Sunday, January 29, 2023

What I Would Tell You by Liz Tolsma

About the Book

Book:What I Would Tell You

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release date: January 1, 2023

DNA Test Unlocks a Family Mystery

Sephardic Jew Mathilda Nissim watches in horror as the Germans invade her beloved city of Salonika, Greece. What angers her most is the lack of resistance her people put up to their captors. In secret and at great risk to her life, she continues to publish her newspaper, calling her people to action. She doesn’t trust God to help them. When she and her husband find out they are expecting a child, Mathilda may have to resort to desperate measures to ensure her daughter’s survival.

Three generations later, college student Riley Payson and her cousin take a popular DNA test only to discover they don’t share any common ancestors. In fact, the test shows Riley is a Sephardic Jew from Greece. This revelation shakes Riley’s tenuous faith and sends her on a journey to discover what happened to her great-grandmother and how all this relates to her faith and her life today.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

You have to have a really good WWII story for me to like it. I'm just odd that way. This one was very interesting. For Jews in this time, oh my goodness. The time split brings us some Greek history, which I ironically had in school. The author did a great job of making me feel like I'd been there. The time split was just amazing because it's so well woven. I was thrilled with how strong and how amazing this book turned out. I was quite moved and terribly gripped to the point of distraction.

5 Stars

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

More from Liz

Take a Trip to Greece with Me

I was privileged to travel to Greece last year to research my upcoming WWII novel, What I Would Tell You. God orchestrated it so beautifully. Because of Covid, we weren’t sure my daughter would be able to travel there for the summer internship she had applied for. Eight weeks before her scheduled departure, Greece reopened to foreign visitors. Around that same time, I sold What I Would Tell You, which is set in Thessaloniki, Greece, to Barbour Publishing. I had to go and visit!

Greece is a beautiful country. The pictures you see don’t do it justice. And to someone like me, the history is one of the best parts. My daughter and I explored the old city wall, built in the 1400s, many churches that predated the Ottoman Empire, and many excavated Roman ruins that have been dug up in the city’s process of putting in a subway system.

Because this is a WWII book, we also spent a great deal of time learning about the history of the Jews in the city. The Kapani Market, just down the street from our apartment, was a vibrant mix of colorful fruits, fragrant spices, and a cacophony of languages. I could well imagine what this old Jewish market was like prior to the war with people hawking olives, fish, and oregano.

We wasted no time in visiting the Jewish museum. I was shocked by the heavy security presence with armed guards outside of the building. Once inside, we had to show our IDs and were required to turn in our phones. Antisemitism is alive and well in Greece. But what a place. There were displays after displays tracing the history of the Jewish people in Thessaloniki from 1492 until WWII. The most breathtaking was the room with stone-covered walls, the names of all 48,000 Salonikan Jews killed in the Holocaust carved into the marble. There’s an entire scene in the book that deals with this room.

What saddened me most was what we saw when we visited the trainyard where the Jews were herded into cattle cars and shipped to Auschwitz. Before we got to where the station once stood, there was a wall on which someone had pained a mural covered with black-and-white figures in their striped uniforms, their eyes and mouths wide in horror. As if that weren’t difficult enough to view, what sickened me was the blue swastikas someone had painted over them.

We also trekked to the other side of the city to visit what had once been the Jewish cemetery, now the grounds of Aristotle University. All that remains to testify that half a million people were once buried here is a small, ill-kept memorial. There were two dead Christmas wreaths placed there. We visited in August.

In addition to a moving and thought-provoking story, I hope to also introduce you to the amazing city of Thessaloniki and give you a peek into the people and the culture of this amazing place. If you ever find yourself in Greece, plan some time in Thessaloniki. Many Americans miss this gem, but it’s packed with charm and history.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 28

Texas Book-aholic, January 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 29

Blogging With Carol, January 29

Genesis 5020, January 30

Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 30

Where Faith and Books Meet, January 30

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 31

For Him and My Family, January 31

Cover Lover Book Review, February 1

Lily’s Book Reviews, February 1

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 2

deb’s Book Review, February 2

Betti Mace, February 3

Connie’s History Classroom, February 3

Paula’s Pad of Inspriation, February 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 5

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 6

Holly’s Book Corner, February 6

Bigreadersite, February 7

Blossoms and Blessings, February 7

Mary Hake, February 7

Labor Not in Vain, February 8

Pause for Tales, February 9

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, February 9

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, February 10

Southern Gal Loves to Read, February 10

Lights in a Dark World, February 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-gift card and copy of the 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/23ccb/what-i-would-tell-you-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, January 27, 2023

Every Flower of the Field by Sara Davison BOOK BLAST!

Every Flower of the Field Epic Book Launch

About the Book

Book: Every Flower of the Field

Author: Sara Davison

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: February 15, 2023

Safe is the most dangerous feeling of all.

For as long as she can remember, Rose Galway has been a captive, controlled by one man or another. To her, though, God is the one holding the keys, refusing to set her free despite the desperate pleas she has sent heavenward.

