November 2020 – Diversity Between the Pages

Book Review: Unveiling Love: Episode I

Published on November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 by Caitlyn SantiLeave a comment

Happy Wednesday, friends, and Happy early Thanksgiving to those who live in the USA! I just read my first book by Vanessa Riley and fell in love with her writing! I’m thrilled to share with you my review of Unveiling Love: Episode I

About the Book

Romantic Suspense in the courtrooms and hidden places of Romantic Regency England

Winning in the courts, vanquishing England’s foes on the battlefield, Barrington Norton has used these winner-take-all rules to script his life, but is London’s most distinguished mulatto barrister prepared to win the ultimate fight, restoring his wife’s love?

Amora Norton is running out of time. The shadows in her Egyptian mind, which threaten her sanity and alienate Barrington’s love, have returned. How many others will die if she can’t piece together her shattered memories? Can she trust that Barrington’s new found care is about saving their marriage rather than winning the trial of the century?

This is the first Regency Romance of four.

Dear Lovely Reader,
Unveiling Love is a serialized historical romance or soap opera told in episodes. Each episode averages three to eight chapters, about 18,000 to 30,000 words. Each episode resolves one issue. Emotional cliffhangers may be offered, but the plot, the action of the episode, will be complete in resolving this issue.

My promise to you is that the action will be compelling, the romance passionate, and the journey like nothing you’ve read before. I will tell you in the forward the length. This episode, Episode I, is eight chapters long, 28,000 words. Enjoy this Regency Romance.

Vanessa Riley

Amazon | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

What an awesome story! I have wanted to read a Vanessa Riley book for quite a while now and finally had a chance to get to one, and oh my word I loved this story! This is the first time I’ve read a serialized book and I absolutely loved the format, ts episode ended with just the right amount of resolution while at the same time whetting my story appetite so much that I need the second episode ASAP! I haven’t read a lot of romance novels in which the main characters are a married couple, and that is something that I absolutely loved about this story. Amora and Barrington each have their own wounds and their own secrets and they are each afraid of being a disappointment to the other, I was rooting for them from the start and I am so looking fward to seeing their marriage continue to grow and strengthen as the story . And the romance, oh my stars, can you say swoon?! I loved these characters and cannot wait to see what happens next and read the rest of their story!The historical detail was fabulous, I felt like I had been swept away into another time and place and I have now found a new favorite Regency author to add to my list! This story was amazing, I loved it, and I’m eagerly anticipating my next read from Vanessa Riley!
Highly recommended!
(5 Stars!

About the Author

Vanessa Riley writes Historical Fiction and Historical Romance (Georgian, Regency, & Victorian) featuring hidden histories, dazzling multi-culture communities, and strong sisterhoods. She promises to pull heart strings, offer a few laughs, and share tidbits of tantalizing history. This Southern, Irish, Trini girl holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and a MS in industrial engineering and engineering management from Stanford University. She also earned a BS and MS in mechanical engineering from Penn State University. Yet, her love of history and lattes have overwhelmed her passion for math, leading to the publication of over 20+ titles. She loves writing on her southern porch with proper caffeine. Vanessa has a very diverse background. She has been a radio anchorwoman and church announcer. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and President-Elect of The Beau Monde, a specialty RWA Chapter. She is also a member of Georgia Romance Writers, NINC, and Historical Novel Society. She is on the Board of Directors of Christian Book Lovers Retreat where readers escape for a weekend of fun, faith and connection to the author community. Her latest release, A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby is an Amazon Best of the Month Selection and a Publishers Weekly Summer Reads 2020 Editors’ Pick. A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby has been reviewed by Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Library Journal, and the New York Times and received a starred review in Publishers Weekly. She’s currently working on Island Queen for William Morrow, a novel centering on Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a formerly enslaved person who becomes one of the wealthiest women in the Caribbean. Vanessa loves cooking her Trinidadian grandma’s cake recipes and collecting Irish crochet lace and writing on her southern porch with proper caffeination.

Website | Facebook | Instagram |Twitter | Goodreads

Post by contributor Caitlyn Santi

First Line Friday: Forever In My Heart

Published on November 20, 2020November 19, 2020 by Toni4 Comments

Happy Friday everyone! You know what that means…it’s time for First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books. Grab the book nearest to you and share the first line!

