Month: June 2021

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Pearl’s Promise by Edwina Kiernan, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Pearl’s Promise Series: Gems of Grace #2 Author: Edwina Kiernan Publisher: Moliant Publishing Release Date: May 1, 2021 Genre: Christian Historical Romance A duty-bound heir. A dejected spinster.An encounter that could ruin both their families’ demands for their futures… Horrified to see the man she had always dreamed of marrying saying his vows to someone else, Pearl Acton’s devastation only seems to confirm one of her deepest fears – that she’ll remain unseen and alone, never mattering to anyone. And when her family falls on hard times and seeks to marry her off to a wealthy suitor as soon as possible, her other deepest fear seems inevitable – being trapped in a loveless marriage, just like her parents. Until an encounter with a quiet and soulful heir, Nicholas Dalton, sparks a fragile hope that perhaps Pearl might save her family’s fortune and marry for love. But when circumstances on both sides of their families take drastic turns, the promise of happiness seems irrevocably shattered. As Pearl and Nicholas each strive to uphold their family duties, they soon discover that things aren’t quite what they seem. But is it too late to escape their crushing obligations and forge a new path – together? PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CONNECT WITH EDWINA:Website | Facebook | Instagram

Excerpt

Mr. Acton sighed. “We may have to seek out a position for you.” He looked at her, turning his gaze away almost as quickly as it had met her own.

             “A position?” Pearl asked. Her heart picked up speed.

             Hear him out, she instructed herself. Perhaps, he does not mean—

             “As a governess.”

             Mr. Acton’s words seemed to echo in the air as Pearl took them in.

             A governess. Not only would she never marry Henry — now, she may never marry at all. Nor would she even be able to take refuge in the company of like-minded friends. Instead, she would be isolated from all that she had ever known, caught in the grey area between gentry and domestics — fitting in with neither, belonging to no one.

             She swallowed hard, determined to force back down her rising despair.

             “Your mother and I shall remove to a smaller house. We may be able to scrape by. Two mouths may be possible to feed, but three . . . A position as a governess will ensure that you have a roof over your head and food in your belly. It is my duty to make sure you are taken care of, and at present, this is the best way it seems that I might do so.”

             Pearl was grateful for the sorrowful remorse that filled her father’s voice as he spoke. It made it sound like he didn’t want to send her away. Not really. Yet, he had referred to her as a mouth to feed. Was that all she was?

             A burden. Such a horrid word. It felt as heavy as it sounded.

             Nausea rippled through her each time she thought of the other word that would soon describe her.

             Governess.

             So that was to be her destiny. A life unseen as she cared for someone else’s children, stripped of the possibility of ever having her own.

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Pearl’s Promise and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 22, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on June 29, 2021. 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 HERE

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

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

If you love Book Tours, Book Reviews, and Giveaways, you’ll want to subscribe to the Lisa’s Reading Newsletter.

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Fresh Scars by Donna Mumma, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Fresh Scars Author: Donna Mumma Publisher: Firefly Southern Fiction (Iron Stream Media) Release Date: June 15, 2021 Genre: Southern Fiction Time heals all wounds . . . or does it? Asia Butler and her sister, Ivy Butler Morelli, have not spoken in fifteen years. As children, they endured brutal emotional abuse from their mother, Veronica, and want only to forget the past . . . and each other. But the past comes calling when they each receive a letter from Veronica s attorney promising much-needed cash if they will fulfill her dying wish and consent to cleaning out their childhood home. Asia and Ivy reluctantly return to their hometown of Emerson, Florida, only to discover the house is a hoarder’s nightmare filled with strange mementos and clues hinting that they were not the only victims of Veronica’s sadistic nature. Can this new pain be the path to their healing? Will they be able to choose forgiveness over resentment? PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CONNECT WITH DONNA:Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Excerpt

Oven-like heat baked her cheeks as Ivy plopped into her car. If she were a cursing person, she could let loose a stream of words hot enough to peel the paint from the hood. But then she’d be breaking another home rule for controlling tempers. And if her boys found out, she’d never live that one down, either.  No, Mom was going to keep her cool.

She pulled down the visor and checked her reflection in the mirror. She’d been here one day, and already the humidity had melted her hair. “I hate this place.”

Was she actually going back? She’d sworn fifteen years ago she’d never set foot in Florida again. But now, here she sat, back in Sumter County headed for Veronica’s house.

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Fresh Scars plus a $10 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 21, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on June 28, 2021. 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 HERE

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

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

If you love Book Tours, Book Reviews, and Giveaways, you’ll want to subscribe to the Lisa’s Reading Newsletter.

