Amazon Best-selling Historical Romance

Amazon Best-selling Historical Romance
Escape to a romantic period where love endured, grew, and flourished despite a Civil War.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Light of the Heart by Regina Andrews

Light of the Heart by Regina Andrews is a beautiful book inside and out, published by Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc. March 1, 2011. It's Sterling Lakes Book One, and I look forward to the other novels in the series.

Cascade Preston is a stained-glass artist who struggles to overcome an awful childhood and trust in men. She doesn't want anything to do with the town she grew up in when she's sought to complete the stained-glass project to remodel an old church in Sterling Lakes. Cascade encounters the project manager, Dan McQuay, and though she's attracted and single, she turns down the job and makes up her mind to forget his blue eyes until the ladies at the prison where she volunteers make her think twice. They throw a guilt trip on her, and she ends up wanting to do the windows for the church when she visits the site and thinks they've gotten another artist.

The beauty of this book is in the method the author uses to convey God's light in the heart and entwine it with the light that filters through stained glass windows in a church. Dan McQuay makes it his business to not get involved until he's entwined in the rays of light Cascade throws his way and he opens his heart to God's light. When they both open their hearts to the stained-glass window project, God works in both.

At first Cascade has to face her fear of Dan's leaving like usual when he completes a job. Then, she's offered a big contract and must go to New York if she wants to follow her dreams. Will she marry Dan or follow her dreams and be the one who does the leaving? She feels like she's sold her soul when she flies to New York and signs that big contract. She must search her conflicted heart, and she's so confused she doesn't know what is the right thing to do. Can she face living in Sterling Lakes again, the town she grew up in and hates? Is it possible for God to change her heart about Sterling Lakes and the people who live there, if she lets the light filter in through those stained glass windows? Can she trust Dan not to leave her?

I bought this book and read it on my Nook and loved it. It's available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com for only $4.79, or from the publisher at http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/StoreFront.bok. Click on the orange Desert Breeze Square to the right and go see what a beautiful book it is for yourself. Also, read more about the book and the author at the site.

If you want to read a beautiful book with a filtered-light story, this is the one. And you won't want to miss what happens when Cascade must face her fear of the water when the canoe tips over during a sudden storm.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Is Heartbreak Necessary? By Michael J. Sullivan

Necessary Heartbreak by Michael J. Sullivan published by Gallery Books, copyright 2010 is a novel you can't miss. I couldn't put it down once I started reading, since I was hooked from the first chapter. The main characters are a single dad and his daughter, Michael and Elizabeth. Journey with them through life's obstacle course in the world, as we know it today, as well as through first-century Jerusalem. Michael losses two important women in his life, loves of his life, his mother and his wife. Left with his daughter to raise, he strives to do the best he can and vows never to leave her or allow anyone to hurt her. But, in Jerusalem, Roman soldiers threaten to overpower him, and one wants Elizabeth for his wife. She's only 14, not even allowed to kiss, so Michael is determined not to let this solider have his way with his daughter, but can he save her?

While helping the local church with food pantry items, Elizabeth finds a trap door and explores while Michael goes back upstairs for more items. He returns and follows his daughter through the hole in the basement floor to a world that's only existed in the pages of the Bible. After the loss of his mother and living on New York streets homeless, his faith is shaken, but he soon discovers Jesus is real when Jesus looks at him and says, "Heartbreak is necessary for one to understand how great God's gift of time truly is." He asks Michael if he's there to lift his burden, or to help Jesus with his. Then, Jesus informs him that he shouldn't look too far, since his daughter can lift his burden.

Without the help of a beautiful green-eyed lady in Jerusalem, Leah, Michael and his daughter would have been easy prey for the Roman soldiers, but will her help be enough to save Elizabeth from marrying an unknown Roman soldier, or will she be forced to become his wife to save herself and her father?

A novel that truly mixes life's problems of today and blends them with history, this book will enrich your life and soul. It's a pleasurable read I started late on a Friday evening and completed on the following Sunday. And, it deciphers today's teens well, always in a hurry with earbuds tucked in their ears. Parents of today compete with Ipods, cell phones, and electronics for attention. But, Michael and Elizabeth are whisked back in time and history where no electronic gadgets can aid their rescue, and Liz, as she's called by her friends, has to learn to deal with life on a very humble level without her cell phone. She's grateful for her father and never wants him to leave her side. Will their world ever return to normal? If it does, will Leah be a part of it, or will they be forced to leave her to the Roman soldiers? Will heartbreak be necessary for all of them to survive?

