Exclusive interview with Author Amanda Dykes

 Today, I'm thrilled to share with you my recent interview with author Amanda Dykes, in which we explore her newest book Born of Gilded Mountains and her writing. 

After you enjoy getting to know Amanda be sure to head over to Instagram and enter the 3-book Giveaway that I'm hosting (Open to US residents only). 

Instagram post link is https://www.instagram.com/p/C8TfdSVudzi/

A Cameo for a Cowgirl ~ Review

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for 

A Cameo for a Cowgirl by Carolyn Miller, 

hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

A Cameo for the Cowgirl
Three Creek Ranch #1
By Carolyn Miller

Cassie James is burning her candle at both ends and in the middle, so when newly hired actor Harrison Woods shows up on the set of As the Heart Draws and makes some complaints, she's less than pleased to meet him.

It sounds like a match made in nowhere, right? But 

Cassie's first impression of Harrison as a spoiled, ego-driven star isn't quite right. And his impression of her being a cowgirl wannabe is so far from the truth that these two need to have a do-over and start fresh. But it is not as easy to do in real life as it is in front of a camera.

The longer Cassie is around Harrison, the grumpier she gets; she just can't understand her feelings. But those on the outside of the drama have a sneaking suspicion. But the biggest drawback to Harrison, in Cassie's opinion, is his lack of faith. Now, Harrison isn't completely in the dark about God, but he doesn't need a God who is anything like his father. No thank, no how, no way, count him out. 

As the quiet, simple setting of the period drama works on him, Harrison begins to think about things in a different way. Some of the people he meets at Three Creek Ranch and on the set of As the Heart Draws have a powerful effect on him, including a grumpy cowgirl. 

It is interesting to get into Cassie's mind and see all she is feeling and her confusion about her own attitude. I was glad Harrison's internal debates counterbalanced it. It made the story more compelling to see where each was coming from in the course of their verbal exchanges; not all were argumentative. Both seem eager to prove themselves in what they are doing, seeking worth in their deeds and accomplishments. Overall, this was a good read, and I enjoyed getting to know the James family more. (Read Fire and Ice for their intro.)

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

Title: A Cameo for the Cowgirl
Series: Three Creek Ranch #1
Author: Carolyn Miller
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: June 14, 2024
Genre: Christian Romantic Comedy

Welcome to Three Creek Ranch, home of the James family for over a hundred years, complete with its own Western movie set. 

Franklin James might be a famous pro hockey player, but just because he's Cassie's older brother doesn't mean she wants to step into the limelight. She's too busy helping her dad run the ranch and managing the ranch's movie set, and negotiating with the giant egos of movie stars like Harrison Woods, who's supposed to be filming the new TV series of As The Heart Draws. And while his TV hero characters might be hugely popular, Harrison's real character seems anything but noble. Cassie is convinced he's hiding something, and that this diva's nice guy moments are just an act. 

Can she remind him what being a true hero is all about?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

Also Available

   

---

About the Author

Carolyn Miller is a bestselling Australian author of historical and contemporary romance. A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her Regency novels include the Regency Brides and the Regency Wallflowers series. Her contemporary novels include the Original Six and Northwest Ice hockey romance series, the Muskoka Shores romance series, and those in the Independence Islands series. Her stories have been described by Publishers Weekly as "a winsome exploration of life, love and faith" and witty "with snappy repartee that rockets off the page" (Library Journal). Readers enjoy these books that are humorous yet also deal with real issues, such as dealing with forgiveness, the nature of really loving versus 'true love', and other challenges. Her novels can be considered 'inspirational', and may appeal to readers of Christian fiction, who want stories of hope and redemption - with a twist of Aussie humour.

Connect with Carolyn at carolynmillerauthor.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

---

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win 

a print book (US only) 

or ebook (where available) 

copy of A Cameo for the Cowgirl 

plus a $20 Amazon gift card!

The full tour schedule is linked below. 

The giveaway begins at midnight on June 12, 2024, 

and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 19, 2024. 

The winner will be notified within 2 weeks of the giveaway's close 

and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of the prize. 

The giveaway is US only for print. 

Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

The giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

---

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

You're the Reason ~ Review

You’re the Reason 

Home to Heritage #1

By Susan May Warren 

       and Tari Faris

Seth Warner needs a job and knows he can get one from his cousin. He's hoping for a chance to rebuild his life, but with a felony attached to his name returning to Heritage is the only way he can see to go forward. But visiting the past was not something he wanted to do. He was changed, but somethings aren't easily forgotten or forgiven. And he never expected to see Grace Howell.

Grace needs to recover if she has any hope of dancing again, and she needs to rediscover her passion. Her parents' push for perfection has pushed it out of her heart. Can she find it in Heritage?

