Genre: Ranches & Cowboys

Blog Book Tour | “A Cowboy’s Pride” (Book Four: Rocky Mountain Cowboys) by Karen Rock Whilst feat. reviews of “Christmas at Cade Ranch” and “Falling for a Cowboy” books one and two in the series!

Posted Saturday, 29 September, 2018 by jorielov , , , , 2 Comments

Book Review badge created by Jorie in Canva using Unsplash.com photography (Creative Commons Zero).

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

I would imagine your curious about this post – specifically, why it is a bit more unique than my usual blog tour reviews!? I had the chance to read the first book in the Rocky Mountain Cowboys series – ‘Christmas at Cade Ranch’ and the second in the series ‘Falling for a Cowboy’ ahead of reading the newly released fourth novel ‘A Cowboy’s Pride’. Try as I might, I was not able to secure a copy of ‘Bad Boy Rancher’ through my library ahead of the tour, so for now, that is the only novel in this series I haven’t had the joy of reading!

As you might already know – I have a fierce passion for reading novels in sequence when it comes to book series. I can’t always do this – sometimes I have to skip around the order or other times, I might pick up a book I hadn’t realised was a series in-progress – generally, this oft-times happens when it comes to Harlequin series – either through this lovely imprint (Harlequin Heartwarming) or the Love Inspired Suspense imprint which you might remember this past July I was talking about rather exclusively!

Therefore, a few things to note – I am reviewing the fourth novel for the blog tour, however, before I share my thoughts on what I found inside the fourth novel, I wanted to take a moment to talk about what I loved inside ‘Christmas at Cade Ranch’ & ‘Falling for a Cowboy’! If you missed my author interview with Ms Rock last year, you might not have realised I read the prequel to this series ‘A Cowboy to Keep’ – of which this was my key takeaway on behalf of how Ms Rock started this lovely series of hers:

You’ll notice a thread of interest in the Romances I love to read – they are supporting what I call ‘relationship-based romance’ wherein the heart of the relationship and what curates a connection amongst those who are dating strengthens the appeal of reading the stories themselves. Reading Romances like I do, I get caught up in the lives people are living – some make hard choices which I cannot always relate too but are right for them, therein, each time we read, we’re not only ‘time travelling through our own living histories or the historic past’ we’re stepping into different pairs of shoes of people who are living wholly unique lives whilst attempting to pursue a relationship where both parties are standing on equal ground. Romances are a lift of joy to read – even if the circumstances turn dramatic or suspenseful – if at the heart of them, there is hope for the couple at hand, odds are I am a ready fan of how the stories are being written – across publishers and imprints.

As we progress through how Jackson and Dani continue to intercede on each others’ behalf, we start to see how the seeds of their romance were firmly planted in their hearts. They each had a toll to weigh against the yearnings of their hearts but it’s how Rock shows their individual growth towards a resolution the reader rallies behind to see happen is what makes the story hold it’s salt against the ‘dangers’ lurking in the shadows. You truly want all the soul wrestling on both their parts to be for ‘something’ and as the concluding chapters show – redemption might take awhile to receive, but it’s the journey towards it that is somethings more important than how it arrives!

There were some intense moments where you weren’t sure if Jackson or Dani were going to get out of this alive – where the job of being a bounty hunter was shown exactly how dangerous of a livelihood this is to maintain countered against the will of a woman’s heart to do what is right even if she knows she might be jeopardising her future. You grieve for them both – for the past they both cannot accept without further anguish and for the futures they both are seeking which they never felt either of them deserved! There is a lovely ‘twist’ in the ending – one even I hadn’t thought of as I thought for sure this was going to play out differently – my gratitude to Ms Rock for keeping me on my toes straight til the ‘end’ as it was the sweetest reward!

This is one reason, Ms Rock stood out to me – as she’s one of the Harlequin authors I genuinely enjoy to read – she has a way of capturing what I love about the essence of a Contemporary Romance but with the ease of knowing I won’t be flinching for word usage or language issues. Sometimes it’s nice to have a reprieve in that regard!

She dives straight into the heart of what is affecting the well-being of her characters – from the psychological groundwork to the soul wrestling angst of trying to own up to your own mistakes whilst sorting out how to live at the same time. She’s tackled hard issues affecting her characters lives but does it in a humbling and honest way – seeking to share the truth of their choices whilst countered by the truth of the circumstances which has led them to this conclusion on where they individually stand.

