Monday, May 20, 2024

Stars of Twilight Fair by K. Lyn Smith

 

“Presumptuous questions are the best sort, Mr. Corbyn, followed closely by impertinent ones.”

Poetry. Sweetly, beautifully told story with characters you truly have to love. Dilemmas of inheritance and peerage combined with a scandal present obstacles for them to overcome. Makes your soul sing!  

I received this book free from the author and publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#StarsOfTwilightFair #KLynSmith #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #DavenwoodPress #VictorianHistoricalRomance


My reviews

Thursday, May 16, 2024

JESUS: a Deaf Missions film early promo

 


Another language? Yes ASL - American Sign Language. An entire film acted out using ASL. There are also subtitles. From the trailer it looks like it is well filmed and acted, a beautifully done telling.

#JESUSaDeafMissionsFilmMIN #momentumInfluencers @JeanThomason @MomentumInfluencers #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #ChristianMovie

Synopsis: 
God’s story is unstoppable when it is in the heart language of a people group. JESUS: a Deaf Missions film, uses Deaf actors to bring the story to bring the story of Jesus to life from a Deaf perspective for a Deaf audience.

Release Date: 6/20

Official trailer LINK

Monday, May 13, 2024

Lady Wynwood’s Spies #1 Archer by Camille Elliot

 

Wow, what a good book. Part 1 of an overall story that is spread over several books. A lot to take in with a lot of characters, including their relationship to each other in English society. Espionage, murder and people with special skills, all endearing in their own way. An especially dark threat to be out maneuvered for them and their country. Keeps you on your toes every moment. Very entertaining. Unconventional people who are quite real. I highly recommend this - you won't be bored!

I received this book free from the author and publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#LadyWynwoodsSpies #Archer #CamilleElliott #CamyTang #ChristianHistoricalFiction #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout @CamilleElliott @CamyTang 

About the book from Amazon

Part one in a Christian Regency suspense series with slow-burn romance and a supernatural twist.

She met him again by shooting him.

Unmarried after four Seasons of towering over her dance partners, Miss Phoebe Sauber learns she will be cast out of her home when her father remarries. Feeling betrayed by her father and God, she misfires an arrow at an archery tournament.

But the arrow pierces a paper held by Mr. Michael Coulton-Jones. And strangely, the symbol drawn on the page is eerily familiar to her.

He met her again while searching for a killer.

Michael had quit his work as a spy for the Foreign Office when his brother was murdered. His investigation leads to Apothecary Jack, a criminal underworld lord gathering a powerful army through an alchemical potion that gives men supernatural strength.

Michael joins forces with Phoebe and her Aunt Laura, Lady Wynwood, who have found a vital connection between Apothecary Jack and a mysterious group plotting against England.

Now, only this team of misfit aristocratic spies stands against a treasonous organization that could enable Napoleon to conquer the world.

PLEASE NOTE: Like the novels published in Jane Austen’s time, this is a novel in multiple parts. Each volume has a completed story arc, but this is NOT a stand-alone novel and ends on a cliffhanger.

About the author
Camy is a USA Today bestselling author who writes Christian Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense as Camy Tang and Christian Regency Romantic Suspense under her pen name, Camille Elliot. She grew up in Hawaii but now lives in northern California with her engineer husband and rambunctious dog. She graduated from Stanford University in psychology with a focus on biology, and for nine years she worked as a biologist researcher. Then God guided her path in a completely different direction and now she’s writing full time, using her original psychology degree as she creates the characters in her novels. She was a staff worker for her church youth group for over 20 years and she currently plays on one of the Sunday worship teams. She also loves to knit, spin wool into yarn, and is learning Japanese. Visit her websites at https://www.camytang.com/ and https://www.camilleelliot.com/ to read free short stories and subscribe to her monthly newsletter.

