Blog Tour Review and Giveaway for Smart Move by Melanie Jacobson

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Oct 192012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: Smart Move
  • Author: Melanie Jacobson
  • Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications Inc; 1st edition (October 1, 2012)
  • Genre: Romantic Comedy
  • ISBN-10: 1608615685
  • ISBN-13: 978-1608615681
  • FTC FYI: I was given a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

 

 

Book Description:

Publication Date: October 1, 2012
The spark was undeniable the night Sandy Burke met the
devastatingly handsome Jake. Conversation flowed easily, so after they
parted, she waited eagerly for his call. It never came. A high-powered
career woman at the ripe old age of twenty-seven, Sandy feels she has
had her heart broken one too many times, and now the redheaded
trendsetter is facing a major quarter-life crisis. After some
introspection, Sandy determines that helping others may be the key to
helping herself. When she’s presented with a job offer in Washington,
DC, as the director of New Horizons, a nonprofit organization benefiting
women in poverty, it seems providential. But now that she’s moved, two
major obstacles threaten the success of her first assignment: The first
is her mother and her constant fog of less-than helpful New Age advice.
Secondly, plans to build another New Horizons outreach center have come
to a screeching halt, thanks to the interference of a pesky lawyer and
his attempts to reverse zoning approval for the building project. After
weeks of verbal sparring over the phone, Sandy is in for a shock when
she comes face-to-face with her foe. The smooth voice at the other end
of the line is a heartwrenching blast from the past. In this twist of
fate, Sandy sees the perfect opportunity to ensure the success of the
outreach center and to enact a little payback on this man she thought
she’d left behind. And so the battle of wits begins. Will Sandy’s
flirt-to-convert plot sway her nemesis’s determination to block the
center, or will his charming and undeniably attractive ways convince the
sassy redhead to give love a second chance?

My Review: 

Sandy’s heart was broken a year ago. With her new move back East to the Washington D.C. area she has a chance to start anew in her life. Little does she know the reason for her heartache has also moved back East to the same town. They soon meet again and sparks fly as they clash in business and in love.

Melanie Jacobson has written a strong character in Sandy Burke who is confident in life, but not necessarily in love. Sandy grew up with a distant mother and an absent father. Trust issues are huge for her and she has built a wall around her heart. Along comes Jake who with his good looks, impeccable style and brains to boot, and this successful lawyer will do anything to win her heart.

I always love the humor that is infused in Melanie’s books. Even with serious issues, her characters seem to find funny things happening to them. One of the most humorous things in the book is when Sandy gets stuck in a cabinet with her behind sticking out.

Ten seconds later, Magdalena’s voice,sounding strangely hollow to her inside the cabinet, asked, “Why is your bottom sticking out of the cabinet Sand Dollar?”

Please let her be alone, Sandy begged silently.

A choking noise that masked a laugh told her that her Ridiculous Situation guardian angel was currently off duty.

“Yes, Sand Dollar,” Jake said from above her. “Why? And how can we help?”

A burn crept up her neck and face. “I’m dusting.”



The other thing I loved in this book was the witty dialogue between Sandy and Jake…



She offered him a slow, mysterious smile, determined to restore some lightness to the evening. “If it makes you feel better, being near you does cause me some serious issues.”

He leaned closer and coked his head, morphing in an instant from goofy to sexy. “Like what, ” he drawled. 

She closed the gap between them until a mere breath separated them. “I have to tell the truth,” she whispered. “being this close to you is hard. I feel this overwhelming urge to…”

“What?” he whispered back.

“Kick you.”

There was a moment of silence, and then he burst out laughing again. When he pulled himself together, he gave her hair a playful tug. “Leave it to me to find the perfect woman and have her hate me.”


There is so much more for you to read, enjoy and laugh about. There are some serious moments as she tries to heal her relationship with her new-age mother, Magdalena. Smart Move is different from Melanie’s other books in that the characters seemed more mature, but this didn’t take away any of the appeal that is always there in a Melanie Jacobson book.  I liked this novel and every fan of Melanie’s will love this new book too!

