Book Review and Giveaway: Stealing the Preacher

Karen Witemeyer is "kindling" the excitement for Stealing the Preacher (Bethany House) with a Kindle Fire Giveaway and connecting with readers at her June 18th Facebook Author Chat Party!

  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at 4pm on June 18th. Winner will be announced at the "Stealing the Preacher" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 18th. Connect with Karen for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Karen will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Stealing the Preacher and join Karen on the evening of June 18th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 18th!

About Stealing the Preacher:A cowboy who wants to be a preacher. An outlaw's daughter who wants to change his mind.
On his way to interview for a position at a church in the Piney Woods of Texas, Crockett Archer can't believe it when he's forced off the train by an outlaw and presented to the man's daughter as the preacher she requested for her birthday. He's determined to escape-which would be much easier if he could stop thinking about Joanna Robbins and her unexpected request.

For months, Joanna had prayed for a minister. A man to breathe life back into the abandoned church at the heart of her community. A man to assist her in fulfilling a promise to her dying mother. But just when it seems her prayers have been answered, it turns out the parson is there against his will and has dreams of his own calling him elsewhere. Is there any way she can convince Crockett he ended up right where he was supposed to be?

With her signature blend of humor, history, and lively western romance, two-time RITA Award finalist and bestselling author Karen Witemeyer delivers a Texas love story sure to steal your heart.

Purchase a copy here: http://ow.ly/lnKcM

Meet Karen:

Two-time RITA finalist and winner of the coveted HOLT Medallion and ACFW Carol Award, CBA bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance because she believes that the world needs more happily-ever-afters. She is an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bakes a mean apple cobbler. Karen makes her home in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com.

Find out more about Karen at http://www.karenwitemeyer.com.

My Review:

The whole premise of this book is funny.  It is filled with romance, but really it is just comical.  I always enjoy a good southern book set in one of my favorite times and this one was no different.  The setting being in Texas helps, too.  If you are looking for a fun, easy-to-pick-up-where-you-left-off book this is a great one. 

 

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Book Review; Seaside Harmony and Sunflower Summer

More about the books:

The Postcards from Misty Harbor Inn series (Guideposts Books) introduces readers to Caroline, Gracie and Sam as they gather for a vacation where they spent the summers as children, and follows their adventures as they fulfill their mother's dream of opening a bed and breakfast. As the sisters heal from their mother's passing, they bond in ways they never imagined and discover evidence of God's hand in the unlikeliest of circumstances.

A team of four authors come together under the pen name of Evangeline Kelley to bring the unique personalities of each sister to vivid life and welcome audiences to the charming and historic island of Nantucket, complete with cobblestone streets, quaint shops, ferries, sandy beaches and salty air.

Seaside Harmony:

Three sisters, a charming inn, hints of mystery and romance, and a gorgeous seaside setting. Summer reading at its finest!

When Caroline Marris joins her sisters, Gracie Gold and Sam Carter for a Nantucket Island getaway, she has no idea how it will change her life. The sisters stumble upon Misty Harbor Inn, the place their late mother loved so much, and Caroline talks her sisters into buying the beautiful but dilapidated inn. But can free-spirited Caroline stay focused enough to make opening the inn a reality? Hand-drawn old postcards draw the sisters into the mystery of Hannah Montague, the young widow of the original owner. Can the sisters uncover the fate of this woman who disappeared in 1880? As Caroline and her sisters work together to make their mom's dream a reality, they bond in ways they never expected.

Sunflower Summer:

Misty Harbor Inn officially opens, and Gracie Gold, the middle Marris sister, wrestles with an overwhelming decision. As the sisters learn the day-to-day workings of running an inn, Gracie counsels its first guests, newlyweds whose honeymoon seems to be ending before it begins. Meanwhile, Sam's discovery of a clue in a secret room sheds unflattering light on Hannah Montague, who vanished from the house more than one hundred years ago. And as Gracie and Caroline welcome guests to the inn, they are delighted to see how God uses it --- and them --- to deepen relationships and transform lives.

Meet Evangeline Kelley: Evangeline Kelley is the pen name for the writing team of Patti Berg, Pam Andrews & Barbara Hanson, and Camy Tang, the four authors who collaborated to create Postcards from Misty Harbor Inn. Each of them has published novels individually, but this is their first series together.