My reviews

Friday, May 10, 2024

Healing of the Heart: A Shumard Oak Bend Novel (Discerning God’s Best Book 4) by Heidi Gray McGill

 



Very real characters and settings to feel immersed in, a part of. A young nurse and doctor living away from home, in training for career, advancement and a good living. It must be universal that there are people in your life who think they're better than you and enjoy the domineering feeling of power. Thankfully we also have good, caring people in our lives to help us through life and keep us strong. Very well told story of wonderfully caring people who have been hurt many times and deeply, healing others and finally receiving healing themselves. Friendship and closeness mean everything, and an excellent moral compass. Very touching novel of faith, strength and perseverance.

I received this book free from the author and publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#HealingOfTheHeart #HeidiGrayMcGill #HeidiGrayMcGillBooksLLC #HistoricalChristianRomanceFiction #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #ShumardOakBendNovel #DiscerningGodsBestBook

Synopsis

He’s sworn to heal others, but at what cost to himself?

Step into the bustling streets of post-Civil War Philadelphia, where cultural injustice and class disparity run rampant. Amidst this chaos, Thomas, an aspiring doctor from the wilds of Missouri, struggles to find his place in a society to which he is unaccustomed. But when he meets debutante Emmaline Whitaker, she teaches him more than the social graces - she holds the key to his future. Only it is the independent, fun-loving Theodora Morse who holds his attention.

As Thomas navigates the complexities of high society, he must also confront his inner turmoil. When devastating news comes from home, Thomas is forced to use his waning faith to determine the desire of his heart. Will Thomas stand by his convictions and fight against the malaise of those around him, or will he choose the safety and comfort of his new life?

In this powerful Christian historical fiction, award-winning author Heidi Gray McGill weaves a poignant tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption in the City of Brotherly Love.

For Misty M. Beller, Lacy Williams, and Linda Ford fans, this standalone novel in the Discerning God’s Best series will capture your heart and leave you breathless. You’ll love this book if you enjoy gripping historical drama and compelling characters. Binge-read the entire series on Kindle Unlimited.
Full-length Christian historical fiction
A standalone novel in the Discerning God’s Best series
Includes discussion questions for book clubs
Timeline: 1871 – 1873

Book One: Desire of My Heart
Book Two: With All My Heart
Book Three: Matters of the Heart
Book Four: Healing of the Heart
Prequel: Deep in My Heart – available for free with newsletter signup on Heidi Gray McGill's website.

About the author
Heidi is an award-winning and best-selling author. Whether historical or contemporary, you will find Heidi’s writing true works of Christian Fiction, full of God’s redeeming love. 

Everything Heidi writes is purposeful. She believes in bringing a reader into the awareness of who God is to them and how He interacts with them on a personal level. She does this by crafting characters so relatable you feel part of who they are. 

Heidi reaches deep into the reader’s heart through masterfully written words and offers ways toward healing by seamlessly applying God’s Word throughout her stories.

Heidi is an optimist who chooses to find the silver lining in life’s clouds of doubt. She lives with her husband of thirty-one years near Charlotte, NC. When she isn’t writing, you will find her outside playing with her two grandsons, walking, scrapbooking, reading, cooking, traveling, or finding an excuse to have an outing with a girlfriend.


My reviews

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

A Spring at the Greenbrier by Sandra Merville Hart

 

Sweet and interesting story. Marilla works at the resort where they had baths in the sulphur spring water; many who had illnesses took the baths for healing. Her little sister had polio and was confined to a wheelchair. Marilla got special permission to bring her in after all guests were done for the day. They didn't have much and she worked six days a week, making great sacrifices for her sister. Wes and his family came to the resort, his sister had difficulty walking as well. The girls found each other and became fast friends. Business difficulties and social restrictions at the resort made things difficult for them all, as well as trust issues from both sides. Wonderful characters you'll love. Immersive read.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#ASpringAtTheGreenbrier #SandraMervilleHart #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #WildHeartBooks #ChristianHistoricalFiction  #FiveStarBooks

 

About the Book

Book: A Spring at the Greenbrier

Author: Sandra Merville Hart

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: April 30, 2024

Marilla will sacrifice anything for her family. So when her sister’s doctor suggests daily sulphur spring baths, an amenity her family could never afford, Marilla takes a job at The Greenbrier resort bathhouse in order to give her sister the care she needs. When her sister befriends another girl staying at the resort with a similar health condition, Marilla finds herself crossing paths with the girl’s handsome, charming, older brother. And despite their growing attraction to each other, courting Wes must remain a dream. After all, resort staff cannot court guests and Marilla will not risk her sister’s health for her own happiness.

