A tale of courtship & marriage, duty versus desire, faith & forgiveness.
In 1777, caught in the crossroads of the American Revolution, sisters Maebel and Coralie Bohannon’s quaint New Jersey village becomes a battleground as they house American officers in their home. Rebellion ripples through their family as members take opposing sides–Patriots and Loyalists–causing a deep chasm that fractures their once-unbreakable bond. As Mae’s friendship grows with the American general Rhys Harlow, Coralie continues her liaison with her childhood sweetheart, a British officer stationed in New York. Torn between her growing love for the general and suspicion that her sister is a British spy, Mae leaves the only home she’s ever known for the New York frontier. When betrayal strikes in the heart of the wilderness, she’s forced to take a perilous journey that tests her very survival and those she loves, all in the name of liberty.
Proclaimed wordsmith extraordinaire by Library Journal, Laura Frantz delivers a stirring tale of divided loyalties, sisterhood, and love.
About the Author
Laura Frantz, has been writing stories since age seven. She is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century and her novels often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. Though she will always consider Kentucky home, she and her husband live in Washington State. Her bestselling, award-winning novels have been translated into various languages. Visit her website and sign up for her newsletter.
My Impressions
“‘If the love of your country is indeed the governing principle of your soul, you will give up every inclination which is incompatible with it; nor will you cherish in your hearts any rivals of the favorite passion.’”
Hold on to your beaver skin hat, Bleu, you’ve just acquired some serious competition! I thought Laura Frantz could never produce a swoon-worthy hero I would love more than Bleu, but oh, my stars and garters!! Rhys Harlow, the Frantz hero of The Belle of Chatham, certainly is amazing!
Where does one start a review with such a memorable book? Frantz’s writing style holds me mesmerized as she paints mental pictures of the lush or barren landscapes, and produces smells with her word wizardry. These are not pages one can speed-read through!
So many different plot points come together to make this a totally great story! Do I emphasize the romance ( slow-burn, tightly controlled because of the military situations), the family division (so painful), or the Revolutionary War history presented, the strategies and battles well-researched and a teaching point, if you will. And the smallpox inoculation mandate. So much to learn! Plus, the way that Mae and others learn to incorporate their faith in the day-to-day. “…lately I’ve prayed to be the person the Almighty wants me to be. Let challenging circumstances change me for the better.” Mae and others are indeed challenged in this novel, almost beyond endurance. But another quote reminds them that these hard circumstances won’t last forever. “Remember all this is fleeting. We seem to be walking through fire now, but it has an end.” We would all do well to remember this!
Indeed. One of the things I liked most about this book was it didn’t end with the marriage and “Happily Ever After” of the main characters. Instead, our fave two characters find that there are bumps in the road of marital bliss. And their bumps appear as big as the mountains of Rhys’s Virginia. This book is a great reminder that “happily ever after” is a myth. There are foxes, or wolves, and we must choose forgiveness.
Whew! Ready to re-read all over again!!
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. I also have pre-ordered pb copies for my trophy shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Sometimes it’s the simplest things that mean the most.” – Rhys
“All of us have wounds. Some scarring you simply don’t see.” – Rhys
“I’d rather hear the truth than lies or empty assurances.” – Mae
“Surely the Lord was teaching her in the waiting and making something more of her than she was.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior!! I am only allowed to give 5 stars. Alas, this book earns so many more!!
Supervising two newly minted medical residents might be the toughest challenge Ruth “Dok” Stoltzfus has ever faced. Wren Baker, sharp and ambitious, graduated at the top of medical school with a hidden agenda in tow. Charlie King, at the bottom of the class, is determined to succeed–though Dok isn’t convinced he’s got what it takes. Then there’s traveling nurse Evie Miller, whose quiet love for Charlie doesn’t go unnoticed, especially by Wren.
Boarding at Windmill Farm, the trio struggles to balance modern medicine with plain living. Between medical emergencies, cultural misunderstandings, and brewing romantic tensions, Dok finds herself juggling far more than she bargained for. Soon the stage is set in the small Amish community of Stoney Ridge for plenty of professional and personal complications.
Suzanne Woods Fisher is a Christy finalist, a Carol and Selah winner, a two-time ECPA Book of the Year finalist, and Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of more than forty books. Her genres include contemporary and historical romances and Amish fiction. Suzanne and her husband live in a small town in northern California. Most friends act a little nervous around her because they usually wind up in one of her novels. She has four grown children and enough grandchildren to keep her young.
More from Suzanne
The Kitchen Garden by Suzanne Woods Fisher
“Gardening is a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow.” Amish proverb
Whenever I visit my Amish friends, I always make a point of wandering out to their vegetable gardens to see what’s growing. Their gardens, usually not far from the kitchen, are bigger than most people’s backyards. Gardens, for the Amish, are a family affair. Husbands help their wives ready the soil and add the homebrewed fertilizer (ahem, manure), children help their moms plant, weed, and harvest.
Like so many parts of the Plain life, their value of the home garden—for the sake of nutrition, for sustenance, for well-being—is a wonderful example to those of us who weren’t farm-raised. They’ve been living a sustainable life filled with fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables for over four hundred years. The rest of us are just catching on.
One Amish mom told me a story about her daughter, the youngest of seven. “This girl was a born worrier. Whenever she started on her worry loop, I would send her out to weed in the garden. When she came back in, her worries were gone. There’s just something about weeding that helps a soul settle down.”
I could expand that thought a little further. There’s just something about gardening that helps a soul settle down.