Find out more about Evangeline at http://amzn.to/10d3FZM.

My Review:

I am not a summer girl.  I love the fall and winter.  I guess I would take a month or two of very hot weather and then fall or winter would be awesome the other 10 months of the year.  These books did make me feel more summery.  The beauty in the books was great and the relationship between the sisters was wonderful.  I definitely can relate to that part of the books since I have three sisters.  The books would be great beach reads or just great for a day at the pool with the kids.  I prefer a little more romance in the books I read, but I still enjoyed reading them. 

I recommend these books to any woman looking for a great, easy summer beachy read. 

 

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Book Review and Video: Lead Your Family Like Jesus

More about Lead Your Family Like Jesus:

Powerful Parenting Principles from the Creator of Families

(Focus on the Family/Tyndale) - Does your family need a five-star general at the helm? A psychologist? A referee? Ken Blanchard, best-selling co-author of The One Minute Manager and Lead Like Jesus, points to a better role model: the Son of God. Joined by veteran parents and authors Phil Hodges and Tricia Goyer, renowned business mentor Blanchard shows how every family member benefits when parents take the reins as servant-leaders. Moms and dads will see themselves in a whole new light-as life-changers who get their example, strength, and joy from following Jesus at home. This user-friendly book's practical principles and personal stories mark the path to a truly Christ-centered family, where integrity, love, grace, self-sacrifice, and forgiveness make all the difference.

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/jizhQ

Meet the Authors:

Tricia:

 Bestselling author of more than 30 novels, nine nonfiction books, and more than three hundred articles for national publications; 2003 "Writer of the Year" at the Mount Hermon Christian Writer's Conference; popular blog writer, speaker, and radio host

Learn more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

Ken:

Leadership expert and author of over 50 books, including the New York Times bestseller, The One-Minute Manager; cofounder of Lead Like Jesus; and coauthor of Lead Like Jesus; Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time

Learn more about Ken at www.kenblanchard.com

Phil:

A human resource and industrial relations manager in corporate America for 36 years with Xerox Corporation and U.S. Steel, co- founder of Lead Like Jesus; co-author of five books, including The Servant Leader and Leadership by the Book with Bill Hybels.

 

Learn more about Phil at www.leadlikejesus.com

My Review:

Who doesn't want to lead their family like Jesus would?  I know that we do, as parents.  I loved this book!  And look at the authors!!  They are definitely leaders and people who I can learn alot from.  Of course, there were bigger issues that the book dealt with, but I think my favorite parts were when they discussed the little issues, that turn into big issues.  I really learned alot from this book and plan to read it over several more times.  It is definitely a great book for every single parent to read, whether you are Christian or not.  Every idea is great for every parent and does not all have to be taken from a religious point of view.  Excellent book for every parent!

 

 

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review and Giveaway: A Noble Groom

Jody Hedlund is celebrating the release of A Noble Groom by giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting a Facebook Author Chat Party {5/8}! 

One "noble" winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• A copy of A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 7th. Winner will be announced at the "A Noble Groom" Author Chat Party on May 8th. Connect with Jody, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at the trivia contest, and chat with readers just like you. There will also be many fun giveaways -- gift certificates, books, and more!

So grab your copy of A Noble Groom and join Jody on the evening of May 8th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 8th!

About A Noble Groom:

 

Michigan, 1880

Annalisa Werner's hope for a fairy tale love is over. Her husband failed her in every way and now his death has left her with few options to save the family farm. She needs a plentiful harvest. That, and a husband to help bring it in. Someone strong, dependable. That'll be enough. A marriage for love...that's something she's given up on.

So her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom.
Then a man appears: Carl Richards, from their home country of Germany and a former schoolteacher---or so he says. He's looking for work and will serve on the farm until her husband arrives.

With time running out, she accepts his help, but there's more to this man than he's admitting. He's also gentle, kind, charming---unlike any man she's ever known. But even as Carl is shining light into the darkness of her heart, she knows her true groom may arrive any day.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/jX8h7

Meet Jody: Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of "The Doctor's Lady" and "The Preacher's Bride". She won the 2011 Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, the 2011 Award of Excellence from the Colorado Romance Writers and was a finalist for Best Debut Novel in the 2011 ACFW Carol Awards. Currently she makes her home in central Michigan, with her husband and five busy children. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog.

