First Line Friday — In Love’s Time

22 Sep

I had the great pleasure of meeting Kate Breslin during the Windy City Saga Tour 2023 hosted by Jocelyn Green. Saturday of the tour began with a Breakfast Book Club with Kate, Jocelyn, and Laura Frantz and then ended with The Novel-Tea with a total of 7 authors. This bookworm’s heart was thrilled!

I made sure to get a signed copy of Kate’s most recent release In Love’s Time, a WWI-era novel. Can’t wait to dive in!

Here’s the first line:

Would the human destruction never end?

At the height of World War I, two sweethearts face impossible odds in this powerful tale of courage, duty, and heartbreak.

In the summer of 1918, Captain Marcus Weatherford arrives in Russia on a secret mission, with a beautiful ballerina posing as his fiancée. He’s there to find the Romanov tsarina and her son and glean information about a plot to assassinate Lenin. As the danger intensifies, Marcus’s sense of duty battles with his desire to return home to Clare, the woman he truly loves, before it’s too late.

Military hospital orderly Clare Danner still suffers from Marcus’s betrayal after learning he’s engaged to another woman. Clare also fears losing her daughter, Daisy, to the heartless family who took her away once before. Only Marcus can provide the critical proof needed to save Daisy, but when an injury leaves him powerless to help, Clare’s fate–and the fate of the top-secret mission–hangs in the balance.

Former bookseller-turned-author Kate Breslin enjoys life in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and family. A writer of travel articles and award-winning poetry, Kate received Christian Retailing’s 2015 Best Award for First Time Author and her debut novel, For Such A Time, was shortlisted for both the Christy and RITA awards and received the American Christian Fiction Writer’s 2015 Carol Award for Debut Novel. Kate’s sixth novel, In Love’s Time, released December, 2022. When she’s not writing inspirational fiction, Kate enjoys reading or taking long walks in Washington’s beautiful woodlands. She also likes traveling to new places, within the U.S. and abroad, having toured Greece, Rome, Barcelona, and much of Western Europe. New destinations make for fresh story ideas. Please visit her at http://www.katebreslin.com.

Author, Author — Jennifer Q. Hunt

21 Sep

My small Georgia town is hosting a book festival in January 2024. We have authors coming from all over, but it is a joy to welcome Georgia authors to be participants. One of those is Jennifer Q. Hunt. Jennifer will share her writing journey and her novels on the historical discussion panel. I cannot wait! Find out about Jennifer and her books below.

A lifelong storyteller, Jennifer has worked as a writer of both fiction and nonfiction, as well as an editor and ghostwriter. She has over twenty-five years of ministry writing experience for churches, pastors, and Christian ministries.

Jennifer writes fiction with faith and purpose. Her Sorrow and Song trilogy shows multi-generations as they wrestle with their place in history and following the Lord through challenging circumstances.

Back in north Georgia after several years away, Jennifer is a happy wife to Christopher and homeschool mother to four elementary-aged children.

For history tidbits, deleted scenes, and more “extras” as well as information about upcoming releases, visit jenniferqhunt.com or follow Jennifer on Facebook at Jennifer Q. Hunt, Author or Instagram @jennifer.q.hunt.author.

Jennifer’s newest novel is Through Thorny Ways, book 1 in the Wisteria House series, published in May 2023.

Shrouded in scandal and secrets, Arilee Rutledge’s family is as tangled as the thorns surrounding their unwelcoming antebellum mansion. When her brother Davis returns from the Great War, she hopes they will make a new start after a season of devastation. But Davis is haunted by their younger brother’s death and his wife’s committal to the state asylum; while he loses himself in his work, Arilee continues raising his children. Determined to control at least one area of their lives, the siblings hire a former acquaintance to restore their dilapidated home.

Thrown from a carefree boyhood into the horrors of trench warfare, Adam Harrison is broken yet matured by his experiences. He takes a job updating and repairing Wisteria House, not only to pay his way through medical school, but in hopes of winning the woman he has long admired. A startling discovery plunges them all into a series of events revealing dark mysteries and shaking their already-uncertain future.

Can the thorns of grief, pain, and regret ever be cleared from their troubled hearts?

