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The Eyes of River by Cindy Sproles Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L
Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for The Eyes of River by Cindy K. Sproles, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Eyes of River
Author: Cindy K. Sproles
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: June 23, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction

A heart-wrenching Appalachian novel from a best-selling, award-winning author

In the shadowed hollers of the early-twentieth-century Appalachian Mountains, Lizzy Haney is on the run. She’s been falsely accused of murder and is desperate to reunite with her brother, River, whose unforgettable green eyes haunt her. The secret in her past is a stinging wound, but it motivates her toward her goal: freedom.

But nine-year-old River, sent through the US Post Office to their late mother’s friend in Knoxville, never arrived. Lizzy’s dream of finding him and starting a new life away from their alcoholic and abusive father is ripped away.

Her hope rekindles as she happens upon an unexpected friend to help her dodge the law and save the missing youngin’. As she finds herself trusting him, she discovers the accuracy of the old adage her momma repeated: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

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

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About the Author

Cindy K. Sproles is a speaker and best-selling,award-winning author of several novels, including Mercy’s Rain, Liar’s Winter, and Coal Black Lies. She is the executive editor for Christian Devotions Ministries and the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. She also mentors and coaches new writers with Write Right Author Mentoring Services. She is an Appalachian-born-and-raised mountain girl who now lives in East Tennessee.

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

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My Impressions

“The truth shall make you free. The truth shall make you free. I kept repeatin’ the words, tryin’ to convince myself it was true. All the while, the memory of River’s eyes scorched my soul.”

Whoo, boy! I feel just a little numb after reading this Appalachian novel, The Eyes of River, by Cindy Sproles. Writing with her unparalleled mountain voice, Sproles transports the reader back in time to 1913 Tennessee, south of Chattanooga. 

There we meet rough, but spirited Lizzy Haney, 17. After watching her deadbeat drunk father kill her mother, Lizzy believes her father’s threats to kill her younger 9 year-old brother, whose deep-green eyes “could bore a hole through your soul.” Her father can’t stand the judgment of those innocent, discerning eyes.  Believing herself River’s only protection, Lizzy mails him off to her mother’s friend in Chattanooga. Things progress from bad to worse when her cruel father sets Lizzy up to take the wrap for murders he commits. Soon on the run, with her plans in ashes, will Lizzy accept help from others? Will she find the truth that can set her free?

I love Alton for his patience with Lizzy. He has loved her for a long time, but Lizzy has looked no further than first impressions and appearances. Alton offers to help guide Lizzy in the mountains, at a risk to his own life, but Lizzy can’t stop depending on her own wisdom and insisting they do things her way. Alton finally rebukes her, “Lizzy, you need to learn to hush. Be quiet. You need to understand you don’t know everything, and sometimes folks is just trying to help you.”  Somehow, Alton has become a mature, wise man when Lizzy wasn’t noticing. 

Lizzy finds this journey not only dangerous but frustrating and full of self-discovery (“ye shall know the truth”), but often that truth is painful. As the Sheriff tells Lizzy, ( and so does Alton!) “You do have a problem with doing what you’re told.” If the rescue of River will depend on Lizzy being quiet and doing what she’s told, there could be some huge snags! 

I loved the variety of people that populate the secondary character stage. They are well-drawn, some heart-ugly, some beautiful from within, but all compelling and great catalysts for action. Jerelene and Joe are wonderful encouragers and “growth prodders” for Lizzy. Lizzy’s daddy and Yeager are worthy undesirable criminals who need caught! 

If I could hear a single song playing as the soundtrack in the background as I read this book, surely it would be Foreigner’s “I wanna know what love is. I want you to show me.” Lizzy wants desperately to know what love is. From some characters, she gets very skewed ideas or imperfect love. From others, like Alton, the Wileys, or Tilda, she sees true love, but as I said above, a love that cares enough to tell the truth. Will she connect with the Source of perfect Love?

I received a copy of the book from the publisher. I also ordered a paperback for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. 

Notable Quotables:

“…real love don’t care what or who you are. It just cares that you are.”

(what Lizzy learns from Jerelene)

“You can’t change what you are, no matter how you scrub the hide. Instead you learn to accept it and change from the inside.” – Jerelene

“At that moment I began to understand what it meant to trust. Trusting someone meant having no doubt they would do what they said they would do.” – ( Lizzy)

“A body doesn’t have to ask questions. He just has to listen. You learn a lot when you listen.” – Sheriff Mosley

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior! Capturing the raw Appalachian life from the early 1900s, Sproles has captured the essence of that era and voice. She hows how hardship forces a young girl to mature and find truth and love. Highly recommended!!

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of The Eyes of River and a $20 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 24, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on July 1, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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

BLOG, Favorite Truth Nuggets, Just Read Tours, Kindle, New-to-Me Author, Purchase

Read, Write Rendezvous 2026 Blog Tour with Review and Giveaway!

Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog Tour that brings Rendezvous 2026 to you, hosted, sponsored, and organized by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Bringing Rendezvous ’26 to You!

Rendezvous: reader and writer gathering
November 7, 2026
Holiday Inn Nashville Airport

I am so excited to go again this year to Rendezvous and meet so many authors and other reader friends! Everyone is very friendly and happy to include others. Whether you are a newbie, a longtime attender, an introvert, or an extrovert, you will find friends and join in laughter, fun, and great times of faith with like-minded readers and authors. Come!! Join us!!

Readers and Writers will gather at the fourth annual Read Write Rendezvous, organized and sponsored by JustRead Publicity Tours, LLC, on November 7, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. CT at the Holiday Inn Nashville Airport. Rendezvous celebrates Christian fiction and sweet reads, featuring corporate worship, speaker sessions, author panels, small-group discussions, games, giveaways, a pop-up bookshop, and book signings. This event aims to sweeten reading and storytelling experiences with fellowship and encouragement. Over forty featured authors are participating, including The Christy Award Hall of Fame and bestselling author Tamera Alexander who will deliver the keynote address. USA Today and top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author Lisa Phillips will lead worship. We will announce several more authors in the coming weeks! We prayerfully honor the legacy of the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat through each Rendezvous event, and this year we are especially celebrating the very first CFRR which was held 10 years ago in Nashville. Rendezvous is open only to registered attendees. Want to extend your reader getaway? The Christy Award Gala and Art of Writing conference will be held at a nearby venue on November 6.

