EmpowerMoms

“The Christmas Swap” by Melody Carlson

This short story grabbed my attention from the very first chapter with the interesting and complicated characters-Emma, the Landers Family, and finally Tyler. I liked the idea of the house swap although I would never want to do that personally. I loved reading the imagery of Colorado, the snow, mountains and skiing. The author did a great job and I felt like I was right there along side them.

I especially liked Emma’s helpful and positive character. The Landers family, especially the mom and Gillian (who was supposedly Emma’s good friend) were simply awful and toxic. I do not understand why such a positive, good hearted person like Emma would want to have a friend like Gillian. I felt like the selfishness and manipulative behavior took away from the whole Christmas, fun feel of the book.

Clean romance, fun fiction Christmas story about failed expectations, hope, love and the holiday spirit. Overall, I enjoyed reading this quick holiday story.

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

About the Book:
All Emma Daley wants this holiday season is a white Christmas. But the young teacher and struggling musician sure can’t find that in sunny Arizona. Luckily, there’s someone living in a perfect mountain home in the Colorado Rockies looking to make a vacation trade this year.

Tyler Prescott is an in-demand songwriter and talented musician who put his own singing career on hold to write songs for celebrity acts to perform. When his mother convinces him to do a vacation trade for Christmas, he never imagined one of the houseguests would be so sweet–or so strikingly pretty. Naturally, he decides to stick around, and, to get better acquainted, he poses as the house’s caretaker. But when Emma’s friend Gillian discovers his true identity and sets her sights on him, things
get . . . messy.

Fan favorite Melody Carlson is back with another delightful Christmas tale to warm your heart on those cold winter evenings.

Purchase a copy of the book here:

Biography
Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including Romantic Time’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/

“Until I Met You” by Tari Faris

I really enjoyed reading this sweet, easy to read Christian fiction book! Clean romance, great characters in a small town of Michigan where Otis the mysterious moving hippo lives.

This story mostly focuses on Austin, his brother Pastor Nate, Libby, and her roommate Olivia. Other characters including the father and characters from the town and book 1 are mentioned throughout, although it’s not necessary to read the books in order. I loved the characters, especially Libby and Olivia; although Austin frustrated me the most with his lack of forgiveness and grace towards others-especially his wayward brother. But that’s real life and sometimes we have a hard time giving others second and third chances even though we know we should. I liked and could relate to Libby and her passion for books and building a town Library. All four main characters had different strengths and it was fun to read how they all helped each other with various things as the book progressed.

Lots of laughs along with the theme of love, forgiveness, bravery, and faith sprinkled throughout the story line. Highly recommend-I really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down!

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

About the Book:
When she hears that the small town of Heritage, Michigan, is looking for a new librarian, Libby Kingsley jumps at the opportunity. Little did she know the library is barely more than a storage closet stuffed with dusty, outdated books. What the community really needs is a new building. But the only funds available are those being channeled into the new town square, and the landscape architect in charge of the project wants nothing to do with her plans.

All Austin Williams wants to do is get the town square project finished so he can do right by the family business and then extricate himself from the town that reveres the brother who cost him so much. But the local media and the town’s new librarian seem to be conspiring against him at every turn. Will the determined bookworm find her way into his blueprints–and possibly even his heart?

Novelist Tari Faris invites you back to the small town with a big heart in this second book in the Restoring Heritage series.

Purchase your copy here:

About the Author
Tari Faris is the author of You Belong with Me. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers and My Book Therapy, she is the projects manager for My Book Therapy, writes for learnhowtowriteanovel.com, and is a 2017 Genesis Award winner. She has an MDiv from Asbury Theological Seminary and lives in the Phoenix, Arizona, area with her husband and their three children. Although she lives in the Southwest now, she lived in a small town in Michigan for 25 years.

“The Doctor and the Midwife” by Sarah Alva

This story was hilarious and I enjoyed reading it cover to cover.

