“On a Coastal Breeze” by Suzanne Woods Fisher ~ Book Review

 

 

“On a Coastal Breeze” by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Book Two in the Three Sisters Island Series

My rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

 

About the Book:

For Madison Grayson, life is good. Newly licensed as a marriage and family therapist, she can’t wait to start her practice. Despite the unfortunate shortage of eligible bachelors on the island–they’re all too young, too old, or too weird–Maddie feels like she’s finally found her sweet spot. Not even one panic attack in the last year. Not one.
And then Ricky O’Shea drops in. Literally. Floating down from the pure blue sky, the one man in the world she hoped never to see again–the one who’d been her archnemesis from kindergarten through her senior dance–parachutes into town, landing on Boon Dock, canopy draping behind him like a superhero. Ricky O’Shea. Now Pastor Rick, the new minister on Three Sisters Island.
Time to panic.

 

My Thoughts:

Second book in the Three Sisters Island series, “On a Coastal Breeze” focuses primarily on middle daughter, Maddie Greyson. She’s finally set up her own counseling practice on the Island, and is doing quite well at it, getting a good handle on life…or so she thought, until a person from her pasts shows up.

I really liked the dynamic between Maddie and Rick. It wasn’t a simple relationship, but it was unique and growing. Though really, the romance wasn’t actually as prominant a theme in this book as I expected. The theme was more on forgiveness, and overcoming fear and anxiety. The plot was really well written, and I very much enjoyed getting a glimpse into Maddie’s counseling practice as well.

As with the first book, this story continued to show pieces from each daughter as well as their father, which was a nice touch. Cam could be a little hard for me to relate to at times, but she did grow in this book. And Blaine – she is a likeable character who faces some of her own trials in this book. Looking forward to seeing more of her story!

The ending almost came too soon – I would’ve enjoyed having it go longer! – but it certainly gives us readers something to look forward to in the third book. I’ve grown quite fond of the Greyson family and their little Maine Island. :)

  This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group (Revell), through Interviews & Reviews.

“The Lost Lieutenant” by Erica Vetsch ~ I Read With Audra Book Tour, book review and GIVEAWAY

 

 

“The Lost Lieutenant” by Erica Vetsch

Book One in the Serendipity and Secrets Series

Review copy from the publishers

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

 

 

About the Book:

He’s doing what he can to save the Prince Regent’s life . . . but can he save his new marriage as well? Evan Eldridge never meant to be a war hero–he just wanted to fight Napoleon for the future of his country. And he certainly didn’t think that saving the life of a peer would mean being made the Earl of Whitelock. But when the life you save is dear to the Prince Regent, things can change in a hurry.
Now Evan has a new title, a manor house in shambles, and a stranger for a bride, all thrust upon him by a grateful ruler. What he doesn’t have are all his memories. Traumatized as a result of his wounds and bravery on the battlefield, Evan knows there’s something he can’t quite remember. It’s important, dangerous–and if he doesn’t recall it in time, will jeopardize not only his marriage but someone’s very life.

 

 

My Thoughts:

I love a good Regency story, and this one was a lovely tale indeed. The story moved along at a decent pace, and kept me intrigued the entire duration, leaving me a little sad to leave its pages upon completion. And the snippet for the next book only left me wanting more too. ^.^One of my favorite ‘tropes’ in novels are marriage of convenience stories, and this one rather fit that bill. It was really great to get to know the characters and watch how they grew despite being thrown together in a manner they didn’t necessarily wish. How it all drew to conclusion was quite satisfying as well, and I liked seeing everything tied up in the end!  The whole story was delightfully done, and I am eager to continue with the series!

 

 

Giveaway!

 

Click on the photo above to go to the giveaway or click HERE.

 

 

About the Author:

 

 

Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling and ACFW Carol Award–winning author. She is a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota with her husband, who she claims is both her total opposite and soul mate.

Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks.

A self-described history geek, she has been planning her first research trip to England.

Learn more about Erica Vetsch and her books at www.ericavetsch.com. She can also be found on Facebook (@EricaVetschAuthor), Twitter (@EricaVetsch), Instagram (@EricaVetsch) and Pinterest (Erica Vetsch).

 

 

 

 

 

 

*I received a copy of this book from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review.

 

 

 

“Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish” by Bethany Turner ~ Review (and MBTI mention!)

