Thursday, April 21, 2022

A Rose For The Resistance By Angela K. Couch + GIVEAWAY

A Rose for the Resistance JustRead Takeover Tour

Welcome to the Takeover Tour for A Rose for the Resistance by Angela K. Couch, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I received the book for this tour.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Rose for the Resistance
Title: A Rose for the Resistance 
Series: Heroines of WWII 
Author: Angela K. Couch 
Publisher: Barbour Fiction 
Release Date: April 1, 2022 
Genre: Christian, Historical Romance 

A French Woman and German Soldier Create a Truce 

With her father in a German POW camp and her home in Ste Mere Eglise, France, under Nazi occupation, Rosalie Barrieau will do anything to keep her younger brother safe. . .even from his desire to join the French resistance. Until she falls into the debt of a German solder—one who delivers a wounded British pilot to her door. Though not sure what to make of her German ally, Rosalie is thrust deep into the heart of the local underground. As tensions build toward the allied invasion of Normandy, she must decide how much she is willing to risk for freedom. 

Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII. 

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angela K Couch

To keep from freezing in the great white north, Angela K. Couch cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests, being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the 2016 International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and toasty warm) by chasing after five munchkins.

CONNECT WITH ANGELA: Website | Facebook | Twitter

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of A Rose for the Resistance and a $15 Amazon egift card!

A Rose for the Resistance JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 20, 2022 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on April 27, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Potential Threat By Tara Grace Ericson

Potential Threat
by Tara Grace Ericson
Publisher: Silver Fountain Press
Series: Black Tower Security
ISBN: 9781949896374

While I have been on this author's launch team in the past, I actually bought the ebook before it was released! I've never done that with an ebook on Kindle so it was a surprise when it showed up in my email notifying me that I could now read it! I'm excited to dive into this series.

Summary:

Can this bad-boy bodyguard protect America's sweetheart without losing his heart?

Fiona Raven is famous for her homestyle cooking with a hint of Italian flair. Everyone knows her face and has her pre-packaged food in their freezer. So why is she receiving threatening notes? Fiona’s brother insists on sending a bodyguard, news that only gets worse when she realizes it is his friend Ryder - the one man she could never let herself love.

Ryder McClain has played the villain enough times to appreciate being the hero working for Black Tower Security. Along with his new client comes a stern warning from her brother - his boss and best friend - to keep his hands off. It doesn’t matter anyway, Fiona is the perfect woman, and exactly the kind he doesn’t deserve.

Ryder will do whatever it takes to protect Fiona. Threatening notes turn into suspicious break-ins and destructive corporate espionage, and this bodyguard assignment gets even more serious. Can Ryder get to the bottom of the threat before his heart gets too involved?

Dive into the intrigue and romance of Potential Threat, Book 1 of the Black Tower Security Series. Compelling characters, clean romance and heart-racing action.


My Review:

Having sampled some of the author's romantic suspense in the past, I was really looking forward to this new series and Potential Threat didn't disappoint!

If you're a perfectionist, then you'll be able to relate well to Fiona, Flint's sister. If you have a hard time trusting your instincts and giving yourself grace, you'll be able to relate to Ryder, Ross's brother. I definitely could relate well to Ryder in that sense.

Out of the blue Fiona is being harassed, but the person who is doing the harassing is super sneaky! Thank goodness Fiona's connected since her brother is part of Black Tower Security. I enjoyed seeing the tug of war Fiona and Ryder had with her security. She was so determined that it would all get figured out and Ryder was dead serious in his protection.

I felt so bad for Ryder because he felt so incapable of truly keeping Fiona (or anyone) safe. The author made it easy to understand why he didn't see his worth or that he was good at what he did. On the flip side, she also allowed us to see the constant go, go, go mentality of a perfectionist in Fiona. Just reading her part of the story exhausted me.

There were definitely a few unexpected twists that really surprised me! You can't have a good suspense unless this happens! I'm also loving how the team at BTS works together. Their stories are going to be fun to watch unfold!

I loved the chemistry between Fiona and Ryder. A slow burn and wonderful. They're just so great together. Had to fan myself one time. Thankful that the author gives us the balance of steam in their growing feelings while keeping it tame. lol

There might be a couple of spots that are sensitive to readers in the form of a roofies in a drink and someone taking their own life (this isn't fulled played out for the reader).

I'm already looking forward to Joey and Cole's story!

About the Author:

Tara Grace Ericson lives in Missouri with her husband and three sons. She studied engineering and worked as an engineer for many years before embracing her creative side to become a full-time author and mom. 

She loves cooking, crocheting, and reading books by the dozen. She also loves a good “happily ever after” with an engaging love story. 

That's why Tara focuses on writing clean contemporary romance, with an emphasis on Christian faith and living. She wants to encourage her readers with stories of men and women who live out their faith in tough situations.

