Celebrating!!! The Sound of Silver’s Birthday Tour w/author Rachelle Rea Cobb

Hello, Readers!!! Welcome to The Sound of Silver birthday blog tour! Rebecca and I are posting today about Rachelle Rea Cobb’s second installment in the Steadfast Love series, an inspirational historical romance set during the 16^th century!

Rachelle is also the author of The Sound of Diamonds, the first book in the series, and a newlywed! This summer, she married a man with the same first name as the hero of the series! I’m joining in this blog tour to tell you a little more about Silver and spread the news about the rocking giveaway Rachelle is hosting—make sure you enter using the Rafflecopter form to win the lovely necklace pictured and your choice of any of the Steadfast Love titles!

Times gone by snatch Rachelle close, so she reads and writes about years long ago--her passions include the Reformation, Revolutions, and romance. Rachelle wrote the Steadfast Love series during college. Five months after she graduated, she signed a three-book deal with her dream publisher, WhiteFire. She's a homeschool grad, Oreo addict, and plots her novels while driving around her dream car, a pick-up truck. In June 2016, she married a man with the same name as her fictional hero, and they live happily ever after in Small Town, South.

Connect with Rachelle

Website: http://RachelleReaCobb.com/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/RachelleReaCobb

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelleReaCobb

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/RachelleReaCobb/

Instagram: @RachelleReaCobb

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rachelle-Rea/e/B00RZHIL1Q

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8144149.Rachelle_Rea_Cobb

Just LOOK at these covers!!! Aren't they fabulously gorgeous?!

The Steadfast Love SERIES

In 16th-century Europe, the Reformation rages between Protestants and Catholics. Gwyneth, half-Dutch, flees from England to Holland to escape the man who murdered her parents. When he follows her there and insists he came to rescue her, will she trust this man called Dirk? When tragedy strikes, will their steadfast love erode?

The Sound of Silver

The stalwart saint and the redeemed rebel. One fights for faith, the other for honor…

After Dirk rescues Gwyneth from the Iconoclastic Fury, she discovers that faith is sometimes fragile—and hope is not as easy as it may seem. Gwyneth continues her quest to learn more about the love of God preached by Protestants she once distrusted.

Meanwhile, Dirk’s quest is to prevent his sullied name from staining hers. Will his choice to protect her prove the undoing of her first faltering steps toward a Father God? Once separated, will Dirk and Gwyneth’s searching hearts ever sing the same song?

Find The Sound of Silver on…

Amazon Paperback: http://is.gd/1HwJoi

Kindle: http://is.gd/EZ7DJ1

Barnes & Noble: http://is.gd/qhoCTc

Books a Million: http://is.gd/M2y5P2

Goodreads: http://is.gd/iBE2lJ

The Sound of Diamonds (Book One)

Her only chance of getting home is trusting the man she hates.

With the protestant Elizabeth on the throne of England and her family in shambles, Catholic maiden Gwyneth seeks refuge in the Low Countries of Holland, hoping to soothe her aching soul. But when the Iconoclastic Fury descends and bloodshed overtakes her haven, she has no choice but to trust the rogue who arrives, promising to see her safely home to her uncle's castle. She doesn't dare to trust him...and yet doesn't dare to refuse her one chance to preserve her own life and those of the nuns she rescues from the burning convent.

Dirk Godfrey is determined to restore his honor at whatever cost. Running from a tortured past, Dirk knows he has only one chance at redemption, and it lies with the lovely Gwyneth, who hates him for the crimes she thinks he committed. He must see her to safety, prove to the world that he is innocent, prove that her poor eyesight is not the only thing that has blinded her, but what is he to do when those goals clash?

The home Gwyneth knew is not what she once thought. When a dark secret and a twisted plot for power collide in a castle masquerading as a haven, the saint and the sinner must either dare to hold to hope...or be overcome.

