Book Tours and Giveaways!

About the Book

Book: The Quilt Room Secret

Author: Lisa Jones Baker

Genre: Amish/Christian Fiction

Release Date: February, 2024

Trini Holds Secret Dreams for Her Future

Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.

As they took turns pushing each other on the swing that hung from a large tree, the mature—for a five-year-old—Jacob Lantz asked Trini Sutter to marry him. The nine-year-old thoughtfully responded that she’d consider his proposal when they were older.

Nearly two decades later, the Amish farmer returns to the beautiful countryside of Arthur, Illinois, to take the independent owner of The Quilt Room up on her promise. Quiet, handsome Jacob is truly in love with the spirited list maker, and Trini finds herself falling in love with Jacob, but the youngest of eleven has big plans of her own.

Jacob’s long-held aspirations are put to the test when he learns that Trini has been holding a secret. He prays for a turnaround of events; however, when Trini moves away from her tight-knit community, he begins to realize that his dream of them being Mr. and Mrs. most likely won’t happen.

Will Trini forfeit her own well-laid plan for the man of her dreams?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lisa Jones Baker writes Amish Inspirational fiction. She grew up near Arthur, Illinois, and became acquainted with the Plain Faith at an early age when they custom-made and installed her family’s kitchen cabinets. On weekends, she and her parents frequented the quaint Amish town, often the setting of her stories, where they purchased meat, cheese, and home-made baking spices. Now, decades later, she still loves visiting; the town and the people yet intrigue her, and she so appreciate the talent of quilt-making almost as much as she loves horse and buggy rides. But there is much more to this perplexing group than meets the eye; they are extremely disciplined, hard-working, and honest…and they don’t all think alike. For these reasons, writing about them is her passion.

Lisa was fortunate to have been raised in a loving, Christian home by two wonderful parents: a reading specialist mother who plays the piano, and a retired Junior High Principal father who’s also an avid fox hunter. She has a B.A. in French Education and is a former school teacher who loves gardening, cooking, reading, positive thinkers, and every dog she meets. Although a homebody, travel has played a large part of her life. Over three decades of working with the airline industry has landed her on five out of seven continents.

More from Lisa

Secrets fascinate me. They always have. From experience, I know that they’re difficult to keep confidential. And when the wrong person gets hold of what you don’t want out. . .There’s no telling what will happen!

List maker Trini Sutter has decided her future, even though what’s ahead comes with great risk. The owner of The Quilt Room in Arthur, Illinois, relishes being in control of her life. But what she doesn’t expect is for someone to get wind of her deep, dark secret and to leak it to her tight-knit Amish community! Now that the quilter’s confidential plan has become public, will she be able to pull it off?  Or will Gott override her “list” with the destiny He has planned for her? Find out in The Quilt Room Secret.

Enjoy this short excerpt:

“Trini, look at me.”

She hesitated. Did she dare? She didn’t know what it was about Jacob that stole her voice. Her breath. Her entire being.

With one gentle motion, he placed his finger underneath her chin. He was so close, the light cinnamon on his breath lingered in the small distance between them. His clothes smelled like outdoors. She could see tiny lines around his eyes. They made him take on an even more manly appearance. His voice was barely more than a whisper. “You feel it too, don’t you?”

The last thing she wanted was any romantic complications that would interfere with her plans to leave. I must not lead Jacob on. I must not lead myself on. What I’m feeling…it’s wrong.

My Review

The Quilt Room Secret is book three in Barbour Publishing’s The Heart of the Amish series. But since all are standalones you can jump in wherever you’d like.

I enjoyed the storyline of this book. We see how difficult secrets are and how, truly, what we think we want isn’t always as beautiful as we anticipated. There’s nothing wrong with where we are.

Characters Trini and Jacob have history. And for Jacob what was asked in his childhood still stood true. He was so dependable and caring, yet didn’t want to box Trini in. Trini was troubled and thought the other side of the fence looked better.  It was interesting to see the journey from childhood to adulthood, and how dreams can continue for that long.

The book has so much potential but was a challenging read for me. The characters were so syrupy sweet. Never a cross look or word. Never a challenge.Just sweet all the time, even in their speech. To me that doesn’t reflect true life. Life has conflict with others. My friends often will challenge my way of thinking, not just let me go full steam ahead unchecked. And we definitely don’t speak sweetly every time we open our mouths. But, this is my opinion. It’s a clean romance with a good storyline so if you enjoy Amish fiction do give it a try.

