Whispers in the Wind - Wild West Wind Series #2 by Lauraine Snelling

Whispers in the Wind

About Book

She's Come This Far.... Must She Turn Back Now?

After fleeing North Dakota and the now defunct Wild West Show, Cassie Lockwood and her companions have finally found the hidden valley in South Dakota where her father had dreamed of putting down roots. But to her dismay, she discovers a ranch already built on her land.

Cassie's arrival surprises Mavis Engstrom and forces her to reveal secrets she's kept hidden for years. Her son Ransom is suspicious of Cassie and questions the validity of her claim to the valley. But younger son Lucas decides from the start that he is in love with her and wants to marry her.

Will Cassie be able to build a home on the Bar E Ranch and fulfill her father's dream of raising horses, or will she be forced to return to the itinerant life of her past?

Whispers in the Wind  Series: Wild West Wind 2 by Lauraine Snelling ISBN: 978-0-7642-0416-6 Format: Paperback Publication date: Aug. 2012 | Division: Bethany House Where to buy: Amazon, Christianbook.com, BarnesandNoble.com.

About Lauraine

Award-winning and best selling author Lauraine Snelling began living her dream to be a writer with her first published book for young adult readers, Tragedy on the Toutle, in 1982. She has since continued writing more horse books for young girls, adding historical and contemporary fiction and nonfiction for adults and young readers to her repertoire. All told, she has seventy books published.

Shown in her contemporary romances and women’s fiction, a hallmark of Lauraine’s style is writing about real issues of forgiveness, loss, domestic violence, and cancer within a compelling story.

 Her work has been translated into Norwegian, Danish, and German, and she has won the Silver Angel Award for An Untamed Land and a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart for Song of Laughter.

As a sought after speaker, Lauraine encourages others to find their gifts and live their lives with humor and joy. Her readers clamor for more books more often, and Lauraine would like to comply ... if only her paintbrushes and easel didn't call quite so loudly.

Lauraine and her husband, Wayne, have two grown sons, and live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a watchdog Basset named Winston. They love to travel, most especially in their forty-foot motor coach, which they affectionately deem “a work in progress”.

Learn more about Lauraine on her website here.

My Thoughts

Cassie Lockwood's journey is over. She has found the ranch her father had told her so much about.  He had bought the ranch in partnership with his best friend Ivar Engstrom.  Adam's widow Mavis welcomed her with open arms but her grown sons have reservations about the partnership of their father and Cassie's father.  Mavis and Ivar had never mentioned anything about owning only half of the ranch and their children.

Ransom has his concerns with the fact that this important piece of information was never mentioned until the day Cassie and her friends show up to claim her inheritance which was half of the Bar E Ranch.  Mavis had not only withheld the fact that Adam was a partner in the ranch but that she had also been in love with Adam Lockwood before she married their father. She has not revealed the later to anyone.

Has Cassie come all this way just leave in order to preserve the peace within the Engstrom family? They are the true definition of family and love and she does not want to cause them problems.

Book two was so much better than book one.  I felt more connected with the characters and story. The character Chief has become Cassie's shadow and protector even more so since the death of Adam Lockwood. Micah is the animal handler that came along with them in hopes of finding a place to plant his feet.  Then there is Runs Like A Deer the Indian woman they found injured on their journey and she has made them her family.  All of these people have become a family unit. Oh, let's not forget Wind Dancer the beautiful and talented Pinto and George the buffalo.

Mavis Engstrom is the glue that holds them all together including the addition of Cassie's little family. Her young daughter Gretchen is a mini Mavis in the making. Mavis's son Lucas gets ahead of himself most of the time though it is usually with the best of intentions.  Her son Ransom is very protective of his family and the ranch. He is a hard nut to crack. But once he cracks it is all good.  Her son Jess is off at college and Mavis is not sure how he will react to news that half the ranch belongs to someone else.

The author told a heartwarming tale of coming home and uniting a group of people that God had meant to be together for the better of all of them.  It is all there love, family, unity, determination and trust in God and their fellow man.

