About the Book
From USA TODAY bestselling author Kathryn Springer comes a tale of starting over when life takes an unexpected turn.
Winsome Lake, Wisconsin, is postcard-pretty, but for chef Jessica Keaton it’s also a last resort. Fired from her dream job, Jess is starting over as a live-in cook and housekeeper. When she arrives, she finds her new employer is in rehab after having a stroke, and Jess expects she’ll be all alone in Elaine Haviland’s quaint house. A chef with no one to cook for.
But instead, she encounters a constant stream of colorful visitors who draw her back into the world. As Jess contends with local teenagers, a group of scrappy women and a charming football coach, Elaine faces some battles of her own that extend past her physical challenges. For both of them, all the ingredients for a fulfilling life are within reach, if they’re willing to take a leap. And maybe Jess will start to see that it’s not just what’s on the table that matters—it’s the people gathered round it.
A must-read novel from Love Inspired: Stories to Uplift and Inspire.
Excerpt
She might have lost her reputation and her career and the keys to the Audi, but she’d worked too hard to let go of her name.
The fairy godmother exchanged a quick look with the others and then silently passed the verbal torch to the next one in line.
The two women appeared close in age, Jess guessed early-to midsixties, but a sleek helmet of copper hair accentuated every angle and plane of her companion’s exotic features. Spandex workout clothes did the same for her statuesque frame. When she extended a hand, Jess half expected her to strike a warrior pose.
“Nita.” The brisk catch and release matched the woman’s tone. “Elaine isn’t here. We think she might have had a relapse.”
Elaine. As in Elaine Haviland? The woman who’d offered Jess a place to live and a steady paycheck?
“I just spoke with Ms. Haviland a few days ago.” Jess struggled to make sense of the words. “What do you mean…a relapse?”
“From the stroke, I imagine.” The third member of the mismatched trio joined the conversation. In khaki cargo shorts and an oversize T-shirt with an equally oversize photo of a French bulldog silkscreened on the front, she was still the most ordinary-looking one in the bunch.
“We don’t know any details. My cousin’s best friend’s aunt is a patient at the rehab center and she told me that whatever happened caused quite a stir in the wing.” The woman’s voice picked up steam as she rolled on. “I called a few hours ago, but Vanessa, she’s the social worker, was in a meeting and the receptionist wouldn’t tell me a thing. Those Hippo laws, you know. Pain in the neck if you ask me.”
Jess might have laughed if the diet soda and energy bar she’d eaten for breakfast hadn’t started burning holes through the lining of her stomach.
About the Author
About the Book
Author: Sarah Hamaker
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 2020
A suspicious online romance reconnects an agoraphobe and an old friend.
Nursing a hurt leg, psychiatrist Jared Quinby arrives in Culpeper, Virginia, on a case for the FBI. The investigation leads him to the doorstep of his childhood best friend, Mary Divers. Meeting Mary again is the one bright spot in his life.
Suffering from agoraphobia, Mary has at last found love with online beau David Kline and dares to dream of a future with him. Then David reveals he will be leaving the United States to become a missionary in Peru. Determined to stop living in fear, she accepts David’s marriage proposal, even though she’s never met him face-to-face.
As Jared’s case intersects with Mary’s online relationship, the more he uncovers, the more he fears for her safety. Jared tries to convince Mary not all is right with David, but she refuses to believe him. When tragedy strikes, Mary pushes Jared even farther away.
Will Jared convince Mary of the truth—and of his love for her—before it’s too late?
Click here to get your copy!
My Thoughts
About the Author
Sarah Hamaker has been spinning stories since she was a child, with nonfiction and romantic suspense books published. Her stories have also appeared in several Chicken Soup for the Soul volumes. She’s a member of ACFW and ACFW Virginia Chapter, as well as the president of Capital Christian Writers Fellowship. Her podcast, “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” can be found wherever you listen to podcasts. Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband, four children, and three cats.
More from Sarah
Have you ever heard a story from a friend (or a friend of a friend) and thought it sounded more like fiction than reality? That’s what happened to me years ago when I heard first-hand a story about a woman who had been deceived by someone close to her.