Learn more about the 2026 Rendezvous

If you’re unable to attend Rendezvous this year, we don’t want you to miss out on getting to know our authors and their books. Our bloggers are bringing Rendezvous to you by spotlighting several of the participating authors this week. Follow along to grow your TBR list to astronomical proportions!

Check out recent releases by these participating authors in the JustRead Amazon Storefront.

About My Featured Author

Liz Johnson

Liz Johnson is the author of more than 20 novels, a New York Times bestselling novella, and a handful of short stories. She’s a Christy Award finalist, a three-time ACFW Carol Award finalist, and winner of an FHL Readers’ Choice Award in 2025. She makes her home in Phoenix, where she loves exploring local theater, cheering for the 49ers, and doting on her nieces and nephews. She reads and writes stories filled with heart, humor, and happily ever afters.

Liz’s Featured Book

About the Book

Title: Sidelined by Love

Released: February 17, 2026

Genre: Sweet Rom-com, Sports Romance

Zoe Peebles: America’s Sweetheart or Drama Queen?

The tabloids have always been kind to me—until an on-set scandal leaves me single, unemployable, and looking for a place to hide. My only option is staying with my grandma in Colorado Springs, but my dad—owner of the local professional football team—makes it clear that he doesn’t want my personal brand of drama in his locker room. No problem. I’m not interested in dating anyone in the public eye. Ever again.

But I do need quarterback Grant Reddington’s help preparing for an audition that will be my last if I can’t land the role. As I spend time with my father’s QB1, I discover there’s a lot more to him than a rocket arm and a ridiculously handsome face.

Grant Reddington: Fumbling His Most Important Role

When my sister is deployed for six months, she asks me to take care of her 13-year-old daughter Kenna. They’re my only family, and I can hardly say no. But having a teenager obsessed with acting at my place isn’t exactly conducive to focusing on the game and taking my team to the playoffs, especially since she and I have nothing to talk about.


But the moment Kenna discovers that I know a real-life movie star, she begins to smile again, and maybe we have a way to connect. Now I have a certified drama queen hanging around my house. I can’t believe half the tabloid stories about Zoe, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe to have her around. Especially when she’s becoming my favorite distraction.

Purchase here:

https://www.amazon.com/Sidelined-Love-Fourteeners-Football-Romantic-ebook/dp/B0DXF41VFL

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My Impressions

“What do you know to be true right now?”

“Well, let’s start with the good ones. You’re forgiven. Completely and wholly by the only One who matters. You are loved by a good God and a cranky grandma. And you are worthy to be loved.” -Nan

I am to the point as a reader that one of the best parts of a book is a “Notable Quotable,” ( as I call them) a takeaway Truth that I can either live by or share with someone else in need. So this review of Liz Johnson’s sports comedy- slash-sweet rom-com may be backwards from my usual. The above truth nugget is such a life-changing mind shift if our rumor-beleaguered actress Zoe can wrap her brain around it. But it is so relevant to life today. 

All that being said, guess who, besides Zoe, an actress being smeared by the tabloids, and hunky NFL quarterback Grant “Red”, is my fave secondary character? Nan, of course. I just love these supporting characters who quietly come in and stand in the gap for hurting MCs when everyone else (i.e. Zoe’s Fourteeners owner father, her agent Cyndi, and producers) treat Zoe like poison for a mistake that she couldn’t foresee. Nan is so wise, and she takes Zoe in when no one else will. If need be, Nan will become a formidable human dervish that could mow down Zoe’s naysayers. 

As I write this, Father’s Day is coming. Zoe would have absolutely no reason to celebrate her rich, famous, and double-standard father. His treatment of her makes me want to cry. 

Thank goodness for muscly, 5-o’clock shadow, great smelling, (did I say hunky) star quarterback Grant Reddington, who is on Zoe’s father’s team. Totally off-limits. Totally uninterested in helping Zoe when asked. But the catalysts for the start of their relationship might be furry beasts and a sullen 13-yr-old niece of Grant’s, forced to live with him temporarily. 

Such a fun story to read and watch the characters grow and see the different relationships mature or dissolve. Personally, I could have used a little less emphasis on the physical, but Johnson does keep it sweet. A couple of words I prefer not to see in CF, but as some might say, soft. Still, the cute story stays within its category boundaries and I believe most will get a good kick out of it! Great for those who love sports rom-coms, sweet rom-coms, great Truth lessons, and novels written in first-person present POV with alternating narrators.

I bought my own copy of the book. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. 

Notable Quotables:

“You’re not who they say you are,” he whispers into my ear. “You are who God says you are.” Grant

“The truth ceased to matter a long time ago. No one cares what really happened. They only care what they can sell. Reality is whatever the headlines declare it to be.” -Cyndi

“‘The truth always matters.’ She clamps her wrinkled and spotted hand over mine on the table. ‘It will set you free. Jesus said it, so it must be true.’” -Nan

“The Good Book says that love casts out fear. It also says that a cord of three strands is stronger than two. When you’re with the right person, you’re a stronger, better version. Of both of you.” Hank

“None of us should be judged on our worst mistakes.” -Grant

My Rating

Great! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Loved the Marriage of Sweet Rom-com and Golden Truth Nuggets!!

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Giveaway

(11) winner will receive a $30 gift card (winner’s choice of Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook, or Baker Book House)!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 15, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 22, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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

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

Storm at Nottingham Castle by Ann Elizabeth Fryer Review

Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Bookstagram and Review Tour for Storm at Nottingham Castle by Ann Elizabeth Fryer, hosted by JustRead Tours!

I am doing a review-only post for this wonderful book.