-quoted from my review of A Cowboy to Keep

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Borrowed Book By: I made a purchase request at my local library for “Christmas at Cade Ranch” as I had previously ILL’d (inter-library loaned) the ‘prequel’ “A Cowboy to Keep” as a way of understanding the foundation for the Rocky Mountain Cowboys series. This is the first time I’ve had the chance to read and share my thoughts on behalf of this first novel. I was not obliged to post a review and decided to share my thoughts with my readers for my own edification. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Christmas at Cade Ranch by Karen Rock

Synopsis for “Christmas at Cade Ranch”

The Christmas they never had.

James Cade has one priority: keep the family ranch running smoothly in the wake of his younger brother’s death. With Jesse’s ex, Sofia Gallardo, and her young son, Javi, stranded at Cade Ranch over Christmas, this task just got a lot harder. The longer Sofia and Javi stay, the harder it is to imagine the ranch without them. James couldn’t save his brother from his inner demons, but he can give his nephew a secure future. Maybe more—if he can figure out how to trust Sofia, and stop feeling like he’s betraying Jesse. Because trying to stop thinking about beautiful, determined Sofia is impossible.

– previously featured during an Author Interview

Christmas at Cade Ranch
by Karen Rock
Source: Purchase REQ | local library

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780373368617

Also by this author: A League of Her Own, Author Interview (Christmas at Cade Ranch) Karen Rock, A Cowboy's Pride (Spotlight w/ Notes), Winning the Cowboy's Heart, A Rancher to Remember

on 7th November, 2017

Pages: 384

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

My review of Christmas at Cade Ranch:

The first six paragraphs were originally shared on behalf of reading the chapter sampler of this novel – I’ve edited those thoughts a bit but they are still reflective of what I was thinking about as I started to read this novel for the first time straight-through.

We find Jewel (the spunky cowgirl heroine of Cade Ranch), Justin (Jesse’s surviving twin) & James are taking over the duties of Cade Ranch – trying to keep the place solvent and everything running as smooth as they can manage, despite the hurdles of trying to sort out how to ‘move forward’ after such an alarmingly tragic loss. You can easily ‘step back’ into the series – as the prequel did such a great job of ‘setting the scale’ of the series by placing you into the heart of what makes the Cade’s such a strong family!

Here — we get the fuller back-story about Jesse – even though his addictive habit did kill him in the end (due to circumstances his brother, had no way of knowing would impact his future) – it wasn’t the addiction which caused his death; it was something related to being an addict. Despite this, he left behind a girlfriend and a son; a son whose five years old now – meeting his grandmother, Aunt & Uncles for the very first time. This is where we find James – the reserved & cautious elder brother who wouldn’t trust you if you looked honest – he has find a way to validate your intentions, your heart & your motivations.

In so many ways, James reminded me of Jackson! Those two are alike the most of where they are the hardest to convince your on a better path in life – even if your first attempt to ‘make it’ proved to have some obstacles in the road to overcome. Dani & Sofia would love being sister-in-laws because they each had to fight hard for what they were getting out of life – they both made certain choices which affected their futures but what united them, was their hope & belief that second chances are never too late in arriving. Sofia is as jumpy as Dani, too! I don’t blame either of them – the Cade brothers are a wee bit scary due to how they appear to be unbending & unwilling to accept you ‘where you are’. Of course, that’s one fast way to short-change their personalities – but both James & Jackson don’t exactly have the best ‘bedside manner’ so to speak! Their affection might be hard-won but if James is anything like Jackson – his heart will soften long before he allows Sofia & Javi (her son) to exit his life for good!

Seeing this part of the story – how it’s unfolding to bring everything ‘back to centre’ at Cade Ranch – where it all began and where the future shall be written for the siblings – as this is land inherited through past generations – you can gather the fuller depth of where Ms Rock is taking the series! The continuity is wonderful – I feel like this is the best place to re-insert us into the series – it is on the foot-heels of finding out about Jesse from Jackson’s POV whilst opening the door for Sofia to tell her story – what is remarkable is how it feels like both time-lines are running nearly concurrent to each other, rather than having any gaps in the momentum of the ‘next’ section of where we alight into the Cade family’s journey.

One thing to note – is I agree with the sensitive way in which Ms Rock approaches her harder hitting subjects – in this instance, it’s with addiction & recovery. Previously, it was addressing being involved in a bank robbery (Dani’s story-line) — each time Ms Rock knits us closer to her characters, she does it with compassion and empathy. In many ways, I enjoy this aspect of her writings the most – she puts in a lot of thought & time to get the lives of her characters to not only be realistically pleasing to us, the reader, but to honour the real-life counterparts who might be living a similar life. Even the fragility of Joy, the Cade’s mother – is aptly described – of being stuck ‘betwixt & between’ – of not knowing how to proceed forward after losing one’s son. I could relate to this due to not only my own personal losses but the losses of others, of whom, have felt this muddling ‘inbetween’ feeling wash over them – to where they needed to find something to ‘focus on’ outside of their grief before they realised they could ‘transition’ through their sorrow.

