MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas!
I hope your day was filled with peace, joy and love! As well as a visit from....

Treasure Me by Christine Nolfi~

From Amazon... "Petty thief Birdie Kaminsky has arrived in Liberty, Ohio to steal a treasure hidden since the Civil War. She’s in possession of a charming clue passed down in her family for generations: Liberty safeguards the cherished heart.
The beautiful thief wants to go straight. She secretly admires the clue’s author, freedwoman Justice Postell, who rose above the horrors of slavery to build a new life in Ohio. According to family lore, Justice left South Carolina at the dawn of the Civil War. Heavy with child, she carried untold riches on her journey north. As Birdie searches for the treasure, she begins to believe a questionable part of the story: a tale of love between Justice and Lucas Postell, the French plantation owner who was Birdie’s ancestor.
If the stories are true, Justice bore a child with Lucas. Some of those black relatives might still live in town. Birdie can’t help but wonder if she’s found one—Liberty’s feisty matriarch, Theodora Hendricks, who packs a pistol and heartwarming stories about Justice. Birdie doesn’t know that an investigative reporter who has arrived in town will trip her up—as will her conscience when she begins to wonder if it’s possible to start a new life with stolen riches. Yet with each new clue she unearths, Birdie begins to discover a family history more precious than gems, a tradition of love richer than she could imagine."

I have posted before about how cool it is to have authors contact me. They want me to read their novel and review it here. I'm very choosy and turn down more than I accept. I love finding new authors this way. Christine Nolfi is a new-to-me author who I probably never would have discovered but am so happy that I did.

Treasure Me is the first in the Liberty series. That said... I can't wait to read the second... Second Chance Grill.

Ms. Nolfi intertwines Birdie's story with that of Justice. Her writing flows and doesn't rely on gimmickry or unbelievable plot devices to tell this interesting story that, at its heart, is a love story. She also writes secondary characters that flesh out the story and have me looking forward to the next book!

I liked Birdie's story but I loved Justice's! Her name struck me... how sad that a slave (even a former slave) carried a name whose ideal was denied to her. She rose to her name and became a character that I have thought of often.

~~Thanks again to Christine Nolfi for offering Treasure Me in exchange for this review.

Nickels by Karen Baney

One of the cool things about writing my blog is being contacted by authors. They have poured their heart and soul into writing their "Great American Novel". Many, then, take it upon themselves to get the word out about their book. This is where I come in. They send me their book, in the hopes that I will like it and review it favorably.

One of these authors is Karen Baney. She wrote a wonderful historical series, The Prescott Pioneers... which I loved! She has now written a contemporary romance, Nickels, which is being released today. I'm excited to help Karen launch this novel and can't wait to hear what you think about it. I will be reviewing Nickels in January but... until then... here's more about it...


"I am so excited to announce the release of my fourth novel, Nickels. This contemporary romance takes readers on a journey filled with laughter and tears. Set in the Phoenix Metro Area of Arizona, the story follows the life of Niki Turner and Kyle Jacobs... Niki Turner has finally arrived. Her career as a Software Engineer is soaring—she has just been offered the company’s most sought after account, Helitronics. Life would be perfect, if she could stop her roommate from playing matchmaker.
Then Kyle Jacobs mysteriously re-enters her life. As painful memories resurface, his presence turns her life upside down and threatens to waylay her career. She must find a way to work with him—after all, he’s the helicopter flight consultant for the new flight control system she’s coding.
Can she forget the past and see him as the new man he has become? Or will her resentment keep her from finding what she has always been searching for?"

Karen Baney, in addition to writing Christian historical fiction and contemporary novels, works as a Software Engineer.
When she’s not busy writing, she enjoys traveling the state of Arizona with her husband, exploring museums and the picturesque landscapes the state has to offer.
Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. Karen and her husband make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs. She also holds a Masters of Business Administration from Arizona State University.

Visit Karen at her website: http://www.karenbaney.com on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karen-Baney-Books/138412459527446 or on Twitter http://twitter.com/karen_baney

Please join bestselling author Karen Baney and 9 other Christian authors as they celebrate the release of Nickels. http://womensliterarycafe.com/content/december-2011book-launch-nickels