Gunpowder Tea | Enter to win a Kindle Fire & RSVP for “Tea with Margaret” on 11/7

 

Gunpowder Tea
by Margaret Brownley
ISBN: 9781595549723
$10.36 (paperback)
$ 9.84  (ebook)

About the book:

When Miranda Hunt sees the classified ad for an heiress to the legendary Last Chance Ranch, she knows assuming the identity of Annie Beckman is the perfect cover. As one of the finest agents for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Miranda has been tasked with apprehending the Phantom – an elusive and notorious train robber thought to be hiding on the sprawling ranch.

But she isn't the only one at the ranch with something to hide. Wells Fargo detective Jeremy Taggart is working undercover as well. Their true identities may be a secret, but it is impossible for Jeremy and Miranda to hide the sparks flaring between them.

Neither is about to let romance interfere with such a huge case. Besides, Miranda hasn't removed Jeremy from her list of suspects yet. The closer they get to uncovering the identity of the Phantom, the more dangerous he gets – and no one on the ranch is safe.

The longer Miranda and Jeremy spend working together, the harder it becomes to keep their feelings in check. Their careers – and their lives – depend on solving this case. Love will just have to wait.

“... an absolute delight. I spent the whole book reading with a grin on my face.” ~ Mary Connealy Best-Selling Author of Petticoat Ranch (for Dawn Comes Early)

My thoughts:

I agree with Mary Connealy. This book is filled with humor from start to finish. Loved it! Take one Miranda Hunt aka Annie Beckman, Pinkerton Detective Agent and a little old cantankerous lady looking for an heiress for her ranch, add a gang of robbers that the local sheriff can't find and you end up with a fun afternoon (or early morning) read that you can't put down.

I believe this is the last book in the series The Brides of Last Chance Ranch. I'd love to see a detective series with Miranda & Jeremy. It would be a fun series and Ms Brownley could easily take serious cases (robbery, murder, mysteries, etc) and make them very interesting. She could easily take actual crimes from the 1800's and do her own spin with them.

This book includes a recipe for Gunpowder Tea Bread, a short chapter on Gunpowder Tea and what it was used for and also a couple pages of discussion questions. If you are part of a book group this one should be one everyone enjoys. It's a true delight and should be at the top of your reading pile!

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

 

Margaret Brownley's latest release, Gunpowder Tea, is receiving high praise, and she's celebrating with a Kindle Fire giveaway and a "Tea with Margaret" Facebook party!

  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 7th. Winner will be announced at the "Tea with Margaret" Facebook Author Chat Party on the 7th. Connect with Margaret and friends for an evening of book chat, prizes, and get an exclusive look at Margaret's next book!

So grab your copy of Gunpowder Tea and join Margaret on the evening of November 7th 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 by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word — tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on 11/7!

Blackmoore, a Proper Romance novel

Blackmoore, a Proper Romance
by Julianne Donaldson
ISBN: 978-1609074609
$11.76 (paperback)

About the book:
Kate Worthington knows she can never have her heart’s desire and so believes she will never marry. But Kate’s meddlesome mother has other plans. Kate journeys to the stately manor of Blackmoore on the cliffs above the seashore, where she must face the truth and the man that has kept her heart captive.

My thoughts:
Blackmoore takes place over several years as two friends grow up together. This "proper romance" has two main settings, takes place over a period of about 5 years and has many twists that I never really expected. Kate is a tomboy, has no desire to be like her mother and eventually her sisters (you'll see why in the book) and even though she carries a torch for Henry who is several years older then her she vows she will never marry. Of course, that makes her mother even more determined to marry off no matter who comes calling. Kate has no other choice than to get away...

I really enjoyed Blackmoore. The characters are likeable, real and the story very easy to follow. Half of the book takes place in Kate's home and Henry's home. It shows the friends growing up together through flashbacks which start when Kate is around 13 and continuing up until about a year before the actual time of the story. The 2nd half takes place at Blackmoore and it was interesting to see how Kate handles being snubbed, dealing with her mother, having her friend struggle between liking Kate and following those who know her mother's history. The ending of the story was just like I wanted it to end and I think you'll all agree with me when you read it for yourself. =D

If you know someone who enjoys Regency Romance be sure to hand them a copy of Blackmoore. They'll love it!

About the author:
Julianne Donaldson grew up as the daughter of a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. She learned how to ski in the Italian Alps, visited East Berlin before the wall came down, and spent three years living next to a 500-year-old castle. After earning a degree in English, she turned her attention to writing about distant times and places. She lives in Utah with her husband and four children.

