Friday, January 17, 2020

Celebration Lit Blog Tour and Giveaway: Freedom in the Mountain Wind by Misty M. Beller

Book: Freedom in the Mountain Wind
Author: Misty M. Beller
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: January 14, 2020

The last epic journey before her life changes forever.

Susanna Wilkins will do anything to make her father’s final dream come true, including trek along the path Lewis and Clark explored into the untamed wilds of the Rocky Mountains. Every mile is more crucial now that lung cancer is stealing Pa’s last days faster than she can come to terms with losing him. The journey becomes harder than she ever expected, but paddling upriver through fierce rapids and fighting hungry grizzlies isn’t what terrifies her the most.

Beaver Tail endured more than he can stand from the women in his Blackfoot camp, but the last disaster gave him the final shove he needed to join this band of brothers searching for one of their group who’s gone missing. The last thing he expected was to find a white woman and her sick father stranded at the base of massive waterfall. His plan is to help them carry their oversize canoe and supplies, then leave them to their strange mission. Yet, the more he learns about the pair, the more he realizes his life is about to be derailed—again.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.

Click here for your copy.

Misty M. Beller is a WONDERFUL writer and storyteller. I was introduced to her books a couple years ago and I have never read one of her books that I didn't love!

Susanna Wilkins sets out on a journey to grant her dying father his wish of seeing the Mountains. She is struggling to take care of his medical needs as well as grant his wish. On the way to the Mountains, along the same trail that Lewis and Clark traveled, Susanna meets 4 men. The one man, Beaver Tail, is reluctant to help at first. The encouragement from his friends nudges him to help Susanna and her Dad. I really enjoyed reading how a great friendship flourished between Beaver Tail and Susanna. The sacrifice that the men made to help Susanna and her Dad is just amazing!! Everything about this book is so heart warming!

Make sure you have a free afternoon or evening to read this book, as it is definitely a "Can't put down" book. Freedom in the Mountain Wind is Book 1 of the Call of the Rockies series and I cannot wait to read the entire series as the books come out! GREAT BOOK!!

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and children now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy. God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

More from Misty

When God Directs a Google Search… I’m a history lover, but you may have guessed that since I write historical romance stories. 😊 Most of my books are set in the Rocky Mountains during the mid-1800s, but as I began brainstorming ideas for this new series, my heart became drawn earlier to the earlier part of the century—a time period with which I wasn’t quite as familiar with the history. I love when God orchestrates even the most mundane part of our lives, including Google searches! During one particular search (I can’t even remember what I was originally looking for), I stumbled across part of a journal entry from the Lewis and Clark expedition, which trekked across Montana during the time period I was looking into. I’d forgotten that expedition had even entered the territory that would later become Montana, but now I was fascinated. After finding an audiobook of the abridged journals of Lewis and Clark, I happily listened to almost 19 hours of fascinating stories from the Corp of Exploration’s journey up the Missouri River and across the mountains to the Pacific Ocean, then back mostly the over the same path they’d come. The stories the men told were so amazing, and the detail of their trials so absorbing, I’ve actually re-listened to the audiobook twice! Many of the true tales wouldn’t be believable in fiction, but as I listened, my mind formed the premise for Freedom in the Mountain Wind: a father/daughter duo who sets out almost two decades after Lewis and Clark’s journey, determined to retrace the steps of that famous expedition. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I loved writing it! And whether you’re a history lover or not, I pray that you too will be touched by this “epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.”

Simple Harvest Reads, January 15 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Daysong Reflections, January 15

My Devotional Thoughts, January 15

Genesis 5020, January 16

Blossoms and Blessings, January 16

Connect in Fiction, January 17

SPLASHES of Joy, January 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 17

Emily Yager, January 18

Deanne’s Book Thoughts, January 18

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, January 18

A Baker’s Perspective, January 19

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, January 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 20

Jeanette’s Thoughts, January 20

Mary Hake, January 20

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 21

Wishful Endings, January 21

All-of-a-kind Mom, January 21

Pause for Tales, January 22

Bigreadersite, January 22

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, January 22

Through the Fire Blogs, January 23

Betti Mace, January 23

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 23

Older & Smarter?, January 24

For the Love of Literature, January 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 25

