The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey: The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey (Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace Book 3 By Carolyn Miller

I received this book for no charge from Kregel Publications for my honest review of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.


Book Description: 

Will a damaged reputation and desire for society's approval thwart the legacy of grace?

Tainted by scandal and forced to leave London for the quieter Brighton countryside, the Honorable Miss Clara DeLancey is a shadow of her former society self. She's lost the man she loved to another and, in a culture that has no patience for self-pity, is struggling with depression. A chance encounter brings her a healing friendship with the sisters of an injured naval captain. But Clara's society mama is appalled at the new company she's keeping.

Captain Benjamin Kemsley is not looking for a wife. But his gallant spirit won't let him ignore the penniless viscount's daughter--not when she so obviously needs assistance to keep moving forward from day to day. Can he protect his heart and still keep her safe?

When they're pushed into the highest echelons of society at the Prince Regent's Brighton Pavilion, this mismatched couple must decide if family honor is more important than their hopes. Can they right the wrongs of the past and find future happiness together--without finances, family support, or royal favor?

My Thoughts: 

The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey  is the latest book in Carolyn Miller's A Legacy of Grace series and it is GREAT!! As a huge fan of Christian Historical/Regency Fiction this book and author I was excited to read it.  Carolyn Miller is an awesome writer whose books I love to read. Carolyn Miller writes with authority about England in 1815, the hierarchy, societal mores of the time, depression and the stigmas, and the Navy.  I have read the first two books in this series and each one gets better. From start to finish this book had a hold of me and left me wanting more. I find Carolyn Miller's style of writing intriguing, her ability to put the readers right there as the events unfold is unique. The characters in this book are well written and real to life. I found myself connecting with Clara. Her struggles with depression really spoke to me as I go through depression. Her ability to forgive and find love again is inspiring. Her strength and perseverance are just admirable. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this book and series. I highly recommend this book and series to anyone who enjoys Christian Regency Fiction, you will not be disappointed. I cannot wait to read more from Carolyn Miller. She is on my must read author list. I give this book 5 STAR.

I apologize to Kregel Publications and Carolyn Miller for the lateness of this review.

Rescued Hearts: A Novel By Hope Toler Dougherty

I received this book from Litfuse Publicity for no charge in exchange for my honest review of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Description: 

Children’s clothing designer Mary Wade Kimball’s soft spot for animals leads to a hostage situation when she spots a briar- entangled kitten in front of an abandoned house. Beaten, bound, and gagged by the two thugs inside, Mary Wade loses hope for escape when a third villain returns with supplies.
Discovering the kidnapped woman ratchets the complications for undercover agent Brett Davis. Weighing the difference of ruining his three months’ investigation against the woman’s safety, Brett forsakes his mission and helps her escape, the bent-on-revenge brutes following behind.
When Mary Wade’s safety is threatened once more, Brett rescues her again. This time, her personal safety isn’t the only thing in jeopardy. Her heart is endangered as well.

 My Thoughts: 

Rescued Hearts is the latest book by Hope Toler Dougherty and it is wonderful! This is the first book by Hope Toler Dougherty that I have had the pleasure of reading. As a big fan of Christian romance and suspense fiction this book really grabbed a hold of me. As I found out more about this author, I found it interesting that the other books she has written are all different Christian Fiction books. Hope Toler Dougherty writes with authority about different types of crafts including sewing and crocheting, teaching others to do these things including children, designing children's clothes, undercover procedure, and hostage situations. From the start, this book starts with a bang and keeps you guessing until the end. I found myself unable to put this book down. I enjoyed Mary Wade Kimball's style of writing, her writing is fast paced and definitely keeps you on your toes. This book has many characters, good and bad, are well written and definitely interesting. I found myself drawn to Brett's Grandma, Gigi. She is a wise woman, who adds some laughs and does what she can to help everyone. I really found this book enjoyable. I was on the edge of my seat throughout this book and I love those kinds of stories! I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys Christian Suspense/Romance fiction, you will not be disappointed. I cannot wait to read more from Hope Toler Dougherty. I give this 5 STARS. 

