August 20, 2015
My Highland Bride by Maeve Greyson
In My Highland Bride, young Kenna travels through time to meet the womanizing Colum Garrison. Can they move past their judgements of each other to realize true love?
About My Highland Bride
Kenna Sinclair seems like a normal young woman from Kentucky but the truth is she can read minds, erase memories and jump through time. These skills come in handy when her match making Granny sends her back in time in the hopes of falling in love.
When she meets the womanizing man at arms, Colum Garrison, Kenna knows he only has one thing on his mind and vows to steer clear of him. But after one electrifying touch she knows that it will be much harder than she anticipated.
Colum is bewitched by the first woman who would refuse him and he would do anything to prove his devotion – even ask for Kenna’s hand in marriage. He puts off all of his normal habits and traits to focus on Kenna to prove his love. Can the two be ready for a love that will last a lifetime?
My Thoughts
My Highland Bride was an intense, steamy romance novel but also carried an extremely interesting plot line that connected her first book in this series with the time travel. One of my favourite parts was the ability of the Sinclair family to travel through time and the history their family has. I mean who wouldn’t want the ability to travel through time?? I would love to!
The attraction that Kenna and Colum feel is so much stronger than a physical attraction. For Kenna, the hardest part is looking past Colum’s past (which has quite the extensive list of women) and she finds this hard to do. This is devastating for Colum who never really realized how his past could come back and haunt him. This is an important lesson for all of us that our actions can define our future. It took a lot of courage and patience for Kenna to move forward and it was beautiful to be able to witness the faith and hope they place in each other.
My Highland Bride is so much more than a steamy romance and will become a book you can re-read over and over again like I have! You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
Maeve’s mantra has always been that no one can shatter you unless you give them the power to. When she is not at her full-time job at the steel mill, she is writing about sexy highlanders and the women who tame them.
August 18, 2015
Irish Meadows by Susan Mason
Sometimes when faced with the unknown, all we can do is have the courage to dream.
About Irish Meadows
Brianna and Colleen O’Leary know their Irish immigrant father expects them to marry well. Recently he has put even more pressure on them, insinuating that the very future of their Long Island horse farm, Irish Meadows, rests in their ability to land prosperous husbands. Both girls have different visions for their futures.
Brianna, a quiet girl with a quick mind, dreams of attending college. Vivacious Colleen, meanwhile, is happy to marry–as long as her father’s choice meets her exacting standards of the ideal groom. When former stable hand Gilbert Whelan returns from business school and distant relative Rylan Montgomery visits Long Island during his seminary training, the two men
quickly complicate everyone’s plans.
As the farm slips ever closer to ruin, James O’Leary grows more desperate. It will take every ounce of courage for both sisters to avoid being pawns in their father’s machinations and instead follow their hearts.
My Thoughts
A perfect historical romance novel for you to cherish! Brianna and Colleen, although sisters, are night and day. Like any other family, the two girls fight, argue but love passionately. Their Father has always been a constant presence and pressure in their life. As they have gotten older, he uses them as pawns in order to secure his own financial future. He goes to any means in order to accomplish his goals.
When the two young men enter their lives, their whole world changes. The girls must make important decisions, risk their Father’s anger and disapproval or follow their hearts.
I loved this story not only for the romance but for the story of faith, love and following your dreams. You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy here.
Rating: 4.5/5
About the Author
Susan Anne Mason’s debut historical novel, Irish Meadows, won the Fiction from the Heartland contest from the Mid-American Romance Authors Chapter of RWA. A member of ACFW, as well, she lives outside of Toronto, Ontario, with her husband and two children.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 18, 2015
My Garden #WW with linky
Welcome back to this week’s Wordless Wednesday!
This week I am featuring my garden. The only surviving plants are my tomatoes (the lettuce and zucchini were unfortunately dried up due to the extreme heat we had a few weeks ago) but my tomatoes have thrived very well. I couldn’t wait to show them off.
Make sure you link up below so that I can come visit you too! Have a great week 🙂
August 18, 2015
The Seventh Dwarf {Giveaway!}
On August 18th, 2015 get ready for big fun and adventure with the seven dwarfs in a new animated picture, The Seventh Dwarf!
The Setting: The eve of Princess Rose’s 18th Birthday.
Everyone has come to Fantabularasa castle to celebrate including Snow White, the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella and Red Riding Hood. But just before the stroke of midnight, the youngest dwarf Bobo accidentally pricks the finger of Princess Rose, a.k.a Sleeping Beauty! This sends not only Princess Rose but the whole kingdom into a century long slumber.
In order to find Rose’s true love, Jack, the dwarfs must go on a dangerous journey, facing a fiery dragon and the evil witch, Dellamorta.
The Seventh Dwarf combines all of your favourite fairy tales with a brand new spin! My personal new favourite is Snow White, she is full of spunk and brave in her own right. Sleeping Beauty is more than just a pretty face – she is strong, wise and determined. The movie is full of laughs, singing and the adorable yet brave dwarfs. This is a movie that both yourself and your children will love to watch over and over. The Seventh Dwarf does an excellent job of showing children that you don’t have to be the typical ‘hero’ or ‘knight’ in order to be brave and strong.
Check out this sneak peek in the trailer from Shout Factory:
My Canadian residents can now enter to win their own copy of The Seventh Dwarf from Shout Factory!
Enter via the Rafflecopter form below – good luck.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this DVD in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 17, 2015
Check In One: The Good and The Bad on My Healthy Start
My first week is officially done in my healthy lifestyle challenge and I had quite a few ups and downs. While I am not 100% happy with how well I committed to it, I can’t look back but only forward as tomorrow is always a new day. I need to focus on my overall health and well being and each positive and healthy step forward is a win for me.
So here is the breakdown:
Last week’s goals:
2 pound weight loss.Completed!! Woohoo!!Follow my vegetarian diet with a meal plan.I stuck to this like glue and while I wish I had some additional emotional support for this change I am happy with how I feel and I am sure my loved ones will too over time.- Yoga four times a week. I managed to complete my yoga practice twice this week and it made me feel so good! I love how my body feels so relaxed afterwards and this will be something I will do more of.
Daily evening meditation.While I did complete this in the bath (the only time I am given absolute and complete silence) it still felt good to just quiet my mind and focus on nothing.- Daily squat, lunge, push up and crunch challenge. I actually kind of forgot about this one so this week I am going to make a fitness calendar to keep myself on track!
- Run daily for five minutes (I am starting out here!!). Does chasing after kids at soccer count??
Stay hydrated with eight glasses of water a day.This is the part I loved the most and left me feeling less bloated.- 10,000 step minimum a day. Oops, not even close! I was very bad last week while on vacation!
This week’s goal:
- 1-2 pound weight loss
- Continue to maintain my vegetarian diet with a meal plan.
- Yoga fours times this week.
- Daily evening meditation.
- Daily squat, lunge, push up and crunch challenge with a fitness calendar.
- Two litres of water a day.
- 10,000 steps minimum a day.
- Daily morning detox tea.
Make sure you check out my initial post on my healthy start and enter to win a giveaway to focus on your healthy start!