About the Book

Title: Storm at Nottingham Castle

Series: Sisters of Sherwood, #1

Author: Ann Elizabeth Fryer

Publisher: Indie publisher

Released: April 30, 2026

Genre: Inspirational Gothic Romantic Mystery

Three sisters are thrust into an uncertain future when their wealthy stepfather dies, leaving them with a small annuity to live upon. They find refuge with an aged uncle who convinces them to live in the apartments at Nottingham Castle, whose halls are shrouded in history and secrets, and whose residents watch the sisters with unsettling interest. Chief among them is the handsome property manager, Charles Rushforth, whose quiet authority conceals more than estate affairs and a brooding lodgekeeper who seems to know every hidden passage and whispered rumor…

Charlotte Fieldstone received a parting gift from her late stepfather—a set of valuable pilgrimage badges meant to safeguard them from want. But hidden hands seek the relics, and in the caves beneath the castle, a restless hunger stirs among those who trade in sacred things. At the center stands her uncle, whose charm deceives, and a Duchess, whose influence can tip scales on a whim.

As Charlotte’s uncle is swept into a dangerous quest, tensions rise. Charlotte must depend upon a stranger to shield her from a society whose motives aren’t as they appear. Will Charlotte be able to keep her sisters together as the tempest threatens to tear them apart?

Surrounded by deceit and danger, Charlotte must cling to faith and to one whose protection feels perilously like love…

Purchase Link:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=storm+at+nottingham+castle+by+ann+elizabeth+fryer&crid=3O0MIT38WMEU8&sprefix=storm+at+%2Caps%2C168&ref=nb_sb_ss_p13n-expert-pd-ops-ranker_3_9

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My Impressions

“Death ought not come on a fine day.” 

Have you heard the name of Ann Elizabeth Fryer? If you are a fan of inspirational Gothic Romantic mysteries, you will definitely want to add Ms. Fryer’s name to your list of authors on your must-read TBR! Her writing style reminds me of Michelle Griep’s, but with even more twisty mystery! 

The first line quoted above from Storm at Nottingham Castle sets the dark, Gothic stage. I immediately was drawn into the story of three young adult half-sisters who, upon the death of their beloved step-father, Josiah Fleming, are forced to vacate the one secure home they have known. 

While we meet all three sisters, Faith, Moriah, and Charlotte, this is definitely Charlotte’s story. (First book in a series, Yay!) These main characters are so well drawn and so relatable. We get enough glimpses of the secondary characters to begin to work the puzzle pieces slowly in the jigsaw that this mystery is. But Fryer puts so many twists and turns into it, it’s hard to know if you as the reader are piecing the parts together right. But that’s ok. Because honestly, as Charlotte and Charles (steward of the Palace), work together to uncover the secrets of Uncle Calvin and the caverns and denizens below, they are just as confused! Who has the pure vs. self-serving motives? Uncle Calvin? The Duchess? The Baron? Edmund? The neighbors in the Palace? This novel was as twisty as the caverns beneath the palace, and the outcome nearly as uncertain as descent into those caverns.

Relics, Secrets, Control, Sisterhood, Family, Mastermind, Gaol, Pawns, Social Status; are all key words that sum up many of the themes of this amazing book! I can’t wait for book two, Tempest at Rufford Abbey!

I received a copy of the book from JustRead Tours. I also bought my own ebook and a d ordered a pb copy for the keeper shelf!! No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“He didn’t intend to just guard her person; he’d do everything to guard her heart.” ( Charles)

“They were all puppets in a performance. This much was true, but with real ramifications.” ( Charlotte)

“Sentiment was a currency of the heart.” ( Charlotte)

“Best know that the people of the underneath aren’t better or worse as those on the topside.” – Heathcliff

“…real friendship, even acquaintances, only lasted when their motives were pure in the first place.” ( Charlotte)

*And, because I am an avid reader-

“A home without a library, well, was it a home at all?” ( Charlotte)

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Superior! This novel strikes a bulls-eye target on my reading sweet spot and challenges my puzzle-solving abilities! Standing ovation!!

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

A Scattering of Light by Lori Benton Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Book Bee Blogger’s Choice Blog Tour with JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Scattering of Light

Series: Crockett’s Landing, Bk #1

Author: Lori Benton

Publisher: Story Architect

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Released: April 13, 2026

A Scottish drover spirited into servitude. A young Quaker woman wounded by loss. Their meeting will leave no heart unchallenged, no life unchanged.

Colonial Virginia 1734

Mourning her wayward brother’s death, Verity Wilde has turned her back on Williamsburg society, striving to live by her notion of true religion: to keep oneself unspotted from the world. But when she boards a ship to claim an indentured Scottish clerk, she’s unprepared to find another Scotsman, starved and gravely ill, left on deck untended. With scarcely more knowledge of the man than his name and place of origin—William Crockett of Skye—pity compels Verity to purchase his indenture too, meaning to provide the compassionate death denied him by the ship’s crew. Only he doesn’t die.

Will Crockett’s survival upends Verity’s carefully circumscribed life, while he awakens to find his world shattered beyond recognition. As they seek to reconcile their broken pasts, bitterness and fear vie with hope to chart their futures. Can they find the courage to trust each other, and a God who scatters light in the darkness?

Grab your copy here!

https://www.amazon.com/Scattering-Light-Crocketts-Landing-Novel-ebook/dp/B0GRG2MC68

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About the Author

Lori’s debut novel, Burning Sky, earned the 2014 Christy Award for First Novel, Historical, and Book of the Year.

Lori Benton was born and raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American and family history going back to the 1600s. Her novels transport readers to the 18th century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history, creating a melting pot of characters drawn from both sides of a turbulent and shifting frontier, brought together in the bonds of God’s transforming grace.

Other Books by Lori Benton

Burning Sky

The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn

Many Sparrows

The King’s Mercy

The Pathfinders Series

The Wood’s Edge

A Flight of Arrows

The Kindred Series

Mountain Laurel

Shiloh

The Journey of Runs-Far

Books For Young Readers

Bear Country: A Teddy Bear’s Tale

Larkspur: A Mouse’s Tale

Connect with Lori and sign up for her newsletter at loribenton.com

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My Impressions

“His blessings freely scattered like light—readily seen if one didn’t close her eyes for fear of the darkness.”

If you are a fan of Christian historical fiction by Laura Frantz, Michelle Griep, or Shannon McNear, you will love Lori Benton. I first read her books years ago, but this book, A Scattering of Light, has been percolating for many years. I, for one, am ecstatic to re-welcome Lori Benton back to the historical romance world. 

