Truth Be Told by Carol Cox, A Bethany House Publication

About Book

Sometimes the truth can be dangerous...

Wagner takes over her father's newspaper in 1893 Granite Springs, Arizona, she vows to carry on the paper's commitment to reporting only the truth. But Amelia soon learns that even the truth can have serious consequences. Her father's revealing articles about the Great Western Investment Company have caught the attention of the wrong people, and pressure mounts for Amelia to retract her father's statements.

Determined to find out the real story, Amelia begins her own investigation. She's joined by Benjamin Stone, a Great Western employee who's been assigned to keep tabs on her for the good of the company, a man Amelia finds both perplexing and intriguing.

What they uncover stuns them both--and has far-reaching implications for not only Ben and Amelia but all of Granite Springs. Can they reveal the truth before the enemy finds a way to silence them for good?

Read Excerpt 

Where to Purchase

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

About Author

Native Arizonan Carol Cox has an abiding love for history, mystery, and romance. The author of more than 25 books, she believes in the power of story to convey spiritual truths. Carol lives with her husband and daughter in northern Arizona, where deer and antelope really do play--within view of the family's front porch. Visit her website at www.authorcarolcox.com.

Bethany House  
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS WITH CAROL COX

Q. Tell us about your latest book, Truth Be Told. 

A. Set in 1893 Arizona, Truth Be Told is the story of Amelia Wagner, who takes over running her father’s weekly newspaper in the frontier town of Granite Springs. Vowing to carry on the paper’s commitment to reporting only the truth, she soon learns that even the truth can carry unwanted—and sometimes dangerous— consequences. 

Q. Truth Be Told is a work of historical fiction. Why will it resonate with today’s readers?

A. Times and fashions may change, but human problems remain the same. While Truth Be Told is a mystery set in the Old West, it deals with issues many people face today. Themes of addiction, forgiveness, believing the best against all appearances, and the costs of fighting for the truth run throughout the book. 

Q. Your books often feature quirky characters in addition to the hero and heroine. Is there a reason for that?

A. I love using characters who are a bit (and sometimes more than a bit!) eccentric. I’ve learned some amazing truths along the way from people who didn’t fit the world’s idea of the “norm.” But just because someone may be a bit quirky, they may still have surprising depth beneath the surface. I’ve learned never to write anyone off. God sees all of us as unique, and every person has worth and a purpose in His sight. 

Q. Are any of the places and characters in Truth Be Told based on fact? 

A. Most of the book is based purely on my imagination, but I enjoyed slipping in a few actual sites and people from Arizona history. The Eleventh Infantry Band, which performs for the citizens of Granite Springs, was stationed at nearby Fort Whipple, and was directed by Achille LaGuardia, just as we see in the story. If the name LaGuardia sounds familiar, you may be thinking of Achille’s son, Fiorello, who spent some of his childhood years at Fort Whipple before growing up to become the well-known mayor of New York City. 

The Hotel Burke, where Ben Stone stays during his visit to Prescott, was the original name of the present-day Hotel St. Michael, which stands on the corner of Gurley and Montezuma, across the street from the Courthouse Plaza. I’ve enjoyed a number of meals in the hotel’s dining room, which offers a marvelous view of downtown Prescott.



My Thoughts 

Amelia Wagner looked forward to spending the summer working with her father on his newspaper in Granite Springs, Arizona.  Her mood soon changes when she finds her dad is critically ill. His death bed wish is for her to seek the truth about Great Western Investment Company.  

Benjamin Stone doubts the honesty of his employer and decides too join with Amelia to investigate the goings on at Great Western Investment Company. 

They we very cautious of each other in the beginning only to realize there is something special between them.

The author has a real page turner in this story.  My emotions were very confused at times trying to figure out who could be trusted . There was plenty of action, intrigue, mystery and romance to keep me turning pages. The mistrust of family members  and friends was chilling.  In  this story the author has put all control in God's hands as the characters struggle with trust in finding the truth.

I  highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a five out of five. 

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

Love Finds You in Tombstone Arizona by Miralee Ferrell

About Book

Love Finds You in Tombstone, Arizona

In a town where dreams are buried, does love stand a chance?

