Revived Hope ~ A Review and Giveaway

Posted on December 9, 2021December 9, 2021 by Patti Pierce

About the Book

Book: Revived Hope

Author: Kathleen J. Robison

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release date: October 19, 2021

How many near misses does it take not to be a coincidence anymore?

Melanie Thompson has spent her entire adult life trying to overcome the mistakes of her youth. Just as everything is looking up, it all begins to unravel as one problem after another piles on top of each other, each with one goal in mind. Get her out of the way.

Determined to make a better life for herself and her daughter, and with the help of her father, Melanie looks at alternative ways to make her dream of owning a storefront for her bridal business come true. Complications with her ex-husband, the new business, and a threatening landlord all conspire against her, and everything seems lost when tragedy strikes not once, but twice.

What will it take for Melanie to accept the alternate path the Lord has laid out for her?

Revived Hope, the prequel to the romantic suspense Bay Town Series, paves the path for Melanie and Lacey’s move from Orange County to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and a new life in Bay Town.

Click here to get your copy!

Revived Hope serves as the prequel to the Bay Town Series. It paves the way for Melanie and Laney’s move from Orange County in California to the Gulf Coast of Missippi. Melanie tries to take a Bridal Shop she inherited from the store owner and build something for her and her daughter. Melanie’s ex-husband, along with the store’s new landlord, cause problems for her. But then tragedy strikes twice. But blessings and answers to prayers comes from a bride-to-be from Missippi.

I have to say this story captured my attention and would not let go. I plan on reading the rest of the books in this series. It clearly shows how listening to those around us provides answers to prayers sometimes. I love the depth of the characters and plotlines in this story. When Melanie and Lacey hurt, I hurt for them. When blessings occurred, I rejoiced for the family. So if you enjoy stories with a wealth of emotions, check out this book for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Kathleen J. Robison is an Okinawan-American. Born in Okinawa, raised in California, Florida, Mississippi, and Singapore. Her travels are the inspirational settings for her stories. She and her Pastor husband have eight adult children. Seven are married, blessing them with fourteen grandchildren and counting. The diversity of their 31 family members provide the inspiration for more lively characters than can be imagined. Her husband grew up in the streets of Los Angeles raised by a single working mom, and that life provides fodder for many of the conflicts of her characters.

Tackling difficult life’s trials with God’s strength are the central theme of Kathleen’s stories. She hopes to inspire her readers to trust God and with His strength, weather through and rise above trials and tragedies. If you like suspenseful stories with a thread of romance, you will enjoy Kathleen’s Bay Town Series

More from Kathleen

In Revived Hope, the prequel to Shattered Guilt, it’s one year earlier. Melanie Thompson races through life’s challenges while navigating the trials of being a single mother, a budding entrepreneur, and a woman of faith, all with threats of danger.

Our past doesn’t define us, as Melanie learns, but it definitely frames who we become. Thankfully, we have a gracious God who uses all of the good and the bad to bring us to a place of communion with Him…desiring His will for His glory. And ultimately, it’s always for our good.

I love my character Melanie, and I hope you will too. I’ve spent so many years getting to know her that it was fun writing this prequel. I enjoyed writing about her past and introducing you to her family in California before the move to charming fictional Bay Town in Shattered Guilt. When I wrote of Melanie’s relationship with her dad, I laughed, I cried, and I left my heart in the book…in a manner of speaking.

But Revived Hope is not all sweetness and heartache. Things get pretty testy when Melanie tackles villains head-on and sometimes all alone. Often the world encourages us to do it all, and Melanie tries. Although tragedy strikes too many times, the lessons she learns strengthen her faith and trust in the Almighty.

Lastly, Revived Hope teases with a hint of romance but sets the stage for Melanie’s love story in Shattered Guilt, Book 1, Bay Town Series. I’m excited for you to meet Melanie and her family as you root for her in all her harrowing escapades.

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, November 30

Gina Holder, December 1 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 1

Texas Book-aholic, December 2

deb’s Book Review, December 3

For Him and My Family, December 4

lakesidelivingsite, December 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 6

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 7

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 9

Wishful Endings, December 10 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 11

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, December 12

Splashes of Joy, December 13 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathleen is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/13cff/revived-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway

Review and Giveaway for The Merchant’s Yield

Posted on April 11, 2020April 11, 2020 by Patti Pierce

About the Book

Book: The Merchant’s Yield

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: March 31, 2020

It was a marriage of inconvenience, but life has a wicked sense of humor.

