Full Circle Review & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Full Circle

Author: Athena Dean Holtz

Genre: Memoir

Release Date: February 11, 2017

Full Circle Cover Athena’s driving desire for affirmation and attention pulled her away from her family, husband, and children into what she thought would bring happiness. Deceived by Scientology, forays into mysticism, and twelve years in a restrictive and legalistic cult, she lost everything—her marriage, relationships, home, business, money, and reputation.

This is the candid and inspirational story of how her eyes were opened, how God restored what had been lost, and gave her the desires of her heart, including a new love.

Click here to get your copy.

My Thoughts

I have a confession to make – anything about Scientology intrigues me. I am curious as to what the draw is and why people stay. I have watched shows and read articles to see what I can find. You can see how people have been hurt – so many people – and I would love to know how to help them.

I was excited to read a copy of Full Circle by Athena Dean-Holtz because I had met her at Mt Hermon and found her to be a delight to talk to. I was even more excited when I learned more of her story and her connection to Scientology.

The conversational tone of this book made me feel as if I was sitting in Athena’s living room listening to her tell her story. Each chapter has a circular theme that re-inforces the theme Athena is making with the book. At first, it felt disjointed and hard to follow but once I got to the mid-way point and understood what the author was trying to accomplish, it became an easy read.

Being able to see Athena’s story unfold has given me a better understanding of who she is and what the Lord has done in her life.

I was given a copy of Full Circle by Athena Dean Holtz. No compensation was made for this review and all opinions are my own.

About the Authors

Athena Dean Holtz has been at the forefront of Christian custom publishing for the last 30 years. The co-founder of WinePress Publishing, she now leads Redemption Press. Author of three previous books, and a highly-rated personal blog, she serves as president of the Northwest Christian Writer’s Association, is a president’s club member of the Christian Women in Media Association, and a member of Advanced Writer & Speaker Association. She recently retired as host and interviewer on “Always Faithful Radio,” KCIS, Seattle. Married to Ross Holtz, pastor of The Summit, Athena enjoys her grandchildren and time spent sailing. The couple makes their home in Enumclaw, Wash.

Inger J. Logelin is a freelance writer, author, and senior editor of Redemption Press. Ministry experience includes pioneer church planting among the Inuit, and a wilderness camp for First Nations youth of Canada, as well as short-term missions around the world. She and her husband make their home on Whidbey Island, Wash.

More from Athena

When people hear about my Job-like experience with the modern-day Cinderella story ending, I often hear remarks like “WOW, that should be a movie!” It has been six and a half years of full-on redemption and restoration and, honestly, I still pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming this!

After 12 years of spiritual abuse that left me a shell of a person, devastated and distraught, I began a breathtaking journey of healing for all the loss I’d endured. The loss of my 18 year marriage, destroyed relationships with my adult children, the death of my well known publishing company and destruction of my career, along with the fatality of my credit score as I lost my home, my income, and all material things that meant anything to me. Those 12 years of deception cost me big time, but we serve a Romans 8:28 God who uses all things, even that, for good.

I’m on the other side now, healed and restored, proclaiming the faithfulness of a God who used what the enemy meant for evil … for good! I love the creativity He uses in the redemption process … to think He would allow me to be a pastor’s wife now … hand-picked by my pastor-hubby’s late wife of 49 years … with restored relationships with my adult children and grandchildren … to be a radio show host interviewing authors whose stories ring of the faithfulness of God … to steward well another publishing endeavor called Redemption Press … so many full circles where God’s sovereignly connects the dots and brings insight that mends my soul.

I’m excited to share my story with you, to be authentic and transparent, and to reflect the glory of God. I pray that you’re encouraged by all that God has done, and that you’re left with a healthy dose of hope in His faithfulness and His ability to bring good out of bad, every time.

And now, I’ll leave you with an inviting peek into some trivia about my life…

My Uncle Skeeter is a famous actor, James B. Sikking. Known for his part as Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues and Doogie Howser’s Dad.

When I was 14 years old, I owned 7 horses and showed most of them in horse shows across the country, with my last official show being Madison Square Gardens.

I absolutely LOVE Vizslas…also known as Hungarian Pointers…I’ve had 2 of them over the last 14 years and am addicted. They are THE COOLEST dogs!

I used to work for Helen Reddy, as an administrative assistant to her manager/husband, and before that, for the manager of Rufus & Chaka Khan when they recorded their first hit, Tell Me Somethin’ Good.

My Grandma’s house overlooked the Santa Monica beach and originally belonged to the silent movie star, Mary Pickford.

When I was five years old, my grandma, Dr. Sue Sikking, was the honored guest on the popular TV show “This is Your Life” with host Ralph Edwards. I was part of the cast when our family surprised her with our attendance, and fervently tugged on Mr. Edwards suit jacket to try to get his attention!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 8

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 10

CarpeDiem, August 10

Artistic Nobody, August 11 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 12

Texas Book-aholic, August 13

Girls in White Dresses, August 14

Power of Words, August 15 (Spotlight)

A Reader’s Brain, August 16

Inklings and notions , August 17

Just the Write Escape, August 18

janicesbookreviews, August 19

Simple Harvest Reads, August 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Athena is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card and signed copy of her book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/e71a/full-circle-celebration-tour-giveaway

Jewel’s Gold Spotlight & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Jewel’s Gold

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 20, 2019

Jewels Gold Can a tangled web snare two hearts and point them true north?

A Papa’s girl from the start, Jewel Jones remembers all the things he told her. Wealthy, but far from being a snob, she finds Boaz Branson both irritating and intriguing. How can she know if the handsome confidence man truly turns from his wicked ways, or if his interest only in her gold? Papa said let God’s peace lead her.

Only by God’s grace can Boaz escape the deceptions he plans to perpetrate on the beautiful heiress. While his head wants to flee the entanglement, his heart bids him stay.

Are Jewel and Boaz building on sinking sand, or have they found the golden nugget they seek?

Click here to grab your copy.

