About the Book

Book: Prodigal Lives

Author: Carol McClain

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Release date: April 1, 2022

Life keeps piling problems on Meredith Jaynes. She loses her second foster child—one she was scheduled to adopt. Then Parker Snow refuses to marry her. With only her goats and artisan soap to support her, life will get no better.

If she is honest, though, she still has Crystal. Her funny, happy, loveable toddler makes the sun shine and reminds her of the never-failing love of God.

Pearl Solomon loves her life with her grandfather Guy, but every one of her triumphs is overshadowed by her sisters’ lives. With Mama Meredith, they live a life she envies. Because of her jealousy, she refuses to contact them.

Years later, life for both families twist down paths they do not wish to travel. Pearl knows she’s lost what was most precious in life but has no means of fixing things. Left to her own devices, she spirals out of control.

Meredith finds it harder to mask the despair infertility has brought to her life.

Both families believe they must reconcile themselves to their fates as reality shatters their dreams unless they dig deep for the promise of love.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Carol McClain is the award-winning author of four novels dealing with real people facing real problems. She is a consummate encourager, and no matter what your faith might look like, you will find compassion, humor and wisdom in her complexly layered, but ultimately readable work.

Aside from writing, she’s a skilled stained-glass artist, a budding potter and photographer. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and growing farm. Inspired by Meredith Jaynes, she owns two goats. One will kid soon.

You can connect with her at carolmcclain.com.

On goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14030286.Carol_McClain

On BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/carol-mcclain

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.Carol.McClain

More from Carol

Have you ever thought you’ve seen yourself in a novel?

If you know an author, you probably have.

For years I worked with recovering addicts and those helping them in organizations like Celebrate Recovery, a Christian-styled support group like AA. If I read the events of these people’s lives in a novel, I would say, “Too fake to believe.”

Their lives are tragic, funny, heartbreaking, heartwarming.

Many of their stories made it into my latest novel Prodigal Lives (modified, disguised, and novelized).

I not only incorporate others into my work, but I live through my characters’ lives (Please don’t suggest a sky diving protagonist).

In Prodigal Lives one of my main characters owns goats. For years, I begged my husband too let me have a goat or two. He promised. Then, he wimped out, so I created Meredith Jaynes a successful artisan specializing in goat soap and raising Nubians.

Prodigal Lives is a sequel but can stand alone (reading both books amplifies your enjoyment, of course). This book follows the loss Pearl and Meredith feel as Pearl is adopted by her grandfather. Pearl becomes jealous of her sisters who stay with Mama Meredith, and they lose touch. Although they hear nothing from each other, neither is forgotten.

I believe in redemption. All my work illustrates that no matter how far you fall, a loving Father is going to make a way to redeem you. He’s done it for me, and I was an impossibly problematic child of the King.

I hope you enjoy Prodigal Lives. Sign up for my newsletter and blog and never miss a new release, my Biblical thoughts or an appearance I’m making. Believe me, I wouldn’t lie, my blog and newsletter are fascinating.

My Review of Prodigal Lives:

This was the sequel to Borrowed Lives and I absolutely loved that book. This book was amazing as the sequel. So true to life, the characters were messy (and realistic) and yet God’s love was shown beautifully throughout. From strained to restored family relationships, to healing trauma, to Crystal’s comic relief, this story was moving and to anyone who has experience with the foster/adoption system, it was so true to life and brought me right back. I loved this book and I hope there is another in the series. I’m willing to wait as long as possible because it’s that good!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was under no obligation to review it. All opinions are mine.

Thanks for connecting today.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to focus on seeing

“JESUS in the EVERYDAY?”

Would you like to be a part of a membership where everyday you are pointed back to God and seeing Him in your everyday life?

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I invite you to come check it out!

Don’t forget to check out the other blog spots listed below for your convenience.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 6

Splashes of Joy, August 7 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 7

Texas Book-aholic, August 8

Inklings and notions, August 9

For Him and My Family, August 10

Artistic Nobody, August 11 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, August 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 12

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 13

A Reader’s Brain, August 14

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 17

Spoken from the Heart, August 18

Pause for Tales, August 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carol 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.

About the Book

Book: It Never Occurred to Her

Author: Michelle Jester

Genre: Contemporary Religious Fiction, Women’s Religious Fiction, Contemporary Christian Fiction

Release date: November 28, 2021

For two years Gabriel has followed every lead, no matter how small, in the hope of finding his wife who has been kidnapped. He and the police always seem to be one step behind, until investigators give him information that helps him launch the plan to find her.

