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FIRESTORM WITH A GIVEAWAY
About the Book
Title: Firestorm
Author: Laura Hilton
Genre: Christian Amish
Release Date: July, 2018
Bridget Behr and her family migrate from the bustling Amish community where she grew up in Ohio to the mostly unpopulated Upper Peninsula of Michigan after a stalker breaks into their home. While her father and brother try to find work in the area, the family is forced to reside in a borrowed RV until the house and barn are rebuilt. While Bridget is hoping for a fresh start, she’s afraid to trust anyone—even Gabriel, the overly-friendly Amish man who lives nearby. Bridget thinks he’s a flirt who serial dates and doesn’t even remember the girls’ names.
Due to not enough construction work in his Florida community to keep him out of trouble, Gabriel Lapp has been sent to Michigan to work. His father is desperate for his son to settle down. When the family walks into Gabe’s home in the middle of a thunderstorm and he discovers their circumstances, he offers to help with construction. For Gabe, the beautiful girl he teasingly calls “the recluse” once he discovers she doesn’t attend youth events, confuses him like none other.
As Gabriel and Bridget grow closer, they realize there is more to a person than meets the eye. Just as Bridget is finally settling into her new life, and perhaps finding love, tragedy strikes. Now Bridget and her family must decide if they should move to another Amish community, or dare to fight for the future they’d hoped for in Mackinac County.
Click here to purchase your copy!
About the Author
Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning, sought-after author with over twenty Amish, contemporary, and historical romances. When she’s not writing, she reviews books for her blogs, and writes devotionals for blog posts for Seriously Write.
Laura and her pastor-husband have five children and a hyper dog named Skye. They currently live in Arkansas. One son is in the U.S. Coast Guard. She is a pastor’s wife, and homeschools her two youngest children.
When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys reading, and visiting lighthouses and waterfalls. Her favorite season is winter, her favorite holiday is Christmas.
Guest Post from Laura Hilton
I read a series of books a year or so ago by another Amish author who had set her books in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As a Michigan native, I was curious, and I researched, but found nothing about Upper Peninsula Amish except a notation that one had tried and failed. So I contacted the author. She told me that she’d never been there, and her research had all been hearsay, so with that lack of firsthand knowledge and no trip to the Upper Peninsula planned, no trip to see for myself would be possible. At least at that time.
Then God intervened. My son who is in the United States Coast Guard was stationed in the Upper Peninsula this past summer (2017.) He saw the Amish driving around in their buggies. And he felt like a stalker as he followed one to see where he went and drove through the area. He even sent pictures. (Shhhh.)
Yes, there are Amish in the Upper Peninsula – at least at the time this book was written.
Okay, as a Michigan native, I used some terms that may not be familiar to non-Michiganders. A Yooper is someone who lives in the Upper Peninsula. A Troll is someone from the Lower Peninsula. A pastie is kind of like a Hot Pocket, except it’s a meat pie made with root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and rutabagas. They are so good. And the straits are the area of the Great Lakes connecting Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
As for the wildfire, the earliest wildfire I could find any documentation on in the Upper Peninsula was in April. It is generally a snowy area — trust me. I lived near the Muskegon area and saw snow drifts in May. We sometimes had over six feet of snow on the ground at one time. So, to get the wildfire when I wanted/needed the wildfire I used artistic license. Yes, fires really happened in Michigan’s history. Just not in the month mentioned in the book.
I am attaching a meme about Michigan seasons. We’ll call the fire set in “fool’s spring.” My son got married during the “third winter” this year. April 21 and there’s snow on the ground. He and his beautiful bride got married at a water fall (Tahquomenon Falls) very near where the story is set.
Thanks for reading Firestorm!!
Blog Stops
Carpe Diem, July 10
Blogging With Carol, July 10
Reading Is My SuperPower, July 11
Moments Dipped in Ink, July 11
The Avid Reader, July 12
Blossoms and Blessings, July 12
Texas Book-aholic, July 12
God’s Little Bookworm, July 13
Inklings and notions, July 13
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 13
Among the Reads, July 14
Because I said so- adventures in parenting, July 14
Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, July 15
Random Thoughts From a Bookworm, July 15
A Reader’s Brain, July 16
Luv’N Lambert Life, July 16
Daysong Reflections, July 17
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, July 17
Janices book reviews, July 17
Inspiration Clothesline, July 18
lady ansel book blog, July 18
Jeanette’s Thoughts, July 18
cherylbbookblog, July 19
Two Points of Interest, July 19
A Baker’s Perspective, July 19
Pause for Tales, July 20
Ashley’s bookshelf, July 20
amandainpa, July 21
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, July 21
Bigreadersite, July 21
proud to be an autism mom, July 22
Bibliophile Reviews, July 22
For The Love of Books, July 23
Pink Granny’s Journey, July 23
Little Homeschool on the Praire, July 23
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Laura is giving away
Grand prize: Firefighter Puppet 9 (Melissa & Doug), Copies of Amish Firefighter and Firestorm by Laura Hilton.
