Rough Around the Edges Meets Refined by Rachael Anderson

Rough Around the Edges Meets Refined (Meet Your Match #2) by Rachael Anderson

For Noah Mackie, life is finally back on track. He has a great support system, a promised promotion is on its way, and he's finally getting the hang of this single father thing. But when the job falls through and his neighbor's matchmaking efforts become more aggressive,

Noah is in for yet another unwanted detour. With his career and two spirited daughters to worry about, he doesn't have time for dating—especially not someone like Cassie Ellis, his girls' beautiful and sophisticated dance instructor, who is about as open and approachable as a brick wall.

Rough around the Edges Meets Refined is about two people who think they know exactly what they want but who have no idea what they really need. It's about learning that people aren't always what they seem and that sometimes life’s detours take you exactly where you need to go.  




My Review:

5 Stars

This is such a fun, romantic, sweet story. I loved, loved, loved the characters! The two little girls are adorable. I loved that characters from the first book in the series made an appearance, because I really liked Emma and Kevin and I love what happens to them in this book.

I think both Cassie and Noah are rough around the edges, but for different reasons. Cassie finds it hard to trust. She's lost herself while in a bad marriage and now that she's free to be whomever she wants, she isn't even sure who that is. I loved experiencing her soul-searching and finding out who she really is.

Noah has his own baggage. He is a fantastic father and the scenes between him and his daughters are very tender as they all try to heal from their loss.

The romance built up naturally and had plenty of intensity. Rachael Anderson is masterful at writing romance!  It kept me reading long into the night.

If you are looking for a sweet, clean, fun romance that leaves you smiling, this is a book you don't want to miss. I highly recommend it.

Purchase Your Copy from Amazon.com

Excerpt:

Through the curtains hanging across Noah’s front window, Cassie could see the glow of what appeared to be little white lights framing the window. She hesitated on the front porch, pulling her jacket tighter around the long, flowing top she’d chosen to wear with her favorite charcoal leggings, thinking that she should have worn sweats instead.

What would happen if she knocked on the door and allowed herself to dance with Noah? What if he tried to kiss her? Would she be strong enough to say not yet? Two months ago, she only knew this man as the father of two little girls in one of her dance classes. Now she was about to spend the evening dancing with him.

A breeze whipped at her cheeks, and Cassie glanced at her car parked in the driveway. She should leave right now and send him a text that she’d changed her mind. He might be disappointed, but he’d understand.

Or—her gaze returned to the glowing window—she could knock and dance with Noah like they’d danced before.

No big deal.

Her mom used to tell her: “Don’t run toward a relationship, but don’t run away from it either. If it’s right, it’ll just happen.”

It had sounded so easy, so smart. And Cassie had thought she was doing just that when she’d dated Landon. But looking back, she’d not only run toward marriage, she’d full on sprinted. She’d let the fog of twitterpation, fairy tales and romance cloud her judgment. Cassie hadn’t really known Landon and he hadn’t known her. It was like they’d fallen in love on a reality dating show, where nothing had been real. She’d been romanced, schmoozed, and swept off her feet. But she’d never been loved.

Looking back, it was all so clear to her now.

A shadow crossed in front of the window—a tall shadow with strong shoulders, a confident gait, and a good heart. Yes, it had only been two months since Cassie had met Noah. But in that short amount of time, he knew her better than Landon ever had—faults, quirks, Irish dancing, and all.

Maybe taking a small step forward wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Cassie lifted her hand and rapped on the door. A moment later, it opened, and the dark shadow became Noah. His face was freshly shaved, his hair was slightly damp, and he wore a fitted, button-down shirt that was as blue as his eyes. Her breath caught.

“Wow,” said Noah. “You look beautiful.”

“And you look . . . great.” Too great. Her physical reaction to him was so strong that she wanted to sprint forward and forget all about taking her time.

Not good.

Noah opened the door wider. “Would you like to come in?”

Behind him, the soft glow of the lights created a sort of aura around him, and three beefy candles flickered on his bar. With the furniture pushed to the side, the room oozed romance. He probably smelled amazing too—just one more thing to sink her deeper into that quicksand.

Noah held out his hand. “Don’t be nervous, Cass. It’s just me.”

That was the problem. Noah wasn’t just anyone. He had the power to undo her. “Promise we won’t move too fast.” Her eyes pled with his.

“I promise,” he answered, wiggling his fingers. “I loaded a lot of slow songs, so we’ll be moving very slowly.”

