THE METROPOLITAN AFFAIR - Jocelyn Green - One Free Book

Bio: Jocelyn Green inspires faith and courage as the award-winning author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including The Mark of the King, A Refuge Assured, and THE WINDY CITY SAGA. Jocelyn lives with her husband and two children in Iowa.

Well-loved for her vivid writing and rigorous historical research, Christy Award–winning author Jocelyn Green plunges into the depths of one of New York City’s most esteemed museums, where a young woman discovers secrets, betrayal, and romance in this exhilarating series starter. Appealing to fans of Katherine Reay, Sarah Sundin, and Fiona Davis, Green sweeps readers into a tantalizing historical tale in her latest novel, The Metropolitan Affair.

About the Story: For years her estranged father promised Dr. Lauren Westlake she’d accompany him on one of his Egyptian expeditions, giving her hope for the sense of belonging she’s always craved. But as the empty promises mounted, Lauren determined to earn her own way. Now the assistant curator of Egyptology for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lauren receives two unexpected invitations. The first is her repentant father’s offer to finally bring her to Egypt as his colleague on a fascinating new expedition. The second is a chance to enter the glittering world of New York’s wealthiest patrons who have been victims of art fraud.

With Egyptomania sweeping the city after the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, Detective Joe Caravello is on the hunt for a notorious forger preying on the open wallets of New York’s high society. Dr. Westlake is just the expert he needs to help him identify fake relics and track down the con artist. Together they search for the truth, and the closer Lauren and Joe get to discovering the forger’s identity, the more entangled they become in a web of deception and crime.

Please provide a brief summary of your new novel, The Metropolitan Affair. For years her estranged father promised Dr. Lauren Westlake she’d accompany him on one of his Egyptian expeditions, giving her hope for the sense of belonging she’s always craved. But as the empty promises mounted, Lauren determined to earn her own way. Now the assistant curator of Egyptology for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lauren receives two unexpected invitations. The first is her repentant father’s offer to finally bring her to Egypt as his colleague on a fascinating new expedition. The second is a chance to enter the glittering world of New York’s wealthiest patrons who have been victims of art fraud.

With Egyptomania sweeping the city after the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, Detective Joe Caravello is on the hunt for a notorious forger preying on the open wallets of New York’s high society. Dr. Westlake is just the expert he needs to help him identify fake relics and track down the con artist. Together they search for the truth, and the closer Lauren and Joe get to discovering the forger’s identity, the more entangled they become in a web of deception and crime.

Welcome to my blog, Jocelyn. This novel follows an assistant curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a detective. Can you tell us a bit about these two characters? Lauren and Joe first met at the Met museum when she was twelve years old and he fourteen. They have different class backgrounds but became fast friends until college took Lauren away. The novel begins more than a decade later, when they reconnect while hunting a forger of Egyptian art together. Dr. Lauren Westlake wants nothing more than peace—and approval from her estranged father. Detective Joe Caravello, recently betrayed by a corrupt cop on the force, wants nothing more than justice. The closer the two get to finding the truth, the more they realize they can’t have both peace and justice at once.

What inspired you to write a series set in New York during the 1920s? I was inspired by the first professionally trained female Egyptologist in America. The brilliant and humble Caroline Ransom Williams served as assistant curator in the Met’s Egyptian department in the early years. I set my novel a little later than Caroline’s time so I could also take advantage of the Egyptomania sweeping the world after the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. From there, it was easy to imagine a series where the protagonists all work at revered institutions on Central Park. The second book will focus on the American Museum of Natural History, and the third will be based on work for the New-York Historical Society.

Of all the things you learned about the Metropolitan Museum of Art while writing this book, what most surprised you? The Met really has a fascinating history, full of many surprises. I especially enjoyed learning how the early pieces were acquired for the museum, and the drama and scandal surrounding either particular acquisitions or the funding for them.

What was the highlight of writing The Metropolitan Affair? My trip to Manhattan was most certainly the highlight of writing the novel. There is no substitute for being where I placed my characters, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to Grand Central to The Plaza’s Palm Court and Central Park.

What challenges did you experience while writing this story? The book isn’t classified as a mystery, but there are definitely mystery elements to it, and sorting all of that out in my head, let alone on paper, was a challenge.

