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Author Marta Perry & Amish Chicken Pot Pie

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Lyn CoteOctober 22, 2015

My guest today is my dear friend author Marta Perry who writes some of the best Amish romances and romantic suspense. It’s always a delight to have her stop by and share something good! Today she’s offering a copy of her latest Amish suspense WHEN SECRETS STRIKE so don’t forget to answer the QUESTION below to enter the drawing. (Print book for US Only) And she’s sharing her recipe for Chicken Pot Pie. YUM! Here’s Marta:

part of my cooking repertoire since childhood

One of the pleasures of writing Amish fiction is the opportunity to mention the typical Pennsylvania Dutch foods that have been part of my cooking repertoire since childhood. When I was growing up, a Sunday never passed without some variety of chicken and homemade noodles on the table, and my mother was a great believer in putting out traditional sweets and sours with a meal, especially in the summer when the bounty of the garden could be used in her pickled vegetables and relishes.

In my current book, WHEN SECRETS STRIKE,

the protagonist is Amish quilt shop owner Sarah Bitler, and the food on her family table is typical of the meals my mother served. A favorite recipe is Amish-style Chicken Pot Pie. Now, there are nearly as many versions of what constitutes a pot pie as there are Amish cooks. My family especially enjoys one with a biscuit topping, but a more traditional one includes homemade noodles cut into squares and added to the chicken broth. The noodles thicken the mixture into a rich, stew-like dish that is wonderfully warming on a cold day.

Here’s the recipe.

Amish CHICKEN POT PIE

For noodles: mix together 1 T butter, dash of salt, 2 cups flour. Add 2 beaten eggs and 2 T milk. Mix, then roll out thin on a well-floured board, working in more flour as needed. Let stand for ½ hour to an hour. Cut in 1 inch squares.

For pot pie: In a heavy kettle, add 2 thinly sliced potatoes, 3 cups chopped cooked chicken, 2 small minced onions, salt and pepper. Add the cut noodles. Pour 2 cups of hot chicken stock over all. Cover tightly and simmer for twenty minutes, adding more chicken stock if needed. Adjust seasonings and serve.

I hope you’ll enjoy this taste of Amish food.”–Marta

To purchase, click here. When Secrets Strike

BLURB

In Laurel Ridge, Pennsylvania, a community once united must suspect one of their own

Amish quilter Sarah Bitler’s dreams no longer feature a husband and family. Instead, she searches for success in the quilt shop within Blackburn House, a place once tarnished with deadly secrets. She refuses to let the past influence her future…until an ominous fire forces them to collide.

Firefighter Aaron King was the first to touch Sarah’s heart—and the first to break it. Now a widower and father of two small girls, his return to Sarah’s life brings her buried feelings to the surface. As a string of horrific incidents tears apart their community, an arsonist’s wrath threatens to destroy them all. With Aaron as the only suspect, Sarah must follow her instincts to find the truth. But to protect an innocent man, she might risk her heart to Aaron again…and risk her life to an unknown killer.

QUESTION: What’s your favorite chicken recipe?

Thanks so much, Marta. I am definitely going to try this recipe sometime this winter. I KNOW MY DH WOULD LOVE IT! Now don’t forget to leave a reply to the QUESTION in order to be entered into the book drawing.–Lyn

For more online:

If you’d like to receive my brochure of Pennsylvania Dutch recipes, just send me an e-mail at marta@martaperry.com. You can find me online at http://www.martaperry.com or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MartaPerryBooks.

Author Jolene Navarro & A Texas Christmas Wish

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Lyn CoteOctober 21, 2015

My guest today is author Jolene Navarro who is going to share about her latest heroine, a Texas woman with guts. Jolene teaches at an alternative high school in Texas so she has met young women just like Karly. Here’s Jolene:

Seventeen and abandoned in the hospital after giving birth

In my current story, A Texas Christmas Wish, my heroine Karly found herself–seventeen and abandoned in the hospital after giving birth–alone in the world. My heroine did not have an easy start in life, but like many of the students I work with she is determined to build a better future for her child.

the minute she walked on the page in Lone Star Hero

Karly Kalakona was special to me the minute she walked on the page in Lone Star Hero as a waitress at the local drug store. She had her son coloring at a table while she worked. The church had stepped in and helped her get out of a dangerous relationship.

A long string of bad decisions

had put her on the path to Clear Water, Texas. This was the first place she had any sense of belonging, a place she wanted to make her forever home. The days of looking for someone to rescue her were behind her. Her focus was now on God’s gifts and the most precious of those was her son. He was born without the lower part of his right arm and his leg needed surgeries.

