Love in Bloom ~ $100 Giveaway!

 

Love in Bloom.

Hosted by I Am A Reader

April 2018

Throughout the month of April, we will be featuring 10 fabulous authors who write clean romance. There will be a dozen giveaways, free ebooks and lots of great deals on books. We’re starting off with a $100 Kick-Off Giveaway. One lucky winner will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Code or $100 in Paypal Cash. Check out this great list of authors we will be spotlighting!



   

Participating Authors

Melinda Curtis

Liz Isaacson

Melanie D. Snitker

Carol Ross

Laurie (L.C.) Lewis

Rachael Anderson

Delaney Cameron

Donna Hatch

Brooke St. James

Becky Monson

Giveaway Details $100 in Paypal Cash or a $100 Amazon.com eGift Card Ends 4/30/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via PayPal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wizard for Hire by Obert Skye

Wizard for Hire by Obert Skye
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received from Shadow Mountain to review.
Genre:  Middle Grade/Teen Fiction

Book Description:  Fourteen-year-old Ozzy lives near Portland, Oregon, and is desperate for help. His scientist parents have been kidnapped after discovering a formula that enables mind control. Their work was so top secret Ozzy is afraid to go to the police, but without help, he fears he'll never find his parents. Then he stumbles across a classified ad in the local newspaper that says "Wizard for Hire. Call 555-SPEL." Ozzy has read about wizards in books like Harry Potter, but wizards couldn't actually exist today, could they? After Ozzy meets the wizard Labyrinth--aka Rin--he's even more skeptical.

Sure, Rin dresses like a wizard, but the short robe and high-top tennis shoes seem unorthodox, as does Rin's habit of writing notes on his shoes and eating breakfast for every meal. Plus, Rin doesn't even cast any magic spells, which means that the unexplained coincidences that start happening around Ozzy are just that--coincidences.

With the help of a robotic-talking raven invented by Ozzy's father, a kind and curious girl at school who decides to help Ozzy, and, of course, a self-proclaimed wizard who may or may not have a magical wand, Ozzy begins an unforgettable quest that will lead him closer to the answers he desperately seeks about his missing parents.


My thoughts: This book is a hard one for me to rate and review. I am obviously not the age of the readers this book was written for. This book is written for a middle grade reader, but I think it would be better for an advanced middle grade reader and above.

I was impressed with the humor in this book. It is full of little quips that brought a smile to my face. There are other parts that are a hard to read about. As a seven year old, Ozzy was abandoned in the forest when his parents were forcefully taken away from him. He was a smart boy and survived on the stock-pile of food his parents left in their home. I am grateful that seven years are basically glossed over, because I would hate to read about a child surviving on his own without guidance.

The book picks up when Ozzy is 14 and learning to explore the world around him. He has his trusty mechanical bird, Clark, to keep him company. Clark is pretty amazing and will capture the attention and imagination of children. He is sarcastic and funny, plus he is a cognizant machine. He's pretty cool.

Ozzy hires a wizard to help him find his parents. Labyrinth, or Rin, is a dilemma. Is he a wizard? Or is he a grown man playing out some fantasy from his youth? He is hard to decipher. But, he comes through for Ozzy and is the only adult helping out a young man in need. There were times I wondered if he was only doing it to get a free meal? Fortunately, Ozzy found money that his parents left that paid for essentials, and the services of a wizard.

I felt as if at times the story lagged. It all was important to the story, so I don't know what could have been done differently. I did enjoy the dialogue and the characters.

I would caution parents in letting their parents read this book. It takes a little maturity, it is about a boy living without parents and contains some violence.

Online Purchase Links:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * Deseret Book

About the Author:  (Taken from Amazon)  Obert Skye was born on a stormy night in the back of a fast-moving taxi. Obert spends his time telling all who will listen about the existence of Foo and the importance of dreams. Obert is a fairly ordinary fellow who says he is simply hoping to repair what he has mistakenly undone. You can visit him online at www.leventhumps.com.

Book Blast ~ Comes the Winter by Samantha St. Clair (with a giveaway)

 

Comes the Winter by Samantha St. Claire Avalanches, isolation and snow blindness were stark realities for those daring to remain in Idaho’s Sawtooth Range through the harsh winter months. For city dweller, Lena Sommer, the warnings seemed exaggerated.

