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Showing posts with label inspy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspy. Show all posts

Tuesday, 26 April 2016

NEW BOOK RELEASE: CLOSE TO YOU by KARA ISAAC 26.4.16


AT LAST!

Our reason for Today's Celebration has Arrived ...
Kara Isaac's Debut
of
CLOSE TO YOU
~
A disgraced scholar running from her past and an entrepreneur chasing his future find themselves thrown together on a Tolkien tour of New Zealand.

Dr. Allison Shire (yes, like where the Hobbits live) is a disgraced academic who is done with love. Her belief in happily ever after ended the day she discovered her husband was still married to a wife she knew nothing about. She finally finds a use for her English degree by guiding tours through the famous sites featured in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. By living life on the road and traveling New Zealand as a luxury tour guide, Allison manages to outrun the pain of her past she can't face.

Jackson Gregory was on the cusp of making it big. Then suddenly his girlfriend left him for his biggest business competitor and took his most guarded commercial secrets with her. To make matters worse, the Iowa farm that has been in his family for generations is facing foreclosure. Determined to save his parents from financial ruin, he' ll do whatever it takes to convince his wealthy great-uncle to invest in his next scheme, which means accompanying him to the bottom of the world to spend three weeks pretending to be a die-hard Lord of the Rings fan, even though he knows nothing about the stories.
The one thing that stands between him and his goal is a feisty tour guide who can't stand him and pegged him as a fake the moment he walked off the plane. When Allison leads the group through the famous sites of the Tolkien movies, she and Jackson start to see each other differently, and as they get thrown together on the tour, they begin to find a growing attraction. 

Can they find a way beyond their regrets to take a chance on the one thing they're not looking for?"
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~

Publisher: Simon and Schuster / Howard Books
Available: Kindle and Paperback 384 pgs
Release: US April 26.16  UK May 1st

*
One of the most FuN Romantic Comedies I have read,
Kara has a unique ability to capture time and place
of her characters, yet keep them relating to readers
across the globe.  
The feisty Allison Shire, English phD wielding
 Dr. 
turned Tolkien Tour Guide,
has more life twists and turns than a road trip.

Her nemesis?
Dark and brooding, Jackson, deviously planning
a financial coup of his Great Uncle Louis' wealth.
All in the name of Tolkien fandom.
{In name only - Not in reality}
The things he'll do to get in Louis' good graces!
All things that make for the most comedic interactions
between Jackson and Allie...
And sound counsel from Louis.
*
Laugh out loud funny, Kara's writing is
creative, quirky, and humourous.  Story setting is unique and
inviting for travel loving readers.
New Zealand is explored from North to South
with gorgeous parks, sights, and coasts in between.
Movie buffs will doubtless enjoy Kara's knowledgeable
descriptions of Hobbit and Lord of the Rings tour
activities.  CLOSE TO  YOU whets the appetite for NZ!
*

~ I've created a sampling of sights and highlights ~
HERE <

*

Characters authentically drawn.
Gritty life issues and choices,
 actions and reactions; I missed them when the final page was turned.Though I certainly was pleased they finally got life heading in the right direction, there were some fun adventures getting them to that point!
*
~
Today's Teaser quote from CLOSE TO YOU by Kara Isaac.


*
Highly recommended, I'm delighted Kara Isaac
has debuted her gifted writing creativity for our reading
pleasure and benefit. 
I look forward to her next release with equal anticipation.
A new 5+* favourite on my shelves!
Thanks, Kara!
 and 
Simon and Schuster / Howard Books for publishing this bright star.
*

Kara's offering readers the opp to Win her 2nd novel by
Pre-Ordering your copy of CLOSE TO YOU until April 26.16
Book Depository
{Free delivery worldwide} 
Just send her the copy of your order to Kara [at] karaisaac.com
by April 30th to be entered in the draw.
*
Or... pre-order your own copy of book 2
CAN'T HELP FALLING
releasing October 2016

*
Emelia Mason has spent her career finding the dirt on the rich and famous. But deep down past this fearless tabloid-reporter façade, there’'s a nerdy Narnia-obsessed girl who still can'’t resist climbing into wardrobes to check for the magical land on the other side. When a story she writes produces tragic results, she flees to Oxford, England, —home to C.S. Lewis —to try and make amends for the damage she has caused. 