I wanted the story of these beautiful people to continue. Looking forward to reading more.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure
I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my own opinion.

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

Prize of My Heart by Lisa Norato - Bethany House Publishers

About Lisa 

 Lisa Norato first discovered a love of writing when assigned to write and illustrate a children's book at the art college she attended. She also enjoys walks with her Yorkie-poo, the New England seacoast and changing seasons, good friends, Italian food, historical dramas, and British comedy. A lifelong New Englander, Lisa lives in a historic village with homes and churches dating as far back as the eighteenth century. Currently she works as a legal assistant in the corporate department of a Rhode Island law firm.

You can find Lisa on her:
Website http://www.lisanorato.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lisanorato

About Book 

Massachusetts, 1815. 
 Will His Love Endure Once He Learns Her Secret? 

Three years ago, Captain Brogan Talvis's late wife abandoned their son, leaving no clue as to the boy's whereabouts. After searching relentlessly, Brogan discovers his son was adopted by a New England shipbuilder. And the man's daughter, Lorena Huntley, acts as loving guardian to the child.

Lorena, who hides a dark truth, finds herself falling for the handsome captain and ex-privateer who's come to secure ownership of one of her father's ships. She's unaware of Brogan's own secret when another's deceit has her sailing toward Europe against her will.

Haunted by thoughts of Lorena in peril, Brogan is compelled to choose between the boy he longs for and the woman who has captured his heart.

Read an Excerpt here

ISBN: 978-0-7642-0942-0 
ISBN-10: 0-7642-0942-6 
Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 
Number of pages: 304 
Published by Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: Mar. 2012 
Formats: Paperback 

 Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes&Noble, CBD


My Thoughts

Captain Brogan Talvis was orphaned as a child.  When his son was born he felt blessed at not only the birth of his child but of having his own family. While Brogan was out at sea as a privateer he missed his son dreadfully.

He will never forget the day he came home from a long tour at sea and his wife informed him that his son was not there.  She had abandoned her son because she no longer wanted to be tied down to a baby.  He begged her to tell him where his son was and all she would say was he was not there and that Brogan would never find him.

It has been four long years that Brogan has spent trying to find his son.  Then there came a lead and he knew where his son was.  He had been adopted by a wealthy shipbuilder and his daughter Lorena Huntley was guardian of the boy.  It was very apparent how deeply the boy was loved and  also extremely spoiled.

Brogan plans and goes to great extremes to get his son back.  He purchases a very special ship from the shipbuilder one that would be so fast that no other ship would be able to keep up with it once he stole his son away to be with his natural father.  He realizes the boy sees Lorena as a mother figure and decides to court her in order to get closer to his son.  Brogan has been attacked twice by this little rascal of a son by being the target of the boys sling shot and a very large rock.  The boy does not trust Captain Brogan around Lorena.  He sees himself as David and the Captain as Goliath and he must slay Goliath.  Brogan must win him over!

Brogan had no idea he would grow  to care deeply for Lorena and develop a friendship with her father. He felt guilty about deceiving them. Will he be able to break their hearts in order to get his son back?

This was a beautiful story about family ties.  The author expresses through her writing how God can make all things better if you just let go and let God.  The story falls into place because the characters learned to trust in Gods's plan for themselves and the child.

There was intrigue, lies, deceit, betrayal,forgiveness and redemption which made for a very enjoyable read. Oh, lets not forget about love and romance.  Most of all love for God, a child, woman, man, and ties that bind a family together.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure
I was provided a copy of this book by Bethany House Publisher for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my own opinion.

ROAD TO the Christys - YOUNG ADULT - THE MERCHANT'S DAUGHTER by Melanie Dickerson

 

2012 Blog Tour Travel the virtual "Road to the Christys" blog tour from Mon., July 9 to Tue., July 20th, 2012. Blog tour participants will be celebrating the 2012 Christy Award nominees leading up to the Christy Awards banquet in Orlando, July 16, and the winners after they are presented. Follow @ChristyAward, or like www.facebook.com/ChristyAward for a link to the first stop on the "Road to the Christys" blog tour.

