MY REVIEW:
Jett and Cassie went to high school together and several years later meet on an online dating website. Cassie has her dates and escape plan down to a science-thanks to her friend Bree but eventually gives Jett a chance.

Suddenly Jett and his roommate Sunny find themselves trying to take care of his sisters 3 kids-2 three year old twins and young baby. Thank goodness their neighbor Sarah also helps with the kids while Jett continues to work his job as a firefighter and is thrown into the life of diapers, tantrums, and messes.

Cassie works with teenage girls at The Haven needing assistance and suddenly finds herself with custody of teenager Star and her two younger sisters. Cassie quickly realizes that working with teenagers is completely different from raising teenagers.

Some of the details of both sets of kids were so horrifying and brought me to tears-the neglect, abuse, drugs, starvation, development delays… both Jett and Cassie work hard in their separate situations to give the kids a temporary home all the while trying to date each other but not share the news about their “kids”.

I’m not sure why it took them so long to share personal details because I think they could have helped each other out more. I guess because it was a new relationship and they didn’t want to scare each other off with the news of-by the way I have custody of 3 kids now?!! It was funny how they tried explaining off the noises, dirty clothes and calls to the firehouse as neither of them wanted to tell the other about their living situation.

All the day to day drama with both of them made me laugh and cry. This author did such a great job with the struggles and horrors of foster care, trying to be a single parent, and trying to just get thru the day-loving and hating every minute of it-being exhausted but grateful at the end of the day. As a parent, I could relate to so many of the struggles, laughs and tears. I loved reading this book!

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

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On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Santa Cam
(A MyHeartChanel Romance)
By Maria Hoagland
Sweet Contemporary Romance
Hardcover & ebook, 206 Pages
October 28th 2019 by Red Leaves Press

♥♥ The one behind the camera could be his best match yet. ♥♥

All professional soccer player Camden Sharpe wants for Christmas is to get home to Cobble Creek, Wyoming, for snow and family time. But when a brawl video surfaces online, Cam is forced to stay in Texas to clean up the public relations mess if he ever wants to get off the fans’ Naughty List. His manager-imposed community service lands Camden in a Santa suit surrounded by little kids with long lists of demands, but his attention is on his pretty elf assistant. He’s sure he’s seen her somewhere before, and he’s not convinced it was all that good.

Talia Thomas hopes Santa doesn’t recognize her. A lot of things in her life have changed since they butted heads a while back—including the trajectory of her career—and he has no idea he was the one who changed everything. Once a network reporter, Talia now runs MyHeartChannel Talia’s Truth Cam, but views are falling, advertisers are disappearing, and Talia’s excitement for her stories has frozen over. She’s tired of depressing news and shattered hearts, but it’s her job to tell the truth.

As Talia and Cam set out on a mission to convince the other the see the good in the world around them, they soon discover that only looking for the good sometimes means missing the truth that was right in front of them. Can Camden and Talia ever trust each other enough to move on from the mistakes of their past?

♥ If you love Hallmark channel Christmas movies, this full-length sweet romance novel will brighten your day any time of year! Always clean and wholesome, Maria Hoagland’s books can be read as standalone, but often have character cameos from other books. Don’t miss any of her uplifting collections of hears, homes, and happily ever afters! ♥♥

(Affiliate links included.)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Excerpt

Pulling back the curtain, he watched thick flakes swirl through the light of the streetlamp in front of his house. At least a couple of inches had accumulated—not bad for a place where he hadn’t expected to ever see snow. He itched to go out in it, but it wouldn’t be fun alone.

He found the number in his contacts and called, hoping Talia had her phone on do not disturb if it was too late for him to be calling. She answered on the second ring.

“Are you afraid of the little storm, Cam?” she crooned before he could say hello.

Point for her. Her spunkiness was exactly why he liked spending time with her. “Do you have an early morning?”

“No . . .” She drew it out, slowly enunciating the word. “Why?” she followed up quickly.

He ignored her question. “How adventurous are you feeling?”