Charlotte Amelia Etheridge has cowered to her mother’s sharp tongue and endless demands for the last time. In a fleeting moment of rebellion, she recklessly asks a foreigner from the Leeward Islands for a dance. But her one courageous act lands her in a compromising position. Forced to wed a stranger, Lottie leaves the only home she’s ever known to reside on the isle of St. Kitts.

Nathaniel Winthrop’s troubles are mounting, and the rumors of him being cursed are spreading. Due to the dwindling sugar crop, he risks everything to start his own shipping company. The last thing he needs is a wife, especially one with a weak constitution. Yellow fever has already claimed the lives of his mother and siblings. He must guard his heart against falling in love with this gentle beauty, knowing island life will be a death sentence.

No longer under her mother’s scrutiny, the newfound freedom of the island rejuvenates Lottie’s spirit. If her days on this earth are limited, then it’s time she lives life to the full. Now it’s up to her to prove that even though Nathan was coerced into marrying her, she’s the one he can’t live without.

Click here for your copy!

As I began reading this book, my heart broke for Lottie because of the cruelty of her mother. Verbal abuse can be extremely damaging, and heaping it on top of a childhood spent in illness adds to Lottie’s predicament.

At first, I did not know what to think of Nathan. He came across as harsh and unyielding. Being forced into a marriage to Lottie after doing nothing wrong himself, Nathan does not come across as loving.

The journey to the island on the ship leaves little sympathy for Nathan, while making me feel sorry for Lottie. I wanted Lottie to find the freedom and love witheld from her by her mother.

On the island, Lottie seemed to find herself. So check out this book for yourself to find out the story ends for Lottie and Nathan.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.

More from Lorri

The Merchant’s Yield is the second book in the Leeward Island series. The idea for my heroine, Lottie Etheridge, stemmed from a writing prompt—Pretend you are a relative from your past. My family has often speculated where the bright red hair that pops up every other generation (my dad, my cousin, and my niece) originated, since my grandfather was adopted. My opening hook at one time was Lottie’s mother stating, “Red hair is for opera singers and ballet dancers. You should have powdered your hair.”

In my research about the island of St. Kitts, I came across a French-American pirate named Jean Lafitte, educated at the military academy on St. Kitts. The concept of my hero, Nathaniel Winthrop, a merchant who could have schooled with a pirate, set my creative juices flowing, especially after reading about Lafitte’s outlandish and quirky behavior. I couldn’t resist interlacing the lives of my main characters with the daring pirate.

I enjoyed writing Lottie’s struggle between pacifying others, yet trying to stay true to how God made her. Also, I can relate to her attempts at rebellion backfiring, for I too could never get away with anything. Lottie’s soft heart contrasts nicely with the guarded hero, Nathan, as she peels back each painful layer of his thick façade to reveal the devoted and ardent love he holds beneath.

To learn more, check out my website at lorridudley.com or watch The Merchant’s Yield’s book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQLKqJfMf0o&feature=youtu.be

Blog Stops

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, April 1

Life of Literature, April 1

Inklings and notions, April 2

Read Review Rejoice, April 2

For Him and My Family, April 3

Books, Life, and Christ, April 3

The Christian Fiction Girl, April 4

Older & Smarter?, April 4

Texas Book-aholic, April 5

deb’s Book Review, April 5

Betti Mace, April 6

Spoken from the Heart, April 6

Batya’s Bits, April 6

Reflections From My Bookshelves, April 7

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, April 7

For the Love of Literature, April 8

Britt Reads Fiction, April 8

Remembrancy, April 9

Maureen’s Musings, April 9

Through the Fire Blogs, April 9

Reading Is My SuperPower, April 10

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 11

Emily Yager, April 11

Blossoms and Blessings, April 12

janicesbookreviews, April 12

Blessed & Bookish, April 13

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 13

Hallie Reads, April 13

Pause for Tales, April 14

Vicky Sluiter, April 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lorri is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f8a8/the-merchant-s-yield-celebration-tour-giveaway

