Category: Family Drama

Happy #blogmas! Albeit a few months late! A #ChristmasReads book review | “Tales of a Paperboy” (A Christmas Story) by Andrew J. Mair

Posted Sunday, 9 February, 2025 by jorielov , , 0 Comments

#blogmas book review banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: In (2020), I was contacted by Andrew J. Mair to review his novel “Tales of a Paperboy” (A Christmas Story) and I was very grateful to receive his novel for review consideration at that time. I don’t completely remember the order of events which led me to push forward this review by four years – however, since (2020) and especially the last two years wherein my father entered the hospital and exited into long-term care – I would presume there were a lot of different reasons why I kept finding myself losing traction to read and review this lovely novel until now. I do regret it took me this long to pick up the book again but I am grateful I can finally put mind and heart into the story and share my reactions with my readers and followers alike whilst giving the author a chance to know how the story resonated with me.

I received a complimentary copy of “Tales of a Paperboy (A Christmas Story)” direct from the author Andrew J. Mair in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein. 

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On the harder undertone of the novel “Tales of a Paperboy”:

I, believe one of the reasons I struggled to read this over the last four years was due to the nature of the story itself as it is about a young both of fourteen who is grieving the loss of his mother from Cancer. It was an aggressive form of the disease and she sadly, passed away during Christmas. It threw his entire family into a maelstrom of emotions and grief, and it took a long time for them to emerge out of that sorrow to where joy could be a part of their lives again.

Mair delves directly into that nexus of emotion when you’re on the fringes of losing a loved one whilst he counters the harder undertones of the story with flashbacks and sequences of insight which stem from the journals left behind by Daniel’s grandmother. As she had written a full account of what life was like during that time and how hard it was to process the hours as they were lived as much as it was hard to reconcile what had happened after Daniel’s Mom had died.

I usually shy away from reading stories about terminal illness because they are just emotionally wrecking to read. However, I do make a few exceptions to that rule – Tales of a Paperboy felt like such a strong story to read because it was about a young boy choosing to find his own path through his grief and to find out how courage can take you to a place in life you hadn’t expected to arrive. I was not disappointed but for those who are sensitive to stories involving terminal illness and Cancer, take caution with your readerly heart as this story might be a bit too hard for you to read. Just know – this is definitely Daniel’s story, but grief is a main factor of this timeline within his story.

There is the sense of abandonment Daniel feels for his father isn’t with him as he had to travel out of state for work. Daniel feels lost and alone and adrift, and you can understand why because his whole world has been upturnt. He’s lost his friends when we relocated, and his sense of purpose and direction has become a bit muddled in the process. This is a coming-of-age story about overcoming personal loss and finding yourself through your growing years.

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Sadly, I was on track to finish reading this novel during December, until my work hours overtook all my days off and I quite literally worked 13 out of the final 14 days of the year. Some years, you find yourself overly extended during the holidays with work and this year was definitely one of the heavier workloads I’ve managed to undertake! Last year was quite similar and I’m not entirely sure how I survived both holidays back-to-back! The only small bit of good news this year, I was able to sneak in time with my father whilst Mum and I watched quite a few Christmas films which lifted my spirits as much as watching Leeanne’s vlogs on Cocktail Hour at the Coop!

I will admit though, the heaviness of this story is very hard to read at the holidays – it might be better suited to a different time of year to read whilst embracing the elements of Christmas knitted into the story. Any story which touches on Cancer and Christmas is going to be an emotional read and FYI if you’re a sensitive reader to those topics like I am myself (ie. terminal illness, Cancer, etc) you’ll find yourself at times struggling to finish reading the story because you might be concerned about what the next pages will review. I hope my review will give a bit of keen insight into the story but also, as a guide to help other readers know if they can handle the content of it.

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Happy #blogmas! Albeit a few months late! A #ChristmasReads book review | “Tales of a Paperboy” (A Christmas Story) by Andrew J. MairTales of a Paperboy
Subtitle: A Christmas Story
by Andrew J. Mair
Source: Direct from Author

Following the death of his mother, fourteen-year-old Daniel Morgan moves from Texas to Utah to live with his grandma and new step-grandfather while his dad pursues a job out of state.

