About the Book

Book: Meghan’s Choice

Author: Donna L. H. Smith

Genre: Christian Historical Western Romance

Release Date: November, 2017

Meghan Gallagher complies with her father’s demand that she work on her own for a Meghan's Choice COVER Finalist year by choosing to tutor eight children in a wild Kansas railroad town. But she had no idea just how wild it was until she was rescued by a local dance hall the day she arrived, and soon after hit by a stray bullet. In short order, she meets a dark, handsome cowboy and a wholesome, attractive doctor who both vie for her heart. As things heat up around town, Meghan’s love life catches fire as well. Is she scandalous to allow both men to court her at the same time? And—how close a relationship with God does Meghan want? Will she draw near?

Meghan’s Choice (pre-published) was named a semi-finalist in the 2014 Operation First Novel by Jerry B. Jenkins and an honorable mention for the Golden leaf Award in 2015. Since publication, Meghan’s Choice was a Selah Award finalist and also in the Will Rogers Medallion Award.

Published in connection with Hartline Literary Agency, serving the Christian book community. Visit us at www.hartlineliterary.com.

Click here to grab your copy.

My Review

Westerns are fun to read. Can’t you just imagine yourself in the Old West? Author Donna Smith does a good job with the setting of her book. Very good descriptions.

I admit I didn’t connect real well with the characters, for some reason. Maybe they were a bit too cliche for me. But it was still worth the read. It’s always enjoyable to see the spoiled young woman grow up and become a woman through a series of happenings when God is allowed to move in a life. And who doesn’t like a handsome cowboy, as well as an attractive doctor?

I do think the book would have been better with some added proofreading and editing. I found several errors and the sentences were short and choppy, which was distracting to me. But all in all a decent first novel.

Give Smith’s debut novel a read if you enjoy a clean western!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

About the Author

Donna Smith Donna L.H. Smith is a Kansas prairie girl transplanted to Lancaster County, PA. She is a graduate of Christian Writer’s Guild Craftsman program and holds two college degrees, both B.S. and M.A. in Mass Communication. She’s been married to a wonderful man named Kirby for thirty years. Her debut novel, Meghan’s Choice, made the finals of both the Selah and Will Rogers Medallion Awards. Rose’s Redemption, the sequel, was just released. She blogs, speaks at workshops and retreats and although she is at an age where many begin slowing down, she wouldn’t think of it. Recently, she took on the role of Managing Editor of Almost an Author.com, and serves as ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Mid-Atlantic Zone Director. She is also a member of AWSA’s Protégé program (Advanced Writers & Speaker’s Association).

More from Donna

Back in 2012, I wrote “Zorro” stories for Fan Fiction. I had an awful lot of fun with them, and people seemed to really like them. So, the thought came, what could I write for ‘real?’ I contemplated, prayed, and after a couple weeks or so, an idea came floating across my brain.

“Gunfight at Hyde Park.” Huh? I thought about it, and realized it was an obscure history lesson from my hometown in Kansas. I had Google it to get the details. I thought, well, I’m not gonna write a Christian romance novel just about a series of gunfights that killed and wounded more people than the OK Corral.

But I did think that the beginning of the gunfights could be the climax of the story.

Now, who should my heroine be? And the hero?

I started with that and took Christian Writer’s Guild’s Craftsman and the novel was completed in 2013—but only published in late 2017.

I’m proud of Meghan’s Choice. Pre-published it made the semi-finals of the last Operation 1^st Novel that CWG held and placed in a couple of smaller contests. Last year, it made the finals of the prestigious Selah Awards for published books through the BRMCWC, and the finals of the Will Rogers Medallion Award.

My hope is that you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it.

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, August 12

Creating Relationship, August 13

Connie’s History Classroom, August 13

Moments, August 14

For Him and My Family, August 14

Godly Book Reviews, August 15

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 15

Emily Yager, August 16

Through the Fire Blogs, August 16

My Devotional Thoughts, August 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 17

Jeanette’s Thoughts, August 18

Vicky Sluiter, August 18

Inspired by fiction, August 19

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 19

mpbooks, August 20

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, August 20

Pause for Tales, August 21

For the Love of Books , August 21

Older & Smarter?, August 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 22

Texas Book-aholic, August 23

A Reader’s Brain, August 24

Real World Bible Study, August 25

janicesbookreviews, August 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Donna is giving away the grand prize of a copy of her 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/e5a3/meghan-s-choice-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: No Greater Love

Author: Gina Holder No Greater Love

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release date: April 30, 2019

He said he’d never risk leaving a widow.