When Lena looks up into the eyes of her husband, who she hasn’t seen in two years, she is humiliated and wants nothing more than to run before he recognizes her. And so she does. It’s only when she faces a desperate situation that she is forced to return and ask for his help.

As fate twists its way through both of their lives, they realize it doesn’t matter how much they have prepared to face the realities of losing someone, or finding them again, redemption is in letting go of the past and finding a future just off the beaten path.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Michelle Jester is the bestselling author of fiction novels, as well as contributing author to the nonfiction #1 bestseller, My Labor Pains Were Worse than Yours. She also writes nonfiction and children’s books. Michelle lives in Louisiana with her husband, high school sweetheart and retired Master Sergeant. She wears a bracelet with a single yellow, rubber duckie charm on it to remind her to enjoy the fun and happy things of life!

You can follow Michelle Jester:

http://michellejester.net

facebook: /authormichellejester

Instagram: @michellejester

TikTok: @michelle_jester

Twitter: @michelle_jester

More from Michelle

When I first started writing this novel, it was because of a dream I had. I woke in the middle of the night crying, sweating, and praising God. I immediately got up, went to my computer and started writing about the dream. I was weeping the entire time and barely able to see through my tears.

In the dream, I was homeless, alone, and had drifted from God. I was hungry and went into a food kitchen to eat. I was dirty, smelled terrible, and missed Larry so much, only I knew I could never go home. I had done too much and had too much done to me to ever make it back to him.

After the person in the food kitchen put the food on my plate, I looked up and it was my husband, Larry. I was humiliated and desperately didn’t want him to recognize me. I was about to leave when in the dream Larry’s face turned to Jesus and He said, “I have been looking for you.”

That dream became the cornerstone of this novel.

My Review of It Never Occurred to Her:

This is the type of book I love to read. It contains lots of triggers, which the author warns about, so you know what you’re getting into, but the depth of emotion and details definitely let me know I’ve lived a very blessed life. The author did a great job of showing how trauma eats away at a person until they don’t feel like themselves anymore. Due to the graphic nature of the scenes, some details were left to the readers imagination (thankfully) but yet the author was still able to show what happens to a women after sex trafficking. This was a book that was hard to read yet even more difficult to put down. It didn’t scream of hope at the beginning but yet there were still glimmers of hope throughout. I think that’s how real life is a lot of time. We get glimpses of hope in desperate situations but we have to look for it or it comes softly and gently instead of barging its way in. I would definitely read more from this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was under no obligation to review it. All opinions are mine.

Thanks for connecting today.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to focus on seeing

“JESUS in the EVERYDAY?”

Would you like to be a part of a membership where everyday you are pointed back to God and seeing Him in your everyday life?

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I invite you to come check it out!

Don’t forget to check out the other blog spots listed below for your convenience.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 11

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 12 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 12

Inklings and notions, August 13

For Him and My Family, August 14

Texas Book-aholic, August 15

Spoken from the Heart, August 16

deb’s Book Review, August 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 17

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 18

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 20

Rebecca Tews, August 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 22

Blogging With Carol, August 23

Pause for Tales, August 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a book gift box that includes: other titles from Michelle Jester, as well as several other authors from Rope Swing Publishing, bookmarks, a coffee mug, and a $20 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

About the Book

Book: Raising Kids Who Care

Author: Susy Lee

Genre: Non-fiction: Parenting and Family

Release date: June, 2022

Imagine knowing what your kids care about, having them listen to what you care about, then doing something about it, together!

Communication and connection are the key, and this is exactly what this book allows you to do. It guides you through 40 conversations to have with your kids, ones that really matter.

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, educator or just care about kids and the world they’re growing up in, this book will provide you with rich resources and surprising insights to create that genuine connection.

In our complex world, we need to be aware of looming pitfalls and be intentional in helping kids navigate their way to compassion and wonder, driven by values and purpose. This path of conversations leads to amazing hope.

We all want kids to have happy, loving lives. As a society, we need kids who are also capable of thinking and acting beyond themselves to help others have happy, loving lives too. This book gives you what you’ll need to achieve both.

Inside, you’ll discover:

• Stories and research to inform your conversations
• Relationship skills to build empathy (like listening and conflict resolution)
• How to combat the worrying influences of our culture (like consumerism and technology)
• How to grow resilience, self-confidence, character, and strength
• How our kids can solve problems, rather than being brought down by them
• Thoughts and tips from other parents
• Advice from caring young adults about what worked for them!

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Susy Lee helps families build a strong culture of communication and contribution. Her book ‘Raising Kids Who Care’ is the winner of international prizes from the Best Indie, Royal Dragonfly and Feathered Quill Book Awards.

