Thursday, September 30, 2021

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

The Santa Suit

Book Summary

When newly-divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love—but Ivy didn't bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it's a full-time job sorting through all of it.

At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit—beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish hand: it's from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?

Ivy's quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought possible: a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.

My Thoughts

Ivy Perkins has been divorced nine months to the day when she arrives to move into the Four Roses Farm. She finds the farmhouse not looking quite like it did in the pictures and the house full of furniture the seller did not want. In master bedroom closet, she finds a box contains a beautiful Santa suit. In the pocket, she finds an old letter addressed to Santa asking him to bring the little girl’s father home for Christmas. Ivy is curious as to what happened to the girl and her family. She begins asking questions which allows her to meet various townspeople. Christmas magic is at work and Ivy finds soon finds herself swept up into town happenings and helping others. The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews is a sweet, uplifting Christmas story. I thought The Santa Suit was well-written with steady pacing (it was over too soon). It contains developed, realistic characters. There are some great characters in the story. I liked Ivy and her adorable dog, Punkin. The mystery was fun to follow, and I love how it turned out. I liked the town of Tarburton and Four Roses Farm. I would love to own Ivy’s lovely farm. There is some romance in the story, but it is not the main attraction. The Santa Suit is a story that will make you smile and put you in the mood for the holidays. The Santa Suit is a sweet Christmas tale with cuddly canine, a striking Santa Suit, pictures from the past, a lost letter, creative candy creations, fairy-tale lights, and second chances.

The Santa Suit is available from Amazon*. You can find Mary Kay Andrews' other novels here. If you want to get into the Christmas spirit, then you should read The Santa Suit! Thank you so much for visiting today. Tomorrow I am featuring The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon Mondragon. Please stop by tomorrow to learn more. It is hard to believe this is the last day of September. The month went by so quickly. I am eager for October. I have thirty-one different fall and Halloween themed t-shirts to wear (one for each day of October). I also have quite a bit of Halloween decorating to do outside. I just have to figure how to fit in all the Halloween inflatables. I hope you have an uplifting day. Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

A Perfect Bind by Dorothy St. James: Review & Giveaway!

A Perfect Bind

About A Perfect Bind

A Perfect Bind (A Beloved Bookroom Mystery)

Librarian Tru Beckett, ardent defender of the printed word, is about to find out that keeping murder checked out of her beloved library is much harder than she thought...
Tru Beckett succeeded in building a secret book room in her now bookless library, where book lovers from lovely Cypress, South Carolina, can rejoice in the printed word. Now she's working hard to maintain the little library downstairs while keeping her "real job" upstairs in the bookless technology center. The last thing she needs is a mysterious vandal who seems intent on breaking into her secret book-filled sanctuary and creating chaos. The nasty interloper doesn't steal anything, but brutalizes the books, damaging them and knocking them off shelves.
A patron of the secret book room tells Tru that there have been creepy goings-on at the library for years, especially in the basement where the secret book room is located. He's heard rumors of a poltergeist that haunts the library, determined to scare off readers. Tru is certain it's hogwash, but she's at a loss to think of who might be vandalizing the beautiful books she fought so hard to protect. And when a dead body shows up right behind the library, Tru is certain that it's not a ghost but a cold-blooded killer that she and her trusty tabby Dewey Decimal will need to uncover.
A Bookless Library

About Dorothy St. James

Dorothy St. James is the author of the White House Gardener Mysteries and the Southern Chocolate Shop Mysteries. She lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina with her sculptor husband. Dorothy is a member of Mystery Writers of America (MWA) and the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and Sister’s in Crime (SInC). This is her second A Beloved Bookroom Mystery.