First place prize of “I Love You to the Cross & Back” Mug (Gardenfire) & Firestorm by Laura Hilton!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/cf87/firestorm-celebration-tour-giveaway
TEASER TUESDAY
TEASER TUESDAY IS A WEEKLY BOOK MEME HOSTED AT THE PURPLE BOOKER. TO JOIN IN, JUST OPEN THE BOOK YOU ARE CURRENTLY READING TO A RANDOM PAGE, AND CHOOSE TWO ‘TEASER’ SENTENCES FROM SOMEWHERE ON THAT PAGE. (NO SPOILERS!)
He nods a little, turning away from me. I watch the muscles in his back tense. I watch his fist clench and unclench. I can see him release a heavy sigh even though I can’t hear it. And then he opens the bedroom door with ease before slamming it shut with all his strength.
Colleen Hoover delivers a tour de force novel about a troubled marriage and the one old forgotten promise that might be able to save it.
Quinn and Graham’s perfect love is threatened by their imperfect marriage. The memories, mistakes, and secrets that they have built up over the years are now tearing them apart. The one thing that could save them might also be the very thing that pushes their marriage beyond the point of repair.
All Your Perfects is a profound novel about a damaged couple whose potential future hinges on promises made in the past. This is a heartbreaking page-turner that asks: Can a resounding love with a perfect beginning survive a lifetime between two imperfect people?
This book shredded my heart!💔💔 My review will be posted on 7/22! Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!
GOODREADS MONDAY
Goodreads Monday is hosted by Lauren’s Page Turners. All you have to do is show off a book from your TBR that you’re looking forward to reading.
FROM GOODREADS:
When Flossy Merrill summons her children to the beloved family beach house to celebrate their father’s eightieth birthday, both cherished memories and long-kept secrets come to light in this charming and lyrical novel from the author of The Lake Season and Mystic Summer.
Flossy Merrill has managed to—somewhat begrudgingly—gather her three ungrateful grown children from their dysfunctional lives for a summer reunion at the family’s Rhode Island beach house. Clementine, her youngest child and a young mother of two small children, has caused Flossy the most worry after enduring a tragically life-altering year. But Samuel and his partner Evan are not far behind in their ability to alarm: their prospective adoption search has just taken a heart-wrenching turn. Only Paige, the eldest of the headstrong Merrill clan, is her usual self: arriving precisely on time with her well-adapted teens. Little does her family know that she, too, is facing personal struggles of her own.
No matter. With her family finally congregated under one seaside roof, Flossy is determined to steer her family back on course even as she prepares to reveal the fate of the summer house that everyone has thus far taken for granted: she’s selling it. The Merrill children are both shocked and outraged and each returns to memories of their childhoods at their once beloved summer house—the house where they have not only grown up, but from which they have grown away. With each lost in their respective heartaches, Clementine, Samuel, and Paige will be forced to reconsider what really matters before they all say goodbye to a house that not only defined their summers, but, ultimately, the ways in which they define themselves.
Featuring McKinnon’s “sharp and evocative” (Kirkus Reviews) voice, this warm-hearted novel is perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Mary Alice Monroe
What do you think? Will you read it? Or have you read it already?
Have a great day and thanks for reading!😊💖
PLAIN EVERYDAY HEROES WITH A GIVEAWAY
About the Book
Title: Plain Everyday Heroes
Author: Laura V. Hilton, Rachel J. Good, Thomas Nye
Genre: Christian Amish
Release Date: July 4, 2018
Playing with Fire
Arie Zimmerman has been in love with Noah Behr from almost the moment they met, but after a devastating wildfire destroys the community, everything changes. Noah questions how a loving Gott could allow such things to happen. As Arie and her family struggle to rebuild their home and lives, Noah escapes to California to fight another off-season wildfire—and maybe find Gott in the process.
When Noah returns, he promises Arie the prize money if she will help him with a chili cook-off to fund the fire department. Of course, in order to spend more time with the girl he loves, he’s also willing to pitch in unloading the new furniture and animals her daed bought at an auction. He’ll even help Arie slice and dice vegetables if he can taste test the recipes.
