Tag: Contemporary Romance

Summer in the Spotlight + Giveaway

A hurricane may have destroyed her livelihood on Prince Edward Island, but she’s determined to save her community

Kelsey Ahern has performed at the Victoria Playhouse on Prince Edward Island every summer since she was seven. But when a hurricane destroys the building, it’s not just her memories that are in jeopardy. Her future as a teacher and drama coach are too. She teams up with Levi Ross, the facilities director at the high school, to produce a benefit show to raise money to rebuild the theater. He has a reputation for being able to fix anything, and Kelsey is sure there’s more to the quiet man than meets the eye. 

For his part, Levi has admired Kelsey for years, but he can’t seem to find the words to tell her. When a popular weatherman arrives in town to cover the aftermath of the hurricane and takes an interest in Kelsey and her show, Levi realizes that the time has come to speak up–or lose the heart of the woman he longs for. 

Join New York Times bestselling author Liz Johnson for a season of rebuilding, restoration, and romance with this final book in the Prince Edward Island Shores series.

My Review:

Hands down, my favourite book in the series…and Levi Ross has set the bar high for any future book boyfriends! I am so besotted! Because Levi is really something special. And unique to the typical contemporary romance lead.

To say that Levi is ‘quiet’ is a massive understatement. I can probably count on one hand the number of words he spoke in the first chapter. And they are just as sparse all the way through the story. But Levi has other ways of effectively communicating and those close to him easily interpret a look or a shrug, even his body language. I love that Kelsey doesn’t find that off putting — but then, her gift for gab makes her capable of carrying on more than her fair share of a conversation. 🙂

There’s a reason Levi is the way he is and I won’t be telling tales out of turn so you just have to read the book. But he is definitely swoonworthy material — a man pining over his childhood crush. And, yes, Kelsey makes him even more tongue-tied than ever. Readers have the advantage of being party to his thoughts, while Kelsey is left to decipher his cryptic responses and silence in her own way. Most of the time she gets it right but some of the time she doesn’t which makes things all the more interesting.

Fans of the Prince Edward Island Shores series will be happy at the page time given to the Ross family in general and there’s lots of brotherly bonding leading up to a resounding wrap-up to the family’s recent woes. Yes, that does sound cryptic, but no worries if you haven’t read the first two books in this series, Johnson has seamlessly included the pertinent details from the earlier books with minimum spoilers so I think you could read Summer in the Spotlight as a standalone.

And that title! Very clever tie-in to the story. Love the concept of the town rallying to save the summer theatre.The plot is both predictable and unpredictable so, as a reader, I got to bask in the comfort of the familiar while also experiencing the thrill of the unexpected. And then there’s the Prince Edward Island setting! I’m all Anne-girl starry eyed. 🙂 Summer in the Spotlight makes a perfect summer escape read!

(I enjoyed listening to the audible edition expertly narrated by Emily Ellet. She did a great job of creating unique voices for each character and, honestly, made Levi sound so dreamy. Happy sigh.)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com (US) 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 Summer in the Spotlight, 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 19, 2023

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.

The Gift of Faith + Giveaway

The quietest of the three Kanagy boys, Daniel, would prefer to spend his time keeping his bees and selling the honey rather than tending his family’s gift shop. But with both his brothers breaking away from the family business, his parents need Daniel more than ever.

Contrary to town gossip, Faith Kemp didn’t jump the fence—she left to track down her twin sister, Mercy. When Faith returns home with a newborn baby, the rumors are tough to set right, and not everyone in the community is welcoming. To help support her family, Faith sells dried flower arrangements to the popular gift shop in town. Each visit, she looks forward to seeing Daniel Kanagy. He doesn’t say much, but his steady strength speaks to her just the same.

With girls buzzing around Daniel and trying to catch his eye, why would he turn his gaze to a quiet, plain girl who has a baby and too many rumors about her?

My Review:

Woohoo!!! New-to-me Amish Fiction author and I’m a fan! This is the third book in her Unexpected Gifts series, but I can attest to the fact that it reads wunderbaar as a standalone, though, I’m definitely going to backtrack and read the first two books. Love a series that features siblings — especially brothers — and there are three hero material Kanagy boys in this one. The only spoiler is that they all end up with a happily every after. 🙂

So, Daniel…he’s an unassuming leading man but that doesn’t mean he lacks appeal. He’s kind and sensitive, but somewhat shy…or maybe I should say contemplative. He has known Faith all their lives, crushed on her during their school days and the attraction deepened as they grew older. Only, in true Daniel fashion, he took his time deliberating and by the time he’d settled things in his mind, Faith had left their community in pursuit of her fence-jumping twin sister.

But now she’s back with Mercy’s baby in tow and Daniel is just as smitten…and still a wee bit clueless. I love how accepting he was of Faith’s return and baby Rose, when there are definitely some harsh critics in the community who aren’t as welcoming. The human nature to judge is alive and well even among the Amish.

