A Wyoming Summer

 

QUICK FACTS

• Title: A Wyoming Summer
• Series: Timeless Western Collection (Book 4)
• Authors: Carla Kelly, Christine Sterling, & Heather B. Moore
• Genre: Historical Romance, Western Romance, Inspirational Fiction
• Publisher: Mirror Press (June 20, 2023)
• Length: (330) pages
• Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 
• ISBN: 978-1952611322
• Tour Dates: June 19 – 30, 2023

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A Wyoming Summer is the fourth book in the Timeless Western Collection, a bestselling anthology series from Mirror Press. The book features three novellas from acclaimed historical romance authors whose stories ask if true love can survive the changing seasons?

“Ellen Found,” by Carla Kelly

 

Set in location of Old Faithful Inn, 1903-4. Working in a discouraging café, Ellen escapes an awful situation in rough and tumble Butte, Montana, and goes to work as second in command to a wary cook in the shell that will become Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone Park. She meets Charles Penrose, head carpenter on the massive project of Old Faithful Inn, which is being finished in a harsh Wyoming winter. Will it really open June 1, 1904? Can Ellen start to trust the other workers? What will she learn about the other employees? And Charles. He's a widower with a young daughter there, too. Like Ellen, he wants more.

 

“The Widow of Daybreak,” by Christine Sterling

 

Doris Whistler is learning how to survive in a town taken over by outlaws. When the leader of an infamous gang murders her husband, her choices are to tuck tail and run, or stand her ground and make Daybreak as promising as its name. It proves to be a difficult task with the good citizens in fear of the corrupt mayor and godlessness that abounds. What she doesn't expect is the support of a traveling lawman who believes in her and the tiny town she loves so much.

 

“May I Kiss the Bride,” by Heather B. Moore

 

Viola Delany is not happy about being sent to the middle-of-nowhere, small town Wyoming. Yes, it will be good to let the gossips find something else to talk about other than her failed engagement. And yes, it will be nice to spend the summer with her Aunt Beth. But as Viola sits on the train heading for Wyoming, wondering how she'll ever occupy her time in such a small town, none other than a real-life cowboy sits across the way. She can't help but take peeks at him, noting that the condition of his unpolished black boots and scuffed rawhide jacket seem to be authentic . . . All right, so he might be tall, dark-haired, and handsome if a woman doesn't mind green eyes and a dangerous-looking scar, but this man certainly has nothing to do with her. Besides she'll never see him again. What are the chances he's traveling to the same middle-of-nowhere small town?

 

MY REVIEW

 

These Timeless Romances continue to impress me. This anthology is no different. There is a richness in these stories that you would not expect from something shorter than a novel. These authors tend to develop these stories so well, that the emotional content and character development is there even when you would expect there to be less.

 

"Ellen Found" is the story of a young girl who has overcome a lot to become the assistant cook for the crew that is building the Old Faithful Inn. Expecting her $30 a month, she finds so much more. She finds family and she finds love. Ellen finds that she does have friends and people who care about he. Her cat may be one of my favorite characters and I hate cats.

 

"The Widow of Daybreak" is another story of courage and determination. This one about a widow who has seen her town being taken by outlaws. The mayor is corrupt and the good people are suffering. Her actions set off a chain of events that let the town attempt to take their town back with a little outside help. This is a story of redemption and second chances for a town with so much hope.

 

"May I Kiss the Bride" takes a socialite touched by scandal who is sent to live with an aunt while things blow over and puts her in a situation where she becomes acquainted with herself. Viola figures out what she wants and learns to stand up for herself. She is charming and graceful, but doesn't let that stop her from showing her tenacity and determination, much to the delight of her aunt.

 

The whole anthology is beautiful and I was honored to read and review an early copy.