About the Author

Caryl Cabo Beach Award-winning, hybrid author Caryl McAdoo prays her story gives God glory! That is why she writes, why she breathes. Her forty-fourth novel has just launched, joining her best-selling title list! Besides writing, she loves singing the new songs the Lord gives her. (Listen to a few at YouTube.) Ron, her husband of 50+ years shares four children and eighteen grandsugars—life’s best blessings, Caryl says. The McAdoos live in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas, waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl

Jewel’s Gold, my July release and book four in the Gold Diggers Collection, begins in San Francisco in 1895 and moves quickly north to Alaska on Troublesome Creek where Jewel’s papa has a gold mine. My husband Ron was on Troublesome Creek in 1993 seeking the Lord. While there, he also did a little prospecting.

To mention gold is to speak of wealth as gold is the most sought-after metal in the world. It’s found on every continent, and I’ve discovered it can be located our bodies as well! Mostly in our blood! Small traces have also been extracted from eucalyptus leaves, a favorite snack of Koala bears!

Jewel Jones is the daughter of Joshua Jones, son of Moses and Lanell introduced in SINS OF THE MOTHERS, book three in the Texas Romance Family Saga. Truth be known, little Joshua was in fact a Wheeler, not as Jones, though Moses reared him as his own son.

His real father was Caleb who married Mary Rachael Buckmeyer and talked her into running off to California. So, this book may also be classified as a ‘Companion Book’ to that highly acclaimed historical romance series.

Ron has always wanted to go back and show me Alaska, and one day we most likely will go north . . . but only in the summer! Who doesn’t love leaving Texas for northern, cooler temperatures in the summer?
This story has a little mystery along with the romance and history. When we drove the Oregon/California Trail last December, we visited the site of Sutter’s Mill where the gold rush of 1849 was born. That last place we went before turning south and east back to Texas was an unexpected stop.

On the American River, the park and museum offered an amazing place to visit, and knowing this book was on the schedule made it all the more interesting! I also believe that place will add to the genuine feel of Jewel’s Gold.

Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 13

Power of Words, August 14 (Spotlight)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 15

Emily Yager, August 16

For Him and My Family, August 17

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, August 18

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 19

Simple Harvest Reads, August 20 (Spotlight)

Blossoms and Blessings, August 21

Texas Book-aholic, August 22

janicesbookreviews, August 23

Artistic Nobody, August 24 (Spotlight)

A Reader’s Brain, August 25

Inklings and notions , August 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter the giveaway.

https://promosimple.com/ps/e71d/jewel-s-gold-celebration-tour-giveaway

Daughters of Northern Shores Review

About the Book

Book: Daughters of Northern Shores

Author: Joanne Bischof

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: March 12, 2019

Daughters of Nother Shores Cover Aven Norgaard understands courage. Orphaned within an Irish workhouse, then widowed at just nineteen, she voyaged to America where she was wooed and wed by Thor Norgaard, a Deaf man in rural Appalachia. That the Lord saw her along the winding journey and that Aven now carries Thor’s child are blessings beyond measure. Yet while Thor holds her heart, it is his younger brother and rival who haunts her memories. Haakon—whose selfish choices shattered her trust in him.

Having fled the Norgaard orchard after trying to take Aven as his own, Haakon sails on the North Atlantic ice trade, where his soul is plagued with regrets that distance cannot heal. Not even the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s pursued can ease the torment. When the winds bear him home after four years away, Haakon finds the family on the brink of tragedy. A decades-old feud with the neighboring farm has wrenched them into the fiercest confrontation on Blackbird Mountain since the Civil War. Haakon’s cunning and strength hold the power to seal many fates, including Thor’s—which is already imperiled due to a grave illness brought to him at the first prick of warfare.

Now Haakon faces the hardest choice of his life. One that shapes a battlefield where pride must be broken enough to be restored, and where a prodigal son may finally know the healing peace of surrender and the boundless gift of forgiveness. And when it comes to the woman he left behind in Norway, he just might discover that while his heart belongs to a daughter of the north, she’s been awaiting him on shores more distant than the land he’s fighting for.

Click here to grab your copy!

Guest Review from Mindy Houng

“While words were potent, a man’s caring ran through deeper waters. It dwelled right there in what he was willing to do.”

What an incredibly powerful book! This is book 2 in the Blackbird Mountain series but it can definitely be enjoyed as a stand-alone since the most pertinent events and key elements from book 1 are recapped without interrupting the flow of this book’s storyline. The author’s trademark of lyrical and masterful storytelling will pull you into an apple orchard full of love, laughter, familial loyalty, regrets, and grace in Blackbird Mountain, Virginia in 1895 and the beautifully crafted characters of the Norgaard family will steal and keep your heart and mind long after the last page of the book is finished. The theme of the prodigal son, along with the gentle reminder for true repentance and forgiveness sprinkled with grace and mercy, is prominent and at the forefront of this story and it’s told with deeply layered emotions and thought processes from Haakon, the prodigal son, and from Thor, his older brother, and his wife Aven, whom Haakon had gravely wronged before fleeing from their shared home. In the midst of this spiritual awakening and growth within the characters, there are other sobering themes like the struggle with addiction as well as fascinating themes like epidemic jaundice and the world of the deaf. There is quite a bit of suspense and action, too, as the Norgaard brothers defend their land and family from those who’d bring them harm. And, of course, there is heart-stuttering romance and steadfast love between Thor and Aven that will make you sigh every time they interact.

Indeed this book is a tapestry of words woven so majestically together to leave you in awe. Savor every word and sentence!

I received a copy of the book from Thomas Nelson via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

About the Author

Bischof Joanne Joanne Bischof is an ACFW Carol Award and ECPA Christy Award-winning author. She writes deeply layered fiction that tugs at the heartstrings. She was honored to receive the San Diego Christian Writers Guild Novel of the Year Award in 2014 and in 2015 was named Author of the Year by the Mount Hermon conference. Joanne’s 2016 novel, The Lady and the Lionheart, received an extraordinary 5 Star TOP PICK! from RT Book Reviews, among other critical acclaim. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her three children. Visit her online at JoanneBischof.com; Facebook: Author, JoanneBischof; Instagram: @JoanneBischof.

