Dreams Rekindled ~ Review

Dreams Rekindled

Mesquite Springs#2

By Amanda Cabot

This is the second book in the Mesquite Springs series and the story picks up shortly after the conclusion of book one Out of the Embers. Now if you haven't yet had a chance to read the first book don't despair you can still fully enjoy this book with no trouble following the story. 

Dorothy Clark wants to make a difference in the world. She wants to write and use her words to challenge people and cause them to consider how they might make the world around them a better place. But opportunities to do so are close to non-existent in Mesquite Springs, Texas. At least they were before Brandon Holloway came to town looking for a fresh start.

Brandon Holloway left his home behind after the disaster that destroyed his life he is determined to never repeat the mistakes of the past. After reading an advertisement touting the qualities of Mesquite Springs he feels he has found the perfect location to relaunch his newspaper.  And his paper is just going to report the news - no editorials, no controversies, nothing divisive.  When Dorothy Clark offers him some suggestions to garner interest in the paper he is more than happy to accept her help. And her help is more than he would have ever expected.

But soon someone begins targeting the paper. Why and who just can't be answered. And as things escalate it soon becomes apparent that not only is someone targeting the newspaper they seem determined to tear apart Mesquite Springs to do it.

Set in 1856/1857 this is an enjoyable read as one is introduced to Dorothy Clark on a more personal level than in the previous book of the series. One gets to know the fears and dreams that drive the characters. If only one's own life could be so easily understood. But understanding doesn't mean that change comes easily. This is an excellent read and would lend itself well to a book club setting as there is much that could be discussed. I highly recommend this book and would suggest it to any fan of Historical Romance.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Though she hopes for a quiet, uncomplicated life for herself, Dorothy Clark wants nothing more than to stir others up. Specifically, she dreams of writing something that will challenge people as much as Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin seems to have. But in 1850's Mesquite Springs, there are few opportunities for writers--until newspaperman Brandon Holloway arrives, that is.

Brandon Holloway has seen the disastrous effects of challenging others and has no intention of repeating that mistake. Instead of following his dreams, he's committed to making a new--and completely uncontroversial--start in the Hill Country.

As Dorothy's involvement in the fledgling newspaper grows from convenient to essential, the same change seems to be happening in Brandon's heart. But before romance can bloom, Dorothy and Brandon must work together to discover who's determined to divide the town and destroy Brandon's livelihood.

With this second novel in the Mesquite Springs series, bestselling author Amanda Cabot invites you to discover the healing power of truth.

The Girl in the Painting ~ Review

The Girl in the Painting

By Tea Cooper

The Girl in the Painting is set in Australia in the late 1860s through 1913. The story focuses on these two different time periods as we, the readers get a chance to know Michael and Elizabeth Quinn and Jane Piper a young orphan they take in.

The earlier timeline follows Michael and Elizabeth as they leave England behind and make a home in Australia. But life isn't easy for a 15-year-old boy with a young sister to care for. But building upon the dreams and work of his parents Michael and Elizabeth manage to make not only a home but a name for themselves. Not content to revel in their material means they make a place in their home and businesses for orphans and the underprivileged. 

Jane's gift with numbers finds her in a unique position within the Quinn household, not a servant and not quite family. She calls the Quinns Aunt and Uncle and when old enough finds a place within their business. In her opinion, Jane is blessed and lucky with how her life has turned out. But when a shadow of the past enters their life Elizabeth finds herself lost. As Jane puts it "Aunt Elizabeth has had a turn." And if the cause is not determined the life that Jane, Michael, and Elizabeth share may never be the same.

The Girl in the Painting is not presented in a true linear chronology as the past and the present proceed to their climax. Each time period slowly reveals that everything is not as it first appears. And finding the truth is essential to both Elizabeth and Jane in their quest to finding where they belong. 

