The Playbook Patriot by Evangeline Kelly

 

About the book 

 A Sweet Football Romance with Christian Themes

She refused to date a playboy, but would she accept his job offer?

Katie Kennedy admired football player, Tucker Jackson, from afar, but she never imagined she’d run into him at the popular restaurant she worked at. He was gorgeous, wild, and completely off limits. After dealing with unstable parents, she was determined to find a man who met her standard of “safe.”

As a wide receiver for the Georgia Patriots, Tucker received plenty of attention, but he was tired of the media blasting him for being a player, thus earning him the reputation, “the playboy patriot.” He wanted to settle down one day but wouldn’t let anyone steamroll him into a commitment he wasn’t ready for.

When a friendship developed that neither of them expected, along with more sparks than they knew what to do with, something changed between them.

If they’d foreseen the explosion their relationship would cause in the media, they might have thought twice about their actions.

Then again, Tucker was never one to back down from a challenge.

*This is a contemporary Christian story with strong Biblical themes and Bible references. 

And I thought 

I could not turn the pages fast enough. 

The Playboy Patriot was a great Sweet Romance. 

Author Evangeline Kelly gives the reader a good read without language or bedroom scenes. 

The characters are Christians and have/had a strong faith.   

Although Tucker is a believer he struggled and made mistakes that he feels he needs to make up for. 

 Slowing down the Playboy lifestyle and finding a lasting relationship seem to be a good goal especially when he meets Katie and is smitten. 

Katie's had her own struggles with the past and the choices her parents made that Katie feels still affect her life several years later. 

I loved the way Tucker handled finding out about Katie's parents. 

I also enjoyed Tucker's sister and her sneaky way of Match Making. 

It was refreshing that Tucker and Katie managed to get their Happy Ever After without a bunch of drama. 

I have read several books by Evangeline Kelly and will happily read any that I get the chance to add to my library. 

I purchased my copy on Amazon.

My review will appear on my Amazon and Good Reads. 

Buy the book  

Available on Amazon

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Christian New Releases

 

A man with six small children and a wife who walked out.

A woman who lost everything and has no place left to go.

With the ink barely dry on his divorce papers, Chris Tooley isn’t sure what God has in store for him, but he knows he needs help with his kids. So, on the recommendation of a friend, he hires a nanny.

Gretchen Mavis invested everything in her day care business and lost it all when the building burned down and the landlord had no insurance. She’s willing to take any job she can get. Even one out in the middle of nowhere that includes six energetic kids, two even more energetic dogs and a herd of milk goats – wait. Maybe she’s not that desperate. She’s about to walk out of the interview, but there’s something in this man’s eyes that tells her he’s just looking for someone to believe in him.

Gretchen knows a good man when she sees one – one just like her dad – but will her faith be enough to convince Chris she’s more than a temporary addition to his family? 

Six kids yearning to be loved, an auction barn, a small herd of dairy goats and a cozy town full of kind-hearted family and friends who have faith that, with enough cake, kisses and Christmas, there’s a happily ever after in the chaos. 

Available on Amazon

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Coming from opposite worlds, what could possibly unite them?

Rejected, frustrated, and no longer confident about God's plan for his life, John Sweet takes a year-long assignment in Atlanta, Georgia. The city is bustling with preparations for the Cotton States and International Exposition to be held in the autumn of 1895. Sarah Fuller is also new to the city but trying desperately to make a home for her lonely father and motherless little sister. When a special assignment for the Exposition puts John and Sarah in close contact, they discover that while their pasts are completely different, their future dreams are much the same. As their families create obstacles and opposition, will they be able to find a way forward together?

At Christmas 1945, with her family still reeling from the changes brought by the Second World War, "Grandma Sarah" tells her teenage granddaughter about the year that changed her life. Can her simple story bring the healing and perspective they both need to embrace a different future than they had planned?

This standalone Christmas prequel to the Sorrow and Song Trilogy will transport you back to a Victorian Christmas, when the world was very different, yet the same longing for peace and purpose resounded in every heart.

Available on Amazon 

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From Bestselling author Kari Trumbo, books 1-3 in the Seven Brides of South Dakota Series. Plus A Ruby Glows, the prequel, as a bonus!

Prequel A Ruby Glows

Book 1 Dreams in Deadwood

Book 2 Kisses in Keystone

Book 3 Love in Lead 

 Available on Amazon

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The last thing he wants is to take the boss’s pampered daughter on a cattle drive. The last thing she wants is to fall in love with a cowboy. Oops!