She said she’d never love a man in uniform.

Paige McDonald collects antique literature and works at the largest bookstore in Portland, Oregon. When her grandfather, a firefighter, was killed, she vowed never to fall in love with a first responder. An old Bible leads to an unexpected discovery and disrupts everything she knows about herself, her family, and God. Her desire to know the truth sends her to the town of Whitman directly into the radar of Patrol Officer Hamilton Bryant.

After the loss of his best friend and fellow officer, Hamilton vowed never to marry. He won’t risk leaving a widow. Instead, he reserves his passion for serving his family and the town he’s sworn to protect. When a series of robberies and threats against the mayor correspond with Paige’s sudden appearance in Whitman, their paths intersect.

Click here to purchase your copy.

My review

The second book by author Gina Holder, I really enjoyed it and now I need to read her first book.

A complex plot with well developed characters, No Greater Love held my interest through out. I did get a little confused by several statements that ended in a question mark but that would have been a proofreader mistake. And in the beginning Paige did a lot of tucking her hair behind her ear but hang in there. It’s an intriguing story and well worth overlooking the couple of minor details.

Of course being a reader I enjoyed the concept of the second hand bookstore. I’d love to visit! I found the characters to be well developed and extremely likeable. Well, some of them were. Every story needs a bad guy and this story has surprising twists in this sense. I really couldn’t figure out “who done it” and that kept me reading. I stayed up late to get to the end.

A good mystery with not only a clean romance but a deep faith in God, I highly recommend this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

About the Author

Gina Holder completed the Long Ridge Writer’s Group “Breaking into Print” course and graduated from Faith Bible Institute. In August 2017, she published her first novel, Whither Shall I Go. She is active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads. Her Website and Blog is found at http://storiesbygina.wordpress.com.

She lives in Colorado with her husband and daughter. When she’s not working on her next novel, she enjoys reading, watching movies, singing, and playing the piano and organ.

More from Gina

Fun Facts about No Greater Love (Don’t worry, spoilers weren’t invited to this party.)

I love the smell of coffee, but I don’t like the taste. I asked my coffee-loving friends on social media for their favorite coffee drinks to use in the story.
Tyler, Tony, and Timothy Thorne were modeled after three brothers I saw playing on a beach in Hurgadah, Egypt.
R. Electronics was based on an actual store my husband and I saw in a mall.
When Paige and Hamilton meet, he is looking for a runaway goat. This happened to my husband and me. We were out admiring large mansions, when a police officer pulled up behind us. We thought we were in trouble for loitering. Instead, he asked if we’d seen a goat running around the neighborhood.
Hamilton’s deceased best friend is named after my childhood friend, William Donnelly. Will was a U.S. Marine killed in battle in Afghanistan. Like the character in the story, he got married only two months before his death and was killed on Thanksgiving Day. No Greater Love is dedicated in his memory.
The character Jessie Faye is named after an elderly woman my husband knew while living in Fossil, Oregon.
The diners in the food court scene were written from personal observations at a food court in Colorado Springs.
While Whitman is a fictional town, it is modeled after the real town of Enterprise, Oregon, at the foot of the Wallowa Mountains.
Several locations in the book are real establishments in Enterprise, including Heavenly’s Restaurant, the Espresso and Car Wash, El Bajios, and the Bowlby stone courthouse.
There are several beloved pets in No Greater Love, including a parrot named Gerald, a Persian cat named Delilah, and a labradoodle named Bruce. All the pets have names except for Aunt Hattie’s Dalmatians.
Paige McDonald works at Powell’s City of Books in Portland, Oregon when the story opens. Powell’s lays claim to the status of the “largest independent used and new bookstore in the world.”
Portland is the fifth city in America with the most coffee shops per capita.
The statistics for the Whitman school—100% graduation rate and a 1:13 student-teacher ratio is not fictional. They are the actual statistics of the Enterprise High School.
Behind the cash registers at Powell’s, there is a fake dictionary definition—“Smell bound: held as if under the spell by the scent of books.” This is the inspiration behind the opening scene of No Greater Love. The word, Bibliosmia, means the smell of old books.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 16

