The Duke’s Refuge

Posted on January 15, 2020January 14, 2020 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

My Thoughts

The Duke’s Refuge by author Lorri Dudley is a captivating Christian Historical Romance novel. It was easy to read and became a page turning delight. Author Dudley has penned a fabulous tale.

I was enamored immediately with Georgia. She is a lovely character, feisty, sassy, caring, and beautiful. It is easy to imagine having her as a friend. Harrison Wells is a strong leading man. They meet and sparks fly as they tend not to get along. That soon changes.

Faith and inspiration are prevalent throughout this Caribbean tale. The author writes in such a way that she takes readers to the sand and surf. Her style is pleasant and easy. I loved how the conversations flowed smoothly.

Expect a few twists and turns when reading this. Also, be prepared to read and not want to do anything else! I was so invested that I had to continue reading one more page until I had finished it.

I highly recommend this. It is a great entertaining and encouraging book. I rated it a 4 out of 5 stars. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but this is my honest opinion.

About the Book

Book: The Duke’s Refuge

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: January 7, 2020

When love comes in a tempest, who knew it would wear pink?

Georgia Lennox has traded in her boyish ways for pink gowns and a coy smile to capture the eye of the Earl of Claremont. However, on the day she’s convinced the earl will propose, Georgia is shipped off to the Leeward Islands to care for her ailing father. But when she arrives on Nevis, the last thing she expects is to learn that her abrupt departure was not at her father’s bidding but that of the infuriating, yet captivating, island schoolmaster. And now her plans may well be shipwrecked.

Harrison Wells is haunted by the memories of his deceased wife and hunted by the subsequent women who aspire to be the next Duchess of Linton. Desiring anonymity, he finds sanctuary in the Leeward island of Nevis. He’s willing to sacrifice his ducal title for a schoolmaster’s life and the solace the island provides. That is until unrest finds its way to Nevis in a storm of pink chiffon—Miss Georgia Lennox.

As Georgia and Harrison’s aspirations break apart like a ship cast upon the rocks, a new love surfaces, but secrets and circumstances drag them into rough waters. Can they surrender their hearts to a love that defies their expectations?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.

More from Lorri

After being buried under the largest snowfall in Massachusetts history, I wrote The Duke’s Refuge as an escape to warmer tropical climates, and what better respite than a romantic Caribbean isle with a mysteriously missing Duke? In the process I fell in love with the beauty of Nevis, it’s rich culture, and history.

My heroine Georgia lured me in the moment I realized she only wore pink. My psychology background had me digging deeper. I needed to know why. Why the obsession? What was the root behind the hurt? Why pink? How did she go from being a Tomboy to a dignified, Regency socialite? And how did she wind up in the Leeward Islands? Enter her beloved, sick father who always saw Georgia’s potential even when it was hidden under boy’s clothing and often smelled of marsh. Although, he held the best of intentions, his relocating to Nevis left Georgia with deep abandonment issues.

Harrison was a completely different beast. After reading about Mudlarks who trolled the Thames River searching for treasure and even picking the pockets of dead people washed up on the shores, I knew Harrison’s would wind up caked in the Thames’s thick mud and devastated at the loss of his wife. The Leeward island became not only a reprieve from his grief but also from the women who snuck into his carriage or cornered him at parties clamoring to become the next Duchess.

Oddly enough, part of the story formed when a friend of mine spoke of their family trip to visit his mother. She happened to own a parrot, and after a week of the kids yelling each other’s names, the parrot imitated their shrieking. Even long after they returned to the U.S. the bird still screeched out their names. I couldn’t resist adding a mimicking parrot to add a comical element and harass my main characters.

The Duke’s Refuge is meant to be a fish-out-of-water, case-of-mistaken-identity, love triangle romance with a happily-ever-after. It demonstrates how God’s love fervently pursues us, no matter how far we run, and that sometimes, something we would never have chosen can bless us in a way we would never have expected.

To learn more, check out my website at lorridudley.com or click here to watch The Duke’s Refuge’s book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D65yeAhswnI&feature=emb_logo

Blog Stops

Batya’s Bits, January 9

Genesis 5020, January 9

Texas Book-aholic, January 10

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 10

Betti Mace, January 11

KarenSueHadley, January 11

janicesbookreviews, January 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 12

Remembrancy, January 12

Reading Is My SuperPower, January 13

Through the Fire Blogs, January 13

Reflections From My Bookshelves, January 14

Kat’s Corner Books, January 14

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 15

Books, Life, and Christ, January 15

She Lives to Read, January 16

Blessed & Bookish, January 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 16

Daysong Reflections, January 17

Mary Hake, January 17

Inklings and notions, January 18

April Hayman, Author, January 18

For Him and My Family, January 19

Britt Reads Fiction, January 19

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, January 20

Hallie Reads, January 20

Pause for Tales, January 20

deb’s Book Review, January 21

Life of Literature, January 21

Just the Write Escape, January 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 22

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, January 22

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/f468/the-duke-s-refuge-celebration-tour-giveaway

“Faith is for Weak People, Responding to the Top 20 Objections to the Gospel” by Ray Comfort

Posted on May 20, 2019May 18, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

My Thoughts

This is a 224 page paperback Apologetic book by Ray Comfort that everyone should have in their Christian arsenal. Church libraries need this, also. In his book, author Ray Comfort takes the twenty most asked questions or objections to scripture and provides simple, accurate, easy to understand answers.

