Christmas in July...Day 31

I hope you've enjoyed getting a sneak peek at a lot of upcoming Christmas fiction, as well as seeing some of my favorite holiday stories during this special Christmas in July theme. I've enjoyed having a chance to share all these books with you. Blessings...and happy reading!

A Carol for Christmas by Robin Lee Hatcher:

Never underestimate the true spirit of Christmas …

Carol Burke was born to sing. It was the life she had always dreamed of. There was only one thing she loved more, one person for whom she would willingly sacrifice her dreams: Jonathan Burke. Married against their parents’ wishes, both are determined to make a life together despite the hardships. Jonathan works hard at his father’s department store, leaving Carol alone in their tiny apartment. But long hours turn into late nights, thanks to Jonathan’s insatiable desire to prove himself to his father … even at the expense of the one he loves best.

Into the midst of an increasingly empty marriage comes an unexpected chance for Carol to sing again. Is this the opportunity of a lifetime, or a time for her to let go and trust her future to God? Carol knows one thing: she longs most of all to share her first Christmas with Jonathan, creating their own memories and traditions and breathing new life into their marriage.

Then a broken promise leaves her wondering. Can anything, anyone—even God—heal her crumbling hopes? The answer comes when Carol finds herself face-to-face with the true spirit of Christmas …

Published by Zondervan in 2006

Find out more on the web:
Robin Lee Hatcher
Zondervan Publishing

Christmas in July...Day 30

I've spent the greater part of this month spotlighting upcoming books for the Christmas season. For the rest of the month I'll be looking back at some favorite Christmas books I've read or reviewed in past years. Enjoy!

@Home for the Holidays by Myra Johnson:

Like its predecessor, SAHM I Am, this charming holiday novel tracks the e-mail correspondence of a group of stay-at-home moms. As Christmas approaches, their stress levels increase exponentially, but they have friendship and much laughter to sustain them. The women deal with humorous things, like children who get Polly Pockets shoes lodged up their noses, but also with weighty issues: unemployment, decreased sex drive, infertility, cheating spouses and the ups and downs of both pregnancy and adoption. Efken nails the characters' various voices and keeps the pacing brisk, lacing some uproariously funny moments amid the ladies' virtual sturm und drang. Her skillful satire of Rosalyn, the self-righteous and controlling list moderator whose own family is secretly falling apart, is delicious, and she offers a balanced and loving take on gender roles, faith and child-rearing. Both stay-at-home and working Christian moms will recognize their struggles here, and feel the novel's lighthearted humor lessening their load.

Published by Steeple Hill in 2006

Find out more on the web:
Meredith Efken
Steeple Hill

Under a Maui Moon by Robin Jones Gunn

Under a Maui Moon by Robin Jones Gunn:

Carissa doesn’t know who she is anymore. She and her husband, Richard, are recent empty nesters; Richard is spending more and more time at work counseling his volatile clients and less time at home with his wife; his clients are starting to show up at the house at night causing Carissa to feel scared in her own home; and to top it all off, Carissa’s boss informs her that she’s been “let go.” She wonders where God is in all of this since He doesn’t seem to be around to protect her—and she’s already stopped trusting her husband.

In the midst of her world tilting off center, she’s offered time at a hideaway on Maui. Hiding seems like the best way to respond to life’s overload, and the thought of being alone sounds like just the right balm to soothe her wounded heart.

The languid Hawaiian sun, white beaches, and warm-hearted people bring respite, but meeting handsome Kai causes Carissa to toy with the idea of being romantically involved with him. Then, under a Maui moon, she looks to God for guidance and hope for the future. That’s when she discovers His hand still is on her life, and that love is closer than she ever realized.

My review:

The next best thing to visiting the beautiful state of Hawai'i is experiencing it through the eyes of Robin Jones Gunn. Whenever she writes of our fiftieth state, you can feel the love and passion for all things Hawai'i in her words...so much so that you'll feel the silky sand between your toes, smell the fragrant island flowers, and hear the waves as they make their way toward shore.

