Free From Sin by Karen Ann Hopkins - Book Tour + Giveaway

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the FREE FROM SIN by Karen Ann Hopkins Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About the Book:

Title: FREE FROM SIN

Author: Karen Ann Hopkins

Pub. Date: February 22, 2022

Publisher: Karen Ann Hopkins

Formats: Paperback, audiobook, eBook

Pages: 298

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle

FREE FROM SIN is a gripping psychological crime thriller/mystery story about the intertwining lives of three unlikely women in the hills of Kentucky, and the explosive results when a troubled teenager has her day of reckoning.

Sheriff Sadie Mills navigates the challenges of single motherhood while solving crimes in the rural community of Possum Gap, Kentucky. The recent trailer shootings in her jurisdiction have her on edge, and the new coroner, a Yankee transplant from the east coast, is still adjusting to life in the wilderness when all hell breaks loose. Cases stemming from an out-of-control hillbilly clan, sex trafficking, and a murder in the nearby Amish community collide, and Sheriff Mills finds herself in a race to stop a serial killer before they strike again.

Lucinda Coblentz is a devoted wife, mother, and member of a strict religious order. Her kind and generous ways make her the perfect target of a master manipulator and has put her beloved family in grave danger. Can she make matters right before it’s too late?

Reviews:

“In this truly gripping story set in the Kentucky countryside, we encounter three central female protagonists as their lives collide in the most unpredictable way. It is always so refreshing to read a strong female-led work of crime fiction, especially when the cast of characters is as rich and varied as those that author Karen Ann Hopkins has so lovingly crafted...I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Free From Sin to fans of well-penned crime, thriller, and mystery fiction. A truly unmissable read.”- 5 Star Readers' Favorite Review

“Free From Sin (A Possum Gap Novel Book 1) by Karen Ann Hopkins is an adventurous psychological thriller that takes us to the wild back hills of Kentucky...She tells a story in a clear and concise narrative, with a beautifully paced plot and storyline. I particularly enjoyed the surprise revelations about Charlie that were woven into the narrative. This is a simple, yet immensely satisfying read and one I can highly recommend.”- 5 Star Reader's Favorite Review

“I love the Serenity Plains Books, and this series follows in its footsteps, with strong female characters and a story of how circumstances can determine a person's life.”- 5 Star Reader's Favorite Review

“A new sheriff and a new setting but the same thriller/mystery style story we know and love from Karen Ann Hopkins in her Serenity's Plain Secret's series.”- 5 Star Book Sirens' Review

“I loved this book!”- Rave Review From Liz's Book Reviews

 

EXCERPT

Lucinda

I placed the warm coffee mug in front of James and pulled up a chair next to him. “You’re awfully quiet,” I said.

Through the kitchen window, I saw the thin line of sunlight grow over the rugged hills beyond the community then the sky turned a buttery gold color. The light breeze hardly stirred the curtains. It would be another hot one. I rubbed my eyes. When I looked up, James watched me closely.

            “I know you want to help her”—he brought his hands up—“and I understand that, but she’s not a stray dog or a lost kitten you found on the side of the road. She’s an adult woman—an Englisher you found disguised in Amish clothes in our chicken coop.” His voice had risen steadily, then he caught himself, glanced into the dark hallway leading to the staircase, and whispered, “I have a bad feeling about it—about her.”

            My tiredness diminished as I stared back at my husband. “Ack, you haven’t even met her yet. I told you what the girl told me. Her boyfriend abused her, and after witnessing his treatment of her firsthand at the market, I believe her. She borrowed my dress because her clothes were ruined. I washed them myself, so I can say she doesn’t have mischief in her heart.” I swayed closer, took James’ hands into mine, and looked him in the eye. “She’s all alone and needs our help. We prayed for her, James, and the Lord brought her to us. How can you question His will?”

            James looked away. “She’s English. It is not right for her to be here. If she has no family or friends, there are government programs for wayward people like her, shelters and such. You can make a few phone calls this morning and help her find shelter someplace else.”

            My husband was a sensible man but too stubborn in his ways. He didn’t understand the situation because he hadn’t seen how Charlie had been treated. I had to convince him that it was our calling to help her. “She’s a lost soul. The outside world hasn’t been kind to her. She had nowhere else to go. It’s only for a few days until she gets her feet firmly planted on the ground and her wounds heal. I’ll do some research to find the right place for her. I think there are centers around here for abused women, a place where they offer lodging and counseling. I promise she won’t stay long. Please give me a chance to help her without rushing things.”

            James blew out a long breath, and I held mine. He was about to give in; I could feel it in my bones.

            “What if someone sees her or the bishop finds out we’re harboring an English woman? It could bring down the entire community on us. Is Charlie Baker worth all that?”

            I stood and walked over to the sink to get a better view out the window. A glorious golden sunrise took up the entire sky, ushering in a new day. “In my heart, I believe it’s what we should do. If anyone asks, we’ll tell them she’s a cousin visiting from Ohio.”

            “It frightens me that you can lie so easily—”

            I spun around, dabbing at the tears in the corners of my eyes. “That girl had been reduced to eating raw eggs and cat food in a stranger’s barn. She’s bruised all over, and I sense her soul is greatly troubled. A small lie to protect her is a sin the Lord will forgive.”

            James rose and joined me at the window. He spread his arms, and I sagged into them. His scraggly beard tickled the side of my face.

            “My dear Lucinda. If it is that important for you to assist this young woman, then so be it. She may stay until the end of the week. That should be enough time for her wounds, both inside and out, to begin the healing process.”

            With my ear pressed to his chest, I listened to the strong thumping of his heart. “Thank you, James.”

  

About Karen:

Karen Ann Hopkins resides in northern Kentucky with her family on a farm that boasts a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats. Karen's main job is home schooling the kids, but she finds time to give riding lessons, coach a youth equestrian drill team, and of course, write. She was inspired to create her first book, Temptation, by the Amish community she lived in. The experiential knowledge she gained through her interactions with her neighbors drove her to create the story of the star-crossed lovers, Rose and Noah.

Karen grew up about a mile from Lake Ontario in Upstate New York. She was bitten by the horse bug at the age of five, and after diligently taking riding lessons for several years, was rewarded with her first horse at the age of eleven. The feisty horse's name was Lady, a Quarter Horse-Thoroughbred cross, who became Karen's steadfast companion. Through the years, the constant force in her life was horses. Eventually, she found her place as a riding instructor herself. Before accepting her fate in the barnyard, she worked a short stint as a paralegal, traveled abroad, and guided tourists on horseback riding tours in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Karen is currently working on her Amish mystery series, Serenity's Plain Secrets, along with the YA paranormal/fantasy series, The Wings of War and the YA contemporary Temptation series. Karen is also excited to announce the Temptation series has been optioned for TV by Pilgrim Studios and is available on Audible.

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Giveaway Details:

1 winner will win a $50 Amazon GC, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

2/21/2022	Jazzy Book Reviews	Excerpt
2/22/2022	BookHounds	Excerpt
2/23/2022	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
2/24/2022	boozybook blog	Review/IG Post
2/25/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt

Week Two:

2/28/2022	@reading.late.into.the.night	Review
3/1/2022	Take A Look At My Bookshelf	Review
3/2/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
3/3/2022	@curlygrannylovestoread	Review
3/4/2022	@coffeesipsandreads	Review