Coming soon from Summerside Press

I love previewing books and cover art and here are some of the latest from Summerside Press from their Love Finds You, new American Tapestries and When I Fall in Love series. Heiress and From This Day Forward are part of their historical line.

Love to hear your thoughts, as always!


Heiress by Susan May Warren

The beautiful heiress daughters of newspaper magnate August Price have been given everything their hearts desire. But what if they want only to be loved—without an enormous price tag attached?

When one daughter pursues a desirable marriage, she secures for herself a comfortable and glamorous life. But among the duties of privilege, will she also find the happily-ever-after she seeks? Her sister rejects the trappings of wealth, choosing instead to build a new life on the still-untamed frontier. Will she find happiness in independence or discover that she's left her heart behind in New York's glittering society?

Set in the opulent world of the Gilded Age, each woman discovers that being an heiress just might cost her everything-including the chance for true love.

July, 2011




Love Finds You in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Annalisa Daughety

Two women with nothing in common except the need for a friend and a fresh start. When Amish-born Lydia Ann Raber and Southern belle Caroline DeMarco discover a shared history of loss, the unlikely duo decides to open a gift shop in beautiful Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Lydia Ann is surprised to find herself drawn to handsome woodworker Simon Zook. When God offers her a second chance at love and family, will she take it? Or will the secret Simon harbors cause her even more heartbreak?

For Caroline, love comes in the way of newspaper reporter Michael Landis. Their low-key romance is a dream come true for Caroline, a fugitive from an infamous past. Is Michael to blame when the paparazzi start hovering once again, or can Caroline trust him with her heart?

July, 2011




Love Finds You in Branson, Missouri by Gwen Ford Faulkenberry

Ellie Heinrichs dreams becoming a famous Broadway actress. Instead, Ellie is cast as a rural heroine in Branson’s outdoor drama, The Shepherd of the Hills. In a grudging attempt to get in touch with her character, Ellie translates her great-grandmother’s diary and is soon swept up in a tale of love and loss, wisdom and faith.

As Ellie grows close to Will Howard, her director and a descendant of the original shepherd of the hills, she finds her grandmother’s experiences merging with her own. And when the past offers a chance to repeat itself, Ellie must decide whether to pursue her dream at all costs…

August, 2011





Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming by Miralee Ferrell

Angel Ramirez is tired of living a lie. But can she live like a lady?

On the run from a dangerous outlaw, Angel works her way across several states disguised as a boy and working as a varmint tracker and horse wrangler. After taking a job on a Wyoming ranch owned by a bachelor and his widowed sister, she finally reveals her true identity and must fight to prove her worth as a ranch hand while somehow discovering her role as woman.

Hiring a woman doesn’t sit well with Travis Morgan, and the dark-haired beauty is causing a ruckus among his cowboys. Just as Angel decides she’ll never be able to please her boss, an unexpected surprise arrives from across the ocean and makes trouble on the ranch. Will Angel leave with the person who’s come so far to claim her?

August, 2011




From This Day Forward by Margaret Daley

Penniless, pregnant, and newly widowed immigrant Rachel Gordon doesn’t believe her situation could get any worse...until she meets her new neighbors.

Shortly after the War of 1812, Rachel and her husband set out from England for a plantation in South Carolina, which he had purchased sight unseen. However, while en route, Tom Gordon fell overboard and drowned, leaving Rachel, frightened and alone, to make a home for her and her newborn.

Can a battle-scarred American physician who comes to her rescue also heal her wounded heart?

September, 2011





The Wedding Kiss by Hannah Alexander

A kiss can be life-changing.

When Keara and Elam Jensen share their first kiss on their wedding day, a marriage of convenience becomes much less convenient! It also becomes more than they expected when God shows them what He really has in store for their lives. Will their mysteriously injured visitor ruin their future, or will her influence—and her personal battle—draw them into deadly danger?

Visit Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in 1901, and discover for yourself what excitement and romance await along the White River Hollow.

September, 2011






Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

Dottie Morgan has no desire to share her home—or her heart—over the Christmas holidays. After all, her Christmas spirit froze over when she lost her son in World War II.

But when a blizzard of the decade traps Dottie in her home with four near strangers, she just might discover that opening her door might also open her heart to a Christmas miracle…and a new reason to celebrate Christmas.

