"A Place in His Heart," a New World Romance!

Today's featured novel,

A PLACE IN HIS HEART

 is a historical romance authored by Rebecca DeMarino. 

It's her debut novel and book one of 

The Southold Chronicles.

"I hope my readers find pure entertainment! I hope they enjoy the love story, with all of the ups and downs of Mary and Barnabas. I hope they get lost in a time period that was so far different than ours, and yet so filled with the same emotions – heartache and joy, a sense of belonging and adventure. The takeaway I had in writing this story is that God is with us – He will hold our hand – in all of our journeys, if we ask Him!"

 --Author Rebecca DeMarino

PURCHASE
Amazon
Barnes and Noble 

About the book:
Anglican Mary Langton longs to marry for love. Left at the altar and disgraced in her small hamlet, she is being pressured to marry the eligible son of the London milliner. Puritan Barnabas Horton, the town baker, still grieves the loss of his beloved wife, but he knows his two young sons need a mother.

With tender hearts, Mary and Barnabas take a leap of faith and wed. But when Barnabas’s secret plans to move his family to the New World to escape persecution come to light, Mary’s world is upended. How could she possibly leave her Papa and her dear sister? And will she ever reach the secret places of her husband’s broken heart?

About the author:

Rebecca DeMarino lives in the Pacific Northwest, and inherited her love of baking and gardening from her mother, a love of horses, reading and writing from her dad, and a wanderlust gene from both parents. No one knows where she got her passion for jogging and hiking! A Place in His Heart, is a historical romance inspired by her ninth great-grandparents, Barnabas and Mary Horton, and is book one of The Southold Chronicles.

How the book came about:
"I grew up listening to my mom’s stories about Barnabas Horton, my ninth great-grandfather and how he

came across the pond from England on a ship called The Swallow, in the 1600’s. When my brother became interested in genealogy, we discovered there was a lighthouse named after Barnabas, located on Long Island. I asked my mom if she’d like to go there, and off we went.

"There was a lot of interesting information about Barnabas. He was a baker and a very recent widower with two young sons when he met my ninth great-grandmother, Mary, in Mowsley, England. But I could find very little about her, and I began to wonder about what dreams and motivations she had, and the courage she must have possessed, when she married and then left her family behind for the wilds of Long Island. 

"A few years later, I began writing my first novel in hope that I could give her and the other courageous women who followed their men across the pond a voice." --Rebecca DeMarino

Find more great new inspirational novels at Clash of the Titles.com!

Stuck Together, Trouble in Texas Series, # 3 by Mary Connealy, Q&A with Author

About Book

When a lawman who values order gets stuck with a feisty crusader who likes to stir things up, there's going to be trouble in Texas! 

Now that she's settled in town, Tina Cahill is determined to get Broken Wheel's saloon closed for good. To that end, she pickets outside the place every afternoon. Unfortunately, so far no one has paid any attention. 

Vince Yates earned the nickname "Invincible Vince" because of his reputation for letting absolutely nothing stop him. But Vince is about to face his biggest challenge yet: his past has just caught up with him. His father, mother, and the sister he didn't know he had show up in Broken Wheel without warning. His father is still a schemer. His mother is showing signs of dementia. And his surprise sister quickly falls for one of Vince's best friends. Vince suddenly has a lot of people depending on him, and Tina doesn't approve of how he's handling any of them.

With nearly every other man in town married off, Vince finds himself stuck with strong-willed Tina over and over again. Of course, Tina is the prettiest woman he's ever seen, so if he could just get her to give up her crazy causes, he might go ahead and propose. But he's got one more surprise coming his way: Tina's picketing at the saloon has revealed a dark secret that could put everyone Vince loves in danger.

Read Excerpt here.

Where to Purchase

• Baker Retail
• Amazon.com
• Barnes & Noble
• Christianbook.com
• 
  

Meet Mary: 

Mary Connealy writes fun and lively "romantic comedy with cowboys" for the inspirational market. She is the author of the successful Kincaid Brides, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's Daughters series, and she has been a finalist for a Rita and Christy Award and a two time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters.

