Texas Tears Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted on September 20, 2019September 19, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Welcome to my stop on Celebrate Lit’s Book Tour for Texas Tears by author Caryl McAdoo. You will find information on this wonderful book and exquisite author. She has a generous giveaway so be sure to sign up. Grand prize is $50 gift card. There are four other prizes, too.

My Thoughts

Texas Tears is the second book in the Thanksgiving Books and Blessings Series featuring multiple authors. It is written by award winning, best selling author Caryl McAdoo. In this Christian Historical Western Romance, she again delivers a page turning novel.

In this story we meet Charity and Arlene, best friends. They both are interested in “Hart” Eberhart. Hart has an interfering mother. She tries to sway him in his decision about the girls. They begin the book a bit immature and bratty, but they are still sweet. There is also Landry from Louisiana as well as a cast of parents.

All of the characters are unique, well rounded, and realistic. Author McAdoo has a way of bringing her people to life on the pages. They become friends. I wanted to have a chat with the girls and their parents. Even Hart was someone with whom I wanted to have a conversation.

There are lovely inspirational messages in this novel. That is one of my favorite things about McAdoo’s writing. She writes to bring glory to God and to inspire her readers. Messages of trusting the future to God, forgiveness, redemption, respecting parents, living in unity and peace, and being unequally yoked are just a few packed into this delightful Christian sweet romance.

It did take me a few pages to get invested in this story. If you find that you start reading it and aren’t quite interested, please keep reading. It turns into a fascinating story that you will not want to put down.

I highly recommend this book. It is appropriate for teenagers and adults. Everyone will enjoy it and glean inspiration from the messages it holds. Caryl McAdoo is an exceptionally gifted writer, and this book is another great labor of love. It gets a 5 out of 5 stars from me. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit, but this is my honest opinion.

About the Book

Book: Texas Tears

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 2, 2019

Just like Mexico and the U.S. wanted the Republic of Texas; best friends Charity and Arlene want the same man. Who will Texas choose? Who will the man? Will Eberhart de Priest, the object of the young ladies’ desires, follow his heart or his mother’s advice? And what of the interloper from New Orleans who knows exactly whom he loves? Can a Christian find happiness with a non-believer? Only the Lord knows the future, but He does give the desires of the heart to those who delight in Him.

Click here to grab your copy.

About the Author

Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory—what she lives to do. Her award-winning, best-selling novels enjoy a lion’s share of 5-Star ratings from Christian readers around the world. With forty-five titles, it’s obvious she loves writing almost as much as singing the new songs the Lord gives her—listen to a few at YouTube. ‘Golden husband Ron shares four children and eighteen grandsugars. The McAdoos live in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas, waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl

TEXAS TEARS includes the vote to enter the Union or remain a Republic in 1845. Though it ended in an overwhelming approval to become a state, believe you me, tears fell all over Texas and have been falling since for some.

As a semi-closet secessionist, it wouldn’t bother me if the Texas Legislature voted tomorrow to become the Second Republic of Texas! There are plenty of true radicals living today in the Lone Star State who work diligently daily toward that end!

Anyway, tears also fell in the new Texas community where the four families first met in GONE TO TEXAS—the O’Neals, Van Zandts, Worleys, and Harrells—have been settling in five years. One of their own, Thomas Baldwin (introduced in book two, TEXAS MY TEXAS) represented them in the Texas Congress, going to Washington on the Brazos to vote!

Not all the tears that fell in that growing community were over the vote, but rather a man who came riding in on a magnificent black stallion. Eberhart de Vecchi was tall, handsome, and a perfect Prince Charming who swept the two young coming-of-age women there right off their high-topped shoes!

Friends their whole lives, the older, Charity O’Neal, claimed him right off, but Arlene Van Zandt the younger—only by six months and three days—who’s always given in before isn’t ready to acquiesce so quickly in this instance, smitten as she is.

And so, thar’s trouble in them thar hills! To thicken the sludge, enters the hard-working Landry Humble, Monroe’s (also introduced in book two TEXAS MY TEXAS) nephew. This young man, able to pick more than twice his weight in cotton in a day, knows immediately which lovely he wants.

My, my, my . . . the tears do fall in Texas, and not everyone can have a happy ending. Or can they?

Blog Stops

For Him and My Family, September 16

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, September 17

Moments With Mercy, September 18

Sara Jane Jacobs – Blog, September 19

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 20

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 21

KarenSueHadley, September 22

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 24

Texas Book-aholic, September 25

janicesbookreviews, September 26

Emily Yager, September 27

A Reader’s Brain, September 28

Inklings and notions, September 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Caryl 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/e959/texas-tears-celebration-tour-giveaway

Beautiful in His Sight Celebrate Lit Book Tour

Posted on September 16, 2019September 16, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

My Thoughts:

Author April W. Gardner has written an historical Christian romance with Beautiful in His Sight. Set in 1917 Halifax, Scotia it centers around the Halifax Explosion. Before reading this book, I did not know about this WWI tragedy.

This is the first book I have read by Ms. Gardner. For me the beginning was a bit muddled and slow. It took quite a few pages for me to become interested. The characters were nice but not well defined. I was left with questions on many of them.

The love of Helen and Silas is sweetly told in this gritty tale of war, forgiveness, deceit, redemption, love, and trust. The author has filled it with history, inspiration, mystery, and twists. The second part of the book was much better for me. After that it became a page turner.

This book was well researched. There is so much history to be gleaned just by reading it. The author planned and organized it well. It is a rather long book, but don’t give up on it. It is worth reading.

I would recommend this to fans of WW1 fiction, historical fiction, and Christian fiction. I rated it a 4 out of 5 stars. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest thoughts.

About the Book:

Book: Beautiful In His Sight

Author: April W. Gardner

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: May 11, 2019

It’s 1917, and Halifax is at war. Silas Quinn, street sweeper and army reject, remains on the home front, shunning God and society as religiously as they shun him. But the night he stumbles across a half-frozen prostitute, his eyes blink open, and his greater purpose is born: preserve and protect.

