FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.
The Loyal Heart by Shelley Shepard Gray was a book I knew I was going to love because of who wrote it. I can’t even count the numbers of books I have read by this author and so far I think I have enjoyed them all. This book takes place after the Civil War ended and from the moment I started the book I didn’t want to put the book down. This is one of the books that I started on a Sunday morning, and I didn’t go to bed until I finished the book. I felt bad for and liked Miranda from the outset. I did find the book more on the predictable side, but that is usually how books like this are for me. Even with me saying that I still really enjoyed this book. I know that if you like historical novels then you will enjoy this book as much as I did.
About The Book
Robert came to Galveston to fulfill his promise to a dying man and look after his widow. He didn’t expect to find love in the unlikeliest of places.
Robert Truax, former Second Lieutenant and Confederate officer in the Civil War, made a promise to his comrade Phillip Markham. If anything happened to Phillip, Robert would look after his beloved wife, Miranda. She was his life, his world, his everything.
After the war, Robert is left to pick up the pieces and fulfill his pact. When he arrives at Miranda’s home in Galveston, Texas, things are worse than he imagined. Phillip’s name has been dragged through the mud, everyone in town believes him to be a traitor, and his widow is treated as an outcast. Even more disturbing is her emotional well-being. Miranda seems hopeless, lost, and so very alone.
Robert had thought his duty would be simple. He would help Miranda as quickly as possible in order to honor a promise. But the moment Robert laid eyes on her, his plans changed. He’s mesmerized by her beauty and yearns to help her in any way he can.
He makes it his duty to protect Miranda, turn her reputation around, and to find some way to help her smile again. But it doesn’t prove to be an easy task—Robert knows something about Phillip that could shake Miranda to the core and alter her view of the man she thought she knew so well.
About The Author
Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.
FTC: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.
Until Then by Krista Noorman this is the second book in the series, and I did enjoy the book. I did read the first book as well so if you want to check out that review you can click here to see it. Like I said, I enjoyed this book but if I had to pick between the two I would pick Goodbye, Magnolia because I felt like I connect better with those characters than I did with Michelle in this book. Even with that being said I did enjoy this book, and I still love the authors writing. I love this author writing, and I hope that she will come out with other books in this series because I can’t wait to read other books by her.
About The Book
Growing up with a distant mother and absentee father, Michelle’s childhood has been far from idyllic. Her only attention comes from her partying friends and the guys who are more than happy to give her the affection she longs for. But when one party goes wrong, Michelle’s family hatches a plan to get her out of Chicago and away from her so-called friends.
College plans are low on Michelle’s priority list, especially with no money to pay for it, until her grandparents offer to foot the bill for her entire tuition. There’s just one catch. Michelle must choose between three schools – all hours away from Chicago and all Christian colleges.
Michelle’s reluctant choice leads her to an unfamiliar place, where she’s faced with new relationships and unexpected decisions that could change her life and her heart forever.
PG-13 for sensuality
About The Author
Krista Noorman is the author of the young adult novel, The Truth About Drew, and theCornerstone contemporary Christian romance series. Most of her life has been spent scribbling away in journals, while documenting her every day life, but it wasn’t until she took part in National Novel Writing Month that she found her true calling and turned her pen to fiction.
Krista studied music education at Cornerstone University. After college, she turned to her love of photography and spent nearly a decade running her own wedding photography business. She is constantly inspired by books and movies, enjoys beautiful instagram feeds, and loves a great cup of coffee. Krista makes her home in a small town in western Michigan with her husband and their two children. She writes about life, family, faith and whatever else comes to mind at bykrista.com.
FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Pump Up Your Book in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.
Oh Ship! Tales of A Cruising Chick & Other Travel Adventures by Lori A. Moore was a fun book to read. This is a super short book, so I don’t have tons to say about it, but I did enjoy the book. I have never been on a cruise, but my grandparents are going on one in a few weeks so I am going to send this book with them so they can pass it on to someone who would enjoy it. I loved that the author included travel tips after each of the stories because some of them were super ingenious and things that if I ever travel I will use myself. I was left smiling after the stories, and I did enjoy the book. I think this would be a great gift for someone who likes to read and travel.
About The Book
Ship happens. Cruises can be quite the adventure within an adventure if you keep your eyes open and watch the little dramas that are going on among the several thousand passengers and crew members aboard the ship. Reading author Lori A. Moore’s true tales of things that happen on the high seas will have you saying, “Oh Ship!” From stories of passengers pepper-spraying other passengers to grown men fighting over glass figurines of penguins, you’ll laugh until your ribs hurt.
About The Author
Lori A. Moore is an award-winning author and professor who doesn’t take herself too seriously and believes her greatest gift to be silliness. A public speaker and consultant, Lori has four graduate degrees in business. Lori, her husband, and their cat, Grady, live in Louisville, KY. An avid traveler, she has explored much of the globe, finding and bringing silliness to all places.
FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Promotional Book Tours in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.
A Chilling Absence by Shelly Maynard was a book that I didn’t want to put down once I started reading it. I love when books are like that because it makes it so much easier for me to read and finish. I can’t even imagine how hard things had to be from Lily. I mean who do accept that you missed 11 years of your life. I can’t even imagine waking up and finding out that you miss that many years. I also love books that have strong female characters as the main character because it shows girls that you can do anything you put your mind too. If you love mystery books like I do then I know you will love this book. It is also really well written and I can’t wait to check out more books by this author in the future.
About The Book
Lily Grimes had it all. She was head cheerleader, the girlfriend of the All-American High School Quarterback, had been accepted to a prestige college near her hometown and the best family and friends a young woman could ask for. Just before Christmas 2004, Dr. Jethro “Jet” Manning, the doctor-in-training for the quaint little town, nearly runs over Lily, who is found unresponsive and icy cold in the middle of a backroad.
Fast forward to 2015 – Lily Grimes finally wakes up and has to face the reality of being in a coma for the past 11 years. Her life has changed but just as she feels like she is getting into the groove of things, Lily discovers secrets have been kept, lies have been told and everyone whom she considered a ‘friend,’ may not be out for her best interest.
Lily feels like something is missing – a piece of herself. Is it simply because she was in a coma for so long or is there a piece missing? As she sets out on a mission to find the answer, Lily discovers that she’s being stalked, and someone is trying to kill her.
Who can she trust and will she ever find the secret to those eleven missing years?
About The Author
July 15, 1984. Shelly Oakley (now Maynard) was born and lived in tiny Ashmore, Illinois until 1998 when her parents relocated to Manchester, Tennessee. Starting a new high school and making new friends was hard enough but it was that point in her life where it came time to make life-changing decisions in regards to college, careers, etc. Shelly had spent so much time following in others’ footsteps that she never had a plan for her career. The only dream she’d ever had was to become an author, but that was laughed off by family and friends. By 2002, Shelly was in college and switched her major from nursing to teaching and finally business. One year in and she discovered that she was pregnant with her first son. He joined the world in 2004 and was followed by a brother in 2006. During the second pregnancy, Shelly fought demons of a bad marriage and started trying to rebuild her life. She met her (now) husband in the Fall of 2006, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Her three guys are her entire heart, soul, mind and spirit! After searching for several years, Shelly decided that it was time to find a place to settle in her career. She started working for a local, family-owned steel fabrication company in 2014 and was surprised when she found more than a job – she gained an extended family and friends who provided a tremendous amount of support. Between the support of her husband, children, family, and friends, Shelly started writing again. In 2015, Shelly stumbled upon the opportunity to read Eternal Dawn by Kathi Haacke Morehead. The book reached down into her soul and opened her eyes to view the world as she never had before. The writing bug flourished, and Shelly knew it was time to pursue her dreams. Past demons haunted her, but she wanted to set an example for her children and follow her dream through to the end to prove that hard work, persistence, and dedication pays off! Living in Lynchburg, Tennessee, Shelly Maynard is your typical mom – she enjoys spending time with her family, friends and for nine of the twelve months per year, you’ll find her at a ball field watching her children. She enjoys front-porch-sitting’ with a glass of sweet tea and the occasional margarita. She loves her morning coffee, a good book and writing for her blog. It’s the simple, “little” things in life that make life grand!
FTC: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.
It Takes One by Kate Kessler was a book that sucked me in right from the start, but I am not sure why. I know part of it has to do with the fact that I am a huge fan of thriller type books, and this is one the best ones that I have read lately. I was a huge fan of Audrey right from the start of the book because she seemed like someone that I would get along with if she lived in the real world. This book kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the story, and once I started the book, it was one that I had to keep reading because I wanted to know happened and how it all worked out. I do have to say though that if you only read Christian fiction than this might not be the best fit for you. If you love thriller/suspense books like I do then, I know you will love this one as much as I did.
About The Book
They say there are no secrets in a small town…
Criminal psychologist Audrey Harte is returning home after seven years. She’ll have to face the whispers and the rumors that have haunted her family since she left. Because when Audrey was thirteen, she and her best friend Maggie killed Maggie’s abusive father.
Her first night back in town ends in a fight with a drunken Maggie, with her old crush Jake to witness it all. Audrey can’t believe it can get worse.
Then Maggie turns up dead.
Now, Audrey has to find out who the murderer is – before everyone decides that she is to blame. And before the murderer can set their sights on her.
It Takes One is the first in a brand new thriller series where a criminal psychologist uses her own dark past to help law enforcement catch dangerous killers.
