EmpowerMoms

Every stage actress wants fans, but what happens when one goes too far? 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shadows in the Curtain by Cami Checketts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Shadows in the Curtain” is a clean, suspenseful, mystery which kept me on the edge of my seat through out the entire book! I did not read this at night, because I had read some other reviews and did not want to get freaked out by the stalker in this book.

I thought I had the stalker and mystery figured out by the end of the book, but of course I was wrong.

Emmy experiences a horrible tragedy in her life and is left to pick up the pieces and figure out if the murderer and her stalker is the same person. She continues to workout at the gym, do piano lessons, and work at the theater so she can get some of her life back again. Every where she turns though, she runs into local fireman Josh. She feels guilty about being angry with him and being attracted to him at the same time.

But what if someone she knows, someone who is close to her, is the killer?

I have read other books by this author and I love that she writes very suspenseful, clean, thrilling books!

I received a copy of this e-book complimentary from the author in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media. All opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

This was such a cute, romantic story!

Morgan and Josh are both in their early 20s trying to get financial aid to finish up at Clarendon college. For various reasons they are both denied and share their tales of woe with each other at their shared apartment complex.

After a quick elopement at the courthouse, one thing leads to another and they find themselves caught in a web of lies and people catching onto their “marriage scheme” in order to get college financial aid.

Because the main characters in this book are young, they do some immature things that may not be relatable, but they work through the emotions and problems with each other and find themselves liking and depending on one another more.

Its interesting that both people are described by the author as good looking, yet neither of them feel that way and quickly dismiss the thought that they are attractive to the other person…must be insecurity due to the age?

I laughed several times and didn’t want to put the story down until it was done because I was so involved with all the characters. Clean, fun romantic read!

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the Book
Morgan Clark is desperate. With just her senior year to go at Clarendon College and her scholarship up in smoke, she suddenly finds she can’t qualify for financial aid. Until Morgan finishes and can work full time to pay their rent, her sister can’t even start school.

Josh Hyatt is desperate. Without his degree from Clarendon he won’t be able to join his girlfriend in their dream career which she’s already begun, and he can’t qualify for government grants thanks to his wealthy estranged father’s interference.

Morgan, meet Josh. Josh, meet Morgan. Are they desperate enough to get legally wedded?

Get wrapped up in the knots that new adults Morgan and Josh create for themselves in this marriage of convenience story with legal, ethical, and emotional consequences. You won’t be able to put down this inspirational, clean and wholesome read set on the beach of the beautiful Oregon Coast.

Legally Wedded is the third installment in bestselling romantic comedy author Jennifer Griffith’s Legally in Love series, following Attractive Nuisance and Asked & Answered.

All of the Legally in Love series are standalone stories full of romance and comedy and oodles of legal attraction.

About the Author
Jennifer Griffith is the author of nearly a dozen traditionally- and self-published books and novellas, as well as countless newspaper and magazine articles that have been published locally and as far as Meridian Magazine and The Chicago Tribune. Her novel Big in Japan was included among the “top ten books of 2012” for KSL.com, and has been optioned for film. She is a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops, including Salt Lake ComiCon. Legally Wedded is the third in the Legally in Love series, after Attractive Nuisance, and Asked and Answered. Jennifer and her husband Gary are the parents of five college-bound children, and they live in Arizona where Gary is a judge and Jennifer writes fluffy, escapist fiction meant to be read on a couch with a cup of lemonade or hot cocoa, depending on the weather.

“Lady Helen Finds Her Song” by Jennifer Moore

This story is set in the early 1800s as lady Helen and her family travel to India on a military assignment.

Lady Helen is a strong, compassionate woman who traveled with her mother and stepfather to India to experience new sites and learn new things. I loved how intuitive lady Helen is with learning the new cultures and people and how close she is to her family. She meets a couple men who seem to catch her interest, but she’s not sure if India or either man is right for her future.

I really enjoyed this clean, romantic, historical fiction book that is rich with detail and imagery! The story kept my interest and had a good, steady plot.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Covenant Communications in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the book
Spring 1813
The exotic splendors of India are legendary, and the colorful sights of her new home in Calcutta immediately captivate eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Poulter. Whereas many of her fellow British expatriates despise the culture they see as barbaric, Helen sees excitement in the unusual locale. It is in this vibrant, bustling city that she finds a kindred soul in Captain Michael Rhodes, an Englishman whose lifelong love of India runs deep. Their friendship quickly grows, yet despite their undeniable connection, she could never think of Captain Rhodes as more than a dear friend.

