A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Hardcover or paperback – which do you prefer and why?  I prefer hardcover for books I’m going to keep forever as they stand the test of time.  I prefer paperback for being more affordable and lighter to hold and carry.  I have a mix of both in my library.

In Wyoming, the harsh winter of 1887 not only kills entire flocks of cattle, but beloved family members.  Charlotte is haunted that the last words she with her father were in anger.  He wanted her to marry wealthy lawyer, Lewis Bradley, but she has been in love with her neighbor, Micah, her entire life.  Will Charlotte and Micah be able to work through their grief and start life anew? 

My thoughts on this novel

·       Pioneer days and the winter of 1887 are very harsh.  It was a very compelling start to this novel.

·       I liked how Charlotte and her mother, Lucille, were running a ranch as two women on their own.  It was a struggle as they weren’t even allowed to attend meetings as women and also ranch hands did not listen to them.

·       Micah deeply struggles with his faith after his father’s suicide.  I liked how he and Lucille help each other work on their faith. This novel had deep elements of faith in it and learning to forgive, and not judge others.  I really liked this part of the novel.

·       The trope in this novel is friends to lovers.

·       The characters were interesting and well developed.

·       This is the first book in the new “The Hope of Cheyenne” series.

·       The bad guy in this novel was someone that the reader will really love to hate.  Lewis Bradley wants to marry Charlotte no matter if she wants to or not.  It’s not out of love of Charlotte, but out of love for money.  I have a feeling he may be back again later in the series.

Overall, A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson is a gripping novel with captivating characters and a fascinating storyline.  I especially liked the faith elements and the realities of living in 19^th century Wyoming.

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House Publishers as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

Heartache has left them emotionally desolate, but traces of love and healing could forge a future.

In the wake of a harsh winter, Micah Hamilton and Charlotte Aldrich are grappling with loss and guilt after the disaster that took the lives of their loved ones. Struggling to cope with his grief, Micah abandons his father's dreams of a prosperous ranch and cuts himself off from the rest of the world.

Charlotte has loved Micah her entire life and is determined not to lose him as well. With her mother's help, she begins coaxing Micah to live again. Despite their enduring heartache, the affection between them deepens, but just as Charlotte thinks her dreams may come true, a scorned suitor threatens everything she holds dear. Micah and Charlotte must embark on a journey of healing and renewal to build a life founded on faith, hope, and love.

A Constant Love is a clean, frontier-era historical romance of heartache, grief, Christian faith, and second chances in the newly developing American West.

AUTHOR BIO

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling author of more than 100 novels, both historical and contemporary, with more than 6 million copies sold. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana. Learn more at TraciePeterson.com.

Whispers of Fortune by Mary Connealy (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 Share a book that has a beautiful dedication.  I loved the dedication in this book, “To my cowboy husband: You’re retired now, but you’ll always be a cowboy at heart.”

Brody MacKenzie has just become a doctor in 1874 and he has headed west to find his two brothers who have runaway from the orphan train after their parents’ deaths.  He finds that they are in a great situation living in an orphanage and school, but that they are obsessed with using their grandfather’s old journal to find a hidden treasure.  Will they find it before others that are also hot on the trail?

My thoughts on this novel:

• This was a good clean, western adventure romance.  It was a great start to a new series.

• I enjoyed the character of Brodie MacKenzie.  I liked that he was a good man who wanted to help his brothers out while also keeping the promise to the doctor that had helped him out.

• Ellie and her brother Josh have been taking care of the two brothers on the ranch.  Ellie and Brodie have a romance in the novel that is sweet.  The romance is not the focus of the novel and didn’t have much build-up.

• I always love a treasure hunt and I think it made the story more exciting that there was a villain also looking for the treasure.

• There is a sneak peak at the end for Book 2 of this series and it looks great!

Favorite Quote:

“Revenge was the juice that kept his blood flowing.” – What a great description of the villain.

Overall, Whispers of Fortune by Mary Connealy is an entertaining western adventure romance and good start to what looks to be a fascinating new series.

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House Publishing as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

In a land of gold and grit, can two hearts uncover the true treasure?

In 1875 California, Brody MacKenzie arrives at the Two Harts Ranch on a mission to find his runaway brothers, worried they may have fallen into harm. Instead, he discovers them thriving at the ranch's school and orphanage under the care of Ellie Hart, a woman with a heart as resilient as the land she calls home. His options limited, Brody reluctantly takes on the role of ranch doctor, and he forms an unexpected bond with Ellie, who's kept a steady eye on Brody's two rapscallion brothers. When the boys show him a mysterious journal that has been guiding their travels and may hold the key to a lost treasure, Brody and Ellie are captivated by the possibility of a thrilling adventure.