Author Links

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dorothy.stjames

Twitter: www.twitter.com/dorothywrites

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dorothymcfalls

Website: www.dorothystjames.com

My Thoughts

A Perfect Bind by Dorothy St. James has Tru Beckett discovering that someone has broken into the secret bookroom in the basement of the Cypress, South Carolina bookless library for the third time. Tru cannot figure out how someone is getting into the private space. A short time later, Owen Maynard is found dead behind the library. Tru wonders if the two incidents can be connected, but she cannot risk telling the police about the secret bookroom. Tru with Flossie and Tori work to find who is behind both crimes. A Perfect Bind is the 2^nd A Beloved Bookroom Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those who have not read The Broken Spine. I like Tru Beckett with her passion for books. She has a sweet cat named Dewey Decimal. I do wish, though, that Tru would stand up to her mother. There is a cast of secondary characters that include Tru’s friends, Flossie, and Tori. There are two mysteries in the story. Someone is breaking into the secret bookroom in the basement of the library, and the murder of local mechanic, Owen. Tru hopes the two incidents are not connected. She is afraid if the police are told about the bookroom, it will get closed down. There are good clues to help readers figure out why the crime happened. The guilty party can be identified early on in the story. I would have liked it to be more of a challenge. I enjoyed the lively reveal. I like how Tru, and Dewey are together. She talks to Dewey who responds to her in his own way. It is cute. At the end of the book, I was left with a couple of questions. I am curious as to why this hi-tech library does not have a matching security system. I would think the door to the basement would have a lock (the type where you need to enter a code or have a card). Also, now that the town manager who forced the library to get rid of the books is gone, why have the books not returned. Those readers who enjoy lighthearted cozy mysteries with books, a sweet cat, and good friends will enjoy reading A Perfect Bind. A Perfect Bind is a cute cozy mystery with a murdered mechanic, a bothered bookroom, a prodding detective, apple pie problems, a meddlesome assistant librarian, and a fun Fall Festival.

A Perfect Bind is available from Amazon, Penguin Random House, B&N, Kobo, Google Play, and IndieBound. The first A Beloved Bookroom Mystery is The Broken Spine. You can find Dorothy St. James' other novels here on Amazon. Follow Dorothy St. James on Amazon so you can receive emails on her latest releases. As part of the tour, Dorothy is giving away a prize package. You can click here to enter or use the Rafflecopter form below. Leave a comment for an extra entry in the giveaway. Good Luck! Thank you for joining me today. I am heading into Dunedin today for a doctor's appointment. This gives me an opportunity to drop off a few things for my sister who lives in that city. I will also get to listen to my audiobook during the long drive (bonus). Tomorrow I am sharing The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews. I hope you have a cheery day. Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Participants

September 28 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST

September 28 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

September 29 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

September 30 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

September 30 – Author Elena Taylor's Blog – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 1 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – CHARACTER GUEST POST

Miss Marple

October 1 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

October 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 2 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

October 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

October 3 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – REVIEW

Miss Fisher

October 4 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 4 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 5 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW

October 5 – Christy's Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT

October 6 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

Modesty Flaise

October 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

October 7 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

October 7 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST

October 8 – Angel's Guilty Pleasures – SPOTLIGHT

October 8 – My Reading Journeys - REVIEW

October 9 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

Nancy Drew

October 9 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT

October 10 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

October 10 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 11 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW

October 11 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT

*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Christmas at the Amish Bakeshop by Shelley Shepard Gray, Rachel Good, and Loree Lough

Christmas at the Amish Bakeshop

Book Summary

As the most joyful holiday draws near, three couples discover the recipe for love includes faith, hope, and the sweetest blessings...

A CHRISTMAS CAKE FOR REBECCA by Shelley Shepard Gray

When carpenter Aden returns to Lancaster after twenty years away, bakeshop owner Rebecca is dismayed to find he's still as handsome and kind as ever. He broke her heart when he left the community back then. Will a holiday emergency provide a second chance at love, this time forever?

BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER by Rachel J. Good

When a lonely widower with a sick daughter and a new cake decorator meet at the bakeshop, they discover they were once childhood playmates. But as each of them helps the other care for family, their neighborly kindness inspires a gift that only love could make possible...

THE CHRISTMAS CUPCAKE by Loree Lough

A builder who never learned to read believes he must hide his fond feelings for a kind schoolteacher. But after they run into each other at the bakeshop, she offers to teach him--and as Christmas approaches, each of them learns a lesson about the great gift of love...