The Becca Files, July 17

Just Your Average reviews, July 18

For Him and My Family, July 19

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, July 19

The Christian Fiction Girl, July 20

Godly Book Reviews, July 20

Library Lady Kid’s Lit, July 21

Moments, July 22

Books, Life, and Christ, July 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 23

Retrospective Spines, July 23

Vicky Sluiter, July 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 25

Pause for Tales, July 25

Texas Book-aholic, July 26

janicesbookreviews, July 27

Inklings and notions, July 28

Mary Hake, July 28

A Reader’s Brain, July 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Gina is giving away a grand prize of a signed paperback copy of No Greater Love and Whither Shall I Go plus a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e54f/no-greater-love-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Andrew

Author: Jennifer Beckstrand

Genre: Amish Romance Andrew

Release Date: June 25, 2019

Andrew, Abraham, and Austin Petersheim’s family business has earned them the nickname The Peanut Butter Brothers. But if their matchmaking younger siblings have their way, all three may soon bear another title: husband . . .

Handsome, hardworking, and godly, Andrew Petersheim has always been sure of his place in his Wisconsin Amish community. He’ll be a welcome catch for the local girl who finally captures his heart. Mary Coblenz certainly isn’t that girl. Two years after “jumping the fence” for the Englischer world, she’s returned, unmarried and pregnant. Yet instead of hiding in shame as others in the community expect, she’s working at the Honeybee Farm, ignoring the gossips—and winning over Andrew’s eight-year-old twin brothers . . .

For all Andrew’s certainty about right and wrong, it seems he has a lot to learn from Mary’s courage, grace, and resilience. She’s changing his notions about forgiveness and love, but will she in turn accept the challenge of starting over and choose to stay—with him?

Click here to grab your copy!

My Review

Author Jennifer Beckstrand brought her characters to life. Those twins!!! You’ll love them. A fun, matchmaking story, it still contains some heavy subjects that keep it from being “fluff”. I did read through it quickly as I wanted to see how things would turn out.

With wonderful Christian values, Beckstrand shows us that we all sin yet God loves us and accepts us unconditionally. So should we do this with others. Things are not always what they seem and we don’t know what’s going on in someone’s heart.

There were plenty of chuckles while reading. With charming characters who don’t fit the norm you’ll enjoy this book if you like Amish fiction. Plus you’ll learn about making peanut butter. Bonus! So make a peanut butter sandwich, grab a copy of Andrew, and enjoy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

About the Author

Jennifer Beckstrand is the two-time RITA-nominated, #1 Amazon bestselling Amish romance author of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hillseries, The Honeybee Sistersseries, and The Petersheim Brothersseries for Kensington Books. Huckleberry Summer and Home on Huckleberry Hill were both nominated for the coveted RITA® Award from Romance Writers of America. Jennifer has written twenty-one Amish romances, a historical Western, Jessie and James, and the nonfiction book, Big Ideas. She and her husband have been married for thirty-four years, and she has six children and seven adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten.

More from Jennifer

If you enjoyed The Honeybee Sisters, you’re going to love The Petersheim Brothers, or the Peanut Butter Brothers as they’re known in their small Amish community of Bienenstock, Wisconsin. The Petersheim brothers work their small farm and make peanut butter. The idea for The Petersheim Brothers series came when two of my friends and I were creating The Honeybee Sisters Cookbook. My friend Alicia suggested I write a book about Peanut Butter Brothers, and the idea stuck.

One of my favorite characters in my Amish romances is Aunt Bitsy, the irrepressible, unconventional woman who raised the Honeybee Sisters, tried to chase off all their suitors, and then lit fireworks at their triple wedding. In Andrew, the first book in the Petersheim Brothers series, Aunt Bitsy takes in a girl who has jumped the fence and wants to come back to the Amish community to have her baby. Aunt Bitsy is still protecting her dandelions and her bees, still dyeing her hair all sorts of bright colors, and still praying to Gotte right out loud.

Andrew is about forgiveness, second chances, and learning to love. It will have you laughing and crying, and you might just fall in love with two of the most mischievous little boys in Wisconsin. Enjoy.

