The Promise Box ~ Author Interview & WIN an Amish Baking Box!

"Goyer knows how to keep readers entertained, with twists and turns and surprises in her novels that readers will want to uncover. The second book in her Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series has something for everyone: romance, mystery and family secrets. " – Romantic Times, 4 Stars


The Promise Box
by Tricia Goyer
ISBN: 978-0310335122
$ 11.19 (paperback)
$ 8.89 (kindle)

About the book: 

With her heart – and her loyalty – on the line, can she let true love in her life?
Every year, young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive ‘resident’ status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides! Lydia Wyse, a book editor from Seattle who grew up Amish, returns to the small community of West Kootenai, Montana to give comfort to her father after her mother’s death.
She is drawn back to the familiar Amish ways after finding her mother’s most precious possession, a Promise Box of prayers and scripture. What her publisher sees, though, is an opportunity for a sensational ‘tell-all’ book about the Amish. Lydia soon finds herself falling in love with Amish bachelor Gideon Hooley. She wants nothing more than to forget her past and look forward to a future as an Amish bride. Will the pain of her childhood—and her potential betrayal of her community—keep her from committing her whole heart?


My thoughts:
With each book that comes out as part of the 7 Brides for 7 Bachelors series I find myself liking each one and enjoying Tricia Goyer's writing more and more. The amount of scripture shared & the depth of teaching make me feel as though I am growing a little more spiritually while I'm doing something that has always just been for fun in the past.

I found I connected with Lydia as I've had similar issues with family that Lydia has in the story. I found out after my mother died some things that I really struggled with and at the time I don't know if this book would of connected with me as much ~ but I found many of the thoughts and scriptural promises saved in the box by Lydia's mother were very comforting to me now. It was easy to connect with Lydia's feelings and hurts as well as the good memories she had of being raised by 2 loving parents who cherished this daughter that was given to them.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Memory Jar (click here to read my review) as well as the 2nd book in this series: The Promise Box and think that anyone who enjoys the slower life of the Amish, a sweet romance or historical novels will enjoy this book. It would be a great book to take to the beach or to give as a gift to friends.

Readers Ask: (please let me know if these load really slow - my computer is already slow so I can't tell - if so, I'll switch it to a normal author interview... thanks!)

 

 

RSVP for the Facebook Party on 6/12 ~ Click image for more information!

Enter Today - 5/22 - 6/12!    Disclaimer: I was offered a copy of The Promise Box to read and review as part of the Tricia Goyer 2013 Fiction Launch Team. I was not required to have a positive review and no money exchanged hands. Tricia Goyer & Litfuse are responsible for the giveaway of the Amish Baking Box and GivingNSharing is not responsible for the cost/delivery of it.

Enter to win an Amish Baking Box from Tricia Goyer ~ RSVP for her 6/12 Facebook Party!

Please stay tuned for my review of this wonderful book on Friday, 5/25. =D Thought you all might be interested this little tidbit. =D.....

Tricia Goyer is celebrating the release of her lastest novel, The Promise Box (Zondervan), by hosting an Amish Baking Box giveaway and connecting with readers during her June 12th Book Chat Party!

One "promising" winner will receive:

• Apron, hot mitts, and kitchen towels
• Amish baking items (rolling pin, pie plate, etc...)
• Sherry Gore's Simply Delicious Amish Cooking
• The Memory Jar and The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 11th. Winner will be announced at the "The Promise Box" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 12th. Connect with Tricia for an evening of Amish fun - book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Tricia will also share an exclusive look at the next book book in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Promise Box and join Tricia on the evening of June 12th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 12th!

The Face of the Earth ~ Win a “Date Night” Prize Pack

The Face of the Earth
by Deborah Raney
ISBN: 978-1416599975
$ 11.91 (paperback)
$ 9.72 (kindle)

About the book:
When Mitchell Brannon’s beloved wife of twenty years kisses him goodbye one autumn morning, he has little idea that his life is about to change forever. Mitch returns from work early that evening, surprised Jill’s car isn’t in the garage. Her conference in Kansas City is only a few hours’ drive from their little town of Sylvia, Missouri. But her voice on the answering machine makes him smile. “Hey, babe, I’m just now checking out of the hotel, but I’ll stop and pick up something for dinner. Love you.”

Mitch sets the table with their best china and lights some candles, looking forward to their first weekend as empty nesters.

But at eight o’clock, the candles have burned to stubs and Jill still hasn’t shown up. Mitch tries her cell phone only to get her voice mail over and over again. Their two college kids haven’t heard from their mom either.

At midnight, Mitch’s irritation turns to dread. And later, when the police and Missouri Highway Patrol have turned up nothing, the Kansas City hotel calls to say they’ve found property belonging to Jill in a hotel maid’s possession.

Mitch enlists the help of their next-door neighbor, Jill’s best friend, Shelley, and together they search for clues to Jill’s disappearance. As days turn into weeks and weeks into months, Mitch and Shelley’s friendship grows ever closer––and decidedly complicated with Jill as the tie that binds them together. Just when Shelley decides to finally reveal her feelings for Mitch, a clue to Jill’s whereabouts is uncovered. But every lead seems to be a dead end, and Mitch wonders how he can honor the vows he made to a woman who has seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth.

