Happy July 4th-Book Review/Spotlight

Happy 4th!

I hope you are having a great day!

We have just simple plans today.  Stay in.  Stay cool.  It's 

Summertime in Texas and that means hot.  A perfect time to 

settle in with A/C turned up and read a good book.  

I finished a good one last night and I thought I would share it today in case you are looking for a good read for the weekend. 

I really enjoyed this one.  If you like a good Romance with great characters a fun plot and a sweet and happy ending check this one out!

About the book 

He’s raising the son she gave up for adoption. They’re falling for each other, but he doesn’t know she is the mother of his child.

Giving her baby up was the hardest thing Emery Chase had to do, but when she saw her son seven years later in a chance encounter at the grocery store, she wasn’t sure how to handle it. He looked exactly like the pictures she received every six months, and her heart yearned to have a relationship with the child she was forced to give up.

After a car accident that left Seth Wellington with two broken arms, he needed caregiving assistance. The moment Emery Chase presented herself for an interview, he knew she was different but not in a good way. Her edgy appearance was more than his conservative mindset could handle, but her inability to be intimidated won him over in the end.

When two people who couldn’t be more different fell for each other, everything seemed almost perfect until Emery revealed who she really was.

Would they have the chance to become a family or was the betrayal too much to overcome?

*This is a contemporary Christian story with strong Biblical themes and Bible references.

And I thought 

I didn't know what to expect.  I enjoy a good Sweet/Clean Romance.  

I was pleasantly surprised that this one as described above has strong Biblical themes and Bible references. 

Midway through both lead characters begin to really question the need for a relationship with God. 

I enjoyed the romance.  I enjoyed the characters.  Seth and Emery are like able characters that kind of steal your heart as they steal each others. 

Emery begins actually disliking Seth but since he is raising her son she bites the bullet so to speak and goes to work for him as his 

temporary personal assistant.  

But Seth is a charming character and begins to wind his way into Emery's heart.  

It isn't surprising when Emery admits who she is to Seth that he 

backs away and sends Emery litterally 'packing'.  But God's already working on Seth's heart and Emery's too through 

Seth's cousin Delilah that shares her faith with both of them. 

If you like a good romance give this one a chance.  It might be a little too much for someone like Emery in the beginning before she begins seeking God but for the seeker it is a good story that shares a message of God's love.  

This is a good book to recommend to someone who is 'seeking'.

I enjoyed every moment of this book.  Long title and all.  

I look forward to reading more in this series. 

I received a complimentary copy. 

My review will appear on Amazon and Good Reads and promoted on social media. 

Buy the book 

Amazon

To Love A Cowboy-Character Interview feat Poppy-The Root Of Murder by Lauren Carr

Welcome to day 3 of the To Love A Cowboy Tour!

Today we are featuring Poppy and J.J's love story . . .

Sherry:  Hello, Poppy. We first met you in the Lovers in Crime Mystery, KILLER IN THE BAND, when you were driving through Chester in your camper/horse trailer and encountered a horse who had escaped from Russell Ridge Farm and Orchard. Did you have any idea then that you would be staying?
Poppy:  I believe that life is what happens while we’re making other plans. I knew when I turned the corner in that road and there was Comanche running straight toward me that I was needed. I didn’t know the circumstances at the time, Comanche told me that she needed my help and I couldn’t just get back in my camper and leave.
Sherry:  Comanche told you. We should tell our readers that Comanche is a horse—
Poppy: A beautiful palomino mare.
Sherry: And that you are a horse whisperer.
Poppy:  Not really. Anyone can communicate with any animal—great or small. All you have to do is learn how to listen.
 Sherry:  Gulliver is your horse. A beautiful leopard Appaloosa.
 Poppy:  He prefers to be called drop-dead handsome. He’s another reason I stayed on. Gulliver and I have been together, traveling the country—going wherever God sends us. Then, Gulliver fell in love with Comanche.
 Sherry:  And you fell in love with J.J., the owner of Russell Ridge Farm and Orchard. I’ve noticed the beautiful diamond ring you’re wearing.
 Poppy:  Yes, that happened rather unexpectantly. One day, I was J.J.’s horse trainer, helping him take care of the farm, which Suellen, his first love had left for him after she tragically died in KILLER IN THE BAND. Then, J.J. went to Washington (Murder by Perfection) to help his father look for Murphy, that’s J.J.’s identical twin. Suddenly, out of the blue, he calls me and asks me to marry him and have a house full of kids.  We hadn’t even been out on a date.
Sherry:  Didn’t you two eat dinner together every night and go out on the weekends? Go out on the weekends and go to church together on Sunday?
Poppy:  Well … yes.
Sherry:  Some people would call that dating. And now you are planning your wedding in THE ROOT OF MURDER. How are the wedding plans coming?
Poppy:  Not so good right now. J.J. got his first real official murder case as a defense attorney.
 Sherry:  Isn’t that good.
Poppy:  Yes, but it’s a very difficult case. At first, J.J. thought he was guilty because the defendant, a young man who J.J. has known since high school, had threatened the victim and the murder weapon was found right there in his house. What makes it worse is that the murder victim’s daughter was Heather Davis, a girl who J.J. used to date. Now she’s a suspect along with Madison Whitaker, another girl who J.J. had dated at the same time as Heather. 
Sherry:  Wow. Aren’t you worried about J.J. investigating a case, questioning these two ex-girlfriends?
Poppy: No, I trust J.J. (giggles) But I have to admit, it is fun to see them make him sweat.
Sherry: I hope this murder investigation doesn’t interfere with your wedding plans. Do you have your gown yet?
Poppy: No. but I know exactly what it is going to look like. It’s a mermaid gown with a gold net overlay. (sighs) unfortunately, I can’t find it anywhere. But that’s the gown that I’m meant to wear. So it’ll show up. 
Sherry: What if your gown doesn’t show up?
Poppy: Then I’ll have to walk down the aisle in my birthday suit. If that happens, then I guarantee it will be a wedding that folks in Chester will be talking about forever.