 

@vikinglady10

 

 

Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish by Bethany Turner

RomCom: Releases Tuesday, May 5th (TODAY!!!)

Review copy from the publisher/author as apart of Launch Team

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

About the Book:

Celebrity chef Maxwell Cavanaugh is known for many things: his multiple Michelin stars, his top-rated Culinary Channel show To the Max, and most of all his horrible temper. Hadley Beckett, host of the Culinary Channel’s other top-rated show, At Home with Hadley, is beloved for her Southern charm and for making her viewers feel like family.
When Max experiences a very public temper tantrum, he’s sent packing to get his life in order. When he returns, career in shambles, his only chance to get back on TV and in the public’s good graces is to work alongside Hadley.

As these polar-opposite celeb chefs begin to peel away the layers of public persona and reputation, they will not only discover the key ingredients for getting along, but also learn the secret recipe for unexpected forgiveness . . . and maybe even love. In the meantime, hide the knives.
Fan-favorite Bethany Turner serves up a heaping helping of humor and romance with this thoroughly modern story centered on cooking, enemies, and second chances.

 

 

My Thoughts:

 

I don’t cook or bake. At least, I don’t particularly enjoy it. So one might ask, why are you reading a very Foodie Novel? And the answer to that, besides the fact that the story itself sounds amazing obviously, is because Bethany Turner wrote it. As soon as I read her debut novel, The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck, I was hooked on this author’s writing style. It is so unique, and fun, and witty. So of course I could not miss out on another book by her!

And of course, I utterly enjoyed this one too. Surprise! ;) The story plot was really good, and the characters fabulous. The dynamics were a joy to see played out, and seeing Max transform was especially nice. Hadley was a sweetheart of a character, and I could relate to her on many levels (except the cooking/baking… haha). Max was detestable at first, and I really wondered how we would grow to love him. But we did, we really did.

I will say that I wish there was a bit more emphasis on faith. It was very subtly present, and I still feel that the author was respectful of that, but I think Max’s transformation could have had a lot more ‘oomph’ had the emphasis been more on God’s tranformation in us.

Still, I vastly enjoyed this book, and I’m sad to see it’s over. That just means I have to wait AGAIN for another Bethany Turner book…and that is quite difficult.  I guess I will just have to appease myself with rereads of the authors three published novels so far. ;)

I don’t actually know if I’ve mentioned here on my blog yet, but I’ve been studying personality types for a while now, and am in the middle of a series on my Instagram where I type characters from books and movies every Monday (God-willing, of course!). It’s been a lot of fun, and yesterday I typed Hadley and Max from this wonderful book! You can check that out on my Instagram – my username is @vikinglady10 . :)

 

“Desert Willow” by Patricia Beal ~ CelebrateLit Blog Tour/Review & Giveaway

About the Book

Book:  Desert Willow

Author: Patricia Beal

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 12, 2020

After a failed engagement, Captain Andrew Lee James has focused on building a career in the Army he loves. That commitment includes helping a feisty, out-of-work ballerina whose devotion to her grandmother’s dying wish immediately grabs his heart. She’s the one, but will he be able to win the heart of a woman who has vowed to never be involved with a soldier?

College graduate Clara Malone swore to never love anyone in the military again but when her dying grandmother asks her to deliver a love letter to the general who broke her heart decades ago, she agrees and finds herself escorted by a handsome Army captain whose kindness challenges her beliefs. Surrounded by desert willows that shower her path with pretty pink flowers and sing with the buzzing of hummingbirds, Clara enjoys the wild beauty of El Paso—and her time with Andrew—more than expected.

Can she deliver her grandmother’s last love letter without losing her heart to a man who represents everything she fears?

Click HERE to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Patricia Beal is a 2015 Genesis semi-finalist and First Impressions finalist. A Season to Dance is her debut novel (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, May 2017). Her second novel comes out in February of 2020. Patricia graduated magna cum laude from the University of Cincinnati in 1998 with a B.A. in English Literature and has worked for the U.S. Army as a writer and editor for many years. Patricia writes from Fayetteville, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband and two children. You can find more info about Patricia on her website here.

 

More from Patricia

Desert Willow: A Love Song to the City of El Paso, to Family, and to Prince Harry

I enjoy this story so much! It’s great to finally get to share it with you.

