After a Fashion by Jen Turano

I have yet to not enjoy a book by Jen Turano. This book was not an exception. From an orphaned background comes Harriet. She is in her 20's and all she wants is her own dress shop. All women should look good, not just the rich and wealthy, and thus this is her dream. However, it's complicated and rather out of her reach. 

Oliver Addleshaw is in his 30's and he causes chaos in Harriet's world by having something to do with her loosing her job. Without income she is in a serious mess! Even so, she is smart, and pretty and Oliver is in a jam now. So he gets her to pretend to be his finace to impress the right people so he can and get even more money! After all his goal is more and more money. However, this insane plan would pay her enough to follow her dreams. 

Dinners and parties, and balls and meetings, and Harriet is going to them all. Is she out of her league? Will her dreams die along with this fake relationship, or are the most surprising things going to happen if she can stop what she is doing? 

Carol :) 

My copy of this book came from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review and nothing else. 

Miss Harriet Peabody dreams of the day she can open up a shop selling refashioned gowns to independent working women like herself. Unfortunately, when an errand for her millinery shop job goes sadly awry due to a difficult customer, she finds herself out of an income. Mr. Oliver Addleshaw is on the verge of his biggest business deal yet when he learns his potential partner prefers to deal with men who are settled down and wed. When Oliver witnesses his ex not-quite-fiance cause the hapless Harriet to lose her job, he tries to make it up to her by enlisting her help in making a good impression on his business partner. Harriet quickly finds her love of fashion can't make her fashionable. She'll never truly fit into Oliver's world, but just as she's ready to call off the fake relationship, fancy dinners, and elegant balls, a threat from her past forces both Oliver and Harriet to discover that love can come in the most surprising packages.

Endorsements

I love Jen Turano's books. She has a way of keeping me turning the pages and wishing there were more when the book is done. She's a fantastic storyteller and I look forward to her next book!

Tracie Peterson

Jen Turano

Jen Turano, author of six books, is a graduate of the University of Akron with a degree in clothing and textiles. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. Visit her website at www.jenturano.com.

Continue reading about Jen Turano

Reviews

Incorporating a bit of mayhem, a modicum of charm, and a dash of skullduggery into Harriet and Oliver's love story, Turano creates an engaging tale with a delightfully unexpected twist at the end.

Publishers Weekly

Extremely fast-paced and humorous, Turnao's latest will please old fans and should make some new ones. A fun romance and some great twists. . . . What a delightful tale!

RT Book Reviews Top Pick

Witty dialogue, slapstick situations, crazy misunderstandings, and an oddball cast of secondary characters, including a notorious actress and a young woman who is dictionary-challenged, add to the fun of this uproarious story. Turano continues to be one of the funniest voices in the inspirational genre, and her spunky heroines will appeal to readers across the romance spectrum.

Booklist

Resources

• ExcerptDownload PDF
• Author Q & ADownload PDF

• Where to Purchase

  • Baker Retail
  • Amazon
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Christianbook.com

Together With You by Victoria Bylin

I wasn't wild about the cover of this book at all. However, I was a bit curious about the story inside. I'm glad I didn't judge this book by it's cover. Carly has a past issue to deal with, but when a lost child winds up in the store she works in, her world has to change again. Penny isn't just any child, she has a major challenge in her life. An issue that Dr. Ryan blames himself for causing, although it would take more than just once for this issue to occur, he doesn't know God like he should. Meeting Carly is a game-plan-changer. Can these two, separate or together find the forgiveness and relationship with God they need? With three children involved, lives will wind up mended, or shattered depending on each step taken in this story.

This was my first book by this Author and it was very gripping. Penny and her issues are handled so very, very well over all. While some of the over all plot outcome was easy to figure out, the how to get there from here and how how it happened was good enough to keep me reading with out any lulls.

Carol :)
My copy of this book came from Bethany House Bloggers in exchange for my honest review and nothing else.

Sometimes the most unexpected love can be exactly what a heart needs...
When a Lost Child warning blares over the mall's PA system, Carly Mason finds the little girl playing with a stuffed rabbit. Something about Penny Tremaine is different. An ex-social worker, Carly recognizes that the child suffers fetal alcohol effects, and a piece of Carly's past suddenly confronts her. Never again will she become personally involved with a client. The risks are far too great. But something about Penny--and Penny's handsome father--tugs at Carly's heart.