YOUNG ADULT

Melanie Dickerson is an award-winning author who earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from The University of Alabama. She has taught in Georgia, Tennessee, Germany and the Eastern European country of Ukraine. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA), she now spends her time writing and taking care of her husband and two daughters near Huntsville, Alabama.


Melanie's Faith 

Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life. He has saved me from my sin and I live for Him. I love to talk to people about what He can do in your life, if you open yourself to His love. God is in the healing and saving business. Jesus came to seek and save those who were lost, to bind up the broken hearted, to heal the sick, and to be our best friend. I believe He is the one and only Son of God and I would be happy to share Scripture and experiences with anyone who is interested. Please go to my Contact page for information about how to get in touch with me.

Now here are a few of my favorite Bible verses*:

No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him. Psalm 49:7

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. Job 19:25

“The Redeemer will come to Zion,to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 59:20

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' ... I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.” John 1:29-30 & 34

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14

The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. Psalm 33:5

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:20-22

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:19-24

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11

2012 Christy Award Finalist, 
The Merchant's Daughter!

The Merchant's Daughter

An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice.

Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf's bailiff—a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past.

Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger.

Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.


Five Star Review by Author Jill Williamson

For years Annabel's family shirked their duties and now that Lord Ranulf is moving to town, they must pay for their crimes. Unfortunately, the responsibility falls to Annabel. She must marry the evil bailiff or become Lord Ranulf's servant. Choosing the lesser of two evils, she packs her bags and begins three years of indentured servitude.

But life with Lord Ranulf is not as horrible as she feared. Though the man has a horrible temper and is scarred and disfigured, he allows Annabel to read from the bible, something she has always dreamed of doing. But when Annabel is attacked and a man gravely injured, everything good hangs in the balance, including Annabel and Lord Ranulf's futures.

Oooh, I love a good romance novel! And Melanie Dickerson writes very sweet romance novels. But they're fairytales, and fairytales always include an evil villain and danger. The Merchant's Daughter did not disappoint. I loved Annabel and Lord Ranulf's characters. I loved the initial misunderstandings, and I especially loved how it all worked out in the end. If you love fairytale romances, this one is a must read. And if you're looking for a sweet, clean teen read, this would make a perfect gift, as would Dickerson's first novel The Healer's Apprentice. Highly recommended.


Jill, I want to thank you for sharing your review of The Merchant's Daughter.  It was very impressive.  
         Patricia 

Melanie,
Congratulations on being a finalist for the 2012 Christy Award. Thanks for providing all of us with some amazing books to treasure.
         Patricia

*Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

ROAD TO the Christys - The Maid of Fairborne Hall by Julie Klassen

2012 Blog Tour Travel the virtual "Road to the Christys" blog tour from Mon., July 9 to Tue., July 20th, 2012. Blog tour participants will be celebrating the 2012 Christy Award nominees leading up to the Christy Awards banquet in Orlando, July 16, and the winners after they are presented. Follow @ChristyAwardd, or like www.facebook.com/ChristyAward for a link to the first stop on the "Road to the Christys" blog tour.

  HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She has won the Christy Award: Historical Romance for The Silent Governess (2010) and The Girl in the Gatehouse (2011) which also won the 2010 Midwest Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. 

For more information, visit www.julieklassen.com

About Book

To escape a scheme to marry her off to a dishonorable man, Margaret Macy flees London disguised as a housemaid. If she can remain unwed until her next birthday, she will receive an inheritance, and with it, sweet independence. But she never planned on actually working as a servant. And certainly not in the home of Nathaniel and Lewis Upchurch--both former suitors.


As she fumbles through the first real work of her life, Margaret struggles to keep her identity secret when suspicions arise and prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall. Can she avoid a trap meant to force her from hiding?


