 TBR Read-a-thon details can be found HERE. Read-a-thon dates: Monday, September 12th, to Monday, September 26th, wrap-up on the 27th My Goals1-Visit each day's challenge post via Wishful Endings (see list here on original post) and complete at least 3 of the challenges.
2-Read 50-100 pages per day. 3-Read 5 books.  I always hate picking favorites. Mostly because I have my old favorites and then new favorites I am discovering every year. So I have split this post into two sections. 1) My top favorite historical fiction novels from before I started blogging and 2) My favorite historical novels since I started blogging. Click on the graphics below to be taken to Goodreads and add the book to your TBR pile! Favorite Historical Fiction Novels From Before I Started Blogging
Favorite Historical Fiction Novels Since I Started Blogging
These are some of my all time favorites.
My favorites from before I startted blogging have been read multiple times. My favorites since I started blogging are books that I would love to read again. What are some of your favorite historical fiction novels? About the Book Former bad girl Katie Stone can feel the weight of her reputation settle over her as she drives home for the first time in years. Feeling deeply guilty about her past mistakes, Katie wants to do the right thing for once. But the small town where she grew up is not nearly as forgiving as she’d hoped. Despite it all, she’s determined to help her parents cope with her mother’s recent illness, and Katie finds a surprise ally in the man next door. Asher Powell never minded being the son of a small-town pastor until a recent breakup leaves him wounded by lifelong members of his church. He remembers his new neighbor as a mean-spirited high school troublemaker, but he senses that her newfound faith and desire for forgiveness are sincere. Through an unexpected friendship, two people from different worlds find peace, hope, and a second chance they never dreamed was possible. About the Author Tammy L. Gray lives in the Dallas area with her family, and they love all things Texas, even the erratic weather patterns. She writes modern Christian romance with true-to-life characters and culturally-relevant plot lines. She believes hope and healing can be found through high quality fiction that inspires and provokes change. When not chasing after her three amazing kids, Tammy can be spotted with her head in a book. Writing has given her a platform to combine her passion with her ministry.
ReviewTammy L. Gray has written an inspiring story of mistakes, forgiveness, redemption, and love. Throughout the story, Katie Stone struggles with the mistakes and choices from her past and the changes she has made and is continuing to make to be a better person; to heal the relationships with her parents and previous friends that she hurt. Katie begins a lovely friendship with the boy next door, Asher Powell (the preacher’s son). And their friendship blossoms into a precious and beautiful romance. But Katie’s past mistakes still haunt her and she doesn’t know if a good, kind man like Asher Powell really wants to be with her and stay with her, even though he has made some mistakes of his own. Katie must face her past in order to obtain the future that she so desperately desires. I love the powerful story of Katie’s change and change of heart. This story has deeply developed characters that readers will become attached to. A deeply heart stirring story, readers will not want to miss this delightful read. Genre: contemporary, romance, new adult, Christian Publisher: Waterfall Press Publication date: September 13, 2016 Number of pages: 310 Content Rating: PG, some content may not be appropriate for kids, nothing graphic Book Rating: 4 stars  A review copy of the book was provided by Tammy L. Gray's influencer team.
About the Book Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found Now remembered as the author of the world s most famous hymn, in the mid-eighteenth century as England and France stand on the brink of war, John Newton is a young sailor wandering aimlessly through life. His only duty is to report to his ship and avoid disgracing his father until the night he hears Polly Catlett s enchanting voice, caroling. He s immediately smitten and determined to win her affection. An intense connection quickly forms between the two, but John s reckless spirit and disregard for the Christian life are concerns for the responsible, devout Polly. When an ill-fated stop at a tavern leaves John imprisoned and bound, Polly must choose to either stand by his side or walk out of his life forever. Will she forfeit her future for the man she loves? Step back through the pages of history, to uncover the true love story behind a song that continues to stir the hearts and ignite the faith of millions around the globe." About the Author Jody Hedlund is an award-winning and bestselling author of inspirational historical romances for both youth and adults. As a busy mama-writer, she has the wonderful privilege of teaching her crew of 5 children at home. In between grading math papers and giving spelling tests, she occasionally does a load of laundry and washes dishes. When she's not busy being a mama, you can find her in front of her laptop working on another of her page-turning stories. She loves reading almost as much as she loves writing, especially when it also involves chocolate and coffee. Pre-Order Offer Pre-order a copy of Jody Hedlund's new book, Newton and Polly, by September 19, 2016 and receive a printable Amazing Grace pdf! Win a Copy of Newton and Polly!! Enter the giveaway HERE!!!
