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Saturday, April 30, 2022

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Flower of the Rockies by Angela Breidenbach





Book: Flower of the Rockies

Author: Angela Breidenbach

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: December 1, 2021

Helena MT, 1892-95 ~ Can you leave your past behind?
Flower of the Rockies, the 4th book in the Queen of the Rockies series set in picturesque Helena MT at the end of the Gilded Age. No one knows the real Emmalee Warren, or the sacrifices she’s made for love. An infamous soiled dove of no consequence turned miner’s widow. Men are coming out of the woodwork to stake their claim on her and the mine she inherited. They wanted her body before. Now they want her money, and they’ll do anything to take it. But love and acceptance seem out of the question for Emmalee.

Society wants nothing to do with her regardless of her changed ways. Who can she turn to when her inheritance and chance at a future is at risk? Will she be forced back into the brothel to survive? Hiring a lawyer, Richard Lewis, to save her from financial ruin might let her start over somewhere else — if he can save a little of her finances from her husband’s partner. She’ll go anyplace else where no one knows Miss Ellie’s name. Anywhere to leave the scorn behind. Becoming an unknown is the only way to freedom…or is it? Can she leave her past and build a new future?

 

Click here to get your copy!


I really enjoy Historical Fiction and I also enjoy reading books from a Series. I have read this series from Book 1 and this is now Book 4 in this series, Queen of the Rockies. Flower of the Rockies  by Angela Breidenbach is the newest book in the series and I had the honor of reading it.

This book takes us back to 1894 in Helena MT. Emmalee Warren has just become a widow and is feeling no one really knows her for who she is. Men are now taking a HUGE interest in Emmalee, she knows they were interested in her charm and beauty, but now they are interested in her Money. Emmalee inherited a Mine upon her Husband's death and it has tremendous value. Emmalee has to hire a lawyer, Richard Lewis, to help get her finances straightened out after her Husband's Business Partner made a wreck out of the Finances. Emmalee feels out of place because so many know about her past, where she was part of a brothel, and don't see that she has changed. She feels her only chance at a good future is to move away and start a new life for herself, in a place where no one knows her. She does start attending church and finds a new circle of Women Friends who are encouraging to her. Will Emmalee be able to get her Inheritance and Finances straightened up? Will there be a romanctic Connenction between Richard and Emmalee? Does Emmalee find the peace and renewal she desires? 

WOW, the series just keeps better and better.  Emmalee is going through major changes in her life after ng her husband. I though the author did a GREAT job in showing that yes she had a sinful past, but thanks for to her late husband for helping her to change, she feels blessed now. I love how the Author allows the relationship between Richard and Emmaless to slowly grow. I LOVE Historical ficton because I always learn so much. I really LOVED reading how Montana named their State Flower. This small book was a fast read, but a WONDERFUL book! The Book is one of Second Chances and Redeemption. I HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone who enjoys Christian Historical Fiction. 







Angela Breidenbach is a professional genealogist, media personality, conference speaker, bestselling author of eighteen books, and screenwriter. Angela lives in Montana with her hubby and Muse, a trained fe-lion, who shakes hands, rolls over, and jumps through a hoop. Surprisingly, Angela can also. Catch her show and podcast, Genealogy Publishing Coach!

 

More from Angela

Flower of the Rockies is one of my favorite stories. I didn’t realize when I started writing about the Montana state flower that I’d be digging into a deeper part of myself. A part I didn’t want to remember.

Stumbling on the women’s club that worked so hard to create symbolism for the state of Montana sparked a story idea. Then that idea needed a character help me tell the story. Then she told me she didn’t know how to read. Okay, I can run with that… But I’m a really good reader. So how do I connect to this widow who needs to learn to read to stop her husband’s partner from cooking her books and stealing everything she has left?

It hit me. She and I had a lot in common. As a kid, I was awkward. I didn’t connect well because I couldn’t read people. Ironically, I read books to learn about people. But it took getting out and being with people to begin really connecting and communicating.

Emmalee doesn’t want to be around people because she’s been rejected for her past and ridiculed publicly. Who wants to be friends with a soiled dove? But, she’s lonely. I suddenly connected on an even deeper level with her. I understood her need for love and acceptance. Her desire to become someone respectable.

On a bigger scale, that’s what the women of Montana were trying to prove, too. That their state fit in with the other states, had something special, something symbolic that showed she was accepted and respected. She had a flag, a state flower, and people who mattered.

Come join me in the Flower of the Rockies. I think you’ll like Emmalee and her journey toward acceptance. There are a lot of layers to the story’s symbolism. I wrote it and have been amazed at how God keeps revealing those layers to me in one short book. Let me know what is revealed to you.


