Tag: Contemporary Romance

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.

The Beach Reads Bookshop + Giveaway

Running a bookstore on a quaint Chesapeake island is exactly the life Deena Clark would have chosen for herself–but helping billionaire businessman Luis Dominguez figure out fatherhood is part of the package. Can bonding over books and one little girl help them open their hearts to each other?

My Review:

The kind of ‘slice-of-real-life’ mixed with romance that I’ve come to expect from this author. McClain creates enticing settings and intriguing characters and it’s so easy to lose yourself in one of her stories. I’ve really been enjoying the Hometown Brothers series — this is the third book (and the last, I think) but reads well as a standalone. The central theme of the series revolves around foster brothers who find their way back to the Chesapeake island where they bonded together as teens. Edgy back stories and a sense of homecoming feature in each book.

And, egads, this time round it’s also a billionaire romance which is a trope I usually avoid, however, McClain does it justice and for all his misguided ways, Luis was surprisingly relatable. He has a lot of growing to do but then instant fatherhood will do that to a guy. 🙂

Deena has become the guardian of her best friend’s toddler and contacting the wealthy father for child support seems like the best way to provide the special needs resources little Willow is going to need. Trouble is, once Luis discovers he has a daughter, he’s not about to relinquish custody. Deena suddenly finds herself in a whirlwind of activity all instigated by a man who is used to getting what he wants, when he wants it.

And that means a move to Teaberry Island — the best place to raise a child as far as Luis is concerned. Where he’ll have family and friends around for support since his workaholic ways mean he’ll end up being a weekend father. Hence the need to lure Deena to the island as his caregiver.The dangling carrot is her very own bookshop! (Be still my heart, I want a hero who would buy me a bookshop!)

Of course the romance is complicated, and not without angst and there’s a secondary plot involving a woman I really disliked for most of the book. lol Every time we switched to Carol’s POV I had to brace myself. Thankfully she mellowed by the end.

A captivating conclusion to the Hometown Brothers series. I’ll be sad to leave Teaberry Island — it’s definitely a place I’d want to live if it wasn’t fictional!

Of note: This is not a Christian Fiction selection, but it is a clean read.

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 Beach Reads Bookshop, 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 3, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

The Billionaire’s Best Friend + Giveaway

You ever meet someone and have that immediate click? That was Kayla and me. First day of our first teaching jobs and we both just knew we were going to be best friends forever.

And we are.

She does a great job keeping me down to earth—a skill I appreciate even more now that I’m a billionaire.

Except lately, it’s like she’s pulling away.

It started with her spending more time with my sister instead of hanging out with me. And now she’s starting to date the youth pastor?

It could be that I’m a little jealous. Seems like everyone is falling in love except me. But I don’t think that’s it.

Because it feels like I’m in danger of losing a lot more than my best friend and I don’t know how to make it stop.

My Review:

So, I’m not exactly a fan of the billionaire trope. In fact the only other billionaire romance that I can recall reading is the first one in this series by the same author and I absolutely loved it. This one as well. So, really, how can I say I don’t like billionaire stories? I guess because I have (maybe had?) a preconceived notion of the sheer arrogance and entitlement and men-behaving-badly cliche, which, sadly, isn’t always a cliche. At least, not the billionaires who make the headlines. But Maddrey’s billionaires are anything but! They are more ‘the boy next door’ type — hence the clever series title, “The Billionaire Next Door.”

The series centres around ‘regular guy’ friends who just happened to make it big through their joint investments. Like billionaire big. But they’ve kept that on the down-low and have just gone about their lives like normal…more or less. Like Austin with his beat up old car and his math teacher career, palling around with his best friend, Kayla (and yes, she knows he’s a billionaire, but it doesn’t phase her because they have that bestie bond.) Kayla teaches computer science at the same school as Austin so these two spend a lot of time together — inside and outside of work.

I may not be a billionaire aficionado but I sure am when it comes to ‘best friends to more’ romances! Eeeeep — this one is fabulous! Maddrey captures the depth of the friendship, from serious heart to hearts to playful teasing…but, oy, what happens when the teasing turns to banter and the ‘love you like a friend’ vibe starts to morph into something more…well…more?! Sheer reading delight, that’s what!

There’s all that delicious tension as both Kayla and Austin wrestle with their growing feelings. Well, actually, Kayla has been crushing on Austin for some time now, but she’s not-so-cleverly kept it well hidden from him. Because when Austin begins to see Kayla in a new, more romantical light, he’s positive she has him firmly in the friend zone. Oh, the agony of watching these two sort out their feelings! Not without angst, but it’s not over the top and there might look like a hint of a love triangle developing but it really isn’t so do not fear (says the LT averse reader with great relief.)

One of the aspects that I really loved about this novel, is the way Austin’s billionaire status is addressed. All the pros and cons and unique struggles that come from wealth. I don’t want to say much more than that, because it’s a very strong plot element but I appreciated the deliberation that Austin placed on his financial stewardship in relation to his faith.

And, oh the emotions churning around in my gut the whole read through! Love when an author makes me feel my way through a story and Maddrey definitely did that!

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Emma Faye and Joel Simler — really enjoyed the dual narration and these performers captured the heart of these characters and their story perfectly.

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, or also audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Billionaire’s Best Friend, 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 Key to Love + Giveaway

RANDOM RETRO READ

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 â€“ 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.