Category: Celebrate Lit Tour

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Dockside Secrets by Terry Overton Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Dockside Secrets

Author: Terry Overton

Genre: Christian Cozy Mystery

Release Date: October 17, 2025

When Finley Burke moves to the peaceful lakeside village of Sunset Cove, she’s looking for a fresh start-not a mystery. But when a violent storm washes a strange tackle box onto her dock, she discovers more than fishing lures inside. Hidden within are antique jewels and secrets that link to a long-buried family feud and a suspicious death. As Finley digs deeper, she finds herself tangled in a web of

lies that threaten the calm of the cove- and her own safety.

With the help of her quirky but loyal neighbors, a sharp-eyed detective, Finley must uncover the truth before the past catches up to her.

Full of Southern charm, close-knit friendships, and suspense that keeps you turning the pages. Dockside Secrets is a heartwarming cozy mystery that proves it’s never too late to start over or to solve a mystery.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology.

Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean.

She has two children, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

Her previous writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She now seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals.

Over the years, Terry’s books have won the Mom’s Choice Award, Christian Indie Award, Firebird Book Awards, American Writing Winner Awards, Bookfest Winner Awards, Pencraft Award, Reader Views Silver Reviewers Award, and International Book Award Finalist. Her writing examines real world events with a Christian worldview. She enjoys writing for young children, middle grade readers, YA fiction, and adult level novels.

More from Terry

I must admit I have probably watched and read just about every Hallmark cozy mystery I have come across! I have become addicted to mysteries lately! I don’t limit it to just the cozy mysteries. Lately, I have been watching plenty of true crime. The attraction for me is the puzzle. I mean, really, who can resist a “whodunit?” I prefer more of the gumshoe approach, but I also watch several crime scene investigations.

It started out with a curiosity about why people do such actions. What motivates people to commit these crimes and then try to cover them up? In many cases, criminals just aren’t that bright. But there are some cases that remain puzzling.

I decided to give it a go. Dockside Secrets is my first cozy. It was fun to write this mystery in the little community outside of a big city. We moved to this new little cove on a lake, Sunset Cove, and this is where the characters live. The large city in the book, Sagebrush Bend, is in reality, Fort Worth, Texas. Plenty of changing landscapes here, and these appear in the story.

Grab this cozy and meet the quirky cast of characters: a retired forensic psychologist, a very proper southern lady, a nutty and loud best friend, and a middle-of-the-road peacekeeper join a fumbling local sheriff and a handsome detective to discover what really happened at Sunset Cove.

My Impressions

“She hadn’t expected trouble just sixty-two days into retirement, but it found her standing at the edge of the lake peering under her dock.”

The power of a great first sentence! This one is penned by cozy mystery author Terry Overton. I was really pleased with this book, because I had just finished a very intense thriller. I wondered if Overton’s cozy, Dockside Secrets, #1 Finley Burke mysteries, would suffer in my mind by being read next. 

But not to worry. Overton’s style is simple, yet educated, comfortably peaceful while dealing with murder. As a cozy, the action is not super fast, but the pacing is steady, and the characters are introduced and clues presented in an intriguing way. I really cared about recently retired college professor Finley who had moved to a small lakeside Texas community. Expecting to find peace, Finley finds neighbors who become supportive friends (another fun, eclectic group!) and a washed-up tackle box. 

What she doesn’t find is quick answers or much help from the local sheriff. Old habits die hard, and Finley finds herself returning to her amateur sleuthing ways. Enlisting the help of her neighbors, the “Sleuths of Sunset Cove” set out to discover the secrets behind the items on the tackle box. Like Pandora’s box, each of them finds secrets being released. But, will some secrets they discover of a local oil family bring them closure or more danger than they can handle?

Instead of a fave character, I believe I’ll pick a fave scene. It would have to be when each member of the group finds they want to trust each other enough to share a carefully guarded part of their past. Such a defining moment!

This is a new cozy mystery series that is now on my “to-be-recommended” list! If you enjoy small town cozies and quirky groups of characters, this may be just the  novel for you!

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

Notable Quotables:

“The guy is sneaky. He bends the law at forty-five-degree angles.”

“I do not spread gossip. I hear it, but that’s all.”  [ Hoo, boy, is this speaker’s constant avowal hilarious!]

“cologne that could gas a room”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior! I am happy to recommend this new cozy series!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 7

Holly’s Book Corner, October 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 9

Texas Book-aholic, October 10

Lights in a Dark World, October 10

For Him and My Family, October 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 12

She Lives to Read, October 13

Sylvan Musings, October 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 14

The Avid Reader, October 14

Fruitfully Planted, October 15

Vicky Sluiter, October 16

Avid Reader Nurse, October 17

Book Looks by Lisa, October 18

Simple Harvest Reads, October 19 (Guest Review from Donna)

Mary Hake, October 19

Leslie’s Library Escape, October 20

Lily’s Corner, October 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terry is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

https://gleam.io/55lW2/dockside-secrets-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, Bethany House, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Favorite Truth Nuggets, Kindle, Launch Team, Purchase

Belle’s Christmas Carol by Michelle Griep

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Belle’s Christmas Carol

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance

Release Date: September 1, 2026

While all of London waits for snow, an orphanage in need holds holiday cheer, sparks of love, and secrets waiting to be discovered.

When Ebeneezer Scrooge’s former fiancée, Belle Beaumont, unexpectedly inherits a struggling London orphanage, she dreams of giving the children of Haven House the most splendid Christmas they’ve ever known. But her vision of snowflakes and merriment quickly collides with reality: Fire damage has rendered part of the building unsafe, and the paperwork is years behind.

Barrister Rafe Munro is fighting to clear an innocent man and searching for a child, who may be his relative. His pursuit leads him to Haven House, where Rafe offers to help Belle sort through the chaotic records that might lead to the missing child. Amid the mayhem of running an orphanage full of mischievous children and eccentric staff, will Belle and Rafe find love and the answers they seek this holiday season?

With characters from Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, this festive historical romance Christmas novella of family and second chances from Michelle Griep is set in Victorian England and perfect for fans of Julie Klassen and Mimi Matthews.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Michelle Griep is an award-winning author known for her captivating historical romances. With a keen eye for detail, she pens tales that transport readers to the past where they’ll experience romance, adventure, and unforgettable characters. When she’s not writing, you can find her in her garden scaring away armadillos.

More from Michelle

Why I Gave Scrooge’s Belle Her Own Christmas Carol

Guest post by Michelle Griep

I’ve always been suspicious of characters who appear just long enough to break your heart and then vanish without so much as a forwarding address. Belle from A Christmas Carol is one of those.

Scrooge, of course, gets the full treatment. Ghosts. Doom. Moral terror. A dramatic overnight transformation. Turkey delivery. The works. And yes, yes, it’s all very moving. But Belle? Come on. All she gets is one aching goodbye and then is shoved neatly into Scrooge’s past. So, excuse me, Mr. Dickens, but I have questions.

What became of the woman who loved Ebenezer before greed got to him? Did she regret walking away? Did Christmas ever sting? Did she build a fine, sensible life or did some little corner of her heart still ache for him or not? That wondering became Belle’s Christmas Carol.

In my story, Belle Beaumont unexpectedly inherits Haven House, a struggling London orphanage with fire damage, muddled ledgers, eccentric staff, and children who are more than rambunctious. Naturally, Belle decides she will set everything to rights and give the children the most splendid Christmas imaginable because—like me—apparently the woman has never heard of pacing herself.

Then along comes Rafe Munro, a handsome barrister searching for a missing child, and Belle’s tidy plans start to change. Oh, did I mention he’s single? That’s because I wanted Belle to be more than Scrooge’s lost love. I wanted her to have grit, flaws, hope, purpose, and a future all her own.

Because sometimes the story doesn’t end with goodbye. Sometimes that’s where the real story begins.

My Impressions

“Sometimes love looks like staying. Other times it looks like letting go because it’s the only way to keep a loved one safe.”

This is my opening quote for Belle’s Christmas Carol by Michelle Griep, because it could actually apply to more than one person in the story, and, in one character’s case, in a few different ways. 

Oh, la! Did this Dickens-based novelette have to end? That was my biggest disappointment about the book. I wanted to stay in Belle’s and Rafe’s world quite a bit longer than wordsmith Griep allows. But the story itself is a cup of Christmas wassail (assuming that tastes good) perfection. As I am oft wont to do with a Griep book, I had to read slowly. Not only is the story itself a thing of beauty, but the phraseology a thing to be admired, to be read, and re-read, before moving on. 

