CFBA Blog Tour--A Duke's Promise by Jamie Carie

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Duke's Promise B&H Books (September 1, 2012) by Jamie Carie

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

As Jamie’s relationship with God grew, she discovered her heart was filled with songs and poetry. During high school she wrote lyrics for her brother’s band. (And she sang them too!) After college, Jamie married, had two sons and decided to stay home with them. While she homeschooled she wrote skits, poems, plays and short stories for school and church.
When her eldest son turned five she dove into the world of novels. She’d read romance novels for years, but couldn’t relate to the flawless, saintly heroines in Christian romance novels. So she decided to write her own.

Snow Angel was born on a frosty night in an old farmhouse in Fishers, Indiana, where the cold floor gave plenty of motivation for the snow scene. Jamie loves to write late at night when the house is quiet and the darkness seems alive. Elizabeth and Noah had been playacting in her head for a long time, so the story went fast.
Ten years later Snow Angel was published and won the ForeWord magazine Romance Book of the Year winner, was a National “Best Books 2007” Awards winner, and a 2008 RITA Awards® Best First Book finalist. It was the beginning of her dream career.

Jamie and her husband Tony have been married for twenty-one years and live in Indianapolis with their three sons and a giant of a dog named Leo.

If she could only say one thing to her readers it would be, “Live the dreams God has destined you for!”

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the Land of Fire and Ice back to England’s shores, Alexandria Featherstone finds herself the new Duchess of St. Easton. Her husband has promised a wedding trip to take them to the place where her imperiled parents were last seen -- Italy and the marble caves of Carrara -- but a powerful Italian duke plots against Alex and her treasure-hunting parents.

Hoping to save them, Alex and Gabriel travel to Italy by balloon. Fraught with danger on all sides and pressured by Gabriel’s affliction to the breaking point, they must learn to work and fight together. The mysterious key is within their grasp, but they have yet to recognize it. This journey will require steadfast faith in God and each other -- a risk that will win them everything they want or lose them everything they have.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Duke's Promise, go HERE.

Jamie can be reached through the Contact link on her Website

The Forgiven Duke Blog Tour--Review & Giveaway!

		There is a GIVEAWAY for a signed paperback copy of the Guardian Duke and The Forgiven Duke (Forgotten Castles #1 & #2) to one winner!  Be sure to enter!  Scroll to the bottom to find out more!
		The Book: (description from Goodreads) Tethered by her impulsive promise to marry Lord John Lemon - the path of least resistance - Alexandria Featherstone sets off toward Iceland in search of her parents with a leaden heart. A glimpse of her guardian, the Duke of St. Easton - the path less traveled by - on Dublin’s shore still haunts her. Will he come after her? Will he drag her back to London, quelling her mission to rescue her treasure-seeking parents, or might he decide to throw caution to the wind and choose Foy Pour Devoir: “Faith for Duty,” the St. Easton motto. The Featherstone motto Valens et Volens: “Willing and Able,” beats in her heart and thrums through her veins. She will find her parents and find their love, no matter the cost. The powerful yet wing-clipped Duke of St. Easton has never known the challenge that has become his life since hearing his ward’s name. Alexandria Featherstone will be the life or the death of him. Only time and God’s plan will reveal just how much this man can endure for the prize of love. Book Links: Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/The-Forgiven-Duke-Forgotten-Castles/dp/1433673231/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339645357&sr=1-1&keywords=the+forgiven+duke Barnes and Nobles:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-forgiven-duke-jamie-carie/1111346261?ean=9781433673238 Book Depository:http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Forgiven-Duke-Jamie-Carie/9781433673238 Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12934289-the-forgiven-duke

The Author: Jamie Carie writes novels about fierce, passionate women; their dreams; their fears; their triumphs. Her deepest desire is to see her readers find that same passion as they follow their destiny and discover deeper intimacy with Jesus.  She lives in Indianapolis with her husband and three sons. Jamie Carie Website: www.jamiecarie.com Blog: http://jamiecarie.com/blog Facebook: http:www.facebook.com/jamie.carie?ref=profile Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/jamiecarie It's here!  The official Facebook page for The Forgotten Castles series: facebook.com/ForgottenCastles The Guardian Duke – February 2012 See the making of the cover and trailer  here! The Forgiven Duke – Book 2 in The Forgotten Castles series - July 2012

The Review:

Jamie Carie has done it again! She has produced quite a masterpiece in The Forgiven Duke, the second installment in her “Forgotten Castles” series. I was so impressed by the first book in the series, The Guardian Duke, that I was a little worried the sequel might disappoint. Although the two books are different in some ways, they are both just as good and equally deserving of the five stars I have given them.

In the first book, The Guardian Duke, Gabriel, the Duke of St. Easton, has been trying to catch his ward, Alexandria Featherstone, in a chase across England and Ireland, but to no avail. Alexandria (Alex) has been trying to locate her parents who are high-profile treasure hunters. At the end, Alex is sailing off on a ship to Iceland as the Duke is on shore watching her leave. They lock eyes for an intense moment over the distance that separates them—and speak to each other in the way only soul mates can. Gabriel has just decided that if he reaches Alex in time, he will abandon the Regent’s wishes to bring Alex back to England and help her in her quest to find her parents. He will choose faith over duty (his family motto is “Faith for Duty”). He knows he loves her and will do whatever it takes.

The Forgiven Duke begins where The Guardian Duke leaves off. The year is 1818. Alex is now aboard the ship with her fiance, John Lemon. Alex realizes she may have made a mistake in trying to escape her guardian, and prays that he will come. She needs him. Alex feels her life has gotten off track. John seems too eager to marry her. She wonders what his real motivations are. In the midst of all this, Alex must be on constant alert for the dangerous men who have been following her since the beginning of her search for her parents. She must also consider if she can trust those who are supposedly her allies.

The Duke follows Alex to Iceland, the last place where “the manuscript” was heard to be. This is what Alex’s parents are searching for. Gabriel travels to the Black Castles of Iceland, huge black pillars from volcanic lava that look like castles. This path is fraught with dangers. Gabriel is deterred again and again. Will he ever make it to Alex in time? Why is the manuscript so valuable? 
 

Alex and Gabriel do finally meet, and the meeting is so tender and worth the wait! Then a tragedy occurs. Will Alex and the Duke let the tragedy separate them just when they were finally brought together?

I adored this book. It was different from its predecessor in many ways, as I stated before, because it seemed to have a more intense feel to it. The Guardian Duke was a more light-hearted romp, with fun, lovable characters. The Forgiven Duke deals with much weightier subjects. The scenery here, instead of being the verdant Ireland, is the dark, dangerous paths of Iceland.

As I state in my previous review of The Guardian Duke, both are written to have an air of poetry about them. Jamie Carie writes in a way that is lyrical and mesmerizing. The Forgiven Duke uses amazing and wonderfully descriptive language. The land of Iceland feels almost otherworldly. She describes a beautiful land with fire, ice, snow, crevasses, boiling mud pits, volcanoes, and mists.

It was inspiring to watch the journey of faith that Gabriel and Alex’s characters take. Gabriel prays a lot more in this book. He used to love listening to music, but now he uses music to worship God. God fills the hole in him that music used to fill. While reading I began examining myself for different areas where I might be going to things other than God to satisfy my needs. It is a good reality check for all of us. The Duke must come to the end of himself and ask for God’s will in everything. That is a hard place to be, but a good one, because that is really when God can start to use us. 

Alex realizes she is trying to control things by attempting to find her parents her own way and not submitting to the Duke. She now comprehends how much havoc and suffering this has caused to others. I can relate to Alex as I constantly have to give up my own issues of control to God.

I love the storyline of this series because it is fresh, exiting and will whisk you off to new places!

I give this book five stars out of five. It is a clean read. It is Christian fiction.

Click here to go check out all the other sites on the tour!  Thank you so much to Bookshelf Confessions for sponsoring this tour!

I want to thank NetGalley, Jamie Carie and the B&H Publishing Group for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255. 

There is a GIVEAWAY for a signed paperback copy of the Guardian Duke and The Forgiven Duke (Forgotten Castles # 1, #2) to one winner! Be sure to enter. Scroll to the bottom to find out more. US/CAN only.  Follow the Rafflecopter on how to enter.    

           

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Forgiven Duke Review--A Riveting Read!

Title:		The Forgiven Duke
SubTitle:		A Forgotten Castles Novel
Publisher:		B&H Publishing Group
Pub Date:		July 01, 2012
ISBN:		9781433673238

Author:

Jamie Carie

Category:

FICTION - ADULT: Other: Christian

               Jamie Carie has done it again!  She has produced quite a masterpiece in The Forgiven Duke, the second installment in her “Forgotten Castles” series.  I was so impressed by the first book in the series, The Guardian Duke, that I was a little worried the sequel might disappoint.  Although the two books are different in some ways, they are both just as good and equally deserving of the five stars I have given them.

            In the first book, The Guardian Duke, Gabriel, the Duke of St. Easton, has been trying to catch his ward, Alexandria Featherstone, in a chase across England and Ireland, but to no avail.  Alexandria (Alex) has been trying to locate her parents who are high-profile treasure hunters.  At the end, Alex is sailing off on a ship to Iceland as the Duke is on shore watching her leave.  They lock eyes for an intense moment over the distance that separates them—and speak to each other in the way only soul mates can.  Gabriel has just decided that if he reaches Alex in time, he will abandon the Regent’s wishes to bring Alex back to England and help her in her quest to find her parents.  He will choose faith over duty (his family motto is “Faith for Duty”).  He knows he loves her and will do whatever it takes.

            The Forgiven Duke begins where The Guardian Duke leaves off.  The year is 1818.  Alex is now aboard the ship with her fiancé, John Lemon.  Alex realizes she may have made a mistake in trying to escape her guardian, and prays that he will come.  She needs him.  Alex feels her life has gotten off track.  John seems too eager to marry her.  She wonders what his real motivations are.  In the midst of all this, Alex must be on constant alert for the dangerous men who have been following her since the beginning of her search for her parents.  She must also consider if she can trust those who are supposedly her allies.

            The Duke follows Alex to Iceland, the last place where “the manuscript” was heard to be.  This is what Alex’s parents are searching for.  Gabriel travels to the Black Castles of Iceland, huge black pillars from volcanic lava that look like castles.  This path is fraught with dangers.  Gabriel is deterred again and again.  Will he ever make it to Alex in time?  Why is the manuscript so valuable?  

            Alex and Gabriel do finally meet, and the meeting is so tender and worth the wait!  Then a tragedy occurs.  Will Alex and the Duke let the tragedy separate them just when they were finally brought together?

            I adored this book. It was different from its predecessor in many ways, as I stated before, because it seemed to have a more intense feel to it.  The Guardian Duke was a more light-hearted romp, with fun, lovable characters.  The Forgiven Duke deals with much weightier subjects.  The scenery here, instead of being the verdant Ireland, is the dark, dangerous paths of Iceland. 

            As I state in my previous review of The Guardian Duke, both are written to have an air of poetry about them.  Jamie Carie writes in a way that is lyrical and mesmerizing.  The Forgiven Duke uses amazing and wonderfully descriptive language.  The land of Iceland feels almost otherworldly.  She describes a beautiful land with fire, ice, snow, crevasses, boiling mud pits, volcanoes, and mists. 

            It was inspiring to watch the journey of faith that Gabriel and Alex’s characters take.  Gabriel prays a lot more in this book.  He used to love listening to music, but now he uses music to worship God.  God fills the hole in him that music used to fill.  While reading I began examining myself for different areas where I might be going to things other than God to satisfy my needs.  It is a good reality check for all of us.  The Duke must come to the end of himself and ask for God’s will in everything.  That is a hard place to be, but a good one, because that is really when God can start to use us. 

Alex realizes she is trying to control things by attempting to find her parents her own way and not submitting to the Duke.  She now comprehends how much havoc and suffering this has caused to others.  I can relate to Alex as I constantly have to give up my own issues of control to God.

            I love the storyline of this series because it is fresh, exiting and will whisk you off to new places!

I give this book five stars out of five.  It is a clean read.  It is Christian fiction.

I want to thank NetGalley, Jamie Carie and the B&H Publishing Group for the complimentary copy of this book for review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I express in this review are my own.  This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.                  

Perfect for Saint Patty's Day!--"The Guardian Duke" Review

WOW!  That's what I said when I finished The Guardian Duke by Jamie Carie.  I probably would have said it all throughout the book as well, but I was too caught up in the spine-tingling exploits to think about it.  I'm thrilled to share this amazing book with you.  So snuggle up in your coziest chair, grab a cup of your favorite warm drink, and let's journey together with our hero and heroine to far off lands sure to be full of exciting adventures! 

The Guardian Duke by Jamie Carie is the first book in the Forgotten Castles series.  The year is 1818.  Our heroine is Alexandria Featherstone who has the "heart of an adventuress and the imagination of a storyteller" (307).  She lives on a beautiful, windswept island called Holy Island in Northumberland, England.  There she dwells in a dilapidated castle, tending sheep, solving mysteries for the locals, and seeking adventures.  But she constantly worries about her parents who have been missing for a little less than a year.  They are famous treasure hunters, but they have been gone longer than normal this time.  Others think them dead, but Alex will not give up hope! 

                                         

Next meet our hero, Gabriel, the Duke of St. Easton.  His life is at the forefront of society, among the bustle and pretensions of the London upper class.  He enjoys listening to music above all else.  Music is what fills his soul.  Then the unthinkable occurs--he starts to have some kind of affliction with his hearing.  He can no longer hear, or listen to music!  His whole life is turned upside down.  The same day his hearing is taken, he gets a note from the prince regent that he is a distant relation to Alexandria, her parents are presumed dead, and he is now her guardian. 

There is one problem.  This is the fact that Alexandria refuses to come to him, claiming she must instead go in search of her missing parents.  Due to the sudden onset of his affliction, Gabriel is unable to go after Alex right away.  Instead they begin a discourse of letters back and forth.  Sparks fly as letters are exchanged.   Finally the Duke determines that he must go after Alex himself.  Thus begins an exciting chase across the amazing landscapes of England and Ireland!  Will the Duke find Alex in time before more dangerous enemies catch her?  Will Alex find her parents and the love she is seeking from them?  Will the Duke choose faith over duty and help Alex find her parents?

My Review:  I was immediately drawn to this book due to the fact that it includes castles, England, and the Regency period.  It more than lived up to my expectations!!!  I thought that the main character, Alexandria Featherstone, was such a wonderful character and I fell in love with her just like all of the other characters in the book fall for her.  Her name, alone, is brilliant!  I agree with Gabriel, the Duke, when he thinks to himself regarding her name, "'Alexandria.'  Alexandria Featherstone.  The name comforted him somehow, brought to mind a fairy creature from a world too brightly colored to ever be sad" (22)  Alexandria's character is unique and spunky.  It is an inspiring character.  I love how she makes people like her and inspires such fierce loyalty in others. 

The way the Duke's struggle with going deaf is portrayed made me really feel what he was going through and think about what that must be like for him.  Jamie Carie describes his affliction in such detail, including what he feels, experiences, and undergos emotionally.  I truly sympathized with him. 

Both the hero and heroione have their own issues of control that they are facing and their own battles.  I could relate as I am constantly having to give up my own control issues to God.  Along with the journey and Gabriel's condition also comes an increase of feelings that he has not known before and a awareness of being alive.

I also enjoyed the supporting cast of characters.  Each had such a wonderful personality and is loveable in their own way.

The whole story is written to have an air of poetry about it.  It is lyrical and mesmerizing.  The settings are written in brilliant colors and landscapes that leap off the page.   

A lot of regencies have similar storylines, but The Guardian Duke is fresh, exciting and will whisk you off to new places!

This is a clean read.  It is Christian fiction.