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As the music fades and a chasm separates her from the passion of her heart, will Lucy’s faith song go silent, too? Find out in Cynthia Ruchti’s new book, Song of Silence. The musical score of her life seems to be missing all the notes. When a simple misstep threatens to silence Lucy forever, a young boy and his soundless mother change the way she sees—and hears—everything.

Celebrate the release of Song of Silence with a blog tour and giveaway. Two winners will be chosen!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Song of Silence
• A $150 Visa cash card

One second place winner will receive:

• A copy of Song of Silence
• A music-themed prize pack filled with goodies hand-picked by Cynthia

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on May 9th. The winners will be announced May 10th on Cynthia’s blog.

Song of Silence

By Cynthia Ruchti

Music taught Lucy love and beauty. Could silence teach her hope?

Lucy and Charlie Tuttle agree on one thing: they’re committed to each other for life. Trouble is, neither of them expected life to look like this. While Charlie retired early, Lucy is devoted to a long-term career . . . until the day she has no choice.

Forced to retire from her position as music educator in a small Midwestern K-8 school, Lucy can only watch helplessly as the program her father started years ago disintegrates before her eyes. As the music fades and a chasm separates her from the passion of her heart, Lucy wonders if her faith’s song has gone silent, too. The musical score of her life seems to be missing all the notes.

When a simple misstep threatens to silence Lucy forever, a young boy and his soundless mother change the way she sees—and hears—everything.

ISLAND BREEZES

This book will take your heart on a journey. Is it better to lose your music or never to have had in in the first place?

Lucy Tuttle had her music taken from her twice. It was devastating each time.

Amazingly silence helped her find a new source of music. If one listens carefully, sometimes family drama can do that.

Thank you, Ms Ruchti, for showing us what can happen if w listen to the silence in our lives.

***A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***

Cynthia Ruchti is the author of the critically acclaimed Where the Morning Glory Blooms and They Almost Always Come Home. After 33 years as writer/producer of the daily 15-minute radio broadcast, The Heartbeat of the Home, Cynthia served a two-year term as president of American Christian Fiction Writers and currently serves as ACFW’s Professional Relations Liaison. In addition to writing novels, devotionals, and magazine articles, she speaks for women’s events and writers’ conferences. Cynthia and her plot-tweaking husband live in Central Wisconsin, where she creates stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark.

When a suspicious outsider with a shadowy past comes crashing into Amish widow Mattie’s fragile world, can she learn to love again? Find out in Ruth Reid’s new book, A Dream of Miracles. When Mattie and Bo cross paths, all signs point to disaster. Yet as they face a crucible of trials and tragedies together, longings begin to stir that seem destined only to end in more heartbreak. Is a miracle possible—not only of healing but of forbidden love? What secrets lie in Bo’s dreams? And will Mattie find the courage to face her uncertain future . . . or will she simply run away?

Ruth is celebrating the release of A Dream of Miracles with a Kindle Fire HD 6 giveaway (details below) and an author chat party on May 3!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• One copy of A Dream of Miracles
• A Kindle Fire HD 6

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 5/3. The winner will be announced at A Dream of Miracles Facebook party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Ruth and other fans of Amish fiction, as well as for a chance to win other prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 3rd!

A Dream of Miracles

By Ruth Reid

Amish widow Mattie vows never to love again . . . until a suspicious outsider with a shadowy past comes crashing into her fragile world.
Mattie Diener can barely keep it together. A young Amish widow and mother of two young children, she faces the lingering heartbreak of lost love, her son’s mysterious illness, and a torrent of accusations that threaten to undo her.
Bo Lambright is a fast-rising social services investigator whose high-society mother won’t rest until she finds his Mrs. Right. Despite Bo’s worldly success, the raw ache of a shadowy past and a series of unsettling dreams have left him reeling.
When Mattie and Bo cross paths, all signs point to disaster. Yet as they face a crucible of trials and tragedies together, longings begin to stir that seem destined only to end in more heartbreak. Is a miracle possible—not only of healing but of forbidden love? What secrets lie in Bo’s dreams? And will Mattie find the courage to face her uncertain future . . . or will she simply run away?

ISLAND BREEZES

Because of the strange illness of Mattie’s son Nathan, se is accused of child abuse, and social services wants to take her two children away from her.

Bo is a social services investigator. He seems to think Mattie is innocent, but his partner does not.

Is Bo fond of Mattie for who she is or because of secrets from his past? Will Mattie be able to move on from the death of her husband? No two people could appear to be more of an unlikely match.

Thank you, Ms Reid, for this book with a twist at the end. I had halfway guessed some of it.  I read her first book in this series, but missed the second one. I’m going to have to go to the library to check it out.