More from Joanne

One of the questions I receive most often is “How do you get it all done?” As a single, homeschooling mom, I’ve long-since learned that there would be easier ways to have a day job than being an author, but God has been gracious in providing abundantly in so many areas. Here are four that I am most thankful for as I look back over the last few years, including this season of writing Sons of Blackbird Mountain and Daughters of Northern Shores.

Togetherness

Now, most authors would agree that “togetherness” isn’t exactly conducive to quality writing time – especially when kids are involved! And while I do need quiet focus to be able to work through a scene or chapter, what I’ve been thankful for is the chance to share story and research discoveries with my children. It’s created more unity around the stories. Instead of needing to usher the kids away, isolating them from the novels I’m writing, I’m able to invite them into them. For the Blackbird Mountain series, I walked them through the Pinterest boards, showing them the different characters. Then we did a history unit on Vikings since that’s the Norgaard Family’s background. We had a blast and it helped make “the story that Mom was working on”, something that they were more aware of and interested in. For my current work-in-progress, we just recently finished an all new history unit including visits to a few local museums and stories that the kids wrote on their own!

Patience

I used to want to write, write, write all the time. And often, that’s what I did! Well, I still would love to write as often as I can, but God has been teaching me something oh-so-important: patience. As part of this, I set aside certain parts of the week for writing office hours. These slots of writing time typically occur on Tuesday evenings, and include a few additional 1 ½ hours slots during the week, once homeschooling is done. In this manner, I am able to carve out some quiet writing time while still making sure the kids are having a great and productive day. But for any writer or working mom, we can agree . . . that’s not a lot of time when added up! In God’s wonderful provision, though, He seems to extend much richness to those little snatches of time. They might not be many, but they are mighty! It’s been a prayer of mine for several years now, that by keeping my writing below these other priorities, that God would help me fill in the cracks of time and energy—and He has been so faithful to supply. I still have my moments when I feel frazzled, especially when deadlines are near, and that’s why I am thankful for this next lesson that God has been teaching me . . .

Communication

The thing about living with a writer, is that you often find them staring at a computer screen. That doesn’t look all that productive, does it? But what we’re doing on the other side of that screen is weaving a story-world of plot, characters, purpose, and heart. Typing words onto the page that we hope will touch lives, digging through old articles for research, or jotting down messy plotting notes that we pray will somehow amount to a story one day. By communicating with my kids (like sharing with them about the story and characters) I’m able to help them see what I’m doing and why. And since kids can be rambunctious and full of life (and questions, and needs for snacking, and ideas, and messes . . . *wink*) and since this writer works well with quiet, I have a little chalkboard that I hang on my doorknob when it’s one of my “office hour” slots. I jot down my start time and end time for that 1 ½ hour block, add a heart or smiley face, and often make note of what our next task will be like preparing a meal or doing an activity together. Then I shut my door and the little sign dangling from the knob outside helps the kids remember what I’m up to. It reminds them that I won’t be tucked away for long, but that I do need to focus for a little while. They’re always allowed to come knocking if a need arises, but for the most part, they’re happy on these afternoons with their own projects. When the hour or so is up, we reconvene and go back about our day, usually slipping into something fun that we do together. By having these slots of time in the week, and by communicating carefully with them in a way they can understand, it helps to bring us all what we need.

Grace

There are days when I blow it, and days when I need a lot of grace. Maybe I’ve spilled iced tea on one of the research books (don’t worry, this is a hypothetical example ? ) or maybe I didn’t save a scene properly, or just feel stuck and exhausted with a plot thread. These days can certainly tamper with the harmony, which begins with my heart and the need to remember the reason for why I write these stories: for God’s glory. When I begin to lose my calm, or grow frustrated or weary with the challenges afoot, I know it’s time to circle back to what it’s all for. It’s for the readers, it’s for my children, it’s for my joy, and most of all, it’s for God’s glory. By me being harried or stressed, very little of this is being accomplished! God has used the writing process to speak to my heart in ways that have reminded me of what I can surrender, and more and more of the ways that I can look to HIM for guidance. The lessons aren’t always easy, but through each season, and through each book, I have come to see more and more all the ways to be thankful.

Blog Stops

Retrospective Spines, August 6

Just the Write Escape, August 6

KarenSueHadley , August 7

Batya’s Bits, August 7

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 8

By The Book, August 8

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 9

Adventures of a travelers wife, August 9

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, August 10

Betti Mace, August 10

Connie’s History Classroom, August 11

Christian Author, J.E. Grace, August 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 12

Moments, August 12

Simple Harvest Reads, August 13

Connect in Fiction , August 13

For the Love of Literature, August 13

Aryn The Libraryan ? , August 14

Through the Fire Blogs, August 14

Bigreadersite , August 15

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, August 15

Daysong Reflections, August 16

Living Life Free In christ, August 16

A Reader’s Brain, August 17

Texas Book-aholic, August 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 17

Inklings and notions , August 18

janicesbookreviews, August 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 19

LifeofLiterature, August 19

As He Leads is Joy, August 19

The David Years Spotlight & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: The David Years

Author: Lillian Duncan

Genre: Woman’s Lit

Release Date: August 2, 2019

The David Years Nia looked at her aunt and asked, “So what am I ‘spose to do now?”

“Have you ever heard of King David from the Bible?”

“I guess.”

“There were a lot of years between the time David was anointed as the king and he actually became the king. It’s a time for you to grow in your relationship with God.”

“And then later I get to be king?” Nia giggled.

“I meant that figuratively not literally but these are your learning years–your David Years.”’

“My David Years. I like that.”

Nia Johnson has spent the past four years developing a closer relationship to God. She wants to believe she’s still anointed to become a healer at Puzzle House but as each year passes, she has more and more doubts.

Now that she’s graduated from high school and is an adult she is sure it’s time to take the mantle of healing Rachel passed to her so many years before. But the harder she tries, the more it eludes her.

Click here to grab your copy!