Published January 1st 2012 by Bethany House Publishers


My Thoughts


Let's start with a little information about the characters...

• Margaret Elinor Macy - hieress to a fortune and main character in this book
• Sterling Benton - Margaret's step father and vilian/manipulator after her fortune
• Marcus Benton - Sterling's puppet of a nephew out to marry Margaret and her fortune
• Lewis Upchurch - aka Don Juan had courted Margaret at one time. He is all play no work
• Nathaniel Upchurch - younger brother of Lewis.  He is all work no play. Also courted and proposed to Margaret, she turned him down leaving him bitter.
• The Poet Pirate - anonymous
• Helen Upchurch - sister of Lewis and Nathaniel.  She has become a spinster due to lost love. 
• Joan - Margaret's maid whom helped her to escape the villianous stepfather and nephew.
• Nora Garret - Margarets new name while in disguise.
• Fairbourne Hall - resident of the Upchurch family and Margaret's new place of employment as servant
• Mr. Hudson - house steward at Fairbourne Hall. Hired Margaret as servant at Fairbourne Hall

These are just the main characters there are many more that make up this story.


Margaret Elinor Macy was determined to come up with a plan to flee her step father's iron rule.  Sterling Benton had not only taken over the financial responsibilities of his new family he also chose to lock away all the families jewels. He also has plans to marry off Margaret to his puppet of a nephew, Marcus Benton, in order go get control of a very large fortune Margaret is soon to inherit. She overheard Sterling and Marcus scheming to go as far as compromising her virtue forcing her to marry Marcus. This she would not allow to happen she had to find a way to escape. She was  determined to seek out an old friend Lewis Upchurch to get his help to her hide away from Sterling. When she was home alone she took money from her step father's room which resulted in her maid, Joan, being accused of the theft and was fired. Margaret convinced the maid to help her escape and give her safe haven. She decides to disguise herself by wearing a wig and coloring her eyebrows darker along with wearing a pair of her father's old eyeglasses. Margaret no longer went by her real name. She is now to be known as Nora Garret and plans to hire out as a servant to support herself until she comes into her inheritance. She had no clue as how to be a servant. But she had no other recourse.

Nora is hired as a house maid by Mr. Hudson, a house steward. When she nears her new place of employment she is shocked to see it is none other that Fairbourne Hall home of the man she spurned, Nathaniel Upchurch and his brother Lewis. Along with their sister, Helen, mistress of the Fairbourne Hall. She fears she will be recognized and sent back to face whatever her step father has in store for her. But to her amazement she is able to keep secret from everyone. Are does she?

It was really diffucult for me to know just how much of the story I should share in this review. There is so much secrecy among all of the characters, along with manipulation and intrigue. Of course there is a chance for some romance in the story also. It is said that the author's writing is comparable to that of Jane Austen's and I whole heartily agree.

There are many interesting quotes in the book. This is one of many...

Housemaids were meant to be invisible, 

and all cleaning had to be performed either before 

the family to up or while they were absent. 

 As one housemaid later wrote. 

"It was assumed, I suppose, 

that the fairies had been at the rooms." 

Trevor May, The Victorian Domestic Servant

I highly recommend this book.


I rated this book a 5 out of 5.


Disclosure 
I was given a free copy of this book for review by Bethany House Publisher/Litfuse. I was in no way compensated for this review, it is my own opinion.


If you liked this review please vote here

Blogging for Books Review - Eye of the Sword (The Angelaeon Circle #2) by Karyn Henley

About Karyn


Award-winning author Karyn Henley has written over 100 titles, which include a mix of children’s books and articles, parent-teacher books, articles, and curricula, and preschool musicals and CD’s/DVD’s of original music for children. An accomplished songwriter, Karyn has been a Dove Award nominee, and received a regional Emmy Award as Music Composer for a Christmas television special. She has traveled worldwide speaking to parents and teachers and entertaining children and their families in storytelling/active movement sessions and concerts. Most of her work has been in the area of spiritual development. She is best known as the author of the original version of The Beginner’s Bible, which during the fifteen years it was in print (1989-2004), sold over 5 million copies and was translated into 17 languages.

