ARC, Bethany House, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

The Rules of Falling for You by Mollie Rushmeyer Review

September 3, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: The Rules of Falling for You

Author: Mollie Rushmeyer

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Released: September 2, 2025

Genre: Contemporary Rom-com ( permeated with shades of Regency)

She thought she knew the rules of love. Turns out, love makes its own.

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The perfect match can’t be far–certainly not at a Regency-themed singles’ retreat–or so podcaster Zoe Dufour believes. After years of creating content for her relationship podcast inspired by Regency etiquette and era-appropriate rules for romance, she knows her listeners have anticipated this retreat. But she also attends with expectations of her own: finding the ideal modern-day gentleman who can meet every one of the nonnegotiables on her checklist.

Harrison Lundquist, Zoe’s podcast producer and best friend’s brother, reluctantly agrees to tag along on the retreat to capture footage while seeking a career-advancing promotion. He views the retreat as ridiculous. And Zoe’s methods for finding her real-life Mr. Darcy? Downright absurd! But as he films her whirlwind dates, his growing feelings for her are sidelined by suitors vying for her attention. When Zoe realizes her checklist for the man of her dreams might be holding her back, she must decide if she’s willing to rewrite her rules and take a chance on the person who has been there all along.

“The writing is smart and sassy with humor and touching moments sure to please lovers of rom-coms, Regency romance, or Jane Austen period dramas.”–JULIE KLASSEN, bestselling author

This clean and wholesome romance presents a Regency-infused spin on a contemporary rom-com with the grumpy/sunshine, he falls first, and best friend’s brother tropes. Readers of Melissa Ferguson, Pepper Basham, and Julie Klassen will find this read delightful.

Get your copy below!

https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/637223

https://amzn.to/4ononHn

About the Author

Mollie Rushmeyer writes whimsical romance with heart and humor. She has a deep and abiding love for all things British, bookish, and filled with history and mystery. A modern girl herself—she wouldn’t want to go a day without modern plumbing and central air!—she’s always felt a special connection to the past and anything with a happily ever after. Her debut novel, The Bookshop of Secrets, was a finalist for a 2023 Carol Award. A born and bred Midwestern gal, Mollie makes her home in central Minnesota with her husband and two spunky, beautiful daughters.

Her Jane Austen-inspired contemporary rom-com, The Rules of Falling for You with Bethany House Publishers, released September 2nd, 2025. Get your copy now!!

She’d love to connect through social media! Follow her on Instagram and

Facebook: @authormollierushmeyer

My Impressions

“That’s how God so often works, isn’t it? Only the next step, the next shrub or tree, is visible when I want the whole forest. I need the whole picture so I can organize, mitigate disaster, plan for all possible outcomes, ready a list to ensure everything turns out the way it’s supposed to.”

The premise of this book reminded me of Angela Ruth Strong’s book, Husband Auditions, in which a young single influencer decides to film herself following an old-fashioned list for finding a beau. Only instead of list from the 1950s, our heroine in Molly Rushmeyer’s contemporary rom-com uses a list from Regency times. Zoe and her best friend Eden produce a popular podcast. Using wisdom from Regency authors Jane Austin and A. Nathaniel Gladwin, Zoe gives advice about finding love in the modern world. Love, the “l” word, yet elusive to the two. They decide to attend a Regency cosplay singles retreat near Minneapolis, and drag along Eden’s brother, Harrison, as their producer.

The adventures the two get into along with Harrison, his assistant Jake, and a few other friends and attendees are quite hilarious and sad. Hilarious as Zoe is not very graceful, and that is putting it mildly. Sad, because as the reader, it is so easy to see what Zoe refuses to see… where her true feelings lie, but where she, in her need for a plan, decides to move ahead.

Harrison and Zoe take turns narrating the story, so we get a look at the pitfalls and likelihood of this being a friends-to-more story. Zoe is a planner who must have everything scheduled and perfect. Harrison finally tells her, “Besides, even when we think we’re controlling things, we’re really not. Surrender is acknowledging the fact that God has it under control, has our backs, and loves us. We don’t have to carry the burden of making everything right.” Yet, Zoe desperately clings to her idea of control, sure if she lets go, disaster will ensue.

When Zoe does finally begin to let go and trust God for her future, a sudden betrayal reinforces her misguided idea that she never should have given up the reins. Will she ever be able to understand that “God never promised, ‘Take my yoke upon you, and I’ll make sure your life’s smooth sailing, no pain or heartache’”? I know people who believe if they trust God, bad things shouldn’t happen to them. Will Harrison persist in his pursuit, or will he decide Zoe and he are too different to be God’s match for each other? How will Harrison and Eden’s overbearing, absent father affect the future of the podcast and any relationship between Harrison and Zoe?

While this is a light-hearted story, the lessons about letting go and letting God and relaxing our standards, not looking for perfection in others, are invaluable.

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

Notable Quotables:

“That’s the thing I’ve come to see. I’ll never be perfect, I’ll never do everything right. But then He never asked me to. Instead, He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”- Harrison

“while people, even people I love deeply, can disappoint and betray me, God never will.”- Zoe

“when we keep secrets from others, we’re telling ourselves it’s for their good. To protect them. To protect our own hearts. But it’s a lie we tell ourselves to avoid doing what’s right.”– Zoe

“Maybe He [God]reveals one step at a time so I have to take His hand for the next one, the one I can’t quite see beyond. That way He can help me when I inevitably stumble or fall.”-Zoe

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! Perfection vs. What God Calls You to Be

ARC, BLOG, JustRead Tour

A Lady Divided by Sandra Ardoin Review and Giveaway

August 29, 2025 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Lady Divided by Sandra Ardoin, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Lady Divided
Series: House of Fire #1
Author: Sandra Ardoin
Publisher: Corner Room Books
Release Date: August 28, 2025
Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Just when she thinks she’s defeated the past, it returns with a vengeance.

Fighting to keep her late husband’s dream alive and her land-grabbing neighbors at bay, Laurel Tillman longs for a peace she knew before the war. But when her skill with a rifle saves a stranger from a mountain lion attack—a man whose life she once wouldn’t have hesitated to take—wartime memories rush back.

While raising her daughter and taking responsibility for the stray women who work on her sheep ranch, Laurel can’t wait to get the injured Yankee out of her house. Getting him out of her heart is an entirely different matter.

Quinn Spencer, a former Union cavalry officer, owes Laurel a debt, but his career as a new lawyer in town comes with a warning to stay away from the unconventional women of La Casa del Fuego. Then, with the discovery of a dead man on Laurel’s ranch, Quinn must choose between his career and justice for a woman who can’t bear the sight of him.