Wealthy resort guest, Wes Bakersfield, has dreams for a future and plans to make his family’s business his own. And while he finds himself drawn to Marilla, despite their differing social classes, he can’t help but wonder if she is really interested in him, or in his wealth.

Can the couple find the trust to help their love succeed, or will their differences pull them apart?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author



Sandra Merville Hart, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known yet fascinating facts from American history to include in her stories. Her desire is to transport her readers back in time. She is also a blogger, speaker, and conference teacher.

 

 

 

 

More from Sandra

In A Spring at The Greenbrier, Book 7 in Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts Series, Marilla, our heroine, is as desperate as her mother to find healing for her younger sister’s polio. When the doctor recommends daily bathing in the sulphur springs, her family cannot afford the cost. Marilla transfers to the bath wing at The Greenbrier where her new boss allows her to bring her sister at the end of each day after the guests have finished their bathing sessions. It makes for a long day yet the sacrifice is worth her exhaustion if the springs can help her ten-year-old sister.

The Greenbrier, a beautiful and elegant resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, first received its fame from healthy benefits of drinking the sulphur springs and bathing in its waters.

Both the hero and heroine in A Spring at The Greenbrier have younger sisters who can benefit from heated spring baths.

The bulk of my research for this story was for the springs and what illnesses benefit from them. I had to discover the illnesses for which doctors recommended the baths historically.

Soothing soaks in hot springs are recommended even today. They can boost blood circulation, reduce pain, improve skin conditions, reduce stress, decrease inflammation in joints, and detoxify the body.

Most resort guests in the early days drank tumblers of the water before each meal. A resort doctor in the 1800s cautioned taking a maximum of 12 glasses daily. Health benefits for the bowels, liver, kidneys, and skin most often appeared between three to six weeks. The resort began to sell it in bottles at drug stores. It was labelled as A Natural Laxative.

Major renovations were done by new owners for a grand reopening in September of 1913. Marilla, our heroine, begins working at the Women’s Department of the new bath wing. Female guests enjoyed heated sulphur spring baths in bathing rooms. Doctors sent their wealthy patients to the springs with a recommended regimen of bathing that might also include drinking the spring water. The temperature of the water, the frequency, and the length of the baths were set by their doctor.

Folks suffering from a variety of ailments sought benefits from the spring waters, including gout, rheumatism, arthritis, neuritis, dyspepsia, jaundice, scurvy, hay fever, malaria, bronchitis, asthma, and chronic diseases of the skin, stomach, bowels, and liver.

Mineral waters can harm people with aneurisms in the heart and large arteries, cancer, tubercular consumption, and some brain complaints.

The springs were of great benefit for folks suffering from chronic complaints. These benefits happened so gradually that patients started to feel better “without being able to account for it.”

So there were a lot of conditions to choose from for my two ailing girls in my story.

A Spring at The Greenbrier is a nostalgic story set in 1914. I invite you to read the whole series!

Blog Stops

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Sandra 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/2b35d/a-spring-at-the-greenbrier-celebration-tour-giveaway




My reviews

Thursday, May 2, 2024

Earning the Mountain Man’s Trust by Misty M. Beller

 



The story continues for the series in Montana, with Naiomi catching up with Eric, the father of her child. Since she had spoken with Jonah about marriage it was more than a bit awkward. But there's a mystery or two to unfold, hidden truths that need to come out and be resolved. Wonderful, believable characters and a story that keeps you involved until the end. Looking forward to the next one! 

I received this book free from the author, publisher and CelebrateLit book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#EarningTheMountainMansTrust #MistyBeller #CelebrateLit #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #ChristianHistoricalFiction #MistyMBellerBooksInc 



About the Book

Book: Earning the Mountain Man’s Trust

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: April 9, 2024

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second chances…and a hidden fortune.