 Poppy an J.J.'s love story begins in . . .

Amazon

And blossoms in . . .

Happily ever after . . .

. . .until there is another crime to solve

To Love A Cowby Book Tour Feat. Lost Billionaire Heir by Sophia Summers

About the book 

A man who doesn't know he's about to be a billionaire. A woman who is forced to marry well.

The tall Texan ranch hand leaned back against the corral fencing as he waited for the ranch guests to gather by the stable. His cowboy hat was pulled down shading his eyes as he chewed on the end of a tall piece of grass. This was his time to get a good look at the guests before he saddled their horses and helped them into the saddle. Working at the exclusive Rio Lago Ranch gAmazave him a birds-eye view of a class of people much different from those in his home town in Minnesota. Jacob could size up most of the guests just by watching them a few minutes. Some guests were more trouble than others. He had learned how to avoid the advances of the women who found him very similar in appearance to the cover models on the western romance novels they loved. He wasn't interested; the only woman he had ever loved he met on the run hiding floating down the Mississippi River years ago. What will happen when she shows up as a guest at the Rio Lago Ranch? 

Will his late grandfather's lawyers find him before she marries someone else?

And I thought

I really enjoyed this book.  So much that I invited the author to be a part of this tour.  Click here to read my review.

Buy the book 

Amazon

A Spoonful of grace-Book Spotlight and Giveaway

About the book (provided by I Read Book Tours)

Just 2 minutes each day can change your family meal time for a lifetime.

A Spoonful of Grace is a collection of 366 evening meal graces taken from all 66 books of the Bible and designed to provide meaningful exposure to prayer and the Bible at a most opportune time: the family evening meal. ​

The Scripture/grace devotions are inviting, can be grasped at several levels, and are brief enough (about two minutes) to hold the attention of hungry kids. Here's why:

• Each day has an application section called Grace Notes: ideas and quotes to further illustrate the message and stimulate conversation.
• Sundays are for Story Graces. These 52 devotions are a bit longer to afford the suspenseful, engrossing reading of stories such as David and Goliath, Daniel in the lions’ den, and Jonah and the big fish.
• Special Graces are celebrations such as  Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays.
• Each grace:
  • Supports discussions of God’s attributes and of faith-based values, offering moral examples like forgiveness, friendship, honesty, trust, even table manners.
  • Creates curiosity about the Bible and ways in which Scripture can be applied to today’s issues.
  • Demonstrates how the act of praying together lifts one’s own spirit; fosters praise; and increases mutual feelings of appreciation, gratefulness, and accountability.
  • Teaches without overt instruction, similar to hiding extra veggies in the spaghetti sauce.
  • Remind us that our food, as well as God’s countless other daily blessings, is a gift.

