The first Birthday Bash Open House guest of honor is Becky Wade. Her novel True to You, published on May 2, 2017, turns THREE YEARS OLD today! Help me wish Becky and her book a happy birthday…
After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now.
Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But when he’s diagnosed with an inherited condition, he’s forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother.
The more time they spend together, the more this pair of opposites suspects they just might be a perfect match. However, John’s already dating someone and Nora’s not sure she’s ready to trade her crushes on fictional heroes for the risks of a real relationship. Finding the answers they’re seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.
About Becky Wade
Becky’s a California native who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and settled in Dallas. She published historical romances for the general market before putting her career on hold for several years to care for her three children. When God called her back to writing, Becky knew He meant for her to turn her attention to Christian fiction. She loves writing funny, modern, and inspirational contemporary romance! She’s the Christy and Carol award winning author of My Stubborn Heart, the Porter Family series, and the Bradford Sisters Romance series.
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY: On each Birthday Bash Open House post leave a comment. One entry per person, per post. The winner will be drawn at random and announced on June 1 here on the blog.
*Sorry to international readers, but this giveaway is open to US residents only.
Happy May, y’all! Today kicks off a very special month-long celebration here on the blog. This month, my debut novel Someplace Familiar will turn THREE YEARS OLD! I officially released my first book baby into the world on May 30, 2017. But what’s a party without friends?!
Enter the Birthday Bash Open House!
During the month of May, I will be hosting seven other Christian authors and their books that are also turning three this month! Check out who’s on the guest list!
I’m SUPER EXCITED to be offering a very special Birthday Bash Open House Giveaway to one lucky winner! Each of my book birthday buddies have been kind enough to giveaway a copy of their featured book (some eBook, some print, and some winner’s choice)! And, since every birthday party needs a cake, I’m throwing in a bag of my absolute favorite treat: Birthday Cake Drizzled Popcorn from Safe + Fair. Lastly, you’ll also win a book tote, bookmark, and sticker designed by Emilie at E.A. Creative! This is ONE FUN PACKAGE!
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY: On each Birthday Bash Open House post, starting with this one, leave a comment. One entry per person, per post. The winner will be drawn at random and announced on June 1 here on the blog.
*Sorry to international readers, but this giveaway is open to US residents only.
I’m so excited when I meet new authors and can introduce them to you! I connected with author Sarah Adams through Instagram recently and, luck us, she’s got a new book coming out soon! Win-win, right? Here’s what you need to know…
About Sarah Adams
Born and raised in Nashville, TN, Sarah Adams loves her family, warm days, and making people smile. She has dreamed of being a writer since she was a girl, but finally wrote her first novel when her daughters were napping and she no longer had any excuses to put it off. Sarah is a coffee addict, a British history nerd, a mom of two daughters, married to her best friend, and an indecisive introvert. Her hope is to always write stories that make you laugh, maybe even cry; but always leave you happier than when you started reading.
Having worked for Southern Service Paws for a few years now, I like to think I’m prepared for just about any client meeting under the sun. I am dead wrong.
The day I meet with single dad, Jacob Broaden, about potentially matching his daughter with one of our service dogs, I learn a few valuable lessons.
1) Always set my alarm clock. 2) Single dads are way hotter than I previously thought. 3) It is possible to go from fantasizing about kissing someone to wishing they would be run over by a truck in a matter of two minutes.
Unfortunately, I don’t hold that opinion of him for very long. Not when he shows me a different side of himself—one that’s sweet as maple syrup and hot as apple pie fresh out of the oven.
Too bad this guy is so far out of my league that I shouldn’t even be allowed to enter the game. Jake doesn’t seem to get that memo though. And after a few days of working closely with him and his daughter, he starts looking at me with fire in his eyes, making me dream of something I probably shouldn’t…
A family.
The Match is a feel-good romantic comedy. Perfect for readers who enjoy a sizzling romance without explicit content.
During these strange times of COVID-19 and social distancing, we find ourselves at home and likely with more time on our hands. Many of us have cancelled vacations to locales all over the globe. We can’t visit family, friends, amusement parks, national parks, etc. But, lucky for us…BOOKS ARE ESSENTIAL. While businesses are being labeled as essential and non-essential, books are and will always be essential methods of travel. To new places, different times, even new worlds.
Here are a few books I love that have taken me to another place! Come, go with me as we travel through the pages…
The Hideaway
Travel to relaxing, quiet, and slow-paced Sweet Bay, Alabama in The Hideaway by Lauren K. Denton.