Encouraged by his father, Daniel reluctantly starts his first job as a paperboy. Lonely and lost in an unfamiliar environment and with the holidays approaching, Daniel finds comfort and hope in the sound of local church bells.

Through his grandparents and the retired families living on his paper route, Daniel learns valuable lessons about responsibility and family. But will he find the spirit of Christmas he longs for?

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Christmas Story &/or Christmas Romance



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9798670394819

Published by Self Published

on 17th August, 2020

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 221

This novel is Self-Published

Converse via: #ChristmasReads, #ChristmasBooks

About Andrew J. Mair

Andrew Mair

Andrew J. Mair is a Texas-based, Utah born, personal blogger and writer of fiction. He participates in several podcasts as a social media manager and contributor, most notably, the Utah based show, in podcast form, The Cultural Hall. 

His first book, Tales of a Paperboy – A Christmas Story, was released on August 17, 2020.

Andrew writes several personal blogs, including one entirely dedicated to Christmas. During December for many years, Andrew posts every day from December 1st to Christmas Eve about a range of holiday topics ranging from Christmas Carols and Angels and Shepherds also Santa Claus.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • #blogmas 2024
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Posted Sunday, 9 February, 2025 by jorielov in #blogmas, 21st Century, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Epistolary Novel | Non-Fiction, Family Drama, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Life Shift, Modern Day, Small Towne Fiction, Small Towne USA

Happy #blogmas! A #RomanceTuesdays Book Review | “The Doctor’s Christmas Dilemma” by Danielle Thorne

Posted Tuesday, 17 December, 2024 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

#blogmas book review banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: In (2020) Ms Thorne contacted me about her first Love Inspired novel (“His Daughter’s Prayer”) of which I reviewed and hosted her during @SatBookChat. Fast forward to 2022 and I caught a notice about her review team which led me to asking her about joining the team. I was delighted to receive her second release with Love Inspired as I had fondly remembered the joy I had in reading her debut with the publisher. I was grateful I could join her review team knowing how much I love her writing instincts for telling Contemporary INSPY Romantic stories as much as the fact I love reading stories by this publisher for Romantic Suspense.

I received a complimentary copy of “The Doctor’s Christmas Dilemma” direct from the author Danielle Thorne in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein. Per the badge at the end of this review, I am also a member of the author’s Review Team. All promo materials for this novel were provided by the author herself and are used with permission.

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On the joy of reading Love Inspired by Ms Thorne:

I truly loved how she developed the character of Ali – a woman who was self-determined to make it on her own terms and to develop a small farm that not only could sustain itself but have enough profit for its owner. I love that about having land where the land itself can produce what you need and even more which can be shared with your community. Farming in all varieties on the local level is where the future is because they have the tendency to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly with lower impacts on the natural environs around them. It was refreshing to see all of this explored and celebrated throughout my readings of The Beekeeper Next Door.

In this novel, I saw the growth of Thorne’s writing style as she interwove more of the faith-based antidotes and references into the storyline. She also found a better balance in how she told the story – by letting the characters take us on a fuller journey without resolving some aspects of that journey for us as readers. She wasn’t telling us but allowing us to see those moments of growth as her characters started to expand their hearts and minds in front of us. I even appreciated how she showed how they each had to process the passage of the past with the newer truths they uncovered in the present. Life is hard enough but overcoming loss (ie. death of a parent or a spouse, as this story focuses on both) is a personal journey of its own and not one that is easily navigable. It takes time and it takes patience, and it takes a lot of faith and prayer to overcome to where living doesn’t feel oppressively hard. Lose is part of all our lives but it is one of the harder moments to reconcile especially when it comes to our emotions and memories – and Thorne did a great job of showing that side of it too, as she focused on Ali and Heath’s path towards self-healing.

-quoted from my book review of The Beekeeper Next Door

I have have been happily reading the stories by Ms Thorne for the last four years – as it all started when I read her Jane Austen inspired novel Josette. From there, I followed her into her publishing career at Love Inspired. Becoming a member of her Review Team has been an honour and a joy to see her personal growth as a writer but also, to tuck close into the lives of the characters’ she’s been bringing to life. I love the gentle storytelling styling of hers but also, the convicting characters who have such realistic lives who have relatable obstacles to work through and endearing romances to rally behind.

