Contemporary Romance – Page 20

The Key to Love + Giveaway

The only thing Bri Duval loves more than baking petit fours is romance. So much so, she’s created her own version of the famous Parisian lovelock wall at her bakery in Story, Kansas. She never expects it to go viral–or for Trek Magazine to send travel writer Gerard Fortier to feature the bakery. He’s definitely handsome, but Bri has been holding out for a love story like the one her parents had, and that certainly will not include the love-scorned-and-therefore-love-scorning Gerard.

Just when it seems Bri’s bakery is poised for unprecedented success, a series of events threaten not just her business but the pedestal she’s kept her parents on all these years. Maybe Gerard is right about romance. Or maybe Bri’s recipe just needs to be tweaked.

Novelist Betsy St. Amant invites you to experience this sweet story of how love doesn’t always look the way we expect–and maybe that’s a good thing.

My Review:

published in 2020

If you like the grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-more kind of tropes you are going to love this book!! So funny and touching and infuriating and ultimately toe-curling. lol

And the sniping between Bri and Gerard is laugh out loud funny in places and groan worthy at other times. These two are polar opposites — he’s all cynical and sarcastic while she’s all naivety and trust. He doesn’t believe in love; she knows that her one true love is out there somewhere. She also knows she’ll recognize him when she meets him. Snort. You can guess how that sets all her preconceived notions of romance in a tailspin! 🙂

But both Gerard and Bri have hidden hurts that need to surface and be dealt with before they can manage to get to a happily ever after. Love the balance between the rom/com scenes and the heart-tugging ones.

Plus there’s a whole town of interesting characters to play havoc in their lives, including a pair of octogenarians who consider their matchmaking talents a gift to the town…and they have their sight set on Bri and Gerard!

I enjoyed listening to the audible edition narrated by Pilar Witherspoon who always does an incredible job of bringing characters and stories to life.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available for anyone anywhere who has a kindle .com account.

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (in gift card format) — winner’s choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Key to Love, 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 May 20, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

The Baby Inheritance + Giveaway

An infant in need…but she’s a package deal.

After the tragic loss of his best friends, rancher Drew Morgan willingly accepts guardianship of their six-month-old baby — until he learns big-city professor Sadie Ross has temporary custody as well. Opposites in every way, the pair now has eight weeks together on Drew’s ranch to decide who will become the permanent parent. Could this makeshift family turn into something real…before the deadline is up?

Lazy M Ranch ; Book 1

My Review:

Tina Radcliffe made me cry. There was this one part towards the end where Sadie’s situation, and her inner thoughts, well, they just hit me hard and I blubbered like a baby. Luckily Gramps gave Drew a good talking to and that crisis moment didn’t last long, but, phew, I felt every pang in the duration.

So much to love about this new Radcliffe release! Like it’s the first in a series and Drew has a bunch of cowboy brothers so I’m thinking they are going to find themselves on their own happily-ever-after journey. Yeehaw!!!

Also, the secondary characters!!! This author somehow makes them come alive in the same way she does her hero and heroine, even though they don’t have the same amount of page time. When they do though, wow, it makes an impact. Laughter and tears and warm fuzzies galore. Gus (Gramps) and Bess (housekeeper) are two of my favourites and I’m looking forward to meeting up with them in future books.

This is kind of a forced proximity romance because Sadie temporarily moves to the ranch while she and Drew figure out the guardianship details for little Mae. So they are pushed together as they care for the infant and the two couldn’t be more different!

Drew’s pretty easy going ’cause caring for calves gives him an edge, right? Snort! Sadie is totally freaked out with zero childcare experience of any kind. And she’s a list making, book researching organizer which definitely clashes with Drew’s laid back attitude. Lots of fun watching them work together, learning to compromise and discovering an unexpected attraction that seems doomed from the start. Because Sadie is a college professor in Tulsa and Drew is a small-town rancher.