As they battle an unknown adversary who sets out to destroy Laurel, will she join forces with her former enemy? Or will she allow the past to overcome any chance of a truce between them . . . and, possibly, something more?

Meet the women of La Casa del Fuego—House of Fire—as they are forced by circumstances to live their lives outside the bounds of accepted femininity.

Also Available

About the Author

As the author of reader-described heartwarming historical and contemporary romance, Sandra Ardoin engages readers with page-turning stories of love and faith.

She is the married mother of a young adult and co-sitter for a granddog. As well as being a team member in her church’s library, she reads Christian fiction, binges TV shows with her husband, and seldom says no to eating out.

Visit her at sandraardoin.com. Connect with her on BookBub, Facebook, X, and Goodreads. Subscribe to the newsletter and keep up with what’s new, discover what’s upcoming, and learn of specials.

My Impressions

“The past was an evil devil to fight.”

Who doesn’t remember “The Island of Misfit Toys”? Sandra Ardoin’s A Lady Divided ( House of Fire, Bk#1) brings that concept to mind in human form. We are transported back in time to a few years (1877) after the Civil War in Texas. Our nation has started to rebuild, but some find it hard to forget the atrocities of the war and even harder to forgive those who hail from the other side of the Mason-Dixon Line. Instead of an island of misfit toys, we have a ranch of “misfit women.” Women who have been wounded by life, and rejecthe acceptable society norms of femininity at that time. At their helm is widow Mrs. Laurel Tillman, who lives on a ranch with her widowed mother and young daughter. The few ranch hands she has, like her, dress like men and do ranch jobs that make them the fodder for malicious gossip in a world concerned with conformity.

When Laurel saves the life of former Union Major Quinn Spencer who happens on her land, an enemies-to-possibly more relationship is established. But, oh, Laurel has guilt from the past that she is sure God could never forgive, and she carries the burden of the safety of all the ranch women like a heavy yoke.

“Oh, if only she could feel the rest that Jesus promised. The peace. But her sinful actions were too great.” As Laurel deals with the mountain of unrest in her heart, her bitterness threatens to eat her alive, and often those around her. Yet, those closest to her can see her actions come from her conflicted heart, reflecting the conflict of the divided States. Yet, she refuses to lay her burden down. Her mother tries to reach her, only to have Laurel turn a deaf ear. “I hate to see you suffer like this. He’s waiting, Laurel. All you have to do is walk toward Him. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’”

I loved this story for its unwrapping of the human emotions that are buried ( or not) just under the surface in a nation yet divided. I loved the understanding of the women that they could do hard work and it was respectable, even if it wasn’t acceptable in society. I yearned for the secrets that both Laurel and Quinn keep close to their vests. The constant mystery and danger from the the world outside Laurel’s ranch bubble make for an exciting read, as does the faith journey that so many of the characters are required to make. Will they progress towards what is right, or will they choose the comfortable answers to appease those around them? Convicting as I tried to put myself in their shoes!

Oh, yes! Did I mention humor and twists?! Be prepared! They are the cream cheese icing on a great carrot cake!

I had a three-way tie for fave secondary characters. Ernie, Becky, and the Marshall. And I love that we are well-set up for sequels!

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

Notable Quotables:

“…no one’s past is as it should be.” …“The only person in this world who never sinned was Jesus. His sacrifice gave imperfect human beings like you and me the way to become perfect in God’s sight.” – Quinn

“God still loves me. He never turned His back on me. Even though I turned mine on Him, He waited for me to return.”- Laurel

“How could she live in peace with others when she found it so hard to live peacefully with herself?”– Laurel

“Did she dare to think God loved her so much that He allowed the death of His own Son for someone like her? No. There must be an exception, a limit to His grace and mercy.”- Laurel

“‘I don’t hate you. Momma always said I shouldn’t hate.’ When had that stopped her? ‘But I see nothing wrong with comparing you to a long-tailed rodent.’”– Laurel- taste of novel’s humor!

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! 5 big Texas stars!!

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon eGift Card and two (2) ebooks of their choice from Sandra Ardoin’s Published Books!

(1) winner will receive three (3) ebooks of their choice from Sandra Ardoin’s Published Books

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 25, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 1, 2025. 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, Barbour, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour

The Undercover Heiress of Brockton by Kelly J. Goshorn Review and Giveaway

August 27, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Undercover Heiress of Brockton

Author: Kelly J. Goshorn

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release Date: August 1, 2025

A Socialite in Disguise Seeks Truth and Justice

Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell is a hard-hitting investigative reporter for The Enterprise Daily. The catch? Etta must pen her columns under the nom de plume, Henry Mason—a fact that routinely puts a knot in her knickerbockers.

Leo Eriksson is a second-generation firefighter with a passion for rendering aid to those in need. When Leo discovers that Henry Mason is really Henrietta Maxwell, the fire department’s wealthy benefactress, he agrees to keep her identity secret. After a sudden blast rocks the Grover Shoe Factory, Leo and Etta team up to determine if the explosion is related to a series of suspicious fires in the area.

When an unnamed source reveals Etta’s secret identity to a rival reporter, she falsely accuses Leo of being the informant. As the truth comes to light, Etta must persuade Leo to give her a second chance or lose the only man she’s ever loved.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kelly J. Goshornweaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into uplifting stories of love, faith, and family set in nineteenth century America. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, won the Director’s Choice Award for Adult/YA fiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in 2019, and earned recognition as both a Selah Award finalist in the Historical Romance category and as a Maggie Award Finalist for Inspirational Fiction. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys spending time with her young adult children, binge-watching BBC period dramas, board gaming with her husband, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi.

More from Kelly

A Little Swedish Flavor

Beginning in 1844, Swedish immigrants began arriving in Brockton, Massachusetts. By 1920, Swedes accounted for approximately 30% of the city’s population. Their long-lasting impact on Brockton’s character remains evident today with annual cultural celebrations and religious festivals.

The Undercover Heiress of Brockton is set in the Swedish neighborhood of Campello. My hero Leo Eriksson’s favorite meal is Kalops, a savory beef stew that is traditionally served with boiled potatoes and pickled beets. For Leo, a bachelor who takes most of his meals at The Drake Tavern, the dish recalls happy childhood memories of his mother’s cooking.

Kalops contains typical stew ingredients like carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, but what makes this dish unique is the addition of allspice. Allspice adds a warm spicey flavor to the recipe that makes it perfect for a chilly winter day.

