A Brother’s Promise

Welcome to the Blog Tour for the A Brother’s Promise by Mindy Obenhaus, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Brother’s Promise
Author: Mindy Obenhaus
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired
Release Date: February 23, 2021
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance

A little girl will change his world…

He didn’t realize he wanted a family…

until he suddenly became a single dad.

After his sister’s death, rancher Mick Ashford’s determined to ensure his orphaned niece, Sadie, feels at home. And accepting guidance from Christa Slocum is his first step. But just as Christa and Sadie start to settle into Mick’s heart, Sadie’s paternal grandparents sue for custody. Now Mick must fight to keep them together…or risk losing the makeshift family he’s come to love.

We were so excited to be able to interview Mindy Obehaus, here is our interview.

Author Interview

Is it easier or harder to write a continuation of a series? Why or why not?

I think it’s a little easier because there are things that have already been
established, like many of the characters and the setting.

How did you decide to write about who to write about next?

You know, I’m not really sure. One book in the series is a Christmas story, so
I had to work around that. Of course, I also had to look at what time of the
year each story was set, so that was likely the biggest factor when choosing.

Is it more difficult to write children than adults? Why or why not?

Kids are definitely easier to write, at least for me. I love writing children
and old people because you never know what they might say, so they can
really put the hero/heroine on the spot.

How did you come up with the idea for this story?

I knew Christa had been a savvy tech industry exec who’d walked away from
it, looking for a simpler life. So in coming up with a partner for her I took
the opposites-attract approach. Throw in a little fish-out-of-water by having
a single cowboy suddenly become a father and it seemed like the way to go.

Are you a pantser or plotter? How did this tendency show up with this book?

I’m a pantser at heart, but I’m forced to plot. However, if I’m writing along
and something deviates from the plot, I usually take it as a nudge from God
and go with.

As you were writing, did you always know how the story was going to go? Were there any surprises for you?

The ending was actually a surprise for me. I had envisioned it much
differently. It turned out much better than I’d anticipated.

Do you have a favorite character in this book? Who is it and why?

Definitely Sadie because I never knew what she was going to say. And she
made a pretty good voice of reason, too.

Do you have ranch/cowgirl roots? Is there any inspiration for Mick and his ranch from your own life?

I actually live on a working cattle ranch, though my husband is not a rancher.
We lease the land. That said, I know lots of ranchers and have watched
them work cattle, aid with birthing calves when a cow is in distress and all
sorts of other things. It was inevitable I put that knowledge to use one day.
Though I’m glad it was only through storytelling. Those ranchers are some
tough people.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com

CONNECT WITH MINDY: Website | Facebook | Instagram

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a “Drink Tea, Read Books, Be Happy” teaspoon, English Breakfast tea, a $15 Amazon gift card, and a signed copy of the book!

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 1, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 8, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

A Father’s Promise

When Wes Bishop comes to the small town of Bliss, he is shocked to discover that he has a daughter. Though he struggles to believe that he is capable of being a father, Wes refuses to leave his new-found child and her mother, Laurel Donovan, who is still drawn to and desires to know. With the tragedies and hurts of the past, can they find forever together?

This was such a sweet book! I love when there are kids in it and Sarah-Jane was so cute! She was such a sweet baby and so loved. Both Wes and Laurel were strong and kind characters. Though they had a lot to learn about each other and being a family, they both loved Sarah-Jane and wanted good for each other. God had brought them through trials and together again to grow in new ways. Through different circumstances, Wes and Laurel are brought together to work on a project in their town. As they work side by side, they grow closer and begin to fall in love. I really liked how Wes and Laurel really sought to understand and help one another. They talked and listened to each other. Even though both were hesitant about a romantic relationship because of the past, they cared for one another. Neither believed that they were meant for love or truly would receive it. Of course, their friends and the others in the town were certainly involved. Between Laurel’s group of friends, a few older ladies who loved to matchmake and their church community, Wes and Laurel were surrounded by people who cared about them and helped them to trust.

This is the first book of those set in Bliss, and was a great set-up for the books that are to come! I hope that some of the characters that were introduced in this book get their own stories, like Laurel’s friends. I have no doubt that some of the matchmakers in town will also make appearances! I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it to those who like sweet romances! It is a sweet clean book with a protective hero, strong heroine, an adorable baby, and a HAE!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Author Interview with Mindy Obenhaus

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for A Father’s Promise by Mindy Obenhaus, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

I am so excited to be part of the blog tour for Mindy Obenhaus’s new book, A Father’s Promise! I adored this book, it was so good. I can’t wait for you guys to read the book, and today I am so lucky to be able to share an interview with Mindy.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Father’s Promise
Author: Mindy Obenhaus
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: June 16, 2020
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance

He doesn’t think he deserves a family…
but now he has a daughter.

