Tell Tale Book Reviews

Book Review - The Traitor's Pawn by Lisa Harris

8/3/2020

Genre:
Romantic Suspense

The Traitor's Pawn
by Lisa Harris

-From Goodreads-

When FBI agent Jack Shannon arrives in Corpus Christi, Texas, he is focused on one thing: find the man who has been selling encrypted government secrets to the Chinese through online birding chat rooms. But when a senator is shot during a hunting trip and the woman he was with is abducted, Jack agrees to join the search--especially when he discovers that the kidnapping victim is Aubrey Grayson, a woman he was once in love with.

As the search continues, it becomes clear the senator may not have been the intended victim--and Aubrey may be connected to the other case Jack is supposed to be working on. Can Jack untangle the knots before it's too late? And when he learns the truth, will it be too painful to get past?

Join the hunt for the truth--and a traitor--in this tension-laden story of secrets, betrayal, and second chances.

ISBN-13: 9780800729172

A real page-turner right from the start...

When you start a Lisa Harris novel you are really only guaranteed one thing, well maybe two... The first is that you are in for one wild romantic suspense ride, and, the other is that there will be so many twists and turns that you'll second and maybe even third guess yourself. The Traitor's Pawn was all that and a little bit more.

This Book received a 4.5 Bark rating.

Lisa Harris

Author Website

I enjoyed every bit of The Traitor's Pawn and it definitely lived up to my expectations. Lisa Harris is a master at romantic suspense and immersing her readers so far into the story that they almost forget to breathe. I know I almost do...

In addition to riveting romantic suspense The Traitor's Pawn deals with some tough stuff, not the least of which is forgiveness after betrayal. Lisa Harris sums it up pretty well in my favorite line from the book, “And what he did doesn't change who I am. A child of the King.” When it comes down to it, I think that's a truth we all must learn even when, like it is for the characters in the book, it's a painful process.

Anyway, if you enjoy romantic suspense that could easily be ripped from today's headlines you really should snag a copy of this book.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Traitor's Pawn by Lisa Harris a 4.5 Bark rating.

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Audiobook Review - Camera Wars by Chelsea Hale

8/2/2020

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Genre:
Romance

Camera Wars
A Sundaes For Breakfast Novel book 2
by Chelsea Hale

-From Goodreads-

In her job, love is in focus. In her personal life, capturing love has never been so hard.

For Coco Beaumont, capturing love is easy. It's her job. She uses her camera and films happy couples in love with her wedding videography business. In her personal life, Coco's heart is captured thousands of miles away by her boyfriend, who builds orphanages in South America.

While filming for her roommate, Liz, Coco's focus becomes blurred. The photographer for Liz and Tyler's wedding gets in her way and under her skin. She is torn between what she has waited for and what is right in front of her.

Peter Jorgensen is hired for his college roommate's wedding. But signing up for the job comes with more than he bargained for. Though they start off on the wrong foot, Peter is determined to show Coco that capturing love is more than perfect predictability and a setting on the camera.

Coco is so focused on seeing the love between everyone else, she is oblivious to the love blooming in her own life. It will take a reset on her aperture to focus on love.

Camera Wars is a sweet contemporary romance and is book two in the Sundaes for Breakfast romance series.

ASIN: B07BG9QFDK

Will they click or have to delete a romance...

This Book received a 4 Bark rating.

Chelsea Hale

Author Website

Chelsea Hale kinda had me with the title of this book. What in the world could Camera Wars mean? Well, I found out with this sweet romantic jaunt into the world of photography/videography.

While it did take me a little bit to warm up to the characters in this Sundaes For Breakfast Romance, they kinda took turns being jerks to each other, I really did get into the story. And when Coco and Peter had a falling out I just wanted to yell at them “No! No!” However, they, and readers, did have to go through it so the happy ending could turn out just right.

It's been a little while since I listened to this audiobook but as far as I remember the narrator was a good match for the story and the audio production had no real issues. I enjoyed listening to Camera Wars and definitely plan on listening to the third audiobook in Chelsea Hale's charming Sundaes For Breakfast Romance series.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Camera Wars by Chelsea Hale a 4 Bark rating.

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Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - The Seer by Erin R. Howard + Review & Guest Post & Giveaway

8/1/2020

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Viktor has one order to follow:
Kill the girl before her eyes are opened.

For thousands of years, his job has been to torment and kill seers: humans that have the gift of seeing the spiritual realm. So it was no surprise when his brother Matthias was once again sent to stop him and protect the girl.
Now the last of the seers’ bloodline hangs in the balance, as the estranged demon and angel brothers are forced to work together to save a girl’s life and escape to the sanctuary city of Bethesda.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: February 27, 2018

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Thea's life just got weird...and dangerous...

Well, The Seer is one of those odd ones where I have no idea how to even start formulating my thoughts. The story is quite different from my usual reading habits.

I'm not a complete stranger to spiritual warfare fiction, especially for teens, as I've read Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker, and Bill Meyers' Forbidden Doors series. But, I have to admit that this is the first book I've read where angels and demons are portrayed as main characters.

I'm going to lay it out there. This book is fiction so don't take your theology from it, however, it is a good introduction to the fact there are angels and demons in active warfare, and, that humans, usually unwittingly, have their own role in that battle. I was a bit uncomfortable with how humanized said celestial beings were, and with some theological issues, but I suppose that is the direction Erin R. Howard needed to take in order to make the story more accessible for teens. To be honest, I was caught up in the story and frequently forgot that Matthias and Viktor were anything other than hero and anti-hero.