Back Cover Material: An extraordinary journey back in time shows a struggling single dad that the faith he's lost is still alive--and stronger than ever . . . . Michael Stewart has weathered his share of hardships: a troubled childhood, the loss of his mother, even the degradation of living on the city streets. Now, he's raising his teenaged daughter, Elizabeth, on his own and doing the best he can at work and at home. But he's turned his back on his faith--that is, until the morning Michael and Elizabeth volunteer for a food pantry at their local church. While storing boxes in the basement, they step through a mysterious door. . . and find themselves in first-century Jerusalem during the tumultuous last week of Jesus Christ's life. It is a dangerous and violent place, where doing what your heart tells you is right can get you imprisoned--or worse--and they are thankful to take refuge with a kind widow. But when they come face-to-face with Judas Iscariot and the condemned Christ himself, Michael realizes that before they can escape Jerusalem, he must experience history's most necessary and shattering heartbreak--and that pain and loss must happen if Michael is to be set free: to live, love, and reclaim the blessings he has in the present day.

About the Author, Michael J. Sullivan: Michael, a sports journalist and author of sports-themed books for children, started the novel decades ago and some of the flashbacks came from that time period. In May 2007, he began to earnestly work to complete Necessary Heartbreak. After the first draft was completed, he acquired an editor. He says he believes there are people who walk the earth who step into your life for reasons, and he had the help of such people in completing his novel, which is based upon his life experiences.

While on vacation in Orlando, Florida, he received a phone call from Simon & Schuster. Their interest was in publishing a revised edition. He found the perfect fit and the support he needed for the trilogy, was placed in the hands of a capable editor, and took a year to write, re-write, revise, and re-write the novel. He thanks his wife for her help and support as well as all others who played a hand in the outcome of its publication. The appendix contains a Reading Group Guide.

Michael lives in New York City and hosts several sports radio shows. He's worked with ESPN and Sporting News. He's a graduate of St. John's University. Visit him at www.whentimeforgets.com. There's also an ebook edition available.

In my humble and honest opinion, this is one of the best books I've read since last summer when I read Lynn Austin's All She Ever Wanted and Chris Fabry's Dogwood. I urge you to grab Necessary Heartbreak for a read you won't soon forget. It's available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com and hit local bookstores last March 31! If you haven't read it yet, don't miss it on its anniversary!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Blurb for Last Resort Novel to be Released July 15!

Two desperate people--one last resort, Faith Grace Roussell is stalked by her ex-fiance and forced to search her conflicted heart. In a battle of love, loss, and raging jealousy, she strives to build a new life with peace and contentment, but Matt Allen has eyes like magnets she could get as lost in as unknown woods. Will he prove to be a helpmate or just another strawberry cull?

Faith is pursued by an ex, shattered dreams, an awesome God, and a cowboy farmer. There's only one place she can turn . . .

What Readers Are Saying About B. J. Robinson's Last Resort

"B. J. Robinson's Last Resort is an inspirational romantic suspense story that keeps you hanging on the edge of your seat -- both to see if the villain is overcome and to see if Matt and Faith end up together. You don't want to miss this one with its twists; it's a great read!"
Deb Haggerty, Author and Speaker

"The warm, sweet romance, yet insightful story, will touch your heart with its simplicity and charm."
Janet Perez Eckles, Author and Speaker

What Readers Are Saying About B. J. Robinson's Last Resort

What Readers Are Saying About B. J. Robinson's Last Resort

"B. J. Robinson's Last Resort is an inspirational romantic suspense story that keeps you hanging on the edge of your seat -- both to see if the villain is overcome and to see if Matt and Faith end up together. You don't want to miss this one with its twists; it's a great read!"
Deb Haggerty, Author and Speaker

"The warm, sweet romance, yet insightful story, will touch your heart with its simplicity and charm."
Janet Perez Eckles, Author and Speaker

Blog Tour Karen Kingsbury's LEAVING

TODAY'S THE DAY--DRAWING FOR A FREE COPY OF KAREN KINGSBURY'S LEAVING IN CELEBRATION OF HER BLOG TOUR!