Book is available

Amazon ~ ChristianBook  ~ Barnes & Noble
Add on Goodreads

​

  About the author

Annette Hubbell earned her undergraduate degree in Marketing from San Diego State University, her M.B.A. from Cal State University in San Marcos, and a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University.  She has been featured in over 160 performances, and starred in the DVD, “Witness to Gettysburg” edited by 33-time Emmy Award winner, Robert Gardner. She was awarded Presenter of the Year twice at the Civil War Round Table of San Diego, and is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

Hubbell lives in San Diego, California with her husband of 33 years, Monte. They have a daughter, Amy. She and her husband Scott live in Los Angeles, California. For more information, visit www.AnnetteHubbell.com or www.SpoonfulOfGrace.com.

Connect with the Author: Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Youtube

The tour

Click here to visit the tour

Giveaway

                                                                                                                   Click here to enter.

Book Spotlight-Killer Music- Author Interview-Tammy L. Grace

Author Interview

You can win a copy to read on your phone, kindle or computer.
Just leave a comment 'I want book' on any post.  
The more comments the more points!
The contest will end this Saturday 17. 

Hello Tammy it is a delight to have you visit the blog today and talk about Killer Music and maybe a couple other things.  Thanks for having me, Sherry.  I’m always up for chatting about books.

Chocolate.  Let’s talk.  I read your bio and I think we’re kindred spirits.  This should be fun!   So about the Chocolate.  Nuts or no nuts? I love chocolate without nuts and am happy to eat it with nuts, except peanuts.  That’s the only chocolate combo I won’t eat.  I like brownies best with walnuts.  My favorite over-the-counter chocolate is Dove and Hershey.

When you go to a fancy restaurant (or any restaurant HeHe) do you look at the dessert menu first before choosing an entree?  I do just wondering if I can add you to my dessert lovers club! Of course!  Need to know if there is something there I need and if there is, I’ll order soup and dessert J  I’ve also been known to make a meal out of rocky road ice cream.

I don’t have to ask about pets do I?  But I have to ask is Zoe actually featured on your book covers?  Zoe is not the dog on the covers, but she could have been.  Most people who know me think she is the model.  She likes thinking she’s a celebrity, so I let her.

I am sure she is a constant companion.  Does she also give you ideas for your 4 legged characters and their antics?  Yes, she is the inspiration behind all the canine companions in my novels.  She also came up with a great idea for my reader group.  If readers subscribe to my exclusive group on my website, I’ll send them a free gift, which is a fun interview I did with all the dogs from my novels.  I had fun putting it together and Zoe was instrumental in its creation.

I am looking forward to reading Killer Music.  Can you give us a little sneak peek that wasn’t in the cover description?  I don’t want to give away any of the plot, but I’ll tell you a few things about Coop.  He collects snarky t-shirts and wears one each day.  He’s addicted to coffee and peanut M&M’s.  He’s an insomniac and doesn’t get any sleep until he’s exhausted.  He’s also a guy who would be fun to have as a friend or invite to dinner.

What was your inspiration for the location for “Coop”? I went on a trip with a friend to Nashville a few years ago. She had a class and I got to play tourist for the week and drove around checking out all the tourist spots.  It’s a great place to visit with lots to see.  While I was roaming around Belle Meade, I visited an old mansion.  I went upstairs and looked over the balcony and thought it looked like a great spot for a murder.  That’s how it started and then when I was leaving I drove through several wealthy neighborhoods, in awe of the homes.  As I drove, the idea of a quirky bachelor detective who lives with his wealthy aunt was hatched.

Did you have to do any special research?  Maybe a road trip? I did some research while I was in Nashville, did a lot of online research for locations and the surrounding areas, and even called some connections I had from my prior career to get some details about the downtown area.

How did you come up with the idea of a male lead instead of a female sleuth?  I get tired of the airhead girl who stumbles over corpses and solves murders, so I wanted to be different.  I like the idea of a professional detective, but not a hard-boiled one.  I wanted mature (40-ish) main character and my dad has been in law enforcement his whole career, so I wanted to blend some realistic facts into the stories. It’s a mixture of ideas and not your typical cozy mystery amateur sleuth.  Sort of like Robert B. Parker’s Spenser character without the violence and romance.