Benton re-enters with a smash-hit! A young Scotsman ( Will Crockett) is rescued from certain death aboard a slaver ship and his indenture sold to a young VA Quaker woman (Verity Wilde) and her musical, odd father. When Will actually survives, Verity must rethink his place on their small plantation. Will has but one thought on his mind, that of his wife, Jenny, who was conscripted with him, but who is unaccounted for. 

A Scattering of Light is such a rich book it’s hard to know where to begin to describe it! It is full of diverse 18th century characters and their different levels of faith (from deep, hope-filled faith to none at all). The writing itself is both lyrical and dialect- rich. While there is plenty of action, the novel is also very character-driven. Will, with his take on righting wrongs and taking revenge, has to learn that man’s plans are not final. What a different story this would have been if they were. Jenny, kept apart from her husband, but a staunch believer, bids both Will and Verity via letter to trust the Almighty. “If all we ever dreamt for ourselves came true, but God was no’ in it … ’twould prove the worse for us.” Jenny trusts God with an impossible situation. Will retains an anger at God for the longest time. Verity, a professing Quaker, while kind and merciful,holds herself as spiritually superior to any who don’t keep exactly to her rigid beliefs. Again, Jenny with her soft ways and firm belief wears down some of the hardness of Verity’s heart. And, Verity’s friend whom she is constantly writing in the book, reminds her that in her severe observance of being “Plain,” she may be denying herself some of the blessings God has for her. “Was her hesitance not the godly prudence she believed it to be, but merely indication of what Jane cautioned her against? Rejecting God’s good gifts.”

These characters! So many great, noble ones that I loved. Great secondary supporting characters include Verity’s father Christopher, her father’s niece, Lucy Many-Beads, and Judah Looking-Wolf. Each is such a great support to Verity. While Christopher himself shows great growth in this novel, I am hoping for a story that tells more of Judah’s future. 

Do yourself a huge favor and read this book! I bought an ebook and also a paperback for the keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. 

Notable Quotables:

“Will kent the look—the burden of not knowing, a grief not fully embraced, therefore never allowed to heal.” – Will 

“I’d long held the Almighty to account for all I’ve lost, as though he was beholden to do my will, no’ the other way ’round.” – Will

“…my Religion is become a List of Works to perform, and those through more willing Hands, a far cry from what thee possesses, a Faith that shines in the Face of Losses as grievous as my own.” – Verity

“God always makes a way forward—and nearer to Him. Oft ’tis the hard things that work the greatest good in that way.” -Jenny

“Everywhere I turn I see the Almighty’s blessings, and as he never changes, why should the future worry me? Whatever we need, he’ll see it provided.” -Jenny

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Superior! Well-worth the years of waiting!! But, hopefully, the sequels will write themselves much faster! On my Short-List of 2026 Faves!

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $30 gift card (winner’s choice of Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook, or Baker Book House)!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 8, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on June 15, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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

BLOG, Just Read Tours, Kindle, New-to-Me Author, Purchase

Sunflowers in Paris by Ashley Rescot Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Sunflowers in Paris by Ashley Rescot, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Sunflowers in Paris
Series: The Strings of Sisterhood #2
Author: Ashley Rescot
Publisher: Rescot Creative
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: Clean Contemporary Split-time Romance

After a career-altering injury, violist Adrienne Pearson digs deep into her French roots. As the second of five sisters, she seeks individuality. But when several of her family members and friends decide to join her on a French excursion, she must navigate old and new relationships while finding her place in a foreign land. Will she rediscover her voice in the home of her ancestors?

Jean-David Béranger, a brooding, reclusive French journalist, finds his life upturned when his eccentric godmother invites an entourage of American students to live with them while studying music at the local conservatoire. Can Adrienne, a beautiful American sunflower girl, dismantle the fortress surrounding his heart and convince him to turn toward the light?

Sunflowers in Paris takes the reader on a journey through the Loire Valley, Versailles, and Paris, the City of Light, weaving elements of historical and contemporary French life with a centuries-old cold case about a real, 18th-century composer.

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

More in This Series

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About the Author

Ashley Rescot is a professional violinist, educator, writer, and Fulbright Scholar. An aficionado of music, pedagogy, family, faith, and language, she writes about her life as a musician. With degrees in both violin performance and French literature, she hopes her stories will inspire the next generation of musicians, encourage music professionals, and educate others about the exciting world of music.

Connect with Ashley by visiting rescotcreative.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

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My Impressions

“Adrienne had always played viola as though it expressed her very soul, her voice. Until the injury took it away from her. The ache and pain had never gone away. Now she, like the doll ballerinas, felt trapped in a world where she could go through the motions, but she’d lost her voice. Would she ever find it again?”

Sunflowers in Paris is a contemporary dual-timeline by Ashley Rescot. A new-to-me author, I picked up the book because I love seeing how authors fit together characters from two different centuries. I also loved the idea of much of the narrative taking place in France. I loved the virtual tour of different locales and the history that went with each. I also enjoyed the extra French phrases, but in some cases, wondered if non-French students would miss out. There is a glossary at the back of the book, but I never go to the back of the book before my reading takes me there, afraid to spoil the ending. Who doesn’t remember seeing pictures of Notre Dame de Paris burning in 2019? I was glad to see this included and the resolution. 

The story itself held me captivated as former viola player, Adrienne Leclaire and some of her sisters find themselves traveling to France to study abroad. They are hosted by their grandmother’s( GiGi) sister, CiCi. I enjoyed seeing the love and camaraderie of the sisters. This contrasts to the fraternal relationships we see in the 300 year-old journal that Jean-David, CiCi’s godson, finds in her ancient home. So many relationships in this story are fraught with peril or, in some cases, rejected as characters strive to stay in their comfort zone. Can Jean-David find and accept the family offered him?

Adrienne is so very empty after her accident that leaves her unable to play her beloved viola. While several of sisters are musical or dancers, Adrienne has had to change her study focus to music history instead of performing. She feels left out. Will the two hearts that feel alone find strength and comfort in each other and ultimately God?