The writing is straightforward and so easy to understand. It’s in plain language so anyone will be able to comprehend it. The frank answers are biblically based and make sense. This is just the information any Christian needs to answer tough questions. Seekers would benefit from this book, also.

There are twenty chapters in this book, one for each question. The author answers them in a comfortable style that is like having a cup of coffee and chatting with a friend. The answers are so logical. Author Comfort has done his research and provided a remarkable book to aid in any discussion with non-believers in a non-combatant way.

The author has interviewed various people and incorporated their answers in this eye opening book. The answers to all of the questions are eloquently stated. This book does not want to offend but educate. Questions range from “If God is supposed to be in control of the world why does it seem so out of control?” and “If God is so loving why won’t Christians let gay people be themselves?” to “ The Bible was written by men. Men make mistakes?” and “ what’s so bad about other religions?”

This phenomenal book begins with a table of contents and then a short introduction. These are followed by its twenty chapters. Each chapter answers one of the questions and at the end has follow-up or study questions or further delving into its topic. After the twenty chapters are Conclusion, Notes, and information on the author.

I highly recommend recommend this book. It will be a staple on my bookshelf for future reference. Everyone should read this amazing book. Answers to hard questions are tackled and successfully answered in a magnificent way. It is biblically based and organized in such a way that the information flows from the pages into the readers’ minds and hearts. Anyone would benefit from reading this book.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars. A copy was provided by the publisher but I was under no obligation to write a review.

About the Book

Every day that we interact with the world, we are in a battle. At stake is the eternal destiny of the souls of our friends, family members, and coworkers. It is a battle we wage not only in prayer but also in words. When we are faced with objections to the faith we profess, are we ready to respond?

Apologist and evangelist Ray Comfort has spent his entire career answering objections to the faith, and he wants you to be equipped to do the same. In this practical book, he shows you how to answer 20 objections to Christianity, including questions such as

– What physical proof is there that God even exists?
– Why does a “loving” God threaten eternal torture for not believing in him?
– If there’s an all-powerful God, why is the world so out of control?

Don’t go into battle unarmed. Let Ray Comfort train you to be ready with an answer, not so you can be right, but so you can help bring people from darkness into light.

About the Author

Ray Comfort is the Founder and CEO of Living Waters and the bestselling author of more than 80 books, including God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life, How to Know God Exists, and The Evidence Bible. He cohosts the award-winning television program “Way of the Master,” airing in almost 200 countries, and is the Executive Producer of “180,” “Evolution vs. God,” “Audacity,” and other films. He is married to Sue and has three grown children, and hasn’t left the house without gospel tracts for decades.

Flights of Fancy Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted on January 18, 2019January 18, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Welcome to the Celebrate Lit Flights of Fancy Book Tour and Giveaway. I am glad you joined us. You are in for a treat as today I have not just a book review, but also a Q and A section with author Jen Turano, and a giveaway. Be sure to read all the way to the end for instructions. Let’s begin with my review of this stellar book. It is Book One in the author’s new American Heiress Series.

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To begin with I love the inspiration for this story. A real life what if! So many times I have wondered about how some situations might have turned out differently. Author took one with her creativity turned it into a wonderful Christian novel. This historical romance is filled with everything readers enjoy. I found romance, humor, animals, inspiration, action, adventure, and children along with a nice Christian message.

Author Turano has an enchanting style of writing. She is a witty and extremely talented storyteller. Her characters are well described and easily relatable. The main and even secondary ones were well rounded. Some were charming and lovable and others downright villains. Reading this book transported me back to 1885 and dropped me onto a farm. Within the first chapter I became invested in the book and did not want to stop reading. I was hooked. Poor Isadora being pursued by a repulsive older man. Yes, I could feel her disgust and outrage! Her emotions transferred to me.

The conversations between characters were plentiful and always a favorite part of any book for me. Dialogue flowed smoothly without sounding forced. The descriptions were historically accurate and I even learned a thing or two. The farm setting was adorable. This book had me smiling from ear to ear.

