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 Peril on the Ranch by Lynette Eason.
and the first line is…
“Isabelle Trent woke with a start.”
ABOUT THE BOOK
They’ll shield her newest charge…
no matter what the cost.
When an infant is abandoned on her ranch, foster mother Isabelle Trent will do anything for the child—even put her own life on the line. She might not know who left the little girl, but it’s clear someone’s after her and will kill to reach their target. With Isabelle’s ranch hand, Brian “Mac” McGee, at her side, can she survive long enough to protect the baby?
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
Lynette Eason lives in Simpsonville, SC with her husband and two children. She is an award-winning, best-selling author who spends her days writing when she’s not traveling around the country teaching at writing conferences. Lynette enjoys visits to the mountains, hanging out with family and brainstorming stories with her fellow writers. You can visit Lynette’s website to find out more at http://www.lynetteeason.com or like her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/lynette.eason
Let us know the first line of the book closest to you & then head over to Hoarding Books to see who else is participating!
Happy Throwback Thursday, friends! Today we’re featuring The Preacher’s Promise by Piper Huguley – the first novel in her Home to Milford College series. In case it looks familiar, I featured the prequel novella last week!
About the Book
1866 – Oberlin, Ohio
Devastated by her father’s death days after her triumphant graduation from Oberlin College, Amanda Stewart is all alone in the world. Her father’s unscrupulous business partner offers her an indecent proposal to earn a living. Instead, to fulfill a promise she made to her father, she resolves to start a school to educate and uplift their race. Sorting through her father’s papers, she discovers he had carried on a mysterious correspondence with a plantation in Milford, Georgia. She determines to start her teaching work with the formerly enslaved. However, when she arrives, the mayor tells her to leave. There’s nowhere for her to go.
Virgil Smithson, Milford’s mayor, blacksmith and sometimes preacher man with a gift for fiery oratory, doesn’t want anything to do with a snobby schoolteacher from up North. On top of everything else, the schoolteacher lady has a will hard enough to match the iron he forges. He must organize his fellow formerly enslaved citizens into a new town and raise his young daughter alone. Still, his troubled past haunts him. He cannot forget the promise he made to his daughter’s mother as she died—that their child would learn to read and write. If only he didn’t have secrets that the new schoolteacher seems determined to uncover.
To keep THE PREACHER’S PROMISE, Amanda and Virgil must put aside their enmity, unite for the sake of a newly-created community in a troubling age, and do things they never imagined. In the aftermath of the flood that was the Civil War, God set his bow upon the earth to show love and understanding for humankind. To reflect God’s promise, these combatants must put aside their differences and come together–somehow.
Named in 2015 as a top ten historical romance novelist in Publisher’s Weekly, Piper Huguley is the author of the Reconstruction era “Home to Milford College” series. She is a 2013 & 2014 Golden Heart finalist for two novels in the “Migrations of the Heart” series about the Bledsoe sisters and set in the early twentieth century. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son.
Happy Wednesday, friends! Today I am thrilled to share my thoughts on Stand Out, the fourth book in Rose Fresquez’s Eron Romance series.
Have you read any books by Rose Fresquez yet?
ABOUT THE BOOK
He’s her boss. She’s off-limits. One road trip might change all the rules.
After a miraculous recovery from a tragic accident, Brent Wise is back to running the billion-dollar company. With the board criticizing his decisions, the last thing he needs is his assistant to get under his skin. When Keisha talks him out of a profitable deal and the angry board members demand answers, he’s left no choice but to invite her to an out-of-state meeting.
Keisha Freeman is forced to face her insecurities when asked to advocate for her friends’ homes that are about to be demolished and replaced by a fancy hotel. Her extremely handsome boss might be a hothead and intimidating, but unlike her family, Brent treats her like the adult she is. Her mission is to prove to him that she’s more than his enemy’s little sister. She starts by defining the conditions of the trip: No private jet—just a simple road trip with a stop at every homeless shelter along the way.
On the ride of their lives, sparks fly as their love-hate sizzle continues to heat into attraction for one another. When family intrudes on a perfect romance, will they hold back or fight for their love story?
Stand Out is a sweet Christian romance that will take you on a heartwarming journey with memorable characters and an inspiring story of trust, acceptance, and following your heart.
“It didn’t matter how a person felt or how they looked on the outside, what was more important was how their actions stood out.”
Stand Out, the fourth installment in author Rose Fresquez’s Eron Romance series, is a beautiful tale of acceptance, faith, and finding love. This novel is one of my new favorites of hers. I always look forward to this author’s new releases, and this book is no exception.
Rose Fresquez creates a realistic storyline with Brent and Keisha’s path to romance. Readers will love the diversity of Rose Fresquez’s characters and her sweet Christian romances. She is definitely an author I would recommend for readers of inspirational contemporary romance.
I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR/PUBLISHER AND WAS NOT REQUIRED TO WRITE A POSITIVE REVIEW. ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE MINE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rose Fresquez is a stay-at-home mom, with a husband and four kids. In her free time, she likes to spend time outdoors with the family, sing gospel music and plotting her next writing project.
