Thursday, June 11, 2020

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Forever Music by Hope Toler Doughery

Book: Forever Music
Author: Hope Toler Dougherty
Genre: Sweet, inspirational romance
Release Date: May 19, 2020

College history instructor, Josie Daniels is good at mothering her three brothers, volunteering in her community, and getting over broken hearts, but meeting aloof, hot-shot attorney Ches Windham challenges her nurturing, positive-thinking spirit.

Josie longs to help Ches find his true purpose, but, as his hidden talents and true personality emerge, will she be able to withstand potent his charms or will she lose her heart in the process?
Rising star in his law firm, Ches Windham is good at keeping secrets.

He’s always been the good son, following his father’s will to become an attorney and playing the game for a fast track to partnering with a law firm. Lately, though, his life’s path has lost what luster it ever had—all because of his unlikely, and unacceptable, friendship with Josie. He struggles between the life he’s prepared for and the one calling to him now. Opposing his father has never been an option, and spending time with Josie can’t be an option. The more he’s with her, however, the more he wants to be.

When a crisis tarnishes his golden future and secrets are revealed, Ches is forced to reexamine the trajectory of his life. Will he choose the path his father hammered out for him or the path that speaks to his heart?

Click here to get your copy!

I have really come to enjoy books by Author Hope Toler Dougherty, having read a couple other books by her. Forever Music is another GREAT book by Hope Toler Dougherty.

The main characters in Forever Music are Josie Daniels and Ches Windham. Josie Daniels is a College Teacher and also takes cares of her brothers. Ches Windham is an Attorney. Josie begins to "mother" Ches and wants to help him pursue his dreams and talents, rather then continue to follow his father's dreams for him. Josie and Ches seem to want to not "Fall for Each other" but will they find that they are falling deeply in love with each other? Will Ches follow his own dreams or continue to allow his father's will and opinion of his life "Rule him"?

I really enjoyed this book so much. The "secrecy" of their relationship and how strong they both are through crisis times, really seems real life rather then from a Fiction book. GREAT writing and the characters really make this book very interesting!

I was so focused on this over 300 pages book, that I lost track of time and almost forgot to make dinner! FANTASTIC BOOK!

Hope holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Forever Music is her fourth novel. Residing in North Carolina, she and her husband enjoy visits with their daughters and twin sons.

More from Hope

We love holidays at our house. A couple of months beforehand, my grown children begin asking, “So who’ve you asked? Who’s coming?” Never mind that with our six, my brother’s seven, my parents, a few aunts, uncles, and cousins, we have at least twenty to begin with. They want a crowd—friends, neighbors, and even strangers.
The bigger the better.
For Thanksgiving 2015, people started rolling in on Tuesday night, including a British friend who’d never experienced an American Thanksgiving. I already had some dishes prepared, but when old high school friends began arriving to visit my home-from-college children, I kicked into high gear.
I felt like I cooked pretty much round the clock from Tuesday through Sunday morning.
And I loved it.
I remember just repeating, “Thank You, God! Thank You, God,” like a mantra as I retrieved another casserole from our oven or stirred another dish. The house vibrated with laughter and conversation and love.
It’s one of my all-time favorite weeks.
Forever Music shares the love story of Josie and Ches, but it’s also a nod to close-knit families. Josie and her three brothers portray a teasing, rollicking, loving family. Whether it’s a full-blown holiday or just a weekend supper, they enjoy time together, sharing jokes and jabs over food, games, or projects.
I am blessed beyond measure with my nuclear and extended family and was grateful to model this fictional family on my real one. I hope readers will love the Daniels family as much as I do!

Batya’s Bits, June 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 11

Genesis 5020, June 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 12

Emily Yager, June 13

Texas Book-aholic, June 14

For Him and My Family, June 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 16

Older & Smarter?, June 17

deb’s Book Review, June 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 19

Writing from the Heart Land, June 19

Pause for Tales, June 20

reviewingbooksplusmore, June 20

Inklings and notions, June 21

Ashley’s Bookshelf, June 22

Artistic Nobody, June 23 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

To celebrate her tour, Hope is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card & a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fc70/forever-music-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Monday, June 8, 2020

FlyBy Promotions Book Review: Moving Beyond Anxiety by David Chadwick

Do you feel like a cloud of worry follows wherever you go? Do you dread the unknown? In today’s anxiety economy its raising stress levels, it’s no secret that fear is often at the root of our problems.

