Lexi's Heart, A Romance for Mothers

***Guest Post by April Gardner.

LEXI’S HEART

by Delia Latham

COTT’s Image Creator, Delia Latham, is excited to announce a new e-Novella in the ongoing Heart’s Haven collection she co-writes with three other Pelican Book Group authors: Tanya Stowe, Marianne Evans and Mary Manners.

First in a collection of four Heart’s Haven Holiday romances, LEXI’S HEART is the Mother’s Day feature. Follow-up holiday stories will include Independence Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Here’s a blurb: 

Forty-three-year-old Lexi Carlisle’s abusive marriage ended three years ago. Deeply scarred by the experience, and helplessly watching her beloved mother succumb to Alzheimers, Lexi is devastated. After selling her fancy home, she rents a cottage in Heart’s Haven, a special place unlike any other. Slowly learning to live again, she despairs of ever delivering the message of love that burns within her heart for her ever-worsening mother. But Mitch Gaynor, a handsome Christian author, reminds Lexi that with God all things are possible, planting within her battered and distrustful heart the seed of hope for a miracle. But can she open her fortressed heart to God? And is Mitch a part of His plans for her future?

Her Heart. His faith. Love Reborn.

The Heart’s Haven Collection started last October with Delia’s book, Jewels for the Kingdom, followed by Evans’ Operation Breathless, Stowe’s Leap of Faith, and Manners’ Dance with Me. Each Heart’s Haven e-Book is set in Angel Falls—a lovely but fictional small town in East Texas. More specifically, all stories focus on the tenants of Heart’s Haven, a one-of-a kind cottage-rental complex owned by a crotchety old guy named Andrew Hart. Folks ‘round those parts believe old Hart actually sees and speaks with angels, and that Heart’s Haven is a favorite hangout for the heavenly creatures. The taciturn gentleman has never come right out and corroborated that rumor. ‘Course, he hasn’t come right out and denied it either. 

But then, lots of things are said about Heart’s Haven. Some folks think the place makes folks fall in love. And to add grist to that rumor mill, each little cottage on the property sports a sign hanging over the gate, carved with the sweet blessing: May love find all who enter here. 

Thing is, it usually does. 

You’re invited to hang out with the Heart’s Haven gang any time. Come on over and find out who’s falling in love with whom, and what the angels are up to around Angel Falls, Texas. We’re not hard to find—Angel Falls isn’t big enough to get lost in. If you don’t find us kicking back in the rec room at Heart’s Haven, we’re probably having a barbecue…or wedding…or something else we came up with so we could all get together at one of the following places: 

Heart’s Haven Blog 

Heart’s Haven Facebook Page 

We love company, so don’t bother to knock—just come on in! 
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Born and raised in a place called Weedpatch, DELIA LATHAM enjoys multiple roles as a Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, but especially loves being a princess daughter to the King of Kings. She’s got a “thing” for Dr. Pepper and absolutely loves hearing from her readers. Delia writes inspirational romance, and is currently contracted through White Rose Publishing and Vinspire Publishing.

You can contact her at an of the following locations: 
Her website
Her blog 
Facebook 
Twitter

A Writer's Review of “Undeniably Yours” by Becky Wade

{Dawn’s Review}

After reading (and loving) Becky Wade's first novel (My Stubborn Heart, Bethany House, 2012), I was definitely looking forward to Undeniably Yours. Her true-to-life way of bringing her characters to the page is definitely refreshing. One of my favorite things about her writing is that she doesn’t sugar-coat the real, human emotions and desires of her characters.

This book was quite different than her first. I really wasn't expecting that, and it took me a little time to re-adjust my mind and expectations. Instead of seeing the story from only the hero and heroine, the reader witnesses the story through four characters: the hero, the heroine, another young woman the heroine is helping, and the "bad guy". Personally, I thought that was a lot of character perspectives, but it didn't make me like the book any less. 

Bo Porter and Meg Cole were perfect for each other—despite the differences in life-style, how they'd been raised and that he was technically his employer, just as her father had been before her. There's just no denying the crackling fire between two people when they're soul-mates. And let me tell you, if anyone knows how to write two characters who are soul-mates and who NEED to be together, it’s Becky. She has an amazing talent and intuition for knowing just what it is her characters are looking for exactly in someone to trust their heart with… as well as with what they want out of life in general.

