Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Abounding Hope by Cindy Kay Stewart

Book: Abounding Hope

Author: Cindy Kay Stewart

Genre: Historical Christian Romance (WWII)

Release date: October, 2023

Poland’s looming defeat forces an American teacher to escape with children wanted by the Nazis.

It’s late August, 1939, and the world is on the brink of war. The Nazis are threatening Poland, but American teacher Irena Simmons refuses to flee to safety. She’s dedicated her life to serving in her church and school, and she’s watching over the little German boys she whisked to safety the year before. When her former classmate, Jonathan, surprises her in Lvov and insists she leave with him before the war starts, Irena balks. Nothing will interfere with her work—especially a man making demands.

American shipping magnate Jonathan Huntwell had a crush on Irena in school. When their former classmates select him to travel to Poland and escort her out before it’s too late, he doesn’t expect the inner turmoil she ignites in him. Although honor-bound to aid any friend in trouble, Jonathan acknowledges that Irena is more than an obligation to him. However, he must keep his feelings hidden, or he’ll jeopardize their friendship.

Irena soon discovers that the Gestapo agent she successfully evaded in Germany has found her in Poland, and he’s after her young charges. When the Germans invade, Jonathan is in Denmark on business, too far away to help. As the rising danger threatens everything Irena holds dear, she must find a way to protect those she loves.

Based on true events and backed by extensive research, Abounding Hope is sure to delight fans of WWII adventure cloaked in sweet romance. Come to the place where the war began and discover hope in the darkest places.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

Christian Historical Romance, especially those based during War Time, are a favorite genre of mine. Abounding Hope by Cindy Kay Stewart is Book 1 in the Circle of Hope series.

World War II Historical Romance Books are really engaging for me and this book caught my attention in the very first Chapter. Irena Simmons is an American Teacher living in Poland. I really LOVE that she wants to protect the students she fled from Germany with, even as War is threatened. She was very determined to stay even when her childhood friend, Jonathan encouraged her to leave. Jonathan is an amazing man who wanted to protect Irena and her students. I LOVE that Irena realizes that Jonathan was really wanting to protect her, expect it might be too late. She has to find out how to get to safety. I admire Jonathan for not wanting to jeopardize the friendship, even as his feelings for Irena are surfacing. The author has done an AMAZING job in her research for this book. The book is fictional, but based on True Events. I finished this book within 4 hours, it was that intriguing and GREAT!! I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Historical Romance, especially during WWII times. FANTASTIC BOOK!

Cindy Kay Stewart, a retired high school social studies teacher and current church pianist, writes stories of hope, steeped in love, and anchored in faith. Her manuscripts have won the Touched by Love Award, the First Impressions contest, and the Sandra Robbins Inspirational Writing Award. They’ve also finaled in the Maggie Award of Excellence and the Cascade Awards, and semi-finaled in the Genesis contest. Cindy is passionate about revealing God’s handiwork in history. She resides in North Georgia with her college sweetheart and husband of forty-two years. Her daughter, son-in-law, and four adorable grandchildren live nearby. Cindy’s currently writing the Circle of Hope series set in WWII Europe.

More from Cindy

WWII is a fascinating time period—so many miracles took place in the midst of great tragedy. There has never been an era of history when so many people sacrificed so much to save the world from evil.

During my research for Abounding Hope, I uncovered many interesting and nearly unbelievable stories from the beginning of the war. Within the context of historical fiction, I had the opportunity to recast these true events through the lives of my fictional characters. I endeavored to remain true to history throughout the book, even with dates and places. None of the historical events and places in Abounding Hope are fictional.

Abounding Hope is set in Poland and Hungary at the beginning of WWII. The main characters, Jonathan and Irena, are Americans who have lived in Europe most of their lives. They’re also civilians who learn to surrender their expectations and trust the Lord through their harrowing experiences. In the end, they also find love. Their romance adds soft and intriguing elements to a story set during such a difficult time in history.

Pause for Tales, May 14

Alena Mentink, May 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 15

DevotedToHope, May 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 18

Lights in a Dark World, May 18

Texas Book-aholic, May 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 20

lakesidelivingsite, May 21

For Him and My Family, May 22

Stories By Gina, May 23 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 23

Betti Mace, May 24

The Lofty Pages, May 25

Cover Lover Book Review, May 26

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, May 27

To celebrate her tour, Cindy is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed 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/2b7ca/abounding-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Abounding Hope by Cindy Kay Stewart

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Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Marcus and the Emperor's Coin by Dennis Conrad

 

Book: Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin

Author: Dennis Conrad

Genre: Christian Children’s Picture Book

Release date: October 30, 2023

Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin is an exciting adventure in the Ancient Roman Empire at the time of Christ. Eight-year-old Marcus and his father are on a mission for the Emperor and visit a mine and a mint where coins are made. Marcus himself makes a denarius, a coin with the emperor’s image.