How is this series different from others you have written? This series is a change of pace from most of my previous novels in that there is no war or natural or manmade disaster to contend with. The only other novel I’ve written without either of those was Shadows of the White City. In that sense, The Metropolitan Affair enjoys room to delve more deeply into character development while interacting with the vibrant historical context of Prohibition Manhattan.

What lessons do you hope readers gain from reading The Metropolitan Affair? I hope readers pick up on many parallels to spiritual life that are tucked into this novel. One obvious theme is being able to identify something that’s counterfeit by studying the pure and genuine instead. But even more significant than any forgery analogy is the exploration of family relationships, our roles in those, and where the boundaries are.

How can readers connect with you? My website is www.jocelyngreen.com , and you’ll see on the home page a place to subscribe to my monthly newsletter. Otherwise, find me on Facebook (@jocelyngreenauthor), Instagram (@Author_Jocelyn_Green), and you can always find me on Goodreads.

Thank you, Jocelyn for sharing this book with my readers.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+metropolitan+affair+jocelyn+green&i=stripbooks&crid=WOJK8EK1QFZ7&sprefix=The+Metropolitan+Affair%2Cstripbooks%2C125&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_23

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

WINNERS

IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

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Pam G (OH) is the winner of Critical Threat by Lynette Eason.

Katie (MN) is the winner of The Mercy Tree by Sharlene MacLaren.

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THE SOUND OF LIGHT - Sarah Sundin - One Free Book

Bio: Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of When Twilight Breaks, Until Leaves Fall in Paris, and the popular WWII series Sunrise at Normandy, among others. She is a Christy Award finalist and a Carol Award winner, and her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Sarah lives in Southern California and serves as co-director of the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.

Sarah Sundin’s name has become synonymous with her captivating and historically accurate World War II novels. In a recent starred review of Until Leaves Fall in Paris (February 2022), Library Journal stated that Sundin is “a master at her craft” and that she “rises to the top of World War II fiction.” In her newest novel, The Sound of Light, Sundin explores one of the lesser-known facets of WWII, this time taking readers to Nazi-occupied Denmark. Inspired by real-life events, The Sound of Light offers a captivating story about ordinary people.

Please provide a brief summary of your new book, The Sound of Light. In Nazi-occupied Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt takes on a secret identity as a shipyard worker so he can row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden. American physicist Dr. Else Jensen chooses to remain in Denmark so she can continue her research, her life’s dream. When she makes the dangerous decision to help print resistance newspapers, she hears stories of the movement’s legendary Havmand, the merman. Henrik’s life depends on keeping his secret hidden—a task that proves challenging when he moves into the same boardinghouse as Else—who seems to see right through him.

In The Sound of Light, you take readers to Nazi occupied Denmark. Why did you choose to focus on this location for your novel? Although Denmark is a small country, the stories that came out of Denmark during the war are huge—from the courageous acts of resistance to the astounding way that the Danes managed to save almost all of the Jews in Denmark by ferrying them across to Sweden. I wanted to tell those stories.

Can you provide more information on the Danish resistance? Each occupied nation has a unique story. When the Germans occupied Denmark, they made the country a “model protectorate.” They allowed the king and the government to remain in place, and they gave the Danes, as “fellow Aryans,” freedoms unheard of in the rest of Europe. For that reason, resistance was slow to develop in Denmark, but it did develop—and well. In late 1943, the German crackdown on the Danish Jews dramatically fueled the resistance, and the various groups united to form the Freedom Council to coordinate their efforts, not only with each other but with the Allies. By the end of the war, the Danish Resistance was extremely well respected at home and abroad.

Both of your protagonists, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt and Dr. Else Jensen, choose to participate in the resistance movement in their own way. Can you explain how each character played a part in the movement? Henrik begins his resistance soon after the Germans invade. As a former Olympic rower, he works with his friend Svend, a vocal anti-Nazi who escapes to Sweden, to ferry messages between the Danish Resistance and Svend in Sweden—and Svend passes on this intelligence to the British. Meanwhile, Else, as a female physicist, is often roped into “feminine” tasks at work, like mimeographing documents. But this provides a convenient front for Else to clandestinely print copies of a resistance newspaper. Neither Henrik nor Else is aware of the other’s activities—but both are playing with fire.

