Book Review with featured Author: Mistletoe Movie Star by Stacey Weeks

Mistletoe Movie Star by Stacey Weeks

 

 

Publisher & Release: White Rose Publishing, December 1, 2020

Time and setting:  Present Day, Mistletoe Meadows

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 83 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Mistletoe Meadows is built around the magic of Christmas. As jingling sleighs cart rosy-cheeked lovers around the Mistletoe Mile, Charlene's holiday dream is more complicated than photo-edited perfection. She proposes a compassion ministry initiative called the Gingerbread House but struggles to convince the town that their need for a homeless shelter is real.

Famous for his made for T.V holiday movies, Jonas longs for a happily-ever-after that isn't as neat and tidy as his scripted films. Partnering with Char to champion her ministry invigorates him with a new purpose and provides an excuse to spend time with the girl he never forgot. But when they embrace three young sisters fighting to stay together while living on the streets, their project becomes deeply personal.

Together, they must prove to a town reluctant to see anything other than holiday perfection that the greatest gift of the season isn't found under a tree.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Mistletoe-Movie-Christmas-Holiday-Extravaganza-ebook

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mistletoe-movie-star-stacey-weeks

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/mistletoe-movie-star

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Stacey_Weeks_Mistletoe_Movie_Star

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55850516-mistletoe-movie-star

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/mistletoe-movie-star-christmas-holiday-extravaganza-by-stacey-weeks

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of Mistletoe Movie Star by Stacey Weeks. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this book, and my opinions are my own. No one has influenced them in any way.

 

Mistletoe Movie Star is a heartwarming Christmas tale with endearing characters and a great Christian message, along with a great plot. The pacing pulled me into the story from the first page to the last. From the community who unite for the good of their town, to the three homeless girls, the secondary characters added greatly to my overall enjoyment. 

 

Charlene’s character had me from the first page. My heart melted when she has a litter of abandoned kittens in her vehicle that has landed in a ditch. She’s a veterinarian of all animals, big or small, and her heart is as wide as the ocean. She takes in three abandoned young girls when she learns they’re living on their own. She’s a character that will steal one’s heart.

 

Jonas Blade is the hunky hero with a sweet side that pulled me into the story right away. He’s made his name as a movie star of heartfelt Christmas stories. He’s arrived in Mistletoe Meadow to handle the estate of his grandfather, and when he discovers the woman he helped his first night in town, was no other than his Char from his youth.

 

The romance between Char and Jonas is sweet and wholesome. They know each other from their school days, and were best friends who grew apart since neither of them lived in Mistletoe Meadows. Each visited family each summer. When they meet again, the affinity they had in their youth is as strong as it was back then. I truly wanted them to find a way to be together.

 

If you enjoy Christmas inspirational romances with a great cast of characters, and a plot that will touch your heart, then you will love Mistletoe Movie Star as much as I did. I’ve already downloaded the first two books in this series and can’t wait to read them. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Stacey Weeks is the multi-award-winning author of Glorious Surrender (2016), inspirational romances The Builder's Reluctant Bride (2016), Mistletoe Melody (2018), and inspirational romantic suspense novels In Too Deep (2017), and Fatal Homecoming (2019). Stacey lives in Ontario where she speaks at women's conferences, teaches writing and bible study workshops, and writes about the things of the Lord. www.staceyweeks.com

 

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Website: http://www.staceyweeks.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/writerSWeeks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writersweeks/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/stacey-weeks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15244157.Stacey_Weeks

 

 

Book Review: Lake Season by Denise Hunter

Lake Season by Denise Hunter

Publisher & Release: Thomas Nelson, November 12, 2019

Time and setting:  Present Day, North Carolina

Genre: Women’s Christian Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Length: 352 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating:  5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

The first story in a brand-new series, Lake Season invites readers to the Bluebell Inn in a small North Carolina town where a lost letter, a chance for new love, and old secrets beckon.

When their parents die in a tragic accident, Molly Bennett and her siblings pull together to fulfill their parents’ dream of turning their historic Bluebell, North Carolina, home back into an inn. Staying in town would be temporary—three years at most—then they plan to sell the inn, and Molly can get back to chasing her own dreams.

Adam Bradford (aka bestselling author Nathaniel Quinn) is a reclusive novelist with a bad case of writer’s block. Desperate for inspiration as his deadline approaches, he travels to the setting of his next book, a North Carolina lake town. There, he meets his muse, a young innkeeper who fancies herself in love with his alter ego.