 About the Book Hope in My Heart is a collection of short, heartwarming stories with characters in need of hope. In “Love Unexpected,” a car crash brings commitment-wary Sebastian and career woman Chandra together. Neither is looking for romance, but those around them see the potential, and Sebastian and Chandra discover that sometimes love shows up unexpectedly. Christmastime is the setting for the middle story, “The Best Gift.” Christina desires to lose ten pounds so she can fit into her dress for her sister’s wedding. Jordan wishes her mom would stop trying to marry her off. And Joshua hopes to be reunited with his ex-girlfriend but eventually learns that the best gift this Christmas will be the restoration of his relationship with God. In “Peace and Love,” three characters living in a metropolitan area are desperately searching. Elle, a starving artist, aspires to become a paid professional. Eric, a divorce attorney, wants to resolve his issues concerning his parents’ divorce. Kristine anticipates finding her birth mom before she marries Derek. All characters pray their searches will conclude this holiday season and fill their hearts with peace and love. About the Author Alexis A. Goring is a writer at heart and a journalist by profession. She loves the art of storytelling and is especially delighted to have released her first book, an inspirational romance novella calledHope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories, in Sept. 2013. When Alexis is not working on her next book or chasing down the next big story for the newspaper where she works as a freelance reporter, she can be found listening to songs by her most admired musicians, enjoying the food in cafes/restaurants, shopping at her favorite malls and spending quality time with loved ones (family and friends). Guest Post from Alexis A. GoringIt’s an honor to have my first published book, Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories, going on a blog tour with Celebrate Lit! I met Sandra, founder of Celebrate Lit, through Facebook when she asked me to be one of the book reviewers for her company. At the moment, I was in grad school pursuing my MFA in Creative Writing so I didn’t have time to write a review. But I enjoyed reading my fellow bloggers’ reviews of the books featured by a blog tour hosted by Celebrate Lit. Imagine how delighted I was to be afforded the opportunity to participate in one of these tours not as a blogger but as a featured author! I’m guessing that you’d like to know a little bit about me as an author. So, here’s my (real-life) story: I’m an East Coast girl with a love for writing, photography, good food and music that inspires hope in my heart. Most people think that I’m either from New York, California or an “exotic island”. They are right about the island heritage, because my dad is from the Caribbean. I love making connections with people and learning from their life stories. I believe in finding the good in everything and showing God’s love to the world. I have a heart for the hurting and hungry. I want to help people discover their true worth and realize their true identity—they are loved and belong to the Creator of the Universe. I believe that I achieve that goal to an extent, through my Christian lifestyle blog, “God is Love.” As an author, my goal is to warm the hearts of my readers, bring a smile to their face and point them to the One who loves them with all of His Heart. I am talking about God. He’s amazing! I’m so grateful to Him for giving me the gift of writing and showing me ways to share my writing and His love with the world! I love that He made a way for me to publish my first book and is making a way for me to publish my next ones. Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories was originally published by Crossbooks (former imprint of B&H Publishing Group) in Sept. 2013. However, after Crossbooks closed, my book was re-branded by WestBow Press (a division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan) and re-released in Nov. 2015. It’s available for purchase on Amazon.com and a few other book retailer sites online. Initially, it was on the shelves at Barnes & Noble (my favorite bookstore) but since being re-branded, it’s only available online. ReviewAlexis A Goring has written a short and sweet three novella collection. Although the chapters in each of the stories are quite short, and the relationship of the characters seem a bit rushed, at the heart of the collection, these stories are meant to touch your heart with their sweetness. I would recommend this novella collection to readers that enjoy contemporary fiction. Genre: contemporary, romance Publisher: WestBow Press Publication date: November 25, 2015 Number of pages: 148 Content Rating: G Book Rating: 3 stars  A review copy of this book was previously provided by the author via SLB Tours. Giveaway To celebrate her tour, Alexis is giving away seven eBook copies of her book Hope in My Heart! Click HERE to enter. Tour ScheduleSeptember 1: Bibliophile Reviews September 2: Faithfully Bookish September 3: Bukwurmzzz September 3: The Power of Words September 4: Mary Hake September 5: cherylbbookblog September 6: History, Mystery & Faith September 7: A Baker’s Perspective September 8: Southern Chelle September 9: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader September 10: Karen’s Krayons September 11: Through the Open Window September 11: Singing Librarian Books September 12: His Grace is Sufficient September 13: Carpe Diem September 14: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations  First Line Fridays -- 09.08.16
9/9/2016
 It is Friday and I am joining Carrie from Reading is My SuperPower, Rachel from Bookworm Mama, and Beth from Faithfully Bookish in First Line Fridays (click the links and check out their first lines too). If you would like to join us, send Carrie a meassage and let her know! Grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line! Today I am going to post a line from The Thorn Bearer & The Thorn Keeper by Pepper D. Basham in celebration of her cover reveal (see that HERE) of The Thorn Healer. The Thorn Healer is book three in the Penned in Time Series and is releasing in November of this year!!! I just LOVE Pepper's books! They are great historical romances and you absolutely do NOT want to miss reading them! So add these books to your GOODREADS TBR pile.
