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Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Book Review and Giveaway - Sword of Trust Author: Debbie Lynne Costello On Tour with Celebrate Lit

 


About the Book

Book:  Sword of Trust

Author: Debbie Lynne Costello

Genre: Christian Fiction Romance Medieval

Release date: March 15, 2021


Deirdre Mackenzie has spent her life hiding from her father and hating the English. However, when she is caught stealing from an English laird, his unexpected kindness begins to melt away her hatred and strums lonely heartstrings longing for love.  Bryce Warwick can’t believe the boy his men caught is actually a young woman. After several attempts to lure the truth from her, he determines she is as deceitful as his late fiancĂ©e who nearly cost him his life. But the woman is the least of his worries with the turbulence brought on by threats of another border war and by King Richard’s distrust of the nobles. With the boundary in unrest, Bryce entertains a Scottish chieftain unaware it is Deirdre’s father, seeking peace for his people. Fearful that her father will discover she is alive, Deirdre steals Bryce’s signet ring, hoping a missive from the laird will keep her father away. But when the ring is used instead for treason, she realizes too late she’s been betrayed and Bryce will hang for the crime. With old wounds that need to heal and adversaries who could end their chances at true love, both must learn to trust in a way they never knew possible.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author


Debbie Lynne Costello is the author of Sword of Forgiveness, Amazon’s #1 seller for Historical Christian Romance. She has enjoyed writing stories since she was eight years old. She raised her family and then embarked on her own career of writing the stories that had been begging to be told. She and her husband have four children and live in upstate South Carolina with their 4 horses, 3 dogs, a miniature donkey, and 6 peking ducks.

 

More from Debbie Lynne

It is my desire as an author to draw my readers into my story so they feel invested in the hero and heroine and part of their journey, whether it is set in 19th Century Charleston, South Carolina or 14th Century Northumberland, England. One of the ways I love to do this is with professions, hobbies, and cooking. In Sword of Trust my heroine, Deirdre has become quite proficient with a bow and arrow. She’s had plenty of practice and is driven to be the best, perhaps to prove to herself because she is a lass in lad’s clothing. The long bow was a popular weapon in the Middle Ages and was used in battle in The Hundred Years’ War. But the bow was not just a weapon of war, the bow was also a weapon for food. And Deirdre loves to hunt with a flat bow. In her excitement she runs into a wee bit of trouble with the king. Some trivia for you: Because of its elasticity, the yew tree was used in making the long bow. Even after fire arms were introduced the long bow continued to be used for battles. And due to its popularity, by the end of the sixteenth century, mature yew trees were nearly extinct in Northern Europe.

 

Unfortunately, I can’t really give you instructions on bow making or lessons on how to shoot accurately. Instead, I’m going to share a recipe for the medieval treat, gyngerbrede. In Sword of Trust, Bryce gets his cook to make gyngerbrede. He fills a bag with them and takes them north to the Scottish borderland to hand out to the children. Sweets have been loved for thousands of years. Today we know that sugar is bad for us. Regardless of that, we still crave the empty calories. Some things never change. Here is a wee bit of fun trivia for you. During the first century in some countries, sugar was only used for medicinal purposes and thought to heal many ailments.

 

Gyngerbrede

Ingredients

1 loaf of wheat bread, grounded into breadcrumbs

1 cup of honey

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp black pepper

 

Preparation

In a medium to large pan, bring your honey to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the foam that collects on the top and sides. Add your cinnamon, ginger, and pepper. Stir well. When your spices are mixed in the honey begin adding your bread crumbs one cup at a time. Mix well and then knead it thoroughly. You can divide your dough up into quarters to make it easier to work with and roll out. Cut them into 1” squares. Dust the squares with a mixture of one part cinnamon and two parts sandalwood.