Today we are featuring the first line of Forever In My Heart by Dionne Grace. And the first line is…

Sherry Palmer listened to the gentle rustle of the trees and green foliage in the distance.

About the Book

Sherry’s God-given gift allows her to see far beyond the naked eye, just not what He has planned for her.

Throughout Sherry’s life, there was only ever one man. Adrian Chase. She fell deeply, and when they made plans to marry, she thought her life was set.
Strong in the Lord, she has a gift to see into the spiritual realm. But when unforeseeable, uncontrollable circumstances change the course of their lives, the only man she has ever loved ends up with someone else.
Years on, plagued with memories of their past, she is left in limbo and has given up the possibility of ever seeing Adrian again.
All it takes is one fateful weekend and one look into his soulful brown eyes to undo the years of work it has taken to bury the pain that now threatens to tear her apart all over again.

Plagued by her past and the love in her heart, can she move forward with her life?

Amazon | Goodreads

What’s the first line of the book you’re reading?

Post by Contributor Toni Shiloh

Throwback Thursday: Crowning Glory

Published on November 19, 2020October 18, 2020 by NicoleLeave a comment

Happy Thursday! Today we’re throwing it back to 2011 with Crowning Glory, when the first edition of this novel was published. Crowning Glory is the first book in author Pat Simmons’ Restore My Soul series. The premise of this novel is different than a lot of the Christian fiction novels I read, but the topics are very relevant in our society, where people do make terrible mistakes and have the opportunity to discover salvation and redemption through the grace of God.

Have you read any novels by Pat Simmons yet?

ABOUT THE BOOK

Cinderella had a prince; Karyn Wallace has a King.

While Karyn served four years in prison for an unthinkable crime, she embraced salvation through Crowns for Christ outreach ministry. After her release, Karyn stays strong and confident, despite the stigma society places on ex-offenders. Since Christ strengthens the underdog, Karyn refuses to sway away from the scripture, “He whom the Son has set free is free indeed.”

Levi Tolliver, for the most part, is a practicing Christian. One contradiction is he doesn’t believe in turning the other cheek. He’s steadfast there is a price to pay for every sin committed, especially after

the untimely death of his wife during a robbery. Then Karyn enters Levi’s life. He is enthralled not only with her beauty but her sweet spirit until he learns about her incarceration. If Levi can accept that Christ paid Karyn’s debt in full, then a treasure awaits him.

Award-winning author Pat Simmons delivers another powerful tale and reminds readers of the permanency of redemption. Crowning Glory is a love story, and Karyn will get her prince.

AMAZON | GOODREADS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pat Simmons is the multi-published author of more than thirty titles, and is a three-time recipient of Emma Rodgers Award for Best Inspirational Romance. She has been a featured speaker and workshop presenter at various venues across the country.

As a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth, Pat is passionate about researching her ancestors, then casting them in starring roles in her novels.

She describes the evidence of the gift of the Holy Ghost as an amazing, unforgettable, life-altering experience. God is the Author who advances the stories she writes. Pat has a B.S. in mass communications from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts.

Pat has converted her sofa-strapped, sports fanatic husband into an amateur travel agent, untrained bodyguard, GPS-guided chauffeur, and her administrative assistant who is constantly on probation. They have a son and a daughter.

First Line Friday: Finding Seguridad

Published on November 13, 2020October 19, 2020 by Nicole6 Comments

Happy Friday everyone! You know what that means…it’s time for First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books. Grab the book nearest to you and share the first line!

Today we are featuring the first line of Finding Seguridad by Allison K. Garcia, which released last month in October. It is the second book in her Buscando Home series.

and the first line is…

“Fear gripped eight-year old Emanuel Martinez’s heart as he and his mother ran down the hill from their trailer towards Dove Peak Presbyterian Church in Lederville, Virginia.”

ABOUT THE BOOK

How do you feel safe when chaos is ever-present?

Eight-year old Emanuel and his mother, Ana, had finally begun to understand what it meant to be a family when a domestic violence situation caused them to flee their home. Now they need to start over, this time with things more dangerous than ever.