April 1914 Death hovered in the shadows of teh room, a shapeless presence as familiar to Ashleigh Dougall as the sent of morphine. ~The Thorn Bearer Edensbury, Derbyshire England September 1915 There is a distinct difference between a heroine with a promised happy ending and a prodigal who must design her own. ~The Thorn Keeper  What are you reading? What is your first line? Open the book nearest you and post the first line... Starving Hearts Triangular Trade Trilogy #1) by Janine Mendenhall -- Book Tour Review + Giveaway
9/9/2016
About the Book Since her assault, Miss Annette Chetwynd has been plagued by nightmares and worries about an arranged marriage. She yearns to find her anonymous rescuer. Unfortunately, her health and intellect prevent it. Both repel suitors and cause Annette to doubt God’s existence, at least until He answers her prayers in an unusual way. . . . Mr. Peter Adsley is joining the clergy, and he desires a godly wife by his side. After a failed attempt to obtain one, he engages in a clandestine meeting with the bewitching young woman who keeps crossing his path. But she is so unsettling. Destined for disappointments, Peter and Annette both endure disgraceful situations. Will Peter’s faith sustain him through overwhelming setbacks? Can Annette overcome her doubts? Or will their starving hearts yield to the machinations of a mad man? About the Author Janine Mendenhall teaches teens English, of all things! Sometimes she sleeps, but most nights she reads, writes, or watches movies like “Pride and Prejudice” and claims she’s researching her next book. “Splickety Love” and “Splickety Prime” have published her flash fiction. She and her husband, Tom, live in North Carolina where they and their two golden retrievers help gratify the needs of their five children and two cats. ReviewJanine Mendenhall’s debut novel, Starving Hearts, is full of adventure, suspense, and of course romance. A new historical novel, Janine’s story of pain, heartache, loss, and love will speak to its readers. It is interesting to see the different events that cause the paths of Annette Chetwynd and Peter Adsley to cross and to see their relationship develop throughout the novel. This story is told from the view point of both Annette and Peter bringing to light different events. I enjoyed both the exciting story and the delightful characters that Janine developed. I would recommend this story to readers that enjoy historical-romance. Series: Triangular Trade Trilogy Genre: historical, romance, suspense, Georgian Era Publisher: Heritage Beacon Fiction Publication date: May 16, 2016 Number of pages: 300 Content Rating: PG Book Rating: 4 stars  A review copy of this book was provided by LitFuse. GiveawayJoin in the search for love and acceptance with Janine and Starving Hearts by entering to win the Delightful Heart Gift Pack Giveaway.  One grand prize winner will receive:  Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on September 12. The winner will be announced September 13 on Janine’s blog.    About the Author Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of 5 great kids, speech-pathologist to about fifty more, lover of chocolate, jazz, and Jesus. Her debut historical novel, The Thorn Bearer, released in May 2015 and has garnered awards such as Reader's Favorites Award, finalist in the Grace Awards, and shortlisted for the Inspy Awards. Her second historical novel, The Thorn Keeper, released in Feb 2016 and her first contemporary romance, A Twist of Faith, released in April 2016 with a 4 star review from Romantic Times. You can get to know Pepper on her website, www.pepperdbasham.com, on Facebook, or over at her group blog, The Writer's Alley. About the Book The Thorn Healer by Pepper D. Basham (Vinspire, November) – Jessica Ross returns from WWI to her small Appalachian community of Hot Springs, NC after she is wounded in an explosion and German gunfire. Her hopes of a quiet life, as far away from the trenches and the filthy Germans as possible, are demolished as soon as the train pulls up to the depot. The grounds of the beautiful Mountain Park Hotel are littered with barracks and internees, German internees, who have been living and working in her town for the past year. As she steps out of the train she sees a group of the men marching by. Her wounded leg trips her and she lands right in the arms of one of them. Sparks of attraction fly, but Jess’s bitterness stems deep. She will never trust another German. Unfortunately for her, August Reinhold has found a place in her grandparents’ hearts. In her absence, his work on her grandfather’s farm and his diligent help in his clinic has made August a constant fixture in their lives. Add to Goodreads More About the Book...  And now for the cover reveal!!!  Don't you just love the cover! I certainly do! Simply lovely!! And I can hardly wait to read it!  