Guess what? USA readers have a chance to win a paperback copy of Smart Move. I know it’s hard to contain your excitement! I felt the same way when Melanie asked me to be part of the blog tour! Enter in the Rafflecopter form below and good luck!a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Purchase your own copy of Smart Move here.

About the Author:

Melanie Bennett Jacobson is an avid
reader, amateur cook, and champion shopper. She consumes astonishing
amounts of chocolate, chick flicks, and romance
novels. After meeting her husband online, she is now living happily
married in Southern California with her growing family and a series of
doomed houseplants. Melanie is a former English teacher and a popular
speaker who loves to laugh and make others laugh. In her down time
(ha!), she writes romantic comedies for Covenant and maintains her
humorous slice-of-life blog. Visit Melanie on her website or blog.

Blog Tour Review of, Toby Gold and the Secret Fortune by Craig R. Everett

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Sheila's Reviews
Oct 122012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: Toby Gold and the Secret Fortune
  • Author: Craig R. Everett
  • Hardcover: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Fiscal Press (October 18, 2012)
  • Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
  • ISBN-10: 1936214954
  • ISBN-13: 978-1936214952
  • FTC FYI: I was given a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review by: Sheila

 

 

Book Description and Review:  

“Money is the most dangerous magic.”

 

New Fantasy Novel Teaches Kids about Money

It is widely recognized that the lack of basic financial skills among adults and teens is a serious
problem in America and around the world.
A new middle-grade novel by Craig Everett hopes to improve the financial
literacy situation for children ages 9 to 15.

Toby Gold and the Secret Fortune is an urban fantasy, where a secret magical world of money and
intrigue co-exists with the same everyday world we all know.  Toby grows up in Wallingford, Connecticut,
not knowing about this secret society until one day when he discovers secret
messages encrypted into the stock ticker “crawl” that moves along the bottom of
the screen on the financial news channel.

Toby’s shock only grows worse when he realizes that the secret messages are directed to him!

His unique abilities with math and money have been noticed by the wrong people, and Toby is quickly
sucked into a high-stakes life and death financial conspiracy, that he is only able
to resolve by using his amazing skills with money.

At 260 pages, the book is fast-paced and entertaining.  It
incorporates such financial literacy topics as: saving, banking,
entrepreneurship, time value of money, return on investment, and simple
financial statements.

“My whole purpose in writing this book is to introduce finance principles to people in an
entertaining way using characters with which they can identify,” says author
Craig R. Everett, a finance professor at Pepperdine University in Malibu,
California.  “Financial literacy is a huge issue now, particularly due to the financial crisis,” Dr. Everett
continues.  “There is no silver bullet that instantly endows people with financial literacy, so the best approach is to expose kids to these concepts in as many ways and at as many times as
possible…eventually, it will stick.”

This book is a great teaching tool for tweens and teens. What a fantastic way for teens to learn about being responsible with money. There is also an entertaining action story to go along with these thoughtful lessons. You couldn’t ask for a better combination than this!

Toby Gold and the Secret Fortune will be available in bookstores
and online on October 15, 2012 here.
Author Bio for Craig Everett:
Craig R. Everett was born and raised in Maine,
spending his childhood summers digging along the shores of Bar Harbor for
buried pirate treasure.  Fortunately, he
was able to remain blissfully unaware that pirates seldom, if ever, ventured
that far north.  He received his B.A. in
Economics from Tufts University, an MBA from George Mason University, and a
Ph.D. in Finance from Purdue University.
Dr. Everett is currently a finance professor at
Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, where he teaches corporate and
entrepreneurial finance. Dr. Everett also volunteers in public schools teaching
financial literacy principles. 
You can learn more about Craig here:

http://craigeverett.com/


http://tobygold.com/


FB http://www.facebook.com/pages/Craig-Everett-author/128980444347?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/craig_everett

Blog Tour Schedule for Toby Gold and the Secret Fortune by Craig Everett, 2012

04-Oct-2012  Free Money Finance 

11-Oct-2012 Queen of Random  

12-Oct-2012 Why Not? Because I Said So

12-Oct-2012 LDS Women’s Book Review

13-Oct-2012 A Storybook World

15-Oct-2012 A Thousand Wrongs

16-Oct-2012 Say This Write

16-Oct-2012 Money and Me for Canadians

16-Oct-2012 Word Spelunking

17-Oct-2012 Couponing with Boys

18-Oct-2012 Book Launch of Toby Gold and the Secret Fortune at the Access to Capital Conference at the LA Westin Bonaventure Hotel.