Detective Laken Jones has known hardship too, including the daily trauma of racism. Still, nothing he has gone through compares to what Rose has endured. He wants nothing more than for her to experience hope and healing and maybe even happiness in her life.

But first he has to find her.

Laken is willing to risk everything to set Rose free. And to help her find her way to God. Even if that means letting go of her—and the future he envisions for the two of them—forever.

BOOK EXCERPT

Every Flower of the Field Excerpt 5
When he found a spot out of reach of the streetlights, he stopped and propped the ladder against the bricks. Here’s where it got dicey. Any movement could set off security cameras which, even if the property was abandoned, would likely be monitored remotely. Someone might be watching him even now.
God, shroud me in darkness.
Laken slid his shoe onto the bottom rung, inhaled a slow, deep breath, and then started up. He paused after every step, his heart thudding against his ribs, but could detect nothing on the other side of the wall. After an agonizing couple of minutes, he reached the rung third from the top, high enough that he could peer over the wall. When he did, he glimpsed a thin beam of light from a tiny window on the main floor of the massive, L-shaped stone bungalow.

Laken climbed another step and then managed to fling his leg over the top. Thankfully, the wall was a good foot and a half thick, deep enough that he was able to pull himself onto it and lie on his belly. He leaned down and slowly, slowly pulled the ladder up rung by rung.

MISSED ANY EXCERPTS, GO HERE:

Excerpt One: https://travelerswife4life.com/every-flower-of-the-field/

Excerpt Two: https://janemouttet.wordpress.com/2023/01/26/epic-book-launch-every-flower-of-the-field-excerpt/

Excerpt Three: https://blossomsandblessings.blogspot.com/2023/01/every-flower-of-field-by-sara-davison.html

Excerpt Four: https://moments-of-beauty.blogspot.com/2023/01/epic-book-launch-every-flower-of-field.html

Excerpt Five: https://carolkeen.blogspot.com/2023/01/every-flower-of-field-by-sara-davison.html

Excerpt Six: https://www.amoderndayfairytale.net/2023/01/every-flower-of-field-epic-book-launch.html

Excerpt Seven: https://storiesbygina.wordpress.com/2023/01/27/every-flower-of-the-field-book-launch-with-celebrate-lit/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sara Davison is the author of four romantic suspense series—The Seven Trilogy, The Night Guardians, The Rose Tattoo Trilogy, and two sparrows for a penny, as well as the standalone, The Watcher. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, she is a Word, Cascade, and two-time Carol Award winner. She currently resides in Ontario with her husband, Michael, and their three mostly grown kids. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason. Get to know Sara better at www.saradavison.org and @sarajdavison

The Master's Inn by Deb Gorman

About the Book

Book: The Master’s Inn

Author: Deb Gorman

Genre:Christian Fiction

Release date: October 15, 2022

A novel of human brokenness and God’s still-unfolding drama of redemption.

When two dysfunctional and wounded families wind up unexpectedly at the remote Master’s Inn during a December snowstorm, it’s up to owners Tom and Barb Masters to help—except they’re dealing with their own bitter issues. As the winter snowfall confines them, the three families find themselves coping with their crippled relationships and hard emotions . . . and sometimes tearing one another down in the process.

But when a secret is inadvertently revealed and a rebellious teenage girl takes off into the storm, chaos descends. Will they be tossed into more heartbreak, or will the crisis draw them together against a common enemy?

With a forest in Washington State as the backdrop, join the Masters’ at their B&B as they strive to show Christ’s love to all who cross their threshold . . . even when it threatens their own sanity and safety.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

It's cold, life threatening cold if you wind up in a blizzard. Thus three families are all hunkered down in The Master's Inn. It's here that Tom and Barb Masters find God using them in a new way. All the families have hurt, pain, and issues. They have things that they are angry about, and now they are all trapped, unable to avoid the issues any longer. Will they forgive and heal? Can a rebellious teen stop being rebellious? A grieving wife over come grief? Can a person work through PTSD and be better than they were? This was well written and the characters gripped my heart. It's a fantastic story that lets you watch God move in lives and change them. Hope and forgiveness are big themes and this book is defiantly a five star read.

5 Stars

About the Author

Deb Gorman, owner of Debo Publishing, was born and reared in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She still lives in her hometown with her husband, Alan, and their very smart German Shepherd, Hoka.

Deb is a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, cleverly disguised as a wife, mom, grandmom, and author.

Her purpose is to connect with God’s most beautiful and clever creation, the human family, using the literary talent and imagination God gave her.

Her prayer is that as she journeys together with you, we will discover encouragement and redemption in our most important relationships.

Connect with Deb at https://debggorman.com where you will find her blog posts and information about her books, both published and forthcoming.

More from Deb

One Sunday morning in 2012, I listened to our pastor give one of his excellent sermons.

I don’t remember what he said to spark this idea, but I grabbed my church bulletin and began scribbling furiously. By the time the service ended I had a rough outline, character sketches, and the opening scene written. And the title—The Master’s Inn. Some details, of course, changed over the years, but the title stayed the same.