All kinds of awesomesauce from start to finish. The kind of romance that leaves you basking in the warmth of bibliophile delight with a silly grin on your face. 🙂

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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) winner’s choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Baby Inheritance, 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 May 6, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Memory Lane + Giveaway

After surviving a trauma several years back, Remy Reed relocated to a cottage on one of Maine’s most remote islands. She’s arranged her life just the way she wants it, spending her time working on her wood sculptures and soaking in the beauty of nature. It’s quite and solitary — until the day she spots something bobbing in the ocean.

Her binoculars reveal the ‘something’ to be a man, and he’s struggling to keep his head above water. She races out to save him and brings him into her home. He’s injured, which doesn’t detract from his handsomeness nor make him any easier to bear. He acts like a duke who’s misplaced his dukedom…expensive tastes, lazy charm, bossy ideas.

Remy would love nothing more than to return him to his people, but he has no recollection of his life prior to the moment she rescued him. Though she’s not interested in relationships other than the safe ones she’s already established, she begins to realize that he’s coming to depend on her.

Who is he? What happened that landed him in the Atlantic Ocean? And why is she drawn to him more and more as time goes by?

There’s no way to discover those answers except to walk beside him down memory lane.

My Review:

“God has a soft spot for those of us who feel like we we’ve been thrown onto the garage sale pile….He’s never closer to us then when we are beaten up, unloved, betrayed.”

My brain is fried, my heart is short-circuited and I’m drifting on a cloud of bibliophile euphoria right now so excuse me if this review doesn’t make any sense. 🙂

Seriously not what I expected…at all. I love Becky Wade’s storytelling and have read all of her novels, but I have to say that this first book in her new ‘Sons of Scandal‘ series is off the charts phenomenal in every way imaginable! I listened to the audible edition and highly recommend it if you love audio books. Narrators Heather Masters and Ryan Hunter do an incredible job of bringing Remy and her ‘Jonah’ to life. I was spellbound all the way through.

This is the kind of read that you can’t wait to get through because there is so much you need to know, but you also want slow down and savour every scene. Besides, what on earth will you do once it’s all over?! (Except impatiently wait until next year when the second book comes out.)

And I guess here is as good a place as any to point out that the amnesia trope is one of my least favourites. Read too many, seen it way overdone, cliched to death etc etc. But two words convinced me to give this one a try: Becky. Wade. And (is anyone surprised?) Best Amnesia story EVER!!!!! Seriously believable and anxiety inducing and so intriguing. This isn’t the ‘bam on the head one week later and your memory comes back’ kind of deal. This is agonizingly slow and soul searching and really delves into the uncertainty and complications of walking around without any concrete memories.

It’s no wonder ‘Jonah’ connects to Remy — she’s all he really knows at first. But she’s not a fan. Their romance starts out in a very humorous enemies to more kind of way. My, but that woman can hold a grudge and drag her heels and get her back up over ever little thing! (She has her reasons which are slowly revealed through the course of the story.) But ‘Jonah’ gets a kick out of her fiery attitude so it doesn’t deter him at all.

Their romance is…no words here. Complicated. Heart-rending. Toe-curling to the point of not being able to stand upright for the swoonability of some scenes.

And there’s even a mystery to add to the unputdownableness of it all!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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 – winner’s choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Memory 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 May 6, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Then There Was You + Giveaway

RANDOM RETRO READ

Would you give up everything for a life you hate with the person you love?

Paige McAllister needs to do something drastic.* She’s been playing life safe and predictable for six years.* Things need to change. A moment of temporary insanity finds her leaving her life in Chicago to move to Sydney, Australia. There she finds herself , against many of her convictions, as a logistics planner to one of Australia’s biggest churches, and on a collision course with her boss’s son.