 In the fall of 1886, Lena leaves behind a life fraught with disappointments and loss only to arrive in Sawtooth City and find the man she’d pledged to marry has been killed. To return east is unthinkable; to stay is ill-advised, but she resolves to remain and manage the man’s lodging house despite the warnings. More than her stubborn nature influences her decision. From her first glimpse of this mountain valley, she falls captive to its wild beauty. Feeling she has at last found a hearth to call her own, she eagerly puts down roots. Sharing her love of literature with her lodgers before a warming fire, she builds a family of lonesome souls, where dreams awaken.

However, one man stands apart, disturbing her peace with ominous warnings to leave before winter comes. Evan Hartmann knows from personal loss that winter snows bring to these mountains both unimaginable beauty and death. He is also a man conflicted, because as much as he’d like for Lena to leave the mountains, his heart longs for her to stay.


 

  Praise for Comes the Winter

"This story has a surprise ending which will delight fans of romance/adventure novels who have read too many scripted endings. This is a terrific read, a great novel!" ~Readers' Favorite five-star review

 "St. Claire has a wonderful ability to make the characters, the history and the scenery come alive. She is an enchanting writer! Romances normally would not be my genre of choice, and yet I find myself totally engrossed in her stories. I have actually found it difficult to put the book down. Wonderful job! I look forward to more of her writing." ~Amazon customer

 "A most emphatic 5 stars. I've already bought the first two now that I finished this one, and will bookmark this author as one to follow. I will recommend this book to anyone - wonderful!" ~Amazon customer

Read an Excerpt

********************

 Dead tired, Evan stumbled up the steps to the porch. His body yearned for sleep even more than food. A full day of back-breaking work followed by a one-hour ride in a stiff saddle made the prospect of a soft bed all the more enticing.

 A sound and small movement to his left brought him fully alert. An animal, a bear perhaps? One had taken to roaming the river bank this summer looking through garbage. He pulled his gun from its holster, taking slow quiet steps across the porch. The shadow moved. Now he could discern the pattern not of fur but a quilt. Maybe one of the men had come home drunk and decided to sleep it off out here.

 Then a slender, bare ankle, attached to a pale white foot, emerged from the corner of the quilt. A woman? Here?

 He slid the gun back into its holster. Standing in front of her now, he saw the face framed by dark curls, softly falling across her cheek. Standing there with the moonlight caressing each curve of her face, he wondered if he were asleep. Maybe he'd come off the mountain, walked inside the house and was already dreaming of this angel.

 She shifted, sending Evan scuttling back into the shadowed edge of the porch. He held his breath lest she see him and think him up to some mischief. Drawing her foot back within the folds of the blanket, she settled back into sleep. In a moment, her breathing changed to that of a very human being, not at all angelic. He considered that for a moment. Who was he to say angels didn’t snore?

 He remembered then, Nash's expected lady. This must be her. Most conjectured her to be an older woman, certainly not a woman possessing such an ankle as this one, or a cheek as comely.

 Evan frowned. Bad business, this. The poor woman. He scratched at his beard, newly sprouted for the coming winter months. Turning back to the door, he left the sleeping angel to her dreams. He had little doubt she'd be on the first wagon out of the basin, off the mountain before winter locked the doors to the outside world. Or she would if she knew what was good for her.

********************

  


  Author Samantha St. Claire Samantha St. Claire was born in 2016, the alter-ego and pen name of an author of historical fiction born a few decades earlier. She may have found her niche in western historical fiction, served up sweet. Never faint of heart, her signature female protagonists face the hazards of the frontier with courage, wit, and a healthy pinch of humor. The road from college graduation led due west where teaching in a small Arizona town fulfilled childhood fantasies on multiple levels. Hiking and backpacking the canyons and desert fed her imagination with the landscapes she would use later in life as an author. A few years passed before a change in jobs took her to California where her love of western history was further fed and her first novel of Russia's Fort Ross Colony came to life. But Idaho sparked her interest in the history of the magnificent central mountain ranges and Samantha St.Claire began her first series, The Sawtooth Range. Follow www.samanthastclaire.net to read more about the research that has helped develop the characters, towns and stories of the Sawtooth Range Series and now Whitcomb Creek, Montana.