The Master’s Inn was first birthed as a ninety minute play, which my church produced over one weekend in December of 2013. I wrote the play and directed it. I had an excellent cast of characters, plenty of folks lending a hand from technical details to the dinner we hosted for our guests. It was truly a team effort.

The Master’s Inn play was the first serious effort I’d ever made at writing. After it’s success, I began thinking about writing a book. Now, ten years later, I’ve written three creative non-fiction, devotional-style books and contributed to a Chicken Soup for the Soul volume.

During the process of publishing those first three books, the characters from The Master’s Inn pestered me day and night to put them in a novel. Who was I to argue?

And so, those characters got what they wanted. They are no longer confined to ninety minutes and one weekend of publicity. They’re now out there for the whole world to see.

The Master’s Inn is a novel of human brokenness and God’s still-unfolding drama of redemption . . .

When two dysfunctional and wounded families wind up unexpectedly at the remote Master’s Inn during a December snowstorm, it’s up to owners Tom and Barb Masters to help—except they’re dealing with their bitter issues. As the winter snowfall confines them, the three families find themselves coping with their crippled relationships and hard emotions . . . and sometimes tearing one another down in the process.

With a forest in Washington State as the backdrop, join the Masters at their B&B as they strive to show Christ’s love to all who cross their threshold—even when it threatens their own sanity and safety.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 27

Blogging With Carol, January 27

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 28

Bizwings Blog, January 29

Texas Book-aholic, January 30

deb’s Book Review, January 31

Cover Lover Book Review, February 1

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 3

Pause for Tales, February 4

Dee S. Writes, February 4

Spoken from the Heart, February 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 5

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, February 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 7

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, February 8 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, February 8

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Deb is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the 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/23cca/the-master-s-inn-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, January 20, 2023

Refining Josie: Breakers Head by Carolyn Miller (Independence Islands Book 30)

About the Book

Book: Refining Josie

Author: Carolyn Miller

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: December 6, 2022

What’ll it take for the prodigal daughter to share her deepest secrets… and her heart?

Josephine Green returns to the islands in an attempt to reconcile with her family, but with a cloud over the family business, and little in the way of gardening skills, Josie’s painful past and flaky ways prove less than endearing for Greener Gardens’ hardworking crew.

Stuck without any other options, Josie is forced to accept her sister’s offer of a job that takes her to Breakers Head where she encounters Aussie teacher, Lachlan Jones.

A long-lost relative might’ve brought Lachie to a tiny music recording studio on the Independence Islands, but it’s also brought questions about how to care for someone he barely knows, especially considering he’s the last family she has. Questions regarding his future soon pale when he encounters the vibrant-haired Josie, whose sass and attitude takes some getting used to.

Neither imagined more until they began to bond over music and environmental causes. Both discover that first impressions need not be lasting ones.

But with the future of Gardens Gardens looking shaky, and Josie’s faith and self-worth just as tenuous, can deepening a friendship into something more ever work? And what happens when Lachlan’s work means he has to return to Australia after Christmas? What’ll it take for two hearts to heal and make a future possible?

This Breakers Head novel is Carolyn Miller’s final book in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

This is the LAST book in this series. It can be read by itself, but personally I think it is more fun to read series in order, when possible. This book is just amazing. All the stops were pulled out for this story. Lachlan and Josie have such a story here. From hearts that are hard and far from God, to healing and restoration, this book can be emotional while also adventurous. Forgiveness and healing are huge themes and you are at risk of seriously falling for this couple, and this story. This book is strong enough to make a person want to read all of the other 29 books in this series.

5 Stars

About the Author

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher. She loves reading, music, films, gardens, art, travel and international food, and really enjoy creating worlds where flawed people can grow in faith, hope and love.
A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives.

Her novels include The Elusive Miss Ellison, The Captivating Lady Charlotte, The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, Winning Miss Winthrop, Miss Serena’s Secret, The Making of Mrs. Hale, A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh, and Underestimating Miss Cecilia, all available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Koorong, etc

More from Carolyn

Wow! Well, here we are celebrating the release of Refining Josie, my final book and THE final book in the Independence Islands series. It’s been a journey, hasn’t it? Six authors, five islands, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

As a long-time lover of gardens, plants, flowers and trees, it’s been so fun showcasing various parts of what life could be like as someone working in the gardening industry on these islands. I’m married to a horticulturalist, who once upon a time worked at Lyme Park, which was showcased in the 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice. He has also worked at Kew Gardens in England, and it was fun to use some of his experience in these books. (You can see some of my pics on Instagram and on my website)

For Refining Josie I was glad to finally round out some of the family challenges Samantha Green and her family’s ‘Greener Gardens’ business have had to deal with along the way, and to give Josie Green her own voice. This is a story about a prodigal daughter, and some of the ‘why’ behind the behavior, factors I think readers will relate and respond to well.

As an Aussie, I was also happy to include an Aussie hero, someone with some challenges of his own, so I hope you enjoy getting a tiny taste of a Hugh Jackman-esque hero.

Come visit the Independence Islands once more, and enjoy Refining Josie, a story of heart, hope, humor and a dash of Christmas romance.

Happy reading!

Carolyn