The Nurse's Secret Suitor by Cheryl Wyatt (Review)

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Nurse's Secret Suitor Love Inspired (October 1, 2013) by Cheryl Wyatt

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Not even Cheryl Wyatt’s closest friends would dream that this sweet, shy intercessor plots mayhem during announcements at church. She is a Registered Nurse turned stay-at-home-mom, wife and writer who loves Jesus with all of her heart.

Joyful chaos rules her home, and she delights in the stealth moments God gives her to write. She stays active in her church and in her laundry room. She is convinced that having been born on a Naval base on Valentines Day destined her to write Inspirational Military Romance.

Cheryl loves to laugh and to make others laugh, so she often plans comedic moments for her defenseless characters in spite of their grumbling. She says it’s payback for when they refuse to obey the plots she’s set out before them.

Prior to publication, six of Cheryl’s manuscripts placed in ten RWA Contests. Two of Cheryl’s stories also placed First in ACFW’s Noble Theme Contest 2005 (Contemporary Romance Category), as well as ACFW‘s Genesis Contest 2006 (Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Category).

She currently writes for Love Inspired. Her Wings of Refuge Series, about a team of USAF Pararescue Jumpers and the ladies who capture their hearts, can be purchased anywhere books are sold.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Strong-Willed Heart Trauma nurse Kate Dalton can handle any challenge—except love. The combat veteran dreams of settling down, but heartbreak is one risk she won't take. Then a chance encounter opens her heart to a masked stranger…who might not be a stranger after all! Caleb Landis, the army medic behind the disguise, has always admired Kate, even though she only saw him as her best friend's brother. What will it take for Kate to discard her fears and discover the man she's always hoped to unmask? Eagle Point Emergency: Saving lives—and losing their hearts— in a small Illinois town

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Nurse's Secret Suitor, go HERE.

My Review:

I loved this book. I have read all of this author's books and they are all great. They are Christian military contemporary romance books. This book is part of a series but can stand alone. Of course they mean more read in order because some of the characters repeat in the background. This book focuses on Kate and Caleb's story. Kate is at a wedding with a masquerade party. She takes a phone call that upsets her. Her mother called to tell her she is divorcing her father. Out of nowhere comes a man in disguise. He makes her feel better. She does not know until the end of the book that it is Caleb. He reappears when she needs him while Caleb is involved in her life too. She starts to fall for Caleb but does not like that he is active duty military and she's retired. The story captivated me and I read it in one day. The author did a good job with the characters, setting, and plot. I can't wait to read more books in this series. Highly Recommended. :)

Doctor to the Rescue by Cheryl Wyatt (Review)

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Doctor To The Rescue Love Inspired (December 18, 2012) by Cheryl Wyatt

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born Valentine’s Day on a Navy base, Cheryl Wyatt writes military romance. Her Steeple Hill debuts earned RT Top Picks plus #1 and #4 on eHarlequin's Top 10 Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists including NYT Bestsellers. Cheryl loves interacting with her readers and can be found almost daily on Facebook.

Word from the Author:
I do regular giveaways including a Kindle for every 250 people who join (aka "Like) my Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/CherylWyattAuthor and I'd LOVE for word to spread about that. We have a lot of fun there as I ask for frequent reader input on current books, with helpers being mentioned in the acknowledgements and fun stuff like that.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Combat doctor Ian Shupe returns home from overseas with his most important mission: to raise his little girl. But Ian's a single dad, and working at Eagle Point's trauma center means having to find child care. When bighearted, struggling lodge owner Bri Landis offers babysitting in exchange for construction work, Ian accepts. He vows to keep his emotional distance from Bri, yet can't deny that his daughter is blossoming under her tender care. But is he ready to believe that his heart's deepest prayer may finally be answered? If you would like to read the first chapter of Doctor To The Rescue, go HERE.


My Review:
I loved this book. This is one of my favorite authors and I have read all of her published works. The writing keeps getting better and better. The plot and characters are interesting and unique. I really felt for Ian and Bri. I wanted to leap into the book to help them. lol It kept my attention from beginning to end. The end is satisfying. Overall it is a sweet Christian romance book. My Aunt loved it too. We can't wait for her next book every time.  Recommended. :)

Doctor's Devotion by Cheryl Wyatt (Review)

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingDoctor's DevotionLove Inspired (June 19, 2012) byCheryl Wyatt

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born Valentine’s Day on a Navy base, Cheryl Wyatt writes military romance. Her Steeple Hill debuts earned RT Top Picks plus #1 and #4 on eHarlequin's Top 10 Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists including NYT Bestsellers. Cheryl loves interacting with her readers and can be found almost daily on Facebook.

Word from the Author:
I do regular giveaways including a Kindle for every 250 people who join (aka "Like) my Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/CherylWyattAuthor and I'd LOVE for word to spread about that. We have a lot of fun there as I ask for frequent reader input on current books, with helpers being mentioned in the acknowledgements and fun stuff like that.