I loved getting to know Dr. Audrey and Dr. Ammon as their jobs kept intertwining at the hospital and with clients. I could relate and understand both Doctors points of view in regards to medical care and quality of care. They were both passionate about hiking and patient care and had alot in common, even though they clashed and irritated each other constantly. It was a shame they had to be friends online first instead of giving each other a second chance to really get to know the other. Definitely a good example in real life-that we need to stop and get to know others and not just form a firm opinion after one encounter or experience.

Clean Christian romance with lots of laughs and groans of frustrations-highly recommend this quick, easy reading! I loved it!

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

About the Book:
As a midwife running her own home-birth practice, Audrey Novak deals with pressure like a superhuman. Until, that is, she meets her handsome and arrogant neighbor, Dr. Ammon Parker. Ammon, who believes only in modern medicine, is just as unprepared for the infuriating—and inconveniently beautiful—midwife. When the two are repeatedly called to the same labor and delivery unit, their clashing ideals and fiercely independent personalities threaten to derail both their professional goals and their pride.
Outside of work, Audrey is a passionate rock climber, tantalized by a secret route she’s heard about in an online forum. Her hunt for the climb’s location leads her to the intriguing BelayingOnOfHands, a man who claims to have set the route. Soon their anonymous virtual flirtation and witty exchanges deepen into a true connection. But when Audrey discovers the man from online is actually Ammon, she’s blindsided. It seems they have more in common than she could have imagined, but will their differences keep them from making the climb to true love together?

Purchase your book copy here:

Biography
Sarah Alva lives in Salt Lake City but calls Arizona home. She graduated from the University of Arizona with degrees in creative writing and political science. In college, she once told a creative writing class she wanted to grow up and be a stay-in-bed mom. She is almost living that dream as a mom to two little boys who don’t like naps or sleeping in as much as she does. When Sarah’s not busy doing mom or wife things, she enjoys reading romance novels in excess, shopping online, and listening to National Public Radio. You can find her on social media at facebook.com/sarah.alva, @writerlysarah, or at sarahalva.com.

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THE AMISH NEWCOMER by Patrice Lewis (Love Inspired)

This was my first book by this author but I love “Love Inspired” books and the book description sounded great, so I decided to give it a try. I really enjoyed it!!

Leah goes into witness protection in an Amish community in Ohio and learns alot about faith, family, community and love. While she is there it gives her a chance to reflect on her own life and what she wants. I really enjoyed reading more into the Amish community and faith-how they do things on a daily basis, how they help each other, their chores, the Amish way of living versus English.

Easy to read, clean romance, Amish fiction book. Highly recommend!

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

About THE AMISH NEWCOMER:
Can a modern city girl ever become one of the Plain People?

She needed a safe place to hide. Instead, she found a place to call home.

Television journalist Leah Porte never imagined her career would end with her witnessing a murder. Now she’s temporarily living among the Amish in witness protection. Instead of feeling alone and adrift, Leah is warmly welcomed by the close-knit community—and Amish bachelor Isaac Sommer. But caught between two very different worlds, choosing love would mean leaving her big city life behind forever.

PURCHASE YOUR COPY HERE:
https://amzn.to/32fFsej

About PATRICE LEWIS:
Living on a remote self-sufficient homestead in North Idaho, Patrice Lewis is a Christian wife, mother, author, blogger, columnist and speaker. She has practiced and written about rural subjects for almost thirty years. When she isn’t writing, Patrice enjoys self-sufficiency projects, such as animal husbandry, small-scale dairy production, gardening, food preservation and canning, and homeschooling. She and her husband have been married since 1990 and have two daughters.

