Monday, March 31, 2025

Frayed Promises By Lynn U. Watson + GIVE AWAY

Frayed Promises JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Frayed Promises by Lynn U. Watson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I'm so excited to join this historical romance tour! I love stories set in the late 1800s. Be sure to check out the book excerpt below!

About the Book

Frayed Promises

Title: Frayed Promises
Series:
Promised Destiny #2
Author: Lynn U. Watson
Publisher:
Independently published
Release Date:
April 2, 2025
Genre:
Christian Historical Fiction/Romance

Late 1800s historical romance 
Sequel to The BookFest® award winning, Tangled Promises
 

God gives impossibilities beautiful endings 

Clara and Daniel Becker married secretly circumventing nobility’s rules. When denial no longer serves her, how does Clara hide the truth of their wedding night conception and their nuptials from her father, the Baron? 

If Vati sends her away, Daniel promises to follow. But unexpected circumstances bring them face-to-face with the words of Proverbs 16:9. A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.  

Her grandmother’s last warning spins like a tempest threatening to shipwreck their joy and fray every promise they have made. A Life-Affirming Story 

A portion of the royalties will go to support https://lifechoicesmemphis.org/  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

More In This Series


Book Excerpt

Tante Adeline gave them each a hug and led Clara to the waiting carriage. Jost, one of their coachmen, extended his hand to Clara and Adeline as they boarded. Onkel Martin, a highly-respected judge in Stuttgart, climbed in behind. Dressed in simple driver’s attire, Jost led the horses pulling the conveyance down the drive.

Looking back Clara took in the last glimpses of her childhood, and the place she and her family had made their memories. Those memories had been shattered now. Daniel was absent. The only remaining piece of their dream was tucked safely inside Clara’s body. Oma had encouraged her to dream a new dream, but a future void of Clara’s dream and her Daniel would be no dream at all. I want to watch until it all disappears. I don’t want to watch at all. She wished Daniel would appear at her side and declare all would be okay. But he couldn’t, at least for now. All wasn’t okay. She wasn’t okay.

Clara placed her shaking hand into her Tante’s resting on the seat between them. “Tell me someone cares.”

About the Author

Lynn U. Watson

Award-winning author, Lynn U. Watson is the great-great-granddaughter of a baron from Southwest Germany. From stories whispered down generations to the vibrant threads of her own life, Lynn's journey is a testament to creativity and compassion. Nurtured by her grandmother's love of needlework, Lynn built a thriving custom clothing business, and with her husband, Steve, they created The Lynn'n Butterfly Collection (cross-stitch designs). In 2007, Lynn became a certified reflexologist, opening Footsteps in Eden, a haven where she uses touch therapy and prayer to relax her clients. She combines her passions and heritage Stepping through Time Stitching Stories of Faith. Lynn, Steve, and their feline overlord, Jasmine, call Bartlett, Tennessee home.

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


Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive a Frayed Promises prize bundle which includes a signed paperback copy of Frayed Promises, a 3.5" square Frayed Promises related magnet, a bookmark, a Cross-Stitch pattern relating to book tagline, a Fairest Lord Jesus postcard (suitable for framing), and a $10 Amazon gift card!

Frayed Promises blog tour giveaway JustRead Tours

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 31, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 7, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.


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

JustRead Publicity Tours

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Kate Landry Has a Plan By Rebekah Millet + GIVE AWAY

Kate Landry Has a Plan JustRead Takeover + Review Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! Book one in this series was excellent! I can't wait to read this one. Thanks to JustRead for sending me the book for the takeover! Be sure to read the Book Excerpt below!

About the Book

Kate Landry Has a Plan

Title: Kate Landry Has a Plan 
Series: Beignets for Two #2 
Author: Rebekah Millet 
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers 
Release Date: March 18, 2025 
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance 

Forty-year-old Kate Landry's carefully planned life has become as messy as the powdered sugar on her famous beignets. Juggling the responsibilities of running her café, raising her teenage niece, and the emotional baggage from her breakup, Kate finds her world once again turned upside down when her first-ever crush, Micah Guidry, returns to town as the hunky local librarian. 

