*Inspirational and clean reads to remember and see
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you’re continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.
I love a little humor with my romance, so Once Upon a Laugh is right up my alley.
Title: Charming the Troublemaker
Author: Pepper Basham
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 1, 2017
Troublemaking never looked so good…
When Dr. Alex Murdock is demoted to a university in rural Virginia, the last thing he expects to find is a future. But country charm never looks as good as it does on Rainey Mitchell.
Rainey Mitchell doesn’t need a high-class flirt in her wounded world, but trouble and temptations wafts off the new professor as strong as his sandalwood-scented cologne.
When circumstances thrust them together to save her tutoring clinic, can the troublemaker find the hero inside and encourage the reticent Rainey to open her heart again.
Click here to purchase!
I love Pepper Basham’s books. She has a knack for getting to the heart of human nature with grace and a few laughs along the way.
In Charming the Troublemaker, readers get to return to Ransom and the Mitchell family (first introduced in Twist of Faith). This time Rainey Mitchell gets the spotlight.
And Rainey has some issues she’s held on to ever since discovering her ex-husband’s infidelity. Now she gets to deal with the flirty Dr. Alex Murdoch. The last thing she wants is this man showing interest in her or her daughter. Yet it doesn’t take long for Rainey to discover the man beneath the façade.
With moments that had me giggling out loud to ones that had me on the edge of my seat, Basham delivers the promise of second chances, the truth of discovering someone’s true character, the draw of acceptance, and the bonds of family in a story that captured me from the first pages.
Here’s hoping Trigg and Emma get their opportunities to shine soon.
My Rating:
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes novels inspired by her love for history and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Her Penned in Time series has garnered recognition in the Inspys, Grace Awards, and the ACFW Carol Awards. Her contemporary romance novel, A Twist of Faith, received 4-stars from Romantic Times, and most recently, her newest release, The Thorn Healer, received a Top Pick from RT with 4 ½ stars. Her newest contemporary romance, Just the Way You Are, releases in April 2016. You can get to know Pepper on Facebook, or over at her group blog, The Writer’s Alley, or Instagram.
I have a thing for underdogs.
Misfits.
Lots souls who desperately need to find where they belong.
I can’t help it! Call it a ‘fix-it’ mentality or an awareness that God rescued me and now I want to rescue other people…even fictional characters, but I’m definitely a softy for those characters that people are less likely to root for. Catherine from The Thorn Bearer/Keeper became my first rescue…and I just HAD to find another.
I guess that’s how Charming the Troublemaker came into existence.
Dr. Alex Murdock desperately needed to be rescued.
In a bad way.
If you’ve had a chance to read my first book in the Mitchell’s Crossroads series, A Twist of Faith, you’ll know that Alex doesn’t seem to be made up of much hero material. He’s a flirt, a little arrogant, and…well, kind of like a lost puppy.
As book 1 grew and came to a close, I knew Alex and Rainey’s story would be next…but I immediately ran into a real problem.
Who in the world was Alex Murdock? We really didn’t get to know him very much in book 1. He zoomed in a few times, ruffling feathers and then finally showing off some interesting kindness/compassion in the end, but…he was still a big-time flirt.
So the question emerged: Can a flirt be a hero?
What is Alex hiding behind that ready smile and sense of humor? Why does he seem so lost?
The answers were surprising!! Just wait.
The Mitchell family draw him right in, as they did with Dee, and his world is forever changed.
And then there’s Rainey. Strong-willed and independent, she is deeply wounded by her ex-husband’s betrayal. Though she gives off all these ‘confident’ vibes, she hides her insecurities behind a tough exterior in a desire to keep people at a distance – well, everyone except her family.
Alex rocks her world with his ready charm.
And she sees beyond the plastic grin to recognize another wounded soul.
Throwing them together into a book has been a hilarious and heart-stirring adventure, I wasn’t prepared to encounter. They’re so much fun!
AND…he’s ADORKABLE!! Seriously!! He is SUCH a dork, but makes me grin. And…he looks like Armie Hammer 😉
Let me just give you a hint to some of my favorite scenes:
Anything with Sarah!
Underoos
All of the scenes in Rainey’s house
And those in Mama Mitchell’s
Okay, I like the WHOLE STORY…and I can’t wait to see what you think too.