I clearly remember when the idea of Karly came to me.

It was in my art studio where I teach in downtown San Antonio. I was talking to one of my students about her plans …her goals beyond high school. She told me she wanted a car. Which in itself is not unusual, but the reason tore my heart. She wanted a safe place where she had the power to lock the doors and leave.

Starting their lives with consequences of poor choices, they didn’t make

My heroine has been on her own since she was fifteen. I have so many students that reflect this reality. Students that have never seen their own birth certificates or know the names of their fathers. Starting their lives with consequences of poor choices and guilt that are not even theirs to begin.

one of the hardest God realities for Karly

That she is worthy of love and forgiveness is one of the hardest God realities for Karly to accept. She has to remind herself and read the verses over and over. I loved watching Karly grow in her faith and learn to accept love, not only God’s love but a whole community and the most unexpected to her the love of our hero, Tyler Childress.”–Jolene

“Karly’s movement reminded him of a cat his mom had once rescued, slow and cautious, wary of strangers.” – Some of Tyler’s first thoughts of Karly.

To purchase, click here. A Texas Christmas Wish (Love Inspired)

Blurb for A Texas Christmas Wish

Karly Kalakona’s new nursing job is the perfect Christmas gift she and her son needed for their future. The single mom just never counted on dealing with not only a stubborn patient, but also with his prodigal son. After years away, pilot Tyler Childress is only a temporary traveler to the Texas ranch he’s spent his life escaping. But the chemistry he shares with his father’s nurse is undeniable—and has him thinking of sticking around past the holiday season. Can Tyler learn to trust the woman whose caring ways are bringing his father back to life…and who might just be the partner his wandering heart can find a home with?

For more online:

http://jolenenavarrowriter.com/

QUESTION: Have you ever had to deal with the consequences of SOMEONE’S ELSE’S BAD DECISION?–LYN

Lyn Reviews Louis L’Amour’s Classic Western, Conagher

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Lyn CoteOctober 17, 2015

Conagher by Louis L’Amour

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am a longtime fan of Louis L’Amour’s Classic Westerns. I believe, he presents the truest authentic record of the Old West that others have so romanticized. Louis’s grandfather lived the Old West and told his grandson about it, sparking a stream of stories which live on.

In a Louis L’Amour Western, there is always a bad guy and a hero who is a match for him. And there is always a bit of romance. The hero gets the heroine he deserves and vice versa. I think this winning combination is what still captivates readers who continue to enjoy Louis L’Amour’s books.

This story is a particular favorite of mine, The hero is a man who will not be stopped, who “rides” to his own drumbeat and is completely humble…and lonely.

And it just so happens, we have a lonely heroine, Evie Teale. A woman who married a man for survival and when he disappears, must survive and protect his children. She has found a home and will not leave it–no matter who comes to her door.

And something new appears on the frontier. Some woman is writing little snippets of her feelings, almost free verse poetry.

Will Conagher find the writer of these snippets and also find a home?

To purchase, click cover.

View all my reviews

Debut Author Cate Nolan & Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Lyn CoteOctober 8, 2015

My guest is a debut author for Love Inspired Suspense, Cate Nolan, who is going to share her favorite cranberry bread recipe. Here’s Cate:

My debut from Love Inspired Suspense is a Christmas story, but the recipe I’d like to share with you is a favorite Thanksgiving one. I’m sure Callie, my heroine from Christmas in Hiding, would approve.

My daughters and I have baked this cranberry bread for Thanksgiving every year

In recent years, after my youngest daughter became a vegan, we adapted it so she could still enjoy. I hope you do too!

So why do I think Callie would approve?

Because celebrating a family tradition such as baking bread together is something Callie longs for. She was a foster child and though she tried to build a family through her job and her church, when she is forced into protective custody she faces Christmas alone and on the run. She struggles to maintain her trust that God has a plan for her life and has to learn to accept that His plan may not match her plan. (Though it turns out to be far better!)

Recipe for Cranberry Orange Bread

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup butter

1 egg beaten

1 teaspoon orange zest

¾ cup orange juice

1 cup light raisins

1 2/3 cups fresh cranberries chopped (You can use frozen if necessary.)

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. And remaining wet ingredients and stir until evenly mixed. Fold in cranberries and raisins. We also like to add in some walnuts.

Spoon into a greased loaf pan and bake ar 350 degrees for an hour and 10 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Vegan version: bake the same way, just alter the ingredients.

