Every Window Filled With Light

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RANDOM RETRO READ

STOVALL, SHELIA

EVERY WINDOW FILLED WITH LIGHT

Welcome to Weldon, Kentucky, where the only things the locals love more than fried pies are gossip and match-making.

Librarian Emma Baker, a young and childless widow, believes her dream to build a family is over. It's been two years since a student accidentally stabbed Emma's husband to death, and her grief has stifled any interest in romance -- until she meets Pastor Luke Davis. But when Emma learns Luke is counselling her husband's killer fresh out of jail, her temper gets in the way.

Meanwhile, Emma discovers twelve-year-old Harley, abandoned by her drug-addict mother, hiding in the library and takes the girl in as her foster mom. Then a young mother is made homeless by an apartment fire, and Emma opens her home again. One person and one prayer at a time, Emma begins to discover hope.

My Review:

An inspiring story set around the complicated layers of forgiveness. Oh, how my heart hurt for Emma and struggled right along with her. I love the way the author lets us feel the heaviness of her story in the beginning and then gradually lightens her load until we can both breathe again! 

A stunning mesh of Women's fiction and romance steeped in examples of faith in action. Made all the more moving by Emma, Luke and Harley's personal struggles and the way they learn to look beyond themselves to find the kind of lasting peace Jesus offers.

Love the small town setting -- all Southern charm with a bit of a bite. :-)  A stunning debut by an author I hope to read more from.

Goal Update: #1 Read more indie authors (hybrid) #3 Read more debut authors

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Every Window Filled With Light , leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 15 2022 . Offer open to 

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip

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BRUNSVOLD, SARA

THE EXTRAORDINARY DEATHS OF MRS. KIP

A throwaway assignment is about to change two lives forever

Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she's been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who's just entered hospice care.

But there's more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she's not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it's a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that's just what Mrs. Kip will give her -- but she's going to have to work for it.

My Review:

If I could sum up this book in one word that word would be...extraordinairy. (Sorry, just couldn't resist...but it's true!) 

This book wasn't anywhere on my radar and I stumbled upon it's rather subdued cover and larger than life title -- what does 'extraordinary deaths' as in plural actually mean anyway? Well, I could tell you now but that would spoil all the fun of discovering on your own so I'll leave you to ponder and puzzle like I did. 

I honestly wasn't sure I'd like this book but then I opened it up and started reading...and found I couldn't stop! Burnsvold has a smooth, descriptive writing style that is easy to lose yourself in. She paints pictures with words and in no time at all these characters sprang to life and took over my imagination. What could I do but go on their adventures right along with them?

I laughed, I cried, I goose bumped and sighed. I winced over Aidyn's gauche ways -- brash at all the wrong times, and hesitant when it counts. She's an awkward mix of zeal and passion that she can't seem to rein in. She wants to break past the confines of her cub reporter mentorship and tackle hard hitting journalism head on.

Mrs. Kip starts out as a means to an end, a menial task to do penance for messing up in the newsroom, but the unassuming, terminally ill woman, has a lot of life yet to live and wisdom to impart. Aidyn finds herself roped into her shenanigans, learning important life (and faith) lessons along the way. Who knew Mrs. Kip was so full of surprises?! 

An absorbing read that mekes you feel good, even during the sad bits. I want to be Mrs. Kip when I grow up!

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

Goal Update: #3 Read more debut authors, #9 Read outside my comfort zone.

 GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Extraordinary Lives of Mrs. Kip, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 9 2022 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Forever on the Bay

GIVEAWAY

MCCLAIN, LEE TOBIN

FOREVER ON THE BAY

Safe harbor and new beginnings await on the Chesapeake Bay...

Pleasant Shores cop Evan Stone has worked hard to become a man of his word, overcoming the alcoholism that sent him down the wrong path in his youth. So when his late best friend's sister asks for his help, he doesn't hesitate. He promised he'd watch out for Cassie, and the cottage next to his will be a perfect short-term refuge for her and her dog. The other half of that promise -- to stay away from Cassie romantically -- is harder to keep.

