Review + Giveaway: A Seaside Summer by Josi S. Kilpack, Martha Keyes, and Heather B. Moore

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Mirror Press
Publication Date: August 24

The New Countess by Josi S. Kilpack

Diane married the earl with no false illusions. He needed a mother for his daughter, an heir, and someone to fulfill the role of countess. She, on the other hand, needed security for herself and her two sons. After a busy first year filled with duties and hosting, Diane can’t picture a better way to relax and prepare for their new baby than a summer for her and the children at his seaside cottage. However, she didn’t expect her new husband’s surprise visit or the way his presence would alter everything.

Mishaps and Memories by Martha Keyes

Judith Jardine’s status ensures that she rarely interacts with the upper class. The small hope that her life could change when she has the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend a ball is soon dashed when one of the ton’s most-eligible bachelors ridicules her in front of everyone. The ramifications follow her all the way to Brighton where she goes to help her pregnant sister for the summer. When the man, who turned her into a laughing stock for many, washes up on the shore unconscious and without memory, Judith seizes the opportunity to teach him a lesson.

Moonlight Summer by Heather B. Moore

Oscar Rosewell knows well that money can buy a lot of things, but a reputation is not one of them. He might have a thriving business and everything he needs, but his father’s actions a decade earlier destroyed the family name. Society has shunned Oscar ever since and he has returned the favor. He has learned to be content with his quiet life of solitude. Then Miss Dorothea Atkinson appears with the summer breeze and snags his attention. The problem is her parents have already selected a husband for her, and it’s definitely not someone with a ruined reputation.

A Seaside Summer offers anyone reticent to let go of sun-kissed days by the water a good reason to cling a little longer.

In the first novella, The New Countess, Josi S. Kilpack offers a sweet, marriage-of-convenience tale with a likable hero and heroine. I wished their growing feelings for each other had been developed further. While they spent time together, the reader only catches small glimpses of what attracted them on a deeper level. I wanted to see what took their relationship from one of convenience to a love match. I enjoyed watching the couple learn to be open about their thoughts and feelings rather than keep letting their assumptions and preconceived ideas fester. Their interactions with the children were heartwarming and fun to see.

Sadly, I did not enjoy the second novella, Mishaps and Memories. I found the heroine extremely unlikable. Judith and her sister spent the entire time gaslighting the hero, and that is not something I can get behind. James’ actions while careless and self-absorbed in the beginning did not warrant Judith’s consequent choices. I understand feeling humiliated. I understand making unwise decisions in the heat of the moment. I cannot understand or enjoy Judith maintaining the charade and, worse yet, justifying doing so. Judith continually talked about wanting to teach him a lesson when she was the one in need of a major attitude adjustment. She didn’t spare a thought for James’ family and friends who were, undoubtedly, sick with worry. Furthermore, she disregarded the doctor’s instructions not only impeding James’ recovery but putting it at risk. It made James turning around and falling for her more disturbing than romantic. The writing and the setting were solid. The latter felt reminiscent to when Fanny Price visited her family in Mansfield Park (Jane Austen).

Heather B. Moore’s Moonlight Summer was my favorite of the three and gave off some Mimi Matthew vibes. I loved almost everything about it. The protagonists, the story, the setting, and the writing. It even managed to throw in a couple twists and turns despite its short length. I enjoyed how Oscar and Dottie’s relationship was forged through what started as a friendship outside of the public eye and grew into a mutual understanding, respect, and love. I would have liked to experience those times in a bit more depth. Probably due to the limited word count, their heart-to-heart conversations were few or happened off the page altogether.

All in all, A Seaside Summer is a sweet, delightful read that I easily recommend to Regency fans and readers who enjoy waterfront stories.

Review copy provided as part of a book tour. Thank you!

Giveaway

Mirror Press is pleased to offer one digital copy of any of the 16 previous books in the Timeless Regency Romance Collection to one unique winner at each stop on the tour.

To qualify, please leave a comment with this blog post before 11:59pm, September 26, 2021. Visit each stop on the tour and leave a comment to increase your chance to win a book.

This contest is open internationally. The winner will be drawn randomly from the comments and announced on each blog on September 27, 2021. The winner must claim their prize before October 04, 2021. Good luck to all!

