ABOUT THE BOOK

This cowgirl has wandered back home…

Will she choose her past or her future?

Needing time to heal after a rodeo injury, Kate Rainbolt heads to her family ranch to accept the foreman job her brothers offered her months ago. But the position’s already been filled by her ex-boyfriend, Jess McNally, and the only open job reports to him. With Jess as her temporary boss—and turning into something more—might he finally convince Kate to put down roots?

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MY THOUGHTS.....

"Rainbolts know what it's like to be on the outside looking in, and that's why we will never treat others like we were treated."

Oh, how I've loved this Rainbolt family, and now, Kate Rainbolt gets her own story. This rodeo gal, who's never played it safe, is back at Rebel Ranch, and she still feels the need to prove herself to her brothers. Kate has issues from her past, decisions about her future, and her old flame Jess McNally seems to be at the root of them all. Will Kate stay in Rebel, Oklahoma, or will she return to the rodeo circuit? Are the feelings that she and Jess once shared buried forever, or are there embers waiting to burst into flames?

Tina Radcliffe has written a story that appeals to many emotions, and she's created characters that are warm, genuine, and oh, so human. She reminds us that love is the ultimate prize, whether it be love for family or a romantic love that takes your breath away. 'My heroes have always been cowboys', but Radcliffe proves that cowgirls can be heroes also!

If you enjoy contemporary romance and a story filled with faith, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book. The Cowgirl's Sacrifice is the perfect way to wrap up the Hearts of Oklahoma series, and Tina Radcliffe demonstrates her fabulous writing talents once again!.

I received a copy of this book from the author. I was never required to write a positive review, and I am voluntarily sharing my own thoughts.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hearts of Oklahoma

Book 1: Finding the Road Home
Book 2: Ready to Trust
Book 3: His Holiday Prayer
Book 4: The Cowgirl's Sacrifice

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Originally from Western, N.Y., author Tina Radcliffe left home for a tour of duty with the Army Security Agency stationed in Augsburg, Germany and ended up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While living in Tulsa she spent ten years as a Certified Oncology R.N. A freelance writer for over twenty years, Tina was a founding member and the manager of Seekerville, a 13 author blog, from 2008-2017. Seekerville has been a Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers award winner 2013-2017.

An RWA and ACFW Honor Roll member, Tina is also a two-time RWA Golden Heart finalist. She is a four-time ACFW Carol Award finalist and a three-time ACFW Mentor of the year finalist.

In 2014 she won the ACFW Carol Award and in 2018 she won the ACFW Mentor of the Year Award. In 2019 she is a Holt Winner and an ACFW Carol Award finalist and an ACFW Mentor of the Year finalist.

She has finaled/or won over thirty RWA chapter affiliated contests in her career. As a short story writer, she has sold over three dozen short stories to Woman’s World Magazine.

Tina is a member of Romance Writers of America, including the Kiss of Death Chapter, Faith, Hope & Love Chapter, Desert Rose Romance Writers, Valley of the Sun Romance Writers, Contemporary Romance Writers and Greater Seattle RWA. She is also a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, their local affiliate, Christian Writers of the West. A popular workshop speaker, she currently resides in Arizona where she writes fun, heartwarming romance.

You can connect with Tina at her Website Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram BookBub

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About the Book

The Ice Swan

Author: J’Nell Ciesielski

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: July 6, 2021

Amid the violent last days of the glittering Russian court, a Russian princess on the run finds her heart where she least expects it.

1917, Petrograd. Fleeing the murderous flames of the Russian Revolution, princess Svetlana Dalsky hopes to find safety in Paris with her mother and sister. But the city is buckling under the weight of the Great War, and the Bolsheviks will not rest until they have erased every Russian aristocrat from memory.