More than just the kitchen heats up as they spend time together. But will Noah find a still missing Gott in the process and discover there’s more to life than what he initially believed?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Unlikely Hero
Mysteries intrigue secondhand shop owner Benuel Miller. Although strangers may think a blind man would be easy to cheat, those who know Benuel realize he’s honed his other senses to pick up clues his eyes don’t see, making him a savvy business owner. When a stranger enters Benuel’s secondhand shop, the man is shocked by Benuel’s accurate assessment and unsolicited advice. Wary, he hopes Benuel won’t find out his true intentions, but the shopkeeper is already on the case.
Later, Mari and her twin sister, Frannie, stop in Benuel’s shop with Frannie’s three-year-old son, and Benuel senses trouble. His hunches have never led him astray, but is he misreading something here? He can’t help being drawn to Mari, yet is she as sweet and loving as she seems? Or is she hiding a deep, dark secret?
One explosive night when tragedy strikes, Benuel risks his life to find out the truth. Can he unmask the stranger from his shop to foil a sinister plot? And will what he discovers destroy his only chance for love?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Racing the Slow Girls
A recipe for fast-paced, comical, Amish adventure— Ingredients: Three fun-loving teenage boys on bicycles. Mix in an adorable little girl on a pony, a few spunky teenage girls, and a hint of romance. Directions: Place the characters in a beautiful setting, such as Holmes Co. Ohio. Roll in the boys on bikes. Stir up a few harsh words spoken carelessly. Add plenty of retaliation by the girls. Place in the heat of a family emergency until everyone is completely undone. Sit back and enjoy an Amish adventure with a cup of coffee.
Click here to purchase your copy!
About the Authors
Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning, sought-after author with almost twenty Amish, contemporary, and historical romances. When she’s not writing, she reviews books for her blogs, and writes devotionals for blog posts for Seriously Write and Putting on the New.
Laura and her pastor-husband have five children and a hyper dog named Skye. They currently live in Arkansas. One son is in the U.S. Coast Guard. She is a pastor’s wife, and homeschools her two youngest children.
When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys reading, and visiting lighthouses and waterfalls. Her favorite season is winter, her favorite holiday is Christmas.
Rachel J. Good is the author of several Amish series in print or forthcoming—Sisters & Friends, Love & Promises, and two books in the Hearts of Amish Country series—as well as the Amish Quilts Coloring Books and the contemporary novella, Angels Unaware, part of the Hope Chapel series. Visit Rachel at her website: www.racheljgood.com.
Thomas Nye writes novels about horses and Amish life, with a touch of romance, and a foundation of faith in Christ. He and his wife, Shari, live on her family farm where they raised five children. Their six grandchildren love to visit Karma and Karla, a team of draft horses which Thomas purchased from an Amish friend.
Arie’s habanero chili
1 lb stew meat: venison, or beef
1/4 cup bacon bits
1/2 Onion, diced
Green pepper, diced
2 cans of habanero Rotel
1 can tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1/2 cup sliced jalapenos
1 TSP cayenne pepper
3 TB chili powder
2 TB beef bouillon
1 TSP paprika
1 TSP pepper
2 TB garlic
salt to taste
Saute onion and pepper, set aside. Sear stew meat in hot pan until brown. Do not over cook. Add meat and other ingredients to pot and simmer until done. Add water if necessary. Serve with cornbread. Approximately 7 servings
Recipe compliments of Michael Hilton (Laura’s son)
Blog Stops
The Avid Reader, July 7
Among the Reads, July 7
Bibliophile Reviews, July 8
Random Thoughts From a Bookworm, July 8
Texas Book-aholic, July 9
Cherylbbookblog, July 9
proud to be an autism mom, July 10
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, July 10
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 11
Mary Hake, July 11
Janices book reviews, July 12
Blogging With Carol, July 12
Because I said so – Adventures in Parenting , July 13
Quiet Quilter, July 13
Reading Is My SuperPower, July 14
Jeanette’s Thoughts, July 15
Carpe Diem, July 16
A Baker’s Perspective, July 17
Maureen’s Musings, July 18
Splashes of Joy, July 18
Bigreadersite , July 19
Luv’N Lambert Life, July 19
Pink Granny’s Journey, July 20
Blossoms and Blessings, July 20
Giveaway
To celebrate the tour, Celebrate Lit is giving away
Grand prize: a $25 Amazon gift card
1st – 4th place: eBook copy of Plain Everyday Heroes!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/d19d/plain-everyday-heroes-celebration-tour-giveaway
SUNDAY BOOKISH LOVE
Have a beautiful Sunday everyone!!😊💖
MY NETGALLEY HAUL THIS WEEK
Well, not too bad this week! Only three, but I haven’t browsed all week and my fingers are itching to click some REQUEST buttons!😊 So I have a feeling next week’s haul is going to be alot more! Okay, here we go……
Have an awesome weekend and happy reading!😊📚📚💖
REVIEW:THE LIFE LUCY KNEW BY KARMA BROWN
The Life Lucy Knew
Karma Brown
Wow, all I can say is, this story blew me away! Keep the tissues close by as you are reading THE LIFE LUCY KNEW by Karma Brown. She will have your emotions all over the place. Once I started reading, it was very hard to stop! The twists and turns made it impossible to put down, as I had to know what was going to happen to Lucy. Lucy Sparks falls down, hits her head and she can’t remember her life. The only things she remembers seem to be phantom memories!