With winter approaching and his brothers threatening to bolt again, Brody and Ellie race against time to decipher cryptic clues and unearth the hidden fortune. But along the way, old adversaries resurface, threatening their newfound affection and the safety of those at the ranch.

AUTHOR BIO

Mary Connealy writes "romantic comedies with cowboys" and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books and is the author of the popular series A Western Light, Wyoming Sunrise, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Learn more at MaryConnealy.com.

A Truth Revealed by Tracie Peterson (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite fall food?  I really love butternut squash.

Laura Evans has grown up attending schools after her mother’s tragic death.  Now a young woman, she reunites with her father, Granite Evans, in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  She hopes that she will be able to develop a relationship with her father.  Laura meets and is drawn to Wilson (Will) Porter.  Will has traveled west to be a pastor to the Shoshone tribe, but after a tragedy, he is not sure about his faith and whether he should continue his ministry.  What caused the tragedy?  What secrets does Granite Evans keep?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       The plot of this novel was intriguing and kept me reading too far into the night.  There were a few mysteries and storylines that I really wanted to see resolved.

·       I really enjoyed the western setting, and that Granite Evans owned a store.  I loved all the descriptions of the store.

·       A Truth Revealed is a very Christian novel, which I liked.  Laura is very faithful and attends church.  She is working on bringing her father, who no longer believes after the death of her mother, back to church.

·       Will’s mother and sister are murdered on their way to live with him by what appears to be an Indian attack.  This shakes Will’s faith.  Will he be able to regain his faith and move on with his life?

·       The secondary characters that attend church with Laura or work at her father’s home are also interesting and complete the Cheyenne community.

·       I enjoyed the sweet romance between Laura and Will.

·       This was a clean read.

·       This was the third novel in The Heart of Cheyenne series.  These novels all took place in Cheyenne.  I have not read the first two novels, but I had no problems with reading this novel as a standalone.  I do want to go back and read the first two novels.

·       The story takes place not too long after the Civil War.  Will Porter is a veteran.

Overall, A Truth Revealed by Tracie Peterson is an intriguing Christian historical romance set in the old West that deals with the themes of forgiveness and returning to your faith.  This was a great read.

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House Publishing as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

In the midst of darkness, only faith and love can illuminate their path forward.

Laura Evans, a spirited young woman with a deep-rooted faith in God, returns home from college to her father--unaware of his dark secrets. Determined to live by her faith while respecting her father's contrasting views, Laura's world shifts when she crosses paths with a devoted preacher.

Wilson Porter is driven by a calling to work with the Shoshone people but faces constant delays from government officials. Then tragedy strikes, shaking his faith and causing him to question everything he once believed. As Will and Laura's tentative friendship grows into something more, they are ensnared in a web of dark secrets and injustices. Together, they're confronted with a daunting question: Will their shattered lives leave them with an uncertain path forward--or can love withstand it all?

AUTHOR BIO

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling author of more than one hundred novels, both historical and contemporary, with more than six million copies sold. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana. Learn more at TraciePeterson.com.

The Secrets Beneath by Kimberley Woodhouse (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Have you ever discovered a buried fossil or other treasure?  I found a cool fossil in the St. Joseph River as a child . . . but I threw it back into the river!

Anna Lakeman works with her father, Peter, on paleontology digs of dinosaur bones.  Anna makes sketches of the digs.  When they discover dinosaur bones near their home, they become involved in the Bone Wars.  Anna has felt great sadness due to the loss of her true love, Joshua Ziegler.  He left for medical school and never returned or wrote.  When her father falls ill and Joshua returns, will Anna be able to navigate what life has thrown at her?

I enjoyed that this novel had it all:  well developed characters, romance, mystery, suspense, fascinating history on the Bone Wars.  I didn’t know much at all about the Bone Wars and how competitive they were on finding dinosaur bones in the American west.  I loved the note at the beginning of the novel where author Kimberley Woodhouse discussed how she came up with the idea for the book and talked to the granddaughter of a famous paleontologist, Earl Douglass.  In an author’s note in the back of the novel there is more information and set up for the rest of the books in this series.  I am looking forward to them!

The Secrets Beneath is a clean read and had Christian themes and wisdom woven throughout the novel.