And, of course, there’s a perfectly timed break-up scene in Undeniably Yours—as well as the scene before it—that just rips your heart out (those are the BEST!). You might think me mean-hearted, but I do love to see characters hurt and struggle through broken hearts and damaged emotions… as long as there’s a happy ending in the end.

I definitely look forward to Becky’s future books following Bo Porter’s siblings, Ty, Jake and Dru in the coming years. I was given a paperback copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I give Becky Wade’s Undeniably Yours 4 stars.    

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{More about Undeniably Yours} 

 

When Meg Cole’s father dies unexpectedly, she’s forced to return home to Texas and to Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of his empire. The last thing she has the patience or the sanity to deal with? 

 

Her father’s Thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter, six months to close the place down.

Bo knows he ought to resent the woman who’s determined to take from him the only job he ever wanted. But instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to protect. The more time he spends with her, the more he longs to overcome every obstacle that separates them and earn her love.

Just when Meg realizes she can no longer deny the depth of her feelings for Bo, their fragile bond is broken by a force from Meg’s past. Can their relationship–and their belief that God can work through every circumstance–survive?

Purchase a copy here.

Watch the book trailer here. 

Read my 5 Star review of Becky's debut novel My Stubborn Heart here.

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{More About Becky Wade}

Becky Wade is a graduate of Baylor University. As a newlywed, she lived for three years in a home overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, as well as in Australia, before returning to the States. A mom of three young children, Becky and her family now live in Dallas, Texas. Visit her website at www.beckywade.com.

Find out more about Becky at http://beckywade.com.

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Becky is celebrating with a Kindle Fire giveaway and hosting an Author Chat party on Facebook {5/29}!

One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Undeniably Yours and My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade
  

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 28th. 

Winner will be announced at the “Undeniably Yours” Facebook Author Chat Party on May 29th. Connect with Becky for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Becky will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Undeniably Yours and join Becky on the evening of May 29th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 29th! 

 

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{About My Stubborn Heart}

 

Click HERE to read my 5 Star review.

 

Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother asks her to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance.

 

Upon her arrival in Redbud, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man hired to renovate the house. Kate can't help being attracted to him, drawn by both his good looks and something else she can't quite put her finger on. He's clearly wounded—hiding from people, from God, and from his past. Yet Kate sets her stubborn heart on bringing him out of the dark and back into the light...whether he likes it or not. 

 
When the stilted, uncomfortable interactions between Kate and Matt slowly shift into something more, is God finally answering the longing of her heart? Or will Kate be required to give up more than she ever dreamed?

COTT Weekly: Captured in Moonlight by Christine Lindsay

***Guest post by April Gardner.

CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT

Prisoners to their own broken dreams...

After a daring rescue goes awry, the parched north of India grows too hot for nurse Laine Harkness and her friend Eshana. The women flee to the tropical south…and run headlong into their respective pasts.

Laine takes a new nursing position at a plantation in the jungle, only to discover that her former fiancé is the owner…and that Adam has no more to say to her now than he did when he crushed her years ago.

Eshana, captured by her traditional uncle and forced once more into the harsh Hindu customs of mourning, doubts whether freedom will ever again be in her future, much less the forbidden love that had begun to whisper to her. Is faith enough to live on? Or is her Savior calling her home?

Amid cyclones and epidemics, clashing faiths and consequences of the war, will the love of the True Master give hope to these searching hearts?

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* Review by Top Amazon Reviewer, Diana Flowers says— "I have ten authors who are my favs...with Shadowed in Silk—Book One and Captured by Moonlight—Book Two, Christine Lindsay has made it into my top five!"

* Award-winning author Catherine West says— "Christine Lindsay's attention to detail, witty prose and moving story line all blend together to create a treat for the senses, leaving the reader satisfied and completely satiated by the end."

* Award-winning, multi-published Author Jeanette Windle says—"A worthy sequel to acclaimed debut novel Shadowed in Silk." 

