Welcome to the Blog Tour for Anna of Arimathea by Susanne Blumer, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Anna of Arimathea Series: The Arimathea Chronicles #1 Author: Susanne Blumer Publisher: Sutton Avenue Press Release Date: December 7, 2025 Genre: Biblical Fiction
Some wounds are carried in silence. Some healings require more than medicine.
Eighteen-year-old Anna bears the marks of a childhood tragedy that left her motherless, scarred, and lame. Hidden within the household of her father, Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy councilman of the Sanhedrin, her days are measured in herb gardens and healing tinctures, in the steady work of hands trained to help others, and in the quiet safety of a world made small.
Then Andrew of Bethsaida arrives at her father’s gate with urgent business for Joseph and talk of a teacher who calls ordinary people to extraordinary purpose. A fisherman turned disciple, Andrew follows the rabbi Jesus with a conviction that unsettles every long-held expectation—including Anna’s own.
When Andrew’s kindness cracks open the door to a larger world, Anna faces an impossible choice: remain in the safety of her father’s estate or risk everything for the possibility of healing, love, and a life she never dared imagine.
Set against the dusty roads and fishing villages of first-century Judea, where miracles unfold and mercy walks among the broken, Anna of Arimathea opens The Arimathea Chronicles—a richly imagined tale of faith, first love, and redemption in the footsteps of the Messiah.
Anna of Arimathea is perfect for readers who love:
Biblical and historical fiction with rich period detail Redemptive love stories that explore the cost of faith Immersive historical worlds Characters who choose courage over comfort
Susanne Blumer lives her life surrounded by stories—some she writes, and some she sells. As the CEO and Founder of Sassafras on Sutton LLC, she is the owner of three magical indie bookstores nestled in the North Carolina mountains of Black Mountain and Waynesville and Beaufort, South Carolina. One even has a full coffee bar. Oh, happy day!
She is the author of The Arimathea Chronicles, a series set in first-century Judea and centered on the life of Anna, the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea. The first book, Anna of Arimathea, published in December 2025 and the second, Anna of Bethsaida, will be available in March 2026. She’s also written several children’s books, including the award-winning Bell Tower Bible Adventure series she co-wrote with her husband. Her new children’s picture book series, The Story of You, will release its first book late Spring 2026 called Before Your Story Had A Name.
When she’s not writing or doing other entrepreneurial tasks, you can usually find her hanging out on the floor of one of her stores, drinking coffee and learning the stories of her customers or spoiling her eight chickens. Susanne splits her time between Waynesville, NC in her beloved mountains and Beaufort, SC on the enchanting Lowcountry coast.
Connect with Susanne by visiting susanneblumer.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.
Excerpt:
THE MARKETPLACE (Prologue)
Jerusalem, 17 AD. Five-year-old Anna and her mother Sarah are caught in a marketplace riot that will change everything.
A woman screamed. Another voice joined, then another, until the marketplace churned with noise. Pottery crashed as a stall overturned, shards skittering across the ground like broken teeth. Chickens fluttered from their cages, wings beating the air, feathers drifting in the sunlight.
The crowd swelled and heaved. Strangers shoved past each other, fear rising like a shout above the sudden quarrel.
Sarah spun from the spice stall. Her eyes found Anna in the pen, crouched in the straw with the wounded lamb.
“Anna!” Her cry carried above the noise as she pushed into the crowd.
A centurion shoved through the chaos. His face was dark with fury, and his whip coiled in his fist like a deadly serpent. Behind him, soldiers poured out on horseback, their hooves ringing on the stone.
“Back, dogs!” he bellowed. “You think Rome will let you riot in her streets?”
He snapped the whip overhead, the crack splitting the air.
This is a book I haven’t yet read, but I really want to! I love Biblical fiction and this looks to be another well-told story of Jesus’s time. I believe this is a novel worth your attention!
Tour Giveaway
(2) winners will each receive a signed print copy of Anna of Arimathea plus a $50 Bookshop.org Gift Card!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 21, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on January 28, 2026. Winners 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 JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies. Enter Giveaway
Vanished women. A rising body count. A detective who won’t quit.
Detective Kylie “KC” Cassidy thought Major Crimes would be her big break. Instead, she’s chasing the brutal murders of young women—and the trail keeps circling back to Assistant State Attorney Gavin Watkins and his elusive ally, Kozlov.
Each lead vanishes before her eyes, every step forward dragging her deeper into danger. And when Kozlov’s men come after her, KC must rely on her instincts, and on the few people she can trust, to survive long enough to expose the truth.
But when KC gets too close to the truth, she becomes the target. Will KC survive the trap and bring down the predators or become their next victim?
If you like the relentless pursuit of justice in Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series, the sharp investigative instincts of Lisa Gardner’s D.D. Warren, then you’ll be captivated by Fatal Invitation, a gripping, fast-paced crime thriller.
S.F. Baumgartnercrafts fast-paced Christian suspense thrillers, weaving tales of complex characters, secretive operatives, and relentless agents. Her gripping storytelling has earned acclaim, with Living Secrets and Forgotten Secret—Books 1 & 2 of her Mirror Estate series—named Top Picks in the thriller & suspense categories, respectively, at Killer Nashville, and Tangled Secrets—Book 3 of Mirror Estateseries—won couple of awards in the Christian Indie Awards and the Incipere Awards. When she’s not plotting her next twist, she’s binge-watching crime TV shows, like NCIS or playing with her cats. Fans of James Patterson’s style, especially those who appreciate short, punchy chapters, will find much to love in her work.
More from S.F.
A New Adventure Begins: Introducing the Detective Kylie Cassidy Series
I’m thrilled to announce that Fatal Invitation, the first full-length novel in the Detective Kylie Cassidy series, is here!