Website * Facebook

  $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 4/18/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Sister's Intended by Rachael Anderson ~ today is release day + giveaway!

Happy Release Day to My Sister's Intended by Rachael Anderson.

We're celebrating with a $50 Giveaway!

My Sister's Intended by Rachael Anderson For as long as Prudence can remember, it has been understood that her sister will one day wed the eldest son of their nearest neighbor. Such an alliance will benefit both families and bring a great deal of joy to all parents involved. Unfortunately, Prudence has never been able to feel as joyful. She believes her sister is mad to consider marrying a man she hardly knows, even if he will one day make her a countess. Titles and wealth shouldn't factor into matters of the heart, and as an aspiring romance novelist, Prudence cannot fathom how anyone could even think of settling for less than love. She certainly wouldn’t, and she doesn't want her sister to either. Unable to stand by and do nothing, Prudence sets out to help the awkward couple discover the best in each other with the hope that they will eventually find love. What she neglected to foresee, however, was the possibility that she might fall in love with Lord Knave herself.

 

Read an Excerpt

********************

When Prudence lifted her eyes to his again, they sparkled with a challenge. “I was going to save this question until later so as not to shock you from the get-go, but I really do need to know . . . What does it feel like to kiss a woman?”

A large lump formed in Brand’s throat, and his mouth went dry. What the deuce? She had promised not to ask questions that would make him uncomfortable, but already he wanted to flee like a frightened kitten. How could he possibly explain how it felt to kiss a woman?

Brand searched his mind for a way to avoid answering until he heard a snicker escape her lips. She was laughing at him. Him! Hildebrand Ethan Cannon, Viscount Knave—a man at least eight years her senior and a great deal higher in social standing.

Unbelievable.

“You are teasing me,” he said, hoping it was true. If she’d posed the question to make him squirm—and perhaps make him more inclined to answer her other questions—then she wouldn’t be expecting an answer.

She shook her head, still smiling. “I’m afraid not, my lord, although I did find the look of terror on your face vastly amusing.”

“I’m glad I could entertain you.”

“I hope you will be equally glad to instruct me on a few things as well. The first scene in my book will include a kiss, and I have no idea how to describe the experience. Do a woman’s lips feel warm or soft or even moist? Would your pulse quicken? Aside from touch, what other senses are engaged? How would it make you feel and what would you notice when you held a woman in your arms?”

If she thought he’d appeared terror-stricken before, there would be no word for how he looked now. Did she earnestly expect him to answer such questions? Surely even she knew how inappropriate it would be to discuss such things, her being an innocent.

“I cannot say,” he finally muttered.

Her brow puckered in confusion. “Have you never kissed a woman, my lord?”

Brand was sorely tempted to lie and say he had not, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Any man of six-and-twenty who had never experienced a kiss would be laughed out of his manhood. Women were expected to remain innocent until married. Men were not.

“Yes, I have kissed a woman,” he finally admitted, “but I have no intention of discussing any of the details with you.”

“Why not?” she asked, her large brown eyes blinking at him curiously. “Would you rather I invent the information?”

“Yes.”

She obviously didn’t appreciate his retort because she scowled. “Can you not tell me at least a little?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because a kiss could never be described with any sort of accuracy, at least not by me. It involves too many feelings and sensations and complexities of thought. If you wish to know what a kiss feels like, you’ll have to experience it for yourself.”

Too late, Brand realized his mistake. Her expression became contemplative, as though she was actually considering doing just that. Good gads, had he really just encouraged an innocent young woman to go hunting for a kiss? Who would she ask? A groom? Stablehand? The next peddler that came to town?

“I think you are right,” she said at last. “I really must experience a kiss for myself if I am to describe it with any sort of accuracy.” She blinked up at him with that innocent expression again. “Will you kiss me Lord Knave? No, how silly of me. You are to marry my sister, so that would never do.” She pursed her lips for a moment before musing, “Perhaps one of the footmen would be kind enough to show me how it’s done.”

Kind enough? Brand could think of a great many reasons a footman would comply with such a request, and kindness did not factor into any of them. Brand would kiss her himself before he allowed a footman near her.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. “Perhaps I can try to explain what it feels like after all.” Better that than having her chase after a footman.

“But you only just said you couldn’t do it justice,” she pointed out. “I realize I sound dreadfully forward, but I really must know, and experience is the best teacher, is it not?”