So, it’s late on Saturday and I just wrapped up a very long week. I spoke at three book events and finished the first draft (the drafty-draft) of a novel. I can’t stop thinking about the novel. Is it a mess? As tired as I am, tonight I don’t think I’ve got one more word in me—not to speak, not to write. I’m spent! Done. My husband is out for the evening, so I had a few hours alone at home to relax.
What did I do?
I planted in my garden: lettuce and radishes and carrots. As I dug in the spongy soil, I could feel my soul settle. Worry and exhaustion slipped away as I scattered seeds into furrows. Little by little, that wonderful God-given sense of re-creation returned. Tomorrow, I would write again. Time spent in my little garden does that for me. It renews me and gives me a hope for the future.
Or, at the very least, a good salad.
Overnight Blueberry French Toast
On a sunny July morning, we were served this breakfast dish at an Amish friend’s home and my husband couldn’t stop talking about it. You might be shocked at the amount of eggs, but don’t skimp! It’s worth every bite.
12 slices bread cut in 1” cubes
8 oz. cream cheese cut in ¾” cubes
1 ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
12 eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups milk
Place half the bread cubes in a 9×13 baking dish. Top with cream cheese blueberries and the remaining bread. Beat eggs, syrup and milk and pour evenly over bread.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until well done.
My Impressions
“But peace doesn’t come from trying to fix the wrong. It comes from trusting that God will handle it, in his time.”
Another return to Stoney Ridge with Dok Stoltzfus courtesy of Suzanne Woods Fisher? Yes, please! Fisher’s books are now auto-buys for me, and I especially love this little Amish village and its people.
In case the reader has forgotten some of the Stoney Ridge characters, or just needs a refresher since the last book, a list of characters with their personality traits is included at the front of the book. Yay!
Dok Stoltzfus has taken the first step towards lightening her workload. She applies for a resident. She gets not one, but two – very Englischer, very wet-behind the-ears doctors, Charlie and Wren. And one traveling nurse, Evie, with enough cultural background to understand the Stoney Ridge community. A battle of cultural sensitivity, professional respect, and emotional attachment ensue. Can any of these characters find the peace they are seeking in this environment?
A second main thread continued from the last book is about Annie, Dok’s Amish receptionist, who desperately wants to join her love interest in the EMT field. How I identified with Annie’s ailment! Yet, Annie refuses the obvious solution. Are her dreams and future destined to go up in smoke?
Yet a third intertwined thread deals with an emotional but medical condition, that because of its nature, many faiths, not just Amish, are reluctant to admit to or treat medically. How many people might slip through the cracks under the misguided guise of shaming the suffering individual into performing “normally”?
David Stoltzfus, the friendly, wise, and godly bishop (and brother to Dok) is an important secondary character. He discusses the need for justice when Wren is about to bulldoze her way to obtain it. “True peace can only come with justice.” -Wren “I agree with you,” David said, “but true justice can only come from God. Only he knows what’s in a person’s heart.” David also counsels his doctor sister many times, sometimes as her brother, sometimes as the community leader he is, looking out for his flock.
Two tertiary characters that help make the novel as great as it is? Both Lapps. Fern for her wisdom: “Holding out hope for too long is one thing . . .Giving up too soon is quite another.” Then there’s loud Hank! What chaos and humor he provides!
Discussion questions at the end help prolong the warm, special feels of the book and draw out the deeper themes for examination. Some of those themes: discovering one’s calling, finding true peace and justice, teachability, first impressions, and post-partum depression.
A great twist or two elevates this novel into the superb category. Highly recommended!!
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Good thing God doesn’t give up on us”– Charlie
“You have all the tools to be a good doctor, but to be a great one, you need to treat the person, not just the illness.”- Dok
“There’s no good that comes from being half a Christian. If you’re only halfway in, you’re just living burdened by rules, and you’re missing out on the blessings that faith brings. It’s like trying to drive a buggy with only two wheels.” – David
“Practicing medicine here was as much about relationships as treatment.”- Dok
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superb!! I have so enjoyed these Stoney Ridge stories!! I can’t imagine missing a Suzanne Woods Fisher release, no matter the genre!
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.
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.
Genre: Contemporary Rom-com ( permeated with shades of Regency)
She thought she knew the rules of love. Turns out, love makes its own.
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The perfect match can’t be far–certainly not at a Regency-themed singles’ retreat–or so podcaster Zoe Dufour believes. After years of creating content for her relationship podcast inspired by Regency etiquette and era-appropriate rules for romance, she knows her listeners have anticipated this retreat. But she also attends with expectations of her own: finding the ideal modern-day gentleman who can meet every one of the nonnegotiables on her checklist.
Harrison Lundquist, Zoe’s podcast producer and best friend’s brother, reluctantly agrees to tag along on the retreat to capture footage while seeking a career-advancing promotion. He views the retreat as ridiculous. And Zoe’s methods for finding her real-life Mr. Darcy? Downright absurd! But as he films her whirlwind dates, his growing feelings for her are sidelined by suitors vying for her attention. When Zoe realizes her checklist for the man of her dreams might be holding her back, she must decide if she’s willing to rewrite her rules and take a chance on the person who has been there all along.
“The writing is smart and sassy with humor and touching moments sure to please lovers of rom-coms, Regency romance, or Jane Austen period dramas.”–JULIE KLASSEN, bestselling author
This clean and wholesome romance presents a Regency-infused spin on a contemporary rom-com with the grumpy/sunshine, he falls first, and best friend’s brother tropes. Readers of Melissa Ferguson, Pepper Basham, and Julie Klassen will find this read delightful.