I loved the mystery of Pierre’s family from the past. To make it more tantalizing, Rescot feeds us short snippets from Pierre’s lifetime journal, bit by bit. 

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

My fave secondary character has hot yo be CiCi. At 80, she is doing things many 20-year-olds would not! The strength of character, warmth, generosity, and care for those around her, wow. She would be a woman to meet. 

Notable Quotables:

“See, even amidst the darkness, light shines through…I do know who holds the future. God never leaves us truly alone.”- Adrienne

“So, why did you come?” “For Cici.” She shrugged. “That’s what we do for family. Why are you here?”  He smiled. “The same reason.” He extended his arm to her. “For Cici.” – to be discovered

“All he’d ever wanted was to have his family back. But had God really sent Cici, and even the Americans,  to be his family?“ (Jean-David)

“Reading about people is my passion, so reading people is my superpower.” – Louisa

“Tonight, God had brought them to each other at this ancient church, tested by fire, aging, and destruction. And if he had helped Notre Dame rise from the ashes, God would also help them do so as well.” – to be discovered

“I don’t like change. I prefer things to stay how they were, like  the Medieval castles.” “You mean the fortresses?” She frowned. “Guarded and walled off.” – Jean-David, Adrienne

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! I will be picking up the first book in the series, as well as future books about these sisters.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive French chocolates and a copy of A Change in Tune and Sunflowers in Paris!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 1, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 8, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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

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The Targeted by Cara Putman Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for The Targeted by Cara Putman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Targeted
Series: Secrets to Keep #3
Author: Cara Putman
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Can she protect her gym students before her past catches up?

When Chloe Ainsworth’s older sister reappears after fourteen years, she brings with her the news that Chloe’s abuser is back in town. Chloe is a coach at her childhood gym and fiercely protective of her young gymnasts. She won’t allow them to suffer the way she did, but she’s desperate for an ally—one who can help her make her case.

Law student Dare Shepherd works at the local legal clinic, where he meets Chloe and hears her out. He believes her case but can’t get the clinic director on board. As he learns more about her story, he finds himself bound by a deepening personal care for Chloe.

They band together in search of answers, and suddenly the stakes skyrocket. It’s clear they’re onto something, but will they be able to find the answers before it’s too late?

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

More Books from this Series:
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About the Author

Cara Putman is a professor, an attorney, and an award-winning, best-selling author of more than forty novels, including the Cornhusker Dreams series, the Hidden Justice series, and The Vanished.

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

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My Impressions

“‘I am always alone.’ He will never leave me or forsake me…

It didn’t matter if people would leave her or let her down. God never would. He promised that, and his promises were true. Always.”

This review may well be one of the hardest I’ve ever written. Because The Targeted by Cara Putman, contains such sensitive and trigger-inducing content that I may have ever read. The legal drama, book three of the Secrets to Keep series, tells the story of the last of three young women involved in the legal world. 

Very well executed and written with an obvious knowledge of the law, this fictional story becomes very relatable and painful to read. Plus, a second trigger  was lying in wait in the form of Cloe’s mom, as we see her fading in and out of reality with her early-onset dementia. 

Putman shines a light on how easily abuse can occur between a minor and a trusted adult. Her character, Cloe, is a great example of a groomed victim who, because of age, trust in adults, and negative reaction when she tries to share bits of her story, stuffs it all inside. Without her once-beloved older sister, Ginny, who left fourteen years prior, and her mother’s dementia clouded mind, Cloe has learned to become an island onto herself. 

Roadblocks occur when she attempts to bring her abuser to justice. Sometimes, Cloe herself is the issue. Sometimes it is others. Can 2nd year law student Dare help her file a complaint years after the event? What happens when the abuser is closer than Cloe is comfortable with? Will she use the community of friends and law resources around her, or will she quietly run away from her memories and hurt?

There’s hope in this story! I could keep reading, hard as it was to be confronted with truths and memories of the past, as I realized Cloe would fight not for herself but for the new crop of gymnasts. She is determined to make a difference. The hardest question keeps her going: “What if by not trying, by staying silent, we’ve all been complicit? We’ve all allowed him to continue his behavior because none of us have taken the risk of saying it has to stop?” Ooh. Rough. Time to take action!

While needing to stay unattached as her legal counsel, Dare realizes his attraction to this brave, strong-though-wounded young gym coach. He looks for ways to help, and prays for her. I loved this line…

“How was it possible that the man morphed more into her hero each time he showed up? It wasn’t so much big, heroic actions as the small, consistent moments of showing up again and again.” That’s how these two and their team hope to win at this terrible loop life has thrown them… start with the small steps, complete each task step by step, until they have solved this case and won. Unfortunately, a big twist occurs and the action becomes very urgent! 

In summary, expect a very well-written read with potentially difficult subject matter. I wish there had been a trigger warning at the front of the book. But… knowing what kind of fiction this author writes, I did know she would show how God can bring good out of bad. That makes a hard story worth reading! 

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

Notable Quotables:

“He couldn’t change her history, but he could create a different future.” (Dare)

“Remember that sometimes God simply asks us to take the next step. He rarely tells us every part of the journey that’s coming.” – Janae

“Before, this was about me and the past. Now, it’s about the present and protecting my girls, today’s gymnasts.” – Clie

“‘What could I do as a junior man on the team?’ ‘Speak up. Believe them. Validate their experience.’” – Dare, Cloe

“Life demanded a decision. Everyone else had to move on, even if she didn’t.” ( Cloe)

“She needed the possibility of more, even if she chose to stay. What she really wanted was the illusion of choice.” (Cloe)

“She knew her strength at one level, but at another level, she was still the girl who had allowed bad things to happen to her.” ( Cloe)

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! For legal drama lovers, those who have endured abuse, or those who need to understand victims of abuse and how to help them.

Tour Givaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of The Targeted and $20 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 20, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 27, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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

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Shipwrecked Faith by Danielle Grandinetti Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Shipwrecked Faith by Danielle Grandinetti, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Shipwrecked Faith
Series: Dawning Sisters #1
Author: Danielle Grandinetti
Publisher: Ashberry Lane
Release Date: May 15, 2026
Genre: Historical Romance

Chicago, October 1929—Kellan O’Roark is running on borrowed time. After handing over his cousin’s incriminating bootlegging ledger to the police, he intends to vanish before the mobster exacts revenge. His destination: the SS Wisconsin, a steamer headed for Milwaukee, upon which he’s secured work despite his fear of the water.