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{About the Author}

Irish-born Christine Lindsay writes award-winning historical novels. In Shadowed in Silk and Captured by Moonlight, Christine delights in weaving the endless theme of God’s redemptive love throughout stories of danger, suspense, adventure, and romance. The Pacific coast of Canada, about 200 miles north of Seattle, is Christine’s home.

Visit Christine’s blog, drop by and ‘like’ Christine’s Author Facebook Page, or swap pictures with Christine on Pinterest.

ACFW Genesis Contest Double Semi-Finalist!

I'm going to get a little more personal on here than usual and share some awesome news. The American Christian Fiction Writer association announced who filled the ninety semi-finalists slots for the Genesis Contest on Monday.... and my name was listed TWICE under the Romantic Suspense category!

Last year my second manuscript was a semi-finalist in the Historical Romance category, and this year it was my first and third books that made it. All three are part of the same series, and are the only books I've written so far since I write about a book a year and only began in 2010.  

This was just the confidence boost I needed, and one I really-really-really didn't expect.  

March 2013 Clash of the Titles Winner

**Guest post by April Gardner. 
 
The winner of Clash of the Titles' latest Clash is:

Congratulations, MaryLu Tyndall, who is now a two-time clash winner!

Special thanks to her competitors for their participation:

Sadie and Sophie Cuffe

Gina Holmes

Christine Lindsey

Noelle Marchand

{About Forsaken Dreams}

They Left Everything Behind to Build a New Southern Utopia

Colonel Blake Wallace has seen enough death to last a lifetime. Weary and disillusioned, he slumps beneath the weight of defeat and loss. With his entire family murdered by the North and his name appearing on a list of officers wanted for war crimes, Blake organizes a shipload of southerners who, like him, long to escape the horrors of war and start a new life in a verdant land called Brazil.

Eliza Crawford can barely remember the days of her youth spent in opulence and comfort at her Georgian home. She can't help but wonder how different her life would be had she not met her late husband, Stanton Watts, a general in the Northern army. Now a war widow, Eliza is rejected by both North and South. Desperate to keep her marriage a secret and escape her past and pain, she longs to start over again in Brazil.

But once the voyage begins, troubles abound. Dangers at sea  and enemies from within threaten to keep Blake and Eliza from the new life and love they long for.

PURCHASE:

AMAZON

Barens & Noble

CBD

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"Just when I think MaryLu Tyndall cannot write a more passionate, page-turning romance...she does! Forsaken Dreams is a worthy addition to your keeper shelf, melding adventure, love, and spiritual truths in soul-enriching ways. A blessed start to a new series!"

~ Laura Frantz, author of The Colonel's Lady and Love's Reckoning

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{Backstage with MaryLu}

Several things inspired me to write my new Escape to Paradise series. First the history is so fascinating. I never knew that so many (tens of thousands) Southerners fled the South after the Civil War for greener pastures. Many went to Mexico, some out west, but several thousand went to Brazil. Their descendants still celebrate there today! Secondly I'm a big fan of the TV show LOST, in particular the jungle setting and the spiritual themes that ran through the show.

I love the supernatural and I saw an opportunity to write a story about a group of settlers who are in a sense, running away from their problems and from God, but who end up being part of an eternal plan that involves a battle between good and evil.   Forsaken Dreams is the account of their voyage to Brazil, during which the reader meets all the characters and discovers their individual reasons for running away.

Themes of forgiveness, bitterness, hatred, guilt, rebellion and even Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome are addressed as the colonists face several disasters that threaten their mission and their lives. During the trip, hints are given here and there that something much larger is at stake waiting for them in Brazil, something that originated behind the curtain of the natural world.

{More About Marylu Tyndall}

A Christy Award finalist and best-selling author, MaryLu Tyndall dreamt of tall ships and swashbuckling pirates during her childhood years on Florida's Atlantic Coast. With over a dozen novels published, she continues to pen her romantic tales while managing a home, husband, six adult kids, and three cats who have decided that her keyboard is the best place to sleep!  She believes that without popcorn and chocolate, life would not be worth living, and her sole motivation in life is to bring others closer to God.

For more information on MaryLu and her books, please visit her website at http://www.marylutyndall.com or her blog at http://crossandcutlass.blogspot.com/ or you can find her on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/MaryLu-Tyndall-Swashbuckling-Romance/175344859169475