As Kate struggles to implement her plans to expand her café amid the New Orleans Mardi Gras madness and the meddling of her conniving ex-fiancé, Micah becomes the unwitting hero of her misadventures, stirring up feelings she thought she'd long buried. How can falling in love in the Big Easy be this hard?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Baker Publishing Group | Amazon | Barnes & NobleChristianbook | Bookshop

More Books from this Series:

Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebekah Millet


Book Excerpt

Excerpt 3
pp 16-17

“If you let me get a dog, I’d have protection.”

Here we go again. Hayley had begun an aggressive campaign for a dog several months ago. I didn’t have time for a dog, or even a fish. And as much as she’d said she’d take care of it, I—­like all the parents that had gone before me—­knew her promise would end up broken. “You can’t bring a dog into the library.”

Her slender fingers tapped across her phone screen at warp speed. Steel-­gray polish coated her nails. Sigh. No more pink sparkles. I knew what was coming next as she’d become predictable in her quest for a dog. She was connecting via Bluetooth to my vehicle’s speakers.

Within seconds, Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” filled the sedan. In researching pet adoption, Hayley had
discovered the ads from the ’90s, including the song from the old heart-­wrenching ASPCA animal cruelty
commercials.

When her desire for a pet had first surfaced, we’d had a detailed discussion of why we couldn’t have one. And by discussion, I meant her staring daggers at the wall while I listed a multitude of reasons. As a result, she’d begun pulling away from me. Our conversations had dwindled to one- or two-­word responses on her end and then her holing up in her room. At that time, she’d also initiated psychological warfare. Other than the “Angel” song, she’d leave the TV in the living room paused on commercials showcasing emaciated canines of every variety.

I’d read in a parenting book to ignore this type of behavior. And so that’s what I’d done. Ignored the commercials and gritted my teeth through each beautiful note of Sarah McLachlan’s now irritating voice.

© 2025 by Rebekah Millet
Published by Bethany House Publishers

About the Author

Rebekah Millet

Rebekah Millet is a double Selah Award, Cascade Award, and ACFW First Impressions Award-winning author of contemporary Christian romance novels. A New Orleans native, she grew up on beignets and café au lait, and loves infusing her colorful culture into her stories. Her husband is an answer to prayer, who puts up with her rearranging furniture and being a serial plant killer. Her two sons keep her laughing and share in her love of desserts.

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


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Julia Monroe Begins Again, Kate Landry Has a Plan, and a $20 Cafe du Monde gift certificate!

 
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 26, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on April 2, 2025. 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.


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

JustRead Publicity Tours

Friday, March 21, 2025

Embergold By Rachelle Nelson

Embergold
by Rachelle Nelson
Publisher: Enclave
ISBN: 979-8886051865

I loved Rachelle's first book, Sky of Seven Colors, so when I heard about and then saw the cover of Embergold, I was thrilled to find out she was going to have a launch team. Being part of her launch team, I received the ebook ARC for my review.

Summary:

Fire dreamed of water, but the first sip would be its last.

Gilde has spent her life isolated in the wild marshlands, a place too wet for the dragon to go. She’s safe there, according to her father. So why is he asking her to leave with him now that she has come of age? There is more to Gilde’s family than she knows, and debts need to be paid.

Betrayed and shattered, she wakes in a crumbling mountain castle with the beast of her nightmares. Except this dragon speaks like a man and reads books. His kindness confuses her and opens a forgotten longing in her heart, all while Gilde plans her escape from a mountain full of secrets.

This place can unveil her past and why she was sacrificed to the beast—truths that may put both their lives in danger if they can’t learn to trust each other. But how can Gilde ever trust again? Especially after she discovers what dragons truly are.

My Review:

First, can we talk about the cover of Embergold? Isn't it incredible?! There's just so much to say about this story, I don't even know where to start. But, like Julie Andrews said, "Let's start at the very beginning."