There’d been a day when shop girl Helen Fraser was desperate enough to believe a few nights in a brothel would cure her troubles. By some miracle, Major Jack Gordon deemed her worth saving, but Helen knows her meticulously recreated identity cannot last. What she doesn’t expect is for its destruction to come about, not by an old john or one of the madam’s goons, but by a force great enough to flatten a city and bury her alive.

Set against the backdrop of the Halifax Explosion, Beautiful in His Sight is a Christian historical romance that explores unequivocal grace and identity in Christ.

Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Author

APRIL W GARDNER writes history with a Christian perspective and a little imagination. She is a copyeditor, military wife, and homeschooling mother of two who lives in Texas. She writes Christian historical romance with a focus on our Southeastern Native Tribes. In no particular order, April dreams of owning a horse, learning a third language, and visiting all the national parks.

April loves to hear from her readers at: aprilgardnerwrites@gmail.com

More from April

The Story Behind the Story

My novels are never purely fiction. They are stories constructed around truth, around some segment of the past that’s both stunning and stunningly forgotten. My latest novel, Beautiful in His Sight, is set during the Halifax Explosion, a WW1 event little known in most of the world. For those in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in December of 1917, it literally shattered their world.

That’s the setting we find my characters Silas and Helen struggling to survive, but—as in every good romance—love (and God’s grace!) brings them through.

The Story Behind the Setting

By December 1917, Halifax had passed tens of thousands of soldiers and sailors through its railyard and onto the naval vessels in its harbor. With the military came the prostitutes who migrated in droves to the slums. It’s reported that some days, the only passengers disembarking from the trains were women in short skirts. Slumdom’s seams overflowed with carnality, public drunkenness, and solicitations. Prostitution wasn’t the only job to be had for women. With so many men wearing army green, ladies of the proper class and training stepped behind registers and bookkeeping desks and kept Halifax running.

This is the world in which we find our female lead, Helen Fraser, a reformed prostitute desperately trying to start over as a salesclerk.

The Story Behind the Explosion

As Silas, the story’s male lead, puts it, the explosion was “a tragic accident, a miscommunication between passing ships.” In short, it was a dozen small decisions that accumulated to one very horrific event. The collision and blast released the equivalent energy of 2.9 kilotons of TNT and instantly obliterated everything within a half-mile radius. The munitions vessel that exploded, the Mont Blanc, rained iron shrapnel all over Halifax. Its 1,160-ton anchor landed 2.5 miles away where it can still be found today.

The numbers: Over 2,000 deaths. Over 1,000 injuries. Almost 300 blinded.

The Story Behind the Name

The name Helen Fraser (female lead) is an honoring nod to Helen Clark, a courageous young woman who survived the explosion. This is her story.

Helen Clark, age eight, was beginning her school day at St. Joseph’s when she felt something disturbing. “Like thunder was taking place alongside of you,” she later said, “instead of up in the sky.” She looked to the window and gaped at the glass bowing inward. She flung her arms over her face and ducked an instant before it blew in. Then, in her words, “The ceiling above gave way at one corner and down two sides of the room, hanging like the flap of a great envelope and spilling out children from the room above.”

A nun grabbed her arm and said, “My heavenly God, the Germans have arrived! Get down on your knees girls.” In lieu of prayer, Helen wrenched away and jumped out the second-story window, narrowly missing the debris that, in the next moment, struck and killed the nun. A snow mound broke Helen’s fall. Suddenly very tired, she laid down right there, feeling no cold or pain, and went to sleep.

Eventually, two men approached to see if she was dead. Though she couldn’t speak, she managed to get to her feet. They straightened the bow on the top of her head and told her to go home if she had one to go to. The blood crusted over her eyes limited her vision, but she shambled along best she could, recognizing nothing. She knew her street only by the change to cobblestones under her feet, and her grandmother recognized her only by the bow in her hair.

Quick-thinking and bold, little Helen avoided both death and blindness, and I’m honored to name my heroine after her.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, September 9

Emily Yager, September 10

Betti Mace, September 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 11

Avid Reader Nurse, September 11

Reading Is My SuperPower, September 12

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 13

Connie’s History Classroom, September 14

JosephineAnneWrites, September 14

For Him and My Family, September 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 15

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 16

A Reader’s Brain, September 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 17

Inklings and notions, September 18

CarpeDiem, September 19

Through the Fire Blogs, September 20

Bigreadersite , September 20

Inspired by fiction, September 21

Texas Book-aholic, September 21

janicesbookreviews, September 22

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, April is giving away a grand prize package of a $25 Starbucks gift card and a signed copy of her 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/ec01/beautiful-in-his-sight-celebration-tour-giveaway

Seeing Angels Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted on September 14, 2019September 14, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

My Thoughts:

Seeing Angels, How to Recognize and Interact with Your Heavenly Messengers by author Joshua Mills is a very interesting book. I am always leery when I see a book on Angels, but this one is different. It is biblically based and has quotes from Billy Graham. Most of all it states angels are not to be worshiped, only God gets that. It also discusses Heavenly angels and Dark angels.

Author Mills is forthcoming about his encounters with angels and shares how he believes anyone can see them and interact with them, too. He is adamant that angels are sent by God as His helpers and not something to be worshiped. I was relieved to read that. So many people get that part wrong.

Using his own experience, stories from others, and scriptural accounts of angels, the author has compiled a well written book. He has a nice writing style that is easy and pleasant to read. He has researched his subject well.

I learned some things from reading this book. According to the author colors and odors are associated with angels. This was the first time I have ever heard or read that.

The author has divided his book into three sections and gives in-depth information on spiritual warfare. Every Christian should be aware of this. That war is real.

This is a great book on angels. There is a plethora of information stated in an easy to understand manner. Many questions I had were answered. My interest was high throughout the entire book.

I highly recommend this to Christians wanting more information on angels and spiritual warfare. It is an eye opening book to say the least. This would make the perfect church group book to read and discuss. Every church library should keep a copy. I rated it a 5 out of 5 stars. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit, but this is my honest opinion.