“Why?” This time she asked with more suspicion. While she didn’t exactly answer, at least this time she sounded a little more eager.

“Put on your snow boots and parka. I’m coming over.” He was going to make an order, but decided he ought not to leave it there. “Okay?”

“But it’s snowing . . .”

The unspoken sentiment was that she was worried about him driving and getting in an accident. He’d grown up driving in this kind of weather. “That’s the whole point. And why I suggested boots and a coat.” If that was her only objection, he wasn’t going to let that keep him from coming. “I’ll see you in a few.”

Getting out the door took more work than he’d planned. First, Cam had to dig through a few boxes to locate the appropriate winter attire. While looking, he ran back and forth to the stove, throwing together a thermos-ful of his mom’s hot chocolate. As long as he didn’t scald it while scrounging for matching gloves, it would be a nice addition to the evening he had planned.

Dressed in normal winter clothes but with a Santa cap on his head, Cam knocked on Talia’s door just before midnight. She opened to him, pulling on her knit cap and stepping outside.

She rushed to the balcony railing and put gloved hands in the puff of accumulated precipitation to look over it. “It’s so beauti—”

He didn’t let her finish her statement before he blasted her in the back with a snowball he’d had behind his back. It exploded like a bombshell, the white of the snow stark against her black coat, and she laughed, scooping snow from the railing for a retaliatory snowball. She wound up and let loose, and the ball hit him square in the chest, tiny ice shards ricocheting onto his face.

“I was going to thank you for driving over here in this.” Her tone teasingly insinuated she no longer felt that way. She scooted farther down the landing, capturing more snow but never taking her eyes off Camden. “But I know why you came now.”

“Is that right?” He tossed a handful of snow in her general direction, but it didn’t go higher than their waists and then floated like pixie dust onto her boots.

They sparred down three flights of stairs, and only once did he need to reach out to keep her from slipping down several steps. They made their way across the first-floor walkway, tossing half-formed snowballs at each other and trying to keep quiet so they wouldn’t wake anyone in the apartments. When they made it into the open lawn, however, she slammed him with a good one at the base of his neck, and snow fell down the back of his coat.

“Just for that . . .” He lunged at her, grabbing her around the waist and swinging her around. If there’d been more than the inch or two, he would have dragged her to the ground, but as it was, everywhere they scraped snow away left soggy mud.

She strained against him for half a second, but when he loosened his grasp, she grabbed him around the arms, pinning them to his sides, and jostled him back and forth as he had her. Her mischievous smile was inches from his, and without thinking, he leaned forward until her lips were under his.

He hadn’t actually planned this, had not come with this intent in mind, but there she was, laughing and happy and oh so beautiful in the moonlight.

About the Author

Maria Hoagland writes about hearts, homes, and happily ever afters. Known for her fun and flirty sweet romance and women’s fiction, Maria’s novels make great book club choices. She’s published over a dozen books including two Whitney Award finalists, and has no plans to stop writing any time soon. She is a member of the Storymakers Guild and Indie Author Hub, and is currently serving as the Chair for the Storymakers board of directors.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Tour Schedule
(Posts go live on the day they’re scheduled.)

December 11th: Launch
December 12th: Julie Coulter Bellon – Truth or Dare
December 13th: Delaney Cameron – The Gift of Love
December 14th: Raneé S. Clark – Roxy’s Song
December 15th: Stephanie Fowers – Robin and Marian
December 16th: Aspen Hadley – Blind Dates, Bridesmaids & Other Disasters
December 17th: Maria Hoagland – Santa Cam
December 18th: Rachel John – The Christmas Bachelor Auction
December 19th: Sally Johnson – Dear Mr. Darcy
December 20th: D.E. Malone – Hearts in Hendricks
December 21st: Melissa McClone – Mountain Rescue Romance Series
December 22nd: Brooke St. James – The Suite Life
December 23rd: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card
Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)
Ends December 28, 2019

ENTER HERE

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I really enjoyed this clean romance ranch story set in Pine Valley, Georgia.