 

When a bit of a snafu finds Grace and Seth sharing the same piece of real estate it makes for an interesting conundrum; logistically speaking.                    

 

 

And the situation allows them the chance that their teen years and her parents didn't.  But can they let go of the past and all the its pain to achieve their heart's desire?

 

This is a book of second chances and new beginnings but it will never happen if they can't step back and examine their lives from a different perspective. I have to say Grace rubbed me the wrong way when the book first started, she had an attitude of I'm better than all this - I'm a dancer, I don't teach. But as the story went on I think fear was her motivation. And Seth had my sympathy from the very beginning. He just seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time way too much. This was a good read for anyone looking for a new Contemporary Christian Romance to add to their TBR list.

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.

Release Date: June 25, 2024

About the Book:

 How could she ever love the man blamed for her brother’s death? A novel of Redemption, Forgiveness, and Unrequited Love in this Home to Heritage novel.

She never intended to return to Heritage.

When an injury sidelines her, Grace Howell leaves her life as a ballerina and returns to Heritage, Michigan, to heal. Teaching dance is just a temporary gig, until she finds herself unexpectedly charmed by small-town life and her growing attachment to Seth Warner, a man from her past with a troubled history of his own.

He’s back in Heritage as a changed man.

The last place Seth thought he’d return is Heritage, but a felony record has narrowed his options, compelling him back to a community that hasn’t forgotten his transgressions. Dreams of starting a Ninja Gym give him purpose, yet it’s his entanglement with Grace—the woman he once let slip away—that ignites his desire to stay. Is this his chance at redemption and to live out the love he’s always harbored?

But can they forget the past?

When Grace’s old ballet company offers her a chance to come back, she’s faced with a heart-wrenching decision: pursue the dream she’s always known or stay with the community and man that have captured her heart, even as that love is put to the test.

But has Seth really changed?

Seth’s world is rocked by a confrontation that threatens to pull him back into the world he’s tried so hard to escape. He must fight to clear his name and protect his future with Grace, proving that his commitment to change is more than just talk.

With their happiness hanging by a thread, the decisions they make will define their fates and the heart of Heritage itself.

Unforgiven ~ Review

Unforgiven

Shelley Shepard Gray

One hears about the forgiving spirit of the Amish community and the dislike of anger and violence, Unforgiven paints a far different story for those who live within the community and stray from the dictated way. 

Seth Zimmerman made a mistake when he accidentally killed a man while protecting someone else. But his actions put him in jail, allowing English influences to change him. And if certain rumors are to be believed, he wasn't as innocent as he claimed, nor was the young woman he aided.

Tabitha Yoder was the community's schoolteacher until her husband demanded that she give up the position. When she filed for divorce after she was abused, it didn't elicit sympathy. Rather, she was expelled from the community. After all, her husband deserved a second chance and she didn't give it to him.

Two people are judged for doing what they felt was right. Victims are re-victimized. And forgiveness is withheld from themselves. For both Seth and Tabitha yes their own community didn't step up and support them as they should but both were also driven by their own guilt in the incidents that marked their lives. 

This book explores tragic events and the impact they have on the lives of those involves years later. This book explores the guilt we carry for what at the time seemed like a simple right or left question and the consequences were so much larger. This is a well-written book that makes one think and I love books that make me think. This isn't your typical Amish read, but something much better.

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:

Ex-con Seth Zimmerman has spent the last three years making amends by helping the vulnerable in his former Amish community. Lately, this mission includes calling on Tabitha Yoder, whose divorce from her abusive husband has isolated her from the community. Even though she never comes out of her house to talk to him, Seth knows she watches him from the window while he chops wood, clears her driveway, and drops off food.

An uneasy friendship is just starting to take hold between them when small gifts begin to appear at Tabitha's home--gifts that can only be from her ex-husband. Seth might be Tabitha's only hope at maintaining her hard-won freedom from the man whose violent outbursts had almost cost her life. But coming to her rescue might mean he ends up behind bars once again.

Get swept up in this emotional story of two outcasts who may be each other's only hope for happiness and redemption from New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray.

Cover Reveal for Cornerstone Series ~ Summer

 Today I'm thrilled to be participating in the cover reveal for the SUMMER Cornerstone series coming from Beyond the Bookery beginning this autumn!

 

16 Christian fantasy fairy tale retellings filled with faith, clean romance, danger, and courage from authors Laurie Lucking, Kirsten Fichter, E. G. Bella, Jewel Windall, Saraina Whitney, Rachel Kovaciny, Abigail Kay Harris, Madisyn Carlin, Lucy Peterson, Anna Augustine, Olivia Godfrey, Kendall Hoxsey, K. R. Mattson, C. K. Heartwing,  Kendra E. Ardnek, Katja H. Labonté.

 

Available to pre-order at Amazon. 

Now for the covers for the Summer Collection...

