Title: The Hope of Azure Springs
Author: Rachel Fordham
Publisher: Revell
Pages: 336
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3473-2
Publication Date: July 3rd, 2018

About the Book:

Alone in a strange town, can she find healing for her new home . . . and herself?
Seven years ago, orphaned and alone, Em finally arrived at a new home in Iowa after riding the orphan train. But secrets from her past haunt her, and her new life in the Western wilderness is a rough one. When her guardian is shot and killed, Em, now nineteen, finally has the chance to search for her long-lost sister, but she won't be able to do it alone.

For Azure Springs Sheriff Caleb Reynolds, securing justice for the waifish and injured Em is just part of his job. He's determined to solve every case put before him in order to impress his parents and make a name for himself. Caleb expects to succeed. What he doesn't expect is the hold this strange young woman will have on his heart.

Welcome to the charming town of Azure Springs, Iowa, where people care deeply for one another and, sometimes, even fall in love.

 My Thoughts:
I'm always excited to find a new, debut author. I heard about The Hope of Azure Springs several months ago and have anxiously awaited it since. I always love historical fiction and can't wait to see what the setting will be.

The Hope of Azure Springs was a different story then what I have read. It was an interesting idea. It took the idea of the orphan trains, that has been a popular topic as of late, but put a spin on it and brought the idea, that I wondered about.

The first plot of the story wrapped quickly. I was surprised, in a good way, how it was all taken care of. It flowed in to the second plot and I have to say, it is with that plot, I got really involved in the story.The second half really caught me up.

The characters had a good background. Em was a girl who had a hard life, but was a girl who still had hope and faith that things could be better and tried to bring joy to those around her.

Caleb is a man, when we are introduced is just a man who is dedicated to his job, but is also dealing the ghosts of his past.

This was a good debut story and I would like to see what other stories Rachel Fordham will write.

3.5 out of 5

About the Author:
 Rachel Fordham started writing when her children began begging her for stories at night. She'd pull a book from the shelf, but they'd insist she make one up. Finally she put her love of good stories with her love of writing and she hasn't stopped since. She lives with her husband and children on an island in the state of Washington.






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

For 2 weeks this summer, I was on the road and it was amazing!We drove and drove and drove, but when we stopped, we got to see so many wonderful places. I thought it would be fun for the next few weeks to share about the places we visited and the books that matched up with the these places.

Gettysburg is my first blog stop on the tour, but it was actually the last place we visited before heading home. We were tired by the time we got there, but it is a place that left a big impression!

I'm a history nerd and proud of it. Ha! This was a perfect place for me.



Next Friday, I will focus on another stop of this 2 week adventure.

Title: More Than Meets the Eye
Author: Karen Witemeyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 347
ISBN: 9780764212833
Publication Date: June 5th, 2018

About the Book:

When Her Family Is Threatened, She Doesn't Expect Falling in Love to Be Their Best Defense

Many consider Evangeline Hamilton cursed. Orphaned at a young age and possessing a pair of mismatched eyes--one bright blue, the other dark brown--Evangeline has fought to find her way in a world that constantly rejects her. Yet the support of even one person can help overcome the world's judgments, and Evangeline has two--Seth and Zach, fellow orphans she now counts as brothers.

Seeking justice against the man who stole his birthright and destroyed his family, Logan Fowler arrives in 1880s Pecan Gap, Texas, to confront Zach Hamilton, the hardened criminal responsible for his father's death. Only instead of finding a solitary ruthless gambler, he discovers a man not much older than himself with an unusual family. And when Hamilton's unique sister, Evangeline, insists on dousing Logan with sunshine every time they cross paths, Logan finds his quest completely derailed. Who is truly responsible for his lost legacy, and will restoring the past satisfy if it means forfeiting a future with Evangeline?

My Thoughts:
Karen Witemeyer is an author who is able to bring out the full range of emotions while reading her stories. More Than Meets the Eye is no different. However, this story starts out a little sad, but from sadness, comes a wonderful legacy and some fun moments.

Evangeline Hamilton is a girl, who since a young age has dealt with some hard issues. She lost her parents young and was sent out west on an orphan train. In the process of being on the search for a new family, she was rejected by many for her heterochromia, two colored eyes. When tragedy strikes, she finds the family she needs when she least expected it. We jump ahead several years to when she is nineteen and follow her and her brothers on their very own farm.

