As the dam crumbles and water sweeps across the terrain, their battle for justice and survival is just beginning.
When Mackenzie Bardine’s brother Aaron was murdered in a drug deal gone wrong, she started a true crime podcast dedicated to exposing “Bullseye,” the drug kingpin responsible. But her protective heart has never let go of the blame she places on herself and Aaron’s best friend, Gideon Landry. On the run to the wilds of Washington to chase a recent lead, she meets none other than Gideon himself.
While conducting a wilderness survival class in remote Washington, Gideon never expected to cross paths with Mackenzie, and he’s certainly not interested in helping her after he’s already declined to participate in her vigilante podcasting. He carries a mountain of guilt about Aaron’s fatal choices, but not for the reasons Mackenzie suspects.
As killers begin to circle Mackenzie like sharks, it’s clear to Gideon she’s in over her head, and in light of his troubled past with her brother, he can’t bring himself to ignore her perilous situation. Then a flood threatens the town, turning their investigation into a race to escape the raging waters and the wrath of a powerful kingpin who wants to sink them both.
A gripping, clean romantic suspense featuring enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance, and high-stakes investigations set in small-town Washington, sweeping readers away on a turbulent wave of thrills and chills. Perfect for fans of forced proximity, wilderness survival, protective heroes, and justice-driven heroines.
Dana Mentink is a New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion winner. She is the author of over fifty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell and Poisoned Pen Press.
More from Dana
I’m afraid of deep water. There. I’ve said it. I live in California, famous for beaches sand and surf. If that’s not enough, there are swimming pools aplenty. I should be enjoying the surfing, boating, kayaking, sailing culture, but I’d much rather sit on a deck somewhere and watch others partake. So what’s a gal like me doing writing an adventure that takes place as a dam rupture overwhelms a town? I love to write that type of wilderness story, where stakes are high and the help is scarce. Similar to the previous book, Fire Mountain, the characters will have to dig deep of their strength and faith to survive. And you and I can enjoy it from the safety of our decks! Are you ready? Grab your book and your cuppa and let’s go!
My Impressions
“Being around Mackenzie Bardine was hazardous to a man’s health.”
When Dana Mentink publishes a new Romantic suspense, I run, not walk, for my favorite bookstore! This newest series of hers, Elements of Danger, now includes bk #2, Raging Waters. As someone who has only experienced being on the edges of a hurricane, Mentink’s descriptions of a violent storm, waterlogged earth, and threatened dam break were terrifying. But in a good way. The kind of terrifying of watching a scary movie or choosing a wild ride at the fair. Adrenaline pumping fast, I made sure I was breathing air, not choking on water, as I swiped my pages hoping that MacKenzie ( Zee) Bardine and Gideon (Gid) Landry could learn to get along. Maybe that would make the job of staying alive and out of the enemy’s crosshairs a tad bit easier.
Unfortunately, MacKenzie, now a cold crimes podcaster, has lost her brother Aaron a few years back. After helping police solve a few other cold cases with her results, Zee takes on her brother’s murder. She is upset when Gideon won’t help her in her endeavors, as he was Aaron’s best friend. “Their rapport since Aaron’s death had been at the matches and gasoline type of reactivity level.” Will the secrets that Gideon is hiding protect MacKenzie or will they backfire and leave her ripe for attacks? Fighting the awesome power of nature, some extremely powerful people, their own secrets, plus their attraction for each other…Whew! That’s a lot of conflict that makes for a very fast-moving, nail-biting suspense. Every character they meet is suspect. Can they trust anyone they meet? Can they trust each other? Most importantly, can they trust God?
Great twists! I loved the faith arcs, and loved how Gideon chooses to be present for MacKenzie even when he doesn’t feel like she has all the information, and she can treat him like a heel at times. As Gideon tells Zee, “I have a choice in all this, too. I choose to stay.” Sometimes I thought he was crazy! I was grateful to still be on dry land when the book was done, feeling safe and satisfied with the mystery of the novel worked out.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought an ecopy, and a few pb copies for myself and a friend. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“In that moment he knew she was trapped, unable to free herself any more than her brother could from his torment. She was bound to this man by her need for revenge. It would blind her.
It would kill her.” ( Gideon)
“How easy it would be to kiss him properly, to let the feeling seep into her fragile glass heart that hadn’t beat right for a very long time. But there was such a thin coating around that battered organ. One crack, one tiny fissure and it might disintegrate into a pile of useless shards.”
(MacKenzie)
“Whom to trust? The environment might be hostile, but it was nowhere near as dangerous as a human enemy, the kind pretending to be a friend.”
“God will bring justice in this world or the next. In His time, not yours.”- Gideon
“Ugly and vengeful . . . Mackenzie wondered suddenly if that described her too. She shook the thought away. Maybe it had until Gideon convinced her otherwise. She’d let that be her core for way too long. That wasn’t the identity God meant for her, and he’d used Gideon to deliver the message.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!! Sometimes who we think we are and who God shows us we are, are exact opposites!! What a lesson!
Bedfordshire, England, 1820: Ruined by the sins of her father, Juliet Finch is cast into a life of self-reliance. Survival is a harsh taskmaster, but she is a quick learner and excels at tracking and snaring wild game to feed herself. Juliet embraces her new identity until the day Henry Russell catches her poaching on his land—a crime punishable by death. Henry, however, has other offenses on his mind: namely, the troublesome stalker who’s making a misery of his sister’s life. To try to put a stop to her torment, Henry charges Juliet with tracking the elusive villain so he can be brought to justice. Using her skills, Juliet hunts down the rogue. . .but may just become the prey herself.
Reader favorite Michelle Griep has penned yet another masterpiece with this page-turning adventure that has it all:
Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at http://www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
More from Michelle
The Waltz: The Dance That Shocked Regency England
Post by Michelle Griep
I’ll be the first to admit it…I can’t dance a lick. Not a jig, not a reel, and certainly not anything that requires turning in rhythm without stepping on someone’s toes. If you ever spot me on a dancefloor, it’s because someone shoved me there or I lost a bet. Which is probably why the waltz both fascinates and terrifies me. A dance that actually expects you to glide gracefully while holding someone close? Absolutely not. And yet in Regency England, it became the talk of the town.
When the waltz swirled onto the dancefloors of England in the 1790s, it caused more shock than delight. Imported from Austria and southern Germany, it was a turning, closely-held dance—far too close for the comfort of polite society. Many called it indecent, warning that no respectable couple should stand chest-to-chest before a room full of onlookers. Some critics even claimed the dance “ignited dangerous feelings” and threatened to erode proper English restraint.
Shocking, right?
But fashions shift, and all it took was the Prince Regent giving the dance his approval in 1814. Overnight, the waltz transformed from scandal to sensation. By the 1820s, it was everywhere.
