Undercover Assignment Review and GIVEAWAY!

About the Book

Book: Undercover Assignment

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Suspense

Release date: June 28, 2022

This K-9 will stop at nothing to keep a child safe.

When a little boy is threatened, Officer Daniella Vargas and K-9 partner, Zara, are assigned to pose as his nanny to uncover the culprit’s identity. Suspecting one of the guests in his inn, widower Sam Kavanaugh’s only option is to begrudgingly trust Daniella and Zara to help. But can they solve the case and its mysterious connection to Sam’s late wife before it’s too late?

Click HERE to get your copy!

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a USA TODAY and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author. She’s written more than forty mystery and suspense novels for Love Inspired Suspense, Harvest House, and Poisoned Pen Press. She is honored to have received two ACFW Carol Awards, a Holt Medallion Award, and a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. Please visit her on the web at www.danamentink.com to sign up for her newsletter, or find her on Twitter, Facebook and Bookbub.

More from Dana

What a joy to participate in a series with seven other talented authors! A continuity series is a set of books, each written by a different author, and each with its own suspense plot along with an overarching series plot and characters. It’s a very complicated project to complete, but the fantastic part is chatting, collaborating, and sometimes commiserating with other writers. What a rare treat, since most of our work is done alone in dark rooms with computer screens and bottomless cups of coffee! This series was especially fun to write because of the whole wilderness lodge setting which is my favorite type of story. Picture it! Ancient cliff dwellings, a freak electrical storm, twenty-four hours with no power and a killer on the loose! That’s my kind of suspense novel. I hope you will enjoy this multi author series as much as we enjoyed creating it!

My Review

“Human predators were good at surviving and thriving too, she thought, sometimes hiding in plain sight.”

Aside from the fact that I love Dana Mentink’s writing, the first thing that attracted me to this book was its focus on dogs. As strange as it may sound, that also made me nervous because I can’t bear to read stories in which any harm comes to the dog, even if it’s a work of fiction. Thus I both applaud and cringe when I come across a new book—or better yet, a series—that spotlights working dogs. This is the first book in the Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit series that I have read, the fourth book in the series, and it can easily be a standalone. Furthermore, for any readers who share my concerns, I’m very happy to report that the canine comes through unscathed. Admittedly, this is just about the most important part for me! While I’m familiar with service dogs, I am less well acquainted with police canines, and Undercover Assignment offers a glimpse into the life of a K-9 officer and her four-legged partner.

A seemingly eclectic mix of characters greet the reader within the pages of this suspenseful yet heartwarming tale. Officer Daniella Vargas finds herself at the remote Cliffside Lodge in New Mexico with her K-9 partner, Zara, posing as a nanny in order to investigate strange goings-on there while keeping owner Sam Kavanaugh’s young son, Oliver, safe. What Daniella thinks is a humiliating waste of her time soon proves to be a true mystery with real dangers, and it’s somehow connected with Sam’s late wife. In spite of their different personalities, he and Daniella share a similar predicament: they have each erected nearly impenetrable walls around themselves to protect their hearts. Strength and perseverance can become handicaps when we close off our hearts and don’t rely on God for our daily needs or allow Him to be our strength. This is just as important during our grief as it is during our joy, and it always involves stepping outside of our comfort zones, even when it doesn’t make sense, as Daniella observes: “From what she knew of Sam, he’d fight and scrap to make the best of what God had given him, just like she had.” Often, the biggest blessings come after determining to endure. What we lose might just pave the way for a blessing that we never expected, and sometimes it takes the loyalty and devotion of a dog to help us realize that.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 15

Inklings and notions, June 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 16

EmpowerMoms, June 16

Vicky Sluiter, June 17

For Him and My Family, June 17

An Author’s Take, June 18

Blogging With Carol, June 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 19

Betti Mace, June 20

Texas Book-aholic, June 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 21

Blossoms and Blessings, June 21

She Lives To Read, June 22

Through the Fire Blogs, June 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 23

Labor Not in Vain, June 24

deb’s Book Review, June 25

Pause for Tales, June 25

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 26

For the Love of Literature, June 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 27

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, June 27

Genesis 5020, June 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize package of a $75 Amazon gift card and a signed book!!