A meet-cute? In a Regency Christmas book? That was my first thought as Rafe initially meets our heroine, Belle, who has just inherited an orphanage of seven children. What the orphanage doesn’t have in numbers of children, it has (in spades!) of crazy caretakers, damage to the building, and out-of-control children. Turf and Thunder! What has Rafe walked into, looking for a relative? 

I loved both Belle and Rafe. Both strong characters with plenty of hurt and disillusionment in their pasts. Belle is still haunted by the looming shadow of the failure of her engagement to Ebenezer Scrooge, ten years past. Not only is she struggling to maintain and “right” the orphanage, but she fights her attraction to Rafe, afraid he will be just another rich man whose main concern is himself and his money. “What if, beneath his warmth was another tortured soul who prized appearances over people?” 

Rafe fights his own demons. He searches for one relative, has lost another, and is in danger of losing a third. His personal life is out of whack and his professional life is going up in smoke as he takes on the justice system that doesn’t care about truth. Rafe is spending a lot of time with Belle and the orphans, and one little orphan in particular, Cricket. 

Cricket is such a loveable little character. But his size and demeanor make him an easy target for the other children to bully. 

Children can be so cruel… and the victims don’t realize bullies are in the very same boat as themselves! Rafe is very drawn to  the  5-year-old Cricket, assuring him of his worth in his and God’s eyes.

“That’s what Christmas is about, you know. God’s love for us. You see, Cricket, God didn’t wait for us to deserve Him. He came to a cold, untidy world and gave everything, not because we were perfect, but because we were precious. So when I tell you that you are loved, it’s not just my word. The whole Christmas season says so.”

What this book meant to me: besides being a new favorite Christmas story, I am taking away several truth nuggets. The biggest might be that God doesn’t call most of us to save the world through what we do, but he does call us to love those around us through what we do. God is in control. I can relax and have peace.

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

Notable Quotables:

“I am coming to believe that maybe the Almighty didn’t place us here solely to set the world aright. Rather, to love amidst the ruin. Even when it grieves us— or perhaps most when it does. For love may accomplish what justice, in all its forms, cannot. “

“Promise me you won’t get so caught up in the daily management of things that you lose sight of the fact that it is God who is in charge. For you, my darling dear, have a way of carrying the world on those shoulders. You are neither Atlas nor the great Creator. Make use of those He sends your way.” 

“…sometimes a storm us just what is needed to wash away the dirt of the past.”

“And I believe God smiles when He sees things like this too. Not because it’s perfect, but because you made it. God made you as different from anyone else as this snowflake is from the other children’s. And rest assured, my boy, that when He looks at you, He sees His own work, made with care, called by name, just like He made the stars.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Superior!! This book changed the way I do my job! Thank you, Ms. Griep for the reminder straight from God about what truly matters!!

Blog Stops

Where Faith and Books Meet, October 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 6

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , October 7

The Avid Reader, October 7

She Lives To Read, October 7

Texas Book-aholic, October 8

Devoted To Hope, October 8

Betti Mace, October 9

Inkwell Inspirations , October 9

The Lofty Pages, October 9

For Him and My Family, October 10

Romances of the Cross, October 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 11

Jeanette’s Thoughts , October 11

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 12

The Vine and The Branch, October 12

Maureen’s Musings, October 13

Fruitfully Planted, October 13

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, October 13

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 14

Mornings at Character Cafe, October 14

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 15

Simple Harvest Reads, October 15 (Guest Review from Donna)

Cover Lover Book Review, October 16

Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, October 16

Vicky Sluiter, October 16

Devoted Steps, October 17

Lily’s Corner, October 17

Holly’s Book Corner, October 18

Mary Hake, October 18

Blossoms and Blessings, October 19

Pause for Tales, October 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/KNJXt/belles-christmas-carol-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, Love Inspired, PB, Purchase

Murders in the Marquee by Dana Mentink Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Murders in the Marquee

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Release Date: September 1, 2026

In this witty historical murder mystery set in a San Francisco hotel, an unlikely trio of amateur sleuths must uncover a killer before another guest checks out for good.

In 1905, the Grand Mallard Marquee is well known for its iconic style, as well as its daily duck parade. For Saul Niffler, a reformed jewel thief, working at the luxurious hotel offers a much-needed second chance. Staying out of trouble and in gainful employment is essential. Which makes seeing a body plummet from a penthouse window extra complicated.

Except…did he see it? There’s no body to be found, and Saul knows he should concentrate on his new duties as “Duck Commandant” rather than meddle. If only Kitty Rossi, a persistent young guest yearning to be a Pinkerton detective, would leave well enough alone. Kitty has already roped in Henry, the elevator man, to investigate suspicious goings-on around the hotel. And against his better judgment, Saul feels compelled to join them.

Between the mystery of Saul’s missing predecessor and a grisly discovery in a drain, all signs point to murder most fowl. And with a cold-blooded killer roaming the Marquee’s lavish corridors, keeping his job may be the least of Saul’s problems…

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and the recipient of a Holt Medallion for excellence in mystery/suspense. She was honored to receive the Author of the Year award from West Coast Christian Writers. A California native, she’s written over sixty titles for the general and Christian markets in the suspense, lighthearted romance, and mystery genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense and Revell.

More from Dana

Ice cream or pie? Cake or cookies? Beach or mountains? The answer for me is always, “Yes!” I’m a restless soul, I suppose, but I’ve never been able to choose one delight over the other. I’m that way with writing too. I started my career in mystery and sidestepped to suspense. It’d be so much easier to stick with one genre but no. Dana Mentink has to write both, it seems. I attended a Harlequin anniversary celebration in Toronto a couple of years ago and listened to the editors discuss their futures wishes. Tina James mentioned she’d like to see an “Only Murders in the Building” type book or maybe a historical mystery. Whammo! The idea hit me like a train. What about both? An Only Murders in the Building/Downton Abbey type mashup? The series idea was born. Lots of twists and turns? Check. Humor? Check? An unlikely crime solving trio? You bet! I’m truly thrilled to have been allowed to step back into mystery land. I hope you’ll enjoy the results!

My Impressions

“Murder, mayhem, and mallards. Who could conceive of such a thing?”

Only Dana Mentink, on a quest to develop a zany cozy mystery, Murders in the Marquee! Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the imaginary Grand Mallard Marquee Hotel in San Francisco is actually patterned to a degree after a famous hotel in another part of the country! I was already prepared to laugh by the ridiculousness of the prestigious 1905 San Francisco hotel’s name. And a duck parade through the lobby twice a day? Complete with a duck commander? 

But this is where things get a little hairy. The prominent hotel’s duck commander has disappeared.  The hotel manager, desperate to impress one particular guest he believes to be scouting city hotels for a famous literary guest, well, he doesn’t read Saul Niffler’s resume very well. “Shady Saul” as I might refer to him finds himself the bewildered leader of 12 prized ducks, about which he knows nothing. 

As Saul acquaints himself with his duties via journals left behind, he is amazed to find himself in partnership with a famous tenor’s young adult daughter, Kitty,  and the young elevator man, Henry.  “‘You were an eyewitness, Saul.’ The paleness of his face blanched to bone white. ‘An eyewitness to what?’ ‘That’s exactly what Henry and I want to know.’ She skewered him with her hardest detective stare. ‘And I’m not leaving here until you come clean.’” Oy, vey. Kitty wants to be a Pinkerton, not a socialite. Henry dreams of becoming a juggler, performing in shows. Saul, in his 30s, checkered past, just wants to keep his past hidden, his nose clean, and be able to woo his estranged wife back. 

This book had me in stitches with the unlikely trio’s escapades, attempts to unmask the visitor who isn’t all he claims, and the wealthy widow who is behaving oddly. Could there actually have been a murder at the hotel, and a cover-up to boot? 

Kitty is young, used to getting her own way because of her wealth, and trying out her wings as much as possible. She is a darling, but quite excitable and easily swayed from one theory to the next.  

Henry is also young, has a secret, and needs a bit of guidance. Plus, he may be sweet on a forbidden character. 

And now, somehow Saul is not only leading the duck parade but this impossible group as they secretly defy given instructions and work hard to prove what none of them saw. 

Great twists and use of side characters! 

Uncle Joe is one of my fave characters. 

If you like historic, twisty cozy mysteries, I highly recommend Murders in the Marquee. I am ready for book 2! 

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

Notable Quotables:

“A woman reasons by telegraph, and a man’s stage-coach reasoning cannot keep pace with hers,”– Saul’s paraphrase of quote by Dr. Mary Walker

“You did bad things, Saul. We all have. God forgives,” Henry said. “He forgives. You’re gonna mess up and do more bad things still, but only He can tell how you’re being polished up.”

