Ruby Jane ~ Spotlight and Giveaway

Ruby Jane

Montana Marshalls #5

By Susan May Warren

Published by SDG Publishing

Releasing November 26, 2019

                                

About the Book:

She loved…and lost.

Ruby Jane never thought she’d meet the man of her dreams while running from the police in Russia. That he’d steal her heart on a train to Siberia. But loving a former CIA officer comes with a price…a life of danger. A life of high stakes.

A life where he simply disappears…

He has no memory of the man he was.

Mack Jones has no memory of his past…just the dark sense that he is hiding. And, he wants to stay that way. Mack likes the life he’s built in a small tourist town, tucked away beyond the mountains, and has no desire to dig around in the gray areas of his memory.

When his place of business catches fire and Mack rescues the owner, he makes the news, which of course alerts the past he’s hoping to outrun.

The only person who can help him is a mysterious woman he doesn’t remember.

But a woman he desperately needs.

The surprising, thrilling conclusion to the Montana Marshall series.

Be sure to enter the giveaway 

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of 

Ruby Jane by Susan May Warren 

and a $15 Amazon gift card!

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Hurricane Dog ~ Review with Giveaway

Hurricane Dog
A Tale of Betrayal, Redemption and Change
By Sunny Weber

Gator, a pitbull mix, was adopted as a young pup by Gavin and his parents. This is the story of Gator's life - a life in which he is betrayed. But before the betrayal Gator's life is one in which he is loved greatly.

Before Gator was abandoned to the ravages of a Louisiana hurricane he and Gavin were the best of friends spending every free moment together. And they faced the prejudices of those who couldn't see to the heart of a person or a dog - looking only at appearances. Along the way Magnolia, a rescued puppy mill dog joins them and becomes the joy in Gator's life. But when a hurricane destroyed much of where they lived Gator and Magnolia were left behind, by order of the government authorities.

Seemingly abandoned Gator refuses to trust another human, until he needs the help of someone to save Magnolia. Bonded Gator's appearance and breed work against the chances that he and Magnolia have of ever getting adopted.

Hurricane Dog starts out very nicely but as the story progresses (especially following the hurricane) one may need to obtain a box of tissues. This book touches on several sensitive issues without delving too deeply so this book is suitable for middle-grade children. This book is told over several years from the viewpoint of Gator's eyes as he undergoes several life-changing events that alter everything he knows. For those who are wondering this book does end on an up note so although there are moments when the reader is convinced that the worst is going to happen you will be satisfied when you get to the end.

Following the story, there are notes about the laws and efforts those concerned about animals have since worked to get put into place.

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.

Book Details:
Book Title:  Hurricane Dog: A Tale of Betrayal, Redemption and Change by Sunny Weber
Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 221 pages
Genre:  animals/pets
Publisher:  Pups and Purrs Press
Release date:   Aug 8, 2019
Content Rating: G

About the Book:

Pitbull mix Gator and puppy mill survivor Magnolia are abandoned during a Louisiana hurricane. They suffer dehydration and starvation after rescuers take their people to safety but leave the pets behind.

Saved from their flooded house, Gator and Magnolia recover but remain homeless. Nobody wants a pit bull. Gator’s resentment festers into intense hatred for Gavin, the boy who left them to die. He vows to never trust again.

Transported to Colorado with other refugee pets, Gator and Magnolia face the uncertainty of a new life. Eventually, they are fostered by a kind woman who seems mysteriously familiar. Both dogs relax in their new lives until upheaval again throws them into chaos.

Overwhelmed by trauma, Gator and Magnolia cling to one another through change after change. Will they be separated? Will Gator forgive the Great Betrayal and love again?

What will happen to pets and their people in the next natural disaster? Can Gavin change the rules of rescue? Will Gavin and Gator reunite?

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Sunny Weber has over 25 years of experience in animal welfare advocacy. She is a professional humane educator and believes compelling storytelling reflects her passion for seeing the world through the eyes of the animals she teaches about.

Real stories are Sunny’s key to making deep impressions on young minds, for the future of animal welfare lies in sensitive people who will have the power to alter the negative impacts of previous generations and bring about positive change for all inhabitants of our planet.