Shortly after their secret marriage, young adult Dan takes off to another state leaving Bailey behind in their small hometown of GA. After years of insecurities and questions left unanswered, Dan comes home to visit with Bailey and finds himself drawn to her and his family he left behind. Of course the small town does not welcome him with open arms because of the young man Dan use to be.

I loved the main characters Dan and Bailey and their very real emotions and hard questions about the present and future they both needed to figure out. It was heartbreaking at times but I liked how their worked thru their issues, especially relying on friends advice and God’s direction and faith. I absolutely loved reading about the daily struggles and joys of parenthood that Dan suddenly finds himself thrown into.

Abel and Emily are mentioned in this book, who are from the story “A Family for the Farmer” published in 2016.

I really enjoyed reading this feel good, ranch drama, love inspired romance story! Highly recommend!

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for A Rancher to Trust by Laurel Blount, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Rancher to Trust
Author: Laurel Blount
Publisher: Love Inspired
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 17, 2019

Searching for forgiveness…and a future.
Suddenly a husband…and a father?
This bachelor is ready to claim his instant family.

After learning his ex-wife isn’t so ex after all, rebel turned rancher Dan Whitlock is determined to prove he’s a changed man…but Bailey Quinn is just as set on finally ending their marriage. When tragedy makes Dan the guardian of little orphaned twins, he and Bailey are drawn back together. But can she forgive the past and open her heart to the family she’s always wanted?

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Christianbook

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laurel Blount lives on a small farm in middle Georgia with her husband, their four children, and an assortment of very spoiled animals. She divides her time between farm chores, homeschooling, and writing. She’s busy, but she’s never bored!

Laurel writes inspirational contemporary romance, and A Rancher to Trust is her fourth title for Harlequin’s Love Inspired. She’s the recipient of the Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award for Excellence and has been a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Carol Award, the Holt Medallion, and the New England Reader’s Choice Award. She’s represented by Jessica Alvarez of Bookends Literary Agency.

Whenever she’s not working, you can find Laurel with a cup of tea at her elbow, a cat in her lap, and a good book in her hand.

CONNECT WITH LAUREL: Website | Facebook | Twitter

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive A Rancher to Trust “Merry Christmas from Georgia!” Prize Pack that includes: Paperback copy of A Rancher to Trust, signed by author, Georgia necklace, Swint’s Deep Fried Pecans, Southern Pecan Coffee, Dickey’s Peach Jam, and Turkey Creek Hot Sauce!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight December 16, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on December 23, 2019. US only. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

 

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

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

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MY REVIEW:

I was familiar with 2 of these authors and I love the concept of 4 short Amish holiday stories so I was looking forward to reading this book.

Not only were they short, sweet and easy to read-they all involved bakeries which made the element of the holidays with baking even more fun to read. All four stories were different but all involved love, family and finding understanding.

Clean romances, great characters-read one or read all four; they will definitely get you in the holiday spirit!

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

 

About the Book

Book:  An Amish Christmas Bakery

Author: Various Authors

Genre: Amish Fiction, Romance

Release Date: October 2, 2019

From bestselling authors in the Amish genre come four delicious novellas perfect for celebrating love, joy, and the holiday season.

Cookies and Cheer by Amy Clipston
As Christmas draws near, Alyssa Byler dreams of a window display for the bakery where she works. When she decides to design and build a sugar cookie nativity scene, all she needs is the right cookie cutters-and handsome blacksmith Kyle Smoker is the one she asks for help. Using Kyle’s handmade cutters, Alyssa creates a striking display that brings more tourists to the bakery than she can handle.
And when shoppers request handmade cookie cutters of their own, Kyle finds himself overwhelmed by the demand. As Christmas approaches, Alyssa realizes she’s been too caught up in work to focus on the true meaning of Christmas-and too distracted to explore the feelings she has for Kyle. Together, they put aside the holiday rush and spend their time celebrating the season that has brought them together.