“The chaplain…insisted that God was doing a new thing to Saul’s crusty, battered soul. With ducks? That was a novel way to go about it.”

“Opera singers are like roosters. They each believe there’s only room enough for one in the flock.” 

“He heard the voice of the tiny chaplain. God’s doing a new thing in you, Saul. A new thing? It sure felt like he was about to step in a boiling vat of trouble and that was nothing new at all.”

“Choices. That was all she really wanted, to be able to make them for herself.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior! I love cozies and this had all the elements to waddle its way right into my heart!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 29

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 29

Books Less Travelled , September 30

She Lives To Read, September 30

Melissa’s Bookshelf, October 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 1

Texas Book-aholic, October 2

Wishful Endings, October 2

For Him and My Family, October 3

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 3

Lily’s Corner, October 4

Blogging With Carol, October 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 5

Leslie’s Library Escape, October 6

Life of Literature , October 6

Connie’s History Classroom, October 7

Mary Hake, October 7

Blossoms and Blessings, October 8

Holly’s Book Corner, October 9

Pause for Tales, October 9

Cover Lover Book Review, October 10

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 11

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, October 12

Lights in a Dark World, October 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize of a $100 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/hz50N/murders-in-the-marquee-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, New-to-Me Author, Purchase, Wild Heart Books

The Marquess’s Masked Archer by Abbey Downey Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Marquess’s Masked Archer

Author: Abbey Downey

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 15, 2026

A hidden identity. A relentless marquess. And a summer where love could expose everything.

When Cleveland society parades debutante Sylvie Bryce before another string of unsuitable suitors, she secretly claims the one thing no one can arrange for her—a life of her own. Hidden beneath a green velvet hood and emerald mask, she becomes the mysterious Lady Robin, a daring trick-shot archer who captivates the crowds at Cedar Point resort. It’s the one place where Sylvie answers to no one. The last thing she needs is a charming English marquess threatening to unravel everything she has worked so hard to build.

Miles Wentworth didn’t come to Ohio looking for love. He came to study insects, escape the shadow of a devastating scandal, and prove that a man can build a life on his own terms. But a chance encounter with a boldly independent woman—first in a glittering ballroom, and then behind the mask of a legendary archer—upends every carefully laid plan. Determined to protect her, even from himself, Miles steps into a dangerous game of secrets and deception—one that draws them closer with every anonymous letter and stolen moment…even as the truth has the power to ruin them both.

A richly atmospheric Gilded Age romance brimming with wit, hidden identities, and the tender courage it takes to love without pretense—a tale of a sharp-shooting socialite, a science-minded lord, and the summer of secrets that will change them both forever. Perfect for fans of Jen Turano and Roseanna M. White.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Abbey Downey started writing inspirational romance stories during naptime when her kids were babies and found she couldn’t stop. A life-long Midwestern girl, Abbey lives in central Indiana with her husband, two kids, and one rather enthusiastic beagle. She loves watching her middle schoolers in all their activities and fixing up a 125-yar-old farmhouse with her husband.

More from Abbey

“Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to be impressed and entertained by the marvelous skill of Lady Robin, our own famed archer. Reminiscent of Robin Hood of old, she performs feats with a bow that are only dreamed of by most masters. Now, please, sit back and enjoy the show.” – The Marquess’s Masked Archer

Why do fictional characters hide? They might keep their entire identity hidden under a costume, their face covered with a mask, or just parts of who they are kept behind a confident act, but secrets are often an element of the conflict in books we love. And it’s for the same kinds of reasons all of us have tried to hide aspects of ourselves at one time or another. Fear. Shame. Protection. Freedom. Survival.

Characters in fiction reflect the truth of our human existence. Most of us probably aren’t dressing up as a female Robin Hood to perform archery trick shots or writing secret admirer letters to win a love interest, like my characters do in The Marquess’s Masked Archer. But the reasons Sylvie and Miles choose secrecy are all too relatable.

Sylvie’s goal in hiding behind a green hood is to give herself a taste of freedom. Her high society world is prescribed and controlled. There are very few opportunities for her to make choices in life. And while she longs to have more freedom, she also worries that if she were to get the independence she so desires, she would fail miserably and be forced to return to her parents in shame. Isn’t it relatable to want something desperately but at the same time be terrified that we can’t actually handle getting it?

In a different way, Miles hides behind a new life for protection. After false accusations in his youth left him disgraced in England, he wrestles with his purpose. His passion for medical entomology has given him hope for a normal life, but he also feels the constant weight of expectations due to his noble title. He’s certain people only see what they want to when they look at him, so he hides away doing his research, hoping no one will look at all. How truly human is that? We hide so much of ourselves out of worry that people won’t understand or will immediately jump to conclusions about who we are based on one glimpse.

But God didn’t create us for secrecy. The tension of hiding makes it difficult for Sylvie and Miles to fall in love, in spite of their interest in each other from the beginning. Every step forward brings new worry that they’ll be found out and their plans will be destroyed. Each romantic moment comes with the discomfort of knowing they aren’t being completely genuine with each other. Even Sylvie and Miles’s first kiss is shrouded in questions about whether the other knows that they meant it.

In the end, Sylvie and Miles’s story is also about what happens when they’re forced to take off the masks. It takes trust in each other and in God for them to finally get to the moment of happily ever after that we all love so much. Just like in fiction, when we trust God with those secret parts of ourselves, we can start to see how living in truth offers more freedom than hiding.

Do you enjoy a hidden identity or secret admirer trope? What’s your favorite book that includes one of those?

My Impressions

“In a world that denied them the ability to choose most things for themselves, the occasional chance to determine their own fate was worth fighting hard for.”

This statement. It epitomizes the motivations of many of the actions of our MCs, Sylvie Bryce and Miles Wentworth. While Abbey Downey has set her Gilded Age historical romance, The Marquess’s Masked Archer, in the early 1900s in the Lake Erie playground of the Ohio rich and famous, you don’t have to be rich or famous to identify with these two MCs! How many of us have either fought against society’s expectations, overly controlling parental expectations, or unfair gossip that ruined a reputation while the Truth doesn’t matter? Oy, vey!!

Sylvie is in her “third season” and her high-society mother is determined to make her a match before Sylvie gets passed over again. Problem is, Sylvie doesn’t have any desire to be the compliant socialite wife that would fit in her social circle. She wants one thing. “All she wanted was to be allowed to choose her own companion for that future, but even that was more than anyone believed she could manage. In their eyes, obedience was all she was capable of.”

When her mother chooses Miles as the best prospect because of his English title,  Sylvie decides he is the last man possible she will marry… even as she is inexorably drawn to his unique character qualities of seeing her as a real person with valid wishes, hopes, and dreams for the future. 

But…secrets play a huge part in this story. Miles’s past in England is something he fights hard to keep hidden as he comes to America, attempting to re-invent himself as who he wants to be- a successful entomologist, uninterested in the society ladies his best American friend introduces him to. 

This is a novel to be read not for the surprise of the ending- because it’s one you know where it’s headed- but how will Downey get you there? How much angst will she put her characters through? ( A lot.) Inability to figure out what other key players may be thinking or planning is key. And let’s face it. Mind reading of others, especially ones we love or are in conflict with, can be hard! So we see questions about Miles and Sylvie’s motivations , Sylvie’s mother’s and another society debutante’s machinations, and society’s approval of Sylvie’s archery show. And, I must say, I love the Mr. Kinsey thread. He is a fave character, even though I’m not Team Kinsey! ( Maybe next book, Ms. Downey, please?!) 

Woven into this book is the slow, subtle realization of just Who God is, and how He cares for His own. What does His protection really look like? Did he fail Miles in England when he allowed tragedy after tragedy? Is he failing Sylvie when she can’t seem to break free from her parents’ bondage? Read this story for the historical romance, but consider the God implications for your own life! The best kind of story!

My thanks to CelebrateLit for a copy of the book via BookFunnel. I also purchased my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. 

Notable Quotables:

“But we tend to fight against growth. Would you have made the effort to change if it wasn’t pushed on you?”

“Fear and worry had a way of pressing someone into actions they didn’t want to take.”

“Would he ever be free from the assumptions people made about him? Would he ever be able to release the past and move forward?”

“After facing tragedy followed by a life-altering ordeal, the idea of a God who reached out to take care of individual believers didn’t match his experience. But it couldn’t hurt to take his longings to the only one who might have the power to influence the way they turned out.”

“Assumptions always worked the same way. No amount of protesting would change someone’s mind once it was made up.”

“In England, Miles had faced responsibilities and expectations he wasn’t ready for and didn’t want. The judgments of others had been enough to suffocate him. Where was the God who cared about creatures as tiny as these insects then?”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!