A graduate of Abilene Christian University (BSEd), Karyn received a Master’s of Fine Arts degree from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2004. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Karyn’s debut line of YA fantasy novels is entitled Angelaeon Circle, the first release in the series being Breath of Angel, was published by WaterBrook Multnomah in 2011. The second release, Eye of the Sword, will be released March 13, 2011.

Information about Karyn’s spiritual resources can be found at: www.karynhenley.com

About Book

Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a princess?

In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin lives to serve King Laetham. But his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the King sends Trevin on on a dangerous quest to find the missing comains—captains in the king’s army—he must leave Melaia to the advances of a swaggering Dregmoorian prince.

Challenged to prove his worth, Trevin throws himself into his quest. Striving to prove his love, Trevin undertakes a second mission—find the harps Melaia seeks in order to restore the stairway to heaven. Through fire caves, rogue winds, and murderous threats, Trevin remains steadfastly dedicated to his quest—even when he is falsely accused of a heinous crime. As Trevin’s time runs out, he realizes he must face the shame and horror of his own past and the nightmare that has come to life. Will he have the courage to finish what he has started?

Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley


My Thoughts


I read Breath of Angel, book one in The Angeleon Circle not really expecting to be transported into a mystical world of Angels. I was pleasingly surprised.


In book Two I was glad to continue this journey into The Angeleon Circle. The first couple of pages was fun to get into because Trevin's brother Dwin was acting like a total idiot and was laughing hysterically which drew me in right away.


Main Trevin is a hero on a quest to help Princess Melaia find the remaining magical harps that will restore the stairs to Heaven for the Angels. He is not only on a quest to find the magical harps but to save the Land of Camrithia from the Dregmoors and to save Princess Melaia from being bartered into marriage by her father, King Laetham with the Prince of the Dregmoors.


Plus the romance keeps building between Main Trevin and Princess Melaia. There is so much more I would like to say about this story but I would spoil the book for you.


There are many other characters in this book that hold this story together like connect a dots. Pay close attention some that claim to be friends may be foe.


Are you following the connect a dots that God has set before you or are you creating your own life lines?.


I highly recommend this book.


I rated this book a five out of five.


Disclosure:
I was provided a copy of this book from Waterbrook Press for review. I was in no way compensated for this review it is my own opinion.

Clash of the Titles - Vote on Recognized Pairs

Your Clash Hostess:  Gail Pallotta

Clash of the Titles has a great selection of books in our give away this week. Shelley Adina will donate a copy of Lady of Devices, Keven Newsome offers a choice between a signed print copy of Winter OR two e-books, one of Winter and one of Aquasynthesis. James Rubart gives away a copy of The Chair. 
Wow! Vote in order to enter. You'll find the voting box below. You can also leave a comment on any COTT post or on our Facebook page. Multiple entries encouraged!


Many times we hear a word or phrase and another comes to mind. The two go together so well we can’t think of one without recalling the other. Some easily recognized pairs come from life experiences, others from songs, books or movies.


Here are a few to complete just for fun.
A  song:  “Love and Marriage.”
“Love and marriage, love and marriage go together like a  _____ and _____.”  According to Wikipedia, this tune was introduced by Frank Sinatra in the 1955 television rendition of “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder. It aired on Producers Showcase.
Something we eat.Hot apple pie and ____ _____. No one eats apple pie without it, do they?
Movie stars often cast together: Doris Day and _____ ______.
Three of their 1962 movies, “Pillow Talk,” “ Lover Come Back” and “Send Me No Flowers,” are available today in a romance collection.
From Books and Television:
The Hardy Boys / _____ ______. This series was based on two series published by Edward Stratemeyer.
A heroine in a book. Her name is in the title. ______ of Green Gables. This book was published in 1908 by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery. Originally written for all ages, recently it’s been considered a  children’s book. Since publication it’s sold 50 million copies, and is taught to students  worldwide. It’s been adapted to film, television and stage.
The prey in a tale of the sea.  Captain Ahab and the great white_____. Published in 1851 by Herman Melville, this is  one of the great American novels. It tells the story of Ishmael, a sailor on a ship named  Pequod.
A character in a novel.  Miss Scarlett in _____ _____ ___ _____. Margaret Mitchell won a Pulitzer prize for the  novel in 1936. The movie, considered a classic epic film today, premiered in 1939.