Each story is a bit of a treasure to read because of the heart and soul knitted into the framework of the stories themselves. For readers who already appreciate INSPY Fiction, they will be won over by Thorne’s style of narrative but also, the homespun small towne settings wherein you feel an immediate part of the local communities she’s built into her novels. I love the uplift of spirit reading her stories, too. The stories are inspiring and give your heart a lift of joy to read them.

For these reasons, I am a reader who is full of appreciation for having crossed her path and am happy I can continue to celebrate her stories and be a book cheerleader for her as we embark on a New Year of stories and characters throughout 2025.

Speaking of which, the new novel forthcoming next Spring, 2025 is about a baker! As mentioned during my last Sunday Post, baking is an art and skill of interest of my own! In fact, I’ve determined to make the New Year one of exploring baking more and of sorting out how to keep a sourdough starter inasmuch as I want to perfect baking bread and other homemade goodies with a keen interest in making them healthier and less sweet but not with an absence of sweet but using better ingredients than regular sugars, etc.

Thereby, I am most intrigued by reading a story set in or around a bakery – I was also keenly curious, is the baker the girl or the bloke? I oft wondered if anyone might make the baker the bloke rather than the girl as there are a lot of guys who love baking as much as girls’ too. Whichever route the story takes, I’m dearly intrigued and ready!

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Books by Danielle Thorne photo collage created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: jorielovesastory.com

The Doctor's Christmas Dilemma
Subtitle: Coming home is just the beginning...
by Danielle Thorne
Source: Author Review Team

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Sweet Romance, Contemporary Romance



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781335597014

Also by this author: Josette, His Daughter's Prayer

Published by Love INSPIRED

on 24th October, 2023

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Pages: 217

Published by: Love Inspired (@LoveInspiredBks)
an imprint of Harlequin Books (@HarlequinBooks)
which is now an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing (@HarperCollins)

Note on Formats: Happily, Love Inspired novels have the same kind of flexibility as Harlequin Heartwarming wherein you can receive these print copies in Regular Print, Larger Print or True Large Print for those who are vision impaired and/or have low vision. I personally love the Larger Print editions for Harlequin Heartwarming, Love Inspired Contemporary Romance & Love Inspired Suspense as it is much kinder on eyes of a migraineur! Generally, I receive Larger Print copies of Love Inspired and/or Harlequin Heartwarming novels – however, I do on occasion receive Regular Print which I can’t read whilst in the throes of a migraine or shortly after one but when I’m migraine-free I can soak back inside them; hence why having different sized fonts available is a lovely gesture by the publisher for readers like me.

Converse via: #SweetRomance, #SweetRomanceReads or #SweetRomanceBooks

and #LoveInspiredBooks as well as #ChristFic, #ChristianFiction, #ContemporaryRomance,
#INSPYRomance or #ChristianFictionBooks on #bookstagram

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

More Inspy Romantic stories by Danielle Throne:

His Daughter's Prayer by Danielle ThorneA Promise for His Daughter by Danielle ThorneA Home for the Twins by Danielle Thorne

Books by Danielle Thorne photo collage created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: jorielovesastory.comA Guardian Till Christmas by Danielle Throne

His Daughter’s Prayer (2020) | see also Review

Falling for the Coach (2022)

A Promise for His Daughter (2022) | see also Review
*This is the start of Kudzu Creek series

A Home for the Twins (2023) | see also Review
*The second story of Kudzu Creek series

The Doctor’s Christmas Dilemma (2023)
*The third story of Kudzu Creek series

The Beekeeper Next Door (2024) | see also Review
*This is the start of the Lagrasse series

A Guardian Until Christmas (NEW release: October, 2024)
*The second story of the Legrasse series

Winning Over the Baker (*forthcoming: April, 2025)

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About Danielle Thorne

Danielle Thorne

Danielle Thorne writes from south of Atlanta, Georgia. She is the author of over fifteen historical and contemporary sweet romances. A graduate of BYU-Idaho, she has also published young adult non-fiction and worn an editor's cap. Her new release is a 2020 historical series set in the United States and follows the period of the American Revolution. Her first book with Harlequin's Love Inspired line will be out this summer.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • #blogmas 2024
Divider