In honor of the Peanut Butter Brothers, I want to share one of our favorite family recipes. These bars are perfect for picnics, parties, and potlucks. They’re easy and delicious!

Peanut Butter Bars

Cream together:

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

Blend In:

2 unbeaten eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

2/3 cup peanut butter

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Stir In:

2 cups flour

2 cups quick oats

Spread mixture in greased jelly-roll pan or large cookie sheet.

Bake: 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove from oven.

Sprinkle on:

1 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Let stand five minutes.

For peanut butter mixture on top, combine:

½ cup sifted powdered sugar

¼ cup peanut butter

2 to 4 Tbs. evaporated milk

Mix well.

The chocolate chips will melt on the bars. Spread melted chocolate evenly. Drizzle peanut butter mixture on top. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, June 26

The Avid Reader, June 26

Moments, June 26

Lighthouse Academy, June 27

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, June 27

Blossoms and Blessings, June 28

Christian Author, J.E. Grace, June 28

Reading Is My SuperPower, June 29

Bigreadersite, June 29

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 30

Genesis 5020, July 1

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, July 1

Inklings and notions , July 1

Maureen’s Musings, July 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 2

Christian Bookaholic, July 3

Pause for Tales, July 3

Southern Gal Loves to Read, July 4

For Him and my family, July 4

A Reader’s Brain, July 4

Mary Hake, July 5

Splashesofjoy, July 5

Vicky Sluiter, July 5

Texas Book-aholic, July 6

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 7

janicesbookreviews, July 7

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, July 8

Older & Smarter?, July 8

Quiet Quilter, July 9

Jeanette’s Thoughts, July 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away a grand prize of a $20 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/e57a/andrew-celebration-tour-giveaway

Danger on the Ranch FB Cover

About the Book

Book: Danger on the Ranch

Author: Dana Mentink Danger on the Ranch Cover

Genre: Inspirational romantic suspense

Release date: June 1, 2019

After putting his serial killer brother in prison, former US marshal Mitch Whitehorse chooses a solitary country life—until his brother escapes. Now Mitch’s former sister-in-law, Jane Reyes, needs protection…for herself and the toddler she’s kept a secret. Mitch still isn’t sure of Jane’s innocence in his brother’s crimes, but to keep his nephew out of a killer’s grasp, trusting her is his only option.

Click here to purchase your copy.

My Review

If you enjoy mystery, danger, and intrigue then you’ll want to read this book. Author Dana Mentink takes us on quite a suspenseful ride. Although a quick read, you’ll have a challenge figuring out who did what and who can be trusted.

With well developed characters, you’ll feel drawn into the lives of Mitch and Jane, as well as that of Mitch’s hateful brother. There’s so much to like about this book. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a good cowboy story with clean romance? Mentink keeps the reader turning the pages of her book quickly. Grab a copy today!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

About the Author

Dana-Mentink Dana Mentink is a two time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and a Holt Medallion winner. She is a national bestselling author of over thirty five titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harlequin Heartwarming, Harvest House and Woman’s World Magazine. Dana was thrilled to be a semi-finalist in the Jeanne Robertson Comedy With Class Competition. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with Papa Bear, teen bear cubs affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo, Junie, the nutty terrier, a chubby box turtle and a feisty parakeet. You can connect with Dana via her website at danamentink.com, on Facebook, YouTube (Author Dana Mentink) and Instagram (dana_mentink.)

More from Dana

We’re kicking off a new cowboy series, but this one is going to take you for a wild ride! Set on a ranch that’s sandwiched between the sea and the hills required me to do some on site research of course! I spent quite a while in this gorgeous area of California, looking for cattle. (You can see the zany results in my video.) I found the cattle, and also the perfect setting for this first book. It’s a creepy one, I’ll warn you, as hero Mitch Whitehorse comes face to face with the serial killer brother he sent to prison….and his desperate ex sister in law. Saddle up and enjoy the story! God bless!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 25