Bethany House Q & A 

with Mary Connealy

1. Vince Yates is quite a different character from the others in the Trouble in Texas series—

wealthy and from the big city. How did you come up with his character when you usually 

have cowboys?

Vince Yates has money, but he doesn’t really use it for himself, or rather he doesn’t use it to make 

a comfortable life for himself. He mostly spends it to survive and to help anyone who needs it. 

Vince’s growing-up years were so comfortable, and yet because of a tyrannical father and his 

own rebellious streak, nothing about that comfortable, lavish life is a good memory for Vince. 

So he uses his money as a tool to make life better, but he doesn’t want the trappings of wealth 

because he associates that with unhappiness.

2. What is keeping Vince apart from Tina?

Vince has decided he will never marry. He’s got two parents who have caused him no end of 

trouble. His mother, with her society airs and her distant treatment of Vince, felt as though he 

was always doing wrong by her. He learned to be terrified of tears, which his mother could turn 

on like a faucet. And his father is just plain cruel. He wants Vince under his thumb, while Vince, 

who’s a lot like his father in that he’s strong-willed and doesn’t take orders very well, can’t live 

like that. 

So Vince is haunted by the idea that any child of his will grow up to be like his parents. He 

knows they were never happily married and were never very nice to him, and he can only see a 

marriage of his own that ends up the same way. He refuses to risk it.

3. What is keeping Tina apart from Vince?

Tina Cahill is a reformer. She’s chosen a mission field that is exactly twenty feet long—walking 

a picket line in front of the town’s saloon. She’s grown up with no parents, a critical aunt, and 

a brother who abandoned her. She’s as lonely as anyone in the world and almost desperate for 

love. The first time Vince looks deep in Tina’s eyes, kisses her, and then apologizes and runs, it 

crushes the longing heart she disguises with her mission—and her sense that she’s unloved, 

because the righteous are always persecuted. It’s like having blinders ripped away. She sees 

herself as being unloved her whole life and decides it has to be because of something in her. 

Having Vince reject her after one kiss is devastating, and she won’t risk giving him another 

chance.

4. How did you select the Palo Duro Canyon for your novel?

Mainly I needed a canyon. I wanted the book to be set in Texas just because Texas and Westerns 

go so perfectly together. I hadn’t done one there in a while, so it was time. But I wanted a canyon 

as the setting for Luke’s ranch—Luke Stone, the hero of Swept Away. I started looking for 

mountains in Texas, and there aren’t any really, so then I looked for rough land. I found this 

beautiful canyon and then discovered one of the biggest ranches in Texas was set right on top 

of it. The JA Ranch, owned by Charles Goodnight, who discovered the Goodnight-Loving Trail. 

Well, if Goodnight could run a ranch there, then so could I. I knew I’d found my setting.

5. What gave you the idea for the men who are the heroes of this series?

I was doing research for The Kincaid Brides series because the hero of Over the Edge, Seth 

Kincaid, had spent time in Andersonville Prison. While reading about the prison I found a 

group called the Regulators, a police force inside the prison. The more I read, the more 

fascinated I was by that place as I wondered about the men who’d survived it, and, even more so, 

the men who’d formed the Regulators and kept peace inside that wretched prison. Out of that 

curiosity, the Trouble in Texas heroes were born.

My Thoughts

Vince Yates has his hands full with his uncaring father coming to town with Vince's mother and sister in tow. He is also busy corralling the local firecracker Tina Cahill as she creates chaos in the view of the whole town. Now she insists on sticking her pretty little nose into his personal affairs.  He has begun to have these weird thoughts that if she wasn't always busy looking for trouble she might make someone, maybe even himself, a good wife. What could he be thinking, getting stuck with Tina? Could be a real adventure!