Posted Tuesday, 17 December, 2024 by jorielov in #blogmas, #RomanceTuesdays, 21st Century, Contemporary Romance, Content Note, Family Drama, Fly in the Ointment, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Life Shift, Modern Day, Motherhood | Parenthood, Romance Fiction, Second Chance Love, Single Fathers, Small Towne Fiction, Small Towne USA, Southeastern USA

Happy #RomanceTuesdays feat. a #LoveInspired Book Review | “The Beekeeper Next Door” by Danielle Thorne

Posted Tuesday, 9 July, 2024 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

#RomanceTuesdays badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: In (2020) Ms Thorne contacted me about her first Love Inspired novel (“His Daughter’s Prayer”) of which I reviewed and hosted her during @SatBookChat. Fast forward to 2022 and I caught a notice about her review team which led me to asking her about joining the team. I was delighted to receive her second release with Love Inspired as I had fondly remembered the joy I had in reading her debut with the publisher. I was grateful I could join her review team knowing how much I love her writing instincts for telling Contemporary INSPY Romantic stories as much as the fact I love reading stories by this publisher for Romantic Suspense.

I received a complimentary copy of “The Beekeeper Next Door” direct from the author Danielle Thorne in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein. Per the badge at the end of this review, I am also a member of the author’s Review Team. All promo materials for this novel were provided by the author herself and are used with permission.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

On why I love reading Love Inspired Contemporary:

I have been an appreciator of reading gently told relationship-based Romances for years now as it was a co-joined interest of my Mum and me. This goes back to the days where you could receive a subscription by mail for the Heartsong Presents stories? And, this predates Love Inspired in though as time shifted forward, Love Inspired took over this niche of interest. Originally there were three different types of Love Inspired, too, Contemporary, Historical and Suspense. The first and latter lasted the longest but they occasionally bring back the Historicals.

I took a bit of a hiatus from reading the Contemporaries by Love Inspired (LI) and opted to focus on the authors under their Suspense line instead. A journey which led to a look of book gathering at libraries and hearty discussion with Mum about the characters, the series and the different styles of the writers behind the books. I’m not sure when I decided to take a chance on reading the Contemporaries again, but shortly after I did, I discovered the collective works of Danielle Thorne through my adventures as a book blogger and that led me into being a part of her Review Team.

I’m hoping to be featuring more LI authors this year on my blog, as I have another lovely sequencing of stories by an LI author I haven’t had the pleasure to read in full yet and as I’m keenly interested in keep LI in my life more full-time again, I look forward to seeing where the months led me as I journey back into imprint of choice. The main reasons I love reading the Contemporaries or the Suspense novels by LI is the backbone of the stories include elements of faith whilst living, strong realistic characters, beautiful settings and more times than not and small townes whose communities are just as important as the lead and supporting characters. I love relationship-based romances (both mainstream and faith-based) and the LI romances are an uplift of joy to read due to how their nearly always slow-burns except for the occasional one wherein the characters had a more insta-connection to each other but still, their romance had to develop and blossom through the central arc of their story, too.

My pursuit of LI is in conjunction with my Mum’s and it has become a lovely co-tradition of ours to continue to seek out these lovely authors whilst sharing our joy and affection for their stories as they continue to draw us into the lives of their characters.

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Happy #RomanceTuesdays feat. a #LoveInspired Book Review | “The Beekeeper Next Door” by Danielle ThorneThe Beekeeper Next Door
Subtitle: They're drawn together like bees to honey...
by Danielle Thorne
Source: Author Review Team

Returning to his hometown to clean up his late parents’ home, professor Heath Underwood has no intention of making his stay permanent. Especially when he discovers his neighbor is a beekeeper. But avoiding widow Ali Harding proves difficult when her eight-year-old son bonds with him and his dog. As Heath spends more time with them, his fear of bees—and heartbreak—could stand in the way of his happily-ever-after…

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Sweet Romance, Contemporary Romance