Texas Book-aholic, April 18

Inklings and notions, April 19

Spoken from the Heart, April 19

Betti Mace, April 20

Slyvan Musings, April 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 21

deb’s Book Review, April 22

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 23

Pause for Tales, April 23

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 24

Simple Harvest Reads, April 25

For Him and My Family, April 26

Blossoms and Blessings, April 26

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 27

Connie’s History Classroom, April 28

Mary Hake, April 28

Blogging With Carol, April 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 1

I luv the books, May 1



To celebrate her tour, Angela is giving away the grand prize of a pair of iolite and sterling silver earrings!!

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/1cc83/flower-of-the-rockies-celebration-tour-giveaway





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Wednesday, April 27, 2022

JustRead Tours Blog Blitz: Turn My Mourning Into Dance by Henri Nouwen

Turn My Mourning into Dancing JustRead Blog Blitz 

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Turn My Mourning Into Dancing by Henri Nouwen, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!



Turn My Mourning Into Dancing Title: Turn My Mourning Into Dancing 
Author: Henri Nouwen 
Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
Release Date: March 8, 2022 
Genre: Christian, Spiritual Growth, Grief 

How do you find hope in hard times? Why is it important to have hope during difficult times? Turn My Mourning into Dancing will help you survive the difficult seasons and learn how to live a full life in the midst of them and beyond. With practical advice, Henri Nouwen will gently point you towards a way of life that is grounded in God’s constancy and rooted within eternal hope. 

In this updated edition, Turn My Mourning into Dancing discusses five movements we experience during hard times: 

 • From Our Little Selves to a Larger World 
 • From Holding Tight to Letting Go 
 • From Fatalism to Hope 
 • From Manipulation to Love 
 • From a Fearful Death to a Joyous Life 

Healing begins with taking our pain out of its diabolic isolation and seeing our sufferings in communion with all humanity, and all creation. Nouwen teaches us that our little lives participate in something much larger. Turn My Mourning into Dancing is a must read for: 

 • men and women looking for growth and insight on life 
 • anyone going through the grief process and searching for real solutions 
 • anyone who has experienced a loss, betrayal, or hard times 

Everyone grieves differently. It is a process, not a science experiment. Mourning shouldn’t last forever. Do you want the kind of life that allows you to dance even in the middle of the darkest night? Get the answers and find hope within your hard times with Nouwen’s works on spiritual growth.


From Holding Tight to Letting Go
For years I have loved watching trapeze artists. The love began when my then- eighty- nine- year- old father came for a visit. Let’s go to the circus, we decided one day. That evening we watched five South  African trapeze artists—three fliers and two catchers. They danced in the air! The fliers soared and all was dangerous until they found themselves caught by the strong hands of their partners. I told my father that I had always wanted to fly like that, that perhaps I had missed my calling!

I am constantly moved by the courage of my circus friends. At each performance they trust that their flight will end with their hands sliding into the secure grip of a partner. They also know that only the release of the secure bar allows them to move on with arcing grace to the next. Before they can be caught, they must let go. They must brave the emptiness of space.

Living with this kind of willingness to let go is one of the greatest challenges we face. Whether it concerns a person, possession, or personal reputation, in so many areas we hold on at all costs. We become heroic defenders of our dearly gained happiness. We treat our sometimes inevitable losses as failures in the battle of survival.

The great paradox is that it is in letting go, we receive. We find safety in unexpected places of risk. And those who try to avoid all risk, those who would try to guarantee that their hearts will not be broken, end up in a self- created hell. C. S. Lewis wrote in The Four Loves,

To love at all is to be vulnerable…If you want to make sure of keeping [your heart] intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket of your selfishness. But in that casket— safe, dark, motionless, airless— it will change. It will not be broken—it will become unbreak-able, impenetrable, irredeemable…The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from the danger of love is Hell.

In so many ways, the more we insist on control and the more we resist the call to hold our lives lightly, the more we have to deny the reality of our losses and the more artificial our existence becomes. Our belief that we should grasp tightly what we need provides one of the great sources of our suffering. But letting go of possessions and plans and people allows us to enter, for all its risks, a life of new, unexpected freedom.

How can we live with greater willingness to let go? Another step in turning our mourning into dancing has to do with not clutching what we have, not trying to reserve a safe place we can rest in, not trying to choreograph our own or others’ lives, but to surrender to the God whom we love and want to follow. God invites us to experience our not being in control as an invitation to faith.

