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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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?
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.
“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 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!
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 is shown as the Light in the dark 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.”
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?
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.
Book: Rocky Mountain Journey (Sisters of the Rockies: Book 3)
Author: Misty M. Beller
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release date: June 18, 2024
Masquerading as a man, Faith Collins embarks on a perilous journey through the untamed wilderness of the Rocky Mountains in search of the Peigan Blackfoot woman who once saved her father’s life. She joins a group of trappers who may be able to lead her to the place the woman is hiding, but keeping Faith’s identity a secret proves more difficult than she imagined.
Grant Allen is searching for his younger brother, who was separated from him when their parents died many years ago. After receiving word that his brother went west to the Rockies, he unites with a group of trappers, hoping they can lead him to his brother’s location. Soon Grant realizes there’s a woman hiding among the men, and he’s determined to find out who she is, what she’s hiding, and how he can keep her safe in this country of wild animals and even wilder men.
In this rousing conclusion to her Sisters of the Rockies series, Misty M. Beller embarks on an adventurous journey where loyalty, love, and sacrifice intertwine amid the unforgiving frontier.
Misty M. Belleris a USA Todaybestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.
Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.
Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.
More from Misty
A HEROINE DISGUISED AS A MAN
I love a heroine in disguise! It’s one of my favorite tropes, but I don’t often get to write stories with that plot. It adds so many fun and funny moments to the storyline.
In Rocky Mountain Journey our heroine goes undercover as a “man” to travel with a group of trappers so she can reach her destination safely. Numbers meant a better chance of survival back in those days. I love that Grant, our hero, was the only man in the trapper group who looked close enough at the young “man” riding with them to realize things weren’t what they seemed at first glance.
One challenge that definitely arises in a story where the heroine is pretending to be a man is the development of the romance between her and the hero. In this case, Faith was pretending to be her (fictitious) brother Frank. Grant had met Faith in an earlier chapter before she took on the disguise, and he immediately noticed the resemblance between “Frank” and the woman whose memory still lingered with him, even days later. Every time he looks at “Frank” while they’re traveling with the trappers, he recalls the memory of Faith by the waterfall…and the attraction to that woman grows a little more every time. What a shocking surprise when he discovered she’s riding just ahead of him on the trail the entire time!
I pray you love Faith’s stint “in disguise” in Rocky Mountain Journey!
Blessings!
Misty
My Impressions
“How many other times in her life had she received direction from God, and simply hadn’t recognized it? And then she’d blamed Him in her heart for not answering—every time.”
Misty Beller brings us yet another story of one of the Collins sisters in Rocky Mountain Journey. I have come to appreciate Beller’s great storytelling of the 1800s American West, almost always centered around beautiful Rocky Mountain scenery and horses in some capacity. Another outstanding mark of Beller’s novel is that Rocky Mountain Journey and other of her novels tell about trust in God. Neither Faith nor Grant, the couple the story focuses on, possess faith when the novel starts, but both slowly realize that their need dictates a second look at their attitude towards God. It’s rather unusual that Grant, who has yet to believe, at one point tries to call Faith back to her original belief. “What your sisters have is real. It can be real for you too. I don’t know how to find it, but I think if your heart is open . . . if you ask Him, God will be there. He’ll answer you. Every time. It might not be in ways you expect, but it will be Him answering.”
I really became curious about another couple and their romance, so I hope that Beller is laying the foundation for the fourth sister’s story.
The other aspect of Beller’s novels that I especially enjoy is that there is often a good intercultural connection. There are a couple different ones in this novel, and I must say, White Horse and Steps Right are my fave secondary characters.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own copy . No positive review was required and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“It is only a possession. It carries memories, yet if it is lost, we have not lost the memories. We carry them within ourselves.”
“God was the only one who could keep any of them truly safe.”
(Starry Nights is an anthology of four contemporary romances. I am only reviewing one in this blog.)
