Dating Can Be Deadly by Amanda Flower

 

The county fair is in Holmes County and Millie has entered a quilt she has made. Of course her sidekick Lois is with her. Millie is witness to a heated argument between the woman running the quilt contest and none other than Ruth Yoder. When the woman ends up dead in the quilt barn will Ruth be the top suspect? Millie and Lois are on the case! Could Ruth dislike someone so much that she would resort to murder? As Millie and Lois investigate they find that there are several other suspects that had reasons to not like the woman. Will Millie figure out who the murderer is before another innocent life is taken?

I love Millie and Lois! They make me laugh. Also making an appearance of course are Millie's goats Peter and Philip. They are a handful, but Millie loves them as if they were her children. They have a knack for getting into mischief. We also get to see Juliette's pig Jethro who enjoys himself at the fair as well. Lois is dating a new man she met on a dating app. Millie isn't impressed with him, but Lois loves big so she has to tread carefully. Millie doesn't need a dating app. She has Uriah right there ready for Millie to decide if she can love again. Their relationship is sweet. Dating Can Be Deadly was the perfect cozy mystery for a weekend read. 

Tinsel Town by Holly Schindler

 

I love love love Ruby's Place! I look forward each year to reading what's happening in the town of Sullivan, Missouri. Author Holly Schindler takes us back to a simpler time. A cozy time. A time when families seemed to be closer. A time when Christmas was a magical event and everyone looked forward to celebrating it. Especially those who gathered at Ruby's Place. Ruby's Place itself is magical. A moment in time when people can gather together and remember the past, celebrate with those that have been long gone, and regain the Christmas Spirit that sometimes disappears with the passing of a loved one. 

I loved this quote in the first chapter:

"They'd forgotten all but one thing. One small, singular detail rang out clearly in every single memory of every single person who had ever spent a Christmas Eve in Ruby's:

They remembered Ruby's homemade marshmallows and cocoa.

Because, as everyone knows, you never do forget something sweet."

Truth! You don't forget the sweet! As the author described the decadence of those homemade marshmallows my mouth watered! Ruby's isn't special just for the sweet treats though. It is special for the sweet family and friends that gather there every Christmas Eve. 

This year banker Scott Drummond is just not feeling the Christmas spirit. A new investor is coming in to tear down and rebuild the bank. The vault that holds all of Sullivan's secrets is going to be taken out. People have lost their Christmas spirit. It looks like Ruby's may not have the grand opening that Angela was hoping for. 

I enjoyed the back-story woven throughout the more current day happenings. Scott's father Walter and his best friend Petey gave more background to the town of Sullivan. While each Ruby's Place book can be read as a stand-alone I think reading it's entirety helps the reader get a better understanding of just how special Ruby's Place is. 

Another quote I liked:

"And then, there was dinner at Ruby's Place. Always Ruby's Place, the perfect ending to the perfect Christmas Eve."

Do you have any special Christmas Eve traditions that bring nostalgia to the forefront of your mind? I do! Do you have your own Ruby's Place that you go to each year to celebrate with loved ones? Take time this year to relax during the busy Christmas season. Find a cozy spot, grab Tinsel Town, make a sweet cup of hot chocolate(with marshmallows of course!), and enjoy the magic of remembering...find your Christmas joy and spread it around!

Into The Fire by Irene Hannon

 

Bri Tucker is an arson investigator. She's investigating a retired investigator's death, in a fire. Would an investigator really be that careless? Accidents happen right? Marc Davis works for the ATF. He's been called in to consult on the case. Everything seems cut and dried, but Bri believes she has found evidence that would point otherwise. Continuing to follow through on the investigation seems fruitless, yet for some reason Bri can't drop it. When a streak of bad luck seems to hit her Bri thinks nothing of it, but Marc is less than happy with the things that are going on and hopes to keep an eye on her. 

Book one in the Undaunted Courage series definitely kept me turning the pages. I loved Bri and Marc's characters. Neither one was looking to jump into a relationship, yet both are open to changing their minds. I liked Bri's independence, she was a strong female character. Both had struggles in their past that they needed to learn to get past. The spiritual lessons that the characters learned were very relevant, but not given to pat answers and outcomes. The suspense was perfect and raised the heartbeat while reading. The romance helped in that too! If you are a fan of Irene Hannon's writing, or even if you have never read one of her books before, I highly recommend you change that and do so! You won't be disappointed! 

A Dare And A Prayer by Julie Lessman

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR … OR IS IT?

He’s a hotshot who takes up a dare.

She’s an aspiring missionary who wants to beware.

But will love become a gamble with a dare and a prayer?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of “Passion With a Purpose” underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. A lover of all things Irish, she enjoys writing close-knit Irish family sagas that evolve into 3-D love stories: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together.