Majors in psychology and theology, and a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies, helped Susy consider how parenting and wealth equity play roles in social cohesion. Her career twirls around the twin themes of social justice and children, including state and national education and consultancy roles with children and families, international aid and development, and advocacy.

Susy is also an engaging presenter who has taught in schools and churches, lectured at universities, and run conference workshops for parents and families.

She lives a bike ride from the beach in Sydney, Australia, dances whenever music plays, and has raised two caring sons with her husband Brian. Susy has created generational change in her family.

More from Susy

I didn’t grow up in a Christian family, but I loved watching my children grow up in our church community. They had relationships of all ages and many opportunities to practise caring – things I’d missed.My boys grew to be young men who are kind and faithful, with careers that will contribute to God’s world.

In my book I’ve brought together some useful stuff I’ve researched (because I didn’t trust my own broken upbringing), and that I’ve learnt in my ministry with caring Christian organizations. And I’ve made it a resource for families to talk together – kids are amazing when we make time to really listen to them.

This book is not just for Christians though. I wrote it for parents who care about growing compassion and generosity in their kids. I wrote for parents who want to protect their kids from the strong cultural forces in our world that would lead kids astray. And I wrote it for parents who want to raise kids who believe they can do something about the problems in the world, not be overwhelmed by them.

I also wrote it for grandparents to give to their kids who are now parents – maybe even those who no longer go to church. I wrote it for parents who want to be intentional – maybe because their parents were not. And I wrote it to help churches reach out to parents who need support and encouragement.

Just quietly: I want to change the world, one family at a time! I love the vision of the Kingdom of God, and I think that families who know how to communicate well, about all the issues that surround them, will be better equipped to help bring the Kingdom to earth, as it is in heaven.

I’m delighted that God has already blessed my work – the book has won several prizes including First Place in The 2022 Christian Indie Awards in the Relationships and Family Category. Many churches have already used the book to run events for families. You can learn more about me and the book on my website: https://www.raisingkidswhocare.info/

Author Interview:

What role does God play in your writing career?

Several years ago, I woke in the night with ideas for my book pouring into my head so fast I had to get up and scribble them down. It felt like a gift from God. I’ve worked in ministry roles most of my career and this book is a collection of learnings from my work with families and with aid and development organizations. Overarching all is a desire to be useful to God as He brings the Kingdom of God to earth, as it is in heaven. This work is my little contribution, and the opportunities that have opened feel like God’s encouragement to me.

What is the hardest aspect of writing?

My first thought would be procrastination, but I read that underneath procrastination is always ‘fear’. At one point I was really stuck, so I tried to think about what I was afraid of. I had an absent father most of my life, and a subconscious theme I’ve discovered is that I try to achieve, in order to win his love. I was afraid of the public failure that writing a poor book would mean, because if achievement makes me loveable, then I suddenly realized failure = un-loveable! Recognizing this helped me push through, but procrastination hasn’t been totally eliminated.

Do you have a team or do you manage all aspects of writing by yourself? How do you balance writing, marketing, social media, etc.?

I self-published my book so I learnt to be a writer, and then I had to learn to be a publisher, and then take on the daunting task of promoting. I didn’t have the confidence early on to pitch to a publisher, but I’m glad now, because I loved learning all the parts of the book business. There are so many lovely people online willing to help, but some steep learning curves too. Now that my book has won awards and I have parents thanking me, I have a bit more confidence to share the good news around!

Are you an introvert or extrovert? Do you think that helps (or hinders) your writing?

I’m definitely an extrovert, so sitting alone in my office writing was VERY HARD! It’s like giving birth actually – excruciating to get out, adorable to look at when it’s done, then requiring daily attention or it will die! Now I’m in the promoting phase though, my extroversion is a big help. I love public speaking and I love talking about the ideas in my book, so my book events are great fun!

What’s one fun thing you’d like your readers to know about you?

At the same time that I was learning to be a writer, I learnt to tap dance! It was a great joy to get up from my desk to dance. Using a different part of my brain, practicing tapping during breaks, and watching my slow but definite improvement really helped me get through, I think. Writing and dancing are linked in my body now!

Thanks for connecting today.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to focus on seeing

“JESUS in the EVERYDAY?”

Would you like to be a part of a membership where everyday you are pointed back to God and seeing Him in your everyday life?

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I invite you to come check it out!

Don’t forget to check out the other blog spots listed below for your convenience.