Faith is devastated that her sister chose to remain in the Englisch world, but she’s determined to raise Mercy’s daughter up Amish. Even as she realizes the decision will drastically alter the expectations of her own future. There’s some clever plot twists that make the story fresh as well as some well-loved tropes that are just plain fun to experience. Like a man-hungry mean girl with Daniel in her sights. Not overdone — just enough to cause some eye-rolls and righteous indignation on behalf of my hero and heroine. 🙂

Skilled storytelling, a compelling plot, and the kind of characters it’s easy to love (or…dislike) made this a book to devour. Read it in a 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 The Gift of Faith, 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 22 , 2023.

A Sweethaven Summer + Giveaway

Random Retro Read

Campbell Carter has come to Sweethaven in search of answers about her mother’s history. Just before losing a battle with cancer, Suzanne Carter sent letters to childhood friends from her hometown of Sweethaven, Michigan. Suzanne’s three friends — Lila, Jane, and Meghan — haven’t spoken in years, yet each has pieces of a scrapbook they made together as girls. Suzanne’s letters have lured them all back to the idyllic lakeside town, where they meet Campbell and begin to remember what was so special about their long Sweethaven summers. As the scrapbook reveals secrets from the past, old wounds are mended, lives are changed, and friendships are restored — just as Suzanne intended.

My Review:

published in 2012

Somehow I completely missed an entire Courtney Walsh series! (Hanging my head in bibliophile shame.) I discovered this book on audible and just had to dive in. Excellent narration by Vaness Daniels – she delivers all the emotion and angst in perfect detail. And, since this is a Courtney Walsh book, you know there’s gotta be some angst!

Told from multiple points of view — we get both the past and present in compelling snippets that lead to redemption and hope. Largely through twenty-four year old Campbell’s POV as she comes to grips with the death of her mother and the quest to discover who her father is. But we hear from the women, now in their early forties, who summered together in Sweethaven all through their teens. And everyone has secrets! I’d classify it as Women’s Fiction with romantic elements.

This is a great introduction to the town of Sweethaven and the series. From reading the synopses of the next three books, I get the feeling that each story builds on the previous one. There is some wonderful closure in the lives of some of these characters, but there’s also a cliffhanger ending for one plot thread. Not enough to discourage a reader who likes her endings all wrapped up with a bow. More like an enticing teaser for the next book. 🙂

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)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Sweethaven Summer, 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 22 , 2023.

A Friend to Trust + Giveaway

A special K-9. A troubled child. Can their bond heal the past?
Pastor Nate Fisher is confident he can handle a bunch of teenagers and ignore his attraction to camp codirector Hayley Harris for the summer. That is, until he learns a camper with an emotional support dog is the child Hayley placed for adoption thirteen years ago. When a misunderstanding brings Hayley and Nate closer together, keeping the secret becomes impossible. But will the truth reunite a family…or destroy Hayley’s trust forever?

My Review:

This is part (14th) of the hopefully never-ending K-9 Companion series — standalone novels that are connected through the theme of companion /service dogs. But ‘A Friend to Trust’ is also the third book Lee Tobin McClain has set at the Bright Tomorrows Residential Academy — a school for troubled boys. It can easily be read as a standalone, but there are some exciting cameos from earlier books which I found all kinds of fun.

As usual, this author delivers emotional angst mixed with faith and hope in a spellbinding way. Noah (love a single pastor hero!) and Hayley have adapted their idea of future based on circumstances in their past and it’s a struggle to let old demons go in order to trust in God’s forgiveness. It’s especially refreshing to read about a pastor who, though strong in faith, has difficulties in applying the same counsel he gives his parishioners to his own life. He’s also ex-military which carries its own unique challenges.

This is a friends-to-more trope, though Hayley’s prickly reaction to Noah’s camp involvement puts up barriers — she has her reasons, misguided though they may be.

Lots of summer activities and, of course, Samoyed Snowflake steals the show time and time again. (I have a personal Samoyed bff and I can’t wait to tell her all bout this canine heroine. I’m sure she’ll be impressed.)

I absolutely adore this series and the diversity and unique storytelling the authors bring through the various services the dogs provide. Entertaining and informative!

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 A Friend to Trust, 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.

The Thing About Home + Giveaway

Home is not a place—it’s a feeling. Casey Black needs an escape. When her picture-perfect vow renewal ceremony ends in her being left at the altar, the former model turned social media influencer has new fame—the kind she never wanted. An embarrassing viral video has cost her millions of followers, and her seven-year marriage is over. With her personal and business lives in shambles, Casey runs from New York City to South Carolina’s Lowcountry hoping to find long-lost family. Family who can give her more answers about her past than her controlling mom-slash-manager has ever been willing to share.

What Casey doesn’t expect is a postcard-worthy property on a three-hundred-acre farm, history, culture, and a love of sweet tea. She spends her days caring for the land and her nights cooking much needed Southern comfort foods. She also meets Nigel, the handsome farm manager whose friendship has become everything she’s never had. And then there are the secrets her mother can no longer hide.