Thursday, April 14, 2022

Carved In Ebony By Jasmine L. Holmes

Carved in Ebony
by Jasmine L. Holmes
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 9780764238857

I had seen this book on social media quite a few times. When I had the opportunity to read it, I was looking forward to learning about Black women from the past who shaped the women of their day and should be today. I received the book for review.

Summary:

Elizabeth Freeman, Nannie Helen Burroughs, Maria Fearing, Charlotte Forten Grimké, Sarah Mapps Douglass, Sara Griffith Stanley, Amanda Berry Smith, Lucy Craft Laney, Maria Stewart, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

These names may not be familiar, but each one of these women was a shining beacon of devotion in a world that did not value their lives. They worked to change laws, built schools, spoke to thousands, shared the Gospel around the world. And while history books may have forgotten them, their stories can teach us so much about what it means to be modern women of faith.

Through the research and reflections of author Jasmine Holmes, you will be inspired by what each of these exceptional women can teach us about the intersections of faith and education, birth, privilege, opportunity, and so much more. Carved in Ebony will take you past the predominantly white, male contributions that seemingly dominate history books and church history to discover how Black women have been some of the main figures in defining the landscape of American history and faith.

Join Jasmine on this journey of illuminating these women--God's image-bearers, carved in ebony.


My Review:

I was looking forward to reading Carved in Ebony. As a white woman, one might think a book such as this wouldn't apply to me, but Carved in Ebony is a book all of us should read. It made me think about all the voices of women who will be lost to the past.

It was powerful to read about the women the author chose to highlight. Only 10 women in hundreds of years of Black women who had blazed a trail are highlighted in the story. Each woman's story, in some way, touches the lives of those who come after her.

My favorite person to learn about was Amanda Berry Smith. One might think it would've been one of the other Black women who had loud voices and made the Black struggle known. Amanda's story spoke to me because her deep and abiding desire to grow more like Christ. All of the stories though spoke to me on a variety of levels. Their examples of perseverance and devotion to make God known was a continuous thread. I loved that over and over these women pointed to the Truth. The fallacy the new world was trying to push was that Black men and women were nothing but chattel for slavery and these women were NOT having it! Could anything be more encouraging?

We never want to forget where we've come from - all of us - because the last thing we can ever do is go back to where we were. We can't forget the things of the past because we want the future to be different for all of us, as fellow image bearers of Christ.

About the Author:

Jasmine L. Holmes (www.jasminelholmes.com) is the author of Mother to Son: Letters to a Black Boy on Identity and Hope. She is also a contributing author for Identity Theft: Reclaiming the Truth of Our Identity in Christ and His Testimonies, My Heritage: Women of Color on the Word of God. She and her husband, Phillip, are parenting three young sons in Jackson, Mississippi.

Saturday, April 9, 2022

The Souls Of Lost Lake By Jaime Jo Wright

The Souls of Lost Lake
by Jaime Jo Wright
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 9780764238321

I finally caved a few years ago and read my first Jaime Jo Wright novel and now when I find out she has a new book coming out I'm ON IT! Her stories will keep you guessing all the way through! I am on her launch team and was sent her book for review.

Summary:

To save the innocent, they must face an insidious evil.

Wren Blythe has long enjoyed living in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, helping her father with ministry at a youth camp. But when a little girl in the area goes missing, an all-out search ensues, reviving the decades-old campfire story of Ava Coons, the murderess who is believed to still roam the forest. Joining the search, Wren stumbles upon the Coonses' cabin ruins and a sinister mystery she is determined to unearth.

In 1930, Ava Coons has spent the last several years carrying the mantle of mystery since the day she emerged from the woods as a thirteen-year-old girl, spattered with blood, dragging a logger's ax. She has accepted she will never remember what happened to her family, whose bodies were never found, and that the people of Tempter's Creek will always blame her for their violent deaths. And after a member of the town is murdered, and another goes missing, rumors spread that Ava's secret is perhaps more malicious than previously imagined.

Two women, separated by time, must confront a wickedness that not only challenges who they are but also threatens their lives, and the lives of those they love.

My Review:

Ok, I have to admit the cover is super creepy. The intro... wow, extremely creepy! The rest of The Souls of Lost Lake will have you on edge the entire time! The author knows how to weave a tale that will give you goosebumps. Her slight of hand with words will capture you in its grip and not release you until the last page.

The characters had an emotional pull on me from the start. We meet Ava and Arwen in the middle of terrible circumstances. Ava tugged on my heart while at the same time made me bite my nails. She was portrayed so completely backwoods yet had a complete grasp of human nature. She called things as she saw them with such clarity. The more I got to know her, the more I wanted to see her protected.

Arwen (Wren) was as lost a character as you would imagine. I don't think I quite grasped how lost she was until I began reflecting on her. The elements that tie her to the past chilling... and confusing. That's what makes the author's writing so fantastic. She leaves the readers questioning EVERYTHING!

