Tag: Christian Fiction

Tunnel Creek Ambush + Giveaway

Danger lurks in the shadows…
and a police dog is keeping watch

Officer Jasper Holt never thought he’d see his high school girlfriend, Kinsley Miller, again—much less become her protector. But when the wildlife biologist returns home for her aunt’s funeral, she’s attacked twice in a matter of hours. With his K-9 partner at his side, the single father will protect Kinsley with his life. But can they uncover the reason behind the assaults…before the next strike becomes the last?

My Review:

Reunion romance of high school sweethearts + action and adventure all wrapped up in a K-9 suspense? Yes please! Lots of elements to lure me in and Johnson’s writing style kept me hooked. Oh — and I love that Kinsley is a wildlife biologist. You can tell the author appreciates all creatures great and small…even the squirmy kind! I enjoyed the wilderness aspects of this story and how the setting added to the suspenseful elements.

‘Tunnel Creek Ambush ‘starts out with the ambush — a nail-biting scene that sets the tone for the rest of the book. Loved the perplexing mystery that keep Kinsley and Jasper stymied while they dodge multiple attacks of an imaginative nature. Fast-paced with enough breathing room to toss in some banter and soul-searching. The kind of read you can’t put down until the cutest ever epilogue promises a happily-ever-after.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Tunnel Creek Ambush, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 15 2023.

To Write a Wrong + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read


Miss Daphne Beekman is a mystery writer by day, inquiry agent by night. Known for her ability to puzzle out plots, she happily works behind the scenes for the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, staying well away from danger. However, when Mr. Herman Henderson arrives on the doorstep of the agency, desperate for someone to investigate numerous attempts on his life, Daphne soon finds herself in the thick of a case she’s determined to solve.

Mr. Herman Henderson is also a mystery writer, but unlike the dashing heroes he pens, he prefers living a quiet life, determined to avoid the fate of his adventurous parents, who perished while searching for the Lost City of Gold.

As the list of suspects grows and sinister plots are directed at Daphne, the situation quickly deteriorates, and a revealed secret jeopardizes their newfound affection. Only time will tell if Daphne will be able to regain Herman’s trust and save both their lives.

My Review:

published in 2021

These authors! Just when you think they can’t get any more brilliant they publish another book that defies description and you’re left scrambling for words to fill a review. Let’s call me gobsmacked and call it quits. 🙂

I laughed so hard I’m checking sit-ups off my exercise routine ’cause my belly got that much of a workout being pummeled inside out from hearty guffaws. Zany. Outrageous. Witty. Glib. I can’t wipe the silly grin off my face. This book is destined to lift your spirits and lighten your load. 

I can honestly say I never imagined myself swooning over a Herman but swoon I did. 🙂 He’s a man who doesn’t think of himself as hero material which makes him all the more alluring. And he’s a writer! And avid reader!! And he’s forward thinking enough to be willing to hire a women’s investigation agency! 

Speaking of which…that meet-cute is hysterical! The way Turano writes the dizzying twists and turns that make up conversations involving Daphne is priceless! I’m kind of worried that I was beginning to follow her rabbit trails of thought bursts by the end. She often leaves everyone around her muddled until she concludes with a brilliant solution that suddenly makes sense out of everything she said previously. So much fun to read!

As is always the case with a Turano novel there is a huge cast of quirky secondary characters who bring even more chaos and mayhem to the mix! And there’s a house party full of them in this novel. Which means the whodunit possibilities are endless. The suspense thread is just as light-hearted and amusing as the rest of the story, for all that someone is trying to kill Herman! It’s a clever plot with multiple surprises.