This 385 page paperback was extremely well written, well researched, and well planned. Parts of the storyline took me by surprise. I love twists and turns in fiction. It keeps me from being bored. Flights of Fancy also had many moments that made me giggle. The humor in this is literally laugh out loud great. Yes, I was well entertained and also inspired. The lessons of God’s Grace and plans for us, the importance of praying, and of becoming a better person were woven perfectly throughout the story.

Definitely this gets a recommendation from me. Anyone would enjoy reading this sweet book. Historical fans, romance fans, inspirational fiction fans all would be captivated. I certainly was. This would be another good Book Club read. There is so much to discuss over coffee or tea with friends. It earned 5 out of 5 stars from me.

A reader copy was provided but I was under no obligation to write a review. All thoughts are my own, honest ones.

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My Rating:

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Title: Flights of Fancy

Author: Jen Turano

Genre: Christian Historical Romance, Gilded Age

Release date: January 1, 2019

Publisher: Bethany House

Miss Isadora Delafield may be an heiress, but her life is far from carefree. When her mother begins pressuring her to marry an elderly and uncouth duke, she escapes from the high society world she’s always known and finds herself to be an unlikely candidate for a housekeeper position in rural Pennsylvania.

Mr. Ian MacKenzie is known for his savvy business sense and has built his reputation and fortune completely on his own merits. But when his adopted parents are in need of a new housekeeper and Isadora is thrown into his path, he’s unexpectedly charmed by her unconventional manner.

Neither Isadora nor Ian expected to find the other so intriguing, but when mysterious incidents on the farm and the truth of Isadora’s secret threaten those they love, they’ll have to set aside everything they thought they wanted for a chance at happy-ever-after.

About the author:

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One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO.

Q & A With Jen Turano

“Flights of Fancy” is the first book in the American Heiress Series. What inspired you to write this series?

The inspiration for this entire series started off with a What If? All of my proposals for new series start off that way, and this time it was – What if Consuelo Vanderbilt had balked when her mother insisted she marry the Duke of Marlborough – and then that led to – What if she’d run away until her mother came to her senses? Just like that, an entire series was born – a bit of a different take on American heiresses because in all three books, my heiresses might decide to go a tad…rogue. We start off with Miss Isadora Delafield – who does run off to avoid marriage to a duke, then we get to meet Miss Poppy Garrison, who is an unexpected heiress but who can’t quite seem to get a handle on the expected social decorum of the day, and then the final book revolves around Miss Beatrix Waterbury – who gets banished to Chicago after she annoys her mother one too many times, and once there, well, gets up to a bit of mischief.

How do you come up with the names of your characters?

I find most of my names as I research the New York Four-Hundred, although I normally take a first name here, a last name there so I’m not stepping on any toes by writing about an actual historical figure – except for some of the main figures in New York society back then, such as Mr. Ward McAllister – who was the social arbiter of the day, or Mrs. William Astor, who was the queen of that society. What I don’t do is simply make up names, no matter how outrageous they may appear. And, no matter how I may love a certain name, if the character decides it doesn’t suit them, that’s it, it’s out and I’m back to the drawing board.

How do you picture your character? Do you use Pinterest, magazines, movies?

Odd as this may seem, I don’t use pictures for my characters. They start off in my mind as a blurry figure, and then, they develop from there – I like to keep my descriptions of them somewhat vague on the pages so that the reader can imagine them exactly the way they’d like them to be.

What are some of your favorite resources for historical research?

I’ve been building up a research library over the past few years and now have over 200 books dedicated to the Gilded Age. My favorites are – “A Season of Splendor” by Greg King, “Society as I Have Found It” by Ward McAllister, “The Gilded Age in New York – 1870-1910” by Esther Crain, and “ ‘King Lehr’ and the Gilded Age” by Elizabeth Drexel Lehr.

The setting for “Flights of Fancy” is a bit of a departure for you since it’s set in and outside of Pittsburgh. Any reason for that?

My mom was born in Pittsburgh, and unfortunately, her father, a prominent attorney back in the day, died when she was only four. I thought it would be cool to set a story in Pittsburgh, which would then allow me to really dive into some research. And get this – while I was doing that research, I found this obscure journal called “Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. In that journal was a bit about my great-grandfather, Fred, his wife, Susie, my grandfather, and his brother and sister, but I’d never heard about this brother, who apparently died quite young. One of the most fabulous research tidbits I’ve uncovered to date.

What are you working on now?

I’ve just recently turned in the content edits for the second book in this series, “Diamond in the Rough,” and I’ve also turned in a novella about the Harvey Girls that will be coming out in a novella collection in Fall, 2019. With those out of the way, I’m now starting the third and final book in the American Heiress series, Miss Beatrix Waterbury’s story, but I’m having a bit of a struggle with the hero at the moment – he was supposed to be Edward, but he doesn’t want to be an Edward – I think he wants to be Norman – but, time will tell on that one – don’t hold me to the name – it’ll depend on if he changes his mind or not – pesky characters.