What does irk your ire quite a bit though is how James won’t quiet the voice in his head over Sofia! She has enough anxiety coursing through her veins without his added input to cast more shadows over her head! It is like walking between lightning strikes and hoping your not going to be struck whilst you reach the safety of a building! He has a short fuse when it comes to tolerance – he pre-judges her based on his experiences with his brother Jesse and that isn’t half as fair as it might sound because no one should be judged against another person. Even if they both had struggles with addiction – every person is different and no one should have to feel that kind of oppressive weight bearing down on them; it is too much to bear really. Sofia needs reassurances in her life – adding more stress to shoulders already buckling under the pressures she puts on herself is not aiding her ability to move forward; if anything, it’s making her question if she is strong enough to overcome her past.

A good portion of the novel centres around the cyclic season of addiction and how addicts struggle to keep clean. Sofia and Jesse were both struggling with their own addictions but Sofia found a way through the worst of those storms – so much so, what infuriated her the most about James is that he did not or rather could not see what she’s accomplished thus far forward since she was able to maintain her sobriety. I think the hardest part for Sofia, as a lot of her issues stem from her father’s persecution of her existence (long story!) – being around James was like she had recaptured what she had escaped from her father.

Ms Rock does a great job of taking you into the heart of addiction – first through the opinions of family who feel they are being helpful but in reality their falling a bit short with a few good observations. Secondly, she takes you into an NA meeting to hear the stories of other addicts who are struggling just like Sofia to quash their innermost doubts and to remain above the pains of addiction whilst re-setting their lives free of the substance of their choice. It was in one of those meetings where Sofia felt both ashamed to be present and rather awkwardly at first, comfortable amongst those who she could relate too.

Ms Rock also highlights what it is like to have a controlling personality – someone who is unable to yield or bend – this was spoken about in regards to Sofia’s father but in the present time-line of the series it is mostly directed towards James who has a definitive way of ‘taking over’ and claiming roles he was not meant to lead because doing so would jeopardise another person’s sense of self.

One of my favourite parts of the story is how closely Sofia and Joy (the Cade siblings mother) bonded over being in such close quarters whilst she was recuperating. Joy still had quite a bit of spunk left in her and she had a right to want to keep living her life to the fullest she could. Sofia inspired her in equal measure of Joy inspiring Sofia to take new risks and to keep bettering herself for her future and her son’s (Javi). Javi was an impressionable child but he also understood what was important in his young life. I can see why Sofia stressed about how he might react around James and why being around James for both of them was proving to be a bit too difficult.

One of the beautiful things about this series is how redemption and second chances permeate through the stories. Erstwhile, you are becoming closer in acquaintance with the Cade family themselves – the ranch they live on becomes the anchour to their lives, the place where they gather and they grow; where love nurtures their present and where it breathes hope into the future. Each installment of this series builds on the last story in sequence – thereby, by the time you start at A Cowboy to Keep whilst reading each new story thereafter, you are given a wonderful portrait of a resilient family. A family whose honest about the hardships in life and where good or bad, this is a family who remains evermore true of themselves.

The only part I struggled with to be honest was which Cade Sofia felt had caught her affections as to me it seemed like the case had been proven against the match. So much so, I had hoped the ending was a bit different – where she would have struck out on her own, independently and perhaps had dated a different Cade brother as I wasn’t convinced even in the end, the one she felt she loved was the best one of the bunch. I think it is because of his personality but also, of how well Ms Rock showed both sides of the romance – she took a lot of time developing these characters and so for me, in the end of Christmas at Cade Ranch, I felt the character who had grown the most was Sofia. She truly had transitioned from the woman who was full of anxiety and fears to a self-reliant woman who embraced all the pieces of her life; including the bits she was not as confident about acknowledging. On the opposite end of the story, I felt James hadn’t transitioned enough and that was the rub for me in the concluding chapters.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Read More

Divider

Posted Saturday, 29 September, 2018 by jorielov in 21st Century, Action & Adventure Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Christmas Romance &/or Holiday Story, Contemporary Romance, Crime Fiction, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Farm and Ranching on the Frontier, Indie Author, Library Find, Life Shift, Local Libraries | Research Libraries, Modern Day, Prism Book Tours, Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Small Towne Fiction, Small Towne USA, Specialised Crime Investigator, Suspense, West Coast USA, Western Fiction, Western Romance

#Harlequin Heartwarming Series Book Review | “The Rancher’s Twins” (Book One: Return of the Blackwell Brothers) by Carol Ross [of a five book series!]