My Review:

Lee Tobin McClain knows how how to emotionally bludgeon a reader before soothing her with hope and happily-ever-afters. :-)

I'd categorize this as a clean, Women's Fiction / Contemporary Romance hybrid. That's because there's a whole lot more going on besides Evan and Cassie's romance. Like a secondary love story along with multiple character POVs and a whole lot of issue reckoning before said happily-ever-after.  

I love the depth this author brings to her stories. She isn't afraid to tackle tough topics with grace and compassion, shining light into the dark recesses of life's grittier problems. There's even a bit of suspense and lurking danger! And a whole lot of character growing besides. All spun together with McClain's storytelling wizardry which always leaves me blissfully happy and wanting more.

Forever on the Bay is the sixth book in The Off Season series but it can be read as a standalone. I've only read a few of the other books (and you can bet I'll be playing catch up soon!) though fans of the series will be thrilled to catch up with former hero and heroines and this quaint seaside town. 

Goal Update: #2 Catch up on series I'm behind in, #5 Diversify my reading

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Forever on the Bay leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the Draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday May 21 2022. Offer open to International Readers.

The Shell Collector

GIVEAWAY

NAIGLE, NANCY

THE SHELL COLLECTOR

From USA Today Bestselling author Nancy Naigle, The Shell Collector is a touching novel of friendship that crosses generations, and learning how even the smallest gifts can change a life for good.

Two years after her husband's death, Amanda Whittier has two children to raise alone, an abandoned dream of starting a business, and a fixer-upper cottage by the sea. She has no room in her life for anything else and little interest in moving on after losing the man she loved.

Paul Grant is a relative newcomer to the area, and his work with former military dogs needing rehabilitation has been good for the town. Though he loved once before, he's convinced he's not suited for romance and is determined to find meaning -- alone -- through his work and role in the community.

Widowed Maeve Lindsay was born and raised on Whelk's Island. Spirted, kind, and a little mischievous, she pours her life into the town. But she carries a secret that shapes her every move.

Together, these three souls find encouragement in the most mysterious places and discover a love that's bigger than their pain, healing their wounded hearts in ways none of them could have hoped for or expected.

My Review:

This one was a gobsmacker for me! I wasn't sure what to expect, since this is my very first Nancy Naigle book, so I went in without any preconceived ideas and was immediately swept into the story. Definitely an emotional read. I teared up in many places, and cried buckets twice. But I also laughed and swooned and just plain delighted in these characters and this quaint seaside town! I'd tag it as Women's Fiction with a solid romance thread. 

And while this story does deal with some heavy subject matter -- grief in all it's forms -- it's laced with so much hope and joy as well that it doesn't feel heavy.

"There is a difference between grief and suffering. You see, suffering is solitary, but you share your grief with good people. It's the way you release the pain and adjust to the loss." (p 164, Large Print Edition)

These are words of wisdom from octogenarian Maeve as she helps Amanda navigate the rough waters of her grief. So many beautiful truths like this to touch a reader's heart. 

And there's even a beautiful second chance love story when Amanda unexpectedly meets up with someone very dear from her past. The Shell Collector turned out to be just what I needed at just the right time -- an emotionally engaging, soul-stirring journey out of darkness into light.

Goal Update: #4 Read more new-to-me authors

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Shell Collector, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the Draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday April 16  2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck 

Beyond the Storm

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

ZANE, CAROLYN

BEYOND THE STORM

After a tornado rips through her town, store owner Abigail comes across a piece of fabric from a wedding dress among the devastation. Abigail is moved to start collecting swatches of fabric she finds -- her neighbour's kitchen curtains, a man's necktie, a dog's bed -- which she stashes in shopping bags. As she pursues her seemingly absurd quest, horrible realities spark the question, What kind of God would allow such tragedy? As she struggles to reconcile her right to happiness admits the destruction, Abigail begins piecing together a patchwork quilt from the salvaged fabric in hopes it will bring some peace. But a new relationship with Justin, a contractor, may require too much of her fragile heart. Will her pain and questions of faith give way to the courage to love?