To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving away a grand prize of a paper copy of A Twist of Faith, a mug from the Blue Ridge Parkway, one driftwood scented candle, one mango scented candle, and a Troublemaker snickers 😉 highly appropriate. Chocolate with a nutty personality :)!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c1f1
By The Book, November 14
Just the Write Escape, November 14
Avid Reader Book Reviews, November 15
Reading Is My SuperPower, November 15
Moments Dipped in Ink, November 15
Fiction Aficionado, November 16
autism mom, November 16
Fiction, Faith, and Fun, November 17
Inklings and Notions, November 17
Faithfully Bookish, November 18
Radiant Light, November 18
Reflections From My Bookshelves, November 19
The Power of Words, November 19
Cordially Barbara, November 20
Red Headed Book Lady, November 20
Smiling Book Reviews, November 20
Kat’s Corner Books, November 21
A Greater Yes, November 21
100 Pages per Hour, November 22
Splashes of Joy, November 22
Carpe Diem, November 23
Bookworm Mama, November 23
A Baker’s Perspective, November 24
The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate, November 24
Daysong Reflections, November 25
Rachel Scott McDaniel, November 25
Remembrancy, November 26
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 26
Christian Chick’s Thoughts, November 27
Karen Sue Hadley, November 27
I love a book that can make me laugh, and the one I’m sharing with you today is a romantic comedy full of fun. The banter between Will and is sometimes hilarious and other times deep. inner monologue is enjoyable and made me smile.
Six months ago, William stole Hanna’s heart and shattered it in front of millions of people on a reality TV dating show. And now the big-wig CEO is back on Hanna’s home turf in Minnesota and wants her to forgive him? Fat chance of that. But life is swirling around faster than snow in a blizzard, and despite her objections, teaming up with William seems like the only option to rescue her reputation.
William has never regretted anything more than the day he gave that ill-fated interview for the reality show, The Price of Love. But while he can’t change the past, he’s determined to fix the future. He just needs to convince Hanna to forgive him—and pretend to be engaged with him. Simple, right?
When the media erupts with even worse accusations, teaming up and pretending to be engaged seems to be the only way to salvage their reputations. Despite the media frenzy that swirls around them, an attraction neither of them can fight off begins to surface. Could this love run deeper than a scandal, or will old wounds tear them apart once and for all?
You can check out my review here.
[Read more…] about The Engagement Plot by Krista Phillips (Book Spotlight with a Giveaway)
Can Hanna and Will Find True Love amid the Bright Lights of Reality TV?
Perfect for the fans of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette!
Six months ago, William stole Hanna’s heart and shattered it in front of millions of people on a reality TV dating show. And now the big-wig CEO is back on Hanna’s home turf in Minnesota and wants her to forgive him? Fat chance of that. But life is swirling around faster than snow in a blizzard, and despite her objections, teaming up with William seems like the only option to rescue her reputation.
William has never regretted anything more than the day he gave that ill-fated interview for the reality show, The Price of Love. But while he can’t change the past, he’s determined to fix the future. He just needs to convince Hanna to forgive him—and pretend to be engaged with him. Simple, right?
When the media erupts with even worse accusations, teaming up and pretending to be engaged seems to be the only way to salvage their reputations. Despite the media frenzy that swirls around them, an attraction neither of them can fight off begins to surface. Could this love run deeper than a scandal, or will old wounds tear them apart once and for all? When all seems lost, it’s only with help from above that Hanna and Will may find their happily-ever-after.
After being humiliated on national television, what choice does Hanna have but to return home? Home to the aptly named Embarrass, Minnesota. Six months have passed since “Holy” Hanna left the show, disgraced, angry, and bitter. Six months she’s had to deal with seeing her name and face on the gossip magazines at the checkout counters.
So when Will shows up, she’s none too happy. But he has a plan to get both of them back in the good graces of Americans (not to mention Will’s bosses).
I loved Hanna! This character is so real. She struggles with her decisions, knows they’re probably not right but makes them anyway. She’s honest with herself about her bitterness toward William and her ruined witness because of going on The Price of Love. It’s her journey that most appealed to me in this book.
William seems a little selfish at first but as I got to know him, I liked him more. While his methods aren’t the best, his intentions are. And that’s what counts.
As both Will and Hanna spend time together, they’re reminded of the reasons they chose each other on the show. Yet there’s a distance between them that can only be filled with trust, forgiveness, and God.
The perfect reminder that the price of love is great…greater than imagined at sometimes.
My Rating:
***I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Paige McAllister needs to do something drastic. Her boyfriend can’t even commit to living in the same country, her promised promotion is dead on arrival and the simultaneous loss of her brother and her dream of being a concert violinist has kept her playing life safe and predictable for six years. Things need to change. A moment of temporary insanity finds her leaving her life in Chicago to move to Sydney, Australia. There she finds herself, against many of her convictions, as a logistics planner for one of Australia’s biggest churches, and on a collision course with her boss’s son.
Josh Tyler fronts a top-selling worship band and is in demand all over the world. But, in the past, his failed romantic relationships almost destroyed both his reputation and his family. He’s determined to never risk it happening again. The last thing he needs is some American girl tipping his ordered life upside down. Especially one who despises everything he’s ever worked for and manages to push every button he has.
When Josh and Paige are thrown together to organize his band’s next tour, the sparks fly. But can they find a way to bridge the differences that pull them apart? Or will they choose the safety and security of what they know over taking a chance on something that will require them to risk everything?
[Read more…] about Then There Was You by Kara Isaac (Review)
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