Book Reviews, Celebrate Lit Reviews

Review and the Giveaway for The Seductive Slayers of Success

Posted on December 26, 2019 by Patti Pierce

About the Book

Book: The Seductive Slayers of Success

Author: Rosalinda Rivera

Genre: RELIGION / Christian Living/Women’s Interests

Release Date: November 19, 2019

9781641233217 “I am not a neat nut. Let me start with that confession. Don’t let the title of this chapter, Clean the Clutter, fool you into thinking I have all my ducks in a row. If I had ducks, they would not be in a straight line. Or all accounted for.”—Rosalinda Rivera

The snooze button on your alarm clock. The “brilliant shortcut” that makes you late. The unwritten to-do list that you follow from the time you get out of bed till the time you crawl back in it, making each day seem like the last.

These are some of The Seductive Slayers of Success—the little things that add up and try to stop you from moving forward and realizing your dreams. Rosalinda Rivera has been there and she knows just how to help you get up, move on, and Harness Your Strengths to Take Control of Your Destiny.
Using stories from her own life as well as Scripture, Rosalinda offers encouragement to help you kick the negative aspects of life to the curb and jump start your way to a brighter tomorrow. Like a close friend, she gives inspirational, down-to-earth advice with a dash of humor thrown in.

Click here to get your copy.

Sometimes little things add up to become really big things that prevent us from becoming the person God intended us to be. But this book does an excellent job of addressing those things and directing us in ways to become the person God intended us to be. I found this book easy to read with worthwhile points throughout the book.

This book is for anyone who wants to step out in faith and become the person God intended going in the direction He intended them to go. This book is written in a way that aims at directly connecting with the reader rather than talking at or above the reader. Truly this is a book women should read.

I found the book insightful and worthy of my time and attention. From discussions about everything from the snooze button on our alarm clocks to dealing with clutter to taming your tongue, there is a lot of information presented in this book. Rosalinda Rivera does an excellent job of inspiring women reading her book to become more and aim higher.

So check out this book for yourself.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

Rivera_Rosalinda Rosalinda Rivera is both outspoken and passionate about helping others change their lives and accomplish their dreams. She is a sought-after speaker by major companies, non-profits, and ministries around the world for her high energy, humorous, and down-to-earth motivational style.

She is the executive director of New Life For Adults and Youth, Mercy House, and Mercy Moms House, a place for single mothers to find hope and healing. Rosalinda has been reaching out to families in crisis, poverty, and hopelessness for over twenty-five years.

Using her business skills, she developed a model of social enterprise to sustain the nonprofits she leads by creating businesses that train people in job skills and leadership.
Rosalinda is the founder of Bella Women’s Ministry in Richmond, Virginia, which hosts annual conferences for over five hundred women.

She is also the author of Dare to Begin Again: Let God Write Your Best Future and Wonder Women: Becoming a Hero for Christ.

Rosalinda has been a featured presenter at various events nationwide and has ministered throughout the world. From the White House to the local community, she has been nationally recognized for her impact in bringing hope to the hopeless. Rosalinda was appointed to the Board of Governors of the National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Style Magazineselected her as a “Top 40 under 40” leader for her impact in Virginia.

Rosalinda is the daughter of Victor Torres, an ex-gang member from the streets of New York, and his wife, Carmen, the founders of New Life For Youth and pastors of New Life Outreach International Church. She served as an associate producer on Victor, a movie about her father’s journey from drugs and gangs to Jesus and redemption.

Rosalinda and her husband, Carlos, have three children: Alana, Gabriel, and Victor.

More from Rosalinda

Shoot Your Snooze Button
Time doesn’t stop and allow us to make up for minutes wasted. Procrastination is not preparation, no matter what we tell ourselves as we reach for that seductive slayer of success. Think I’m being dramatic? The snooze habit is a symptom of a much bigger problem—one that seeps into many areas of our lives. The struggle is real.

Delay is the destroyer of dreams. It reduces our resolve. Procrastination is the poison that paralyzes our potential. How many opportunities are you hitting the snooze button on? Putting it off until tomorrow can easily become the habit that defines our lives. Instead of building the life we hope for, we are adding another log to the fire of future regret.

Right now, you may recall specific life-goals that have fallen by the wayside. In what areas of life have you chosen to roll over, closing your eyes to what your inner dreams require of you? Look at your gifts. Your talents. Are you harnessing your strengths to propel you in the direction of your desires? Or are you letting that power go to waste?