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781335597489

Also by this author: Josette, His Daughter's Prayer

Published by Love INSPIRED

on 25th June, 2024

Format: Paperback ARC

Pages: 201

Published by: Love Inspired (@LoveInspiredBks)
an imprint of Harlequin Books (@HarlequinBooks)
which is now an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing (@HarperCollins)

Note on Formats: Happily, Love Inspired novels have the same kind of flexibility as Harlequin Heartwarming wherein you can receive these print copies in Regular Print, Larger Print or True Large Print for those who are vision impaired and/or have low vision. I personally love the Larger Print editions for Harlequin Heartwarming, Love Inspired Contemporary Romance & Love Inspired Suspense as it is much kinder on eyes of a migraineur! Generally, I receive Larger Print copies of Love Inspired and/or Harlequin Heartwarming novels – however, I do on occasion receive Regular Print which I can’t read whilst in the throes of a migraine or shortly after one but when I’m migraine-free I can soak back inside them; hence why having different sized fonts available is a lovely gesture by the publisher for readers like me.

Converse via: #SweetRomance, #SweetRomanceReads or #SweetRomanceBooks

and #LoveInspiredBooks as well as #ChristFic, #ChristianFiction, #ContemporaryRomance,
#INSPYRomance or #ChristianFictionBooks on #bookstagram

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

11th Annual Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

This story took the award for BEST INSPY Contemporary Romance.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

More Inspy Romantic stories by Danielle Throne:

His Daughter's Prayer by Danielle ThorneA Promise for His Daughter by Danielle ThorneA Home for the Twins by Danielle Thorne

His Daughter’s Prayer (2020) | see also Review

Falling for the Coach (2022)

A Promise for His Daughter (2022) | see also Review

A Home for the Twins (2023) | see also Review

The Doctor’s Christmas Dilemma (2023)

The Beekeeper Next Door (NEW release: 25th June 2024)
*I read somewhere this is the start of the Lagrasse series

A Guardian Until Christmas (*forthcoming, October, 2024)

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

About Danielle Thorne

Danielle Thorne

Danielle Thorne writes from south of Atlanta, Georgia. She is the author of over fifteen historical and contemporary sweet romances. A graduate of BYU-Idaho, she has also published young adult non-fiction and worn an editor's cap. Her new release is a 2020 historical series set in the United States and follows the period of the American Revolution. Her first book with Harlequin's Love Inspired line will be out this summer.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com Read More

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Posted Tuesday, 9 July, 2024 by jorielov in 21st Century, Contemporary Romance, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Family Drama, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Life Shift, Modern Day, Motherhood | Parenthood, Romance Fiction, Single Mothers, Small Towne Fiction, Small Towne USA, Southeastern USA, Widows & Widowers

An #INSPYSundays Book Review | “A Home for the Twins” (Love Inspired) by Danielle Thorne

Posted Sunday, 30 June, 2024 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

#INSPYSundays banner made my Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: In (2020) Ms Thorne contacted me about her first Love Inspired novel (“His Daughter’s Prayer”) of which I reviewed and hosted her during @SatBookChat. Fast forward to 2022 and I caught a notice about her review team which led me to asking her about joining the team. I was delighted to receive her second release with Love Inspired as I had fondly remembered the joy I had in reading her debut with the publisher. I was grateful I could join her review team knowing how much I love her writing instincts for telling Contemporary INSPY Romantic stories as much as the fact I love reading stories by this publisher for Romantic Suspense.

I received a complimentary copy of “A Home for the Twins” direct from the author Danielle Thorne in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein. Per the badge at the end of this review, I am also a member of the author’s Review Team. All promo materials for this novel were provided by the author herself and are used with permission.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

On returning to reading Love Inspired Contemporary & Suspense:

I had indeed planned to return to reading Ms Thorne’s novels and more Love Inspired stories quite regularly last year – around the time this novel arrived actually as I was trying to resettle into a regular rhythm of reading both Love Inspired Contemporary and Love Inspired Suspense. I share an affinity for the Suspense line of stories with my Mum and we oft will tag-team reading them together. We love having conversations about the different authors’ styles and the lives of the characters we meet against the pages. Those are wicked lovely adventures we take-on together but in respect to reading Ms Thorne’s novels, I simply lost my focus with reading last year and reluctantly had to admit I needed more time to re-pursue reading her lovely stories. The best difference this year has been the addition of Progressive lens in my life which is allowing me to have a bit more freedom when it comes to reading. My migraines have also reduced as part of their frequency last year were due to having issues with my vision. That isn’t the main cause of my chronic migraines but it was causing additional ones to occur and blessedly that has been nipped in the bud so to speak.

