Category: Litfuse blog tour

A Letter from Lancaster County Book Review

Litfuse Book Tour

In A Letter from Lancaster County, two sisters get a second chance at life and love.

A Letter From Lancaster County

About A Letter from Lancaster County

Angela: Her mother’s untimely death, a struggling marriage, a strained relationship with her sister, Rose, and regrets over what might have been haunt her. Despite being a wife and mother, she feels she has little to show for her life

Rose: Still single, she longs for a husband and children. But Angela has all that and still isn’t happy. Rose wants to be closer to her older sister, but she and Angela couldn’t be more different. Both strong women, will their sibling rivalry ever end

When a letter arrives from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Angela and Rose decide to visit Aunt Silvia, their mother’s Mennonite sister, in the heart of Amish country. This vacation could provide the opportunity both sisters need to sort out their issues. And yet instead of finding a new way of connecting with each other, Angela and Rose discover surprising family secrets that add to their strife and threaten Rose’s romance with a new beau.

Through it all, the two sisters must find the faith necessary to face their personal problems and allow God to restore hope and healing to their hearts and relationship as only He can.

My Thoughts

In A Letter from Lancaster County, we find two sisters who are so far apart from each other that it hurts to watch their relationship at time. Both of them love each other so much but there are years of hurt, distrust, jealousy and regrets that have put up huge walls between the two of them. Their Mother’s death seems to be the icing on the cake for their relationship to spiral even further downwards.

When they receive a letter from their Aunt that they haven’t spoken to in years because of a strained relationship between their Father and their Mother’s family, they decide to visit her and the Amish town. It is here where they discover family secrets, the Mother they never truly knew and the family they were not allowed to really get to know.

We watch as the two sisters struggle not only with their past, their family but also with each other. They both have to come to terms with the unhappiness that is currently plaguing them in their life at home but also the past that is eating them up inside. A Letter from Lancaster County is a beautiful story of pain, regret, sister love, hope and faith. Even when we struggle and are in pain, we can always find a way to move forward if we have hope, faith and love in each other. It is a truly inspirational novel that you will love to read over and over again.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Kate Lloyd is a bestselling novelist whose books include “A Portrait of Marguerite” and the Legacy of Lancaster trilogy. A native of Baltimore, she enjoys spending time with friends and family in rural Pennsylvania and is a member of the Lancaster County Mennonite Historical Society. She now resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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My Daughter’s Legacy Book Review

Litfuse Book Tour

A thrilling tale of two women longing to follow God’s leading, make the most of second chances, and find true love at last.

My Daughter's Legacy Book Review

About My Daughter’s Legacy

A thrilling tale of two women longing to follow God’s leading, make the most of second chances, and find true love at last.

Virginia, 1864

Therese Jennings cannot abide the thought of owning slaves. When her widowed mother inherits a plantation, Therese flees to Civil War Richmond, where she works as a governess by day and tends to wounded soldiers at night. But when trouble befalls her family, can she reconcile her obligations with her beliefs? And will love-whether with an old beau or a handsome new suitor-ever fit in her broken world?

Virginia, Present Day

Nicole Talbot’s life is back on track after years of substance abuse. Home from college for the summer, she’s finally ready to share a shocking secret, one that raises new questions about a traumatic childhood experience. But when facts she uncovers cast doubt on her family’s legacy, she must risk all that she’s gained-her fresh start, her family’s trust, and her growing relationship with a new man-to unlock the secrets of the past.

My Thoughts

An incredible story of two women born years apart who face similar struggles and are tied together not only by family but by the mysterious disappearance of an important family artifact.

I fell in love with both of our main characters, Therese and Nicole. Therese is a young woman growing up in the South during the Civil War. She loves her home and her family but her personal values and beliefs are against everything that the South stands for. She struggles with the fact that her family owns slaves and their disregard for her feelings. We watch as throughout the novel, she grows from a quieter young woman who listens to the wishes of her Mother and her deceased Father, to a young woman who knows herself and has the confidence to walk away from her Mother and her plantation in order to stand up for her beliefs. I really liked her character the most – she was strong, independent, confident in her beliefs and courageous to stand up for them.

Nicole is a young woman who was traumatized by an incident that she viewed as young girl. It is something that hurt her so deeply, she became an addict. She had to work hard to overcome her addictions and regain the trust of her family and friends again. My heart would go out to her when she constantly faced doubt from those around her or when her past would be brought up. She had to fight hard to push past her history.

I loved how the authors intertwined the stories of the two young woman as they struggled with their own fears, breaking free of the chains that tied them down and finding hope and love again. Both young women must fight to have those who love them believe in them, trust their decisions and in the end solve a mystery that plagued both young women. My Daughter’s Legacy is a beautiful story that is well written and planned out – I would love to see a second installment for this book!

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Authors

Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of more than 20 books, both fiction and nonfiction, with over a million copies sold. Mindy and her husband, John, have two adult children and live in Pennsylvania.