“No, it isn’t,” he lied. “And you are not going to kiss a footman.”

“Then who? Felix or Lionel, perhaps? I’m fairly certain I can convince one of them to do it, if given the opportunity. The question is how to go about it?”

It was plain to see by the firm set of her jaw that she would not rest until she had experienced a kiss of her own. She didn’t seem to care who did the deed, only that the man did a thorough job of it. A quick peck on the lips wouldn’t satisfy her curiosities.

“Perhaps I could send a note to Felix and ask him to call on me,” she continued to muse. “We could take a stroll through the maze in the gardens. There is a hidden alcove on the south side, which could be quite perfect. We would have to evade Ruth, obviously, but—”

“Devil take it,” Brand growled as he pulled her to him. Her quick intake of breath was the only sound she made before his mouth covered hers.

********************

   Author Rachael Anderson A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.  

Website * Facebook * Twitter

 

Blog Tour March 28th to April 12th

 



Release Day Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Code or $50 in Paypal Cash Ends 4/13/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Chance at Forever by Melissa Jagears

A Chance at Forever by Melissa Jagears
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Netgalley/To Review
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction/Romance

Book Description:  Mercy McClain joined the school board to protect the children of Teaville, Kansas, from the bullying she experienced as a child. When the worst offender from her school days applies for a teaching position, she is dead set against it. Yet Aaron Firebrook claims to be a changed man. Can he earn Mercy's trust--and her support for the challenges to come?



My thoughts: Can a person really change? What are morals? Those are some of the interesting thoughts that I had while reading this book. There are examples of cause and effect. Someone who is abused can become a bully. This book is about choices, the choice to change or live a life of unhappiness.

Mercy is an amazing character. She illustrated compassion throughout the book, but knows where the boundaries are. You cannot remain compassionate and let people use you. That is her dilemma in this story. Is she being swayed unfairly because of her compassionate nature? In spite of it all, she is positive, trusts, and is someone you would want on your side.

Aaron comes from a complex past. He is a contrast between being in control or being controlling. I loved that he was trying to give restitution for his mistakes. It takes a man of integrity and character to make things right, or at least try to.

I mentioned morals in the first paragraph, because there are characters who give the impression of having high morals, but their characters reveal that they are only moral as long as it is of benefit to them, or just pretend to have morals. This book gave me a lot to think about. What philosophies do we speak, and what do we really believe?

I should also mention that this is a fun book to read, besides thought provoking. The characters are well written, the pacing is great, and there is always some dilemma that needs to be taken care of.

It is clean with kissing. There is mention of prostitution and non-graphic violence. The book contains Christian themes.

Online Purchase Links:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

A Night in Grosvenor Square (Timeless Regency Collection)

A Night in Grosvenor Square by Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, Heather B Moore
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Regency Romance Novella collection

Book Description:  Three brand new Regency Romance novellas by Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore

A MATCH FOR PRINCESS POMPOUS by Sarah M. Eden
Matchmaker Adelaide Northrop may be embarking on her greatest challenge yet. Miss Odette Armistead has been dubbed “Princess Pompous” by Society’s elite, and Odette’s parents are desperate to see her married off to a respectable gentleman. When Adelaide first meets Odette, she is expecting a young lady who fits the pompous description. Instead, Adelaide discovers that Odette is far from conceited, but has chosen to wear a mask in a desperate attempt to hide her love for a gentleman who has been chosen for someone else. It seems that Adelaide has far more than matchmaking to accomplish.

CONFECTIONS AND PRETENSE by Annette Lyon
Anne Preston dreams of opening her own dessert shop some day and saves every spare penny she earns working at Gunter’s Tea Shop. She makes ice cream molds to perfection, bakes and decorates cakes, and hopes to one day be an independent shop owner. When an American man orders an ice, Anne is immediately taken with Davis Whitledge, but he is far above her station in life, so she tries to forget about his cordiality. Soon, she finds herself in a dangerous situation when confronted by two troublemakers, and Davis happens to be nearby. He sends the scoundrels on their way, but this only makes Anne more of a target. He doesn’t understand London ways, and his generosity has the potential to steal Anne’s dreams, or to make them soar. 