Peter Carlisle was on his way to become one of Great Britain’'s best rowers— until he injured his shoulder and lost his chance at glory. He’'s determined to fight his way back to the top, even if it means risking permanent disability to do so. It'’s the only way he can find his way past failing the one person who never stopped believing in his Olympic dream. 

When Peter and Emelia cross paths on her first night in Oxford, the attraction is instant and they find common ground in their shared love of Narnia. But can the lessons from a fantasyland be enough to hold them together when secrets of the real world threaten to tear them apart? 

Cobblestone streets, an aristocratic estate, and an antique shop with a curious wardrobe bring the world of Narnia to life in Kara Isaac'’s inspiring and romantic story about second chances...
*
I am sooo ready for this next one !
Another DON'T.MISS Kara Isaac Read 
*
Thanks for Celebrating CLOSE TO YOU with FHC today ~
*
CONGRATULATIONS! Kara .
~
~
~*~

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Find more books at TeaserTuesdays

~*~
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| MOMS SMALL VICTORIES | PINK SATURDAYS |

Wednesday, 25 February 2015

BOOK TOUR + GIVEAWAY! : THE SECRET OF PEMBROOKE PARK by Julie Klassen 26.2.15


 WELCOME !

I've looked forward with pleasure to today's
Blog Tour Spotlight for this 5* novel

THE SECRET OF PEMBROOKE PARK
Julie Klassen's newest release!

*
*
Published by Bethany House [Baker Publishing GroupDecember 2. 2014
 Genres: Regency Romance / Gothic Romance / Historical Fiction /
Austenesque / Inspirational Fiction 

*

*
AudioBook Published by Recorded Books December 12. 2014
Narrator: Elizabeth Jasicki  ~  Length: 18 hrs 3 min  unabridged

*




Congratulations, Julie
,
on your newest delivery !





*
The storyline ...?

In the spring of 1818, twenty-four-year-old Abigail Foster fears she is destined to become a spinster. Her family’s finances are in ruins and the one young man she truly esteems has fallen for another woman — her younger, prettier sister Louisa.
Forced to retrench after the bank failure of Austen, Gray & Vincent, the Foster family optimistically pool their resources for another London Season for her sister in hopes of an advantageous alliance. While searching for more affordable lodgings, a surprising offer is presented: one twelvemonth's use of a country manor house in Berkshire, abandoned for eighteen years. Abigail and her father journey to the imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left. Tight-lipped locals and the handsome local curate offer a stern warning: Beware trespassers drawn by rumours of Pembrooke Park's secret room filled with treasure. . .
Eager to restore her family fortune - and her dowry - Abigail begins her search into the heavily veiled past with spirited determination and the aid of cryptic journal pages postmarked Brighton from an unnamed resident. But eerie sounds at night and footprints in the dust reveal she isn't the only one secretly searching the house.   As old friends and new foes come calling at Pembrooke Park, secrets come to light. Will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?
*

Here's author, Julie Klassen, hosting a wee tour for us, 
providing a peek into Great Chalfield Manor,
the English manor {and church} inspiring the story ...

*
I absolutely love the unique oriel and stained glass window features,
gardens of wisteria and tulips, pathways, and stairway scenes in the book from 
this spectacular property.
What a delight to share the tour with Julie!
Thank you, Julie, for including us in bringing the story to life via your firsthand experiences.
I loved the suspense, romantic twists, and variety of characters in this novel.
Truly a pleasure to read !  and a strong 5* recommendation.
*

AUTHOR BIO:
Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her books have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. 
She has also won the Midwest Book Award, Christian Retailing’s BEST Award, and has been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards, Minnesota Book Awards, and ACFW’s Carol Awards
Julie blogs at inspiredbylifeandfiction
Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of
St. Paul, Minnesota.