Ida Turner was supposed to pass along her father’s directions to the trail boss. Instead, she packs her wagon with silk dresses and joins the cattle drive up the Chisholm Trail from Windward, Texas, to the railhead in Kansas. Contrary to what she thought would be a grand adventure, the trail is fraught with dangers, threatening her life.

Robert Conley learned about the change of plans for the cattle drive two days before they were to leave. Now, half his crew is new, he’ll be on the trail for months instead of weeks, and the beautiful, infuriating woman who is an albatross around his neck doesn’t know she’s riding with an outlaw—and he has to keep it that way.

How can Ida overcome Robert’s secretiveness and earn his trust? Will Robert risk opening his heart and his past to gain Ida’s love? 

Available on Amazon

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Deadly Traditions A Cozy Mystery Nthology Great Escapes Book Tours/Review

 September 26 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW  

About the book 

Celebrate the holidays with mistletoe, mayhem, and murder. Join your favorite authors as they cozy up by the fire with twelve festive short mysteries that feature treasured holiday traditions. Serve up a slice of fatal fruitcake and deck the halls with danger, because the holiday season has never been so much fun.

This original collection is available for a limited time only, so grab your copy today.

And I thought . . .

A super fun way to meet a whole bunch of new authors. 

Most of these were brand new to me.   Or ones that I've just met on other Great Escapes Tours. 

That is what is so Great about tours.  You get a chance to meet new authors. 

Each of the stories are short and easy to read quickly.   They are several chapters though. 

Even though they are short they are still filled with twist and turns  the sleuths follow to solve the mystery. 

This was a fun read and I look forward to reading more from several of the authors. 

I received a complimentary copy. 

My review will appear on Amazon and Good Reads. 

Visit the tour 

Giveaway 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Rudolph Day feat Christmas Book & My Wish List

 

Featured Book 

On Santa’s  Naught List 

by Sharon Michaels 

A dead Santa under the mall’s Christmas tree has a way of taking the ho, ho, ho out of the holidays.

The dead man was dressed in a red Santa suit, furry cap and black shinny belt and boots. There was though one item of clothing obviously missing – his pants.

The attention grabber, other than dead Santa’s lack of pants, was the chalk board sign resting in his lap. The sign read: “I’ve Been a Naughty Boy.”

Pam and Paul and their Sunrise Harbor, Maine early morning mall walking friends quickly decide that if Santa’s murder is going to get solved, it’ll be up to them to solve it.

These six mystery writers, suddenly turned amateur sleuths, must sort through buried secrets, broken promises, and heartbreaking betrayals to find the vengeful killer – all before Christmas Eve.

Join Pam and Paul Bigelow as they work to figure out who wrapped Santa like a present and left him under the Christmas tree.

*****

On Santa’s Naughty List is the first novella in the Pam and Paul Bigelow Cozy Mystery series. Fun cozy mystery reading with a touch of humor, suspense, and sweet romance.

Be sure to check out Sharon Michaels’ Amazon Author page so you can enjoy all her cozy mysteries, sweet romances, and empowering nonfiction books 

On My Wish List

Available for Preorder 

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Available on Amazon 

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Available on Amazon 

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Available on Amazon 

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Throw Back Thursday

 

Today I am getting on the ThrowBack Thursday Band Wagon.

Cat Got Your Cash really got my attention and introduced me to Julie Chase . . .

Here's my review from 2017

And I thought Scratch that. Before I tell you what I thought I have to share who I choose to Chat With A Character over a bowl of milk.....

I was most intrigued with Lacy's cat Penelope followed closely by the family cat named Vodoo the 4th. But you have to read the book to learn about Vodoo all I will tell you is the story takes place in New Orleans. Now back to Penelope the Robot vacuum riding cat. Penelope goes almost everywhere with Lacy. When they are in the shop Kitty Couture; Penelope can be found spending the day riding the vacuum! What a fun and crazy cat. She doesn't like other kitties trying to take over her territory her ride. Even if they are foster kitties!

Penelope seems to have a life filled with fun, excitement and love she is one pampered girl. I would love to sit and have a chat with Penelope if I could get her off that vacuum for a moment!  

And I thought...

Once again I stand in doubt as to how to describe my thoughts/feelings about Cat Got Your Cash. So I ask you...

Can you describe a Cozy Mystery as delightful?

Maybe. Maybe not. But that is the word I would use to describe this fun and quirky story. I was totally delighted and intrigued.