LITTLE LONDON by Heather B. Moore
Ellen Humphreys has never had a Season, has never danced the waltz, and will likely never do so while confined to watching over her ill mother at their country estate. Therefore, Ellen creates her own Little London, and imagines all the gentleman she’d dance with and all of the friendships she’d have with other young ladies, if only she were allowed to have a Season. When Quinn Edwards, the Marquess of Kenworth, comes upon her quite by happenstance while Ellen is imagining herself in a London ballroom, she is mortified about her playacting. But a chain of events is set off from this one meeting that has Ellen questioning if her reputation would ever survive a Season or another encounter with the marquess.

My thoughts; I loved this collection of stories. One thing they all had in common, not everything was as it seemed. The characters were of the ton, and of the lower class. They were all wonderful characters. I liked each and every one of them.

In "A Match Princess Pompous" I really hope that the matchmaker, Adelaide Northrop makes an appearance in another Sarah Eden story. She's an advocate to the couples she matches. Her plan is to be an observer and see beyond the facade that people present to the rest of the world. The plot was fun and well done.

"Confections and Pretense" show cause and effect. Going into another country and not knowing the culture can have unintended consequences. Fortunately, the novella had a happy ending.

"Little London" showed some of the problems with an elitist society. The expectations were pronounced concerning marriage and who or who is not acceptable. I loved that Quinn Edwards didn't bow down to what other's thought he should do, but did what was best for him and his happiness. It was a very romantic.

As always, any of the Timeless Regency collections are worth reading. I have yet to read one I didn't love. They are clean with kissing. This one contains some non-graphic violence.

Online Purchase Links:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

"Timeless Love: Romance Stories that Span the Ages" is ready to pre-order!

I don't know about you, but this collection looks AMAZING!  Act quickly to get all of them together.  They will be published individually in July, and then you can only buy them individually.

Add it to 

This will be 7 Novella's set in different era's, location, etc.  Each story written by award winning author's.  What is not to love about that?  And for 99 cents, that's a bargain!

Pre-Order on AMAZON.

Regency Era

Give Me Thine Heart

by Andrea Boeshaar

1812: England 

Early Victorian Era

The Freedom Journey

by Misty Beller 

1833: Colorado

Civil War Era

The Heart of Home

by Stephenia H. McGee

A companion novel to In His Eyes

1865: Mississippi

The Gilded Age

Enchanting Nicholette 

by Dawn Crandall

An Everstone Chronicles Novella

1893: Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts

Western

Teach Me to Love

by Kari Trumbo

A Brothers of Belle Fourche Novella

1899: Belle Fourche, South Dakota

WWII Era

Facade

by Pepper Basham

1942: England

Contemporary 

Bookishly Ever After

by Sarah Monzon

Current Day: Seattle, Washington

Accidental Family by Lisa Bingham

Accidental Family by Lisa Bingham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Reqeuested review copy from Netgalley
Genre: Christian/Historical Fiction Romance/Suspense

Book Description:  Make-Believe Marriage

When newborn twins are dropped on Charles Wanlass’s doorstep—along with a note begging him to protect them—he knows he needs help to give them a proper home. The only solution: entering a marriage of convenience with mail-order bride Willow Granger. But soon the handsome pastor longs for their make-believe family to become real…

Willow will do whatever it takes to keep her missing friend’s babies safe. She’s drawn to Charles’s steadfast caring and honesty, but she’s sure she doesn’t have the proper background or courage to ever be a worthy wife or mother. But as danger closes in, she and Charles will risk everything to face down their fears—and turn their temporary home into a lifetime of love.


My thoughts: This book was a great blend of genres. It has romance, mystery, historical fiction, and suspense. It is set in a small mining town that has been closed off from the rest of the world because of an avalanche. The group is small, complex, and very interesting. This book is the second book in a series, the intricacies of the group are probably introduced more in the first book, but I didn't have a hard time picking up the story and understanding what was happening. I did not read the first. (But plan to sometime in the future.)

The two babies in the story couldn't have been more fortunate in the adults who are determined to care for them. The beginning of their little family is awkward, but Charles and Willow are amazing people, who put the needs of others before themselves. The development and progression of their family is wonderful, and I enjoyed reading about their journey.

The mother of the twins was murdered. Not only have Charles and Willow vowed to protect the babies , but to figure out who killed her. The babies are in danger as long as the killer is on the loose. They compile a suspect list, there were times when I was pretty sure that I knew "who done it" and others where I was kept guessing.