My Review:

published in 2012

I feel like this book slapped me upside the head and my ears are still ringing! LOL I was not prepared in any way, shape or form for what unfolded within these pages (er...in the recording...I listened to the audible edition.) How have I not heard more about Beyond the Storm?! It's been out for ten years! That's a decade of me not knowing about this book or this author!!! I'm gobsmacked. 

So, basically this story is about storms. The kind Mother Nature can throw down on us as well as the kind we humans churn up all on our own. Zane creates beautiful, heart-rending imagery that still haunts me. It's brilliantly told in three parts -- before the storm, during the storm and after the storm. And the author gives us multiple points of view from a diverse group of small town residents. 

I thought going into the read that it was going to be a sweet romance...and, while that is definitely part of the story, it's so much more than that. I was moved by so many nuances in plot and character but I'm stymied over how to express what I'm feeling without giving spoilers. Definitely a book I'd love to chat about in a book group forum. Because there is so much depth and emotion and stark truths. Things to lift you up and stretch your heart...and your faith.

Goal Update:  #4 Read more new-to-me authors

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Beyond the Storm, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the Draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday April 9 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck 

Shaped by the Waves

GIVEAWAY

NELSON, CHRISTINA SUZANN

SHAPED BY THE WAVES

Cassie George is barely staying above water as she works to get her doctorate and raise her daughter. But she stubbornly keeps swimming to prove a few bad decisions haven't ruined her forever. Plus, it's all a great excuse to stay away from the small Oregon town she fled in shame years prior. But when she receives a call that the aunt who raised her has had a major health crisis, she knows it's time to return.

Cassie is surprised to be more welcomed by the quirky seaside community than she expected even if there's still tension between her and her former classmate Nora Milford. But she still can't help feeling unsettled and is mystified by a mysterious package that appears, full of typed pages that tell the story of an anonymous woman's life. As her curiosity sends her on a journey toward truth, Cassie will discover that who she thought she was and what she wants for her life are both about to change.

My Review:

A story within a story and both kept me riveted.

An emotional tale of loss and grief and the power of sacrificial love. Of learning to embrace what you have while letting go of the past. Cassie is on a journey back to her God and it takes her home...to finally face the ghosts she never really left behind.

Honestly, I'm not sure what I can say about this novel except it's thrilling and compelling and richly layered with faith and wisdom. Love Cassie who unnecessarily struggles to carry a full load when there are so many willing hands to help her. Letting go of pride and shame is a huge part of her journey and makes for a tumultuous and poignant tale. And when she reconnects with 'her people' and starts to trust them with her brokenness, well, magic happens.

And her daughter, Lark, is a bedazzled gem of sunshine and hope and lightens even the darkest scenes. As does a certain barista who brings a spark of love and the hope of happily ever afters into Cassie's life. But there's lots to work through before that can happen and that involves the kind of emotional roller coaster ride I love to read.

Some of those highs and lows come courtesy of a mysterious manuscript addressed to Cassie. She's fascinated...but is it fact or fiction? A little bit of mystery that adds even more layers to this enthralling tale.

Side note: There's a secondary story interlaced with Cassie's but they never really connect and I found myself puzzling over exactly why snippets of Nora's POV were added in. I thought maybe it was a set up for the next book, but Shaped by the Waves isn't marked as part of series so I'm a little befuddled. Not enough to dim my reading enjoyment, but still, I wonder....

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Shaped by the Waves, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 5 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

What You Said to Me

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

NEWPORT, OLIVIA

WHAT YOU SAID TO ME

When 15-year-old Tisha Crowder gets caught shoplifting, attorney Nolan Duffy tries to protect her from consequences that could rattle her already troubled life. His daughter, Jillian, feels like she's the one being punished instead -- by having Tisha assigned to work with her on a backlog of genealogy files. Tisha doesn't seem interested in taking the job seriously, and Jillian's patience wears thin. Besides, everyone in Canyon Mines knows the Crowder family have experienced generations of brokenness. Then a sliver of hope turns up in long-ago words in plain sight, challenging shrouded assumptions about Tisha's family. Now Jillian is the one who can walk with Tisha back to 1893 and uncover where everything went wrong in the first place -- and save her from the past.