Marcus goes to Jerusalem where he sees Jesus hold a denarius saying, “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” What will seeing Jesus mean for Marcus, and will he ever be the same again?

 

Click here to get your copy!

Children's Picture Books are an excellent way to introduce young ones to the wonderful world of reading. Marcus and the Emperor's Coin by Dennis Conrad is a Faith Based Picture Book for young kids. It is Book 2 in the In God We Trust Series. 

Marcus and his Dad are helping the Emperor and they visit a Coin Mine and Mint. Marcus is excited that he made a coin with the Emperor's image on it. Marcus sees Jesus in Jeruselum and Jesus is preaching about “Give to the emperor the things are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  What will Marcus do after hearing this message? 

I really enjoyed this book. The book has so many learning experiences including the Roman Empire times and Jesus in Jeruselum. I personally loved the part where they visited the Coin Mine and Mint and learning about the making of coins. Marcus and his Dad had a fantastic mission and it was a great seeing father and son being portrayed in this book! It is VERY well written and the Illustrations are just amazing.  I HIGHLY recommend this Faith Based Historical Fiction book for Kids! WONDERFUL BOOK!

A former coin collector for over fifty years, Dennis combines his love for the Bible, children’s literature, and sharing stories about the history behind coins.

Dennis retired as a professor of speech communications from Barstow Community College. He and his wife served as English and public speaking teachers ten summers overseas.

Dennis became a sustaining member of the Numismatic Association of Southern California in 1979. He is also a life member of the American Numismatic Association.

Dennis is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and a Fellow of the National Writing Project.

More from Dennis

How to Turn a Penny into a Teachable Moment

Dennis Conrad

Connect with your child or grandchild by starting a coin collection.

Start with the penny, also known as the Lincoln Head Cent. The coins were first minted in 1909 because it was the 100^th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth.

Use the coin to help your child make the connections with who Lincoln was, what he did, and when he lived. Reasons why Abraham Lincoln is featured on a coin include the following:

1. Lincoln is often at the top of the list of America’s greatest presidents.
2. He helped to preserve the Union during the American Civil War.
3. His Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves.
4. The Gettysburg Address ranks as one of the best speeches of all time.

Now, Look On the Back (the Reverse)

Go through change to find the different images on the backs of pennies.

There are wheat ears (1909-1958) and the Lincoln Memorial (1959-2008).

To celebrate the 200^th anniversary of his birth, the U.S. Mint issued coins with four different images on the back. The Lincoln Bicentennial (2009) coins include a log cabin, Lincoln sitting on a log, Lincoln standing in front of the state capitol of Illinois, and an unfinished U.S. Capitol Building (the way it was when he was president.) For the past several years, there has is a shield on the back representing the preserved union (2010-Present).

Add one of each reverse to the child’s collection.

Don’t forget to mention the words, the date, and the mintmark.

The words include “One Cent,” “In God We Trust,” “Liberty,” “The United States of America,” and “E Pluribus Unum” which means “Out of many, one.”

Also, look for and find the year minted and the mintmark.

Find and add a coin from the child’s birth year to the child’s collection.

Look at the mintmark. It is a letter on the front of the coin under the date. The “D” is for Denver, the “S” for San Francisco, and the absence of a mintmark means the coin was minted in Philadelphia.

Add coins with the different mintmarks to the child’s collection.

Keep the collection safe in a small box or a Ziploc bag. Have fun. Add to the collection as time goes by.

Free Resources

Want to encourage the child in your life to learn more about coins? Sign up at https://dennisconradauthor.com so your child can become a Junior Coin Collector. Receive free, monthly activity sheets like a crossword puzzle. There is a Coin Hunt section where children can search for and find coins in change for their collection, and a Vocabulary Builder section with coin collecting terms.

Lots of Helpers, May 8

Artistic Nobody, May 9 (Author Interview)

BookZone Reviews , May 9

Vicky Sluiter, May 10

Texas Book-aholic, May 11

Beauty in the Binding, May 12 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 13

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 14

Hannahbandanarama, May 15

Guild Master, May 16 (Author Interview)

Lights in a Dark World, May 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 19 (Author Interview)

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, May 20

Labor Not in Vain, May 21

To celebrate his tour, Dennis is giving away the grand prize package of a $100 Amazon gift card and a signed hardback 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/2b7c8/marcus-and-the-emperor-s-coin-celebration-tour-giveaway

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Marcus and the Emperor's Coin by Dennis Conrad

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JustRead Tours Blog Tour: Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janrye Tromp

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: Darkness Calls the Tiger: A Novel of World War II Burma
Author: Janyre Tromp
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: May 14, 2024
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Imperial Japan devours the southern portion of Burma, intent on taking over mainland Asia. Unaware of the coming darkness, Kailyn Moran drifts in her role as the only daughter of a widowed missionary. 

As whispers of war snake through the Kachin mountains, Kai's father is convinced God will protect the mission. He entrusts the village to her and the kind yet inexperienced new missionary, Ryan McDonough, while he makes routine visits to neighboring villages. 