I loved how Robin uses Irene and her stories of the great Ka'ahumanu, wife of King Kamehameha, to speak to Carissa. Ka'ahumanu has such a remarkable history that really is a story in and of itself, and it makes a lovely addition to this book. Irene is my favorite character in this story, with her unassuming personality that sees joy in the simplest things. It's very touching how she takes Carissa under her wing and helps her experience that joy for herself.

Another pleasant surprise in this book...Robin includes a cameo of characters from some of her previous books...and it is really neat how she includes them in the story. (I'm not revealing who it is...so you can be pleasantly surprised yourself).

The beauty of the story, like the beauty of the islands, will draw you in. You'll laugh and you'll cry, and if you listen close enough, you will hear it speak to you.

Find out more on the web:
Robin Jones Gunn
Howard Publishing

Christmas in July...Day 29

I've spent the greater part of this month spotlighting upcoming books for the Christmas season. For the rest of the month I'll be looking back at some favorite Christmas books I've read or reviewed in past years. Enjoy!

One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson:

Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened. Worse, she's allowed the monstrous load of guilt to drive a wedge between her and everyone she loves-most of all her husband Daniel. Her marriage is on the verge of dissolving, her prayer life is suffering, and she's one Christmas away from hitting rock bottom.

Junior-high basketball coach Daniel Pearce is at his wit's end. Nothing he's done has been able to break through the wall Natalie has erected between them. And their daughter Lissa's adolescent rebellion isn't helping matters. As Daniel's hope reaches its lowest ebb, he wonders if this Christmas will spell the end of his marriage and the loss of everything he holds dear.

Published by Abingdon Press in 2009

Find out more on the web:
Myra Johnson
Abingdon Press

My thoughts:

One Imperfect Christmas is what I'd call a double layered love story, because it tells the love story of not only of Natalie and Daniel, but of Natalie's parents Bram and Belinda as well. The mischief woven throughout the story was also a delightful addition. I did find myself getting melancholy at times during the book when the story focused on Belinda dealing with her stroke and I credit that in part to the author giving a realistic portrayal of Belinda's suffering and also to the fact that my mother is a stroke victim (she has made pretty much a full recovery in the last seven years - just a small amount of residual effects linger, thank God), and my grandmother passed away earlier this year not long after experiencing a stroke. I could also see my dad in Bram, as he seemed to experience being "lost" during the days just after my mother's stroke, the same way Bram did with Belinda. And while I did experience the sadness while reading the book, I think it made the ending a bit sweeter. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I think it'd be a perfect addition to your holiday reading this year.

Christmas in July...Day 28

I've spent the greater part of this month spotlighting upcoming books for the Christmas season. For the rest of the month I'll be looking back at some favorite Christmas books I've read or reviewed in past years. Enjoy!

The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall:

Beth Hertzler works alongside her beloved Aunt Lizzy in their dry goods store, and serving as contact of sorts between Amish craftsmen and Englischers who want to sell the Plain people’s wares. But remorse and loneliness still echo in her heart everyday as she still wears the dark garb, indicating mourning of her fiancé. When she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds and she wants to help the unknown artist find homes for his work–including Lizzy’s dry goods store. But she doesn’t know if her bishop will approve of the gorgeous carving or deem it idolatry.

Lizzy sees the changes in her niece when Beth shows her the woodworking, and after Lizzy hunts down Jonah, the artist, she is all the more determined that Beth meets this man with the hands that create healing art. But it’s not that simple–will Lizzy’s elaborate plan to reintroduce her niece to love work? Will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she’s always dreamed of and a second chance at real love–or just more heartbreak?

Published by WaterBrook Press in 2009

Find out more on the web:
Cindy Woodsmall
WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing

Dark in the City of Light by Paul Robertson

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Dark In The City Of Light
(Bethany House - July 1, 2010)
by
Paul Robertson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Paul Robertson is a computer programming consultant, part-time high-school math and science teacher, and the author of The Heir. He is also a former Christian bookstore owner (for 15 years), who lives with his family in Blacksburg, Virginia.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

What Evil Haunts the Shadows of 1870s Paris?