If you’re new to Detective Kylie “KC” Cassidy, I recommend starting with Christmas Murders to get acquainted with this compelling character. And here’s a treat: there’s a free story called Orlando Prime – Origins available under the Freebie tab on my website at sfbaumgartner.com. This story introduces you to the elite crime-fighting unit and the team members who work alongside KC. Both KC and Orlando Prime take center stage in Fatal Invitation.
Writing this book has been an absolute blast! Unlike my Mirror Estate series, the Detective Kylie Cassidy series features self-contained stories in each book—think of it like your favorite TV crime drama where each episode (or book) solves a complete case. While there may occasionally be an overarching storyline, you can jump in at any point and enjoy the mystery. And as always, my books are clean reads.
Since this is a spin-off of the Mirror Estate series, longtime readers will enjoy spotting familiar faces. A few beloved characters get mentioned, and some may even guest-star in future books!
I truly hope you’ll fall in love with this new series as much as I’ve loved creating it.
Happy Reading!
My Impressions
“KC felt the familiar chill that came with recognizing a pattern. A beautiful influencer. A too-good-to-be-true opportunity. A young woman who trusted the wrong person.”
Whew! I escaped alive out of that crime thriller! S.F. Baumgartner writes in such a compelling way, I thought I was present in the scenes of Fatal Invitation. This series is a spin-off of the Mirror Estates series. Each book in the series can be a standalone. Kylie “KC” Cassidy is a small town detective who has just moved up to the Orlando Police Department. Still, the very first murder victim she investigates is one from her small town where she used to live with her Aunt Mae.
When a second victim with a similar MO is found shortly after, KC and her partner fight to keep jurisdiction from turning over to Orlando Prime, the city’s elite crime fighting organization. One aspect of the book is following KC and her new partner, Spaulding, to see if they can learn to work together and trust each other. After so long working by herself, can KC adjust to not only having a partner, but sharing her case with a whole nother unit?
Another is getting an overview of the Orlando Prime team, headed by Commander Frank Travers and his gang that is almost like family. I enjoyed meeting all of these individuals, and getting a feel for their place in crime solving. Jack has to be the comic relief of the team, in a sense. He is so very intelligent, but can he ever bird-walk. I could feel the whole team groaning whenever it was time for him to report in!
KC and the Orlando Prime team first believe they are tracking a serial killer. But what they eventually uncover is something more planned, more pervasive, and more deeply rooted than they could have imagined. Do they have the skills and resources to expose something so sinister before it takes them, especially KC, out?
Be ready for lots of characters, fast action, nail-biting tension, and a few twists. I will be looking forward to reading the rest of this clean, crime fiction series!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“And men under pressure do two things.” Eli’s voice lowered. “They break, or they double down.”
“He’d thrown away his medical license, his marriage, his self-respect. But maybe, just maybe, he could throw away his fear too.”
“But some of the most dangerous predators operated in plain sight, hiding behind credentials and public trust.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent. S.F. Baumgartner knows how to get the reader’s heart pumping into overdrive!
Some scars are born from duty, others from rebellion—theirs were carved by both.
Libby Caldwell has been in love with Isaac Harrison for years, ever since her late father befriended him. While her head knows there is no hope of sharing her life with a British soldier, her heart is much more difficult to convince, especially now that he is quartering in her home. With Boston under siege and battle looming, each day together forces her to recognize how deep her feelings truly are…and how forbidden.
Bound by duty to both his family and country, Isaac is determined to serve honorably in the King’s army, despite never wishing to be a soldier. But quartering with the widow and daughter of his old friend places another obligation on his shoulders—that of their well-being. The more time he spends with Miss Caldwell, the more that duty begins to feel like something personal, something he cannot allow.
As the siege of Boston tightens, Libby finds herself drawn into a dangerous game of espionage that could save the Patriot cause—and destroy any chance of a future with the man she’s growing to love.
Will betrayal and war keep their two worlds forever apart? Or will they look to the One whose love knows no bounds to bring them healing and a future?
Megan Sojais a multi-award-winning author who writes stories with strong faith, rich history, and sweet romance. She lives in western NY with her husband and two daughters and loves having adventures, both big and small, with her family. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, and playing French Horn.
More from Megan
One of the things I love about reading and writing Christian fiction, is being able to see God’s truth woven into the story. Even though the characters and their experiences are fictional, the truth of who God is and how He loves us is very real.
In Scars of the Revolution, my heroine, Libby Caldwell, wrestles with understanding God’s goodness in the face of loss and hardship. Libby is grieving the death of her beloved father, while also facing the siege of her hometown and the worsening fight between the Patriot colonists and the British Army stationed in Boston. Her growing love for one of the British officers further complicates matters, and makes it hard for her to discern what God is doing in her life.
Her questions and struggles reflect much of my own faith journey. When my husband and I lost our first baby just after birth, I spent months trying to reconcile what I thought I knew of God with the tragic loss we had experienced. I wasn’t angry at God, but I was utterly confused as to how to understand His goodness in the midst of something that felt anything but good.
It wasn’t easy, but when I look back now, I see how God led me through my grief into a deeper understand of His character and a stronger reliance upon Him. I can truthfully say, as Libby’s mother does in Scars of the Revolution, that it was “in the hardest times, when God has seemed utterly incomprehensible, that my faith has grown the most.”
If you have ever walked through a painful experience that made you struggle to understand God’s purpose or even doubt His love, I hope that Libby’s journey will inspire your own faith. Or maybe your experience is more like that of my hero, Isaac Harrison, whose life has revolved around duty for so long, that it is hard for him to comprehend a God who freely gives His love and forgiveness, even when we don’t deserve or cannot earn it. I won’t give any spoilers as to how Isaac’s understanding grows and changes, but I hope you’ll be encouraged when you read it.
