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You're the Cream in my Coffee - Jennifer Lamont Leo

Tuesday, December 5, 2017


My Rating
★★★★★ - You have bewitched me, body and soul. (More Info)

About the Book

In 1928, Chicago rocks to the rhythm of the Jazz Age, and Prohibition is in full swing. Small-town girl Marjorie Corrigan, visiting the city for the first time, has sworn that coffee's the strongest drink that will pass her lips. But her quiet, orderly life turns topsy-turvy when she spots her high school sweetheart--presumed killed in the Great War--alive and well in a train station. Suddenly everything is up for grabs.



1895. Chicago. Michigan Avenue. The Art Institute.
Pinterest - Art Institute
Although the stranger insists he's not who she thinks he is, Marjorie becomes obsessed with finding out the truth. To the dismay of her fiancé and family, she moves to the city and takes a job at a department store so she can spy on him. Meanwhile, the glittering world of her roommate, Dot, begins to look awfully enticing--especially when the object of her obsession seems to be part of that world. Is it really so terrible to bob her hair and shorten her skirt? To visit a speakeasy? Just for a cup of coffee, of course.

But what about her scruples? What about the successful young doctor to whom she's engaged, who keeps begging her to come back home where she belongs? And what, exactly, is going on at the store's loading dock so late at night?

Amid a whirlwind of trials and temptations, Marjorie must make a choice. Will the mystery man prove to be the cream in her coffee--the missing ingredient to the life she yearns for? Or will he leave only bitterness in her heart?


My Thoughts
I love the style of the 1920s, loose-fitting dresses with straight sillohettes. So different from today...
Pinterest
Oh.My.Goodness! I am so in love with this book. Set in the height of the Roaring Twenties...There is so much to see and discover throughout Chicago. Times were changing drastically. Will Majorie be able to keep up with the fast pace of the big city? 

Between adjusting to life in the city, seeing ghosts from her past, having second thoughts about her upcoming wedding...Marjorie is a MESS! When she tries to piece her life together on her own, it only comes to ruin. When she realises that she must turn her life over to her Heavenly Father...That no matter our mistakes, or our distancing ourselves from Him...He is always there. It can be hard to let go of the control we have on our lives, but trust me when I say, it is so much better when we turn our cares and worries over to Christ. 

Peter Bachmann, that man! I found him infuriating and endearing...but in the end he made me swoon. The poor chap has led quite the life. But as he establishes who he is...and who he wants to be...*sigh*...You must meet him for yourself. 

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Written in first person strictly from Marjorie's perspective we get to see inside her head and heart a whole lot better than if the voice was written in third person. The message that stood out to me very strongly (other than what I stated above), was to listen to the voice inside you and follow your heart. Follow the calling placed on your life, even if the world doubts your sanity....it's ok! You want to know why? Because "we're all mad here." You are in good company. Do not let others...even well meaning family members...dictate who you are or what you are called to do. Leave that up to God. 

I received a complimentary copy of You're the Cream in my Coffee through the Christy Award. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.



I couldn't pass up the chance to include some info on 1920s Fashion!

Década de 20. Melhor década.                                                                                                                                                                                 More
Pinterest

This song makes the title make so much more sense! I had no idea this song even existed until it was mentioned in the book. So naturally, I had to include it for you!





About the Author

montvale2
With a passion for all things historical, Jennifer Lamont Leo captures readers' hearts through stories set in times gone by. She is also a copywriter, editor, and journalist. An Illinois native, she holds a deep affection for Chicago and its rich history. Today she writes from the mountains of northern Idaho, where she shares her home with her husband, two cats, and abundant wildlife. 







Many thanks to Canva for providing an AMAZING program for me to design all these beautiful graphics. Book covers, publisher/tour logos, and author pictures not owned by me. Unless otherwise stated, all other graphics created by Bookworm Mama with public domain photos on Canva.



Favorite Line Friday - The Illusionist's Apprentice - Kristy Cambron

Friday, August 18, 2017


Happy Friday!

Welcome to the next edition of FAVORITE Line Friday! This week's featured author is Kristy Cambron. You can read the spotlight HERE, where you can find a full excerpt from The Illusionist's Apprentice. But today I am going to share with you ONE of my favorite lines from this book with you! Don't forget to enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter form below! It is open until 9/1/17 12:00am PDT! 