About the Book
Title: Out of Play, part of Starry Nights anthology
Author: Angela Ruth Strong
Publisher: Two Dogs Publishing, LLC
Released: June, 2024
Out of Play – Angela Ruth Strong When single mom Bex Lemaire is asked to step down as her eight-year-old daughter’s soccer coach for getting too competitive, she’s hoping the new coach will let her assist. Former child star Skylar Hayes agrees to take over the team as research for his comeback role. At first, he mistakes Bex for a raving fan but eventually realizes she’s only crazy about soccer, which gives her the skills needed to train him. She’s all work, while he likes to play, but together, they just might win.
About the Author
Angela Ruth Strong sold her first romance novel in 2009, and her books have since earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, been a finalist for the Christy, won the Cascade Award, and become Amazon bestsellers. Her book Finding Love in Big Sky released as a movie in 2022. To help aspiring authors, she started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho, and she blogs for Inspy Romance and My Book Therapy. Get to know her even better at http://www.angelaruthstrong.com.
My Impressions
“I’ll coach Skylar so I can coach the Ladybugs back to victory. This will only benefit my dream of someday coaching Mia’s college team. Maybe even her professional team. While I’m dreaming, why not the World Cup?”
This promising anthology is kicked off by Angela Ruth Strong’s novel, “Out of Play,” the one I pre-read. While the novel is about an intense soccer mom coach( Bex Lemaire) living vicariously through her 8-year-old-daughter, Mia, there is so much hilarity it’s dangerous. For example, here are my first thoughts as I started Out of Play. (By the way. I was worried because it focuses heavily on a sport and I am not a sports fan. I needn’t have worried!!)
Oh, my goodness! I just started “Out of Play” by Angela Ruth Strong late tonight. I’ve been bursting out laughing loudly every couple seconds. Guess my honey won’t want me reading this on the car trip tomorrow!! We’d like to get to our destination safely! Someone said, can’t you laugh quietly? Not when Strong’s humor is this good!! ( Bex has nicknames for all the other girls’ moms, her exaggerations are over-the-top, and she and the other protagonist, child-actor Skylar Hayes, have no idea about the other’s notoriety.) If that doesn’t make for a barrel or two of laughs!!
There are also some very solid, faith-based messages imbedded in the story. Bex is not allowed to coach Mia’s soccer team this summer because she broke too many rules last season. So, Mia’s best friend’s uncle, Skylar, is roped into coaching the team, although he knows nothing about soccer. Bex finagles her way into becoming his assistant coach. A push-me-pull-you coaching relationship ensues, and so does a reluctant friendship and God’s refining. Slowly, but surely. “She isn’t interested in me or my autograph after all. She’s simply this excited about soccer. I’m an idiot with a huge ego.”– [ Skylar] As Bex hears Skylar’s story, she begins to understand why Skylar might have made mistakes, “Though does anyone make mistakes from a place of fulfillment?” Skylar goes on to add these important thoughts: “When I yelled, ‘Why did you make me unlovable?’ I immediately heard the words to Jesus Loves Me in my head.” Bex, on her part, has a lot of rethinking to do about her own attitudes as the story moves through practices and some intense and surprising games. How has her background shaped or misshaped her? Can she and Skylar both allow God to fill them with His love and gratitude, so they can give to others out of a place of fullness, rather than trying to give out of an empty heart? I love this, because this is something we can all check our attitudes against!
Some twists really caught me off guard. Others just made me lol! I highly recommend this book for its humor and for the character growth shown. Because we can all learn from the lessons Bex and Skylar learned.
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher. I also purchased my own ecopy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“It’s a pretty face except for the bump on bridge of her nose, which, in this case, reminds me of the horn on a charging rhino.”
“Bex. She may be crazy, but that’s a sign of not caring what others think. She’s doing what she loves because she loves it. We should all be so crazy.”
“My endorphins throw a party.”
“We’re not here to win. We’re here to have fun.”