My Thoughts

Christmas at the Amish Bakeshop contains three Amish Christmas tales by Shelley Shepard Gray, Rachel J. Good, and Loree Lough. I enjoyed reading these three novellas that revolve around Rebecca’s Porch, a bakeshop in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I thought each story was well-written with friendly, relatable characters. I loved the characters in each story with my favorite being Rebecca and Aden in A Christmas Cake for Rebecca. This is a cute story that has friends helping each other in time of need, humor, and a man showing his love. Best Christmas Present Ever by Rachel J. Good is such a sweet story. We get to see that people and animals matter more than making money. It was wonderful to see Lizzie find her place and blossom. The Christmas Cupcake by Loree Lough is a little darker than the other two stories in the beginning. I like how Tess’s brother, Noah aids Asher is wooing Tess. There are many tasty treats mentioned in the three novellas. The delectable descriptions will have your mouth watering. Christmas at the Amish Bakeshop is a collection of stories that is perfect for fans of Amish fiction and those who enjoy wholesome Christmas stories. Christmas at the Amish Bakeshop has three heartwarming tales about a second chance romance, dropped dishes, wearisome walnuts, fretting over finances, a reading worry, Christmas cakes, a frustrating father, and God’s Grace.

Christmas at the Amish Bakeshop is available from Amazon*. Shelley Shepard Gray has A Christmas Courtship publishing October 18. It is the 3rd book in The Berlin Bookmobile Series. You can find Loree Lough's other novels here. Rachel Good has An Unexpected Amish Christmas releasing October 26. It is the 3rd book in Surprised by Love series. I want to share with you some of the others book that have come out today. The list includes: Wreathing Havoc by Julia Henry, Murder Outside the Lines by Krista Davis, First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand, A Perfect Bind by Dorothy St. James, The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews, Chapter and Curse by Elizabeth Penney, The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher, Here Comes the Fudge by Nancy Coco, His Amish Wife's Hidden Past by Mindy Steele, The Corpse in the Gazebo by Debra Sennefelder, and Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off by Darci Hannah. Thank you for visiting today. I am a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for A Perfect Bind by Dorothy St. James tomorrow. It is the 2nd A Beloved Bookroom Mystery. I hope that you have a sunny day. Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Monday, September 27, 2021

Murder Outside the Lines by Krista Davis

Murder Outside the Lines

Book Summary

With Halloween just around the corner, the fall colors in Georgetown are brilliant. As manager of the Color Me Read bookstore, coloring book creator Florrie Fox has arranged for psychic author Hilda Rattenhorst to read from Spooktacular Ghost Stories. But the celebrity medium arrives for the event in hysterics, insisting she just saw a bare foot sticking out of a rolled-up carpet in a nearby alley. Is someone trying to sweep murder under the rug? Florrie calls in her policeman beau, Sergeant Eric Jonquille, but the carpet corpse has disappeared without a trace. Then in the middle of her reading, Hilda chillingly declares that she feels the killer's presence in the store. Is this a publicity stunt or a genuine psychic episode? It seems there's no happy medium. When a local bibliophile is soon discovered missing, a strange mystery begins to unroll. Now it's up to Florrie and Jonquille to expose a killer's true colors . . .

My Thoughts

Murder Outside the Lines by Krista Davis is the 3^rd A Pen & Ink Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. Fans of the series will be happy to finally get this new installment (we have been waiting so long). There is a great cast of characters in this engaging series. I like the variety of quirky characters with the majority of them being book lovers. Florrie Fox will need to keep her wits about her if she is to solve the latest whodunit. The book starts with the arrival of a skull and then we have the psychic who believes she saw a foot sticking out of rolled up carpet. When Florrie and her beau, Sergeant Eric Jonquille arrive at the location, they find nary a thing. On her way back to the bookstore, Florrie overhears a disturbance inside a home. When she finally gets inside, she finds one of the store’s customers bleeding out on the floor. This is just the beginning. There are plenty of incidents to keep this book hopping. This was a fun whodunit to solve. It was complex with plenty of twists, surprises, whirls, and turns. The reveal was complete and answered all of my lingering questions.

Murder Outside the Lines is well-written with developed characters. I love that Florrie is not only the manager of a bookstore but that she designs adult coloring books. There are several different elements happening in the beginning of the book. It had me feeling like I was in the middle of something. I just needed to be patient. It all comes together with a great reveal. There were a few too many conversations for my liking on whether ghosts were real. It began to feel repetitious. I like that the author gave us a list of characters at the beginning so readers can reacquaint themselves with the cast (it has been some time since the last book). I enjoyed the authors descriptions of the Georgetown neighborhood, Florrie’s cozy cottage, and the bookstore. The author was able to strike a balance between too much and not enough. I like the spooky Halloween atmosphere in the story with my favorite being the skull that did not stay in one place. There are tasty recipes at the end. I look forward to Florrie’s next adventure in A Colorful Scheme. Murder Outside the Lines is an eerie cozy mystery with a screaming skull, a prophetic psychic, a disappeared rug, ghost quarrels, tasty treats, and Halloween hijinks.