I had the opportunity to taste test this recipe, and while I would never brag about my own cooking skills, I have to say that it turned out quite well. I’d love to hear from you if you decide to give this traditional Swedish dish a try.

Kalops (Swedish Beef Stew)

Recipe courtesy of Skandibaking.

SERVINGS: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

2.4 lbs chuck roast (or other beef cut suited for stews)

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

3 large carrots

1 stalk celery

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp ground allspice (or more to taste!)

2-3 bay leaves

3 cups beef stock (can also use water and bouillon)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

SERVED WITH: 7 large potatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep the beef by cutting into 1 inch cubes. Season well with salt.
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil when preheated and add beef in one layer, searing on all sides. If you need to sear the meat in batches, you can remove one batch before adding the next to ensure that it browns well.
Dice your onion and celery while the beef is cooking (or prep ahead of time). Finely mince the garlic cloves.
Once the meat is browned on all sides, add in the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until just softened.
Chop your carrots into bite sized pieces. You can either add the carrots now if you like them super soft or add them with about 45 minutes left of cooking if you prefer them to have more of a bite.
Add one tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Once melted, add in three tablespoons of flour and stir until everything is coated. Add in ground allspice.
Pour in beef stock, stirring while adding to dissolve the flour coating. Once all of it has mixed in, add in 2-3 bay leaves. Now is a good time to taste for initial seasoning – add in salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Let the stew simmer for about an hour and 15 minutes; add more water or stock if needed! Now is also the time to add the carrots if you want them to be less soft.
Simmer for an additional 45 minutes or until the beef is very tender – in the meantime, prepare the potatoes for serving.
Prep potatoes by peeling and cutting in half. Place in a pot with cold water and add salt. Heat over medium-high heat with the lid on until it boils. Remove the lid and boil for about 15 minutes or until a knife poked into the center of a potato releases easily (you can also just taste for doneness!). Drain and set aside until ready to serve.
Remove bay leaves. Check for final seasoning (add more salt if needed). Add stew to bowls and serve with boiled potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley if you would like. Enjoy!

My Impressions

“God gave you a heart to fight injustice and an amazing ability to persuade others with your pen to stand up for what is right. Don’t hide your talent. Embrace who He has made you to be so your gifts can glorify the Giver.”

I just finished The Undercover Heiress of Brockton by Kelly J. Goshorn. A historical romance, it is the second in the Barbour series, Enduring Hope. The series features brave, unconventional women who face a tragedy, whether natural or human- caused, and work to give hope to those affected by it. Along the way, they find hope for their own happily-ever-after romances, but with as many glitches in the romance department as in their fight for human or female equality.

I loved the conflicted (and very flawed!)characters of both Leo, a hunky firefighter and Etta, an heiress who poses as a man to keep her coveted job of top writer for one of Brockton’s newspapers!

Etta, handed anything she could desire on a silver platter, wants desperately to earn something in her own right, under her own name. While “Henry Mason” is the best-respected newspaper reporter in Brockton, Etta wants to his byline under her own name. (“It’s very hard to pretend to be someone else most of the time when all you want to be is yourself.” ) When arson and insurance company irregularities crop up in the city, she starts investigating. Then she is drawn into a shoe factory explosion that happens before her eyes. How far will Etta go, ethically and as one who professes to care for others in Christ’s name, to get her own byline?

Leo can’t help but be attracted to the independent, unconventional, intelligent Etta. But, as things progress in the romance department, he has a problem: “the only thing stopping him from taking her in his arms and kissing her soundly was that bushy mustache.” So hilarious!! Leo has agreed to help Etta in her undercover investigation, but discovers Etta not only in disguise half the time, but how can he reconcile the two separate personalities that emerge, not always lining up with what he expects out of a faith perspective? “How could a woman as compassionate as Etta Maxwell write articles devoid of any feeling about a tragedy on the scale of the Grover Shoe Factory?”

I had never heard of the Brockton shoe factory fire. What an education I got! And to see the persistence of a woman who wants to break through what had been considered a man’s world, and the lengths one might go to, in order to obtain that! Wowzers!

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:

“Loving someone means embracing the person God has made them to be. If we hold on to them too tightly, we risk suffocating them and crushing their spirit. I think it best to love fully, with our entire being for a short time, rather than safely, and bear the pain of regret for our entire lives.”

“He’d promised himself not to pursue her, but somehow, spending time with her shattered that pledge into a hundred little pieces, each sharp enough to pierce his heart.”

“There was no creed, no color line, no hostility of capital and labor; the common strifes of men were forgotten, and all were brought closer together in the beautiful harmony of the universal brotherhood. Sorrow, the great leveler, the great arbiter, had done its work.”

“She needed to learn to quit striving, quit trying to make her life turn out just as she hoped, and put more trust in God’s plan for her life.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! Great relatable, flawed characters who are dynamic, and the story is very engaging, educational, and satisfying!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 27

Pens Pages & Pulses, August 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 28

Mornings at Character Cafe, August 28

Texas Book-aholic, August 29

Devoted To Hope, August 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 30

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 31

Blogging With Carol, August 31

Hannahbandanarama, September 1

For Him and My Family, September 1

Stories By Gina, September 2 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, September 2 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

She Lives To Read, September 3

Mary Hake, September 3

Book Looks by Lisa, September 4

Books Less Travelled, September 4

Blossoms and Blessings, September 5

Bizwings Book Blog, September 6

Holly’s Book Corner, September 6

Lily’s Corner, September 7

Jodie Wolfe, September 7

Pause for Tales, September 8

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 9

Cover Lover Book Review, September 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kelly is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54286

ARC, BLOG

Danger in the Wilderness by Darlene L. Turner Review

August 25, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Danger in the Wildernes

Series: National Park Protectors, Bk #1

Author: Darlene L. Turner

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense

Released: August 26, 2025

A search for a kidnapped camper

could cost them their lives.

Park warden Dekker Hoyt’s father-son camping trip turns into a nightmare when a serial killer abducts his father. With just seventy-two hours to find him, Dekker turns to criminal investigative analyst Blaire Tremblay to identify the Park Campfire Killer. As they follow his taunting clues and face increasingly violent threats, Dekker and Blaire know that one wrong step could be fatal. With the ruthless criminal following their every move, can they stop a killer in hiding…waiting to complete his deadly plan?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

National Park Protectors

Book 1: Danger in the Wilderness

Get your copy here!

https://a.co/d/2Qt5eFy

About the Author

Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at http://www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.