“And I realize that for us to win, he and I are going to have to continue to play the roles of good coach/bad coach. He’ll be the fun one. Meanwhile, I’ll lead the team to another victory.”
“Skylar’s eyes lift from my nose to my gaze. They lighten from a bitter espresso to delicious mocha, and I turn away before drinking them in. Somehow, my skin still buzzes with his unique brand of caffeine.”
“But if I was going to blame God, then apparently I believe in Him, right?”
“I want to give my daughter all the good things in the world, but no matter how hard I try, I’ll never be enough. She’s going to have to rely on God to fulfill her emptiness too.”
“Crazy good works. It’s how I feel when I’m around her.”
“I lied because I didn’t feel like I’d had a choice, but the truth is that I had choices, I just didn’t like them.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! Guaranteed to make you laugh as you think about how you do life!
Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical / Regency Romance
Release date: May, 2024
The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.
Enjoy another Gothic Style Regency from Hannah Linder.
Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and protected her from.
That is, until a handsome stranger named Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have witnessed.
When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Manor and reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own mind?
As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?
Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels filled with passion, secrets, and danger. She is a four-time Selah Award winner, a 2023 Carol Award semi-finalist, a 2023 Angel Book Award third place winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Also, Hannah is an international and multi-award-winning graphic designer who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and international bestsellers. She is also a self-portrait photographer of historical fashion. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments—piano, guitar, ukulele, and banjolele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, square dancing, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.
More from Hannah
Everyone has been asking me for years: “Can you see yourself in any of your characters?” I guess I’m in everything, interwoven in all of the sentences. Pieces of me are scattered in the settings. Traits and quirks and secret thoughts are dispersed into the minds and souls of my characters.But I always felt the need to say no. I don’t see myself in my characters.
Perhaps because, in the past, so many of my heroines have been so different than me. Ella Pemberton (Beneath His Silence)—outlandish and stubborn and daring, apt to speak her mind, bold in her manner and flawless in her dance. Nan Duncan (When Tomorrow Came)—injured and worrisome, voice like an angel, childishly sweet, yet too eager to please. Isabella Gresham (Garden of the Midnights)—spoiled and excitable, with raven black hair and an art for entering social circles with impeccable grace and exquisiteness.
I love them, sweet characters of mine.
But I don’t understand them. We’re too different. Like sand and sea, we meet, we touch, we sweep back and forth together but we’re of different substance.
But Eliza Ellis—rather, Eliza Gillingham—is the first character I truly resonate with. Not on purpose. In no wise did I pen her with conscious hints back to myself. But as the story progressed, I found my heart reaching out to her, settling into her.
Because she was the same.
The way she thought, the things she imagined, her forest and her pet and her stories. I comprehended what made her hurt. I understood the dream world she lived in, because I live in a dream world too.
So, if anyone asks me, “Do you see yourself in any of your characters?”, I’ll pull The Girl from the Hidden Forest from the bookshelf and hand it to them. I’ll tell them Eliza and I are like kindred spirits, that we’ve bridged a friendship between reality and fiction.
Whether you’re a reader or a writer, I hope you stumble upon a character one day that feels like you. It’s a strange and special feeling indeed.
My Impressions
“Northwood is a bloody name, Miss Gillingham—and you’re the only one who can cleanse it.”
Wow!! Just Wow!! Hannah Linder is really making a name for herself in the world of Christian Gothic Regency Romance! The Girl from the Hidden Forest is one of my newest faves!!
In the year 1812, Eliza Ellis, 19, has been sequestered away in Balfour Forest, Northumberland, with only her father, whom she refers to as “Captain,” and her beagle, Merrylad.
Having enjoyed a wild, carefree life in the woods with only the dog and trees for friends, her father is everything to her, telling her fanciful stories of wondrous worlds that fill her heart. Suddenly, she is kidnapped by young Felton Northwood,
taken to a castle far away, and delivered to an “older” member of the gentry, Lord Gillingham. Told Gillingham is her father, Eliza is thrust into a strange, lonely, and judgmental world. At times she believes Felton is becoming a friend, but other times, it is obvious she is not good enough for him. Talk about relatable characters! So many people can relate to inferiority when compared to others, or seeing a friend who needs help, but being afraid to stand against society for them!