Answers: 1. Horse, carriage  2. Ice cream  3. Rock Hudson  4. Nancy Drew  5. Anne 6. Whale  7. Gone with the Wind


That was fun. Now vote for your pick in the cover and book blurb Clash.
When we read the blurbs, do the images on the front of the books come to mind and vice versa? If so, which of these go together best? Later when you think of what the book blurb has to say, will you see the cover in your mind’s eye?   


Please vote for one.

Cover and Blurb A

We're all freaks. It's just a matter of perspective. 

Winter Maessen didn’t ask for the gift of prophecy. She’s happy being a freak – but now everyone thinks she’s crazy. Or evil. Goths aren’t all the same, you know. Some are Christians…

Christians to whom God sends visions.
Students at her university are being attacked, and Winter knows there’s more than flesh and blood at work. Her gift means she’s the only one who can stop it – but at what price?

Cover and Blurb B

                                                               
London, 1889. Victoria is Queen. Charles Darwin’s son is Prime Minister. And steam is the power that runs the world.
At 17, Claire Trevelyan, daughter of Viscount St. Ives, was expected to do nothing more than pour an elegant cup of tea, sew a fine seam, and catch a rich husband. Unfortunately, Claire’s talents lie not in the ballroom, but in the chemistry lab, where things have a regrettable habit of blowing up. When her father gambles the estate on the combustion engine and loses, Claire finds herself down and out on the mean streets of London. But being a young woman of resources and intellect, she turns fortune on its head.
It’s not long before a new leader rises in the underworld, known only as the Lady of Devices . . .
When she meets Andrew Malvern, a member of the Royal Society of Engineers, she realizes her talents may encompass more than the invention of explosive devices. They may help her realize her dreams and his . . . if they can both stay alive long enough to see that sometimes the closest friendships can trigger the greatest betrayals . . .

Cover and Blurb C

                                                  

If someone gave you a chair and said it was made by Jesus Christ, would you believe them?

When an elderly lady shows up in Corin Roscoe's antiques store and gives him a chair she claims was crafted by Jesus, he scoffs. But when a young boy is miraculously healed two days after sitting in the chair, he stops laughing and starts wondering . . . could this chair heal the person whose life Corin destroyed twelve years ago?
As word spreads of the boy's healing, a mega-church pastor is determined to manipulate Corin into turning over the chair. And that mysterious woman who gave him the piece flits in and out of his life like a shadow, insinuating it's Corin’s destiny to guard the chair above everything else. But why?
Desperate, he turns to the one person he can trust, a college history professor who knows more about the legend of the chair than he'll reveal. Corin's life shatters as he searches for the truth about the artifact and the unexplained phenomena surrounding it. What’s more, he's not the only one willing do almost anything to possess the power seemingly connected to the chair.


Please vote below, and don't forget to enter to win one of these great books.

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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.

Contest - Reason to Smile #13 by Margaret Brownley

Reason to Smile #13

When Kate asked what colors the bandannas came in, Ruckus told her: “I reckon you can have any color you want long as it’s red. If you git shot you don’t want the other fella seeing blood. Puts you at a disadvantage.”

Giveaway/ Review COUGAR CUB TALES: The Sneezy Wheezy Day by Sharon Cramer

About Book

•   ISBN-13: 9780983943709
•   Publisher: B & F Publishing
•   Publication date: 1/28/2012
•   Pages: 38
•   Age range: Up to 9 years
•   Product dimensions: 10.50 (w) x 9.50 (h) x 0.45 (d)
•   Binding: Hardcover

Looking for The Sneezy Wheezy Day in eBook format? It is here. Or rather purchase on Amazon? Book here. And eBook here.