The Seer is entertaining. It's interesting. It's different. It has all of the necessary requirements for a good YA book, and series, with an epic quest, a reluctant heroine struggling with issues of trust and faith and her own perceived inadequacy, there are lots of battles, secrets that are both ancient and family related, personal sacrifice, and even the faint possibility of romance. If you have a YA reader at home that enjoys speculative fiction they just might be interested in Erin R. Howard's series The Kalila Chronicles.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Seer by Erin R. Howard a 3.5 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are entirely my own.)

More from Erin

If I’ve learned anything these past few months, it’s that I’m still not a fan of change. It’s always been hard for me to transition from what I know, to the unknown, and then find a new normal. Let’s be honest. Stepping out of our comfort zone isn’t supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to challenge and stretch our faith. And as a result of stepping out, we hope that we will learn and grow.

I love messy characters, because life is messy, and it doesn’t always work out the way we expect. It’s full of changes and situations. The characters in my series, The Kalila Chronicles, are no different. Each character has unique challenges. For some, they didn’t ask for change, and for others, they are stepping out on their own.

Here’s a little bit more about The Seer. The first book in The Kalila Chronicles:

For thousands of years, Viktor has carried out his orders from Lucifer faithfully. But after a recent demotion in rank, he has grown weary of the bloodshed. His latest order is to kill Thea, a seventeen-year-old Seer before her gift manifests, and she can see into the spiritual realm. However, his estranged angel brother, Matthias, intervenes on his plans. Seeing this as his way out, Viktor proposes that in exchange for leaving Thea alive, Matthias must escort him to the sanctuary city of Bethesda. Although, getting through the portal isn’t as easy as Viktor thought, and now he has to work with Matthias to protect the very girl he was ordered to kill.

Erin R. Howard

Erin R. Howard is a Developmental Editor, YA Urban Fantasy Author of The Kalila Chronicles, and has earned a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing/English from Southern New Hampshire University. When she’s not writing, Erin enjoys spending time with her family, fueling her craft addictions, and teaching writing workshops. Erin is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the KenTen Writers Group. She resides in Western Kentucky with her husband and three children.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Erin is giving away the grand prize package of
a copy of The Seer, a Behind the Story Booklet of The Seer, and a $25 Amazon card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://promosimple.com/ps/fe2f/the-seer-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, July 21
For the Love of Literature, July 22 (Author Interview)
Rebecca Tews, July 22
Through the Fire Blogs, July 23
Inklings and notions, July 24
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 25
Just the Write Escape, July 26
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 27
Artistic Nobody, July 28 (Author Interview)
deb’s Book Review, July 28
For Him and My Family, July 29
Wishful Endings, July 30 (Author Interview)
April Hayman, Author, July 30
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 31
Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 1
Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 2
Emily Yager, August 3

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Audiobook Review - Love In Lead by Kari Trumbo

8/1/2020

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Genre:
Historical Romance

Love In Lead
Seven Brides Of South Dakota
by Kari Trumbo

-From Goodreads-

He found her at her worst, can she love him at his?

Eva Arnsby can’t stay indoors, her need to draw the woodland creatures around her home near Lead, South Dakota gets her in a heap of trouble. And none more troublesome than a shadowy stranger who steals her notebook and her spirit.

Ranger, Captain George Roth, is suspicious when he finds a small woman in man’s trousers sneaking around in the woods. Determined to discover the woman’s secrets, he takes on an assignment, ready to investigate her under the guise of a harmless town dandy.

A chameleon in a suit, Mr. George Roth is asking too many questions, and wearing too many masks. Despite Eva’s reluctance, they work together, and soon, she sees parts of George she can’t resist. Shouldn’t she follow her heart? But when the mask slips, and Eva realizes George isn’t who she thinks he is, the damage to her heart may never be mended.

One lie will break them apart, and George must convince her that the man she fell for in Lead is the same man who loved her in the woods.

ASIN: B07JBDHJ8S

He is certain she did it. She knows she didn't...

This Book received a 4 Bark rating.

Kari Trumbo

Author Website

I've been quite curious about Love In Lead since reading the back cover copy and wondering how in the world the hero would turn out to be 'a chameleon in a suit'. Boy, boy did I find out in the third book in Kari Trumbo's historical romance Seven Brides Of South Dakota series!

Captain George Roth is definitely a man wearing too many masks and there were times I positively disliked him, though, he had a habit of turning right around and disarming me with his kindness just as he does to Eva. I genuinely liked Eva, though she can be a bit stubbornly naive at times.

Love In Lead is a nice addition to Kari Trumbo's historical-romance-with-a-little-western Seven Brides Of South Dakota series and I enjoyed the story. I can't wait to find out what's in store for the Arnsby sisters in the next books.

As with the previous books I listened to Love In Lead in audiobook format. And, like the others I found the sound quality and the production in general to be excellent. The narrator is very good, though she has a persistent habit of mispronouncing a very few words such as 'hearth'. At any rate, Kari Trumbo's novel was in good hands with this production and it was an enjoyable listen.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Love In Lead by Kari Trumbo a 4 Bark rating.

