COMING NOV 15, 2022 ~ Authentically, Izzy by Pepper Basham

Epistolary scares off some people but this contemporary novel is so much fun!!! You will be sad if you miss the witty and fast-paced banter flying through cyber space in this delightful novel.

Pepper Basham is a favorite of mine no matter what genre she writes. Don't miss the pre-order on this one at Baker Book House for a 20% discount!!!

An Unintentional Blogging Break

I really didn't mean to take a blogging break but summer became one big crazy thing!! So much has happened but hopefully all is on the UP side now. 

Praying it is so!

I've been reading a few good books over the summer that I plan on reviewing here. I'm on the launch team and just finished my review copy of a new book coming out in October, The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright. If you've read any of Jaime Jo's novels you know they are epic suspense bordering on thriller, which I love!!! 

As for craftiness, Slow Stitch is my medium nowadays although my husband did buy me a new sewing machine a couple of months ago!! I'm excited to get to where I can use it regular. Taking it in and out of a case is such a hassle. Or I'm super lazy ;) This is a piece I made for my oldest granddaughters 10th birthday this month. It's a combo of applique, beading, and slow stitch. The butterfly was a beast to bead but I think it came out pretty. 

If you're on Facebook, I'm in an awesome group called Roxy's Journal of Stitchery. Soooo many uber-talented stitchers in there. Come on over and check it out! You don't have to post your work (I haven't yet) but you can still enjoy and be encouraged by the other stitchers. It's a project oriented group that two sisters lead with video etc. You can find them on YouTube and check it out first!

Well, lovelies, I'm off to do stuff and get stuff done!

Rebecca Reviews ~ The Deadly Shallows | Coastal Guardians 3 | Dani Pettrey

From Goodreads:

A DEADLY ATTACK.
A STOLEN WEAPON CAPABLE OF IMMENSE DESTRUCTION.
A PAINFUL SECRET THAT THREATENS TO TEAR TWO HEARTS APART.

CGIS Agent Noah Rowley is rocked to the core when several of his valued team members come under fire on his Coast Guard base. He and his remaining team race to the scene and end the attack, but not before innocent lives are lost. Furious and grief-stricken, he vows to do whatever is needed to bring the mastermind behind the attack to justice.

Stunned by the ambush, Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler evacuates in a helicopter carrying the only surviving gunman. The gravely wounded man whispers mysterious information to Brooke that immediately paints a target on her back.

As Brooke and Noah race to uncover answers, emotions between them ignite. Noah struggles to protect Brooke at all costs and to conceal the secret that prevents him from becoming what he longs to be--the right man for her.

Everything is at stake as a horrifying truth emerges. . . .

The attack wasn't the end game. It was only the beginning.

Bestselling author Dani Pettrey again delivers a fast-paced story in an acclaimed style readers have come to love: full of snappy dialogue, thrilling adventure romance, and unexpected plot twists.  

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Rebecca's Review 3.5 stars

"Cold water rose from below. Deeper water. She dove, bullets straying farther from her. . . . Her breath nearly burning in her lungs, she swam as fast as she could towards shore."

There was death in those shallows, and Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler knew exactly what was riding on reaching solid ground, and then . . . . she would have very little time to figure out the "what next"; her body had been brutally abused, plus, she had seen one of their faces. Under extreme duress, when she thought her life might end then and there, the name that whispered from her lips had been . . . . Noah. . . . . . . would they ever have a conversation about "what next".

CGIS Special Agent Noah Rowley had a lot on his plate; a mass shooting, a toxic waste dump, a highly classified weapons theft . . . . and Brooke. The fact that she had been through such a traumatic experience broke his heart, making Noah more determined than ever to stand by her side; forever, if she would let him. Unfortunately, Brooke didn't have all the facts about Noah's past, totally his fault. Would knowing more keep their relationship in the "good friends" category? He sincerely hoped not, but time would tell.

What I enjoyed most about this book were the relationships, they were woven deeply and securely into everything that happened, definitely softening the jagged edges of a plot line that included more body bags than I could count. It's always nice when a series closes on a very high note!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I also purchased a copy. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

Rebecca Reviews ~ Where the Road Bends by Rachel Fordham

 

As Norah King surveys her family land in Iowa in 1880, she is acutely aware that it is all she has left, and she will do everything in her power to save it--even if that means marrying a man she hardly knows. Days before her wedding, Norah discovers an injured man on her property. Her sense of duty compels her to take him in and nurse him back to health. Little does she realize just how much this act of kindness will complicate her life and threaten the future she's planned.