My Impressions

“I hope the rest of our trip together is more peaceful. I’d like to see the Frank that Jayla and Hazel see. Not the one I’m used to.”

Wow, I really loved this constant action, very tense romantic suspense story from Darlene L. Turner!! So many reasons to love Danger in the Wilderness! First, while enough backstory is given it could be a standalone, I loved the ties to other Turner books. We have met all three key players before, and some of their family members.

Frank Hoyt is a big name in the national parks world, and has trained all of his children well in the wilderness, but has also been a tyrant and unprofessional in the way he treats his own adult children who are subordinates. We also have met Dekker, his sister Jayla, and Hazel, if I remember right. Dekker finally explodes at his father on a camping trip when Frank, supposedly present to make amends for his beyond-overbearing ways, offers way too much “helpful” advice. And then, the Park Campfire Killer abducts Frank, with no way for Dekker to make his own apologies.

We also see Blaire Tremblay, a serial killer profiler for police, whose own backstory we have read in another book. So between Blaire, Dekker, and Frank, I felt like I was among old friends.

Turner weaves a tight tale in this novel, with nature being an adverse force in many ways. Weather, terrain, and wild animals, all conspire to aid the PCK along with time, also Blaire and Dekker’s enemy.

Turner has just enough side characters to provide a good selection of possible culprits. Can Blaire and Dekker separate the true friends from those with ulterior motives, and possibly the worst motive of all?

The faith element is very well woven throughout the story in short snippets, and placed exactly where needed. Blaire often can be found encouraging Dekker to choose to fan his faith back into flame. “‘I know trusting in God’s provisions can be hard, but it’s true. And I think deep down you know it too. It just has to go from here…’ she touched his heart ‘…to here.’ She tapped his right temple.” Faith is the reason I choose Erica Hoyt as my fave secondary character. With every reason to be afraid and be a hot mess, Erica declares, “‘God will direct your paths.’ Her voice hitched. ’I have to believe that. No, I will believe that.’” I want to exhibit that kind of faith!

I believe this is one of Darlene L. Turner’s best yet! If you read romantic suspense, you will want to add Danger in the Wilderness to your must-read pile!

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

Notable Quotables:

“Use the gifts God gave you.”– Dekker

“Hope…It was all she could offer Dekker right now. Hope, and her profiling skills.”

-Blaire

“‘I’ve failed God many times throughout my life.’ ‘Haven’t we all?’ ‘Absolutely. It’s knowing when to acknowledge that and vow to give God your all that counts. He understands.’”– Frank, Blaire

“God’s timing is always perfect, son. Even when you think He’s wrong. He’s not.”- Erica Hoyt

“…it’s hard sometimes trusting in someone you can’t see or touch. But that’s what faith is all about. Believing without seeing.”– Blaire

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of Darlene L. Turner’s best yet! I can’t wait for the rest of this series!!

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Purchase

Cruise to Death by Sarah L. Jameson

August 14, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Cruise to Death

Author: Sara L. Jameson

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: June 1, 2021

When opera singer Riley Williams agrees to sub as a musical-theater performer on a luxury Rhine/Moselle riverboat cruise, she gets more than she bargained for. Not only must she come up with 250 Broadway songs, she is required to dance with the male passengers. Dance—the subject she nearly failed in her Conservatory courses, and the cause of her recent flop in a European Opera House. To make matters worse, she overhears two terrorists at a café in Antwerp, Belgium, discussing the transfer of deadly agent X to the highest bioterrorist bidders.

Interpol agent Jacob Coulter, an anti-terrorism desk analyst in Brussels, Belgium, insists on serving as an undercover agent after his best friend Noel is murdered by terrorists from the Brussels cell he infiltrates. Shortly before Noel dies, he manages to tell Jacob snippets of the terrorists’ plans. Plans that seem to involve the same riverboat cruise Riley is on. When Interpol learns of Riley’s encounter with terrorists, Jacob’s supervisor insists he work with her to identify the terrorists and retrieve agent X. But their relationship is fraught with distrust because of Riley’s suspicious past and a romantic attraction neither of them wants.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Sara L. Jameson won Scrivenings Press’s grand prize publishing contract in January 2021. They released her debut romantic suspense novel, Cruise to Death, in June 2021. Death in High Places, (Book 2 in the Troubled Waters series), released February 2023, followed by Vengeance in Vienna, July 2024.

In real life, Sara is a multi-published, former university professor who writes non-fiction under her real name and edits book manuscripts for other authors. She also pens WWII historical novels. When not at her computer, she enjoys reading, swimming, cooking, dog-sitting, and spending time with friends.

More from Sara

For someone who loves to swim and enjoys cruising on a ship as long as land is in sight, a European riverboat cruise solved my anxiety. Cruise to Death was conceived during a Uniworld cruise that originated in Antwerp, Belgium, where my family had lived twenty-fives years prior and fallen in love with the country.

But the lack of security on the cruise concerned me. Especially when our ship docked parallel to another cruise line, and all passengers passed through the other boat to disembark and re-embark without staff scrutiny. Perfect place for someone not on your cruise to hide, right?

Perfect fodder for a romantic suspense novel. Add in a pickpocket who craftily robbed a family member, and a budding novelist determined the crime wouldn’t go unremembered. You know those writers’ T-shirts warning you whatever you say and do might end up in a novel—sometimes it’s true.

Part of the fun writing this story was a chance to retrace the stops along the Rhine and Moselle rivers and stay in settings that appear in the novel. If you have a chance to take a riverboat cruise, I highly recommend it!

My Impressions

“Yes, she’d lied. Something she’d been brought up not to do, something she knew was wrong. A sin she’d have to bring before the Lord. But she’d do anything to protect Jacob.”

I enjoyed this light, romantic suspense novel by Sarah L. Jameson. Cruise to Death explores the betrayal of an Interpol agent and his best friend, Jacob’s, vow to find the leaked link. It also explores the experience of an opera singer, Riley, who subsequently for her sick friend on a European river cruise. Unfortunately, Riley overheard a terrorist plot and spends the cruise trying to help Jacob and Interpol uncover the terrorists. Terrorists suspects are great at disguise, and tensions are high as nearly all passengers on the cruise are closely monitored. Evidence suggests that Riley may be part of the plot. If safety precautions are in short supply, so is the trust factor. Will Riley and Jacob figure out who can be trusted? Better yet, will they put trust in God above their promises to themselves?

I was happy to see Jacob working in his cover professional as waiter. Jameson convincingly has him on job often, as well as portraying Riley onstage singing or (ouch!) dancing. So often in cozies, the main characters forget their jobs in favor of sleuthing.