Love and second chances aren’t easy to come by in a town named Tombstone. When Christy Grey receives an urgent summons to Tombstone, Arizona, she reluctantly leaves her new life in California. The trip goes from bad to worse when four masked men hold up Christy’s stage. She finally arrives in Tombstone to find her mother ill and her brother trapped in a life of gambling. Desperate for money to support her family, will Christy bow to pressure from the local saloon owners and return to the life she thought she’d given up for good?

Nevada King has problems of his own. He’s been dodging bullets for years and wants nothing more than to settle down and get married. But he’s on the run from outlaws bent on revenge, and the one woman who captures his interest recognizes him from the stagecoach holdup. Will Christy turn Nevada in to the authorities, or will the outlaws on his trail catch him first?

• ISBN-13: 9781609361044
• Publisher: Summerside Press
• Publication date: 2/1/2011
• Series: Love Finds You Series
• Pages: 320
• Product dimensions: 5.20 (w) x 8.10 (h) x 1.00 (d)

Where to purchase:  Amazon, Barnes&Noble, CBD

About Author

Miralee and her husband Allen have been married almost 40 yrs. They live on 11 acres in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge in southern Washington State, where they love to garden, play with their dogs, take walks, and go sailing. Miralee also rides her horse on the wooded trails near their home with her grown daughter who lives nearby. She’s an avid reader and has a large collection of first edition Zane Grey books, which inspired her desire to write fiction set in the Old West. When she started writing fiction Miralee believed that she’d always stay with women’s contemporary, but has since branched out to historical romance. Her first two books were women’s contemporary with Kregel Publications, The Other Daughter, and Finding Jeena.

Miralee serves as president of the Portland, Oregon, chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and belongs to a number of writer’s groups. She speaks at women’s groups, libraries, and churches about her writing journey, and has taught a both writers and library conferences.

Her fourth historical romance with Summerside Press in their Love Finds You series, set in Sundance, Wyoming released summer of 2011. Miralee is currently under contract with David C. Cook for a three-book series of historical romance novels, set in Oregon. Some of her books have a suspense thread as well as romance, and three have a higher degree of action with a decided Old West slant. Her upcoming series will be somewhat of a women’s fiction/historical romance combination, with the emphasis on well-developed characters and plot.

Watch for her new release, Blowing Dandelions 

Publication date June 1, 2013, available for 

Pre-order on Amazon

Facebook: www.facebook.com/miralee
Twitter: www.twitter.com/#!/MiraleeFerrell
Blog: www.miraleesdesk.blogspot.com

My Thoughts

Christy Grey receives a telegram from her brother urging her to come and care for her ailing mother.  Christy had just gotten settled into her new life with new friends and employment in California but she figured this would be a perfect oppurtunity to reconcile with her mother.  On her long trip to Tombstone, as if the journey wasn't difficult to begin with, the stage coach gets robbed.  Then she no sooner arrives in Tombstone and her brother takes off for his wayward life of gambling leaving her to deal with her ailing mother.  There was little money and even worse there was an almost bare cupboard.  She would have to find some kind of employee right away, just to provide for their necessary needs.

Nevada King is headed for Tombstone to begin a new life and hopefully acquire a wife and his own ranch.  He must stop for one more night before reaching his destination.  With luck, he thought, he rides up on a group of men that have camp set up for the night and hopes they would allow him a bite to eat and a place camp for the night.   But come morning it become apparent these men were not what he had assumed. He meets a lovely women during a stage holdup and then recognizes her latter on after he arrives in Tombstone.  Will Christy turn him into the law assuming he was part of the stage holdup or will outlaws catch up with him first to seek revenge?

It was nice to see the author borrowed the character Christy Grey from her book Love Finds You in Last Chance, California.  She continues with Christy's life in a reconciliation attempt to build a new relationship with her mother and brother.  The author creates many situations which lead the young woman into a new relationship not only with her family but with a handsome cowboy and most importantly God.  This book has trust issues, revival of ones soul, and a mission to save a young women from a world of white slavery.
Showing us how God provides for his children.

I highly recommend this book. 

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure:  This book was a gift and I was not required to write a review. I was in no way compensated for this review.  This review is my honest opinion.

If you found this review helpful write yes or no here.