A Small Book About a Big Problem: Meditations on Anger, Patience, and Peace By Edward T. Welch

I received this book from Litfuse Publicity for no charge in exchange for my honest review of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Description: 

Look closely at any day and we can usually find anger in both our actions and attitudes. Things spill or go missing, we get stuck in traffic, and the people we live and work with often make life even harder. We want to stay calm, but what do you do when you feel your blood pressure rise yet again? Anger is so common yet it also destroys. It leaves its mark on us it s not healthy which is one reason we hear so much about finding peace. And it leaves its mark on others. The wounds we inflict on others when we are angry the loss of intimacy, trust, security, and enjoyment in our closest relationships give us compelling reasons to look closely at our anger and think carefully about how to grow in patience and peace. If you have just gotten irritated for the umpteenth time today, you might wonder if change is possible. Can anyone grow in patience and peace? Yes. But you need a plan. Biblical counselor and psychologist Ed Welch invites readers to take a 50-day journey that unpacks anger and encourages readers to become more skillful at responding with patience to life s difficulties. Along the way, readers will be introduced to Jesus, the Prince of Peace the only one who can empower his people to grow in patience, peace, and wholeness.

My Thoughts: 

A Small Book About a Big Problem is the first book by Edward T. Welch and it is fantastic. This book deals with Anger and how instead of anger, finding patience and peace. I personally know that I was never taught how to deal with anger  and am excited to have this new perspective, a way to turn it around. Edward T. Welch is a Biblical Counselor who writes with authority on dealing with about anger, the Bible, how to deal with everyday issues that impact all of us, and how to use the scriptures to find peace. I found that with it being broken up into 50 days, taking it day by day really made it easier to implement into my life. This book may be small but in 192 pages it really packs a punch. I enjoyed the fact that this book size is a little bigger than my cell phone so it was light and compact enough to fit into my purse or bag. I have been rereading this book, finding more insight that I missed in my original reading of this book. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to read this book, it has really opened my eyes to how anger has controlled so many parts of my life. I am excited to read read more books by Edward T. Welch, his books are on my must read list. I highly recommend this book to everyone, it is something that anyone can pick up and relate to. I give this book 5 STARS.

I apologize for the lateness of my review to Edward T. Welch and Litfuse Publicity.

Bringing Maggie Home: A Novel By Kim Vogel Sawyer

I received this book from Litfuse Publicity for no charge in exchange for my honest review of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Description:  

Decades of Loss, an Unsolved Mystery,
and a Rift Spanning Three Generations

Hazel DeFord is a woman haunted by her past. While berry picking in a blackberry thicket in 1943, ten-year old Hazel momentarily turns her back on her three-year old sister Maggie and the young girl disappears.

Almost seventy years later, the mystery remains unsolved and the secret guilt Hazel carries has alienated her from her daughter Diane, who can’t understand her mother’s overprotectiveness and near paranoia. While Diane resents her mother’s inexplicable eccentricities, her daughter Meghan—a cold case agent—cherishes her grandmother’s lavish attention and affection.

When a traffic accident forces Meghan to take a six-week leave-of-absence to recover, all three generations of DeFord women find themselves unexpectedly under the same roof. Meghan knows she will have to act as a mediator between the two headstrong and contentious women. But when they uncover Hazel’s painful secret, will Meghan also be able to use her investigative prowess to solve the family mystery. 