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Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Second Helpings by Linda Wood Rondeau + Interview & Guest Post & Giveaway

7/31/2020

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Today is Jocelyn Johnson’s 45th birthday. Unhappy with her marriage of 22 years, the parenting talk show host has planned a noonday tryst with her cohost. A phone call from her college daughter, a peek into her teenaged son’s journal, a sick preschooler, a Goth daughter’s identity crisis, a middle-school son’s prank, and her husband’s inflamed suspicions, not only interfere with her hopeful birthday plans but throw her family into more chaos than a circus on steroids.

In desperate need of counsel, Jocelyn invites a Christian to dinner, her guest from her morning talk show segment. However, the evening holds little promise of calm. In the midst of bedlam, a forgotten faith rekindles causing Jocelyn to rethink her life and her marriage.

You will laugh and you will cry from the first page to the last as you journey through the day’s events and Jocelyn’s search for Second Helpings.

Genre: Short, humorous contemporary women’s fiction
Release Date: April 19, 2020

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Linda

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
I’ve been married for over forty years. Marriage is hard. When you’ve been married a long time, the challenges can be even more difficult than those encountered during the early years. I wanted to write a book about a marriage in trouble. What were the problems? Could these problems be solved? Can a dead marriage be revitalized? While I use a lot of humor, I cover issues that are common to our complicated culture.

#2. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
Although in many ways, Jocelyn Johnson’s character, a harried mom and career woman, draws from my own personal experiences as a mom and social worker, I think my favorite character is Naomi. I can only hope for her graciousness under awkward circumstances when she is invited to Jocelyn’s home amid chaos. I admire her courage to raise a grandson after the death of her daughter. Her life did not turn out the way she expected, but with God’s Grace, her worst times became her biggest blessings. She becomes a mother figure for the distraught Jocelyn. She provides calm in turbulent seas. When she meets Jocelyn, she has no idea of how the Lord will use her past messes to help Jocelyn cope with her current crises.

#3. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
I spent my formative years in the Syracuse area, graduating high school from North Syracuse. Yes, the same school attended by Richard Gere. He was a lowly sophomore when I was a senior, and it was a large school. So no, our paths did not cross, at least in my memory. I graduated from Houghton College hoping to pursue a career in education. Unable to find a teaching job, I took employment with the local Department of Social Services which began my long career in human services. At age 54, God brought me into still another unexpected career change when he called me to be a professional writer. Though technically retired, my days are busier than when I received a payroll check. Three years ago, we moved to Hagerstown to be closer to our children: two in the D.C. area and one in Syracuse. We love spending time with our kids and our nine grands ranging now from age 8 to age 24. We have become very involved in our local church.

Smithsonian

When not writing or not spending time with family or church activities, hubs and I enjoy traveling, golfing, and visiting area museums and attractions. On occasion, we will spend the day in D.C. going to the zoo or the Smithsonian. We love theater and do try to attend live performances and concerts as money and time affords. I am grateful to the Lord who has blessed us in so many ways. Our motto is: The Adventure Continues.

#4. If you could change one thing in your life, past or present, what would it be?
Whenever I’m asked this question, I think of the movie Peggy Sue Got Married. The title character is facing a divorce. She believes her life would have been so much better if she had never married Charlie. She goes back in time to try to change her life. Yet, she inevitably makes the same mistake that caused her decision to marry Charlie the first time. When she returns to the present, she realizes that, regardless of the pain she feels now, all the pieces of her life create the tapestry that she is now. To unravel a part destroys the whole. I have learned to trust God with my oops, my blondness, my arthritis, the whole of my life. The legend on my website is: With God, are worst past becomes our best future. I choose not to live with regret, but trust God to turn those missteps into the beauty of the journey.

Bonus: Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
My favorite Bible verse is:

My second favorite verse is:

Both these verses reminds me of God’s great love for me. Nothing can befall me outside of his sovereignty or ability to help me through the circumstance.

More from Linda

When I first set out to write Second Helpings, I envisioned writing a story about a harried housewife with a passel of kids. I thought of my mother who went around the house with her hands outstretched toward heaven saying, “Lord, give me strength.” Words she uttered each time we kids did something wrong, which was quite often.

And so I envisioned my own version of, Please Don’t Eat the Daises.

The movie came out in 1960 and starred Doris Day and David Niven, a comedy about a university professor who leaves his job to become a theater critic, creating problems with his family and friends. There’s an iconic scene where the harried housewife rescues her toddler who tries to climb out of the barred NYC windows. One wonders, can this marriage be saved?

As the story developed in my own addled brain, I saw a larger picture than a madcap comedy. I asked myself, what would happen if a woman who ran a radio show about parenting found herself in a marriage about to fall apart and anticipates an affair? Since the woman, at the outset of the story is not a Christian, what might cause the affair not to happen? What driving force might be greater than her unhappiness? And why was she so unhappy in her marriage in the first place?

Doris Day

The answer came. However unhappy she might be, she was first and foremost a mother. Though married to a psychiatrist, she was the fixer in the family. What problems might her children face to make Jocelyn think twice about an affair? Which of her children’s crises would be the first signal to abort her affair? The answer came.