Libby and Isaac’s story is one of love against all odds, set against the backdrop of the Battle of Bunker Hill and a complex web of espionage. But it is also a story of faith in the God who is able to turn our scars into something beautiful. I pray you will find that truth in the pages of Scars of the Revolution.
My Impressions
“We all bear scars of some sort, whether visible or hidden far beneath the surface. But instead of seeing the loss and sorrow in them, what if there is good that comes as a result? What if your scars have brought you exactly where God wants you to be?”
Have you ever finished a book, and wished you had the time to go back and reread it immediately? This was my reaction to reading an ARC of Megan Soja’s latest Revolutionary War era novel, Scars of the Revolution, Book three of her series, Harbor of Spies. It is so delicious to my reading palate. I must admit I have read book two, but missed book one. But with that background and enough small references in this novel, I had no trouble following the action.
My heart yearned for Libby Caldwell. Always close to her now-deceased doctor father, she becomes infatuated with the British soldier, Lt. Isaac Harrison, who had developed a close friendship with her father. When Harrison returns a few years after her father’s death, he finds himself billeting at the Caldwells to protect the doctor’s widow and his now-grown daughter.
The novel provides plenty of tension as we see the conflict between the colonists and the British heat up from disagreement to actual conflict. Libby and Harrison, aided by proximity, fight their growing attraction for each other as their loyalties are firmly opposed. Sometimes, they are able to see past their differences. Picking up his uniform coat, Libby tells Isaac, “Because this alone is not who you are.” “How he wanted her words to be true, that he would be defined not by his position in the army but by who he was as a man.” Obvious evidences of love (obvious to everyone but theirselves) are overshadowed by duty, alliances, and secrets. My heart felt like it was being torn in two so many times. And putting myself in each of their shoes- could I have made different decisions?
But God enters the story often and so well. Libby’s father was a firm believer who knew how to share his faith. His words, posthumously, greatly affect both Libby and Isaac. Can I have a fave unalive character?! And Libby’s mom is another fave character. She quietly supports her daughter, but isn’t afraid to gently challenge or confront her, when the need arises. “…pray first. Do not act on emotions alone, for they are not to be trusted. Seek God’s guidance and listen to Him, above all else.” Faith is a very present element of this book. The setting may be centuries old, but the Truths are so applicable today!
Soja writes knowledgeably of the siege of Boston and proves she did her homework well. The reader is sure to learn more history than what they knew before starting the book! ( I love books that do that well!) And Soja throws in twists, and enough glimpses of other characters that I am begging for book four ASAP! This family/friend saga is not over!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I also preordered my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Tis a sacrifice of some sort with either decision. Be it duty or rebellion, in both there is something to gain, and something to lose.” – Isaac
“…church is not the only place to meet with God. God is just as present with you in your everyday life as He is within those walls.” – Mrs. Abbott
“I have found ’tis in the hardest times, when God has seemed utterly incomprehensible, that my faith has grown the most. For in those struggles, He has shown me that it is not my grasp of Him that matters, but rather His hold on me.” – Libby’s mother
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior! This had to be the best of the three books in this series! And there is more yet to come!! Yay!!
Book: Terminal Danger (Guardians Unleashed Series Book 5)
Author: Jerusha Agen
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 24, 2024
This woman and her K-9 are being hunted. Exactly as she planned.
When a busload of schoolchildren disappears, Phoenix Gray knows the kidnapper is the unidentified serial killer she’s spent her life trying to catch. This time, she’ll find the killer and bring him to justice no matter what it takes. She and her Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency join the search for the hostages, but they aren’t the only ones who want the criminal captured.
Callum Ross, an FBI agent who specializes in catching serial criminals, is about to resign. But not until he finds one last culprit, the killer behind a famous twenty-year-old crime Callum vowed to solve.
Despite the FBI agent’s uncanny understanding of her psyche, Phoenix refuses to be distracted from her goal. When the serial killer turns into the cat instead of the mouse, Phoenix thinks she’s ready. But will she need the God she rejected to achieve the justice she’s given her life to obtain?
Jerusha Agen imagines danger around every corner but knows God is there, too. So naturally, she writes romantic suspense infused with the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jerusha loves to hang out with her big furry dogs and little furry cats, often while reading or watching movies.
More from Jerusha
Ever since I read Dee Henderson’s O’Malley Series, I’ve been hooked on a special kind of series. You probably can guess what that is. The team series premise!
In Henderson’s masterful Christian romantic suspense series, the “team” is a group of found-family siblings. I love sibling series in which each book features a member of the same family.
But another kind of team series that I enjoy reading is where the characters aren’t related but are bound together by a common job or cause.
Since I love reading team series, I couldn’t wait to write one of my own! Thus, the Guardians Unleashed Series was born.
Guardians Unleashed follows the five women operatives of the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency. Named after the founder and CEO, Phoenix Gray, this agency pairs each woman with talented K-9s who help them rescue and protect people in need.
From search and rescue to bomb detection and protection from assassination attempts, the operatives and K-9s of the PK-9 Agency can do it all.
When big or unusually challenging jobs come along, the women and their dogs tackle the assignment together. I love how the Guardians Unleashed series has one of my favorite elements of team series—the team members bond so closely with each other, that they become a family of their own!
As the final book in the Guardians Unleashed series, readers had high expectations for Terminal Danger. After all, it’s the story of Phoenix Gray, the secretive and mysterious woman who fearlessly leads her operatives into—and out of—danger.
Phoenix Gray was the most challenging character I’ve ever had to write, thanks to her high intelligence, psychological complexity, and emotional unavailability. But with much help from the Lord, this book came together as well as I had hoped.