Molly and Adam strike up an instant friendship. When Molly finds a long-lost letter in the walls of her inn, she and Adam embark on a mission to find the star-crossed lovers and bring them the closure they deserve. But Adam has secrets he isn’t ready to share. Past and present collide as truths surface, and Molly and Adam will have to decide if love is worth trusting.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Lake-Season-Bluebell-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B07QH4MQDY

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lake-season-denise-hunter

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45163636-lake-season

Vikki’s Musings

An inspiring love story with a subtle Christian message. I'm amazing I haven't read any of Denise Hunter's novels. I will correct this soon! Thanks goes the publisher, via Net-Galley, for the opportunity to read and review Lake Season in advance of publication. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Lake Season may very well be the best book I’ve read in 2019. The writing is emotional and moved me on more than one occasion. The character growth is amazing and greatly enhanced my reading experience. Ms. Hunter paints a unique picture of the small town in the lake area of North Carolina, and the beauty of the historic home, the setting for the novel. 

There are twin stories in Lake Season. The one between Molly and Adam and one that happened in 1962. Molly finds a letter stuck in a wall. It starts her on a journey to find the person who wrote the letter and the man who was supposed to receive it and never did. This is such a heartwarming part of this story and possibly what had me feeling this is the best book I’ve read this year.

Molly Bennett is an endearing heroine. She’s recently lost her parents, and she and her siblings, are determined to fulfill their parent’s dream of turning their historic home into an inn. I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between the siblings. Molly, of course is the main character, and she is delightful. Not only she’s grieving the loss of her parents, she is also suffering from a bad breakup with a man who almost broke her and damaged her self-esteem. I could feel her confusion when she is attracted to one of the inn’s guests.

Adam Bradford is the hero, and he’s not the typical alpha male. He is a beta character in the true sense of the word. He is a reclusive writer and writes under the pen Nathanial Grey. His novels have put him on the best-seller lists. As he gets to know Molly, and discovers she’s a huge fan, and has somewhat of a crush on him, he knows he should reveal his true identity, but his low self-esteem makes him reluctant to do so. His low opinion of himself comes from his father who only valued athletes, which Adam is not. I felt his pain whenever he thought of his father. No parent should ever deride a child because they aren’t passionate for their favored pursuit! It’s no wonder Adam has his issues.

The spiritual thread in this story is very subtle and easy to overlook, but it’s there none the less. Both characters are believers and try to rely on God when making choices, but as with all humans, they constantly question and can’t always hear Him. I enjoyed this real depiction of Christian life. So many times, the characters are too pure to feel real. Both Molly and Adam breathe life, making mistakes and learning from those mistakes. This is a very powerful message.

The romance between the pair starts as friendship and slowly blossoms into a moving love story that is emotionally-charged with great depth. I truly enjoyed their romance and really wanted them to find their happy ending.

If you enjoy a romance that will touch your heart and make you smile, and possibly shed a few tears, one with engaging characters and a unique plot with a touch of mystery, then you will love Lake Season as much as I did. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 30 books, including "The Convenient Groom" and "A December Bride" which have been made into Hallmark movies. She has appeared on the The 700 club and won awards such as The Holt Medallion Award, The Carol Award, The Reader's Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories. Her readers enjoy the experience of falling in love vicariously through her characters and can expect a happily-ever-after sigh as they close the pages of her books.

In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

When Denise isn't orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking coffee, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are currently enjoying an empty nest.

Social Media:

Website: https://www.denisehunterbooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.denisehunterbooks.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseahunter

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Promo Blitz: Envoy of Jerusalem by Helena P. Schrader

Historical Fiction

Date Published: August 2016

Publisher: Wheatmark

Winner of the Pinnacle Award 2016 for Biographical Fiction, the Feathered Quill Award 2017 for Spiritual/Religious Fiction, and a Foreword INDIES Award for Military/Wartime Fiction.

Balian has survived the devastating defeat of the Frankish army at the Battle of Hattin, and walked away a free man after the surrender of Jerusalem, but he is baron of nothing in a kingdom that no longer exists. Haunted by the tens of thousands of Christians now enslaved by the Saracens, he is determined to regain what has been lost. The arrival of a vast crusading army under the soon-to-be-legendary Richard the Lionheart offers hope -- but also conflict, as natives and crusaders clash and French and English quarrel.