When Jocelyn receives a phone call from her college-aged daughter, plans for a tryst suddenly change. Lisette announces she is coming home tonight. Jocelyn’s worst fears for her daughter are confirmed. Not only is Lisette pregnant, she wants to get married next month. History seems to be repeating itself. And Jocelyn does not want her daughter to make the same mistake she thought she made by marrying her baby’s father. Jocelyn sets out on an immediate campaign to convince her daughter she has other options than a hurried marriage. Jocelyn’s tryst will have to wait.

Lisette’s pregnancy revelation has set the stage for twelve hours of bedlam … all on Jocelyn’s 45th birthday. These serious situations create a comedy of misunderstanding against the backdrop of a failing marriage and begs the question, “Can her marriage be saved?”

Linda Wood Rondeau

A veteran social worker, Linda Wood Rondeau is also a wife, mother, and grandmother. She is no stranger to family bedlam. Her stories of encouragement and hope come from the heart. She resides in Hagerstown, Maryland with her husband of over forty-years. When not writing, the author enjoys the occasional round of golf. She also enjoys theater and is actively involved with her local church. Find more encouraging words in her blog, Snark and Sensibility, found on her website, www.lindarondeau.com. Visit her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize of a Kindle Fire 7!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://promosimple.com/ps/fe2d/second-helpings-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 20
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 21
CarpeDiem, July 21
Texas Book-aholic, July 22
Inklings and notions, July 23
deb’s Book Review, July 24
For Him and My Family, July 25
Locks, Hooks and Books, July 26
Adventures of a Travelers Wife, July 27 (Author Interview)
As He Leads is Joy, July 27
Artistic Nobody, July 28 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
Ashley’s Bookshelf, July 29
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 30
Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 31 (Author Interview)
Fiction Full of Faith, July 31
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 1
Godly Book Reviews, August 2

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Prism Book Tour - Falling For The Innkeeper by Meghann Whistler + Review & Giveaway

7/30/2020

3 Comments

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

She’s the home he never expected to find.
A battle for a charming Cape Cod inn…
But what happens when romance checks in?

Single mom Laura Lessoway won’t accept her mother’s plan of selling her late grandmother’s inn without a fight. But when big-city attorney Jonathan Masters arrives to arrange an offer from his client, she’s drawn to him. And working together as he helps with repairs only brings them closer. With his career and her home on the line, can they ever find common ground?

Inspirational Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 224 Pages
July 21, 2020 by Love Inspired

(Affiliate links included.)

My Review

They each want very different things...or do they?

Falling For The Innkeeper was one of those rare occasions when I pick a book based simply on its cover. I was captivated by the beachscape in the background and I quickly fell in love with the Cape Cod setting as soon as I started reading.

I'll admit that I was a bit surprised when I figured out that this was author Meghann Whistler's debut novel. The quality of her writing is definitely that of an author with a couple of books under their belt.

Falling For The Innkeeper is a sweet Love Inspired romance. It has a charming setting, great characters, especially the adorable Yankee Doodle singing Emma, and a storyline that manages to be both convicting and entertaining. Meghann Whistler skillfully gets her readers thinking introspectively while delivering a sweetly romantic escape from a world seemingly gone crazy. And, hey, since it's set on Cape Cod it would make the perfect beach read this summer...

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Falling For The Innkeeper by Meghann Whistler a 4 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

Meghann Whistler

Meghann Whistler writes sweet, clean contemporary Christian romance novels that WON'T make your grandmother blush. A hopeless romantic who met her husband on a blind date, Meghann recently left her marketing career to pursue her lifelong passion of writing sweet, hopeful stories that demonstrate the power of love and grace. Before settling down with her rocket scientist husband and raising three rambunctious boys, she earned a B.A. in English from Amherst College and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Emerson College. She loves to hear from her readers, who can reach her at www.meghannwhistler.com.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Photo by Sophie Jacobson

It's Time For A Giveaway!

One winner will receive a $25 Amazon eGift Card

(open internationally for those who use one of Amazon's branches)
Ends August 5, 2020

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#FIPrism

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Just Read Tour - Sweet Melody by Heidi McCahan (Audiobook)

7/29/2020

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When a struggling bakery owner is rescued by a wannabe songwriter with hidden culinary talents, they discover they can make sweet harmony … if they can only learn to work together.

Rhett Foster longs to change the world with his music, yet he can’t even finish writing one song. Battered by a string of failures and disillusioned, he returns home to Portland, Oregon. While he desperately wants to create a chart-topping hit, his dad mandates a new mission: move to coastal vacation hotspot Seabrook, Washington and expand the family’s successful restaurant chain.

In danger of destroying her late parents’ legacy if she doesn’t diversify her menu, Lindsay Carmichael will try anything to save her bakery. But with a tiny budget and an injured employee who can’t work, she has no choice but to sink the last of her savings into buying a dilapidated food truck and hiring Rhett as a part-time barista. What she doesn’t know is that the handsome songwriter has a secret … one that could destroy her business and her heart.

ISBN-13: 9781662218743

My Review

Step up for some sweet treats and romance...

Sometimes a person just has to take a break and either read or listen to a sweet romance. Something not to difficult, where the characters have problems but still get their happy ending. Sweet Melody was that for me. I've read quite a bit of mystery/suspense/historical lately so Heidi McCahan's contemporary romance was the break I needed.