I am so looking forward to getting into to the book.  The sub-characters sound like fun

addition’s to the story (s).  On occasion there is a sub-character or two that I just would love to meet for coffee   May I reserve the right to visit with my favorite over coffee? Oh, yes.  You would love Annabelle.  Everyone calls her AB and she’s smart and capable. She provides Coop the supervision he often needs and keeps the office running like a well-oiled machine.  She’s also involved in solving the cases and a lawyer in her own right.  Aunt Camille is also a wonderful lady who would love to chat with you, probably all afternoon. She’d make you some of her famous pecan chocolate chunk cookies to go with your coffee.

Speaking of the other characters there is one last question I have to ask. 

Does “Coop” have a romantic interest or is he a confirmed bachelor?  Coop is destined to be a bachelor.  Many readers have expressed an interest in Coop and AB getting together, but that’s not going to happen.  They’re actually perfect for each other, but neither one of them seems to recognize it.  For me, it’s like the show Castle on television.  Those two had great chemistry and I think it ruined it when they got together, so I’m set on keeping Coop as a bachelor.  He’s got too much to do on this cases for silly romance.

Thanks so much for chatting today.  I had a wonderful time.  I am off now to

download a book!   Killer Music sounds like a great weekend read.  Thanks for having me and the fun questions.  I hope you enjoy it and the second one, Deadly Connection.  I’m beginning work on the third book this summer.

Best wishes on the tour!

It was a delight to have the opportunity to chat with Tammy about 

Killer Music.  I know you'll love the book.  Click here to read my review. 

Many thanks to Lori at Great Escapes Tours  for her help in facilitating this interview.    

Click here to visit the tour to read more reviews,

interviews and guest posts

Book Review-Cherry Cake and a Cadaver

About the book 

Lily Gayle and the gang set out to find a killer after local baker Luxen Natolovich is found dead hours before the grand opening weekend at the new Bed and Breakfast in town, Midnight Dragonfly. As Lily Gayle deciphers the clues around Luxen’s death she uncovers a conspiracy of lies and half truths that could very well be tied to a refugee camp in Mississippi during World War II. The deeper Lily Gayle digs, the deeper the conspiracy runs, and the closer she comes to being the killer’s next victim.

Available

Amazon

And I thought 
I just loved Lily Gayle.  I think I was attracted to her name.  It just rolls off the tongue Lily Gayle charming and delightful.  Just like the character.  
This was my first opportunity to meet Lily Gayle a southern girl with a nose for crime and a habit of getting in a little over her head from time to time.  Lily Gayle knows no boundaries when she 
investigating.   Murder does seem to kind of follow her around or maybe more like she just seems to have a knack for stumbling into mystery.  
Lily Gayle is surrounded by a like able group of friends that get caught up in her investigating.  Sometimes even if they really don't want to.  
Mainly because she does over step boundaries like finding unlocked doors that just beckon her to come in and
snoop.  Or peeking in and climbing into windows that just happen to be left open.   She always seems to pick up a clue when she's snooping. 

All this peeking and snooping tends to get Lily Gayle in a heap of trouble with the town Sheriff who happens to be her cousin.  But since she ends up solving the mystery all is forgiven.  Until the next time.  And there's always a next time!  

I thoroughly enjoyed Cherry Cake and a Cadaver. I enjoyed the cover that tells the story without you knowing it.   I'm not going to give away the mystery but I suggest you buy the book. 

It's a great spring break or summer read.  And since it's book 2 in the series I'm beatin' book 1 is good too.  

I received a complimentary copy from Great Escape Tours
This review will appear on retail sites where the book is available. 
This review will appear on My Reading Journeys and 
Good Reads.

I had the opportunity to chat with Susan.  Scroll down to read the interview.  

About the series  

Quicker than she can stitch together the threads of a genealogy project she's just signed on to research, Lily Gayle Lambert finds herself embroiled in investigating the Halloween night murder of a stranger who suffers from 'wolfman syndrome'. And, when a member of a prominent family turns up dead soon after the 'wolfman', Lily Gayle must find the link between the two and solve the mystery before her investigation makes her the next target.

Escaping from a trailer in the woods owned by two good ole boys suspected of being involved and a confrontation with the eldest son of the town's wealthiest family have Lily Gayle hot on the trail of the killer...much to the consternation of her cousin. Who just happens to be the County Sheriff. With the help of her lifelong best friend, Dixie, and town busybody, Miss Edna, she pieces together the clues leading to a conclusion that shocks the entire town.

Chatting with the author

Hello Susan,

Thank you for taking the time to chat about Cherry Cake and a Cadaver which by the

sure is an intriguing title!  Before we get to the book I’d like to get to know each other a little.Hi Sherry. Thank you for having me here.