As Eliza is trapped at the estate, she finds her memories from early childhood beginning to match her lifelong nightmares. Will she be able to remember what Felton wants her to, and this clear the taint on the Northwood name, or will the monster of her dreams destroy her first?
Eliza is a great character, who has a tender heart towards others. I love how she befriends Minney, who is physically deformed and possibly has other issues as well. Minney delivers the most frightening message to Eliza. “Ye watch’eeself. Ye watch well. People die. Some people die in this house. And other places. Miss Gillingham?” She clasped her hands to stop the tremble that rushed through her. “Yes?” “I don’t think’ee can trust the ones’ee think’ee can.”
I liked Felton, mostly. His indecision drove me mad. Sometimes he is purely selfish, sometimes he is a true friend and hero, sometimes he can’t seem to make the best choice! But then, he comes from a very dysfunctional family. The Northwood family lives in a world of pretend. His mother pretends war is fanciful thing, that there is no danger. His father pretends his wife is not unhealthy. Both parents pretend that the whispers about Mr. Northwood do not bother them.
One theme that stood out to me is that people aren’t all good or all bad, but rather very complex. Thought that struck me as I was searching with Eliza and Felton for the killer ( yes, I felt that invested!!). We see this ironic juxtaposition in so many different people, but Captain is certainly a prime example. “Captain would have smiled. Or laughed. Or cried when she cried. He would have told her to keep her chin up, and even without telling him of her nightmares, he would have assured her the beast could always be fought.”We all need friends like Captain. To listen well, emote with us, give us sound advice, and make our fears manageable. Yet, Captain is also a very troubled man, for very valid reasons.
For fans of Michelle Griep, Kimberley Woodhouse, and Jaime Jo Wright. Historical, with a Gothic air, this a highly suspenseful mystery with a twist you’ll never see coming! Also with shades of Nancy Mehl and Susan Sleeman danger and psychological insights into the killer.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“He was no enemy, this man, no matter how different their sides and hopes. No, Felton Northwood was her friend. Her first friend.”
“What God has given you less of in one place, He has given you more of in others.”
“You are good and noble and brave, or so I’ve imagined you. Funny thing about me. Once I imagine something for so long, I start to believe it. I guess I’ve believed it of you all along.”
“We seldom deserve what we are or what we are given.”
“They are only fools, Northwood, who continue in their folly.”
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Darkness Calls the Tiger: A Novel of World War II Burma Author: Janyre Tromp Publisher: Kregel Publications Release Date: May 14, 2024 Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Imperial Japan devours the southern portion of Burma, intent on taking over mainland Asia. Unaware of the coming darkness, Kailyn Moran drifts in her role as the only daughter of a widowed missionary.
As whispers of war snake through the Kachin mountains, Kai’s father is convinced God will protect the mission. He entrusts the village to her and the kind yet inexperienced new missionary, Ryan McDonough, while he makes routine visits to neighboring villages.
War descends like a tempest upon the mountain peaks, and an unbreakable bond forms between Kailyn and Ryan as they unite to provide solace to both villagers and the flood of refugees. Despite their tireless efforts, a brutal enemy shatters almost everything they love, pushing Kailyn to embark on a path of unrestrained vengeance.
Afraid he’s losing the woman he loves, Ryan fights to protect Kai from the deadly consequences of her choices. But in the face of destruction, can he convince her of the power and freedom of forgiveness?