Josh Tyler fronts a top-selling worship band and is in demand all over th world. But his past failed romantic relationships almost destroyed both his reputation and his family. He’s determined to never risk it happening again. The last thing he needs is some American girl tipping his ordered life upside down. Especially one who despises everything he’s ever worked for and manages to push every button he has.

When Josh and Paige are thrown together to organize his band’s next tour, the sparks fly. But can they find a way to bridge the differences that pull them apart? Or will they choose the safety and security of what they know over taking a chance on something that will require them to risk everything?

Please note: I radically altered the beginning of this synopsis because I felt it revealed too many spoilers so I condensed things into one brief sentence bracketed by *s.

My Review:

published in 2017

Have you ever wanted to read a book but for some reason or other you keep skipping it over for something else? Until, when you finally get around to reading it, you’re all kinds of furious with yourself for waiting so long? Because it turns out that the book is so incredibly marvellous you can’t believe you’ve spent the last six years without these characters in your life? Yeah, well, Then There Was You was that kind of read for me. I mean, really, why did I wait so looonnngggg????

I’m still reeling from all the revelations in this story. And the way the author s-l-o-w-l-y exposes truths one layer at a time. The depth in characterization is phenomenal. I laughed. I cried. I gasped out loud. Loved the unexpected bursts of comedic brilliance. At one point I was yo-yoing between tears and maniacal laughter. Not a pretty sight when you’re listening to your audio book while grocery shopping. 🙂

And the inspirational aspects in this novel — I don’t even know where to start! Again, so many layers that deal with everything from personal faith to the complexities that come with ministry in a mega church. I’m kinda gobsmacked still.

Then there’s the romance. Swoonworthy? Check. Banter? Check. Fiery dialogue? Double check! Tender moments? Melt-in-a-puddle check!

An extraordinary contemporary romance filled to overflowing with faith and hope and the kind of second chances that only come through God’s divine guidance.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Then There Was You, 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 April 30, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

The Forgiving Quilt + Giveaway

Running a historic inn on Pennsylvania’s beautiful Shadow Lake has blessed the Amish King sisters in work and family. Now they just need to add room for love…

Eliza King already has a broken heart, and thanks to a rickety ladder, she now has a broken leg too. She isn’t dealing with either very well. Ever since a brief romance ended when the boy who’d been courting her tried a little too hard to take things further, Eliza has sought refuge in reading books and tending to her beloved horses. Being incapacitated makes the latter impossible. But her Englisch doctor knows an Amish man looking for just such work…

Eliza is shocked to discover that the man is Levi Lapp, the very boy who humiliated her, now all grown up. Levi is embarrassed over his clumsy behaviour as a teen. He wants to earn Eliza’s forgiveness, even if he can’t win back her heart…And once Eliza reluctantly agrees to hire him, she finds herself enjoying the little gifts and encouraging notes Levi leaves for her. Encouraged by her older sister, she begins to fashion a quilt out of each item. Soon Eliza can see Levi’s caring spirit plainly before her — and the possibility that he might just be the best be the best thing for her horses — and for her.

My Review:

The second book in Lenora Worth’s Shadow Lake series is just as captivating as the first one. Love the fresh slant this author brings to Amish fiction. In case you’re wondering, The Forgiving Quilt can easily be read as a standalone novel. The King sisters and their family’s historic inn are the common link that unites each story. Three sisters, three romances, three quilts. And that’s the other unifying factor — each sister crafts a quilt that helps her work through a problem.

In Eliza’s case, her forgiving quilt it is literally the path forward through forgiveness. Because — eeeeppp — Second Chance Romance alert! Only Levi and Eliza were both too young and inexperienced and just not ready to take their courtship further back when they were teens. Eliza has been nursing a grudge in a very un-Amish like way ever since. And then Levi walks back into her world. Oy — but she can be snippety and stubborn and downright frustrating at times.

But Levi’s up for the challenge. He’s determined to make amends with the hopes of a renewed friendship…maybe something more. And, my oh my, the deliberate way he sets about mending fences is so romantical! And sometimes funny, if not downright daunting at times.