About the Author

Lillian Duncan Lillian lives in a small town in Ohio with her husband. She writes the types of books she loves to read. Even though her books cross genres, they have one thing in common, faith-based stories that demonstrate God’s love—and lots of action. OK—that’s two things.

She was a school speech pathologist for over 30 years but retired in 2012 after being diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors due to Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), a rare genetic disease.

Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word. To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit: www.lillian –duncan.com .

More from Lillian

The David Years is the second novel in the Puzzle House series. In Puzzle House, Nia was anointed to become a healer. The David Years starts out where Puzzle House stopped.

Nia looked at her aunt and asked, “So what am I ‘spose to do now?”

“Have you ever heard of King David from the Bible? There were a lot of years between the time David was anointed as the king and he actually became the king. David was tested many times during those years. Those years were very important to David’s growth as a man so that he would be the king God wanted him to be when the time was right.”

“So what are you saying, Auntie?”

“I’m saying these are your David years.”

And so the story begins. Most of the book takes place after Nia’s high school graduation during her first year in college. She’s impatient to begin her time as healer and tries to make that happen in her timing—not God’s.

But God will not be rushed and whether Nia likes it or not, she’s still in her David Years—her learning years. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, ‘we learn from our mistakes.’ Well, Nia learns a lot that year. In other words, she makes a lot of mistakes.

My college years are long, long past so I thought it might be hard to get into the mindset of a college student, but it really wasn’t. I thought back to all the mistakes I made during my college years and the story took off from there!

Even though Nia is a college student, her story will resonate for anybody who’s facing changes in their life, no matter the age. We all have learning years throughout our lifetime—our very own David Years.

Life changes whether we want it to or not. A new marriage. A baby. A divorce. A new job. Retirement. No matter what age we are, we all struggle with finding our place in the world, especially when life changes. The good news is that as Christians, we may not have all the answers, but we know where to find them.

Blog Stops

CarpeDIem, August 3

Book Love, August 4 (guest post from Donna Cline)

Artistic Nobody, August 5 (Spotlight)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 6

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, August 7

Power of Words, August 8 (Spotlight)

Just the Write Escape, August 9

Simple Harvest Reads, August 10 (Spotlight)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 11

Texas Book-aholic, August 12

Bigreadersite , August 13

janicesbookreviews, August 14

A Reader’s Brain, August 15

Inklings and notions, August 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lillian is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and the choice of one of her eBooks!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e57c/the-david-years-celebration-tour-giveaway

Cross My Heart Spotlight & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Cross My Heart

Author: Robin Lee Hatcher

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release date: June 25, 2019

Can two broken paths lead toward God’s redemption?

When Ashley Showalter and Ben Henning meet on Ashley’s horse rescue farm, they quickly discover how much they have in common. Both were raised by single moms. Both want to help where they see a need. And both work with horses in the Boise valley. Ben needs Ashley’s help and expertise after starting an equine therapy barn on his great-great-grandfather’s farm—and the more time they spend together, both Ashley and Ben have the feeling that there could be something more between them.

They also carry the burden of past experiences that may drive them apart if the truth is ever revealed. Ben is a recovering alcoholic with five years of sobriety behind him, while Ashley’s brother is an opioid addict residing in court-ordered rehab. Holding fast to the belief that addicts can never be cured, Ashley has promised herself she will never walk knowingly into the chaos created by addiction. Ben knows that with God, all things are possible—but will Ashley find it within herself to give love a chance? Or will her brother’s mistakes and the pain of her past jeopardize her future with Ben?

Cross My Heart threads together a contemporary love story with the heartwarming tale of Ben’s great-great-grandfather, Andrew Henning—reminding us that God’s Word is timeless and that His promises are new every morning.

Click here to grab your copy.

About the Author

Hatcher Robin Lee Robin Lee Hatcher is the author of over 75 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. Robin is an ACFW Carol Award winner and an eight-time finalist and has won two RITA Awards and been a finalist eleven times. Her numerous other awards include the Christy Award, the HOLT Medallion, the National Reader’s Choice Award, and the Faith, Hope & Love Reader’s Choice Award. She 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. A mother and grandmother, Robin and her husband make their home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with a demanding Papillon dog and a persnickety tuxedo cat.

For more information, visit robinleehatcher.com; Facebook: robinleehatcher; or Twitter: @robinleehatcher.

More from Robin

MY WRITING DESK
ROBIN LEE HATCHER

I have a wonderful home office with a large screen iMac and the perfect place to keep important papers and reminders right in front of me for easy access. There is also a bed for my dog, Boo, because no office is complete without a bed to welcome the dog. Right?

I also do a lot of writing while seated in a big easy chair in the living room. It all depends upon my mood and how many reference books I might need at the time.

My office usually looks neat when I begin a book. By the time I’m writing the end, the room has become a disaster—stacks of papers demanding my attention and a layer of dust are the most obvious issues.

My office also serves as my art studio (where I do decorative planning and Bible art journaling), so every inch that isn’t taken up by writing related items is filled with art related ones—paints, washi tape, stickers, pens galore, etc.

An early riser naturally, I consider sleeping in to be anything after 6 AM. On a normal writing day, I try to get in half an hour on the treadmill first thing in the morning (and often return to it for ten minutes segments a couple other times during the day). Then I sit at my desk or in my easy chair to do my Bible study. And finally I begin writing.

I can usually create new words for about four hours or so a day. The rest of the work day is filled with editing, revising, research, and correspondence with publisher, agent, readers, and other writers. I have an active online presence which needs attention daily, as well.

I am also a late-in-life part time college student, taking my classes online, so at least a couple of days a week, you’ll find me doing assignments and taking quizzes. For some reason, I rarely use my office for that. The kitchen table seems to suit me better. Probably because it is a large table and I can really spread out.