Tour Schedule

 Aug 23           Austenprose (Review)

Aug 24           My Jane Austen Book Club (Excerpt)

Aug 24           Getting Your Read On (Review)

Aug 25           The Bibliophile Files (Review)

Aug 26           Heidi Reads (Review)

Aug 27           Our Book Confessions (Review)

Aug 30           The Lit Bitch (Spotlight)

Aug 30           Wishful Endings (Review)

Sept 01          The Book Diva Reads (Spotlight)

Sept 01          Rosanne E. Lortz (Review)

Sept 02          Laura’s Reviews (Review)

Sept 04          Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen (Excerpt)

Sept 07          Probably at the Library (Review)

Sept 08          Gwendalyn’s Books (Review)

Sept 09          Books and Socks Rock (Spotlight)

Sept 10          Christian Chick’s Thoughts (Review)

Sept 11          Storeybook Reviews (Excerpt)

Sept 13          From Pemberley to Milton (Review)

Sept 13          My Bookish Bliss (Review)

Sept 14          Bookworm Lisa (Review)

Sept 15          Relz Reviewz (Spotlight)

Sept 15          Reading with Emily (Review)

Sept 16          Lu Reviews Books (Review)

Sept 17          Greenish Bookshelf (Spotlight)

Sept 17          Austenesque Reviews (Review)

Sept 17          Bringing Up Books (Review)

Sept 18          Book Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina (Review)

Sept 19          Eli’s Novel Reviews (Review)

Interview + Giveaway: Katie Powner

When you walk into a bookstore, you make a beeline for what section?

When I walk into a bookstore, I tend to pay a lot of attention to which books are up front and on display. It’s always interesting to see which books the store has chosen to highlight. I also like to see if they have a section for Local Authors there. Then I head for the Christian Fiction section, which is always much smaller than I would like.

Favorite place to write:

My favorite place to write is definitely my desk at home. All my favorite pens are there and all my notes. It’s the place where I feel the most focused.

Go-to writing snack or drink:

No! Absolutely no food or drink at my desk!

What does your writing nook look like?

It’s an old desk covered in scraps of paper and photos. It’s a mess to the untrained eye.

Favorite (doesn’t that word just make you cringe?) writer resource:

I use a lot of different writer resources, so my favorite one depends on what I need at the time. I like to keep Kathy Ide’s book Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors close at hand. I also use the thesaurus a lot. Between finishing a first draft and starting revisions I like to read On Writing by Stephen King, which maybe isn’t meant to be a “resource” book, but I sure view it as one!

What book is currently on your nightstand?

I am currently reading A Long Time Comin’ by Robin Pearson and it is very unique and moving. Robin isn’t afraid to portray honest and complex family relationships. I highly recommend her book.

Hard copy, e-reader, audio book:

I still love hard copies the most, but my bookshelf appreciates e-books because it can only hold so many books. I have actually never listened to an audiobook.

What was the inspiration behind The Sowing Season?

I grew up on a dairy farm and know a lot of farmers. They sacrifice so much of their lives to feed the world, and most people don’t realize how much work it is. Most people also don’t realize how big of an adjustment it is when a farmer stops farming. They must learn a whole new way of life. This “new life” or “second chance” is at the heart of The Sowing Season.

Favorite part of writing The Sowing Season:

My favorite part of writing The Sowing Season was Bernard The Terrible (the ornery rooster in the story). He kept me from taking anything too seriously and just made me laugh. Roosters are the worst. And the best.

Hardest part of writing The Sowing Season:

The hardest part was staying in my desk to work on revisions when I wanted to be outside.

What is next?

I’m very pleased and excited to tell you my next book is scheduled to release from Bethany House in Fall 2021. It’s a contemporary story set in rural Montana about three generations of one family who learn to lean on each other when tragedy strikes.

What else would you like readers to know?

A few interesting facts about me are that I’m a foster mom, I like to dress my chickens up in costumes, and I don’t have a smartphone.

About the Story:

Can an unlikely friendship give them the courage to start again?

After he’s forced to sell the family farm he’s labored on his whole life, 63-year-old Gerrit Laninga doesn’t know what to do with himself. He sacrificed everything for the land–his time, his health, his family–with nothing to show for it but bitterness, regret, and two grown children who want nothing to do with him.