(If the winner is outside the U.S., then he or she will receive an eBook.)

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1eff2/undercover-assignment-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Putting Green Whisperer Author Interview and GIVEAWAY!

About the Book

Book: The Putting Green Whisperer

Author: Zoe McCarthy

Genre: Christian fiction

Release date: 2018

Suddenly unemployed, Allie Masterson returns home to Cary, North Carolina where she caddies for her father on the PGA Seniors Tour. There, she encounters a man who possesses an alluring gift of reading the contours of the green. Fascinated with his uncanny ability, Allie is excited to meet the Green Whisperer—until she discovers that the easygoing caddy is actually Shoo Leonard, the boy who teased her relentlessly when they were kids. Despite Allie’s reservations, she agrees to use her sport science degree to become his trainer when Shoo sustains a hand injury—and then she falls for him. Shoo Leonard is grateful to Allie for her singular determination to get him ready for the PGA tour, but he isn’t ready for anything more. Still raw from a broken engagement and focused on his career, he’s content to be her fist-pumping buddy until the chemistry is undeniable. What seems like a happily-ever-after on the horizon takes a turn when Allie decides she’s become a distraction to Shoo’s career. Is it time for her to step away or can The Putting Green Whisperer find the right words to make her stay?

Click HERE to get your copy!

About the Author

Zoe M. McCarthy, a full-time writer and speaker, was pegged an expressive analytic in a personality test. Isn’t that an oxymoron? But it’s true. Zoe couldn’t survive without expressing her creative imaginings. Yet this retired actuary and introvert receives her energy from being alone in her home office overlooking the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains.

More from Zoe

The Putting Green Whisperer came about when my sister and I sat under a shade tree near a green at the PGA Senior’s Tour golf tournament. As we watched senior pro golfers and their caddies come through to putt, two young caddies standing just of the green with their backs toward us caught my eye. They talked quietly while their pros prepared to putt. He was tall and she was petite with her long blonde pony tailing protruding from the back of her pink ball cap. I day-dreamed how a romance might begin between the two caddies. I turned to my sister and pointed at the couple. “My next book will be about those two caddies.” My reviews of the book tell me readers who don’t care for golf enjoyed the romance and readers that love golf said I got the golf right.

Author Interview

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

A personality test I took through my company pegged me as an expressive analytic. I know it sounds like an oxymoron, but it fits me. I couldn’t survive without expressing my thoughts and creative imaginings. Yet, I’m an analytical and introverted retired, actuary* who receives my energy from being alone in my home office, spewing words into my laptop. The good news in being an expressive and analytical introvert is I can easily write both types of characters.

*Actuaries perform all the mathematical analysis for insurance companies, pricing products and estimating reserves to pay claims.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I start my day reading the Bible and taking my prayer walk in which I pray for others on my lists. Then I work on developing the lesson for the weekly community women’s Bible study I teach. After that, it’s a scramble among many writing-related commitments—developing and presenting writing workshops online and in person, writing and posting to my newsletter and blog, promoting through social media, and snatching time to write. Then in the evenings while my husband and I watch a show, I knit or crochet shawls for the prayer shawl ministry. After we’ve gone to bed, I prop my laptop on my knees and quietly write from ten to midnight with no distractions. I choose not to work on Sundays. My husband is my business partner and helps me manage my schedule. He performs promotions, creates memes, designs book covers, and formats my indie books on Amazon. But my best writing schedules have occurred when I’ve taken sabbaticals. I enjoyed a full-month, summer sabbatical at our lake cabin. I worked nonstop on one book in the mornings and on another book in the afternoons.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a hybrid. I find doing high level plotting before I start writing, such as sketching out the stages of the Hero’s Journey, has advantages. I have a good idea what research is needed and can get started on it. I can brainstorm ideas for foreshadowing events that I already know will happen later in the story. Before I launch into my story, I understand much about my protagonists and some secondary characters—their personalities, temperaments, outlooks, and quirks. I don’t waste time plotting the nitty-gritty details that I might not use when I enter panster mode. In this mode, I give myself the freedom to write the scenes as ideas come to mind, but I stay within the high-level stages I’ve plotted in the Hero’s Journey.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse, or is there a particular Bible story that really resonates with you?