2 cups mixed flours (buckwheat, oat, brown rice), 1 cup date sugar, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda for dry. Cut in 1/4 cup coconut oil until crumbly. Add 3 tbsp warm water to 1 tbsp flax meal in separate bowl and set aside for 10 min, then add flax egg and 3/4 cup orange juice to mixture. Then fold in 1 1/2 cups each golden sultanas and fresh chopped cranberries. Can add nuts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB

CHRISTMAS IN WITNESS PROTECTION

After her ex-boyfriend’s murder, Callie Martin has no choice but to trade her quiet life as a kindergarten teacher for the witness protection program. It’s US Marshal Jackson Walker’s job to keep Callie safe, but the men who would do her harm just keep getting closer and closer. Either someone on the inside is betraying Callie, or she’s lying to Jackson about her involvement. So he decides to go off the grid, spiriting her away to the remote Vermont countryside at Christmas. Jackson wants to trust her, but with danger dogging their every move, he’ll have to use all his energy to keep her alive.

Great recipe, Cate. I love cranberry bread! I live in an area surrounded by cranberry bogs. Wisconsin is I think the largest producer in the US. Our harvest is late this year. I’m used to going to the produce section and seeing bulk cranberries for 99 cents a pound. So far–nada.–Lyn

For more online:

Website: http://www.catenolanauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010179603545

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCateNolan

Lyn Reviews Author Dame Agatha Christie’s Come, Tell Me How You Live

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Lyn CoteSeptember 30, 2015

Last week I reviewed Veronica Heley’s British Mystery MURDER BY SUSPICION. Long before I read any other British mystery author, I was reading Agatha Christie. And I found that I was intrigued by the woman behind those stories and character such as Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. So I was interested when I came upon this book.

Come, Tell Me How You Live by Agatha Christie Mallowan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have long enjoyed Dame Agatha Christie’s cozy mysteries. Love Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. But now Dame Agatha has parted the veil for a peek into her life with her second husband, the archeologist.

In case you don’t know, Dame Agatha’s first husband turned out to be a mistake and after their divorce, she married Max Mallowan, a man 17 years her junior. But I believe he was her soulmate.

The most amazing part of this book is a glimpse into a world long gone! The book was begun in the mid-1930’s. It was a world before people in the mid-East had begun to have radios or any major contact with the outside world. Irag and Iran were colonial territories. Most of the action of this book takes place in Iraq and Syria near the border of Turkey.

Characters consist of Bedouins, Kurds, French colonial officials, Turks, Armenians, Yedzikis, and all in their native and almost untouched selves.

Today when all we hear from this area is slaughter and massacres and civil war, it is an eye-opener to read of people–Muslim, Christian, and Yedzidis who live peacefully (almost) side by side. And an English lady and scholar that enjoyed their differences, including interesting portrayals of different cultures and off the wall individuals.

It was before World War II, before oil wealth, before the birth of modern Israel and the modern conflict over that. The highest compliment I can pay a book is that I’ve already read it over twice!

Bravo, Dame Agatha!

View all my reviews

Click cover to purchase.

Author Elizabeth Goddard & Submerged & Book Giveaway

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Lyn CoteOctober 4, 2015

My guest today is Love Inspired Suspense author Elizabeth Goddard. She’s been my guest before and she always has a message worth reading in her blog posts and her books. Be sure to look for the QUESTION below and leave a comment to enter the book drawing. Here’s Elizabeth:

When I created Cobie MacBride, my heroine in SUBMERGED,

I wanted someone who was an everyday woman. Someone who wanted—needed—stability in her life. A job she could count on and a home she could go to every day in the town where she grew up. Cobie loved to see people smile so she became a dentist. She has pretty good job security running her own dental practice.

The only thing missing in Cobie’s life is family.

She’s been estranged from her father for years. He’s the reason she wanted stability in her life so she could have something different. Friends and more time with family. He was gone all the time due to the responsibilities of his job, and she didn’t want that for her life. Yet she finds herself alone, living in the same town, all the same. Then when her father is missing and presumed dead, she needs closure. Cobie goes in search of him and collides with a man she once had a serious crush on. A man she blames for her brother’s death.

Someone tries to kill her,

so Cobie must partner with Adam Warren to solve the mystery behind her father’s death and who is trying to kill her. She must come out of her comfort zone and the safe life to find answers. Cobie must face death and find a way to forgive Adam before it’s too late. She must return to the scene of the tragedy and face her greatest fears and worst memories.