But despite his pressing need for escape, Kellan faces obstacles while leaving Chicago—including one who may break open his heart. Sadie Dawning, desperate to return to her family’s Wisconsin farm and ailing father, escapes a kidnapping attempt at Chicago Union Station when Kellan steps in and offers to smuggle her aboard the Wisconsin. His decision turns nearly fatal when an autumn storm capsizes the ship.

Washed ashore, the pair arrive at Sadie’s family farm to find new storms brewing on land. While Kellan hides his past to continue evading his cousin, Sadie fights for her place among her sisters while the farm battles the beginnings of the Great Depression. Caught between duty, a dangerous past, and a budding love, Kellan and Sadie must rely on their newfound faith in each other and renewed faith in God to weather the growing storm.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | WhiteFire Publishing | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Also Available:

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About the Author

Danielle Grandinetti writes award-winning 1930s historical romance filled with mystery, suspense, and hope. She is a second-generation Italian-American rooted in Midwest traditions. Fueled by tea, books, and the creative beauty of nature, her stories explore love and belonging in hard times.Connect with Danielle by visiting daniellegrandinetti.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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My Impressions

“She was a vulnerable, naive, beautiful soul. And he was a streetwise snitch of an orphan. Could someone like him take on the responsibility of getting someone like her home?”

Le Sigh! Instant love. Not the characters. Me for this book, Shipwrecked Faith, by Danielle Grandinetti. The first of a new series about a family of Irish immigrants, we find ourselves plunged into mystery and intrigue in the first sentence. What is Kellan O’Rourk up to? We quickly find out there is a betrayal going down, between Kellan and his older gangster cousin, Tiernan. “Family was complicated, yet family didn’t betray one another.” Especially not in October 1929 in crime-infested Chicago. Now, he must flee. 

Our heroine, Sadie Dawning, has just received a telegram summoning her home from her city job. She is desperately needed to help care for the family farm and her near- death father. 

As Sadie enters the Union Station to catch a train, she finds herself accosted by thugs. A stranger rescues her, then whisks her away through the streets of Chicago. Once they realize Sadie also needs a way home that no longer includes a train ticket, Kellan convinces Sadie to disguise herself and stow away with him on the SS Wisconsin. You’ll have to read the book to find out why that method of travel is the one Kellan is sure will keep Tiernan from discovering his whereabouts. 

I want to research this shipwreck now. One hears much more about shipwrecks on Lake Superior than Lake Michigan, and it’s easy to forget that Michigan has also buried her boats and victims. How terrifying a time Kellan and Sadie have. Can Kellan keep his promise to Sadie to deliver her safely home? “‘I’ll get you home, Sadie. I promise.’ Determination laced his tone. ‘I have my own penance to observe.’” In throes of imminent death, Kellan considers the faith of his mother. “What was he thinking? How could he consider giving his new life to God? With his past, what good could he do?” But God is at work through Mr. Downing. He reminds Kellan, “God sees the heart, and there is always hope for mercy and grace when you put your faith in His son.”

I love the many layers of this story. The physical dangers of the lake. The running from the low-level gangster. The questioning of one’s past making one unacceptable to God. The sister rivalries. Ooch, one sister tries to shoulder all responsibility in her own way, another misinterprets her sister’s intentions and holds resentment. Plus, tries to solve the family’s problems her way. Yet, another feels unseen with the badly ailing father, the “favorite” daughter (as sisters view it), and the disastrous plans of another sister. Surely she is not needed. ( I hear fodder starting for more books! I love these foreshadowed hints!) And, still more trials to surface! 

Mr. Downing, with his sickness, is a fave character as he works hard to be intentional with his daughters and now with Kellan. It’s as if he can see to Keegan’s soul.  When Kellan dodges the question of what his intentions are for Sadie, he states they haven’t known each other long. While agreeing, Mr. Dawning sees what Kellan can’t- that trials also reveal character and feelings. “Love, the kind that makes a marriage, takes time and work to deepen. Trial—the type that leaves one’s wife unable to walk without crutches or a husband unable to take care of his family—it reveals what type of love is between you.” 

I love everything that Danielle Grandinetti’s writes. Shipwrecked Faith is a great chance to get in on a new historical romantic suspense series at the beginning. Highly recommended!

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

Notable Quotables:

 “The more friction and trial that love sees, the faster and hotter the love burns. It might not look pretty, but hard times can prove love that lasts. If you can place your faith in someone to love you when the world falls apart and it strengthens that bond, then you can trust them through anything.” – Mr. Dawning

“Nothing for it but to put one foot in front of the other. To trust God to work out the future while being faithful in the here and now.”

“The words worked themselves past his pride, cracking open a place in his heart he had never planned to unbury.” ( Kellan)

“He’d read her like a book, and she had no way to hide the truth from him.” (Sadie)

“He’d never been a hero before and, right now, he felt like one.” – (Kellan)

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior! I always exit a Grandinetti novel with deep satisfaction, but deep regrets that it’s over. Shipwrecked Faith continues in that wonderful tradition!

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a paperback copy of Shipwrecked Faith, paperback journal, and Danielle Grandinetti tote bag!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 19, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 26, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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

ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Just Read Tours, Kindle, Kregel, New-to-Me Author, Purchase

Miss Beth Bettencourt Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Miss Beth Bettencourt by Eva Marie Everson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Miss Beth Bettencourt
Author: Eva Marie Everson
Publisher: Kregel
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Southern Fiction/Christian Fiction

Will an unlikely romance tear down Beth’s walls of indifference?

It’s 1962 in Bynum, Georgia, and Beth Bettencourt’s world is turned upside down when she wakes to a man snoring in the guest bedroom.

She’s home alone; her parents are traveling abroad, grieving her twin sister’s unexpected death. Instead of accompanying them, Beth stayed in Bynum to tend to her kindergarten and closely guard her own heart.

A beautiful and beloved member of the community, Beth is an unusual specimen for her time as she nears thirty and remains unmarried. She holds deep-seated unforgiveness toward her twin, Elise, who ran off with Beth’s beau. To make matters worse, Elise took their grandmother’s ring, which had been promised to Beth.

But now a stranger enters her home and her world. David Patrick Martin seems ready to break down her walls of indifference and find the core of Miss Beth Bettencourt. But can he be trusted with Beth’s past, her present, and more importantly, her future?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Kregel Publications | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

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About the Author

Eva Marie Everson is a bestselling, multi-award-winning author of nearly 50 works of fiction and nonfiction. Collectively, her novels have sold over 300,000 copies. She is the CEO of Word Weavers International, the director of Florida Christian Writers Conference, and a popular speaker at writers conferences across the nation. Eva Marie is a double magna cum laude graduate of Andersonville Theological Seminary (Associate of Biblical Studies and Bachelor of Biblical Exposition) and of Tzemach Institute (a two-year program in Biblical Studies). In 2022, she was awarded the Yvonne Lehman Legacy Award and presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida where they enjoy their children and grandchildren. They are owned by a Norwegian Forest cat named Vanessa.Connect with Eva Marie by visiting evamarieeversonauthor.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

My Impressions

“Lord, what have I done? I prayed, hoping God could hear me over my heart’s pounding. What in the Sam Hill had I done?”

Why is this line appropriate for the teaser quote of Eva Marie Everson’s Miss Beth Bettencourt (a Bynum, Georgia Novel)? While this desperate utterance is voiced by only one character, I can truly imagine at least three other characters crying this plea out to God!

I enjoyed returning to the 1960s South for this character-driven story. Having spent part of my childhood in the 60s, I enjoyed the references to familiar items and customs of the past. Beth Bettencourt is the single daughter of a well-to-do couple who is traveling in Europe. They leave her home with the maid, Molly, who is more like family than hired help. The story starts when Beth finds a strange man, obviously fresh out of the army, snoring in her family’s guest bedroom. 

Steady, dependable, quiet Beth surprises even herself when she defends the midnight vagabond and offers him a part-time job and a place to stay on her property. 

Told in first person present pov, the chapters alternate between narrators Beth and Marty with a few inserts from Molly. Beth has one man who would give his eye teeth to be her sweetheart. Another who we eventually discover hurt her in ways we’re not sure she’ll ever decide to forgive and recover from. “‘Learning to let go … that’s the best thing you can ever do.’ He scooted up again. ‘But there will be times when the old hurts will rise again.’…”So what do you do when those old hurts return?”… “‘Give them to God.’ He looked over his shoulder at me to offer another smile. ‘The only thing you can do. Ask him to take them, and he will.’” And those wise words come from yet the third, a mystery man who Beth slowly gets to know.

Besides loving the two main characters of Beth and Marty, I also love Molly, who loves Beth like her own and has very wise advice. Plus a few people we never meet, Uncle Gene, who is so kind, a great listener, and from whom Marry learns how to draw out people’s inmost thoughts. Also, I felt a special need to meet Marty’s mother, because of the great love and respect he carries for her. 

I never saw the twist coming, though I should know by now, every book seems to have at least one! This is the first book I remember reading by Eva Marie Everson, and I am very impressed! I’ll be following her and her books from now on! If you like historical fiction with very relatable characters, a bit flawed and emotionally floundering, you may love this book! 

I received a copy of the book from JustRead Tours. I also pre-ordered my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. 

Notable Quotables:

“You just finally figured out what it is you really want out of life.” “And what’s that?” “To be loved. To love back. Isn’t that all any of us really want?”– Marty

“after believing the lie long enough, it had become fact.”

“The road is crooked at times, but the Good Book says that God will straighten those paths out for us. If we let him.” – Uncle Gene

“I couldn’t go on like this, carrying this hate. This anger and bitterness. This … fear.” – Beth

“Why do all the bad things happen at night?” – Beth

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story refuses to be hurried. I was all in, swept along in the meandering tide that is slow, Southern life. I was nearly broken before it reached its surprising destination. Don’t miss this gem!

Tour

Giveaway

(5) winners will each receive a copy of Miss Beth Bettencourt (winner’s choice between ebook or print), Southern recipes, a Miss Beth Bettencourt bookmark, and a $10 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 11, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 18, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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

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Guarding the Child Witness by Sharee Stover Review

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Guarding the Child Witness

Series: Iowa State Troopers, #1

Author: Sharee Stover

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense

Released: February 24, 2026

Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense

When Iowa state trooper Jaysa Camerota and her K-9, Remy, discover a scared boy trapped in a car wreck, they narrowly survive the gunfire that follows. With an unknown assailant closing in fast and the nonverbal child struggling to communicate, Jaysa is forced to accept help from her ex-fiancé, social worker Ender Hammett. Soon it becomes clear that young Trevor is harboring perilous secrets—and that someone will do anything to have him silenced. When Ender’s past becomes the key to exposing a killer, can they unravel this lethal plot…or is survival out of reach?

Get your copy here!

https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335957580_guarding-the-child-witness.html

About the Author

Colorado native Sharee Stover lives in the Midwest with her real-life-hero husband, three too-good-to-be-true children, and a ridiculously spoiled dog. A self-proclaimed word nerd, she loves the power of the written word to ignite, transform, and restore. She writes Christian romantic suspense combining heart-racing, nail-biting suspense and the delight of falling in love all in one. Visit her at http://www.shareestover.com.

My Impressions

“…they needed to get answers out of Trevor and fast, because constantly living on edge with a faceless killer coming after them was not working.”

Sharee Stover has created quite a twisty inspirational romantic suspense novel in Guarding the Child Witness. The first book of Iowa State Troopers, what a great time to get in on a new series! This is my first book by Stover, but I will be back for more!

Iowa State Trooper Jaysa Camerota is charged with the protection detail for a young boy who has seen his father murdered. This case is important to Jaysa because she is on a mission to prove through her dog, Remy, that a multiagency K-9 team program should be developed.  Remy is great at narcotics detection and also comforting people. But, Jaysa will have to successfully guard young, incident-mute Trevor for any hopes of her dream to come true. And, honestly, it does not seem very likely. At times, though Jaysa considers her ex, Ender Hammett, to be selfish, I wondered how self-serving Jaysa’s interests were. 