Waiting for Morning ~ The Brides Of Last Chance Ranch Series #2, by Margaret Brownley

About Book

Molly Hatfield comes to Arizona Territory seeking stability and security. But living in Cactus Patch provides her with more than she ever dreamed of.

There is nothing Molly wouldn’t do for her teenaged brother, Donny. Blaming herself for the accident that left him wheel-chair bound, Molly has dedicated her life to his care. But in 1896, gainful employment for a woman is hard to come by. So when Molly learns that an eccentric rancher in Cactus Patch, Arizona, is looking for an heiress--someone to take over management of the ranch in exchange for future ownership--she jumps at the chance to provide a real home for her brother.

If she proves to have a knack for ranching and agrees to remain single for life, the ranch can be hers. Neither stipulation worries Molly. She’s resourceful and hardworking. And she gave up dreams of marriage long ago when she dedicated her life to her brother’s well-being.

However, Molly didn’t bank on meeting Dr. Caleb Fairbanks, the town’s handsome and charismatic young doctor. Caleb has a way with Molly that makes her nervous. But it’s how he is with her brother that really alarms her. Caleb sees past the wheelchair and genuinely likes Donny, but Molly fears he’s putting unrealistic ideas into her brother’s head. Falling in love with Caleb would threaten everything she’s worked for, even her brother’s future happiness.

But it could be the very reason God brought her to Last Chance Ranch.

  Read Excerpt Here

Pages:	352 Pages
Series:	The Brides Of Last Chance Ranch Series #2
Published:	January 8, 2013
Publisher:	Thomas Nelson
ISBN-10:	1595549706
ISBN-13:	9781595549709

  Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes&Noble, CBD

About Margaret

Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: Margaret penned it all. Nothing wrong with this, except Margaret happened to be writing for the church newsletter. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, her former pastor took her aside and said, "Maybe God's calling you to write fiction."

It turns out God was and Margaret did. She now has more than 20 novels to her credit. In addition, she's written many Christian articles and a non-fiction book. Still, it took a lot of prodding from God before Margaret tried her hand at writing inspirational fiction which led to her Rocky Creek series. "I love writing about characters at different stages of faith," she says of the new direction her writing career has taken, "and I'm here to stay."

Happily married to her real-life hero, Margaret and her husband live in Southern California.

Author's Website http://www.margaretbrownley.com/

My Thoughts

Molly Hatfield no longer have parents to help with  the care of her brother Donny.  She has it in her head that it because of her negligence that her brother is in a wheelchair unable to anything for himself.  She has to work as a saloon girl because for women of her status there is very little in ways of jobs. Dancing and singing is as far as it goes, she is a good girl.  She has had several offers at marriage but as soon as the man realizes that her brother is part of the package they are never to be heard from again.

Molly finds out about advertisement for an female heir to a cattle ranch in Cactus Patch, Arizona. The woman that owns the ranch must be desperate to want to find an heir that will agree to never marry.  Molly doesn't care what the reason is, she looks at this as a way to provide for herself and her brother and to become the owner of the ranch.  The name of the ranch gives her hope, The Last Chance Ranch.

Dr. Caleb Fairbanks keeps crossing paths with the high spirited yet beautiful Molly Hatfield. She has a big chip on her shoulder and he just might be the one to remove that chip.  The Doctor and her brother seem to enjoy each others company. Caleb thinks he can help her brother, not to walk, but to be able to care for himself taking his life back into his hands and not having to depend on his sister to do everything for him.  Caleb tries to show both of them that God can heal their souls even though it appears Donny will never walk.  

The author has created some sassy, cantankerous characters. Molly headstrong and determined, Donny somewhat spoiled in getting his way with his sister and tries to with Caleb. Let us not forget Eleanor Walker, the owner of the ranch, she could not have run the ranch all those years any better than if she had been born a man.  No one knows that better than her beau who proposes to her at least once a year, just to be turned down.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson/Booksneeze for review. I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my honest opinion.

If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here.

Review: Dawn Comes Early (The Brides of Last Chance Ranch Series) by Margaret Brownley

About Margaret

Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: Margaret penned it all. Nothing wrong with this, except Margaret happened to be writing for the church newsletter. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, her former pastor took her aside and said, "Maybe God's calling you to write fiction."