The Sound of Light is based upon real life events. Can you provide some insight on which of the events featured in your book actually took place? I enjoyed featuring many true events in this novel, from resistance attacks to the German crackdown to the inspiring rescue of the Danish Jews. Henrik’s character was inspired by Knud Christiansen, a Danish Olympic rower who rowed Jews to Sweden, and I chose to make Else a physicist after hearing about Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr’s institute in Copenhagen and the role Bohr played during the war.

The Sound of Light focuses on ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances. Are there other lessons or inspirational themes found in the pages of your novel? Else is a kind-hearted woman who hates confrontation, but to succeed in her career—and to aid the resistance—she has to learn to speak up. Henrik also needs to step up into leadership roles, which he avoids out of fear of abusing power as his father did. Both of them learn that sometimes silence takes great courage—and sometimes silence is nothing but cowardice.

Your novels are well praised for their historical accuracy. What type of research was required for writing The Sound of Light? Each time I start a new novel, I think the research will be easier because of the previous research I’ve done. Not so, especially for The Sound of Light. The Danish Resistance was small, because the nation is small, and Danish modesty means fewer stories were transcribed. I had to do some sleuthing to find resources in English, but I found them! I also found myself reviewing quantum mechanics—a source of recurring nightmares for this chemistry major—but I also learned so much about Danish Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr, who played a quiet but remarkable role during the war.

What do you love most about writing World War II novels? The era is full of dramatic stories, and the war highlights both the utter depravity of humanity as well as the capacity of people choosing courage and goodness and right at great personal sacrifice. The war challenged ordinary people to make extraordinary decisions—and that fuels amazing stories.

What are you working on next? In my next novel, Aleida Martens is separated from her young son when she flees the Netherlands during the Nazi invasion. In London, the widow desperately searches for her child. As German bombs set London on fire, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports live on the Blitz and helps Aleida seek the missing boy. But then they discover murders flaming among the ashes of the city . . .

How can readers connect with you?

I love hearing from readers! You can find me on my website at http://www.sarahsundin.com or on social media on Facebook (@SarahSundinAuthor), Twitter (@sarahsundin), or Instagram (@sarahsundinauthor).

Thank you, Sarah, for sharing this book with us. I’ve loved every book of yours that I’ve read.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Sound+of+Light&i=stripbooks&crid=P2PKMLC5FW8S&sprefix=the+sound+of+light%2Cstripbooks%2C110&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

FORGED IN LOVE - Mary Connealy - One Free Book

Bio: Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books. She is the author of the popular series BROTHERS IN ARMS, BRIDES OF HOPE MOUNTAIN, HIGH SIERRA SWEETHEARTS, KINCAID BRIDES, TROUBLE IN TEXAS, LASSOED IN TEXAS, SOPHIE’S DAUGHTERS, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

With over 1.5 million copies sold, Carol Award–winning author Mary Connealy is an established leader in the lighthearted historical romance category. For years readers have delighted in Connealy’s stories full of thrilling adventure and sweet romance starring strong and witty heroines. Featuring self-supporting, independent female protagonists in nontraditional occupations, Mary Connealy steals fans away to the atmospheric American West with Forged in Love, Book One in the WYOMING SUNRISE series.

About the Story: When sparks begin to fly, can a friendship cast in iron be shaped into something more?

Mariah Stover is left for dead and with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she’s riding in, killing both her father and brother. As she takes over her father’s blacksmith shop and tries to move forward, she soon finds herself in jeopardy and wondering— does someone know she witnessed the robbery and is still alive?

Handsome and polished Clint Roberts escaped to western Wyoming, leaving his painful memories behind. Hoping for a fresh start, he opens a diner where he creates fine dishes, but is met with harsh resistance from the townsfolk, who prefer to stick to their old ways. Clint and Mariah are drawn together by the trials they face in town, and Clint is determined to protect Mariah at all costs when danger descends upon her home. As threats pursue them from every side, will they survive to build a life forged in love?