I love your description of your works ‘Where Mysteries Meet Southern Shenanigans.”

Can readers expect that your books are centered around the south? Yes. They take place in a small fictional town called Mercy, Mississippi. Being a small town girl myself, I wanted to create a town with a lot of history. And kind of like Cheers, where everybody knows your name....

Can you tell us what ‘Shenanigans’ we can expect? I just love the word shenanigans. It's fun to say and conjures up all kinds of images of harmlessly mischievious behavior. Have you heard that the most fun times in the south start with the phrase "Hold my beer and watch this"? Doesn't that conjure up some great shenanigans visions? Lily Gayle and her best friend, Dixie are the ones who get into the most shenanigans in this series. I always loved Ethel and Lucy, so I think about some of my favorite scenes of them when I'm writing my best friends. Lily Gayle and Dixie will be gathering clues in some pretty unsual places in this installment. Lily Gayle is determined to solve the mystery and Dixie is determined to keep her friend out of trouble. We'll see Lily Gayle shimmying through unlocked windows in search of clues while Dixie keeps watch wringing her hands with worry the entire time.

Since this is our first time to meet can you tell us a little about Lily Gayle Lambert. Lily Gayle left Mercy in 1988 when she graduated from high school to attended college at Ole Miss where she met the love of her life. They built a life together away from Mercy but when he was killed in a traffic accident, Lily Gayle went home to Mercy. She's been back for eight years and lives in the home she inherited from her parents and works a a seamstress and genealogist -- both businesses she can conduct online and tht allow her to make a living while living in a small town. The county sheriff is her first cousin and, both of them being only children, they grew up more like brother and sister. Lily Gayles' family, like most of the families in Mercy, go back for generations and the relationships in town are grounded in that long history and familiarity.

Can you tell us how you developed the character of Lily Gayle? I wanted a character who is smart, funny, curious about lots of things in life with a real zest for making things happen. She's pretty much an amalgam of several people I know and several people I've never met - but would love to. The genealogy part comes from me. I've been interested in tracing the family history since I was a teenager and have done a lot of work on my own family trees. The seamstress is part is from a cousin who makes beautiful quilts rather than historical gowns. I felt like the re-enactor gowns went well with the genealogy part. But quilts could have worked too. The loyalty to family and friends comes from many people in my life. The crime solving....well, I'm very curious by nature and love watching all the crime solving shows, but can't say that I've ever truly wanted to solve a crime in real life. I hope Lily Gayle is someone that readers can relate to regardless of where they live or where they are on their own life paths.

I notice Cherry Cake and a Cadaver takes place around a bakery and that there are recipes

in the book.   Is Lily Gayle a cook as well as a seamstress? Lily Gayle is a pretty good cook. She knows how to make all the traditional southern dishes her mama taught her. And you'll be able to try out some of her favorites like Wicked Chicken Deviled Eggs and Death By Chocolate Gravy (Hey. That sounds like a good title for a book!). Those recipes will be included in this book. But the bakery belongs to another character. 

As a true romantic at heart I have to ask.  Is there a love interest Lily Gayle? There's no love interest just yet. Lily Gayle is still not ready to put her heart out there. But that doesn't mean someone new in town won't be able to make her consider the possibility in a later book.

I am curious was there a plan for a series or book 2 when you introduced your readers

To Lilly Gayle in Death of a Wolfman?  Oh yes. I envisioned a whole series around Lily Gayle and the gang in Mercy. Kind of like Murder, She Wrote meets Dukes of Hazzard. I have Book three outlined already and Book 4 is simmering.

You’ve certainly intrigued me.  Now let’s get back to the original question.  How did you come up with that intriguing and catchy title? Ah! That would be revealing too much. But I can say that the cherry cake is a clue to solving the mystery. And the cadaver.....well, that's the victim whose early life turns out to have been far more intriguing than what everyone in town thought they knew. That's the dichotomy of a small town. Everyone thinks they know everything, but hidden in the crevicees are dark secrets.

Thanks for taking the time to chat.  It’s been a pleasure to me you and thank you for

itroducing me to Lily Gayle.  

Thank you for having me. It's been fun. 

Connect Susan... 

Webpage – www.susanbolesauthor.com

Twitter – @SusanBAuthor

Blog – https://susanbolesauthor.wordpress.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/people/Susan-Boles-Author/100010974857065

Linked In – https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-boles-author-a4075484

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14866595.Susan_Boles

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