIVEAWAY EDITION AVAILABILITY FOR EACH TITLE!

Conversations With Kav – First Sentence Fun + Giveaway

True Confession: I have a library problem. A BIG problem! Like a 44 Books Checked Out problem. Partly because it seems to just happen that a bunch of holds come in at the same time, but largely because I can’t resist browsing the bookshelves and adding to my growing collection.

Then I get home and I add them to my mountain of a TBR pile and promptly start to feel overwhelmed. Then, when it’s time for a new read I cautiously approach the pile and spend an hour browsing through all the books trying to decide what to read next. I like to read and rate the first sentence of all the books and choose the one that intrigues me the most.

It can take ages to narrow it down to the ‘winning’ book. I look for a first sentence that beguiles me, leaves me with a question or sparks intrigue. A sentence that makes me want to read more. So I did that today after I came home from my third library visit this week (I just can’t stay away!) And I spent way too long winnowing down my first sentence hopefuls only to become stymied by indecision when I pared the pile down to seven books. Groan! (And, yes, I could have read a whole book with the time I’ve spent trying make this monumental decision!)

So, I had a brilliant idea! Why don’t I let YOU choose my next read for me? Just read the seven first sentences below and and vote for the one you find most appealing in a comment. I’ll tally the answers up and the sentence with the most votes will be the book I read next. And I’ll be able to return at least one book to the library next week! Yay! 🙂

Nine PM and time for me to head to bed…with a book, of course! So I thought I’d update these first sentences with their matching titles in case some of you won’t be able to sleep tonight for not knowing! Bwahahaha!

One

This Great Water will be my sepulcher.

Tempest at Annabel’s Lighthouse by Jaime Jo Wright

Two

It was a strangely calm morning in March, with no wind off the dales, when the woman I assumed to be my mother slipped into the shop.

The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House by Joanna Politano

Three

So this is how it feels to be near death and utterly alone.

Indigo Isle by T.I. Lowe

Four

Bleak. The weather, her mood, her life.

The Seaside Homecoming by Julie Klassen

Five

What had I done?

The Vanished by Cara Putman

Six

Strange how an empty room could be haunted by sound, especially a sound as whispery and distant as the shiff of sand between the bowls of an hourglass.

The Atlas of Untold Stories by Sara Brunsvold

Seven

I was only eight years old when my aunts cursed me.

Truth Cursed by Angie Dickinson

Questions, I Have Questions (and a Giveaway)

I’m curious: are you a library user? How many books do you have checked out at time?
How do you choose what will be your next read?
Do you pay attention to the lure (or not) of first sentences?

And, of course there’s a giveaway.

Leave your vote (#1-#7) in a comment below and join in the conversation to be entered in a draw for:

US – $10 Baker Bookhouse e-gift card
Canada – $10 Amazon or Indigo e-gift card

Draw will be held and winner announced on

Saturday October 18 2025.

October Giveaway – Week Two

A bit of housekeeping before I announce the giveaway winners:

Canada has had another postal strike – started a week and a half ago but it’s over now. A full on strike is being replaced by rotating regional strikes so the post office is open again but the mail may take a bit longer to reach you. I’m guessing more like two weeks rather than the usual 4-7 days.

I’m discovering wildly fluctuating pricing on books recently – even more than before – so please remember to check what kind of edition is available for your country before entering a giveaway.

Also, for newbies here or even ‘oldies’ who have created a new WP account, your first comment under your new sign-in will be held back for approval by moi. I try to remember to check regularly, usually at least once a day, so don’t worry if you don’t see your comment right away. No need to try again…I’ll click ‘approve’ eventually, hopefully sooner than later. 🙂 I’ve put a sticky note on my computer that says ‘check for pending comments’ to remind me.

And, just a reminder: Best Reads Holiday Bingo begins On Monday October 13 (Canadian Thanksgiving) and runs until Friday November 27 (American Thanksgiving.) and an FYI: my title for this Bingo challenge might be a bit misleading. The books do not have to be holiday stories. There’s just one Christmas prompt so that’s the only holiday mentioned. There are two seasonal prompts – autumn and winter – but those stories can be set any time during those seasons so not specifically around Thanksgiving or Christmas. Hope that clarifies things. Oh – and feel free to double/triple etc up on prompts with one book. Happy Reading!

won by Kim