Critical Error + Giveaway

One decision changed his life. 

Nathan Hollister nearly died in a war zone and the experience made one thing crystal clear—breaking off his engagement was a terrible mistake. He arrives at his ex’s ranch to make amends, but gunfire erupts before he can. 

Someone wants her dead. 

Cassie Miles is used to being abandoned, first by her mother and then Nathan. But when an attempt is made on her life, she can’t protect herself and the horses she’s rehabilitating. Accepting Nathan’s help is the only answer.   

A hazardous mission. 

Nathan won’t let anyone harm Cassie. Convincing her to give him a second chance, however, is impossible. As the danger creeps closer, the risk heightens. One critical error could cost Nathan everything…again. 

My Review:

published in 2021

An emotional edge-of-your-seater!

Though this is the second book in the ‘Triumph Over Adversity’ series, it reads really well as a standalone. The books are based around ex-military friends who bonded in the VA hospital and are now easing into civilian life. Shannon has captured the kind of brotherhood that continues beyond enlistment which is a huge draw for me. These guys are facing real challenges, both personal and through the dangerous situations they find themselves in. And, keep in mind, romance can be every bit as scary as a stalker! Just saying’. 🙂

So, we have reunion romance with a rescue horse ranch for a setting! Can it get any better than that? Well, actually, yes it can when you throw in some edgy suspense full of gasp-out-loud, cringe-and-duck moments!

Nathan arrives at Cassie’s ranch to serve up some humble pie. What he did back in the day…oy…Nathan, you had to work hard to regain my trust! Cassie is still mad and hurt and unforgiving and he gets that. He’s never stopped loving her but he isn’t hoping for a second chance. He just wants to make things as right as they can be but before he can even begin grovelling, he’s swept into a frantic scene of gunfire and mayhem.

Once he discovers that Cassie is battling an unknown assailant who has been relentlessly harassing her…well, Nathan appoints himself her bodyguard. Anyone enjoy the forced proximity trope? I sure do and this one plays out beautifully.

Intense. Breathtaking. Pretty much unputdownable…or unstoppable since I listened to the audio edition courtesy of Chirp. An exciting marathon ‘read’ that was over all too soon. Luckily there are more books in the series for me to binge on!

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 Critical Error, 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 August 5, 2023.

The Last Chance Cowboy + Giveaway

With danger drawing ever closer, their only hope of saving their futures lies in each other.

As a midwife, Catherine Remington is successful in bringing new life into the world, but she’s failed one too many times in finding true love. When she’s accused of a murder she didn’t commit, she’s forced to flee to Colorado to honor a patient’s dying wish by delivering a newborn infant to his father.

The repentant prodigal Dylan McQuaid is finally back in Fairplay. As sheriff, he’s doing his best to prove to the town he’s a changed man and worthy of their trust. When a woman shows up with an infant son he didn’t know he had, Dylan is left with only complicated choices on what to do next.

Having grown attached to Dylan’s son, Catherine doesn’t want to part ways with the infant, but what she doesn’t bargain for is how easily she’ll fall for the charming sheriff, or how quickly the past will catch up with her and put their love and lives in danger.

My Review:

Oh my! Still fanning myself from that ending…if Dylan says ‘darlin’ like that one more time I’d have melted into a puddle on the floor. As it is, I’ll have to refit my fainting couch with new springs from all the swooning I did while reading ‘The Last Chance Cowboy.’

And if I wasn’t swooning I was near fainting from the tension and angst and all those twists and turns! My cardiovascular system got a great workout with this read! 🙂

Dylan is a wonderful flawed hero who is making a mighty change in his life. His faith is renewed and this is one powerful redemption story along with hair-raising adventure and toe-curling romance.

And Catherine — what a wildly serendipitous coincidence that I am binge watching the last two season of ‘Call the Midwife’ right now while reading about a midwife heroine. Different eras and even countries, but I’ve always been fascinated by midwifery so that made Catherine all the more special to me. She’s spunky and caring and determined to do right despite the chaos that suddenly surrounds her. Gah, but there were some edge-of-your seat moments in this novel! And I loved every second.

Love the subtitle for this novel on Amazon: ‘A Western Secret Baby Historical Romance with a Sheriff.’ Bwahahaha! That about sums this one up. Oh, and in case you’re worried, the secret baby isn’t Catherine’s.