“Evocative and transportive, filled with nuance and spiked with the violence of war, Darkness Calls the Tiger is a story of redemption in the midst of hopelessness.” –Tosca Lee, New York Times best-selling author
Janyre Tromp is a developmental book editor who has worked in the publishing industry for more than twenty years, spending time in both marketing and editorial. She’s the author of Shadows in the Mind’s Eye and contributor to It’s a Wonderful Christmas, a Christmas novella collection with other award-winning authors, including Julie Cantrell and Lynne Gentry. When she isn’t writing, she’s a Bible study leader, writers conference speaker, ACFW member, wife, and mom of two kids and their menagerie of slightly eccentric pets.
Connect with Janyre at janyretromp.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
My Impressions
“You have no control over what’s happening around you. The only thing you can do is make a choice about how you’ll respond now. Revenge or love. Anger or trust.”
Janyre Tromp brings us a unique WWII story, Darkness Calls the Tiger. Focusing on the China-India-Burma theater of the war is something I’m not sure I’ve ever done, as most of the US focus seems to naturally involve Europe. Tromp brings the sights, smells, sounds, and fears of the jungle to life.
Young Kai’s amber eyes stir up suspicion among the villagers, and the old traveling storyteller affirms these suspicions with a frightening prophecy. While Kai’s missionary family believes in Karai Kasang, the Supreme God, a series of tragedies unfold over the next years that leave Kai reeling and alone. How can she trust in a supposedly loving God who would allow so much evil? Perhaps it is up to Kai to attempt to protect the jungle village from the encroaching Japanese invaders, perhaps finding love and acceptance in her sacrifice.
Slightly older, much newer missionary Ryan is a character I really enjoyed. He can see that underneath Kai’s tough exterior is a very capable, fun, and intelligent young woman. As Ryan takes over the responsibility of warding the Japanese away from his adopted village, he finds Kai beginning to work with him until an ultimate tragedy. Then, their worlds are rocked, shaken, and totally re-directed. Will Ryan find Kai again? Is she the person he believes he is hearing rumors about?
This is a very emotional story, touching on many issues that could be triggers for some readers. At the very least, my heart cries for Kai, the young girl who suffers loss that leads to isolation; Kai, the young woman who disappears but is actually on many lips and in many thoughts.
Choices. John Moran’s choices severely affect Kai, and her perception of the Heavenly Father. “I had memorized the verses saying Karai Kasang loved me, but it was Papa’s angry eyes I saw when I imagined God on heaven’s throne.” Kai makes choices over and over again as she seeks retribution for her people. But, can she find the power to deny the call of darkness that she has given such a stronghold on her life, or will she forever be alone, unloved, and unforgiven?
What I loved most about this book was the redemption aspect. The novel can be so dark. But when the light of God enters a life, that life turns around so spectacularly that I want to cheer for God, and shake Kai into belief. As if! So my fave secondary character is one who totally shocked me. The grace of God is amazing, and this character proves it.
I received a copy of the book from JustRead tours via Netgalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“…I had two choices—be consumed in my anger and bitterness or . . .Or choose forgiveness and trust. At some point I realized that my anger only fed the evil.”
“It took bravery to be kind. Courage to be gentle. Strength to restrain. And I’d chosen the wanton anger and revenge of Sharaw instead.”
“Love wasn’t measured in how well a person followed rules, especially when they were ever-moving lines.”
“…trusting life to be good in the light ain’t nothing. But if you have to trust in the dark, well now, that is faith.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!!
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will win a signed copy of Darkness Calls the Tiger, a bookmark, and other book-themed goodies!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 13, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 20, 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.
Will love survive when truth takes aim at their secrets?
Sharpshooter Preston Baker has spent a lifetime confronting danger head-on. So when a heartfelt letter arrives from his big sister asking for help, he doesn’t hesitate to put his traveling show career on hold and journey to her remote desert ranch, determined to make amends for past failures. What he doesn’t expect is to discover his long-lost little sister and her best friend, Lucy, are both hard at work on the ranch.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Lucy Arlidge’s decision to travel to a remote desert ranch was born as much from desperation as friendship. Fleeing San Francisco may have saved Lucy’s life, but the decision left others in danger. To thwart the evil plans of those who pursue her and her family, Lucy must keep her new gem-mining operation concealed and her secrets safe.
