Month: June 2021

First Line Friday: An Ever After Summer

Published on by Allyson Anthony3 Comments

Happy Friday, friends! It’s time for First Line Friday hosted by Hoarding Books. Grab the book nearest to you and share the first line! Today I’m sharing the first line from An Ever After Summer by Toni Shiloh.

And the first line is…

“Bonjour.”

“Bonjour.” Ballamy Larson repeated the French greeting, copying the inflection and tone from the French language audiobook.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Embrace the enchantment of summer with these contemporary twists on timeless tales.

A New Beginning — Who is she? Acacia Martin raised by an impostor mom serving a prison sentence for her sins, or Jasmine Callahan abducted at birth from a family she’s yet to meet? Luckily, she has Drake to help her untangle the mess that is her life. Will he ensnare her he art in the process?

Resorting to Love — Running from a forced marriage, Aleia McDermott takes a job working at Totoka Resort and Spa in Fiji. When Activities Director Jake Boring plans three masquerade balls, Aleia only intends to forget her troubles and enjoy the summer. Just because you’re wearing a mask doesn’t mean you can hide…from your father or from love.

An Ever After Summer — The employees of In a Bind are terrified of Jean-Luc Thibodeaux, so Bellamy Larson hops on a plane to France to deal with the beastly client. Yet once she arrives, she’s convinced he merely needs a friend. Then her heart begins to want ever after, not just one summer.

Gwen and the Three Dates — Life isn’t a romantic movie, but Gwen Lochs is determined to find her leading man. When she joins a cheesy dating site, Gwen agrees to just three dates. Can Ben Smith watch his best friend and soulmate find someone else? A romantic comedy about searching for that just-right love.

AMAZON | GOODREADS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace of the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior.

She writes soulfully romantic novels to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

Before pursuing her dream as a writer, Toni served in the United States Air Force. It was there she met her husband. After countless moves, they ended up in Virginia, where they are raising their two boys.

When she’s not typing in imagination land, Toni enjoys reading, playing video games, ​making jewelry, and spending time with ​her family.

Toni is a member of the American Christian ​Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia ​Chapter.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOk | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

Post by contributor Allyson Anthony

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Throwback Thursday: Cold Case Secrets

Published on by Caitlyn SantiLeave a comment

Happy Throwback Thursday, friends! Today we’re featuring Cold Case Secrets (True North Heroes #4) by Maggie K. Black. This is a new to me author, but it sounds amazing and I’m super excited to read it! I discovered that the heroine in this book is biracial, with Afro Caribbean Canadian heritage on her Mom’s side. I love that it’s a diverse read! Be sure to check this one out!

About the Book

The Canadian wilderness can be deadly

Solving his sister’s murder is Mountie Jacob Henry’s only priority—until his daring helicopter rescue of Grace Finch leaves them stranded in the Canadian wilderness. Now with a storm raging and escaped convicts in pursuit, Jacob and Grace must rely on each other for survival. But when Jacob discovers Grace’s deadly secret, can he look past it in the fight for their lives?

AMAZON | GOODREADS As of this writing the ebook is only 99 cents on Amazon, but be sure to double check price before purchasing.

About the Author

Maggie K. Black is an award-winning journalist, self-defense instructor and romantic suspense author. Her writing career has taken her around the globe, and into the lives of countless grass-roots heroes and heroines, who are changing lives  in their own communities. 

She’s  lived in the United States, Middle East and United Kingdom, before making her home in Canada.

She is thankful to her readers for allowing her to turn the adventures and people which have inspired her, into fresh stories that make her pulse race and her heart soar.

Visit her website www.maggiekblack.com

Post by contributor Caitlyn Santi

Book Spotlight: Heaven’s Gift

Published on by ToniLeave a comment

Happy Monday!

We’re kicking off the week with a book spotlight of Dionne Grace’s book Heaven’s Gift.