For those who love the Church, for those who have been hurt by the Church, and for those of us who are both, Jennifer Q. Hunt brings a poignant new family saga in which the challenges of life are not glossed over and hope in Christ is never underestimated. Powerful and compelling, Through Thorny Ways is a story of sacrifice and family, forgiveness and love, new beginnings and utter dependence on the Lord. Find a permanent place on your shelf, because once you travel to 1921 Atlanta with Hunt, you aren’t going to want to leave. —Heather Wood, Author of the Finding Home series.

In the Sorrow And Song series, Jennifer spans the years from WWI, through The Great Depression, ending with WWII.

On Some Through The Fire — “This book captivated my interest from beginning to end! The characters and storyline were so well thought out. I want more!” —Gail Abundo, Founder of Marriage with Passion and Purpose

Two Christmas novellas, The Unbroken Song (prequel to the Sorrow And Song series) and Christmas Still, are also available.

The 2023 Art of Writing Webinars

20 Sep

Art of Writing JustRead Takeover Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover Blitz for The Art of Writing 2023 webinars, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

You Are Invited

The Art of Writing
Thursday evenings, 7 p.m. CT
online October 19, October 26, November 2, November 9

This virtual conference for writers, storytellers, and publishing curators includes access and recordings to four webinars organized by publishers.

Session One: Dispelling the Myths Around Christian Fiction
Thursday, October 19, 7 p.m. central
Kelsey Bowen, Jamie Lapeyrolerie, Rachel McMillan

Kelsey Bowen Jamie Lapeyrolerie Rachel McMillan

Christian fiction is alive and well and this will be a great opportunity to hear more. Join a panel of publishing experts as they dispel myths surrounding this genre. This session will encourage you to replace unsettling rumors with exciting truths and be reminded of the unique and powerful place that Christian storytelling has in our world.

Session Two: How Great Books Can Improve Your Novel and Your Life
Thursday, October 26, 7 p.m. central
Claude Atcho, Jamie Lapeyrolerie

Claude Atcho Jamie Lapeyrolerie

This session will provide dynamic conversation with authors and publisher sharing great works that provide excellent examples of authentic scenes, character arcs, characters with varying life experiences, and more — to help you write a really great book. Come away with a few must-reads and a list of excellent writing examples to inspire your own craft.

Session Three: Publishing Doesn’t Have to Terrify You!
Thursday, November 2, 7 p.m. central
Stephanie Broene, Tamela Hancock Murray, Barb Roose, Laura Wheeler

Stephanie Broene Tamela Hancock Murray Barb Roose Laura Wheeler

Writing a book is only the beginning of the publishing process and it can feel overwhelming. After you sign a contract or decide to self-publish, what comes next? With a panel of publishing experts, we’ll cover publishing aspects everyone needs to know, such as: How do I get endorsers? If I need an authenticity reader, where do I start? How can an agent help me in the process? If I’m just starting to build a platform, what should I focus on? Come away with tips and tricks that cover all areas of publishing!

Session Four: Going Deep with Award-Winning Authors
Thursday, November 9, 7 p.m. central
Patricia Raybon, Steven James, Becky Wade

Patricia Raybon Steven James Becky Wade

Hear and learn from the life songs of three award-winning authors who will weave their real-life tales about writing fiction later in life, moving from nonfiction to fiction, then gaining a “seat” in the Christy Hall of Fame. Find out what motivates them, how they stay inspired, and what encouragement they have to pass on to fellow writers. Patricia, Sean, and Becky will provide a peek into their world to help you, with pen in hand.

Added Bonus

All registrants to the Art of Writing sessions can opt to “add-on” a publisher consult. Choose one or more of these small group sessions with a publisher: Pitch & Publish, Ask Me Anything, Strengthen Your Proposal & Get Your Foot in the Door, Calling All Debut Authors. Time/dates are determined based on attendee and moderator schedules. Space is limited. First come, first served.

Learn More about The Art of Writing 2023 Webinar Series


Register

Save the dates for The Christy Award Finalists Webcast & Winners Gala Webcast on October 12 and November 16, respectively. Hall of Fame author Chris Fabry and ECPA’s Jeff Crosby will be announcing the 2023 finalists on October 12 at 11 a.m. CT. Janette Oke, Davis Bunn, and other award-winning novelists will be featured and winners announced during the 2023 Winners Gala Webcast on November 16 at 7 p.m. CT. The Christy Award webcasts are free but registration is required.