Find The Sound of Diamonds on…

Amazon: http://is.gd/7z9vls

Kindle: http://is.gd/EZ7DJ1

Barnes & Noble: http://is.gd/qhoCTc

Books a Million: http://is.gd/M2y5P2

Goodreads: http://is.gd/F7HILk

A few questions for Rachelle:

1. When and where did you first get the idea for the Steadfast Love Series?

A song I was listening to on the radio inspired the title of the first book. So I wrote Diamonds, but when I finished it, I realized to my great frustration that the characters weren’t done with their story, even though I had been quite adamant that I would write a stand-alone novel. But the story wasn’t finished, so I kept writing.

2.  Readers often pick out favorite quotes from a novel. Do you have a favorite of your own from The Sound of Silver?

Yes! In fact, my friend Mindy, a calligrapher, even created a beautiful piece of art from one of my favorite quotes: “Within the pages of books one’s heart can be revealed.”

3.  Can you tell us what first drew you to writing Inspirational Historical Romance?

My first exposure to the genre came when I read Heartsong Presents novels when I was twelve. Those small books introduced me to how much I believe in the power of story, especially love stories set in times gone by.

4.  I saw on your website that you also write reviews, articles and offer editing services. What's one of your favorite things beyond writing novels that you enjoy?

Editing is such fun! I daresay I enjoy editing a page full of my own (or others’!) words just as much as I enjoy splashing words onto a blank page.

Thank you, Rachelle! You sure are one busy lady! I do hope my readers will be intrigued by your interview and pick up a copy of your books. Best wishes to all~

 Now for the GIVEAWAY!!!

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below to win a beautiful necklace created by Baubles, Beads, and Stuff and your choice of any one of Rachelle’s three books (the series begins in Book One, of course, but in case you have one or two of her books already, Rachelle will gladly send you the next one to read!).

International friends, the paperback & necklace giveaway is open to continental U.S. addresses only (sorry!). But do still enter, because one international winner will also be chosen to receive an e-book.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rebecca Reviews ~ Shadow of the Storm (Out From Egypt, #2) by Connilyn Cossette

Paperback, 352 pages

Published October 18th 2016 by Bethany House

In the Depth of the Storm's Shadow, Only Truth Can Light Her Way

Having escaped Egypt with the other Hebrews during the Exodus, Shira is now living in freedom at the foot of Mt. Sinai, upon which rests the fiery glowing Cloud containing the shekinah glory of God. When the people disobey Yahweh and build a golden idol, the ensuing chaos gives Shira an unexpected opportunity to learn the arts of midwifery. Although her mother wishes for her to continue in the family weaving trade, Shira's gifts shine brightest when she assists with deliveries. In defiance of her mother, Shira pursues her heart's calling to become an apprentice midwife.

When a delivery goes horribly wrong, Shira finds herself bound to a man who betrayed her, the caretaker of three young children, and the target of a vengeful woman whose husband was killed by Shira's people, the Levites. As contention between the Hebrew tribes and the foreigners fans the flames of another dangerous rebellion, Shira will come face-to-face with the heartbreak of her past that she has kept hidden for so long. How can she let go of all that has defined her to accept the love she's denied herself and embrace who she truly is?

About the Author

Connilyn Cossette is a homeschooling mother of two with a passion for writing stories of timeless grace. She hopes to draw readers into a personal encounter with the rich ancient world of the Bible and spark curiosity that will lead to digging deeper into the truth of the Word. Her novel Counted With the Stars won the 2013 Frasier Contest and was a semi-finalist in the 2013 ACFW Genesis Contest. She lives near Dallas, Texas. Connect with her at www.connilyncossette.com.

Rebecca's Review

4 STARS!!!

"So many broken pieces between us, yet somehow they all seemed to fit together."

Nestled beneath the shadow of Mount Sinai, God's people commit a grievous error during Moses' prolonged absence, shedding their mantle of faith in exchange for pagan worship. God's justice is swift and the Levites exact immediate retribution, leaving many widows behind, including Dvorah, who vows revenge.

Shira, now living peacefully with her family; basking in their newfound freedom, struggles to continue her mother's domestic vocation, feeling instead the call to midwifery. After assisting her brother's friend with a complicated delivery for one of his ewes, their common experience creates a bond, a bond that the handsome young herder is destined to shatter, and Dvorah is determined to break, especially following a birth gone badly.

It will take every ounce of courage in Shira's compassionate heart to accept the fact that God can, and will, put together broken pieces and that those who survive the fiercest of storms can become the strongest of vessels.