Find out more about Jody at http://jodyhedlund.com/.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Review:

This was a great romantic novel.  The cover of this book definitely draws me in-who doesn't want to figure out who that dashing man is?  Surviving with no husband in the 1800s was so very hard and Annalisa's goal is to find a new husband in order to survive (enter the cover man?).  The historical content of this book is intriguing and begs you to read more.  There is just the right amount of historical content, romance and drama.  I will definitely be reading more of Jody's books and I recommend them to everyone who loves a great historical romance!!

 

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Book Review: Beautiful Battlefields

About Beautiful Battlefields:

Where is God in the midst of this?

You've probably heard that question or perhaps asked it yourself. In the battle for your joy, your marriage, your finances, your health, an emptiness creeps in. Where is the peace You promised, God?

Bo Stern has been there-and is still there. Yet in studying the battles in Scripture, she came to a startling conclusion: God is using these fierce fights in our lives for an astonishing purpose.

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/hGUuS ;

Meet Bo:

Bo Stern knows the most beautiful things can come out of the hardest times. Her Goliath came in the form of her husband's terminal illness, a battle they are still fighting with the help of their four children, a veritable army of friends, and our extraordinary God. Bo is a teaching pastor at Westside Church in Bend, Oregon.

Find out more about Bo at http://www.bostern.com/.

 

 

 

 

 

My Review:

Don't you just love this cover?!?!  It totally draws me in and the book does not disappoint!  Bo Stern is a pretty awesome woman of faith.  Her husband was diagnosed with ALS so her life is filled with a constant battle.  We all have our battles... with infertility, in our marriage, raising children, with the world.  We just have to seek God and His beauty in those moments.  Bo definitely believes that our battles help make us stronger, or can make us stronger if we allow ourselves to see the positive that comes from the battle.  There is not beauty in the battle, but there is beauty in who we become because of the battle. 

I recommend this book to every woman, especially those who are going through their own battle... but aren't we all at some point?

 

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Book Review: The Iron Duke

About The Iron Duke (from the back cover):

 

He could hear the continuous murmur of voices inside and thought to himslef that the pair down there certainly had found enough to talk about.  And he was envious too.  Blacky Lee had all the luck.  Blacky looked at exactly the right time.  And of course women fell for it.  The countess down there, however, didn't impress Stub as the kind of woman who would fall for anything-but the fact failed to hearten him.  He always distrusted such women instinctively.  They were too clever and too beautiful, and too intense.

The Countess Zita's appearance had been very unnerving to Stub.  In the first place, her beauty had quite stunned him.  In the second place, the vitality which flashed out of her tired him the instant he felt it.  And in the third place, he had a premonition that the Countess Zita, young though she appeared to be, could think rings around any man alive, including the redoubtable Blacky Lee.

-L. Ron Hubbard

 

 

 

 

My Review:

This book was definitely not what I was expecting and that was probably a good thing.  I had no idea that L. Ron Hubbard was a #1 New York Times Bestselling Author.  This story was originally published in the July 1940 issue of Five-Novels Monthly. 

While it was still not a genre I would read again, I was entertained with this quick easy read.  I was surprised that it did captivate my attention.  Because it is such a short novel, it is completely packed with adventure, comedy and entertainment from start to finish. 

I really think that this book would be great for teenage boys and men who enjoy an action-packed short novel.  It would definitely entertain them in the few short hours it takes to read the book!

 

 

I also have 2 copies for you to win!!!  Just leave a comment and I will draw the comment numbers from random on April 1st.  Then I will contact you and have your book sent right out!!

 

 

Book Review: Lord, I Give You This Day

 

 

My Review:

This devotional is nice if you are simply looking for an extra quick devotional.  There are typically little to no questions each day and there is no real "reflection space", but if that is what you are looking for then this is a great book.  I really appreciate the short and sweet devotions, but this was a little too short and too sweet for me.  There is a nice couple sentences long prayer at the end of each one, but that's about it.  If you like it like that or know someone who does, then this is a great book!

 

 

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinions.