Pepper Basham

Anticipated 2019 Reads

I want to know – who has ever cleaned out their TBR pile all the way to the bottom? Not me! And, it’s steadily growing larger as we kick off 2019. Goodreads has a running list of “Most Anticipated Inspirational Novels of 2019,” which currently has 82 entries. I encourage you to browse through the list and add some new titles to your pile.

Here are my most anticipated inspirational reads. I know that more will be added as some authors haven’t listed their to be published for this year. What are your most anticipated reads?

P.S. Reviewing my post it occurred to me that all but two of these (Ever After and Wooing Cadie) are by Bethany House. I’ve come to expect great stories from them, but there are other great publishing houses and indie authors too. I’d like to know what others you love.

Book Boyfriends 2018

Here’s a roundup of swoony heroes from my 2018 reads! In no particular order:

The Sheehan Brothers – Stephanie Dees

The Sheehan brothers slid in in the last week 2018 and right into my heart. There is something about a man and his interactions with kids that make me swoon every time and Joe and Ash are great dads – even before they’re dads.

Jonathon Beckett – A Peculiar Courtship – Laura Beers

I love Jonathon while also wanting to inform him about women’s independence, but his boyish ways contrasting with his protectiveness win me over.

Barclay Pearce – An Hour Unspent – Roseanna White

Barclay. Swoon. I love him.


Noble Rynallt – The Lacemaker – Laura Frantz


Noble lives up to his namesake in this revolutionary tale.


Trace Riley – The Accidental Guardian – Mary Connealy

I relate to Trace’s desire to want to be alone, but I help but love him for the way he took on his three girls.

Graham, Lord Wharton – A Defense of Honor – Kristi Ann Hunter

I have to respect, admire, and swoon over Graham’s steadfastness. No floor is too hard, no sticky fingers too daunting. He pushes Kit to be a better version of herself while also giving her room to grow.

Cole “Tox” Russell – Warrior’s Seal – Ronie Kendig

Tox is your classic wounded hero. What I like about this series is that we get to see Tox develop beyond the initial romantic relationship onto a husband and father.

Adam Carrington – Freedom’s Kiss – Sarah Monzon

You can’t help but love a Carrington man. Plus, they’re hot.

Rudy Moser – Love in Three Quarter Time – Rachel McMillan

I love Rudy because he is such a different hero for a romance. This story is told from Evelyn’s perspective, but I would really love to hear it from Rudy’s!


Henry Wright – When You Look at Me – Pepper Basham

Because Henry is Mr. Wright after all (hardy, har, har). I also love Henry because he’s different than your typical hero. And his patience, oh my goodness, he’s so patient and gentle. Swoon.

I hope you found a few to add to your TBR pile for 2019! Who are your book boyfriends for 2018?

When You Look At Me

I think this is my most highlighted “book” for a long time. While I am ok with highlighting my print books, I bought this one in an ebook, which makes it great to go back and review those highlights as well. So many good quotables. I have 9 and even read them to hubs and he hummed his agreement and asked if they were all from the same book. But, he wasn’t impressed enough to pick up a romance novel, hehe.

“‘What is courage, if not, in part, continuing to dream even when there are nightmares?'”

 

About the Book

41394085When Julia Jenkins’ great aunt dies and leaves her a Victorian mansion with decades of secrets, Julia never expects to unearth a World War 2 espionage mystery. Struggling with her own past since an assault left her pregnant, her future as a solo parent leaves her dreams uncertain. The inheritance from her great aunt gives Julia the ability to take a step back into her future, but also sends her into the discovery of a love story she’d never anticipated. As she goes through her aunt’s treasured possessions, Julia uncovers some oddly written piano music with a musical code she can’t decipher on her own. Not to worry, introverted Englishman and composer, Henry Wright, is thrust on the scene by a pair of homespun matchmakers who know the ‘right’ man for Julia’s wounded heart.

Henry arrives in Pleasant Gap with the task of composing the soundtrack for his best mate’s newest film. The Jenkins’ family’s southern welcome and gregarious personalities set his reticent nature on edge, but he’s inexplicably drawn to his gentle and music-loving hostess, Julia. Uncertain how to build a friendship with the wounded woman, and rather hopeless in communicating well through words, the bond of music becomes a bridge between her uncertainty and his awkwardness.

But her broken past and his families’ expectations build a wall much greater than the cultures that separate them. As they work together to solve a musical mystery from the grave, will an unlikely romance from the past inspire their hearts to trust in a God who’s written the perfect melody for their lives?

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“But the God who’s written the story of your life is brave enough for you, so you don’t have to carry the courage all by yourself. His love casts out the fear, so you can walk in the adventure He’s called you to walk.”

My Review

Some call them beta heroes, I call them my favorite. Henry is one of the sweetest men on the planet, I am convinced and reminds me of all my favorite parts of hubs. His gentleness and patience make him the perfect match for Julie and her tough back story, and I couldn’t read fast enough watching Henry slowly woo Julia while she draws him out of his shell. I appreciate the way Pepper is honest about the continuing struggles of a rape survivor even once in a relationship-Julia didn’t magically get past it all. Instead, she worked hard with her therapist, drew closer to God, and basked in the love and support of her family.