Admittedly I wasn't sure how I would feel. I mean seriously the story takes place in a specialty shop for cat clothes where your greeted by a cat riding a vacuum.  

Delightful

Everything about the story was fun. I enjoyed meeting and getting to know the characters as they went through their days and tried to unravel the mystery of Who Dun It.  

And then there was the romantic triangle. Lacy has feelings for the handsome police detective who recently inherited millions or is it billions? Detective Oliver tends to hide his feelings leaving Lacy not certain where she stands with him. But he always seems to answer her calls. And comes running when Lacy is in trouble. 

 But all is well as crime and finding dead bodies thrust them together.    

Then there is Chance Hawthrone and old flame that left town to be play volleyball. Hello? He was running away from a law career. Chance decides to return home and 'lawyer up' and chase Lacy. Maybe his name should have been Chase. He hides in the wings and jumps at chances to see Lacy. 

Just sayin'

I'm rootin' for the detective.

Cat Got Your Cash is a fast paced keep you on the edge of your seat as Lacy and friends try to discover the real mysteries without becoming the next victim.  

There is a long list of suspects . . . Ryan the drug dealing addict brother of the deceased, Josie the P.A. and Ryan's girlfriend, then there's a blogger who steals the orphaned kitties that Lacy is fostering. Not to mention the X-husband who will stop at nothing to get the kitties back.   

I enjoy a good Cozy Mystery. I love a great Cozy Mystery.

Cat Got Your Cash definitely falls in the Great category.

Meet the author. . . 

Julie Chase is a mystery-loving pet enthusiast who hopes to make readers smile. She lives in rural Ohio with her husband and three spunky children. Julie is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and Sisters in Crime (SinC). She is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyons Literary Agency.

Julie also writes as Julie Anne Lindsey. Learn more about Julie at http://juliechasebooks.com/

Connect with the author ... 

Webpage: http://juliechasebooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JulieChaseAuthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14957369.Julie_Chase

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JulieALindsey

I received a complimentary copy of Cat Got Your Cash

Reprint of a post from THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017

The original post was part of a Great Escapes Book Tour. 

Vanished on Vacation

 

About the book 

Three college students enjoy a fun resort vacation in Mexico…until one of them disappears.

As a frantic search for missing student Avery Jennings begins, everyone is hiding something—Avery’s family and friends, the resort’s staff, and its wealthy guests. It’s up to FBI Special Agent Victoria Heslin to dig deeper. Motivated by her own mother’s abduction years ago, she’s determined not to let Avery become another missing person statistic.

The Mexican authorities aren’t cooperating, and Victoria realizes she’s up against something more powerful than she imagined. Taking matters into her own hands, she plunges into a hellish ordeal that will test her strength and courage like never before.

“How much will you risk to find this girl?” the officer asked.

“Whatever it takes,” Victoria answered without hesitation.

Or is it already too late?

VANISHED ON VACATION is the sixth book in a series of standalone mystery thrillers featuring FBI Agent Victoria Heslin by USA Today bestselling author Jenifer Ruff. Fans of James Patterson, Lisa Gardner, and Lucy Foley will be hooked.

“Utterly compelling. Unrelenting suspense that uncovers the darkness lurking in paradise.” – Audrey J. Cole, USA Today bestselling author

“A disappearance turns a fun beach getaway into a multilayered mystery. Vanished on Vacation is another page turner by esteemed author Jenifer Ruff!” – Karen D. Scioscia, author of Kidnapped by the Cartel

“A vacation in paradise turns hellish when one of three sorority sisters goes missing. Another compelling story in the Victoria Heslin series by author Jenifer Ruff, who knows how to turn up the heat when it comes to suspense." - Susan Mills Wilson, author of the Colt Jessup Series 

“Victoria Heslin is a strong female protagonist much-loved by Ruff fans. In this sixth book she’ll need to summon all her skills and training. This book is as good as we always expect Ruff to be – her ability to keep us in suspense is a main reason we all eagerly await each new novel.”- Reita  Pendry, Author of the Mercy Johnson Serie 

And I thought 

I was not sure what to expect began to turn the pages.

It has been awhile since I have read a Thriller and I was not sure how wide open bedroom doors might be. 

Actually there were no Romantic scenes at all. 

But there are several murders of young women and some gripping details in the form of mutilation. 

The story is fast paced.  