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, July 29

Lights in a Dark World, July 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 30

Texas Book-aholic, July 31

For Him and My Family, August 1

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 2

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 3

deb’s Book Review, August 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 6

Spoken from the Heart, August 7 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 7

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 8

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 9

Cats in the Cradle Blog, August 10

The Christian Fiction Girl, August 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Susy is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

REVIEW OF SEA GLASS COTTAGE:

This was a great book! I loved reading about the different people in the town and I especially loved the backstory of Christi and Jack, and bringing Hannah into the book was genius! As much as I loved them, I think I loved Steve and Beth even more and had a real soft spot for Noah. Wonderful characters, great biblical truths and amazing story line!

I received a complimentary copy from the publishing house and was not obligated to write a review. All opinions are mine solely.

Thanks for connecting today.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to focus on seeing

“JESUS in the EVERYDAY?”

Would you like to be a part of a membership where everyday you are pointed back to God and seeing Him in your everyday life?

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I invite you to come check it out!

About the Book

Book: Mistletoe Village

Author: Kathleen J. Robison

Genre: Holiday Romance

Release date: November 30, 2021

Two broken women, two defeated children. Can Grace offer what they’re looking for? When the big city holds nothing but painful memories for sisters Rence and Sandy, they pack it up and head out for Grace and the promises it holds.

Promises of a new start. A new job at Grace General for Rence and a place to begin healing. But most of all, a promise to each of the sisters’ hurting children that a real Christmas awaits them in Grace, complete with snow on giant evergreens and lots of Mistletoe Magic.

But despite its Christmas card atmosphere, Grace, Oregon seems to hold a lot of secrets. Who is that giant of a man they encounter in the woods? Why won’t anyone talk about him? What is the hold the past seems to have over the town? Will they be able to break it before history tragically repeats itself? And will Grace be the place where love and forgiveness finally meet?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kathleen J. Robison is an Okinawan-American, born in Okinawa, and raised in California, Florida, Mississippi, and Singapore. Her travels and her family are the sources of her inspiration for her books. Kathleen and her Pastor husband have eight adult children. Seven are married, blessing them with eighteen grandchildren and counting. Her ethnically diverse background extends to her family of currently thirty-five personalities which provide many opportunities to share God’s amazing love amidst the challenges of real life.

More from Kathleen

I love Christmas stories, and since becoming an author, I’ve wanted to write one. Mistletoe Village started out as Mistletoe Hermit, but then it wasn’t going in quite the happy direction that I wanted. So Mistletoe Village was born. I wrote this sweet, cozy, slightly suspenseful romance with all the elements that make Christmas … Christmas! But most importantly, it’s always about the faith element, Christ.

The main character Rence Paladin is dear to my heart. She was created with someone extraordinary in mind, and I had that person read the book to see what she thought. When she finished, she turned bright red and answered, even if you hadn’t told me … I knew it was me! However, it’s not her story, but it encompasses her delightful personality, some of her sweet memories of a single-mom, and how she strives to keep her focus on Christ while always serving others.

So let’s go. Let me take you to Mistletoe Village. You’ll find a little of everything that oozes Christmas in the tiny town of Grace. Holiday spirit, decorations, a children’s church pageant, and a Christmas festival. Oh, and I’ll introduce you to little Gus, the feisty family cock-a-poo. But most of all, I hope you, like Rence and Carl, rediscover the joy of Christmas at Mistletoe Village.

My Review of Mistletoe Village:

This was a first book of this author that I read and I really enjoyed it. I was captivated by the storyline right away and fell in love with the various nuances of all the characters. Sandy and Rence (love her name!) were a great sibling pair and played off each other well. I loved the cousins and especially Stu and Evelyn, the grandparents everyone needs. The story was perfect with its Christmas theme and got me in the mood to celebrate. I loved how Rence and the others at the hospital rallied around Carl when he was falsely accused. There was action, suspense, romance, mystery and a whole lot of fun packed in these pages.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit but was not under any obligation to write a review. All opinions are strictly mine.

Thanks for connecting today.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to focus on seeing

“JESUS in the EVERYDAY?”

Would you like to be a part of a membership where everyday you are pointed back to God and seeing Him in your everyday life?

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I invite you to come check it out!

Don’t forget to check out the other blog spots listed below for your convenience.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 19

Texas Book-aholic, July 20

Genesis 5020, July 21

By the Book, July 22

For Him and My Family, July 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 24

lakesidelivingsite, July 25

Inklings and notions, July 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 27

deb’s Book Review, July 28

Splashes of Joy, July 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 29

An Author’s Take, July 30

Bizwings Blog, July 30

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 31

Miriam Jacob, August 1

Spoken from the Heart, August 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathleen is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

About the Book

Book: Lineage of Corruption

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Christian romantic suspense

Release date: July 19, 2022

In the world of big money and big politics, nobody walks away unscathed.