Desert Willow started as a NaNoWriMo project in 2015 and has a lot of my grandma’s history in it—life in the German colonies of the south of Brazil, the beginning of the shoe industry there, and the story of the most influential man her town has ever known, my great-grandfather.

And what does that have to do with El Paso and Prince Harry?

Well, my Prince Harry lookalike, a young Army captain named Andrew Lee James who lives in El Paso, is helping the protagonist deliver her grandmother’s last love letter, a letter she was urged to write all those years ago after what happened in Brazil.

The contemporary story of Clara (protagonist) and Andrew was fun to write too because I’ve been around the Army since the nineties. We moved to Fort Bliss/El Paso in 2012 and lived there for six years. I thought I was going to hate it, but I loved it, so I just had to write an El Paso story.

Now I think that what I enjoyed the most about writing this novel was making all the connections and showing how the actions of a distant past affect and inform the modern story so deeply.

Some of you have journeyed with me for a while and know that my debut, A Season to Dance, was my salvation process. What comes after salvation can be hard. What’s that? Well, looking at past mistakes through God’s eyes and realizing just how wrong we were, for starters.

We know how quickly God forgives us, but can we forgive ourselves and each other as quickly?

Desert Willow deals with all that. And with Prince Harry… 😊

 

 

 

My Thoughts:

 

This was a well written story about Clara Malone, a ballerina, and Andrew James, a Captain in the Army. Despite their initial background hesitations to start a relationship, they are undeniably drawn to each other upon first meeting, and this story follows their relationship as they each deal with their own struggles, and forgivenes.

There’s, of course, more to their story than that, but I figure you can read the description to get a better understanding ;)

I enjoy the author’s writing style, and it’s easy to stay interested. I didn’t really connect with either character, but I still enjoyed seeing their story play out. There were a couple instances where their actions bugged me (not their past decisions…), but I was glad to see them resolved. The message of faith was accomplished in a delicate but meaningful way and I appreciated that being the end goal of the story.

I also enjoyed the ballet aspect – I’ve never been in or around ballet, but it’s interesting to read about.

 I received an electronic copy from the publishers through Celebrate Lit. All thoughts expressed are my own.

 

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate her tour, Patricia is giving away the grand prize of a Kindle Fire 7 (https://amzn.to/37TEN21)!

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/f8de/desert-willow-celebration-tour-giveaway

---

BLOG STOPS

Among the Reads, April 13

The Power of Words, April 13

For the Love of Literature, April 14

Robin’s Nest, April 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 15

Batya’s Bits, April 15

She Lives to Read, April 16

Older & Smarter?, April 16

Texas Book-aholic, April 17

deb’s Book Review, April 17

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 18

Writer Without a Space, April 18

The Christian Fiction Girl, April 19

Rebecca Tews, April 19

Emily Yager, April 20

Simple Harvest Reads, April 20 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Hallie Reads, April 20

Inklings and notions, April 21

All-of-a-kind Mom, April 21

Reflections From My Bookshelves, April 22

Godly Book Reviews, April 22

For Him and My Family, April 23

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, April 23

As He Leads is Joy, April 24

God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae, April 24

A Reader’s Brain, April 25

janicesbookreviews, April 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 26

Pause for Tales, April 26

April Hayman, Author, April 26

“More Than We Remember” by Christina Suzann Nelson ~ Book Review

 

 

“More Than We Remember” by Christina Suzann Nelson

Review copy from the publisher/author

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

About the Book:

One night changes everything for three women. . . .
When Addison Killbourn’s husband is involved in a car accident that leaves a woman dead, her perfectly constructed life crumbles apart. With her husband’s memory of that night gone and the revelation of a potentially life-altering secret, Addison has to reevaluate all she thought she knew.
Emilia Cruz is a deputy bearing a heavy burden far beyond the weight of her job. Her husband is no longer the man she married, and Emilia’s determined to prevent others from facing the same hardship. When she’s called to the scene of an accident pointing to everything she’s fighting against, she’s determined to see justice for those wronged.
Brianne Demanno is hiding from reality. She was thriving as a counselor, but when tragedy struck a beloved client, she lost faith in herself and her purpose. When her neighbors, the Killbourns, are thrown into crisis, Brianne’s solitary life is disrupted and she finds herself needed in a way she hasn’t been in a while.
As the lives of these women intersect, they can no longer dwell in the memory of who they’ve been. Can they rise from the wreck of the worst moments of their lives to become who they were meant to be?

