ARC, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, Purchase

Dreams on the Horizon by Penny Zeller Review and Giveaway

August 12, 2024August 12, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Dreams on the Horizon

Author:Penny Zeller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: June 25, 2024

Can love overcome all obstacles?

Mae Shepherdson’s dream of a school for the deaf has finally come to fruition. All is going well until she receives devastating news: the railroad wants to build a spur through the property where the Horizon School for the Deaf is located. What will become of the children who attend the school and the employees who so tirelessly commit their time and resources? Mae questions why God would allow the closing of a school that has been the lifeline for so many young pupils. And what of her dream that no child should endure being ostracized as she once was?

Landon Bennick is accustomed to obeying his father’s orders. He’s observed and even assisted with the building of many railroad spurs, and the newest in Horizon should be no exception. However, things grow complicated when he begins to fall in love with Mae, a soft-spoken teacher at the Horizon School for the Deaf—the same school blocking the railroad’s progress. Will Landon heed his father’s strict demands or is there another way to build the spur and save the school?

When a nefarious character with vengeful intent threatens Mae, will Landon intervene before it’s too late and save the woman who has claimed his heart?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith, love, and humor and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics.

Today Penny is a multi-published author of over two dozen books and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. 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, reading, running, and playing volleyball. Penny resides with her husband and two daughters in small-town America and loves to connect with her readers.

More from Penny

Enjoy this peek inside the first chapter of Dreams on the Horizon:

Sometimes the Lord answered multiple prayers all at once.

Mae Shepherdson faced her pupils and, using sign language, dismissed them from class and promised to see them early tomorrow morning.

The students signed back to her and Mae thought her heart would explode.

Her charges were learning.

And she was making a difference.

Each student had a different story. From the ones who came from a supportive and caring home; to the ones who’d been mistreated or were orphans; from those who struggled to learn to those who eagerly embraced every lesson; from the youngest to the oldest, and all those in between…all were thriving under the dedicated tutelage of Mr. and Mrs. Eddington and the Horizon School for the Deaf.

Mae’s heart warmed as she watched as the children bounded from their desks, waved, and one by one, left the classroom. All except Polly, whom Mae had asked to stay after class.

Polly remained at her desk, smiling as she drummed her fingers on the worn-out wood, causing a tap-tapping vibration.

Mae reached inside her own desk and retrieved a wrapped parcel before walking to Polly’s desk. “For you,” she signed.

Polly’s brown eyes lit and she reached for the parcel, opening it with all the enthusiasm a six-year-old could muster. Pulling out the dress, she stood and held it against herself for size.

The dress Mama made would fit perfectly.

Polly wrapped her thin arms around Mae’s neck. She then stepped back, brought her hand to just below her mouth, and signed, “Thank you.” Before allowing Mae a chance to respond, Polly scuttled from the classroom, and Mae knew the little girl would barely reach her room before trying on the dress.

God had answered Mae’s prayers in so many ways. He’d blessed her with a family who loved her; He’d led her to teach at the Horizon School for the Deaf; and He’d allowed her to do something big for the least of these.

My Impressions

“Mae knew what it was like to be turned away. To be unloved. But she also knew the power of God’s abounding grace and His mercy in bringing her a forever family.”

Penny Zeller writes funny, historical romances that I find refreshing like a cool breeze on a hot summer’s day! Dreams on the Horizon involves a school for deaf children in 1890 Idaho, a railroad construction plan that stops for no one, and two hurting individuals on opposites sides of the tracks.

Mae Shepherdson loves her job as teacher at the school for deaf children. But even more, she loves the children themselves, feeling great compassion for them as she recalls her own traumatic childhood.

Landon Bennick, young heir to the Bennick Railways, comes to Horizon to prepare for expansion of his father’s company’s system. Little does he expect to become so enamored with the town, the Sheperdson family, or Mae, specifically. Suddenly, his integrity is called into question as his ruthless businessman father decides that Mae’s beloved school stands in the way of progress.

So much to love about this story. The opening sentence was a keeper for me. “Sometimes the Lord answered multiple prayers all at once.” Instantly, curiosity is piqued!

The writing style Zeller employs reminds me of Prairie Western,( think Janette Oke or Kim Vogel Sawyer)- not fancy(except for Ruby’s pretentious big words ), but flowing nice and easy. Don’t forget the humor that is a Zeller trademark! Loud outbursts generally occur when I’m reading her books!

I loved that while the gospel is presented clearly in response to a character’s questions, the responder is warm and friendly in his answer. It feels very natural, which then opens the way for more questions later.

Besides the obvious main characters, I would say I loved Albert and the Lieutenant and Miss Greta. You’ll have to read the book to see why I loved the last two. But Albert is so wise, so thoughtful, and so prayerful, too. (A person is blessed if they have an Albert in their lives.) I absolutely loved his answer to an insurmountable problem. “This calls for fervent prayer.” Not that we can’t do what we can to fix a problem, but before we do, the best thing is hard prayer!

And I love when the wealth discussion comes into play. Mae has her head screwed on right. “I just firmly believe that wealth is not based on money and possessions. Wealth is having the joy of knowing you belong to the Lord and that nothing and no one can ever take that from you. Of having a loving family who cares about you and is there for you always. Of being richly blessed with loyal friends.”

While I classified this as a “prairie western,” Zeller sensitively tackles many hard subjects. Human fathers affecting our image of God, child abuse, lack of love, need for acceptance, “special needs,” social castes in America, etc. God’s love, mercy, and faithfulness are shown as the light in hard times.

I received a copy of this book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“You are worthy. He loves you more than you can ever comprehend.” “As is evidenced by Jesus’ sacrifice?” “Indeed.”