The people of Coventry never suspect that Josie Smith, owner of the local coffee shop, is the daughter of a powerful senator. She went to Washington to serve constituents, but her desire to do good morphed into a desire to win at all costs. When one of those costs grew too heavy to bear, she changed her name and left DC, vowing to never get involved in politics again. But when her father becomes his party’s lone voice standing against corrupt policies, his enemies will do whatever it takes to get his vote, and Josie finds herself caught in a familiar web of dirty tricks.

Thomas Windham never planned to run for office, but when Coventry’s disgraced mayor is replaced by a dishonest appointee, he feels he has no choice but to throw his hat in the ring. He doesn’t have a chance against the well-known politician, that is until he meets Josie, who knows more about running for office than a typical café owner would.

When Josie finds herself in danger, they form an alliance—his protection for her wisdom. The election becomes secondary as Josie’s adversaries close in. But can Josie and Thomas come out victorious against enemies determined to get what they want at any cost?

Don’t miss this pulse-pounding Christian romantic suspense that’ll keep you reading late into the night.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Nutfield Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. Working in marketing and public relations, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while she homeschooled her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit https://robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects.

More from Robin

Boston’s Logan Airport was about an hour from the little town in southern New Hampshire where I grew up. I remember pre-dawn drives, sitting in the backseat of our station wagon with my big sister and my little brother on our way to catch a flight. My dad was an airline pilot, so we traveled a lot in those days.

My parents always had a news station playing in the background. The anchor would read the news, and then Mom and Dad would discuss it at length while we tried to doze in the backseat.

They didn’t agree on everything, but they always saw eye-to-eye on politics.

My parents separated when I was a teenager and ultimately divorced. Even today, when they’re in a room together—they get along very well well—their conversations often drift to what’s going on in Washington.

Maybe that’s why I’ve always been interested in national politics.

My kids hate it when I talk about this policy or that vote. My husband would much prefer to discuss sports or work or…pretty much anything else. But I’ve always loved politics—the wrangling, the power plays, the backroom deals we can only guess at.

Talk about high-stakes drama on a worldwide stage. Hmm, I’m a suspense writer. Maybe it’s not that shocking that I love politics.

Lineage of Corruption doesn’t take place in the hallowed halls of Washington DC, nor are most of the characters in the story big players in the political scene. No, my story takes place in central New Hampshire, and its main characters are a coffee shop owner and a mayoral candidate. But that coffee shop owner’s father is a senator, a senator who’s being pressured to vote yes on a bill he vehemently disagrees with.

His enemies are willing to do whatever it takes to secure his vote, even if it means threatening his daughter.

So, it’s not exactly a political thriller. But it is all about big money and big names grappling for position in the world’s most powerful nation.

Which I personally think is super fun. To write about, anyway. In reality, politics has gotten way too rancorous and destructive for my tastes. Don’t worry—I won’t be lecturing you about what you should believe. I don’t honor one party or one president while throwing the other under the bus. In fact, I don’t mention either party or any actual politicians by name in the entire book.

This story isn’t about pushing my personal beliefs. It is about examining the lengths to which some people are willing to go to secure their own personal agendas.

(And it’s about man and a woman who fall in love, which is also super fun.)

I sure hope you’ll check it out.

Oh, and Josie, the coffee shop owner, loves to cook. Here’s a recipe she makes for the hero. It’s a great summertime meal and happens to be a staple at the Patchen household.

Linguine Caprese

4 ripe large tomatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 lb. mozzarella cheese (I use the small mozzarella balls (also called pearls), but any whole-milk mozzarella, cut into chunks, will do)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. dried basil (or 1 cup cleaned, fresh basil, cut into strips)

Enough olive oil to coat all of the above—about ¾ cup

Salt and pepper to taste

1 lb. linguine

Freshly grated parmesan

Combine tomatoes, cheese, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cover and let sit at least two hours at room temperature.

Cook linguine according to package directions.

Drain pasta and immediately toss with the tomato mixture. Serve at once with grated parmesan cheese. (Goes great with crusty white bread on the side.)

My Review of Lineage of Corruption:

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the Coventry Saga Series, and this book was no exception. Josie was someone I had gotten to know in the previous books and I wanted to know more about her, and this book was perfect! It started out with adventure and that carried throughout until the end. I loved Thomas’ character and also Josie’s friends from the past. I couldn’t figure out the mystery but when it all was revealed, I could see the little clues the author left for us to pick up on. I loved the rescue scene and how she wrote it. Amazing. I can’t wait for the next one in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was under no obligation to review it. All opinions are mine.

