Release Blitz | Sophia Redeemed by B. Benfield

TITLE: Sophia Redeemed

AUTHOR: B. Benfield

IMPRINT: Evermore

GENRE: CONTEMP. CHRISTIAN ROMANCE

 

Bouncing around the foster care system, Sophia has a horrible life until at the age of eighteen; she flees her abusive “father.” Trying to survive on the streets, she is taken in by a pimp, Jax. While she makes enough money to rent a rundown apartment, Jax’s percentage leaves her struggling to pay her own way.

While treating herself to a cup of coffee, she meets Matt. The persistent young man asks her out, not realizing her circumstances. When Sophia reveals her past and shares with him her current life, Matt is undeterred.

A violent, life-changing encounter with Jax brings Matt to her rescue. He takes her to his parents’ guesthouse, where she is welcomed and given a job in his father’s church. The only stipulation is she must attend church with the family.

Blossoming in her new life, Sophia and Matt begin to explore their relationship.

However, someone is not pleased with the changes in her life. Threatening calls and messages are only the beginning of the danger to Sophia. Corruption, lies, and betrayal threaten the couple and when the truth is revealed, many lives are left in turmoil. Can faith and love overcome the devastation in Sophia’s life and lead to her redemption and the life she deserves?

AMAZON * AMAZON UK

AMAZON CA * AMAZON AU

B. Benfield is a Contemporary Christian Romance author. She got her start writing New Adult Romance. She went on to self-publish four novels before ultimately deciding to take those books off the shelves, follow her heart, and pursue Christian Romance.

She’s a banker by day and a writer by night, spending all time in between hanging out with her husband, son, friends, and family! She loves to hear from her readers, so don’t hesitate to shoot her a message!

SOCIAL PAGES:

WEBSITE * FACEBOOK * TWITTER * GOODREADS

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Belize Mission Trip 2016 | Day 6

3/10/2016

We had about 69 kids come to our last day of Vacation Bible School (on 3/9/2016)!! I cannot believe we had that many kids come. It was just amazing to see God working in their lives. Pastor Tim stopped by their classes to give them some words of encouragement and say a prayer with them. They were so excited to see him. To me, that shows how much trust and love our church has built in that community by coming back year after year.

Before Bible school tonight, we were able to get in and finish Mr. Pesch's classroom. Every wall had two coats, inside and out. The ceiling was even painted! They finished the wiring and made sure all of the electrical components worked as they should. We were going to move the classroom chairs in after lunch, but the teacher was so excited, he did it by himself! We were also able to provide Mr. Pesch with a bike. He walks over an hour and half a day to school and back just to teach. We are hoping the bicycle will help cut down on the time he spends walking and allow him to spend more time at home with his family. It's nice to meet a teacher at St. Jude who is passionate about their kids and teaching.

After lunch, we were able to go to Hopkin's Beach in Belize. It was BEAUTIFUL. It was a nice day to rest and rejuvenate for our trip home. After we got back, Delinda and I snuck off to see sweet baby Kai. Jessica is doing well. I continue to pray for her and her little boy every day. They are never far from my heart and mind. Heman, the maintenance man at the camp, took the "newbies" tarantula hunting tonight. If you ever stay at the Baptist Training Center in Belize, you have to experience the tarantula whisperer. 

Our work in Belize is coming to an end. I am approaching the last couple days with a heavy heart. I know this will be the last time I visit these precious people for a while, and it makes me sad. Friday will be a whirlwind of activity as we strive to finish all of the projects we've started. I am looking forward to finishing, but I'm dreading the day we leave.

Love Arrives in Pieces by Betsy St. Amant

Love Arrives in Pieces
Zondervan
June 2015

About the book:For so long, Stella was known for her beauty. Now, with her heart stripped bare, she must discover who she really is.

Former pageant queen Stella Varland doesn’t trust beauty anymore after her divorce. Her appearance betrayed her and led to her brokenness—so instead of being beautiful, now she tries to make beautiful things, but always falls short. So she keeps her passion for her secret art to herself and focuses on her interior design work. But if she doesn’t get another job soon, she’ll be stuck living with her parents.

Contractor Chase Taylor is determined to live a life of no regrets after losing his fiancée in a car crash. Now he lives life at full speed, striving to see how much he can accomplish. He knows if he slows down, he’ll fall apart. So he returns home to Bayou Bend to renovate the town’s old theater, and is shocked to learn former flame Stella is the designer for the project.

