Book Tour - Review and Giveaway - Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Temptation ( Book One in the Temptation series )
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance   
Release Date: June 26, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Your heart misleads you.
That's what my friends and family say. 
But I love Noah. 
And he loves me. 
We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms. 
It should be 
ROSE & NOAH forever, easy. 
But it won't be. 
Because he's Amish.    And I'm not. 

Buy the book on Amazon 
** I received a e-copy of Temptation for review purposes from the tour host.

My thoughts:

I enjoy reading books about the Amish lifestyle. This is a sweet romance about two young people
( one who is Amish, and one who is not ).  The characters are strong and interesting, and I like the way that the "forbidden love" connection between Rose and Noah is written.
As Rose and her family settle into their new home in Meadowview, she meets Noah and is attracted to him right away. Neither Rose or Noah has had any previous romantic experiences and it was heartwarming to see how they handled their attraction for each other.
Rose is a very "independent" teenage girl with a temper and lots of passion for everything in her life, while Noah is quiet and devoted to his family and his faith, and since the story line is written from both Rose and Noah's point of view, you begin to understand what they are both going thru.
I liked their family members, and the community where they lived was very interesting.

As the story progresses, you begin to understand if their faith and love will keep their relationship together.... or tear them apart.

About the Author:

A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel

Karen Ann Hopkins Online

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Review - Rose Harbor in Bloom by Debbie Macomber

 I'm a big fan of Debbie Macomber's books and I love her new "Rose Harbor Series"! 

 The second book in this series "Rose Harbor in Bloom" is being released August 13th, 2013.

Publisher: Ballantine Books
First Published: August 13, 2013
Format: Hardcover, e-Book, Audiobook, Large Print

ISBN13: 978-0-345-52893-3 

Buy it on Amazon - visit my store here

From: http://www.debbiemacomber.com
Since moving to Cedar Cove, Jo Marie Rose has truly started to feel at home, and her neighbors have become her closest friends. Now it’s springtime, and Jo Marie is eager to finish the most recent addition to her inn. In memory of her late husband, Paul, she has designed a beautiful rose garden for the property and enlisted handyman Mark Taylor to help realize it. She and Mark don’t always see eye-to-eye—and at times he seems far removed—yet deep down, Jo Marie finds great comfort in his company. And while she still seeks a sense of closure, she welcomes her latest guests, who are on their own healing journeys.

My Review:

I enjoyed this visit back to the Rose Harbor Inn, where Jo Marie is trying to get her Rose Garden completed in time for her Open House and she also has lots of guests arriving at her Inn!  Some of the guests are there for a 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration which is being organized by Annie Newton. Annie is enjoying all the plans for the Anniversary Party but when Oliver Sutton shows up ( a old friend of hers )...she is not sure whether or not they are going to get along...but you never know what might happen!
   I enjoyed the part where Jo Marie climbed up on a ladder and her Handyman ( Mark ) tried to warn her not to, sometimes they dont get along... but deep down Jo Marie feels like they could become friends.  Jo Marie is still grieving over losing her Husband, but knows that eventually she will start dating again.
One of the Inn's Guests is going thru some serious health issues, and enjoys the peacefulness of the Inn and its surroundings.  While she is at the Inn, she is trying to decide whether to "look up " an old friend....he has been on her mind alot but she is not sure what his reaction will be from hearing from her.
  I enjoy all of the interesting characters from this story, and I look forward to the next book in this series!

To read ( and hear ) a Excerpt from this book, visit here  and click Excerpt in the right sidebar.

I received a e-copy of this book from the Publisher for my honest opinion.

Debbie Macomber

Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 170 million copies of her  books in print worldwide. Macomber brings to life the compelling relationships that embrace family, community and enduring friendships, filling her readers with a sense of love and hope.

Watch for Debbie Macomber's new Christmas book "Starry Night" - on sale October 8th, 2013 !  Visit her site for more information!

I'm pleased to announce the Winner of my Giveaway for a copy of "The Wanderer" by Robyn Carr is Katherine from Katherine's Corner , thanks to everyone for entering!!

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Book Review: Bittersweet Surrender by Diann Hunt

•    Bittersweet Surrender by Diann Hunt
•    Published by Thomas Nelson

From:  http://diannhunt.com/

Carly Westlake spends her days at a spa ( okay, so she owns the place ), she's dating a hunk, and she's surrounded by chocolate.

She's living the dream...or is she?

When I first saw the cover of this book, it caught my eye and the title sounded intriguing also!  The story did not disappoint me, I thought it was written with humor, even though Carly is going thru some pretty major life situations.   She recently went thru breast cancer treatments, and her Husband left her after a long marriage, but she is determined to move on with her life.

Her best friend, Scott comes in to help her with the books for her Spa, and gives her advice on helping her to lose weight and eating right, which is kind of hard to do in a chocolate spa!   Carly is struggling to lose 20 pounds before her boyfriend comes back to town, and her new houseguest ( Magnolia ) is trying her patience, which dosent help Carly's cravings for chocolate!

I liked how Carly's friends are there to help support her, and I liked Carly's sense of humor thru out the book.

There are some twists and turns to this Romance story, it kept me turning the pages to find out how it turns out!

Look for more information on  Amazon and Barnes & Noble



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Family Affair by Debbie Macomber

Avon Books Gift-Size Hardcover
January 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0061997129

Description:
Rediscover the joy of #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber's delightful tale of unexpected love, second chances, and a cat named Dog.

Lacey Lancaster has always longed to be a wife and mother. However, after a painful divorce, she decides it's time to lay low for a while in her charming San Francisco apartment with her beautiful Abyssinian cat, Cleo.
Everything would be wonderful, except for her utterly impossible neighbor Jack Walker. When he's not arguing day and night with his girlfriend, begging her to move in with him, he's chasing down his cat named Dog, who seems determined to get Cleo to succumb to his feline advances.
From:  http://www.debbiemacomber.com/index.cfm 

I really enjoyed this story about Lacey, her cat Cleo,

 Jack, and his cat named "Dog"...

Lacey enjoys her job, but thinks her Boss dosent appreciate all that she does for him and she's determined to ask for a raise.  Meanwhile her neighbor Jack is arguing with someone alot, and Lacy believes its his girlfriend.

This is a cute and touching story about finding love and romance, even in the most unlikely situations!

With more than 140 million copies of her books in print, Debbie Macomber is one of today's most popular authors.

Visit her  website  for more information on her books,

 her current Contests, Recipes and more!

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