Posted Saturday, 15 September, 2018 by jorielov , , , , , 1 Comment

Book Review badge created by Jorie in Canva using Unsplash.com photography (Creative Commons Zero).

Acquired Book By: I started hosting with Prism Book Tours at the end of [2017], having noticed the badge on Tressa’s blog (Wishful Endings) whilst I was visiting as we would partake in the same blog tours and/or book blogosphere memes. I had to put the memes on hold for several months (until I started to resume them (with Top Ten Tuesday) in January 2018). When I enquiried about hosting for Prism, I found I liked the niche of authors and stories they were featuring regularly. I am unsure how many books I’ll review for them as most are offered digitally rather than in print but this happily marks one of the blog tours where I could receive a print book for review purposes. Oft-times you’ll find Prism Book Tours alighting on my blog through the series of guest features and spotlights with notes I’ll be hosting on behalf of their authors.

This particular review is slightly different from my regular blog tours and hosting features for Prism Book Tours – as an opportunity came along this Summer to secure a spot on a ‘review tour’ rather than a ‘blog tour’ for a five-book series from Harlequin Heartwarming entitled “Return of the Blackwell Brothers”. This differs as each of the reviewers and book bloggers who are committing to this review tour are posting at different intervals as each of the five novels release which is also co-dependent on the format we are signed on to review. As you know, I can only review books released into print and/or audiobook formats (as due to my chronic migraines I am unable to read books in ebook formats) – therefore, I am happily signed on to read four of the five novels in paperback. I am going to attempt to secure a copy of the one book I won’t be sent but I am unsure if I can therefore, I’m thankful to receive four out of five for this special review tour.

My reviews will be showcased from August through December 2018 beginning with this first novel by Carol Ross. Only this first novel will showcase the book synopsis, author photograph and her biography as the rest of the tour will only feature the serial information which is also seen on this post. Each of us had the flexibility to choose when we are posting our reviews which was another added bonus to this particular review tour. I elected to post mine on Saturdays, as for the past four years Saturdays have been happily focused on Romances (previously strictly by ChocLit) and I am going to continue to expand this featured part of the week encompassing more Romances by both ChocLit and different publishers.

I received a complimentary copy of “The Rancher’s Twins” direct from the author Carol Ross in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Why Jorie was wicked thrilled about #amreading this particular installment:

Reading this synopsis reminded me of “The Nanny Express” on Hallmark Channel? You might have seen it – where Dean Stockwell is terminally ill and his daughter is trying to get through University by working as a nanny for hire? She rides the bus whilst reading (never without a book in hand!) whilst the main caregiver for her critically ill father and still finds the time to turn around the lives of two grieving children who lost their Mum prematurely! They were rascals!! They found every which way to Sunday to upturnt the apple cart on each of their ‘nannies’ until they met her of course! Where not even a rat would make her blink or shrink away!!

I honestly can’t wait to read what these two cheeky girls will attempt to do to their new ‘nanny’!! Meanwhile, the other tv movie it brought happy memories of was from Fox Family but the titles are eluding me! It was a series of three films, where the children can’t believe how attached they become to their new nanny and truly find happiness with her in their lives for the first time! Speaking of which, ‘The Nanny Express’ stars Brennan Elliott, of whom I happily have admired since his days on ‘Strong Medicine’ whilst he is now a leading man on Hallmark Channel for the movie series ‘All of my Heart’ as the third ‘All of My Heart: the Wedding’ is in production! (you might have seen me tweeting tonight!) (you might have also caught his REPLY!)

-quoted from my Waiting on Wednesday for ‘Return of the Blackwell Brothers’

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Return of the Blackwell Brothers Collage Badge provided by Prism Book Tours

Converse via: #Contemporary #Romance & #Harlequin

& #ReturnOfTheBlackwellBrothers

The Rancher's Twins
by Carol Ross
Source: Author via Prism Book Tours

She’s not the country nanny he advertised for

But she could be perfect for him…

Jon Blackwell needs a woman ready to tackle the duties of a cattle ranch and two lively, take-no-prisoners twin girls. But ever since Lydia Newbury showed up at his six-generation Montana spread, the frazzled single father is rethinking, well, everything. The Philadelphia dazzler is a marvel. What he doesn’t know is the secret that has Lydia on the run…

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Contemporary Romance, Heartland Fiction, Ranches & Cowboys, Western Fiction, Western Romance