Loaves of Love by Beth Wiseman
As the only girl in a family of eight, Katie Swartzentruber has been left in charge of her family’s bakery while her mother recuperates from surgery. At first, Katie doesn’t think tending to the bakery alone will be difficult. She’s worked alongside her mother for years. But Christmas is coming, and with the holiday comes a flood of patrons, both regulars and tourists. When Katie becomes overwhelmed with the orders she is receiving, she is tempted to move her Old Order family into the modern world by purchasing propane ovens to help with the workload. She finds help from an unexpected source-childhood friend Henry Hershberger, who has harbored a secret crush on Katie for years. He’s been afraid to tell her how he feels, but he’s sure that this Christmas is his moment. As the demands of the bakery only get more intense, both Katie and Henry have to decide what really matters . . . and find the courage within themselves to go after it.

Melting Hearts by Kathleen Fuller
Mattie Shetler is an expert baker, so when her aunt Carolyn begs for help during the busy Christmas rush, Mattie eagerly packs her bags and heads to Birch Creek. What she doesn’t know is that her uncle has also asked for help with the bakery’s new expansion, and he’s asked none other than Peter Kaufman, Mattie’s sworn enemy. As the two work side by side, though, Mattie discovers not all is as it seems. With Christmas just around the corner, Mattie and Peter open their hearts for the greatest gifts of the season: forgiveness and maybe even love.

Cakes and Kisses by Kelly Irvin
Martha Ropp works hard at her family’s bakery, making cakes and pies in preparation not only for Christmas but the many community weddings, including her sister’s. To help during this busy season, Martha’s mother hires Ambrose Hershberger to make deliveries. Martha remembers Ambrose as a gentle giant from her school days, but soon discovers that still waters run deep. The more they work together, the more they want to spend time together outside of the bakery, but both Martha and Ambrose are too timid to make the first move. That’s when the town matchmakers step in.

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

Read an Excerpt

Read an excerpt of An Amish Christmas Bakery here.

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, December 7

The Avid Reader, December 7

Chas Ray’ Book Nerd Corner, December 7

Inklings and notions, December 8

Books, Life, and Christ, December 8

preciousbitsandmusings, December 8

Quiet Quilter, December 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 9

Life as Lanhams, December 10

Britt Reads Fiction, December 10

D’S QUILTS &BOOKS, December 10

Emily Yager, December 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 11

Texas Book-aholic, December 11

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 12

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 12

Older & Smarter?, December 13

Miss Tinas Amish Book Review, December 13

janicesbookreviews, December 13

Bigreadersite, December 14

Batya’s Bits, December 14

For Him and My Family, December 14

Splashes of Joy, December 15

Lighthouse Academy, December 15

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 15

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, December 16

Nighttime Reading Center, December 16

EmpowerMoms, December 16

My Devotional Thoughts, December 17

Blossoms and Blessings, December 17

Hallie Reads, December 18

Inspiration Clothesline, December 18

Mary Hake, December 18

Southern Gal Loves to Read, December 19

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, December 19

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 19

A Reader’s Brain, December 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 20

*No Giveaway for this Celebration Tour

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On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Blind Dates, Bridesmaids & Other Disasters
By Aspen Hadley
Sweet Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Hardcover & ebook, 272 Pages
July 9th 2019 by Sweetwater Books

On the surface, Rachel Stevens’s life looks perfect.

One great job, two awesome roommates, and a supportive family. But when her roommate Hannah announces her engagement, Rachel sees eternal singleness and innumerable cats in her future. When the bride-to-be issues a challenge–go on six blind dates and before the “I do’s” –Rachel isn’t convinced her imagined future is that bad in comparison. The dates are predictably horrible and the situation further complicated by the return of James, Rachel’s first, long-lost love. James says he is over her . . . but is Rachel over him?