An epic conclusion to the Colorado Cowboys series which would make me all kinds of sad except the author is starting up a spin-off series about Colorado Cowgirls so there’s that to look forward to. Phew!

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 edition

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Last Chance Cowboy, 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 August 5 , 2023.

Threat Detection + Giveaway

Can a K-9 team stop an assailant with a deadly plan?

When someone shoots at volcanologist Aubrey Smith on Mount St. Helens, it’s up to K-9 officer Isaac McDane to protect her even though she broke his heart a decade ago. But as people keep dying and signs point to Aubrey’s sister being involved or the next potential victim, they’ll have to work together to track down the killer before he finishes his hit list.

Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit

My Review:

This is the fifth instalment of the Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit series and things are really amping up with both the over-arcing suspense plot and a few intriguing subplots which have me all in a dither and anxious to get a hold of the next book asap. Luckily, since they release monthly I only have a few weeks to wait.

This is a multi-authored continuity series but each book reads fine as a standalone too. Each author does a great job of sharing pertinent details which are great refreshers for the stalwart series fans and perfect catch-ups for the newbie reader. And, of course, each book has its own romantic suspense plot that comes to a satisfactory conclusion.

In Isaac and Aubrey’s case, that means Reunion Romance, one of my all time favourite tropes. These two have History with a capital H and Dunn does a fantastic job of feeding us tidbits in measured doses which kept me on edge until I had the whole picture. Cue angst and yearning and buried feelings coming back to life. Excellent romance!

And the suspense is just as intense! Love the way the tension builds, between escalating attacks and trying to puzzle out the clues before the killer actually succeeds. I was riveted from start to finish.

And — hooray — this is another Love Inspired Suspense that is available in audio format and you can bet I had it downloaded and ‘read’ by the end of release day!

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 Threat Detection, 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 August 5 , 2023.

August New Releases Giveaway!

HELLO AUGUST!
Photo by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.com

It’s a new Best Reads blog tradition! Celebrating the month’s new releases the first week of each month.

WHY?

Because I recently discovered that a book’s success or failure is often determined by first month sales! (Though I bet preorders play into that as well.) Publishing houses look at those stats to determine whether they’ll add on to a series or accept the author’s next manuscript! All that literary goodness hanging in the balance but for a month’s worth of sales! (This was a cozy mystery author, but I imagine all traditional publishers use the same ‘system’.) So, I thought I should do my wee little bit to promote Christian Fiction.

HOW?

By hosting a special “Hello — insert month” giveaway. It’s easy to play along. You just have to choose one of the August 2023 new releases on your TBR wishlist (must be Christian Fiction) and mention the title in a comment below (or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca.) If your name is drawn, that August release is the book you will win and we’re one book count closer to keeping our fave authors in business.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO:

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 (if available) – winner’s choice

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 5 2023.

Carol Awards Semi-Finalists 2023 – Romantic Suspense + Giveaway

First off — what exactly are the Carol Awards?

They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2023 finalists are books published in 2022. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.

How does this giveaway work?

You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2023 — Romantic Suspense Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.

Of Note: In past years, ACFW has announced the three finalists of each category in June and then the winners during their annual Writer’s Conference in late August/early September. This year they’ve switched it up and have announced seven semi-finalists in each category which will be whittled down to three finalists the first day of the conference at the end of August and then the winners in each category will be announced on the final day of the conference. So., with only two days in between the finalist announcements and the winner announcements, we’re going to have to go with wading through the seven semi-finalists so these weekly giveaways are going to be lengthy. Sorry about that. And now here are the Romantic SuspenseSemi-Finalists.

Targeted Witness by Jacquelin Adam; Love Inspired Suspense — paperback or ebook giveaway —

A witness under protection.

A serial killer out for revenge.

After the killer she identified finds her in witness protection, artist Cassie Whitfield must go on the run to avoid becoming the next victim. But there’s nobody she can trust—except her ex-boyfriend, former FBI agent Ryan Matherson, who doesn’t know her real identity. Now telling him the deadly truth is her only option if she wants to stay alive…

Read and reviewed: https://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/2022/12/targeted-witness.html

Covert Danger (Guardians Unleashed;2) by Jerusha Agen; Indie — paperback or ebook —

A K-9 protection team. An assassin. Only one can survive.