Naomi Wyatt has finally given up on the man who once promised to love her for the rest of his life—then disappeared with no way to contact him. She’s now a single mother with a beautiful baby girl to provide for, a daughter whose red hair reminds her daily of the man she gave her heart to. She has to move on though, so when Jonah Coulter asks for her hand in marriage, she knows she would be hard-pressed to find a better husband for herself and father for her sweet daughter. He’s a Coulter, after all, and he’s proven to be a good friend during her darkest hours.

But when her first love rides onto the ranch property saying he’d been searching for her for months, her heart is shredded once again. Before she has time to catch her breath though, a new threat appears on the horizon. This time she has far more at stake than her heart, and only a Divine hand can turn this disaster for their good.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain family saga filled with a second chance romance, love triangles, hidden treasure, and love that heals wounded hearts.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

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.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

A HEROINE DISGUISED AS A MAN

I love a heroine in disguise! It’s one of my favorite tropes, but I don’t often get to write stories with that plot. It adds so many fun and funny moments to the storyline. J

In Rocky Mountain Journey our heroine goes undercover as a “man” to travel with a group of trappers so she can reach her destination safely. Numbers meant a better chance of survival back in those days. I love that Grant, our hero, was the only man in the trapper group who looked close enough at the young “man” riding with them to realize things weren’t what they seemed at first glance.

One challenge that definitely arises in a story where the heroine is pretending to be a man is the development of the romance between her and the hero. In this case, Faith was pretending to be her (fictitious) brother Frank. Grant had met Faith in an earlier chapter before she took on the disguise, and he immediately noticed the resemblance between “Frank” and the woman whose memory still lingered with him, even days later. Every time he looks at “Frank” while they’re traveling with the trappers, he recalls the memory of Faith by the waterfall…and the attraction to that woman grows a little more every time. What a shocking surprise when he discovered she’s riding just ahead of him on the trail the entire time!

I pray you love Faith’s stint “in disguise” in Rocky Mountain Journey! J

Blessings!

Misty

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , April 23
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 23
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 24
Pause for Tales, April 24
Madi’s Musings, April 25
Alena Mentink, April 25
Devoted To Hope, April 26
Texas Book-aholic, April 26
Lighthouse Academy Blog, April 27 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)
Locks, Hooks and Books, April 27
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 28
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 28
Where Crisis & Christ Collide, April 29
Wishful Endings, April 29
Life on Chickadee Lane, April 30
lakesidelivingsite, April 30
Cover Lover Book Review, April 30
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, May 1 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, May 1
Books You Can Feel Good About, May 2
For Him and My Family, May 2
Book Looks by Lisa, May 3
Melissa’s Bookshelf, May 3
Betti Mace, May 4
Jeanette’s Thoughts, May 4
The Lofty Pages, May 5
Holly’s Book Corner, May 5
An Author’s Take, May 6
Blossoms and Blessings, May 6

Giveaway


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/2b143/earning-the-mountain-man-s-trust-celebration-tour-giveaway





My reviews


Wednesday, May 1, 2024

The Girl From The Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder

 


A Regency murder mystery. Tense, heartbreaking, keeps you on your toes to the end. At 5 years old, Eliza is taken away as she sees her mother murdered, to a place hidden deep in the Balfour Forest. Fifteen years later, Fenton wants to clear his family's name, finds her and brings her back. She remembers in very small increments as suspicions surround her and more attempts are made on her life. Their relationship is very strained as she tries to fit in with society's demands and please the people around her. False stories overlap truth, muddying the answers as to she can trust. A slower read, not wanting to miss a word, thoroughly but comfortably drawn out to the solution.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheGirlfromtheHiddenForest #NetGalley #HannahLinder #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #BarbourPublishing #ChristianHistoricalFiction  #FiveStarBooks

The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.
 
Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and protected her from.
 
That is, until a handsome stranger named Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have witnessed.
 
When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Manor and reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own mind?
 
As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?

My reviews