Mollie Rushmeyer writes whimsical romance with heart and humor. She has a deep and abiding love for all things British, bookish, and filled with history and mystery. A modern girl herself—she wouldn’t want to go a day without modern plumbing and central air!—she’s always felt a special connection to the past and anything with a happily ever after. Her debut novel, The Bookshop of Secrets, was a finalist for a 2023 Carol Award. A born and bred Midwestern gal, Mollie makes her home in central Minnesota with her husband and two spunky, beautiful daughters.
Her Jane Austen-inspired contemporary rom-com, The Rules of Falling for You with Bethany House Publishers, released September 2nd, 2025. Get your copy now!!
She’d love to connect through social media! Follow her on Instagram and
Facebook: @authormollierushmeyer
My Impressions
“That’s how God so often works, isn’t it? Only the next step, the next shrub or tree, is visible when I want the whole forest. I need the whole picture so I can organize, mitigate disaster, plan for all possible outcomes, ready a list to ensure everything turns out the way it’s supposed to.”
The premise of this book reminded me of Angela Ruth Strong’s book, Husband Auditions, in which a young single influencer decides to film herself following an old-fashioned list for finding a beau. Only instead of list from the 1950s, our heroine in Molly Rushmeyer’s contemporary rom-com uses a list from Regency times. Zoe and her best friend Eden produce a popular podcast. Using wisdom from Regency authors Jane Austin and A. Nathaniel Gladwin, Zoe gives advice about finding love in the modern world. Love, the “l” word, yet elusive to the two. They decide to attend a Regency cosplay singles retreat near Minneapolis, and drag along Eden’s brother, Harrison, as their producer.
The adventures the two get into along with Harrison, his assistant Jake, and a few other friends and attendees are quite hilarious and sad. Hilarious as Zoe is not very graceful, and that is putting it mildly. Sad, because as the reader, it is so easy to see what Zoe refuses to see… where her true feelings lie, but where she, in her need for a plan, decides to move ahead.
Harrison and Zoe take turns narrating the story, so we get a look at the pitfalls and likelihood of this being a friends-to-more story. Zoe is a planner who must have everything scheduled and perfect. Harrison finally tells her, “Besides, even when we think we’re controlling things, we’re really not. Surrender is acknowledging the fact that God has it under control, has our backs, and loves us. We don’t have to carry the burden of making everything right.” Yet, Zoe desperately clings to her idea of control, sure if she lets go, disaster will ensue.
When Zoe does finally begin to let go and trust God for her future, a sudden betrayal reinforces her misguided idea that she never should have given up the reins. Will she ever be able to understand that “God never promised, ‘Take my yoke upon you, and I’ll make sure your life’s smooth sailing, no pain or heartache’”? I know people who believe if they trust God, bad things shouldn’t happen to them. Will Harrison persist in his pursuit, or will he decide Zoe and he are too different to be God’s match for each other? How will Harrison and Eden’s overbearing, absent father affect the future of the podcast and any relationship between Harrison and Zoe?
While this is a light-hearted story, the lessons about letting go and letting God and relaxing our standards, not looking for perfection in others, are invaluable.
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via NetGalley. I also purchased my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“That’s the thing I’ve come to see. I’ll never be perfect, I’ll never do everything right. But then He never asked me to. Instead, He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”- Harrison
“while people, even people I love deeply, can disappoint and betray me, God never will.”- Zoe
“when we keep secrets from others, we’re telling ourselves it’s for their good. To protect them. To protect our own hearts. But it’s a lie we tell ourselves to avoid doing what’s right.”– Zoe
“Maybe He [God]reveals one step at a time so I have to take His hand for the next one, the one I can’t quite see beyond. That way He can help me when I inevitably stumble or fall.”-Zoe
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! Perfection vs. What God Calls You to Be
Series: Not listed as such, but follow-up to The Seamstress of Acadie
Publisher: Story Architect
Release Date: July 30, 2025
Genre: Historical Romance
Exiled from his native Acadie in Canada, Bleu Galant has little on his mind but survival as the tumultuous French and Indian War comes to a close. When his journey to Virginia’s Rivanna River settlement takes an unexpected turn, he crosses paths with Brielle Farrow—a woman whose presence stirs something in him he cannot explain nor express. Unable to forget her, his decision to help her takes them across an ocean and into a lavish world he’s never known. Will their intricate tie decide not only her fate but his future?
Bestselling, award-winning author, Laura Frantz, has been writing stories since age seven. She is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century and her novels often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. Though she will always consider Kentucky home, she and her husband live in Washington State.
According to Publishers Weekly, “Frantz has done her historical homework.” With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California. Foreign language editions include French, Dutch, Spanish, Slovakian, German & Polish.
*Subscribe to Laura’s seasonal newsletter and receive new release information, news about contests, giveaways, and reader events, sneak peaks and teasers, signings and appearances, and more!
My Impressions
“She prayed whatever he saw in her was bon. As bon as what she saw in him.”
I don’t think I’ve anticipated another book book as much as Laura Frantz’s A Fierce Devotion! Her inspirational historical fiction, The Seamstress of Acadie, captured my heart and imagination like nothing else! The Seamstress tells of the English expulsion of the Canadian-French Acadians. That story introduced Bleu, mixed-blood brother of Sylvie. A Fierce Devotion, a novella, picks up the thread of Bleu, another Acadian deeply scarred by the racial hatred exhibited by the conquerers. The “French and Indian War” (or the “Seven Years’ War) has just ended. The book is mesmerizing, lyrical, and a feast of beautiful descriptions. Absolutely stunning!