Distracting the Deputy
Shanna Hatfield
(Summer Creek, #4)
Publication date: June 22nd 2021
Genres: Adult, Romance, Western

Trouble is coming, but for whom?

When he’s not evading grabby-handed octogenarians, mentoring troubled teens, or rescuing rascally youngsters from disaster, Deputy Knox Strickland can be found upholding the law in the eastern Oregon region he patrols. He avoids making plans for tomorrow, focusing instead on doing his best today. Then one chance encounter with a beautiful woman in a wheat field turns his world upside down. Knox is left questioning what secrets she’s hiding, and how hard he’ll have to work to scale the fortress she’s built around her heart.

Zadie Redmond isn’t like most women. A life spent looking over her shoulder has destroyed the promising future she’d once envisioned. Her days are spent leading hunting and fishing adventures or teaching tiny ballerinas the proper way to plié. She fills her evenings with do-it-yourself projects while worrying about the day her past catches up with her. In an unexpected moment, the local deputy swoops into her world like a storybook hero and she knows nothing will ever be the same. Zadie will do anything to keep Knox safe from the danger lurking in the shadows, even if it destroys her chance at love.

Will Knox convince Zadie she can trust him with her secrets and her heart?

A sweet romance full of quirky small-town fun, Distracting the Deputy is a story of hope, help, and hanging on to what matters most.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Something about the strong, square jawline seemed oddly familiar. Then he looked over his shoulder, and Zadie’s jaw fell open. The hunky guy in the hero costume wasn’t a stranger after all.

“Knox? He’s Captain America?” Zadie whispered, feeling things she’d rather not acknowledge or explain, even to herself.

“The one and only,” Jossy said in a sing-song voice, then gave Zadie a nudge forward just as a loud pop signaled the beginning of the parade.

Zadie found herself pushed along and glanced up to see Knox looking down at her. He’d somehow finagled his way back through the line to walk beside her.

“You are the most gorgeous fairy I’ve ever seen,” he said, giving her an admiring glance.

Her cheeks warmed as she tried not to stare at the muscles of his chest, perfectly outlined by the tight T-shirt. “You look …”

“Ridiculous,” Knox grumbled. “My friend Wes’ wife suggested this would be a good costume. I already had the pants. The shirt and other stuff were easy to find when I was in Portland. She told me to get the shirt on the snug side.” He sighed and swept a hand in front of his chest. “I look like an idiot.”

Idiot was not the first, or even fortieth, word Zadie would have chosen to describe Knox’s appearance. Hunk. Hottie. Captain Cutie all came to mind.

Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes. When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter / Pinterest / Bookbub

Excerpt

He could tell the moment Zadie realized she wasn’t alone. Unlike most people who would have been embarrassed and made excuses for trespassing, she opened one eye to see who had dared interrupt her moment of solitude in the fading August sun.

“I know I shouldn’t be out here, Deputy Strickland, but the wheat field called to me, and I had to answer,” she said with a sassy grin.

“Called to you?” He spoke in a hushed tone. Something about this evening warranted whispers, maybe even a few secrets.

Rather than answer, Zadie closed her eyes and returned to brushing her fingers over the beards of wheat in a light caress. For a fleeting moment, Knox wondered what it would be like to feel her touch against his skin.

“What’s going to happen next?” he asked in mock seriousness. “Is the hayfield over there going to serenade you?”

Zadie laughed softly. “No. Don’t be absurd. The scrub jays have done a superb job of that.”

He stood perfectly still, listening with his heart as much as his ears. Birds sang to each other. Water chink-chinked out of a pivot. The breeze wound through the wheat, making it almost sound like a pair of brush sticks scratching across a drum.

Absorbed in the moment, he finally turned his focus back to Zadie. “For the record, I’m off duty, so I suppose that means we’re both trespassing.” He gave her another long glance. “What are you really doing out here?”

Zadie opened her eyes and turned to face him. “I’ve never walked through a field of ripe wheat. It seemed like a great evening to cross that experience off my list of things I want to someday do. It’s magnificent, like the breeze and the birds and the land make their own music.”

Uncertain what to say in response to a statement both poetic and peculiar, Knox merely nodded.

GIVEAWAY!

For a chance to win, fill out this form. The prize includes autographed copies of the Summer Creek series, Dilettante peppermint truffle crémes (these are SO good!), a cute notebook, a bottle of You’re the One lotion, a Hopeless Romantic dish towel and potholder set, and a swag bag to carry it all! (Value $100+)

One entry per person. Entries must be received by June 30, 2021. Winners will be notified by July 15 and will be given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Void where prohibited by law or logistics. The giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

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