Rebecca Tews, January 25

For Him and My Family, January 25

She Lives to Read, January 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 26

Inklings and notions, January 26

Blessed & Bookish, January 27

janicesbookreviews, January 27

deb’s Book Review, January 27

Texas Book-aholic, January 28

Hook Me In A Book, January 28

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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/f49e/freedom-in-the-mountain-wind-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Thursday, January 16, 2020

Promise For Tomorrow by Michelle De Bruin, JustRead Tours Spotlight and Excerpt with a Giveaway

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour (and Giveaway!) for Promise for Tomorrow by Michelle De Bruin, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: Promise for Tomorrow

Author: Michelle De Bruin

Publisher: Mantle Rock Publishing

Release Date: November 12, 2019

Genre: Inspirational Historical Fiction

Living a life of faith isn’t going the way Logan and Karen hoped until some special visitors arrive and offer them their future back.

Karen Millerson dreamed of teaching high school but now finds herself boarding with a farm family and teaching country school. She is engaged to marry Logan De Witt and is getting prepared to share in ministry with him. But when she gets blamed for the tragic fire at the school, Karen’s future grows uncertain.

Logan De Witt is working to clear his family’s name with the bank. But when he breaks his leg, hindering his ability to work the farm, Logan is faced with life-changing decisions. When his best friend can’t offer the help he requested, can Logan find a way to care for his family and court Karen before his love for her destroys all of them?

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

Karen followed Logan out to the wagon that would deliver her to a new home. A parsonage. Her life had come full circle, almost like the Lord was giving her the chance to make right all the things that had gone wrong in her earlier years.

She stole a glance at her fiancé as they drove along. No one possessed a higher integrity than Logan. Would Father have moved into a drafty barn for her mother? Would he have drained his savings to care for those he loved most?

Karen couldn’t answer those questions about him, but she could about Logan. This move to the Silver Grove parsonage was the beginning of the rest of her life. Today marked a passage into new territory. A place where she could prepare to welcome into her life all the goodness and risk and reward marriage to a man like Logan would bring.

Michelle De Bruin lives in Iowa with her husband and two teenage sons. She has a bachelor’s degree in Religion with a Christian Ministry emphasis, and in Music. Michelle is the spiritual services provider for an organization that offers services for people with mental and physical disabilities. She has been a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) since 2015.

Michelle writes inspirational historical romance about people who live in rural communities. Characters that bring to life the delights of farm and small-town living, whispers of Dutch heritage, and Christian faith make Michelle’s stories distinct. A romantic at heart, Michelle is always on the lookout for glimpses of God’s love through the window of a good story. Her first book, Hope for Tomorrow, released in 2018. The sequel, Promise for Tomorrow, released November 2019.

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE: Website | Facebook | Twitter

(1) US winner will receive a print book of Promise for Tomorrow, chocolates, and quilted table runner. (1) international winner will receive an e-book of Promise for Tomorrow & $20.00 Amazon gift card.

Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight January 13, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on January 20, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. 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!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

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Sunday, January 12, 2020

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: The Duke's Refuge by Lorri Dudley

Book: The Duke’s Refuge
Author: Lorri Dudley
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: January 7, 2020

When love comes in a tempest, who knew it would wear pink?

Georgia Lennox has traded in her boyish ways for pink gowns and a coy smile to capture the eye of the Earl of Claremont. However, on the day she’s convinced the earl will propose, Georgia is shipped off to the Leeward Islands to care for her ailing father. But when she arrives on Nevis, the last thing she expects is to learn that her abrupt departure was not at her father’s bidding but that of the infuriating, yet captivating, island schoolmaster. And now her plans may well be shipwrecked.

Harrison Wells is haunted by the memories of his deceased wife and hunted by the subsequent women who aspire to be the next Duchess of Linton. Desiring anonymity, he finds sanctuary in the Leeward island of Nevis. He’s willing to sacrifice his ducal title for a schoolmaster’s life and the solace the island provides. That is until unrest finds its way to Nevis in a storm of pink chiffon—Miss Georgia Lennox.

As Georgia and Harrison’s aspirations break apart like a ship cast upon the rocks, a new love surfaces, but secrets and circumstances drag them into rough waters. Can they surrender their hearts to a love that defies their expectations?