Despite his mixed heritage, Bleu is a sought-after bachelor in both his Acadian world and his Mi’kmaq world. Yet it is the indentured servant, Brielle Farrow, he discovers following happening upon a deadly raid scene, that grows on his heart.
Bleu is not the type to settle down though, and he is a much-sought after scout. Brielle doesn’t share his heritage, nor much of his French language, either.
I was laughing so hard at the one pivotal French sentence that Bleu shares in with his sister in Brielle’s presence! ( which Frantz explains in English!) It’s always amazing in life, when we miss one sentence or word that could change our whole attitude!!
How can these two find enough in common to even consider a relationship, when competition abounds and there are surprising factors that will put up even more barriers between them?
I loved the French phrases, but Frantz explains them for non-French speakers( a must for readers!)
Character growth? Given what both Bleu and Brielle have endured, there is going to have to be a lot of forgiveness learned, even for those who don’t ask for it. Sylvie ( Bleu’s sister) and he are discussing this issue one day: “For a long time I felt like you. I still do though my ire doesn’t burn as bright. I’ve only moved past it by choosing a new life here and letting the past rest.” (Sylvie)
I loved, loved, loved, this book!! There’s an old French rowing song I would borrow a line from, “Jamais je ne t’oublierai!!” ( NEVER will I forget you!)
I received a copy of the book from Just Read via Netgalley. I bought my own ebook, plus additional pb copies for myself and another’s keeper shelves. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Do you believe in coincidence?” “Nay. Divine instances, rather.” “This is one of them.”
“…you’ll find that the Almighty fills the emptiness with Himself along with countless other blessings.”– Sylvie
“Nothing is more important than family. When you’ve lost much you treasure those who remain.” Bleu
“The unknown was always frightening no matter how many times you faced it.”
My Rating
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Superior! Giving hearts for stars, because *le sigh!*
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Neighbor and the Gifts by Danielle Grandinetti, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: The Neighbor and the Gifts Series: A Christmas Cabin Novella Author: Danielle Grandinetti Publisher: Hearth Spot Press Release Date: July 15, 2025 Genre: Christmas Historical Romantic Suspense
Twelve days. Twelve gifts. One unlikely hero.
Wisconsin, 1930—When Manitowish Waters librarian Olivia “Ollie” Larson finds a package on the library steps, she expects the children’s books she ordered, not a taxidermied partridge. By the fourth gift from her unknown and unwelcome True Love, disappearing to her grandfather’s isolated cabin in the Northwoods is the only way she can escape him.
Deputy Titus Wilburn is happy to escort the lovely librarian to her grandfather’s house on his way to the neighboring Yarwood cabin. After all, he’s been smitten with her since they attended school together, and she needs his protection. However, the plan fails when Ollie’s uninvited suitor discovers her new location.
As the man’s actions become more desperate and his gifts more dangerous, an unexpectedly bedridden Titus decides to free Ollie from this menace, which puts the enemy’s sights directly on him. Ollie refuses to let her injured hero sacrifice himself, but with the days ticking closer to Christmas, she may have no choice but to accept whatever fate her suitor has in store for her if she wants to save Titus’ life.
One cabin in the Northwoods … a decade of Christmas miracles.
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
‘You are my …’ Her voice trailed off as words jumbled on her tongue. Her friend. Her Hero. Her … True Love?”
Do you remember being very young and painfully shy around a handsome young man you wished would look at you with interest? I do! Poor Ollie ( short for “Olivia”) Larsen is 20 and the shy librarian in the 1930s Wisconsin town of Manitowish Waters. Thrilled to see her interest, deputy Titus Wilburn, out and about on a snowy December day, they awkwardly greet each other before Ollie totally embarrassed herself by falling on ice in front of Titus, an old schoolmate.
Refusing Titus’s offer of an escort back to the library, in seconds upon her arrival she wishes she had accepted. There, on the steps, is a dead bird with a note.
What should have been a joyful holiday for Ollie thus begins to slowly evolve into a nightmare as an unknown admirer sends her gifts corresponding to the “12 Days of Christmas” carol. Sheriff Yarwood( whom we met briefly two years ago in The Sheriff and the Outlaw and again in last year’s novella, The Baby and the Guardian) wisely puts Titus, who he knows has a crush on Ollie, in charge of the case.
As more gifts are left on successive days for Ollie, Titus and Ollie both realize that this is not your normal suitor. It is decided Ollie should visit her grandfather’s remote cabin in the mountains. “Right now, he is trying to win you over. But if he suffers from the delusion that I suspect he does, then if you decline his overtures, I worry that he will turn violent.” Titus will stay at the sheriff’s nearby cabin for protection.
I just love the meddlers in this story!! As her hermit grandfather Osborne tells a visiting Titus, “She needs someone to show her what True Love really is.”(Meddlers are always fun, if it’s someone else’s life!)
I love the scene and atmosphere that Grandinetti sets. I could very well imagine being back in time, first in the small town , then in the remote cabin, around Christmas time. I could feel the angst of both Titus and Ollie as they try to maneuver through those awkward first moments, then try to figure out where they stand in the other’s mind and heart. The mystery is well-done, and adds good tension to the story. I also enjoyed meeting Osborne, and getting to peak beyond his crustiness to his soft feelings for his granddaughter.
I heartily recommend this novella series! While this novella could be read alone, it’s better in sequence. I’ll be rereading this whole little series at Christmas time, because all the feels!!
