Category: Litfuse blog tour

May 23, 2014

The Heart’s Pursuit #review

The Heart’s Pursuit written by Robin Lee Hatcher (one of my personal favourite authors!) follows the story of Silver Matlock, a bride that was left at the altar and in financial ruin. She meets Jared Newman, a bounty hunter seeking revenge for his family.

They decide to travel together despite traveling together being bad for Silver’s tarnished reputation and Jared’s secret mission for revenge. But Silver is determined to track down the rogue who had not only left her at the altar but stole the last remnants of her father’s fortune. Jared is in a hurry to hunt down the murderer who destroyed his family but Silver is too distractingly beautiful for comfort.

The two take off over the mountains, past bleak homesteads and raw mining towns, hot on the trail of two villains who took what was not theirs to take. Soon supplies dwindle, secrets emerge and suspicion leaves Silver and Jared at odds when they really need each other the most. To confront an enemy deadlier than desert rattlesnakes and rocky cliffs, Silver and Jared must learn to forgive and trust and face the question they have not dared to voice: What happens next?

I love novels set in the West during this time period – the cowboys, the farm life and the simplicity. Tie this in with the lack of law and a spirited young woman determined to regain what was stolen from her – you have a pretty fantastic book! Silver is an incredibly brave woman who goes against the norm in order to save her family after her fiance stole all their money. She teams up with a bounty hunter (which is completely unheard of!) and they set off to track down this man. I loved how their stories ended up intertwining together and how the story evolved.

You can find more reviews of The Heart’s Pursuit on the Litfuse blog tour here. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 4.5/5

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

May 22, 2014

Meant to Be Mine #review

Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade follows the love story of Ty Porter and Celia Park. Ty has always been irresistible to Celia – she has loved him since high school. When their paths cross again after college she falls head over heels. This time, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way. Their whirlwind romance lands them at a street corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.

The next morning finds them waking up to marriage certificate and a dose of reality. Celia is ready to be Ty’s wife but Ty is not ready for that commitment. He is a professional bull rider, he lives on the road and he has long planned to settle down with his hometown girl he has known since childhood. They part ways but not on good terms and with a broken heart.

Five and a half years pass by. Celia has buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty has achieved all of his goals – or thought he had until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he could not forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.

How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia’s trust and prove to her that their marriage can still become the love of a life time.

Meant to Be Mine had an incredible story line. You could feel the pain Celia felt when her heart was broken again by Ty. The years she sacrificed to ensure her daughter had everything she needed was heartbreaking even when you were frustrated with her for not sharing such important information with Ty. You almost want to reach out and shake her to tell her that it is not right. I loved how Ty did everything he can to make Celia trust him and win the trust of his daughter. Being a parent is one of the most important things a person can do and it was important to see them bond and grow their relationship.

I could not put this book down – I was just to curious to see how Celia and Ty’s relationship ended (no worries – I won’t spoil it for you!).

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

Rating: 4.5/5

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

May 21, 2014

The Heart’s Pursuit | Enter to win a $200 “Romantic Weekend Getaway” from @RobinLeeHatcher

Robin Lee Hatcher‘s latest novel, The Heart’s Pursuit, is receiving critical praise: “The Old West lives again in this inspirational romantic adventure. . . . Themes of forgiveness, justice and mercy dominate the story and add to the characters’ depth. Hatcher treats readers to a rich sensory experience—you can taste the desert dust and smell the smoke and stench of a crowded gambling hall.” (Publishers Weekly)

Robin is celebrating the release of her novel by giving away a $200 “Romantic Weekend Getaway.”

One winner will receive:

A $200 Visa cash card (Get away for the weekend with that special someone!)
The Heart’s Pursuit by Robin Lee Hatcher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 8th. Winner will be announced June 9th on Robin’s website.

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Robin’s blog on June 8th to see if you won.

May 18, 2014

Daisies Are Forever #review & #giveaway

Daises Are Forever by Liz Tolsma is set in World War II and is the story of a young American caught in Eastern Germany with her family who must hold on to hope and love in a war torn country.

Daisies are Forever is the story of Gisela Cramer, an America living in Eastern Germany with her cousin Ella Reinhardt when the Red Army invades. They must leave their home to escape to the safety of Berlin. Ella, a nurse, refuses to leave sending her young daughters with Gisela.

During their journey, Gisela meets Mitch Edwards – an escaped British POW. She pretends that she is his wife in order to preserve his safety amongst other Germans especially one particular wounded German solider, Kurt who has suspicions about Mitch’s identity. Kurt also has feelings for Gisela and tries to uncover the truth about her marriage.

Their journey to Gisela’s mother in Berlin is riddled with tragedy and hardship as they strive to keep Ella’s daughters safe in order to reunite them with their Mother. During this journey, Gisela and Mitch begin to develop feelings towards each other beyond friendship. Once they reach Berlin, their struggles are far from over. They must learn to live for the day and find hope in the darkest of circumstances.

In this moving, historically accurate portrayal of WWII Germany, the characters learn that even with destruction all around them that some things last forever.

Daises are Forever is an incredibly powerful and moving novel. There were times I cried and had to put my novel down, other times I had to re-read chapters to ensure I read it correctly. The fact that the novel was historically accurate made it harder to understand how people can treat others in such a way and even so much more important to read it to help stop it from happening again. I can only begin to imagine how real this story would be for so many people and it is heart breaking. I loved how the lives of Gisela and Mitch are showcased and that through all odds they are able to find love even if it is challenged at all times. A definite must read for all historical fiction fans.

To find more reviews of this novel, visit the Litfuse blog tour here. To purchase a copy of the book you can do so here.

Rating: 5/5

Liz Tolsma‘s latest WWII historical fiction novel, Daisies are Forever, is getting rave reviews.

“. . . compelling and fast-paced tale about the atrocities and tremendous losses. . . .” —Library Journal

“Excellent storytelling, accurate historical reporting and gritty, persevering characters make this WWII-era novel a must-read.” —CBA Retailers + Resources

Liz celebrating the release with a Kindle HDX giveaway!
One winner will receive:

A Kindle Fire HDX
Daisies are Forever by Liz Tolsma

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 31st. Winner will be announced June 2nd on Liz’s website.

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Liz’s website on June 2nd to see if you won.

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

April 18, 2014

Maybelle in Stitches #review

Maybelle in Stitches by Joyce Magnin is the story of Maybelle Kazinki whose husband is serving in World War II. Maybelle is a strong young woman but so unlike her mother – she can not sew. She was the only girl in her seventh grade Home Economics class to sew the zipper in the neck hole of her A-line dress. After her mother dies leaving her alone she finds an unfinished quilt in the attic of the house and she decides that the quilt needs to be finished. She gathers a group of friends to help her fill her loneliness and bring hope to each one of them.

The quilt is a “crazy” quilt made with scraps of material from Maybelle’s mother and grandmother’s childhood. She decides to add Holden’s (her husband) stripes to the quilt. Suddenly life changes quickly when she receives harsh news from overseas. Maybelle’s faith falters and it is the quilting group that help brings back her hope and faith.

Maybelle in Stitches is a wonderful story of faith and friendship. Maybelle’s story was probably quite common during this era and I can imagine how many of these women and families felt alone and scared. It is only through their friendships and faith in God do these women make it through day to day. It is the power and hope in the quilt that helps them keep moving forward until they meet their husbands again. The story was believable, open and honest – I loved every moment. Each character was very real with normal faults and shortcomings. You kept praying for everything to be okay for Maybelle! I had a hard time putting the novel down because I just wanted to know what happened to Maybelle and her Holden

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour here.

Rating: 4/5

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