Then there is the ex- this is a story of lovers -to-enemies-to-more. Jaysa is dismayed when Emmet, once a police officer, now a social worker and forensic interviewer, is assigned to work with Trevor. Now she has to keep them both safe. And she is still hurting from their break-up years past. Plus, as Jaysa grumps to her dog, “Ender’s a control freak, so expect a battle of the wills at every turn. But he’s no longer a trooper, which means I have the final say between the two of us.” Things get heated, and not necessarily in a good way!

There is so much danger and action at every juncture in this story. Who is the real target? “Everyone has enemies,” he said. “My thoughts exactly. They just might not know it.”

Until Jaysa and Ender can figure this out, they might just be spinning their wheels.

I didn’t know who to finger as the suspect for most of the book. It seemed the case was so convoluted. Just like Jaysa and Ender’s relationship. They seem to soften towards each other, then take steps backwards. Can they find their way back to their former love, or will that have to be jettisoned for good?

I loved how good Ender is with Trevor, and how much Remy helps Trevor, too, but will that be enough to cure Trevor’s incidental muteness? I also liked how Jaysa begins to see the past with Ender through a more honest lens. But will she be willing to take a chance on the future- provided they survive to have one?

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

Notable Quotables:

“She’d never embraced Ender for who he was, because she’d planned to change him from the start.”(Jaysa)

“Isn’t it funny that we both found healing outside of our relationship, and in doing so, discovered our mission to help others?” – Ender

“Normally, getting him to share his feelings was akin to pulling molars from a shark with a pair of tweezers dipped in cooking oil.”- (about Ender)

“Her heart’s defrosting toward Ender had to stop. She couldn’t afford to love him again.” 

“He felt like he’d been sucked into a vortex of his past or endured surgery without anesthesia.”

“Your training trumps instincts, but your instincts enhance your training.” -Academy instructor

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed this book, my first by Sharee Stover. I hope the next in the series is just as twisty!

BLOG, Just Read Tours, Kindle, New-to-Me Author, Purchase

The Single Mom’s Second Chance by Tara Randel Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Single Mom’s Second Chance by Tara Randel, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Single Mom’s Second Chance
Series: A Golden, Georgia Romance #2
Author: Tara Randel
Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming
Release Date: January 27, 2026
Genre: Wholesome Romance

A fresh start…

Then an unexpected curveball

When Addie Lane returns to Golden, Georgia, to open her own fitness center, she’s surprised to find her late husband’s best friend, professional baseball player Nolan Travers, offering to invest. Recovering from an injury, Nolan finds solace in helping a friend—and coaching her son Jacob’s baseball team. As the summer continues, their close bond threatens to be undone by Nolan’s expected return to pro ball and Addie’s challenging relationships with her mother and sisters. Only time will tell if their separate paths will pull them apart—or if Addie and Nolan can hit their love out of the park together.

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

From Harlequin Heartwarming: Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Harlequin.com | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

More in This Series

About the Author

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Tara lives on the West Coast of Florida, where gorgeous sunsets and beautiful weather inspire the creation of heartwarming stories. Tara has received the Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

Connect with Tara by visiting tararandel.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Tara lives on the West Coast of Florida, where gorgeous sunsets and beautiful weather inspire the creation of heartwarming stories. Tara has received the Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

Connect with Tara by visiting tararandel.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

My Impressions

“Could there actually be more to life than baseball?”

I had never read any of Tara Randel’s A Golden, Georgia Romance series before. Now that I’ve finished book #2, The Single Mom’s Second Chance, I’d like to revisit this small town where everyone knows your name, and unfortunately, your business as well! I love how main character Addie one day realizes that she and her  8-yr-old son Jacob have not only a supportive family, but friends and neighbors who rally together to support each other, as evidenced by the town’s support of the summer rec boys’ baseball team.

But I need to back up. Addie and her young son have moved back to her hometown of Golden after her husband’s death. While that brings family support, Addie is just beginning to rebuild relationships with her sisters that were severely damaged following their dad’s betrayal. Between her father and her husband, Addie has learned that she will never be first in relationship and has determined to stay out of romantic relationships rather than open herself to hurt. 

The return to town of her long-time friend, Nolan, an injured professional baseball player, threatens her promise to herself and her sanity. Nolan becomes Addie’s business partner in her life’s dream of opening a fitness center, then becomes the coach of the town’s rec baseball team as Addie realizes her parental enthusiasm isn’t enough to make her a good volunteer coach. 

It took me some time to get myself truly invested in the story, but by the midway point, my interest was thoroughly piqued. I enjoyed seeing glimpses of each of the Connelly sisters as well as their mother, and getting insight into their life as well. 

Poor Nolan, whose career is everything to him, has to ask himself some questions. “Who am I without baseball?” he whispered.  He is afraid to find out what life might be like without the driving force of his life.  He does get lonely, because his intense career focus means he has few friends. He wonders if “putting baseball first meant he’d always feel this alone.” Dare he pursue a relationship with Addie, when he can’t promise a future?

Coach and Linda are tied for my fave supporting secondary characters. Linda because she has found a way to forgive the past, is an incredible grandma, business owner, plus she develops a story thread of her own. But her love and care are examples for her girls to follow. And Coach? He is constantly showing up for Nolan, encouraging him in all endeavors, not just those of the professional team. He pulls no punches with Nolan, and strongly encourages him to be all that he can be. 

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

Notable Quotables:

“The game teaches us a lot, but mostly it shows us how to handle disappointment and how to be good people in the process. I want that for each and every one of you.” – Nolan

“She’d rather lie to herself than face a possible broken heart.”

“the best way to get through a life-changing event was not to fight it but to just go through it, one step at a time.”  -Addie

“But not coming to terms with the past will only cause more stress down the road.” – Nicole

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great! I’m looking forward to more visits with Connelly family members in the small town of Golden!

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card, a reading journal, ‘It’s a good day to read’ tote bag and three autographed print books by the author!

(1) winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 2, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 9, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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