Taken from “Turn My Mourning into Dancing: Finding Hope During Hard Times” by Henri Nouwen. Copyright 2001 Estate of Henri Nouwen. Preface Copyright 2001 Timothy Jones. Used with permission from Thomas Nelson Publishing. www.thomasnelson.com


 

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub




Henri Nouwen 

Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932-1996) was the author of With Open HandsReaching OutThe Wounded HealerMaking All Things New, and many other bestsellers. He was the senior pastor of L’Arche Daybreak in Toronto, Canada, a community where men and women with mental disabilities and their assistants create a home for one another.




(1) winner will receive two print copies of Turn My Mourning into Dancing (one to keep, one to give!)!

Turn My Mourning into Dancing JustRead Blog Blitz Giveaway 

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 26, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 3, 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.





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Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Copenhagen Cozenage by Kristen Joy Wilks





Book: Copenhagen Cozenage

Author: Kristen Joy Wilks

Genre: Christian Fiction

Release date: September, 2015

Morgan Ravn arrives in Denmark seeking clues about her mysterious heritage. What she finds is a flirtatious stranger who regales her with a story about a jewel thief from 1958 and then abandons her with a large unruly dog. Can Morgan locate the irresponsible pet owner before his monstrous canine drags her through every puddle in Copenhagen and sheds all over her last dress? And why are strangers dogging her every step, snapping photos? Is the shutter happy behavior a bizarre Danish custom or something more sinister?

 

Click here to get your copy!


Copenhagen Cozenage  Kristen Joy Wilks is part of the Passport to Romance series. . The Passport to Romance series  is written by a various authors. I had not heard of the series until this book and it does sound like an interesting Series. 

Morgan Ravn is on a mission and her Mission has her flying to Denmark. Morgan wants to uncover the Mystery behind her Hertiage through a relative she is meeting for the first time. One of her first encounters with a Danish is a man who has a LARGE Dog. He tells her a weird tale and then walks off leaving his dog behind. Morgan is now left to find the Dog Owner while trying to take care of the dog while she has is taking care of him. Morgan continues with her Mission and notices that many Danish People are constantly snapping pictures of her. She is not sure if it has a deeper meaning or they are just doing so out of curiousity. Will Morgan achieve her Misson of discovering her Hertiage? 

WOW, so much adventure packed into a short novel. The book is only 122 pages, but it sure feels like a longer book. I really enjoyed this book for the most part. I did get "lost" for a few pages at the beginning, but once in Denmark, the story picked up. The book is filled with MANY Twists and Turns and surely kept me intrigued in the story. Morgan is a very determined character who doesn't get frazzled by all the craziness in Denmark. Copenghagen Cozenage is a sweet and intriguing book! I HIGHLY recommend it to those interested in Christian Ficton! GREAT BOOK! 







Kristen Joy Wilks lives in the beautiful woods of the Cascade mountains with her camp director husband, three fierce sons, and a large and slobbery Newfoundland dog. She spent her misguided youth falling in love with Commander Spock via Star Trek reruns, being suspended upside down over a homemade pit filled with gardener snakes, and stampeding herds of elk while on horseback. Now most of her adventures consist of preventing her hubby from filling another wall of their dining room with board games, thwarting her 3 boys’ efforts to sneak their pet chickens onto their bunk beds whenever she turns her back to fold laundry, and trying not to trip over the random teenagers that swarm her house to play all those board games.

 

More from Kristen Joy

Have you ever gotten stuck with someone else’s luggage? How about someone else’s dog? Let’s make that someone else’s ill-mannered, 150lb, Newfoundland dog!

 

Yes, Morgan, my poor heroine just wanted to discover her roots during a calm tour of Copenhagen, Denmark. What she gets … a wild chase through a foreign city with a giant and hairy beast in tow!

 

We have owned two wonderful Newfoundland dogs and they are truly gentle giants … once they grow up. But that training process is a sight to behold when your “puppy” weighs 100lbs before he reaches his first birthday and doesn’t even notice you bouncing along behind him as he charges for the lake.

 

Our first Newfoundland, Shamu, ended up weighing a hefty 163lbs in his prime and was a handful for those first few training years. Thus, I have taken some of our crazy dog stories and used them to harass my hapless heroine during her Danish vacation. Shamu would gallop toward any body of water he spotted. A lake, river, nice fountain, you name it! If you happened to be dragged along with him, he didn’t mind. The more the merrier! Don’t worry, there is plenty of water in Copenhagen to tempt a fun-loving Newfoundland dog. One might see various fountains, a paddle boat pond in Tivoli Gardens, or even a restaurant that is actually a pirate ship floating on a lake. Add a bunch of dog hair and slobber and this crazy RomCom hits a bit close to home for someone who actually owns a Newfoundland dog.