I enjoyed the many pop culture references to TV shows and stars. One such involved a true quote we can all learn from: “Lone Rangers didn’t win the war, teamwork did. Teamwork between the military and civilians. Female civilians.” This is Riley’s response when Jacob tries to leave her out of sleuthing. We can all learn to accept help, rather than trying to go it alone.

Full of non-stop action, suspects, suspicions, danger, twists, and some truth revelations, Cruise to Death is an enjoyable read.

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

Notable Quotables:

“One thing you learn as a singer—never play the what if game.”– Riley

“Relationships are built on trust.” “And forgiveness.” -Riley, Jacob

“All her life she’d done what she wanted to do, what others wanted her to do. Not once had she asked God what He wanted for her.”

“Everyone needed a rescuer.” – Riley

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Excellent! I’m happy to recommend this suspense novel.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , August 14

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 15

Stories By Gina, August 16 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, August 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 17

Texas Book-aholic, August 18

Simple Harvest Reads, August 19 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 21

Artistic Nobody, August 22 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 23

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 24

Guild Master, August 25 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, August 25

Holly’s Book Corner, August 26

Fiction Book Lover, August 27 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sara is giving away the grand prize of a $75 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54278

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

What the River Keeps by Cheryl Grey Bostrom Review

August 11, 2025August 11, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: What the River Keeps

Author: Cheryl Grey Bostrom

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Released: August 12, 2025

Genre: Women’s Fiction (with notes of suspense, mystery, and a thriller)

Back Cover Copy:
Hildy Nybo is a successful biologist, her study of the Pacific Northwest’s wild fish both a passion and a career. But behind her professional brilliance, Hildy’s reclusive private life reflects a childhood fraught with uncertainty. Despite her father’s love and her mother’s sympathy, she grew up constantly losing even her most cherished belongings, unable to recall where she misplaced them. Haunted by the confusion of those early years, she now records her life in detailed diaries and clings tightly to memory-prompting keepsakes.

Then her mother’s health fails, and Hildy accepts a job near her childhood home, joining a team of scientists who will help restore her beloved Elwha River after the demolition of two century-old dams. There Hildy settles into one of the cabins on her family’s rustic resort―a place she both loves and dreads, for reasons she can’t fully explain.

When local artist Miranda Rimmer rents an adjacent cabin for her pottery studio, Hildy shrinks from such a close neighbor. But then Miranda’s carpenter brother, Luke, shows up to help with construction and captures Hildy’s attention. Now a few years beyond a tragedy that brought him to his knees, Luke recognizes a kindred soul in Hildy, and they build a relationship that dismantles the walls Hildy’s built to keep people out. As troubling pieces of the past surface, Hildy dares to wonder if she can banish the shadows that have burdened her and follow her river’s course to freedom.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://a.co/d/cL9Epn2

Amazon CA: https://a.co/d/4O1vP8e

Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/4ak264kj

Books-A-Million: https://tinyurl.com/4fn6p679

Christianbook.com: https://tinyurl.com/42dwxrp9

Bookshop.org : https://tinyurl.com/5xfy2dn5

About the Author

A keen student of the natural world and the workings of the human heart, Pacific Northwest author Cheryl Grey Bostrom captures the mystery and wonder of both in her lyrical, surprising fiction.

Her novels Sugar Birds (Christy finalist, Amazon bestseller, and Book of the Year) and Leaning on Air have won more than two dozen industry honors, among which are Christianity Today’s Fiction Award of Merit and American Fiction, Reader’s Favorite, ACFW Carol, Nautilus, Best Book, IPPY, Foreword Indies, and International Book Awards. Kirkus Reviews named Cheryl’s newest work of contemporary women’s fiction, What the River Keeps, as a Best Indies Book of June 2025.

An avid birder and nature photographer, Cheryl lives in rural Washington State with her husband and a pack of half-trained Gordon setters.

My Impressions

“‘There’s Love in that book. It’s a road map out of the dark.’ Out of her anxiety, too?”

What the River Keeps by Cheryl Grey Bostrom is about a brilliant fish/river naturalist in the PNW who, due to childhood issues, could be considered an unreliable narrator. Hiding her true self from most people, Hildy limps solo through life, until the past comes calling and forces a return home. Will this change destroy her, or will she find the strength and courage to overcome fears of the past? Heart-wrenchingly beautiful! This book will tear you up and make you cry before it rebuilds your faith in humanity and God’s ability to take care of his precious chosen ones.

“They hush me, Daddy. Every fish I see.” At 10, Hildy is overwhelmed by the sense of the amazing, the obvious evidence of a great Creator God when she sees fish. Her father, a warm nurturer, encourages her to look for God in nature. However, her mother, quick to correct Hildy and obviously ashamed of what she deems as “quirkiness,” quickly shuts down Hildy’s searching nature.

Years later, we find Hildy as a brilliant fish biologist and river conservationist, but a person who has very few social skills and very definite oddities, stiff-arming most people.

I loved Junie and her hubby Otis who love the family and serve the family business selflessly. While they love unconditionally without judgement, Otis does tell Hildy, “‘You want to get free a those chains a yours? All that anxiety?’ Here we go again. ‘You know I do.’ ‘Then—‘ ’Stop, Otis. You’ve told me fifty times.’ Maybe not fifty, but while Fourth of July campers had settled into the resort’s quiet hours, he’d repeated himself so often she could hear him in her sleep: ‘Do some diggin’. Find the lie.’”

Against incredible odds, when Hildy meets new cabin renter Miranda’s brother, Luke, a gradual rapport develops between the two. Luke’s had losses in the past, but he has learned to turn them over to God, so he can have the strength to move on. Hildy and Luke dance around a relationship, with Hildy’s issues rising up like a monolith dam to separate them. Luke wants to face Hildy’s stunting emotional issues with her- will she allow him that close? Will Hildy be able to accept that someone could love her wholeheartedly, and how will surprising revelations from her past affect or stall her growth?

Bostrom creates Hildy, a character so full of anxiety and fear for her own sanity, that I thought she’d be hard to relate to. Instead, I learned to love her deeply. I wonder how many other people may be out in our world, limping by on their self-made crutches when God wants to heal the source of the problem.

One of my top books of 2025!

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

Notable Quotables:

“That locust verse I promised to send you, different version: ‘I will give you back what you lost.’” – Luke

“Some lies get handed down, become strongholds kids are raised with.” – Luke

“That cabin’s a big old stove, darlin’, with stories still cookin’ inside…I trust those memories will make sense to you once they’re baked. Some will even be beautiful.”– Junie

“I’ve spent the better part of my life hiding the fact that I’m crazy, Luke. Crazy. If people knew what goes on in my head, I’d lose what little credibility I have.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior!! I just want to rise and give a standing ovation!

ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Just Read Tours, Kindle, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

A Fierce Devotion by Laura Frantz Review

August 8, 2025August 8, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Author: Laura Frantz

Series: Not listed as such, but follow-up to The Seamstress of Acadie

Publisher: Story Architect

Release Date: July 30, 2025

Genre: Historical Romance

Exiled from his native Acadie in Canada, Bleu Galant has little on his mind but survival as the tumultuous French and Indian War comes to a close. When his journey to Virginia’s Rivanna River settlement takes an unexpected turn, he crosses paths with Brielle Farrow—a woman whose presence stirs something in him he cannot explain nor express. Unable to forget her, his decision to help her takes them across an ocean and into a lavish world he’s never known. Will their intricate tie decide not only her fate but his future?

Purchase link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/235740349-a-fierce-devotion

About the Author

Bestselling, award-winning author, Laura Frantz, has been writing stories since age seven. She is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century and her novels often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. Though she will always consider Kentucky home, she and her husband live in Washington State.

According to Publishers Weekly, “Frantz has done her historical homework.” With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California. Foreign language editions include French, Dutch, Spanish, Slovakian, German & Polish.

Readers can find Laura Frantz at http://www.laurafrantz.net

*Subscribe to Laura’s seasonal newsletter and receive new release information, news about contests, giveaways, and reader events, sneak peaks and teasers, signings and appearances, and more!

My Impressions

“She prayed whatever he saw in her was bon. As bon as what she saw in him.”

I don’t think I’ve anticipated another book book as much as Laura Frantz’s A Fierce Devotion! Her inspirational historical fiction, The Seamstress of Acadie, captured my heart and imagination like nothing else! The Seamstress tells of the English expulsion of the Canadian-French Acadians. That story introduced Bleu, mixed-blood brother of Sylvie. A Fierce Devotion, a novella, picks up the thread of Bleu, another Acadian deeply scarred by the racial hatred exhibited by the conquerers. The “French and Indian War” (or the “Seven Years’ War) has just ended. The book is mesmerizing, lyrical, and a feast of beautiful descriptions. Absolutely stunning!

Despite his mixed heritage, Bleu is a sought-after bachelor in both his Acadian world and his Mi’kmaq world. Yet it is the indentured servant, Brielle Farrow, he discovers following happening upon a deadly raid scene, that grows on his heart.

Bleu is not the type to settle down though, and he is a much-sought after scout. Brielle doesn’t share his heritage, nor much of his French language, either.

I was laughing so hard at the one pivotal French sentence that Bleu shares in with his sister in Brielle’s presence! ( which Frantz explains in English!) It’s always amazing in life, when we miss one sentence or word that could change our whole attitude!!

How can these two find enough in common to even consider a relationship, when competition abounds and there are surprising factors that will put up even more barriers between them?

I loved the French phrases, but Frantz explains them for non-French speakers( a must for readers!)

Character growth? Given what both Bleu and Brielle have endured, there is going to have to be a lot of forgiveness learned, even for those who don’t ask for it. Sylvie ( Bleu’s sister) and he are discussing this issue one day: “For a long time I felt like you. I still do though my ire doesn’t burn as bright. I’ve only moved past it by choosing a new life here and letting the past rest.” (Sylvie)

I loved, loved, loved, this book!! There’s an old French rowing song I would borrow a line from, “Jamais je ne t’oublierai!!” ( NEVER will I forget you!)

I received a copy of the book from Just Read via Netgalley. I bought my own ebook, plus additional pb copies for myself and another’s keeper shelves. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Do you believe in coincidence?” “Nay. Divine instances, rather.” “This is one of them.”

“…you’ll find that the Almighty fills the emptiness with Himself along with countless other blessings.”– Sylvie

“Nothing is more important than family. When you’ve lost much you treasure those who remain.” Bleu

“The unknown was always frightening no matter how many times you faced it.”

My Rating

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Superior! Giving hearts for stars, because *le sigh!*

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Purchase

Lethal Danger by Jerusha Agen Review and Giveaway

August 8, 2025August 8, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Lethal Danger

Author: Jerusha Agen

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release Date: April 24, 2025

This K-9 team is trained to eliminate threats. This threat could eliminate them.

Being a loner is getting old. Jazz Lamont still can’t fit in at the Phoenix K-9 Agency, and she’s losing her best friend. At least providing security with her K-9 partner at the Tri-City Fair will mean revisiting the only place where she once belonged. But a series of accidents threatens her beloved fair and puts lives at risk.

Thriller author Hawthorne Emerson suspects foul play after the first “accident.” Moonlighting as fair security to investigate the death of his sister’s boyfriend, he’s eager to find the truth. He doesn’t expect the task to lead him to the cult he escaped.

Finding the culprit behind the sabotage is personal for Jazz and Hawthorne. But someone else has a personal stake, too. Someone who wants Jazz dead. When everything she thought was true is dismantled, can Jazz risk trusting others—including God—to survive?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Jerusha Agenimagines danger around every corner but knows God is there, too. So naturally, she writes romantic suspense infused with the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jerusha loves to hang out with her big furry dogs and little furry cats, often while reading or watching movies.

More from Jerusha

THE DANGER OF COLORED GLASSES

Have you ever felt left out? Maybe someone you care about never accepts you or loves you, no matter how much you try to please that person?

One would think Jazz Lamont, the heroine of Lethal Danger, would never have experienced such feelings. After all, she’s a beautiful security agent who trounces bad guys without breaking a sweat, doesn’t fear danger, and has an incredible K-9 partner. She was chosen to join the elite Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency, which means she’s one of the best in a dangerous, challenging line of work.

But though she doesn’t bat an eye when she faces threats and bad guys, Jazz is far from confident when it comes to social interactions. Thanks to a series of rejections in her childhood, Jazz is pretty sure most people won’t like her or want to accept her. So far, her life seems to be proving that assumption true.

As I discovered Jazz’s character while writing Lethal Danger, I was intrigued by how much her fear of rejection colored her point of view of basically everything. Sometimes, a comment that a gal on the Phoenix K-9 Team made would seem like a put-down to Jazz, though I knew as the author that the other agent hadn’t meant the remark that way.

Noticing Jazz’s tendency to see everything through rejection-colored glasses made me take a hard look at myself. What fears of my own are skewing how I see and receive things?

Is my desire for approval making me misinterpret others’ remarks as critical when they aren’t intended as such? Do my insecurities make me misconstrue or internalize social media posts or friends’ jokes? Perhaps my worries about finances or dangers to my physical safety make me see hazards where there aren’t any or avoid doing what the Lord wants me to.

How about you? Have you thought about the harmful ways in which your experiences, fears, and vulnerabilities might be coloring the glasses through which you view life?

Let’s all take stock together and then bring those burdens to Jesus Christ. He’ll remind us that the only point of view that matters, the only one that is accurate, is His. And He’ll help us begin to see the world through His perfect eyes.

My Impressions

“It was so-called worldly entertainment and included on the very long, unwritten list of activities and choices banned by the cult. Or, more specifically, by Desmond Patch, founder and leader of the Best Life cult. Destroyer of families. Thief of lives.”

Wow! What a fast-moving thrill ride Lethal Danger is! Penned by the talented Jerusha Agen, it’s the fourth book in the Guardians Unleashed series, a set of books about a K-9 female protection team. The Tri-City fair in MN is a second home to Phoenix security guard Jazz LaMont. Growing up without her marine dad around much, often shunted off on an aunt and uncle who barely tolerated her, Jazz is looking for true friends and love.

We also meet security personnel Hawthorne Emerson, famous crime writer and, in this case, crime investigator. Emerson grew up in the nearby cult, Best Life, which he and eventually his younger sister Rebekah leave. The cult is blamed for a fair accident where Emerson and Jazz meet in a daring rescue. Can dreamy Hawthorne and beautiful, multi-talented Jazz team up together to protect the fair and its visitors before the increasing accidents force its closure? Don’t get whiplash from the great twists!

The danger starts quickly in this book and doesn’t let up until the finale. I loved being able to see the Malinois, German shepherds, and other trained dogs in action! So impressive!

I really liked that the hero and heroine have so much going for them, yet both have some very big flaws to overcome. For Jazz, the rejection in her background causes her to feel slighted and unliked by those around her… even when she could have the belonging and love she longs for, she refuses to let others close. Her best friend, Nevaeh asks, “Have you ever thought that maybe you put up walls with people?” … “Like maybe you’re afraid they’ll reject you, so you reject them first.”

Hawthorne Emerson, too, has much going for him. He escaped the cult, he is a nationally-known best-selling author, he is swoony, and he can investigate and rescue with the best. Plus, he is a believer, like the rest of Jazz’s team. (Jazz thinks Christianity is for weak people.) However, Hawthorne’s past affects him, too. He took orders from the cult at one time and will never again let someone control him. “He’d made a god out of freedom—his freedom, his wants, his desires. And his love of independence and freedom had only grown since he’d left the cult.” A recipe for hurt!

Don’t miss this exciting romantic suspense! I certainly want to be sure I’ve read all the books in this series, to learn about each security agent and her dog!

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

Notable Quotables:

“I didn’t want to be reconciled to God and forgiven of my sins until God changed me from the inside out. He had to change me so I could begin to want what I hadn’t known I most needed.”– Hawthorne

“Because I want to have God’s Word hidden in my heart, so that I know what is true and what is not. So that I have His comfort and promises with me wherever I go. I never want to forget that He loves me or forget the proof that He loves me.”- Cora, on why she memorizes Scripture

“Evil and lies are often most convincing when they masquerade as poor imitations of the truth.”– Hawthorne

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Superior! Great action, very relatable character flaws, great twists!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 7

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 8

Texas Book-aholic, August 9

Guild Master, August 10 (Author Interview)

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 10

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 13

For Him and My Family, August 14

Blogging With Carol, August 15

Devoted To Hope, August 16

Simple Harvest Reads, August 17 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Holly’s Book Corner, August 18

Fiction Book Lover, August 19 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 19

Books Less Travelled, August 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jerusha is giving away the grand prize of a signed paperback copy of Lethal Danger, $25 Barnes and Noble gift card, Lethal Danger tote bag, magnet, notebook, and keychain!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54270

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

More Than Conquerers by Carole Towriss Review and Giveaway

August 5, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: More than Conquerors (Planting Faith Series Book 2)

Author: Carole Towriss

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Release Date: March 25, 2024

Kassandra‘s privileged and pampered life explodes when she meets a woman with next to nothing. When a glimpse into the lives of those less fortunate turns into a mission to help them, her father offers a choice: act like the daughter of a politarch and marry the man he has chosen––or leave home forever.

Unimaginable loss shakes Jason‘s world to its foundation, and he struggles to keep his faith in the Jewish God. He faces losing everything generations of his family have built, and one of the city’s elite seems determined to make that happen.

A visiting Jewish preacher shakes up the synagogue—and then the town—with outrageous claims. Paulos’s teachings fascinate Kassi but contradict everything Jason believes. As pressure amps up on every side, they must decide how much they are willing to risk to follow The Way.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Carole Towriss is a Californian living on the East Coast. When she isn’t writing, researching, or editing her latest book, you can find her (and her cat) watching British television, googling obscure facts, or talking to one of her four kids.

More from Carole

More than Conquerors is the second book in the “Planting Faith” series. Each book is set in a city where Paul established a church. Book 1, Sold into Freedom, took place in Philippi and featured the woman with the spirit of prophecy and the jailer. I’m currently writing a novel set in Athens, and I hope to follow that with one set in Corinth.

I like to write about people who are mentioned only a few times in Scripture. Jason is mentioned only once, in Acts 16, and Kassandra is one of the ”prominent women” who came to faith under Paul. Paul, Silas, Timothy, Luke, and Lydia are all here, but they are minor characters.

I hope you enjoy getting to know Jason and Kassandra, and experience what it was like to be part of one of the earliest churches.

My Impressions

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. You are Mine. “

Carole Towriss is a new-to-me author, but I was thrilled to see the way she takes a few verses in Acts 17 and weaves them into a an exciting story with lots of Scripture. With a compelling narrative replete with danger, intrigue, and Romance, plus Biblical history, so many words Paul spoke in the New Testament come alive and are shared in small doses. I especially loved the emphasis on Isaiah’s teaching, but of course the Law and Moses, which the Jews greatly supported, are also leaping off points for Paulos.

Imagine the unease of the synagogue leader, who at first is proud that Paulos is showing his synagogue honor, then discovers Paulos using the Jewish law to launch into a discussion of Jesus Christ, a heretical criminal in the Jewish mind. Trouble brews!