 

 

ABOUT THE SERIES

Since 2015, Mirror Press has been presenting the Timeless Romance Collection, a curated anthology of novellas and short stories featuring bestselling authors from the contemporary and historical romance genres. The collection has hit the USA TODAY bestselling list and charted at #1 at Amazon.com. Learn more about the series and other anthologies published by Mirror Press at their website.  

 

ADVANCE PRAISE

·       5 STARS – “…my new favorite of the Timeless Romance Anthologies.”— Maria Thomas, Goodreads

·       5 STARS – “Another wonderful collection from the Timeless Romance Anthologies...A perfect read for your summer enjoyment that just might have you planning some trips to Wyoming or another western historical feeling location. ”— Julie Carpenter, Goodreads

·       5 STARS – “A clean, fun, well-written collection by three talented authors.”— Lorieah, Goodreads

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

 

AUTHOR BIOS

 

Carla Kelly started writing Regencies because of her interest in the Napoleonic Wars. She like writing about warfare at sea and ordinary people of the British Isles, rather than lords and ladies. In her spare time, she likes to read British crime fiction and history, particularly the U.S. Indian Wars. She is a former park ranger, and double Rita Award and Spur Award winner. She currently lives in Utah, has five interesting children and four grands. Carla’s favorite authors include Robert Crais and Richard Woodman.

 

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

 

 

Christine Sterling is a USA Today best-selling author who writes small-town inspirational romances with a touch of humor. Most of her stories take place in the plains of Nebraska or Colorado, but she will write wherever there are cowboys needing to find love. Her favorite stories involve tight-knit families, and you will often find that her characters cross over in many of her stories.

 

She lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, four dogs, and one spoiled cat, aka The Floof. She can often be found in her garden with a notebook and a cup of tea.

BOOKBUB | BOOKFUNNEL | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

 

 

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today best-selling and award-winning author of more than seventy publications, including The Paper Daughters of Chinatown. She has lived on both the East and West Coasts of the United States, as well as Hawaii, and attended school abroad at the Cairo American Collage in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. She loves to learn about history and is passionate about historical research.

 

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

A Shadow in Moscow - Book Review

 

QUICK FACTS

 

Title: A Shadow in Moscow: A Cold War Novel

       Author: Katherine Reay

      Genre: Historical Fiction, Espionage Thrillers, Inspirational Fiction

       Publisher: ‎Harper Muse (June 13, 2023)

       Length: (384) pages

       Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

       ISBN: 978-1400243037

\      Tour Dates: June 5-19, 2023

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

In the thick of the Cold War, a betrayal at the highest level risks the lives of two courageous female spies: MI6’s best Soviet agent and the CIA’s newest Moscow recruit.

Vienna, 1954

After losing everyone she loves in the final days of World War II, Ingrid Bauer agrees to a hasty marriage with a gentle Soviet embassy worker and follows him home to Moscow. But nothing within the Soviet Union’s totalitarian regime is what it seems, including her new husband, whom Ingrid suspects works for the KGB. Inspired by her daughter’s birth, Ingrid risks everything and reaches out in hope to the one country she understands and trusts—Britain, the country of her mother’s birth. She begins passing intelligence to MI6, navigating a world of secrets and lies, light and shadow.

Moscow, 1980

A student in the Foreign Studies Initiative, Anya Kadinova finishes her degree at Georgetown University and boards a flight home to Moscow, leaving behind the man she loves and a country she’s grown to respect. Though raised by dedicated and loyal Soviet parents, Anya soon questions an increasingly oppressive and paranoid regime at the height of the Cold War. Then the KGB murders her best friend and Anya chooses her side. Working in a military research lab, she relays Soviet plans and schematics to the CIA in an effort to end the 1980s arms race.

The past catches up to the present when an unprecedented act of treachery threatens all agents operating within Eastern Europe, and both Ingrid and Anya find themselves in a race for their lives against time and the KGB.

 

MY REVIEW

Katherine Reay has done it again. This is a well-researched and well-written story that takes us into the cold war, from the beginnings and into the heart of it.