Carlos’ life, as he knew it, was ripped away from him in an instant. Furious about his arrest yet longing for the familiar, he has to choose between winning Ana back and taking revenge.

As Lauren and Peter begin their awakening to systemic racism, their world is shattered and replaced with doubt. Questions about what is real versus what lies they’ve been told lead them to ponder how their faith fits into their new reality.

In this time of grief and loss, who will they turn to for support and safety?

GOODREADS | AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Allison K. García is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a passion for writing. Latina at heart, Allison has absorbed the love and culture of her friends and family and has used her experiences to cast a glimpse into the journey of undocumented Christians.

WEBSITE |FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

Let us know the first line of the book closest to you & then head over to Hoarding Books to see who else is participating!

Throwback Thursday: Predestined Love

Published on November 12, 2020November 11, 2020 by Caitlyn SantiLeave a comment

Happy Thursday, friends! Today we’re throwing it back to 2015 with Predestined Love by Marshalee Patterson! Be sure to check out this great story!

About the Book

Travelling to Italy was Maria’s way of escaping her past and beginning a new life. After being used and treated as cheap by men because of poor judgement, Maria prayed and left her fate in God’s Hands to find her the perfect match.

When God answered Maria’s prayer and sent her His choice, someone from her past came to claim what he thought was his.

Will he succeed in ruining the future Maria had trusted God to secure for her?

Amazon | Goodreads

About the Author

Marshalee Patterson was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She has loved reading since she could walk. Growing up without a television sparked in her a love for reading and the world of imagination. Some of her favourite novels were written by Charles Dickens, Jane Eyre and Victor Hugo, as she found she liked the true to life stories that we all can relate to. She wrote her first novella-Predestined Love after travelling to Italy and wanted to write a romance novel about it, only she didn’t know that God had plans for her and that story, when he change the direction of what she originally had in mind.

It was then that she knew she was called to write stories to uplift and inspire readers, showing them how to find God in their struggles and the faith to trust Him through it. She is a lover of nature and the tranquillity of it. She finds the outdoors refreshing and peaceful. Marshalee loves Spanish ballads and dances salsa very well.

Connect with Marshalee

Website: https://inspiringchristian.wixsite.com/marshaleepatterson

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2nZqXa4

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2GgF1Cw

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormarshaleepatterson/

Post by contributor Caitlyn Santi

10 books Christmas books/novellas for your reading pleasure. Part 1.

Published on November 10, 2020 by Ebos Aifuobhokhan2 Comments

Christmas is my favorite time of the year and what makes it more enjoyable are the Christmas books I get to read. So I will be sharing a couple of books/novella you can read to equally enjoy the season like me. Some of these novellas are part of a collection.

Hope For The Holiday By Cathe Swanson.

2. A Sidelined Christmas By Toni Shiloh. If you know me, you’d know I love Toni Shiloh. she writes such amazing stories.

3. Deck The Shelves by Toni Shiloh.

4. I’ll Be Home by Toni Shiloh.

5. Christmas Dinner By Pat Simmons.

6. A Christmas Wedding By Melinda Michelle.

7. Catching Feelings For Christmas By Candice Johnson.

8. A Gift Wrapped Christmas By Casandra McLaughlin and Michelle Stimpson.

9. Christmas Box Set by Vanessa Miller.

10. The Christmas Ultimatum by Unoma Nwankor

I know your eyes are bulging and dancing with joy right now. LOL! next week I will deliver to you another dose of Christmas books.

Stay Tuned.

Share with us, have you read any of these? What Christmas books have you read this year so far?

First Line Friday – A Moment In The Moonlight.

Published on November 6, 2020 by Ebos Aifuobhokhan4 Comments

Happy Friday!!

Love stories are my favorite and today First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books is a book by Belle Calhoune, A Moment In The Moonlight.

And the first line is…

Always the bridesmaid and never the bride.

About The Book

Secrets of Savannah: “Six best friends who have known each other their entire lives. Once as thick as thieves, the friendships among the girls have been splintered by life events, secrets and deceptions. Now, brought together again by an inheritance of an historic Bed & Breakfast on Tybee Island, the women must set aside their differences in order to restore their beloved Savannah House. As each woman finds her special talent and develops it through the renovation of the inn, they also find romance—each of them with an unforgettable hero.”