Read this story for the historical romance, but consider the God implications for your own life! The best kind of story!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 26

Texas Book-aholic, September 27

Pause for Tales, September 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 28

Madi’s Musings, September 29

For Him and My Family, September 30

Book looks by lisa, October 1

The Vine and The Branch, October 1

Devoted Steps, October 2

Leslie’s Library Escape, October 2

Lyssa Loves Books, October 3

Devoted To Hope, October 4

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 5

Blossoms and Blessings, October 6

Holly’s Book Corner, October 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 8

Lily’s Corner, October 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Abbey is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

https://gleam.io/GCnUr/the-marquesss-masked-archer-celebration-tour-giveaway

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Purchase

Shadowing You by Robin Patchen Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Shadowing You (The Wright Heroes Book 10)

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release Date: September 8, 2026

When the wife he believed dead calls from China, an ER doctor races to find her before her enemies silence her forever.

Ethan Wright never recovered from the death of his first love.

Six years ago, Mei Lin discovered evidence linking powerful officials to a human trafficking ring. She planned to smuggle the details out of China and join her new husband in America—but COVID sealed the borders before she could escape. Snatched by the men she’d been investigating, she was wrongfully imprisoned while authorities claimed she had died in quarantine. Now, Mei Lin’s sudden release doesn’t mean she’s free.

Ethan will stop at nothing to get his wife out of China, but he has no idea where she is. He must reach out to his estranged father, a former CIA agent who has powerful connections. With his dad’s help, Ethan begins a desperate search. He finally finds Mei Lin, but she refuses to run without the evidence that could expose the conspiracy—and ensure they’re never hunted again.

Reunited after years apart, Ethan and Mei Lin must rediscover the love they thought they’d lost—while staying one step ahead of enemies who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets hidden.

From a USA Today bestselling author… You’ll love this heart-pounding suspense and gripping romance as Ethan and Mei Lin discover that real love is strong enough to survive anything.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

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

More from Robin

Saying Goodbye to Shadow Cove

When I typed the last sentence of Shadowing You, the final Wright Heroes of Maine book, I was dehydrated from all the tears I’d shed. These Wrights feel like family to me. I can’t imagine leaving them behind.

From about book five, I knew about Ethan, the son his father kept secret. I didn’t know his plot yet, though. When I met Mei Lin and understood where she’d been for the last six years, I couldn’t wait to share their story.

But first, I want you to get to know Gavin.

The Wright family has two branches. Roger Wright and his wife, Peggy, raised six sons on an apple farm in central Maine. Roger was a physician who never put his work ahead of his children. He was steady and present, the kind of man his boys grew up wanting to be.

His brother Gavin is a different story. He was a CIA officer, gallivanting the world while his wife, Evelyn, raised their five daughters. For most of the girls’ lives, he was distant and guarded, always one assignment away from coming home. Even after he retired from the CIA, he started a business that kept him close to DC—and far from his family in Shadow Cove.

None of those girls knew anything about their father’s son.

Ethan was raised by a single mother in Virginia. Gavin supported them but visited on his own terms. Ethan grew up knowing he was his father’s secret, too shameful to share with Gavin’s real family.

All Ethan ever wanted was a family of his own, which might be the reason that, when his girlfriend finished nursing school and returned home to China, he followed her and proposed. They were married the same week. But after the honeymoon, Ethan had to return to the States, and Mei Lin had to stay in China until her visa came through.

It should have been a matter of weeks, maybe a couple of months at most. But the pandemic hit. And then Mei Lin disappeared. A few months later, Ethan and her parents got word that she’d contracted the disease and died.

But Mei Lin isn’t dead. Six years ago, she uncovered a human trafficking ring and started gathering evidence against the man in charge. She didn’t know he was on to her until she was arrested and thrown into prison. Nobody came to visit her, not her parents, not her brother, and not the husband who’d promised to love her forever. A few years into her imprisonment, she lost hope that she’d ever be freed. And then, after six torturous years, she was released—just like that.

She might be out of prison, but her enemy can’t let her escape from China. Mei Lin calls the husband who left her to rot, not asking—or expecting—anything from him except some money to help her get to safety.

She certainly doesn’t expect him to fly around the world to find her.

But Ethan hasn’t forgotten Mei Lin. Now that he knows she’s alive, he’ll do everything in his power to get her to safety, including rushing into a country he barely understands. And reaching out to the father he rarely speaks to.

But Gavin isn’t the only one who jumps in to help Ethan and Mei Lin escape China. I won’t spoil it for you, but I know you’ll enjoy seeing some old friends in this story.

Thanks for spending your valuable time in Shadow Cove. Enjoy one last story before you move on to your next destination.

As for me, I’ll be just up the coast in Briar Bay, Maine, where three castaway children…

Well, we’ll talk about that one next time.

My Impressions

“The Lord sees you. The Lord knows you. The Lord loves you.” 

These words, first spoken by an old lady in prison to Mei Lin, find purchase all the way through Robin Patchen’s last book of The Wright Heroes of Maine, Shadowing You. How long will it take these words of positive, Biblical affirmation to break through the negative words planted in Mei Lin’s mind early in life by her grandmother? 

Freed from prison China after 6 years, but realizing she has a mortal enemy, Mei Lin contacts her American husband, Ethan Wright. Ethan is stunned to hear from Mei Lin, whom he was married to very briefly before he left China. While waiting for her visa to come through, he was informed six years ago that she contracted the plague and died during the pandemic. 

From one stunning connection to another, Ethan reaches out to his estranged father, Gavin Wright, for help in locating Mei Lin in China and getting back out again.  

Expect the usual high adventure, constant movement, imminent danger, and romantic suspense built around faith that Patchen weaves into all of her stories. Because this is the series wrap-up, we get to see the hidden son (Ethan) decide whether or not he is an accepted part of the Wright family, plus character growth in the patriarch of this branch of the family, Gavin Wright. And we see a beaten-in-spirit woman. Can she ever recover who she was originally? To understand all the moving pieces and players, this book needs to be read as the last of its series. Otherwise, I believe one might be overwhelmed by the huge number of Wright family members who populate the novel’s pages. 

Words that come to mind to describe the book might be control, worthy, seen, trafficking, mistake, found family, betrayal, assumptions,and loved. 

If you dare open this book, try to read fast. The tension will force you to race your thundering heartbeat and the action to discover if Ethan and Mei Lin and their allies can indeed escape China and be safe from those who will stop at nothing to hide their secrets. We say goodbye to the Wrights, but Patchen holds out an ocean of hope for a new series, starting with The Castaways in January. I’m there!! 

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

Notable Quotables:

“You can be right about everything,” his mother used to say, “or you can be happy. You get to choose.”

“Our God is a God of miracles, sweetheart. There’s no heart He can’t reach.” 

“You’re priceless, so obviously, you can’t be more trouble than you’re worth.”

“You’re priceless because Jesus says so. And I happen to agree. I would sacrifice all that I am and all that I have for you.”

“One step at a time. Okay?” She put her hand in his. “But we do not know the steps.” “We’re going to have to trust God to lead us.”

“Why grieve a storm before it happens?”

“He liked to believe he was in control. China had torn that fantasy to shreds.”

“And love didn’t weigh a person to decide whether she was worth the cost. It simply gave everything it had. It wasn’t about what she was worth or he was worth. Love was worth the sacrifice.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior! Loved the story, the character growth, the family warmth.

Blog Stops

Book Looks by Lisa, September 9

lakesidelivingsite, September 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 10

Texas Book-aholic, September 11

For Him and My Family, September 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 13

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 14

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 15

Blossoms and Blessings, September 16

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 17

Mary Hake, September 17

Holly’s Book Corner, September 18

Cover Lover Book Review, September 19

Pause for Tales, September 20

Devoted To Hope, September 21

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, September 22

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of Anchoring You!!

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

https://gleam.io/VphI6/shadowing-you-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

Sparks of Hope by Avrie Swan Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Sparks of Hope

Author: Avrie Swan

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 1, 2026

A woman rebuilding after tragedy and a grieving father searching for hope discover that the past isn’t finished with them.

After the Peshtigo Fire reduces her teaching dreams to ash, Willow Deeran refuses to let the flames win. She pours her last hope into an audacious plan: opening an orphanage for the children left homeless by Wisconsin’s deadliest wildfire. All she needs is funding—and a partner she’s never met.

Violin maker Valentine Ashardt has spent the year since the fire hiding behind his grief, haunted by the daughter he lost in the blaze. Helping Willow build the orphanage offers more than purpose. As silent co-owner, he’ll have access to every child who comes through its doors. Surely, one of them will be his Mary.