My Review:

published in 2020

This is a series that somehow got away from me but I'm rectifying that asap even though I'm reading them out of order. :-) Now I've read book one and four and have to fill in with the middle books. There does seem to be some carry over elements among the stories, but I didn't feel lost at any point, though I am eager to backtrack because Jillian has picked up a beau somewhere along the way. :-) The whole series explores the legacy of family history and how it continues -- for good or bad -- into each generation.

So, basically what you need to know in order to jump right in with book four is that Jillian and her father are very close and they live together. I  love the relationship between this duo. It's funny and touching and rooted in love and a shared loss. 

She's a genealogist (which sounds like all kinds of fun!!!) and her dad is a lawyer with ninja mediation skills. She's pretty careful and exacting and...well, predictable. He's a more carefree, go-with-the-flow kinda guy. And that means sometimes they clash. Like when Nolan comes home with a fait accompli involving Jillian supervising a juvenile delinquent's community service time. Aka, find ways for the sullen teen to help out with  the huge genealogy project Jillian's working on. That goes about as well as you'd expect. :-)

Did I mention this is a dual timeline? The story flips between present day with Jillian and Nolan trying to help the recalcitrant Tisha and the intriguing past of a family in turmoil in the late 1890s. Both are fascinating and emotional and I was near crazy trying to figure out the connection between past and present, because I knew there had to be one. Wonderfully written in an engaging style that kept me flipping pages until the very end. Yep, read it in one sitting. Already have books two and three on hold at my library. :-)

Goal Update: #2 Catch up on series

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of What You said to Me, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday February 26 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

The Story Keeper

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY

WINGATE, LISA

THE STORY KEEPER

When successful New York editor Jen Gibbs discovers a decaying slush-pile manuscript on her desk, she has no idea that the story of Sarra, a young mixed-race woman trapped in Appalachia at the turn of the twentieth century, will both take her on a journey and change her forever. Happy with her life in the city, and at the top of her career with a new job at Vida House Publishing, Jen has left her Appalachian past and twisted family ties far behind. But the search for the rest of the manuscript, and Jen's suspicions about the identity of its unnamed author, will draw her into a mystery that leads back to the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains...and quite possibly through the doors she thought she had closed forever.

My Review:

published in 2014

Spellbinding! The kind of novel that hits hard (literary sucker punches to the nth degree!) and engages a reader's heart and mind with emotions on full throttle.

I haven't met a Lisa Wingate book I haven't loved but the emphasis on stories in this one touched me in so many ways. The author celebrates the power of words and the importance of remembering and celebrating everyone's story no matter how broken or unpolished. This book really made an impact on me.

Dual timelines set in the Blue Ridge Mountains -- both depicting the struggles of women born a century a part with some eerie similarities to their stories. The complex layers of both timelines and the way they come together by the end is sheer perfection. Gorgeous character growth and compelling faith threads added to my readerly delight.

The author starts us off in present day with career driven editor, Jen, who is determined to keep her painful childhood buried in the past. Until she stumbles upon a slush pile partial manuscript that sends her back to the place and the people she's tried so hard to forget. Wingate expertly weaves in the historical timeline through the words of the manuscript but when it abruptly stops mid-story, Jen is compelled to go off on a desperate quest to search for the rest.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Abby Craden and Bahni Turpin and they did an amazing job giving all the characters their own distinctive personalities. The Mountain dialects were really well done. A perfect match for the author's rich storytelling style. (Available on Audible Plus right now, for anyone who enjoys audio books.)

Goal Update: #5 Diversify my reading, #8 Play author catch up

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Story Keeper, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday February 19 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Broken Together

GIVEAWAY

ANDERSON, BRENDA S.

ANDERSON, SARAH S.

BROKEN TOGETHER

How do you persevere when you have no more will to fight?

Jennifer and Chad Taylor had dreamed of opening a coffee and cocoa shop since before they said, "I do." When Chad is sent to prison for murder despite claiming innocence, that dream -- along with their family -- is shattered.

After years of fighting for Chad's release, Jennifer finally breaks free from her shame, anger, and hopelessness, and forges ahead with the dream the two of them once shared. With the help of their college-aged twins, she begins to move forward.