One aspect of Terminal Danger that I and readers have enjoyed most is getting to see every team member of the PK-9 Agency again. They come together as a family for their hardest mission ever, and each character plays an important role while readers get the fun of seeing them with their heroes and dogs.
Ultimately, the people and dogs Phoenix brought together for their benefit and the benefit of others may also play an important role in her own life.
Your turn! What do you love about team series?
My Impressions
“But there was one other reason that a rhythm of hope continued to beat beneath his ribs. God.”
Hard to believe our time with the Phoenix Gray K-9 handler team and their dogs is at an end! Jerusha Agen has saved the most mysterious character for last, exposing Phoenix Gray and her secrets slowly in Terminal Suspense. Phoenix Gray seems to be the perfect, impassive operative. But her precision of planning security and accuracy of predicting a serial killer’s moves leaves her with a disdain for God. Yet, one by one, each of her hand-picked team has faced their own battles in previous books and found they needed God. As Phoenix fights for her life’s goal to be accomplished after twenty-six years, she plans to do it without help from others, including one highly intelligent FBI agent Callum Ross, or the God he serves.
This was a hard story to read. I find it difficult to read of children being in great danger by those who want to use them for their own lust and then harm them. I appreciated how Agen allows her child heroine to have found the secure love she needs to face danger so bravely! That was one bright spot in a dark story.
The other really bright spot is as characters realize that God alone can mete out justice. God can be trusted to control the universe and the people He placed in it. Even the horrible events that may happen can be part of His plan.
Agen includes some great twists! Always love to be surprised by those. And of course, just the presence of the SAR dogs is a comfort in the midst of a hard topic. What a great combination.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Prayer is the best way I know to stop worrying about things I can’t control.” – Cora
“…whenever we can’t love in the old, human way, God can give us the perfect way.” – Callum
To celebrate her tour, Jerusha is giving away the grand prize of a signed paperback copy of Terminal Danger, $25 Barnes and Noble gift card, Terminal Danger tote bag, magnet, and notebook!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Billion-dollar copper camp alive with rags-to-riches tales
Beneath the ghost town that clings to the side of Cleopatra Hill, a maze of abandoned mine tunnels conceals a vein of silver ore mixed with pure gold. Seventy years ago, the discovery of that silver lode caused a murder. Are more coming?
Historian Paul Russell is about to lose his job and the woman he loves. He doesn’t have time to search for the legendary silver lode. But when a student drops a seventy-year-old unsolved cold case on his desk, a murder connected to the silver lode, the mystery offers Paul the perfect opportunity to work with Marty Greenlaw and win her back.
As Paul and Marty search for the silver lode, suspicious deaths begin to happen. When Paul’s son disappears, the stakes become personal.
Suzanne J. Bratcher, Ph.D., delights in writing contemporary mysteries sprinkled with history. Her award-winning novels are set in the very real ghost town of Jerome, Arizona as well as the Four Corners states: New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. Bratcher lives in Phoenix, Arizona. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading with her granddaughter, laughing at her rescue cat, and piecing colorful quilt scraps.
More from Suzanne
When readers ask me where I get my ideas, I sometimes wonder if they expect me to reveal a secret process for starting a book. I only wish I could. But far from proceeding along the steps of a process, each of my books begins with nothing more than a spark that catches my imagination like a match catches a piece of kindling. I pile ideas on the spark and when I have enough for a blaze, I start to write. The spark for The Silver Lode was a 3-D display of the myriad abandoned mining tunnels that crisscross the hill beneath the ghost town of Jerome, Arizona.
The idea for The Silver Lode came to me while I was still an English teacher. So, what was I doing studying a model of a long defunct copper mine when I should have been reading William Faulkner or e.e. cummings? The reality was-at the time, I had no idea I was studying a copper mine. I thought I was visiting an old house.
The first time I turned off Arizona Highway 89A to visit Jerome State Historic Park, I wanted to tour to the Douglas mansion, the park headquarters. I love old houses. I’ve visited Thomas Jefferson’s home, George Washington’s, numerous antebellum mansions scattered throughout the South, and the family homes of many famous American writers. The Douglas Mansion, then, was a natural stop. But besides old houses, I also love research-learning simply for the sake of learning. I don’t have to have a specific goal in mind to enjoy adding bits of information to my hodgepodge of knowledge.
So…as I strolled through the high-ceilinged rooms in the Douglas mansion, I found myself drawn into the history of copper mining in Jerome. In addition to the three-dimensional display of the mine tunnels, I saw shelves of rocks and minerals bathed in ultraviolet light, a wall of photographs of the Douglas family that included one of Winston Churchill’s sisters, and a video that told the story of the ghosts of Cleopatra Hill. My interest piqued, I plunged more deeply into research. I bought books and read firsthand accounts of life in the billion-dollar copper camp. I visited the Jerome Historical Society and read yellowing newspapers. I ventured into the Mining Museum and wandered through a reconstructed mineshaft. I searched the internet for information about mining in the late 1800s and early 1900s, whether for copper, silver, or gold.
By now I was actively working on a plot that would revolve around mining for silver in Jerome. Because The Silver Lode was the second book in my trilogy of Jerome mysteries, I already had the main characters for the story. In my head I could see Scott, a young teenager, exploring those interlocking tunnels under the town. But I didn’t know what he was looking for. I needed another spark to start that fire.
I ran across it quite accidentally as I was reading about a large deposit of silver mixed with gold discovered in Virginia City, Nevada in 1859. Dubbed a silver lode, it was one of the richest deposits of its kind ever discovered. Of course, the Comstock Lode had nothing to do with mining in Jerome between the two World Wars. Nor did the history of Nevada influence the history of Arizona in the 1920s. Still, as I read about a large deposit of silver mixed with gold called a silver lode, I knew I had found both the treasure and the title for the story I was working on.