About the Book

It was one night that changed their lives forever

When Samyra Jefferies is booked as the photographer for an upcoming wedding, the night ends up full of surprises when temptation shows up in the form of Joshua Anderson. And she is somewhat troubled to find that her faith is challenged when he focuses his attention on her.
But after one night of unbridled passion, Samyra decides a relationship with Joshua is something she will never entertain. Except…five months down the line, she has no choice but to consider this again.

“I’m pregnant with Joshua’s baby.”

Samyra’s declaration to a church filled with friends and family changes the course of Joshua’s life.
A confirmed bachelor who fought marriage and commitment now finds himself in a predicament that he sees no way of avoiding. And maybe, he just doesn’t want to.

Purchase

About the Author

Dionne Grace is a romantic at heart.  She loves reading books, which 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 used to scribble notes on the back of school books while her teacher’s backs were turned! Her friends loved it, and remind her of it to this day! 

She loves to write and when she is not writing, she is reading and juggles this with her full-time job.   

She writes sweet romances, about couples in relationships who have a passion for each other.  Sometimes this passion leads them into situations where they lose themselves, taking them down a path which possibly they should not have gone down, or in contrast, through life’s experiences; they reject the love that is offered, not having the faith or forgiveness to trust it.  

 Her books are intentionally thought-provoking, and real life. A message about a discovery of how the scars of life can be healed, no matter how difficult this sometimes seems in this imperfect world. And ultimately, through God’s divine intervention he imparts a revelation of what his purpose was all along. 

 As you must have guessed, she has a love for God and everything spiritual; she hopes this shines through in her books.  

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Post by contributor Toni Shiloh

First Line Friday: Jewel of the Nile

Published on by Nicole2 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 Jewel of the Nile by award-winning biblical and historical fiction author Tessa Afshar, which releases on June 8th. The novel takes place in the Kingdom of Cush, located in modern-day Sudan.

In her author notes, Tessa Afshar stated that she got the idea for writing this novel after receiving an email from an African American young woman who loved Ms. Afshar’s books, but wondered if she ever planned to have a character who looked like her.

Tessa Afshar has a remarkable way of bringing Scripture to life in her novels. If you haven’t read any of Tessa Afshar’s novels yet, this is the perfect opportunity!

and the first line is…

AD 31

“He took one last aching look outside the crumbling window; the Nile was molten gold in the light of the rising sun, a sparkling coil winding its way into the horizon.”

ABOUT THE BOOK

Whispered secrets about her parents’ past take on new urgency for Chariline as she pays one last visit to the land of her forefathers, the ancient kingdom of Cush.

Raised as an orphan by her aunt, Chariline has only been told a few pieces of her parents’ tragic love story. Her beautiful dark skin is proof that her father was Cushite, but she knows nothing else. While visiting her grandfather before his retirement as the Roman official in the queen’s court, Chariline overhears that her father is still alive, and discovering his identity becomes her obsession. Both her grandfather and the queen have reasons for keeping this secret, however, and forbid her quest. So when her only clues lead to Rome, Chariline sneaks on the ship of a merchant trusted by friends.

Theo is shocked to discover a stowaway on board his vessel and determines to be rid of her as soon as possible. But drawn in by Chariline’s story, he feels honor-bound to see her safely to shore, especially when it appears someone may be willing to kill for the truth she seeks.

In this transformative tale of historical fiction, bestselling author Tessa Afshar brings to life the kingdom of Cush and the Roman Empire, introducing readers to a fascinating world filled with gripping adventure, touching romance, and a host of lovable characters—including some they may recognize from the biblical book of Acts.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tessa Afshar is the bestselling author of biblical and inspirational historical fiction, including Land of Silence, which won an INSPY Award and was voted by Library Journal as one of the top five Christian fiction titles of 2016, and Harvest of Gold, which won a Christy Award in the Historical Romance category.

Harvest of Rubies was a finalist for the 2013 ECPA Christian Book Award for fiction.