Click here to get your copy!

WOW, I was reeled into this book from the first few pages. I started reading and just couldn't put the book down. I finished the entire book in about 2 1/2 hrs!

Georgia is the main character of the book. She gives up her tomboyish ways to lure a local Gentleman that she has her eyes on. She never gets the opportunity with that gentleman as she has to move away to care for her father. Her new residence her heart is captured at the sight of Harrison, a gentleman who sought the calmness of the island after his wife's death. I really LOVE how Georgia and Harrison befriend each other and help each other get acquainted to the island. Georgia has a SPUNK and Attitude about her, which I LOVE because I am similar. Both Georgia and Harrison have "secrets from their pasts". Can they overcome their "secrets" and move forward with a relationship?

WONDERFUL BOOK! I HIGHLY recommend this book! Lorri Dudley is a new to me author and I am excited that this is Book #1 in The Leeward Islands series as I am excited to read more!

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.

More from Lorri

After being buried under the largest snowfall in Massachusetts history, I wrote The Duke’s Refuge as an escape to warmer tropical climates, and what better respite than a romantic Caribbean isle with a mysteriously missing Duke? In the process I fell in love with the beauty of Nevis, it’s rich culture, and history. My heroine Georgia lured me in the moment I realized she only wore pink. My psychology background had me digging deeper. I needed to know why. Why the obsession? What was the root behind the hurt? Why pink? How did she go from being a Tomboy to a dignified, Regency socialite? And how did she wind up in the Leeward Islands? Enter her beloved, sick father who always saw Georgia’s potential even when it was hidden under boy’s clothing and often smelled of marsh. Although, he held the best of intentions, his relocating to Nevis left Georgia with deep abandonment issues. Harrison was a completely different beast. After reading about Mudlarks who trolled the Thames River searching for treasure and even picking the pockets of dead people washed up on the shores, I knew Harrison’s would wind up caked in the Thames’s thick mud and devastated at the loss of his wife. The Leeward island became not only a reprieve from his grief but also from the women who snuck into his carriage or cornered him at parties clamoring to become the next Duchess. Oddly enough, part of the story formed when a friend of mine spoke of their family trip to visit his mother. She happened to own a parrot, and after a week of the kids yelling each other’s names, the parrot imitated their shrieking. Even long after they returned to the U.S. the bird still screeched out their names. I couldn’t resist adding a mimicking parrot to add a comical element and harass my main characters. The Duke’s Refuge is meant to be a fish-out-of-water, case-of-mistaken-identity, love triangle romance with a happily-ever-after. It demonstrates how God’s love fervently pursues us, no matter how far we run, and that sometimes, something we would never have chosen can bless us in a way we would never have expected. To learn more, check out my website at lorridudley.com or click here to watch The Duke’s Refuge’s book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D65yeAhswnI&feature=emb_logo

Batya’s Bits, January 9

Genesis 5020, January 9

Texas Book-aholic, January 10

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 10

Betti Mace, January 11

KarenSueHadley, January 11

janicesbookreviews, January 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 12

Remembrancy, January 12

Reading Is My SuperPower, January 13

Through the Fire Blogs, January 13

Reflections From My Bookshelves, January 14

Kat’s Corner Books, January 14

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 15

Books, Life, and Christ, January 15

She Lives to Read, January 16

Blessed & Bookish, January 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 16

Daysong Reflections, January 17

Mary Hake, January 17

Inklings and notions, January 18

April Hayman, Author, January 18

For Him and My Family, January 19

Britt Reads Fiction, January 19

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, January 20

Hallie Reads, January 20

Pause for Tales, January 20

deb’s Book Review, January 21

Life of Literature, January 21

Just the Write Escape, January 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 22

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, January 22

To celebrate her tour, Lorri is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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/f468/the-duke-s-refuge-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Thursday, January 9, 2020

JustRead Tours Blog Tour and Giveaway: On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: On Wings of Devotion
Series: The Codebreakers #2
Author: Roseanna M. White
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: January 7, 2020

Against Every Warning, She's Drawn Ever Closer to the Man Known as "Black Heart"

All of England thinks Major Phillip Camden a monster--a man who deliberately caused the deaths of his squadron. But he would have preferred to die that day with his men rather than be recruited to the Admiralty's codebreaking division. The threats he receives daily are no great surprise and, in his opinion, well deserved.

