Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books For The Second Half of 2017

May 30, 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 
Each week features a book related topic that offers the opportunity to spotlight your Top Ten. 

Topic:
Top Ten Most Anticipated Books For The Second Half of 2017

 This is always a fun topic for me! I'm always looking ahead for books I want to read.

1. Unraveling by Sara Ella
2. Many Sparrows by Lori Benton
3. Isaiah's Daughter by Mesu Andrews
 4. Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey
5. Out of the Ordinary by Jen Turano
6. A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden
 7. Holding the Fort by Regina Jennings
8. Jane of Austin by Hillary Manton Lodge
9. The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay

This is just a small taste of what all I'm waiting on for the 2nd half of the year. 

What are you looking forward to?


Review: True to You by Becky Wade (Litfuse Blog Tour & Giveaway)

May 29, 2017

Title: True to You
Author: Becky Wade
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 368
ISBN: 978-0-7642-1936-8
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2017

Synopsis:
It’s the exciting start of a brand-new series by a contemporary romance fan favorite!

After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now.

Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But when he’s diagnosed with an inherited condition, he’s forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother.

The more time they spend together, the more this pair of opposites suspects they just might be a perfect match. However, John’s already dating someone and Nora’s not sure she’s ready to trade her crushes on fictional heroes for the risks of a real relationship. Finding the answers they’re seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.
Review:
I have to start off by saying, I love the cover of this book! The cover design really sets the tone for this book perfectly. It's light, whimsical, with a promise of so much more.

This book starts off in such an interesting way and it hooked me from the first line. Nora is a woman, who works at a museum and helps out her sister. Her and her sister, even though close are very, different, but the two meshed well. They were fun! I always wanted a sister, so when I see the friendship between sisters, like this, I savor it. I connected with Nora in this story and I honestly can't wait to read more in this series!

John, even though opposite of Nora, with his intensity and work background, the two paired together well. His background of a Navy Seal background, and her research background were really the perfect duo for the adventure that came their way.

Becky Wade has an amazing talent for writing couples that pop off the page. I fell in lover with her characters and got hooked on her writing from her previous series. I have to say, with each book, they get better and better. Her attention to detail with not only her characters, but with the settings, even their outfits make it so much more relate-able and engrossing. The little details make this story pop.

This was a fantastic start to a new series. I can't wait to see what happens next! There was so much to rave about with True to You, but I don't want to spoil it. You need to pick up a copy for yourself.

Too Read!
5 out of 5
About the Author:
Becky Wade is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and moved to Dallas. She published historical romances for the general market, took time off to raise her children, then felt God nudging her to pursue contemporary Christian fiction. Becky is the Carol Award-, INSPY Award-, and International Reader's Choice Award-winning author of the Porter Family Novels.






Giveaway:
Do opposites really attract? John and Nora might just be the perfect match. Find out in True to You, book one in Becky Wade's new series! Genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now. Former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But when he’s diagnosed with an inherited condition, he’s forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother. Finding the answers they’re seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.

Celebrate the launch of Becky Wade's new series by entering to win a fabulous prize pack and $100 cash card!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A copy of True to You
  • A $100 Visa cash card
  • A prize pack hand-picked by Becky
 

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on May 30. The winner will be announced May 31 on the Litfuse blog.



Thank you to Lifuse, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


Review: For Love & Honor by Jody Hedlund

May 25, 2017

Title: For Love & Honor 
Author: Jody Hedlund
Publisher: Zondervan
Pages: 256
ISBN: 978-0-310-74930-1
Publication Date: March 7th, 2017

Synopsis:
Lady Sabine is harboring a skin blemish, one, that if revealed, could cause her to be branded as a witch, put her life in danger, and damage her chances of making a good marriage. After all, what nobleman would want to marry a woman so flawed?

Sir Bennet is returning home to protect his family from an imminent attack by neighboring lords who seek repayment of debts. Without fortune or means to pay those debts, Sir Bennet realizes his only option is to make a marriage match with a wealthy noblewoman. As a man of honor, he loathes the idea of courting a woman for her money, but with time running out for his family’s safety, what other choice does he have?

As Lady Sabine and Sir Bennet are thrust together under dangerous circumstances, will they both be able to learn to trust each other enough to share their deepest secrets? Or will those secrets ultimately lead to their demise?
Review:
Jody Hedlund has done a phenomenal job with this YA series! It is fun, has adventure, appropriate romance, and some fantastic characters that pop off the pages.