The next big story question was “Who else is looking for the silver lode?” In other words, “Who is the villain?” It was clear I needed secondary characters to drive the search for my imaginary silver lode buried deep in Cleopatra Hill. These characters came from my research into the families who built the town of Jerome and spread down the hill to build Clarkdale. I had my ideas.
Now…back to the question my readers sometimes ask: where do I get the ideas for my mysteries? The answer is as simple as it is complicated: I get my ideas from research. As I write, I use these ideas as a springboard so that they appear in camouflage. When you read The Silver Lode, I hope you find these nuggets of fact buried deep in the imaginary story of the long ago murder of a college student’s grandfather, a contemporary search for a legendary silver lode, and a desperate rush to save a child’s life.
My Impressions
“When I’m facing something I know is bigger than my strength, I repeat Philippians 4:13 three times, adapted a bit. ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, even __.”
Who hasn’t, at one time or another, wanted to uncover a long-buried treasure or solve a mystery that has eluded people for decades? Suzanne J. Bratcher, a new-to-me author, takes both of these ideas and skillfully melds them together, along with great faith lessons, in The Silver Lode.
Dr. Paul Russell assigns his college students to interview a family member about an important historical event of their lifetime. Alex Reyes’s take on that assignment leads Dr. Paul Russell and his family and friends on a quest for the truth about a rumored silver mine in the area and a suspected murder 70 years old.
It was nice to read about a conflicted romance such as between Marty and Paul. Nice because Marty’s hesitation to accept Paul as a serious suitor is grounded in the reality of one considering becoming a step-parent to a teen. Not an easy decision.
It is also interesting to see the growth in Scott, the teen son of Paul, as he emerges from mourning his mother’s death. We get to see how his relationships with his dad, a friend who needs a dad, and Marty, his dad’s potential girlfriend, develop. Will Scott cling to the familiar, or will he allow room for relationships to grow, to change, or even new ones to develop?
I’m sure I had sweaty palms and short breaths a few times as I read about the dangers that are inherent in exploring a possible murder. Or an old mine shaft. The action kept me glued to my seat. The romance, the job anxiety, the relationship angst, and the four-year-old fundraiser recipient all tightened the weave of the story into a very beautiful tapestry.
I’m going to award favorite secondary character to Sophia, who knows the Russell family from years prior. She is a sweet and wise woman who is also a good friend to Marty. She is able to listen to Marty’s misgivings and give godly advice. “…sometimes God makes something different out of our lives than we expected. It’s kind of hard when that happens because we find ourselves in territory we don’t have a map for.” Amazing when God steps into our lives and opens our eyes with apt words from a friend! I also loved how this theme of leaving behind the old expectations we have for our lives and accepting a new direction God is sending us in, plays out in so many different characters’ lives in different aspects.
I enjoyed seeing a bit of the antique business as Marty is shown at work, as she develops her showroom.
The twist!! When we are out of options, Bratcher throws in a great twist!! I liked that almost as much as I enjoyed the unique ending of the novel, that I could see some creatives actually doing.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Commitment meant work.” ( Paul)
“…the best opener” [in a conversation] “was the truest thing he knew about himself.” (Paul)
“God creates new things.” – Sophia
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! I now need to go back and find the other two books in this series!
A tale of courtship & marriage, duty versus desire, faith & forgiveness.
In 1777, caught in the crossroads of the American Revolution, sisters Maebel and Coralie Bohannon’s quaint New Jersey village becomes a battleground as they house American officers in their home. Rebellion ripples through their family as members take opposing sides–Patriots and Loyalists–causing a deep chasm that fractures their once-unbreakable bond. As Mae’s friendship grows with the American general Rhys Harlow, Coralie continues her liaison with her childhood sweetheart, a British officer stationed in New York. Torn between her growing love for the general and suspicion that her sister is a British spy, Mae leaves the only home she’s ever known for the New York frontier. When betrayal strikes in the heart of the wilderness, she’s forced to take a perilous journey that tests her very survival and those she loves, all in the name of liberty.
Proclaimed wordsmith extraordinaire by Library Journal, Laura Frantz delivers a stirring tale of divided loyalties, sisterhood, and love.
About the Author
Laura Frantz, has been writing stories since age seven. She is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century and her novels often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. Though she will always consider Kentucky home, she and her husband live in Washington State. Her bestselling, award-winning novels have been translated into various languages. Visit her website and sign up for her newsletter.
My Impressions
“‘If the love of your country is indeed the governing principle of your soul, you will give up every inclination which is incompatible with it; nor will you cherish in your hearts any rivals of the favorite passion.’”
Hold on to your beaver skin hat, Bleu, you’ve just acquired some serious competition! I thought Laura Frantz could never produce a swoon-worthy hero I would love more than Bleu, but oh, my stars and garters!! Rhys Harlow, the Frantz hero of The Belle of Chatham, certainly is amazing!
Where does one start a review with such a memorable book? Frantz’s writing style holds me mesmerized as she paints mental pictures of the lush or barren landscapes, and produces smells with her word wizardry. These are not pages one can speed-read through!
So many different plot points come together to make this a totally great story! Do I emphasize the romance ( slow-burn, tightly controlled because of the military situations), the family division (so painful), or the Revolutionary War history presented, the strategies and battles well-researched and a teaching point, if you will. And the smallpox inoculation mandate. So much to learn! Plus, the way that Mae and others learn to incorporate their faith in the day-to-day. “…lately I’ve prayed to be the person the Almighty wants me to be. Let challenging circumstances change me for the better.” Mae and others are indeed challenged in this novel, almost beyond endurance. But another quote reminds them that these hard circumstances won’t last forever. “Remember all this is fleeting. We seem to be walking through fire now, but it has an end.” We would all do well to remember this!
