About Me I am a retired librarian and I now support books and authors through my reviews.

I have always loved to read and I was able to share that love through my work as a public librarian for 22 1/2 years. I now promote literacy by reading, and then writing reviews. I love to support authors by sharing my reviews with others!

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Chiseled on the Heart: A Christmas Legacy Novella Collection by Elaine Marie Cooper, Cynthia Roemer, Candace West, & Kelly Goshorn

Chiseled on the Heart: A Christmas Legacy Novella Collection
ABOUT THE BOOK

The Gift of a Lamb by Elaine Cooper. In 1776, 14-year-old Charlotte Hawkins and her brother, 10-year-old Elias, are still grieving the death of their parents. Their parents left instructions to be sent from their home state of Virginia to live with relatives they barely know, in Connecticut. The trip was dangerous, as war raged between the Redcoats and the Americans. To make matters worse, the churches in Connecticut don’t celebrate Christmas at all. Will this be the orphans’ worst Christmas ever?

A Lasting Legacy by Cynthia Roemer. Loudoun County, Virginia, 1814. After a disabling injury sends Daniel Hawkins home from war, he struggles how to provide for his young wife, Maggie and the child she’s carrying. As Christmas approaches, he finds a sheep his grandfather carved and attempts to carve a Nativity set for Maggie. When she goes into labor during a Christmas Eve blizzard, Daniel is forced to face his feelings of inadequacy. And perhaps learn that God has a plan for his life after all.

Healing within the Pieces by Candace West. Prison shackles haunt Nathaniel Hawkins upon his return home only to discover it occupied by a woman in hiding. Bad men are no strangers to Delia Evans, but the intruder who barged into the farmhouse shrinks from her. With no other refuge, they must endure each other. But have they misjudged? When the past shadows their doorstep, is a grudge worth the price of a man’s life?

The Christmas Carving by Kelly Goshorn. Wyatt Hawkins dreads Christmas. Memories from the fatal shooting of his childhood friend on Christmas Eve, 1864, has left a bitter taste in Wyatt’s mouth toward God, the holiday season, and his former fiancĂ©e, Madelyn Cunningham. As Christmas draws near, can the star he’s carving for his family’s heirloom Nativity point Wyatt back to the woman he’s never forgotten and the faith he’s left behind?
MY THOUGHTS.....

Chiseled on the Heart is a wonderful collection of novellas that follow a family through four generations. Reading each novella is like browsing an added entry in a personal diary, as we witness hurts, trials, and disappointments while rejoicing in joys and triumphs. The stories start with young Elias Hawkins in 1776 and carry through to Wyatt Hawkins in 1864, and the unifying theme is a wooden Nativity set that begins with one small wooden lamb that was carved by Elias's father before he died.

I love Nativity sets, so I was especially drawn to the concept of one small wooden carving becoming the beginning of a priceless family heirloom. The addition of each wooden piece continues the legacy of these special woodcarvers, and the four authors involved are able to seamlessly connect each of the stories into a family saga that I won't soon forget. Chiseled on the Heart is a touching chronicle of faltering faith, hope renewed, and a reminder of the greatest gift ever given! I was totally immersed in the history, romance, and inspiring nuggets of faith, and I recommend this collection to all who enjoy historical Christian fiction.

I received a complimentary e-book from the authors. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


ABOUT THE AUTHORS


Multi-award winning author Elaine Marie Cooper is the author of "Scarred Vessels," "Love's Kindling," (New publisher in 2021),"Saratoga Letters," "Fields of the Fatherless" and the Deer Run Saga: "Road to Deer Run," "Promise of Deer Run" and "Legacy of Deer Run". "Bethany's Calendar" is the author's first non-fiction book and describes the journey traveled with her daughter as she was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. 

Cooper's passions are her family, her faith in Christ and the history of the American Revolution, a frequent subject of her historical fiction. She grew up in Massachusetts, the setting for many of her novels. You can visit her website and blog at: http://www.elainemariecooper.com 




Cynthia Roemer
is an inspirational, award-winning author who enjoys planting seeds of hope into the hearts of readers. Raised in the cornfields of rural Illinois, Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the mid-1800's prairie and Civil War era. 

She writes from her family farm in central Illinois where she resides with her husband of twenty-nine years. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Visit Cynthia online at: www.cynthiaroemer.com


Candace West was born in the Mississippi delta to a young minister and his wife. She grew up in small-town Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. At twelve years old, she wrote her first story, “Following Prairie River.” In 2018, she published her debut novel Lane Steen, book one of the Valley Creek Redemption Series. By weaving entertaining, hope-filled stories, Candace shares the Gospel and encourages her readers. She currently lives in Arkansas with her husband and their son along with two dogs and three bossy cats.

Learn more by visiting Candace's     Website     Facebook   Instagram



Kelly Goshorn
weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into inspiring stories of love, faith, and family set in America’s vibrant past. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, won the Director’s Choice Award for Adult/YA fiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in 2019 and earned recognition as both a Selah Award finalist in the Historical Romance category and as a Maggie Award Finalist for Inspirational Fiction. 

She earned her B.A. in Social Studies Education from Messiah College and her M.Ed. in History from The Pennsylvania State University. Kelly is an active member of ACFW Virginia where she serves as the president of their Virginia chapter and as a local cluster leader.

Kelly has been enjoying her own happily-ever-after with her husband and best friend, Mike, for 32 years. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys binge-watching BBC period dramas, board-gaming with family and friends, exploring historical sights, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi.
 