Born the second son of a duke, the only title Wynn MacCallan cares for is that of surgeon. Putting his talents with a scalpel to good use in the hospitals in Paris, Wynn pushes the boundaries of medical science to give his patients the best care possible. While treating Svetlana for a minor injury, he is pulled into a world of decaying imperial glitter and underground Russian clubs where drink, culture, and questionable dealings collide on bubbles of vodka.

Out of money and options, Svetlana is forced into a marriage of convenience with Wynn, who will protect her and pay off her debts. It’s the right thing for a good man to do, but Wynn can’t help hoping the marriage will turn into one of true affection. As the Bolsheviks chase them to different corners of the earth, Wynn and Svetlana begin to see they will never be able to outrun the love they have for one another.

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MY THOUGHTS.....

Mama sobbed as Marina whimpered. Svetlana turned them away and out through a rusty gate. The street was quiet and slick with rain from the day before.

The day before their world ended.

From Russia, to France, and then Scotland...The Ice Swan is an absorbing story that involves the Great War, Russian nobility, and the murderous plots of the Bolshevik Party. To escape execution, Princess Svetlana Dalsky, her mother, and sister are forced to free from their life of luxury in Petrograd, Russia. What follows is an exciting tale of danger, intrigue, and a marriage of convenience, colored by a revealing look at the difference in the attitudes of affluent people. Svetlana's mother is a snob about being a member of Russian aristocracy, and her influence on her daughters is very apparent. Thankfully, Svetlana meets Dr. Wynn MacCallan and her mindset undergoes a change. He is a Duke who yearns to serve his fellow man by being a doctor, and his family in Scotland chooses to use their titles to help others less fortunate. I was truly smitten with Wynn, but will Svetlana recognize his remarkable values?

She felt the steady beat of his heart. That's what he had always been for her, the steady beat that give her courage. A beat that she would never have to do without again.

The Ice Swan allows author J'nell Ciesielski to paint a vivid picture of two very different people who struggle to overcome their pasts to work toward a brighter future. Can Wynn melt away her layers of loneliness and self-protection, and help Svetlana become more than an ice maiden, or as the title implies, an ice swan?

I enjoyed learning more about the Russian Revolution and the Great War era. I recommend The Ice Swan to all who enjoy historical fiction and clean romance.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Celebrate Lit. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

About the Author

With a passion for heart-stopping adventure and sweeping love stories, J’nell Ciesielski weaves fresh takes into romances of times gone by. When not creating dashing heroes and daring heroines, she can be found dreaming of Scotland, indulging in chocolate of any kind, or watching old black and white movies. Winner of the Romance Through the Ages Award and the Maggie Award, she is a Florida native who now lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and lazy beagle. Learn more at www.jnellciesielski.com.

More from J’nell

When we think of the Great War we often only think about events happening right on the battlefield of France, Belgium, and Germany. It was a time of great upheaval for so many people and countries, none more so than Russia. It was during the Great War that the Bolsheviks rose up against the monarchy, assassinated the tsar and his family, and plunged Russia into civil war. The country was in such chaos that they pulled out of the war to deal with their own revolution. The Russian Revolution was the result of centuries of oppression and imperialism that finally boiled over. As the Bolsheviks seized power, nobles and anyone associated or favorable to the monarchy were stripped of their privileges and homes, many killed, and still thousands of others fled in fear of their lives where they became the great wave of White emigres.

The stories of the ill-fated Anastasia and the evil Rasputin are legendary, but it wasn’t until recently when I watched a Russian miniseries called Road to Calvary that I became fascinated with the nobles and their struggle and from all that an idea sparked that would become my upcoming release, The Ice Swan. It’s about a Russian princess fleeing the Revolution to Paris in 1917 where she meets a handsome surgeon who is breaking new grounds in cardiology. We see the plight of the White emigres who have taken refuge in Paris and founded their own little Russia in the heart of the city, the exhausted City of Light after four years of war, the overflowing hospitals, and highly controversial advancements in surgery. Plus, a romance to prove that true love can overcome any difference and who doesn’t need a little more love these days?