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Friday, October 12, 2018

A Tale of Two Hearts | Review and Tour


You may recall my review of one of Michelle Griep's other books not too long ago. She is an author that I've enjoyed immensely this year, so when her new release came up, I was happy to jump on board!

About the Book
London, 1853: Innkeeper’s daughter Mina Scott will do anything to escape the drudgery of her life, for there’s nothing more mundane than serving customers day after day. Every minute she can, she reads and dreams of someday becoming a real lady—and catch the eye of William Barlow, a frequent guest at the inn.

 William is a gentleman’s son, a charming but penniless rogue. However, his bachelor uncle will soon name an heir—either him or his scheming cousin. In an effort to secure the inheritance, William gives his uncle the impression he’s married, which works until he’s invited to bring his wife for a visit.

 William asks Mina to be his pretend bride, only until his uncle names an heir on Christmas Day. Mina is flattered and frustrated by the offer, for she wants a true relationship with William. Yet, she agrees. . .then wishes she hadn’t. So does William. Deceiving the old man breaks both their hearts. When the truth is finally discovered, more than just money is lost. 

 Can two hearts survive such deception?

 Click here to purchase your copy!


My Review


I read this at the close of a long week and tiring weekend, and I found it to be just the book for a chill-out read. There was a great pace throughout the entire story, intriguing plot points, and great characters.

Okay, so maybe Mina annoyed me slightly. She was completely smitten with William from page one, which then led her to do things that her conscience doubted was the right thing to do. At the same time, her character being that was what made the story interesting and moving from the first chapter.

William was a little hard to figure out. He claimed to have reformed, but it was difficult to see it, shrouded by the deception he continued to live in. It worked very well to doubt him as a reader, though, as it strengthened the interest throughout the story.

I guess with both of these characters, there wasn’t a really strong Christian figure. Sure, they both had limits with what their consciences would allow and tried to give grace to other people, but as for just that strong Christian thread running through the book… it was more of an engaging read than a solid Christian doctrinal read.

The romance was well-paced and sweet. As I already mentioned, you know Mina’s feelings from chapter one, but there was a relationship apart from that infatuation which I found to be realistic and easy-going.

*I received this book from Celebrate Lit and happily provided my honest review*



To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d4ef/a-tale-of-two-hearts-celebration-tour-giveaway





About the Author

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the author of historical romances: The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.
Blog Tour
Creating Romance, October 2
The Avid Reader, October 2
Genesis 5020, October 3
The Power of Words, October 3
Just Commonly, October 3
Baker Kella, October 3
Among the Reads, October 4
Fiction Aficionado, October 4
Godly Book Reviews, October 4
Inklings and Notions , October 4
Multifarious, October 6
Texas Book-aholic, October 6
Remembrancy, October 7
Splashes of Joy , October 7
Back Porch Reads, October 8
A Reader’s Brain, October 8
Simple Harvest Reads, October 9 (Guest Post from Mindy Houng)
Mary Hake, October 9
Carpe Diem, October 9
Britt Reads Fiction, October 10
Luv’N Lambert Life, October 10
By The Book, October 11
Book by Book, October 11
Bigreadersite, October 11
More Of Him, October 12
Pause for Tales, October 12
With a Joyful Noise, October 12
Have A Wonderful Day , October 12
Bibliophile Reviews, October 13
Vicky Sluiter, October 14
Daysong Reflections , October 14
Henry Happens, October 15
All-of-a-kind Mom, October 15

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Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Kingdom Single | Book Review



Books on singlehood intrigue me, as I’ve read my fair share of them in years past. Usually, I read single-women books written by women, so seeing this by Tony Evans doubly intrigued me.

The first half of the book was spot on with things that I could personally apply to my life. A lot of reminders for focusing on God and using single years to minister, not wait (or, worse, mope). It was different than many single books that I’ve read and I liked the difference. Instead of a “how-to-get-a-spouse” manual or assuring the reader that they just had to wait long enough, pray hard enough, or do this or that right enough, they’d get a spouse, Evans drew inspiration from various figures in the Bible. He never assures the single that they’ll marry, but he definitely gives them plenty of food for thought in what to do while unmarried. There is a lot of reference to God's Word and how to get our focus there.

There are portions of this book that are definitely more suited for an older audience—unless the teen is already exposed to a bit of discussion on sex. I think it is beneficial for singles to be educated about it and discuss it, because in our world today, it’s not just reserved for those who are married (which Evans deals with very well—how to be forgiven, how to stay pure, how the Bible teaches about it being right only in the bonds of marriage, how our bodies and minds are affected by casual sex, etc.). At the same time, it would be TMI for a lot of younger singles. I advise parents or counselors to read the book before handing it off to a younger single.

The last couple of chapters weren’t relevant to me, as in Evans discussed the issues of divorced singles and single parents. Again, though, these are subjects that tend to be avoided in the Christian culture. In essence, “Kingdom Single” covered almost every base of those who are single, and I applaud that.

I didn’t quite agree with Evans’ perspective on 100% of everything, but as a whole, I found this to be a beneficial read.

*I received this book from Tyndale Publicity Team and happily provided my honest review*

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