“Collision Course” by Jorgia Yates

Posted on April 11, 2025 by EmpowerMoms

Collision Course JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Collision Course by Jorgia Yates, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Collision Course

Series: Hightower Security #1

Author: Jorgia Yates

Publisher: Jorgia Yates Inc.

Release Date: March 26, 2025

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Serve his country or rescue his wife?

Federal Air Marshal Reese Donovan has sacrificed everything he loves to keep another 9/11 from occurring again.

After living apart from his wife, Verity, for a year, the last thing he expects is harrowing news that will force him to examine where his loyalty lies.

While he’s been busy keeping the skies safe, Verity narrowly escaped a deadly explosion.

To add insult to injury, the trauma has left her suffering from selective amnesia.

Verity believes she and Reese are still happily married.

With his wife depending on him to fill in critical memories before the bomber strikes again, Reese must lie to Verity while placing his faith in the private security team he holds responsible for cementing the cracks in his marriage.

Unsure of who he can trust, and with time running out, Reese will face his greatest fear.

Prevent a terrorist attack or save the woman he still loves.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | JorgiaYates.com | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

MY REVIEW:

This is book one of the Hightower Security team and this series is off to a great start! Verity is recovering from amnesia and along with the help of her husband Reese and the security team, she starts to piece her life and memories back together. But does she really want to remember the past or is it too traumatic?

This story had lots of action, drama, clean romance and twists along the way. I really enjoyed reading this fast paced Christian fiction book! The Security team has a lot of intriguing characters, so this series is sure to be a winner!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions and views expressed are my own.

About the Author

Jorgia Yates writes swoony Christian Romantic Suspense with protective heroes and courageous heroines who constantly find themselves in sticky situations they need to shoot or smooch their way out of.

After meeting as two awkward teenagers in the nineties, Jorgia married the man her soul loved, and they have been blessed with two cherished children on the spectrum.

Due to pesky physical disabilities, Jorgia is limited in what she can do outside the home, so she lives vicariously through her characters’ exciting adventures.

Connect with Jorgia by visiting jorgiayates.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive a selection of confectionary from New Zealand, a paperback copy of Collision Course and a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight April 7, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 14, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Open internationally. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

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The Daughter of Rome (The Emissaries Book 3) by Angela Hunt

Posted on April 11, 2025 by EmpowerMoms

About the Book

Book: The Daughter of Rome (The Emissaries Book 3)

Author: Angela Hunt

Genre: FICTION / Christian / Biblical

Release date: March 4, 2025

In Nero’s Rome, Calandra helps her father, a renowned sculptor, complete the most significant commission of his illustrious career. But then a catastrophic fire nearly destroys the imperial city, leaving Calandra reliant on a group of Christians–unusual individuals unlike any she has encountered before. Intrigued by their worship of the Son of an invisible God, Calandra grapples with her mistrust, only to find herself indebted to these believers as they help her rebuild her shattered world.

When Emperor Nero begins constructing his opulent Golden House, the people of Rome grow resentful, suspecting him of starting the fire in order to clear the land for his immense palace. Needing a scapegoat, Nero points at those who follow the Jewish Messiah, forcing Calandra to make an impossible choice between right and wrong, friends and family, love and death.

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW:

This was my first “Emissaries” book and although it took me a couple chapters to get into the story line and characters; once I did, I couldn’t stop reading! Each book can be read as a stand alone story.

I loved reading all the fascinating biblical events, along with historical Roman events. I learned alot about the culture and time period but I wasn’t prepared with how emotional and heartbreaking this story would be.

I really liked the main characters Hadrian and his Senator father, along with Calandara and her father the sculptor. The author did an amazing job vividly describing the time period, people and their day to day life.

This book was truly amazing, emotional, and kept me engaged until the very end. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions and views expressed are my own.

About the Author

Angela Hunt is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 160 books, with nearly 6 million copies sold worldwide. Angela’s novels have won or been nominated for the RWA RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the HOLT Medallion. Four of her novels have received ForeWord Magazine‘s Book of the Year Award, and Angela is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from both the Romantic Times Book Club and ACFW. Angela holds doctorates in biblical studies and theology. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs and chickens.

More from Angela

Dear Reader:

Thank you for joining me on this blog tour for THE DAUGHTER OF ROME, book three in the Emissaries series. The book stands alone, but it includes characters from books one and two, so people who have read those books will have a fuller understanding of who those people are. But no worries! If you haven’t read the first two books, you’ll still have no problem reading THE DAUGHTER OF ROME.

When I shaped the idea for this series, I had just finished The Jerusalem Road books, which centered on Jews who lived during Jesus’ life and ministry. I wanted to keep writing in this time period, so I shifted my focus from the Jews to the Gentiles—specifically, the people who came to faith through Paul’s ministry.