My Thoughts

Sword of Trust By Debbie Lynne Costello is a Christian Fiction Romance Medieval Story. I have read several books by this author and have always enjoyed everyone. This is part of the Winds of Change series. I have not read the other books in the series, but I did not have a problem following along. While the medieval time period is not my favorite to read, the author kept me engaged throughout the whole story. In this story we meet Deirdre Mackenzie. She has grown up not a fan of English people. Bryce Warwick has been hurt in the past. Both have trust issues from hurt and damage in the past. Bryce is very surprised when he finds out that the boy that his men caught is actually a woman in disguise. Deirdre is very fearful at first - and I really enjoyed how the author wrote their relationship. They got to know each other and walls started to come down. Trust is the overall theme of the book - and the author tied this medieval romance in with biblical truth seamlessly. 

This book is full of adventures, knights, suspense, action and romance. Well written characters, and full of rich history. I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program - all thoughts are my own. 

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, April 23

Britt Reads Fiction, April 23

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 24

Connect in Fiction, April 25

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 26

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 27

Connie’s History Classroom, April 28

Bizwings Blog, April 28

deb’s Book Review, April 29

Simple Harvest Reads , April 29(Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, April 30

Betti Mace, May 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 1

Texas Book-aholic, May 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 3

The Book Chic Blog, May 3

Pause for Tales, May 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 5

Mary Hake, May 5

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, May 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Debbie is giving away the grand prize of a smart watch!!

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/10b26/sword-of-trust-celebration-tour-giveaway


Monday, April 26, 2021

Book Review and Giveaway - The Sword and the Secrets Author: Jan Davis Warren on tour with Celebrate Lit

 


About the Book

Book:  The Sword and the Secrets

Author: Jan Davis Warren

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 20, 2021




When Julianna’s final mission proves more deadly than she imagined, help comes from the most unlikely of places.

Raised in a castle on the remote border of England and Scotland, Lord John Stanton is the last male heir of his royal lineage. He has the responsibility to marry and carry on the family name, but a secret vow to God, after a near-fatal battle wound, could change his future from royal heir to humble servant of the church. His journey to the monastery to become a monk is interrupted when he meets a dangerous, but beautiful, woman who has plans and secrets of her own.

Abandoned by her father and raised in an institution as property of the Crown, Julianna Westerfield longs to be free to pursue love and have a family of her own. Trained to be a spy and assassin, she has a chance to earn her freedom by completing this last and most dangerous assignment. Her mission to uncover a murderous plot and the identities of the Black Guard has already cost several agents their lives, and now the assassins are after her. To survive she must depend on a handsome monk and his cantankerous donkey.

Was it divine intervention that caused John and Julianna’s paths to cross? Can they put aside their differences and join forces to deliver stolen papers containing vital information to the king in time to save countless lives?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Jan Davis Warren photoJan Davis Warren is a mother, grandmother, and a young-at-heart great-grandmother. Her wonderful husband passed away the same year she won the ACFW Genesis Award for Romantic Suspense. That win and many others are encouraging reminders that God wants her to continue writing even in the tough times. Learn more at www.janwarrenbooks.com.

 

More from Jan

The Sword and the Secrets is a Historical Romantic Suspense. It is written as a Medieval Christian fiction story set in England around 1209. I chose to keep the historical details to a minimum because of the inconsistency I found in researching this particular time and place. I humbly apologize to you lovers of more in-depth historical facts. I would’ve loved to have traveled to England for more hands-on research but the pandemic made that impossible.

I live in a once-rural area in Oklahoma. Urban development is fast encroaching transforming peaceful pastures into busy neighborhoods. I know it’s called “progress”, but I miss knowing all of my neighbors by name. In the good-old-days, my husband and I loved raising our children here on the farm. As a family, we had all kinds of poultry and livestock, so I can’t resist including a variety of animals in my stories from time to time.

Rosita and her daughter, Daisy, were two of our favorite donkeys on the farm. I’ll never forget when Daisy was born. I think her ears were almost long as her legs. Speaking of donkeys, did you ever hear the story about how the donkey got its cross? I included it in the book.

Precious is the name of the donkey in The Sword and the Secrets. Her mother was killed when she was but a few days old, and she was raised by an old woman who took her into her home and treated with the care and affection of the child she never had. Needless to say, Precious is smart and creative when it comes to getting her way. When her elderly master is about to die, the woman is directed by God to entrust Precious into Lord John Stanton’s care.

