Review: Never Kneel to a Knight

Never Kneel to a Knight

"When the thoroughly poised Charlotte Worthington requests that Miss Thorn and her cat Fortune find her a position, she never dreams the savvy employment agency owner would reunite her with Matthew Bateman, her brother’s former bodyguard. Matthew is about to be knighted for an act of valor, and he and his sisters could use some polishing if they’re to enter Society after his elevation. Yet how can Charlotte maintain her calm, cool demeanor as their sponsor when she harbors a secret love for him?

Matthew Bateman cannot forget the beauty who is miles out of his league. Once a boxer called the Beast of Birmingham, Matthew would like nothing better than to be worthy of Charlotte’s hand. As old enemies and new ones attempt to bring him low, can Matthew prove to Charlotte that their love is meant to be?"

Author: Regina Scott
Length: 226 pages
Series: Fortune Brides (book 5)

The Beast of Birmingham.

The Beauty from London.

Can love cross the social gaps?

Y'all! This series has been EVERYTHANG! EVERY. THANG. 
I have loved every single book, and I'm so beyond honored that I've been able to review them all.

We met Charlotte & Matthew in book 4, and I knew from the moment they came on screen they were going to be the cutest couple. 
I was right!

Both of the characters were confident people, until it came to their feelings for each other. They definitely had chemistry, and I was rooting for them from the sidelines.

I loved Matthew. His spirit and his honor were so evident throughout the story. He didn’t need to be named a knight for his true self to be displayed. He was a gentleman at heart. 

Charlotte was perfect for the "Beast". She also had a gentle spirit, and she fought for the people she loved when the need was presented. She was elegant, graceful, and so patient. She took everything life threw at her, but never let people walk over her. 

They both complemented each other so well! I really loved seeing them realize how perfect they were for each other, and what people think doesn't even matter.

Family was such an important part of this series, but this book especially. I LOVED IT! I enjoy when series deal with close knit friendships and families. 😍

Loved the book! Can't wait to finish the series off. (It's going to be so bittersweet)
I rated it a 4/5 stars.

*I received this book from the author**I was not required to leave a positive review**All opinions are my own*

Review: Ever Faithful

Ever Faithful

"Vibrant historic Yellowstone National Park comes to life in this romantic mystery about a man hiding the truth, braving the west to become something more--and the woman who must confront his deception.

A man who can't read will never amount to anything--or so Nate Webber believes. But he takes a chance to help his family by signing up for the new Civilian Conservation Corps, skirting the truth about certain "requirements." Nate exchanges the harsh Brooklyn streets for the wilds of Yellowstone National Park, curious if the Eden-like wonderland can transform him as well. 

Elsie Brookes was proud to grow up as a ranger's daughter, but she longs for a future of her own. After four years serving as a maid in the park's hotels, she still hasn't saved enough money for her college tuition. A second job, teaching a crowd of rowdy men in the CCC camp, might be the answer, but when Elsie discovers Nate's secret, it puts his job as camp foreman in jeopardy. Tutoring leads to friendship and romance, until a string of suspicious fires casts a dark shadow over their relationship. Can they find answers before all of their dreams go up in smoke?"

Author: Karen Barnett

Length: 352 pages

Series: Vintage National Parks (book #3)

Yellowstone's iconic geyser is fairly predictable.

Elsie's future is anything but.

I LOVE the idea of this series! I have loved National Parks for years, and getting to read HISTORICAL books BASED in said parks...you best believe I'm a happy duckling.

I enjoyed the characters in this book. There were quite a few characters, but none of them were fighting for screen time. Each one played their part, fitting together like puzzle pieces. The chemistry was great between everyone. Together or broken off into groups they all worked very well together. 

I really loved the atmosphere between the CCC guys. They became like brothers over the months they were together. They looked out for each other and helped each other out whenever it was needed. It was evident how much they truly cared for each other!

Nate & Elise were great. Though they were opposites in most aspects, they complemented each other in the ways that it really counted. 
They both had scars (physical & emotional) from their past that they didn't want anyone else to see. They had walls up, and they had no desire to let them down. Yet, they were drawn to each other. They crafted a tentative friendship and they found it so easy to open up to each other, and in doing so they truly started to heal from past hurts. That helped solidify the relationship and soon they were growing as people, they were more confident and independent. 

The mystery thread was an interesting aspect to the story. I had a feeling about who the culprit was, but ended up dead wrong. (I love being taken by surprise!)