“I had to learn that we can hang on to those regrets and blame ourselves for circumstances that, in your case, were beyond your control. Or we can release those remorses to our Heavenly Father. He doesn’t wish for us to live lives filled with compunctions and shame.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! I always enjoy Penny Zeller’s novels, full of faith, humor, and romance!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 13

Madi’s Musings, August 13

She Lives to Read, August 14

lakesidelivingsite, August 15

Lighthouse Academy Blog, August 15 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 17

Devoted To Hope, August 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 19

Stories by Gina, August 20 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 20

Holly’s Book Corner, August 21

Book Looks by Lisa, August 22

Pause for Tales, August 23

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 24

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 25

Cover Lover Book Review, August 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Penny is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2dbe6/dreams-on-the-horizon-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Purchase

Sheltering You by Robin Patchen Review and Giveaway

August 9, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Sheltering You (Wright Heroes of Maine Book 4)

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release Date: August 6, 2024

In the sleepy town of Shadow Cove, Maine, a woman’s desperate flight becomes a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse.

After escaping Iraq with her twin sister, Jasmine seeks refuge from Qasim, the terrorist she was forced to marry. She’s determined to carve out a safe haven in this peaceful coastal town for herself and her unborn child. But her polygamous husband’s relentless pursuit threatens to shatter her fragile world, leaving her with nowhere to hide.

Enter Derrick, a guardian angel in the guise of a friend.

Drawn to Jasmine’s quiet strength, Derrick vows to shield her from harm, even as the boundaries of friendship blur into something deeper. Unaware of Jasmine’s secret, he agrees to help her rescue and hide another Iraqi refugee woman and her younger brother in the US. Derrick will do anything for Jasmine, his heart yearning for a connection she refuses to embrace.

All the while, Qasim is closing in.

He took Jasmine as his second wife for one reason, and she carries that reason her womb. Once his heir is born, nothing will stop Qasim from bringing him home to his beloved first wife and disposing of Jasmine—and he will take out anybody else who stands in his way.

Join the Wright Heroes of Maine for an edge-of-your-seat international romantic suspense that takes you on the run with a heroine in hiding, a secret baby, and unrequited love.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Robin Patchenis a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Coventry Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. Working in marketing, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while homeschooling her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet.

More from Robin

Back when I first started writing fiction, I used to worry that each story idea would be my last, that I’d never get another good one. Since then, I’ve learned that stories somehow beget more stories.

For instance, back in 2022, I created a character named Grant, who was secretly in love with his coworker, Summer. In the process of figuring out who Grant was, I realized he had five brothers. All I knew about them was that they grew up in Maine and one had a limp and blamed Grant for it.

I had no idea why.

Grant’s story came out in Courage in the Shadows, the ninth book in the Coventry Saga. Then I told his brother Daniel’s story in A Mountain Too Steep, book eleven in the same series, a bridge to the Wright Heroes of Maine.

In the middle of writing Running to You, the first book in that series, which is about Sam, I “met” his older brother, Michael, a CIA agent, and thought, wouldn’t it be fun if his girlfriend was kidnapped? Oh, and what if she was Middle Eastern? And what if she was taken by terrorists?

Well, crazily enough, that’s what happened. (It’s fun to be the little-g-god of my little story world, always submitting to the Big-G-God in the real world, of course.)

In Rescuing You, Michael heads to Iraq to rescue Leila and meets her twin sister, Jasmine, who’s also being held against her will. And their family has ties to terrorists, which gave me a great idea for the next book, Finding You, which takes place in Germany with Bryan, the brother with the limp.

After he and his beautiful heroine, Sophie, survive their plot, we head back to the US, which brings us to Sheltering You, my most recent release.

And now it’s getting really fun because Jasmine is hiding from her terrorist (and bigamist) husband, who’s searching for her and his unborn child.

See what I mean? Each story births the next.

You’re going to love Sheltering You. Derrick, the youngest of the Wright brothers, is already smitten with Jasmine, but he has no idea she’s married and expecting a child. And she might loathe her husband—so much that she ran from him and is hiding a half a world away. Even so, she’s married, and that means something. So no matter what she feels for Derrick, she can’t act on it.

The situation is complicated, and it just gets more complicated as the story progresses. Which is what makes it So. Much. Fun!

And guess what. This series isn’t over, not even close. We’ve gone through all the brothers, but there are more Wrights out there…cousins. I don’t know all their stories yet, but Alyssa’s is already coming together. It’ll release in the winter of 2025 with some familiar faces—good guys, of course, and maybe bad guys as well.

I hope you’ll check out Sheltering You and all the stories in the Wright Heroes of Maine series.

My Impressions

“Work together? He liked the sound of that. Would that they could work together on more than just a stupid card game.”

Robin Patchen showcases riveting romantic suspense in Sheltering You:Terror in Shadow Cove ( The Wright Heroes of Maine, Bk #4)! I was anxiously scrolling pages as fast as I could with this novel, hoping that Jasmine( Yasamin) and Derrick would ultimately be safe and have their own happy ending. The tension is so well built, whether between Derrick and Jasmine, or Derrick and his brothers, or the Wrights vs. the terrorists! I was happy to meet some characters I’d met in previous books. I was also happy that missing a few books, I could still enjoy this book, but this book also gave me the desire to go back and catch up on the brothers whose stories I’d missed.

Trust, freedom, working together, human slavery, and conflict are all themes explored in this novel.

Talk about culture shock! This is a great opportunity to realize how different life can be for people in other cultures, especially in cultures where women are seen as property and worthless. We as Americans don’t always realize how good we have it. Although Yasmine challenges Derrick when he talks about her need for freedom from her former life. “…true freedom isn’t the ability to do what I want. True freedom comes from doing what God says. True freedom is in walking with Him, is it not?”

Jasmine’s situation is heart-wrenching, in the way it has caused her to think of herself, as less than nothing, unworthy, “the other one” who “is barely a shadow.” I love seeing her growth and her faith.