Other Books in the Balian d'Ibelin Series

Knight of Jerusalem

Published: September 2014

Balian, the landless son of a local baron, goes to Jerusalem to seek his fortune. Instead, he finds himself trapped into serving the young prince suffering from leprosy, an apparent sentence to obscurity and death. But the unexpected death of King Amalric makes the leper boy King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, and Balian’s prospects begin to improve.

The Byzantine princess Maria Comnena is just thirteen years old when she arrives in the Kingdom of Jerusalem at her great uncle’s orders to cement the alliance between the two Christian kingdoms in the East. The child wife of a man almost three times her own age, she is despite her excellent education and intelligence little more than a pretty doll in the eyes of her husband. When she fails to produce a male heir for the desperate king, her marriage becomes a gilded prison. Until suddenly the king is dead and Maria finds herself a wealthy widow at just twenty years of age.

Meanwhile, the charismatic Kurdish leader Saladin has united the forces of Islam and vowed to drive the Christians into the sea. While King Baldwin IV—and Balian—struggle to save the Holy Land for Christendom by whatever means they can, the internal rivalries of Templars and Hospitallers, the advocates of offense and defense, and the bitter rivalries of barons threaten to tear the kingdom apart.

Buy it From Amazon

Defender of Jerusalem

Published: July 2015

The Christian kingdom of Jerusalem is under siege. The charismatic Kurdish leader, Salah ad-Din, has succeeded in uniting Shiite Egypt with Sunnite Syria and has now declared jihad against the Christian kingdom. While King Baldwin IV struggles to defend his kingdom from the external threat despite the increasing ravages of leprosy, the struggle for the succession threatens to tear the kingdom apart from the inside. In the high-stakes game, one man stands out for his loyalty to the dying king, the kingdom, and Christianity itself. That man is Balian d'Ibelin.

This is the second book in a three-part biographical novel about Balian d'Ibelin, who defended Jerusalem against Salah ad-Din in 1187. The first book in the series, Knight of Jerusalem, was a finalist for the 2014 Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction and a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree.

Buy it From Amazon

About the Author

Helena P. Schrader earned a PhD in History from the University of Hamburg with a ground-breaking biography of a leader of the German Resistance to Hitler. She has published numerous works of fiction and non-fiction since.

Her Jerusalem Trilogy, set in the Holy Land in the late 12th century, has won critical acclaim.

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IndieBound

Release Blitz: Sanctuary by Laurie Larsen

Inspirational romance

Date Published: June 20, 2017

Publisher: Random Moon Books (indie)

Hardworking, successful lawyer Nora Ramsey, was at the height of her career. Now, she's questioning everything in Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina.

When she accepts her aunt's dilapidated estate as her inheritance, Nora is plagued with misgivings and doubt. When one of her newly inherited horses takes ill, she prays for guidance and receives it in the form of veterinarian Shaw Flynn. 

Dedicated and rugged, he assists Nora through the trying time. In Shaw, she sees someone gentle, caring and deeply devoted to God. The more she’s with him, the more he inspires her to embrace her own faith. And as their relationship blossoms into a something real and beautiful—like the coastal sunsets of Murrell’s Inlet—Nora stumbles upon Shaw’s deepest secret. Her trust is destroyed and the wisdom of her life-changing decision shaken as the future she envisioned is threatened.

As the truth becomes clear, can she find forgiveness within the sanctuary of her heart or will his betrayal destroy her faith in him once and for all? 

Excerpt

Nora processed the stack of mail.  One thick legal-sized envelope grabbed her attention.  The return address was a law firm in South Carolina.  A closer look revealed that the law firm was in Myrtle Beach.  She shrugged and slid her finger under the envelope flap, pulled out the contents.  She scanned the professionally prepared letter, frowned and read it again.  She gasped and reached for her phone.

A few rings later, her sister Patty answered.  “Hey sis, long time no …”

“Aunt Edie died?” she demanded.

“Uhhh, hello to you too,” she said pointedly.

Nora huffed, taking care of social niceties so she could get to the real information she wanted.  “Yes, hello Patty, hope you’re well, did you have a nice day?  And oh, by the way, did Aunt Edie die?”

“Yes,” her sister said, wisely getting to the point.  “Like a month ago.”

“Holy smokes!  Why am I just finding out about it now?”

“I don’t know.  When was the last time you spoke to Aunt Edie?”

“Well … never.  But just because we didn’t have a personal relationship doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want to be filled in on family news, such as my favorite aunt from childhood dying.”

“Okay, sorry. Aunt Edie died from prolonged effects of the stroke she had about six months ago.  You knew about that?”

“Yes.”