Baron Ferdinand Harsanyi — After his wife's mysterious death, this Austrian attaché holds control over mines whose coveted ore could turn the tide of war.

Therese Harsanyi — Swept up in new romance and the spectacle of Paris, the Baron's daughter is blind to the dangers stalking her family and the city she loves.

Rudolph Harsanyi — Unsure whom to trust, the Baron's son's grief over his mother's death twists into growing anger and a desire to break free.

As France and Prussia plunge toward war, one family is caught in a web of deceit, political intrigue, and murder that threatens to tear them apart.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Dark In The City Of Light, go HERE.

Christmas in July...Day 27

I've spent the greater part of this month spotlighting upcoming books for the Christmas season. For the rest of the month I'll be looking back at some favorite Christmas books I've read or reviewed in past years. Enjoy!

White Christmas Pie by Wanda Brunstetter:

Step into Amish country for this bittersweet holiday romance. Here you'll meet Will Henderson, a young man tortured by his past, and Karen Yoder, a young woman looking for answers. Add a desperate father searching for his son, and you have all the ingredients for a first-class romance that will inspire and enthrall.

Published by Barbour Publishing in 2008

Find out more on the web:
Wanda Brunstetter
Barbour Publishing

Christmas in July...Day 26

I've spent the greater part of this month spotlighting upcoming books for the Christmas season. For the rest of the month I'll be looking back at some favorite Christmas books I've read or reviewed in past years. Enjoy!

Forever Christmas by Christine Lynxwiler:

Kristianna Harrington always dreamed of a Christmas wedding. But after two broken engagements, she's content to forget romance and run her Christmas shop in Jingle Bells, Arkansas. She thinks her biggest fear is making it down the aisle as maid of honor in her best friend's Christmas wedding, with at least one ex-fiance looking on. But when her beloved Jingle Bells is threatened, Kristianna struggles to sort through her jumbled feelings concerning the handsome lawyer hired to change the town name and her childhood sweetheart who has returned just in time to come to her aid. Will her heart discover the truth before both her town and her Christmas spirit is extinguished?

Published by Barbour Publishing in 2007

Find out more on the web:
Christine Lynxwiler
Barbour Publishing

Nightshade by Ronie Kendig

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Nightshade
(Barbour Books - July 1, 2010)
by
Ronie Kendig

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ronie has been married since 1990 to a man who can easily be defined in classic terms as a hero. She has four beautiful children. Her eldest daughter is 16 this year, her second daughter will be 13, and her twin boys are 10. After having four children, she finally finished her degree in December 2006. She now has a B.S. in Psychology through Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Getting her degree is a huge triumph for both her and her family--they survived!!

This degree has also given her a fabulous perspective on her characters and how to not only make them deeper, stronger, but to make them realistic and know how they'll respond to each situation. Her debut novel, Dead Reckoning released March 2010 from Abingdon Press, and her Discarded Heroes series begins in July from Barbour with the first book entitled Nightshade.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

After a tour of duty in a war-torn country, embattled former Navy SEAL Max Jacobs finds himself discarded and alienated from those he loves as he

struggles with war-related PTSD. His wife, Sydney, files a restraining order against him and a petition for divorce. Max is devastated.

Then a mysterious a man appears. He says he's organizing a group that recycles veterans like Max. It's a deep-six group known as Nightshade. With the chance to find purpose in life once again, Max is unable to resist the call of duty and signs on.

The team handles everything with precision and lethal skill...until they're called upon to rescue a missionary family from a rebel-infested jungle and avoid a reporter hunting their identities.

Will Max yield his anger and pride to a force greater than him...love?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Nightshade, go HERE.

Watch the trailer:

Let's Celebrate!!

I'm playing Saint Nick...

...and today's the day!

I want to thank all the entrants into my Christmas in July contest for taking the time to stop by this month with their lists...and have I got a surprise for you all! God has just been really blessing my family this month and so I've decided to send a free book to each of you. Keep your eyes on your inboxes, as I'll be emailing each of you in request of mailing information.

Blessings...and happy reading!

