Beneath the Surface ~ Character Profiles

Title: Beneath the Surface
Series: Dive Team Investigations, Book 1

Author: Lynn H. Blackburn

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: March 6, 2018

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Links*: Goodreads l Amazon l ChristianBook l BookDepository l Itunes

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: March 6, 2018

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Links*: Goodreads l Amazon l ChristianBook l BookDepository l Itunes

What Lies Beneath the Surface Could Be Deadly

Ada, Mich.—Dive into the depths of fear with an exciting new romantic suspense novel, Beneath the Surface. This gripping tale from award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn will capture readers from the first page and won’t let them go until the final, heart-pounding scene.

After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston moves home to Carrington, North Carolina, to leave behind her troubled past. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present.

Homicide investigator Ryan Parker finds fulfillment in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff’s Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer—one with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynn H. Blackburn is the author of Hidden Legacy (Love Inspired, June 2017) and Covert Justice, winner of the 2016 Selah Award for Mystery and Suspense and the 2016 Carol Award for Short Novel. Blackburn believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. She’s passionate about CrossFit, coffee, and chocolate (don’t make her choose) and experimenting with recipes that feed both body and soul. She lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her true love, Brian, and their three children.

Character Profiles

You can check out my earlier review of this book here

GIVEAWAY

(3) Winners will win: 

• (1) Print copy of Beneath the Surface by Lynn H. Blackburn
• Surprised Bookish Treat

(US/Canada Mailing Addresses Only) Full terms and conditions noted on Rafflecopter form.

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JustRead Publicity Tour Landing Page

Just Commonly

April 23

Create Explore Read - Author Interview

A Baker's Perspective - A Day with Special Agent ___

April 24 

Savings in Seconds - Quote Hightlight

Grace in Our Moments - Guest Post from Author 

April 25

Christen Krumm - Guest Post from Author

Among the Reads - Beneath the Surface & the Power of Prayer

April 26

Blooming with Books - Character Profile

Fiction Aficionado - Did you know this about diving investigators?

April 27

Remembrancy - Photo Tour of Carrington

Stories by Gina - Quote Highlight

April 30

The Christian Fiction Girl - Quote Hightlight

Daysong Reflections - Underwater Investigations and Evidence

May 1 

Worthy 2 Read - Quote Hightlight

Kat's Corner Books - Beneath the Surface with International Adoption

May 2

All of a Kind Mom - A Character Like Me

Robin's Nest - Quote Hightlight

Edits & Reviews by Leslie - Food Beneath the Surface 

May 3

By the Book - Quote Hightlight

Cafinated Reads - Quote Highlight

May 4

Book by Book - Playlist

Pacific Northwest Bookworm - Cookies Beneath the Surface

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Road to Rosewood ~ Review with Author Interview

Road to Rosewood
By Ashtyn Newbold

Ashtyn Newbold has done it again. Creating a story that draws the reader in from the first word. The Road to Rosewood finds the reader alternating between Lucy Abbot's recollections of her summers spent in Dover, specifically Rosewood and her current day-to-day life in the coastal village of Craster.

Six years have passed since Lucy last visited Rosewood and the time has laid heavy on her heart as the one boy to ever capture her fancy - Nicholas Bancroft called the next manor home. But when her parents put a sudden end to the yearly visits Lucy's heart has slowly withered.

But when Lucy determines to take her own happiness into her own hands she finds herself on a journey she never expected to make. Highwaymen, a threat to her life, and her reputation on the line - all before reaching Dover. But Rosewood isn't how she remembered it. And there are secrets that when revealed will make a difference in the lives of those involved.

Lucy's personality is one that is both quick and amusing and it is interesting to watch the interactions between her and Nicholas both in the past and the present. Lucy Abbot is someone one would love to sit down and spend the afternoon with!

Those who have read Ashytn's previous books will be as enchanted as before. And those who read Lies and Letters will recognize certain characters who play a bigger role in this book. Fans of clean Regency romance will delight to read and share this book.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.



About the Book:

Lucy Abbot longs to return to the country estate where she spent the best days of her childhood with her cousins and their charming neighbor Nicholas. Her protective parents, however, have other plans for her. When she finally dares to escape, her carriage is besieged by highwaymen with a familiar man leading them. Could this mysterious outlaw be exactly the person Lucy has been searching for?

~*~ Interview with Author Ashtyn Newbold ~*~

1) Did you always want to write or did you see a different future for yourself?  

I’ve always loved stories--reading, storytelling, and movies. I didn’t always want to be a writer, but as a kid I think I already was a writer without realizing it. I made up little stories, and any creative writing assignment I was given I took above and beyond (in 2nd grade I wrote a 20 page story when the teacher only asked for 2). It wasn’t until high school when I realized how much I really loved writing, wanting to finish a novel and pursue publication.

2) What is your go-to genre for your personal reading?

I’m a pretty diverse reader. I like any story that will keep me turning the pages, whether its a fantasy, thriller, historical, YA contemporary, or romance. I’d say Regency romance is still my go-to because that’s the genre I’ve written in for the last few years, but I’m hoping to branch out and write some middle grade or young adult in the near future.

3)  Do you wish you were more like a certain character that you have brought to life? And if so what traits do you most admire in this character?

When I wrote my first novel, Mischief and Manors, I was fifteen and still really insecure. In writing that book I created my main character, Annette, as an example of someone I wanted to be. She was bold, brave, and selfless, speaking out without being afraid. I loved that about her character.

4) What do you most love about the Regency time period when related to your story's setting?

I love SO much about the Regency period, and wish I could go back in time to experience it myself. One of the things I love most about it is the conversation. People talked. Face to face. They had intelligent, witty conversations and enjoyed each other’s company without distraction. In my books I love experimenting with fun, witty dialogue. My generation is especially obsessed with their phones, and it drives me crazy sometimes.