Derrick starts with what would seem like a bigger advantage than Jasmine. He has a large, loving family, access to God’s Word, and much more freedom as an American. Yet, Derrick, the peacemaker, has a difficult time with his family. He has many copies of God’s Word, but has not studied it like Jasmine has. And his freedoms just might cause him to think the American way is God’s way.

When Jasmine tries to protect a friend and things go sideways, can Jadmine and Derrick work together and possibly become more than friends? And as the danger increases, can Derrick discover his own motivations within the family and work together with his brothers with pure motives?

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“He gave me hope when there was no hope.” She yawned. “There was always eternity.”

“That was as close to a real apology as a red Skittle was to a fresh strawberry.”

“Feelings were not grains of rice one could simply flick away. They clung like grime, impossible to remove without painful scrubbing and stinging bleach. How did one bleach a soul?”

“Slavery looked different here than it had in Iraq, but it existed everywhere.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! Intense, romantic suspense with relatable, flawed, characters you want to help and cheer for!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 10

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 11

Stories By Gina, August 12 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 13

Book Looks by Lisa, August 14

Betti Mace, August 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 16

Blossoms and Blessings, August 17

Blogging With Carol, August 18

For the Love of Literature, August 19 (Spotlight)

Holly’s Book Corner, August 20

Artistic Nobody, August 21 (Spotlight)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 22

Back Porch Reads, August 23 (Spotlight)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of Finding You!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2dbe4/sheltering-you-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, BLOG, Just Read Tours, Kindle, NetGalley, Purchase, Thomas Nelson

Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham Review and Giveaway

August 7, 2024August 8, 2024 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Beyond Ivy Walls
Author: Rachel Fordham
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: August 14, 2024
Genre: Historical Romance

Reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast, a recluse and a young woman discover that the scars of life are no match against an act of love.

Iowa, 1903. All of Monticello believes Otis Taylor has been away fostering his musical genius. But the truth is that his father exiled him long ago, rejecting Otis’s appearance and the scars that came with it. Now that he is the last living Taylor, Otis has covertly returned to settle his family’s affairs and rid himself of his past for good. However, he soon discovers that he may not have been the only discarded Taylor and begins a tireless search for his missing niece.

At twenty-three years old, Sadie West left her family farm and found employment at the Hoag feather duster factory. It isn’t a romantic job, but she’s hardly had a glimmer of romance since her beau went off to college, leaving her with no promise of a future together. Desperate to save money and help her family make ends meet, she trespasses and finds shelter in an abandoned building–and is thrown in the path of the town’s mysterious bachelor.

Otis’s wounds are deep, but as Sadie’s friendship with him grows, she begins to fall for the man beneath the mask. The mystery of his long-lost niece, however, is more complex than either could have imagined, and Sadie may be the key to Otis Taylor finally finding his way home.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop

Also Available:

About the Author

Connect with Rachel by visiting rachelfordham.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

My Impressions

“Why can’t it be normal to be varied and different? In a world full of colors and shapes and backgrounds, who decided we were all supposed to be the same?”

Oh, Rachel Fordham! I don’t know which of your characters in Beyond Ivy Walls I love most!!

I love Sadie because she refuses to gossip meanly, works hard, and is determined to support her family, no matter the cost to herself. She is always putting others first. Whether she is in the feather duster factory or in the big house, she is looking out for others and has a strong sense of duty. Plus, she knows that people are more than meets the eye. “People are much like plants. There is so much more to them that cannot be seen. Ambitions and dreams. Fears and hopes. Buried beneath the soil, overlooked, but vital . . .”

For Otis’s part, I love him for the horrors he endured as a boy, the actions and attitudes that he should have been safe from, occurring in his own home. Yet, he returned. He struggles with staying, but who wouldn’t? And he discovers as he opens up to Sadie and their friendship develops, that he can challenge her in her weak spots, too. And what he does for Sadie!

Leon and Mildred- I love them because they are like catalysts in a slow chemical reaction. Loving Otis, seeing the real man, encouraging both Otis and Sadie as they learn to tolerate each other, making the big house a pleasant place to be.

The mystery is well-played and adds a beautiful counterpoint to the storyline. All in all, I am just plain in love with this Beauty and the Beast retelling. *Sigh*

I highly recommend this Christian historical romance novel. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy!

I received a copy of the book from Just Read Tours via NetGalley. I also purchased my own Kindle copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Unwanted. It was a label no child, no person, should have.”

“Just remember there is more to you than what happened in the past. I’ve seen pieces of your heart—others will too. Come and meet my family and you can see pieces of mine.”

“beside the grief was happiness. Somehow, pain and joy were walking side by side. He did not understand it, but he felt it.”

“Love, acceptance, abandonment, trust. He wanted to run from it all and in the same breath to make sense of the scattered pieces and find peace.”

“It’s a shame, the way we shun when we should rally around those who struggle. And no matter how others behave, in the pit of their stomachs, I think they know it too.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! I love Rachel Fordham’s sweet, unhurried prairie style and the way she makes me adore her characters!

Tour Giveaway

Rachel Fordham is the author of The Letter Tree, Where the Road Bends, A Lady in Attendance, A Life Once Dreamed, The Hope of Azure Springs, and Yours Truly, Thomas. Fans expect stories with heart and she delivers, diving deep into the human experience and tugging at reader emotions. She loves connecting with people, traveling to new places, and daydreaming about future projects that will have sigh-worthy endings and memorable characters. She is a busy mom, raising both biological, adopted and foster children (a cause she feels passionate about). She lives with her husband and children on an island in the state of Washington.

(1) winner will receive print copies of the author’s previous 6 novels: The Hope of Azure Springs, Your’s Truly, Thomas, A Life Once Dreamed, A Lady in Attendance, Where the Road Bends, and The Letter Tree!

(2) additional winners will receive one Rachel Fordham backlist print copy of their choice!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight August 7, 2024 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on August 14, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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

ARC, BLOG, Just Read Tours, Kindle, Purchase

July 26, 2024 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Ambush in the Mountains by Mary Alford, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Ambush in the Mountains
Author: Mary Alford
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Innocent lives at stake…

Can a former soldier and his canine save them?

Helping a pregnant woman he comes across in a mountain storm puts Axel Sterling right into the path of ruthless human traffickers. Now it’s up to the ex-soldier and his dog to keep Summer and her unborn baby safe from the abductors she’s finally escaped. But between the icy wilderness and the armed gunmen following them at every turn, one wrong move could cost Axel and Summer their lives.

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

About the Author

Mary Alford is a USA Today bestselling author who loves giving her readers the unexpected, combining unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots that result in stories the reader can’t put down. Her titles have been finalists for several awards, including the Daphne Du Maurier, the Beverly, the Maggie, and the Selah. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two cats and one dog.

Connect with Mary at maryalford.net to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

My Impressions

“Summer …wished she could erase the things that were forever imprinted in her heart, keeping her from experiencing anything close to a human emotion again. But she couldn’t. She was damaged beyond repair. “

Mary Alford. To me, a name synonymous with fast-moving, heart-thumping romantic suspense, generally involving Amish and Englischers. Ambush in the Mountains lives up to Alford’s reputation, but in this novel, Alford is also tackling a very tough social injustice: human trafficking. I loved that there is a trigger warning at the beginning.

I could not imagine! I have lived through a few blizzards in my lifetime, but never have I been in Summer’s position! Running out into a superstorm, 8 months pregnant, knowing that getting caught means certain death. I could imagine every bump and jar as Summer and Axel traversed the blizzard-swept countryside, though! How can Summer and Axel keep looking for alternate ways of escape as each one gets thwarted? How do they have the energy, courage, stamina, and ability to think clearly in those situations? And, because of a very real fear, they have no one else to turn to. “Was Summer right about not trusting the cops? If that was true, who could they go to for help… No one. They were on their own.”

Axel is the perfect foil for Summer. As a former soldier, he, too, knows what it means to be hunted, where one slip-up could cost him his life. Now he is responsible for at least three. Yet, he is so kind and thoughtful, never putting himself first.

Don’t forget the former K-9 soldier! While the Malinois seems very dangerous and dedicated to keeping his master safe at all cost, Camo trusts Summer immediately. God gives animals a sixth sense and it is great to see how this bears out in Alford’s book. I am pretty sure I love Camo just as much as Summer and Axel.

I loved that Axel realizes that one of Summer’s deep needs is to be seen as not only worth, but free from fault in the horrible events that had happened to her. I also loved that Summer isn’t willing to stay a victim. “I hate that word.” She scraped her hair back from her face. “Even though I am a victim, I don’t want to feel like one.” She touched her belly. “This little one needs me not to be a victim.” Such courage! And Alford shows many times where Summer and Axel’s courage comes from. There are many desperate prayers to a God they know and love.

Get your copy of Ambush in the Mountains today! Maybe you’ll be as shocked as I was by one of the twists!

I received a copy of the book from Just Reads. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! Tough topic, handled very well. High Suspense, great twist I never anticipated!

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a $50 Amazon gift card and a print copy of Ambush in the Mountains!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 22, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 29, 2024. 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

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

ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, NetGalley, PB, Purchase, Revell

Between the Sound and Sea by Amanda Cox

July 19, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Between the Sound and Sea

Author: Amanda Cox

Publisher: Revell

Releases: August 6, 2024

Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Historical, Mystery

Every family has its secrets. Josephina Harris wouldn’t mind if her family still had a few of their own after a lawsuit tarnishes their name. When an opportunity opens to become a temporary keeper of a decommissioned lighthouse on a North Carolina island, she jumps at the chance to escape her small town to oversee its restoration.

As the work begins, “Joey” discovers strange notes tucked deep in the crevices of the old stone walls–pages torn from a lighthouse keeper’s log signed by someone named Mae who recounts harrowing rescues at sea. Fascinated by a woman lighthouse keeper, Joey digs into the past only to discover there’s never been a record of a lighthouse keeper by that name.

When things start to go amiss on the island, locals are convinced that it is the ghost of the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who were lost at sea during World War II. As Joey sifts through decades of rumors and legends and puts together the pieces of the past, what emerges is a love story–one that’s not over yet.

Multiple Christy Award winner Amanda Cox is your guide upon the raging seas of young love, heartbreaking loss, and learning to risk it all for a chance at happiness in this timeless novel.

About the Author

Before becoming a stay-at-home parent, Amanda Cox spent her time counseling children, families, and individuals through life’s challenging moments. Now she uses those same skills to develop layered characters and stories, bringing them on a journey of hope and healing. A journey she hopes her readers experience in their own lives as they read.

A few of her favorite things are the sanctuary of the great outdoors, the feeling of pen on paper, the sound of her children’s laughter, and exploring new places with her husband of 18 years. (Oh, let’s not forget good fiction and good coffee. She’s addicted to both.) You can stay connected with her latest writing updates at http://www.amandacoxwrites.com. You can find her on social media by searching Amanda Cox Writes

To get a free short story featuring characters from The Edge of Belonging visit: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/fuj7mlfd83

My Impressions

“Regret is a strange animal, son. It makes you create alternate realities inside your head with hindsight as your guide. You long for those imaginary outcomes until it’s a sickness. But there’s also another side to regret… I knew how much it cost to get it wrong.”