Even while I grieved with my friend about the lies that had been told at her expense, I also admit to thinking, “That would make a fantastic storyline.” A couple of years later, I asked the friend for permission to use the basic outline of that story for what became Illusion of Love. To keep this friend’s identity a secret—and to avoid giving away the ending of my book—that’s all I can reveal to you.
However, what I can talk about is how interesting people’s reaction to the based-on-a-true story aspect has been along this book’s journey to publication. Most expressed their conviction that something similar could never happen to them. Part of that disbelief comes from our faith in our own ability to ferret out the truth from those around us.
Unfortunately, time and again, it’s been proven that we can be terrible when it comes to judging the true character of others! This is why people get away with pretending to be royalty or people lose money to someone’s Ponzi scheme or why those in authority can often get away with heinous crimes for years (#MeToo, Catholic priest sexual scandals are too horrific examples). Along the way, you’ll find people who wanted to think they wouldn’t be deceived…and were or who overlooked signs that in hindsight pointed right at the lie or perpetrator.
Why has this kept happening over and over again throughout history? I think it boils down to the simple fact that we want to believe we have excellent judgment when it comes to the character and intentions of others, whether we meet those people face to face or online. We also have a tendency, especially if we’re female, to ignore our gut when it tells us to be careful or wary of someone or a particular situation.
Especially when there’s real danger involved—in cases of potential abuse or criminal activity—it’s important to be prepared as much as we can be. One of the best books on this topic is Gavin de Becker’s The Gift of Fear. It’s a book I’ve recommended my teenage daughters and sons read before heading to college. What Gavin does is break down why our initial impressions can be wrong and why paying attention to our gut—that unconscious part of ourselves—can be crucial to staying safe, even if it means we sometimes offend or make people mad or upset. If only Mary, my heroine in Illusion of Love, had read The Gift of Fear, things might have turned out differently for her.
Why do you think we believe in our own judgment when it comes to people?
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 15
CarpeDiem, September 15
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 16
Inklings and notions, September 17
Texas Book-aholic, September 18
lakesidelivingsite, September 18
For Him and My Family, September 19
deb’s Book Review, September 20
Mary Hake, September 20
Locks, Hooks and Books, September 21
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 22
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 23
A Reader’s Brain, September 23
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 24
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, September 25
Pause for Tales , September 25
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 26
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, September 27 (Author Interview)
Spoken from the Heart, September 27
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 28
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Sarah is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card & eBook copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/119e8/illusion-of-love-celebration-tour-giveaway
The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon J. Mondragon ~ Book Review + Giveaway
September 24, 2021
About the Book
Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran had a good thing going: meet every week in the quiet of their peaceful chapel and knit prayer shawls. No muss, just ministry. That is, until their pastor boots them out of the church in his last-ditch effort to revive the dwindling congregation.
Uptight Margaret isn't having it. Knitting prayer shawls where people can watch is the most ridiculous idea she's ever heard of, and she's heard plenty. Prayer belongs in the church, not out among the heathen masses. How are they supposed to knit holiness into these shawls if they're constantly distracted by the public? But with no choice, the others embrace the challenge. They pack their knitting bags and drag Margaret--grumbling the whole way--to the mall with them. She can't wait to prove them all wrong when it fails miserably, and show the pastor that she always knows best.
Without the familiar mold the group has been stuck in, their own losses, pain, and struggles rise to the surface. And the people and situations they encounter every time they try to sit quietly and knit are taking them a lot further out of their comfort zone than they ever imagined. Can they find the courage to tackle the increasing number of knotty issues they learn about in the community--or will the tangle be too much to unravel?
Sharon Mondragon's debut is warm and delightful, full of real laughter, grief, and personality. It beautifully illustrates the power of women across generations to reach people for Christ
My Thoughts
Giveaway
About the Author
Mondragón has been active in prayer shawl ministry since 2008 and currently serves as facilitator for the prayer shawl ministry at her church, St. Paul Episcopal in Waxahachie, TX. She also knits with the Circle of Healing at Red Oak United Methodist Church. She is a Level 2 Certified Knitting Instructor through the Craft Yarn Council and teaches beginning knitting at a local yarn store.
Mondragón is the mother of five grown children and has four grandchildren. After 26 years as an Army wife, she has settled in Midlothian, TX with her hero/husband, her laptop, and her yarn stash.
Visit Sharon Mondragón’s website and blog at www.sharonjmondragon.com and follow her on Facebook (Sherry Mondragón) and Twitter (@SJ_Mondragón)
About the Book
Author: Caryl McAdoo
Genre: Mid-Grade & Young Adult Dystopian
Release Date: June 22, 2021
And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, a day, a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. Revelation 9:15The sixth trumpet has sounded. The world is at war.
Compelled by a night terror, Jackson leaves the relative safety of Red River County on a quest to rescue his missing mother. He plans a quick dash to retrieve her from bondage in Rockwall, but he is thwarted by others who need rescuing at every turn. Big girls, little girls, a medium-size boy, the smartest kid he’s ever known, and one giant dog comprise his army. If there is a God in Heaven, is He really watching out for him? Fifteen-year-old Jackson still hasn’t decided.
Click here to get your copy! Also available through Kindle Unlimited.
My Thoughts
About the Author
Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo prays her story gives God glory, and those best-selling stories—fifty-nine titles now—delight Christian readers around the world. The prolific writer also enjoys singing the new songs the Lord gives her—listen at YouTube! Sharing four children and twenty-one grandsugars (three greats), Caryl and Ron (her high-school-sweetheart-husband of fifty-plus years) live in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas. The McAdoos wait expectantly for God to open the next door.
More from Caryl
Some would call THE SIXTH TRUMPET a dystopian fantasy, and it is . . . but it’s also possible that tomorrow, an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) could be detonated over the Midwest and throw America back into the 1800s, before electricity and instant communication we enjoy today.
The “Days of Dread Trilogy” stories are packed with adventure as their young hero, Jackson Allison, his genius and devoted sidekick Albert Einstein Hawking, and his sort-of girlfriend Aria face dangers at every turn trying to save others.
An editor asked, “Why would you write a book about the end times for mid-grade and young adult readers?”
My answer?
”To let them know through reading them that when tough times get here—and they will come—I want my readers to realize God will be right there with them and protect and provide. My hope is to build their faith.”
Jackson starts out an agnostic, but God loves agnostics, too. Jesus died on the cross for them like He did for you and me. He loves Jackson so much that He shows him His power and provision time and time again—
Of course, the boy’s mother and sister, and grandparents, and Uncle Roy are all praying for his salvation. We know what can happen when God’s people pray! How many times have you prayeds, “Father! Whatever it takes, draw my loved one to Your heart!”
Jackson, though, is a stubborn as a Texas Ranger on a mission! His lieutenant succumbs to Holy Spirit’s calling in this story, but not Jackson, although he is being drawn to believe by all the things he cannot explain.
Who do you know who would love these stories? Besides you, I mean! I know you will! Who do you know who needs to read them?
Blog Stops
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 23
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, September 24
Mary Hake, September 24
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 25
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 26
Texas Book-aholic, September 27
Inklings and notions, September 28
Girls in White Dresses, September 29
deb’s Book Review, September 30
For Him and My Family, October 1
Locks, Hooks and Books, October 2
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 3
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 4
The Meanderings of a Bookworm, October 5
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 6
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/11b5a/the-sixth-trumpet-celebration-tour-giveaway
About the Book
Author: Jayne J. Jones Beehler
Genre: JUVENILE FICTION / Sports & Recreation/Hockey
Release Date: August 13, 2021
It’s Hockey Season tells the tale of two brothers, Blaine and Cullen, who love ice hockey and each other. Cullen is the all-star team captain and his brother Blaine, who has Down syndrome, is the team manager. Blaine is clearly the unsung hero of the team; his leadership and unselfish actions speak louder than words. Young readers are able to learn respect and a better understanding for the challenges individuals with special needs face on a daily basis.
Click here to get your copy!
My Thoughts
About the Author
Jayne J. Jones Beehler is a lifelong hockey fan who is also an advocate for children with disabilities. She serves as a government and legislative affairs project management consultant dealing with such issues as opioid addiction, juvenile justice, foster care, higher education, and education reforms.
Jayne is a former history professor for Concordia University, where she was named Political Science Professor of the Year in 2017. She holds a B.A. degree in Political Science and a law degree from William Mitchell College of Law.
She serves as national legal advisor for the American Special Hockey Association and is the founder of Margaret’s Missions, a chaperone travel program for people
with special needs.
Jayne resides with her husband and daughter in Wisconsin and Florida.
More from Jayne
“This book has great lessons for kids everywhere! I’m so happy my good friend Ann and the
American Special Hockey Association can be an inspiration for so many people!”
- Alex Ovechkin, Captain, Washington Capitals
“I’m a big fan of books that teach kids about hockey and more importantly about the value of
accepting those who may be different and working together as a team.
It’s important to lead by example and treat everyone with the same respect.”
- Claude Giroux, Captain, Philadelphia Flyers
Blog Stops
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 11
Texas Book-aholic, September 12
Inklings and notions, September 13
The Space of Grace, September 13
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 14
For Him and My Family, September 15
Remembrancy, September 16
deb’s Book Review, September 17
Locks, Hooks and Books, September 18
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 19
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 20
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 21
The Meanderings of a Bookworm, September 22
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, September 23
Artistic Nobody, September 24 (Spotlight)
Author Adventure, September 24
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Jayne is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card and copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/11822/it-s-hockey-season-celebration-tour-giveaway
About the Book
Author: Linda Shenton Matchett
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: August 15, 2020
Will she have to run from the past for the rest of her life?
Dinah Simpkins has no chance of making a good marriage. Her outlaw brothers and her father’s gambling addiction have ruined the family’s reputation. Then the Westward Home and Hearts Matrimonial Agency provides an opportunity for a fresh start. After Dinah arrives in Nebraska, she discovers her brothers played a part in the death of her prospective groom’s first wife.
As a former Pinkerton detective Nathan Childs knows when someone is lying. The bride sent by the matrimonial agency may be beautiful, but she’s definitely hiding something, and he has no intention of marrying her until he uncovers the truth. But an easier solution may be to send her packing. Then his young daughter goes missing. He and Dinah must put aside their mutual hurt and mistrust to find her.
Click here to get your copy!
My Thoughts
About the Author
Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is a former trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.
More from Linda
Dear Reader,
As a novelist, I write about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. And to me, nothing is more extraordinary than leaving all that you know to travel a great distance (often thousands of miles) to marry a man you’ve never met. Don’t you agree?
During the initial settlement of the American West, the population was primarily composed of men. Men who went in search of gold, to seek new opportunities in farming and ranching, or to make a fresh start where land and resources seemed unlimited. Eventually, loneliness set in for those who were single, yet there was a dearth of suitable women to marry.
The conundrum for the men was how to meet and court a woman without leaving for fear of someone taking their land or claims. Some of the bachelors wrote home asking friends and family for referrals to single women who would make a good wife. Courtship would take place via correspondence until the couple decided they were suited to marry. The more common scenario was that of mail-order brides.
Ads were placed by the men in eastern newspapers. They would tell a bit about themselves and what traits they were seeking in a wife. Interested women would reply, and the advertiser would respond to the applicant he thought was a good fit. As with those men who wrote home to find a mate, the process was much the same with courtship occurring through letters.
Most of the time, the marriages went smoothly, with the couple falling in love, resulting in a long and happy relationship. However, there are stories of marriages that did not survive because of abandonment, abuse, death, or the discovery of a still-living spouse. A few incidents are recorded about mail-order brides whose groom paid her railway passage, only for her to marry someone else because he seemed a better prospect. Fortunately, those instances seem to make up a small percentage.
I hope you enjoy Dinah’s Dilemma: A Mail-Order Bride Romance.
Blessings,
Linda Shenton Matchett
Blog Stops
Blossoms and Blessings, September 14
Mary Hake, September 14
Labor Not in Vain, September 15
Texas Book-aholic, September 16
Inklings and notions, September 17
For Him and My Family, September 18
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 19
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 19
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 20
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 21
Connect in Fiction, September 22
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, September 22
deb’s Book Review, September 23
Locks, Hooks and Books, September 24
Vicky Sluiter, September 25
The Meanderings of a Bookworm, September 25
Connie’s History Classroom, September 26
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 27
Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 27
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize package of a Book Journal, Floral Book Plates, Bookjigs Bookmark, a $25 Visa Gift Card, and an autographed paperback edition of Dinah’s Dilemma!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/11826/dinah-s-dilemma-celebration-tour-giveaway
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