I enjoyed Victoria as a main character.  The author did a great job of getting this reader upto speed with Victoria's recent past as well as her younger life and how/why she became an FBI agent.   There is alot of back story with Victoria and her current boyfriend.  And agent  Rivera who have a past together. 

There were lots of characters weaving in and out of the story. 

From Avery (the missing girl), her friends, her parents, an FBI agent aunt, the hotel guests and staff.  The Mexican Police other FBI agents and a whole slew of  bad guys. 

As I write I wonder how I kept them all straight.  But I did. 

To me that is a sign of a very good well written story.  I applaud author Jennifer Ruff.  

I was surprised at the twist at the end after all the investigation is over and all the secrets came out leaving me wondering how Victoria's relationship with Rivera will develop in future installments. 

I enjoyed this book so much that I will add the earlier books in the series to my Wish List. 

The only negative I have is there is one character that I wish would have been able to escape the bad guys and  become a regular in the series.  

I received an  ARC copy of Vanished On Vacation from Net Galley.  

Available on Amazon

 

Christian New Releases

 

Through the Blaze 

by Milla Holt 

He has spent his life taking chances, but will she risk it all to love him again?

Gambling addict Kai Meland has spent the last decade fixing the life he wrecked. Still, some things are broken beyond repair. Include his marriage. His daughter’s upcoming wedding might be his last chance to show his estranged wife he’s not the same man who once crushed her heart and chose gambling over her.

Lisa wants nothing to do with the man she once loved. After his addiction destroyed their family, she focused on their daughter, Eline. She wiped her tears, held her close, and met her needs. So now that Eline is about to marry, how can she want both of her parents present?

As preparations begin, Lisa finds an older, wiser Kai saying all the right things, but she’s not about to fall for his charms. She’s been down that road and has the scars to show it.

Will the approaching wedding allow Kai the chance he needs to break through Lisa’s emotional fortress and prove to her their love is worth a final wager? 

Available on Amazon

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Hope for the Cowboy

by Hannah Jo Abbott

He's committed to the ranch he loves, she's just here for a job, but they just might find each other too.

Katie Wadford is devastated after being fired from her job as an account manager. When no other large firms in town will hire her, she's desperate to find a place to prove herself. Reluctantly she returns to her hometown in hopes of working for a small business to boost her resume.

Sawyer Macklin is certain that his family ranch doesn't need a business manager. When his father hires one anyway, Sawyer agrees to get along. But the woman who shows up in high heels isn't anything like what he expected.

When Katie offers the ranch as the location for a church fundraiser, Sawyer volunteers to help, but only so he can tell her it's a bad idea and put an end to it. He finds out Katie is a hard person to say no to.

As they learn to work together, will Sawyer's fears of his past mistakes keep them apart, or will they both find a future they didn't expect? 

Available on Amazon

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A Groom By Surprise

by Laura Ashwood

A proxy bride, a surprise groom and the secrets that could tear them apart.

Sarah Clark is utterly alone. Her sister’s dying wish was for Sarah to take her place as a proxy bride. But Sarah isn’t so sure that she can go through with deceiving her sister’s would-be husband and his family…especially when she begins to fall for her new husband, Levi Nelsen.

Levi Nelsen has given up on marriage. After two failed attempts at securing a bride, he’s resigned to being a bachelor — that is, until his attorney brother tricks him into signing a marriage by proxy certificate. Suddenly, he finds himself with a wife he didn’t want.

Can a marriage built on deception become something meant to be?  

Available on Amazon

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A cowboy billionaire beast, the woman he asks out in front of everyone, and the family traditions that softens his heart and bring Cy and Patsy together.

When Cy Hammond loses his girlfriend and then his custom motorcycle shop, he needs a fresh start. He sets his sights on Coral Canyon, because the majority of his family is there now.

When he attends a tree-lighting ceremony at Whiskey Mountain Lodge, he's unprepared for the attraction between him and a certain blonde...who's tried to run him over before.

Patsy Foxhill didn't mean to nearly hit Cy the day she met him at her family orchard. The land had been in her family for generations, and her sister's mismanagement of it caused them to have to sell some of the land. She was distressed. She also hasn't forgotten about Cy Hammond. So when he asks her out over the speaker system at the lodge, Patsy can only say one thing. Yes.

As they start to spend more time together, she realizes Cy has a bit of a beastly streak, but as she truly gets to know the cowboy billionaire behind the beast, she realizes what a good heart he has.

Can Patsy's faith in Cy rejuvenate his trust in women? Or will he let everyone down...including himself?

 

Available on Amazon

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