Learn more by visiting Kelly's Website 

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Monday, October 2, 2023

Christmas in the Crosshairs: An Elite Guardians Christmas Anthology by Lynette Eason, Kate Angelo, Kelly Underwood, Sami A. Abrams

Christmas in the Crosshairs: An Elite Guardians Christmas Anthology (Elite Guardians Collection Book 4)
ABOUT THE BOOK

It’s Christmastime and love is in the air. But when these three Elite Guardians walk into the crosshairs of trouble, they find themselves fighting not just for justice, but for the lives of the men they love in this riveting thriller collection!

Deadly Holiday Hijack by Kate Angelo

“Come out to Savannah, she says. It’ll be fun, she says. Boss can be in the nativity pageant, she says,” Yeah. Great idea.

Bodyguard Christina Sherman and her fiancé, former spec ops air commando Grey Parker just want to sneak away to beautiful Savannah, attend a Nativity Pageant, maybe set a wedding date. But when a group of terrorists take over the church and the whole thing is live streamed, they find themselves in a hometown version of a Die Hard Christmas movie. But will they make it to the happy ending?

Silent Night Siege by Kelly Underwood

Billionaire Preston Whittaker and bodyguard Laila Rabbinowitz just can’t get a break. Not only are their schedules so crazy they’ve put their relationship on simmer, but on their way to the mountains for much-needed togetherness…yep, their plane crashes. Suddenly they’re stranded on a remote mountainside in freezing temperatures, minimal food, wildlife, and no hope of rescue.

And then, the real danger starts. Someone deliberately caused the wreck, and that person is hunting them through the wilderness.

Now, it’ll take more than togetherness to survive…

Christmas Snowstorm Standoff by Sami A. Abrams

It’s finally time for bodyguard Lizzie Tremaine to tie the knot with the man she’s loved for years—fellow bodyguard Charlie Lee.

But maybe fate is still against them, because on the eve of their big day, a snowstorm hits. And, while it’s kept the guests away, it’s brought trouble in the form of a woman from Charlie’s past. More, she’s on the run from a killer…

A man who will stop at nothing to make sure Charlie and Lizzie never make it to the altar.

Now Lizzie and Charlie must battle the storm, stop the killer, and defeat the doubts that suddenly have them wondering if they are truly meant to be.

Three epic love stories. Three edge-of-your-seat thrillers. Three Christmases Caught in the Crosshairs inspired by best-selling author Lynette Eason’s Elite Guardian series.



MY THOUGHTS.....

Three novellas by three excellent authors make up this new Christmas anthology and I couldn't be happier! I get a reunion with characters that were first introduced by Kate Angelo, Sami A. Abrams, and Kelly Underwood in Lynette Eason's Elite Guardians collection and I get stories set during my favorite time of year. Each of these three novellas centers around Christmas so the reunions should offer fun and celebration, but they instead become a time of fear and danger for three special couples. Will a terrorist attack, a plane crash, being caught in a snowstorm, and a threatening intruder completely destroy all plans for a cozy, joy-filled Christmas?

Christmas in the Crosshairs is filled with danger and suspense but there's also a chance to see how the romances are progressing between Christina and Grey, Laila and Preston, and Lizzie and Charlie. Will they finally conquer their doubts and confusion? Grab a copy to find out for yourself ---it's a great choice for anyone who loves Christmas settings, romantic suspense, and Christian fiction!

I received a digital ARC from the publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


ABOUT THE AUTHORS


Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the Publisher's Weekly, CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in Greenville.SC.

Learn more at her Website    Facebook    Twitter    Instagram



Kate Angelo is an author, minister, and public speaker from Southwest Missouri who works alongside her husband strengthening and encouraging marriages and families through their ministry. As the mother of five mostly grown children, she is fluent in both sarcasm and eyerolls; subjects she never intentionally taught while homeschooling. With her Chihuahua taking up half of her desk space, she writes suspenseful stories of imperfect people who encounter hope and healing through Jesus. Kate is a tech enthusiast, coffee lover, productivity guru, accomplished knitter, avid boater, prayer warrior, and known klutz.

Learn more at her Website     Facebook     Twitter     Instagram



Kelly Underwood
’s favorite things are reading, writing, and drinking coffee. She was born in New Hampshire, but don’t ask her about snow, because she’s been a Florida girl since she was twelve. She writes book reviews for her blog bestinsuspense.com and is an active member of the Central Florida chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers. She’s a sucker for a good suspense novel, the kind you have to read cover-to-cover until the mystery is solved and the bad guys are in handcuffs. If you’re looking for her, she’s probably on her back patio with a Kindle in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

Learn more at her Website     Facebook     Twitter     Instagram



Sami  A. Abrams grew up hating to read. It wasn’t until her 30’s that she found authors that captured her attention. Now, most evenings you can find her engrossed in a Romantic Suspense novel. In her opinion, crime and a little romance is the recipe for a great story.

She lives in Northern California, but she will always be a Kansas girl at heart. She has a love of sports, family, and travel. However, a cabin at Lake Tahoe writing her next story is definitely at the top of her list.

Sami's debut novel, Buried Cold Case Secrets, was released on December 28, 2021. 

If you love romantic suspense, go to Sami's website and sign up for her newsletter to get the inside scoop at samiaabrams.com

Learn more at Sami's       Website    Facebook     Twitter     Instagram  


     Elite Guardians Collection

Book 1: Driving Force
      Book 2: Impending Strike
                      Book 4: Christmas in the Crosshairs



View all my reviews