Here are a few fun bits of waltz trivia from the era: • Some etiquette books warned that too much turning could cause “disorientation” or “undue excitement.” • Early chaperones sometimes counted the number of turns, convinced it reflected a couple’s level of impropriety. • A lady’s hemline was said to act like a “barometer” of a gentleman’s behavior—if it swayed too wildly, he was holding her too tightly.
In The Bird of Bedford Manor, set in 1820, this same world of rigid rules and whispered scandals forms the backdrop for Juliet Finch—resourceful, determined, and driven into the woods by her father’s downfall. When Henry Russell catches her poaching on his land, everything changes. What begins as a crime punishable by death becomes something far more dangerous as he charges her with tracking the stalker tormenting his sister.
Juliet can track anything. But this time, she may become the hunted.
My Impressions
Oh, my stars! It’s amazed I am. The story, the twists, the villians, the red herrings, the faith nuggets plainly on display.
Michelle Griep’s singular gripping storytelling abilities, married with her ability to authentically transport us back in time to Regency England had me salivating at the first sentences. I had trouble getting through the book, but probably not why you might think. Not only are the characters relatable and endearing, but the linguistic paintbrush Griep employs so beautifully caused me to stop and reread many a sentence. “She was like a caged falcon, barely restrained, her sharp green eyes always moving, calculating, waiting for the right moment to fly away.” Or “The place was naught but a collection of boards leaning against one another like drunkards, each seeming to hold up the other by sheer accident.” I just had to sit for a while and take in the beauty of that carefully formulated prose!
The story itself is a great one. Caught poaching on manor land, Juliet is offered a solution other than the hangman’s noose. Her benefactor, Henry Russell, pardons her on the condition she hunt for him. He wants Juliet to discover who is terrorizing his sister, Charity. “Who better to hunt for a man than a hunter? And a female one at that?”
Several characters in the novel totally surprised me. I love a mystery that is twisted enough I can’t figure it out, and the personalities involved seem to perform out of character. However, in the end, it all makes sense, even though my deduction skills weren’t equal to the task. Bravo, Ms. Griep! It was such an exciting, fun journey, I don’t think I can read another book because of the hangover from this one! Definitely my fave Griep novel yet!!
Could I ever relate to Henry in his understanding of a childhood event. I wonder how many adults look back at some childhood event with completely different eyes, sometimes not until someone shows us another perspective.
Don’t miss this fantastic book! I look forward to it to be a 2026 fave of mine.
I received a copy of the book from Barbour Books and Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own copy, because…the Keeper Shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“…tell me why you cannot trust me.” “Because you have the power to undo me.” – Juliet, Henry
“I am sure you suffer more from my filthy state than I do.” – Juliet -[such well-placed humor!]
“Many a lie is garbled as truism.”– Henry
“Your past- no matter how tragic- does not define who you are.” Henry
“A bull in a china shop only alerts every teacup to its doom.” – Juliet
“Anything good in me—any strength or virtue—comes from God alone. Without Him, I would not even try to do what is right. And that is the thing…“The truth is none of us are good on our own. Every last one of us falls short.”- Henry
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Only because more than five are not allowed. Superior!!
Some scars are born from duty, others from rebellion—theirs were carved by both.
Libby Caldwell has been in love with Isaac Harrison for years, ever since her late father befriended him. While her head knows there is no hope of sharing her life with a British soldier, her heart is much more difficult to convince, especially now that he is quartering in her home. With Boston under siege and battle looming, each day together forces her to recognize how deep her feelings truly are…and how forbidden.
Bound by duty to both his family and country, Isaac is determined to serve honorably in the King’s army, despite never wishing to be a soldier. But quartering with the widow and daughter of his old friend places another obligation on his shoulders—that of their well-being. The more time he spends with Miss Caldwell, the more that duty begins to feel like something personal, something he cannot allow.
As the siege of Boston tightens, Libby finds herself drawn into a dangerous game of espionage that could save the Patriot cause—and destroy any chance of a future with the man she’s growing to love.
Will betrayal and war keep their two worlds forever apart? Or will they look to the One whose love knows no bounds to bring them healing and a future?
Megan Sojais a multi-award-winning author who writes stories with strong faith, rich history, and sweet romance. She lives in western NY with her husband and two daughters and loves having adventures, both big and small, with her family. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, and playing French Horn.
More from Megan
One of the things I love about reading and writing Christian fiction, is being able to see God’s truth woven into the story. Even though the characters and their experiences are fictional, the truth of who God is and how He loves us is very real.
In Scars of the Revolution, my heroine, Libby Caldwell, wrestles with understanding God’s goodness in the face of loss and hardship. Libby is grieving the death of her beloved father, while also facing the siege of her hometown and the worsening fight between the Patriot colonists and the British Army stationed in Boston. Her growing love for one of the British officers further complicates matters, and makes it hard for her to discern what God is doing in her life.
Her questions and struggles reflect much of my own faith journey. When my husband and I lost our first baby just after birth, I spent months trying to reconcile what I thought I knew of God with the tragic loss we had experienced. I wasn’t angry at God, but I was utterly confused as to how to understand His goodness in the midst of something that felt anything but good.
It wasn’t easy, but when I look back now, I see how God led me through my grief into a deeper understand of His character and a stronger reliance upon Him. I can truthfully say, as Libby’s mother does in Scars of the Revolution, that it was “in the hardest times, when God has seemed utterly incomprehensible, that my faith has grown the most.”
If you have ever walked through a painful experience that made you struggle to understand God’s purpose or even doubt His love, I hope that Libby’s journey will inspire your own faith. Or maybe your experience is more like that of my hero, Isaac Harrison, whose life has revolved around duty for so long, that it is hard for him to comprehend a God who freely gives His love and forgiveness, even when we don’t deserve or cannot earn it. I won’t give any spoilers as to how Isaac’s understanding grows and changes, but I hope you’ll be encouraged when you read it.
Libby and Isaac’s story is one of love against all odds, set against the backdrop of the Battle of Bunker Hill and a complex web of espionage. But it is also a story of faith in the God who is able to turn our scars into something beautiful. I pray you will find that truth in the pages of Scars of the Revolution.
My Impressions
“We all bear scars of some sort, whether visible or hidden far beneath the surface. But instead of seeing the loss and sorrow in them, what if there is good that comes as a result? What if your scars have brought you exactly where God wants you to be?”
Have you ever finished a book, and wished you had the time to go back and reread it immediately? This was my reaction to reading an ARC of Megan Soja’s latest Revolutionary War era novel, Scars of the Revolution, Book three of her series, Harbor of Spies. It is so delicious to my reading palate. I must admit I have read book two, but missed book one. But with that background and enough small references in this novel, I had no trouble following the action.
My heart yearned for Libby Caldwell. Always close to her now-deceased doctor father, she becomes infatuated with the British soldier, Lt. Isaac Harrison, who had developed a close friendship with her father. When Harrison returns a few years after her father’s death, he finds himself billeting at the Caldwells to protect the doctor’s widow and his now-grown daughter.