Indeed, this twisty, dual-time novel of Amanda Cox, Between the Sound and the Sea, is full of regrets. Walter is desperately trying to make up for his regrets from 60 years earlier. Finn doesn’t know how to step away from his broken past into a safe life. And Joey thinks she can somehow solve her problems by proving her worth to a town who has rejected her. Can these three work together to restore an old Outer Banks lighthouse and solve the mystery of the light keeper and his daughter who disappeared years ago?

Cheers for obscure history revealed! Never would I have guessed WWII was this close to our mainland! Why weren’t we taught this in US history?!

I found myself with the characters saying in my head, “I wish this or that would happen, or wouldn’t have happened.” Or I was guilty as I read, of saying, “Why? Why did [character] do that?!” Whether in reading or real life, it’s so easy to get caught up in the “if only” rut. You can see Amanda Cox’s background as a therapist come through as she explores the characters’ actions and feelings. “It was past time to leave behind the ‘if onlys.’ ‘I’m not sure going backward is ever the answer. We learn what we can from the hard times and keep moving forward.’”

This mesmerizing novel will have you reaching for the Kleenex more than once as Cox visits themes of regret, fear, and heartache. Is there a path for these characters I now love to find peace, forgiveness, hope, and restoration?

Because I love to spotlight secondary characters, I will name Pete as my fave such character. I loved how God used him in the narrative and also how he grew!

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via NetGalley. I also pre-ordered a pb for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“But that’s the beauty of love and grace, Cay. The real kind. We don’t have to earn it.”

“God meets us right where we’re at. And maybe things in our lives get broken down and beaten up along the way. The good news is restoration work is kind of His specialty.”

“When people are hurt and scared, they aren’t always able to reason through things well. They can’t see past the pain and fear.”

“I feel like I’ve slipped and fallen into an episode of Scooby-Doo. Send help.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! Cox proves once again why she is a multiple Christy award winner!

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The Baby and the Guardian by Danielle Grandinetti Just Reads Review Blitz

July 10, 2024July 10, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

The Baby and the Guardian by Danielle Grandinetti

Series: Christmas Cabin
Author: Danielle Grandinetti
Publisher: Hearth Spot Press
Release Date:July 16, 2024
Genre: Christian Historical Romance (with Suspense)

A baby in danger, a man in turmoil, and a woman determined to save them both.

Wisconsin, 1929—When her best friend is murdered, Eira Mae Pryce gains guardianship over her friend’s baby. A baby in danger. Charged with the child’s protection, she must outrun a snowstorm, her grief, and a killer to seek refuge with the man who saved her life last Christmas.
All ex-sheriff Casper Yarwood wants for Christmas is to be left alone. With failure ringing in his ears, he retreated to his family’s cabin in the densely wooded portion of his former jurisdiction. But when his uncle’s secretary–and the woman he believes he failed–arrives on his doorstep with an endangered child, Casper cannot turn them away.
Casper and Eira Mae face impossible odds that require facing their pasts, sacrificing their futures, and ignoring their growing feelings for one another. But they’ll do so if it means they keep their charge alive long enough to experience his first Christmas.
One cabin in the Northwoods … a decade of Christmas miracles.

Get your copy below !

https://daniellegrandinetti.com/the-baby-and-the-guardian/ #ad

About the Author

Danielle Grandinetti is an inspirational romance author fueled by tea and books, and the occasional nature walk. A 2023 Finalist in the FHLCW Reader’s Choice Award, she has also won the UNW Distinguished Faith in Writing Award and the CROW National Excellence in Story Telling Award. Originally from the Chicagoland area, she now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline with her husband and their two young sons. Find her online at daniellegrandinetti.com.

My Impressions

“God put Lewis in my charge and then he sent us to you. Yes, it is a weighty responsibility, to keep Lewis safe… But you and I have the means. Together. And in the end, each of us—me, Lewis, you—we are ultimately in God’s hands.”

I think this line pretty much sums up the gist of The Baby and the Guardian by Danielle Grandinetti. Two individuals, one ( Eira Mae Pryce), a judge’s transcriptionist, and one (Casper Yarwood), the judge’s reclusive nephew, are charged with keeping a young orphan baby safe after the baby’s parents are murdered. It takes a lot of thinking, praying, and discussion for the two to realize that God has given them what they need to keep little Lewis safe. Both Eira Mae and Casper feel unqualified for good reason, but God uses them to strengthen each other’s emotions for the job.

I loved the Christmas vibe created by the snowstorm, the Christmas decorations, and the connections the young couple made to God assigning human guardians ( parents) to protect and guide the baby Jesus.

I also loved the fact that Grandinetti quickly starts the novella out and we understand the conflict within the first minutes of the story. The suspense and tension starts up almost immediately!Bravo!!

A well-written story with a good twist, themes of two people who love God learning to work together, plus learning to give God their cares, and learning that God is in ultimate control. The Christmas-y feeling, the suspense, the cold blizzard all make it seem like I could have been a part of it. Definitely recommended!

I received a copy of this book from the author through Just Read Tours. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“This is why he’d given up being a sheriff. Why he’d left any manner of civilization behind. Caring cost so much.”

“…into his self-inflicted monasticism, God brought the very thing he feared most. And with it, hope?”

“Casper had grown comfortable recognizing God’s Still Small Voice.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! I need to go back and read the pre-quel to this story, The Sheriff and the Outlaw.

ARC, BLOG, Just Read Tours, Kindle, Purchase

Mackinac Island Beacon by Carrie Fancett Pagels Review

June 30, 2024July 1, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Mackinac Island Beacon

Series: Mackinac Island Romances, Bk 3

Author: Carrie Fancett Pagels

Publisher: Hearts Overcoming Press

Released: April 2024

Plans hatched in 1897 bring friends and family from far distances toward Mackinac Island’s new twin beacons—the Round Island Lighthouse and the Social Affirmation Society’s training/retreat center. A missing daughter, a missing godchild—two young women’s lives have intertwined in ways they could never have known. The solution to both of their mysteries is revealed when all hope has been lost by those seeking them.