Leaving by Karen Kingsbury is twenty-six chapters of a coming-of-age love story between Bailey Flangian and Cody Coleman published by Zondervan, copyright 2011. After confessing his love for Bailey, Cody disappears from her life with no phone calls or texts, no explanation. She's left to wonder why and while her heart aches for him, her true love, she's tempted by two other very eligible men. She's chasing a dream of dancing on Broadway, but has to face leaving her family and friends for the adventure and lifetime opportunity. Can her heart forget Cody? He seems to have forgotten her and moved on with his life. Even with the most eligible bachelor in Hollywood wooing her, she still can't get Cody out of her mind.

The author keeps you turning the pages with hope and just when you think there's a possibility Bailey and Cody will get together, new friends complicate the situation until they're driven apart again. Will Cody ever be honest with Bailey and confess his true reason for distancing himself, or will he leave her to wonder and yearn? The Baxter family is featured, and this book is suppose to complete the Bailey/Cody story, but it leaves room for more, and readers, like myself, may desire to read more about Bailey and Cody.

Don't miss this best-selling author's new novel. Visit her at www.KarenKingsbury.com. I've read Sunrise and Unlocked, and her books won't disappoint.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Catch a Great Read with Danielle Thorne's Turtle Soup

Turtle Soup by Danielle Thorne is 21 Chapters of romance set in Georgia with a Caribbean visit, published by the author, Smashwords Edition, Copyright 2010. Sara Hart and Jack Brandon collide, and she ends up with his planner, his little black book. When she discovers he's a marine biologist who works at the Georgia Aquarium and researches sea turltes, she decides to name her deli Turtle Soup. From their first encounter, they conflict instead of click. Sara takes a scuba class and Jack turns out to be a diving-instructor hero in more ways than one. They can't see eye-to-eye on land, but underneath the beautiful water through their diving masks, their vision becomes clear.

Add Jack's eighty-year old secretary and a jealous redhead to the mix. Will Sara and Jack ever reconcile their differences? Sara's deli struggles. Will she be able to survive and save it? What will become of the homeless man who sleeps against the wall of the deli's backdoor? And can Sara overcome her fear of water, after losing both her parents to a drowning accident, long enough to become a certified diver? Worse, when Jack gives up on Sara and leaves Georgia to return home to his boat in the Caribbean, will Sara's Caribbean vacation cost her niece her life? Will Jack give up on Sara for good, or can an underwater world and an old sea turtle friend change their conflicting views?

Once I started this novel, I didn't want to put it down. It's creative and original with a different type of hero. I found the Georgia Aquarium and sea-turtle research interesting, and the author's underwater descriptions allow the reader to experience diving with vivid detail. It's not just another romance, but it's a sea-turtle one I thoroughly enjoyed.

This novel is available at Barnes and Noble as a Nook book for only $4.99, which is the way I enjoyed it. Don't miss the author's beautiful blog at http://www.daniellethorne.com/turtle-soup/, and if you don't have an ereader, you can download the novel as a PDF file and read it on your computer. You may visit Danielle Thorne on Facebook. A free Nook app is available for download on your iphone from Barnes and Noble. The book has a beautiful cover that will make you want to dive right in and discover the Caribbean treasure in a wonderland of underwater diving. Catch Turtle Soup and a free recipe at the end of the novel for Turtle Soup's cherry whip.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

LAST RESORT RELEASE DATE JULY 15, 2011

Two desperate people--one last resort, Faith Grace Roussell is stalked by her ex-fiance and forced to search her conflicted heart. The men in her family used guns, but only for hunting. The women never touched them. In a battle of love, loss, and raging jealousy, she strives to build a new life with peace and contentment, but Matt Allen has eyes like magnets she could get as lost in as unknown woods. Will he prove to be a helpmate or just another strawberry cull?

COMING SOON by B. J. ROBINSON RELEASE DATE JULY 15, 2011, AVAILABLE ON ALL EBOOK READERS!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Leaving by Karen Kingsbury

Leaving by Karen Kingsbury is twenty-six chapters of a coming-of-age love story between Bailey Flangian and Cody Coleman published by Zondervan, copyright 2011. After confessing his love for Bailey, Cody disappears from her life with no phone calls or texts, no explanation. She's left to wonder why and while her heart aches for him, her true love, she's tempted by two other very eligible men. She's chasing a dream of dancing on Broadway, but has to face leaving her family and friends for the adventure and lifetime opportunity. Can her heart forget Cody? He seems to have forgotten her and moved on with his life. Even with the most eligible bachelor in Hollywood wooing her, she still can't get Cody out of her mind.