The story was very easy to read, even with the history woven throughout. I enjoyed the writing style. I am looking forward to reading the other books in the "series".
I rated it a 4/5 stars.

(PLEASE NOTE THESE BOOKS CAN BE READ AS STAND-A-LONES)

*I received this book from the publisher**I was not required to leave a review**All opinions are my own*

Quotes:

"The fire doesn't kill the seeds?"
"It sets them free," the ranger said. "Most of us ask God for any easy life. But sometimes it takes a little heat to break loose the seeds He's planted deep inside us."

Character Spotlight: The Number of Love

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White with JustRead Publicity Tours! Follow along with the tour for a special inside peek at how The Number of Love is connected to the author's previous book from another series, A Song Unheard.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Number of Love
Series: Codebreakers #1
Author: Roseanna M. White
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: June 4, 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue


Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network—field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.


Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy that just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the too-intelligent Margot, but how to convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart?


Amidst biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them, but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save them all from the very secrets that brought them together.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | ChristianBook

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CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT

Friendship has been on my mind a lot recently. When I found out a strong friendship was cultivated I knew I had to spotlight those characters. Today I'm talking about Margot De Wilde & Dorothea Elton.

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Margot:

Margot is our lovely, and crazily brilliant heroine. She was a master codebreaker and she looked at literally everything in numbers. She even spoke to God in numbers. It was refreshing to see a character with an unconventional quirk. She didn't like the thought of emotions or feelings because they weren't absolute.

Out of the two she definitely was the logical, nonsense friend, however they balanced each other out and had a wonderful friendship. They were there for each other when it was needed.

Dot:

Dorothea Elton is none other than our precious Drake Elton's sister.

Where Margot was “confident and not afraid of anything” Dot was skittish. She had severe anxiety when she had to leave her flat. Anything that required her to go outside sent her into an attack, until she met Margot.

Their friendship gave Dot courage and she slowly started to get better. Though Margot never pushed her past her limits, she knew Dot was so much stronger than anyone gave her credit for.

Both girls truly flourished because of the friendship.

It was a friendship orchestrated by God and it stood the test of time in the end. They became more than best friends, they became soul sisters.

Take Away: Never take your soul-friends for granted!  

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Title:A Song Unheard
Series: Shadows Over England #2 
Author: Roseanna M. White
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: January 2, 2018
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue

Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which make her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I—to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales.


Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won—until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is in meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe.


But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn't—that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | ChristianBook

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself.

Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books...to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.


CONNECT WITH ROSEANNA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

Grand Prize: Shadows Over England series, The Number of Love, and the Decrypto board game, plus "Mi Alma" necklace (Necklace is 24" chain with a 1" pendant that says "Mi Alma" Spanish for "My Soul". A term of endearment used throughout the book. Handmade by Bookworm Mama)

(3) additional winners of The Number of Love.

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight June 3, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm June 17, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Review: Flight of the Raven

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Flight of the Raven

(The Ravenwood Saga #2)

By Morgan L. Busse

Christian Fantasy

Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages

April 30th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers

Selene Ravenwood, once the heir to House Ravenwood, is now an exile. On the run and free of her family's destiny, Selene hopes to find the real reason her family was given the gift of dreamwalking. But first she must adapt to her new life as wife to Lord Damien Maris, the man she was originally assigned to kill. 

While adjusting to her marriage and her home in the north, her power over dreams begins to grow. As the strongest dreamwalker to exist in ages, her expanding power attracts not only nightmares but the attention of the Dark Lady herself.

With a war looming on the horizon and a wicked being after her gift, Selene is faced with a choice: embrace the Dark Lady's offer, or search out the one who gave her the gift of dreamwalking. One path offers power, the other offers freedom. But time is running out, and soon her choice will be made for her.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository

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MY THOUGHTS

I AM FEELING SOO MANY EMOTIONS! 

I loved the characters and the story line in the first book, but this one might take the "favorite" spot. 

The first book dealt a lot with WORLD building and "Flight of the Raven worked on CHARACTER building. We're getting the see THEM. Their fears, their faults, their strengths and a snippets of what's to come.  I'm really enjoying where the author is taking this story! 

The author does an amazing job grabbing you and pulling you into the story. The pages fly by without you even realizing it. 

Pro tip: NEVER get comfortable where you are in the story! The author will pull the rug out from underneath you in snap.

I'm VERY excited to see how she weaves and finesses the 3rd book! My heart is already breaking when I think of this series ending, I'm so invested in these characters.