This book has talk of infidelity, chaste kisses, and non-graphic violence. Charles is the Pastor of the community, so there is a little religion in the book. I would consider it a clean read.

Online Purchase Links:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

About the Author: (Taken from Goodreads)  Lisa Bingham was thirteen when she decided she wanted to be a published author, and she reached that goal less than ten years later. Now Lisa is the bestselling author of more than thirty historical and contemporary romantic fiction novels. Lisa has also been a teacher and a professional theatrical and historical reenactment costume designer—she’s considered an expert in those fields. She has been lucky enough to live and study in such exotic locales as Brazil, Mexico, Europe, and the United Kingdom. Currently she lives in rural northern Utah near her husband’s fourth-generation family farm. She is married to her sweetheart of twenty-two years and has three beautiful children, an over-protective dog, a burr-laden cat, and a miniature goat who thinks she’s a puppy.

Visit her WEBSITE.

Holding the Fort by Regina Jennings.

Holding the Fort by Regina Jennings
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Netgalley for review.
Genre: Historical Christian Romance



Book Description:  When dance hall singer Louisa Bell visits Fort Reno to see her brother, she is mistaken for the governess that the harried Major Daniel Adams is waiting for. Between his rowdy troops and his two daughters, he has more responsibility than he can handle alone. Eager for the opportunity, Louisa sets out to show the widower that she is a perfect fit.

My thoughts: What a hoot! This book is well written and a lot of fun to read.

Louisa Bell comes from questionable beginnings. She feels that she can not make much of herself because of others decisions that affected her life. She doubts God and she doubts herself. A fortunate circumstance fell into her lap and she rose to the occasion and learned and grew as a person. She is a woman of integrity, grit, and intelligence - in spite of what others tell her.

I loved watching Louisa grow and see the positive impact she had on the children in her charge. It was because of her upbringing that she was able to see what the girl needed and help them live lives or refinement and fun. Her journey is painful, but inspirational. It is proof that your beginnings do not determine your endings.

Major Daniel Adams is a fair man. He comes across as stern, but deep inside he is a man of compassion, fairness, and strength. I loved having part of the story told through his eyes.

The two girls, Daisy and Caroline are a treat. Particularly Daisy, she was so much fun to read about. She has a free spirit, and I loved that Louisa encouraged it and helped her temper it for the occasion. I also loved that the story was set in the Old West and dealt with the expansion of the United States in "Indian" territory. Major Adams was wonderful with the tribes and encouraged positive relations. Now I know this is a fictional story, but I would like to believe that there were men and women of integrity who saw the value of the Native Americans and their way of life.

This is a fantastic book. There isn't a lot of violence for the setting and time period. There is a little bit of kissing and mention of a lives that were "soiled". I would recommend this book as clean and encourage anyone and everyone to read it. There are Christian themes, but the book is far from preachy.

Online Purchase Links:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

About the Author:  (taken from Goodreads) Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and four children.

Visit her WEBSITE.

Whitcomb Springs by MK McClinton ~ Book Blast with a #giveaway

  “WHITCOMB SPRINGS” BY MK MCCLINTOCK In the spring of 1865, a letter arrives in Whitcomb Springs for Evelyn Whitcomb. The Civil War has ended and the whereabouts of her husband is unknown, but she doesn’t give up hope. With courage, the help of a friend, and the love of a people, Evelyn finds a way to face—and endure—the unexpected. “Whitcomb Springs” is the introductory, stand-alone short story of the Whitcomb Springs series set in post-Civil War Montana.



 

  Read an Excerpt 

  

********************

 Montana Territory—April 25, 1865   The letter fluttered to the table. Evelyn stared at the sheet of paper but could no longer make out the words as they blurred together. Surrender. She prayed this day would come, they all had, and after four tortuous years, the war was finally over.

 There would be more capitulation on the part of the South, and too many families who would never see their men again . . . but it was over.

 Separated, yet not untouched, from conflict, Evelyn Whitcomb lived in the same town her husband and their two friends founded one year before news of the Civil War reached them. By way of her sister, who lived in Rose Valley, Pennsylvania with their parents, they were kept informed as often as Abigail could get a letter through. Evelyn often wondered if she should have returned to Rose Valley to help with the war effort, much as her sister Abigail had done, yet she found the needs of Whitcomb Springs to be vast as the town continued to grow.