Stunned to discover he has a child, Wes Bishop isn’t sure he’s father material. But his adorable daughter needs him, and he can’t help feeling drawn to her mother, Laurel Donovan — a woman he’s finally getting to know.

But can this sudden dad overcome a past tragedy that has him convinced he’s not meant to be a husband or a father…and make a promise of forever?

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook

Now to the Interview:

Riella: Where did you find the idea behind this book?
Mindy: I think it found me. I had a single mother with a baby, and she had no idea where
the father was or even his last name. So that begged the question, what if he
showed up one day?

Riella: What made you want to be a writer?
Mindy: That is something that’s a challenge to figure out. You see, I was never a reader.
Even though my mother devoured romance novels my entire life, I had no
interest in reading. Then she moved in with us and brought hundreds of books
with her. All romance, but newer. As I sorted through them, hoping to get rid of
some, I became intrigued and the next thing I knew, I was reading book after
book.
Over time I realized that even though I hadn’t been reading for all those years, I
was always making up stories in my head. Soon I began to wonder if could
actually write one of those stories. So, I gave it a try. Of course, I knew nothing
about the craft of writing, so I had to learn. But God used that time to impress
upon me that He wanted me to write for Him. So, that’s what I’ve always tried to
do.

Riella: What character are you most like?
Mindy: Hmm… Good question. I would say there’s
a little bit of me in each of my heroines, but I’m probably most like Paisley, one of
Laurel’s friends who happens to be in the process of getting her own story.
Paisley is nurturing and loves to bake and entertain.

Riella: What do you want people to take away from this book?
Mindy: I want them to understand that no matter how big our mistakes, God can turn
them into blessings.

Riella: How did you get the ideas for the characters?
Mindy: That’s a tough question because they just kind of come to me. Then I have to get
to know them and find out what makes them tick.

Riella: Do you take inspiration from your life for plot points, characters, etc?
Mindy: Quite often, yes. 🙂

Riella: Is this book connected to the other series that you have written?
Mindy: It is not. A Father’s Promise is the first book in a new series entitled Bliss, Texas.

Riella: Which character do you relate to the most?
Mindy: I think I can relate to each of them in some way, shape or form. Or, at least, put
myself in their shoes.

About the Author:

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining and sometimes adventurous manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer, and the occasional coyote, mountain lion, or snake. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking, and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel.

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of A Father’s Promise, a $20 Amazon gift card, and a James 1:17 mug!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight July 6, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on July 13, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Her Rocky Mountain Hope

“I learned to release control.” And I fell in love. “Instead of trying to control the life God gave me, I discovered how to entrust Him with that life.”

This is a wonderful contemporary read and I am so glad that I took the chance on. At first glance, I could tell that this was going to be a cute book, but it was even better than I thought!

Blythe McDonald has spent her whole life living on the safe side of life. She had been coddled her whole life and she has accepted that this is the way she will live life. But one day when she is observing a summer camp for children with cancer, she starts to see that she can let loose and have fun. But what will she do when things start to fall apart? Will she learn to trust God or revert back to her old ways?

Daniel Stephens has been looking for his calling and he finally feels as if he has found it. He wants to bring joy to children who have cancer. He wants to give them a camp they can go to in order to enjoy themselves and have fun. But it all depends on whether Blythe feels as if he deserves to have the money for his camp. He will have to learn to trust God even when things don’t go his way.

I really related to Blythe, she lives life the way I live life, always being careful, always having a plan. So it really hit me when she was given obstacles that forced her to learn how to lean on God. I loved reading about her grow in her faith and watching her fall in love with Daniel.

Daniel was so amazing to me. He had a great faith in God, even though he has gone some hard things. He was also very adventurous which I thought was so cool and he really loved the children he was trying to serve through his camp.

I thought that Daniel and Blythe really balanced each other out. He showed her how to trust God and face her fears, and Blythe helped keep Daniel grounded. They were so sweet and cute together and they worked so hard to make sure that the children who came to their camps were having a good time. But what will happen will their worlds start to shake, will they band together or will they fall apart?

I loved this book and now I really want to read the other books, I accidentally read the 5th book first :). This was a great clean, christian book. I would definitely recommend this book and I can’t wait to see what else this author writes!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.