Forced to work together, Chase and Stella battle their chemistry and their pasts as they struggle to compromise and come together on a vision for the theater. Chase doesn’t understand why Stella is such a subdued version of herself, while Stella doesn’t get Chase’s constant need for productivity and speed. Their wills clash as they attempt to hide their brokenness—and their unresolved feelings for each other—until Chase breaks through Stella’s walls and convinces her to enter her mosaic tile art in a contest.

A near catastrophe, a fire, and a small-town gossip mill finally force both Stella and Chase to realize that they have a choice—to hold on to the shards of their pasts, or surrender their fragmented pieces to the One who makes a beautiful masterpiece from the broken.

Buy your copy: B&N | Amazon | CBD

My Review: When I first picked it up, I thought to myself "this book is utterly chaotic... in the best way possible!" I love Betsy St. Amant's writing style. This book is as chaotic as it's characters feelings and lives. I cannot even begin to describe how well I think this book is written. The more I read, the faster I wanted to read because I was so involved in Stella and Chase's story.

The chemistry, banter, and all out anger Stella and Chase have with one another is captivating. The emotions this books takes you through will bring you down and build you up all at the same time. I was literally healing right along side Stella and Chase. I felt their pains, hurts, and especially their victories. The depth of these characters is absolutely amazing. I can relate to a lot of the feelings Stella and Chase were dealing with because of my personal experience with loss. However, even if you haven't experienced some kind of loss, Betsy St. Amant has written the story so realistically, you can definitely relate.

The message of the story is about healing. It's about learning to lean on God to get you through the hard times and help you pick up the pieces of what you think is broken. There were several quotes in the story that punctuate that point: "God tells us to come to Him with faith like a child. I figure that means with our storms too. If it's going to rain anyway...might as well make something out of it." and "Beauty from broken." and my personal favorite (the one that resonated with me the most), "But God said 'Even though.'"

Overall, I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to read more by this fantastic author.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the BookLook blogging program in exchange for my honest review.*

About the Author: Betsy St. Amant has a heart for three things – chocolate, new shoes and sharing the amazing news of God’s grace through her novels. She lives in Louisiana with her adorable story-telling young daughter, a collection of Austen novels, and an impressive stash of Pickle Pringles. A freelance journalist and fiction author, Betsy is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and is multi-published in Contemporary Romance via Love Inspired and Harper Collins (Zondervan). When she’s not reading, writing, or singing along to a Disney soundtrack with her daughter, Betsy enjoys inspirational speaking and teaching on the craft of writing.

Connect with Betsy: Website | Facebook | Twitter

TBAP's Easter Fiesta! | March 10-27th

About the Event

TBAP’s Easter Fiesta is a social media event where the professionals of the literary and the entertainment industries give back to the audience that has supported them over time, by chatting with the audience that will appear on TBAP’s social media on a set date/time. For 2016, it’s TBAP’s facebook! The professionals are drawn from the categories: authors/actors/alliances/music artists.

Meet your Host!

Miranda A. Uyeh is the author of To Die Once: Child of Grace #1, a book/entertainment blogger, and a Mogul Global Ambassador. She’s passionate about all these and even found herself to be shortlisted as one of Inspy Awards’ Judges in 2014! You can connect with Miranda on twitter, facebook, google+, YouTube and Pinterest or visit her corner of the web, TBAP!

Meet the Guests of 2016!

Julie Lessman (Author)

Cheryl McKay (Screenwriter/Author)

Rene Gutteridge (Screenwriter/Director/Author)

DiAnn Mills (Author)

Michelle Griep (Author)

Rich Swingle (Actor)

Kirk Fernwood (Film Critic/Entertainment Blogger)

K. Victoria Chase (Author)

Brenda S. Anderson (Author)

Heather Manning (Author)

Melica Niccole (Author)

Bill Ewing (Producer/Director/Screenwriter)

Doc Benson (Director/Producer/Actor)

Rebekah Cook (Actress/Casting Director/Script Supervisor)

Francine Locke (Actress)

Jody Thomae (Author/Music Artist)

Juli Tapken (Actress/Producer/Director)

Katie Pavao (Actress)

Bronwyn Angley (Actress)

Apolonia Davalos (Actress/Filmmaker)

Irene Santiago (Actress)

Sharon Wilharm (Director/Producer/Screenwriter)

Dates/Time You Can Chat with the Guests!