Indeed. One of the things I liked most about this book was it didn’t end with the marriage and “Happily Ever After” of the main characters. Instead, our fave two characters find that there are bumps in the road of marital bliss. And their bumps appear as big as the mountains of Rhys’s Virginia. This book is a great reminder that “happily ever after” is a myth. There are foxes, or wolves, and we must choose forgiveness.
Whew! Ready to re-read all over again!!
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. I also have pre-ordered pb copies for my trophy shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Sometimes it’s the simplest things that mean the most.” – Rhys
“All of us have wounds. Some scarring you simply don’t see.” – Rhys
“I’d rather hear the truth than lies or empty assurances.” – Mae
“Surely the Lord was teaching her in the waiting and making something more of her than she was.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior!! I am only allowed to give 5 stars. Alas, this book earns so many more!!
When history-loving Olivia Bennett’s teaching contract isn’t renewed, she is considered her family’s logical choice to care for her ailing grandmother in a tiny English village. While there, she soon finds additional work at nearby Hartbury Hall—one of England’s great houses once used as Pemberley in a filmed production of Pride and Prejudice. The head gardener there, however, proves to be anything but the gentlemanly hero of that famous book. Little does she know that behind Liam Browne’s brusque exterior is both a family tragedy and a legacy that demands truth and honor, creating a crisis that only Liv’s vivacious determination can resolve. Along the way, she may just learn that appearances count for naught. . .and that love can be found in unexpected ways.
Carolyn Miller is an inspirational Regency and contemporary romance author who lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband, she has pastored a church for ten years and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher.
A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives.
More from Carolyn
My Impressions
“Yet something surged up, demanding he live again. To risk, to dream, to trust, to hope.”
Carolyn Miller’s Not Exactly Mr. Darcy has left me in the feel-good state of watching a great play or movie. I am emerging from this book in the mood to give all the other (imaginary) theater-goers around me a hug in this highly charged, enhanced emotional state.
With themes of forgiveness, honesty, grumpy/sunshine mcs, and working as a team against impossible odds, this novel has much to offer. Trusting God and finding God’s path in life are major emphases.
This fun contemporary romance takes on shades of the Regency era as our disgruntled Australian heroine, Liv Bennett, finds run-down Hartbury Hall and gardens unavailable to visitors. This, in her mind, is totally unacceptable, as a movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice has been filmed using the manor grounds some ten years previous. She believes the manor could be attracting crowds of paying customers. The biggest obstacle seems to be, at first, the surly gardener, Liam.
Before Liv knows it, she is doing more than babysitting her convalescing English grandmother whom she came to visit. She is working as head planner to restore the manor and gardens for visitors. Lack of funds, jealous townspeople, jealous ladies, an uneasy relationship with Liam, all work against Liv in her attempt to resurrect this showcase. Will all her work pay off, or will it be for naught? Will she regret her time in England, working her tail to the bone, losing a bit of her heart in the process?
I could just imagine the restoration of the great hall as it took place. I could not imagine having the organization and knowledge that Liv has to bring everything together. The enthusiasm?! Wow, even surly, disheartened Liam can’t help but notice. The growth arc for Liam is so gratifying to watch. It is a very slow process, though, like a caterpillar making a cocoon, becoming a chrysalis, then finally a butterfly.
Of course, the path to true love might lead through the gardens, but it certainly is not neat and tidy!
While Liv believes “God could be trusted with opening the right doors and closing the wrong ones. In everything.” Life has a way of developing complications, and just when things seem nearly perfect, Liv is required to examine how thoroughly she will choose to live out her faith.
I loved the way the first part of the novel hinted at so many unknowns that the reader slowly discovers, including Liam’s past and just who George is. Three cheers for George, by the way! Great secondary supporting character!
Recommended for fans of history, Anglophiles, and Pride & Prejudice and Jane Austin fans.
I received a copy of the book from the author through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Hope was a dangerous thing. He’d lived with hope before, only to see it crash and burn.” (Liam)
“God might love him, but God’s blessings felt distant, like a star that one would never touch. He’d made too many wrong choices to ever feel secure that God’s love was still warranted.” (Liam)
“What if she’s the answer to your prayers?” – George
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! I thoroughly enjoyed this contemporary romance with Regency references!
Series: The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue #8
Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary
Publisher: Tandem Services Press
Released: Aug. 4, 2025
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
She’s supposed to be a small-town girl…
…He’s billed as America’s biggest heartthrob.
What could possibly go wrong? How about everything?
Tiny Bernie Sawrey is perfectly happy fixing carburetors until her stepmother ambushes her with a blind date. The catch? It’s with movie star Garrett Lomas, Bernie’s secret celebrity crush and the reason she’s haunted the drive-in alone her entire adult life.
There’s just one teensy problem: Bernie’s about as Hollywood-ready as a rusty muffler.
But when her dad’s garage faces financial ruin, suddenly playing Kokomo’s answer to the girl-next-door doesn’t seem so impossible, if it will help. How hard can it be to fake being normal for a few weeks?
Meanwhile, Gabe Lomas thought being his identical twin’s stunt double only involved driving race cars—not impersonating him at charity events in small-town Indiana. But when the movie studio execs set up the deal and Garrett’s fiancée says no way, Gabe trades his helmet for a fake smile and a very real problem.
The problem? Bernie Sawrey, all five-foot-nothing of her, with enough quirk and innocence to charm the grumpiest producer. That’s the problem.
Gabe is falling for her hard, only she thinks he’s his famous brother.
And she just might be falling for him too.
Now he’s caught between protecting his brother’s career and protecting his own heart. Because telling Bernie the truth might send her racing away—but not telling her guarantees he’ll lose her when she finds out.