“She was hospitalized after her stroke, eventually moving to a long-term care facility, and never really recovered.  It was really more of a blessing than a sorrow that she passed on to be with the Lord.”

This news induced a wave of sadness over her.  Aunt Edie, all alone, self-sufficient for the long years of her adulthood, suddenly unable to take care of herself.  “Who took care of her?”

“You mean, who got her the care she needed?”

Nora shook her head, overwhelmed at all the details that had needed to be taken care of, the decisions that were made.  Who helped her after her stroke?  Who selected the place where they nursed her?  Who visited her in her final months?  Days?  “Yeah.”

“She had good friends there in Murrells Inlet.  She was a huge part of the community.  She had church friends, neighbors.  She was taken care of.”

“Wow,” she breathed.  The reality and permanence of Aunt Edie’s situation permeated her mind.  She would be Aunt Edie in a few decades.  Alone, nobody checking on her.  Except instead of being in a quaint beach town where neighbors watched out for each other, Nora would be in a pricey Philadelphia high-rise with a doorman and security doors where nobody knew their neighbors.  When it came her time, would anyone even realize she was gone?

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, sis.  I figured Mom would.”

Nora shrugged and said, “Yeah.”  Mom probably would, if she’d done a better job of calling her regularly.  Nora cringed when she thought of how many voicemails she’d received from Mom in the last month that she never returned.  Or returned, but gave her a five minute time limit.  Maybe Mom was meaning to tell her about Aunt Edie and Nora just hadn’t made enough of an effort.  But with her long days and exhausting schedule, the last thing she wanted to do was sit with a phone plugged to her ear for an hour listening, or pretending to listen, to all the details of her mother’s retired life. 

She squeezed her eyes shut and said a quick prayer of apology to God for that awful thought.  She was lucky to still have a mother.  She’d make an effort to stay in closer touch.

“So did you get your inheritance?” Patty asked.

“Huh?”

“I assumed that’s why you’re calling.  You got the inheritance letter from Aunt Edie’s lawyer?”

“Oh.”  Nora shuffled through the small stack of papers.  She hadn’t even gotten past the cover page where she’d learned of Aunt Edie’s death.  Yes, the next few were the will.  The lawyer had included the general wording, then had gone straight to the punch with what Aunt Edie had left her.

“Oh, my gosh.”

“What?  What did she leave you?”

Nora stared, her mouth dropped open.  The generosity of the inheritance astounded her.  “What … what did she leave you?”

“She left us money to put into a college savings account for the girls.”

“Oh, how nice,” Nora said slightly, still staring at the page.

“Yes, it sure was.  I mean, Joe and I had of course started saving for the girls’ college.  But Aunt Edie’s gift will go a long way towards their expenses.  And if there’s any money left over, we can give them each a gift of funds to start their adult lives with.”

“Yeah,” Nora said.

A quiet moment passed while she fully absorbed what her aunt was leaving her. 

“So what did you get?”

Nora took a breath.  “You’re not going to believe this, Patty.”

“What?”

“Aunt Edie left me all her property.  Ten acres, a barn and the house in Murrells Inlet.  Everything – furniture, farm equipment.”

“Wow.”

“That’s … extremely generous.”

“Yeah.”

A guilty wave came over her.  Why would Aunt Edie leave her such a generous inheritance when she hadn’t even stayed in touch with the woman over the last few decades?  When was the last time she’d seen Edie?  Spoken to her?  “I’m having trouble understanding why she’d leave this to me.”

“Aunt Edie loved you.  And me.  Both of us.  She never had kids so we were like her children.”

“Yes, I remember going to this place every summer as kids.”

“Lots of sentimental value for the both of us.”

“But … why me?”

“I guess Aunt Edie wanted to help take care of my girls.  And since you don’t have kids, and she knew you loved visiting there, that gift was more appropriate for you.”

Nora hesitated, not exactly sure how to put her concerns into words.  Until she just came out with it.  “Are you mad that she left the property to me?”

“Not at all,” Patty insisted.  “No. Her gifts were well thought out.  I live in the Midwest.  I have kids to raise.  What would I do with a beach front farm property?”

Nora nodded.  So, no hard feelings there.  That was a relief.  “Wait.  I’m a partner in a law firm in Philadelphia.  What am I going to do with a beach front farm property?”

About the Author

Award-winning author Laurie Larsen leads a double life.  During the day she's a respected Project Manager in the fast-paced world of Information Technology.  After dinner and a glass of wine, she becomes a multi-published author of Christian fiction grounded in today's modern world.