Chris Fabry Janette Oke Davis Bunn

The Christy Award® is a program of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) and is the foremost award honoring and promoting excellence in Christian fiction since 1999. For more information about ECPA, visit ECPA.org. For more information about the Christy Awards and Art of Writing conferences, visit ChristyAwards.com or email TheChristyAward@ecpa.org

Register Now for The Art of Writing & The Christy Award web events


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive their choice of The Art of Writing registration OR print copies of The Christy Award finalist titles for one category!

Art of Writing JustRead Takeover Blitz Giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 20, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 27, 2023. 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 JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway


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

JustRead Publicity Tours

Happy Release Day! — Red Velvet

19 Sep

Happy, happy release day to Susie Waltner! Her newest contemporary romance, Red Velvet, book 2 in the Love in Color series, is now available! I’m excited that Susie will be joining the contemporary romance panel discussion at my small town’s book festival, Turning A New Page, in January!

An influential catering job could be the stepping-stone Cassidy Cagle needs to expand her business and reach her dream of owning a bed-and-breakfast. However, when the source of her high school humiliation steps into the kitchen, all her hard work crumbles like a dry biscuit. 

Dissatisfied by the blatant flirting from women only interested in his celebrity status, Seth Mason wants nothing more than to find someone who sees beyond his role in a popular country music band. When yet another social climber corners him at a gathering, he escapes her clutches and inadvertently puts Cassidy’s career in jeopardy. 

Hoping for a second chance, Seth comes up with a plan to make amends and solve both their problems. He’ll use his connections to bring her more business while, as his fake girlfriend, she can discourage the unwelcome female advances. As the two spend time together, attraction grows, but deciphering between what’s just an act and what is real becomes impossible. And when Seth’s secrets clash with Cassidy’s stubborn independence, their harmonious future hangs in the balance.

Suzie Waltner is a lover of fiction and is, first and foremost, a reader. When she’s not at work, reading or writing, you can find her cheering on her hockey team or dancing an hour away in Zumba class. Until her second year of college, her life plan was to become a veterinarian. A fainting spell while watching a surgery performed on a sheep changed that plan. Now she works in the corporate world during the day while creating stories in her free time. Suzie resides in a suburb of Nashville, TN and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers as well as Faith, Hope, and Love Christian Writers.

Her latest novel, Midnight Blue, was a 2023 Holt Medallion Finalist in the Short Inspirational Romance category and a 2023 Maggie Award Finalist – Inspirational Romance.

Top 10 Tuesday — Fall TBR

19 Sep

Just a couple more days and it’s FALL! Here in the sunny South, the temps are edging down, but the real Fall weather won’t show up for at least a month (sometimes more). But that doesn’t keep me from piling up a bunch of books to read for the season. I have had a ton of “required” reading the past few months, but I am happy that a lot of pleasure reads are in my future. I have more than 10, but I will keep the list to the next 10 books I will be enjoying in the coming weeks. I read across genres, so there should be something for everyone.

For more bloggers’ Fall TBR lists, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books on My Fall TBR

The All-American by Susie Finkbeiner (historical)

Broker of Lies by Steven James (thriller)

He Should Have Told The Bees by Amanda Cox (dual timeline/general)

Into The Fire by Irene Hannon (romantic suspense)

Jane And The Final Mystery by Stephanie Barron (historical/cozy mystery)

A River Between Us by Jocelyn Green (historical)

A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay (historical)

Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard (romantic suspense)

The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt (historical)

The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass by Katie Powner (dual timelines)

Cover Reveal — Every Time We Say Goodbye

18 Sep

It’s cover reveal time for best-selling author Natalie Jenner‘s newest novel, Every Time We Say Goodbye! Jenner, the author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls takes readers back to 1950s-era London in May 2024. (On my birthday in fact — what a great gift!) Find out all about it below.