In 2011, after publishing her first novel, Pearl in the Sand, Tessa was named New Author of the Year by the FamilyFiction-sponsored Reader’s Choice Awards.

Tessa’s first book-length Bible study, The Way Home: God’s Invitation to New Beginnings, based on the book of Ruth, was released in June, 2020, alongside optional videos of the same title. The Way Home was chosen by Moody Radio SFL for their summer of 2020 book study. 

Tessa was born in the Middle East and lived there for the first fourteen years of her life. She then moved to England, where she survived boarding school for girls and fell in love with Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte, before moving to the United States permanently.

Her conversion to Christianity in her twenties changed the course of her life forever. Tessa holds a Master of Divinity from Yale, where she was elected as the co-chair of the Evangelical Fellowship at the Divinity School for one year.

She served in women and prayer ministries for twenty years before becoming a full-time writer and speaker.

Tessa is a devoted wife, an enthusiastic cook, and a mediocre gardener. But that has not cured her from being exceptionally fond of chocolate.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | 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!

Book Review: The Heart’s Charge

Published on by Caitlyn SantiLeave a comment

Happy Wednesday, friends! Today I’m thrilled to bring you my review of The Heart’s Charge (Hanger’s Horsemen #2) by Karen Witemeyer which just released yesterday! I absolutely loved this book! Be sure to check it out!

About the Book

Members of Hanger’s Horsemen, Mark Wallace and Jonah Brooks arrive in Llano County, Texas, to deliver a steed, never expecting they’d deliver a baby as well. Left with an infant to care for, they head to a nearby foundling home, where Mark encounters the woman he’d nearly married a decade ago.

After failing at love, Katherine Palmer dedicated her life to caring for children, teaming up with Eliza Southerland to start Harmony House. From mixed ancestry, illegitimate, and female, Eliza understands the pain of not fitting society’s mold. Yet those are the very attributes that lead her to minister to outcast children. The taciturn Jonah intrigues her with his courage and kindness, but there are secrets behind his eyes–ghosts from wars past and others still being waged.

However, when a handful of urchin children from the area go missing, a pair of Horsemen are exactly what the women need. Working together to find the children, will these two couples find love as well? 

AMAZON | GOODREADS

My Thoughts:

An absolutely amazing second book in the Hanger’s Horsemen series! After reading and absolutely loving At Love’s Command I was super psyched to dive into The Heart’s Charge, and what a fantastic ride this story is! I loved Mark and Jonah, they are both such fantastic heroes that I simply can’t choose a favorite! In my opinion the only thing better than a Karen Witemeyer written romance, is TWO Karen Witemeyer written romances in the same book! I absolutely loved that we get both Mark and Kate’s, and Jonah and Eliza’s love stories, it added a whole other level of amazingness to this story! And I LOVE that Ms. Witemeyer chose to feature an African-American hero and heroine, Jonah and Eliza brought to this book a beautiful diversity that, in my opinion, we need more of in Christian fiction!

Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention just how much I love that gorgeous cover! I could stare at it for hours, and I wish there was a way I could frame it and hang it on my wall! I’ve been absolutely mesmerized by this cover since the moment I first saw it, and it’s one of my favorite covers of all time!

I absolutely adored everything about this book, and most highly recommend it! The Heart’s Charge is a fast paced read that will take you on a thrilling ride and leave you blissfully grinning, and eagerly anticipating Preach’s story!

(5 Stars!)

I received an ebook copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review was not influenced in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.

About the Author

For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. A transplant from California, Karen came to Texas for college, met a cowboy disguised as a computer nerd, married him, and never left the state that had become home.

Winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, ACFW Carol Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, and a finalist for both the RITA and Christy Awards, Karen is a firm believer in the power of happy endings. . . and ice cream. She also loves to reward her readers. Every month she gives away two inspirational historical novels to someone from her newsletter list and offers substantial bonus content on her website. To learn more about Karen and her books, or to join her subscriber list, please visit www.karenwitemeyer.com

Post by contributor Caitlyn Santi