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Travel to the small town of Mars, where you’ll find a meddling horse, paper bag floors, and a flying saucer on the town square—in Hope Toler Dougherty’s book, Mars . . . with Venus Rising. Penn Davenport dreams of passing the CPA exam and moving away from the two aunts who reared her after her parents died in a plane crash. When John Townsend—full of life and the joy of living—moves to town, he rattles Penn’s view of herself, her life, and her dreams . . . which isn’t such a bad thing until she falls for him and discovers he’s a pilot.

Celebrate Hope’s Mars . . . with Venus Rising blog tour with a Kindle Fire Prize Pack giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Mars . . . with Venus Rising
• A $25 Amazon gift card
• A Kindle Fire

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on May 18th. The winner will be announced May 19th on Hope’s blog.

The Inheritance

By Michael Phillips

The death of clan patriarch Macgregor Tulloch has thrown the tiny Shetland Islands community of Whales Reef into turmoil. Everyone assumed Tulloch’s heir to be his much-loved grandnephew David. But when no will is discovered, David’s calculating cousin Hardy submits his own claim to the inheritance, an estate that controls most of the island’s land. And Hardy knows a North Sea oil investor who will pay dearly for that control.
While the competing claims are investigated, the courts have frozen the estate’s assets, leaving many of the locals in dire financial straits. The future of the island—and its traditional way of life—hangs in the balance.
Meanwhile, Loni Ford enjoys a rising career in a large investment firm in Washington, D.C. Yet, in spite of outward success, she is privately plagued by questions of identity. Orphaned as a young child, she was raised by her grandparents, and while she loves them dearly, she feels completely detached from her roots. That is, until a mysterious letter arrives from a Scottish solicitor. . . .
Past and present collide in master storyteller Michael Phillips’ dramatic new saga of loss and discovery, of grasping and grace.

ISLAND BREEZES

The Laird of Clan Tulloch is dead without a will. Now it’s between two grand nephews as to who will be chosen the next to claim that title. Which one will it be?

Underlying it all are financial problems. Until the inheritance is settled, money is not available to run the mill and pay it’s employees their wages.

The two cousins are widely divergent in their plans for the community. Hardy wants to sell out to the oil industry while David wants to continue Whales Reef’s traditional way of life.

The big surprise comes when American Lori Ford shows up.

Mr. Phillips, please write rapidly. I can’t stand not knowing what’s happening. I want to come to your house to help you write so I can read the second book in Secrets of the Shetlands.

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

Michael Phillips is a bestselling author who has penned more than seventy books, both fiction and nonfiction. In addition, he has served as editor/redactor of nearly thirty more books. Over the past thirty years, his persistent efforts have helped reawaken interest in the writings of nineteenth century Scotsman George MacDonald. Michael and his wife, Judy, spend time each year in Scotland, but make their home near Sacramento, California.

Do  not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brethren. The one who does not love remains in death.

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer – and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

We have come to know love by this – Yeshua laid down his life for us, and we also should lay down our lives for our brethren.

But if someone has material possessions and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

Children, let us not love with word or talk, but in deed and truth!

1 John 3:13-18

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.