18-Oct-2012 The Book Bug

18-Oct-2012  I Am a Reader not a Writer

19-Oct-2012 Of Writerly Things

19-Oct-2012  Troop Petrie

22-Oct-2012 Renae’s Writespot

22-Oct-2012  The Write Path

23-Oct-2012  Monique’s Musings

23-Oct-2012  My Mommy’s World

24-Oct-2012  The Things I Love

24-Oct-2012  Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker

25-Oct-2012  Live to Read

26-Oct-2012 Ordinary Happily Ever After

29-Oct-2012  Fire and Ice

01-Nov-2012  Jeffrey Olsen

01-Nov-2012  Bookworm Lisa

05-Nov-2012 Debbie’s Inkspectations

07-Nov-2012  With a Side of Thriftiness

10-Nov-2012 A Storybook World

 

12-Nov-2012 Christy Dorrity’s Dearest Dreams

15-Nov-2012  The Non-Reluctant Reader

19-Nov-2012  Taffy’s Writings 

Nov 2012- http://www.queenoftheclan.com/

Blog Tour for:Faith, Hope and Gravity by Merrill Osmond and Shirley Balhmann Also Enter to Win Audio Book or CD from Merrill!

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Sep 072012
 

Product Details:

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 17, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1477681787
  • ISBN-13: 978-1477681787
  • FTC, FYI: Review e-copy

 

 

 

 

Book Description:

Faith, Hope and Gravity
is the spiritual, magical adventure of teenage Liam Kane as he
discovers some of the same lessons Merrill Osmond learned as the
world-traveling lead singer of the Osmond Brothers. Merrill, like Liam,
was often misunderstood for his visionary quests to understand those who
looked for answers to life’s questions.
Liam’s talents gain him international notoriety as “The
Prophecy Boy” who swims with dolphins, dreams of a mysterious red door,
and champions those who are misunderstood.
Surviving kidnapping, near-drowning, and imprisonment
ultimately leads to the discovery that despite inherent differences,
when people respect one another’s unique abilities, the thread of
commonality that runs through mankind grows ever stronger.
Turn the pages and join the unforgettable journey.

My Review:

Faith,Hope, and Gravity is one of those books that you read, and then immediately hand it off to your kids. This story not only entertains, but leaves so many great messages for the reader. As you read about Liam’s journey through life, and his many struggles as he tries to find his place in the world, most people will be able to relate to this character. I feel like tweens and teens especially will read Liam’s story and feel this story was written for them.

I loved reading on Shirley’s blog how Faith, Hope and Gravity came to be. Here is what she said…

“Did you know that the main character in Merrill Osmond’s book is named
“Liam?” It’s there for a reason… it means “defender”… but I also
like it because it kind of sounds like “Merrill” said backwards. 
Whether you’re an Osmond fan or not, “Faith, Hope and Gravity” offers a
thought-provoking adventure story about talents and unique abilities and
what we do with them. (And, yes, everyone has talent.)
Many people have asked how I came to write Merrill’s book. It started
after my friend, Alicia Feree, who knows sign language, joined my
writing class. She was acquainted with Merrill’s son, Justin, and
referred him to me to write his story. Once Justin’s book, “Hearing with
my Heart” was done, (CLICK HERE!)  Merrill
asked if I’d be interested in working with him on a book project. We
talked, he gave me his notes, (a LOT of notes) I read and outlined, we
talked some more, I wrote, we read, and talked some more. And what we
came up with is “Faith, Hope and Gravity.”
If going on a world-wide reading adventure while discovering insights to
make your life happier sounds good, be sure to get your copy.”
You can purchase your copy HERE!