*
~ Find and Follow Julie online ~
Julie's Website
Julie Klassen Facebook 
Julie on Goodreads 
Julie Klassen Twitter  @Julie_Klassen, @Bethany_House
Tweet the Tour hashtags:
#PembrookeBlogTour, #JaneAusten, #HistoricalFicton, #RegencyRomance, #Reading, #GothicRomance, #Austenesque

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Purchase Links ~
Book Depository 
*
Barnes & Noble * 
ChristianBook *
 *  
Indie Bound  * 
Amazon *  Audible Audiobook *
*
Add it at Goodreads 
+
the next 2 due later this year ~
Lady Maybe  and   The Painter's Daughter

My thoughts on Julie's novels include ~
The Maid of Fairbourne Hall   *  
The Dancing Master 
The Tutor's Daughter

*
*
Award winning historical romance author Julie Klassen tours the blogosphere
February 16 through March 2 to share her latest release, The Secret of Pembrooke Park. Twenty five popular book bloggers specializing in historical and Austenesque fiction will feature guest blogs, interviews, book reviews and excerpts of this acclaimed gothic Regency romance novel.
A fabulous giveaway contest, including copies of all of Ms. Klassen’s eight books and other Jane Austen-themed items, is open to those who join the festivities.   
*
~ Grand Giveaway Contest ~
*

**Win One of Four Fabulous Prizes**
In celebration of the release of The Secret of Pembrooke Park,
4 chances to win copies of Julie’s books and other
Jane Austen-inspired items are being offered. 
Three lucky winners will receive one trade paperback or eBook copy of The Secret of Pembrooke Park, and one grand prize winner will receive one copy of all eight of Julie’s novels:
*
Lady of Milkweed Manor
The Apothecary's Daughter
The Silent Governess
The Girl in the Gatehouse
The Maid of Fairbourne Hall
The Tutor’s Daughter
The Dancing Master and
The Secret of Pembrooke Park

one DVD of Northanger Abbey (2007)
and a Jane Austen Action Figure
*
To Enter the giveaway contest :
simply leave a comment on any or all of the blog stops on
The Secret of Pembrooke Park Blog Tour starting
February 16, 2015 through 11:59 pm PT, March 9, 2015. Winners will be drawn at random from all of the comments and announced on Julie Klassen’s website on March 16, 2015. **Winners have until March 22, 2015 to claim their prize. The giveaway contest is open to residents of the US, UK + Canada. [Digital books will be sent through Amazon or Barnes & Noble]. 
Good luck to all!
Be sure to hit the G+ button to spread the word - TY!!
[bottom of post]
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FIND and FOLLOW 
THE SECRET OF PEMBROOKE PARK
 BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE
at
Julie's Events Page



*

And don't forget to comment here at FHC for your 

GIVEAWAY entry

through 11:59 pm PT - March 9. 2015







*
FIND MORE FHC on BOOK DEPOSITORY | PINTEREST | TWITTER | GOOGLE+ | GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | NETWORKED BLOGS | LIBRARYTHING



SHARED WITH ~

* BOOK NOOK * Katherine's Corner Home Matters * Audio Walkers *
* Literacy Musing Mondays *Christian Bookshelf Reviews* Small Victories Sundays *
*Pink Saturdays* Create With Joy *