Thanks for connecting today.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to focus on seeing

“JESUS in the EVERYDAY?”

Would you like to be a part of a membership where everyday you are pointed back to God and seeing Him in your everyday life?

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I invite you to come check it out!

Don’t forget to check out the other blog spots listed below for your convenience.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 18

Genesis 5020, July 18

An Author’s Take, July 19

Inklings and notions, July 20

Betti Mace, July 21

For Him and My Family, July 22

Blossoms and Blessings, July 22

Texas Book-aholic, July 23

deb’s Book Review, July 24

lalkesidelivingsite, July 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 26

Blogging With Carol, July 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 27

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 29

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 30

Spoken from the Heart, July 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 31

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card, copy of Inheritance of Secrets, and a previous book in the series!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

About the Book

Book: Byway to Danger

Author: Sandra Merville Hart

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: July 19, 2022

Everyone in Richmond has secrets. Especially the spies.

Meg Brooks, widow, didn’t stop spying for the Union when her job at the Pinkerton National Detective Agency ended, especially now that she lives in the Confederate capital. Her job at the Yancey bakery provides many opportunities to discover vital information about the Confederacy to pass on to her Union contact. She prefers to work alone, yet the strong, silent baker earns her respect and tugs at her heart.

Cade Yancey knows the beautiful widow is a spy when he hires her only because his fellow Unionist spies know of her activities. Meg sure didn’t tell him. He’s glad she knows how to keep her mouth shut, for he has hidden his dangerous activities from even his closest friends. The more his feelings for the courageous woman grow, the greater his determination to protect her by guarding his secrets. Her own investigations place her in enough peril.

As danger escalates, Meg realizes her choice to work alone isn’t a wise one. Can she trust Cade with details from her past not even her family knows?

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About the Author

Sandra Merville Hart, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known yet fascinating facts from American history to include in her stories. Her desire is to transport her readers back in time. She is also a blogger, speaker, and conference teacher. Connect with Sandra on her blog, https://sandramervillehart.wordpress.com/.

More from Sandra

In Byway to Danger, Book 3 of my “Spies of the Civil War” series, both Cade and Meg—our hero and heroine—are Union spies living in Richmond, the Confederate capital in 1862. As if this isn’t dangerous enough, Meg is also a former Pinkerton spy. One Pinkerton spy was hanged in the spring and three others now sit in Richmond jails.

Meg works as an assistant in Cade’s bakery. The strong, quiet man keeps a secret from Meg to protect her, for he’s a conductor on the Underground Railroad. He provides food, clothing, and a safe place to stay until he’s able to take them on to the next stop several miles outside the city. Cade has done this for years before the Civil War and continues as the war rages, a perilous mission.

Historically, early in the war on May 23, 1861, three men escaped slavery and fled to Fort Monroe. Frank Baker, Shepard Mallory, and James Townsend had worked on Confederate fortifications before escaping on a rowboat. They sought the safety of Union soldiers at the fort. The men informed Union Major General Benjamin F. Butler that they escaped from Confederate Colonel Charles K. Mallory of the 115^th Virginia Militia.

The next day, Confederate Major John B. Cary arrived at Fort Monroe under a flag of truce. Cary met with Butler and requested he return the enslaved men to Mallory as required by the Fugitive Slave Act.

Butler did some fast thinking. Since the three men had been building fortifications for war, they could be seized as “contraband of war” and didn’t have to be returned. His refusal to return the men was a pivotal decision and sparked a future law that protected fugitives who sought the protection of Union camps.

Dozens of fugitive men, women, and children had joined Baker, Mallory, and Townsend at Fort Monroe within three days. Many others fled to the fort in the following months. “Grand Contraband Camp” was established about three miles from Fort Monroe on the charred remains of Hampton to accommodate the hundreds of fugitives.  It was the nation’s first self-contained black community. By 1865, thousands lived in this camp.

Part of my research for this novel involved a trip to Virginia’s Fort Monroe. (If you love history and have never visited Fort Monroe, I recommend it!) Though I wasn’t certain of my story at the time of my visit, I was so inspired by the fort’s history that I knew it had to be part of my story. And it is!

Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1, is set in the Union capital of Washington City (Washington DC) in 1861, where a surprising number of Confederate sympathizers and spies lived. Boulevard of Confusion and Byway to Danger are set in Richmond, the Confederate capital in 1862. Actual historical spies touch the lives of our fictional family.

Through both real and fictional characters, this series highlights activities spies were involved in and some of the motives behind their decisions.

I invite you to read the whole “Spies of the Civil War” series beginning with Book 1 Avenue of Betrayal, Book 2 Boulevard of Confusion, and Book 3 Byway to Danger!

My Review of Byway to Danger

This was the first book I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last. Even though I didn’t realize this was Book #3 in the series before I started it, this book could definitely be read as a standalone. It was amazing. I fell in love with Meg and Cade immediately. My heart went out to Meg and all that she had lost; yet, the book wasn’t sad and depressing, focusing on what she lost but instead focusing on what she could do to help others. She turned her inward pain outward to be a blessing to others in her life. This book was full of romance, mystery, suspense, espionage, and biblical values, shown in the way the characters lived them out on a daily basis. How being a Christ follower trumped where they lived in the country during the war and treating others with Christ’s love despite the political, legal, or cultural views. I cannot wait to read the whole series now. Sometimes reading about war right now with all that is going on in our world is hard, but this book gave hope, inspiration on how to love others through Christ, and how to be part of the solution instead of ignoring or agreeing with the problem through silence.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit but was not under any obligation to write a review. All opinions are strictly mine.

Thanks for connecting today.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to focus on seeing

“JESUS in the EVERYDAY?”

Would you like to be a part of a membership where everyday you are pointed back to God and seeing Him in your everyday life?

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I invite you to come check it out!

Don’t forget to check out the other blog spots listed below for your convenience.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 22

Spoken from the Heart, July 22

Bizwings Blog, July 23

Inklings and notions, July 24

Betti Mace, July 25

Book Looks by Lisa, July 25

Texas Book-aholic, July 26

For Him and My Family, July 27

Connie’s History Classroom, July 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 29

deb’s Book Review, July 30

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 31

Vicarious Living, July 31

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 2

Blossoms and Blessings, August 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sandra 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.

About the Book

Book: Finding Harmony

Authors: Alyssa Roat and Hope Bolinger

Genre: Sweet Contemporary Romance

Release date: July 5, 2022

Can two people-pleasing musicians win the grand prize, or will they be forced to give up music for good?

Newly hired worship leader Elijah Peterson can’t seem to catch a break with his church’s congregation. With conflicting demands from congregants, he struggles to find a way to make everyone happy, especially Don, a man who’s rumored to have driven out the last worship leader.

Music teacher Olivia “Liv” Wilson says yes to everything—piano lessons, church volunteering, extra shifts—all while struggling to help pay her dad’s medical bills. As jobs fall through, she’s hit with even worse news—with bills piling up, they could lose her childhood home.

When their meddling roommates force Elijah and Liv into a cooking class together, the two come up with a plan. They’ll enter an indie songwriting competition—with a cash prize that could be enough to save Liv’s house. And maybe if Elijah can win, his musical family and congregation will finally take him seriously.

But winning the competition might mean losing themselves in the process. Can they find a way to strike harmony between writing songs they love and songs the audience wants to hear?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Authors

Hope Bolinger and Alyssa Roat are the authors of nearly twenty books both independently and co-authored. They have worked in a wide variety of roles within the publishing industry as agents, editors, writers, journalists, and publicists. When not writing, Hope is a theater nerd who loves to hike, and Alyssa is a history nerd and game enthusiast. Both are proud cat moms. You can learn more about them on social media @hopekbolinger and @alyssawrote.

More from Alyssa

In college, Hope and I (Alyssa) didn’t know the word “no.” After all, our professors, advisors, and chapel speakers all told us, “Say yes to every opportunity. Volunteer for everything. If you don’t do it now, it will be too late. Your career will fail. You won’t please God. Etc. Etc.”

So we followed that advice, and we well-nigh burned ourselves out. Faced with a litany of health issues caused by overworking, we realized after college that maybe we had taken things too far. So we began to work on unlearning this mindset.

To this day, we have to call each other and ask, “Is it okay if I turn down this unpaid opportunity? If I don’t have time for this volunteer work? Will people be mad at me?”

We channeled a lot of this people-pleasing into Finding Harmony. As we recovered from overworking ourselves, our characters Elijah and Liv learned that they didn’t need to do everything. As we fell back in love with writing for the sake of the art, not for the A+, our characters discovered how to remain true to their music.

We hope you enjoy reading Finding Harmony as much as we enjoyed writing it—and we encourage you to follow God’s call on your life, regardless of expectations.

Author Interview:

Do you write full-time or part-time? How does that influence your writing?

I write part time. I have a 9-5 job working in marketing and consulting, and I also manage a speculative fiction publishing imprint in the evenings and on weekends. As you can imagine, add in releasing three books a year, and I’m a busy woman!