The novel provides plenty of tension as we see the conflict between the colonists and the British heat up from disagreement to actual conflict. Libby and Harrison, aided by proximity, fight their growing attraction for each other as their loyalties are firmly opposed. Sometimes, they are able to see past their differences. Picking up his uniform coat, Libby tells Isaac, “Because this alone is not who you are.” “How he wanted her words to be true, that he would be defined not by his position in the army but by who he was as a man.” Obvious evidences of love (obvious to everyone but theirselves) are overshadowed by duty, alliances, and secrets. My heart felt like it was being torn in two so many times. And putting myself in each of their shoes- could I have made different decisions?
But God enters the story often and so well. Libby’s father was a firm believer who knew how to share his faith. His words, posthumously, greatly affect both Libby and Isaac. Can I have a fave unalive character?! And Libby’s mom is another fave character. She quietly supports her daughter, but isn’t afraid to gently challenge or confront her, when the need arises. “…pray first. Do not act on emotions alone, for they are not to be trusted. Seek God’s guidance and listen to Him, above all else.” Faith is a very present element of this book. The setting may be centuries old, but the Truths are so applicable today!
Soja writes knowledgeably of the siege of Boston and proves she did her homework well. The reader is sure to learn more history than what they knew before starting the book! ( I love books that do that well!) And Soja throws in twists, and enough glimpses of other characters that I am begging for book four ASAP! This family/friend saga is not over!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I also preordered my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Tis a sacrifice of some sort with either decision. Be it duty or rebellion, in both there is something to gain, and something to lose.” – Isaac
“…church is not the only place to meet with God. God is just as present with you in your everyday life as He is within those walls.” – Mrs. Abbott
“I have found ’tis in the hardest times, when God has seemed utterly incomprehensible, that my faith has grown the most. For in those struggles, He has shown me that it is not my grasp of Him that matters, but rather His hold on me.” – Libby’s mother
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior! This had to be the best of the three books in this series! And there is more yet to come!! Yay!!
He’s running from his past. She’s seeking a better future.
After a long and debilitating illness that leaves Arrosa Chapman with severe weakness necessitating the use of a cane and the threat of future health issues, she determines to make a new life as a nanny for Thad and Emilie Evanson in Hollow Creek, Montana. Away from the city that holds family secrets, Arrosa is content to begin a new life caring for children since she will most likely never marry and have any of her own. She doesn’t expect to meet a handsome and rugged ranch hand named Malachi Callahan, whose kind and gentle nature is just what she longs for after suffering a broken heart.
Malachi Callahan has been given a second chance. He works hard on the Evanson Ranch to prove he’s nothing like his father. What he doesn’t expect is to meet a beautiful and compassionate woman named Arrosa Chapman. It’s not long before his feelings for her go beyond friendship.
When someone from the past finds Malachi and threatens him and the woman he loves, Malachi finds himself in the fight of his life to save them both.
Love in Time is a tender love story that reminds us that God’s timing is always perfect.
Enjoy Love in Time after reading Love in Store and/or Love in Disguise, or enjoy it as a standalone.
Paperback version coming soon.
*Please note: Love in Time is a faith-filled Christian historical romance.**
Other happily-ever after romances by Penny Zeller:
Historical Romance Love’s New Beginnings Forgotten Memories Dreams of the Heart When Love Comes Love’s Promise Once Upon a Christmas Over the Horizon Dreams on the Horizon Beyond the Horizon Love on the Horizon Love in Disguise Love in Store Love in Time Love from Afar Love Unforeseen Love Most Certain Levi’s Vow Heart of Courage A Christmas to Remember A Promise to Keep McKenzie Freedom’s Flight An Unexpected Arrival (newsletter subscribers)
Contemporary Romance Love in the Headlines Recipe for Love Under the Mistletoe Blueprint for Love Love Under Construction Henry and Evaline
Penny Zeller is known for her stories of faith-filled happily ever afters with tender romance, humor, and memorable characters. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications. Today, Penny is a multi-published, award-winning author of over three dozen books. She is also a fitness instructor, loves the outdoors, and is a flower gardening addict. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, kayaking, biking, birdwatching, reading, running, and playing volleyball. She resides with her husband and two daughters in small-town America and loves to connect with her readers on social media and through her website.
My Impressions
“Maybe what he really sought was a place to belong. A place where those around him accepted him. Even cared about him.”
As with others of Penny Zeller’s Christian historical romances, Love in Time is a poignant story of two souls with different soul needs, wondering if they dare bare their hearts to another. Told with an easy-going style, humor, and real faith lessons that can be applicable to life today, Love in Time captured my heart.
Secrets from the past is something both Malachi and Arrosa have in common. Why does Arrosa have the manners and memories of high society, yet need to work as a nanny? Why can Malachi never seem to open up about his boyhood experiences to Arrosa, no matter how much she shares with him?
Family. Such an important part of this story. Arrosa is very close to her sister and mother, and even her absent father. Each affects how Arrosa ends up in Hollow Creek. I loved those connections and those of the Evanson family, and how they treat their workers as part of their family. What a positive influence! And then there is Malachi. Doing his best to break free from his original father, he has been searching for belonging ever since. Will he find it on the Everson ranch and with his close friend, Arrosa?
I loved how there are people with physical limitations in the book. This gives the characters a special need to develop perseverance and grit ( and do they!). It also gives others an opportunity, esp. our hero, Malachi, to look for ways to be a special and effective helper.
There were a few heartbreaking scenes in the novel, plus a few twists that caused me quite a bit of consternation, let alone the characters affected!!
But what I loved best of all, was couched in this gentle western romance, are Truths the characters learned that we would do well to heed today. “Why was it such a challenge to forget the past? The Lord had given him a future.” This particular truth would’ve been a whole lot easier for Malachi to practice if he didn’t feel tied to his past, and if it didn’t come back to strangle him! And as Arrosa says, thinking of her past health challenges and how they could affect her future, “I find myself entrenched in trepidation, even though I know the Lord will carry me through whatever I may face.” Arrosa also personally gives me new insight into how frightened my own mother must have been years ago when she contracted Arrosa’s disease.
I must say, my fave secondary characters are the children, but especially little Mamie. And the barn scene ! Le sigh! True love causes us to do strange and wonderful things!!
I received a copy of the book from the author. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“I do know the Lord does have plans for him. He is the God of second chances.” -Arrosa
“And just remember, you, with the Lord’s help, will make choices in this life. Choices to be like your pa or choices to be just the opposite.” – Barnabas
Detective Beth Wolfe’s reunion with investigative journalist Jack St. James is a matter of life or death—and when a masked assailant attacks them, a severe blow leaves Jack with amnesia. Beth and her K-9, Arthur, are determined to keep Jack safe while he regains his lost memories. Was he targeted due to a case he was working on…or does it have something to do with the son they placed for adoption decades ago? When their investigations lead them inside a booby-trapped amusement park, it’s a race against the clock to put all the pieces together and uncover the park owners’ nefarious plot…or die trying.
Dana Mentink is a New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion winner. She is the author of over fifty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell and Poisoned Pen Press.
More from Dana
How could we be at the end of a series? I’ve been having a wonderful time with the Wolfe family and their house full of hounds. The last book is finally Beth’s story. She’s the matriarch of the family who has experienced the loss of a spouse. In this story, she will meet the son she never knew and explore the idea of learning to love again. I feel especially fond of this book because Beth is an older heroine who has some living under her belt. She’s learned how to carry on, with her old dog Arthur, and stand faithfully in the face of adversity. Now that’s a heroine I can root for! I hope you enjoy this final installment of the Security Hounds series!
My Impressions
“A wound she’d carried for thirty-eight years had broken open, and she wasn’t sure how to bind up the ragged edges.”
Aw, the final chapter ( book) in the Security Hounds Investigation series by Dana Mentink. How bittersweet! Scent of Sabotage is a welcome and fast-paced addition to the series, featuring matriarch Beth Wolfe, who has been the backbone of the family and their bloodhound team leader. A widow of several years, Beth is shocked to get a text out of the blue from Jack, a man she hasn’t seen in 30 years.
Jack’s sudden request to see her brings to the surface a multitude of unwelcome memories and emotions. None of Beth’s family are aware of this part of her past, except her deceased husband . Before Jack can confirm Beth’s fears, though, the attacks begin and Jack and Beth begin to run for their lives.
One reason Beth and Jack are largely on their own, is Beth’s reluctance to let go of her hidden past. She has many talented adult children who are people seekers along with their bloodhound counterparts, yet Beth keeps them out of the loop. “…maybe because she didn’t want them to have a chance to ask him too many questions about their past? Her scars were deep. His too.”
So many times, my heart ached for the help that could have been theirs with a little more forthcoming with Beth’s family. But don’t we act like that in real life sometimes? Trying to find our way on our own, without the help of others, because of fear of what they may think of us?
I give Jack points for being wise. Although he originally tells Beth, “…I don’t need a wingman,” he quickly realizes he is not going to dissuade Beth from joining his investigation. At that point, he doesn’t waste a lot of time trying. When Beth gets upset at him over matters, he doesn’t take it personally, but realizes that her reaction is normal. This patient man will go far!
And the requisite goofy bloodhound. Meet old, arthritic Arthur. He could only be a liability, right? But no, this elderly dog is an unexpected hero to both canine and people alike. I was amazed.
The mystery is well-plotted. I loved the amusement park setting and the twists certainly surprised me. I would not have survived this adventure, pure and simple!!
And, of course, Mentink made me feel like I was in the middle of the action with Beth and Jack. Fortunately for me, the reader, Mentink inserts some humor and witty comebacks that break the tension. Otherwise, this story will really cause the blood pressure to skyrocket!
I received a copy of the book from the author and from Celebrate Lit via BookFunnel. I also pre-ordered my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“God has a way of growing people up, doesn’t He?” – Jack
“She wasn’t his. She never was and never would be, but during occasional sleepless nights, he allowed himself to stray to the “what could have beens.” Deadly and depressing. God didn’t want him to dwell in the past.” (Jack)
“…everyone’s an enemy until we’re shown otherwise.” – Jack
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior! Action, twists, faith, romance, humor, and dogs! I will miss the Wolfes and their bloodhounds!
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for His Boss’s Little Sister by Danielle Grandinetti, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: His Boss’s Little Sister Series: Apron Strings Tea Tales Author: Danielle Grandinetti Publisher: Hearth Spot Press Release Date: November 18, 2025 Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense
Broken hearts, underground smuggling, and a meddling family … one Wisconsin Teehaus offers a love of more than sweet treats.
November 1931—Needing a new start, Samantha Martins escapes the happily-ever-afters of her hometown to take a waitressing position at a German Tea House. But all is not as it appears beneath the pretty trappings. When she discovers illegal oleomargarine on the premises, which could shut down the cafe, and thus cost her job, she goes searching for the source.
Samantha’s old beau, Kyle Docherty, returns to Crow’s Nest a changed man, both inside and out. An apology burning in his heart, he finds she’s left home. However, with trouble on her trail, Samantha’s brother hires Kyle to be her bodyguard. But will she even speak to him? And if not, will she at least allow him to protect her, even without the arm he lost in a logging accident?
When the breadcrumbs lead them into a trap, putting Kyle’s life in danger, Samantha faces an impossible choice: listen to Kyle and run for help, or stay a captive and outwit a criminal. If only the ticking bomb were on their side.
A touch of fairy tale, a spoonful of history, and a teacup of hope.
His Boss’s Little Sister is a stand-alone novella in the Apron Strings Tea Tale multi-author series, and a 1930s historical romance retelling of Hansel and Gretel.
Fans of the Harbored in Crow’s Nest series will enjoy revisiting familiar characters and discovering the HEA of the hero’s little sister from Confessions to a Stranger.
Danielle Grandinetti is an award-winning inspirational romance author fueled by tea, books, and the creative beauty of nature. Her stories combine romance, mystery, and suspense against the backdrop of the 1930s to tell the tale of finding home and hope in hard times. With a master’s in communication and culture and a passion for intercultural communication, storytelling has been her heartbeat for as long as she can remember. Married to her hero, Danielle is a second-generation Italian-American, a dairy farmer’s granddaughter, and a boy mom from Chicagoland who now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline.
Connect with Danielle by visiting daniellegrandinetti.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.
My Impressions
“…she’d trust him with everything except her heart.”
Le Sigh! The above quote, from Danielle Grandinetti’s The Boss’s Little Sister, is so poignant. While this book is part of the Apron String series, all books are loosely connected, involving tearooms and Mrs. Canfield’s Cookery Book. However, this book is very closely tied to The Harbored in Crow’s Nest series. You will want to have read all of that series to understand the backstory of the Martins family ( Samantha -Sam- and her brothers David and Patrick), plus Kyle’s backstory. Sam had thought herself in love with Kyle, but Kyle had gone away to a lumber camp, then out West, refusing to communicate with Sam or acknowledge her expressed feelings. Honestly, neither Sam nor Kyle was very likeable in previous books. So I really enjoyed watching each of them prove their maturation in this book. But, oh, the trials they go through to prove their mettle!
I have rarely wanted to truly live in a time period or place of a book setting. But 1930s Wisconsin?! Yes, please! Grandinetti has done her research and the danger in this book revolves around “The Oleo Wars” in Wisconsin. (How I wished I could have lived in a state that outlawed oleo growing up!!😂) Grandinetti’s writing caused me to do my own research into the Oleo Wars. I always consider a book that causes me to leave it long enough to research its topic on my own, a great book.