Sunny has developed educational programs regarding compassion, respect, and care of domestic and wild animals. She writes extensively on animal issues in fiction, non-fiction, and blogs.

Sunny lives in Colorado with dogs and cats. Their yard is a Certified Backyard Habitat for birds, squirrels, rabbits, pollinators, and any other creature with fur or feathers who wanders in.

Connect with the author:    Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Linked-In

BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE:
Nov 11 – ROCKIN' Book Reviews – book review From Wild to Mild / guest post / giveaway
Nov 12 –  My Journey Back – book review The Dog at the Gate / giveaway
Nov 13 – Locks, Hooks, and Books – book review The Dog at the Gate / giveaway
Nov 13 - Blooming with Books – book review Hurricane Dog / giveaway
Nov 14 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of From Wild to Mild / giveaway
Nov 15 - Svetlana's reads and views – book review From Wild to Mild
Nov 15 - Rosepoint Publishing – book review From Wild to Mild
Nov 15 – Jypsylynn – book review The Dog at the Gate
Nov 18 – My Journey Back – book review Hurricane Dog / giveaway
Nov 18 - ROCKIN' Book Reviews – book review Hurricane Dog / giveaway
Nov 19 – FUONLYKNEW – book review The Dog at the Gate / giveaway
Nov 19 - Blooming with Books – book review From Wild to Mild / guest post / giveaway
Nov 20 – Locks, Hooks, and Books – book review Hurricane Dog / giveaway
Nov 20 - ROCKIN' Book Reviews – book review The Dog at the Gate / giveaway
Nov 21 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of The Dog at the Gate / giveaway
Nov 21 - Svetlana's reads and views – book review Hurricane Dog
Nov 21 - Books for Books – book review The Dog at the Gate
Nov 22 – Jypsylynn – book review of Hurricane Dog
Nov 22 - FUONLYKNEW – book review of Hurricane Dog / giveaway
Nov 25 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Hurricane Dog / giveaway
Nov 25 - Blooming with Books – book review The Dog at the Gate / giveaway
Nov 26 – FUONLYKNEW – book review of From Wild to Mild / giveaway
Nov 26 - Books for Books – book review Hurricane Dog
Nov 27 – Locks, Hooks, and Books – book review From Wild to Mild / giveaway
Nov 27 - Svetlana's reads and views – book review The Dog at the Gate
Nov 28 – My Journey Back – book review From Wild to Mild / giveaway
Nov 29 - Jypsylynn – book review of From Wild to Mild
Dec 2 - Books for Books – book review From Wild to Mild
Dec 2 - Mystery Suspense Reviews – book review of From Wild to Mild

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

Win an autographed print copy of 

FROM WILD TO MILD by Sunny Weber 

(USA and Canada)

(ends December 9, 2019)

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hope's Highest Mountain ~ Review

Hope's Highest Mountain
Hearts of Montana #1
By Misty M. Beller

Settler's Fort, a remote mining town in the Montana Territory, is in desperate need of the smallpox vaccine. Along with her father, a maid, and a guide Ingrid Chastain is en route to help administer the vaccine and to help any in need of medical nursing. But when their late-season venture meets with a catastrophic fate Ingrid's life hangs precariously on the skills of a doctor who left the profession behind after losing his family to an outbreak he couldn't stop.

Micah Bradley wants nothing to do with people having left all that he knew behind - but he couldn't escape his pain, his loss, or his guilt. When he comes upon the tragic scene that was Ingrid Chastain's life he knows that he'll have to do all he can to save her life. But with little in the way of medical supplies and equipment at his disposal, he isn't hopeful. But Ingrid is a fighter and has a hidden strength that will help her through the pain she is about to face.
 
Ingrid isn't about to let her father's last act to be in vain and she is determined to get the smallpox vaccine to Settler's Fort. Now she just has to convince Micah Bradley that the risk is worth it if they can save lives. But reaching their destination will take more than their own strength - a strength found only in faith in God will be their greatest hope as they take on the Rocky Mountains.

I really enjoyed the strength of Ingrid's faith and how she helped not only Micah but several others along the way. One feels the loss that has affected these lives, the push to deliver a needed medicine, and the healing that comes with relying on God.