I feel very blessed to be able to work at home. I had a full time job when I wrote my first book. In fact, I wrote nine novels over the course of nine years while still working full time. The month my ninth book released, I quit my job in order to write full time. Seventy books and almost 28 years later, I’m still at it. As I said, I am blessed.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 27

The Christian Fiction Girl, July 27

The Power of Words, July 27

Carla Johnson-Hicks, July 28

Christian Bookaholic , July 28

Through the Fire Blogs, July 29

A Baker’s Perspective, July 29

Back Porch Reads, July 30

Cultivating Us, July 30

Godly Book Reviews, July 31

For Him and My Family, July 31

God’s Little Bookworm, August 1

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 1

Daysong Reflections, August 2

EmpowerMoms, August 2

Southern Gal Loves to Read, August 2

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, August 3

Moments, August 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 4

Remembrancy, August 4

Pause for Tales , August 5

For The Love of Books, August 5

All-of-a-kind Mom, August 6

Hallie Reads, August 6

Living Life Free in Christ, August 7

To Everything A Season, August 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 7

Wishful Endings, August 8

Texas Book-aholic, August 8

janicesbookreviews, August 8

A Reader’s Brain, August 9

Inklings and notions, August 9

Simple Harvest Reads, August 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away a grand prize of a copy of her book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e681/cross-my-heart-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Story Raider Review & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Story Raider The story raider cover

Author: Lindsay A. Franklin

Genre: Christian YA Epic Fantasy

Release Date: July 23, 2019

Deceiving an empire is a treacherous game.

Tanwen and the Corsyth weavers race to collect the strands of an ancient cure that might save Gryfelle. But Tanwen has a secret—Gryfelle isn’t the only one afflicted by the weaver’s curse.

As Queen Braith struggles to assert her rule, a new arrival throws her tenuous claim to the Tirian throne into question. Braith’s heart is turned upside down, and she’s not sure she can trust anyone—least of all herself.

The puppet master behind Gareth’s rise to power has designs on Tanwen and the story weavers and will stop at nothing to reclaim the throne. A plot to incite the angry peasants of Tir takes shape, and those dearest to Tanwen will be caught in the crossfire. As the fight for Tir consumes the realm, no one can remain innocent.

Click here to grab your copy.

Guest Review from Mindy Houng

“Hope is never lost as long as you’re willing to fight for it. And I do think there is hope for you.”

“For what is honorable does not change with the tides, and when one acts with honor, he need not fear the consequences.”

This book 2 in The Weaver Trilogy picks up right where the first book The Story Peddler ended, so definitely read book 1 prior to reading this. Much like the first story, this one is told from both first person and third person perspectives. The author’s writing is easy to read and flows seamlessly to convey the heartaches, sorrows, and hopes of the characters. The plot is fantastic with lots of twists and surprises along the way as the group of weavers travels the world to proclaim emancipation for those that had been enslaved to the Kingdom of Tir and also to find the cure for an ancient curse slowly bleeding out the memory and life out of a couple of the weavers.

The first 1/3 of the book does move a bit slowly as they prepare to journey into foreign lands to deliver the new queen’s edict and to figure out the cure from ancient texts. Tanwen, the first person narrative main character, starts out as a whiny, bratty, selfish, petty, impulsive teenager with a barbed tongue and it’s somewhat difficult to actually like her until the entire team of weavers are under attack. She does grow up and even learns to think outside of herself during the latter part of the story. The secondary characters are awesome and I especially enjoyed getting to know Tanwen’s father Yestin. The story picks up momentum with a continuous stream of action and revelation of different moving pieces in the plot as the band of weavers fight against the villain only known as the Master. There is much loss, grief, shame, fear, and uncertainty amongst the characters but hope, even though it be small, keeps them working to right the wrongs. The ending, just like the first book, will leave you dangling off a cliff-hanger and wanting to read the third book now.

If you enjoy epic fantasy YA books, you will love this book and the series. I received a copy of the book from Enclave Publishing via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

About the Author

Franklin, Lindsay2018 - Author Photo Lindsay A. Franklin is a best-selling author, freelance editor, and homeschooling mom of three. She would wear pajama pants all the time if it were socially acceptable. Lindsay lives in her native San Diego with her scruffy-looking nerf-herder husband, their precious geeklings, three demanding thunder pillows (a.k.a. cats), and a stuffed wombat with his own Instagram following. You can find Lindsay on social media, too, if Wombatman hasn’t hijacked all her accounts. She’s @LinzyAFranklin on Instagram and Twitter, and she Facebooks at www.facebook.com/LindsayAFranklin.

More from Lindsay

I often get asked how I came up with the idea for The Story Peddler, book 1 in The Weaver Trilogy. It’s a dangerous thing to dig too deep into a fantasy novelist’s imagination (it’s pretty weird in here, you guys), but the short answer is I was sitting in a workshop at a writers’ conference, and an acquisitions editor made a comment—something like: “I have to peddle your stories to executives. At the end of the day, I’m just a story peddler.” When I heard that phrase, my imagination exploded. I thought of what a “story peddler” might look like if we added a little wonder and a sprinkling of fairy dust to the equation. Then Tanwen emerged as a character who might be a fun vehicle for this story-peddling process, and I imagined a story that would suit her. The Story Peddler was born.

But someone recently asked me why I visualized the supernatural art of storytelling in the way I did—as strands of color, light, fabric, or glitter coming out of the hands of the person telling the story, then crystallizing into a solid object for her to sell. And I have no real answer for that, except, again, “It’s pretty weird in here, you guys.” The Weaver Trilogy is a celebration of creativity and art, and that gave me reason to think about what other types of strand-weavers in this story world might look like.

If you’re new to the series, here’s a primer on the weavers you’ll find in these books.

Storytellers: Strands pour from their hands as they tell stories. When they reach the moral or ending of the story, the strands come together to form a crystallized sculpture. A story peddler then sells the sculptures to make her living.

Songspinners: Strands are lighter, airier, and come from their mouths instead of their hands as they sing. Songspinner strands are emotive and speak to the hearts of the hearers. Once the song is over, the strands disappear.

Colormasters: Strands are like streams of paint, ribbons of fire, or jets of water. When they hit a solid object, they create an image on the object. Colormasters seek to reflect the beauty of their surroundings, capturing the physical world exactly as it is or simply as it feels.

Stoneshapers: Their hands light up as they manipulate rock and stone with their fingertips. They create beauty by molding something that already exists and releasing the art trapped inside.