Rose’s writing projects include both Christian non-fiction and Christian fiction.
Happy Monday, friends! Today I’m thrilled to share with you my review of the brilliant and hilarious romcom Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong! Be sure to check this one out!
About the Book
How far would you go to find the perfect husband? All the way back to the 1950s?
In a world full of happily-ever-after love, Meri Newberg feels like the last young woman on the planet to be single, at least in her Christian friend group. So when she’s handed a strange present at the latest wedding–a 1950s magazine article of “ways to get a husband”–she decides there’s nothing to lose by trying out its advice. After all, she can’t get any more single, can she?
Her brother’s roommate sees the whole thing as a great opportunity. Not to fall in love–Kai Kamaka has no interest in the effort a serious relationship takes. No, this is a career jump start. He talks Meri into letting him film every silly husband-catching attempt for a new online show. If it goes viral, his career as a cameraman will be made.
When Meri Me debuts, it’s an instant hit. People love watching her lasso men on street corners, drop handkerchiefs for unsuspecting potential beaus, and otherwise embarrass herself in pursuit of true love. But the longer this game goes on, the less sure Kai is that he wants Meri to snag anyone but him. The only problem is that he may not be the kind of husband material she’s looking for . . .
With droll comic timing, unbeatable chemistry, and a zany but relatable cast of characters, Angela Ruth Strong has created a heartfelt look at the reality of modern Christian dating that readers will both resonate with and fall for. AMAZON | GOODREADS
My Thoughts:
What an absolutely phenomenal romcom! I have been eagerly anticipating this book since the first time I saw the author mention it online, and it exceeded every single one of my expectations! I loved Meri, and as a single Christian woman I could totally relate to her! I loved Kai, too! I loved Kai and Meri together, and I love how perfectly imperfect they are as people, their character growth was wonderful and encouraging to watch! I also loved Gemma, she cracked me up and as a writer I totally get her! The faith message in this book was amazing and touched my heart deeply! Husband Auditions is hilariously funny, I can’t even begin to count the number of times it had me laughing out loud! I finished this book in less than 24 hours, and I would have finished it even sooner if I hadn’t had to take a break because my face hurt from how much this book made me smile! Husband Auditions is a brilliantly written romcom that also touches on some deeper, very real topics that make you think! I absolutely loved every single moment of this book, it was an utter delight to read, and I hated to turn the final page because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters! Husband Auditions is a must read for romcom fans, I most highly recommend it! This book is one of my favorite reads of 2021, and one of my favorite romcoms of all time! (5 Stars!)
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. My review was not influenced in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.
Angela Ruth Strong sold her first Christian romance novel in 2009, then quit writing romance when her husband left her. Ten years later, God has shown her the true meaning of love, and there’s nothing else she’d rather write about.
Strong’s books have since earned Top Pick honors in Romantic Times, won the Cascade Award, and been Amazon best sellers. Her book Finding Love in Big Sky recently filmed on location in Montana and will air soon. She also writes articles for SpiritLed Woman.
To help aspiring authors, she started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho, and she teaches as an expert online at Write That Book.
Welcome to 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 Catch a Falling Star by Linda Leigh Hargrove.
“Disgusted, I threw the morning newspaper across the room.”
About the Book
Youthful mistakes cut their dreams of the Olympics short. What happens when Mae decides that those choices have haunted her long enough? Can Harrison also recognize that now is their second chance to catch a falling star? Amazon | Goodreads
About the Author
I write fiction under the pen name of Linda Leigh Hargrove. I’m a native North Carolinian and I currently live near Charlotte, NC. I have strong opinions about biblical racial reconciliation, growing your family by adoption, and writing fiction. And oh yeah, I’m an engineer. Find out more about my books at http://www.thefaithtowrite.com/books/.
Happy Throwback Thursday, friends! Today we’re featuring The Lawyer’s Luck by Piper Huguley – the prequel to her Home to Milford College series. This series is on my TBR list, and I hope this look will have you adding it to yours too!
About the Book
Oberlin, Ohio – 1844
Lawrence Stewart is a rare man. Raised with his grandmother’s Miami Indian tribe, as a Negro he has consistently walked between two worlds most of his life. He devotes his time and study to becoming a lawyer, fully intending to obtain justice for the ousted Miami Indians. No Negro man has accomplished these things before, but he is not daunted. He studies for his exams as he rides circuit through the backwoods of Ohio, handing out justice to people who cannot easily reach a courthouse. His life is perfectly set until one June day….
Aurelia “Realie” Baxter made her way from enslavement in Georgia to the free land Lake Huron in Ohio. Far from happy as a slave doing the bidding of a woman cooped up in a house all day, Realie is a bona fide tomboy with a special gift with horses. Now, she is so close to freedom in Canada, she can smell it, but her plans are interrupted when Lawrence shoots her…by mistake….
