Touch of Innocence by Robin Patchen (Coventry Saga #5)

About the Book

Book: Touch of Innocence

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: January 25, 2022

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a gripping story of mystery, romance, and pulse-pounding suspense.

How can she save the little girl next door from being exploited if nobody believes her?

Grace used to try to save people, but that was before she realized how powerless she is. Now, she avoids emotional ties, working from her secluded cabin, content with her aloneness. When eight-year-old Lily starts hanging around, Grace enjoys her company but carefully keeps her distance—until she discovers the girl is being exploited. Little though she wants to, she must get involved, even if it means risking her own safety to secure Lily’s.

Andrew can’t help but be drawn to his new neighbor and her beautiful foster child. When he learns about Lily’s disturbing history, he offers to help Grace prove her suspicions about the girl’s father. But the more they learn, the more puzzling Lily’s history seems. They work together to unravel the mystery, determined to ensure Lily ends up with a family who loves her.

But Lily’s father isn’t giving up his muse—or his obsession—that easily. He believes Lily is rightfully his, and he’ll do anything to get her back.

Don’t miss this thrilling page-turner, the latest in the addictive Coventry Saga.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Review: 

What lengths will Grace have to reach, in order to save little Lily? Her home life isn't what it should be and somewhere, there's a huge amount of danger lurking. I'm was glad to see this book handling the topic of child exploitation so well! I was quite thankful to find that the author didn't shy away. If more Christian books would be like this one, more people might be able to help more children and save them. 

There's a romance with Grace and Andrew for us to enjoy, but much more so, the suspense, faith elements, and the protection of children made this book excellent. 

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. After college, 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

I love everyman-hero stories.

I know detectives and FBI agents and other law enforcement officers are fighting crime and solving mysteries all the time, but I love stories where regular folks—the kind who live next door and work in supermarkets or sell insurance—suddenly find themselves in the middle of a mystery—one only they can solve.

Maybe it’s my own longing for adventure (while living a life that consists largely of sitting in my office wearing yoga pants and tapping away on a keyboard) that leads me to write these kinds of stories

Touch of Innocence has that everyman… er, woman character, a reclusive former child therapist who wants nothing more than to be left alone. The problem is, Grace has a gift (which she calls a curse) that enables her to “see” that her eight-year-old neighbor, Lily, is being exploited by her child-pornographer father. But since Grace doesn’t have any proof, only the impressions she received when she touched the child’s palm, the police don’t do anything to rescue little Lily.

So Grace takes matters into her own hands.

As the villain so aptly puts it, she “blows up her entire life for the sake of a girl she barely knows.”

And that all happens in the first chapter. Then it gets really interesting.

There’s so much talk in the world about doing things for the greater good, for the benefit of the many, not the few, but that wasn’t Jesus’s way, was it?

Jesus didn’t die for the collective good. He died for you and me. He left the ninety-nine to seek out the one.

In a way, Touch of Innocence asks if one forgotten little girl is worth the cost of the heroine’s security, maybe even her life?

What is the value of one life, and how much are we as believers willing to sacrifice to save?

I think it’s a question worth exploring.

A little FYI about the book: I was very careful not to have any explicit scenes. Though the reader gets the sense of what Lily’s been through, there are no descriptions or images you’ll wish you hadn’t seen. I did my very best in this story to highlight a terrible thing that’s happening all over the world while at the same time honoring my readers and, above all, the Lord.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 23

Blogging With Carol, March 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 24

Texas Book-aholic, March 25

Inklings and notions, March 26

For Him and My Family, March 27

Betti Mace, March 28

Spoken from the Heart, March 29

deb’s Book Review, March 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 30

Mary Hake, March 30

Maureen’s Musings, March 31

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 1

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, April 2

Blossoms and Blessings, April 3

Livin’ Lit, April 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 4

Simple Harvest Reads, April 5 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away the grand prize package of Convenient Lies, book 1 in the Nutfield Saga, and Glimmer in the Darkness, book 1 in the Coventry Saga, along with a coffee mug!!

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/1bc9a/touch-of-innocence-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blended Lives by Mellisa Wardwell (Sparrow Island- Independence Islands Book 20)

About the Book

Book: Blended Lives

Author: Melissa Wardwell

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: February 22, 2022

Wedding bells are ringing on the islands, but more than romance is in the air.

Seth Mikels experienced a fulfilling marriage with his wife until her sudden death left him alone to raise their two daughters. As they approach their teens, it’s obvious that they need a woman’s influence. He’s not looking for love, but he could use the partnership of a wife. Between his handyman business and playing Mr. Mom, time is fading fast.

Sarah Reid has spent the last four years caught in the middle of one island drama after another. Following the most recent fiasco, she hopes to find refuge on Sparrow Island with her two little boys. Climbing bills and a dwindling bank account leaves her no choice but to sell out and move to the mainland. Enter Seth’s handyman skills and an unexpected romance.

With Beth and Scott planning their own Merriweather wedding (complete with a Momzilla), will wedding bells ring out on Sparrow, too?

