EmpowerMoms

“Love You Always” by Eileen Spinelli & Gillian Flint

My son and I read the book before bed and we both really enjoyed it! It has simple words so my son was able to read it himself and out loud to me. The pictures are soft pastel colors which made it very calming to read before bed. A sweet book about unconditional love.

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

About the Book:
A love poem to a child from all the people whose love surrounds him or her
A child is a treasured leaf on a family tree, surrounded by love from mom, dad, doting grandparents, aunts and uncles, and family friends too. This sweet, reassuring picture book from Eileen Spinelli acknowledges the whole tree — the many who are invested in a child’s life — with expressions of unconditional love from each. Heartwarming verse and charming artwork will make this book a must-buy for baby showers, birthdays, and other occasions. Ages 4-7.

Purchase your copy here:

Author Bio
Eileen Spinelli spent Saturdays at the public library as a child, and it was there that she decided to become a writer. She’s authored more than fifty children’s books, including Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch; The Best Story; and Two to Cuddle. Eileen lives in Media, Pennsylvania. When she and her husband, Jerry, who’s also an author, are not writing, they are hanging out with their grandkids (30 and counting), playing Scrabble, reading, watching old movies, and raising Monarch butterflies.

Illustrator Bio
Gillian Flint has had a passion for drawing and creating characters for as long as she can remember, so a career in illustration was a natural path for her to take. Her work has been published in the UK, USA, and Australia for clients such as Highlights, Five Mile Press, OUP, and Little Bee Books (book forthcoming). She enjoys using watercolors, crayons, ink, and digital illustration to create a variety of artistic styles. In her spare time, Gillian enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and pottering about in the garden on sunny days.

“The Pretender: A Blackguard in Disguise” byTa`Mara Hanscom
Book 1 of 5 in the Caselli Family Series

I really wanted to like this book because the description sounded good. However, I struggled through most of it because there were so many characters mentioned and the story line kept jumping back and forth between people. Half the time I didn’t know what was going on. I also felt like the story was way too long even though the book was divided up into 2 parts- Noah and Ty’s story (356 pages). I am interested to know how Noah and Tillie’s romance will progress, but unfortunately not enough to read the other books. This is book 1 of 5 in the Caselli Family series. There was a lot of potential for this series because of all the family members and setting, but I felt there was way too much going on for a reader to keep track of it all.

I would consider this a Christian romance book along with some drama and intrigue.

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

About the Book:
Set in South Dakota in 1975, where eighteen-year-olds could order 3.2 beer in a bar, and loaded guns were kept under the counter.
Frankie Valli sang “My Eyes Adored You,” and American soldiers returning from Vietnam struggled with their new reality.
It’s within this tumultuous season of American history that Tillie Caselli meets Noah Hansen, and they are never the same again. Their lives were mysteriously intertwined-and had been for many years-yet they had no idea. 
From the moment they met, Tillie and Noah wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but a deliberate omission will keep them apart—and that same omission will be responsible for the escape of a murderer, and a bride’s deception.

Purchase your copy here:

About the Author:
Born and raised in South Dakota, Ta`Mara loves to write about the Great Plains and the beauty and people of Italia. While her husband and children manage their two pizza ristoranti, Ta`Mara works full time on The Caselli Family Series, and ministers to women. It is Ta`Mara s prayer that as the readers explore the truths in these volumes, they will come away with a new perspective on love, forgiveness, obedience, and God’s plan for marriage
Find out more about Ta’Mara at https://www.tamarahanscombooks.com.

Despite just meeting each other, Tillie and Noah’s lives have been mysteriously intertwined for many years in Ta’Mara Hanscom’s The Pretender. From the moment they met, Tillie and Noah wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but a deliberate omission will keep them apart-and that same omission will be responsible for the escape of a murderer, and a bride’s deception.

Join Ta’Mara in celebrating the release of the second printing and new covers by entering to win her $75 prize basket giveaway!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of The Pretender
• A $75 Amazon gift card
• A decorative box containing measuring cups, ten recipes from the book, a potholder, a kitchen towel, pepper and salt grinders, kitchen utensils, and an olive oil dispenser

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on October 11. The winner will be announced October 12 on the Litfuse blog.

“For Love or Honor” by Sarah M. Eden

This story was very well written and I loved the main character Marjie! She was so kind and compassionate and caring towards others-even when her family members were unkind to her. She was a great example of unconditional love and kindness.

Stanley is severely wounded in the war but doesn’t want to tell his family and friends how bad he is so he tries to keep them and Marjie away from him. Through out the book he allows himself to open up his heart to those around him so he can start to heal. He is conflicted about whether he should return to duty since it is the honorable thing to do, or to stay home to be with his family and allow himself time to heal.

I enjoyed reading about the time period and getting to know the characters and their relationships and hardships. I have read other books by this author and enjoyed this one as well!

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

About the Book:
From the moment they met, Marjie’s heart has belonged to handsome Captain Stanley Jonquil, younger brother of the Earl of Lampton. But six long months ago, when Stanley’s sense of honor required that he do as he had sworn and return to the Continent to fight in defense of King and country, neither Stanley nor Marjie could have dreamed what the cost of his service would be.
It has been ages since Stanley last wrote, and Marjie and the Jonquil family are plagued by his unknown fate—until the day he unexpectedly reappears. Marjie’s joy, however, is quickly shadowed by confusion—the aloof, battle-worn soldier before her is not the man he once was. In the wake of Stanley’s blatant disinterest in renewing their acquaintance, Marjie’s devastation turns to determination as she vows to help him find peace. But his scars run far deeper than anyone realizes. Despite his feelings for her, Stanley believes Marjie deserves a man whose hands are not stained with the violence of battlefields and whose mind and heart are not haunted by the horrors he has seen.
Honor requires Stanley to return once more to the life he has grown to despise, one he knows will destroy him in the end, even as his heart beckons him to stay with Marjie, the only woman he could ever love, and the promise, at last, of redemption.

Purchase your copy here:

Biography
Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today bestselling author of multiple historical romances, including AML’s “2013 Novel of the Year” and Foreword Review’s 2013 “IndieFab Book of the Year” gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, and the Whitney Award’s “2014 Novel of the Year,” Longing for Home: Hope Springs. Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski.

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