I really liked Lindsay, though how she could be nice even to people who were very unpleasant to her was more than I could ever do. I liked Rhett as well, but I still can't figure out why he didn't bail over the side of the family business when he figured out how much it would hurt Lindsay and her business. Can you tell that I kinda got caught up in all of the Hallmark-like romance and family drama?

I listened to the audiobook version of Sweet Melody and I enjoyed it. The narration was excellent. The sound and production quality seemed to be OK. All in all it was a good listening experience and a great introduction for me to Heidi McCahan's writing.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Sweet Melody by Heidi McCahan a 4 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are entirely my own.)

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Book Review - Romancing Nadine by Amy Lillard

7/28/2020

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Genre:
Amish

Romancing Nadine
A Wells Landing Romance book 10
by Amy Lillard

-From Goodreads-

In this heartwarming series from Amy Lillard,
three generations of women find the Oklahoma
Amish community of Wells Landing a heaven-sent opportunity to take new leaps of faith . . .

Wife, widow, mother, and grandmother—sixty-something Nadine Burkhart is everything a sensible Amish woman is supposed to be. She’s moved to Wells Landing to give her daughter and granddaughter a fresh start—not herself. So as far as she’s concerned, good-hearted farmer Amos Fisher should find something better to do than try to draw her out, be there when she needs help—and make her believe in love for the first time . . .

A friendly but solitary man, Amos is realizing there’s more to life than work. Although he hasn’t courted in years, Nadine’s honesty makes him long to know her better—and understand her standoffishness. But when everything he tries fails to soften her stubbornness, he’ll just have to trust his heart that real, true, and utterly impractical love will prevail—for a lifetime…

ASIN: B07ZPK8YXL

She's stubborn. He's in love. Can it all work out?

This Book received a 4 Bark rating.

Amy Lillard

Author Website

I have to admit that I'm quite surprised. Not by the fact that I like the story. Not by Amy Lillard's wonderful writing. Nope. Not at all. Romancing Nadine is the second story about the Burkhart women and features a grandmother in her mid-sixties. No, what surprised me was that despite the fact that she's literally twice my age I connected with Nadine even more than I did her granddaughter, who is much closer to my age, in the previous book. And as a never-married myself I also had some real sympathy with Amos.

Over the years I've read quite a few of Amy Lillard's Amish romances, this is the 10th Wells Landing book for one thing, so I've come to expect a lot from her. And she has never disappointed me. Romancing Nadine certainly didn't. She has a real knack for taking issues that we all face, Amish and Englisher alike, and weaving them into a sweet and entertaining story.

I enjoyed Romancing Nadine, as I've enjoyed all of the Wells Landing Romances, and was actually a little surprised at how quickly I finished despite using an e-reader instead of my preferred paperbacks. Ah, well, Amy Lillard's books are great no matter the format. Anyway, don't miss this fun and poignant read!

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Romancing Nadine by Amy Lillard a 4 Bark rating.

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Audiobook Review - Daffodils In March by Clare Revell

7/28/2020

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Genre:
Romantic Suspense

Daffodils In March
Flowers Can Be Fatal book 3
by Clare Revell

-From Goodreads-

Given a week’s notice in her current job, Eden Jameson is desperately looking for something new. Being a nanny for her widowed best friend, Hanna, is the ideal solution to both their problems. David Painter has other ideas. Having a stranger in the house—even if she is his sister's best friend—could ruin everything he’s worked so long to achieve. He needs to get rid of this nanny and fast. When Hanna dies unexpectedly, the reading of the will is a shock. Eden and David have been left joint custody of the baby and joint ownership of the house. Can they overcome their differences or is it too late?

ASIN: B079P5DP5W

He broke her heart but can he now keep her safe?

When I started Daffodils In March I wondered if it would be like the previous book in the series. It was and it wasn't. The setting was totally different, and of course, the characters were as well, but Clare Revell's signature gritty Christian romantic suspense was still plenty evident.

I found Daffodils In March to be quite interesting in that, for the first half or so of the book, it had more of a contemporary romance feel and then in the last half the suspense really took off.

This Book received a 4 Bark rating.

Clare Revell

Author Website

I really appreciated that there was less language in this book, which, in my opinion, makes a much better story. However, I did have a number of if-this-than-how-come-not-this type questions by the end. And, as much as I liked Eden, David made me so mad at his jerk behavior. Though, I think this shows just how well Clare Revell involved me in the story, my emotions were certainly engaged.

If you listen to the audiobook like I did the standalone quality of the Flowers Can Be Fatal series is really nice. You can listen to one and while later read the next without missing a thing. I really like the narrator, her accent is perfect for the very British characters, but the sound quality leaves something to be desired. However, if you are into British fiction from a genuine British author, or you like Christian romantic suspense, don't let the sound quality keep you from enjoying a good story.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Daffodils In March by Clare Revell a 4 Bark rating.

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Just Read Tour - Harmful Haven by Emily Yager + Spotlight & Excerpt + Giveaway

7/27/2020

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Welcome to the Blog Blitz & Giveaway for Harmful Haven by Emily Yager,
hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Everyone has secrets...Yet not everyone
has lives depending on them being kept.

Following in her mother's footsteps, Inessa Jo Ellingson, a trained nurse, uses her home as a secret safe haven for abuse victims. When unusual incidents start to turn into threats, Inessa works diligently to protect her secret and the safety of those who depend on her.