For the war-weary hero of this story, Lord John Stanton’s secret battlefield vow to serve God and the Church became more complicated when he was charged with the responsibility of caring for the contrary donkey. His intent to walk to London to join a monastery was supposed to be peaceful and most of all, solitary. It wasn’t until after John accepted the animal that he found out that the donkey’s elderly master had taught Precious not to budge unless first called by name. It was to keep her from being stolen, which served her well. But the name sticks in the hero’s throat every time he must submit to calling her Precious to make her move.

John’s plans also never included protecting a beautiful spy with secrets of her own.

The heroine, Julianna Westerfield was a fun surprise to me. As the story took shape in my mind, I thought the hero would meet the heroine by coming to her aid against brigands. Perhaps she was a princess fleeing her wicked guardian, etc. That however was not the way the story unfolded. As I came to Julianna’s part, I realized she had a colorful past of her own.

I love it when the story develops into something I never expected. 

The beautiful heroine of The Sword and the Secrets, Julianna Westerfield is not the princess I first envisioned but an indentured servant. She was abandoned as a child at the Grandfork Institute for Higher Learning. It is an institution run jointly by the Crown and the Church for the sole purpose of training spies and assassins to do their bidding.

I hope you’ll join John and Julianna (and Precious) on their quests and perchance uncover their deepest secrets.

May God bless and keep you and draw you ever closer to Him.

Blessings!

Jan Davis Warren

My Thoughts

The Sword and the Secrets by: Jan Davis Warren is a Christian Historical Romance. This is set in the Medieval time period.  This book is full of action, adventure, romance and suspense. This book is part of the Secrets series. I have read book one. The son from book one is the one that this book focuses on. Lady Evangeline's son wants to become a monk. However, he soon finds out that this is not in God's plans.  Julianna Westerfield longs to have her own life. She is a trained spy and up next to try and figure out the identities of the Black Guard. However, previous agents have lost their lives trying to figure it out. She soon finds that she has to depend on a monk. 

I loved how the author wrote this story. She weaved together two very different characters with a great build up. There is so much action and suspense. I enjoyed trying to figure out who was behind the plot. The author does a great job dropping bread crumbs to figure it out. 

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program, all thoughts are my own. 

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 20

Connect in Fiction, April 20

Texas Book-aholic, April 21

Inklings and notions, April 22

For Him and My Family, April 23

deb’s Book Review, April 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 26

Connie’s History Classroom, April 27

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 28

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 30

Romances of the Cross, April 30

CarpeDiem, May 1

Adventures Of A Travelers Wife, May 2

Mary Hake, May 2

Blogging With Carol, May 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jan is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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/10ad1/the-sword-and-the-secrets-celebration-tour-giveaway


Sunday, April 25, 2021

Book Review and Giveaway -Journey to Joy Author: Anne Perrault On Tour with Celebrate Lit

 


About the Book

Book: Journey to Joy

Author: Anne Perrault

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 23, 2019


Can she find joy where there has only been defeat and dishonor?

Tricked into indentured servitude, Joy Richards finds herself working for an abusive innkeeper. Her life is so destitute, she feels God has forsaken her. After one last desperate cry to God, a kind stranger steps in to take her away.

Can she trust this new circumstance?

Andrew Lloyd-Foxx abhors injustice. He can’t walk away from it. When he steps in on the young woman’s behalf, his own life is turned upside down. Burdened with his own loss, he has no room for anyone else.

Will the journey prove too difficult?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author


Anne Perreault was born and raised in Germany. By the time she was 14 years old, her family moved to Dubai, UAE. While living in this exotic place, she traveled extensively to various countries around the world. After graduating from an American boarding school in Austria, she attended college in England, where she met her husband. She graduated from New England College with a degree in biology, and settled down in Connecticut. Anne became a horseback riding instructor as well as a certified therapeutic riding instructor. She and a group of friends started a therapeutic riding center in Bristol, CT. During that time, Anne also received a masters degree in secondary education and began to homeschool her three children. While raising their three children, she began to write an inspirational story primarily for her daughter. Anne, her husband, and two of their grown children now reside in Southern Vermont, where they are building their home. Besides writing, Anne enjoys reading, spending time with her husband, grown children, and grand-dogger.