As nurse Arabelle Denler observes the so-dubbed "Black Heart," she sees something far different: a hurting man desperate for mercy. And when their families and paths twist together unexpectedly, she realizes she has a role to play in his healing--and some of her own to do as well.

With Camden's court-martial looming, an old acquaintance shows up, intent on using him in a plot that sends the codebreakers of Room 40 into a frenzy. With their fragile hopes for the future in the cross hairs, Arabelle and Camden must hold on to hope--and to each other--if they want to survive.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Christianbook

Making sure his usual smirk was in place, Camden moved to his host with a hand outstretched. “Thank you for having me, Your Grace. It wasn’t an entirely wretched evening.”

Stafford laughed and clasped his hand. “The highest of compliments from the likes of you. But why are you off so early?”
“Things to do.” He had to find someone with an auto to lend him tomorrow. And petrol enough to drive it out of London, where he could intercept Arabelle Denler on her way to visiting her friend. And determine a way to get said borrowed vehicle back to whomever he ended up borrowing it from.

He could just show up at the Denler residence and lay his case before her. But if he was going to disrupt someone’s entire life, he might as well give her a story to tell about it. And who else could claim to have been kidnapped by the infamous Black Heart? With her father’s permission, but no one needed to know that part.

“Stay out of trouble, Camden.” Perhaps with some, it would have been a teasing farewell. But the duke was serious.
Cam grinned. “What fun would that be?” He backed up a step, two, and raised a hand in farewell to the collection at large. “Good evening, gentlemen. Give the ladies my regards.”

A few minutes later, he had coat and hat and was back out in the frigid night, whistling his way to the nearest tube station.
It was going to work. It was. He had some details to sort out yet, true, but they’d fall into place. Or be wrestled there. His mind flipped through the puzzle of it during the ride home. There were a few chaps at the office with automobiles. He hated to owe any of them a favor, but . . . well, desperate times and all that.

He hurried to his flat, let himself inside—it was much tidier after Mother’s visit—and stopped dead in his tracks. Someone was here. The lights were on, the scent of tea drifted over him, and a hum came from the sofa that he’d recognize anywhere. He let a curse slip out, largely because he knew it would put an end to the humming. “What the devil are you doing here?”
The intruder rose from the couch with a smile. “Trying to chase the devil out of you, Phillip.”

He snorted and moved to give his kid brother a crushing hug. “Good luck with that one.” He grinned as he pulled away. “Actually . . . your timing couldn’t be better. You’re going to help me kidnap a girl tomorrow, Jer.”
His brother didn’t wince. Didn’t flinch. Didn’t moan. He just sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “Heaven help me. What have you got us into this time?”

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award-nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

CONNECT WITH ROSEANNA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

(1) winner will receive a On Wings of Devotion inspired prize pack including a Recreation RFC Pilot Wings pin, a mini globe, Cadbury Chocolate, Caddie the Cocker Spaniel (handmade by Roseanna), and One Seat and Tea Package for an Online Tea Party Book Club with Roseanna (Winner's choice of scheduled dates. Includes treats, loose-leaf tea, and book club goodies. A $25 value! For more information, visit http://www.roseannamwhite.com/tea-party-book-club/.)!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight January 7, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on January 14, 2020. US only. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

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Thursday, January 2, 2020

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: A House with Holes by Denise Mast Broadwater

Book: A House with Holes
Author: Denise Mast Broadwater
Genre: Christian Memoir, Marriage
Release Date: October, 2019

Seasoned renovators Greg and Denise Broadwater dream of owning and restoring a historic home in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. What follows are six years of unimaginable challenges and successes concerning the renovation of their condemned 1920s Charleston Cottage, their place in a transitional neighborhood on Congress Street, and their thirty-year marriage.

In a community that struggles to feel like home, alongside normal stressors of full-time work and family weddings, the heightened tension taxes the Broadwaters to the brink. Nothing is left untouched in their hundred-year-old cottage full of architectural and historical details, from the rotted floorboards to the hole in the roof and the knob-and-tube wiring that causes a fire. But through Denise’s fascinating memoir, A House with Holes, the Christian author and therapist shares how she and her craftsman-architect husband strengthened the holes in both their home and their relationship during this wearying time in order to survive and thrive.

