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"Return to Huckleberry Hill"
by Jennifer Beckstrand

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When it comes to matchmaking, Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin’s unstoppable octogenarians Anna and Felty Helmuth never seem to run out of opportunities—or grandchildren…
Reuben Helmuth is plenty bitter. John King, his best friend—or so he thought—is engaged to the girl Reuben loved. Humiliated, Reuben flees from Ohio to his grandparents’ home on Huckleberry Hill, where he knows he’ll find comfort. He’s enjoying wallowing in his misery—until John’s sister, Fern, shows up. She won’t stop pestering Reuben about forgiveness—or trying to help him find love again. Yet Fern’s efforts only reawaken Reuben’s long-buried feelings—for her…
With her brother too ashamed to face Reuben, it’s fallen to Fern to help mend fences. But as she and the Helmuths do all they can—even organizing a knitting club event filled with eligible girls—it may take one more challenge to inspire Reuben to forget his heartache, recognize his own blunders, and embrace the true love that’s right in front of him…
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 This was the first book I have ever read by this author.  She has six other books in the Huckleberry Hill series, Since I read book number seven, I felt lost.  And other than the fact that she tells you this is an Amish book, you wouldn't have known it.  I prefer reading books about the Amish that tells you about their life style and has their language in it.  

   Plus this book was very predictable from the start.  You could conclude from the start that Reuben and Fern were going to end up together.  As I stated before I may have enjoyed the book more if I had started with the very first Huckleberry Hill book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

GIVEAWAY

"True to You"
​by Becky Wade

Exciting Start of a Brand-New Series by a Contemporary Romance Fan Favorite 

After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now.

Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But when he's diagnosed with an inherited condition, he's forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother. 

The more time they spend together, the more this pair of opposites suspects they just might be a perfect match. However, John's already dating someone and Nora's not sure she's ready to trade her crushes on fictional heroes for the risks of a real relationship. Finding the answers, they're seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.
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“True to You” is an exciting start to what promises to be a very fascinating series. I immediately fell in love with the characters in this story. I loved how Nora’s character wasn’t like most leading women in books today. Her occupation was very unique and intriguing. I have always wanted to learn more about my family’s history, and this book has intensified that desire. (Too bad I can’t hire Nora to help me.) There was a very crazy coincidence between John and my family that I would like to share with you. The hero’s name is of course John, his dad’s name is Ray, and his sister’s name is Heather. Well guess what…my brother’s name is John, my dad’s name is Ray, and one of my sister’s names is Heather. J When I read that part in the story, I immediately had to message my siblings and tell them. They thought that it was incredible has well. Any way enough of my family history and back to the book. This is a very sweet story about living in the present and trusting in God. There are also several humorous parts to the story that had me laughing out loud. I cannot wait to find out what happens to the rest of the Bradford family. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Litfuse Publishers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

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GIVEAWAY

"My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains"
​by Susan Page Davis

Journey now to Tuscon, Arizona, and into the Superstition Mountains of 1866, where... 
 A Chance for Escape Takes Two Unlikely Allies on a Romantic Adventure Along a Desert Trail
 
Since orphaned at age twelve, Carmela Wade has lived a lie orchestrated by her uncle, pretending to be a survivor of an Indian kidnapping and profiting from telling her made-up story on the speaker circuit. But as she matures into adulthood, Carmela hates the lies and longs to be free. On a stagecoach in Arizona Territory, Carmela and her uncle are fellow passengers with US Marshal Freeland McKay and his handcuffed prisoner.

The stage is attacked. Now a chance to make a new life may suddenly be within Carmela’s reach. . .if she can survive the harsh terrain and being handcuffed to an unconscious man.
 
Will Carmela’s wish come true, or will she forever be branded by her past?
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Have you ever tried to do what was right even though others are telling you not to? Have you have been forced to do something against your will and something you knew wasn’t right? Well that is exactly the position that Carmela finds herself in. Throughout the story, Carmela wrestles with your loyalties to her uncle and doing what is right. Filled with outlaws, Indians, and the Wild West, we are taken on an exciting adventure.  Don your bonnet (or cowboy hat), saddle your horse, and hang on for the ride. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishers. No review was required. All opinions are my own.

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"Alice's Notions"
by Tamera Lynn Kraft

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

GIVEAWAY

"Forensic Faith"
​by J. Warner Wallace

A cold-case detective helps you rethink and share your Christian beliefs.