About the Book:

Book: Seeing Angels

Author: Joshua Mills

Genre: Religion / Christian Theology/Angelology & Demonology

Release Date: September 3, 2019

A recent study found that 57 percent of Catholics, 66 percent of Evangelical Protestants, and 10 percent of Jews have reported having a personal experience with a guardian angel. And 20 percent of those who identified themselves as having no religion also claimed having encountered an angel.

Seeing Angels is one of the most in depth examinations of angelic ministry by one of the cutting-edge charismatic leaders in the church today. Joshua Mills goes beyond the usual takes on angels regarding spiritual warfare and explores who they are, how to recognize them, and what they do.

Part I, Understanding Your Angels, is all about understanding who angels are, exploring why they are necessary and how different angels minister comfort, healing, love, prosperity. It reveals who they carry out specific geographic assignments for cities and nations, as well as the more unique and extraordinary assignments they receive.
Part II, Discerning Your Angels, explains how to become more aware of the unseen heavenly realm, as well as how to recognize divine intervention when it does reveal itself to human sight. Such manifestations include random strangers, visions, or signs and messengers that believers receive. Joshua also explains the way he has interacted with visions of radiant light, swirling colors, and what he describes as atmospheric shifts. All of this is intended to make believers become more aware of both invisible and revealed spiritual realities.
Part III, Working with Your Angels, deals specifically with how to minister alongside these heavenly messengers as they stand watch, provide protection, and administer strength and comfort. This includes recognizing their movements and how to effectively pray for angelic encounters to take place.

With a foreword by Patricia King, Seeing Angels is among the most comprehensive teachings on recognizing angelic beings and understanding how to partner with them in ministry.

Click here to grab your copy.

About the Author

Joshua Mills is an internationally recognized ordained minister of the gospel, as well as a recording artist, keynote conference speaker, and author of more than twenty books and spiritual training manuals. His most recent book with Whitaker House was Moving in Glory Realms. He is well known for his unique insights into the glory realm, prophetic sound, and the supernatural atmosphere that he carries. For more than twenty years, he has helped people discover the life-shifting truth of salvation, healing, and deliverance for spirit, soul and body. Joshua and his wife, Janet, cofounded International Glory Ministries, and have ministered on six continents in over seventy-five nations around the world. Featured in several film documentaries and print articles, including Charisma and Worship Leader Magazine, together, they have ministered to millions around the world through radio, television, and online webcasts, including appearances on TBN, Daystar, GodTV, It’s Supernatural! with Sid Roth, 100 Huntley Street, and Everlasting Love with Patricia King. Their ministry is located in both Palm Springs, California, and London, Ontario, Canada, where they live with their three children: Lincoln, Liberty, and Legacy.

More from Joshua

Angels are a hot topic. A 2007 Baylor Religion Survey found that 57 percent of Catholics, 81 percent of black Protestants, 66 percent of Evangelical Protestants, and 10 percent of Jews reported having a personal experience with a guardian angel. And 20 percent of those who identified themselves as having no religion also claimed having encountered an angel.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 10

CarpeDiem, September 11

Godly Book Reviews, September 12

Through the Fire Blogs, September 13

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 13

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess , September 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 15

Vicky Sluiter, September 16

Spoken from the Heart, September 17

For The Love of Books , September 17

Texas Book-aholic, September 18

Retrospective Spines, September 19

Emily Yager, September 20

janicesbookreviews, September 21

A Reader’s Brain, September 22

Inklings and notions , September 23

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Joshua is giving away a grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card, copy of SEEING ANGELS, copy of Heaven and Angels by H.A. and copy of A Divine Revelation of Angels by Mary K. Baxter!!

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/e806/seeing-angels-celebration-tour-giveaway

Rose’s Redemption Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted on September 12, 2019September 11, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

My Thoughts:

Rose’s Redemption is Book Two in Author Donna L H Smith’s Historical Christian Western fiction series. I really enjoyed this book. It can be read as a stand alone. Book One is Meghan’s Choice.

The author takes readers back to 1870’s New Boston, Kansas, a gritty railroad town, for Book Two in her Known by Heart Series. Here we are reunited with old friends and make new ones. The book grabbed my attention from the beginning and I was immediately invested in the story.

The characters are realistic and wonderful. They are well rounded with flaws as well as redeeming characteristics. The town is a rough, Western town with bars, cowboys, and a railroad. My favorite thing is the boarding house. Author Smith does an excellent job taking me there.

The author has done her research well on that time period and place. She writes with a love for God and it shines through her story. I love Christian fiction that brings glory to God.

This tale deals with love, trust, forgiveness, prejudice, and redemption. There are many life lessons tucked in this story. It has a few twists to keep readers on their toes and want to keep turning those pages. I thought it was better than book one.

I highly recommend this western Fiction book. Most anyone will enjoy it and be inspired. It gets a 4 out of 5 stars from me. Celebrate Lit provided a copy but this is my honest review.

About the Book

Book: Rose’s Redemption

Author: Donna L. H. Smith

Genre: Christian Western

Release Date: November, 2018

A Former Dance Hall Girl. A Handsome Young Doctor. Can Rose overcome her past? That’s Rose’s Redemption

Rose Rhodes changed not only her name after the tornado; she changed her outward appearance. No more was she Rosalie O’Roarke, former dance hall girl. She loves her new work as a nurse-in-training to handsome Doctor Scott Allison. As Scott and Rose’s relationship begins to change from professional to personal, they must deal with figures from Rose’s past who make life anything but easy. Rose is concerned that the town will discover her dance hall girl past, especially when Jake Thomas, the man who viciously beat her, asks all over town where Rosalie O’Roarke went. But both Rose and Scott are in for surprise encounters with Christ that will change their lives forever and help them see His plan for them. In fact, they will see God at work all over New Boston.

Rose’s Redemption won second place in the 2017 Golden Leaf Award at the Advance Novelist Retreat and was a finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Phoenix Rattler Contest.

Click here to grab your copy.