  • Title: Every Time We Say Goodbye: A Novel
  • Author: Natalie Jenner  
  • Genre: Historical Fiction
  • Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (May 14, 2024)
  • Length: (336) pages
  • Format: Hardcover, eBook, & audiobook
  • ISBN: 978-1250285188

The bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls returns with a brilliant novel of love and art, of grief and memory, of confronting the past and facing the future.

In 1955, Vivien Lowry is at a crossroads in life. Her latest play, the only female-authored play on the London stage that season, has opened in the West End to rapturous applause from the audience. The reviewers, however, are not as impressed as the playgoers and their savage notices not only shut down the play but ruin Vivien’s last chance for theatrical success. With her future in London not looking bright, at the suggestion of her friend, Peggy Guggenheim, Vivien takes a job as a script doctor on a major film shooting in Rome’s Cinecittà Studios. There she finds a vibrant moviemaking scene filled with rising stars, acclaimed directors, and famous actors in a country that is torn between its past and its potentially bright future, between the liberation of the post-war cinema and the restrictions of the Catholic Church that permeate the very soul of Italy.

As Vivien tries to forge a new future for herself, she also searches for the long-buried truth of the recent World War and the fate of her deceased fiancé lost in battle. Every Time We Say Goodbye is a bold and moving exploration of trauma and tragedy, hope and renewal, filled with dazzling characters both real and imaginary, from the incomparable author who charmed the world with her novels The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls.

(Every Time We Say Goodbye is linked to The Jane Austen Society, & Bloomsbury Girls by characters, but is a stand-alone novel.) 

ADVANCE PRAISE

  • I’m in awe of Natalie Jenner’s new novel, which surprised me at every turn. At times it reads like the juiciest historical tell all, boasting cameos by enduring household names like Sophia Loren and Gina Lollabrigida, and featuring a party where Ava Gardner dances on the table. But most importantly, this is a story about damaged people who are still blinking into the light after the nightmare of the Second World War. This beautiful book balances and explores the most heroic aspects of humanity, and by extension the most evil. Every Time We Say Good Bye is a heartbreaking, engrossing, and thoroughly dazzling work of art that would make the filmmakers at the center of its story proud.” —Nina de Gramont, New York Times and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Christie Affair
  • Every Time We Say Goodbye welcomes back beloved characters from Jenner’s previous novels along with a new fascinating cast in Italy for the production of post-war films. Well-researched and written in a perfect blend of harrowing and heartwarming, this is another fabulous Natalie Jenner novel that historical fiction fans will adore!” —Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London and The Librarian Spy
  • “In her latest novel, Every Time We Say Goodbye, Natalie Jenner deftly weaves in elegant prose, the lives of the incredibly unique characters working to create a controversial war film at the Cinecitta in Italy, and the effects they have on each other and society. An emotionally poignant tale, that explores the human condition before, during and after war, and how those experiences change some while others remain unapologetically stuck. Ultimately, readers will find themselves swept along on a vivid journey through 1950s Italy, wading through the pains of the characters’ pasts and the sacrifices they made, in order to find a way to their hopeful future. Every once in a while, a story comes along that really grips you and inspires you to contemplate the choices we’re all given, and Jenner has done that here. An absolute page-turner, I couldn’t put this captivating book down.” —Eliza Knight, USA Today bestselling author of The Mayfair Bookshop and Starring Adele Astaire

A MESSAGE FROM AUTHOR NATALIE JENNER

Hello Dear Readers,

Every Time We Say Goodbye was the hardest book I will ever write, and the most rewarding.

It all started when I learned about the world-famous Cinecittà movie studio in Rome being used as a war refugee camp in the 1940s. People who had been stripped of everything—homes, possessions, even their most basic humanity—suddenly found themselves confined to life inside a “dream factory.” I decided to set my third novel during a very specific, very cool time in history—la dolce vita of mid 1950s Rome—while exploring the incredibly complex and haunting legacy of that city under German occupation during the Second World War.

I also wanted to know why Vivien Lowry, a character from my book Bloomsbury Girls, had been so angry all the time! I wondered if a woman could make the biggest mistake of her life and move past the regret in a way that benefitted her and the world around her. I never intended to write a dual timeline. I had been working on Every Time We Say Goodbye for nearly a year when the voice of a young female Italian resistance fighter codenamed la scolaretta—the schoolgirl assassin—suddenly showed up on the page one day. Having witnessed the bravery and sacrifice of so many to keep us safe during our world’s most recent challenge, I wanted to pay tribute to them. How fortunate am I, through the intimate and emotional power of historical fiction, to have the opportunity to do so.

I packed everything I could into this book: love and conflict, faith and religion, censorship and resistance, art and moviemaking, fashion and food, and cameos by favorite actresses such as Sophia Loren and Ava Gardner and characters from both The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls (I, myself am terrible at goodbyes!). 

I hope, more than anything, that Every Time We Say Goodbye gives readers the entertainment, inspiration and food for thought that nourished me throughout its writing.

Best wishes, Natalie

AUTHOR BIO

Natalie Jenner is the internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls, which have been translated into more than twenty languages worldwide. Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie has been a corporate lawyer and career coach and once owned an independent bookstore in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLEBOOKSHOP | ST. MARTIN’S PRESS | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

Spotlight on Romantic Fantasy — Shadowcast

18 Sep

Shadowcast JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Shadowcast by Crystal D. Grant, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Shadowcast

Title: Shadowcast
Series: The Gateway Trilogy
Author: Crystal D. Grant
Publisher: Quill and Flame Publishing
Release Date: September 20, 2023
Genre: Fantasy Romance (Clean)

He has known nothing but darkness for years. Now it’s time to let it consume him.

After witnessing the brutal death of his brother at the hands of the Steward Knights, Mason Grey turns to vengeance. Using his Gifts to read and control the minds of others, he climbs the ranks of the Dark Army, determined to earn the coveted Shadowstone-a powerful tool against the light-wielding Stewards. But when he is wounded in battle, he finds himself recovering in the home of a chatty peasant girl…without the use of his Gifts. Even worse, the girl mistakes him for one of the Stewards he despises.

Seria Gayle longs to be seen as more than the town washerwoman. When she finds an injured Steward in the woods, she welcomes the chance to use her healing skills and hopes it will earn her some respect. But as she nurses the sullen stranger back to health, she discovers he is nothing like the knights she has long admired.

When Mason’s true identity is revealed, Seria is devastated and humiliated. But she is offered a chance at redemption by the very prince that Mason hates. Now Mason struggles between two choices: accept the Shadowstone to avenge his brother or pursue this newfound light in the form of a peasant girl. With time running out and war looming, will Mason and Seria defy their own convictions for a chance at love or stand against one another like they’ve sworn to do?

Excerpt

“I may not know a lot. But I do know that life’s not always fair.” A shadow descended over her usual sunshine-and-roses demeanor. “Sometimes it knocks us down and completely changes us. And when that happens, it leaves us a little emptier. We see the world differently. We live differently. And sometimes we fight differently.”

An image of swords and Stewards flashed through his mind as he stared at her. How did she do that? He was living a lie in front of her. She knew nothing about him. Nothing. But somehow in her naive, short-sighted view, she had managed to make him feel more exposed and vulnerable than he had experienced in a long time. What exactly had he said aloud while sick and feverish? 

Seria couldn’t know how close her words had made their mark. Because no matter how wrong she was in her beliefs about him, she was right about one thing. Maybe two.

He had seen something terrible. And it had changed him.



PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop


About The Author

Crystal D. Grant

Crystal D. Grant is a daydreamer who adores freshly-baked cookies and anything with fur or feathers. During the day, she strives to instill a love of books and learning within her young students. As a hearing-impaired, home-school graduate, she found her voice in writing and has had multiple short stories and poems published. When she’s not reading or writing stories that sweep her away to another time and place, she watches classic movies and TV shows that do the same. Or she works on jigsaw puzzles. Crystal currently resides in smalltown Missouri, where she is always looking for space for another scented candle.

Connect with Crystal by visiting crystalgrantauthor.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a signed copy of Shadowcast, book swag, and exclusive color art from the book!