 

Ingrid is from Austria, her papers say she is Russian. She witnesses much regarding her parents and the Nazis during WWII. She ends up becoming a spy as she does not have many options and eventually marries a Russian man. What she doesn't tell anyone in her new homeland; her mother was British. Her husband grows through the ranks and the more this happens, the less she feels his love.

 

The other timeline is Anya. Anya is given an opportunity to study in the United States. This is an honor and she is meant to return to her homeland. She falls in love, but duty brings her back to the Soviet Union. Before she returns, she is recruited by the CIA.

 

These two women both have much to lose, but find themselves fighting a war that no one can see. They use the tools they have to work for a better world.

 

The story is well written from these two perspectives creating a story of espionage  and intrigue that kept me turning pages to figure out what would happen next, Their very lives were on the line. As it builds, there are things the reader learns that makes the story all the more intriguing and ultimately satisfying. I could not put this one down. This is a spy novel of the best sort.

 

The character growth is beautifully written and the reveals are timed perfectly. I highly recommend this book full of suspense and humanity.

 

I received an early copy through the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest review.

 

PRAISE FOR A SHADOW IN MOSCOW

• “In her nail-biting latest . . . Reay builds an immersive world behind the Iron Curtain, full of competing loyalties and a constant, chilling sense of paranoia. Readers will be enthralled.”— Publishers Weekly
• ”Rich with fascinating historical detail and unforgettable characters!”— Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times Bestselling author of The Wedding Veil

·       “…intrigue, twists and turns, acts of bravery and sacrificial love, and an unforgettable cold war setting with clever daring women at the helm.”— Susan Meissner, USA Today Bestselling author of The Nature of Fragile Things

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

 

AUTHOR BIO

Katherine Reay is a national bestselling and award-winning author who has enjoyed a lifelong affair with books. She publishes both fiction and nonfiction, holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, and currently lives outside Chicago, Illinois, with her husband and three children.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | GOODREADS

Counterfeit Faith - Review Blitz and Giveaway!

 

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Counterfeit Faith by Crystal Caudill, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Counterfeit Faith 

Series: Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age #3 

Author: Crystal Caudill 

Publisher: Kregel Publications 

Release Date: May 16, 2023 

Genre: Christian Historical Romance 

She's losing her faith in mankind. He's lost his faith in God. Can working together restore them both? 

As matron of Final Chance House of Refuge, Gwendolyn Ellison has dedicated her life to serving the children deemed delinquents by society. She'll protect them with everything she has. So when she suspects someone is using Final Chance for criminal deeds, she's determined to investigate and put a stop to it. But villains don't like to be crossed--and they're willing to kill to get their way. 

Gwendolyn knows she can't quit fighting. More than her own life is on the line if counterfeiters go free. She must find someone she can trust to help her expose the criminals and protect the children under her care. 

Charming and chivalrous Secret Service operative Josiah Isaacs has never been able to turn his back on a woman in trouble--and capturing counterfeiters is his job, after all. The danger he's truly worried about is his growing attraction to Gwendolyn when his heart wants to remain faithful to his deceased wife. 

As both peril and interest grow, he begins to consider whether a second love may be possible--if they can live through this case. At the same time, he's put off by her faith in a God he no longer trusts. How can a future together even be possible when their beliefs are at odds? 

"Page-turning action combines with depth and richness to create a full-bodied, rewarding read." 

 --Jocelyn Green, Christy Award-winning author of The Metropolitan Affair 

"Readers who love romance, suspense, and a graceful amount of faith won't want to miss this story." 

 --Toni Shiloh, Christy Award-winning author 

"With a host of sympathetic and likable characters (and a few not so likable), a riveting plot that clips along at the perfect pace, and a relatable faith thread, this book [is a] completely enjoyable read." 