September, 2011

Character Spotlight ~ Annalisa Daughety's Ainsley, Dustin, Jake & Julie

Ainsley, Dustin, Jake & Julie

Annalisa Daughety finished her Walk in the Park series with a visit to the Grand Canyon with young widow Ainsley, readers will know from Love is a Battlefield and Love is Monumental.

Enjoy this insight from Annalisa:~

Brief physical description

Ainsley is tall with long, dark red hair. She has a creamy complexion—no freckles, and hazel eyes. Her hair is almost always pulled back into a ponytail, bun, or braids. If I were casting Love is Grand as a movie, I would choose Amy Adams to play Ainsley.

Dustin is just a bit taller than Ainsley. He’s broad shouldered and fit. He has blond hair that tends to curl when it gets too long, and eyes the same shade as the ocean. I watched Sweet Home Alabama while I was writing the first draft of Love is Grand and realized that Josh Lucas is the perfect Dustin.

Jake is shorter and stockier than Dustin. He has dark hair and dark eyes. When he smiles, he has a dimple in his right cheek. Luke Wilson would be a good Jake.

Julie Wilson, Ainsley’s 17-year-old niece, is also a point of view character in Love is Grand. strawberry blond hair. Molly Quinn, who plays Castle’s daughter on Castle would be ideal for Julie.

Strengths and weaknesses

Ainsley is much stronger than she gives herself credit for being. Over the past two years, she’s dealt with the sudden death of her husband, Brad, and the birth of her first child, Faith. Her biggest weakness is that she often allows her fears to get the best of her. She’s also guilty of jumping to conclusions—something that hinders her friendship with Dustin.

Dustin is a mentor to some of the teens who live near the canyon. He’s always happy to lend a hand to those in need and is especially sensitive to Ainsley’s sorrow over the loss of her husband—because Brad was also Dustin’s best friend. Dustin sometimes avoids dealing with his own feelings because he thinks it makes life easier.

Jake is a hardworking guy. He’s spent the past several years working as a policeman in Phoenix, but is on a sabbatical. Even so, his instinct is to protect those around him. This strength also turns out to be a weakness though, as he tries to shield Ainsley from things instead of allowing her to deal with them. He always wants to be the hero.

Quirk (if any)

Ainsley is a park ranger at the Grand Canyon—yet the canyon itself terrifies her! She’s also very overprotective of her daughter, especially in the beginning.

The guys don’t really have quirks, although the two of them are pretty competitive when it comes to Ainsley.

Your inspiration for the character

I think the inspiration for Ainsley came from imagining what would happen to someone who had it all—and lost it. Ainsley thought her life was all set, only to find it falling apart. Her faith was tested, as was her strength.

Background to the story

In book one of the Walk in the Park series, we saw (through Kristy’s eyes) Ainsley’s grief at the sudden loss of her husband. In book two, Vickie’s story showed us how Ainsley was coping with life as a single mother. For this book, I really wanted Ainsley to find happiness again. But it doesn’t come easily—there are a lot of bumps along the way as she learns to trust in God’s plan for her life.

I really wanted this story to be about healing—sometimes things happen to us that are awful and we think we’ll never bounce back. We each deal with those things in different ways and take different routes, but ultimately the human spirit is resilient.

Thanks so much, Annalisa ~ I love the pictures you have pulled for these characters :)

On Monday, the spotlight shines on Nancy Rue's Allison Chamberlain from The Reluctant Prophet.

Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of Love is Monumental

Character spotlight on Vicki & Thatcher

Visit Annalisa's website and blog

Buy Annalisa's books from Amazon or Koorong

Love is Monumental by Annalisa Daughety

Synopsis:~

National Park Ranger Vickie Harris loves her job assignment at the Washington Monument in her nation's capital. But while life in the District of Columbia is exciting and fun, the shy and withdrawn Vickie has resigned herself to the likelihood of being single forever. When a handsome professor asks the research-loving park ranger for her assistance on a project, Vickie reluctantly agrees. Will she come out of her shell long enough for the professor to get to know her? If she can only break out of her introverted ways, she might be surprised to discover that Love Is Monumental.