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:

Wardwell did another great job with this story. I was glad to read more from Gram. Seth and Sara are a fantastic blended family. I loved how this story played out. It still has faith elements, and lots of good characters. It's a fast read, because I didn't want to stop reading. While I still wanted more, it was also just right. 

5 Stars 

About the Author

Melissa Wardwell doesn’t mind alternating between the world of writing and the reality of being a mother, but she would rather sit with a good book or a good friend and a cup of coffee.

When she isn’t penning works of fiction, she is busy reviewing books for her blog, Back Porch Reads.

To see more from Melissa Wardwell, visit www.melissawardwell.com

 

More from Melissa

I want to thank you for taking the time to follow this tour. This book was written during one of the most difficult times in my life but, as Beth said, God has turned the mourning into gladness. We are never promised the next breath we breathe or the freedoms that we enjoy, but He does promise that will be with us through every change in our lives. 

 

Sarah and Seth’s stories are tragic and unimaginable for many. They have been brought to the lowest points in their lives but must continue to move on for their children.

 

Writing this story helped me work through some of my own struggles. Some areas of my life were burning to the ground and I found myself looking for answers as to how to pick up the pieces. Instead, God taught me some pretty important lessons.

I learned to be a woman who spoke clear and true. I learned to show the people around me how much I love them and appreciate them. I learned that only God could fix those broken pieces of our lives and stitch them back together. And lastly, I learned of the beauty of friendship and how important it is in our daily lives. Even though I am glad that journey is over, I will forever cherish the lessons.

 

I think Gram summed it up nicely for me though.

 

“When we blend our lives with others, whether in marriage or friendships, we open the door to carry each other’s burdens in life. God gives us certain friendships to help us through tough times to teach us how to be a shoulder for others.”

 

Fiction is a reflection of reality, so expect some  of the lessons I learned to be reflected in Blended Lives as Sarah and Seth figure out how to navigate the changes I put them through.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 11

Texas Book-aholic, March 12

Simple Harvest Reads, March 12 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Inklings and notions, March 13

For Him and My Family, March 14

Library Lady’s Kids Lit, March 15

deb’s Book Review, March 16

Connect in Fiction, March 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 17

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 18

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, March 19

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 20 (Spotlight)

Blogging With Carol, March 20

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, March 21

Blossoms and Blessings, March 22

Aryn the Libraryan, March 23

lakesidelivingsite, March 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Melissa 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/1b8b7/blended-lives-celebration-tour-giveaway

Slashed Canvas by Liz Tolsma (Ever After Mysteries Book 8)

About the Book

Book: Slashed Canvas

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Historical Mystery, Fairytale

Release date: February 1, 2022

Held prisoner by all she’s lost, Katarina’s about to lose all she has.

Grand Duchess Katarina Volstova barely escaped the Russian revolution, arriving in Paris just before the birth of her twin daughters. With her heart still captive in her homeland, she haunts the Louvre each day, spending hours gazing at one painting, lost in her pain.

Not the man he once was, Timothy Smythe never returned home to England after the Great War. Instead, he hides himself away doing maintenance in the Louvre and watching the beautiful woman whose pain seems riveted on one painting.

When Katarina returns home to find her daughters and their nanny missing, the loss opens her eyes to all she has to lose now.

Frantic to find her girls, her distress causes Timothy to offer his assistance. Together they put together clues to a puzzle they must complete before the kidnapper ensures Katarina and her daughters are never reunited.

Slashed Canvas offers a retelling of The Lost Princess that mingles self-centered grief, spoiled little girls, and proof that nothing will stop a mother from saving her children.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 My Review: 

The Grand Duchess Katarina Volstova has had her entire world up-ended. Losing the love of her life, her husband she is rather on the run. Now she's in what we know as the City of Love, Paris. She gets to spend time in the world renowned Louvre, enjoying art and contemplating her life and loss, and the two babies she's carrying.

In an awful twist of events, her daughters and their nanny are kidnapped.  But how much of a life can she put together while trying to solve the mysteries of what's happened to her, her family, and why? With the help of a man who's watched over her, she might find answers, and her children. Can she overcome her pride, her spoiled attitudes and became a much different woman? God is willing to change lives, but are these lives willing to change? 

This is an excellent re-work of a lesser known fairytale and I feel that the author did a superior job of this, and gave us some twist, turns, and a good mystery as well. 

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

How Slashed Canvas Came to Be

 

It was the last evening of the SoCal Christian Writer’s Conference three years ago. A group of us decided that frozen yogurt sounded good, so we walked the few blocks from the university where the conference was being held to the local fro-yo shop.

 

On the way back, I was walking alongside fellow author Chautona Havig. We were chatting about various projects we had underway, and she mentioned that she and Sandy Barela from Celebrate Lit had come up with an idea for a boxed set. This involved taking a fairy-tale and turning it into a 1920s mystery. Would I be interested?

 

You don’t have to ask me twice if I’d like to be in a set with Chautona that’s put out by Sandy. Before I knew what was happening, I was agreeing to it. Then we got talking about what fairy tales I might use. As soon as she said The Lost Princess, an idea sparked in my brain. It really was that instant. 1920s. Princess. Russia. Exile.