 Now, how would you like to win some prizes offered by Merrill Osmond. There are several ways to enter on the Rafflecopter form below.

The giveaway is open to US addresses only. 

You can enter to win either: Both prizes will be given away…2 winners!!!
Audio book of Let the Reason Be Love
written and narrated by Merrill Osmond
Let the Reason Be Love – In this new medium, Merrill Osmond
continues to entertain us through real-life journal excerpts and fascinating
life stories set against a show business backdrop. But more than a melody of
family and fame, he blends into this work the harmony of his faith. Just when
we feel alone or unprepared on this stage of life, here are new tunes and steps
to motivate and inspire. The middle man in this famous family not only presents
us with a backstage pass into his unusual life, but beckons us open-armed into
his unusual heart, offering the best reason of all to keep singing and dancing.
To followers of Christ and truth-seekers everywhere, here is a gift, as
down-to-earth as a book about God can be.

Broadway compilation CD by Merrill
Osmond

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Go visit other blogs on this tour to read interviews with Merrill and enter other giveaways!

August 24th–
http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/

Aug 27- http://shirleybahlmann.blogspot.com/

Aug 28-http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/

Aug 30- http://1000wrongs.blogspot.com/

Aug 31

http://tristipinkston.blogspot.com/

Sept 4- http://moniquebucheger.blogspot.com/

Sept 5-http://joansowards.blogspot.com/

Sept 7-http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/

http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/

Sept 10 – http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com/

Sept 12- http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/

Sept 13- http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/

Sept 14- http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/

Sept 17- http://www.debbiesinkspectations.blogspot.com/

Sept 18- http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/

Sept 20- http://www.kathiswritingnook.com/

Sept 24-http://www.queenoftheclan.com/

Sept 27- Susan http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/Sept 28-http://thebookbug-hogan.blogspot.com/
October 1-Jewel Adams www.jewelsbestgems.blogspot.com

About the Authors:



Merrill
Osmond is a world-class entertainer, producer, author, motivational
speaker and renowned lead singer of the Osmonds. Merrill and his
siblings have produced 47 platinum & gold records and Merrill has
written the lyrics for five #1 hit records. Merrill is a co-founder of
the Osmond Foundation, which originally produced “The Children’s Miracle
Network” Telethon. He has produced presidential inaugural events for
both Reagan & Bush. Merrill is excited to release his first novel,
Faith, Hope & Gravity.



Shirley
Bahlmann has written a wide variety of genres, including historical
fiction, novels, biographies, how-to, and how-not-to books. One of her
favorites is a children’s book titled “When the Chicken Crossed the
Road” which comes with instructions and a chicken-colored washcloth so
you can roll your own chicken! Shirley finds the most annoying thing
about being a prolific writer is sleep, because she’d rather be writing.

 

Website: http://shirleybahlmann.com/

Blog:
http://shirleybahlmann.blogspot.com/
www.merrillosmond.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/merrilldavisosmond
Twitter:

Blog Tour Review of, Reality Check by Karen Tuft: Reminder…Enter to Win Your Own Copy!

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Jul 202012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: Reality Check
  • Author: Karen Tuft
  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications Inc.; 1st edition (June 1, 2012
  • Genre: Romance
  • ISBN-10: 1608613976
  • ISBN-13: 978-1608613977

 

 

 

 

 

Book Description:

Publication Date: June 1, 2012
 
After college graduation, Lucy Kendrick heads home with
big plans for work, travel, and relishing her freedom which means no
romantic entanglements. But her two best friends have other ideas. Lucy
is seriously steamed when she realizes they’ve signed her up to be a
contestant on the reality dating show Soulmates, but she decides not to
renege and soon finds herself in Los Angeles a small-town Mormon girl
vying for the love of millionaire bachelor Ethan Glass. At first this
cute, smart, fun young woman, who would rather pray than party,
bewilders Ethan. But his interest and admiration grow with every
encounter. However, the conniving associate producer is determined to
stir up some made-for-TV drama and takes strides to make this reality
television show anything but real. When the show finally airs, Lucy has
been recast as someone she unquestionably is not. Lucy is left
humiliated in front of the world, and Ethan is left wondering who the
Lucy is that he was falling in love with. Will the duplicities that have
created this humiliation ever come to light? And will the truth emerge
too late for the would-be soul-mates?
My Review:   
Reality Check is the story of an LDS young women who becomes a contestant on a reality TV dating show. As my post last Saturday showed, I do watch the Bachelor and Bachelorette. Sometimes I watch it because of liking someone on the show and wanting to see how far my favorite actually advances. Other times I watch to get a good laugh at how crazy people act when they are on a show like this. Well, Reality Check was like watching the TV show, but better. Yes, there were drama queens and wacko contestants, but the main characters added some much needed depth you usually don’t get in the TV show. 

Karen Tuft’s new novel is fun, fast-paced and hard to put down. This is another book that I read late into the night. Once Lucy’s friends trick her into going onto the show Soulmates,  you are hooked. You really want to see what will happen. I had to LOL when Lucy told herself she probably wouldn’t make it past the first night, then she would get to visit Disneyland for the first time. I laughed at this because it’s truly something that I would think and plan! The biggest thing you will notice in the story, is how different Lucy is from the other girls. She stands out because of her standards and morals. The “bachelor” on the show, Ethan Glass, notices her on the first night because of how modestly she is dressed.This story would be considered an LDS romance, but it never shoves anything in your face religiously. It is all presented in a way that you cheer for Lucy as she stays true to herself and her religion. I loved the character of Ethan Glass and how he was in this contest for all of the right reasons. Females will find him “Awww”” worthy and wanting an Ethan in their own lives; or wanting their husbands to follow Ethan’s lead. 

Reality Check is a great first book from Karen Tuft. This is another book, that you must tuck away in your bag, when you go on vacation. You will finish reading this book feeling like maybe, just maybe, soul-mates are truly real.
 
 You can purchase Reality Check here:

Karen Tuft

Best Price $13.00

or Buy New $16.99

Remember that Karen is hosting a giveaway in conjunction with the blog tour. Here again are the details.
Giveaway Information:
Karen is generously donating a paperback copy of Reality Check plus a starfish charm bracelet to one lucky reader. All you have to do to gain entries is to leave a comment on any of the tour stops. Each comment will gain you an entry. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win! Here is a full list of the tour stops .
For those readers who prefer a non-LDS read, she is also giving away an ARC copy of
The Selection by Kiera Cass. It is such a cute book with a reality
based dating show as well.

Make sure you leave your email address and
which book you are entering for in your comments (i.e. Reality Check, The
Selection, or Both).
Also, go visit Karen’s blog for more information.

http://kktuft.blogspot.com/2012/06/where-did-you-have-reality-check.html

Schedule:

July 9: Book Bug – Tour Kickoff + Sneak Peek + Giveaway + “Bachelorette” Polls

July 9: “Bachelorette” Episode – The
Final 3

July 10: Getting Your Read On
– Review

July 11: A Tuft Act to Follow – “Bachelorette” Episode Recap

July 12: Book Bug – Update and “Bachelorette” Thoughts

July 12: Getting Your Read On
– “Bachelorette” Post

July 13: Fire and Ice – “Bachelorette” Post

July 14: Why Not? Because I Said So!
– “Bachelorette” Post

July 16: Book Bug – “Bachelorette”
Post

July 16: “Bachelorette”
Episode – The Men Tell All

July 17: Bookworm Lisa – Review + Author
Guest Post

July 18: A Tuft Act to Follow – “Bachelorette”
Episode Recap

July 19: Fire and Ice –
Review

July 20: Why Not? Because I Said So!
– Review

July 22: “Bachelorette”
Episode – Finale and After the Final Rose

July 23: A Tuft Act to Follow – “Bachelorette”
Finale Recap

July 23: Book Bug –
Review

July 24: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
– Author Interview

July 25: Book Bug – Wrap Up

 