The first book in the series, THE WOMAN FROM LYDIA, is concerned with the seller of purple who hosted the Philippian church in her home. The second book, THE SISTERS OF CORINTH, features two competing sisters who lived, naturally, in Corinth. And the third book, THE DAUGHTER OF ROME, is about a young sculptress who lives in Rome during the time of Nero.

I have been fascinated by this time period ever since reading THE SILVER CHALICE and THE ROBE in my childhood. What would it have been like, I wondered, to live in a time when you could be executed simply for saying you believed in Jesus? Americans don’t really know what that’s like, but people in other parts of the world still deal with that danger today. The Bible tells us that this kind of danger is not going away—it will be prevalent during the end times as well. So I wanted to explore the world of the ancient Romans, and hoped to pull some lessons from it that will apply to us today.

I’ve also been amazed at what we can still see of ancient Greek and Roman art—how did they sculpt those massive statues? One such work, the Colossus, was so large it stood in the harbor and ships reportedly entered beneath it!

THE DAUGHTER OF ROME features one other fascinating element—a question that garners as much debate as “who killed JFK?” The story takes place during the time that the Great Fire of Rome nearly leveled the entire city, and to this day, no one is certain how it began. The people blamed Nero, Nero blamed the Christians, and it may have been a kid illegally cooking his dinner at the racetrack.

I hope you’ll enjoy reading the story as much as I did writing it. Thanks for coming along on the tour!

Angela Hunt

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 4

Batya’s Bits , April 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 5

Mary Hake, April 5

Texas Book-aholic, April 6

Inspired by Fiction, April 7

She Lives To Read, April 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 8

Lily’s Corner, April 9

Lots of Helpers, April 9

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 11

EmpowerMoms, April 11

Devoted To Hope, April 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 13

Books Less Travelled, April 13

Devoted Steps, April 14

Sylvan Musings, April 15

Holly’s Book Corner, April 15

Cover Lover Book Review, April 16

For Him and My Family, April 17

Pause for Tales, April 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Angela is giving away the grand prize of a $25 gift card to Baker Book House’s website and a paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54192

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“An Unexpected Companion” by Mindy Obenhaus

Posted on April 3, 2025 by EmpowerMoms

An Unexpected Companion JustRead Takeover + Review Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for An Unexpected Companion by Mindy Obenhaus hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

An Unexpected Companion

Title: An Unexpected Companion
Series: K-9 Companions #31, Legacy Ranch #1
Author: Mindy Obenhaus
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Contemporary Romance

With his dog by his side… Is a second chance within reach?

After losing his family and his leg in a car crash, widower Dirk Matthews dedicates his solitary life to woodworking and his mobility service dog, Molly. That is, until a troubled kid steals from his truck. Desperate to reach her grieving oldest son, widow Tessa Wagner agrees to have the boy help Dirk work on her family’s ranch. Only she doesn’t expect her own connection with the carpenter. Soon they’re feeling more than the shared loss of loved ones. But will past heartbreak stand in the way of their future?

Also Available:

MY REVIEW:

I loved reading this Love Inspired Inspirational k9 companion story! Tessa and her sons Grayson and Bryce, return to Legacy Ranch in Texas to visit Tessa’s Aunt Dee for the summer. After the death of her husband, Tessa thought returning to her hometown and “mother Dee” would be the perfect thing to help her and the boys have fun and heal from their pain. While helping Aunt Dee around the house, they meet contractor Dirk and his service dog Molly who has also had his share of trauma and pain.

Along the way they both find love, hope and healing as they work together on the ranch and navigate new feelings of family and acceptance. I liked the faith element of the story and one of the things that Aunt Dee said was that “We serve a God of second chances…” Sometimes it can be hard and scary to have faith and believe in second chances in life.

I found the characters engaging and relatable, and loved seeing the vision of the ranch and the repairs unfold. I hope there will be other Legacy Ranch stories that will include Tessa’s other sisters.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions and views expressed are my own.

About the Author

Best-selling author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching heartwarming romance movies.

Connect with Mindy by visiting MindyObenhaus.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of An Unexpected Companion and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Rediscovering Christmas

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 2, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on April 9, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

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“Ephesians: Experience God’s Power” by Sarah K. Howley

Posted on March 27, 2025 by EmpowerMoms

About the Book

Book: Ephesians: Experience God’s Power

Author: Sarah K. Howley

Genre: Bible Study

Release date: January 5, 2025

Are you ready to dive deep into the life-changing truths of Ephesians? In this 8-session Bible study, you’ll explore how God’s power is available to us today—transforming our lives, our relationships, and the world around us.