 

This might come as a surprise to both Chautona and Sandy, but I really didn’t know the story of The Lost Princess. Not at all. When I was working up the idea, I had to read the story and figure out how to make my idea mesh with the fairy tale. Thankfully, the story did work well with what I intended to do with Slashed Canvas.

 

And that title? Well, that was quite difficult. At the time, my niece was staying with us and interning for me. One night, we sat and ran through idea after idea until we came up with “Something” Canvas. I wanted a strong adjective and we offered and rejected many until we came up with Slashed Canvas. I hadn’t written a word of the book, but I managed to work a slashed canvas into the story.

 

And what about the painting in Slashed Canvas? I knew I wanted it to be by a Russian artist and hang in the Louvre, but there weren’t (and aren’t) many paintings like that in the Louvre. Russia has been loath to allow any of its art to leave the country. So what was I going to do? I really was going crazy.

 

Then I spoke on the phone to Kristy Cambron. Not only is she a fabulous author, but she also has a degree in art history. It was her idea to make up my own painting. That way, I could make it work however I needed it to for the story. What a relief. I did just that, and the story flowed from there.

 

And the clues to the mystery? Those were my dad’s ideas. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil anything!

 

So that’s how Slashed Canvas came to be. It was the work of so many different people. Authors, much as we hide behind our computers, never work in a vacuum. Very often, there are many fingers in the pie to make the finished product.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 7

Texas Book-aholic, March 8

For the Love of Literature, March 8

Inklings and notions, March 9

Christian Bookaholic, March 9

For Him and My Family, March 10

Elly Gilbert, March 10

deb’s Book Review, March 11

By the Book, March 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 12

Blossoms and Blessings, March 12

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 13

Paula’s Persuasion, March 13

Connie’s History Classroom, March 14

Genesis 5020, March 14

Babbling Becky L’ s Book Impressions, March 15

Older & Smarter?, March 15

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 16 (Spotlight)

Blogging With Carol, March 16

Simple Harvest Reads, March 16 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, March 17

Maureen’s Musings, March 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 18

Connect in Fiction, March 18

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 19 (Author Interview)

Back Porch Reads, March 19

Mary Hake, March 19

Through the Fire Blogs, March 20

The Book Club Network, March 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon 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/1b4c3/slashed-canvas-celebration-tour-giveaway

Certain Truths by Stephanie Wyler

 Overview Media

www.overviewmedia.co.uk

About the Book: Jackson Berman’s career as a criminal-defense attorney was exploding. He was widely reputed to be defender of the innocent and protector of the rights of the guilty. The rightly and wrongly accused wanted him in their corner. But his marriage was imploding. He would stop at nothing to remain in his young daughter’s life, even if it meant giving in to his estranged wife’s whims and demands. While balancing the highs of his professional life with the lows of his personal life, he took on the most important and challenging client of his career—himself. Annoying acts of vandalism quickly escalated to attempts on his life. Searching for the person who wanted him dead, he found himself accused of a horrific crime that could send him to prison for the rest of his life. Who would defend the defender? Certain Truths is a compelling story of one man’s struggle to deal with exaggerations, distortions, and lies and his search for the peace that comes with living with the truth...no matter how ugly it is. “Stephanie Wyler’s ability to take the reader inside the personal and professional life of a criminal defense attorney will send you on a journey of unexpected twists and turns. Each page draws the reader in as the story begs the question: what are certain truths?” Sandy Phillips Kirkham, author of “Let Me Prey Upon You - Breaking Free from a Minister’s Sexual Abuse” Marketing & Distribution The marketing and publicity campaign for “Certain Truths” is being undertaken by the Page Publishing marketing department. Promotion of the book includes the dissemination and delivery of a high volume of press releases, various Twitter and Facebook postings, and assorted online advertising campaigns. “Certain Truths” is available for wholesale order through the Ingram Content Network. My Review: The title made me think of the US constitution, and this debut novel didn't fall short in any area. The expertise of the author showed through in the story, which pulled me right in and held me till last sentence.  Covering a big range of legal, moral, ethical issues, false accusations and more, it is harder to put this book into a small "nutshell". During the story, handling of victims, slinging blame, and all the lives of everyone involved in these crimes and this story are brought into the light as the plot progresses. It's easy to read, far deeper than I'd expected  with some twist here and there. Jax and the other characters were easy to connect to, and I found this book to be very emersive. An excellent debut, I hope to read more!  5 Stars.  About the Author Stephanie Wyler has been a juvenile court judge for more than thirty years. She is an assistant professor of criminal justice at the University of Cincinnati. She began her legal career as an assistant prosecutor, followed by more than a decade as a criminal-defense attorney. She is active in charitable organizations devoted to serving children. She is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati School of Criminal Justice and the College of Law. She and her husband live in Cincinnati and Northern Michigan. They have four children and three grandchildren. Certain Truths Author: Stephanie Wyler Format: 6x9 Paperback Pages: 278 Paperback Price: $19.95 ISBN (pbk): 978-1-6624-5154-6 Contact: Call 866-315-2708 for more information