I  listened to the audible edition of To Write a Wrong and enjoyed Andrea Emmes interpretation of Jen Turano’s characters. She captured them all to sweet perfection.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy and available to any reader anywhere — so, yay an International Giveaway

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of To Write a Wrong, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a 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 15 2023. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Cowboy’s Little Secret + Giveaway

To keep his child’s nanny
He’ll have to let down his guard

The last thing struggling cattle rancher Austin Watkins needs, or wants, is for his son’s nanny to quit. But Cassie Berber longs to follow her dreams. The solution seems simple: prove to Cassie she can have the life she’s always wanted right here in their small town. There’s just one problem—Austin has a secret. And the only way to get Cassie to stay is to tell the truth…

A Wyoming Ranchers Romance

My Review:

What a stunning conclusion to the Wyoming Ranchers series — but — sob! — it’s the last time we get to visit with these guys and their gals and that’s all kinds of sad. Each book can be read independently, but I love the way the author brings the whole group together in every story. Supportive friends who have created strong ties in their ‘found family’ and they keep it growing with wives and babies which has made for some fun reading. 🙂

I love the vulnerability we see in Austin. The opening scene is pretty gut wrenching and I immediately felt as overwhelmed as he did and then, the one right thing in his life is suddenly threatened.

That would be Cassie’s desire to move on. She’s been the only nanny his son has ever known, and the anchor in his tumultuous rancher’s life. Only she doesn’t know that because he’s never told her. Basically, Austin isn’t good with change — especially the kind of change that happens when things are beyond his control. I can so relate to that.

Overcoming fears, looking for ways God is working in our lives instead of the ways He isn’t (or doesn’t seem to be) are some of the inspirational themes brought to life in this this touching inspirational romance. I enjoyed journeying with Austin and Cassie has they figure it all out.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway if for a gently read paperback — available to anyone, anywhere, so yay — an International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Cowboy’s Little Secret, 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 8, 2023.

Olympic Mountain Pursuit + Giveaway

Can this K-9 get a child to safety?

Four years ago, former US Marshal Jackson Dean left his job after falling for a witness—who’s suddenly the target of an assassin. Now it’s up to Jackson and his K-9 partner to protect single mom Everly Lopez and her young daughter when Everly’s identity is blown. But with hired killers looking for a payday, Jackson must use all his resources to stop them from silencing Everly permanently.

Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit

My Review:

Another compelling addition to this continuity series, though it reads wonderfully well as a standalone too. There’s an overarching suspense plot that slowly builds through all the books and won’t be solved until the last one, but each book has it’s own suspense and romance that come to satisfactory conclusions so you aren’t left with too much of a cliffhanger. 🙂

I really loved the way this story developed. Not as fast paced as many Love Inspired Suspense novels, but no less captivating — maybe even more so because of the unique pacing. There’s still plenty of action — but enough ‘down time’ in between to really get into the intricacies of the romance.

An almost-but-not-quite second chance love story. Jackson and Everly developed a close bond four years ago when he over saw her protection in the WITSEC programme. But, of course, those circumstances aren’t conducive to romance and we fast forward four years to a time when so much as changed for both of them.

I really appreciated Everly’s very real struggle with her anger towards God. I found those scenes so honest — emotionally raw — and very relatable. Moving and inspiring.

I listened to the audible edition of Olympic Mountain Pursuit, expertly narrated by Cindy Kay. I’m beyond thrilled that the whole series is available on audible and I have them all pre-ordered and ready to start listening to the day they release. A special kind of bibliophile thrill.

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 Olympic Mountain Pursuit, 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 8 , 2023.

The Billionaire’s Secret Crush + Giveaway

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

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

She’s my best friend’s little sister.

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

But I don’t see her as a sister.

At all.

She’s funny and smart.

And gorgeous.

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

The only person I’m hurting is me.

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Billionaire’s Secret Crush, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 24 , 2023.

Fallout + Giveaway

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

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

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

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

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere with a .com Kindle account.

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Fallout, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 24, 2023.

Texas Ranch Target + Giveaway

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

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

A Cowboy Protectors novel.

My Review:

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

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Texas Ranch Target, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 24, 2023.

Winning the Gentleman + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

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

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

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

My Review:

published in 2020

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

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

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

THUD! (no worries, fainting couch on hand)

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

Because…

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

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

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

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

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

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Winning the Gentleman, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winners announced on Saturday 24 2023. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Courage in the Storm + Giveaway

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

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

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

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

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

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Courage in the Storm, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 17, 2023.

Fairest of Heart + Giveaway

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

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

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

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

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Fairest of Heart, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 17, 2023.