Welcome back to my blog, Mary. Can you please tell us a little about your new novel Forged in Love? Forged in Love is me trying to push the limits of what a woman would be allowed to do for a career in 1870. It’s special because it’s set in Wyoming, the first territory (Wyoming wasn’t yet a state then) to give women the right to vote. Of course, there was more to women’s suffrage than just voting. Women could run for elective office. They could be appointed to government posts. They could serve on juries. It’s so hard to understand just how much women couldn’t do. Well, to me, if they could run for office, then they could do all sorts of formerly male-dominated things, and in Forged in Love, I explore just how much women can do.

Forged in Love is the first novel in your new WYOMING SUNRISE series. What’s the connecting element that ties each book in the series together? Each of the three books has a really strong woman working in a male-dominated field. In book one, my heroine is a blacksmith. In book two, my heroine is a justice of the peace. And in book three, my heroine is a lady rancher. I know I do a lot of lady ranchers. For me, being a rancher is not that bold of a choice, but for a woman in the nineteenth century, it would have been pretty unusual.

Your protagonist, Mariah, takes over her father’s blacksmith shop to make ends meet. What inspired the idea to highlight women in nontraditional occupations in this series? The seed of the story was planted when I visited a restored fort called Fort Atkinson. They host living-history weekends, and I just loved spending time there. I learned about the different jobs of the late 1800s: the cooper who made wooden buckets, butter churns, washtubs, things like that; the farrier who shoed horses; the town doctor; the ones who wove homespun cloth; and the blacksmith, which struck me as the most interesting of the bunch. Once I decided I wanted to work against the traditional, I considered the job of blacksmith for a woman character. Blacksmithing is very hard work—the heavy sledgehammers, the anvil, the raging hot forge. I had to create a woman character who could handle it all. It’s funny how one idea inspires the next. Before I knew it, I had an idea for my novel. Forged in Love focuses on themes such as women’s suffrage.

Can you tell us a little more about the significance of this and how it affects your character, Mariah? Mariah is raised by her father after her mother dies. Since her father is a blacksmith, and she was old enough to be careful around fire and hot iron, she went to work with him and her brother. Her father gave her small jobs at first, making nails, angle iron, and hinges. He bought her a smaller sledgehammer so she could manage it. Then in a stagecoach holdup, her father and brother are killed and the town is left without its blacksmith. Mariah, with the training her father had given her and in need of a job, takes over her father’s blacksmith shop. Not everyone approves, but eventually they all need a blacksmith, and she’s it. The town comes around, and Mariah’s got a way to support herself.

Was there anything you found particularly interesting in your research that you included in your novel? I had the best time talking to a blacksmith, who was working at a living-history museum. He was so passionate about the skills involved and loved talking about it. I’ve met several people who are passionate about what they do, are almost always intriguing, even if the topic isn’t one you would choose to discuss. This blacksmith was so interesting to get to know. I also watched a TV series called Victorian Farm. It was fascinating to watch modern folks living in an old farmhouse, raising pigs and sheep, planting seeds and harvesting crops. Their skills also included some blacksmithing.

What is your favorite part about writing historical romance? I guess this isn’t a good answer, but truly, I love everything about writing. I love looking at that blank screen with all the possibilities of creating a world and inhabiting it with characters. I love rewriting. The best writing is rewriting, and I never balk at revisions. A book can always be made better. I love the research that goes into it, too. It’s sort of strange, but I usually find some little tidbit of history and then a whole book can bloom from that tidbit.

What do you hope readers take away from this story or the series at large? It seems like I always come back to family. In my books, that seems to be my goal for characters who don’t have a family, to get them one. Or characters who have family to heal the emotional wounds from past troubles. Mariah begins this book by losing her family. In one horrible blow, she loses the men she loves, is badly wounded herself and is set adrift, finding her way back to health and happiness. And Clint, the man who runs the town’s diner, is right there wanting to help and to protect her when more danger comes her way. He’s the beginning of a new family for Mariah.

What do readers have to look forward to in the rest of this series? Book two is The Laws of Attraction. Nell is a lady justice of the peace. Sweet, delicate, seamstress Nell is the widow of a sheriff, who taught her far more than anyone would expect about investigations and firearms and toughness. When widower Brand Nolte brings his three daughters into town to get dresses, Nell is so excited. Sewing pretty dresses is what she loves to do. But when trouble comes for Mariah, and Nell jumps in to help, the townsfolk have found their new judge.