We meet sweet Gilde as a little girl. You can feel not only her innocence, but her strong desire to please her father. A father who leaves much to be desired. We also meet Isa, who is the closest thing to a sister Gilde has, but Isa is young & married to Guntor, who like Gilde's father, isn't a pleasant sort. Gilde's isolation from the world truly shapes her!

As this is a Beauty and the Beast type story, you can well imagine that the "beast" is a dragon. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author wrote this characters and all of the mystery surrounding him and the castle. Goodness, there's so much I want to say about how Gilde comes to know the dragon. For a review, that would all fall under the "spoiler" idea, and the story needs to unfold piece by piece for you! Of course, books are involved throughout the story and I loved that! Gilde's time with the dragon covers a good portion of the book. SO much happens during their time together. Gilde finally has a chance to spread her wings away from her father's control and isolation... although she IS in a castle alone with a dragon. She's able to ask questions, learn more about herself, and to a degree, learn more about the world. That is, until she has to leave the castle and everything goes haywire!

We learn about Embergold, Gilde's father's desired use for it, and its connection to the dragon. *insert a grimace here! There's so much each reader can take away from this story. I did appreciate that the author was sure to weave in the fact that God exists and Gilde struggles to understand how He can exist with all that happens not only to her, but those around her. With some of the care Gilde receives from a couple the dragon introduces her to, there's a bit of family being the people you choose.

There's adventure from beginning to end. Sweet & tender moments (Remember the 1995 dance scene Casper with Kat & Casper? That's what I'm talking about), moments when your heart will break, and the thrill of triumph!

I have to say... I would LOVE a second book because I need some answers! lol I need more of the story!!

About the Author:

Rachelle Nelson grew up reading fantasy novels and getting her clothes muddy in the pine forests of Idaho. These days, she still loves hiking through forests and libraries, though she’s a bit less fond of mud. Her debut novel, Sky of Seven Colors, released in 2023 through Enclave Publishing, and it features a colorless kingdom. Rachelle doesn’t write true stories, but she does write about truth. When she’s not doing that, she sings in a band with her husband who makes her happier than should be legal. If you like good food and honest conversations, you’re her favorite kind of person.

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Green Pastures By Patricia Johns + GIVE AWAY

Green Pastures JustRead Blog + Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Green Pastures by Patricia Johns, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! Isn't the cover of this book idyllic? Be sure to check out the book excerpt below!

About the Book

Green Pastures

Title: Green Pastures
Series:
The Amish of Shepherd's Hill #1
Author:
Patricia Johns
Publisher:
Bethany House Publishers
Release Date:
March 18, 2025
Genre:
Amish Romance

Tabitha Schrock's return to Lancaster County shakes the foundations of her family and community. After her departure during rumspringa and a recent divorce, Tabitha faces the challenge of reintegrating into Amish society while pursuing her dream of working as a veterinarian. Meanwhile, her sister Amanda, whose own prospects were dimmed by Tabitha's leaving Shepherd's Hill, decides to seize her chance at love by pursuing a man with a shadowed past. And their youngest sister, Rose, despite her beauty and romantic hopes, faces the harsh realities of matrimony, grappling with the weight of vows made before Gott and her community. 

As the sisters navigate the intricacies of love, faith, and tradition, they are bound by their commitment to uphold their Amish way of life. But as they strive to keep their promises, how much are they willing to sacrifice to remain true to themselves and their community?

