Book Review: Three Little Things by Patti Stockdale

Angela here. I was given the opportunity and privilege of reading this book before it's release, and must admit to being captivated. WWI, love notes, and a cover like that...what else is there to say? ;)

One forbidden love. Two broken hearts. Three little things.
Hattie Waltz should forget the troubled neighbor leaving for boot camp in 1917. He forgot about her ages ago. It had always been the Waltzs verses the Kregers, his family pitted against hers. When she hands him a farewell gift, a chemistry lesson unfolds. The good kind.
Arno Kreger can't leave Iowa or his old man fast enough. He's eager to prove his worth on the battlefield and stop blaming himself for his brother's death. Before entering the train, he bumps into Hattie. He's loved her forever, always from the sidelines, because nobody crosses Hattie's pa.
One innocent letter soon morphs into many. Arno and Hattie share three little secrets in each letter and grow closer together. But he's on his way to a war across the ocean, and she's still in her father's house. Their newfound love will need to survive dangers on both fronts.
 

I'm afraid I am quite short worded when it comes to reviews, but I will say, I quite enjoyed this story and look forward to more from this author. :) She has an easy flow to her writing that makes it easy to get into and she writes characters that you can easily imagine as living, breathing people with hopes that pull at the heart strings.  Definitely one to watch for!

You can find out more about this author and book at:

Website: www.pattistockdale.com

Amazon: http://bit.ly/ThreeLittleThings

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/37H7YWB

Walmart: http://bit.ly/2ObdMzC

Lighthouse Publishing: https://shoplpc.com/three-little-things/

Author Chat with Cindy Regnier

Welcome to Stitches Thru Time, Cindy. We’re excited about your new release, Mail-Order Refuge. Mail-order bride stories are always a favorite. How did you decide on this for your debut novel?

I needed a way to get Carly to Kansas and it fit perfectly with Rand’s situation. Mail-order bride stories are still popular, probably because in today’s world it’s so hard to imagine traveling away from all you know to marry a man you’ve never met. I think Mail-Order Refuge is a fresh enough take on the mail-order bride trope to make it an exciting story.

I agree. You've tossed a couple of curves into that time-tested trope. Your hero is a rancher raising two young orphaned nieces. Tell us why readers are going to fall in love with him.

Rand is definitely book-boyfriend material. He’s a little rough around the edges, but that is easily forgiven when you see his heart. He is protective of his family, sacrifices his own hopes and dreams to achieve theirs, and, well, he’s a cowboy. Enough said.

You got me with "cowboy." Your heroine is running from something. We won’t give any spoilers here, but tell us why readers will sympathize with her.

Carly has to run away to save herself and her brother from a tough situation she found herself in because of a bad decision on her part. We’ve all made those decisions we wish we could have a do-over on, and the guilt she suffers is a familiar feeling. Beyond that, we see into her heart of gold and cheer her selfless nature as she clears a path through the unknown territory of becoming a wife and mother.

Yes, we can all understand those feelings. Your story is set in Kansas, which I understand is near and dear to your heart. What is it about that area that appeals to you, and how do you convey that to your readers?

I spent a good deal of my childhood in the Kansas Flint Hills because both sets of my grandparents lived there. They instilled in me a love for the beautiful setting as well as a rich family heritage of settling, farming, and ranching in the area from the generations of their parents and grandparents. I want to give that same heritage and love of the land to my characters in order to convey my deep feelings for it to my readers.

I love it when authors bring bits of their pasts to life in their stories. This is your debut novel, how exciting! Tell us a little bit about your journey to publication.

I have been writing ever since I wrote plays for my friends to perform in class back in 3^rd grade. Being published is a dream I’ve chased for a long time because I see it as a way to share parts of myself and my background with people I might not otherwise connect with. My love of country living, animals, and maybe even handsome cowboy sometimes feels like it will explode inside me if I don’t share it through my writing.

We're very happy that you didn't explode.  ;)  Thank you for stopping by Stitches Thru Time, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I appreciate the invitation to visit Stitches in Time, and I love to hear from readers. Connect with me on social media and I might even ask you to help with planning my next novel. I’m thinking of writing a romance for Mary Jo, and need to know if she falls for a cowboy from her uncle’s ranch or a city boy from art school. Opinions welcome!

Where to find Cindy:

https://cindyregnier.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CindyRegnierauthor/

https://twitter.com/CindySRegnier

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19069509.Cindy_Regnier

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cindy-regnier

Sweet on You by Becky Wade

Sweet on You: Britt Bradford and Zander Ford have been the best of friends since they met thirteen years ago. Unbeknown to Britt, Zander has been in love with her for just as long.

Independent and adventurous Britt channels her talent into creating chocolates at her hometown shop. Zander is a bestselling author who's spent the past 18 months traveling the world. He's achieved a great deal but still lacks the only thing that ever truly mattered to him--Britt's heart.