More from Anne

This book came about when my youngest son and I were studying the second awakening and some of the preachers that started to talk about abolition. I was fascinated by their passion and could see myself in the crowd, listening to them preach.

 

At the same time, I was probably reading a historical fiction, possibly by Tamera Alexander, and she included horses. I think it was the Bell Meade series. I thought to myself, Myself, you love history more than anything else. Why don’t you write a historical fiction and include horses?

 

Talk about catching two stones with one bird. Believe it or not, even though I spent most of my life on or around horses, taught horseback riding for about 15 years, competed very extensively in both dressage and equitation, and owned an off-the-track racehorse, my knowledge of racing was… limited.

 

But I know horses. And I love history. And, research is fun.

 

So, I thought back to which book had a ton of influence on me, a book that highlighted racehorses. King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry popped into my mind immediately. I have a very special love of the Arabian horse and boy if there was ever a story, I would want to tell something like that one.

 

I began researching how and when and why and who imported the Godolphin Arabian to the United States and… I found out some amazing things not just about the Thoroughbreds, who greatly benefited from the influence of the Godolphin Arabian – as he came to be known – but also our very own Quarter Horses. Did you know that the reason they are called Quarter Horses is because they have incredible speed over the quarter mile. That was news to me. The first place to make a home for the Godolphin in this country was in the South, at Fenwick Park. I researched that place and the story started to come together.

 

I had the horses. I wanted to place the story in New England, since I live there. I had the place, pictured what it would look like, but the characters were still illusive. Abolition had to be part of the story. So, what if one of them was a slave? That didn’t quite fit history well. But what if one of them was an indentured servant?

 

Bada-bing bada-bang. Hello, my friends. The characters just jumped out at me and I enjoyed watching them scramble around in their relationship with each other, as well as the relationship with those around them. This book really has an amazing supporting cast of characters. I never imagined them to be so… fun.

I hope you enjoy this peek inside an author’s head. Enjoy Journey for Joy as much as I loved writing it.

My Thoughts

 Journey to Joy by Anne Perrault is a historical fiction story. This book starts out, somewhere in Massachusetts in 1837. The story opens introducing us to Joy Richards. She is living a destitute life of servitude. She works in an inn where her boss/owner abuses her every chance he gets. My heart broke while I started this story. Joy wishes she could stand up for herself and break free, but her owner reminds her all the time that he owns her. It's in the midst of a beating that someone walks in and stops it. For Andrew, he can't walk away after witnesses what he saw - but what is the cost to save her?

One of the things I loved about this book is the attention to detail. She puts detail into the horse riding (I learned a lot) and the historical details for the time period. The author also has a great way of writing her scenes so that you can close your eyes and visualize it. Well written characters, intriguing storyline and so much more. I enjoyed this book very much. 

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program - all thoughts are my own. 

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 22

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 23

For Him and My Family, April 24

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 25

Connie’s History Classroom, April 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 28

Inklings and notions, April 29

deb’s Book Review, April 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 1

Artistic Nobody, May 2 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 3

Genesis 5020, May 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 4

Simple Harvest Reads, May 5 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Anne is giving away the grand prize package of an eBook copy of Journey to Joy and and a $10 Amazon gift card!!

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/10b24/journey-to-joy-celebration-tour-giveaway


Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Book Review and Giveaway - A Heart’s Forgiveness Author: Lena Nelson Dooley On Tour with Celebrate lit

 


About the Book

Book:  A Heart’s Forgiveness

Author: Lena Nelson Dooley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 6, 2021


Accepting an ad for a mail-order bride was supposed to solve her problems.

It’s 1890, and Golden, New Mexico, is a booming mining town where men far outnumber women. So when Jeremiah Dennison’s good friend and mentor finds himself in need of a nurse, Philip places an ad for a mail-order bride—despite Jeremiah’s protests.