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

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, February 29

Vicky Sluiter, March 1

Holly’s Book Corner, March 2

Devoted To Hope, March 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 3

Texas Book-aholic, March 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 5

lakesidelivingsite, March 6

Lighthouse Academy Blog, March 6 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 7

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 7

Cover Lover Book Review, March 8

She Lives To Read, March 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 10

Splashes of Joy, March 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 11

For Him and My Family, March 12

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 13 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lisa is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card & print 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/2a3cf/the-quilt-room-secret-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Secrets and Wishes

Author: Kathleen Rouser

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: January 30, 2024

She only wants a fresh start, but her past might be the only hope to save his life—and the lives of countless innocents.

Determined widow Maggie Galloway dreams of a peaceful life and a successful business. And winning the Silver Leaf Flour Company baking contest could be the key to that success. She even has a chance at a prestigious position through a dashing former beau. But when her son gets into a fight with the local pharmacist’s son, Maggie’s peaceful life is derailed.

Reserved pharmacist and recent widower Thomas Harper is also looking for a fresh start for himself and his four children. But when Thomas falls gravely ill, his only choice is to enlist the help of the local baker with a knowledge of concocting remedies. He’s even more reluctant to admit that Maggie may also be the remedy for his grieving heart. And when a traveling medicine man’s medicines beget tragedy, Thomas and Maggie must overcome their differences to save the children of Stone Creek—and face the growing attraction between them—before it’s too late.

Click here to get you copy!

About the Author

Kathleen Rouser is a multi-published, award-winning author of historical and contemporary Christian romance. She is a longtime member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Faith, Hope and Love Christian Writers. She resides in southeast Michigan, a location which she often uses in her novels, with her hero and husband of forty-some years and two sweet cats who found a home in their empty nest.

More from Kathleen

Maggie Galloway’s Prizewinning Recipe

Maggie Galloway was a secondary character in my first Stone Creek Brides novel, Rumors and Promises. As the older sister and housekeeper of hero, Ian McCormick, she liked to have her say. I enjoyed getting to know Maggie as I created her character. She was so much fun to write I knew she needed her own story.

She has a knowledge of remedies from working with her pharmacist husband in the past, but Maggie is also a prizewinning baker because of her creative and cherished recipe for pecan snickerdoodles. I hope you’ll enjoy her recipe.

Increasing the vanilla in her favorite snickerdoodle recipe while adding toasted chopped pecans to the dough and the cinnamon sugar made for the delightful crunch and a nutty taste, which had won her second place in the recipe contest. (From Maggie’s musings in Secrets and Wishes.)

Maggie Galloway’s Pecan Snickerdoodles

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 ¼ cup flour

½ cup chopped toasted pecans

Cinnamon sugar mixture:

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon finely chopped toasted pecans

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease cookie sheet.

Beat butter until creamy. Add 1 cup sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar, mixing well.

Beat egg and vanilla into the mixture. Slowly add flour and chopped pecans to the mixture.

Set dough in the refrigerator (or the icebox in Maggie’s day) for at least a half an hour to make it easier to handle.

While you’re waiting, mix the cinnamon sugar ingredients together with the 1 tablespoon finely chopped pecans.

When the dough is ready, roll into small balls and roll in cinnamon sugar/nut mixture.

Place a couple of inches apart on the cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes, only until slightly golden brown along the edges. Yield is approximately two dozen cookies.

My Review!

Book 2 in author Kathleen Rouser’s Stone Creek Brides series, Secrets and Wishes can be read as a stand alone but reading book one, Rumors and Promises, would help.

Both Maggie and Thomas are widowed parents and we see the struggles that came with that. Secrets and Wishes has several twists and turns, including a tragedy that affects the town’s children. But there is always hope. Both main characters are well developed and seem as if they are real people. I need that in a story!

Rouser gives us a great look into what things could have been like during this time period. Her attention to historical detail made this book quite interesting. And if you enjoy a clean romance then you’ll love Secrets and Wishes. Give it a read!

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

Blog Stops

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, February 20 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 21

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 22

Life on Chickadee Lane, February 22

Devoted To Hope, February 23

Vicky Sluiter, February 23

Texas Book-aholic, February 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 25

ABBA’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 26

lakesidelivingsite, February 27

Betti Mace, February 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 29

Cover Lover Book Review, March 1

For Him and My Family, March 2

Holly’s Book Corner, March 3

Pause for Tales, March 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathleen is giving away the garand prize package of a $50 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/2a256/secrets-and-wishes-celebration-tour-giveaway