Preston is drawn to the mysterious woman, despite her plans to marry the neighboring rancher. Lucy’s quiet strength and undeniable beauty beckon him like a campfire in the wilderness, offering light amidst the dark memories and deepest fears resurrected by the presence of his sisters. But as danger closes in, Preston and Lucy must confront their pasts to save not only their own futures, but the lives of everyone they love.
Kathleen Denlylives in sunny California with her loving husband, four young children, two dogs, and ten cats. As a member of the adoption and foster community, children in need are a cause dear to her heart and she finds they make frequent appearances in her stories. When she isn’t writing, researching, or caring for children, Kathleen spends her time reading, visiting historical sites, hiking, and crafting.
More from Kathleen
One of the primary themes of Shoot at the Sunset is secrets and the fears that sometimes drive us to keep them. Did I mention there’s even a secret signal used in the book? So today I thought it would be fun to play with a secret code. Using the key provided below, see if you can reveal the hidden message.
My Impressions
“Keeping secrets only led to haunting regrets.”
Kathleen Denly pens yet another exciting historical romance novel, Shoot at the Sunset, that is part of her Chaparral Hearts Series. If you enjoy Westerns, action, romance, and Biblical truths woven into an engrossing story, you won’t want to miss this one!
I loved that the author gives a trigger warning for various situations( carefully discussed in the book) including abuse, addiction, rape, and PTSD. I also loved that the backstory was smoothly and interestingly related, at no point feeling like an information dump. With several years between stories, it can be easy to forget who’s who without extra help to jog your memory.
Just as there is a strong attraction between Lucy Arlidge and Preston Baker, I was definitely drawn to this couple and the story Denly deftly weaves as well. We discover Lucy, a good friend and travel companion to Biddie Davidson, agrees to travel to Ginny Baker’s ranch partly out of desperation and fear. “Though of no blood relation, Henry and Cecilia Davidson had long treated Lucy as though she were their daughter. But could such a love withstand so much loss? Or would the only family she had left reject her as Mama had?” With these motivating thoughts in mind, and a desire to keep the people she loves safe, Lucy makes some choices that I just wanted to say, “Get some wise advice.” Or, “Talk to the other person(s) involved. But Lucy is determined that secrets revealed could mean loved ones hurt or killed.
Preston, a sharpshooter at a traveling show, has responded to his big sister Ginny’s letter for help on the ranch. Memories, guilt, and a family sin pattern plague him, keeping him from being the man he wants to be. What will it take for Preston and Lucy to stop depending on theirvoen wisdom and seeking that of the Lord’s, instead?
Forgiveness, trust, second chances, and God’s ability to change a person are all themes of this memorable book.
I received a copy of this book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I also purchased my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“You are your own person, and you get to decide who you want to be.”
“God’s timing, though occasionally mysterious and frustrating, is always best in the end.”
Wife. Mother. Homemaker. Detective. Kit Forge wears many hats, and if that’s not enough, she’s partnered with her father to open a new detective agency. It’s hard to be all things to all people, but Kit never shies away from the impossible. Despite her hard work and good intentions, some things fall through the cracks.
Namely, her husband.
But Jackson barely notices. He’s too busy putting out his own fires. As the new chief inspector of a busy London station, he must salvage the disaster left behind by the former police chief—an obstacle made all the harder when the superintendent breathes an ultimatum down his neck.
Against her father’s advice, Kit takes on a case involving a missing child, one in which she and Jackson become a little too emotionally involved. . .and end up endangering their own little girl in the process.
Can Kit and Jackson learn that just because they can say yes doesn’t mean they should?
Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan.
More from Michelle
Oh Inspiration…Wherefore Art Thou?
There are several questions I am asked frequently as an author.
“Hey, how much money do you make?”
“Can you help me get my book published?”
“How come it takes you so long to finish a story?”