Retired Marine Sergeant, Torian von Arx, hired to find a missing person meets the stubborn Inessa who seems determined to stall his mission. As trouble brews, he feels compelled to protect her against the secret that threatens to destroy them both.

Will they be able to trust each other in time to save the others?

Release Date: August 2020
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

PURCHASE LINKS:
Goodreads | Amazon

Contains affiliate links.

Excerpt from
Harmful Haven

The house was silent this late at night. Turning all the lights out, she silently roamed the dark house for a while. This time of night she found peaceful. Calming.

A flicker in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She looked around the family room. Nothing. Then another small flicker came through the window.

“What the?” She rubbed a hand over her eyes as she stepped up to the window. Did she really see something? She pushed the curtain further out of her way, stared out into the darkness. Perhaps it was just a firefly.

After a minute, she saw the flickering light again. No, a flashlight beam moving through the woods behind her house, flickering in and out around the trees. Someone was walking around in the dark.

“Who would be out there this time of night?” Inessa Jo muttered to herself. “No one should be out there.”

She watched the light move around for a few more minutes. It seemed to be getting closer to the house. Moving toward her. A tight sensation sank into her stomach.

Emily Yager

Emily Yager writes Inspirational Romance and Romantic Suspense novels set among the lakes, rivers, and north woods of Minnesota. When Emily is not writing, she is collecting plants, listening to music, searching for a new history book to explore, or dealing with the dramas of a bi-polar prima donna canine and writing puppy sidekick, Xian. She lives on the family farm in northwestern Minnesota.

CONNECT WITH EMILY: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight July 27, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on August 3, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

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Book Review - These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker

7/27/2020

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Genre:
Speculative

These Nameless Things
by Shawn Smucker

-From Goodreads-

Dan escaped captivity from the mountain long ago, but believes his brother is still there and waits each day in a nearby town for his escape. What Dan doesn't realize is that the rest of the townspeople are also waiting--but for reasons he never imagined.

ISBN-13: 9780800735302

Each of us must choose...

I'm just going to be honest right up front. Even now, a few days after finishing, I still have no clue what to make of this book. The storytelling was good and kept me engaged, but...I just didn't get it.

When I started reading These Nameless Things I assumed it would be a suspense in the vein of Ted Dekker, and it sort of was. But, even more than that it's an allegory and is loosely based on Dante's The Divine Comedy. And that's where I got a bit lost. First, I've always been terrible with understanding allegory as my concrete mind tends to take fiction at face value. Second, I know pretty much nothing about The Divine Comedy, other than it was quite political in its day.

This Book received a 3.5 Bark rating.

Shawn Smucker

Author Website

So, where does that leave me? I can honestly say that I did like the book in general. At the end I had many more questions, about almost everything, than I did answers. But, the message that really stood out to me is that every single one of us are bound by chains of loss, guilt, pain, regret, denial, etc. and that each of us must choose whether we will break free of those chains or let them drag us deeper into the pit.

Shawn Smucker's latest novel is not one to read lightly. It's not a fluff piece by any means. If you are good with allegory, like stories with a deeper meaning, and are up for a darker novel that still manages to be filled with hope, this book just might be right up your alley.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker a 3.5 Bark rating.

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Audiobook Review - The Club by Karin Kaufman

7/25/2020

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Genre:
Mystery

The Club
An Anna Denning Mystery book 4
by Karin Kaufman

-From Goodreads-

First there were nightmares.
Then a terrifying visitation.

Summoned by her father to Elk Park, Colorado, Melinda Maxwell hopes to finally learn why he cut off all contact with his family and became a “monster,” as Melinda calls him. Four days into her stay, and frustrated by his silence, she hires genealogist Anna Denning to locate her long-lost grandparents. Already immersed in trying to locate the family of a murdered man for the Elk Park Police, Anna agrees to the challenge.

Two clues—a severed finger and a scrap of paper with a strange name written on it—lead Anna to believe that Maxwell’s father and the murdered man are somehow connected. When a second murder victim is found, Anna soon discovers what links them all: an eccentric, and dangerous, group of occultists who come together once a year to form the January Club.

This Book received a 4 Bark rating.

The Anna Denning Mystery Series is written from a Christian worldview. If you like supernaturally tinged, faith-based mysteries, you’ll love this series.

ASIN: B01J4MGPNU

They are all suspects! Or at least suspicious!

Anna Denning is back and this time she has to face off with an entire club of occultists any number of whom may be murderers. Toss in a malevolent midnight visitor, secrets that have been deeply buried for 17 years, some missing items, and you get a whale of mystery.

I tell you this, as I listened to the audiobook of The Club I was seriously kept guessing and second guessing everything I thought I knew. Karin Kaufman skillfully lead Anna and Liz, not to mention me, on a merry chase filled with murder and betrayal.

It seemed like there was a little less language, it's always been minor words, in this book, which was nice. But, what I liked the best, outside of the mystery, was the interaction between Anna and Gene as they navigate their new relationship status and the ensuing changes in their lives.

The Club is the 4th Anna Denning Mystery and the 4th that I've listened to in audiobook. Once again, I loved the narrator, she's the same throughout the series, and really appreciated both her vocal skills and the quality of the production.

If you haven't checked out Karin Kaufman's cozy mystery / spiritual warfare series, what are you waiting for? After this one, though, you'll be suspicious of pretty much everyone you meet on the street...