Chas Ray’ Book Nerd Corner, June 25

Maureen’s Musings, June 26

Among the Reads, June 26

Quiet Quilter, June 26

Blossoms and Blessings, June 27

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, June 27

Vicky Sluiter, June 27

Wishful Endings, June 28

Blogging With Carol, June 28

For Him and My Family, June 28

For the Love of Books, June 29

Retrospective Spines, June 29

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 29

Hallie Reads, June 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 30

Pause for Tales, June 30

The Becca Files, July 1

Real World Bible Study, July 1

Through the Fire Blogs, July 1

Remembrancy, July 2

Reading Is My SuperPower, July 2

janicesbookreviews, July 2

Just Your Average reviews, July 3

Moments, July 3

Genesis 5020, July 4

Lighthouse Academy, July 4

Emily Yager, July 5

Carpe Diem, July 5

Ashley’s Bookshelf, July 5

Bigreadersite, July 6

To Everything a Season, July 6

Daysong Reflections, July 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 7

Texas Book-aholic, July 7

Inklings and notions, July 7

Simple Harvest Reads, July 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 8

EmpowerMoms, July 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away a grand prize package that includes a gorgeous insulated lunch bag, a copy of Danger on the Ranch (winner’s choice of format), and a $15 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e31a/danger-on-the-ranch-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: More Than Words Can Say

Author: Karen Witemeyer More Than Words Can Say

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: May 7, 2019

After fulfilling a pledge to a dying friend, Zacharias Hamilton is finally free to live life on his own terms. No opportunities to disappoint those he cares about, just the quiet bachelor existence he’s always craved. Until fate snatches his freedom away once again when the baker of his favorite breakfast treat is railroaded by the city council. As hard as he tries to avoid getting involved, he can’t turn a blind eye to her predicament . . . or her adorable dimples. Abigail Kemp needs a man’s name on her bakery’s deed. A marriage of convenience seems the best solution . . . if it involves a man she can control. Not the stoic lumberman who oozes confidence without saying a word whenever he enters her shop. Control Zacharias Hamilton? She can’t even control her pulse when she’s around him. Once vows are spoken, Abigail’s troubles should be over. Yet threats to the bakery worsen, and darker dangers hound her sister. As trust grows between Zach and Abby, she finds she wants more than his rescue. She wants his heart.

Click here to purchase your copy.

My Review!

The second book in the Patchwork Family series, I’m so glad author Karen Witemeyer gave us Zach’s story! Quiet and seemingly grumpy, Zach is a great protector and has a heart of gold. Someone just needs to go mining for it. And Abigail will do what it takes to see her dreams come true while supporting her family. Great characters that you will love!

Through the story we read about hurtful pasts causing challenges in the present, but we are reminded that God has a path for each of us to walk, and that path includes forgiveness and redemption. We also see God putting families together in unique ways, because He is all about family; whatever that looks like to you.

A rough hero, a heroine with a less than perfect body shape, and a wonderful small town full of real people make for a great, unconventional read. I highly recommend this book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

About the Author

Winner of the HOLT Medallion and the Carol Award and a finalist for the RITA and Christy Award, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance to give the world more happily-ever-afters. Karen makes her home in Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com.

More from Karen

Settings – Real or Imagined?