 Many men and boys left, leaving their wives, mothers, and sisters behind to fight for a cause they didn’t fully understand, yet still felt it their duty to serve. Others remained behind to continue working in the mine and watch over those families with or without kin.

 Evelyn read over Abigail’s letter once more, letting the words settle into her mind, for even now she struggled to believe it was over—that her husband might return home.

 Dearest Evelyn,
      For too many years now I have shared with you the horrors and travesties befallen many of the young men with whom we spent our childhood. News has reached us that on the ninth of April, Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse. Oh, sister, I dared not believe it was true when Papa brought home the news. He tells us not to become overly excited for there will surely be a few more battles waged until the news reaches both sides, but we can thank God that this war is officially over.
      Your news of Daniel’s disappearance has weighed heavy on my mind these past months since we heard, and Papa has attempted to learn of his whereabouts, to no avail. We have not given up! There is much confusion right now on both sides and Papa said it could be weeks or months more before the men return home. Do not lose faith, sweet Evie.

 Your most loving sister,
 Abigail

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Author MK McClintock MK MCCLINTOCK is an award-winning author of historical romance and westerns, who has written several books and short stories, including the popular "Montana Gallagher" series, the "Crooked Creek" series, and the "British Agent" series. She continues the search for a time machine that can transport her to nineteenth-century Montana or Scotland—either works. MK enjoys a quiet life in the Rocky Mountains where she spins tales of romance, adventure, and mystery set in bygone times.

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“HEALING FIRE” BY SAMANTHA ST. CLAIRE After the death of Nora Hewitt's husband, the citizens of Whitcomb Springs didn't see odds favoring the young widow for holding onto the ranch with only her ten-year-old son to assist. That changes when a gentle giant of a man offers a helping hand. Motivated by compassion and his own grieving heart, the blacksmith becomes a mentor for the troubled boy and befriends the attractive widow, scandalizing the town gossips. Propriety is wielded like a weapon to separate them, but Providence makes its own plans through fire, loss and redemption.





 

Read an Excerpt

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 Sawdust floated into drifts beneath the workbench, swirling in the cold Montana morning air. His breath a thin fog, Dominik Andris sang to himself as he ran his palm down the length of the cedar plank. Deep and resonant, the Austrian’s voice might have suited his appearance had it not been for its soft timbre. Broad-shouldered, square-jawed, and generally solemn in bearing, most people avoided him except when his skills as a blacksmith or undertaker were required.

 Today, someone had need of him as the latter. A rectangular box stood propped against the back wall. Nearly complete, the box lid before him was carved in designs more suitable for a cradle. Dominik picked up a carving knife, dwarfed in his hands, and bent to correct a curve on the delicate vine tracing its way from one end of the lid to the other. He ran his fingers along its length, testing for burrs in the grain. His humming ceased and a line formed between his brows, a frown not directed to his work but to the reason for it.

 As he straightened, he rubbed at the back of his neck and a little groan escaped his lips. He took a sip of cold coffee before crossing the workshop to the back wall where he picked up the box in one hand. The weight of it or the absence of weight, struck a painful chord. Just four feet in length, it was enough. Enough to hold the body of the child, the woman’s child.

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Author Samantha St. Claire SAMANTHA ST. CLAIRE was born in 2016, the alter-ego and pen name of an author of historical fiction born a few decades earlier. She may have found her niche in western historical fiction, served up sweet. Never faint of heart, her signature protagonists face the hazards of the frontier with courage, wit, and a healthy pinch of humor.

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 Welcome to Whitcomb Springs! This is a collection of short stories, and the occasional novella, written by multiple authors. The series is filled with stories of adventure, danger, romance, and hope, and is set in the fictional town of Whitcomb Springs, Montana Territory. The stories span the years of 1865-1885. Although each story may be set during a different time, they are stand-alone and may be read in any order. While the first stories will publish on March 15, 2018, this is an on-going project, so new stories may be published at any time by one of the participating authors. For a complete listing of all currently available and upcoming Whitcomb Springs stories, visit


http://www.mkmcclintock.com/whitcomb-springs-series.  


  $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 4/8/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway