Love on the Line by Deeann Gist

Welcome to the blog tour for Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist! See below for a great contest opportunity from the tour coordinators and author. 

Let's begin with the back cover copy:

Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.

Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.

And now my review:

It’s been a while since I’ve read one of Deeanne’s books. From the enjoyment of reading this historical romance, I can tell you it’s been too long. What a fun read! The story moved along quickly with just the right blend of romance and adventure between this telephone operator and Texas Ranger.

Luke Palmer is on a mission to track down a train robber, but he has to go undercover as a sort of telephone repairman (troubleman) to accomplish it. And where is the telephone operator’s office? In the heroine’s home, of course. But Gist keeps things clean. Georgie could never be with a ranger and Luke (Lucious) could never settle down. But Georgie can’t get enough of “luscious Lucious,” and he’s becoming enamored too.

I loved how protective the ranger was, even when, in the line of duty, he had to put the heroine at risk (clever!). And how interesting to run into a train robber with a conscience. The author’s attention to detail made the story read as if it were a retelling of an actual relationship. After reading about all the wires and inconvenience of calling then, not to mention lack of privacy, you’ll be grateful for your cell phone!

Great read!

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Deeanne is thrilled to introduce Georgie and Luke to the word in her latest novel, Love on the Line. To celebrate Deeanne's publisher, Bethany House, is hosting the Love on the Line iPad2 giveaway an Author Chat on Facebook! Enter today and follow the link below to RSVP for Deeanne's rip-roarin' Facebook Party!

One fortunate winner will receive: 

• A Brand New iPad2 
• An Autographed Hardback Copy of Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 7th. Winner will be announced at Deeanne's Author Chat Facebook Party. Deeanne will be wrapping up the Love on the Line celebration by chatting with friends new and old! So grab your copy of Love on the Line (it's okay if you don't have one yet- you might could win one!) and join Deeanne on the evening of November 8th for a rip roaring book chat, a little trivia and lots of giveaways (books, and Amazon, iTunes & Starbucks gift certificates)!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends. Hope to see you on the 8th!

Beguiled by Deeanne Gist & J. Mark Bertrand

I'm breaking from my usual women's fiction/romance reading to bring you a romantic suspense review. This one drew me because of the authors who teamed up to write it.

First, the summary (including a bit of backstory on how the story came to be):

When novelists Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand first met in a Houston critique group, they never expected where friendship would take them. She wrote romance; he wrote crime novels. But growing respect for each other's work culminated in the decision to try blending their talents into this wonderfully engaging story merging romance and mystery. Rylee Monroe walks dogs in old-money Charleston, a part of the city recently targeted by a daring thief. Logan Woods works the crime beat for the local paper but dreams of a life as a nonfiction writer. When the string of robberies takes a strange twist, Logan sees the making of a once-in-a-lifetime book that seems to circle around this charming, eye-catching dogwalker. But pursuing the truth means ignoring that he seems to be falling for her. And what is she hiding in her past that could crack the story wide open?

And now, my review:

When two people with strong gifts in their genre team up, you get a solid novel. That's what Beguiled is. I will admit it took a while for me to get into this book. Generally, I move on if this happens; I'm glad I didn't give up on this one. The romance is worth it. The suspense kicks in and you read swiftly through the pages. Deeanne's skill in writing romance shows through the characters actions. You believe in the hero's desire to put aside his own fears and protect the heroine. And I appreciated how the suspense kept me engaged, as well. I've mentioned this before in my reviews -- I rarely have the opportunity to read male authors' works. Whenever I do I notice a commonality, especially in suspense. Short, packed prose. So, as I read it, I enjoyed guessing which areas were more influenced by Mark or Deeanne. Hope they collaborate again. Great book.

A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist

I'd heard some great things about this book, so I found a copy and read it. Glad I did! Here's the summary:

In 1860s Seattle, a man with a wife could secure himself 640 acres of timberland. But because of his wife's untimely death, Joe Denton finds himself about to lose half of his claim. Still in mourning, his best solution is to buy one of those Mercer girls arriving from the East. A woman he'll marry in name but keep around mostly as a cook. Anna Ivey's journey west with Asa Mercer's girls is an escape from the griefs of her past. She's not supposed to be a bride, though, just a cook for the girls. But when they land, she's handed to Joe Denton and the two find themselves in a knotty situation. She refuses to wed him and he's about to lose his land. With only a few months left, can Joe convince this provoking--but beguiling--easterner to be his bride?

Here's my review:

I always enjoy Deeanne Gist's books. Her inspirational romance is edgy in respect to sexual tension, but I believe that's why readers enjoy her work. She maintains wholesome boundaries on the couples in her stories, but doesn't ignore the fact that humans have a God-designed sexual nature.

I appreciated the setting of her latest novel--Seattle in the late 1800's. In her author letter at the end of the book, she explains she employed a bit of artistic license, but as a reader, I felt the story flowed smoothly and her adjustments of time lines didn't affect the story a bit. In fact, I learned a few things about the region as I read.

This novel is entertaining on many levels: romance, history, humor, setting. Near the end, though, I felt she could have tied up the story earlier than she did. There seemed to be a couple of places where the story would have worked to end it. But her final challenge did seem insurmountable, and in romantic fiction, where you're wondering how these two will get together and each have their dreams come true, that's what you want.

I think readers who appreciate edgy inspirational fiction will enjoy this novel.