Fifteen-year-old Rae Walters has growing doubts and fears about The Plan–the detailed blueprint for high school that will help her follow in her lawyer father’s footsteps. She’s always been committed to The Plan, but now that the pressure to succeed is building, what was supposed to unite her family in purpose, may end up tearing it apart.

When their paths cross just as they each need a friend the most, Gerrit’s and Rae’s lives begin to change in unexpected ways. Can they discover together what really matters in life and learn it’s never too late for a second chance?

Givewaway

Click on the image or Rafflecopter link to enter.

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**The winner is Sonnetta J.! Please claim your prize within 72 hours or another random winner will be selected.**

Connect with Katie through her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Interview + Giveaway: Amanda Cox

When you walk into a bookstore, you make a beeline for what section? Christian Fiction! But more specifically, I really enjoy women’s fiction and multi-timeline stories.

Favorite place to write: Either at my writing desk or on my back patio.

Go-to writing snack or drink: Coffee! When I’m in editing mode I have a thing for crunchy snacks. Goldfish crackers are my favorite!

What does your writing nook look like? I have an open floor plan house, and I have a desk that is in the corner by the window where I write. My writing space isn’t as quiet as I would like it, but it is great for keeping tabs on my three kiddos while getting some words down.

Something you must do or have to write: My noise cancellation headphones are a lifesaver. Especially on days when the energy is extra high in my household or when I’m just having a hard time concentrating.

Favorite (doesn’t that word just make you cringe?) writer resource: I really love The Story Equation by Susan May Warren. I also really love Story Trumps Structure by Steven James. These two resources pair well with my tendency to outline my character arcs and let the plot develop as I write.

What book is currently on your nightstand? A crossword puzzle book! I’m not that great at them, but I can’t resist a good puzzle of any variety. I think this is also why I enjoy writing multi-timeline. it’s like working a puzzle making the pieces of the timelines come together to make one story.

Hard copy, e-reader, audio book: I cringe a little admitting this, but ereader. I didn’t think I would ever prefer anything other than a hard copy, but when my first child was born my mother-in-law bought me an ereader. It was so easy to hold one handed and flip pages. I was hooked. But there will never be anything like the smell of a hard copy!

What was the inspiration behind The Edge of Belonging? The idea for this story began in a somewhat odd way. I was on a road trip. The car was quiet, giving my mind some room to roam and explore new story ideas, and in the median, there was a baby bouncer sitting there like it was waiting for me. As I drove, this story starting playing in my mind.

Favorite part of writing The Edge of Belonging: Writing Harvey and Pearl’s interactions. Those two characters really grabbed my heart as I wrote them. But of all the characters, I think writing Reese was pure fun for me.

Hardest part of writing The Edge of Belonging: When I transitioned it from a single timeline to a dual timeline story. As much as I dreaded taking on this challenge, after trying to find a publishing home for it in its original version it became clear that this added timeline was what my story needed to be complete. To do this, I had to make huge cuts to a story that I already loved and weave it together with something new. It was brutal, but the end result was so satisfying!

What is next? Right now I am working on my yet-to-be-titled novel releasing in 2021 that centers around a family owned corner grocery in a small southern town. Like The Edge of Belonging, it is a multi-timeline story about three generations of women, and the way family dynamics—the good and the not so good—can shape a family’s history. Lots of layers and family secrets to explore in this one!

About the Story:

When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she soon discovers that her grandmother left behind more than trinkets and photo frames–she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy’s adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.

Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he’s ever loved.

Giveaway

Click on the image or Rafflecopter link to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**The winner is Perrianne A.! Please claim your prize within 72 hours or another random winner will be selected.**

Connect with Amanda through her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blog, Goodreads.

Interview + Giveaway: Jill Lynn

When you walk into a bookstore, you make a beeline for what section?

Christian romance. Shocking, I know! 😊

Favorite place to write:

In my comfortable chair with my white noise on.

Go-to writing snack or drink:

I drink water with apple cider vinegar in it. (Weird, but it helps me with numerous health issues.) I also love fizzy water with flavoring and chips would be my big temptation.

What does your writing nook look like?

I’m finally getting an office in our house – my children moved bedrooms to make it happen, and I’m so excited about it. It currently needs a paint job, but I’m hoping to tackle that soon.

Something you must do or have to write:

I often have to have the kitchen picked up so that I can think. Weird but true.