From the award-winning series, COUGAR CUB TALES: The Sneezy Wheezy Day continues the adventures of the cougar cub brother and sister as they venture into the world to play. When one of the cubs becomes ill, they decide to seek their well-intentioned friends for treatments and remedies for brother cougar's ailment. One friend even tells the cub, "Tickle your nose with the tail of a goose and do it before the next blue moon rise!". Although the recommendations are sincere, the final remedy is a sibling's love. The rhyming verse is captivating, not just for the child, but for the adult reader, and it is illustrated with incredibly vivid watercolors. It is a heartwarming story about negotiating childhood illness, but in a hilarious and lighthearted way. Make sure your child searches for the small additional creature on each page!


About Author

Sharon Jean Cramer was born in Jamestown, New York in 1960. Sharon’s education includes a Master’s in Anesthesia Education from Gonzaga, with her minor area of study in fine arts at the University of Houston. She pulls heavily from her experiences in healthcare to consider subject material for her children’s books. 

She also pulls from very personal experience for The Sneezy Wheezy Day. Her twin sister struggled with childhood illness for many years. Sharon observed that the treatments, though helpful and therapeutic were not what was ultimately most significant. What mattered most to Vonnie was the family and friends around her, who supported and loved her. 

Sharon is surrounded by her own cubs. Her three sons all live in Spokane, and though grown, have opinions about the cougar cubs. Lost and Alone was actually written for her youngest son, Chase, when he was born. It is about his two older brothers, who were eight and ten years old at the time! Cole and Shad tangled on occasion so it was easy for Sharon to write about sibling rivalry and conflict resolution! 

Sage is Sharon’s granddaughter, loves the Cougar Cub Tales, and is a tough critic! She pits the cubs against Dora, Spongebob and of course the Disney princesses, but so far, the Cougar Cubs hold their own (and dad doesn’t bore so quickly over reading them over, and over, and over!)

Sharon’s husband, Daryl, is a nurse anesthetist, and ‘personal organizer’ for Sharon. He is also chef, karaoke partner, best friend, and inspiration to the author. He is a good voice of reason, sometimes editor, and unlikely audience during studio recordings. (More than one take has occurred due to
his enthusiastic presence!). If you see Sharon at a big event, say hello to Daryl as well. He is
usually close by.

My Thoughts

In The Sneezy Wheezy Day brother cub and sister cub were enjoying their playful day until brother cub complained that he was not feeling so well. Sister cub suggested they go to some of their fellow forest friends for advice. So they went to White Owl, King Stag, Canadian Goose, Red Fox, Razorback Hog and Grizzly Old Bear and each one of their friends had a different remedy for him to try. Some where sensible but some were a little bazaar. The characters were very charming and showed concern for brother cub.

But the best remedy of all was from his sister cub which included kittycat tea, his favorite pillow and blanky plus tender loving care.

I think that is what most of us would recommend to a loved one that wasn't feeling well. Have them drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest. My favorite is read to them an awesome book just like this one, with tender loving care.

The illustrations were colorful and stirred the imagination.

I highly recommend this book!

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure
I was provided a free copy of this book for review from B & F Publishing/PR by the BOOK.  In no way was I compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.

Now for the Giveaway!

B & F Publishing has been kind enough to provide a copy of "The Sneezy Wheezy Day" by Sharon Cramer  for the giveaway.


To enter all you have to do is leave a comment about the book and/or author and state that you would like to win this book. Be sure to add your email address to the comment so I can contact you in case you are the winner.


I will be choosing the winner by using the Random Generator.
There will be one winner. I will keep the entries open until  March 20, 2012.


The winner will be announced on Monday, March 21, 2012.


Good Luck! Blessings to All!
Patricia aka Mamaw