Carol Moncado

Can she solve the crime before they uncover her true identity?

Jobless and down to her last dime, Ellie Moore hears about a position with the Pinkerton Detective Agency and believes it’s the perfect chance to put her acting skills and costumes to use. Reluctantly, the agency agrees to give her one assignment, one chance to prove herself. Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie travels to Arizona to begin her investigation. When the need arises, she also transforms into the dazzling Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.

Mine owner Steven Pierce is going to lose his business if he can’t figure out who’s stealing his silver shipments. In his wildest dreams, he never expected to receive help from a gray-haired widow…or to fall in love with her beautiful niece.

Then the thieves come after Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn’t safe no matter which character she plays! Should she give up and reveal her true identity? What will Steven do when he realizes the woman he’s falling in love with doesn’t really exist?

Set in 1880s Arizona, Love in Disguise blends romance, humor, and mystery for a can’t-put-down read.

When I got my very first Bethany House reviewer email, there were three options: Short Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer [which I already had – and had read by then], a new book by Tracie Peterson [#2 in a series where I hadn’t read book 1 – and my sister had already ordered it] and Love in Disguise by Carol Cox.

So Love in Disguise was a bit of a ‘winner by default’, but I’m so glad it did!

I’d not read anything by Ms. Cox before so was pleasantly surprised to enjoy this book as much as I did.

Ellie, desperate to survive, takes a job as a Pinkerton but feels completely out of her element. Shes able to take on the disguises easily enough but the detecting part is completely new and she feels a bit like a fish out of water [in Arizona…].

She succeeds beyond the expectations [and those of her employer] and in the process, gets the guy [of course – it’s a romance!] and a potential new career outside of the theater world.

I loved both of Ellie’s characters – especially Lavinia. I also liked Steven and had a pretty good idea who the bad guy was – though his unwilling henchman caught me by surprise. I knew there would be one, but never guessed who.

One thing I would have liked would have been a bit more time at the end – after the disguises come off and Steven and Ellie begin their relationship. Not much but a couple more pages of Steven getting to know Ellie and her changed relationship with her God and Steven – including her own self-image.

I look forward to another book by Ms. Cox and hope to find one set in the same town where I can see Steven and Ellie some more :).

Overall Rating: 8.25 out of 10

Thanks to Bethany House for a review copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

When he fled Eagle Point years ago, former air force trauma surgeon Mitch Wellington left only broken dreams behind. Now he’s back with a new dream—opening a trauma center in the rural area and saving lives. He hopes to hire the quick-thinking nurse who impressed him during an emergency. But Lauren Bates lost her faith and doesn’t believe she deserves to help anyone. Mitch knows firsthand what loss feels like. And it’ll take all his devotion to show Lauren that sometimes the best medicine is a combination of faith, community—and love.

When Cheryl put out a call for influencers, I was happy to jump on the bandwagon and I’m so glad I did!

Cheryl created characters I loved, particularly Lem – Lauren’s grandfather and Mitch’s unofficially adopted grandfather. Through the trauma center and the patients there – specifically a young girl in a coma – we see God’s love through Mitch, Lauren and Lem.

Mitch has past relationship [and other] trauma to deal with. Lauren has not only relationship trauma but career [as a nurse] and relational [non-relationship] to deal with. Together, they work to overcome the pain of their pasts [and present] to discover the healing God has for them.

Like all Love Inspired books, the romance is sweet and tender, just right for a quick summer read. I look forward to book 2!

Overall rating: 8 out of 10

Thanks to Cheryl and Love Inspired for a free influencer copy of this book.

I’m breaking no new ground here, because why reinvent the wheel?

Instead, I’m compiling some links to good information about “one-sheets” you may want to take with you to a conference [such as the ACFW Conference in September].

Minds much more brilliant than mine have put together blog posts that I’ll share here. If you have additional links, I’d love to post them! Let me know!

Dineen Miller on the ACFW blog [2008, note: the link to her one sheets no longer works]

Kaye Dacus on Seekerville [2009, Can I just say how much I LOVE that picture of Kaye?! And the links to her pdf files do still work.]

Erica Vetsch on her own blog [2009 and the blog I used last year to help me the most – had several compliments and nibbles, though no big bites… yet ;)]

Suzanne Hartmann [2011, a blog with more links and an example with links to more examples, though I didn’t test them]

Jennifer Hudson Taylor on the Hartline Blog [2012 with a couple of gorgeous one sheets]

Beth K. Vogt PDF [Not sure when it’s from but the book is out now and WONDERFUL! Thanks, Mary Curry!]

Do you have any tips? Links? There’s gotta be a lot more out there! Suggestions?

Oh – and if you’re in the Springfield, MO area, the incomparable Tracey Bateman is going to be acting as our ‘agent’ or ‘editor’ at our monthly meeting in a couple weeks! Bring your one sheets [and verbal pitch if you’ve got it] with you and get advice from Tracey and thoughts from the rest of us!

July 21, 2012
2-4pm
Panera at the Library Station on N. Kansas Expressway

Edited 7/25/13:

Writer’s Alley:

One Pagers? One Sheets? Pitch Sheets? Are You Kidding Me? [Carol’s note: I think Pepper’s got her terms backwards here…]
http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-pagers-one-sheets-pitch-sheets-are.html

Design and Conquer: The One Sheet
http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/2011/08/design-and-conquer-one-sheet.html

One Sheets: An Introduction to Your Creation
http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/2010/08/one-sheets-introduction-to-your.html

Rachelle Gardner, Agent, Books and Such Literary Agency:

What Should I Bring to a Conference?
http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/08/what-should-i-bring-to-a-conference/

Be swept away to Charleston of 1811, a city bustling with immigrants like Adalia, who is a runaway slave so light-skinned that no one guesses her past. Terrified her secret will be discovered, she settles into a quiet life making herbal remedies for a local doctor. But when Morgan, the handsome son of a prominent family, sweeps her into his glamorous world—a world in which the truth about Adalia’s heritage would ruin them both—suspicions and petty jealousies are aroused. What will Morgan do when he discovers that the woman he has fallen in love with is a runaway slave?

The latest offering by MaryLu Tyndall is also my first book of hers. It won’t be my last.

Adalia runs away from the plantation where she’s been held for years. But she’s a quadroon* – one quarter African.

Adalia is light-skinned enough she’s not automatically presumed to be a slave. She settles into Charleston and begins making a life for herself. The complication comes in the form of Morgan – the younger son of a prominent plantation family nearby. The attraction is two-sided and Adalia tries to fit in, at least somewhat, with Morgan’s society life, while not forgetting where she came from.

Ms. Tyndall a wonderful job drawing me into the world of the South in 1811. The storyline was plausible, overall. The one thing that seemed a bit… questionable to me is whether or not Morgan and Adalia’s relationship would survive the revealing of her past. That’s one I’m still pondering…

The characters created were memorable and reacted in realistic ways to the trials thrown at them. I read it a couple weeks ago, but have thought about it often since then – a sign of a good book.

*One thing I don’t like about digital galleys or ebooks in general is you can’t flip through and find stuff. I thought I’d made a note of exactly what her ethnicity was – mulatto [half African], etc., but I can’t find the note I made and I can’t find it in the galley either…

Overall rating: 8.5 out of 10

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this title in exchange for my unbiased review.

Kara McKormick is told she’s auditioning to star in a new teen variety show. But it’s what she isn’t told that could change her life.

The feisty New Yorker moves to sunny Orlando to participate in a month-long audition, where she’ll live with nine other contestants and an eccentric housemother. Kara knows that the show already has a big-time celebrity lined up for the co-host, but she doesn’t know who it is.

Chad Beacon quickly rose to fame after winning America’s Next Star, but he doesn’t want his entire career to be about singing. There is so much more he wants to do-like act. The new variety show sounds like the perfect next step for him, but his parents want him to have a co-star who shares his faith since they’ll be spending so much time together.

Acting is high on Kara’s priority list. But a relationship with God? Not so much. In fact, she’s tried to stay away from anything religious. But God is after Kara’s heart and He’s put people in her life who are showing her there’s far more to Christianity than rules and judgment.

And just when it seems that Kara’s going to have to give up her acting dream, God reveals that she may have a starring role after all-in a story so big only He could write it.

I picked up Ms. McGee’s debut novel, First Date, sort of by accident. I read the back cover and thought it looked interesting but didn’t realize that it was a YA novel. But I do like a good YA from time to time and I enjoyed her first book.

Her sophomore effort, Starring Me, takes one of the strong secondary characters from the first book and follows her story after book 1 ends.

Ms. McGee created wonderfully likable [and unlikable!] characters in First Date and I loved being able to follow them a bit further. The main characters from First Date returned along with not just the new main character in Kara, but several other supporting characters as well.

Kara is open to Christianity but isn’t a Christian at the beginning of the book. She has a couple of excellent influences in her life in the main characters from the first book.

Chad is a Justin Beiber type. He’s an American Idol type show winner and fast-tracked to teen stardom. He’s ready to settle down a bit and a variety show on a TeenDisney or NickTeen type channel seems to be just the ticket.

There’s definitely a romantic plot at work here and I enjoyed it. It’s… appropriately tamer than adult fiction [as in, stories geared towards grown-ups, not adult fiction]. I did miss some of that interaction and HEA type stuff that goes with grown-up stories [like an engagement ring or a wedding etc], but it’s perfectly in keeping with the YA genre.

I enjoyed both of Ms. McGee’s books so far and will be looking forward to her third book – I don’t know who it’s about but I have a couple of secondary characters I’d love to see get a shot at the spotlight and/or redemption.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10

Thanks to NetGalley, BookSneeze and the publisher for a free copy/ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review [I’m still not sure how I ended up with two copies but may well give the hard copy away and will certainly loan it out at the very least].

Finding an imposter instead of her uncle means Anne’s quest must continue after The Lady’s Maid is wed, and Dan is determined to protect her from the swindlers now trailing her. But though he’s good at keeping her safe, he’s certain he’ll never be able to convince Anne to be his wife since her sights are set on finding her uncle and returning to England. As her quest becomes even more difficult—and dangerous—Anne finds her feelings for Dan changing. Will she soon be envisioning a new life in America?

I read The Lady’s Maid recently and, to be honest, was disappointed with the ending.

Until I realized the sequel was already out ;).

Several threads were left hanging and that really annoyed me but realizing it was but the first in a series helped significantly with that. Be aware there could well be spoilers here for book 1.

Lady Anne has been searching for her uncle who is to inherit her father’s lordship [is that the right word? I confess, how the nobility works and the right titles is way over my head but I think I’ve got it right]. She, along with several of her friends from book 1, head on what should have been a fairly short, easy trip further into Oregon to where they thought he was. But instead they’re met by imposters.

She, along with her friend Dan from book 1 – he’d proposed to her and she’d turned him down – continue their search for her uncle, but are met at every turn with people trying to slow them down. From the man with the mustache who followed Anne and Elise in book 1 to new threats and dangers from the wilderness, she learns even more just what she’s made from – much tougher stuff than she ever would have imagined living a genteel life in England a year earlier.

Dan had planned to farm with his brother but he knew he’d never live down the regret if he didn’t try to convince Lady Anne just once more than the was the guy for her. And it’s a good thing because as tough as she is these days, she simply didn’t have the knowledge needed to do what needed doing.

It’s always wonderful to see favorite characters return [especially Bailey!] and see them truly come into their own. Adding in fabulous new characters [especially Millie who I didn’t expect to like at all] simply adds to the enjoyment.

I liked the romance better in this one than the first – the first it was more… subtle maybe? Something like that. It wasn’t bad by any means but I liked this one much better.

There’s more closure at the end of this book than there was in the first and I was glad for that. I was also very glad to hear book 3 is coming out this fall – and even happier to discover I could get an early review copy of it. Guess what’s up next? 😉

Overall Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

If these three sisters don’t change direction, they’ll end up where they’re going.

Darlene Caldwell has spent a lifetime tending Sycamores, an estate located five miles south of a small town called Peculiar. She raised a family in the spacious home that was her grandfather’s legacy, and she enjoys being a pillar of the community. Sycamores is the kingdom where she reigns as queen . . . until her limelight-stealing twin sister unexpectedly returns.

Carlene Caldwell, veteran of the Broadway stage, is devastated when she realizes that an unsuccessful throat surgery has spelled the end of her musical career. Searching for a new purpose in life, she retreats to Sycamores, her childhood home. She may not be able to sing, but she hopes to use her knowledge and experience to fashion a new life in Peculiar, the little town she left behind.

Haunted by a tragic romance, Magnolia Caldwell is the youngest of the Caldwell girls. Nolie has never wanted to live anywhere but Sycamores. She spends her days caring for her dogs and the magnificent gardens she’s created on the estate, but when she meets a man haunted by his own tragedy, she must find the courage to either deny her heart or cut the apron strings that tie her to a dear and familiar place.

Can these sisters discover who they are meant to be when life takes an unforeseen detour? In a season of destiny, three unique women reunite and take unexpected journeys of the heart.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started this book. I’ve not read anything by the author and it falls more under the description of “women’s fiction” than romance, but the title and blurb intrigued me so…

It’s nearly time for Darly and Carly’s 50th birthday. Younger sister, Nolie, is planning a surprise party for Darly and invites Carly as an additional surprise.

There’s surprises all right.

Carly stays much longer than anticipated and all three come to terms with the past. It’s hard to say too much without spoilers but they all have things they need to work through. There’s a bit of romance for two of the sisters in particular which I liked, but mostly it’s about the relationships between the sisters.

So it’s different than what I normally read but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless. I likely wouldn’t turn down another book by Ms. Hunt, especially if it seemed to have a more romantic thread in it, but I don’t know that I’ll seek her our specifically like I do some other authors.

Overall rating: 7.25 out of 10 stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Today is Father’s Day. I have a great dad I love dearly and an AMAZING husband who is the best father I could possible ask for for my children.

But today – even earlier today – fathers who “didn’t have to be” were on my mind. Those men who step in and father kids whose biological fathers aren’t around – for whatever reason. Maybe next year I’ll do a blog post specifically centered around some of them.

Then I came across something.

A couple months ago, I posted about the manager at my favorite Panera who was killed in a tragic car accident [I also posted about it on Pentalk, though the widow story is on the backburner at the moment].

This story ran earlier this month on one of the local news stations about the family Travis left behind.

I happened across this today, but it seemed appropriate. It’s Father’s Day. Travis wasn’t the biological father of his two kids, but a daddy to them nonetheless. It’s obvious from the pictures I’ve seen of them together how much he loved them. It takes a very special man to be a real daddy to kids that aren’t biologically his.

I’m quite sure Brittany and the kids miss him today as they do every day. It’s one of those milestone days that’s always hard.

I’m getting ready to work on my “marketing” stuff for Travis’ story – the as-yet-untitled Speedbo project with Travis-with-the-faux-hawk as the hero. The story was near and dear to my heart before Travis’ passing and even more so now. I’d love to find a publishing home for everything I’ve written, but none more than this.

So Happy Father’s Day to the Dads out there. And to Travis and all the other grandfathers, step-dads, uncles, cousins, friends, and all the others who stand in the gap for those whose dads aren’t around for whatever reason – thank you and Happy Father’s Day to you, too.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjO1F6oCab8]

End of the Trail is part of a six-book series about four generations of the Morgan family living, fighting, and thriving amidst a turbulent Texas history spanning from 1845 to 1896. 

Brooks Morgan left home 11 years earlier and is just too stubborn to return home.  In 1896 he pulls into the town of Shoofly to take refuge from a storm and befriends John Langston in the local cafe. A high stakes poker game ends with Brooks holding the deed to John’s ranch with one condition – Brooks must promise to take care of Keri. Brooks agrees, assuming that Keri is a horse.

Overcome by guilt, Brooks return to the cafe to give back the deed but finds John on the floor dead. Brooks heads off to take care of John’s ranch and is ambushed. With a noose around his neck, hands tied behind his back he offers a prayer up to God.  A stunning shot is delivered from the rifle of a lady on horseback that breaks the noose and frees Brooks. But could this lady – Keri – be an enemy, too?

I had read one of the earlier books in this series – six by different authors revolving around the Morgan family. I enjoyed it but was a bit afraid that a different author would make it more difficult to like another book.

Fortunately, I worried needlessly.

This was an enjoyable historical romance. I loved Brooks. I loved Keri. I loved the prodigal son aspect of the story. Ms. McDonough created a cast of characters who stole my heart and raised my ire [appropriately ;)]. When power and land hungry men try to force Keri and Brooks off the land Brooks won from Keri’s uncle, Brooks finds a way to save them – at least for a time. But power hungry men rarely stop or let anything get in their way to get what they want.

Will they be able to stop them all together? What about Brooks’ family? And when Keri’s mother comes back and tells Keri the truth about where she came from and why Keri’s uncle took her away? Who will be able to forgive and move on?

I enjoyed this book and look forward to more by Ms. McDonough.

Overall rating: 8.5 out of 10

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

After her mother dies from a heart attack, Sloane Templeton goes from Cyber Crimes Unit to bookstore owner before she can blink. She also “inherits” a half-batty store manager; a strange bunch of little old people from the neighborhood who meet at the store once a week, but never read books, called the Granny Oakleys Book Club; and Aunt Verline, who fancies herself an Iron Chef when in reality you need a cast iron stomach to partake of her culinary disasters. And with a group like this you should never ask, “What else can go wrong?”  

A lot! Sloane begins to receive cyber threats. While Sloane uses her computer forensic skills to uncover the source of the threats, it is discovered someone is out to kill her. Can her life get more crazy?

Ms. Calhoun’s debut novel kept me turning the pages.

Sloane is having a hard time – new career as a book store owner, a few man troubles – though she’s pretty sure she found Mr. Right, the death of her mother, a very valuable book she doesn’t know nearly enough about, and a group of elderly book club members who never read books.

And someone’s out to get her.

Computer viruses. Threatening packages. Lifesavers in unexpected places.

Ms. Calhoun creates characters you love, or love to hate, keeps the twists coming [I changed my mind about who the bad guy was at least 3xs – I was right once, for about two minutes before I changed my mind again ;)], and left enough threads dangling for readers to be impatient for the sequel.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital copy in exchange for my unbiased review.