I’ve longed to resettle into both Love Inspired and Ms Thorne’s novels for two key reasons: a wicked uplift of inspirational joy to read and I’ve missed the spiritual threads of story interwoven with realistic characters living lives you want to become a part of as a reader. I’ve missed reading overall and now I have a new beginning with reading being able to see the words again with my new glasses. It feels like a restorative blessing this year for me to recapture a bit of the time I’ve lost and begin anew. I look forward to reading three of her stories back-to-back as well – as I have this lovely from last Spring, a Christmas one from last November and of course, her latest release The Beekeeper Next Door which I’ll be featuring next Sunday! Be sure to revisit with me in July as I will be featuring The Doctor’s Christmas Dilemma as a bit of Christmas in July. I have a few other stories planned within this same theme of context, too.

Overall, it is shaping up to being a lovely Summer – full of Romance, a few Christmas reads, Young Adult and Middle stories, a good dose of Fantasy, a wicked Suspense or Thriller thrown in for good measure and dash of Inspirational stories. I can’t wait to see how Summer continues to enliven my readerly life with the stories I’m choosing to read right now.

On why I enjoy reading stories by Danielle Thorne:

Thorne is one of the authors I appreciate reading because she carries a thread of relatability through her stories and her vision of her characters’ lives. I appreciate the topics she broaches through her stories but also, rooting us in the real world through her perception of what her characters can live through as she tells their story. Yet is how she visually places you into the setting which grabs your eye the most – being well-travelled through the Southeast, I knew of the route Thorne took to place us into this small towne of Southern Georgia. She even graced the setting with small touches of personalised observations seen through Claire’s description of arriving into Kudzu Creek (not my favourite name of a towne!).

There is a lot to unpack in this Contemporary Romance – especially the timeline of when Dori had Emily and when Claire took over her guardianship which is an interesting twist in the novel when you consider who the father is to Emily. I felt Thorne was doing a great job leading us into the quagmire of unearthing the past which connected both the timeline of her story but also with the events connecting all the central characters together. It is an interesting history of course and as those connections come to surface for the reader, it was lovely to see the revelations which meant the most to the characters took a bit more time to become disclosed.

Thorne approached referencing the faith centering her characters lives in a very subtle way. Bradley mentioned it whilst talking to his cousin Donovan in regards to how he changed his life for the better and how his faith is important to him even more now than it was in the past. This subtle way of inclusion worked best for the plot as both Bradley and Claire were at the start of new beginnings for the trajectory of their lives. She needed to prove to herself she could be self-sufficient and raise a daughter whilst Bradley was trying to make a name for himself as a historic restorator of homes.

For a slow-brewing romance what was more disheartening were the dramas unfolding behind the romance itself – especially when it concerned Bradley’s parents. Thorne did a wonderful job at showing how strict and reserved parents can become when they are blinded by their own influence on their children’s lives. I felt she handled that part of the story with as much grace as she could as a writer owning to the realism of what people have to contend with given similar circumstances. in the background of course is this lovely community – where neighbours and community members are the found family you never knew you were seeking but were thankful to have within your inner circle. It was also the kind of place you could start over and determine for yourself the kind of life you wanted to live and that was the best message of all.

-quoted from my review of A Promise for His Daughter

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An #INSPYSundays Book Review | “A Home for the Twins” (Love Inspired) by Danielle ThorneA Home for the Twins
Subtitle: A little double trouble turns a house into a home
by Danielle Thorne
Source: Author Review Team

Becoming the chef at her aunt’s small-town inn is exactly the new beginning single mom Lindsey Judd needs. But balancing her job with her twin boys proves harder than she thought, especially when she discovers that lawyer Donovan Ainsworth wants to buy the inn for his own reasons. As Donovan starts to fall for
Lindsey and her boys, will her little troublemakers become matchmakers as well?