Henry has his own set of hurts as well, giving him enough wounds to make the reader want to care for him while also providing an avenue for God to grow him through this story as well.

Pepper has given us another great story filled with Biblical truths, soul deep healing, and toe-curling kisses.

I saved my favorite quote for last:

“Our nevers are just one of God’s ways of making miracles.”

 

Book Boyfriends 2017

I was going to do an all-time book boyfriends post…I do have my favorites, but 2017 was a great swoony hero year. Here are my favorites. Note: I READ all of these in 2017; most were also published last year, but not all. I did not even attempt to keep it at 10. (Learning from you, Carrie!)

1) Michael Carrington (All of You by Sarah Monzon)

We’re not supposed to objectify others, but….Michael is HOT. Sweltering. I’m not usually into bad boys, but this fine boy is attractive. He has other redeeming qualities as well, but they only make him hotter.

2) Karim  (The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon)

Karim is not your typical CF hero. He’s Muslim. But, oh my goodness, his dedication, quiet strength, patience, love for his people, and yes, his faith. He’s the best quiet but strong character I’ve read in a long time. He’s not brooding, he’s thoughtful.

3) Alex, Wes, and Reese (Pepper Basham’s Bunch)

If you’ve read any of Pepper’s books, or tuned into Carrie’s raves on her heroes, this won’t surprise you. All of her contemporary heroes will make your toes curl and make you jealous of the heroines. You can see my review for Charming the Troublemaker here.

 

4) Kristi Ann Hunter – Trent from An Uncommon Courtship and Griffith from An Inconvenient Beauty

Two more hereos here! Trent and Griffith’s novels were long anticipated by her readers taking sides for #mytrent and #teamgriffith which made their allure grow. I have been in love with Griffith from the very first time we meet him earlier in the Hawthorne House series and I’m so glad that everyone has finally caught on to the Duke of Hotness. We have similar personalities, so I relate a lot to Grif, and his love for his family, especially his momma. How can you not love a guy who loves his mamma?

5) Amos Bledsoe (Heart On The Line by Karen Witemeyer)

Amos is another non-typical hero. He rides bikes, wears glasses, and would probably enjoy playing Settlers of Catan if he lived today. He’s geeky and so not alpha male-ish. He reminds me a lot of my husband, so I can’t help but love him too.

6) Peter (A Name Unknown by Roseanna White)

I love Peter’s faith and how he goes about living it as a witness to Rosemary. No pushing, just example and patience. He writes her notes too! They’re probably not technically love letter, but I like to think of them that way.

7) Parker Mitchell (Still Life ) and Declan Grey (Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey)

These dudes are half of team hot and you love them more and more as you get to know them throughout the series. They’re protective, but not smothering; let their ladies think for themselves. They’re not perfect, but they’re trying to get there.

8) Ben Delaney (The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner)

I love Ben because he’s so real. I admire him for sticking to boundaries that are very hard to follow in our current culture, but he’s still real about it. He wants his lady, but respects her enough to hold himself back and isn’t mishish about bringing up the issue.

9) Tavin Knox (The Reluctant Guardian by Susanne Dietze)

Tavin has a Scottish accent and is mysterious. Need I say more?

 

The QuietingGiveaway

Today’s giveaway will be a copy of The Quieting by Suzanne Woods Fisher!  I will announce the winner next week on Tuesday. As always, please read my terms and conditions for giveaways and it’s open to US residents only. Click on the link here to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway.

Remember to enter the giveaways for the rest of the week!

Why I Read – With Carrie @ Reading Is My Superpower

Blogiversary Extravaganza! Things I wish I Knew When I Started a Blog

Throwback Thursday – Giveaway

First Line Fridays – Love In Three Quarter Time

Charming the Troublemaker – Celebrate Lit – Giveaway

charming the troublemaker copy

About the Book

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Title: Charming the Troublemaker

Author: Pepper Basham

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: November 1, 2017

Troublemaking never looked so good…

When Dr. Alex Murdock is demoted to a university in rural Virginia, the last thing he expects to find is a future. But country charm never looks as good as it does on Rainey Mitchell.

Rainey Mitchell doesn’t need a high-class flirt in her wounded world, but trouble and temptations wafts off the new professor as strong as his sandalwood-scented cologne.

When circumstances thrust them together to save her tutoring clinic, can the troublemaker find the hero inside and encourage the reticent Rainey to open her heart again.

Click here to purchase!

My Review

I’ll admit that I was late to jump on the Pepper Basham bandwagon, but once I was on, that wagon moved fast and furious. I consumed as many books as I could get my hands on, including the first in this series, A Twist of Faith. And guys, I was despondent when I found out that I had to wait until November for Charming the Troublmaker to come out. A few days later, I was checking emails, and lo, and behold, there it was, sitting in my email with the reminder that I had signed up for this tour. HOW IN THE WORLD HAD I FORGOT? I will never make that mistake again.

I immediately (and I mean immediately right after I might have jumped up and down, squealed, and posted a photo on Instagram) dove into the story. I was not disappointed.

Anyone who loves laughter, kisses, My Little Pony, kisses, awkward men who don’t know what to do with themselves, kisses, and, oh, yeah, kisses, will love this story. Plus, Pepper continues to show her writing talent by including elements of mystery/suspense while maintaining her trademark romantic comedy. How can a book be a contemporary-romance-comedy-suspense you might ask? Trust me, just read it.

I loved it so much that when I hit The End, I thought about starting it right over and reading it a second time, but then I decided that would probably be absurd. But I wanted to, and now that I’m writing this post, I’m realizing how much I miss Alex, Rainey, and Sarah, and….(I’m posting now because I have to go read this again…_peace out, ya’ll)

About the Author

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Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes novels inspired by her love for history and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Her Penned in Time series has garnered recognition in the Inspys, Grace Awards, and the ACFW Carol Awards. Her contemporary romance novel, A Twist of Faith, received 4-stars from Romantic Times, and most recently, her newest release, The Thorn Healer, received a Top Pick from RT with 4 ½ stars. Her newest contemporary romance, Just the Way You Are, releases in April 2016. You can get to know Pepper on Facebook, or over at her group blog, The Writer’s Alley, or Instagram.

Guest Post from Pepper Basham

I have a thing for underdogs.

Misfits.

Lots souls who desperately need to find where they belong.

I can’t help it! Call it a ‘fix-it’ mentality or an awareness that God rescued me and now I want to rescue other people…even fictional characters, but I’m definitely a softy for those characters that people are less likely to root for. Catherine from The Thorn Bearer/Keeper became my first rescue…and I just HAD to find another.

I guess that’s how Charming the Troublemaker came into existence.

Dr. Alex Murdock desperately needed to be rescued.

In a bad way.

If you’ve had a chance to read my first book in the Mitchell’s Crossroads series, A Twist of Faith, you’ll know that Alex doesn’t seem to be made up of much hero material. He’s a flirt, a little arrogant, and…well, kind of like a lost puppy.

As book 1 grew and came to a close, I knew Alex and Rainey’s story would be next…but I immediately ran into a real problem.

Who in the world was Alex Murdock? We really didn’t get to know him very much in book 1. He zoomed in a few times, ruffling feathers and then finally showing off some interesting kindness/compassion in the end, but…he was still a big-time flirt.

So the question emerged: Can a flirt be a hero?

What is Alex hiding behind that ready smile and sense of humor? Why does he seem so lost?

The answers were surprising!! Just wait.

The Mitchell family draw him right in, as they did with Dee, and his world is forever changed.

And then there’s Rainey. Strong-willed and independent, she is deeply wounded by her ex-husband’s betrayal. Though she gives off all these ‘confident’ vibes, she hides her insecurities behind a tough exterior in a desire to keep people at a distance – well, everyone except her family.

Alex rocks her world with his ready charm.

And she sees beyond the plastic grin to recognize another wounded soul.

Throwing them together into a book has been a hilarious and heart-stirring adventure, I wasn’t prepared to encounter. They’re so much fun!

AND…he’s ADORKABLE!! Seriously!! He is SUCH a dork, but makes me grin. And…he looks like Armie Hammer 😉

Let me just give you a hint to some of my favorite scenes:

Anything with Sarah!

Underoos

All of the scenes in Rainey’s house

And those in Mama Mitchell’s

Okay, I like the WHOLE STORY…and I can’t wait to see what you think too.

Blog Stops

By The Book, November 14

Just the Write Escape, November 14

Avid Reader Book Reviews, November 15

Reading Is My SuperPower, November 15

Moments Dipped in Ink, November 15

Fiction Aficionado, November 16

autism mom, November 16

Fiction, Faith, and Fun, November 17

Inklings and Notions, November 17

Faithfully Bookish, November 18

Radiant Light, November 18

Reflections From My Bookshelves, November 19

The Power of Words, November 19

Cordially Barbara, November 20

Red Headed Book Lady, November 20

Smiling Book Reviews, November 20

Kat’s Corner Books, November 21

A Greater Yes, November 21

100 Pages per Hour, November 22

Splashes of Joy, November 22

Carpe Diem, November 23

Bookworm Mama, November 23

A Baker’s Perspective, November 24

The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate, November 24

Daysong Reflections, November 25

Rachel Scott McDaniel, November 25

Remembrancy, November 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 26

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, November 27

Karen Sue Hadley, November 27

Giveaway

 

5b0da174-3bb2-47fb-9e0d-a0ce456971e5-225x300To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving away a grand prize of a paper copy of A Twist of Faith, a mug from the Blue Ridge Parkway, one driftwood scented candle, one mango scented candle, and a Troublemaker snickers 😉 highly appropriate. Chocolate with a nutty personality :)!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c1f1