One of the key decisions an author has to make before she begins to write is selecting the setting for her story. And the first choice she faces is the question of whether to use a real or imagined location. Roughly half the stories I have written are set in fictional towns. The use of a fictional setting allows an author greater freedom to manipulate the environment of her characters to fit her plot. This provides a great deal of flexibility. However, there is something special about setting a story in a real place. First, readers who are familiar with that place never fail to get excited about seeing a town they recognize in print. Second, if an author can find historical photos and documents, she can add a wonderful layer of authenticity to her setting that might otherwise be missing. Third, an author may turn up fascinating tidbits when studying the history of her setting that find their way into the story and bring a flavor the author never could have supplied on her own. This was the case as I wrote More Than Words Can Say. All of the stories in my Patchwork Family series have been set in real places. Pecan Gap, Texas for More Than Meets the Eye, Honey Grove, Texas for More Than Words Can Say, and coming this fall we’ll travel to Gainesville, Texas for the concluding novella, More Than a Pretty Face. Researching each location brought its own unique discoveries, but I have to admit that researching the small town of Honey Grove brought this history-loving girl a special level of joy. For example, there is a legend about how the town got its name that I knew needed to be incorporated into my story. Legend has it that when Davy Crockett was on his way to join the fight at the Alamo, he stopped in a grove of trees and set up camp. There were so many bees in that in letters to family and friends, he called the place a “Honey Grove.” He carved his initials into one of the trees and intended to return and settle there after the war. Unfortunately, as we know, Crockett did not survive the Alamo and therefore did not return. One of his friends, Samuel A. Erwin, later found the grove and became the first settler in 1839. Many people recall seeing the initials carved into Crockett’s bee tree even into the early 1900s, which led me to believe that this legend was based in truth. It doesn’t play a pivotal role in my story, but if you watch for it, you’ll find it mentioned. Discovering the Honey Grove Preservation League’s website proved a tremendous boon. Their online historical resources are some of the best I have ever come across. Historical photos, newspaper articles, government records—it was like stepping through a time portal every time I visited. And I visited often. Thanks to the Preservation League, I was able to mention real people and places in my novel. Places like the Commercial Hotel, the home of James Gilmer that was built during my time period, Wilkins, Wood & Patteson Dry Goods, and Dora Galbraith Patteson’s millinery shop on the east side of the town square. While Zacharias Hamilton and Reuben Sinclair are completely fictitious characters, there really was a lumberyard located on the corner of Sixth Street and Rail Road. As fiction authors are wont to do, I did take a few liberties with Honey Grove’s history. To my knowledge, there was never any city ordinance banning women from owning businesses in town, which was a key plot point in More Than Words Can Say. In addition, Mayor Chester Longfellow was a complete invention of my imagination. The true mayor of Honey Grove during this time period was J.H. Smith, a man who served in that capacity from 1888-1897. He must have been a well-loved city official to hold office for nearly a decade. I paid brief homage to him by having him step back into office when my fictitious mayor resigned. I hope you enjoy stepping back in time with me into historic Honey Grove, Texas. Zach and Abigail might not have lived there in truth, but I like to believe their tale is a representation of the many amazing love stories have taken place in that sweet little town through the years.

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, June 15

She Lives to Read, June 15

Real World Bible Study, June 15

Carla Loves to Read, June 15

Baker kella, June 16

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, June 16

EmpowerMoms, June 16

Daysong Reflections, June 16

Through the Fire Blogs, June 17

Genesis 5020, June 17

Lighthouse Academy, June 17

Bigreadersite , June 17

Among the Reads, June 18

All-of-a-kind Mom, June 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 18

For The Love of Books, June 18

C Jane Read, June 19

Inspired By Fiction, June 19

Mary Hake, June 19

Hallie Reads, June 19

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 20

For Him and My Family, June 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 20

Living Life Free in Christ, June 20

Connect in Fiction, June 21

Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 21

Splashes of Joy, June 21

Pause for Tales, June 21

Stories By Gina , June 22

Worthy2Read, June 22

Blossoms and Blessings, June 22

Southern Gal Loves to Read, June 22

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, June 23

Connie’s History Classroom , June 23

Vicky Sluiter, June 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 23

Wishful Endings, June 24

Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, June 24

Simple Harvest Reads, June 24 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Texas Book-aholic, June 24

A Baker’s Perspective, June 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 25

amandainpa , June 25

janicesbookreviews, June 25

Britt Reads Fiction, June 26

Quiet Quilter, June 26

Older & Smarter?, June 26

A Reader’s Brain, June 26

LifeofLiterature, June 27

Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner , June 27

Christian Bookshelf Reviews, June 27

Inklings and notions, June 27

Emily Yager, June 28

Lukewarm Tea, June 28

By The Book, June 28

The Becca Files, June 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away a grand prize that includes More Than Words Can Say, More Than Meets the Eye, and a $20 Panera Bread gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e4f4/more-than-words-can-say-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Summer by The Tides

Author: Denise Hunter

Genre: Christian Fiction, Contemporary Romance Summer by the Tides

Release Date: May 21, 2019

From the bestselling author of The Convenient Groom (now a beloved Hallmark Original movie) comes a heartfelt story of family secrets, forgiveness, and unexpected romance.

Following a painful betrayal, Maddy Monroe’s love life is a wreck, and her restaurant career is in shambles. When her grandmother goes missing, she and her estranged sisters converge at the family beach house in Sea Haven, North Carolina. Being with uptight Nora and free-spirited Emma at the place where their family broke apart is a struggle, and undercurrents of jealousy and resentment threaten to pull the sisters under. In the midst of the storm, sparks begin to fly between Maddy and Gram’s maddening neighbor, Connor Murphy.