FTC: I received a free copy of this book from BookLook in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.
Kiss The Bride by Melissa McClone, Robin Lee Hatcher, & Kathryn Springer were sweet stories. I am going to talk about each of the three stories in this book. I do want to say that I want to get all the other books in this series and read them. I have enjoyed reading Christian romance novels lately so I am sure that I will love the other books in this series as well. Let’s get on to my thoughts on the three stories in this book.
Picture Perfect by Melissa McClone
I reviewed this story a year ago so you can click here to check out my review of this story. If you don’t want to look at that post, I did enjoy this story, and I can’t wait to read other books by this author because I enjoy her writing.
I Hope You Dance by Robin Lee Hatcher
I am a huge fan of Robin’s books, so I was sure that I would enjoy this book, and I was right. It wasn’t my favorite in this book, but it was a super sweet story. I like the characters in this story, and I did find this book was relatable, and it seemed like the characters could be real people.
Love on A Deadline by Kathryn Springer
If I had to pick one story that I enjoyed the most out of this book, it would be this one. I felt like I was able to connect the most with Mac in this story. I also think that Ethan was my favorite character in all three stories. I have read other books by this author, and I have liked them as well. I loved this book because I felt like the premise of the story was the most believable and if you wanted only to read one of the stories in this book I would tell you to read this one.
About The Book
Meet the people who make it all happen—the planners, the photographers, the musicians who have helped orchestrate the perfect day for countless couples—as they find their own happy endings in the second Year of Weddings novella collection.
Picture Perfect Love: A June Wedding Storyby Melissa McClone
When image becomes everything, it’s up to love to refocus the heart.
Photographer Jenna Harrison wants every bride and groom to look picture perfect on their special day. But her own heart is still broken, the unworn wedding dress hanging in her closet a reminder that relationships aren’t always as perfect as they look through her camera lens.
Attorney Ashton Vance is the one that got away, but he wrongly blamed Jenna for ruining his political aspirations. Even if Jenna can forgive him, dare he hope for a second chance at her love?
I Hope You Dance: A July Wedding Storyby Robin Lee Hatcher
Can two left feet lead to one perfect romance?
Grant Nichols is a genius in the kitchen and a klutz on the dance floor. But his friend’s wedding is shaping up to be a shindig the likes of which Kings Meadow has never seen—including dancing. Lots of dancing.
Former rodeo queen Skye Foster is offering dance lessons for the wedding party. Grant and Skye are no match on paper. But when they step onto the dance floor, they create a melody all their own.
Love on a Deadline: An August Wedding Storyby Kathryn Springer
MacKenzie “Mac” Davis returns to her hometown of Red Leaf, Wisconsin, and takes a job at the weekly newspaper writing about social events.
When Hollis Channing, Mac’s high school nemesis, returns to Red Leaf to marry her celebrity fiancé, the editor asks Mac to cover all the festivities for the newspaper. The last thing Mac wants to do is reconnect with the person who made her life miserable when she was a teenager . . . unless it’s spending time with Ethan Channing, the bride’s older brother—and Mac’s first crush.
About The Author’s
Melissa McClone
I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, two daughters, son, dog and too many cats! I write “sweeter” contemporary romance novels for Harlequin and Tule Publishing.
Robin Lee Hatcher
Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from both American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writer of America and the winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, and numerous other awards and recognitions, Robin is the author of over 75 novels/novellas. Her books have been translated into Dutch, French, and Chinese (to name a few).
Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She and her husband make their home outside of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon and Pinky the feline terror. Join her on her Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/robinleehatcher) and/or Twitter and/or her website & blog.
Note from Robin: I schedule Goodreads giveaways every month. If you’re interested in my books, please “Follow” me so that you’ll be notified of my giveaways when they occur. Also, the list of my books includes those novels published in the general mass market in 1999 and prior. All of those books are out of print and no longer recommended.
Kathryn Springer
Kathryn Springer, winner of the 2007 Write Touch Reader’s Award (long contemporary), grew up in a small town in northern Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child, she spent many hours sitting at her mother’s typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books – which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own.
After a number of busy years, when she married her college sweetheart and became a stay-at-home mom, Kathryn rediscovered her love for writing. An unexpected snow day from school became the inspiration for a short story, which she submitted to Brio magazine. She went on to publish over a dozen more short stories for Brio, but it wasn’t until her youngest child started school that she decided to pursue her dream to write a novel. In August 2004, her Love Inspired® debut novel, Tested by Fire, was published.
Encouraging women in their faith journey is the reason Kathryn loves to write inspirational fiction. She hosts a women’s Bible study in her home and volunteers in a local MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) ministry. When she isn’t at the computer, you’ll find her curled up with a good book, spending time with family and friends or walking on the trails near her country home.
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