The Blurb: “The sweetheart: Olivia Renault is the only daughter of a Savannah businessman, Jack Renault. Having recently inherited the once famous resort, Savannah House, along with her dearest friends, Olivia is excited about the future enterprise and all of the possibilities. Olivia’s heart is energized when Hunter Rawlings, an old flame, returns to town for the wedding of her best friend, Callie Duvall. Having truly never gotten over Hunter, Olivia finds herself falling for him all over again. But can she really trust her heart with the man who once broke it?

The rebel-millionaire: Once the bad boy of Savannah, Hunter Rawlings left his hometown a decade ago and transformed himself into a successful, wealthy businessman. Hunter returns to Savannah for the wedding of his childhood friends, Callie Duvall and Jax Holden. Once back in Savannah, Hunter comes face to face with the one who got away—Olivia Renault. As teenagers, Hunter and Olivia were involved in a secret romance that ended abruptly when Hunter roared out of Savannah on a motorcycle and toward a new life away from his hometown. As Hunter’s feelings for Olivia return with a vengeance, he grapples with a huge secret he’s harboring—one that might rip Olivia out of his arms forever.

Links: Amazon, Goodreads

Let me know the first line of the book closest to you & then head over to Hoarding Books to see who else is participating!

Book Review: Forever in My Heart

Published on November 4, 2020November 2, 2020 by Allyson Anthony1 Comment

Happy Wednesday readers! Today’s book review is Forever in my Heart by Dionne Grace. This romantic story also involves a glimpse into the spiritual realm, a realm consisting of angels and dark spirits.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sherry’s God-given gift allows her to see far beyond the naked eye, just not what He has planned for her.

Plagued by her past and the love in her heart, can she move forward with her life?

* This book is a short novel with snippets of Sherry’s life, and her love for Adrian.

AMAZON | GOODREADS

MY THOUGHTS

Forever in My Heart by Dionne Grace is a different story. It is about Sherry who has a special gift. She is able to see into the spiritual realm, a realm involving angels and dark spirits, and uses her gift to help others. I enjoyed reading the description of the angels and dark spirits because there’s a spiritual battle going on and it’s real. Sherry and Adrian planned on getting married, but circumstances caused them to part, and Adrian married another woman. Fifteen years later they meet at a wedding. I recommend reading Forever in My Heart.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dionne Grace is a romantic at heart whose love for reading books in her early teenage years enhanced her vivid imagination. She would often invent fascinating love stories to entertain her school friends involving famous pop stars. She loves to write and when she is not writing, she is reading and juggles this with her full-time job.

She hopes her love for God and everything spiritual shines through in her books. She has had these stories on her heart to write for many years and finally found the courage to do so. It is her hope that they touch you in some way.

To find out about new releases, visit her website and join her mailing list. Enjoy free excerpts of her novels on her website.

Post by Contributor Allyson Anthony

Top Ten Non-Bookish Hobbies

Published on November 3, 2020October 28, 2020 by Danielle Grandinetti18 Comments

Here at Diversity Between the Pages, we love books. We love reading books, talking about books, writing books, buying books, anything involving books. However, today’s Top-Ten prompt from That Artsy Reader Girl asks about our non-bookish hobbies.

To help you get to know us better, I asked the contributors to Diversity Between the Pages what their hobbies are. You know, the ones that don’t involve books.

“I don’t understand the question.”
~ Diversity Between the Pages Contributor

Like I said, we all love books and many of us love books so much they are even a part of our careers. So it took some thinking on our part to come up with non-bookish hobbies that aren’t only ones our favorite characters happen to enjoy.

Here are our top ten answers:

Crafting. The variety is endless: sewing, quilting, hand-embroidery, knitting, crocheting, making earrings
Cooking/Baking. Personally, my creative side often emerges in the kitchen.
Walking Outside. With the dog.
Photography.
Playing video, tablet, or phone games.
Gardening.
Watching Movies.
Puzzles.
Visiting historic homes/museums/botanical gardens/parks.
Researching family genealogy.

And, of course, consuming our preferred brand of coffee, tea, or other such beverage.

Tell us below – What are your favorite non-bookish hobbies?

For more non-bookish hobbies, visit That Artsy Reader Girl.