I received a copy of the book from the author, but I also bought my own ecopy and a few paperbacks (this a series to share)! No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“This was the most awkward, horrible love triangle she could imagine.”
“But you’ve made me feel like a hero because of how you see me.”- Titus
“…Ollie’s voice, her closeness, were the best medicine. He had to get better soon so he could be the brawn to her beautifully brilliant brain.”
“…Agatha Christie, has a sleuth named Hercule Poirot and he puts great stock in his little gray cells.” “We are taking detective advice from a novel?” – Ollie, Titus
My Rating
🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
Superior! This is a Christmas historic romantic suspense novella with all the feels! Don’t miss The Neighbor and the Gifts by Danielle Grandinetti!
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a paperback copy of both The Baby and the Guardian & The Neighbor and the Gifts plus 1 set of series-inspired earrings!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 15, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 22, 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.
Title: Fire Mountain Series: Elements of Danger #1 Author: Dana Mentink Publisher: Revell Release Date: July 1, 2025 Genre: Mystery & Romantic Suspense
Fire rains from above as they fight to discover the truth and stay alive.
In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she’s suddenly in possession of someone’s baby. Fiercely independent, she has to admit that perhaps this time she could use a little help.
As the threat of eruption grows, former cop Cullen Landry refuses to leave his cabin in the evacuation area, which is why he’s the only one left who can help Kit escape the crumpled cab of her truck. He doesn’t want to get tangled up in the mystery of the beautiful woman with an abandoned infant, but when he sees the bullet hole in the windshield and the bloody handprint on the interior, he realizes that he’s in this thing, like it or not.
When two armed men with ill intent approach, the race is on to stay alive, discover the truth, and find the baby’s missing mother–all while a deadly mountain rains fire from above.
Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author. She’s written more than 50 mystery and suspense novels for Love Inspired Suspense, Harvest House, and Poisoned Pen Press. Winner of two ACFW Carol Awards, a Holt Medallion Award, and a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, Dana lives in Northern California with her husband.
Connect with Dana by visiting DanaMentink.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
Excerpt
COLD AND ICE-PICK PAIN bored into Kit Garrido’s temples. Her limbs were leaden, her body a deadweight in the driver’s seat of her big rig. Grit coated her tongue and teeth. She tasted blood. Try as she might, she couldn’t reach out to unbuckle her seat belt. Panic bubbled up in-side her.
She felt movement. Someone yanked hard on the pas- senger door, unleashing pulses of pain.
“Ma’am?” A low baritone, rough.
A big hand skimmed her temple, calloused fingers hard like talons. Through her slitted eyelids, a male torso mate- rialized, a large man in a heavy jacket. Warm ash drifted from his baseball cap and settled on her cheek, featherlight.
“What . . . happened?” Her voice was a croak.
“You crashed.” His voice held the trace of a Southern accent. “Volcano’s unsettled everything. Not safe to stay here.”
Not safe? Crashed? Why wouldn’t her mouth work fast enough to spit out the questions? Fear lapped at her insides as he fumbled for her seat belt.
“You’ve got to wake up. Now.”
She forced her eyes farther open, grabbed the wheel. Cold wind raked her cheek. Wind? She lurched into full consciousness so fast her brain rocked in her skull. Green. Everywhere green mixed with brown, the trees of north- ern Washington all around, the rattling pine needles oddly muted by their coating of volcanic ash. A pine cone dropped on her lap through the gaping hole in the windshield. It left a sooty stain on her knee before it bounced off. She stared at it.
How . . .
He was talking, but she couldn’t follow.
She touched her brown ski cap, then the flannel of her favorite long-haul driving jacket, the feel of the fabrics proving to herself she was alive. Somehow. A hiss of es- caping steam commanded her to acknowledge what she desperately didn’t want to see.
Her beautiful Freightliner truck was wedged cab first, jammed in a crevice between two crooked trees. In the side- view mirror she observed an enormous trench of gouged earth that marked her journey from the road above to the place of impact. The shiny yellow cab with its cozy sleep- ing unit, her home for three-hundred-plus days a year, was squashed like the face of a Pekinese. The pristine white trailer she’d washed that morning was no doubt damaged as well. She closed her eyes and pictured the bold font she’d painstakingly chosen for the Garrido Trucking logo. How absurdly proud she’d felt the day the lettering was applied. Her truck. Her business. Her life. Finally.
Muscles in her throat tightened, and tears started down her face.
Crashed. She’d crashed. Everything she’d worked for, gone. The pain in her head intensified. She stared around wildly. “But what happened? How did I wreck?”
The man shrugged. “Dunno. I’m not sure why you’d even be on Pine Hollow Road in the first place. Pretty ridiculous, considering.”
Ridiculous? She bridled as the location sank in. Pine Hollow? Why there? Deep breaths. One, two, three, then she unbuckled and levered herself from the driver’s seat. Pain lanced her left wrist. Broken or sprained? Her shirt was splattered with blood, though she couldn’t feel any cuts.
“Easy,” the man said, arms outstretched as if to catch her.
Why couldn’t she remember what happened? She must have rolled out of her small office solo that morning, like she always did before picking up her load, the last load she dared haul out of a region under an evacuation advisory. She wouldn’t have chosen Pine Hollow, a twisty route that would take her nearer the volatile Mount Ember. Every- thing she’d learned, the geologic facts she’d devoured, left her itching to escape. Had she lost control? Maybe she’d been knocked out by a falling boulder. Had the noxious gasses venting from the volcano’s bulging side overwhelmed her? But why here?