Enjoy this inspiring look at life beyond Egypt, as the Israelites struggle to become a nation, while a young man and woman seek, and receive, unconditional love and limitless forgiveness . I was given a copy of this book by the publisher, the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Rebecca is a graduate of Bryan College with a degree in Christian Education and is currently serving at the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Gastonia, North Carolina as the Director of Children's Ministry. With nearly 28 years of experience in her field, she has had many opportunities to use her love of reading and writing in creative ways across the generations. A wife, mother of four "nearly" grown children, and grandmother to four beautiful grandchildren, Rebecca has been able to return to her love of reading and more recently reviewing, with a renewed passion for the "beauty of story".

~Happy Reading~

Where Two Hearts Meet by Carrie Turansky ~ FREE on Kindle!!!

I read these tea shop novellas and absolutely loved them!

In fact, I've read most of Carrie's books and enjoyed every single one. Of course, it's always best to settle in with a hot cuppa tea, cocoa or coffee, and a snuggly warm blanket if it's cold weather. You'll want to get nice and comfortable because it will be hard to tear yourself away from these sweet stories! ;)

If you aren't familiar with her work, I encourage you to grab your copy of these two novellas (in one collection) that are available FREE on Kindle!

Kindle Edition, 139 pages

Published April 6th 2014 by Flowing Stream Books

Two Sisters, Two Heartwarming Romance novellas

There’s no better place for romance, forgiveness, and second chances than the Sweet Something Teashop.

Tea For Two

Allison Bennett, co-owner of a financially strapped teashop in Princeton, New Jersey, receives a large anonymous check that saves her business. But she has no idea who sent it. Could it be from Peter Hillinger, the wealthy businessman who owns the shop next door and wants to win Allison’s heart? Or is it from Tyler Lawrence, Allison’s old boyfriend, who returns to town claiming a renewed faith and a changed life. Allison doesn’t know whom to trust. Should she follow her head or heart, or is there Someone else who can guide her toward the best path for her future?

Wherever Love Takes Us

After twenty-five years of marriage, Matt and Tessa Malone are struggling to recover financially and rebuild trust following a business failure. Then Matt inherits property in Oregon, and he wants to move the family there to make a fresh start. But Tessa can’t imagine giving up the cozy teashop she co-owns with her sister, or leaving her friends and family in Princeton. Whose dream will they follow, and how much will it cost their family? Can they resolve their differences and rebuild a love that seems lost?

Tea for Two was originally published in Kiss the Bride, and Wherever Love Takes Us was originally published in Wedded Bliss. These two novellas have been expanded, updated, and put together in one book.

You can get your copy FREE on KINDLE!

Always be sure and check the price before you buy! 

I do believe this special ends on Oct 25th! 

Click here for a direct link to Amazon. 

 CARRIE TURANSKY is an award-winning author of thirteen novels and novellas. She has been the winner of the ACFW Carol Award, the Crystal Globe Award, and the International Digital Award, and a finalist for the Inspirational Readers Choice Award and The ACFW Carol Awards and Genesis Contest. She has written contemporary and historical romance, women's fiction, short stories, articles, and devotionals. She lives in central New Jersey with her husband, Scott, who is a pastor, counselor and the author of several parenting books. They have five adult children, whom Carrie homeschooled, and three grandchildren. 

Visit Carrie's website to read more about her and her books.
http://carrieturansky.com/

Connect with Carrie on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

Stay tuned for her next Edwardian book, Shine Like the Dawn, coming in Feb 2017!

In Edwardian England . . . Can the light of faith and love out shine the darkness of doubt and family secrets?
 
Maggie Lounsbury lost her parents in a boating accident when she was seventeen. Those she trusted, including her friend Nate Harcourt and his family, seemed to turn their back on her in her time of need, and she hardened her heart against them. Four years later she finds her father’s journal, and what she reads there makes her suspect their deaths might not have been an accident. Maggie sets off on a search to learn the truth and see that justice is carried out for those she loved and lost, even if it means the Harcourts will have to pay the price.