This book doesn't glamorize the past, it shares the prejudices and hardships that afflict many who called this vast land home. But what makes someplace a home and how do we know it when we encounter it? This is a moving story that should not be missed. This is the second book by Tea Cooper that I have had the pleasure of reading and it is as good as the other book I read (The Woman in the Green Dress). If you want Historical Fiction with a touch of Romance give this book a chance and add it to your TBR list - trust me you won't be sorry.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About The Girl in the Painting
Paperback: 384 Pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 9, 2021)

A young prodigy in need of a family. 

A painting that shatters a woman’s peace. 

And a decades-old mystery demanding to be solved.

Australia, 1906

Orphan Jane Piper is nine years old when philanthropist siblings Michael and Elizabeth Quinn take her into their home to further her schooling. The Quinns are no strangers to hardship— having arrived in Australia as penniless immigrants, they now care for others as lost as they once were.

Despite Jane’s mysterious past, her remarkable aptitude for mathematics takes her far over the next seven years, and her relationship with Elizabeth and Michael flourishes as she plays an increasingly prominent part in their business.

But when Elizabeth reacts in terror to an exhibition at the local gallery, Jane realizes no one knows Elizabeth after all—not even Elizabeth herself. As the past and the present converge and Elizabeth’s grasp on reality loosens, Jane sets out to unravel Elizabeth’s story before it is too late.

From the gritty reality of the Australian goldfields to the grand institutions of Sydney, this compelling novel takes us on a mystery across continents and decades as both women finally discover a place to call home.

Purchase Links

Thomas Nelson | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Tea Cooper

Tea Cooper is an Australian author of historical and contemporary fiction. In a past life she was a teacher, a journalist and a farmer. These days she haunts museums and indulges her passion for storytelling.

Connect with Tea

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Review tour:

Monday, March 1st: Mammanatty’s Raves and Reviews

Tuesday, March 2nd: Read Eat Repeat

Wednesday, March 3rd: Pacific Northwest Bookworm and @pnwbookworm

Thursday, March 4th: @lovemybooks2020

Friday, March 5th: She Just Loves Books and @shejustlovesbooks

Saturday, March 6th: @suethebookie

Monday, March 8th: Reading Reality

Monday, March 8th: @welovebigbooksandwecannotlie

Tuesday, March 9th: Lit and Life

Wednesday, March 10th: @irishgirliereads

Thursday, March 11th: Buried Under Books

Friday, March 12th: @mynovelmenagerie

Monday, March 15th: Books with Jams and @bookswithjams

Monday, March 15th: Blunt Scissors Book Reviews and @bluntscissorsbookreviews

Tuesday, March 16th: A Bookish Affair

Wednesday, March 17th: @booksloveandunderstanding

Thursday, March 18th: @booksaremagictoo

Friday, March 19th: The Sketchy Reader

Monday, March 22nd: @megsbookclub

Monday, March 22nd: Amy’s Book-et List and @amysbooketlist

Tuesday, March 23rd: Christian Chick’s Thoughts and @cctblog

Wednesday, March 24th: Girl Who Reads

Thursday, March 25th: The OC Book Girl and @theocbookgirl

Friday, March 26th: @lowkey.bookish

Monday, March 29th: @rendezvous_with_reading

Monday, March 29th: What is That Book About

Tuesday, March 30th: @lovelyplacebooks

Tuesday, March 30th: Blooming with Books

Wednesday, March 31st: Leighellen Landskov and @mommaleighellensbooknook

Thursday, April 1st: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Friday, April 2nd: @booktimistic

Monday, April 5th: Eliot’s Eats

Wednesday, April 7th: Blooming with Books 

Unknown Threat ~ Review

Unknown Threat

Defend and Protect #1

By Lynn H. Blackburn

Luke Powell is mourning the loss of friend and fellow Secret Service Agent Thad Baker. His death has not been solved and there are more questions than answers surrounding it. But Thad was just the first and someone has targeted the agents of the Raleigh resident office. 

Why are they being targeted? And by whom? They need answers fast and call on the FBI to aid them in getting them.

FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is tasked with finding out who is targeting the local agents of the Secret Service. Is this threat only to the Secret Service or will the other agencies soon find a target on their backs as well?

What follows is a high-intensity, adrenaline-filled read as the killer meticulously targets them. If you are looking for a new page-turner to add to your book must-reads list you have found it in Unknown Threat. I liked that several characters from the author's previous Dive Team Investigations series made appearances in this book. In addition to dealing with the fallout of losing friends and colleagues, Luke and Faith are also dealing with issues from their respective pasts. Issues that have an effect on how they deal with the growing attraction that is between them and was there before this case threw them together.

As the opening book in Lynn H. Blackburn's new Defend and Protect series this promises to be an intense must-read series. This book wraps up the story but the teaser sneak peek of book 2 will leave you dangling and wanting to know what happens next! Highly recommended reading.

I was provided with a complimentary copy with no expectations but to offer my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

US Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell is lucky to be alive. Three of his fellow agents have died in unusual circumstances in the past ten weeks. Luke is devastated by the loss of his friends and colleagues, and his inability to locate the killer feels like a personal failure. He's an expert at shielding others, but now the protectors are in need of protection.

FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is driven to succeed and confident in her ability to solve every case she's assigned. She's been put in charge of the investigation into the unprecedented attacks, and with Luke's life in danger, the stakes have never been higher. But it's hard to know how to fight back when you don't know who the enemy is.

As more agents are targeted, Luke and Faith will have to work together to bring a killer to justice and prevent any more names from joining their fallen brothers and sisters on the Secret Service Wall of Honor.

Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn pulls out all the stops in this brand-new romantic suspense series that will have you holding your breath one minute and swooning the next.

Present Danger ~ Review

Present Danger

Rocky Mountain Courage #1

By Elizabeth Goddard

Years ago Jack Tanner broke her heart when he just left to follow his dream. But now he is back and he and Terra Connors are assigned to investigate a body that has been found in the Gallatin National Forest. Was it an accident or something criminal? 

As Jack and Terra search for answers, it becomes obvious something more is going on. The question is what? The further they investigate the more questions they unearth and the closer danger comes to them. Jack is determined to keep Terra safe, he can't fail her again and he can't lose another woman to the violence of a dangerous criminal.

Present Danger is the first book in the Rocky Mountain Courage series by Elizabeth Goddard. Fans of Romantic Suspense will love this series debut. Those who read Elizabeth's previous series, Uncommon Justice, will enjoy returning to Gallatin National Forest. This book has it all plane crash, dangerous criminal element, long-held secrets, a second chance at love, and unexpected twists you never saw coming. I have yet to be disappointed in any of the author's work and, in my opinion, each gets better. So plan to take a day off from work or set aside a weekend and delve into Present Danger you won't want to put it down until you get to the end. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide y honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Former FBI Special Agent Jack Tanner is working as a detective in Montana when he comes across a body in the national forest during a search and rescue mission. He's committed to finding the killer, even if it means working alongside his old flame, US Forest Service Special Agent Terra Connors.

When Terra discovers that the murder victim had ties to a powerful and dangerous trafficker of archaeological artifacts, the investigation takes a deadly turn--one that hits too close to home. As Terra fears she lacks the courage to face what comes next, Jack is more determined than ever to protect her. But he's failed her before. And if he fails this time, it will cost them far more than just their hearts.

Join bestselling and award-winning author Elizabeth Goddard as she plunges you into a web of deceit made of hidden crimes, open threats, and long-buried family secrets in this gripping first book of an explosive new series

A Tapestry of Light ~ Review with Giveaway

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Tapestry of Light 
by Kimberly Duffy, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

A Tapestry of Light

By Kimberly Duffy

Ottilie Russell is caught between two worlds accepted by neither and rejected by both. Her mixed heritage is held in contempt and viewed with suspicion - the British reject her due to her clearly Indian heritage and the Indians disdaining her British ties as a betrayal of who she could have been. She is clearly Indian but too British to be accepted by those she calls neighbors.