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Club by Karin Kaufman a 4 Bark rating.

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Prism Book Tour - How Sweet It Is by Robin Lee Hatcher + Review & Giveaway

7/23/2020

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On Tour with Prism Book Tours

He lost his brother. She lost her dream. Together,
they might find what they’re really looking for.

Holly Stanford is doing the best she can with the restaurant she inherited from her late uncle. But after her fiancé abandons her and the business, Holly regrets having given up her dream of becoming a pastry chef. Now a few bad financial decisions might cost her everything, including her hope for the future.

Jed Henning has done well with his new company despite his prodigal brother’s behavior. When Jed‘s father, the controlling member of the board of directors, temporarily suspends operations until his sons work out their differences, Jed resentfully chases his brother, Chris, to Boise. There Jed rents a basement apartment from Holly and hopes to convince Chris to get his act together before their company collapses.

Unaware that Holly is the one person who can help him get through to Chris, Jed starts the tough work of reconciliation armed with little more than a few family photographs, a stack of old letters, and a Bible that belonged to his great-grandfather, Andrew Henning. And as romance blossoms between Holly and Jed, the story of Jed’s great-grandfather highlights the power of God across the generations and the legacy of a family’s courageous faith.

Christian Contemporary Romance
Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 304 Pages
July 14th 2020 by Thomas Nelson

(Affiliate links included.)

Other Books in the Series

My Review

Will their faith see them though?

I picked up How Sweet It Is with a touch of trepidation. You see, as I've read Robin Lee Hatcher's A Legacy Of Faith series I've come to love the Henning Family, especially Andrew, and I knew this was the final book. I knew I'd have to say goodbye to characters who have become friends. And I just didn't want to. But...I couldn't NOT read it either.

As with the previous books in the Legacy Of Faith series Robin Lee Hatcher presents a sweet romance combined with the reality of the messiness of family. The biggest mine fields often involve family. They can love us the best and hurt us the most. We also frequently have the biggest misconceptions about those closest to us.

As much as I enjoyed the romance between Holly and Jed, the slow journey to reconciliation between Jed and his brother, and the way Holly gives of herself to a group of young women, it was still the sections with Andrew that I most looked forward to. Across three books he's gone through tragedy and triumph from young manhood to retirement age. He has faced each struggle with love and a faith that is to be admired.

Needless to say, I did enjoy How Sweet It Is. It was just as wonderful, and bittersweet, as its predecessors. It is very much a book that you shouldn't miss...

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives How Sweet It Is by Robin Lee Hatcher a 4.5 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

Robin Lee Hatcher

Robin Lee Hatcher is the author of over 80 novels and novellas with over five million copies of her books in print. She is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. Her numerous awards include the RITA Award, the Carol Award, the Christy Award, the HOLT Medallion, the National Reader’s Choice Award, and the Faith, Hope & Love Reader’s Choice Award. Robin is also the recipient of prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards from both American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America.

When not writing, she enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, Bible art journaling, reading books that make her cry, watching romantic movies, and decorative planning. Robin makes her home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with a demanding Papillon dog and a persnickety tuxedo cat.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

One winner will receive a print copy of Cross My Heart by Robin Lee Hatcher

USA only
Ends July 29, 2020

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Audiobook Review - The Sacrifice by Karin Kaufman

7/22/2020

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Genre:
Mystery

The Sacrifice
An Anna Denning Mystery book 3
by Karin Kaufman

-From Goodreads-

It’s nearly Halloween in Elk Park, Colorado, and there’s something strange going on at the Elk Valley Historical Society. One of the society’s founding members, a retired history professor who wanted to hire genealogist Anna Denning to complete his secret research into the family trees of two other members, has been found dead, the victim of a brutal murder.

When a friend of the victim pleads with Anna to complete the professor’s work, Anna agrees. Her decision leads her into a disturbing world of lies, concealed identities, and the occult—and face to face with a host of unsavory suspects.

This Book received a 4 Bark rating.

With courage and a hefty helping of stubborn resolve, and facing major changes in her personal life, Anna digs beneath the surface of the past to discover the dangerous secret behind a decades-old murder. A murder that has a stranglehold on the present.

ASIN: B014JOX4NM

Things just creepier and more dangerous...

Well, OK. The Sacrifice was by far the creepiest Anna Denning Mystery yet! Karin Kaufman really amped it up with this one! I could hardly put my phone aside for mundane stuff, you know, like eating or even breathing, but kept listening to the audiobook in slightly horrified fascination. Needless to say, I finished it in record time.

Once again Anna Denning delves into the dark secrets of occultists but this time she must solve ritualistic murders that are decades apart. Intriguing? You bet! At least I thought so, anyway. The Sacrifice is pretty much self explanatory and it sets the tone for eerie tale of murder and betrayal. But, lest I scare you off just know that Karin Kaufman's stories come from a Christian perspective which is why I've enjoyed them.

One thing to note is that if you don't like language this book does have some minor words.

As I've listened to the Anna Denning Mystery series in audiobook I've really come to enjoy the narrator. She has the perfect voice for Anna, has excellent narration skills, and she's just so easy to listen to. The production quality is also top-notch.