This series has been great! Starting off with an Uncertain Choice, then moving into A Daring Sacrifice, and now closing out with For Love and Honor. I love how they all tied together, but they could all stand alone.

I really enjoyed Sabine. She was a great strong character, who also knew how to your her sass and spunk. This story starts off with a robbery, and she wasn't going to stand for it. She let her opinion known. The rest of the story kept going from there. Sabine, used her inner strength for many things, but she was also a wonderful charter in that during her time, she was considered flawed by people, due to a birth mark. Everyone has something that has made with a blemish, but not everyone can see it, but there are people that it can be seen on, and it is about how it is handled.

We also got to see Sit Bennet again. He was one of the three knights from An Uncertain Choice. These guys have been fun and have all offered characteristics that could be characterized as swoon worthy.

Sabine and Bennett were a strong couple and they played well with their strengths, but also were a balance for their weakness.

It has been a fun medieval adventure with this series, and I can't wait to see what Jody Hedlund does next! She is an author who has an amazing gift. I'm so glad she wrote a series for YA.

Too Read!
5 our of 5
About the Author:
Jody Hedlund is a best-selling and award-winning author who loves fairy- tales and happily-ever-afters. She makes her home in Midland, MI with her husband and five children. When she's not writing another of her page-turning stories, you can usually find her sipping coffee, eating chocolate, and reading.








Thank you to Zonderkidz, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


Review: A Fragile Hope by Cynthia Ruchti

May 3, 2017

Title: A Fragile Hope
Author: Cynthia Ruchti
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1-4267-9150-5
Publication Date: April 4th, 2017

Synopsis:
Hope grows when seeds are planted—even in the muddy middle of life.

Josiah Chamberlain’s life’s work revolves around repairing other people’s marriages. When his own is threatened by his wife’s unexplained distance, and then threatened further when she’s unexpectedly plunged into an unending fog, Josiah finds his expertise, quick wit and clever quips are no match for a relationship that is clearly broken.

Feeling betrayed, confused, and ill-equipped for a crisis this crippling, he reexamines everything he knows about the fragility of hope and the strength of his faith and love. Love seems to have failed him. Will what’s left of his faith fail him, too? Or will it be the one thing that holds him together and sears through the impenetrable wall that separates them?
Review:
Cynthia Ruchti is an author who I was introduced to a couple of years ago. Her story captured me from the first page and kept me reading to the end. A Fragile Hope was another book that captured me and brought me into the story and kept me hanging on to the end.

Cynthia has a beautiful writing style. It has a realistic feel. It is easy to find a character to relate to. Her characters are flawed. That is what catches me in the story. I can feel what the character feels, and it makes it so much more real.

Her presentation of a marriage in trouble is something I could relate to and because of that it kept me reading. I've been in a bad relationship. The way it was portrayed was  respectful and it opened up a topic that in all honesty is spoken about in church when the marriage has failed, but not before. Couples don't speak about their issues, until the end, so to see it on display in this story was refreshing. It is a bit taboo to speak about in today's society. Especially with social media so prevalent allowing the false fronts to be out there. 

Even with the heavy-ish type of topic, I really enjoyed this story and the story telling. It is a book to read and say, for me anyway, I understand.

Too Read!
5 out of 5

About the Author:
Cynthia Ruchti tells stories hemmed in hope. She’s the award-winning author of 17 books and a frequent speaker for women’s ministry events. She serves as the Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers, where she helps retailers, libraries, and book clubs connect with the authors and books they love. She lives with her husband in Central Wisconsin.





Giveaway:
When your life's work revolves around repairing other people’s marriages, what happens when your own marriage begins to fall apart? Find out what happens to Josiah Chamberlain in Cynthia Ruchti's new book, A Fragile Hope. Feeling betrayed, confused, and ill-equipped for a crisis this crippling, he reexamines everything he knows about the fragility of hope and the strength of his faith and love. Love seems to have failed him. Will what’s left of his faith fail him, too? Or will it be the one thing that holds him together and sears through the impenetrable wall that separates them?

Celebrate the release of A Fragile Hope by entering to win Cynthia's Sign of Hope Giveaway!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:
Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on May 3. The winner will be announced May 4 on the Litfuse blog.



Thanks to Litfuse, I recieved a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


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