J. Warner Wallace has asked this question in churches across America over the past several years, and the answer he gets is often disappointing; it's almost always rooted in some sort of personal, subjective experience. As a community, we Christians aren't typically prepared to make the case for why we believe Christianity is true from the objective evidence of history, philosophy or science. Worse yet, many of us don't think we have any obligation to do so.
In J. Warner's first two books, he made the case for God's existence (God's Crime Scene) and the case for Christianity (Cold-Case Christianity). In Forensic Faith, J. Warner completes the trilogy by making the case for... making the case! In Forensic Faith, J. Warner helps readers understand why it's important to defend what they believe, and provides them with a unique template to help them become effective "Christian Case Makers." Forensic Faith will help readers:
-understand why they, as Christians, have a duty to defend the truth
-develop a training strategy to master the evidence for Christianity
-learn how to employ the techniques of a detective to discover new insights from God's Word
-become a better communicators by learning the skills of professional case makers

With real-life detective stories, fascinating strategies, and biblical insights, J. Warner hopes to teach readers the daily cold-case investigative disciplines they can apply in their lives as believers. Forensic Faith is an engaging, fresh look at what it means to be a Christian.
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In "Forensic Faith" the author, a cold-case homicide detective, uses the skills that he has learned from years of experience on the force to show us how to defend our faith. So many times we are asked why we believe "this" or how come you do "that" and unfortunately we do not always have the answers. This book gives us helpful ways to learn how to defend our faith and to stand up for what we believe. 

My one complaint about the book is the use of multiple "versions" of the Bible. I only use the King James Bible, so I was not a fan of the use of other "versions".

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Litfuse Publishers. I was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

To purchase your copy, click here.

"For Love & Honor"
​by Jody Hedlund

Lady Sabine is harboring a skin blemish, one, that if revealed, could cause her to be branded as a witch, put her life in danger, and damage her chances of making a good marriage. After all, what nobleman would want to marry a woman so flawed?
Sir Bennet is returning home to protect his family from an imminent attack by neighboring lords who seek repayment of debts. Without fortune or means to pay those debts, Sir Bennet realizes his only option is to make a marriage match with a wealthy noblewoman. As a man of honor, he loathes the idea of courting a woman for her money, but with time running out for his family’s safety, what other choice does he have?
As Lady Sabine and Sir Bennet are thrust together under dangerous circumstances, will they both be able to learn to trust each other enough to share their deepest secrets? Or will those secrets ultimately lead to their demise?
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​“For Love and Honor” is a beautiful story and very well written. I immediately fell in love with the characters in this story. They are very relatable. Sabine is like most girls – insecure, doesn’t think she is pretty, and trying to hid her true self. Bennet is strong, honorable, and loyal. They are both harboring secrets, smart, witty, and want to do the right thing. I love how the author switches from Sabine’s point of view to Bennet’s point of view throughout the story. This added a unique touch to the story, and I enjoyed seeing each of their perspectives. As the story develops, we see Bennet and Sabine grow closer to each other and the love and devotion that they have for one another is beautiful and endearing. Along their journey, Bennet and Sabine learn several lessons that we can also learn from; such as, learning to love and accept the way God made you, doing what is right, and telling the truth.
 
I must admit that I have never read a medieval story before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Well, guess what… I really enjoyed it. I loved reading about a different time period and lifestyle than what I have read before. There was something about “knights in shining armor” that really intrigued me. The author grabbed my attention from the very first page, and I was held captive until the end. In fact, I was enjoying the story so much that I didn’t want it to end.
 
While this is the third book in the series, it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. (I did not read the previous books in the series, and I was able to read this one without being lost or confused. However, I enjoyed this book so much that I plan to read the first two books real soon.)  Yes, this book is listed as Young Adult, but I believe that it will be an exciting read for all ages. I highly recommend this amazing story. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.​

​Guest Post from Jody Hedlund

Why I Write Young Adult (YA) Books
By Jody Hedlund
FOR LOVE & HONOR is the third book in my Young Adult (YA) series set during medieval times and centering around knights, castles, and daring damsels. For those who haven’t yet read An Uncertain Choice or A Daring Sacrifice, don’t worry. All of the books can be read as standalones.
While this YA medieval series has been a step away from my usual historical romances, I have to admit that the series has been SUPER fun to write.
First, I love writing in the medieval time period, a time overflowing with danger, wars, plagues, strange customs, harsh living conditions, and incredible differences between the have’s and the have-not’s. All of that is such excellent fodder for developing page-turning stories. And so usually as I’m writing these stories, I have no trouble putting my characters into life-threatening danger, which is always fun.
Second, I’ve had fun writing my YA series because I love being able to speak truths into the hearts of young people. I have 4 teenagers and one tween, so I’m surrounded by teen angst every day! As a result of dealing with lots of teen issues with my children and their friends, it’s my goal to share hope and encouragement that if my characters can persevere and handle the growing-up issues with integrity and strength, then my readers can too.
Finally, I’ve enjoyed writing my YA series because I believe teens need clean romance alternatives.  A lot of teens are reading romances (that’s when I started reading them). I’ve loved being able to provide a clean romance alternative with chivalry and honor and courage and lots of other themes that will hopefully give young ladies encouragement and inspiration as they move forward into building healthy relationships of their own.
Lest adult readers worry that FOR LOVE & HONOR might be too juvenile for them, then let me put your fear to rest. Reviews from my adult readers are showing that they, too, are enjoying the new book:
“This is marketed as YA, but it’s wonderfully interesting for all ages, in my opinion.”
“Even though it is written with the younger set in mind, I, being of the older set, enjoyed it immensely.”
“For Love and Honor is everything that fans of Jody Hedlund have come to appreciate and enjoy; regaling her readers across the generations with the timeless reminder that God-given uniqueness is a priceless gift, bestowed out of everlasting love.”
How about YOU? Have you read any YA books lately?