Murder Outside the Lines releases Tuesday, September 28 and is available from Amazon*. The first two A Pen & Ink Mysteries are Color Me Murder (on Kindle Unlimited) and The Coloring Crook. The next A Pen & Ink Mystery is A Colorful Scheme which will be out in fall of 2022. Krista Davis has The Diva Says Cheesecake! publishing May 31, 2022. It is the 15th A Domestic Diva Mystery. You can find Krista Davis' other novels here. I love Krista's A Paws & Claws Mystery series. Thank you for reading my review today. I will be back tomorrow with Christmas at the Amish Bakeshop by Shelley Shepard Gray, Rachel Good, and Loree Lough. I hope that you have a spellbinding day. I am off to work outside. It is slightly cooler here and the humidity has gone down a little as well. I want to get the flower beds ready for my Halloween displays. I need to narrow down my inflatables. I managed to acquire another one (it was just so cute). I have more Halloween garden flags than holders. I will change them out halfway through the month so all of them get displayed. I have already acquired some Thanksgiving inflatables and Christmas. My mother has given up on telling me to not go overboard (that ship has sailed). Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Saturday, September 25, 2021

First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand

First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill

Book Summary

The endearingly mischievous matchmaking grandparents Anna and Felty Helmuth have helped generations of their Wisconsin community - including many of their own grandchildren - find love over the course of USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Beckstrand's beloved Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series. Now, in this heartwarming prequel set in 1952, Anna and Felty's own love story takes center stage as the young couple spends their first uncertain Christmas together.

Before irrepressible eighty-somethings Anna and Felty Helmuth became Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin's most-beloved matchmakers, they were mismatched young lovers facing seemingly impossible obstacles...

She can't cook, sew, sing, or clean. And no matter how hard young Anna Yoder tries, she'd much rather help people in trouble than be a well-behaved pretty face and properly perfect Amish maidel. So she instantly reaches out to her old schoolmate, Felty Helmuth, when their Amish town ostracizes him for his Korean War army service. He's still the only one who's ever understood Anna--and liked everything from her green Jello carrot salads to her love of books. And this holiday season, she can't help hoping that somehow she and Felty can find a way to be the perfect match...

Felty sensed he was called by Gotte to serve his country, though it went against his community's peaceful ways. Troubled by his wartime experiences, he is resigned to being an outsider avoided by most eligible Amish girls. But lively, intelligent Anna has grown into a warm-hearted generous woman who accepts Felty for who he is. And in the face of family and community opposition, he and Anna will take a leap of faith to prove they are made for each other--and a lifetime of happiness.

My Thoughts

First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand is Anna and Felty’s love story. It is Christmas Eve and Martha Sue Helmuth is visiting her grandparents. She is in a mood because Martha Sue just realized that she was sent to Bonduel in the hopes of her matchmaking grandparents finding her a husband. The last thing she wants is a husband and Martha Sue tells Anna quite loudly startling the rest of the relatives. The family realizes they have never heard Anna and Felty’s love story. There is plenty of time before dinner (which is not being cooked by Anna), so Felty begins the tale. First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill is a delightful story. It has wonderful characters that we have all come to love from The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series. Anna and Felty are two people that are meant for each other. They are warm, caring, and genuine. You can tell how much they love each other and their family. Anna shows her love with her cooking (believe it or not) and with her knitting. I thought First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill was well-written with developed characters and a charming setting. The story is full of humor. I laughed often while reading this sweet story. I am so glad that Jennifer Beckstrand gave us Anna and Felty’s tale. I just loved the ending. First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill is an engaging story that you will not want to end. This is my favorite book in the series. It can be read as a standalone if you have not read the other nine novel sin The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill (you will be missing out if you do not read the whole series). There are some good life lessons in this story. My favorite lesson is that someone may be different from other people (dress differently, cook differently, have unusual interests), but we are all the same in God’s eyes. It is no reason to treat someone differently (make them feel that they are unworthy). This line stuck with me, “You need to treat everyone kindly whether you agree with their politics or not.” I hope the author gives us more Anna and Felty tales. I am glad, though, that I do not have to eat Anna’s cooking. First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill is a special story that will linger with you long after you finish it. First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill is an enchanting Amish Christmas tale with Knitted creations, jiggling Jell-O, cinnamon candy cookies, an adamant mother, bothersome brothers, troublesome traps, and a lasting love.