If that sounds like fun, welcome to my weirdness! Tanwen can’t wait to weave a sparkling adventure for you.

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, August 5

Retrospective Spines, August 5

Worthy2Read, August 6

Seasons of Opportunities, August 6

Through the Fire Blogs, August 7

Fiction Aficionado, August 8

Blogging With Carol , August 8

Simple Harvest Reads, August 9

Books, Life, and Christ, August 10

Remembrancy, August 10

Pause for Tales, August 11

Hallie Reads, August 11

Kathleen Denly, August 12

Inspired by fiction, August 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 13

A Baker’s Perspective, August 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 14

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 15

Texas Book-aholic, August 16

janicesbookreviews, August 16

Inklings and notions , August 17

Artistic Nobody, August 17

A Reader’s Brain, August 18

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lindsay is giving away a grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card, The Corsyth custom Story Peddler candle from Novelly Yours, The Cethorelle custom Story Raider candle from Novelly Yours, choice of two tea tins from the Adagio Story Peddler Tea Shoppe, “Hedgenibblers, fluffhoppers, mountainbeasts, oh my!” mug
Story Peddler book sleeve, Story Raider enamel pin, and assorted bookmarks, stickers, and art prints.

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/e718/the-story-raider-celebration-tour-giveaway

Love’s Belief Book Spotlight & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Love’s Belief

Author: Linda Shenton Matchett

Genre: Historical Romantic Fiction

Release date: May 15, 2019

Love's Belief small jpg Midwife Pia Hertz and her mother Sabine have been delivering babies long before the Nazis came to power. Now, the Third Reich has implemented mandates that require Jewish babies and other “undesirables” to be killed as part of The Final Solution. Is Pia’s new faith in Christ strong enough to defy the laws of man?

Despite the agony of the injury at the Battle of Drøbak Sound that took his arm, Dieter Fertig is relieved he’s no longer part of Hitler’s army. He returns to Berlin and discovers Jews are being deported by the thousands. When he realizes the Nuremburg Laws require his best friend’s baby girl to be killed, he must find a way to spirit the child out of Germany before the Nazis discover her existence.

Inspired by the biblical story of Shiprah and Puah, the midwives who saved Jewish babies during Pharaoh’s reign, Love’s Belief shows how one person’s actions can change the world.

Click here to grab your copy.

About the Author

Linda Matchett Head Shot Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, speaker, and history geek. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry and has lived in historic places all her life. Linda is a member of ACFW, RWA, and Sisters in Crime. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a trustee for her local public library.

Read an Excerpt

Berlin, late February 1943

Chapter One

“I thought Frau Schmidt was going to die.” Pia Hertz blew out a deep breath. “We haven’t had a difficult birth like that in a long time, Mutti.”

“Ja, but you are a gifted midwife, Pia. I wasn’t too worried.”

Pia chuckled. “You always say that.”

Mutti linked her arm with Pia’s. “We must have confidence, otherwise fear will make us prone to mistakes. Now, let’s reward ourselves with strudel, if we can find it, hmm?”

“A wonderful idea. I’m starving. Hopefully, the baker has some, and the line won’t be too long at this early hour. Selections at most of the shops have been meager as the war has ground on.”

Leaning close to Pia’s ear, Mutti whispered, “Be careful what you say. You don’t want to be accused of sedition.”

Pia cast a glance over her shoulder. “You’re right. It doesn’t seem to take much to get arrested these days.” She sighed. “I don’t understand why God has allowed Herr Hitler to succeed. Why has He not stepped in to save His people, the Jews?”

Dust coated their shoes as they sauntered along the sidewalk, skirting the piles of rubble from the most recent RAF bombing raid.

“There are some things we will never have an answer to, Daughter, but we must trust in His plan. It is difficult. Despite being a believer since childhood, I still struggle with doubts. It’s understandable that you do, too.” She stroked Pia’s cheek. “When we get home, let’s pray together and see what He would have us do.”

Pia stifled a gasp. “What are you suggesting?”

Her lips pressed in a thin line, Mutti frowned. She jerked her head toward the SS officer standing about ten meters away, then tugged on Pia’s arm. Continuing down the sidewalk, they arrived at the bakery. Unlit windows and lack of women waiting indicated there were no more treats to be had for the day.

“Ach, we’ll have to assuage our penchant for a sweet another time.” Mutti rubbed her belly. “Let’s take a shortcut down Rosenstrasse then head for the river. It would be nice to look at something other than damaged buildings and debris.”

“Good idea. It is warmer today than yesterday, and there is a market at the end of the street. Perhaps they have some bread or cheese we can nibble on.”

A chill swept over Pia as they walked past a police officer, their eyes averted to avoid any interaction. An elderly couple tottered along in front of them, holding hands and speaking softly. Pia’s heart tugged. Would she ever find someone to spend her life with: someone to look at her like the wrinkled, gray-haired man gazed at the petite woman by his side? At twenty-eight, it seemed unlikely. Der Führer’s desire to rule the world was destroying an entire generation of young men, and she certainly had no interest in a black-coated member of the SS.

Blog Stops

Christian Bookaholic , July 20

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 21

Genesis 5020, July 22

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 23

For Him and My Family, July 24

Becka Jimenez’s FB, July 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 25

Mary Hake, July 26

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, July 27

Artistic Nobody, July 27 (Spotlight)

Texas Book-aholic, July 28

janicesbookreviews, July 29

A Reader’s Brain, July 30

Blossoms and Blessings, July 31

Inklings and notions, August 1

Simple Harvest Reads, August 2 (Spotlight)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away a grand prize package with a $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of each book in the series!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/e5aa/love-s-belief-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blessing Bentley Review & Giveaway

Blessing Bentley is a 398 page book written by Chautona Havig. It is in the Christian Contemporary Romance genre and was released on June 8, 2019.

You need to get your party set up but can't stop reading

My Two Cents

You wake up early and can’t fall back asleep so you start reading. You have a party to put on and things to do but you can’t put the book down…but you have to. All day you think about that book. As soon as the people leave and things are cleaned up, you are back to reading. You finish the entire book. In. one. Day.