My Thoughts: 

Bringing Maggie Home is the latest book by Kim Vogel Sawyer and it is one of her best! I have read quite a few of Kim Vogel Sawyer's books so I was very excited to have the opportunity to read and review this one. This book has one of my favorite genres, Christian Suspense/Crime Fiction. Kim Vogel Sawyer writes with authority about investigating crime, mystery, life during 1943 and on, missing children, and how one mistake can affect generations in a family. I thoroughly enjoy Kim Vogel Sawyer's style of of writing, she really puts her readers right there in the story with her vivid descriptions. Kim Vogel Sawyer is one of the few authors who can transition from past and present, from different perspectives and voices. From the first page until the last this story grabbed a hold and left me wanting more. Could not put it down!! The characters in this book are real people with struggles. The characters are well written and definitely interesting. I found myself drawn to Meghan. Her desire to help the people she loves and the ability to find the truth. She has a good heart and her faith helps her make her way in the world. She is also very patient especially when it comes to her mother.  As I read this book, the themes I read were faith, forgiveness for yourself and others, and love of family. This book brought out many emotions, I found myself smiling in some parts, frustrated in others, and crying in many others. This is a fantastic story by a very talented writer. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Suspense/Crime Fiction and/or Kim Vogel Sawyer, you will NOT be disappointed. I cannot wait to read more from Kim Vogel Sawyer, she is definitely one of my top must read authors.

Rule of Law By Randy Singer

I received this book from the author through Litfuse Publicity for no charge in exchange for my honest review of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own. 

Book Description:  

What did the president know? And when did she know it?
For the members of SEAL Team Six, it was a rare mission ordered by the president, monitored in real time from the Situation Room. The Houthi rebels in Yemen had captured an American journalist and a member of the Saudi royal family. Their executions were scheduled for Easter Sunday. The SEAL team would break them out.
But when the mission results in spectacular failure, the finger-pointing goes all the way to the top.
Did the president play political games with the lives of U.S. service members?
Paige Chambers, a determined young lawyer, has a very personal reason for wanting to know the answer. The case she files will polarize the nation and test the resiliency of the Constitution. The stakes are huge, the alliances shaky, and she will be left to wonder if the saying on the Supreme Court building still holds true.
Equal justice under law.
It makes a nice motto. But will it work when one of the most powerful people on the planet is also a defendant?

My Thoughts: 

Rule of Law is Randy Singer's latest book and it is outstanding. I am a huge fan of Randy Singer and Suspense/Legal Fiction, I absolutely loved this book. Randy Singer writes with authority about our Military especially Navy Seals, the job of the President, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, hierarchy of the world, our legal system, and the laws that protect us. This book truly grabbed my attention and left me wanting more. Randy Singer's style of writing is one of my favorite, he really draws in his readers with details, immersing the reader into this world he has created. I really felt like I was there experiencing the world. The characters are unique and very realistic. Including the President being a woman. I found myself drawn in by Paige Chambers. She is driven by her personal connection to her case. She believes in the justice system and the motto Equal justice under law. She has a heart for the law and helping people find justice regardless of who is involved. This book had me holding my breath from the suspense and action. I was drawn in from the first page and could NOT put it down. I love Randy Singer's books, they do not disappoint! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Suspense/Legal Fiction, you will NOT be disappointed. I give this book 5 STARS.
I would like to apologize to Randy Singer and Litfuse Publicity for the lateness of this review.

The Pretender: A Black Guard in Disguise: Caselli Family Series By Ta'mara Hanscom

I received this book from the author and Litfuse Publicity for no charge in exchange for my honest review of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Description: 

Set in South Dakota in 1975, where eighteen-year-olds could order 3.2 beer in a bar, and loaded guns were kept under the counter.
Frankie Valli sang “My Eyes Adored You,” and American soldiers returning from Vietnam struggled with their new reality.
It’s within this tumultuous season of American history that Tillie Caselli meets Noah Hansen, and they are never the same again. Their lives were mysteriously intertwined—and had been for many years—yet they had no idea.
​
From the moment they met, Tillie and Noah wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but a deliberate omission will keep them apart—and that same omission will be responsible for the escape of a murderer, and a bride’s deception.