Excerpt, THE AMISH NEWCOMER by Patrice Lewis
***
So,” he added as he released her hand and fell into step beside her, “you said you were from Los Angeles?”
“Yes.”
“Big city. Why are you here in Pikeville?”
Leah froze inside. It was the one question she didn’t want to be asked, but at least she had a predetermined story she could tell, one that mingled with just enough truth to be plausible. “I was in a car accident.” She touched her cheek. “It messed me up pretty badly. I used to work as a television journalist, but you can’t be in television with a face like this. I—I needed to get away. I have friends who know the Bylers, and they invited me to stay with them until I heal up.”
Unlike some other men she’d encountered, Isaac didn’t seem to be put off by the scar in the slightest. “And then what? What happens after your face heals?”
“I don’t know.” Her shoulders slumped, and for a moment she allowed despair, which was never very far away, to claim her. “I don’t know. I suppose I’ll have to change my career, and it’s something I’m reluctant to do. I loved being a TV journalist.”
“Why are you dressed in Amish clothes? It seems unusual for a visitor.”
That was a question she hadn’t anticipated. “Uh… uh…since I’m here for so long, I wanted to fit in. I speak a little German, and Edith thought it best if I didn’t stand out. But I’m hoping everyone can forgive me for any blunders I make.”
“Oh, they will.” He fell silent as she padded along, her bare feet still tender. “Will you be attending the hot dog roast at the Millers’ tonight?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure it’s polite to show up without an invitation.”
“The Millers won’t mind. They’ll have a large crowd of youngies anyway, so one extra person won’t matter.”
“What’s a hot dog roast?”
“Just as it sounds. They have a long pit where they build a fire, so everyone has a chance to stand by the flames and cook their hot dogs.”
“But what do they do, besides eat hot dogs?”
“Talk. Sing. Play games. And sometimes flirt.” He grinned at her.
Leah caught her breath. If she didn’t know any better, she might have thought Isaac was flirting with her. If so, it was subtle almost to the point of imperceptible. And there was no possible way she could flirt back, not with a man bound within the rules of a faith she didn’t share.
She looked away. “I’m much older than Sarah or Rachel. Is this a gathering just for young people?”
“How old are you?” he blurted, then made a gesture as if to snatch the words back. “Sorry, I hope that wasn’t rude.”
His expression was so comical she laughed. “It’s no secret. I’m twenty-eight.”
“Ain’t so? Me too.”
“And you’re not married? That seems unusual, from what I know of the Amish.”
“I had—” He hesitated. “I spent some time away. Many years, in fact. Now I’m back and I intend to stay, but many of the women in the community aren’t encour-aging when it comes to risking their future with me. I have too much Englisch in me, they say.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle. “I assume Englisch is the catchall phrase for anyone who isn’t Amish.”
“Ja. It’s not meant as a pejorative, just a distinguisher for anyone who isn’t Amish.”

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for A Love Redeemed by Lisa Jordan, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Love Redeemed
Author: Lisa Jordan
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: August 25, 2020
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance

Just-for-now could become forever…

They agreed to help each other out.
No one mentioned falling in love.

Back home after losing her job, Isabella Bradley plans to stay only long enough to save her father’s diner, but she can’t do it alone. Her childhood friend Tucker Holland has the perfect solution—he will renovate the diner if she’ll be a nanny for his twins. But as Isabella and Tucker reconnect, their arrangement begins to feel a lot less temporary…

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heart, home and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories with those elements come naturally. She is an award-winning author for Love Inspired, writing novels that promise hope & happily ever after. Happily married for nearly thirty years, she and her husband have two grown sons. When she isn’t writing, Lisa enjoys family time, good books, crafting with friends and kayaking. Visit her at www.lisajordanbooks.com.

CONNECT WITH LISA: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

MY REVIEW

I really enjoyed reading this sweet romance by this new to me author! It was easy to read, with fun characters and an interesting story line.

I liked Isabella’s (Bella) character and her love for family, especially her dad and their love for cooking. I liked reading about Tucker’s twins and how they interacted with Bella as their new babysitter. Tucker and Bella’s friendship help them thru their emotional struggles as they try to maneuver life, grief and faith.

This is a clean, romantic story that I really enjoyed and recommend for a light afternoon of reading.

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

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a S’more Picnic Fun prize package including a canvas picnic tote with a wicker bottom along with s’more fixings and a copy of A Love Redeemed!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight September 1, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on September 8, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.