 

 

My Thoughts:

It’s always exciting trying new authors. Especially when you find that you enjoy them! “More Than We Remember” is a book that deals with trauma and loss, but also hope and restoration. We are taken along the journey of several different characters and their lives – and how one night’s tragedy affected them each differently.

I found this to be a gripping story, and it was interesting getting to know each of the characters. I loved Brianne’s side of the story, and her role as counselor. I am very interested in psychology, and seeing it play out in her story was fascinating.I liked how everything intertwined, and the ending brought it all together in a really good manner. We didn’t find out the truth of the accident till the very end, but that worked out really well.

I look forward to reading more by this author in the future! (And also, I adore the cover of this book!)

“Convenient Lies” by Robin Patchen ~ Book Review

 

 

“Convenient Lies” by Robin Patchen

Book One in the Hidden Truth series

Review copy from the author through JustReadTours Blind Date program

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

About the Book:

She married her enemy… 

When investigative journalist Reagan McAdams discovers her new husband is part of an international crime family, she flees Paris with their newborn and returns to her childhood home in New Hampshire to gather enough money to disappear forever. She’ll do whatever it takes to protect her son from his criminal father.

He never quit loving her. 

Rae’s first love, Brady Thomas, discovers she’s home and in trouble. She won’t tell him what’s going on, but he’s a detective. He’ll figure it out. He’s going to protect her and her son, whether she wants his help or not.

Her enemy nears.

Rae would love nothing more than to fall into Brady’s arms, to allow him to protect her and her son, but getting involved with him will only put Brady on harm’s way. When Rae’s husband closes in, she has to decide what—and whom—she’ll sacrifice to save her son.

 

My Thoughts:

 

“Convenient Lies” was a surprise “Blind Date With a Book” adventure, and a fantastic adventure it was! This was my first book to read by this author, but I don’t think it will be my last – I really enjoyed it.  The suspense was well done, and the whole plot had me intrigued. I really liked all of the characters, and felt like they were all well constructed with realistic stories and actions. Even Julian who was the ‘bad guy’ was a character I felt for. So that was impressive! The story moved at a decent pace, and unfolded well. I really liked the whole thing. It is a clean read more than a Christian read, though there are subtle hints at faith towards the end mostly. Nothing major or anything, but it wasn’t completely without mention of God. But there was also an instance where God’s name was taken in vain, which I didn’t care for.That aside, it was an engaging story, and I think suspense lovers will especially enjoy it!Thanks for the copy to the author and JustRead Tours!

A Very Pretty Cover Reveal!

Have you seen it around yet? A beautiful cover reveal? Or maybe you’re already part of the author’s newsletter and got an early peak – I bet you still won’t mind seeing it again though, because it’s beautiful! That’s right….author Hannah Currie has revealed the cover of her next book, “Heart of a Princess”, book Two in the Daughters of Peverell! And it is so, so lovely. I am tickled pink (hehe) to be able to take part in the reveal.

Let’s take a quick moment to look at the cover of the FIRST book, “Heart of a Royal” because it still deserves awe:

Yep, gorgeous.

Okay, are you ready for “Heart of a Princess”?!

.

.

 

 

Ahhh it’s so pretty!!! Here’s more info:

 

 

Title: Heart of a Princess (Daughters of Peverell, Book Two)

www.hannahcurrie.com

Release Date: 15 July 2020

Pre-orders: not yet but will be closer to the date

Blurb:

 

To the watching world, Princess Alina has it all – maids to serve her, a kingdom to revere her, a prince to marry her, and a wardrobe filled with enough frills, flounces and shades of pink to rival a flower shop. But behind the smiles and designer clothes, Alina has a secret. She’s barely holding it together. 

 

After a moment of panic almost ends in tragedy, Alina is sent to a refuge far from the palace to recuperate. Her family claim it’s for her own good but – faced with cows, knife-beaked ducks and far too many of her own insecurities – Alina is pretty sure it will kill her first. And Joha Samson, infuriating man that he is, will laugh as it does. 

 

Only there’s more to Joha than she realizes, and more to herself too. When the time comes to make a stand, will she find the courage?

 

 

This gives me something to look forward to in summer! ;)