The key to overcoming your anxiety is found in the person of Jesus. He calls us to trust rather than despair—to “not be anxious” (Matthew 6:25), and to cast all our cares on him (1 Peter 5:7).

Author David Chadwick shares 12 ways you can overcome life’s fears and worries—all of which come straight from Scripture and include…

· focusing on faith

· praying

· caring for your health

· remembering God’s promises

· finding good teammates

· developing an eternal perspective

Moving Beyond Anxiety will equip you to defeat worry and fear by trusting God and exercising your faith daily. As you immerse yourself in God’s truth, you will discover it is truly the most powerful antidote to anxiety.

I come from a family where Anxiety is prevalent for many of my family members. Aunts, Uncles, Siblings, Cousins, the next generation is suffering from Anxiety. It amazes me how many are suffering from Anxiety in my family, from about 4 generations.

Anxiety is also very prevalent in Society, especially in the times we are living in now. Author David Chadwick tackles a topic that is sometimes thrown to the side by Churches and Christians. Anxiety can really tear apart a person who suffers from Anxiety. David Chadwick takes the reader through Biblical Principles and strategies for dealing with Anxiety. I really like his 12 Strategy focus.

The 12 Strategies are:

Focus on Faith

Pray

Fast

Cast

Consider Creation

Ponder the Prepositions

Remember

Sing

Remember Your Body

Develop an Eternal Perspective

Get Good Teammates

Realize God Do Not Give You a Spirit of Fear

I really enjoyed the book and I will be using the info from this book to help my Son and I through our Anxiety issues. Some parts of the book are hard to comprehend due to the writing style, but I was able to overcome those parts. I really appreciate how the book is done in a Biblical Perspective, as many Churches don't tackle anxiety issues.

VERY good book for those who suffer from Anxiety. I HIGHLY recommend the book!

David Chadwick is presently the pastor of Moments of Hope Church in Charlotte, N.C. He has been a pastor for almost 40 years. He played basketball under the legendary coach, Dean Smith, at the University of North Carolina and was a member of the Final Four 1969 team. David also has a graduate counseling psychology degree from the University of Florida and an MDiv and DMin from Columbia Theological Seminary. These post graduate degrees have allowed David to combine therapeutic counseling theories with biblical truth. David is the author of nine books and hosts a weekly talk show on faith and values on WBT in Charlotte, N.C. He has been married to the love of his life, Marilynn, for 42 years and has three children, Bethany, David Banner, and Michael. They have given David and Marilynn seven grandchildren.

A Video Intro for Moving Beyond Anxiety

Where to find Author David Chadwick Online:

Book website: https://www.movingbeyondanxiety.com

Moments of Hope website: https://momentsofhope.org/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MOHDavidChadwick/

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Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: When I Met You by Olivia Newport

Book: When I Meet You
Author: Olivia Newport
Genre: Christian fiction
Release Date: May, 2020

Book 3 in the Tree of Life Series: A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Faith Journeys on Family Trees

A trunk abandoned at Denver’s Union Station more than a century ago leads Jillian and Nolan to untangle the mystery of its contents—including correspondence with the head of Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency Denver office. While Nolan digs into the legalities of the findings, Jillian searches for the descendants of a stolen identity who might not be who they think they are on Colorado ranch land. When Drew seems anxious to hear what Jillian has to say but his Great Aunt Min slams the subject closed—twice—Jillian is all the more determined to find out what happened to the woman who never claimed her luggage, why Min doesn’t want to talk about it, and what will happen for Drew if he gets the answers he seeks.

When I Meet You is the third book in the Tree of Life series by Olivia Newport. You’ll want to return to the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that will inspire you to connect with your own family histories and unique faith journeys.

Click here to get your copy!

Genealogy research has become VERY popular in the last few years. I personally haven't done any research, but the stories I hear of those researching their Family History are intriguing. I also found this book intriguing and very captivating.