Christmas in July...Day 25

I've spent the greater part of this month spotlighting upcoming books for the Christmas season. For the rest of the month I'll be looking back at some favorite Christmas books I've read or reviewed in past years. Enjoy!

Boo Humbug by Rene Gutteridge:

It’s Christmastime in Skary, Indiana, but the holiday season has been hijacked by maverick director Lois Stepaphanopolis as she attempts to bring her horror-ific vision of A Christmas Carol to life. But the holly-decked path from page to stage is a thorny one, as Lois attempts to rally her skeptical cast, including new father Wolfe Boone, and then she learns that her reluctant marketing director, Alfred Tennison, is truly a Christmas Scrooge.

Alfred’s grassroots marketing plan proves more than successful as the buzz builds that Skary should anticipate an overflowing audience for their opening night– but a crucial miscommunication leaves the visiting theatergoers expecting of a very different Christmas production. As chaos ensues, can the actors pull off an improv miracle — and can the Skary community convince their own Scrooge to embrace the true meaning of Christmas?

Published by WaterBrook Press in 2007

Find out more on the web:
Rene Gutteridge
WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers

Christmas in July...Day 24

I've spent the greater part of this month spotlighting upcoming books for the Christmas season. Starting today, I will be looking back at some favorite Christmas books I've read or reviewed in past years. Enjoy!

Engaging Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn:

Miranda Carson can't wait to return to England for Christmas and to be with her boyfriend, Ian. She has spent a lifetime yearning for a place to call home, and she's sure Carlton Heath will be it, especially when a hinted-at engagement ring slips into the conversation.

But Miranda's high hopes for a jolly Christmas with the small circle of people she has come to love are toppled when Ian's father is hospitalized and the matriarch of the Whitcombe family withholds her blessing from Miranda. Questions run rampant in Miranda's mind about whether she really belongs in this cheery corner of the world. Then, when her true identity threatens all her relationships in unanticipated ways, Miranda is certain all is lost.

And yet...maybe Father Christmas has special gifts in store for her after all.

Published by FaithWords in 2008

Find out more on the web:
Robin Jones Gunn
FaithWords Publishing

My review:

I could hardly wait to get a hold of this book ever since I finished the first book, Finding Father Christmas. You can't help but love the characters in this book, from the endearing Miranda completing her search for family and home; her new found niece and nephew, the fun-loving Julia and the insightful Mark; to Ian as a Father Christmas who is nothing if not MacDreamy! So as Christmas nears, find yourself a nice cozy spot next to the fire, with a cup of tea, and take a journey with Miranda and Ian to Carlton Heath, or as Miranda would say - home!

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Stars in the Night by Cara Putman

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Stars in the Night
(Summerside Press - July 1, 2010)

by
Cara Putman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Word From Cara:

I graduated from high school at sixteen, college at 20, and completed my law degree when I was 27.

My writing journey started in 2005 when I decided to write my first novel. Now I have eleven books published with more on the way.

People say I've accomplished a lot and that I must have life by the proverbial tail. Hardly! I grew up as a home schooled kid when home schoolers were misunderstood and oddities.

I struggle with balancing my writing and law career, plus being a good mom and wife.

I often fear people won't like my books.

I've walked through the deep pain of miscarriage.

Really, I'm just like you – I don't have it all together and have gone through tough times. But in His strength, I've discovered a strength I never knew I had. A strength I want you to discover, too.

In the end I'm just an ordinary mom who has seen God do some wonderful things as I've been obedient to step into the calling He's led me into.


Stars in the Night Background

Stars in the Night was an idea that had begun to percolate in my mind. I’d written two World War II series and was actively looking for my next setting. My husband, a huge World War II history buff, and I were kicking ideas around, and I’d decided Hollywood was probably the next place for me. I’d gone to the library and gotten a stack of research books when I got the call. An editor I knew but had never worked with wanted to know if I might be interested in a new line they were starting. As we talked, I got so excited. And then she emailed me their guidelines, which listed that Hollywood was a location they were interested in setting books.

Only God could have known ahead of time. But because I followed His prompting I was ready to run with an idea. Stars in the Night is the result.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Hollywood 1942. When attorney Audra Schaeffer's sister disappears, Audra flies to Hollywood to find her.

Any day Audra might have been flattered by the friendly overtures of Robert Garfield, a real-life movie star. But on the flight from Indianapolis to Hollywood, Audra can think of little else than finding her missing sister. When Audra arrives in the city of glitz and glamour, and stars, and learns her rising starlet sister has been murdered, all thoughts of romance fly away.

Determined to bring the killer to justice, Audra takes a job with the second Hollywood Victory Caravan.

Together with Robert Garfield and other stars, she crisscrosses the southern United States in a campaign to sell war bonds. When two other women are found dead on the train, Audra knows the deaths are tied to that of her sister.

Could the killer be the man with whom she's falling in love?

If you'd like to read an excerpt of Chapter 1 of Stars In The Night, go HERE.

Contest: Lots of opportunities to win and great prizes, and the grand prize contains some of Cara's favorite classic movies as well as all of her WWII novels: Launch Contest!

My thoughts:

I'm a pushover for books set in the WWII era, and was more than excited to get to participate in this tour. Cara does such a wonderful job transporting readers back to the glory days of Hollywood while the country is at war and where the romance epitomizes that of the times...where love comes quickly because of the uncertainty of tomorrow. Add a thrilling plot full of suspenseful moments with unforgettable characters and you have a book you can't put down.

Christmas in July...Day 23

A Door County Christmas by Becky Melby, Eileen Key, Rachael Phillips, and Cynthia Ruchti:

Peer behind the closed doors of a Wisconsin tourist town gone dormant for the winter season. Watch as the drama and romance start to heat up—just as Lola the florist promised her four single friends a year ago when she gifted them with her prayers and a Christmas cactus. Will each woman find love—along with cactus blooms—as promised?

Novellas included are:

Christmas Crazy by Becky Melby
My Heart Still Beats by Eileen Key
Ride with Me into Christmas by Rachael Phillips
The Heart's Harbor by Cynthia Ruchti

Published by Barbour Books with a release date of 9/1/2010

Find out more on the web:
Becky Melby
Eileen Key
Rachael Phillips
Cynthia Ruchti
Barbour Books

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Christmas in July...Day 22

The Treasure of Christmas by Melody Carlson:

This 3-in-1 compilation includes:

The Christmas Bus: The people of Christmas Valley always celebrate Christmas to the fullest extent. The mayor plays Santa, every business is holiday themed, and there's a nativity for the kids each Christmas Eve. This town knows Christmas. But this year nothing goes according to plan. Shepherd's Inn is full of strangers, Mad Myrtle is causing problems, and a young couple with a baby due any minute rolls in to the middle of town in their Partridge Family-style bus. It's hardly the holiday Christmas Valley wanted--but it may be just what they need. This charming novella is sure to become a new Christmas tradition for readers who love a great holiday story.

Angels in the Snow: Looking for solace after losing her husband and young son, artist Claire Andrews flees to a cabin in the Cascade Mountains. Even there, she finds she is too distracted by her sorrow to continue painting. As Claire walks through the woods each day, she discovers two mysterious sets of footprints in the snow, an adult's and a child's. Is it her imagination? Where are they coming from? And how is it that the tracks are gently leading her to paint and to hope once again?

The Gift of Christmas Present: Christine grew up in an open, honest home---so she's unprepared when her mother's death is followed by a second shock: the news that she was adopted as an infant. Setting out to find her birth mother, she discovers a troubled biological family tree. Can she make peace with the past---and embrace the future?


Published by Revell with a release date of 10/1/2010

Find out more on the web:
Melody Carlson
Revell Books

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Future Release from Mark Mynheir

No description yet for The Corruptible,the next installment in the Ray Quinn Mystery series by Mark Mynheir, but I loved The Night Watchman and have been anxiously awaiting a second book. It's tentative release date is April 2011 so stay tuned...

Find out more on the web:
Mark Mynheir
Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers
My review of The Night Watchman

Christmas in July...Day 21

Grace: A Christmas Sisters of the Heart Novel by Shelley Shepard Gray:

It’s Christmastime at the Brenneman Bed & Breakfast, and everyone is excited about closing down for the holiday. Anna and Henry will be celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple, and for Katie and Jonathan Lundy, it’s their first Christmas with baby Stefan. Winnie and Samuel Miller plan to stop by as well for a wonderful two weeks of family and rest.

But when two unexpected visitors show up, hoping to stay for Christmas, the family must test their commitment to hospitality. Levi is a widower who lost his wife four years ago and can’t bear the thought of another Christmas alone. And Melody is a young pregnant woman who won’t open up about how she ended up on her own at Christmas at almost nine months pregnant. Anna, who knows a thing or two about keeping secrets, doesn’t trust her, and strives to find out the truth about these two strangers who have disrupted their holiday.

But as the Christmas spirit descends on them all, along with a snow that traps them at the inn, a healing and hopefulness takes over, allowing new relationships to be built, and the boundaries of family to be extended.

Published by Avon Inspire with a release date of 10/26/2010

Find out more on the web:
Shelley Shepard Gray
Avon Inspire

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Christmas in July...Day 20

An Amish Christmas: Expanded Edition by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Barbara Cameron, and Kelly Long:

Enjoy this Amish Christmas bestseller with an additional novella from Amish romance author Kelly Long.

A Choice To Forgive by Beth Wiseman.
After Daniel disappeared that long-ago Christmas Eve, Lydia built a life with his brother. But now she's a widow and Daniel has reappeared, asking for forgiveness. But can she go back to her normal life with her long-lost love as her neighbor?

A Miracle for Miriam by Kathleen Fuller.
Seth is no longer the arrogant young man who shattered Miriam's confidence and broke her heart. But can he convince "plain" Miriam that she is truly beautiful to him?

One Child by Barbara Cameron.
The birth of one child forever changed the world two thousand years ago. On a snowy Christmas night in Lancaster County, another child changes the world for two very different couples.

Christmas Cradles by Kelly Long.
When Anna Stolis takes over for her aunt, the local Amish midwife in Paradise, Christmas night heats up with multiple deliveries, three strangers' quilts, and the help from resourceful and strong Asa Lapp, whose job it is to get Anna through a dangerous blizzard to complete her midwifery rounds.

Published by Thomas Nelson with a release date of 8/31/2010

Find out more on the web:
Beth Wiseman
Kathleen Fuller
Barbara Cameron
Kelly Long
Thomas Nelson Publishing

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Christmas in July...Day 19

Christmas with Tucker by Greg Kincaid:

The heartwarming, tail-wagging prequel to A Dog Named Christmas! Fans of the first book---and Hallmark's Hall of Fame movie---will be touched by this "story behind the story" featuring young George, who suffers the loss of his father and finds healing and courage through the blessing of a neighbor's dog.

Published by Doubleday Religion with a release date of 11/2/2010

Find out more on the web:
Greg Kincaid
Doubleday Religion

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Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Heartless
(Bethany House - July 1, 2010)

by

Anne Elisabeth Stengl

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she enjoys her profession as an art teacher, giving private lessons from her personal studio, and teaching group classes at the Apex Learning Center. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. Heartless is her debut novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon be married. She dreams of a handsome and charming prince, but when the first suitor arrives, she finds him stodgy and boring. Prince Aethelbald from the mysterious land of Farthestshore has traveled far to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be approaching Parumvir.

Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his warnings. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir, and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in grave danger. When Una makes the wrong choice, catastrophe ensues for the princess and her family, and love, courage, and trust are needed when darkness engulfs the kingdom.

Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.

There are some delightful things and scenes: the Twelve-Year Market that appears in its own good time and sells fairy goods; a clever blind cat who is invariably underfoot and has, of course, a secret!

If you would like to read the first chapter of Heartless, go HERE.

Christmas in July...Day 18

The Nativity Collection by Robert J. Morgan:

Step into the wonder-filled world of Christmas with this endearing collection of original stories.

Even though he has two million copies of books in print, Robert J. Morgan writes only one short story each year-an original work to share with his church on Christmas Eve. These Christmas stories are now available in one beautiful volume for your own enjoyment. You'll meet a shy, bookish boy who finds himself center stage in the Christmas pageant, a Pennsylvania family whose car disappears on December 24th, and a mountain man trapped in a blizzard with his grandson on Christmas Eve. From six different settings, you'll meet characters you feel you've known your whole life, who'll make you laugh one minute and cry the next. So this year, and the years to follow, gather your family and experience the true spirit of love at Christmas through this timeless gift of story.


Published by Thomas Nelson with a release date of 10/5/2010

Find out more on the web:
Robert J. Morgan
Thomas Nelson

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Christmas in July...Day 17

Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans:

Beth Cardall has a secret. For eighteen years, she has had no choice but to keep it to herself; but on Christmas Eve, 2008, all that is about to change. For Beth, 1989 was a year marked by tragedy. Her life was falling apart: her six-year-old daughter, Charlotte, was suffering from an unidentifiable illness; her marriage transformed from a seemingly happy and loving relationship to one full of betrayal and pain; her job was increasingly at risk; and she had lost her ability to trust, to hope, or to believe in herself.

Then, on Christmas day, as she rushed through a blizzard to the nearest 7-Eleven, Beth encountered Matthew, a strikingly handsome, mysterious stranger, who would single-handedly change the course of her life. Who is this man, and how does he seem to know so much about her? He pursues her relentlessly, and only after she’s fallen deeply in love with him does she learn his incredible secret, changing the world as she knows it, as well as her own destiny.

Published by Simon & Schuster with a release date of 10/5/2010

Find out more on the web:
Richard Paul Evans
Simon & Schuster

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Christmas in July...Day 16

A Woodland Christmas by Tamela Hancock Murray, Ramona K. Cecil, Darlene Franklin, and Janelle Mowery:

Experience a nostalgic Christmas in the Piney Woods of East Texas where a traveling wood-carver dispenses wisdom that brings four couples to realize the gift of love.

Can Bridget show Seth how to forgive?

Will Mary see Joseph live up to his promise?

Can Seth steer Emma away from the need for vengeance?

Will R. C. help Gabriella find her grandfather?

Published by Barbour Books with a release date of 9/1/2010

Find out more on the web:
Tamela Hancock Murray
Ramona K. Cecil
Darlene Franklin
Janelle Mowery
Barbour Books

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The Sister Wife by Diane Noble

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Sister Wife
(Avon Inspire - June 22, 2010)
by
Diane Noble

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Diane Noble is a former double finalist for the prestigious RITA Award for Best Inspirational Fiction, a finalist for the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and the Reviewers' Choice Award, and a three-time recipient of the Silver Angel Award for Media Excellence.

With more than a quarter million books in print, Diane feels incredibly blessed to be doing what she loves best—writing the stories of her heart.

For the last three years Diane has been honored to be lead author for the popular Guideposts series, Mystery and the Minister’s Wife (Through the Fire, Angels Undercover), and has recently returned to writing historical fiction. She is currently writing book two of her new historical series, The Brides of Gabriel. Book one is The Sister Wife.

Diane’s hometown is Big Creek, California, a tiny village nestled in the rugged Sierra Nevada back country. As a child, Diane’s older brother Dennis fueled her creative streak by entertaining her with his own gift of storytelling. Growing up without TV and iffy radio reception, Diane became an avid reader, inhaling more than one hundred novels—both YA and adult—in a single

year by the time she reached seventh grade. Her passion for reading continues to this day.

Now empty nesters, Diane and her husband live in the Southern California low desert, near a place known for the lush and beautiful gated communities of the rich and famous.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

What if the man you loved told you God wanted him to take another wife? What if that woman was your best friend?

Set in the heart of the earliest days of a new nineteenth-century sect known as the Saints, The Sister Wife is a riveting account of two women forced into a practice they don't understand, bound by their devotion to Prophet Joseph Smith.

When Mary Rose marries Gabriel, neither of them could foresee how quickly the community would turn to the practice of plural marriage. Devastated when Gabe is faced with an order from the Prophet to marry her best friend, Bronwyn, Mary Rose tries to have the faith to carry through with the marriage.

But can she really be married to the same man as her very best friend? Can Mary Rose and Bronwyn face betraying both their husband and their God to do what they feel is right?

If you would like to read the Prologue and first chapter of The Sister Wife, go HERE.

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Christmas in July...Day 15

Sarah's Christmas Miracle by Mary Ellis:

From the bestselling author of A Widow’s Hope and Never Far from Home comes a brand-new Amish novella that will add joy to the Christmas season.

Sarah Beachy has plenty to be joyous about as autumn leaves start to fall. She loves her job at the English bed-and-breakfast where she cooks and refreshes rooms between guests. She has a serious beau, and everyone expects an engagement soon. Why, then, would she jeopardize everything by suddenly deciding to take a trip to Cleveland to track down a brother who left the Order years ago?

Her family’s faith in God is put to the test as the holiest night of the year approaches and Sarah remains far away. Sarah’s mother, Elizabeth, has been missing her son for such a long time…will she lose her daughter to the English world as well? Or will the Beachy family receive an unexpected Christmas miracle?


Published by Harvest House with a release date of 8/1/2010

Find out more on the web:
Mary Ellis
Harvest House Publishers

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Christmas in July...Day 14

Mary's Son: A Tale of Christmas by Darryl Nyznyk:

Eleven-year-old Sarah Stone is lonely. She lives in a mansion amidst butlers, nannies, housekeepers, and a father who is too busy for her. She is bright, beautiful, and angry at the world. On the other side of town, in a slum called the “Sink,” teen street-tough, Jared Roberts, and his gang barely survive broken families and a hardscrabble existence. Jared, too, is angry at an unfair world, and he intends to do something about it. He has Sarah’s mansion in his sights for a pre-Christmas burglary that will show the world who he really is.

Into this mix comes a mysterious little man named Nicholas, who intrigues Sarah and Jared but scares those responsible for them. Against incredible doubt and cynicism, Nicholas tries to guide Sarah and Jared away from their anger and the destruction that will follow, only to realize he cannot move them by desire alone. Finally, fed-up, he whisks the two young people to another time and place, where a long-ago Christmas teaches them the true meaning of life in a way they never imagined.

Mary’s Son is a modern tale of the fears and passions of youth overcome by the wonder of the real Christmas story.

Published by Cross Dove Publishing with a release date of 10/15/2010

Find out more on the web:
Darryl Nyznyk
Cross Dove Publishing

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Back on Murder by J Mark Bertrand

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Back On Murder
(Bethany House - July 1, 2010) by
J. Mark Betrand

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. Mark Bertrand has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Houston. After one hurricane too many, he left Houston and relocated with his wife Laurie to the plains of South Dakota.

Mark has been arrested for a crime he didn't commit, was the foreman of a hung jury in Houston, and after relocating served on the jury that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead. Besides his personal website, visit his Crime Genre website at http://www.crimegenre.com/.

The next book in this series, Pattern Of Wounds will come out in the summer of 2011.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Det. Roland March is a homicide cop on his way out.

A missing girl. A corrupt investigation. They thought they could get away with it, but they forgot one thing:

Roland March is BACK ON MURDER...

Houston homicide detective Roland March was once one of the best. Now he's disillusioned, cynical, and on his way out. His superiors farm him out on a variety of punishment details. But when he's the only one at a crime scene to find evidence of a missing female victim, he's given one last chance to prove himself. Before he can crack the case, he's transferred to a new one that has grabbed the spotlight--the disappearance of a famous Houston evangelist's teen daughter.

All he has to do? Find the missing teenage daughter of a Houston evangelist that every cop in town is already looking for. But March has an inside track, a multiple murder nobody else thinks is connected. With the help of a youth pastor with a guilty conscience who navigates the world of church and faith, March is determined to find the missing girls while proving he's still one of Houston's best detectives.

Battling a new partner, an old nemesis, and the demons of his past, getting to the truth could cost March everything. Even his life.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Back On Murder, go HERE.