Can you relate?

That was what Blessing Bentley did to me yesterday.

This book made me laugh, made me cry, but most of all it made me think. Bentley studied her Bible. She found something that made her think – something that challenged her to her core. She continued to dig, to study her Bible, to seek wise counsel. Then she stepped out in faith.

I was challenged.

Could I do what Bentley did? Really, do I study my Bible like Bentley did? Am I committed to looking at my beliefs through the lens of scripture?

Blessing Bentley has quickly moved to the “favorite of Chautona’s books” shelf. This is an important book we all need to read. It will challenge you and make you think. It will also make you smile, laugh, cry, and le sigh. What is a le sigh? Pick up Blessing Bentley and find out!

I give this book 5 stars.

I read this book through Kindle Unlimited. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.

About the Book

Bentley Girard’s about to propose… to a guy she doesn’t even love.

Not THAT way anyway.

After studying everything the Bible has to say about marriage, she’s decided she wants in. Now. So who’s going to take her up on that offer?
And just why did no one reminded her that those vows include that little word, “love?”

Oops!

With her Bible in her hip pocket and a shiny new ring on her finger, Bentley navigates this new world of marriage with grace and… oh, who is she kidding? She flounders until she gets a sure footing and hangs on tight.

Lose yourself in the most unlikely romance you’ll read this year… today!

Be sure to grab your copy here!

About the Author

Chautona Christian fiction without apology or pretense–lived, not preached.

Author of the Amazon bestselling Aggie and Past Forward series, Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. In all her work, Chautona strives to use story to connect readers with the Master Storyteller. Find her on the web and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

Psst… try chautona.com And sign up for my newsletter at chautona.com/newsletter to get a free short story collection and updates on free books, giveaways, book reviews, and what’s coming next!

Giveaway

Blessing Bentley challenged me to look at my beliefs to see if they are really based in scripture. Why is it important to be sure we are using scripture as a lens when viewing our beliefs?

Comment below to be entered to win an eBook copy of Chatuona’s Blessing Bentley.

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Fragments of Fear Review & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Fragments of Fear

Author: Carrie Stuart Parks

Genre: Suspense

Release date: July 23, 2019

From award-winning author Carrie Stuart Parks comes a new novel with danger that reaches from a New Mexico Anasazi archaeological dig to micro- and nano-chip technology.

Evelyn Yvonne McTavish-Tavish to her friends-had her almost perfect world in Albuquerque, New Mexico, come to a crashing end with the suicide of her fiancé. As she struggles to put her life back together and make a living from her art, she’s given the news that her dog is about to be destroyed at the dog pound. Except she doesn’t own a dog. The shelter is adamant that the microchip embedded in the canine-with her name and address-makes it hers.

Tavish recognizes the dog as one owned by an archaeologist named Pat Caron because she did a commissioned drawing of the two of them months earlier. The simple solution is to return the dog to his owner, but she arrives only to discover Caron’s murdered body.

After meeting undercover FBI agent Sawyer Price the mystery deepens as more people start disappearing and Tavish becomes a target as well. Her only solution is to find the links between microchip technology, an Anasazi site in the desert, her fiancé’s death, a late-night radio show, and the dog. And the clock is ticking.

Click here to purchase your copy.

Guest Review from Mindy Houng

“My hand is a positive shape. The negative space is the shape between my fingers. If I focus on the negative space, I will always draw the positive shape correctly.”

Carrie Stuart Parks, once again, deftly and masterfully weaves an intense tale brimming with suspense and authenticity that begs to be read in one sitting. The author is well-known for her intricately and tightly woven plot that feels like a 5000-piece puzzle systematically snapping into place page by page and this book is classic Carrie Stuart Parks. From reading her previous books, I knew to look out for the villain amongst the many secondary characters introduced during the plot, but I was (yet again) stunned at the ending. I was somewhat surprised at the book’s third person limited point of view since the author’s previous Gwen Marcey series was in first person perspective but it worked well for this book.

Tavish is an heiress since the death of her grandmother, a fledgling artist, and a quirky and impulsive twenty-five year driven by anxiety, fear, somewhat overactive imagination, and compassion. Sawyer is a loyal, compassionate, loving FBI agent who runs into Tavish at a local gallery during one of her art showings. Tavish’s wealthy mother’s art is stolen then returned, Tavish’s fiancé is murdered as well as quite a few others Tavish has known, then Tavish herself is hunted down by a faceless ruthless entity, and Sawyer gets involved in the swirl of conspiracy and secrecy as he tries to protect Tavish. The romance is a small subplot but enough to keep their budding friendship and attraction interesting.

If you enjoy a well-written, fast-paced suspense, you will absolutely love this book! I received a copy of the book from Thomas Nelson via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

About the Author

Carrie Stuart Parks is a Christy finalist as well as a Carol Award-winning author. She has won numerous awards for her fine art as well. An internationally known forensic artist, she travels with her husband, Rick, across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law-enforcement professionals. The author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing and painting, Carrie continues to create dramatic watercolors from her studio in the mountains of Idaho.

More from Carrie

Using Art to Solve Crime: Techniques Used by Forensic Artists

Since 1981, I’ve been a forensic artist—an amazing feat since I’m only . . .um. . . well, younger than that. In those years, I’ve seen some shifts and trends, but some things have never changed. Despite the overwhelming prevalence of computers in almost every other field, they have never been able to replace a trained forensic artist. Artists have an amazing toolbox of techniques we use to gather the information we need to help solve crime.

The pencil. Any forensic artist worth her weight in graphite knows the power of the lowly pencil and a sketchpad. Law enforcement would love a photographic image of the suspect, but all we have to work with is memory…and memory is faulty. The more the image looks perfect, the more imperfect it is for helping to identify a suspect. We want the drawing to just suggest a likeness and eliminate those not similar.
Now that we brought up the subject of memory, a forensic artist needs to understand how memory works. The average witness will remember between four and five facial features. When they describe the person they saw, they will do so from their strongest memory to their weakest memory, from most important to least important. We listen carefully to the order of facial features.
Whole vs Parts. We don’t look at faces as individual parts, although a particularly outstanding nose or Marty Feldman eyes might catch our attention. We will remember the face as a whole, with the proportions of the face an unacknowledged part of that. Forensic artist prefer to use reference photographs where the whole face is viewed.

