This OR That #Giveaway № 57 ~ Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris OR The Little French Bridal Shop by Jennifer Dupee #TheLittleFrenchBridalShop #SoldOnAMonday

 

I have sooooo many books!

The This or That Giveaway! feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to cull my collection and to share some of the many books I have. I get to clear off some of my shelves to make room for more books and give someone else the chance to enjoy these treasures.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

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Sold on a Monday

by Kristina McMorris

Paperback ~ Pub date August 2018

From bestselling author Kristina McMorris comes another unforgettable novel inspired by a stunning piece of history.

2 CHILDREN FOR SALE

The scrawled sign, peddling young siblings on a farmhouse porch, captures the desperation sweeping the country in 1931. It’s an era of breadlines, bank runs, and impossible choices.

For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family’s dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when the image leads to his big break, the consequences are devastating in ways he never imagined.

Haunted by secrets of her own, secretary Lillian Palmer sees more in the picture than a good story and is soon drawn into the fray. Together, the two set out to right a wrongdoing and mend a fractured family, at the risk of everything they value.

Inspired by an actual newspaper photo that stunned readers across the nation, this touching novel explores the tale within the frame and behind the lens—a journey of ambition, love, and the far-reaching effects of our actions.

Read my thoughts here.

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The Little French Bridal Shop

by Jennifer Dupee

Hardcover ~ Published March 2021

Jennifer Dupee's debut novel is a delight...a story about discovering your authentic self when things get hard, and the joys you can find when you live from your heart. --Louise Miller

Is a lie of omission still a lie? Larisa Pearl didn't think so and it got her into a heap of trouble.

When Larisa Pearl returns to her small seaside hometown in Massachusetts to manage her beloved great aunt's estate, she's a bit of an emotional mess. She's just lost her job and her boyfriend and she's struggling to cope with her mother's failing health. When she passes by the window of The Little French Bridal Shop, a beautiful ivory satin wedding gown catches her eye...

Now, to the delight of everyone in town, Larisa is planning her wedding. She has her dress, made floral arrangements, and set the date. The only thing missing is the groom. How did this happen? All she did was try on a dress and let her fantasy take flight. But word about her upcoming nuptials has reached the ears of Jack Merrill. As teenagers, they spent time together on her great aunt's estate, building a friendship that could have become something more had they chosen different paths.

Lost in a web of her own lies, Larisa must first face some difficult truths, including her mother's fragile future, before she can embrace her family, straighten out her life, and open her heart to finding love.

Read my thoughts here.

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This or That Giveaway Week 43 ~ Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris OR The Moonshiner's Daughter by Donna Everhart #SoldOnAMonday #TheMoonshinersDaughter

 

I have sooooo many books!

The This or That Giveaway! feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the many books I have. It's a way for me to cull my collection and give someone else the chance to enjoy these treasures.

Gosh, this past week was not at all what I expected it to be! I had this post ready to go last weekend and just needed to make it go live. In the post, I apologized for not being very active in a while. I  took a bit of a break over the holidays, spent time with family and got a lot of reading in. Well, last Saturday I ended up in the ER with blood clots in both lungs. I had a nice 4-day hospital stay and am now on blood thinners for life. This is my second instance of clots.  

So needless to say, blogging took a back seat. But I’m back now and have two wonderful books to offer this week! I loved both of them! They are both historical fiction and the stories have stayed with me long after I finished reading them. 

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

*****************

Sold on a Monday

by Kristina McMorris

Paperback ~ Pub date August 2018

From bestselling author Kristina McMorris comes another unforgettable novel inspired by a stunning piece of history.

2 CHILDREN FOR SALE

The scrawled sign, peddling young siblings on a farmhouse porch, captures the desperation sweeping the country in 1931. It’s an era of breadlines, bank runs, and impossible choices.

For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family’s dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when the image leads to his big break, the consequences are devastating in ways he never imagined.

Haunted by secrets of her own, secretary Lillian Palmer sees more in the picture than a good story and is soon drawn into the fray. Together, the two set out to right a wrongdoing and mend a fractured family, at the risk of everything they value.

Inspired by an actual newspaper photo that stunned readers across the nation, this touching novel explores the tale within the frame and behind the lens—a journey of ambition, love, and the far-reaching effects of our actions.

Read my thoughts here.

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The Moonshiner's Daughter

by Donna Everhart

Paperback ~ Pub date December 2019

Set in North Carolina in 1960 and brimming with authenticity and grit, The Moonshiner's Daughter evokes the singular life of sixteen-year-old Jessie Sasser, a young woman determined to escape her family's past . . .

Generations of Sassers have made moonshine in the Brushy Mountains of Wilkes County, North Carolina. Their history is recorded in a leather-bound journal that belongs to Jessie Sasser's daddy, but Jessie wants no part of it. As far as she's concerned, moonshine caused her mother's death a dozen years ago.

Her father refuses to speak about her mama, or about the day she died. But Jessie has a gnawing hunger for the truth--one that compels her to seek comfort in food. Yet all her self-destructive behavior seems to do is feed what her school's gruff but compassionate nurse describes as the "monster" inside Jessie.

Resenting her father's insistence that moonshining runs in her veins, Jessie makes a plan to destroy the stills, using their neighbors as scapegoats. Instead, her scheme escalates an old rivalry and reveals long-held grudges. As she endeavors to right wrongs old and new, Jessie's loyalties will bring her to unexpected revelations about her family, her strengths--and a legacy that may provide her with the answers she has been longing for.

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Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris ~ My Thoughts

Sold on a Monday

Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris

Paperback and e-book, 352 pages
Published August 28th 2018 by Sourcebooks Landmark

From New York Times bestselling author Kristina McMorris comes another unforgettable novel inspired by a stunning piece of history.

2 CHILDREN FOR SALE

The sign is a last resort. It sits on a farmhouse porch in 1931, but could be found anywhere in an era of breadlines, bank runs, and broken dreams. It could have been written by any mother facing impossible choices.

For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family’s dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when it leads to his big break, the consequences are more devastating than he ever imagined.

At the paper, Lillian Palmer is haunted by her role in all that happened. She is far too familiar with the heartbreak of children deemed unwanted. As the bonds of motherhood are tested, she and Ellis must decide how much they are willing to risk to mend a fractured family.

Inspired by an actual newspaper photograph that stunned the nation, Sold on a Monday is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and the unexpected paths that bring us home.

My thoughts about Sold on a Monday ~~ 

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"Outside the guarded entrance, reporters circled like a pack of wolves. They wanted names and locations, any links to the Mob, every newsworthy detail for tomorrow's front page. The irony wasn't lost on me."

I have to admit that I had not read a book by Kristina McMorris before I read this one. And an even bigger confession would be that I've never thought of myself as a fan of historical fiction. Lately, I've happened to find several historical stories that have appealed to me and I'm thinking I may have found a whole new genre to explore. 

After reading Sold on a Monday, I am now of fan of both Kristina and historical fiction. I'm guessing the genre doesn't matter when it's a interesting story, written by a talented author who is able to do wonderful things with words. 

This story captured my attention from the start. How could it not, when you read the phrase '2 Children for Sale'? That's just unfathomable to think about. The author weaves a wonderful tale, full of great characters and eye-opening descriptions of the hard times of those years of the 30's. 

I found myself completely swept up in the story towards the end of the book and honestly stayed up way too late just so I could find out how it ended. I couldn't leave the characters hanging in my thoughts, I just had to finish it! 

Thanks for the wonderful story, Kristina!

I received a copy of Sold on a Monday from Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for my honest review.

About the author

Kristina McMorris is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her novels have garnered more than two dozen literary awards and nominations, including the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, RWA’s RITA® Award, and a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction. Inspired by true personal and historical accounts, her works of fiction have been published by Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Kensington Books.

Her forthcoming novel, Sold on a Monday (Sourcebooks Landmark, 8-28-18), follows her widely praised The Edge of Lost, The Pieces We Keep, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, and Letters from Home. Additionally, her novellas are featured in the anthologies A Winter Wonderland and Grand Central.

Prior to her writing career, Kristina hosted weekly TV shows since age nine, including an Emmy® Award-winning program, and has been named one of Portland's "40 Under 40" by The Business Journal. She lives with her husband and two sons in the Pacific Northwest, where she is working on her next novel.