Love the way that family plays an important role in this love story. In fact it’s that kind of collective wisdom that helps move things along in the right direction. So many great heart-to-hearts, both touching, but also amusing. Like Levi lamenting about Eliza to her father:

“Levi had his doubts, not about Eliza being worth the trouble, but about his being able to pull this off. He nodded all the same. He was talking to Eliza’s father, after all. “I will do my best.”

Abe seemed please with that response. “Women are a constant mystery, Levi. That’s part of the fun.”

“I’m not really having fun,” Levi said as they walked toward the stable.” ( p 56)

Bwahahaha! No fears, Levi does prevail! (not a spoiler ’cause this is a romance, after all!)

Now that Eliza and Abigail have achieved their happily-ever-afters, I’m excited to read Colette’s story which will round out this great series — and it’s going to be a Christmas book as well! Yipee!!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Forgiving Quilt, 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 April 29, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

His Temporary Family + Giveaway

A short-term arrangement…might change everything.

Sam Tiernan is convinced his bachelor ways make him a better firefighter. Then his theory is put to the test when a family tragedy leaves him caring for his two nieces. With help from social worker Fiona Shay, Sam sees the life he’s been missing out on. And as he and Fiona grow closer, there’s a chance their temporary family could turn into something more permanent.

My Review:

Woohoo — discovered a new-to-me author that I intend to follow now! Love the way Julie Brookman tells this story of love and sacrifice and happily ever afters. The kind of read that leaves you feeling warm and cozy and full of bibliophile contentment. 🙂

One of the things I really love about this story (aside from the fire fighter hero — eeeepppp!!!) is the way the foster care system is portrayed. Usually, when foster care and social workers appear in a novel, it’s to highlight the brokenness of the system and, while I’m not denying all those issues exist, I did find it refreshing to read about some of the successes.

Fiona is a social worker who really cares and the way she strives to bring security and love to all her young charges is inspiring. There are times when she definitely struggles, but she has a really unique way of getting herself through those tough times. (I’m not going to spoil it by telling you what that is –you’re just going to have to read the book for yourself.)

So, Fiona is the perfect person to help Sam when he suddenly finds himself sole caregiver to his very young nieces. It isn’t happenstance that brings them together…more like a bit of divine intervention and one meddling granny. 🙂 Lots of opportunity to showcase laughter and tears as this ‘fun uncle’ learns all the particulars of 24/7 childcare.

A moving contemporary romance that celebrates the caring people who make a difference in children’s lives.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of His Temporary Family, 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 April 22, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Undercurrent of Secrets + Giveaway

Two women, a century apart, expose a secret aboard a steamboat.

As wedding coordinator for the 100-year-old steamboat The Belle of Louisville, Devyn Ashbury takes pride in seeing others’ dreams come true, even though her engagement sunk like a diamond ring to the bottom of the Ohio River. When the Belle becomes a finalist in the Timeless Wedding Venue contest, Devyn endeavours to reclaim some of her professional dreams. What she hadn’t planned on was Chase Jones showing up with a mysterious photo from the 1920s.

A century earlier, Hattie Louis is as untameable as the river that raised her. As the adopted daughter of a steamboat captain, her duties range from the entertainment to booking. When strange incidents occur aboard the boat, Hattie’s determined to discover the truth. Even if that means getting under First Mate Jack Marshall’s handsome skin.

My Review:

published in 2021

So, I might be a tad obsessed with steamboats now. Before I started reading Undercurrent of Secrets, I thought steamboats were mostly a Mississppi River thing. I couldn’t resist checking to see if Canada had any in our history and — surprise! — yes we do! Steamboats transported troops during the War of 1812, and they ferried gold seekers up to the Yukon and they’re even the reason Ontario has a sophisticated inland canal and lock system! Who knew? And, I know you don’t care and this isn’t pertinent to my review but I do so adore a book that inspires me to do my own research.