 

 

 

Trouble in Assisi ~ Review

Trouble in Assisi
A Fabiola Bennett Mystery #2
by Heidi Eljarbo

He says it's a miracle, but Fabiola Bennett isn't so sure. But how did the painting suddenly appear in the locked basilica's bell tower? And who is the painter of this masterpiece? Fabiola is going to find the answers she seeks. But learning the truth may come with a price. Is she willing to pay it? (Que maniacal laughter. No, not really. But it adds drama, right?) 

 

The mystery revolves around the painting - who painted it, where did it come from, what happened to it, and who is the subject of the painting? 

Now I haven't read this author's work before, so I went into this book without any expectations and have to admit with the first page I knew I was in for a reading treat. And that was before the duel-time portion was even revealed. I love a back-and-forth between timelines as slowly questions are presented and then the answers are revealed. I'll admit I wanted to see the painting that Fabiola was shown in the bell tower. The bits of description were just that bits, like cookie crumbs, you know there's something more and you (the royal you meaning me) want the whole thing. 

 

This was a enjoyable read. I liked that the mystery surrounding the painting wasn't easily solved and even better that it wasn't obvious who had taken it. This was a clean mystery, in other words no graphic violence, foul language, etc. I now need to read the first book in the series, though it isn't necessary to fully enjoy this book. 

 

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

About the Book:

Assisi, 1973

On art historian Fabiola Bennett’s first day in Assisi, a local gentleman takes her aside to ask for advice about a painting that has wondrously appeared in the basilica’s bell tower.

So much for enjoying relaxing days filled with dining on pasta and gelato.

Soon, Fabiola and her besties, Pippa and Cary, are thrown into a shrouded mystery and caught up in a whirlwind of intrigue, theft, lies, and attempted murder, all of which overshadows the postcard-like charm of the small, historic town.

Rome, 1511

Life is going well for Teodoro Nicoletti. Since he was a young man in Florence, he has worked and learned alongside the most-favored artist Raphael.

When Pope Julius II commissions Raphael to paint several frescos in the reception rooms of the Vatican Palace, Teodoro follows his master to Rome and discovers firsthand the admiration and rivalry between Raphael and two other reigning artists: Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

But the prickliest thorn in Teodoro’s side is his beloved Elisabetta’s father. The old man is determined to keep his youngest daughter from becoming Teodoro’s wife.

Mountain of Dragons and Sacrifice ~ Review

Mountain of Dragons and Sacrifice
Sacrificed Hearts #1
Tara Grayce

Every year a maiden must be sacrificed to appease the dragon and allow the village's olive crop to be blessed. And this year Nessa is the fortunate maiden chosen to give her life for the good of the village. And for some reason she doesn't appreciate the honor that has been bestowed upon her. Not that the village elders feel any need to throw themselves on a stone altar and give themselves over as a tasty dragon snack. Nope not happening ever!

But when the dragon finally comes to accept her sacrifice she's in for a shock. He doesn't eat her! If fact he seems almost friendly. Sure that she's being tested Nessa follows all of the warnings the village elders imparted. She fears if she angers the dragon he may destroy her village or refuse to bless the year's olive crop. 

But how can she follow the rules when what she's being told now is so different than what she's been told her whole life? Who should she believe? The dragon? His servants? Her parents? Or those from her village?

This was an enjoyable book that offers the other side of an evil dragon tale. It was interesting seeing how Nessa navigated the sudden change in her life and tries to make sense of just why she had to be sacrificed. This book definitely examines the fallacies of long-held superstitions. This is a sweet read that offers clean reading. 

This is the first book in the Sacrificed Hearts series. These books, each written by a different author, can be read as standalone titles as they share a similar theme, sacrifice, and not characters or story worlds. This is a book that is appropriate for tweens and up who don't want anything but a pinch of clean romance in their books. 

 

About the Book:

It’s a tale as old as myth and legends: the village maiden sacrificed to a monster.

Every year, Nessa’s village sacrifices a maiden to the dragon in the mountain. If they don’t, the dragon will sweep down from his lair and destroy them all.

When Nessa is chosen to be that year’s sacrifice, she’s prepared to be eaten, as much as anyone can prepare for such a thing. Instead, she finds herself swept away to a world of dragons, gnomes, and fae creatures beyond her imagination, leaving her with more questions than answers. If the maiden’s purpose isn’t to be eaten, then what is the dragon’s reason for the sacrifices? And why is the dragon nothing like what she had been told he would be?

And, most frightening of all, what would happen if she lit the candle and looked upon the dragon’s face?

Loosely inspired by the myth of Psyche and Eros, this humorous romantasy features dragon shifters, quirky fae, and swoony no-spice romance, perfect for fans of Sylvia Mercedes, Kenley Davidson, and K.M. Shea!