But probably the most common query is this: what sorts of things inspire you? Now that is a question I can go on and on about! Don’t panic, though. I’ll be brief.
Story ideas come from every place imaginable. I’ve had plot thoughts from watching kids’ movies or even from eavesdropping at a coffee shop (note: beware what you say in public). TV series are also a favorite of mine, so much so that my latest release, The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane, is loosely based on one of my all-time favorite PBS series.
Have you seen this show? If not, do yourself a favor and ride that pony. If you have, then you know what I’m talking about. Either way, you should know that, the main character, is a detective in Victorian London—a very sassy yet classy lady. And that’s what struck me light a lightning bolt.
This woman is Kit, the heroine in my Blackfriars series, like right there on the big screen.
So, for book III, I decided I’d let ol’ Kit open her own private investigation agency with the help of her father, a recently retired police sergeant. Of course much intrigue and chaos ensues, just like in my all-time favorite PBS series, bringing the Blackfriars series to a satisfying end.
Inspiration honestly comes from anywhere, so next time you’re rubbing elbows with an author, beware. You just might end up as a character in their next book.
My Impressions
“What a fine bucket of fish guts this was turning out to be. She’d hoped for an intriguing first case to solve— Not an impossible one.”
Ah, this story by Michelle Griep!! First, because it is a Griep, buy now, ask later. Seriously, my motto for her books. However, I must say you will want to have read The Thief of Blackfriars Lane and The Bride of Blackfriars Lane, so you feel like Jackson and Kit are close friends you respect, even if it’s impossible to predict their actions. Common themes to Griep are forgiveness and trust, plus judging others and teamwork. Beautifully depicted.
Kit has so much spunk and impetuosity, plus a great nose for mystery solving that she has connived to get her father to open a detective agency with her. All is well and good if Kit stays where she belongs, according to her father and Jack, safe in the background, in the office. As if!
Kit finds that motherhood has changed her in so many ways. She yearns for her child, yet leaves her daily with her good friend, Martha. Can she put aside her mothering instincts long enough to be an unprejudiced part of the detective team? Can she remember she is a mother enough to be sure she avoids danger? Can we say Kate is very conflicted?!
Jackson has his own issues. He might not miss Kate’s shenanigans so much if he didn’t have a precinct to run, with multiple officers needing attention of various degrees, and a supervisor ready to shut the whole office down. Plus a nuisance vagabond hanging around. Oh, vey!
Jackson is fortunate to have a loyal friend in Charles Bagette, an officer who entered training when Jack did. But Bagette has two strikes against him. He’s charged with keeping Kit safe. And, he’s falling for Martha, a baker and soup kitchen cook. Martha just happens to be Bella’s ( Kit’s daughter)babysitter, in addition to Frankie’s mother. The same Frankie who either has a future as a thug or a detective, under Kit’s tutelage.
One thing I always love about a Griep novel is the multiple storylines woven in and out around each other. We have all the above, plus the very complicated mystery that Kit takes on against her father’s consent. So now we also have that relationship thread to follow.
Danger. Action. Twist. Repeat. Biblical truth. Short contemplation how that should affect the character’s action. Swift, short, cry-outs to God. Then start at the beginning of this paragraph with danger and repeat the scenario. My heart barely survived the action, but surviving the emotional tugs was worse!
I cannot do justice to this book. But it will be on the very short list for my fave book of the year!!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via Netgalley, plus I bought a paperback. This is a book to be shared! No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“it always comes back to trusting in God’s plan. Rest assured that no matter what you do or don’t do, you will not thwart whatever our mighty Creator is up to.The best we can accomplish is to hold tight to our faith and keep walking towards eternity a step at a time.”
“ …love covers a multitude of sins. So, pursue that. Pursue love instead of dwelling in past failure. That path can only lead to a denial of the present and a forfeiture of the future.”
“But it’s God who brings beauty from ashes. Don’t push away that gift. It is never prudent or wise to stiff-arm God.”
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 