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

ISBN: 978-1-335-63373-6

Also by this author: Mountains Apart, A Case for Forgiveness, If Not for a Bee, A Family Like Hannah's, Bachelor Remedy, In the Doctor's Arms, Keeping Her Close, Second Chance for the Single Dad, Series Spotlight w/ Notes: Return of the Blackwell Brothers, Catching Mr Right, The Secret Santa Project, His Hometown Yuletide Vow

Also in this series: Series Spotlight w/ Notes: Return of the Blackwell Brothers, The Rancher's Rescue, The Rancher's Redemption, The Rancher's Fake Fiancee, The Rancher's Homecoming, Series Spotlight w/ Notes: Return of the Blackwell Brothers


Published by Harlequin Heartwarming

on 1 August, 2018

Format: Larger Print (Mass Market Paperback)

Pages: 368

Published by: Harlequin Heartwarming (@HarlequinBooks) | imprint of Harlequin

Return of the #BlackwellBrothers:

The Rancher’s Twins by Carol Ross → August 1st
The Rancher’s Rescue by Cari Lynn Webb → September 1st
The Rancher’s Redemption by Melinda Curtis → October 1st
The Rancher’s Fake Fiancée by Amy Vastine → November 1st
The Rancher’s Homecoming by Anna J. Stewart → December 1st

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

About Carol Ross

Carol Ross

USA Today bestselling author Carol Ross grew up in small town America right between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains, in a place where you can go deep sea fishing in the morning and then hit the ski slopes the same afternoon. The daughter of what is now known as free range parents, she developed a love of the outdoors at a very early age.

As a writer, Carol loves to breathe the life she has lived into the characters she creates, grateful for the “research material” that every questionable decision, adrenaline-charged misstep, and near-death experience has provided.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Read More

Divider

Posted Saturday, 15 September, 2018 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book Review (non-blog tour), Contemporary Romance, Farm and Ranching on the Frontier, Indie Author, Prism Book Tours, Romance Fiction, Western Fiction, Western Romance

Book Spotlight with Extract | A series I have enjoyed reading as Ms Rock draws us closer into the Cade family within her Rocky Mountain Cowboy series! This spotlight focuses on the fourth novel “A Cowboy’s Pride”!

Posted Wednesday, 5 September, 2018 by jorielov , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Stories in the Spotlight banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

You might remember my fondness for reading the prequel of the Rocky Mountain Cowboys – ‘A Cowboy to Keep’? I was overjoyed I could borrow this novel through my local library’s ILL services (inter-library loan) whilst I celebrated the publication of the first novel ‘Christmas at Cade Ranch’?! Since I hosted my interview with Ms Rock last year, the series has experienced quite a bit of growth – as there are now *five!* novels released!

As I eagerly anticipate reading ‘A Cowboy’s Pride’ I will have happily read four of the stories – isn’t that grand?! The first thing you realise when your reading this series is how lush & vivid the scenery is as the Cade Ranch is set in Carbondale, Colorado – nestled in a lovely area of the Rocky Mountains on the Western range where you are quite literally surrounded by the beauty of the mountains and the wildlife who calls the place home. This is the country of wide open ranges, tall mountain peaks, small townes & communities and a lifestyle that is both relaxed and celebrating either ranching or cultural art.

Ms Rock has a lovely niche of depositing you into this family saga through the different eyes of perspective she lends her readers – it is not your typically set series either – as despite the largeness of the Cade clan, you would generally believe each installment would funnel itself exclusively through the ‘men’ of the series but thankfully Ms Rock switched things up quite a bit and has gone a different route completely! Mind you, there is a female Cade amongst the brothers – of whom I am itching to have her own day in the spotlight but for now, what impressed me most is how there are other women whose lives bear remembering as they each have sought redemption & second chances in Carbondale amongst the Cades! A bit like the film ‘Mrs Winterbourne’ where Ricki Lake’s character learnt a hard truth about how if life is going to get a bit rougher and more complicated, it is best to ride out the uncertainties with a family who adopts you into their fold than to bear it all on the harsher side of the streets!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Reflections on ‘A Cowboy to Keep’:

What I thought was so keen about this series is how it harkens back to yesteryear – where the open range and ranches were relying on the law – through bounty hunters, lawmen and the courage of the ranchers themselves to seek justice when needed. The West has a lot of History in this regard and to even get a slice of it within a Contemporary Western playing homage felt ‘right’ to me! I was most encouraged to see how Ms Rock would shape the series whilst owning to the heart of what implores us about the life of living in the West nestled against the Rocky Mountains! Part of the allure for me to read Westerns (both Historical & Contemporary) has been the appeal of the mountains which in of themselves are part of the character and charm which define the Western culture and influences the topography of the settings.

The area of the mountains they were riding in whilst on horse-back is the stuff of envy for any horse girl because they were right in the thick of the wild country – where the mountains were endless, the skies were enriched by the crispness of the climate and there were no trails except the ones you choose to carve for yourself as you rode. The horses could feel the vibe, too, as there is a certain freedom attached to riding on a ranch whose acres are half of 1,000!

The worst thing to be left with when your alone are your thoughts – such as how Dani is finding she’s not nearly as strong as she first perceived she had become ever since Jackson took up residence on the Ranch. It’s hard to shake the restlessness you feel being around someone you know could alter the course of your life – which is why Dani is betwixt and between knowing how she could proceed. She has as job to do – that’s true – but at what cost to herself and to those she’s considered her friends? As you watch her counter-weigh her own mistakes against the (supposed) mistakes of those she knows under her employ, you start to see her wrestling with her own guilt and the line of conscience recrimination which is overtaking her mind and heart.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Reflections on ‘Christmas at Cade Ranch’:

One of the beautiful things about this series is how redemption and second chances permeate through the stories. Erstwhile, you are becoming closer in acquaintance with the Cade family themselves – the ranch they live on becomes the anchour to their lives, the place where they gather and they grow; where love nurtures their present and where it breathes hope into the future. Each installment of this series builds on the last story in sequence – thereby, by the time you start at A Cowboy to Keep whilst reading each new story thereafter, you are given a wonderful portrait of a resilient family. A family whose honest about the hardships in life and where good or bad, this is a family who remains evermore true of themselves.

Ms Rock does a great job of taking you into the heart of addiction – first through the opinions of family who feel they are being helpful but in reality their falling a bit short with a few good observations. Secondly, she takes you into an NA meeting to hear the stories of other addicts who are struggling just like Sofia to quash their innermost doubts and to remain above the pains of addiction whilst re-setting their lives free of the substance of their choice. It was in one of those meetings where Sofia felt both ashamed to be present and rather awkwardly at first, comfortable amongst those who she could relate too.

Ms Rock also highlights what it is like to have a controlling personality – someone who is unable to yield or bend – this was spoken about in regards to Sofia’s father but in the present time-line of the series it is mostly directed towards James who has a definitive way of ‘taking over’ and claiming roles he was not meant to lead because doing so would jeopardise another person’s sense of self.

One of my favourite parts of the story is how closely Sofia and Joy (the Cade siblings mother) bonded over being in such close quarters whilst she was recuperating. Joy still had quite a bit of spunk left in her and she had a right to want to keep living her life to the fullest she could. Sofia inspired her in equal measure of Joy inspiring Sofia to take new risks and to keep bettering herself for her future and her son’s (Javi). Javi was an impressionable child but he also understood what was important in his young life. I can see why Sofia stressed about how he might react around James and why being around James for both of them was proving to be a bit too difficult.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Read More

Divider

Posted Wednesday, 5 September, 2018 by jorielov in 21st Century, Blog Tour Host, Contemporary Romance, Farm and Ranching on the Frontier, Indie Author, Life Shift, Modern Day, Prism Book Tours, Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Small Towne Fiction, Small Towne USA, West Coast USA, Western Fiction, Western Romance

#WaitingOnWednesday No.5 | Series Spotlight & Announcement | ‘Return of the Blackwell Brothers’ by #Harlequin Heartwarming feat. multiple authors in this five-book [2018] series!

Posted Wednesday, 8 August, 2018 by jorielov , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

a word about ‘waiting on Wednesday’:

#WaitingOnWednesday badge created in Canva by Jorie using Unsplash.com photography (Creative Commons Zero).

I have decided to start participating in this book blogsphere meme with a few small changes of how it’s regularly blogged about by my fellow book bloggers. I will either be introducing my current reads of upcoming releases as I am in the process of reading them and/or I might be releasing a book review about a forthcoming title by which I had been blessed to read ahead of publication. The main purpose behind the meme is to encourage readers and your fellow book bloggers to become aware of new books being released which caught your eye and which held your interest to read. Sometimes if your still in the process of reading the books, its the titles which encouraged your bookish heart. I look forward to spending the next seasons of the year, talking about the books I have on hand to read, the books I’ve been reading and the books I might not even have a copy to read but which are of wicked sweet interest to become a #nextread of mine.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

I have a special *treat!* to share with you – I am participating in my *first!* serial review tour via Prism Book Tours! I happily spied a lot of lovely review requests for *Harlequin Heartwarming* which is one of the imprints I’ve become more familiarised with since I started hosting with this blog touring company – finding each of the premises to be rather keen, I quickly added my name to the pool of interested readers and was happily given the good news I made the review team!

This is a limited serial of *five!* new novels by Harlequin which tracks with their other imprints who also have limited serials – such as #LoveINSPIRED Suspense which is the imprint I read during my INSPY Reads of July for #CFSRS18.

As you know, being a traditional reader (ie. print & audio) – I sometimes have to opt for guest features and/or spotlights for books either released Digital First or where the blog events only offer ebooks for review. I’ve been rather blessed most of the Harlequin tours I want to participate in have happily allowed readers who read in print to participate! This particular serial tour was inclusive to print readers which is how I was able to join in on the fun!

The Heartwarming authors are becoming a ‘close second’ favourite next to the #LoveINSPIRED Suspense authors – as I personally love the stories they are creating and the ways in which they tell the stories which are being published under this imprint! They have the tendency to focus on the type of Realistic Contemporary Rom stories I’d hope to find and give me characters who have depth, purpose and a hearty story to chew on! This time round – what enticed me is the fact each of the stories involves a ‘ranch’ and that in of itself is a particular lifestyle I enjoy reading in fiction! Not to mention the fact I love visiting ranches IRL! There is something rather brilliant about the open range and having ‘land’ round you rather than a tucked in feeling when your on a city block with row neighbours! Having room to flex and stretch is definitely a preferred option than always feeling as if your living ontop of everyone else! Plus! the natural world is within touching distance where you can feel serenity washing over you rather immediately!

In a word, Westerns of all flavours are a hearty joy of mine to be reading – thus, I am going to be a giddy girl over the moon each time I pluck out one of the book parcels containing one of the #BlackwellBrothers stories in my postbox!!

If your a regular reader of Harlequin Romances or their other imprints, I look forward to your comments – seeing what you love to read by Harlequin and of course, if you know of any mini-series or authors I might enjoy seeking out – kindly let me know! My local library has a hearty collection of their stories and I love finding new Harlequin authors to read!

As I will be reading this series in order of sequence, you can happily re-visit me throughout the Autumn months as each of my reviews goes LIVE. With the exception of ‘The Rancher’s Fake Fianceé’ as I am unsure if I will have a copy in time to read ahead of the fifth release. I’m going to be requesting this title via my local library and *fingers crossed* it will arrive in time! Of course, I might also receive these through my own #bookfairy – so we shall ‘wait & see’!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Return of the Blackwell Brothers Collage Badge provided by Prism Book Tours

Converse via: #Contemporary #Romance & #Harlequin

& #ReturnOfTheBlackwellBrothers

Published by: Harlequin Heartwarming (@HarlequinBooks) | imprint of Harlequin

Return of the #BlackwellBrothers:

The Rancher’s Twins by Carol Ross → August 1st
The Rancher’s Rescue by Cari Lynn Webb → September 1st
The Rancher’s Redemption by Melinda Curtis → October 1st
The Rancher’s Fake Fiancée by Amy Vastine → November 1st
The Rancher’s Homecoming by Anna J. Stewart → December 1st

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

this might be the sequel to the original #BlackwellBrothers series I uncovered which is as follows:

The Marriage Promise by Sharon de Vita (book one)

The Marriage Basket by Sharon de Vita (book two)

Marriage Badge by Sharon de Vita (book three)

→ this was a Harlequin Silhouette Romance series in the early 2000s! OR it is coincidental there were two independent series of the same name!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com Read More

Divider

Posted Wednesday, 8 August, 2018 by jorielov in All of my Heart (movie series), Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Bookish Memes, Contemporary Romance, Farm and Ranching on the Frontier, Indie Author, Prism Book Tours, Romance Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday, Western Fiction, Western Romance

Blog Book Tour | “A Cowboy of Convenience” (Book Two: Sheridan Sweethearts series) by Stacy Henrie A #HistRom from #LoveINSPIRED #Historical

Posted Wednesday, 6 June, 2018 by jorielov , , , , 2 Comments

Book Review badge created by Jorie in Canva using Unsplash.com photography (Creative Commons Zero).

Acquired Book By: I started hosting with Prism Book Tours at the end of [2017], having noticed the badge on Tressa’s blog (Wishful Endings) whilst I was visiting as we would partake in the same blog tours and/or book blogosphere memes. I had to put the memes on hold for several months (until I started to resume them (with Top Ten Tuesday) in January 2018). When I enquiried about hosting for Prism, I found I liked the niche of authors and stories they were featuring regularly. I am unsure how many books I’ll review for them as most are offered digitally rather than in print but this happily marks one of the blog tours where I could receive a print book for review purposes. Oft-times you’ll find Prism Book Tours alighting on my blog through the series of guest features and spotlights with notes I’ll be hosting on behalf of their authors.

I received a complimentary copy of “A Cowboy of Convenience” direct from the author Stacy Henrie in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why I love reading INSPY Fiction from Heartsong Presents & Love Inspired:

I am a hybrid reader of both mainstream and INSPY Fiction – however, I’ve been properly charmed by the heart-warming stories of both Love INSPIRED and Heartsong Presents – as these are tender-hearted stories of faith in portable paperback editions which never fail to give you a burst of joy to be reading! The Historical line of Love Inspired and the Amish stories of Heartsong Presents (as well as their own line of Historicals) were always my favourites – something about how they could tuck you back into the past, a setting or time-line easily recognisable for the reader who loved those particular kinds of stories – wherein you met with strong characters on the road to both healing and redemption in their lives!

These are the stories which are a delight to be reading due to their dramatic natures of insight into the human condition but also, how faith and hope are threading through the drama itself – of giving you a lot of hope for your own life’s adversities which alight out of the blue and the joyfulness of a gently told romance where the relationship is built out of both faith and trust. The gentleness of these stories is what truly captured my bookish heart – as there is never anything to worry about finding in the context of how their told. In many regards, that is why I love reading INSPY Fiction to begin with as I recently broached on my 5th Blogoversary by talking about what I love about reading the stories by Kellie Coates Gilbert.

I am wicked delighted knowing Prism Book Tours is getting the chance to showcase and tour with INSPY authors – not just from this particular line but from other publishers as well. Coming up this Friday, is my long awaited ruminative thoughts on behalf of Ms Becky Wade’s Falling for You which I had the honour of spotlighting in May!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Blog Book Tour | “A Cowboy of Convenience” (Book Two: Sheridan Sweethearts series) by Stacy Henrie A #HistRom from #LoveINSPIRED #HistoricalA Cowboy of Convenience
by Stacy Henrie
Source: Author via Prism Book Tours

Groom by Agreement

A real home--it's what Vienna Howe dearly wants for her young daughter. Yet the ramshackle property she just inherited hardly qualifies. She can't afford the repairs--until foreman West McCall suggests they start a dude ranch together. For propriety's sake, they'll need a marriage in name only...a practical solution for two wary hearts.

Years ago, West convinced Vienna to marry a man of means, never realizing how cruel her husband could be. Guilt-ridden, he intends to secure the lovely widow's future. But despite his reluctance to get close to anyone, this union might do more than fix Vienna's ranch. It could open the door to a warm, loving future...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Ranches & Cowboys, Western Fiction, Western Romance



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 978-1335369710

Published by Harlequin Books, Love INSPIRED

on 1st June, 2018

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Pages: 288

Published by: Love INSPIRED (@LoveInspiredBks)

an imprint of Harlequin Books (@HarlequinBooks)

Formats Available: Ebook and Paperback

Stories within the series Sheridan Sweethearts:

The Rancher's Temporary Engagement by Stacy HenrieA Cowboy of Convenience by Stacy Henrie

Book One: The Rancher’s Temporary Engagement | Pub’d 1st February, 2018

Undercover Fiancée

The Pinkerton agent that Edward Kent hired is intelligent, capable—and unexpectedly female! Though shocked to learn that Maggy Worthing will be investigating the threats to his Wyoming horse ranch, Edward needs to find the culprit. And if that means a temporary engagement to give Maggy a cover story, he’ll play along with the feisty detective.

Maggy always gets her man—at least when it comes to solving crimes. The young widow refuses to marry again and land under another husband’s thumb. Unmasking Edward’s enemies will earn her a longed-for promotion…but the heart has its own mysteries. Could working together with the handsome English aristocrat spark a real and loving partnership?

Book Two: A Cowboy of Convenience

Converse via: #LoveINSPIRED, #INSPYbooks, #INSPYHistFic, #INSPY or #HistRom & #Harlequin

About Stacy Henrie

Stacy Henrie

USA Today bestselling author Stacy Henrie is the author of western romances and the Of Love and War series, which includes Hope at Dawn, a 2015 RITA Award finalist for excellence in romance. She was born and raised in the West, where she currently resides with her family. She enjoys reading, road trips, interior decorating, chocolate, and most of all, laughing with her husband and kids.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com Read More

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

Divider

Posted Wednesday, 6 June, 2018 by jorielov in 20th Century, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Blog Tour Host, Clever Turns of Phrase, Farm and Ranching on the Frontier, Historical Fiction, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Life Shift, Marriage of Convenience, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Prism Book Tours, Romance Fiction, Second Chance Love, Sisterhood friendships, Western Fiction, Widows & Widowers, Writing Style & Voice, Wyoming