THE LIFE LUCY KNEW had me flipping through the pages like a woman on a mission. I had to know what was going to happen to Lucy and Matt and all the secondary characters. Annie is shattered after learning she has lost four years worth of her memories. She thinks she is happily married to Daniel but really, she is in a relationship with Matt. Daniel is her ex fiancé and she hadn’t seen him in years. How can her brain be so confused? The only thing she remembers about Matt is that he is her co worker. Oh yeah, the story is just that crazy good! Once you start reading, it will be very hard to put down!
THE LIFE LUCY KNEW is without a doubt one of the most original books I’ve read in 2018 so far. I was instantly emotionally invested in all of the characters. I have never read a book by Karma Brown before but now that I’ve read this one, I’m going to check out her previous books and read them all too! All of Karma’s characters feel genuine and relatable and put your emotions on one heck of a roller coaster ride. As you are reading, you will find yourself cheering for all of them, praying they can work out their problems and be happy once again. You will soon be wondering if Lucy will ever be able to get her memory back. Karma’s writing is very engaging and hooked me from the very first page. The suspense and mystery kept me reading late into the night and I had to know how much Lucy would remember. Would she go back to Daniel even though he was married to someone else? Would she eventually remember how much Matt meant to her?
FROM GOODREADS:
One woman is about to discover everything she believes-knows-to be true about her life…isn’t.
After hitting her head, Lucy Sparks awakens in the hospital to a shocking revelation: the man she’s known and loved for years-the man she recently married-is not actually her husband. In fact, they haven’t even spoken since their breakup four years earlier. The happily-ever-after she remembers in vivid detail-right down to the dress she wore to their wedding-is only one example of what her doctors call a false memory: recollections Lucy’s mind made up to fill in the blanks from the coma.
Her psychologist explains the condition as honest lying, because while Lucy’s memories are false, they still feel incredibly real. Now she has no idea which memories she can trust-a devastating experience not only for Lucy, but also for her family, friends and especially her devoted boyfriend, Matt, whom Lucy remembers merely as a work colleague.
When the life Lucy believes she had slams against the reality she’s been living for the past four years, she must make a difficult choice about which life she wants to lead, and who she really is.
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!😊💖
FIRST LINE FRIDAYS
Welcome to First Line Fridays, hosted by Hoarding Books!!!
Today, my first line comes from a book I am reading next.
For the second time in her life, Katie Beiler prayed for God to change His mind, to make His will reflect hers. But the click of her parents ’ bedroom door, followed by her dat’s sad eyes and pasty complexion, told her it wasn’t to be. “It is time, Katie.”
FROM GOODREADS:
Katie Beiler was always the follower to her twin sister Hannah’s lead. That is until Hannah left their Amish upbringing for an English life—leaving Katie to find her own footing in a world that no longer looks as it once did . . .
Katie has always imagined her life being just like Mamm’s. It’s why she chose baptism and why she’ll soon marry Abram Zook. But ever since Hannah left, the only thing that truly makes Katie smile is the sketchpad in which she indulges her talent for drawing faces—a sin that, if discovered, could get her shunned by her family, her friends, and even Abram. Yet Katie sees her secret pastime as the only way to quiet a growing restlessness she’d just as soon ignore. That is until their Mamm’s untimely death brings Hannah back home to Pennsylvania, with a new outlook on life, a man she adores, and, soon, an invitation for Katie to visit her in New York City.
Suddenly, Katie is experiencing a freedom she’s never had, in a world she never imagined. She’s also spending time in the company of a fellow dreamer, someone who sees her as strong and brave and makes her laugh. But it’s when Hannah shows Katie’s drawings to a gallery owner that she truly finds herself at a crossroads between the only life she’s ever known and the powerful lure of an unfamiliar future
NOW IT IS YOUR TURN! GRAB THE BOOK YOU ARE CURRENTLY READING, OPEN TO CHAPTER ONE, AND POST THE FIRST SENTENCE (OR SECOND SENTENCE) IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.