After her last remaining family member dies, Sara Jenkins goes home to The Hideaway, her grandmother Mags’s ramshackle B&B. She intends to quickly tie up loose ends then return to her busy life and thriving antique shop in New Orleans. Instead, she learns Mags has willed The Hideaway to her and charged her with renovating it – no small task considering her grandmother’s friends, a motley crew of senior citizens, still live there. More than meets the eye, this split-time novel endears readers to two heroines and their heartfelt stories of love lost and found.
The Heart Between Us
Travel the world in this sweet story of sisterhood and sacrificial love by Lindsay Harrel.
Megan Jacobs always wished for a different heart. Her entire childhood was spent in and out of hospitals, sitting on the sidelines while her twin sister Crystal played all the sports, got all the guys, and had all the fun. But even a heart transplant three years ago wasn’t enough to propel Megan’s life forward. She’s still working as a library aide and living with her parents in her small Minnesota hometown, dreaming of the adventure she plans to take “once she’s well enough.” Meanwhile, her sister is a successful architect with a handsome husband and the perfect life—or so Megan thinks.
When her heart donor’s parents give Megan their teenage daughter’s journal—complete with an unfulfilled bucket list—Megan connects with the girl she meets between the pages and is inspired to venture out and check off each item. Caleb—a friend from her years in and out of the hospital—reenters her life and pushes her to find the courage to take the leap and begin her journey. She’s thrown for a loop when Crystal offers to join her for reasons of her own, but she welcomes the company and the opportunity to mend their tenuous relationship.
As Megan and Crystal check items off the bucket list, Megan fights the fears that have been instilled in her after a lifetime of illness. She must choose between safety and adventure and learn to embrace the heart she’s been given so that she can finally share it with the people she loves most.
Where the Fire Falls
Visit the grand and awe-inspiring Yosemite National Park in this “Vintage National Parks Novel” by Karen Barnett.
Watercolorist Olivia Rutherford has shed her humble beginnings to fashion her image as an avant-garde artist to appeal to the region’s wealthy art-collectors. When she lands a lucrative contract painting illustrations of Yosemite National Park for a travel magazine, including its nightly one-of-a-kind Firefall event, she hopes the money will lift Olivia and her sisters out of poverty.
After false accusations cost him everything, former minister Clark Johnson has found purpose as a backcountry guide in this natural cathedral of granite and trees. Now he’s faced with the opportunity to become a National Parks Ranger, but is it his true calling?
As Clark opens Olivia’s eyes to the wonders of Yosemite, she discovers the people are as vital to the park’s story as its vistas–a revelation that may bring her charade to an end.
Someplace Familiar
Of course, our travels wouldn’t be complete without me extending an invitation to you to visit Laurel Cove — a quaint town in the mountains of North Carolina — in my debut novel, Someplace Familiar!
Artist Livy Johnson needs a fresh start. That’s what a broken heart and forgotten dreams can do to a person. On little more than a whim, she reclaims her grandmother’s old home in quaint Laurel Cove, North Carolina and vows to restore its original charm. When she literally collides with childhood friend, Jack Bowdon, Livy wonders if she’s back for an entirely different reason.
Jack can’t believe his childhood crush is back. As the owner of Bowdon’s Supplies, and once again the town’s most eligible bachelor, he offers to help Livy with repairs. Together they embark on the project—and an undeniable whirlwind romance.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. Can they survive the destructive pain of their pasts to discover God’s grace waiting to renovate their hearts?
Tell us about a book you’ve read that has transported you to another place, time, or world. Where would you go if you could pack up and head out today?
I’ve shared before about my tendency to judge a book by its cover. Despite the adage to avoid such practices, I can’t help it. I’d like to say my profession that involves graphic design is at the root of this, but fact of the matter is I’ve been doing it since childhood. I have imprinted in my mind the beautiful Anne of Avonlea series covers, well-known Charlotte’s Web cover, and others. When you stop and think about it, the design of a cover is intended to do just that? Attract you to a book? Make you want to pick it up? But art, which covers are, is subjective. So, how can we be expected to turn a blind eye to covers carefully designed to tell us about the story inside?
In any case, I thought I’d share some recent book covers that have caught my eye:
Just as I was about to publish this post, I saw a cover reveal announcement from Rachel McMillan and just HAVE to include it…it’s so…YUMMY! Christmas and Hallmark Movies? I’m in! It’s not yet available for pre-order but is set to release in October.
Do you have any favorite covers? What do you look for in a cover that really catches your eye and makes you want to pick it up off the shelf?
It’s hard not to judge a book by its cover. Here are several I’m loving right now! #bookcovers
Teresa Tysinger, Author 