Leslie Gould, a former magazine editor, is the author of numerous novels, including “Beyond the Blue” and “Garden of Dreams.” She received her master of fine arts degree from Portland State University and lives in Oregon with her husband, Peter, and their four children.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Grounded Hearts Book Review

Litfuse Book Tour

A brave midwife. A wounded pilot. A risky secret.

Grounded Hearts Book Review

About Grounded Hearts

A brave midwife. A wounded pilot. A risky secret.

In the midst of World War II, Ireland has declared herself neutral. Troops found on Irish soil must be reported and interned, no matter which side they are fighting for. When midwife Nan O’Neil finds a wounded young Canadian pilot at her door, she knows she’s taking a huge risk by letting him in. Not only is she a widow living alone, but if caught harboring a combatant, she’ll face imprisonment.

Still, something compels Nan to take in “flyboy” Dutch Whitney, an RAF pilot whose bomber has just crashed over County Clare. While she tends to his wounds and gives him a secret place of refuge, the two begin to form a mutual affection-and an unbreakable bond. But Nan has another secret, one that has racked her with guilt since her husband’s death and made her question ever loving again. As Nan and Dutch plan his escape, can he help restore her faith?

My Thoughts

I fell in love with Grounded Hearts! In this novel, we have a strong female lead who lives on her own after the death of her husband. In the midst of the war, a soldier comes to her door. Against the rules, she takes the Canadian soldier in and nurses him. She does so even when she could face huge consequences. She knows in her heart, that caring for this young man is what God would want her to do. It is under these circumstances, the pair develops a strong friendship and mutual respect.

Some of my favourite aspects of this novel is that it is based during World War II and in Ireland – we learn a lot about life in Ireland during this time. I didn’t realize they had internment camps for soldiers during the war and this was eye opening for me. I LOVED the strong female characters that are found throughout this book. We have a female physician, midwife and a mechanic – all of whom are more than capable of taking care of themselves, business and more. This was probably a lot more common then most novels give women credit for during this time period, so it was really nice to see this focus in this novel.

Nan is a very special woman who is plagued by a dark secret, one that should not even be hers to carry. My heart broke for her throughout the novel as she deserves so much more but it is her past that holds her back. It is Dutch and their friendship that helps her to understand, let go and have hope for her future. The road to this discovery is long and difficult though and you watch as they both struggle with their past and their futures.

Grounded Hearts is a beautiful story of hope, trust, letting go and faith during an extremely difficult time. We have amazing characters who never give up and inspire you the reader. I could not put this novel down – I loved every moment.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Jeanne M. Dickson was born into an Irish American family, the only girl surrounded by four brothers. She credits her mother, her aunts, and her grandmother with her love of storytelling. Perfecting her craft, she attends many writer’s conferences and over the years, she has won and finaled in numerous RWA romance writing awards including the Daphne du Maurier Award, the Maggie Award, The Molly, The Tara, and she was the overall contest winner of Launching A Star. Today she lives in Coastal San Diego with her fabulous husband, her two wonderful girls, and a dozen disobedient rose bushes.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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‘My Daughter’s Legacy’ Blog Tour, Author Chat Party, and Giveaway

Litfuse Book Tour

Meet two women in different eras but both with unfailing conviction in Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould’s new book, My Daughter’s Legacy. Therese Jennings cannot abide the thought of owning slaves. But when trouble befalls her family, can she reconcile her obligations with her beliefs? Nicole Talbot’s life is back on track after years of substance abuse. But when facts she uncovers cast doubt on her family’s legacy, she must risk all that she’s gained-her fresh start, her family’s trust, and her growing relationship with a new man-to unlock the secrets of the past.

Celebrate the release of Mindy and Leslie’s new book by entering to win the $75 Visa Cash Card Giveaway (details below) and by attending their author chat party on August 1!

One grand prize winner will receive:

  • One copy of My Daughter’s Legacy
  • One $75 Visa Cash Card

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 1. The winner will be announced at the My Daughter’s Legacy Facebook party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Mindy, Leslie, and other readers, as well as for a chance to win other prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word-tell your friends about the giveaway via social media and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 1st!

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Jeanne M. Dickson’s ‘Grounded Hearts’ Giveaway and Blog Tour

Litfuse Book Tour

What do you get when you mix World War II, a brave midwife, a wounded pilot, and a risky secret? Jeanne M. Dickson’s new historical fiction novel, Grounded Hearts. When midwife Nan O’Neil finds a wounded young Canadian pilot at her door, she knows she’s taking a huge risk by letting him in. Still, something compels Nan to take in “flyboy” Dutch Whitney, an RAF pilot whose bomber has just crashed over County Clare. While she tends to his wounds and gives him a secret place of refuge, the two begin to form a mutual affection-and an unbreakable bond.

Join Jeanne in celebrating the release of her new book by entering to win the Celtic Knots Giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on July 31. The winner will be announced August 1 on the Litfuse blog.

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