You seem to enjoy adding animals in many of your stories. Will we find any animals in “Flights of Fancy?”

Since Miss Isadora Delafield ends up on a farm, I do believe you will find a few animals, such as an adorable cow by the name of Buttercup, a few goats that seem to have a great liking for laundry, and…there might be some chickens.

Thanks for stopping by today, everyone! Always enjoy visiting with all of you – in fact, that’s the best part of my job!

All the best,

~ Jen ~

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, January 10

Among the Reads, January 10

Through the Fire, January 10

To Everything A Season, January 10

Reflections From My Bookshelves, January 11

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 11

Blogging With Carol, January 11

Southern Gal loves to Read, January 11

Back Porch Reads, January 12

KarenSueHadley, January 12

Godly Book Reviews, January 12

Daysong Refections, January 12

Livin Lit, January 13

The Christian Fiction Girl, January 13

The Becca Files, January 13

Texas Book-aholic, January 13

Rebekah’s Quill, January 14

Blossoms and Blessings, January 14

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, January 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 14

All-of-a-kind Mom, January 15

Just the Write Escape, January 15

Stories By Gina, January 15

God’s Little Bookworm, January 16

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, January 16

Splashes of Joy, January 16

Janices book reviews, January 16

Happily Managing A Household of Boys, January 17

Mary Hake, January 17

Maureen’s Musings, January 17

Bibliophile Reviews, January 17

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 18

Baker Kella, January 18

Simple Harvest Reads, January 18 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 19

Captive Dreams Window, January 19

Robin is Bookish, January 19

Carpe Diem, January 19

Have A Wonderful Day, January 20

Life with the Tribe, January 20

Inklings and Notions, January 20

Rachel’s Back Talk, January 21

Inspiration Clothesline, January 21

amandainpa, January 21

A Baker’s Perspective, January 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 22

Pause for Tales, January 22

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, January 22

Raining Butterfly Kisses, January 23

Live Love Read, January 23

A Rup Life, January 23

Bigreadersite, January 23

Giveaway!!

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To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away a grand prize of a trunk filled with all of Jen’s full-length novels released to date!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Giveaway

Between Two Shores by author Jocelyn Green

Posted on January 10, 2019January 9, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

In her book Between Two Shores, author Jocelyn Green has written a hauntingly beautiful novel. This 400 page historical romantic fiction is in 1759 but goes back a few years to when the main character, Catherine Stands-Alone, is just ten years old. Using the backdrop of the French and Indian Seven Years War, author Green spins a captivating tale of faith, hope, finding one’s place, loyalty, bravery, courage, and love.

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Catherine is part Mohawk and part Canadian- French. Her character is well defined and relatable. At times I hurt with her as her emotions seeped from the pages into me. Other times I would get frustrated with her obstinance. Yes, I wanted to give her some advice. She just wanted to love and be loved. Don’t we all?

The other characters were equally well created. They were well rounded with lovable and dislikable traits. The scenery was vividly described which took me right there. I could hear the animals and see the water. The trading post was easy to imagine.

Author Green has a way with words. I was immediately interested in the story, and this is before Chapter 1. By the time I finished the Prologue and Chapter 1, I has deeply invested in the lives of the characters. The story was well researched and provided historic information on a subject which was not familiar. I love a novel that teaches me something. It also contains some twists and turns along the way.

At the end of the book are discussion questions. I love, love, love it when an author includes those whether for personal growth or group study. There are also author notes explaining which events and people are factual. Again, I love this.

Would I recommend this book? You betcha! Any history lover will devour this jewel in one sitting. It is an interesting, adventurous, historical, romance that has inspiration and encouragement. This would make a great small group book especially with the discussion guide. The book stayed with me long after I finished the last page. It would have been nice to have a group of friends to chat with about this brilliant book. It receives a 5 out of 5 stars from me. I received a copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All opinions are my own, honest ones.

About the Author:

Jocelyn Green is a former journalist who puts her investigative skills to work in writing both nonfiction and historical fiction to inspire faith and courage.

The honors her books have received include the Christy Award in historical fiction, and gold medals from the Military Writers Society of America and the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association.

Complex and nuanced characters, rich historical detail and twisting plots make her novels immersive experiences. Her fiction has been praised by Historical Novel Society, Romantic Times, Library Journal, historians specializing in her novels’ time periods, as well as popular and acclaimed authors Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, Jody Hedlund, Sarah Sundin, Joanne Bischof, Julie Lessman, and more.

Jocelyn loves Broadway musicals, the color red, strawberry-rhubarb pie, Mexican food, and well-done documentaries. She lives in Iowa with her husband, two children, and two cats she should have named Catticus Finch and Purrman Meowville.