My Thoughts: 

The Pretender: A Black Guard in Disguise is the first book in Ta'mara Hanscom's series, The Caselli Family and it is fantastic. This is the first book in a series of 5 books. As a fan of Christian Historical Fiction I was excited to read this. Ta'mara Hanscom writes with authority on South Dakota and the United States in 1975, the Vietnam War and the affects it had on the soldiers, Italian families and their traditions, photography, drawing, and practicing of Christianity.  I fell in love with this story from the start, I could not put this book down and it left me wanting more.  I love Ta'mara Hanscom's style of writing especially the pace of the story and the way the words come alive in my mind so that I felt like I was there with Tillie throughout this journey. The characters in this book are well written and very realistic. I really loved Tillie Caselli's character. She is a talented artist and has the  ability to see the good in people. She tries hard to follow the Italian traditions her family holds dear. Her faith is strong and she helps others to believe in God. This story really touched me. I felt so many emotions with reading this book. I chuckled in parts, held my breath in parts, and cried in the other parts. This book and author are fantastic and I cannot wait to read the other books in this series. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Historical Fiction, you will NOT be disappointed. I give this book 5 STARS. 
I would like to apologize to the author and Litfuse Publicity for the lateness of this review.

Lydia, Woman of Philipi By Diana Wallis Taylor

I received this book from the author and Celebrate Lit Blogger Program for my honest review of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own. 

Book Description:

Smart, strong, and a follower of the Jewish God, Lydia has nonetheless always quietly conformed to the expectations of the wealthy Roman society surrounding her. Even though married off at fifteen to a man she dislikes, she is determined to be a faithful wife. But when her husband is killed some years later, Lydia vows never to remarry and returns to her father's house in Thyatira with her twelve-year-old daughter. There, a new life begins to emerge.      //    

As she is trained in the family dye business, Lydia’s shrewd management quickly creates profit, prestige—and envy. At odds with her jealous brother, who is a staunch Roman and can't understand her obsession with the Jewish religion, Lydia finds herself yet again at the mercy of a patriarchal society. Will fleeing to Philippi be enough to protect herself and those under her care? Will she keep her vow to widowhood when a handsome Greek God-fearer turns out to be more than just an employee? ​And when she meets a strange man named Paul the apostle by the river one Sabbath day, will Lydia have the courage to once more let her life be dramatically changed—this time forever?


My Thoughts: 

 Lydia, Woman of Philipi is the latest book by Diana Wallis Taylor and it is FANTASTIC. Having read, Mary Chosen of God, I was excited to read another book by Diana Wallis Taylor.  I have to say that both of these books will stay with me for a long time. Diana Wallis Taylor writes with authority on Biblical times, Women of the Bible, different faiths during this time and their God(s), hierarchy, the dye business, and walls Lydia broke through by taking over the family business. From the start, this book grabbed a hold of my and never let go until the end, well it actually left me wanting more. I really love Diana Wallis Taylor's style of writing, the book is just the right pace and as I read I felt like I was there with Lydia throughout her journey.  The characters throughout this book are well written and very interesting. I was definitely drawn in by Lydia's strength and perseverance and I also found her father's character to be inspiring. He may have worshiped the Roman gods but he also didn't deny Lydia the opportunity to know the dye business and ultimately gave it to her and ensured that her and her mother were taken care of once he was gone. His true heart is seen through his actions. This book invoked many emotions, I found myself laughing is a few parts and definitely crying out in others. The faith, strength, and perseverance demonstrated in this book inspiring. I love the fact that Diana Wallis Taylor writes about women in the bible, reading their stories really makes them so much more real.  I highly recommend this book and this author to anyone who enjoys Biblical Fiction, you will NOT be disappointed. I have to add that I had to buy other books from this author as I am hooked!! I cannot wait to read them!! I give this book 5 STARS. 