For more information about Julianne: https://www.facebook.com/DonaldsonJulianne

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

Highland Blessings ~ Review/Interview

 
Highland Blessings
by Jennifer Hudson Taylor
ISBN: 978-1426702266
$11.12 (paperback)
$ 9.99 (kindle)

About the book:
Highland Blessings is the story of a highland warrior who kidnaps the daughter of his greatest enemy and clan chief to honor a promise he made to his dying father. Bryce MacPhearson, a highland warrior, kidnaps Akira MacKenzie on her wedding day to honor a promise he made to his dying father. While Akira s strength in the Lord becomes a witness to Bryce, she struggles to overcome her anger and resentment when he forces her to wed him, hoping to end a half-century-old feud between their clans. While Akira begins to forgive, and Bryce learns to trust, a series of murders leaves a trail of unanswered questions, confusion, and a legacy of hate that once again rises between their families. Clearly, a traitor is in their midst. Now the one man Akira loves no longer trusts her, and her own life is in danger. Can Bryce look beyond his pain and seek the truth? Will Akira discover the threat against her before it s too late? How will God turn a simple promise into bountiful Highland blessings?

My thoughts:
I'm not usually a fan of medieval type books but this particular book caught my eye with the word "Highland" in the title. Granted I didn't realize it was a medieval type book and I was a little disappointed when I realized it. In fact, I was really hoping that it would open in the medieval period for some background and then fast forward to modern day Scotland - but then I got caught up in the book and before I knew it I was very engrossed in the story and everything that was happening.

Highland Blessings is a book filled with action, angst, mystery, romance - and a few murders thrown in for good measure. Very well written I found I was reading everywhere and whenever I had a chance to get in a few more chapters - Village Inn, sitting in the movie theatre (while waiting for the lights to go down), during the kid's naptime, their movies..... I think you get the idea.

It is a Christian Romance - the scripture passages are strong, Akira's faith is strong from the beginning of the book and Bryce's faith gets stronger and he learns to lean on God as he makes decisions and as the danger mounts he also begins to trust God for Akira's safety. Jennifer Hudson Taylor is a new author for me and I think she has gone to the top of my favorite author pile (if I had a pile of her books that is). If you love a good romance (without a lot of bedroom scenes, filth and language) you will love this book. 

Link up with Jennifer at:

An interview with Jennifer Hudson Taylor:
I took a few moments to ask Jennifer a few questions about her writing and what she hopes you take from her books.... Read on:

Me:  I enjoyed the way you shared the good news of Christ and the strength of Akira's faith and prayer life - what is one thing you'd like readers to come away with from reading your books?

JHT: I try to include a unique message in each book, but I always want people to know that Christ will never forsake them in their troubles and will always be there for them no matter how far they stray. His love is unconditional.

Me: Where/how did you come up with the idea of your book? 

JHT: I believe it came to me over a period of time in various stages. I first started writing Highland Blessings in 1998, but it wasn't published until 2010. Over that period of time, I rewrote it several times and inserted various scenes and deleted other scenes.

Highland Sanctuary is another matter. I modeled the heroine after my daughter who has Epilepsy. As we dealt with pediatric neurologists, went through MRIs, CAT Scans, and EEG's, and meds, I wondered what it would have been like for someone like my daughter in 15th century Scotland, the place and time period of my characters in the first book. Then I allowed myself to wonder about people with various issues and the Village of Outcasts was born for my second novel, Highland Sanctuary.

Me: What kind of research did you do for this book? Did you do any?

JHT: For Highland Blessings, most of my research came from years of reading and studying Scotland, the ways of the people and the 15th century. I purchased books and devoured them as I found time so I could learn about castles, the clan system, clothing. When it came time to write the sequel, Highland Sanctuary, some of the basics were already researched from the first book, but it was necessary to provide more in-depth research on specific things such as the church system, the court system, how they would handle a person thought to be demon possessed, the geography and layout of the land in Caithness, Scotland, thoughts on seizures, and the King of Scotland.

ME: Have you ever been to Scotland for research or just for fun (this is a dream of mine - so I'm going to live vicariously through you - so expand if you'd like - this may mean a 2nd post LOL)?

JHT: No, Scotland is my dream. I fear we will both have to live vicariously through Liz Curtis Higgs. She goes each year. I keep praying that God will one day provide a way for our family. 

Thank you for having me, and I feel so honored that you enjoyed my highland set (of) novels.

About the author:
Jennifer Hudson Taylor is an award winning author of historical Christian fiction and a speaker on topics of faith, writing and publishing. Her debut novel, Highland Blessings received a 4 1/2 star review from Romantic Times and won the Holt Medallion Award for Best First Book. Jennifer's work has appeared in national publications, such as Guideposts, Heritage Quest Magazine, Romantic Times Book Reviews, and The Military Trader. She serves as the Publicist at Hartline Literary Agency. Jennifer graduated from Elon University with a B.A. in Journalism. When she isn't writing, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, genealogy, and reading. (from Jennifer's blog)

Disclaimer: Highland Blessings is a book that I purchased and chose to review on GivingNSharing.