Is romance out of the question for Val and Susan, when their hearts begin to heal? Will Paul and Lawrence, friends from their childhoods, brought to the island for work, be their beacons of hope? Can God bring all their paths together or will too many obstacles stand in their way?

About the Author

Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., writes stories about overcoming with God’s help (including a Romantic Times Top Pick inspirational novel). She has 25 published fiction books. Carrie is an ECPA-bestselling award-winning author. She won the Maggie Award for Excellence medallion. Twenty-five years as a psychologist didn’t “cure” her overactive imagination. She’s the mother of two and married to the love of her life.

My Impressions

“Point is—you don’t have to be blood kin to make a family.You just need love.And plenty of it.” He tapped the Bible. “And God’s blessing to cover you all.”

If you’ve ever been to Michigan, you might know that Mackinac Island is considered one of the state’s treasured gems. We love to visit “the Island” and St. Ignace, so I love to read Carrie Fancett Pagels’s books that never fail to allow me to visit again, at least in spirit. Mackinac Island Beacon is directly related to the novella, The Sugarplum Ladies. It’s been a while since I read that one, so I was happy to see a list of characters at the front of the book!

The main part of the novel takes place on Mackinac Island and the tiny lighthouse island near it, Round Island Lighthouse in 1897. One young woman without a family, Susan Johnson, works at a Catholic orphanage on the Island ( Mackinac Island). The other, Valerie Fillman, travels from her tiny lighthouse island home, which she’d never left without family ( she’s 20!) to get medicine for her critically ill family.

In God’s providential timing, a young widower friend of Susan’s and his three-year-old daughter Hetty come to man the lighthouse, while a link to the Island’s past, Lawrence Zumbrun, comes to coach a young, loose-lipped Olympic hopeful. There were an awful lot of moving pieces in this story-puzzle to piece together, and sometimes I wished there were a few less characters to keep track of. I did enjoy the mysteries(there was more than one), the gentle romances, and the joi de vivre that both Hetty and Jack added to the story. I wished I could picture which house on the Island is “the Butterfly House, ” along with a few other named “cottages.” I think I would have enjoyed a map.

Valerie is very courageous to return to the lighthouse, where tragedy and an ugly past exist, in order to help Paul with Hetty. Yet, Val feels all alone, until God speaks to her heart. “Mine. You are mine. Always mine, and I am here, too.”

All in all, a good story that shows God’s providence over and over, His setting the orphans in families, and taking care of his children. These ingredients, tossed with a bit of humor, make for an enjoyable armchair trip to Mackinac.

I received a copy of the book from the author and JustReads. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“But God was bigger than all his problems.”

“God was a loving god not one intent on inflicting maximum punishment, as Mum had insisted.”

“Pretty is as pretty does, but a woman with intelligence and good character can outshine them all.”

“God has gifted us all with something to bring glory to the kingdom. “

“Funny how perceptions change depending upon where you are situated.” “Or your life situation.”

“Yes, there were forces that worked against the Lord, but His will was never for evil.”

“I crept into a crack in the rocks that protected my heart, and I’ve hidden there. Was it time to come out? To be free?”

“The good book says God gives us double for our trouble sometimes.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great! Enjoyable “trip” to Mackinac Island

ARC, Bethany House, Biblical Fiction, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, NetGalley, Purchase

The Sisters of Corinth by Angela Hunt Review and Giveaway

June 27, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Sisters of Corinth (The Emissaries: Book 2)

Author: Angela Hunt

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Release date: May 21, 2024

“Angela Hunt takes her craft to new heights–and depths–as she fully immerses us in the lives and struggles of first-century followers of Yeshua.”–Tamera Alexander, bestselling author on The Woman from Lydia

When the new provincial governor arrives in Corinth, the esteemed Chief Magistrate Narkis Ligus, father to Mariana and Prima, is delighted. He sees a golden opportunity to propel himself to greater power and fortune by uniting his and the governor’s households through the marriage of one of his beautiful unwed daughters to the governor’s firstborn son.

Yet complications quickly arise in Narkis’s own family. Mariana, his stepdaughter, holds steadfast faith in Yeshua, rendering her hesitant to marry a man devoted to the Roman gods, despite Narkis’s urging. On the other hand, Prima, his daughter by birth, yearns for a life of wealth and status and is willing to go to great lengths to secure a marriage that fulfills her desires–even if it means betraying Mariana to do so.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Angela Hunt is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 160 books, with nearly 6 million copies sold worldwide. Angela’s novels have won or been nominated for the RWA RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the HOLT Medallion. Four of her novels have received ForeWord Magazine‘s Book of the Year Award, and Angela is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from both the Romantic Times Book Club and ACFW. Angela holds doctorates in biblical studies and theology. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs and chickens.

More from Angela

Hello!

Thank you for helping me kick off the book tour for THE SISTERS OF CORINTH. This book is the second in my Emissaries series, but don’t worry—it reads like a stand alone.

The series features Gentiles who became believers in Christ through the ministry of Paul. The first book was about the woman called Lydia who lived in Philippi, and this book is about two step-sisters who lived in Corinth, the “Vegas” of the Roman Empire. What happened in Corinth stayed in Corinth, if you get my meaning, and there was a LOT going on in that pagan city.

I couldn’t help but think of Cinderella’s story as I wrote the opening of this book. The novel begins when the two sisters hear about the new governor coming to Corinth. He has a handsome and eligible son, and Narkis, the head of their family, is determined that one of his daughters should marry him. Prima is like her father, power-hungry and pretentious, while quiet Mariana is a believer in Yeshua. There’s a great deal of primping and preparing, scheming and scowling as the banquet draws near, and you’ll never guess which daughter the young man chooses—or maybe you will.