I have collaborated with all of these authors and I am so excited for this giveaway! I am giving away a box of FIVE books...All signed (one signed bookplate sticker) by the authors! I will also be including some bookish/reading items in the box of books, bookmarks, tea, chocolate, etc. Each "Blogiversary" post will have MORE options to enter to win, so make sure you check back. Today we are kicking it off pretty easy! Please enter via the Rafflecopter form below. If you are having difficulties please email me and we will get your name entered.

Kristy's Book Included in the Giveaway is a SIGNED copy  of The Illusionist's Apprentice.


**ONE (1) Winner will be selected by Rafflecopter at the end of the giveaway**
Books provided for giveaway by the individual authors and myself. Books included: Just the Way You Are, The Lady and the Lionheart, The Illusionist's Apprentice, Newton & Polly, Behind the Scenes. I am not compensated for any portion of this giveaway. Some of the books were donated for the giveaway. Giveaway will run 8/1/17 - 9/1/17 at 12:00am PDT. Open internationally. Void where prohibited. Please see Policies and Disclosures for more information. *Bookish swag items subject to change*

Author Spotlight + Giveaway - Kristy Cambron

Wednesday, August 16, 2017




KCambron_seated
KRISTY CAMBRON has a background in art and design, but she fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. She is the bestselling author of The Ringmaster’s Wife, named to Publishers Weekly Spring 2016 Religion & Spirituality TOP 10. Her novels have been named to Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books and RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards Best lists for 2014 & 2015, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations. The Lost Castle (HarperCollins, series debut in 2018) is her fifth novel. Her first Bible studies (DVD + study guides), The Verse Mapping series, will release in 2018.

Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and has 15 years experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation. She loves storytelling from the stage and travels to teach about the intersection of story roads, faith-following Jesus, and her affection for Bible Verse-Mapping. Kristy laughs daily with her husband and three sons, and can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.
The last and most important thing? Jesus Christ is everything — let her tell you about Him sometime.

Click on the cover to learn more.

Hidden Masterpiece Series


Jazz Age Entertainers Books


Coming Soon!


Launching a brand-new series, Kristy Cambron explores the collision of past and present as she discovers the ruins of a French castle, long lost to history.
A thirteenth century castle, Château de Doux Rêves, has been forgotten for generations, left to ruin in a storybook forest nestled deep in France’s picturesque Loire Valley. It survived a sacking in the French Revolution, was brought back to life and fashioned into a storybook chateau in the Gilded Age, and was eventually felled and deserted after a disastrous fire in the 1930s.
As Ellie Carver sits by her grandmother’s bedside, she hears stories of a castle… of lost love and a hidden chapel that played host to a secret fight in the World War II French resistance. But her grandmother is quickly slipping into the locked-down world of Alzheimer’s, and Ellie must act fast if she wants to uncover the truth of her family’s history.
Sparked by the discovery of a long forgotten family heirloom, Ellie embarks on a journey to French wine country to uncover the mystery surrounding The Sleeping Beauty— the castle so named for Charles Perrault’s beloved fairy tale— and unearth its secrets before they’re finally silenced by time.
Set in three different time periods—the French Revolution, World War II, and present day—The Lost Castle is a story of loves won and lost, of battles waged, and an enchanted castle that inspired the epic fairy tales time left behind.
THE LOST CASTLE— Book #1 in this new three-book series, will debut in February, 2018.




THE VERSE-MAPPING SERIES— DVD + study guide materials verse-mapping through the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts—will release in early 2018.
You can learn more about verse mapping HERE.

My familiarity with Kristy's writing is of an unusual sort. Kristy became one of my very favorite authors...BEFORE I even read a single word from one of her books. I follow Kristy's blog and read her posts on a regular basis. I don't know how many times by the end of the post I was bawling because her words hit such a deep level of my heart. Her convictions and her faith transfer to her books and it is beautiful. The first thing that stood out to me in Kristy's books was the unabashed faith that she has infused into her stories. I wish I could say that I have read all of her books, but I still haven't read her World War II books. However, Kristy's Jazz Age Entertainers books are superb. Kristy writes from the heart and, I believe, by the prompting of God's voice. To have such moving books that resonate in your heart for weeks and months after reading them. THANK YOU Kristy for everything that you contribute to Christian Fiction. Thank you for standing for what you believe and speaking the truth on so many levels.