Her love, in truth, has been captured by dashing British Lieutenant Arthur Bancroft. This handsome soldier represents the embodiment of all she’s dreamed of in a husband. Preoccupied by her growing affections, Helen never dreams that beneath the glamor of the city, hostilities are reaching a boiling point. When battle ultimately threatens both of the men in her life, she must make a choice: pursue the man who symbolizes her British past, or let herself love a man who promises an unknown future in the land she loves. But amid the casualties of war, will her declaration of love come too late?

Biography
Jennifer Moore is a passionate reader and writer of all things romance due to the need to balance the rest of her world that includes a perpetually traveling husband and four active sons, who create heaps of laundry that is anything but romantic. Jennifer has a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Utah and is a Guitar Hero champion. She lives in northern Utah with her family, but most of the time wishes she was aboard a British frigate during the age of sail.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Back in the Saddle: A Novel (Double S Ranch) by Ruth Logan Herne

I would describe this story as an engaging, christian, western romance! It is book 1 to this new series, and since there are 3 brothers in this family, I would anticipate at least 3 books. At the end of the book there’s a sneak peek for book 2 which looks great!

I love cowboy western books and this story didn’t disappoint! The characters weren’t perfect and there was some conflict; but alot of the conflict was overcome by patience, forgiveness, and God’s grace.

I especially loved the ranch housekeeper, Angelina and how she helped the men come together for the good of the ranch and community. All the characters were delightful and the ranch sounded so warm and inviting. It was the perfect setting for a multiple story series.

I can’t wait to read more books from this new Double S Ranch series by Ruth Logan Herne.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the book:
The prodigal is coming home.

It’s been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray’s Glen, Washington. He’s broke, but not broken, and it’s time to check in with his ailing father, and get his legs back under him by climbing into the saddle again.

He doesn’t expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his chest—a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt senses there’s more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he’s determined to find out what she’s hiding . . . and why.

Colt’s return brings new challenges. Younger brother Nick has been Sam’s right-hand man at the ranch for years and isn’t thrilled at having Colt insert himself into Double S affairs. And the ranch’s contentious relationship with the citizens of Gray’s Glen asks all the Stafford men to examine their hearts about what it truly means to be a neighbor. And as Wall Street recovers, will Colt succumb to the call of the financial district’s wealth and power—or finally the courage to stay in the saddle for good?

Purchase a copy:

About the author:
Ruth Logan Herne has more than half a million books in print, including fifteen Love Inspired contemporary novels. Back in the Saddle is the first book in her new western romance series. Ruth is a founding member of Seekerville, a popular writing collective blog. A country girl who loves the big city, Ruth and her husband live on a farm in upstate New York.

Today, the first Wednesday in April, is National Walking Day!

The American Heart Association has some great tips on their website about the benefits of walking and how it can help your heart and health. www.heart.org/walking

Here are a couple great tips:

The AHA and other programs are encouraging all adults to get 30 mins of moderate to intense exercise/5 times a week = 150 minutes of fitness per week. Children should be getting 60 minutes of exercise/movement/playtime per day.

Here are some great tips to get you started with being more active. Do you already do some of these?

I love indoor walking! Especially when its too early or too cold to walk outside.
Here are a couple of my favorite ones from Leslie Sansone and Jessica Smith:

Starting on MONDAY April 11th, I will be posting 4 weeks of healthy living tips on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/EmpowerMoms.net/
to help jump start your 4 week American Heart Association Activity Challenge. I hope you will join me and find fun and creative ways to get your 30 minutes of fitness in daily!

You can download your free 4 week Activity Challenge Tracker here:
http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@fc/documents/downloadable/ucm_483299.pdf

And a free 4 week intermediate walking plan here:
http://www.yourpathtofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/four-week.pdf

Six week beginner walking plan here:
http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@fc/documents/downloadable/ucm_449261.pdf

This is my reason for living a healthier, longer life. Share yours at www.lifeiswhy.org/moms #familyiswhy