About the Author

Donna L.H. Smith is a Kansas prairie girl transplanted to Lancaster County, PA. She is a graduate of Christian Writer’s Guild Craftsman program and holds two college degrees, both B.S. and M.A. in Mass Communication. She’s been married to a wonderful man named Kirby for thirty years. Her debut novel, Meghan’s Choice, made the finals of both the Selah and Will Rogers Medallion Awards. Rose’s Redemption, the sequel, also made the Selah Award finals in 2019. She blogs, speaks at workshops and holds inner healing retreats. Although she is at an age where many begin slowing down, she wouldn’t think of it. She served as Managing Editor of www.almostanauthor.com, an award-winning website for writers. She continues to serve as ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Mid-Atlantic Zone Director. She is also a member of AWSA’s Protégé program (Advanced Writers & Speaker’s Association).

More from Donna

Rose’s Redemption is the second book in the Known by Heart series. There were interesting challenges to this book.

First, how to change a rascal of an antagonist from Meghan’s Choice, to the romantic hero of Rose’s Redemption.

Second, I serve a supernatural God, so I wanted to include a little something different. It’s not spec-fic, but I hope people will enjoy Rafe. Answer the question for yourself whether or not he is an angel.

Third, I included in Rose’s history a bombshell from her mother. That was personal to me, only I didn’t discover it until two years ago.

The point of Rose’s Redemption is that our faith or our change cannot just be external, as Rose tried to do by changing her name, her appearance, and her profession—but an internal change of heart, too.

God is in the business of change

Blog Stops

Carla Loves To Read, September 5

CarpeDiem, September 6

Connie’s History Classroom, September 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 8

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 8

For Him and My Family, September 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 10

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, September 11

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 12

Texas Book-aholic, September 13

janicesbookreviews, September 14

A Reader’s Brain, September 15

Inklings and notions , September 16

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 17 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, September 18 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Donna is giving away the grand prize of a signed copy of her 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/e957/rose-s-redemption-celebration-tour-giveaway

Samson and Amish Delilah Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted on September 11, 2019September 8, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Welcome to my stop on the Samson and Amish Delilah Celebrate Book Tour. I hope you enjoy learning about the book and its author Thomas Nye. You will want to sign up for the giveaway. It is a Thomas Nye Gift Box, which includes four books by Thomas Nye: Samson and Amish Delilah, Under the Heavens, Amish Park, and Plain Everyday Heroes, along with bookmarkers and an Amish designed coloring book

My Thoughts:

I love Amish fiction. Even if you don’t, I think you will love this book. It is a delightful contemporary Christian Amish novel with a mystery and light romance. This book has something for everyone. It is the story of Dave and Delilah, an Amish girl. A book has been written about an Amish girl named Delilah and everyone is trying to find here.

Characters come to life on the pages and I found myself wondering if this was a true story. Now that is the mark of a good writer. Each character was realistic and had flaws as well as redeeming points. I became invested immediately and was drawn to the main character Delilah. She seemed like the kind of person I would befriend.

The cat and mouse chase with media had me turning pages. I was hoping they would not get caught. My emotions were overshadowed by those in the book. I was in deep!

There are many life lessons in this story. Forgiveness, redemption, lying, trusting God, and secrets are just a few of the ones tackled. It is a beautiful story with a few surprise twists and turns. The Christian Message is not hidden which is important to me in Christian books.

I highly recommend this lovely Amish tale to everyone. It has something for anyone with the mystery, adventure, romance, Amish, and contemporary story. I rated it 4 out of 5 stars. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but this is my honest opinion.

Click here to get your copy!

About this Book

Book: Samson & Amish Delilah

Author: Thomas Nye

Genre: Christian Amish Fiction

Release Date: August 19, 2019

Everyone in America has fallen in love with Delilah, leading lady in a bestselling Amish novel. When media giants discover that Delilah is a real person, the pursuit is on. Dave joins the search not realizing that by finding her, he would fall into the story and become Samson.

About the Author

Thomas Nye writes novels about horses and Amish life, with a touch of romance, and a foundation of faith in Christ. He and his wife, Shari, live on her family farm where they raised five children. Their six grandchildren love to visit Karma and Karla, a team of draft horses which Thomas purchased from an Amish friend. Walking a mail route for the U.S. Postal Service keeps Thomas close to nature and affords him many quiet hours which he uses to dream up novels. Over three decades of friendships with Amish neighbors has revealed a simple wisdom that he weaves into his writing.

More from Thomas

Most authors agree that during the course of writing a novel, the characters seem to come alive and emerge with personality traits we ourselves didn’t originally plan to give them. Not only did the lead characters of Samson and Delilah take on a life of their own, they also pulled the story in a direction I never planned to go.

Samson and Amish Delilah is a book about a book. You will soon discover that the characters are reading along with you. They even try to guess the ending and have discussions about it. As I worked on the final few chapters, I could almost feel Samson and Delilah urging me forward, as though they needed me to write out solutions to the issues they were facing. I could almost hear them calling to me, “Please—finish this book—we want the world to hear our story.”

Maybe all of this is just me projecting my feelings on them. LOL. Either way, I’ve gotten to know Samson and Delilah pretty well and I’m sure they would want you to smile, laugh, cry, and learn about the power of forgiveness along with them.

Thomas Nye

P.S. It so happens that I feel Samson and Delilah nudging me forward with a follow-up novel. Wink, wink.

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 6

For Him and My Family, September 7

Batywa’s Bits, September 7

Moments, September 8

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 9

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, September 9

Bigreadersite, September 10

Adventures of a Taveler’s Wife, September 10

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 11

Pause for Tales, September 12

Maureen’s Musings, September 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 13

Emily Yager, September 13

Older & Smarter?, September 14

Texas Book-aholic, September 15

Mary Hake, September 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 16

janicesbookreviews, September 17

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, September 17

Inklings and notions, September 18

For The Love of Books, September 18

A Reader’s Brain, September 19

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Thomas is giving away a Thomas Nye Gift Box, which includes four books by Thomas Nye: Samson and Amish Delilah, Under the Heavens, Amish Park, and Plain Everyday Heroes!! Along with bookmarkers and an Amish designed coloring 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/ec39/samson-amish-delilah-celebration-tour-giveaway

Surf Smugglers Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted on September 6, 2019September 6, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Today is my stop on Celebrate Lit’s book tour and Giveaway for Author Melody Carlson’s Surf Smugglers. I hope you enjoy learning about the book and author. Be sure to sign up for the giveaway at the bottom.