 

Author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, Heart of San Francisco, Isle of Hope, Silver Lining Ranch, and The Cousins O’Connor series, Julie was American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has

garnered over 21 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author in Family Fictionmagazine’s 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie’s novels also made Family Fiction magazine’s Best of 2015, Best of 2014, and “Essential Christian Romance Authors” 2017-20, 2021 and 2023, as well as Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction. Her independent novel A Light in the Window was an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers' Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner. 

 

Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets. Contact Julie through her website and read excerpts from each of her books at www.julielessman.com.

BLOG TOUR

BLOG TOUR FOR A DARE AND A PRAYER

(Note: Chance to win prize for leaving a comment on each blog)

October 1 — Radiant Light Blog (tease)

October 1 — LiteraryScape Book Club

October 2 — Grace Johnson Spotlight

October 3 — Britt Reads Fiction

October 4 — Where Faith and Books Meet

October 5 — A Baker’s Perspective

October 6 — My Favorite Pastime

October 7 — Reading is My SuperPower

October 8 — Writing Between the Lines

October 9 — Locks, Hooks, and Books

October 10 — Splashes of Joy

October 10 — Saraina Whitney Blog

October 11 — Radiant Light Blog (review) 

October 12 — Miss Pippi Reads Blog

October 13 — Christian Bookaholic

October 14 — Grace Johnson Review

October 15 — Scraps of Life Blog

MY REVIEW 

A Dare And A Prayer gave me all of the feels! I laughed, I cried, I got angry, then I got to experience those feelings over and over throughout the story! Henry is a lovable bad boy for sure. Usually it takes me awhile to even like the bad boy in a romance, but Henry is truly a likable character that makes you cheer for him when he gets his way. I admired Amy's character as she stood by her faith and continued to keep Henry at arms length. But, he is so darn likable he broke down those barriers quickly! The spiritual content of the novel was what I as a reader expect from author Julie Lessman. The spiritual lessons pack a punch, they convict, they remind, they are full of the rich truths of God's Word. The subject of human trafficking, specifically pedophilia, was hard to read. The author was careful yet able to show the awfulness in a truthful and powerful story woven throughout the novel. Once again we get glimpses of what is going on in the rest of the O'Conner's lives along with Hope and Gabe's weddings. As expected the author doesn't just wrap up everyone's life in this novel, she gives us rich dialogue, passionate characters, and huge life-changing moments throughout that keep the reader turning the pages eagerly to see what happens next. When I finished the last page I literally wanted to go back and read it again because I missed the characters so much. Henry, Amy and the rest of the crew had my heart as if they were real people, as if they were friends. If you have never read one of author Julie Lessman's O'Conner novels then I suggest you get to it! They are wonderfully epic stories that will give you all the feels! I highly recommend!

 CHECK OUT JULIE’S CONTESTS!

In honor of A Dare and a Prayer’s book birthday, Julie has two contests going on where you can win the following:

GRAND PRIZE (2 chances to win!):

—$50 Amazon gift card or $25 Amazon gift card

—Choice of three of Julie’s e-books or one of her signed paperbacks

—A character named after you or a loved one in her next book and a signed paperback copy

—Your choice of one paperback from Julie’s list of top-selling CBA authors, including Tamera Alexander, Colleen Coble, Rachel Hauck, Denise Hunter, Robin Lee Hatcher, Nancy Naigle, Cara Putman, Deborah Raney, Katherine Reay, Becky Wade, and Beth Vogt.

RUNNERS-UP PRIZES (8 chances to win!):

—Choice of three of my e-books

—OR choice of one of my signed paperbacks (based on my private stash)

—OR choice of one paperback from a list of the above-mentioned top CBA authors (based on my private stash)

So, check all the details out at her Journal Jots Blog HERE and GOOD LUCK!

Shadow of Night by Susan Sleeman

 

Officer Sydney Tucker is witness to a murder...sort of. She heard it happen and now the killer is after her. He knows who she is, but she has no clue who he is. When Sydney is framed for the murder Sheriff Russ Maddox is there to help her clear her name. 

I have to admit that in the first Shadow Lake Survival book I did not like Russ. He was harsh and rigid. But after reading Shadow of Night I see why he was that way and he really endeared himself to me. I really like his character now! He treated Sydney with respect as a fellow law officer. He has his demons from the past which of course he deals with throughout the story. I love how the author helps each of her characters overcome some deep trauma through faith that brings them closer to God and closer to each other. The suspense is perfect and keeps the reader guessing as to who the killer is and what his motivation is. I'm loving the Maddox brothers and this series so far. If you've never read any of author Susan Sleeman's books I suggest you remedy that! Perfectly strong characters, delicious romance and dangerous suspense. What more could you ask for?