Bookish Tuesday | Athens Ambuscade

Introducing Athens Ambuscade by Kristen Joy Wilks

By Iola Goulton, @iolagoulton

I requested Athens Ambuscade for review for two reasons:

1. It obviously featured Athens, Greece, which makes it perfect for a post at International Christian Fiction Writers.
2. I've never heard of "ambuscade" before, so I had to find out what it meant (it's an antiquated term for 'ambush' for those who are interested.

But then I read the book description and wasn't so sure ...

What happens when a strapped-for-cash bridal designer needs a stuffed animal...and fast?Up-and-coming bridal designer, Jacqueline Gianakos must fly a Montana taxidermist to Greece in order to stuff her Grandmother's cat. If Chrysanthemum isn't preserved within two days' time, Jacqueline will lose the home that was her childhood sanctuary. But will she survive the next 48 hours when the taxidermist ignores her pointed request and then shows up wearing flannel?

This sounded a little weird. And perhaps it was. But it worked.

Jacqueline is in Athens dealing with the estate of her recently deceased grandmother. Ya-Ya left what could have been a to-do list in the envelope with her will, and the lawyer decrees that Jacqueline must complete all the tasks on the list before she can inherit the house. This would seem ridiculous and unbelievable, but the writing and the setting makes it seem almost logical.

Anyway, Jacqueline (never Jackie and definitely not Jack) is a lady with Plans. She has emptied the attic, cleaned the gutters, built a tasteful orange tree house (if that's not a contradiction in terms then I don't know what is), and baked a watermelon pie (I have no idea how you bake a pie from a fruit that is basically water).

Now she has to get that nice taxidermist from Montana to stuff her grandmother's dead cat. 

He's arrived in Athens, and they've got two days to stuff the cat and show the lawyer. Shouldn't be difficult ...

Jacqueline and Shane collect the cat from cold storage (it's been dead three years, and Ya-Ya wasn't crazy enough to keep it in her own freezer. Yes, this is a good time for crazy cat lady jokes). Then their troubles begin as thugs in black vans want to steal the cat. Yes, you read that right. It's the "ambuscade" promised in the title.

What follows is a fast-paced cat chase through the streets and sights of Athens, including a visit to the Parthenon, the Gate of Athena, the Monastiraki Flea Market, and the Cave of Aglauros. It's also funny, in a laugh-out-loud kind of way, not a how-stupid-is-this-woman kind of way.

Jacqueline is a little strange (I guess she takes after Ya-Ya).

As I said, Jacqueline is a lady with Plans. She has plans and lists and is perhaps a little over the top. For example, when she arranges to meet Shane, the taxidermist, in an Athenian cafe, she doesn't tell him what she'll be wearing. She tells him the width of her belt, and the three shades of eyeshadow. I try to be organised, but Jacqueline takes planning and organisation to a whole new level.

Athens Ambuscade is a quick read, both because of the fast pace and because it is relatively short. But it packed a lot of punch: lots of great lines:

And:

It also had a strong Christian theme, with Jacqueline learning a definite lesson about the nature of God (a lesson that had nothing to do with kittens or rainbows or fluffy things).

And the location ... Wilks did a great job with the location:

So much color. A swipe of robin's egg blue across the Mediterranean sky, ancient white marble, and the flush of green growth clinging to the mountain. God seemed to create His most glorious splendors in hard to reach places.

Some books are set in exotic locations, but you read them and get the feeling they could have been set anywhere—the setting comes a distant third behind the plot and characters. Athens Ambuscade is different. It almost felt as though the setting were a character, and I loved that—although I am glad my own short visit to Athens wasn't nearly as exciting as Jacqueline and Shane's.

I recommend Athens Ambuscade for those who enjoy romantic comedy from authors such as Kara Isaac, and those looking for a Christian novel equivalent of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Thanks to Pelican Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Iola Goulton

Iola Goulton is a New Zealand book reviewer, freelance editor, and author, writing contemporary Christian romance with a Kiwi twist. She is a member of the Sisterhood of Unpronounceable Names (Iola is pronounced yo-la, not eye-ola and definitely not Lola).

Iola holds a degree in marketing, has a background in human resource consulting, and currently works as a freelance editor. When she’s not working, Iola is usually reading or writing her next book review. Iola lives in the beautiful Bay of Plenty in New Zealand (not far from Hobbiton) with her husband, two teenagers and one cat. She is currently working on her first novel.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

TALKING FOREIGN

By Marion Ueckermann

Some years ago there was a television advert in South Africa for Wimpy’s new range of premium blend coffees. I absolutely love this totally South African ad which begins with a couple (obviously on a first date) sitting on the veranda outside the woman’s home. It’s dark and quiet—all that can be heard are dogs barking in the distance and crickets chirping nearby. Trying to impress her, the young man leans over and says, “Cremoccino.” She gives a coy smile. Realizing he’s on to a good thing, he tries again. “Caffè mocha” (which he pronounces as it’s written, mo-cha, and not as it sounds ... mocca). She gives a soft giggle. Oh yeah, this is working. He glances at his cheat sheet written on a paper Wimpy napkin. “Macchiato.” That really gets the young woman’s head spinning and her heart beating far faster than it should. Her father really needs to burst through that front door and put a stop to the young man’s flirtation. She turns to him and says, “Ag Henry,” (that’s South African for “Oh Henry”) “I love it when you talk foreign.”

I wish I could convey the expressions on these two actors’ faces, but my words wouldn’t do it justice. Do yourself a favor and click on the link to view this great ad.

I recently returned from a 17-day holiday to Scotland with my hubby, my sister and two nieces visiting my brother and his wife. With a final parting snapshot like this, you can just imagine the shenanigans that went on this holiday (that’s me there in the hat, giving the Popeye pose). We had such fun being in a foreign country. Not that it felt foreign—my grandfather was born in Scotland, and I hold a British passport because of that. 

I’ll definitely share about our trip on my next blog—the cities we saw, the castles, the countryside—but in the meantime, here are a few photos...

Eilean Donan Castle (complete with cute piper)...

Cullross...

St. Andrews Cathedral (what’s left of it)...

 the Pineapple House...

 and the breathtaking view over the battlefields of old from the top of the Wallace Monument 

(256 steps up...I climbed them all).

A few days before we were due to leave Scotland, I received an email from Nicola Martinez, Editor-in-Chief of Pelican Ventures Book Group, my publisher. She had great news. My debut novella, Helsinki Sunrise, which is part of the Passport to Romance series, had been picked up by Hermon Forlag, a publisher in Norway. My writing was going foreign!

My first reaction after telling my family the news (screaming was more like it), was to Google Hermon Forlag. I was excited to see they’re publishing some big names in Christian Fiction, have been around since 1983, and publish 70-80 Christian-themed titles a year. Wow!

When I got back to South Africa, I found a press release on Pelican’s website—Passport to Romance™ Goes Global. This is some of what was said in that release:

Pelican Book Group has announced that two Passport to Romance™ novellas have been chosen by Norway-based publisher, Hermon Forlag, to be translated and published in Norwegian. Plans are to release the novellas in both e-book and paperback.

Paperback? I hadn’t expected that. How exciting! But I digress from the press release...

While all Passport to Romance™ stories are wonderful, I wasn’t surprised that “Helsinki Sunrise” and “Copenhagen Cozenage” got picked up,” said Nicola Martinez, Editor-in-Chief for Pelican. “Both are lighthearted, fun reads that appeal to a wide audience…but then again, so are all the PTR books! I'm hopeful the translations will be well-received and that more Passport to Romance™ titles will be released in multiple languages.

This was such an unexpected blessing from God, and I’m excited about the prospect of having my work published in another language. May this be the first of many.

I’d like to end this blog with one final word to readers—”I hope you’ll love it when I talk foreign.” (Oh, and just for the record, for those who did take a peek at the ad, I do not talk like Henry’s date. Not in the slightest.)

MARION UECKERMANN’s passion for writing was sparked when she moved to Ireland with her family. Her love of travel has influenced her contemporary inspirational romances set in novel places. Marion and her husband again live in South Africa, but with two gorgeous grandsons hanging their hats at the house next door, their empty nest’s no longer so empty.

Visit Marion at her website www.marionueckermann.net or her Amazon author page.

Three sleeps till this book arrives!

Today's slot was meant to be Marion Ueckermann's. For a number of reasons, we traded places and I'm delighted to be able spotlight her latest offering in her absence. Marion is a hard-working writer who churns out words regardless of what life throws at her. She is supportive and helpful and a joy to be friends with.

I'm excited to bring you a sneak peak of a new release from Pelican's White Rose / Passport to Travel series. It is hovering in the wings, waiting to take centrestage on Friday, the 14th of August. I loved her previous Pelican release, Helsinki Sunrise, and am looking forward to reading this one. Marion creates characters who are full of spunk, humour and charm.

Oslo Overtures - The Blurb

“If women were meant to fly, the skies would be pink.” 

Those were the first words Anjelica Joergensen heard from renowned wingsuiter, Kyle Sheppard, when they joined an international team in Oslo to break the formation flying Guinness World Record. This wouldn’t be the last blunder Kyle would make around the beautiful Norwegian.

The more Anjelica tries to avoid Kyle, the more the universe pushes them together. Despite their awkward start, she finds herself reluctantly attracted to the handsome New Zealander. But beneath his saintly exterior, is Kyle just a daredevil looking for the next big thrill? 

Falling for another wingsuiter would only be another love doomed.

When a childhood sweetheart comes between them, Kyle makes a foolish agreement which jeopardizes the event and endangers his life, forcing Angelica to make a hard choice.

Is she the one who’ll clip his wings?

Can he be the wind beneath hers?

You can find Marion and all her other published works at www.marionueckermann.com or her Amazon author page.

Marion - we are praying for you and yours at this time. May His peace be around you like a soft warm blanket, and may the Holy Spirit comfort you in the way that only He can.

Vegas Vacation (& eBook Giveaway)

Lies and deceit, murder and mayhem…what else can you expect in Sin City?

Former protective services officer, Sgt. Martin Ames, is five weeks short of medical retirement from the Vegas PD when he lands one last case: spoiled English heiress, Lady Tamlyn Bradshaw, whose bodyguard is hospitalized with suspected food poisoning.

Tamlyn is on holiday, her first without her father and his ever present bodyguards. She wants to have fun, not spend the time stuck in a hotel room with a disabled cop, even if he is tall, dark and disturbingly handsome.

When food poisoning becomes murder, passions and tempers flare as Martin attempts to keep Tamlyn safe from the assailant who gains everything on her death.


Clare Revell, it’s my pleasure to welcome you to International Christian Fiction Writers today.

CLARE: Thank you. It’s lovely to be here on yet another side of a different pond :)

Please tell us how long you’ve been writing.

CLARE: Since I was five. I used to rewrite fairy stories – usually Red Riding Hood, so my penchant with real villains began a long time ago. Then I turned to fanfic, Blake’s Seven, Star Trek, Stargate SG1. Then I added my own characters to those stories and from there launched into my own plots.

You have an amazing publishing career with Pelican Book Group. How many books have you published with them?

CLARE: My first book was published in 2010. Since then I have 20 published with another 18 contracted and 3 with them in hope (wow… I hadn’t actually added them up until now…)

That is a huge accomplishment! Well done!

Now, you’ve been known to work on more than one manuscript at a time. How do you manage that and not get your characters muddled?

CLARE: I cast each book and print off a photo of hero and heroine. So it’s really like watching several different TV shows and not getting them muddled up. EG Eastenders, The Bill, Casualty, Star Trek. 

Earlier this year, you published the final book in a seven book series of the Monday to Sunday’s Child offering readers a romantic suspense for every day of the week. Currently you’re writing on a twelve book contract for 2015. You are one ‘series’ of a lady :)

Please tell us a briefly about these series, and any others you are working on.

CLARE: The Monday’s Child series is summed up in the poem I wrote, with help. Each line is the tag line for that particular book. They cover witness protection, serial killers, and several exciting rescues with the RNLI. The latter I had a blast researching. Saturday’s Child is based on real life events and was incredibly difficult to write.

Monday’s Child must hide for protection,

Tuesday’s Child tenders direction

Wednesday’s Child grieves for his soul

Thursday’s Child chases the whole

Friday's Child is a man obsessed

Saturday’s Child might be possessed

And Sunday’s Child on life’s seas is tossed

Awaiting the Lifeboat that rescues the lost.

The new series also has a poem that sums up each one:

Carnations in January shake the foundations

Violets in February are an aid to salvation

Daffodils in March bring betrayal and loss

Sweet peas in April consume all the dross

Lily of the Valley in May brings danger untold

Roses in June show hope in a heart filled with gold

Water lilies in July a town will submerge

Gladioli in August love from the ash will emerge

Forget-me-nots in September are on the front line of fear

Marigolds in October will test her career 

Chrysanthemums in November show the burden of choice

Holly in December lets a broken family rejoice

These I’m having fun with. Not all villains are men with guns as my tsunami and erupting volcano show. Nicola did an amazing job with the covers – and used my cast list to perfection.

It all sounds very exciting and a lot of hard work. But there’s another series from Pelican Book Group that has me, and readers, excited—that’s the Passport to Romance series released earlier this year from White Rose Publishing, a Pelican Book Group imprint. Your book, Vegas Vacation, releases tomorrow. Having just released Helsinki Sunrise myself, I know how excited you must be.

What inspired Martin and Tamlyn’s story and the location of Las Vegas?

CLARE: My visit to Vegas to stay with a friend in 2005 had a lot to do with it. We did the trip around the Vegas monopoly board that Tamlyn wants to do. We went to Mount Charleston, the Bellagio. It’s an amazing city. It just got me thinking it’d be fun to base a story there and this was the result. It sat on my hard drive for several years after completion and was rewritten several times. I told Lisa, my editor, about a sword fighting scene I’d written set in Vegas and sent it to her. She suggested a passport to romance submission but there wasn’t a prompt for it. She gave me three prompts – funnily enough all in the book anyway. That sword fight ended up being edited out but it’s been saved for another story.

Before we say goodbye, do you have any plans to take your readers to more exotic locations with Passport to Romance?

CLARE: I submitted one set in Wales back in August, so we’ll just have to see what happens.

Clare, thank you so much for being my guest today. It has been really interesting getting to know more about you and your new release.


Vegas Vacation can be purchased from tomorrow at Pelican Book Group (half price release day special), Amazon, Christianbook.com, and Barnes & Noble.

View the Passport to Romance Book Trailer.

For one lucky reader, Clare is giving away a copy of Vegas Vacation (in eBook format only). All you have to do to be eligible for the draw is leave a comment with your email address before October 24. Winners will be announced in the Sunday Edition of October 26.

And just to tempt you to purchase Vegas Vacation, here’s a small extract:

“Martin, you’re the only person in the department with the security clearances and the experience to do this.”

“I haven’t worked protective services for over three years and for good reason. I’m five weeks from early retirement, and I don’t want to spend them running around after a spoiled heiress.”

“Did I ask what you wanted? This woman’s father is royalty and I just got off the phone with him—”

Tamlyn cringed in her seat, her cheeks burning. This was a bad idea. She’d go back to the hotel and trust God to protect her. No one knew who she was; she was just one more tourist in a city of thousands.

The angry voice continued its tirade in the office. “Royalty? In that case, I’m sure she can afford a replacement bodyguard. Even better…ask the British Embassy to provide one. My days of babysitting people are over.”

“Unless you want to be fired five weeks before your retirement date, your assignment for the next three weeks is to be Lady Bradshaw’s bodyguard. There’s the door. She’s by your desk waiting for you.”

The door flung open, and Tamlyn glanced down. She focused her gaze on her fingernails. Maybe she could just pretend she hadn’t heard.

Heavy steps crossed the room as muted conversations started up again. They stopped by the desk. “Lady Bradshaw, I presume?”

She looked up into the most intense, glittering pair of blue eyes she’d ever seen. His hair was pulled back in a long black ponytail, and he leaned on a cane. They had to be kidding. A disabled cop? His navy blue shirt and tie at least gave an appearance of professionalism. Although the gun holster on his shoulder made her shiver.

She stood, grateful he couldn’t read her mind, because she was already regretting that first thought about his gorgeous eyes. She held out a hand. “I am. You must be Sgt. Ames.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Clare writes inspirational romance, usually of a suspenseful nature. Her books are available through her publisher Pelican Book Group and Amazon. She is married with three kids and lives in the UK. She loves watching sci-fi, crime drama, cross stitching, reading and baking.




Connect with Clare:
Website
Blog

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Marion Ueckermann’s passion for writing was sparked in 2001 when she moved to Ireland with her husband and two sons. Since then she has published devotional articles and stories in Winners, The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter (Tyndale House Publishers), Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miraculous Messages from Heaven, and her debut novelette, Helsinki Sunrise (White Rose Publishing, a Pelican Book Group imprint, Passport to Romance series). Her second Passport to Romance, Oslo Overtures, will be published in 2015.

Marion blogs for International Christian Fiction Writers and Beauty for Ashes. She belongs to Christian Writers of South Africa and American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in Pretoria East, South Africa in an empty nest with her husband and their crazy black Scottie, Wally.

Connect with Marion Ueckermann:

Website / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

Blogs: A Pebble in my Pocket / Foreign Affaire

Watch the Helsinki Sunrise book trailer on YouTube

* Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

Permission to use images obtained.

HELSINKI SUNRISE BOOK REVIEW

by Ruth Dell

Helsinki Sunrise, a Passport to Romance, blog tour follows on from yesterday’s author interview with Marion Ueckermann here at International Christian Fiction Writers. Today I’ll be reviewing Helsinki Sunrise.

Marion Ueckermann has skilfully combined the ingredients in her debut novella, Helsinki Sunrise, to create a light-hearted, yet deeply satisfying, inspirational romance.

Eveliina needs a break from her demanding job and boss/boyfriend, so she withdraws to her grandparents' secluded island cottage to enjoy nature and a time of solitude. She is cheesed off when she finds a man in her sauna. The man in question is Adam, a missionary from Africa, who is staying at the cottage for several weeks at the request of Eveliina's brother. He's there to fast and pray before starting a new mission in Finland. Both are determined to stay on the island, and Adam finds himself in a real pickle as Eveliina uses her culinary skills and feminine wiles to tempt him to break his fast and leave the cottage.

Eveliina is a spunky heroine who wants nothing to do with God, while Adam is a devout man of God. This combination of characters makes for some interesting situations as the plot thickens. I read quickly and with great enjoyment to see who would be the victor and remain on the island.

Finland, the land of the midnight sun and summer blueberries, makes an unusual setting. Ms Ueckermann uses her experience of staying in a Finnish holiday cottage to bring the landscape to life. She certainly whet my appetite to visit Finland if I ever get the opportunity.

I recommend this book highly and look forward to reading Ms Ueckermann's next book which is set in Oslo, Norway.

Thank you to the author for providing a digital copy of Helsinki Sunrise. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed above are my own.

He needed the island to himself. So did she.

Three weeks alone at a friend’s summer cottage on a Finnish lake to fast and pray. That was Adam Carter's plan. But sometimes plans go awry.

On an impromptu trip to her family's secluded summer cottage, the last thing EveliinaMikkola expected to find was a missionary from the other side of the world—in her sauna.

Determined to stay, Eveliina will do whatever it takes—from shortcrust pastry to shorts—to send the man of God packing. This island’s too small for them both.

Adam Carter, however, is not about to leave.

Will he be able to resist her temptations?

Can she withstand his prayers?

Marion has once again kindly offered to give away an e-Copy* of Helsinki Sunrise. To enter the draw for her book, please leave a comment before September 19th telling us which country you would like Marion to use for a setting in her next novel. Please include your email address to be eligible for the draw. The winner will be announced on the blog on September 21st.International readers are welcome to enter.

Be sure to follow this blog tomorrow at Inspirational Romance with Rita Galieh where Marion will share some slices of romance.

Numerous eBooks of Helsinki Sunrise will be given away on the blog tour, so take a journey to each of the stops and leave a comment. Don’t forget to include your email address.

Helsinki Sunrise is available to purchase from Pelican Book Group,Christianbook.com, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Watch the Helsinki Sunrise book trailer on YouTube.

Watch the Passport to Romance book trailer on YouTube.

Marion Ueckermann’s passion for writing was sparked in 2001 when she moved to Ireland with her husband and two sons. Since then she has published devotional articles and stories in Winners, The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter (Tyndale House Publishers), and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miraculous Messages from Heaven, and her debut novelette, Helsinki Sunrise (White Rose Publishing, a Pelican Book Group imprint, Passport to Romance series).

Marion blogs for International Christian Fiction Writers and Beauty for Ashes. She belongs to Christian Writers of South Africa and American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in Pretoria East, South Africa in an empty nest with her husband and their crazy black Scottie, Wally.

Connect with Marion Ueckermann:

Website / Amazon/Facebook/ Twitter/Pinterest

Blogs: A Pebble in my Pocket / Foreign Affaire

* Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

Permission to use images obtained.

PACK YOUR E-BAGS, WE’RE GOING TRAVELLING (Book Giveaway)

by Marion Ueckermann

I’m so excited! Helsinki Sunrise, a Passport to Romance, blog tour is finally here…officially. Nearly a month of hopping from blog to blog, country to country lies ahead. I’d love you to join me on this journey from one side of the world to the other–it’s going to be awesome. Yes, we’ll probably be cyber-lagged by the end, but it will be worth it, I promise.

Why not pack your eBags, and let’s clock up some cyber-miles together. But, in the bustle of our travels, don’t forget to visit Pelican Book Group on August 22nd and purchase an eCopy of Helsinki Sunrise—you’ll need a good book to read as you travel, and you’ll get it at half-price on that day. I guarantee you’ll love spending time in that special corner of Finland on Lake Sahajärvi at the Mikkola’s summer cottage.

Join the blog tour each day at the following links (remember to visit the stops that have already happened.) All blogs are hyperlinked to make your journey comfortable and easy.

The beauty of cyber travel means you don’t have to miss any stop and as a travel temptation, I’ve included a few highlights on this travel itinerary. 

May 19:  

Canada — No Wrong Turn and Book Promo @ Christine Lindsay

Please search under the label, Homeless. In writing Helsinki Sunrise, there’ve been no wrong turns. As I look back over my years of writing, I can see how God has guided me to this moment, this special debut novelette.

August 4:  

South Africa — Book and Author of August @ Foreign Affaire

This story will draw you into the scenery and the characters as well as the plot. For me, it was a one-sitting read. I couldn't put it down. I loved the look at Finland, a place I will probably never get to visit in any other way. But it feels like I've already been there.

August 11:  

South Africa — Suomi Sauna @ Foreign Affaire

Timo Nakari, Managing Director of Suomi Sauna Kft. in Gyorujbarat, Hungary, kindly shared his childhood memories of their family saunas in Finland.

August 14: 

South Africa — Pack Your Bags, We’re Going Travelling @ International Christian Fiction Writers

Oh, that’s us, today, right now, right here…read on!

August 15:  

Australia — Friday Weekend Escape to South Africa @ NarelleAtkins

It was difficult to choose a specific place to showcase in South Africa on this travel blog, so I decided on a quick overview of the places most significant to me—the beautiful and the ugly.

August 16:  

Hungary — Re-cover @ Re-Birth

On this blog stop we’ll look at some interesting facts about the cover of this fun romance novelette.

August 18:  Today we have a double feature...

South Africa — Meet Adam and Eve ~ Part 1 @ Foreign Affaire

Adam, what's your favorite saying? 
The best things in life are unseen, that's why we close our eyes when we kiss, cry, and dream.
Get a little more insight into our hero by visiting this blog.

August 18: 

Zambia — Meet Marion with Aldyth Thomson @ Beauty forAshes

Your school friends used to call you John Wayne. Please tell us why.

August 19:  

South Africa — Helsinki Sunrise Interview and Giveaway @ Shirley Corder

I love travel. I love foreign countries and cultures. I love the feeling of being in love. With the Passport to Romance books, I can give my readers a taste of all three from the comfort of their armchairs.

August 20:  

Zambia — Book Review with Aldyth Thomson @ Beauty for Ashes 

  

I have never read a love story where the main character is fasting and praying of all things, and yet Marion Ueckermann skillfully turns what could be dry and boring into a modern day Taming of the Shrew with a Christian twist.

August 21:  Our second double feature day…

South Africa — Meet Adam and Eve ~ Part 2 @ Foreign Affaire

Eveliina, what's your favorite saying? 
Not all scars show. Not ll wounds heal. Sometimes you can't see the pain someone feels.
Get a little more insight into our heroine by visiting this blog.

August 21: 

USA — Falling in Love in the Helsinki Sunrise, A Critiquers Journey and Book Review @ Diane Tatum

What do you get when you cross a devout (hot!) missionary fasting before going on the mission field, a bitter missionary kid whose parents died in their service to God, and a small island with one house and sauna?

August 22:  RELEASE DAY!!!

UK — Heroine Interview and Book Review with fellow Passport to Romance author, Clare Revel

What fun I had having my heroine, Eveliina Mikkola, interviewed.

August 23:  

USA — Blurb and Excerpt @ The Barn Door Book Loft

Stop by The Barn Door Book Loft to read the full opening scene.

August 24:  

USA — Author Interview @ The Barn Door Book Loft

Want to know the quirkiest thing I’ve ever done? Or my strangest habit? You’ll find out on this author interview.

August 25:  The third double feature day…

South Africa — Meet Marion @ Foreign Affaire

Interviewing myself...this should be interesting.

August 25: 

USA — Location, Location, Location and Book Review @ Johnnie Alexander Donley

Want to know why I chose to write a book set in Finland? Hop on over and decide for yourself whether I’m half Finnish now.

August 26:  

USA — Hero Interview and Book Review @ Heidi McCahan

I enjoyed having my heroine interviewed so much that I had to afford my hero the same opportunity.

August 27:  

South Africa — Author Interview with Ruth Dell @ International Christian Fiction Writers

I want my readers to not only feel like they are falling in love all over again, but also to know that God will pursue the lost sheep relentlessly to bring them back home.

August 28:  

South Africa — Book Review with Ruth Dell @ International Christian Fiction Writers

August 29:  

Australia — Slices of Romance @ Inspirational Romance

Two small slices of romance from different scenes in Helsinki Sunrise to tempt you.

August 30:  

South Africa — Bear Necessities @ Marion Ueckermann

How many ways can you eat liquorice? The Finns believe in as many ways as possible.

September 1: 

USA — Hero Review and Book Review with Nancy Kimball on FictionHero Features

I am looking forward to this blog where Adam Carter, the hero, will be scored under the following aspects of his character:

•           Gallant Score

•           Wounded Score

•           Softie Score

•           Stupid Strike

•           Swoon Score

September 2:  

Hungary — Sweet Temptations @ Go Hungry Go Home

On this blog we take a closer look at “Operation Missionary Elimination.” Poor Adam!

     Was a little fruit all it took to turn God's finest creation to apple crumble? Had the way to a man's heart been through his stomach since the beginning of time?

     But she wasn't interested in Adam's heart—she wanted her space.

September 3: 

Canada — A Book Review with a Difference @ Marcia Lee Laylock

Today’s book review has been compiled from comments made by my critiquers as they journeyed with me—reading, giving feedback, advice, suggestions and praise—to ensure the Helsinki Sunrise manuscript was publication-worthy.

September 4: 

USA — “How to Keep Your Readers Turning the Page” @ Zoe M. McCarthy

Applying this method turned critiquers' comments from "...this is where I'd stop reading," to "...as a reader I loved the conflict which works because often I was tired and needed to go to bed but I had to see the next sub to know what happened."

September 5:  Our last double feature day…

Australia — Friday Weekend Escape to Finland @ Narelle Atkins

My second travel style blog. This time we visit the location of Helsinki Sunrise… Finland.

September 5: 

Australia — A Finnish Wedding @ Inspirational Romance

When asked to focus this blog on the romance side of Helsinki Sunrise, I chose to write this blog based on my son’s Finnish wedding to avoid spoiling anything for the readers. And what could be more romantic than a wedding?

September 6: 

USA — Stop and Smell (or taste) the Finnish Flowers @ Pamela Thibodeaux  

In a country that consists mainly of forests and water, you might be tempted to ask, “What Finnish flowers?” Why don’t you stop by this blog and see for yourself?

September 8: 

Australia — Final Author Interview @ Paula Vince

I dreaded the final empty nest, but when it came, much as I love my two boys, I found it strangely enjoyable. Does that make me a bad mother?

October 3: 

Facebook Party — Meet the Pelican Book Group Authors. 

I’ll be one of the four featured authors. Come and join us. It’s great fun, and there are giveaways.

I hope you’re as excited about this itinerary as I am and ready to join me on this blog tour. Come and enjoy a Helsinki Sunrise in the northern wonderland of Finland.

He needed the island to himself. So did she.

Three weeks alone at a friend’s summer cottage on a Finnish lake to fast and pray. That was Adam Carter's plan. But sometimes plans go awry.

On an impromptu trip to her family's secluded summer cottage, the last thing Eveliina Mikkola expected to find was a missionary from the other side of the world—in her sauna.

Determined to stay, Eveliina will do whatever it takes—from shortcrust pastry to shorts—to send the man of God packing. This island’s too small for them both.

Adam Carter, however, is not about to leave.

Will he be able to resist her temptations?

Can she withstand his prayers?

There will be an eBook of Helsinki Sunrise up for grabs today. To be entered into the draw, please leave a comment with your email address before September 19th.*

Numerous eBooks of Helsinki Sunrise will be given away on the blog tour, so journey to each of the stops and leave a comment. Don’t forget to include your email address.

Helsinki Sunrise is available to purchase from Pelican Book Group, Christianbook.com, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Watch the Helsinki Sunrise book trailer on YouTube.

Watch the Passport to Romance book trailer on YouTube.

Marion Ueckermann’s passion for writing was sparked in 2001 when she moved to Ireland with her husband and two sons. Since then she has published devotional articles and stories in Winners, The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter (Tyndale House Publishers), and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miraculous Messages from Heaven. Her debut novelette, Helsinki Sunrise, releases August 22, 2014 by White Rose Publishing, a Pelican Book Group imprint, Passport to Romance series.

Marion blogs for International Christian Fiction Writers and Beauty for Ashes. She belongs to Christian Writers of South Africa and American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in Pretoria East, South Africa in an empty nest with her husband and their crazy black Scottie, Wally.

Connect with Marion Ueckermann: Website / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

Blogs: A Pebble in my Pocket / Foreign Affaire

* Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

Permission to use images obtained.