And the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel connection? I was like, I don’t see it! I didn’t see the culprit until I, too, would have been trapped! Love those kind of mysteries, where the clues are there, but there are enough red herrings that it is easy to be fooled by the ending!
I received a copy of the book from Just Read Tours. I also bought my own copy, and will be buying one for my trophy shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“The day’s weariness crashed into her like a Lake Michigan wave, catching her about the knees and knocking her off kilter.” – Sam
“Margarine was outlawed from being served in restaurants, but margarine that had been turned yellow to look like butter? That was a serious offence here in Wisconsin.”
“We can’t force people to choose help, to choose love over bitterness and hate. All we can do is pray and show them compassion.” – David
“Trouble shakes out all the excess to leave only what’s true behind.”- Sam
“that’s why, when you have questions, you need to ask what’s really going on so you can learn the truth.”– Sam
“This was a mistake. The whole plan was a mistake. He shouldn’t have listened to Marian Ward Cox urge his return to Crow’s Nest. He shouldn’t have agreed to Detective O’Connor’s request to keep his niece safe. He shouldn’t have accepted David’s job offer. And he sure as foolin’ shouldn’t have let Patrick convince him that forgiveness was possible.” – Kyle
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior! I haven’t met a Grandinetti story I haven’t loved, but between the characters’ growth arcs, the fairy tale retelling, and the history of the WI Oleo Wars, this is a standout!!
Tour Giveaway
(2) winners will each receive a paperback copy of Confessions to a Stranger & Escape with the Prodigal!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 10, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 17, 2025. 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.
Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Through Water and Stone by Karen Barnett hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Through Water and Stone Series: National Parks Author: Karen Barnett Publisher: Kregel Publications Release Date: September 23, 2025 Genre: Christian Fiction, Dual Timeline
In 1948, Zion National Park ranger Henry Eriksson and his wife, Alma, are less than one year removed from their infant son’s sudden death in a flash flood, and the weight of the loss hasn’t diminished with time. When Henry discovers an abandoned baby in a hatbox on his morning rounds, he’s unsure how to react, but Alma is delighted, and she reignites with purpose at what seems to be a miracle from God.
Nearly eighty years later, Talia Eriksson leaves her job at an athleisure company in Palo Alto, California, in disgrace and returns to Zion National Park to reconnect with her grandfather and review her life goals. But when an at-home DNA test exposes family secrets, Talia and her newfound friend, law enforcement ranger Blake Mitchell, work together to search for answers.
Talia navigates the rocky path into her past with Blake by her side, what she discovers may alter everything she knew to be true about herself. With the uncertain future looming, Talia must learn that family is deeper than genetics and that trusting God can mean being still and clinging to the Rock.
Karen Barnett is the award-winning author of nine novels, including When Stone Wings Fly, Where Trees Touch the Sky, and the Vintage National Park novels. A former national park ranger, she’s also a hobby photographer and enjoys teaching writing workshops with both Cascade Christian Writers and West Coast Christian Writers. She and her family live in Albany, Oregon.Connect with Karen by visiting karenbarnettbooks.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
My Impressions
“God’s voice can be heard through the water and the stone. Be still and listen.”
Through Water and Stone by Karen Barnett is undoubtedly in my top 5 books of 2025! The setting location of Zion National Park, coupled with great physical descriptions of the park is amazing. While we have been to Zion, I found myself looking up each park landmark mentioned, reading about it, and then determining if it was something we had seen or not. Barnett is a great virtual tour guide, and makes me want to revisit Zion.
But the storyline! First of all, I am a huge fan of well-done dual timelines, and Barnett does a masterful job with this identity mystery. In one generation, a Zion park ranger and his wife make an unusual discovery in 1948 that changes the course of their lives. In the present-day timeline, the granddaughter of a legendary park ranger returns to Zion as a place to regroup after losing her prestigious job.
I loved the character growth of both of the female main characters, Alma in the early years; Talia in the present-day. Alma starts out as a defeated, empty shell of a woman and amazes me with the way she slowly opens her closed fist and learns to trust God with those dearest to her heart! Talia comes from a fast-paced business world and has to be reminded by both her beloved grandfather and her new park boss of a couple of hard truths: “The question isn’t whether the corporate world has forgotten you—it’s what does God have planned for you?”– Pops
Can Talia trust God and seek out what He wants, rather than what she expects and thinks she deserves?
Her boss tells her: “You are the water, Talia. God is the rock. Don’t be so quick to pass Him by.” – Myrtle
Fave secondary characters? M’s win it here. Mattie and Myrtle. Treasures in themselves.
So much angst, very real life-changing events transpiring in the two threads. Will the characters discover God is enough to see them through what seems to be their impossibly hard trials? Nail-biting suspense, amazing, godly friends, and terrific twists in each timeline. Plus some romance. Adding Through Water and Stone to what another reader calls my “trophy shelf.”
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Still waters don’t always mean an easy swim.” -Alma
“People see what they want to see.”- Mattie
“Listen to Him speak. His voice is everywhere—in the stone, in the wind. And especially in the water.”– Sue
“He’s a loving papa. He wants to hear everything that is on your heart.”… -Sue
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superb!! Through Water and Stone has easily earned its spot in my top five books of 2025!
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Through Water and Stone 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 October 1, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on October 8, 2025. Winner 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.
Book: Detecting Concealed Evidence (Security Hounds Investigations Book 5)
Author: Dana Mentink
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
Release Date: August 6, 2025
A panicked call sends detective Chase Wolfe and his search-and-rescue bloodhound, Tank, racing right into the path of his neighbor—who’s just barely escaped an abduction. But Pilar Alonso has no idea who’s after her or why. Now she must rely on Chase to keep her safe while they work together to track down the unknown assailants targeting her. Only, their investigation reveals layers of a much more sinister agenda, and danger is rapidly closing in. Drawn into a web of deceit, can they untangle the mystery…before they’re permanently silenced?
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion winner. She is the author of over fifty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell and Poisoned Pen Press.
More from Dana
Those bloodhounds are galloping on through this Security Hounds series, aren’t they? Here in book #5, we have Chase and the unbelievably chill Tank. They couldn’t be more opposite. Tank is the kind of dog who only leaves his sunny napping spot when there’s an urgent need to do so. Chase is an energetic, unrestrained, human who gets caught up in the life of the reserved Pilar, a cello player who is simply trying to earn a few extra dollars when her delivery van is forced off the road and she’s kidnapped. That’s only the beginning of the adventure. I hope you will enjoy Tank, who falls deeply in love with Pilar’s cello music, and Pilar and Chase, who definitely got off on the wrong foot when they first met. And what is the object the killer is desperate to get his hands on? Hope you enjoy the ride!