If you enjoy murder mysteries with spiritual warfare overtones you should definitely check out this book and the rest of the series (they are best read in order). Just don't forget to leave your light on tonight...

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Sacrifice by Karin Kaufman a 4 Bark rating.

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Author Of The Month July 2020 - Denise Weimer

7/22/2020

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July Author of the Month

When a failed romance and a $500,000 prize lure Kate Carson into participating in the reality TV show, Traces, the least she expects is to pick her partner. After all, she’s the PR spokeswoman of the company that derived a thirteen-lens, rotating camera from military use and installed it atop Atlanta’s tallest skyscraper. But she never would have chosen to evade techno hunters for twenty days with “G.I. Joe.”

Stoic, ex-military Alex Mitchell is the sort of man she always vowed to avoid, while the shadows of Alex’s past cause him to spurn emotional involvement. When Kate’s insider knowledge makes her a target of someone more threatening than game show hunters, Alex offers her only hope to reveal the dark plans of proponents of The Eye.

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Interview with Denise Weimer
and Kate & Alex

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
The idea for Traces began with a reality TV show that ran only one season in the U.S. (2017), but it captured my attention because I recognized many of the filming locations here in Georgia. The U.S. version of Hunted was an offshoot of the original, ongoing British version. In both shows, contestants seek to evade skilled investigators for a set amount of time in a set area in order to win a cash prize. Due to the long arm of technology, staying “off the radar” is much harder than they think when they need to get money and travel.

The second piece of Traces was The Eye, technology that may seem futuristic but for all intents and purposes already exists. Constant Hawk was developed in the early 2000s at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) system weighed around 1500 pounds and was flown on manned aircraft in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The technology from Constant Hawk has continued to evolve. Brazilian officials mounted four Simera cameras on weather balloons and small blimps to surveille the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Thirteen full-motion cameras capable of zoom captured real-time footage with sixty times the resolution of high definition at three frames per second.

From these examples of existing WAMI systems, it’s not hard to picture one being installed on a skyscraper. That type of surveillance makes some feel secure, but for others, it would represent a total loss of freedom. A perfect and unique setting for a suspense novel.

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
Hm, I don’t even remember! Not very long, probably a couple of months. Writing contemporaries is generally much quicker than historicals, although there was extra research for this one with the technology involved. And lots of funny searches on my computer (i.e. “how to evade surveillance cameras”). What took the longest for Traces was that it was rewritten several times. I’d originally written it in first person, Kate’s POV. Then, at the suggestion of my agent, I redid it in third person, his/hers. Really challenging to give scenes to Alex that started not only in Kate’s head, but in her voice as well!

#3. What made you choose some of the specific locations in this book?
I answered part of this in #1, but to give a bit more detail, the story starts in Atlanta. Alex and Kate have to remain within the city’s perimeter for a certain amount of time before moving out into the smaller towns and countryside.

Kate Carson

#4. What is your greatest strength and your greatest flaw? I know how to put a spin on things. That’s both my greatest strength and my greatest flaw. As a PR exec, I sell the concept of safety to the public about the surveillance systems my company, SurveyCorp, builds. But that ends up putting me in grave danger when I learn too much. And in my personal life, I’m used to employing my looks and my skill with words to get my way. Neither prove successful with Alex, the ex-military security guard I get partnered with for the Traces reality TV show. Alex seems to see beyond my put-together façade to the insecurity that comes from my fear of failure—past and future. Maybe that’s because he has his own secret failures.

Alex Mitchell

#5. What do you hope that people will learn from your story?
I hope that people will learn you can’t run from your past. No amount of tough exterior or trying to redeem yourself will work. The things you want to hide will come out, and the things you don’t want to deal with will come back to bite you. Hard. So admit your failures, get the help you need, and reach out to God right now. The result you imagine from facing the skeletons in your closet is not near as bad as the running. In fact, it just might be a blessing in disguise.

#6. What part of the writing process do you like the least?
I enjoy all parts of the writing process. It’s the marketing that’s hard, especially in today’s world where there are so many books out there. It’s a real challenge to let folks know about your book releases without inundating them or begging them! LOL. It was especially hard for those of us who had spring 2020 releases at the height of coronavirus. You’d think folks would be reading more, but for a time, fear and anxiety seemed to stall even e-book sales. I had another spring release as well, Spring Splash, a feel-good, contemporary romance/sports fiction.
https://www.amazon.com/Spring-Splash-Denise-Weimer-ebook/dp/B0845LXMHP/

#7. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that has happened in your life as writer.
Okay, let’s go for sad and embarrassing. The publishing house that was debuting my very first novel of my Georgia Gold Series folded right as the novel released, and I was left holding the bag. Folks who had ordered books weren’t able to get them, and I was scrambling to place orders myself. I had to explain to everyone why the novel wasn’t going to release, after all. It took me over a year to find another publisher for the series. During that time, I had to come to the place where I told God I was willing to set aside my dreams of becoming a published author and pursue something else if that was what He wanted. Now, many years later, I have over ten traditionally novels published plus several novellas in collections, and I also got to fulfill my other dream, being a historical imprints editor! If he gifts you, He will equip you and open the doors when the time is right.

Denise Weimer

Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance and romantic suspense set in her home state of Georgia. She’s authored over ten published novels and a number of novellas. As a managing editor for the historical imprints of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, she also helps others reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

Connect with Denise here:
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