Here’s a snippet from the Dear Reader letter I want to share.

My heroine, Cobie MacBride, has another kind of mystery to solve. Another kind of treasure to find, and that’s forgiveness. If she can somehow forgive Adam for the part he played in her brother’s death, she can find freedom from resentment and bitterness, and she can have the treasure of love. Adam must forgive himself, too, and if only Cobie could forgive him, then he would be free of that burden, as well. We don’t want to sink to the depth of the ocean, burdened or weighted down because we carry bitterness and resentments, no matter how we believe we’ve been wronged.

I pray blessings on you and hope you’ll give Submerged a try.”–Elizabeth

To purchase, click here. Submerged (Mountain Cove)

Book Blurb:

IN TOO DEEP

With Christmas just around the corner, Cobie MacBride wants closure in the case of her missing father. But when a visit to the last place he was seen leads to an attack by a masked assailant, Cobie knows she’s in over her head. Running for her life, she never expected to find safety with Adam Warren—the man she blames for her brother’s death. Seeking answers leads them to a treasure ship, buried secrets…and deadly danger. Christmas could find them starting a new future—if they can avoid getting trapped in the perils of the past.

MOUNTAIN COVE: In the Alaskan wilderness, love and danger collide

Thanks, Elizabeth. A very good message for all of us. Last Sunday our pastor brought up something I hadn’t thought of before. That we must learn to forgive ourselves.

Leave a comment to enter the book drawing for a copy of SUBMERGED.

QUESTION: Don’t be specific (keep your privacy) but have you ever struggled to forgive yourself for something? (Please don’t give details.) THE QUESTION IS: How did you do it? Or are you still working on it?–Lyn

For more online:

ElizabethGoddard.com

Facebook.com/elizabethgoddardauthor

Twitter handle: @bethgoddard

Lyn Reviews Veronica Heley’s Murder by Suspicion-British Mystery

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Lyn CoteSeptember 28, 2015

British Mystery Author Veronica Heley has often been my guest. This year I offered to review her latest mystery. So here it is!

Murder by Suspicion by Veronica Heley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Ellie Quicke mystery and I found Veronica Heley a very good writer.

The character Claire really got to me. I really identified with Ellie coming home from a trip abroad and finding her household turned upside down–furniture moved around, her longtime cleaning crew dismissed by Claire, someone whom she barely knows and who is working for her… Everything feels like a bad dream.

And I found myself wanting to hit Claire with a big wet fish right in the face. (I’m not usually violent!) What she had done to Ellie’s home felt as if it had been done to me. That’s the sign of good writing.

Ellie sorts it all out and finds out just how nasty the cult Claire is part of and justice is done. Thank goodness!

View all my reviews

For more online:

Veronica’s website

Veronica’s blog

Looking for a Great Holiday Collection? How About Sweet Christmas Kisses 2?

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Lyn CoteNovember 4, 2015

Several of these authors have been guests here. Hope you’ll read about this and take a chance on it. If you like it, please share the info with others who enjoy sweet romance!–Lyn

Welcome in the holiday season with 19 heartwarming and wholesome novellas from New York Times, USA Today, national bestselling, and award-winning authors.

Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 takes you from the Smoky Mountains to Florida’s sun-drenched beaches, from the Italian Alps to Paris, France, and even to a quirky little town in Arizona. The Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 collection features all-new, stand-alone stories that are sure to make you laugh, sometimes bring tears to your eyes, but always put you in the Christmas spirit. Foreword by New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne.

~*~

Christmas Papa by Mona Risk
Living for three years in her stepmother’s respected house helps Monica forget the horror of her youth and reform her wild streak, and even dream of a normal life, similar to her stepsisters’, with a loving husband and children. Geez, she’s pretty enough to attract any man she wants, but to keep him is a different ballgame. The moment they learn of her past or meet her adorable twins, they feel the urge to move two-thousand miles away. Until Michael kisses her…

Gingerbread Kisses by Beate Boeker
Carol spends Christmas at the luxurious Hotel & Spa “Dolomitissimo” in the snowy Alps of Italy where she’s busy creating gingerbread men as name cards for her younger sister’s wedding. When things start to go wrong, she finds help in the form of Tom, the attractive hotel manager, but then, her sister manages to create havoc and Carol has to fight for her happiness.

Boycotting Christmas by Melinda Curtis
Bachelor Nick Santolli needs someone to help him give his niece a Christmas to remember. Back in the day, no one did Christmas better than Joy Encastle. But times have changed and Joy would prefer to boycott the festivities this year.

A Christmas to Remember by Denise Devine
Katie McGowan is returning home from a business trip when a blizzard forces her to take refuge at Lakewood Resort and miss celebrating Christmas with her family. The resort is overflowing with people, including Ryan Scott, an avid snowmobiler who’d come to Lakewood to escape the holidays. Ryan and Katie join forces to help others in need and learn the true meaning of Christmas.

An Angel for Christmas by Raine English
Alexa Stevens needs a job, or she and her daughter might wind up living out of the car. Blake Collins needs a nanny to help with his spoiled ten-year-old. What seems like the perfect match turns out to be anything but when the two girls and a rambunctious mutt create havoc at Christmas.

The Cowboy’s Christmas Bride by Aileen Fish
When veterinary student Tara seeks shelter in a snowstorm with handsome rancher Dylan, she quickly writes him off as boyfriend material since he’s more temperamental than an unbroken horse. Thanks to a job lined up half a state away, she’s not even tempted by a friend’s request that she move to White Oak, until she learns what has damaged Dylan’s spirit. Will a sickly calf and the magic of Christmas help her heal Dylan’s heart?

Lucky Break Christmas: Second Honeymoon by Patricia Forsythe
Lily is convinced that her new marriage to Marc is cursed because of a string of fiascoes. Marc knows she’s wrong. It takes the intervention of three body-building wedding planners and most of Lucky Break to change her mind.

Beach Walk by Grace Greene
Twelve years earlier, Kelli, a teenage runaway, was taken in by a kind woman named Margie who gave her a home, and safety and security. When Margie dies, her long lost nephew and only blood relative, arrives with plans of his own. Kelli loves her life at Emerald Isle, but how far will she go to keep it, or will Christmas bring a change of heart?

An Irish Christmas Blessing by Roxanne Rustand
When Eve travels to Ireland to run an old friend’s quaint village bookshop over the Christmas holidays, the trip is a dream come true—all the more because of the beautiful Irish countryside and the quirky locals in the village. And then there’s the charming, enigmatic stranger who just might steal her heart…

Christmas Wedding by Magdalena Scott
Jim Standish is ready—right this minute—to marry the love of his life, but Melissa Singer wants the day to be one they’ll look back on forever. Planning and execution time: 25days. Will it be possible to create the perfect Christmas Wedding?

Finding You at Christmas by Kristin Wallace
After years of looking out for everyone else, preacher’s daughter Janie Worthy is ready to get a life of her own. A stalled car and a stranger on a motorcycle puts that plan in a tailspin…and leads to the best Christmas present she could ever find.

Christmas Laurel by Christine Bush.
Female army veteran Laurel Covington and her retired bomb dog have retreated to a cabin in North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains. She’s dealing with PTSD and a mind full of ugly war memories, and wants nothing more than solitude, quiet, and an escape from the clamor of Christmas. But then she meets the tall handsome mountain man who shares the mountain, and who has his own ghosts from the past to put to rest. Sometimes, the true meaning of Christmas can bring both healing and love when you least expect it.

Country Christmas by Lois Greiman
Emily Kane was tossed into the deep end of the foster care system years before, making her cautious of love and commitment. Securing her dream job at the Lazy Windmill, a working farm turned guest ranch, has begun the healing process. But the past can’t be shut out forever. Will familial reunions cause her to bolt back into hiding or will the magic of Christmas heal her heart and allow her to find her happily ever after?

The Christmas Crusade by Shanna Hatfield
Levi Clarke is on a crusade to create a merry Christmas for the patrons of Center for Hope community center. He’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen, even if it means seeking a sponsorship from Kat Kingsley, the woman too stubborn to realize she’s still in love with him.

The Christmas Charm by Susan R. Hughes
Gemma and Chris were childhood best friends until their lives took separate paths, both leading to heartache. Fifteen years later, a surprise reunion at Christmastime offers them a second chance at happiness.

Evergreen Romance by Julie Jarnagin.
After giving up her plans for college to care for her ailing grandmother, Jillian Rogers has a shot at being promoted to project manager at the local nursery, but the owner’s son comes back into town and tries to take the job. Monty Nelson spent the last five years playing triple-A baseball after college but never made it into the major leagues. Now, he has returned to Lakota, Oklahoma, driven to show his parents he can succeed, but they stick him with running the Christmas tree lot with smarty-pants Jillian Rogers. When old sparks reignite, Jillian and Monty must determine whether their romance will wither or if they’ve found everlasting love.