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


Book Excerpt

Tabitha had left the Amish life to marry an Englischer. Everyone had warned her against him, and when
she married him, the women in Shepherd’s Hill had whispered that she might not have done it if her
mother were still alive to give her some much- needed advice, mother to daughter. Then Michael had lost
interest in her, Tabitha had told them later, and she didn’t understand why he was away from home so
much. Until her friend told her that she’d seen Michael out at a restaurant holding another woman’s hand.
And when Tabitha confronted him, he admitted it all and said he wouldn’t give the other woman up. It
was shocking. Horrifying. What could a woman do if her husband simply ran around on her? What
choices were left? Amanda couldn’t blame Tabitha for refusing to live with it, and when she divorced
him, Michael married the other woman. Insult ladled on top of injury. That was what came of marrying
the wrong man. Or, if you listened to the people in this community, that was what came of jumping the
fence and marrying an Englischer. And Amanda had to agree— if Mamm hadn’t died, everything might
have been different.

About the Author

Patricia Johns

Patricia Johns is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than 50 books. She writes Amish fiction with tight communities, outspoken heroines, and the handsome, rugged men who fall in love with them. She lives in Alberta, Canada, with her husband and son.

Connect with Patricia by visiting patriciajohns.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a print copy of Green Pastures!

(1) additional winner will receive a print copy of Green Pastures!

Green Pastures JustRead blog tour giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 18, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 25, 2025. 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.


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

JustRead Publicity Tours

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Break My Fall By Lynn Blackburn

Break My Fall
by Lynn Blackburn
Publisher: Revell
Series: Gossamer Falls
ISBN: 9780800745370

I'm a huge fan of Lynn Blackburn's novels. I love her previous series and this one is up there with the best of them. Thankful to the author and publisher for sending me a review copy!


Summary:

She's determined to make an impact in her community. 
He's determined to make sure she lives long enough to do it.

Dr. Meredith Quinn always planned to return to Gossamer Falls to practice dentistry. Now that she's back home, she's made it a point to offer clinics to children and adults in nearby underserved areas. Unfortunately, those same areas are known to harbor drug traffickers, and Police Chief Grayson Ward suspects that local law enforcement is looking the other way.

After too many losses, Grayson has closed off his heart. But with Meredith in his life, he feels his walls crumbling, leaving him exposed and vulnerable. To keep her alive, he must keep her close, but that makes it impossible for him to retreat and rebuild. 

Will she be the one who finally helps him emerge from isolation? Or will this force of nature leave him shattered?

My Review:

If you look at any of my reviews for Lynn's books, you'll know I'm a huge fan. It continues with book two in this series, Break My Fall!

Meredith is a dentist who wears her heart on her sleeve for those in need. Occasionally, she crosses over to a town that's dangerous to help underserved families. The problem is, kids talk. Meredith hears things... and the bad guys know it! 

Meanwhile, her family of Quinns (and Shaw) rally the troops and try to keep her safe. Read this story and tell me you wouldn't want to be part of their family! They try to keep her as close as possible, but that doesn't always keep her safe.

Well, Police Chief Gray is also on the job of protecting Meredith, as well as his heart. He's lost too much in his life, and he's not going to add her to the list. Keeping her alive and at a distance are his goals. His heart apparently didn't get the memo! His history leads to him resolving to never get involved with a woman, but Meredith is a force to be reckoned with!

Whew, this story kept me up late! I didn't get to sleep before midnight a couple of times. Guess I should've started reading earlier in the evening! Lynn's stories always have me on the edge of my seat and biting my nails!

There wasn't as much faith in this story as the previous ones. Not that I'm saying there has to be a certain amount. Just not quite like the first book. Totally fine, just an observation. The ending went a bit quicker than I expected. I don't know why, but in suspense novels like this, I love a good confrontation. That's personal preference, of course. While I didn't get a confrontation, there's an explanation, which I always appreciate!

Now I wait incredibly impatiently for Mo and Bronwyn's story! I'm sure it's going to be a doozy!

About the Author:

Lynn H. Blackburn is the award-winning author of Never Fall Again, as well as the Dive Team Investigations and Defend and Protect series. She loves writing swoon-worthy Southern suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she's a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters by putting them in terrifying situations while she sits at home in her pajamas. She lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her true love, Brian, and their three children. Learn more at LynnHBlackburn.com.

 
Creative Commons License
Woven by Words by Mimi B is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.