The verse that has spoken to me for a long time is Isaiah 53:6. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (NIV) This Old Testament prophecy speaks several truths to me. I’m like a sheep who needs a shepherd to lead me onto the right and safe path. Like what happens with sheep, I’ve been lost, and Jesus, through His Spirit, literally came and got me. I don’t have to worry about being a sacrificial lamb, because Jesus took on that role as well as a shepherd role. He willingly bore on Himself my iniquities. Yay!

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

When I was an aspiring writer, I tackled the platform-building suggestion to write a blog. My only passion to post about was my love for learning how to write and how to perform all the peripheral tasks publishers ask of authors. Mostly, I researched each writing, marketing, or blogging challenge I was currently undergoing. I passed along what I’d learned in my blog posts. After I’d written over three hundred posts, an editor and an agent, separately, suggested I use my blog posts to create a book on writing. I wanted my book to help writers who were starting a manuscript, already had a not-yet-published manuscript, or had self-published one that was receiving poor reviews. So, I included all I’d researched and used in improving my own writing into a comprehensive guide for aspiring writers. I believe in that book. So, new authors might find it helpful to search my blog posts for the problem they’re experiencing or to read Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days. Other books I recommend are: Hooked by Les Edgerton, Stein on Writing by Sol Stein, Goal, Motivation & Conflict by Debra Dixon, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King, Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell, Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View by Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, Take Off Your Pants by Libbie Hawker, and The Emotional Wound Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 10

Texas Book-aholic, June 11

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 12 (Author Interview)

Inklings and notions, June 13

For Him and My Family, June 14

A Baker’s Perspective, June 15 (Author Interview)

Miriam Jacob, June 15

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 16

deb’s Book Review, June 17

For the Love of Literature, June 18 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 20

Blossoms and Blessings, June 21 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 22

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, June 23 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Zoe is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and one print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1eb78/the-putting-green-whisperer-celebration-tour-giveaway

A Promise Engraved Review and GIVEAWAY!

About the Book

Book: A Promise Engraved

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction/Romance

Release date: May, 2022

Can Promises Made in Times of Struggle Endure 200 Years?

Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance.

Young, spirited Josie Wilkins life is about to take a turn when faced with political turmoil and forbidden love in San Antonio of 1836. John Gilbert has won her heart, despite being a Protestant preacher who is forbidden to practice his faith in Texas. Will either of them survive an epic battle for liberty to create a legacy of love?

Nearly 200 years later, Kayleigh Hernandez takes breaks from her demanding job as a refugee coordinator working with Mexican migrants to attend flea markets where she has found a uniquely engraved ring. Enlisting the help of appraiser Brandon Shuman, they piece together a love story long forgotten. But will dangers linked to Kayleigh’s work end her own hopes for leaving a legacy built on hope, faith, and love?

Click HERE to get your copy!

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

More from Liz

The Story of Susannah Dickinson, Alamo Survivor

When asked how many died at the Alamo, many would answer that everyone did. While it’s true that all fighting on the side of Texas independence perished, there were survivors, all women and children and one slave. The only white woman (the rest were of Mexican descent) was Susannah Dickinson, along with her daughter Angelina. Susannah had followed her husband, Almaron, to Mexican Texas in 1831. They had married two years before when Susannah was just fifteen. She never learned to read or write.

She and the other women hid in the sacristy of the church, one of the surviving buildings in the mission and what we now think of as the Alamo. Her husband died, but Mexican General Santa Anna found them and spared their lives, sending them to Sam Houston with $2 each and a blanket.