One day when out and about, she meets her new neighbor Logan, in a very unique way. The meeting then left a memory when Logan. Evangeline thinks she has made a friend that can look past her unique eyes, but little does she know that Logan has been brought to the area for other reasons.

Following Logan and Evangeline in this story was interesting. The story led me to a different area then what I was expecting, it wasn't bad, but enjoyable. This story was a lighter story then previous Karen Witemeyer books and offered a couple of different plots circulating around, but in the end tied together well.

This story was interesting to in that you start thinking, oh, this character is the going to not be exactly the bad guy, but the advisory, then you start thinking, nope, I was wrong, maybe this! Then nope. I liked how it kept me guessing and kept the story twisting around.  

The characters were well developed and enjoyed the different personalities. I'm happy that the book left it set up to carry the story on.

This was an enjoyable story!

4 out of 5

About the Author:
Karen Witemeyer

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.





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

Waiting On:
Title: Flights of Fancy
Author: Jen Turano
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: January 1st, 2019

About the Book:

Miss Isadora Delafield may be an heiress, but her life is far from carefree. When her mother begins pressuring her to marry an elderly and uncouth duke, she escapes from the high society world she's always known and finds herself to be an unlikely candidate for a housekeeper position in rural Pennsylvania.

Mr. Ian MacKenzie is known for his savvy business sense and has built his reputation and fortune completely on his own merits. But when his adopted parents are in need of a new housekeeper and Isadora is thrown into his path, he's unexpectedly charmed by her unconventional manner.

Neither Isadora nor Ian expected to find the other so intriguing, but when mysterious incidents on the farm and the truth of Isadora's secret threaten those they love, they'll have to set aside everything they thought they wanted for a chance at happy-ever-after. 

What are you waiting on this week?
Let me know in the comments below!

I know this topic is now a couple of weeks old, but I would love to know what your favorite books of the year are so far!

Title: The Rancher's Surprise Daughter 
Author: Jill Lynn
Publisher: Love Inspried
Pages: 288
ISBN: 972-1-335-50966-6
Publication Date: July 17th, 2018

About the Book:

A reunion he never expected... In this Colorado Grooms novel,

Luc Wilder's surprised when his ex-girlfriend Cate Malory arrives at his Colorado guest ranch. And he's downright stunned when she introduces him to his three-year-old daughter, Ruby. Bonding with the bubbly little girl is easy--Ruby loves ranch life, just like her daddy. But after all the secrets, can Luc and Cate find a way to trust in each other again?

My Thoughts:
I have to start of by saying, that I have heard some fun things about Jill Lynn, and I'm sad I haven't read any of her previous stories before this one. The Rancher's Surprise Daughter was a sweet story, but one that has a real feel, and touched on very real topics. I appreciated that!

Jill has a very nice way of writing a story that just flows and keeps you reading till before you know it, the story is over.

This second chance, contemporary, reunion story was  just fantastic. From my personal experiences, I could see both sides of the story from Cate and Lucas and could argue both of their sides with them, and could sympathize. Lucas is a man who is all about keeping his word and being the man of the area. Cate is a woman, who has been a single mom for a while and know how to handle things her way. Both of their lives are thrown for a loop when a medical issue comes up for Ruby, their daughter.

I appreciate the steps that went into this story. It really is a shock for Lucas, he does everything right at the beginning of the story in my eyes. I'm glad he wanted to verify. He is a character that wants to help, but he doesn't want to get dragged into something without full knowledge.

Cate is woman who comes off as strong and highly independent, but when it comes to Ruby, she needs to put what she wants aside and do what is best for her kiddo.

Even though Cate and Lucas made decisions in the past that left consequences, they changed and grew and found faith that shaped them into who they are now.

Jill Lynn offered up some very well developed characters. I enjoyed following them on this journey. I honestly can't wait to go and read some more of Jill's books!

 4 out of 5

About the Author:
Jill Lynn Buteyn is a co-author of Just Show Up with Kara Tippetts, and the author of the inspirational romance novel, Falling for Texas (as Jill Lynn). A recipient of the ACFW Genesis award for her fiction work, she has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Bethel University. Jill lives near the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her husband and two children.
Connect with her on social media or at Jill-Lynn.com.





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

Welcome to the Chaos In The Blink of an Eye series blitz and GIVEAWAY, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
PURCHASE: GoodReads/ Amazon

 

Each day of the blitz spotlights a different book from the series - follow along with the tour to learn about each of the first five books individually!

---

Patrick Higgins is the author of "The Pelican Trees", "Coffee In Manila", the award-winning "The Unannounced Christmas Visitor", and the award-winning prophetic end times series, "Chaos In The Blink Of An Eye." While the stories he writes all have different themes and take place in different settings, the one thread that links them all together is his heart for Jesus and his yearning for the lost. With that in mind, it is his wish that the message his stories convey will greatly impact each reader, by challenging you not only to contemplate life on this side of the grave, but on the other side as well. After all, each of us will spend eternity at one of two places, based solely upon a single decision which must be made this side of the grave. That decision will be made crystal clear to each reader of his books.  

CONNECT WITH PATRICK: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

---

Patrick Higgins is giving away to one (1) winner:

• $50 Amazon gift card &
• the first five books in the Chaos series

Open Internationally as long as recipient can accept a gift card from US Amazon. Books available in winner's choice of ebook or print, although ebook only for international winner.  

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight July 16, 2018 and last through 11:59pm July 23, 2018. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

---

Title: Many Sparrows
Author Lori Benton
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Pages: 390
ISBN: 9781601429940
Publication Date: August 29th, 2017

About the Book:

Either she and her children would emerge from that wilderness together, or none of them would…

In 1774, the Ohio-Kentucky frontier pulses with rising tension and brutal conflicts as Colonists push westward and encroach upon Native American territories. The young Inglesby family is making the perilous journey west when an accident sends Philip back to Redstone Fort for help, forcing him to leave his pregnant wife Clare and their four-year old son Jacob on a remote mountain trail.
When Philip does not return and Jacob disappears from the wagon under the cover of darkness, Clare awakens the next morning to find herself utterly alone, in labor and wondering how she can to recover her son...especially when her second child is moments away from being born.

Clare will face the greatest fight of her life, as she struggles to reclaim her son from the Shawnee Indians now holding him captive. But with the battle lines sharply drawn, Jacob’s life might not be the only one at stake. When frontiersman Jeremiah Ring comes to her aid, can the stranger convince Clare that recovering her son will require the very thing her anguished heart is unwilling to do—be still, wait and let God fight this battle for them?

My Thoughts:
Oh, my goodness! Lori Benton knows how to weave such a gripping and historical drama. The detail, the characters, the history all come together in such an amazing way.

Clare Inglesby is a woman who is already broken when we first meet her. She is in a marriage that she is emotionally done with. She is being dragged pillar to post by a husband that is still trying to live a life, or at least regain a part of one that has been lost to him years ago.

Clare has already gone through so much and it is interesting and also, something I could relate to being dropped into in this story. Everything that follows brings Clare to an area where she brought to her lowest. It leaves her completely broken and and wondering to where she needs to put her trust. She deals with such a heart breaking battle that it really pulls at the heart when reading it.

Jeremiah Ring is a man we are introduced to at a very particular time for Clare, but ends up being the right time. He is a man who has faced his demons, and is still dealing with them, but is trying his best to take what he has learned and help those around them. He is also a man that is town between two worlds. Once you get to know him, you can see why this is a hard decision for him.

The setting for this story was unique one for me. I hear of this type of based story, but usually at an earlier time or later time, but having it weaved near the beginning of the Revolutionary War was one that really brought it all together. There is so much history at this time, that it is sometimes hard to remember so much was going on in different parts of America.

The detail to Lori Benton's writing is beyond what I'm used to reading. She is able to capture the smallest of details and flesh it out and bring you to that scene.

She is able to weave in the story of faith in a way that it pulls at the heart and make you think. Lori brings a story of faith, though set back in time, can speak to someone today.

Too Read
5 out of 5

About the Author:
Lori Benton was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American history going back three hundred years. Her novels transport readers to the eighteenth century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history. When she isn’t writing, reading, or researching, Lori enjoys exploring and photographing the Oregon wilderness with her husband. She is the author of Burning Sky, recipient of three Christy Awards, The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn, Christy-nominee The Wood’s Edge, and A Flight of Arrows.




Thank you to the INSPY advisory board and the Publisher, I received a copy of this book for free.