My thoughts:
The Face of the Earth is a edge of your seat mystery that left me wondering till the end. I knew HOW the story would end about 1/2 way through but I wasn't sure exactly what would cause the ending if that makes sense. The story moves slowly and yet has enough intrigue and emotion that I didn't want to put the book down. I loved how both of the main characters stayed true to their faith and how Mitch stands up for what he knows is right in the end. It made the relationship that forms in the story even more believable.

This book would make a great small group read and includes discussion questions at the end of the book. You can pre-purchase it on Amazon right now for $11.61 or for your kindle for $9.72. Personally I would splurge and get the actual book so you can keep it on your bookshelf - and share it with friends. It's wonderful!

I rated this 4 stars for the story and the strength of faith in this book. It did run a little slow although I felt that added to the passion and depth of the story due to the level of sorrow and worry that the main characters went through - you could actually feel the emotions. Outstanding book!


About the author:
Deborah Raney is the award-winning author of several novels, including "A Nest of Sparrows" and the RITA award winning "Beneath a Southern Sky" and its sequel, "After the Rains". Deborah's first novel, "A Vow to Cherish", was the inspiration for World Wide Pictures' highly acclaimed film of the same title, which in December 2004 aired on prime time network TV for the second time. Deb's novella, "Playing by Heart", was a National Readers Choice Award winner and a 2004 Christy Award finalist. Her novel for Howard/Simon & Schuster, "Yesterday's Embers", appeared on the ECPA Christian fiction bestseller list. Known for her sensitive portrayal of family struggles and relationships, Deb has also written nonfiction books and articles and often speaks at women's retreats and writers' conferences around the country. She and her husband, illustrator/author Ken Raney, have four children and make their home in Kansas. 

Learn more about Deborah on her website: http://www.deborahraney.com/ or on social media: Facebook  Twitter.

Deborah is celebrating with a fun "Date Night" Giveaway (win a $200 Visa Cash Card!) and an Author Chat Party on Facebook! {5/30}

   One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (Use that to catch up with a loved one – your spouse, friend, sister, mom…whomever!)
• The Face of the Earth by Deborah Raney

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 29th. Winner will be announced at the "The Face of the Earth" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 30th. Connect with Deborah for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Deborah will also be sharing a sneak peek of her next book and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Face of the Earth and join Deborah on the evening of May 30th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 30th!

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of the book to read and review on GivingNSharing. I was not required to have a positive review and no money exchanged hands. Thanks for reading!

Summer Bash Giveaway Event ~ Blogger Opp

Hi and welcome to the sign up for Mommy Lesson Plans Summer bash!  This event will begin June 15th at 7pm and run thru July 15th at 7pm.

I am so excited for this giveaway! So far we have 8 confirmed sponsors with prize totals around $400. I am working with a few more and we will hopefully have 15 with prizes around/over $600! This is going to be HUGE and we will all get a great response from our readers! The prizes are half kids and half women's sop far but I am hoping a couple of men and neutral companies come thru before we get started!

I am only accepting 50 blogs with free links. After that it will only be host/cohost/and paid links available.

Sign up HERE!!!

Catch a Falling Star ~ Win a $200 Visa Cash Card 6/4 @ the FB Party!

Catch a Falling Star
by Beth K Vogt
ISBN: 9781451660272
$11.91 (paperback)
$ 9.72 (kindle)

About the book:

What does a girl do when life doesn't go according to her plan? 

At 36, Kendall Haynes has seen some of her dreams come true. She's a family physician helping kids with severe allergies and asthma achieve more fulfilling lives-a childhood struggle she knows all too well. But the feeling of being "the kid never picked" looms large when romance continues to evade her and yet another one of her closest friends gets engaged. Are Kendall's dreams of having it all-a career, a husband, children-nothing more than childish wishing upon a star? Should she hold out for her elusive Plan A? Dust off Plan B? Or is it time to settle? God says he knows the plans he has for her-why can't Kendall figure them out and be content with her life?

Griffin Walker prefers flying solo-both as an Air Force pilot and in his personal life. But a wrong choice and health problems pulled him out of the cockpit. His attempts to get out of "flying a desk" are complicated by his parents' death-making Griffin the reluctant guardian of his sixteen-year-old brother, Ian. How did his life get so off course? Can God get his life back on track ... or has there been a divine plan all along?

My thoughts:
This is a slow romance with little pockets full of action, a little mystery and a bad guy that fools you into thinking he just might be the good guy. (Or at least he starts to fool Kendall until things start to fall apart.) Griffin is our new Christian being forced to accept what he doesn't want to accept and as a Christian he is struggling with accepting that God has forgiven us and that it's time he forgives himself.

I really liked the strength of Kendall's faith. Her prayers are rich and show a depth that only a strong, faithful Christian will have. She is obviously NOT a "baby" Christian. I loved how in moments of need she stopped and turned to her God to support her and encourage her. This part of the book is beautifully written and designed to teach without preaching and ideal for drawing someone who is questioning who God is to believers.