She married again the following year but divorced him almost immediately on the grounds of cruelty. She married a third time the following year and was married for five years until her husband died of alcoholism. A fourth marriage occurred in 1847, but she divorced again in 1857, this time allegedly because she was having an affair. That same year, she married for a fifth time. This marriage lasted until her death in 1883.

The ring in A Promise Engraved is based on a cat’s eye ring supposedly given to Angelina by William Travis before the battle. Angelina was Susannah’s only child. She married and had three children, but that marriage ended in divorce. She gave the ring to a man she’d become involved with in New Orleans. She married again and had one more child but died in 1869 from a uterine hemorrhage.

Today there are many descendants of Susannah Dickinson. If you visit the Susannah Dickinson house in Austin, you’ll see a quilt that is signed by many of her living descendants.

My Review

Being largely unfamiliar with the Texas Revolution, I found this eighth standalone book in Barbour’s historic Doors to the Past series particularly intriguing. Liz Tolsma crafts A Promise Engraved, her first split-time novel, seamlessly, intertwining historic and contemporary events to demonstrate the truths of Scripture. The genealogical journey forming part of the present-day storyline is relevant to so many investigating their own ancestry amidst the range of tools available, and the issue of illegal immigration and refugees, especially as it applies to young children caught in the middle, is straight from the headlines. The historical segment of the narrative proves to be just as pertinent, dealing with issues such as assault, murder, and trauma. Exploring the echoes of history informs the present and guides the future. As Brandon tells Kayleigh, “There’s always an important story to learn at the end. Along the way, we might discover something about ourselves.”

Beginning in 1835 but taking place mostly in 1836, the story of 18-year-old Josie Wilkins and Protestant pastor John Gilbert in San Antonio plays out during the determining battles of the Texas Revolution, and Tolsma offers insight into the motivations and strategies of those involved. Josie has a very unique position and a tragic past that isolates her in many ways, but John reminds her that “true joy is only found in the Lord” and urges her to “Give everything over to God. All your sins, all your hurts, all your trials and pains. He will heal and restore and bring you everlasting peace that surpasses all understanding. Place your trust and faith in Him. He will carry you through.” What might seem like trite platitudes becomes demonstrably true despite the horrors of war and loss, creating a legacy that connects to refugee coordinator Kayleigh Hewland nearly two centuries later. Kayleigh, her own past marred by tragedy, happens upon a special ring in a flea market and teams up with appraiser Brandon Mullins to discover how its history might shed light upon her own. From one survivor’s story to another, A Promise Engraved attests that, as Brandon assures Kayleigh, “With faith, you can endure anything, because there’s the hope that God is working out everything, even when you can’t see it.” And even when the good that God is working develops over centuries!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

My rating: 5 stars ♥♥♥♥♥

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 28

Bigreadersite, May 28

The Write Escape, May 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 29

Christina’s Corner, May 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 29

lakesidelivingsite, May 30

Texas Book-aholic, May 30

Rebecca Tews, May 30

Inklings and notions, May 31

Blogging With Carol, May 31

Splashes of Joy, May 31

Betti Mace, June 1

Southern Gal Loves to Read, June 1

Genesis 5020, June 2

Daysong Reflections, June 2

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 2

Remembrancy, June 3

Books, Books, and More Books, June 3

For Him and My Family, June 3

Older & Smarter?, June 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 5

deb’s Book Review, June 5

Mary Hake, June 5

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 6

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 6

Blossoms and Blessings, June 6

Connie’s History Classroom, June 7

Life of Literature, June 7

Back Porch Reads , June 7

Bizwings Blog, June 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 8

For the Love of Literature, June 8

Through the Fire blogs, June 9

Pause for Tales, June 9

Labor Not in Vain, June 9

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, June 10

Melissa’s Bookshelf, June 10

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, June 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1e37a/a-promise-engraved-celebration-tour-giveaway