Rebuilding Hearts by Carolyn Miller (Sparrow Island / Independence Islands Book 24)

About the Book

Book: Rebuilding Hearts

Author: Carolyn Miller

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: June 28, 2022

Who knew a bank robbery could show a girl that good guys still exist?

Tim Franklin. Quiet, shy, almost incapable of speaking to a girl, and a budding horticulturist. Oh, and he survived a bank robbery five years ago, not to mention its resulting trauma.

Bookworm Bella Dwyer just wants to feel safe, and Tim’s actions during the robbery made her believe there might be guys who live up to her fictional heroes. Trouble is, a chance with Tim seems as remote as this year’s celebrity heartthrob.

Instead, she settled for a relationship with a guy who’s commitment-phobic.

So when Bella encounters Tim on tiny Sparrow Island, the challenges of her past and present collide, and she questions whether there really is a future with a man who can’t commit.

In a leap of faith, Bella dumps her boyfriend, even before shy-guy Tim can make a move. But in wanting to live by faith and conquer fear, has she made the right choice, or are her hopes for freedom and a future destined to fail?

Read the next Sparrow Island novel 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:

Bella and Tim, what a sweet couple! This is a sweet story, and Bella also works in a library. This book is about faith and love, and I really liked it! While they are romantic, they are seeking what does God want for their lives? Bella is also breaking free from the controlling people in her like, she's learning to stand up for herself and her future. It's so good to read that in this book! I can't get enough of the library setting, and Tim becomes a good hero. This book, is indeed, a great "beach" read. 

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

Who doesn’t love to read a book about a bookworm?

Many avid readers I know love the idea of working in a library – so imagine working in a library on a tiny island! And then to encounter a handsome borrower of books with arms of Thor, well, it’d be like a fictional hero come to life. Except maybe this hero isn’t so fictional…

For Rebuilding Hearts, my next book in the Independence Islands series, I loved turning the spotlight onto Tim Franklin, Greener Gardens’ strong, silent employee with secret dreams, and exploring what happens when two opposites attract over a shared love of books and movies.

Rebuilding Hearts explores some bigger questions concerning family, identity and whether God’s plans can be considered good when things go wrong. I love writing fiction that’s grounded in truth, with realistic, flawed characters who are on God journeys to find faith, freedom, and love.

I’m so thankful people are enjoying my contemporary books, where I can share my love of gardens (& my horticulturalist hubby’s expertise!) to a new audience. Please check out my website www.carolynmillerauthor.com to see what’s growing in my garden here in my corner of Australia.

If you enjoy stories of hope, heart and humor, then you’ll be sure to enjoy this novel about a librarian and a Hemsworthy hero as together they find restoration for their hearts.

Happy reading!

Carolyn

Blog Stops

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 23

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 24

Britt Reads Fiction, July 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 25

She Lives To Read, July 26

Library Lady’s Kid lit, July 26

Inklings and notions, July 27

Texas Book-aholic, July 28

By the Book, July 28

For Him and My Family, July 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 30

Blogging With Carol, July 30

deb’s Book Review, July 31

Blossoms and Blessings, August 1

Lis Loves Reading, August 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 2

Aryn the Libraryan, August 3

Splashes of Joy, August 4

Sylvan Musings, August 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 5

Miriam Jacob, August 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carolyn is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 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/1f7fa/rebuilding-hearts-celebration-tour-giveaway

Lineage of Corruption by Robin Patchen

About the Book

Book: Lineage of Corruption

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Christian romantic suspense

Release date: July 19, 2022

In the world of big money and big politics, nobody walks away unscathed.

The people of Coventry never suspect that Josie Smith, owner of the local coffee shop, is the daughter of a powerful senator. She went to Washington to serve constituents, but her desire to do good morphed into a desire to win at all costs. When one of those costs grew too heavy to bear, she changed her name and left DC, vowing to never get involved in politics again. But when her father becomes his party’s lone voice standing against corrupt policies, his enemies will do whatever it takes to get his vote, and Josie finds herself caught in a familiar web of dirty tricks.

Thomas Windham never planned to run for office, but when Coventry’s disgraced mayor is replaced by a dishonest appointee, he feels he has no choice but to throw his hat in the ring. He doesn’t have a chance against the well-known politician, that is until he meets Josie, who knows more about running for office than a typical café owner would.

When Josie finds herself in danger, they form an alliance—his protection for her wisdom. The election becomes secondary as Josie’s adversaries close in. But can Josie and Thomas come out victorious against enemies determined to get what they want at any cost?

Don’t miss this pulse-pounding Christian romantic suspense that’ll keep you reading late into the night.

 

Click here to get your copy!

PERSONAL NOTE: My father is still in the ICU, this is the 4th week. We do covet your prayers. 

 My Review:

This series is amazing and this book might blow your socks off. It covers how power can corrupt. I was instantly fond of the coffee shop, and being back in this familiar setting again. Coventry is an interesting place to be. While it's the seventh book in the series, it stands alone really well. It has Patchen's lovely built in suspense, and humor and faith is never left out. The pages fly by, while I'm immersed in the story. I liked characters how the verse I have long know about the love of money was worked into the story. 

5 Stars

About the Author

Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Nutfield Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. Working in marketing and public relations, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while she homeschooled her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit https://robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects.

 

More from Robin

Boston’s Logan Airport was about an hour from the little town in southern New Hampshire where I grew up. I remember pre-dawn drives, sitting in the backseat of our station wagon with my big sister and my little brother on our way to catch a flight. My dad was an airline pilot, so we traveled a lot in those days.

My parents always had a news station playing in the background. The anchor would read the news, and then Mom and Dad would discuss it at length while we tried to doze in the backseat.

They didn’t agree on everything, but they always saw eye-to-eye on politics.

My parents separated when I was a teenager and ultimately divorced. Even today, when they’re in a room together—they get along very well well—their conversations often drift to what’s going on in Washington.

Maybe that’s why I’ve always been interested in national politics.

My kids hate it when I talk about this policy or that vote. My husband would much prefer to discuss sports or work or…pretty much anything else. But I’ve always loved politics—the wrangling, the power plays, the backroom deals we can only guess at.

Talk about high-stakes drama on a worldwide stage. Hmm, I’m a suspense writer. Maybe it’s not that shocking that I love politics.

Lineage of Corruption doesn’t take place in the hallowed halls of Washington DC, nor are most of the characters in the story big players in the political scene. No, my story takes place in central New Hampshire, and its main characters are a coffee shop owner and a mayoral candidate. But that coffee shop owner’s father is a senator, a senator who’s being pressured to vote yes on a bill he vehemently disagrees with.

His enemies are willing to do whatever it takes to secure his vote, even if it means threatening his daughter.

So, it’s not exactly a political thriller. But it is all about big money and big names grappling for position in the world’s most powerful nation.

Which I personally think is super fun. To write about, anyway. In reality, politics has gotten way too rancorous and destructive for my tastes. Don’t worry—I won’t be lecturing you about what you should believe. I don’t honor one party or one president while throwing the other under the bus. In fact, I don’t mention either party or any actual politicians by name in the entire book.

This story isn’t about pushing my personal beliefs. It is about examining the lengths to which some people are willing to go to secure their own personal agendas.

(And it’s about man and a woman who fall in love, which is also super fun.)

I sure hope you’ll check it out.

 

Oh, and Josie, the coffee shop owner, loves to cook. Here’s a recipe she makes for the hero. It’s a great summertime meal and happens to be a staple at the Patchen household.

 

Linguine Caprese

 

4 ripe large tomatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 lb. mozzarella cheese (I use the small mozzarella balls (also called pearls), but any whole-milk mozzarella, cut into chunks, will do)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. dried basil (or 1 cup cleaned, fresh basil, cut into strips)

Enough olive oil to coat all of the above—about ¾ cup

Salt and pepper to taste

1 lb. linguine

Freshly grated parmesan

 

Combine tomatoes, cheese, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cover and let sit at least two hours at room temperature.

 

Cook linguine according to package directions.

 

Drain pasta and immediately toss with the tomato mixture. Serve at once with grated parmesan cheese. (Goes great with crusty white bread on the side.)