Hoping to escape a perilous situation back East, Madeleine Mercer answers the ad and arrives in town under a cloud of suspicion. What she finds in Golden is nothing like what she expected, especially not Philip, her expected husband-to-be.

But just as she begins to win over Philip—and Jeremiah himself—the secrets she left behind threaten to follow her to Golden…and tarnish her character beyond redemption.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author


Lena Nelson Dooley has been an author for 36 years. Her 51st book released in June 2020. Raised in Arkansas, she married a Texan 56 years ago. They have lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for decades. She is an active member of ACFW and one of the founding members the DFW local chapter. She’s often been a speaker for other writers’ groups and conferences, both as a keynote speaker and a workshop teacher. Her fans love reading her books filled with characters who grip your heart.

 

More from Lena

The Story Behind A Heart’s Forgiveness

I’ve been a lover of history for decades. In college and graduate school, all my elective courses were history. Of course, I chose the countries and eras I wanted to learn about. When I began writing novels, my first one was a contemporary story. After that, at least 75% or more of my novels have been historical, all the way from 1805 through the early 20th century.

One of the hallmarks of my historical novels is the authenticity I write into the stories. Because of the amount of research I’ve done over the years, I’m kind of an expert in 19th century history. My characters and their stories are completely fictional, but the other things in the book are mostly true. I search until I find what I need to know or until I reach a complete dead end.

A Heart’s Forgiveness is set in two places—Boston, Massachusetts, and Golden, New Mexico. It’s a Mail-Order Bride story. This is another type of story I like to read and I like to write. Finding a different reason for both the man trying to get a wife that way and a woman who needs an answer to her serious problems is a fun way to start the story. In this book, the bride and groom don’t meet until several chapters, even though he knows about her. And then I added another twist I think you’ll like.

There is also a very bad villain. One who doesn’t deserve to be forgiven. I didn’t plan that from the start of the book, but I realized much later in the book that God wanted her to forgive him. That one act of obedience, undeserved forgiveness, affected the lives of others in the novel. And isn’t that just like God. None of us really deserve forgiveness, but He freely gives it to each of us who will accept the gift.

I’m what’s called in the industry a seat-of-the-pants author, more or less. I do have the complete outline of the story in my head. When I sit down to write, I know where I’m going, but I don’t have every single scene plotted out as some authors do. And I pray a lot. During the time I’m writing a book, God drops ideas into my mind. Not just while I’m writing, but other times, too. That’s the exciting thing about writing. This keeps it fresh for me.

When you’ve finished reading this story, I hope you’ll let me know what you think of it. I really like getting reader feedback.

My Thoughts

 A Heart’s Forgiveness By Lena Nelson Dooley is a Christian Historical Fiction book. I have read a few other books from this author and have always loved them all. In A Heart's Forgiveness we are transported back to  1890 in Golden, New Mexico. This is a mining town and women are scarce. We meet Phillip and Madeleine. Madeleine  is originally from Boston and trying to get away from her current situation she answers the ad. When she arrives - it is NOTHING like she thought. This is one of my favorite situations when we get a mail order bride story. I love seeing how the characters will navigate the situation. Phillip is strong in his faith and welcomes Madeleine into his home.  Madeleine has a big heart - she wants to help those that are hurting and less fortunate. However, what will happen when her past catches up with her? You have to read to find out!


Well developed characters, unique storyline, wonderful research to ensure accuracy to the story. I love the way this author writes. I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program, all thoughts are my own. 

Blog Stops

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 10

A Novel Pursuit, April 10

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations April 12

Reviewingbooksplusmore, April 12

lakesidelivingsite, April 13

Texas Book-aholic, April 14

Inspiration Clothesline, April 14

Inklings and notions, April 15

Betti Mace, April 16

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 16

For Him and My Family, April 17

deb’s Book Review, April 18

Simple Harvest Reads, April 18 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, April 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 20

Jeanette’s Thoughts, April 20

Connie’s History Classroom, April 21

Vicky Sluiter, April 22

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 23

Maureen’s Musings, April 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lena is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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/10a50/a-heart-s-forgiveness-celebration-tour-giveaway