 --Kimberly Duffy, Carol Award finalist and author of A Tapestry of Light

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | Christianbook | BookBub

More Books in this Series

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My Review

If it is possible, and it is, this series just keeps getting better. Crystal Caudill takes us into the dangerous world of counterfeiting and to the brave men who investigated these crime rings, In addition these books are full of growth, faith, and romance.

Gwendolyn and Josiah were a well-written pair. She is strong, fierce, and protective of the children in her charge, He is everything a hero should be, though broken from the loss of his past love.

The story was rich with mystery, character flaws, and opportunities for growth, It was well-done in an organic and natural way. Nothing was forced, the story naturally carried forward. They mystery had twists and turns that were unexpected and well-developed.

I truly enjoyed my time in this world with Gwendolyn and Josiah. The support characters added depth and richness. To be honest it was so well done that I struggled to truly pin down who the bad guy was until the book was ready to give up its secrets. The layers of mystery kept me guessing and turning pages the entire time.

I received an early copy of the book through the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest review

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About the Author

Crystal Caudill is the author of "dangerously good historical romance," with her work garnering awards from Romance Writers of America and ACFW. She is a stay-at-home mom and caregiver, and when she isn’t writing, Caudill can be found playing board games with her family, drinking hot tea, or reading other great books at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio.

Connect with Crystal by visiting crystalcaudill.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive print copies of Counterfeit Love, Counterfeit Hope, and Counterfeit Faith, a set of bookmarks, 2 stickers with quotes, and a magnet with a QR code to a "test your Secret Service knowledge" quiz!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 31, 2023 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on June 7, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

In The Shadow of the River - Review

If all the world's a stage, Jacci will play her part.

She only hopes her story does not turn out to be a tragedy.

In 1881, Jacci Reed is only five years old when a man attempts to kidnap her from the steamboat her mother, Irena, works on. Badly wounded during the confrontation, Irena takes Jacci aboard the Kingston Floating Palace, a showboat tied up beside them. There, Jacci's actor grandfather tends to her mother, and Jacci gets a first taste of the life she will come to lead.

Fifteen years later, Jacci is an actress aboard that same showboat and largely contented with her adopted family of actors, singers, and dancers. Especially Gabe, who has always supported her, and the gruff grandfather she has come to know and love. Jacci's mother has been gone for years, but the memory of the altercation that ultimately took her life--and the cryptic things Jacci has overheard about her past--is always there, lurking in the back of her mind.

When someone on the showboat tries to kill Jacci, it's clear her questions demand answers. But secrets have a way of staying in the shadows . . . and the answers she craves will not come easily.

Download Excerpt 

 Set on Riverboats, In the Shadow of the River, brings a mystery. It starts early from the points of view of 5 year old Jacci and her mother Irena. What unfolds in the early chapters takes the whole of the story to unravel. There are twists and turns and an ending that I am certain I did not see coming. 

This is a well written and enthralling tale, ultimately set on a showboat. Jacci is embraced by the actors of the Kingston Floating Palace including her grandfather. Jacci comes to know nothing but this life, However, after a certain politician makes an appearance, questions that Jacci has had for years refuse to be silenced. 

The mystery deepens  when she finds herself in a perilous situation. 

This is a gripping tale that may seem slow at times, but that is an illusion delivered by a master. Jacci and Gabe are a wonderful pair, he has loved her since she came to the boat and she just needed to grow up. 

The mystery is subtle and picks up as things unfold. The answers come and some are unexpected. This was a wonderful story. There are faith building moments and moments of personal growth for both Jacci and Gabe that occur organically but not drawn out nor forced. 

I received an early copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest review.

Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of many novels, including Where the Meadow Blooms, Along a Storied Trail, An Appalachian Summer, River to Redemption, These Healing Hills, and Angel Sister. She and her husband live on a farm a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Ann enjoys discovering the everyday wonders of nature while hiking in her farm's fields and woods with her grandchildren and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. Learn more at www.annhgabhart.com.