The cold infiltrated her torn jacket, numbing her arms. Faraway, she heard the distant rumble of thunder or maybe another earthquake from the mountain preparing to blow. No sounds of vehicles, sirens, people. Eerie. Terrifying.
Her thoughts were muddy, slow. Get help. She patted her pockets in a futile search for her cell. Gone somewhere.
The satellite radio was her next choice until she realized it had been pierced by the branch that neatly skewered the windshield. Her throat went dry. A few inches to the left and it would have impaled her too. Ruined also was the precious old-school CB she’d rebuilt, which would have instantly connected her with a fellow trucker.
The man was still staring at her. He straightened and leaned closer. “Are you hurt badly? I can carry you.”
She couldn’t make herself answer, so he went on. “Your radio’s crushed, I see. My cell phone has no bars down here. Where’s your phone?”
She jammed her knit cap on tighter. Hurt or not, she wouldn’t let any stranger control the conversation, espe- cially not in her rig. “I’ll find it.”
He shook his head. “You rest a minute. I’m gonna hop out and make sure your truck’s not on fire or anything.” He muscled his way back out the passenger door, the metal protesting with a bloodcurdling shriek.
She didn’t see any sign of his vehicle through the filthy glass. Where had he come from? There were no helpful locals out and about under the present circumstances. Nerves tightened in her stomach. A trucker alone with cargo was vulnerable, a female trucker even more so.
Protect yourself. She fumbled for the crowbar, but the seat was collapsed on top of it. Instead she yanked the fire extinguisher loose, which made her head feel like it was going to detonate. Best she could do. She eased closer to the fractured passenger window.
The ground was a moonscape of ash and debris. The man eased along, a palm on the cab for support, and she got another chance to examine him. Long legs, cowboy boots, flannel shirt, Yankees baseball cap, and a scar—she hadn’t noticed that before. It bisected his left eyebrow. He disappeared around the other side of the rig before return- ing a few moments later. The closer he got, the taller he was, probably six four and muscled. More than a match for her five-foot-five, hundred-ten-pound frame. The fear resurged. Protect yourself.
The extinguisher cut into her clenched palm. He drew close enough to the open passenger door for her to catch the light brown of his eyes, almost translucent like smoke. When he tried to climb aboard, she raised the extinguisher. “Where did you come from?”
His lips quirked. “Originally? South Carolina.” That explained the drawl. “I meant . . .”
“I know what you meant.” He shot a look at the ravaged landscape before he turned back. “Top of the ridge. My cabin’s up there. I was on my roof and I saw you go over the shoulder. I was surprised six ways to Sunday. Didn’t even hear you coming because the wind was howl- ing, and I sure didn’t expect any rigs to be in this area. Anyway, I hightailed it here in my truck. It’s parked up a ways.”
“I don’t know you.” A silly remark.
“Don’t know you either. You from around here?” She wouldn’t tell him where she lived.
“Close.”
He pointed to the fire extinguisher and heaved out a breath. “Are you going to clobber me with that or not? I promise it’s not necessary.” He held up his palms. How does anyone have fingers that long? “You need first aid before we get out of here, and I’m the only one here to give it to you whether you like it or not.” He plucked the kit from the pocket in the door and wiggled it at her. “You’re bleeding.”
“I don’t need first aid.”
He said something in reply, but his words seemed to come from far away, a rushing sound drowning them out as dizziness overcame her.
The extinguisher dropped to the floor, and she sank onto the driver’s seat while he climbed in and slammed the pas- senger door. A wave of nausea enveloped her. Hastily he dumped out the first aid kit and shoved the container under her chin as she wretched. He handed her a clean handker- chief from his pocket with a neat C embroidered on it.
She stared at the precisely folded, pristine cloth.
His cheeks pinked. “I know. No one carries these things anymore. Mama insists, and she sends me a box of ’em every Christmas.” He looked intently at her. “I’m fairly certain you have yourself a concussion.”
“Not a family, not them. Just . . . united strangers. ‘I know you aren’t a blood family, but people can be put together in unexpected ways.’”Archie
I wanted to check my blood pressure. It had to be high. After finishing Dana Mentink’s Fire Mountain romantic suspense novel, I felt so in tune with the characters, I thought I had run from men who built their money on exploitation. I was nearly sure I was trying desperately to escape a rumbling volcano. I lost myself in the drama, intrigue, baby care, and natural disaster unfolding in the book. So artfully told, I’ll never forget.
An everyman and everywoman hero. That’s what Cullen and Kit are. An ex-policeman, who can’t recover from his last call, and is now a horse rancher. A proud, independent, truck driver whose immediate memory is gone. Why is there a 9-month-old baby in her care? Kit knows nothing about babies. Worse, why is she headed back into the evacuation zone of Mt. Ember, threatening to blow her top? ( Do you either remember Mt. St. Helens or remember learning about her in school?) Since we were nearly across the nation, yet our summer weather was affected for months, I could only imagine how horrifying it would be to be in the danger zone! Plus, while injured, with baby in tow, Kit and Cullen discover someone is after them with deadly weapons!
Fortunately for the reader, Mentink has a great sense of humor. When I thought I would explode myself because of the building suspense, Mentink would insert levity. It might be trading witty lines between Cullen and Kit, or it might involve Archie, a crusty former Marine who had refused to leave his home on the mountain.
I loved Archie’s character! He is an enigma to be sure! Rough and gruff, yet “grandpa” with the baby.