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GIVEAWAY

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"The Beloved Hope Chest"
by Amy Clipston

In the final installment of the Amish Heirloom series, the Fisher sisters learn the mystery behind their parents’ marriage—and about the sibling who has never been spoken of.
Mattie Fisher’s three daughters know that she’s been keeping a secret from them. With each item pulled from the beloved family hope chest, they’ve discovered a new clue about their mother’s past.
But there’s a reason Mattie has been keeping her history hidden, and she’s not sure she’s ready to reopen old wounds. Will dredging up the past change the way her children view her? Or her marriage to their father? And can she handle the pain of revisiting the memories that preceded the last few happy decades?
Mattie’s story is one of grief and learning to love again. But like the best things preserved in a hope chest, it’s a story of love and redemption born out of heartache—and it’s past time to share it.
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I would recommend reading the first three books in the series before reading this one because they all build on each other. This was the story that finally answered all the questions we have had throughout the previous 3 books of this series. This is a very emotional and heart rendering story of all the heartache one woman has to endure and we learn she must rely on God to help her through. If you like Amish Fiction, then I definitely recommend you read this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.


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GUEST POST FROM AMY CLIPSTON
I am thrilled to share the The Beloved Hope Chest, which is the final installment of my Amish Home series.
In The Beloved Hope Chest, the Fisher sisters learn the mystery behind their parents’ marriage—and about the sibling who has never been spoken of. Mattie Fisher’s three daughters know that she’s been keeping a secret from them. With each item pulled from the beloved family hope chest, they’ve discovered a new clue about their mother’s past. But there’s a reason Mattie has been keeping her history hidden, and she’s not sure she’s ready to reopen old wounds. Will dredging up the past change the way her children view her? Or her marriage to their father? And can she handle the pain of revisiting the memories that preceded the last few happy decades? Mattie’s story is one of grief and learning to love again. But like the best things preserved in a hope chest, it’s a story of love and redemption born out of heartache—and it’s past time to share it.
This book is very close to my heart since it is the last in my Amish Heirloom series. I’ve grown to love the Fisher family, and writing Mattie and Leroy’s story was bittersweet. This is a very emotional story, and I poured my heart and soul into it. I hope you enjoy this book since it reveals all of the mysteries that have been placed throughout the series.

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GIVEAWAY

"Devoted"
​by Marjorie Jackson

Life is good with a God who is great!

What’s a girl to do in a changing world full of darkness, distractions, pressure, lies, and uncertainty? Is it really possible for a twenty-first-century young woman to live a life in direct contrast to culture’s ever-changing standards? The answer is yes! 

With a Lord like Jesus, guidance like the Holy Spirit’s, and that powerful weapon we call the Holy Bible, God’s truth is ours to live out. Come learn along with talented young author, Marjorie Jackson, in this devotional about letting our love and dedication to Jesus penetrate every area of life—our relationships, our decisions, our standards, our convictions, our priorities, our everything.

Whether you’re a long-time Christian or you’ve still got your spiritual training wheels on, get ready to dive into God’s Word and discover what it truly means to be a young woman of God who is completely, joyfully, beautifully different.


Special Features Include:

• Unique Hand-Lettered Art Pages for Coloring
• Key Scripture Verses
• Personal/Small Group Study Questions

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This devotional covers many topics from Prayer to Joy to Being a Good Sister and twenty-eight other helpful topics. While the author focuses on teen girls, this book can be used by women of any age. The author reminds that as Christians we are supposed to “stand out in stark contrast of this world, not blend in.” She then shares with the reader ways to stand out from the world.
 
A complaint that I have about the book is the use of multiple “versions” of the Bible. I only use the King James Bible, so I was not a fan of the author constantly skipping from one “version” to another.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."