Connect with Kristina

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? September 3, 2018

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!

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Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week. Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

Lies

by T.M. Logan

Pub date 9/11

What Happens at Midnight
by Laura Chapman
(audio-book)

What I recently finished

Sold on a Monday

by Kristina McMorris

Loved it! My thoughts will be posted soon. 

Before I Knew (The Cabots #1)

by Jamie Beck

(audio-book)

The Art of Hiding

by Amanda Prowse

What I am going to read next

The World Breaks Everyone
by Lauren Clark

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Release Day! Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris

Happy Release Day!

Sold on a Monday

Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris
Print and ebook, 352 pages
Published August 28th 2018 by Sourcebooks Landmark

From New York Times bestselling author Kristina McMorris comes another unforgettable novel inspired by a stunning piece of history.

2 CHILDREN FOR SALE

The sign is a last resort. It sits on a farmhouse porch in 1931, but could be found anywhere in an era of breadlines, bank runs, and broken dreams. It could have been written by any mother facing impossible choices.

For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family’s dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when it leads to his big break, the consequences are more devastating than he ever imagined.

At the paper, Lillian Palmer is haunted by her role in all that happened. She is far too familiar with the heartbreak of children deemed unwanted. As the bonds of motherhood are tested, she and Ellis must decide how much they are willing to risk to mend a fractured family.

Inspired by an actual newspaper photograph that stunned the nation, Sold on a Monday is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and the unexpected paths that bring us home.

Congratulations Kristina

 on the release today of

Sold on a Monday!

 Early Praise for Sold on a Monday

“The sale of two young children leads to devastating consequences in this historical tearjerker from McMorris... A tender love story enriches a complex plot, giving readers a story with grit, substance, and rich historical detail.”

—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“A vivid and original story… McMorris brilliantly chronicles the way in which a moment’s fateful choice can result in a lifetime of harrowing consequences. A masterpiece that poignantly echoes universal themes of loss and redemption, Sold on a Monday is both heartfelt and heartbreaking.”

—PAM JENOFF, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan’s Tale

“McMorris shines in this poignant and compulsively readable novel… Based upon a haunting historical photograph, and told with finesse and compassion, this story will linger long after the pages have all been turned.”

—STEPHANIE DRAY, New York Times bestselling author of America’s First Daughter

“Kristina McMorris once again plucks a devastating heartstring… A real-life photograph stands as evidence to the heart of this novel: truth revealed, forgiveness found, and a story never to be forgotten.”

—SARAH McCOY, New York Times bestselling author of The Baker’s Daughter

About the author

Kristina McMorris is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her novels have garnered more than two dozen literary awards and nominations, including the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, RWA’s RITA® Award, and a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction. Inspired by true personal and historical accounts, her works of fiction have been published by Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Kensington Books.

Her forthcoming novel, Sold on a Monday (Sourcebooks Landmark, 8-28-18), follows her widely praised The Edge of Lost, The Pieces We Keep, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, and Letters from Home. Additionally, her novellas are featured in the anthologies A Winter Wonderland and Grand Central.

Prior to her writing career, Kristina hosted weekly TV shows since age nine, including an Emmy® Award-winning program, and has been named one of Portland's "40 Under 40" by The Business Journal. She lives with her husband and two sons in the Pacific Northwest, where she is working on her next novel.

Connect with Kristina

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? August 20, 2018

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!

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Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week. Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

Counting on You
by Laura Chapman 
I love Laura's stories!
Pub date 8/28

Before I Knew (The Cabots #1)

by Jamie Beck

(audio-book)

What I recently finished

Beneath the Same Stars: A Novel of the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War

by Phyllis Cole-Dai

Happy pub day!!

Read my thoughts here.

Stealing Light

by Julie Cassar

(audio-book)
Read my thoughts here.

Not Her Daughter
by Rea Frey
Read my thoughts here.

What I am going to read next


Sold on a Monday
by Kristina McMorris
Pub date 8/28

I'm waiting on Sold on a Monday from the publicist, so if it gets here, I'll start it. Otherwise I'll reread Small Great Things for my book club. I loved it the first time I read it!

Small Great Things
by Jodi Picoult

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!