Friday, May 9, 2014

On Tour with Meant to Be Mine + $50, Books and Chocolate Giveaway!

A book tour hosted by Prism Book Tours.

Welcome to my tour stop for
Meant to Be Mine
by Becky Wade


Meant to be Mine (A Porter Family Novel, #2)
Meant to Be Mine

(A Porter Family Novel #2)
by Becky Wade
Christian Romance
May 2014 by Bethany House Publishers

Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school—irresistible. When their paths cross again after college—still irresistible. This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.

The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia’s ready to be Ty’s wife, but Ty’s not ready to be her husband. He’s a professional bull rider, he lives on the road, and he’s long planned to settle down with the hometown girl he’s known since childhood.

Five and a half years pass. Celia’s buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty’s achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn’t forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.

How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia’s trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book.  It falls right into that happy place I like to go when I read for fluff and romance.  This is a Christian fiction book so I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about content heading into it.  For me, that’s always a nice thing.

Celia is a good woman.  She is a good mother.  She does what many, many women have done and are doing right now by putting herself aside and working to raise a child by herself.  Raising a child by yourself is no easy task and Celia has had a particularly hard time of it.  Her bills are mounting and the stress levels are increasing.  Then, one day, out of the blue, Ty walks back into her life.

Ty is a bit full of himself, it’s true, but deep down he has a good heart.  Once he learns he has a child he is determined to do everything he can to help raise her. 

I loved the magnetic pull between Celia and Ty.  You could really feel that in their interactions.  Celia is determined to keep the walls up because she was devastated when Ty left her the first time.  He is unpredictable and who wants that when it comes to love?  Ty doesn’t set out to love Celia again, but that is what he ends up getting.  It’s that back and forth, get closer, pull away thing that was really well done in this book.
 

The Christian elements are there but aren’t overpowering.  The story really shines through and I enjoyed it all a lot.  In fact, when I finished this book, which is the second in the series, I went right to Amazon to check out the other books by this author.  I really wanted to read the first book in this series to find out about Ty’s brother and his story.  I bought it and I read it the next day.  It was well worth it.  J  There is just something about cowboys…



About the Author

During her childhood in California, Becky Wade frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She's been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad that Becky's passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances for the general market, put her career on hold for many years to care for her kids, and eventually returned to writing sheerly for the love of it. She’s delighted to be penning warm, wry, and heartwarming contemporary romances for the Christian market. Her CBA debut, My Stubborn Heart, was a finalist in both the RITA and INSPY awards. Undeniably Yours kicked off her Texas-set Porter Family series. Her newest contemporary romance, Meant to Be Mine, has just hit shelves!

These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband.



Tour-Wide Giveaway

Prize #1: $50 Visa gift card and a paperback or ebook copy of Meant to Be Mine (open internationally)
Prize #2: 1 lb. of Starbucks coffee and signed copies of Undeniably Yours and Meant to Be Mine (US Only)
Prize #3: Box of See's Chocolates and signed copies of Undeniably Yours and Meant to Be Mine (US Only)
May 4 - 18
Prism Book Tours
Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.
Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Faith Departed by Elizabeth Maddrey

Starting a family was supposed to be easy.

Twin sisters June and July have never encountered an obstacle they couldn’t overcome. Married just after graduating college, the girls and their husbands remained a close-knit group. Now settled and successful, the next logical step is children.

But as the couples struggle to conceive, each must reconcile the goodness of God with their present suffering. Will their faith be strong enough to triumph in the midst of trial?

This book tackles a subject that will hit close to home for a lot of people. Even though I personally haven't had these particular struggles, there are people close to me that have and it is a very hard thing.

I thought the author did a good job of bringing out the myriad of emotions that surround this tough topic of infertility and conception frustrations. June and July are both dealing with their own struggles and are having a hard time. With each other, with understanding, with God.

The couple scenes of June and/or July with their mother really threw me for a loop. Do mother's today actually act that way? Say those things to their own kids? It makes my heart sad to think that a mother could attack and belittle her child over things they have no control over. So, so sad.

I actually really liked that both June and July questioned themselves and God. I think that struggles and questions can lead us closer to God if we'll let them. This is, obviously, a Christian Fiction book and it deals with these two women and their relationship with God.

One of the reasons I like books like these is that it helps me remember that there are people out there struggling with things we may not even have a clue about. Sometimes it's hard to know that but it always reminds me of a quote I love. "Be Kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." Knowing and understanding someone's struggles can help us be more kind but even if we don't know, we should always extend kindness.

My thanks to the author for allowing me to read and review her book. You can purchase "Faith Departed" at Amazon.



Elizabeth Maddrey began writing stories as soon as she could form the letters properly and has never looked back. Though her practical nature and love of math and organization steered her into computer science for college and graduate school, she has always had one or more stories in progress to occupy her free time. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books and has mastered the art of reading while undertaking just about any other activity. She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace.

Elizabeth lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. with her husband and their two incredibly active little boys. She invites you to interact with her at her website www.ElizabethMaddrey.com or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ElizabethMaddrey

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

I'm With You by Taylor Dean $50 Book Blast

I'm with you
Can three little words irrevocably change your life? When the doctors inform Chloe Brennan that her pregnancy is “incompatible with life,” her subsequent choices will change her path forever. She becomes one of the quiet, unsung heroes of this world, incredibly strong, yet somehow wrongly looked upon as damaged. Three people will pierce Chloe’s existence: her husband, a stranger, and a precious baby. One will say goodbye, one will say hello, and one will say both at the same time. I’m With You is a novel about selfless love and the sacredness of life.

*Please note: While this book is a romance novel, it also deals with the sensitive issue of baby loss grief. The emotions are real, and sometimes dark. If you are sensitive to this issue, this may not be the book for you.

 

Taylor Dean books are one of my guilty pleasures.  As soon as I saw this book was out, I went and bought it.  It was an emotion filled book that I was caught up in from beginning to end.  This is something I've come to expect from Taylor Dean.  It's why I keep coming back to read more.  Taylor knows how to make a story into an experience for the reader. 
Excerpt from I'm With You:
Jack turned and looked at her, his eyes wet with tears. “I’m sorry you had to go through it alone.”
 “If I could have, maybe I would’ve left too. I didn’t have that option. I don’t blame Mark, I really don’t. Who wouldn’t want to escape? It was a horrific experience.”
 “I don’t think it was,” Jack stated quietly.
 Startled by his words, Chloe said, “Excuse me?” “I don’t believe you.” Chloe felt surprised by his perceptiveness. Her breath caught in her throat as she said, “You’re right. Losing him was horrific. But the experience was one of the most precious times of my life. I’ve never felt so full of love for another individual. It consumed me. I loved him with an intensity I’ve never felt before. He’s the greatest blessing I’ve ever received in my life and I don’t regret a single moment. Maybe I never actually heard him speak, but he said more to me in his short life than anyone has ever said to me in my lifetime. He spoke to my heart in ways that are unfathomable. He changed me and left an imprint on my life that I will never forget. He taught me the true meaning of love and what it’s like to love someone else more than yourself.”
 Jack shook his head, fighting emotion. “I can see that, I can feel that. This room is a testament to that love. I can feel your overwhelming love for your child just by glancing in here. That’s how strong it is.”
 “Not everyone would agree with you. Mark hates this room. It represents loss to him.”
 Jack took a step closer, his eyes blazing. “It represents love, completely unselfish love that few people in this world will ever understand or experience. I’m amazed by you, Chloe.”


A word about I'm With You: Baby loss is a difficult subject. The accompanying grief is complicated and heartbreaking. In December of 2011, my daughter lost a baby at eight months gestation to Trisomy 18. If you don't know what that is, I didn't either, until it happened to us. (You will learn all about this devastating condition during the course of the book.) I'm With You is a romance novel that includes my daughter's Trisomy 18 story. I knew I wanted to write about the experience one day, but it took me awhile to emotionally prepare myself to actually do it. It has been highly therapeutic. My daughter granted me permission to share her Trisomy 18 story with the hope that it will help others who are dealing with baby loss grief. There is a song written for and dedicated to the families of Trisomy 18 and 13 babies. It is beautiful and deeply expresses the love parents feel for these special babies. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep


   Taylor Dean
Author Taylor Dean Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it's paranormal, contemporary, or suspense-you'll find all sub-genres of CLEAN Romance in her line-up.

book blast button    
Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/31/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Love on Loch Ness by Aubrie Dionne

Love on Loch Ness by Aubrie Dionne
Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Length: 198 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-62135-250-1

Dr. Gail Phillips steps onto the shores of Loch Ness to disprove the Loch Ness monster theory for good so everyone can stop wasting their time. As a marine biologist with a background in archeology, she’s convinced all of the world’s myths such as Big Foot, the Tasmanian devil, and even Nessie are lies. Her father disappeared while following Yettie tracks in the Alps, and she doesn’t want to lose another mislead soul.

Flynn Maloney comes from a family of fanatic cryptozoologists. As a native of Scotland, he believes in Nessie as strong as Gail believes in science. Despite his initial attraction for her, he’s joined her research team to prove her wrong. He wants to find Nessie for a special girl in his life, to show her dreams really can come true.

As they conduct sonar studies and sweeps of the lake, their differing opinions are at odds with their budding attraction. Gail doesn’t believe in anything unscientific, such as romance, thinking the charming Flynn Maloney is full of baloney. Flynn can’t believe he’s falling for someone with no imagination or faith. To make matters worse, their videographer is covering his true identity. Together they must unravel his plan before he destroys everything they are working for. Will Gail force Flynn to question his faith, or will she discover more than she bargained for in the Scottish highlands?

I love that this book was set in Scotland and revolved around the Loch Ness Monster.  It was a good change up from the regular romance and I really liked it.  

One of the main things I walked away with after reading this book is the reminder that believing in things, having a hope and chasing dreams is a good thing.  Don't kill the joy.  Flynn has that hope and believing nature.  He believes in the Loch Ness Monster and he is trying desperately to find the proof to validate his belief.

While Gail starts out as a kill joy, trying to disprove Flynn's theories, the magical mist of the Loch Ness starts to get to her and she finds herself wanting to believe too.  Gail and Flynn start out working to prove each other wrong, but end up working together.  The working together thing was especially satisfying.

This was a fun book- a vacation for the mind.  :)  I read through it quickly and especially enjoyed the ending.  <wink, wink>  There is something about believing in the magical and mystical that is good for the soul.  

You can find Love on Loch Ness at Amazon.

Monday, May 5, 2014

The Hungry Family Slow Cooker Cookbook by Christina Dymock

It's every busy mother's dream-come-true: dinner that makes itself! With the help of your trusty slow cooker and these healthy, easy recipes, like Peppery Cilantro Salmon, Sausage Stew, and Dark Chocolate Mini Cakes, you can put dinner on the table even on the craziest of days. Don't let the whirlwind of life stop you from feeding your family the food they deserve -- delicious, home-cooked meals straight from your slow cooker.

I love when I get to review cookbooks.  Especially ones like this one- geared for busy mom's who love their slow cookers!  I was so excited to find some new recipes that I can do in my slow cooker because I don't know about you but sometimes I get in such a cooking rut.  New recipes are so nice, especially if your family loves them.

I'm a girl that doesn't really love to cook.  Actually, I don't even really like it.  So easy is the name of the game for me and if I can get yummy along with easy, I'm in.  

Where have I been that I haven't ever tried browning my hamburger in my slow cooker?  I hate browning hamburger on the stovetop.  In this book I learned that I can brown hamburger in my slow cooker.  That alone was worthy of a 5 star review from me.  If I can just think ahead and remember, I can stick that hamburger in the slow cooker and set the time so it will be all ready for dinner. That is so awesome.

I've tried a few recipes out of this cookbook now and they've been really yummy.  I have a few more on this next month's menu that I'm excited to try.  Tender beef over noodles is one of them.  There are 6 different chili recipes so you are bound to find at least one your family will love.

This is a great cookbook and one I will use often.  My thanks to the author and Cedar Fort Publishing for allowing me to review this cookbook for them!

You can purchase "The Hungry Family Slow Cooker Cookbook" at Amazon.

Christina Dymock was once at a dinner party where her husband was teasing her about the frosting-to-cupcake ratio on her dessert. The woman sitting across from them sniffed her delicate nose and said, "If my husband gave me a hard time about my frosting I'd quit baking. That'd show him." To which Christina's husband replied while pointing at his speechless wife, "Try to stop her!"

Christina divides her time between the kitchen and her computer and books and her family of six. (Naturally, the family gets the biggest share.) Because she reads everything, she also feels compelled to write in several genres.  http://christinadymock.wordpress.com

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Meant to Be Mine Tour Launch!

A book tour hosted by Prism Book Tours.

The REVIEW & EXCERPT TOUR for
Meant to Be Mine


Meant to be Mine (A Porter Family Novel, #2)Meant to Be Mine
(A Porter Family Novel #2)
by Becky Wade

Christian Romance
May 2014 by Bethany House Publishers


Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school—irresistible. When their paths cross again after college—still irresistible. This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.

The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia’s ready to be Ty’s wife, but Ty’s not ready to be her husband. He’s a professional bull rider, he lives on the road, and he’s long planned to settle down with the hometown girl he’s known since childhood.

Five and a half years pass. Celia’s buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty’s achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn’t forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.

How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia’s trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?



Becky recently joined Christian romance authors, Victoria Bylin and Melissa Tagg, in discussing  the top ten things you won't and will find in contemporary romance. Take a look:




More about Meant to Be Mine

What is the inspiration behind Meant to Be Mine?

I was inspired by a classic romance novel storyline known as the “Secret Baby”. In the case of Meant to Be Mine, Ty and Celia get married in Las Vegas at the spur of the moment (after dating one another for four days). They realize the next morning that the wedding wasn’t such a good idea and they part ways. The story picks up five and a half years later, when Ty tracks Celia down in order to inquire about a divorce. What he discovers? Celia has a daughter -- his daughter -- that she’s kept a secret from him.

Secret baby plot lines never fail to capture my interest! I’m always so eager for the father to discover the baby and then to watch the characters navigate the drama that follows. I’ve wanted for some time to try my hand at this sort of story and am extremely glad to have been given the chance.

What did you enjoy most about writing this story?

The banter! Ty is the funniest, most charming, and most confident hero I’ve written so far. When I put Celia into scenes with him I realized right away that she was going to have to be even spunkier than I’d originally realized. I had a ball writing the dialogue between the two of them. There were times when I could hardly type fast enough.

What was the greatest struggle you faced with Meant to Be Mine?

Revisions. The first time out of the gate with Meant to Be Mine I made a rookie mistake for a romance writer. I didn’t give the hero enough romantic conflict. My editors quickly spotted the problem (plus several others) and I spent an entire summer rewriting the book. Thank God for good editors. Their advice isn’t always easy to hear, but it’s invaluable to receive.

What I learned: Some books simply come together more quickly and easily than others. That doesn’t mean that as the author you end up loving the end product any more or less.

What I learned again for the thousandth time: this business is humbling.

What is the theme of Meant to Be Mine?

From the beginning, before I’d written page one, I knew that Meant to Be Mine would be about forgiveness.

How was the title chosen?

Funny you should ask! When I was brainstorming titles for Undeniably Yours, I came up with Meant to Be Mine. I liked it so much, that I used it as the book’s working title and submitted Bo and Meg’s story to my editors with that title. As it happened, my first book was called My Stubborn Heart and the team at Bethany House felt that the ‘Mine’ in Meant to Be Mine was too similar to the ‘My’ in My Stubborn Heart. They asked for a list of additional title ideas and Undeniably Yours was one of the ones I submitted.

When it came time to settle on a title for Ty and Celia’s story, I resubmitted Meant to Be Mine because I still liked it and because I felt that it suited this novel just as well as the previous novel. The second time around, they liked it!


About the Author

During her childhood in California, Becky Wade frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She's been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad that Becky's passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances for the general market, put her career on hold for many years to care for her kids, and eventually returned to writing sheerly for the love of it. She’s delighted to be penning warm, wry, and heartwarming contemporary romances for the Christian market. Her CBA debut, My Stubborn Heart, was a finalist in both the RITA and INSPY awards. Undeniably Yours kicked off her Texas-set Porter Family series. Her newest contemporary romance, Meant to Be Mine, has just hit shelves!

These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband.



Tour-Wide Giveaway

Prize #1: $50 Visa gift card and a paperback or ebook copy of Meant to Be Mine (open internationally)
Prize #2: 1 lb. of Starbucks coffee and signed copies of Undeniably Yours and Meant to Be Mine (US Only)
Prize #3 Box of See's Chocolates and signed copies of Undeniably Yours and Meant to Be Mine (US Only)
May 4 - 18
Prism Book Tours
Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.
Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Lost and Found: A Ripple Effect Romance by Karey White and a $25 Giveaway



Lost and Found by Karey White Lydia was supposed to have an adventurous and exciting summer. Instead she's done nothing more than read and eat takeout. Now it's time to go home, and what does she have to show for it? A big fat nothing. Unless, of course, her trip to the airport somehow turns into something more than just a flight home. Blake feels like he's been sent on a wild goose chase. While work is piling up back in Denver, he's on the other side of the country, hunting for some mysterious box that his grandfather left him. Well, no more. Nothing inside that box could possibly be more important than the opportunity to make it as the youngest partner at his firm. So he's going home, and that's that. But that's before he discovers his flight has been cancelled. When these two strangers meet at the airport, they make a split-second decision to search for the box together. Maybe with both of them on the hunt, Lydia can have her adventure and Blake can find the box. And maybe, if they’re lucky, they’ll even find some romance.

I’m pretty sure I say this every time I review one of these books, but I can’t help it.  I love them.  I love the concept of “the ripple effect” where a character from a previous book has their story told.  In this book it’s Lydia’s turn.  Yeah!

Lydia decided to take the summer and do something for herself; something adventurous and out of her comfort zone.  It took bravery and courage to travel to an unknown city and live by herself for the whole summer.  She was supposed to have adventures and live it up but found she just couldn’t be so bold on her own.  Feeling a bit let down and deflated, she heads to the airport on her way home.

Enter Blake.  (thank goodness)  It was just destiny.  Blake is everything charming.  Right away he sees Lydia, like really sees her.  I love how they morph their plans together and set out on an adventure.  Lydia is helping Blake find something that is seemingly lost but Blake is a kind soul and takes Lydia into consideration at every turn, providing her with her own moments to shine.  That was so sweet.  They are equally so good for each other.  I felt like neither one outshined the other.  Does that make sense?  They both gave as much as they took.

Blake gives Lydia confidence and faith in herself.  He opens her up to new things and allows her to spread her wings and fly.  Lydia gives Blake support and encouragement.  She gives him a safe place to figure things out and feel.

The title is so clever here because it’s more than a lost box that needed found.  It was Lydia’s lost confidence and Blake’s lost priorities.  Together they found the very things they needed.   And love.  They found love.  <sigh>


This was a fun book and a fantastic addition to The Ripple Effect series.  Sweet, clean romance with no content whatsoever to mention.  J  How happy!

  Karey
Author Karey White Karey is a USA Today best-selling author. She grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist. She loves to travel, read, cook, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four wonderful children.  


  Updated Ripple Effect
The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series Enjoy this exciting new series of clean novellas by six critically-acclaimed authors. "Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love." Book 1: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford Book 2: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin Book 3: Righting A Wrong by Rachael Anderson Book 4: Lost and Found by Karey White Book 5: Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver Book 6: Immersed by Jennifer Griffith

Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/12/14
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Lost and found tour
Tour Schedule