About the Book
Miss Diana Snow is everything a British chaperone should be—she finds satisfaction in order and depends wholly upon the rules of decorum as she negotiates the isle of Greece with her young charge. But Miss Snow's prim and proper exterior masks a disquieting past: orphaned and alone in the world, she has only her stiff upper lip to rely on. When a brief encounter with a handsome stranger challenges her rules of propriety, Diana is unwittingly drawn into an adventure that will turn her ordered world upside down.
Alexandros Metaxas is a Greek spy working to recruit individuals to the cause of revolution. His mission seems to be going perfectly until he encounters Diana Snow, a captivating—if slightly cold—beauty. When their paths cross again, the ill-fated reunion threatens all Alex has been fighting for. But more importantly, it places Diana's life in jeopardy. There is only one way to save her: they must put themselves at the mercy of the most powerful pirate family in the Mediterranean. Soon, Diana is plunged into a fantastic world of gypsy curses, blood feuds, and unexpected romance. But when a bitter vendetta places her in mortal danger, will she have the courage to fight for life and love? About the Author
Jennifer Moore is a passionate reader and writer of all things romance due to the need to balance the rest of her world that includes a perpetually traveling husband and four active sons, who create heaps of laundry that is anything but romantic. Jennifer has a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Utah and is a Guitar Hero champion. She lives in northern Utah with her family, but most of the time wishes she was aboard a British frigate during the age of sail.
Some Fun Background Information About the Book
Jenny: This picture is taken in Vathia, even though the book doesn't take place here. It's just the cool looking town on the hill. It takes place in a small village called Limeni. It's a costal village where the Mavromichalis family lived. They were the most powerful family in the region, (Sparta--now called Mani) and their clan leader was Petros (everyone called him Petrobey, because 'bey' means chief.) Anyway, the people of the area were called the Mani, and they were fierce warriors, really reclusive, and their land was hard to get to, unless you went by sea, and they were masters of the sea--pirates, since there were no natural resources in the area.
Limeni Village, Vathia, Greece
SLB: Do you recognize this picture? That is because Jenny wanted to have it used as part of the cover for the book. And... ta da... her publisher concured...
Isn't it just lovely!!
Jenny: It's sort of a hidden harbor--perfect for hiding ships and all sorts of illegal stuff. Plus, it's beautiful, right? Ok, so you can see a few of the towers in this picture. The Maniots were also famous for their blood feuds or vendettas. If one family declared a blood feud against another, it continued, with the two killing all the males in each other's family until they wiped them out, or until they called a truce. Which never happened--until Petrobey came along. He was great at uniting people and getting them to work together to fight against the real enemy--the Turks. Greece was a part of the Ottoman Empire at this time, even though the Maniots didn't consider themselves to be conquered. The Ottomans couldn't get to them, so they sort of left them alone to kill each other.
Petrobey Mavromichalis was the guy that raised the famous Greek flag that said "victory or death" in the town square of Tsimova. That's the little town about a mile away from Limeni. It's sort of the bigger city to this little villiage, but it's still really small. From there, the Greeks united together and drove the Turks out of the land. And there was a lot more to it, like the Filiki Eteria was a secret group out of Constantinople that secretly worked against the Empire. And the klephts were bandits living in the hills that helped win the war. It's all so interesting, right?
A few more pictures...
These are in Tsimova--now the town is called Areopolis, after Ares, the god of war, because that's where the war began. You can see everything's made of stone, there aren't many trees around, it's super rough living, and the Maniots were really poor. But tough.
Some terminology from the book:
The flag says "nike e thanatos" which means victory or death, which was a big deal, because everyone else in Greece was saying "freedom or death" but the Mani believed they were already free. And the bottom line on the flag says, "tan e epi tas" which is the old Spartan saying that translates to "carrying your shield or on it." Which is what they said to their warriors before they went to battle, like you either return carrying that huge heavy Spartan shield, or or being carried on it. Don't throw it down and run away.