An assassin is on the loose in the Twin Cities, aiming to kill FBI witnesses the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency is hired to protect. Rogue CIA agent Amalia Pérez and her protection K-9 must get the edge on this deadly opponent before he kills her childhood best friend—the only man who knows her true identity.

Investigative journalist Michael Barrett can’t believe his eyes when the woman he’s spent years searching for walks back into his life. But he soon fears the woman he loved is lost forever beneath the secrets Amalia wears like armor.
As the assassin closes in, Amalia will risk anything to keep Michael safe—anything except believing in the God he trusts. When the layers of deception become as dangerous as bullets, can Amalia and Michael uncover the truth in time to stop the assassin from completing his lethal mission?

Honor’s Refuge (Love and Honor; 3) by Hallee Bridgeman; Revell (Baker Publishing Group) — paperback or ebook giveaway —

When she was just five years old, Melissa Braxton watched her father take her mother’s life. Separated from her sister, Lola, at that time, Melissa grew up with a strong desire to help those stuck in abusive relationships. It’s why she became a family therapist and opened a domestic abuse shelter.

After losing a leg to a gunshot wound in the line of duty, Phil Osbourne has felt like a man without a purpose–until he hears Melissa’s story and decides to use his Special Forces contacts to track down her missing sister. He knows what he discovers will break Melissa’s heart. What he doesn’t realize is that helping the women reunite will bring the cartel down on them like the Category 5 hurricane striking Miami.

Bruised yet not quite broken, Melissa and Phil battle the storm and the cartel, calling on strength they didn’t know they had to escape death, save the innocent, and–just maybe–find healing in each other’s arms.

Word of Honor (Love and Honor; 2) by Hallee Bridgeman; Revell (Baker Publishing Group) — paperback or ebook giveaway —

FBI Special Agent Lynda Cutler is investigating an ecoterrorist organization in the Alaskan wilderness when her partner is taken captive and murdered before her very eyes. The only person who can identify the key players, Lynda gets assigned to take part in a joint operation in Istanbul to take the organization down.

As a woman in a Muslim country, she’ll find it much easier to move around undetected with a fake husband. Unfortunately for her, the man assigned to play the role is none other than US Army weapons specialist Bill Sanders–the man who crushed her heart into a million pieces back in college.

With a cargo bay’s worth of hurt and baggage between them, these two consummate professionals must play their parts perfectly if they hope to stop those responsible for bombing oil pipelines, killing innocent civilians, and threatening to destabilize the oil markets. But love long buried has a way of resurfacing at the most inopportune times–and protecting Lynda has become Bill’s primary focus.

Facing the Enemy by Paige Edwards; Covenant Communications — paperback or ebook giveaway —

Lady Elise Henderson lives two separate lives. At home in Scotland, she’s the titled daughter of the Marquess of Roxbury, an heiress in her own right. In London, however, she’s Elise Taylor, a top MI6 operative for the “home office.” But when a devastating accident threatens to end her career, Elise is left with far too much time for self-reflection and the regret of a decision made long ago that features one man: fellow MI6 agent Harry Benson.

Harry Benson, the son of servants, has loved Elise for the better part of a decade. But life took them on separate journeys until their worlds converged once more. An immediate assignment to the Scottish Borders leaves Harry little time to make provisions for his small, rambunctious son, Sammy. Harry knows only one person he can rely on for the boy’s care—Elise. When Elise brings Sammy to her ancestral estate, she never imagines that a nemesis from her past looms in the shadows, hungry for revenge. Stalked at every turn, Elise and Harry discover that fighting their feelings for one another is futile, but can they survive long enough to get another shot at true love?

Battlefield of Deceit (Faith in the Parks;5) by J. Carol Nemeth; Winged Publications — paperback or ebook giveaway —

A diary on loan to the museum.
An old Civil War house on the edge of the battlefield.
Could these two things be connected?

Gettysburg National Military Park historian, Chloe Rogers, begins her research into both: to prepare for a donor event and to discover if it can be restored for public viewing. Chloe and her fellow historian, Clifford Weston, discover a virtual Pandora’s box in the cellar beneath the house revealing more questions than answers. Park policeman, Blake Hunter, becomes embroiled in the old house mystery but gives Chloe cause for concern when her widowed heart responds to his attentions. She’s simply not ready to move on. Is she?

When unwelcome things begin to occur, they realize they have to discover who’s behind them and soon. Will Chloe find the answers in a packet of old letters discovered in the cellar? Then there are the unexplained footsteps…

Defending Honor (Elite Guardians ; 3) by Kelly Underwood; Sunrise Publishing — paperback or ebook giveaway —

She’ll have to pretend to save his life…but what will it cost her heart?

Laila Rabbinowitz is all business. Tough and stoic, she was the perfect Mossad agent…until a terrible betrayal led to her worst nightmare. Being a bodyguard with the Elite Guardians allows her to keep her heart safe—she’ll never let anyone close enough to betray her again. And she’s certainly not going to trust anyone who doesn’t earn it.

Billionaire and former playboy Preston Whittaker walked away from his famous family after a terrible event, but then his father and brother are killed in a suspicious boating accident. Since he’s next in line to helm the family business, now someone wants him dead.

Preston needs someone by his side 24/7, and the only solution is a fake marriage. In order to keep him safe, Laila will have to convince everyone that she and Preston are in love. She’s used to putting her life on the line for a client. But what will this case cost her heart?

Read and Reviewed: https://kavsbestreads.ca/2023/02/20/defending-honor-giveaway/

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Please pay attention to the book formats available for this giveaway noted after the publication info for each individual title. Ebook wins are available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com kindle account. Paperbacks are available to readers in US and Canada.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of these Carol Awards semi-finalists, 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 August 5, 2023. Good luck!

Seaside Reunion + Giveaway

Random Retro Read

You can’t go home again … or can you?

After surviving a devastating tragedy, combat reporter Nate Garrison returns to the only place that ever felt like home, Starfish Bay on the Northern California coast. But his reunion with childhood friend Lindsey Collier is nothing like he’d imagined. The wary widow who runs Starfish Bay Mercantile was once the girl who made young Nate dream–of a future, of family ties, of deep roots. Now Lindsey avoids love, loss … and Nate. Yet when they join forces to save a beloved town landmark and help a hurting little boy, might they also find healing, hope–and love?

In this Carol Award finalist, Irene Hannon pens a heartfelt tale of the lasting impact of friendship, the healing power of love, and the importance of touchstones–the people, places, and experiences we measure the world against–in our lives.

My Review:

Eeeeep!!!! Just. Eeeeeeepppp!!!! This is a retro read reimagined by the author and part of her Encore Edition updated re-releases. So, the book originally published as.a Love Inspired in 2012, but, if like me, you missed the original, the author has reworked the story and released it again as an indie book. And that’s all kinds of eeeeeepppp, because Love Inspired older print editions are hard to come by…and audible editions are unheard of.

Which leads me to a whole lot more ‘eeeeppping’ because Seaside Reunion is masterfully narrated by the amazing Therese Plummer and makes for a truly sublime listening experience. I’m sooooo bibliophile giddy about these Encore Editions — especially that they are all available in audio format as well.

So, if you love Irene Hannon’s Hope Harbor series, you need to come visit Starfish Bay. It has that same sense of community, friendships and inspiration. I don’t know for sure, but I’m thinking maybe this Starfish Bay series was the inspiration for Hope Harbor.

And these characters!!! Complex, hurting, struggling to recapture their purpose after tragedy. Nate, from all that he has experienced as a combat reporter, and Lindsey trying to find her way after a tragic loss.

Both find themselves back in Starfish Bay. It’s a bittersweet homecoming for Lindsey as she works along side her father at the general store. But for Nate it’s something so much more. After enduring a less then ideal childhood, the nine months he spent in Starfish Bay in his youth are the closest thing he has ever experienced to the comforts of home. And part of that was due to his friendship with Lindsey. Only their reunion doesn’t go quite as planned.

Cue some laughter and wincing and heart hurting moments as these two struggle to find their footing among clashing wills and misunderstandings before the roots of their friendship take hold again. And then there’s hope for so much more!

Seaside Reunion is emotionally stirring, uplifting and completely riveting.