Book three is about my lady rancher, Becky. She’s so tough that she makes the blacksmith and the judge look like wimps. Her turn for trouble is coming with the ruthless stagecoach robbers who roam the area and never leave a witness alive.

How can readers connect with you? My website is: http://www.maryconnealy.com  Find me on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/maryconnealy  You can find my complete book list at: http/:www.mconnealy.blogspot.com   Or sign up for my newsletter at: http://www.maryconnealy.com/newsletter

Thank you, Mary for sharing this new book with my blog readers. You know how much I love reading your stories.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Forged-Love-Wyoming-Sunrise-Connealy/dp/0764241133/ref=sr_1_1?crid=33HFOBK4PHXWU&keywords=Forged+in+Love&qid=1678300658&s=books&sprefix=forged+in+love+%2Cstripbooks%2C110&sr=1-1

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

WINNERS

IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

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Elizabeth (MD) is the winner of A Match in the Making by Sandra Merville Hart.

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If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

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Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.

If you won an ebook or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to. Remember, you have 2 weeks to claim your book.  

THE MERCY TREE - Sharlene MacLaren - One Free Book

Welcome back, Sharlene. You have a lot of books out now. What is your favorite setting to use in your books? Well, since I write historical fiction, my favorite time period is the mid- to late-1800s, and I think my favorite settings are little towns in the Midwest. I love small towns in Kentucky and Tennessee primarily, but I’ve also written stories with settings in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illinois, Michigan (my home state) and... well, my current work in progress will be a wagon train journey set in 1865, so we’ll be passing through Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and so on.

What do you look for when you’re shopping for a book to buy for yourself? Oh, I love romance, have always been a huge fan, but I love a story with lots of layers and plenty of plot depth. In other words, it doesn’t have to be just about the romance. I also love multi-faceted characters, the kind that you either learn to love or look upon with great disdain before the book’s conclusion. I am not a fan of a simplistic stories, so the back cover blurb had better catch my attention in a good way or I will put it back on the shelf.

Give us a little tour of the setting for this book. Interestingly, The Mercy Tree’s setting is Muskegon, MI, my old stomping ground. While I didn’t grow up in Muskegon, I did grow up about 12 miles north of it, and basically know Muskegon forwards and backwards. That made my research easier than most of my other books. Seeing as I was born in 1948 (yes, I’m ancient. Ha!), I still have a very vivid memory of the 1950s, which is the era in which my story takes place. The church I use in the plot, Church of the Open Door, was a very popular, active church in its day, so I snagged that name, but the premise of my story concerning a pastor who discovers he has a son from a brief affair he’d had ten years prior, is completely fictional. Muskegon is situated in central West Michigan, on the beautiful sandy shores of Lake Michigan, home of some lovely state parks, wonderful sand dunes, camping grounds, and restaurants.

What other books do you have coming out soon? As I stated earlier, the project I’m currently working on will be about a woman of twenty-six and her twelve-year-old nephew who join a wagon train to escape the abusive clutches of her nephew’s father. This book will probably release sometime in the fall of 2024, and it will be my 24^th novel.

Please give us a glimpse inside your home. My husband and I have lived in the same home since 1986. It has undergone three major additions, though, so there’s not too much about it that’s original. We despise the idea of ever moving though because we love our neighborhood, so we just keep adding onto it and making little changes here and there in the way of updates. It is a typical ranch-style home, four bedrooms, three baths, two fireplaces, a large kitchen, and a finished basement. It is certainly far from spectacular, but in a word, it’s “home”. I don’t foresee moving until our two daughters say, “Mom, Dad, it’s time for a condo.” And even then, we’ll probably go out kicking and screaming. Haha.

Is this novel part of a series or a stand-alone book? This is a stand-alone novel.