I can't say too much because "SPOILERS", but I can say that the author wrote a story that will touch those that hurting and lost. I have a feeling many people will be able to connect with Damien and Selene and what they feel.

We are ALL special to God, no matter how much darkness you think you have in your past. He is much greater and brighter than it all! 

"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

I rated it a 5/5 stars!

*I received this book from the publisher**All opinions are my own*

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Other Books in the Series

Mark of the Raven

(The Ravenwood Saga #1)

By Morgan L. Busse

Christian Fantasy

Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages

November 6th 2018 by Bethany House Publishers

Lady Selene is the heir to the Great House of Ravenwood and the secret family gift of dreamwalking. As a dreamwalker, she can enter a person’s dreams and manipulate their greatest fears or desires. For the last hundred years, the Ravenwood women have used their gift of dreaming for hire to gather information or to assassinate.

As she discovers her family’s dark secret, Selene is torn between upholding her family’s legacy–a legacy that supports her people–or seeking the true reason behind her family’s gift.

Her dilemma comes to a head when she is tasked with assassinating the one man who can bring peace to the nations, but who will also bring about the downfall of her own house.

One path holds glory and power, and will solidify her position as Lady of Ravenwood. The other path holds shame and execution. Which will she choose? And is she willing to pay the price for the path chosen?

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository

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About the Author

Morgan L. Busse is a writer by day and a mother by night. She is the author of the Follower of the Word series and the steampunk series The Soul Chronicles. She is a Christy and INSPY Award finalist and won the Carol Award in 2018 for best in Christian speculative fiction. During her spare time she enjoys playing games, taking long walks, and dreaming about her next novel.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Instagram│Pinterest│BookBub

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Tour Schedule

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Tour Giveaway

- 1 winner will receive print copies of Mark of the Raven, Flight of the Raven, and a $20 Amazon gift card

- 2 winner winners will receive print copies of Mark of the Raven and Flight of the Raven

- US only

- Ends June 7, 2019

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: More Than Words Can Say

More Than Words Can Say

"After fulfilling a pledge to a dying friend, Zacharias Hamilton is finally free. No family entanglements. No disappointing those around him. Just the quiet bachelor existence he's always craved. Until fate snatches his freedom away when the baker of his favorite breakfast bun is railroaded by the city council. Despite not wanting to get involved, he can't turn a blind eye to her predicament . . . or her adorable dimples.

Abigail Kemp needs a man's name on her bakery's deed. A marriage of convenience seems the best solution . . . if it involves a man she can control. That person definitely isn't the stoic lumberman who oozes silent confidence whenever he enters her shop. Control Zacharias Hamilton? She can't even control her pulse when she's around him.
When vows are spoken, Abigail's troubles should be over. Yet threats to the bakery worsen, and darker dangers hound her sister. Can she put ever more trust in Zach without losing her dreams of independence?"

Author: Karen Witemeyer

Length: 368 pages

Series: A Patchwork Family Novel (book 2)

Is love worth the gamble?

Every female from here to Timbuktu fell in love with Zach Hamilton in "More Than Meets the Eye". The older brother with a checkered past and a tendency to hide his feelings. We all saw what was underneath though, we were just waiting for Karen to bring it all to light in his book. Well ladies...that day has FINALLY come. Zachary Hamilton's story is OUT IN THE WORLD! You all need to go buy it now! It was an A. MAZE. ING. book.

I've had the honor of being apart of Karen's Facebook group called "The Posse" for awhile now. It's fun group where all Karen's fans hang out and chat. A really neat aspect of the group is Karen talks about her works in progress and even asks for help sometimes. So I knew about Zach's story WAY before it even had a cover or a title. I feel like I've been waiting for this book longer than a year. 😅
(PSA: Everyone is welcome to join the group! We LOVE welcoming new Posse members.)

I absolutely adored this book! 😍😍😍 I loved the characters. I loved the troupe. I loved the setting. I loved the chemistry. I loved the message. I loved the family. I LOVED IT ALL!

The author wrote such a well rounded story, I never felt like anything was rushed or incomplete. Each character was perfectly formed and every problem was faced.

I loved Zach! His silent, brooding, gruff self was truly hiding the biggest teddy bear with a massive heart underneath. He just doesn't express it in the same ways everyone else does, but once he considers you family you're locked in forever. He was exactly the kind of guy Abigail was looking for and needed.