About the Author:

Karen Tuft was born with a healthy dose of curiosity about pretty much everything, so as a child she taught herself to read and play the piano. She studied composition at BYU then graduated from the University of Utah in music theory as a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda honor societies. In addition to being an author, Karen is a wife, mother, pianist, composer, and arranger. She as spent countless hours backstage and in orchestra pits for theater productions along the Wasatch Front. She also has a 75 percent success rate when it comes to matchmaking and is a big believer in happy endings. Among her varied interests, she likes to figure out what makes people tick, wander through museums, and travel, whether by car, plane, or paperback.

**I was given a review copy of Reality Check. In no way did this influence the honest review that was given.**

Emerald City by Alicia K. Leppert – Blog Tour

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews, Special Features
Mar 052012
 

Emerald City

Author: Alicia K. Leppert

Publisher: Sweetwater Books/Cedar Fort

Published Date: April 2012

Pages: 320

Genre: Romance

ISBN# 978-1-59955-864-6

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC: ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Book Description:

One city of 600,000 people.
One broken girl.
One mysterious boy.
One fateful night,
Two worlds collide.

Seattle, Washington. The sprawling, industrious city set in a blanket of pine. I have never known a day that wasn’t spent inside this concrete jungle. It’s my home, and for that I love it. But it’s also the setting for the tragedy called my life, and so I loathe it.

I live alone in a cold, empty studio apartment. The tiny square room closely resembles a cell. That’s my life: solitary confinement.

Here, in this desolate place that perfectly reflects my soul, my story begins.

Summary

Olivia Tate has had a tough life. She is barely making it through each day, simply going through the motions, when she overhears unkind words about her. She is in the depths of despair and can see no way out except through a bottle of pills.

When she wakes up in the hospital, the nurse tells her she was saved by her neighbor, a young man with green eyes named Jude. Jude is genuinely kind, yet quiet and incredibly private about his life. Olivia finds herself drawn to Jude, and as they build a friendship she finds that hope and light are returning to her life again.

My Review

I was drawn into Emerald City from page one. While it starts out a little dark I was pulled right into the story of Olivia and the mysterious young man from the next building. If I hadn’t been so tired I would have read straight through the night.

I really liked Jude and was very intrigued by him and his story. While I had a suspicion about the truth behind Jude, it was wanting to know more about him (and see if I was right) that kept me turning pages. Yes, I am purposefully not telling you what it was or if I was right or not. No spoilers here! I appreciated seeing Olivia seek help and recognize her strength and value. She opens up a little to others around her, sees their kindness and even makes a new friend at work.

While Emerald City has a hint of YA feel to it, Olivia is 20 years old, so it fits more in the “new adult” category and will appeal to both mature teens and adults. As far as content goes, I don’t remember any language and there is no sex, though Jude does spend the night often.

I don’t know if Emerald City is part of a series but if it is, I would definitely read the next book.

* * *

Thank you to both Alicia and Cedar Fort for the opportunity to participate in the Emerald City blog tour.

 

 

 

 

 

Read more Emerald City reviews: BLOG TOUR CALENDAR

Pre-order on AMAZON

Connect with Alicia: WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Connect with Cedar Fort: BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

 

 

 

Family by Design by Heather Justesen — Blog Tour

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Mindy's Reviews
Feb 042012
 

Family by Design

Author: Heather Justesen

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Published: 2012

Softcover: 245 pages

IBSN: 978-1-59955-920-9

FTC FYI: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Reviewed by Mindy

Back cover:  “Before he could think better of it, he blurted out, “I understand your concerns. I’m going to speak to my commander about getting an early discharge. My girlfriend, Rena, and I have talked about getting married. There just hasn’t been any rush.”  As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wondered what he was thinking. Yes, they had discussed marriage, but not to each other! He and Rena had never even dated.