War descends like a tempest upon the mountain peaks, and an unbreakable bond forms between Kailyn and Ryan as they unite to provide solace to both villagers and the flood of refugees. Despite their tireless efforts, a brutal enemy shatters almost everything they love, pushing Kailyn to embark on a path of unrestrained vengeance. 

Afraid he's losing the woman he loves, Ryan fights to protect Kai from the deadly consequences of her choices. But in the face of destruction, can he convince her of the power and freedom of forgiveness? 

"Evocative and transportive, filled with nuance and spiked with the violence of war, Darkness Calls the Tiger is a story of redemption in the midst of hopelessness." --Tosca Lee, New York Times best-selling author

I really enjoy Christian Historical Fiction Novels.  Darkness Calls the Tiger by Jaynre Tromp is the latest in this genre that I have read. 

The setting is Burma in WWII. The main characters of the book are Kailyn and Ryan. Kailyn is the daughter of a Missionary living in Burma during this time. She teams up with Ryan to save the Villagers where they are living from the ravages of the War. They have many struggles while trying to help the Villagers, but their Faith in God is strong. They also realize that they are taking a liking to one another. The author does a wonderful job at addressing senstive topics like rape and the atrociousness of the War. I really felt that I was in Burma while reading this story as the author did the research and made the reader really get captivated by the storyline. The book is one of Faith, Trust, Forgiveness and Redemption. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Chrsitian Historical Fiction and WWII stories. FANTASTIC BOOK!

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

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Janyre Tromp is a developmental book editor who has worked in the publishing industry for more than twenty years, spending time in both marketing and editorial. She's the author of Shadows in the Mind's Eye and contributor to It's a Wonderful Christmas, a Christmas novella collection with other award-winning authors, including Julie Cantrell and Lynne Gentry. When she isn’t writing, she’s a Bible study leader, writers conference speaker, ACFW member, wife, and mom of two kids and their menagerie of slightly eccentric pets.

Connect with Janyre at janyretromp.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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(1) winner will win a signed copy of Darkness Calls the Tiger, a bookmark, and other book-themed goodies!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 13, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 20, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Tours Blog Tour: Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janrye Tromp

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JustRead Tours Blog Tour: Loyally, Luke by Pepper Basham

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Loyally, Luke by Pepper Basham hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: Loyally, Luke 

Series: Skymar #3 

Author: Pepper Basham 

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Release Date: May 14, 2024 

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Sometimes love means embracing the good, the bad. . . and even the impossible.

Dear Reader -- My name is Luke Edgewood, and there are few things in life that I require. Mainly black coffee. And flannel. And lots of solitude. And my dogs, Chewy and Indie. What I don't need is romance, so I have no plans to change my thirty-year-old bachelor status anytime soon. 

But my youngest sister thinks that by accepting a short-term construction job in the small European country of Skymar, that I'm going to follow along in her footsteps and discover my own romantic adventure. Nope. Bah humbug. The End. This time, her rom-com-movie senses are totally wrong. 

Or maybe not. Because I've met a Grace Kelly lookalike who is annoying. . . until she isn't. But she is impossible. As in, nothing can happen between us because she is a literal princess. Even though that's easy to forget when we're working together to restore a castle-like orphanage in a secluded mountain town and "forced proximity" includes a small closet, a secret one-hundred-year-old journal, and the tactile memory of an off-limits royal in my arms. 

Basically, the whole situation has turned into an ooey gooey magical snow globe of romantic tropes complete with cute kids and an actual ball. Now, even my sentences are starting to sound like mush. Ugh. Send high levels of testosterone my way--I'm going to need it. 

Loyally, Luke

I really enjoy Christian RomCom books and Pepper Basham in one of my favorite authors. Loyally, Luke by Pepper Basham is the most recent book that I read. It is Book 3 in the Skymar series. I have not read the first 2 in this series YET, but I intend on reading them soon. 

WOW, I can't believe I haven't read the first 2 in this series. I started reading this book and could not put it down. It took me about 3hrs to finish the book, it is that GOOD! Luke is such a fun loving character and he doesn't want romance, but romance found him. Luke travels with his sister to Europe to work in a town called Skymar. He meets Princess Ellie and at first he doesn't realize who she is. They start a friendship while working on restoring buildings in the town of Skymar. I LOVE how Luke and Princess Ellie fit well together, opposites attract in this situation. I laughed so hard while reading this book. It was also a heartwarming story. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian RomCom books! AWESOME BOOK!

 

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop | BookBub

More Books in this Series

 

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Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC, where she is the wife of a fantastic pastor, mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

Connect with Pepper by visiting pepperdbasham.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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(1) winner will receive a signed copy of the book, tool pens, and $25 Amazon gift card!

(1) additional winner will receive a signed copy of the book!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 15, 2024 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 22, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Tours Blog Tour: Loyally, Luke by Pepper Basham

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