Plus — steamboats seem so romantic to me now! McDaniel does such a wonderful job of bringing the Belle to life — honestly, she’s as much a heroine in this story as Devyn and Hattie are! And the idea of a steamboat wedding venue is such a great backdrop for the contemporary timeline. It makes a nice contrast to the working life of the steamboat in the 1920s.

And the way the author expertly interweaves these two timelines is just mind boggling. I was equally invested in both stories, as desperate as Devyn to find out what happened to Hattie. I was on tenterhooks all the way through.

Of course, there’s romance — times two! Eeeep!!! I honestly don’t have a favourite hero — I fell for them both. Hard. Which kept me a wee bit discombobulated until things got sorted out. So many ‘aha’ moments. Oh — and both meet-cutes are hysterically funny! I love the way McDaniel blended comedy with drama and included layers of faith. The perfect combination for an unputdownable read.

I listened to the audible edition, narrated by Leonor Woodworth and she did a wonderful job of breathing life into these characters.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Undercurrent of Secrets, 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 April 22, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Pinecraft Refuge + Giveaway

Can an escape from her present become the future she always wanted?

When her doctor prescribes fresh air and sunshine, Eva Miller turns her Florida getaway into a chance to gain some independence. Only, working part-time for Amish shop owner Tanner Dawson is hardly a vacation. The over protective single father reminds Eva of her own strict upbringing. But as she begins to see beneath his gruff exterior, can she trust Tanner — and her heart — enough to stay?

Pinecraft Seasons

My Review:

I love books that feature Pinecraft, Florida and there aren’t that many of them out there so I was thrilled to discover this new series. And over the moon elated to discover it on audible of all places. Not many Love Inspired books make their way into an audio format and I grab up all the ones I can find. It’s usually the Suspense line’s continuity series, so I’m excited to see them branching out. Connie Shabshab’s narration increased my reading enjoyment tenfold.

And what a sweet, compelling love story this is! I could feel Eva’s hope and, honestly, raw courage, to go against her mam’s wishes and take an extended vacation in Florida. There’s such a heartbreaking history between mother and daughter, but, while Eva loves her only parent, she’s craving some independence. Worth captures her wonder and fear perfectly. Sometimes Eva’s spunky nature shines through (like when she’s speaking her mind to Tanner!) and sometimes she wavers with insecurity, ready to second guess all she’s been achieving. And then there’s the pesky attraction to her new boss that she doesn’t know what to do with.

Cue the broody, monosyllabic hero who has endured a world of hurt and doesn’t quite know how to leave it behind. No worries, Eva’s about to show him. 🙂 Love, love, lovvveee, this romance. From the stuttering start to the toe-curling conclusion and all the awkward, funny, infuriating and gasp-out-loud moments in between!

A strong cast of secondary characters, which includes Tanner’s precocious 8-year-old daughter, enhance the story that much more…and provide a solid background for future novels in this series. Lenora Worth can’t write them fast enough for me!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Pinecraft Refuge, 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 April 15, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Windswept Way + Giveaway

Buying a supposedly haunted house wasn’t in Ashley Scott’s plans, but when an intriguing opportunity drops into her lap, she’s ready to launch a new life. But she can’t do it alone, and her reclusive new neighbour, Jonathan Gray may be just the person to help — if only there were room in his life for romance.

My Review:

This is the ninth book in the Hope Harbor series and it’s still going strong — and with storytelling like this it’s easy to see why!

If you haven’t read any of the books in this series (gasp! Why every not?!) you could still easily jump into this book without any problems. But — if you are a die-hard fan like me, you will be over-the-moon with bibliophile delight at the multiple cameos of previous heroes and heroines. I kept squealing and waving madly every time someone I knew entered a scene. “Yoohoo, remember me? I was rooting for you in book (insert # here).” That was me, all the way through, like a giddy teeny bopper at her first concert.