Jillian and Nolan are a father/daughter research team. They happen upon an old trunk that was abandoned over 100 yrs ago. They decide to hunt down the family of the owner of this trunk. Jillian is very centered on finding the family, while Nolan is focused on the legal issues. Jillian does some extensive research and happens on 2 family members, Drew and Min. Min doesn't want to talk about the Trunk, whereas Drew is determined to find out more. Jillian believes they are both unaware that they may not be who they think they are and that is why Min doesn't want to talk. Will the trunk be returned to the right family? Will Family Tree's be broken with the info that Nolan and Jillian find out about the trunk owner family?

When I Met You by Olivia Newport is Book 3 in the Tree of Life Series. It is filled with LOTS of Mystery and Intrigue. I dove into reading the book and I stayed focused and finished the book in about 3hrs. I have not read the 2 previous books in this series, but this book makes a Great Stand alone book. I really enjoy how Olivia Newport has taken something current in today's society and made a series of fantastic books with it. I also enjoyed how the book was going from Past to Present and back to Past throughout the storyline. FANTASTIC BOOK!

Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. Her husband and twentysomething children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of Pikes Peak.

More from Olivia

Stolen Identity or Stolen Secrets?
Years ago I made a business trip to a country in Asia. Somehow I managed to pack for two weeks in carry-on luggage. This was before everyone started carrying electronic devices that required a bag of their own, and the impoverished area I visited had only intermittent electricity anyway.
When it was time to come home, my luggage met the requirements to keep it with me as I traveled halfway around the world through several airports. But at the boarding gate, a woman pushed a cart stacked with six oversized and overstuffed suitcases, insisting she had to take all of them on the plane. Her argument was that she couldn’t risk losing her personal belongings. She was moving back to the States, this was everything she owned, and she just wasn’t having this nonsense about abiding by the same limitations as the other 300 people in line or that none of those bags would fit in an overhead compartment anyway. The airline staff began waving people around her to get the large aircraft boarded on time for an international flight. She was one of the last people to take her seat—without her bags.
I admit I prefer keeping my bags with me and getting in and out of airports quickly. And once my bags didn’t come off the same plane I did, and it took a few hours for them to be delivered to me.
But what happens to truly unclaimed baggage? One-half to one percent of baggage that goes through American airports is never claimed. Airlines will try for ninety days to find the owners. If they can’t, they have to do something with it. Generally it’s sold, sight unseen, to the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Alabama. There it is opened and sorted into what can be cleaned and sold in their store, what might be donated, and what has no value and is disposed of as trash. They find some pretty interesting things!
But my brain goes back to the curious question of why the baggage is unclaimed in the first place.
It’s not just because the airline lost it. We’ve all seen the lines of suitcases that baggage handlers remove from the circling conveyer belt because they’ve been around enough times that it’s obvious no one is there to pick them up after the flight. People got off the plane and left the airport without their bags. Why?
My new book, When I Meet You, raises the same question about travel in the railroad era. A trunk abandoned at Denver’s Union Station more than a century ago surfaces, leading genealogist Jillian and her lawyer father, Nolan, to untangle the mystery of its contents—including correspondence with the head of Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency Denver office. While Nolan digs into the legalities of the findings, Jillian searches for the descendants of a stolen identity who might not be who they think they are on Colorado ranch land. When Drew seems anxious to hear what Jillian has to say but his Great Aunt Min slams the subject closed—twice—Jillian is all the more determined to find out what happened to the woman who never claimed her luggage, why Min doesn’t want to talk about it, and what will happen for Drew if he gets the answers he seeks.
When I Meet You is the third book in the Tree of Life series. Return to the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that will inspire you to connect with your own family histories and unique faith journeys.
Visit www.olivianewport.com or find me at www.facebook.com/OliviaNewport.