If you would like a book that isn't 'deep' or perhaps need a gift for someone pick up this book. It's ideal for a rainy afternoon or even a day at the beach.
You can purchase it on Amazon as a paperback for $11.91 or for your Kindle for $8.39.

About the author:

Beth K. Vogt is a non-fiction author and editor who said she'd never write fiction. She's the wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice), though she said she'd never marry a doctor-or anyone in the military. She's a mom of four, though she said she'd never have kids. She's discovered that God's best often waits behind the doors marked "Never." Her contemporary romance novel, "Wish You Were Here", debuted in May 2012 (Howard Books), and "Catch a Falling Star" releases May 2013. An established magazine writer and former editor of Connections, the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth is also the Skills Coach for My Book Therapy, the writing community founded by best-selling author Susan May Warren. 

Find out more about Beth K. at http://bethvogt.com. 

(Click PIC for more information!)

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of the book to read and review here on GivingNSharing. I was not required to have a positive review and no money exchanged hands. Thanks for reading GivingNSharing!

Enter to win a $200 Visa Cash Card from Beth K. Vogt and RSVP for her 6/4 Facebook Party!

Celebrate the release of Catch a Falling Star (Howard Books) with Beth K. Vogt by entering to win a Romantic Weekend Getaway and RSVPing for her June 4th Author Chat Party.

  One "lucky" winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (Perfect for a weekend stay at a hotel or B&B!)
• Catch a Falling Star and Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt (Swoon-worthy!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 3rd. Winner will be announced at the "Catch a Falling Star" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 4th. Connect with Beth for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Beth will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Catch a Falling Star and join Beth on the evening of June 4th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 4th!

Mother of Pearl ~ History has a way of repeating itself

Disclaimer: Much thanks to Mother of Pearl and Litfuse for making the Mother's Day blog series possible. GivingNSharing is not responsible for the content of each post nor for distribution of the prize.

Mother of Pearl ~ Daughter Sing Softly

Disclaimer: Much thanks to Mother of Pearl and Litfuse for making the Mother's Day blog series possible. GivingNSharing is not responsible for the content of each post nor for distribution of the prize.

Mother of Pearl ~ Mizpah

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series—a nine-day celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today’s best writers (Tricia Goyer, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, Beth Vogt, Lesli Westfall, and more). I hope you’ll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother’s Day.

AND . . . do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful handcrafted pearl necklace and a JOYN India bag. Enter at the bottom of this post. The contest runs 5/4-5/13, and the winner will be announced on 5/14. Contest is only open to U.S. residents. If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info, subscribe to our blog, and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith to help support Pearl Girls™.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother’s Day!

~

Mizpah by Margaret McSweeney

On April 14, our family’s precious Pongo passed away. This beloved Chihuahua was with our family for nearly fourteen years. He played with my daughters during their childhood and comforted them during the challenges of adolescence. He rested by my side during breast cancer treatment and worked alongside Dave in his home office.

Yes, Pongo was always a source of surprises. Before he was one, he somehow swallowed a brownie patch attached to a string of beads and a safety pin. That was his first stomach surgery. Then, the following year he bit off the sharp edge of Mr. Potato Head’s ear. That was the second stomach surgery. Throughout the fourteen years, we were in and out of the ER for dogs. He ate a bag of cough drops in the pantry. He jumped on the table and ate the kids’ chewable vitamins. And the list goes on. . . .

House guests would always have to place their purses on a table without chairs. Otherwise, Pongo would rummage through the bags in search of his addiction: chewing gum! But above all, Pongo’s greatest gift and lesson to us was unconditional love. Yes, Pongo brought such joy to the family for so many years. No one could believe that he actually smiled! He knew how loved he was. I think that is why he outlived his life expectancy by three years after being diagnosed with a heart condition. It was his kidneys and stomach cancer that ultimately claimed his precious life. He passed away peacefully in his sleep at home.

The day after Pongo died, I read a beautiful Bible verse: Genesis 31:49

And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

Isn’t that beautiful! Mizpah signifies an emotional bond between people who are separated by death or circumstance.

Perhaps, instead we can say:“Mizpaw” to express this same emotional bond between people and their precious pets. Pongo, I love you and miss you so very much. Thank you for being a blessing in our home. You have left a “fur-ever” heartprint in our lives. Mizpaw!

###

Margaret lives with her husband and two daughters in a Chicago suburb. She is the author of Aftermath: Growing in Grace Through Grief, Mother of Pearl, Pearl Girls, A Mother's Heart Knows  and the co-author of Go Back and Be Happy. She is the founder and collaborator of Pearl Girls. All the proceeds of books sales from Mother of Pearl (2012) and Pearl Girls (2009) to go support the work of two charities, WINGS AND HANDS OF HOPE. Margaret would love to meet you too. Follow her on twitter (@McSweeney) or friend her on facebook. You can also keep up with Margaret at Kitchen Chat, her weekly radio show.Visit her website.   a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer: Much thanks to Mother of Pearl and Litfuse for making the Mother's Day blog series possible. GivingNSharing is not responsible for the content of each post nor for distribution of the prize.