About the Book:

 

Name of book: Lydia  
Author: Diana Wallis Taylor  
Genre: Biblical Fiction  
Release Date: October 3, 2017

Smart, strong, and a follower of the Jewish God, Lydia has nonetheless quietly conformed to the expectations of the wealthy Roman society into which she was born. Her father marries her off at age fifteen to a much older man whom she dislikes. Despite an unpleasant wedding and a marriage that doesn’t improve with age, Lydia remains a dutiful and faithful wife. When her husband is killed, years later, Lydia vows to remain single and returns to her father’s house in Thyatira with her twelve-year-old daughter. There, a new life begins to emerge as she is trained in the family dye business. Lydia displays an aptitude for trade in the male-dominated world of first century commerce. Her brother, who had chosen service in the Roman army rather than work in his father’s business, is at odds with his sister. Jealous of her quiet success as she learns the dye business, he’s especially befuddled by what he considers to be Lydia’s obsession with the Jewish religion. When their father dies, Cassius inherits the family’s home; Lydia inherits the business, and unbeknownst to her brother, a small villa in the city of Philippi. Lydia flees with her mother and daughter to Philippi where she sets up shop. At the mercy of a patriarchal society, Lydia needs a man to serve as the public face for her business. She discovers the right person in the handsome face of Greek man she’d hired — an employee with whom she develops a close friendship. The plot thickens as Lydia meets a strange man named Paul the apostle who is stirring up crowds in town. When Lydia’s brother shows up in Philippi, determined to force her to sell the business, he discovers plenty of fuel to accomplish his goals.
Click here to purchase

About the Author:

Diana Wallis Taylor is best known for her creative stories based on women in the Bible. Thousands have read and enjoyed her books including Mary Chosen of God, Ruth, Mother of Kings, Martha, Journey to the Well, Mary Magdalene, and Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors with the San Diego Library naming her one of 12 “Writers to Watch” in 2017 for Mary, Chosen of God. Her books have received Gold and Silver Medallion Awards for Christian Fiction and she is a San Diego Christian Writer’s Guild “Writer of the Year.” Mary, Chosen of God is a 2017 Christy Award nominee. An inspirational speaker, Diana also leads creative writing and poetry workshops. She lives in San Diego with her husband, Frank. They have six grown children and ten grandchildren

Blog Stops

Blog Stops

A Bakers Perspective, October 3

Carpe Diem, October 3

Moments Dipped in Ink, October 4

Books, Books, and More Books., October 4

By The Book, October 5

A Simply Enchanted Life, October 5

Red Headed Book Lady, October 6

Blogging With Carol, October 6

A Reader’s Brain, October 7

A Greater Yes, October 7

Just the Write Escape, October 8

Simple Harvest Reads, October 8 (Spotlight)

Aryn the Libraryan, October 9

Cordially Barbara, October 9

Pursuing Stacie, October 9

The Fizzy Pop Collection, October 10

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 10

Zerina Blossom’s Books, October 11

Mary Hake, October 11

Radiant Light, October 12

Singing Librarian Books, October 12

Lights in a Dark World, October 12

margaretkazmierczak, October 13

Pause for Tales, October 13

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 14

Cafinated Reads, October 14

To Everything A Season, October 14

Bigreadersite, October 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 15

Henry Happens, October 16

For The Love of Books, October 16

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, October 16

Giveaway

In honor of her tour, Diana is giving away

Grand Prize Package: Lydia, Woman of Philippi, “Give Thanks” painting on plate by Donna White for The Hearthside Collection, Inc., commemorative Whitaker House/Anchor Distributors coloring book (not in photo).

1st Place Package: Lydia, Woman of Philippi, abba Jerusalem pillar candle, cassia scented, commemorative Whitaker House/Anchor Distributors coloring book (not in photo). 2nd Place Package: Lydia, Woman of Philippi, abba Jerusalem Spikenard candle tin with lid!

Click the link to enter! https://promosimple.com/ps/c173