As the sisters pack up the family belongings, memories of idyllic, slow-paced summers are resurrected. But long-buried secrets also come to light as Maddy discovers that all was not as it appeared that last summer in Sea Haven—nor today in the seemingly perfect lives of her sisters.

As family tensions rise and Connor causes tumult in Maddy’s heart, the sisters must find a way to accept each other for the women they’ve become before the bitterness of the past destroys their hope for a future.

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My Review

A sweet, clean contemporary romance, author Denise Hunter takes us to Sea Haven, where secrets abound. This book deals with some tough issues; infidelity, marriage problems, law breaking, and trust issues. That’s a lot for one family, but it happens in real life. Life isn’t all rainbows and lollipops so why should Christian novels have to be that way all the time? Hunter deals with things tactfully and honestly.

The characters are well developed and true to life. I appreciated that God is a part of this book, causing things to come to light and then bringing healing. And the fact that we see it’s okay to love “less than perfect” people is a good thing to have in this story.

I felt as if I was at Sea Haven. I could hear the gulls and smell the water. The settings were very descriptive. I think the only thing that kept me from five stars is that it wrapped up really fast. All in all a good book and I recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

About the Author

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 25 books, including A December Bride and The Convenient Groom, which have been adapted into original Hallmark Channel movies. She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Carol Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are rapidly approaching an empty nest. To learn more about Denise, visit her website DeniseHunterBooks.com; Facebook: AuthorDeniseHunter; Twitter: @DeniseAHunter; Instagram: deniseahunter.

Excerpt from Summer by the Tides

MADDY MONROE WAS COWERING behind a ficus tree near the hostess station when her cell phone rang. Her hands shook as she silenced the phone before it drew the attention of the staff.

She jabbed the elevator button for the third time. “Come on, come on.” A star could be born in interstellar space, a polar valley carved by a glacier in the time it took the elevator to reach this floor. Stairs were not an option, as she was on the twentieth floor of the Waterford building and sporting heels.

She sniffled. Drat. She seemed to be crying. She swiped a hand under her eyes, heedless of her makeup.

She heard voices, Nick’s boisterous laugh. Maddy shrank deeper into the ficus and finally, finally, the elevator dinged its arrival.

“Maddy?” Noelle’s concerned voice tunneled down the hall. “Maddy, wait.”

“Oh, come on,” she muttered, tapping her fingers against her leg until the gold doors crept open. As soon as she could fit, she squeezed inside and punched the ground-floor button.

She didn’t draw a breath until the doors sealed and the elevator began to drop. She placed a palm over a heart that was threatening to beat its way out of her chest. Her white blouse clung to her back, and her skin prickled beneath her arms.

She closed her eyes, the scene that had just transpired playing out in fast-forward in her mind. And then, as if that montage weren’t painful enough, the image of Nick’s face appeared. The look on his face just before he’d kissed her good-bye last night.

Nick. She clamped her teeth together until her jaw ached.

There had been signs. Many of them, really, she was realizing now. They ranged from whisper-subtle to neon-sign obvious. But like so many other walking clichés before her, she was only seeing them in retrospect.

Maddy opened her eyes to the buttery sunlight streaming through her blinds. She scrambled for her iPhone to check the time. But as she did so, the events of yesterday washed over her like a tsunami. She didn’t have to get up at all, because she didn’t have a job anymore.

Her cell buzzed with an incoming call, and she squinted bleary-eyed at the unfamiliar number on the screen before declining it.

She drooped against her pillow, only now aware of how fat and swollen her eyes felt. Of the persistent achy lump pushing at the back of her throat. Her heartbeat made the bed quake. Her eyes burned with tears. Yesterday’s anger had faded, and something worse had filled its spot.

Yesterday she’d come home, changed into yoga pants, and worked in her little garden until she was too exhausted to do anything but flop on the sofa. She hadn’t fallen asleep until after three o’clock in the morning.

She didn’t want to talk to anyone, didn’t want to see anyone. She didn’t even want to be awake today. She pulled the covers over her head and prayed for oblivion.