Wednesday, 26 February 2014

MONUMENTS MEN #1: SHADOWED BY GRACE by Cara Putman

Posted a week prior to Women's History Month, I am adding
this to the series due to Cara Putman's intriguing story of Rachel.
A young American woman pursuing her craft as a photographer,
Rachel longs to photograph WWII activity overseas.
Her desire is granted when her newspaper employer agrees to 
 relocate her for a frontlines position in Italy.
Unusual for a woman of her time, this story is worthy of
inclusion in this series...
SHADOWED BY GRACE
[STORY OF MONUMENTS MEN #1]
by Cara Putman
"Shadowed by Grace "is a dramatic story inspired by the Monuments Men of World War II by acclaimed author, Cara C. Putman.
Desperate to save her dying mother, Rachel accepts her newspaper's assignment to travel to Italy to capture images dangerously close to the front lines of WWII. Her real motive - to find the father she never knew -- an artist she hopes can offer the comfort and support both she and her mother need to survive. 
In her quest, Rachel becomes involved with what will become the Monuments Men effort to save great monuments and works of art from the Third Reich. Soon enough she will find more than she ever imagined--in war, in love, and in God.  

*

Pages: 352 pb
Publisher: Broadman and Hollman Books
Published: Dec 4.13 and Jan 1.14
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Author, Cara Putman's thoughts :

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Books are born many ways. Shadowed by Grace started when I walked by a display at our local library the summer of 2010. There a new non-fiction book stood cover out.

The photo on the front piqued my interest: a clearly WWII soldier standing with a large painting. The stories I read in that book, Monuments Men, by Robert Edsel, intrigued me and made me want to learn more. Before long, characters and story ideas filled my mind, and I began fleshing out the story that became Shadowed by Grace.

The idea of an elite, tiny group of soldiers who were tasked with saving Western civilization fascinated me. Their task was compounded by the fact that WWII was the first war that involved constant aerial bombardment.

What challenges would they face?

What would they fear? 
Then I started looking for unique roles American women filled on the European front. The idea of a war correspondent who was a photo-journalist seemed the perfect fit. An artist in her own right, she would understand the importance of saving art. Rachel Justice and Scott Lindstrom were born and became the heroine and hero in Shadowed by Grace.
*
My thoughts?

Cara Putman's WWII novel explores a variety of plots and subplots,
ever increasing levels of wartime intrigue and human interest.
Rachel is conflicted in caring for her ill mother whilst pursuing her desire to find the father she's never known.   In a bid to gain the finances that will help fund the health treatments that could save her mother's life, Rachel gains approval for overseas travel to photograph frontlines of the war.  Though her mother is adamant in dissuading her, Rachel remains single minded in her pursuit to find her unknown father.
The journey to attain her goal is treacherous and self-affirming. 
Rachel grows in her art of photography, relationships, and faith 
even as she is both captured and captivated by the intrigue of the journey.
Historical details of the time and Monuments Men's mission specifics well researched and intriguing, 

I did not want to put this story down.  
The horrors of the war scenes encountered were realistic and emotionally engaged me even as the relational interludes offered relief in the story's ebb and flow. Descriptions were colourful.
Pacing kept the story alternately moving and standing as the main characters experienced
wartime realities of siege and retreat. 
I found the story filled with enlightening historical detail and rich in relational interactions.
The blossoming romance was drawn with many emotionally lovely touches.
Putman created an intelligent hero of worth and honour with intriguing past connections 
to the monuments he was sent to protect.
Suspense regarding these efforts was superbly sustained
and concluding revelations dramatic enough to please even this reader.
Definitely a pleasing entry for my first experience with the writing of Ms Putman.
A welcome addition to libraries of WWII historical readers .
I look forward to more reading opportunities from Cara Putman in the near future.
*
About this author


Cara C. Putman lives in Indiana with her husband and four children. She’s an attorney and a teacher at her church as well as lecturer at Purdue. She has loved reading and writing from a young age and now realizes it was all training for writing books. She loves bringing history and romance to life.

An honours graduate of the University of Nebraska and George Mason University School of Law,
Cara left small town Nebraska and headed to Washington, D.C., to launch her career in public policy. 

Find Cara Putman HERE  for all online links
 @ cara_putman twitter




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*Appreciation to B&H Books for providing an ecopy for reading and review.
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Shared with Katherine's THURSDAY FAV THINGS HOP

Brambleberry Cottage TIME TRAVEL

Saturday, 15 June 2013

Review: Grace's Pictures: An Ellis Island Novel -by Cindy Thomson

Grace's Pictures
an Ellis Island Novel by Cindy Thomson

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Grace's Pictures Book 1 of Cindy Thomson's Ellis Island Series
Published June 2013
Tyndale House Publishers

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Author Cindy Thomson's intriguing thoughts that initiated the novel:  
The legacies of those who came before us has always enthralled me. 
I am interested in history and how the events impacted us. 
In Grace's Pictures the introduction of the Brownie Camera changed photography forever. 
Now everyone had access and could snap pictures at will. What if that got someone in trouble?

*
Grace McCaffery hopes the bustling streets of New York hold all the promise the lush hills of Ireland did not. As her efforts to earn enough money to bring her mother to America fail, she wonders if her new Brownie camera could be the answer. But a casual stroll through a beautiful New York City park turns into a hostile run-in with local gangsters, who are convinced her camera holds the first and only photos of their elusive leader.

A policeman with a personal commitment to help those less fortunate finds Grace attractive and longs to help her, but Grace believes such men cannot be trusted. Spread thin between her quest to rescue her mother, do well in a new nanny job, and avoid the gang intent on intimidating her, Grace must put her faith in unlikely sources to learn the true meaning of courage and forgiveness. - Tyndale House Publishers backcover

*
Fascinating look into the life of Grace, a newly arrived Irish immigrant to America, at the turn of the century in 1900-1901. The effects of her father's emotional and psychological abuse have long lasting and far reaching effects. At nineteen she is still dealing with the emotional scars and valiantly battling the lies that rise to confront her every step into her future in this new land.

I longed for Grace to make the right choices. To stand up strong. To learn to trust. To believe God's truth about her, so well put in her mother's mantra, "I am smart. I am important. I am able." that sustains her, until the final revelation in her ma's song over her as a child. From Be Thou My Vision, " Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one".  The final recognition that her earthly father's constant criticism didn't determine her worth. Her heavenly Father's perspective is what mattered.

Leaving behind a life spent in the workhouse, longing for safety in her new country, Grace finds a haven at her home provided by the Benevolents.  But not outside that home. Greed of landlords taking advantage of immigrants' housing needs, corruption amongst the police force, predators on naive and needy newcomers. Grace's own belittling experiences during hiring and poor treatment by employers whilst working as a maid; finding her way in every new area of life - massive adjustments, relational misunderstandings, confrontations, and losses, yet Grace perseveres. 
And we're treated to the inside story of her courageous journey.

Her fascination with being photographed upon entry at Ellis Island leads to personal growth and joy once she pursues the hobby. A mailorder magazine ad offering the Kodak Brownie camera for $1 definitely brings it within her reach.  With the instruction book included along with 2 rolls of film, Grace is set. Yet this too proves unsafe when she photographs the wrong members of NY society. Stalked, pursued and harassed Grace faces dangerous consequences. 
No, definitely not the safe country she hoped for and believed she'd found.

One insightful moment in the book  grabbed me personally.  
Irish policeman, Owen's, revelation on 'waiting'.
Whilst taking comfort in Psalm 106, Owen read of the Hebrew ancestors who wouldn't wait for Adonai's counsel, coming into trouble as a result .  This settled his own responses to confusing life choices . 

It impacted me likewise in the reading.

A full story of Grace's experiences, suspense, and subplots.  
All bring the story to the loveliest romantically subtle closing. 
I re-read it several times just to repeat the enjoyment!

Great summer reading addition for those who like their historical stories with realistic details, authentic characters, and a side of romance... 

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*Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for providing an ebook copy to read and review without obligation.

*Reviewed for the TYndale Summer Reading Program 
and 
* Tyndale Rewards Program of Free books and audiobooks. 
Receive your 1st 25 Rewards points FREE by joining HERE
*





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