My Thoughts

Surf Smugglers is Book 3 in Melody Carlson’s series “The Legacy of Sunset Cove.” It can easily be read as a stand alone, but it would be much better if you read the first two books in the series first. This book is utterly captivating.

Author Carlson has published over 200 books and her style of writing is flawless. Characters are so realistic they practically jump off of the pages. It is easy to become friends with them and imagine their lives as well as feel their emotions. I was happy to visit with my friends Anna and Katy again.

This is the tale of Anna McDowell, her daughter Katy, and parents Mac and Lucille. The United States is passing the Selective Service Act as the it joins The Great War in Europe. I gleaned some historical details from this book, which for me is always a bonus. The author did her research well.

Set in Oregon in 1917, this is filled with timely issues of war, prejudice, race, NAACP, journalism, and women’s rights and independence. Brimming with mystery, romance, intrigue, adventure, suspense and drama, this novel grabbed my attention early and held it throughout the entire book. It was easy to become invested in the exceptional story.

The element of faith and inspirational is present. A strong lesson of forgiveness is presented as well as grace. Even everyday Christian life is portrayed. It is nice to not need to seek the faithful message in a Christian novel but have it upfront.

I highly recommend this historical Christian fiction. It is engaging, enlightening, and encouraging. From me it gets a five out of five stars. I received a copy of this from Celebrate Lit and the publisher, and this is my own honest review.

About the Book

Book: Surf Smugglers

Author: Melody Carlson

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: August 15, 2019

In the summer of 1917, US troops join the allied forces in the Great War. Back in Sunset Cove, Oregon, other battles wage. Anna McDowell continues to fight old fashioned stereotypes as she runs a newspaper committed to truth. Despite opposition, she’s determined to expose ongoing rum-running and prohibition lawlessness.

Adding to Anna’s frustrations, her good friend Dr. Daniel seems to run hot and cold. He loves Oregon, and maybe Anna too, but he’s pulled by his East Coast family responsibilities. Even the lure of a new modern Sunset Cove hospital doesn’t seem enough to keep him in Sunset Cove.

Meanwhile, Anna’s strong-willed daughter Katy continues to develop her dress shop by inviting family friend Sarah Rose to help out. But the woman’s presence tests the small town’s tolerance. And Anna’s concern that her daughter is growing up too fast is confirmed when Katy’s romantic life takes an unexpected turn, which Anna fears is influenced by the pressure of a devastating war that is not only changing the entire world but Sunset Cove as well.

Click here to grab your copy.

About the Author

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women, and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, True Colors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including RT’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita, and the Gold medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog.

More from Melody

My favorite way to learn history is through historical fiction—both by reading and by writing it. And I’ve discovered that World War 1 (previously known as the Great War, since WW2 had yet to happen) is quite fascinating. As well as incredibly sad. But I’m amazed at how science and technology evolved so quickly in this era. Whether it was advancement in automotive, communication, medicine . . . the culture was rapidly changing. And the war pushed it along at an even faster pace.

Another factor that makes this era interesting is prohibition. Oregon, my home state and where I set my series, was one of the earliest states to adopt prohibition of alcohol—in 1914. As a result, Oregon became ripe territory for bootlegging and rum-running along the coastline. And because my series involves a small town coastal newspaper that’s run (gasp!) by a woman, it gets even more interesting—and exciting!

Speaking of women, the suffrage movement was approved in Oregon in 1912—also well ahead of the rest of the nation (and the main reason that prohibition passed). My theory on why this happened is that the brave women who’d made the arduous journey West (via perilous wagon train or long hard voyages on clipper ships) were strong and opinionated and tough. And many of them were sick and tired of drunken slacker husbands. Also, thanks to Oregon’s amazing land donation act of 1850, many of these women were equal landowners to their husbands—and land equaled power.

Of course, what these suffragette-prohibition supporters didn’t realize is that banning alcohol would make matters worse because bootlegging and rum-running suddenly became a very lucrative business. The crime rate soared and the booze continued to flow freely. But all this makes for good newspaper stories, keeping our female editor in chief rather busy. In the first two books of the series, Anna McDowell has her hands full with trying to run her ailing father’s newspaper, restoring family relationships, and staying ahead of the growing crime element in Sunset Cove.

By book three, Surf Smugglers, Anna has her feet under her and doing a good job of standing up to the criminal element in their region. But by now the Great War is really heating up and the United States must get involved. Of course, this means that many young men, as well as Anna’s very good friend Dr. Daniel Hollister, are being shipped overseas to serve. Meanwhile, there is plenty of trouble at home. And the rum-runners, who despise the newspaper’s support of prohibition, target Anna’s good friend Sarah Rose because she’s a woman of color who’s sought refuge from the big city . . . and naturally things get dicey.

I’m currently finishing up the fourth and final book of the Legacy if Sunset Cove series, and I’m sad to think my ‘history lesson’ in this interesting era is drawing to an end. Not only have I learned a lot, I’ve really come to love the McDowell family . . . and I’m getting worried that not all the men from Sunset Cove will survive the brutal war. Of course, this is fiction . . . but the war was very real and the losses were great. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the war to end all wars like they’d hoped, but I appreciate the sentiment . . . and continue to pray for world peace.

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, August 31

Connect in Fiction, August 31

Among the Reads, September 1

She Lives To Read, September 1

Through the Fire Blogs, September 1

For Him and My Family, September 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 2

Just the Write Escape, September 3

Patiently Waiting, September 3

Blogging With Carol , September 3

CarpeDiem, September 4

Betti Mace, September 4

Christian Bookaholic , September 4

Reflections From My Bookshelves, September 5

Wishful Endings, September 5

Remembrancy, September 5

Maureen’s Musings, September 6

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess , September 6

Bigreadersite , September 7

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 7

It’s Story Time With Van Daniker, September 7

Connie’s history classroom , September 8

For the Love of Literature, September 8

Hallie Reads, September 8

Moments, September 9

Simple Harvest Reads, September 9

FOR THE LOVE of Books , September 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 10

Pause for Tales, September 10

To Everything A Season, September 10

Retrospective Spines, September 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 11

Texas Book-aholic, September 11

Older & Smarter?, September 12

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 12

janicesbookreviews, September 13

A Reader’s Brain, September 13

Inklings and notions , September 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Melody is giving away the grand prize of three of her books: Harbor Secrets, Riptide Rumors, and Surf Smugglers!!