I hope you enjoy THE SISTERS OF CORINTH and thank you so much for taking part in this book tour. I am so grateful!

Always,

Angela Hunt

My Impressions

“Hester and Mariana could have their strange new god, but Father and I would remain true to the deities of Rome. They had made us part of an empire that brought its citizens power, slaves, and unimaginable luxuries.”

In The Sisters of Corinth, Angela Hunt spins a Biblical fiction tale so real, so suspenseful, and so engrossing that you want to put it down until you can finish it.

It is the story of the Roman world in the Apostle Paul’s time, during the reign of Nero. It is the story of a divided house. In a second marriage for both Corinthian statesman Narkis and his wife Hester, both bring daughters into the marriage. Prima and her father follow the Roman gods; Hester and her daughter, Mariana, have learned from Paulos and Acquilla & Priscilla to follow Yeshua.

Hunt’s novel is consists of two basic conflicts. As we read alternating chapters narrated by the sisters, we see sister pitted against sister for the love of the son of the new governor of Corinth. The other conflict pits all the gods of Rome against the God Who created the Universe. “How could the gods disappoint me? Mariana’s God could not be stronger than Aphrodite, Jupiter, and Asclepius. She had one God; I had dozens. Impossible that one foreign God could have prevailed against the gods of Rome.”

Power, lust, and greed are very real and driving forces in Corinth ( and Roman) politics. How far will Narkis and his daughter, Prima, go to ensure they climb the social and political ladder leading to Rome?

I was amazed by the attitudes toward slaves of the day. Yet, I think that Hunt probably went light on her description of the depravity there.

I loved how a daily witness of love and kindness in their homes influenced people around Jeshua’s followers. I also loved discovering that this is a second book in a series of three. So I must find the first book and prepare for the way Hunt will wrap up things in the third. My little experience with Hunt and this time period says it may not be as pretty as I’d like!

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via Netgalley. I also purchased my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Freedom was found in truth, and truth was found only in Adonai and His Son.”

“Your Adonai,” she said, her voice firm, “He must be the true God…Because He is the only God who asks His followers to do what they cannot do without His help.”

“Even the small mistakes of rulers loom large in history, and that thought is what terrifies me.”

“Perhaps it is the same with your God—if you know He is good, you can trust Him to be kind.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! Ready for the third in the series!

Blog Stops

Inspired by Fiction, June 19

Lots of Helpers, June 19

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 21

Devoted To Hope, June 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 22

Texas Book-aholic, June 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 23

Batya’s Bits, June 24

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 25

She Lives To Read, June 25

Stories By Gina, June 26 (Author Interview)

Dee S White, June 26

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 27

Lily’s Corner, June 27

Bigreadersite, June 28

Cover Lover Book Review, June 29

The Lit Lady, June 30

Holly’s Book Corner, July 1

Pause for Tales, July 1

Labor Not in Vain, July 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Angela is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback copy of The Woman from Lydia and The Sisters of Corinth and a $15 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2c069/the-sisters-of-corinth-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Dreams on the Horizon by Penny Zeller Review

June 25, 2024June 25, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Dreams on the Horizon

Series: Horizon Series, Book 2

Author: Penny Zeller

Publisher: Maplebrook Publishing

Released: June 25, 2024

Can love overcome all obstacles?

About the Author

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics.

Today Penny is a multi-published author of over a dozen books. She is also a homeschool mom and a group fitness instructor. Her desire is to assist and nurture women into a closer relationship with Christ.

When Penny is not dreaming up new characters, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters and camping, hiking, canoeing, reading, running, gardening, and playing volleyball.

Penny is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and loves to hear from her readers at her website, http://www.pennyzeller.com, her blog, http://www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pennyzellerbooks. To sign up for her monthly newsletter with book news and other fun morsels, go to https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/262119/74964679867237940/share

My Impressions

“Mae knew what it was like to be turned away. To be unloved. But she also knew the power of God’s abounding grace and His mercy in bringing her a forever family.”

So much to love about this story. The opening sentence was a keeper for me. “Sometimes the Lord answered multiple prayers all at once.” Instantly, curiosity is piqued!

The writing style Zeller employs reminds me of Prairie Western,( think Janette Oke or Kim Vogle Sawyer)- not fancy(except for Ruby’s pretentious big words ), but flowing nice and easy. Don’t forget the humor that is a Zeller trademark! Loud outbursts generally occur when I’m reading her books!

Besides the obvious main characters, I would say I loved Albert and the Lieutenant and Miss Greta. You’ll have to read the book to see why I loved the last two. But Albert is so wise, so thoughtful, and so prayerful, too. (A person is blessed if they have an Albert in their lives.) I absolutely loved his answer to an insurmountable problem. “This calls for fervent prayer.” Not that we can’t do what we can to fix a problem, but before we do, the best thing is hard prayer!

I received a copy of this book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“You are worthy. He loves you more than you can ever comprehend.” “As is evidenced by Jesus’ sacrifice?” “Indeed.”

ARC, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, New-to-Me Author, Purchase

Texas Forsaken by Sherry Shindelar Review and Giveaway

June 19, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Texas Forsaken

Author: Sherry Shindelar

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: May 21, 2024

The man who destroyed her life may be the only one who can save it.

Seven years ago, Maggie Logan (Eyes-Like-Sky) lost everything she knew when a raid on a wagon train tore her from her family. As the memories of her past faded to nothing more than vague shadows, Maggie adapted—marrying a Comanche warrior, having a baby, and rebuilding her life. But in one terrible battle, the U.S. Cavalry destroys that life, and she is taken captive again, this time by those who call themselves her people. Forced into a world she wants nothing to do with, Eyes-Like-Sky’s only hope of protecting her child may be an engagement to the man who killed her husband.