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Sweet Romance, Contemporary Romance



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781335585646

Also by this author: Josette, His Daughter's Prayer

Published by Love INSPIRED

on 28th March, 2023

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Pages: 224

Published by: Love Inspired (@LoveInspiredBks)
an imprint of Harlequin Books (@HarlequinBooks)
which is now an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing (@HarperCollins)

Note on Formats: Happily, Love Inspired novels have the same kind of flexibility as Harlequin Heartwarming wherein you can receive these print copies in Regular Print, Larger Print or True Large Print for those who are vision impaired and/or have low vision. I personally love the Larger Print editions for Harlequin Heartwarming, Love Inspired Contemporary Romance & Love Inspired Suspense as it is much kinder on eyes of a migraineur! Generally, I receive Larger Print copies of Love Inspired and/or Harlequin Heartwarming novels – however, I do on occasion receive Regular Print which I can’t read whilst in the throes of a migraine or shortly after one but when I’m migraine-free I can soak back inside them; hence why having different sized fonts available is a lovely gesture by the publisher for readers like me.

Converse via: #SweetRomance, #SweetRomanceReads or #SweetRomanceBooks

and #LoveInspiredBooks as well as #ChristFic, #ChristianFiction, #ContemporaryRomance,
#INSPYRomance or #ChristianFictionBooks on #bookstagram

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

More Inspy Romantic stories by Danielle Throne:

His Daughter’s Prayer (2020) | see also Review

Falling for the Coach (2022)

A Promise for His Daughter (2022) | see also Review

A Home for the Twins (2023)

The Doctor’s Christmas Dilemma (2023)

The Beekeeper Next Door (NEW release: 25th June 2024)

A Guardian Until Christmas (*forthcoming, October, 2024)

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

About Danielle Thorne

Danielle Thorne

Danielle Thorne writes from south of Atlanta, Georgia. She is the author of over fifteen historical and contemporary sweet romances. A graduate of BYU-Idaho, she has also published young adult non-fiction and worn an editor's cap. Her new release is a 2020 historical series set in the United States and follows the period of the American Revolution. Her first book with Harlequin's Love Inspired line will be out this summer.

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Posted Sunday, 30 June, 2024 by jorielov in 21st Century, Contemporary Romance, Divorce & Martial Strife, Family Drama, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Life Shift, Modern Day, Motherhood | Parenthood, Romance Fiction, Single Mothers, Small Towne Fiction, Small Towne USA, Southeastern USA

Blog Book Tour | feat. The Blackstone Legacy series by Elizabeth Camden

Posted Saturday, 4 February, 2023 by jorielov , , , , , , , 0 Comments

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Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours whereupon I am thankful to have been able to host such a diverse breadth of stories, authors and wonderful guest features since I became a hostess! HFVBTs is one of the very first touring companies I started working with as a 1st Year Book Blogger – uniting my love and passion with Historical Fiction and the lovely sub-genres inside which I love devouring. It has been a wicked fantastical journey into the heart of the historic past, wherein I’ve been blessed truly by discovering new timescapes, new living realities of the persons who once lived (ie. Biographical Historical Fiction) inasmuch as itched my healthy appetite for Cosy Historical Mysteries! If there is a #HistRom out there it is generally a beloved favourite and I love soaking into a wicked wonderful work of Historical Fiction where you feel the beauty of the historic world, the depth of the characters and the joyfulness in which the historical novelists brought everything to light in such a lovingly diverse palette of portraiture of the eras we become time travellers through their stories.

I received a complimentary copy of “Hearts of Steel” direct from the publisher Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. The Digital Audiobook copy of Carved in Stone” and “Written on the Wind” were available via my library’s CloudLibrary. My ruminations on behalf of the audiobooks (books one and two) are being shared for my own edification and to help introduce my readers to the series overall whilst sharing my own journey in its discovery. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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Why I wanted to read this series:

When I first started blogging, I was going to set out to read new authors of INSPY Lit I hadn’t had the pleasure of reading previously. It was through my visitations with Casey Herringshaw’s blog which inspired the list I had developed of seeking out new and established INSPY authors who were drawing the eye of book bloggers like Ms Herringshaw and readers alike. It was through reading her blog rather extensively I found the list which was then developed in the final #70AuthorsChallenge. Uniquely, Elizabeth Camden happens to be the 67th author out of my original #70AuthorsChallenge List – as I disclosed ahead of reading her Empire State series.