Shadowcast JustRead Tours giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 18, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 25, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway


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

JustRead Publicity Tours

First Line Friday — The Secrets of Emberwild

15 Sep

This past Labor Day Weekend, I had the great pleasure of attending the Novel-Tea hosted by Jocelyn Green. Oh the fangirlling that went on there! Great one-on-ones with the authors, as well as a fantastic panel discussion, were highlights of the evening. But I can’t leave out the goodie bags that awaited attendees. Not 1, not 2, but 3 fabulous books were included! I am thrilled that I received a copy of The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H. McGee. It’s been on my book-radar since it released last year. I can’t wait to read it!

Here’s the first line:

Freedom rushed through Nora Fenton’s veins, erupting with each breath.

A gifted trainer in a time women are not allowed to race, Nora Fenton prefers horses to men. They’re easier to handle, they’re more reliable, and they never tell her what to do. After her father’s passing, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. But when a stranger arrives and starts asking disconcerting questions, she suspects he may have other motives than unseating her in the training job that is rightfully hers.

Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father’s death–even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth risking ruining everything for the feisty woman he’s come to admire.

Author, Author — Brandy Heineman

14 Sep

My small town is hosting a big book festival in January 2024! We have 35+ authors participating in panel discussions and author presentations. I am so excited about Turning A New Page! If you live anywhere near middle Georgia, make plans to attend.

Georgia author Brandy Heineman is joining the suspense panel. She writes dual timeline stories inspired by her family history. Her newest book, Honey for The Bones, looks sensational (it’s waiting for me in my TBR). But you will want to check out her other works as well. Mystery, suspense, history, and romance! Don’t they look great?! I am going to queue up Last to Know for my yearly Christmas reading binge. 🙂

TWO HEARTS BROKEN ALONG THE SAME JAGGED EDGE MAKE A GRISLY DISCOVERY DEEP IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY

Present Day. Solveig Borja fled Virginia to escape the guilt of one reckless night, and once she settles the family estate, she’s Norway-bound and never looking back. Meanwhile, Kyle Benton has come seeking asylum from past sins—which Solveig shatters even as their hopeless romance blooms. But when they discover a skeleton at Rice Caverns, its century-old mystery holds startling links to the here-and-now.

1919. The Great War is won. Gussie Rice longs for her beau’s return from France, until she learns he’s confined at a stateside hospital and her closest confidant is part of the secret. Her bid for love sparks a confrontation that ricochets through time…

Bad blood and escalating threats swirl around Solveig, and Kyle’s new life proves no haven from the old with his brother’s killer trolling the shadows. As the past rears up, the cavern’s hidden places beckon with power to light their hope or to swallow them in utter darkness.

There’s more than one way to be haunted . . . 

After a series of agonizing losses, Abby Wells seeks solace with distant relatives in faraway Georgia. Maybe her great-aunt Ruby can answer the questions Abby’s mother never would. But what begins as a search for connection quickly turns with Aunt Ruby’s claims that the old family home is haunted. Desperate to believe in something, Abby throws herself into the ghost hunt—unaware of Aunt Ruby’s schemes, or that the grudges in her bloodlines run generations deep. Her heart wrestles with the land of the living, caught between her ex’s bid for reconciliation and a growing fascination with the house’s handsome caretaker. Yet it’s the burden of mystery that woos her as she calls into the stillness—Are you real?

All she wants for Christmas . . . is an end to this terrible year.

Silver bells are ringing, but family drama and flaky finances have Nadine Notaro wrung out. The only bright spots this holiday season are her job at the Blissford Historical Society and her cheery, dependable co-worker, Chase Garren—until the City Council cuts their funding. The lost income will be bad enough, but what about Chase? Though quick to remind everyone they’re just friends, she can’t stomach losing him, too.

While packing up the Society’s record collections, Chase and Nadine discover a journalist’s cache of negatives pointing to a decades-old scandal and cover-up. Entanglements with the City’s biggest power players pull their strings, but every clue brings them closer to the truth—and each other—until Nadine finds evidence of a betrayal she never thought possible.

Casting light on the lies may ruin Christmas and their friendship, but it stands to cost them much more.