My Christmas Cupcake by Shaleen Kapil.
Clare thinks she is doomed to spend the holiday alone managing her new cupcake bakery until a handsome stranger appears just as she is closing up on Christmas Eve. Despite an instant attraction, Starfish Beach is a tourist town, and Clare has learned to be wary. How can she tempt Garrett, a university professor, to move to her small town when all she can offer are cupcakes?

A Christmas Spark by Ciara Knight
Sara Foster blames herself for her failed marriage. On Christmas Eve, she hides away in the family cabin, the same place her father abandoned her twenty years ago. Dalton Scot is unable to face the family holiday after his divorce and discovering he can never have children of his own, so he chooses Christmas Eve to fix his buddy’s cabin. Both search for a secluded spot to mourn their Christmas pasts, but instead are snowed in at the cabin for the holiday where they discover the power of the Christmas spark.

Sweet Blizzard by Milou Koenings.
He’s an ex-con, she’s a socialite. He saves her life when a blizzard strands them together, but she could make or break his. Will love make it all right in time for Christmas?

~*~

All 19 authors in this boxed set write sweet/wholesome romances and are members of Sweet Romance Reads, a group of authors whose books contain no sex, violence, or strong language. While the emotional stakes are high as the characters’ relationships grow, lovemaking is not described in these stories. Think movies rated G or PG. Therefore, Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 can be enjoyed by romance readers of any age.

Pull up a chair by a cozy fire, pour a cup of hot chocolate and allow these bestselling and award-winning authors to bring the holiday season alive as they warm your heart.

Purchase the book at your favorite online retailer:

Amazon: http://indi.uno/1i9UeJv

B&N: http://indi.uno/1JsnLXM

Kobo: http://indi.uno/1ErAkUy

iTunes: http://indi.uno/1NFPAA5

Google: http://indi.uno/1Ep9cp2

Connect with the Authors at Sweet Romance Reads:

Website/Blog: http://SweetRomanceReads.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/SweetRomanceReads

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SweetRomanceRds

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/donnafaz/sweet-romance-reads/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/123223-sweet-romance-reads

Or connect with each of the Sweet Romance Reads Authors individually:

A tireless traveler, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Mona Risk, writes contemporary romance, medical romance, and romantic suspense novels, all simmering with emotion, sprinkled with a good dose of humor and set in the fascinating places she visited— or in Florida, her paradise on Earth.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

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Beate Boeker is a USA Today bestselling author with a passion for books that brim over with mischief & humor. She writes sweet sophisticated romantic fiction and mysteries, many of them set in beautiful Italy. While ‘Boeker’ means ‘books’ in a German dialect, her first name Beate can be translated as ‘Happy’ . . . and with a name that reads ‘Happy Books’, what else could she do but write novels with happy endings?

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

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Melinda Curtis is an award winning, USA Today bestselling author. She writes the Harmony Valley series of sweet, light-hearted romances for the Harlequin Heartwarming line. Brenda Novak says: “Season of Change has found a place on my keeper shelf”. Melinda also writes the sweet romantic comedy Bridesmaid series, and fun, traditional romances. Jayne Ann Krentz says of Blue Rules: “…Wonderfully entertaining.”

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

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Denise Devine is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic comedy and she also writes inspirational fiction. She wrote her first book, a mystery, at thirteen and has been writing ever since. She writes about true love, happy endings and stories that touch your heart.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Raine English writes sweet small-town contemporary romances, as well as hotter paranormal and Gothic romantic suspense. She lives in New England with her family and her French bulldog, Bailey.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

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USA Today bestselling author Aileen Fish is an avid quilter and auto racing fan who finds there aren’t enough hours in a day/week/lifetime to stay up with her “to do” list. There is always another quilt or story begging to steal away attention from the others. Her books include The Bridgethorpe Brides series and the Small Town Sweethearts series.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Patricia Forsythe grew up in a small copper mining town in Arizona where she had the opportunity to observe a great many interesting people who have since turned up in her books. She has written many romances for Harlequin books (as Patricia Knoll), as well as indie-published books and enjoys creating the kinds of stories she hopes people want to read.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Grace Greene writes novels of romance, mystery and suspense. A Virginia native, Grace has family ties to North Carolina. She writes books set in both locations. The Emerald Isle, NC Stories series is set in North Carolina where “It’s always a good time for a love story and a trip to the beach.” Or travel down Virginia Country Roads and “Take a trip to love, mystery and suspense.”