What book is currently on your nightstand?

I’m reading a book about visual learners. I started reading it because of my son, but now I’m realizing how much it also pertains to me.

Hard copy, e-reader, audio book:

I prefer paperback but I read on my e-reader quite a bit. I’m pretty terrible at listening to audiobooks.

What was the inspiration behind Her Hidden Hope?

When Evan was only an idea while I was writing Jace’s story, I almost had him pass away when they boys were younger. But then the idea of him overcoming a trauma took hold, and that’s how he became an amputee and got his own story. And I’m so glad he did!

Favorite part of writing Her Hidden Hope:

I had a lot of fun with Sawyer and the dog, Belay. They caused some trouble and made me laugh.

Hardest part of writing Her Hidden Hope:
I struggled with the conflict in this story at first, and I ended up doing quite a bit of editing and rewriting. That always makes for a tough time!

Image Credit: Pinterest

Image Credit: Pinterest

If Her Hidden Hope was turned into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?

Catherine Lowe for Addie and whoever this handsome fella is for Evan. I found him on Pinterest and he was the exact fit. Unfortunately, I can’t figure out who he is! 😊

What is next?

I’m currently working on the 6^th and final book in the Colorado Grooms series. I’m excited to dream about what’s next! So readers will have 2 more books coming out in this series before it comes to an end.

About the Story:

She once trusted him with her heart…but will she ever trust him with the truth?

With only two weeks to renovate her family’s Colorado B and B, struggling single mom Addie Ricci can’t turn away help. Especially not when it’s her handsome high school sweetheart, Evan Hawke, who’s offering to pitch in. As they repair the B and B, Addie and Evan also begin rebuilding their relationship…until a secret from their past threatens to bring it all crashing down.

Giveaway:

Click on the image or Rafflecopter link to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**The winner is Danielle H.! Please claim your prize within 72 hours or another random winner will be selected.**

Connect with Jill through her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Interview: Darlene L. Turner

When you walk into a bookstore, you make a beeline for what section? Romantic suspense!

Something you must do or have to write: A Christmas suspense or a book for a Christmas Hallmark movie! 🙂

Favorite (doesn’t that word just make you cringe?) writer resource: The Emotional Thesaurus (and my mentor, DiAnn Mills!!)

Go-to writing snack or drink: Coffee!

Favorite place to write: My office – it’s a sunny yellow and makes me happy! 🙂 However, I have a cottage I also like to go to when I can get totally away from everything.

 

What does your writing nook look like?

What book is currently on your nightstand? 100 Days of Faith over Fear by Lisa Stilwell (for fiction – A Girl’s Guide to the Outback by Jessica Kate)

Hard copy, e-reader, audio book: Definitely hard copy, but my husband tells me I have too many books (gasp!), so I’m trying to get more e-books lately.

What was the inspiration behind Border Breach? I’ve crossed different borders into the States many times and I’ve often thought it would be fun to put a female border patrol agent together with a police officer to solve a smuggling ring. When I started googling some ideas, the doda drug came up and that’s when the storyline came to me.

Image Credit: Pinterest

Favorite part of writing Border Breach: Creating my character’s backstories. This is the process of writing that I love. It’s fun to use your imagination and get to know them!

Hardest part of writing Border Breach: Editing and having to cut scenes I love!

If Border Breach was turned into a movie, who would you cast as the leads? My inspirations for these characters – Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman!) and Chris Pine

What is next? I just turned in my next manuscript which is about another smuggling ring happening on the Yukon/Alaskan border.

What else would you like readers to know?  I love to tole paint (painting characters on wood surfaces). My dream is to live in a log cabin style home on a lake at the foot of a mountain. 🙂

About the Story:

When drugs are smuggled across the border
it’s their duty to stop the culprits…at any cost.

Forming a joint task force, Canada border officer Kaylin Poirier and police constable Hudson Steeves have one objective: take down a drug-smuggling ring trying to sell a new lethal product. But when the smugglers come after Kaylin and Hudson, this mission becomes more than just a job. Can they live long enough to solve the case?

Giveaway

Click on the image or Rafflecopter link to enter. In order to comply with Canadian law, if a Canadian wins, they will need to answer a skill-testing question.

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Connect  with Patricia on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Goodreads.