The Illusionist's Apprentice

Agent Elliot Matthews stared down a firing squad. The potential executioners held firm in their stance with camera lenses and pencils cocked, all ready to fire. And fire they would, splashing sensational bulletins across the next day’s newspaper headlines. A slew of brash young journalists assembled in the famed Mount Auburn Cemetery, focused on the job at hand. They stood in formation at the front of the crowd, photographers tinkering with cameras and reporters tapping pencils against notepads, all with the itchiness of glorious anticipation. Elliot hated feeling hemmed in, with the press and scores of onlookers closing ranks. He wanted a full view in the event something erupted without warning, so he and his partner melted along the side of the gathering, opting for a perch along the old stone fence bordering Bigelow Chapel. They were still surrounded by the overhang of trees, but at least they would have a clear view of the front row. The faces in the crowd weren’t morose like one would expect to find in a cemetery on such a frigid day. They smiled and chatted, their curiosity piqued as they waited for the show to begin. Police stood by too, poised to arrest anyone who dared to cause a stir. And that’s all Elliot could think it was. A stir. A media frenzy in what should have been a place for mourners and grave diggers. Instead, a crowd of onlookers—spiritualists and press—had shown up at the public invitation printed in the Boston Globe the previous Monday: Famed Medium Horace Stapleton to Defy Death in Public Ceremony on New Year’s Eve. What a terrible waste. Elliot had seen a crowd of mourners fill a cemetery before—one too many times—and didn’t want to be haunted by the host of memories the current setting dared trigger. Not wishing to think back on things he couldn’t change, Elliot turned away and settled his attention on the landscape. If his objective was to forget, staring down lifeless trees seemed safer than watching a bunch of nail-biters in trench coats and fedoras. The canopy of trees formed a bower on all sides. Mist invaded, curling around the trunks of aged sycamores and maples. An icy drizzle coated the leafless limbs, making the scene look like a fragile glass world. “See that?”Elliot elbowed his partner. Agent Connor Finnegan responded with a full-body turn and a squint in Elliot’s direction. “Noticing something, Boss?”He coughed into his palm, a puff of breath on air. “Besides the zoo in front of us?”“The trees.”Elliot motioned to the line of sycamores and the only spot broken in the row of trees shadowing the chapel’s stone border. “Odd. In a well-known and meticulously manicured cemetery like this, the groundskeepers leave a spot untended in full view of the chapel. It’s just there. Barren. Lifeless. Like a tree fell and they neglected to replace it.” (Used with permission)



I have collaborated with all of these authors and I am so excited for this giveaway! I am giving away a box of FIVE books...All signed (one signed bookplate sticker) by the authors! I will also be including some bookish/reading items in the box of books, bookmarks, tea, chocolate, etc. Each "Blogiversary" post will have MORE options to enter to win, so make sure you check back. Today we are kicking it off pretty easy! Please enter via the Rafflecopter form below. If you are having difficulties please email me and we will get your name entered.

Kristy Cambron has contributed a SIGNED copy of The Illusionist's Apprentice for the giveaway!

**ONE (1) Winner will be selected by Rafflecopter at the end of the giveaway**
Books provided for giveaway by the individual authors and myself. Books included: Just the Way You Are, The Lady and the Lionheart, The Illusionist's Apprentice, Newton & Polly, Behind the Scenes. I am not compensated for any portion of this giveaway. Some of the books were donated for the giveaway. Giveaway will run 8/1/17 - 9/1/17 at 12:00am PDT. Open internationally. Void where prohibited. Please see Policies and Disclosures for more information. *Bookish swag items subject to change*

The Illusionist's Apprentice + Giveaway - Kristy Cambron

Thursday, March 23, 2017

My Rating
★★★★★ - You have bewitched me, body and soul. (More Info)