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 Seaside Reunion, 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 August 5 , 2023.

July Giveaway – Week Four

WON BY CHERYL BARKER
WON BY NORA ST LAURENT
WON BY BECKY
WON BY SANDY AVERY
WON BY MELANIE BACKUS
WON BY KIMMY

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!

Interesting little email quirk: I’ve had two instances that I know of where winners with gmail accounts send emails that just — poof, vanished into cyberspace. Or, I sent them a winner email and the same thing, poof, mysteriously disappeared. Neither of us got error notifications so we thought our emails went through…only they didn’t. So, if this happens to you, please know I’m not ghosting you! I usually send my notification of win emails out the same weekend as the giveaway draw and I order or mail books within a couple of days of receiving winner contact information. Then I email you again to let you know when to expect your win. So if all that doesn’t happen in a timely fashion for you, trying emailing me again, or give me a shout out in the comment section of any current giveaway and we’ll try to figure things out.

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:

SUNDAY
MONDAY

We’re winging our way through the 2023 Carol Awards Semi Finalists and this week its the Romantic Suspense.

TUESDAY
Photo by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.com

Can you believe it’s that time again?! July seemed to fly by and now it’s a new month which means we get to anticipate AUGUST NEW RELEASES. So, brush off your TBR list and be prepared to request one August 2023 release, and if you’re name is drawn, that’s the book you’ll win!

WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY

Explosive Truth + Giveaway

Walking the line between danger and love! Stalked by a bomber!

When Devon Thompson’s car explodes at the click of her key fob, she doesn’t want to believe she was targeted on purpose. But when the next bomb is found in her apartment, she can’t ignore the fact that someone wants her dead. Trusting Captain Rhyland Finnegan with the truth isn’t easy, but soon she realizes Rhy is an honorable man who will go above and beyond to keep her safe.

As the oldest of nine kids, Rhy has spent the ten years since his parents’ death keeping the Finnegan family together. His personal life has been on hold, until now. Keeping Devon alive is a priority, yet he can’t ignore the attraction between them….

Reviewer Note: I felt like the synopsis gave away too much of the plot — liked carried it into the last quarter of the book so I am cutting it off here. Do yourself a favour and don’t read the entire synopsis before diving into this book!

My Review:

Okay…first off…I’m a tad shy of giddy over a whole series built around a family of nine (yes NINE) siblings who all work in some sort of law enforcement or medical field. The Finnegans are all about service — both to their God and their community. And Rhy is up first, which is only fitting since he is the eldest.

Lots of action, some amazing family dynamics and the lure of sweet romance kept me fixated on this story until the very last word. Then I was all happy swoony sighs. 🙂 The romance is as fast and furious as the suspense so if you’re not a fan of insta-love, this might not be the book for you. I tend to adore my romance in a myriad of forms and insta-love is one of them. I definitely felt the connection between Rhy and Devon and was rooting for their HEA long before the last bomb blast echoed in the distance. Bwahaha!

Oh — and fans of this author will be thrilled by a unexpected connection with some fave heroes and heroines from her LIS Callahan Confidential series. You don’t have to read those books in order to enjoy this one, but it was a fun surprise. You know an author is good at characterization when a last name immediately brings a series to recall!

I’m so enamoured with the Finnegan First Responders series that I’m leaping right into book two immediately. I’ll be enjoying all the books in audio format and was pleased to discover them on sale on Chirp.

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 Explosive 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 July 29 , 2023.

A Haven on Orchard Lane + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

An urgent escape…a wonderful heart…will Charlotte find the solace she longs for at the cottage on Orchard Lane?

Famed Actress Charlotte Ward stepped away from the Victorian London stage five years ago. Now in desperate circumstances, she tries to restart her career — only to experience a complete collapse. Against her better judgment, Charlotte’s estranged daughter, Rosalind, comes to her mother’s rescue and moves her to a quiet English coastal village where her mother can evade the gossip columnists at least for a time.

Charlotte is grateful to re-establish even tenuous family ties with Rosalind. As one with regrets over her own romantic past, she’s happy to see love blossom for her daughter. For Rosalind, however, it’s time away from teaching, and now she must care for the mother who wasn’t there for her. And what could possibly be more complicated than romance?