This novel had a great opening line – “The garden – his garden – was alive with color today, while the inside of him was black as death.  Especially when he thought of his father.”

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House as a part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: The Secrets Beneath

·       Series: Treasures of the Earth (Book 1)

·       Author: Kimberley Woodhouse

·       Genre: Historical Fiction, Western Romance, Inspirational Fiction

·       Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (September 26, 2023)

·       Length: (336) pages

·       Format: Trade Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook 

·       ISBN: 978-0764241680‎

·       Tour Dates: October 9 – October 23, 2023

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Some secrets can only stay buried for so long. . . .

Anna Lakeman has spent her life working alongside her paleontologist father, drawing intricate sketches at every dig. When they find dinosaur bones near their home in Wyoming Territory, they're given the opportunity of a lifetime and are swiftly caught up in the competitive era of the Bone Wars. But after her father becomes sick and Joshua Ziegler, an old beau, returns for the summer, Anna's world is upended, and the practical, orderly life she has made for herself shatters.

Medical student Joshua Ziegler left his hometown to forget Anna, the one woman he truly loved and deeply hurt. But when he returns, time hasn't erased the feelings they've always had for each other. After Joshua's nephew goes missing—just like his sister did years ago—and Anna's job is threatened, tensions mount and dangerous secrets are unearthed.

PRAISE FOR THE SECRETS BENEATH

• “…a propulsive launch with plenty of fuel for future adventures.”— Publisher’s Weekly
• "This book is full of intrigue and adventure, twists and turns…I highly recommend you pick up a copy and enjoy the journey."— Tracie Peterson, author of Pictures of the Heart
• “Fans of Kimberley Woodhouse will rejoice in this launch to a unique and engaging new series."— Jocelyn Green, author of The Metropolitan Affair

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | PUBLISHER | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB |    GOODREADS

 

AUTHOR BIO

Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 30 fiction and nonfiction books. Kim and her incredible husband of 30-plus years live in Colorado, where they play golf together, spend time with their kids and grandbaby, and research all the history around them.

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

 

Timeless Western Collection: A Wyoming Summer by Carla Kelly, Christine Sterling and Heather B. Moore (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

What is the weather like where you live?  It’s been a mild, but dry spring and early summer here along Lake Michigan in Northeast Wisconsin.  We are heading to Minnesota later this week and the high temperatures look shocking to us!

I have read entries in the Timeless Regency and Timeless Georgian collection, but this was my first read of a Timeless Western Collection.  It was a similar reading experience with three gentle romance novellas set in times past.  I greatly enjoyed reading this book during a hectic period at work and in life.  I also thought it was interesting that the time period, set in the early 1900’s is when my Great-Grandparents were born.

Ellen Found by Carla Kelly is the story of a young woman who was an orphan working at a derelict eating house in Butte.  She decides to apply for a new job at a hotel being built in Yellowstone and leaves with her cat in tow.  Her joyful spirit and new ideas help to bring cheer to the work crew and all around her.  She also finds herself the object of affection for two very different men.  There really wasn’t a mystery of who she would end up with, but there were some tense moments from living life in the American wilderness.  The true hero of the story was Plato the Cat and I loved reading about him.

The Widow of Daybreak by Christine Sterling was more of a gunslinger type western. Doris Whistler recently witnessed her husband being gunned down by an outlaw who has taken over their small town.   Even worse, days later the outlaw shows up in her store telling her that she will become his wife or more will die.  She had written a letter of desperation to her brother asking for help.  He sends his friend Buck to town.  Will he be able to bring law back to their small Wyoming town?  I enjoyed this story as well, although the love between Doris and Buck seemed too quick after her husband’s murder.  Doris did have qualms about this so that helped me out as their love grew over time.

May I Kiss the Bride?  By Heather B. Moore was the final tale in this trilogy.  After a failed engagement, Viola Delany has been shipped off to stay with her aunt in a small town in Wyoming.  On the way she spots a handsome cowboy on the train, who she never expects to see again.   Life has other plans.  I loved this story.  It had a great sweet romance and the pursuit of dreams that included a bakery. I enjoyed that Viola found her strength and had her own coming of age in this story. 

Overall, this was a wonderful anthology.  I loved the clean, sweet romance.  The characters were wonderfully developed and interesting.  I enjoyed the plots of all three stories and liked that they were all unique.

Favorite Quote:  "She marveled that such a small body could hold something as enormous as death."