Without Chad.

When their lawyer arrives with news of evidence that may prove Chad's innocence, a strange mixture of emotions overtakes her. Does she want Chad to return home? He isn't the same man he once was, and she certainly isn't the same woman. She's worked hard to piece the remnants of their family back together, and the coming home could fracture the family once again.

It all comes down to one question. She loves her husband enough to fight for his release from prison, but does she love him enough to fight for their marriage?

My Review:

Brenda Anderson delivers another heartfelt, thought-provoking family drama steeped with faith and the hope that comes from welcoming second chances. And this time she's teamed up with her barista extraordinaire daughter to create the kind of coffee/chocolate shop I want in my neighbourhood! 

Absolutely loved that angle of the story and the way the shop becomes an important part of the community. There's all kinds of interesting parallels between it's growth and the changing lives of the Taylor family. (This would make a great book club read 'cause there's so many important talking points -- you'd have no end of discussion material!)

And the way the authors deliberately centre Christ through it all -- touching the lives of characters who might be angry or rebellious or even not interested -- well, it's so moving and soul satisfying. They don't shy away from the tough questions or the raw emotions of very real lives gone awry but they also shine light into that darkness. 

And what a premise! A loving couple's happily-ever-after preempted by a wrongful conviction! The backlash that has on the their family and friends and the stress of relentlessly fighting to have that conviction overturned. I don't want to give away any spoilers but the plot development, the unexpected twists, the deep characterization...well, it all makes for one compelling unputdownable read!

My thanks to the author for gifting me with a copy of this book.

Goal Update: #1 Read more indie authors

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for an ebook copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Broken Together, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 29 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

They Almost Always Come Home

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

RUCHTI, CYNTHIA

THEY ALMOST ALWAYS COME HOME

When Libby's husband Greg fails to return home from a two-week canoe trip to the Canadian wilderness, the authorities soon write off his disappearance as an unhappy husband's escape from an empty marriage and unrewarding career. Their marriage might have survived if their daughter Lacey hadn't died...and if Greg hadn't been responsible. Libby enlists the aid of her wilderness savvy father-in-law and her faith-walking best friend to help her search for clues to her husband's disappearance...if for no other reason then to free her to move on. What the trio discovers in the search upends Libby's presumptions about her husband and rearranges her faith.

My Review:

published in 2009

This was a treasure trove find in the Audible Plus catalogue and I think it's actually Cynthia Ruchti's debut novel! How cool is that? It's a stretch out of my usual reading comfort zone but I was immediately captivated by Libby's dilemma from the very first chapter. The author has a unique gift for drawing a reader into the broken, messy lives of her characters and creating something beautiful and healing and true from the tattered remnants and that's what she did with Libby.

I didn't know a whole lot going into this story, just the brief outline from the synopsis and, because it's not my usual genre, I wasn't sure what to expect. So I was unprepared for the force of emotion that assailed me right from the start. Libby isn't always likeable -- she's a bit sharp, caustic, sarcastic. Bitterness has invaded her heart as she's pulled away from God. Her marriage is on shaky ground and when her husband goes missing she prepares for the worst...only what does that look like? What kind of outcome is she dreading...or hoping for?

A deep dive into characterization enhances the plot as Libby's search for her husband leads her to rediscover her faith. What a powerful, redemption story! Forgiveness, acceptance, trust and ultimately hope replace the bitterness that has been darkening her days for far too long. 

I don't want to say too much more because Libby's journey, both the physical one and the spiritual one, should be unique and fresh for each reader. I will say that They Almost Always Come Home makes for a compelling, contemplative and at times edge-of-your-seat read. I couldn't put it down.

Goal Update: Goal #5 Diversify my reading -- set in Canada, Goal #9 Read  outside my comfort zone

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of They Almost Always Come Home, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 15 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Piece by Piece

GIVEAWAY

BRADFORD, LAURA

PIECE BY PIECE

A grieving mother learns to heal in Amish country, in this heart felt, beautifully told novel from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.

Danielle Parker is a gold-medal mom -- the kind who volunteers in her children's classrooms, shuttles them between activities, throw legendary birthday parties, and has a remedy on hand for any emergency. Whatever her husband, Jeff, and their children need, Dani is there, always.

Except for one day.

On that day -- the day that Dani reluctantly takes some "me time" while her mom and Jeff drive the children to the park -- the unthinkable happens. The car crash leaves no survivors. Somehow, Dani gets through the funerals and visits, accepting neighbours' sympathy and dropped-off meals. All the while, guilt and grief make her wish the accident had claimed her life too. Then a call comes from Lydia Schlabach, an Amish woman Dance befriended in childhood. In addition to condolences, Lydia offered Dani something more: a place to escape to.

In Pennsylvania's Amish country, Dani's days take on a new rhythm, marked by the clip-clop of buggies and the bustle of chores. Lydia gives Dani space to mourn, to think, and to realize how long it's been since she felt like a person in her own right. And with the help of friendships old and new, Dani learns about the ways life continues to surprise us -- even after the deepest loss -- with joy, love, and second chances.

My Review:

I'm going to say right up front that this novel won't be for everyone. In fact, it could be triggering for some, though I found it emotionally cleansing. Because the sole focus of Piece by Piece is following Dani on her excruciating journey through grief. I sobbed my heart out in places and hiccoughed-laughed and felt the gooseflesh rise on my skin as Dani finds faith and hope at last. Definitely an emotionally gripping read.

And it's real and raw and gritty. An honest portrayal of all the stages of grief. It's told completely from Dani's POV which makes it incredibly intense and personal. I was impressed with the way the author portrays her story with such compassion and honesty. The way she slowly opens up the heroine's perspective -- from initially so insular and isolated to gradually looking beyond her grief to make a few wary connections with people willing to stand by her in her anguish, but also willing to bring some light and hope back into her life. 

A moving tribute to those who have experience bereavement and the family and friends who nonjudgmentally support them.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Piece by Piece , leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 11 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

The Gathering Table

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SPRINGER, KATHRYN

THE GATHERING TABLE

Winsome Lake, Wisconsin, is post-card pretty, but for chef Jessica Keaton it's also a last resort. Fired from her dream job, Jess is starting over as a live-in cook and housekeeper. When she arrives, she finds her new employer is in rehab after having a stroke, and Jess expects she'll be all alone in Elaine Haviland's quaint house. A chef with no one to cook for.

But instead, she encounters a constant stream of colourful visitors who draw her back into the world. As Jess contends with local teenagers, a group of scrappy women and a charming football coach, Elaine faces some battles of her own the extend past her physical challenges. For both of them, all the ingredients for a fulfilling life are within reach, if they're willing to take a leap. And maybe Jess will start to see that it's not just what's on the table that matters -- it's the people gathered around it.

My Review:

Such an enjoyable, feel good, hope filled story! I love the way it's built around Jess's love for cooking and how that transforms her from guarded loner to part of an adopted 'family.'  I was prepared for a good read, this is a Kathryn Springer novel after all, but I wasn't expecting it to be an all-consuming, emotional jubilee of all that is right and good about living in community.

The way the author pulls loner Jess back into the world is touching and funny and blink-back-tearing at times. She's had a hard life -- neglected childhood, professional let down and no where to turn until she 'happens' upon a want ad for a live-in cook and housekeeper. She looks upon the opportunity as a stop gap measure but her employer is certain there is nothing happenstance about it. Divine intervention more like.

I was enthralled -- and that's really the only way I can describe it. I was catapulted into Jessica's messy life from the very first page, emotions leading me to an empathetic understanding and a fierce hope for this scrappy heroine to find  her 'people' and her faith. And, whooooooaaaaa, does the author deliver all that and so much more.

The Gathering Table is a kinda Women's Fiction / Contemporary Romance hybrid. We get multiple points of view, two (TWO!) scrumptious romances and a bevy of amazing fictional friends.  Along with solid inspirational threads that bind them all together.

I listened to the audible edition and loved Ann Marie Gideon's narration. So much so that I compulsively listened to the whole book in one day! 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for an ebook copy -- this is a Love Inspired Trade novel and is only available online in ebook or audible format. It is, however, available in print format at Walmart. 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Season of Change, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 6 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

The Nature of Small Birds

GIVEAWAY

FINKBEINER, SUSIE

THE NATURE OF SMALL BIRDS

In 1975, three thousand children were airlifted out of Saigon to be adopted into Western homes. When one of those children announced her plans to return to Vietnam to find her birth mother, her loving adopted family is suddenly thrown back to the events surrounding her unconventional arrival in their lives.

Mindy's father grapples with the tension between holding on tightly and letting his daughter spread her wings. Her mother undergoes the emotional roller coaster inherent in the adoption of a child from a war-torn country, discovering the joy hidden amid the difficulties. And Mindy and her sister struggle to find the strength to accept each other as they both discover who they truly are.

Told through three distinct voices in three compelling timelines, The Nature of Small Birds is a hopeful story that explores the meaning of family far beyond genetic code.

My Review:

This book surprised me -- from the way the story is told to the content. I expected something much different so it took me awhile to adjust to Susie Finbeiner's storytelling choices. 

So, first unexpected thing -- while the author uses three distinct voices, none of them are Minh/Mindy's and since her search for her biological Vietnamese family is the impetus of the story, well, it came as a surprise to read about Mindy instead of experiencing events through her eyes.

Three timelines -- three points of view. Linda (Mindy's adoptive mom) in 1975, Sonny (Mindy's adoptive sister) in 1988, and Bruce (Mindy's adoptive dad) in 2013. The story starts in present day when Mindy expresses an interest in trying to discover her biological mother. From there we get a series of family vignettes that jump through the decades. 

Linda remembers the unexpected arrival of a desperately wanted child, the learning curve of the adjustment period and the hostility of extended family because of the child's race. High school senior Sonny is learning to navigate teen angst and young love which affects sisterly dynamics and Bruce is anchored in the present, desperate to keep his daughters safe, yet knowing he has to let them fly free.

There isn't a plot so much as a kaleidoscope of past and present that give a reader impressions about this family and the way they've banded together to create something lasting. Proof that love knows no bounds and that family isn't all about DNA and genealogical roots.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Nature of Birds, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 30  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

When the Morning Glory Blooms

GIVEAWAY

RUCHTI, CYNTHIA

WHEN THE MORNING GLORY BLOOMS

Becky rocks a baby that rocker her world. Sixty years earlier, with her fiance Drew in the middle of the Korean Conflict, Ivy throws herself into her work at a nursing home to keep her sanity and provide for the child Drew doesn't know is coming. Ivy cares for Anna, an elderly patient who taxes Ivy's listening ear until the day she suspects Anna's tall tales are not the ramblings of dementia. They're fragments of Anna's disjointed memories of a remarkable life. Finding a faint thread of hope she can't resist tugging, Ivy records Anna's memoir, scribbling furiously after hours to keep up with the woman's emotion-packed, grace-hemmed stories. Is Ivy's answer buried in Anna's past? Becky, Ivy, Anna -- three women fight a tangled vine of deception in search of the blossoming simplicity of truth.

My Review:

published in 2013

A quiet, gentle story about hope and the simplicity of truth. And that doesn't mean this is an uneventful novel -- it's just that the ambiance is almost reverential in the way these heroines' stories play out. And discovering the connections between 1890s Anna, 1960s Ivy and present day Becky gave me all kinds of chills and thrills. 

When the Morning Glory Blooms was dual timeline before that became a thing -- well triple timeline, really. Each heroine's story is equally compelling and I have to say the way the author brings a unique, era-appropriate voice to each woman gives so much depth to the characterization. 

Anna, Ivy and Becky are all facing the same challenges in different timelines -- and they each battle social pressures and judgment as they strive to find the blessings amidst impossible hardship. Definitely a sobering read but it is fused together with lighter moments too. And so many spine-tingling faith moments! And the significance of the morning glories -- honestly, I can't even. Moved me to tears and made me laugh and jump for joy too. Such a brilliant, unassuming tie-in.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Melinda Sward who really breathed life into these multi-generational characters. Perfect match of storyteller and recording artist. 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy copy -- winner's choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of When the Morning Glory Blooms, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 23 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!