As anonymous threats mount, old accusations resurface, and a mysterious little girl with no memory arrives on their doorstep, Willow and Valentine must decide if their dreams might not look different than they’d once hoped. Because sometimes God’s plan looks nothing like what we imagined. And sometimes the family we’ve been desperately searching for has been standing beside us all along.

For fans of Joanna Davidson Politano and Jody Hedlund—a tender story of faith renewed, purpose rediscovered, and love rising from the most unexpected ruins.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Avrie Swan is a Christian author and avid reader with a love for all things historical. Having grown up exploring antique stores and museums, she eventually decided to combine her interest in history with her love for writing and began working on her first full-length novel at the age of fourteen. She especially enjoys writing stories that focus on themes of family, faith, and growth through difficult times.

When Avrie is not writing, she is watching old movies, collecting antique books, and hunting for agates. A native Wisconsinite, she enjoys spending the cold winters indoors with her cat on her lap and a good book in her hand.

More from Avrie

Hello, folks!

It’s hard to believe Sparks of Hope is the third and final entry in The Peshtigo Fire Chroniclesseries. Writing this book was bittersweet… but also undeniably exciting. Willow and Valentine’s story took me some time to develop, and the result is a book with a lot of heart. Their tale explores themes of found family and growth while also rounding out Carina and Charlotte’s journeys. I hope you enjoy the conclusion to their stories!

One of my favorite elements in Sparks of Hope is Valentine’s occupation as a luthier. My family has always enjoyed music, and since I took violin lessons for several years when I was younger, I thought it only fitting to include a violin maker in one of my stories. I didn’t know much about the process of building violins when I started my research for the book, but I soon discovered it’s a fascinating and detailed craft. I have the utmost respect for the skilled people who shape the instruments enjoyed by so many.

While music plays a small role in Sparks of Hope, the story’s central theme is purpose. Have you ever wondered what God’s plan was for your life? That question weighs heavily on Willow’s mind after a disaster ruins all her carefully laid plans. She finds herself needing to choose a new path and pursue a different dream…although achieving it may not be quite as simple as she hopes.

In honor of the upcoming release of Sparks of Hope, I thought it would be fun to do a “this or that” game featuring some elements from the book. Which options do you prefer? Pick your favorites and then head over to my Instagram (@avrieswanwrites) or website (avrieswan.com) to share your choices!

  • Scarf or shawl
  • Griddlecakes or fresh bread
  • Cottage or townhouse
  • Sleigh ride or autumn walk
  • Frozen harbor or snowy forest

Blessings,

Avrie Swan

My Impressions

“purpose is a strange thing. It doesn’t always align with what we expect, nor does it follow our rules. And things don’t always turn out exactly the way we think they will.”

When the raging inferno of the October 8, 1871, Peshtigo, WI, devours the town and destroys more lives than the great, well-known Chicago fire of the same day, how can any hope of recovery rise from the ashes of utter devastation? Avrie Swan’s main characters, Willow Deeran and Valentine (Val) Ashardt  of her third book in The Peshtigo Fire series, will have to dig deep within themselves, their relationships and their faith to find Sparks of Hope. 

Willow’s life-long dream is to start a school for the children of Peshtigo. A big dream for a young woman whose family’s poverty precludes even enough education for her to be able to read and write. Then the fire. Her body survives, but partial amnesia and a loss of everything they own destroys that dream. What would change if she could just recall events surrounding the fire? Could it help with the new purpose that God has seemingly placed in her lap, as soon as she prays? (Isn’t this just like God to answer a prayer before the words are hardly out of our mouths?) 

But this new purpose creates great problems. Financial. Safety. Familial discord. ( Can I say I was so disappointed that Ma isn’t very supportive of this new dream, while Da is just the opposite personality, warm, loving, and affirming at every possible turn? ) 

And the financial help for her new orphanage idea comes from the most unexpected source. Val’s best friend Quincy, a newspaper reporter, is actually who  Willow approaches for help. Val who is a talented stringed instrument carver and a social recluse is visiting his friend at the office. Overhearing the need, Val offers to be a silent partner. Quincy objects! “You don’t even know this woman.” “No, I don’t. But I respect a good deed when I see one.”

And so an unlikely, socially inappropriate relationship between two single, different classes (yes, America had them and still manages to have them!) begins! And so does the tongue wagging! Some of it is busybody stuff, some is reactionary and funny(!), and some is conniving and terribly damaging.  

The antagonists in this novel are beautifully drawn. Not beautiful, mind you, just well fleshed out, needy, selfish, and can’t see beyond their own needs to understand the hurt in others’ lives. 

Fave characters? I have several. Mary. So sweet, so adorable, so cracks open more than one hard heart! Da, for his genuine love and unconditional love and support of his daughter. ( Unfortunately, perhaps some of that is missing in his relationship with his son, though it would be much more difficult?) And a “bad guy.” I actually loved Hattie. Not what she does, but she is rather hilarious in her overbearing, obtuse ways and is the pefect catalyst. Well done! 

Trigger warnings for those who want them: fire scenes, grave mental health issues. 

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through CelebrateLit via BookFunnel. I also bought my own copy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own. 

Notable Quotables:

“God has a plan for us all, Willow. He has known what we will do in life since the very beginning. But that plan isn’t always what you expect.”

“There was no saving what had been lost. Not then, and not now.”

“The best way to handle rumors is to let them run their course. People will eventually find something else to focus on.”

“Nothing in life is predictable, Willow. There are risks at every turn.“ … “What’s important is facing the risks and continuing.To give up now, when you’ve come this far, would defeat everything you’re trying to accomplish.”

“…if he remained trapped in the past for much longer, he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to truly live in the present.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! You will travel the gamut of your emotions with this novel. Highly recommended!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 12

Books Less Travelled, September 13

lakesidelivingsite, September 14

She Lives to Read, September 15

Simple Harvest Reads, September 15 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

For Him and My Family, September 16

Texas Book-aholic, September 17

Betti Mace, September 18

Holly’s Book Corner, September 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 20

Cover Lover Book Review, September 21

Pause for Tales, September 21

Devoted To Hope, September 22

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 23

Connie’s History Classroom , September 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 24

Blossoms and Blessings, September 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Avrie is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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

https://gleam.io/qaNE5/sparks-of-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

Letters to the Editor by Paul Michael Garrison Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Letters to the Editor

Author: Paul Michael Garrison

Genre: Mystery/Suspense

Release Date: November, 2019

Writing is hard. Editing is murder.

Editor Nathanael Carver has made a career out of exposing corruption and publishing people’s dirty secrets. From his hate mail, it seems one of his high-profile enemies wants revenge. But the person with murder in mind may be someone closer to home.

Carver enlists the help of Kate Baxter, a police detective with problems of her own: disapproving parents, sexist coworkers, and a smoking habit she can’t seem to kick. The support of her tribe and ample time at the gun range help to keep her sane. As her personal life and the case bleed together, Kate gains insight into Carver’s world, keeping her eye on those closest to him. Kate is on the cusp of progress when Carver, against her advice, drops the case—only to be viciously attacked. Now it’s Kate’s turn to drag everyone’s dirty secrets into the light, but not before at least one body hits the floor.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Originally from the Midwest, Paul Michael Garrisonhas spent roughly half his life in Upstate South Carolina. His published novels include Letters to the Editor and its sequel, The Lies People Publish. He holds degrees in publishing, theater, and creative writing (MFA). He has written for the stage, and his short fiction has appeared in The Windhover, Quantum Fairy Tales, and Heart of Flesh. Paul Michael frequently performs with the Greenville Shakespeare Company. Whether on stage or in writing, he enjoys the art of becoming someone else.

More from Paul Michael

The Creation of Kate Baxter: Meeting the Detective of Letters to the Editor

How do you come up with your characters? 

It’s one of the most frequent questions I (and probably a lot of authors) get at book events. Some authors talk about their characters as creations, while others insist their characters come to them fully formed, gradually revealing themselves to the writer. As with most writing philosophies, I personally tend to fall in the middle.

But I can tell you that Detective Kate Baxter in her trademark trench coat did not spring from my imagination fully formed like Athena from the mind of Zeus. Several thoughtful factors came into play during her creation.

The Mystery Came First

For many novelists, the character comes first, but Letters to the Editor began with the mystery. I imagine that’s common for mystery writers. It was an idea I’d had for some time, just simmering in the back of my brain.

It wasn’t until I signed up for a novel-writing class that I decided to actually flesh the mystery out and put it down on paper. So, if I was going to write a classic mystery, I was going to need a detective.

The Professional Detective

Cozy mysteries can be great fun, but in a series (and they usually end up as series) I find the trope of the amateur detective who constantly stumbles into one mystery after another a bit strained. Requiring a high suspension of disbelief, it works best in comic, here-we-go-again scenarios.

I wanted to create a world that felt more grounded and to leave the window open for my detective to come back (which she did in The Lies People Publish). And that’s one reason Kate serves on the Fulton Springs Police Department.

The Girl Next Door

I recall feeling bombarded at the time by burned-out detectives, whether in literature, film, or television. The investigator whose life is an unholy shambles, who’s nursing a substance abuse problem (usually alcohol), whose family or private life is completely shattered. I kept seeing these broken-down characters, and they just depressed me. I struggled to relate to them in any way. With their addictions and psychological damage, I questioned how legitimately they could function in everyday life, let alone track down murderers and other criminals.

I wanted a more relatable detective, not a beleaguered trainwreck nor a genius human computer of the Sherlockian variety. I wanted someone who, even if you couldn’t relate to her directly, you could imagine her living next door.

When an interviewer referred to Kate as a bit of a hot mess, I must admit I got defensive for a moment. And then I realized that she probably is—the way all of us are in the right light. She struggles with her relationships and goals and with living out her values and beliefs as most thoughtful people do.

When I began the novel, I had a female friend who was a police officer. Kate is not based on her, but I won’t deny that my friend (and her stories) inspired some of Kate’s characteristics, her tribe of friends, and even a few anecdotes that worked their way into the story.

Midwestern Woman of Faith

While I live in the South, I grew up in the Midwest. At the time of writing, I felt I could more accurately capture the Midwestern sensibility than a Southern one, both for Kate’s character and the setting in general. Plus, my publishing background (I was a book editor at the time) was going to inform the novel’s setting, and the Chicago metro area seemed a more likely representative of that world.

My writing instructor called Kate “a church-going detective,” which made me laugh a little. If, in forming Kate, I was reacting against the broken-down detective, I was also reacting against the portrayal of Christians in the arts. There seemed to be two extremes: in Christian fiction, the Pollyannaish Christian who lived a sanitized version of life, and in mainstream literature, religious hypocrites and wackadoos. I realize that may be a tad reductive, but that’s how it felt. Why couldn’t we have something a little more authentic, more fair, more nuanced?

While not necessarily tackling a spiritual journey, I wanted to show Christians in real-world, everyday contexts. I know some readers may find Kate’s faith alienating, but no reader is going to agree or sympathize with every character they read. That’s only natural. But as I researched the genre, I found mainstream novels with detectives with all kinds of worldviews, so why not a mainstream novel with a Christian detective?

Introducing Kate Baxter

These influences formed the initial skeleton of Detective Kate Baxter, but they don’t begin to paint the entire picture of the character she developed into—the insecurities and challenges she faces as a single woman; her love for her friends, her pets, and classic literature; or her belief that the best therapy is found at a gun range. If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll pick up a copy of Letters to the Editor and meet her yourself.

My Impressions

“…there are secrets that don’t do anybody good to know…But then there are secrets that if you keep them, they will swallow you up whole.”

Letters to the Editor by Paul Michael Garrison is a mainstream fiction book with a detective who struggles with her faith as she and her partner investigate threats against a local editor. A crime mystery, thriller, and detective novel with a bit of psychological suspense thrown in,      this book is not my usual reading fare. It did snag my interest. As the Detective Kate’s and Detective Potter’s (of Fulton Springs-Olivet police department) list of suspects shrinks, the suspense becomes more palpable. The action and storyline are quite believable. Expecting a more sanitized story, after reading the author’s notes about his purposes, I could better see why he used the descriptions, language, and situations he did. 

The question is: who is after book editor Nate Carver? Is the apparent threat serious? What is Amelie Carver hiding? Nate Carver has made a career out of exposing others’ secrets. Now we see not only him, but the players in his life around him being stripped bare and exposed of their secrets. Whose secret will be fatal to someone? Whose secrets will ruin a career or careers? And do real people struggle with their faith and emerge with an intact faith, or does life demand a shedding of that faith? Can the reader figure out the answers before all is slowly, torturously, revealed?

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

Notable Quotables:

“‘It sounds like a coping mechanism.’ Danny held up the pack. ‘You turn to these for comfort, instead of turning to God.’”

“The answers are easy; accepting them is not,”

“‘We just have to trust that God’s timing is perfect.’ ‘Even when it doesn’t feel that way.’ ‘Yeah, even when it doesn’t feel that way.’ ‘That’s most of the time, you know?’”

“Maybe it’s not always best for the truth to come out. Some secrets bear no profit when revealed, right?”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 10

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 10

Leslie’s Library Escape, September 11

Vicky Sluiter, September 12 (Author Interview)

Book Looks by Lisa, September 13

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 14

Texas Book-aholic, September 15

For the Love of Literature, September 16 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, September 17

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 18

For Him and My Family, September 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 20

Lily’s Corner, September 21

Tell Tale Book Reviews, September 22 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, September 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 23

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Paul is giving away the grand prize of a $20 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of the book and its sequel!!

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

https://gleam.io/XImFE/letters-to-the-editor-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

A Contrary Betrothal by Denise Farnsworth Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: A Contrary Betrothal

Author: Denise Farnsworth writing as Denise Weimer

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: August 18, 2026

A Cherokee lieutenant, a colonel’s daughter, and a desperate fight to protect both land and love.

Sam Hicks may be the educated son of a Cherokee chief, but his command of multiple languages and diplomatic skills can’t erase the prejudice he faces as a mixed-blood warrior. When he’s tasked with guarding Colonel Moore’s spirited daughter, Susanna, at a wilderness fort, he never expects to lose his heart to a woman he can never have.

Susanna Moore dreams of making her own way on the frontier like her Cherokee stepmother. The last thing she wants is an arranged marriage to the fort’s stuffy doctor—especially after she meets the noble and intelligent Sam Hicks. When she’s captured by a turncoat warrior during a Creek uprising, Sam risks everything to save her.

Their shared values and growing love give them hope—but with the Creek War raging and cultural pressures mounting, can a Cherokee lieutenant and a colonel’s daughter overcome the loyalties and prejudices set against them?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

North Georgia native Denise Farnsworth, formerly Denise Weimer, has authored over twenty traditionally published novels and novellas—historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and time slip. As a freelance editor and Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books, she’s helped other authors reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two adult daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

More from Denise

The seed idea for A Contrary Betrothal came from another author a number of years ago. She proposed a collection of stories in which the heroes were all Native Americans who served their country in different wars. I still love the idea even though it never came to pass! In fact, I loved it so much, I went ahead and wrote my story. And that story became Bent Tree Bride, first published with Smitten Romance. Now, it’s joining my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier series as book six.

Many people are unaware that the Cherokees fought alongside American troops under Andrew Jackson during the Creek War or Red Stick War, a portion of the War of 1812 that occurred in present-day Alabama. The Creek people were allied to the British, as the Cherokees themselves had been during the American Revolution. The motivation for this was, of course, to keep their land. Their warriors were so valuable to Jackson that they broke the ineffective cannonade on the town of Tohopeka, swimming across the river from behind and making the victory possible that ended the war at Horseshoe Bend.

Sam Hicks, the hero of A Contrary Betrothal, is a mixed-blood Cherokee lieutenant with the head of a scholar and the heart of a warrior. His struggle to intermingle the old ways and the new ways proves reflective of the metamorphosis of his people. Even though he’s been educated as the wealthy son of a chief, he knows his white colonel’s daughter, Susanna Moore, is out of his reach. But when he’s assigned to guard her and her little brother at a wilderness fort, he can no longer deny his attraction to the feisty young woman who’s determined to convince her father she can survive on the frontier as well as her Cherokee stepmother.

A Contrary Betrothal will resonate with readers who enjoy stories by authors like Laura Frantz, Shannon McNear, Michelle Griep, and Lori Benton. The forbidden love and fish out of water tropes create plenty of angst, and the battlefield scenes echo Last of the Mohicans. When people have asked me which of my books would translate well onto the big screen, in fact, this is one I think of. I invite you, dear reader, to be swept away by the action and romance of my final book of the Scouts of the Georgia Frontier.

My Impressions

“‘Not yet.’ ‘Soon.’ ‘Almost.’” George picked up a pine frond and examined it carefully. “Seems like a lot of things not happening.” “That is the way of it for our people, George.” 

An obscure quote? Perhaps. But I find it very accurately describes the frustration of the Cherokee people in the time of this book, A Contrary Betrothal, by Denise Farnsworth. ( Which, though book #6 in this series, Scouts of the Revolution, this was originally published as Bent Tree Bride. Fair warning to those who don’t like to buy a new book only to discover they have already read it!)