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 18

Genesis 5020, July 18

An Author’s Take, July 19

Inklings and notions, July 20

Betti Mace, July 21

For Him and My Family, July 22

Blossoms and Blessings, July 22

Texas Book-aholic, July 23

deb’s Book Review, July 24

lalkesidelivingsite, July 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 26

Blogging With Carol, July 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 27

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 29

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 30

Spoken from the Heart, July 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 31

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card, copy of Inheritance of Secrets, and a previous 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/1f7f4/lineage-of-corruption-celebration-tour-giveaway

Oddball Ornaments; The Story of Christmas by Terry Overton

 

About the Book

Book: Oddball Ornaments

Author: Terry Overton

Genre: Middle Grade Christmas Story

Release date: November 16, 2021

The ornaments in the attic are excited. It’s almost Turkey Day, and they know when they start smelling turkey, they’re going to be pulled down out of the attic and hung on a tree for the humans to enjoy. After all, Box Day is all about admiring the ornaments, isn’t it? But when Grandma joins them for Turkey Day instead of Box Day and brings a bunch of new ornaments with her, the Oddball Ornaments know something isn’t right. Determined to find out the source of Grandma’s sadness and what Box Day is really about, Nutcracker sets out on a quest to climb to the top of the tree to ask Angel about the true meaning of Christmas and discovers the truth is much more wonderful than they could ever have imagined.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 My Review:

They live in the attic, waiting for the once a year that they spend time with their humans. This group of assorted oddball Christmas ornaments become alarmed when their box is disturbed and it's not Christmas time. No one smelled turkey or anything else that leads up to Christmas. What is going on?To their surprise, they are suddenly on the main tree, with the angel. A beautiful angel who shares about the real reason for Christmas - Christ. 

My favorite, being Southern, is the one who talks with a beautiful Southern accent. So well done! The kids loved that! It's an easy to understand story, and as a child we have all thought that our animals or belongings were alive at night, or at some point. That was the perfect set up and flow for this story. I love the gentle and sweet telling of what Christmas is really about and found this story to be endearing. 

5 large yellow Stars! (Which would have to hang on the tree!) 

About the Author

Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology. Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean. She has two children and six grandchildren. Her writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals. Her book Both Sides of the Border is a Firebird Book Award winner in the categories of Cross-Genre, Socio-Political Fiction, and Women’s Fiction. Both Sides of the Border also won the American Writing Awards in the Multicultural Fiction category, Social Change category, and a finalist for the Women’s Fiction category. Her book, America of We the People was awarded the Firebird Book Award for Socio-Political and Political categories. She and her husband live in the southern tip of Texas where they enjoy semi-tropical weather and spending time with their friends and family.

 

More from Terry

Oddball Ornaments: The Story of Christmas was written one late fall while I looked at my own Christmas tree. I wondered, “If the ornaments could talk, what would they say? Would they even know why they were hung on the tree?” And that was how the book began. I played Christmas music and imagined a cast of characters like toys in Toy Story but ornaments and humans. It was such fun to write. I ran a few things by my regional experts (grand Angels) and they approved. It always means so much more when family are involved in my writing projects.

Not long after the book was out, the sequel was completed, and it will be released late summer 2022. “Oddball Ornaments: The Story of Forgiveness.”

I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it!

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, July 2

Inklings and notions, July 3

Lights in the Dark World, July 4

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 5

Girls in White Dresses, July 6

Older & Smarter?, July 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 8

For Him and My Family, July 9

deb’s Book Review, July 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 11

Mary Hake, July 11

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 13

For the Love of Literature, July 12

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 14

Blogging With Carol, July 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terry is giving away the grand prize package 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.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1f7f2/oddball-ornaments-celebration-tour-giveaway

Shadow of Honor by Ronie Kendrig (Book 3 The Droseran Saga)

 

About the Book

Book: Shadow of Honor

Author: Ronie Kendig

Genre: Science Fiction

Release date: June 14, 2022

The war he fears may be the very one he’s been called to start.

Held captive, tortured by monsters of a nightmarish alien race, Marco Dusan clings to a final goal: keep these beasts from the Quadrants, even if it means orchestrating his own death. But his dreams betray that singular design. In them his bonded calls to him across lightyears. Does he leave her to fight Symmachia alone, or risk bringing an unwinnable war to every planet in the Quadrants?