My take:~

Annalisa Daughety returns with another story of a park ranger looking for love, this time set at the Washington Monument. While not a complex love story, I enjoyed the characters of Vicki and Thatcher although both frustrated me at times! Yet therein lies their appeal as they are not the same perfect, pleasing characters that most romances rely on. Thatcher is clueless and occasionally insensitive while Vickie struggles with unrealistic expectations, making them easy to relate to and understand. Strolling around Washington with Thatcher and Vicki is educational, too! Love is Monumental will hit the spot for those who love a sweet, uncomplicated contemporary romance.

With thanks to Barbour for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras

Character spotlight on Vicki & Thatcher

Visit Annalisa's website and blog

Buy Annalisa's books from Amazon or Koorong

Character Spotlight ~ Annalisa Daughety's Vickie Harris & Thatcher Torrey

Vickie Harris & Thatcher Torrey

Drawing on her own career as a Park Ranger, Annalisa Daughety has crafted a series about femal park rangers in various US state parks. Her second book, Love is Monumental, has just released. I love the actors she has picked for her characters - makes me want to read the story more!

Over to you, Annalisa:~

Brief physical description

Vickie Harris:

Thirty year old Vickie is petite and has shoulder-length dark hair. Her lips are full and her eyes are green. When she’s at work, she wears the required park ranger uniform, but when not on the job, she loves to wear dresses and heels. She’s very fashion-conscious and is often the one her friends turn to for fashion advice. She was born and raised in Tennessee and her voice still carries a hint of a southern accent.

Thatcher Torrey:

Thatcher is tall with thick brown hair and brown eyes. At thirty-eight, his hair is just beginning to get some silvery strands. He tans well—spends a lot of time fishing in the spring and summer. When he isn’t teaching, he might have a little bit of stubble—but not a full beard. He’s the type of guy (typical bachelor) who gets so caught up in work and home improvement projects, he often forgets to get his hair cut or go shopping. By day, he wears typical college professor attire—button down shirts, tweed jackets and wire-rimmed glasses. Outside of work, he dresses casually—too casually if you ask Vickie.

Actor/famous person

Ginnifer Goodwin would be a good candidate for Vickie. And after seeing the Librarian movies, I definitely think Noah Wyle would make a great Thatcher.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths: Vickie has a way of making people feel at ease. She always knows how to handle social situations with grace and a smile—something she attributes to her Southern belle upbringing. She’s the kind of person who does things by the book—and has a carefully planned out life.

Weaknesses: Vickie’s quest for perfection is one of her biggest downfalls, especially where her personal life is concerned—because no one can ever live up to her high expectations.

Strengths: Thatcher is hard working and very intelligent. He has a reputation for being a fair teacher and always strives to earn the respect of his colleagues.

Weaknesses: Thatcher has spent so many years throwing himself into his work that he’s a little socially awkward. (But in a bumbling, adorable kind of way.) He often says the wrong thing, not realizing how it might come across. Thatcher hides behind his work so he doesn’t have time to be lonely.

Quirk (if any)

When Vickie tells her friends about a date she’s gone on, she always uses a nickname instead of the guy’s real name. Throughout the book we meet Chewbacca, Gold Medal Man, Mr. Potty Mouth, and the Professor. She also has an affinity for 80’s movies, so much so that she named her cats Jake and Lloyd after characters in Sixteen Candles and Say Anything.

One of Thatcher’s quirks is his aversion to technology. He doesn’t own a cell phone or even a digital camera. He grumbles that while his students could win contests for quick text messages, they have trouble carrying on face-to-face conversations.

Your inspiration for the character

As with any character I write, I suppose there are pieces of myself—both good and bad—in Vickie. She’s also a combination of many friends I’ve known through the years.

I wanted Thatcher’s character to challenge Vickie. Where she’s polished and always knows exactly what to say, he’s rougher around the edges and often sticks his foot in his mouth.

Background to the story

The entire Walk in the Park series was inspired by my experiences as a national park ranger. I was a ranger at Shiloh National Military Park, a Civil War battlefield, which served as the setting for the first book in the series, Love is a Battlefield. For book two, I wanted a setting that was a contrast to the secluded small town of Shiloh. In my search through various parks, I came across the Washington Monument--and Love is Monumental was born. In each of the books in the series, it’s almost as if the park is an additional character.

Thanks Annalisa. We will enjoy having you back in October for a spotlight in the Grand Canyon with Ainsley, Jake and Dustin from Love is Grand!

Relz Reviewz Extras

Visit Annalisa's website and blog

Buy Annalisa's books from Amazon or Koorong