My Impressions
“Panic crawled along Pilar Alonso’s nerves like an army of ants.”
And so best-selling author Dana Mentink begins another taut romantic suspense novel, Detecting Concealed Evidence. Somebody help me! I feel like I may be becoming a romantic suspense fiction junkie! I swear that’s not my fave genre, but I sure am getting more and more drawn into it, and expert writers like Mentink are largely responsible!😊
How can one not like a novel that deals with a clueless courier ( Pilar) who only wants to protect her father, whose personality has drastically changed, becoming more paranoid and unreasonable. Indeed, “…each week, he seemed to be floating away from her, like a boat improperly anchored.” Score one point for Mentink. Readers who deal with a loved one with dementia will identify with Pilar’s lonely journey.
Dogs. Put dogs in romantic suspense, and I believe many readers’ ears perk up. I know I sit up and take notice. Each hound in this series, Security Houndd Investigations, is a valued member of the Wolfe family business. But Mentink infuses new life into these hounds. Each hound also has special personality quirks. Detecting Concealed Evidence presents Chase’s dog, Tank. With a heart as big as his name and a floppy body to match, just imagining Tank and his attempts at heroic rescues are enough to set me into gales of laughter.
Unfortunately, Chase, Tank’s human and Pilar’s irritating neighbor, has a great desire to help people, but he tends to be controlling. He runs roughshod over others’ abilities to think or plan. His sister Stephanie tells Chase one time he has run Pilar off, “Your heart’s always in the right place, but you have to let people make their decisions, even if they might get hurt.” Can Chase step back enough to allow God room to direct people’s paths?
Can Pilar, running from several different people, with no idea why, trust both Chase and God to take care of her and her unpredictable father? When Pilar feels beholden to Chase, he shows his best side: “…this is what people do who care about each other. There’s no price tag on that. We’re helping.”
I enjoyed this mystery, with its humor, character growth, dementia moments, mystery, faith, and twists! I am sad that there is only one more book in the series left.
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via BookFunnel. I also pre-ordered my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Seems like you’re ready to step into a real big-boy relationship. This one’s about character and being who you were meant to be, and sometimes that isn’t all roses and laughter. It’s about how you move together through this life with God, regardless of the feels.” -Garrett
“Perhaps the one thing about having memory issues that might be at all positive was you could forget the scary stuff too.”😢🙂
“being strong didn’t mean a person didn’t feel overwhelmed and sad and frustrated and the millions of daunting emotions that came along too.”
“Her emotions were a cascading bunch of dissonant notes without any rhythm or cadence.” -Pilar
“Unscarred meant you were untested. He didn’t want to go through life not giving his all. He suspected Pilar felt the same way with her music.”- Chase
Princess Maakah of Geshur is duty-bound to create a political alliance for her father through marriage. The cancelation by King Saul of her betrothal to his fourth-born son compels Maakah’s father to send her to the rebel David ben Jesse, a shepherd-warrior anointed years earlier as Israel’s future king, to propose a marriage between them. Taken aback by stories of David’s ferocity and lowly birth, Maakah considers the match a degrading fate but obeys her father’s wishes out of duty as her nation’s only heir.
To her relief, David rejects the offer of marriage, but circumstances make it impossible for Maakah to return home, and she must stay with David’s people until it is safe for her to travel again. Facing prejudice and suspicion from the Israelites, Maakah navigates the delicate balance between her noble heritage and her growing respect for David’s faith and leadership. In a land torn by war and divided loyalties, she must choose where her allegiance lies: with her Geshurite people, or with an extraordinary destiny alongside David that beckons her from within.
Mesu Andrews is a Christy Award-winning, bestselling author of biblical novels and devotional studies, whose deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the Bible alive for readers. Her heritage as a “spiritual mutt” has given her a strong yearning to both understand and communicate biblical truths in powerful stories that touch the heart, challenge the mind, and transform lives. Mesu lives in Indiana with her husband, Roy, where she stays connected with her readers through newsy emails, blog posts, and social media.
More from Mesu
Can you please provide a brief summary of your novel, Noble?
Princess Maakah, the only child of Geshur’s King Talmai, and the only heir to his throne, must shrewdly marry to strengthen her nation’s political future. When King Saul cancels the betrothal contract he and Talmai had arranged for Saul’s fourth-born son, King Talmai reacts swiftly to secure a betrothal with the legendary rebel David ben Jesse. She obeys her abba’s wishes and travels south from Geshur, where her escort is attacked by Amalekite bandits. While captive to the Amalekites, Maakah is befriended by David ben Jesse’s two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail. When David rescues his family, he encounters Geshur’s arrogant pagan princess—having no idea Talmai had sent a betrothal contract with a Geshurite messenger. Though neither David nor Maakah wish to pursue a betrothal, David vows to keep Maakah safe, even though danger abounds at every turn. How did David and Maakah ever reach a truce and marry? How did they perhaps even come to love each other—so that Maakah could become the mother of David’s third-born son (2 Sam.
3:3b)?
How do you approach writing fiction about biblical characters while staying true to Scripture?
The Bible tells us that Maakah became David’s wife in Hebron and bore his third-born son, Absalom. It gives no other details about David and Maakah’s relationship; however, 2 Samuel 13– 15 does mention that Absalom killed his brother Amnon (because Amnon raped Absalom’s sister, Tamar). After Absalom committed murder, he fled to . . . Geshur, where his grandfather, King Talmai, sheltered him. These later Scriptures tell me some things about the character of King Talmai and the environment in which Maakah would have been raised as a young princess. Using the knowledge I’ve gained during my twenty years of research and writing biblical fiction, I can know that if Talmai had any other heir to Geshur’s throne, he likely wouldn’t have been so welcoming to a grandson who could have posed a threat to a Geshurite prince. Later, Absalom leaves Geshur—rather abruptly—and is suddenly willing to face death in Jerusalem (at David’s hand) than remain in Geshur (2 Sam. 14:32). These aren’t Truth explicitly stated in Scripture, but because I’ve visited Israel twice and studied the ancient culture under the guidance of wonderful Bible scholars, I hope the Truth of Scripture, historical data, and a God-directed imagination blend together in a story that pulls readers into the ancient world of David and his brides.
How do you approach writing about King David, such a well-known biblical figure, from a fresh perspective?
When most folks think of David, they remember chunks of his life: a shepherd boy whom Samuel anointed king; the youth who killed Goliath; the inexperienced warrior befriended by King Saul’s firstborn, Prince Jonathan; the victim of King Saul’s mania who was lowered from a bedroom window by his first wife, Michal (King Saul’s daughter); the warrior who escapes Saul in the desert, spares the enemy king’s life, and rescues Abigail from her lousy husband. Yet for some reason, we minimize the time David spent in that wilderness—likely, seven years or more. Then we skip right over his seven years in Hebron when six sons were born to him by six wives. SIX WIVES, y’all!