Enrolled in West Point to escape his overbearing father, Captain Garret Ramsey has graduated and finds himself assigned to the Texas frontier, witnessing the brutal Indian War in which both sides commit atrocities. Plagued by guilt for his own role, Garret seeks redemption by taking responsibility for the woman he widowed and her baby. Though he is determined to do whatever it takes to protect them, is he willing to risk everything for a woman whose heart is buried in a grave? Or is there hope she might heal to love once more?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Originally from Tennessee, Sherry loves to take her readers into the past. She is an avid student of the Civil War and the Old West. When she is not busy writing, she is an English professor working to pass on her love of writing to her students. Sherry is an award-winning writer: 2023 Genesis finalist, Maggie finalist, and Crown finalist. She currently resides in Minnesota with her husband of thirty-eight years. She has three grown children and three grandchildren.

More from Sherry

The story of Cynthia Anne Parker, the most famous captive of the nineteenth century, haunted my heart for a couple of decades. Abducted from one world, adopted into another, and then stolen back, Cynthia Ann’s story of love and unrepairable loss captured my heart. All the more so since it was fact, not fiction.

I longed to give her a second chance. So I developed a character who was similar to Cynthia, started the narrative at the moment of crisis, and wrote a different trajectory. I couldn’t give Cynthia a happy ending, but I could give Eyes-Like-Sky a story of love and hope taking root in the midst of devastating loss.

Cynthia was taken captive by Comanches at age nine during an attack on her family’s fort in the Texas frontier in 1836. Her father and several extended family members were killed, and her brother John, her cousin Rachel, and a couple other family members were captured along with her.

Her Aunt Elizabeth was rescued a couple months after the attack. Her cousin Rachel, who had been badly abused by the tribe, was ransomed a couple of years later and died within a year of her return. John adopted the Comanche lifestyle and lived with the tribe for years before eventually leaving the tribe to farm in Mexico. But Cynthia became Comanche and became an integral part of the tribe for over twenty-four years.

She married an influential war chief, Peta Nocona, and had three children with him, including Quanah Parker, who eventually became a powerful Comanche chief. Several times over the years, Indian agents and traders attempted to ransom her, but she refused to go, and the tribe rejected their offers.

In December 1860, Texas Rangers, along with U.S. Cavalry troops, attacked her village and captured her and her baby girl, Prairie Flower (Topsanah), killing everyone else in the camp. (There has been significant historical debate about whether her husband was present at the time. Some accounts claim he died fighting to protect her. Other evidence points to him having been away on a hunting trip at the time of the attack and dying a couple years later from an old battle wound.)

Eventually, one of Cynthia’s relatives claimed her and took her to live with family, but she refused to accept this new life that was being forced upon her. Repeatedly, she tried to escape to the open plains, desperate to find her husband and her sons. One of her uncles eventually agreed to help her look for her people, but they’d have to wait until the Civil War ended.

Prairie Flower died, word came that Cynthia’s son Pecos had passed away, as well, and the Civil War dragged on. Cynthia lost hope of ever being reunited with the two remaining members of her beloved family, Nocona and Quanah. Overcome by sadness and longing, she sank into a deep depression and died of a broken heart.

Cynthia Ann’s story, the story of a woman torn between cultures, perplexed, intrigued, and haunted me. My heart ached for her loss, and questions flooded my mind. Some stories are like that. They stay with you, and this one was all the more indelible because it was true and filled with unknowns.

As I put pen to paper to begin Texas Forsaken, I sought to create an indelible story of heart-wrenching trials, forgiveness, and second chances. A story of love and hope born anew. A story of redemption.

My Impressions

“I want no part of your settlements and civilization.”

“Done turned savage herself.”

Eyes-Like-Sky is a bitter captive to the pre-Civil War days American army. When the Comanches have decided to deter the white men from their territory by sheer terror of raids, the army fights back. In one such retaliation, Eyes-Like-Sky’s husband is killed, and she and her baby are taken captive by the white man. But… Eyes Like Sky vows they will never convert her back to her original Texan roots. “‘I don’t have an English name. I’m Comanche.’ Maggie. The word throbbed in her head. She would never be Maggie again.”

I enjoyed being challenged by this book to remember that sometimes we people think others need to look, think, talk, dress, or act like us to be acceptable. “Those vultures. Trying to change her name. Taking her clothes. They’d take her whole past if they could. Turn her into some pale-face city girl who’d never seen a Comanche.” Shindelar writes in such a way as to show both race’s possible POV’s, and one can better understand the customs and clothing of each, and even the distrust each holds for the other.

This is definitely a slow-burn romance. Very slow! It takes a long time for Eyes Like Sky especially to trust Captain Garrett Ramsey. We wonder whether Ramsey can or will keep her safe. We also wonder whether Eyes Like Sky will stay with the white men long enough to find out.

All of this happens on the Eve of the Civil War. How does the time period add to the unrest of the country and the army camps?

Both Ramsey and Eyes Like Sky have some familiarity with the Bible. How will faith play into their relationship, or will they both even choose to develop a faith? “Why had God allowed her to lose everything, almost everything, again? God loved her. He was a personal God, not just an all-powerful creator beyond the stars. He’d sent His Son for her. The truth had permeated her childhood and embedded itself in her heart. But where was that love now? As cold and distant as the stars.”

And a baby. Add a baby to a story, and there’s bound to be a softening of a character or two. Plus, I personally think that attracts readers to the novel. I can almost imagine holding that little one myself!

Possibly one of the biggest questions the author brings up, is when are we going to stop seeing a group of people as guilty of the wrongs of a few or even some, and judge people on their hearts instead? “A man should be judged for his own actions. Not his people’s.”

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I also purchased an ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.