Dr. Ryan Tremaine is trying to put his life back together. With his ex-wife remarried and on a trip far away, his two teenage sons and Penny are living under his roof full time. Ryan has put his faith in his Sink-or-Swim list, a plan to reconnect with his children. The first step: recruit Carly Mason to be Penny's nanny.

Ryan never anticipated being so drawn to Carly, an attraction Carly seems to fight as much as he does. Could Carly be the missing piece that helps his family stay afloat, or will their blossoming romance only complicate things further?

Known for her realistic and engaging characters, Victoria Bylin delivers an emotion-packed story reminiscent of The Sound of Music, one that reminds us all to believe in the power of faith and love.

Victoria Bylin writes contemporary and historical romances acclaimed for their true-to-life characters and stories. Her work has finaled in contests such as the Carol Awards, the RITAs, and the Reviewers' Choice Award. A native of California, she and her...

Continue reading about Victoria Bylin

Reviews:

Together with You is a gripping story of forgiveness, love, and family relationships that will captivate readers from the opening chapter...This is a fascinating, complex read that will not only entertain but also challenge and inform. Booklist. 

Together With Youstands out with its strong characters and authentic writing from an author whose care for the topic shines within its pages. A contemporary romance that offers much more than a will-they-or-won't-they scenario, this title offers a sweet love story set within the challenges and joys everyday families face.

Resources

• ExcerptDownload PDF
• Author Q & ADownload PDF

Buried Secrets by Irene Hannon

From the textured cover to the contents inside, this book was just the right read. A former Navy Seal, Mac McGregor is working on cases when he winds up working with Lisa Grant. Police Chief Lisa Grant. There are bones, a mystery and a murderer has to be found. Romantic suspense is underway! 

Lisa is strong, and yet human and weak. Mac is very strong, and yet gentle and thoughtful. They could become quite the team if things work out! Every great couple starts somewhere, but will their start get stopped if they find who wants to keep their secrets buried? 

I liked this book by Irene Hannon, and I think the next book in the series will be even stronger! I look forward to that! 

Carol :) 

My copy came from Revell in exchange for my honest review and nothing more. 

This cover has TEXTURE! The photos below are ones I took of my copy to show you the cover. 

 Close up of the texture on the book cover! 

They both wanted quieter, safer lives.
But crime never sleeps . . . 
and killers keep killing.
After years as a Chicago homicide detective, Lisa Grant is ready for the kinder, gentler life of a small-town police chief. But the discovery of a human skeleton by a construction crew at the edge of town taxes department resources. Enter ex-Navy SEAL Mac McGregor, the detective sent by the county to assist on the case. As they work to solve the mystery behind the unmarked grave, danger begins to shadow them. Someone doesn't want this dead person telling any tales--and will stop at nothing to make certain a life-shattering secret stays buried.

"The queen of inspirational romantic suspense" (Library Journal) is at the top of her game with this riveting new series.

"An excellent suggestion for inspirational fiction fans as well as readers who enjoy Mary Higgins Clark's subtly chilling brand of suspense."
Booklist on Vanished

Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than forty-five romantic suspense and contemporary romance/women's fiction novels, including the Heroes of Quantico, Guardians of Justice, and Private Justice series. Her books have garnered dozens of honors, including two coveted RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America. She is also a two-time Christy Award finalist. 

www.irenehannon.com

Resources

• ExcerptDownload PDF

1. 

   © DeWeesePhotography.com

   Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than forty-five novels, including That Certain Summer, One Perfect Spring, and the Heroes of Quantico, Guardians of Justice, and Private Justice series. Her books have been honored with two coveted...

   Continue reading about Irene......

Every Bride Needs a Groom by Janice Thompson (Brides with Style Series #1)

Janice Thompson writes fun books that make you giggle, and this one is not an exception with the start of this new series. Katie loves working in her Dad's hardware store. She isn't quite your typical gal. However, she won the wedding dress of many girl's dreams and the cover debut of The Texas Bride magazine! That is kind of life changing don't you think? Especially since Katie planned to marry another one of her small town boys grown into a small town man. After all, that is why she entered to win this contest. One not so small issue. She wins, and he breaks up with her. She is literally ready to be all dressed up with no where to go. No isle to walk, no groom to marry. Could Brady, a ball player who is taking a break from it all be the one to make her dream wedding and life come true? 

Funny, cute, sassy and sweet this new series is starting off nicely. 

Carol :)

My copy came from Revell in exchange for my honest review and nothing more. 