Of course, I liked the male supporting characters in the story. They lend to the growth of the ladies and helps us see them through different eyes. Noah, a stranger to town, sees past the Ava everyone has described. Eddie is the constant in Wren's life. He and his family have been her plumb-line for years.

There's always, ALWAYS, a deeper spiritual truth winding its way through the storyline. It's no different with this story as well. And notably is there the spiritual depth, but also the human connection as well. Our perception of others either from how we see them or how others see them reminds us we need to look at them how God sees them. The ending for both time periods left me with my jaw dropped! I was shocked by both needless to say, but the "who" in each was SO interesting. I'm still mulling it all over in my head.

About the Author:

Jaime Jo Wright (www.jaimewrightbooks.com) is the author of six novels, including Christy Award winner The House on Foster Hill and Carol Award winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. She's also the Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of two novellas. Jaime lives in Wisconsin with her cat named Foo; her husband, Cap'n Hook; and their littles, Peter Pan and CoCo. To learn more, visit www.jaimewrightbooks.com.

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

All That It Takes By Nicole Deese

All That It Takes
by Nicole Deese
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 978076423497

I was SO excited to join Nicole's launch team after reading her first book with Bethany House a couple years ago. I have to tell you, this duology was exceptional! I can't wait to share my review with you below. I received her book for review. 

Summary:

When the ever-cautious Val Locklier moves cross-country with her son for a secure job, everything she'd planned unravels within the first week. After Val reluctantly agrees to rent an apartment from her best friend's brother, an unexpected chance at an elite filmmakers' mentorship ignites fresh hope for a dream career. But as Val's community begins to expand, so do her insecurities, especially those heightened by her growing attraction to a certain friendly landlord. 

Pastor Miles McKenzie returns home from a short-term mission trip to discover that not only does he have an intriguing new tenant living upstairs, he's also been reassigned to a local ministry on life support. Disillusioned and restless, he distracts himself by throwing his energy into a host of new projects--not the least of which is pursuing Val--without stopping to consider the future. 

As Val struggles to stop hiding behind the camera and Miles wrestles with shattered expectations, they'll find that authentic love and sacrifice must go hand in hand.

My Review:

It's not very often I read Christian books that I know will be life changing for people who read them or know that the story will have a lasting impact on the people who read it. So much so, that I see All That It Takes as an actual ministry.

There is SO much to learn in this story - about ourselves, about others, about how one person can make a profound impact on another, and more importantly about God. This book is unapologetic in its tenderness to women who are in situations that aren't easy: unexpected pregnancy, single moms, women who have had abortions, etc. It highlights the importance of community for these women, and I can say from experience, I felt this story deeply.

Val was such a lovely character to watch bloom and come into herself. Sometimes you have to cut the cord to find out who you really are, and her move from Alaska to Washington did just. The way God brings about opportunities into her life leave her no choice but to step out of her walled world or stay stagnant. Those opportunities aren't easy, and certainly not expected, but she's strong enough to handle it. Her actual story is heartbreakingly real and beautiful. Truly, this book is a ministry. A witness for Christ.

Miles was one of those characters who had me feeling all of his emotions. Pastor Curtis - we don't like him (check), having a passion for ministry in Mexico (check), caring for Val & Tucker (check)! Needless to say, he wears his heart on his sleeve and in his handball game. He had a lot to unravel in his life, too, so it was good to watch an MK peel back the layers of his adult years.

Two other people I want to highlight are Lady Gwen and Rev. Lady Gwen, who has only just met Val, is so perfect for her because Gwen will push Val to dig deeper for the story she's trying to tell. While she's no-nonsense she's also kind. Rev on the other hand gently asks the right questions to Miles and challenges him with the years of relationship they have under their belt.

There were some really great scenes in the story (one word: lightsaber) just like in All That Really Matters. I have tabs throughout the book so be sure to check out my quotes.

This story is as beautiful as it is timely. Our world needs a story like this to give hope in the darkness using real world issues and focusing a spotlight on needed ministries! Very well written, and one I won't soon forget!

*I received the book for review. This is my personal opinion.

About the Author:

Nicole Deese's (www.nicoledeese.com) eight humorous, heartfelt, and hope-filled novels include the 2017 Carol Award-winning A Season to Love. Her 2018 release, A New Shade of Summer, was a finalist in the RITA Awards, Carol Awards, and INSPY Awards. Both of these books are from her bestselling Love in Lenoxseries. When she's not working on her next contemporary romance, she can usually be found reading one by a window overlooking the inspiring beauty of the Pacific Northwest. She lives in small-town Idaho with her happily-ever-after hubby, two rambunctious sons, and princess daughter with the heart of a warrior.

 
Creative Commons License
Woven by Words by Mimi B is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.