Purchase Your Copy from Amazon.com

 

Blog Tour Schedule

  Author Rachael Anderson USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

$25 Blog Tour Giveaway Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 1/19/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Synchrony by Cindy Rae Hale

Please welcome Cindy Rae Hale to my blog today. Her book, Synchrony, is on tour right now. She's agreed to share her writing process. I think you'll find it interesting.

How does my writing process work? by Cindy Rae Hale

Back when I wrote Destiny, I used the pantser method for part of the story, and it caused me months of rewriting. Eventually, one of my editors recommended that I read a screenwriting book called Save the Cat by Blake Snyder. I highly recommend it! I was able to go back and fix a lot of the problems with Destiny because of what I learned in that book. With Synchrony, I used the method described in Save the Cat, and it left me with very little to edit developmentally. I’m much happier with the way I do things now.

At the very beginning I like to start with a pad of paper and a pencil. I sit outside where I can let nature inspire me, and I create profiles for each character. I describe the character’s appearance, favorite food, back story, hobbies, hopes and dreams, fears, friends and family, and setting. I invent weaknesses and determine how the character should grow in my story.

Once I have a good idea of who my characters are, I brainstorm story lines and form an outline. When I have my outline down on one to two sheets of paper, I pull out my bulletin board and index cards. I stack my cards on the table, label each one with a scene from the book, and then spread it across the table like a card game. I organize the scenes according to acts and take note of which part of the story it coordinates with. Then when I have it mostly figured out, I pin the cards to the bulletin board into the appropriate acts.

Before I begin writing the first draft, I take down the first few cards, and everything I need to know is already there ready to go. When those scenes are written, I repin them to the bulletin board and move on to the next few cards. This process took me only six weeks for Synchrony. Once my first draft was written, I discovered it to be fairly clean after the first read through. I sent it out to my beta readers and gave them about a month to read through the manuscript and get their feedback to me. A month after that, Synchrony was available for purchase.

So from start to finish, Destiny took me about fifteen months and Synchrony took me about four months.

That’s pretty much it. I’m still a fairly new writer, so I’m sure this process will evolve for me over time. But for now, this is what works for me.

Blog Tour Details: 

This is my stop during the blog tour for Synchrony (Destiny #2) by Cindy Ray Hale. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours . The blog tour runs from May 5 until May 25, you can view the complete tour schedule here.

  Synchrony (Destiny #2) by Cindy Ray Hale Genre: Contemporary Romance Age category: Young Adult Release Date: April 8, 2014

Blurb: When her parents discover she’s been sneaking out with Isaac Robinson, the forbidden Baptist boy, Mormon girl Destiny Clark decides it’s time to keep their relationship quiet. As their relationship moves to shakier ground, Destiny discovers that Isaac has a terrible secret, and she is left completely shattered. The moment Destiny feels all hope is lost, Preston Nelson, her longtime church friend and Isaac's bitter rival, arrives like a beacon of light. It isn't long before two separate disasters strike for Preston and Destiny's best friend, Hannah. As Destiny helps them through their issues, she discovers that sometimes the best way to forget about your own problems is to help a friend in need. Just as her heart begins to mend and her friendship with Preston begins to heat up, Isaac walks back into her life, threatening to rekindle the feelings she’d hoped to bury forever. Will Destiny and Preston find the synchrony they so desperately need, or will she find a way to forgive Isaac and return to his outstretched arms?

You can find Synchrony on Goodreads.
You can purchase Synchrony here.

Destiny (Destiny #1) by Cindy Ray Hale Genre: Contemporary Romance Age category: Young Adult

Blurb: Destiny Clark, a young Mormon girl living in Tennessee, is wildly infatuated with Isaac Robinson, the headmaster's son at her Baptist high school. When they're cast together in the school's production of Les Miserables, Destiny is horrified to find that she has to be publicly humiliated by acting out her true feelings of rejection onstage. As their rehearsals begin, Destiny realizes the unimaginable: Isaac has developed deep feelings for her despite their religious differences and the fact that he has a girlfriend. But will they be able to find their place amongst the backbiters of their ultra-conservative world? Weaving around Destiny and Isaac's alternating viewpoints, Destiny is the first book in a series inspired by the characters of Les Miserables and explores heartbreak, self-discovery, intolerance, and love.

You can find Destiny on Goodreads

About the Author: Cindy Ray Hale lives in a little slice of wooded heaven near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and children. She spends way too much time following up-and-coming musicians on YouTube and dreams of joining their ranks one day. She's a bit of a health food nut and can't live without her daily green smoothies. She tries to stay sane as she juggles writing with four kids, staying active on social media, and keeping up her book blog at http://cinnamoncindy.blogspot.com/. In addition to writing and self-publishing two Young Adult Contemporary novels, she has also written articles for "New Era" magazine and The American Preppers Network. For more information on The Destiny Trilogy and Cindy's upcoming books visit http://destinybycindyhale.blogspot.com/ or follow @CindyRayHale on Twitter.

You can find and contact Cindy here: - Website - Website for destiny - Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads - Google+ - Pinterest 

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Synchrony. These are the prizes you can win: - A $25 Amazon Gift Card (INTL), and a Destiny Swag Pack which includes: a signed copy of Destiny, a signed copy of Synchrony, a Destiny bookmark, a Destiny magnet, a Destiny keychain, and a Synchrony keychain. - An ecopy of My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris and a swag pack - A Camp Boyfriend swag pack by JK Rock - An ecopy of Definitely, Maybe in Love by Ophelia London. For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shadow Fire Blog Tour: Guest Post

Shadow Fire Blog Tour Schedule

Shadow Fire

Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power.

All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire – adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?

Each installment of The Light Chronicles is a standalone story.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords

Praise for Shadow Fire "This book contains monsters, magic, majestic creatures, and a evil guy that wants to destroy the world. If you love hot guys.....Zane is all that plus a few tricks up his sleeve. Just read it!" Venture ~Amazon Reviewer "Adventure, magical creatures, fun characters, and romance make this book a perfect read for all ages." James ~Amazon Reviewer "I thought the writing was strong; it had me turning the pages quickly to see what would happen next. The characters were engaging and the dialogue well-written." Lisa Temple ~ Goodreads "Oh, I truly loved this one! Shadow Fire, by Kimber Leigh Wheaton, is a snappy, sassy, sweet, all-that-kind-of-awesome-and-then-some YA read. I couldn't put it down." ~Sasha Hibbs ~ Amazon Reviewer

Kimber Leigh Wheaton's Writing Process

I have a very temperamental muse. Try to get her to perform on a schedule and she'll disappear for days at a time. I learned that the hard way. When I first started writing, I set aside a certain time frame and sat at the computer. I've never been so unproductive in my life! I was lucky to get three pages written and most of it was drivel. My husband calls scheduled writing 'being organized'. But for me, the schedule made me feel like a trained seal balancing a ball on my nose. Perform now! And here's your fish…

After months of trial and error, I finally found what works for me. Writing is done in three stages: planning, first draft, and revisions. I don't use an outline. Tried it, didn't work for me. My planning stage is a free association exercise, similar to what I learned in the theater. I load up my iPod with songs that make me think of the plot and characters I plan to create. Once that's done, I meditate to the music. There are times when I've been accused of napping when I was actually hard at work in a fantasy world.

By the time I start phase two, I know my characters quite well. I also have the basic plot elements down. My first draft is very rough. The goal is to get the entire story down quickly. Much of my first draft consists of dialogue. At this stage, the manuscript tends to resemble a screenplay more than a novel.

Phase three is my favorite. Taking a skeleton manuscript and turning it into a novel is exciting. I don't have any set amount of revision passes. Some chapters need more love than others. I'm a bit meticulous when it comes to spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Mistakes drive me crazy! I've been known to proof a manuscript until my eyes cross, and then make one more pass just in case.

So, now my shiny new manuscript is ready for… more revisions with my editors. These edits can be a bit harder since someone is trying to help make my story better, and I might not always agree with their vision. But eventually these rounds of edits come to an end, and I have a lovely ARC galley in my hot little hands. What's next? After a night of celebration, I start the process all over again.

  Author Kimber Leigh Wheaton Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs and four cats. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Her house is filled with dragons, though she does lament that they are the porcelain, non-flying variety. Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!) Her debut novel, Shadow Fire, is the first book in The Light Chronicles series. Watch for book two, Stolen Moon, a standalone sequel, coming soon.  

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Blog

Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/25/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Among Friends by Father Jim W. Sichko

Thank you, Father Sichko for visiting my blog. Welcome! Tell us why you decided to create this book.

Father Sichko:

I love stories. I’m thinking I’m not alone in that, either. Billions of

dollars are spent on novels, movies, and even video games. Why? God

made us to function through story. Not only did He reveal Himself in

the greatest-selling Book of all time, but He made story a vital part of

how we communicate with each other.

Think about it. We are a storytelling people. From the moment

we are born, growing up through school and beyond, we love hearing

stories being read and told to us. We love sharing experiences that

we have lived, seen, or heard. For me, as a storyteller, preacher, and

speaker, stories provide the opportunity to communicate in a powerful

way with people in everyday language with down-to-earth tales.

I think back to my own days at St. Mary Catholic School in

kindergarten and how we loved to sit in a circle and listen to Mrs.

Richard read to us. We learned from the plot, the characters, and their

actions. She read with a passion and belief that captivated our little

minds. Most importantly, the stories struck at our hearts.

Why do you think Jesus told stories to make His point? Indeed,

He is a master storyteller in all of His parables found in the four

Gospels. He would use everyday situations that people understood. He

used characters that people would recognize in themselves and others.

Even more interesting, Jesus didn’t always provide the answers. He

let people figure out His meaning by telling them, “He who has ears,

let them hear.”

God gave me a very interesting life story, as you’re going to see

throughout this book. I like to think He gave me this life so I could tell

stories from my journey. As you might guess, when I travel to speak

at different places, I am often asked two questions. First, “Are your

stories true?” and, second, “How do these experiences always happen

to you?”

My answer is simple: Yes, the stories are true, and yes, they do

happen to me, and they happen to you! The real question that needs

to be asked is, “Do you and I have the eyes, the ears, and the hearts —

not to mention the minds — to recognize the wonderful opportunities

and teachable moments from the experiences of our day?”

Through sorrow, pain, joys, and exultations, our experiences

teach us; they stretch us. For me, stories empower and illumine the

life of Our God who is ever present with us on this journey through our

experiences that we call “Life.”

Allow me to tell you a few…

Tour Schedule

Among Friends: Stories from the Journey

“This book is my Midrash.” With these words, Father Jim draws us into his life story full of laughter, tears, and service. Among Friends is a compilation of short stories and insightful lessons experienced on his many travels as a clergyman and motivational speaker. Whether recounting his sobering flying experiences, meeting the Pope, his encounter with the “Weed Man” or telling us about his “lead foot,” Father Jim teaches us lessons through powerful storytelling. As he takes us along on his journey from getting kicked out of seminary to hosting celebrities, such as Dolly Parton, Harry Connick Jr., Martin Short, Bill Cosby, and former First Lady Laura Bush, at his small Kentucky parish, Father Jim shines a light into the corners of the human heart to expose our need for God and the love He alone can give us. You will laugh, cry, and be taken back by his honesty. In all, Father Jim shows us what it means to love God, love others, and live life Among Friends.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Father Jim W. Sichko Father Jim W. Sichko is a priest of the Diocese of Lexington, KY. He was ordained to the Ministerial Priesthood of Jesus Christ on May 23, 1998. He travels throughout the U.S. giving missions, retreats, and days of recollection. Known for his storytelling, Father Jim weaves everyday life experiences with the rooted messages which lie within the Gospel. He is booked for speaking engagements through 2015. Each engagement lasts a minimum of three days and averages 3,000 people per night. Father Jim completed his undergraduate work at New England Conservatory of Music in Vocal Performance and received a Master of Divinity degree from Sacred Heart School of Theology.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Imperfect Love

I'm so excited. My blog tour starts today. A schedule of the tour is posted here.

Here is an excerpt from a review posted today:

Imperfect Love really grabs the reader's emotions and I was completely attuned to how Lauren felt in her relationship with her husband.  Then when she finds out the news about her pregnancy, Talley does a wonderful job of capturing every emotion that Lauren goes through. Talley really packs strong emotions and feelings into this book!  

You can read the rest here at Books are Sanity.

If you have a chance and want to visit any of the blogs, please do so. You can read reviews, interviews with me, guest posts from me, and find out other (hopefully) interesting things about me.

I really love this book. If you'd like to purchase it, it would be awesome if you purchased it during the blog tour. I'm hoping to get enough sales to get my book in some of the lists at Amazon so it will receive even more exposure.

Thank you for your interest and support! I appreciate it. Word-of-mouth is by far the best form of advertising.

Purchase Imperfect Love here.

Stay tuned to begin reading the first chapter on March 24th.

My New Cover: Imperfect Love

Isn't it beautiful? I love it.

If you'd like to participate in the blog tour March 19th-28th, you can go here and sign up.

You can also enter a contest to win PayPal cash or an Amazon gift card if you go here.

Thanks for your support!!

Blog Tour: Working it Out by Rachael Anderson

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Tour Schedule

Author Rachael Renee Anderson Rachael Anderson is the author of five novels (Working It Out, The Reluctant Bachelorette, Minor Adjustments, Luck of the Draw, and Divinely Designed) and two novellas (Twist of Fate, from the All I Want anthology and The Meltdown Match from The Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer Wedding Collection). She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Blog * Facebook * Twitter

Working It Out A chance encounter . . . Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.
A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.  

Amazon * Amazon Kindle

Add to Goodreads

Blog Tour Special Price Drop!

Grab a copy of Working it Out for just $2.99!

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 9/10/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

MY REVIEW:

I LOVED this book! It drew me in from the first page (I loved "the kiss") and kept me entertained to the last word. The characters were all so well developed and unique. Seth wasn't your average hero--he had depth and he felt like a real person. I loved how the romantic relationships developed, but I also loved how the relationships between the other characters developed and changed. Grace felt like she could be one of my friends.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good, clean, entertaining, and satisfying romance.

Awesome book!

5 Stars
EXCERPT:

Seth met Grace’s gaze once again and held out his hand for her to take. “Ready to go?”
She felt her resolve slipping, but couldn’t let it go completely. She stared at his hand, wanting to touch it, hold it, to interlace her small fingers with his strong ones. But she was his therapist, not his girlfriend.


Therapist.
His fingers wiggled. “My keys, please? I saw you pick them up when you were cleaning earlier.”

Huh? Grace glanced down. Sure enough, his keys were clutched in her hand. There was even an imprint on her palm from squeezing them too hard. Her face flamed, and she quickly handed them over.

Without another word, she turned and headed for the front of the building, wanting to crawl into the trunk of Seth’s car and hide. When she reached the outside air, she drew in a deep, steadying breath then grabbed the passenger door handle, ready to yank it open and dive inside. But it wouldn’t budge. The car was locked.

Duh.

Forced to stand there, clasping and unclasping her hands, Grace waited for Seth to catch up and unlock it. But instead of clicking the button on his keyless remote, he walked toward her, stopping directly in front of her.

Grace stood frozen as he reached around and manually unlocked the car. His chest bumped against her shoulder, sending tingles up and down her arms. In and out she breathed, telling her racing heart to slow down and her body to stop responding. It was only a touch. A simple touch. Nothing to get all worked up about.

But then Seth looked at her in that intense way again, his face only inches from hers. Grace trembled, feeling like all of her defenses and inhibitions were falling in a garbled up heap around her. Nothing made sense anymore. Not Seth. Not her feelings. Nothing. Grace didn’t know what she wanted or didn’t want anymore.

“If you’ll step aside, I’ll open your door for you,” Seth said.

 

From the back cover:

When twenty-three-year-old Courtney Beckham, the privileged daughter of a highly successful land developer, is abducted in the mountains near her home, FBI Agent Jason Edwards investigates the ten-million-dollar ransom and turns up more than just a kidnapping crime.


And when Courtney catches a glimpse of the caller ID in her kidnapper’s home, what she sees sends ice through her veins. Even if she escapes her captors, something much more dangerous lies ahead.


From the author who brought you Wrong Number comes another story featuring Agent Jason Edwards that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

You can learn more about Rachelle Christensen here.

Here's a link to the calendar to follow the blog tour.

To celebrate the release of CALLER ID, Rachelle is hosting a contest for a new Ultra Flip Video Camcorder (4GB memory, Records 120 minutes Value $149.99) and other great prizes. You can enter to win between now and April 14, 2012. Winners will be announced and notified April 16, 2012.  For how to enter, click here.

Join the Book Bomb effort taking place Thursday, March 22nd. Click here for details.

You can purchase Caller ID here.

By Love or By Sea by Rachel Rager

By Love or By Sea
by
Rachel Rager

From the back cover:

When a mysterious and ragged sailor appears in the seaside town where Alice Lind Frank lives with her grandparents, Alice is shocked to learn that the sailor is her childhood love, Caleb, who she thought was lost at sea. She yearns to trust him again, but what about her plans to marry Clarence Hielott, the wealthy shipyard owner? When Clarence exposes the secrets of Caleb s past, Alice realizes that the boy she once knew is now a man with a dark history. Can she trust Caleb with her heart once again? And what will she do about Clarence? Find out in this thrilling and adventurous love story.

I'm excited to be part of Rachel's blog tour for her novel. I enjoyed reading this sweet love story. I also enjoyed being taken back in time and experiencing the adventure. By Love or By Sea is a fun story filled with interesting characters. From the slimy Clarence to the innocent Alice to the ruggedly handsome Caleb to the feisty Betsy Winters, readers can find an interesting character because Rager does a great job of characterization.

I loved the character of Betsy Winters and learning why she was so rude and mean in the beginning. I thought Rager created a believable character as well as developed a realistic storyline that unraveled at just the right pace. I loved how Alice, the main character, was spunky enough and determined enough to find out more about the town's meanest citizen. Sometimes, when we meet someone that's rude or mean we dismiss them, yet Rager shows through this story how people have their own personal stories and reasons for acting the way that they do, and if we'll simply take the time to care about someone we may discover a diamond in all that rough exterior.

This is an enjoyable book and I recommend it.

Learn more about Rachel Rager here and at her blog.

You can purchase a copy of By Love or By Sea at Amazon or Cedar Fort.

If you leave a comment here at my blog, or any of the other blogs hosting the blog tour, you'll be entered to win your very own copy. The more comments you leave the more chances you'll have to win!

Here is the lineup for the blog tour:

September 28 - Jaimey Grant
September 29 - Kaylee Baldwin
September 30 - Cindy Beck
October 1 - Kim Thompson
October 2 - Alison Palmer
October 3 - JoAnn Arnold
October 5 - Rebecca Talley
October 6 - Anna Arnett
October 7 - Heather Justensen
October 8 - Rachelle Christensen
October 9 - Joyce DiPastena

Blog Tour

I'm hoping to do a virtual book tour in August for my book, Altared Plans, and I'm looking for bloggers who would like to participate.

Here's how it works:

You receive a review copy, free of charge, from my publisher. In exchange, you post your review on an assigned day. I'll list all the blog addresses and dates on my blog so people can follow the "tour."

You can read about my book here to see if it's the kind of book you'd be interested in reading and reviewing. I have 13 review copies available. If you're interested pop me an email or leave me a comment and I'll contact you with the details.

Thanks!!

The Whitney Awards and Other Stuff

For a list of books eligible for a Whitney Award this year you can visit LDS Publisher, LDS Fiction, or Write Bravely. Books are added each week to the list so be sure to check it out regularly. If you read a fantastic book by an LDS author, go to The Whitney Awards and nominate it. Changes have been made to the awards this year and representatives will be at the LDS Booksellers Convention in August.

LDS Fiction is hosting a Summer Reading Trek. You can still sign up and win books. You have to commit to read a book (or more) by an LDS author and then post a review before August 31. It's fun to read the reviews and see other people's reading lists.

I will be posting a review of Farworld Water Keep as well as an interview with J. Scott Savage next month. I'm still reading the book because I'm the world's slowest reader, but I do love how the main character has a disability and it's not limiting him. That really speaks to me because it's the message I want to shout about my own son.

My blog tour concluded yesterday. I've been very touched by the wonderful reviews and the great support everyone has given me. I'll leave the links up for a bit in case anyone has a chance to stop by any of the blogs. I can't express enough gratitude to all of the amazing bloggers who participated in the tour. Thank you!

I hope everyone had a fabulous 4th of July weekend. We had a family picnic, watched fireworks, and took the kids swimming. We also visited Henderson Lake which is located high in the mountains with spectacular views of the valley below and other mountain ranges. The lake itself is gorgeous, surrounded by mountains and pine trees. Absolutely breathtaking.

Heaven Scent Blog Tour Begins

Today begins the blog tour for Heaven Scent. I have some fabulous people helping me spread the word on their blogs. Each day a new person will post a review and an interview with me. I'm very excited for the tour and want to express my deepest appreciation to all of those who are taking part. If you'd like to follow the tour I'll list all the dates and addresses on my side bar and keep it there for the rest of the month.

I've answered some interesting questions, too. If you'd like to get to know me better, you can read the interviews.

This will be so much fun. I hope you'll join me on the tour. Karlene Browning will be giving away the perfume we designed to accompany Heaven Scent, it's called Hope.


June 9 Ronda Hinrichsen
June 10 Don Carey
June 11 Stephanie Humphreys
June 12 Nichole Giles
June 16 Michelle Jefferies
June 17 Emily Debenham
June 18 Danyelle Ferguson
June 19 Ali Cross
June 20 Karen Hoover
June 23 Heather Justesen
June 24 Kim Thompson
June 25 Rachelle Christensen
June 26 Andy Lemmon
June 27 Karlene Browning
June 30 Marcia Mickelson
July 1 C. Lynn Beck

I hope you'll drop by.