Laura Frantz – Giveaway & Endorser Spotlight

Laura Frantz – Giveaway & Endorser Spotlight

by | Jan 6, 2023 | Counterfeit Hope

Counterfeit Hope is about six weeks from its release date and one thing I always like to do leading up to my release day is to take time to put the spotlight on the authors who endorsed my book. Not only did they sacrifice their time to read it, but they also wrote words that touched my heart and encouraged me. These are authors that I respect and look up to. Authors who know their craft, have been writing far longer than I have, and know what makes a good story. To be endorsed by them is an honor that I cannot express adequately.

For the next nine weeks, I am going to spotlight an endorser, share what they have to say about Counterfeit Hope, share more about them, the books they’ve written, and how you can connect with them, as well as give you a chance to win one of their books. At the end of each post, I hope you will leave the author an uplifting note so they may be encouraged just as they have encouraged me.

I am pleased to introduce to you . . .

Laura Frantz

Author of The Rose and the Thistle

Laura Frantz was one of the first authors I met and spoke with when I started my writing journey in earnest. From the very first time she met me, I was impressed with her humble spirit, love for encouraging other writers, and desire to obey God in her writing. She is one of the sweetest and kindest women I know, and her stories are beyond remarkable. They are so well researched, the language rich and lyrical, the characters real and full of such depth, and the kind of stories that leave you in a book hangover when you are finished. At the end of this post, I am giving readers a chance to win an e-copy of A Heart Adrift, so be sure to check that out.

Connect with Laura: Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  BookBub  |  Goodreads  |  Pinterest  |  Twitter

What Laura had to say about Counterfeit Hope:

“A stirring novel of second chances and redemptive choices set amid the pulse-pounding backdrop of counterfeiters in Gilded Age America. Counterfeit Hope shines light on little known history brought to vivid life through the finely tuned characters of Andrew and Lu. A delightful blend of danger and romance!”

Purchase Links for Counterfeit Hope: Amazon  |  Baker Book House  | Barnes & Noble  |  Books-A-Million  |  Book Despository  |  Bookshop.org  |  Christianbook  |  Logos  |  Indiebound

Laura’s Books

Laura has written a TON of historical novels mostly ranging in the 1700s, and there is no way that I can feature them all here, but I’m choosing to feature her newest one a couple of my favorites from her.

The Rose and the Thistle (New Release)

In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley’s father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with the clothes on her back and her mistress in tow. He has his own problems–a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction in the wake of losing his father. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

Drawn into a whirlwind of intrigue, shifting alliances, and ambitions, Lady Blythe must be careful whom she trusts. Her fortune, her future, and her very life are at stake. Those who appear to be adversaries may turn out to be allies–and those who pretend friendship may be enemies.

Purchase Links for The Rose and the Thistle: Amazon  |  Baker Book House  | Barnes & Noble  |  Books-A-Million  |  Book Despository  |  Bookshop.org  |  Christianbook  |  Indiebound

A Heart Adrift

A Virginia chocolatier and a privateering sea captain collide once more after a failed love affair a decade before. Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart? Or will a new shared vision reunite them?

It is 1755, and the threat of war with France looms over colonial York, Virginia. Chocolatier Esmée Shaw is fighting her own battle of the heart. Having reached her twenty-eighth birthday, she is reconciled to life alone after a decade-old failed love affair from which she’s never quite recovered. But she longs to find something worthwhile to do with her life.
Captain Henri Lennox has returned to port after a lengthy absence, intent on completing the lighthouse in the dangerous Chesapeake Bay, a dream he once shared with Esmée. But when the colonial government asks him to lead a secret naval expedition against the French, his future is plunged into uncertainty.

Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart, or can their shared vision and dedication to the colonial cause heal the wounds of the past? Bestselling and award-winning author Laura Frantz whisks you away to a time fraught with peril–on the sea and in the heart–in this redemptive, romantic story.

The Lacemaker

When colonial Williamsburg explodes like a powder keg on the eve of the American Revolution, Lady Elisabeth “Liberty” Lawson is abandoned by her fiancé and suspected of being a spy for the hated British. No one comes to her aid save the Patriot Noble Rynallt, a man with formidable enemies of his own. Liberty is left with a terrible choice. Will the Virginia belle turned lacemaker side with the radical revolutionaries, or stay true to her English roots? And at what cost?

Historical romance favorite Laura Frantz is back with a suspenseful story of love, betrayal, and new beginnings. With her meticulous eye for detail and her knack for creating living, breathing characters, Frantz continues to enchant historical fiction readers who long to feel they are a part of the story.

A Bound Heart

Though Magnus MacLeish and Lark MacDougall grew up on the same castle grounds, Magnus is now laird of the great house and the Isle of Kerrera. Lark is but the keeper of his bees and the woman he is hoping will provide a tincture that might help his ailing wife conceive and bear him an heir. But when his wife dies suddenly, Magnus and Lark find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of accusations, expelled from their beloved island, and sold as indentured servants across the Atlantic. Yet even when all hope seems dashed against the rocky coastline of the Virginia colony, it may be that in this New World the two of them could make a new beginning–together.

Laura Frantz’s prose sparkles with authenticity and deep feeling as she digs into her own family history to share this breathless tale of love, exile, and courage in Colonial America.

Giveaway

I am giving away one e-book copy of Laura’s A Heart Adrift to someone who leaves an encouraging message for Laura below between January 6th and January 13th. The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST and is open to US and international residents legally able to enter (follow your country’s rules). If you would like to earn extra entries, use the Rafflecopter widget below. The only requirement to be entered is that you leave Laura an encouraging note on this post. Thank you for participating.

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Please leave Laura an encouraging message below.

 

January RCR: Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz

January RCR: Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz

by | Jan 31, 2021 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge

Welcome to the FIRST month of the Unlocking the Past 2021 Reading Challenge. This month focused on the COLONIAL Period, and my choice of story was Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz. Once you read my review, don’t forget to comment with what you read to be entered for your chance to win a copy.

THE WINNER OF THIS MONTH’S GIVE AWAY IS: Kathy Anderson! Check your email, or email me at Crystal (at) Crystal Caudill (dot) com to tell me where to ship it!

*Want more interaction and/or suggestions each month? Join the Facebook Group. Want a bookmark with the monthly themes? Fill out this Google Form.*

Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz

I had the wonderful chance to meet and listen to Laura Frantz speak to my writing group several years ago, and her sweet personality and personal writing journey story drove me to pick up one of her books. I’ve not been disappointed since. She has a way of transporting readers into deeply developed and painted worlds that bring history to life in ways few authors have mastered. The research is impeccable, the story realistic and sweet, and the characters fascinating. You can actually learn a ton about the true history of the story by listening to Alison Treat’s Podcast, Historical Fiction Unpacked where she did an interview with Laura Frantz. You can check that out here: http://alisontreat.com/2020/12/23/the-faith-and-grit-that-founded-our-nation-with-laura-frantz/. I’ve recently discovered the podcast and have fallen in love with it.

As far as Tidewater Bride goes specifically, I loved the look at early Jamestown life and the reality of the day-to-day life they faced without relief. There were so many facets of struggle I hadn’t realized, and Laura brought them onto the page in meaningful and poignant ways. Her heart for both the Jamestown colonists and the Powhatans were evident throughout the story. Completely respectful and enlightening. Knowing exactly how much research went into this really gave me a new respect for both groups.

Genre: Historical Romance, 1634, “James Towne, Virginia Colony”

Plot Overview:

Selah Hopewell seems to be the only woman in the Virginia colony who has no wish to wed. True, there are too many men and far too few women in James Towne. But Selah already has her hands full assisting her father in the family’s shop. And now she is in charge of an incoming ship of tobacco brides who must be looked after as they sort through their many suitors.

Xander Renick is perhaps the most eligible tobacco lord in the settlement. His lands are vast, his crops are prized, and his position as a mediator between the colonists and the powerful Powhatan nation surrounding them makes him indispensable. But Xander is already wedded to his business and still grieves the loss of his wife, daughter of the Powhatan chief.

Can two fiercely independent people find happiness and fulfillment on their own? Or will they discover that what they’ve been missing in life has been right in front of them all along?

What I loved: The historical picture this story brought to life. I really felt like I had a deeper understanding of Jamestown’s struggles and the fortitude it took for the colonists to live and thrive. It also helped me to understand how some of the pull away from England began just because the absolute difference in how lives were lived. I adored getting a glimpse of the Powhatan culture as well. The only way to understand someone else’s perspective is to walk in their shoes for a while, even if only mentally.

Favorite Character and Why: Watseka was a fun, adventurous child who brought a lot of levity to the story. She is quite the little scamp, too. 😉

Who would like this? Anyone interested in learning about colonial history, especially Jamestown and a touch of the Powhatan culture. Those who like stories that comprise of political and social struggle, and those who lived through it.

Rating and Why: 4.5 Stars. I adored the way she brought history to life, but while I’ll likely read it again, I felt more engaged with learning the history than the romance line of the story. Not a terrible thing, but just something that knocked it down from being a five star.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon     Baker Bookhouse       Barnes & Noble      Books-a-Million      Book Depository      Bookshop.org      Christianbook.com      Get It Local      Indiebound.org

GIVEAWAY:

For your chance to win a copy of Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz and have an entry added to the grande-prize finale at the end of the year, comment below with what book you read for the reading challenge this month. The winner will be randomly selected and emailed on February 8 and announced on February 9th.

This will be open to international winners, but if the book is unavailable to ship to you through Book Depository you will receive a $10 (USD) Amazon gift card. You must have commented on the blog post or have emailed me to be eligible for the extra entries.

To earn extra entries, use the Rafflecopter link below. I decided I didn’t like how KingSumo sent you guys a ton of emails. That is not what I want for you. We all already get a ton of emails. Happy reading!

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