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/e982/surf-smugglers-celebration-tour-giveaway

Adventures in Poverty Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted on August 29, 2019August 23, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Welcome to my stop of Celebrate Lit’s Book Tour for Adventures in Poverty. I hope you enjoy learning about this book and author. At the end is a giveaway for you to enter. The author will choose someone to win a copy of her book plus a $50 Amazon gift card. Be sure to enter.

My Thoughts:

Author Nancy Bolton has written a poignant memoir in her book “Adventures in Poverty.” She is frank and totally transparent about her life after her husband lost his job causing the family to move their trailer to an undeveloped piece of land. Her book is written like a diary or conversation with the reader.

The cover drew me to the book. It is whimsical and looked serene. The stories inside the covers were not. There are stories about animals, neighbors, family issues, money or lack of it problems, gardening, struggles, and more. I was disappointed in the light mention of God and faith.

It took me a bit to get invested in the story and even then my attention wandered. The book was a daily “what we did” and became mundane. I lost interest and actually skimmed over some of it. There are flashback from their life before.

The author lived an impressive life. I could not have managed it. She was the anchor for her family that lived with no electricity or running water. Nancy was a genius is stretching her groceries and meal planning.

I would recommend this for people that enjoy memoirs about living off of the grid. This book is not a page turner but has some nice stories. It shows how a family must work together peacefully. Celebrate Lit provided a copy but this is my honest opinion.

About the Book:

Book: Adventures in Poverty

Author: Nancy Bolton

Genre: Memoir

Release Date: July 30, 2019

Faced with eviction, living on union strike pay, our time for making a decision was running out. Where could we go to live with our five small sons? We had few options. The scariest possibility was also the one that fit best with our tiny income. But could we really make such a difficult move? To transport our family, and our mobile home onto a five-acre parcel of rural, undeveloped land? No electricity, no running water, with winter fast approaching. It sounded a little crazy…….

About the Author:

Nancy Shew Bolton is a wife, mother, grandmother, jewelry maker, crochet crafter, and of course: a writer! She lives in upstate New York in a lovely scenic region known as The Fingerlakes. Widowed last year, she is comforted by her five sons, two grandchildren and a marvelous array of family and other loved ones. She loves the creative process, and puts her whole focus into the stories she writes. May you be entertained and uplifted by them!

More from Nancy:

Sometimes life hands out an unexpected challenge, and the direction you mapped out for your family comes up against a big roadblock. And there you are, trying to navigate back to a path that makes sense. One that would be as close to the previous path as you can get. But our only options led us in directions far away from what we were used to.

Blog Stops:

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 24

Quiet Quilter, August 25

The Avid Reader, August 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 28

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 30

Texas Book-aholic, August 31

janicesbookreviews, September 1

A Reader’s Brain, September 2

Power of Words, September 3 (Spotlight)

Inklings and notions , September 4

Lots of Helpers, September 5

Just the Write Escape, September 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Nancy is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and eBook copy of her 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/e7c7/adventures-in-poverty-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Faith of Mike Pence Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted on August 25, 2019August 24, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Thank you for taking time to read my stop on Celebrate Lit’s Book Tour and Giveaway for “The Faith of Mike Pence.” I hope you will enjoy learning about the book, the author, and Vice President Pence. Make sure you enter the giveaway for a $20 gift card, hardback copy of the book, and adult Faith and Freedom Coloring Book.

My Thoughts:

Vice President Mike Pence is quoted in author Leslie Montgomery’s book saying “I’m a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order.” My heart warmed when I read that. Author Montgomery did an outstanding job with this biography focusing on faith which Mr. Pence has unquestionably.

There are eighteen chapters in this open, frank book on the Vice President. I was not expecting so much scripture. It was a pleasant surprise. It is obvious that Mike Pence is a man of great faith. In my humble opinion he should be praised for that and not ridiculed or scoffed.

I liked the author’s easy style of writing. She had notes to back up her facts. The book was excellently planned and organized. I learned a lot of things about Mr. Pence. He was named after his maternal grandfather for one. He tells the complete story of his faith from being a young child in a faithful Christian home to being a straying teen and finally coming back to the Lord.

This is an uplifting, encouraging true story filled to the brim with faith. It will give readers a clearer view into the heart of Mike Pence. I loved it and would highly recommend it. Everyone should read it to get to know our Vice President better. It definitely gets a 5 star rating. Celebrate Lit provided a copy but these are my honest thoughts.

About the Book

Book: The Faith of Mike Pence

Author: Leslie Montgomery

Genre: Biography, religious, political

Release Date: August 6, 2019

Several books have been published about Vice President Mike Pence, but none have touched upon what may be the most fascinating aspect of our nation’s second in command: his deep faith.
The Faith of Mike Pence offers an intimate look at the man who calls himself “a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order.”
Author Leslie Montgomery details Pence’s spiritual journey and examines how the vice president’s commitment to Christ has been a key component in his life as a husband, father, and public servant. Montgomery examines Pence’s encounters with politicos and evangelistic leaders such as James Dobson and Charles Lake. She shows the role of Pence’s faith in running for various offices, implementing faith-based initiatives, and responding to 9/11, the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the infamous Anthrax scare in Congress that directly affected him.
The Faith of Mike Pence is a powerful account of one of the most conservative vice presidents in American history, with exclusive interviews and insightful commentary from friends, family, and colleagues. It is a serious and moving reflection about one of America’s most admired and respected politicians.

Click here to grab your copy.

About the Author

Leslie Montgomery is the author and ghostwriter of over a dozen books. She is best known for writing the spiritual biography, The Faith of Condoleezza Rice, when Rice was serving our nation as secretary of state in the George W. Bush administration.