She has lost the joy and peace that life once offered. Losing her parents, brother, and sister has left her in fear and doubt. Fear that she will lose what little family she has left and in doubt that God is indeed loving and concerned for her.

Using her skills as a beetle-wing embroiderer she manages to eke out a living that provides for the barest needs of her little brother Thaddeus and her grandmother. But life is anything but easy as she pushes herself to fulfill the work in the attempt to gain more. 

But she is adrift - when Everett Scott shows up claiming that he has been sent to bring Thaddeus back to England. But Ottilie cannot give up her brother her last reminder of her parents and their love. But Thaddeus has inherited a title and though he is only 6 he has a duty to fulfill. In the process of trying to convince Ottilie that Thaddeus's life will vastly improve if he is permitted to leave, Everett and Ottilie form a friendship of sorts. A friendship that has the potential becoming something more. 

When yet another tragedy strikes Ottilie agrees to Thaddeus's removal from India on the condition that she goes with him. As Ottilie faces the prospect of a new world so different from the one she's always known she finds herself adrift. The family that she prayed would accept her is shocked at her foreign appearance and ways. She is expected to reject the ties that bind her to England so as to not upset societal expectations and ruin her brother's future. Worse she faces betrayal once again from a man in whom she has placed her truth. Can she ever find a place to belong and find the answers she so desperately seeks?

A Tapestry of Light is a journey of faith and discovery. Who is God? Throughout Ottilie and various other characters find themselves in doubt as to who God truly is and what role, if any, His plays in their life? Is He loving? A cruel tyrant? An indifferent deity who demands everything? These are the answers that drive the story as much as the prejudices that drive Ottilie to make choices that set her life on an altogether different path she never anticipated following. These are truths that all readers can take to heart as something to ponder. This book takes the reader on a journey through heartbreak, sorrow, desolation, and joy. It is also a look at the world under British rule and it is disheartening that the prejudices that were are still such a very real part of life today. Ethnic and class snobbery is not unique to any particular era or people and yet it is equally painful and destructive. Kimberly Duffy brings Ottilie Russell life with all her complexities, fears, hopes, and dreams. This is the first work of Kimberly Duffy that I have had the pleasure of reading and I can assure you that it will not be the last and I highly recommend her work if you are looking for something that entertains while providing a multifaceted depth.

I was provided a complimentary copy with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Tapestry of Light
Author: Kimberly Duffy
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release date: March 16, 2021
Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Calcutta, 1886. 

Ottilie Russell is adrift between two cultures, British and Indian, belonging to both and neither. In order to support her little brother, Thaddeus, and her grandmother, she relies upon her skills in beetle-wing embroidery that have been passed down to her through generations of Indian women. 

When a stranger appears with the news that Thaddeus is now Baron Sunderson and must travel to England to take his place as a nobleman, Ottilie is shattered by the secrets that come to light. Despite her growing friendship with Everett Scott, friend to Ottilie's English grandmother and aunt, she refuses to give up her brother. Then tragedy strikes, and she is forced to make a decision that will take Thaddeus far from death and herself far from home. 

But betrayal and loss lurk in England, too, and soon Ottilie must fight to ensure Thaddeus doesn't forget who he is, as well as find a way to stitch a place for herself in this foreign land.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub

ALSO AVAILABLE

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Kimberly Duffy is a Long Island native currently living in Southwest Ohio, via six months in India. When she's not homeschooling her four kids, she writes historical fiction that takes her readers back in time and across oceans. She loves trips that require a passport, recipe books, and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of twenty years. He doesn't mind.

CONNECT WITH KIMBERLY: Website | Facebook | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of A Tapestry of Light, A Mosaic of Wings, and Recipes from an Indian Kitchen!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway began at midnight March 22, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 29, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

The London House ~ Cover Reveal

Today is the Cover Reveal for The London House by Katherine Reay which is releasing on November 30, 2021, from Harper Muse Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Focus.