Want more? Check out the rest of my article at The Strand Magazine

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 23

All-of-a-kind Mom, July 23

Blogging With Carol, July 23

A Reader’s Brain, July 23

A Baker’s Perspective, July 24

The Avid Reader, July 24

CarpeDiem, July 24

Fiction Aficionado, July 25

Christian Bookaholic, July 25

Godly Book Reviews, July 25

Through the Fire Blogs, July 26

Livin’ Lit, July 26

The Becca Files, July 26

Inklings and notions , July 26

Real World Bible Study, July 27

Cathe Swanson, July 27

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, July 27

For Him and My Family, July 28

Lights in a Dark World, July 28

Retrospective Spines, July 28

Bigreadersite, July 29

Simple Harvest Reads, July 29 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Mary Hake, July 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Acdemy, July 30

Blossoms and Blessings, July 30

EmpowerMoms, July 30

Aryn The Libraryan, July 31

Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, July 31

For the Love of Literature, July 31

Inspired by fiction, August 1

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 1

By The Book, August 1

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 2

Remembrancy, August 2

amandainpa, August 2

Pause for Tales, August 3

For the Love of Books, August 3

Just Your Average reviews, August 3

Hallie Reads, August 4

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, August 4

Daysong Reflections, August 4

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, August 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 5

Texas Book-aholic, August 5

janicesbookreviews, August 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away a grand prize of her book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/e592/fragments-of-fear-celebration-tour-giveaway

Over the Line Review & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Over the Line

Author: Kelly Irvin

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: June 11, 2019

In this high-stakes romantic suspense novel where tensions mount on both sides of the border, bestselling author Kelly Irvin explores what happens when the past explodes against the present and the only person you can turn to is the one who broke your heart.

When a college student dies at Gabriella’s feet after muttering her brother’s name, vicious gun smugglers believe she knows too much. And they’re determined to make sure she suffers the same fate. With no one else to turn to, Gabriella reunites with her former fiancé, homicide detective Eli Cavazos, to investigate the dead man’s murder and her brother’s disappearance.

In a desperate race against time, Gabriella and Eli are determined to clear her brother and find him before the gun smugglers can kill them both. Bit by bit, they tear away the masks worn by men masquerading as law-abiding citizens. No one can be trusted.

Working as a team forces Gabriella and Eli to face the problems that ended their relationship. She realizes she’s the one who needs to learn to forgive, but Eli must also learn to trust her with his secrets.

This ragtag team must fight a powerful ring of criminals protected by the very institutions that should prosecute them in an all-out battle that may cost them their lives.

Click here to grab your copy.

Guest Review from Mindy Houng

“Pain danced with regret while loneliness looked on, always the wallflower.”

This is the first book by Kelly Irvin I have read and it hooked me with an intricately woven plot of suspense and action. The story is well-written with twists and turns to the plot, interesting and multi-dimensional primary and secondary characters, and a wonderful theme of grace, forgiveness, and second chances.

The story involves Eli, a detective in the San Antonio PD, and Gabriella, a former assistant prosecutor turned chef. They have a complicated history and a broken engagement between them but must work together when Gabriella’s brother, an ATF agent, goes missing and the family is threatened. As Eli and Gabby dig deeper into Jake’s disappearance and several connected murders, they find themselves in the middle of a dangerous gun smuggling cartel in an environment where they’re not sure who to trust. The romance component is relatively small in the book but does make for a good tense atmosphere for Gabby and Eli as they dodge those who want them to disappear.

The book, though it’s a stand alone novel, actually felt like book 2 in a series because the backstories of the characters either weren’t fully revealed or weren’t revealed until much later in the book. It was slightly disconcerting to feel like I was missing something about the characters while reading, but the intense suspense, intrigue, and mystery was excellent.

I received a copy of the book from Thomas Nelson via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

About the Author

Kelly Irvin is the bestselling author of the Every Amish Season and Amish of Bee County series. The Beekeepers Son received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, who called it a “beautifully woven masterpiece.” The two-time Carol Award finalist is a former newspaper reporter and retired public relations professional. Kelly lives in Texas with her husband, photographer Tim Irvin. They have two children, two grandchildren, and two cats. In her spare time, she likes to read books by her favorite authors. Visit her online at KellyIrvin.com; Instagram: kelly_irvin; Facebook: Kelly.Irvin.Author; Twitter: @Kelly_S_Irvin.

More from Kelly

Over the Line by Kelly Irvin turns the heat up on suspense with a setting in Laredo, Texas. Here’s a spicy chili to pair with the book while you’re reading.

(adapted from 1979 World’s Fair Chili Recipe)

3 lbs. round steak, chopped
3 lbs. chuck roast, chopped
6 T. vegetable oil
6 T. chili Powder
6 T. cumin
6 garlic cloves minced
2 whole onions, chopped
1 T. oregano
2 T. paprika
2 T. cider vinegar
4 ounces green chilies, diced
14 oz. stewed tomatoes (one can)
1 T. Tabasco sauce
2 T. cornmeal
3 c. beef broth
Pepper to taste
Brown meat in oil. Pepper to taste. Drain oil from meat, add chili pepper, cumin, garlic, and onion. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes. Stir often.
Add oregano, paprika, vinegar, 2 c. broth, green chilies, stewed tomatoes, and Tabasco sauce. Simmer 30 to 45 minutes. Stir often.
Dissolve cornmeal in one cup of beef broth. Pour into chili. Simmer another 30 minutes, stirring often. (Chili is done when meat is tender.)

Serves 8.

Kelly’s Note: My husband loves his chili with saltine crackers. I like Fritos. We all agree that chili should NOT have beans in it. My mom always made homemade cinnamon rolls to have for dessert when she made her chili. Hmmm. That sounds good. I’m off to the kitchen! Enjoy!