Leslie has been a writer for Focus on the Family for more than twenty years and is the former director of publications for the American Association of Christian Counselors.

She is also the founder of Yeshu’a Ministries, with the goal of helping people gain a better and closer relationship with the Lord through her writing, speaking, and teaching ministry. She has traveled to churches and conferences around the world through her evangelical ministry, sharing the Word of God.
Leslie has four children and six grandchildren. She resides in Boise, Idaho

More from Leslie

In 2006, I wrote and released The Faith of Condoleezza Rice, know-ing it might be years before I published another book. My husband and I were undergoing fertility treatments and vowed that if I got pregnant, I’d take a few years off of working outside the home to raise my children until they were in school full-time. Well, I did get pregnant and we had two children in the span of two-and-a-half years.

In early summer 2017, with two kids getting ready to start school again, I prayed and asked God to send me a new book contract; it was time to get back into the thick of things. Two weeks later, I dreamt that I was to write The Faith of Mike Pence. The truth is, neither he nor his faith were even on my radar. I got out of bed and began doing a little research. I wrote a book proposal for different publishers and began to accumulate a list of people I hoped to interview.

My overall goal with this book is not to set the vice president up as a spiritual hero, but to show the heart of the real man—as a Christian, husband, father, and politician. In doing so, I tried to allow his own words and those of his family, friends, and colleagues tell his story while I served as a conduit to weave it together. My prayer is that it inspires, encourages, and challenges you. —Leslie Montgomery

Blog Stops

Through the Lens of Scripture, August 17

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 18

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 18

CarpeDiem, August 19

My Devotional Thoughts, August 19

Seasons of Opportunities, August 20

Mary Hake, August 20

Genesis 5020, August 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 21

Vicky Sluiter, August 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 23

Moments, August 23

A Reader’s Brain, August 24

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 26

Stephanies Life of Determination, August 26

Inklings and notions, August 27

Captive Dreams Window, August 28

Texas Book-aholic, August 28

janicesbookreviews, August 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 29

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, August 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Leslie is giving away a grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card, hardcover copy of The Faith of Mike Pence, and Faith and Freedom Adult Coloring Book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/e805/the-faith-of-mike-pence-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Yellow Lantern Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted on August 24, 2019August 20, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Thank you for stopping by today to see the Celebrate Lit Tour information on The Yellow Lantern. The author has a generous giveaway of three books and a $25 Amazon gift card. Be sure to enter and maybe you will win!

My Thoughts:

The Yellow Lantern by Author Angie Dickens is Book 3 in the True Colors, Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime Series. Each book in this series is based on a true historical crime. This one is extremely haunting and I find myself still thinking about it. There was much to consider in this Christian fiction.

My interest was immediately piqued and held throughout the book. There were many twists, turns, and surprises that made this book a page turner. It was well planned and well written.

This was the story of Josephine (Josie) Clayton set in 1824 Massachusetts. It is a gritty tale of grave robbers but much more. Josie loves healing and using medicinal herbs and plants. She works at a cotton mill and helps out the girls there. I learned a lot about the early cotton mill as well as thoughts, actions, and customs of early 1800’s. The author has done her research well and readers are rewarded.

Descriptions are vivid and on point. The characters are believable but not all relatable. A few were detestable. Morals had vanished in some but not all. Inspiration is delicately woven throughout this scary story. There is romance, intrigue, crime, mystery, grief, drama, suspense and many life lessons.

This book was made even better knowing it was based on a true story. It was hard to comprehend the lengths some people went to when they wanted something. I felt sorry for those being blackmailed.

I would recommend this to readers that enjoy true historical crimes and gothic novels. It is not what I normally read, but the author did a very good job. I rated it 4 out of 5 stars. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit but these are my honest thoughts.

About the Book:

Book: The Yellow Lantern

Author: Angie Dicken

Genre: Christian Historical/Suspense

Release Date: August, 2019

Josephine Is Forced to Spy for Grave Robbers
Step into True Colors—a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime

In Massachusetts in 1824, Josephine Clayton awakes on the table of the doctor she’s assisted all these months. She was presumed dead by all and has become the doctor’s next corpse for his medical research. Frightened, the doctor tries to kill her, but Josephine begs to be spared. A deal is struck—Josie will leave her village and work at a distant cotton mill. All the while, she’ll await her true mission—posing as a mourner to help his body snatcher procure her replacement. At the mill though, Josie is praised for her medical remedies among the mill girls, gaining attention from the handsome factory manager Braham Taylor. Yet, when Braham’s own loved one becomes the prey for the next grave robbing, Josie must make a choice that could put her dark past behind her or steal away the promise of any future at all.

What price will Josie pay for love when her secrets begin to unravel?

Click here to grab your copy.

About the Author

Angie Dicken credits her love of story to reading British literature during life as a military kid in England. Now living in the U.S. heartland, she’s a member of ACFW, sharing about author life with her fellow Alley Cats on The Writer’s Alley blog and Facebook page. Besides writing, she is a busy mom of four and works in Adult Ministry. Angie enjoys eclectic new restaurants, authentic conversation with friends, and date nights with her Texas Aggie husband. Connect with her online at www.angiedicken.com.

More from Angie

Barbour’s True Colors Crime concept intrigued me from the very beginning. Being the daughter of a doctor and discovering the ties of grave robbing to the early medical profession, I was excited to dive deep into 19^th century Massachusetts. Grave robbing around Boston and New York was often employed by doctors desperate for medical advancement. Men and women were both involved in the procuring of bodies for doctors. Finding these accounts led me to take took a look at the current medical remedies of the time—tinctures, elixirs, and herbal concoctions. My heroine was created in the tension of a desire to heal and the desperation of medical pursuits.

Amidst these medical ties to the historical moment of 1824, something was also shifting among women in rural areas of New England. Many women were employed by newly built cotton mills (Lowell Mill was my inspiration for the fictional Gloughton Mill in The Yellow Lantern). These working opportunities for women offered an escape from their home-bound lives and the rare chance for independence. Of course, with such industrial environments, injuries, and sometimes death, would occur. Noting the accounts of these kind of fatalities in historical articles, my research came full circle.