About the Book
Harry Houdini’s one-time apprentice holds fantastic secrets about the greatest illusionist in the world. But someone wants to claim them . . . or silence her before she can reveal them on her own.
Boston, 1926 Jenny “Wren” Lockhart is a bold eccentric—even for a female vaudevillian. As notorious for her inherited wealth and gentleman’s dress as she is for her unsavory upbringing in the back halls of a vaudeville theater, Wren lives in a world that challenges all manner of conventions.
In the months following Houdini’s death, Wren is drawn into a web of mystery surrounding a spiritualist by the name of Horace Stapleton, a man defamed by Houdini’s ardent debunking of fraudulent mystics in the years leading up to his death. But in a public illusion that goes terribly wrong, one man is dead and another stands charged with his murder. Though he’s known as one of her teacher’s greatest critics, Wren must decide to become the one thing she never wanted to be: Stapleton’s defender.
Forced to team up with the newly formed FBI, Wren races against time and an unknown enemy, all to prove the innocence of a hated man. In a world of illusion, of the vaudeville halls that showcase the flamboyant and the strange, Wren’s carefully constructed world threatens to collapse around her. Layered with mystery, illusion, and the artistry of the Jazz Age’s bygone vaudeville era, The Illusionist’s Apprentice is a journey through love and loss and the underpinnings of faith on each life’s stage. (From Kristy's website)
My Thoughts
An incredible story brimming with suspense, illusion, questions, romance, sacrifice, and redemption. Spanning the course of Wren's life, we jump around quite a bit as her story and character unfolds, but it is easy to follow. We also get to see the world through a few different viewpoints which helps to draw your heart into the world of vaudeville.

LOVE - LOVE - LOVE Elliot. Mmmhmmm! From 1 to 5 on the swoony scale - 4.5 for SURE! He is protective and gentle, yet firm and carries a strength that Wren needs, although she denies it. Wren is such an incredible person. I fell in love with her from chapter one. With her eccentric style and lifestyle, a performer, giving the public the illusion of grandeur...when in reality, her lifestyle is quite simple. A woman with a past that tears at her soul, longing for freedom, but not knowing where to turn. When Agent Elliot Matthews bullies his way on to her stage, her life takes a dramatic turn and the impossible becomes possible.

Wren struggles to forgive herself for something in her past that she has been led to believe is her fault. We follow her on a journey of realization that forgiveness is not just an illusion, but something very real. That it penetrates the very heart and soul of who we are. It shapes and molds us. And that we can be free if we choose to be. But if we spend too long believing in an illusion, it will distort our view of reality.


"You can be free if you want to. But it's your choice." 

- Kristy Cambron The Illusionist's Apprentice




So, embrace the truth. Let Papa God open your eyes to see yourself as He created you. To see your gifts, your strengths, and the forgiveness that He has poured out on you. Take a step back in time to the Jazz Age. Step into the world of Harry Houdini and Wren Lockhart in the center of vaudeville. Let them dazzle you with a story of truth, forgiveness...and illusion.  


I received a complimentary copy of The Illusionist's Apprentice through BookLook Bloggers and NetGalley. I also won a copy of this book in a giveaway. Which is why I am honored to be able to bless one of my readers with one of these copies. Please see below for giveaway details. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.



About the Author

KRISTY CAMBRON has a background in art and design, but she fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. She is the bestselling author of The Ringmaster’s Wife, named to Publishers Weekly Spring 2016 Religion & Spirituality TOP 10. Her novels have been named to Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books and RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards Best lists for 2014 & 2015, and received a 2015 INSPY Awards nomination for best debut novel. The Illusionist’s Apprentice (HarperCollins, 2017) is her fourth novel. Her first Bible study DVD and study guides, The Verse Mapping series, will release in 2018.
Kristy holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University, and has 15 years experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation. She loves storytelling from the stage and travels to speak about her love for Bible Verse Mapping throughout the year. Kristy lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.
The last and most important thing? Jesus Christ is everything — let her tell you about Him sometime.


Books by Kristy Cambron on Bookworm Mama


Giveaway!!!
I was blessed to win a print copy of The Illusionist's Apprentice from Kristy's book launch party. Which is why I am honored to be able to bless one of YOU with the extra copy I now have. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Please see my Disclosures and Policies page for full details. Open to U.S. & Canada. Void where prohibited by law. 

The Ringmaster's Wife - Kristy Cambron

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

My Rating

★★★★★ - You have bewitched me, body and soul. (More Info)

When that which that Lady Rosamund loves most is threatened to be taken away from her, she stepped on a train and changed the course of her life forever.


"You could never fit in, Rose.
You were made to stand out."
The Ringmaster's Wife
(Location 1403)

About the Book
With the family estate in financial difficulties, Lady Rosamund's father saw fit to sell that which was closest to her heart, Ingénue, her beautiful Arabian mare. Colin Keary set out to acquire the Arabian for the Ringling circus. Little did he know that he would find an incredible talent in the owner. Colin persuades Lady Rosamund to join them in America, to see Ingénue safely settled. With dreams as vast as the ocean, she agrees. Will Lady Rosamund give up a
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