The author keeps you turning the pages with hope and just when you think there's a possibility Bailey and Cody will get together, new friends complicate the situation until they're driven apart again. Will Cody ever be honest with Bailey and confess his true reason for distancing himself, or will he leave her to wonder and yearn? The Baxter family is featured, and this book is suppose to complete the Bailey/Cody story, but it leaves room for more, and readers, like myself, may desire to read more about Bailey and Cody.

Don't miss this best-selling author's new novel. Visit her at www.KarenKingsbury.com. I've read Sunrise and Unlocked, and her books won't disappoint.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Bound by Guilt by C. J. Darlington

Bound by Guilt by C. J. Darlington is forty-one chapters of page-turning fiction published by Tyndale House Publishers February 21, 201l. I enjoyed it on my Nook. Roxi Gold is a sixteen-year-old who has been shuttled amongst foster parents since she was taken at eight from her mother. Always on the move, she's never known anything lasting. Her heart yearns for a real family and parents who love her, but each new family disappoints her and proves that no one could love her, or so she thinks, especially after tracking her own mother down and finding she's still not wanted.

When she's taken in by a relative, she strives to please no matter what. She's taught to steal books for a living and travels around the country in an RV. One night, they hit the wrong place--Dawson's Book Barn, and their lives slowly begin to unravel when Hunter Dawson, the manager who lives in an attached apartment wakes and catches them red-handed. Roxi can't take the guilt and wishes she could turn back the clock, but the past can't be erased. She runs away one time too many in the end. Will this be her last mistake?

Darlington has woven a Christian tale about a young teen whose life falls apart, one who eventually has to face police woman, Abby Dawson, Hunter's sister. Is it too late to save Roxi, in more ways than one? Will Roxi ever find someone who will truly love and care about her as a person? She's used to fighting her battles alone, determined and independent, but this time, she faces one she can't win alone. I loved the special touch of including the story line about an unwanted dog who was also abused. I didn't want to put this novel down until I found out what happened to Roxi in the end.

BOUND BY GUILT is available in paperback or ebook form from Amazon or Barnes and Noble among other online publishers. I snagged my copy from Barnes and Noble, and I'm so glad I did. This is C. J.'s second novel, and I've read, reviewed, and loved both. Her first, THICKER THAN BLOOD won the 2004 Christian Writers Guild Contest and $20,000, so C. J. is truly an award-winning author. Don't miss either of her inspirational books. Let your fingers race to the nearest online store and let them fly off the shelf to your ereader today! No waiting. No trips to the store. In just a few minutes, you can read this wonderful tale you won't want to put down.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

A Promise of Hope by Amy Clipston: A Promise of Hope for Sarah & Luke's Love Story

A Promise of Hope by Amy Clipston, copyright 2010, published by Zondervan, is twenty-seven chapters of promise with an epilogue and discussion questions. Hope for Luke and Sarah will keep you turning the pages. Sara's lost her husband Peter in a fire at the furniture store, and she's having twins. Secrets from the past reveal their ugly heads and make her wonder if her marriage was a sham, but she loved her husband. Luke sets out to discover what happened to his brother, Peter, and entwines himself in the Kauffman family and the Amish furniture store. He longs for a real family and can't help envying how his brother fell into such a large, caring family and ended up with Sarah, a beautiful, sweet wife.

An old friend, Norman, who also lost his wife and has children to raise on his own, hopes to win Sarah's hand in marriage. Sarah is faced with tough decisions when Norman proposes to her, but she can't get Luke out of her mind. It doesn't help matters that her brother, Timothy, encourages Norman and discourages Luke. Will she listen to her brother and what makes logical sense or her heart? Can she marry a man she doesn’t love for the sake of her twins? She doesn't want to face raising them alone. I became so involved in Luke and Sarah's story that I didn't want to put the novel down until finished. While Amish fiction is not my usual dose, since I love romantic suspense, this book is a worthy read, and I found it engaging.

It's an excellent read and may be purchased online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com. It's available as a paperback, hardcover, or ebook for the Kindle or Nook. The author is an American Christian Fiction Writer (ACFW) and lives in North Carolina with her husband and two sons.