When you read one of Mary Connealy's books I gua-ran-tee there will be plenty action, romance and laughter. This book has all that and more. There are some very serious characters like Vince and Tina when put together they manage to turn into a couple like Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez. Lethal yet hilarious.

They both have a powerful dedication to friends and family.  They believe in what is right and just. In all this is the makings of a solid foundation.

King James Bible, Mark 10:9

 "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley/Bethany House for an honest review.

The Butterfly and the Violin, A Hidden Masterpiece Novel by Kristy Cambron

About the book: 

A mysterious painting breathes hope and beauty into the darkest corners of Auschwitz---and the loneliest hearts of Manhattan.

Manhattan art dealer Sera James watched her world crumble at the altar two years ago, and her heart is still fragile. Her desire for distraction reignites a passion for a mysterious portrait she first saw as a young girl---a painting of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes.

In her search for the painting, Sera crosses paths with William Hanover, the grandson of a wealthy California real estate mogul, who may be the key to uncovering the hidden masterpiece. Together, Sera and William slowly unravel the story behind the painting's subject: Austrian violinist Adele Von Bron.

A darling of the Austrian aristocracy, talented violinist, and daughter to a high-ranking member of the Third Reich, Adele risks everything when she begins smuggling Jews out of Vienna. In a heartbeat, her life of prosperity and privilege dissolves into a world of starvation and barbed wire.

As Sera untangles the secrets behind the painting, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places: in the grim camps of Auschwitz and in the inner recesses of her own troubled heart.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/zhXo3

Welcome to the launch campaign for debut novelist Kristy Cambron's The Butterfly and the Violin. Romantic Times had this to say: "Alternating points of view skillfully blend contemporary and historical fiction in this debut novel that is almost impossible to put down. Well-researched yet heartbreaking. . . ."

Kristy is celebrating the release of the first book in her series, A Hidden Masterpiece, with a fun Kindle Fire giveaway and meeting her readers during an August 7th Facebook author chat party.

 One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 7th. Winner will be announced at The Butterfly and the Violin Author Chat Party. Kristy will be connecting with readers and answering questions, sharing some of the fascinating research behind the book, hosting a fun book chat, and giving away some GREAT prizes. She will also be giving an exclusive look at the next book in the series, A Sparrow in Terezin!

So grab your copy of The Butterfly and the Violin and join Kristy on the evening of August 7th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 7th!

 

About the author: 

Kristy Cambron has been fascinated with the WWII era since hearing her grandfather's stories of the war. She holds an art history degree from Indiana University and received the Outstanding Art History Student Award. Kristy writes WWII and Regency era fiction and has placed first in the 2013 NTRWA Great Expectations and 2012 FCRW Beacon contests, and is a 2013 Laurie finalist. Kristy makes her home in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons.

Find Kristy online: website, Facebook, Twitter

Landing page:

http://litfusegroup.com/author/kcambron

My Thoughts

A Manhattan art dealer Sera James is determined to find a masterpiece portrait of a mysterious young woman.  Sera first set eyes on this portrait when she was a young girl. When information of another person searching for the portrait surfaces she is intrigued by his interest to hire her to help find the masterpiece. 

William Hanover has information about the young woman in the portrait that is vital in revealing the identity of the mysterious young woman.  As they search further they find the young woman was an Austrian Violinist, Adele Von Bron.  Adele was convicted of helping Jews escape from Vienna and was imprisoned in the camp Auschwitz.  

Lives were touched by the life and choices of this young woman through her love, faith and hope.

I was not aware there were people other than the Jewish imprisoned in the camps.  I am embarrassed that I did not know this.  The story was amazing and terrifying.  I read The Diary of Anne Frank and The Hiding Place.  They had a real impact on me.  Now here is another that has touched my heart.  It was heartbreaking to read about Adele being shunned  by her parents.  We wonder what is our purpose and why.  God has a purpose for our life and it is not for us to understand but to trust in Him.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group/Thomas Nelson for an honest review.