Spotlight on Romantic Suspense — Expired Vows

13 Sep

Expired Vows JustRead Blog + Review Blitz

Welcome to the Blog + Review Blitz for Expired Vows by Laura Conaway and Lisa Phillips, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Expired Vows

Title: Expired Vows
Series: Last Chance Fire and Rescue #4
Author: Laura Conaway & Lisa Phillips
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Release Date: September 12, 2023
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Fire. Family. Faith.
Last Chance Fire and Rescue

She sees the promise of freedom. He vowed to always be the hero.

EMT Trace Bently came back to Last Chance County to escape his past. After the loss of his wife, he gave up a promising career as a police officer for the chance to save lives every day as part of the Fire Department. When a hostage situation demands the help of a local counselor, Trace realizes the past he left behind has found him. He’s being given a second chance to save the life of someone he cares about.

If he can face the grief he buried.

Family Counselor Kelsey Scott has to secure this grant or admit failure. She can’t afford to lose any more pieces of the life she wants because of her own choices. When Kelsey becomes the target of a series of dangerous attacks, Trace steps in determined to protect his wife’s best friend. This hero breaks down all her resistance, but Kelsey can’t risk her own heart.

Even if it’s what will set them both free.

Another thrilling installment in the Last Chance Fire and Rescue series.

Excerpt

Trace Bently wasn’t going to let anyone die on his watch—not today. 

“You ready to go, partner?” Andi peeked her head around the driver’s side door of the ambulance. Her voice echoed in the enclosed garage area of the Eastside firehouse.  

“All set.” Trace hit the side of the truck and jogged to the passenger side. 

The tires squealed against the pavement as they made a sharp turn out of the station. Sunlight streamed through the windshield, and he pulled down the visor. Andi leaned forward and flicked the sirens on. Traffic steered to the shoulder, and they were given the right of way. 

Trace spoke into the radio. “Ambulance 21 is on the way. Any updates on the situation?”

Static crackled through the line as he waited for a response. Hostage situations could get ugly fast, and he hoped a negotiator was already en route. Time was always of the essence. No telling what would tip the captor over the edge to do something stupid. He’d seen it too many times when he was a cop. Standing around, powerless to do anything.

Now that he was an EMT, he could focus on the victims rather than just who needed to be arrested. Saving lives was his job—and that’s exactly what he was going to do.

He leaned forward and tapped his foot against the floorboard before sneaking a glance at Andi. A knowing look crossed her face as she raised her eyebrows. She was going as fast as possible. He knew that. But he didn’t have to like how slow it felt in the meantime. 

“We’ve got a male holding two kids at gunpoint,” the commander on the other end of the line stated.

Trace winced. “Copy that.” 

“Kids?” Andi hissed. 

Trace gritted his teeth. “I know.” 

“The wife escaped and is with an officer now but needs immediate medical attention. Gash to the forehead and cuts along her arm. Possible broken bone,” the commander said.

“ETA seven minutes.” Trace let go of the button.



PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

More in This Series

Expired Return Expired Hope Expired Promise


About The Authors

Lisa Phillips Laura Conaway

Lisa Phillips is a USA Today and top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over 50 books that span Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line, independently published series romantic suspense, and thriller novels. She’s discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after.

Lisa is a British ex-pat who grew up an hour outside of London and attended Calvary Chapel Bible College, where she met her husband. He’s from California, but nobody’s perfect. It wasn’t until her Bible College graduation that she figured out she was a writer (someone told her). As a worship leader for Calvary Chapel churches in her local area, Lisa has discovered a love for mentoring new ministry members and youth worship musicians.

Connect with Lisa by visiting authorlisaphillips.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates. Discover the world of Last Chance County at www.lastchancecounty.com.

Laura Conaway grew up in the suburbs of Pennsylvania as an avid reader and writer while making every adventure a mystery to solve like Nancy Drew. As a former school librarian, she’s always on the hunt for the next best read but now spends her time creating stories that leave readers on the edge of their seat with a healthy dose of suspense and happily ever afters. When she’s not typing away or inhaling sweet potato fries to motivate writing, Laura spends her time playing violin and guitar and sharing about the Greatest Story ever written.

Connect with Laura by visiting lauraconawayauthor.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will a print copy of Expired Vows and a $10 gift card to the Sunrise Shop

Expired Vows JustRead Tours giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 13, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 20, 2023. 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 JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway


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