I loved how Towriss connects the Jewish characters of the story to the Greek portion of the story. It was interesting to see the differences in the two cultures. I enjoyed seeing a mixture of wealthy, influential people vs. those who were considered lower class or even worthless. We see the power of Roman rulers vs. those they ruled, often including their own households. Secundus is such a typical example, and makes me glad I don’t live in that world.

I loved seeing how Paulos shows the Greeks that they, too, are recipients of God’s grace and love. Many Greeks did not find sense in the capricious gods of their own country or Rome, and were ready to hear about a God who did not demand a sacrifice on a whim or have unclear expectations.

Did I mention that there is danger in this novel? Kassi faces it, Jason faces it, Paulos and his friends face it, and all the believers face it. They will have to rely on passages like the one from Isaiah at the top of the blog, or other Scripture reminders Paulos gives them: “Moses once told the Israelites, ‘Adonai will fight for you; you need only to be still.’ We do what we can, and then we stand firm in faith. Rest in the knowledge that Yahweh holds our lives in the palms of His hands, and nothing is allowed to touch us unless it is first filtered through His fingers.” This advice will definitely be tested!!

I certainly headed back into my Bible several times while reading this enthralling novel! Don’t miss it!

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

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! A new-to-me Biblical fiction author to start catching up with!

Blog Stops

Holly’s Book Corner, August 5

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 6

She Lives To Read, August 6

Devoted Steps, August 7

Texas Book-aholic, August 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 9

Pause for Tales, August 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 11

For Him and My Family, August 12

Devoted To Hope, August 13

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 14

Stories By Gina, August 15 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 15

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, August 16

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 17

The Bookish Pilgrim, August 17

Lily’s Corner, August 18

Cover Lover Book Review, August 18

Giveaway

T0 celebrate her tour, Carole is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54268

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Purchase, Wild Heart Books

The Bartered Bride by Erica Vetsch Review and Giveaway

August 1, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Bartered Bride

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A rebellious suffragette and a steadfast sailor—tied by duty, divided by secrets, and tempted by a love that changes everything.

A born sailor, Jonathan Kennebrae thrives in his role running his grandfather’s shipping enterprise. That is until his grandfather delivers a crippling ultimatum—Jonathan will marry Melissa Brooke or lose his inheritance and everything he’s worked for. Though Jonathan finds himself drawn to Melissa, he can’t help feeling his intended may not be who she appears to be.

Melissa Brooke is tired of being voiceless. She’s been the perfect daughter all her life, doing what she’s told for the good of the family. Except she has a secret. Melissa lives a double life, teaching literacy to struggling immigrant women and fighting for the suffragette movement. If she goes through with the wedding, she’ll be forced to abandon her life’s work. Yet refusing the union could cost her any chance at an inheritance to fund her cause. To make matters worse, she can’t deny the tender feelings blooming between her and her fiancé.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetschloves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum. You can connect with her at her website where you can learn about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online where she spends way too much time!

More from Erica

Do you ever wish you could turn back time? That’s what I recently got to do, as I read through my very first published novel, The Bartered Bride, that is now being re-released by Wild Heart Books.

What a blast from the past. I was amazed at all the feelings that rushed back in as I revisited Duluth, MN in the last century. Melissa and Jonathan hadn’t changed a bit in sixteen years.

The story idea first came to me as I sat in church awaiting the start of the service. There I was, a not-yet-published-author, minding my own business when the plot sort of burst into my head. An arranged marriage set in Duluth, and using the “Gales of November” and the wreck of the Mataafa…

I jotted down a few notes, because face it, the best idea for a novel could pop into my head, and if I don’t write down the gist, I will forget it in two minutes.

I wrote The Bartered Bride in about six weeks, and I sent it through my critique group of the time. Then my agent submitted it to the publisher in the spring of 2008.

And we waited.

And waited.

We heard nothing for months. My agent sent word that the publisher was still considering it, and I was to be patient. It wasn’t a no, but it also wasn’t a resounding yes!

I had already started the sequel to The Bartered Bride, a story called Marriage Masquerade, so I finished that one, and then with summer upon me, I wrote a new story, Clara and the Cowboy, about an heiress to a ranch and one of the cowboys who rode for her father. Maybe the publisher would like that series better. I heard nothing all summer on either of the two series I had proposed and submitted.

Then in September of that year, I went to the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. The conference was being held in Minnesota, just a hop up the road from where I live. I ferried agents and editors from the airport to the hotel, I met people, I sat in workshops, all the time wondering if I would ever be a published author. Would my writing ever be ‘good enough’? Was I wasting my time?

Imagine my surprise when the publisher to whom I had submitted The Bartered Bride took the stage at a general session and announced that they were offering a contract to me for that book! Not only that, but when I had an appointment with the editor later, she offered not only a three-book contract on the The North Star Brides, but an additional three-book contract for the Brides of Money Creekof which Clara and the Cowboy was book one!

I had sold six books! The rest of the conference, you could have bought me for a dollar.

Melissa and Jonathan will always have a special place in my heart. They were the couple that started it all. I’m so glad they are getting a new start, and hopefully they will touch readers’ hearts as much as they have mine.

My Impressions

“For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29: 11

Never have I been so happy to be living in the present day, as when I read a historical romance like Erica Vetsch’s The Bartered Bride. In 1905 Duluth, MN, it is still considered acceptable for marriages to be arranged as a business merger for high class families. Both the intended groom, Jonathan Kennebrae and the intended bride, Melissa Brooke, want nothing to do with this plan. Forced to socialize, an attraction is born, but when secrets are revealed, will the fledgling love overcome the shadows of distrust?

I loved seeing how Melissa, who is a pawn in the businessmen’s dealings, begins to find her voice and stand up for herself. Unfortunately, will she be able to differentiate between those out to use her and those who truly respect her and her beliefs?

Both Melissa and Jonathan are firm believers, and it is interesting to watch their prayers. Jeremiah 29:11 is one verse quoted more than once that both believe, yet when the path isn’t smooth, both wonder why God is failing. “Lord, how could You do this to me? You promised me hope, and a future. Plans that were for my good. He lied to me. All Your plans are dashed. It’s over. Did You lie to me, too?” It strikes me as ironic that because her plans are dashed, Melissa assumes that God’s plans are, too.

Jonathan, too, has a prayer that he prays for those around him who are attempting to driving his destiny. I love how he finally realizes God has answered his prayer- just not the way he expected!

I am always glad to have a character lead-in to the next story, and Noah’s appearance does that while adding an important element to the story. It may be summer now, but I could feel the snow and horribly cold winds and see the waves of the storm on Lake Superior, known for its coldness.

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