Through The Deep Waters by Kim Vogel Sawyer, Blogging for Books Giveaway

About Book

A past filled with shame can be washed away with a love that conquers all 

Born to an unloving prostitute in a popular Chicago brothel, timid seventeen-year-old Dinah Hubley was raised amidst the secrets held in every dark, grimy room of her home. Anxious to escape, Dinah pursues her dream of becoming a Harvey Girl, waiting tables along the railroad in an upscale hotel. But when she finds out she isn’t old enough, her only option is to accept a job as a chambermaid at the Clifton Hotel in Florence, Kansas. Eager to put everything behind her, Dinah feels more worthless than ever, based on a single horrible decision she made to survive.

The Clifton offers a life Dinah has never known, but blinded to the love around her, Dinah remains buried in the shame of her past. When a handsome chicken farmer named Amos Ackerman starts to show interest, Dinah withdraws further, convinced no one could want a sullied woman like her. Despite his self-consciousness about his handicapped leg and her strange behavior, Amos resolves to show Dinah Christ’s love. But can she ever accept a gift she so desperately needs?

Read Excerpt Chapter One here.

See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/

Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD


About Author

Kim Vogel Sawyer is a best-selling, award-winning author highly acclaimed for her gentle stories of hope. More than one million copies of her books are currently in print. She lives in central Kansas where she and her retired military husband, Don, enjoy spoiling their ten granddarlings.

See more at: http://kimvogelsawyer.com/about/


My Review from April 2014

Dinah was not only born in a brothel but was raised there until she turned seventeen.  The cook at the brothel told her about advertisements for Harvey Girl waitresses in hopes of getting her out of the brothel before she became like the others.  To her disappointment she would have to be eighteen to be a waitress but to her great surprise they would hire her as a housekeeper at the hotel.  She will finally be able to put the stigma behind her of being shunned by the community as being tainted.  

She is determined to stay to herself and work hard at Clifton Hotel in Florence, Kansas so she can move on to becoming a Harvey Girl when she turns eighteen.  She catches the interest and admiration of a Florence local chicken farmer, Amos Ackerman.  She is flattered by the attention but stays in fear of someone finding out about being the daughter of a prostitute.  She avoids making friends with the girls she works with but takes up their invitation to join them in going to church.  She is shown nothing but love and respect from everyone.  She wondered why anyone, much less God, would care about the illegitimate daughter of a prostitute?  

The author has written a sad tale of an illegitimate girl searching to find respectability.  More so she yearned for unconditional love.  The character Dinah had little confidence in mankind and for good cause. She was shown little more love than an unwanted rodent.  This story reveals God had other plans for Dinah beyond anything she could ever have imaged.  It was a heart-wrenching tale turned by redemption and reconciliation. Then there is sweet tender love growing in the heart of a most unexpected young man for this lovely lost girl. 

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books/WATERBROOK PRESS for an honest review.

Blogging for Books Giveaway

The contest starts on July 31, 2014 at 6:00am EST and ends on August 20th, 2014 at 11:59pm. One winner will be chosen at random on August 21st, 2014 and will be alerted by email. For a complete listing of the rules, please see below.

If you can not read the the details above you can click here for the rules.

June's Hot New Releases Clash of the Titles Champion

Thank you, voters and encouragers, for a great Clash of the Titles, June 2014 Release Battle.

We'll begin our champion announcement with the kindness of the voters....

Comments of Encouragement for this Month's CLASH Authors:

They are all stunning... I love though how Tamara writes in the medieval time... Hard to find clean fiction in that time period :)

Heather Day Gilbert's previous novel convinced me to put any other fiction she writes inthe top level of my "to read" list, so this month's choice was easy--even though there are some other books here that are also on my list.

Anytime a book weaves a tale that crosses generations is always a draw for me.  Miranda Warning by Heather Day Gilbert offers that and a peak into WV life with a great mystery.  Love it!