Through the Fire Blogs, May 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 28

Texas Book-aholic, May 29

deb’s Book Review, May 29

For the Love of Literature, May 30

Lighthouse Academy Blog, May 30 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

A Reader’s Brain, May 31

Blogging With Carol, May 31

Older & Smarter?, June 1

CarpeDiem, June 1

Inklings and notions, June 2

All-of-a-kind Mom, June 2

Hallie Reads, June 2

Betti Mace, June 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 3

For Him and My Family, June 4

Bigreadersite, June 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 5

Worthy2Read, June 5

Pause for Tales, June 5

Just the Write Escape, June 6

Inside the Wong Mind, June 6

Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 7

Connect in Fiction, June 7

Daysong Reflections, June 7

She Lives To Read, June 8

Read Review Rejoice, June 8

A Baker’s Perspective, June 9

Mary Hake, June 9

Remembrancy, June 9

Moments, June 10

With a Joyful Noise, June 10

To celebrate her tour, Olivia is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fa0b/when-i-meet-you-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Monday, June 1, 2020

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Made in Hollywood by Michelle Keener

Book: Made in Hollywood
Author: Michelle Keener
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 10, 2020

When a pastor’s son saves her life, can a prodigal daughter dare to believe in second chances?

Noah Shaw is almost thirty and he still doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up. Torn between running his business as a limo driver for Hollywood’s elite, and feeling called to ministry, he prays for direction. But he never expects that direction to include finding a woman near-death on the front steps of his father’s church.

Hannah left her family and her faith when she moved to Hollywood looking for adventure. Instead of finding fame in the movies, she was lured into the life of an exotic dancer. Hopeless and ashamed, suicide seems like her only escape. Until the night Noah saves her life.

The Shaw family welcomes her into their home and gives her a chance to start over. When the shadows of her former life threaten to expose her past, she must choose between running away or fighting for the new life she’s built and the man she’s grown to love.

Click here for your copy.

So many dream of being a Hollywood star. Hannah grew up as a Pastor Kid and left her faith and family behind to pursue her dreams of making it big in Hollywood. She isn't finding her dreams coming true, so she tries to escape the world via suicide. Noah Shaw is trying to decide on his the direction he wants to go in life. He never imagined part of this would be finding Hannah on the doorsteps of his father's church and to see her almost dying. He saves her life that night. Hannah is welcomed into the Shaw family and Noah and Hannah are quickly falling for each other. Hannah has a past that she isn't proud of, being an exotic dancer. She is afraid that if Noah finds out about the past, she will be on her own again.

I really enjoyed this book. It is the 2nd book in the A Red Carpet Romance series. I have not read Book 1, and this book reads great on its own. I immediately found myself really enjoying the book and not confused by the story line at all. I was intrigued that both Hannah and Noah are both "Pastor Kids". Their relationship is one that has trials, but they both work to overcome the obstacles. Hannah is given a "Second Chance" at life and relationships. The book is one of redemption, love, and forgiveness. GREAT BOOK!

Michelle Keener is a wife, mom, and the author of five books. She lives in Southern California with her retired Marine husband, their two children, and one spoiled dog. When she isn’t writing, she is busy homeschooling, teaching creative writing workshops, or baking something involving chocolate.

More from Michelle

The Story of a Prodigal Daughter

Made in Hollywood is the sequel to my first Christian romance novel Mission Hollywood. It’s the story of Lily’s brother Noah and his search for love and direction. In the book, Noah meets a young girl who has been through some truly dark and terrible places. She’s been wounded, abused, and she’s lost hope. She’s worried that her past is too much for God to forgive, and that she’s fallen too far and doesn’t deserve God’s grace. She is a prodigal daughter lost on the streets of Hollywood.

One of the reasons I wrote Made in Hollywood (aside from the fact that I just adore Noah) is to be a reminder that God never gives up on us. Just like the story of the Prodigal Son, if we turn back to God, He will run to us and bring us home.

There is no place so dark that God light can’t reach.

There is no sin, no mistake, no circumstance that can separate us from the love of God. His arms are always open to us. His love is unchanging, unending, and unfailing. His amazing grace reaches the lost and restores what was broken. His love binds our wounds and heals our past. What the enemy intended for evil, God will turn to good. It’s a truth Hannah had to learn. It’s a truth I had to learn. And it’s a truth God wants His people to share. God’s love never fails.
I hope you enjoy Made in Hollywood!