5) What is the one question you wish was asked during an interview and how would you answer it?

I’m not sure … I could talk about my hobbies (besides writing :)). I love baking, and hope to open a bakery someday. I love singing and playing the guitar, watching movies, sewing, celebrating holidays (I go all out, especially at Halloween), and doing hair and makeup. I also love dogs, and my puppy Charlie is the sweetest!

Refuge of the Heart ~ Spotlight and Giveaway link

Photo by Just Commonly

Refuge of the Heart

By Ruth Logan Herne

District Attorney Mitchell Sanderson wanted for nothing and lost everything in a tragic accident. A dogged worker, Mitch’s conviction rate earned him respect and trust. Now up for re-election, Mitch’s law-and-order persona makes him a shoo-in candidate. But when faith, conscience and love of a troubled refugee ripple the smooth waters of his existence, can Mitch risk everything for love?

Magdalena Serida fought her way out of the terrors of a government-quelled insurgent uprising in Chechnya. The church-sponsored refugee knows the horrors of war first-hand. Now in America with her five-year-old sister, Lena is uncertain who to trust. Her Christian faith has maintained her through the loss of her family, but when Mitch Sanderson shows interest, Lena longs to take a chance. Should she open herself up to this man of law and order, a man who imprisons women like her? Or slip quietly back into the shadowed fringe of anonymity?

But choices slip away when Mitch’s friend spews half-truths about Lena, rumors that cost Mitch his new love and possibly the election. Can he find his way to a faith deep enough to love again, and to offer Lena the refuge of his heart?

( One U.S. winner will win a prize pack from the author!)

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How Democracies Die ~ Review

How Democracies Die 
by Steven Levitsky 
   and Daniel Ziblatt

This book explores the state of our democracy in today's current political unrest. Our democracy is teetering on the edge but this wasn't a sudden situation but rather one that has been building over the last couple decades. But how did we get to this point? And can we pull back from the edge before it is too late?

How Democracies Die looks at other countries who have found themselves in a similar state. Efforts to restore democratic leadership only works if the rules of law are followed. Attempts to wrest government controls by other means paint those behind it as anti-democratic rather than defenders of democracy. Lines of communication must be opened between the partisan camps to reverse our further descent into the political circus that is becoming the norm. Is any one side more to blame than the other? Or is it a collaborative effort of those who are more focused on self rather than the whole?  

This book is an interesting and thoughtful work. Those who have a love of political science and want to delve into the current situations both here and abroad will want to have this book in their personal library. Those who are homeschooling will want this book when studying government in high school. This book doesn't descend into rumor and innuendo but rather looks at facts and historical records. 

I was provided a copy of this book by Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book:
Donald Trump’s presidency has raised a question that many of us never thought we’d be asking: Is our democracy in danger? Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt have spent more than twenty years studying the breakdown of democracies in Europe and Latin America, and they believe the answer is yes. Democracy no longer ends with a bang—in a revolution or military coup—but with a whimper: the slow, steady weakening of critical institutions, such as the judiciary and the press, and the gradual erosion of long-standing political norms. The good news is that there are several exit ramps on the road to authoritarianism. The bad news is that, by electing Trump, we have already passed the first one.

Drawing on decades of research and a wide range of historical and global examples, from 1930s Europe to contemporary Hungary, Turkey, and Venezuela, to the American South during Jim Crow, Levitsky and Ziblatt show how democracies die—and how ours can be saved.

I Can Only Imagine ~ Review

I Can Only Imagine (Picture Book)

A Friendship with Jesus Now and Forever
By Bart Millard with Laura Neutzling
Illustrated by Sumiti Collina 

What is Heaven like? What does God do? Have you ever wondered this? With natural curiosity, most have at one time or another wondered about that which cannot be seen.  I Can Only Imagine is just such a wondering. 

 

I Can Only Imagine has a wonderful flowing rhythm that paired with the illustrations offers the reader a soothing and peaceful story that allows the message of the book to be absorbed more fully. 

When reading this book I was reminded of the passage from John 14, specifically verse 3, "I go to prepare a place for you..." And this wondering and imagining of just what this place in Heaven is like is expressed here. This book is the perfect read for bedtime or just a snuggle time together in a favorite chair. 

There are 21 pages of text with a few additional pages that are just illustrations so it is a good length for shorter attention spans and yet not too short. The illustrations are colorful and cover an array of settings both indoors and out, day and night. I Can Only Imagine is one book you will want to share with all the young readers in your life opening up their minds to their own imaginings.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book through BookLook Bloggers with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Encourage your children’s sense of wonder and faith with I Can Only Imagine, inspired by the hit song by MercyMe. This beautiful picture book will capture your family’s childlike faith and imagination.

I Can Only Imagine asks questions a child might ask and invites families to wonder together: What is heaven like? What does God do? What would it be like to spend a day with Jesus? Children will see that although experiencing the glory of heaven may be far off, we can enjoy a friendship with Jesus every day - right here on earth. Whimsical, playful illustrations and thought-provoking questions make this a book that families will cherish.

Fun and vibrant illustrations offer a vivid visual and will help your children see that God can be found everywhere, every day.

I think about heaven as I look up at the sky

And watch the fluffy clouds roll by.

The more I imagine, the more I wish I knew.

I wonder, would God like pancakes with extra syrup too?

And if God and I spent the day together, what exactly would we do?

The Christian worship song “I Can Only Imagine” touched countless lives with its glorious representation of being in the presence of God, and this beautifully illustrated picture book invites you and your children to imagine those same wonders. Share the joy of a personal relationship with the Lord with your family today through the creative, faith-filled book I Can Only Imagine.