In some ways, this book reads like a nightmare. Just when you think Kit and Cullen might be safe, either the mountain creates terror or Nico and Simon are hot on their trail again. However, Fire Mountain has embers of hope, where romance, character strength, and faith shine through.
One faith message is that of forgiveness. Kit has struggled with the absence of forgiveness in her past. Plus, she has a past she’s not proud of. “God forgives you for all that, Kit,”says Cullen.
“You’re not credible to say that though, are you?”…”Because you don’t believe what you say, deep down. You don’t live like it anyway,” Kit retorts. Ouch!
I find it interesting that Kit compares two sides of unforgiveness to equating oneself to God. “If a person can’t accept forgiveness themselves, or refuses to give it to someone else, it puts them in the place of God, doesn’t it?” Just in case it sounds like there is a lot of headtime in this book, let me say there are snatches. They are sandwiched between the desperate and the good times, perfectly placed to stimulate thinking, without losing the quick pace of this breathtaking story.
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through Just Reads and Netgalley. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“There’s your plan, and God’s plan, and yours doesn’t count.”– Kit’s father
“Rose- colored glasses aren’t going to keep us from dying.” “I prefer to attribute it to experience. I’ve seen God do plenty of miracles, so why not another one here and now?”– Kit, Cullen
“loving someone was one thing. Living it out was altogether different…”
“This moment, these days, his life, would be over when God said so. Not a moment before.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Superior! I am having a bit of trouble remembering that I was NOT a part of this spectacular drama! I won’t soon forget it!
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a copy of Fire Mountain 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 July 9, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on July 16, 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.
Buried underneath are truths bent on keeping them apart. . . .
In 1889 Victorian England, Eva Inman is haunted by guilt over her parents’ deaths while struggling to care for her blind sister and manage her family’s crumbling estate. With the tax deadline looming, Eva’s situation looks dire until an ancient silver ring is unearthed on the property. Despite superstitions warning against disturbing the supposedly cursed acres, Eva’s need for funds ignites her curiosity about the potential of finding more buried relics.
Cambridge professor Bram Webb must prove a legendary Christian Roman settlement exists, or he’ll risk exposing his uncle’s deteriorating memory and they’ll both lose their positions. Then Eva steps into his office with the prospect of an archaeological dig that might lead to the very evidence Bram requires–provided he and Eva can set aside painful memories of a time they would rather forget. As the dig forces the two to confront their pasts, the work becomes fraught with challenges that threaten Eva’s and Bram’s hopes, as well as the growing attraction between them.
“Sure to delight fans of archaeological adventure and historical romance.”–JULIE KLASSEN, bestselling author
Dive into the past in this clean historical romance as Michelle Griep transports you to Victorian England with an appealing mix of mystery, Roman archaeology, and charming banter. This enthralling tale will appeal to fans of Mimi Matthews, Andrea Penrose, Anna Lee Huber, and Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
“The end of Eva’s world started with a window she never should have left open.”
Whew! What a gripping, suck-you-in-like-a-whirlpool opening sentence!Michelle Griep pens this Victorian romance with such beautiful, flowing artistry that I often had to stop and reread a sentence or a whole paragraph. Just for the beauty of the construction. So I’m in love with the writing style.
And the characters. A young lady, Eva Inman, who is convinced her mistake twelve years earlier caused her mother’s death, her sister’s blindness, and their now-fatherless estate to be in extreme need of funds. The corresponding male main character, Professor Bram Webb, who knew Eva in childhood,now returns to create an archaeological dig on her estate lands. ( Webb must prove an ancient Christian civilization, hiding from Roman tyranny, existed on Inman land.) Eva doesn’t know if she’s attracted to the man from her past or if she despises Bram, the man she considers “the first in a string of people to leave her.”
In some ways, there are elements that give the novel the feel of a certain well-known fictional archaeological character. Fun. Yet, Bram’s reason for joining his uncle Pendleton on the dig are very self-sacrificing. I cannot imagine the fortitude Bram shows as he supports his history prof. uncle. I would have been explaining myself by this point. Eva doesn’t trust Bram becsuse of their childhood connection, but she fails to understand that Bram has undergone a transformation. Indeed, Bram has many enemies and people he would seem justified to hold a grudge against, but, instead of taking vengeance, he explains to Eva. “Perhaps his conscience is buried beneath layers of deceit and bitterness, yet it is not beyond redemption. Harsh words and flying fists will not change his heart. Only God can do that.” How he moves from ready-to-fight anger to a willingness to hand his enemy over to God speaks so much for his character!
A great supporting character is Penny, Eva’s outgoing, curious, and unafraid blind sister. Penny is 13 going on 30. How will Eva ever keep her charge safe?
Twists! This novel has some truly great ones. My eyes widened as I read many times, surprised at how each successive obstacle worked out!
Stars and thunder!! I was unhappy when I finished the book! I loved Of Silver and Shadows so much, with its many themes, truth nuggets, amazing romance and twists. I just didn’t want it to end!! My definition of a perfect book!
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher and NetGalley. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“…though truth might be absolute, discerning the right course of action when living that truth was often anything but obvious.”
“It is easy to judge from the outside, but we can never truly understand the burdens others carry or the choices they feel forced to make. We are all fallen creatures.”
“Love is a gift, worth risking everything for… let nothing stand in your way.”
“The very first time you asked to be pardoned, you were. That is what grace is all about. “
“We are all tethered to something…When that tether snaps, as it is wont to do, this is when we realize the true extent of our faith.”