ABOUT THE BOOK

A Doctor’s Vow.

When he fled Eagle Point years ago, former air force trauma surgeon Mitch Wellington left only broken dreams behind. Now he’s back with a new dream—opening a trauma center in the rural area and saving lives. He hopes to hire the quick-thinking nurse who impressed him during an emergency. But Lauren Bates lost her faith and doesn’t believe she deserves to help anyone. Mitch knows firsthand what loss feels like. And it’ll take all his devotion to show Lauren that sometimes the best medicine is a combination of faith, community—and love.

Eagle Point Emergency: Saving lives—and losing their hearts—in a small Illinois town.

If you would like to read an excerpt of the first chapter of Doctor's Devotion, go HERE.

My Review:
I have read and loved all of this author's work. This book is a good start to a new series by her. The characters pop off the page and the plot line is interesting. It held my attention from page one. I love military romances like these. Mitch and Lauren had good chemistry and you felt for both of their positions. Grandpa Lem is hilirous! There are several lol moments in all of this author's books and a solid Christian message without being preachy. Recommended espically for fans of Christian military romances. :)

Winners

And the winner of "Truffles by the Sea" by Julie Carobini is Karen (number 12).
And the winner of "A Soldier's Family" by Cheryl Wyatt is Megan (number 4).
Congratulations! I will be giving away a copy of "The Next Level" by David Gregory soon. :)

"A Soldier's Family" by Cheryl Wyatt and Giveaway

***Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of this great book. Contest ends Sunday March 9 at midnight. ***

Presenting:


"A Soldier's Family" by Cheryl Wyatt







BACK COVER :


On A Crash Course With Love
She was the woman of pararescue jumper Manny Péna's dreams. But he'd stuck his foot in his mouth the last time he met Celia Munez. Now, grounded after a parachuting accident, he was desperate to make amends with the beautiful widow. But Celia wasn't having it. The last thing she needed was another man with a dangerous job—even if he had given his life to God. Yet Manny's growing commitment to her and her troubled son began to convince her that perhaps she should take her own leap of faith.



My Review: I loved this book. It was wonderful military romance. It kept me interested to the very end. Also there was a little mini mystery inside dealing with Celia's teenage son. Great ending. I can't wait for the next book in the series. This author is one of my new favorites. Cheryl has agreed to send a copy to my blessed winner so leave a comment on this post if you would like to win a copy. :)


AUTHOR BIO: Cheryl Wyatt's closest friends would never dream the mayhem she plots during announcements at church. An RN-turned-SAHM, joyful chaos rules her home, and she delights in the stealth moments God gives her to write. She's convinced that having been born on a Naval base on Valentine's Day destined her to write military romance. She stays active in her church and in her laundry room. Both of her debut novels (Books 1 and 2 in her Wings of Refuge Series from Steeple Hill) have received Romantic Times Top Picks.
Visit Cheryl Wyatt on the Web
Or her blog http://www.scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com/


ISBN: 037387474X

Publisher: Steeple Hill

Winner and free blogging course!

And the winner of "A Solider's Promise" is .... ForstRose. Please email me your mailing address. Thank you all for your great comments! Read Cheryl's book. It is great!

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

• The best blogging techniques.
• How to get traffic to your blog.
• How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

Interview With Cheryl Wyatt and Giveaway

"A Soldier's Promise" by Cheryl Wyatt
I lovved this book. Cheryl is a really funny cool author. Visit her blog at
www.Scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com
If you would like to win a copy just leave a comment on this post. :)
The contest ends Wednesday night at midnight. I will post the winner Thursday.
Interview questions for Cheryl Wyatt:

What is your source of inspiration for writing/life?

Definitely God on both counts. I can imagine a story in almost everything I see and hear. I love watching people and listening to them talk. God and people are my inspiration. My husband Billy, my own personal hero. is also an inspiration. Much of the little funny quips in the books comes from stuff he says. He's the type of person who livens a party. He thinks his purpose in life is to show people that they can have fun without the use of chemicals. LOL! You can't be in a bad mood around him for long. He has the most contagious smile, the kindest deep-brown eyes, and the greatest sense of humor of anyone I know.

Why the military?

My military stories just happened to be the ones that sold first, but I've written all kinds of stories with non-military characters. Racing stories, detective stories, medical romances, etc. Most of them are high-adrenaline of some sort though. LOL! I like to write about anything high-action and extreme adventure. Plus I have a great respect and admiration for those who serve and their families so the research was fascinating and inspiring.

What is your writing schedule like?

Unlike most writers, I don't write every day in as far as plunking out a certain daily word count on my actual manuscript. However, when I do my first draft, which I call my mess draft, I average 2000 keepable words per hour. I sequester myself with my computer, retreat into a cave of writing hibernation and spew out the mess draft in a matter of days. If I can't do this, everything falls apart and the story is harder to polish. So I spend time doing what I call pre-writing, or Novel prep, which consists of research, character charts, plotstorming, and scene indexing. Once I have that and a rough synopsis, I dive in and don't come up for air until the chapters I need to have complete are. I'm just now learning to write and sell on proposal. So it's been challenging to have to write the synopsis before the story. Because honestly, it used to take me longer to write the synopsis than the actual manuscript, and that was when I was turning in completes. So I have to force myself to write the synopsis first, and then rip myself away after three chapters. I do confess I usually end up writing about 7-8 chapters, just so I know what to write in my synopsis. LOL!

Would you please share some of your faith journey?

Be happy to. I didn't really commit my life to Jesus until I was in my early twenties. I joined a club in high school called Friends in Christ, but I went for the wrong reasons. The leader who invited me was darn cute. LOL! But I came into a real relationship with God in my twenties and have never looked back. Well, I've looked back, but the same Love that captured me to begin with, still pursues me. So I know in my heart of hearts there's nothing to go back to. God is everything to me, everything. I love Him more than anything.

Please share some of your writing/publishing journey?

Unfortunately I finished several manuscripts before realizing there was such a thing as craft. LOL! By the time I'd sold, I'd finished 15 complete manuscripts, half of which ended up placing in 12 or so contests, and the other half...well, let's just say they need serious help. LOL! I martyred my first characters for the cause of the ones whose stories would eventually sell. It was hard to let go of that first story, but since I learned to write best by writing a lot, it wasn't in vain. I determined that I was going to keep writing stories until they finally bought one. Some I wrote but didn't turn in because I knew they weren't strong enough. My seventh manuscript sold after extensive revisions. I'd had a couple or three rejections prior to that is all. When I'd turn a story in, I'd immediately dive into the next one so I didn't fret about the submission. I've targeted Steeple Hill from the onset, and now feel so blessed to be able to write for them. It's a dream come true.

Why Christian Fiction?

I love reading Steeple Hill books, and I feel like God streamlined them as my target. They were my dream publisher. But I don't think there is anything wrong with Christians writing secular fiction as long as they don't compromise in God's eyes. People like Debbie Macomber pull it off nicely in fact. I just wanted to write stories that make a difference in some one's life. I wanted to provide escape and entertainment and have the stories be uplifting. The struggle to publication ( yes I call it struggle rather than process, because it IS a struggle. But it's not impossible) is too hard and too demanding of my time for it not to make some kind of difference in the lives of readers. God is faithful because, so far, readers letters are reflecting that people are being deeply touched and humored by the stories. I didn't do that by myself. God is not just a big part of my life, He IS my life. I breathe to know Him better and hope my books cause others to want to as well. Because of my relationship with Jesus, I write Christian Fiction because that's where my current stories seem to fit best.

Do you read Christian Fiction? IF so who and what do you read?

I read nearly every Steeple Hill book that comes out and have since it launched. I feel authors should KNOW the publisher they're targeting. So, yes I read tons of Christian Fiction from every house out there. I really like the Steeple Hill books and the Barbour books though because their lengths are conducive to my time as they're quick, satisfying reads. I do read as much secular stuff as I do Christian though. I like romance and action-driven stuff. Dee Henderson is my favorite, but there are a ton more.

What are you reading at the moment?

Right now I'm reading these interview questions. LOL! Seriously now, I'm engrossed in Cara Putman's Canteen Dreams (Barbour). LOVE that title. Also reading a secular book by Linda Lael Miller that is part of her McKettrick series and simultaneously reading a NASCAR anthology story by Abby Gaines and a Debbie Macomber book. Title escaped me at the moment. I keep a book in my family room, in my purse, in my car to read (only when I'm a passenger. LOL!) and one near my bed. I am also getting ready to read two older stories by Valerie Hansen that I won off Steeple Hill's Fall Festival. Margaret Daley's newest suspense book from is also winking at my from the top of my TBR (To Be Read) pile. Just finished Debra Clopton's Next Door Daddy and laughed myself silly. I have Julie Lessman's A Passion Most Pure from Revell and order and cannot wait to get my hands on it. Prior to that I read Lee Bale's (The Healing Place-Steeple Hill), Mary Connealy's (Petticoat Ranch-Barbour) and Camy Tang's (Sushi for One-Zondervan) debut novels, as well as Debby Guisti's Steeple Hill suspense Scared to Death and Robin Miller's Bayou Justice from Steeple Hill Suspense. Looking forward to Missy Tippens' and Lynette Eason's debut novels as well. I really love to read author's debut novels. I can always see why the publisher snagged the author and book up. I know I'm forgetting some, but I read close to five books a week or more.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

Oh goodness. It is definitely when I went to a carnival and saw my friend's chimpanzee there. He also saw me and started freaking out. His owner waved me over because Kelby (who starred in one of the BABE movies) was screeching and whooping and jumping and wouldn't sit still to get his picture taken with a little boy. There was a line so I went over there so he'd calm down. Problem was, when I'd go to my friends' house where Kelby lived, I'd hold him down and blow strawberries into his belly. He'd grab my hair and do a weird chimp giggle thing that sounded like he was scraping his tonsils out. But he LOVED to have his belly tickled. Unfortunately, he wanted his belly tickled right then, right there in front of like 50 people at the carnival. I didn't want to do it because it suddenly occurred to me how that could gross some people out even though his belly didn't have hair on it and they bathed him daily. When I got close enough, he climbed me and started pushing his belly into my face. Though he was only about 2-3 years old then, chimps are 8 times stronger than humans. The more I tried to get my face away from his belly, the more he grabbed my head and pushed his belly into my nose. Unfortunately, it looked sort of obscene in the sense that everyone watching thought he was trying to hump my face like a dog does to people's legs. Really gross and embarrassing. And of course his owner just laughed her head off instead of trying to rescue me and get him off of me. My face was not red...it was purple and it stayed that way for an hour. I can't believe I'm even admitting this but you asked. LOL!

List three words that describe you.
Generous
Little-kid-silly
Loyal

I am a southern girl so I have some essential southern questions for you:
11. Sweet iced tea is really big down here; would you drink it sweet or unsweet and ice or no ice?

VERY sweet, and no ice.

12. What is your favorite comfort food?

My grandmother's homemade french fries with so much salt my kidneys go on strike and swell my fingers the next day for shaking so much on. LOL!


13. Do you watch college football? If so who is your favorite team?

Don't watch it much but if I did, I'd watch SIU. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Illinois because that's where I live. Wait, does SIU even HAVE a football team? See? Told you I'm not much into football. I might be lucky to watch the Superbowl, and half the time I don't even know which teams are in it until half-time. My husband is more a music guy than into sports, so we only really get into NASCAR. I used to be into hockey, especially if there was a fight. LOL! But I gave up TV time in order to be able to have writing time.

14. Do you cook with bacon grease/drippings? Would you eat something with that in it.?
Because high-cholesterol and heart disease runs rampid in my family, I don't cook with it. BUT, at a recent writers' brainstorm and prayer retreat, we did cook the eggs in bacon grease and it was SO, SO good. Of course we all had gallbladder attacks an hour later. Kidding. I'll try to post a pic of the meal in fact.

"A Soldier's Promise" by Cheryl Wyatt

I am so excited to present to everyone debut novelist Cheryl Wyatt and her book "A Solider's Promise."

AUTHOR BIO
Cheryl Wyatt's closest friends would never dream the mayhem she plots during announcements at church. An RN-turned-SAHM, joyful chaos rules her home and she delights in the stealth moments God gives her to write. She stays active in her church and in her laundry room. She's convinced that having been born on a Naval base on Valentine's Day destined her to write military romance.
Prior to publication, Cheryl took courses through Christian Writers Guild. An active member of RWA, FHL and ACFW, she won numerous awards with multiple manuscripts. Visit her on the Web at www.CherylWyatt.com. Sign up for her newsletter for news and chances to enter contests with great prizes. Hang with her on the web at www.Scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com. You can also find her skittering around Steeple Hill's message boards as "Squirl" at www.SteepleHill.com.

BACK COVER BLURB
"My name's Bradley. I'm eight and have cancer. I want to meet a Special Forces soldier more than anything. Well, almost anything. Having a family would be nice."
U.S. Air Force pararescue jumper Joel Montgomery promised to make a sick child's wish come true. Well, not the family part—not with Joel's past. And so despite vowing never to set foot back in Refuge, Illinois, Joel parachuted onto the boy's school lawn to a huge smile. But another smile unexpectedly stole Joel's heart: that of Bradley's beautiful teacher, Amber Stanton, who was trying to adopt the boy. And trying to show Joel it was time for new vows.

RT REVIEW QUOTE
TOP PICK!
"Cheryl Wyatt infuses A Soldier's Promise (4.5) with kindness, compassion and love. Plus, each character in this strong story is multilayered. When young Bradley, a boy dying of cancer, writes to the Air Force Pararescue team, he gets to meet jumper Joel Montgomery, who connects with Bradley and feels an instant and shared attraction to the boy's teacher, Amber Stanton. This absolutely fantastic debut novel proves that while challenges and boundaries are not always easily resolved, they're definitely worth the work." ---Robin Taylor-Romantic Times Reviewer

LINK TO PURCHASE

BOOK and read an EXCERPT:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0373874669

Coming tomorrow an exclusive interview, giveaway, and my review!