About the Book

Book:  Rescued Hearts
Author: Hope Toler Doughtery
Genre:  Romantic Suspense
Release Date: September 19, 2017

Children’s clothing designer Mary Wade Kimball’s soft spot for  animals leads to a hostage situation when she spots a briar-entangled kitten in front of an abandoned house. Beaten, bound, and gagged by the two thugs inside, Mary Wade loses hope for escape when a third villain returns with supplies.

Discovering the kidnapped, innocent woman ratchets the complications for undercover agent Brett Davis. Weighing the difference of ruining his three months’ investigation against the woman’s safety, Brett forsakes his mission and helps her escape, the bent-on-revenge brutes following behind.

When Mary Wade’s safety is threatened once more, Brett rescues her again. This time, her personal safety isn’t the only thing in jeopardy. Her heart is endangered as well.

Click here to get your copy!

MY THOUGHTS.....

Mary Wade Kimball stops to rescue a kitten and quickly becomes the kidnap victim of two despicable and desperate men and it is only with the help of an undercover agent that she is able to escape. These actions, however, reveal his true identity and Brett Davis finds himself at risk also. Suddenly, these two total strangers are forced to trust each other in their race against death.

Rescued Hearts tackles some heavy subjects, including human trafficking and illegal drugs but the multi-faceted characters and intriguing plot overshadow these unsavory elements. I liked both Mary Wade and Brett but it's Brett's grandmother, Gigi, who stole my heart. She has the wisdom that comes from age and experience and a deep, unquestioning faith that shines for all to see. She also has a spine of steel and I was especially impressed with the strength that she shows during an intense rescue scene!

Fans of romantic suspense will surely enjoy Rescued Hearts because Hope Toler Dougherty has a knack for placing realistic characters into incredible situations and making it all seem possible!

I received a copy of this book from the author via Celebrate Lit Tours. These are my own thoughts.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

About the Author

Hope holds a Master’s degree and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her novels include Irish Encounter and Mars…With Venus Rising, Rescued Hearts, and Forever Music. She’s a member of ACFW and RWA. Residing in North Carolina, she and her husband enjoy visits with their daughters and twin sons.

More from Hope

I live in the country on land my great grandfather owned. For exercise, I ride my bike on our two-lane roads. One afternoon a few years ago, I took a detour off the paved road and onto a dirt path not too far from my house.

The lane meanders by the location of a distant cousin’s long-since demolished house. Trees and a few bushes still outline the phantom house’s parameters, but no boards or bricks mark the spot. Farm equipment waits under nearby shelters.

As I passed the lonely trees and silent tractors, a creepy sensation tickled the back of my neck. My imagination kicked into gear. What if a bike rider rode by an abandoned house? What if she saw a kitten entangled in a honeysuckle vine at the porch steps? What if, while she tried to free the kitten, someone grabbed her and dragged her inside where she was beaten and threatened with rape?

My pedaling picked up speed, and I reached home in record time.

Those questions continued popping up in my mind, however. I began seeing the characters, then hearing them speak every night as I dropped off to sleep. I’d never written a romantic suspense story before, but the characters refused to leave me alone.

Those initial questions led to the first chapter of Rescued Hearts.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 25
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 26
Betti Mace, August 27
Texas Book-aholic, August 28
deb’s Book Review, August 28
Inklings and notions, August 29
For Him and My Family, August 30
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 31
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 1
Batya’s Bits, September 2
Older & Smarter?, September 3
CarpeDiem, September 4
Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 5
Locks, Hooks and Books, September 6
Life, Love, Writing, September 6
Artistic Nobody, September 7 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Hope is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a print copy of Rescued Hearts!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/ffb5/rescued-hearts-celebration-tour-giveaway

View all my reviews

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Stage Fright by Kate Lloyd

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jessica Nash loves to sing but is paralyzed every time she gets on stage. After blowing an excruciating audition, she wonders if she should give up on her dream. She’s already committed to a weeklong choral tour of England with her church choir, though, and as a single mom with a limited income, this might be her only chance to travel.

The trip gets off to a rocky start when Jessica has to sit next to Martin, a once-famous British tenor whose career plummeted in a scandal, on the flight to London. Is it her imagination, or does he seem to aim his bitterness toward womankind specifically at Jessica? And to make things worse, once they arrive Jessica discovers she has to room with the choir’s thorny lead soprano.

When Nick, their handsome tour guide, takes a special interest in showing Jessica the sights, things finally seem to be falling into place. She starts to relax and let herself be wooed against the backdrop of the charming English countryside. But is she ready to give him as much as he’s asking for?

Things aren’t as simple as they seem. Almost every person on the tour, it seems, is hiding a secret, and before her English holiday is over Jessica will find herself stretched and tested in every direction—including the soloist’s place center stage.

"Stage Fright is a captivating novel sure to win the hearts of readers." - New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauk

MY THOUGHTS.....

Who of us hasn't suffered state fright and how many of us have stepped out of our comfort zones to achieve a goal? This is Jessica Nash's predicament as she agrees to tour England with her church choir in exchange for a weeklong trip to London. She knows that this may be her only chance to see London but how will she conquer her fears? And how will she choose between two very different men who seem to be interested in her?

Kate Lloyd often writes Amish fiction but this new book is positive proof that she has a knack for also penning contemporary fiction. Stage Fright is funny, heartwarming, and even sad at times, but in the end, it is a book that will leave readers happy that they read it. There is also a promising romance, a realistic look at all of the things that can, and often do, go wrong, and an ending that I didn't see coming. If you are looking for a fun, contemporary story, you will want to read Kate Lloyd's Stage Fright!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I am voluntarily sharing my thoughts and opinions.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bestselling author Kate Lloyd is a passionate observer of human relationships. A native of Baltimore, Kate spends time with family and friends in Lancaster County, PA, the inspiration for her novels Leaving Lancaster, Pennsylvania Patchwork, and Forever Amish, the third book in the Legacy of Lancaster Trilogy, and also A Letter from Lancaster County and Starting from Scratch. Her Kindle novella An Unexpected Christmas Gift is available for preorder. Kate and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest, the setting for Kate's first novel, A Portrait of Marguerite. Kate studied art, art history, and Italian in college. She's worked a variety of jobs, including restaurateur and car salesman. Kate enjoys travel and walking with her camera in hand.

Learn more at Kate's Website Facebook Instagram Pinterest