Lawrence cannot study encumbered with the care of an enslaved woman, but he’s responsible for her injury…
Realie wants to get to Canada, but Lawrence won’t let her get away in trying to help her…
One chance meeting can change your life from what you thought you wanted….to what you really need.
GOODREADS | AMAZON (currently free on Kindle, but be sure to double check before you one-click)
About the Author
Named in 2015 as a top ten historical romance novelist in Publisher’s Weekly, Piper Huguley is the author of the Reconstruction era “Home to Milford College” series. She is a 2013 & 2014 Golden Heart finalist for two novels in the “Migrations of the Heart” series about the Bledsoe sisters and set in the early twentieth century. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son.
Happy Wednesday reader friends! Do you love castles? Today’s book review is of Romancing the Castle by Cami Checketts.
ABOUT THIS BOOK
A single mom who will never forgive the father of her son. A military hero praying for redemption. Is a second chance at love possible? Denzel Weaver lost his heart as an immature twenty year old. He’ll never forgive himself for his mistake, or forget his lost love. Sarah Jenkins is a single mother fighting to be a good mom and succeed with her restaurants and her volunteer food pantries. When she’s given the opportunity to win half a million dollars for her charity foundation by going on a reality TV show, she has to say yes. Leaving her son is going to be rough, spending a week with a handsome man who she loathes is going to be impossible. In a picturesque castle setting will Sarah win the money? Or will her anger ruin a second chance at love with the man she’ll never forgive?
This was a great story of forgiveness, redemption, and second chances. Denzel and Sarah met when Sarah was 18 and Denzel was a young man. Denzel was ashamed and left because things got out of hand. Sarah became pregnant with their son and raised him alone because they didn’t tell each other their names. They just went by Black Panther and Aphrodite. Imagine their surprise when they meet each other 10 years later when Sarah competes in Axel’s TV show.
The two of them are still attracted to each other, but both have to overcome the guilt and hurt of what happened 10 years earlier. Sarah also struggles if she should tell Denzel he has a son. I highly recommend this book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cami Checketts is the author of over eighty bestselling novels. Her journey began on an Idaho dairy farm daydreaming book ideas on her bike or tractor and landing herself in the hospital numerous times for head wounds. She settled down after college to raise four adventurous boys and write down all those fabulous ideas. Cami thoroughly enjoys living in her imaginary world, but tries to visit her family on occasion. Cami loves her husband, her boys, her Savior, her friends, traveling, chocolate, and exercise.
It’s Friday! Welcome to 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 A Shattered Life Restored by Marshalee Patterson.
And the first line is…
Meg stared at her sleeping husband with a big grin plastered across her face.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Sitting at the Saint-Roch Train Station with tears in her eyes, Meg contemplated where her life had gone wrong. She was at a point in her life where she felt abandoned by God after the last remaining person who truly loved her, died.
Now with a baby on the way, she had begun to lose hope that the future, she knew the Lord had promised her was never meant for her.
With a gentle tap on her shoulder, her gaze turned to meet that of Derek’s, the kind stranger whose smile brought warmness into her heart. “Was he sent to fulfil God’s promise in my life?” she though
With assured faith, she followed him as he led her away, trusting that God had not forsaken her. Now she felt content to allow God to have his way in her life and totally surrender all to him.
Marshalee Patterson was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She has always had a love for reading. It was while attending the Merl Grove High School that she discovered that she loved writing stories. Some of her favourite novels were written by Charles Dickens and Victor Hugo, as she found she liked the true to life stories that we all can relate to.
She never saw herself as wanting to be a writer until she took vacation in Italy back in 2003 and came back with the idea of writing a love story from her trip but mid-way into the book, the Holy Spirit changed the direction of the story and turned it into one about faith. It was then she knew it was her calling. She gives credit to being a Christian as it is the Holy Spirit that she says guides her in writing her books.
She writes Christian romance with spiritual warfare books, where most of her characters are created from her own experiences, with a few exceptions and this she said helps her to write with a lot of heart and love.
She hopes that through her novels, she can inspire people of all ages with the message of hope in Christ and showing them that through him comes deliverance.
Her goal is that through this medium, she can give readers a better knowledge of how to be victorious against Satan’s tactics and exposes some of the devices he uses by creating stories, where readers can better understand situations and root causes, of demonic doors opening in our lives. Through spiritual warfare prayers that she herself have been using and saw results, she hopes that they too can learn to stand strong against the devil themselves too.
She is a lover of nature and the tranquility of it. She finds nature refreshing and peaceful. She loves different cultures, especially the Spanish, which she feels makes us learn to appreciate ours a little more in areas where we have been ungrateful or unappreciative. She loves salsa music very much and dances it well too. She is a proud Jamaican.
Named in 2015 as a top ten historical romance novelist in Publisher’s Weekly, Piper Huguley is the author of the Reconstruction era “Home to Milford College” series. She is a 2013 & 2014 Golden Heart finalist for two novels in the “Migrations of the Heart” series about the Bledsoe sisters and set in the early twentieth century. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son.
Oberlin, Ohio – 1844
Diversity Between the Pages 