Through the pages of her great-grandmother’s journals, Casey discovers her roots run deeper than the Lowcountry soil. She learns that she has people. A home. A legacy to uphold. And a great new love story—if only she is brave enough to leave her old life behind.

My Review:

Gobsmacked. That’s me. And a bit addlepated and unsure of how to convey the emotional connection I made with this story. Riveting. An unexpected dual timeline (courtesy of Casey’s great-grandmother) made for an even richer read and really highlighted the powerful legacy that comes through family. And, oh my, but did Casey need that!

Truth: I really didn’t like Casey on first meet. Social Media Influencer making pouty faces at the camera over every little twist and turn in her life? Uh, shudder, no thank you. I expected shallow, self-absorbed and while she isn’t that bad…it’s pretty close. Hmmm, I thought, how am I going to relate to this heroine and care about her story? Why because of Rhonda McKnight’s astounding storytelling, that’s how! Because she lets us see into Casey’s vulnerabilities and challenges right away. I may not have liked her life style/values, but I could totally see how she got there. I mean, there really wasn’t any other option, given her micro-managing mother! Gah, but I wanted to purse whomp that woman a time or two (or three or…)

Basically, Casey’s online and personal lives implode and she’s on the run. Straight down to South Carolina’s Low Country with some vague hope of finding her father’s people. (One of my purse whomping urges comes courtesy of Casey’s mother keeping her completely away from her deceased father’s familyI) What follows is the kind of story that burrows into your heart and takes up residence. The kind that will stay with you forever.

Great-Grandmother Odessa’s scenes from the late 1800s give even more depth to Casey’s story. I’m going to call ‘The Thing About Home’ a coming of age story even though Casey is thirty-six years old. This is her awakening — when she comes to terms with her past and starts to understand how her future balances on all the lives that came before. A heritage of strong woman; a descendent of enslaved people. Survivors. Prayer warriors. Over-comers. And she’s blessed to be able to learn from Odessa’s journals and her very own 99 years young ‘Granna’ who has so much wisdom to share. I could write a whole review just on Granna!

Here I am, rambling on and I haven’t even touched on Nigel yet! So…Swoon. Thud. And repeat! He’s the kind of hero that curls your toes and melts your heart. He’s funny and flirty and comes with his own interesting back story which made this read all the more enthralling.

Gah — there’s so much more I’d like to say about this novel. So many interesting talking-points would make it a phenomenal book club selection. It definitely holds an honoured place on my Keeper Shelf. The kind of story I know I can get even more out of with a second reading. The ‘Granna-isms” alone are worth further reflection!

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 Thing About Home, 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.

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.

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.

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.

Betting on Hope + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

One clutzy advice columnist. One champion cowboy. And an entire small town rooting for love.

Advice columnist Maggie Hope never dreamed she’d be shaking hands with champion horse trainer Tru Monahan over a high-stakes bet, especially one that involves horses. And saddles. And everything else a city girl like Maggie feels uncomfortable around. But after filling in for a coworker and interviewing the handsome cowboy, she finds herself doing just that. Anything to save her advice column.

Despite Maggie’s two left feet, Tru is bound and determined to bring out her inner cowgirl by teaching her to ride a cutting horse, trained to separate cattle from the rest of the herd. While her riding improves, their attraction intensifi es, but Tru knows he can never let her into his heart—for her own good.

In Wishing Springs, a community full of meddling but well-meaning townsfolk, Maggie discovers the home she’s always longed for. But she’s holding something back—a secret that could destroy her reputation and any future she’s ever hoped for with the cowboy she mightust love.

My Review:

published in 2015 (Second time around for me, this time in audio, and it’s just as fantastic as I remembered!)

Wow, this is going to be a doozey of a series. I love the way Clopton creates an unforgettable community of living, breathing characters. Makes me want to visit Wishing Springs but it’s not on the map.  I checked! I’m already lamenting that there are only three Monahan brothers because I want this series to go on for a long time. And just for fun, fans of this author’s Love Inspired books will appreciate the nod to Mule Hollow found within these pages.

The fantastic first meet totally drew me in. I love a klutzy heroine — especially when a dashing cowboy comes to her rescue. I could hear the rumble of fireworks over that first glance and couldn’t burrow into the story fast enough. Clopton is a comedic genius and her scenes just flow with love and laughter. Mind you, there’s plenty of angst to work through for both Tru and Maggie and I loved the way the plot took a few unexpected turns that kept it fresh and compelling.

There are times when secondary characters steal the show — Clara Lyn and Reba from the Cut Up and Roll Hair Salon are on the top of my list of favourites. They are unrepentant busybodies with hearts of gold and bring an added warmth to this inspiring tale. There’s also a secondary plot involving a pregnant teen that further enhances the underlining theme of the hope that comes from sacrifice. Again, it has a couple of surprising twists and enough of an emotional punch to keep my nose buried in the book until I reached the end.

A stellar start to a promising new series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Gently read paperback copy available internationally — so, yay, everybody’s included in this giveaway no matter where you live.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Betting on Hope, 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 10, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.