When Zander's uncle dies of mysterious causes, he returns to Merryweather, Washington, to investigate, and Britt is immediately there to help. Although this throws them into close proximity, both understand that an attempt at romance could jeopardize their once-in-a-lifetime friendship. But while Britt is determined to resist any change in their relationship, Zander finds it increasingly difficult to keep his feelings hidden.

As they work together to uncover his uncle's tangled past, will the truth of what lies between them also, finally, come to light?

Heidi here. Sweet on You was even better than Falling for You, but only by a hair. Can't Becky Wade write more than one novel a year? Just kidding Becky, take all the time you need to produce these awesome reads!

In Sweet on You, Zander has been in love with Britt since high school. Britt, on the other hand, considers Zander her very best friend. Except, when Zander returns from an 18 month trip and discovers his uncle may not have died from natural causes, Britt and Zander choose to work closely together to untie the mystery. That's when Zander realizes that taking an 18 month break didn't diminish his love for Britt, time only made their bond stronger. And Britt discovers, much to her dismay, that she may very well be in love with her best friend and that is not okay. She adores the relationship she and Zander have and does not want it to change. At all. But then he kisses her, which leads them on a road of trying to get back to "just friends," which isn't possible.

I think the thing I loved the most about this romance was how they were best friends before page one. How Zander has been head over heels in love with Britt forever. And how Britt, much to her surprise, has also been in love with Zander but was afraid to face those feelings. That premise created a strong romantic conflict that ran the course of the entire novel.

Grab your copy of Sweet on You today!

The Sea Prayers

The Sea Prayers

By Normandie Fischer

What an exciting read! Fischer takes us back to Beaufort, NC in this book, as she tells the story of a single mom barely making ends meet, and her daughter, who learns a huge secret about the dad she's never met: he’s her favorite singer and she listens to his music all the time.

There’s a sous chef who has overcome addiction and lives on a boat, an inherited house that requires more than the recipient can handle, and a town filled with people who know how to be the hands and feet of God. Date rape, emotional abuse, unforgiveness, and a missing child provide lots of conflict, plot twists, and reasons for our heroine to learn how to pray.

This is a love story, a faith story, and a family story. It’s about the past coming back to bite you, and learning how to make sure the future doesn’t run away without you.

I highly recommend Fischer’s latest installment in her Carolina Coast Series. This story definitely stands on its own, but if you’ve already met the lovely people from her other novels, you will enjoy it even more when several of them pop into this storyline too.  

Learn more about Normandie Fischer here: http://www.normandiefischer.com/ and you'll also find more information about all the other books in her Coastal Carolina Series. Don't worry about reading them in order, each book stands on its own, but the characters overlap for an extra bonus when you do read them all. 

Jennifer Fromke is a novelist who writes from NC, where she pines for colder temperatures all year long. Northerners by upbringing, she and her husband of 26 years have raised three Southern-ish children. Jennifer reviews books at Shetalksbooks.com and you can download a free story from her website when you sign up for her newsletter at jenniferfromke.com. She writes contemporary women’s fiction and her family’s annual Christmas letter, which she needs to get going on this week!

The Tory's Daughter - Release Day! #giveaway

Hi Everyone!!! So excited to celebrate the release of The Tory's Daughter with you! It's been a pretty busy fall here with a sweet little fellow joining out family in August. Meet Gabriel Isaiah:

 He's been a little miracle, but made preparing for The Tory's Daughter's release a bit of a challenge. So bear with me. :)

Burying his wife is the hardest thing Joseph Garnet has ever done—until he's called to leave his young son and baby daughter to fight Iroquois raiders. When one of the marauders tries to steal his horse, the last thing he expects is to end up tussling with a female. The girl is wounded, leaving Joseph little choice but to haul her home to heal—an act that seems all too familiar.

Though Joseph doesn’t appear to remember her, Hannah Cunningham could never forget him. He rode with the mob that forced her two brothers into the Continental Army and drove her family from their home—all because of her father’s loyalties to The Crown. After five years with her mother’s tribe, the rebels and starvation have left her nothing but the driving need to find her brothers.

Compelled by a secret he’s held for far too long, Joseph agrees to help Hannah find what remains of her family. Though she begins to steal into his aching heart, he knows the truth will forever stand between them. Some things cannot be forgiven.

Leave a comment to be entered to win a digital copy of The Tory's Daughter! 

To keep from freezing in the Great White North, Angela K Couch cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests, being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in there, as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and warm) by chasing after three munchkins.



Website: www.angelakcouch.com 
Buy at:   Amazon    or     Barnes & Noble

I'd also be SO grateful for any reviews left on Amazon or Goodreads...or any where else! Thanks!