Norah's care does more than aid Quincy Barnes's recovery--it awakens his heart to possibilities. Penniless and homeless, he knows the most honorable thing he can do is head on down the road and leave Norah to marry her intended. But walking away from the first person to believe in him proves much harder than he imagined.

Rachel Fordham invites you to experience the strength and beauty of love forged in the crucible of hardship in this heartwarming story.

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Rebecca's Review 3.5 STARS

"This land, her father had said before he died, was their legacy. It was the backdrop of their story - their wrestle and toil - and their love."

And Norah King would do anything to keep it. Even marry a virtual stranger who clearly wanted the property first and a young bride second. Then one day, along came Quincy. . . . . actually, Quincy didn't "come along", his body was dumped . . . along her creek bank, ready and waiting for the vultures that were circling overhead alerting Norah to his presence . . . his very large presence.

Nursing Quincy back to health is only the beginning of their story. The rest takes many twists, turns and "bends in the road" before Norah comes to the hard-earned conclusion that her father's real legacy had been "the happiness in our home, and the way we stuck together and kept going even when life was hard. Family was our legacy . . . ".

A really sweet story, full of multiple heartaches and an abundance of blessings.

"I told you once I dreamed of dancing. I still dream of that, but now I'd like that dance to be with you."

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

Review ~ The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham

 

JULY 1st 2022

BARBOUR PUBLISHING

About the Book: To escape a forced marriage, Cora Taylor travels from England to the *Blue Ridge Mountains in search of her brother, who is working as a teacher in a mission school. She hopes to find a place where her nursing skills and independent ideas will be accepted and appreciated, but nothing prepares her for the wild mixture of isolation, community, brokenness, and hope within these mountains…or in the person of Jeb McAdams.

Returning from the devastation of World War 1 emotionally damaged, Jeb McAdams struggles against the rampant mountain alcoholism to soothe his nightmares. It’s easy to hide within the mountains, or it was, before Cora Taylor arrives. Now, she seems to show up at every turn, bringing her ideas, curiosity, and beautiful eyes with her. Their mutual understanding of the costs of war leads to an unspoken bond that develops into a hesitant friendship. As Cora turns her nursing experience and determination on establishing hygiene and education for women in the Appalachian community while also attempting to rescue Jeb from his own ghosts, Cora and Jeb’s partnership turns into a project of celebrating the gifts within Appalachia. But when the past sweeps back into their lives and an outbreak of scarlet fever threatens the future, will Cora and Jeb find a way to work together – even if it means unplanned matrimony – or will their different lives and brokenness tear them apart.

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My Review 5 STARS

‘As she stepped from the house, her bag in hand, she looked back over her shoulder. Their gazes held for a few seconds as the door closed, and Jeb knew, sure as shootin’, he was ready to take all this lip itchin’ and put it into action.’

If you know anything about pivotal moments in romance novels, the heroine looking back at the hero is important. Cora definitely looks back. J She and Jeb are one of the best “on paper” couples. I did so love the interaction between them, their obvious differences and yet some striking similarities.

Basham is queen when it comes to writing Christian historical romance, in my opinion. Ticking all the boxes for me—witty dialogue, satisfying character growth, uncertainty and bravery, laugh-out-loud humor and lots of strong emotion—this novel made for a riveting story, along with lovable and not-so-lovable secondary characters.

I will journey time and again to my beloved Appalachian Mountains and immerse myself in whatever story this author writes. She brings the essence of the mountain folk to life with entertaining vernacular while painting lovely word pictures of the sights and sounds of life in Appalachia!

Historical fiction with deep faith encircles these mountain folks. Fans of this genre will be deeply satisfied and left longing for more stories set in The Heart of the Mountains.

I received an early copy of the book in electronic form from the author. I was under no obligation to write a review.

*Y'all might want to read My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge: Laurel's Dream as it has characters that overlap in this novel. It's FREE to read on Kindle Unlimited.