On board the alien dreadnought, Eija Zacdari flounders, torn amidst military machinations, prophecies, and an inexplicable bond with one of the fearsome creatures who have imprisoned her friends. Only by uncovering the truth about an ancient conflict now shrouded in deception will she find her place.

Faced with her true identity, Eija sees her purpose snap into focus, and she realizes the war Marco fears may be the very one he has been called to start.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Review: 

OUTSTANDING! This whole series is great, and this book is stellar! With a full cast and all the "feels" this story covers all the emotions you can think of. It's intense and full of action, passion, and I adore it. I don't want to put it down, nor have it end. This series is just amazing. It's one of my very favorites and I can't wait to add them all in hardcover on my shelves! I've started ordering them already! 

5 Stars because they don't have 10! 

About the Author

Ronie Kendig is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty books. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband have returned to their beloved Texas after a ten-year stint in the Northeast. They survive on Sonic & Starbucks runs, barbecue, and peach cobbler that they share–sometimes–with Benning the Stealth Golden. Ronie’s degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.

 

Excerpt from Shadow of Honor

Shaken, Eija touched her temple, head still pounding from the oxygen deprivation she’d suffered beneath the beast’s attempt to crush the life from her—that and the minutes stuck in an oxygen-deprived pod. Until she figured out what had prompted the creature to release her and crouch before her, she didn’t dare move. 

Insane! The docuvids of the Lavabeasts had not exaggerated. These monsters were fast, lethal, vicious. Yet . . . twice she’d been in its grip, and it’d held back from actually turning her into a dusty pile. Why? 

Yeah, maybe don’t ask. Just . . . 

What? What could she do against beasts that reduced people to ash with their arms? 

Keening filled the ship. With bewildering speed, the other three Draegis bolted out of the bay, their thudding steps fading down the passage as they headed to the aft port, where their ship clung to the Prevenire like a remora on a shark. 

Nerves thrumming, Eija glanced at Marco, whose chin was tucked to his chest again. Unconscious? Twitches of his head and hands alleviated that fear. Probably super focused on piloting the ship to the Sentinel. 

So we can all die. 

Right. So much for the relief she’d felt. Her gaze slid down to the immobilized Lavabeast at her feet. What was wrong with it—him? Was he more AI than biological? Had he powered down or something? Fried his neural net? What was she supposed to do? 

She discarded each question as it arose. Assessed her precarious situation. The crackling and swelling of his strange skin said he was still breathing. So alive, not dead. 

I can help with that. 

He was also awake—glowing eye slits proved that. 

Reef shifted on the deck where he’d landed after being tossed by one of the monsters, his arm hanging at an odd angle. Gray eyes came to hers, asking what neither of them could actually voice—What just happened? Why had the other Lavabeasts fled? Why had this one not killed her or left? 

“Why isn’t it moving?” Reef hissed as he slowly climbed to his feet.
She shook her head, still terrified of arousing the beast’s anger.
Locked on the Draegis, Reef inched closer and angled toward her. 

“You okay?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Again, she again checked on Marco, who still had his head down. Maybe the other Draegis had done something to him. “Marco?” she called quietly at the same time she heard Reef suck in a breath. 

In front of her, the mountain of lava erupted with a piercing howl, terrorizing her as it lunged. Like a lightning strike—a very large, fat, black bolt—it shot forward. 

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, June 30

Beauty in the Binding, July 1 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 1

Inklings and notions, July 2

deb’s Book Review, July 3

Worthy2Read, July 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 5

For Him and My Family, July 6

Wishful Endings, July 7

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 9

Blogging With Carol, July 10

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 11

The Book Club Network, July 11

Christina’s Corner, July 12

Through the Fire blogs, July 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Ronie is giving away the grand prize package of an Exclusive Signed, Sprayed-edge Edition of SHADOW OF HONOR, a candle with a custom fragrance connected to Shadow of Honor, a gaming mat with a custom Laura Hollingsworth Illustration of Kardia, and a three-pack character card set for SHADOW OF HONOR!!

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/1f7f0/shadow-of-honor-celebration-tour-giveaway