Irene Hannon has created the kind of characters that not only come alive, but reside in a reader’s heart years after she first meets them! I have the whole series in audible now (narrator Therese Plummer is the perfect pairing for these stories!) and I’ve listened to all the books multiple times and will continue to revisit Hope Harbor regularly because…

Characters!!!! Not only the current hero and heroine, but all the secondary characters that add to the personality of the town — both human and animal! The seagull lovebirds, the dueling clerics, Charlie!!!!!! Oh, everyone needs a Charlie to gently speak truth into their life. The way the man can say one thing while delivering an astute insight about something else is mind-boggling! I know that won’t make sense unless you’ve met Charlie in one of the stories, but once you do, you’ll understand why he’s the glue that holds this town together.

And then there’s the faith elements — gentle and poignant and touching. Has me thinking about the patient way the Lord pursues us no matter how many times we turn away. How He can turn despair into hope and provide an everlasting comfort if we are willing to open up to Him.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot of this book since the synopsis is pretty sparse. I will say the romance has a bit of a Beauty and the Beast vibe to it and goes beyond toe-curling and swoons into a whole other realm of a love story. I was in tears in places. And goose bumping my way through others. Let’s just say ‘Windswept Way’ lived up to it’s name and swept me away!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Windswept way, 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 April 15, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

The Promise of Easter + Giveaway

As the quaint Amish community of Promise Glen prepares for the Easter season, one woman discovers that forgiveness is freedom — and may lead to forever after.

Anna Stoltzfus lives a quiet but fulfilling life in Promise Glen. Though she lost her beloved brother James in a tragic accident, her family is supportive and close-knit, and her job as a cherished teacher at Orchard Hill School fills her heart with joy. She’s perfectly happy with the life she created. Anna’s comfort is quickly dashed, however, when the man she deems responsible for James’s death — Matthew King — returns to the Amish community.

Forgiveness is at the heart of being Amish, and Matthew’s pain over losing his dear friend is obvious. Still, no matter how hard she tries, Anna can’t let go of the reckless night that ended her brother’s life. The ache was more tolerable after Matthew left Promise Glen, but noe he’s returned and her father has accepted his offer to work on their farm.

As the preparations for Easter begin, Anna’s regular contact with Matthew introduces her to a man far different from the boy she knew before. Perhaps the season of solemn reflection and joyous remembrance might be exactly what they both need to final forgiveness for the past and hope for the future….

My Review:

I absolutely love the way Marta Perry tells a story and this Promise Glen series is one of her finest. The way she portrays multi-generational family dynamics makes me all kinds of happy and the Stoltzfus clan is certainly memorable. Chock full of humour and wisdom…and the kind of angst you’d expect in a large family. Anna is certainly blessed to have their love and support…even when she is harbouring a very misguided (and un-Amish) dose of blame towards Matthew.

So, kind of a frenemies to more romance. They were friends in their youth, up until the horrible accident that took Anna’s brother’s life. And then Anna projected all her heartache and fury onto Matthew. She was relieved when he left the community for the Englisch world and furious when he returns.

Easter time is the perfect setting for a redemption story — and both Anna and Matthew find forgiveness and grace through the course of this read. Learning to forgive — both ones self and others is a big part of the inspirational message. Love how Anna and Matthew are on a journey, but they are not alone. There are wonderful secondary characters who walk along side them, encouraging (and speaking plainly when needed…I’m looking at you Aunt Ella!) and helping them put the past and the present into perspective so they are finally free to look ahead to a future full of hope.

The Stoltzfus family puts me in mind of an Amish Waltons — same touch of heartwarming mixed with laughter while dealing with true-to-life issues that can happen to anyone. I wish there was an entire series dedicated to them! (Hint to the author…after all, there are a lot of children who will need matchmaking at some point in their futures!)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Promise of Easter, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 25, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.