When Nate Harcourt hears his father is dying he returns to Morningside Manor, his family’s estate in Northumberland, to try and make amends. As the only son and heir, he inherits his father’s property and business interests at Clifton Engineering. Hoping to fulfill his father’s dying request, he seeks out Maggie to pay off a debt owed to her late father, but Maggie doesn’t trust Nate and refuses to accept the money or any help from him or his family.

Will Maggie overcome her distrust, reconnect with Nate, and find the answers she is seeking? Can she learn the value of mercy as well as justice? Will she open her heart to faith and take hold of trust and love again?

Visit and follow Carrie's Shine Like the Dawn Pinterest board to see characters, the setting, and inspiration for the story.
 

~Happy Reading~

Rebecca Reviews ~ Such a Hope (Paths of Grace Book 1) by Sondra Kraak

Kindle Edition, 333 pages

Published October 18th 2016 by Trail House Publishers 

 

Washington Territory, 1871

Anna Warren grew up on the seat of a wagon, the daughter of Seattle's busiest freighter. After her father’s death—a tragedy away from home—she returns to their cabin on the outskirts of Seattle, seeking the sense of belonging that eluded her childhood. But will her desire to pray for miraculous healing for the sick and wounded endear or alienate her to the community? Her most aggravating challenger is also her staunchest defender and has brown hair and eyes, stands six feet tall, and farms with unchecked tenacity. Tristan Porter. This farmer her father had befriended holds more secrets than Yesler’s Mill holds logs.

When ugly rumors arise about her spiritual gift and her property, Anna fears her quest to find belonging will be thwarted.

Tristan holds the truth to set her free, but revealing it will require him to face the disappointments of his past and surrender his plans for the future—a sacrifice he’s not sure he can make. 

 

A native of Washington State, Sondra Kraak grew up playing in the rain, hammering out Chopin at the piano, and running up and down the basketball court. Now settled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children, blogging about spiritual truths, and writing historical romance set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She delights in sharing stories that not only entertain, but nourish the soul. Her debut novel, One Plus One Equals Trouble, was a Genesis semi-finalist (2015) and the winner of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Unpublished Women’s Fiction Award (2015).

 : : :

Rebecca's Review

5 STARS!!!

"It's not healing. It's not prayer. It's yourself. Your spirit, a spirit filled with His Spirit."

The young, recently orphaned Anna Warren has come home, home to Seattle where she and her father spent their life as freighters; hauling, talking, communing with God, barely belonging to the local community. Upon arrival she discovers that her property has been occasionally "borrowed" by a neighboring farmer, a protégé of her father, a talented agriculturalist who has great vision for educating area farmers through the local university. With Anna? His demeanor could only be described as surly, severe and at times, protective.

Anna's relationship with God is unique, in that she is often called to pray for those who need divine healing. Almost immediately that calling is put to the test, when two men vie for her attention; one desiring to capitalize on her supposed giftedness, the other despising everything that it stands for. And then there are the rumors, rumors that her inheritance may not be as certain as she thinks.

"When God moves beyond understanding things get uncomfortable. It was(is) safer to hide from intimacy, than consider God might be closer than one expects."

Tristan Porter is haunted by his past; death a constant specter and his relationship with Anna's father a curious blessing which took an unexpected turn. Anna is a lovely enigma, with her humble spirit, deep faith, and certainty in a God who answers prayer. Unfortunately, it has been Tristan's long held opinion that God never answers prayers. And there are others in the community who feel very strongly that Anna should not be encouraging false hopes of healing; folks who have the capacity to ruin her fragile reputation.

Reading "Such a Hope" is comparable to sitting in the audience of a fine music hall, relishing the music of a perfectly tuned orchestra, surrounded by music that is deep, resonant and enduring. The spiritual implications are profound, and the miracles of grace, healing, and forgiveness self-evident. Beautiful, captivating, and inspiring all characterize this story by the very talented Sondra Kraak.

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

Rebecca is a graduate of Bryan College with a degree in Christian Education and is currently serving at the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Gastonia, North Carolina as the Director of Children's Ministry. With nearly 28 years of experience in her field, she has had many opportunities to use her love of reading and writing in creative ways across the generations. A wife, mother of four "nearly" grown children, and grandmother to four beautiful grandchildren, Rebecca has been able to return to her love of reading and more recently reviewing, with a renewed passion for the "beauty of story".

~Happy Reading~

 

The Cautious Maiden by Dawn Crandall ~ Book Tour + Giveaway + Review

 "THIS BOOK. THIS HERO. THE HAIR PINNING SCENE. THAT KISS. Still. Have. Not. Recovered. I may never. And that’s perfectly fine with me." 

~Carrie Schmidt, Reading is My SuperPower

Paperback, 304 pages

Published October 4th 2016 by Whitaker House (first published 2016)

Violet Hawthorne is beyond mortified when her brother Ezra turns their deceased parents' New England country inn into a brothel to accommodate the nearby lumberjacks; but when Violet's own reputation is compromised, the inn becomes the least of her worries. In an effort to salvage her good name, Violet is forced into an engagement with a taciturn acquaintance; Vance Everstone. As she prepares for a society wedding, Violet learns that her brother had staked her hand in marriage in a heated poker game with the unsavory Rowen Steele, and Ezra had lost. Now Rowen is determined to cash in on his IOU. With danger stalking her and a new fiance who hides both his emotion and his past, Violet must decide who to trust and who to leave behind.

Dawn Crandall is an ACFW Carol Award-nominated author of the award-winning series The Everstone Chronicles, which currently consists of The Hesitant Heiress, The Bound Heart, and The Captive Imposter. The Cautious Maiden is her fourth book.

Apart from writing, Dawn is also a mom of two little ones and serves with her husband in a premarital mentorship program at their local church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

A graduate of Taylor University with a degree in Christian Education and a former bookseller at Barnes & Noble, Dawn Crandall didn’t begin writing until 2010 when her husband found out about her long-buried dream. It didn’t take her long to realize that writing books was what she was made to do.

Dawn is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the secretary for the Indiana ACFW Chapter (Hoosier Ink), and an associate member of the Great Lakes ACFW Chapter.

Dawn is graciously giving away two prize packs!!!

Enter the Rafflecopter GIVEAWAY for an opportunity to win one of these gorgeous prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Rebecca's Review

4 STARS!!!

"Do you have something against falling in love, or have you simply never felt strongly enough to understand what it's like?(Violet) . . . . No, I have never been in love, though I have done plenty of despicable things in its name." (Vance) 

Violet Hawthorne has always been cautious around men. Tragically, her honorable reputation dramatically shifts when she becomes the victim of a humiliating act and is comforted by a man whom she has long tried to avoid. Unknown to Violet, her brother has recklessly gambled away her future during a poker game, while an anonymous benefactor valiantly, but unsuccessfully, attempted to pay off her debt.

"Thy power and Thine alone, can change the leper's spots and melt the heart of stone .. . and melt the heart of stone . .. and melt the heart of stone." ~Hymn, Jesus Paid It All

Vance Everstone regrets his sordid past, a recent conversion to Christ has transformed his life; melting his heart of stone, for "Jesus Paid it All". Fascinated by the lovely Violet Hawthorne, Vance longs to protect her from evil forces far stronger than she can imagine. When the unlikely couple is forced into a hasty betrothal, both wonder if their marriage can survive undeclared love amidst such suffocating circumstances. Fortunately, attraction has bloomed, but will it be enough, for this fragile relationship may tragically disintegrate, before it even gets started.

"...it hasn't been me doing the changing at all - only receiving the blessings of the change Christ has been doing in me." ~from Vance's testimony
 
Readers of the "Everstone Chronicles" will truly enjoy this outstanding addition to the series, for "The Cautious Maiden" displays author Dawn Crandall at her finest!

 I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Rebecca is a graduate of Bryan College with a degree in Christian Education and is currently serving at the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Gastonia, North Carolina as the Director of Children's Ministry. With nearly 28 years of experience in her field, she has had many opportunities to use her love of reading and writing in creative ways across the generations. A wife, mother of four "nearly" grown children, and grandmother to four beautiful grandchildren, Rebecca has been able to return to her love of reading and more recently reviewing, with a renewed passion for the "beauty of story".

~Happy Reading~