Tucker’s on his way to the biggest challenge of his life. Rena already has it all—except a family of her own. But neither one expected their friendship would take such a dramatic turn.

When Tucker becomes the guardian of his newly orphaned niece and nephew, he knows he can’t handle them alone, not when he might be shipped out with the Marines at any moment. Desperate, he turns to Rena for a major favor. His marriage proposal would give her everything she wants, but can she learn to live without the romance she’s always dreamed of?

As time, prayer, and a life-changing kiss work a little magic in her heart, Rena wonders if someone up there has a plan for her that’s better than anything she could’ve come up with on her own. And though it seems crazy at first, this could become her chance for a marriage that will last for eternity.”

My Review

Rena and Tucker have been friends for 10 years. They both have had their own broken heart stories and have relied on each other many times in the past. When Tucker approaches Rena with a proposal, she is stunned. Sure, they’ve talked about marriage to other people, but Rena never thought the day would come. Tucker needs her help. Rena’s decision will affect the rest of her life.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters are so well written and the story flows with a great amount of feeling and heart.  Each character is important, and I appreciated the author’s eye for detail.  Rena takes on a huge responsibility. After her decision is made, however, she never looks back.  She always has a prayer in her heart.  Even with that, there doesn’t mean there won’t be challenges.  When she is making decisions for Derek and McKensie, she thinks of their mom Haylie, and what she would do. I liked that. The author has a great way of showing real life. The children went through a terrible thing and were not immediately cured by the marriage. Derek especially needs help, and I thought it was handled in a great way.

The book is about family and design. Rena is a very talented designer, and I enjoyed being there with her. Another thing I enjoyed was the glimpses of Tucker serving his country, and the thoughts going through his mind while he was away from his new family. There is also another surprise that I thought was really clever and sweet.

4 out of 5 stars. I knew I was going to love this book when there are mentions of Harry Potter and my favorite line from Empire Strikes Back.  I want to thank Heather for asking me to be a part of her blog tour. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

Also, as a special promotion for anyone who buys a book before February 5th, you can get a free ebook for her companion novella, “Shear Luck.” Once you buy a copy of her book go here (link) to get your free copy. http://www.heatherjustesen.com/shear-luck

As if that weren’t enough, Heather’s holding a host of giveaways on her blog throughout the next few weeks, see the rules at the bottom of this post to enter.

Here’s the blurb for Shear Luck:

Chelsea Robison has never forgotten the older boy next door whom she crushed on as a teen, so when she runs into him at the restaurant he’s preparing to open, it’s a delightful shock. And learning he’s available again is more than a little tantalizing.

Vaughn Krenshaw had never seen his neighbor as more than a nice kid—but Chelsea had definitely grown up in the decade since they saw each other last. He’s attracted to the feisty red head, but still struggles over his wife’s death the previous year. And then there’s his five-year-old daughter, Molly, who really liked Chelsea—until she realized the woman was dating her dad.

As Chelsea starts to wonder if their love for each other will be enough to make things work, a specter from Vaughn’s past rises, making her question whether she really knew him at all.

Here’s the links to the other review from the tour.  This is the last day to enter the contest!

Monday, Jan. 16 Danyelle Ferguson

Tuesday, Jan. 17 Kim Job

Wednesday, Jan. 18 Nichole Giles

Thursday, Jan. 19 Liz Adair

Friday, Jan. 20 Susan Dayley

Saturday, Jan. 21 Keith Fisher

Monday, Jan. 23 Robbin Peterson

Tuesday, Jan. 24 Julie Bellon

Wednesday, Jan. 25 Cindy Hogan

Thursday, Jan. 26 Rebecca Talley

Friday, Jan. 27 Kathleen Brebes

Saturday, Jan. 28 Debbie Davis

Monday, Jan. 30 Maria Hoaglund

Tuesday, Jan. 31 Tristi Pinkston

Wednesday, Feb. 1 Joann Arnold

Thursday, Feb. 2 Christine Bryant

Friday, Feb. 3 Rebecca Blevins

Saturday, Feb. 4 Mindy Holt

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