Learn more about the book and enjoy the cover reveal. 

Now available to preorder at your favorite online retailer.

About the Book:

An uncovered family secret sets one woman on the journey of a lifetime through the history of Britain’s WWII spy network and glamorous 1930s Paris in an effort to understand her past, save her family, and claim her future.

One call could bring ruin to her family name.

Caroline Payne thinks it is just another day at work when she receives a call from Mat Hammond, a doctoral candidate, who has uncovered a dark and scandalous family secret: her British great-aunt defected to the Nazis to marry her German lover.

The letters tell a different story.

In search of answers, Caroline flies to London to search her grandmother’s diaries and her aunt’s letters. In them, she discovers the “Waite girls” and a time of peace and luxury in the interwar years that is beyond anything she ever imagined. But the buoyant tone quickly changes as the sisters grow older, fall in love with the same man, and one leaves home to join the glamorous art scene of 1930s Paris—all amid the rumblings of war.

But history won’t let its secrets go so easily.

The more Caroline learns, the more questions she has. Together Caroline and Mat work to dig out answers, uncovering stories of spies and love, of family rifts, and of one fateful evening in 1941. Will the truth they uncover heal the decades-old family wounds, or will they tear the family even further apart?

Coming November 30, 2021!

Love & Joy ~ Review

Love & Joy

Holidays in Hallbrook #8

By Elsie Davis

He said it was just a birthday kiss but when her high school crush kisses her on her thirtieth birthday it seems like something more to Zoe. And her nine-year-old son Scott is less than thrilled especially after his dad dumped them. Zoe knows the kiss means nothing to Blake Peterson who left Hallbrook and the family business behind years ago. And she knows he's probably on his way out of town again just a matter of days.

Zoe has been hoping that she will soon be promoted to manager of Peterson's Ice Creamery, after all, she's already been doing most of the work of a manager already. But Old Man Peterson has other plans - the manager position will be filled by whoever comes up with the best remodel plan for the Creamery. Unfortunately, Zoe knows exactly what is going to happen especially since she is competing for the job she not only wants but needs against Blake Peterson.

But when Blake starts working in the Creamery to get a feel for the place, he and Zoe start to see something more to one another. But misunderstandings could stand in the way of love. But when misunderstandings lead to feelings of betrayal can anything fix what has been broken?

Love and Joy is a sweet read. Apparently, this is the eighth book in the Holidays in Hallbrook series, but this was my first introduction to both the series and the author. But in no way did I feel as if I was missing something vital to the series but not reading the previous books. This book can easily be read as a standalone title and one can definitely connect with the characters and enjoy the story.  I wouldn't say this is a meet-cute book but maybe a remeet-cute book as Zoe and Blake have a bit of a history between them thanks to Sarah - Zoe's BFF and Blake's sister.                                                                                     

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.                

About the Book:

Let the battle begin…

A thirtieth birthday is a landmark, but Zoe is crushed when everyone - including her nine-year-old son - seems to forget it. Of course, she has no idea about the surprise party, or the even more surprising birthday kiss from her best friend’s brother and secret high school crush, Blake Peterson.

Zoe doesn’t have time to dwell on it, though. She’s worked hard to rebuild her life after a divorce, and she fully expects the promotion dangled in front of her. Her boss has other ideas, however: A contest to renovate Peterson’s Ice Creamery, and may the best man--or woman--win.  What’s worse, her competition is none other than Blake himself, Old Man Peterson’s grandson.

Blake’s ready to join the family business, but his grandfather says he has to prove himself first. Now, he has to work side-by-side with the beautiful Zoe, and the two butt heads right away. It’s a battle between Zoe’s nostalgic style and Blake’s beliefs that high-tech modernization is crucial to the bottom line of a company.

They’re both stubbornly sure that they’re right, but the more time they spend together, the more difficult it is to deny there’s something growing between them that has nothing to do with business. Can these two put their differences aside long enough to discover what’s really important?