Tell us about the story. It’s 1955, when scandalous affairs are never talked about, divorce is rare, a wife is a “homemaker” more often than not, and every Christian home displays its family Bible front and center. Certainly, a well-respected pastor in the conservative city of Muskegon, Michigan, would never be caught in the middle of a heinous secret that could ruin his career and break up his beautiful marriage and family. Or would he?
When Henry Griffin was stationed in occupied Japan in the mid-1940s, he met Rina Hamada, a Japanese woman who fell head over heels for him. Despite having a young wife and baby daughter waiting at home in the States, Henry had too much to drink one night, and one thing led to another… He knew it was wrong. He struggled with guilt and expressed his resistance, but she professed her love and continued to pursue him.
Now, ten years later, a letter from Japan arrives and threatens to upend Henry’s world. What to do and how to tell his wife are just the beginning of his troubles. Tough questions about faith, redemption, and preserving his reputation bring us here, under the shade of The Mercy Tree.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Prologue

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:14, 15 (Revised Standard Version)

July, 1946

Tokyo, Japan

The smells of fish, nicotine, and sweat lay heavy in the hot, sticky air. Shipping docks littered with cigarette butts, animal waste, food scraps and whatnot, bustled with activity as soldiers carrying haversacks hurried past, and squawking ducks and gulls swooped down to peck at the muddy earth. Hot bodies pressed together in a none too straight line, all vying for a spot on the monstrous steamer, a converted battleship, that would take them back to their beloved homeland, America. Ever since the United States had started occupying Japan, American troops had come and gone, serving months-long stints to help keep the peace among military and civilians as well as rebuild the war-torn country.

Private First-Class Henry Griffin held his place in line amongst hundreds of other soldiers and their wives, awaiting his turn to board. He adjusted the thick leather strap of his overlarge backpack across his shoulder. It weighed heavy with souvenirs and a myriad of belongings he’d collected over the past year. Babies wailed, dogs barked, seagulls squawked, and men laughed and visited, some smoking while they stood in line, others reading American newspapers or magazines, and still others simply standing on the dock, shifting their weight with hot impatience as a grueling sun beat down on them.

Orders from one of the commanders rang out from a crackling loud speaker, but the words were lost on Henry’s ears due to a discontented baby squalling and squirming in his mother’s arms just ten or so feet in front of him. Its mother reached for a bottle under the flap of a bag she carried, her soldier husband trying to lend assistance. She shoved the nipple end into the infant’s mouth, and sweet silence followed. The line moved forward a few steps. For the hundredth time that day, Henry thought about his wife Nora. How would it be when they first locked eyes? A twinge of excitement mixed with guilt stirred inside him. They had talked about whether she should join him in Japan, but with a new baby, they’d decided it best she move in with her parents until his return. He wished now he’d insisted she come. No doubt it would’ve been better in the long run. He tried to push aside his tangled emotions by withdrawing his wallet from his back pocket and taking out the wrinkled photograph he kept stored between a few dollar bills. Nora had sent him the photo of his daughter Paige just after her first birthday. Now she was a full sixteen months old. How much had she grown? How many teeth did she have? How long was her wispy blond hair? Was it long enough for a barrette?

How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sharmaclaren   

I also have a private FB group called Sharlene MacLaren & Friends (Come join the fun!)

Look for me on Twitter, or check out my website at www.sharlenemaclaren.com

Thank you, Sharlene, for sharing this book with us. I’m eager to read it. I’ve always loved your stories.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Mercy-Tree-Novel-Sharlene-MacLaren/dp/1641239565/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1677782368&sr=1-1

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com  

CRITICAL THREAT - Lynette Eason - One Free Book

Bio: Lynette Eason is the USA Today bestselling author of Life Flight and Crossfire, as well as the Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master’s degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children.

Booklist has stated that Lynette Eason is a “master of inspirational romantic suspense.” Her more than sixty novels offer the perfect balance of fast-paced thrills with just the right blend of romance that keeps readers longing for more. In Critical Threat, the third volume in the Extreme Measure series, Eason ramps up the action once again. Readers will have trouble catching their breath as they plunge into a breakneck race to stop a serial killer

About the Story: FBI Special Agent Grace Billingsley tracks serial killers, using her skills as a psychiatrist and behavioral analyst to get dangerous people off the street and safely behind bars. But prison psychiatrist Sam Monroe knows that just because a killer is incarcerated doesn’t mean they’re not a threat. His own father, Peter, is a serial killer—in prison but certainly not out of Sam’s life, as much as he wishes he was.