My co-author, Hope Bolinger, also works full-time, so we squeeze in writing sessions when we can. Usually, we divide up who is writing from the point of view of which character—for Finding Harmony, I wrote from Liv’s perspective, and Hope wrote from Elijah’s. We outlined the chapters together, and then wrote separately. When we’re writing, we usually shoot for a chapter a day.

What inspires your stories?

Our Roseville Romances series was inspired by a few things. First, as writers, we liked the idea of couples falling in love while collaborating on artistic projects—a book, a song, a play, a film.

But perhaps most importantly, as young twenty-somethings, we realized that there aren’t a whole lot of sweet Christian romance books written by people our age. We thought it would be fun to have romances full of the problems we and our friends know so well, like living with roommates, scrambling for jobs, struggling to pay rent, conflicts with parents, and trying to figure out God’s calling for your life, smashed together with the feel-good coziness of a Hallmark movie. Our characters are lovable messes—kind of like most of us, I’d imagine!

What are some new projects you’re working on?

Hope and I are wrapping up final proofreads on book three in the Roseville Romances, Curtain Call, a love story between a shy aspiring actress and a struggling director, and I have to say, I think it’s our best one yet. Soon, we’ll start on book four, Getting Reel, where our enemies-to-lovers main characters have to produce a short film together, if they can manage not to kill each other in the process.

Also keep an eye out for our YA titles, both co-authored and separately! The third in my YA fantasy trilogy is coming out next spring, and Hope has a variety of middle grade and young adult titles releasing.

How do you determine if it’s a stand-alone book or a series? 

We began this series with the intention to write one book for each of the four seasons. However, for other books, we never intended to write more than a standalone. For The Wraithwood Trilogy, I only intended to write one book for kids…but the plot and characters went crazy, and suddenly I had a YA trilogy on my hands. Something similar happened with our Dear series—we only intended to write one superhero romance, but the format turned out to be a hit, and we were asked to write more. It depends on how much of the story remains to be told, and how much publishers and readers clamor for a sequel!

If you didn’t write, what would you do?

Watch too much Netflix! Just kidding (kind of). I would probably direct my creative energies into music. I like to compose for various instruments. I would also do more crafting! Writing takes a lot of time and energy and doesn’t leave time for as many other hobbies as I would like, but it’s so worth it.

Thanks for connecting today.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to focus on seeing

“JESUS in the EVERYDAY?”

Would you like to be a part of a membership where everyday you are pointed back to God and seeing Him in your everyday life?

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I invite you to come check it out!

Don’t forget to check out the other blog spots listed below for your convenience.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 20

Spoken from the Heart, July 21 (Author Interview)

The Sacred Line, July 21

Texas Book-aholic, July 22

Inklings and notions, July 23

For Him and My Family, July 24

For the Love of Literature, July 25 (Author Interview)

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, July 25

deb’s Book Review, July 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 27

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 30

Splashes of Joy, July 31 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 1

Blogging With Carol, August 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Hope and Alyssa are giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and Picture Imperfect and Finding Harmony, in preferred format (paperback U.S. only)!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

The Extraordinary Death of Mrs. Kip is a book I had heard a lot about and wanted to read. I was not sure if I would like it or not because of the subject matter, but wow. I could not put it down. It was amazing and the way the writer wrote was absolutely beautiful. I fell in love with Mrs. Kip almost immediately. I want to be Mrs. Kip. It really got me thinking about death, heaven, and what is really important here on earth. I loved Rahmiya and Aidyn response to their friendship. I loved the Bible verse Clara gave to Aidyn and the spiritual warfare references. I loved the whole book. I think Jimmy was one of my favorite characters, but I loved the other women who worked at the hospice house also. Beautiful story and great book. Will linger with me for long after reading the last page.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Thanks for connecting today.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to focus on seeing

“JESUS in the EVERYDAY?”

Would you like to be a part of a membership where everyday you are pointed back to God and seeing Him in your everyday life?

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I invite you to check it out

Among the Innocent is a book I had heard great things about, I had never read this author before and you better believe I have a new favorite author in my list. Wow! This book hooked me from the first paragraph. I loved the storyline and it kept me reading. I didn’t want to stop. The characters were so realistic, I loved the mystery and I loved the comraderie between them all. I couldn’t figure out who the bad guy was at first; that’s the mark of a great book for me. It was amazing and I can’t wait to read what comes next from this amazing author.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Thanks for connecting today.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to focus on seeing

“JESUS in the EVERYDAY?”

Would you like to be a part of a membership where everyday you are pointed back to God and seeing Him in your everyday life?

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I invite you to come check