I think I could wax eloquent and write a whole book about my thoughts on this novel. At the very least, I would love to discuss the political intrigue and double standards presented between the Caucasians, the  Cherokee, and the Red Stick people (who I was motivated to research on my own). If I were still teaching upper elementary, this book’s facts (delineated with historical figures mentioned and separating fact from artistic license) along with the very real political climate would help provide background into my lessons.  Farnsworth makes me feel deeply the angst of the Cherokee people and the Red Sticks, both who realize the precariousness of their possession of the Tennessee-North Carolina mountain forest land. Each tribe must choose a side of the War of 1812 to side with- the British or the Americans- and pray that their side wins, and that said government will keep the promises they make to their Native American partners.

It is into this massive backdrop of confusion that Farnsworth places her two star-crossed lovers. One, Sam Hicks, is a mixed-blood Cherokee and Caucasian. Which means, he fights for his place in either world. Trained in both, he has the skills of a Cherokee warrior, but is ridiculed because he doesn’t follow all their tortuous customs, having learned about Jesus from missionaries. His ultimate questions: can he fight like a Cherokee and restore his lost honor? Will his mixed blood mean he must relinquish his love for Susanna which grows as he is assigned by her double-standard enforcing father to be her body guard? 

“The man who’d captured her imagination from a single day’s meeting was a Cherokee. White women did not marry Cherokee men.” Poor Susanna! Her  powerful Caucasian father, himself married a second time to a wonderful Cherokee woman, insists Susanna can only marry a Caucasian man, esp. his choice, Dr. Hawkins.  The whole book, I was rather violently seething with Susanna at her father’s total inability to see his double standards. Unfortunately, it is one I see exhibited by people today, some very close to me. How can you honestly love a spouse and denounce or hold prejudice against their people? What about ourselves? Do we say we don’t have prejudices, but they linger in big and small ways? Our faith speaks to that!!

I think what makes this book one of true sadness for me, is that we have the perspective of history behind us. We know how the greed for land and gain in this area affects the Native Americans. But I would be a liar not to be grateful that this land is part of our country now where we can travel, visit,or live freely. Farnsworth shows both the underbelly of all three cultures, and those who are honestly trying to, through faith in God, and following human kindness, make the best of trying times. Keep your eyes open for important historical figures (one I didn’t recognize!) that are included in this emotional, faith-filled, romantic book!

At the risk of running on too long, when I saw the list of comparable Christian historical authors, I understood immediately why I loved this book. Here they are: Michelle Griep, Shannon McNear, Laura Frantz, and Lori Benton. *Le Sigh*

I received a copy of the book from CelebrateLit, the author and Wild Heart Books via BookFunnel. I bought my own ecopy and I’m off to buy a pb copy for trophy shelf. No positive opinion was required, and all opinions are my own. 

Notable Quotables:

“She was most definitely not in control. But she believed in Someone who was. And if she believed His goodness, she also must believe He had a good future for her.”

“To be without a clan is to be without an identity.”

“Then you cannot fight this war to prove yourself to the colonel. That is fighting from a position of weakness. You are sure to lose. Instead, you must forgive the colonel. If you fight, it must be what you believe is right before God, asking Him to come alongside you to help our people. That is fighting from a position of strength.”

“Is it ever a just cause to turn brothers against each other? Do we deceive ourselves that the English won’t take the land of the Creeks if they win this war, then turn on us for ours?”

“Save your anger. To show restraint is wiser than to engage a fool.”

“I want the two wolves to lie together inside. In peace.”

“He’d fallen to quoting scriptures in his head after that. By the time they crossed Chockelocko Creek, he’d restored some semblance of inner peace.”

“Sam saw the way forward in words, not wars.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior! I believe this is one of Farnsworth’s best! Whether I remember the names of the characters a year from now, I will never forget the accurate depiction of the swirling vortex of cultural clash, greed, and those who strove to leave a mark of love for their fellow man, regardless of skin color!

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 25

lakesidelivingsite, August 26

Books, Books, & More Books, August 27 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 27

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 30

Cover Lover Book Review, August 31

Jeanette’s Thoughts , September 1

Books You Can Feel Good About, September 2

Connie’s History Classroom, September 3

Simple Harvest Reads, September 4 (Guest Review from Donna)

Blossoms and Blessings, September 5

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 6

Holly’s Book Corner, September 7

Pause for Tales, September 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Denise is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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

https://gleam.io/7zfBE/a-contrary-betrothal-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, Barbour, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, NetGalley, Purchase

The Reluctant Healer of Halifax by Terrie Todd Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Reluctant Healer of Halifax

Author: Terrie Todd

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release Date: August, 2026

Her Family, Her Home, Her Future—All Leveled in One Thunderous Explosion

When life seems weighed down by challenges, there are always pillars of enduring hope and love to be discovered.

Three days ago, Pearline Campbell’s family was whole, and Oliver Hamilton still loved her. But upon returning to Halifax disfigured and shellshocked, Oliver ended their relationship. Then came Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the Halifax harbor was leveled by a tremendous explosion. . .and Pearline fears nothing will ever be whole again. Her parents are dead, her brother is missing, and her sister refuses to speak. Pearline must fortify herself to open her home to needy orphans, including an unidentified baby. Where can she find the strength for each new day as misery grips the city?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Terrie Todd is a Canadian author of nine historical and split-time novels and one nonfiction book. Her work has earned numerous Word Awards from The Word Guild, the 2018 Janette Oke Award from Inscribe Christian Writers Fellowship, and the 2022 Braun Book Award. She is also a Carol Award Finalist. From 2010-2024, she wrote a weekly “Faith and Humor” column for her hometown newspaper, and since 2021, a monthly column for the Heroes, Heroines, and History blog. Terrie lives with her husband, Jon, in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, where they raised their three children. They are grandparents to five boys.

More from Terrie

It wasn’t until I was interviewing a friend for a newspaper column that the Halifax Explosion of 1917 began to interest me. My friend, Gene, had gone blind from macular degeneration, and I wanted to write a series of columns about what it was like for him to lose his sight and now live with blindness. One of the books Gene mentioned as having inspired him was the true story of Eric Davidson. At the time of the explosion, Eric was a toddler, playing with his toy car on a windowsill in his Halifax home. The glass exploded, permanently blinding Eric. The north end of Halifax was destroyed, and roughly two thousand residents died. Nine thousand more were wounded, including hundreds blinded or partially blinded by flying glass. The mass blinding helped birth the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). Eric’s daughter, Marilyn Davidson Elliott, wrote the book The Blind Mechanic about her father.

I found Eric’s story fascinating. When given the opportunity to try for a spot in Barbour’s series of books about historical disasters, I decided to write one about the Halifax explosion. The more I researched, the more I wondered why we didn’t learn about this in school, and the harder it was to imagine the devastation that the city and its people survived. This was during a world war and only five years after being highly involved in the recovery of the Titanic’s victims and survivors, a disaster that helped prepare them for this one. Story after story, many revealing the incredible determination of the stalwart people of Nova Scotia and the Bostonians who came to their aid, moved me to tears. It was difficult to choose which experiences to borrow for my characters. I was thrilled to visit Halifax in 2025, a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Naturally, the book includes some blind and partially blind characters. I so appreciate the input from my two blind beta readers, Alexandra Banwell and Leanne Merren. One of my favorite things to do with each book I launch is to choose a charity to which I give a portion of the proceeds from my local book launch. For this book, I’ve chosen the CNIB’s Guide Dog program.

Although my book never became a part of that series, Barbour decided it would be a good fit for their “Enduring Hope” series. The rest is, literally, history. I’m thrilled to be part of this series and have enjoyed the first five immensely. I hope you read them all!

My Impressions

“Fires erupted every few minutes, and the air was filled with racking, bubbling coughs, cries of devastation, alarm bells, and sirens. Surely she was in hell.”

And so we are given in vivid clarity a recounting of the horrible harbor ship explosion of 1917 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I am enjoying this series, Enduring Hope, by Barbour very much. Each stand-alone book tells the story of an American ( including Canadian) disaster that many have never learned from history class. Terrie Todd brings the WWI setting and Halifax tragedy to unforgettable life in her novel, The Reluctant Healer of Halifax. 

One of the main characters is an injured soldier, Oliver Hamilton, who returns from the European front minus an eye and with internal emotional scars. Certain his bright future is over, he breaks things off with his almost-fiancée, deciding he will not saddle her with a lifetime married to a freak. Heartbroken, Pearline shares with her wise parents. Her mother thoughtfully responds,“Sounds like whatever’s hiding under Oliver’s bandages is not nearly as bad as what’s deep inside him right now.” 