It turns out God was and Margaret did. She now has more than 20 novels to her credit. In addition, she's written many Christian articles and a non-fiction book. Still, it took a lot of prodding from God before Margaret tried her hand at writing inspirational fiction which led to her Rocky Creek series. "I love writing about characters at different stages of faith," she says of the new direction her writing career has taken, "and I'm here to stay."

Happily married to her real-life hero, Margaret and her husband live in Southern California.

Authors Website http://www.margaretbrownley.com/

About Book

Looking for a woman of good character and pleasant disposition willing to learn the ranching business in Arizona territory. Must be SINGLE and prepared to remain so now and forever more. Will be given ownership of ranch. —Eleanor Walker

Disgraced dime novelist Kate Tenney fled the city that banned her latest book for a fresh start at a cattle ranch in the Arizona Territory. She hopes ranching turns out to be as romantic as she portrayed it in her novels.

But what awaits her is a much harder life. There is no room for mistakes on a working cattle ranch in 1895, and Kate is ill-prepared for her new life. She quickly learns that dawn comes early . . . every day. But she is tenacious.

Having been abandoned by a string of men, Kate has no intention of ever marrying. But she didn’t expect to meet Luke Adams either. Luke awakens feelings inside Kate she doesn’t recognize, and his steady presence is a constant distraction. She has only written about love in the past, never known it herself. But her feelings for Luke stand in the way of all she has to gain if she is chosen as the heir.

Perhaps God brought Kate to the barrenness of the desert to give new life to her jaded heart.


More Information

Length 352 Pages
Series The Brides Of Last Chance Ranch Series
Publication Date March 13, 2012
Company
Thomas Nelson
ISBN-10 1595549684
ISBN-13 9781595549686

Reason to Smile Contest here




My Thoughts 


Kate Tenney has a passion for writing dime novels.  Not only has she had one her novels rejected but it has been banned.  She might as well been banned herself by the way everyone was treating her since they found out about her book.   So she decides to answer an advertisement in the newspaper.


Looking for a woman of good character and pleasant disposition willing to learn the ranching business in Arizona territory. Must be SINGLE and prepared to remain so now and forever more. Will be given ownership of ranch. —Eleanor Walker


Kate packs up and heads out to Arizona Territory in hopes of becoming the heiress of Last Chance Ranch.  When she becomes a land owner of a cattle ranch everyone that looked down on her will see she is as good or better than them.    


When Kate steps off the train in Cactus Patch the town looks deserted and there is not anyone there to take her to the ranch.  She drags her trunk closer into town and is accosted by a bandit Cactus Joe. He had a gun and he was shooting at everything.  She is knocked unconscious and when she comes to she was being doused with water by a very handsome man that she mistook for Brandon the hero in her novel.  But it was the towns handsome blacksmith, Luke Adams.   He let her know that he was very concerned about her injuries and volunteered to give her a ride out to the Last Chance Ranch.  He felt a responsibility towards her and found her very attractive.  


When she arrived at the ranch she found that as a stipulation of becoming the heiress she would have to learn the ranching business from the bottom up, literally.  Her first assignment was to muck out thirty stalls.  Then she had to learn how to ride a horse western style.  Which was pretty hard because she kept falling off the horse.  Once she was able to keep her seat she was to learn how to rope and then be able to rope a calf.  She also had to help in birthing calves.  She worked from sun up to sundown sometimes longer. Her mentor was a ranch hand by the name of Ruckus and he had a bible verse for just about every time he talked to someone.  But Kate had stopped trusting God when she was very young.  She felt as if God had abandoned her as a child.


Luke visited the ranch and she had to run errands for the ranch into town which included to the blacksmiths.  Kate and Luke realized they had a hankering for each other.  But Kate's mother had drilled into her head that men could not be trusted.  Besides she had vowed to Eleanor the ranch owner that she would remain single or forfeit the ranch.  


The character Ruckus was a sower and sowed seeds of faith, hope and trust in Kate.  Will she trust in God and grow in faith?  Will she hope for more than land?


This was a fun book with many metaphors from the ranch hands. Which they call tall tales.  


There were many colorful characters like Cactus Joe, Aunt Lula-Belle, Aunt Bessie and let's not forget the ranch hands. 


I Highly recommend this book.


I rated this book a 5 out of 5.


Disclosure:
I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson/Booksneeze for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review it is my own opinion.