Laurie's been published for 17 years, but feels she finally found her writing "niche" in 2009 when her first inspirational romance, Preacher Man was published.  It won fans, accolades, and the prestigious EPIC Award for the Best Spiritual Romance of 2010.  From then on, her path was clear.  She was put on this earth (in part) to tell love stories combined with a strong message of faith.  Her Pawleys Island Paradise series is a much beloved, at times best-selling series of six books following Leslie and Hank, and the Harrison clan, as they face the daily challenges of life while trying to include prayer and praise.  Reviewers say the books are heartwarming, life-changing and an example to follow for including God in your life.

Laurie loves the beach (obvious to anyone who's read the Pawleys Island Paradise series) and she's fondly looking forward to a day (not too far away) where she can retire from the demanding day job, and spend her days living at the beach and writing novels.  Until then, she travels back and forth between Illinois and South Carolina just as often as possible. 

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False Start by Barbara Valentin

Publisher & Release: Gemma Halliday Publishing, October 15, 2014

Time and setting:  Present Day, Chicago

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Mattie Ross is probably the last person who should be doling out good counsel to anyone on anything. Still smarting after being left at the altar two years earlier, she is strapped with debt, has sworn off men, routinely buries herself in her work and despite her well-proportioned figure, remains haunted by childhood taunts of "Fatty Mattie." But to her publisher at the Chicago Gazette, and readers, she is their latest advice columnist, The Plate Spinner, a self-assured working parent to adorable fake children and multi-tasking savant.

Enter Nick Derosa, the twin brother of Mattie's cold-footed fiancé who is trying to get back on his feet after his brother steals his identity and implicates him in an illegal investment scheme. But thanks to Nick's legendary running career, the publisher of the Chicago Gazette proposes a wager: If Nick can train an out-of-shape working parent in time to compete in the Chicago Marathon, he will contribute enough to help Nick launch his own non-profit running club for kids.

Suddenly "Fatty" Mattie and Nick are thrust together as the most unlikely of pairs and under a deadline to put their trust issues aside and avoid another false start in their lives.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/False-Start-Assignment-Romance-novel-ebook/dp/B00OL2MWAE

Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/False-Start-Audiobook/B01MCWRMDA/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1479685124&sr=1-1

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23437971-false-start

Vikki’s Musings

I received a request from Wendy Rich Stetson to listen to her latest recording. False Start is not my usual type of book, but since I have loved all the other books that Ms. Stetson has sent me, I did not hesitate. Wow! I’m so glad I did. Not only did I get to listen to another excellent narration, False Start is an awesome book!

Mattie Ross is left at the altar with a ton of debt for a wedding that never happened. She takes a position as an advice columnist at the Chicago Gazette. She has sworn off men and buries herself in her column, The Plate-Spinner.

When her publisher decides she needs to run a marathon and even hires her a personal coach, none other than Nick Derosa, her ex-fiance’s twin brother, she reluctantly agrees. But, how does an out-of-shape, supposedly overworked parent become fit for the challenge?

Nick and Mattie are thrown together and work toward a common goal. Can they unite to achieve that goal, and fall in love along the way?

False Start is fast-paced and kept me enthralled from the first page until the last. This book is very thought provoking and filled with all kinds of positive messages wrapped up in a delightfully funny story. False Start had me rooting for Mattie, hoping she could achieve her overwhelming goal and even find love along the way.

Mattie’s character is truly inspiring. This was a perfect book for me to read since I really need to keep active. I was doing great, but life has a way of throwing in curve balls to interfere. I’m hoping I can use Mattie’s character as an example to jump start me again. If Mattie can do it, anyone can make the life-style changes that will improve one’s quality of life. Mattie is so optimistic and determined, a character to truly admire.

Nick’s character is also inspiring. Even though, he was dealt a huge blow when he was arrested because his twin assumed his identification for his criminal activities, he does not let it get him down. He is determined to succeed with the opportunity given him. While he starts out helping Mattie because of the money, he truly wants her to achieve her goal and devotes his time and energy to help her make it happen.

I listened to the narration by Wendy Rich Stetson. She gives a stellar performance as I have grown to expect. She truly brings the characters to life. Her ability to give each character their own distinct voice is astonishing. She is one of the most talented narrators I’ve had the pleasure of listening to, and I listen to a lot of audio books.

If you are looking for a book that will lift your spirits and help you find inner-strength, then False Start is the perfect book for you. I highly recommend this book and the narration by Wendy Rich Stetson. Happy reading!