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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USA Today bestselling author Roxanne Rustand is the author of thirty-five traditionally published novels, plus four indie novels. She was a Golden Heart finalist twice, and a Golden Heart winner in 1995. She has won two RT Magazine Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and was nominated for an RT Magazine Career Achievement Award. Her earlier books were secular, but she now writes sweet indie romance, and inspirational romance for Love Inspired.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

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USA Today bestselling author Magdalena Scott writes sweet romance and women’s fiction with small town settings. She invites readers into her world to find out what’s hidden just below the surface of those tiny dots you can barely see on the map—mystery, romance, and the occasional unexplained occurrence.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

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Kristin Wallace is a USA Today bestselling author of inspirational, contemporary and women’s fiction filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith.” Her popular series include the Covington Falls Chronicles and Shellwater Key Tales.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Christine Bush is an award winning author of many sweet romances, mysteries, and novellas. When she’s not writing, she can be found teaching Psychology at a local college, working as a Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice, or (mostly) spending time with her twelve grandchildren.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Lois Greiman is an award winning author who has penned more than 50 heart-warming, laugh out loud novels. She currently lives on a small farm in Minnesota with her best friends, some of whom are human.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen one story at a time. Her bestselling sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with characters that seem incredibly real.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

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Susan R Hughes writes contemporary and historical romance novels set in Canada. She lives in Ottawa, Ontario, with her husband and three children.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

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Julie Jarnagin is a multi-published author of sweet and inspirational romance. She grew up in a small Oklahoma town where her family farmed and ranched, but these days she lives in a not-so-big city with her husband and two young sons who tolerate all her nerdy quirks.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

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Shaleen Kapil is new and upcoming author. Her first book, None But You, debuted in 2014. Her latest stories are built around the Emerald Coast of Florida, a favorite vacation spot. She created the Starfish Beach series to allow readers to enjoy a taste of romance in a laid-back beach setting.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Ciara Knight writes ‘a little bit of edge and a lot of heart’ with her bestselling sweet romance and young adult stories that have topped the Amazon charts. When not writing, Ciara enjoys her own happily ever after with her husband and three sons living in suburbia, GA.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

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Milou Koenings writes heartwarming romance novels because she believes sweet stories with happy endings are like chocolate – they bring joy to the world and so make it a better place. She’s lived all over the world, working as an editor and newspaper columnist, but loves staying home with her family most of all.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Best-Selling Author Rhonda McKnight & Live a Little

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Lyn CoteSeptember 25, 2015

My guest today is author Rhonda McKnight. I’ve read one of Rhonda’s books, An Inconvenient Friend, and it was outstanding–a real page turner with real life situations and deep emotion. So you understand why I was so happy to have her decide to pay us a visit. Here’s Rhonda:

“Live A Little opens and our heroine, Raine Still, has decided to commit suicide. Yikes!

Raine is struggling with a major life change. She is grieving the death of both her parents.Having no other relatives, she finds herself alone in the world. Having lived a sheltered life with them, she now has to exist in a world that was filtered through their experiences and she’s completely unprepared for life without them.

Our hero, Gage Jordan’s family situation is the opposite of Raine’s.

He has a large family of siblings, both his parents, and a host of extended family members that love him. But he’s returned home after fourteen years of military service, most of them spent in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Injured, he’s been discharged and forced to return to a world he’s only been connected to through emails, letters, and short visits.

Gage left a piece of his soul overseas and he’s not sure how to get it back.

These two people meet on cold winter night and their spirits connect in places that are much deeper than physical, for they are two halves that need something to happen in their lives to make them feel whole. They both need a reason to live. They need hope.

I have people in my circle that struggle with depression and even thoughts of suicide

every day. I wrote this story for them and because of them. Sometimes I think people believe suicidal people are crazy or demonized. Live A Little is a story of two people that have lost hope. In Jeremiah 29:11, God promises us a hope and future. We have to hide that message in our hearts.

What I love about Raine is she finds her strength as a woman and a Christian

when she decides to fight to save Hope House, the homeless shelter for veterans that is her parent’s legacy. Our hero comes along for the ride.”–Rhonda

To purchase, click here. Live A Little (Jordan Family Book 2)

BLURB

A grieving woman, an injured soldier and an abandoned dream…can they find hope for tomorrow in each other?

Raine Still has never had much of an identity outside of being the daughter of the old hippie couple that own Hope House, a transitional housing facility in the worse part of Charlotte, North Carolina, and that had been okay with her until her parents died and left her alone in world.

Gage Jordan is a decorated soldier discharged from the army after fourteen years due to a physical injury, but the emotional scars are far worse than anything he’s rehabbed from. He has a great job lined up and a mass of support from his family, but something is missing and he’s starting to feel like it’s Raine.

Gage thought his wounded heart had issues, but Raine’s pain is much deeper. If something doesn’t give soon they will never have a chance at love. Can he convince her to see that “hope” and faith are the balm she needs to heal her hurting soul?

Great piece, Rhonda. I’ve known people who have suicidal thoughts too. Fortunately that has not been my problem. As I told my dh early in our marriage, I’m more homicidal than suicidal–if you know what I mean. 🙂 (wink-wink)

QUESTION: Have you ever dealt with a friend or family member who is suicidal? Or recovering from some great loss?–Lyn

For more online:

Www.rhondamcknight.net

www.facebook.com/rhondamcknight

Author CaSandra McLaughlin & Grandma Christine’s Hot Water Corn Bread

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Lyn CoteSeptember 19, 2015

My guest today is Author CaSandra McLaughlin and she is going to share her Grandma Christine’s Hot Water Corn Bread Recipe and some about her latest book. Here’s CaSandra:

“I’m not much of a cooker but growing up I found joy in watching my grandmother Christine cook. Cooking was her ministry. The people in the small town of Karnack, Texas made it their business to stop by and have a plate of her greens and Hot Water Cornbread.

the best way for you to prepare food

I remember her telling me that the best way for you to prepare food was in love and if you didn’t have love in it wouldn’t turn out right. As I watched her prepare many batches of her specialty Hot Water Corn Bread I realized that she indeed was doing it in love. If someone asked her to cooked for them, she never said no and she never charged them any money .My grandmother would smile, and sing songs of zion as she cooked. Her love for Christ and for others were all a part of her preparation, she loved to see our smiling faces as we gave her raving reviews about how great the food was..

can’t seem to make it as good as she did

Although I watched my grandmother cook the corn bread I still can’t seem to make it as good as she did. I have changed mixing bowls, and even cook my bread in her skillet that was left to me when she passed away. I have yet to make my batch come close to hers.

I don’t think I will ever be as good of a cook

as my grandmother and I’m actually fine with that. I will always remember our time together in the kitchen. When I’m cooking I’m always flooded with memories of her and that makes me feel as if she’s there watching me. Every meal that I prepare for my family is out of love and I thank my grandmother for instilling that in me.

Today I want to share her recipe for Hot Water Corn Bread. It’s near and dear to me. There’s truly nothing like grandmothers cooking!

Grandma Christine’s Hot Water Corn Bread

Cornmeal

Flour

Salt

Sugar

1 Egg

Boiling water

Cooking Oil (Crisco or Butter Flavored Crisco)

*Notice that there are no specific amounts listed. My grandmother NEVER measured anything.

1. In a large bowl mix together the cornmeal, salt, flour and sugar & slowly stir in the egg.

2. Next pour boiling water into the batter. You want to make sure it’s enough to make the batter thick. If it’s not thick enough you may need to add more cornmeal & flour.

3.Form the batter into patties and fry in the cooking oil in a heavy skillet until it’s brown on both sides. (Make sure the oil is hot enough)

4. Drain the patties on a paper towel & then serve immediately(They taste better hot). I hope you have better luck than I have!–CaSandra

BLURB:

Tania Clinton left her small home town of Sweet Lily, Texas, shortly after her graduation day with the intent to never return. Her mother had gone on to be with the Lord leaving her and her baby sister Naomi to be raised at the hands of her eldest sister Mona.Things between Tania and Mona weren’t great but she’d moved on, made a new drama free life for herself and didn’t have a desire to reach out to her sisters. After receiving an invitation to her youngest sisters wedding, memories of why she left began to haunt her. Why was this happening? Had Tania truly forgiven Mona or had she simply tucked those memories in the back of her mind? Will a trip home, change their relationship? How long does it really take to forgive and move on?

For more online:

casandra.marshallmclaughlin@facebook.com

I must admit that I cook like this too, CaSandra. Just kind of mixing the ingredients together, but perhaps if someone hasn’t made cornbread before, they might want to follow a recipe. Just to have some idea of what they are aiming for.

Here’s one that begins “Making Old Fashioned Hot Water Cornbread is more about the feel of the batter than a precise measurement. The main thing is to get the right consistency with the water and cornmeal mixture…”

QUESTION: Do you always follow recipes or just start mixing stuff together or both?–Lyn

A collection of novellas–to purchase, click cover.