Abby was a great character! She was strong, brave, gracious and loving. She had a lot of insecurities because of the way she looked, but throughout the story Zach helps her realize that she is beautiful just the way she is, she is perfect just the way she is. 

Zach and Abby complemented each other so well! Not only did they make each other better, they built each other's relationship with God. They never judged each other, but chose to use each opportunity to learn and grow. 

They both had pasts that they tried to run away from and forget, but they leaned on each other worked through it all. They learned that man will fail you, but God never will.

I LOVED that communication was actually a thing!! I have the hardest time reading and enjoying a book when the main characters don't talk to each other. 
These characters did not have that problem. They never held secrets from each other for very long. They talked everything out and that helped build a foundation for a strong relationship. They knew that if their marriage was going to be a good one they needed to get everything out on the table. 

Lots of healing took place throughout this book, and I enjoyed every minute of watching it happen. 
I'm looking forward to Rosalind's story as well. 
I rated this book a 4.5/5 stars. 

*I received this book from the publisher**I was not required to leave a review**All opinions are my own*


Quotes:

"Choosing a husband was much like choosing a baguette. One looked for a strong outer shell, a tender interior, and most importantly, a tractability of a dough to hold whatever shape the baker deemed appropriate."

Spotlight: The King's Mercy

The King's Mercy

"When captured rebel Scotsman Alex MacKinnon is granted the king's mercy--exile to the Colony of North Carolina--he's indentured to Englishman Edmund Carey as a blacksmith. Against his will Alex is drawn into the struggles of Carey's slaves--and those of his stepdaughter, Joanna Carey. 

A mistress with a servant's heart, Joanna is expected to wed her father's overseer, Phineas Reeves, but finds herself drawn instead to the new blacksmith. As their unlikely relationship deepens, successive tragedies strike the Careys. 

When blame falls unfairly upon Alex he flees to the distant mountains where he encounters Reverend Pauling, itinerate preacher and friend of the Careys, now a prisoner of the Cherokees. 

Haunted by his abandoning of Joanna, Alex tries to settle into life with the Cherokees, until circumstances thwart yet another attempt to forge his freedom and he's faced with the choice that's long hounded him: continue down his rebellious path or embrace the faith of a man like Pauling, whose freedom in Christ no man can steal. But the price of such mercy is total surrender, and perhaps Alex's very life."


“My hope is that [readers are] drawn closer to the Lord through Joanna and Alex’s story,” Benton says, “and that they turn that last page of The King’s Mercy more in love with our merciful Jesus than when they began.” - Lori Benton

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author LORI BENTON was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American history going back 300 years. Her novels transport readers to the 18th century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history. She is the author of Burning Sky, recipient of three Christy Awards; The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn; Christy nominee The Wood's Edge; A Flight of Arrows; and Christy nominee Many Sparrows. When she isn't writing, reading, or researching, she enjoys exploring and photographing the Oregon wilderness with her husband. For more information visit www.loribenton.blogspot.com or www.facebook.com/AuthorLoriBenton.

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PRAISE FOR THE KING'S MERCY

“With heart-pounding realism, The King’s Mercy draws readers into the web of plantation life, where the price of freedom is hammered out at the hero’s forge and in the lives of every compelling character that surrounds him. Lori Benton pens a remarkable story of mercy and grace, the chains that bind us, and the ultimate freedom to be found in Christ.” —LAURA FRANTZ, Christy Award–winning author of The Lacemaker

“The King’s Mercy is a compelling tale of the early frontier, where the wealthy flourish and the poor serve, but sometimes the lines between slavery and freedom are not what you think. Lori Benton is a master at weaving together a beautiful tapestry of cultures and traditions, and her characters will live on in my heart for years to come.” —KAREN BARNETT, award-winning author of Where the Fire Falls and The Road to Paradise

“In this beautifully written novel, Lori Benton sweeps readers back to North Carolina in the 1700s to a slave plantation that’s hosting a terrifying evil. Lori is an expert at capturing time and place, and her dual skills give us a powerful glimpse into the longings of both an indentured servant who craves his freedom and the much-loved daughter of his master. The King’s Mercy is an intriguing, compelling story about God’s mercy and poignant redemption for those who choose to follow Him.” —MELANIE DOBSON, award-winning author of Catching the Wind and Hidden Among the Stars

“Lori Benton is a master storyteller. She breathes life into her characters and historical settings, drawing you in so deep that when the phone rings, you find yourself saying, ‘What be that wee sound?’ Highly recommended!” —KAREN BALL, writer and editor