Then, most folks remember King David as the conquering king of Jerusalem. But that King David is very different than the David who roamed the wilderness and the thirty-year-old David who was learning how to reign in Hebron. Why do I say that? Look at the psalms David wrote. You can tell which were written in the wilderness and which were written after conquering Jerusalem. It proves what I’ve suspected for most of my life: When God really wants to test us, He blesses us beyond our imagination. When David ruled from his cedar palace in Jerusalem, too many times the wealth and blessings shoved God off the throne of his heart. I didn’t want to write about that David. In the KING DAVID’S BRIDES series, you’ll meet raw David—the David who says, “God is all I need because He’s all I have.”
Tell us about your research process for understanding the political climate of ancient Israel and Geshur.
I’m so grateful for the various places we’ve lived and my husband’s occupational journey since 2000. He began his doctoral work at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (in Chicago), which gave me access to his scholarly library on campus. I muddled through those first few years of research—partly appalled at what I discovered about ancient cultures and partly mesmerized at how much more deeply I understood the Scripture when I grasped the ancient cultures (both Israel’s and the pagan nations around them). After seven years, he completed his PhD in Education and took a job at Multnomah University (Portland, OR), where I had even more access to their library, and I quickly made friends with the research librarian. She helped me immensely in delving even deeper into theses and dissertations that were more specific (like hair products of seventh-century BC Assyrians). After nine years, we moved to the other coast—Boone, NC—where Appalachian State University allowed me to purchase a “community card” for $10 lifetime access. Their “religious” research books were amazing, so I had access at home or on campus to lots of the pagan nations’ intricate rites as well as Jewish historical writings that I’d never seen before. We lived there for eight years before moving back to our roots in Indiana. At each stop along our way, I’ve picked up used books on Amazon or at these libraries (or from Roy’s professor friends) that have helped build my personal library at home. In 2020, Hubby and I were so blessed to take a group of readers to Israel and actually visit the ancient ruins of Geshur! When we have an open heart, God can use every circumstance to teach and bless!
How do you balance historical accuracy with creating relatable characters for modern readers?
Speaking of our 2020 journey to Israel . . . When we arrived at the Old Testament site of Geshur, I was intrigued that the New Testament city of Bethsaida had been built directly on top of it! This is common practice in archaeological sites. Sometimes as many as three or four cities are found in the different “strata” (or layers) of a hill (called tel in Hebrew). Our wonderful guide, Hedva, took us to the edge of the city, where we sat beneath a canopy as a protection from the glaring sun. Looking southeast, we watched the sparkling rays glimmer off the Sea of Galilee. It was one of the most beautiful sights I saw in the Land on that trip.
Realizing, however, that the Bible specifically describes the Geshurite villages David destroyed as “in the land extending to Shur and Egypt” (1 Sam. 27:8), I knew this city that was way north of the Galilee couldn’t be the same place David had destroyed. I asked the guide, “What about the southern villages of Geshur—in the south, closer to Ziklag, that David and his men would have destroyed along with the Amalekites and Girzites?” She looked at me as if I had two heads and said the Bible got that one wrong. There were no southern villages belonging to Geshur. Hmm. Well, that would definitely be a problem for both me and my Bible-believing readers! In order to write this story according to God’s Truth of Scripture, I created a fictional explanation for the villages “in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.” Am I contradicting historical accuracy? Nope. I’m just giving a plausible explanation until some very smart archaeologists catch up with God’s Truth and find proof of the Geshurite villages David destroyed in Philistine territory.
Your protagonist struggles with pride and duty. How does this reflect broader themes in Scripture?
With duty comes responsibility, but responsibility may or may not come with authority. Maakah thought she had both duty and authority, which bred arrogance (pride) that was doomed for destruction. In God’s economy, that’s a good thing. Since God hates pride, the best thing He can do for us is find ways—however gently we’ll allow it—to crush the pride that keeps us from turning to Him for help. The greater our call to duty, the more tempted we are to carry that duty on our own shoulders. It’s a tendency as old as the Garden. Didn’t Eve want to eat that forbidden fruit when the serpent said she would “be like God” if she ate it? Don’t we all stretch for more responsibility, more authority, because we want to do it our way? The more we get our way, the more we become proud of our successes and the more we want the authority to make more decisions—for ourselves. It’s really the theme of every story in the Bible and in life. “It’s up to me, and I’ll get it done.” But God’s way says, “Obey me, and we’ll do it together.”
Your novel deals with themes of prejudice and tribal loyalties. What parallels do you see for modern readers?
When David and Maakah focused on the ways they were different or the barriers that would come between them, their future together seemed hopeless. When they focused on the miracles God worked to bring them together and their united passion for that same God, their future together seemed inevitable.
The relationship between faith and heritage is central to your story. What inspired this theme?
I try hard not to begin the story with a designated theme. I get to know the Truth of Scripture with the historical data I discover during research and then do a lot of prayer-guided imagining of how characters would feel, think, and act. The faith and heritage theme was already there from Scripture. I couldn’t imagine that David, as a man after God’s own heart, would ever marry a pagan—no matter what the political benefit to his new reign. And from what I knew of the Aramean family of nations (Geshur was one of five), Talmai would lie, cheat, kill, or steal to find a beneficial match for his daughter. The rest of the story was just imagining all the bad stuff that could happen in a two-week time span that might break down both David’s and Maakah’s defenses and open their hearts to God’s chess game of the heart.
What message do you hope readers take away from Maakah’s story?
I want them to believe that no one is too far gone for Yahweh to reach. My husband and I weren’t believers all the way through high school. God used a lot of key people, hard experiences, and patient grace to draw us into His family. (See my personal testimony at: https://mesuandrews.com/meet-mesu/personal-testimony/.) If He can reach me, He can reach anyone.
What are you working on next?
I’ve already started Loyal: The Story of Haggith. Again, we know nothing about Haggith’s true identity from Scripture, so through supplemental Truth, historical data, and my imagination, I’ve imagined David’s fourth wife as the daughter of Hebron’s chief priest. When some of David’s home tribe of Judah discover his marriage to Princess Maakah, they imagine the worst and accuse him of marrying a Gentile pagan. Joab, David’s oldest nephew and general of his troops, convinces David he must marry quickly and marry a woman who proves his undying commitment to Yahweh and His Law. Who better than Haggith, daughter of Judah’s most revered chief priest, and the woman who is David’s most vehement critic?
My Impressions
“I will not now, nor ever, become a third wife or deny the gods of my ancestors.”
If you love Biblical fiction, Mesu Andrews is a name to follow. Meticulous research of both history and customs, faithfulness to what we know of Scripture, and a great storyteller’s imagination where we don’t, all stand out in Noble, King David’s Brides Bk. 2, by Andrews. I was amazed as I read, just how much Scripture, especially Psalms, Andrews is able to thread into the story seamlessly. There are so many truth nuggets that are shared as David and his first two wives, Nomy and Abigail, daily patiently encourage Maakah to choose the sole God of Israel over the plethora of gods of Geshur.
Kudos to Andrews for including a map and a list of characters at the front. Also for listing the Bible passages the book is based on. I have read these passages many times, but I had to re-read them with fresh eyes as I started Noble.
I found the storyline very engaging, exciting, and suspenseful. Told alternately from Maakah’s pov and David’s pov, I actually learned to care for the spoiled princess. Would she and her maid Zulat come to trust in the God of David, imperfect though he is ( six wives- anyone?) Maakah‘s father eventually promises her in a covenant marriage to David, in order to gain influence over Israel. Whose way will stubborn and regal Maakah choose? Her way and or her father’s, or David’s and that of his God, forsaking her own?
It is really neat to see how David leads his band of followers in praise, worship, and obedience to God. Though it’s easy for the idea of many wives to be a stumbling block, Scripture records that as fact. So it is very interesting how Andrews shows it could have happened, and the spiritual and emotional harmony that David may have encouraged in his home.
One point that Andrews brings out about both Maakah and David is that they were both longing for acceptance from their earthly fathers. I’d never stopped to consider this about David, but it does seem to fit in with how he is treated in Scripture. David tells a hurting Maakah, “…only Yahweh can fulfill our deepest yearnings for an abba’s affection.”
Don’t miss this exciting, fleshed out tale of David, and how Maakah may have come to be his third wife! Read Noble for the twists, the superb storytelling, and for the immense amount of Truth presented!
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher & Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own book. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Yahweh uses these barren times and places to strengthen and shape us into what He wants us to become.”– David
“when we’re guided by Yahweh’s Light, He calls us to think differently. React differently. Even fight differently.”- David
“I’ve learned three things in the years since I fled Gibeah of Saul. The first and hardest lesson: I can never anticipate the LORD’s plan. Second, His plan is always better than I imagine; and third, His best for me always comes with a sacrifice.”– David
“Abba taught me to be regal, but I’m learning that being noble is harder- and better.”- Maakah
“There is only One whose love never dies. Only One whose love is stronger than an army and sweeter than a woman’s touch. Yahweh will never leave you or deceive you, my love.”– Abigail
“You and I have only this life to determine where our true allegiance lies. will we be enslaved by earthly masters who demand more than they give? Or will we serve an almighty God who promises more than we can imagine?”-David
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! Andrews left me studying those Bible passages, amazed at her research, and pondering life in the ancient Mid-East.
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Recluse’s Vindication by Danielle Grandinetti, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
Title: The Recluse’s Vindication Series: Our House on Heather Wynd Author: Danielle Grandinetti Publisher: Hearth Spot Press Release Date: September 12, 2025 Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense
The Loch Ness Monster isn’t the only recluse seeking a Scottish haven.
Bieldfell. Scotland, 1933—Falsely accused of murder sixteen years ago, American cowboy Benjamin Ford has chosen to hide out in the Scottish Highlands. Reclusive and not afraid to die, he rescues children out of an increasingly dangerous Germany. When his childhood best friend appears at his door, he’s not the boy she remembers.
Eleanor Finch’s life ended sixteen years ago. In one horrible day, she lost her dreams, her reputation, and her heart. However, she never gives up the hope of finding her friend, so when she learns of Ben’s whereabouts, she leaves all that is familiar to convince him to return home.
But Eleanor isn’t the only person searching for Ben. Hunters follow her trail. The thin veil of gossip and rumor may be their only chance of a future … unless the Loch Ness Monster is real after all.
Danielle Grandinetti is an award-winning inspirational romance author fueled by tea, books, and the creative beauty of nature. Her stories combine romance, mystery, and suspense against the backdrop of the 1930s to tell the tale of finding home and hope in hard times. With a master’s in communication and culture and a passion for intercultural communication, storytelling has been her heartbeat for as long as she can remember. Married to her hero, Danielle is a second-generation Italian-American, a dairy farmer’s granddaughter, and a boy mom from Chicagoland who now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline.
Connect with Danielle Grandinetti by visiting daniellegrandinetti.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.
My Impressions
“It’s been sixteen years, Eleanor. Are you ready for who we’ll find?”– Hiram
First of all, let me say The Recluse’s Vindication has joined my short list of books I definitely plan to reread! I thought Danielle Grandinetti couldn’t come up with a hero I would like more than Gio from another of her books, but Benjamin Ford certainly gives Gio competition! Le Sigh!
I was thrilled to open the book to find a readable on kindle! color map at the front. Kudos.
I loved the tie-ins of this novella with two others of Grandinetti’s, Heart of Beauty and The Italian Musician’s Sanctuary. However, it’s not necessary to have read these books or even others in this series to enjoy this one.
As Eleanor travels from Montana to Scotland in 1933 to find a man who had once been her closest friend and bring him home, she is unprepared for who and what she discovers. What will she do with her new knowledge? Will she fight for the friendship, get involved in something that requires her facing yet another monster, or will she go home to live in fear and loneliness?
A beautiful story of learning to forgive oneself. Of wrestling with the hard questions. When does doing the wrong thing become right? Is a person obligated to help others at risk of their own life? What promises are so important that, no matter what, one refuses to break them? Does heredity determine character? “The grandson of a beast, the son of a monster, a man who had already killed with his bare hands. He would accept the mantle God laid on him and trade his soul so the innocent could live.”
Amelie totally stole my heart, just as she did Ben’s and Eleanor’s. And baby Max? The children part of the book nearly broke my heart. But I questioned myself- like Eleanor did herself- was her heart ( or is mine) broken enough to take action?
I enjoyed the inclusion of the legend of Nessie, including the real person who was rumored to have seen the Loch Ness Monster.
I received a copy of the book from the author and JustRead Tours. I also bought my own copy.
Notable Quotables:
“I think people vilify what they don’t understand. What they think is different, alien. Outside of what they consider normal.”– Ben
“There was no limit to what else he’d give up for them, including his heart, his soul, and even his life.”- Ben
“He knew clouds could not hide him from God or hide God from him, but at the moment, they felt like an iron shield. Or perhaps that was merely his conscience. Yet God felt as far away as home.” – Ben
”As soon as she asked the question, she wished to take it back. It bled with all the hope she’d packed into her luggage for the trip to Scotland.” – Eleanor
“We all must make sacrifices, or cruelty wins.”-Heda
“It wasn’t just reasonable, it was heroic. You’re a hero. You’re my hero.” ( Le Sigh!)
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! I will be hopping on over to the author’s website to pick up my paperback copy for my keeper shelf!
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive paperback copies of: The Recluse’s Vindication, The Italian Musician’s Sanctuary, & The Heart of Beauty, all by Danielle Grandinetti!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 10, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 17, 2025. 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.
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 