Using Broadwater’s counseling experience, marriage principles have been woven seamlessly into the text, demonstrating ways to maintain relationships in the midst of struggles. Reflective questions close each chapter so that readers may ponder their own relationships with growth and understanding.

Click here to get your copy.

WOW, just WOW!! I enjoy reading memoirs, but this memoir is really though provoking and speaks volumes.

Denise Broadwater and her husband Greg, set upon an adventure to renovate a Historic Home in Charleston. Renovations on a home can be a long and draining process. During the process of "patching up holes in the walls", Denise and her husband discovered they had many "holes in their marriage". They set about to not only work on the home, but work through the struggles on their marriage, the ones that had been there even before the Home Renovation.

I really enjoyed reading about the Home Renovations, but more importantly the Marriage Advice contained within this book is just AMAZING. Denise was very open and honest about the struggles in their marriage and has some great advice for those also struggling in their marriage. I felt many times, as I was reading, that I was right there as many of the situations were things that I have seen in my own marriage. I couldn't stop reading once I began, it really digs deep and has some GREAT info about marriages.

Just as an "Old Home" needs Renovations, Marriages also need "Renovations", no matter how long you have been married!

I HIGHLY recommend this book for Married Couples! GREAT BOOK!

Denise Mast Broadwater is a licensed professional counselor in South Carolina, treating anxiety, depression, life adjustments, and marriages. She began her career as a family therapist working with at-risk families and youth. Previously, she was an elementary teacher in private education. She is a wife and the mother of three children and recently became a grandmother. She enjoys rowing at the gym, cooking new recipes, sewing quilts, and blogging at Life Lights Blog (emptynestmarriage.com) and Charleston Renovator Blog (www.freedmanscottagerenovation.blogspot.com).

More About A House With Holes

Marriage comes with the struggle of making life work—but with a promise of home, a place to rest, to be who we are in all our mess, to feel loved and accepted in the truth of who we are. Opening up our mess means adjusting to our anxieties, habits, and struggles. We all know marriage can be tough. Marriage requires commitment and flexibility, allowing for each spouse to develop his and her own gifts, to work together through challenges, and to communicate in a way that draws the couple closer through any issues that arise. The same can practically be said for renovating a house—especially an old house. In A House with Holes: One Marriage Journey in a Charleston Renovation, author and therapist Denise Broadwater shares the challenges and successes of the restoration she and her craftsman-architect husband embraced after their purchase of a 1920s Charleston Cottage that was slated for destruction. Oddly enough, the project began to mirror the ups and downs of their empty-nester marital relationship. Through this intriguing memoir describing the architectural style and details of their historic home on Congress Street in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, Denise shares her struggles and disappointments during the six-year upheaval. They lived with open holes in the floors and roof, wild critters, and in an old neighborhood that was unsure of their intentions. As her attitude changed with her living situation, Denise discovered her marriage rising to meet the challenges they faced and this struggling community opening to become a place of belonging. “All marriages have holes—that’s a given,” Denise says. “The holes are places you disconnect: a container for selfishness, for disappointment, and for addictions as people try to find alternatives for unmet needs. Intimacy opens up the holes. Growing means making small movements toward each other, coming together to reduce friction.” Principles and questions about marriage have been worked seamlessly into each chapter so that readers can “shore up” their own relationships and grow in understanding while vicariously watching the progress of the Charleston Cottage through the eyes of a seasoned DIY renovator. The Broadwaters’ experience of doing life in the midst of a major house renovation demonstrates marriage recovery, and her expertise as a counselor shapes lessons for married people everywhere in an honest, easy-reading, and relatable telling. I have read more than my share of books about relationships, but A House with Holes is refreshingly different. Reading this book feels like binging on a Netflix series because you have to see what happens next. Denise is a therapist who has an in-depth understanding of relationships, and she has invited you to have a front-row seat to view what it took to create an amazing marriage while undertaking an almost impossible renovation. —Dr. Larry Wagner, PhD, professor of counseling, Columbia International University, Columbia, South Carolina.