I found three strong threads to weave into my grave-robbing story—desperate doctors in need of research, a doctor’s assistant needing an escape from her village, and a mill, not only offering that escape, but the chance at bodies for the desperate medical community.

My heroine, Josie Clay, found life in the tangle of these threads of mills, medicine, and grave robbing—all playing out within the pages of The Yellow Lantern.

Blog Stops

Genesis 5020, August 15

Seasons of Opportunities, August 15

All-of-a-kind Mom, August 15

Bigreadersite, August 16

Emily Yager, August 16

Inspired by fiction, August 16

The Christian Fiction Girl, August 17

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 17

Daysong Reflections, August 17

Retrospective Spines, August 18

Spoken from the Heart, August 18

Kathleen Denly, August 19

Through the Fire Blogs, August 19

Christian Bookaholic, August 19

Maureen’s Musings, August 20

For the Love of Literature, August 20

Simple Harvest Reads, August 21 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Godly Book Reviews, August 21

A Reader’s Brain, August 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 22

Betti Mace, August 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 22

Hallie Reads, August 23

Mary Hake, August 23

Inklings and notions, August 23

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 24

For Him and My Family, August 24

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, August 24

Connie’s History Classroom, August 25

Pause for Tales, August 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 25

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 26

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 26

amandainpa, August 26

Blossoms and Blessings, August 27

Texas Book-aholic, August 27

janicesbookreviews, August 27

Back Porch Reads, August 28

Just the Write Escape, August 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Angie is giving away a grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of each of the books 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/e71c/the-yellow-lantern-celebration-tour-giveaway1

Meghan’s Choice Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted on August 19, 2019August 16, 2019 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

I Welcome to my stop on the Celebrate Lit Tour for Meghan’s Choice. There is information on the book, author, and a giveaway. Be sure to sign up to win!

My Thoughts:

Meghan’s Choice by author Donna L. H. Smith is a Christian Historical Western Romance. It is the tale of Meghan Gallagher, a spoiled belle from St. Louis who ends up in the rowdy railroad town of New Boston, Kansas. It is filled with light, clean romance, some brawling violence, tender teaching about experiencing God, scripture, and drama.

The story is nice but I had a hard time engaging with the characters. For me they were not well rounded or developed. The conversations did not sound authentic or easy. It all sounded forced and out of the time period. There were a lot of characters that at times it was difficult to keep everyone straight.

The spiritual element was light until close to the end of the book. Then it was heavily laced and genuine. The author has injected humor and wit among the fighting and drama to make her story entertaining, but it needs more. The writing is uneven and at times sluggish.

Life lessons on hearing from God, equality, prejudice, trusting God, and helping others were the shining parts of the story. The sweet romance was a great lesson, too. Forgiveness, others and oneself, is discussed. I enjoyed the last third of the book much more that the beginning.

I was disappointed there were no Discussion Questions or Recipes. There was a lot of mention of cooking and dining so recipes would be a lovely addition. Group Questions would be helpful for a reading club.

I would recommend this for fans of Christian Western Historical fiction. It has the potential to be an excellent book with a few changes. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my own opinions.

About the Book:

Book: Meghan’s Choice

Author: Donna L. H. Smith

Genre: Christian Historical Western Romance

Release Date: November, 2017

Meghan Gallagher complies with her father’s demand that she work on her own for a year by choosing to tutor eight children in a wild Kansas railroad town. But she had no idea just how wild it was until she was rescued by a local dance hall the day she arrived, and soon after hit by a stray bullet. In short order, she meets a dark, handsome cowboy and a wholesome, attractive doctor who both vie for her heart. As things heat up around town, Meghan’s love life catches fire as well. Is she scandalous to allow both men to court her at the same time? And—how close a relationship with God does Meghan want? Will she draw near?

Meghan’s Choice (pre-published) was named a semi-finalist in the 2014 Operation First Novel by Jerry B. Jenkins and an honorable mention for the Golden leaf Award in 2015. Since publication, Meghan’s Choice was a Selah Award finalist and also in the Will Rogers Medallion Award.

Published in connection with Hartline Literary Agency, serving the Christian book community. Visit us at www.hartlineliterary.com.

Click here to grab your copy.

About the Author

Donna L.H. Smith is a Kansas prairie girl transplanted to Lancaster County, PA. She is a graduate of Christian Writer’s Guild Craftsman program and holds two college degrees, both B.S. and M.A. in Mass Communication. She’s been married to a wonderful man named Kirby for thirty years. Her debut novel, Meghan’s Choice, made the finals of both the Selah and Will Rogers Medallion Awards. Rose’s Redemption, the sequel, was just released. She blogs, speaks at workshops and retreats and although she is at an age where many begin slowing down, she wouldn’t think of it. Recently, she took on the role of Managing Editor of Almost an Author.com, and serves as ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Mid-Atlantic Zone Director. She is also a member of AWSA’s Protégé program (Advanced Writers & Speaker’s Association).

More from Donna

Back in 2012, I wrote “Zorro” stories for Fan Fiction. I had an awful lot of fun with them, and people seemed to really like them. So, the thought came, what could I write for ‘real?’ I contemplated, prayed, and after a couple weeks or so, an idea came floating across my brain.

“Gunfight at Hyde Park.” Huh? I thought about it, and realized it was an obscure history lesson from my hometown in Kansas. I had Google it to get the details. I thought, well, I’m not gonna write a Christian romance novel just about a series of gunfights that killed and wounded more people than the OK Corral.

But I did think that the beginning of the gunfights could be the climax of the story.

Now, who should my heroine be? And the hero?

I started with that and took Christian Writer’s Guild’s Craftsman and the novel was completed in 2013—but only published in late 2017.

I’m proud of Meghan’s Choice. Pre-published it made the semi-finals of the last Operation 1^st Novel that CWG held and placed in a couple of smaller contests. Last year, it made the finals of the prestigious Selah Awards for published books through the BRMCWC, and the finals of the Will Rogers Medallion Award.

My hope is that you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it.