But, will Pearline ever get a chance to show Oliver that she loves him for his character, not his face? Or has his character been marred as badly as his face?

Soon, Pearline, the female main character, must put aside her broken heart to deal with the incredible shock and tragedy of the harbor explosion. What starts as a ship collision turns into a disaster of epic proportions as a ship with wartime cargo explodes, raining death, destruction, blindness, and literal Hell down upon the town. Search for family and friends becomes her consuming passion. What will Pearline and her hired hand, Daisy find in their quest for answers? How will their lives change from normal to “normal isn’t coming back,” how do we deal with our new reality? 

I loved how there was great cooperation between American (particularly Bostonian)people and the people of Nova Scotia. We can be good neighbors!! 

Emotional, heart-rending, with God-incidences, great character growth arcs and historical fact all presented so compellingly. I couldn’t close this book, once opened, until I’d devoured the final word!

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:

“No one could ever love me. I can never ask Pearline to marry me now; it would be cruel. I can never teach again. God’s punishing me for not wanting to follow Pop’s career. I deserve this. Like machine-gun fire, nefarious notions had pounded his brain.” 

“God had already given her the strength to survive the unthinkable. He’d provide for this too, if she leaned into Him and followed His purposes for her.”

“He’d grown much through the challenges, the losses, the trauma. Why had it not occurred to him that Pearline would have matured, too?”

“Bringing buried things to the surface can feel painful.” “Like digging up a dead dog. Why would I want to do that?”

“I’ve been doing extra studies in the areas of plastic surgery and the psychology of shell shock. The more patients can tell me, the more honestly they share, the more we learn how to help.”

“God, make me more aware of others. Open my eyes—or my eye, I suppose—to the significance of the lives around me before they’re gone and it’s too late.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! Another book I highly recommend!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 26

Devoted Steps, August 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 27

Texas Book-aholic, August 28

Pause for Tales, August 29

For Him and My Family, August 29

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 1

Books You Can Feel Good About, September 2

Connie’s History Classroom, September 3

Cover Lover Book Review, September 4

Sydney Schmied Books, September 5

Mary Hake, September 5

Blossoms and Blessings , September 6

The Bookish Pilgrim, September 7

Devoted to Hope, September 7

Holly’s Book Corner, September 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terrie 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.

https://gleam.io/9yOdf/the-reluctant-healer-of-halifax-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, New Author, PB, Purchase, Wild Heart Books

The Darling’s Daughter by Sydney Schmied Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Darling’s Daughter

Author: Sydney Schmied

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: August 4, 2026

A woman chasing the truth. A man running from his past. And a secret that threatens the fragile trust between them.

Searching for answers about her mother’s suspicious death, artist Angelica Woods takes a job painting backdrops at the Majestic Theater—the very place her famous actress mother warned her to avoid. When she discovers cryptic notes and bloody evidence of an old murder, Angie realizes her mother’s warning may have been meant to protect her from a deadly secret.

Architect Trace Ackerman has worked hard to build a quiet, respectable life far removed from his former mistakes. Renovating the Majestic is meant to be a fresh start—until Angie awakens feelings he never planned to risk again. Drawn to her courage and vulnerability, Trace offers his protection as rumors swirl and danger edges closer. But the past he’s worked so hard to outrun threatens to surface, and Trace fears the truth could cost him Angie’s trust—and the future he longs to build.

With a killer determined to silence them both, Angie and Trace must decide if uncovering the truth about her mother’s death is worth risking their own lives—and hearts. Set against the backdrop of a historic theater in 1912 Ohio, this romantic suspense weaves together murder, betrayal, and the redeeming power of faith and forgiveness.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Sydney Schmiedwrites sweet and intriguing historical romantic suspense stories with a whole lot of faith. She is a 2023 ACFW First Impressions Contest finalist and a 2024 Genesis Contest Semi-finalist, as well as a two-time Scrivenings Press Get Pubbed Finalist. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading, painting, and sipping on a classic London Fog.

More from Sydney

Theaters tell so many stories, and in The Darling’s Daughter, The Majestic Theater itself has been shaped by the people who have passed through its doors. While it was known as The Masonic Opera House from 1853 to 1915, The Majestic has stood through nearly 173 years of history. I can’t help but wonder about all the individuals who walked its halls, performers, musicians, and attendees alike, and what stories they might tell about how their lives once intertwined with the Majestic.

In my research, I came across so many real accounts of people who visited theaters like this one, and I was able to glimpse bits and pieces of that connection. For Angie, the heroine in The Darling’s Daughter, The Majestic becomes a place of reckoning and reconciliation. Her mother was her only family, and even that relationship was strained. Angie carries a deep loneliness as she peels back the complicated layers of her late mother’s life, wrestling with questions of worth, belonging, and whether she is truly loved.

For Trace, The Majestic offers both a meaningful project and a chance to rebuild. Unfortunately, his identity has been constructed atop the fragile foundation of guilt, and that foundation begins to crack as his past resurfaces.

Just as The Majestic has stood strong through seasons of change and still stands today, Angie and Trace are refined through their struggles as everything around them begins to shift. Neither of them are defined by the broken parts of their story, but by their hope in Christ, even when that hope feels uncertain and their faith is shaky. If this resonates with you, I hope you’ll join Angie and Trace in The Darling’s Daughter and find encouragement in their journey.

My Impressions

“Dear Daughter, now that I am gone, I cannot protect you from the ghosts of my past. Trust no one, and stay away from the Majestic.”

Have you been introduced to debut author Sydney Schmied? If not, I’d love to tell you why I picked up her inspirational historical romance novel, The Darling’s Daughter. This novel was like a big, warm hug to my reading soul! Two individuals who feel like they are either unworthy or longing for a love that they never received . They will either help each other towards healing, faith, and redemption, or their hopes and dreams will be forever buried with the secrets of the old Majestic Theater. 

My interest was first piqued when I saw the setting is Chillicothe, OH. That got my attention as I have traveled through Chillicothe in years past and noted the heavy paper smell clogging the air. Little surprise to discover that newspapers are an important, albeit negative, part of this story. 

I enjoyed learning about the Majestic Theater. I love books that impart history of little-known sites that were once well-known. The theater life and atmosphere spring to life between Angie’s backdrop paintings for performances, her search for her mother’s forbidden secrets, and Trace’s refurbishing of the old theater. 

I loved the eeriness that stayed with me as I searched with (or at least, I felt like I was there with !)Angie, looking about in the old mansion, trying to remember why feelings were connected with some places. Then, there is the suspense of not knowing who is after Angie. Is it her mother’s enemy? An enemy of Trace’s? The tension is nearly unbearable, and I was so grateful that kind, thoughtful Trace is there for Angie. “Yes, he needed to protect her from outside threats, but the threat to his heart was growing by the minute.”

Unfortunately, Trace has his own skeletons hidden in the closet. Will they emerge just in time to spell death for Trace’s and Angie’s budding relationship?

I loved Mrs. Ackerman and her loving ways. She is so physically worn-down by the cares of life, but still exudes the kind of love that reaches out and envelops those around her- just like her bakery smells- whether they are worthy or not. 

What made me stand up and outright applaud this book, though, was the twists! Wow, did they ever catch me off guard! I loved it!! Please, Miss Schmied, can I have your next book NOW?!!

I received a copy of the book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I also took a chance and bought a paperback for the keeper shelf! I am so glad!! No positive opinion was required, and all opinions are my own. 

Notable Quotables:

“What you have to say will not shock me. Or God. Jesus’s death paid for our sins. To hold onto a burden of sin is denying that Jesus’s blood is enough. Don’t hold onto what he has freed you from long ago.” -Mutti

“Love forgives.” – Mutti

“People do terrible things for those they love, especially when fear is involved,” -Trace

“‘What if the answers you seek are not the answers you want?’ ‘I want the truth.’ No matter what it turns out to be.”- Trace, Angie

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow! This is a debut?! Where is book 2? And I just saw there is a book 3 coming. Anticipation, Sweet agony!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 19

Devoted Steps, August 19

Books Less Travelled, August 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 21

Texas Book-aholic, August 22

Connie’s History Classroom, August 23

For Him and My Family, August 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 24

Lyssa Loves Books, August 25

Holly’s Book Corner, August 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 27

Pause for Tales, August 28

Devoted to Hope, August 29

Book Looks by Lisa, August 30

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, August 30

Cover Lover Book Review, August 31

Lily’s Corner, September 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sydney is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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

https://gleam.io/TyDfI/the-darlings-daughter-celebration-tour-giveaway