But there can be no permanent escape from the threats of recent months. As the privacy they seek is threatened, mother and daughter must make some difficult decisions — ones that jeopardize those they care about most.

My Review:

published in 2016

I revisited this novel through Audible Plus and I’m reminded of how much I enjoyed Lawana Blackwell’s writing yet I’ve only read three of her books! Her storytelling style is very much like Julie Klassen’s Ivy Hill series and Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford (you might have seen the BBC series of that.) Anyway, this book has the same kind of feel and I find it made the perfect summer read! It’s set in the 1880’s.

****

I felt like weeping when I reached the last page! I so didn’t want this read to be over. I just wasn’t prepared to return to 21st century Canada any time soon. I’m still crashing in a major disgruntled sulk but I’ll try to rally for the sake of the review.

This book isn’t anything like I thought it would be. Don’t you just love it when a novel surprises you in that kind of knock-your-socks off way? It’s told from multiple points of view, though Charlotte and her daughter, Rosalind,  play major roles in everything that happens. It’s like the house they rent on Orchard Lane becomes the crossroads for various characters. Lives collide and magic happens and Charlotte is at the helm. And I didn’t expect that from her. Not after making her acquaintance in chapter one. But there’s such a depth of spiritual wisdom and common sense hidden inside that woman — I think she even surprises herself!

An estranged mother/daughter relationship has the chance at redemption — a stirring tale all on its own. But this story isn’t without a romance. A delicious. tentative, genteel one that develops from an unorthodox first meeting.  And be still my heart, the ladies of Orchard Lane are readers! It isn’t long before Charlotte and Rosalind become enmeshed in the lives of some of the villagers. I fell in love with all the secondary characters — a pair of raggedy brothers in particular. This is definitely a story about relationship and how we can shine the light of Christ through our actions. 

An impactful novel that entertains as well as inspires.

Giveaway Opportunity:

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

Of note: the pages are a bit yellowed but otherwise it’s in pristine condition. Still smells like a new book too. 🙂 and this book is no longer in print — just in digital formats or from used book sellers

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Haven on Orchard 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 July 29 , 2023.

Calculated Risk + Giveaway

Random Retro Read

He carries the burden of his mistakes.

The wounds on Jason Gonzalez’s body are nothing compared to the ones on his heart. The former Marine avoids getting close to anyone new, especially his gorgeous next-door neighbor. Until he hears a scream coming from her house in the middle of the night.

Her enemies are too numerous to count.

Addison Foster escaped an abusive marriage and has become an advocate for others. When an intruder breaks into her home and nearly kills her, Addison is rescued by an unlikely protector. But the threats against her aren’t over and she needs help.

Danger around every corner.

Jason makes it his mission to keep Addison safe, but keeping her out of his heart proves impossible. As the threats increase, there’s no room for mistakes. Will his calculated risk pay off or will it end in tragedy?

My Review:

published in 2021

I can’t believe I totally missed this series a couple of years back! In fact, Lynn Shannon has a number of indie books published that I need to catch up on…starting with this series!

‘Calculated Risk’ is the first book in the ‘Triumph Over Adversity’ series and it’s a fantastic introduction. The books are loosely connected through ex-military friends who bonded in the V A hospital and are now easing into civilian life. Love the camaraderie of this brotherhood and the way they support and encourage one another. Makes a great foundation for the series. Though each book can be read as a standalone, I’m happy that I started with this one and loved it so much I’ve already purchased book two.

Jason is the perfect alpha hero — and that comes with some introspective brooding and feelings of inadequacy due to some life-altering injuries sustained in combat. He’s not about to become involved with any woman, especially his next-door neighbour, despite the fact that his retired K-9 is already a goner for Addison. I do so love a matchmaking critter. 🙂

Love that these two have known each other for six months, both quietly attracted to the other, but relationship wary for various reasons. Until danger stalks Addison and Jason comes to the rescue. Whew — intense opening scene! And the tension amps up from there. A well-paced plot balances, romance, suspense and the guys’ friendship and made this book unputdownable.

Or I should say unstoppable because I listened to the audio edition (thank you Chirp sale!) expertly narrated by Stacey Glemboski. Finished it in a day and getting reading for another listening marathon with book two, Critical Error.

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 Calculated Risk 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 July 19 , 2023.