First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill publishes Tuesday, September 28 and it can be pre-ordered on Amazon*. You can find the other novels in The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill here. I have loved every book in this delightful series. Anna and Felty never disappoint. The author has a novella in the upcoming More Amish Christmas Miracles: 10 Heartwarming Stories to Brighten Your Winter Nights which publishes November 9 (on Kindle Unlimited). Check out Jennifer Beckstrand's other novels plus follow her to receive updates on her latest releases. I included a photo of the "Welcome to Bonduel, Wisconsin" sign (the town where Anna and Felty live) and of a huckleberry pie (for Huckleberry Hill). I appreciate you reading my review today. I will be back on Monday with Murder Outside the Lines by Krista Davis. It is the long anticipated third A Pen & Ink Mystery Novel. I am going to go put up new solar lights outside. I am working on my fall decorations for the yard. My mother and I spent an hour the other day deciding which Halloween inflatables we are going to use in our yard this year. I seemed to have acquired ten more than we can use. I wonder if I can convince my neighbors to put up inflatables? I hope that you have a relaxing weekend. Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Friday, September 24, 2021

Murder at the House on the HIll by Victoria Walters

Murder at the House on the Hill

Book Summary

Nancy Hunter and her grandmother Jane Hunter run the Dedley Endings Bookshop, selling crime, thriller and mystery books, in a small, quiet Cotswold village where nothing ever happens…

That is, until the wealthy and reclusive Roth family open up their mansion for the first time in thirty years, inviting the people of Dedley End to a lavish engagement party.

While everyone is thrilled to finally look around the mansion on the hill, the festivities are quickly cut short when beautiful Lucy, recently married to young Harry Roth, is found dead after being pushed over the first-floor balustrade.

But who among the guests could have been capable of her murder – and why?

Nancy and Jane decide to investigate – after all, not only do they own a crime themed bookshop, they were also both named after famous literary detectives – but soon wonder if they’ve taken on more than they can handle. Especially when it seems the killer has worked out that they’re hot on their heels…

Can they catch the murderer before the murderer catches up with them? Or will there be a deadly ending to this story?

Join the unlikeliest detective duo for the first of The Dedley End Mysteries.

My Thoughts

Murder at the House on the Hill by Victoria Walters is the debut of The Dedley End Mysteries. I liked the two main characters in this new British cozy mystery. Nancy Hunter and her grandmother, Jane own Dedley Endings Bookshop which only carries mysteries, thriller, and crime novels. There is a cast of secondary characters that includes Nancy’s friend, Jonathan who is a local reporter. Jonathan is more about himself and his career, but you can tell that he does care for Nancy and Jane. The village of Dedley End sounded quaint. It is a small town that relies on tourist trade in the summer. The author’s vivid descriptions allow readers to picture the charming village and its residents. The death of Lucy Roth at an engagement party at Roth Manor is startling. Nancy is basically goaded into investigating by Jonathan. Of course, Nancy is curious, and she does not believe the local constabulary are up to the task. Nancy with help from Jane and Jonathan set out to ask questions and search for clues. Several people seem to have a motive to kill the victim. The mystery is straightforward and avid mystery readers will have no problems identifying the guilty party. There is a secondary plot involving the death of Nancy’s father. He died when she was ten in a car crash. She has wondered what really happened that night. Another thread involves the disappearance of Nancy’s mother. She took off when she was a small child and has never been heard from again. I am sure she will appear in a future book. At the end of novel, there is a teaser chapter for the next book in The Dedley End Mysteries. I had a hard time wading through this story. The pacing is slow, there are many repetitive details, and the writing is a little too detail oriented. I ended up skimming through part of the story to make it to the end (the book seemed to go on forever). There are several unlikeable characters with my least favorite being Nancy’s ex-husband, Richard. I really wanted to like Murder at the House on the Hill. I enjoyed Nancy’s love of books and that their bookshop caters to mysteries. Murder at the House on the Hill is a British cozy mystery with a toffee-nosed family, an eager reporter, a curious crime, suspicious suspects, and a probing bookseller.

Murder at the House on the Hill is available from Amazon*. You can find Victoria Walters other novels here. Thank you for popping in today. I cannot wait to share tomorrow's book with you. It is First Christmas at Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand. It is the story of how Anna and Felty met and it publishes September 28. I hope that you have a jolly good day. I am off to the rheumatologists. Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Dangerous Amish Showdown by Mary Alford: Review & Giveaway!

About the Book

Book: Dangerous Amish Showdown

Author: Mary Alford

Genre: Amish Suspense

Release date: August 24, 2021

Under siege in Amish country…

She must fight for their lives.

Gunshots shatter Willa Lambright’s placid Montana evening—and that’s before she discovers on-the-run lawman Mason Shetler on her doorstep. Willa hadn’t glimpsed her childhood friend since he’d turned his back on Amish country years before. Now the US marshal’s returned with an injured partner, a young witness he must protect at all costs…and vicious Mafia agents dead set on making sure none of them survive.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Mary Alford loves giving her readers the unexpected. Her titles have appeared on the USA Today list, Publisher’s Weekly bestseller list, and have finaled in the Daphne Du Maurier award of excellence in mystery, The Beverly, The Maggie, and The Selah Awards.

Mary is an avid reader. She loves to cook, can’t face the day without coffee, and her three granddaughters are the apple of her eye. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two spoiled cats and a dog who thinks he owns the place.

More from Mary

When I first heard of the title for my latest Love Inspired Suspense, I smiled. Dangerous Amish Showdown reminds me of the old westerns where the good guys face off with the bad guys and always win. As a child I loved watching them, mostly because my dad loved them so much, and yes, a big draw for me besides sharing the time with him, was seeing the good guys win. It’s what I try to put into every single book I write, and it’s exactly what happens in Dangerous Amish Showdown.

Lately, I find myself reminiscing a lot about childhood things such as watching old westerns with my dad, and smiling at those simpler times.

In Dangerous Amish Showdown, it takes coming back to his simple childhood Amish community for Mason Shetler to realize how special that life once was for him. Through the courage found in a little girl who has lost everything, and the strength of a woman whose future is uncertain, Mason discovered what he had been searching for all along.

I truly hope you enjoy Mason and Willa’s fight to protect young Samantha and the love they find along the way. And I hope their happy ending leaves you with a smile on your face, and maybe takes you back to a simpler time in your life.

Blessings always,

Mary Alford

My Thoughts

U.S. Marshal Mason Shetler and his partner, Erik Timmons are charged with keeping 6-year-old, Samantha King safe. Samantha witnessed the death of her parents. She is the one person who can finally put away the dangerous Lucian Bartelli. Lucian will do anything in his power to eliminate the witness and the men protecting her. When Erik is injured in a gunfight with Lucian’s men in West Kootenai, Mason leads them through the dark woods to Willa Lambright’s home. Mason has not seen Willa since he left the Amish when he was eighteen. Mason needs a safe place for his young charge and injured partner while he gets assistance. The last thing Mason intended was to bring danger to the Lambright’s.

Dangerous Amish Showdown starts off with a bang and the action keeps up through the whole story. I thought Dangerous Amish Showdown was well-written with complex characters. I loved the tension and fear in the story. It was offset with kindness of Willa and her mother, Beth. Beth and Willa are women of deep faith. They trusted God to bring them through the ordeal. I appreciated the epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story. It was a great way to end it. Be prepared to do nothing else while you read Dangerous Amish Showdown. It is a story of suspense, danger, compassion, faith, and courage. Dangerous Amish Showdown is a fast-paced, suspenseful tale with booming blasts, a perilous injury, a worried witness, a compassionate mother, an indomitable marshal, and a valiant Amish woman.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!! Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click here to enter. Good Luck! Dangerous Amish Showdown is available from Amazon*. You can find Mary Alford's other novels here. Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you have found a new novel to read. Tomorrow I am featuring Murder at the House on the Hill by Victoria Walters. It is the first novel in The Dedley End Mysteries. I hope you have a lively day. Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader