The Billionaire's Secret Marriage and a Linky

It isn't often that the main characters in fiction novels have disabilities. I think the challenge for authors who choose to go that route is to do their character justice. That means you need to know what you're writing about! My latest book review, The Billionaire's Secret Marriage, is about a blind businessman with blue prosthetic eyes. The author has had family members who are/were blind and includes a wonderful prologue where she writes about them. If you're looking for more stories like this one, I'm including links to similar book reviews that I've done.

About the Book:

Title: The Billionaire's Secret Marriage | Author: Tamie Dearen | Pages: 289 | Genre: Clean Romance

Book Description:

Stephanie Caldwell made the classic mistake… she fell in love with her boss.

The fact that Bran is blind makes no difference to Steph—she thinks he’s the most handsome man she’s ever laid eyes on. If only she didn’t have to see him every day, she could force herself to give up her pipe dreams. But she can’t quit--she needs this job to pay for her daughter’s medical treatment. To make things worse, he just got engaged!

Billionaire Branson Knight is pragmatic about his love life. He knows women don’t see him as a man, but as a blind person, worthy of pity. His only value lies in his wealth. So his engagement is merely a means to an end. But the last thing he wants to end is his relationship with Stephanie--he’s become dangerously dependent on his efficient personal assistant.

When Bran’s friends drag him off to Las Vegas, he convinces Steph to go along, to prevent him from panicking in the noisy, crowded environment. His fiancée, however, sees the trip as the perfect opportunity to coerce Bran into a quickie wedding. Steph and his friends are determined to prevent the disastrous union. But everyone has a secret…

Only $0.99 on Amazon!

My Review:

The Billionaire's Secret Marriage is a clean romance that has it all. There are wonderful characters, deep issues, humor, intrigue, and great chemistry! There's raw honesty in the character of Bran, the blind billionaire. His friends are also "imperfect," but that's what makes them so unique and wonderful. Steph is Bran's personal assistant who has loved him secretly for the last two years. She's willing to sacrifice her own feelings to make sure that he's happy. Even with her best intentions, things don't go as planned! I highly recommend reading the heart-warming prologue first where the author shares her own family story. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest and voluntary review. Please note that the price was correct at the time of posting.

Related Book Reviews:

2 FREE Clean Romances

Books by Tamie Dearen

Blindsided by Kellie McAllen

Story about a blind lady

Starfall by Jessie Kwak

Story about a deaf girl

The Dragon School Series

by Sarah K.L. Wilson

Story about a lame girl

Many of you already know that I volunteer three mornings a week reading in a sound room at the Blind Institute here in South Africa. The recordings are made available for the blind, visually impaired, and dyslexic. Most of what I read is for learners at the school for the blind. Usually it's English language notes, tests/exams, or textbooks.

One of the blind learners, Ying-Shan, switched this year to my daughter's high school, because of her subject choices, which weren't all available at the blind school. We've known her family for several years. Her little sister and Amanda are in the same class and good friends. Ying-Shan is in grade 10 and highly motivated to go far. She's also taking private German lessons with me, because she sings Opera and German is one of the languages she sings in. She's also an accomplished classical pianist! You can follow her YouTube channel here.

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My Latest Book Reviews:

Dragon School Books 9 & 10

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Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #271

Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

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Weekend Linky

Visit my Blog Hops page to see
what link-ups I take part in.

Read More

Wooden Picnic Table Made by the Blind and a Linky

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #222!

I'm a volunteer reader in a sound room at Pioneer Printers for the blind, visually impaired and dyslexic. Our department is a branch of Kaleidoscope (formerly known as the Blind Institute), which offers lots of programs and education for the blind and disabled. Their mission is to change people's perceptions by showing how the blind can become leaders in this world, integrating into the workforce, society and everything in-between.

They have a store where they sell furniture, rugs and other items made by the blind and disabled. My husband recently bought a beautifully made wooden picnic table from them. In the photo above you can see what it looked like before and in the photo below what it looked like after it was varnished. It took Hubby a full day to do. You can see the concrete got varnished as well! That was an accident. 😉

This blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.

Click on the images to see them at their best.

