Tuesday, December 1, 2020

HIS HOLIDAY PRAYER by Tina Radcliffe, Interview and Reviews, Hosted by Trixi and Nicole #ReleaseDay #Giveaway

INTERVIEW!


TRIXI: Tell me how the Rainbolt's came to be? Was there something in particular that sparked this series?

TINA: Love Inspired readers love westerns, and I love cowboys. That part was easy. I also love Oklahoma. Rebel Ranch, and especially the word rebel, reflects the Rainbolts. I wanted to write about an entire family of outliers. A generation who literally started life on the wrong side of the tracks. A family held together by love and their faith. The Rainbolts had built-in conflict from book one, which made writing the series both fun and difficult because there were many psychological issues to deal with. Telling each story in the series authentically was challenging.

TRIXI: Let's talk research, what kind did you have to do for "His Holiday Prayer" or the series in general?

TINA: The most time-consuming part of beginning any series is finding a location for the town, naming the town, and then laying out the entire town map. For the Hearts of Oklahoma series, I wanted to stay in Osage County, where the last series (Big Oak Ranch) was set, but closer to the water. So I moved south near Keystone Lake.

Author Tracy Letts wrote a Pulitzer Prize-winning play called August: Osage County (which became a movie), and because of that play, I’ve always been fascinated by the area. I lived 17 years in the city of Tulsa in Tulsa County. Osage is the largest county in Oklahoma and is larger than the states of Delaware and Rhode Island. Living in Tulsa suburbs is so different from life in the small Osage County towns of Hominy, Prue or even Pawhuska. The goal was to plant my characters deep in that country life, and the fictitious town of Rebel, Oklahoma, did that.

Also, as a side note, my local vet is mentioned in the acknowledgements of His Holiday Prayer. He answered a few doggie questions and questions about vet practices in general. Thank you, Doc!


TRIXI:  Did Tucker or Jena surprise you in any way? I know some authors say their characters do and I always find it funny as a reader. :-) 

TINA: I had no idea that Jenna was so phobic about crowds when I started book 3. In book 2, she was shy. It wasn’t until I was half-way through writing His Holiday Prayer that Jena told me. She said, “Whoa! I can’t do that.” I had to go back and rework several scenes to reflect her social anxiety.

TRIXI: Finally, what do you hope your readers take away from your stories?

TINA: I want readers to always remember that our God is a God of second chances. There is nothing we can do to separate us from God’s love. That is one of the primary themes that always run through my stories.

TRIXI'S REVIEW:
Oh my goodness, I love these Rainbolt men! I've gotten to know each one in the “Hearts of Oklahoma” series. Their family has had their share of tragedy, but through the grace of God, it has made them stronger as they've pulled together.
 
This is Tucker's story and I've been eagerly waiting to learn more about him. He's not only a widower but a single dad of two twin girls who are the delight of his life. He's also co-owner of Rebel Vet and Rescue with long-time best friend Jena Harper. When an opportunity of a lifetime comes up to move to Texas, he eagerly takes it. Leaving Jena behind doesn't sound all that appealing when his feelings for her begin to change.
 
Jena has always been in the background as a natural introvert and silent partner in the Vet clinic. But when she learns Tucker is leaving for his dream job, she steps up to try to save the business they started from the ground up. Stepping out of her comfort zone isn't easy, especially when she finds she's also falling for her best friend and business partner. 
 
One of my favorite tropes is a good friends-to-more love story. I think Tina Radcliffe did an exceptional job of showing how a friendship can make for a solid relationship, and how faith in God can shape those relationships. As each layer of Tucker and Jena were revealed, my heart went out for all the things they endured in their past. I also celebrated what they learned through them and how it shaped the people they are today. Faith played a central role in their lives; I enjoyed seeing how their reliance on the Lord guided them in life. I also enjoyed watching them fall in love in spite of their reluctance to!
 
This is a heartwarming Christmas story centered around strong family bonds, a deep abiding friendship, and a love that lasts through the bumps of life. I also enjoyed revisiting the Rainbolt family members, they were just as much a part of this story. If you make a Christmas reading TBR list, I highly recommend putting “His Holiday Prayer” on it, as well as the rest of the “Hearts of Oklahoma” series. I think you'll fall in love with the Rainbolt family like I did!
*I received a complimentary copy from the author and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *


NICOLE'S REVIEW:
His Holiday Prayer, the third book in Tina Radcliffe’s Hearts of Oklahoma series, is a delightful tale of best friends, second chances, and unconditional love. Tina Radcliffe is my favorite Love Inspired romance author, and His Holiday Prayer is the perfect book for this Christmas season. If you have not read any of Tina Radcliffe’s books yet, I highly recommend adding His Holiday Prayer (and the entire Hearts of Oklahoma series) to your to-be-read list! You won’t be disappointed!

Handsome cowboys and the small-town charm of Rebel, Oklahoma will draw readers into this wonderful series. I love the close-knit Rainbolt family and how they are all featured throughout each book in the series. Although the charming and handsome Reece Rainbolt will always be my favorite Rainbolt brother, Tucker Rainbolt is also a fantastic hero in his own right.
 
As a co-owners of Rebel Vet and Rescue, best friends Tucker Rainbolt and Jena Harper’s partnership and opportunity for romance could be in jeopardy as Tucker receives an appealing out-of-state job offer. Take a trip back to Rebel, Okahoma in this highly recommended inspirational contemporary romance.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.
Inkwell Faith Content Rating – 2 (light) 
 
ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY BELOW

BackCover Blurb:
A new beginning could be closer than he thinks.
What he wants for Christmas…
may not be what he needs.

After receiving an unexpected job offer in Texas, widower Tucker Rainbolt decides he and his twins need a fresh start. But moving on means leaving his best friend, Jena Harper, and their vet clinic behind. For the first time, Tucker sees Jena as more than a buddy. What if leaving isn’t the answer? Maybe what he’s been missing has been right beside him the whole time…


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tina Radcliffe has been dreaming and scribbling for years. Originally from Western NY, she left home for a tour of duty with the Army Security Agency stationed in Augsburg, Germany, and ended up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her past careers include Certified Oncology R.N. and library cataloger.
 
 
Tina is a two-time RWA Golden Heart finalist and a four-time Carol Award finalist and three-time ACFW Mentor of the Year finalist. A 2014 ACFW Carol Award winner and a 2018 ACFW Mentor of the Year winner, Tina is also on the RWA and ACFW Honor Roll of Best-Selling Authors. In 2019 she won the Holt Medallion for Christmas with the Cowboy. A short story writer, she has sold over three dozen short stories to Woman's World Magazine
 
She currently resides in Arizona where she writes fun, heartwarming romance.
Harlequin Love Inspired, December 2020
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8 comments:

  1. Thank you for having me beautiful Inkwell Inspiration ladies!

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  2. Great reviews, ladies, and the interesting interview! The strong family ties in the whole series are heartwarming, and I love small town stories.

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  3. I like second chance stories, and Jena sounds like a character who will worm her way into my heart. I enjoyed both of the reviews.

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  4. This books sounds really good, as are all your books.

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  5. You know I always love insight into your writing process, Tina! Thanks for sharing!

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