Kate Cunningham is facing the opportunity of a lifetime. As a zoo photographer, she’s spent years photographing animals in carefully controlled environments, but now National Geographic has dangled an irresistible prize: If Kate can snag a unique photo of a legendary bear in Grand Teton National Park, they just might publish it. It’s the kind of challenge Kate has been waiting for, and she’s eager to prove herself in the wild.
With more enthusiasm than experience, Kate soon realizes that capturing an image of this bear isn’t as simple as she hoped. Fortunately, she crosses paths with Grant Cooper, a seasonal park ranger who knows the terrain–and the bears–better than anyone. His tracking skills could be exactly what Kate needs to succeed, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes. But they’re not the only ones with an interest in the park’s most famous bear. And his motives are far from innocent.
Suzanne Woods Fisher is a Christy finalist, a Carol and Selah winner, a two-time ECPA Book of the Year finalist, and Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of more than forty books. Her genres include contemporary and historical romances, Amish romance, and women’s fiction. She and her husband live in a small town in California. Most friends act a little nervous around Suzanne because they usually wind up in one of her novels. She has four grown children and enough grandchildren to keep her young.
More from Suzanne
A Spark that Lit a Story
By Suzanne Woods Fisher
Capture the Moment (Revell—May 6, 2025)
Inspiration can strike in the most unexpected places—like a gift shop in Grand Teton National Park. While browsing, I struck up a conversation with a college student who had never set foot outside Alabama until her mom dropped her off for a summer job in the park. One minute, she was home in the Deep South; the next, she was surrounded by towering peaks and moose crossings. Talk about a culture shock.
That conversation lit a spark that eventually became my National Parks Summers series. I couldn’t stop thinking about the fascinating mix of people who work seasonally in national parks. You’ve got fresh-faced college kids on their first big adventure, retirees finally living their bucket-list dreams, and everyone in between. These parks aren’t just natural wonders—they’re crossroads for people from all walks of life, all chasing something unique.
In Capture the Moment, I wanted to explore what happens when people and landscapes collide. Kate Cunningham, a determined zoo photographer, swaps enclosures for the wilds of Grand Teton, chasing an elusive bear and her own sense of purpose. Along the way, Kate meets Grant Cooper, a rugged park ranger with a knack for tracking and a talent for keeping her on her toes.
National parks are more than just beautiful backdrops—they’re places where people find themselves, lose themselves, and sometimes stumble into something extraordinary.
Maybe even love.
My Impressions
“399…Queen of the Tetons…”
“‘A living, breathing legend.’ ‘Exactly. She’s a symbol of the wild, a reminder that even in the heart of nature, there are stories, personalities, and connections waiting to be discovered.’”
And…we’re off on a journey to visit some of our nation’s great national parks with Suzanne Woods Fisher, told in her gentle, heart-warming style. First stop in this new series, National Parks Summers, is Grand Tetons National Park, in Capture the Moment.
If you are a fan of nature, underdogs, Suzanne Woods Fisher, plot twists, and gentle reminders to listen to the still, small voice of God, this is a must-read.
I adored the novice photographer, Kate, who thought she would get the original photo that no one else had. What a shock she gets when she arrives at the best viewing spots for the old grizzly, 399, only to discover a great crowd of disdainful professional photographers ahead of her. Fortunately, Kate is willing to learn from her mistakes and not wallow in her failures. ( And being a city-slicker, there are plenty!)“She reminded herself that mistakes were a natural part of the learning process. “Each one has a lesson to teach,” she said to herself.” Another verse that helps her when she is amazed at her own obtuseness( and don’t most of us have blinders on in some area of life?) is “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Do you not perceive it?” What I love about this moment is that Woods points out this is a verse God brings to Kate’s mind because she had hidden it in her heart long ago. Do we have verses like that? Second, are we, as we age, still working on memorizing, so God can bring those verses to mind?
Woods populates her novel with so many other wonderful characters! Of course, everyone will love Coop! How can you not! Handsome, knowledgeable, expert on bears, and compassionate. He champions Kate, the underdog, plus he understands and mentors the impossibly belligerent Frankie. This is no small feat, because it is obvious he would rather not have this sidekick 24-7! And, he is unafraid to tell the truth as it is… to those that need to hear it… which his acting director, Sally, tries to silence.
Sally. She is acting director of the park, and a piece of work! I was surprised to find that I didn’t like her any more after a night of “sleeping on it” than I did when I finished the story.
And Tim and his granddaughter, Maisie! To meet Tim is to love him, unless you are Frankie. Such a wise, thoughtful, man rooted in faith. His granddaughter, Maisie, who frequently gets dumped on him? She’s 13, loquacious, loud, and goes non-stop 24-7. Everyone seems to have a love-avoid her relationship with her. Maisie wants so hard to be accepted, loved, and seen as special. Pops finally tells her on one occasion when she takes imitation overboard, “a tulip doesn’t struggle to be different from a rose.”
Bonus note: With a great detailed map of the park at the beginning and a list of the most important characters also at the beginning, I felt well-armed to tackle the book.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I bought my own pb copy for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“she realized that seeing things differently was a gift, not a burden.”
“But holding on to anger isn’t doing you any favors.”…“It’s like a poison.”…“Forgiveness is the antidote.”
“what you’re looking for can’t be found within. Only outside ourselves. Only in God.”
“…he didn’t have to hang on to that hurt anymore.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior! National parks story told in Fisher’s heart-warming, feels-like-a-hug-style, complete with a grizzly, romance, humor, faith, and a bit of mystery.
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 