Oh my goodness --too many wanna-reads in this list, not the least of which are Blind Trust, A Place in His Heart, and Lady of Eve. No fair we only get to vote for one!! ;)

A Place in His Heart is a beautiful story! So amazing that it's based on the author's ancestry.

Jolina Petersheim, I read "The Outcast" and I'm looking forward to reading your new book "The Midwife." I enjoy Amish fiction. Keep up the great work!

Best of luck Heather Gray Jackal is one of my all time favourite books!!

Rebecca De Marinois off to a good start in her first of "The South old Chronicles." I am looking forward to the second novel.

And Now, on to our Champion, with a sweet kudos to another clasher:

Sandra, Blind Trust looks intriguing, so I ordered a copy. I've already read Moon overMaalaea Bay at least 30 times. :)

Love Sandra'sromantic suspense!

Sandra Orchard, Iam looking forward to reading all the book in this series. Love the characters!  Blind Trust looks great!

Sandra Orchard is the best.  I enjoy her books and can't wait till the next one.  Blind Trust is a great book.

Sandra Orchard --Your cover is fabulous -- I can't wait to read the story.

And the winner is Sandra Orchard, and Blind Trust!

Congratulations!

About the book:

Blind Trust

June 2014

Revell,paperback, 325 pp.

$14.99

9780800722234

Revell, e-book,$14.99

9781441245069 

Buy on Amazon 

Caught passingcounterfeit bills, Kate Adams races to expose the true counterfeiter beforeunwitting suspects pay with their lives, but the truth could endanger her mostof all.

Book 2 in thePort Aster Secrets series

Kate Adams had noidea she was carrying counterfeit money, and she can't believe that it camefrom her sweet neighbor. Or that it lands her in the middle of another one ofDetective Tom Parker's investigations. Determined to prove her neighbor's innocence, Kate stumbles into a pit of intrigue that is far deeper than atwo-bit counterfeit operation and strikes too close to home for comfort. Asfamily secrets come to light, her world and her budding romance with Tom begin to crumble. To Kate, it's clear that she won't be safe until she uncovers allof Port Aster's secrets. But is it too late for her and Tom?

N.B. Each book in this series is a stand-alone mystery featuring Kate Adams, a herbalmedicine researcher turned amateur sleuth, and Tom Parker, Port Aster's newest detective. Together the three-book series reads as a romantic suspense, withKate and Tom's romance and an underlying suspense plot arcing the series. Forthat reason, and because book two is a spoiler for book one, we recommend the series be read in order.

A review fromBooklist:

The second of Christian romantic-suspense author Orchard's Port Aster Secrets novels, Blind Trust findsKate Adams still reeling from her friend's murder as she attempts to get herlife back in order. However, what begins as a seemingly small-time counterfeitoperation soon spirals into something much bigger, with Kate at the center.Detective Tom Parker has his eye on Kate, and not because she's a suspect. Hisfeelings for her continue to grow, as does his desire to protect her, but Kate's determination to get to the truth on her own means that Tom is oftengetting her out of trouble, rather than keeping her from it. When the actionshifts from mere counterfeiting to poisoning, theft, and decades-old secrets,Kate insists on researching her way to the facts. Orchard infuses romance withsuspense and keeps the excitement coming page after page. Readers will love theever-deepening mystery as Kate extends her investigation and finds herself andher long-dead father tangled up in an international corporate conspiracy. Will Kate be able to clear her father's name, and stay safe?     Carolyn Richard

About the Author:

Sandra Orchard is an award-winning author of inspirational romantic suspense/mysteries with Love Inspired Suspense and Revell Publishing. She is an active member of AmericanChristian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America and The Word Guild(Canada). A mother of three grown children, she lives in Niagara, Canada withher real-life-hero husband and writes full time when not doting on her younggrandchildren.  You can learn more about Sandra's books and bonus featuresat www.SandraOrchard.com or connect at www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard