The Patriot Bride- Blog Blitz

Welcome to THE PATRIOT BRIDE Blitz with JustRead Publicity Tours.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Patriot Bride
Collection: Daughters of the Mayflower, Book 4
Author: Kimberley Woodhouse
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Release Date: August 1, 2018
Genre: Historical Romance

Faith Jackson and Matthew Weber are both working covertly to aid the Patriot cause. But will they be willing to sacrifice all for their fledgling country?

A brand new series for fans of all things related to history, romance, adventure, faith, and family trees.

Spies Work Together for the Patriot Cause

Faith Jackson is a wealthy widow, friend of George Washington, and staunch supporter of the Patriot cause. Matthew Weber is friends with both Ben Franklin and his son William, who increasingly differ in their political views; and Matthew finds himself privy to information on both sides of the conflict. When a message needs to get to a spy among the Loyalists, Faith bravely steps up and in turn meets Matthew Weber. Suddenly she believes she could love again. But someone else has his eye on the Faith she portrays in elite social circles. What will Matthew and Faith have to sacrifice for the sake of their fledgling country?

Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse.

TO PURCHASE A COPY*

Goodreads | Amazon | iTunes | Christian Book | Book Depository | Books-A-Million!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifteen fiction and nonfiction books. A popular speaker and teacher, she’s shared her theme of “Joy Through Trials” with more than half a million people across the country at more than 2,000 events. Kim and her incredible husband of twenty-five-plus years have two adult children. She’s passionate about music and Bible study and loves the gift of story.

CONNECT WITH KIM: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

TOUR GIVEAWAY

Kimberley have graciously offered (1) Winner a wonderful gift basket filled with goodies from Mount Vernon, a gift card and many more! Of course, it also includes a copy of the book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway will begin at midnight August 27, 2018 and last through 11:59 PM EST on September 3, 2018. Winner will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.  Open to US mailing addresses only.  For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.

Be sure to stop at a stop each day for extra entries!

TOUR SCHEDULE

For the full tour schedule, click on either of the launch pages below.

(All stops expected to post by 12:00 NOON EST)

Launch Post @JustReadTours

Launch Post @JustCommonly

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

A Defense of Honor- A Defense of Honor

My Rating: 5 Stars

Description: When Katherine "Kit" FitzGilbert turned her back on London society more than a decade ago, she determined never to set foot in a ballroom again. But when business takes her to London and she's forced to run for her life, she stumbles upon not only a glamorous ballroom but also Graham, Lord Wharton. What should have been a chance encounter becomes much more as Graham embarks on a search for his friend's missing sister and is convinced Kit knows more about the girl than she's telling.

After meeting Graham, Kit finds herself wishing things could have been different for the first time in her life, but what she wants can't matter. Long ago, she dedicated herself to helping women escape the same scorn that drove her from London and to raising the innocent children caught in the crossfire. But as much as she desperately wishes to tell Graham everything, the risk of revealing the truth may come at too high a price for those she loves.

My Thoughts: Of all the genres I read, Historical fiction set in Victorian England is far down on my list of favorites. While the characters can often redeem the start of the novel, the circumstances and conflicts are usually the same. Either a man is losing his fortune and needs a wife with a large dowry or a woman is trying to find the perfect husband and avoid scandal. So when, in the first chapter, Graham states that a dowry is a foolish reason to marry someone and that there are better ways to secure a fortune, I knew that I had found a new favorite.

At a few different points in the novel, it is mentioned that Graham tends to bring joy wherever he goes, and that was definitely the case in this book. For a hero in this subgenre to care so little for social conventions and yet still be upright in character is truly astounding, especially when combined with a fun personality rather than an uptight one. Truly, I found his character to have some of the greatest observations, from his musings on children to his opinions of what makes a good man, I could not help but be delighted with most everything the man said.

The other characters are fun as well, with all the characters coming across as real and having their own struggles which had lead them to their callings in life. Each characters' personality is unique and I couldn't help feeling like these were old friends I had spent time with. I certainly hope that I will not have to say good-bye to all of them and that many will appear in the next book in the series. Because that next book is definitely on my must-read list.

Stepping back from the characters however, the story itself is still really good. It follows a woman who is doing the right thing, though in the wrong way, and a man who has never done anything awful, but has also never done anything noteworthy. And both must learn how to trust God with their lives and the blessings He has given them. Kit was amazing relatable in that the feelings many of us have, of wanting to punish and make people pay for the wrongs committed against those we love, she actually was able to exercise. And along the way, she saw letting God handle things instead is so much better.

I have provided an honest review after receiving a copy of the book from the publisher.

A Rumored Fortune- Joanna Davidson Politano

My Rating: 3 Stars

Description: Tressa Harlowe's father did not trust banks, but neither did he trust his greedy extended family. He kept his vast fortune hidden somewhere on his estate in the south of England and died suddenly, without telling anyone where he had concealed it. Tressa and her ailing mother are left with a mansion and an immense vineyard and no money to run it. It doesn't take long for a bevy of opportunists to flock to the estate under the guise of offering condolences. Tressa knows what they're really up to. She'll have to work with the rough and rusticated vineyard manager to keep the laborers content without pay and discover the key to finding her father's fortune--before someone else finds it first.

Award-winning author Joanna Davidson Politano welcomes readers to Trevelyan Castle, home of the poorest heiress in Victorian England, for a treasure hunt they'll not soon forget.

My Thoughts: A Rumored Fortune is a romance tied up with a mystery meant to discover a fortune, perhaps one that is less monetary and more eternal. Tressa is a woman caught up in her love for her father and her mother, as well as the expectations of everyone around her. And those expectations are for her to be someone else, someone more selfish and unloving, someone with little care for anything other than the typical life of a woman of her station.

However, Tressa's interests go deeper than that. For her, life is meant to be beautiful as well as about the people that you live it with... even if those people do not agree. The way Tressa sees the world blends into her descriptions. She speaks in a more poetic cadence and relates her thoughts through metaphors in much the same manner. These metaphors delve into value and wealth, centering around the message of the novel which is finding true wealth. Discovering this wealth not only means searching the house she has grown up in, but also evaluating the people who have infiltrated her life at this time.

For me, this poetic nature of the book made it a slower read. I prefer straightforward dialogue and descriptions, finding the story more interesting than the words themselves. The same goes for metaphors, which I prefer to be handled in the plot rather then the characters' internal musings. However, I know that there are many people who find the use of language to be just as important, or  more so, than the rest of the story. And for those who do, I believe that this is a beautifully worded manuscript. Even if the metaphor of grapevines has been done before, it is still a decent one that, when combined with Joanna's writing style, is beautiful as well.

I have provided an honest review after having received a copy of the book from the publisher.

By The Waters of Babylon- Mesu Andrews

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: When Babylon destroys Jerusalem, as Yahweh warned through his prophets, the captives' bitterness and grief pours out in the Captives' Psalm: 


"[By the rivers of Babylon] we sat as exiles, mourning our captivity, and wept with great love for Zion. Our music and mirth were no longer heard, only sadness. We hung up our harps on the willow trees." (Psalm 137:1-2, The Passion Translation)

A young Israelite woman is among them, captured by a mercenary Scythian prince. Driven toward Babylon by both hatred and hope, she endures captivity to reunite with her husband.

But will he be there when she reaches Babylon? Will the prince risk the Scythian throne--and his life--to believe in the Hebrew God? Can they both find what they seek when they meet the prophet Ezekial. . . by the rivers of Babylon?




My Thoughts: I always look forward to reading another Biblical fiction story by Mesu, who has set herself apart as probably my favorite author in the genre. No matter the characters, I can always anticipate learning something new and engaging with Biblical narratives I had given little thought to in the past.

By the Waters of Babylon is a story based on verses which I had never anticipated seeing turned into a work of fiction. Though I have read the Psalms a few times, I have never really thought about them as telling the story of actual events, but rather as songs which expressed abstract ideas. Clearly, I have not been paying as much attention to those Psalms as I should have been.

Story wise, this novella is short but still lives up to the caliber of storytelling which Mesu exhibits in her other works. So often, novellas fall short of many authors' other works, sacrificing plot or character arcs in order to meet the word count. However, Mesu was able to deliver everything that she has in the past. The only downsides for me in this were <spoiler> that it was not the two main characters who were a couple and that we do not know what ultimately happens to Idan. After spending so much time with him, and knowing the danger he faces on his journey home, I would have liked to have known whether his story ended happily or not </spoiler>.

Still, I am so happy that I was able to read this and I will be able to share it with my friends. If you like Biblical fiction, and especially Mesu's other works, I highly recommend you read this.

I have provided an honest review after having received an ecopy of the book from the author.

Fairest Son Launch

About the Book

The Fair and Foul courts of the fey folk have long yearned for one to bring them together in peace, but hopes are dashed when the fairest prince and the prophecy concerning him are laid to ruin. Burdened with shame and sorrow, the prince flees to the cold mountains far above the forests and lochs with nothing but animals and goblins for company.

When a human huntress stumbles upon him in her search for a legendary predator, their fates are intertwined. But she hides deadly secrets, and if he dares to trust her, he may risk the doom of both courts to an ancient evil...

A novella retelling of Snow White

About the Author

From the beginning, H. S. J. Williams has loved stories and all the forms they take. Whether with word, art, or costume, she has always been fascinated with the magic of imagination. She lives in a real fantastical kingdom, the beautiful Pacific Northwest, with her very own array of animal friends and royally loving family. Williams taught Fantasy Illustration at MSOA. She may also be a part-time elf. 

Author Site: https://www.hsjwilliams.com/

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hsjwilliams/

About the Artist

Irina Plachkova is an acclaimed artist, freelance illustrator, and fashion designer, better known as PhantomRin. You can find more of her work at phantomrin.tumblr.com.

​

FAIREST SON on Goodreads

FAIREST SON on Amazon

Sale goes through Aug 11th! Currently only available on the author's website.

Unbreakable- Sara Ella

My Rating: 2 Stars

Description:
Eliyana Ember is stranded in a foreign country in the Third Reflection with no passport, the inability to mirrorwalk, and zero clue where the nearest Thresholds back into the Fourth or Second might lie. Her mind is a haze, her memories vague. She knows a wormhole from the Fourth sent her here. She remembers her mom and baby brother Evan. Makai and Stormy and Joshua . . .
Deep down El realizes she must end the Void once and for all. Is there a way to trap the darkness within its current vessel, kill it off completely? To do so would mean sacrificing another soul—the soul of a man Joshua claims is a traitor. But he’s lied to her before, and even El senses Joshua can’t be fully trusted, but one thing is certain . . .

The Void must be annihilated. And only the Verity—the light which birthed the darkness—can put an end to that which seeks to kill and destroy.

My Thoughts: After the last book, I was not sure whether or not this trilogy would live up the first novel, which had not been perfect but was still been a lot of fun to read. Yet unlike many series, this last book did not redeem the trilogy for me.

As other reviewers have mentioned, the beginning is really slow. At moments when it would have been nice to enjoy some action, instead we are offered several drawn out arguments between the characters that never seem to change what happens in the story. The main twist in this book, which separated it from the others, also didn't make any change to what had happened in the past (or rather future), and made it feel as though this installment was mostly pointless.

Along with there not being much that happened plot wise, the story also seemed to fall down the rabbit hole when the author started trying to connect everyone and everything together as well as explain the origin of everything that was magical. Instead of being amazed at how it all fit together, I just wondered why it needed to.

Towards the end, things did start to pick up. Ebony's character changed a lot and a certain someone sacrifices everything in the end. Not to mention, the relationship between Ebony and Tide turned out to be really cute. But the fun of the first book was gone and I found myself not really caring who El ended up with (I know, even after what Josh did in the last book,). I won't say that no one will enjoy this or that it is not worth checking out for those who are extreme fans of the rest of the trilogy. Just don't expect more than the story can deliver.

I have provided an honest review after having received a copy of the book through the Fiction Guild.

If you would like a copy of this book for yourself, whether because you love the series or you love the cover, you can enter the giveaway I am holding for it on my instagram, which will be live by 1pm EST.