This book is told through both Ingrid and Micah's viewpoints and it is interesting to see how they both react to the situations they find themselves facing. The strength of Ingrid's faith makes an impact on Micah as he sees her faith in action and in the face of what she is experiencing. Hope's Highest Mountain is the first book in the Hearts of Montana series and this book, in my opinion, is excellent and I'm more than a little curious as to what will come next. Those who enjoy historical fiction will want to add this to their TBR list.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion all thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:
When Ingrid Chastain agreed to accompany her father to deliver vaccines to a mining town in the Montana Territory, she never could have anticipated a terrible accident would leave her alone and badly injured in the wilderness. Rescue comes in the form of a mysterious mountain man who tends her injuries, but she's hesitant to put her trust in this man who seems to have wounds of his own.

After tragedy struck his family, Micah Bradley left his work as a doctor and escaped to the wilds of Montana. But his self-imposed solitude is broken when he finds Ingrid in desperate need of medical attention, and he's forced to call on his doctoring skills once again.

Micah can't help but admire Ingrid's tenacity despite the severity of her injuries, until he learns the crate she brought contains smallpox vaccines to help quell a nearby outbreak. With Ingrid dead set on delivering the medicine--with or without his help--he has no choice but to accompany her. As they set off through the treacherous, snow-covered Rocky Mountains against all odds, the journey ahead will change their lives more than they could have known.

Stitches in Time ~ Review

Stitches in Time
The Deacon's Family #2
By Suzanne Woods Fisher

Luke Schrock is about to have the worst possible thing happen to him - he is about to become Stoney Ridge's newest deacon. Yup, super scary thought at least in Luke's mind and in at least half the community's too. But Luke has grown up from the troubled prankster who tormented all who had the misfortune to know him. And as his first project as a deacon, he urges members of the church to open their homes to children within Lancaster's foster system.

Mollie Graber is simply beside herself when Luke makes known his promise to Amos Lapp - she would simply LOVE to open her home to a pair of sisters in need of a loving home. And she's determined to make sure this dream becomes a possibility even if she has to bug Luke every day about it.

Sam Schrock is the brother most people don't notice, not after all of Luke's antics and he likes it that way. The one person he wants to notice him is Mollie, Stoney Ridge's newest teacher doesn't associate him with Luke's troubled years and that suits him just fine. Sam spends most of his time retraining and calming the young Thoroughbreds that he and his stepfather Galen King bring home. He just can't understand why Mollie is willing to set herself up for a world of hurt by opening her small home to foster children. He knows her heart is behind it but he knows she doesn't realize the potential trouble she is inviting in.

This is another lovely visit to Stoney Ridge that those familiar with Suzanne Woods Fisher's work will enjoy. If you are unfamiliar with her work this would be an okay book to read even though it is the second book in the series one can easily follow along (you can go back and read all the other Stoney Ridge books later). This book was particularly interesting as homes are opened to young girls who are need of temporary homes. These girls aren't Amish so it makes for a few interesting interactions between the characters. It's hard to believe that a previously almost unlikeable character can become a favorite but Luke is definitely one of those characters (I've known a few people who are like this so I know this is possible and not just a bit of fiction on the author's part). This book definitely gives one a sense of home and comfort throughout.making for a pleasurable experience.

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:

Keeping people at arm's length had worked 

well as a life strategy for Sam Schrock.

Until he met Mollie Graber.

Schoolteacher Mollie Graber has come to Stoney Ridge for a fresh start. Aware of how fleeting and fragile life is, she wants to live it boldly and bravely. When Luke Schrock, new to his role as deacon, asks the church to take in foster girls from a group home, she's the first to raise her hand. The power of love, she believes, can pick up the dropped stitches in a child's heart and knit them back together. Mollie envisions sleepovers and pillow fights. What she gets are sleepless nights and police at the door.

There's only one thing that breaks through the girls' hard shells--an interest in horses. Reluctantly and skeptically, horse trainer Sam Schrock gets drawn into Mollie's chaotic life. What he didn't expect was for love to knit together the dropped stitches in his own heart . . . just in time.

Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to the little Amish community of Stoney Ridge for a touching story of the power of love.

The Roll of the Drum ~ Review

The Roll of the Drum
The Amish of Weaver's Creek #2
By Jan Drexler

Gideon Fischer is hoping for a fresh start and healing for his wife Lovinia. Having lost almost everything to Southern raiders his family has suffered greatly and his wife's health has drastically failed. The promise of help from the Amish community of Weaver's Creek has kept him pushing on. If not for his family he could never ask for help he can't repay.

Ruby Weaver is most unconventional but she is more than willing to help those in need and the Fischer family needs the help her family is more than willing to share. She soon becomes friends with the failing Lovinia. And the four young children who are hurting need her help as they must prepare for the worst. But when Lovinia extracts a promise from her to be there for her children and to agree to marry Gideon, Ruby agrees but with reservations.

Gideon can't image a life without his wife but his children need someone to mother them but marriage to Ruby Weaver, he just can't do that even if Lovinia felt Ruby was just what they will need. When they come with a workable plan to provide a home for the children/ Unfortunately wagging tongues find fault with the solution that they come up with.

The Roll of the Drum is the second book in the Amish of Weaver's Creek series and it is set during the years of the Civil War. The war has not left the area untouched and they are having to live with the cloud it has cast over them. This book is an enjoyable read and the characters are for the most part likable. I like the chance to again revisit the Weaver family and their community. This is an easy to read book and I have to be honest I like American Historical fiction so this was an interesting look at the Civil War era.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.




About the Book:

How far will she have to go to keep a promise?

Ruby Weaver's curly red hair isn't the only thing that sets her apart from her Amish community in 1863. Twenty-eight and single, Ruby doesn't believe a woman needs to be married in order to be happy. Her ailing friend Lovinia Fischer, however, has other ideas and wants Ruby to promise to marry her husband after she dies. Never imagining she'd have to fulfill that vow, Ruby agrees. And she's not the only one. Lovinia has extracted a similar promise from her husband, Gideon.

With both Ruby and Gideon reluctant to keep their promises, a compromise must be reached. Ruby will spend her days with Gideon's family--helping to raise the children and keep the house--but her nights will be spent at her sister's neighboring house. The arrangement raises eyebrows in their conservative Amish community, and it soon becomes clear that Ruby must make a decision--marry Gideon or turn her back on her friend?

The Duke's Second Chance ~ Review

 

The Duke's Second Chance

 Lords for the Sisters of Sussex #1

 By Jen Geigle Johnson

When he lost his wife Gerald wanted nothing to with his newborn son and the thought of a second marriage was not to be contemplated. But his mother and sister are convinced that he needs a new duchess to help manage his estate. But a grieving heart is not able to accept the well-meaning advice of family so Gerald does the only thing possible - he walks out and into a tea shop.

Amelia Dickson never expected a fine gentleman to enter her family's tea shop, at least one that wasn't in the company of a young lady. But when a gentleman comes in in an attempt to outrun his broken heart she had no idea that her life was about to change. And when she learns the identity of her shop's visitor she is more than a little surprised to discover that he is the Duke of Granbury. She knows that she has no hope of winning the heart of the man who stole hers.

When Gerald makes a rash decision he may live the rest of his life regretting it. But the only woman who has managed to capture his attention is not in his social sphere and therefore unsuitable to even think upon as his mother has so recently pointed out.

The Duke's Second Chance is a lovely quick read that those who love clean Regency romance. There are secrets that have an interesting impact on the story. And then there is the estate that Gerald inherited from a cousin that comes with a household of sisters which sets the stage for the rest of the series, yes the sisters of Sussex are in want of husbands whether they want them or not. 

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

Second chances often come from surprising places. 

Will the Duke find another chance at love when

everything seems to be combining against him? 

 Gerald feels as though he’s lost everything when his wife takes her last breath.

 Amelia’s world turns upside down when the Duke of Granbury steps into her tea shop and leaves with her heart. But when a secret from Amelia’s past unveils possibilities, will the duke get a second chance at love from an unexpected source?