***A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***

Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA bestselling author of the Heaven on Earth series. She’s a full-time pharmacist who lives in Florida with her husband and three children. When attending Ferris State University School of Pharmacy in Big Rapids, Michigan, she lived on the outskirts of an Amish community and had several occasions to visit the Amish farms. Her interest grew into love as she saw the beauty in living a simple life.

Our Presidents and Their Prayers

By Rand Paul
With James Randall Robison

What is the single most important common thread that unites all American Presidents – such a small number of extraordinary people from different centuries, parties, backgrounds and experiences – as they shoulder the overwhelming responsibilities of the office of President of the United States? There is only one possible answer: their faith.
As a respected national leader and a man of deep faith himself, Senator Rand Paul has written OUR PRESIDENTS & THEIR PRAYERS in collaboration with James Randall Robison to remind us all that in a country founded by religious people, that abiding and rock-solid belief in God has been the key to each and every president’s strength.

Senator Paul’s inspiring look into the heart-felt sentiments and personal prayers of leaders past and present becomes a powerful testament to our incredible accomplishments: winning the Revolution, writing the Constitution, and leading the world as the most exceptional and longest-lasting democracy in history.
It’s nothing short of a miracle, then and now.

Every man who has answered the people’s call to become President has looked for and found answers in his faith as he faced the nation’s problems, and each president has frequently described his reliance on the Creator in his public speeches, official proclamations and private prayers.

Join Senator Paul in applauding the important role faith has played in our country through over 225 years of triumphs and struggles, justice and injustice, accomplishments and setbacks, war and peace.

In OUR PRESIDENTS & THEIR PRAYERS, Senator Paul stands up to the doubters in this most timely and important affirmation of how faith and prayer have always guided us, and why they must continue to do so as we face major decisions for the future of our country.

ISLAND BREEZES

Some of our presidents let their deep Christian faith guide their presidencies while some only gave lip service. Some of our presidents prayed deep, sincere prayers while others just alluded to a faith in their speeches.

Many of our presidents worked for the good or our republic while others thought our country a democracy.

This book will enlighten you regarding our presidents as well as edifying your faith.

Thank you, Mr. Paul and Mr. Robison, for your joint venture in giving us this knowledge.

***A special thank you to Katie Connors for providing a review copy.***

You can read an excerpt here.

RAND PAUL has represented Kentucky in the United States Senate since winning the seat in 2010. He’s been married to his wife Kelley for 24 years and they are the parents of three sons.

JAMES RANDALL ROBISON (Randy) is a writer, video producer and host, and consultant. He lives in Fort Worth, TX with his wife and their four children.

1958 – 2016

They are crying for Prince Rogers Nelson. I remember well the first time I heard him. This was an entertainer so different from any other. His looks. His music. His movie Purple Rain. He was a very talented, intelligent person and will be missed by many. And always, this song will be my favorite as it was the first I heard him sing.

What do you get when you add one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog? A lesson in love—Tippy style—in Dana Mentink’s new book, Sit, Stay, Love. As Gina travels through Cal’s world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame. When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too. . . .

Join Dana in celebrating the release of Sit, Stay, Love with a blog tour and a Travels with Tippy prize pack giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Sit, Stay, Love
• A $75 Visa cash card
• A basket filled with Tippy-themed goodies
  • Travel-themed decorator box
  • Reading dog statue
  • Dog journal
  • Poems for Dog Lovers
  • Snuggle Paws fleece blanket from Animal Rescue Site
  • Pawprint scarf
  • Doxie desk pen
  • Pupmobile auto magnet

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on April 25th. The winner will be announced April 26th on Dana’s blog.

Sit, Stay, Love

By Dana Mentink

Take one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog, and you’re ready for a lesson in love . . . Tippy style.

Pro baseball pitcher Cal Crawford is not a dog guy. When he inherits his deceased mother’s elderly dog, Tippy, he’s quick to call on a pet-sitting service.

Gina isn’t thrilled to be a dog sitter when her aspirations lie in the classroom. Furthermore, she can’t abide the unfriendly Cal, a man with all the charm of a wet towel. But with no other prospects and a deep love for all things canine, she takes the job caring for Tippy.

As Gina travels through Cal’s world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame. When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too . . .

Discover the charming story of Tippy, the dog who brought a family together.

ISLAND BREEZES

He didn’t want to inherit an old dog! All Cal ever wanted to do is play baseball. He certainly couldn’t do that with a dog underfoot.

Gina didn’t want to be a dog sitter. She wanted to be in the classroom teaching. They met and didn’t particularly like each other. Cal really didn’t like the dog. He decided to just take Tippy to the animal shelter even though Gina told him elderly dogs didn’t get adopted. They got put down.

Cal couldn’t go through wit it, so Gina was hired to take care of the dog. Tippy was a dog who just sort of grew on you and before they knew it, Cal was beginning to love Tippy as much as Gina did.