Sarah K. Howley, author, speaker, and founder of InspiritEncourage, is your guide on this journey through Ephesians. With insightful questions and thoughtful guidance, Sarah will help you uncover:

– The incredible spiritual blessings that God has prepared for you.

– His vision for unity among His people while honoring each person’s unique gifts.

– How to live with purpose and conviction, experiencing the fullness of life as a Christian.

– Old Testament connections that deepen your understanding of the New Testament.

– Practical ways to live out God’s truths in your daily life.

Each hour-long session includes a key Scripture passage, an introduction, engaging questions, links to Old Testament passages, and personal application. Perfect for individual or group study, Ephesians: Experience God’s Power will strengthen your faith and build deeper connections in unity with others.

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW

This is an (8) session Bible study where you can explore how God‘s power is available to all of us today. Each session includes a scripture passage, journaling questions, additional old testament reading, and personal applications.

I love that this can be done as a small group study or individually. I did this study individually and used a journal to answer the reading questions and ponder on the different chapters of Ephesians. I learned different things from studying Ephesians more in depth and found this study easy to understand and apply.

This was my first study guide with this author and I really enjoyed it so I will be looking up more to do in the future.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions and views expressed are my own.

About the Author

Sarah K. Howley is the founder of InspiritEncourage ministries, a trained Christian counselor, and the author of numerous Bible studies. She loves Jesus and is passionate about helping believers grow spiritually and take on Christ’s character. Sarah often travels the world, usually with espresso in hand. She and her husband support initiatives for feeding the hungry and for expanding access to reading.

More from Sarah

Years ago, I was travelling a bit before starting a new teaching job. I found myself thinking that it would be neat to visit a few places of the Bible and soon made plans and set off for Turkey. One of my stops was Ephesus; the thought that I was walking in the same place as Paul and his disciples was pretty amazing. I saw the library (now open-air) and the place where the temple of Diana had been.

Having visited and then reflected on the visit while studying the Bible, I realized that the ruins of the port town of Ephesus were a living monument to the difficult living conditions of the believers in Paul’s time. There was much remaining of the Ephesian pagan world, of a time when Christians were a fledgling group that needed the encouragement that Paul offered.

Still today, looking around me it is easy to think that we are still a fledgling group of Christians that need Paul’s encouragement. Division and favoritism are still prevalent today and we are surrounded by nonbelievers. But Paul offered words of wisdom that are still relevant to us today.

You may not visit Turkey soon, but you can connect with the people of the land through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. We can walk a mile in their shoes as we study the encouragement of Paul and experience the power of Christ in our own lives.

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, March 15 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, March 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 17

She Lives To Read, March 18

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 19

The Sacred Line, March 19

Simple Harvest Reads, March 20 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 20

By the Book, March 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 23

For the Love of Literature, March 24 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 25

Cover Lover Book Review, March 26

EmpowerMoms, March 27

Artistic Nobody, March 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sarah is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54173

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Rescued Duty (Last Chance Fire and Rescue Book 5) by Lisa Phillips & Laura Conaway

Posted on March 22, 2025 by EmpowerMoms

This story had great characters and non stop action and drama. This clean Christian fiction is book 5 in the Last Chance Fire and Rescue series but they can all be read as stand alone books. Naya and Zack are reunited in their hometown when their different jobs seem to hold a common denominator. Both are determined to find out the truth regardless of how much danger comes their way or threats made on their lives. They use their faith and each other to help them get thru. I really liked the main characters and Zack’s firefighter friends. They all showed loyalty and bravery in the face of danger and death.
This story had a suspenseful plot that kept me engaged from beginning to end. I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions and views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
After growing up in foster care, investigative reporter Naya Michél has learned there’s usually more to a situation than meets the eye. When she’s assigned a story about the current water contamination crisis in town, Naya is ready to show her boss she has what it takes to secure a promotion—especially since the events surrounding the story have personal ties to her childhood. When her investigation makes her the target of someone who wants the truth kept quiet, how far will Naya’s determination take her before the cost becomes too much?

Rescue Squad firefighter and former foster kid Zack Stephens is ready to step up his game at work when his boss hands him a cold case for hazmat training. As Zack delves into the case, he uncovers a shocking revelation—his parents’ deaths weren’t accidental. Determined to find their murderer, Zack throws himself into the investigation. But he doesn’t expect his search to collide with Naya, the girl he promised to protect when they lived in foster care together.

As threats mount and Naya is caught in the crosshairs, can Zack reconcile the mistakes of his past and find a killer before someone deals a lethal blow? And can the two of them learn to trust—and love—each other again despite the pain of their past?

PURCHASE YOUR COPY HERE:
https://amzn.to/4hHqi5a