Saturday, February 14, 2015

Kicking Eternity by Ann Lee Miller

Raine's purpose for the summer is to earn enough money to purchase her ticket to Africa. Raine has always felt called to be a missionary in Africa, but with her brother constantly turning up asking for money to cover his drug use Raine is looking to get away.

Raine's job for the summer is a Bible teacher at summer camp. Cal the camp art teacher and Aly her roommate have taken it upon themselves to educate the naive Christian girl. Will Raine be able to stand up for her beliefs or will her faith be rocked?

Then there is Drew, the camp music director who grew up teasing Raine by constantly calling her Rainey. Still holding on to the girl he was sure God told him he was going to marry even though she dumped him 6 years ago. Drew and Raine have chemistry between them, they both are believers, they pray together, they encourage each other, but with each of them having their hearts tied to someone else they determine to tamp down their attraction to each other.

Set in New Smyrna beach Florida, Kicking Eternity is a perfect summer beach read. While Raine's confusion over Cal and enabling of her brother Eddy frustrated and angered me at times, waiting to see how the relationships played out kept me turning the pages. I also found myself taken back to my younger days when I was less mature in my faith and allowed temptations to govern my actions, so I found Raine's character very relatable. Ann Lee Miller writes real characters facing real-life temptations and struggles with faith that I think every young person can relate to.

Other books in the New Smyrna Beach Series:

Avra's God
Tattered Innocence
Kicking Eternity
The Art Of My Life

GIVEAWAY!

Ann Lee Miller has graciously offered to give away one e-copy of her books. If you would like to be entered into the drawing post a comment with your email address. I'll draw a winner on February 18th.


Sunday, February 8, 2015

Where Trains Collide by Amber Stokes: Cover Reveal



About the Book

New Adult Contemporary Romance Novella

Two hearts racing in different directions will meet where trains collide.

Burned out and disillusioned with her chosen career path, Trisha Knolane gives in to impulse and hops on a train bound for Oregon, eager to escape the stress of college for a few days. But what begins as a fun little adventure suddenly collapses into a nightmare when she discovers that her ex-boyfriend is also on board.

All her hopes and dreams had once centered on Paul Benson. Now, when Trisha doesn't know where her current track will lead, Paul’s questions only complicate matters and spark a few of her own.

Questions that could change the course of her life.

A heartfelt and thought-provoking contemporary romance novella, Where Trains Collide faces the uncertain season of new adulthood head-on and shows that sometimes a path of broken dreams can lead to life's best destination.

Coming April 2015

COVER REVEAL:

 As always, I love the collaboration between author Amber Stokes and cover designer Lena Goldfinch. I also like the nod to the reference to a season of time in the description of the book on the cover with the autumn leaves. This is a sweet cover that definitely has me wanting to open the book and see what's going on!



About the Author

Amber Stokes works in marketing for a Christian publisher. On the side, she writes inspirational fiction depicting the seasons of life and love. Her passion for books compelled
her to earn a bachelor's degree in English and to run her own freelance editing and publicity business for over a year. The next step in her career has her happily settled in the Pacific Northwest—a part of the world she's always considered home. Learn more about her indie-author adventure at www.seasonsofastory.blogspot.com.








About the Cover Designer

Lena Goldfinch writes romance and fantasy for adults and teens. She’s a sucker for a good old-fashioned romance, whether it’s a novel, novella, or short story, young adult or adult,
fantasy or realistic, contemporary or historical. Elements of romance, fantasy, and mystery have a way of creeping into her writing, even when she's writing historicals or something light and contemporary. Lena has been a finalist in several national writing contests, including the RWA Golden Heart and ACFW Genesis contests. She lives in a scenic small town in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and a very spoiled Black Lab. Visit Lena at www.LenaGoldfinch.blogspot.com.




Rafflecopter Giveaway

Fall in love with gorgeous autumn earrings by Belle on a Budget (perfect to set aside as a gift for yourself or a friend later on!) and treat yourself now to a little something on Amazon.com with a $5 gift card. This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only, and you can enter using the Rafflecopter form below:






a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Sabotaged by Dani Pettrey

Get your copy of SABOTAGED by Author Dani Pettrey!




ABOUT THE BOOK:

When Kirra's cousin Meg is kidnapped and her Uncle Frank is missing from the Iditarod trail she and Reef McKenna set out to find them. Kirra and Reef have known each other since kindergarten. Reef is the bad-boy McKenna, and Kirra has put men at arms length for years, how will they ever work together to save Meg before the kidnappers release destruction?

Kirra's college years are a subject that she would prefer not to talk about, but one of their leads takes them back to the very place of her worst nightmare. Kirra is willing to do anything though to save her cousin.

The Lord has gotten hold of playboy Reef and he is a changed man. Throughout their investigation Kirra learns that she can not only renew her trust in the Lord, but she can also rely on Reef to help her through this ordeal.

MY THOUGHTS:

SABOTAGED is the last book in the Alaskan Courage series and I totally enjoyed it. I thought this last book had more of a spiritual tone to it than the others in the series. I thought author Dani Pettrey did a very good job in exploring the question of why God allows bad things to happen without giving a pat answer or becoming overly preachy. As with all of the books in the Alaskan Courage series there were some great suspense moments that had this reader on the edge of my seat. If you haven't read any of this series I highly recommend it. Dani Pettrey fast became a favorite author for me and I look forward to her next project!


BOOK AND AUTHOR STATS FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Book Summary:
Growing up, goody-two-shoes Kirra Jacobs and troublemaker Reef McKenna were always at odds. Now paired together on Yancey’s search-and-rescue canine unit, they begin to put aside old arguments as they come to see each other in a different light.

Then a call comes in from the Iditarod that will push them to their limits. Kirra’s uncle, a musher in the race, has disappeared. Kirra and Reef quickly track the man, but what they discover is harrowing. Frank’s daughter has been kidnapped. In order to save her, the man must use his knowledge as a mechanical engineer to do the kidnapper’s bidding or she will die.

Kirra and Reef, along with the entire McKenna family, are thrown into a race to stop a shadowy villain who is not only threatening a girl’s life, but appears willing to unleash one of the largest disasters Alaska has ever seen.


Book Info & Sample Chapter:
Can be found at http://www.danipettrey.com/books/
Book Links:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dani Pettrey is a wife, home-schooling mom, and the acclaimed author of the romantic suspense series Alaskan Courage, which includes her bestselling novels Submerged, Shattered, Stranded, Silenced, and her latest release, Sabotaged. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail biting suspense, the deepening of her characters’ faith, and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland, where they enjoy time with their daughters, son-in-law, and super-adorable grandson.

AUTHOR LINKS:


 MY REVIEWS OF THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE ALASKAN COURAGE SERIES:

Submerged
Shattered
Stranded
Silenced



**Thank you to the publisher through NetGalley for my copy of the book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**



SWEEPSTAKES!!!

To celebrate their epic race, Dani and Bethany House Publishers are pleased to present the HEART OF ADVENTURE SWEEPSTAKES, and your chance to win one of three marvelous prizes, all closely connected to the story.


This giveaway starts February 2, 2015 and ends February 22, 2015 @ 11:59 pm (PST).
Entry is open to US residents only, age 18 and over. Winners will be selected Monday, February 23, 2015, and announced at DaniPettrey.com.

How to Enter:
Go to http://www.danipettrey.com/heart-of-adventure-sweepstakes/ and complete the entry box, anytime between February 2 – 22, 2015.







Enter the HEART OF ADVENTURE Sweepstakes from Author Dani Pettrey