It appears that Tippy might just bring Cal and Gina together before she has to leave the two humans. Cal needs a lot of love as he deals with his mother’s death and his father’s abandonment. Tippy has a lot of love to give.

Thank you, Ms Mentink, for giving us a book that helps us see more of the plight that elderly pets face.Thank you also for choosing to donate part of the proceeds from this book to senior dog rescue.

**A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***

Dana Mentink lives in California, where the weather is golden and the cheese is divine. Dana is an American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year finalist for romantic suspense and an award winner in the Pacific Northwest Writers Literary Contest. Her suspense novel, Betrayal in the Badlands, earned a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third and fourth grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with her husband, two daughters, a dog with social anxiety problems, a chubby box turtle, and a feisty parakeet.

Shades of Chocolate
By Cecelia Dowdy

The Bakery Romance Series Book Two

Toni enjoys making sweet treats in her bakery. Haunted by her abusive childhood, she struggles with her faith in God. Her world changes when a handsome stranger comes into her bakery, reminiscing about his childhood. Jason Matthews misses his days of working in his family’s bakery. Estranged from his father, he longs to find the joy and comfort of baking again. Can Toni and Jason overcome their pasts and their problems and learn to trust one another?

ISLAND BREEZES

Oh, my. We are talking shades of deliciousness. Can you imagine walking into a bakery, taking a deep breath and smelling all that chocolate? That unique bakery is one of the main characters in this book.
Toni and Jason come from very different backgrounds, but do have the love of baking in common. Jason needs to escape his father’s heavy handedness while Toni needs to escape her childhood and ex-fiance’.
They join forces when Toni needs help in the bakery and Jason needs baking therapy. Will this be only an interval of a couple months or will they give into their hearts and figure out how to have a long distance bakery romance?
Thank you so much, Cecelia, for your Bakery Romance series. I’ve enjoyed both Raspberry Kisses and Shades of Chocolate. I’m definitely looking forward to Sweet Dreams, the third in your series.

***A special thank you to the author for providing a review copy.***

Cecelia Dowdy has been an avid reader since she learned to string letters together to form words. While pursuing a business degree in college one of her professors tried to convince her to get an English degree since he felt she was a great writer. Years later, after receiving her BS in Finance, she took her former teacher’s advice, and started pursuing her literary career.

She loves to read, write, and bake delicious desserts during her spare time. Traveling is another favorite hobby, and she’s been to various countries around the world, including Germany, France, England, Tahiti, New Zealand, Mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and Santo Domingo. She enjoys listening to old tunes with her husband on Saturday nights. Currently she resides with her spouse and young son in Maryland.

You can read more about Cecelia and her books here.

The Changing Season

By Steven Manchester

A remarkable coming-of-age story with special appeal to dog lovers.

This was supposed to be a simple summer for Billy; one more lazy expanse of time before college began.

He’d fill the hours playing with Jimmy – his canine best buddy – going camping and doing all the things he promised Jimmy they’d do before Billy left.

But that was before the accident that shook the entire town.

It was before the summer job that turned into something so much more than a way to get a paycheck.

And it was before Vicki.

This summer was destined to be many things to Billy, things he didn’t truly understand until now. But it was definitely not going to be simple.

An enormously touching, richly textured, deeply moving novel of new adulthood, THE CHANGING SEASON is an experience to savor.

ISLAND BREEZES

They’re always changing – seasons, that is. Spring into summer, summer into fall. Life is always changing seasons, also. Childhood into teen yeats and then into the adult years. As shown in this book, the changes between high school graduation and beginning college can be particularly trying as the teen morphs into the adult.

Some young people have pretty much figured out the direction they are heading. Some just think they have. Then there are those who just flat out don’t have a clue. All three are represented in this book, but the main focus is on Billy who is clueless. The only thing he’s sure of is his love for his dog Jimmy.

Hopes and expectations. Surprises and disappointment. Love and heartbreak. Confusion and disillusionment. They’re all here in this touching novel. Steven Manchester didn’t disappoint me. He never has, so you know I’m already looking forward to his next book. Thank you, Steven.

***A special thank you to the author for providing a review copy.***

Steven Manchester is the author of four #1 bestsellers: Twelve Months, The Rockin’ Chair, Pressed Pennies and Gooseberry Island. His long-anticipated, critically-acclaimed novel, The Changing Season, has just been released. Steve is also the author of the award-winning novel, Goodnight, Brian. He has written A Christmas Wish (Kindle exclusive), Wilbur Avenue (novelette), Just in Time (novelette) and The Thursday Night Club (novella), while his work has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show, CNN’s American Morning and BET’s Nightly News. Three of Steven’s short stories were selected “101 Best” for Chicken Soup for the Soul series and he is the produced playwright of Three Shoeboxes. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or their four children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing. Visit Steven here.