Related Posts:

Institute for the Blind - Part 1

Institute for the Blind - Part 2

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My Latest Book Reviews:

The Verdo
Paranormal and Urban Fantasy

Dead Letter
Prelude to the Dragon Choir Series

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Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to

link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

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Weekend Linky

Visit my Blog Hops page to see
what link-ups I take part in.

Read More

Paralympics 2016 with Weekend #Linky

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #189!

Who's been following the 2016 Paralympics? We were watching the news when we heard that four 1500m runners finished faster than the Rio Olympics gold finishing time! The fastest runner of the four was gold medalist Abdellatif Baka of Algeria. The second, third and fourth winners also ran fast enough to win gold had they competed in the Olympic Games. Baka, a visually impaired middle-distance runner, now holds the fastest 1500m time recorded by an able-bodied or disabled athlete in Rio over both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. You can find out more in this article from the Independent.

This blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.

Click on the photos to see them at their best!

I was invited to Kaleidoscope's annual function that took place yesterday. It was formerly named the Institute for the Blind. I have been working there since 2010 as a volunteer reader. Part of the function included a tour and I was impressed to find out what new things they have been doing since last year. For example, the paintings in both photos were done by visually impaired people and are on sale in their new art gallery. As you can see, one of the paintings already has a sold tag underneath it. If you want to learn more, then please visit my post from last year, Institute for the Blind.

Related post:
Institute for the Blind

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My Latest Book Review:

Bravo and Elphie
about friendship, responsibility and bravery

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Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to

link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

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Weekend Linky

This is a blog hop!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see
what link-ups I take part in.

Read More

Stories Through Photos and More with #LinkyParty

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #169!

This blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.

Click on the images to see them at their best!

I want to thank everyone who sent a prayer our way for rain. We had a lovely night of rain over the Easter weekend, but nothing since then. The photos I'm sharing today are of the view from our home. You can see that things are dry and our region's dam water just keeps getting lower. South Africa has been experiencing its worst drought in 20 years, so please keep praying!

On another note, who has been following the story about Facebook using artificial intelligence to describe photos for blind users? I think it's brilliant! I'm a volunteer at the Blind Institute and it's my 6th year there, so I was quite excited to hear the news.

Did you know that Facebook has millions of blind and visually impaired people using their site? For over a decade, they have been left out of the biggest part of the site's conversations - the stories that are told through photographs. Well, that is changing with people like Matt King, a Facebook engineer who is blind.

King says, "The impact of doing something like this is really telling people who are blind, your ability to participate in the social conversation that’s going on around the world is really important to us. It’s saying as a person, you matter, and we care about you. We want to include everybody — and we’ll do what it takes to include everybody."

You can find out more on The Verge.

If you would like to see what the Blind Institute in our town in South Africa is doing to improve the lives of the visually impaired and disabled, then check out my post on 1camera1mom!

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My Latest Book Review:

Bugaboo-Bee's Bop

Here's a gorgeous peek at the story on YouTube:

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Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to

link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

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Weekend Linky

This is a blog hop!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see
what link-ups I take part in.

Read More

Institute for the Blind - Part 2

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #144!

My blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.
Click on the images to view them larger.

Institute for the Blind

I introduced this 2-part series last Friday.
If you missed it, then I recommend
that you read Part 1 first.

Institute for the Blind - Part 1

Institute for the Blind - Part 2

The Institute for the Blind in Worcester, South Africa, offers a safe haven for the visually impaired, multi-disabled and deaf-blind adults. There are a variety of skills that are taught and each individual is given the opportunity to lead a meaningful life to the capacity that he/she is able.

A big part of the skills training include the six production units: the Mattress Department, the Woodworking Department, the Weaving Department, the Cane Department, the Creative Projects Department, and the Metal Department. Here, the adult residents at the Blind Institute create beautiful, high-quality products. Having fulfilling jobs allow them to lead meaningful lives. They also take pride in knowing that they are able to make a vital contribution to the country's working sector.

The Mattress Department

Springs for the mattresses -
Our guide, Ledivia, is
explaining the process

Adding the layers to a spring mattress

The Woodworking Department

Some of the wood products

The Weaving Department

Some of the quality products for sale
from the different departments,
including the Weaving Department.

Some of the beautiful
Cane Department products

Some of the decorative items from
the Creative Projects Department

Dominica's Story - She went blind as
a young adult and her world fell apart.
She has found a new start with the
skills training she has received in
Marketing, as a Call Center Agent,
and in Telephony.

A message from Freddie Botha
(the Executive Head) -
he introduces the coffee shop
and new coffee "Blindiana Blend"

Joseph - South Africa's first blind barista

Freddie Botha explains the new name
for the Institute for the Blind, Worcester:
Kaleidoscope - Let the blind lead.

"Life is like an ever shifting kaleidoscope; a slight change and all patterns alter." - Sharon Salzberg

"The idea behind a kaleidoscope is that it's a structure that's filled with broken bits and pieces, and somehow if you can look through them, you still see something beautiful. And I feel that we are all that way a little bit." - Sara Bareiles

All the guests were served
an Italian style lunch and
delicious desserts afterwards.

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Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to

link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook 

I'm also now on Instagram!

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

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Weekend Linky

This is a blog hop!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see
what link parties I take part in.

Read More

Institute for the Blind - Part 1

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #143!

This sweet garden has a bench swing too.
It's a place where the visually impaired who
live here can come and relax.

Institute for the Blind - Part 1

Let me briefly introduce myself. My name is Christina Morley. I am an American missionary, married to a South African, with four kids, living in South Africa. My blog, Amanda's Books and More, is based on our youngest child, Amanda, who is now seven years old.

As many of my readers already know, I am a volunteer at the Institute for the Blind in Worcester, South Africa. I read English material (exams, text books, novels, etc.) in a sound room at the Pioneer Printers where all the braille gets printed. Yesterday I was one of the guests at the AGM (Annual General Meeting) function. It was a great experience to see the new things they are doing, old things that have been improved on, and to hear testimonies of how people's lives have been changed.

I don't want to overwhelm you with too much information (or myself for that matter), so I'm doing this post in two parts. This is Part 1. I will share Part 2 next Friday.

The Blindiana Museum
and Coffee Shop

Some of yesterday's guests, like myself, began the morning with a tour of the Blindiana Museum and coffee shop. We were shown around by Ray Aukett, a very knowledgeable man who represents the Blind Institute and who is visually impaired, and by Ledivia Hamman, the coordinator at the Information Centre, including The Blind Spot (conference and event centre) Fossil Trail, and Museum.

Tourists and visitors are most welcome to contact the Institute for the Blind for a guided tour.

"At the Institute for the Blind, we don't stick to the confines of an institution. We are different, breaking the paradigm of traditional thinking. We are the central hub for blind progression in South Africa, and soon the world." - Freddie Botha (Executive Head)

My blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.
Click on the images to view them larger.

Ray Aukett

Louis Braille (1809 - 1852)

Development of Braille

Dictaphone

Clergyman Christiaan Rabie
(his original office and desk)
and a Remington typewriter

The Coffee Shop -
Blindiana Barista

Joseph Matheatau, the first blind
barista in South Africa, and
Ledivia Hamman, our tour guide

Joseph Matheatau - first blind barista
in South Africa

Tactile Fossil Trail

Ledivia was a great tour guide -
friendly and enthusiastic

The Tactile Fossil Trail

Fossils to touch with Braille plaque

Tactile Museum -
Geological Exhibition

"The Institute is a place of learning, development and progression; for those with sight and without. We would like to change how the world sees the blind, and how the blind see the world." - Freddie Botha (Executive Head)

I will also be sharing this content in the future on my travel blog, 1camera1mom.

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My Previous Post:

Last Saturday, we took a walk in the veld near our house to look at the variety of wildflowers that are springing up everywhere. The photos below are just a small peek, so be sure to click on the link if you missed it!

Walking Among the Wildflowers

Beautiful delicate wildflowers

Gorgeous robust wildflowers

This is Amanda

This is our dog, Benny

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Last Weekend's Post:

Creativity and Culture

with two inspirational YouTube videos!

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Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to

link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook 

I'm also now on Instagram!

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

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Weekend Linky

This is a blog hop!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see
what link parties I take part in.

Read More