(Affiliate links included.)
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | DeseretBook

Excerpt

As the starting time (for the 10k race) arrived, (my blind date) Mitch announced that he wanted to be at the front of the crowd. I followed him with heavy feet. How was I supposed to look all athletic and charming while moving my body in a way it wasn’t familiar with? Not to mention my lungs. My poor lungs were about to have the fight of their life.

I was saved having to overthink it by the sound of a gunshot. My first thought was to duck, but others around me took off running, and I managed to keep from embarrassing myself thanks to my instinctual herd mentality. When everyone around you is running, you run.

Mitch was kind enough to let me set the pace. It was a mistake on his part, but it was kind. After a minute or two during which I applauded myself for pulling off a steady jog, Mitch finally spoke up.

“All warmed up?” he asked.

Oh heavenly days. He thought I was just getting started when in reality I was at my peak performance. Still, I nodded. My mom always warned me that pride cometh before the fall.

“Great, let’s go.”

Mitch poured on the juice and moved ahead of me on the road as he zigged and zagged between other runners. I pushed myself harder and managed to make a respectable showing while dodging people. When I caught up to him, he started asking me more questions.

“Where did you go to college? How did you meet your roommates? What’s your favorite kind of food? Favorite vacation spot?” He fired questions faster than I could answer them.

I was trying desperately to respond, to appear fit as a fiddle, to be charming and lovely. In the end, it wasn’t meant to be. I don’t know if a rock caught my toe or if my foot gave out, but one moment I was cheerfully telling him I loved Mexican food and the next I was eating asphalt.

I heard Mitch make a sound as he looked back and saw me on my stomach. I was trying to catch my breath as he hurried back to my side and rolled me onto my back. A stinging sensation on my chin told me I’d hit it too. I hoped it wasn’t scraped too badly. I reached up trembling fingers to test it. They came away with some blood and gravel. I winced and put my fingers back on my wound.

“Did you get the wind knocked out of you?” Mitch asked. It was a perfect excuse for my heavy breathing, so I nodded and let him think that. “Are you hurt anywhere? Can you move your legs? Did you hit your head or just your chin?” he asked. What was with him and a zillion questions all the time? This time I shook my head.

“Rachel?” Suddenly James’s face came into view above Mitch’s shoulder.

I let my eyes slide closed, my fingers still covering my chin, as I felt a lump rise in my throat at the sight of him. Kind of like how you’re always okay with getting hurt until your Mom shows up, and then you’re a sobbing mess.

About the Author

Aspen Hadley loves nothing more than a great story. She has devoted herself to story-telling for the majority of her life, writing her first novel at her kitchen table in the 8th grade. Aspen writes what she wants to read: clean, sassy, romantic comedy novels that give you a break from real life and leave you feeling happy.

Outside of writing, Aspen’s number one hobby is reading. Number two is sneaking chocolate into and out of her private stash without being caught. Other favorite things include: playing the piano, listening to classic rock, telling jokes around the dinner table, eating ice cream, traveling, a good case of the giggles, and riding on ATVs over the mountains and deserts of Utah.

Aspen shares her life with a patient husband, 4 hilarious children, and 1 grumpy dog in a quiet suburb in the foothills of her beloved mountains.

Given the choice she would road trip her life away, singing along to the radio and sleeping in every morning.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Tour Schedule
(Posts go live on the day they’re scheduled.)

December 11th: Launch
December 12th: Julie Coulter Bellon – Truth or Dare
December 13th: Delaney Cameron – The Gift of Love
December 14th: Raneé S. Clark – Roxy’s Song
December 15th: Stephanie Fowers – Robin and Marian
December 16th: Aspen Hadley – Blind Dates, Bridesmaids & Other Disasters
December 17th: Maria Hoagland – Santa Cam
December 18th: Rachel John – The Christmas Bachelor Auction
December 19th: Sally Johnson – Dear Mr. Darcy
December 20th: D.E. Malone – Hearts in Hendricks
December 21st: Melissa McClone – Mountain Rescue Romance Series
December 22nd: Brooke St. James – The Suite Life
December 23rd: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card
Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)
Ends December 28, 2019

ENTER HERE

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