When bodies start showing up with Peter’s MO, Sam and Grace are both called in to consult. They’ve met before—and though Grace thought they’d made a real connection, Sam ghosted her. They’ll have to get past the awkwardness and mistrust to solve this case—especially because it’s about to get personal.

Buckle up for another extreme ride with USA Today bestselling author, Lynette Eason.

Critical Threat is the third volume in your Extreme Measure series. What inspired the idea for this series? Honestly, I never really know how to answer this question. I simply do a lot of brainstorming with different authors and friends, throw it against the wall, and see what sticks. There wasn’t any one thing that I can say inspired the series. Just a lot of great ideas during a brainstorming session that turned into this series.

What is the connecting element for all the books in this series? The four friends who all met as teenagers in juvie on the West Coast.

Your main protagonists, FBI Special Agent Grace Billingsley and prison psychiatrist Sam Monroe, must work together to stop a serial killer. What is the relationship between them? Grace is a behavioral analyst. She’s actually also a psychiatrist but uses her skills in a somewhat different way than Sam. Their relationship is one of mutual respect, lots of attraction, and a desperate desire to find a serial killer before he finds them first.

Sam’s father, Peter, plays a key role in Critical Threat. Can you please tell us more about his character? Peter is a serial killer. He’s been in prison for a while, and Sam is very happy to never speak to the man again. Of course, as the story plays out, he has to not only speak to him but ask for his help.

Are there any particular themes that play out in Critical Threat? I think the theme of forgiveness is a big one. It’s one that tends to show up on a regular basis in my books. Maybe because I need it on a regular basis. And also, not judging people. You never know what people are going through, so it’s better not to judge based on appearance. Actually, it’s best not to judge at all. 

You have several sources that you utilize to verify the accuracy of your books. Can you please tell us about some of your sources? I have so many wonderful resources, but two of my main resources are my FBI buddies. One of them is a former agent, who is now retired. He reads each one of my stories and gives me feedback. For the medical stuff, I have two physician friends; and for the military stuff, I have yet even more friends. Friends are a great thing to have.

That is so true. You have written over sixty romantic suspense novels. How do you come up with the ideas for your novels? I tend to brainstorm with people and see what works. My editor is a fantastic brainstormer—and she knows what she wants to buy—so I often hash things out with her too.

What do you love most about writing in the romantic suspense genre? That the good guys always win in the end.

Can you please tell readers when they can expect the final volume in the Extreme Measure series? Countdown, the final book in the series, is set to release August 2023.

How can readers connect with you? As always, readers can reach me through my website at www.lynetteeason.com, on Facebook www.facebook.com/lynette.eason, and twitter @lynetteeason.

Thank you, Lynette, for sharing Critical Threat with my blog readers and me. I love reading your books.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Threat-Extreme-Measures-Lynette/dp/0800737342/ref=sr_1_1?crid=34Q176FZO0LXS&keywords=Critical+Threat&qid=1677627885&s=books&sprefix=critical+threat%2Cstripbooks%2C109&sr=1-1

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

WINNERS

IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Maryann (NY) is the winner of A Not So Persistent Suitor by Sandra Merville Hart.

Diana (SC) is the winner of The Heir's Predicament by Lorri Dudley.

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If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... and this blog. Thank you.

Congratulations, everyone. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.

If you won an ebook or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to. Remember, you have 2 weeks to claim your book.  

A HEART'S RESCUE - Lena Nelson Dooley - Blog Tour Information

Visit each of the blog spots for a chance to read the reviews 

and to sign up for the prize.

Someone will win a $50 Amazon gift card. 

It could be you.

Blog Stops

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, February 22

Texas Book-aholic, February 23

deb's Book Review, February 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 25

Pause for Tales, February 26

Ashley's Clean Book Reviews, February 26

Connie's History Classroom, February 27

Cover Lover Book Review, February 28

Betti Mace, March 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 3

Blogging With Carol, March 4

For Him and My Family, March 5

Holly's Book Corner, March 6

Simple Harvest Reads, March 7 (Author Interview)

                                                          Mary Hake, March 7