Return to 1973 Kokomo, Indiana, where the cardinal in the sycamore knows that love—like a good engine—runs best when all the parts are genuine. A sweet, hilarious tale of mistaken identity, small-town charm, and finding love when you’re not even being yourself.
You will enjoy this sweet, quirky tale of secret twists, because sometimes the best love stories start with a little white lie and maybe a bit of motor oil.
Historical Christian romance author Jennifer Lynn Cary likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. She is also a direct descendant of Davy Crockett, which along with her Indy upbringing, adds fodder to her sweet/clean books. She and her husband make their home in Arizona where she shares her tales of heritage and small town life memories with her grandchildren. You can contact Jennifer via her website http://www.jenniferlynncary.com
My Impressions
“In this business, things look a lot different from what they are in reality. It’s all about the show, the magic, and the misdirection.”
I just love reading each successive novel in the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue by Jennifer Lynn Cary. I think I enjoy each one even more than the last. All the books are set in Kokomo, IN, in the 70s. Now we’re on book #8, Bernadette, about a young female grease monkey who poses to strangers as a male for safety and acceptance reasons. After all, women are not supposed to be interested in automobiles and their innards, how they work, and to beat all, how fast they can go around a speedway!
Our unorthodox car mechanic meets the race car driver of her dreams, Garrett Lomas, a Hollywood movie star. He and his entourage come to Kokomo to produce his newest racing movie, since Indy is close by. With a mind of her own, Bernie resents her “distant” step-mother’s insistence that Bernie help the town image by appearing at several public events with the movie star.
Just as Bernie has her secrets, so does Garrett. Garrett’s secrets don’t just belong to him, however. They’re shared, and the keeping and the revealing will surely hurt more than just himself!
This mental drive back into the 70s was so much fun. I tried hard not to sing along to “Bad, Bad, LeRoy Brown” with Jim Croce ( and failed, of course)! How Cary keeps coming up with new 70s references always amazes me, but they’re always spot on and bring such warm fuzzies on remembrance! Here’s looking at you, HoJo’s!
What really makes me love this book and Cary’s others, is the spiritual depth. “If God is in it, there’s no such thing as a little thing. He can make the amazing and astonishing even out of the tiniest offering. Just trust Him.” So says Roberta, Bernie’s stepmother. Roberta truly does care about Bernie, which Bernie begins to see as she lowers her defenses and listens.
Certainly, our two main characters must trust God to guide them, many times out of troubles of their own making. Many times each prays earnestly for guidance in their confusing circumstances.
Overall, I loved this novel. It has a great spiritual growth arc and is basted in historical romance and sprinkled with humor.
I received a copy of the book from the author through JustReads. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“ ‘Bernadette, you are a breath of fresh air.’ But how would she feel if she learned what a phony he was?”
“…he’d told the truth, but all in an arena of lies.”
“…the only place she felt valued and understood was her dad’s garage. Everyone there accepted her. No one expected her to get all girly.”
“You are who you are. No mistakes.”
“This was Benjamin Franklin with the kite and the key level of electrical excitement.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior! I am loving each of these 70s historical romances even better than the ones before!
He’s running from his past. She’s seeking a better future.
After a long and debilitating illness that leaves Arrosa Chapman with severe weakness necessitating the use of a cane and the threat of future health issues, she determines to make a new life as a nanny for Thad and Emilie Evanson in Hollow Creek, Montana. Away from the city that holds family secrets, Arrosa is content to begin a new life caring for children since she will most likely never marry and have any of her own. She doesn’t expect to meet a handsome and rugged ranch hand named Malachi Callahan, whose kind and gentle nature is just what she longs for after suffering a broken heart.
Malachi Callahan has been given a second chance. He works hard on the Evanson Ranch to prove he’s nothing like his father. What he doesn’t expect is to meet a beautiful and compassionate woman named Arrosa Chapman. It’s not long before his feelings for her go beyond friendship.
When someone from the past finds Malachi and threatens him and the woman he loves, Malachi finds himself in the fight of his life to save them both.
Love in Time is a tender love story that reminds us that God’s timing is always perfect.
Enjoy Love in Time after reading Love in Store and/or Love in Disguise, or enjoy it as a standalone.
Paperback version coming soon.
*Please note: Love in Time is a faith-filled Christian historical romance.**
Other happily-ever after romances by Penny Zeller:
Historical Romance Love’s New Beginnings Forgotten Memories Dreams of the Heart When Love Comes Love’s Promise Once Upon a Christmas Over the Horizon Dreams on the Horizon Beyond the Horizon Love on the Horizon Love in Disguise Love in Store Love in Time Love from Afar Love Unforeseen Love Most Certain Levi’s Vow Heart of Courage A Christmas to Remember A Promise to Keep McKenzie Freedom’s Flight An Unexpected Arrival (newsletter subscribers)
Contemporary Romance Love in the Headlines Recipe for Love Under the Mistletoe Blueprint for Love Love Under Construction Henry and Evaline
Penny Zeller is known for her stories of faith-filled happily ever afters with tender romance, humor, and memorable characters. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications. Today, Penny is a multi-published, award-winning author of over three dozen books. She is also a fitness instructor, loves the outdoors, and is a flower gardening addict. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, kayaking, biking, birdwatching, reading, running, and playing volleyball. She resides with her husband and two daughters in small-town America and loves to connect with her readers on social media and through her website.
My Impressions
“Maybe what he really sought was a place to belong. A place where those around him accepted him. Even cared about him.”
As with others of Penny Zeller’s Christian historical romances, Love in Time is a poignant story of two souls with different soul needs, wondering if they dare bare their hearts to another. Told with an easy-going style, humor, and real faith lessons that can be applicable to life today, Love in Time captured my heart.
Secrets from the past is something both Malachi and Arrosa have in common. Why does Arrosa have the manners and memories of high society, yet need to work as a nanny? Why can Malachi never seem to open up about his boyhood experiences to Arrosa, no matter how much she shares with him?
Family. Such an important part of this story. Arrosa is very close to her sister and mother, and even her absent father. Each affects how Arrosa ends up in Hollow Creek. I loved those connections and those of the Evanson family, and how they treat their workers as part of their family. What a positive influence! And then there is Malachi. Doing his best to break free from his original father, he has been searching for belonging ever since. Will he find it on the Everson ranch and with his close friend, Arrosa?
I loved how there are people with physical limitations in the book. This gives the characters a special need to develop perseverance and grit ( and do they!). It also gives others an opportunity, esp. our hero, Malachi, to look for ways to be a special and effective helper.
There were a few heartbreaking scenes in the novel, plus a few twists that caused me quite a bit of consternation, let alone the characters affected!!
But what I loved best of all, was couched in this gentle western romance, are Truths the characters learned that we would do well to heed today. “Why was it such a challenge to forget the past? The Lord had given him a future.” This particular truth would’ve been a whole lot easier for Malachi to practice if he didn’t feel tied to his past, and if it didn’t come back to strangle him! And as Arrosa says, thinking of her past health challenges and how they could affect her future, “I find myself entrenched in trepidation, even though I know the Lord will carry me through whatever I may face.” Arrosa also personally gives me new insight into how frightened my own mother must have been years ago when she contracted Arrosa’s disease.
I must say, my fave secondary characters are the children, but especially little Mamie. And the barn scene ! Le sigh! True love causes us to do strange and wonderful things!!
I received a copy of the book from the author. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“I do know the Lord does have plans for him. He is the God of second chances.” -Arrosa
“And just remember, you, with the Lord’s help, will make choices in this life. Choices to be like your pa or choices to be just the opposite.” – Barnabas
Detective Beth Wolfe’s reunion with investigative journalist Jack St. James is a matter of life or death—and when a masked assailant attacks them, a severe blow leaves Jack with amnesia. Beth and her K-9, Arthur, are determined to keep Jack safe while he regains his lost memories. Was he targeted due to a case he was working on…or does it have something to do with the son they placed for adoption decades ago? When their investigations lead them inside a booby-trapped amusement park, it’s a race against the clock to put all the pieces together and uncover the park owners’ nefarious plot…or die trying.
Dana Mentink is a New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion winner. She is the author of over fifty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell and Poisoned Pen Press.
More from Dana
How could we be at the end of a series? I’ve been having a wonderful time with the Wolfe family and their house full of hounds. The last book is finally Beth’s story. She’s the matriarch of the family who has experienced the loss of a spouse. In this story, she will meet the son she never knew and explore the idea of learning to love again. I feel especially fond of this book because Beth is an older heroine who has some living under her belt. She’s learned how to carry on, with her old dog Arthur, and stand faithfully in the face of adversity. Now that’s a heroine I can root for! I hope you enjoy this final installment of the Security Hounds series!
My Impressions
“A wound she’d carried for thirty-eight years had broken open, and she wasn’t sure how to bind up the ragged edges.”
Aw, the final chapter ( book) in the Security Hounds Investigation series by Dana Mentink. How bittersweet! Scent of Sabotage is a welcome and fast-paced addition to the series, featuring matriarch Beth Wolfe, who has been the backbone of the family and their bloodhound team leader. A widow of several years, Beth is shocked to get a text out of the blue from Jack, a man she hasn’t seen in 30 years.
Jack’s sudden request to see her brings to the surface a multitude of unwelcome memories and emotions. None of Beth’s family are aware of this part of her past, except her deceased husband . Before Jack can confirm Beth’s fears, though, the attacks begin and Jack and Beth begin to run for their lives.
One reason Beth and Jack are largely on their own, is Beth’s reluctance to let go of her hidden past. She has many talented adult children who are people seekers along with their bloodhound counterparts, yet Beth keeps them out of the loop. “…maybe because she didn’t want them to have a chance to ask him too many questions about their past? Her scars were deep. His too.”
So many times, my heart ached for the help that could have been theirs with a little more forthcoming with Beth’s family. But don’t we act like that in real life sometimes? Trying to find our way on our own, without the help of others, because of fear of what they may think of us?
I give Jack points for being wise. Although he originally tells Beth, “…I don’t need a wingman,” he quickly realizes he is not going to dissuade Beth from joining his investigation. At that point, he doesn’t waste a lot of time trying. When Beth gets upset at him over matters, he doesn’t take it personally, but realizes that her reaction is normal. This patient man will go far!
And the requisite goofy bloodhound. Meet old, arthritic Arthur. He could only be a liability, right? But no, this elderly dog is an unexpected hero to both canine and people alike. I was amazed.
The mystery is well-plotted. I loved the amusement park setting and the twists certainly surprised me. I would not have survived this adventure, pure and simple!!
And, of course, Mentink made me feel like I was in the middle of the action with Beth and Jack. Fortunately for me, the reader, Mentink inserts some humor and witty comebacks that break the tension. Otherwise, this story will really cause the blood pressure to skyrocket!
I received a copy of the book from the author and from Celebrate Lit via BookFunnel. I also pre-ordered my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“God has a way of growing people up, doesn’t He?” – Jack
“She wasn’t his. She never was and never would be, but during occasional sleepless nights, he allowed himself to stray to the “what could have beens.” Deadly and depressing. God didn’t want him to dwell in the past.” (Jack)
“…everyone’s an enemy until we’re shown otherwise.” – Jack
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior! Action, twists, faith, romance, humor, and dogs! I will miss the Wolfes and their bloodhounds!
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 