You’ve likely heard someone say, “She has potential.” Sounds like a good thing, right? In truth, it’s a compliment with a caveat. To say someone has potential is like looking in their pantry and noting there’s ingredients in there to make a cake. It does not mean there’s a cake. It doesn’t mean they will ever bake a cake. It just means this person could make a cake, if they so desired.

If you want to have your cake and eat it, too, you have to do something with what you’ve been given. If you want red velvet deliciousness in your future, remember: it’s not going to bake itself. Potential is pointless until it’s proven in performance. Are you ready to see your possibilities manifest into something tangible?

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 21

Writer Without A Space, December 22

For the Love of Literature, December 23

Artistic Nobody, December 24 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, December 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 27

Simple Harvest Reads, December 28 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, December 29

janicesbookreviews, December 30

My Devotional Thoughts, December 31 (Author Interview)

A Reader’s Brain, January 1

Inklings and notions, January 2

For Him and My Family, January 3

All 4 and About Books, January 3 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rosalinda is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card and finished copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f307/the-seductive-layers-of-success-celebration-tour-giveaway

Book Reviews, Celebrate Lit Reviews, Christian Non-Fiction Books

Review and Giveaway for FROM THE GARDEN INTO ETERNITY

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Patti Pierce

From the Garden into Eternity FB Cover

About the Book

Book: From the Garden into Eternity

Author: Pearl Nsiah-Kumi

Genre: Religious-Christian Evangelism

Release Date: June 25, 2018

From the Garden to Eternity - straight view

From the Garden into Eternity tells of mankind’s fall from God’s grace beginning in the Garden of Eden, all the way through to one’s individual choice: Will eternity be spent in Heaven with God or Hell with Satan?

As a result of sin, mankind suffered a loss of close fellowship with God – but do not fret! The relationship can be restored in this life right into the next! God does not, however, force anyone into a relationship with Him. We are free to choose Him or the alternative: Satan.

This book, fully-supported by Bible verses, helps you determine where you are in this journey called “life”. Rest assured that God loves you and longs to give you eternal life in Heaven with Him, but you must first repent and place your faith in Jesus Christ. If you have never taken that step, please don’t wait any longer. The alternative eternity – which will be by default – will be dreadful.

Call on Jesus today!

Start the relationship that guarantees your eternity in Heaven with God!

Click here to get your copy.

Covering topics from the fact that God wants to have a relationship with us to Christ’s Role in the God’s Redemptive plan, this book covers a lot of ground. I believe this book has something to offer both new Christians and those who want to rekindle their relationship with God. This book examines everything from becoming a Christian until the time you leave this earth to enter God’s Kingdom.

This book is a short read that contains quite a bit of information. I encourage you to read it with your Bible open and a notebook to record any thoughts you might have while reading.

One thing I do appreciate this book is how in many cases only Scripture references are given because this allows the reader to look up the passages in whatever Bible they prefer reading. After all, the Bible is meant to provide God’s people with knowledge of Him, His love, and His guidelines we need to follow. So check out this book for yourself.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

Pearl Nsiah-Kumi - black dress portrait

Pearl Nsiah-Kumi is a retired Registered Nurse; she grew up in Ghana, West Africa. She has lived in the USA for forty years and has three adult children, one son-in-law and four beautiful grandchildren. Pearl has authored two books in the past two years and loves to express her understanding of the Bible through writing articles and poems. Her goal is two-fold: To reach people with the truth of God’s word in inviting them to experience faith in Jesus Christ, and also to encourage Christians to mature in walking faithfully with their God through obedience to Him. In addition to writing, Pearl is also a Volunteer Counselor at a local Crisis Pregnancy Clinic.

More from Pearl

I wrote this book: FROM THE GARDEN INTO ETERNITY, because I felt the need to explain step-by-step how we, people created in the image of God lost our relationship with Him, and how that relationship could be restored. Along with the explanation, I also felt the need to stress the urgency of the restoration of that relationship. Why the urgency? It is urgent, because time is running out for all of us, and if one’s relationship isn’t restored in this life, eternity will be awful. Since no one knows how much time they have left in this life, we each need to respond to God’s love now, so we can have the assurance of a blissful eternity in heaven. Each person has to make a personal decision about their eternity.