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What I hadn’t realised is that I had uncovered another intriguing saga to read whilst I start to shift back into the O’ Connors saga by Julie Lessman. I have had a firm penchant for INSPY dramatic Historical Fiction (ie. sagas, series, and multi-generational quartets or trilogies) and it always a wicked wonderful day when I realise I can settle into a trilogy and/or saga which is beautifully layered and dearly engrossing! As soon as I put on my headphones and began to listen to ‘Carved in Stone’ the first novel of the Blackstone Legacy series, I found myself smitten with the narrator and completely entranced with the developing story Camden had written.

She has a wonderful way of developing the momentum of a series early-on whilst grounding us through an engaging narrative that propels us forward and leaves us itching for more details. Those wordsmirths like Camden give me a wicked good read and I am grateful that my library had the first two novels in audiobook – allowing me to gain a foothold into the series before I moved into the last installment which is being highlighted on this lovely blog tour: “Hearts of Steel”.

Originally, I had planned to listen to both the first and second novel in full ahead of reading the third novel in print; however, the hours kept erasing themselves off the clock this past week as I had to double-down on my work hours (ie. double shifts) whilst dealing with an issue with our car and recovering from a charley horse yesterday as well as a small bout of illness that was most unwelcome and ill-timed! I decided to re-shape the context of my post for the blog tour and discuss what I enjoyed within the first moments of all three novels whilst leaving the door open for when I can resume my listening of the series and complete my joys of feeling anchoured in the Blackstone Legacy series overall.

I hope my shortened ruminations might tempt you to check out the series for yourself – or encourage you to take a look at some of Camden’s other stories and series as well. This is the second time I’ve had the chance to read one of her series on a blog tour and I am most grateful for being included on the tour – despite failing to post within the original time-line of the tour itself. I missed it by a day and I regret that but am full of appreciation to the publisher for sending me ‘Hearts of Steel’ as much as I am for being included on the tour list by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours.

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Blog Book Tour | feat. The Blackstone Legacy series by Elizabeth CamdenHearts of Steel
by Elizabeth Camden
Source: Publisher via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Eloise Drake's prim demeanor hides the turbulent past she believes is finally behind her. A mathematical genius, she's now a successful accountant for the largest engineering project in 1908 New York. But to her dismay, her new position puts her back in the path of the man responsible for her deepest heartbreak.

Alex Duval is the mayor of a town about to be wiped off the map. The state plans to flood the entire valley where his town sits in order to build a new reservoir, and Alex is stunned to discover the woman he once loved on the team charged with the demolition. With his world crumbling around him, Alex devises a risky plan to save his town--but he needs Eloise's help to succeed.

Alex is determined to win back the woman he thought he'd lost forever, but even their combined ingenuity may not be enough to overcome the odds against them.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Historical Romance



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: ‎978-0764238451

Also by this author: A Dangerous Legacy

Published by Bethany House Publishers

on 17th January, 2023

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 336

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The Blackstone Legacy series:

Carved in Stone (book one)

Written on the Wind (book two)

Hearts of Steel (book three)

Published by: Bethany House Publishers (@bethany_house)

an imprint of Baker Publishing Group

Formats Available: Hardback, Trade Paperback, Audiobook and Ebook

Converse via: #HistoricalFiction or #HistFic and #HistRom

#INSPYRomance + #INSPY or #INSPYBooks

About Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is the author of twelve historical novels and two historical novellas and has been honored with both the RITA Award and the Christy Award. With a master's in history and a master's in library science, she is a research librarian by day and scribbles away on her next novel by night. She lives with her husband in Florida.

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Posted Saturday, 4 February, 2023 by jorielov in #25PagePreview, 19th Century, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Brothers and Sisters, Family Drama, Family Life, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Romance, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction | Non-Fiction, New York City, Romance Fiction, the Gilded Age