SLB: I just love all this background information about the book!! It was so fun to have Jenny stop by and share about it!! Thanks, Jenny!!
Review
Jennifer Moore’s A Place for Miss Snow is a delightful story that readers will thoroughly enjoy. Filled with just the right combination of adventure and romance, this Greece themed novel is a completely enchanting and enjoyable tale. Jennifer does a great job of bringing to life the stories of her various characters, causing readers to fall in love with them. From page one, all the way to the end, this sweet regency romance is not one that readers will want to put down or miss.
Genre: historical, regency, romance Publisher: Covenant Communications Publication date: September 1, 2016 Number of pages: 224 Content Rating: PG Book Rating: 5 stars 
A review copy of this novel was provided by Covenant Communications.
GiveawayTour Schedule
Sept. 5th:
http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/ http://rockinbookreviews.com/ http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/ http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/ http://www.kindleandme.com/ Sept. 6th: https://joyinthemoments.wordpress.com/ https://atransparentmom.com/ http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/ http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/ Sept. 7th: http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/ http://www.wishfulendings.com/ http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/ Sept. 8th: http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/ http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/ http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/ http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/ Sept. 9th: http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/ http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/ http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/ http://fireandicereads.com/ 
Hope Series by E.C. Jackson Blitz
9/7/2016
After 2 wonderful book tours, we are excited to have both of the books in the Hope Series featured together for a blitz! Come help get these wonderful books seen!
Twenty-one-year-old Neka is a bit of an introvert, she also happens to be stunningly beautiful.
When she discovers her friend James is about to be dumped, she sees the perfect opportunity to escape from her quiet life. Can she summon the courage to leave it all behind? 
James Copley comes from a ruthless family. It’s rubbed off. Years ago, he disengaged from his brother’s smear campaign, but now his father has offered him an ultimatum, “Get married or lose your seat at the table.” Plotting to stamp his design on the family business, he proposes to a woman, even though he doesn’t love her. But his carefully laid plans start to unravel when she leaves him on the day she’s due to meet his family. Could years of planning his comeback vanish with her departure?
A possible solution comes in an unexpected form: Neka. She’s not only a friend, but the daughter of his benefactor. And she’s right there, offering to support him. But will her support stretch to marriage? He attempts to win her over to his plan but collides with her powerful father who wants to leverage the situation for his own gain. In their fight for survival and love, they are forced to face some uncomfortable truths. Can they overcome thwarted dreams and missed chances to find true love, or does forcing destiny’s hand only lead to misery? 
It was a match made in heaven. Or so everyone thought. Sadie Mae Cummings is all set to marry her childhood sweetheart, Kyle, when she is assigned to tutor Lincoln, the new college football running back. This sophomore phenomenon has all the girls on campus knocking on his door. But Sadie isn't interested in his advances.
Lincoln’s overblown ego doesn't take well to being shunned, and he resolves to make Sadie his own. He pursues her relentlessly, until finally Kyle finds himself shut out of Sadie's life, with their shared future crumbling around him. After two years, Sadie’s relationship with Lincoln ends, and she is left having to put the pieces of her life back together. She desires nothing more than to recapture her relationship with Kyle. He has stayed true to the dreams they had planned together, living the vision even without Sadie by his side. When she moves back to her hometown, she labors to rekindle their love. But things have changed, and Kyle has moved on. Sadie quickly discovers how hard it is to rebuild burned bridges. Follow Sadie’s story as she fights for a chance to restore broken dreams. Will love endure? This inspirational romance by E. C. Jackson is book two of the Hope series and is a standalone book.. 
E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play Pajama Party. For three and a half years, she published the Confidence in Life newsletter for Alpha Production Ministries, in addition to writing tracts and devotionals. Teaching a women’s Bible study at her church for eleven years led naturally to her current endeavor, writing inspirational romance novels. Her mission: spiritual maturity in the body of Christ through fiction.
Author's Top Ten Favorite List
Favorite book: Pride and Prejudice
Favorite soda: ginger ale Favorite ice cream: French vanilla Favorite cake: yellow cake with chocolate icing Favorite candy: milk chocolate Favorite flower: tiger lily Favorite season: summer Favorite musical: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Favorite television channel: HGTV Favorite characters: Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple 
To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page
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