March 17^th, 2:00-3:00pm Pacific Time – Julie Lessman, Cheryl McKay, Rene Gutteridge

March 18^th, 2:00-3:00pm PT – DiAnn Mills, Michelle Griep

March 19^th, 3:00-4:00pm PT – Rich Swingle, Kirk Fernwood

March 20^th, 2:00-3:00pm PT – K. Victoria Chase, Brenda Anderson

March 21^st, 2:00-3:00pm PT – Heather Manning, Melica Niccole

March 22^nd, 2:00-3:00pm PT – Bill Ewing, Doc Benson

March 24^th, 5:00-6:00pm PT – Rebekah Cooke, Katie Pavao

March 25^th, 2:00-3:00pm PT – Jody Thomae, Juli Tapken

March 26^th, 2:00-3:00pm PT – Francine Locke, Bronwyn Angley, Apolonia Davalos

March 27^th, 7:00-8:00pm PT – Irene Santiago, Sharon Wilharm

Talk About This with Your Friends!

You can tweet to @Rini_MAU and use this hashtag #TBAPFiesta, and I’ll find you! You can also update your facebook status by using the hashtag #TBAPFiesta and tagging your post with Miranda Afa Uyeh or Miranda’s To Be A Person, and I’ll find you! Also, you’re more than welcome to post on TBAP’s facebook!

Finally, watch the lovely inspirational messages sent your way by some of the guests, on TBAP’s Official YouTube Channel. I, too, was blessed by their messages!

Influencer Roster

Rachelle Rea – March 17^th, 2016

Amber Stokes – March 18^th, 2016

Rissi C. – March 19^th, 2016

Meagan Davenport – March 20^th, 2016

Grace Mullin – March 21^st, 2016

Bekah M.  – March 23^rd, 2016

Shannah Mauney – March 25^th, 2016

Shantelle Hannu – March 26^th, 2016

The Imposter by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Imposter
The Bishop's Family (Book 1)
October 2015
ISBN: 978-0800723200

About This Book: Katrina Stoltzfus thought she had life and love all figured out: she was going to marry John and live happily ever after. Those plans started to crumble when her father moved the family to Stoney Ridge, then completely collapsed when John decided to marry someone else. Katrina is devastated. How could she have felt so loved, yet been so deceived?

As she struggles to face a future without him, a widow asks for her help to start a new business and Katrina quickly agrees. She needs time to heal her broken heart, to untangle her messy life, to find a purpose. What she doesn’t need is attention from Andy Miller, a farm hand who arrives at the widow’s farm just when help is most needed–and who always seems to say the right thing, and be in the right place, at the right time. Is Andy for real, or too good to be true? Deceived once before, Katrina is determined to keep her feelings in check.

When a cascade of events is set in motion by some surprising information, the little Amish church is turned upside down. Soon, everyone has a stake in the outcome, and the community struggles to find the best response to an imposter in their midst. Can they forgive even the most deceitful deeds?

Buy your copy: B&N | Amazon | CBD

My Review: Wow! What a book! I don't know why it took me so long to pick it up and read it. With a refreshing view of the Amish life, and specifically of an Amish's minister's family, this book is filled with depth and feeling. Suzanne Woods Fisher is a masterful storyteller, and The Imposter is a superb example of that.

To me, it seemed the side story of David (Katrina's dad) was more prominent than Katrina's, but that's ok. I still got the connection I craved with Katrina. A woman scorned always makes for an interesting story. Reading the story was like being in Katrina's mind. I could feel Katrina's angst and struggle, her fear and joy. David Stolzfus is a strong example of a Christian man. His life is not perfect, his family is not perfect, but he handles what life throws at him with a heaping of grace and God's love. The side characters, Thelma, Andy, Jesse, and especially Birdy added a depth to the story and perfect little nuggets of God's mercy and love.

Suzanne has a masterful way of weaving in a message that not only touches the characters at just the right time, but also digs itself into the heart of the reader (at least is seems that way to me). The Imposter delivers a strong message of redemption and what it means to be in the midst of a storm. As David is fond of saying, "everybody begins somewhere." I believe the little Amish community of Stoney Ridge is getting ready to find out just how true that is.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the Revell Reads Blogging program in exchange for my honest review.*

About the Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction. Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, who was raised Plain in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She travels back east a couple of times each year for research. For fun, too.

Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. She has an underlying belief in her books–you don’t have to “go Amish” to incorporate many of their principles into your life: simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily, trusting in God.

When Suzanne isn’t writing, playing tennis, or bragging to her friends about her grandbabies (so cute!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To her way of thinking, you just can’t take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone’s underwear in its mouth.

Keep up on Suzanne’s latest news by receiving her e-newsletter, as well as connecting on Facebook, Twitter and her blog!

Belize Mission Trip 2016 | Day 5

3/9/2016

I have been sick for the past day with the stomach bug. If any of you have had the dreaded bug, I am sorry. It really sucks the life out of you. I am feeling better today, though, but will not be returning to work this week. The CDC recommends staying home for at least 3 days after you stop having symptoms because you are still contagious. Sitting here on my couch, I almost didn't want to pick my computer up. However, I couldn't deny you another glimpse of my fabulous trip, so here it goes!

We cannot keep our team well. One person gets better, two more go down, two get better, one more goes down... It's a vicious cycle. Despite that fact that so many of our team is sick, we are accomplishing so much! I'm amazed at how well our team has come together to get things done. 

The Bishop came for confirmation at St. Jude's today. His visit was kind of disappointing. I was excepting a lot of pomp and circumstance, and there wasn't any. We were painting at the lower school building, and I expected to know when he showed up. He came and left without us even knowing! There were a lot of people that stayed at the school afterwards. Sounded like they were having a party. 

Though I don't consider myself a "Belize Veteran" as it was only my second trip, I have enjoyed getting to know the "newbies." The folks from New Sterling that I haven't gotten to know before and folks from Boyce Memorial are a joy to work with. Overall, this trip is turning out exactly as I'd expected. I'm beginning to dread the end of the week, though. 

Room for Hope by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Overview: In a desperate time, can Neva find forgiveness for a grievous wrong—and make room for hope? 

Neva Shilling has a heavy load of responsibility while her husband travels to neighboring communities and sells items from his wagon. In his absence, she faithfully runs the Shilling Mercantile, working to keep their business strong as the Depression takes its toll, and caring for their twins.

When a wagon pulls up after supper, Neva and her children rush out—and into the presence of the deputy driving a wagon carrying three young children. The deputy shocks her with the news that Warren and his wife have died, insisting it was their last request that the three children go live with “Aunt Neva.”

Neva’s heart is shattered as she realizes that Warren’s month-long travels were excuses for visits with his secret family. She wants nothing more than to forget Warren, but can she abandon these innocent children to an orphanage? Yet if she takes them in, will she ever be able to see them as more than evidence of her husband’s betrayal and love them the way God does?

ISBN-13: 9780307731371 | Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group

Publication date: 02/16/2016
Buy It: B&N | Amazon | CBD

My Review: I've come to know Kim Vogel Sawyer for her deep, soul reaching stories and her characters that come to life. Their depth of feeling and range of emotions are always phenomenal. Room for Hope was no exception, it just took me a little longer to really get into it. Once I did, though, I couldn't put it down.

I cannot even begin to fathom what Neva Shilling is going through. Can you imagine finding out the husband that you loved and adored, had a secret family?! The weight of grief, anger, and responsibility that is suddenly heaped upon her would literally make me crumble. Her faith and strength of character show a great deal about the woman. I also appreciate the author downplaying the romantic aspect of the story. In real life, a wife doesn't grief and move on in the space of weeks, even when the husband turned out to be a sorry rascal. The promise of a future romance was all that I needed.

As I said at the beginning, it took me longer to really get invested into the story. Once I did, though, I could almost weep at the strength and faith Neva shilling showed. Of course, she wasn't the only one who was learning and growing in her faith. Arthur, the neighboring shop owner and Jesse Caudil, the sheriff, were finding their way back to God, as well.

Overall, I'm glad I chose this book to review. It was an excellent read about strength of faith and character.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.*

Kim Vogel Sawyer is a best-selling, award-winning author with more than one million copies of her books currently in print. Awards include the ACFW Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Sawyer lives in central Kansas, where she and her retired military husband, Don, run a bed-and-breakfast inn with the help of their feline companions. She savors time with her daughters and grandchildren.

Connect with Kim: Website | Facebook | Twitter | WaterBrook Publisher