 

As a prize, I’m offering notecards that feature our current Newfy (Princess Leia Freyja) in all her hairy glory as well as a box of Danish chocolates and a paperback copy of the book.

May your day be full of adventure … but not quite as much as Morgan endures in Copenhagen Cozenage. God Bless!

 

In His Hands,

 

Kristen


Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 16 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 16

Texas Book-aholic, April 17

Inklings and notions, April 18

For Him and My Family, April 19

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 20 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, April 21

A Baker’s Perspective, April 22 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, April 23 (Spotlight)

Guild Master, April 24

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, April 25

Simple Harvest Reads, April 26 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 27

Splashes of Joy, April 28 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 28

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 29



To celebrate her tour, Kristen is giving away the grand prize package of a box of Ingeborg’s Danish chocolates, plus six blank notecards with Newfoundland dog photos on the front, and a paperback 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/1cc81/copenhagen-cozenage-celebration-tour-giveaway




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Monday, April 25, 2022

JustRead Tours Blog Tour: Forever on the Bay by Lee Tobin McClain

Forever on the Bay JustRead Blog Tour 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Forever on the Bay by Lee Tobin McClain, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!



Forever on the Bay

Title: Forever on the Bay 
Series: The Off Season #6
Author: Lee Tobin McClain
Publisher: HQN
Release Date: April 26, 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Clean & Wholesome

Safe harbor and new beginnings await on the Chesapeake Bay… 

Pleasant Shores cop Evan Stone has worked hard to become a man of his word, overcoming the alcoholism that sent him down the wrong path in his youth. So when his late best friend’s sister asks for his help, he doesn’t hesitate. He promised he’d watch out for Cassie, and the cottage next to his will be a perfect short-term refuge for her and her dog. The other half of that promise—to stay away from Cassie romantically—is harder to keep. 

Sheltered for years because of a childhood illness, Cassie is ready to reach for what she wants. And despite her family’s warnings and her own fears, Cassie’s heart wants Evan. As the return of his estranged son puts his sobriety to the test, Cassie and Evan are drawn together, finding strength through what they’ve each weathered. She knows Evan would risk anything to protect her, but are they willing to risk the price of loving, now and forever?



I always enjoy a Good Christian Romance. Forever on the Bay by Lee Tobin McClain is Book 6 in The Off Season series. I have only read one of the other books in this series, although after reading this book I want to go back and read the series from beginning to end! 

The story takes place in Pleasant Shores, the same town as the Book 5. The main characters in this book are Evan Stone and Cassie Thomas. Evan is a Cop in Pleasant Shores and is a former Alcoholic. He has been sober for many years due to his determination. Cassie Thomas is the sister of Evan's late best friend. He promised he would keep an eye on her, so when Cassie asks Evan for help, he immediately says YES. Cassie was sheltered for many years due to a Childhood Illness, but Cassie is now ready to branch out on her own with her Dog. Evan agrees to let them stay in the Cottage right next door to him, known as Victory Cottage. Cassie finds herself falling in love with Evan, even though her family has warned that he might not be the one for her. Evan's Collage Age son, who he hadn't seen in many, comes to visit. He sees that he might be drifting back to his Alcoholic ways with his son there. Will Evan be able to stay sober and be strong? Will Evan and Cassie find themselves in a Romantic Relationship? 

WOW, what a wonderful and heartwarming  Romance! The reader is drawn into the story from the very first chapter. I really like the idea behind Victory Cottage. Victory Cottage is a place where one can stay for a time to get some help and a break from the things that are troubling them. The main characters, Evan and Cassie, have known each other since Childhood. They both have some hard things happen in the past, but those hardships made them stronger people today. I really see that in this book when Evan's son comes home and Evan is on the brink of losing his soberity. Cassie and Evan end up helping each other through many avenues. The book is set in Pleasant Shores, which is a small town. I really felt the Small Town warmth and community throughout the book.  I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a Sweet Chrisitan Romance novel GREAT BOOK!


 

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | BookBub

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES




Lee Tobin McClain 

Lee Tobin McClain is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels. A professor-turned-writer, she finds inspiration in her beautiful and brilliant daughter, her goofy goldendoodle, and her aptly named cat, Trouble. Learn more about her books at www.leetobinmcclain.com.

CONNECT WITH LEE: Website | Facebook | Instagram



(1) winner will receive a copy of the first five books in The Off Season series and a $20 Amazon gift card!

Forever on the Bay JustRead Giveaway 

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 25, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 2, 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.





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