Somewhere in a sea of tulle and taffeta, satin and crepe, Katie Fisher needs to find a key ingredient of the perfect wedding--the groom.
Small-town girl Katie Fisher is busy planning her fairy-tale wedding. Sure, her boyfriend hasn't managed to pop the question just yet, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't enter a contest in Texas Bride magazine to win the dress of her dreams, right? Anyway, she's sure he'll be getting down on one knee any time now. And a one-of-a-kind designer dress doesn't just fall out of the sky right when you need it.

But when Katie's boyfriend takes a job in another town and breaks up with her--on the very same day she wins her dream dress--her world is turned upside down. Dare she go to Dallas to claim her prize? And will the hunky pro basketball player who runs the beyond-swanky bridal shop--yeah, you read that right--discover her humiliating secret if she does?

"Every Bride Needs a Groom is one to savor over and over. This compelling tale keeps you hooked and ignites your heart. What an intriguing way to visit the culture of a small central Texas town."--Eleanor Clark, award-winning author; motivational speaker; and Fairfield, Texas, resident

"Thompson launches a new bridal series with a contemporary, joyful Cinderella story that is filled with good humor and old-fashioned Southern style. Readers will fall in love with Katie and the rest of the well-drawn Fisher clan. This swoon-worthy tale will appeal to aficionados of humorous romances by Rachel Hauck and Lisa Wingate."--Library Journal


Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson offers an inside look at the wedding business, drawing on her own experiences as a wedding planner. She is the author of the hugely popular Weddings by Bella series, the Backstage Pass series, and the Weddings by Design series. She lives in Texas. Learn more at www.janiceathompson.com.

"Every Bride Needs a Groom is one to savor over and over. This compelling tale keeps you hooked on the memorable characters, especially Queenie. It ignites your heart while pulling you into the hands of a rarest kind of author. What an intriguing way to visit the culture of a small central Texas town."

Eleanor Clark, award-winning author, motivational speaker, and resident of Fairfield, Texas

Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson offers an inside look at the wedding business, drawing on her own experiences as a wedding planner. She is the...

Continue reading about Janice Thompson

Double Cross by Diann Mills (FBI Houston #2)

I have yet to get tired of Diann Mill's books. Laurel Everston is an FBI agent. Houston Police has Officer Daniel Hilton. Someone is scamming elderly people. The more they look into this, the worse the scams against the elderly have become. The crimes are escalating. Things are heating for Laurel though. The person behind the scams looks like it was her former "fiance" who she was "engaged" to while under-cover on a large operation. This is not easy for Laurel, because this man, Morton, made some very specific threats when the operation came to a close and he was arrested.

Wonder of all wonders, this guy is now a Christian? Really? Is Morton a changed man, or is this just a trick to reach more means with evil ends? Well Daniel has a few bones to pick over this issue too. His Grandparents fell pray to some of Morton's scams to the tune of about $50,000.00.

Solving the case could solve a murder or it could unravel all kinds of things! While it started with a double cross, now who is really double crossing whom? How can God work in this huge mess? Faith is tested in many ways.

Lots of strong research makes this book have an even stronger punch. I really enjoyed this book! Diann Mills is just getting better and better with each book! I'm looking forward to the next book!

Carol :) 

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Double Cross Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (April 1, 2015) by Diann Mills

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; the 2015 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter; a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at her website.

ABOUT THE BOOK

FBI Agent Laurel Evertson’s investigation into a scam targeting the elderly takes an unexpected twist when key evidence leads her to Morton Wilmington, a felon she arrested five years ago on her first undercover assignment. That case has haunted her since, and though she’s vowed to forget Wilmington—and what she sacrificed to put him away—he is now her best lead. Houston Police Officer Daniel Hilton fears his grandparents may be the scammer’s next targets, and he’ll do anything to protect his family—even force interagency cooperation. But he’s quickly drawn to Laurel’s empathy and zeal and agrees to follow her lead . . . even if it means teaming up with a felon. As the unlikely trio uncovers evidence suggesting the scam is more extensive and deadly than they imagined, both Laurel and Daniel find themselves in the crosshairs of a killer. Together they must decide if they can trust Wilmington’s claims of redemption, or if he’s leading them straight into a double cross.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Double Cross, go HERE.


DiAnn can be reached through the Contact link on her Website 

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1414389949 

The Legacy by Dan Walsh and Gary Smalley (The Restoration Series 4)

Well, this wasn't my favorite book. It start off a bit cliche, and kind of stayed there. Doug is the typical Christian raised child who goes to collage and falls into drinking, less than savory friends, and pre-marital issues. There is a girl back home, who cares about him, but figures that will not work out since he is "falling away" from his roots. The comic-con angle was the most interesting part, and while I do like both author's work, this one didn't work for me like I wish it had. I realized what they were trying to do, but it didn't work for me. I could see the places the heart of the authors were in the most, but it was still all so very predictable that I was sad and felt that it was a weak finally to the series. 

My copy came from Revell in exchange for my honest review and nothing more. 

One young man is about to discover the true cost of independence
For years, Doug Anderson has been drifting slowly but steadily away from both his family and his faith. His parents have been trying to reach him before he falls too far. His friend Christina hopes what she is seeing online isn't true. But sometimes you have to hit bottom before you're ready to grow up.

Just as things begin to settle down a bit, Doug's life takes a turn that requires every bit of faith and patience for both his family and Christina--whose growing feelings for Doug, a man who writes her off as not worth his time, keep her off balance. Will Doug's crisis finally clear his vision and help him focus on what he has right in front of him?


The emotionally gripping conclusion to the series critics are calling . . .
"Captivating."--RT Book Reviews
"Emotional."--Booklist
"Uplifting."--Library Journal
"Satisfying."--New York Journal of Books

© Dan Davis Photography

Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of many books, including The Dance, The Promise, and The Desire with Gary Smalley. He has won three Carol Awards, and three of his novels were finalists forRT Book Reviews Inspirational Book of the Year. He lives with his wife in the Daytona Beach area, where he's busy researching and writing his next novel.

© Dan Davis Photography

Gary Smalley is one of the country's best-known authors and speakers on family relationships and has appeared on national television programs such as Oprah, Larry King Live, and TODAY, as well as numerous national radio programs. He is the bestselling and award-winning author or coauthor of many books, including the Baxter Family Redemption series with Karen Kingsbury. Gary and his wife, Norma, have been married for 50 years and live in Missouri.

The Creole Princess- Gulf Coast Chronicles - Book 2

It's the Gulf Coast and war. Sneaky Spain is up to things and Lyse is from "mixed blood". Slavery and freedom issues are in play. Religious denominations that conflict are part of the things Lyse has to deal with as well as those who are poor vs. those with wealth. Those who have educations and those who do not. Spirited but sweet, this young woman has a lot going on. 

Don Rafael Maria Gonzales de Ripparda, Rafe for short with a huge name like that, has caught Lyse's eye. But with spys afoot, who can you really trust? 

This story covers so much! I have touched on some of the main topics, and it covers many years. It is well written, and I am so glad I was able to read this second book in this series! It also has a really attractive cover! 

Carol :) 

My copy came from Revell in exchange for my honest review and nothing more. 

From the Back Cover: Torn between loyalties to family and flag, one young woman is about to discover that her most important allegiance is to her heart.

It is 1776, and all along the eastern seaboard the American struggle for independence rages. But in the British-held southern port of Mobile, Alabama, the conflict brewing is much quieter–though no less deadly.

Lyse Lanier may be largely French in heritage, but she spends most of her time in the company of the ebullient daughter of the British commander of Mobile. When a charming young Spanish merchant docks in town, Lyse is immediately struck by his easy wit and flair for the dramatic. But is he truly who he makes himself out to be? Spies abound, and Spain has yet to choose a side in the American conflict. Is Lyse simply an easy mark for Rafael Gonzalez to exploit? Or are his overtures of love as genuine as Spanish gold?

With spectacular detail that brings the cultural gumbo of the Colonial Gulf Coast alive, Beth White invites you to step into a world of intrigue and espionage from a little-known slice of the American Revolutionary War.

What critics are saying about the Gulf Coast Chronicles
"Duplicity, danger, political intrigue, and adventure."--Booklist on The Pelican Bride
"New France comes alive thanks to intricate detail."--Publishers Weekly review of The Pelican Bride
"The brutal New World [is] captured with distinct detail in this fast-paced romantic adventure."--RT Book Reviews on The Pelican Bride

Beth White is the award-winning author of The Pelican Bride. A native Mississippian, she teaches music at an inner-city high school in historic Mobile, Alabama. Her novels have won the American Christian Fiction Writers' Carol Award, the RT Book Club Reviewers' Choice Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award. Learn more at www.bethwhite.net.

Beth White's day job is teaching music at an inner-city high school in historic Mobile, Alabama. A native Mississippian, she is a pastor's wife, mother of two, and grandmother of one--so far. Her hobbies include playing flute and pennywhistle and painting, but...

Continue reading about Beth White

Storm Siren by Mary Weber

Nym is being sold, again. Over and over she is sold on the slave auction block! Her 15th time up for sale. That would be trauma enough for a teenager, but there is a lot more to her. Just before she is sold as normal, again, her hair color gives her away and she is snatched right up! Strange, rich, and powerful Adora has bought her. Her special powers can be a weapon that those in power plan to use her to wield. She in a war torn world with plenty of death, doom, gloom and bad things occurring.

Is her power and painful past a curse, or a blessing in disguise? Can she control her powers? In a war much larger than she is, what is right, and what is wrong? More so, what does she have to do to survive, and is that the same as living with yourself afterwards?

This book is pretty good, but there is room for more building and strength to the next book in the series.
I do hope to read the rest of the series, because it holds some promise! Parts are kind of slow, but the start is gripping, and it does progress. From the pain in Nym's life, she has one major issue that many girls who have been through abuse struggle with today. This part could be very helpful to the YA to which it is directed.

Carol :)
In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. (AND I really appreciate it!) 

“I raise my chin as the buyers stare. Yes. Look. You don’t want me. Because, eventually, accidentally, I will destroy you.”

In a world at war, a slave girl’s lethal curse could become one kingdom’s weapon of salvation. If the curse—and the girl—can be controlled.

As a slave in the war-weary kingdom of Faelen, seventeen-year-old Nym isn’t merely devoid of rights, her Elemental kind are only born male and always killed at birth—meaning, she shouldn’t even exist.

Standing on the auction block beneath smoke-drenched mountains, Nym faces her fifteenth sell. But when her hood is removed and her storm-summoning killing curse revealed, Nym is snatched up by a court advisor and given a choice: be trained as the weapon Faelen needs to win the war, or be killed.

Choosing the former, Nym is unleashed into a world of politics, bizarre parties, and rumors of an evil more sinister than she’s being prepared to fight . . . not to mention the handsome trainer whose dark secrets lie behind a mysterious ability to calm every lightning strike she summons.

But what if she doesn’t want to be the weapon they’ve all been waiting for?

Set in a beautifully eclectic world of suspicion, super abilities, and monsters, Storm Siren is a story of power. And whoever controls that power will win.

WATCH THE TRAILER by clicking! 

Book Link: http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Siren-Trilogy/dp/1401690343/ 
Author Website - http://www.maryweber.com/ 
Author Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/marychristineweber

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Mist of Midnight by Sandra Byrd

My Copy is MIA --- Missing In "Action" so I can't give you my thoughts on it yet. I hope it shows up, I want to read this one!

Carol :0

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Mist of Midnight

Howard Books (March 10, 2015)

by

Sandra Byrd

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

After earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd has now published more than forty books. Her adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, was a Christy Award finalist, as was her first historical novel, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. To Die For was also named by Library Journal as a Best Books Pick for 2011 and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr, was named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2012. The Tudor series’ end cap, Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I published in April, 2013.

A life-long lover of Victorian Gothic romances, Sandra’s new series, Daughters of Hampshire, weaves elements of that mystical, traditional genre with inspirational and literary threads. Mist of Midnight, the series’ first book, debuts in March, 2015.

Sandra has also published dozens of books for tweens and teens, and is passionate about helping new authors develop their talent and their work toward traditional or independent publication. As such, she has mentored and coached hundreds of new writers and continues to coach dozens to success each year.

ABOUT THE BOOK


In the first of a brand-new series set in Victorian England, a young woman returns home from India after the death of her family to discover her identity and inheritance are challenged by the man who holds her future in his hands.


Rebecca Ravenshaw, daughter of missionaries, spent most of her life in India. Following the death of her family in the Indian Mutiny, Rebecca returns to claim her family estate in Hampshire, England. Upon her return, people are surprised to see her...and highly suspicious. Less than a year earlier, an imposter had arrived with an Indian servant and assumed not only Rebecca's name, but her home and incomes.


That pretender died within months of her arrival; the servant fled to London as the young woman was hastily buried at midnight. The locals believe that perhaps she, Rebecca, is the real imposter. Her home and her father's investments reverted to a distant relative, the darkly charming Captain Luke Whitfield, who quickly took over. Against her best intentions, Rebecca begins to fall in love with Luke, but she is forced to question his motives—does he love her or does he just want Headbourne House? If Luke is simply after the property, as everyone suspects, will she suffer a similar fate as the first “Rebecca”?

Sandra can be reached through the Contact link on her Website 

If you would like to read the first chapter of Mist of Midnight, go HERE.

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1476717869