Buy this first book in a Regency romance series for a taste of deep loyal friendship, beautiful second chances, and the path to heal a heart.

Look for the other books in the series: 

The Earl's Winning Wager 

Her Lady's Whims and Fancies 

Suitors for the Proper Miss 

Pining for Lord Lockhart 

The Foibles and Follies of Miss Grace

GOODREADS | AMAZON | BOOKBUB

About the Author

An award winning author, including the GOLD in Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards, Jen Geigle Johnson discovered her passion for England while kayaking on the Thames near London as a young teenager. She once greeted an ancient turtle under the water by grabbing her fin. She knows all about the sound a water-ski makes on glassy water and how to fall down steep moguls with grace. During a study break date in college, she sat on top of a jeep's roll bars up in the mountains and fell in love. Now, she loves to share bits of history that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether in Regency England, the French Revolution, or Colonial America, her romance novels are much like life is supposed to be: full of adventure.

GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | BOOKBUB | NEWSLETTER | WEBSITE

Giveaway

Enter the giveaway HERE.

The Bright Unknown ~ Review

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Bright Unknown 
by Elizabeth Byler Younts, 
hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

The Bright Unknown

By  Elizabeth Byler Younts

Brighton Friedrich has only known the Riverside Home for the Insane, born in the asylum she can never leave - it's the law. She's not a patient but most definitely a prisoner and in someways a pet to a few of the nurses. Brighton knows all too well the pain and misery that lives in this place that offers to heal but in fact, does more harm than anything.

More than 50 years have passed and the girl she once was has been pushed into the hidden recesses of her mind until she receives a package from someone named Kelly Keene. The old memories come back and she is faced with a choice - allow Brighton to resurface or keep her forever locked away.

The Bright Unknown is a book well worth reading but at the same time it hurts the soul as one experiences what Brighton went through when she was in Riverside. The very means that were used to subdue and restrain are just so inhumane and when one thinks that this occurred in the 1930s and 1940s it is almost unbelievable that we claimed to be a civilized society and wanted to force our civilized ways on others. 

This book is told in memories so it is not presented in a linear chronology so the reader will need to note at the beginning of each chapter the year. But this is more than a life imprisoned as Brighton manages to get the one thing she always wanted a life outside. But when you have never experienced what lies beyond freedom can be almost as frightening as the pain and grief that she had always seen. This is a story of perseverance and the strength that the right friend can give when you most need it. The Bright Unknown gave Brighton what she needed - a dream of the life she and her mother might have had, a dream of a future that was beyond the known. This is a story of the triumph and endurance of the human spirit. Would make an excellent book club selection.

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

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Bright Unknown
Author: Elizabeth Byler Younts
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Literary Fiction
Release Date: October 22, 2019

This poignant and heartbreaking novel explores the power of resilience, the gift of friendship, and the divine beauty to be found in the big, bright world—if only we’re willing to look.

Pennsylvania, 1940s. The only life Brighton Friedrich has ever known is the one she has endured within the dreary walls of Riverside Home—the rural asylum where she was born. A nurse, Joann, has educated and raised Brighton, whose mother is a patient at the hospital. But Joann has also kept vital information from Brighton—secrets that if ever revealed would illuminate Brighton’s troubling past and the circumstances that confine her to Riverside. Brighton’s best friend is a boy she calls Angel, and as they grow up together and face the bleak future that awaits them, they determine to make a daring escape.

Nothing can prepare Brighton and Angel for life beyond Riverside’s walls. They have no legal identities, very little money, and only a few leads toward a safe place to land. As they struggle to survive in a world they’ve never seen before, they must rely on each other and the kindness of strangers—some of whom may prove more dangerous than the asylum they’ve fled.

Narrated in Elizabeth Byler Younts's gorgeous style, The Bright Unknown is a sparkling search for answers, family, and a place to call home.

PURCHASE LINKS*: 

Goodreads | Amazon | BN.com | Book Depository | Christianbook

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Byler Younts gained a worldwide audience through her first book, Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed novel The Solace of Water and the Promise of Sunrise series. Elizabeth lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, her two daughters, and a small menagerie of well-loved pets.  


CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH: 
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

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