Book Source: Review Copy from Mirror Press.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: A Wyoming Summer

·       Series: Timeless Western Collection (Book 4)

·       Authors: Carla Kelly, Christine Sterling, & Heather B. Moore

·       Genre: Historical Romance, Western Romance, Inspirational Fiction

·       Publisher: Mirror Press (June 20, 2023)

·       Length: (330) pages

·       Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·       ISBN: 978-1952611322

·       Tour Dates: June 19 – 30, 2023

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A Wyoming Summer is the fourth book in the Timeless Western Collection, a bestselling anthology series from Mirror Press. The book features three novellas from acclaimed historical romance authors whose stories ask if true love can survive the changing seasons?

“Ellen Found,” by Carla Kelly

Set n location of Old Faithful Inn, 1903-4. Working in a discouraging café, Ellen escapes an awful situation in rough and tumble Butte, Montana, and goes to work as second in command to a wary cook in the shell that will become Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone Park. She meets Charles Penrose, head carpenter on the massive project of Old Faithful Inn, which is being finished in a harsh Wyoming winter. Will it really open June 1, 1904? Can Ellen start to trust the other workers? What will she learn about the other employees? And Charles. He's a widower with a young daughter there, too. Like Ellen, he wants more.

“The Widow of Daybreak,” by Christine Sterling

Doris Whistler is learning how to survive in a town taken over by outlaws. When the leader of an infamous gang murders her husband, her choices are to tuck tail and run, or stand her ground and make Daybreak as promising as its name. It proves to be a difficult task with the good citizens in fear of the corrupt mayor and godlessness that abounds. What she doesn't expect is the support of a traveling lawman who believes in her and the tiny town she loves so much.

“May I Kiss the Bride,” by Heather B. Moore

Viola Delany is not happy about being sent to the middle-of-nowhere, small town Wyoming. Yes, it will be good to let the gossips find something else to talk about other than her failed engagement. And yes, it will be nice to spend the summer with her Aunt Beth. But as Viola sits on the train heading for Wyoming, wondering how she'll ever occupy her time in such a small town, none other than a real-life cowboy sits across the way. She can't help but take peeks at him, noting that the condition of his unpolished black boots and scuffed rawhide jacket seem to be authentic . . . All right, so he might be tall, dark-haired, and handsome if a woman doesn't mind green eyes and a dangerous-looking scar, but this man certainly has nothing to do with her. Besides she'll never see him again. What are the chances he's traveling to the same middle-of-nowhere small town?

ABOUT THE SERIES

Since 2015, Mirror Press has been presenting the Timeless Romance Collection, a curated anthology of novellas and short stories featuring bestselling authors from the contemporary and historical romance genres. The collection has hit the USA TODAY bestselling list and charted at #1 at Amazon.com. Learn more about the series and other anthologies published by Mirror Press at their website.  

ADVANCE PRAISE

·       5 STARS – “…my new favorite of the Timeless Romance Anthologies.”— Maria Thomas, Goodreads

·       5 STARS – “Another wonderful collection from the Timeless Romance Anthologies...A perfect read for your summer enjoyment that just might have you planning some trips to Wyoming or another western historical feeling location. ”— Julie Carpenter, Goodreads

·       5 STARS – “A clean, fun, well-written collection by three talented authors.”— Lorieah, Goodreads

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

AUTHOR BIOS

Carla Kelly started writing Regencies because of her interest in the Napoleonic Wars. She like writing about warfare at sea and ordinary people of the British Isles, rather than lords and ladies. In her spare time, she likes to read British crime fiction and history, particularly the U.S. Indian Wars. She is a former park ranger, and double Rita Award and Spur Award winner. She currently lives in Utah, has five interesting children and four grands. Carla’s favorite authors include Robert Crais and Richard Woodman.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Christine Sterling is a USA Today best-selling author who writes small-town inspirational romances with a touch of humor. Most of her stories take place in the plains of Nebraska or Colorado, but she will write wherever there are cowboys needing to find love. Her favorite stories involve tight-knit families, and you will often find that her characters cross over in many of her stories.

She lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, four dogs, and one spoiled cat, aka The Floof. She can often be found in her garden with a notebook and a cup of tea.

BOOKBUB | BOOKFUNNEL | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today best-selling and award-winning author of more than seventy publications, including The Paper Daughters of Chinatown. She has lived on both the East and West Coasts of the United States, as well as Hawaii, and attended school abroad at the Cairo American Collage in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. She loves to learn about history and is passionate about historical research.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS